Helen María Ólafsdóttir

Thematic expertise: Rule of Law, Human Rights and Security Sector Governance, Inclusive Governance.

Geographic expertise: MENA region and Horn of Africa

Helen Olafsdottir, Security Sector  and Development Specialist, has worked for the United Nations Development Programme for 17 years and is currently the security sector advisor in Somalia focusing on people centered security and the nexus between climate change and security. Prior to that she worked as a policy specialist in areas of rule of law, security and human rights in UNDP New York supporting post-conflict and conflict states primarily in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. She served in Iraq as a crisis prevention and recovery advisor and in Afghanistan she was seconded to the Afghan Government to support the drafting of the national development plan in 2008. Before joining the UN Helen served in Sri Lanka for the Norwegian Special Envoy, seconded by the Icelandic Foreign Ministry, first as a spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Ceasefire Monitoring Mission and later a political advisor to the head of mission. Previously Helen worked in the Political Division in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and served for the Permanent Mission of Iceland to the Council of Europe. Helen commenced her career as a journalist and a reporter for Icelandic radio and TV.

Helen has an MSc from the London School of Economics in Politics of the World Economy and an MSc from Bristol University in International Relations.