Dr. Kawkab Al-Wadeai is a Researcher and Mental Health Counsellor specialising in Gender, Peace & Security, based at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Her research interests are in human rights in mental health, support for survivors of sexual abuse, Canadian policy toward Yemen, and drivers of violent extremism. Dr. Alwadeai holds a Ph.D. in Mental Health and Counselling and was an Assistant Professor of Mental Health at the University of Science and Technology in Yemen. In 2017 she served as "Activist in Residence" at the Centre for Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), in the UK.

Alwadeai has over 18 years of experience in the fields of women’s rights, gender justice, gender auditing, development programmes, and Gender Based Violence (GBV). Her activities have included conducting training workshops at the community level in the governorates and NGOs of Yemen as well as for government officials. These workshops have drawn significant attention to women’s issues and the importance of integrating women within ministries’ policies and strategies.

As an expert in Yemeni context in the field of human rights, gender, violent extremism, mental health, peace and dialogue, Alwadeai provided guidance and worked with such international organisations as UNDP, UNESCO, Islamic relief, and Search for Common Ground. She also provided educational training in dialogue, peacebuilding and human rights to youth and to government at the local, municipal and national levels.

During the ongoing war in Yemen, she was a national stress counsellor for UN staff in Yemen. As a mental health psychosocial support (MHSS), she provided psychoeducational training, support and assistance to groups, individuals and communities experiencing war-related trauma. She also built capacity in crisis intervention and community trauma response.

Dr. Alwadeai is currently a member of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL). She can be contacted at alwadeaik@gmail.com