UN SecretaryâGeneral AntĂłnio Guterres announced on Friday, that Catherine Russell of the United States will become the next Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
She will succeed Henrietta Fore, who said she was âdelighted to hand over to someone with her knowledge, experience, and deep care for children and womenâ.
âMs. Russell brings to the role decades of experience in developing innovative policy that empowers underserved communities around the world; delivering high-impact programmes that protect women and girls, including in humanitarian crises; building, elevating, and managing diverse workforces; and mobilizing resources and political support for a broad range of initiativesâ, Mr. Guterres said in a statement.
At the same time, Rytis Paulauskas, President of the UNICEF Executive Board, warmly welcomed Ms. Russell to the top job, assuring the âshe has the full supportâ of the Board to carry out the critical leadership role.
Wide-ranging experience
Ms. Russell is currently Assistant to the President, and Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.
From 2013 to 2017, she served as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Womenâs Issues at the US State Department. There, she integrated womenâs issues across all elements of US foreign policy and was the principal architect of the ground-breaking âUS Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girlsâ.
Before that, Ms. Russell served as Deputy Assistant to President Obama, Senior Adviser on International Womenâs Issues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Associate Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice, and Staff Director of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
She also taught at the Harvard Kennedy School as an Institute of Politics Fellow.
Previously, she served as the board co-chair of the Womenâs Foreign Policy Group, as a board member of Women for Women International, as a member of the Sesame Street Advisory Board, the non-profit organization KIVA advisory council, and the Thomson Reuters Foundationâs Trust Women initiative.
Fore’s ‘inspiring leadership’
The SecretaryâGeneral also expressed his gratitude for outgoing UNICEF chief Fore âfor her commitment and dedicated service to the Organizationâ.
Ms. Fore tendered her resignation in July, in order to take care of her husband full time, who is suffering from a serious health issue.
Mr. Guterres acknowledged with appreciation Ms. Fore’s âinspiring leadership of UNICEF and in particular, UNICEFâs critical role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in reimagining educationâ.
âAs a result of her leadership, UNICEF is now an organization with a broader array of public and private sector partnerships and a bolder focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)â, he stated.
UNICEF âin capable handsâ
Before deciding to step down, Ms. Fore said it had been âa difficult decisionâ and described holding the office of Executive Director as âa tremendous honourâ.
In full support of Ms. Russell’s selection, she said, âI have no doubt that UNICEF and the worldâs children will be in capable hands under her leadershipâ.
Ms. Russell will assume her new functions early in the new year, said UNICEF in its statement. She is UNICEFâs eighth Executive Director, and the fourth woman to lead the 20,000-person-strong agency in its 75-year history.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
