Secretary-General appoints Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan as Executive Director of UN Women

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, following consultations with Member States and the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women), announced today the appointment of Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan as Executive Director of UN Women.

She succeeds Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her commitment and dedicated service in leading UN-Women. The Secretary-General also wishes to extend his appreciation to the United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, who will continue to serve as Acting Executive Director until Ms. Bahous assumes this position.

A champion for women and girls, gender equality and youth empowerment, as well as a keen advocate for quality education, poverty alleviation and inclusive governance, Ms. Bahous brings to the position over 35 years of leadership experience at the grassroots, national, regional and international levels, coupled with expertise in advancing women empowerment and rights, addressing discrimination and violence, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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