Zainab Bangura

**Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura** (/ˈzaɪnəb ˈhɑːwə bəŋˈɡuːrə/; dem born am 18 December 1959) be Sierra Leonean politician den social activist wey dey serve as de Director-General of de United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) since 2018, wey United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appoint am. She serve as de second United Nations Special Representative for Sexual Violence top for Conflict at de level of Under-Secretary-General of de United Nations insyd from 2012 to 2017, in succession to de first holder of de post, Margot Wallström. For 2017 insyd, Pramila Patten succeed am.

For 2007 insyd, Bangura becam Sierra Leone ein foreign minister for government of President Ernest Bai Koroma of de All People's Congress (APC) Party insyd. She be de second woman to serve for dat post insyd, wey e follow Shirley Gbujama wey hold dat position from 1996 to 1997. She serve as Minister of Health den Sanitation from 2010 to 2012. For June 1997 insyd, as fighting engulf de country, Bangura flee for fishing boat top to neighboring Guinea.  

## Ein early life
De daughter of an imam, dem born Zainab Hawa Bangura "Zainab Hawa Sesay" for de small rural town of Yonibana, Tonkolili District insyd for de Northern Province of British Sierra Leone insyd. She hail from de Temne ethnic group. Dem born am into a family of limited means, den she go secondary school for a scholarship top dat de Government of Sierra Leone award am. She later go de Annie Walsh Memorial Girls Secondary School for de capital city of Freetown insyd.    

Then, after e graduate from Sierra Leone's Fourah Bay College, Bangura move to de United Kingdom give advanced Diplomas for Insurance Studies den Insurance Management insyd at de University of Nottingham den de City University Business School of London respectively. While for ein early 30s insyd, she becam de second most senior official of de 3rd Largest Insurance company for de country - Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation (Ritcorp) insyd.    

Bangura speak three languages: Temne, Krio, den English. She live den work for several cities insyd, wey dey include Freetown, Sierra Leone; Nottingham, London, United Kingdom; Conakry, Guinea; Monrovia, Liberia; New York City, United States; den Nairobi, Kenya. 

## Ein public life
**<big>Early activism</big>**   

Bangura becam a social activist during de difficult period wen de NPRC military junta rule Sierra Leone. She begin plus consciousness-raising efforts among urban market women, wey e remind ein followers dat ein own mummie be a market woman For 1995 insyd, she den lawyer Yasmin Jusu-Sheriff found Women Organized for a Morally Enlightened Nation (W.O.M.E.N.). She campaign give de holding of national elections dat finally drive de NPRC from power for 1996 insyd den restore democratic government after almost 3 decades. Dis be Sierra Leone ein first democratic election for 25 years insyd, den de Sierra Leonean media den de general public attribute dat success largely to ein efforts. She co-found de *Campaign for Good Governance*(CGG) give de consolidation of de democratic governance after de election of 1996, wey e build of democratic institutions, monitoring, documenting den reporting for de human rights violation wey dem commit during de war den de promotion of de empowerment of women.   

During Sierra Leone ein civil war (1991–2002) Bangura speak out forcefully against de atrocities dem commit against de civilian population by de *Revolutionary United Front* (RUF) den dem target am give assassination several times by dat group. She sanso speak against de corruption for de civilian government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah den de atrocities commit against civilians by government soldiers. For June 1997 insyd, as fighting engulf de country, Bangura flee for a fishing boat top to neighboring Guinea.     

### Ein political career
For de 2002 elections insyd, Bangura run against Kabbah give de presidency of Sierra Leone, wey e depart give de first time from ein accustom role as a non-partisan civil society activist. She win less dan one percent of de vote, den ein Movement for Progress (MOP) party fail to gain any seats for Sierra Leone ein parliament insyd. Bangura claim dat ein party ein low vote count result from corruption for de voting system.  

After de 2002 elections Bangura found de *National Accountability Group* (NAG) wey later becam *Transparency International Sierra Leone* (TISL), wey ein mission be fight against official corruption den to promote transparency den accountability for de government insyd. For 2006 insyd, she lef Sierra Leone give neighbouring Liberia wey dem appoint am Director of de Civil Affairs Office for de United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) den give responsibility give de reconstruction of 16 Liberian ministries den 30 government agencies following dat country ein devastating civil war.   

Bangura return to Sierra Leone for 2007 insyd after Ernest Bai Koroma win de presidency for a hard-fought national election insyd den dem name am foreign minister shortly thereafter. At dat time, many Sierra Leoneans believe dat de new president elevate dis well known critic of government to such a high position to demonstrate ein good faith for promising reform insyd.    

As a devoted Muslim, Bangura take time off politics for 2009 insyd to travel to de Holy city of Mecca for Saudi Arabia insyd to participate for ein first Hajj insyd for 2009 Hajj pilgrimage ceremony insyd.

### Ein career for international politics insyd
For 2012 insyd, Bangura serve for de United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities top, wey Goodluck Jonathan den Jens Stoltenberg jointly chair am, den issue recommendations to increase access to den use of 13 essential commodities give women den children ein health.

Bangura subsequently assume ein next position as Special Representative of de Secretary-General for Sexual Violence top for Conflict insyd at de level of Under-Secretary-General for 4 September 2012 top. For dis capacity insyd, she sanso chair de interagency network UN Action Against Sexual Violence for Conflict insyd. During ein time for office insyd, she help launch an international protocol for 2014 insyd give dey deal plus rape den sexual violence for conflict insyd, wey dey provide guidelines for de investigation of sex crimes den de collection of evidence give future prosecutions. She notably negotiate a June 2015 deal plus military commanders for Ivory Coast insyd to prosecute soldiers dem accuse of sexual violence. Dat same year, she visit Iraq den Syria den work for an action plan top to address de sexual violence wey Islamic State of Iraq den de Levant (ISIS) fighters wage am.

From 2018 until 2019, Bangura co-chair (alongside Katherine Sierra) an Independent Commission for Sexual Misconduct, Accountability den Culture Change top at Oxfam. For 2019 top, de UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutiérrez appoint am as Director-General of de United Nations Office at Nairobi, at de level of de Under Secretary-General of de United Nations.     

## Oda activities

* International Gender Champions (IGC), Member 
* Africa Group give Justice den Accountability, Member
* Interpeace, Member of de Governing Board
* United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Member of de Division give Peace Advisory Board
* Women Political Leaders Group Forum (WPL), Member of de Global Advisory Board
* World Movement give Democracy, Chair of de Steering Committee
* International Crisis Group, Board Member

## Recognition
Bangura win several international awards give ein promotion of democracy den human rights for Africa insyd, wey dey include: de *African International Award of Merit for Leadership* (Nigeria, 1999); de Human Rights Award wey de *Lawyers Committee for Human Rights* give am (New York, 2000); de Bayard Rustin Humanitarian Award wey de *A. Philip Randolph Institute* give am (Washington, DC); de Democracy Award wey de *National Endowment for Democracy* give am (Washington, DC, 2006); den de *Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security* (United States, 2012).

For November 2013 insyd, Bangura receive an award from Project 1808 Inc, an organisation for partnership insyd plus University of Wisconsin Madison African Studies, Division of International Studies. De award recognise Bangura give ein effectiveness to dey bring attention to de issues surrounding sexual violence throughout de world by dey engage fellow world leaders, rebels, militants, victims den communities. For de same year, dem sanso recognise am as one of de BBC ein100 women, den for several occasions top dem name am among de 100 most influential African women.  

Between 2014 den 2019, Bangura receive honorary doctorate awards from Ursinus College, Pennsylvania, USA; Oxford Brookes University, UK; de University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Atlantic University, Florida, USA; den Syracuse University, USA  

## References


## Sources

* UN brief official biography
* Profile of Zainab Bangura
* BBC television interview for "Hardtalk" top, May 10, 2013
* Keynote Speech by Zainab Bangura, Durban, South Africa, 2004 Archived 14 October 2006 at de Wayback Machine
* Profile of Zainab Bangura ein Performance as Foreign Minister
* Article critical of Zainab Bangura den CGG Archived 26 March 2019 at de Wayback Machine

## External links