14/09/2001
Carol Bellamy

Carol Bellamy was born on 14 January 1942 - four years before the creation of the profoundly influential agency she was later to head. The latter was, of course, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, since renamed the United Nations Children's Fund, although it retains the original acronym - UNICEF. Carol Bellamy is its fourth Executive Director and as such, one of the most significant figures in the UN system.

Ms Bellamy graduated from Gettysburg College in 1963. But before pursuing her chosen career in law, she enrolled as a Peace Corps volunteer - a decision that led to a range of experiences that were to be significant in her later career. Assigned to Guatemala, she assisted in running a school lunch scheme and also produced a radio programme on health and nutrition to be broadcast in rural areas. In doing so she gained first hand experience of global efforts to improve the lives of children in developing countries.

She faced a very different set of circumstances when she returned to America in 1965 to qualify as a lawyer. Graduating from the New York University School of Law in 1968, Ms Bellamy held a series of distinguished positions in law and finance that encompassed both the private and public sectors. This included service in the New York State Senate where she served for five years and proved herself an ambitious, effective and dedicated public servant. In 1978, she became President of the New York City Council - the first woman to hold the position - which she held for the next seven years.

Ms Bellamy then returned full-time to the demands of Wall Street undertaking a number of senior managerial and leadership positions. In 1993, she was appointed as Director of the United States Peace Corps setting another precedent - this time, as the first return volunteer to become the head of this diverse service organisation. Her skill and vision in shaping the experiences and contributions of some 7,000 volunteers in more than 80 countries brought her further recognition in both national and international circles. It was perhaps no surprise that this skill and vision was sought after to serve an even more international and diverse organisation. In 1995 Carol Bellamy left the Peace Corps to be appointed as Executive Director of UNICEF.

Assuming office on 1 May 1995, Ms Bellamy's first challenge was in modernising this body - one of the UN's largest agencies. Her priorities became the restructuring and decentralising of the agency to ensure that a more efficient, effective and focused service could be offered to the children of the world. Particular emphasis was placed on primary concerns - the survival, development and basic education of even the most disadvantaged children. The Executive Director also became a powerful and convincing advocate of the need for strong protection measures for children in areas of conflict, and against abuse, neglect and exploitative child labour.

In September 1999, the UN Secretary-General announced Ms Bellamy's reappointment to a second term of office. New challenges have emerged to face the agency as a result of our rapidly changing world. The global impact of HIV/AIDS, the increasing incidences of conflict and continuing, often worsening poverty, are some of the deeply disturbing issues that UNICEF must face. These are the new priorities for Ms Bellamy who will remain in office until 2005. It is to be hoped that the skill, judgement and dedication that have shaped the many aspects of her career thus far will contribute to finding some lasting solutions to the these and other terrors that currently face the children of the world.