Breaking the Stereotype: From Asebe Teferi all the way to Geneva

For how long have you been in the UN?

I have been with the UN since 1978. I came to Switzerland following my husband and to stay only for a maximum of three years. I did not resign my job back home and took only leave of absence hoping to be back as soon as possible. This type of experience must be a typical story for many international civil servants in Geneva and here I am ready to go back only after 26 years. It has been most gratifying working for the United Nations. I am leaving the organization transformed, learned, more knowledgeable about world affairs and most of all had the opportunity to meet and work with so many devoted people to the cause of the United Nations, from all over the world, who gave not only their knowledge and time but also their lives. I am so proud to be part of the United Nations staff.

How did you come to work with the UN Special?

When the Staff Coordinating Council elected me to be the Chairperson of the Socio Cultural Commission, I needed to prepare several articles for the different activities that were then being organized by the Commission. In order to get wider distribution of the information, including to the staff of the specialized agencies, it was necessary to do it via the UN Special and this was my first encounter with the magazine.  Then in 1992, a group of Ethiopian women working in the United Nations system organizations in Geneva had started a Solidarity Fund to help our compatriots back home.   I have been the Project Coordinator and a founding member of the Fund. Here, also, I needed to put several articles concerning our activities, fund raising events, and other general information about the Fund, which I have been able to do through the UN Special. What happened is that in the process, I formed the habit of writing about things that I thought will be useful as an information to other UN staff members and, at times, just to express my personal view on controversial issues. I enjoy writing for the UN Special since I have so much to say about so many things. For me it has been unlocking wide the door of my mind. To be honest with you I didn’t know I could say so much about circumstances and situations until I started writing for the UN Special.

What type of articles did you write?

My articles are not limited to but mostly focused on social justices and/or on lack of justices, be it at the individual, national and/or international level. This choice of topics is influenced by my background. I was born and grew up in a small town called Asebe Teferi, in Harar province in the eastern part of Ethiopia. However, I also lived in Addis Ababa, the capital city but not for too long, since I got married and moved with my husband to Paris, then to Washington, D.C., Geneva and Germany. Therefore, most of my adult life has been outside of my country. This in a way has helped me in writing, understanding and comparing life styles, values of the different societies and, most of all, the real causes of poverty and its effects. My articles are a kind of wake up call informing my readers why things are happening the way they are happening in the third world and, in particular, in the African continent. I feel the situations, imagine the circumstances and put myself in that position when I write an article. I also feel that the people of the rest of the world are not fully aware of what is going on in the African continent and what their policy makers are doing to deal with the different emerging situations. When the people know and understand, they protest and disagree with their governments’ actions and decisions, and hold them accountable for what is happening. I believe that there is a big information gap between the people of the third world and the taxpayers of the industrialized countries. The whole scenario of the international aid industry is very well explained by Graham Hancock in his book entitled “Lords of Poverty: The Power, Prestige, and Corruption of the International Aid Business”. This is a bestseller book, which is worth reading by all those who are working for International Organizations. However, to sum up why I write the kind of articles I write, it is because I cannot tolerate injustices in any situation and will try to fight it in whatever way I can. Writing is one such an effective way.

Did you do any type of writing work?

What I have been doing with the UN/JIU for a long time has been writing mission reports after field trips and assisting the Inspectors in the preparation of their reports. However, I started writing from the time when I first learned to read during my elementary school days by writing beautiful poems in my maternal language “Amharic”. I love to sing and, therefore, also enjoyed coming up with poems. However, I could only call myself a full- fledged writer when I finally have the time to sit down and come up with a book, which I am intending to do soon.

What are your best and worst experiences during the time that you have been with the UN Special ?

My best experience was when the UN Special Editorial Committee in collaboration with the Staff Coordinating Council organized a cocktail and invited all staff members of international organizations in Geneva to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the UN Special. I was one of the organizers. That for me was a moment of reflection because each issue of the UN Special collected and exhibited did contain some part of the world’s history, including that which happened during the League of Nations. The event was moving, successful and, most of all, historical. It was highly appreciated by the staff and there was a very high turn out which showed how much staff members appreciate the magazine. I don’t remember having a worst experience, but the one event that I wish did not happen was concerning an article that some group of staff members wanted to publish in the UN Special, which was contrary to the Statute and purpose of the magazine. As some of those staff members were very good friends and colleagues, it was very hard not to go along with their wishes. However, the majority of the Editorial Committee was convinced and agreed that it was the right thing to do not to publish such an article. For me, that event left an unpleasant memory.

What are you going to do after the UN?

A good question; I plan to do several things:

• Firstly, I am so glad I am going back home. I have been away from my country for a long time and I miss home. You know something, Ethiopia is a country with several economic and social problems, but I can tell you it is also one of the most beautiful places to live in the world. To understand and appreciate this you need not be an Ethiopian. A recent example about this is that on 31 July 2004, a BBC correspondent for Ethiopia, Mark Doyle, had this to say about Ethiopia; “Impression of Ethiopia may still be firmly linked to the horrific television news pictures of drought and famine in 1984, but it is also a place of exceptional beauty”. Therefore, the first thing I am going to do is live in my own country amongst relatives, friends and the people as a whole. When you live for so long in a foreign country, like I did, you start appreciating your own culture and would want to participate and contribute to its well-being.
• Secondly, I always wanted to follow a proper music education since child hood but never managed to do so, due to family and professional priorities in my life so far. Now, my plan is to enter into a music school in Addis Ababa known as “Yarde Music School” and get a sort of diploma and be a professional Piano player, which I will use mostly for my fund-raising activities to finance my future projects.
• Thirdly, I have been involved in several charity activities originated and managed by the staff of the United Nations system organizations and will continue that passion in a different format. I was an active member of the 1% for Development Fund for over 18 years and most of it in the Management Committee. I was a project coordinator and a founding member of the Solidarity Fund for Ethiopian Women (SFEW) for 12 years. I will continue to work assisting my compatriots in different areas; in particular with HIV/AIDS and may be extend this to other African countries. I feel that I have such an accomplished life; it is now time to give to others who did not have the same chance as me.
• Fourthly, I will make it a point to publicize the work of the Untied Nations by disseminating information on its work by collaborating with different national and international medias, NGOs, and Civil Society organizations working on programmes and projects related to the United Nations. As well I will be lobbying with governments officials and other interested groups in the support of the United Nations both in Ethiopia and other neighbouring African countries. In doing so I will make an effort to clarify the misperception of the United Nations by organizing seminars and workshops for high schools and university students as well as the ordinary people who have no access to information and do not know much about how the United Nation system works.

How would you do that ?

I believe the misperception about the role of the United Nations comes mainly from lack of awareness and good communication. By better communicating with the people, I am convinced that I could accomplish a good part of my mission. The misperceptions arise from:

• Not knowing what the role of the United Nations is;
• Not being aware of who is responsible for making the United Nations effective or not effective; and
• Not realizing what is involved in making the United Nations work to directly benefit the people.

I will do my utmost to let my audience know and understand, that when the organization started in 1945, it started by saying “WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS…” Therefore, they should understand that it is their organization; hence support it and make it work.

On behalf of the Editorial Committee, and myself I would like to ask you to continue to be a member of the UN Special. 

I am honoured to be asked and of course I would love to continue to be part of the UN Special. As you know the UN Special is my outlet, and my intellectual mirror. I will now be situated in a city where the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the seat of the African Union (AU) and many other United Nations system organizations including the Office of the European Union and to Ms. Sylvie Pichelin, Coordinator of the Fund, for supporting me when I needed support during the starting phase of Solidarity Fund for Ethiopian Women and for financing several of our projects. You have been our mentor and inspiration. Many thanks Sylvie and wish you good luck in your noble work.

Last but not least, my warmest thanks and gratitude goes to my two JIU colleagues Ms. Carol Davies for editing my articles without being tired and to Mrs. Nicole Burfin for her unlimited assistance whenever I had a fund raising activity organized in the Palais des Nations. Thank you so much Carol and Nicole. You have also promised to come and visit me in Addis and I will be waiting. several NGOs and Civil Society Organizations are situated. I will have a lot of news to report about and I am looking forward to do that.

May I take this opportunity to pass the following messages to my colleagues?

• I would like to say to my colleagues and friends in the UN Special Committee, and most of all yourself, as the Chief Editor of the magazine, that it was wonderful to work with you all and together we have accomplished so much and will continue to do so. You all have a standing invitation to come and visit me in Ethiopia and we can come up with beautiful articles.
• I would like to thank you most sincerely, Mr. Pierre Jourdan, responsible for the layout of the articles for the UN Special, for always presenting my articles and photos in the best design possible which made them stand out. Thank you Pierre.
• Thank you to the Administration of UNOG and the former Director-General, Mr. Vladimir Petrovsky who always supported SFEW activities and sent his representatives whenever we organized fund-raising activities. My sincere thanks and gratitude goes to the Staff Coordinating Council, elected at different times since 1992, for facilitating and assisting in organizing the different fund raising activities held in the Palais des Nations. Big thank you also on behalf of the Ethiopian people. 
• I would like to thank you all my colleagues in the Building and Engineering and Security and Safety Sections of the United Nations Office in Geneva, for giving me full support whenever SFEW organized fund raising activities. Without your professional input it would have not been possible to have successful events. My utmost thanks goes to Mr. Sébastian Martinek, my key to the Palais des Nations and to those Security Officers who stayed up to 2:00 a.m. in the morning voluntarily, making sure that everything went smoothly. Thank you Sébastian.
• My thanks also goes to 1% for Development Fund, in particular to Ms. Sylvie Pichelin, Coordinator of the Fund, for supporting me when I needed support during the starting phase of Solidarity Fund for Ethiopian Women and for financing several of our projects. You have been our mentor and inspiration. Many thanks Sylvie and wish you good luck in your noble work.
• Last but not least, my warmest thanks and gratitude goes to my two JIU colleagues Ms. Carol Davies for editing my articles without being tired and to Mrs. Nicole Burfin for her unlimited assistance whenever I had a fund raising activity organized in the Palais des Nations. Thank you so much Carol and Nicole. You have also promised to come and visit me in Addis and I will be waiting.