jane goodall - UN Today

The official magazine of international civil servantsLa revue officielle des fonctionnaires internationaux

# 817 MARCH / MARS 2022

UN women in key roles:

GAME CHANGERS?

LA TÉLÉMÉDECINE, ça vous tente ?

we have stolenyoung people’s future

se féminisent

JANE GOODALL:

LES RUES DE GENÈVE

from Scotland to the UN field

A LEGAL OFFICER’S JOURNEY

TWO COLLEAGUES

and their podcast

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE DECLARED

persona non grata

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EDITORIAL NOTE | ÉDITORIAL

Editor-in-chief / Rédactrice en chef

# 817 MARCH / MARS 2022

To mark International Women’s Day on 8th March, we have decided to shine the spotlight on women who are game changers in their fields of expertise.

Some of them work behind the scenes, such as the four UN staffers who have spoken to us about their daily activities. Others, such as the ethologist Jane Goodall, novelist Leonora Miano or the obstetrician Ghada Hatem, tend to occupy more of the center stage. What all of these women have in common is that they are positive role models for future generations.

The battle is far from won, despite the efforts made. There are many regions and sectors where gender equality seems out of reach. It is difficult, for instance, to further such equality when we are in the middle of a climate crisis. Indeed, it is now generally accepted that a large number of women are particularly vulnerable in that regard, if only because their income is often derived from natural resources. They bear the brunt of the worst after effects of climate change.

At the same time, an increasing number of women are involved in sustainable development initiatives and act as the driving force behind projects that often prove to be effective. That’s why, through the choice of theme for this year’s international event (“Equality today for a sustainable future”), the UN has decided to focus on the problems that women encounter when dealing with such issues, and pay tribute to those who work in the spotlight and behind the scenes.

A l’occasion de la journée internationale des femmes, le 8 mars, nous avons choisi de

braquer les projecteurs sur des femmes qui, chacune dans leur domaine de compétence, contribuent à changer la donne.

Certaines, comme les quatre fonctionnaires de l’ONU qui nous

ont parlé de leur quotidien professionnel, œuvrent dans les coulisses. D’autres,

comme l’éthologue Jane Goodall, la romancière Leonora Miano ou l’obstétricienne

Ghada Hatem, occupent davantage le devant de la scène. Toutes ont en commun d’offrir aux nouvelles générations des modèles positifs auxquels s’identifier.

C’est qu’en dépit de tous les efforts déployés, la partie est loin d’être gagnée. Dans bien des régions ou des secteurs, l’égalité des sexes semble encore hors de portée. Il est par exemple difficile de faire progresser cette égalité dans un contexte de crise climatique. En effet, il est désormais admis, qu’en la matière, un grand nombre de femmes sont particulièrement vulnérables, ne serait-ce que parce que leurs revenus dépendent souvent de ressources naturelles. Elles subissent donc de plein fouet les conséquences les plus graves du changement climatique.

En même temps, elles sont de plus en plus nombreuses à participer à des initiatives en faveur du développement durable, voire à être à l’origine de projets qui se révèlent souvent très efficaces. Et c’est pour pointer les difficultés auxquelles les femmes sont confrontées et pour rendre hommage à toutes celles qui se battent dans l’ombre comme dans la lumière que l’ONU a choisi pour thème de la journée internationale : « L’égalité aujourd’hui pour un avenir durable ».

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TABLE OF CONTENTS | SOMMAIRE

/UNToday /company/untoday

@untoday_magazine @un_today

UN TodayPalais des Nations, bureau C5071211 Genève [email protected]

Editorial TeamEditor-in-chief / Rédactrice en chefPrisca ChaouiEditorial Board / Comité éditorialIan RichardsPaola DedaOlivier MeyerMuriel ScibiliaAlex MejíaChristopher MasonEditorial Coordinator / Coordinateur éditorialJulián Ginzo

Special thanks to: Richard Turner, Max Kunte and Laura Johnson.

Advertising / PublicitéSwitzerland / Suisse :Céline [email protected] / France :Jean-Michel [email protected]

Layout / DesignGabriela Bondone

WebmasterFroylan Silveira

The official magazine of international civil servants.The opinions in this magazine are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the United Nations, or its specialized agencies. The publication of this magazine relies solely on the

financial support of its advertisers.

La revue officielle des fonctionnaires internationaux.Les opinions exprimées dans ce magazine sont celles des auteurs, et non forcément celles de l’ONU ou de ses institutions spécialisées. La parution de ce magazine dépend uniquement

du support financier de la publicité.

48Les rues de Genève se féminisent

36Two

colleagues and their podcast

24

50

Chronicles of everyday diplomacy

Réparer les femmes, c’est mon métier !

40 Women and girls are not victims, they are the key to the future

6 10 14Judgement callPromouvoir la santé au travail Counselling staff

22 We have stolen young people’s future

5

42How easy is it to be declared persona

non grata?

54La télémédecine

est promise à un grand avenir

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44

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Progress on eliminatingdiscrimination against women

Authenticity in Central Switzerland

From the suit to the flapper: fashion and gender

30Bringing law to the world’s disaster zones

34La résolution des conflits est plus qu’une profession...c’est une mission

46A visit to the

Museum Cerny

52Ikhlaq Hussain:a sitar maestro

20Ecrire pour

explorer, dire et transformer

le monde

16 Speaking up for staff

18Take action

for World Down Syndrome Day

FOCUS ON | GROS PLAN SUR

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hat does your job involve?

To put it simply, as a UNDT judge I deal with applications from staff members contesting administrative decisions and/or disciplinary sanctions held against them by the organization, acting in its capacity as an employer. My main role is to analyze those applications and the respondent’s reply, as well as the evidence provided by the parties, to determine the adequate procedural steps of the case and adjudicate it within a reasonable and efficient timeline.

However, there is more to it since these functions also involve an in-depth knowledge of the internal legal framework and international administrativelaw jurisprudence, as well as of the working and the managerial culture of the UN.

This is quite a challenge, which takes time and demands an open mind so that the judge can build a bridge between his/her domestic experience and the challenges of adjudicating in an international and multicultural context. Unfortunately, not all the judges are ready to build this bridge.

Teresa Maria Da Silva Bravo, UNDT Judge

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Teresa Maria Da Silva Bravo, UNDT Judge and former President of the Lisbon Labor Court

Prisca Chaoui *

Judgement call

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Above all (and beyond possessing the necessary technical skills) in the UN, the judge must have “emotional intelligence” in order to be able to understand and accept a variety of views different from his or hers, and to be able to live with it.

What did you do before and how is the UN in comparison?

Before coming to the UN, I was a professional judge in the Portuguese judiciary (since 2000) and a labor court judge, in Lisbon (since 2009). Ourjudicial system, similar to what happens in Spain, France, Poland and Italy, has a highly selective Judiciary School that chooses its candidates based on open competitions and anonymous exams. Our training is very specific and entails a long period of work in courts under the supervision of senior judges, prior to our definitive appointment as judges. In order to apply to a labor court I had to undergo specialized training in that area of law.

In my work as a judge, in Portugal, I also had the opportunity to attend several conferences and specialized courses in my area of expertise becausethis is something in which the European Union and its member states invest a lot. The EU is committed to having a highly qualified judiciary throughout its member states because this results in better application of European Union law. Access to training and greater involvement of UN judges in conferences and outreach activities is something that is lacking in the UN’s DNA, at least for us, judges of the UNDT.

I was also the President of the Lisbon Labour Court during the 2013-2014 financial crisis (which led to a significant increase in the number of cases that our court had to deal with) and this was quite demanding, from a managerial point of view as President at the time.

The UN, however, is a totally different reality as it is a hybrid jurisdiction (between administrative and labor law), operating within the specific

setting of norms and jurisprudence that the judge needs to learn and assimilate. Nonetheless, the UNDT has a more restrictive jurisdictional scope than a municipal labor court. For example, in most of European labor law, jurisdictions staff unions have legal standing before labor courtsto represent and defend the legal interests and collective rights of their associates, which is not the case in the UN setting, since it only deals with individual administrative decisions.

Another difference relates to the fact that labor courts in national jurisdictions can order reinstatement when a dismissal is found to beillegal, whereas in the UN a staff member who was wrongly terminated or dismissed cannot expect to be reinstated, as the organization has the option to pay compensation in lieu. Another example relates to the fact that the UNDT Statute and the Rules of Procedure do not clearly establish sanctions to deal with parties and/or witnesses who do not cooperate with the Tribunal, for instance, by refusing to testify, to provide documents, or simply by failing to comply with judicial orders. We barely have contempt of court powers.

Indeed, the only available tool is “referral for accountability” before the Secretary General, and even this mechanism needs to be handled with care since it only applies to staff members and may lead to a disciplinary procedure, and referral for accountability cannot be seen as sanctioning mechanism.

How does it feel, knowing your judgements can have such an impact on a staff member’s livelihood or career?

I take my work very seriously and one of my major concerns relates to procedural timelines. It is essential to ensure that staff members get a judicial decision within a reasonable time. Even though this is not always possible, the UNDT has made huge progress since 2019, by implementing abacklog elimination plan and a duty judge system which allow for urgent motions to be filed by the parties to be decided almost immediately. We are now at our lowest number in terms of caseload.

However, as I have mentioned, due to the restrictive nature of our jurisdiction, sometimes justice is not totally achieved. Since we have limited jurisdictional powers (as defined by the

Due to the restrictive nature of our jurisdiction, sometimes justice is not totally achieved


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UNDT Statute) it is not always possible to repair the unfairness created by a wrongful decision that deeply affects a staff member’s right, and I am specifically referring to the lack of reinstatement and the cap put on compensation for damages (two years). I would also like to highlight the need to incorporate into the UNDT’s jurisprudence more principles of international labor law, since the system tends to rely too much on the administrative perspective.

What would you advise staff who are considering going to the Tribunal?

I would advise staff to seek legal advice (either from OSLA or from an outside lawyer) and to consider mediation as a preliminary step, as it is a useful tool that establishes an immediate dialogue with the organization and can prevent further escalation of the conflict. Preventing further conflicts is important to preserve the employment relationship and trust between staff members and the organization.

Once in the formal system, the staff member needs to be patient and be ready to disclose pertinent information, personal data and/or documents that may be essential for the proper adjudication of the case. Some measure of resilience and good faith is an essential key for a successful litigation.

Are you concerned with the number of judgements that were appealed against?

A high appeal rate means the system is working, and this fact needs to be seen as part of the normal course of litigation. More important than the number of appeals is the quality of the jurisprudence produced, particularly at theUNAT level. Indeed, one way of assessing the quality of a justice system is to check the case law of the Appeals Tribunal and see if and how legal gaps are filled, how complex legal questions are addressed, if the jurisprudence is congruent, and whether there are good precedents on which the lower court can rely.

An erratic jurisprudence, or one that is too formalistic and leaves important questions unanswered, does not serve the interests of justice. w

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The judge must have “emotional intelligence”

The majority of UNDT judges are women

Prisca Chaoui is the Editor-in-chief of UN Today.


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n quoi consiste votre métier ?

En tant que médecin, j’ai un vrai rôle en santé au travail, ce qui passe notamment par des évaluations et le contrôle des risques sur le poste de travail. J’assure le suivi des congés maladie. En cas d’absence de longue durée, je prépare un plan de retour au travail en collaboration avec le médecin traitant et le superviseur direct du fonctionnaire : retour graduel au travail, adaptation du poste de travail si nécessaire, afin que le fonctionnaire puisse reprendre le travail dans les meilleures conditions possibles. Si

celui-ci est dans l’incapacité de revenir au travail, je présente un dossier de mise en invalidité au Comité UNSPC.

Je suis le médecin conseil lorsqu’il s’agit d’attribuer des compensations en cas d’accidents du travail ou de maladies professionnelles. J’établis des recommandations d’allocation spéciale enfant handicapé et allocations spéciales pour frais d’étude. Je collabore avec le bureau de la conseillère du personnel quand un fonctionnaire rencontre une situation difficile. Avec mes collègues médecins, je participe au

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C’est avec rigueur, empathie et goût pour l’innovation que Sabine Bossy exerce sa fonction de médecin au Service médical de l’ONU à Genève

Promouvoir la santé au travail

Olivier Meyer *

Sabine Bossy, Médecin au service médical de l’ONU à Genève

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tour d’astreinte téléphonique 24/7 pour les évacuations médicales des fonctionnaires sur le terrain. Enfin, je suis en contact permanent avec le service médical de New York pour la mise en place des procédures à Genève.

La pandémie a-t-elle modifié le rôle du service médical ?

La charge de travail a beaucoup augmenté pendant cette période. Nous avons d’emblée assuré le suivi des cas COVID et des cas contacts. Dès le retour au travail sur site demandé par l’administration, nous avons élaboré un questionnaire afin d’identifier les fonctionnaires susceptibles de développer une forme sévère de la maladie et mis en place des restrictions afin de les protéger. Nous avons évalué les postes de travail à risque. Nous avons proposé des mesures de protection spécifiques : marquage au sol pour le respect des distances, cloisonnement de certains espaces, rotation du personnel, etc. En soutien à nos collègues de l’OMS, nous avons participé à la cellule Medical Coordination Unit (MCU) qui organise les évacuations médicales COVID du personnel sur le terrain, tout en étant d’astreinte téléphonique 24/7. Nous avons créé des documents, comme le COVID package, pour aider les fonctionnaires dans leur quotidien. Quand la vaccination fut disponible, nous avons travaillé avec l’administration sur le Pass sanitaire et la vaccination obligatoire pour certains groupes.

Nous effectuons des relevés statistiques des cas confirmés, des cas contacts et des fonctionnaires vaccinés. Nous sommes également référents techniques auprès de l’administration dans sa gestion de la crise, tout en respectant les décisions du pays hôte. J’en profite pour remercier toute l’équipe du service médical de l’ONUG qui, depuis le début de la pandémie, ne compte pas ses heures afin de répondre aux demandes des fonctionnaires et de l’administration.

Pourquoi avoir choisi de rejoindre les Nations Unies ?

J’ai débuté ma carrière en milieu hospitalier puis en libéral. En 2004, j’ai été recrutée sur un contrat à courte durée au BIT. La multiculturalité et la diversité des tâches, l’approche en santé au travail m’ont tout de suite plu et poussée à renouveler mon expérience au sein des organisations internationales. Après 6 années de travail au BIT et à l’OMC, j’ai intégré le service médical de l’ONUG en 2011. Au fil

des années, mes fonctions au sein du service médical ont évolué et je suis de plus en plus impliquée dans la réflexion et la mise en place de nouvelles procédures ainsi que dans lagestion de cas médicaux complexes.

Quels changements aimeriez-vous voir afin que votre rôle ait encore plus d’impact ?

J’aimerais que l’on puisse avoir plus de flexibilité ou une autre approche dans l’application des règles. Comme je dois suivre le règlement, il m’arrive de prendre des décisions impopulaires. Lorsque je ne peux pas répondre favorablement aux demandes des fonctionnaires, j’essaie toujours de donner des conseils pour trouver la meilleure solution. J’ai participé à l’élaboration de la procédure du plan de retour au travail et œuvré à sa mise en place à Genève. Je souhaite que ce plan se développe encore plus et que les fonctionnaires le réclament lors de leur retour au travail après un congé maladie prolongé. J’aimerais mettre en place d’autres programmes de prévention et travailler sur la santé mentale et les risques psychosociaux.

Qu’est-ce qui vous permet de vous ressourcer ?

Le contact avec la nature. J’aime faire du sport. J’aime la montagne. Je fais beaucoup de ski. J’adore le ski de randonnée et les randonnées pédestres. Pour rester en forme, je pratique la course à pied et la gymnastique Pilates plusieurs fois par semaine. Pour me détendre, je jardine et joue du piano. Ma force, je la trouve en préservant un certain équilibre entre une vie professionnelle enrichissante et une vie personnelle bien remplie. J’aime voir mes enfants grandir et s’épanouir.

Quel message aimeriez-vous transmettre aux femmes qui travaillent aux Nations Unies ?

Tout est possible ! Certaines femmes dédient leur vie à leur carrière sur le terrain et j’admire leur courage. D’autres, avec des enfants, mènent leur carrière professionnelle avec brio. Je voudrais saluer toutes ces femmes et leur conseiller de prendre soin d’elle. Il est important de prendre du temps pour s’occuper de soi, même lorsqu’ on est une jeune maman. Vos enfants ressentiront votre bien être, ce qui sera bénéfique pour eux. w

Olivier Meyer est membre du Comité de rédaction de UN Today.


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hat does your job involve?

I am a UNOG Staff counselor, covering regular staff (including interns, consultants, and retirees) and support staff from international organizations based in Geneva such as OHCHR and UNCTAD. Counselors are usually trained in clinical psychology, counselling and psychotherapy, socialwork, or even psychiatry. I manage the Staff Counsellors Office (SCO), so I attend meetings with our clients and partners to discuss how we can implement the UN’s Mental Health Strategy (2018-2023) and, for example, reduce stigma around mental illness. The UN has recognized that many hardworking staff who are dedicated to their

mandates can become ill due to the demands and pressures on them. My role is to analyze what staff tell me and see what both the organization and individual teams and managers can do to support them in order for them to stay healthy.

I also see staff individually, and in the SCO we offer confidential psychosocial support sessions. Our approach is to problem-solve with our clients and, if needed, refer to internal partners who can provide assistance (UNOG Medical Services, HRMS, the Office of the Ombudsman, etc.), as well as to psychologists and psychotherapists for those who may need more specific support, such as for relationship breakdowns or depression.

A challenging yet rewarding task for Mary Bridget Leahy, UNOG staff counselorChristopher Mason *

Counselling staffMary Bridget Leahy, UNOG Staff counselor

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What did you do before?

I have had many different jobs. Growing up in Ireland, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, except that I wanted to travel and work with people fromdifferent cultures. I began as a flight attendant, I loved the job and enjoyed the perks of travel for 11 years. While working with United Airlines in the US, I joined their volunteering program, did some work with Habitat for Humanity, and with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In my early 30s I took English literature at university, then moved to London and volunteered on a helpline for the Terrence Higgins Trust, an HIV/AIDS charity. I was trained to provide a listening ear and give advice to people who were either newly diagnosed with HIV or were concerned about risk.

I decided to stop flying and worked full-time with homeless people and those who had complex mental health needs with regard to substance misuse. My first job was as a specialist support worker with female street sex workers. I received basic training and a lot of support from fantastic colleagues who taught me a lot. I worked with the homeless for eight years. It was both of theseexperiences that motivated me to study for an MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy. I wanted to explore behavior in more depth so I could help my clients and provide the best possible professional care.

Were you able to have an impact on the lives of staff who came to see you?

I hope so. Many staff are grateful for a confidential space to talk. They often don’t want to report feelings of harassment or conflict in their teams, and it’s good to tell someone what they are going through. I won’t disclose any individual stories, but I can say that I have worked well with several staff who have been on long sick leave and who needed extra support, for example, with someone who has over 15 years of service. She dedicated herself to her career, making sacrifices in her relationships and with her family. She was drawn to humanitarian work in conflict zones, finding this work meaningful, and had abundant energy to help in times of crisis. She moved to Geneva to use her experience and knowledge to influence the policy makers and political partners she worked with, yet once she ‘relaxed’ in Geneva her mental health suffered.

Ordinary life became overwhelming, and she struggled to make decisions, but with time and specialist psychological support she is now getting better. We can survive on adrenaline and push ourselves when we have to, yet research shows that our brains and bodies can only take so much. We need to pace ourselves, slow down, rest and listen to the signals from our mind.

Do you ever report systemic issues that you might encounter to Human Resources?

Yes, UNOG has a working group dedicated to staff well-being. This group consists of HRMS, the Legal and Policy Team, the Staff Co-Ordinating Council, the Office of the Ombudsman, UNOG Medical Services, the UN Gender Focal Point, UNSMIS and UNJSPF. We meet about twice per year to discuss trends that are of staff concern, gather information from surveys, and from our work with teams and individuals. Many staff we work with give their permission to share their experiences in a way that will be non-identifiable, yet may help colleagues and the organization improve. The working group reports directly to the DG of UNOG.

What have you learned the most from this role?

It takes a great deal of patience, tact, and diplomacy to work in the UN, more than in other organizations since each team has a mix of people from different cultural backgrounds, traditions, languages, educational systems, and life experiences. I have learned that UN staff are resilient and strong. It is a great pleasure to work with staff who are so dedicated and passionate about their work and supporting others. I also learned to ask for help when I need it, and that there are kind souls here who help support meand my team during the difficult days. w

Christopher Mason is a former WIPO staff member.

We need to pace ourselves, slow down, rest and listen to the signals from our mind


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hat does your position involve?

In the International Trade Centre (ITC), I head the program on non-tariff measures, providing trade-related technical assistance and capacity building. I joined both the ITC Staff Council as well as the UNOG Staff Coordinating Council in 2021. In my role as staff representative I mostly focus on questions of work-life balance and issues related to recruitment, and I contribute to the COVID-related questions that we have to deal with these days.

Why did you run for election? During my 15 years in the UN system I have relied on and benefitted from other colleagues doing the job for me. I was a temporary staff member back in the days when it was decided to reduce the number of leave days for such contracts, alongside other changed conditions, and I vividly remember the role of the UNOG Staff Council in helping colleagues through the transition. I felt that now is my time to give back – and my duty. I am privileged to have a stable job and

15 years of experience within the system, member of ITC and UNOG staff councils: Ursula HermelinkCatherine Peck-Arif *

Speaking up for staff

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Ursula Hermelink, Member of ITC and UNOG staff councils

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safe contract, with career progress to date that I am satisfied with. Any further professional ambitions of mine are temporarily on hold as my little son has taken the center stage of my life and happiness – in short, I have probably much less reason than many other colleagues to fear potential negative consequences of speaking my mind and challenging management where it may be needed. In the specific ITC context, I also wanted to make sure that the ITC Sectoral Staff Council was restored. In 2020, we did not have any since there was an insufficient number of interested candidates, so we ended up being without staff representation in what turned out to be a rather challenging year to say the least, including for (but by no means limited to) staff rights and welfare. I did not want to see this happen again. Where do you think you can make a difference as a staff representative? It may sound odd, but I believe that any staff representative makes a difference already by just existing and assuming that very role. You are part of the checks and balances that help incentivize management to take decisions differently, to explain decisions better, and to keep an eye on staff welfare, be it just in anticipation of reactions from staff representatives. Of course, an incentive is not a guarantee, but just try to imagine what it would be like without any staff representation (or, in ITC, remember what it was like in 2020). It does make a difference. Personally, in both my function as staff representative and team leader, I would want to make a difference in contributing to a work climate and overall team spirit that encourages open and honest exchanges and collaboration between colleagues, and in contributing to a healthier work-life balance of staff in ITC. Also, I would be immensely proud if I could help one of my Staff Council colleagues succeed in her initiative to first test and eventually introduce a job-sharing model in ITC. I am convinced that this is possible. What are the biggest challenges? Patience is not my forte, yet patience and perseverance are what is most needed when it comes to addressing shortcomings in a system like the UN. So is the ability to see even small

steps for what they are: at times a big milestone, a success. If you had asked me 15 years ago what I think about introducing a UN Geneva working group on addressing racism, I would have shaken my head in disbelief over why this has not existed since 1945. Nowadays I consider it a success in the sense that its very existence, though long overdue, is proof that racism in the UN microcosmos is no longer treated as an unfortunate combination of isolated cases, but is instead recognized and named, including at the highest level, as a system-wide problem that needs attention. So yes, it is only a tiny first step that won’t change the lives of victims of racism overnight, but an indispensable step nonetheless that deserves not to be downplayed. Over the years, I have learned to see that. This said, I do still find it challenging to recognize progress in such tiny changes rather than feeling frustration over the slow pace of improvements. As I said: patience is not my forte. Would you recommend this role to other staff, and why? Yes, definitely yes. I would encourage anyone to take an interest and actively contribute to matters of staff rights and welfare. This is not limited to the function of elected staff representatives. For me, that contribution starts much earlier: in speaking out, flagging issues, making suggestions, responding to surveys, contributing to working groups, listening to, defending and helping colleagues where in need…all that is staff representation to me. Why should you do this, in whatever way you choose? Because it matters – to individual colleagues you support, to staff collectively and, hence, to you individually. And inherently it helps the UN to function better and do its job in the best possible way. Will your involvement revolutionize the UN? Probably not. But, it is certain that no improvements will come about if we do not even try, so I would recommend everyone to join me and my colleagues in trying. As a side effect, you learna lot and you get in touch with colleagues across the Organization. So, if you hesitated until now – don’t. Get involved. w

Catherine Peck-Arif is a UNCTAD staff member.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS | AFFAIRES MONDIALES

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orld Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), 21 March, is a global awareness day that the United Nations has officially observed since 2012. The date for WDSD, being the

21st day of the third month, was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down syndrome.

What is Down syndrome?Down syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has

always been a part of the human condition, being universally present across racial, gender or socioeconomic lines in approximately 1 in 800 live births, although there is considerable variation worldwide. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues.

How did WDSD start?WDSD was first observed in 2006 and officially adopted by the UN General Assembly in December

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Speakers with Down syndrome outside UN Geneva, 2018

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How can you promote the rights of people with Down syndrome on the 21 March?

Nathan Rowe *

Take action for World Down Syndrome Day

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2011, following a campaign by Down syndrome groups and organizations worldwide. The resolution to designate 21 March as WDSD was co-sponsored by 78 UN member states, with leadership from Brazil and Poland.

The resolution calls on all member states, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Down Syndrome Day appropriately to raise public awareness of Down syndrome.

Why is WDSD important?People with Down syndrome worldwide face widespread discrimination and exclusion from society, including access to basic services such as education and healthcare. In many countries, misconceptions and stigma surrounding the condition can lead to maltreatment and, in some cases, even death.

While many people worldwide are working to change this, there is a long way to go to ensure that the rights of persons with Down syndrome are respected, protected and fulfilled, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

What happens on WDSD?Each year on 21 March, people worldwide come together to celebrate the day, raise awareness about Down syndrome and take action for the rights of persons with Down syndrome to be respected.

WDSD is a unique opportunity for the global Down syndrome community to connect every year, to share ideas, experiences and knowledge, empower each other to advocate for equal rights for people with Down syndrome and reach out to key stakeholders to bring about positive change.

A key component to these celebrations is an annual side event to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at UN Geneva and an annual conference at UN New York. These events are organized by Down Syndrome International with self-advocates with Down syndrome, and provide a platform for the Down syndrome community to engage with the UN system.

Each year, a different theme for WDSD highlights essential issues and critical areas for systemic change. WDSD themes in previous years have

included ‘We Decide’, ‘Leave No One Behind’ and ‘Connect’.

WDSD 2022This year’s theme is ‘Inclusion Means’ and reflects the general principles of the CRPD, which calls for “Full and effective participation and inclusion in society.” This theme will allow people with Down syndrome, families, advocates, professionals, organizations, and indeed anyone around the world to say what needs to happen now to make the world more inclusive. Self-advocates can speak about the key issues impacting their ability to be included and what changes they would like to see.

This theme is especially relevant as the UN system works to implement the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, launched in 2019. People with Down syndrome know best how they can be included effectively and this year’s WDSD campaign provides an excellent opportunity to learn from them directly.

How to take part in WDSD?WDSD is a day for everyone to celebrate and advocate for the rights of people with Down syndrome. All support for the WDSD and its positive message of inclusion make a difference, no matter how small.

Some ideas for how to take part include:

• Learning more about Down syndrome and disability rights• Reaching out to your local Down syndrome association• Attending a local WDSD event• Sharing the #InclusionMeans campaign messages• Writing or recording something to explain what #InclusionMeans to you• Advocating for inclusion in your workplace and community

Each year WDSD gets bigger as more peoplejoin the conversation, sending a powerful message that the world is becoming more inclusive of people with Down syndrome.

If you would like to get involved, you can find out more information on the official WDSD website: worlddownsyndromeday.org w

Nathan Rowe is Programme Manager at Down Syndrome International.


uelle est la nature et la fonction de cette langue que vous appelez de vos vœux dans « L’autre langue des femmes » ?

Dans le contexte actuel où la parole des militantes me semble souvent victimaire et trop centrée sur l’action négative d’hommes, il s’agit d’abord d’indiquer qu’il a existé, en Afrique subsaharienne, un autre langage. J’entends par là un rapport à soi différent, une connaissance et un exercice de sa puissance propre. L’autre langue des femmes propose une traversée des vécus féminins

subsahariens, mettant en exergue de grandes figures, des mythes ou des pratiques sociales, pour montrer que les Subsahariennes sont dépositaires d’un riche matrimoine, à même d’inspirer toutes les femmes.L’idée est d’amener les femmes à connaître leurs potentialités, à ne pas se définir en fonction de ce qu’on leur fait mais de ce qu’elles-mêmes sont et font. Cette Afrique que l’on présente comme arriérée, inapte à proposer des références, est le continent des reines guerrières, défenseuses et guides de peuples attaqués.

C’est en Afrique que les femmes exercèrent le pouvoir politique pour la toute première fois, et cela remonte à l’Antiquité. Les candaces de Méroé dont je parle ici sont sans équivalent dans l’histoire de l’Europe à la même époque. Y compris dans des sociétés patriarcales, les Africaines surent se faire entendre et gouverner. Parce qu’elles parlaientcette autre langue qui comprend le féminin comme une puissance souveraine et les femmes comme des individus pouvant imposer leur personnalité. Les Subsahariennes de notre temps ont gardé de leurs aïeules la combativité, le dynamisme, l’autorité, qui font partie de leur féminité particulière. Avant que la colonisation européenne ne vienne saper le pouvoir des institutions féminines, les sociétés de femmes étaient nombreuses, souvent très puissantes. C’est de tout cela qu’il importe de se souvenir pour se réaliser au présent et inventer le futur.

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Auteure prolifique, transgressive, incontournable, Leonora Miano pose un regard sans concession sur les relations entre l’Europe et l’Afrique

Muriel Scibilia *

Ecrire pour explorer, dire et transformer le monde

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Dans Afropea, vous constatez que la rencontre entre l’Europe et l’Afrique n’a pas eu lieu, quelles pistes pour « mieux se fréquenter » ?

Il faudrait réinventer les relations entre ces grandes régions du monde, en commençant par refonder la notion de puissance. Telle que conçue hier et aujourd’hui, la puissance implique la domination et contrarie la fraternité. Cette vision des choses n’est d’ailleurs l’apanage d’aucun groupe humain. Tous continuent de révérer des conquérants qui érigèrent leur gloire sur des amoncellements de cadavres. L’humain ayant conscience de sa vulnérabilité, il souhaite la congédier et se valorise en s’identifiant à ceux qui surent prouver leur capacité de détruire et de soumettre. On s’intéresse peu aux victimes, les vaincus sont méprisés. D’où les statues d’esclavagistes, de colonisateurs ou de conquérants ici et là.

L’humanité a longtemps vécu sous le régime de la conquête. Bien des nations se sont constituées ainsi. Et une fois les nations formées, cette énergie dominatrice s’est appliquée à d’autres domaines : l’économie, par exemple. Ce modèle a fait son temps. Les périls climatiques qui nous menacent – pour ne parler que de ceux-là – rendront inhabitables de nombreuses régions du monde.

La disparition de certaines îles du Pacifique est d’ores et déjà programmée. Des phénomènes comme l’assèchement du lac Faguibine au Mali ont déjà commencé à pousser les populations sur les routes. Sur toute la côte atlantique, l’érosion côtière sévit. Au Togo où je vis, mais aussi ailleurs en Afrique de l’Ouest, cela détruit non seulement l’habitat et les routes, mais aussi la mémoire, les sites touchés ayant été le théâtre de la déportation transatlantique. Les migrations de la survie vont forcément s’accentuer.

Dans une telle configuration, si les mentalités ne sont pas transformées, on s’achemine vers une ère de violence. Les uns voudront sauver leur peau, les

autres, se protéger des indésirables auxquels ils ne s’identifient pas. La montée des populismes identitaires montre ce refus de reconnaître son humanité dans celle de l’autre et la peur d’une forme de dissolution.

Pourtant, il faudra accueillir ceux qui auront perdu leur terre, assimiler un peu de leurs cultures, accepter que des identités inconnues naissent de ces brassages. Il faudra renoncer à la domination, à la compétition permanente, à la marchandisation de tout. Il faudra fraterniser. Or, on ne fraternise pas avec des peuples considérés comme inférieurs. On ne fraternise pas avec les habitants d’un continent perçu comme un réservoir de matières premières à s’approprier coûte que coûte et sans contrepartie équitable pour eux. On ne fraternise pas avec un vivier de consommateurs que l’on s’est fabriqué et qu’il faut maintenir tel.

À quoi ressemble cet « imaginaire de l’Afrique » dont sont porteurs les européens et les africains eux-mêmes ; comment le transformer ?

L’Afrique subsaharienne actuelle étant une production de la colonisation européenne, les Africains ont souvent intériorisé la négativité projetée sur eux. Or, les ténèbres intérieures de l’Europe ne sauraient les définir. Il est temps de retrouver son propre regard sur soi. Ne pas « durer dans mauvais rêve », selon une maxime ivoirienne. L’éveil de l’Afrique changera tout. w

Muriel Scibilia est auteure et ancienne fonctionnaire de la Conférence des Nations Unies sur le commerce et le développement (CNUCED).

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ave we compromised the future of our young people?

We’ve not just compromised the future of our young people. We have been stealing it. We are still stealing it, but is it not too late to do something. We have a window of time. It is closed a lot since the 1990s, but it is still there. And if we get together, we can at least slow down Climate Change, slow down the loss of biodiversity, and heal some of the harm. How do you feel about our renewable energy future? I certainly feel it is desperately important to move away from fossil fuels into renewable energy. And it is perfectly possible if governments provide the right framework to all of these amazing innovations that scientists are now coming up with, we could be

independent of fossil fuels and all the damage they are doing to the environment. We only connect with tragedies when we feel them. How can we create empathy in people disconnected from reality, from nature? How do you think we can reach out to them? We can reach others by telling stories. You have got to connect with all these people, whoever they are, why they are not interested in something. It’s no good arguing with them. If you start arguing with somebody in a high-up position who’s a big CEO, or head of a lab that is torturing animals for medical research, and you start arguing, pointing fingers, they just turn off. Either they don’t listen, or they are not really listening because they are formulating in their head a way to refute you, to argue with you, to get the better of you. But if you

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can reach their heart, then, I believe people need to change from within. And that is why so often, children are changing their parents. Can taking action help young people deal with climate anxiety or depression? When you take action and feel you’re doing your bit, you start to come out of this depression. Every day you live, you can make a difference. So what do you buy? Where does it come from? Did its production harm the environment? Was it cruel to animals like factory farming or the wildlife markets? Is it cheap because of unfair wages, child labor, or sweatshops?

So you can start buying ethically. However, if you are very poor, you can’t afford it, which is why alleviating poverty is so terribly important. But if you are not in absolute poverty, you can still make a choice.

If you don’t think the product has been created ethically, don’t buy it. So then you get this consumer pressure, which has changed big corporations. And also, you’ve got CEOs of some of these corporations who’ve had their hearts reached. So there is a lot of pressure, more and more people realize that they have a role to play in making this a better world, each and every one of us has a role to play, even if we don’t know what it is, but we can all still try. We have become distant from nature as if it’s no longer part of us. We are sucked into a material society. What are your thoughts on this? Well, I think that what’s happened, and you have said as such, is that we’ve been sucked into this materialistic society. We have lost contact with the natural world. I’m hoping that the silver lining of this terrible pandemic that’s caused so much suffering is that it’s like a wake-up call, because we brought this pandemic on ourselves by our absolute disrespect both of nature and of animals.

It’s become clear to many people that we need a new relationship with nature and animals because we are part of the natural world. We may think we are separate from it, and we can live without it, but we cannot. Unlimited growth in a limited world? We cannot expect to have unlimited economic development and only care for GDP on a planet with finite natural resources. In some places, they are being used up faster than nature can replenish them. Dr. Jane Goodall, the icon? This whole iconic thing. It still puzzles me because, quite honestly, inside myself, I am just me. I am the same me. I’m sitting in the house now where I grew up, behind me are some of the books I read as a child and the picture of the dog who taught me so much about animals, Rusty. You mentioned that your mother had played a key role in your life. What can you share about her? I have this wonderful mother who supported me. She gave me the right advice. If you meet with people you disagree with, listen to them, talk to them. Maybe they have got some points that you have never thought of, maybe it is you who is wrong, not them. And you know, she gave me all this kind of wise advice, a wonderful family, even this house where I grew up.

A tribute to my father is to have really good, strong genes. So, you know, I don’t get sick. So I can go all day without eating. It doesn’t bother me, and he was just the same. I always admire your energy to travel 300 days non-stop (pre-pandemic). Would you like to share your secret with us? The closer I get to the end, the more I have to do, and the less time I have to do it. So, you know, it is just sheer pigheadedness. My body is very kind to me, and I give thanks for that. I don’t take it for granted. I’m very grateful to the genes I was given and all the other things that are partly genetic and partly my upbringing and my wonderful family. w

Alexis Issaharoff is the CEO of Antah Solar. He specializes in renewable energy, sustainability, and the environment.

It’s desperately important to move away from fossil fuels into renewable energy

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH | PHOTO DU MOIS

sn’t diplomacy as much about what you choose to display (and how much) as it is about what you choose to keep behind closed doors?

What is more revealing: what goes on record or what is left out?

Isn’t a skilled negotiator able to have a global vision of what is going on, keeping mindful of the fact that our perception of reality is fragmentary, and that any issue ought to be looked at from various angles? w

IAntoine Tardy *

Antoine Tardy is a freelance photographer based in Geneva (antoinetardy.com / Instagram: @antoinetardyphoto).

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he Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is over 40 years old.

How do you assess its overall impact on women’s rights?

With 189 member states, the CEDAW has clearly had a global impact, above all for the women in each State Party. This Convention is largely an

offspring of the feminist movements of the 1970s, and it has led to a fundamental rethinking of the basic conception of human rights by recognizing the other half of humanity as bearers of full rights in civil, political, economic, cultural, economic and all other social spheres. At the same time, there has been considerable patriarchal pushback to the expansion of human rights in every region of the globe that needs to be continuously dismantled.

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The CEDAW Chairperson at the opening of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), New York, March 2021

Gladys Acosta Vargas, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, shares the latest developments

Laura Johnson *

Progress on eliminating discrimination against women

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The 1970s into the 1980s proved to be one of the most fertile periods for introducing a gender analysis in every area of human rights. With the CEDAW in place, no UN human rights convention can leave out a gender focus any longer. This has been a conceptual development nurtured by a living movement that continues to evolve in the present day. The legal orders at the constitutional level have registered substantial improvement in the everyday application of justice, even if this application has still been not fully consolidated. In this regard, the Optional Protocol (114 ratifications) has been an important tool in addressing individual cases and conducting investigations when State Parties fail to protect women from discrimination.

Effective implementation of the Convention at the institutional level is, of course, a complex and unfolding process which necessitates sustained social movements in order to demand that states fully reform their policies and practices regarding gender discrimination. Women and men alike are today more conscious of women’s human rights and it is clear that the CEDAW has played a role in this consciousness-raising.

In which areas more efforts are needed to end grave violations of women’s rights?

In the first place, women need to continue making advances in the political sphere, gaining greater access to the upper echelons of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the state. Persistent patriarchal relations of power need to be continually challenged and transformed, and this is necessary not only in the state, including the military, but also in the private sector, political parties, labor and social organizations. Greater emphasis has to be placed on eliminating the tolerance of any form of gender violence, above all in law enforcement communities. At the same time, globalized economic conditions have resulted in diverse forms of violence against women and their bodies that likewise must be confronted. Ironically, gender violence actually grows as women’s rights become recognized, revealing the link between resistance and patriarchal violence.

The protection of sexual and reproductive rights need to be continually incorporated in the legal agenda and in everyday conduct, backed by health systems that respect women’s rights in the public and private arenas. These are rights which form the deepest basis of individual autonomy which, as part of the intimate sphere, are among the most difficult to change. It is important to understand that many of these rights have been especially denied to indigenous women, who additionally defend their bodies and their territories as an integral, cultural struggle for planetary survival. It is in response to the initiative of indigenous women’s organizations that the CEDAW Committee has accepted the challenge to interpret the rights mandated by the Convention through an “indigenous lens” by formulation of the upcoming General Recommendation on the Rights of Indigenous Women and Girls.

What motivates you on a personal level to fight for women’s rights?

I have personally lived and directly experienced some of the adverse consequences of patriarchal oppression. This is what convinced me that collective resistance and action is the only way to overcome it. w

Laura Johnson is a UNOG Translator and a Member of the Staff Coordinating Council.

Women need to continue making advances in the political sphere

No UN human rights convention can leave out a gender focus any longer

Achieving equality is one objective of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

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y human rights journey began years before I had the words to explain it. Growing up in council housing in Scotland, I subscribed

early on the idea that ending harm in the community is best achieved through a commitment to providing housing, food, employment, free education and health care to those most in need.

Since then, as a lawyer, I’ve spent time in prisons, jails and detention centers, from death rows in the Deep South of the United States, to prisons housing international convicts in East and West Africa. Over time, my view has solidified that pursuing complex assignments typically leads us to stretch in new directions as professionals and as individuals.

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From working in Tanzania to the occupied Palestinian territory, Philippa Greer shares her journey into the field

Philippa Greer *

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This is my seventh year of service as a UN staff member. From postings in Tanzania, Cambodia, New York and currently the occupied Palestinian territories, to official missions to Mali, Benin, Senegal, Somalia, Thailand and the Netherlands, I have often returned to the above guiding words of the eighth United Nations Secretary-General in times of doubt during my international legal career.

Undoubtedly, I have departed each of my duty stations as a much stronger individual than when I first disembarked the plane. As cliché as it may sound, intuitively, we all prefer to seek comfort rather than discomfort. Yet, I have experienced many calls to action throughout my career which have led me to continue working in the international arena.

I have now seen the inside of the courtrooms in which those most responsible for the genocide in Rwanda against the Tutsi ethnic group and the war crimes that took place during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s were convicted by UN ad hoc international criminal tribunals. I have seen the blue helmets and bomb shelters covered with sporadic wildflowers on mission in Somalia.

I have witnessed Buddhist monks enrobed in saffron awaiting the judgment of the UN-backed Cambodian court mandated to bring to justice those most responsible for the Khmer Rouge atrocities. Most recently, working in the occupied Palestinian territories as an outsider, I have seen life for Palestinians under occupation, as well as the violence which led to hundreds of fatalities and thousands of people being displaced in May 2021.

I recognize how fortunate we are to avail ourselves of the relative safety and security brought by our status as UN personnel. Meeting the beneficiaries and affected populations the UN serves and, to a certain extent, colleagues in the non-profit world living under difficult conditions, I always take stock of the immense privilege that comes with being an international civil servant working in the field for the UN.

In turn, I have also become, almost by way of attrition, a firm believer in the need to practice resting, expanding, living in the present whenever possible and embracing healing. Over time, I have learned how to maintain a sustainable work-life balance, which I consider to be crucial to long-term public service, particularly in the field.

While I, like many of my female peers in particular, have had my fair share of negative experiences in the field, I have constantly worked on learning how to better nurture myself and my peers to enhance our collective impact. When we dare to nurture ourselves, exist unapologetically, and defy all forms of doubt we often face as females operating in the field, we realize our full potential as female changemakers. Solidarity is power.

I have been fortunate to work around the world for the UN, including in uncertain security situations. It is true that in the field, we often assume huge responsibilities quickly and must act without hesitation under immense pressure, yet it is through these very experiences that we typically grow exponentially as both as professionals and individuals.

I would encourage all those, and particularly women, who feel a call to action in their work to take their steps along the rocky road and to trust their abilities and strength as changemakers. Working within power structures that were not set up for us to thrive, you will feel all the more humbled for it, while perhaps also learning a lot about yourself as both a human being and a woman along the way.

Maasai singing at the opening ceremony of the UNIRMCT’s new court building and premises in Arusha, Tanzania, 2016

My human rights journey began years before I had the words to explain it

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Most importantly, while I am currently a UN staff member, I do not view my work at the UN as falling within a silo in my international legal career. Rather, I have been fortunate to gain rich experiences working outside of the UN system which have shaped my passion for international legal work and led me to take my first steps along the rocky road.

Graduating law school in Scotland with First Class Honours, like many, I had towering ideas about how to change the world. I traveled to Sri Lanka to volunteer in the pursuit of human rights, in a country where the mass atrocities in the North remained overlooked by the citizens in the South. After subsequently pursuing a postgraduate legal program back in Scotland, I later departed alone to provide legal assistance to clients on death row in the Deep South of the US.

The first time I visited death row, I was not expecting to meet with someone who had been there for as long as I had been alive. Such experiences cemented my passion for and moral commitment to human rights advocacy, whilst contributing to a deeper recognition of my own identity as an advocate, operating farfrom the legal system from which I had come.

I later volunteered at a legal office in rural Alabama in a building that was formerly a slave market, where people were bought and sold, families ripped apart. The organization I was briefly volunteering at went on to set up the first national lynching museum and memorial in the United States.

It was through experiences like these that I followed the evolution of US-based advocacy anchored in the need for national truth and reconciliation processes

around racism. I had never known the law like this before. These experiences also led me to the heart of the South Bronx and Manhattan, where I was absorbed by the energy and talents of politically active young lawyers.

I had taken myself upon a path beyond the boundaries of my own world. I also traveled independently to Pakistan to volunteer in a human rights office, where I was humbled by powerful female human rights defenders who compromised their own personal safety in pursuit of a more just world. As I continued my work in the US at an international NGO, I deepened my understanding of my identity as a female human rights advocate.

I thus continued my journey along the rocky road, learning more about the law and myself. Prior to joining the UN, I clerked at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, next to the grounds of a former apartheid era prison. Here I learned through judges, through the words contained in the Court’s judgments, through peers and friends, that how a society deals with the truth after its telling in part defines the ability of those harmed by atrocities to heal.

These experiences collectively constitute my first steps along the rocky road. As a first generation graduate, human rights lawyer and now international civil servant, I feel a deep sense of pride, honor and responsibility to work in the service of others. While those working in the field, including at the UN, undoubtedly make personal sacrifices in leaving their home countries, working under challenging conditions away from loved ones, our horizons no doubt broaden in this field of work. So too does our understanding of our shared humanity and of ourselves. After all, we do not become humanitarians by accident. w

The views expressed herein are those of the author alone and do not reflect the views of the United Nations.

Philippa Greer is a Legal Officer at the United Nations.

Meeting with students in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia, during a UNAKRT/ECCC outreach mission, 2018

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n sanglots, la tête posée sur mon bureau installé sous une tente en plein désert, un demandeur d’asile me raconte avoir perdu toute sa famille pendant la guerre

civile qui a ravagé son pays. Joseph a été tellement traumatisé par les violences qu’il a subies durant la guerre et sur la route de l’exil qu’il me confie avoir voulu mettre fin à ses jours. Vous pouvez bien vous imaginer que devant une telle détresse, ma formation juridique ne m’était d’aucune utilité! À cet instant précis,

pour faire mon travail objectivement et déterminer si oui ou non Joseph devait bénéficier de la protection internationale en tant que réfugié, n’était-il pas plus approprié de faire preuve d’humanisme et d’intelligence émotionnelle,de reconnaître sa souffrance et sa dignité ? Concilier l’humanisme inhérent à notre mandat avec les exigences de mes fonctions était pour moi une évidence. Cet événement m’a amenée à me demander comment ma façon de m’acquitter de ma mission pouvait m’aider à atteindre les résultats escomptés. Plus tard, je me suis aperçue qu’il y avait un dénominateur commun entre mon expérience juridique antérieure de la détermination du statut de réfugiés et mes fonctions au Bureau de l’ombudsman : pour offrir un service de de qualité, je devais reconnaître la dignité de chacun tout en maintenant mon objectivité et ma rationalité. Lors de ma première mission humanitaire au service des Nations Unies, je me suis rendue compte que ma motivation principale en intégrant les Nations Unies n’était pas forcément de sauver le monde, mais d’apporter mon aide et mon soutien par petites touches, une personne à la fois, une conversation à la fois. Je crois que chacun et chacune a la faculté de puiser dans sa force intérieure pour surmonter les évènements douloureux de la vie et se reconstruire même quand tout paraît sans issue. Cette capacité m’a toujours fascinée, et j’ai tout naturellement placé la dignité humaine et le pouvoir personnel au centre de mon engagement professionnel et humain en faveur d’un monde plus digne et plus juste. Notre organisation prône les valeurs d’égalité, de dignité, d’inclusion et de justice. Mais réfléchissons-nous suffisamment à l’application concrète de ces concepts au quotidien ? Comment parler de dignité, alors même qu’au sein-même de notre organisation des collègues font preuve

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Saadia Benmakhlouf *

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d’incivilité et se comportent d’une façon inacceptable, en contradiction avec la déontologie propre à leur statut de fonctionnaires des Nations Unies? N’est-il pas de notre devoir d’aligner notre comportement individuel sur les nobles idéaux de l’Organisation? Pour ma part, j’ai toujours traduit ces notions dans mon quotidien à travers des gestes simples, mais importants. J’ai réalisé que chaque fois que je prenais le temps d’accueillir des demandeurs d’asile avec un sourire, un mot bienveillant et un profond respect au lieu de les considérer comme de simples chiffres et quotas, je leur rendais un petit bout de leur dignité perdue. Leur offrir un mouchoir pour sécher leurs larmes ou leur donner quelque chose à manger pour soulager leur faim, leur rappeler combien ils étaient forts, eux qui se tenaient encore debout après toutes les épreuves traversées, telle était ma manière de les connecter avec leur force intérieure alors qu’ils ne croyaient plus en leurs capacités et se sentaient brisés par ce qu’ils avaient vécu. En prenant soin de conduire un entretien dans les meilleures conditions possible, de les traiter d’égal à égal, de reconnaître leurs parcours de vie, leurs joies et leurs souffrances, je leur rappelais à quel point ils comptaient.

Lorsque mes collègues au bureau du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCR) au Maroc m’ont élue Conseillère pour le respect dans le domaine professionnel, j’ai saisi encore plus l’importance d’être pleinement présente pour les autres, de leur offrir une écoute active dépourvue de tout jugement et de leur donner à voir l’éventail des possibilités qui s’offraient à eux quand ils ne voyaient plus clair. Ma carrière a alors pris un tournant décisif en évoluant vers la gestion des conflits. J’ai bénéficié de plusieurs formations fascinantes sur différentes thématiques telles que la communication non violente, la gestion informelle des conflits et la médiation, dispensées par le Bureau de l’Ombudsman. J’ai porté une “double casquette”,

en continuant à faire mon travail de juriste tout en soutenant ceux de mes collègues qui traversaient des difficultés dans le contexte professionnel. Je me suis employée de toutes mes forces à rendre mon bureau plus harmonieux et à faire profiter mes collègues de mes connaissances et de mon savoir-faire en matière de gestion des conflits. Pendant nos discussions confidentielles, je les écoutais attentivement et leur donnais la possibilité de parler à cœur ouvert de leurs préoccupations. Ensemble, nous trouvions des solutions qui leur redonnaient foi, restauraient leur confiance et les aidaient à poursuivre. Mon intérêt pour la résolution informelle des conflits ne cessait de croître, et c’est ainsi que j’ai été recrutée au bureau de l’Ombudsman du HCR à Genève. J’y suis restée trois années, qui furent riches en apprentissages, à soutenir des collègues de différentes régions du monde et à travailler sur des questions fondamentales telles que la résolution informelle des conflits en milieu professionnel ou la promotion de l’harmonie dans les bureaux du HCR. Je travaille aujourd’hui au Bureau de l’Ombudsman et des services de médiation des Nations Unies à Genève, où je souhaite mettre mon humble expérience et mes connaissances au service de mes collègue.

Revenons maintenant à l’histoire de cet homme qui m’avait si fortement marquée il y a plus de dix ans. Joseph a réussi à obtenir le statut de réfugié, à se reconstruire après un suivi psychologique approfondi, et à retrouver peu à peu goût à la vie. Il est devenu un modèle de résilience et une source d’inspiration pour les jeunes réfugiés. C’est aujourd’hui un artiste accompli, qui a renoué avec sa force intérieure et sa dignité d’être humain. w

Saadia Benmakhlouf est responsable de la résolution des conflits au Bureau de l’Ombudsman et des services de médiation à Genève.

N’est-ce pas notre devoir de réconcilier nos comportements individuels avec les idéaux nobles de l’organisation?

La dignité sur le lieu du travail: une des valeurs que promeut le Bureau de l’ombudsman

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aniel Johnson and Solange Behoteguy-Cortes, Producer and Commentator of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, are

the team behind a successful series that has now reached its 50th podcast. How did you come up with the concept for this podcast?

Daniel: Well, I’ve always been a fan of radio and podcasts. As part of UN News from Geneva, I provide written and daily audio content to New York on all subjects, conferences, and news events that happen in Geneva. A few years ago, while covering Syria talks, we did a survey on who was listening and saw that our material could be used by media that can’t afford to send someone to Geneva for a single conference. I’d been trying to do a podcast that added to the idea of engaging more listeners. By late 2020, luckily, I’d met Solange. We had put out some stories on UN News together and she’d already told me about some amazing stories from Bolivia, her home. She was so enthusiastic, I

knew her passion could drive this forward. You can’t do these things on your own, it’s a big undertaking. So, I called her up on my way home in the car late one night, just thinking “we’ve got to get it going”, and I asked her if she was up for it.

Solange: Well, first I told him, “You’re crazy, with my English?” And he said, yes, I’m crazy, and I said, “Oh, me too, let’s do it.” But it was really late that night, and it was for the next day!

From the outset, the podcast opened with headline news, then an in-depth interview and closing commentary. What goes into preparing your podcast?

Daniel: Importantly, we don’t start from scratch, especially for the headlines. My daily UN News audio bulletins cover UN-focused work and have audio content from the agency spokespeople that provide regular briefings at the Palais des Nations. With so many press conferences, we have strong testimonies from spokespeople who have been in the field or have colleagues who’ve just returned from the field, from the UN refugee agency, the World Health Organization and others. They know the Geneva press corps and how to talk to the media. I can take their audio to spice up the podcast and give it a sense of authenticity.

There are so many UN agencies in Geneva and very good spokespeople who know how to tell a story. The interview topic is often something we’re covering at UN News, from the Ethiopia situation, Yemen, the crisis in Afghanistan, to the Sahel and the links to the climate crisis and, of course, COVID-19, all mainstream topics. Or more specialized, like global supply chains and transport which might not catch people’s attention, until you get a cargo ship wedged in the Suez Canal that’s contributing to a world-wide crisis for online purchases. Luckily, we have UNCTAD experts to interview, as we did on the Ever Given supertanken, and they can explain why it’s important and how the UN is trying to recommend solutions.

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Behind the success of UN Catch-Up Dateline Geneva, which just recently reached its 50th editionMaritza Ascencios *

Two colleagues and their podcast

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After the news angle, Solange provides a point of view, with an original interpretation of the interview to tie in poems and authors with the work of humanitarians and others. Her imagination is limitless!

Solange: It’s a very good, human experience, and we also have fun. Sometimes my inspiration comes from a quote the interview, other times from the subject itself. For instance, talking about refugees, I went straight to Eduardo Galeano’s poem, The Nobodies. Besides my literature background, I do research, of course, such as for Daniel’s interview on Little Amal. I came across a theatre piece, The Jungle, on the refugee camp in Calais. The research is fascinating, because I also learn. There’s so much material! We try to link humanitarian issues with literature and go a bit beyond, to bring more of a human touch.

Daniel: The human story is what matters most. And, trying to show how the UN is helping, how the Sustainable Development Goals help people in a practical way, what the Human Rights Council’s recommendations are… Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming, says, “statistics are human beings with the tears dried off.”

Any interview or commentary that stand out for you?

Solange: That’s difficult, because they are so different, even when we repeat topics. I like introducing Frankenstein because I love Mary Shelley! When we discussed refugees and that they deserved COVID vaccines, I talked about the Frankenstein monster as an incarnation of prejudices, beliefs, myths, and fears that persist to today about new technologies and science, especially those concerning life. People fear they may create a new monster, and antivaxxers have existed since the first vaccine was created for smallpox.

Daniel: Perhaps my favourite was interviewing Vieux Farka Touré, a musical superstar from Mali. I was worried about the connection, the sound levels, and that the signal wouldn’t break. He played his guitar for us. His A Song for the Sahel is for a campaign for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to raise awareness about the millions of people affected by insecurity, extremism and climate change. His message appealed directly to youth, not to take money, not to take up weapons, there was

another way. Hearing this from him has so much more power than coming sometimes from the UN.

Solange: I would add that for his interview, I didn’t need to find a poem. The words were already there, in his lyrics, because he’s also a poet.

What goes into putting it all together, the production and sending it out?

Daniel: Everything starts on the previous Friday, as I try lining up an interview for the Monday. Then I talk to Inès Alfaro (our intern until 17 December), who keeps us on track with planning and supports dissemination. We’ll do some research on the topic and on the speakers, to get a sense of how well they speak. On Monday, I do the interview at midday and send the raw audio to Solange, so she can get a head start. On Tuesday, I edit that audio and, on Wednesday, we record the wrap with Solange at 11 a.m. In between, Solange and I exchange ideas on the wrap, then I do the outro – the signing off for the podcast. After that I edit the interview down to 8–9 minutes, and add the news on Thursday, to get the very latest. Then I add the music bed and patch it to New York in the evening. I can’t get this out of my head, (ums) “Do do do do do do, do do do do do do.”

Solange: You have to write that!

Daniel: On the UN News platform alone, by December 2021, the episodes of the UN Catch-Up Dateline Geneva podcast had more than 600,000 plays. UN News use distribution network, everything from national radio stations, to universities and individuals. We’re also on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, SoundCloud and the European Broadcasting Union audio exchange, and on social media posts with promotional videos and gifs created by Inès. Specialist platforms, like Relief Web and Protection Web, thank us for the podcast which often covers topics they promote.

Any closing words?

Daniel: In January 2021, Solange introduced us to the longest Aymara word, at 36 letters and 24 syllables: Aruskipt’asipxañanakasakipunirakispawa. I loved hearing this, it means: “We are compelled to communicate.” That’s what we are trying to do, explain the positive work of the UN and the human stories behind this. w

Maritza Ascencios is an editor at UNCTAD. She has worked in communications and advocacy at UNICEF and UNDP.

DIPLOMACY | DIPLOMATIE

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ermany’s recently elected government has shown a commitment to implementing gender equality. A gender-balanced cabinet

and female Foreign Minister send strong signals of this commitment. Additionally, for the first time the German Permanent Missions to Geneva and New York are led by women ambassadors.

Please tell us briefly about your career, why you joined the diplomatic service, and how you were appointed to your current position as Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN?

I started my career as a lawyer in an international law firm and have worked in national and international politics for the last 15 years Among my key priorities at my last posting in Berlin as Chief of Staff and Head of the Foreign Minister’s Officer, were shaping the Alliance of Multilateralism, membership in the UN

Security Council, and combating hate speech. Multilateralism needs to be at the heart of our policies: we can only tackle the challenges of our time together. Therefore, I am thankful that I was posted to Geneva, the heart of multilateralism.

Germany has its first gender-equal cabinet. Does the German Permanent Mission to Geneva have any goals relating to gender equality?

Foreign policy can only be successful if the particular situation of women and children, as well as gender issues, are adequately taken into account. In line with our feminist foreign policy we want to strengthen rights, resources and representation of women and girls worldwide, and enhance diversity.

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by violent conflict. In addition, the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and created new ones. We have also seen a rise in domestic violence.

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Minister Mass (left) and Ambassador Stasch (right), inaugurating the “Women, Peace and Security College”at the German Foreign Service Academy

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Germany’s Permanent Representative Katharina Stasch on her career and the importance of empowering women

Max Kunte *

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We owe it to the girls and women of this world to not give up, but to accelerate action and step up our efforts. This is why, here in Geneva, we will always take gender issues into account when it comes to our humanitarian aid and human rights projects. However, and very importantly, women and girls are not victims, they are key when it comes to building a better future. We know that lasting peace becomes significantly more likely when women are part of peace processes. We therefore need to consistently involve women in peacebuilding processes around the world.

We advocate for gender equality in the Human Rights Council, and beyond, and we support OHCHR’s related work. As Vice-President of the Human Rights Council (currently as the only woman in this position) I have also joined the “Gender Champions” initiative. In line with our Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, we are committed to mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment in all organizations here in Geneva.

In what ways has the political and diplomatic field changed in relation to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion since you started working?

About ten years ago, when I had first become Chief of Staff, I was recruiting the head of one of the sections within the ministry. I was given many names, none of them female. When I enquired why, the answer was: “Ah no, she cannot do it, she has children.” This is specific for all women, who have to work harder for the same recognition. Too often women do not get considered in the recruitment process, because others assume – for example - that a successful career is not compatible with being a mother. I strongly believe that everybody should choose for themselves how much time to spend with their family and on their career, but we should give everybody a chance and not decide for others. We also need to ensure that career and family are compatible, for men and women. And, by the way, I did find a woman for that job and she was brilliant.

Last year, we opened a portrait gallery in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, picturing women who had been the first in their jobs. But there are also plain mirrors for every embassy that had never been led by a woman. And there were – and still are – too many mirrors. In 151 years of history of the diplomatic service I had only become the sixth woman to lead one of the major embassies.

Change is often incremental. 2021 marked the first time that both the Permanent Missions in Geneva and in New York were led by female ambassadors. This might be a small step, but an important one. There is still a long way to go. I am proud that with former Foreign Minister Heiko Maas a process of reflection has started, laying the foundations for more gender equality, and that we are now implementing a feminist foreign policy with the new Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, also the first woman in this position. How can we credibly advocate for more gender equality when we ourselves don’t live up to it?

How has your previous work as a lawyer and in German politics influenced the way in which you currently approach your work at the United Nations?

Working in German politics and as a lawyer has taught me two things. Firstly, to be focused on what really matters. What matters in Geneva is: we need to build a new global health architecture to be better prepared and to fight the pandemic. International solidarity is key. A strong WHO is key. This is why Germany became the biggest donor of the WHO, contributing 2.2 billion Euros to COVAX and the Act-Accelerator so far.

What really matters is a strong Human Rights Council which speaks up to dire human rights situations and strives to further develop the notion of human rights in our time. That is why we were, together with partners, working towards the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environmentin the Human Rights Council. This is why we led the resolution on the right to privacy in a digital world. And this is why we always want to bring in the gender perspective of human rights. And what really matters here in Geneva is the fight against antisemitism and racism.

Secondly, working in German politics has also taught me to be pragmatic. It’s not great words that count, but every single step – often heavily fought for – to change reality. Even if it is a small step. I am deeply convinced that we can only fight the global challenges of today together. Multilateralism and a strong United Nations are needed more than ever. w

Max Kunte is a student in Political Sciences, Leiden University, The Hague.

UN MEMORIES | MÉMOIRES DE L’ONU

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nly animals were not expelled from Paradise My first UN job was as a Junior Professional Officer with UNDP in Lesotho (1976-78). The

Assistant Representative was telling me stories about his previous post in Somalia, how he was expelled for spying because he had been seen fishing off the coast near a sensitive area. One of the previous Resident Representatives had suffered the same fate a couple of years earlier. At the time I just listened with interest, but couldn’t guess that at my first post with UNHCR a couple of years later it would happen to me, too.

These expulsions must be set in the political context of the late seventies and early eighties. In the late seventies a civil war, the Ogaden war, raged in the Eastern part of Ethiopia. In this conflict, Oromos and ethnic Somalis battled for independence from Ethiopia. The Russians supplied arms to both parties until they decided to change tack and only support the central government.

This decision put a quick end to the war, but in its wake a flow of refugees fled into Somalia. Somalia, at the time, made no secret of their claim

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Expelled by the nomads. Souvenirs from Somalia

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of “irridentism.” A five-spiked star on their flag depicted the five territories in Ethiopia that should be the spikes of their star. According to government figures, some 700,000 refugees arrived and were settled in 35 camps all along the border. UNHCR intervened thriftily to help them. Starting out with only two international staff, the Representative and myself, newly recruited in UNHCR, we did what we could. However, this crisis, so dramatic and all-absorbing to us, coincided with the much bigger crisis in Southeast Asia, politically more sensitive and attracting far more donors.

Meanwhile, the Russians, who used to have a big presence in Somalia, left. The Americans took the vacant seats, but the legacy of the Russian secret service mentality lingered on. UN staff in Mogadishu were followed at night, our offices surveyed closely. The Somali intelligence department sneaked into the UNHCR office and stole refugee files. They singled out the few Amhara refugees, because for the Somali government they personified the Ethiopian enemy. The Amharas could not be protected in Somalia, so UNHCR tried to get them out of the country for resettlement and scholarships abroad. Therefore, the UNHCR was accused of giving the Amharas preferential treatment over the mass of ethnic Somali Ethiopian refugees, which, in a way, was true.

Letters are among the most significant memorials a person can haveIn mid-1980 a government letter arrived in the office requesting me to leave the country, without giving specific reasons or a timeline. I was declared persona non grata. My boss went to see the Vice-President of Somalia and managed to have the persona non grata (PNG) order withdrawn. I could stay as long as UNHCR considered necessary. Two months later, a much stronger letter arrived repeating that I should leave ASAP. This letter

accused me of selling medicines destined for the refugees, and of organising orgies in our garden! Again, our Representative, a new one, went to see the government, this time the President, Syad Barre, himself. One more time, the letter was declared null and void. These letters pointed to disaccords within the government. Part of the government supported UNHCR, another part accused us of all sorts of things.

But all in all this had become practically, diplomatically, and psychologically untenable. For my family it led to a growing, unexplainable isolation. Tired of the ping-pong game, UNHCR considered it was time for me to leave, not without asking the Representative to investigate the accusations against me. My departure was scheduled for November, and a few frightening developments occurred before we left. ‘Friends’ of the French and US embassies suddenly didn’t know me anymore, even those we had been quite close to. Their relationship with the government on which their careers depended, mattered most.

Also, one evening the secret service came to our house and wanted to take me to their HQ for questioning. Luckily, a true friend from an NGO happened to stop by and talked them out of taking me with them to their office while my wife slipped inside to stay with the children.

On the day of our departure, already sitting in the airplane, my name was broadcast on the intercom. Was I to leave the plane and let my family go? It turned out that the same friend had come to say goodbye, had not been allowed to come on board, and had given a hastily written note to the pilot. Once in the air I happened to look in my UN laissez-passer and found that a big stamp had been put in it, declaring me persona non grata in Somalia. My laissez-passer was later sent back to Mogadishu, where the Representative had the stamp cancelled.

A couple of months later – then assigned to Headquarters - I was asked to go on mission to Somalia. A visa request was duly submitted, and - no surprise - rejected. After me, at least two other officers have been declared PNG for similar fake reasons. The splits in the government ultimately led to the civil war which later erupted and has since sadly never ended. w

A group of new refugees with their meagre possessionsJiddo van Drunen is a former UNHCR staff member. Member of Greycells.

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LEISURE | LOISIRS

ngelberg-Titlis is the largest winter and summer holiday destination in the Alps of Central Switzerland. While famous for its historical landmark, the monastery, the

quaint little village also offers a wide variety of holiday activities for families, visitors and locals alike. We invite you to discover the region for an authentic experience in the heart of Switzerland.

The town of Engelberg is located in a valley just a few kilometers south of Lake Lucerne. At an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level, it is the ideal starting point for a great variety of winter activities.

Standing 3,239 meters high, Mount Titlis, together with its majestic glacier, overshadows the alpine

panorama. At this altitude, the ski conditions are ideal far into the spring season, making the region an attractive spot for snow sports fans. In fact, only a handful of ski regions can compete with Engelberg and its great variety of ski and free-ride options.

Engelberg is to be said the biggest — and as locals like to brag — presumably also the most beautiful winter sports area in central Switzerland. Spread over an elevation of 2,000 meters, there is space for snowboarding, skiing, sledding, and lots more…a great variety of winter activities to make your vacation worthwhile. There are three sledding runs with a total length of seven kilometers. You can simply rent your sledge on site, then dive right into this action-packed activity, which is fun for both

Explore the beauty of the Engelberg-Titlis regionNick Turnell *

Authenticity in Central Switzerland

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young and old. On Fridays and Saturdays, the toboggan courses are also open in the evening for a quick run.

For fans of endurance training or simply nature lovers, Engelberg has the ideal activity with 35 kilometers of cross-country runs. Another popular winter activity is Nordic walking, long distance fitness with the aid of long walking sticks resembling ski poles. Or, how about surprising your partner with a romantic getaway?

Imagine treating your loved one with an unforgettable ride in a horse-drawn carriage: warm blankets and the gentle swaying motion, all while gliding through the exceptional wintry backdrop, nestled within the snowcapped mountains of the Swiss Alps.

And, for the historians and culturally invested, Engelberg is not only a well known resort, but a winter heaven. The town offers such an assortment of activities that visitors often choose to extend their stay to fully embrace this alpine gem.

Engelberg enchants with a distinct and rustic character, and the Benedictine monastery, founded in 1120, still exerts a great impact on the life of the village. Monks live, work, and teach here. The homes — characterized by the Belle Epoque style — are timeless witnesses of that period. In combination with the unmistakably pleasant Swiss flair, the recognizable architecture lends the village its very own charm.

And for snow lovers wanting to embrace the beautiful winter wonderland as unhurriedly as possible, the region has another ace up its sleeve, over 50 kilometers of signposted winter hiking trails just waiting to be explored. If you’re looking to escape the grey of everyday life to find enchantment on the snow-covered mountains of Central Switzerland, then Engelberg offers an array of options that will suit any level of activity, whether action-packed or relaxing, but all of which are sure to delight you. w

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LEISURE | LOISIRS

he is from Canada, he from Switzerland. They live in Bern and have been collecting contemporary art from the inhabitants

of the Arctic Circle for three decades now. The Museum Cerny: the cause. The constant global travel, sharing the interpretation, inspiration behind the pieces, the production process and the link to Climate Change: the consequence.

How would you define the beginning of this passion that led you today to have not only the museum, but also the collection of circumpolar indigenous art with more than 1,500 sculptures?

Admiration for peoples with a holistic understanding of our planet, living under

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Martha and Peter Cerny: an art collector and an art curator committed to passing the message of climate change through the inspiration of the indigenous peoples

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such harsh conditions while at the same time having such rich cultures with transformations, metamorphosis and shamanism, also for their artistic talent and interpretations of their chosen themes.

Who are the main indigenous peoples from which the collection is inspired?

The art focusing on climate change, environmental pollution, biodiversity and social issues is mainly from the Inuit living in Canada. Works dealing with cultural identity by artists in other Arctic areas, such as Greenland, Alaska and Siberia are also found in the collection.

What is the link between the artistic expression of these indigenous people and the challenge of climate change we are facing today?

Earlier, the artwork made by Inuit artists in Canada dealt with themes such as traditional life, family, hunting, animals and spirits. In the past (more than) 10 years, we have recognized the

artists addressing their challenges with their surroundings, both environmental and social, which have been brought to them by outsiders, jet streams and water currents.

The collection has been constantly displayed around the world. What exhibitions outside of Bern do you soon plan to show?

Yes, we have moved on from collecting to providing a platform at the museum for these talented artists from whom we have so much to learn. We are loaning pieces to the Musée cantonal d’archéologie et d’histoire in Lausanne for their upcoming exhibition. In December, we are planning an exhibition at the National Museum in Liechtenstein. Presently, we have pieces on loan to the Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto and Quamajuq at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Winnipeg, Canada. w

Manhole Hunter, Jesse Tungilik. Iqaluit, Nunavut (Canada, 2009)

Pollution / Seal caught in an Oil Drum, Bill Nasogaluak. Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories (Canada 2009)

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Julián Ginzo is the Editorial Coordinator of UN Today.

We have moved on from collecting to providing a platform for thesetalented artists

In December, we are planning an exhibition at the National Museum in Liechtenstein

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CULTURE | CULTURE

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n regard féminin sur GenèveL’espace public de la ville est dominé par des bustes et des plaques en hommage à des personnalités. Mais voilà qu’en 2019,

un constat dérangeant est établi par l’association féministe l’Escouade : seulement 7 % des personnes ayant donné leur nom à une rue sont des femmes ! Pourtant, le critère guidant le choix des noms attribués aux rues est qu’il doit s’agir de personnalités ayant marqué l’histoire de Genève de manière pérenne. Seuls les hommes auraient donc contribué au destin de la ville ? Afin de remettre les pendules à l’heure, le projet 100Elles est né en renommant temporairement 100 rues et places d’après des femmes - et depuis août 2020, dix ont été pérennisées par le Canton de Genève. Suivez la guide au coeur de la cité pour porter un regard féminin sur la ville et découvrez des femmes qui ont joué un rôle essentiel dans le fonctionnement de la société et ont contribué à l’essor de Genève.

Les bords du Rhône - La lessive : corvée de femmesJusqu’à l’arrivée des appareils ménagers au début du 20ème siècle, la lessive est considérée comme la tâche ménagère la plus lourde et la plus pénible, surtout la grande lessive qui pouvait durer une semaine. Les femmes lavent le linge du foyer ou le confient à des professionnelles appelées blanchisseuses ou lavandières, qui travaillent du matin au soir pour un maigre salaire. Dès 1691, cette tâche doit être effectuée au bord des cours d’eau ou sur des bateaux-lavoirs amarrés aux quais.

Mais voilà que le 1er août 1913, un bateau-lavoir du quai du Seujet coule subitement avec cinq femmes en train de laver du linge. Deux blanchisseuses de 21 et 73 ans et une ménagère de 28 ans se noient. Trois personnes sont inculpées, dont le propriétaire et le gérant. Mais alors que l’affaire est proprement enterrée par la justice elle devient un enjeu

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Catherine Hubert Girod *

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politique qui amène à la construction d’un lavoir municipal aux Pâquis. Et l’ancienne rue de la Pisciculture qui descend au quai du Seujet a été renommée rue des Trois-Blanchisseuses, face à la Promenade des Lavandières sur l’Île.

Pont de la Machine - Les nouveaux secteurs économiques s’ouvrent aux femmesLa plaque rose à l’extrémité du pont de la Machine, sur la rive gauche, est dédiée aux ouvrières. Elle ne fait pas partie des changements de noms officiellement approuvés mais nous rappelle que pendant longtemps, la contribution économique des femmes travaillant dans les boutiques, sur les marchés, sur les bateaux-lavoirs ou encore dans leurs foyers a longtemps été sous-estimée voire ignorée. Il faut attendre l’arrivée de nouvelles industries après la Réforme en 1536 pour que les femmes commencent à travailler dans les nouvelles manufactures d’indiennes (impression de coton), dont la plus grande se situe au quai des Bergues (en face), et à investir l’ensemble des professions liées à l’horlogerie et à la bijouterie.

Les Genevoises se spécialisent dans la fabrication de chaînettes et d’aiguilles, dans la pose de dorure et dans le réglage des montres. Au 19ème siècle elles occupent environ un tiers des emplois dans ce secteur qui continue à faire la réputation et la prospérité de Genève aujourd’hui.

Place de la Fusterie - Une femme d’affaire d’exceptionS’il y a un personnage à considérer comme l’un des plus important capitaliste de Genève au 17ème siècle - et donc un de ses plus gros contribuable - c’est bien Elisabeth Baulacre. Il faut rendre hommage à ses qualités exceptionnelles de gestion et d’innovation ainsi qu’à sa très bonne

connaissance des marchés internationaux et de la politique commerciale. Mais qui est Elisabeth ?

Née d’une famille protestante spécialisée dans l’industrie et la vente de la soie, elle hérite au décès de son mari d’un modeste fond de commerce d’articles de mercerie. Elisabeth va réorienter l’entreprise vers la fabrication de produits de luxe alors en pleine expansion à travers l’Europe - la dorure ou la production de fils d’or et d’argent pour décorer les étoffes - et emploie bientôt des centaines d’ouvriers(ères). Grâce à ses investissements dans l’immobilier et le foncier (magasins, entrepôts, logements mais aussi terrains, vignes et forêts), la fortune d’Elisabeth devient considérable. Aujourd’hui, la plaque rose qui était posée sur le temple de la Fusterie s’est transformée en plaque bleue « officielle » de la rue Elisabeth-Baulacre, qui longe l’école des Cropettes.

Et n’oublions pas les héroïnes de GenèveIl est difficile de vivre à Genève sans avoir entendu parler de la Mère Royaume, l’héroïne de la fête de l’Escalade qui commémore chaque 12 décembre la victoire de la République contre le duc de Savoie en 1602. Catherine Royaume - née Cheynel - est entrée dans la légende grâce à son geste héroïque : elle a jeté un pot d’étain sur la tête d’un soldat savoyard depuis sa fenêtre. Le pot, devenu par la suite marmite de soupe bouillonnante, est aujourd’hui un symbole populaire prisé des chocolatiers. Et une fois n’est pas coutume, la mère Royaume a volé la vedette au héros Isaac Mercier, qui réussit à baisser la herse, empêchant ainsi les troupes ennemies de pénétrer dans la cité fortifiée.

Il ne faut pas pour autant oublier le rôle des autres femmes de Genève cette nuit-là. Quelques-unes sont descendues dans la rue pour se battre à l’hallebarde aux côtés des hommes. D’autres ont défendu leur foyer - et par extension la République - en lançant depuis leur fenêtre moult objets. Ce ne sont pas des femmes exceptionnelles mais des ménagères et des mères de familles - des femmes et des filles ordinaires qui rendent hommage aux milliers d’autres inconnues de l’époque. Dans la mémoire populaire cependant Catherine Royaume incarne la mère protectrice, symbole de résistance et patriotisme - et elle mérite bien sa rue, dans le quartier des Pâquis. w

Catherine Hubert Girod, guide touristique indépendante à Genève, a auparavant travaillé pour différentes organisations internationales.

Ancienne plaque “Place Elisabeth Balaucre- Place de la Fusterie”

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CULTURE | CULTURE

50

u’est-ce que la Maison des femmes ?

C’est un lieu, à Saint Denis au Nord de Paris, où l’on prend soin des femmes abimées par la vie pour leur permettre un nouveau départ. Quel que soit leur milieu social ou leur origine géographique, elles ont en commun un vécu épouvantable : violences physiques, agressions, viols, incestes. Le plus fréquent, ce sont les violences psychologiques : humiliation, emprise, dépréciation. Les besoins sont multiples, c’est pourquoi nous avons une trentaine de salariés

(assistantes sociales, psychologues, gynécologues, sages-femmes, juristes sexologues, infirmiers...) ainsi qu’une soixantaine de bénévoles.

Ils animent des groupes de parole, des ateliers, proposent des cours de danse, du théâtre, des massages, etc. Nous constatons à quel point les violences imprègnent la société. Chaque année, 5000 femmes passent par chez nous et nous faisons 14 000 consultations ! Nous travaillons par petites touches, sur un mode impressionniste. Il y a des femmes qu’on voit dix fois, d’autre deux, certaines ne reviennent pas car elles ne sont pas prêtes.

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Docteure Ghada Hatem, gynécologue, directrice de la maison des femmes

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NYGhada Hatem a fondé la Maison des femmes qui offre une prise en charge globale aux femmes battues, excisées ou victimes de violences sexuelles

Muriel Scibilia *

Réparer les femmes, c’est mon métier !

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Qu’est-ce qui vous a amenée à vous engager ainsi ?

Je viens du Liban où j’ai vécu jusqu’à 18 ans. J’y ai été confrontée à la violence et à l’absurdité de la guerre. Cela m’a rendue intolérante à toutes formes de violence et a aussi influé sur mon choix professionnel. J’ai étudié la gynécologie. A travers mes échanges avec mes patient(e)s, j’ai acquis une compréhension plus fine de ce qui se passe dans l’intimité de la vie des gens. Trop de violencesse dissimulent derrière de belles façades… et leur impact sur la santé est plus grave et profond que ce que j’avais perçu au départ.

Vous prônez une “médecine de la violence”, qu’entendez-vous par là ?

La médecine doit s’intéresser aux diverses conséquences des violences sur la santé des femmes. La plupart des victimes sont dans un état de stress post-traumatique provoqué par les coups, les tentatives de strangulation, l’incertitude, la peur de mourir. Vivre tout le temps sous stress altère la santé, peut déclencher des maladies comme le diabète ou l’hypertension, perturber le système immunitaire, provoquer des addictions, déclencher des pulsions suicidaires. Mais pas seulement : un stress important et prolongé pendant une grossesse peut conduire le bébé à ne pas grossir. Sous-alimenté via le cordon ombilical, il peut mourir. Certaines femmes font le lien entre leurs fausses couches à répétition et les violences de leur partenaire.

Comment briser le cycle de la violence ?

En étant plus attentionnés envers les petits. C’est dans l’enfance que s’enracinent les graines qui vont conduire à la violence ou à l’acceptation de vivre sous emprise, de subir des agressions. Il est essentiel de « réparer » les humains. On sait que 80 pour cent des problèmes viennent de l’enfance. Quand un enfant grandit dans un climat de violence ou qu’il est négligé, c’est-à-dire qu’on ne lui donne que le strict nécessaire, qu’il ne reçoit ni affection ni admiration de la part de ses parents, il accumule les blessures psychiques, souffre d’immaturité, d’une mauvaise estime de soi et a éperdument besoin d’amour ; ce qui peut conduire à prendre des risques, à suivre n’importe qui.

Les besoins en matière de prévention sont immenses. En France, une loi de 2001 prévoit d’intervenir trois fois par an dans toutes les classes pour sensibiliser les jeunes. Elle n’est pas appliquée parce ce que

cela coûte et ce n’est pas perçu comme une priorité. Quand je vais dans des classes, je suis effarée par ce que me confient nombre de jeunes. Cela me permet aussi de mesurer l’impact de mon travail et me conforte dans l’idée que ce que je fais a du sens.

Les femmes que vous recevez ont-elles un profil particulier ?

Il diffère selon qu’elles vivent à Saint Denis, la commune la plus pauvre de France métropolitaine et terre de migration, ou dans une banlieue bourgeoise. Mais hormis les violences physiques toutes les femmes peuvent subir des violences psychologiques à un moment où elles sont vulnérables, ce qui induit une très mauvaise image d’elles-mêmes et les amène à accepter l’inacceptable.

Et les enfants ?

On les reçoit avec leur maman. On essaie de comprendre la situation et s’il faut faire un signalement au procureur : un enfant qui vit dans un foyer violent est en danger même s’il ne reçoit pas de coups. Les mères ont du mal à accepter que leur enfant aille mal, ça implique qu’elles n’ont pas su le protéger et sont une mauvaise mère.

Selon vous, la situation des femmes s’améliore ou se détériore ?

D’un côté, la prise en charge est plus respectueuse, on banalise moins les violences subies par les femmes. De l’autre, la pandémie a provoqué beaucoup de violence au sein de certains couples, à cause du stress et de l’enfermement. La situation des femmes qui vivaient avec un conjoint difficile s’est dégradée.

Le modèle de la Maison des femmes est-il exportable ?

Je suis fière de constater qu’à partir de ma petite idée de simple gynécologue, nous avons construit un modèle robuste dont s’inspirent divers hôpitaux, qu’une dizaine de Maisons similaires ont été créées, et d’une quinzaine sont en gestation. Même en Arabie Saoudite on y songe. w


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CULTURE | CULTURE

e arrived in Geneva from New York City, following his wife who got a job with one of the international organizations, only months before the pandemic hit. As a result,

he only had a few opportunities to give recitals. The solo concert that had been rescheduled from May 2020 to December 2021 with the Indian Association Geneva had to be postponed, yet again, due to the current wave of COVID-19 cases.

Ikhlaq’s personal mission is embedded in his heritage and history. He was not new to migration and relocation. His parents were born in Old Delhi, India, and migrated after the Partition to Karachi,

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Ikhlaq Hussain with his instrument

His personal mission is to preserve and disseminate his rich musical heritage through concerts, performances, and teaching

Julián Ginzo *

Ikhlaq Hussain: a sitar maestro

Pakistan. Ikhlaq’s father, the eminent late Ustad Imdad Hussain, devoted his musical life to playing the sitar. He was recommended for UNESCO’s “National Living Treasure” for his life’s work in keeping the tradition of classical music and the Delhi Gharana alive in Pakistan.

Ikhlaq Hussain is a sitar virtuoso from a centuries-long line of influential musicians of the Delhi Gharana school, dating back to the early 13th century. Though his ancestors became famous for creating the first compositions and technique of playing the tabla, his grandfather became a well-known sarangi performer and

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teacher, and Ikhlaq’s father chose to become a sitar performer.

Today, besides him, there are almost no other family members either in India or in Pakistan who continue the rich musical heritage. Famed oncologist and author Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee has said, “Ikhlaq Hussain seems to have music in his genes, in his DNA, and he uses it as a magical, mystical form of communication with his audience.” Ikhlaq Hussain plays in the Gayaki Ang style, reproducing the nuance of the human voice, perhaps the most difficult form of sitar playing. Indian classical music, similar to Western classical music, requires lifelong dedication and commitment. For him, music is his life’s devotion.

Now, back to the story of migration and relocation. Ikhlaq was in his late twenties when the then Consul General of India in Karachi spotted his talent and offered him a scholarship through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, to study under the legendary sitar master late Pandit Ravi Shankar. As a result, he moved to Delhi from Karachi, where he lived for two years and became a disciple of the world-famous sitar maestro.

He relived the dreams of his parents, who like many others after the traumatic partition of 1947, longed for revisiting their birth places, their relatives on the other side of the border, their cherished memories, the happy days. For many, including his parents, that dream was never fulfilled in their lifetimes.

When Ikhlaq arrived in New York City from Karachi, it was a difficult time. It was only two weeks after the tragic 9/11 incident. At that time in NYC, Muslim immigrants and citizens were even afraid to walk outside because of the hate crimes and strict surveillance. He would say that it is all a matter

of destiny. In 2002, he was invited to give peace concerts in New York City’s Central Park for 20,000 people, as well as at MIT and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2006, he received the green card (immigrant visa) based on his extraordinary ability in music, and later became a US citizen.

He had another successful 18 years in the USA where he became known as a teacher of Indian classical sitar and continued to give performances. Just to mention a few achievements: in 2014 he was an Artist in Residence at Shangri La, Hawaii (DDFIA), in 2015 Ikhlaq performed at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and in 2016, at the Storm King Art Center as part of the Masters of Indian Music series presented by the World Music Institute. He had yearly ‘sold out’ shows at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City between 2015 and 2018. Ikhlaq was invited to pay tribute to his Guruji Pandit Ravi Shankar and performed at the Maverick Concert Hall in August 2019 with Steve Gorn and Samir Chatterjee.

After his performance at the Lincoln Center, the audience was invited to ask questions. While the guests were still in awe and deeply moved from the spiritual musical experience, the first question shocked many: the gentleman asked the organizers why they had not found an Indian musician to perform Indian classical music. Ikhlaq’s answer was according to his Sufi tradition: “We are all one and music has no boundaries.”

Now that he lives in Geneva, the city of peace, he wishes to realise his personal mission to create peace through his music. Ikhlaq cannot wait to give sitar performances to the city. w

Julián Ginzo is the Editorial Coordinator of UN Today.

HEALTH | SANTÉ

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ue recouvre le terme télémédecine ?

Il ne s’agit pas d’une innovation médicale qui impliquerait une nouvelle façon de soigner mais d’une transformation dans l’organisation des soins. Elle fait partie d’un immense domaine, la e-santé ou santé numérique. Elle permet de prévenir, éduquer, diagnostiquer, prescrire, suivre et soigner à distance en utilisant des outils digitaux, voire de connecter des médecins du monde entier. Elle englobe la téléconsultation, la télé-expertise, la télésurveillance, la téléassistance et la régulation médicale.

Quels sont les avantages de la télémédecine ?

Elle simplifie l’accès aux soins et permet une réduction conséquente des coûts. Plus de

temps perdu à essayer de joindre un standard téléphonique, on peut réserver, modifier, annuler une consultation à partir de son téléphone ou de son ordinateur, numériser son dossier de préadmission en vue d’une hospitalisation sans se déplacer. S’il est clair que pour certaines pathologies, l’auscultation reste indispensable, dans le cas des maladies chroniques il est possible d’évaluer à distance la situation du patient et d’adapter son traitement. Elle permet d’assurer une disponibilité médicale en continu dans les Ehpads ou les établissements accueillant des personnes en situation de handicap physique ou psychologique.

On ne mesure pas toujours combien ces patients peuvent être déstabilisés dès qu’on les tire de leur environnement et qu’on les trimballe d’un service à l’autre. Elle permet de gérer dans le calme diverses situations comme la gestion de la douleur

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Olivier Babinet est co-auteur de « La e-santé en question(s) » aux éditions Hygée

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Ardent défenseur de la télémédecine, Olivier Babinet dirige le projet Ségur de l’Agence régionale de santé dans la région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’AzurMuriel Scibilia *

La télémédecine est promise à un grand avenir

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ou la prise de médicaments. Face à une crise de démence, le personnel, qui n’a pas le droit de prescrire, peut contacter un psychiatre pour établir, confirmer le diagnostic et obtenir une prescription. Elle permet de réduire la complexité des procédures administratives lors d’une hospitalisation à domicile et de mieux coordonner les activités des nombreux intervenants.

Beaucoup craignaient une perte de qualité dans l’échange entre le médecin et son patient

Qu’on soit en consultation ou en téléconsultation, c’est le même rituel. Des études ont montré que les échanges entre le médecin et le patient sont au moins aussi fructueux qu’en présentiel. Le patient - enfants, adultes, personnes âgées ou handicapées - fait rapidement abstraction de l’écran. Quant aux praticiens, ils sont toujours plus nombreux à être convaincus par la simplicité et l’efficacité de cette technique.

Quel est le profil du patient de demain ?

Il est de mieux en mieux informé, notamment grâce aux réseaux sociaux qui sont de très puissants outils de vulgarisation. Les MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), par exemple, offrent l’accès à de solides connaissances médicales. Il cherche à établir une relation de partenariat avec le médecin ou l’équipe médicale. Divers objets connectés facilitent son insertion dans un parcours de soin et lui permettent de mieux gérer sa santé ; c’est ce qu’on appelle le quantified self. Avec une montre connectée, on peut mesurer son activité cardiaque, sa fibrillation auriculaire, sa masse osseuse et graisseuse ... C’est la montée en puissance de l’e-patient 4.0, acteur de sa santé, et la fin du médecin omniscient.

Quels sont les dangers de la télémédecine ?

Par nature, la télémédecine comporte des risques, notamment en matière d’intégrité des données, de confidentialité, d’authentification et de traçabilité des échanges. La cybersécurité est désormais une priorité qui requière des investissements importants et la mise en œuvre de campagnes d’information et de sensibilisation envers les praticiens, les établissements de santé et médico-sociaux et les acteurs du numérique.

Quel a été l’impact de la pandémie de Covid-19 ?

Elle a boosté la médecine à distance. Le confinement a généralisé les téléconsultations. Personne n’avait imaginé que ça prendrait une telle ampleur. En France, on est passé de 60 000 téléconsultations à 19 millions par an.

L’avenir de la télémédecine est donc assuré ?

D’un côté, il y a le vieillissement de la population : en 2030, plus d’un milliard de personnes aura plus de 65 ans. De l’autre, on assiste à une explosion des maladies chroniques. Stabiliser l’état du patient, prévenir les complications et éviter l’engorgement des hôpitaux, c’est l’un des chantiers planétaires les plus importants de la transformation numérique du système de santé.

La télémédecine est-elle une chance pour les pays en développement ?

De nombreux projets sont en cours dans différents pays. Ils émanent souvent de start up ou d’ONG et sont rarement intégrés dans le cadre institutionnel des priorités de santé publique. Difficile de les pérenniser. En outre, les infrastructures de télécommunication sont insuffisantes. Une couverture en 2g-3g permet de faire des téléconsultations, mais pour naviguer sur les apps de santé et transmettre des images, il faut disposer d’un smartphone. L’Afrique a surtout besoin de téléexpertise parce qu’elle manque de spécialistes. Il revient aux pays en développement de trouver des solutions numériques afin de pouvoir sécuriser leurs données de santé. Les données, c’est l’or noir de demain. Plusieurs pays envisagent de créer leur cloud de données de santé. w

Olivier Babinet


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ccording to historian Farid Chenoune, “During the Seven Year’s War [in the mid-18th century]…officers carried campaign kits into battle than included

perfume, rouge for lips and cheeks, powder puff and eyelash brush....” By the early 19th century, elite men across Europe had adopted a sober

and unassuming style, the classic, black or navy blue business suit. What happened and why?

A later observer, psychologist John Carl Flügel, described it as the “Great Masculine Renunciation….[of] sartorial decorativeness…at the end of the eighteenth century…men

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It was french tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier who invented the first functionning sewing machine in 1830

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Fashion throughout history has conspired to streamline for men, while confuse for women, a reflection of the unbalanced social values ascribed to genders

Richard Thompson Ford *

From the suit to the flapper: fashion and gender

gave up their right to all of the brighter, gayer, more elaborate, and more varied forms of ornamentation, leaving these entirely to the use of women, and thereby making their own tailoring the most austere and ascetic of the arts.”

The Great Renunciation marked, in attire, the influence of religious severity in the 17th century and the triumph of Enlightenment idealism in the 18th century. It took hold unevenly: earlier in England, which had dispatched its absolute monarch, Charles I, in 1649, than in France, where the court theater of an absolutist monarchy dominated elite styles for over another century. Consequently, the conversations of the day show that fashion had political implications. For example, the English, who were among the first to renounce aristocratic decorativeness, began to associate their understated attire with social and political ideals.

An English tourist arriving in Paris in 1752 felt compelled to adopt the more ornate French costume, complaining that “I thought myself as much deprived of my Liberty, as if I had been in the Bastile[sic]; and I frequently sighed for my little loose Frock, which I look upon as an Emblem of our happy Constitution; for it lays a Man under no uneasy Restraint, but leaves it in his Power to do as he please.”

This was an exclusively masculine renunciation, and as it took hold, the implications for women became apparent. As the suit has become ever more streamlined and functional, women’s fashions have careened between countless fanciful, dramatic and beautiful, but often impractical styles: layers of petticoats, elaborate bustles, tight-laced corsets and the erotic drama of ever changing necklines and hemlines. Of

course, this division in the symbolism of attire corresponded to and furthered male chauvinism in politics and the economy: men and only men could present themselves as serious, morally stalwart and civically responsible. Women were required by law and custom to dress in essentially anachronistic ornate costume, reminiscent of discredited social values.

By the mid-1800s, feminists had made dress reform a high priority. The American suffragist Susan B. Anthony insisted, “I can see no business avocation, in which woman with her present dress can possibly earn equal wages with man.” Amelia Bloomer devised a type of women’s pant, which became known as “Bloomers” and enjoyed brief fashionable success. But the dress reform movement ended in failure, simply because the time was not yet ripe and because it focused on rationality rather than on the symbolism and evocativeness that have always inspired fashion.

The Great Feminine Renunciation came over 50 years later, in the form of the flapper, an overt challenge to conventional gender ideals. Sheath dresses were form-fitting in the way the men’s suit was: for the first time women’s clothing skimmed the body rather than draping it

Women were required by law and custom to dress in essentially anachronistic ornate costume, reminiscent of discredited social values

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in fabric. The flapper look was aggressively angular, athletic and boyish; it borrowed from the aesthetics of high modernism in rejecting ornamentation in favor of purity of form, an innovation menswear had made over a century earlier with the Great Masculine Renunciation.

The new functional styles cut against the traditional role of women as ornamental trophies. In this sense the flapper—like androgynous dressers since Joan of Arc—claimed masculine prerogative by adopting masculine sartorial symbolism. Flapper styles blurred class distinctions, much as the Great Masculine Renunciation had for men. The flapper look first appeared in “working class neighborhoods and radical circles in the early 1900s before it spread to middle-class youth and college campuses” and the flapper’s bob haircut and dropped waist sheath skirt “united blacks and whites under a common hip-culture.” Indeed, critics lamented

that flapper fashions, eliminated “all difference among people. You can no longer tell who is the daughter of the common laborer and who belongs to the better circles.”

Of course, this revolution was not complete, the new liberated feminine ideal often became as compulsory as the old Victorian ideal of pure womanhood on a pedestal. The athletic flapper look was almost boyish—it downplayed womanly curves to such an extent that many women, having finally cast off their corsets, resorted to binding their breasts to conform to a new feminine ideal.

What’s more, many of the older aesthetic ideals of femininity did not die but lurked in remission, to reappear in time. For instance, while the flapper combined an angular, almost androgynous silhouette with dramatic, hyperfeminine makeup, Christian Dior’s “New Look” in the 1940s and poodle skirts in the 1950s revived the impractical full skirts of the Victorian and Edwardian maiden in an abbreviated, leg-baring form; the female sex symbols of the 1970s and 1980s mixed the flapper’s boyish athleticism below the belt with the Edwardian maiden’s full-figured bustiness above—the archetype for Charlie’s Angels, Daisy Duke, Victoria’s Secret and the Baywatch Babe.

While men’s fashion since the Great Masculine Renunciation has progressed in an unbroken line toward ever more streamlined, formally refined, unadorned styles, women’s fashion has been marked by ambivalence. The clash of aesthetics also ensures that women’s fashion sends mixed messages, open to misinterpretation and too often mistaken for either lack of conviction or willful dissembling—hence the familiar misogynistic slurs that modern women are coquettish teases or conniving minxes. Even today, the ambitious woman often finds that her clothing conspires against her. w

Richard Thompson Ford is a Professor at Stanford Law School.

Martin van Meytens. Portrait of Wenzel Anton Graf von Kaunitz-Rietberg. Rathaus Aachen, 1749-1750

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Even today, the ambitious woman often finds that her clothing conspires against her

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