Editor's Note: Mary Racelis is in New York and this week took the opportunity to visit the GSA leadership.
Report by Mary Racelis
First issue - Over a pleasant lunch, we discussed XUNICEF's longtime push for recognition by UNICEF as a linked but independent retiree organization. I pointed out that most other UN organizations already have retiree groups.
Second issue, we want the Division of People and Culture (formerly Human Resources) to include in retirement instructions for soon-to-retire UNICEF staff, advice to join XUNICEF in their country of retirement, giving them the appropriate contact information. Likewise crucial is for DPC to inform both the XUNICEF members in-country and the Country Office Representative, of the retiree's impending return to his/her home base. Both can then welcome the new retiree and his or her family and help in their readjustment to life back home or in their new retirement country.
Further, in the pre-pandemic discussions held at UNICEF HQ, XUNICEF called attention to the reality that as former staff members, retirees invariably retain their commitment to children's wellbeing. For many, it relates to their long service with UNICEF in several countries over a period of decades. Accordingly, life after UNICEF often means engaging in activities for and with children in their own country. Their extensive UNICEF experience in development comes to the fore, especially as volunteers during emergencies -- expertise from which the UNICEF country office might well benefit.
All this makes even more important XUNICEF's third point -- that UNICEF develop a communications scheme that systematically informs retirees about its programs worldwide, regionally and in-country. XUNICEF in turn further shows its fondness for UNICEF by inviting the Country Representative to join its annual reunion's welcome dinner.
A fourth issue raised with UNICEF HQ requiring greater attention is the plight of national officer retirees in conflict or war-torn countries. Since violence and chaos often separate them from normal communications systems and therefore ongoing ties with UNICEF, those who are cut off find themselves in dire circumstances. A tracking system must be put in place early on -- preferably before the conflict.
Our GSA friends assured me of their support for XUNICEF's efforts in behalf of retirees. Now that XUNICEF is expecting to resume the discussions with UNICEF HQ, that assurance is greatly appreciated.
Mary Racelis
Dear Mary,
ReplyDeleteGlad to know you had such a fruitful discussion with GSA colleagues.
All four key points you raised are highly appropriate.
And good to know that GSA colleagues were positively responsive.
Kul
Hello Kul,
DeleteGood to hear from you, although I also follow your various commentaries online or in News and Views.
I'm seeking your, David's and Tom's advice on whether and how XUNICEF should resume our discussions with UNICEF Hq (wherever that is, now that there are look-alikes in every region!). GSA Chair Francoise says it should happen in New York and they are willing to help, if needed, with contacts and pressures for UNICEF top people to meet with XUNICEF.
Who will be the core three or four XUNICEF people who meet with the Executive Director, at least initially. If it's before November 13 when I leave New York to return to Manila, should we have David, Kul and me as the core group, with Tom possibly joining online from Colorado? Any suggestions on points to raise in writing the ExDir to request a meeting?
In the meantime, Tom, I remember that you brought in the FAO and World Bank retiree agreements. Is it true that UNICEF is the only major UN agency without a staff association? (US politics has us "fact-checking".
Looking forward to hearing from you on What's next for XUNICEF with UNICEF? Thanks, Mary
Greetings Mary,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this and the earlier e-mail on visiting with the UNICEF Staff Association.As one of the original X-UNICEF/C0-PEACE Members who together with yourself,Sheila Barry and....? met with the HQ Colleagues,I welcome the resumption of our dialogue with UNICEF HQ. However, let us this time around first have a brainstorming among ourselves on how to crystalize our goals and expectations taking into consideration, the fears and concerns of UNICEF of such an alliance.
On an important subject,my living in USA is divided almost equally between New York City and previously Austin but now Georgetown,Texas. I have been now in Georgetown since the beginning of July and likely to stay on until the end of the year.This is where my elder son,Emile Bassiouni and his family including my two granddaughters,Nura and Natalia live,work and school. This annual migrations makes me available to CO-PEACE country-wide but limits my presence in New York City for a substantial part of the year.Hence, I leave it to you my trusted CO-PEACE Colleagues to make the best use of my time as you consider appropriate.I wish you all and your loved ones a happy week-end.
David
Thanks Mary, great good points win win for all, particularly children
ReplyDeleteRe:Information channels from UNICEF:
ReplyDeleteUNICEF website
UNICEF blog
Feel-good-stories
Publications and Reports
Press Releases
Policies, Country Programmes, Reports to the Executive Board, Board Discussions and Decisions
Evaluations
The juicy stuff: Audit Reports
Children’s data
Mary - In the lead-up to the discussions with UNICEF in 2019, we circulated the agreements of WFP, FAO, World Bank, WHO, and UNESCO with their respective retiree associations. UNDP, UNFPA and UNHCR also have retiree associations, although I do not have links to their agreements. I can dig out the old correspondence, but we will need to confirm that all these associations remain active. In some cases like UNDP, we would need to contact via UNDP itself. There may be a few other UN organizations which lack an association, but we are correct in saying that UNICEF is the only major UN agency without an association.
ReplyDelete