Heela Yoon is the fourth Cora Weiss Peacebuilding Fellow, a fellowship program for young women peace-builders from around the world managed by the Global Network of Women Peace-builders (GNWP). As a Fellow, she provides research and advocacy support to thecivil society-led Action Coalition on Women, and Peace and Security and Youth, and Peaceand Security in the Beijing +25 process. She is also in-charge of coordinating some ofGNWP’s activities during the 2020 session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Prior to joining GNWP as the Cora Weiss Peacebuilding Fellow, Heela worked as a Desk officer and Coordinator for the United Nations Department at the Ministry of Foreign AffairsAfghanistan (MoFA). She was responsible for handling the desks of United NationsPopulation Fund (UNFPA), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Asia-PacificTelecom munity (APT), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), World IntellectualProperty Organization (WIPO), and The Word Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Shehas also assisted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and theSecurity Council Desks. She is currently member of the committee for implementingUNSCR 1325 at MoFA. Heela is also the Founder of her civil society organization, theAfghan Women Welfare and Development Association (AWWDA), where she strives tostrengthen and empower women and improve their participation in the state building andpeacebuilding.

Heela graduated from Kabul University with a bachelor in Law and Political Science in 2017. She has a second bachelor degree in Business Administration from the AmericanUniversity of Afghanistan (AUAF). She is currently a member of Global Nomads Group andSoola School of Leadership Afghanistan. Having founded her civil society organization,

Heela is committed to uplifting women from poverty and illiteracy and help them participate in different spheres of life where they are needed.