Wikipedia

Andrew Gilmour (UN official)

Andrew James GilmourCMG(born March 1964) is CEO of theBerghof Foundationand author ofThe Burning Question: Climate and Conflict - Why Does It Matter.[1][2]He was formerly United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, until 2019, and also served as Director for Political, Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Human Rights affairs in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, from 2012 to 2016.[3]

Andrew Gilmour
CMG
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights
In office
2016-2019
Appointed byBan Ki-moon
UN Director for Political, Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Human Rights
In office
2012-2016
Personal details
BornMarch 1964(1964-03)(age60)
SpouseEmma Williams
Parent
RelativesOliver Gilmour(brother)
David Gilmour(brother)
Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott(grandfather)
EducationBalliol College, Oxford
London School of Economics

An environmentalist since joining the WWF at the age of 10,[4]he has published articles on the links between climate change, environmental degradation, human rights and conflict for Bloomberg[5]and Frankfurter Allgememeine Zeitung.[6]

Family

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Andrew Gilmour is the youngest son of the British cabinet minister and political thinkerLord (Ian) Gilmour of Craigmillarand Lady Caroline Montagu Douglas Scott (daughter of the8th Duke of Buccleuch). He is the brother of the historianSir David Gilmour.He is a first cousin ofRichard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch,one of the largest private landowners in Scotland, andRalph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland.

He is married to medical doctor and author Emma Williams.

Education

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Gilmour was educated atEtonandBalliol College, Oxford,where he read Modern History and won the Gladstone Memorial Prize (1986) for his thesis onThe Changing Reactions of the British press to Mussolini, 1935–40.[7]He undertook a master's degree at theLondon School of Economicsin Government and International Relations in 1986–87.[citation needed]

He is a Senior Fellow ofSOAS University of London[8]and a Visiting Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.[citation needed]

UN career

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Gilmour joined theUnited Nationsin 1989 and worked inAfghanistan,Iraq,South Sudan,theMiddle East,West Africa,and theBalkans.In 2016,Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moonappointed him UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights,[9]a post he held for over three years until the end of 2019, when he left the UN aged 55. During this period he was assigned the role of UN system-wide focal point for dealing with reprisals and intimidation that are carried out, usually by Governments, against individuals or NGOs who have cooperated with or seek to cooperate with the UN on human rights issues. He was a vocal defender of human rights activists who are under growing threats and pressure for their work.[10]

He has spoken out against human rights violations carried out against the Rohingya people of Myanmar,[11]the Palestinians,[12]the Syrian people and victims in many other countries including China, Egypt,[13]Libya[14]and the Philippines.[15][16]These followed in particular after his visits to Yemen,[17]Democratic Republic of Congo,[18]South Sudan,[19]Kenya, Liberia,[20]Mali,[21]Burkina Faso, Central African Republic,[22]Afghanistan,[23]Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Honduras,[24]and Colombia.[25]

He has also been an advocate in favour of LGBT rights,[26]victims of torture, rape survivors especially among the Yazidis and Rohingya, and indigenous peoples' rights.[27]

Gilmour was appointedCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George(CMG) in the2020 Birthday Honoursfor services to human rights.[28]

Publications

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Gilmour published a short history of the UN's involvement in the Middle East from 1945 to 2015.[29]He has also published in theFinancial Times,[30]theNew York Times,[31]the Guardian,[32]Bloomberg,[33]The Economist,[34]The Scotsman,[35]The Nation,[36]and other world publications, including in Africa[37]and Latin America.[38]

He also published "The future of human rights: A view from the UN", in theJournal of Ethics and International Affairs.[39]

References

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  1. ^"Andrew Gilmour appointed new Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation".Berghof Foundation.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  2. ^"Climate change and conflict must be tackled together, argues a foundation head".The Economist.ISSN0013-0613.Retrieved2024-07-10.
  3. ^"OHCHR | Andrew Gilmour".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  4. ^"'Climate change is going to bring the worst human rights violations of all time' - interview with Andrew Gilmour ".24 February 2020.
  5. ^"Preventing Climate Change is a Human Rights Issue".Bloomberg.2 February 2020.
  6. ^Gilmour, Andrew; Edenhofer, Ottmar (12 August 2021)."Die Wissenschaftsgemeinden müssen Grenzen überschreiten - Bild 2 von 5".Faz.net.
  7. ^Bouverie, Tim (2019).Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Hitler and the Road to War.pp. Quoted in.
  8. ^"Andrew Gilmour | SOAS".
  9. ^"Secretary-General Appoints Andrew Gilmour of United Kingdom Assistant Secretary-General in New York Human Rights Office | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases".un.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  10. ^"UN's Andrew Gilmour reports a global backlash against human rights defenders | DW | 12.09.2018".DW.COM.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  11. ^"Pregnant Rohingya Refugees Are in Desperate Need".Bloomberg.9 May 2018.
  12. ^"Former UN official slams Israel 'humiliation' of Palestinians".aljazeera.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  13. ^"OHCHR | Report highlights rising reprisals against human rights defenders cooperating with the UN".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  14. ^Brennan, David (2018-03-21)."Humans for sale: The Libyan slave trade continues while militants kill and torture with impunity, the U.N. has said".Newsweek.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  15. ^"Statement by Andrew Gilmour, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights".17 October 2017.
  16. ^Interaksyon (2017-06-20)."'GHOULISH': UN exec slams Duterte, as he sounds alarm over backsliding human rights worldwide ".Interaksyon.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  17. ^"OHCHR | Senior UN rights official concludes visit to Yemen, urges warring parties to prevent renewed fighting".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  18. ^"RDC: Andrew Gilmour appelle au respect du droit de manifester".RFI(in French). 2016-11-28.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  19. ^"OHCHR | South Sudan: Senior UN human rights official condemns deplorable rights situation, calls for perpetrators to be held to account".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  20. ^Jackson, Omari (2017-08-08)."'Justice Will Catch Up With Them,' Says Andrew Gilmour, UN Asst. SG for Human Rights ".Liberian Observer.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  21. ^"OHCHR | Mali: Senior UN official calls for human rights and justice to be at heart of fight against terrorism".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  22. ^"'Warning signs are flashing' in crisis-torn Central African Republic, warns senior UN official ".UN News.2017-05-31.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  23. ^"OHCHR | Afghanistan: Senior UN rights official urges more action to end attacks on civilians".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  24. ^"OHCHR | Senior UN human rights official urges increased protection of human rights defenders after his visit to Honduras".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  25. ^"OHCHR | Colombia: UN Assistant Secretary-General for human rights urges effective protection of rights defenders amid continued attacks".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  26. ^"Japan's businesses should take lead on LGBT rights: U.N. official".The Japan Times Online.2018-06-15.ISSN0447-5763.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  27. ^"HCDH | Statement by Andrew Gilmour, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, at the 18th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples".ohchr.org.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  28. ^"No. 63135".The London Gazette(Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B4.
  29. ^Gilmour, A. (2016). 'The Role of the Secretary-General', Chapter 1 in Makdisi, K & Prashad, V (eds.)Land of Blue Helmets: The United Nations and the Arab World.Berkeley: University of California Press
  30. ^Gilmour, Andrew (9 December 2019)."Human Rights are Suffering an Onslaught of Attacks".Financial Times.
  31. ^Gilmour, Andrew (2019-12-09)."Opinion | The Children of ISIS Don't Belong in Cages, Either".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  32. ^Gilmour, Andrew (2018-05-18)."Imprisoned, threatened and silenced: human rights workers across Asia are in danger | Andrew Gilmour".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  33. ^Gilmour, Andrew (2 February 2020)."Preventing Climate Change is a Human Rights Issue".Bloomberg.
  34. ^"Climate change and conflict must be tackled together, argues a foundation head".The Economist.ISSN0013-0613.Retrieved2024-07-10.
  35. ^"On Earth Day climate change and conflict are coming together".Retrieved2024-07-10.
  36. ^Gilmour, Andrew (2013-09-09)."Dag Hammarskjold: Statesman of the Century".ISSN0027-8378.Retrieved2020-03-27.
  37. ^Gilmour, Andrew (15 August 2017)."Liberia's Leaders Must Do More to Advance Human Rights".GNN Liberia.
  38. ^Gilmour, Andrew."Por qué debemos defender a los defensores".El Heraldo.
  39. ^Gilmour, A. (2014). The Future of Human Rights: A View from the United Nations.Ethics & International Affairs,28(2), 239-250. doi:10.1017/S0892679414000240
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