Staff survey reveals widespread racism at the United Nations
UNITED NATIONS, August 22, 2020 (IPS) – As it continues to vociferously preach the virtues of equality -- dedicating itself to respect equal rights for all, irrespective of race, sex, language or religion -- the United Nations has been quick to condemn racism and racial discrimination worldwide.
But how hypocritical is the world body when racism raises its ugly head in its own backyard -- particularly in Geneva which, ironically, is home to the UN Human Rights Council and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)?
A survey of more than 688 UN staffers in Geneva has come up with some startling revelations reaffirming the stark fact, which has long remained under wraps, that “racism exists within the United Nations”.
A separate survey by the UN Staff Union in New York was equally revealing.
According to the findings in New York, 59 percent of the respondents noted they don’t feel that UN effectively addresses racial justice in the workplace while every second respondent noted they don’t feel comfortable talking about racial discrimination at work.
Meanwhile, the UN Secretariat in New York, faltered ingloriously, as it withdrew its own online survey on racism, in which it asked staffers to identify themselves either as “black, brown, white, mixed/multi-racial, and any other”.
But the most offensive of the categories listed in the survey was “yellow” – a longstanding Western racist description of Asians, including Japanese, Chinese and Koreans.
A non-apologetic message emailed to staffers on August 19 read: “The United Nations Survey on Racism has been taken offline and will be revised and reissued, taking into account the legitimate concerns expressed by staff.”
The findings of the Geneva survey include:
1. More than 1 in 3 staff have personally experienced racial discrimination and/or have witnessed others facing racial discrimination in the workplace.
2. Among those who experienced or witnessed racism, a majority of staff indicated that racial discrimination affected opportunities for career advancement. A significant number of staff also indicated that racial discrimination manifested itself in the form of verbal abuse and exclusion from work events, such as decision-making, trainings, missions, assignments etc.
3. Two-thirds of those who experienced racism did so on the basis of nationality.
4. A large number who experienced or witnessed racial discrimination, harassment or abuse of authority indicated that they did not take any action. Lack of trust in the organisation’s recourse mechanisms was cited as the most common reason. Many also stated that that they feared retaliation.
5. Respondents believed racism needed to be addressed in a number of different ways. These include accountability and zero tolerance, training and sensitisation, greater transparency in hiring, broader diversity, and a more open dialogue on the issue. Prisca Chaoui, Executive Secretary of the 3,500-strong Staff Coordinating Council, UN Office at Geneva (UNOG), told IPS: “We belief, as a staff union, that it is high time for the organisation to seriously combat pervasive racism and racial discrimination. This means greater accountability and a zero tolerance policy towards any racial act.”
She said: “We are glad to see the UN management is willing to address this issue and as a staff union, we are ready to assist in coming up with serious measures that go beyond empty words and lead to a real change so that the UN shows it is capable of upholding the principles that it preaches to the overall world.”
The United Nations Staff Union President Patricia Nemeth told IPS her Union, which has a strength of more than 6,500 members, with the local staff in peacekeeping operations overseas estimated at about 20,000 plus, ran its own survey in New York (entitled “UNHQ-NY pulse survey on racial justice”).
The United Nations, she pointed out, has a normative framework to address racial discrimination within the organisation, but work remains to be done, as recognised by the Secretary-General on June 4.
“In this spirit, the Staff Union is committed to serving as a platform for progress towards greater inclusion, diversity, dignity and social justice both within the UN and beyond,” declared Nemeth, who is also Vice President for Conditions of Service – the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations (CCISUA).
The New York survey was intended to provide the Staff Union with a better understanding of the current situation regarding racial injustice within the United Nations Secretariat and will help determine “how we as staff can contribute to making improvements and will also feed into broader policy discussions”.
According to the responses received from New York staffers, 44 percent of the respondents noted that they there is no adequate racial diversity within their department and 46 percent noted that they feel that staff of African descent aren’t adequately represented within their department. About 43 percent of the respondent noted that they have experienced workplace harassment or intimidation as a result of their race.
New York staff would welcome if the Organisation were to ensure diversity in positions of authority; establish an anonymous channel for reporting racial discrimination; and ensure racial diversity in Human Resource and Executive Offices and staff-facing offices in the formal and informal justice system, so that staff members feel safe sharing their concerns, and confident that they will be understood and taken seriously.