About us

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path.  

Mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF operates in 191 countries through country programmes and National Committees. 

In Sudan since 1952, with its first permanent office in Khartoum since 1974, UNICEF is the largest UN agency in Sudan, dedicated to supporting children across the country by providing long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers. We target the most vulnerable children including refugees and internally displaced persons, through lifesaving programmes, especially at the household and community levels; sustain peace and advocate for respect, dignity and the full realization of children’s rights.

In addition to UNICEF Sudan’s Country Programme Document, which covers the development work planning for the period of 2018- 2021, Sudan also has a substantial humanitarian response that is guided by the Multi-Year Humanitarian strategy 2017-2019, the yearly Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs), and also guided by UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action.

The Humanitarian Response Plan 2019, which has identified 5.7 million people (2.3M children) in need, takes into consideration the impact of the current events in Sudan related to the economic situation and socio-political instability. High inflation rates, currency depreciation, and steep price rises for food, medicine, and other key commodities have decreased purchasing power and reduced access to food, healthcare, education, water and other key essentials for already vulnerable communities. This is taking place against a backdrop of years of conflict and, for many people, years of displacement. 

Mr. Abdullah A. Fadil was appointed UNICEF Representative in Sudan in June 2016. Mr. Fadil has over twenty years of experience in strategic management, peace-making and peace-building, international humanitarian relief and development work, public administration, political analysis, advocacy and project management in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Prior to this role, Mr. Fadil served as the Director of the UN Humanitarian Monitoring Mechanism for Syria (2014-2016) He was also the Deputy Head of Mission and Chief of Staff for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-UN Joint Mission in Syria (2013-2014), entrusted to oversee the Elimination of Chemical Weapons Programme in this country. From 2010 to 2013, Abdullah Fadil he was the Chief of Mission Support for the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), based in Jerusalem, and oversaw operational support to military observers in Lebanon, Syria, the Golan Heights and Egypt.

Mr. Fadil has significant work experience in Sudan. He served as the Chief Human Resources for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), based in Khartoum, from 2004 to 2006, and as the Head of Office in South Darfur from 2006 to 2008. After serving as Acting Chief Field Operations with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) from 2008 to 2009, he returned to Sudan as the Head of Office in West Darfur for the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from 2009 to 2010.

Mr. Fadil holds two Master of Science degrees: one in Public Policy and Management from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and one in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from the London School of Economics (LSE).

Ms. Nafisa Binte Shafique is currently the Deputy Representative of UNICEF Sudan. Before joining UNICEF Sudan, she was the Chief of Field Office in Homs, UNICEF Syria. She was Deputy Representative of UNICEF Azerbaijan before joining Syria. Adolescent Development and Participation Section and previously was the Chief of HIV and AIDS Section of UNICEF Nepal. 

For the past 20 years, Ms. Shafique has contributed to the planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of social development and communication programs in different countries. Between 2007-2010 she was the Chief of Adolescent HIV Prevention section with UNICEF Lesotho. She also worked with UNICEF Bangladesh as Child Protection Officer (Adolescent Development) prior to joining UNICEF Lesotho. 

Over the years she has also worked with UNFPA, national and international NGOs including Save the Children USA, mostly in the areas of Adolescent Development, HIV and AIDS and Communication for Development and Gender and Development.  

Nafisa holds a Master’s degree of Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, the Netherlands, and a Master degree of Social Science from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. 
 

Mohamed Abderrahmane Ould Bouasria is the recently appointed Deputy Representative of Operations for UNICEF Sudan. In his role with UNICEF Sudan, he has drawn on his extensive global portfolio to implement strategic restructuring and drive organizational change. 

Before joining UNICEF Sudan, Mr. Bouasria was the Chief of Operations of UNICEF Burkina Faso. He was Chief of Operations of UNICEF Yemen and previously served with UNICEF in Iran, Angola and Iraq. Prior to joining UNICEF in 2000, Mr. Bouasria worked, for over 15 years in the private sector as well as at the World Bank projects in Mauritania. 

Mr. Bouasria holds a Master of Management from the University of Orleans, France and a Bachelor in Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of Orleans, France.