Parting Thoughts

Late on Friday evening The Council came to a sweaty and cantankerous finish. Well, it sort of did. Not content with causing disruption and delay through 50 hostile amendments to a range of important resolutions, Russia then forced the Council into extra time by persistently objecting during the appointment of the Special Rapporteurs. Time eventually ran out and the meeting was suspended with work unfinished. But there’s no doubt that in years to come this session will be remembered as anenormous step forward for human rights. The successful resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity will see the UN’s first Independent Expert established on this issue and give hope to millions of LGBT people throughout the world facing violence and discrimination.

As happens each summer, there’ll be a mass exodus of great colleagues, but this year I’m particularly sad to say goodbye to my boss Ian who has captained our team for 5 years. His leadership, support and personal commitment on many resolutions have made an  enormous impact and many of us will miss him. I’ve asked him to pass on his reflections, before he heads off to pastures new.

Parting Thoughts

Like many diplomats on a merry-go-round of postings, I’ll be leaving Geneva at the end of August. This means the June session of the Human Rights Council was my last. Bob asked me for some parting thoughts after 5 years negotiating at the UN, so here goes.

We are human beings

It’s obvious, isn’t it? Negotiations really are driven by people. As a country representative, we all have our government’s positions to present at the UN, but we also bring our own personality and humanity to the job. Diplomats often have some leeway to “interpret” their instructions. Tone and the words you use matter. I’ve often been surprised by diplomats who, with the same set of instructions, can set very different tones in complex negotiations. This can lead to some very different outcomes. Negotiations can suddenly free up with a change of personality. Conversely, talks that have been running with ease can suddenly get jammed by a more obstructive personality, even if their set of instructions are identical to their predecessor. There is no magic solution to this, other than investing time in getting to know your counterparts as individuals. You have to put yourself in their shoes and try and think like they do. But it’s a really hard discipline when you’re up against the clock.

Standing up for what you believe

I’ve always kept a strong distance from bringing my personal life into my work. I want to be known as an effective civil servant, able to represent my government’s views, regardless of my own beliefs. But we all bring our own life experience and personality into a role and sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right. For me, this was personified by the Latin-led resolution to create the first UN mandate to monitor violence and discrimination against LGBT persons. We all knew this would be the a highly contested resolution, so I’m proud the UK played its part in lobbying and speaking out when a group of countries tried to derail the initiative. When I was writing the interventions for my Ambassador, I tried to write from the heart, not just from the head. As a gay man, I find it abhorrent that people can still be punished, tortured or even killed for having a different sexual orientation from others. Sometimes you just have to take a stand. My Latin colleagues did that this week and showed great courage and leadership. I’m really proud of them.

Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor has just died. When accepting his Nobel Peace prize he said: “whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation, take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

This session really taught me that lesson. Don’t be afraid of speaking out. And don’t be afraid of appealing to the heart, as well as the head.

Team work

Over the last 5 years, I’ve regularly argued at the UN that human rights belong to the individual, not to governments, religions or other groups. But when it comes to protecting and promoting human rights at the UN, it’s definitely a collective effort. Given all the multiple personalities and over 40 resolutions at each session, ego has to be put aside. Nobody can work in splendid isolation at the UN and expect to achieve a result. Coalitions have to be built and maintained; and sometimes you can end up working with some unexpected allies.

As well as working across different country teams, establishing good working relationships within your own national team is crucial. I regularly see examples where divisions within a UN delegation make a country less effective. I’ve been fortunate in Geneva. I’ve worked with the best team I’ve ever experienced in my professional career. Individuals who are bright, passionate about their work and willing to put team goals ahead of their own. Individuals who never secure results at the expense of their colleagues and who bring plenty of compassion and humour to the role. Individuals who come together and really are greater than the sum of their individual parts. That to me is a great team. So to all members of the UK team, past and present, I want to say thank you. You’ve all inspired me in your own ways and I’m truly sad to say goodbye.

I will be heading off this autumn to become the UK Ambassador to Uruguay. But I’ll continue to keep an avid eye on UN Human Rights. So to my colleagues who I leave behind – best of luck and continue to fight the good fight! Over and out.