January 23, 2025
To: UNICEF – The United Nations Children’s Fund
CC:
- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
- UNICEF Executive Board Members
- UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell
Re: Urgent Appeal to Reconsider the Appointment of Ms. Sophia Tesfamariam as Vice President of UNICEF’s Board
Dear Members of the UNICEF Executive Board,
We, the Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice International, write to express our profound condemnation and grave concern regarding the appointment of Ms. Sophia Tesfamariam, Eritrea’s Ambassador to the United Nations, as Vice President of UNICEF’s Board. This decision fundamentally undermines the principles and values of both UNICEF and the United Nations, endangering the organization’s integrity, credibility, and moral standing.
Ms. Tesfamariam’s appointment stands in stark opposition to UNICEF’s mission of promoting peace, dignity, equality, and the protection of children and women globally. Her record, affiliations, and actions as a representative of the Eritrean dictatorship render her unsuitable for such a vital leadership role in a children’s rights organization.
Concerns Regarding Ms. Tesfamariam’s Record:
1. Complicity in Defending a Genocidal Regime
As an outspoken advocate for the regime of President Isaias Afwerki. Ms. Tesfamariam has consistently defended policies and actions that have inflicted immense suffering on millions in Eritrea and beyond.
During the genocidal war in Tigray, Eritrean forces—aligned with the Ethiopian government—were implicated in atrocities, including widespread sexual violence against women and children.
Reports from human rights organizations, corroborated by UNICEF, document that over 250,000 Tigrayan women and girls were subjected to sexual violence, rape, and exploitation.
Despite these verified accounts, Ms. Tesfamariam has downplayed or outright dismissed these heinous crimes, prioritizing the interests of a regime notorious for systematic human rights violations.
2. Insensitive and Callous Statements
Ms. Tesfamariam’s dismissive comments following the tragic drowning of over 360 Eritrean refugees, including children, in the Mediterranean Sea near Lampedusa in October 2013, exemplify her lack of empathy. Rather than acknowledging the desperate plight of theseindividuals—many of whom were fleeing forced conscription, systemic abuse, and extreme poverty—she callously characterized them as “rich kids with a lot of money from Eritrean cities.”
Such remarks betray a profound lack of compassion and moral judgment, qualities fundamental to UNICEF’s mission and leadership.
3. Advocacy for Anti-Child and Anti-Women Policies
As a representative of a regime known for dismantling families, depriving children of education, and exploiting women through forced labor and systemic oppression, Ms. Tesfamariam’s appointment jeopardizes UNICEF’s commitment to protecting the vulnerable. Her presence in a leadership role undermines the credibility of the organization’s work in advocating for children and women, particularly in conflict zones in violation of United Nations charters and principles.
The appointment of Ms. Tesfamariam as Vice President of UNICEF’s Board directly contravenes the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the core values of UNICEF:
- Peace and Dignity: Ms. Tesfamariam’s affiliation with a regime accused of genocide, repression, and systemic violence undermines global efforts to promote peace and human dignity.
- Equality and Justice: Her record contradicts UNICEF’s mission to advance equality, justice, and the welfare of children and women worldwide.
We strongly urge UNICEF and the United Nations leadership to reconsider and reverse Ms. Tesfamariam’s appointment. Her role as Vice President of UNICEF’s Board compromises the organization’s integrity and trustworthiness, contradicting UNICEF’s mission and values.
As advocates for human rights and justice, we unequivocally condemn this appointment. UNICEF must remain resolute in its mission to protect children and uphold the core values of the United Nations charters.
Elevating Ms. Tesfamariam—a representative of a regime complicit in grave human rights violations her country—represents an affront to survivors of atrocity crimes in Tigray and other conflicts in the Horn of Africa impacted by the Eritrean government’s policies.
This is a pivotal moment for UNICEF to reaffirm its commitment to victims of injustice and human rights violations in Eritrea, Tigray and the wider Horn of Africa.
We trust that UNICEF will take swift and decisive action to rectify this serious misstep and demonstrate that it stands firmly with those it was created to serve.
Sincerely,
Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice International
