In your day-to-day work, what SDG(s) are you helping to implement? 

The most important Goal for me is obviously SDG 5 on Gender Equality, which is present in my everyday work. However, I also contribute to most of them, as gender is a crosscutting issue across all of the SDGs. Depending on the project I'm collaborating on with my colleagues, the SDG focus could be on Climate, Strong Institutions, Partnerships, Reduced Inequalities, and more.

What is the most challenging project that you have worked on/are working on? 

So far, the most challenging project was getting our office’s first Gender Equality Seal application submitted. We worked extremely hard for almost a year to enhance the mainstreaming of gender equality into our procedures and office ethos. It helped to make our approach to gender more systematic and, most importantly, helped us document our progress. Just recently we were awarded the Bronze certificate for our efforts.

What has been the most rewarding experience to date for you at your duty station? (work and/or non-work related) 

All of the gender trainings I have conducted, whether for government partners or my UN colleagues, have been the most rewarding experiences at work. They serve as the best way to initiate conversations about gender equality, biases, using the correct terminology, and more. For our country office, a significant milestone was a recent visit by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. We truly felt that our work was recognized and put on the map, so to say.

Personally, one of the most rewarding aspects has been the response from Eritreans to my (very elementary) Tigrigna skills. A simple "thank you" or "good morning" in someone's own language goes a long way in building connections and friendships.

What set of skills have you developed most throughout your assignment?

My interpersonal communication skills have been at work constantly in this multicultural environment. Understanding the needs and cultural context of the country and office where you work is highly emphasized within the UN system. Learning to trust my knowledge and experience while putting them to use has also been a skill that I have been developing during my assignment. 

What piece of advice would you give to those who are considering applying to the JPO Programme? 

Consider applying to the country offices in more remote and/or unfamiliar places for your first JPO years (instead of HQ for example), as those will be the ones to teach you the most. Those kinds of experiences will set you apart and open more doors in the future. Additionally, joining a UN Youth Association or an UN-related volunteer group could give your profile/application that extra edge. (The UN Youth Association of Denmark was my first significant exposure to the work of the UN!).

How do you feel your JPO assignment will influence your career choices/opportunities within the UN? 

It has been the opportunity that I had been waiting for, to experience the UN system at a professional level with real responsibilities. My experience has definitely strengthened my desire to pursue a career in international development. I feel that the doors that a UN career can open are so plentiful as you will never run out of interesting options to explore in the future. In addition, having had the privilege to get to know a country like Eritrea through this assignment has inspired me to explore the world further in my future career.