
Chief, UN System Coordination and Accountability
Nationality: India
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Dr. Sudha Balakrishnan leads the UN System Coordination and Accountability Section at the United Nations Youth Office. In this role, she coordinates the implementation of Youth2030, the UN Youth Strategy and brings together the UN’s work with and for young people across 60 UN entities and 132 UN Country Teams, as well as their support to governments and youth networks.
As an international development professional passionate about advancing the rights of women, girls, children and young people, Dr. Balakrishnan brings over 20 years of experience at the national and global levels shaping public policies and financing on health, sustainable development and emergency response. Equity and youth empowerment have been at the core of her work. She has served in the United Nations (UNICEF, UN Secretariat), academia and the private sector.
A medical doctor from India specializing in community medicine and epidemiology, Dr. Balakrishnan is committed to driving impact at scale through strong systems, technology and innovation, and by meaningfully engaging young people.