United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

About Us

Zainab Hawa Bangura of Sierra Leone is Under-Secretary General & the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).
Prior to her December 2019 appointment to UNON, Ms. Bangura served as Executive Director of the National Accountability Groups now known as Transparency International Sierra Leone as well as Coordinator and Co-founder of the Campaign for Good Governance which documented and reported human rights violation works on peace building, reconciliation and promoting good governance. Later she served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (2007-2010) and Minister of Health and Sanitation (2010-2012) for the Government of Sierra Leone.

As a relentless advocate for conflict resolution and reconciliation, and human rights champion, the Director-General began her United Nations career in the United Nations Mission in Liberia as Chief of Civil Affairs, where she was responsible for the management of the largest civilian component of the Mission, including promoting capacity-building of government institutions and community reconciliation. Ms Bangura also served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict from 2012 to 2017.

Ms. Bangura holds a bachelor’s degree from Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and advanced diplomas in insurance management from the City University of London and Nottingham University.