Bo Viktor Nylund has been working as the Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa at UNICEF since August 2017. Prior to that, Mr Nylund was UNICEF’s Representative in Burundi from June 2015 until August 2017, where he was responsible for the overall development of UNICEF programmes and operations. He oversaw partnerships that advanced children’s rights, working in support of the Government of Burundi and in coordination with international and local organisations, civil society and academia. He was also the Resident Coordinator a.i. for the United Nations Country Team in Burundi from January to May 2017.
From 2011 to 2015, Mr Nylund worked in UNICEF’s Division for Private Fundraising and Partnerships in Geneva as the Head of Child Rights and Business. He provided guidance, support and capacity development to UNICEF regional and country offices and UNICEF National Committees on developing approaches for children’s rights within business.
In this role, Mr Nylund assumed the lead role for standard-setting in child-focused Corporate Social Responsibility at country, regional and global levels, including in the development of the Child Rights Principles for Business. His work included approaching companies from different sectors in order to strengthen the implementation of children's rights in business activities.
Between 1998 and 2010, Mr Nylund worked in managerial positions with UNICEF in the areas of child protection and humanitarian policy and planning, with assignments in Bangkok, Colombo, Khartoum and New York.
In 2010, he supported the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the development of an Office-wide strategy for engagement in humanitarian action. Mr Nylund also served as a Protection Officer with the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva and Kenya/Somalia from 1994 to 1996.
Originally from Finland, Mr Nylund holds a PhD in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, as well as master degrees in law and political science from Columbia University Law School and Abo Akademi University.