UN Diplomat From Tajikistan Shares Her Story With Utah Valley University Students

Shabnam Mullo-Abdolova (fourth from right) with students and members of UVU Foreign Affairs club

On Thursday, March 24, 2011, students of Utah Valley University enjoyed the unique opportunity of hearing the stories and experience of a young woman, currently working with the UN in Sudan, who amazingly enough has a lot in common with many of the students.

Shabnam Mullo-Abdolova is originally from the town of Khorog, which is located high in the mountains of Tajikistan, a small mountainous country in Central Asia that shares its southern border with Afghanistan. She is the oldest child in a family of four children, three of which are currently living abroad. When asked how her parents feel about her international career, she mentioned “of course they miss me and would prefer that I were home with them, but they support me in my career and achieving my personal goals.”

Shabnam started her career as an English teacher and has since served in various state and international organizations in Tajikistan, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and at their main office in Vienna, Austria. Since 2006, she has been employed with the U.N. and currently serves as Human Resources officer for the U.N.’s Mine Action Office in Sudan, the largest UN Mine Action office clearing land mines.

When Shabnam was asked what motivated her to start an international career, she stated that it had been a desire of hers ever since she was a little child, struggling with her family to survive the civil war that Tajikistan experienced from 1992-1997. She was so grateful to the different international organizations, that had stepped in to provide food and shelter to the devastated areas, and decided that when she grew up, she too wanted to help and serve people, to help bring peace to the world. She mentioned that the two biggest contributors were the United Nations and the Aga Khan Foundation.

The first time that Shabnam went abroad was in 1996 when she was selected for her academic excellence to come as an exchange student to the United States. After receiving her degrees in Tajikistan and UK, she returned to her home country, where she started to teach English to young children. She soon became involved with the Mountain Society Development Programme, a project of Aga Khan Foundation. This company focused mainly on the underdeveloped areas, such as her remote mountainous area. Shabnam stated that “it could take two days, by car, to get from one remote area to another.” Their main focus has been improvement of infrastructure, including bridges and roadways, which have helped to interconnect the regions etc.

Following working with the OSCE, she was offered a position with the United Nations in 2006. A few weeks after having received the offer for employment, Shabnam was notified that her first assignment would be in Sudan, a country that been suffering from civil strife and war. She stated that she was a bit skeptical at first about going to Sudan, but she decided that she would go and see what it would be like. “I love Sudan. I love the people. At first I was not sure that I wanted to go to Sudan, but I am very glad that I did.” She was asked several questions about her working conditions in Sudan, and how the people treated her. Her office is located in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and she said that the city is very peaceful and quiet. She told students that often her mother would call her so worried from news that she had heard about Sudan, and she would have to calm her mother down and explain to her that she is in Khartoum, that the incident she heard about was hundreds of kilometers away, and that she was perfectly safe.

Shabanam’s advice to students was to figure out what they want to do with their lives, and then to fully pursue it. To not give up on their dreams. Shabnam was visiting her sister Nilufar Sherzod in Orem, Utah, who is currently studying at Utah Valley University. Shabnam has helped sponsor her sister’s education, as well as her brother’s in Canada. Her presentation was a part of the monthly-held seminar to promote goals and priorities of “Women of the Mountains” international conference hosted by UVU on March 8-9, 2011 under the gender and sustainable mountain development agenda of the United Nations-related Mountain Partnership. It was co-hosted by the UVU Foreign Affairs, Russian and Sustainable Mountain Development clubs.

By Matt Joseph, Student, Utah Valley University

Women of the Mountains Conference; Monday, First Day

Recently Utah Valley University had the great opportunity to host the 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference. The Conference gained attendance from diplomats, ambassadors, organizations and citizens interested in sustainable mountain development from over twenty nations, among them were, Dr. Alexey Tikhomirov, Chief of Transition Economies Unit, DPEPA/DESA, Dr. Douglas McGuire, Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, UN-FAO, Rome United Nations, Honorable Jeffrey Jones, Undersecretary for Agriculture of Mexico (2006-2009), His Excellency Zoran Jolevski, Ambassador of Macedonia to the United States, His Excellency Gyan Chandra Acharya, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, Dr. Susan Madsen and Mrs. Karinjo De Vore, Chairperson, Aspen International Mountain Forum, Colorado. The Conference sought to address very specific goals:

1. To continue the coordinated efforts begun at the first Women of the Mountains International Conference (Orem, 2007), as expressed in the Orem Declaration of Mountain Women;

2. To share knowledge about the global status of mountain women, with a strong focus on women in leadership roles around the world working to advance sustainable development in various sectors of activity;

3. To mobilize the Rocky Mountain members of the Mountain Partnership and grass-roots level entities, including high-schools and universities to work together toward specific goals to improve the status of women and increase opportunities for leadership;

4. To provide recommendations for the Mountain Partnership and Mountain Forum members around the world regarding actions to improve the status of women and to increase opportunities for leadership over the next two years with contribution to the agenda of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

5. To encourage the next generation to support gender issues and sustainable mountain development (note: high-school and college students throughout state of Utah will participate in all stages of this Conference).

Within the past 6 months there has been a great interest within the Rocky Mountains with respect to the activities of The Mountain Partnership. For this reason Aspen and Basalt Colorado as well as Park City, Salt Lake City and Orem City, Utah have all joined the Mountain Partnership to be a part of the global network of mountain regions and organizations linked together with the common cause to foster mountain growth in all mountainous regions. The 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference was organized with the intention to catalyze these efforts as well as bring organizations together to open the dialogue to development.

Before the opening of the Conference there was a high school essay contest held in which high school students from across the state wrote essays on women’s issues and challenges in mountain regions. The top finalists presented their essays at the Orem Public Library to an audience of visiting diplomats, ambassadors and involved citizens.

The essays were on a variety of topics that ranged from, trafficking of women, education of women and the unequal rights and inferior treatment of women, especially on Native American Indian Reservations. The essays were very elaborate and detailed on problems and solutions. It was very encouraging to witness our next generation of leadership with an already keen understanding of these issues and the ability to diagnose problems and thoughtfully brainstorm plausible solutions.

The winner of the contest, Shelby Jorgensen of Utah County Academy of Sciences addressed the need for education of women in her essay and described many of the tangible and intangible problems that lack of education poses to mountain societies.

At the conclusion of the essay contest many of the ambassadors described the problems and challenges faced by the women and inhabitants of their regions and the successes and triumphs they have achieved. Dr. Douglas McGuire also had the opportunity to address the audience and describe the role of the Mountain Partnership on the international level. He addressed that he is excited to have new members from the Rocky Mountains and felt that they have a lot to offer. Also just as important he addressed that the Rocky Mountains also have w a lot to learn as well. He specifically mentioned the problems among Native American women and that these travesties are occurring in the territory of the Rocky Mountains and need to be reconciled, among others.

The event was finalized with a brief message from Mayor Washburn of Orem. He exclaimed that he was delighted that his city was able to host the conference and applauded the work, study and dedication of the many high school participants of the essay contest.

Salt Lake City Becomes the Newest Member of The Mountain Partnership

It is with great honor that Salt Lake City has become the newest member of the Mountain Partnership, a project launched at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002 and officially partnered with the UN. Since its inception The Mountain Partnership has grown to 50 nations, 16 NGO’s, and 107 major groups, which unite under the banner of progress, prosperity and awareness to tackle the unique challenges that mountain regions of the world face.

Salt Lake City is the first Capitol City in the United States to join the Mountain Partnership. Other cities in the US that have joined are Orem Utah, Basalt and Aspen Colorado.

Utah Valley University, in the city of Orem is also a member of the Mountain Partnership and has been actively engaged in the Mountain Partnership. This has been manifest most recently with its preparations to host the 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference.

The United Nations has already recognized the diligent work that UVU has contributed to mountain regions through the Orem Declaration of Mountain Women, which recognized the important role that women play in the vital growth of mountain regions.

Mountain regions, like that of Salt Lake City’s, contribute significantly to the world economy on many scales. At the same time, life in the mountains is quite challenging in comparison to the living conditions of non-mountain regions around the world. High altitude, remoteness, and lack of developed infrastructure create a difficult environment for mountain communities.

Salt Lake is in an exceptional position to work together, create networks, exchange ideas, and exchange best practices with other mountain communities. It is important that mountain communities maintain relations and open dialogue on successful strategies that can be implemented to profit the community as a whole and foster sustainable mountain growth.

Salt Lake City lies in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and is accustomed to the challenges and obstacles that beset mountain communities. Salt Lake City has successfully traversed through many obstacles and created a broad and vast community in the surrounding region.

Mayor Becker has stated that this is a great opportunity for “Salt Lake City and other communities to with mountain climates to share both knowledge and historical data about development and industry.”

Through the Mountain Partnership Salt Lake City will have the opportunity to further increase its reputation throughout the world as a leader in the development of mountain nations and an excellent example that other mountain regions will be able to emulate.