Ashar Omer

Mohammad “Ashar” Omer is a visionary peacebuilder, social entrepreneur, and human rights activist. He is currently working as the Program Coordinator for Vital Voices, Global Network and Regional Engagement (GNRE), Afghanistan team. At VV, he manages subawards to local partners to support women leaders on the ground. He also provides support with case management to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), especially in the wake of gender apartheid under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. His areas of expertise include international economic development, finance, strategic partnerships, policy, diplomacy, GBV response, program management, and women, peace, and security (WPS).

Prior to his tenure at Vital Voices, Ashar’s multifaceted background reflects a commitment to peacebuilding, gender equality, and international development. In 2017, he founded ALPHA Afghanistan, a youth-led NGO advocating for the empowerment and leadership of women and youth, where he served as the Managing Director until August 2021. Prior to ALPHA, he served as the National Vice President for AIESEC in Afghanistan. He is also a Generation Change Fellow with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a Fulbright Scholar, and a former member of the Emerging Leaders Advisory Council (ELAC) at the US Embassy in Kabul.

His academic journey includes a Bachelor of Economics from Kabul University in 2017, and more recently, a Master’s in International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. His dedication to sustainable development, humanitarianism, social change, conflict resolution, and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda remains unwavering, driving his commitment to advancing these critical issues at Vital Voices.

Favorite Quote: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” -Barack Obama