Honorary degree for UN Women Executive Director Dr Sima Sami Bahous

Gender equality, youth development and education champion Dr Sima Sami Bahous has received an honorary degree from the University of Essex.

Dr Bahous is Executive Director of UN Women - the global champion for gender equality – leading global efforts to unlock the full potential of women and girls everywhere.

Under her leadership, UN Women supports UN Member States in setting global standards for gender equality, working with governments worldwide to design laws, policies, programs, and services that ensure equal opportunities for women.

Dean of Partnerships (Education) Dr Annecy Lax gave the oration for Dr Bahous at Summer Graduation.

She said: “Dr Bahous and her team are tirelessly working to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality, advocating for women’s equal participation in all aspects of society. Her courage, commitment, and dedication to fighting discrimination are extraordinary, improving the lives of many around the world.

“As an Essex alumna, Dr Bahous embodies the Essex Spirit in action. Her remarkable journey and unwavering advocacy inspire us all.

“Dr Bahous is not only a source of pride for our University but also a beacon of hope and progress for gender equality globally.”

Dr Bahous, who also has a PhD in Mass Communications, completed a Masters in Literature and Drama at the University of Essex between 1979 and 1980.

She said: "The University of Essex was pivotal in shaping my academic foundation and instilling in me the values of resilience, leadership, inclusion and compassion. It is a great honour to receive this recognition. I do so with pride on behalf of all those I have the honour to lead and to stand alongside in the pursuit of a gender equal peaceful world."

She urged Essex graduates to use what they learnt at Essex to make a positive impact around the world. She said: “Be a breaker of barriers. Be a smasher of glass ceilings, and a creator of opportunities, not only for yourself but for those around you, for those you know and those you don’t, for those who live alongside you and those who live far away, for those you love and those you may never meet."

More about Dr Bahous

For decades, Dr Bahous has dedicated her life to advocating for women’s rights and gender equality. Her leadership roles have addressed key societal issues, tirelessly working to secure better rights for all.

As the Executive Director of UN Women - the global champion for gender equality – she now leads global efforts to unlock the full potential of women and girls everywhere.

Fluent in both Arabic and English, she began her career teaching mass communications and development at Yarmouk University and in her home country of Jordan.

Beyond academia, Dr Bahous has made significant contributions through her work with UNICEF and numerous United Nations and civil society organizations.

She served as the Executive Director of the Noor Al Hussein Foundation between 1998 and 2001 and was Acting Executive Director for the King Hussein Foundation in the early 2000s.

Her work in Jordan soon saw her recognised through heading the Communications Department at the Royal Hashemite Court in Jordan from 2001 to 2005, to be followed by two ministerial posts, where she served as Adviser to King Abdullah II for two years, and President of the Higher Media Council from 2005 to 2008.

It was in these posts that Dr Bahous campaigned and worked to provide equitable access for Jordanian and regional citizens to socio-economic, educational, health, and cultural opportunities.

This work focused specifically on women, young people, and minorities to enable them to contribute meaningfully to national and regional development.

Since then Dr Bahous has continued to advance gender equality in a number of roles regionally and globally. She served as the Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Development Sector at the League of Arab States, from 2008 to 2012. From 2012 to 2016 she was the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). After that she even served as the Permanent Representative of Jordan to the United Nations in New York for five years.

In 2021, Dr Bahous was appointed Executive Director of UN Women. Under her leadership, UN Women supports UN Member States in setting global standards for gender equality, working with governments worldwide to design laws, policies, programs, and services that ensure equal opportunities for women.