Heela Yoon is the fourth Cora Weiss Peacebuilding Fellow, a fellowship program for young women peacebuilders from around the world managed by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP). As a Fellow, she provides research and advocacy support to the civil society-led Action Coalition on Women, and Peace and Security and Youth, and Peace and Security in the Beijing +25 process. She is also in-charge of coordinating some of GNWP’s activities during the 2020 session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.  Prior to joining GNWP as the Cora Weiss Peacebuilding Fellow, Heela worked as a Desk officer and Coordinator for the United Nations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Afghanistan (MoFA). She was responsible for handling the desks of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Asia-Pacific Telecom munity (APT), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and The Word Organization for Animal Health (OIE). She has also assisted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Security Council Desks. She is currently member of the committee for implementing UNSCR 1325 at MoFA. Heela is also the Founder of her civil society organization, the Afghan Women Welfare and Development Association (AWWDA), where she strives to strengthen and empower women and improve their participation in the state building and peacebuilding.

Heela graduated from Kabul University with a bachelor in Law and Political Science in 2017. She has a second bachelor degree in Business Administration from the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). She is currently a member of Global Nomads Group and Soola School of Leadership Afghanistan. Having founded her civil society organization, Heela is committed to uplifting women from poverty and illiteracy and help them participate in different spheres of life where they are needed.