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The Art of Leadership

in the United Nations

2022

Painting perspectives, staying true to principles

Publication Reference

Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, The Art of Leadership in the United Nations: Painting perspectives, staying true to

principles, (Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, 2022).

Contributors

Chris Agoha, Tina C. Ambos, Helmut Buss, Maritza Chan, Christopher C. Coleman, Radhika Coomaraswamy, Hannah

Davies, Adama Dieng, Ahunna Eziakonwa, Aida Ghazaryan, Kate Gilmore, Lynn Hastings, John Hendra, Marc Jacquand,

Henriette Keijzers, Toily Kurbanov, Caroline Lambert, Alexandre Marc, Izumi Nakamitsu, Susan Ngongi Namondo,

Victor Ochen, Ozonnia Ojielo, Yesim Oruc, Ulrika Richardson, Joel Rosenthal, Shadi Roushahbaz, Shombi Sharp,

Katherine Tatarinov, Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Daniela Zelaya Raudales.

The views and opinions expressed in these contributions are the author’s personal reections and do not necessarily represent the United

Nations nor the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation’s view.

Production Lead

Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström

Editors

Marc Jacquand

Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström

Text Editors

Simone Hagfeldt

Annika Östman

Graphic Designers

María Langa

Pär Jansson (graphs)

Cover Art

‘Dag Hammarskjöld’ by Iyad Sabbag

Printer

X-O GrafTryckeri AB

Uppsala, Sweden

June 2022

ISBN

978-91-987398-1-7

The Art of Leadership

in the United Nations

Painting perspectives, staying true to principles

Acknowledgements

This second edition of the Art of UN Leadership is the

result of informal and formal dialogues with former and

present UN and non-UN sta members.

We are grateful to the reection group, specically created

for this publication and their support, guidance as well

as collective and individual inputs on the framing of this

year’s report. Specically: Naoual Driouich, John Hendra,

Ben Majekodunmi, Claire Messina, Fatoumata Ndiaye,

Ruth Blackshaw and Kanni Wignaraja.

This publication was made possible with the support and

commitment from our guest authors: Chris Agoha, Tina

C. Ambos, Helmut Buss, Maritza Chan, Christopher C.

Coleman, Radhika Coomaraswamy, Hannah Davies,

Adama Dieng, Ahunna Eziakonwa, Aida Ghazaryan, Kate

Gilmore, Lynn Hastings, John Hendra, Marc Jacquand,

Henriette Keijzers, Toily Kurbanov, Caroline Lambert,

Alexandre Marc, Izumi Nakamitsu, Victor Ochen, Joel

Rosenthal, Shadi Roushahbaz, Katherine Tatarinov,

Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, and Daniela Zelaya

Raudales.

Resident Coordinators Susan Ngongi Namondo (Uganda),

Ozonnia Ojielo (Kyrgyzstan), Yesim Oruc (Guyana),

Ulrika Richardson (Kosovo) and Shombi Sharp (India)

we are thankful for your cooperation with the dialogue

on leadership, which shaped one of the contributions in

Chapter Four.

A special thanks goes to the Chief Executives Board’s

(CEB) colleagues in Geneva and New York for their

continued support to provide and create data sets on

specic categories for our analysis on data and leadership

in Chapter Five. Their engaging dialogues on how data

can be improved and strengthened were imperative to the

contribution’s outcome.

The report would not be the same without connecting

Dag Hammarskjöld and art. As Barbara Hepworth put

it, ‘Dag Hammarskjöld had a pure and exact perception

of aesthetic principles, as exact as it was over ethical and

moral principles. I believe they were, to him, one and the

same thing. Literature, music, the visual arts, and nature

were both his recreation and an important and sustaining

part of his routine.’

The 2020 edition featured art from Dag Hammarskjöld’s

own collection. For this publication the art was sourced

from the UNHCR refugee community in Jordan.

We thank UNHCR Jordan for their cooperation and

partnership and all the artists for their trust. If you would

like to know more about the art and the artists and support

their livelihoods, please view the last few pages.

‘Dag Hammarskjöld had a pure and exact perception of aesthetic principles, as

exact as it was over ethical and moral principles. I believe they were, to him,

one and the same thing. Literature, music, the visual arts, and nature were both

his recreation and an important and sustaining part of his routine’.

-Barbara Hepworth

This 21-foot-high abstract sculpture was unveiled outside

the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 1964.

It is entitled ’Single Form’ and was executed by Barbara

Hepworth in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld.

Credit: UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 4

Foreword ................................................................................................................................... 8

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 11

Chapter One

The landscape: Sketching the UN’s relevance

The United Nations: A distinct and exceptional purpose

BY JOEL ROSENTHAL ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership in the UN is intentional

INTERVIEW WITH MARITZA CHAN ............................................................................................................19

Solving global problems in a multipolar world: Qualities of UN Leadership

BY CHRISTOPHER C. COLEMAN .................................................................................................................. 24

Leadership behind the scenes

INTERVIEW WITH IZUMI NAKAMITSU .......................................................................................................29

UN leadership in a multilateral system in crisis

BY ALEXANDRE MARC ................................................................................................................................... 34

Chapter Two

The portrait: Drawing out principled leadership traits

How dare you?

BY KATE GILMORE .......................................................................................................................................... 42

Youth leadership in action

BY VICTOR OCHEN ......................................................................................................................................... 52

Ethical leadership: the power of principles, purpose, values and the human touch

BY HELMUT BUSS ............................................................................................................................................57

Integrity and ethical leadership: Enhancing the UN’s role in the world

BY ADAMA DIENG ............................................................................................................................................ 63

Chapter Three

The vanguard: Breaking the traditional leadership mould

Three questions about UN leaders of the 21st century

BY TOILY KURBANOV.................................................................................................................................... 70

From youth inclusion to intergenerational feminist leadership

BY SHADI ROUHSHAHBAZ ............................................................................................................................74

Feminist leadership for transformative social justice

BY DANIELA ZELAYA RAUDALES AND CAROLINE LAMBERT................................................................. 81

A world in dire need of intergenerational leadership

INTERVIEW WITH AHUNNA EZIAKONWA ................................................................................................. 86

Chapter Four

The still life: Depicting the reality on the ground

Resident Coordinator leadership: Magicians without a magic wand?

BY DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD FOUNDATION .................................................................................................. 94

Finding the balance between engagement and accountability

BY RADHIKA COOMARASWAMY ................................................................................................................. 99

How can leadership by UN Resident Coordinators become truly transformative?

BY JOHN HENDRA ......................................................................................................................................... 104

Frankness and honesty: Essential traits of a UN Leader

INTERVIEW WITH LYNN HASTINGS .......................................................................................................... 110

Trajectory of United Nations leadership roles in the Liberia peace process

BY CHRIS AGOHA .......................................................................................................................................... 114

Chapter Five

The abstract: Rendering innovation and change

The innovation movement for UN Leaders: Connecting research and practice

BY TINA C. AMBOS AND KATHERINE TATARINOV ................................................................................ 120

Unloved and unappreciated: The General Assembly Budget Committees and UN leadership

BY HANNAH DAVIES ...................................................................................................................................... 126

Leadership from where you sit: Behavioural challenge

BY AIDA GHAZARYAN ................................................................................................................................... 131

United Nations 2.0: Can the current leadership deliver the workforce it requires?

BY VERONIKA TYWUSCHIK-SOHLSTRÖM, MARC JACQUAND, HENRIETTE KEIJZERS ................ 137

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 155

Featured Art ...........................................................................................................................157

Accronym List ........................................................................................................................ 167

Foreword

Leadership is as easy to call for as it is dicult to dene, teach and practice.

In our rst edition of this UN leadership publication series, we recognised the

need for eective, inclusive, and principled multilateral leadership. We framed

leadership in the United Nations as an art and provided a gallery of leadership

stories to illustrate and inspire dialogue. In this second edition we continue this

approach, taking on new perspectives, and with a focus on nuances we expand

and go deeper.

Critical reection, dialogue and accountability on various aspects of leadership

are essential for all organisations to uphold standards, mitigate risks and stimulate

progress. In the UN system, the discourse on leadership remains fragmented and

would benet from sharing positive examples and inviting critical reection.

Leadership success or failure can also be further understood through an analysis

of the data.

This second edition of The Art of Leadership in the United Nations brings

together a unique group of leaders, illuminating their vision of UN leadership

for us. They write about the topic from their lived experiences, observations,

and research within and outside the UN system. They dare to open up, sharing

opinions and examples of what works and what needs improvement. Some of

their core messages contest the status-quo and call for new means to tackle issues

such as the protection of whistle-blowers, the distribution of nancial resources

and the complexity in the leadership transformation that is being sought across

the UN system.

Leadership is indeed expected in and demanded of the UN. Given the dramatic

changes over the past two years this is as acute as ever. Advancement of

climate change, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in

armed conict place further and extreme demands on leadership in the entire

multilateral system.

At the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation we aim to advance dialogue and policy

for sustainable development and peace, grounded in and building on Dag

Hammarskjöld’s legacy. His dedication to strengthening and defending the

independence and integrity of the international civil service is a central element

of that legacy. It has provided inspiration and guidance to countless leaders over

the decades since his untimely and tragic death 61 years ago. With this report,

our ambition is to support UN sta and Member State representatives’ eorts to

strengthen the International Civil Service. We also hope that it can encourage

continued implementation of the UN leadership framework, reinforcing

systematic attention to and internalisation of leadership across the organisation

at all levels. Our optimism is that this second edition will continue to inspire and

inform sta of the UN, Member States’ interaction with the UN and serve to

inform a broader public.

We would like to sincerely thank all the authors for their valuable contributions.

Without brave and bold testimonies that reect critical inquiry we will neither

know about the leadership exercised in the UN, nor learn from it. While it is

relevant to note that these texts were written before the war in Ukraine, the

issues they speak to are just as, if not more pertinent now than they were before.

In this current global context, principled leadership from the multilateral system

is crucial, and the Foundation is committed to facilitating critical thinking,

learning and exploration of innovative new practices in this eld.

In the absence of clear and principled leadership multilateral eorts risk being

undone, and in the process hard-won development and peacebuilding eorts

will be lost. One of the most important perspectives added in this edition is

the one on inter-generational leadership. We must all ask ourselves who will

be leading tomorrow and ensure constructive and inclusive engagement that

reects responses to that question.

Henrik Hammargren

Executive Director

10 The Art of Leadership

Iyad Sabbag

Dag Hammarskjöld

Zataari Camp

Introduction 11

Introduction

The second edition of the ‘Art of Leadership’ renews the

Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation’s eort to bring together

diverse perspectives on United Nations leadership today.

Released only two years after our rst publication on

the topic, it has been put together under a radically

altered context, shaped by the impact of the COVID-19

pandemic, the accelerating threats of climate change and

by new armed conicts.

Together, these developments cast an even more acute

light on the need for leadership in the multilateral system

and particularly in the UN. They vindicate our continued

framing of UN leadership as an art, rather than an

exact science, at a time when the practice of principled

leadership seems so dicult, even occasionally appearing

to be somewhat of a rare artform indeed.

They also explain the subtitle ‘painting perspectives,

staying true to principles’. It captures both the need for

diverse views and approaches, including from those who

may underestimate or doubt UN leadership realities, while

recognising that what unites and makes UN leadership

unique is the principles oered by the UN Charter.

The issue of relevance constitutes the main thread of

this second edition. Regardless of the specic angle

or the theme for which we imagined each piece, the

overriding concern shared with the contributors, when

we rst engaged with them, was the connection between

principled, ethical, and lived UN leadership and the

ultimate pertinence of the organisation.

The choice of chapters was therefore rst and foremost

inuenced by the global context. But it was also shaped by

recent internal developments within the UN, including

a number of collective and individual initiatives that

belie the notion that the UN is unaware of the need to

persevere in its eorts to strengthen its leadership capacities.

And it was also informed by feedback received on the

rst publication, with several voices asking for further

examination of specic themes, such as accountability

and feminist leadership, as well as expectations on UN

leadership at the country level.

A reader’s guide

To this end, the report begins with a section on ‘The

landscape: Sketching the UN’s relevance’, where

contributions from within and beyond the UN paint the

big, and ominous, stage on which UN leadership must be

thought about and practiced. Against this backdrop, the

authors share their perspectives on why UN leadership

must matter, and speak to the dangers of receding,

diminished leadership, not just for the Organisation’s

relevance, but for our collective ability to navigate these

perils.

In ‘The portrait: Drawing out principled leadership traits’,

contributions turn inward, towards the leader as a person,

casting an eye on the behaviours and personal features of

principled leadership. This examination brings the concept

of UN leadership back to its core, ethical dimensions, far

from its bureaucratic provisions, thereby extending the

responsibilities and possibilities of leadership beyond grade

and function, and across generations.

From the desired to the lived experience, the chapter on

‘The still life: Depicting the reality on the ground’ includes

dispatches from the country level, where what should be

done meets the reality of daily pressures, disincentives and

centrifugal forces. Where one would expect despair, these

contributions speak instead, and at times in a disarmingly

simple fashion, to the very powerful ways in which UN

individuals, and senior ocials in particular, navigate these

obstacles.

Speaking of possibilities, in a subsequent chapter entitled

‘The vanguard: Breaking the traditional leadership

12 The Art of Leadership

mould’, the contributors apply a more forward-looking

lens to the nature of leadership and more modern ways to

practice it. The concept of feminist leadership is revisited

and further unpacked, notably in light of experiences

during the pandemic. Other contributors focus their

examination on how the UN can better utilize the

leadership potential of youth and how inter-generational

leadership can rejuvenate the UN and help reconnect it to

realities beyond the organisation.

A similar interest in exploring new ways to practice,

recognise and assess leadership guides the contributions

under ‘The abstract: Rendering innovation and change’.

The role of research, innovation labs, behavioural insights

and even the arcane world of the Fifth Committee are

discussed in their relation to what UN leadership is,

should be, or is expected to be from its members. The

chapter concludes with the Foundation’s second foray

into the world of data, to examine the leadership stories

that emerge from closer scrutiny of various data points.

Continuity and evolution

This publication replicates several features from the rst

one. In particular, it maintains an eort to convene a

diversity of voices, notably by having UN contributors

with very dierent exposures to the organisations, some

oering the wisdom of a few decades spent within, and

others providing the fresh perspective from a more recent

entry.

As was the case last time, the publication does not seek to

personalise insights, sentiments, and suggestions towards any

specic individuals. Nor should it be misconstrued as an

evaluation of individual leadership performance. The intent

is to provoke and challenge but not to name and shame.

This edition also renews the eort to look at certain

data points to uncover certain realities related leadership

dimensions and to examine to what extent claims and

declarations of intent have actually been translated into

lived practices.

Finally, as with the rst publication, the Foundation does

not oer, impose, or apply one uniform denition of

leadership – what true, ethical, and eective leadership is

remains in the eye of the beholder/contributor, who all

share the same goal of enabling reection and inspiration.

Dierences

These elements of continuity are combined with a few

dierences. In particular, the publication has a stronger

focus on norm-based leadership and the lived experience

of these core leadership principles, with clearer links to

practical implications in relation, for example, to UN

reform or country level responses.

In addition, the diversity within the UN that we tried to

replicate is this time complemented by a broader set of

perspectives from beyond the UN, with insights oered

from a range of academic and civil society contributors.

By charting new ways to think about leadership, their

participation has enriched the tenor and the avour of the

entire publication.

Finally, on a more prosaic note, and for ease of reading,

the publication features a greater mix of formats, ranging

from individual contributions and short interviews to

joint dialogues and comparative pieces. We hope this type

of diversity will also appeal to a wider audience.

The Art within

Before the reader embarks on this exploration, the

Foundation would like to give recognition and thanks

to the artists who each agreed to pair their art with a

select written contribution. These artists all reside in

refugee camps in Jordan. The intent behind linking

each contribution with a distinct artwork was not just

to emphasise the aesthetic, creative dimensions of UN

leadership, or to stress the diculty, and danger, that lies

in restricting UN leadership to bureaucratic checklists

or frameworks. It was also designed to connect people,

writers, and painters, across places and perspectives.

Additionally, it is meant to connect this work with the spirit

of the Dag Hammarskjöld himself. In 1954 the second

Secretary-General of the United Nations was invited to

speak at the 25th anniversary of the Museum of Modern

Art in New York. In his short speech, Hammarskjöld

ventured to draw a parallel between modern art and

modern politics, thus underlining that his perspective on

art was not conned to a ‘private interest’. Hammarskjöld

said: ‘In modern international politics – aiming toward that

world of order which now more than ever seems to be the only

alternative to disruption and disaster – we have to approach

our task in the spirit which animates the modern artist’.

Introduction 13

For these connections, we sincerely thank Dominik

Bartsch and his team at UNHCR Jordan, who facilitated

the outreach to the artists, and enabled this collaboration

to come to fruition. By giving the publication added

colour and depth, these paintings invite the reader to think

of UN leadership in new ways.

14 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

Majd Al-Hariri

Landscape

Zataari Camp

Chapter One

The landscape: Sketching the UN’s relevance

The United Nations: A distinct and exceptional purpose

BY JOEL ROSENTHAL ......................................................................................................... 16

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership in the UN is intentional

INTERVIEW WITH MARITZA CHAN ...............................................................................19

Solving global problems in a multipolar world: Qualities of UN Leadership

BY CHRISTOPHER C. COLEMAN ..................................................................................... 24

Leadership behind the scenes

INTERVIEW WITH IZUMI NAKAMITSU ..........................................................................29

UN leadership in a multilateral system in crisis

BY ALEXANDRE MARC ...................................................................................................... 34

16 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

The United Nations: A distinct and exceptional

purpose

BY JOEL ROSENTHAL

Bara’a Al-Hamoud

Loss and Longing

Zataari Camp

The United Nations: A distinct and exceptional purpose - Joel Rosenthal 17

The Landscape

Joel H. Rosenthal is president of Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Aairs. A non-

prot leader, teacher and scholar who works to empower ethical action in the context of U.S.

foreign policy, war and peace issues, human rights and pluralism.

The story of world politics in the early 2020s can be

told in one word: fragmentation.

Just as humanity is becoming more connected, political

forces are driving us apart. Whether the issue is climate

change, pandemics, refugees, or the vast new powers of

digital technology, the need for global cooperation grows,

only to be answered by fracturing politics.

The United Nations stands as the preeminent symbol and

hope for the universal aspirations of human society. Built

on the ashes of failure, the UN is a political answer to the

moral imperatives of avoiding war, arming human rights,

and promoting social progress. It tells us that the UN

founders were realists. The catastrophe of world war, the

Holocaust, and the atomic bomb required a bold response.

A new structure was needed, and the United Nations

would become the mechanism to avoid another cycle of

economic depression and global-scale conict.

Simultaneously we can see the founders were also idealists.

In addition to politics, they wanted the UN to embody

the moral, ethical, and spiritual dimension in the quest

for peace and human dignity. It is no coincidence that

after the initial founding moment, deliberate action

created a myriad of signature moments. Adoption of

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, followed

by the establishment of numerous humanitarian, social,

and cultural agencies dedicated to health, education, and

human development shows signicant commitment to

these ideals.

The founders have now passed from the scene. As their

experience fades into the background, so too perhaps,

does the clarity and urgency of their purpose.

Making its case anew

Given the passage of time and an understandable

undercurrent of scepticism, the United Nations needs to

make its case anew. In doing so, it should emphasize rather

than retreat from the moral dimension of its case.

The moral compass of those born in the late 20th and

early 21st century is not informed by the catastrophes

and legacies of World War II. It is rather oriented by serial

failures such as the global war on terror, wars in Afghanistan

and Iraq, the nancial crisis of 2008, worsening climate

change impacts, numerous refugee crises, a loss of faith

in democracy and a rising tide of autocracy around the

world.

By moral, I do not mean that the UN can or should

claim a superior set of values or a sacred mission. In this

case, I take moral to mean that the institution is uniquely

positioned to express universal human needs and common

human interests.

Encoded in the DNA of the UN is a distinct and exceptional

purpose—to create a world body ‘to harmonize the

actions of nations’ in pursuit of peace and mutual respect.

In principle, this mission gives the UN moral standing

unlike any other international political organisation.

The moral dimension of the UN mission has been

recognised from time to time even if it has been questioned

in moments of political disagreement, ineectiveness, and

bureaucratic scandal. Pope Paul VI gave expression to the

idea of universality in his address to the General Assembly

in 1965: ‘It is enough to recall that the blood of millions,

countless unheard-of suerings, useless massacres, and

frightening ruins have sanctioned the agreement that

unites you with an oath that ought to change the future

history of the world: never again war, never again war!’

In the Pope’s words, ‘the agreement that unites you’ is based

on the recognition of our common human experience.

While this high-minded speech might be deemed

irrelevant in light of the UN’s actual performance, even

the most hardened sceptic understands the power of moral

conscience. Stalin famously dismissed such thinking with

his remark, ‘How many divisions has the Pope?’ And yet,

world history proves that moral voices do matter, especially

in response to the crimes and cruelties of ruthless actors.

18 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

Endnotes

Brian Urquhart, Ralph Bunch: An American

Life, (New York: W.W. Norton Co., 1993).

Necessity will breed invention as it did in the founding days of the UN more

than 70 years ago. Now more than ever, our common future depends on

our common humanity. Now more than ever, leadership must embrace this

message and rise to this challenge.

Universality alone is not enough

Universality cannot transcend politics, but it can inform it.

The UN’s ethos is based on the equal moral standing of

every human being. Its constituency includes every person

on the planet. Its goals are inclusive and ecumenical. In this

sense, the UN is truly peerless.

What can the UN do with this unique position? This is

where the hardest work begins. Assertion of universality

alone is not enough. Any universal principle must be case

specic. No organisation can express universality without

running into inevitable trade-os and compromises.

Limitations always loom. Disappointments are inevitable.

This insight is one of the lasting legacies of one of the

greatest UN leaders of all time, the 1950 Nobel Laureate

Ralph Bunche. Described by his biographer Brian

Urquhart as a practical optimist, Bunche was wary of

platitudes and declarations of good intentions.

Urquhart concludes his biography of Bunche with a

revealing quote about the limits of universal thinking

for a practicing diplomat—specically, questioning the

utility of the idea of ‘brotherhood.’ Borne out of Bunche’s

frustrations with the unresolved issues of civil rights in the

United States and race relations around the world, Bunche

said:

‘May I say a word or two against brotherhood? . . . We can save the

world with a lot less . . . Brotherhood is a misused and misleading

term. What we need in the world is not brotherhood but coexistence.

We need acceptance of the right of every person to his own dignity.

We need mutual respect. Mankind will be much better o when there

is less reliance on lip service to ‘brotherhood’ and ‘brotherly love,’ and

much more practice of the sounder and more realistic principle of

mutual respect governing the relations among all people.’

Bringing lofty visions down to earth

Bunche’s sober message, delivered at the end of a life of so

much accomplishment is a reminder that utopian visions

can inspire. But these visions must be translated to life as

it is lived, shaped by vast inequalities, duelling narratives,

competing moral claims, and clashing egos. For all the

grandeur of an idea such as ‘brotherhood,’ Bunche’s life

shows that ground-level virtues like persistence, humility,

trial and error, and self-correction are the keys to human

progress.

Following in the tradition of Bunche, the next generation

of leaders will be called upon to bring lofty visions down

to earth in specic and practical ways. New ideas will be

needed, systems put in place and networks created. This

will spur the emergence of novel models of leadership

likely to be intergenerational and more inclusive. Necessity

will breed invention as it did in the founding days of the

UN more than 70 years ago. Now more than ever, our

common future depends on our common humanity. Now

more than ever, leadership must embrace this message and

rise to this challenge.

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership at the UN is intentional - Interview with Maritza Chan 19

The Landscape

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership in the

UN is intentional

INTERVIEW WITH MARITZA CHAN

Mohammad Al-Ghazawi

Reaching Aspiration

Zataari Camp

20 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

Ambassador Maritza Chan is a Costa Rican career diplomat with more than two decades

of professional experience. She has spent sixteen years representing Costa Rica in multilateral

organisations, both in Washington D.C and New York. She is an expert in international peace

and security matters, and a champion of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Ambassador

Chan is a founding member of the Accountability, Coherence, and Transparency Group (ACT),

the Group of Friends of Mediation, the Group of Friends of Human Security, and has in-

depth knowledge of major political issues such as the revitalisation of the UN General Assembly,

reform of the UN Security Council, the International Criminal Court, culture of peace, Our

Common Agenda, and SDG16. Ambassador Chan has vast connections within international

and regional organisations, as well as with civil society.

Ambassador Chan, you are currently holding the

position of a Deputy Permanent Representative for

Costa Rica. What comes to mind when you think about

leadership in the UN?

The rst thing that does come to my mind is that the size

of your country does not matter. Rather, it is the power of

your ideas, the strength of your principles, as guided by the

United Nations Charter.

You see, I represent a very small country with less than 5

million citizens, but that doesn’t impact our inuence in

the UN. Costa Rica might not be powerful in economic

terms, and we might not have a large diplomatic corps, but

even the smallest mission can lead if the message is clear.

I express my leadership through the power of words. Words

to me have weight and are — in some ways I believe —

my strength.

For me it is important that my message is inspiring, that it

speaks truth to power, and at times, when necessary, that it

unveils uncomfortable realities in a poetic, diplomatic and

respectful way. I try to honour the responsibility that I’ve

been given by using my platform to address unfullled

promises or highlight important work that remains to be

done. I try to do so in a way that magnies the voice of my

country and our shared goals and responsibilities across the

multilateral sphere.

Following up on what you just said about every country

in the UN having a powerful voice, I wanted to touch

upon something that is/was quite close to your heart:

the revitalisation of the General Assembly. Part of the

process was to advocate for the next Secretary-General

to be a woman. Why do you think this is important?

Did you know, at the end of the current Secretary-

General’s term, men will have headed the UN for 80

uninterrupted years? We must send a strong signal to the

international community that we believe in progress. We

need to send a message of change that gender equality is

here to stay. Women are as eective in leading as men. It’s

our turn now.

I was very lucky to be part of the Accountability,

Coherence and Transparency (or ACT) group which led

the thematic sub-group on transparency when former

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was nishing o

his second term and a new selection process for a new

Secretary-General was underway. Together with Estonia,

we issued a non-paper for a more transparent, democratic

and inclusive Secretary-General process with some clear

recommendations to the Security Council on what that

process should look like. We must start ‘electing’ the

Secretary-General, not ‘selecting’ him — or her, for that

matter.

It was back in 2015, in a small conference room in the

Croatian Mission, that we resolved to include a paragraph

which would ask Member States to present women

candidates for the Secretary-General selection process.

But when we brought it to the negotiating table in 2021,

it became a ght. For some the timing will never be

right to see a woman as the face of this organisation. For

some, it was not right then, and it will not be right in the

future. Too destabilising, too contentious, too progressive

— whatever have you. There will be always an excuse.

The challenge begins with the Charter of the United

Nations itself, which states that ‘he’ shall be the chief

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership at the UN is intentional - Interview with Maritza Chan 21

The Landscape

administrative ocer of the organisation. Regrettably, this

masculine-gendered language is further compounded by

Resolution 11 of 1946, which states that the Secretary-

General must be a ‘man of high eminence’.

A man. Not

a person. A man. Even in Costa Rica, our 200-year-old

constitutional documents speak of ‘people’ and does not

use such masculine-gendered language. It’s embedded

in Costa Rica’s DNA to be inclusive and to provide

leadership opportunities for all people. I think this tenet

of inclusiveness gives me an advantage in the revitalisation

process. During the 2021 negotiations on revitalisation, I

spoke on behalf of Costa Rica, and that empowered me to

lead by example.

I can’t stop thinking of the row of portraits of former

Secretary-Generals in the General Assembly Hall. There

are only men. What is the message that we are giving

to our young girls and women in the world? They are

being told they do not ‘have what it takes’ to be the

world’s premier diplomat. We must move the needle. For

me — without discrediting the legacy of these Secretary-

Generals — that row of portraits represents all that we

have accomplished as well as what we have yet to achieve.

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership is not an

accident or a coincidence; it is intentional. It is structural.

Thus, our eorts to bring a woman to the helm of the

United Nations must be intentional and structural, as well.

So, why do you think it’s so dicult for some Member

States to accept change, embrace it and support gender

equality?

We need a conceptual change in language. I remember

during the negotiations when talking about women

candidates, we were starting to add adjectives: she must be

competent; she must be capable, speak several languages,

she must be this and that. The bar for women, I believe,

is always higher. It is not only higher for the Secretary-

General position but higher for any woman representative

at the UN. We must be technically and politically stronger.

Infallibly capable. We cannot make mistakes.

Moreover, the language in peace and security is soaked

with masculinity despite more women entering the peace

and security sector. Even I get comments: ‘you are so

passionate,’ or at times, ‘you are not ready’. But women are

ready. We always have been.

So, in my point of view, there needs to be a cultural and

intellectual shift. For example, per this year’s resolution

(A/75/973), thanks to Costa Rica’s eorts, every single

panel organised by the President of the General Assembly

must ensure gender parity.

III

This is fantastic progress. But

it took us 76 years to implement. So, whether or not we

realise it, we still have a patriarchal system. Breaking those

structures and reframing the discourse is not something

that all delegations are doing because it’s a lot of intellectual

work. It takes eort. And political will.

It’s important to ag that the Global South has been on

the forefront of this change. For example, did you hear the

Prime Minister of Barbados speaking at the 75th General

Assembly? Now that’s a leader. That’s a voice. She’s fearless.

She does not need a prepared statement. She is a woman

of colour from a small island who holds the powerful

accountable. Also, Namibia, for example, helped birth

UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Namibia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN

at the time recalled the mood at the UN Security Council

when the theme was introduced; it was apparently like

a minute of silence, followed by a mix of laughter and

plain astonishment accompanied by ridicule. Today the

resolution belongs to all Member states. It places women

at the heart of the consideration of the issue, not just as

victims but as empowered agents of change forging their

own destinies, and as brave contributors to peace and

development in societies suering from armed conict or

emerging from conict.

However, challenges remain with women largely excluded

from formal peace processes and negotiations and

subsequently left behind without gendered considerations

in peace agreements. To realise the transformative vision

For some, the timing will never be right to see a woman as the face of this

organisation. For some, it was not right then, and it will not be right in the

future.

22 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

Why are we still fighting to include women and girls in resolutions? Why

are we still pressuring for gender parity? Should this not be a given by

now? And why are we being excluded from these conversations?

set out in Resolution 1325 and espoused by women

leaders and changemakers across the world today we

must take up the mantle and support our feminist activists

and movements. I thus welcome the last Report of the

Secretary-General on Women, Peace and Security, which

nally recognises, after 21 years, that there is a correlation

between gender inequality, gender-based violence and

excessive military spending.

Speaking from experience, do you think feminist

leadership could be helpful in the eld of disarmament?

You have countries saying: ‘We have a feminist foreign

policy’, but what does this exactly mean? How do you

translate this into action? Do you have a feminist nuclear

policy? Are you looking at small arms and light weapons

through a gender lens?

During the seventh Biennial Meeting of States on Small

Arms and Light Weapons, Costa Rica secured progressive

language on the equal and eective participation of women

and the nexus between small arms and gender equality

eorts in the outcome document.

If Costa Rica and the

63 supportive Member States would have not done so, the

language on gender would have disappeared.

In the UN General Assembly First Committee, which

deals with disarmament and international security matters,

only one in ve statements is delivered by a woman.

VII

In the recent High-Level Event on the Elimination of

nuclear weapons, only one in six speakers was a woman.

I had a nuclear feminist manifesto prepared. But I did not

get to speak. There we’re simply leaving women out of

the conversation. Making sure that women’s voices are

heard must be intentional.You know, I thought that those

issues have passed. We are still voting on issues that should

already be part of our collective DNA. Why are we still

ghting to include women and girls in resolutions? Why

are we still pressuring for gender parity? Should this not

be a given by now? And why are we being excluded from

these conversations?

The role of the UN as a multilateral leader is being

constantly tested. How can Member States, like Costa

Rica, strengthen UN leadership?

Walking the talk. Leading. Showing coherence in our

positions. Driving that intellectual shift that I talked about.

Not turning our back on our progress. We cannot be halted

by a few. I think it is important to ask: What motivates

us? Is it improving the lived realities of our constituents,

and opening doors for those who have historically been

marginalised? Or is it positive press, self-congratulations,

and applause in fancy conference rooms? We have enough

performative activism—now we need people to put the

work in.

So, we keep reminding Member States of their duties,

of their responsibilities, of their obligations. A recent

resolution on Myanmar is such an example.

VIII

There was discussion to hold arms transfers, which is

line with Article 6 and 7 of the Arms Trade Treaty, as an

increased ow of weapons would amplify violence in

the country.

We were not afraid of reminding Member

States, especially those who are signatory to the Arms

Trade Treaty, to honour their commitments, and, to respect

the UN Charter. But we also bring issues of importance

to the table: Costa Rica was the rst country addressing

excessive military spending in times of COVID-19. Now

everyone talks about it.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a mark on everyone —

including international organisations. There are not many

incentives for change. This impedes bold leadership. We

must revert this trend. My aim is to leave a legacy in this

mission: I’m trying to reframe everything that we’re doing

through a gender lens. I want to bring women and girls

into everything we do.

The challenges you raise regarding gender equality are

close to my heart. I must admit, I have worked for over

15 years in international development, and I have never

Eighty years of uninterrupted male leadership at the UN is intentional - Interview with Maritza Chan 23

The Landscape

had a woman boss. It’s quite striking. We cannot come

to a point of gender equality if there is no pathway for

women. There are so many obstacles.

Me neither. I have worked for 23 years under men. My

rst boss was the President of Costa Rica where I started

as a speechwriter. After that I joined the service and

every single Ambassador I worked for was a man. But I

do not think this is a problem of the diplomatic service

only. Looking at the UN system, a lot needs to change

regarding gender equality, especially at the mid-level. It’s

only now in my mid 40s that I get the chance to deliver my

own statements and have my voice reected. That’s why I

am active on social media and in other forums: visibility

came very late in my life. I’ve spent 23 years working at

the international level with the highest level of power in

my country. I’m undisputedly a strong multilateralist, but

people still don’t know who I am. So, every time I leave

the negotiating table, I make sure that the people around

me know that I’m not here by chance.

I wish that women did not have to walk into the negotiating

room with the added burden of dismantling prejudiced

preconceptions about their intelligence or capability or

strength. Diplomacy is challenging enough as it is. But this

added challenge also means we have put the work in, we

have always done a bit more research than our counterparts;

we do not take anything for granted. Particularly women

from the Global South. We are substantively prepared.

We must be part of the change: I am mentoring young

promising women. I tell them that they do not work for

me, but they work with me. I give them a voice. A pathway.

I have a message for them. Consistency matters. Education

matters. Good writing matters. How you deliver your

statements matters. Make yourself visible. Publish. Write.

Read. And raise your voice.

Endnotes

Accountability, Coherence and Transparency

Group (ACT), ‘Better Working Methods for

today’s Security Council’, May 2019.

Economic and Social Council Resolusion,

‘Comission on the Status of Women’, E/90 adn

E/84, 21 June 1946, in Journal of the Economic

and Social Council, 29 (July 1946), https://www.

un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/pdf/CSW_

founding_resolution_1946.pdf.

III

General Assembly Resolution (A/75/973), 28

July 2021, https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/

doc/UNDOC/GEN/N21/204/57/PDF/

N2120457.pdf?OpenElement.

Security Council Resolution 1325, 31 October

2000, https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_

doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/1325(2000).

United Nations Security Council, ‘Women

and peace and security: Report of the Secretary

General’, 2021/827, 27 September 2021,

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/

cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-

CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s_2021_827.pdf.

United Nations General Assembly, ‘The illicit

trade in small arms and light weapons in all its

aspects and assistance to States forcurbing the

illicit trac in small arms and light weapons

and collecting them: Report of the Secretary

General’, A/75/78, 14 April 2020, https://

documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/

N20/095/75/PDF/N2009575.pdf?OpenElement

VII

See: https://www.un.org/en/ga/rst/index.

shtml.

VIII

Human Rights Council Resolution 47/1, 16

July 2021, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.

int/les/resources/A_HRC_RES_47_1_E.pdf.

The Arms Trade Treaty, 3 June 2013, entered

into force on 24 December 2014, https://

www.thearmstradetreaty.org/hyper-images/le/

TheArmsTradeTreaty1/TheArmsTradeTreaty.pdf.

24 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

Solving global problems in a multipolar world:

Qualities of UN Leadership

BY CHRISTOPHER C. COLEMAN

Abdo Abu Salu

My Children

Zataari Camp

Solving global problems in a multipolar world - Christopher C. Coleman 25

The Landscape

We live in ‘interesting times’ bueted by contradictory

currents, several positive and others negative. Some

evidence suggests that the world can be made better, or at

least saved from becoming worse, through international

cooperation.

The Millennium Development Goals and the follow-

on Sustainable Development Goals spurred broad

commitments across the globe. The results from 2000

to present have been impressive, notwithstanding some

setbacks due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Signicant to note, in this period infant mortality

fell dramatically and adult literacy climbed. Painful

and disguring diseases aect an ever smaller part of

humanity and an unprecedented number of people now

have access to electricity and running water.

These results were achieved, in no small part, because

states cooperated to identify meaningful and challenging

goals to address daunting problems, made commitments

to improve the situation and to a large extent delivered

on their promises.

These success stories are broader than the eld of

Development. In the case of international peace and

security, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

has acted decisively to manage and resolve a raft of armed

conicts over the past 20 years, saving countless lives and

easing global tensions in the process.

Alas, despite these gains, other evidence indicates

the contrary. It suggests that the international system

has become hopelessly fragmented to the point that

multilateralism is a mere illusion — or at best a framework

for dealing with small problems, the resolution of which

requires only the barest sacrice and commitment from

any given player. The world failed miserably as Syria was

torn asunder. COVID-19 vaccines are still unavailable

to many people worldwide, so no one can predict what

new and possibly deadly variant might emerge or where

it might strike rst — though we can be certain that it

will spread rapidly from continent to continent. Whilst

some progress has been made in tackling climate change,

no one would hold this up as an example of decisive

international cooperation to surmount a compelling

global threat.

Looking at these areas, we have reason to fear that

unilateral initiatives and unbridled power politics may

soon make it impossible for countries to solve truly global

problems. Such problems aect a multitude of individual

states and require governments to work together for

sustained periods in pursuit of shared objectives.

Facts and factors of change

Of these two trends, the positive and the negative, which

will dominate in the years to come? Will countries work

together for the well-being of humankind, or struggle

against each other vying for narrow gains, the result

being to the detriment of all?

Several factors will determine the answer to these

questions. One factor is national leadership. A collection

of multilateralists who understand that cooperation is

essential to solve the biggest problems will lead to one

set of outcomes, while unilateralists going for short-

term victories to shore up their own individual political

fortunes will lead us to another, very dierent fate.

National leaders operate, to one degree or another, based

on popular sentiment, so the role of civil society — of

the people — is another crucial factor.

A third vital factor is the strength and integrity of

international institutions. Consider these irrefutable

facts: power in the world is increasingly dispersed

and as the number of power centres grows, ad hoc

cooperation becomes more dicult. Since no single state

nor any handful of states can resolve global problems

alone, the interests of a wide variety of actors must be

Christopher Coleman is a mentor to professionals in peacemaking, peacekeeping and

peacebuilding. He was the United Nations Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative

for Kosovo from 2016-2020 and a member of the UN Observer Delegation to the Sudan

Peace Talks from 2002-2005. For more than 30 years, Coleman has been involved in the

prevention and mediation of armed conict, peacekeeping and post-conict reconciliation.

26 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

accommodated to achieve results that will be respected

and therefore sustained.

The concertation of numerous actors requires international

institutions with well-established practices, procedures

and implementing capabilities, through which states are

accustomed to working together. Otherwise, it is just

too dicult with the cacophony of voices advocating a

seemingly innite number of contradictory courses of

action and the absence of mechanisms for them to nd

common ground on the nature of a problem.

In addressing any important global problem, dierences

arise over what to do about it. Issues such as what to do

about it? How to share the costs of action and allocate

benets when a solution is in place? Precisely why the

United Nations was created, and it is needed now more

than ever. Indeed, the UN system is the only universal

institutional framework playing this role. No other

institution has the global membership and recognised

authority to deal with a broad array of global problems.

To be eective and able to rise to the unprecedented

challenges facing the world today and into the foreseeable

future, the UN must have good leadership. As with any

complex organisation, leadership is exercised, not just at

the highest level, but by many at several levels. Given the

nature of the challenges as outlined in this introduction,

the rest of this paper will discuss the most important

characteristics of good UN leadership, the type necessary

for the institution to full its essential role in addressing

and resolving global problems.

Characteristics of a good UN leader

Integrity

The most important characteristic of a good UN leader

is integrity. Central to a UN ocial’s integrity is an

unwavering commitment to the greater international

good rather than the narrower interests of any government

or group of governments. This involves objectivity

and impartiality, calling a spade a spade — and acting

accordingly — regardless of the political pressures to bend

the storyline for the benet of one set of interests over

another. Take, as an example, the role that leaders play

in the management and resolution of armed conict.

Almost all UN peace operations are headed by a Special

Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG). They

are nominated by the Secretary-General and agreed by

the UN Security Council. In most cases the SRSG is

expected to be the custodian of the peace process.

This role entails working with the conicting parties,

easing their path when they act in ways that will help to

bring about the Security Council’s agreed end state and

making it harder for obstructionists or spoilers to pursue

their agenda. Put another way, the SRSG as custodian of

the process should actively support local leaders who work

constructively towards an enduring peace and actively

oppose those who work against it. This means helping the

parties see that their interests are better served by working

within a legitimate political framework.

A variety of instruments can be used to do this. Some

common ones are close cooperation with foreign

governments and other external actors to manipulate

the incentive and disincentive structure for the parties.

They can use economic leverage, projection of military

power, political strategies to isolate the recalcitrant, and

legal procedures to reduce the corruption that might feed

militia activity.

The SRSG can choose to employ the appropriate approach

in the given circumstance. Governments, including those

on the Security Council that provided the mandate for the

peace operation, may agree with each other broadly on a

desired end state. At the same time, they will have their

own interests, which they will be eager to advance, that

might mean cutting side deals with one or another party.

Too much of that self-interested behaviour by individual

governments or organisations would cripple a peace

process. Invariably, the SRSG as custodian of the process

has to nurture and expand the common ground, not just

among the direct parties to the conict, but among the

international players as well. No one, besides the SRSG

and the UN sta who support him or her, has that singular

responsibility and solitary purpose, putting the success of

the mission—dened by the achievement of the Security

Council’s agreed end state—above all other priorities.

For SRSGs to play that role eectively, they must be—and

be seen as—scrupulously fair and impartial. Should one or

more of the direct parties to the conict or their external

supporters, sense that the SRSG is tilting towards one

party and its allies at the expense of another, the SRSG’s

Solving global problems in a multipolar world - Christopher C. Coleman 27

The Landscape

credibility as custodian will be compromised. This will

diminish the overall success of the peace process.

Impartiality does not mean treating parties with

dierent behaviours equally. If one party is acting as an

obstructionist, and/or is operating in agrant violation

of international norms and standards, it is the SRSG’s

role to work with them to correct that behaviour. Where

warranted, the SRSG can call the problem to the attention

of the outside world and mobilise leverage as needed. The

party that is the target of this leverage may then call the

SRSG’s impartiality into question, but the latter will have

rm ground to stand on, having scrupulously pursued the

achievement of the Security Council’s end state.

The uniqueness of the UN rests on the readiness of its

leaders to support the principles and values of the UN

in pursuit of the greater good. This requires scrupulous

impartiality, applying the same standards to all, without

fear or favour. If UN leaders lose that quality, a crucial

element of global problem-solving is lost with it.

Consensus builder

Pick any major problem aecting the world today. Identify

the governments whose active cooperation would be

necessary for solving the problem and ask them what to

do about it. Depending on the problem, this will easily

involve 30 to 40 or even 100 or more governments.

Chances are you will receive dozens of contradictory

answers. It will range from major dierences about the

origins and nature of the problem, to whose fault it is and

the implications for people’s lives today and in the future.

Timeframes, money, possible solutions and on and on.

The answers will be rooted, in part, on relatively objective

assessments of the facts. They will also be partly based on

how the facts are perceived through dierent lenses, such

as national interests, cultural values, socio-economic status

and group identity.

The best UN leaders can work through this messy mélange of views. This may

require exhaustive discussions with a seemingly endless array of interested

governments. This is sometimes the only way to identify the common ground,

enabling a meaningful path forward.

The best UN leaders can work through this messy mélange

of views. This may require exhaustive discussions with a

seemingly endless array of interested governments. This is

sometimes the only way to identify the common ground,

enabling a meaningful path forward. A good UN leader’s

role is to resist the temptation to go for the lowest common

denominator to which everyone can relatively easily agree,

but which will achieve very little. Instead, they persist in

nding a course that will make the needed dierence or,

in the most dicult circumstances, at least help states take

a few prominent steps in the right direction, while further

compromises are forged and consensus is developed, piece

by piece.

Returning to the example of the role played by SRSGs

when more actors are involved in each theatre, the SRSG

must draw upon greater assets. Simultaneously a higher

number of actors will mean bigger challenges in forging

and maintaining a united front vis-à-vis the parties.

An example can be if militia or government forces are

inicting high numbers of civilian casualties. What is to

be done about it? Which states and other actors can create

incentives and disincentives? Who will pay nancially or

with political capital?

These questions will have contradictory answers based

in part on the competing interests of external states and

other involved entities. It is the SRSG’s responsibility to

forge a sucient level of consensus to get the job done

and keep the peace process moving in the right direction.

Motivator

A third essential quality of UN leaders is the ability to

motivate people and organisations to do what they

thought was impossible. The UN was not created to

manage or solve easy problems. It came into existence to

solve the kinds of problems that governments and peoples

have not been able to solve on their own. For the most

part, the hardest kind of problems — those that no one

28 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

else could tackle —nally make it to the UN. Integrity

and consensus-building attributes are vital to deal with

these problems, but this is not enough. UN leaders also

have to inspire people and convince them that they are

capable of more than they know, then show them how

to dig deeper. This might mean using persuasive strategies

such as convincing erstwhile enemies to work together

or a nervous government leader to take unpopular, but

necessary action. Other examples are communicating

with a journalist to go the extra mile and tell the whole

story or with a sta member to take risks, because playing

it safe accomplishes nothing.

Seemingly insoluble problems can only be surmounted by

breaking through whatever real or imagined barriers that

seemed impermeable. It is a special kind of leader who

empowers people to take on such a task, making them

believe they are up to the job and motivating them to

jump eagerly to it!

Conclusion

In a multipolar world where power is increasingly dispersed,

the United Nations is an indispensable organisation for

solving global problems. This can be for the sake of peace

and security, development, health, human rights, or the

well-being of the planet itself. For the organisation to play

its problem-solving role successfully in these particularly

challenging times, eective leaders are needed at all levels.

It requires integrity, including scrupulous impartiality in

pursuit of the greater good. UN leaders also have to be

doggedly persistent in building consensus for meaningful

action by a wide range of actors, and they have to be

inspiring individuals who motivate us to rise above our

limitations and achieve what might seem impossible.

Do such persons exist? Yes, a few thrive at virtually

every level in the UN system, and they are easy to nd

because of their results. Others would do well to emulate

their example. Absent such leaders — and a UN system

that rewards the best with ever greater challenges and

responsibility — the organisation will not be able to play

its assigned role in the world. A crucial element in global

problem-solving will be lost.

Endnotes

Nicholas Kristof, ‘This Has Been the Best Year

Ever’, The New York Times, 28 December 2019,

<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/28/

opinion/sunday/2019-best-year-poverty.html>.

The concept of a ‘custodian of the peace

process’ was rst introduced by Stedman, Stephen

John, ‘Spoiler Problems in Peace Processes’,

International Security, 22/2 (1997), pp. 5-53,

<https://doi.org/10.1162/isec.22.2.5>. It was

elaborated in Jock Covey, ‘The Custodian of the

Peace Process’, Jock Covey, Michael J. Dziedzic

and Leonard R. Hawley (eds), The Quest for Viable

Peace (WAshington D.C.: United States Institute

of Peace Press, 2005).

Leadership behind the scenes - Interview with Izumi Nakamitsu 29

The Landscape

Leadership behind the scenes

INTERVIEW WITH IZUMI NAKAMITSU

Nizar Al Haraki

The Snow of My Country

Zataari Camp

Izumi Nakamitsu was interviewed in her personal capacity and the article does not necessarily reect the

view of the UN.

30 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

Izumi Nakamitsu is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative

for Disarmament Aairs. She served as Assistant Administrator of the Crisis Response Unit

at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Other positions includes Special

Adviser Ad Interim on Follow-up to the Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees

and Migrants, UNDPO Director of the Asia and Middle East Division and Policy, Evaluation

and Training Division Director. Jobs outside the UN included being Professor of International

Relations at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, where she also served as a member of the Foreign

Exchange Council to Japan’s Foreign Minister, and as a visiting senior adviser on peacebuilding

at the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Earlier in her career Nakamitsu was a member

of Secretary-General Ko Annan’s UN Reform Team. She also held positions at UN High

Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) with the Oce of Assistant High Commissioner for

Policy and Operations Sergio Vieira de Mello and UNHCR eld operations in the former

Yugoslavia, Turkey and northern Iraq.

Question: The Secretary-General recently spoke of a ‘ve

alarm global re’ happening at a time when many people

seem to question the relevance and eectiveness of the United

Nations. In this context what is eective UN leadership and

what does it look like?

I think the rst thing to understand is that while it is often

dicult to see what the UN is doing, there is actually a lot

of work happening behind the scene, and much that goes

unnoticed. We live at a time when leadership often means

getting on stage and advertising what one does. Eective

UN leadership is dierent.

I’ve been with the UN basically throughout my career, I

am UN to the bone, and have studied the history of the

UN and its evolution. In particular, I have been inspired

by Dag Hammarskjöld, who is one of our UN heroes

one and who really articulated the role of the UN during

probably one of the most dicult times in international

relations.

Today, it feels as if we are returning to a new Cold

War-like environment but it’s actually probably much

more complicated than the previous Cold War in the

sense that it’s a multilateral competition, rather than a

bipolar competition and one fueled by increased military

capabilities. In addition to this new ‘great power tensions’,

none of the post-Cold War conict dynamics have

disappeared - the multiplicity of internal and regional

conicts, the proliferation of non-state actors, global

terrorist organisations and international criminal groups,

(etc). You have a really complicated picture.

So, UN leadership today has to navigate this great

complexity, without competing with actors for credit or

the limelight, but rather by identifying when and how we

can add value by working with many of them to deliver

results. So much like Dag Hammarskjöld emphasised and

did, many of the useful things we do is behind the scene.

Let me share one personal story: When I was a graduate

student at Georgetown, I came to the UN and interviewed

an Assistant Secretary-General who said exactly the same

thing. ‘Many of the most important things that the UN is

doing are things we must do behind the scene. So if you

really want to be an eective UN leader, rst and foremost

you have to understand how you want to make a dierence,

and whether you want to appear as the person getting the

international limelight or whether you would like to see

the substance of what you’re doing move forward’. Few

people may know this but the UN has been instrumental

in recent years in encouraging dialogue between various

word leaders. The behind the scenes convening power of

the UN remains very relevant.

That being said, for the UN to continue being relevant,

it requires that we consistently reect upon ourselves and

that we have the ability to change with the times and the

context. UN leaders should not be afraid of changing, of

incorporating more innovative creative approaches and

getting out of our comfort zones. This means bringing

in and listening to dierent stakeholders beyond just

government actors. This requires courage. Courage to test

new approaches, bringing new perspectives and creating

space for non-traditional actors. Courage as well to bring

Leadership behind the scenes - Interview with Izumi Nakamitsu 31

The Landscape

more creativity into our organisational set-up to t to our

new environment.

There is a third aspect of UN leadership that needs to

be mentioned. Let me start with the example of what

happened in Afghanistan. We need to truly understand

what has happened and learn from it, but one thing

that I think is very clear is that the UN has always been

representing the interests of the most vulnerable there, and

the UN really continues to be the voice for the people.

Placing people at the center of everything we do, of course

in the realm of peace and security, but also on all other

agendas, such as the climate crisis. I think that’s another

very important aspect and I would say somewhat unique to

UN leadership; that we truly prioritise a people-centered

approach. Let me also add that in most dicult situations,

the UN stays and delivers. Afghanistan is an example – the

UN has been in the country for decades, we are still there

to support the people.

Question: You mentioned Dag Hammarskjöld and some

personal leadership traits, including the ability to self

reect and the ability to evolve. Can you elaborate and

speak to the kind of inspiration you draw from Dag

Hammarskjöld’s leadership?

When I’m interviewed, mainly by Japanese media, I often

quote Dag Hammarskjöld and some of his qualities. To me,

he had this bravery in the midst of the Cold War as well as

the creativity. For example, giving birth to peacekeeping

which is not in the in the UN Charter, but which is now

an important example of multilateral cooperation. He

gave real thought to the history of humankind and the

UN’s place in it. I am also very much inspired by the

depth of his reection, as articulated in his book Markings,

which honestly I still don’t understand fully. He was

one of those people who had the intellect, the political

skills, the creativity and also the philosophical belief that

we need to come together around a collective eort to

better humankind. This is why, for many UN ocials, he

continues to be one of our heroes.

Question: You now work in the eld of disarmament

where we see increasing competition, a return as you

mentioned to Cold War era posturing, and the increasing

impact of new technologies, which the UN is not always

equipped to understand. What does this new, rapidly

evolving context mean in terms of UN leadership?

You know, I never asked to be in the position I am right

now. In February 2017, the Secretary-General called me

into his oce and asked me: ‘what about disarmament?’.

I was surprised, as I had never worked in this eld before.

He told me that I didn’t need to be an expert. The UN

Oce of Disarmament Aairs (ODA) already had experts.

But he wanted someone who can shake things up and

look at disarmament through a broader perspective and

frame it within the overall UN priorities and agendas.

Disarmament has been siloed and some people have a

tendency of looking at disarmament simply as a technical

eld. Now of course, like any other substantive eld, you

do need substantive knowledge and technical expertise,

but it is important to understand disarmament as a

prevention tool, as a contributor to conict resolution. I

understood that what the Secretary-General wanted was

to lift disarmament as instrument for peace and security,

as well as achievement of the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs).

Now, we need to recognise that disarmament is directly

linked to national security so it is sensitive. Our role is to

try and identify common grounds, which we can translate

into multilateral agreements in various elds, or to give

birth to new norms for example in cyber, Articial

Intelligence (AI) and outer space. As you know, these new

domains are not suciently governed so in addition to

facilitating dialogue, we provide options and substantive

advice on how to approach new challenges. Then we try

and go a step further to help implement those voluntary

norms, which hopefully will, sooner rather than later, be

enshrined or codied more strongly.

We need to combine the technical expertise with our

political aairs hats and provide, without wanting to

sound too arrogant, the sort of thought leadership in these

transformative times like the one we’re living in now.

Question: It sounds like the leadership qualities you

refer to at the very beginning apply here as well.

Listening and not wanting to occupy the stage. Would

you say that it’s even more relevant for leaders to abide

by this principle today because disarmament is so tightly

connected to issues of national sovereignty?

I jokingly say this to the Secretary-General: ‘You cannot

just simply tell Member States to disarm, they’re not going

to do it just because we say it’. The responsibility rests

32 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

I attend many different meetings with diverse groups of people, including

civil society and youth organisations, and you can spot the leadership traits

in certain individuals across levels and ages, so I definitely do believe that

leadership is at all levels and in all different types of organisations.

with Member States. We are in a supportive role but in

that supportive role there are actually quite a number

of things that we can do. When I look at the substantive

outcomes, we don’t do it for the fame or the credit, and

we should not be seeking the stage.

Question: You have worked at the Department of Peace

Operations (DPO) then Department of Peacekeeping

Operations (DPKO), at UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis

Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) and elsewhere; so

when the Secretary-General was asking you to connect

the dots between disarmament and other parts of the

UN, do you think this was in part due to your dierent

experiences across the UN? What is your perspective

on the importance of having had experiences across the

‘First Avenue divide’ and of mobility more generally for

UN leadership?

Absolutely; I started in UNHCR, where they have a

mandatory mobility scheme. I was with them for more

than 10 years so it’s really ingrained in my way of thinking.

I feel that if I am doing the same thing for more than

four or ve years, I come to the limits of growth. Here in

disarmament, there are people who have been working

on the le for decades, and that’s needed for the expertise,

and the historical and institutional knowledge. But I

also encourage our young bright ocers to go, for their

own growth, and do something else and come back with

broader perspectives.

At headquarters, we focus on policies and norms so it’s

also helpful to do some work at the eld level to see to

how these policies or norms are actually implemented

and operationalised; if and how how they are actually

are changing the lives of ordinary people. That way,

you can connect the two sides –policy making and

implementation– and understand better the kind of

policies and norms we need to strengthen or advocate for

that will make a dierence. This goes back to the human-

centered approach we were discussing. If I hadn’t started

my work with the UN in the eld, in Yugoslavia, Turkey

and Iraq, some 30 years years ago, I may not be saying that,

but I truly believe that this is needed to understand what a

human-centered approach means and why it is so needed.

Question: What else do you think the UN should

be doing to strengthen the leadership capabilities and

capacities of the system at all levels?

I attend many dierent meetings with diverse groups of

people, including civil society and youth organisations,

and you can spot the leadership traits in certain individuals

across levels and ages, so I denitely do believe that

leadership is at all levels and in all dierent types of

organisations.

The UN has been making eorts to increase training and

learning opportunities for leadership development. I tend

to think the management skills can be trained, but I would

be curious to whether people think leadership skills can

be trained as well. Or is this something we need to be

better at identifying, further developing and utilising?

Beyond that, it’s really about inspiring people especially

those who are in the organisation so that they can see ‘yes,

these are the skillsets I will acquire’, and to bring back the

passion. People join the UN because they share a passion

- so making sure that you maintain that passion, despite

the challenges, tensions and pressures is critical.

Going back to our earlier discussion about UN relevance,

we are indeed regularly faced with this skepticism, and we

do need this passion and inspiration to enable us to keep

doing what we must be doing.

Former UNHCR Commissioner Sadako Ogata was very

good at inspiring and motiving her teams. I remember

when she arrived at UNHCR, when she rst launched the

Leadership behind the scenes - Interview with Izumi Nakamitsu 33

The Landscape

reform process. Her approach was to put together teams

regardless of seniority considerations, focusing instead on

those who had the belief in the organisation and truly

wanted to keep UNHCR relevant, in the immediate

aftermath of the Cold War. She was able to motivate

everyone and we need more of that in the UN today.

Question: In many ways, she anticipated some of the

thinking and hopefully the emerging practices around

collective leadership. You mentioned passion, how do

you maintain that passion despite challenges, pressures,

setbacks and disappointments?

Well my starting point is my very dicult eld assignments

with UNHCR. I was young, I was in my 20s and I was

sent o to war zones. The conditions were very dicult,

especially for women, at a time where there was little

consideration oered to very practical gender equality

issues. I have this particular experience in a small town

of Tusla in Bosnia Herzegovina, where, through an

interpreter of course, I was speaking to a very old lady who

was cared for at an internally displaced people center. She

knew nothing about the UN, but after asking me where

I came from, she said to me: ‘I know Japan; I don’t know

anything about the UN but if the UN is an organisation

that brings a young person like you so far away then it

must be a good thing, it must be a good organisation’.

This lady’s grandfathers fought in World War I; her father

and husband fought in World War II, and her sons and

grandsons were missing in the civil war at the time.

That was the moment when I understood the preamble

of the UN charter in a real sense and that has always

remained as my inspiration: ‘We the peoples of the United

Nations determined to save succeeding generations from

the scourge of war which twice in our lifetime has brought

untold sorrow to mankind’. It’s the common people,

ordinary people, saying; ‘I have no idea what the UN is,

but it must be a good thing and I hope that our future will

be a little bit better than now’. Those experiences when I

was much younger stay embedded in my heart and they

are what I go back to when in moments of pressure and

challenges from various actors.

Question: You said you joined the organisation in your

20s. Today, there are not so many people who join in

their 20s, and the average age at the UN is now 47.

And the opportunities to join young and grow within

the UN as a seasoned international civil servant are

becoming rare. We now have more people joining the

organisation later, whose experiences and principles are

grounded elsewhere. What is your perspective on this

evolution, its implications on the organisational culture,

and the eorts underway to rejuvenate the UN?

Like any other organisation we have to have a right balance

between those who, like myself are career sta, who have

been with the organisation for many years, preferably doing

many dierent things, and the need, which is healthy, to

bring in people from other institutions, from government

services or the private sector or civil society because the

organisation needs to evolve.

One of the best things that I did was to leave the UN

for about 10 years in total. For ve years, I was with

the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral

Assistance (IDEA), thanks to an exception granted by

UNHCR at the time, and then I taught at a university for

ve years. You learn then that the UN is not the center

of the world, and for us to remain relevant, we need

exposure to other perspectives. Hence the importance of

having people coming in at dierent levels, from dierent

backgrounds.

That being said, it is also really important to have young

people joining us early. That’s why I’m such a great fan of

both the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) and the

Junior Professional Ocer (JPO) programmes. I myself am

a JPO graduate. We need to have a healthy balance and as

you know the Secretary-General is keen on making the

UN younger and there is an eort to gradually replace

senior level posts with more junior level positions, and I

fully support this. This is about looking at the UN with a

longer-term perspective, and not just focusing exclusively

on its short-term needs, ensuring we stay resilient and

relevant. With the world changing so rapidly, we need

people with uency in many new elds, including new

technology, and with many new perspectives.

34 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

UN leadership in a multilateral system in crisis

BY ALEXANDRE MARC

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Bridge under a colourful sea

Azraq Camp

UN leadership in a multilateral system in crisis - Alexandre Marc 35

The Landscape

Alexandre Marc is a writer and political scientist specialising in global social transformations,

conicts and violence. Marc worked for over three decades with the World Bank, spending his

last ve years at the organisation as the World Bank Chief Specialist on Conict, Fragility

and Violence. He was also the main author of the 2018 UN-World Bank agship report

‘Pathways for Peace’. Marc was then a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at The Brookings

Institution and a Member of the Institute for Integrated Transitions. He holds His Doctoral

Degree in Economics from the Paris Institute of Political Science (Science Po).

The ongoing fragmentation and erosion of the

multilateral system established at the end of World War

I, constitutes a major impediment for addressing the

incredible challenges that humanity is facing in the 21st

century.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the fast

emergence of new global and regional powers, tensions

and competition have increased considerably between

nations in practically all areas. This can range from

security to trade, investments to scientic research and

infrastructure to the Internet. At the same time the private

sector and the scientic community are leading the way in

transforming society through powerful new technologies

that often have a global reach, but lack the necessary

regulatory framework to ensure that their positive impact

is equitably felt.

The Western powers that at the end of the last century

were in many ways controlling the multilateral system

are increasingly unable to adapt to the emergence

of multipolarity in the international order. They are

themselves confronted with the emergence of a new

brand of national populism and with major internal

resistance to change.

It is widely recognised that a reform

of the current multilateral system is more than urgent, but

narrow vested interests and harsh competition between

regional and global powers make it extremely dicult

to achieve.

III

The UN itself is directly suering from

this crisis in multilateralism, which adds challenges to its

central responsibility of making multilateralism work.

Competition for multilateral

organisations

The world is experiencing a major breach of trust

between nations and people, a weakening of respect for

core human rights and rule of law across the world. It

spurs an increased questioning of the value of democracy,

which unavoidably reects on the multilateral system. As a

result, it is more and more dicult for the community of

nations to make progress with addressing the global threats

that humanity is facing, as well as resolving conicts and

building peace.

The new report of the Secretary-General ‘Our Common

Agenda’ has articulated this situation in a way that does not

leave much room to doubt the seriousness of the situation

for the future of humanity. Even organisations like the

International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank

(WB) who seem to have a well-dened agenda, see dark

clouds accumulating on the horizon.

Respect for social and environmental safeguards is

increasingly put into question in countries where

these institutions intervene. Suddenly they face direct

competition from new Development Banks, such as the

China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and

powerful private sector investment funds looking for

short-term prots. Countries increasingly nd support

and nancing to meet their needs outside the rules

and conditionalities set by traditional development

lending institutions. The governance structures of these

organisations are also outdated. The traditional informal

agreement that the WB should always be led by a US

nominee and the IMF by a European one is seen today as

exclusionary of other nations and a remnant of the Cold

War period when most of the nancing used to come

from Western donors.

A shift towards new collaborative

networks

Meanwhile, new ways of collaboration between nations,

private and public organisations, and people are emerging

through more exible networks of collaboration like the

36 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

G7, the G20, the Davos World Economic Forum and a

multitude of gatherings and networking systems that

are often lightly institutionalised. Also, many specic

multinational organisations or loose associations are being

established around specic geopolitical interests: the

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation with China and India

in the lead; the Collective Security Treaty Organisation

that was set up with Russia at the centre; and GUAM,

an informal association of the former Soviet republics of

Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova that oppose

Russian hegemony, to name a few.

Non-governmental networks of researchers and scientists

are also becoming central to the progress made by the

scientic world. Medical research is increasingly based on

associations of laboratories, large rms, and universities,

with limited government involvement and very little

participation by the multilateral system despite its huge

impact on global welfare. An example of the latter is the

development of the RNA vaccines that are so central to

the ght against COVID 19.

The shift towards networks of collaboration that are often

very uid and adaptative is good for certain needs in a

complex and global world, and might be a necessary step to

bypass the institutional sclerosis and reduced eectiveness

that many of the more traditional multilateral organisations

are suering from.

However, the emerging new mechanisms are not enough

to replace the more structured frameworks of collaboration

that are necessary for making global commitments and

for adopting international law commitments of the type

necessary to achieve real policy changes at the global level.

It may be useful to discuss issues in open settings such as

Davos, although not much in terms of binding agreements

will ever emerge from such meetings.

In such a challenging context, what are the essential

components of UN leadership to eectively leverage

the broader multilateral ecosystem? The thoughts I am

presenting here reect my life experience both working for

a large international nancial institution and collaborating

with the UN at multiple occasions. My view is therefore

as a UN outsider and based on concrete eld experience.

I would like to outline three areas where I feel the UN

has an essential leading role in fomenting a more uid and

eective multilateral ecosystem:

1.Anchoring UN leadership in the principles of the

UN Charter, human rights norms, and respect for the

rule of law

The multilateral system with its formal organisations and

its increasingly exible networks of collaboration needs

these principles to remain central to its operations and

actions to maintain its credibility. Keeping these principles

high on the agenda is particularly important in view of

how nations seem to be sliding into cynicism, egocentrism,

and global backstabbing.

The UN is the only institution with a clear mandate to be

impartially and systematically involved with multilateral

initiatives and agreements and to ensure they are not

made in a way that will weaken the international human

rights architecture and the rule of law. For instance,

the UN has a role to play in keeping high standards of

social, environmental, and participatory safeguards that

frame country engagement by international nancial

institutions. The UN is also key in ensuring that regional

organisations keep operating with high standards for the

respect of international law, respect of human rights and

respect of essential humanitarian norms.

This does not always make the UN popular with

governments and therefore requires courage, consistency,

and diplomacy. The multilateral system is increasingly

under pressure to bend their rules to please powerful

nations and while a more representative multilateral

system is needed it also cannot be set up at the cost of

weakening the norms and principles of the UN Charter,

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and losing

the respect for essential treaties and agreements.

UN leadership is not only expected in this area, but it is

more essential than ever to keep the multilateral parties

true to the international agreements and treaties that

followed World War II.

2.Maintaining open dialogue between nations and

organisations to ensure cohesiveness in the multilateral

system

UN leadership in such a turbulent period should be about

keeping the dialogue going wherever possible between

increasingly competitive nations and in particular between

the western blocks and non-western powers. At a time

when the multilateral system is increasingly pulled apart by

tensions between countries, the ability of the UN to talk

UN leadership in a multilateral system in crisis - Alexandre Marc 37

The Landscape

to all parties has become its strongest asset and not only

on peacebuilding initiatives.

Better dialogue is urgently

needed in many areas such as economic and social issues,

cyber security, management of outer space, the oceans and

much more.

The IMF and WB, for instance, are struggling to keep

the level of indebtedness in poor developing countries at

sustainable levels but lack the traction with new lending

nations and the private sector players.

A dialogue is urgently needed in this area and the UN can

play an important role in bringing everyone to the table.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change

engagement is a brilliant illustration of how the UN can

succeed in bringing nations around the table and then

support an alignment of the broader multilateral system

on the commitments made during these conferences. This

is an illustration of the unique role the UN can play in

getting relevant actors to the table.

The COVID Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative

for bringing COVID-19 vaccine to poor nations around

the world is another successful way to talk to everyone

despite a major competition taking place on vaccine

production and distribution. The multilateral system is

engaging around the initiative led by the World Health

Organisation and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness

Innovations (GAVI). Similarly, multilateral eciency

is most useful when it can gather the majority through

initiatives like the COP and COVAX that provides the

political framework under which competing nations can

engage positively.

However, this requires a strong leadership because of

today’s tendency to use the multilateral system as a battle

ground between nations, especially the world powers.

The UN should encourage the evolving multilateral

system to remain, as far as possible, inclusive of all member

states. The UN should try to ensure that communication

channels remain open in a multilateral system that tends

to evolve into alliances around narrow geopolitical

interests. Organisations, such as the World Bank for

example, should realise that closer ties with the UN can

oer some guarantees that their programmes and country

engagement are not seen as serving geopolitical interests

supported by some of its most powerful shareholders. This

would be essential for its longer-term eectiveness and

credibility.

3.Leveraging an increasingly fragmented multilateral

system

While the two previous areas are essential to make the

overall multilateral system work, UN leadership will

also need to be very focused while remaining adaptative.

The UN system still often gives the impression of being

everything to everyone while very constrained nancial

resources is a major drawback for implementing its actions.

The only exception is humanitarian assistance and peace

keeping where the UN receives the bulk of the nancing

that nations provide for these eorts directly. In these cases,

the UN can lead ‘through implementation’ by having the

broader multilateral institutions working along the UN.

In most of the other areas the UN system depends highly

on the rest of the multilateral system and on national

governments to implement and nance its priorities.

Leadership is very much about knowing what to focus on.

Countries see themselves less and less bound by general

assembly resolutions and agreements signed in international

conferences. When resolutions adopted under the UN

leadership are not respected this dramatically reduces the

credibility of the UN. Too often UN organisations are

seen as being engaged in too many competing initiatives

The rapid change in geopolitics that affects all aspects of international

relations and the prospect of collaboration between nations requires

an adaptation of UN leadership. It is taking place, but it might require

intensifying efforts at joint leadership level. Thus, enabling the UN to work

directly with institutions that have a strong capacity to influence policies

and programs on the ground, but do not have the broad legitimacy that the

UN has and the reach to all member states.

38 Chapter One - The Art of Leadership

The Landscape

and tasks with little overall leverage on national or global

policies. Leadership, especially at the country level is

therefore very much about focus and making trade-os

and to ensure leverage with the broader multilateral system.

Conclusion

The rapid change in geopolitics that aects all aspects of

international relations and the prospect of collaboration

between nations requires an adaptation of UN leadership.

It is taking place, but it might require intensifying eorts

at joint leadership level. Thus, enabling the UN to work

directly with institutions that have a strong capacity to

inuence policies and programs on the ground, but do not

have the broad legitimacy that the UN has and the reach

to all Member States.

This should help the UN to stay focused and other

organisations to benet from the moral clout of the UN at

a time when many multilateral organisations must struggle

to remain eective in view of geopolitical pressures.

Joint leadership with organisations such as the African

Union and the WB on prevention of conict in Africa,

for instance, needs to be deepened. This will improve the

eectiveness of all the organisations concerned. It was

started with some success, but unfortunately seems to have

somehow stalled lately because of lack of WB leadership

in this area.

Optimists, on the one hand, see the development of

collaborative networks based on unstructured and uid

exchanges as the beginning of a deeper transformation

of the multilateral world, obviously the UN should be a

sort of centre of gravity for the emergence of such a new

collaborative system.

Pessimists, on the other hand, see it as a slow fragmentation

and collapse of the multilateral system as we know it, that

will result in a less just and eective world. Time will tell,

but to avoid this scenario from happening UN leadership

is needed now more than ever.

Leadership is very much about knowing what to focus on. Countries

see themselves less and less bound by general assembly resolutions

and agreements signed in international conferences. (...) Leadership,

especially at the country level is therefore very much about focus

and making trade-offs and to ensure leverage with the broader

multilateral system.

UN leadership in a multilateral system in crisis - Alexandre Marc 39

The Landscape

Endnotes

Bruce Jones and Susana Malcorra , ‘Competing

for Order. Confronting the Long Crisis of

Multilateralism’, Competitive Multilateralism:

Revitalization and Realism in an Era of Global

Tension Series, 2020, <https://www.brookings.

edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Competing-

for-Order.-Confronting-the-Long-Crisis-of-

Multilateralism.pdf >.

Dominic Eggel and Marc Galvin,

‘Multilateralism Is in Crisis – Or Is It?’,

Global Challenges, 7 (April 2020), <https://

globalchallenges.ch/issue/7/multilaterism-is-in-

crisis-or-is-it.>.

III

Multilateralism consists of sets of rules and

norms that countries agree to follow in their

relations with others. It also consists of institutions

especially set up to ensure those norms are

respected and at the same time to organize the

collaboration between nations.

Dolgin, Elie. ‘The Tangled History of mRNA

Vaccines’, Nature, 597/7876, (2021), pp. 318-

324, <https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-

02483-w>.

Bruce Jones and Alexandre Marc, ‘The New

Geopolitics of Fragility: Russia, China and the

Mounting Challenge for Peacebuilding’, Project

on International Order and Strategy, (Washington

D.C.: Brookings, 2021), <www.brookings.

edu/research/the-new-geopolitics-of-fragility-

russia-china-and-the-mounting-challenge-for-

peacebuilding>.

United Nations and World Bank, ‘Pathways for

Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent

Conict’, (Washington, D.C: World Bank, 2018).

40 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Zaid Hussein

Portrait

Zataari Camp

Chapter Two

The portrait: Drawing out principled leadership traits

How dare you?

BY KATE GILMORE .......................................................................................................................42

Youth leadership in action

BY VICTOR OCHEN ......................................................................................................................52

Ethical leadership: The power of principles, purpose, values and the human touch

BY HELMUT BUSS .........................................................................................................................57

Integrity and ethical leadership: Enhancing the UN’s role in the world

BY ADAMA DIENG .........................................................................................................................63

42 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Melad Bassam Al-Ghazali

Portrait in green and blue

Azraq Camp

How dare you?

BY KATE GILMORE

How dare you? - Kate Gilmore 43

The Portrait

Kate Gilmore is a Professor-in-Practice at the London School of Economics and Political

Science (LSE) and Honorary Professor at the University of Essex and Chair of the Board of

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Vice Chair of the Interpeace Board and

member of the World Health Organisation Human Reproduction Programme Gender and

Rights Advisory Panel. After working as the Executive Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty

International she was United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and

Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of the UN Population Fund.

When addressing the 2019 UN Climate Conference,

Greta Thunberg demanded of world leaders failing to

address the climate crisis decisively, simply: ‘How dare you!’:

‘… People are suering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are

collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all

you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic

growth. How dare you!’

‘How dare you!’ stands out. An exclamation of acute

frustration, the phrase can also be more interrogative,

meaning something akin to: ‘How do you dare do what

you do?’ It’s a leading question and a question for all

leaders.

Thunberg’s pungent assessments give words to what

millions feel, yet few dare articulate. Her summation that,

in response to the climate crisis, world leadership is just so

much ‘blah blah blah’

is perhaps her best known, but ‘how

dare you!’ is a clarion call, striking an alarm bell whose

peal should resound far and wide.

Greta Thunberg herself is a global leader. As yet she holds

neither high-level oce nor post-graduate credentials. She

oversees no institution and has no institutional resources

to deploy. Nonetheless, she dares lead. Initially, she did so

by the sheer moral force of her example. Then it grew

and spread from there into what is now a global platform

of action – ‘Fridays for the Future’.

III

As a result of her

daring, Thunberg has inspired and mobilised hundreds of

thousands of her peers, and others, the world over.

If her gaze was to turn to leaders’ eorts to address other

global threats, would her assessment, or that of her peers,

be any dierent? Their assessment of leaders’ eorts for

poverty eradication, or to end vaccine nationalism? Of

eorts to eradicate inequalities, eliminate discrimination,

end impunity, reject armed conict or to establish eective

governance of new technologies and of new weaponry?

Those are interconnected global concerns too of course,

and increasingly so: interconnected one with the other,

and entangled now with the global climate crisis also.

And all their warning signs are ashing red-hot. With the

Doom’s Day Clock

set at just 100 seconds to midnight,

Thunberg’s challenge should already be heeded more

broadly beyond the few seated at the UN’s top decision-

making tables, important as those leaders are.

How dare we?

How dare we lead? During accelerating global crises

exacting awful local costs? When, thanks to man-made

exploitation, natural resources are rapidly shrinking

yet

evidence mounts daily of our interdependence with other

species and their habitats?

When commitments to resolve

inequalities’ historical and structural injustices - between

and within countries - evaporate,

VII

yet public and private

funding for new arms races, even newer space-races,

escalate?

VIII

When UN goals for sustainable development

are trumped by national goals for economic growth - for

inequality-deepening, unsustainable growth?

How dare UN leaders do what is needed now and

for tomorrow? How dare they lead in the interests of

generations to follow, not merely for the generation to

which they belong? What makes for ‘daring’ leadership

of the kind that our world of accelerating change needs,

but is so often left wanting? The research suggests that

leadership daring is not about more risk-taking; it’s not

more dare-devilry. Rather, as a positive state, daring is the

combination of moral courage and inner strength; qualities

on which the exercise of ethical or principled leadership

depends; qualities in high demand when uncertainty is

high too.

Daring should be a quality for which UN leaders are

selected and elevated and that UN organisations should

44 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

foster, encourage, and reward. It raises a fundamental

question: Is daring embedded suciently in the UN’s

human resources, management, and leadership systems? Is

daring discernibly part and parcel of the operational policies

and practices that govern leader selection, performance

assessment, professional development, reward and advance?

It should be. After all, in essence, that’s what the ‘UN

System Leadership Framework’ promises.

XII

But daring is not just some esoteric characteristic.

Guideposts for its exercise can be quite practical. Daring

leaders will go wherever evidence-based assessment of

critical issues and their contributory factors leads.

Apply up-to-date technical knowledge and pay close

attention to applicable values and standards, policies,

regulations as well as the law. Refer to, but don’t mindlessly

defer to, relevant precedents. Identify and consult with

groups most aected by the decisions to be made. Be

frank about the available options and their various likely

consequences. In daring, leadership and self-examination

is key.

Honestly probe inner fears and desires to guard against

distortions out of ego and self-interest. Sustain your

energy and maintain the focus needed to stay the course.

Take responsibility for whatever actions you take and

be prepared to be held accountable for that. Monitor

implementation and evaluate it transparently, so that any

distances between the actual, as compared to the intended,

outcomes are revealed and examined.

XIII

In other words, opportunities for UN leaders to be

more daring present daily. But the reality is that leading is

rarely that systematic. It is frequently an amorphous and

fragmented business. Often dispersed across issues, forums,

systems and colleagues, and then exercised in sequences,

that all combine to undermine systematic approaches. This

can work to drive a leader away from loyalty to the best

outcomes. On top of that, often leaders’ decisions must be

taken quickly without the time to process them in more

ideal ways. Frequently decisions must be made without

sucient, or even despite conicting, information and

under stressful and pressurised organisational and political

circumstances.

That’s why the personal and professional idiosyncrasies of

the individual leader matter.

XIV

Indeed, fostering daring

in leaders may be less about decision-making logic or

frameworks and more about a leader’s moral posture and

demeanour or, what the research calls, their moral courage

and inner strength.

The exercise of daring requires moral courage. That in turn

depends on inner strength, which is the fuel of leaders who

dare.

Moral courage

Moral courage is not a calculus of the danger to be faced,

nor is it feeling less fear. It is not reduced to one’s own

moral code, or personal judgement as to the morality of an

issue. Rather, it involves a leader’s moral clarity about the

Box 1: An account of leadership by the CEO of US energy giant Enron, the subject in 2001

of the world’s largest ever bankrupcy case (Mclean, B., Elkind, P.; The smartest Guys in the

Room: The amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron; Penguin, 2013, pg. 3).

‘[the CEO] was a hard man not to like. His deliberately … modest manner…

built a deep reservoir of goodwill among those who worked for him. He

remembered names, listened earnestly, seemed to care about what you

thought. But … He cared deeply about appearances, he wanted people to

like him, and he avoided the sort of tough decisions that were certain to

make others mad. His top executives ... knew that as long as they steered

clear of a few sacred cows, they could do whatever they wanted. And as

we all know, many of them did’.

How dare you? - Kate Gilmore 45

The Portrait

depths of the wrongs they are to right - such as the wrongs

of rights abused or betrayed. The deeper those wrongs, the

more daring the leadership should be.

The word ‘courage’ has its root in ‘cor’, the Latin for ‘heart’.

It’s original meaning was not a rallying cry to heroics, but

an invocation to ‘speak one’s mind by telling one’s heart’.

For UN leaders, courage thus is both the taking the UN’s

moral code to heart, and the speaking up clearly for it.

That code is made explicit by the UN Charter, set out

in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and

has been elaborated upon, over decades, in human rights

treaties, declarations, and countless resolutions of the

General Assembly.

Daring UN leaders are those that can not only clearly see

the crossroads between right(s) and wrong(s), as dened

by that code. They are those who have the courage to turn

always towards right(s), even if doing so is against their own

comfort, preference or self-interest eg. their popularity or

future prospects for elevation.

When, UN leaders are not daring, dissonance is created

with the organisation’s values and, arguably, its aims and

purposes. When such contradiction is visible to others,

the risks of damage to the UN’s credibility, and thus its

eectiveness, further mounts. That said, it is the immoral

leader alone who wreaks havoc. As high-prole cases

elsewhere demonstrate, an immoral leader’s misconduct

or mendaciousness may even unite others in clearer

opposition to just that.

However, if as they navigate complexity, leaders opt to

remain silent or avoid communicating about values,

norms, and standards; are indirect or inconsistent in their

application of those principles in their daily work? While

they may not be immoral as such, they are likely to be seen

to be amoral.

XVI

Box 2: Concluding passage to the German Bundestag, Yehuda Bauer, 27 January 1988. See:

https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780191826719.001.0001/q-oro-

ed4-00000799

‘Thou shall not be a perpetrator, thou shall not be a victim, and thou shall

never, but never, be a bystander’.

Amoral leaders - those not anchored discernibly in values,

who act with indierence to core principles or who invent

their own to suit themselves - do more than discourage

principled, courageous eorts by others.

XVII

In other

settings, such leaders have been found to act as vectors for

the spread of unprincipled conduct.

XVIII

Particularly, in workplaces where values are core to their

organisation’s identity, as is the case for the UN, leaders

whose posture or approach is devoid of, or ambiguous

about, their organisation’s values are likely to be detrimental

to sta, systems, and results.

XIX

That’s a challenge for the UN, and specically for its

civil service. The UN cannot aord to have leaders treat

its values as accessories: adorned for special occasions

but discarded in operations’ daily settings. Values don’t

work only performatively: displayed if convenient to do

so, but then muted, distorted, or betrayed when politics

or circumstances so entice. For the sake of the system’s

inherent integrity, to better limit a broader sweep and reach

of unethical conduct, UN leaders - without exception -

should dare to demonstrate, quotidian and in both word

and deed, an unambiguous, and unwavering adherence to

the values and norms on which the UN, by Charter, is

founded. That is not some lofty, idealistic expectation; it is

a signpost towards greater impact.

How does - how might - the UN better foster, encourage,

and reward moral courage in its leaders; the courage to dare

to adhere to fully to its core values? How is ‘speaking one’s

mind by telling one’s heart’ valued among and by UN leaders?

Inner strength

Moral courage is not enough on its own.

For daring in

leadership, inner strength is also essential. If both moral

courage and inner strength coexist within a leader, the

46 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

research suggests not only is a leader’s own behaviour likely

to be more ethical, but so too is that of those they lead.

Furthermore, a leader’s ‘in-role’ performance is found to

improve and, intriguingly, it also helps foster ‘psychological

ourishing’ for all.

XXI

The inner strength to resist opting for the merely popular

or conventional, to speak up where others are silent, to

stand up when even superiors fail to, to confront rather

than concede to the system’s sponsors - to its funders or

political partners; to resist those who by power of their

inuence would purchase compromise of principles: in

such times, for UN leaders, moral courage is a GPS by which

to chart principled pathways, but inner strength is fuel for

the journey.

XXII

The courage to perform - consistently and visibly - to

standards requires the capacity (and the eort) to stay

strong within oneself - to attain, maintain, and sustain for

the duration, well-being, including mental well-being. If a

leader’s well-being depletes, their inner strength or resolve

is more likely to weaken. A weakened resolve means a

weakened ability to ‘resist … temptation and to stand up and

take action against … the wrong thing’.

XXIII

That’s a timely

reminder of the relatively untapped contribution that

well-being (and its absence) makes to workplaces, and a

pointed message about the importance of leaders taking

(and being seen to take) active personal responsibility also

for their own well-being, no matter the level at which

they serve.

This is a long-neglected dimension of leadership,

nonetheless research now concludes that the key to the

personal well-being on which inner strength depends, is

self-care. Training and coaching can help a leader develop

the required self-care skills to prevent depletion and renew

inner strength; to build up ‘moral muscle’.

XXIV

Taking a

practical approach to self-care also matters. Such as getting

enough rest, maintaining tness and building a quality of

lifestyle. Even sustaining blood glucose levels have been

found ‘to help preserve reserves of self-control for ethical leaders’.

XXV

Support systems play an important part too. Working

with the help of ‘Aides, associates, friends or family members

who will save us from ourselves’.

XXVI

Daring again can be quite a practical matter. It involves

the desire or the will ‘to generate responsibility and motivation

to take moral action in the face of adversity and persevere through

challenges’.

XXVII

Thus, it is not only a question of the

courage to follow wherever UN principles lead, but of

perseverance in doing so by sustaining the inner strength

for the tough journey’s daring demands. That said, daring

is also ‘ecological’. It’s not just about individual leaders

alone. The fuller challenge, to generate UN leadership

better suited to our times, involves the organisation itself

and the expectations it has of its leadership. As Giord

et al put it, leadership is not merely about the quality of

the ‘apples’, but of the ‘barrels’ that hold them and the

contexts or ‘situations’ they are expected to confront.

XXVIII

To paraphrase: Is an absence of daring the result of:

•Bad apples? ie, individuals making bad choices, OR

•A bad barrel? ie, a systemic or organisation-wide failure or

culture of ingrained behaviour? OR

•Sticky situations? ie, the dicult, often compromising,

nature of decisions that leaders so frequently face?

XXIX

In leadership - the barrel matters, not

just the apples

The ‘barrel’ matters. If the organisation’s policies,

instructions, and technical guidance are ambiguous about

Box 3: Thomson, C.J., ‘How could Vietnam happen? An autopsy’, The Atlantic, April 1968, as

cited by Applebaum, A., ‘Histpry will judge the complicit’, The Atlantic, July/August 2020.

When the war in Vietnam was going badly, many people did not resign or

speak out in public, because preserving their ‘effectiveness’— ‘a mysterious

combination of training, style, and connections’, as Thomson defined it—

was an all-consuming concern. He called this ‘the effectiveness trap’.

How dare you? - Kate Gilmore 47

The Portrait

the application of values or otherwise undermines their

exercise, then the UN’s leaders’ and its sta ’s loyalty to

those principles is set adrift. If the organisation’s culture

is to encourage and reward only ‘yes-people’ rather than

the daring, or fails to signal clearly that it ‘has the back’

of its leaders when they stand up for principles, or fails

to provide clear and accessible protections if leaders face

threats, intimidation and bullying of the kind for which

some Member States are infamous, then again it is daring

that will be among the rst casualties.

XXX

As will be the case where the informal culture frowns on

or belittles eorts to promote well-being, or it means a

lack of disciplined action by leaders and all sta to sustain

their well-being.

Furthermore, UN leaders are, of course, also the led. What

they see when they look ‘up’ is important to what they

demand when they look ‘down’ the hierarchy. To propel

all leaders to greater daring, a visibly strong and constant

alignment, and cascade of expectation consistent with

daring, is needed across all levels, from the top executives to

front-line sta.

XXXI

And for that, it would be wise to ramp

up investment in selecting, training and commissioning

both the led and their leaders to speak up about the

organisation’s values condently and not selectively.

To nd ways to engage consistently with the organisation’s

values and norms and to apply them coherently, particularly

in the ‘sticky situations’ - the sensitive or complex or

controversial situations - that so often fall under the

purview of UN leaders.

It would also be smart to strengthen integration of

armative expectations of and support for mental and

physical well-being among all leaders across the system

and at all duty stations.

Sticky situations are no excuse; they are

why we need daring leaders

However, it is situational complexity - or the ‘stickiness’

of situations that UN leaders confront - which

frequently is oered in excuse for their compromises

on values. Human rights concerns, for example, may

be deemed too ‘sensitive’ or ‘controversial’ to raise with

those in power. Upholding UN values in the messages

of formal demarche may be deemed too confronting.

That a Member State or development partner will be

open to advice based on core principles, rather than

expediency, may be dismissed as unrealistic. But are

those moments more a question of smart tactics or

strategy, rather than unassailable grounds on which to

justify a betrayal of principles? When is self-censorship

just self-comforting?

Simple and routine situations do not need leaders.

Once the technical guidance is in place and the priority

has been set, most good people can lead themselves

perfectly well. However, it is precisely in the ‘stickiest

situations’ that leadership moments emerge - moments

requiring daring leadership that is.

Look out for the leadership moments that sticky

situations oer. Be alert to and create and expand those

spaces to make a dierence; spaces to be prised open

wherever cracks are found in dense walls of resistance

and ‘There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the

light gets in, where the light gets in.’

XXXII

For whom are we daring to lead?

For moral courage there must be moral purpose. For moral

purpose to propel forward, it must be rooted in a moral

consequence or, in other words, in moral accountability.

It is here, that the UN has, if you like, a ‘superpower’: a

Box 4: Dag Hammarskjöld as cited by Erling B., ‘A reader’s guide to Dag Hammarskjöld’s

Waymarks’, Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, 2011, pg. 58.

‘It’s a deeply personal question … The longest journey is the journey inwards.

Of him who has chosen his destiny, who has started upon his quest, for the

source of his being’.

48 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

powerful energy to be handled with care. That superpower

is contained in the answer to a tough question: ‘To whom

are UN leaders ultimately accountable?’

Most organisations accept the need for nancial

accountability to donors or investors; programme

accountability to partners; the accountability of the

subordinate to the bosses. Audited accounts, annual reports,

executive boards, 360-degree performance appraisals: all

play their part at the UN, but none addresses that deeper

question. To whom are the UN leaders morally answerable

for their legacy – that which they create, those whom

their decisions aect, what they leave behind? How is that

answerability manifested, managed, and adjudicated in the

UN?

The UN’s Charter opens not with ‘We the Member States’ or

‘We the Donors’. It does not open with ‘We the Development

Partners’ or ‘We the Leaders’ or ‘We the International Civil

Servants’. It opens, of course, with ‘We the Peoples’. How

is their distinctive authority - the authority of the peoples

of the world - as voiced by the UN Charter - distinctively

manifested?

The UN’s politicians may consider it redundant, if

not outright problematic, to attempt to channel the

organisation’s accountability directly to the world’s peoples

rather than only through Member States’ representatives

eg the diplomats or national ministers of the governments

of the day. But daring UN leaders should understand

their ultimate accountability to be rooted dierently.

Programmatically, for example, ultimate accountability

starts and ends with intensive eorts to ask, listen, and take

on board as mission-critical, the opinions, preferences,

and choices of the beneciaries whom UN programmes

serve. In both humanitarian and development settings,

appreciating that targeted populations are rights-holders

is thus an obligation of the rst order. The UN is a duty-

bearer, for whom adherence to norms, standards, evidence,

and transparency of action to those whose lives it aects

must surely be its bread and butter.

When a doctor loses sight of their patients’ needs, and

answers rst or only to income? When a lawyer cares less

for the rights of their client and more about their billable

hours? When a journalist worries more about social

media hits than about authoring factual copy? When a

UN leader lobbies for the award of a more senior post

in answer for long service, seeking to bypass competitive

and impartial selection? When a UN leader is elevated to

higher leadership, not on merit, but because their home

country or a regional grouping insisted upon it? Does

each scenario not reveal a similar troubling failing: a failure

to remain loyal foremost to those whom leaders are duty

bound to serve rst?

The driving force that can most powerfully congeal

a courageous ecology for daring in UN leadership is

surely to be found in a clear, unambiguous answer to the

question of ‘On whose behalf do we dare to lead?’ Its practical

tests should be rooted in such as ‘Whose assessment of us

matters the most?’ A much-needed development within UN

practice and methodologies is just that. The placement of

more investment of resources, time, and eort in direct

and material accountability to those whom it serves as

expressed in ‘We the Peoples’. In addition, far greater use

should be made of the results of those eorts as tangible

evidence of the moral authority that the UN can then

choose to wield authentically as a ‘superpower’ - the UN’s

unmatched moral accountability which converts to true

authority, if fullled.

Conclusion

When among the world’s ‘top’ leaders, and their pretenders

waiting in the wings, there are so many willing to treat

The UN’s Charter opens not with ‘We the Member States’ or ‘We the

Donors’. It does not open with ‘We the Development Partners’ or ‘We

the Leaders’ or ‘We the International Civil Servants’. It opens, of course,

with ‘We the Peoples’. How is their distinctive authority - the authority

of the peoples of the world - as voiced by the UN Charter - distinctively

manifested?

How dare you? - Kate Gilmore 49

The Portrait

Box 5: Baldwin, J., 7 January 1971, ‘Open letter to my sister, Miss Angela Davies’, The New

York Review

‘… If we know, then we must fight for your life as though it were our own—

which it is—and render impassable with our bodies the corridor to the gas

chamber. For, if they take you in the morning, they will be coming for us

that night’.

universal norms and legal standards, fact and science, not as

guide-stars, but like poker-chips in a populist power game;

when global decision-making tables are intentionally

enfeebled and, in every region, nativist nationalism is on

the rise: How dare we lead?

We should not forget that the UN was forged in tough, not

prosperous, times. It was forged amidst global chaos and

under the shadow of the very worst that human beings can

do to one another. Its authors were not realistic, they were

daring. Which realist would have ever drafted the UDHR?

In our times - crisis and anxiety ridden, unpredictable times

- it is time to repurpose UN leadership more coherently

and comprehensively to do exactly as the UN Charter

promises - to be daring. In fullment of that mission,

leadership is not rank, it is responsibility.

But take heart. In darkest of hours, at the worst of times,

with the future threatened more than inspired and although

self-interest pulled hard away towards self-comfort, there

are still those who chose to dare. How dared they?

In South Africa, medical student and anti-Apartheid activist

Steve Biko dared lead. He was repeatedly imprisoned and

ultimately killed in detention for organising resistance

to his country’s racially segregated healthcare system; a

segregation that can be traced back to the 1900’s outbreak

of the bubonic plague:

XXXIII

Biko dared leading and lost

his life nearly two decades before the world saw a post-

Apartheid South Africa.

XXXIV

British physician Judith Mackay dared lead. Among the

rst to speak up against the dangers of smoking, she was

publicly branded ‘psychotic human garbage’ and a ‘power-lusting

piece of meat’ by those multinational tobacco companies

who helped to fund multi-million dollar campaigns to

discredit her and her research.

XXXV

She dared lead us to

undersZtand that public health for all matters so much

more than prots for the few.

In February of 2021, a Russian police captain dared to

resign rather than obey orders to restrain and detain those

peacefully protesting state corruption and impunity: ‘I am

ashamed to wear this uniform because I realize it is covered in

blood,’ he said, tossing it into a dumpster. He dared lead us

to appreciate the rule of law as protection of the rights of

the people, not protection of the interests of the powerful.

XXXVI

They all used what little power they had and, against great

odds, in the toughest of situations, dared to lead. So we

can’t say that we didn’t know. For they have shown us. If,

for all the reasons that Greta Thunberg and other youth

leaders implore us to, we dare to lead courageously, and

sustain our strength to do so, we too will lay down daring

footsteps that others can follow. But it’s okay not to be

daring. Not everyone has what it takes. But if you know

you are not made for daring, please don’t dare lead.

XXXVII

50 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Endnotes

Greta Thunberg, ‘If world leaders choose to fail us,

my generation will never forgive them’, The Guardian,

23 September 2019, <https://www.theguardian.

com/commentisfree/2019/sep/23/world-leaders-

generation-climate-breakdown-greta-thunberg>.

Damian Carrington, ‘Blah, blah, blah: Greta

Thunberg lambasts leaders over climate crisis’, The

Guardian, 28 September 2021, <https://www.

theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/28/blah-

greta-thunberg-leaders-climate-crisis-co2-emissions>.

III

See: <

https://fridaysforfuture.org/>.

‘At doom’s doorstep: It is 100 seconds to midnight’,

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 20 January 2022,

<https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/>.

See, for example: Economic and Social Council

(ECOSOC), ‘Shrinking Natural Resources, Rising

Insecurity Leading to Dire Situation in Sahel, Speakers

Tell Meeting of Economic and Social Council,

Peacebuilding Commission See, for example, United

Nations Press Release, 13 November 2018, <https://

www.un.org/press/en/2018/ecosoc6951.doc.htm>.

See, for example: Nathan Deutsch ‘Human

Dependency on Nature Framework: Qualitative

Approaches Background Study.’ People in Nature,

working paper No. 1 (Gland, Switzerland: IUCN and

CEESP, 2014), <https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/

library/les/documents/PIN-WP-001.pdf>.

VII

See, for example, Lucas Chancel, Thomas Piketty,

Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman, ‘World

Inequality Report’, World Inequality Lab (United

Nations Development Program, 2022), <https://

wir2022.wid.world/www-site/uploads/2021/12/

Summary_WorldInequalityReport2022_English.pdf>.

VIII

See, for example, Herbert Wulf, ‘Not even the

pandemic could stop the arms race’, International

Politics and Society, 13 March 2021, <https://www.

ips-journal.eu/topics/foreign-and-security-policy/

on-the-way-to-an-arms-race-and-a-new-cold-

war-5096/>.

See, for example: Ronald Labonté, ‘A Post-Covid

Economy for Health: From the Great Reset to Build

Back Dierently’, BMJ (Online) 376, (2022), pp.

e068126-e068126, < https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.

uu.se/10.1136/bmj-2021-068126>.

John J. Sosik, Jae Uk Chun, Ziya Ete, Fil J. Arenas

and Joel A. Scherer, ‘Self-Control Puts Character into

Action: Examining how Leader Character Strengths

and Ethical Leadership Relate to Leader Outcomes’,

Journal of Business Ethics, 160/3, (2019;), pp. 765-781,

<https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.uu.se/10.1007/s10551-

018-3908-0>.

Margie Warrell, ‘It’s Time For Leaders to Be

Daring. Not All Will Take The Leap’, Forbes,

19 June 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/

margiewarrell/2021/06/19/this-is-a-time-for-leaders-

to-be-more-daring-not-all-will-be-brave-enough-

will-you/?sh=14df604c6e23.

XII

Craig Mokhiber, ‘The price of compromise’, in The

Art of Leadership in the United Nations: Framing What’s

Blue, (Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, 2020),

https://www.daghammarskjold.se/wp-content/

uploads/2020/03/un_leadership_2020.pdf#page=16,

pp. 16-19.

XIII

See for example: R. Rocco Cottone., &

Ronald E. Claus, ‘Ethical decision-making models:

A review of the literature’, Journal of Counseling

& Development, 78/3, pp. 275–283 <https://doi.

org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2000.tb01908.x>.

XIV

See for example: Brenda Nguyen and Mary

Crossan, ‘Character-Infused Ethical Decision Making’,

Journal of Business Ethics 3 (2021), <https://doi.

org/10.1007/s10551-021-04790-8>.

Brené Brown, The gifts of imperfection: let go of who

you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are

(Center City: Hazelden Publishing, 2010), pg. 32.

XVI

Rebecca L. Greenbaum, Matthew J. Quade, and

Julena Bonner, ‘Why do Leaders Practice Amoral

Management? A Conceptual Investigation of the

Impediments to Ethical Leadership’, Organizational

Psychology Review, 5/1,(2015), pp. 26-49, <https://doi-

org.ezproxy.its.uu.se/10.1177/2041386614533587>.

XVII

Leslie E. Sekerka, and Richard P. Bagozzi, ‘Moral

Courage in the Workplace: Moving to and from the

Desire and Decision to Act’, Business Ethics (Oxford,

England), 16/2, (2007), pp. 132-149, DOI: 10.1007/

s10551-008-0017-5.

XVIII

Bird, Frederick B., and James A. Waters.

‘The Moral Muteness of Managers’, California

Management Review, vol. 32/no. 1, (1989), pp. 73-88,

DOI: 10.2307/41166735.

How dare you? - Kate Gilmore 51

The Portrait

XIX

Matthew J. Quade, Julena M. Bonner,

Rebecca L. Greenbaum, ‘Management without

morals: Construct development and initial

testing of amoral management’, Human Relations,

75(2):273-303, <https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.uu.

se/10.1177/0018726720972784>; Bilal Afsar, Asad

Shahjehan, Sajjad Ahmad Afridi, Syed Imad Shah,

Bilal Bin Saeed and Shakir Hafeez, ‘How Moral

Ecacy and Moral Attentiveness Moderate the Eect

of Abusive Supervision on Moral Courage?’, Economic

Research - Ekonomska Istraživanja, 32/1, (2019), pp.

3437-3456, <https://doi.org/10.1080/133167

7X.2019.1663437>.

Martin Hagger, Chantelle Wood, Chris Sti,

Nikos Chatzirantis, ‘Ego Depletion and the Strength

Model of Self-Control: A Meta-Analysis’, Psychological

Bulletin, 136/4, (2010), pp. 495-525, <https://doi-org.

ezproxy.its.uu.se/10.1037/a0019486>.

XXI

Sosik J. J. et al, ibid..

XXII

Global Positioning System.

XXIII

Sean T. Hannah, Bruce J. Avolio, and Douglas

R. May, ‘Moral Maturation and Moral Conation:

A Capacity Approach to Explaining Moral

Thought and Action’, The Academy of Management

Review, 36/4,(2011), pp. 663-685, DOI: 10.5465/

AMR.2011.65554674.

XXIV

Roy F. Baumeister and Julie Joula Exline. ‘Self-

Control, Morality, and Human Strength’, Journal of

Social and Clinical Psychology, 19/1 (2000), pp. 29-42,

DOI: 10.1521/jscp.2000.19.1.29.

XXV

Matthew T. Gailliot, Roy F. Baumeister, Nathan

C. DeWall, Jon K. Maner, E. Ashby Plant, Dianne M.

Tice, Lauren E. Brewer, and Brandon J. Schmeiche,

‘Self-control Relies on Glucose as a Limited Energy

Source: Will Power is More than a Metaphor’ Journal

of Personality and Social Psychology, DOI: 92(2),

325–336; 2007.

XXVI

Marta Lagace, ‘Beware the Leader’ citing Barbara

Kellerman; Harvard Business School: Working

Knowledge, 27 September 2004, <https://hbswk.hbs.

edu/archive/beware-the-bad-leader>.

XXVII

Hannah et al, ibid., p. 664

XXVIII

Jonny Giord, Melanie Green, Eric Barends,

Barbara Janssen, Alessandra Capezio, and Paul Nguyen

N, ‘Rotten apples, bad barrels and sticky situations: an

evidence review of unethical workplace behaviour’

(Australian National University and Centre for

Evidence-Based Management 2019), <https://www.

cipd.co.uk/Images/unethical-behaviour-in-the-

workplace_report-2_tcm18-57022.pdf>.

XXIX

Giord et al., ibid., borrowing from their

denitions of the terms at p. 3.

XXX

See, for example: Kate Gilmore, ‘Without Fear or

Favour?’, in 100 Years of International Civil Service no.

6 (Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, 2019),

<https://www.daghammarskjold.se/publication/

without-fear-or-favour/>.

XXXI

Quade et al., ibid., pp 275-277

XXXII

Leonard Cohen, ‘Anthem’ from the album ‘The

Future’, 1992, Columbia Records.

XXXIII

See: ‘Three cases of Bubonic plague are reported

in Cape Town’, South African History Online,

<https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/three-

cases-buboinic-plague-are-reported-cape-town>.

XXXIV

Steve Biko Foundation, ‘Steve Biko, The Black

Consciousness Movement. The SASO, BCP & BPC

Years’, n/d, <https://artsandculture.google.com/

story/GQWBgt1iWh4A8A?hl=en>.

XXXV Judith

Mackay, ‘Feminist, subversive and a challenge

to Big Tobacco’, Dangerous Women Project, 11

August 2016, <https://dangerouswomenproject.

org/2016/08/11/judith-mackay/>.

XXXVI

Marc Bennetts, ‘They’re going to frame me, says

Russian ocer who quit in disgust’, The Times, 16

February 2021, <https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/

policeman-who-quit-over-alexei-navalny-violence-

fears-he-will-be-framed-lx6bwtl0f>.

XXXVII

Agence France-Presse, ‘Shoot me instead’:

Myanmar nun’s plea to spare the protesters’, The

Guardian, 9 March 2021, <https://www.theguardian.

com/world/2021/mar/09/shoot-me-instead-

myanmar-nuns-plea-to-spare-protesters>.

52 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Youth leadership in action

BY VICTOR OCHEN

Ibrahim Ali Al-Abed

Portrait

Azraq Camp

Youth leadership in action - Victor Ochen 53

The Portrait

Victor Ochen is the Founder and Executive Director for African Youth Initiative Network

(AYINET) and United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors for Peace and Justice representing

SDG Goal 16. He is also a member to the Global Advisory group to the UNHCR on

Gender, Forced Displacement and Protection. Ugandan by birth, Ochen spent 21 years as

a refugee in his own country where at 13 he founded the Peace Club while living in an

internal displacement camp. This initiative worked as a counter movement against child soldier

recruitment in the armed conict between the government and the Lord Resistance Army.

Through his activism in societal healing and social transformation, he has provided reconstructive

medical rehabilitation to 21,000+ war victims. His life work and worldviews are based on the

principles of peace, morality and a common humanity.

Long-term goal consumed by

immediate needs

As someone growing up amidst violent conict in northern

Uganda in the 1980s, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if my

perspective of the United Nations comes from a historical

struggle element which takes into account the complexity

of progress. I am a survivor and witness of the late 20th

and early 21st centuries’ torment of war and injustice, and

so during my childhood the world always appeared on the

brink of destruction.

Everywhere I looked there was fear and suering, one

more conict turned into another, always us versus them.

It left me wondering if humanity could ever live together

as one. I was exposed to an inevitable and unfortunate

fact of life that we are often mistreated by others: nations,

leaders, tribes, families and individuals too. But my mother

who had very little education, taught me that God created

all men equal and diversity is a mercy and a blessing. It is

her belief that we have many people, religions as well as

ways of life and it comes down to tolerance. She always

emphasised that there is so much that we are yet to know

about others and must learn to see beyond our dierences

and live in peace with one another.

I saw truth in her words as communities helplessly struggled

for decades to support each other during devastating wars.

I watched families comforting one another in the midst

of unbearable pain and agony after their children were

abducted, killed or recruited as child soldiers.

The collective power of poor people standing up and

raising their voices, condemning war being waged by

politicians remains forever loud in my heart. It was at the

peak of war that I rst heard about the UN.

Repeatedly hearing people cry that the UN was a body

that was supposed to help people in war situations, but they

were not present in northern Uganda then. It appeared

as if we were suering from a forgotten war. I hope to

resist oversimplifying the history and rather condense a

combination of reality, both historic and present with its

challenges, unexpected curves, and the failures of humanity

and the UN.

It is worth noting that the majority of the global

population are now the generations born after 1945.

And, perhaps close to three-quarters of the planetary

population is a quarter of the age of the UN. There have

been tremendous leaps in human progress over the last

decades, pretty much driven and inuenced by leadership

and innovation from a younger cohort. This generational

shift in leadership, power and inuence will continue, and

it would be pragmatic and realistic for the UN to step up.

It should embrace the shift and collaborate with the new

era of social, political and economic leadership. This could

be a tactful way to match the new generational needs and

leverage their technological innovation for greater global

goods.

UN leadership, power and inuence

Overall, this argument may reect the fundamental

dierence in the generational outlook of the UN. As an

African, it is often dicult to navigate the relationship

we have with global institutions such as the UN. We

understand that relationships with such institutions are

critical. Conversely for the UN to get its desired outcomes

it is important to understand how it subsequently aects

the interpretation and ownership of the UN by the

younger generations. I observe and learn that so many are

54 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

now left wondering about racial identity, religion as well as

the generational gaps. It seems like a majority in Africa feel

the UN is representing the face of Europe, North America

and to some extent Asia; maybe to put it in simple terms

the ‘UN is white’.

At the same time the young generation think the UN

is meant to serve older people, because of the dominant

older generation leadership. Perhaps even to the population

of the global south namely Africa, South-East Asia and

Latin and South America, the UN is a representative of

the global north. Despite all these ideas, the leadership of

the UN in peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions

are appreciated by the local communities. Even when

their work has time and again continued to face wide-

spread criticisms from local authorities, governments and

technical experts. Particularly those communities who feel

that the UN does not have sucient capacity to mediate

the current need for world peace.

In building on the legacy of its 70-year existence, the UN

can and must work to avoid only embracing higher-level

thinking dominated by the global north, but deliberately

nurture and bring on board the new generations. Exploring

the ideas of a leadership with deeper understanding of

the UN vision, mission, mandates, treaties, conventions

and declarations is critical. One cannot wonder if a

general lack of inclusion results in a world order where

the gruesome televised beheading of humanitarian aid

workers, use of rape as tools of war and attacks on UN

missions which we have witnessed recently. Is this simply

because young people in these regions don’t know the

rules of engagement?

Lack of unity at the UN

Several community discussions among young generations

across Africa has manifested that while the UN remains

the only global body, it remains an institution being held

hostage by western interests.

There are those key moments

when the UN has been very promising, but there are areas

that could be regarded as successive failures. Of course, like

any institution, the UN sometimes appears to do things

that seems to be morally wrong or impermissible, but for

which the institution is maybe not blameworthy.

There seem to be an undeniable growing anxiety among

young African leaders about the future of the UN

especially if to date the UN feels the entire continent

of Africa is still not good enough to have a permanent

seat of representation at the UN Security Council. The

conversations and platforms are abuzz with ideas and

views that it is no longer about economic might, military

or political power anymore but a racial and historical

discrimination against African people. With the new

generation under pressure to address this global inequality,

there is a risk of future African departure from meaningful

engagement with the UN for an alternative institution

that pays attention to their interests. An example is when in

2019, one of the permanent members of the UN Security

Council organised an Africa – ‘Country A’ summit nearly

in parallel with the September UN General Assembly and

more the 60% of African Presidents did not attend the

UNGA but went to the summit. The fear is that similar

actions of such a nature may purposely undermine the

UN.

Another element to consider is the belief that repeated lack

of political consensus at the UN seems to be a tradition and

counterproductive. In many cases it manifests as symptoms

of a general lack of UN capacity and this keeps the UN

in survival mode. To the younger generations, the UN’s

tactical and strategic decisions seem to be inconsistent and

the depth of disagreement is sometimes too divisive and

unhelpful in resolving and responding to the crises at hand.

The power to veto is only vested in the hands of the few

and seems to be abused as some nations with such powers

ght whenever and against whomever they want. The

youth would prefer the use of such power to veto wars

and not to sanction war, particularly those societies around

the world especially in the global south who carry scars

from conicts and having lived in hope of UN decisions.

We are aware of how much people around the world look

up to the UN. It is not yet too late for the it to nd a

path forward by looking back throughout a history that

has generated positive change and evaluate its success. The

UN can be realistic, rather than idealistic in nature, and we

can ground our discussion about the UN’s messy struggle

for a better future by embracing the necessity of real work

and focusing on the issue of disintegration.

By doing an analysis of the political, historical, military and

humanitarian dimensions of the UN in a coherent way

the emphasis on UN leadership alone is incomplete. The

Youth leadership in action - Victor Ochen 55

The Portrait

key focus should be on UN successes: taking in the lessons

from the failures and exploring the newest departure point

to the future of the united world we seek. It is worth

remembering that if we could go back 20 years, what

could we tell ourselves? And if we had the opportunity

to correct our past mistakes, when is the next best time?

To which the answer for the next best time for immediate

action is NOW. Whether in New York, at country level

or in the community; the UN should meaningfully learn

from setbacks and engage in preventive measures and

cultivate these merits that can move humanity closer to

the collective ourishing of all.

The UN in the eyes of the new

generation

The last quarter of UN existence has attracted an image of

an institution of lucrative jobs, and an elite community of

academically successful as well as those who are privileged.

It is the dream of many young Africans, with few

exceptions, to do all it takes to work with the UN. Some

of the reasons are mentioned above and unfortunately are

so divorced from the core values and merits in which the

UN was established.

And yet for most young people, who have continued to

suer from the misfortunes of life, they see an institution

that was created with intent of helping them turned into a

place of luxury. Examples of people earning prohibitively

high salaries and benets raises the question that if the

UN is so luxurious and so rewarding, will the war ever

stop? It is in the interest of justice and dignity for the

aected populations that the UN leadership at all levels

display regulated behaviours, without undermining the

humanitarian spirit and the sensitivity to peoples’ suering.

At the risk of being controversial I also want to highlight

an issue that has aected the view of the UN over the years.

Recently many UN agencies have adopted the culture

of inviting celebrities to work as goodwill ambassadors

and champions especially for humanitarian causes. They

undeniably mean well, but it has been received with

mixed feelings from the dierently aected victims and

survivors of wars and violations. Assessing the impacts

of such engagements, feedback revealed that the whole

mission was and is always about the celebrities, media

and visibility, not about victims and if not in most cases

insensitive to their suering. Aected persons feel deprived

of their rights to speak for themselves. Their voices are

delegated to someone who has never been in their shoes.

III

They might just be there because they look like those

key UN decision-makers and are hired and made to speak

for them.

As a way forward and a show of respect and dignity to those

fearless men, women and children who have survived or

are still caught up in the midst of conict adversity, the

UN leadership can identify role models amongst them.

Even special appointments shouldn’t be just about the best

education, the region one comes from, race, age or gender,

but it should be in solidarity and aimed at uplifting the

victims and survivors of conict. Only when we can

demonstrate to them that they can do it, will they own

the UN and feel part of the struggle.

The beauty of the diversity enshrined in the UN would

only require the best leadership in UN at all levels to

inspire the best of human progress rooted in strength,

humility and tolerance.

Violation committed with protective

intent

Over the last few years, Africa has witnessed continued

violence and subjugation perpetrated with the active

assent of UN members as ‘protective measures’, such as

the military intervention in Libya in 2011.

It could be

of benet to the world to purposely undertake systematic

and participatory action-oriented eorts to nurture the

preventive tools of peace and dignity. This can be rooted

The beauty of the diversity enshrined in the UN would only require the

best leadership in UN at all levels to inspire the best of human progress

rooted in strength, humility and tolerance.

56 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

in the form of dialogues aimed at understanding the

protective origins of the problem, engaging rather than

condemning those involved in its perpetration.

This would serve to actualise the unwavering desire for

the prevention of all forms of violations, build peace, a

better world, culture and human dignity, which are vital

universal necessities that accounts for every single facet of

human life on this planet. This is the only way the UN

can be a role model at the individual or in community

settings. It can use its platform to inspire understanding

of the power dynamic variables that lead to violations of

human rights of women and girls, minority groups, deal

with issues of ethnicity and racism, among other practices

that have always damaged the image of humanity. When

nations are empowered, they can protect themselves, just

as when communities and families are empowered, they

will take positive actionable steps to empower women and

girls.

In our diverse world, the UN as a globally acceptable

body should and may lay tracks for the world to follow.

Eective and globally balanced, the UN will help the

world realise that we share a race – the human race and

that it is far more important than what divides us. I do

believe that with every defeat that the UN has faced is

an opportunity to learn and improve. With all the wars

and conicts happening around the world today there is

an opportunity to shine the light of reconciliation. Every

step forward, where young people are taking the lead in

innovation and technology, is clear evidence of human

potential for sustainable progress. All we need is the

leadership at the UN committed to helping world leaders

set their dierences aside and work together to make the

seemingly impossible peaceful world, a reality.

Endnotes

Godfrey Olukya, ‘Africa calls for permanent

representation at UN Security Council’,

Anadolu Agency, 21 January 2022, <https://

www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/africa-calls-for-

permanent-representation-at-un-security-

council/2481204>.

Abdi Latif Dahir, ‘Twice as many African

presidents made it to China’s Africa summit

than to the UN general assembly’, Quartz

Africa, 5 October 2018, <https://qz.com/

africa/1414004/more-african-presidents-

went-to-chinas-africa-forum-than-un-general-

assembly/>.

III

Alexandra C. Budabin, ‘Do Celebrity

Humanitarians Matter?’, Carnegie Council for

Ethics in International Aairs, 11 December

2014, <https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/

publications/ethics_online/0100>.

Hassan Isilow, ‘African intellectuals remember

late Muammar Gadda as pan-African’,

Anadolu Agency, 20 October 2021,<https://

www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/african-intellectuals-

remember-late-muammar-gadda-as-pan-

african/2397444>.

With all the wars and conflicts happening around the world today there

is an opportunity to shine the light of reconciliation. Every step forward,

where young people are taking the lead in innovation and technology, is

clear evidence of human potential for sustainable progress.

Ethical leadership: the power of principles, purpose, values and the human touch - Helmut Buss 57

The Portrait

Ethical leadership: The power of principles, purpose,

values and the human touch

BY HELMUT BUSS

Abdo Abu Salou’

Mother

Zataari Camp

58 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Helmut Buss brings over 30 years of working experience in international humanitarian

organisations on dierent continents and in various leadership positions. He held functions in the

elds of law, ethics and conict management. In that context and until the present, he has been

coaching leaders and organisations in developing collaborative safe spaces for problem resolution

and values-based compliance and ethical decision-making. He has recently retired from the

Oce of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where he held the

position of Director of the Ethics Oce. Previous assignments have included Ombudsman for

the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC), based in Geneva,

Ombudsman for the United Nations Funds and Programmes (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF,

UNOPS and UN-Women), based in New York, UNHCR Legal Counsel and UNHCR

Country Representative. He is a certied coach and mediator, holds Master’s in Law from

Hamburg University, has a Master’s in Mediation from the Institut Universitaire Kurt Boesch

(IUKB) in Sion, Switzerland, and an MBA from the Open University Business School in the

United Kingdom.

News about unethical behaviour has become part of

everyday headlines, in governments, businesses and also

in international organisations such as the United Nations.

Major scandals have shaken the organisations concerned

with massive implications for their reputation and

nancing.

While values and ethical principles have gained relevance

over the past decade in guiding organisations and informing

best practice in leadership, their impact still seems to be

limited. Is it just wishful thinking that ethics, values-based

decision-making and ethical leadership should all be

part of good business practice? What is the situation in

the UN? What are the UN values and ethical principles

and do they remain relevant in today’s world? If so, how

much are the UN values lived and translated into the daily

life of international civil servants and the Member States?

What are the challenges and opportunities in generating

the force of those values? What can be done concretely

and what does that mean for leaders and managers in the

UN family and the future of the UN international civil

service?

I would like to address some of those questions based on

my more than 30-year experience in the UN.

UN core values and ethical leadership

The founders of the UN aimed at building a workforce

that is held to the highest standards, including living up to

core values such as professionalism, integrity and respect

for diversity. Working for the UN means that one is never

truly o duty.

Ethical leadership is only one component of eective

leadership and means that leaders behave in accordance

with a set of principles and values recognised by the

UN and put them at the centre of everything they do.

There is no debate about whether being ethical in life

and in business is the right thing to do, it is even more

important than competence. There is also no question that

the large majority of UN personnel continue to adhere

to those highest standards of conduct and actively work

to keep those standards and values as part of their daily

actions. Also, there is an overwhelming amount of research

that shows that organisations with a strong values-based

culture are more successful, providing the workforce with

a strong purpose and the space to excel and address the

challenges of today. How else than by employing a value-

and purpose-based approach can the UN generate the

innovative and creative potential of its workforce to meet

the UN’s current and future challenges?

The big illusion or real-life experience?

Despite all the above, reports show that uncivil and

unethical behaviour occur regularly throughout the UN.

Multiple sta surveys continue to show experiences of

harassment and abuse of authority, with a high percentage

of colleagues being afraid to speak up, and signicant rates

of stress and burnout. There is a widespread perception that

accountability is selective and does not include everyone,

Ethical leadership: the power of principles, purpose, values and the human touch - Helmut Buss 59

The Portrait

particularly in the case of senior managers. While many

UN organisations make ocial statements committing

themselves to values and ethical conduct aspiring to zero

tolerance, those values are too often not lived in practice.

From my experience, I have not seen very many leaders

in the UN system with the ability and courage to address

today’s challenges and who possessed the leadership skills

now required. Times have changed and leaders today are

held to greater accountability than in the past. However,

even those good leaders whom I knew in the past already

struggled to adhere to the high standards set in the UN.

Of those leaders who tried, some just gave up, became

disillusioned or left.It begs the question whether ethical

leadership is realistic or just an illusion? If we say yes to

ethical leadership, do we do enough to recognise ethical

leadership or exemplary people managers? From my

experience, there is still a heavy focus on the WHAT we

do and the results that are achieved and much less on

HOW those results were achieved. There are still too many

situations where unethical leadership and management

practices are tolerated for the results achieved or the so-

called greater good those leaders brought, or for political

reasons. It seems to be much easier to list examples of

problematic or uncivil managers and leaders than to

provide a list of exemplary ethical leaders.

The claim that we in the UN must live up to the highest

standards and ambitious values statements is too often not

linked to the real-life experience in the workplace. At the

same time, there have been many eorts in strengthening

the UN internal justice system, integrity mechanisms,

risk management, victim-protection and whistle-blower

protection mechanisms. Are those eorts making a

dierence?

I have always taken the view that there have been huge

improvements in the way we are currently working in

the UN. This is supported by a number of important

regulatory changes over the past 15 years. The creation

of Ombuds and Ethics functions, a reform of the internal

system of justice, the professionalisation of jobs that are part

of the integrity mechanisms and the focus on supporting

leaders and managers in putting UN values into action

are all examples. That being said, it always depends on

which perspective one takes. Do I want to see the glass

half full or half empty? Do I focus on what is lacking or do

I build on what is there? These are all questions we have

to ask ourselves. We all have a choice on which of those

perspectives to take.

Some also argue that the UN’s core values and the

UN Oath of Oce require updating, including using

language that speaks to us in today’s world, with social

media, increasingly polarised dialogue, challenges to

democracy and human rights or global challenges such as

climate change. Do the UN’s core values and principles

as expressed in the nearly 100-year-old UN Oath of

Oce capture contemporary reality? While these values

and principles and their meaning should continuously be

discussed, reviewed and updated to reect the interests,

needs and concerns of an evolving world context, the UN

Oath of Oce can still serve as an important reminder

of the principles sworn to by UN personnel on behalf of

those with whom we serve and work. It is less about the

taxonomy we use and more about how we translate values

and ethical principles into action every day.

Reasons for ethical failures

Why do so many UN leaders still fail when it comes

to ethics? What can be done to further promote ethical

leadership practices?

There are multiple reasons why leaders and organisations

do not engage pro-actively in prioritising ethical leadership.

Among those reasons I observed are: (a) a certain reluctance

to engage in cultural and behavioural change programmes;

(b) overcondence and ethical blindness; (c) the straight

jacket of hierarchy, processes and bureaucracy; and (d)

the perceived existence of rst- and lower-class citizens

among the UN workforce.

The challenge of cultural change

Organisations are struggling to address challenges relating

to organisational culture, values, behavioural change and

people management. There appears to be something like

an illiteracy when it comes to so-called soft skills such

as empathy or how to use values in an authentic way to

provide purpose and orientation and to support ethical

leadership and decision-making. In addition to this lack of

expertise come challenges such as a perceived lack of time

and consequently lower priority given to the challenges

of cultural change and behavioural evolution in the light

of more pressing operational priorities. As a result, there

60 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

is a need to make culture and behaviour an integral part

of an organisation’s risk-management framework and to

strengthen the know-how on managing cultural change.

Ethical blindness

People tend to systematically overestimate their ethical

characteristics. According to one study, even prison

inmates think that they are more honest and trustworthy

than the average citizen.

Belief in our moral superiority is

the most irrational, self-enhancing bias of all.

According

to the prevailing theory of self-serving positive illusions,

we hold inaccurate, overly rosy views of ourselves because

they make us feel better about ourselves, and so boost

our psychological wellbeing. One of my mentors told me

that when reecting on this fundamental aspect of human

nature, he always thinks of the lines of Robert Burns’

poem ‘To a Louse’: ‘O would some Power with vision

teach us to see ourselves as others see us!’.

III

The research on unethical decision-making

has helped

us in UNHCR to help leaders and managers to better

understand what makes good people do bad things

and

to be more attentive to environments and contexts that

make people behave unethically. This includes situations

where people argue that ‘everyone else is doing it’ or ‘it

is unfair’, and also situations where people are exposed

to high-stress environments or are experiencing loyalty

conicts.

The straight jacket of hierarchy, processes and

bureaucracy

Fighting bureaucracy has been a call from several

Secretaries-General. The reality is that status, privilege

and processes continue to paralyse our work. I have often

wondered why everything has to be so complicated,

requiring lengthy processes, complicated authorisation

mechanisms and time. Many leaders use language such as

‘my team’ and ‘I have done this’ rather than promoting a

collaborative approach using language such as ‘we’ or ‘us’.

According to the prevailing theory of self-serving positive illusions, we

hold inaccurate, overly rosy views of ourselves because they make us feel

better about ourselves, and so boost our psychological wellbeing.

Organigrammes cement a hierarchy, a directive, top-down

approach and an ‘I am the boss’ culture. This then cascades

down throughout the whole organisation. At the same

time, we talk about agility, creativity and innovation. How

can that ever happen in such a hierarchical system? Leaders

have an opportunity and a responsibility to break down

such hierarchies, promote atter structures, collaborative

styles and take more of a ‘just-do-it’ approach.

First- and lower-class employees

While we promote the core value of diversity and

inclusion, the UN workforce lives a dierent reality. Today,

a considerable number of the UN personnel works on

short-term contracts without job-security and often with

far fewer benets. And while UN personnel continues to

be held to highest standards with an expectation of full

loyalty to the UN interests only, the UN does not return

that loyalty to its employees in the form of some job-

security or career expectations.

How can UN colleagues feel included, if there is such

dierence in treatment and status, unrelated to the quality

of work and commitment of the colleagues concerned?

There is a new generation of colleagues who choose

their employer on criteria such as work/life balance,

atmosphere in the team, role-modelling of the team

leader. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored this

shift in expectations and people have had time to reect

on questions such as purpose of work, quality of life and

importance of health and family. This will result in higher

expectations of employees in what the UN can oer in

that regard and it will become even more challenging

to be a successful and ethical leader in this new work

environment.

What can be done?

Ethical leadership has the potential to drive the evolution

of a mindset that encompasses values-based decision-

Ethical leadership: the power of principles, purpose, values and the human touch - Helmut Buss 61

The Portrait

making and a serving leadership. Key elements are an

ability to listen, empathy, humility, and a people-focus in

recognising and empowering others. I am convinced that

it is possible to be both kind-hearted and tough-minded.

Another central requirement for ethical leadership is to

self-reect, to be very honest with oneself and to use

the UN’s core values and ethical principles as a compass

and guide. To generate maximum potential from the UN

workforce, it will be important to do much more than

oer protected spaces for dialogue where colleagues feel

invited to contribute and speak up. A culture of respect

and inclusion also begins with recognising those who speak

up. The relatively recent initiatives by UN colleagues, be it

Young UN

or Stronger Together,

VII

reect the potential

contribution of voices of colleagues, referred to by some

leaders as the civil society of the UN workforce.

A lot is happening to strengthen values-based decision-

making and ethical leadership and it is now important to

build on those islands of best practice to further strengthen

the practice of ethical leadership. There is no question that

all of this will take time and will require daily practice,

courage, patience and determination. From behavioural

science, we know that on average it takes 66 days before

new behaviours became automatic although there can be

marked variation in how long habits take to form; the

results of one related study showed that it could take

between 18 and 254 days in the habits examined.

VIII

It is important to use ‘nudges’ and reminders to help

colleagues be mindful of a goal until their actions become

automatic and to look for opportunities to encourage the

practice of new behaviours, similar to the daily training of

muscles in a tness room.

I take the view that there is a way to be a successful leader

in the UN. It takes a person who can be driven by the UN’s

core values, and has a mindset of serving, prioritising team

and inclusivity while living up to the highest standards. All

this and still abiding by the changing prole of leadership

required to navigate today’s challenges.

I rmly believe and promote the concept that the power

of principles, purpose, values and the human touch is

ultimately a greater guide of leaders’ actions than the

principles of power and ego. Upholding values and ethical

principles as a higher calling must be understood as

something more than organising code-of-conduct sessions

or avoiding conicts of interest. It is about re-calling and

bringing to life the commitment of service, translated as

serving the objectives, values and purposes of the UN.

That includes putting the UN principles and values into

action every day. A return to principled action is necessary

not only for the sake of the UN’s political relevance and

moral authority, but more urgently for the sake of the

peoples of the world the UN is meant to protect from the

vagaries of unprincipled power.

In my experience, it is possible for UN leaders to do

exactly what I have been reecting on in this article. This

is not hypothetical. It is up to every person in leadership

in the UN to honour their oath of oce and to make a

dierence. It can be done, and I have witnessed leaders

who have done it. Furthermore, it makes life in the UN

more rewarding, more fullling, more eective – and

creates an inspiring place in which to work.

Ethical leadership has the potential to drive the evolution of a mindset that

encompasses values-based decision-making and a serving leadership.

62 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Endnotes

Constantine Sedikides, Rosie Meek, Mark D. Alicke,

and Sarah Taylor, ‘Behind bars but above the bar:

Prisoners consider themselves more prosocial than

non-prisoners.’ British journal of social psychology, 53/2, pp.

396-403, <https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.uu.se/10.1111/

bjso.12060>.

Emma Young, ‘Belief in our moral superiority is the

most irrational self-enhancing bias of all’, Research

Digest The British Psychological Society, Research Digest,

29 November 2017, <https://digest.bps.org.

uk/2017/11/29/belief-in-our-moral-superiority-is-the-

most-irrational-self-enhancing-bias-of-all/>.

III

Robert Burns ‘To a Louse’: O would some Power

with vision teach us/ To see ourselves as others see us!/

It would from many a blunder free us/ And foolish

notions/ What airs in dress and carriage would leave us/

And even devotion!; in its original Scots, <https://www.

youtube.com/watch?v=DsC-Aumx4dk; for the English

translation see: http://shsjdyer.pbworks.com/w/le/

fetch/52084477/>.

One of the renown researchers in this area is Professor

Guido Palazzo of the University of Lausanne. His

research and teaching has informed UNHCR’ s new

approach to ethics; see also his online couse: <https://

www.coursera.org/learn/unethical-decision-making>.

Jeremy Willinger, ‘The only way is ethics, why good

people do bad things and how to stop us’, Ethical

Systems NYU Stern’s Business and Society Program,

22 June 2017, <https://themindgym.com/resources/

whitepapers/the-only-way-is-ethics>.

See: https://www.young-un.org.

VII

Stronger Together is a network of hundreds of

UNHCR colleagues supporting and informing the

dialogue on race in the organisation.

VIII

Phillippa Lally, Cornelia H.M. van Jaarsveld, Henry

W. W. Potts, and Jane Wardle, ‘How are Habits Formed:

Modelling Habit Formation in the Real World’,

European Journal of Social Psychology, 40/6 (2010), pp.

998-1009, <https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.uu.se/10.1002/

ejsp.674>.

Mona Ali Khalil, ‘Restoring the Values and Spirit of

the International Civil Service’, 100 Years of International

Civil Service (Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation

2019), <https://www.daghammarskjold.se/publication/

restoring-the-values-and-spirit-of-the-international-

civil-service/>.

Integrity and ethical leadership: Enhancing the UN’s role in the world - Adama Dieng 63

The Portrait

Integrity and ethical leadership: Enhancing the UN’s

role in the world

BY ADAMA DIENG

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Two faces in one panel

Azraq Camp

64 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

Adama Dieng served as United Nations Under- Secretary-General and Special Adviser of

the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide from 2012 to 2020 and was Registrar

of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Dieng was Secretary-General of the

Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists from 1990 to 2000. Other experience

includes UN Independent Expert for Haiti and Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Malawi

to mediate between the Government and the pressure groups. He is one of the architects of the

African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and was part of the rst draft of the African

Convention to ght Corruption. Dieng served as Supreme Court Registrar in Senegal. He is a

former founding member of the Board of Directors of the International Institute for Democracy

and Electoral Assistance as well as former President of the Martin Ennals Foundation.

When the United Nations Charter was founded in

1945, the world had just emerged from the devastating

Second World War.

Lives had been lost. Hopes were

dashed and replaced by despair, while human rights had

been relegated to the footnotes of history. The Charter

was therefore conceived not as a world constitution, but

rather as a universal document which could underpin

collective peace and security, recognition, and respect of

the dignity of humankind, international law and peaceful

coexistence among nations. Above all, it was envisaged as

a unique deliberative body. A place where humanity could

converge as equals and respect to discuss mutually shared

challenges and hopes.

However, if the Charter was to succeed, it was imperative

that, it avoids or rather learn from the shortcomings of the

League of Nations which had spectacularly failed to live

up to its founding ideals, particularly in terms of inclusion

and respect for the less powerful nations and citizens. We

can therefore accurately say that imperfect as the Charter

might be, it has contributed enormously to the relative

peace we enjoy today.

The Charter has inspired numerous instruments which

continue to underpin a wide range of issues that are critical

and consequential to humanity’s peaceful coexistence. The

promotion of universal human rights, climate change,

peace and security, development, international trade,

intellectual property, criminal justice to name some. Indeed,

inspired by the UN Charter, dierent regions have further

adopted a wide range of instruments to address more

specic challenges facing them. However, despite its epic

contribution to world peace and security, it is imperative

to examine the kinds of leadership both internally and

on the global stage. I will venture some ideas as to what

is required for the organisation to live up to its founding

ideals and attain legitimacy before those it serves.

The UN and the quest for ethical

leadership

Among the values that guide the work of the UN,

integrity forms a core part of these values. And this is

not by default. It is rather in recognition of the decisions

made at the UN which aects the lives and wellbeing

of billions of people around the world. Leadership

characterised by integrity calls for leaders to exercise

service above self; providing leadership that transcends

temporary or short-term political or economic

consideration while advancing the broader interest of

humankind as reected in the Charter.

Ethical leadership entails transformational, authentic,

people-oriented, fair, encouraging and empowering

values. For the UN, it calls for principled leadership

that stands for those norms and qualities that reect the

highest ideals of humanity. Clarity of vision, integrity

and political insights are essential for leadership, but they

cannot thrive where the courage to face controversy and

to weather unpopularity or condemnation are lacking.

The UN, while a deliberative body where Member

States, both powerful and less powerful, converge to

discuss and nd solutions to mutually shared challenges,

is not a world government. Yet, how those entrusted

with the power and authority emanating from the

Charter, exercise those powers matter. The organisation

is run by individuals who make daily decisions with

consequences beyond the domain of UN halls in New

York or Geneva.

Integrity and ethical leadership: Enhancing the UN’s role in the world - Adama Dieng 65

The Portrait

For example, key decisions with profound impact on

the lives of millions of people are made daily such as the

distribution of vital humanitarian assistance in refugee

camps, allocation of development funds to support rule

of law institutions, provision of immunisation kits in

some of the hardest to reach and dangerous areas. Often

taking care of crucial tasks such as providing access to

winter blankets and food rations for the displaced and

taking decisions to investigate and prosecute potential

perpetrators of atrocity crimes among many others.

How these individuals with such vast and important

powers understand and interpret these rules and values

impact the work and credibility of the organisation, but

also the lives of those they serve. Furthermore, how the

UN leaders or sta treat each other, their subordinates,

contractors, or volunteers reect on the organisation

and its ability not only to live up to the ideals of the

Charter but as its sole guardian and defender.

The sta members of the UN are international civil

servants, and their responsibilities are not national, but

rather exclusively international.

III

While they receive

guidance and directives from Member States, with

often contradictory and competing interests, they have

the responsibility to ensure that their primary and sole

consideration in decision-making is to serve the people

of the world rather than interest of a single or particular

government.. With these enormous powers, it is

imperative to examine how international civil servants

are accountable for their actions.

Legitimacy, accountability, and UN

Leadership

Being an international civil servant means you have a

responsibility to humanity irrespective of your personal

beliefs or preferences. It is important that in this role

UN sta live and manifest the founding ideals of the

Being an international civil servant means you have a responsibility

to humanity irrespective of your personal beliefs or preferences. It

is important that in this role UN staff live and manifest the founding

ideals of the Charter, particularly when dealing with beneficiaries and

each other. This will make the UN effective and fit for purpose.

Charter, particularly when dealing with beneciaries

and each other. This will make the UN eective and t

for purpose. Sta members must have condence that

their managers and superiors share their visions and

convictions. As often noted, motivated and respected

sta are the heartbeat of any institution.

How leaders and managers within the UN leadership

structures treat their subordinates, determine their

ability to serve the rest of humanity. One of the greatest

challenges facing the organisation, and which I must

add, will dene its mission and relevance to the world

for many years to come, is its quest to live up to its core

value of respect for diversity.

One’s ability to serve is still the prevailing practice

and a primary consideration for employment and

career progression. But when it comes to diversity

the relevant section of the Charter refers only to

geographical diversity, which can be construed as quite

vague in a more modern or broader context rather than

race, ethnicity or any other considerations.

When

sta lack condence or trust in their managers and

superiors, it is dicult for them to full their mission

and responsibilities. This is particularly dicult when

recognising the imperative nature of a lack of diversity

at all levels among its workforce.

The Report by the Task Force commissioned by the

UN Secretary-General to examine racism in the

organisation laid bare the scourge of racism facing

the institution.

The Report candidly recognises

that ‘professional, substantive and decision-making roles

in the Organisation appear to be disproportionately

staed by one regional group (Western European and

other States)’.

The report also notes that against the wisdom of the

UN Charter, geographical representation has been on

66 Chapter Two - The Art of Leadership

The Portrait

the back burner for too long and it seems to have been

lagging in the context of other issues such as gender

or sexual orientation.

VII

It further suggests that to have

progress in addressing racism and racial discrimination,

the UN needs unwavering commitment from senior

leaders and the full participation of its personnel. This

will ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to

participate in the work of the organisation and is treated

with respect and dignity.

The Secretary-General has expressed his commitment

to address and ght racism with ‘robust investigative and

accountability measures, coupled with persistence and

sustained collective actions to enhance support and build

trust’.

VIII

To buttress this commitment, the Secretary-

General has undertaken a wide range of initiatives to

ensure that the UN is not only representative of our

human family, but that everyone is given an opportunity

to serve and excel in the service of the organisation

irrespective of one’s gender or background.

The gender parity championed by the Secretary-

General immediately after assuming oce in 2016, is

a testimony to this eect. The establishment of the Task

Force and the growing conversation on racism in the

organisation are all positive developments.

A lot will now hang on the delivery of these promises.

The Member States, the UN system, its senior ocials,

and sta members should all mobilise to give this ideal

every chance of success. Ultimately, an organisation that

is representative of humanity in all its dimension will do

more to rearm founding principles and values of the

Charter than anything else.

The United Nations can only live up to its founding

ideals if it treats its workforce with respect and dignity. If

it recognises the imperative nature of diversity through

commitment and actions rather than mere words. The

organisation must represent and be seen to represent the

human family in its entirety irrespective of their colour,

gender, national origin or any other attributes that is

consistent with the Charter. How the organisation

understands and accommodates these complex issues

will be key not only to its survival but also competence

and legitimacy in the many years to come.

Conclusion

Ethical leadership and integrity are the core values

that guide the work of the UN. The founding of the

UN Charter was a watershed moment for humanity. It

rearmed the indivisibility and interdependent nature of

our human family. The ability of the organisation created

to address the myriad of challenges facing humanity is

situated in its sense of legitimacy. From those it was called

on to serve, but also those who serve within its structures.

The Charter should not be seen as a document with a

collection of lofty ideals. Rather a document whose

existence inspires the lives and hopes of our collective

humanity on a day-to-day basis. Those privileged with

having the trust and responsibility to interpret and

implement these values must be accountable for their

actions and decisions. Ultimate success will be when

those who carry out and represent its values believe in its

mission and visions. They must have the moral courage

to represent and defend the hopes and aspirations of our

human family as espoused in the UN Charter.

The United Nations can only live up to its founding ideals if it treats

its workforce with respect and dignity. If it recognises the imperative

nature of diversity through commitment and actions rather than mere

words. The organisation must represent and be seen to represent the

human family in its entirety irrespective of their colour, gender, national

origin or any other attributes that is consistent with the Charter. How the

organisation understands and accommodates these complex issues will

be key not only to its survival but also competence and legitimacy in the

many years to come.

Integrity and ethical leadership: Enhancing the UN’s role in the world - Adama Dieng 67

The Portrait

Endnotes

Charter of the United Nations, signed 26 June

1945, entered into force 24 October 1945,

<https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/ctc/

uncharter.pdf. >.

Hochschild Fabrizio, ‘Courage and

Integrity in UN Leadership’, 100 Years of

International Civil Service (Uppsala: Dag

Hammarskjöd Foundation), 2019 <https://

www.daghammarskjold.se/wp-content/

uploads/2019/04/ics_100_no_1_f_hochschild.

pdf>.

III

Charter of the United Nations, ibid., Art.

100.

Ibid. ,Art. 101(3).

United Nations,

‘

Report of the Secretary-

General’s Task Force on Addressing Racism

and Promoting Dignity for All in the United

Nations Secretariat’, 2021.

United Nations, ibid, p. 25-28.

VII

United Nationa, ibid.

VIII

Secretary General in his letter addressed to

sta in January 2022.

68 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Three faces

Azraq Camp

Chapter Three

The vanguard: Breaking the traditional leadership mould

Three questions about UN leaders of the 21st century

BY TOILY KURBANOV............................................................................................................... 70

From youth inclusion to intergenerational feminist leadership

BY SHADI ROUHSHAHBAZ ....................................................................................................... 74

Feminist leadership for transformative social justice

BY DANIELA ZELAYA RAUDALES AND CAROLINE LAMBERT............................................ 81

A world in dire need of intergenerational leadership

INTERVIEW WITH AHUNNA EZIAKONWA ............................................................................ 86

70 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

Three questions about UN leaders of the 21st

century

BY TOILY KURBANOV

Asim Abdul Hamid Al Ashram

Overlapping faces

Azraq Camp

This article is written in Toily Kurbanov’s personal capacity and does not necessarily reect the views of

the UN.

Three questions about UN leaders of the 21st century - Toily Kurbanov 71

The Vanguard

Toily Kurbanov is the executive coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV). He has

30 years of experience as banker, government policy maker, diplomat, development practitioner,

humanitarian and UN leader.

A practitioner doesn’t get a lot of time to reect about

leadership traits in a structured way. What a practitioner

tends to do instead is ask questions. Some questions will

have ‘answers’ which a practitioner will try to translate into

‘solutions’. Others may not have answers – not at all, or

not now – and so we leave them open until better times.

In this article, searching for the identity of United Nations

leaders of the 21st century, I will ask three questions:

1.Who are you, the UN leader of 21st century?

2.What issues do you care about?

3.What will you do about these issues?

While not having the answers, I will also take the risk of

sharing lessons from my generation that future UN leaders

themselves can use on their own leadership pathway.

Who will lead the UN in the 21st

century?

In my view, the most important demographic cohorts that

will constitute and dene future UN leaders are those

who were born at the turn of the 21st century and in its

rst decade.

Right now, these two cohorts, which the media often

calls Generations Z and Alpha, are coming of age. In their

communities, at national level, and increasingly, on the

international scene they will soon start driving the next

development agenda.

By 2050 they will reach the peak of

their careers and will continue to shape the world all the

way until the end of the century. Even today, 70 is widely

considered to be the new 50. By 2075, with advances in

health sciences, 70 might be the new 30. Thus, expect

these generations to still be part of the workforce well

into the last quarter of this century.

Incidentally, when we look back to the 1900s, a similar

demographic cohort dened the modern UN: Trygve

Lie, Dag Hammarskjöld, and U Thant were all born just

before or at the start of the century. As were Eleanor

Roosevelt and Indira Gandhi who, even without having

executive roles inside the UN, had major roles in shaping

the organisation into what it is today.

I count on generations Z and Alpha to give the world

its 21st century UN leaders of the stature of Eleanor

Roosevelt and Dag Hammarskjold. That said, as a global

citizen I also expect most of these leaders to come from

the global south where the majority of generations Z and

Alpha are born. When I meet a young start-up owner in

Nigeria designing public health tracker apps or a female

student ghting for her right for education at Kabul

university, I keep thinking: ‘UN leadership in the 21st

century is them’.

What will motivate the UN leaders of

the 21st century?

While it is still too early to delve into the generational

formative experiences of these cohorts, here are a couple

of glimpses.

Generations Z and Alpha are much more digitally savvy

and globally networked than most people of my generation.

They grew up in the world of low or no digital space

boundaries. Even during the recent years of the pandemic,

when some of the borders were resurrected in the physical

universe, they have almost completely disappeared in the

digital world.

Unlike their predecessors they will grow up in a multi-

polar world and, hopefully, not under a spell of an us-vs-

them identity, such as East-West and North-South. Those

divisions still characterize the world as we know it, but

much less so than a generation ago.

However, these generations will have also grown up in

a strange era of convergence between developed and

developing countries and yet face exploding inequalities

within our countries.

It is quite possible that international

72 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

Will the future of the UN leaders come from more privileged and sheltered

backgrounds and turn the UN into a more elitist supranational entity,

detached from the wider communities and yet claiming to speak on their

behalf? Or will their formative experiences make the new generation of

UN leaders care even more than us about fairness, inclusion and social

justice?

borders between the future UN leaders will be replaced

by even more dramatic domestic divides such as class and

income. Will the future of the UN come from more

privileged and sheltered backgrounds and turn the UN

into a more elitist supranational entity, detached from the

wider communities and yet claiming to speak on their

behalf? Or will their formative experiences make the new

generation of UN leaders care even more than us about

fairness, inclusion and social justice? I hope for the latter,

but much depends on the progress towards the Sustainable

Development Goals and the decade ahead of us – the

decade which coincides with the formative years of the

next leadership generations.

Finally,

How will they address global issues?

Their formative experiences will have bearing not only

on what issues and values the next leaders will care about,

but also on how they will go about addressing them. Let

me again admit that I don’t have answers, but will at the

same time ‘park’ a couple of points which might resonate

with the UN leaders of the 21st century.

First, because future leaders are growing up in a more open

multi-polar, hopefully less antagonistic world, for them

seeking global solutions to planetary issues is going to be

much more intuitive. This contrasts with the approach still

prevailing in my generation.

We face a world where most development issues are framed

as domestic concerns and therefore the solutions are also

designed at national level. Where solutions don’t t the

domestic boundaries we will dene them as ‘cross-border’.

I expect that for future leaders the default sequencing

will reverse and the global solutions will be more often

a measure of rst rather than last resort. This can be good

news for delivering climate action or responding to future

pandemics, ie issues which, as the world painfully came to

realise, require a truly global response.

The current cloud of uncertainty around the future of

work might resolve in another set of implications for the

decision making and leadership by the next generation of

UN leaders. Take one tectonic change that started in my

generation and will carry into the future: the adjustments

in the life cycle as the world evolves from industrial to a

knowledge-based era.

In the 20th century the life cycle comprised of three distinct

and neatly linear phases: 1-education; 2-work; 3-retirement.

This is no longer the case. Today, the education cycles are

lengthier (not 6-7 years, but 15 or more) as is the age

of retirement, which in addition, can promise a fullling

second career. Moreover, the lines between these cycles

get blurred and the transitions – from education to work

and from work to retirement – are often accompanied by

community service and volunteering. The 20th century’s

notion of the UN and government careers as a lifetime

pathway – or even as long-term assignments – might not

be viable in the 21st century. Instead, the leaders will move

more seamlessly between work in business and non-prot

sectors, lifelong study and community service.

In an early sign of this change, the volunteer work has

quite discernibly evolved from a youth phenomenon to a

‘new normal’ at all career stages.

III

For many in generations

Z and Alpha, the volunteering experience might be

equally valuable as a prologue, as an intermission, and as

an epilogue of their leadership pathways. We shouldn’t be

surprised and perhaps we should already start getting used

to the idea that many future UN leaders will come from,

and eventually go back to, UN Volunteer assignments. Let

me ‘park’ this as a prospect which others can explore in

future issues of the Art of UN Leadership.

Three questions about UN leaders of the 21st century - Toily Kurbanov 73

The Vanguard

The generation of Hammarskjold lived through two World

Wars. Their experience of ‘untold sorrows to mankind,’ as

the UN Charter starts, ensured a strong resolve to uphold

world peace.

Let us hope that the drive of the 21st century’s UN leaders

will come, not from common fears, but from shared

positive aspirations. And their ultimate achievement will

not only be ‘to save succeeding generations from the

scourge of war’, but indeed ‘to promote social progress

and better standards of life in larger freedom’.

Endnotes

According to UN System Chief Executives

Board, UN personnel under the age of 25

years comprise 0.1% of all UN personnel. If

the current age distribution of UN personnel

holds in future, in 5 years this generation will

comprise 3.7% and in another 5 years 26.6%

of all UN personnel. See: UN System Chief

Executives Board of Coordination, ‘Personnel

by age and tenure’, 31 December 2020,

https://unsceb.org/hr-others.

In the last two decades, the gap between the

average incomes of the richest 10% and the

poorest 50% of countries dropped from around

50x to 40x. At the same time, inequalities

increased signicantly within countries: the

gap between the average incomes of the top

10% and the bottom 50% of individuals within

countries increased from 8.5x to 15x. See:

Lucas Chancel, Thomas Picketty, Emmanuel

Saez, and Gabriel Zucman, World Inequality

Report 2022, (Paris: World Inequality Lab, 2022,

https://wir2022.wid.world/insights/.

III

Already in 2020, the average age of United

Nations Volunteers was 34, with 35% under 30

and 65% over 30, including 1% UN Volunteers

over 60 years. Source: Annual report of UN

Development Program (UNDP), Population

Fund (UNFPA) and Oce for Project Services

(UNOPS), 6 April 2021, https://undocs.org/

DP/2021/25.

74 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

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From youth inclusion to intergenerational feminist

leadership

BY SHADI ROUHSHAHBAZ

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Portrait of a woman

Azraq Camp

This article is written in Shadi Rouhshahbaz’s personal capacity and does not necessarily reect the views of the

UN.

From youth inclusion to intergenerational feminist leadership - Shadi Rouhshahbaz 75

The Vanguard

Shadi Rouhshahbaz has over ve years of experience working with youth leaders and young

peacebuilders across Middle East and North Aafrica, Asia, Africa and Europe. She is currently

a Young Woman Leader Fellow and a Peace and Security Programme Analyst at UN Women.

In the past she has had engagements with the United Nations Information Centre and

UNICEF in Iran, and the United Network of Young Peacebuilders. Shadi is the founder of

PeaceMentors, a young-women-lead peacebuilding organisation in Iran. Her research interests

focus on youth leadership and agency, the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and the Women,

Peace and Security agenda.

I will never forget my rst day stepping into the United

Nations Secretariat corridors as a 27-year-old Iranian

woman in October 2021. This was not my rst time

entering these types of spaces as when I was younger I

interned with the UN Information Centre (UNIC) and

the UN’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Iran, spoke at

events, and attended several consultations in similar spaces

around the world. This time, however, it felt truly dierent.

Now it was no longer as a guest, an intern, or a participant.

I had ocially joined UN Women as part of the Young

Women Leaders (YWLs) Initiative.

This much-needed programme brings 12 young women

leaders from under-represented countries to serve as UN

Volunteers at UN Women headquarters in New York. The

aim is to give us opportunities to exercise our leadership

skills to be leaders of ‘tomorrow’, whilst improving gender

diversity in UN Women during this one-year professional

fellowship. Upon selection from over 1500 applications

and being amongst the younger and least represented

nationalities in the sta of my agency, if not the entire

system, it felt even more important to keep my focus on

transformation.

I asked myself some crucial questions when settling in this

new role. Like what does it mean to be one of ‘tomorrow’s

young women leaders’ at UN Women and the broader

UN system? This was an important question, because I

was struggling to understand when tomorrow will come.

What will some of the challenges and opportunities be

when working in an organisation where the average age of

the sta is 45.7?

What does the world inside and outside

the organisation need most from UN leaders? And how

can I help achieve it? Asking these questions brought me

back to previous experiences in leading projects and teams

where I often reected on the need for implementing a

feminist and intergenerational leadership model. Here I

would like to oer my personal experiences in response

to these questions and share some recommendations

towards the practical implementation of intergenerational

feminist leadership strategies at the UN.

The United Nations System Leadership

Framework and intergenerational

leadership

We are living through one of the biggest generational shifts

in the workplace with leadership in teams made up of

diverse members from dierent generations and it comes

with specic challenges and opportunities. It is becoming

more and more obvious that the UN system cannot steer

clear of these generational shifts while continuing to abide

by its values and principles and remaining relevant to

the realities of the world. I would like to add my voice

to the many who already have argued that the sooner

intergenerational leadership becomes an embraced and

practiced reality, the better one can manage a team that

has members from at least four generations: Baby boomers

(1945-1960), Generation X (1960-1980), Generation Y

(1980-1995), Generation Z (1995-2005).

With navigating dierent values, ideals, cultures, priorities,

skillsets, communications and working styles across

generations and backgrounds, it is certainly challenging

to bring everyone together to work harmoniously and

eciently. Therefore, much like any other entity that

wishes to remain relevant to the changing contexts and

time, at the level of the UN, transformative change must

happen and remain to create the enabling environment

and leadership that engages team members from across all

backgrounds eectively.

One step towards making eective leadership a reality has

been the United Nations System Leadership Framework

(see Box 1).

III

When reecting on the Framework’s

principles, it would be only natural for the UN to increase

76 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

and constructively engage younger leaders as partners

alongside its currently more senior leadership in advancing

its agendas.

The UN developed the Youth Strategy and appointed

a Youth Envoy to engage with Generation Y and Z,

integral to the category ‘Youth’. The the Security Council

adopted Resolutions 2250, 2419 and 2535 speaking to the

importance participation of and partnership with young

people in development, peace, and security.

Section 3 of

the Our Common Agenda, is also dedicated to youth and

future generations.

Still, the UN, as an inclusive and transformative entity,

should also be accountable to youth as current and

future beneciaries. The creation of agendas, strategies,

frameworks and mandates can be catalysts for pushing

change forward. However there is a risk that it can fall

through the cracks or be lost before they reach ecosystems

of individual teams across dierent sections and agencies.

Box 1: UN Leadership Framework

The United Nations System Leadership Framework establishes that, in today’s challenging

international environment, UN leadership:

is norm-based, promoting, protecting and defending United Nations norms and standards

contained in international treaties, resolutions and declarations;

takes a principled approach at all levels, always maintaining constructive engagement with all

stakeholders on the most sensitive of issues and never discriminating, turning a blind eye to abuses,

or giving in to pressure;

is inclusive and respectful of all personnel and stakeholders, embracing diversity and rejecting

discrimination in all its forms;

is mutually accountable within the system, to beneciaries – especially the most vulnerable,

excluded or marginalized – and the public beyond, for the causes the organization serves and the

way it conducts its work;

is multidimensional, engaging across pillars and functions, connecting knowledge and experience,

and ensuring coherence in support of the fully integrated SDG framework;

is transformational at all levels, supporting the overall mission to achieve positive change as well as

the signicant change eort to implement the 2030 Agenda while leaving no one behind;

is collaborative, reecting the interdependent imperatives of the United Nations Charter and the

comprehensive nature of the 2030 Agenda, seeking collective ‘as one’ thinking, joined-up approaches

and solutions, and recognizing that better connecting universal goals to people-centered initiatives

requires investment in collective United Nations eorts to achieve them, and

is self-applied, so that United Nations principles and norms are exhibited in the behaviour and

interactions of all leaders.

From youth inclusion to intergenerational feminist leadership - Shadi Rouhshahbaz 77

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For example the 2019 report on the Composition of the

Secretariat notes a sta age increase from 43.8 to 45.7

years since 2014,

and The ‘Art of Leadership in the

United Nations: Framing What’s Blue’ reports that from

2015 to 2017, the average age of serving men and women

remained marginally stable at around 48 and 45 years

respectively.

VII

While many documents, strategies and mechanisms are

developed to move towards intergenerational leadership -

and a few of which are even co-created in consultation with

young people - the entity’s ‘culture eats [these] strategies

for breakfast’.

VIII

Unfortunately, this weighs heavy on

young leaders, especially young women leaders who join

the system in the hope of bringing about transformative

change, only to conclude that ‘the system is not built with

them in mind’.

The hesitation in changing organisational culture to

embrace intergenerational leadership is not unique to the

UN as it has multiple roots including nancial implications

and values. However, so long as the denition of UN

leadership is limited to the vague phrase of ‘Standing up

for human rights and for the principles of the UN Charter’

without connecting to the realities of the lives of young

people - whether as allies and moving forces within the

system or beneciaries outside - and allocating nances

to include them, there is not much hope to transform the

culture to one that embraces intergenerational leadership.

‘Great leaders put people – not gadgets, processes, and

personal ambition – rst’.

Within complex systems like

the UN, embracing change only happens when individual

mindsets transform, not only among leaders, but also

among team members of all generations. Putting people

rst also means that young people are given a chance to

bring evidence of their ability to add signicant value and

space for their perspectives to be taken into consideration.

This translates into transitioning from meaningful youth

inclusion to transformative youth engagement and can be

achieved in several ways. Such as not reducing the role of

of interns or junior sta to administrative or ‘intern’ tasks,

giving them the opportunity to chair meetings, listening

to ideas and investing in their ability to lead processes

and procedures, create enabling and inclusive recruitment

processes to retain them within fair employment status.

This shift in mindset and enabling conditions would mean

that an immense and transformative capital can be engaged

to advance the system. It can also embrace multiple

strategies to mainstream rights-based intergenerational

feminist leadership that challenge the prevailing leadership

status quo.

Feminist leadership within the

intergenerational leadership spectrum

As an organisation that has been promoting women’s

rights for decades and operating on the principle of

leaving no one behind, the UN’s ecosystem is steadily, if

slowly, moving towards gender mainstreaming and gender

parity. UN Women, also known as the United Nations

Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of

Women, is a UN body working for gender equality and

the empowerment of women around the world.

It can

therefore be concluded that UN Women should inspire

feminist leadership in and outside the system.

Feminist leadership has been described in many dierent

ways. It could be envisioned as courageous, ground-

breaking, empathic, inclusive, exible, respectful, rights-

based and just, but according to Tracy Barton’s denition

this type of leadership is:

‘[A Feminist leader strives to] identify injustices and oppressions and

[is inspired] to facilitate the development of more inclusive, holistic

… communities. Feminist leaders are motivated by fairness, justice,

and equity and strive to keep issues of gender, race, social class,

sexual orientation, and ability at the forefront ….. The elements

particular to a feminist leadership construction include a focus on

both individual or micro-level and societal or macro-level social

justice concerns, a desire to bring marginalized voices to the center

Putting people first also means that young people are given a chance to

bring evidence of their ability to add significant value and space for their

perspectives to be taken into consideration.

78 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

of the conversation, and a willingness to take risks as one strives to

enact a transformative agenda.’

XII

If applied, feminist leadership can create a roadmap

for meaningful youth inclusion and eventually youth

engagement through intergenerational leadership practices.

This kind of leadership should ideally overcome the barriers

of the infantilisation, marginalisation and exclusion based

on gender, age and intersectional identity markers that are

historically associated with marginalisation.

It becomes an invaluable asset to overcome the imposter

syndrome among many candidates. If and once implemented

correctly, intergenerational feminist leadership paves the

way for moving towards ‘leaving no one behind’. It also

enables the connection between generations who work

together in maintaining peace and security, development

and human rights inside and outside the UN.

In sum, for current and future intergenerational feminist

UN leaders, regardless of their age, it is crucial to always be

aware of dierent cultures and contexts. They should think

about power dynamics and hierarchy and their enabling

and disabling eects, to exercise patience, empathy, trust and

genuine individualised human connection. Additionally,

to encourage learning and innovation and to facilitate the

integration of innovative and transformative ideas within

the current systemic constraints.

Recommendations for meaningful

intergenerational leadership

When considering intergenerational feminist leadership

as one of the models for intersectional, innovative and

inclusive leadership at the UN, one can look back at Jay

Fraser’s denition of leadership: ‘Leadership is the ability

to change and to accomplish things that couldn’t have

been done without you’.

XIII

This denition highlights the

importance of the value of individuals and their talents

and goes beyond systemic hierarchy. It emphasises that a

leader is not just the person whose title is dened as a

team or entity leader. Instead, it highlights the importance

of courage and standing up for the change that is necessary

to live by the values and principles of the UN and its

agenda. It also recommends doing so with the support

of one’s team both in scenarios when converging and

diverging opinions come from across dierent generations.

If we as young women feminist leaders in the UN

system are to grow and surivive in the changing

intergenerational landscape, certain practical steps can

support us in navigating it. Intergenerational feminist

leadership starts with active listening as an indispensable

asset to good leaders across dierent generations. Great

leaders listen to team members and consider how to

create more open spaces for discussion and co-creation.

Redesigning obsolete hierarchies with modesty and

humility regardless of age and seniority remains essential

to grounding intergenerational leadership at team level.

Box 2: UN leadership Strategies

Succesful models of such leadership with a focus on the leadership of young women have

already been implemented in dierent contexts and the following strategies have been

highlighted:

participation of diverse young women as both a means and an end;

a culture of power-sharing and mentorship;

institutionalised supports for young women’s leadership and priorities; and

a growing number of young women knowing and claiming their rights.

From youth inclusion to intergenerational feminist leadership - Shadi Rouhshahbaz 79

The Vanguard

Leaders who recognise their shortcomings know the

importance of highlighting and lling the dierent gaps

which are not just based on traditional practice, but

generational skillsets.

Conversely good leadership and thriving teams means

that everyone can express their opinions and engage in

supporting tasks. In doing so, mentorship, experience

transfer and sharing insights from older team members can

build the capacities of others while innovative ideas and

the use of newer models across dierent working cultures

coming from youth can benet the entire team. This will be

eective if the communication is with respect and devoid

of patronising tones, infantilisation or tokenism. This is

a great example of an exercise of power-sharing during

which they can revisit explicitly exclusionary factors that

aect dierent team members. Dialogues in safe spaces and

through anonymous feedback mechanisms within a team

can support team members to feel comfortable enough

to express themselves and direct attention to roadblocks

that decrease their performance. Not losing sight of the

end goal in each team is also essential to bring teammates

together. Such can be done through exercises of foresight

and visioning done jointly with all members.

In terms of sta recruitment, senior team leadership must

go beyond only considering UN-related experience

and transferable skills. The current recruitment process

of competency-based assessments may need to be

transformed or replaced and become inclusive of scenarios

and situations that gather candidate data that could be

used to assess their abilities. It can support the cultivation

of intergenerational feminist leadership across dierent

levels of a team instead of only presenting success stories

and lessons learned based on the requirements of the

vacancy. Self-applied intergenerational feminist leadership

is required inclusive of the technical skills to do the job.

With all that has been said about intergenerational

feminist leadership, as a young woman leader from Iran

engaged within the UN system, I believe that the system

has recognised the indispensable need for transformational

intergenerational feminist leadership. However, there is a

long way to go in moving from the why to the how and

making this leadership a normalised reality.

Meanwhile, many leaders, teams, and agencies including

UN Women have already done a great deal to make this

leadership style a reality, such as the Women, Peace and

Security and Humanitarian Compact.

XIV

Their eorts should be highlighted and show-cased as

a learning point that demonstrates the feasibility of this

model and provide practical advice to others. After all, in

fast changing times, ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins

with a single step’.

80 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

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Endnotes

UN General Assembly, ‘Composition of the

Secretariat: sta demographics Report of the

Secretary-General’, A/74/82, 22 April, 2019, https://

undocs.org/A/74/82.

Abresh Useini, ‘How to understand intergenerational

leadership - An overview of the four generations’,

Bloch & Østergaard, 19 November 2015,<https://

blochoestergaard.com/how-to-understand-inter-

generational-leadership-an-overview-of-the-four-

generations/>.

III

UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination

(CEB), ‘United Nations System Leadership

Framework’, CEB/2017/1 (Annex), 20 June 2017,

https://undocs.org/CEB/2017/1. See also: https://

unsceb.org/united-nations-system-leadership-

framework.

UN Security Council Resolution 2250, 9 december

2015, https://undocs.org/S/RES/2250(2015);

Resolution 2418, 31 May 2018, https://undocs.org/S/

RES/2418(2018); Resolusion 2535; 14 July 2020,

https://undocs.org/S/RES/2535(2020).

UN General Assembly, ‘Our Common Agenda:

Report of the Secretary-General’, A/75/982, 5 August

2021, https://undocs.or/A/75/982.

UN General Assembly A/74/82, ibid.

VII

Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, ‘The Art of

Leadership in the United Nationa: Framing What’s

Blue’, The Art of Leadership in the United Nations:

Framing What’s Blue (Uppsala Dag Hammarskjöld

Foundation 2020), https://www.daghammarskjold.se/

wp-content/uploads/2020/03/un_leadership_2020.

pdf#page=100, p. 106.

VIII

‘Organizational culture eats strategy for breakfast,

lunch and diner’, Torben Rick, 11 June 2014, https://

www.torbenrick.eu/blog/culture/organisational-

culture-eats-strategy-for-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner/.

Interview with an anonymous young woman

employed in the UN.

Ahmed Abdillahi Hashi, ‘The heart of a leader:

Lessons from a mother’, in The Art of Leadership in the

United Nations: Framing What’s Blue, (Uppsala: Dag

Hammarskjöld Foundation, 2020), https://www.

daghammarskjold.se/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/

un_leadership_2020.pdf#page=50, p. 50

UN Women advocates for the rights of women and

girls and LGBTIQ+ rights, and focuses on a wide

array of issues, including violence against women and

violence against LGBTIQ+ people.

XII

Tracy Barton, ‘Feminist Leadership: Building

Nurturing Academic Communities’, Advancing

Women’s Leadership Online Journal, 21(2006), <https://

www.advancingwomen.com/awl/fall2006/barton.

htm>.

XIII

Jay Fraser, ‘Etymology of Innovation’, Disruptor

League, 29 April 2014, <https://www.

disruptorleague.com/blog/2014/04/29/etymology-

of-innovation/>.

XIV

See:

https://wpshacompact.org/.

Chinese proverb attributed to 6th century

philosopher and writer Lao Tzu in Tao Te Ching.

Feminist leadership for transformative social justice - Daniela Zelaya Raudales and Caroline Lambert 81

The Vanguard

Feminist leadership for transformative social justice

BY DANIELA ZELAYA RAUDALES AND CAROLINE LAMBERT

Iman Hariri

The Rose

Zataari Camp

82 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

Caroline Lambert is currently an independent consultant who has worked in the feminist

and human rights movement for more than 35 years. Her experience is both in governance and

operations where she held formal and informal leadership roles.

Daniela Zelaya Raudales joined the World Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)

as an intern in 2016 where she now works as a project specialist, supporting movement-

building initiatives, coordinating peacebuilding, and championing young women’s leadership.

Previous roles include serving as a YWCA of Honduras board member, volunteering as a peer

educator for social and gender justice, violence against women and girls including sexual and

reproductive health and rights. Ms. Raudales holds a degree in communications and advertising

and she is passionate about feminism and young women’s transformative leadership.

As the authors of this reection, we intend to share our

own perspective of feminist leadership inspired by some of

our learnings gained from engaging in the women’s rights

movement in dierent capacities over several decades. The

concepts we share have also been shaped by attributes we

have seen in intergenerational feminist activists worldwide

who continuously and bravely slay the patriarchy in their

own unique ways. Our hope is to oer some reections

based on ideas and inspiration that can motivate critical

thinking and action towards more feminist leadership for

transformative social justice.

Feminist leadership seeks the

transformation of inequality for all

peoples…

It is our contention that moving to more feminist forms

of leadership is crucial for organisations, communities

and relationships that drive social change. There are

many dierent ways to understand feminist leadership.

So, what does it mean to us? In our experience, feminist

leadership is a journey from the personal to the political,

and an individual and collective commitment to equality.

Our understanding of equality seeks individual and

societal transformation with justice. Feminist leadership

interrogates how gendered narratives - for example,

stereotypes that women are emotional, while men are

logical - have come into existence, been replicated, and

held so many people back while propelling others forward.

Feminist leadership is intersectional - it recognises that

gender justice is intrinsically connected to a range of

other movements, including those striving for racial,

environmental, disability, sexuality, and class justice. It

is leadership that navigates the multiplicity of these

intersecting identities at the individual and the collective

levels. In the process it embraces the need for complex

solutions to the multiple threads of injustice that make up

the network of inequalities in the world today.

By revealing the structural and systemic factors that

discriminate against some groups in our society, feminist

leadership challenges the myth that if you just work hard

enough you can succeed. Instead, by focusing on making

the structures of privilege and oppression visible, feminist

leadership shows the many and varied ways in which

dominant groups move with greater ease and safety through

life, while those with less power and privilege are more

likely to experience human rights violations. Moreover,

they carry the legacy and continued detrimental eects of

intergenerational disadvantage and other forms of trauma.

The advancement of intersectional feminist leadership is

only possible, however, if it also holds itself accountable for

its own complicity and replication of practices of power

and privilege. In our movement, for example, there is

a formal mandate of over 160 years that aims to foster

young women’s leadership. Yet we still struggle daily with

the dynamics of age-based discrimination which too

often sees older women holding onto positions of formal

power at the expense of young leaders. It is complicated:

in many instances, this mantle of formal leadership may be

the only expression of power available to the oceholders

within societies that disparage the leadership of women.

But genuine feminist leadership embraces discomfort and

creates mechanisms for change.

Feminist leadership for transformative social justice - Daniela Zelaya Raudales and Caroline Lambert 83

The Vanguard

Feminist leadership and its agenda of challenging ‘power over’ carries with

it an inherent risk. We’re challenging entrenched systems of privilege,

which can be individually and collectively dangerous.

In the case of our global movement, we have adopted

quotas for the participation of young women on boards.

This embracing of intergenerational and co-leadership

models fosters the creation of conscious transition periods

from one leader to the next. We also, through membership

training and awareness-raising, take time to reect on

where and how power needs to be transformed as well as

identifying the barriers that prevent transformative change.

…it cares about the process as much as

the outcome…

Feminist leadership is also as much about the process as it

is about the outcome. As feminist leaders we challenge the

individualism of traditional leadership models and build a

collective space for shared leadership instead.

We aim to evolve new practices that confront hierarchies

and increase transparency and accountability. For example,

feminist leadership during a period of organisational

transformation or restructuring could contest who is

seen as the ‘expert’ on change. This most often defaults to

those in formal, senior leadership roles. In our vision of

feminist leadership, we identify the value and perspectives

that all individuals in their dierent and unique roles in

the organisation can bring to the discussions. This signals

a re-centering of lived experience and the fundamental

challenge to who is an authorised expert. This process

and reection on who creates that authorisation (ie, the

dominant power groups setting the authorisations) is a

fundamental part of feminist leadership and its constant

interrogation of power.

…it is always, always, questioning how

power operates.

At its heart feminist leadership is all about power, in its

many dierent manifestations. Our understanding of

feminist engagements with power is deeply indebted to

the recent ‘All About Power’ primer produced by CREA

and written by Srilatha Batliwala.

Feminist leadership

shines a spotlight on the ‘power over’ practices of dominant

ideologies - for example, the power of the patriarchy to

set a narrow set of gender norms that have ow-on eects

in the lives of young women around the world. Other

dominant ideologies that exhibit ‘power over’ include

white supremacy, ableism, ageism, colonialism and empire,

the ongoing economic inequalities and denigration of the

earth, hetero-normativism, and transphobia.

III

Feminist leadership and its agenda of challenging ‘power

over’ carries with it an inherent risk. We’re challenging

entrenched systems of privilege, which can be individually

and collectively dangerous. In recent decades, the

importance of individual and collective care has become

an integral part of feminist leadership. It invites collective

reection and practices to support us to live with constant

risk to our physical and psychological safety.

For example, it asks us to consider how we can embrace

trauma-informed leadership, which supports people with

lived experience of patriarchal retaliation to continue to

oer their leadership. We are encouraged to build webs

of care and connection

that strengthen and deepen our

movements, enable us to continue to show up, and ensure

we can step back when we need to restore and rejuvenate

ourselves - secure in the knowledge that others in our

movement will be condent to oer their leadership.

Feminist leadership also acknowledges the ways in which

‘power under’

can leak out. This can happen in subversive

resistance to those in authority, and in damaging responses

to the feeling of powerlessness. Another case can be in

the aggressive and bullying behaviour of those who, when

nally granted some small measure of power - fear its loss

and hold their power defensively.

Being aware of ‘power under’, and analysing individual

behaviour and organisational culture from this perspective,

supports a deeper practice of feminist leadership.

84 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

The practice of feminist leadership encourages us,

individually, in small groups, and collectively, to cultivate

‘power within’, learning how to hold it, and most

importantly how to share it with others. Cultivating this

sort of power necessitates the idea of deeper kindness

and grace in our day-to-day practice. This is particularly

important in feminist organisations, and likely other

organisations as well, where we (unfortunately) often judge

ourselves and each other very harshly for perceived and

actual failures, instead of showing compassion, empathy

andreection on how todo dierently next time. And, of

course, clear-hearted and compassionate accountability

for unjust behaviour remains crucial.

Above all, feminist leadership is an expression of ‘power

with’. Feminist leadership is collective and eschews the

cult of personality associated with traditional models of

leadership.

This is a tough call in an age of individualism and a time

of personal brands and inuencers. But feminist leadership

dwells in the space of collective power, created when a

group of individuals share an agenda which transcends

individual benet and focuses instead on achieving more

equitable processes and outcomes for a bigger group.

Sometimes, the ‘power with’ is in the form of standing

in solidarity with others, using the strength of collective

voice and vision to create the momentum for change.

Sometimes it is in the form of speaking up when others

would be at considerable risk because the privilege you

hold aords you greater protection in speaking truth to

the oppressor.

Sometimes ‘power with’ requires you to step back, to

reect on the ease with which your voice is heard, and

to practice self-silencing so that others may be heard,

recognising that power is always at play and that you have

the choice to step back because your privilege has already

placed you ahead of others.

Feminist leadership isn’t so much

about leaning into the existing table,

it’s about expanding and reshaping the

table…

We live in an extraordinary moment for the promotion

of women’s leadership. Looking back over the past

century, there has been a seismic shift in ideas about

women’s leadership. But feminist leadership is more

than simply telling women to be more condent, strong,

and charismatic; more than just aiming for the top job;

more than just ‘liking’ social media posts that celebrate an

increase in female political representation.

Feminist leadership celebrates and values the diversity by

which those who identify as women and girls practice

dierent forms of leadership in all spheres of life - the

hard conversations within families, the bolstering of self-

condence through peer groups committed to social

change, the informal power that comes with organisations

that value lived experience when creating policy positions,

or spotlighting the invisible role of caregivers and our

economic reliance on them, among so many others acts

of leadership.

Critically, feminist leadership is more than women

obtaining power and then replicating patriarchal power

structures. If organisations were more open to sharing

power, then perhaps we would start to transform the overtly

individualistic ideas of leadership that have dominated

human history, into the more collective expression of

co-thinking and co-creating that harnesses the dierent

brilliances of a group of co-leaders.

For example, they could move to have job-shares for

roles from administration to Chief Executive Ocer;

diuse power and dismantle hierarchies through fully

representative working groups from all levels of an

organisation to ensure equitable and inclusive strategy

and planning processes. Or as we suggested earlier, doing

the same during a period of restructuring; have exibility

(part-time options) for all roles that would encourage

Above all, feminist leadership is an expression of ‘power with’. Feminist

leadership is collective and eschews the cult of personality associated

with traditional models of leadership.

Feminist leadership for transformative social justice - Daniela Zelaya Raudales and Caroline Lambert 85

The Vanguard

and support carers (especially men) to balance the unpaid

work of parenting children or caring for elders with the

responsibilities of paid work.

…and (and this is critical)... it includes

you and reshaping your ways of

thinking, being, and doing.

While feminist leadership thrives in the collective spaces,

it carries within it an inherent tension. Because, to exist

in collective spaces with any ease - to step up and claim

power, to step back and cede power - requires diverse ways

of thinking, being, and doing. Such leadership necessitates

a high degree of personal insight, a dierent relationship

with ego to that oered in traditional leadership - which

includes the ability to foster condence in ourselves, in

others, and in our shared vision for a more equal and fairer

world. It also includes an appreciation of diverse approaches

to sharing power and brings into being dierent ways of

dening ‘success’ in leadership and in life.

Therefore, the capacity to engage in personal development,

reection, and growth are essential parts of feminist

leadership. We all have dierent ways of doing things,

seeing the world and thinking. It is only when we are

comfortable with our own diversity that we can we value

and foster diversity in others and then be inclusive of

others and their identities.

Ultimately, feminist leadership asks us to dwell in a state of

perpetually unlearning. We need to take steps to unlearn

what success and leadership mean to us individually and as

a society. In cultures that emphasise success as an individual

endeavour, we need to decentralise our own need for

validation and power and learn to share: we need to create

success measures that value our ability to share ‘power

with’ more than our ability to practice ‘power over’.

We need to embrace a vulnerable form of leadership that

enables us to fail, reect, and grow, and mark that as a

successful leadership trait. It is only when we understand

that the diversity in others is not a challenge to our own

validity, that we can start to share power.

Endnotes

We understand equality to include ideas of

formal equality (where you treat everybody

the same, providing equal opportunities) and

substantive equality (where you enact temporary

special measures to ensure equal outcomes).

Some folks use equality to mean formal equality

and equity to mean substantive equality.

Srilatha Batliwala, ‘All about Power:

Understanding Social Power & Power

Structures’, Feminist leadership for Social

Transformation series, 2020, https://creaworld.

org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/All-About-

Power.pdf .

III

Ibid.

We want to acknowledge the work of the

Urgent Action Funds and FRIDA Young

Feminist Fund for helping us deepen our

understanding of these practices.

V ‘

Power under’ is a very complex but

widespread expression of power, especially

by women and in women’s organisations and

movements. Power under explains why people

who have experienced discrimination, abuse,

oppression and trauma, often become abusive,

authoritarian, and oppressive themselves when

they gain power (especially power over). See:

Batliwala, ibid. p. 60.

86 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

A world in dire need of intergenerational leadership

INTERVIEW WITH AHUNNA EZIAKONWA

Reem Diab

Sweet Dream

Zataari Camp

A world in dire need of intergenerational leadership - Interview with Ahunna Eziakonwa 87

The Vanguard

Ahunna Eziakonwa is UNDP’s Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for

Africa. Prior to taking up this post, she was UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident

Representative and UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, UN Resident Coordinator

and UNDP Resident Representative in Uganda, and before that held the same position in

Lesotho. She has also worked as Chief of the Africa Section for Oce for the Coordination of

Humanitarian Aairs (UNOCHA) where she managed over 15 country operations in Africa.

Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Eziakonwa held a series of senior positions with civil

society organisations across Africa

How do you dene intergenerational leadership? What

does it look like in practice?

I’ve had many interviews in my career, but nobody has

ever interviewed me on intergenerational leadership. But

some aspects of intergenerational leadership are of interest

to me, going back to my own passion and professional

orientation. In terms of denition, I do not think there

is an academic denition as such, it's more an ethos that

really requires us as human beings to be self-aware. That is

institutionally and organisationally aware of the continuity

of life.

Let me explain more. Life doesn’t stop at one place; it

continues to evolve into processes and into things. No

matter which context we nd ourselves in life, we need

to recognise that time for change will come. And in this

context, we need to prepare for those moments of change.

The way to prepare for change that involves uncertainty,

is by twinning the dierent generations. The connection

between old and young ensures that there is learning

both ways. For me, that's part of the preparation for that

sort of uncertain reality that we will be facing. This cross

fertilisation between generations is crucial.

We no longer talk about just two generations - old and

young. There is Gen Z, X, Millennials and Boomers

which requires an even more complex way of analysing

the concept of intergenerational leadership. There is the

infusion of values, ethics, assets and attributes from all

the generations that can secure prosperity of societies

and their continuity. Intergenerational leadership for me,

manifests itself in multiple contexts, in political spaces for

sure, in public institutions, in businesses and even in close

family units.

And I believe that my role as a civil servant in the UN is to

nurture a leadership environment that allows for a mix of

talents from dierent generations and to create a reservoir

of talent that institutions, public and private, can draw on

to secure a prosperous future for all.

We want to go back to your rst point about the continuity

of life. We were wondering if implicit in your denition

of intergenerational leadership, there is the notion of

responsibility for previous and future generations?

I would subscribe to that very much. The word

‘responsibility’ was implied in what I was saying previously.

It is a key concept that we must preserve at both ends. Each

generation has a responsibility to preserve generations

across the board.

I come from Africa. We put strong emphasis on age. It is

something that invokes respect. Even as a young person,

it is drummed into your head that you need to look after

the elderly because society values the notion. Not because

the elderly become old and helpless, but because existence

itself represents something that future generations need.

There is this association of wisdom to age. You need to

transfer your experience and knowledge to upcoming

generations. You're also in touch with things that other

generations would not have seen. For example, in Africa,

we pass on history, culture and values through oral

traditions. Things were not written but passed on from

generation to generation through oral communication

mechanisms. That is very much viewed as an important

part of leadership.

Conversely, I think, there is a sense of responsibility to

empower the younger generation. But often it's not a

88 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

two-way street. In certain geographical environments,

culture sort of interferes with this concept because there

is less expected of younger people. Youthfulness is often

associated with lack of experience and some form of

recklessness. There are no expectations that information is

transferred upstream, which has the cultural implications

of the information ow to be one directional.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic and the context in

which we live now, why do you think intergenerational

leadership is so important?

I feel it's always been important, but probably more so

now because of the complexity of global aairs. We are

faced with conditions that go beyond the understanding

or the experience of one generation. We have technology

as a very real and present reality with some generations

being less intimate with it. Those happen to be the ones

who are in charge and leading. The younger generation,

who feel comfortable with the reality of technology, are

not in political leadership positions but leading in other

areas and sectors. With the inuence and impact that

technology has on humanity today, it is ‘suicidal’ not to

promote intergenerational leadership. Bluntly saying, it

would be ‘stupid’.

Let’s take climate change. It is now aecting millions of

people globally. But who is mostly at risk? It is Generation

Z. It is unthinkable not to cultivate intergenerational

leadership when we are contending with climate change.

COVID-19 has also triggered reections on how

to cultivate more intergenerational spaces and more

understanding between generations. What is really

required? We should have that intergenerational reality

enacted in the way society works. However, doing this can

cause tension and at times conict as today’s generations

come with diversity that the world is often not prepared

for. Facing complexities where people are already highly

stressed can accentuate these tensions.

When you think about intergenerational dialogue and

the power dynamic between generations, how dicult is

it to ensure that the power dynamic is balanced?

I think you just touched on something very interesting. The

issue with Generations Y and Z, if you like, is the centrality

of self-reliance. There is a strong sense of individualism. This

generation is being raised to believe that they ‘can’. There

are a lot more connections to experiences beyond their

community because of the proliferation of dierent types

of communication and technology. This is a generation

that is in touch with what is possible. That already changes

the power dynamics. When you are informed dierently,

you immediately apply an upper hand.

For the rst time in history there are ve generations in

the workforce; do you see this as an opportunity at the

UN and what are the challenges?

For the rst time ever, we have almost all generations

represented in the UN workforce. I think, I saw the numbers

that indicated that by 2050, 75% of those working in the

UN workforce will be Millennials. There have been shifts

in the UN system, whether it was planned, or a natural

process spurred by reality. In my recent townhall meeting,

one colleague asked a question: Now, that you are putting

‘youth’ at the center of your work and as a priority for

recruitment, how do you plan to create a path for them

to grow in the system and to become leaders rather than

getting stuck at entry positions? Which has happened and

happens a lot.

I responded that it is a challenge for us who are leaders

in the system. You know I am passionate about bringing

young people into the UN through programmes and

internships that are meaningful and provide for professional

growth. We started a ‘Young Fellows’ program for African

women, bringing in over twenty a year and exposing them

to opportunities within the UN. Many of the rst cohort

got recruited after their rst year with us.

Let’s take climate change. It is now affecting millions of people globally.

But who is mostly at risk? It is Generation Z. It is unthinkable not to

cultivate intergenerational leadership when we are contending with

climate change.

A world in dire need of intergenerational leadership - Interview with Ahunna Eziakonwa 89

The Vanguard

But to be frank, what happens to them after is something

I think about a lot. How can they climb the ladder in

the UN system? I think, we, as UN leaders, must invest

in looking beyond bringing talented young professionals

into the system but also how to retain them. Do you have

to wait until you're old to climb the entire ladder of UN

system - P2, P3, P4 - to be considered a leader?

Sometimes we're quite comfortable just to have young

people around us doing the work as Junior Ocers, but

we don't think all the way about their path to the top. It is

important to have young professionals because if you don't

have them to begin with, you can't even talk about them

becoming leaders.

We are also not acknowledging enough that leadership

can happen at any age, at any level. This recognition is

going to be a challenge for an organisation like the UN

which is very hierarchical. There's a lot of bureaucracy.

Our recruitment is not agile nor uid. It is rigid. We even

count oce windows against the professional grade/level.

We need to adjust our minds and mind-sets to the fact

that intergenerational leadership, isn't about the ‘ladder’

but that you can be acknowledged as a leader at any level.

When that expectation is built in, then this is where you

deliver that leadership. This can empower our younger

workforce to be leaders and to be recognised as leaders

even if they haven't reached that seniority or specic rank.

The intergenerational gap in Africa is quite prominent;

the average age is 19.7 but its leaders are averaging 70.

What does this mean for the continent

‘While it is true that there is a huge disparity in age in

Africa between the younger generations and political

leaders, I think it is changing due to the inux of younger

leaders. But there is a gap, and that age gap is quite

important because unless you're closer to the age of the

population that you are responsible for, you can be quite

far away from their aspirations and desires and even from

understanding these aspirations, their attributes, and values

that they bring to the table.

Frankly, this distance, in my point of view, has hurt

Africa quite a bit. You see this manifested in our political

landscape where you have a generation now, a younger

generation, not accepting to sit passively and have things

thrown at them – good and bad.

This generation is alot more enlightened. They may not

necessarily be more educated than the previous generation

but they're more connected to the world. They have

more visibility of how life is lived beyond their borders

inuencing their values, their thinking, and their mindset.

The older generation, in possession of leadership positions

for the most part, may not fully understand this.

Their exposure however sometimes lacks understanding

and patience for the ‘older’ generation that is leading.

You see a lot of street activity as a result. People express

their dissatisfaction and grievances on the streets, which at

times manifests into violence and even violent extremism

due to opportunists taking advantage of mistrust. It

is a time-bomb. Therefore, it's important to generate

intergenerational dialogue and create spaces for reection

and understanding. Not all is bad with older generations

who lead, some of them are genuinely trying to navigate

very complex contexts to ensure the best for their countries

and their populace who are mostly young people.

I was in Chad the other day and 78% of its population is

under 25. So, when you have that reality, you better generate

that intergeneration dialogue and leadership. In the Sahel,

meanwhile, we see a clear regression of democracy, but

you cannot explain it all away by an intergenerational gap.

I think there are other factors, with the intergenerational

leadership gap being part of it. Younger people have

dierent experiences. Their language is quite dierent

from their leaders’. They have higher expectations. It’s

Younger people have different experiences. Their language is quite different

from their leaders’. They have higher expectations. It’s something we

really need to reflect upon within the UN, as I don’t think that we’ve done

that well.

90 Chapter Three - The Art of Leadership

The Vanguard

something we really need to reect upon within the UN,

as I don't think that we've done that well.

So why do you think intergenerational leadership and

dialogue is so crucial in advancing the UN’s agenda?

In the UN, we must work with Member States which

usually translates into working with governments.

Governments particularly in the African region are made

up of the older generation. There are not a lot of young

people in those leadership positions. The young people

are in (youth) political groups or parties which we cannot

engage with formally given our neutrality. When it comes

to occupying positions of power, they are missing. And

therefore, they are naturally a gap in our engagement at

country level.

With the advent of digital technologies, we have woken up

to the fact that particularly in Africa if we're not engaging

directly with the youth and we're not invested rightly in

that, not just as recipients of our aid, but as actually those

who contribute to the thinking in shaping our programs,

then we're missing the point in terms of development.

A concrete example from my work: UNDP introduced

the ‘Accelerator lab’ tapping into the talent of young

people in the program countries. In normal cases, the UN

country team are comprised of national and international

sta. With this programme, we insist that two to three

sta be nationals of the country, young and have a good

understanding of new technologies. Through these labs

we are uncovering where the young people are hiding,

understanding how they invest and how to bring their

voices into the work that we do.

The labs are embedded in the UNDP country oce

so that you have that cross fertilisation, you have that

intergenerational dialogue. We do not treat them as a

universe by themselves. While we come in touch with

younger generations mindsets, for them it is also a useful

journey to understand the ‘traditions’, the ‘value system’

and the strong foundations the whole system was once

upon built on. We are trying to build this ‘two-way’ street.

The last question is more related to you as a seasoned

leader. What advice would you give the younger

generation?

Believe in yourself. Especially in Africa, the younger

population have faced a life where they have grown to be

told they cannot – until they have reached a certain age.

Therefore, condence can be beaten down. I always tell

young people that I meet: you need to believe in yourself.

You have the capacity to change your destiny, to take

control of your path.

I say that to my daughter every day. The world out there

is vicious and it's not always kind, but I think you don't

stand a chance if you lack that inner condence. We really

need the older generations to continue to believe in, and

to trust the younger people and help them to believe in

themselves.

Have the strength, capacity, and the potential to be

whatever you want to be, but you need to work at it. Do

not think that things just fall onto your laps and stay there,

and that you can just lean back. It's about applying yourself.

Whatever it is that you feel is your calling, is your mission,

you must apply yourself. You must put in the work. You

must have those sleepless nights where you invest yourself.

You must be not afraid to fail. Failure for me is part of

the journey to success. If you don't fail, you will never

understand how to be better. Today, I believe with the

spirit of innovation, that has really dominated the way we

live our lives, we have come to see failure dierently - as a

passport to sharpen our trade. I see failures as a friend that

will take you to greater heights.

Believe in yourself. Especially in Africa, the younger population have faced

a life where they have grown to be told they cannot – until they have

reached a certain age. Therefore, confidence can be beaten down. I always

tell young people that I meet: you need to believe in yourself. You have the

capacity to change your destiny, to take control of your path.

A world in dire need of intergenerational leadership - Interview with Ahunna Eziakonwa 91

The Vanguard

Endnotes

See: https://acceleratorlabs.undp.org.

And nally, have integrity. It is a dicult term to unpack but

for me what it really means is your word needs to be your

word. To lead in a way where people can trust you. People

can look at you and believe what was communicated is

also what was meant. Our world today is crumbling to a

certain extent - all the sort of devastation that we're seeing

- comes from leadership that cannot be trusted, leadership

that cannot be maintained, that has no integrity, that has

no transparency. UN advances the value of integrity and

ethical behavior. I think the younger generation could have

a lot to teach us there because it's also a generation that

believes in honesty. Embrace integrity. Embrace honesty.

Embrace the truth.

92 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

Moayad Ibrahim Al-Abed

Vase with white owers

Azraq Camp

Chapter Four

The still life: Depicting the reality on the ground

Resident Coordinator leadership: Magicians without a magic wand?

BY DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD FOUNDATION ..............................................................................94

Finding the balance between engagement and accountability

BY RADHIKA COOMARASWAMY ............................................................................................. 99

How can leadership by UN Resident Coordinators become truly transformative?

BY JOHN HENDRA .....................................................................................................................104

Frankness and honesty: Essential traits of a UN Leader

INTERVIEW WITH LYNN HASTINGS ......................................................................................110

Trajectory of United Nations leadership roles in the Liberia peace process

BY CHRIS AGOHA ..................................................................................................................... 114

94 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

Resident Coordinator leadership: Magicians without

a magic wand?

BY DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD FOUNDATION

Murad Al-Shawamreh

Apple Season

ZataariCam

Resident Coordinator leadership: Magicians without a magic wand? - Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation 95

The Still Life

This contribution is a summary of a virtual informal dialogue between Resident Coordinators

facilitated by the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation

on 28 March 2022. The following UN

ocials participated: Yesim Oruc, Resident Coordinator Guyana, Susan Ngongi Namondo,

Resident Coordinator Uganda, Ulrika Richardson, Resident Coordinator Kosovo, Shombi

Sharp, Resident Coordinator India and Ozonnia Ojielo, Resident Coordinator Kyrgyzstan.

In 2015, world leaders set out a comprehensive

framework for realising one of the founding objectives of

the United Nations: the economic and social advancement

of all peoples through the 2030 Agenda. As the parameters

of this new agenda were emerging, it became clear

that the United Nations development system, the

organisation’s primary vehicle for supporting countries in

its implementation, was no longer t for this new purpose.

Antonio Guterres assumed the oce of Secretary-General

less than two weeks after the adoption by the General

Assembly of the 2016 resolution on the quadrennial

comprehensive policy review.

He then worked with

Member States, UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes

and other key stakeholders to develop a series of proposals

to strengthen the United Nations development system.

This eort culminated in June 2018 with the adoption of

resolution 72/279 by the General Assembly.

III

At the core of the reform adopted by the Member States

was the establishment of a reinvigorated, independent,

impartial, and empowered Resident Coordinator (RC)

system that would help facilitate the emergence of a new

generation of UN country teams (UNCT), de-linking

the coordination function and architecture from the

UN Development Programme (UNDP) and creating

a dedicated oce for the RC system within the UN

Secretariat.

The new system brought new opportunities for Resident

Coordinators; they benet from a new delegation

of authority that provides them with strategic and

coordinating functions that ensures the UN system

response remains relevant, eld-focused, and able to

adapt resources to specic contexts and quickly changing

country needs.

Through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation

Framework (UNSDCF, ‘CF’ for short), RCs have been

given additional guidance on their responsibility to

integrate critical crosscutting aspects – eg human rights,

gender, climate, peacebuilding, humanitarian aairs, with a

strengthened focus on Leaving No One Behind.

A Management Accountability Framework (the ‘MAF’) has

been developed to clarify and dierentiate responsibilities

between the Resident Coordinator and Heads of

Agencies in UNCTs and to strengthen accountability of

collaboration and joint results (from planning to resource

mobilisation and communication). To meet the demands

and proles of the new Resident Coordinator, the RC

Assessment Centre has been fully redesigned to recruit

the best talent, with strong development credentials. RC

pipelines have been created to bring in diverse skills-

sets meeting the challenges on the ground. Gender and

geographical diversity have become central to recruitment.

These structural and institutional changes have been

undertaken with a view to enhance the leadership,

authority, and impartiality of the Resident Coordinators,

three elements stressed as essential to success and to

the UN’s contribution to the 2030 Agenda by the UN

Secretary-General in his 2021 report on the function of

the resident coordinator system.

Informal dialogue on RC leadership

Against this backdrop, the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation

invited a small number of Resident Coordinators to

an informal dialogue to examine the realities of RC

leadership in the 2022 context. It was an opportunity to

discuss how RC leadership can ensure the UN’s relevance

in managing the unprecedented challenges of today.

The discussion explored the various elements at play

in shaping, enhancing or undermining RC leadership,

including: (1) personal skills and competencies, acceptance

in country and at HQ level; (2) partner behaviours eg

donor funding, host government practices; (3) institutional

and procedural innovations; (4) capacities and tools at the

96 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

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disposal of RCs; (5) the impact of broader contextual

factors (eg pandemic, climate change, geopolitical and

ideological shifts) on the RC function, the skills, capacities

and competencies required; and (6) expectations placed

on the RC, both from within the UN and beyond, in

addressing global challenges at country level.

The main elements of the conversation are summarised

here.

The role of the RC in 2022

Participants noted that the role of the RC fundamentally

diers from what it was pre-reform. While the de-linking

of the RC system meant the loss of a fair amount of

‘muscle’, the RC function has truly gained neutrality and

increased its gravitas.

The RC function is now more empowered and enabled

to act as a strategic broker translating global trends and

agendas into policy practice at country level. As a direct

representative of the Secretary-General, the RC is seen as

instrumental in pushing, leading, and nding new entry

points for the UN system by amplifying the ‘collective’

oer of the UN.

RCs need to act as the impartial ‘UN Ambassador’ in

highly dicult political contexts – addressing political

sensitive issues such as prevention, human rights, conicts,

climate justice. They are also UN policy ambassadors,

drivers, and implementers of headquarters agendas– such

as ‘Our Common Agenda’ or ‘Leaving no one behind’.

Often though, in today’s fraught and polarised dynamics,

the RC needs to decide which normative battle to ght

for – without losing complete access. These imperatives

result in a constant balancing act, requiring political

acumen, and leading to the sense that RCs are to some

degree magicians without a magic wand.

Some RCs underlined the need to continuously rene

and test their own ‘added value’ – where is the RC role

The RC role is at its core a mediator and facilitator– moving the needle

from behind, creating spaces for UNCTs and other actors, identifying and

building relationships that are needed to collectively deliver on the SDGs.

most needed? Where can the function add value in the

current country context? Increasingly, RCs can be used

to create the ‘right’ environment and the space to convey

messages on behalf of UNCT members that are dicult,

sensitive, or risky to discuss with national counterparts,

as for example in cases of human rights abuses or ethnic

relations. Individual risks for agencies can be pooled into

one collective force.

The RC role is at its core a mediator and facilitator– moving

the needle from behind, creating spaces for UNCTs and

other actors, identifying and building relationships that are

needed to collectively deliver on the SDGs.

For the RC role to be accepted and eective, it is important

that UNCT members feel that they are supported in their

respective mandates but not replaced or undermined. At

times, this means the RC needs to be a coach and a friend,

advocating on their behalf and supporting them during

the hard times, opening doors where they are closed or

non-existent.

The coordination function of the RC is often highlighted

when in fact many RCs are occupied with the strategic

role of interpretating complex contexts and oering

solutions to host governments and communities. While it

is true that RCs should lead from behind, in support of

the leadership of the UN Country Team, the RC is also

required to lead ‘from the front’.

The RC is expected to provide a collective vision, to chart

new horizons, and to foster partnerships and collaboration

for improved impact. Crucially, in support of the collective

vision the RC must oer strategic leadership on the

processes required to implement the vision and to enable

the UNCT to ourish.

In fact, the traditional coordination role is an incidental

one and only meaningful if it derives from the strategic

visioning and leadership functions, which constitute the

real core and essence of the RC.

Resident Coordinator leadership: Magicians without a magic wand? - Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation 97

The Still Life

Context matters: Enabling and

undermining factors for RC leadership

The extent to which RCs successfully play this role is very

much dependent on the context in which they operate.

And dierent factors have a dierent impact on the RC.

Some see an opportunity with the newly signed

‘Cooperation Framework (CF)’ as the driver of multilateral

and collective responses. This CF impact could be further

enhanced by allowing the RCs to act as certier of UN

agency country programs, to verify that these are in line

with the CF and that together, they constitute a truly

‘collective and compelling oer’ for the country.

While there is strength in an instrument such as the CF, it

was also noted that some country contexts and factors can

undermine it. For one Resident Coordinator, the CF and

other processes were squandered and not owned – neither

by the UNCT nor by the government. In such instances,

what are the remedies against a ‘mentality of exclusion’

rather than cooperation? The RC must look to all of the

tools at their disposal and bring a wide array of skills to

bring momentum to the UN’s work, make it the interest

of UN agencies to collaborate and place themselves in

the rooms and conversations that are critical for the UN’s

engagement and success.

The new toolbox is helpful, but challenges rooted in how

the UN system has worked and interacted with each other

for years persist. The path towards the SDGs requires a

dierent, more integrated working culture within the

UN and between the UN and its membership. Yet, UN

ambitions and Member States behaviour do not always

coincide. UN agencies are often asked to respond to

Member States’ priorities, which do not necessarily match

the UN country needs and the UN’s collective eort. They

are forced to look inwards and follow funding streams.

The UN’s work on the ground is at times more about

pleasing the visibility and funding modalities of funders/

donors than working towards national priorities and SDG

The RC must look to all of the tools at their disposal and bring a wide

array of skills to bring momentum to the UN’s work, make it the interest

of UN agencies to collaborate and place themselves in the rooms and

conversations that are critical for the UN’s engagement and success.

acceleration. And for Member States themselves, working

with just one agency oers more visibility and is therefore

preferred to engagement at the UN system level.

This speaks to the larger observation made by the group

that over the last 20 years, UN business models have

not changed enough. The continued trend towards, and

preference for projectized development is underpinned by

short-term thinking and implementation with little room

for collective approaches. Daily work is still dominated

by activities and projects delivered by selected agencies

instead of joint funding modalities and joint activities. This

trend is further fuelled by the rewards system in the UN

system, whereby most heads of agencies are assessed – and

promoted - against their resource mobilisation successes,

which, in turn, incentivises national ministries to work

only with certain agencies instead for opting for collective

approaches.

The UN’s working culture is failing to reward those

leaders that seek collaborative, integrated and collective

approaches. Without changes to the incentive structure

the UN will struggle to meet the ambition of the General

Assembly Resolution 72/279.

And lastly, the group

acknowledged that while the Management Accountability

Framework - the ‘MAF’ has helped in identifying and

describing the role of the RC vis-à-vis the UNCT, it

still leaves too much room for interpretation. It leaves

RCs to continuously litigate issues of responsibilities

and accountabilities with their peers, to the detriment of

eective and collective focus on the goals at hand.

Going forward means to invest into the

UN and the RC system’s intellectual

repower

In the last part of the conversation, participants explored

the issue of intellectual repower, and the ability by

the UN, under RC leadership, to oer new, bold ideas

in support of SGD integration. Most agreed that such

98 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

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intellectual re power of the UN is work-in-progress.

Most of the inputs delivered by the agencies remain too

operational and UNCTs are still thinking too much in

project terms. However, there are opportunities to seize.

The RC –for the rst time ever– has the ability - and

responsibility - to examine all of the UN’s work at

country level and explore what is missing and where the

UN’s collective oer needs to be reinforced. This can

range from identifying existing policy gaps and bringing

in new actors to address them, to creating links between

development partners that would traditionally not interact

– including by establishing intellectual and practical

bridges between the North and the Global South. It can

also mean approaching a major issue through dierent

and new lenses, and mobilising UN expertise around

innovative responses. But much more remains to be done

for RCs, and the UNCTs, to be seen as trusted and sought

after providers of high quality intellectual capital for SDG

achievement.

The conversation ended with a reection on the time

we live in. The new Resident Coordinator system was

born right before the pandemic hit. Most interaction

and collaboration between various UN interlocutors and

stakeholders are born out of a crisis and COVID-19 proved

no dierent. The RC system played a crucial role, one that

has been recognised both locally and internationally. But

now that the crisis is either receding or losing relevance,

everyone is tempted to revert to their UN bubble, and

eorts undertaken up over the last two years – collective

approaches in eectively responding to the pandemic as

one UN voice – could revert to single agency responses.

So, how does the UN system preserve a collaborative

leadership culture beyond crisis?

In this reection a word of caution prevailed. Executive

Board meetings often feature plenty of talk about the

transformational change needed to deliver on the SDGs.

For Member States and agencies alike, the burden of

this transformational change seems to reside with the

Resident Coordinator. Yet, this view undermines the

true collective purpose of the UN reform. The burden for

transformational change needs to be shared. The concept

of ‘Team’ UN needs to be revitalised, incentivised, and

lived.

In an increasingly polarised world, the RC role has become

more important. RC leadership is needed to make the

case for multilateralism and to translate it into meaningful

change in people’s lives. But the value of multilateralism

lies in its collective nature, not just in the skills, knowledge,

and practices of an individual.

Endnotes

The summary of the discussion was written by

Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlstrom, Marc Jacquand

and Simone Hagfeldt with input from several

colleagues as well as comments by the Resident

Coordinators.

UN General Assembly Resolution 71/243,

1 February 2017, https://undocs.org/A/

RES/71/243.

III

UN General Assembly Resolution 72/279, 31

May 2018, https://undocs.org/A/RES/72/279.

UN General Assembly, ‘Review of the

functioning of the resident coordinator system:

rising to the challenge and keeping the promise

of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:

Report of the Secretary-General’, A/75/905, 7

June 2021, https://undocs.org/A/75/905.

UN General Assembly Resolution 72/279, ibid.

Finding the balance between engagement and accountability - Radhika Coomaraswamy 99

The Still Life

Finding the balance between engagement and

accountability

BY RADHIKA COOMARASWAMY

Adham Khaled Al-Ammar

Flowers on bicycle

Azraq Camp

100 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

Radhika Coomaraswamy worked as an Under Secretary-General and The Special

Representative on Children and Armed Conict. She was the Special Rapporteur on Violence

Against Women from 1994-2003 and main author of the Global Study on the Implementation

of Resolution 1325. From 2003-2006 Coomaraswamy chaired the Sri Lankan National

Rights Commission.

The Charter of the United Nations begins with the

words ‘We, the peoples….’ Recent scholars have written

about the history of the term ‘peoples’ and the strength

and exibility of its constituent power.

Such powers

and their interpretations continue to evolve over time.

Like sovereignty, ‘we the peoples’ has a very dierent

connotation today than it did in the 1940s, primarily

due to the growth of human rights. Despite this, the

structure of the UN still revolves around nation states. A

realist would argue that the actual structure is really the

only thing that matters. Yet, that would a be short-sighted

analysis. Networks of international actors and international

public opinion do have an enormous impact. Though

the decisions of the UN are made by nation states, the

credibility and legitimacy of the UN continue to rest with

‘we, the peoples’.

One UN, dierent departments

The tension between these two aspects of the UN Charter

runs throughout the UN. The rst calls for engagement

and diplomacy, the second recognises the importance of

accountability. An eective leader is one who captures the

condence of nation states while ensuring a certain level

of integrity to represent the voice of the international

community. Such a leader is asked to be both a partner and

a conscience keeper. Departments too, are aected by this

tension. They rarely work with the proper understanding

of the holistic picture of the UN. For instance, the United

Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focuses on

engagement for development. Mention of human rights

accountability rarely sits well with their ocers. The

Oce of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

(OHCHR) stresses accountability. They are wary of

being set aside and ignored by the UNs other agencies.

Yet, a Resident Coordinator on the ground must deliver

both messages. They should convey the importance of

engagement but also the concerns on human rights. This

becomes the crucial test of leadership especially in conict

and post conict areas.

In recent years, partly to deal with this tension, the Secretary-

General began appointing Special Representatives on

thematic issues including Children and Armed Conict

and Sexual Violence in Conict. The creation of the oces

at the Under Secretary-General level ensures interlocutors

at the highest positions of the UN and allows them to deal

with governments at the appropriate level. Such posts are

also created to cut through bureaucracy and red tape to

allow for a more targeted response. Those who become

Special Representatives require the skills of a diplomat to

engage with governments and other stakeholders at the

highest levels. They also need the skills of a human rights

activist to promote accountability for grave violations

and to advocate for their most vulnerable group. It is an

appointment that attempts to bridge engagement with

accountability in one person.

The unique position of a Special

Representative

The position of Special Representative requires that

one engage with a whole array of actors. In the case

of children and armed conict, for example, it often

involved persuading rebel groups and warlords to enter

into action plans to release children and prevent their

recruitment. These meetings had a pattern. First was the

drama of entering into rebel held territory. Informing the

government, discovering a secure route, and ensuring that

we were welcomed. In making these journeys one is often

taught to recognise gunre as parties continue waging

violence against each other.

The second moment of spectacle comes when the warlord

or a rebel group is informed that they are on a Security

Council list for possible sanctions. This is usually greeted

with a great deal of anger, a period where it is required to

react with grace and equanimity so as not to provoke an

incident. But for the six years I held the job, no-one asked

me to leave. After a diatribe against the UN, they almost

always agree to sit down to discuss the details.

Finding the balance between engagement and accountability - Radhika Coomaraswamy 101

The Still Life

I have found over the years that the most important factor in delivering

bad news is to find the right moment. The belief that personal charm can

change the destiny of history is a myth that many of us cultivate when we

engage governments.

There are cynical people who question many of the

actions of the UN. But I was struck by how much value

these warlords and rebel leaders placed on the Security

Council and seeing themselves as future leaders and how

eager they were to avoid sanctions or the possibility of

sanctions. I must hasten to add that this was not the case

for the Taliban who I met in the late 1990s in the context

of violence against women, and I never dealt with the

more radical groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS.

One of the key aspects of UN leadership was the need

to have good working relations with other UN agencies

and departments. This was particularly true for a small

department who had to rely on the larger agencies to

follow through with agreements in the eld. For children

and armed conict, the relevant agencies were UNICEF,

the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)

and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

(UNHCR).

Though there were the usual tensions we always came

to a mutual understanding and these agencies were truly

committed and excellent in their work. The recognition

of the complementarity rather than the competitiveness

of our work is central.

For example, the children released through negotiations

were usually handed over to UNICEF who were in

charge of their rehabilitation and release. Thanks to the

work of all these agencies the problem of child soldiers is

less severe in most parts of the world.

Breaking bad news

Perhaps the utmost dicult part of the job as Special

Representative was to deliver hard messages. The UN

is just beginning to train its sta on how to do this.

Earlier Resident Coordinators and others coming from

the development eld just balked at the suggestion of

delivering unpleasant messages. With the importance

given to OHCHR and Special Representatives in recent

years this has changed. But my sense is that the UN and its

sta are still very unprepared. Training regarding delivering

harsh messages should be central to the preliminary

training of Resident Coordinators and other UN sta.

I have found over the years that the most important

factor in delivering bad news is to nd the right moment.

The belief that personal charm can change the destiny

of history is a myth that many of us cultivate when we

engage governments.

The political, economic and social forces must be aligned

to support your request. An example is the case of

Myanmar. For years we were attempting to try and enter

into an action plan with the Myanmar military about

the recruitment of child soldiers. But it was only when

General Thein Sein became President in 2011 with a

packet of democratic reforms that the country and the

military were ready to step forward. An action plan was

signed that continues today.

Those agreements signed in the right moment of change

tend to be more long-lasting and are not mere public

relations exercises by the government or the rebel group

with no intention of implementation. Many UN ocials

also get wrapped up in the public relations exercise and do

not pay attention to the details of implementation. This

sets the whole agreement up for failure or to be cast away.

The second most important factor in delivering a hard

message is to ensure that the UN sta in the eld does the

due diligence. Before I spoke to governments, rebel groups

or warlords, child protection ocers from UNICEF and

the DPKO would have begun negotiations and set the

parameters. They are the unsung champions in many of

these exercises. Once the due diligence is done, they call

for the Special Representative to push for the terms of the

agreement at the highest level. Giving guidance to these

young protection ocers is absolutely crucial for the work

102 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

in terms of accountability mechanisms, especially those

dealing with women and children.

In delivering hard messages I have always learnt from

experience that it is very important to avoid an arrogant

tone. Often interlocutors would make a big issue of my

Sri Lankan origins, implying I was to be trusted and that

we were dealing with each other as equals. To retain grace

and to point to ways forward out of the current situation

is always a recipe for a good meeting. The arrogant gaze,

a remnant of colonialism, still continues to haunt many in

the global south.

The accountability process

Delivering hard messages is often part of a general

accountability process. For children and armed conict

this involved Security Council resolution 1612

III

and

subsequent resolutions dealing with the grave violations

against children during situations of armed conict.

Besides reporting on country specic areas, the process

requires the creation of lists that name and shame parties.

In a very specic context where there are already sanction

regimes, sanctions may be also imposed.

To create a consensus at the Security Council requires the

active lobbying of Member States. The rst thing that is

often done is to create a Friend’s group of the mandate

where Member States who have supported the mandate

can be active players in the lobbying process. The second

is to create a coalition of stakeholders from government,

civil society, including committed individuals, to also be

active in taking the mandate forward.

In the case of children and armed conict, former child

soldiers were strong supporters. Some were pursuing

studies; several had become rock stars and others had

created community centres. We tried to include them in

the process and we also managed to get them to address

the Council in the open sessions. Their participation often

brought a sense of reality to the Security Council members.

With all this support and enthusiasm we managed to pass

many resolutions and move the agenda forward.

For the accountability process to be fair in the eyes of

Member States it requires a solid evidence gathering

mechanism. With regard to children and armed conict

a monitoring and reporting mechanism (MRM) chaired

by the Resident Coordinator and involving all the UN

agencies was to spearhead this process. The protection

ocers from the dierent agencies were the eyes and

ears and there was an attempt at triangulation, to have

information conrmed by three sources if possible. This

was a unique and expansive role for the UN system and

raised serious concerns among some Member States. The

ndings of the MRM that had to be conveyed to the

government by the Resident Coordinator led to awkward

and dicult moments so much so that many Resident

Coordinators did not wish to play this role.

The report is nally cleared by the Secretary-General,

some were more courageous than others, and there were

often allegations of double standards by aected Member

States. But the mandate persisted and since many of the

countries covered were in armed conict contexts with

high levels of brutality, the system was allowed to pass and

some of the big powers who are generally unhappy with

UN interventions were persuaded to abstain. Managing

this Security Council process was truly a test of leadership

and was often very dicult and stressful.

Many will question whether this process, the heartache

and tension involved for the UN system, is worth the nal

result. Because I have been in the eld and felt the granular

aspects of this policy, I can honestly say yes. Deterrence is a

factor in the decision making of most, though not all, states,

armed groups and war lords. Because of the intervention

of the UN, the vast majority of national armies do not

recruit children. The problem of child soldiers exists, but

we have come a long way from the 1990s when it was a

widespread practice. This has been because of two solid

decades of work beginning with the visionary Olara

Otunu who created the foundation for this mandate.

Advocacy: A key tool

The nal aspect of the Special Representative’s mandate

is advocacy. The results of such advocacy is rarely known

or measured. It is always dicult to convince the Advisory

Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions

(ACABQ) that you have changed people’s minds. They are

looking for tangible indicators. But in the area of children

and armed conict and violence against women, one of

the main activities has to be awareness raising, globally,

nationally and locally. Advocacy used to be something the

United Nations did well. Recently the communications

Finding the balance between engagement and accountability - Radhika Coomaraswamy 103

The Still Life

style adopted by the UN in general, slightly vague and

obtuse, would not properly reect the concerns of a

mandate like the Special Representative on Children and

Armed Conict.

Recent communications tend to be technical, risk averse

and often do not say anything. It is important that the UN

reect on its communications style and consider whether

one of the reasons it has received low credibility ratings

in public opinion polls is because it has lost the ability to

express itself in a clear and meaningful way.

A great deal of public attention is directed at what some

call the Machiavellian machinations of states at the Security

Council. But a great deal of the UN’s work is with and for

‘the people’. The work of Special Representatives includes

both aspects. In a small oce they are asked to engage

stakeholders, especially nation states and also work toward

accountability. At a micro level they play out the tension

within the United Nations as a whole, a tension rarely

recognised or understood -that we must engage, create

trust with nation states while carrying dicult messages.

The credibility of the UN system depends on UN sta

and ocials being trained to deal with this dual calling.

Endnotes

See the writings of Zoran Oklopcic.

Now DPO, Department of Peace Operations.

III

UN Security Council Resolution 1612, 26 July

2005, https://undocs.org/S/RES/1612(2005).

Though there are six grave violations against

children, each with an analysis, I have focused on

the recruitment and use of children.

104 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

How can leadership by UN Resident Coordinators

become truly transformative?

BY JOHN HENDRA

Heba Aklo

My Candle

Zataari Camp

How can leadership by UN Resident Coordinators become truly transformative - John Hendra 105

The Still Life

John Hendra provides advice on sustainable development issues, leadership, multilateral

nancing and multilateral reform through his consultancy practice. He served the United

Nations for 32 years, most recently as UN Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) with the UN

Development Group, helping prepare the UN Secretary-General’s two seminal reform reports

and substantively supporting intergovernmental negotiations which led to comprehensive reform

of the UN Development System (GA Res. 72/279). Other roles included serving as UN

ASG and Deputy Executive Director at UN Women, and as UN RC and UNDP Resident

Representative in Vietnam, Tanzania and Latvia. In his consulting capacity he is a part-time

Senior Advisor to the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and to the Joint SDG Fund; he is also

an Associate Researcher with the German Development Institute and a member of FinDev

Canada’s Advisory Council.

At the heart of the current United Nations Development

System (UNDS) reform is the reinvigoration of the

role of the UN Resident Coordinator (RC). It is their

coordination, leadership and convening capacities that are

critical in helping the UN to lift its game and provide

the multi-dimensional support countries require to get

back on track in reaching the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs). As recognised in various assessments of

UNDS reform conducted over the past year, RCs have

been playing a critical leadership role in enhancing overall

UN impact.

The Multilateral Organisation Performance

Assessment (MOPAN) study on UNDS reform noted that

the transition to an impartial RC system is the reform area

that has seen most progress. It also found that RCs are

increasingly recognised as a valuable tool by government

stakeholders for simplifying engagement with the UN;

development partners also recognise the increasingly

independent and empowered RC and see it as bringing

positive outcomes in terms of greater inclusion of UN

entities, more eective collaboration and advocacy and

promoting strategic partnerships.

Current RC leadership, coordination

and convening capacities

The UN’s country-level response to COVID-19 has

demonstrated the ability of RCs and UN Country Teams

(UNCTs) to collaborate in response to a crisis, with

UNCTs working together in emergency mode to develop

118 Socio-Economic Response Plans (SERPs) within

months of the pandemic’s outbreak.

III

Evidence suggests that these plans helped enable a

coherent response, that the independent leadership and

convening role of the RC contributed to greater country-

level coherence and that the overall response was a good

example of the benets of a recongured Resident

Coordinator function and a new generation of UNCTs,

as well as the exibility and agility of coordination within

the system.

Host government ocials mirrored these

comments in interviews and often described the clarity

of leadership.

Further, as highlighted by UN Department of Economic

and Social Aairs (DESA)-conducted surveys cited in the

Secretary-General’s 2021 Quadrennial Comprehensive

Policy Review (QCPR)Report, 78% of programme

country government respondents see the RC as an eective

entry point to access the UN system at country level, 88%

consider the RC to be eective in leading the UNCT

and 79% consider RCs to have sucient prerogatives to

eectively full their mandate. This reects a ‘substantial

improvement since 2019’.

That said, feedback and data show that the leadership,

coordination and convening capacities of RCs is not yet

where it needs to be. Both the Secretary-Generals’s RC

review and the MOPAN reports highlight the need to

develop a more systemic approach to partnerships, especially

with the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), private

sector and civil society. Strengthening these partnerships is

central to mobilising the investment countries require to

drive sustainable energy , food security, digital and other

transitions.

If the UN’s potential for leveraging investment in SDG

acceleration is to be maximised, many RCs will need

to have a more nuanced understanding of development

106 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

nance and the dynamic convening skills required. Almost

all major assessments also highlighted that greater priority

needs to be given to the development-humanitarian-

peacebuilding ‘nexus’ as well as better conceptually

understanding, and implementing, much more integrated

UN approaches to the 2030 Agenda.

Finally, like the UN’s response to the pandemic, it

will be critical that RCs and UNCTs unite behind

Cooperation Frameworks that truly deliver transformative

programming. In order to do so, priority attention needs

to be given to: (1) Accelerated development of further

enabling instruments; (2) Development of key leadership

capacities required to maximize RCs’ leveraging power

and impact; and (3) Further reection on the RC’s prole

and selection.

Ongoing capacity development of RCs

is critical

In addition to more enabling tools and clearer approaches

to SDG integration, it is critical that priority also be given

to eective capacity development of RCs. As the MOPAN

study noted, formalised training is not always addressing

limitations in skill sets to help newly-appointed RCs more

eectively perform the leveraging elements of their role.

Current training provisions are not sucient to ensure

the quality leadership required for coherent leadership

of UNCTs and RCs cannot rely in practice solely on

accountability mechanisms to support a more coordinated

way of working. This is especially true in particularly

challenging situations; crisis settings, also make it dicult

to assess, measure, and train to the requisite competencies.

VII

Member States recognised this through the recent GA

Resolution 76/4: ‘Requests the Secretary-General

to ensure that all Resident Coordinators, including

in particular Resident Coordinators who also serve

as Humanitarian Coordinators or Deputy Special

Representatives of the Secretary-General, receive in an

ongoing manner the necessary training and support to

acquire the skills and knowledge needed to ensure they

are well-prepared and equipped to eectively exercise the

empowered, strategic, eective and impartial leadership

role envisaged for them…’

VIII

In addition to being able to

navigate skilfully in increasingly complex environments,

two other skillsets that will be critical to maximizing

RCs’ leveraging potential for transformative impact are

multi-sectoral policy capacity and a strong grounding in

development nance.

To this point, Development Cooperation Oce (DCO)

has undertaken a number of important steps to strengthen

the leadership skills of RCs. Attention has been given

to mentoring and coaching, virtual peer exchanges

on leadership and on individual and team resilience in

contexts of disruptive change, and eorts to help them

build relationships and broaden their networks.

This is complemented by leadership dialogues for

RCs on systems thinking, collaborative leadership and

the application of foresight in the new Cooperation

Framework. It is also inspired by the key ways in which the

nine leadership behaviours in the UN System Leadership

Framework manifest themselves: that is systems thinking;

co-creation within the UN system and with external

partners; focusing on producing impact for the most

vulnerable; and driving transformational change.

Building leadership for change

Currently there are three initiatives underway that should

help bring a further shift in competencies across UNCTs

to promote more systemic change. Initiated by DCO,

and building on pilots in Uganda and Cambodia, SDG

Leadership Labs with the Presencing Institute have been

working with 14 UNCTs. Here they build capacity

in systems leadership and cross-agency collaborative

working that will help transform leadership behaviour in

humanitarian and developmental operational settings.

Hosted in Geneva by UNOPS, and initiated in 2020

in close collaboration with DCO, OCHA and IASC

members, the Global Leadership Initiative (GELI) oers

knowledge and development opportunities for executive

leaders managing humanitarian, development, and peace

operations based in countries of operation through

bespoke programmes.

More broadly, one of the UN System Sta College’s

Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development’s

signature executive courses, ‘UN Country Team

Leadership: Maximising Synergies for Greater Impact’,

focuses on the systems thinking, strategic communications

How can leadership by UN Resident Coordinators become truly transformative - John Hendra 107

The Still Life

and collaborative and agile leadership skills UN heads

of agency at country level need to meet the challenges

incumbent in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development.

Finally, two other critical things are needed – change in

mindsets and behaviour change. Despite the UN’s limited

nancial assets, if RCs, and UNCTs, more imaginatively

deploy the UN’s vast leveraging potential and normative

mandates, they can have a real impact on creating

enabling environments.

This is a key expectation of the

repositioned RC function, with each RC oce now

substantively backed by a senior economist, a partnerships

specialist and a monitoring and evaluation specialist.

On another level it will also mean consciously changing

behaviours, especially for those UN RCs who used to also

serve as UNDP Resident Representatives.

When Ingrid

FitzGerald and I developed a Theory of Change for the

UNDS to function better as a system, we interviewed over

100 sta in the eld and at Headquarters who told us time

and time again that leadership, political will and funding

were absolutely key to real change and that behaviour

and attitude change is just as, if not more important, than

structural change.

XII

A key and unique tenet of the current UNDS reform

though is that a number of structural changes, such as

removing potential conict of interest by delinking the

functions of RCs from UNDP Resident Representatives,

as well as enhancing global and regional UN leadership,

have been necessary preconditions to further behavioural

change.

RC prole t for future challenges

While most of the evidence points to highly skilled

individuals occupying RC positions, recruiting RCs

and UNCT Heads of Agency with the skillsets needed

to address tomorrow’s priorities will be a critical driver

for transformative impact. As noted, it will be important

that future RCs have exhibited capacity in at least two of

three areas – navigating the ‘nexus’; multisectoral policy

capacity; and a solid grounding in development nance

for SDG acceleration. Overall, it’s critical that RCs have

suitable proles for the very dierent contexts in which

they are to operate.

Two nal comments. First, the 2030 Agenda is an

agenda for change – and if RCs are to help facilitate

more transformative change, they simply have to take

risks; it can’t be ‘business as usual’. As Ben Ramalingam

highlighted in Aid on the Edge of Chaos, aid organisations

(including the UN) are driven by bureaucratic structures

and reporting imperatives and hence struggle to foster and

support risk-taking and innovation which is so imperative

for transformative impact. To get things done, more

transformative leaders often need to focus on the goals

and values of the organisation – and circumvent its formal

systems.

Too often aid agencies ‘replace initiative and inspiration

with bureaucracy; replace trust with contracts; replace

human relationships with matrices; and replace moral

values with value for money’.

XIII

Does it sound familiar?

The bottom line is in order to eect transformative change

RCs have to take risks – but they need to both manage

these risks themselves, and be enabled and supported by

top UN leadership. The fact that RCs now report directly

to the UN Secretary-General, and no longer have the

programmatic responsibilities of the previous system,

should open more space for this.

Second, in addition to substantive skillsets and an appetite

for risk-taking, with the challenges incumbent in inspiring

a UNCT, especially when people are experiencing

multiple kinds of stress exacerbated by the pandemic, it

will be increasingly important that future RCs be more

While most of the evidence points to highly skilled individuals occupying RC

positions, recruiting RCs and UNCT Heads of Agency with the skillsets needed

to address tomorrow’s priorities will be a critical driver for transformative

impact.

108 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

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systematically assessed for empathy, a critical skill for

successful, impartial and committed UN leaders at country

level.

As a Harvard Business Review article recently put it

‘obviously we need smart, experienced people in our

companies, but we also need people who are adept at

dealing with change, understand and motivate others, and

manage both positive and negative emotions to create an

environment where everyone can be at their best’.

XIV

While empathy has long been an important skill, new

research demonstrates its outsized importance for

everything from innovation to engagement to inclusivity.

RCs do not inspire UN colleagues by holding up

paper frameworks, but they do when they seek out

colleagues’ dierent points of view and engage in healthy

debate towards better, mutually owned solutions. People

trust leaders and feel a greater sense of commitment

and engagement when there is alignment between what

a leader says - and what a leader does. In that context,

it will become increasingly important that future RC

candidates are well screened for their levels of empathy

and emotional intelligence, perhaps the most important

leadership competency for ‘t for the future’ RCs.

How can leadership by UN Resident Coordinators become truly transformative - John Hendra 109

The Still Life

Endnotes

See: Multilateral Organisation Performance

Assessment Network (MOPAN) Secretariat,

‘Is this time dierent? UNDS reform: progress,

challenges and opportunities, Lessons in

Multilateral Eectiveness’, 2021, https://www.

mopanonline.org/analysis/items/MOPAN_MLE_

UNDSR_Progress_challenges_opportunities_

June2021_web.pdf; UN General Assembly,

‘Review of the functioning of the Resident

Coordinator system: rising to the challenge and

keeping the promise of the 2030 Agenda. Report

of the Secretary General’, A775/905, 7 June 2021,

https://undocs.org/A/75/905; UN Executive

Oce of the Secretary-General, ‘Early Lessons

and Evaluability of the Evaluability of the UN

COVID-19 Response and Recovery MPTF’,

April 2021, https://unsdg.un.org/resources/early-

lessons-and-evaluability-un-covid-19-response-

and-recovery-mptf; UN Oce of Internal

Oversight Services (OIOS), ‘Early Assessment of

the Resident Coordinator System’, 2020.

MOPAN Secretariat, ibid., p. 31.

III

UN OIOS, ibid., p. 4.

MOPAN Secretariat, ibid., p. 25.

Ibid., p. 25.

UN General Assembly and Economic and

Social Council (ECOSOC), ‘Implementation

of General Assembly Resolution 75/233 on

the quadrennial comprehensive policy review

of operational activities for development of the

United Nations System: Report of the Secretary-

General’, A/76/75/E/2021/57, https://undocs.

org/A/76/75-E/2021/57

VII

See: Sebastian von Einsiedel, Josie Lianna Kaye,

Cale Salih. Wendy A. McClinchy, and Francesco

Galtieri, Works in UN Resident Coordinator-led

Conict Prevention: Lessons from the Field (New

York: United Nations University Centre for

PolicyResearch, 2018), https://collections.unu.

edu/eserv/UNU:6547/RC-Project-Book-Upd-

29JUN18.pdf.

VIII

UN General Assembly Resolution 76/4,

October 28 2021, https://undocs.org/A/

RES/76/4, para 11.

Rachel Hentsch, ‘SDG Leadershp Labs:

Supporting UN CountryTeams to Achieve

Agenda 2030’, Medium, <https://medium.com/presencing-

institute-blog/sdg-leadership-labs-taking-theory-u-into-the-

united-nations-60361916b58c>.

John Hendra & Arif Neky, ‘‘Walking the talk’: Accelerating

the United Nations’ role in leveraging the private sector for

the SDGs” in Financing the UN Development System: Time to

Meet the Moment (Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation,

2021), https://www.daghammarskjold.se/publication/unds-

2021/, pp. 135-139.

For example, when I rst went to Vietnam as UN RC and

UNDP RR in 2006 at the start of the ‘Delivering as One’

pilot, I knew that if I was to be seen as an impartial ‘One

Leader’ for all it meant branding myself as UN RC, separating

the RC oce physically from UNDP and moving away from

sta meetings with UNDP to UN-wide sta townhalls. Quite

quickly for some UNDP Vietnam sta I had gone from being

a new, engaging leader to an RC who was somewhat aloof. It

was not easy to do, and not always perfect, but I knew it was

what I needed to change to have the credibility within the

UNCT to lead the ‘One UN Initiative’.

XII

John Hendra and Ingrid FitzGerald, Who Wants (to) Change?

A ‘Theory of Change’ for the UN Development System to function

as a system for Relevance, Strategic Positioning and Results (Tokyo:

United Nations University Centre for Policy Research,

2016), http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:5849/

HendraFitzGerald_WhoWantsToChange_FINAL.pdf.

XIII

Ben Ramalingam, Aid on the Edge of Chaos (Oxford:

Oxford University Press, 2014).

XIV

Annie McKee, ‘How to Hire for Emotional Intelligence’,

Harvard Business Review, February 5 2016 <https://hbr.

org/2016/02/how-to-hire-for-emotional-intelligence>.

Tracy Brower, ‘Empathy Is the Most Important

Leadership Skill According to Research’, Forbes,

September 19 2021,<https://www.forbes.com/sites/

tracybrower/2021/09/19/empathy-is-the-most-important-

leadership-skill-according-to-research/?sh=1e9c9d143dc5>.

110 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

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Frankness and honesty: Essential traits of a UN Leader

INTERVIEW WITH LYNN HASTINGS

Samir Al Ghafari

Vase with owers

Azraq Camp

Lynn Hastings was interviewed in her personal capacity and the article does not necessarily reect the

views of the UN.

Frankness and honesty: Essential traits of a UN Leader - Interview with Lynn Hastings 111

The Still Life

Lynn Hastings is the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and

the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied

Palestinian Territory (DSRSG/RC/HC). She has over twenty years of experience in

humanitarian aairs, development coordination and political aairs and peacekeeping. Hastings

also served in diverse roles and geographical locations including in Pakistan, East Timor, the

Balkans and New York and she practiced private sector law in Toronto, Canada before joining

the UN.

In your role you often have to coordinate United

Nations entities that may have either competing agendas

or competing expectations - what leadership approaches

are needed to manage these pressures?

It is true that the UN entities form a very diverse family,

with dierences in areas of focus, in perspectives and ways

to see the world. It makes the UN quite unique and implies

quite a degree of coordination, which can be notably

challenging in conict contexts. I think the rst approach

is to take the time to understand these perspectives – from

both an organisational and personal levels- so as to nd

persuasive ‘entry points’ with the entities. It is important

to know the mandates, incentives, and pressures that they

themselves (the other UN entities) are subjected to.

At the end of the day, if the DSRSG/RC/HC wants these

dierent entities to be coordinated, she or he needs to

ensure that they, these various sources of pressures, also

know that you understand or are trying to understand

their point of view. Then, you have to demonstrate the

advantages of a common approach, in either principled

or practical terms, or both. Often ‘leaders’ prefer a ‘lone

wolf ’ approach, rather than rallying their constituents (in

our case, UN entities or Member States) behind common

approaches. This is especially true when it comes to sharing

information so that common messaging can be developed.

You also have to do your homework to be able to respond,

and at times, push back against pressures. A DSRSG/RC/

HC must really invest time and eort in knowing about

the ways the dierent parts of the UN operate, in order

to assess what is feasible, what isn’t. Then you have to

manage system trade-os accordingly and communicate

your decision in a way that UN entities, even if they may

disagree, can understand your rationale. I would also add

that having allies and the ability to rally support is critical

to withstand inappropriate pressures. You may think this

is just about external pressures, say from an individual

Member State or a donor, but this applies internally as

well.

As DSRSG/RC/HC, my role is to lead by forging and

enabling consensus. But there are times when you do

need support from other quarters to push back against

internal demands that are not realistic, or that are not fully

in the best interests of the UN as a whole. At times, this

support comes from within. At other times, it will need

to come from beyond. For example, at times you need

donors to pass on messages or to behave in a certain way

to promote the common UN good amongst UN entities.

And remember that your allies may come from previous

postings or someone you worked with many years ago. It

is important to maintain those relationships.

Finally let me add one trait that is essential, and the sine

qua non condition for a UN leader: frankness and honesty.

Most UN entities and colleagues will accept your decision

as DSRSG/RC/HC, even if they disagree, as long as you

are trusted as a frank and honest leader. As soon as this

perception and trust is weakened, it becomes very dicult

to manage these pressures.

In countries where you are working, or have worked,

protecting and preserving UN agendas entails dicult

discussions with national counterparts. What leadership

approaches are eective?

Some of the behaviours or approaches I described in the

rst answer apply here as well. And actually, let me ip

that around. When it comes to dicult engagement with

external actors, including governments but also Member

States and donors, it should not all be on the DSRSG/

RC/HC. At times, it helps to have other parts of the UN,

in country or globally, to step in and deliver hard messages.

And I think we are not always very good at strategising

112 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

accordingly, that is, thinking through who is best placed to

engage and when.

More generally, what is often the most eective is when

the UN and its partners engage as one, with common

approaches and messages, especially on sensitive issues,

when collective engagement is much better than hoisting

it all on one function. In this regard, one issue that arises

relates to the debate between public and private diplomacy.

The DSRSG/RC/HC universe, which straddles the

political, the human rights, the development and the

humanitarian spheres, is one populated by very diverse

opinions and methods on this issue. It is a dicult balance

to strike, but all too often, the debate is driven more by

ideology than by a focus on what is eective.

With regards to your own experience of, and exposure

to lived leadership, can you speak to your sources of

inspiration such as people, texts, (etc) within the UN

and/or beyond?

Well, let me start with a story that has little to do with

the UN, which also shows that inspiration can come from

many diverse sources. When I was young, I used to work at

an A&W Root Beer restaurant as ‘car hop’, where I would

take orders and deliver food from car to car. I remember

that my manager at the time would often take on some of

the most menial tasks so that we could focus on our tasks

and do them right.

The idea that a manager, or leader, can at times ‘get in the

trenches’ and perform tasks that ‘enable’ the work of others

has stuck with me since. Too often at the UN, and I suspect

elsewhere, the leader stays atop, almost aloof, to review,

critique and decide on work that is produced by others.

We need to challenge this way of thinking and doing.

We need leaders who produce, and have the courage, and

humility, to subject their own work, their own production,

to the review and inputs of others. I have seen and worked

for many types of leaders at the UN. Those who had the

ability to lead the team by joining in the work of the team

have been those that have inspired me.

Another trait that has inspired me from dierent leaders

is the ability to take responsibility. And here, I don’t just

mean taking responsibility for one’s own actions, including

one’s own failures, that should be a given.

I have in mind those leaders who take responsibility for

the work and failures of every member of their team,

regardless of level. Here as well, it requires courage and

humility, but I think this is really the practical meaning and

translation of many of the concepts the UN is discussing

at headquarters, including in the Leadership Framework.

That’s what it means, on a daily basis, to do co-creation, or

to exercise collective leadership.

Beyond personal traits, the support from headquarters,

and the support from Member States and donors are

critical for ethical and principled UN leadership. In this

regard, what works, and what is missing?

Let me start by stressing that support is often driven

by personalities rather than the organisation itself. So,

depending on the time, the place, the issue, support (in the

form of joint messaging for example) can be forthcoming

or not, depending on the people in place in these various

organisations. It is often a function of their own individual

choices and courage, and how they chose to manage their

respective institutional pressures.

Beyond this, we should also recognise some realities.

Support from headquarters and from Member States

depends on a number of factors, including the political

context. When the UN works in a country that perhaps

is less polarising and carries less geopolitical weight, both

headquarters and Member States are more likely to exert

principled leadership – when the reverse is true, principled

leadership will be combined with other imperatives. UN

leaders who forget this reality will be quickly disillusioned.

We need leaders who produce, and have the courage, and humility, to

subject their own work, their own production, to the review and inputs

of others. I have seen and worked for many types of leaders at the UN.

Those who had the ability to lead the team by joining in the work of the

team have been those that have inspired me.

Frankness and honesty: Essential traits of a UN Leader - Interview with Lynn Hastings 113

The Still Life

Now even within this complex context, it helps to

reiterate how crucial it is for headquarters to be united

in its engagement with UN leaders on the ground, and

with our external interlocutors. There is little that is

more damaging to the leadership on the ground, and its

ability to withstand pressures than having a cacophony

of voices within the UN: within headquarters, and

between headquarters and the eld. External actors see

it immediately, and exploit it accordingly, and this really

undermines eld leadership. This is true everywhere, but

perhaps more so for triple hat functions, given the broader

range of UN actors and issues that the function covers.

Finally, one dimension of recent UN eorts that greatly

helps, in theory at least, is the move towards decentralisation,

delegation of authority and eld empowerment. This is

the spirit of UN reform, and when that spirit is practiced,

it has a real, tangible impact on our ability to lead teams on

the ground, to unify entities behind a common purpose.

When that spirit gets bogged down in bureaucratic

minutiae, rules and procedures, the reverse impact is also

just a visible and tangible. Given our structures, it is easy

for anyone, consciously or not, to enmesh the triple hat

function in a maze of processes, hogging time, energy

and political capital that could be better spent our core

mandates and obligations to the UN, the countries and the

people we serve.

114 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

Trajectory of United Nations leadership roles in the

Liberia peace process

BY CHRIS AGOHA

Hisham Mohammad Al Ghafari

An apple core representing the

remaining parts of Syria

Azraq Camp

Trajectory of United Nations leadership roles in the Liberia peace process - Chris Agoha 115

The Still Life

Chris Agoha is the Country Manager at the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Nigeria.

He is a political scientist and peace and conict analyst who worked in the United Nations

Missions in Liberia (UNMIL) between 2004 and 2018. This was followed by a posting as

Political Aairs Ocer and Team Leader with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan

(UNMISS) from 2018-2020. Agoha’s academic work includes serving as Adjunct Professor

of Peace and Conict Resolution at the Graduate School of International Aairs, University

of Liberia from 2006-2012 under the United Nations teaching support to the University of

Liberia. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria

and a dual master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy, and in Political Science, from

the University of Lagos Nigeria. His Doctorate Degree in Peace Studies is from the University

of Bradford, United Kingdom.

Leadership is important no matter the setting. Eective

leadership supports higher quality and improved delivery

of goods and services. It brings a sense of cohesiveness

and space for personal development and raised satisfaction

between workers.

Progressive leadership creates an

alignment with the environment, promotes healthy

mechanisms for innovation, encourages creativity, and

serves as a resource for invigorating organisational culture.

Here I would like to take the opportunity to explore and

present evidence of this type of progressive and genuine

UN leadership in the complex political and security

environment of Liberia.

Over one decade, the UN operated on a multi-leadership

track that yielded positive dividends in the national,

bilateral, and multilateral engagements. They succeeded

in moving the country forward on its democratic path.

These leadership styles and qualities were embodied in

ve Special Representatives of the Secretary- General

(SRSG)

who oversaw and managed a complex peace

process generating many lessons that can be replicated in

other UN peace operations.

UN leadership in Liberia

A leadership review of the United Nations Mission in

Liberia (UNMIL) showed that the sta and the national

stakeholders appreciated the SRSG leadership experience,

which manifested in the country’s phenomenal peace

mission outcomes. The interventions were driven by

transformational leadership strategies that looked beyond

the boundaries of the UN mandate and articulated

principled visions that propelled the peace process forward.

By scrupulously implementing ethical with morally

bound decisions, they were able to keep the UN sta from

becoming vulnerable to the national laws and institutions.

The leadership was strategic, implementing good decisions

taking all reference points into consideration.

The ve SRSG’s respectively, brought rare specialisations

and a vast accumulation of knowledge which laid

the foundation for ‘earned’ condence. It can thus be

understood that it was this spectrum of trust that created

successful leadership opportunities. In the process they

were able to lead the processes that delivered programmes

without getting caught in any political entanglement with

national leaders and stakeholders.

Intelligence, self-condence, -awareness, integrity, humility,

critical thinking, and good communication were some of

the traits I admired in the SRSG’s charged with leading

the UNMIL. They were able to motivate and inspire their

sta to believe in the leadership, as well as build trust with

the Liberian political stakeholders and the population. It

is important to note how they carried the UN priniciple

of integrity as a core value and signicant tenet of their

leadership style. In the process they were able to lift the

accountability levels between themselves and their team.

Practicalising UN leadership roles in

Liberia

UN leadership in Liberia manifested at dierent levels and

forms under the auspices of the SRSG. Their responsibility

was broad and they had to lead processes from the local

to the international level. This meant that incorporating

grassroots communities and traditional institutions, civil

116 Chapter Four - The Art of Leadership

The Still Life

society organisations, national political leaders, UN sta

members, Inter-Mission Cooperation levels, and the

international community was key.

The overall agenda required that the UNMIL leadership

required ocials who were able to connect with

people, having conversations that avoided the tendency

to ‘talk down to people’. Their job was to travel across

the length and breadth of the country interacting with

a network of local contacts and condants in line with

the UN intermediary messaging strategy and directly

communicating UN mandates to the population.

In setting the pace for its role, the leadership routinely

rehearsed a zero failure strategy in the implementation

of the UN mandates and building lasting peace for the

country. They served as a unifying force for everyone and

gave the population hope for a better future and managed to

keep promises whilst speaking more of rewards rather than

punishment. Indeed, the UNMIL successes came without

any measures of coercive leadership. This type of leadership

was seen as abhorrent and counter-productive. The ‘carrot-

and-stick’ approach with incentives and concessions based

on one actor’s control over events important to others.

With a display of self-condence and -determination

the leadersip survived every crisis that threatened the

implementation of their mandates. By listening and

embracing new ideas and having an ‘open door policy’

that highlighted statements of principled leadership. This

strategy gave everyone an equal opportunity to consult

and give valued advice on the peace process.

Embracing ‘shuttle peacebuilding’

Constructive criticism of the leadership was accepted

and lessons learnt. One strategy was to engage in

extensive ‘shuttle peacebuilding’ initiatives nationally

and internationally. This meant meeting stakeholders at

the grassroots and national levels to seek consensus on

peace and development activities that would be benet

all. International level processes included bilateral and

multilateral engagements to support for the country’s

peace agenda. It culminated with the establishment of the

Peacebuilding Commission Liberia Conguration in 2010.

It had the mandate to implement the Security Council

peacebuilding priorities. The focus was on security sector

development, strengthening the rule of law, promoting

national reconciliation as well as running peaceful and

inclusive elections.

Other areas supported by UNMIL were to work with

the government to implement peacebuilding activities

on, what as then, considered as new frontiers like political,

social, economic and gender inclusiveness, taking an

integrated approach with local ownership and respect for

human rights.

Going beyond peacekeeping to

sustaining peace

As Liberia sought to rmly establish a stable and secure

environment with an irreversible path towards sustainable,

equitable, and inclusive growth and development it was

imperative to establish mechanisms to revitalise the

economy. This was much needed as the country shifted

from post-conict stabilisation to laying the foundation

for sustained and shared growth and poverty reduction.

This process was guided by the Governance and Economic

Management Assistance Program (GEMAP) implemented

in 2005. It was developed by the International Contact

Group for Liberia (ICGL) through the UN leadership

and supported by the Liberian government. The GEMAP

sought to reshape the fundamentally broken governance

system that contributed to the 23 years of cumulative

of conict in the country. As the guarantor of peace in

Liberia, the ICGL with members from the UN, African

Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African

With a display of self-confidence and -determination the leadership

survived every crisis that threatened the implementation of their

mandates. By listening and embracing new ideas and having an ‘open

door policy’ that highlighted statements of principled leadership.

Trajectory of United Nations leadership roles in the Liberia peace process - Chris Agoha 117

The Still Life

States (ECOWAS), Nigeria, Ghana, the Embassy of the

United States of America, the European Union (EU),

World Bank (WB), and the International Monetary Fund

(IMF). The role of the UN in the ICGL was critical because

it provided the leadership and ensured that the group

decisions conformed to the Security Council mandates

towards achieving sustainable peace for the country. The

leadership successes were seamless and consistent, and the

spirit of continuity in the implementation of its mandate

was unequivocally demonstrated.

Challenges of UN leadership

Good leadership is demanding and contemporary

leaders face additional challenges. While the shared-

power environment created in the second half of the

twentieth century enhanced many aspects of democracy,

‘it also makes leadership more dicult’.

III

In the case of

Liberia, thanks to media and internet access the public

had better access to observe the UNMIL leadership and

made constructive criticisms. They lived with the constant

public scrutiny and leadership had to contend with the

excesses of societal spoilers.

To fully understand the challenges faced by the UNMIL

leadership it is also important to know that their task

was made very dicult by the prevailing Liberian frame

conditions, such as working in a landscape dominated

by authoritarian rulers. Like in many other post-conict

situations, the society was enmeshed in powerful political,

social and economic systems that were impervious

to change. Another issue they faced was how to work

with individuals who committed human rights abuses

including atrocities during civil wars. This remains a

serious problem and is coupled with corruption in the

governance structures that appears to be institutionalised.

Additional issues are nepotism, deep political cleavages,

divisive associational lifestyles, and a culture of violence

that continues to plague communities. The country also

continues to face long-standing disputes about land and

other resources among ethnic groups that contribute to

social and political tensions.

The diculties did not hinder the UN leadership from

carrying out its mandates and serving the Liberian

population. They displayed exceptional intellectual

and diplomatic prowess which led to the successful

implementation of UN mandates and closure of the

Endnotes

Montgomery Van Welsh, ‘Public-Sector

Leadership Theory: An Assessment’, Public

Sector Administration Review, 63/2, March/

April 2003, <https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.

uu.se/10.1111/1540-6210.00281>.

From 2003-2018, the leadership of the United

Nations Missions in Liberia (UNMIL) at the level

of SRSG comprised of Mr. Jacques Klein (USA);

Mr. Alan Doss (United Kingdom); Ms. Ellen

Margrette Loj (Denmark); Ms. Karin Landgrin

(Sweden); and Mr. Farid Zarif (Afghanistan).

III

Douglas Henton, John G. Melville, Kimberly

Walesh, Grassroots Leaders for a New Economy:

How Civic Entrepreneurs Are Building Prosperous

Communities,(Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 1997).

mission in a celebratory fashion. Liberia can therefor

be referred to as the ‘New Spirit’ in terms of exemplary

peacekeeping and peacebuilding in Africa.

118 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Mohammed Joukhdar

Zataari Camp

The Abstract

Chapter Five

The abstract: Rendering innovation and change

The innovation movement for UN Leaders: Connecting research and practice

BY TINA C. AMBOS AND KATHERINE TATARINOV ......................................................... 120

Unloved and unappreciated: the General Assembly Budget Committees and UN leadership

BY HANNAH DAVIES ............................................................................................................... 126

Leadership from where you sit: Behavioural challenge

BY AIDA GHAZARYAN ............................................................................................................ 131

United Nations 2.0: Can the current leadership deliver the workforce it requires?

BY VERONIKA TYWUSCHIK-SOHLSTRÖM, MARC JACQUAND,

HENRIETTE KEIJZERS ........................................................................................................... 137

120 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

The innovation movement for UN Leaders:

Connecting research and practice

BY TINA C. AMBOS AND KATHERINE TATARINOV

Mahmoud Khaled Al-Hariri

Abstraction

Zataari Camp

The Innovation Movement for UN Leaders - Tina C. Ambos and Katherine Tatarinov 121

The Abstract

In studying innovation practices in the United Nations we

learned that intrapreneurship –an entrepreneurial project

originating from within the organisation– is a frequent

phenomenon and an incredibly powerful mechanism to

spur organisational change. We observed more than 70

intrapreneurial initiatives across UN organisations and

identied both facilitators and inhibitors.

While UN

leaders face challenges to embracing intrapreneurship in

today’s complex and connected world, the positive impact

of this type of innovation on the lives of beneciaries and

the dierent UN organisations is clear.

The innovation challenge in the UN

The most powerful innovations are often designed on

the periphery of an organisation. This is true of both big

corporations and the UN where many new ideas have

come from the eld, close to the beneciaries themsleves.

Take for example the accountant in the World Food

Programme (WFP) oce who worked with the WFP

Innovation Accelertor to develop Building Blocks,

initiative that uses blockchain technology to facilitate

cash-based transfers in refugee camps. Or the UNICEF

eld oce that developed U-Report

III

a social messaging

and data collection system to improve citizen engagement,

inform leaders, and foster positive change.

Another great example is SheTrades,

which brings female

entrepreneurs to market, and was developed by a passionate

Tina C. Ambos is Professor of International Management and Director of the Center for

Innovation and Partnerships at the Geneva School for Economics and Management at the

University of Geneva. Her research and teaching interests include global strategic management

and innovation in the context of multinational corporations, technology start- ups and

international not-for-prot organisations. She has published widely in the academic journals

and is a regular speaker at international conferences and practitioner forums as well as leading

executive programs.

Katherine Tatarinov is Post-doctoral Scholar and Research Director of the Center for

Innovation and Partnerships at the Geneva School for Economics and Management at the

University of Geneva. Her research focuses on social innovation, digital transformation and

managing the grand challenges. The United Nations organisations are her primary research

context. Katherine lectures at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne and is the Managing

Director of the Geneva Innovation Movement Association, where she translates her research

ndings into applicable insights and community building.

intrapreneur at the International Trade Centre (ITC). Yet,

harnessing all the innovative ideas coming from the eld

and dispersing them to the country oces is a task these

organisations were not designed to undertake. The UN

will however learn how to structure innovation internally

and decide which ideas to pursue.

Looking at the issue from a management perspective, we

hosted a series of workshops and roundtables to learn from

the innovators themselves. Based on their insights around

existing silos and a lack of safe space to learn, we created a

nurturing space for UN sta to share across organisations

and sectors to spur intrapreneurship for innovation in the

context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This platform is the Geneva Innovation Movement

- a

network of change agents who have the common goal to

connect silos and transform their organisations to create a

greater impact in their roles.

From our research, we share the following lessons:

The impact of intrapreneurship

Multiple factors inuence the degree to which

intrapreneurial initiatives impact organisations and

beneciaries. While ‘success’ is dened dierently based

on the organisation and its context, for us a successful

initiative is built from the bottom up, operational in many

locations, and delivers impact. A successful innovation seeks

to transform the way a product, process, or policy aect

122 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

beneciaries or the organisation itself. Seeing a positive

impact is a critical component of successful interventions,

but it is multi-faceted and dicult to measure.

Our research identied three key types of impact that

international organisations deliver, namely social-, internal-,

and mission impact.

Some interventions touch on all

three, others just one. But for each, the bottom-up problem

identication and human focused solution development

has signicant advantages.

Social Impact – ‘changing beneciary lives’ refers to

the impact on beneciaries across the globe and reects

the direct benets of intrapreneurship as a demand-driven

activity, addressing real needs identied in the eld. This

impact is measured in metrics such as number of lives saved,

reach, increase in yield, higher admission rates to schools,

increased production, or greater speed and eciency in

aid delivery.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

created an e-Cash Smart Card.

VII

This project built a

digital cash payment system for migrants. It reached

19,300 households in its rst two-years, simplifying paying

for goods and making the aid delivery process faster.

Internal Impact – ‘changing the way we do things’-

refers to the impact on the core processes of the

organisation itself and shows that intrapreneurship can be

a means to renew and rejuvenate from within. Stimulating

the development of new capabilities, structures and

processes. For example, UNHCR’s Instant Network

Schools

VIII

initiative, brings training material to refugee

classrooms. It built a bridge between the innovation and

education team to create a new workstream around

Connected Education.

Mission Impact – ‘changing what we do’ - refers to

impact on the core mandate of the organisation when

innovations go beyond the traditional mission of the

organisation. These initiatives have the potential to

transform the organisation fundamentally. For example,

the WFP’s Building Blocks work makes WFP cash transfers

more secure, collaborative, traceable, and cheaper using

Blockchain technology.

This means the WFP has taken on a broader range of

activities to address the resilience needs of the beneciaries

without shying away from the potential of new technology.

The two-levels of success factors for

intrapreneurship in the UN

Our research found that initiatives that scale and deliver

impact share common variables on two distinct levels: 1)

the initiative level; and 2) the organisation level.

Social Impact

Changing people’s lives

Internal Impact

Changing the way we do things

Mission Impact

Changing what we do

Box 1: Social, internal andmission impact. Originally published in Tina C. Ambos, Katherine

Tatarinov, Sylvia Somerville and Katherine Milligan, ‘Initiatives with Impact: Unleashing

bottom-up innovation in International Organizations, October 2018, p. 4 (See endnote I).

The Innovation Movement for UN Leaders - Tina C. Ambos and Katherine Tatarinov 123

The Abstract

Initiative Level

•Applicable in many locations.

•Dened goals from start.

•Diverse partners.

•Linked to implmenting organisational mandates.

•Simple with visible impact.

•Strong project owner.

•User-driven, human-centered.

Organisation Level

•Adequate nancing.

•Alignment to strategic objective.

•Culture of trust and transparency.

•Dedicated team or sta time.

•Executive and key stakeholder buy-in for innovation.

While an initiative could be well aligned to the organisations’

mandate and have a strong project owner as well as be

scalable, it also needed specic organisational elements to

thrive. Most importantly, we found that resources such

as time and nancing were crucial in the early stages of

the initiative development. As the interventions start to

scale up we see top management buy-in as particularly

important.

Interestingly, our interviews over the last ve years show

the UN culture changing. While incentive systems and

processes may not have been amended to allow for greater

innovation yet, we see a shift in openness towards organic

innovation and transformative ideas.

The leadership challenge: learning

across sectors

UN leaders play a pivotal role in setting the internal

organisational narrative. To innovate in large bureaucratic

organisations, leaders need to frame key challenges while

giving people the space and resources to solve those issues

creatively. We saw a strong bottom-up push for innovation

UN leaders play a pivotal role in setting the internal organisational

narrative. To innovate in large bureaucratic organisations, leaders need

to frame key challenges while giving people the space and resources to

solve those issues creatively.

from UN sta, recent events and speeches by the Director-

General prove the importance of a top-down approach as

well. Innovation ourishes when the top and bottom meet

in the middle and create organisation-wide transformation.

As management scholars, we draw parallels across sectors. We

can bring learnings to the UN context from private rms

that have experimented signicantly with innovation. Even

though the leadership challenge for innovation is omni-

present, we see a clear dierence in three areas between the

private sector and the UN regarding innovation practices

and processes. The main dierences are in the incentives

of intrapreneurs, breadth of stakeholders involved, and the

innovation governance structures.

First, while private sector intrapreneurs aim for

organisational recognition for their work; UN intrapreneurs

are intrinsically driven to change the world and help

beneciaries – often without taking ownership for their

work. Consequently, motivating and empowering leaders

and their sta members to engage in innovation work is

an important success factor. Organisations who succeed

in fostering innovation are the ones that give leaders space

to experiment with new ways of working. This includes

room to fail and expand their mindsets.

Second, in terms of stakeholders, we observed that

innovation in the UN often happens in cross-sector

projects. During the development and implementation

of innovative ideas, new project partners were brought

in, leading to the creation of an innovation ecosystem.

Project ownership was not often seen as a priority by the

UN, but the trade-o was that participation by numerous

stakeholders resulted in project management complexity

and dierences in resourcing capacity. This made

stakeholder management crucial. Leaders are increasingly

aware that working across sectors requires managing the

needs and priorities of dierent partners – particularly

around goal setting and motivation.

124 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Finally, the usual UN governance structures and mandates

do not allow for straightforward approaches to innovation

due to rigid accountability measures and multiple

gatekeepers. Emerging innovation units often sit outside

the regular functional areas of the organisation. Thus,

while these units are becoming more accepted, culturally

they are frequently seen as non-relevant to the daily

working processes of the organisations. Therefore, the

units face strategic issues in determining organisational

roles and activities.

Several solutions for structuring innovation exist,

but a dynamic perspective is crucial. As innovation is

continuously developing, so are its facilitation structures.

Organisations and their leadership require a certain

exibility to review and adjust innovation structures

frequently.

From research to leadership practice:

the Innovation Movement

Despite the strong push for innovation, we noticed

that new projects were often stied due to operational

processes in the UN. This was particularly evident

when senior sta had to take responsibility for often

risky innovation work and ensure the legitimacy of

initiatives. We worked with large organisations in

Geneva to develop a training program to foster a senior

management mindset shift and develop capacity at this

inuential level.

The Innovation Movement Workshops were started as a

collaboration and co-created with the Chiefs of Learning

and HR from the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR), International Labour Organization

(ILO), United Nations Oce at Geneva (UNOG), and

the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The

objective was to work with senior middle management of

the organisations (P4/P5/D1) who experience the most

pressure from the top to implement new priorities, and

from the bottom to motivate and empower team members.

These workshops give managers tools and grow their

condence to understand that leading innovation is

a continuous process of experimentation. Key ideas

and content are developed from research evidence and

practical experiences of innovation leaders in the specic

context of the UN. An important concern is nurturing

new perspectives and using innovation methodololgy

tools in a safe and trusted environment – particularly

dymystifying innovation jargon.

The objective of the training is two-fold. First, on

the content-level. It seeks to engage senior leaders,

particularly those managing teams in innovation work.

Support them with the provision of processes and tools

to critically assess the value-adding potential and the

challenges of innovation-driven UN agencies. Second, on

the interpersonal level, create a movement of collaborators

across the UN with the aim of enabling an innovation

environment. The workshop models the innovation

journey as a continuous iterative process that requires

strategy, structures and initiatives to change the processes,

mindsets and culture of organisations.

The training has been well received since its launch

in March 2020. Participants are ‘impressed with the

combination of conceptual, theoretical and practical aspects of

this training’. There are now an increasing number of

organisations participating and the virtual format has

opened the possibility for eld-based sta to join. It

has gone a long way to bridging the eld-headquarter

divide. Building this network of innovators within and

across organisations became an important added value

for participants as they reected on the workshops. ‘The

topic, focusing on human centered approach, and opportunity

to connect to the UN colleagues, which is a rare opportunity.

In the UN reform context, this connectivity is of crucial

importance’, one participant said.

We take this as encouraging evidence that successful

bottom-up innovation works in large part due to the

collaboration of intrapreneurs with and dissemination of

An important concern is nurturing new perspectives and using innovation

methodololgy tools in a safe and trusted environment – particularly

demystifying innovation jargon.

The Innovation Movement for UN Leaders - Tina C. Ambos and Katherine Tatarinov 125

The Abstract

ideas between colleagues and partners, across sectors and

organisations. Innovators are constantly learning, testing,

failing, and iterating. They cannot remain in a bubble, but

must push. to learn outside their own boundaries and

develop the capacity to engange stakeholders around them.

The key challenge for innovation leaders is to share

knowledge and dare each other to think creatively and

design eective solutions. We have already seen a major

shift in the mindset in the last ve years and welcome the

continuation of this work in the next ve years!

Endnotes

Please see for more details on this research:

Tina C. Ambos, Katherine Tatarinov,

Sylvia Somerville and Katherine Milligan,

‘Initiatives with Impact: Unleashing bottom-

up innovation in International Organizations,

October 2018, https://www.unige.ch/gsem/

les/1016/2193/7051/Report_Initiatives_with_

Impact.pdf.

See: https://innovation.wfp.org/project/

building-blocks.

III

See: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/U-

Report.

See: https://www.shetrades.com.

See: www.genevainnovation.org.

Tina C. Ambos, et. al., ibid., p. 4.

VII

See: https://emergencymanual.iom.int/

entry/26763/cashbased-interventions-

cbi#1,1645196140544.

VIII

See: https://www.un.org/partnerships/

content/instant-network-schools-programme-

united-nations-high-commissioner-refugees-

unhcr-and.

See: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-

connected-education-challenge.html.

For more insights and case studies and how to

‘Seed, Scale and Structure’ innovation, please see:

Tina C. Ambos and Katherine Tatarinov, ‘Seed,

Scale, Structure: How International Organizations

Shape Innovation’, June 2019, https://www.

unige.ch/gsem/les/2816/2193/7363/Report_

Seed_Scale_Structure.pdf.

126 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Unloved and unappreciated: The General Assembly

Budget Committees and UN leadership

BY HANNAH DAVIES

Mahmoud Khaled Al-Hariri

Abstract Integration

Zataari Camp

Unloved and unappreciated: the General Assembly Budget Committees and UN leadership - Hannah Davies 127

The Abstract

Hannah Davies is a consultant and academic researcher based in Northern Ireland. Previously,

she worked at the United Nations including in the Departments of Field Support and

Management, the Oce of Legal Aairs and the UN Democracy Fund. While working at

the UN she supported senior sta defending various management reform proposals in the the

Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and the Fifth

Committee, including the Global Field Support Strategy and a new framework for reimbursing

troops and police contributed to the UN by Member States.

The tyranny of the budget process

The General Assembly’s two budget committees – the

Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary

Questions (ACABQ) and the Fifth Committee - are well

known in United Nations policy circles, but are generally

maligned and little understood.

The budget committees’

role of reviewing and approving nancial and human

resources across the UN is essential to the functioning

of the organisation. Without resources to match, pious

expressions of what the UN should be doing are just hot

air.

The Fifth Committee especially guards its authority

jealously and strongly resists attempts by other bodies to

determine resource requirements elsewhere. A favourite

Fifth Committee paragraph, recalled multiple times,

asserts its responsibilities for administrative and budgetary

matters.

Because Fifth Committee resolutions are almost

always adopted by consensus between the 193 Member

States, establishing agreement is dicult and involves

hard work. Budgetary resolutions are also binding on

the Secretary-General. This triggers extensive debates

about the authority of the Secretary-General,

III

however

as Chief Administrative Ocer of the organisation, a key

function of the role is implementing the mandates given

to the organisation, which includes leading the planning

and budgeting process.

The decisions of the UN’s Fifth Committee are often

based on recommendations from the ACABQ.While the

ACABQ reviews the administrative budgets of funds and

programmes such as UNDP, and provide recommendations

to their Executive Boards, the reports on the nancing

and management of the Secretariat are reviewed by the

Fifth Committee, represented by all Member States. The

universality of the Fifth Committee – compared to other

governing bodies – gives it a unique degree of legitimacy,

but also makes it a very challenging forum for UN leadershp.

Many would consider the oversight of the budget

committees a constraint on the Secretariat’s autonomy

- particularly with regard to management questions.

Any changes to policies will involve detailed scrutiny by

Member States and protracted negotiations. An example

of this is when previous Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon

expended signicant political capital - as well as sta time

and resources to push through - a new mobility framework

for UN sta that was subsequently quietly abandoned and

replaced.

The current Secretary-General has proposed

changes to the sta regulations and rules including making

gender parity a consideration in recruitment and it is

still languishing on the Fifth Committee’s list of items

deferred.

Multilateralism, the budget committees,

and legitimacy

How nancial and human resources are directed reects

political as well as management priorities. Conicts in

the Security Council, geopolitical ashpoints or the

emergence of new interests and rising powers inevitably

spill over into administrative debates. Negotiations about

the funding of a new human rights monitoring mechanism,

for example, provide an opportunity for states to revisit

and challenge how the Human Rights Council mandate

is implemented. Likewise, any budget request that even

hints at interference in the sovereign aairs of a state such

as resources for drone technology or the role of Resident

Coordinators will be reviewed robustly.

When Member States discuss the Secretary-General’s

proposed budgets or related management questions,

they are not only scrutinizing his proposals, they are also

negotiating with each other. Disputes over what might seem

quite basic policy issues such as university accreditation or

internships are subject to political maneuvering reecting

dierent positions on who should be able to access UN

128 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

opportunities. As a universal body, the Fifth Committee is

also a place where smaller or more marginal states can use

the budget process as a proxy to make substantive points

with material consequences.

Oversight and examination of the budget is an important

accountability mechanism for Member States, all of whom

contribute to the assessed budgets. The integration of

the resident coordinator system into the UN Secretariat

using assessed funding resulted in greater scrutiny of the

nancing and functions of funds and programmes,

not

just by donor-driven Executive Boards, but also by the

recipients of UN programmes.

VII

Member States want to see how and on what their money

is being spent. For the main nancial contributors, ‘the

like-minded group’, this is often a question of eciency

and harnessing funding for their priorities. In the case

of countries where the UN has a strong normative and

operational impact – usually developing countries – it is

more a question of equity and impact. The complex and

often conicting interests in the budget committee can

make this kind of accountability uncomfortable.

For UN ocials, it can be tempting to try to bypass

detailed scrutiny by the ACABQ and the Fifth Committee,

including through increased eorts to secure donor funding

or partnership arrangements with other organisations.

Department heads or programme managers can show

leadership by implementing initiatives within the purview

of their entity that align with overarching UN goals,

without necessarily requesting new or additional resources.

Another approach to leadership however, is recognising

that understanding, knowledge, and expertise with the

budget committees and their methods, procedures, as well

as role is actually a key component of UN leadership.

Showing leadership in the budget committees reects

commitment to the principles of multilateralism.

Understanding and working with – rather than against –

these processes should strengthen the UN Secretariat and

the independence of the civil service.

Leadership in the budget committees

But in pracitce – beyond a general commitment to

multilateralism - what does leadership look like in the

budget committees?

On the side of a Member State delegate, leadership means

thinking beyond individual national or regional positions

and seeking to nd space for agreement. The Chair of the

ACABQ for example must show leadership by nding a

collective voice for a disparate 21 member committee.

For UN ocials, representing the Secretariat in front of the

ACABQ and the Fifth Committee can provide space for

a certain type of bureaucratic agency, despite the politics

and micromanagement. While there is no explicit eort

to train for these functions, some UN managers perform

better in the Committees than others. They learn by doing

or sitting in the back row absorbing good and bad practice.

Either way, many ocials regularly demonstrate leadership

qualities in the Committees where they are contributing

expertise, technical support, and information, while still

maintaining their independence as civil servants.

VIII

Wisdom to strengthen leadership

The Committees have an extensive workload. Any

additions to this work in the form of new initiatives and

activities create more potential for disagreement. The

Committees are political. Therefore, don’t make things

harder by politicising budgets that obviously reect one

set of positions on an issue rather than another. Likewise,

avoid contentious language that implicitly or explicitly

criticises some Member States.

Timing matters. The committees have their own cycle

and rhythms. It is good to avoid putting something

in front of the Committees when they’re busy with all

Member States want to see how and on what their money is being spent.

For the main financial contributors, ‘the like-minded group’, this is often

a question of efficiency and harnessing funding for their priorities.

Unloved and unappreciated: the General Assembly Budget Committees and UN leadership - Hannah Davies 129

The Abstract

the peacekeeping budgets, or if they’ve only recently

considered a very similar report. Don’t ask for anything

unless it is really needed, doesn’t duplicate, and only if it

aligns with existing mandates. It is better to present resource

requests within the framework of the General Assembly’s

agreed decisions and mandates, not as something that the

Secretariat wants.

Similarly, temperance is a good policy. For example, a

request for ve new Director positions will undoubtedly

raise eyebrows. Play proposals down, position them as

supporting or extending existing mandates as announcing

things as radical and transformative makes many states

nervous. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, the UN

Secretariat does change with the times, experience shows

that change tends to be incremental. Big reforms such as

those made during 2018 are possible, but only in permissive

circumstances such as when Member States are largely in

agreement, which is rare, or in the rst year of a Secretary-

General’s tenure. Even then, these interventions require

signicant political capital often involving compromises

or quid-pro-quo agreements with supporting states. This

strategy will weaken the independence of the civil service

in the longer term.

Tactically, it is important to respect precedents in dealing

with the committees. It is essential to know what’s been

decided previously, quote resolutions, and reference

previously agreed language and existing consensus

resolutions. These texts have provided a basis for states to

agree in the past and so can be a useful guide to what

is possible. Given the work involved in establishing

agreement on issues, Member States will not appreciate

being asked to re-negotiate something they have already

decided upon.

Listen and take delegate questions and concerns seriously.

While ACABQ members are often seasoned diplomats,

Fifth Committee delegates are largely First Secretaries,

relatively junior and probably younger than many sta

defending the Secretary-General’s proposals. Even if you

consider their questions irrelevant or the answers obvious,

there is a reason – even if it’s capricious. The same

professional rigour should be applied to the budget

committees as in a presentation to the Secretary-General

or other senior internal sta.

Build connections

Relationships and trust really matter. In formal settings,

observe protocol and respect that Member States are

the principals who decide, and the Secretariat are the

agents who implement. However it is important to build

relationships with delegates informally. Whilst some

may not have the status of Permanent Representatives

it is extremely useful to know who the key players are

such as who are the current representatives of the G77,

the group of countries from the global south. This can

provide a useful source of information and it can help to

‘socialise’ new proposals. First Secretaries might one day

be a Permanent Representative or indeed a senior UN

sta member.

The budget committees can be a strange technical

and general hybrid. Reports on construction of new

oces, or the implementation of complex information,

communication and technology systems contain

highly specialised information on data management

or architecture and the diplomats considering them are

unlikely to be experts on all these things. Preparation is

therefore crucial, know the portfolio so that issues can be

explained clearly and simply.

In the same context it is important to note that the

budget committees are not a marketing exercise or a

political brieng. Generalised buzzwords and public

relations jargon is less eective than clear, concise, and

factual information. Don’t draw attention to anything that

cannot be justied. Written information provided to the

Committees is often used as background in reports. Senior

Relationships and trust really matter. In formal settings, observe protocol

and respect that Member States are the principals who decide, and the

Secretariat are the agents who implement. However it is important to

build relationships with delegates informally.

130 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

managers should ensure that the documents are reviewed

for consistency with an eye on what the sensitive issues

might be. They should speak with one voice as internal

departmental competition and in-ghting undermines

the whole Secretariat. This might involve putting aside

personal views in the interests of an achievable collective

outcome.

Finally, the intergovernmental budgetary process is an

essential part of the Secretariat’s work which – for all its

diculty – is highly visible and has a degree of status and

prestige. Representation in the Committees is therefore

a good opportunity for senior managers to showcase

and mentor talented sta. It is also an opportunity to

demonstrate commitment to the UN values such as

respect for diversity; thinking about the gender, cultural

and regional prole of your team can also be good politics.

In this way, budgetary discussions ideally should be

an opportunity to exhibit leadership in the UN by

demonstrating how the UN Secretariat can be a

neutral servant to all Member States – in the words of

Dag Hammarskjöld - building ‘a relationship of mutual

condence and trust between international ocials and

the governments of Member States’.

While the outcomes

of budgetary decisions and discussions can be frustrating

for UN leadership, particularly when it is about reduced

resources, modied proposals, and repeatedly deferring key

issues on human resources questions, budget decisions can

also support leadership on reform and other issues. The

process itself is a vivid demonstration of the multilateral

character of the UN.

Endnotes

See for example: Namie Di Razza, ‘People

before Process: Humanizing the HR System

for UN Peace Operations,’ International Peace

Institute, October 2017, <https://www.ipinst.

org/2017/10/humanizing-hr-system-for-un-

peace-operations>.

See for example: UN General Assembly

Resolution 72/266 B, 5 Joly 2018, https://

undocs.org/A/RES/72/266B.

III

See for example: Iain Johnstone, ‘The Role

of the UN Secretary-General: The Power of

Persuasion Based on Law’, Global Governance,

9/4 (2003), pp. 44-458 2003, <https://doi-org.

ezproxy.its.uu.se/10.1163/19426720-00904005>;

and Kirsten Haack, ‘The UN Secretary-General,

role expansion and narratives of representation in

the 2016 campaign’, The British Journal of Politics

and International Relations, 20/4 (2018), <https://

doi.org/10.1177/1369148118784706>.

UN General Assembly, ‘Overview of human

resources management reform for the period

2019–2020 and an outlook beyond report of the

Secretary-General’, A/75/540, 23 October 2020,

https://undocs.org/A/75/540, para. 39.

UN General Assembly decision 75/533, April 2021.

UN General Assembly resolution 72/279, May 2018.

VII

For a more detailed analysis of the relationship

between funding and multilateral governance

see: Erin Graham, ‘Money and Multilateralism:

How funding rules constitute IO governance’,

International theory, 7/1 (2015), pp. 162-194,

<https://doi.org/10.1017/S1752971914000414>.

VIII

For a more detailed discussion of the agency

of international civil servants see: Michael W.

Bauer & Jörn Ege, ‘Bureaucratic autonomy

of international organizations’ secretariats’,

Journal of European Public Policy, 23/7 (2016),

1019-1037, <https://doi-org.ezproxy.its.uu.

se/10.1080/13501763.2016.1162833>.

Dag Hammarskjöld, The international civil

servant in law and in fact: A lecture delivered

to Congregation on 30 May 1961 (Oxford:

Clarendon Press, 1961), p.16.

Leadership from where you sit: Behavioural challenge - Aida Ghazaryan 131

The Abstract

Leadership from where you sit: Behavioural

challenge

BY AIDA GHAZARYAN

Murad Ahmed Al- Shawamreh

Peace

Zataari Camp

132 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Aida Ghazaryan is the Learning Portfolio Manager responsible for the training, learning and

knowledge management at the United Nations System Sta College (UNSSC) Knowledge

Centre for Leadership and Management in Turin, Italy. Before joining the UNSSC she worked

for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP) at country and regional level in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Ms. Ghazaryan is a specialist in gender issues, women’s rights, reproductive health and rights,

disability rights and tracking in human beings. She is an International Policy Fellow with

the Open Society Institute and Center for Policy Studies in Hungary and has a master’s

degree in Human Rights from Central European University in Hungary and Philology from

Yerevan State University in Armenia respectively.

‘How would Hammarskjöld have handled this?’

–Ko Annan

Why was the UN System Leadership Framework

created and what does it look like in practice?

How many times have you reected on your leadership

experiences and behaviours and how do you respond to

the lessons you learn?

If you were planning to change one of your leadership

behaviours or adopt a new one, what would the change

process look like? What would the focus of your learning

be? How would you transform yourself into the leader

you want to be in the United Nations?

Most importantly, how does the United Nations nurture

this next generation of leaders? It is evident that a lot of

thinking has gone into these questions at the UN. Truth be

told, while the challenges of the 21st century have grown

and signicant changes have taken place in the work and

culture of the UN, many would agree that its greatest

strength — and the key to our success — still remains

the quality of the sta and managers/leaders as indicated

by the Secretary-General Ko Annan in ‘Building the

Future’.

III

One plus one equals three: Building the

United Nations leadership culture

Much work has gone into developing the leadership

capacity of UN sta, and ensuring that there is a cohesive

leadership culture that is centred around a collective

and agreed purpose and vision. Among other guiding

documents is the Resident Coordinator (RC) Leadership

Prole, which now articulates who an RC should be and

how they should lead and do their work.

The Secretariat’s

‘Values and Behaviours Framework’, meanwhile, spells out

values and behaviours important to the work of the UN

in the future.

Upholding the behaviours of the Senior

Leadership Commitments – ‘the glue’ – also guides UN

leaders in transitioning their organisations and workforce

towards the future of work.

The changing nature of the world and our commitment to

the people and the planet are among the driving forces for

new policies, practical tools, innovation and incorporating

behavioural insights to support the implementation of our

mandates.

VII

And yes, ‘in many areas, successful outcomes in

the UN’s work depend on changes in human behaviour...’

VIII

and for the UN to remain a trusted global leader,

we must, amongst others, embrace and apply innovative

approaches.

One message that we hear loud and clear in the UN is

that the time is now and the choices we make today can

bring either further breakdown or a breakthrough.

it ‘a wake-up call’ or an ‘organisation-wide reset’,

know from research and science that the change starts

with oneself.

At the UNSSC, we know that the new leadership vision and

broader behavioural and organisational change outlined

in the UN System Leadership Framework (UNSLF)–

purposeful, continuous, daily, through engagement and

working with others and regardless of position in the UN

– will lead us in the direction of transformation.

Our view is that middle managers also have an important

role to play in this process and can eectively lead and

inuence their colleagues to embody the characteristics

and behaviours outlined in the UNSLF.

Leadership from where you sit: Behavioural challenge - Aida Ghazaryan 133

The Abstract

Alumni have described it as a well-designed, inspiring, relevant, and

immersive learning journey where UN leaders learn from, and with each

other.

Learning journey: Are you ready to

lead?

‘The longest journey is the journey inward’.

–Dag Hammarskjold

It is against this back drop that the UNSSC revamped UN

Emerging Leaders Experience and developed the UN

Emerging Leaders e-Learning Programme (UNEL-e) - a

agship programme for mid-level managers in the United

Nations where we in many ways nurture the agency of

change and bring to life the new leadership culture.

This is the space where diversity of perspectives and

voices as well as lived experiences of UN leadership on

the ground meet. It is a safe space where the UN System

Sta College learning team and UN practitioners join

hands and hearts. They work tirelessly and with great care

to design, guide and deliver a seamless programme. Alumni

have described it as a well-designed, inspiring, relevant,

and immersive learning journey where UN leaders learn

from, and with each other.

The major theme and focus of UNEL-e are to link

up with the statement of the UN Secretary-General

António Guterres in his address to sta where he set ‘the

engagement challenge’:

‘So we need to have a strong engagement to change, to reform and to

improve. And that engagement needs to be our engagement, by all of

us. It is not an engagement of the Secretary-General or one or other

managers of the Organization. It must be our collective engagement,

to be able to address the shortcomings that we have’.

XII

Change is not just the responsibility of senior management

in the UN but everybody’s business, and one of the threads

in the UNEL-e is on how you can inuence the change

and lead from where you sit, irrespective of rank. In that

sense, we reinforce the role of UNEL-e participants as

change agents. Some behavioural scientists suggest three

ways to create lasting change. Namely, have an epiphany,

change your environment or change habits in tiny ways.

XIII

Others state that smaller contextual changes can lead to

large behaviour changes over time.

XIV

As we travel through the years in the UN, we have dierent

ways of growing and learning. My leadership epiphany

occurred when I was on a junior level of the hierarchical

staircase.

A supervisor recommended looking into leadership

positions. That unexpected invitation oered inspiration,

curiosity and an opportunity to reect inwards for what

I can be, prompting the start of my leadership journey.

While many elements of leadership training deserve their

own account, below is a small selection of experiments

that showcase innovative thinking in how we address

leadership issues and unleash the leadership potential of

mid-level UN managers in the UN Emerging Leaders

e-Learning, which I believe merit a wider readership.

Practicing leadership behaviours and

habits

‘Of human beings and their way to unity?

The truth is so simple that it is regarded as pretentious banality.

And yet it is constantly denied in action. Every day provides examples:

It is more important to recognize the reasons for one’s own behaviour

than to understand the motives of others’

–Dag Hammarskjold ‘Waymarks’

Drawing on recent evidence from the behavioural science,

cognitive psychology and other related disciplines, the

team incorporates techniques for self-improvement to help

participating mid-level managers shape their leadership

trajectory by implementing the UNSLF leadership

behaviours that they learn on the programme.

Alignment of the UNEL-e programme with the UN

System Leadership Framework also provides an opportunity

134 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

for learners to consider, with a collegial ‘buddy’, how to

apply behaviours stressed in the Framework in practical

ways, especially through new leadership habits.

The programme exposes participants to current thinking

on habit development and then provides the opportunity

for them to apply this by building a habit around one of

the key Framework behaviours.

This process starts with a participant selecting a single

UNSLF behaviour that they wish to embody. Examples

include being more collaborative, innovative, transparent,

empowering or inclusive. The programme then provides a

space where they can learn more about this behaviour and

incorporate it into their work in real time. Participants also

have an opportunity to receive feedback on the challenges

that they face as the programme unfolds.

For the programmatic team, it has been inspiring to

hear how participants have achieved results and seen an

impact in their respective settings. Most importantly they

have received recognition and appreciation from their

teams. This has emanated from their ability to change

their team dynamics, implement improved methods of

managing meetings and consultations, new -performance

management approaches, partnership building techniques,

better techniques to establish openly creative cultures

where all ideas are acknowledged and much more.

Below are just a few reections from UNEL-e participants:

‘The UNEL-e program not only teaches the UN leader to become

more self-aware by taking daily stock of leadership behavioural

strengths but also how to identify and tackle their behavioural

vulnerabilities; how to use prompts to apply positive leadership

behaviours in all work relationships thereby strengthening multi-

stakeholder partnerships’.

‘The Behaviour Challenge provided me with the opportunity to be

more self-aware during those weeks on the way I engage with the

people around me. This was a very positive experience for myself.

I have learned to provide the space to my subordinates to be more

outspoken in meetings and share their ideas. The reactions to this

were positive throughout’.

‘I gained both the inspiration and practical tools to become a better

‘me’ in order to grow as a better leader’.

Mid-level managers coming out of the UN Emerging

Leaders e-Learning confess that the UN System Leadership

Framework - creating a common vision of leadership

behavioural needs for the UN system at all levels - has

been a major guide and source of inspiration.

Through the aforementioned behaviour challenge,

managers have improved their self-awareness. They are

better able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and

address them, and use teachings from UNEL-e to build

the skills needed to help them deliver on their mandates,

and in turn the UN’s mission. They leave the programme

as improved versions of themselves, who are empowered

agents of change, better able and motivated to inuence

and steer change by practicing the transformational

leadership.

The challenge-based activities in the programme ‘Back to

the Future’ and the ‘UN System Leadership Behavioural

Challenge’ stimulate co-creation, reective learning and

the application of the new desired behaviours as leaders

from where they are currently situated.

Participating in online discussion forums, live webinar

conversation opportunities along with the behavioural

change exercise ‘buddies’ oer peer-to-peer consultations

on leadership. In the process they build best practice

habits, are able to draw on a great variety of perspectives,

exchange of triumphs, vulnerabilities, and out-of-the-box

maverick solutions to leadership issues. They also bond

and build a sense of comradery.

At the end of the programme each UNEL-e participant

shares their experiences in building a new leadership habit.

They talk about the prompts used, experimental actions

taken and their application of the desired behaviour, as

well as feedback received from accountability partners.

Other areas of reection include how they rewarded

themselves and celebrated progress, how they tracked

their progress, and suggestions on how to build a new

leadership habit.

The struggles that keep mid-level managers awake at night

may be dierent; what brought them together is their

desire to lead by example, transition from technical into

leadership positions and to be seen as proud members of

the UN family.

Leadership from where you sit: Behavioural challenge - Aida Ghazaryan 135

The Abstract

Crescendo

‘To have humility is to experience reality, not in relation to ourselves,

but in its sacred independence. It is to see, judge, and act from the

point of rest in ourselves. Then, how much disappears, and all that

remains falls into place. In the point of rest at the center of our being,

we encounter a world where all things are at rest in the same way.

Then a tree becomes a mystery, a cloud a revelation, each man a

cosmos of whose riches we can only catch glimpses.’

–Dag Hammarskjold

UNEL-e also draws from a wealth of leadership experiences

from across the UN system. There are a number of untold

leadership stories, whether one has been in the UN for

ve years or more than a decade.

Another innovative element of the UNEL-e is that it

oers space for mid-level managers to meet UN leaders

at dierent moments in their leadership path. The co-

delivery by the trainer and the seasoned UN leader links

theory to application, giving expression to voices from the

eld and can nudge towards leadership from where one

sits.

During the last day there is a special learning opportunity

through leadership lessons and challenges shared by the

UN senior leaders. Participants can engage with them

about their life experiences on their personal leadership

journeys, making the learning more practical and real.

The UNEL-e nishes with reection on the

transformational leadership skills the participants have

gained and what they will do in the future with their

personal pledges for action.

Final thoughts

Our goal at the Sta College is to work with the Secretary-

General on his engagement challenge by raising awareness

of UNEL-e participants to the importance and practice of

the UN System Leadership Framework.

We provide an opportunity for current and future leaders

to start, at a personal level, acquiring and modelling the

behaviours required to reform and improve the UN. Our

dream is that the accumulated impact from the combined

individual eorts of participants will mainstream the UN

System Leadership Framework and lead to bottom-up

change.

Our dream is that the accumulated impact from the combined individual

efforts of participants will mainstream the UN System Leadership

Framework and lead to bottom-up change.

136 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Endnotes

Ko Annan, We The Peoples: A UN for the 21st

Century (New York: Routledge, 2014), pp. 14.

UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination

(CEB), ‘United Nations System Leadership

Framework’, CEB/2017/1 (Annex), 20 June

2017, https://undocs.org/CEB/2017/1. See

also: https://unsceb.org/united-nations-system-

leadership-framework.

III

United Nations, ‘Competencies for the Future’,

1999, https://careers.un.org/lbw/attachments/

competencies_booklet_en.pdf.

UN Sustainable Development Group

(UNSDG), ‘The RC Leadership Prole’,

December 2020, https://unsdg.un.org/

sites/default/les/2021-11/The_Resident_

Coordinator_Leadership_Prole_2.pdf.

UN Oce of Human Resources, ‘Values and

Behaviours Framework’, 2021, https://www.

youtube.com/watch?v=9w6tPWpsFws.

UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination

High-Level Committee on Management

(HLCM), ‘Senior Leadership Commitments

for the Future of Work in the United Nations

System’, 25-26 March 2021, CEB/2021/

HLCM/6/Add.2/Rev.1.

VII

United Nations, ‘Report of the Secretary-

General on the Work of the Organization 2021’,

A/76/1, 2021, https://undocs.org/A/76/1.

VIII

UN Innovation Network, ‘United Nations

Behavioural Science Report’, 2021, https://

www.uninnovation.network/assets/BeSci/UN_

Behavioural_Science_Report_2021.pdf.

United Nations, ‘Behavioural Science:

Secretary-General’s Guidance on Behavioural

Science’, 2021, https://www.un.org/en/

content/behaviouralscience/#:~:text=The%20

Secretary%2DGeneral’s%20Guidance%20

urges,to%20progress%20on%20its%20mandate.

United Nations, ‘Our Common Agenda: Report

of the Secretary-General’, A/75/982, 5 August

2021, https://undocs.org/A/75/982.

International Institute for Sustainable

Development (IISD), ‘Secretary-General

Unveils Vision for Future-Oriented UN’, SDG

Knowledge HUB,

https://sdg.iisd.org/news/secretary-general-unveils-vision-

for-future-oriented-un/; UN General Assembly A/75/L.1,

‘Declaration on the commemoration of the seventy-fth

anniversary of the United Nations’, 16 September 2020,

A/75/L.1, https://undocs.org/A/75/L.1.

XII

UN Secretary General, ‘Secretary-General, Addressing

Sta, Calls for Strong Collective Engagement to Overcome

United Nations Shortcomings, Tackle Global Concerns’,

SG/SM/18401, 3 January 2017, https://www.un.org/press/

en/2017/sgsm18401.doc.htm.

XIII

BJ Fogg, Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change

Everything (Boston: First Mariner Books Edition, 2020), p. 4.

XIV

James Clear, ‘Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to

Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones’, (New York: Penguin

Random House, 2018), p. 90.

Bernhard Erling, ‘A Reader’s Guide to Dag Hammarskjöld’s

Waymarks’ (Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, 1987),

https://www.daghammarskjold.se/publication/readers-guide-

dag-hammarskjolds-waymarks/, pp. 134.

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 137

The Abstract

United Nations 2.0: Can the current leadership

deliver the workforce it requires?

BY VERONIKA TYWUSCHIK-SOHLSTRÖM, MARC JACQUAND, HENRIETTE KEIJZERS

Nabil Jubouri

People Simulation

Amman

We thank colleagues in the Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat in Geneva for

their continued support to provide and create data sets on specic categories of our analysis, as well as

engaging in dialogues on how data can be improved and strengthened. Their input was imperative to the

contribution’s outcome.

138 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström is a Programme Manager at the Foundation. In addition

to this role, she undertakes ad-hoc consultancy work for the UN Development Programme, the

UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Oce and the UN Secretariat. Previously, Veronika worked

for several international foundations and projects including the European Institute of Peace;

the Friedrich Ebert Foundation; the European Centre for Development Policy Management;

the European Commission’s TradeCom Facility; and for PARTICIP. Tywuschik-Sohlström

holds a Masters degree from the University of East Anglia in International Development and

Economics.

Henriette Keijzers is working as an independent consultant after completing a UN career

of more than 30 years. She is currently working as an advisor to the Dag Hammarskjöld

Foundation. Her nal UN assignment was as Deputy Director of the Multi-Partner Trust

Fund Oce. In this role, she co-chaired the UN team that developed the data standards for

UN system-wide nancial reporting and oversaw the data analysis for the annual report on

Financing the UN Development System, published jointly with the Foundation. Prior to this,

she worked as Deputy Executive Secretary at the UN Capital Development Fund in New

York, and for the UN Development Programme in eld oces in Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria,

Guinea-Bissau, and Burkina Faso. Keijzers holds a Master’s degree in International and

Development Economics from Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

Marc Jacquand is a Senior Advisor to the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation. He is an adjunct

Professor at the School of International and Public Aairs at Columbia University where he

teaches risk management in conict contexts. Jacquand worked two years with the Executive

Oce of the Secretary-General António Guterres on strategic planning and UN reform.

Starting his career in investment banking, he worked in the eld of micro nance for FINCA

International before joining the Micronance Unit of the United Nations Capital Development

Fund. He went on to work on conict and post crisis responses both at Headquarters, for the

Development Cooperation Oce and for the UN missions in the occupied Palestinian territory,

Libya, Yemen and Somalia. He graduated from the School of International and Public Aairs

at Columbia University and the HEC School of Management in France.

Since his early days in oce, the current Secretary-

General has made United Nations culture and leadership

central to his reform agenda. On many occasions he has

underlined that the UN must adapt and embrace a culture

focused on results rather than process. In particular, he has

spearheaded the adoption of the United Nations system

leadership framework and its nine principles by the Chief

Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).

Eorts to improve the UN’s culture and leadership did

not stall with the advent of the pandemic. If anything,

reforms seem to have accelerated over the last two years,

and COVID-19 and the response to its impact have

demonstrated the importance of these eorts. Take the

latest reections on the ‘Future of Work’, where the CEB

attempts to learn from the pandemic and explore how to

better lead and manage teams in a world where traditional

working methods have been upended.

A new ‘UN

Values and Behaviour’s Framework’ meanwhile outlines

nine principles that guide sta in their daily work.

III

Another example of reform is the new mobility scheme

for the UN Secretariat —subject to Administrative and

Budgetary Committee approval

— which should allow

for more horizontal and vertical mobility. It will also

strengthen sta’s understanding of all three pillars of the

UN and address unequal opportunities between country

and headquarters-based sta. In addition, a new Task

Force to address racism and racial discrimination has been

established.

This team will build robust investigative

and accountability measures and enhance support and

build trust. Finally, the Secretary-General’s ‘Our Common

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 139

The Abstract

Agenda’ report stresses the role of principled and eective

UN leadership in addressing global challenges, laying the

foundation for the United Nations 2.0.

VII

These eorts are noteworthy for their sheer number and

ubiquity in the UN discourses and processes. They attract

scrutiny and raise expectations, but a question inevitably

arises, are these eorts translating into real change? This is

where data comes in.

The impact of data

Our contribution in the rst edition of this publication

series explored the linkage between data and leadership.

VIII

We stated that the UN demographic data, in conjunction

with perception surveys can add value to understanding

and improving the UN’s current leadership culture. Our

rst attempt triggered interesting questions and reactions

that can unlock valuable lessons on UN leadership. What

does the data say, what does it reveal, and what (further)

interrogations does it point to?

Our hypothesis was and remains that data can help uncover

realities that reect the state of leadership beyond or as a

complement to claims and stories. An objective analysis of

the data can test assumptions and help to better identify

the gaps to be addressed. This knowledge can shape future

policies related to workforce culture and support leaders

in their decisions and help generate an international

civil service for the United Nations 2.0, in line with the

Secretary-General’s data strategy.

This time again, we

have chosen to refocus on a few categories that we believe

are reasonable proxies for the health and strength of UN

leadership culture and practice:

•Age: Youth leadership has been identied as central to

full UN mandates, but is this age group really part of the

UN decision-making?

•Gender: COVID-19 put the dierence in leadership style

and eectiveness across genders in full display and the UN

has made gender parity a critical element of its leadership

ambitions. Does the data validate this commitment?

•Mobility: Intra-agency and geographical mobility is

important for the relevance and health of leadership but is

the UN getting more mobile?

Our analysis is based on the latest available data from the

CEB and various Secretary-General reports.

Age: The UN is serving Generation Z,

but responding with Generation X

The world population is gradually aging and for the

rst time in history, ve generations work side-by-side

in the UN.

In this context, the Secretary-General

has emphasised the need for a global and internal

intergenerational dialogue to highlight the importance of

youth and that future generations need to be part of the

decisions that determine their own future.

XII

This raises

the question about how well positioned are Generations

Y and Z to shape the organisation’s decisions and actions?

According to the data, not so much - for now.

Generation Z represents only 0.1% of the overall

UN sta

Overall, the current UN sta age prole is skewed. As

Table 1 reveals more than 73% of UN sta are 40-years or

older, including Generation X and the upper age categories

of the Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation. This

leaves the under 40’s at 27%, but those who are under 30,

Generations Z and part of Generation Y, only represent

2.5 %.

Entry-level sta positions are becoming scarce – leaving

little opportunity to rejuvenate. A major impediment is

the low number of entry level professional sta positions.

In 2020, P1 and P2 positions made up only 0,2% and 4.1%

of the sta respectively and another 7.0 % of positions

were at the comparable National Ocers A and B levels.

An assessment of the International Professional level

shows that only 11% of sta are employed at P-2 level.

Interestingly, most of the UN entities with the highest

volume of sta personnel and collectively the highest

combined UN revenue, have also the lowest percentage of

entry level positions (P2/P1).

As an example: P2 positions constitute only 2% of overall

sta at World Food Programme (WFP) and 3 % at United

Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations

Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Secretariat and World

Health Organisation (WHO) respectively. For both the

International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United

Nations Development Programme (UNDP), it is 4%.

This is in contrast to some of the rather small UN entities,

like International Trade Center (ITC) and the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

140 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Table 1: Number of sta by Age and % as compared to world population, 2020.

Source: CEB 2020, population.un.org.

Age

(in years)

<25

25-29

30-39

40-49

50-55

56-64

65-74

>75

Total

Type of

Generation

Generation Z

Millenials

(Generation Y)

Generation X

Baby Boomers

Silent Generation

# of UN sta

by age

128

2,794

28,306

43,329

21,604

19,926

258

# of UN sta

by Generation

128

31,100

64,933

20,184

116,381

Share of sta

0.1%

26.7%

55.8%

17.3%

0.03%

100%

World Population of

working age (15-64), in %

23.8%

34.3%

29.4%

12.4%

N.A.

0.03%

100%

(UNFCCC) where P2s account for an average of 20%

of the overall sta. Looking closely at the age portfolio

in relation to the entry-level International Professional

positions (P1 and P2), 31 % of the P2 positions are

Generation X (see Figure 1), which is the largest group by

far for positions at the P3, P4 and P5.

An aging UN workforce may make it challenging to

connect with the world’s youth

In 2020, 58 % of the working age population were

Generation Y and Z who will dominate the global

workforce in the next decade. Yet, there seems to be too

little of a healthy inux of younger sta to achieve an age

distribution to mirror the world. A close observation of the

UN Secretariat reveals an alarming trend in terms of age-

diversity: The 25-29-year age category has seen a decline

of 80% (from 3064 to 612) and the 30-34-year category’s

decline of 62% over the past 10 years. The age mobility was

in favour of the 45-65-year category (See Figure 2).

This explains to some extent the rising average age in the

UN System to 45.9 years in 2020, with 46.8 years for male

sta and 44.7 years for female sta. In the UN Secretariat,

the average age has risen 0.5 years each year reaching 46.8

years in 2020.

What are the challenges for including Generation X

and Y in the UN System?

Many observers have oered various reasons, one of

which is the increase of the mandatory retirement age to

65 and amendments to pension benets has translated into

a decrease in the number of separations in the UN system

and thus creating less space ‘at the bottom’. Furthermore,

cuts of P-2 positions have been a repeating trend in the

UN system and primarily driven by Member States in the

5th Committee.

There has been a steady shift over the years to the current

recruitment and selection process favouring applicants

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 141

The Abstract

with more experience, distorting the idea that P-2

positions should be entry-level. As a result, the possibilities

for young talented professionals to join the organisation as

sta have diminished and this has lessened their chances of

shaping the leadership from within.

We stated two years ago (in the previous edition) that an

aging UN workforce will make it challenging to connect

with the world’s youth. In Africa the current median age

is 19.7 years and in the Arab countries, young people are

the fastest growing segment of the population with at least

60% of the population under 25 years old. The median

age in Latin America and the Caribbean is 31-years. In

this publication several contributors in Chapter Three

highlight the need for raising the bar on intergenerational

leadership, and they also plead for a stronger connection

to the youth at the country level. However, the prevailing

UN trends, incentives, and structures push towards a

more aging workforce posing challenges for leadership

between generations, and leadership more generally. As

the UN seeks to reverse these strategies in terms of sta

recruitment, retention, and management it places a bigger

responsibility on changes in the way the current leadership

operates. It would have to be open to non-sta voices or

create platforms to informally rejuvenate the UN.

Future thinking should consider making youth leadership

part of the organisational diversity and inclusion strategy

in line with a long-term leadership vision. Member States

are the key in this eort to make this rejuvenation possible

and advocating for the funding decisions that will enable

the creation of more entry-level positions.

14 000

12 000

10 000

8 000

6 000

4 000

2 000

Number of staff

Generation Z (iGen) (24 and under) Generation Y (Millennials) (25-39)

Generation X (40-55) Baby Boomers (56-74)

Silent Generation (75-95)

D-2

P-5

P-3

D-1

P-4

P-2P-1

1319

7398

3799

1443

3056

2805

9274

1374

2667

4329

1099

1075

Figure 1: Generations making up the profesional grades. Source: CEB.

3059

142 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Gender: Leading the UN workforce to

parity

The concept of gender equality has long been a core

guiding principle of the United Nations. Articles 8 and

101 of the UN Charter underline that there should be

no restrictions on the eligibility of men or women to

participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality

in the principal and subsidiary organs of the organisation.

The Beijing Platform for Action, adopted by the World

Conference on Women in 1995 called for overall gender

equality in the sta of the United Nations by 2000.

XIII

It urged for the full participation of women in all

leadership positions and the principle of shared power and

responsibilities. This was rearmed by General Assembly

resolutions calling for gender parity to be a priority and to

be achieved in all UN professional categories by the year

2000. Yet, the 2020 political declaration commemorating

the 25th anniversary of the fourth World Conference on

Women still expressed concern about the overall slow

progress and recognised that more eorts are needed to

achieve gender parity.

XIV

The system-wide gender parity strategy launched in 2017

was a renewed eort and roadmap to reach full gender

parity by 2028. In November 2020, all entities were

requested to update their implementation plans.

To date 89% of the entities in the UN system developed

plans to achieve gender parity. Over the last two years it

was evident that the need for gender equality as both a

condition and a measure of good leadership was further

reinforced. During the COVID-19 pandemic female

national leaders tended to be seen as more eective and

trustworthy than their male counterparts.

This reality, once again validated our decision in the 2019

edition to examine gender related data as an indicator of

a healthy leadership culture and practice within the UN.

At the time, the assumption was fairly straightforward and

posited two main ideas.

First, the closer and the faster the UN gets to gender

parity, the better its overall leadership will be functioning,

particularly because gender parity would infer raising the

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

8434

8296

7748

6452

5385

8046

7275

7006

5902

5085

7473

7637

7824

8120

8084

8055

7660

7481

7053

7038

6619

6672

6644

6889

7035

7074

7070

7054 7040

6867

7103

5367

5489

5891

6091

6117

6196

6023

5976

5923

6061

7024

5171

4154

3982

3601

3222

2968

6464

2681

4093

4253

4224

4367

4480

4441

4581

4735

4828

5044

3064

2514

1733

1095

1040

953

815

792

612

1019

1082

1128

1398

1428

1394

1917

2330

2870

274

252

259

266

274

320

321

279

302 306

155

54 52

380

231

134

109

107

8031

8018

5627

5675

1429

1271

1286

1389

4583

4425

40-44

45-49

35-39

55-59

60-64

30-34

65+

19-24

25-29

50-54

Figure 2: Distribution of all sta of the Secretariat, by age, 2010-2020. Source: Secretary-General report on the

Composition of the UN Secretariat, 2010 – 2020.

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 143

The Abstract

level of the overall leadership. Secondly it means that the

UN would be meeting its own commitments which can

in itself be seen as a measure of healthy leadership.

This report once again gives us the chance to revisit the

data. Has there been any progress on gender parity goals?

And do the basic gender parity numbers tell the whole

story?

More UN entities are within reach to achieve gender

parity

Since our 2019 report, two additional entities reached

gender parity raising the number to 21 entities that are

within reach of achieving gender parity. Six entities are

currently below the 40% mark compared to 11 entities two

years ago and all but one has made a slight improvement

upwards, suggesting that there are eorts underway to

reach gender parity.

The representation of women has increased, but it is slow

and uneven across grades. Since 2007, the representation of

women has increased every year, but at the very slow pace

0.4% per year. Furthermore, while women are particularly

well represented at the lower ranks such as in the General

Service/P1-P2, the drop in representation is particularly

steep at P3 level.

This highlights the overrepresentation of women at entry

levels and shows that it does not translate into proportional

representation at higher levels (Table 2). It is also reected

in Figure 3 which shows senior management at D1-D2

levels at the UN Secretariat.

Illustration 1: Percentage of women in professional and higher categories with permanent, continuous, and

xed term appointments, by entity, as of 31 December 2019. Source: A/76/115. The entities listed in red

moved one category up, and the green moved one category down.

UNWomen (82.4%)

ICJ (50.0%

UNSSC (56.5%)

UNU (50.5%)

UNESCO (51.9%

UNFPA (50.5%)

UNICEF (50.2%

UNAIDS (53.6%)

PAHO (50.7%)

UNRWA (45.3%)

IFAD (44.9%)

IOM (45.2%)

UNDP (46.1%)

WHO (46.5%)

UNHCR (46.8%)

ILO (44.5%)

UN Secretariat (43.8%)

WFP (44.7%)

UNJSPF (44.8%)

IMO (43.3%)

FAO (42.6%)

UNFCCC (40.4%)

ITC (46.1%)

UNWTO (48.9%)

WMO (40%)

ICSC (43.5%)

UNITAR (44.1%)

ITU (40%)

UNOPS (35.3%

UNIDO (36.2%)

IAEA (31.8%)

UPU (27.4%)

ICAO (28.8%)

UNICC (19.1%)

144 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Gender parity in reach

Gender parity at USG and ASG level at the UN Secretariat

is within reach for the rst time in the 75-year history of

the UN. While female representation in the UN increased,

albeit slowly, is this increase at the right level to make an

impact?

Our analysis shows a positive result at the ASG/USG level,

but there is still little movement at the middle and senior

management levels. For the rst time in the UN’s history,

the Secretary-General’s senior management group has

almost reached full parity (Figure 3). His commitments

to improve gender parity at the highest level have been

fullled despite attempted Member State inuence and

pressures on the selection persons for these posts.

However, the female leadership numbers at D1/D2 level

show less progress: the gender imbalance in D1 positions

has steadily improved, but the number of women in D-2

positions has actually decreased between 2019 and 2020

after a growth period.

In a survey conducted by UN Women, several impediments

have been identied to achieving equal representation

between women and men at senior positions.

XVI

These

2019

71%

58%

47%

44%

39%

38%

Grade level

D-1

D-2

Table 2: Female representation in the UN system in %, by grade, 2009-2019.

Source: A/76/115.

2009

54%

57%

45%

38%

32%

29%

27%

included: A low number of available female candidates in

traditionally male dominated sectors, hardship duty stations,

low sta turnover, fewer openings for senior positions,

challenges in retaining women, mobility requirements and

inconsistent implementation of support programmes for

professional and personal life integration.

Gender and crisis-aected countries

Female representation is lowest in crisis-aected countries

where the UN’s reputation is shaped and where the

majority of resources are spent. Closer examination of

the data also sparked the question whether women were

adequately represented where it matters, otherwise put,

where is the inuence? There are many ways to look at this

issue. One proxy indicator is to look where the UN has

inuence, and/or where the UN comes under scrutiny?

In a recent interview with the Foundation, UN Special

Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Bintou

Keita indicated that for women to have an impact on the

UN’s organisational culture, they need to sit ‘in the room

where it happens’.

XVII

And the most visible room within

the UN is the Security Council. However, it is in the crisis-

aected countries that are on the agenda of the Security

Council that women leaders are underrepresented.

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 145

The Abstract

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Male, ASG Female, USGMale, USG Female, USG

Ban Ki-Moon SG term 2007-2016 Antonio Guterres SG term 2017-

Figure 3: ASG and USG posts, 2014-2020. Source: Secretary-General report on the composition of the UN

Secretariat 2014-2020.

This is where the UN spends most of its resources on

a mix of Humanitarian, Development and Peace (HDP)

interventions.

For the analysis we looked especially at the gender balance

in the ve high HDP countries, with US$11.7 billion in

combined expenditure in 2019 and the 13 medium HDP

countries at US$ 13.1 billion combined expenditure in

2019.

XVIII

This represents close to 45% of overall UN

expenditures for that year.

In these cases, the gender gap remains wide with women

comprising only 28.5 % of all sta in the high and medium

HDP countries. However, this number increases from 34

to 36 % when we look at the mid-level professional sta

(P3-P5) but drops again at the senior-level (D1, D2 and

UG) and it shows that at this level women are less than

one third of the leadership at this level.

Further investigation shows that the inuence of senior-

level female leaders can also be expressed in nancial

terms. A senior leader in the ve most dicult crisis-

aected countries will, on average, have a budget that is

eight times higher per position than colleagues working

in headquarter locations or programme countries un-

aected by crisis.

More generally, and despite the overall increase of female

representation, women remain largely underrepresented

at non-headquarter locations. This is especially true for

mission settings where the scrutiny aorded by a Security

Council mandate provide ample opportunities to exercise

leadership and acquire visibility that fuels future leadership

prospects (Figure 5). We can therefore conclude that the

UN is making real progress towards gender parity, but

the advancement is uneven with some uncomfortable

questions lingering.

146 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

The link between the fundamental gender parity based

on the numbers and aspects of ‘power or inuence’ raises

dicult questions for the UN. From a developmental

point of view absolute gender parity is essential, but it

is not sucient in itself. It may in fact be deceiving, by

concealing lingering, if not increasing, gender disparities

that undermine the UN’s overall leadership condition.

Gender balance in countries under UNSC mandates and

where the UN spends the most, are some of several factors

that the UN should explore monitoring in the coming

years. These monitoring tools are fairly blunt and other

issues may require more nuanced analysis. For example,

while it is important for the UN to reach gender parity

at all grades, we also suspect that not all functions on the

same grade are created equal. Some hold more inuence

than others. In future iterations, we may therefore need

to unpack specic functions by power and inuence and

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Male, D-2 Female, D-1Male, D-1 Female, D-2

119

164

119

168

106

167

100

181

117

235

119

242

106

165

Ban Ki-Moon SG term 2007-2016 Antonio Guterres SG term 2017-

366 365

371

361

388

373

358

Figure 4: Senior leader representation at D1 and D2 level at the UN Secretariat, by gender, by year from 2014 -

2020. Source: Secretary-General report on the composition of the UN Secretariat 2014-2020.

explore whether the UN is also ensuring that parity can

move beyond the raw numbers to aect the real means

through which the organisation shapes real outcomes

across the world.

Mobility: The key to better leadership?

The idea of mobility has been deeply embedded almost

from the inception of the UN system. It has been described

as one of three pillars of the common system, along with a

common salary scale and pension fund in order to facilitate

an interchange of personnel among organisations.

In 1949 the rst version of the Inter-Organisation

Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of

Sta among the organisations applying the United Nations

Common System of Salaries and Allowance, came on the

table. It was revised in 1963, 2003, 2005 and 2012.

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 147

The Abstract

All staff

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

100%

Male %Female %

Figure 5: Gender balance of UN sta in HDP high & HDP medium countries. Source: CEB, 2020.

Statements at the time emphasised three purposes for

mobility that still resonate today. First, by instilling shared

values and a common culture, mobility improves the entire

system’s eectiveness in responding to global challenges.

Second, mobility creates more ecient talent acquisition,

development and management and, third, it enables sta

to pursue professional development and enhance their

leadership skills.

In a recent Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation interview on

UN leadership, Peter de Clercq stressed that while mobility

is essential for leadership it is not an end in itself.

XIX

He argued that it is more of an enabler, and he particularly

talked about understanding mobility as a mindset to

enrich and broaden one’s UN identity, and to build on

each experience. Mobility needs to take place vertically,

but also horizontally. It should be mobility in all of its

dimensions: between headquarters and the eld of course,

but also between agencies, between Secretariat entities and

agencies, and between dierent functions, and across the

four pillars of the UN.

SRSG Bintou Keita also emphasised the value of mobility

in broadening perspectives, to better understand other

views, which in turn helps in one’s leadership functions.

Under Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, in her

contribution in Chapter One argues for mobility as a key

conduit to eective leadership.

Several recent initiatives within the UN also point to

mobility as a key success factor in enhancing the leadership

capabilities of the UN workforce: Commitments made

by the UN in support of the Agenda 2030 are centred

around how the UN system can act together and increase

the agility of its cooperation with others. The UN System

Leadership Framework encourages multi-dimensional

leadership skills that should be acquired through mobility

within and outside the system. The recent Secretary-

General’s report ‘New Approach to sta mobility’ reiterates

148 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

that the future workforce needs to acquire leadership skills

vertically and horizontally to full all mandates, proposing

a mandatory mobility scheme in the UN Secretariat as of

2030.

XXI

The case for mobility to enhance leadership capabilities

has been repeatedly and eloquently made. With this in

mind, is mobility taking place in the UN system, and if

yes, where? The level of mobility in the common system

varies and in 2019, the average number of assignments

within the UN system was 1.73, compared with 1.75

in 2015, ranging from 1.00 for UNOPS to 3.46 for the

WFP. Among specialised agencies with a eld presence,

the average assignment number ranged from 1.00 for

IFAD to 1.65 at the ILO.

XXII

Field-based organisations

like WFP, UNHCR and UNICEF with a mandatory

mobility scheme for sta have the highest number of re-

assignments.

The UN merely administer, but does not manage

mobility…

Mobility provides opportunities for staff

to move into/out of/hardship duties

Mobility helps staff move

between duty stations

Mobility helps staff to change job family

Mobility helps staff to

change job function

Mobility helps staff to change

departments (eg. DPA to DPKO)

Mobility provides opportunities

for staff to move periodically

Mobility promotes staff

opportunities for movment

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

DisagreeNeutral

Agree No opinion

46 35 514

58 27 312

33 44 617

37 40 617

41 36 617

56 29 312

59 27 311

Figure 6: The mobility and career development framework - sta survey, 2018. Source: A/73/372/Add.2.

A recent Joint Inspection Unit (JUI) report pointed out

that mobility supports the eectiveness of the organisation,

and performance and eciency of programme delivery.

It is also a good tool to attract, manage, develop, deploy

and retain leadership talent. Despite this recognition, the

report highlights a disconnect between statements of

overall support and actual actions taken by organisations.

In reality, the UN system merely administers mobility,

but does not manage it collectively. In this respect, as

the report points out, not much has changed.

XXIV

A sta

survey conducted by the UN secretariat on mobility and

career development substantiates this claim (Figure 6).

XXV

.... unless the stakes are high, such as with the re-

invigorated Resident Coordinator system

The level of formal inter-agency mobility for non-HQ

duty stations (through secondments and transfers) increased

in 2019 with the de-linking of the Resident Coordinator

system from the UNDP and integrating it within the UN

Secretariat system. While in the period 2016-2018, the

total of inter-agency mobility of professional sta stayed

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 149

The Abstract

roughly the same at around 180 per year, the number

surpassed 300 in 2019. Female sta, who made up only

46 % of professional sta, formed the majority (52%) of

sta that made an inter-agency transfer or secondment

in 2018-2019. The most remarkable gender dierence

was at the D1 level, with 33 moves in the period 2018-

2019, when women were about twice as likely as men

at that level to make an inter-agency career move. This

was, undoubtedly, also a main factor that enabled the UN

Secretariat to rapidly increase its contingent of D1 female

sta, as we saw before in Figure 4; and to retain gender

parity at the Resident Coordinator level.

Why data on mobility matters when it comes to

understanding leadership?

The 2019 JIU report also addressed the issue of the lack of

system-wide data on mobility. It points out that incidence

of inter-agency mobility is low, but how much there is, ‘is

hard to know as data are not published’ consistently and

across the UN system.

XXVI

Furthermore, presenting the key ndings of the JIU

report, Inspector Jeremiah Kramer stated that ‘Despite the

CEB comments to the eect that the annual collection by CEB of

data on personnel statistics already comprises a range of pertinent

data, we point out that the 140-odd pages of HR data published

on the CEB website do not include even a single data point about

inter-agency mobility. The recent emphasis in CEB mechanisms

on a more agile, integrated and mobile workforce to support the

2030 agenda and to respond to the evolving future of work would

link this body of work to inter-agency mobility’.

XXVII

The lack of specic, disaggregated, and comprehensive

data on mobility may speak to the need for ever greater

advocacy on the link between mobility and leadership.

It will be important to rst measure, and then foster,

mobility across functions, entities, and across pillars. As of

now, in the UN Secretariat a shift in assignment between,

for example, country desks within Department of Peace

Operations (DPO) counts as much as a transfer as a move

from DPO to the UNDP or vice versa.

From the literature and the contributions to the

Foundation’s work on the issue, both are important, but

they do not have the same impact on leadership skills. In a

world where political, economic, and social factors shape

each other, where the strategic and the operational need

each other, a reasonable assumption is that UN sta need

to be exposed to and hone their skills across all of these

dimensions. But rst, all UN entities need the right, and

the same data in order to advance collectively on their

commitments. The case for better data and its links to

leadership extends beyond mobility, age and gender.

Better data for better leadership

The business case for better and more systematic use of

Human Resources (HR) data for analysing and assessing

the health of UN leadership starts with a look at the

current system underpinning the UN’s system-wide HR

statistics, and its aws.

Statistical tables on the composition of sta of the

organisations in the UN common system have been

around for at least three decades.

XXVIII

The key data source

is the personnel statistics that individual UN entities report

annually to the CEB Secretariat using a list of mandatory

and voluntary data elds to be completed for each sta

member. Once the data is compiled and quality assured, a

selection is published as reports in pdf-format, focusing on

sta with contracts of one year or longer. In addition, the

UN system carries out an annual ‘headcount’ that results

in an overall number for the UN workforce, ie sta and

non-sta, on 31 December of the given year.

The HR statistics system has gradually improved over

time

The CEB Secretariat has expanded the coverage to include

the majority of UN entities and enhanced its eorts in

improving the data quality of the personnel statistics after

2015, eg through the use of automated data validations.

This has been complemented by a move towards an

additional, more user-friendly format of presenting the

data. For the period 2015-2020, key sta data is also

available in an online version with data visualisations and

the capacity to download specic data cuts in excel or csv-

format for further data analysis.

XXIX

The data collection on

separations and recruitments,

XXX

previously collected on

a stand-alone basis by UN Women, was integrated in the

CEB’s data management platform.

The current system underpinned by agreed denitions of

variables provides an essential basis for UN system-wide

data analysis. It also informs exchanges between the leaders

of dierent UN organisations on strategic HR matters.

150 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Still, there is a strong business case for better data if one

wants to understand or uncover important dimensions

of leadership eectiveness. Better publicly accessible UN

workforce data is important for transparency and facilitates

independent analysis of the actual numbers versus what

can be found in UN policy statements of intent or in

comparison to those of other multilateral institutions.

XXXI

Identifying the data gaps

The rst and by far the largest gap is that the current

UN system-wide data systems do not provide details

including age, gender and mobility on large parts of the

UN workforce.

Figure 7 gives an overview of the total 2020 UN workforce

that stood at more than 200,000 and its dierent segments.

International Professionals (19 %)

2 %

7 %8 %19 %26 %38 %

Non-staff: Consultants, service contract holders, volunteers and interns (38 %)

Staff with contracts < 1 year (7 %)

General Service (26 %)

National Professionals (8 %)

Field Service (2 %)

Figure 7: UN workforce in total, as of 31 December 2020. Souce CEB.

XXXII

In our data analysis above, the focus has been on

UN sta with contracts of more than one year that make

up roughly 55 % of the total UN workforce and on the

International Professionals, ‘the Ps and Ds’, that make up

less than 20%. Granular information on two other large

segments of human resources is however missing, namely

the 38 % of the total workforce who are consultants,

service contract holders, UN volunteers or interns and

who are also known as ‘non-sta ’; and the 7 % with sta

contracts of less than one year.

Would the challenges around rejuvenation and gender parity

look dierently or easier to address maybe, if the data of this

45 % had been included? How eective are UN entities in

using these talent pools about whom much less is known to

deliver their mandates and develop future UN leaders?

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 151

The Abstract

Second, the UN system-wide data masks large variations

between groups of UN entities. One element that we

preliminary explored is the correlation between the

workforce proles of UN entities and the UN functions

on which they focus.

XXXIII

One example is the issue of rejuvenation. It seems to aect

UN entities dierently. The average age of a female sta

member working at organisations with a humanitarian

focus is almost ve years younger than her colleague

working at UN entities focusing on global agenda and

specialised assistance which is 42.3 years compared to 47.2

years.

Another example in the context of contractual modalities.

More than 80 % of the workforce in the UN Secretariat

are regular sta with contracts of more than one year.

This is also the case for the group of smaller UN entities

focusing on the global agenda and specialised assistance.

This number drops to less than 50 % on average in those

entities focusing on development and/or humanitarian

assistance.

It raises the following critical questions: How do senior UN

leaders in humanitarian and development organisations

adapt their leadership culture to engage a workforce that

might require a dierent mix of incentives than the one

used for sta with long-term contractual commitment to

the UN? What lessons can be drawn from this that could

be used by other UN leaders in similar situations?

Third, the personnel data is siloed between UN entities

which makes it dicult to carry out data analysis on issues

such as formal inter-agency mobility through secondments

or transfers and the more informal reality of inter-agency

moves. The latter may come about when a sta member

or a non-sta resigns from one UN organisation to join

another one, or simply waits for a contract expiration to

do so. From the data we know that resignation is more

common at the lower levels, with about 5 % of the P2 sta

resigning in the 2018-2019 period, 4 % at P3 and 3 % of

the P4 respectively.

However, does resignation mean the end of their UN

adventure? Or rather a move with the intention to join

another UN organisation, either immediately or at a later

stage in their career? And, given this reality, what is, or

would the leadership rationale be for prioritising the

investment of time and resources in a young, agile and

mobile UN workforce? Is the hope to build future UN

leaders, but not knowing which share of the fruit will

actually ripen outside the UN?

Finally, more should be done to facilitate the dissemination

and use of the existing personnel data, while ensuring

full respect for data privacy and security. This can create

more insights and raise the demand for better data. One

approach can be to consider making the data available in

more manipulatable formats. Such as sharing the current

annual human resources statistics report pdf-tables in an

Excel format, similar to the model used for the tables

annexed to the report on the Improvement of Women in

the UN system.

XXXIV

Further, the information provided on

the CEB website could possibly be expanded to respond

to the JIU comments above and other data needs that may

have surfaced in exchanges with other data users.

The most promising, long-term solution to the main

data challenges listed above seems to lie in the recently

started UN Unied ID project. ‘The UN Digital ID is a

transformative UN solution to provide its workforce with

a universal, system wide identity’.

XXXV

Designed as a data exchange platform using blockchain

technology, the UN Digital ID is meant to allow UN

sta and non-sta like consultants from participating

organisations to share any of their human resource and

other personal information. This would reduce data

fragmentation within the UN system and underpin a

simpler and more secure exchange of human resource

data between UN organisations. Moreover, the use of a

single platform will reinforce the alignment of reporting

standards and overall data quality. This project is currently

only in a pilot phase, with the active participation of

WFP, UNHCR, UNDP, the UN Pension Fund, and UN

Department of Security Services.

As of now, the UN leadership will have to do with the

current, far from perfect UN system-wide HR data to

drive strategic decision-making on its current and future

workforce.

However, by interrogating the existing data with leadership

questions that really need answers we can get a better

sense of the crucial elements that should be covered in the

future UN’s system-wide workforce data.

152 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

Conclusion

In this piece, we attempted to take stock of the UN’s

leadership ‘health’ by stress testing statements of intent,

commitments, and policy declarations against what the

available data says. To do that, we used three data variables

as proxy indicators for various constituents of sustainably

eective leadership: youth, gender parity and mobility.

Across all three, we see a mixed picture. The UN is

progressing towards gender parity, and our assumption

is that this will strengthen the overall leadership culture

and practices. But the UN is not getting younger, and a

UN that fails to reect and incorporate the aspirations of

younger people may not be listened to and may not inspire

as it should or could. And if fewer UN sta members

move, geographically, functionally, and, as Peter de Clercq

said, ‘mentally’, the organisation may risk intellectual

atrophy, with its leaders failing to grasp and manage the

interconnectedness of today’s challenges.

The analysis also revealed both the value of such data in

exposing what can be seen as inconvenient realities and

the need to continue to obtain better, more granular data

if it is to help the UN think about its leadership health. For

example, gender parity at any given level is good. But to

know whether gender parity is in fact truly transforming

UN leadership practices, we will need to dig deeper and

observe parity amongst functions of equal power and

inuence.

Likewise, it’s not just about whether the UN is or should be

getting younger. What matters more is whether leadership

is positively and genuinely shaped by intergenerational

perspectives.

Mobility data needs to be more consistent and

comprehensive across entities to get a fuller, more accurate

picture of how often mobility occurs, and under which

conditions. For this, a broader range of tools will be needed

including better tailored and incisive sta surveys with

some elements that facilitate UN-system wide analysis as

well focused external evaluations.

We could only scratch the surface on non-sta personnel,

retention, and resignation data. We suspect it contains a

treasure trove of further interesting insights on the UN’s

leadership health, the extent to which the UN inspires (or

not) its workforce, and the factors that lead people to stick

with, or drift away from the Organisation, at a time when

it needs all the best and committed talent it can use.

We recognise that the link between quality data, the

analysis process and leadership reections is at times not

straightforward, but we remain condent that certain data

analysis is essential to complement, rather than substitute for

more qualitative assessments and subjective reections. This

analysis is work in progress, but we are convinced that better

data and improved leadership go hand in hand.

United Nations 2.0 - Veronika Tywuschik-Sohlström, Marc Jacquand, Henriette Keijzers 153

The Abstract

Endnotes

UN System Chief Executives Board for

Coordination, ‘United Nations system leadership

framework’, CEB/2017/1 (Annex), 20 June 2017,

https://undocs.org/en/CEB/2017/1.

UN System Chief Executives Board for

Coordination, ‘United Nations system strategy on

the future of work’, CEB/2019/1/Add.2, 10 May

2019, https://unsceb.org/united-nations-system-

strategy-future-work.

III

UN Oce of the Human Resources, ‘Values

and Behaviours Framework’, 2020, https://i.unu.

edu/media/unu.edu/page/24952/Values-and-

Behaviours-Framework_Final.pdf.

UN General Assembly, ‘New approach to

sta mobility: building an agile Organisation by

providing opportunities for on-the-job learning

and skills development. Report of the Secretary-

General’, A/75/540/Add.1, 19 November 2020,

https://undocs.org/A/75/540/Add.1.

At the time of writing, the report of the

Secretary-General A/75/540/Add.1 (ibid.) was

under consideration in the 5th Committee of

the UN Secretariat. The 5th Committee could

not agree on a Human Resource management

resolution and a decision on the mobility scheme

was deferred to the next session. See: https://

www.un.org/press/en/2022/gaab4381.doc.htm

United Nations, ‘Strategic Action Plan.

Report of the Secretary-General’s Task Force on

Addressing Racism and Promoting Dignity for

All in the United Nations Secretariat’, December

2021, https://www.passblue.com/wp-content/

uploads/2022/01/sap_nal_report.pdf.

VII

United Nations, ‘Our Common Agenda:

Report of the Secretary-General’, A/75/982, 5

August 2021, https://undocs.org/A/75/982.

VIII

Veronika Tywuschik- Sohlstrom, ‘Who

leads the UN? What UN demographics can

reveal about leadership’ in The Art of UN

Leadership, Framing What’s Blue, (Uppsala, Dag

Hammarskjold Foundation, 2020), https://

www.daghammarskjold.se/wp-content/

uploads/2020/03/un_leadership_2020.pdf.

United Nations, Data Strategy of the Secretary-

General for Action by Everyone, Everywhere with Insight,

Impact and Integrity’, May 2020, https://www.un.org/en/

content/datastrategy/.

In particular see UN General Assembly Resolution 76/115,

‘Improvement of the status of women in the United Nations

system’, 1 July 2021, https://undocs.org/A/RES/76/115; and

the following UN General Assembly Reports: ‘Composition of

the Secretariat: sta demographics’, A/70/605, 11 December

2015, https://undocs.org/ A/70/605; ‘Composition of the

Secretariat: gratis personnel, retired sta and consultants and

individual contractors’, A/75/591/Add.1, 10 November 2020,

https://undocs.org/A/75/591/Add.1; and ‘New approach

to sta mobility: building an agile Organization by providing

opportunities for on-the-job learning and skills development’,

A/75/540/Add.1, 19 November 2020, https://undocs.

org/A/75/540/Add.1.

The ve generations are: Silent Generation (75-95 years);

Baby Boomers (56-74); Generations X (40-55); Generation Y/

Millennials (25-39); Generations Z (iGen) (24 and under).

XII

See UN General Assembly ‘Our Common Agenda’, 2021

ibid.

XIII

Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995,

https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/

XIV

UN Economic and Social Council, ‘Political declaration

on the occasion of the twenty-fth anniversary of the Fourth

World Conference on Women’, E/CN.6/2020/L.1, 2 March

2020, https://undocs.org/E/CN.6/2020/L.1.

Jon Henley and Eleanor Ainge Roy, ‘Are female leaders

more successful at managing the coronavirus crisis?’, The

Guardian, 25 April 2020, <https://www.theguardian.com/

world/2020/apr/25/why-do-female-leaders-seem-to-be-

more-successful-at-managing-the-coronavirus-crisis>.

XVI

UN General Assembly, ‘Improvement in the status of

women in the United Nations system’, ibid.

XVII

Marc Jacquand, Johanna Mårtendal, Kate Sullivan, ’Back

to basics: Living the principles of the UN Charter – An

interview with Bintou Keita’, Dag Hammarskjold Foundation,

7 September 2021, <https://www.daghammarskjold.se/blog/

living-principles-un-charter-interview-bintou-keita/>.

XVIII

For this analysis, the UN programme countries were split

in four groups, depending on whether they were crisis-aected

and, if yes, the level of total HDP-related expenditures. HDP-

high countries each had HDP- expenditures of more than

USD 1.5 billion in 2019, for HDP-medium countries this was

between USD 0.5 and 1.5 billion, and for HDP-low countries

154 Chapter Five - The Art of Leadership

The Abstract

between USD 0.1 and 0.5 billion. For more

information on the countries in each group,

see Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation (DHF) and

United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Oce

(UN MPTFO), Financing the United Nations

Development System: Time to Meet the Moment

(Uppsala/New York: DHF/UN MPTFO, 2021),

https://www.daghammarskjold.se/publication/

unds-2021/, Figure 29 p. 66.

XIX

Marc Jacquand and Victoria Tywuschik-

Sohlström, ‘Mobility and leadership – An

interview with Peter de Clercq’, Dag

Hammarskjöld Foundation, 12 April, 2021,

https://www.daghammarskjold.se/blog/

mobility-leadership-interview-peter-de-clercq/.

UN General Assembly, ‘Improvement in the

status of women in the United Nations system’,

ibid.

XXI

UN General Assembly, ‘New approach to sta

mobility’, ibid.

XXII

United Nations General Assembly, ‘Report

of the International Civil Service Commission

for the year 2021’ A/76/30, 13 September 2021,

https://undocs.org/A/76/30.

XXIII

United Nations Joint Inspections Unit,

‘Review of sta exchange and similar inter-

agency mobility measures in United Nations

system organizations- Note by the Secretary-

General’ A/75/85 - JIU/REP/2019/8, 21

May 2020, https://digitallibrary.un.org/

record/3862827?ln=en.

XXIV

UN General Assembly, ‘Statement on the

Review of Sta Exchange and Similar Inter-

agency mobility measures in United Nations

system organisations: Statement by inspector

Jeremiah Kramer’, A/75/85 - JIU/REP/2019/8,

13 October 2020, https://www.un.org/en/

ga/fth/75/statements/147_JIU/C5_75_0m_

ST_2020_10_12_147_JIU_Inter-agency_

Mobility_Inspector_JIU.pdf.

XXV

UN General Assembly, ‘Global human

resources strategy 2019–2021: building a more

eective, transparent and accountable United

Nations- Report of the Secretary-General’,

A/73/372, 12 September 2018, https://undocs.

org/A/73/372.

XXVI

UN General Assembly, ‘Improvement in the status of

women in the United Nations system’, ibid.

XXVII

Ibid.

XXVIII

UN System HR Statistics Reports for the period 1991

to 2020 are available at https://unsceb.org/reports?eld_

mechanism%5B93%5D=93.

XXIX

See: https://unsceb.org/human-resources-statistics.

XXX

This data is used for the biannual report on the

Improvement of Women in the United Nations System.

XXXI

Data used by stakeholders outside a given UN entity will

always be restricted due to data privacy concerns. Thus, in

creating specic categories for our data analysis we made sure

that no individual sta member would be identiable in the

data.

XXXII

This excludes the number of peacekeeping troops, which

stood at 81,832 as of December 2020.

XXXIII

This specic category reected the (mix of) UN

functions on which UN entities spent more than 75 % of

their resources in 2019: development assistance, humanitarian

assistance, peace operations, and global agenda and specialised

assistance. The groups used for analysis were Humanitarian

(HUM), Development and Humanitarian (DEVHUM),

Development (DEV), UN Secretariat (working across all four

functions), Development, Humanitarian and Global Agenda

(DEVHUMGl), and Global Agenda (Global).

XXXIV

UN General Assembly, ‘Improvement in the status of

women in the United Nations system’, ibid.

XXXV

UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB),

‘UN Digital ID - Project TOR’, CEB/2021/HLCM/10/

Add.2, 27 September 2021, https://unsceb.org/sites/default/

les/2021-10/2021.HLCM_.10.Add_.2%20-%20UN%20

Digital%20ID%20%E2%80%93%20Project%20ToR.pdf.

Conclusion 155

Conclusion

The diverse contributions in this publication explore

United Nations leadership from many dierent angles

and reect dierent shades, making it dicult to end with

denitive conclusions. They all reiterate the unique role

and critical importance of UN leadership but some cast

a shadow on the UN’s potential to meaningfully impact

today’s world unless signicant changes to its leadership

culture and practices occur. Others oer a sunnier

impression, nding rays of hope either by taking us back to

rst and timeless principles of the Charter or by oering

new ways to experience leadership, ways that are gaining

traction beyond the UN, and from which the UN can nd

inspiration.

From this multi-faceted picture, a few

messages emerge.

Throughout the publication one can perceive a shared

sense of unease and worry that UN leadership is under

severe stress and that it needs to live up to its ideals if

the organisation is to survive current times. This feeling of

anxiety is combined with, and perhaps explained by the

continued belief that UN leadership remains instrumental

to the world and to the aspiration of so many people,

especially those left behind. ‘The people are starving for

leadership’ says one piece. But ‘[the UN] needs to make its

case’, argue many others. That is done through principled,

ethical and eective leadership.

UN leadership does not exist in a vacuum. It needs to

be thought and practiced rst and foremost in relation

to the purpose of the UN, which serves simultaneously

as the starting point, the reference, and the end point

of UN leadership. After the purpose, UN leadership

can only be understood, assessed, and strengthened

against the backdrop of systems, incentives, perceptions,

and expectations. How all these dimensions shape UN

leadership remains misunderstood by many, an area

that requires further discussions and exploration. The

contributions also spark a few other unanswered questions

on the type of leadership needed to design new ways to

build consensus in a fragmented world, where models of

governance have shifted, and where expectations of the

UN may have been transformed.

It will be critical to continue exploring the behaviours

or actions of Member States or civil society that either

undermine or enable eective UN leadership. Thus,

making it important to sensitise many of them to their

inuence, and the fact that their voices are needed.

However, many contributors share a warning. It is

important to further discuss, above all, the UN’s relevance

that centres on its ability to translate UN leadership words

into action, to turn declarations into deeds. Several authors

refer explicitly to a growing gap between discourse

and practice, one that is further exposed by the data

examination. This may explain why this second publication

ended with perhaps less emphasis on leadership structures,

frameworks, and processes than the rst report, and more

focus on individual decisions and choices. The UN is

encouraged to ‘make it personal’, to ‘live the values’: To

practice leadership rather than talk about it.

To this end, one key, common trait of practiced principled

and ethical leadership to emerge is that of courage: ‘Dare

to lead’. And courage is not seen just as an end in itself.

Implicitly, many other contributions place courage, along

with humility, as the foundation to implement new ways

to practice leadership, and to democratise its experience.

It is needed for example to foster entrepreneur leadership

and intergenerational leadership.

It also requires courage for UN leaders to think about the

future: ‘who will own the UN?’ asks one contributor. Can

the UN nd the resolve to pass on responsibilities to the

next generation, to share and ‘hand over’ leadership roles

to more diverse, younger people, and to more women?

Every UN sta member is momentarily given stewardship

of a piece of the organisation; no one owns it permanently,

it belongs to all. Accepting that reality is humbling, but it

is a condition of relevance.

It will take courage for UN leadership to remain

connected with humanity at large: by venturing beyond

the intergovernmental walls to ‘expose the inequalities’, to

listen, and show solidarity in small and big ways with the

world. That is, to demonstrate and be, through concrete

actions, what principled, ethical UN leadership is.

156 The Art of Leadership

Taken together, the contributions allow us to nish close

to where we ended with the rst publication. In their

own specic way, they all emphasise and conrm that

principled, ethical UN leadership exists in both small and

large ways. These instances of daring, courageous, humble

leadership need to be known, and the Foundation hopes

that this publication is a contribution to this imperative.

Upon reading these contributions, one could also agree

with our initial proposition that one denition of leadership

is not needed; the diversity of views and the dierent ways

to speak of leadership matters because it helps each reader

uncover a new lens, and perhaps reect on past instances

of leadership with new insights or approach upcoming

challenges with fresh perspectives.

At the same time, the contributions seem to share a

common sentiment that ethical and principled leadership

is both hard and easy. It is hard because of the context,

pressures and expectations under which the UN and its

sta operate. At the same time, ethical and principled

leadership is easy in some fundamental way because, as

many contributors highlight, the right type of leadership

is illuminated by the clarity of the UN Charter and

generated from within, grounded in one’s unobstructed

ethical autonomy. Considering that, the complications that

we may at times refer to can be perceived as constructed

to conveniently shun personal accountability. In that

light, the contributions oered a collective echo for UN

leadership to be viewed by all sta as a responsibility to be

earned, and not a right to be claimed.

Upon reading these contributions, one could also agree with our initial

proposition that one definition of leadership is not needed; the diversity of

views and the different ways to speak of leadership matters because it helps

each reader uncover a new lens, and perhaps reflect on past instances of

leadership with new insights or approach upcoming challenges with fresh

perspectives.

Featured Art 157

Featured Art

All the art featured in this publication is by artist who

reside in refugee camps in Jordan. As noted in the

introduction, the intent behind linking each contribution

with a distinct artwork was to connect people, writers

and painters, across places and perspectives. It also an

opportunity to bring the heart of the UN’s mission to life

and the artwork of these refugees to new audiences. You

can learn more about some of the artists and the message

behind their paintings on the following pages.

The use of this art was made possible thanks to a

collaboration with UNCHR Jordan who recently

catalogued the artwork of hundreds of refugees to showcase

their talents and to help them earn a small income. All

artists were renumerated for the use of their art in this

publication, but the paintings themselves remain for sale.

If you would like to learn more about UNCHR Jordan’s

work or view the whole art catalogue, please visit: https://

www.unhcr.org/jo/refugee-shop

‘Dag Hammarskjöld’

Iyad Sabbag (Syria),

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

To deliver a message through its bright colours. It is

a message full of hope, bright, happiness, and joy.

Why do you paint?

I chose painting for two reasons. First because I have

a gift and it is an ambition to grow. Secondly it is to

deliver a message to my daughter who emigrated, to

tell her that I still live in refugee camps.

What does the UN mean for you?

The United Nations helps those in need and assists

in creating healthy societies.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Following your dream.

158 The Art of Leadership

‘Landscape’,

Majd Al-Hariri, (Syria),

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

Landscape painted with charcoal

Why do you paint?

Painting is my talent, and I feel happy while I am

painting.

What does the UN mean for you?

The United Nations represents peace.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Creativity

‘Loss and Longing’

Bara’a Al-Hamoud (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

Snowstorms and a woman sitting next to her son’s

grave while holding a kite.

Why do you paint?

I paint because I love painting.

What does the UN mean for you?

Providing safe shelter and supporting us in

education.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Making the right decision during critical situations.

‘Reaching Aspiration’

Mohammad Al-Ghazawi (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

The far-future

Why do you paint?

It has been my hobby since I was a child, and I

express myself through painting.

What does the UN mean for you?

The United Nations is a peace oasis.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Learning from everyone.

Featured Art 159

‘My Children’

Abdo Abu Salu (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

A nation cannot be defeated if it eats from what it

plants and if it wears clothes that it sews.

Why do you paint?

I love painting because it is my favorite hobby and

through it, I deliver my messages to the world.

What does the UN mean for you?

The UN is a symbol of unity.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Being ambitious to support everybody.

‘The Snow of My Country’

Nizar Al Haraki (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

Since I was born, I haven’t seen snow and I wanted

to reect snow in the desert, where I live.

Why do you paint?

I learned how to paint when I was 13 years old, and

I took painting courses in Zaatari camp.

What does the UN mean for you?

Helping refugees and supporting them.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Strong determination and receiving support from everyone.

‘Bridge under a colourful sea’

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim,

Azraq Camp

160 The Art of Leadership

‘Portrait’

Zaid Hussein

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

Loneliness creates weakness, fatigue, and disability.

Why do you paint?

I love painting because it is my favorite hobby and

through painting I have good times.

What does the UN mean for you?

Helping refugees, especially children.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Being strong in your decisions.

‘Portrait in green and blue’

Melad Bassam Al-Ghazali

Azraq Camp

‘Portrait’

Ibrahim Ali Al-Abed,

Azraq Camp

Featured Art 161

‘Mother’

Abdo Abu Salou’

Zataari Camp

‘Two faces in one panel’

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Azraq Camp

‘Three faces’

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Azraq Camp

162 The Art of Leadership

‘Overlapping faces’

Asim Abdul Hamid Al Ashram

Azraq Camp

‘Portrait of a woman’

Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim,

Azraq Camp

‘The Rose’

Iman Hariri (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

A painting of a Jorrie rose that makes oneself happy.

Why do you paint?

I paint to have fun and because it is my hobby.

What does the UN mean for you?

An agency that helps refugees in everything they

need.

What do you think makes a good leader?

A strong leader is the person who leads everyone

around towards success.

Featured Art 163

‘Sweet Dream’

Reem Diab (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

The refugee woman has dreams and determination

in which she can y.

Why do you paint?

I paint because I love painting and I can deliver my

messages through my artworks.

What does the UN mean for you?

The UN is a message that is delivered to the whole world.

What do you think makes a good leader?

A strong leader is the person who leads everyone

towards success.

‘Vase with white owers’

Moayad Ibrahim Al-Abed

Azraq Camp

‘Apple Season’

Murad Al-Shawamreh (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?’

For all people to feel safe and secure, and for hope to rise

again.

Why do you paint?

I started painting late, when I was 43 years old, and

I have continued learning by taking several training

courses. I like the apple blooming season and this

when I did my rst artwork.

What does the UN mean for you?

The UN is an umbrella for protecting refugees.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Knowing your aws

164 The Art of Leadership

‘Flowers on bicycle’

Adham Khaled Al-Ammar

Azraq Camp

‘My Candle’

Heba Aklo (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

As this is my rst painting it doesn’t have a clear

message, but I believe it represents the need for light

which is the right path to go through.

Why do you paint?

I consider painting my personal space in which I

can express my thoughts.

What does the UN mean for you?

The UN is an organisation that works for spreading

peace globally, provides equal opportunities, and

resolve conicts.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Being a good listener, having team spirit,

encouraging other colleagues, accepting criticism,

always working towards the general benet of

everyone and achieving goals.

‘Vase with owers’

Samir Al Ghafari

Azraq Camp

Featured Art 165

‘An apple core representing the remaining parts of Syria’

Hisham Mohammad Al Ghafari

Azraq Camp

’Abstraction’

Mohammed Abdul Ka Joukhdar (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

The message of the painting is freedom of oneself,

despite the harshness of society.

Why do you paint?

I paint to deliver messages, to try to solve

community issues, and my home country’s conlict

of war.

What does the UN mean for you?

The United Nations is a big organisation that helps

vulnerable people around the world.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Helping the society and developing it through

determination.

‘Woman with two birds’

Asim Abdul Hamid Al Ashram

Azraq Camp

166 The Art of Leadership

‘Abstract Integration’

Mahmoud Khaled Al-Hariri (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

Integration. What I mean by that is the mass

immigration of Syrians across the world and their

inclusion in societies while still carrying their

traditions, cultures, and thoughts.

Why do you paint?

Painting is considered my career, higher education

and the language that expresses my feelings.

What does the UN mean for you?

An organisation that helps those in need.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Controlling your reactions.

‘Peace’

Murad Ahmed Al- Shawamreh (Syria)

Zataari Camp

What is the message of this painting?

An abstract to combat hunger, poverty, displacement

and orphans.

Why do you paint?

I started painting late, when I was 43 years old and

I have continued learning by taking several training

courses.

What does the UN mean for you?

The UN is an umbrella for protecting refugees.

What do you think makes a good leader?

Knowing your aws.

‘People simulation’

Nabil Jubouri (Iraq)

Amman

Accronym List 167

Accronym List

ACABQ

ACT

AIIB

BCPR

CEESP

COP

COVAX

COVID-19

CSTO

DCO

DESA

DNA

DPKO

DPO

DSRSG/RC/HC

ECOWAS

FRIDA

GAVI

GELI

GEMAP

GPS

GSEM

GUAM

IASC

ICGL

IFIs

ILO

IMF

IOM

ISIS

ITC

ITU

IUCN

JPO

LGBTIQ+

MAF

MENA

MOPAN

MPTF

MRM

Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions

Accountability, Coherence, and Transparency Group

Articial Intelligence

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

African Union

Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery

Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy

Cooperation Framework

Conference of the Parties

COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access

Coronavirus disease 2019

Collective Security Treaty Organisation

Development Coordinating Oce

Department of Economic and Social Aairs

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Department of Peacekeeping Operations

Department of Peace Operations

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator

Economic Community of West African States

European Union

Young Feminist Fund

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization

Global Leadership Initiative

Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program

Global Positioning Systems

Geneva School of Economics and Management

Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova

Inter-Agency Standing Committee

International Contact Group for Liberia

International Financial Institutions

International Labour Organization

International Monetary Fund

International Organization for Migration

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the Levant

International Trade Centre

International Telecommunication Union

International Union for Conservation of Nature

Junior Professional Ocer

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, Queer and questioning

Management Accountability Framework

Middle East and North Africa

Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment

Multi-Partner Trust Fund Oce

Monitoring and reporting mechanism

168 The Art of Leadership

OCHA

OHCHR

QCPR

RNA

SDGs

SERPs

SRSG

UDHR

UN Charter

UN Women

UNASG

UNCTs

UNDP

UNDS

UNEL-e UN

UNFPA

UNHCR

UNIC

UNICEF

UNMIL

UNMISS

UNOG

UNSCR

UNSDCF

UNSLF

UNSSC

UNV

WFP

WHO

YPP

YWCA

YWLs

Member States

Oce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aairs

Oce of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review

Resident Coordinator

Ribonucleic acid

Resident Representative

Security Council

Sustainable Development Goals

Socio-Economic Response Plans

Special Representatives

Special Representatives of the Secretary-General

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Assistant Secretary-General ASG

United Nations Charter

United Nations Women

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General

United Nations Country Teams

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Development System

Emerging Leaders e-Learning Programme

United Nations Population Fund

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

United Nations Information Centre

United Nations Children’s Fund

United Nations Missions in Liberia

United Nations Mission in South Sudan

United Nations Oce at Geneva

United Nations Security Council Resolution

UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework

United Nations System Leadership Framework

United Nations System Sta College

United Nations Volunteers

World Bank

World Food Programme

World Health Organisation

Young Professionals Programme

Young Women’s Christian Association

Young Women Leaders

The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation is a non-governmental

organisation established in memory of the second Secretary-

General of the United Nations. The Foundation aims to advance

dialogue and policy for sustainable development, multilateralism

and peace.

The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation

www.daghammarskjold.se

This publication brings together diverse perspectives on United Nations leadership today.

Released only two years after our rst publication on the topic, it has been put together

under a radically altered context, shaped by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the

accelerating threats of climate change and by new armed conicts.

Together, these developments cast an even more acute light on the need for leadership in

the multilateral system and particularly in the UN. They vindicate our continued framing

of UN leadership as an art, rather than an exact science, at a time when the practice of

principled leadership seems so dicult, even occasionally appearing to be somewhat of a

rare artform indeed.

They also explain the subtitle ‘painting perspectives, staying true to principles’. It

captures both the need for diverse views and approaches, including from those who may

underestimate or doubt UN leadership realities, while recognising that what unites and

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