United Nations, 01 June: The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced that its former Deputy Executive Director Kul Chandra Gautam, pride of GULMI, will receive the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award, at its annual meeting in Atlanta on June 19. The award, named for UNICEF's legendary and highly esteemed Goodwill Ambassador and a renowned Hollywood actress, is given to individuals who have demonstrated visionary and transformative leadership on behalf of childre and women worldwide.
As Former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF at its headquarters in New York City, Mr. Gautam was responsible for providing leadership in strategic planning, program development, resource mobilization and partnerships among UN agencies, donors and civil society organizations. His long and distinguished career with UNICEF began in 1973, when he served as Program Officer in Cambodia and Indonesia and has included positions as UNICEF Country Representative in Laos, Haiti and India, as well as Regional Director for Asia and Pacific. He has also served as Chief for Latin America and the Caribbean and Director for Planning in NY."It is a pleasure to be able to call attention to the accomplishments of Kul Gautam," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "His devotion to the organization and commitment to excellence on behalf of children throughout the world serves as an example to all. We gladly bestow this award on him."
Mr. Gautam was the key senior UNICEF officer responsible for drafting the Declaration and Plan of Action of the 1990 World Summit for Children, the largest gathering of world leaders in history until that time. In May 2002, he led the organization of another major United Nations conference, the Special Session of the General Assembly on Children, attended by 70 world leaders and thousands of child rights activists, including celebrities and Nobel Prize laureates.