Rawia Harb

Rawia Harb is a civil society advocate and human rights defender with a background in conflict resolution, peaceful mediation, and humanitarian relief. Based in As-Suwayda, southern Syria, Ms. Harb helped launching several local initiatives in the region aimed at enhancing social cohesion and providing aid. She further led several community efforts at the national level, including anti-looting, anti-human trafficking, and anti-violence campaigns.  

Ms. Harb was instrumental in drafting an emergency humanitarian response plan for As-Suwayda governorate when the Islamic State (ISIS) invaded the governorate’s countryside. She supported the survivors of the ISIS attacks in the region, particularly women and children, through initiatives focused on documentation and storytelling. 

Ms. Harb is particularly interested in networking and coordination of civic action and has worked intensively on this among local initiatives across conflict lines in Syria, and between civic groups and local and religious leaders of all sects. She participated in different national and regional dialogue efforts, including the Syria Youth Conference, the Syria Dialogue, and the "She is for Dialogue" program with KAICIID for Interfaith Dialogue in the Arab World, aimed at activating the leading role of women in religious dialogue. She is a co-founder of the Innovation for Justice Initiative in Syria with The Hague Institute for Justice, and a member of the Syria Resource Group, a multidisciplinary brain trust of Syrian experts working to support international governments develop principled policy options concerning Syria’s recovery. 

Ms. Harb graduated from the University of Lattakia with a diploma in software engineering and information systems analysis and has studied conflict resolution and peaceful mediation at the Aunohr University in Beirut.