Annett Fleischer was born in East Germany (former German Democratic Republic), spend one year as Au-Pair in Atlanta, USA before studying Social Anthropology, Communication, Theatre and Film Arts at Free University Berlin. Her doctoral thesis on Cameroonian migrants in Germany examines the interplay of transnational mobility, family and kinship among migrants and the overarching legal framework of immigration and integration. Her field of expertise is migration, gender and development including human trafficking, return migration and reintegration, sexual and reproductive health and rights. Annett has lived and worked in several countries including Mali, Australia, Cameroon, Uganda, Italy, Maldives, Spain and currently Saint Lucia. She has been part of international teams, NGOs, research institutions and development cooperation including Max Planck Institute (MPI), European University Institute (EUI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), German Development Cooperation (GIZ), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), among others.

As a member she is active in the following professional bodies American Anthropology Association (AAA), European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA), International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion (IMISCOE), International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), Network Refugee Research (Netzwerk Flüchtlingsforschung) and Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. Annett is interested to support and become involved in migration and development, humanitarian, awareness-widening social actions and capacity development activities including train the trainers (ToTs).