UNICEF has welcomed Alice Akunga as the new UNICEF Representative to Nepal. Akunga presented her credentials to N. P. Saud, Minister for Foreign Affairs, today.

Akunga is a national of Kenya and has more than two decades of experience serving children in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Eswatini, Maldives and most recently in Afghanistan.

In her work, Akunga has continually advocated for the protection and rights of children, particularly in times of heightened vulnerability. She has been instrumental in coordinating and implementing UNICEF’s efforts to deliver lifesaving humanitarian interventions in some of the toughest-to-reach areas. This includes working through the challenges of ongoing conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that the urgent needs of children in healthcare, education, nutrition, water and sanitation and protection, among other areas – are addressed.

She brings extensive experience of working hand-in-hand with governments and all other partners in promoting child-friendly governance, system strengthening as well as sustainable climate action, to protect and improve the well-being of children.