International Women's Day

International

Women's

Day

1997

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Special Event
Question and Answer with UN Women

Questions for Zohreh Tabatabai
(Who is she?)

Dear Ms Tabatabai

My name is Tracy Geyser. I come from Durban , South Africa. Why I am writing is because I am really interested in your work and how you go about doing this. I am still in school, aged 15. I love to help the less fortunate, people who are not as well off as I am. That is why I am so interested in this project.

I would like to ask you a few questions. The 1st one being What is your organization actually all about? I would also like to know how you go about doing your daily work? What do you want to achieve by having this project? If I were to help in any little way (however big ) that I could, what could I do? How many people go out each day? What do they do well being out there?"

Dear Tracy,
Thank you for the interest you have shown in the United Nations and more particularily my work here.
I joined the UN because like you I wanted to help people some 18 years ago. Since then I have worked in different areas mostly advocating for the UN and now, in my current job as Focal point for Women, I advocate for women and their rights to have equal opportunities as men in the United Nations. As you know, the UN has been around for some 52 years and throughout its history it has been mostly men who ran the organisation. My job is to try and bring about changes in policies and attitudes so that women also take up these functions and that by the year 2000 we will have equal numbers of men and women professionals in the UN. Perhaps when you have finished university you too might want to work for the UN helping people in all the different ways that it does so daily around the world.

Best regards,
Zohreh Tabatabai

"Dear Zohreh Tarbatabai (Miss)

What is the Intenatinal Women's Day about?

When did the CyberSchoolBus do and when did it start doing the kind of work that it's doing now?

What kind of work do the United Nations Women do? How do they help refugees?

There was once a programme that I watched about a certain organisation that helped refugees. It found them jobs, houses, schools for their children and gave them money to get settled. Is this the kind of job that you also do?

I wish you luck with the work you're doing. I hope the people you planned that programme for really enjoy it.

I'm sure that the people you've helped are very grateful because I would be if someone helped me.

With Love
From South Africa
Cheers,
Nontuthuko Chamane

Dear Nontuthuko,
Thank you for questions about the UN and its work. International Women's Day was a great sucess this year with women throughout the UN celebrating with panel discussions and film festivals, exhibits, etc.
I worked very hard for this special day because my job of Focal Point for Women is all about recognising the importance of the work women do and giving them opportunities to compete fairly with men. We are trying to bring gender equality for women in the UN. The hope is that by the year 2000 we will have equal numbers of men and women at all levels in the UN.
Women work in all areas of the UN and since the UN works all over the world, it is true to say that women work for the UN in the global secretariat.
As for refugees you should know that a woman heads our refugee program. Her name is Mrs Ogata and she is from Japan. We women are very proud of her because she is doing a terrific job.
Anyhow, I thank you for all your good wishes and for my part I hope you too have a very happy and sucessful life.

Regards,
Zohreh Tabatabai

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