Ms. Carolyn Hannan Ms. Carolyn Hannan, retired on 31 December as Director of DESA’s Division for the Advancement of Women, a position she held with distinction since December 2001. Her retirement marks many years of dedicated service to the goal of gender equality and development, which began long before she joined the United Nations, both in her home country of Sweden, and in Africa, where she lived and worked for more than 10 years.

Ms. Hannan’s academic background in social and economic geography and social anthropology, and her rich work experience covering many countries and gender perspectives in many areas, including water supply and sanitation, health, population, statistics, human settlements, natural resource management, governance and poverty eradication, equipped her with a keen understanding of the impact of major developments on women and gender equality. She has been tireless in her efforts to ensure that important concerns and cutting-edge thinking have been brought to the attention of policymakers and others in positions of power with potential to make a positive difference in women’s lives.

How will Ms. Hannan remember her eight years at the Division for the Advancement of Women? These years were “intense”, “never, ever dull”, and “always lightened by the dedication and positive team-spirit of DAW colleagues”, she says. Her coming years are sure to be equally fulfilling.

Comings

The following staff members were promoted in December:

• Paul Hanna, Statistician, Statistics Division
• Richard A. Roehrl, Sustainable Development Officer, Division for Sustainable Development
• Simone Wilson, Associate Social Affairs Officer, Division for Social Policy and Development