UNICEF Representative in The Gambia
Nafisa Binte Shafique
Ms. Nafisa Binte Shafique is the Country Representative of UNICEF The Gambia.
Prior to joining UNICEF The Gambia Country Office on December 01 2023, Ms. Shafique served as UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bihar, India from December 2020 to November 2023. Before that, she had also served as UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Homs and Hama, Syria from 2016-2018 and UNICEF Deputy Representative in Sudan (2018-2020) and Azerbaijan (2014-2016).
Ms. Shafique has a long experience of working in the humanitarian and development sector. She started her UNICEF career as a national officer in Bangladesh 20 years ago and has since served the organization in different capacities, including as Chief of HIV and AIDS section in Kathmandu, Nepal, Chief of Adolescent Development and Participation in Kathmandu, Nepal, Head of Adolescent HIV Prevention in Lesotho, and Child Protection Officer (Adolescent Development) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
She has also worked in other organizations, including UNFPA, Expressions Ltd. (a leading social communication agency in Bangladesh), as well as national and international NGOs like Save the Children. Her major areas of expertise are Adolescent Development and Participation, (ADAP), HIV and AIDS, Social and Behavior Change and Gender.
Ms. Shafique is a citizen of Bangladesh and holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, The Netherlands, as well as in Social Science from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.