International civil servant Sadako Ogata (born 1927) was chosen to serve as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 1991.

On December 21, 1990, Professor Sadako Ogata was called from her post as dean of the Faculty of Foreign Studies at Sophia University in Tokyo and asked to become the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Elected by the full U.N. General Assembly for a three-year term starting January 1, 1991, she assumed office on February 18 at a time when the plight of refugees in many parts of the world thrust the problem to the top of the international agenda.

The High Commissioner's Office, with administrative headquarters in Geneva, was established by General Assembly resolution in 1951 as an integral part of the U.N. system. Governed by an executive committee comprised of representatives from 44 nations meeting annually to set forth UNHCR's guidelines and programs, the High Commissioner is responsible for executing...