Obiananma Agbim
Arlington, VA,United States
Summary
Policy & Development Specialist with 7 years of experience in advancing inclusive, sustainable and rights-based solutions through global institutions including United Nations (ILO, UN Women, ITC), OECD, and PwC. Expertise in humanitarian policy & action; livelihoods; migration; gender, age and social inclusion and protection, particularly in conflict-affected environments. Strong skills in project management & stakeholder engagement, evidence-based advocacy, and policy development aligned with global standards.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Humanitarian Technical Officer
United Nations-International Labour Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
03.2022 - 12.2024
- Integrated gender, age and social inclusion considerations into Bilateral Labor Migration Agreements between countries, addressing critical issues such as equal pay, fair recruitment, and social protection for women migrants and refugees.
- Co-designed labor market recovery activities in Ukraine and interventions in Moldova to enhance employment opportunities for Ukrainian refugees and the host community.
- Championed initiatives for skills certification and recognition, resulting in economic empowerment of over 300 women migrants and a 23% reduction in informality rates within feminised sectors in the Gulf region.
- Coordinated ILO's input into the European Union's Skills and Talent Mobility Partnership package, highlighted in 'Recitals 6 & 23', showcasing ability to influence regional policies.
- Facilitated Global Skills Partnership on Migration (GSPM), a multi-agency coalition comprising ILO, IOM, UNESCO, IOE, and ITUC. Directed work plan formulation, crafted essential policy documents, and oversaw logistics for high-level meetings.
- Drafted GSPM proposals ensuring they are well-designed and aligned with the GSPM's Results Framework, global standards, and evidence base.
- Partnered with MERL unit to establish gender-sensitive indicators for evaluating impact of labour migration policies on migrant workers and livelihoods.
- Tracked international media narratives regarding migration, enabling ILO Labour Migration Department to address crucial global discussions and emphasise implications for women migrant workers.
- Provided research expertise to thought leadership products and flagship reports, encompassing global estimates and labour market reintegration, facilitating strategic communication plans and advocacy campaigns.
- Developed comprehensive media plans, op-eds, press releases, and talking points.Advised senior management on media strategies and risk mitigation. Ensured consistency in public messaging across regional and country offices.
- Oversaw projects across 11 countries within WHO-OECD ‘Working for Health' programme and enhanced visibility initiatives among external stakeholders, resulting in successful attainment of funding targets for Phase II of programme.
- Facilitated 10 country-level capacity-building sessions and developed scalable technical tools, program models, guidance notes and remediation protocols for implementing labour protections for migrant workers, while achieving $63,000 in cost savings through reduced consultancy reliance.
- Deliver technical guidance to Country & Regional Offices in South East Asia and West Africa regarding design, implementation, and evaluation of humanitarian programmes, ensuring adherence to ILO's standards, protection and livelihoods strategies.
Program Officer (Capstone)
OECD
Paris, France
07.2021 - 01.2022
- Investigated anti-corruption and accountability mechanisms via prominent cases including Panama Papers and BMA, analysing governance reforms in oil-rich countries through utilisation of real-time data collection and integration of adaptive learning into programme design and implementation.
- Support the documentation and sharing of good practices and lessons learned from investigations to inform continuous improvement and influence global positioning.
- Contributed to OECD policy reporting on fiscal transparency and investigative journalism, reinforcing evidence-based advocacy and global accountability.
- Investigated financial policies and their unintended impacts on human rights, including remittance limitations. Guided financial institutions towards compliance with OECD due diligence standards. Encouraged transparency and inclusion in the finance sector through strategic advisement.
Technical Officer, Livelihoods
United Nations - International Trade Centre
Abuja, Nigeria
05.2019 - 09.2020
- Identified income-generating opportunities for refugee and displaced women through in-depth analysis of five agricultural and textile value chains and spearheaded inclusion of 67+ refugee- and women-owned businesses within regional and international trade frameworks.
Humanitarian Program Officer, Boko Haram Conflict
United Nations Women
Borno, Nigeria
01.2018 - 05.2019
- Facilitated passage of Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill in Plateau State, promoting women's rights to education, employment, and financial resources.
- Supported integration of 800 displaced women into traditional decision-making roles, elevating protection priorities for women and children within conflict-affected communities in Northeast Nigeria.
- Established partnerships with Mastercard to promote financial inclusion for 550 displaced women, and co-led training that helped launch 120 women-led small businesses.
- Collaborated with security and justice actors to strengthen legal accountability for conflict-related sexual violence impacting refugee and displaced women.
- Developed frameworks to classify Boko Haram-related offences, advocated for survivor-centered legal responses, and engaged national and international stakeholders to align justice efforts with global standards-supporting protection, dignity, and long-term recovery for women and girls in displacement.
- Coordinated and streamlined national GBV response efforts as secretariat for Development Partner Group on Gender (DPGG). Developed partner mapping tools, reducing duplication by 53%.
- Collaborate with technical teams across health, WASH and social protection sectors to ensure integrated, holistic humanitarian responses that address protection and livelihoods needs
- Led gender-sensitive risk assessments in Boko Haram-affected IDP camps, uncovering gaps in access to education, protection, and livelihoods for displaced women and girls. Findings informed strategies of 74 humanitarian organizations, resulting in more inclusive and climate-responsive interventions.
- Led strategic communications, change management efforts and advocacy for the Spotlight Initiative, to address FGM, child marriage, and girls' education.
- Provide technical input for humanitarian proposal development, including contributing to the design of technical approaches, ensuring alignment with donor priorities and UN Women's humanitarian strategy.
- Work closely with HQ and Country Offices to identify upcoming funding opportunities and match them with UN Women's strengths in protection and livelihoods in humanitarian settings.
Social Sustainability Officer
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Lagos, Nigeria
08.2017 - 01.2018
- Evaluated impacts of mechanization on rural livelihoods, particularly for women and vulnerable groups, while formulating policy recommendations to enhance ethical sourcing and inclusive supply chains.
Education
Master of Arts - Development Studies
The Geneva Graduate Institute
09.2020 - 09.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Politics & International Studies
University of Warwick
10.2014 - 07.2017
A-Levels - Economics, History, Philosophy
Malvern St James
09.2012 - 07.2014
Skills
- Qualitative analysis
- Quantitative analysis
- Programme implementation
- Report-writing
- Policy analysis
- Budget development
- Research proficiency
- Report writing proficiency
- Policy advocacy
- Project Management
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Data analysis
Languages
English
Native
French
Intermediate
Master's Thesis
Challenges Facing the Internally Displaced Persons of the Boko Haram Insurgency
Focus: Dikwa LGA, Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria
(Available upon request)
Publications
- https://www.ilo.org/publications/major-publications/ilo-global-estimates-international-migrants-labour-force
- https://www.ilo.org/publications/labour-market-reintegration-migrant-workers-and-former-refugees-upon-return
- https://www.ilo.org/publications/labour-market-reintegration-return-migrant-workers-and-former-refugees
Timeline
Humanitarian Technical Officer
United Nations-International Labour Organization
03.2022 - 12.2024
Program Officer (Capstone)
OECD
07.2021 - 01.2022
Master of Arts - Development Studies
The Geneva Graduate Institute
09.2020 - 09.2022
Technical Officer, Livelihoods
United Nations - International Trade Centre
05.2019 - 09.2020
Humanitarian Program Officer, Boko Haram Conflict
United Nations Women
01.2018 - 05.2019
Social Sustainability Officer
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
08.2017 - 01.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Politics & International Studies
University of Warwick
10.2014 - 07.2017
A-Levels - Economics, History, Philosophy
Malvern St James
09.2012 - 07.2014
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