Natalia Kanem

Dr. Natalia Kanem

Natalia Kanem is a Panamaian administrator who has been serving as the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) since 2017.[1] In this capacity, she is among the highest-ranking women at the United Nations and the first Latin American to head the agency.[2]

Early life and education

Though Panamanian by birth, Kanem’s ancestry is African.[3] She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where she studied History and Science. Kanem holds a Master’s in public health, with specializations in epidemiology and preventive medicine, from the University of Washington. Kanem earned her medical degree from Columbia University.[4]

Career

Early career

Kanem started her career in academia at the Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University schools of medicine and public health.[5]

Kanem was founding president of ELMA Philanthropies, a private institution focusing primarily on children and youth in Africa. She served there from the institution’s inception until 2011.

From 2012 to 2013, Kanem was a senior associate of the Lloyd Best Institute[6] of the West Indies, which is dedicated to development in the Caribbean.

Ford Foundation

Kanem worked as a Ford Foundation officer from 1992 to 2005, where she pioneered work in women’s reproductive health and sexuality, in particular through her position as the foundation’s representative for West Africa. She then served as Deputy Vice-President for the Ford Foundation's worldwide peace and social justice programmes in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, South America, and North America.[6]

United Nations Population Fund

In 2014, Kanem became the United Nations Population Fund representative in Tanzania. In July 2016, she was appointed a United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNFPA's Deputy Executive Director (Programme).[7] She served in that capacity until June 2017, when the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, named her as UNFPA's Acting Executive Director, following the sudden death of the Executive Director, Babatunde Osotimehin.[8]

Other activities

References

  1. ↑ "Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund | United Nations Secretary-General". www.un.org. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  2. ↑ Rich Gladstone (December 15, 2017), A Woman’s Voice for Women at the U.N. Agency for Reproductive Rights New York Times.
  3. ↑ Rich Gladstone (December 15, 2017), A Woman’s Voice for Women at the U.N. Agency for Reproductive Rights New York Times.
  4. ↑ Gladstone, Rick (December 15, 2017). "A Woman's Voice for Women at the U.N. Agency for Reproductive Rights". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Natalia Kanem Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund".
  6. 1 2 "Ms. Natalia Kanem of Panama - Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)". United Nations. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Secretary-General Appoints Natalia Kanem of Panama Assistant Secretary-General, Deputy Executive Director (Programme) of United Nations Population Fund | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  8. ↑ Rich Gladstone (December 15, 2017), A Woman’s Voice for Women at the U.N. Agency for Reproductive Rights New York Times.
  9. ↑ FP2020 Reference Group Family Planning 2020 (FP2020).
  10. ↑ Former Members of the Board TrustAfrica.

3. "3 October 2017, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Dr. Natalia Kanem Executive Director of UNFPA,

https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/biographies/Dr._Natalia_Kanem.pdf

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