Hewan Omer

Hewan is a Yezidi survivor of the 2014 ISIS genocide who has transformed her personal experience of displacement and discrimination into a powerful commitment to community empowerment. After earning a degree in English from the University of Duhok in 2016, she worked as a translator, instructor, and women’s rights advocate. Motivated by the injustice she and others faced, Hewan joined FYF with a strong resolve to support Yezidi women and survivors. As Country Director, she oversees the organization’s field operations in Iraq, ensuring that local staff are supported, well-coordinated, and empowered to lead. Hewan also serves on CARE’s Global Women’s Advisory Board and was selected as a 2024 Fellow with the First Freedom Foundation’s global Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) initiative. In these roles, she advocates for the rights of women, Yezidis, and other persecuted minorities, engaging with global leaders and raising the voices of survivors on international platforms.