It is the second-highest position within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
It has been 70 years since a Swede served in UNESCO's top echelons. From 1951 to 1955, Alva Myrdal was head of UNESCO's social sciences department.
Åsa Regnér most recently served as Secretary-General of Save the Children. She has also been Deputy Secretary-General of UN Women. From 2014 to 2018, she was the Social Democratic minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality.
