Messeret Defar was appointed as UNFPA Ethiopia Honorary Goodwill Ambassador right after her return from her spectacular performance at the Athens Olympics in 2004, where she won gold medal. UNFPA Ethiopia office appointed her as Honorary National Goodwill Ambassador to champion the causes of women, youth, and the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

As part of her new role, Messeret has attended various programs and events organized by the UNFPA in relation to these issues.  For instance she took part in a fun run in 2006 at the Addis Ababa University to honor UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Yuko Arimori and also traveled to Utah in the US to take part in a fundraising campaign to help over 800 children attend quality education in Ethiopia. Meseret also visited a victim of gender based violence (a young girl who was burned by acid by a spurned lover) in 2007 and donated a significant sum of money which was used for her medical treatment. Moreover, Meseret was also a guest speaker at an event organized by the UNHCR and African Union in connection with the World Refugee Day on June 20, 2007.