Ilwad Elman is a peace and development practitioner and social entrepreneur committed to building inclusive, resilient communities. She works at the intersection of conflict resolution, human rights, and security sector reform, ensuring those most affected—particularly women and youth—have a seat at the table.

As Chief Operating Officer of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre in Somalia, Ilwad has led pioneering initiatives in disarmament, reintegration, and peacebuilding, influencing both national policies and international frameworks for sustainable security and social justice.

Beyond her role at Elman Peace, she serves as an advisor, commissioner, and board member to several global initiatives, including the Every Woman Treaty to End Violence Against Women, the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Trafficking, UNESCO’s Expert Group on Culture for Peace, the Africa Fund, and the Peace by Africa Network, which she co-founded to connect grassroots peacebuilders across nine African countries and elevate local solutions from the community to the policy level.

She is also a member of various global impact networks, including Helena, the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders, and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Alumni. Ilwad currently serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Nature and Security and is an alumna of the UK Foreign Office International Leaders Programme, Harvard University’s Global Leadership and Public Policy Program, and the Kingdom of Spain’s RAISA Women’s Leadership Fellowship.

Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Gleitsman International Activist Award from Harvard University, the Hessian Peace Prize, the Right Livelihood Award, the Aurora Humanitarian Prize, three Nobel Peace Prize shortlist nominations, and an Honorary Doctorate of Law from SOAS University, among others.