Sarah Stella Smith Okuni is a Protection, PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), and Child Safeguarding expert with over 20 years of experience spanning humanitarian and development contexts. She currently serves as the PSEA Specialist at UNICEF Kenya Country Office and Coordinator of the Inter-Agency PSEA Network in Kenya. Stella has previously held a number of strategic leadership roles, including PSEA Advisor in the East Caribbean, Regional PSEA and Safeguarding Lead for East Asia and the Pacific, and Regional PSEA Coordinator for the Syria Crisis.

Her extensive experience also includes key Protection, PSEA, and Safeguarding positions with UNICEF in Poland and Malawi, as well as with UNFPA in Sudan and Malawi, and UNDP and UNHCR in Uganda, where she served in various GBV capacities. Stella holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights, and specialized training in Humanitarian Assistance, Forced Migration, Refugee Law, and Conflict Resolution. A national of Uganda, Stella is widely recognized for her leadership in inter-agency coordination, advocacy for refugees and human rights defenders, and her research on refugees and minority communities.