Nada Al-Nashif took up her duties as Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO on 16 February 2015.
The Social and Human Sciences Sector supports Agenda 2030 by mobilising knowledge and values to foster just, inclusive and peaceful societies. It works with youth, researchers and policy makers, communities and cities to combat exclusion, discrimination and intolerance, harnessing intercultural dialogue to promote cohesive societies. It seeks to develop tools and networks to enhance ethical standards in science and technology and the integrity of sport. She is co-chairing since July. She is currently co-chairing the UN Strategic Results Group on SDG implementation - Team ‘Leaving No One Behind, Human Rights and the Normative Agenda’ and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework Design Team.
She is the holder of a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (1987) from Balliol, Oxford University and a Master’s in Public Policy (1991) from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Prior to joining UNESCO, she served (2007-2014) as Assistant Director-General/Regional Director of the International Labour Organization’s Regional Office for Arab States, based in Beirut, Lebanon. Previously she worked at UNDP, where she started her UN career in 1991, serving in Libya (1992-1995), Lebanon (2000-2004), Iraq (2003) and at Headquarters in New York (1995-2000, 2005-2006).
As a development economist and practitioner, she serves in an advisory capacity on several boards, notably the Boards of Trustees of Birzeit University and the Human Development NGO, Taawon.
