She will succeed Henrietta Fore, who said she was “delighted to hand over to someone with her knowledge, experience, and deep care for children and women”. “Ms. 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 initiatives”, Mr. Guterres said in a statement. At the same time, Rytis Paulauskas, President of the Executive Board, warmly welcomed Ms. Russell to the top job, assuring the “she has the full support” 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 Women’s Issues at the US State Department. There, she integrated women’s issues across all elements of US foreign policy and was the principal architect of the ground-breaking “US Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls”. Before that, Ms. Russell served as Deputy Assistant to President Obama, Senior Adviser on International Women’s 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 Women’s 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 Foundation’s Trust Women initiative.

Fore's 'inspiring leadership'

The Secretary‑General also expressed his gratitude for outgoing UNICEF chief Fore “for her commitment and dedicated service to the Organization”. 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 “inspiring leadership of UNICEF and in particular, UNICEF’s critical role in the global response to the pandemic and in reimagining education”. “As 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 (SDGs)”, he stated.

UNICEF ‘in capable hands’

Before deciding to step down, Ms. Fore said it had been “a difficult decision” and described holding the office of Executive Director as “a tremendous honour”. In full support of Ms. Russell's selection, she said, “I have no doubt that UNICEF and the world’s children will be in capable hands under her leadership”. Ms. Russell will assume her new functions early in the new year, said UNICEF in its statement. She is UNICEF’s eighth Executive Director, and the fourth woman to lead the 20,000-person-strong agency in its 75-year history.

She will succeed Henrietta Fore, who said she was “delighted to hand over to someone with her knowledge, experience, and deep care for children and women”. “Ms. 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 initiatives”, Mr. Guterres said in a statement. At the same time, Rytis Paulauskas, President of the Executive Board, warmly welcomed Ms. Russell to the top job, assuring the “she has the full support” 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 Women’s Issues at the US State Department. There, she integrated women’s issues across all elements of US foreign policy and was the principal architect of the ground-breaking “US Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls”. Before that, Ms. Russell served as Deputy Assistant to President Obama, Senior Adviser on International Women’s 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 Women’s 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 Foundation’s Trust Women initiative.

Fore's 'inspiring leadership'

The Secretary‑General also expressed his gratitude for outgoing UNICEF chief Fore “for her commitment and dedicated service to the Organization”. 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 “inspiring leadership of UNICEF and in particular, UNICEF’s critical role in the global response to the pandemic and in reimagining education”. “As 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 (SDGs)”, he stated.

UNICEF ‘in capable hands’

Before deciding to step down, Ms. Fore said it had been “a difficult decision” and described holding the office of Executive Director as “a tremendous honour”. In full support of Ms. Russell's selection, she said, “I have no doubt that UNICEF and the world’s children will be in capable hands under her leadership”. Ms. Russell will assume her new functions early in the new year, said UNICEF in its statement. She is UNICEF’s eighth Executive Director, and the fourth woman to lead the 20,000-person-strong agency in its 75-year history.

She will succeed Henrietta Fore, who said she was “delighted to hand over to someone with her knowledge, experience, and deep care for children and women”. “Ms. 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 initiatives”, Mr. Guterres said in a statement. At the same time, Rytis Paulauskas, President of the Executive Board, warmly welcomed Ms. Russell to the top job, assuring the “she has the full support” 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 Women’s Issues at the US State Department. There, she integrated women’s issues across all elements of US foreign policy and was the principal architect of the ground-breaking “US Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls”. Before that, Ms. Russell served as Deputy Assistant to President Obama, Senior Adviser on International Women’s 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 Women’s 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 Foundation’s Trust Women initiative.

Fore's 'inspiring leadership'

The Secretary‑General also expressed his gratitude for outgoing UNICEF chief Fore “for her commitment and dedicated service to the Organization”. 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 “inspiring leadership of UNICEF and in particular, UNICEF’s critical role in the global response to the pandemic and in reimagining education”. “As 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 (SDGs)”, he stated.

UNICEF ‘in capable hands’

Before deciding to step down, Ms. Fore said it had been “a difficult decision” and described holding the office of Executive Director as “a tremendous honour”. In full support of Ms. Russell's selection, she said, “I have no doubt that UNICEF and the world’s children will be in capable hands under her leadership”. Ms. Russell will assume her new functions early in the new year, said UNICEF in its statement. She is UNICEF’s eighth Executive Director, and the fourth woman to lead the 20,000-person-strong agency in its 75-year history.

The appeal is 31 per cent larger than last year’s campaign, as humanitarian needs continue to grow globally, exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and now the pandemic. 
 
“Millions of children around the world are suffering from the impacts of conflict, extreme weather events and the climate crisis,” said Executive Director Henrietta Fore. 

‘Urgent help’ 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, the plight of these children is made even worse with faltering economies, growing poverty and rising inequality. As always, it is the children already living through crises who are the hardest hit. They need urgent help,” she said. 
 
As the pandemic continues to set back the education, health, nutrition and well-being of children around the globe, providing the tools to bring it under control requires urgent support.  $933 million of appeal funds will be allocated to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. 
 
Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies according to the reports, as the agency reported that the number of climate-related disasters had tripled in the last 30 years. Over 400 million children live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability, it said. 

Afghanistan focus

The appeal includes $2 billion for UNICEF’s response in Afghanistan in the agency’s largest ever single-country appeal, where 13 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance.  These include one million children facing severe acute malnutrition, living with national health systems on the brink of collapse, according to the agency's statement. 
 
UNICEF will also allocate funds for Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Ethiopia, where brutal fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of children. 
 
The funds appealed for by the agency will support essential programs for over 177 million children in need across 145 countries and territories through 2022.  

Global Forum for Children and Youth

On its 75th anniversary, UNICEF is also teaming up on Tuesday, with the governments of Botswana and Sweden to host the  bringing together leaders, experts, change makers and influencers, along with children and youth.  In a three-day programme with more than 40 sessions and 100 top speakers, it will focus on priority themes such as climate, mental health, education, poverty and protection from violence.  

The appeal is 31 per cent larger than last year’s campaign, as humanitarian needs continue to grow globally, exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and now the pandemic. 
 
“Millions of children around the world are suffering from the impacts of conflict, extreme weather events and the climate crisis,” said Executive Director Henrietta Fore. 

‘Urgent help’ 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, the plight of these children is made even worse with faltering economies, growing poverty and rising inequality. As always, it is the children already living through crises who are the hardest hit. They need urgent help,” she said. 
 
As the pandemic continues to set back the education, health, nutrition and well-being of children around the globe, providing the tools to bring it under control requires urgent support.  $933 million of appeal funds will be allocated to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. 
 
Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies according to the reports, as the agency reported that the number of climate-related disasters had tripled in the last 30 years. Over 400 million children live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability, it said. 

Afghanistan focus

The appeal includes $2 billion for UNICEF’s response in Afghanistan in the agency’s largest ever single-country appeal, where 13 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance.  These include one million children facing severe acute malnutrition, living with national health systems on the brink of collapse, according to the agency's statement. 
 
UNICEF will also allocate funds for Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Ethiopia, where brutal fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of children. 
 
The funds appealed for by the agency will support essential programs for over 177 million children in need across 145 countries and territories through 2022.  

Global Forum for Children and Youth

On its 75th anniversary, UNICEF is also teaming up on Tuesday, with the governments of Botswana and Sweden to host the  bringing together leaders, experts, change makers and influencers, along with children and youth.  In a three-day programme with more than 40 sessions and 100 top speakers, it will focus on priority themes such as climate, mental health, education, poverty and protection from violence.  

The appeal is 31 per cent larger than last year’s campaign, as humanitarian needs continue to grow globally, exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and now the pandemic. 
 
“Millions of children around the world are suffering from the impacts of conflict, extreme weather events and the climate crisis,” said Executive Director Henrietta Fore. 

‘Urgent help’ 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, the plight of these children is made even worse with faltering economies, growing poverty and rising inequality. As always, it is the children already living through crises who are the hardest hit. They need urgent help,” she said. 
 
As the pandemic continues to set back the education, health, nutrition and well-being of children around the globe, providing the tools to bring it under control requires urgent support.  $933 million of appeal funds will be allocated to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. 
 
Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies according to the reports, as the agency reported that the number of climate-related disasters had tripled in the last 30 years. Over 400 million children live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability, it said. 

Afghanistan focus

The appeal includes $2 billion for UNICEF’s response in Afghanistan in the agency’s largest ever single-country appeal, where 13 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance.  These include one million children facing severe acute malnutrition, living with national health systems on the brink of collapse, according to the agency's statement. 
 
UNICEF will also allocate funds for Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Ethiopia, where brutal fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of children. 
 
The funds appealed for by the agency will support essential programs for over 177 million children in need across 145 countries and territories through 2022.  

Global Forum for Children and Youth

On its 75th anniversary, UNICEF is also teaming up on Tuesday, with the governments of Botswana and Sweden to host the  bringing together leaders, experts, change makers and influencers, along with children and youth.  In a three-day programme with more than 40 sessions and 100 top speakers, it will focus on priority themes such as climate, mental health, education, poverty and protection from violence.