Barbara Dietrich

Barbara Dietrich, Director International Programmes, has 20 years of experience in international cooperation and is leading the Department of International Cooperation together with Remo Gesù. Beyond research assignments in North Africa, she has worked as editor and managing director of a youth magazine in Switzerland, since 2002 in Liberia and Sri Lanka as protection delegate and head of sub-delegation of the ICRC, since 2005 as regional coordinator for Caritas and since 2014 for Helvetas in Mozambique, the Middle East and South East Asia. Barbara acquired substantial experience with humanitarian action around the Syria crisis, in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Over the years, Barbara has built a substantial network in the Swiss NGO community and brings a keen interest for Swiss development politics to the role. During the past decade, Barbara served as Board member of FIZ, a competence centre for migrant women and victims of trafficking. She holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Zurich and a Master in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford.