Dr. Nigina Abaszada started her assignment as the UNFPA Country Director for Tajikistan/Representative for Uzbekistan from 26 December 2023. Before this, Dr. Abaszada served as the UNFPA Resident Representative for the Republic of Moldova and Country Director for Albania. She has over 30-years of experience in leading policy advocacy and programme in the area of population and development, reproductive rights and gender equality.
Dr. Abaszada joined the UNFPA in 2005 and has served also in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and at the UNFPA Regional Office in Istanbul covering 17 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region. She has worked closely with policymakers, private sector, non-governmental organizations and leaders from social and health sectors to champion for women and girls’ rights, including in humanitarian and emergency settings.
Prior to joining UNFPA, Dr. Abaszada worked as a health researcher, Adjunct Professor and head of the faculty at state and private universities. Dr. Abaszada is a Medical Doctor, holds a PhD in Social Psychology and a Master's Degree in Gender and Child studies from Linkoping University, Sweden. She is married and has two children.
She speaks English, Russian, and Azerbaijani languages.
