Executive Director
Note: UNIFEM has been dissolved and incorporated into the newly established UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Read about UN Women's Executive Director. (The following information is for historical reference.)
Inés Alberdi of Spain assumed her duties as Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) on 4 June 2008.
Ms. Alberdi worked for more than 25 years on gender issues and in politics. She came to UNIFEM from her previous position as Professor of Sociology at Madrid University where she had taught Political Sociology and Sociology of Gender since 1993. Prior to that, she was Director for Research at the Centre for Sociological Research (1992–1993). Ms. Alberdi has published extensively on family and women’s issues. Her distinguished academic career also included positions as Associate Researcher at George Washington University, Washington, DC (1988–1989), and Visiting Scholar in the Department of Sociology at Georgetown University, Washington, DC (1978–1979), as well as an Eisenhower Fellowship (1998).
From 2003 to 2007, Ms. Alberdi was an elected Deputy in the Madrid Assembly. She served as an expert for the Equal Opportunities Unit of the European Commission on the networks Family and Work and Diversification of Occupational Choices for Women (1998–2000) and worked for the Inter-American Bank as Adviser for Women in Development (1989–1990). She also served as a Member of the Board of INSTRAW, the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (1986–1989).
Inés Alberdi is the fourth Executive Director of UNIFEM. She succeeds Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore (1994–2007), Sharon Capeling-Alakija of Canada (1989–1994) and Margaret Snyder of the USA (1978–1989).
Speeches, Statements and Articles by Inés Alberdi
- Remarks by Inés Alberdi at the Launch of the Global Safe Cities Programme (Speech, 22.11.10) • eng
- Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (Speech, 13.10.10) • eng
- World’s Women at the Centre of Achieving the MDGS (Speech, 20.09.10) • eng
- Innovative Solutions for Advancing Young Women’s Empowerment (Speech, 24.08.10) • eng • spa
- Message from UNIFEM Executive Director Inés Alberdi Welcoming the Creation of UN Women (Statement, 02.07.10) • eng • spa • fra
- Inés Alberdi on Women, Peace and Security (Speech, 10.06.10) • eng
- Remarks by Inés Alberdi at Briefing on the Women’s Empowerment Principles (Speech, 29.04.10) • eng
- A Life Free of Violence for Women and Girls (Speech, 27.03.10) • eng • spa
- Why Gender Matters ... (Speech, 09.03.10) • eng
- Press Statement by Inés Alberdi – Press Conference on the Launch of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (Speech, 08.03.10) • eng
