Suzanne Hammaad

Suzanne is an independent researcher and evaluator with over two decades of experience in the areas of social inclusion, community development and empowerment, and social justice, most of which have focused on generating evidence-based advice for policy and practice across the development and humanitarian sectors. Examples of recent evaluation and learning consultancies have included: gender equality and social inclusion, equitable access to quality education, multi-level assessments of poverty alleviation policies and services, effectiveness of humanitarian aid systems and institutions, youth civic engagement initiatives, and social policies reviews and advice (e.g. in mental health, older persons protection and health, social cohesion).

Suzanne has also taught introductory and advanced topics in Sociology as Adjunct Lecturer, in addition to training and mentoring civil society professionals and researchers on a range of research methods, including complex methodologies such as Outcome Harvesting, Most Significant Change, Participatory Action Research. Prior to consulting, her experience has been with UN, academic and non-profit organizations operating in or for the MENA region; among which were establishing and leading the American Friends Service Committee’s MENA Regional Office development and advocacy work for five years, supporting UNRWA HQ’s Relief & Social Services Division across five countries of operation, leading on various social research grants with the Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences in Qatar, and technical support for 22 MENA countries’ M&E focal points (with UNICEF MENARO’s M&E Unit).

Suzanne holds a DPhil in Sociology (and human geography) from Queens University Belfast, and an MA in Social Policy and Administration. She serves on the boards of INTRAC for Civil Society and the ‘Development in Practice’ journal, and has served a 3 year term on the Institutional Review Board of the PHCC Qatar. She has published academic articles, edited Special Issues of relevance to the sector and MENA region as well reflective blogs, and recently published her first book  ‘Emplaced Resistances in Occupied Palestine’ (2023).