UN SECRETARY-GENERAL Ban Ki-moon has announced the appointment of former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet to head a new UN body that will seek to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.
The body will be known officially as the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, but officials say it will be referred to as UN Women (www.unwomen.org). It will merge four separate UN divisions now dealing with womens and gender issues.
“Ms Bachelet brings to this critical position a history of dynamic global leadership, highly honed political skills and uncommon ability to create consensus,” Mr Ban said.
Ms Bachelet (58) headed a centre-left administration in Chile from 2006 until March of this year.
Last year, Forbes magazine rated her the 22nd most powerful woman in the world. – (Reuters)