One time United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) head of staff association (PSA) Wagdi Othman spoke for the world when he made the following statement about WFP’s racism problem.
“Maybe for some in WFP, it was difficult to comprehend how amongst the people fighting hunger throughout the world, some could be racist,” Othman said, according to a July 3, 2020, report in The Italian Insider.
Othman was criticized for his comments and told he was always playing the race card.
But his views were validated in a 2021 WFP Global Staff Survey, a survey conducted once every three years, according to a WFP source.
The survey found that 8 percent of over 19,000 staff members had experienced racial discrimination and racism in the office. And 12 percent said they had witnessed other colleagues in the WFP being mistreated due to their race or ethnicity.
“A white colleague refused to report to a Black Supervisor.”
As a percentage, the numbers might appear minuscule, but when converted into raw numbers, the picture becomes dark.
The 8 percent represents approximately 1500 staff members who said they had experienced racism. And the 12 percent who said they witnessed racism at the WFP work location calculates to roughly 2300 employees.
Add the numbers 1500 and 2300, and you find approximately 3800 or 20 percent of WFP staff members have experienced racism, directly or indirectly.
The survey results suggests WFP might not be a healthy work environment for an organization that mainly serves poor people in Africa, the Americas, and Asia.
A source within WFP said qualified Africans were never posted to head offices in their home countries or in Europe, the US or Latin America. But Europeans, Americans and Latin Americans received postings anywhere in the world.
According to the WFP website, the organization is active in 123 countries and territories, and 77 percent of workers are recruited locally. Almost half of the counties needing WFP assistance are in Africa.
To put it into context, according to its map, WFP is active in all African countries except South Africa, Gabon, Eritrea and Morocco making it inevitable that many of its employees are African.
But despite 20 percent of the WFP workforce complaining about racism, at least in the survey, we could not find a statement online from the Executive Director, David Beasley, addressing the concern. Our request for comment also went unanswered.
While the Nobel Prize-winning organization has put in place some task force to address racism, a lack of action from the top sends a message the matter is not urgent.
This is not the first time WFP and the UN have scored low regarding racism allegations.
“There is a general bias that means Blacks cannot hold certain positions in an office, such as finance, without being supervised by a White Supervisor because they are too corrupt.”
In 2019, The New Humanitarian reported that an independent report recommended a systemic overhaul of WFP workplace practices after staff claimed rampant sexual harassment, discrimination, and other abuse.
The consultancy firm Willis Towers Watson survey found that 23 percent of WFP employees said they had experienced discrimination.
The staff reported that Americans and Europeans received preferential treatment in focus groups and interview sessions.
Despite the prevalence of abuse, 12 percent reported that whistleblowers experienced retaliation. And many listed the fear of retaliation as the main reason they did not report abuse.
Retaliation took many forms, including demotions, change of duties without notification, exclusion from meetings, blocked promotions, and not having one’s contract renewed, among others, TNH report said.
Similar racism allegations were uncovered in another UN staff survey.
United Nations People of African Descent (UNPAD) survey on the perception of racism within the UN system launched on June 22, 2020, found troubling allegations of racism in the UN system.
Out of almost 2900 respondents, 52 percent said they had experienced racism, and even some of the 47 percent who said they had not directly experienced racism, said they had witnessed it.
Their comments included the following:
“We witness discrimination in all areas-job opportunities, promotions, training opportunities, etc.
“I have seen African colleagues being spoken to in a condescending tone- no matter their level.”
“I have experienced people of color being sidelined.”
The staff shared startling comments to illustrate their experience with racism.
They gave examples from experiences during recruitment, career development, disrespect, exclusion, and retaliation, which sometimes included disproportionate punishment.
Here are a few examples of comments from each category.
Recruitment:
“When a recent recruitment exercise resulted in only White being selected, I was told it was because there were no qualified black people.
Career development:
“When it comes to downsizing, staff of African descent are often the first to be targeted.”
“As an African, I am given the impression that my career path is limited to dangerous duty stations.”
Disrespect:
“A white colleague refused to report to a Black Supervisor.”
“Whites at a lower grade do not accept Black supervisors (P3/P4 level) and prefer to report to more senior supervisors who tend to be White.”
Retaliation / Disproportionate Sanctions:
“Many Black colleagues are sent to particularly difficult duty stations – in the deep field as retaliation.”
“I have been threatened with job termination and retaliated against when I challenged decisions that put me in a compromising position in relation to my professional integrity.”
“Blacks receive the most severe punishment.”
Exclusion
I was once told that it would be better not to go to a donor meeting as they would be more receptive to a European.
“My input is routinely disregarded not because of merit but because it is coming from me.”
Harassment / Discrimination
“There is a general bias that means Blacks cannot hold certain positions in an office, such as finance, without being supervised by a White Supervisor because they are too corrupt.”
“I was the only Black Colleague when my new boss came in. He decided that I should be reassigned to another office. Once I moved, a Non-African replaced me.”
Microaggressions
“I was told that my duty station was not for people of my colour.”
“Some managers will remind you that you are being recruited because of geographical advantage rather than your competencies.”
The above are just a few comments shared by the UN staff about their experience with various forms of discrimination. While someone can find a way to explain away some of the examples, it’s impossible to explain away so many people sharing the same perspective of the WFP and the UN in general as organizations where racism thrives.