Lealem is a senior gender equality and governance expert with a focus on gender and inclusion, political economy of development, civil society, and migration within the Horn of Africa. Currently serving as the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Lead at the Civil Society Support Program (CSSP2), Lealem plays a key role in overseeing GESI inclusion in the comprehensive CSSP 2 program delivery, a substantial portfolio of £24 million.
Lealem provides targeted technical capacity building support to grantee CSOs, enhancing their inclusivity for transformative impacts on governance and human rights realm. With an illustrious career, she has actively collaborated with international organizations such as UNDP, UN Women, USAID, GIZ CPS, PACT, and FCDO/DfID, contributing significantly to program and policy development.
Lealem holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Oxford, an MA in Human Rights, and a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Ababa University. Beyond her current role, Lealem has served as a lecturer at Addis Ababa University, and is a fellow of the Rift Valley Institute where she regularly lectures on the Horn of Africa Course, demonstrating her commitment to academic and practical advancements in the field.