A Seismic Shift in UNICEF : Lou Mendez

A Seismic Shift in UNICEF 

A Dialogue Among Former Insiders
By Lou Mendez

As Founder of StratMan Consulting, I often exchange notes with former colleagues—consultants, advisors, and ex-staff who’ve stayed connected to the evolution of the UN and UNICEF. Below is a recent exchange that captures the mood and reflections within our group as we grapple with what may be a defining moment in UNICEF’s institutional life.

Lou Mendez to StratMan network – 29 May 2025

Seems everyone is nodding along to the Staff Association’s recent recommendations, but events may have overtaken our usual participatory approach.

The political situation in the U.S. now demands drastic and immediate action at the discretion of the executive leadership—across the UN and within UNICEF. A zero-growth UN general budget has already passed the U.S. House, and the Senate will almost certainly follow. This will take effect immediately.

The Secretary-General and the USGs will have to risk their legacies now. There’s no room left for delay. It’s time to bite the bullet.

Response from a StratMan consultant – 30 May 2025

I’ve been thinking about this a lot—perhaps because I’ve decided my current assignment with UNDP will be my last.

Let’s not blame Trump alone. There was always going to be blowback. UNICEF had long tried to be all things to all countries—something that was never sustainable. In many CPDs I helped develop, staff couldn’t articulate our comparative advantage beyond being a “trusted partner.” Theories of change were incoherent. In high-income countries, the Board had to step in to halt expansion. Meanwhile, we began tagging on climate change to country programmes even when the rationale was weak.

And the reporting burden… staggering. One colleague told me he’d barely visited the field in two years because HQ reporting consumed all his time.

As for HQ: the front office has ballooned. It's now a steep hierarchy. A staff member recently emailed the Chief of Staff with a routine question—only to be told communication had to go through her Director. It’s become a culture of micromanagement and fear. Staff hesitate to make decisions, over-document everything, and send every email as if preparing a defense file.

I saw this shift a few years ago during a consultancy with OSEB. It used to be different—more autonomy, more trust. Now? Paralysis by process. And of course, more staff are needed just to manage the bloat. From where I sit, this made UNICEF ripe for a takedown by Trump and others like him.

Lou Mendez – closing note, 30 May 2025

Thanks for this thoughtful reflection. I’ve been hearing similar feedback from across the StratMan network. While we rightly point to external shocks—U.S. politics, funding crises, geopolitical upheaval—we also need to look hard at how we internally built silos, fiefdoms, and layers of oversight that have become impossible to sustain. These same fiefdoms now turn to executive leadership in panic, demanding rescue.

We are witnessing a seismic shift. I doubt we’ll ever see the same UNICEF again.

Good weekend,
Lou