Dr. Zeinab Hijazi is the Global Mental Health Lead at UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children. A clinical psychologist by training, she brings nearly two decades of experience advancing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programs across UNICEF’s seven global regions.
In her current role, Zeinab provides strategic leadership and technical guidance to strengthen UNICEF’s multi-sectoral approach to MHPSS for children, adolescents, and families in both humanitarian and development settings. Her portfolio spans policy and programme design, research and data, innovation, and global advocacy. At UNICEF headquarters, she plays a key role in coordinating efforts across the health, education, and child protection sectors, supporting country offices and partners to design and implement comprehensive, locally led, and sustainable MHPSS strategies.
Zeinab is widely recognized for her inclusive leadership style and has been instrumental in driving UNICEF’s recent progress to prioritize and scale up mental health services for every child. She also serves on the boards of several institutions dedicated to advancing child and youth mental health globally.
She holds a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) from California Southern University and a Master of Science (MSc) in Public Mental Health (Mental Health Policy and Services) from Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Originally from Lebanon, Zeinab lives in New York with her son.