The United Nations announced that Georgette Gagnon, the newly appointed political deputy for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), has arrived in Kabul to assume her duties. The Canadian lawyer was appointed to the role earlier this month by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
In a statement released on Sunday, the United Nations highlighted Gagnon’s 28 years of experience in peace processes and her leadership of strategic initiatives in human rights and post-conflict development. “Ms. Gagnon brings with her extensive experience in conflict resolution and post-conflict recovery, particularly in human rights and development,” the statement said.
This is not Gagnon’s first role in Afghanistan. From 2010 to 2015, she served as UNAMA’s Director of Human Rights in Kabul, gaining valuable insights into the country’s complex political and social landscape.
Since 2021, Gagnon has been serving as the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, where she also coordinated humanitarian affairs for the U.N. Support Mission in the country. Prior to this, she held senior positions focused on civilian protection, human rights, and the rule of law with the United Nations, national governments, and NGOs in Africa, Syria, and the Balkans.
Gagnon holds a Bachelor of Laws from York University in Canada and a master’s degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.
Her arrival in Kabul comes at a critical time, as the Taliban continues to impose increasingly severe restrictions on women, most recently through their new morality law.
In response to the Taliban’s mounting human rights violations, particularly regarding women, four nations—Germany, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands—have led an initiative to bring the Taliban before the International Court of Justice. The effort has garnered the support of dozens of countries, including the backing of U.N. Secretary-General Guterres.
