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UNFPA takes part in Swiss career day

Maha Muna, center, talks to students about UNFPA

LAUSANNE – Each year, the Swiss government organizes an international career day to help graduate students or young professionals expand their job prospects, especially with international organizations.

UNFPA traditionally participates in this day-long fair, along with many other United Nations organizations,  and this year was no different.

“The fair was open to all employers including hotels, financial firms, banks, and others but the area reserved for international organizations was certainly the most crowded, which indicated serious interest in working overseas,” said Maha Muna, Humanitarian Specialist in UNFPA’s Geneva Office, who represented the Fund at the student fair. “This is maybe due in part to the fact that many students were originally from overseas, and now studying in

Switzerland . Another reason might be because of their genuine interest in issues related to development and humanitarian response.”

Career Day provides international organizations with an opportunity to promote their work and to attract talented students to its ranks. It is part of

Switzerland ’s strategy to increase the number of Swiss nationals in the United Nations and other international organizations, where they are under-represented.

“Several of the students were eager to know how their degrees might qualify them for professional or volunteer posts overseas and several were interested in working on HIV/AIDS prevention, education programmes, and community development and emergency assistance,” Ms Muna added.

The annual Career Day is organized each year by Switzerland ’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.