Sawsan Abou Zainedin

Sawsan Abou Zainedin is the Chief Executive Officer of Madaniya, a Syrian-led initiative uniting over 240 civil society organisations to reclaim political agency within Syria’s civic space. Trained as an architect and urban planner, Abou Zainedin brings over a decade of experience in the development sector, applying a multidisciplinary lens to the challenges of the Syrian conflict.

Before leading Madaniya, she worked with a wide range of international and Syrian organisations. She has delivered guest lectures at academic institutions such as UCL, McGill, and the University of Bath, and published research with leading think tanks including Chatham House and Carnegie Middle East Center.

Abou Zainedin is a member of GIZ’s Experts Network on Housing, Land, and Property Rights and IFIT’s Syria Resource Group. She has co-founded several community-based initiatives, including Hooz Centre in Syria and Sakan Housing Communities in the UK.

A Chevening scholar, she holds an MSc in Urban Development Planning from UCL, a postgraduate diploma from Erasmus University, and a degree in architectural engineering from the University of Aleppo. Her work bridges civic leadership, urban justice, and post-conflict recovery.