Naomi is a Senior Technical Specialist with experience conducting research, managing projects, engaging in policy, advocacy and influencing, and providing technical assistance. She works with a range of stakeholders from grassroots women’s rights organisations to government representatives, international development banks, security actors, and UN entities.
Currently Naomi works full time across the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls: Impact at Scale (What Works II) programme, wearing various hats. Within the What Works II programme, Naomi works:
- As a senior researcher on the Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Helpdesk, conducting rapid research and policy briefs for the FCDO. She is also author to multiple publicly available reports including the FCDO Flagship report “Gender Based Violence: Overcoming an Unseen Barrier to Effective Climate Action”.
- Within the What Works II External Engagement and Influencing (EEI) team, managing the development of policy products and engaging in strategic influencing with key stakeholders to promote change. This role includes working closely with practitioners from the Global South to platform their expertise and to support them to author policy briefs that spotlight their work.
- Providing technical assistance to programmes seeking to integrate GBV prevention into their wider work (especially in sectors working to promote climate resilience).
Naomi has previously worked as a technical advisor on the CSSF Global Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) programme, designing and delivering guidance and MEL tools for integrating Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) into FCDO programmes. She managed the delivery of a guidance note to support the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and National Police implement their National Action Plan on WPS. One of her key contributions was leading the development of a framework for facilitating women’s participation in grassroots peacebuilding and within Danish security forces. She has also conducted research for the Disability Inclusion Helpdesk, on integrating disability inclusion into security programming.
Prior to joining Social Development Direct, Naomi worked in South Sudan on a girls’ education programme where she was seconded to the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to support the development of their 5-year girls’ education strategy. During this time, she also volunteered with a girls’ choir that supported former street children and survivors of violence.
