On the frontline for children: A conversation with UNICEF’s Brendan Ross
When you first meet Brendan Ross, you’re greeted with a familiar Aussie accent and big smile. But it’s when he starts talking about his work as a humanitarian that his passion truly shines through and what follows next is a heartfelt conversation about the inspiring stories, heartbreaks and impact of making a difference for children in need.
From Australia to South Sudan
Brendan grew up in Adelaide, where his family encouraged him to speak up for change. His mother, a committed feminist and labour rights activist, was a big influence. However, it was a trip to Indonesia after university that really changed how Brendan saw his future and inspired him to make a difference.
“I was quite disgusted with the way certain businesses were operating in Indonesia,” he explains. “The way they were treating their local staff, the human rights record, the environmental impacts, social impacts of some of these Australian companies were really quite appalling to me.”
After that, Brendan started his humanitarian career with Oxfam in Indonesia. He also completed a Master’s in Development Studies and Human Rights, where he became increasingly interested in child protection.
“At that time, there weren’t really child protection or gender-based violence programmes in the humanitarian world. Most of the humanitarian programming focused heavily on food, nutrition, shelter, and some clean water, so there was a growing awareness at the time where we needed to provide tangible responses to ensure the safety of vulnerable people.”
From Indonesia, Brendan’s journey took him across oceans to Africa, where he continued his international career with UNICEF roles in countries including Malawi, Kenya, Somalia, and, currently, South Sudan.