From Public Service to UN Security Leadership: USG UNDSS Hennis-Plasschaert’s Journey of Service

On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, we spoke with Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, about her journey in public service, the evolving nature of security, and the importance of diversity and leadership in the field. In the reflection below, she shares her experiences and perspectives on these themes. 

If you had told me, when I was starting out as a civil servant at the European Commission in Brussels and later in Latvia, that I would one day become a politician or the UN's Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Safety and Security, I would not have believed you. 

It was in Latvia, then an EU accession country, that my political instincts first awakened. There, I saw firsthand how easy it is to take freedom and fundamental rights for granted, and exactly why we must never do so. 

After the Commission, I moved to the private sector, but politics kept pulling me back. Eventually, I spontaneously applied to become a political assistant for the city of Amsterdam. The deputy mayor told me, quite frankly, that my CV did not match local politics at all. I acknowledged that but asked for the opportunity anyway. He agreed on a trade: he would teach me everything about politics, and I would teach him everything about the European Union. That is how it all began. 

Two years later, I ran for the European Parliament and was elected twice. Later, my party asked me to move into national politics. I ran and was elected to parliament twice more. During the subsequent government formation, I was appointed Minister of Defence, the first woman to hold that post in the Netherlands. I served for five years before deciding to leave national politics and join the United Nations. I went on to serve as the first woman Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Iraq, then as the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, and today as the first woman USG for the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS). 

What it Means to Be "The First Woman" ?

Honestly, when I was appointed Minister of Defence, I did not dwell much on being the first woman in the role. I was aware of it, but I did not see it as a defining factor. The same was even more true when I became SRSG in Iraq. People warned me that life would be exceptionally difficult and that access to a country like Iraq would be restricted for a woman. None of that proved true. People were welcoming. I quickly learned that much of it is about the position you hold and your ability to deliver, rather than your gender. When I was selected to lead UNDSS, I did not think about the gender dimension; I thought about the job that needed to be done. 

Defining Security 

Security is a broad term and can mean different things to different people, but to me it is profoundly personal. I grew up in an environment that was safe and stable. I could do what I wanted within the boundaries set by my parents, never really thinking about the fact that the freedom I enjoyed was something many other people had to fight for. It was only when I left my country and deployed to places recovering from long conflicts that I had a wake-up call. For me, safety and security are deeply connected to freedom and fundamental rights, the very things we can never take for granted. 

Why Diversity in Security is Critical?

Encouraging more women to enter this field is not just desirable; it is critical. Security has long been viewed as a man's world, and to some extent it still is. But we need diverse security teams, both in policymaking and on the ground. Security always operates within a broader social context. Many of the relationships built on the ground, particularly with women in communities, are essential to creating and maintaining safe and secure environments. 

 I am cautious about claiming that women see security differently from men. It is easy to fall into stereotypes, and experience has taught me that stereotypes rarely hold up in practice. What I do know is that delivering results requires balanced teams. A team of only women will not get you there, and neither will a team of only men. It is about balance and making sure a team can address every aspect of what safety and security require. 

The Role of UNDSS and the Context in Ukraine 

Many people do not fully understand what UNDSS does. At its core, UNDSS is an enabler. We look after the safety and security of UN personnel and operations around the world, including in Ukraine, a country that is understandably drawing much of the world's attention right now. 

However, security is a collective responsibility. No single entity, including UNDSS, can carry it alone; it begins with the individual. Our purpose is to make it possible for personnel to operate on the ground and serve those in need. To achieve this, we must protect those who protect others. That requires robust analysis, good coordination, careful planning, thorough preparation, and constant readiness to deploy. 

Evolving Landscapes and Technology 

Technology is advancing at an extraordinary pace. Drones are now a defining feature of modern warfare, which means we must adapt just as rapidly. To meet these challenges, the UN system must function as one team with one mission. No individual UN entity, whether an agency, fund, programme or the Secretariat, can manage this alone. UNDSS is an indispensable enabler in that effort. Without sound security and effective risk management that recognizes the evolving threat environment and how it is shaped by technology, the UN's vital work simply cannot be done.

Looking Ahead 

I stepped into this role seven weeks ago, fully aware of the challenges ahead. My goal is to help build a UN system that truly operates as one team with one mission, supported by a UNDSS that can deliver fully on its mandate.