About Yasmine Sherif

Yasmine earned her LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law at Stockholm University in 1987, and joined the United Nations in 1988. Across her UN career, her work moved between humanitarian response and longer-term recovery—linking rights, protection, the rule of law, education, women’s rights, and socio-economic development in environments shaped by conflict, forced displacement, and institutional breakdown. Her experience spans across the UN system, including UNHCR, UNDP, UNICEF, OCHA, UN Peacekeeping, alongside governments, civil society, and frontline partners, where urgency is constant and choices are rarely simple.

A defining thread throughout her career has been a clear belief: human rights are not an abstract ideal—they are what makes human dignity possible. In practice, that means translating international law and universal values into reality. Yasmine’s decades of learning and serving have also influenced her in taking on the bigger questions on human existence and humanity. She has lifelong commitment to values, authenticity, and leadership with humanity in a fractured world.

Her talks connect several underlying factors to empower others to either live or lead with humanity - even under pressure. How to act with moral courage, stay ethical when the options are imperfect, how to negotiate without losing your values, how to keep trust alive when fear is high, and how to remain humane and effective without hardening.

In 2016, she published her first book, The Case for Humanity: An Extraordinary Session, launched at the United Nations in New York in 2015, where it has been a best-seller ever since.

Her forthcoming book Unleash Your Humanity: Where Personal Awakening Becomes Collective Change,‍ ‍co-authored with Scott Tavis, will be released and unleashed in the fall of 2026.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including: the prestigious Mother Theresa Social Justice Award; Honored Listee Marquis Who is Who in America 2024; the Most Empowering Women Leaders to Follow in 2026 (Global Entrepreneur Insights); Women Leaders 2024 Collector’s Edition (Passion Vista); Sweden’s Annual UN Friend Award 2017; My Hero Global Educator Award 2022; and the UNA-US Brooklyn Award 2023. She serves on the Council of the Varkey Foundation’s Global School Prize, and is a Member of World in 2050’s Ten.