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| Thomas in his camper-van named "La Bélama" after Philomène's ancestral village in southern Chad |
What was your last assignment with UNICEF?
Regional Chief of Operations, CEE/CIS (Europe and Central Asia) RO
How old do you feel?
Not 65 (my birthday is later this month). I feel 40-ish. Seriously.
Where do you live?
Commune de Bellevue in the République et Canton de Genève, Switzerland
What book do you currently read?
Tieta by Jorge Amado (it's my second reading after 39 years and very much worth it)
If you could travel without restrictions, where would you go?
China
Your best experience with UNICEF?
Tough, but I'll say building up UNICEF's presence operationally in Afghanistan (2002-2004). Equally, I'd say Former Yugoslavia 1992-1995
Your biggest challenge when working for UNICEF?
Trying to deal with the management of a social-science obsessed organisation that undervalued the need to have strong operational support in order to properly support programme objectives. Throughout my 25 years, 3 months and 1 day with UNICEF, this was a permanent feature and one I would describe as often and as appropriately as possible as "The Inverted Pyramid" whereby a small, emaciated operations support group/team/cell would support an over-extended programme group often led by Reps and Deputy Reps who regarded Operations as an unfortunate drag on resources. Operations did not help matters by focussing on accountancy skills that have nothing to do with the realities of leadership in the field (COs do not do accountancy. At best, it's bookkeeping, so why the emphasis?)
What is your biggest fear, in relation to the future of children?
In medium to advanced societies, the siren's lure to social media and a North American or Eurocentric erosion of values. Where attention is needed most, I fear that a school kit or bag, a vaccination campaign or UNICEF visit (with a visiting VIP, such as the RD or ED), will be tantamount to having done our "duty". UNICEF's great weakness is its attention span of a four year-old.
What is your greatest hope, in relation to children?
That some other entity other than UNICEF will have the persuasive and moral orbital pull to bring about change. UNICEF has a unique role to play, but it is flawed in the sense that it is dependent on political goodwill whereby the message is often dampened because it is beholden to Member States. After all, think about how many UNICEF Representatives display A4 photographs of smiles with the country leader who, instead of being in a photograph, should be more appropriately placed in a pre-trial detention facility.
What is your one piece of advice you wish to give to the UNICEF Executive Director:
How old do you feel?
Not 65 (my birthday is later this month). I feel 40-ish. Seriously.
Where do you live?
Commune de Bellevue in the République et Canton de Genève, Switzerland
What book do you currently read?
Tieta by Jorge Amado (it's my second reading after 39 years and very much worth it)
If you could travel without restrictions, where would you go?
China
Your best experience with UNICEF?
Tough, but I'll say building up UNICEF's presence operationally in Afghanistan (2002-2004). Equally, I'd say Former Yugoslavia 1992-1995
Your biggest challenge when working for UNICEF?
Trying to deal with the management of a social-science obsessed organisation that undervalued the need to have strong operational support in order to properly support programme objectives. Throughout my 25 years, 3 months and 1 day with UNICEF, this was a permanent feature and one I would describe as often and as appropriately as possible as "The Inverted Pyramid" whereby a small, emaciated operations support group/team/cell would support an over-extended programme group often led by Reps and Deputy Reps who regarded Operations as an unfortunate drag on resources. Operations did not help matters by focussing on accountancy skills that have nothing to do with the realities of leadership in the field (COs do not do accountancy. At best, it's bookkeeping, so why the emphasis?)
What is your biggest fear, in relation to the future of children?
In medium to advanced societies, the siren's lure to social media and a North American or Eurocentric erosion of values. Where attention is needed most, I fear that a school kit or bag, a vaccination campaign or UNICEF visit (with a visiting VIP, such as the RD or ED), will be tantamount to having done our "duty". UNICEF's great weakness is its attention span of a four year-old.
What is your greatest hope, in relation to children?
That some other entity other than UNICEF will have the persuasive and moral orbital pull to bring about change. UNICEF has a unique role to play, but it is flawed in the sense that it is dependent on political goodwill whereby the message is often dampened because it is beholden to Member States. After all, think about how many UNICEF Representatives display A4 photographs of smiles with the country leader who, instead of being in a photograph, should be more appropriately placed in a pre-trial detention facility.
What is your one piece of advice you wish to give to the UNICEF Executive Director:
Less emphasis on degrees, particularly Masters Degrees. All too often, this makes no sense for effective work in the field. After all, is someone who goes straight from preschool through a masters programme non-stop really a Master at Age 23? And what about the differences in educational systems and even the course of study for the Masters. It's shameful that UNICEF disregards so many otherwise qualified or, no doubt, even better qualified potential staff because of the requirement to have what is, sadly, more a rite of passage than a rightful testament of qualifications. This emphasis is biased towards educational systems in North America and Europe, and the rest of the world should just fall in line.
Thomas Haettenschwiller can be contacted via: thaettenschwiller@gmail.com , Phone +41 (0)76 215 73 39
Thomas Haettenschwiller can be contacted via: thaettenschwiller@gmail.com , Phone +41 (0)76 215 73 39
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Bravo, Thomas!! Your description of the challenge posed by the inverted pyramid is right on the mark. Too often we ignore the basic mechanics of keeping our ship running and on a steady course. Your description of our organization having the attention span of a four-year old is generous. We quickly forget whatever it is we started out to do a few years ago, or even a few weeks ago. Master plans of operations are often at best a general wish list, quickly pushed aside and forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI very much liked the comment on emphasis put on degrees and especially Masters degrees which results in UNICEF losing very good candidates.
ReplyDeleteTony Bloomberg here.
ReplyDeleteWell done Thomas, I could not have answered the questions better. Having been in 'Operations' roles in HQ and then becoming a Representative, I was in a good position to appreciate the inversion you mentioned. Especially in Emergencies, general management skills are paramount for programmatic success.
Bravo I loved...' After all, think about how many UNICEF Representatives display A4 photographs of smiles with the country leader who, instead of being in a photograph, should be more appropriately placed in a pre-trial detention facility.' Sadly so true, not enough of those being PNGd to stand up to tyrants and speak for children whom they will happily bomb, incarcerate and otherwise harass and starve.
ReplyDeleteHey Thomas! Well said. Glad to see that age has not dulled your forthright talk! I recall a talk of an UN ResCoor during one of our inter-agency operations workshops - the unfortunate perceptions in the UN system - drawing an analogy of programmes and operations of space shuttle and bicycle shop.... so true !
ReplyDeleteCannot agree more
ReplyDelete