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| ED Fore in Juba January 2018 |
The following article, "New Boss, New Priorities", appeared in our March 2018 Quarterly and presented reactions of our readers to an interview with DEVEX Henrietta Fore gave in Juba on her first overseas visit for UNICEF. (the full DEVEX article appears at the end of this post).
The article also linked to the letter to staff ED Fore sent out upon her return to NY in which she called for staff to comment on the SG's 2017 document calling for a "repositioning of the UN development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda" in preparation for 'year one' of UNICEF's (then) new strategic plan.
The March 2018 article received many comments from XUNICEF members, making it likely the most commented upon article ever published in News and Views.
Four years later and another new ED at the helm and currently on her own first overseas visit for UNICEF (to Pakistan). We thought that it might be timely to ask what has happened on the 'shift in priorities' Henrietta Fore proposed and set out in the 2018 strategic plan. It also may be timely to ask what has happened with the SG's efforts at "repositioning the UN development system" and UNICEF's position within that repositioning.
On return from her own first visit overseas, we wonder whether Catherine Russell will signal yet another 'shift' in UNICEF's priorities?
New Boss, New Priorities
“... your funding priorities tend to go more humanitarian and less development — and that's something we have to find a balance for. As the world becomes heavier in conflict, it drives the need on the humanitarian side higher so as an agency, you have to save lives. But you can't forget that there is a development agenda,” Henrietta Fore said in Juba, South Sudan. During In her first official field visit since taking office, she went on to announce “a shift in priorities” for UNICEF.“I fully agree that it is high time for UNICEF and others to think out of the box!!!, wrote one member.
“I would suggest it is perhaps time to stay inside the box.”, answered another member. “A major problem is aid agencies flitting about on policy to follow the “latest Thinking” or someone’s sexy report that has caught the headlines. Going too slowly? then lets change.”
Shortly following her return to NYHQ Ms. Fore issued a message to staff on partnerships UN Reform, and cost-efficiencies and attaches the SG’s report to the GA on Repositioning the UN for the 2030 Agenda . She says, “As we embark on ‘year one’ of our new Strategic Plan, this reform is an opportunity to bring fresh ideas to all aspects of UNICEF’s work.”
Comments followed quickly from members on both the Juba statement and this latest message to staff.
“Re-boot? I wonder if the new Ex Dir can lead that. I wonder if the Organisation is ready for that?”
“Many UNICEF representatives I knew who felt that the first thing they had to do when appointed was to change the existing programme and staff. Out with the old, in with the new... There is so much merit in bringing about change only after a sufficient period of observation, reflection and learning !!”
“I totally agree with you and was very puzzled when the new EXD came with her statement- after only one visit to the field.”
“Maybe the new EXD felt that she had to make a statement of some kind being new to UNICEF, thinking that a change is something that is expected with every new EXD to the organization? I don't know, but it would have been good if she had at least waited until she had set her feet on the ground in a variety of UNICEF supported countries and seen the work the organization supports on the ground. That would have given her an opportunity to reflect on what we do, how we do thing sand what she might find timely and appropriate to change. Change for the sake of change is seldom very effective and it also meets a lot of resistance among staff and partners. “
“I too of course hope that the new ExDir will be bold, unconventional, progressive and ensure that children’s rights remain at the heart of the work of UNICEF & that she will speak out unequivocally whenever children’s rights are disregarded - no matter what the politics & interests might be.”
“Agencies have to stay the course. It is a long and winding road, but due to fickle and ever changing programmes, too much chasing Donors white and green papers, too much “thinking outside the box”, that road has led us back to where we started.”
“UNICEF field staff have been (are being) bombarded by endless processes requested by UNICEF HQ in the last 20 years, particularly after the decentralisation of responsibilities to the Regional Offices and the start of UN reforms. It seems that some parties in UNICEF HQ have to justify their existence by keeping on adding processes after processes.”
“UNICEF was gradually becoming an Agency of processes, with less and less time available on interactions with partners, implementers and beneficiaries of UNICEF-assisted programmes. Some staff would say we are gradually metamorphosing in bureaucrats or "glorifying clerks" and losing our edge as a front line field organisation.”
“Changing UNICEF’s approach to development may be difficult. In particular, I would prefer UNICEF not to march to the tune of the private sector. It should be the other way around, with UNICEF impacting the way the private sector operates.”
“The focus on the increasing role of the private sector can be either good or not so good. I would have personally preferred another angle to this whole discussion but then of course we have to wait and see.
“The ExDir is pushing for a focus on adolescent’s skill training/vocational training. …. I am not so sure that I agree with such a focus considering various issues but then again - we will have to keep an open eye and wait and see.
“What is for sure is that the situation of millions and millions of children in the world today calls for a departure from the way the development/humanitarian organizations have worked so far and calls for out-of-the-box/even ‘radical' thinking and consistent engagement with rights-holders as well as duty-bearers to address the underlying causes leading to so many children being uprooted, targeted in conflicts and/or losing their lives and chances to lack of access to quality education, health, nutrition, sanitation and protection services.
“I'm not sure of what entity is being referred to in needing to shift to "sustainable developmental priorities" and away from "bandaging small wounds". This is certainly not the UNICEF I know of the 1990s and early 2000s. Has the entire organization abandoned sustainable developmental priorities in favorable of bandaging in the last six or eight years?
“That said, of course new ideas and rethinking of priorities are always welcome in my view. Greater private sector involvement in the promotion of children's rights, welfare, protection and development is needed with the Gates Foundation work an excellent example.
“I was watching TV last evening, BBC news, quoting UNICEF and telling us about high IMR, lack of water, children not educated etc etc. Deja Vu. Someone has turned the clock back 30 years i thought.”
“When I hear people saying lack of water and sanitation, then i remember how water and sanitation were blacklisted and almost thrown out of UNICEF, just when the programme was picking up speed.. well...΅
Several members suggested that former staff set up a group who could advise the Executive Director on any refocusing efforts in light of their experience and the history of past reform efforts. Proposals for how to present this idea were raised, along with the question of how best to make the advice of retirees something the Exdir would actively seek and value.
“A group of exUNICEFers could be constituted to assist the EXDIR and the Organisation in reviewing the whole UNICEF policy for capacity building of its staff (+ NatComs) and come-up with a long term strategy to improve the UNICEF approach and content with sufficient human/financial resources. Later-on the same ex-UNICEFer group could help in monitoring the implementation of that strategy and provide further assistance if when needed. “
“Without leadership, others take UNICEF space as a child rights agency adopt our mandate and strategies, and UNICEF is left behind as a second hand agency. It has already started and some like to call it " partnership" although it is cutting the feet under our existence and strength as an agency.”
Some members asked whether the changes sought by the new Executive Director that reflect donor and public lack of understanding of the progress so far made and resulting donor pressures.
“This divergence of perspectives - internal and external - has haunted UNICEF for a long time, perhaps it is widening. Internally UNICEF tends to judge itself on what has been achieved or is in progress, which is substantial and noteworthy! Outsiders tend to judge UNICEF on perceptions of what hasn't or isn't being done, which is justifiable and a matter for serious consideration. Perhaps both perspectives are true. The organization would benefit by giving more attention to understanding these divergent perspectives.”
“It is an important message that the good work being done is not visible outside the organization; even strong believers who have been a part of UNICEF for decades cannot now from an external perspective see nor do they hear what is being done by UNICEF and its staff. Recognizing how difficult that is in today's world of information overload, that should be taken seriously for if we feel in the dark, how much more might others have an even greater lack of understanding. On the other hand, it is not good enough to tout the good that is being done; there are also many reasons why the current approach deserves to be debated, when judged against what is not being done (actual needs including threat to basic rights).”
“At some point UNICEF lost the script, when professional fundraisers started leading country programs. Writing colourful (and here I mean, in every sense of the word) donor reports became a bona fide task in itself, and if anyone raised any questions about the veracity of the information, one was considered a renegade. While funds chased UNICEF earlier, instead in this new generation program environment, UNICEF started chasing funds.”
Many members pointed to suspicions that UNICEF’s rights agenda may be lost amidst a push for ‘solid development outcomes’. They pointed to an child rights advocacy role UNICEF should be playing in the developed world.
“We know, and have known for some considerable time, what is needed. Duty bearers have to pick up the cudgel and lead their own programmes instead of accepting whatever a donor or aid agency wants and wants them to do.
“Seems that the two last EXDs have not liked the idea that they have to advocate for children's rights. Within a changing world and the many threats and challenges facing children, UNICEF must be much more proactive in overseeing and advocating for the implementation of the CRC with governments and partners, including those in socalled industrialized countries. This is UNICEF's mandate, and it is alarming that very little is done in this respect. Sometimes it even seems that advocacy is left for other children's agencies to do.”
“If change is the idea for the new EXD a more action oriented advocacy in all countries, including the so called industrialized ones is what she should take on, personally and for the organization. This would increase UNICEF's credibility in industrialized countries, in particular, where UNICEF has been reduced to a charity and resource mobilizer. “
“To change the notion that UNICEF is only a fundraising office in industrialized countries, has to happen very fast in order to save children from further harassment, imprisonment and return to countries in war and conflict. Instead of only seeing the foreign minister during country visits, filing requests for more funding, she should visit the Parliament, the ministries of Justice, the ministry of Family/children affairs, and go to the asylum seeker camps, and temporary "prisons" for children, where they are kept before they are returned to war torn countries by the first morning flights. “
“I agree it is sad how the CRC seems to have been forgotten. A couple of years ago the British Prime Minister Cameron was talking about something and i was thinking yes that’s the CRC, hey thats the CRC!! it is a legal instrument after all but it seems even our own developed countries have, perhaps conveniently, forgotten about it.”
“UNICEF was gradually becoming an Agency of processes, with less and less time available on interactions with partners, implementers and beneficiaries of UNICEF-assisted programmes. Some staff would say we are gradually metamorphosing in bureaucrats or "glorifying clerks" and losing our edge as a front line field organisation.”
“Changing UNICEF’s approach to development may be difficult. In particular, I would prefer UNICEF not to march to the tune of the private sector. It should be the other way around, with UNICEF impacting the way the private sector operates.”
“The focus on the increasing role of the private sector can be either good or not so good. I would have personally preferred another angle to this whole discussion but then of course we have to wait and see.
“The ExDir is pushing for a focus on adolescent’s skill training/vocational training. …. I am not so sure that I agree with such a focus considering various issues but then again - we will have to keep an open eye and wait and see.
“What is for sure is that the situation of millions and millions of children in the world today calls for a departure from the way the development/humanitarian organizations have worked so far and calls for out-of-the-box/even ‘radical' thinking and consistent engagement with rights-holders as well as duty-bearers to address the underlying causes leading to so many children being uprooted, targeted in conflicts and/or losing their lives and chances to lack of access to quality education, health, nutrition, sanitation and protection services.
“I'm not sure of what entity is being referred to in needing to shift to "sustainable developmental priorities" and away from "bandaging small wounds". This is certainly not the UNICEF I know of the 1990s and early 2000s. Has the entire organization abandoned sustainable developmental priorities in favorable of bandaging in the last six or eight years?
“That said, of course new ideas and rethinking of priorities are always welcome in my view. Greater private sector involvement in the promotion of children's rights, welfare, protection and development is needed with the Gates Foundation work an excellent example.
“I was watching TV last evening, BBC news, quoting UNICEF and telling us about high IMR, lack of water, children not educated etc etc. Deja Vu. Someone has turned the clock back 30 years i thought.”
“When I hear people saying lack of water and sanitation, then i remember how water and sanitation were blacklisted and almost thrown out of UNICEF, just when the programme was picking up speed.. well...΅
Several members suggested that former staff set up a group who could advise the Executive Director on any refocusing efforts in light of their experience and the history of past reform efforts. Proposals for how to present this idea were raised, along with the question of how best to make the advice of retirees something the Exdir would actively seek and value.
“A group of exUNICEFers could be constituted to assist the EXDIR and the Organisation in reviewing the whole UNICEF policy for capacity building of its staff (+ NatComs) and come-up with a long term strategy to improve the UNICEF approach and content with sufficient human/financial resources. Later-on the same ex-UNICEFer group could help in monitoring the implementation of that strategy and provide further assistance if when needed. “
“Without leadership, others take UNICEF space as a child rights agency adopt our mandate and strategies, and UNICEF is left behind as a second hand agency. It has already started and some like to call it " partnership" although it is cutting the feet under our existence and strength as an agency.”
Some members asked whether the changes sought by the new Executive Director that reflect donor and public lack of understanding of the progress so far made and resulting donor pressures.
“This divergence of perspectives - internal and external - has haunted UNICEF for a long time, perhaps it is widening. Internally UNICEF tends to judge itself on what has been achieved or is in progress, which is substantial and noteworthy! Outsiders tend to judge UNICEF on perceptions of what hasn't or isn't being done, which is justifiable and a matter for serious consideration. Perhaps both perspectives are true. The organization would benefit by giving more attention to understanding these divergent perspectives.”
“It is an important message that the good work being done is not visible outside the organization; even strong believers who have been a part of UNICEF for decades cannot now from an external perspective see nor do they hear what is being done by UNICEF and its staff. Recognizing how difficult that is in today's world of information overload, that should be taken seriously for if we feel in the dark, how much more might others have an even greater lack of understanding. On the other hand, it is not good enough to tout the good that is being done; there are also many reasons why the current approach deserves to be debated, when judged against what is not being done (actual needs including threat to basic rights).”
“At some point UNICEF lost the script, when professional fundraisers started leading country programs. Writing colourful (and here I mean, in every sense of the word) donor reports became a bona fide task in itself, and if anyone raised any questions about the veracity of the information, one was considered a renegade. While funds chased UNICEF earlier, instead in this new generation program environment, UNICEF started chasing funds.”
Many members pointed to suspicions that UNICEF’s rights agenda may be lost amidst a push for ‘solid development outcomes’. They pointed to an child rights advocacy role UNICEF should be playing in the developed world.
“We know, and have known for some considerable time, what is needed. Duty bearers have to pick up the cudgel and lead their own programmes instead of accepting whatever a donor or aid agency wants and wants them to do.
“Seems that the two last EXDs have not liked the idea that they have to advocate for children's rights. Within a changing world and the many threats and challenges facing children, UNICEF must be much more proactive in overseeing and advocating for the implementation of the CRC with governments and partners, including those in socalled industrialized countries. This is UNICEF's mandate, and it is alarming that very little is done in this respect. Sometimes it even seems that advocacy is left for other children's agencies to do.”
“If change is the idea for the new EXD a more action oriented advocacy in all countries, including the so called industrialized ones is what she should take on, personally and for the organization. This would increase UNICEF's credibility in industrialized countries, in particular, where UNICEF has been reduced to a charity and resource mobilizer. “
“To change the notion that UNICEF is only a fundraising office in industrialized countries, has to happen very fast in order to save children from further harassment, imprisonment and return to countries in war and conflict. Instead of only seeing the foreign minister during country visits, filing requests for more funding, she should visit the Parliament, the ministries of Justice, the ministry of Family/children affairs, and go to the asylum seeker camps, and temporary "prisons" for children, where they are kept before they are returned to war torn countries by the first morning flights. “
“I agree it is sad how the CRC seems to have been forgotten. A couple of years ago the British Prime Minister Cameron was talking about something and i was thinking yes that’s the CRC, hey thats the CRC!! it is a legal instrument after all but it seems even our own developed countries have, perhaps conveniently, forgotten about it.”
Here is the article and interview that appeared in DEVEX
JUBA, South Sudan — UNICEF’s new executive director, Henrietta Fore, is proposing a bold new approach for 2018.
During her first overseas trip since assuming the role at the start of January, Fore said she hopes to further blend business and development in the coming year. The former administrator for the United States Agency for International Development, who most recently served as chairman and chief executive officer of Holsman International, wants to combine her extensive development and corporate experience by connecting the business and nonprofit worlds.
“There is so much need in this world, and the private sector businesses have exceptional technologies and data capacities,” Fore told Devex.
Fore selected South Sudan as her first international trip because, as the head of the agency, you should “go to where your people are in the greatest danger,” she said.
South Sudan is currently the most violent context for aid workers, and in 2017 had the highest number of attacks on aid workers for the second year in a row. At least 95 humanitarians have been killed since the conflict erupted in 2013, and 28 died last year alone, according to the latest OCHA report. The cost of providing services in the country has escalated along with insecurity due to the ongoing conflict, as well as looting and vandalization of supplies. UNICEF estimates it will need $183 million in funding for the upcoming year.
While in South Sudan, Fore met with a former child soldier, and witnessed a World Food Programme airdrop, as well as the reunification of a mother and child.
“This is an important time for South Sudan, it’s at a crisis and we’re worried that hundreds of thousands of lives may be lost in the next lean period,” Fore said.
Devex spoke exclusively with the executive director during her trip about her global vision, philosophy, and plans for the future of the organization. The conversation below has been edited for length and clarity.
Given the increasing number of crises around the world, what are some new priority shifts in funding for UNICEF in 2018?
The crises themselves create changes to the budget. We get a core budget, what can be counted on to be flexible and that can meet any need. Donors give you budgets for certain activities like education, refugees, for vaccination and protection programs, so as the crises multiply around the world, Yemen, Syria, Cox’s Bazar, South Sudan, Uganda, all of those crises begin to add up. This means your funding priorities tend to go more humanitarian and less development — and that's something we have to find a balance for. As the world becomes heavier in conflict, it drives the need on the humanitarian side higher so as an agency, you have to save lives. But you can't forget that there is a development agenda.
Today, I was at one of the water and sanitation programs and where water coming out of the Nile was being chlorinated. The trucks were coming up and taking the water into the city. The alternative to this is a pipeline, that is a long-term development program. The trucks are a short-term humanitarian program. So you’d wish that more of the programs could find solutions that are longer term and that can last in a sustainable way.
South Sudan is the most dangerous place at the moment to be a humanitarian worker. What’s your position on pushing to get access in hard to reach areas when there's a real risk to your staff?
Humanitarian access is exceedingly important in countries like this, because the conflict drives the populations to be either internally displaced or refugees or people who are just scared.
To gain access in South Sudan, humanitarians walk a political tightrope
Aid actors providing services to the most vulnerable in Southern South Sudan say the key to their success is being able to strategically gain favor with both the government and the opposition.
Having humanitarian access for health, nutrition, and for education is extremely important, and that's one of the largest challenges for this aid community. This is the most dangerous place in the world right now for a humanitarian aid worker. Most of them accept a certain amount of personal risk, and they care so deeply about serving the populations, in our case women and children, that they would wish to get there with life saving food and aid. But as an organization, we do not want our people in harm’s way. To have an aid worker hurt or killed is a great loss, so we try to keep them safe and try to encourage that they stay safe, but also that they do their jobs.
Despite this being the most dangerous place for humanitarian aid workers, UNICEF staff has been reaching hundreds of thousands of people in South Sudan and that is a real credit to them, to their commitment to their work ethic.
You’ve had a long career in both development and business. How do you hope to draw on those experiences in your new position?
What I'm hoping is that as a team, we're going to think about ways to accelerate our programs both in the reach, the breadth, the depth, and the scale of what we can accomplish.
“Children are so fast in picking up language and technology … they're just exploding with interest. So why don't we bring all of the world to help them so that every child in the world has those opportunities.”— Henrietta Fore, executive director at UNICEF
There is so much need in this world and with big data you can anticipate things occurring and help to prevent many actions from taking place, like harvests. There is so much that business knows that sometimes, in a nonprofit or government institution, you don’t hear, because you live in your own areas. Children are so fast in picking up language and technology and taking new ideas and new toys, they're just exploding with interest. So why don't we bring all of the world to help them so that every child in the world has those opportunities. I'd hope to cross these worlds and bring them together.
Would this approach be a big change from the UNICEF of 2017?
Yes. Often, nonprofits and government think of businesses to give them money to fund their programs or to be a contractor to deliver something. They don't think of them as a partner to co-create with. If you're really going to have a country that has a literate, engaged, safe, protected, healthy, well-nourished population, then you will need all of the assets of business co-creating with you.
The young people cohort of the population, the demographics in Africa are overwhelming. This is an important period in a young person's life and it is a large sector in Africa. If they can get jobs and life skills, there will be an added acceleration into the growth of Africa and this would be very exciting. If we could help encourage and drive that, if we can find the accelerators that will drive these programs to reach more people in better ways, that would be a great gift to the world. We're going to be looking in every country for those accelerators. They exist, there's Canadian firms and German firms and Pakistani firms, they're everywhere. We're looking for who can help us.
Children in South Sudan are bearing the brunt of this conflict. Almost 1 million are traumatized and in need of psychosocial support, more than 2 million have been displaced from their homes and more than 70 percent aren’t in school. What is the significance of this for the future of the country and what are you most concerned about?
A country that has had five years of war is close to losing a generation of children because it means that those kids, if 70 percent are out of school, will not be literate or numerate, and without that in today's world you don't have the life skills to build a future. You don't have the ability to carry on a profession, and with many of them displaced, the professions of their parents and families, let’s say farming, they can no longer practice because they're not on their family farms.
If we don't catch them now, it's going to be a real crisis for the future of South Sudan. Soon they'll be young adults and citizens of this country. We've seen it in other war-torn areas like Liberia, where you can lose one or two generations. The sooner the conflict can stop is the key to not losing this generation.
During her first overseas trip since assuming the role at the start of January, Fore said she hopes to further blend business and development in the coming year. The former administrator for the United States Agency for International Development, who most recently served as chairman and chief executive officer of Holsman International, wants to combine her extensive development and corporate experience by connecting the business and nonprofit worlds.
“There is so much need in this world, and the private sector businesses have exceptional technologies and data capacities,” Fore told Devex.
Fore selected South Sudan as her first international trip because, as the head of the agency, you should “go to where your people are in the greatest danger,” she said.
South Sudan is currently the most violent context for aid workers, and in 2017 had the highest number of attacks on aid workers for the second year in a row. At least 95 humanitarians have been killed since the conflict erupted in 2013, and 28 died last year alone, according to the latest OCHA report. The cost of providing services in the country has escalated along with insecurity due to the ongoing conflict, as well as looting and vandalization of supplies. UNICEF estimates it will need $183 million in funding for the upcoming year.
While in South Sudan, Fore met with a former child soldier, and witnessed a World Food Programme airdrop, as well as the reunification of a mother and child.
“This is an important time for South Sudan, it’s at a crisis and we’re worried that hundreds of thousands of lives may be lost in the next lean period,” Fore said.
Devex spoke exclusively with the executive director during her trip about her global vision, philosophy, and plans for the future of the organization. The conversation below has been edited for length and clarity.
Given the increasing number of crises around the world, what are some new priority shifts in funding for UNICEF in 2018?
The crises themselves create changes to the budget. We get a core budget, what can be counted on to be flexible and that can meet any need. Donors give you budgets for certain activities like education, refugees, for vaccination and protection programs, so as the crises multiply around the world, Yemen, Syria, Cox’s Bazar, South Sudan, Uganda, all of those crises begin to add up. This means your funding priorities tend to go more humanitarian and less development — and that's something we have to find a balance for. As the world becomes heavier in conflict, it drives the need on the humanitarian side higher so as an agency, you have to save lives. But you can't forget that there is a development agenda.
Today, I was at one of the water and sanitation programs and where water coming out of the Nile was being chlorinated. The trucks were coming up and taking the water into the city. The alternative to this is a pipeline, that is a long-term development program. The trucks are a short-term humanitarian program. So you’d wish that more of the programs could find solutions that are longer term and that can last in a sustainable way.
South Sudan is the most dangerous place at the moment to be a humanitarian worker. What’s your position on pushing to get access in hard to reach areas when there's a real risk to your staff?
Humanitarian access is exceedingly important in countries like this, because the conflict drives the populations to be either internally displaced or refugees or people who are just scared.
To gain access in South Sudan, humanitarians walk a political tightrope
Aid actors providing services to the most vulnerable in Southern South Sudan say the key to their success is being able to strategically gain favor with both the government and the opposition.
Having humanitarian access for health, nutrition, and for education is extremely important, and that's one of the largest challenges for this aid community. This is the most dangerous place in the world right now for a humanitarian aid worker. Most of them accept a certain amount of personal risk, and they care so deeply about serving the populations, in our case women and children, that they would wish to get there with life saving food and aid. But as an organization, we do not want our people in harm’s way. To have an aid worker hurt or killed is a great loss, so we try to keep them safe and try to encourage that they stay safe, but also that they do their jobs.
Despite this being the most dangerous place for humanitarian aid workers, UNICEF staff has been reaching hundreds of thousands of people in South Sudan and that is a real credit to them, to their commitment to their work ethic.
You’ve had a long career in both development and business. How do you hope to draw on those experiences in your new position?
What I'm hoping is that as a team, we're going to think about ways to accelerate our programs both in the reach, the breadth, the depth, and the scale of what we can accomplish.
“Children are so fast in picking up language and technology … they're just exploding with interest. So why don't we bring all of the world to help them so that every child in the world has those opportunities.”— Henrietta Fore, executive director at UNICEF
There is so much need in this world and with big data you can anticipate things occurring and help to prevent many actions from taking place, like harvests. There is so much that business knows that sometimes, in a nonprofit or government institution, you don’t hear, because you live in your own areas. Children are so fast in picking up language and technology and taking new ideas and new toys, they're just exploding with interest. So why don't we bring all of the world to help them so that every child in the world has those opportunities. I'd hope to cross these worlds and bring them together.
Would this approach be a big change from the UNICEF of 2017?
Yes. Often, nonprofits and government think of businesses to give them money to fund their programs or to be a contractor to deliver something. They don't think of them as a partner to co-create with. If you're really going to have a country that has a literate, engaged, safe, protected, healthy, well-nourished population, then you will need all of the assets of business co-creating with you.
The young people cohort of the population, the demographics in Africa are overwhelming. This is an important period in a young person's life and it is a large sector in Africa. If they can get jobs and life skills, there will be an added acceleration into the growth of Africa and this would be very exciting. If we could help encourage and drive that, if we can find the accelerators that will drive these programs to reach more people in better ways, that would be a great gift to the world. We're going to be looking in every country for those accelerators. They exist, there's Canadian firms and German firms and Pakistani firms, they're everywhere. We're looking for who can help us.
Children in South Sudan are bearing the brunt of this conflict. Almost 1 million are traumatized and in need of psychosocial support, more than 2 million have been displaced from their homes and more than 70 percent aren’t in school. What is the significance of this for the future of the country and what are you most concerned about?
A country that has had five years of war is close to losing a generation of children because it means that those kids, if 70 percent are out of school, will not be literate or numerate, and without that in today's world you don't have the life skills to build a future. You don't have the ability to carry on a profession, and with many of them displaced, the professions of their parents and families, let’s say farming, they can no longer practice because they're not on their family farms.
If we don't catch them now, it's going to be a real crisis for the future of South Sudan. Soon they'll be young adults and citizens of this country. We've seen it in other war-torn areas like Liberia, where you can lose one or two generations. The sooner the conflict can stop is the key to not losing this generation.
An interesting collection of comments by XUNICEF network. It might be useful to amalgamate these into a "suggested list of actions for UNICEF" and send them to the new ExDir. as she starts to formulate her strategy and priorities for the organization over the period of her tenure.
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