United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Awa Dabo of The Gambia as the new Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN announced today.
Ms. Dabo succeeds Nada Al Nashif of Jordan, whom the Secretary-General and High Commissioner for Human Rights thanked for her dedicated service amid challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, financial strains, and efforts to advance UN management and partnership reforms.
A prominent Gambian human rights lawyer, Ms. Dabo, brings extensive expertise in human rights, crisis recovery, peacebuilding and prevention, humanitarian affairs, and development. She began her UN career as a UN Volunteer and advanced through senior roles at both country and headquarters levels.
Most recently, she served as Director and Deputy Head of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office (in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Department of Peace Operations), leading peacebuilding strategies and fostering partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
Her prior positions include Chief of Country Oversight and Support at the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa; Senior Adviser and Head of the Crisis and Fragility Policy and Engagement Team in UNDP’s Crisis Bureau; Country Director for UNDP in Tanzania; and Regional Programme Manager and Team Leader at UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery.
The Government of The Gambia welcomed the appointment with pride. In a press release, the Ministry of Justice described Ms. Dabo as a “prominent and respected human rights lawyer” whose career trajectory exemplifies committed leadership in human rights, peace, and development.
The appointment highlights the growing representation of African professionals in senior UN leadership roles and underscores the organization’s emphasis on diverse expertise to address global human rights challenges.
Ms. Dabo’s elevation is seen as a testament to her longstanding contributions to advancing UN priorities in fragile contexts and beyond. She will support the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.
