UNA-UK Trustee Elections 2019

Swadeka is a global leader and ambassador, and has been engaged with UNA-UK for a number of years and as its objective and strategy is to connect people in the UK with the works and values of the UN, has been contributing to its various activities, works and campaigns, attending its conferences as well as shared role in good and collective policy in partnership with carious instrumental bodies and organisations, forums, co-ordinating various consultations, steering and focus groups.

Swadeka would like to be part of the UK-UNA, contributing and securing a better prospect for the betterment of its members, trustees and is determined that the governance should hold into account that UNA –UK  delivers what everyone wants gradually in a changing period, probably bring to the table skills and methods to enable it to motivate strategies and help existing demands.

Swadeka is a global leader on gender, peace and security and has expertise over the years working on the subject with government, civil society stakeholders etc., calling on everyone to accelerate commitment on gender, peace and security as part of her work on Sustainable development as this work requires political action and promote  2030 agenda on sustainable development. Swadeka’s work as well focus on the session of the Commission on the status of women on review, and has been recently following the UNECE meeting in Geneva, and will take forward of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and platform for Action, in tackling global challenges to equality and inclusion.

Swadeka participates in high level participatory consultation meetings, support the works of gender and conflict both national and devolved structures and UK-Wide communication, working collaboratively with Government Equalities Office, MoD (Ministry of Defence), Department for International Development, the foreign and commonwealth Office, Civil Society Leaders, influencing strategy, UK policy presentation internationally.

Ravi Kumar is a skilled digital leader, based in the Midlands, currently working within economic regeneration, with a focus on health, life Sciences, digital infrastructure, 5G, and other sectors.

His work includes working closely with a range of stakeholders including Government departments, Health organisations, Universities and colleges, Local Authorities, and businesses.

Ravi is an active UNA‐UK member, and has held the role of chairman for both the Central Region UNA (2012 ‐ 2015), and Birmingham Branch UNA (current since 2009). In 2012, under his chairmanship Ravi led a review of the Central Region, and after wide consultation in branches, youth Branches, and with others, an exciting development plan was developed. Many student members joined the Central Region committee following this.

In 2015, Ravi was awarded by UNA‐UK the Distinguished Service Award for his services to the region and his branch.

If elected to the Board of UNA‐UK, Ravi’s primary interests will be to make valuable contributions to outreach, communication, advocacy, and further engaging with grass roots members and supporters, especially with students & younger members. Ravi sees the forthcoming commonwealth games in the UK as a great opportunity to do this. Ravi will also focus on supporting activities that inspire greater global governance, and in advocating for a more principled, outward looking British foreign policy: “I believe in, and strongly share the United Nations’ vision of ‘We the people’ and want to be engaged in promoting efforts to secure peace, justice, dignity, human rights and equality for all around the world.”

Outside of work Ravi is a life coach. He has volunteered for a range of roles over the past 15 years, including: trustee for Age UK, Credit Union founding member, equalities campaigner setting up two human rights charities in the UK, working with youth clubs, and a mentor.

I am a current member of the UNA-UK, I am applying as a candidate in the forthcoming national UNA-UK trustee election.

Over the past year, I experienced and witnessed the positive contribution of the UNA-UK to various causes. I am motivated to take an active role to promote justice, sustainable developments and human rights as set goals of the UNA- UK. I am a highly driven, resourceful and motivated individual with a broad experience gained various industries. I have relevance experience in governance and decision making at various capacity. For example, I sat on the panel committee of Research Ethics Compliance and Regulation at GlaxoSmithSkline. I am currently a panel member for King’s Academy and take part in decision making and allocation for Academic Awards.

As a trustee, I would ensure that the UNA-UK abides to its strategic goals and visions, as well as ensuring that objectives are delivered and met effectively. I am already familiarity with the various initiatives and projects of UNA, by attending events and empathising with activists. As a trustee, I will be engaged in a more meaningful way and take a hands-on role to establish relationships with stakeholders, network and advocate in the community.

Furthermore, I aim to be more pro-active and expand the UNA-UK network across my local university-group such as King’s College London to promote visibility and initiatives. Similarly, I would engage and network for the growth and sustainability of the UNA-UK at UCL where I served on the Ethics Committee. As a current advocate on the Article 8 Project, Human Rights and Access to Justice, I stand to promote the fundamental Rights and Justice for every human being. I have excellent interpersonal and communication skills which I exercise in building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders at many levels. It would be an honour to serve as a trustee for the UNA-UK.

I am applying as a branch and regional activist, having had wide experience at branch level in organising events and running campaigns, e.g. Yemen, Schools Public Speaking Competitions, Mungas.

Our Branch has good relations with our M. P. West Berks Council, Town Councils and other organisations, especially on our U. N. Day event and Holocaust Memorial Day, in endeavouring to identify our organisation.

I have for many years raised thousands of pounds throughout the Southern Region for UNA Trust/UNICEF am currently Treasurer. and have produced a newsletter in linking our branches together. I have previously served on the UNA Finance committee and attended Annual and Policy Conferences.

As a membership-based organisation, the key is membership growth. and establishing a supporting contact list. My aim would be to encourage a more direct means of communication within UNA-UK and a more participatory role for members at an annual members conference.

The setting up of community champions (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, Yemen) was a good initiative which needs to be pursued. It would have been good for us to support the UN International Year for Indigenous People as the theme for Newbury Branch U. N. Day.

I am standing on the basis of my experience in interacting with branches and a good knowledge of the system and contacts for sharing knowledge and advice. I would bring new ideas on developing contacts and see the emphasis in the Strategic Plan on promoting the 75th Anniversary as an opportunity which was not realised on the 70 Anniversary, in helping to shape a knowledge of the U.N. in the community.

My skills include communications, development, finance and fund raising, a strong interest is in encouraging other nationalities to join us and, in events like Thatcham One World Week Celebration “Climate Everywhere” – Now is the time to Act related to Indigenous People.

I have just completed five years of chairing UNA LASER. I am also Vice-Chair of UNA Wandsworth branch in both of these roles but in particular as chair of UNA LASER I have visited branches and discussed projects with them. My work has also put me in touch with UNA-UK and I am interested to learn more about the organisation and help with involvement of membership.

The honour to be an Elected-Trustee for UNA-UK would provide the environment for the work I currently undertake to expand and contribute to the further development and support of the future work of UNAUK, which I am thrilled to have the potential opportunity to do.

I am very passionate about the UN values and goals and look for ways to build synergies across different groups to be able to have greater impact in achieving the UN goals. One of the initiatives I am currently undertaking is an online platform called the SDG Advocate Programme, where all individuals and organisations are able to contribute to the SDGs through an incentivised programme.

As a doctoral candidate on the UNs’ relationship with Civil Society, I would be able to directly apply my research to this role in order to further UNA work. I would also be bringing my experience as Delegate at international UN meetings. As Convenor of UNA-Scotland with 6 branches, I come with great familiarity of local branches. In addition, as Strategic Development Director of UN House Scotland, the outreach arm of UNAS, we engage in numerous grassroots initiatives. One this year took the grassroots voice right to international meetings at the UN in Manhattan, where the collective grassroots statement was read in front of Member States.

Lastly and importantly, if you send me an email, I will get back to you. If you are in need of assistance, I will do everything I can within my capacities to do so. If I say I am going to do something, I am going to do it. I very much look forward to the exciting role of engaging further in UNA-UK’s local branches, both community and university-based groups and am excited about carrying out the specific tasks that come with the role.

I have worked with the UN and its Specialised Agencies, the EU, Commonwealth and other international organisations for my entire professional life and in 2012-15 was involved in the negotiations leading up to the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and the SDGs; my detailed cv is attached.

I have been an elected trustee of UNA UK for the past two years, during which I have sought to ensure that the interests and concerns of UNA members, local UNA/MUN branches and supporters are voiced at UNA trustee meetings; one innovation made is that this now entails a regular agenda item at each meeting. I have also met with and addressed a range of UNA branches, conferences and events and liaised with UNA staff about improving membership communications. I have also worked with other trustees to successfully improve the financial situation of UN UK which means it is now in a better position to take on new tasks and respond to its members.

In my own branch, Canterbury, I have helped to position UNA as a key stakeholder in engagement with other CSOs, our universities, business and local government in taking forward local implementation of the SDGs and I chair the Canterbury Climate Action Partnership; I delivered the keynote address at the UN Peace Service in Canterbury Cathedral in October 2019. I feel networking with key stakeholders, including local government and especially younger people is essential.

There is much to do in the next two years to further strengthen UNA UK and to improve both communication and cooperation with our members, branches and supporters, building on positive discussion held at the 2019 UNA national conference in London, and key activities such as UN@75 and Together First.

I hope I will have your kind support for this task.