Mrs. Maryse Guimond

With 30 years of experience in development and humanitarian action, Maryse Guimond has managed regional and country portfolios in diverse regions including the Middle East, North Africa, the Caribbean (Haiti), and West Africa. She is recognized for her leadership in very challenging contexts with multiple offices. Ms. Guimond is currently the UN Women Special Representative in the State of Palestine, where she leads and manages the country office portfolio, aligning United Nations (UN) Women’s Strategic Plan with regional and national priorities. Before her current role, Ms. Guimond served as Deputy Regional Director in 2018 and as the Sustainable Development Goal Advisor for UN Women Arab States in 2017. Throughout her tenure, she has successfully harnessed various inter-governmental processes to engage partners in inclusive dialogues on women’s rights topics, thereby advancing UN Women’s standing. From 2013 to 2016, she was the Regional Program Manager for the European Union-UN Women Spring Forward for Women initiative in the Arab States; the Regional Program provided a mechanism to advance the economic and political empowerment of women in the Southern Mediterranean region. Her career began in 1992, working with international development agencies such as Oxfam, Save the Children, and Plan International, focusing on gender equality, women’s empowerment, governance, human rights, and basic social services. A Canadian national, Ms. Guimond holds a master’s degree in political science and international relations.