Amelia Zuzunaga

Amelia Zuzunaga is a seasoned development professional with over 20 years of experience working in international cooperation across Latin America. She is a psychologist with master’s degrees in Organizational Psychology and Political Science & Government. Her work focuses on governance in health and education, gender equality, migration, youth, mental health, social inclusion, cultural management, and citizen participation. She has led and advised complex regional programs and has extensive experience in participatory methodologies, policy reforms, and institutional strengthening.

Amelia has held high-level technical and leadership roles, managing multidisciplinary teams and supporting national institutions in designing and implementing inclusive policies. Her work includes the creation of gender units within ministries, strengthening municipal women’s offices, and contributing to key reforms such as Honduras’ National Mental Health Policy.

She has driven outcomes at both national and local policy levels, generating participatory models that address the root causes of irregular migration in communities, gaining high visibility among donors and implementing partners. She has led teams implementing cultural policies, promoting cultural rights, and fostering the preservation and dissemination of heritage in the Peruvian Amazon. Her work has involved key stakeholders such as civil society, regional and local governments, and the education sector in projects focused on violence prevention, heritage education, and women's rights.

Amelia is recognized for her ability to integrate gender, protection, and human rights approaches into public policy and local governance frameworks. She was part of the team that supported the integration of the first cohort of women into the Peruvian Army.

Areas of Expertise:

• Gender mainstreaming and women’s rights

• Governance and public policy reform

• Migration and socio-cultural integration

• Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS)

• Social inclusion and citizen engagement

• Institutional capacity building and systems strengthening

• Participatory research and facilitation methodologies

• Protection and human rights-based approaches

• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Local governance and civil society empowerment

• Equity and intersectionality

• Multistakeholder dialogue and consensus-building

• Transformative and sustainable change

Languages:

• Spanish (native)

• English (fluent)

• Quechua (fluent)

Geographic Experience:

• Latin America: Peru, Honduras, Bolivia