[14] Sharif led a team which planned and implemented urban renewal projects in George Town, the capital of the Malaysian island of Penang.

[22] As Executive Director of UN-Habitat Sharif has focused on reforming and rejuvenating the agency, mobilizing for internal and external support for the organization's restructuring and new Strategic Plan 2020–2023.

[23][24] Her efforts seek to transform the organization into an agile and innovative leader on urban issues has been widely appreciated by stakeholders.

[27] Under the theme, ‘Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities’, with the sub-theme of ‘Accelerated Implementation of the New Urban Agenda towards Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals’, the Assembly brought together UN Member States, UN specialized agencies, local authorities and non-State actors, including civil society, youth and women, the private sector and academia.

[27] Sharif presided over the Ninth and Tenth sessions of the World Urban Forum; in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2018) and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2020), respectively.

It was established in 2001 to discuss and examine rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policy.

She places great importance on inclusivity in cities and works to promote the positions of marginalized individuals and communities, such as women and youth, whom she says are "traditionally left behind in governance, development and participatory processes".

The book was published in 2022 by Penang Women's Development Corporation and co-edited by Emi Yamazaki, Josephine Yoong and Krista Goon.