Al-Mujahed—founder of the Yemeni Refugee Women Organization (YRWO)—urged policymakers to shift from short-term relief to long-term empowerment through education, leadership training, access to finance and mentorship, and to integrate refugee women into host-country economies. A medical laboratory professional with an MBA who relocated from Yemen to Malaysia, she also leads MyFashionChamber (International Fashion Chamber Malaysia), using cultural diplomacy and industry networks to open economic pathways for displaced women. She has participated in UNHCR-linked forums, including a Geneva hybrid event on the Global Compact on Refugees.

Presenting her study on Oct. 27, 2025, Al-Mujahed said her research documents how women in conflict zones transform trauma into purpose, frequently leading families, communities and humanitarian efforts without formal titles or recognition.

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“Women in crisis are not victims,” Al-Mujahed told delegates. “They can be the main actors of change. My study calls for the world to recognize their agency, not just their suffering, and to invest in their potential as leaders and peace builders.”

Al-Mujahed’s work traces patterns of survival, transformation and advocacy among women displaced by conflict, arguing that lived experience can cultivate vision, empathy and what she calls “authentic leadership.” The study highlights a persistent gap between women’s de facto leadership roles and the lack of acknowledgment or resources that would allow their initiatives to scale.

According to Al-Mujahed, the biggest barrier is not ability but recognition. Many refugee women face structural obstacles—limited access to education, financial debt and restrictive cultural expectations—that mute their public influence even as they shoulder leadership in practice.

“Even with constraints, they lead—in families, communities and humanitarian work,” she said. “Without titles, they still have impact.”

Al-Mujahed urged governments, aid agencies and donors to shift from short-term relief to long-term empowerment. Her recommendations include:

• Expanding access to education, leadership training and finance for refugee women;
• Economic integration in host countries, including clear pathways to entrepreneurship;
• Mentorship schemes linking local and displaced women to share networks and know-how.

“Empowerment should be systemic, not symbolic,” she said, adding that sustained investment strengthens communities and contributes to more inclusive peacebuilding.

Raised in Yemen, Al-Mujahed said the country’s war shaped her academic and advocacy path. Trained in medical laboratory science and later completing an MBA, she relocated to Malaysia, where she broadened her work across Southeast Asia. Education, she noted, “brought confidence and opportunity—but also revealed how rare such access is for many women around me.”

Observing Yemeni women’s resilience “overshadowed by limited opportunity,” she founded YRWO to create platforms for independence and leadership. She has also used fashion as a tool for cultural diplomacy and economic mobility, establishing MyFashionChamber (International Fashion Chamber Malaysia), an industry platform she chairs to connect designers and entrepreneurs across Asia and the Middle East.

In Malaysia, Al-Mujahed has supported skills-building initiatives for refugee women—including tailoring and digital-skills workshops—aimed at translating talent into income, dignity and sustainable livelihoods.

“Through this initiative, I wanted to connect creativity with advocacy and dignity—and provide elegance and empowerment for these women’s journeys,” she said, describing “I Am Lina”, a fashion-driven campaign she uses to tell stories of resilience and to encourage women to transform pain into purpose. Positioned alongside her work with YRWO and MyFashionChamber, the initiative aims to turn creative expression into economic opportunity and confidence for refugee women.

Al-Mujahed has participated in UNHCR-linked forums, including a Geneva hybrid event on the Global Compact on Refugees, to advocate for refugee women’s voices to be heard in spaces where critical decisions are made.

Al-Mujahed ended her presentation with a message to young women: “See that your voice matters, your pain has meaning and your dreams have power. Your background is not a burden—it is the foundation of your strength.”

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