Ms. de Albuquerque’s priorities will include advocating for political prioritization of WASH at a global high-level, helping build consensus between partners, establishing strategic partnerships with other initiatives and sectors and leading SWA’s Steering Committee.
“I am delighted that Catarina has accepted a key role in the partnership”, said H.E. President John Agyekum Kufuor, Chair of SWA. “She shares our vision of universal access to WASH and understands the critical role of alignment and cooperation. In a changing post-2015 reality, her leadership and advocacy skills will be decisive for SWA and the sector in general.”
Catarina de Albuquerque said, “I am thrilled and honoured with the possibility to contribute to SWA - an initiative whose evolution I have been closely following in the past 4 years and which has a great potential to making sure sanitation and water become a tangible reality for everyone.”
Ms. de Albuquerque will join SWA at the end of her term as the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation. In 2009 she was awarded the Human Rights Gold Medal by the Portuguese Parliament for outstanding work in the area of human rights. That same year she also received from the Portuguese President of the Republic the Order of Merit, which is recognition of an individual's personal bravery, achievement or service. She holds a Law Degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and a DES from the Institut Universitaire de Hautes Etudes Internationales (Geneva, Switzerland).