TheJourneyVolume1 - Book - Page 55
of my previous work helped me to put the tasks that I
was taking on into perspective. Leading people, building
relationships, ideating new pathways for programming,
while navigating internal and country politics are only
some of the learning experiences. I have not had a single
day so far, where I felt my work as RR was repetitive,
instead, and most of the time I am in constant flow. I
am of the impression that I have been on a crash course
on all things UN in these past two years. I have learned
navigating through politically difficult terrain in a multilateral setting, while preparing the Country Office to take
on peacebuilding priorities, at a time of transition within
the UN country structure, following the closure of the UN
mission in Guinea-Bissau.
IN GUINEA BISSAU
When UNDP in Guinea-Bissau set out to help restore
the country’s collective memory, we partnered with the
National Library which was destroyed during the civil
war. Many of the documents that give us a glimpse into
recent history were lost, but what was literally rescued
from the flames is now being digitized and preserved.
We had no idea that this little project would have such a
lasting impact. New partnerships – independent from
UNDP – are emerging to make this first digital archive a
reality for generations to come. The pride that I felt in the
room when a new partnership was announced between the
country’s biggest newspaper and the National Library was
overwhelming.
The pandemic simply added another layer of crisis to
an already complex context, but it also raised the levels
of urgency and led to a deeper conversation about doing
things differently without discarding the efforts of the
past. This journey is a demanding intellectual challenge for
everyone in the midst of handling a crisis of this magnitude.
We took on trying to transpose existing systems of epidemiological tracking for malaria to COVID-19. UNDP is
recognized for digitizing much of the data as well as services
for testing and vaccination in the country. We found that
new tools, methods, and partnerships can be introduced
and can be successful in a country ranking at the bottom
of the Human Development Index. This showcased the
need to iterate, to co-create, examine our own biases and to
redefine what is feasible in development n
U N I T E D N AT I O N S D E V E L O P M E N T P R O G R A M M E
REFORM AND ADJUSTING TO A NEW NORMAL
The Reform meant to define and adjust to a new normal,
focusing my time on UNDP and the UNCT while steering
the office for the transformation that UNDP had set out
to seek. Change comes at a price, and I believe that both
UNDP and the host countries are striving for better and
more reflective and innovative approaches to development, paired with excellence and passion. One big
takeaway is that UNDP has the option to be a platform of
trust and commonality for both the national counterparts
and the larger development community. Rethinking
meaningful partnerships for development and making
sure we work with others to unpack a systemic approach
to developmental challenges, is seminal for inducing a
sustainable path forward.
We talk so much about sustainability. It is a word
that has become so widely used today that it almost
lost its meaning. Even if we try to design our work
in a sustainable way, conditions on the ground might
prove us wrong. Paradoxically this is where I draw my
energy from.
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