DLA Piper Welcomes UNICEF Executive Director To Strengthen Pacific Partnerships

DLA Piper was honoured to host Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of UNICEF, in the firm's Auckland office today. This visit marked the final stop on the Executive Director's tour of the Pacific, including Vanuatu, Fiji, and Australia.

Catherine Russell has led UNICEF since February 2022, driving the organisation’s global mission to promote children's rights and well-being. With a robust professional background including serving as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues under President Barack Obama and as Chief of Staff to Dr Jill Biden, she brings a wealth of experience to her role.

Notably a significant event, being over a decade since a UNICEF Executive Director visited Australia and New Zealand, and this marks the first-ever visit to the Pacific Island countries. The region is of primary importance to both Australia and New Zealand, who are key partners to UNICEF in the Pacific and globally. This visit aimed to reinforce these relationships and boost advocacy on UNICEF's role in mitigating the impact of climate change and refocusing attention towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

During her visit, Catherine Russell participated in several partnership meetings with key stakeholders, a fireside chat with UNICEF Aotearoa Young Ambassadors, and a meeting with the UNICEF New Zealand Board. She also met with Laura Scampion, DLA Piper's Country Managing Partner.

DLA Piper has been supporting UNICEF since 2013, donating over NZD4 million [GDP2 million] to promote justice for children and providing NZD13 million [GDP6 million] in pro bono legal services. One notable fundraiser, the UNICEF Global Challenge, saw DLA Piper colleagues complete a trek through the Simien mountains in Ethiopia, raising over GDP140,000 for child justice programmes.

Laura Scampion said, "We have been honoured to welcome Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of UNICEF, to our Auckland office. Her visit underscored the critical importance of advocating for the rights and well-being of children, especially in the Pacific region, which faces unique challenges due to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Catherine’s insights into the work UNICEF is doing globally, and her focus on the Pacific, provided invaluable perspectives on how we can continue to support these efforts.

"At DLA Piper, we are committed to our partnership with UNICEF and to making a tangible impact through our pro bono work and advocacy initiatives. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and contributing to their mission,"

About Catherine Russell

Catherine Russell has led UNICEF since February 2022, driving the organisation’s global mission to promote children's rights and well-being. Her professional background includes:

· Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues (2013-2017): Appointed by President Barack Obama, Russell was responsible for coordinating U.S. foreign policy activities and programmes to promote the rights and empowerment of women and girls around the world.

· Chief of Staff to Dr Jill Biden (2009-2013): During her tenure, she played a key role in advancing the Biden administration’s initiatives on military families and community colleges.

· Senior Advisor to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Provided counsel on issues related to international women’s rights, trafficking, and child marriage.

· U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues: Russell worked on various initiatives to address gender-based violence and economic empowerment for women.

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