The Viet Nam-UNICEF programme of cooperation is underpinned by a commitment to reach every child, particularly the most vulnerable, ensuring that each has a fair chance to reach her or his full potential and benefit from the country’s prosperity.
“I am honored to be asked to serve the women and children of Viet Nam. UNICEF has a long, trusted relationship with Viet Nam, and I feel privileged as well as an enormous sense of responsibility to ensure that measurable change, that strides continue to be recorded in the achievement of children’s rights in this country. The Government has asked me to be creative and bold in our work - and I look forward to not just continuing the crucial work done to reach the most vulnerable children such as those with disabilities, from ethnic minority groups or internal migrants, but to create new partnerships, drawing on the strengths of the private sector and the comparative advantages of other UN Agencies.” said Ms Flowers.
Ms. Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Viet Nam. (Source: UNICEF)
Her responsibilities, working hand in hand with the Government include mobilizing support to introduce new approaches, to test these, to ensure policy and legislation keep pace with the opportunities and challenges for children in a modern Viet Nam; and then to advocate that the policy is implemented at scale, benefiting all children across Viet Nam.
The current programme includes a focus on improving the delivery of integrated services for early childhood development; to keep girls and boys safe from harm and to enhance the provision of care and support for victims of violence and abuse; to provide children in isolated communities with a clean and healthy environment; to reform national policies, target budget allocations for children and ensure legislative changes are implemented; or to tackle challenges such as climate change, adolescent development and child friendly urban environments.
Prior to this appointment, she served as UNICEF Representative in China, Cambodia, Mongolia and Belize, bringing more than 25 years of experience in international development. She came to UNICEF with over 10 years of experience working on child development and policy advocacy in her home country, Australia, and she also worked in the United Kingdom in the same field.
An experienced UNICEF manager, Ms Flowers has worked closely with governments of several countries to advance child rights, promote the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to introduce equity focused interventions for women and children. She applies her expertise and resource mobilization skills to inspire an approach at UNICEF that challenges business as usual, seeks new and better solutions and measures results for the population UNICEF is dedicated to serve – the children.
Ms Flowers has a Masters Degree in Business Administration, and Bachelor Degrees in Social Work and Arts. She is married and the mother of two step children Patrick and Pilar and daughters Gabriela and Daniela.
Rana Flowers is replacing Youssouf Abdel-Jelil who completed his term in Viet Nam in October 2018./.