The laureates
Ammar Salama, a dentist and human rights advocate, specializes in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). A graduate of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Damascus, he is actively involved in youth advocacy, health education, and the promotion of human rights at the local, regional, and global levels.
Ammar currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), to which he was elected in late 2024 by more than 150 member associations of the IPPF’s global network. Through this role, he works to increase youth participation in decision-making, promote inclusive health education within communities, and defend sexual and reproductive rights and health.
From 2021 to 2025, Ammar served as Youth Committee Coordinator at the Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA), an IPPF member organization for the Arab region. During this time, he led initiatives that engaged more than 1,000 young people across several Syrian governorates through youth leadership programs, peer education activities, and community advocacy initiatives.
Drawing on his experience as a trainer with several organizations, including the Y-PEER Network, ADRA, and the United Nations Population Fund, he focuses his work on peer education, youth empowerment, and comprehensive sexuality education. He is also a certified trainer in comprehensive sexuality education by the SFPA, IPPF, and other international organizations. He has helped build the capacity of young leaders to promote health, gender equality, and human rights within their communities.
In addition, Ammar is actively involved in youth initiatives at the regional and international levels. He has participated in programs and initiatives in Tunisia, Uganda, Colombia, and Indonesia. Through these experiences, he has collaborated with young leaders and civil society organizations to create educational content, youth training guides, and advocacy strategies aimed at strengthening youth leadership and promoting gender equality.
His work is guided by a firm belief: young people deserve access to the knowledge, opportunities, and rights necessary to build their future.