Meet the women and men behind UNICEF.
Faces of UNICEF shines a spotlight on our incredible and dedicated staff.
Learn how they joined us, what they do – and how they relax in their spare time.
Meet the women and men behind UNICEF.
Faces of UNICEF shines a spotlight on our incredible and dedicated staff.
Learn how they joined us, what they do – and how they relax in their spare time.
Mohammad AlHamwan, Humanitarian Affairs Specialist, UNICEF Jordan.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am a Jordanian, born and raised in a small village in the North of the country. My background is as a Military Officer, I joined the military academy in 1992 and stayed there until 2010. I left to pursue my Masters degree in HRM in Webster University in the US. Then I completed my Ph.D degree, also in HRM, in the university of North Malaysia and participated in two UN DPKO missions in Haiti and Sierra Leone.
What do you do?
Since 2013, I am a Humanitarian Affairs Specialist with UNICEF Jordan Country Office. During this time, I have managed a large and cross-sectoral refugee response to the Syria crisis. This includes UNICEF’s response for children in all settings - camps, host communities and cross-border where our programming is carried out with remote monitoring. It requires a great deal of expertise in humanitarian analysis and civil-military relations. One of the most complex environments we operate in is the berm where we thankfully have a proven track record in successfully negotiating humanitarian access for vulnerable children and their families.
Barno Mukhamadieva, Chief of Education, UNICEF Angola
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born in Tajikistan, a small, beautiful mountainous country in Central Asia. I grew up in an industrial town - Tursunzade, which at the time had around 63 nationalities. I studied International Relations and International Studies in universities in Tajikistan and the United Kingdom.
What do you do?
I am an education specialist, worked on issues related to girls’ education, education in emergencies and access to education for out-of-school children. Recently I joined UNICEF Angola, and lead the education programme here.
Ilija Talev, Policy Specialist, Public Finance, UNICEF NYHQ
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born and raised in Macedonia. I left my country when I was 16 to study abroad and returned 12 years later, with a bachelor’s degree in political economy, a master’s in European politics and policies and a Ph.D. in governance and children’s rights.
I joined UNICEF Macedonia in 2009 as a national Social Policy Officer, where I stayed until 2014 when, thanks to the NETI programme, I became a Social Policy Specialist in the Belize Country Office. I spent three wonderful years there working on social protection and public finance for children, and supporting the Representative in the management of the office in absence of a Deputy Representative post. From there, I moved to my current post in New York HQ, where I work as a policy specialist in the area of Public Finance for children. I have been at my post just over a year now, and I have had the privilege to work with some of the greatest minds and most dedicated professionals in the organization, from whom I have learned a lot.
Joseph Bahemuka, Emergency Specialist & Chief of Yambio Field Office, UNICEF South Sudan
Tell us a bit about your background.
My passion for my work is very much linked to my childhood. It grew as I went from being a boy to a young man. I grew up in a rural part of Uganda called Bwikara in the Kagadi district. Like many others, we were economically marginalized and I had to help out a lot at home. Yet, the worst was seeing the physical and psychological abuse and injustice especially women were subjected to. It caused pain and agony. I remember wishing to be as strong as Mike Tyson so I could defend them, but I wasn’t built like that. Later I started travelling to Europe and I saw how women and children were treated. They had rights there. I then realized I don’t need bulging biceps to fight for women and children, I can be a human rights champion.
So, instead of going to the gym I studied public health, social work, humanitarian standards, primary health care and water and sanitation. Right now, I’m working on a PhD in social work.
Isabelle Chazal, HR Planning Specialist, UNICEF NYHQ
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born in Paris, France, and traveled throughout Europe for my studies. I studied Literature, Philosophy and International & European law. I have always wanted to work in an international environment where I would have the opportunity to travel and experience different cultures.
What do you do?
I currently work as the HR Planning Specialist in DHR, NYHQ, where I am responsible for ensuring that HR planning is aligned with organizational needs. This responsibility includes quantitative workforce analysis, regular office planning functions, enterprise risk management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, as well as external liaison with Missions to the UN, the UN Common System and other organizations on reporting and HR analytics matters. I also manage the HR Information System as well as the reporting requirements and needs of both internal and external stakeholders.