INSIDE VIEW
The blue light shines, notifications buzz and emails come in at night because of the time difference. Most of them, like me, need to live with parents to save on rent. They can only engage with UN staff digitally, and they often get long tasks: excel sheets that need...
Passionné, M. Yao Ydo sait captiver son auditoire lorsqu’il parle de l’importance d’une éducation adaptée au contexte local. Fort de plus de deux décennies d’expérience au sein de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’éducation, la science et la culture (UNESCO), et...
“Be the change you want to see” is the call to action from the recently appointed Working Group* on Addressing Racism in the Workplace, tasked with supporting the Director-General of UN Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya, to develop a clear response to racial discrimination. ...
The United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow (commonly known as COP 26) concluded on 12 November 2021, with the successful adoption of the Glasgow Climate Pact. This was my ninth COP since I joined the United Nations Office at Geneva in 2012. As always,...
Economist, former Vice-President of Costa Rica (1994–1998), Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs, and Deputy Finance Minister. At the United Nations Development Programme, Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator, former...
UN(dis)ABILITIES is a newly launched self-advocacy group of staff of the United Nations organisations and of Permanent Missions to the UN, bringing together persons with disabilities, with dependents with disabilities, and those who are caregivers of persons with...
The moment he was offered an internship it felt like “a dream come true”. The young man, who was just about to finish his master’s studies, rushed to get “a professional haircut” and buy a business suit. After his metamorphosis, he tells in retrospect, he felt...
Taking part in ‘global civil society’ is often thought of as a chosen path, a life choice taken as a matter of course on becoming an international civil servant. However, what about those who also share in the incredible experience of the global community without...
“We live in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture and male-dominated power structures. This has inevitably affected the institutional culture of the United Nations...” said Secretary-General António Guterres in his opening remarks at virtual dialogue...
INSIDE VIEW
A person is stopped to be questioned by security for looking ‘suspicious’ within UN premises while their white colleagues pass through with ease. A speech prepared for an Under-Secretary-General is stripped of a line mentioning racial equity before delivery. A person...
There is no doubt that the judges in the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) act independently, within the laws provided and without fear or favour in reaching their decisions. It appears, however, that the judicial...
“My first mission for the UN – to Niamey, Niger – was a mix of emotions: I was excited, curious, nervous and happy. That’s when I realised that I – as a part of ITC team – could bring a change, the change for better.” Camilo Giraldo (Colombia), Trade and Market...
It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed our way of working. Most notably, meetings have moved online. However, over the last year it has become unfortunately apparent that the Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI) platforms present a...
Mira Perrier, one of the co-creators of the award-winning global conecta project, joined the United Nations in 2008 at the age of 23 and currently works for the Centre for Learning and Multilingualism (CLM). When she saw the call for ideas for the Dragon’s Den...
The Visitors’ Service at UN Geneva is gradually opening up! Like all other entities at UN Geneva, the Visitors’ Service faced many challenges in this time of sanitary crisis, starting with our sudden closing in March 2020. Until then, the Visitors’ Service had been...
Back in 2015, a UN intern made headlines for living in a tent during his stint at European headquarters of the UN to bring attention to the plight of unpaid interns. However, we know that beyond Geneva, unpaid internships are pervasive in the development sector — and...
You have recently been appointed Director of the Division of Conference Management (DCM) at UNOG. Could you share with us more information about your career path that made it possible for you to be selected for this important position? I have had various roles since...
A tribunal must be separated from the other arms of governance, that is the legislature, as represented in the United Nations context by the General Assembly and the executive, as represented by the Secretariat. Separation must be such that the judges have security of...
Throughout our lives as modern women, we wear multiple identities. Every day, maybe even every hour, we switch between the various roles we play: woman, professional, mother. I’m a wife, a mother of three and a professional woman with career ambitions. I’m a strong...
