The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 calls to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts with strong emphasis on further implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). While climate change is a global phenomenon, some countries are more vulnerable to a warming planet. Given this, the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) was created in 2009 as a South-South cooperation platform for collective action to address global climate change. In 2021, UNITAR partnered with the CVF to implement the CVF capacity-building fellowship.

"Men in my field are judged on their potential, whereas women by their past accomplishments. There is always so much more you have to prove as a woman to get leadership roles, participate in specific projects and be acknowledged for your contributions."

“I have applied the mindfulness skill and also the stress management techniques. My approach to situations and circumstances has also been modified as I try to incorporate cultural diversity and my approach interacting with my colleagues.”

“As a student, it is not common to come across professionals who work in the UN System. This was an opportunity to interact with many of them!”

With the hackathon, Enas became more inspired to continue promoting healthier lifestyles and cities’ renaturalization with her students. She has replicated some of the methodologies from the hackathon in her classes.

Over the past decade or two, increasing efforts have been directed to promote gender equality and empowerment of women in all sectors of society, including women’s participation in leadership and decision-making positions. To contribute to this common objective, the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and UNITAR organised a series of three e-workshops on gender, women’s leadership and mentoring in November and December 2020. The series aimed to strengthen female leaders’ confidence, resilience and leadership capacities, and targeted women and men in leadership positions, with special attention to those working in employers’ and business organisations.

Suddenly, the UN international dialogue was something that I was talking about with people, and they were keen to be involved, to support, and to learn more about it.

Everything I learnt in the module helped me to understand the European system and what was needed for a partnership and cooperation to exist between Europe and Africa.

“International relations tells us to operate from the head. I think in peacemaking and preventive diplomacy, it is also important that the heart is involved.” 

“I met many inspiring personalities from diverse fields and it was amazing to have the opportunity to exchange views on global issues with such distinguished individuals.”