Ms. Fitsum Assefa has joined on 23 September 2024, on loan from UNICEF. Fitsum will lead the IASC secretariat section and is based in Geneva.

Fitsum brings 25 years of experience working in both humanitarian and development settings. She has extensive field experience in technical, operational, coordination, advisory and managerial capacities, mostly with UNICEF but also with MSF, Concern Worldwide and Save the Children.

Prior to joining the IASC Secretariat, Fitsum worked with UNICEF as Chief of Programme Implementation Unit, a part of UNICEF’s global Programme Effectiveness Team; tasked with development and operationalization of the regulatory framework as well as guidance, tools and systems facilitating principled partnership and risk management (covering fiduciary, supplies, SEA as well as Environmental and Social Safeguards), instruments touching some 10,000 CSO and government entities that UNICEF partners with annually for programme implementation . Fitsum facilitated simplification of processes and tools, including through interagency harmonization (e.g. moving PSEA from agency-based approach to interagency approach and platform on the UN Partner Portal) and introduction of measures in UNICEF Programme Implementation Procedures to advance localization and AAP.

In addition to her dynamic portfolio as Chief of the Programme implementation unit, Fitsum also served as one of UNICEF’s Ethics and Culture Champions, on voluntary basis.