Know Our Work: Engaging with the United Nations for Change

Engaging with the United Nations for Change

by Vandita Morarka

Curated by Vandita Morarka

You’ve gotten to know our team, we’re bringing you this series so that you can get to know our work better too. We explore the different verticals of our work through the lens of the people leading them.

I started as the first Youth Outreach Coordinator for Safecity in Mumbai and then transitioned into the role of the first Policy, Legal Officer at Safecity. Earlier in April I was designated the additional portfolio of being the United Nations Liaison Officer and I currently lead a four member team towards this work. It makes me so happy to reflect on how the work of the team that manages United Nations related work is contributing to the movement that Safecity is, as we gear toward the launch of our app.

Starting off with a big shoutout to the fabulous, fabulous team: Sanaya Patel, Soyra Gune, Immanuel Adriana Rakshana, and Nikunj Morarka, I haven’t met a more driven and passionate bunch of young individuals.

Soyra Gune

Sanaya Patel

Immanuel Adriana Rakshana

I represent Safecity at the United Nations Interagency Network on Youth Development and at the UNDP Policy and Strategy Group (World We Want 2030), these serve as a great platform for organisations from across the world to come together and learn from each other, collaborate and build upon solutions. We are able to build in these best practices into our work and showcase the strides India is making in different ways over here.

We undertake several collaborative digital advocacy projects with UN bodies by engaging stakeholders in online conversations and action oriented dialogue. I also curated a Women Peacebuilders online campaign in alignment with UN goals for International Youth Day, showcasing the power of women leaders in the peace building process.

We have received special accreditation to the Global Compact preparatory process for Migration by the United Nations Member States and are undertaking global online consultations independently to leverage our own platform to be representative of as many stakeholders as possible.

We also officially undertake the submission of several reports and research studies to various UN consultations, especially in areas related to sexual violence, public safety and sustainable cities. This is primarily where the team works on building a repository of quantitative and qualitative research that can inform such research projects and provide viable long term solutions to some of the worlds most pressing problems. Additionally, Safecity has been a part of various UN bodies and consultations towards driving change for a more sustainable world.

Our engagement with the United Nations and its several bodies is geared towards furthering our mission of making spaces more accessible for all and addressing issues of gender equality.

How do we use the app to leverage this?

The app is a way for more and more people to be a part of the solution. It gives you an avenue to raise your voice, collaborate and create change.

Connect with us?

Write in to info@reddotfoundation.org with feedback and queries and to vanditamorarka@gmail.com if you would like to connect on our international work. You can now download our app on Android and iOS systems – let’s make spaces safer together!