UNESCO and I: Stories and Perspectives -Ms.Hayashikawa
As part of ‘UNESCO Week 2024,’ we conducted an interview with Ms.Maki Hayashikawa, who will be participating as a moderator and facilitator in various events. The theme of the interview was ‘UNESCO and I: Stories and Perspectives.’ Ms.Hayashikawa is currently serving as the Director of the UNESCO Jakarta Office.
Ms. Hayashikawa’s BIO is as follows.
≪BIO≫
Bringing experience of nearly 30 years with UNESCO, UNICEF and JICA, Ms. Katsuno-Hayashikawa assumed her role as the Director of UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Jakarta in July 2023. Prior to her current assignment, she served as the Director of the Division for Education 2030 at UNESCO Headquarters and led the global SDG4 coordination mechanism. In addition, during 2022, she served as the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat for the Transforming Education Summit convened by the UN Secretary-General in September 2022.
Q: Thank you for agreeing to be part of this interview. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit more about your role as the Director of the UNESCO Jakarta Office? What is a day in the office like for you?
I assumed the role of Director at UNESCO Jakarta since July 2023, relocating from the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Since its establishment, UNESCO Jakarta has served as the regional office for the natural sciences sector in the Asia-Pacific region for 55 years. As a result of recent field office reforms, since 2023, UNESCO Jakarta’s status as the regional office for five Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste) has changed. The office is now in charge of and involved in programmes concerning all areas of competencies (i.e., education, natural sciences, culture, social and human sciences, as well as information and communication) in the aforementioned countries.
As director, I also serve as the UNESCO representative in all five countries under the jurisdiction of the office. I consult and collaborate with relevant counterparts in the respective governments, represent UNESCO in the UN Country Team, and ensure that UNESCO proactively participates, cooperates, and contributes to UN collaborative projects.
I start a typical day at work by checking and replying to emails. After which, I don’t usually have a set routine. My duties include checking through administrative documents and attending meetings with external counterparts (both in-person and remotely) as well as with the headquarters in Paris. I also frequently attend meetings and events outside the office and go on business trips two to three times a month. It is thus rare that I spend an entire day at the office.
Q: Thank you for providing such a detailed description of your duties. We understand that you have also previously worked at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris before. Could you please describe some differences between working at a UNESCO field office and at the headquarters?
I have been posted to the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for work on three separate occasions. I also previously worked at the headquarters in Paris as an Associate Expert. In my opinion, the biggest difference between working at the headquarters and at the field offices is the degree of context-specificity of the work and the extent to which the work directly contributes to the educational development of member states. When working at UNESCO’s field offices, the impact of your work and efforts is more visible. However, as it is not uncommon for field office employees to be the sole officer in charge of a programme, junior officers are sometimes required or expected to take on significant responsibilities.
Q: I see. In your personal experience, how does working at UNESCO compare with working at other international organisations such as UNICEF?
As a specialised agency, UNESCO is equipped with expertise in its respective fields of competencies. UNESCO comprises experts who are able to provide technical support, and serves as a standard setter skilled in advocacy and raising awareness. However, as an organisation, it may not be as strong as UNICEF and other international organisations in terms of large-scale operations in the field, especially in providing humanitarian assistance during crises. Additionally, UNESCO is largely governed by its member states, which often influence the way in which programmes and projects are being led and implemented. This can sometimes lead to the politicisation of technical assistance.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges of being a staff member at UNESCO and how did you overcome them?
As international civil servants, UNESCO staff members are required to maintain a neutral and objective stance in all international collaborative efforts. However, at times, project implementation may be manipulated or influence with political pressure by member states. While it is not always easy, it is of utmost importance that UNESCO staff members maintain their stance of neutrality amidst such pressures, and advise or provide technical assistance to member states in a professional way. As long as the rules and regulations are not breached, staff members must strive to reach a compromise through constant consultation and negotiation with member states.
From a more personal perspective, international civil servants (including UNESCO staff members) are often required to relocate, which can lead to separation from their family and disruption to their children’s education. Needless to say, it is not always possible to choose a location that is safe or conducive for living with your family. This is something I often worry about whenever I am required to relocate to a new country for work.
Q: On the flip side, what are the advantages and perks of being a staff member at UNESCO?
UNESCO is culturally and ethnically diverse compared to other institutions. In fact, I think of UNESCO as a microcosm of the world itself. As director, when I visit UNESCO’s cultural and natural World Heritage Sites, I sometimes gain access to places where tourists are not allowed to go to. I see this as an incredible privilege and luxury.
Q: That does sound wonderful indeed! What is your advice for individuals who are interested in pursuing a career at UNESCO or any other international organisation? Is language ability (e.g., proficiency in English or French) a fundamental requirement for most roles in UNESCO?
Should you desire to work at a UN agency or international organisation, having a good grasp of the English language is a fundamental requirement. It is also important to develop expertise in a particular field. It is often assumed that to work at UNESCO, you are required to have expertise in the organisation’s areas of competencies (i.e., education, culture, science, etc.). However, in order to operate smoothly, UNESCO also requires individuals with expertise to work in other departments including accounting, finance, legal, auditing, etc. As such, having expertise in those areas would also be acceptable. I want to emphasize this, as unlike Japanese organisations, UNESCO rarely provides on-the-job training for new hires from the ground up. Most of the employees are hired at the mid-career level, and it is assumed that they have prior relevant experience. With the relevant expertise and work experience, staff members are able to contribute more effectively and play an active role in the organisation’s programmes. Regarding languages, I would say that it is advantageous to be able to speak both English and French. As the current Director-General is French, it is likely that one would require both English and French language skills when applying for a role at the headquarters in Paris.
Q: On the topic of careers and jobs, there has been much discussion lately regarding the prevalence of AI and how it might come to replace many jobs in the future. Does AI pose an increasing threat to jobs at international organisations? Would AI be able to replace existing roles?
The prevalence of AI certainly involves both risks and potential. Personally, I do not believe that AI will come to replace the work of international organisations at this stage. In particular, it is impossible to rely solely on AI for the work we do at UNESCO, as many of our programmes and projects require building relationships and connecting with others.
Nevertheless, in recent years, international organisations have begun developing their own policies and regulations concerning AI and its impacts. UNESCO itself has established AI ethical guidelines, and urges member states and partner organisations to consult them when developing their own AI policies and regulations, and provide capacity building support when necessary to assess their readiness and the feasibility of AI adoption.
Q: In light of the current political conflicts and disputes, how do you think UNESCO and other organisations can fulfill their role of peacekeeping going forward?
The current global political situation is highly regrettable indeed. As a specialized agency focused on development cooperation and the provision of aid/support, UNESCO seeks to contribute to peacebuilding through standard-setting, policy recommendations and support provided through its programmes and projects. It is necessary for UNESCO to promote cooperation, collaboration, and coordination between its member states in its fields of education, science and culture, so as to provide platforms for discussions on the types of educational content required to build a peaceful world, how to promote joint scientific research that encourages international cooperation, and what cultural perspectives should be incorporated in conflict resolution. As such, UNESCO will continually provide such platforms at the global, regional, and national levels where policymakers can convene to discuss solutions for conflict resolution.
Thank you, Ms. Hayashikawa, for your valuable insights!
＊This is an English translation of an article that was originally written and published in Japanese on 17 January 2024 (https://unesco-sdgs.mext.go.jp/column/unesco-story-20240117) and on 18 January 2024 (https://unesco-sdgs.mext.go.jp/column/unesco-story-20240118 ).