Ala Ali, "women’s rights and peace activist”, has over seventeen years of experience working in the field of civil society in Iraq including Kurdistan Region, has a substantial experience managing and administering programs funded by UN agencies and other international donors. Ala is a specialist in conflict analysis studies/researches, peace-building strategies and organizational democracy. She has been a member of the Iraqi al-Amal Association since 1995, and was elected to the board of trustees in 2008 and 2012. In addition to her work as a national consultant at UNDP-Iraq since 2010, Ala has served as Iraq Program Coordinator with the Olof Palme International Center, Senior Regional Program Officer with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Peace-building Consultant with the UN Development Program, and Country Manager of Women in Technology for Institute of International Education. Ala holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and Master in Business Administration /MBA, and Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation from the Eastern Mennonite University-Center for Justice and Peace, Virginia, USA.
- Participated in developing the Iraqi Women in peacebuilding process and Women’s Economic Empowerment research with UNDP, 2010.
- Participated in developing the Conflict Development Analysis study for the disputed internal bounders (DIBs) area in Iraq with UNDP, 2012.
- Conducted a Conflict analysis study of Anbar province - Iraq (research for my MA practicum/thesis). Published by Peace Direct & Conflict Analysis of Anbar Province, Iraq