Senior Management Group
Margot Wallström, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict
On 2 February, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Margot Wallström of Sweden as his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
Ms. Wallström has been an advocate of the rights and needs of women throughout her political career – first as Swedish government minister and later as Environment Commissioner and Vice-President of the European Commission.
Since her appointment to the European Commission in 1999, she has been actively engaged in promoting the participation of women in peace- and security-related issues, notably the injustice and violence faced by women during armed conflicts. In 2004, she was appointed first Vice-President responsible for Inter-Institutional Relations and Communication.
Since 2007, she has served as Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders Ministerial Initiative, where she promoted the appointment of women to positions of responsibility. Ms. Wallström also played a leadership role in raising awareness about the urgency to implement Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008).
Ms. Wallström has had a long career in politics, which began when she served as a Swedish parliamentarian from 1979 until 1985. Her ministerial career began in 1988 when she was appointed Minister of Civil Affairs, responsible for consumer affairs, women’s and youth matters. She subsequently became Minister of Culture, and then Minister of Social Affairs. In 1998, she retired from Swedish politics to become Executive Vice-President of Worldview Global Media, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Sri Lanka.
She has received several honorary doctorates and awards for her work on sustainable development and climate change, and has also done extensive work to endorse a European Union-Africa partnership on renewable energy, and to champion equal opportunities.
Born in 1954, Ms. Wallström is married and has two children.