“Wherever we see racism, we must condemn it without reservation, without hesitation, without qualification.” -- Secretary-General António Guterres
Inspired by the call of the Secretary-General to address racism and discrimination in the work environment, some colleagues of the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions at the Department of 国产AV Operations (DPO) working in Mine Action have been advocating for enhanced inclusion.
For instance, at their recent annual forum, a plenary on “Inclusion and Diversity: Racial Equity in Mine Action” was held, with speakers representing Germany, Sudan, MONUSCO, and the Mines Advisory Group in Sri Lanka.
“Institutional racism exists also within the United Nations workplace, [...] we have to work on the policies, and it’s a long way to go,” said Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
This event was chaired by Bruno Donat, Chief of the DPO/Mine Action Service Geneva office and Global Coordinator of the Mine Action Area of Responsibility within the UNHCR-led Global Protection Cluster.
Mr. Donat has additionally joined the DPPA-DPO Anti-Racism Action Group (ARAG) and is particularly interested in focusing on fairness in recruitment, promotion, retention, and opportunities.
In a separate meeting, Mr. Donat remarked that we should think more through the lens of intersectionality and take concrete actions.
“Don’t be ashamed of your privileges if you have any. Instead, you should use the power that you may have to empower others,” he added.
The pathway to reach racial equity is still long and will require a review of the modus operandi of the Organisation, with particular attention to changing policy and ensuring accountability.
As the Secretary-General has said, “We must examine our efforts and ask ourselves if we are doing enough to combat racism and racial discrimination inside our Organization.”
About the Author
Rossana Scita is the Inclusion and Diversity focal point at the UNMAS Geneva Office. For more information, contact her at rossana.scita@un.org.
