Jemilah Mahmood

Chief, United Nations World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat; President of Malaysian Medical Relief Society (MERCY Malaysia)

“What I wanted to do was to build a cadre of Malaysians who would think about issues beyond themselves or their nation and to look to become a force in the Global South.”

Beginning as a doctor involved in disaster response, Dr. Mahmood broadened the scope of her medical efforts to address comprehensive risk management and humanitarian relief. In 1999, she founded the Malaysian Medical Relief Society, also called MERCY Malaysia. It is one of the most recognized humanitarian organizations in the Global South and works in numerous countries to provide emergency relief, health and dental care, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene programs. Her engagement in disaster preparedness led her to ask how to build communities strong enough to continue on when humanitarian groups leave. Having begun her career as Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, she is deeply committed to women’s issues and engaging women as agents of change. In recognition of her many accomplishments, Dr. Mahmood was appointed by UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, to lead the 2016 United Nations World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat. She is bringing together a range of government, private and civil society organizations to redefine humanitarian assistance.