Of blossoming hope & constructive work

Usha Mishra Hayes, a career UN staffer, in her new book, Social Protection: Lands of Blossoming Hope, tries to give an insight into the positive impact that UN agencies like the World Food Programme (WPF), which was recently awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, and the UNICEF have on economically developing and socially fragile countries.

 Hayes, who has served with the WFP in Bangladesh and Ethiopia, and in several more with UNICEF, gives a peek into the workings of organisations that have rightly, through rather belatedly, been recognised for promoting world peace. The book is rather unusual in many ways. First, it talks about ‘hope’ — a rare perspective in today’s world which is full of grim news and increasing apathy and frustration. It presents the possibility of national reform by the UN and by zealous, committed UN staffers. Second, it provides an intimate insight into an otherwise obtuse world of the workings of the UN, in general, and the work of influencing policy, in particular. 

The book recounts the workings of governments and their interface with the UN with a breathtaking sweep — from the tropical plains of Bangladesh to the ocean-flanked scenic Tanzania, and from the stable, upcoming Cambodia to the fragile, exploding Afghanistan. These countries have been brought to life by the author with stories of how the governments considered bringing in policy to deal with the problems of street children, as in the case of Ethiopia, or when elections were used as an opportunity for creating positive news for the government while achieving important policy reforms on lagging issues, as was the case in Tanzania. Each country covers a different aspect of policymaking, making each chapter uniquely interesting and rich in insights, which are shared casually and effortlessly, without much ado. 

 Important alliances get formed among the World Bank, UNDP and UNICEF in a casual meeting by the residents’ swimming pool, as in Cambodia, and highranking secretaries’ break into open verbal warning, aiming to draw in UN officials, as in Afghanistan. The book shows how arriving at decisions regarding the scope and design of programmes for the poorest is often made in the UN offices, using extremely sophisticated analysis and planning tools. 

  The book is easy to read and leaves you asking for more when it ends. It also makes us wonder as to how much of policymaking in the developing countries is inspired by the Good Samaritans within the UN. Whether we are supporters or critics of this international entity, one cannot but acknowledge that the UN does provide free, high-quality technical expertise for many countries that will find it difficult otherwise to mobilise such talent. This book recounts some of the deft ways in which this expertise aligns with or challenges the national policy agendas to make it more pro-poor. It is a book of hope and a constructive take on international efforts at addressing some chronic national challenges.