Controversial Appointment Of UNIFEM Executive Director.

On April 7, Inés Alberdi of Spain was appointed as the new Executive
Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women - UNIFEM,
succeeding Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore (1994?2007). Women's rights
activists and organisations have responded with mixed feelings about the
appointment, and many with criticism ? accusing the United Nations (UN) of
politicising the hiring process for the top position of the UN's main
gender agency at a time when transparency, fairness, and its credibility
with women's movements and development organisations is already under
question.

UNIFEM's mandate is immense - including efforts to reduce poverty affecting
women, ending violence against women, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among
girls and women, and promoting women in the political arena in peacetime and
war. The Executive Director is responsible for UNIFEM's management of an
annual budget of $100 million, with 15 regional offices and funds projects
in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.

In its press release, UNIFEM stated: "Inés Alberdi has worked for over 25
years on gender issues and in politics. She comes to UNIFEM from her
previous position as Professor of Sociology at Madrid University where she
has taught Political Sociology and Sociology of Gender since 1993. Prior to
that, she was Director for Research at the Centre for Sociological Research
(1992?1993). Ms. Alberdi has published extensively on family and women's
issues." [1]

The integrity of the UN's process of appointing Alberdi to the position has
been the subject of intense concern. The post had been vacant since August
2007 when Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore left to head the U.N. Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the lengthy process to
select a suitable candidate raised some questions amongst women's rights
activists. After shortlisting several well qualified candidates, including
Dr Gita Sen whose appointment was strongly supported by a wide range of
women's rights organizations from different regions, Alberdi was selected
on April 7 by UN Development Fund (UNDP) Administrator Kemal Dervis in
consultation with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UNIFEM's consultative
committee.

Many women's rights organisations have since claimed that instead of the
appointment being a reflection of a rigorous and competitive selection
process, Alberdi's appointment was influenced by political and funding
issues taking precedence over an established recruitment process. Concerned
women's rights organisations from the US and Europe as well as the Global
South have highlighted that in the 2006-07 financial year, Spain was
UNIFEM's largest funder ? contributing US$11.4 million. (See below for a
list of organizations and networks that have issued statements, including
direct links to statements where possible, at the time of writing). [2].
Their statements express a common sentiment that the post has essentially
been 'bought' by the Government of Spain, and that the UN bowed to
political pressure, sacrificing integrity and transparency for funding
concerns. Whilst UNDP has remained silent on the issue, the spokesperson
for the UN, Michele Montás, in statements to the press "denied that there
is a direct correlation between the appointment of Alberdi
and...contributions of Spain to UNIFEM" [3]. However, according to one news
agency, Alberdi herself had reportedly told the Spanish press that she can't
rule out there might be a connection [4].

Looking ahead, this incident raises several major concerns for women's
rights movements and their engagement with the UN. The process does
further damage to civil society's belief in the seriousness of the UN in
tackling women's rights issues. Gender inequality and the feminisation of
poverty are inextricably related to policies and decisions, vetoes and
conditionalities made by the US and other affluent countries within the
walls of the UN and other global institutions. Civil society's faith in
these institutions continues to erode. As DAWN (Development Alternatives
with Women for a New Era) stated, "This decision could do serious damage at
a time when there is a lot of talk of strengthening the gender architecture
of the UN and making sure it delivers for women" [5].

Alberdi's task ahead is enormous and now complicated by the pathway taken
by the UN to appoint her. As Roberto Bissio from the Third World Institute
has highlighted: "What this message says about UN governance is not very
good... Three weeks ago, a group of non-governmental organizations wrote a
letter to Ban Ki-moon asking to "announce the procedures to be used for
such appointments. In this way," the signatories say, "the secretariat
would prevent from appearing as being engaged in reciprocal agreements with
certain member states." In the case of UNIFEM they could not prevent this.
And this complicates the huge task that Inés Alberdi has now to elevate
this fund to the hierarchical category and budgetary allocation that women
around the world need and deserve." [6]

If the UN is to move forward in strengthening its gender architecture, it
is critical that women's rights movements remain fully engaged in this
process. It is clear that Alberdi's undertaking is important and difficult
and the challenges that lie ahead for gender equality and women's rights
require activists, organisations and networks to participate and have their
voices heard. As REPEM articulated in their statement, "This experience and
similar ones on this and other issues, should encourage us to organize, at
different levels, a more serious, solid and rigorous debate on the role
that the UN plays at present, its reform and the potential Gender
Architecture." [7]

-------------------------
Notes:
[1] http://www.unifem.org/news_events/story_detail.php?StoryID=668
[2] See below for a list of organisations and networks that have issued
statements, including direct links to statements where possible, at the
time of writing.
[3] Terra Actualidad ? EFE. 'NGO criticizes the choice of Spanish Inés
Alberdi as director of UNIFEM' (In Spanish)
http://actualidad.terra.es/nacional/articulo/ong_ines_alberdi_unifem_2384761.htm
or
http://www.soitu.es/soitu/2008/04/08/info/1207683226_696780.html
[4] Inner City Press. 'In UNIFEM Spin, Alberdi Speaks Only to Spanish
Media, India Calls Sen More Qualified, UNDP Silent'. (In Spanish)
http://www.innercitypress.com/un1unifem041008.html
[5] DAWN. Statement from Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era
(DAWN) on the United Nations appointment of a new Executive Director for
UNIFEM.
http://www.dawnnet.org/ARCHIVE/NOTICE_BOARD.html#dsun
[6] How much does an office cost at the United Nations?
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6500.html
[7] Popular Education Network of Women from Latin America and the Caribbean
(REPEM). Statement available:
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

-----------------------
Organisations and networks that have issued statements or published
articles about the appointment include the following organizations. A
direct link to the statement is included below each organization.

Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN)
http://www.dawnnet.org/ARCHIVE/NOTICE_BOARD.html#dsun
and
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

Roberto Bissio from the Third World Institute
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6500.html

Women's Development Collective/All Women's Action Society/ LIYAB/
International Gender and Trade Network-Asia
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

Fiji Women's Rights Movement
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

femLINKPACIFIC-Media Initiatives for Women
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

Women's Action for Change (Pacific)
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

Popular Education Network of Women from Latin America and the Caribbean
(REPEM)
http://www.choike.org/nuevo/informes/6202.html

Women in Development Europe (WIDE)
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

International Women's Human Rights Law Clinic (IWHR)
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html

Young Feminist Activists from the South
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/6499.html