Dr. Aleksandar (Sasha) Bodiroza brings 27 years of experience in strategic foresight, leadership, and management at the country, regional, and global levels in sexual and reproductive health, rights, and humanitarian programming. Dr. Bodiroza currently leads UNFPA’s work as Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific ad interim, overseeing programmes across 36 countries in the region and providing strategic direction to ensure coherent, high-impact delivery of country and regional initiatives.
Prior to this role, he served as UNFPA Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific (2023–2025), UNFPA Representative in Afghanistan (2020–2023), and UNFPA Representative in Egypt (2016–2020). He successfully navigated the security and socio-political complexities of multiple intersecting crises in Afghanistan while positioning UNFPA as one of the largest humanitarian operations in the country. Under his leadership, the UNFPA Country Office in Egypt scaled up operations and programmes to support the Government of Egypt’s efforts to end preventable maternal deaths, meet family planning needs, and combat gender-based violence.
From 2015–2016, Dr. Bodiroza served as Head of the Integrated Field Support Unit of the Arab States Regional Office of UNFPA; Senior Technical Adviser on Youth for the Arab States Regional Office (2011–2016); UNFPA Technical Adviser in the Eastern Europe and Arab States Regional Office in New York (2006–2011); and Programme Specialist at UNFPA Headquarters in New York (1999–2005). Dr. Bodiroza brings extensive experience from the non-governmental sector, having worked for both national and international NGOs on public health and humanitarian response before beginning his career with the UN.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bodiroza has been a tenacious and vocal advocate for sexual and reproductive health for all, empowering women and young people, and ensuring that no one is left behind. He has a strong record of forging broad-based partnerships to deliver results for women, girls, and young people. Dr. Bodiroza is a national of Serbia.
