Moushira Khattab

Education

Moushira Khattab holds a PHD on the rights of the child from Cairo University, an M.A. in International Relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA and a B.A. Political Science from Cairo University, Faculty of Economics and Political Science.

Diplomatic career

A career diplomat serving as Egypt’s first Ambassador To Nelson Mandela’s South Africa and before it Czechoslovakia during its peaceful separation to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Khattab ended her diplomatic career as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Cultural Relations. Moushira Khattab has also served at Egypt's diplomatic missions in Budapest, Vienna and Melbourne as well as serving at the UN headquarters in New York and UNIDO headquarters in Vienna.

Ministerial career

From March 2009 until February 2011 Khattab served as Minister of State for Family and Population of Egypt. She also holds the position of Vice-President of the International Bureau for Children’s Rights “IBCR”. Khattab represents the MENA Region on the Board of Child Helpline International and Chairs both the National Committee & the steering Committee of Middle East & North Africa on Violence against Children. Khattab served as Vice Chair, Rapporteur and member of UN Committee on the Rights of the Child 2002–2010. She is also a member in several associations such as the Women Leadership Council to combat trafficking in persons including children, UNGIFT- Vienna 2008. She Chaired the ad hoc UN intergovernmental expert group that formulated the UN Guidelines on Justice Matters related to children victims and witnesses to Crime adopted by ECOSOC in 2005. Moushira Khattab is Vice president of “Aflatoun Child Savings International” (Amsterdam) and is a regular lecturer on children’s rights to police officers, judges, women organizations and the media.

International speaker

Since 2011, Ambassador Khattab has been an active speaker and panelist in key events related to women's rights, children's rights and development as well as other international events. She is a regular participant in these events due to her experience and track record as both a diplomat and later as a rights advocate in the field of social and human development.

Candidature for UNESCO Director-General

On 19 July 2016, the Prime Minister of Egypt announced that Moushira Khattab will be Egypt's candidate for the post of UNESCO Director-General at the upcoming elections due to be held in 2017. The announcement was made against the backdrop of The Egyptian Museum to symbolise Egypt's strong culture and rich heritage and also as one of the founding members and earliest partners of UNESCO including the relocation of the Abu Simbel temples in 1964 among many others. Moushira Khattab's candidature has been endorsed by the African Union at the 27th AU summit held in Kigali from 10–18 July 2016

Honours

Ambassador Khattab is the recipient of various international awards and orders in recognition of her work in both international diplomacy and social & human development. In 2010, she was awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Italian Republic by the President of Italy. In 2008, Moushira Khattab was awarded the International Women of Courage Award by the U.S. State Department. In 2007, she was awarded Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. Before that, in 1999, she was awarded the Order of Good Hope by the President of the Republic of South Africa, the highest order which can be awarded to a foreign national.