LOUISE NYLIN

My life with the United Nations

When I was about 9 years old we celebrated UN day on the 26th of November back in my school in Sweden. One of the assignments was for every child to draw a picture of a kid and then we spread all the cut-outs and made them join hands around the globe. I don’t know if that was what sparked my interest for international work, but somehow that memory has stayed with me. All though my university studies I had this goal of international work in my mind, but I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do and I also think this was kind of an unusual career path so I think my parents were always a bit worried what I would end up doing and if I could get such a job. After a couple of years of internships and short term consultancies with the United Nations I finally landed my first real job and international posting with the UN. The job was to work with human rights and gender equality in the Republic of Georgia. It ended up being a real adventure for both me and my husband who also came with me.

In early 2000 Georgia felt like not a very well known country and a bit off the beaten path. Both professionally and privately it ended up being some very rewarding 2 years. Professionally I felt I was really put to the test and often had to engage in discussions where your national partners had different opinions and understanding.

It really helped me to understand what it means to work in an inter-cultural environment but this is also the aspect of international work that I have come to enjoy the most. After a couple of years I got my son and later my daughter. That was when I really realized that the UN still is very much a man’s world. I found quite limited understanding for what it means to be a working mother with small kids in the UN. When I came back to work and my son was 2,5 months they asked if I could go on a 2 week mission. Luckily that time I was able to not go but there were occasions when my work trips ended up being a whole family affair.

When my kids were 5 and 3 years old we moved to Hanoi, Vietnam. That move was quite easy as the kids were small and quite movable. Again we ended up having a wonderful time in South East Asia, every day stepping out of your house was like being in an issue of the National Geographic magazine, the colors and the smells. It was so much to learn as this was my first time in a truly different culture.

In many ways I feel lucky to have been able to have all these experiences and a family that has been so flexible and understanding. My husband has his own company and is therefore very movable. Up until now it has also been fairly easy to move with the kids but I realize that as they are getting older it will be harder. I feel that our lifestyle has given them a lot of life experience but I also feel that they deserve some stability and not too much moving around. My sense is that they are citizens of the world and home is where our family is. Still when I got the chance to come to New York and work with the newly established organization called UN Women it felt totally right for us. In a way the circle is closed as this is where I started my international career and it feel great to stay put here for a while and give us a base. But knowing us I am sure in a couple of years the travel bug will hit us again and we will be off on new adventures.

LOUISE NYLIN

PROGRAMME ADVISOR FOR UN WOMEN