Homayra Ludin-Etemadi

Homayra Ludin Etamadi is currently an advisor to the former President of Afghanistan, Hamed Karzai, and served as his Deputy Chief of Staff for seven years. Prior to joining the President’s office, Homayra was based in Geneva, Switzerland, where she pursued a career in the development and humanitarian fields while working with the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, International Catholic Migration Commission, and consultancies with UNHCR, International Islamic Relief and Dar iMaalIslami. Homayra was a co-founder of the first NGO international coalition lobbying with government and international organizations on refugee, women, and children’s rights.

As Chair of the International Working Group on Refugee Women, she convened the first international conference on Muslim Refugee Women. Homayra worked on women’s issues as Deputy Secretary General of Afghan National Commission for UNESCO where she collaborated closely with what is called the Ministry of Women’s Affairs today. Homayra was the first Afghan woman to attend the University of Cambridge and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.