Jeehan Saleem is from the beautiful island nation of the Maldives. She is a public health professional and was the Chairperson of the Maldivian Thalassaemia Society (MTS), an NGO specializing in serving thalassaemia patients and families (a genetic defect highly prevalent in Maldives). Jeehan has initiated numerous patient-oriented programs, and impacted the lives of thousands of thalassaemia patients and the families, empowering them to become members of society accepted by peers and the community.

Jeehan received the National Youth Award in 2007 and the Junior Chamber International’s (JCI) Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the world award (TOYP) in 2012. In 2013, she received the Maldives President’s Award for her international recognition. Jeehan previously worked for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as its National program officer for reproductive health where she collaborated with government counterparts, NGOs and other UN agencies to lead programs. Jeehan received a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Otago, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Science from the University of Waikato, New Zealand. She received her BAppSc in Medical Laboratory Science from RMIT University, Australia. She is the wife of the Ambassador of the Maldives to China.

Jeehan will share her journey growing up in a country where there were limited education opportunities, and how she gained an education and returned to her home country to create impact and change. She will share her challenges on being a leading female medical scientist working at the UN and in the Maldives public health sector, and how education and gender inclusion in the workplace helped empower her to become a leader in her community. She will also share the challenges of settling in Beijing as an ambassador’s wife, and how she learnt how to navigate motherhood, her diplomatic role, and her professional career.

Please note that the Spotlight Dinners are female-only events. All other Beijing Women's Network events are open to all people, regardless of gender. Please find out more information about other events here​.