Laura Londén is a former humanitarian and development executive of the United Nations. She served as assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and deputy executive director (management) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). She is passionate about fundamental human rights and choices for all.
During her 30-year career, she provided strategic leadership to complex organizational transformation, reform, management, and program portfolios in development, refugee, humanitarian, emergency, and peace operations. She served the UN at headquarters and field operations with: UNFPA; the UN Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Agency;the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); The UN Office of Human Resources Management; The UN Peace Operations; and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Londén has served in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, East Timor, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the United States, and the West Bank.
She holds a Master's degree in political sciences (public law and administration) from the University of Åbo Akademi in Finland. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate in political sciences by Åbo Akademi in May 2018, "in recognition of her efforts for the benefit of refugees and her passion to make a difference for a better world."