Şafak Pavey
Senior Adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and Member of Parliament (2011–2017)
Şafak Pavey´s background embraces diplomacy and politics through her work in the field of humanitarian affairs, peace and security at the United Nations and as a parliamentarian. She currently serves as the Senior Adviser for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, leading strategic partnerships, multistakeholder engagement and dialogues. During her mandates as a Member of Turkish Parliament between 2011 and 2017, she served as the Deputy Speaker, Vice-chair of Turkey-EU Accession Committee and NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Previously, she worked for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights heading the secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as a spokesperson on humanitarian missions in the Middle East, South-West Asia and Central Europe from 2003 to 2011.
Şafak is an alumna of Westminster University, London School of Economics, and Harvard Kennedy School executive education. She is a member of Women Political Leaders Global Forum and an author of three books; lastly having published her memoirs in Iran. Amongst th recognitions for her work, Şafak was honoured with the 2012 ‘International Woman of Courage Award’ by the US State Department, selected as 2015 Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum