Mukesh Kapila

Dr Kapila "is currently Director in the Department of Health Action in Crises (HAC) at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. He was the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, and the UNDP Resident Representative for the Sudan in 2003-2004. Prior to this, he was Special Adviser to the United Nations from 2002-2003, latterly to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and earlier to the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Afghanistan.

"Dr Kapila is on secondment to the United Nations from the United Kingdom Government where he served as Head of Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs in the Department for International Development (DFID) from 1998 to 2002. In 2003, he was honoured with a CBE by Her Brittanic Majesty, The Queen, for international service.

"Dr Kapila has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and the International Peace Academy (IPA). He has worked extensively in relation to crisis and conflict management, humanitarian aid, disaster reduction, and post-conflict recovery in relation to many countries in Africa, Asia and Europe, leading or participating in several international missions. He is also a member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination (UNDAC) system.

"His educational background is originally in medicine and public health, and subsequently in international development, with qualifications from the Universities of Oxford and London." also see


 * Council Member, Minority Rights Group
 * Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces: International Advisory Board