Íris Björg Kristjánsdóttir

Thematic expertise: Among areas of expertise are forced migration, refugee response, Women, Peace and Security, addressing gender equality concerns across the humanitarian-development continuum, protection, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts, resilience, social cohesion, trafficking and exploitation and return & rehabilitation.

Geographic expertise: Central Asia, South Caucasus, Western Balkans, Turkey, Ukraine

Languages: Icelandic, English, Danish, Norwegian

Iris Bjorg Kristjansdottir is currently a Senior Policy Adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office in Iceland covering policy coordination, crisis prevention and response. Previously, Iris was a Peace, Security and Humanitarian Adviser for UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; a Gender & Humanitarian specialist for UN Women Turkey Country Office; a Senior Specialist and Team Leader in the Ministry of Justice in Iceland; chair of the Icelandic refugee committee and the integration council in Iceland and an Executive Secretary for the Scandinavian Council for Criminology.  Iris has been responsible for law and regulatory reforms on national level, facilitated multiple global and national consultative and consultation processes and led or facilitated strategic partnerships with national actors and stakeholders, while placing special emphasis on meaningful engagement of women’s rights and women-led organizations in peace efforts and decision-making platforms or processes. Iris has extensive experience in providing high level policy advice, engaging with actors and stakeholders at both national and international level, and developing and managing cross-country and regional programs and teams.