I worked for 10 years in UN peace operations, mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I helped return refugees and internally displaced persons to Srebrenica, prosecute war criminals and protect and promote human rights. I was also involved in the creation of new security and justice institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.
I left to have my son. The decision to leave the work I loved and where I felt I could make a positive difference was hard.
Many of my colleagues, of all genders, also faced the difficult decision between their career and caring for or even having children. I’ve reflected on the harm these decisions have on people, who choose to leave or stay in the sector, and on the harm this can have on the organisations they work for – as people leave, try to juggle both caring and paid work responsibilities, or choose not to have children at all.
