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International

refugees have a legal status, and these pioneers in different capacities and different locations, their salaries etc. and know they are taken care of, they can focus on
laid the basis for international humanitarian law in emergencies and non-emergencies. I have doing a good job. So, I actually see my mission as just as important
as we know it today. also been on loan to several UN entities. In as that of those on the front line.
and out of Headquarters, Geneva has become
We wanted to know a little bit more about my main home base, a city I have learned to Could you tell us more about what exactly you do?
what it’s like to work in UNHCR, and we love as my own. It’s always been a kind of mixture of budget, admin, finance and
were lucky to meet Gry Kristiansen, a brilliant human resources. It is always highly varied although the title and
administrative officer who has spent most of You said that you have been posted in many topic might be the same. Sometimes you are responsible for buying
her career in the organisation. To talk with different locations around the world. Where new cars and finding the money to do so, sometimes you have
Gry was inspiring because of her positive have you been? sleepless nights working on a staff member’s medical evacuation,
spirit. While she has done so many different I have been to Bangkok, Nairobi, Amman, sometimes it is processing visa requests for people or finding
things to help others get a better life, in line Bagdad, New York and then on many missions. a good home for the kittens that were just born in your meeting
with Nansen’s visions, her humbleness is UNHCR is involved in emergencies. I was in room during your country budget review..– it is always a challenge
striking. Afghanistan and Pakistan on that operation, I – there’s never a dull moment.
have gone to Sudan and Chad several times.
So, let’s leave the floor to Gry to learn a little In Africa I travelled a lot, in connection with When you go on these missions, you see all these suffering people.
more about her work and what they do in the my posting in Nairobi. When I was posted in How do you cope with that?
UNHCR. Bangkok, I also had regional responsibilities It is not easy. I want things to work and to move forward. But
which gave me a chance to travel a lot in that this can be a task larger than life. Sometimes you want to blame
Could you tell us a little about your part of the world. somebody whether it is God, the President, the country that does
background? So, I must say, I have been extremely privileged. not give enough, or the countries that do not pay their dues. At the
I was born in Bergen and raised in Moss, Even if I were to choose from the top shelf at same time, I can only make my little contribution worth it.
Interview with close to Oslo. After high school I attended the the Amusement Park when winning the prize, As a result, you get very attached to your job, and you really want
I think I got far more than actually shown on to deliver. My small contribution is perhaps a big contribution
Norwegian School of Economics and Business
Ms Gry Kristiansen Administration (NHH), and I graduated in the shelf at the outset. By joining the United although in a tiny context, but it still matters. I need to see it like that
Nations, we want to change and save the in order to have the rationale for not bowing under the pressure.
1985. In the 1980s, among the main topics
Administrative Officer, United Nations of discussion in public affairs were finance, world, no surprise, it’s not as easy as we think.
High Commissioner for Refugees leasing, factoring… so this area became my I still believe that I have managed to develop As a contrast to the field, what would a job in the UN Metropole of
specialisation.
myself in through the challenges, travels and New York look like?
(UNHCR) At one stage, I read in an article in one of the languages learned. I have been to many In a way it’s also highly varied but covers a much smaller area and
the leading newspapers, Aftenposten, that places and hope to go to more before I reach is less demanding operationally on a day to day basis. What is
Under normal circumstances, the Norwegian Norway was going to be involved in the Epcot the time where it will all be just sitting around really interesting is to get a peek into the larger UN and understand
Mission in Geneva and missions elsewhere centre in Florida. I had been there and was reading the newspapers, no longer being more of the politics and interaction of the Organization and the
were about to celebrate the 160 anniversary fascinated by the concept, and sent an open part of the action. So far, I feel that I’m really agencies
th
of the birth of Fridjof Nansen, the famous application. I got a chance go to work there privileged.
Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, and in something they call the World Showcase If you go into a field operation, I may have a Finance officer, an HR
not the least, the first High Commissioner Fellowship Programme (no longer existing), Your last posting, you were based in Bagdad. officer, IT officer in my team… In a small office with a large context
for Refugees. Unfortunately, Covid-19 came and I represented Norway. It was a unique How was it to live there? like New York you have to have to deal with all the problems on
along and changed a lot of plans. experience, and I was there from 1986-1987. It was a very special situation, both working your own so it’s actually refreshing.
I then retuned to Bergen where I worked in and living conditions, in terms of the freedom
However, this does not prevent us from being able the hotel/hospitality sector for two years. you do not have, the type of offices you have What about the Norwegian community. Are you involved there?
to pay tribute to Nansen and in particularly to his Then I aimed for the United Nations. I sat and the way you are living in containers, I’m very impressed by the Norwegian community in New York. It’s
legacy, the United Nations High Commissioner for the National Competitive Exam in 1988, surrounded by sandbags and soldiers . It’s an very active, long standing and with long traditions. The church is
for Refugees. While the organisation as we see was accepted and was offered a job. My intellectual challenge. You go there, and say to of course a hub for many activities, and so, it draws people to it.
it today was set up after WW2 to deal with the desire was to go to New York, and although yourself: This is what it looks like and this is Norwegians, traditionally, are not sucked into each other’s spheres.
“So far, refugee crisis that the war had brought about, it Geneva was perhaps not my first choice, I what you have to deal with. And that’s what you It is more like, “Hei, how are you?” and then they go on with their
but was built on the foundations of the Nansen ended up there. Looking back, I think it was do. If you want to sit down and complain, you life. Here they have a tendency to link up more than in other places,
I feel Office for Refugees. Many people tend to a very lucky choice. I started out my United will never survive. I was there for a different so, that has been a very positive starting point because moving
that I’m remember Nansen for his polar expeditions, but Nations career in the Economic Commission purpose. So, I really enjoyed Bagdad because I always means starting from scratch.
we think his legacy is even greater when it comes for Europe, and then I transferred to Office really felt that I could make a difference.
really to his work for prisoners of war and refugees. of the High Commissioner for Refugees in My work is not in the forefront of saving or So leaving Gry to her busy life in UNHCR, we wish her and her

privileged.” It’s because of Nansen and his colleagues that 1993. Since then, I have been working there helping, but if the people who go out there get colleagues all the best in these challenging times. MF •

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