Dr. Janet Kabeberi Macharia, a mother of two, is a 55 year old Kenyan with a career spanning 30 years in academia, nongovernmental organizations and international development organizations whose primary focus has been the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment, and children's rights. She is the Head of the Gender and Social Safeguards Unit and is the Senior Gender Adviser in UN Environment.
For the past 20 years Janet has worked at national, regional and global positions, for the United Nations (UN) in 3 agencies; United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment. In UN Environment, she coordinates a dynamic team composed of 5 full time staff and a global network of over 70 gender focal points spread throughout the organization. This team focuses on systematic integration of gender in UN Environment’s Programme of Work, alongside strengthening institutional recognition of operational responsibilities and greater accountability for gender work by management and staff.
Janet holds a PhD in Law from the University of Warwick, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Women’s Law. She has extensively published books and articles in referred journals in various areas with a particular focus on gender issues, children's rights, women's human rights, law and development, and, environmental law.
