An Incredible Study Visit to UN’s Office in Cambodia
Written by: SONG Lauren, AYSE Fellow
The moment at the United Nations in Cambodia was truly worthwhile and memorable. As a fellow of the Adenauer Young Scholar for Excellence (AYSE), a public policy program of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Cambodia and the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy (IISPP), I had the privilege of visiting the United Nations Cambodia’s office along with 13 fellows. During our visit, we engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Mr. Jo Scheuer, UN Resident Coordinator in Cambodia. The session was highly engaging, interactive, and insightful as we delved into various topics.
First, Mr. Scheuer delivered a comprehensive presentation on the roles of the UN and the values it upholds. Following that, he shifted our focus to discussing the UN’s works in Cambodia. As an international relations student, I have studied about this topic most of the time at school. Nevertheless, hearing directly from the Resident Coordinator allowed me to gain comprehensive understanding of the organization as a whole.
The sharing continued, and what intrigued me the most was the discussion on what constitutes good public policy. Mr Scheuer introduced us to many methods for designing effective policy, one of which is to achieve its objectives without adversely affecting other areas. In other words, a good policy should mitigate risks instead of causing additional problems. Another important thing I have learned is the connection between duty-bearers and right-holders, which is a fundamental aspect of human rights-based approach, a crucial conceptual framework for promoting human development. It has enabled me to realize how issues are interconnected and that if we are to develop an effective policy, we must be cautious and look at the entire picture rather than just one aspect of the issue. As I attentively listened, I imagine myself as a policymaker and recognized the immense amount of work that lies ahead. It became an evident to me that developing a policy is an intricate process that demands significant time, dedication, and effort.
The discussion on public policy continued further. My fellow students tried to make the most of the visit by asking relevant questions. Then we shared our thoughts on Cambodia’s successes and challenges in implementing public policy. We all concurred that Cambodia had achieved massive progress and will develop better in the future.
After the fruitful discussion on public policy, a less intense yet very significant topic came: the prospects of youth working in the UN. Mr. Scheuer listed various prerequisites for employment with the UN, including education, language proficiency, work experience and — most importantly — the passion we should all have. On the other hand, he generously shared his personal experience of getting into the UN system and his UN’s career path, which was encouraging and inspiring to all of us, the AYSE fellows. He then left a message, “Be clear with what you value.”
Overall, this study visit was incredibly excellent and beyond expectations. My fellow students and I gained a lot of knowledge, particularly about the UN, public policy, and careers.
The study visit has opened my eyes to the importance of youth engagement. It is crucial for young people to seize opportunities to participate in local, governmental, and, most importantly, international organizations like the UN. Such involvement can have enormously impact our individual and community development. The UN provides young people a forum to freely express their thoughts, engage in intellectual discourse, learn about the Sustainable Development Goals, develop their skills, and build networks. Furthermore, youth voices are necessary for policy formulation, measurement, and implementation and can shape public policy. Therefore, I highly recommend that young people actively participate in UN or any country’s development activities for personal and social causes. Together, we can create a better world for our generation and future generations.
