On 19 May 2026 I bid farewell to Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, [see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/05/19/un-farewell-to-deputy-high-commissioner-nada-al-nashif/] but forgot to mention that already on 16 February 2026 the United Nations Secretary-General had announced the appointment of Awa Dabo of The Gambia as her successor.
Ms. Awa Dabo has extensive experience in human rights, crisis recovery, peacebuilding and prevention, humanitarian affairs and development. She has held several senior level positions within the UN, at country and headquarters levels, most recently as Director and Deputy Head of the UN’s Peace Building and Peace Support Office (DPPA/DPO), where she has been leading and managing efforts to develop peacebuilding strategies and initiatives, and building a strong interface with internal and external partners.
Ms. Dabo previously served as Chief of Country Oversight and Support, for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa, Senior Adviser and Head of the Crisis and Fragility Policy and Engagement Team for the Crisis Bureau of UNDP, Country Director for UNDP in Tanzania, and Regional Programme Manager and Team Leader at UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery.
Ms. Dabo, who started her UN career as a UN Volunteer (UNV), also worked with other UN and non-UN entities, including the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the African Society of International and Comparative Law.
Ms. Dabo holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. In addition to her native English, Krio and Mandinka, she is fluent in Pidgin and Wolof.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
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