Meet Meg & Ghada from UNRWA

I have an MA in Sustainable Development from the SIT Graduate Institute and worked for more than 8 years in the NGO sector before joining the UN.

What drove you to choose your current position?

I had worked for more than three years with UNRWA at a P4 level on strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation.  I felt that I had learned enough to be able to contribute at a more senior level.

What single fact would surprise people the most about you?

I am a volunteer clown and have done clown shows in Latin America, southeast Asia, the United States, and the Middle East.

What do you look for in candidates?

Strong technical skills, self-awareness, an ability to learn on the job, and a positive attitude.

What first attracted you to this organization?

I liked that UNRWA provides direct services, which is quite unique in the UN system.  In the West Bank we provide basic education to almost 50,000 students per year.

What’s the best thing about working for organization?

Being able to get out to the field and meet with the people we serve.

What are your proudest achievements with your organisation?

Contributing to improvements to how we strategically plan, strengthening our solid waste management programme, and working on the roll out of our transition from providing in-kind food parcels to cash support.

Nicest fact/surprise about your organization/employer?

Although we have over 30,000 staff, we only work in five fields of operation in the Middle East. This makes it very easy to discuss key issues with our headquarters and other fields.

What advice would you give other women interested in following in your footsteps?

Be prepared for people to challenge you, and to have to hold your ground. Believe in yourself, but stay humble.

Name: Ghada Yousef Al Jadba

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Nationality: Palestinian

Role: Chief Field Health Programme, Gaza Field Office

What did you do/study before working for your organisation?

I have a Bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery and a Master’s degree in Public Health.

What drove you to choose your current position?

Mainly because I believe in my leadership capacity, managerial and technical skills to manage the Health programme in Gaza, and I try to meet the increasing health needs of the Palestinian refugees in the deteriorating situation in Gaza.

What single fact would surprise people the most about you?

Being a woman with strong personality and in the same time having a very positive attitude in dealing with all stakeholders.

What do you look for in candidates?

High professionalism.

What first attracted you to this organization?

The high level of transparency and the enhancement of gender equality.

What’s the best thing about working for organization?

Serving people in need meeting their needs.

What are your proudest achievements with your organisation?

Improving the quality of health care provided by UNRWA and implementing the health reform in all health centres, as well as achieving all of the targets of the performance indicators related to health programme, which now reflects a better quality of health care. Finally, the capacity building of the health staff in the Gaza field and enhancing positive culture among UNRWA Health Programme.

Nicest fact/surprise about your organization/employer?

The kindness of its staff is always a nice surprise and the will to continue achieving, despite the harsh challenges of the violent conflicts in Gaza.

What advice would you give other women interested in following in your footsteps?

To believe in herself (very important!), have clear goals and then to have the insistence to achieve them and never to give up despite all of the challenges.