External Relations, Policy & Cooperation Programme

Greta Zeender joined the GICHD in May 2024 as Head of the External Relations, Policy Research and Cooperation Programme Division, where she also oversees the GICHD's support to relevant international instruments and multilateral policy processes. She is also responsible for communications and outreach and governance issues (Council of Foundation, Advisory Board). The Division also hosts the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) Secretariat.

Prior to joining GICHD, Greta worked for 12 years with the United Nations, her latest post as Chief of Staff/Senior Policy Adviser to the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General (SG) on Solutions to Internal Displacement. At the UN, she also worked as Head of Research with the Secretariat of the SG’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement and with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, where she undertook extended missions to affected countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Eastern Europe to provide policy and programmatic advice to Humanitarian Coordinators/Humanitarian Country Teams.

Prior to the UN, she worked with the Norwegian Refugee Council, including in Central Africa, and with the Swiss Development Cooperation, at Headquarters and in Romania. She was also Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board of the NGO coalition Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict and has published numerous articles on forced displacement.

Greta holds a Master’s Degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston, United States, and a BA in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

• Division External Relations, Policy & Cooperation Programme
• Unit Head of Division