Rima Yousef Salah, PhD, has led an esteemed career dedicated to social development and economic education. Today, she is an assistant clinical professor at the Yale Child Study Center with the Yale School of Medicine, a key position she has held since 2013. At Yale, her work focuses on advancing child psychology and supporting young people in vulnerable circumstances.
Previously, Dr. Salah was the deputy executive director and officer-in-charge for external relations at the office of the executive director with UNICEF in New York. With the organization, she played a crucial role in external relations, leveraging her vast experience to further UNICEF’s global mission. Leading up to this she was the deputy executive director at the office of the executive director, previously sas the regional director for West and Central Africa, stationed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and later Dakar, Senegal. Dr. Salah’s efforts in this region were pivotal in addressing the demobilization of child soldiers and ensuring their reintegration into society. Further, she was UNICEF’s representative in Hanoi, Vietnam, and she held the same role in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Her work focused on improving child health and education, and her leadership was instrumental in the success of multiple UNICEF initiatives.
Dr. Salah began her impactful journey with UNICEF in Balochistan, Pakistan, where she was head of office from 1987 to 1992. In this capacity, she dedicated herself to improving educational opportunities, particularly for girls, in a challenging environment. Her efforts resulted in the establishment of numerous educational institutions, significantly increasing access to education for girls in the region. From 2008 to 2010, she was the deputy special representative to the secretary general at the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, known as MINURCAT. In this role, Dr. Salah was instrumental in addressing the humanitarian crisis and advocating for the protection of children in conflict zones.
Before her extensive career with UNICEF, Dr. Salah found success in academia, contributing her expertise as a lecturer in psychology and sociology at Binghamton Community College, now SUNY Broome Community College. She also was a lecturer and assistant in Arabic at Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York system. In addition, Dr. Salah taught sociology and social work at the School of Social Work with the Dar al-Tifl al-Arabi School in Jerusalem and the Swedish Organization for Individual Relief in Jerusalem. Further, she supervised social workers and coordinated humanitarian programs for refugees and displaced people with Catholic Relief Services in Jerusalem. Her commitment to civic action has continued throughout her decades-long career, and from 2014 to 2015, she was an appointed member of the Independent High-Level Panel on Peace Operations at the United Nations. Dr. Salah is the chairperson of the Early Childhood Peace Consortium and serves on the boards of the Global Network for Women Peacebuilders and Women for Women International.
In preparation for her career achievements, Dr. Salah enrolled in SUNY Binghamton University, where she earned a master’s degree in education and sociology in 1976 and an additional master’s degree in cultural anthropology in 1981. In 1986, she graduated from the same institution with a Doctor of Philosophy. Prior to attending SUNY Binghamton, she completed her undergraduate studies in sociology and social work at Beirut College for Women in Lebanon in 1965. Dr. Salah attributes her success to the support of her parents, teachers, and extended family. She advises women entering her field to hold onto their dreams and pursue them with determination, emphasizing the importance of education and professional dedication.
In recognition of her accomplished career, Dr. Salah earned the Peacemaker Award from the Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Brigham Young University in 2021. Two years earlier, she received the Recognition and Gratitude in Advocating for Children’s Rights Around the World Award from the Palestinian Health Policy Forum and Juzoor Foundation for Health and Social Development. Prior to these achievements, Dr. Salah was honored with the Global Women’s Peace Award by the Women’s Federation for World Peace International in 2017. She has also received several national honors, including Officier de l’Ordre National du Tchad by the government of Chad in 2010, Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur by the government of France in 2009, and Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Lion by the government of Senegal in 2004.
