Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative
Ms. Cynthia McCaffrey assumed the role of UNICEF Representative to India in October 2022
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Ms. Cynthia McCaffrey assumed the role of UNICEF Representative to India in October 2022. She brings with her decades of leadership experience and expertise in championing the cause of children and women. She served in UNICEF Headquarters as Director, Office of Innovation, and Director and Chief of Staff of the Office of the Executive Director. Prior to India, Ms. McCaffrey was the UNICEF Representative to China.
As UNICEF Representative to India, Ms. McCaffery provides leadership and strategic direction of the UNICEF India Country Programme in achieving results for children. “India has made substantive progress for children, young people, and women over the past decades,” said McCaffrey, “I look forward to building on UNICEF’s strong partnership with the Government of India and working together across India to advance the rights of every child.”
Ms. McCaffrey joined UNICEF in 2001 as a Senior Programme Advisor leading the relationship between the children’s agency and the governments of the United States, Canada, and Ireland. Later she served as Senior Vice President at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF mobilizing support for UNICEF’s work around the world.
Ms. McCaffrey’s career in international development began with the International Rescue Committee in 1988. She served in the office of the U.S. Executive Director at the World Bank where she coordinated issues regarding Africa, debt relief, health, education and post-conflict. Prior to that Ms. McCaffrey served in a number of posts at the United States Agency for International Development including in the Office of the Administrator, the Center for Democracy and Governance and the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs.
Ms. McCaffrey was appointed a White House Fellow in 1995. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University and a master’s in public policy from the University of Texas, LBJ School.
A national of the United States of America, Ms. McCaffrey spends her free time with her husband exploring new places, facetiming with her daughters at all hours and joining her sister to zoom into their brother’s comedy shows.