Bethlehem Mengistu
Bethlehem Mengistu is a distinguished global expert in systems strengthening and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) with over 20 years of experience spanning development and humanitarian issues across Africa and Asia. Her career has focused on leadership, strategy development, and systems strengthening, with particular emphasis on building collaboration, partnerships, and advocacy for policy change.
She currently serves as the Global Coordinator of Agenda for Change, where she leads a multi-country coalition working to strengthen WASH systems through collective action. In this role, Bethlehem works closely with governments, development partners, and technical teams to translate evidence and collaboration into sustainable outcomes for communities.
Bethlehem’s expertise is deeply rooted in the African context, shaped by years of engaging with both development priorities and humanitarian challenges in fragile and crisis-affected settings. Her knowledge spans WASH, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), governance, water diplomacy, gender equality, and human rights. She brings a strong commitment to ensuring that perspectives from the Global South are represented in global decision-making and knowledge-sharing platforms.
With an academic background in international development and law, Bethlehem combines technical expertise with a systems lens to advocate for inclusive, resilient, and locally led solutions in WASH and broader development challenges.