Lidiya Grigoreva was appointed Chief of Staff at the Office of the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) in December 2023, bringing more than 20 years of experience as an International Civil Servant with the United Nations and the Organizations for Security and Co-operations in Europe (OSCE). Since beginning her career in 1999 with the OSCE Centre in Tashkent, she has held progressively senior roles focused on human rights, civil society engagement, political affairs, and partnerships, including positions with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. At UNOG, she has led key functions supporting Directors-General in their engagement with civil society, political outreach, and partnership-building, while also serving as Gender Focal Point from 2016 to 2023, contributing to the implementation of UNOG’s policy on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Read how she is making a difference on the diplomatic stage in Geneva and beyond.

As Chief of Staff in the Office of the Director-General at the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG), could you describe the scope of your responsibilities and the key aspects of your role?

I assist the Director-General of UNOG with the strategic planning as well as political partnerships and managerial objectives in the implementation of her mandate – in cooperation with Heads of Divisions and Services at UNOG, in liaison with the UN HQ and in the context of broader International Geneva. I am heading the Office of the Director-General, which maintains liaison on a broad range of issues with Member States, the host country, UN entities and international organizations, NGOs, academia and other actors in support of multilateral cooperation. This role demands experience in dealing with sensitive political issues, interaction with the diplomatic community, political and policy advice to the Director-General, organizational and management skills, and ability to foster partnerships. Anything that goes to the Director-General for approval or signature passes through me to ensure consistency, coherence, and coordination.

It is the first time at UNOG that we have a combined female Director-General and Chief of Staff. What does this milestone represent for you personally, and what significance does it have for the organization?

It is a great honor for me to serve in this role, alongside with the first-ever female Director-General! The first thing I did on my first day is to feminize the title from Chef de Cabinet to Cheffe de Cabinet on my signature and business cards. It might seem like a minor optical thing, but for me it was important to show that the title reflects gender change and that it is not only a man’s job as the title suggests. I have been at the Office of the Director-General since 2015 – I served as NGO Liaison and Political Affairs Officer, then headed the Political Affairs and Partnerships Section, so it has been a gradual progression and learning into my current role. It is indeed a milestone for me personally – a woman from Uzbekistan with no family history in international cooperation and diplomacy – to have this privilege in serving the United Nations and being empowered to grow in the organization.

UNOG has achieved gender parity at the professional level. In your view, to what extent has gender parity become embedded in the organizational culture and in the attitudes of both female and male staff members?

Gender equality is something very close to my heart. Throughout my career at national and international levels, I worked on gender equality and the empowerment of women and could see in practice how parity improves ways various organizations work and make an impact. At UNOG, I also served as Gender Focal Point from 2016 through 2023, supporting the implementation of the first gender policy and tackling issues like casual sexism, empowerment of women, and supporting efforts towards parity. This was a challenging task to change the mindsets and address concerns, for example, from men who would consider aspirations for gender parity as a threat to their career progressions, but also from women who would think interpersonal relations are a private matter and that we should not address sexism in the workplace. 

What a long way we have collectively come in the last ten years! UNOG achieved gender parity at professional levels, flexible working has become a part of the norm, benefiting both women and men, and there is a wider awareness about the harm of sexism in the workplace. There is still a way to go to sustain parity and improve our organizational culture further. We have the right ingredients in place for further progress: leadership, policies and frameworks, enabling environment, development opportunities, role models, active gender focal points to push the envelope, and good practices.

How do you manage the demands of your professional responsibilities alongside your personal and family life?

I am lucky to have a very supportive family. While I dedicate most of my days to work, my husband has been by my side to manage the household, accompany our two daughters through school and extra-curricular activities, do food shopping and cook, and give me the space to develop professionally. My office days are full, but it is also important to disconnect and recharge; family time and travel, cultural activities, walks and yoga, and knitting all help nurture my mind and spirit. It also helps to have great colleagues at work. We have a strong team at the Office of the Director-General, and their professionalism, dedication and team spirit definitely makes my job much easier.

On 8 March, the world observes International Women’s Day. What message would you like to convey to female staff members who are still working to strengthen their empowerment and leadership?

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to remind us of the achievements made globally on gender equality and the empowerment of women, and to highlight areas where progress is yet to be achieved. To my fellow female staff members, I say it is time for us to lead and change the world for the better! Women are usually the worst critics of themselves: we tend to underestimate ourselves and our achievements. Put yourselves out there, find inspirational women in your workplace to help you grow, look for opportunities, expand your skills (especially in the digital sphere) and don’t let anyone convince you that you are not worthy. And if you want to discuss these issues, feel free to reach out. Happy International Women’s Day to all!