10 September 2012
Vesna Dzuverovic, the former UN-Habitat professional staffer for
whom UNJustice and the
Government
Accountability Project (GAP) have campaigned for, has
written to the UN Secretary-General pleading to accept the UNDT
recommendation that he takes “a sympathetic review of her case
with a view to bringing substantive justice and closure to it.”
The UNDT has regarded this case
as a key test of the Organization’s determination to protect
whistleblowers against retaliation for reporting violations.
While declaring the case irreceivable as time-barred, the
UN court noted that, exceptionally in this case:
“This recommendation is made bearing in mind the special
measures that have been put in place with regards to the
protection of whistleblowers who risk their jobs, professional
lives and livelihoods by courageously seeking to expose
wrong-doings within the Organization.
The United Nations, being
the foremost international Organization for setting standards
for governments and other organizations, needs to review the
case of this Applicant as this will serve not only the ends of
justice but also to reassure whistleblowers that they are indeed
protected”,
(UNDT/2012/105).
Given the existing limitations of
the UN internal justice system in providing access to justice in
accordance with international standards, the hope is now
that the Secretary-General,
who has
received this recommendation from the UNDT judge, will
take a compassionate view and solve Ms. Dzuverovic’s and other UN
whistleblowers’ difficulties in obtaining redress.
“One can conclude that this case
testifies that in some situations neither the formal nor the
informal UN [internal justice] systems work due to some lacunae
in the concept” wrote Vesna Dzuverovic.
“If the UN aspirations and its principles are to be heeded, such
specific cases must be resolved as well - if there is no other
way, then through some affirmative actions and exceptional
measures such as those requested in the above UNDT
Recommendation”, she added.
A copy of Ms. Dzuverovic’s letter to the Secretary-General is
available here below.
To:
His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General of the United
Nations
United Nations, Room
S-3800
New York, NY 10017
From:
Vesna Dzuverovic, former UN staff
member
Place and
Date:
Belgrade, September 7, 2012
RE: Applicant's plea
and a reminder regarding implementation of the UN Dispute
Tribunal’s RECOMMENDATION in judgment UNDT/2012/105
In connection with the Recommendation issued by the UN Dispute
Tribunal within its Judgement No.
UNDT/2012/105 (Case No. UNDT/NBI/2012/006) of 12th July 2012, I
would be grateful if you could consider this case and advise
what it is that I could do to assist you in the review process.
While waiting for your response, I underline in advance some
points that, in my opinion, should be paid special attention to:
1) The outcome of the above-referenced case is of vital
importance for myself personally but it is as important for the
United Nations since it will send a far-reaching message on the
truthfulness of the UN promises on the
"highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity"
- or the lack of it.
2) The United Nations have definitely played a dominant role in my career. I have dedicated some 20 years of my life to it - first 10 years as a UN Volunteer and a regular staff member, and the remaining 10 years as a former staff member who was unsuccessfully trying to undo the injustice she suffered which included her forced separation from the UN system based on unjust and unsound grounds.
3) The injustice consisted basically in the fact that I was complying with my job description, the administrative instructions from the UN HQ regarding financial matters and the advice given to me by the UN Ombudsman - but was most severely punished for that. Almost immediately upon my visit to the OIOS office in Nairobi to discuss some problematic operations in the Technical Cooperation Division of UN Habitat where I was working, I was transferred out of my unit and then transferred again and again - in total 4 transfers in 4 years until my final separation.
4) These numerous transfers have distorted my professional profile making it even more difficult for me to find any new employment, particularly since I was already approaching the retirement age. Following the separation, I embarked on the voyage of trying to clarify the situation, fully convinced that I will manage to reverse it because I had an abundance of proof to show that I was a dedicated staff member who was a victim of retaliation. That endeavour lasted for more than 10 years and ended with the UNDT Judgment of 12 July 2012 (in the attachment herewith). This Judgment dismissed my application as unreceivable, but it also pointed out to many inconsistencies and unfair moves that the UN administration took against me. The UNDT judge RECOMMENDED that the SG use his discretionary powers to redress this situation and bring final justice to the case.
5) The efforts I invested to resolve the situation covered a period of more than a decade and included everything that has been put at the disposal of staff members to defend their rights, but also to protect the proclaimed UN values and principles. I contacted all UN institutions in charge, starting from Staff Association and Gender Unit, Panel on Discrimination and Other Grievances, Rebuttal Panel and up to the the Joint Appeals Board. All of these entities gave me their support in writing but as no concrete results ensued in the form of a reinstatement or another employment I had to appeal to the former UN Administrative Tribunal. It ruled in my favour only in part and granted me only a symbolic compensation. As I established at once, its findings were based on misinterpretation of facts and wrong assumptions. As at that time there was no option available for staff members to appeal to a second instance to have the UNAdT judgments reviewed, I addressed my claims to the Ethics Office instead but it channelled me to the UN Ombudsman's office. I have been in contact with that office for almost ten years now but no results ensued. My insistence with OIOS to investigate my case brought no results either, so I requested a Management Evaluation and finally brought the case to the UN Dispute Tribunal which closed the case by issuing its Judgment/Recommendation.
One can conclude that this case testifies that in some situations neither the formal nor the informal UN systems work due to some lacunae in the concept. It points out that in these situations there is a manifest lack of efficiency of measures introduced within the UN with worthwhile objectives of protecting staff members in general and whistleblowers in particular, and preventing discrimination, harassment, retaliation, bias and similar. If the UN aspirations and its principles are to be heeded, such specific cases must be resolved as well - if there is no other way, then through some affirmative actions and exceptional measures such as those requested in the above UNDT Recommendation.
After publication of the said Recommendation, various sources have expressed their support for it. Some comments in this sense can be found on the websites of the GAP (www.whistleblower.org) and UNJUSTICE (www.unjustice.org).
I remain at your entire disposal for any additional information or proof.
Counting with your attention and understanding, I thank you very much in advance for a response.
Respectfully,
Vesna Dzuverovic, former UN staff member.
Related information:
Urgent Appeal,
Unjust: when
an outstanding female staffer loses her job and pension
entitlements for blowing the whistle on the United Nations
(3 April 2012)
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