Dr. Omar Abdulle Alasow: A Leading Voice in International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law
Dr. Omar Abdulle Alasow is a distinguished scholar and practitioner in International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), and International Criminal Law. He has over 25 years of professional experience dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights, safeguarding civilians, and advancing accountability.
From July 2022 to November 2025, he served as Head of Protection, Human Rights and Gender (PHRG) Division of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and Principal Advisor to the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC). From June 2011 to June 2022, he served as the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) Senior Expert Adviser on IHL.
Dr. Alasow holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the University of Essex (United Kingdom). He is the author of “Violations of the Rules Applicable in Non-International Armed Conflicts and Their Possible Causes: The Case of Somalia” (Martinus Nijhoff, 2010), widely used as an authoritative text.
His longstanding commitment to human rights, justice, accountability and the rule of law gives him unmatched credentials and experience as a human rights defender and justice champion.