By Detlef Palm
I recently read some random tales of UNICEF people and some biographies; and I do have some friends that tell me things. Thus, I continue to be amazed by the motley bunch of characters that made up UNICEF then and perhaps even now. Invariably someone will insist that he or she played rock ‘n roll in a band, used to ride motorbikes down Christopher Street, smoked pot, listened to Joan Baez, climbed high mountains and was full of lust for adventure, lived in bizarre communes, was conscientiously objecting to war, volunteered overseas, participated in anti-nuclear protests, challenged authorities, and in one form or the other marched against the order of the day.
But looking at UNICEF, I wonder, where is it gone, the flame of your rebellious potential?
To me, UNICEF always represented the counterculture within the United Nations; as UNICEF, we were united in fighting injustice, full of enthusiasm, challenging the status quo, and passionately rejecting indifference, complacency and mediocracy. UNICEF was the sharp end of the wedge; the only way to energize the system from within, and imagine a better world for all.
Nowadays, I sometimes hear – and I wish I were misinformed - that many staff seem to be just hanging in, going with the flow, challenging little to nothing, counting the days to retirement, waiting for new revelations and things to happen.
Where are they gone, in UNICEF, the rough and rowdy ways?
Nicely worded reflection, Detlef. The challenge or question to ask, as we have so many wonderful friends presently in the UN, is why they just hang in there... in part, is that when I joined the UN in January 1980, in all the operational agencies, such as UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, seventy percent of the staff were involved in program delivery. Now seventy percent of the staff are in administrative and support functions, with the right to kill creative staff members. I wish we could seek to reflect on the various factors that dampen the energy of colleagues...
ReplyDeleteIndeed, earlier years of UNICEF Woodstock!
ReplyDeleteThey are there just buried under a pile of policy, fear of retribution and operational correctness.
ReplyDelete70% in admin? That's outrageous. We always prided ourselves for having a low overhead. As to rebellious, I guess I worked in the wrong department. But we sure tried hard.
ReplyDeleteDetlef you continue to inspire. You spark off the dying flame to new light and energy. I guess that’s what UNICEF has always been about. No it’s not dead! Thank you for re-igniting it as a reminder!
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