Halifet Ayemohammed Yusuf is a Master of Arts student in Global African Studies at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, specializing in Diplomacy and Africa’s International Relations. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Saudi Arabia, her research is informed by a life across overlapping African and Arab worlds, with a focus on how diplomacy operates beyond formal legal frameworks, particularly where law alone is insufficient. Trained in law, human rights, and Islamic ethics, and drawing on extensive experience as a law lecturer, researcher, and human rights practitioner, she examines how culture, language, religion, and lived experience shape diplomatic engagement in African and Afro-Arab contexts. Halifet integrates legal, ethical, and diplomatic frameworks to produce scholarship that is both academically rigorous and policy-relevant, bridging personal insight, interdisciplinary analysis, and practical implications for Africa–Middle East relations.
Academic Background
- L.L.M., Human Rights Law, Addis Ababa University (AAU), 2023
- M.A., Applied Islamic Ethics, Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), 2022
- L.L.B., Law, Wollo University (WU), 2018
Professional Experience
- 2025–2026: Researcher, Rift Valley Institute (RVI), Ethiopia
- 2025–present: Board Member, Ethiopian Muslim Legal Professionals Association (EMLA)
- 2025–present: Board Member, Ethiopian Women Human Rights Defenders Network (EWHRDN)
- 2025–present: Member, Ethiopian Women Researchers Network (EWNET)
- 2024–2025: Human Rights Officer, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
- 2024–2025: Research Associate, Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Addis Ababa University
- 2024–present: Member, Ethiopian Women in Water Association (EWIWA)
- 2018–2019 & 2022–2025: Law Lecturer, Wollo University
Publications and Contributions
- 2026, “Bridging the Gendered Justice Gap: The Role of University-Based Legal Aid Clinics in Conflict-Affected Settings in Ethiopia,” Conference Presentation, First International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities in Ethiopia (SHECONF 2026), organized by the Rift Valley Institute in collaboration with the Ethiopian Women Researchers Network
- 2025, Politics of Memory and Contestations in Ethiopia (Research Project), Rift Valley Institute
- 2025, Exploring the Tripartite Challenge of Political Participation for Ethiopian Muslim Women, Taylor & Francis Group
- 2025, Op-Ed: From Survivors to Leaders: Ethiopian women returnees redefining migration narrative, Addis Standard
- 2025: Op-Ed: Gender Equality on Trial: How Ethiopia’s Law Schools Stumble over Inclusion as Recent Moot Court Misstep Exposes Systemic Fault Lines, Addis Standard
- 2024, Geopolitics at the Margins: Exploring Emergent Political Orders Across the Red Sea, IPSS, Addis Ababa University / University of Gothenburg
Awards
- 2023: Meta Bursary Award, African Observatory on Responsible AI and META
- 2014-2020: Multiple awards including Jessup Moot Court Best Oralist and Gold Medalist, Wollo University
In Their Own Words
“I am grateful to study diplomacy and international relations from an African perspective under the guidance of faculty deeply rooted in African contexts. GSU has provided mentorship, resources, and a vibrant academic environment. Studying Kiswahili has been fun and engaging, and I look forward to transforming research ideas inspired by my personal journey into meaningful scholarly work.”
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