Carolyn McAskie profile 800x600 womanleader GWLvoices
Her voice

“Peace talks are nearly always amongst those who fought the war, whereas they should be among those who will build peace, the peacebuilders; and women are an important component of that. Women also need to be represented in post-conflict planning and governance to make sure that women’s issues are addressed.” 

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BIO

Ms. Carolyn McAskie was the first United Nations Assistant Secretary General (ASG) for Peacebuilding Support, helping to launch the UN’s new Peacebuilding Commission in its first two years (2006-2008); served as Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Burundi (2004-06); and as ASG for Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA (1999-2004), serving as Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator (1999-2001) and as the Secretary General’s Humanitarian Envoy for the Crisis in Cote d’Ivoire (2003). Prior to her UN career, she spent over 30 years with the Canadian International. Development Agency of the Government of Canada. She was Vice-President (Assistant Deputy Minister) of CIDA responsible for Africa and the Middle East (1993-96) and for Multilateral Affairs (1996-1999). She served on the Governing Councils of UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP, IFAD, AfDB, AsDB, IDB, CDB, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, during the 1980’s and 1990’s.