Tanzania, Deputy Chair

Born in Tanzania, Scholastica has 30 years of working experience with the United Nations System; 23 of within the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the other seven with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Whilst in those positions, she served in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania as well as a stint with UNICEF New York Headquarters.

At the time of her retirement from UNDP at the end of January 2009, she was Deputy Assistant UNDP Administrator & Deputy Regional Director for Africa. Before that, she had served as UNDP Resident Representative (RR) and Coordinator of the UN System (RC) in South Africa (2005-2007), RR/RC for Lesotho (2001 – 2004), as well as having served as UNICEF Representative in Liberia (1998-2001) & South Africa (1992 – 1998). She also served as UNICEF Resident Programme Officer for Botswana (1984 – 1990).

She holds an MSc in Social Policy, Planning & Participation in Developing Countries from the London School of Economics & Political Science, a BSc in Home Economics & Nutrition as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Journalism. Scholastica has focused her career on supporting the African Governments and people in the countries of her assignment to addressing the challenges of making public institutions work, especially in facilitating access to basic services by the poor and marginalised in society; the majority of whom are women and children.