Merna Abdelazim
Merna Abdelazim is a Data and Research Assistant working on the Missing Migrants Project, and is based at IOM’s Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa in Cairo, Egypt. Merna has experience in migrant and refugee protection including assisting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, victims of human trafficking, and victims of smuggling under governmental custody. She has also worked in IOM Egypt’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (AVRR) as the focal point for large-scale and Sudanese movements. Prior to joining IOM, Merna worked on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change induced displacement in North Africa with a regional civil society organization. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with specializations in International Relations and Public International Law from the American University in Cairo, where she is currently studying for a Master’s Degree in Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS).