Zika virus - HEALTH & WELLBEING Special edition - Fyera Foundation
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La revue officielle des fonctionnaires internationaux – The official magazine of international civil servants
Special edition
HEALTH &
WELLBEING
Zika virus
RISK COMMUNICATION
WHO UNOG SOCIETY
NO759 – MAI 2016
P.5 Zika response P.15 Pension P.46 Ecuador
and tips fund update earthquake appeal
P.24 Geographical P.18 Whistleblower P.36 Gender
spread & timeline policy diversity at the top
Think Healthcare without BORDERS International Health Insurance www.uniqa.ch
La revue officielle des fonctionnaires internationaux – The official magazine of international civil servants
Special edition
HEALTH &
WELLBEING
Zika virus
RISK COMMUNICATION
WHO UNOG SOCIETY
ALEXANDER MEJIA
NO759 – MAI 2016
P.5 Zika response P.15 Pension P.46 Ecuador
and tips fund update earthquake appeal
Rédacteur en chef / Editor-in-chief
P.24 Geographical P.18 Whistleblower P.36 Gender
spread & timeline policy diversity at the top
Do you often think about your health and Vous vous posez souvent des questions sur
wellbeing? If so, this edition is relevant to votre santé et votre bien-être ? Si oui, ce
you. We offer a selection of articles on these numéro est pour vous. Il est composé d’une
topics, including one on the Zika Virus, sélection d’articles à ce sujet, dont un sur le
and several others with practical advice virus Zika, ainsi que plusieurs offrant des
on how to improve your health, live better conseils pratiques pour améliorer votre santé
and manage stress while working. et bien-être au travail.
ÉDITORIAL 3
Health is at the top of the agenda this La santé est au cœur des préoccupations
COVER FEATURE month at the Palais des Nations, as WHO ce mois-ci au Palais des Nations, où l’OMS
You really need to know: Zika response 5 hosts the 69th World Health Assembly. This accueille la 69e Assemblée Mondiale de la
Mindful or Mind full? 8 global forum is the world’s highest-level Santé. Ce forum global est le principal organe
The bicycle and the United Nations 10 health policy-setting body and is composed décisionnel en matière de santé mondiale,
The benefit of stress-management of health ministers from all 194 member composé des ministres de la santé des 194
tools for international organisations 12 states of the WHO. Diplomats, practitioners, pays membres de l’OMS. De nombreux
experts and civil society representatives diplomates, praticiens, et représentants de
UN SYSTEM WIDE also attend as observers. la société civile y participent également.
The UN whistleblower protection policy 22
COP21: Humanity’s world-changing This edition’s feature article provides L’article principal de ce numéro met en avant
agreement 28 insight into a less visible perspective of un aspect moins connu du virus Zika: la com-
Does your pension fund match your the Zika virus: risk communication. Our munication sur les risques. Nos collègues de
promise to achieve the SDGs? 30 colleagues at WHO let us into the process, l’OMS nous racontent comment ils informent
telling us how they inform affected commu- les communautés infectées et les habitants
OMS & ONU/UNOG & WHO nities and vulnerable zones about this epi- des zones vulnérables. Nous vous invitons
Trouble at the pension fund 15 demic. We track the disease and its spread à visualiser la progression géographique
14 months to clear the pension fund’s around the world visually, and share tips du virus, et partageons des conseils pour
payment backlog 16 on how to protect yourself while travelling. se protéger lors de voyages.
Bringing WHO’s internship programme
in line with global health policy 20 In addition, the UNOG Staff Council invites Par ailleurs, le Conseil du Personnel vous
Two hundred staff in Geneva receive you to read about issues at the Pension propose des articles sur le Fonds de Pension
long-service medals 26 Fund and on the UN whistleblower pro- et la politique de protection onusienne sur les
Health uninterrupted, every Friday tection policy. You are the judge on these lanceurs d’alerte. Nous vous laissons juges de
for 90 years 27 two articles and we simply invite you to ces deux articles et vous invitons simplement
Micro-trottoir : Le sentiment de reflect on these two matters critical for à réfléchir à ces sujets fondamentaux pour
bien-être 32 our careers. Last but not least, we look at vos carrières. Enfin, nous reconnaissons ceux
those making a mark on our organization, qui contribuent à notre organisation, en début
SOCIÉTÉ/SOCIETY whether just starting or completing years de carrière ou par leur ancienneté, au travers
Les mots pour le dire 34 of service, through the coverage of intern- de reportages sur les stagiaires à l’ONU ainsi
Strengthening the UN with regional ship issues and the long-service medal que des photos de la Cérémonie de remise
and diversity at the top 36 ceremony. We are proud of our collective des médailles d’ancienneté. Nous sommes
work as international civil servants, and fiers de notre travail collectif en tant que
NOUVELLE GÉNÉRATION/NEXT GENERATION hope you enjoy this new edition of the UN fonctionnaires internationaux, et espérons
Feeling 19 again 39 Special! Q que vous apprécierez ce nouveau numéro
Help! my daughter does not love me 45 de UN Special ! Q
LOISIRS/LEISURE The official magazine of the international La revue officielle des fonctionnaires
Tchad : Le berceau de l’humanité 40 civil servants of the United Nations at internationaux des Nations Unies à Genève
Le long du Bosphore 43 Geneva and of the Word Health Organization et de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé
UN Special – Mai 2016 | 3
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COVER FEATURE
© PAHO
WHO’s risk communication lead for PAHO (the Americas) Cristina Mana (right) examines mosquito larvae during a field visit.
You really need to know:
Zika response
WHO and partners join forces for Dr GAYA GAMHEWAGE, Dr MARGARET was that risk communication
HARRIS, WHO and community engagement
risk communication and community A mobile phone app to commu- must be improved and much
nicate about epidemics? Real- better coordinated.
engagement for Zika response
time social science research
informing the response? These Why are we worried about Zika?
are just a few of the new ways First identified in a monkey in
to better engage the commu- Uganda in 1947, the Zika virus
nity and provide targeted risk was not considered a source of
communications during disease major illness in humans until
outbreaks. recently. However, when Zika
reached the Americas in 2015,
The lessons learned during the and spread explosively to at
devastating West African Ebola least 62 countries, some coun-
outbreak, which demanded the tries and areas have reported
most have been applied by the a rise in unusual neurological
World Health Organization and conditions during Zika virus
its operational partners, includ- epidemics.
ing UNICEF, the International
Federation of Red Cross and Zika virus is usually transmit-
Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), ted to humans through the bite
UNESCO and more than 100 of an infected Aedes mosquito,
other agencies and experts- a mosquito that can also trans-
who are all working together mit chikungunya, dengue and
to combat the latest epidemic yellow fever. Zika may also be
– Zika Virus Disease. One of the transmitted through sexual
most important of those lessons contact.
UN Special – Mai 2016 | 5
like a viral illness to attack their the risks associated with Zika
VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES peripheral nerves. Severe cases virus disease and promote
of Guillain-Barré syndrome are healthy behaviours, reduce
VECTORS MAY BE A THREAT TO YOU, AT HOME AND WHEN TRAVELLING rare, but can result in near-total anxiety, address stigma, dis-
paralysis, including the inability pel rumours, resolve cultural
VECTORS ARE SMALL MOSQU SAND TIC
to breathe. With good support- misperceptions and engage
ORGANISMS
FLIE
KS
ITOE
COMMON
S
S
VECTORS
ive care in well-equipped hos- communities in response
THAT CARRY SERIOUS DISEASES
..............................................................................................................................................................
pitals, most people will make activities.
a full recovery from Guillain-
WITH JUST 1 BITE they can transmit
diseases such as: Barré syndrome but the care Some key activities carried out
Malaria Leishmaniasis Yellow fever needs put a huge burden on in the first two months of the
Dengue Lyme disease Japanese encephalitis the hospital system if there are Zika response include:
.............................................................................................................................................................. many cases. • A guideline for govern-
Diseases spread by vectors kill a million people every year and ments and response agen-
more than half of the world’s population is at risk Responding to concerns about cies on risk communication
the spread of Zika and its poten- and a joint handbook with
TAKE SIMPLE MEASURES TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY tial consequences, on 01 Feb- UNICEF and IFRC for field
ruary 2016, WHO declared the teams and community level
.....................
Get vaccinated against recent clusters of microcephaly engagement
yellow fever and Install and other neurological disor- • Training packs for local
Japanese encephalitis
ders in Brazil a Public Health journalists so that they
..............................................................................................................................................................
Emergency of International can understand and cover
.......................................................
.......................................................
Concern (PHEIC). WHO recom- Zika issues accurately and
Use insect
repellent mended enhanced surveillance meaningfully
and research, and aggressive • A WHO Zika app for Android
.......................................................
Get rid of stagnant water measures to reduce infection and IOS mobile phones which
Sleep under an from places where with Zika virus, particularly can be downloaded for free,
insecticide- mosquitoes breed,
treated such as in old containers, amongst pregnant women and and is available in English,
bed net flower pots and used tyres women of childbearing age. One Spanish, Portuguese and
Wear light-coloured,
long-sleeved shirts
of the key health response inter- French
For more information, contact your health-care professional
© WHO
and trousers www.who.int/world-health-day ventions is risk communication • A resource pack for conduct-
and community engagement. ing knowledge, attitude and
practice surveys at commu-
Symptoms of Zika virus disease women who are infected with Risk communication and nity level to better under-
include fever, skin rash, conjunc- Zika could give birth to babies community engagement stand people’s fears, needs,
tivitis, muscle and joint pain, with microcephaly – where The ultimate purpose of risk and behaviours
malaise and headache, which the brain and head of a baby communication in the Zika • Engagement of mass media
normally last for 2 to 7 days. does not develop normally and response is to enable people at and community radio, includ-
There is no specific treatment stops growing after birth – and risk to take informed decisions ing provision of radio scripts
but symptoms are normally mild other congenital abnormalities. to protect themselves and oth- for use in countries and pro-
and can be treated with com- Health workers have also noted ers from infection and mitigate duction of information, edu-
mon pain and fever medicines another suspected nerve system the effects of Zika virus and its cation and communication
such as paracetamol, rest and complication, this time in adults potential complications. materials.
drinking plenty of fluids. – Guillain-Barre syndrome. This • Stakeholder coordination to
is a usually rare condition in The objective of Zika risk com- ensure consistency of mes-
The main fear around Zika is which a person’s immune sys- munication work is to engage saging, and working together
the suspicion that pregnant tem is triggered by something communities to understand to reach influencers who
6 | UN Special – May 2016
have the ability to engage at at supporting and engaging provide advice and specialized
risk-communities; communities to fight the mos- counselling to those affected by
• Dynamic listening to under- quito at community, household Zika virus disease. WHO will
stand and respond to people’s and individual levels. use its Zika app amongst other
perceptions and manage- means to get this knowledge
ment of misinformation and Axis 2: Risk communication for to health care professionals,
rumours. women of reproductive age community health care work-
Because of the concern that ers and pharmacists around
Axis 1: Risk communication for Zika infection in pregnant the world. Q
vector control women may lead to severe con-
There are many things that genital abnormalities in babies For more information on Zika risk
are still not known about Zika. communication visit http://www.who.
such as microcephaly, much of
int/risk-communication/en/
But we know that controlling the risk communication and
the mosquito vector leads to community engagement work
less exposure to the risk. This in the Zika response is focusing
means that vector control is on helping women and girls,
essential and risk communi- and their partners and fami-
© WHO
cation and community engage- lies, to take informed decisions
ment are essential for sustained about protection from infection, The WHO Zika app is available for both
android and IOS phones and can be
vector control. The Aedes mos- pregnancy, and seeking appro- downloaded for free. It is available
quito can lay eggs in the tiniest priate health care. in English, Spanish, Portuguese and
amount of water and can even French.
survive on the sides of contain- Axis 3: Health care personnel
ers without water for months. Health workers need the most
There are concrete actions for up-to-date knowledge about
vector control that authorities Zika and its complications. They
should take. In addition to also need to be empowered and
these, risk communication aims enabled to communicate risk,
Pure and simple.
SIG supplies excellent quality water to
your home every day. It’s local and ecological.
UN Special – Mai 2016 | 7
COVER FEATURE
Mindful or Mind full?
WHO has been running 8-week courses in
mindfulness in English and French for the
past eight years, and approximately 300
staff have followed the training during this
© Flickr Creative Commons
period.
VERONICA RIEMER, WHO Working for an evidence-based organ- present and to bring a gentle curiosity to
Perhaps you think that mindfulness and ization, WHO staff likes to understand our direct experience in each moment as
meditation is a bit too “hippy” for you, and the science behind the practice. Mindful- it unfolds” she explained. “By practicing
just the thought of sitting cross-legged in ness-Based Stress Reduction is based on regularly, it can help to sharpen our arrow
the lotus position gives you cramps and the psycho-educational group approach – to understand the things that are impor-
contractions. But you might just want to developed more than 30 years ago by Jon tant to us, to see more clearly where it
reserve your judgement until you have Kabat-Zinn, a microbiology Ph.D. teaching is that we want to put our energy and to
heard about some first-hand experiences at the University of Massachusetts Medical gain insights into what it is we want to
from staff at the World Health Organiza- Center. He was inspired in the late 1970s pursue. At the same time, mindfulness
tion who have followed a specially adapted to apply the basic principles of mindfulness allows us to cultivate compassion with
programme run by the Staff Health and meditation to patients in a medical setting.
Wellbeing Unit. The course consists of a His work developing the MBSR programme
two-hour session once a week including proved effective in helping alleviate the suf-
discussion, meditation and group exer- fering of chronic and previously debilitating
cises to develop coping strategies to help medical conditions such as chronic pain.
colleagues move towards a happier and
healthier life. Although many were scep- A recent review of nearly 50 scientific stud-
tical at the outset, regular mental work- ies found that mindfulness is as effective
outs, just like physical work-outs, are really as anti-depressants in helping depression,
making a positive difference in their lives. but with no side-effects, and that mindful-
ness training of 20 minutes a day improves
SURGERY OF MYOPIA - ASTIGMATISM
So what exactly is mindfulness – the buzz working memory and the ability to sustain
HYPERMÉTROPIA - PRESBYOPIA
word of the minute? Bianca King a quali- attention. It is now widely recognized as
NEW TREATMENT
fied and experienced Psychotherapist and the first intervention in Western medi-
Counsellor, who teaches The Living Health- cine to offer mindfulness meditation (as
ier Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction compared to other forms of meditation) to
(MBSR) course in English, explained that enhance mental and physical fitness and
mindfulness is the ability to pay deliberate reduce stress, which is known to be a major
attention to our experiences – to what is contributor, either directly or indirectly, to
going on in our mind, body and day-to- coronary heart disease, cancer, lung ail-
day life. “A Mindfulness-Based Approach ments, accidental injuries, cirrhosis of the
to Stress teaches people practical skills liver and suicide. Although other clinical
that can help with daily and ongoing life applications of mindfulness have since been
challenges and physical and psychological developed, MBSR is the oldest and most
health problems” she said. “It is a means generic platform for learning mindfulness.
of maintaining a moment-by-moment
awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily Mira Schneiders, a participant on one of
sensations, and surrounding environment. the most recent courses, confirmed that
It is to pay attention to our thoughts and the programme had taught her to focus on
feelings without believing, that there’s a the present moment rather than letting her VISION LASER
Place de la Gare 1, 1225 Chêne-Bourg
“right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in thoughts drift into past regrets or future Tél +41 (0)22 860 80 60, www.visionlaser.ch
a given moment”. fears. “Mindfulness is an invitation to be
8 | UN Special – May 2016
the people around us and the world in today are very demanding on our staff”
which we live. It is balance and strength, said Eva Murino, the Staff Psychologist
with ease”. who co-teaches the course in French with
psychologist and psychotherapist Martine
Other colleagues have found the pro- Favrat. “The course is not just about adopt-
© Quentin King
gramme to be hugely beneficial in deal- ing a stress reduction tool” Eva explained.
ing with worry and tension, not just in “The mindfulness approach is a self-devel-
the workplace, but the home environment opment practice which profoundly trans-
Bianca king, english course leader
too.” It gives you the tools to better address forms individuals, helping them become
stress and put it into perspective” said one actors of their life and responsible for their
participant. “After an extended period of choices. Recent studies have even demon- In addition to teaching within numerous organisations,
Bianca King regularly conducts public courses at
sick leave due to burnout, mindfulness has strated that regular mindfulness practice
Webster University, as well as other locations in and
helped me to adopt new ways of thinking enhances the ability to cooperate and col- around Geneva. More information about Mindfulness-
and being and I am now on the road to laborate with each other which is vital in Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses in Geneva can
be found here: www.genevamindfulness.com
better stress management” said another. “I the work environment”. Q
certainly recommend this course to every
staff member”.
The programme is increasing in pop-
ularity, much to the satisfaction of the
course organisers in the Staff Health and
Wellbeing Unit. “Professional challenges,
organizational changes, relationship and
family pressures and the pace of life
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UN Special – Mai 2016 | 9
COVER FEATURE
© UN Photo/Pierre Albouy
A bicycle bell produced for the Cycling Festival Europe in Geneva Parc des Bastions, Switzerland, April 14, 2016.
The bicycle and the United Nations
JOHANNES SOMMERFELD, WHO development. Our challenge is on a daily basis including in
What could possibly be – the to get the world to use renewa- transport, business, recreation,
reader of this article may ask ble energy to power our trains, sports and just fun. Many of
– the relationship between a planes, buses and boats. This us UN staffers in Geneva use it
trivial object such as the bicycle is especially important for cit- on a daily basis to commute to
and the United Nations (UN) as ies,” the Secretary-General said. work or we participate in the
the world’s leading intergovern- Then he observed that “I would annual Bike-to-Work scheme,
mental organization? The bicy- much rather see bicycles and sponsored by our UN agencies.
cle may make it into UN-based bike-riders around here than
deliberations on road safety, the limousines, armoured SUVs On April 14, 2016, the bicy-
city planning, urban infra- and other gas-guzzling cars cle and the United Nations in
structure, health promotion that we all use at the United Geneva had another happy
and recently, even on sustain- Nations! Maybe I should ask my encounter. The Cycling Fes-
able development and climate security detail whether I can tival Europe was hosted in
change. But it rarely makes it bike to work – but they would Geneva, with broad support
beyond specialized agencies probably have a heart attack from many agencies, by the
work into the limelight of the at the thought.”. Permanent Representation of
Organization. the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Affectionately called Petite in Geneva. It was co-sponsored
On 8 June 2012, a Boda Boda Reine in French (allegedly fol- by the United Nations Office
(an East African transport bicy- lowing an official visit of Queen at Geneva (UNOG) and two of
cle) was placed in front of the Wilhelmine of the Netherlands, the UN specialized agencies in
United Nations building in New a committed cyclist, to Paris, in Geneva (World Health Organi-
York City. UN Secretary-Gen- 1898), with more than a bil- zation and United Nations Eco-
eral Ban Ki-moon spoke in the lion copies in circulation and nomic Commission for Europe).
presence of over 40 ambassa- an estimated yearly global The Canton de Genève, the Ville
dors and dignitaries to promote industrial production of over de Genève, the Université de
cycling as a sustainable means 100 million2, the bicycle is the Genève and civil society organ-
of transport in the lead up to most widely utilized means of izations such as TCS, Genève
the UN Conference on Sustain- transport in human history. Roule, PRO VELO Genève and
able Development (Rio+20)1. Through various technolog- AGIR joined the co-sponsorship
“Bicycles are important, but ical innovations, the bicycle of the event.
they are just part of a bigger has been around for almost
picture: our global efforts 200 years, since the 1820s. Generously protected from traf-
to achieve truly sustainable It serves humanities’ needs fic by Geneva Police on motor
10 | UN Special – May 2016cycles, many event cyclists were To conclude the festive atmos-
escorted from the Place des phere in the Parc des Nations,
Nations to the Parc des Bastions. and in marvelous weather, an
apéro was generously offered
In the Parc des Bastions itself, by the Département de l’Envi-
information stands, food trucks, ronnement, des Transports et
and numerous playful activities de l’Agriculture of Canton de
(slowbiking, special fun bicyles Genève with local products.
© UN Photo/Pierre Albouy.
and BMX cycling) were offered.
The World Health Organization
UNOG Director-General Mr. contributed bicycle bells with
Michael Møller praised the the slogan “Move to health” to
longstanding cycling cultures raise awareness of the value Geneva’s Conseiller d’Etat Mr. Luc Barthassat (L), Ambassador Mr. Roderick van
in countries like the Nether- of cycling in sustainable urban Schreven (2nd L), UNOG Director General Mr. Michael Møller (3rd L) and Geneva’s
Conseiller administratif Mr Remy Pagani (R) pose at the Cycling Festival Europe in
lands and in his native Den- transport, health promotion and Geneva, organized by the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Parc
mark and expressed that the improvement of air quality. des Bastions, Switzerland, April 14, 2016.
“the United Nations Office An in-official world record in
in Geneva is pleased to be bicycle ringing was attempted,
co-sponsoring this event as practiced first to the strains of 1 UN bike ride highlights importance of
sustainable transport, UN News Centre,
the bicycle is indeed an impor- Johann Strauss’ Blue Danube.
"http://www.un.org/apps/news/
tant element in the sustaina- At the time of publication, it is story.asp?NewsID=42188" \l
ble development agenda of unknown whether the record ".VxXkik1Jm70"
the United Nations. UNOG is was in fact broken, but cer- http://www.un.org /sg/STATEMENTS/
index.asp?nid=6113
fully committed to Greening tainly the sound and joy of the
the Blue, the UN’s common cyclists’ bells reached beyond http://www.worldometers.info/bicycles
system approach to creating the Parc des Bastions and its http://www.greeningtheblue.org
a more sustainable UN”. busy urban surroundings. Q 2 www.worldometers.info/bicycles
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UN Special – Mai 2016 | 11COVER FEATURE
© Take Back Your Health Conference
The benefits of stress-management
tools for international
organizations
How resilience trainings and physical and values with staff’s capabilities and
knowledge.
activities can improve staff well-being in
Indeed, Maslach et al’s article Job Burnout
international organizations. finds that there is a high prevalence of
professional stress syndrome or “burnout”
in both developed and developing coun-
GEMMA VESTAL1, HARSHITA JAIN2, SHEVA CARR3, tries. In fact, 53% of people in the global
ROBERT BROWNING4, AND SABEENA BALI-DINGRA2, workforce feel closer to burning out now
WHO than they did five years ago, according
to a 2015 Regus Group survey of 22,000
The problem of stress in the workplace business people in over 100 countries.
Today, professionals live fast paced lives,
glued to their smartphones and tablets Perhaps the modern world is one of
while in an onslaught of meetings and the culprits for such high prevalence of
consultations. Due to globalization, jobs stress. The International Labour Orga-
require attention 24-7 because people work nization (ILO) cites this rise in stress in
across all time zones. the workplace in Europe and elsewhere
as due to reasons such as: “information
According to the World Health Organization overload, intensification of work and time
(WHO) Programme of Occupational Health’s pressure, high demands on work-related
publication Work Pressure & Stress, pres- travel, being constantly ‘on call’ due to
sure is unavoidable in the contemporary mobile phone technology, and the worry
workplace. Pressure may help keep staff of loosing one’s job.”
alert, motivated, and able to work – until it
becomes excessive. Then, pressure evolves The organizational duty towards a healthy
into detrimental, unhealthy stress. The and respectful workplace
most stressful type of workplace is one International organizations have a duty, of
where there is little opportunity to exercise course, to fulfill their mandates. But they
control, lack of support amongst cowork- have a duty to their staff as well: to main-
ers, and a poor match between demands tain and promote a healthy and respectful
12 | UN Special – May 2016workplace. While it may seem that there is financial costs of work-related depression defined as external pressure. As research-
tension between these two duties, it would in Europe are estimated to be up to 617 ers further examined people under stress,
behoove international organizations to bal- billion euros. they observed that people have different
ance them. Maintaining and promoting a responses to the same external pressures.
healthy and respectful workplace helps There is no doubt that well-being is abso- Some survive or are even motivated in the
staff perform optimally, so that in turn, they lutely indispensable, whereas, stress in face of pressure, while others collapse into
can better serve the institutional mandate. the workplace has dire physical, mental, stress. It would seem, then, that stress
To this end, international organizations emotional, and economic consequences. may be defined not as external pressure,
need more than managers – they need So why are modern workplaces so slow but as an internal physiological and atti-
managers who are leaders, for it takes to offer tools and services that can help tudinal response to pressure that can be
visionary leadership to recognize and then their staff manage stressors and therefore self-regulated.
achieve this balance. improve their health and performance?
This is good news for international organ-
What is a healthy and respectful work- izations, because it means they can pro-
place? A universal strategy for a healthy Organizational solutions to manage pressure vide trainings and offer opportunities that
workplace integrates a broad range of and stress in the workplace empower staff to cultivate resilience and
health issues, including mental health When the phrase “stress” originated, it was increase mental, emotional and physical
and well-being, hygiene and sanitation,
physical activity, occupational health, and
nutrition and foods safety – all essential
elements to a healthy workplace. Further,
a respectful workplace is one that encour-
ages trust, responsibility, accountability,
mutual respect, and open communication,
and embraces the dignity and diversity
of individuals.
The benefits to international organizations
of ensuring a healthy and respectful
workplace
International organizations reap benefits
when they balance the fulfillment of their
mandate with the promotion of a healthy
and respectful workplace for staff. In
2011, WHO Healthy Workplaces: A model
for action listed the myriad organizational
benefits of a healthy workplace:
• A well-managed health and safety
programme
• A positive and caring image
• Improved staff morale
• Increased productivity
• Reduced staff turnover
• Reduced absenteeism
• Reduced health care and insurance costs
• Reduced risk of litigation and fines
International organizations cannot, in fact,
afford not to alleviate workplace stress. To
put the costs of stress in economic terms,
three business professors at Stanford and
Harvard Universities in 2015 analyzed the
relationship between workplace stressors,
mortality and health costs in the United
States. They found that workplace stress
contributed to an additional healthcare
expenditure of up to 190 billion US dol-
lars. And in Europe, in a literature review
released by the European Agency for
Safety and Health at Work in 2013, the
UN Special – Mai 2016 | 13circles such as coworkers, These practices contribute to
friends and family. The eco- a healthy, supportive, and safe
nomic cost of low resilience is working environment – and
much higher than the costs of therefore mitigate workplace
investing in interventions that stress.
could improve staff’s skills in
managing stress. Conclusion
Today’s high-speed work cul-
In a study of thirty-eight par- ture is quickly spreading to
ticipants with hypertension, all parts of the world. The
HeartMath Institute’s work- causes of stress differ for each
place stress reduction inter- work environment and affect
vention resulted in decreased staff differently. International
blood pressure. Such findings organizations have the respon-
imply that providing workshops sibility to create a healthy and
© Macrovector/Shutterstock
and tools for managing stress respectful workplaces where
positively influences the phys- their staff can perform at the
ical and emotional health of optimum level. And staff should
staff. This finding is poignant in be given their own autonomous
light of a Journal of the Ameri- solutions to stress as well. With-
Incorporate physical activity into your everyday routine! can Medical Association study out the skills to meet modern
showing that “workplace stress pressures, the effects of stress
is as bad for your heart as are not only harmful to an
smoking and high cholesterol.” international organization’s
capacity in the face of pres- resilience and can meet outer productivity and performance,
sure, before it surmounts to pressure with more ease and Second, exemplary in respect but also crippling to a person’s
unhealthy stress. Part and par- less stress. People who do not to promoting physical activity physical, emotional, and mental
cel to the provision of a healthy have resilience literacy find has been the WHO Walk the health. Helping their staff build
and respectful workplace, inter- themselves unable to prepare Talk – the new healthy work- resilience and gain physical
national organizations should for, recover from, and adapt place initiative of WHO for activity should be a priority for
at a minimum offer two ways in the face of stressors. They its staff. It reflects the com- all international organizations
for staff to take charge of their are less likely to remain calm mitment of the Organization because it is vital to both staff
well-being: resilience training or think clearly in the face of to embody the very health and the organization itself. Q
and physical activity. adversity or challenges, such advise it provides the world.
as, interpersonal conflict. WHO Walk the Talk endorses 1 A Vice-President of the WHO HQ Staff
Association.
First, resilience training is a Ordinary challenges will act several behavioral and well-be-
strategy which operates on as stressors, draining their ing practices: using the stairs, 2 Interns at WHO.
the following basic assump- inner energy so that they are standing rather than sitting,
3 CEO of FYERA!, and
tions. Just like a battery, our not at their best when con- offering assorted lunchtime HeartAmbassadors, Co-Vice President
body has a reserve of energy. fronted with tough situations. and after-work exercise classes, of Pathways To Peace.
This energy is not just physical, This can have a negative effect walking meetings, and monthly 4 Director, HeartMath Healthcare,
but also mental and emotional. on staff’s health, productivity, running or walking lunchtimes Co-Vice President of Pathways to
When a person’s inner energy and performance. It can also by way of the “away from your Peace.
is fully charged, they have high affect the people in their social desk and into nature” initiative.
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14 | UN Special – May 2016STAFF ASSOCIATIONS
Trouble at the pension fund
Corporate infighting, allegations of LORAINE RICKARD MARTIN, UNOG
Once seen as a bastion of sta- Arvizú, a man known for his
management fraud, media leaks, bility, the UN pension fund has outward charm and diplomacy
pensions not being paid, a move rarely been out of the news and in reality responsible
these last two years, and for all only for paying retirees and
towards risky investments, all capped the wrong reasons. We’ll try to with no access to the invest-
shine some light on the malaise ments, despite his title. The
by a seemingly pliant board.
at the top of our pension fund staff unions received a trove
How did it all go wrong? and exposes the power poli- of leaked documents docu-
tics that could eventually tear menting Arvizú’s attempts to
it apart. revise the Memorandum of
Understanding, the corner-
The United Nations Pension stone document defining the
Fund, 67 years old this year, fund’s relationship to the UN.
provides pensions to 72,000 UN The revision was being jus-
retirees and survivors. With $52 tified by a General Assembly
billion in assets, it has enjoyed resolution, 68/247, adopted
robust health for much of its in December 2013, requesting
existence. While it suffered a the fund’s board to prepare a
significant dip in assets during review of staffing issues. (How-
the 2008 economic crisis, as did ever, Arvizú failed to reveal
many public pension funds, that the fund was not supposed
unlike others that foundered, it to take action until the propos-
rallied and continued to thrive. als had been considered by the
It has grown on the back of a General Assembly.)
conservative investment policy,
with solid checks and balances While the MOU reads as a
in place, including strict sepa- very technical document, the
ration of the departments man- staff unions contended that
aging its investments, known the real goal of the MOU revi-
in the industry as the assets sion, which included changes
side, and that paying retirees, to rules on procurement,
the liabilities side. receipt of gifts and hiring, was
to disassociate the fund from
This all changed in 2014. the UN, give the CEO free rein
Enter the fund’s CEO, Sergio over staffing issues and allow
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UN Special – Mai 2016 | 15© UN PHOTO
The Pension Fund
Investment Committee
Arvizú to take control of the Arvizú, later detailed management August that year, the fund was
fund’s investments. in the US and Swiss While attention over practices. The unable to process payments for
press. This plunged the last two years staff union newly retiring staff members.
Following two petitions to the the fund into a new has been mainly federations And when the system finally
Secretary-General signed by storm and triggered focused on the present at started to function, fund staff,
16,000 current and former an investigation into the meeting, despite working overtime and
difficulties facing
staff, Ban Ki-moon’s then Arvizú, which is still CCISUA and weekends, were unable to
chief of staff Susana Malcorra, ongoing. CEO Arvizú, the FICSA, were maintain the rate of process-
organized a town hall meeting fund’s investment attacked in ing they had before.
on 16 April 2015 at UN head- With the MOU deba- side, known as an outburst
quarters in New York. Amidst cle and allegations the Investment by the fund’s Reports emerged in late 2015 of
widespread anger, she stressed against Arvizú still legal chief, protracted and unprecedented
Management
that there would be no plans to fresh, the annual Janaa Sareva, payment delays, reaching by
change the investment policy in meeting of the fund’s Division, has also for campaign- the end of the year an aver-
the short, medium, or longer board, which took come under fire. ing against age of six months. Emails by
term, and assured staff that no place in July 2015, changes to the retirees, some penniless, went
changes would be made to the was the most contentious in MOU. Sareva was then sup- unanswered and stories circu-
MOU without consultation. recent memory. ported by Linda Saputelli, the lated of unopened files stacked
president of the FAFICS retiree floor to ceiling at the fund’s
It was finally the UN’s head of Against a charged atmosphere association. New York office. Messages from
management, Yukio Takasu, at the Palais des Nations in Arvizú failed to acknowledge
who suspended finalization of Geneva, Arvizú and his coun- Unspoken at that meeting was the severity of the situation.
the revised MOU on 10 July that terpart in charge of investments a new looming crisis that would
year, citing the need to allow known as the Representative shortly hit the fund. Over that The staff union federations,
time to sensitize staff and retir- of the Secretary General, Car- summer, a new administrative CCISUA, FICSA and UNISERV,
ees about the real purpose of olyn Boykin, looked horns on software was being installed in a joint letter dated 18 Febru-
the MOU and ensure it would a number of issues. called IPAS (Integrated Pen- ary 2016 to the Secretary-Gen-
allow the fund “to operate in a sion Administration System). eral and Executive Heads, drew
more efficient and responsive Allies of Arvizú in the board Against better advice, the deci- attention to the problem, and
manner.” also took to the floor one after sion had been taken among the called on the chair of the fund’s
the other to lambast Takasu for fund’s senior leadership not to board, Olusoji Adeniyi, to con-
If this was meant to bring peace suspending the revision of the provide a backup procedure in vene an extraordinary meeting
it failed, as around the same MOU. Arvizú then had UN secu- case the system failed to work. to resolve the crisis.
time staff working at the fund rity remove a participant from
had come forward alleging the meeting when it appeared And that is exactly what hap- Adeniyi, reputed to be close to
fraud and conflict of interest by that she would question his pened. Between May and Arvizú, replied that he saw no
16 | UN Special – May 2016© UN PHOTO
Ms. Carol Boykin, the fund’s
investment chief, with UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon
reason for an extraordinary Stung into action by the letter Meeting the CEO once month At the same time, a former
board meeting and that the and petition, Takasu, the UN later, Takasu was assured that chief of entitlements at the
delays would swiftly resolve head of management, inter- the fund had accelerated pro- fund issued an open letter on
themselves. Unsatisfied by the vened at the end of February cessing and exceeded its first 9 April 2016 describing the
reply, the staff unions initiated to impose performance indica- performance target. This was Arvizú’s reports on the back-
a new petition to the Secre- tors on Arvizú, with a target to promptly announced on the log as “seriously flawed and
tary-General, which at the reduce the six-month payment UN intranet. However, these deceptive” and calling for an
time of writing had collected backlog by 35 percent by the figures are disputed (see inset independent investigation and
3,500 signatures, calling for end of March and eliminate by the CCISUA staff union fed- payment of interest and dam-
Arvizú to be replaced with it entirely by 31 May 2016. eration president) and the peti- ages to retirees who hadn’t
someone able to “fix the prob- He announced this to staff tion to Secretary-General Ban been paid.
lems at the fund and restore through the UN’s intranet on Ki-moon to replace Arvizú has
staff morale.” 1 March. been revived. While attention over the last
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UN Special – Mai 2016 | 17On current trends
14 months to clear the pension fund’s
payment backlog
IAN RICHARDS, PRESIDENT OF THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE
OF INTERNATIONAL STAFF UNIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS, UNOG
The fund triumphantly claimed on 14 April, via the UN intranet Meanwhile, many of the additional staff meant to be working on
that the “backlog in payments of pension benefits is being clearing the payment backlog have only been temporarily released
eliminated”. It cited statistics that 1,241 cases had been dealt from other activities and on a part-time basis.
with out of a backlog of 3,400.
Add to that, continuing bugs with the pensions administration
Mission accomplished? Not really. The intranet article forgot to software, making calculations extremely slow, and communica-
mention that around 1,000 new cases arrive at the fund each tions difficulties between it and the UN’s new Umoja system,
month as people continue to retire. The net drop in the backlog and the continuing challenge in paying new retirees become
is therefore 241 cases (1,241 minus 1,000). This means the apparent.
backlog was only reduced by 7%, a fifth of the 36% claimed by
management. On current trends it will take 14 months to clear There are many ways to resolve this problem, including fresh
the backlog. leadership at the top. But for any improvement, the fund must
start by being transparent to its retirees about the situation
And this is an optimistic scenario. Pension fund staff privately they face. Q
report that there is no clear way to measure the size of the
backlog as many files from newly retiring staff hadn’t yet, at the
time of writing, been entered into the system.
Mr. Sergio Arvizu, the CEO of
the fund, with Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon
two years has been mainly Arvizú. Her appointment in number of years before land- sources, deliberately leaked to
focused on the difficulties 2014 had already caused a ing the UN job.) the media, and calls from eager
facing CEO Arvizú, the fund’s stir when media reports were hedge funds soon followed.
investment side, known as the shared of her sudden depar- On 10 April 2015 and, later,
Investment Management Divi- ture from a previous position in June that same year, CNBC Equally surprising was a simul-
sion, has also come under fire. as chief investment officer at and Opalesque, respectively, taneous media report that the
the Maryland State Retirement announced that Boykin was chair of the fund’s investment
The division is led by Caro- and Pension System under considering moving toward committee, Ivan Pictet, was
lyn Boykin, with the innoc- a mismanagement cloud in hedge funds and other alter- resigning after ten years, cit-
uous title of Representative 2003. (She then joined Bolton native investments, and was ing reasons of his advancing
of the Secretary-General. Partners Investment Consult- authorized to hire external age and long working hours.
She reports directly to Ban ing Group, an actuarial, not fund managers. This informa-
Ki-moon rather than to investment, company for a tion was, according to reliable However, fund insiders told the
18 | UN Special – May 2016author that Pictet had been elbowed out. when long-suffering new retirees and focus attention on how a faltering pension
This wasn’t denied in the Swiss press: “Le survivors may expect their first pension fund might impact his legacy and take swift
fait de ne pas avoir les coudées franches payment; a power-hungry CEO under and forceful action while he still can. Q
a-t-il pesé dans la décision d’Ivan Pictet? investigation; an investment chief oper-
“Ce n’est pas faux”, répond le banquier ating in an environment of lax compliance All relevant documentation may be found on Loraine’s
UN Pension Blog, http://unpension.blogspot.com
genevois.” (Le Temps, 10 April 2015, “Ivan and risk management with plans for riskier
Pictet a démissionné du Fonds de pension investment of our life savings; and a board
de l’ONU”). seemingly in cahoots with the CEO.
Further exchanges of letters show deep- It is not too late to reverse the fund’s prob-
ening problems on the fund’s investments lems. However, left to their own devices,
side. neither Arvizú nor Boykin nor the fund’s
ineffectual board will make a difference.
In August 2015, shortly after the annual Given the increasingly alarming evidence
Pension Board meeting, the FAFICS retiree that the continued safety of our pensions
association president, Linda Saputelli, who may be hanging in the balance, there’s
had heretofore dismissed concerns about every reason for the Secretary-General to
both the MOU and hedge funds, while
staunchly supporting the CEO’s push for
a revised MOU, swung into action, exchang-
ing letters with Takasu, in which she voiced
“unease” about a number of management
and governance matters related to the
fund’s investments that, she emphasized,
posed risks to the system of checks and
balances.
Six months later, in February and March
2016, the fund’s assets and liabilities
monitoring committee wrote to Takasu
raising alarms about the situation at
Boykin’s Investment Management Divi-
sion, and requesting Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon’s intervention and concrete
actions concerning “weakened govern-
ance and risk management”, “dangerous
understaffing” and “a loud danger signal”
of transactions conducted “in open disre-
gard of proper clearer mechanisms” and
without reference to proper investment
procedures and oversight.
w
The letter also noted that Boykin’s state-
ment at the committee’s February meeting
“that possible changes to the Fund’s invest-
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conform with acceptable levels of invest-
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available for staff members.
Add to these worries, Boykin’s reported
attempt last year, stymied by an unfavora-
ble internal risk assessment, to invest an
additional $2 billion in hedge funds at a The best, or nothing.
time when large public pensions were
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about the backlog and questions about
UN Special – Mai 2016 | 19WHO
Bringing WHO’s internship programme
in line with global health policy
Dr ASHTON BARNETT-VANES1,
Mr MAZIAR JAMNEJAD LL.M
Human resources for health is a
WHO priority
Folowing growing international
concern regarding the state of
the global health workforce.
This May WHO will launch
© UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
its Global Strategy on Human
Resources for Health, which –
inter alia – aims to “substan-
tially increase health financing
and the recruitment, develop-
ment, training and retention of
the health workforce in deve- The World Health Assembly networks with emerging and
loping countries, especially in recognized this when in 2003 it eminent individuals in the field.
least developed countries and amended the staff recruitment
small island developing States”. protocol and formally called for As the internship programme
greater recruitment of develo- is administered by WHO, many
The WHO-IP should build future ping country professionals 2. expect it to be compatible
HRH capacity This resolution did not extend with global health ambitions.
In realising this ambition, WHO however to WHO’s extensive However, research has shown
will invest across its operations in-house training programme that participation of Member
in projects and programmes that for future HRH leadership: the State nationals is inconsistent
build health workforce capacity. WHO Internship Programme. with WHO’s own HRH policy.
However, it also leverages its This 50-year old programme is For example, in 2014 a study
own administrative functions in the largest and most high-pro- showed 50% of interns at the
pursuit of this aim. For example, file in global health, with ~1000 flagship headquarters pro-
by recruiting a more geographi- opportunities offered annually gramme were from just 2
cally diverse staff profile, WHO across its headquarters and Member States; with less than a
builds global health expertise in 6 regional offices. Aimed at quarter from developing coun-
professionals from a wide range junior health professionals tries4. This year – at the request
of Member States. This not only from WHO Member States – the of a WHO Member State – WHO
improves its own policymaking, programme offers unrivalled released partial statistics from
but crucially – builds confidence access for up to 6 months in the entire programme for dis-
in national health systems that WHO’s technical and policy cussion at the January meeting
WHO is both engaged and sen- operations. Candidates are of its governing body in Geneva.
sitive to country and regional able to develop their profes- These showed that amongst
issues. sional experience and build its ~1000 annual internships
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20 | UN Special – May 2016offered worldwide, only 20% characterise many internship headquarters were actually eliminate the financial barrier are undertaken by candidates programmes at international studying in a high-income at minimal cost. Finally, intro- from developing countries. organisations, including those setting at the time of their duction of a semi-structured Further, fewer than 5% of all of other United Nations agen- internship; giving the impres- curriculum would enhance the internships are offered in the cies. However, often lost in the sion they’ve a better chance programme’s capacity building African, Eastern Mediterranean discourse concerning WHO’s of participating by moving to role and improve its credibility or South-East Asian WHO programme in particular – is or studying in a high-income in the eyes of Member States regions, where disease burdens the precedent it sets in global country. Those future leaders and donors. are highest. Most striking, health; and the impact it has on who remain in their region and 60% of WHO Member States training future health leaders decide to apply to a regional As it stands, WHO’s internship were unrepresented on the in developing countries. office must compete for oppor- programme contradicts its own programme3. At the January tunities that are few and far ambitions for global health pol- meeting of the Programme, As WHO is the authority on between. For example, the icy vis-à-vis human resources Budget and Administration global health, organizational African WHO regional office, for health; and fails to build Committee, Member States dis- consistency between its exter- serving a continent with 30% of public health expertise amongst cussed the issue and a range nal objectives and internal the world’s disease burden and future developing country of views were expressed. Many operations are central to the only 3% of the world’s health health leaders. WHO and its were concerned by the report’s credibility of its policymaking. workforce hosts
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