Henry R. Labouisse: UNICEF Executive Director, 1965-1979

86 Pages·1999·3.73 MB·English

THEEDITORS
JOHN CHA’WOW w=kmssryof theUNICEFExecutiveBoardfsnmmid-194710hisredrement
iondd-1981.Duringthelssttwelveyearsinthsrpost~ w alsore.spnnsibkforliaisnn‘withnon-gov-
urrnrentslmgsnisations.
SHERWOOD G. MOE, servedasSpecialASS&UNmtheExecutiveDirectordoringallofM.
Lsbnuissc’srenure.PreviouslyheM workedforMr.LabnuisseintheMarshallPlsnMissionrnFmnce
inPsris.inUNRWAinBeirutsndduringtheCongoCrisisin1960.Heredn?dfrnmUNICEFin1982.
BOLeIIditnss,sfrertheirretirementw. eres+ely involvedinUseUNICEFHistnryA-c@.
CopyrightUnitedNationsChildren’sFund.June1988
CONTENTS cP/HIsT/MoN/88-ol1
@ HENRYR.LABOUISSE,
UNICEFEXECUTIVEDIRECTOR,1965-1979
I Introduction 1
II Biographical note on Mr. Labouisse iaaued by UNICEF
following his death on 25 March 1987 3
III Before UNICEF 5
F.xcerpts from interviewa with Mr. I.abnuiase 5
IV Mr. Labouisse as Sxecutive Director 12
“Maiden” speech tn the Executive Board,
14 June 1965 12
Acceptance speech, Nnbel Peace Prize,
Oslo, 10 December 1965 16
UNICEFas a development agency 18
Prograume matters 19
Planning fnr, children in national development
,,
and the cnuntry prcgrxsm!.‘.-.e- approach” 19
Strategy for UNICEFprogramme cooperation 23
Criteria for assistance 27
Coordination with other agencies
in the UNsystem 28
The baaic services apprnach 28
Reflections from a field observation trip 31
Fielda of cooperation 32
Child health 32
:Primary health care 32
—Expanded programne of immunization; 34
--Cmntrol of diarrhneal diseases; 34
-Essential drugs;
communicable disease control 35
:Water supply and sanitation 35
:Reaponsible parenthood and.
family planning 37
Child nutritio~ &o
. :Prnmotion of breastf ceding u
Education (f nrmsl and non-formal ) 45
. . . . . Womenand girls ~7. .
Reaching children in low-incnme urban areas 48
Emergencies 50
:Relief and recnnatructinn 50
--Informal views of Mr. Labouisse 52
:Economic crises 53
Funds 56
National Committees 60
Non-governmental organizations 62
.
Staff and management 6.$
:Womenon staff 67
The International Year of the Child 68
Mr. Lsbouisse’s laat statement to the Board as .
Executive Director, May 1979 73
Annex:
Personal characteristics of Mr. Labouisse
relevant to his work in UNICEF: 79
Extracta from eulogies by:
James P. Grant, Sxecutive Director of UNICEF 79
E.J. R. Eeyward, Former Senior Deputy
Executive Director of UNICEF 80
Sources 81
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.
I. INTRODUCTION
Henry R bbmisse, whose life formore than40 yearshad been dedicated topublic service inboth
national aridinternational fields, wasUNICEF’s second Executive Director. He served for 15years,
from June 1965 to 30 December 1979.
During his tenure, he considerably accelerated artevolution begun under hispredecessor, Maurice
Pate.wStardng primarily asahum.%itarianagency intheUnitedNations system UNICEF gradually
became afull-fledged partner in the international development corqrttunity, maintaining its special
concern. for children. Its prograrome. scope was greatly widene4 and its ctxsperaaon with
governments doubled in amount (measured in terms of dollars of constant value).
Inthe process, among the most important .developmenrs were:
— The introduction of the“country probgrammingapproach”, involving an analysis ofthe main
problems of children snd thepossibilities of action incountries receiving UNICEF coopera-
tion,
— Advocacy andsupport for“basic services”— theessential services thatthecountry shouldtry
to deliver to all children, particularly those of families in the lower socio-economic groups.
Community responsibility would be fostered in the delivery of these services.
— The “lead” responsibility given toUNICEF by dreUnited Naaons General Assembly for the
International Year of the Child. The Year, celebrated in 1979, led to a broader UNICEF
involvement withissuesaffecting children andaccelerated rhemovement inUNICEF towards
finding mom effective ways toprotect chddrert against neglect and exploitation.
Amajor motif ofHarry Labouisse’s tenure was the endeavor toconvince the world asawhole, and
especially tomake theideaaccepted amongdecision-makers, thatchildren andtheirproper care and
nurrure must be an essential component of the development of scciety.
He alsocontributed outstandingly tothe UNICEF uadition ofseeking tohelpchildren on both sides
ofcivilconflicts. This”ofteninvolved delicate poliac’d situations, andhisskillful diplomatic abilities
were artimportant factor in breaking impasses in a number of instances.
,
i“
Anaccount ofthisevolution isgiveninsomedetail inTheChildren andtheNations:The Story
gf UNICEF, by Maggie Black, mainly in Chapters 10to 16,(UNICEF Edition, 1986).
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ThebulkofthisMonograph (Chapter IV)isdevotedtoUNICEF’s mairspolicyconcems asexpressed
by Harry Labouisse during his tenure as Executive Director. They are presented in the form of
,
selected key passages from statements he made, often initially to the UNICEF Executive Board.
Some of these statements were seminal in the evolution of UNICEF policy. Others recapitulated
developments over sevemi years and suggested next steps. They embodied the experience of
UNICEF over the years, combined with Labouisse’s own experience and sense of values, and his .
alertnesstoworld-wide economic andsocialdevelopments asthey affected children. Theyreflected
hiscontiuous interchange ofideas withBoard members, UNICEF staff, andothers concerned with
improving the condition of children. In substance they obtained the endorsement of the Board.
Mostofthepassages inthis Monograph havehad tobelimited totheessential core oftheExecutive
Director’s views onkey issues. Inmanyinstances sentences orparagraphs elaborating ondteissues
havebeensbonertedoromittedin ordertokeepthisMonograph withinreasonable length. Labouisse,
ofcourse, had much more to say about these issues at other times, and to a number of audiences.
YVMlethis Monograph is primarily issue-orienteQ snd as such can serve as a basic reference work
onpolicy evolution during adecisiye ftiteen yearperiod ofUNICEF’s history, some ofdtepersonal
characteristics ofHarry Labotsisse which influenced hisleadership ofUNICEF are alsoapparent in
this Monograph. In addition to being reflected in the wording ofthe passages quoted, they emerge
intheimerview.sheld withhiminwhichhetalkedinformaflyabouthisearly family Iifeandhiscareer
before hecame toUNICEF (Chapter HI),intheobituary on him (Chapter II) and theexcerpts from
eulogies at Memorial Services held for him (Annex).
.
.
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IL BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON MR. LABOUISSE ISSUED
BY UNICEF FOLLOWING HIS DEATH
Henry R. Labouisse died ofcancer on 25 March 1987 in New York City at the age of 83. He had
a long and distinguished cmer in international social tid economic affaira culminating its his
IeadexshipofUNKEF from 1965to 1979.
He W+Sknow byall who served wjth him for hisintegrity and sense ofjustice, hisacute analytical
capacity and sound judgemen~ and his personal warmth and courtesy. When he retired tiom
UNICEF, asenior colleague noted: ‘“Thereiaanalmost insrantdirect human sympatiy between him
and thepeople he is taIkisrgto— hissimplicity and directness ofexpression, hisreadiness to listen
to arguments and tochange hismind and at the same.dine, when itis aquestion of principle, then
hisreadiness to &fend it”
Born 11Februag, 1904,inNewGrleans, M. Labouisse gmduatcd from WoodbcrTYForest School,
Viigisria,in 19;2. He earned aB.A.degree fromprinceton University in 1926andaLL.B. from the
Harvard University Law School in 1929. He practiced law for 12years in New York City.
After the outbreak of dre Second World War, he entered public service, joining the Division of
Defense Materials of the United States government. He was appointed Counselor for Economic
AffairaintheUSEmbassy inpark in 1944andlaterpiaycd akeyrole insetting uptheMarshall Plan
inEurope. He served as Chief ofthe Marshall Plan Special Mission toFrance from 1953 to 1954.
In1954,U.N.Secretary-General DagI%nssn~kjoldappoitttedMr. Labouissc Director ofrheUnited
Nations Relief and Worka Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which was
responsible forpmviditrg food.shelter, health services andeducation tosome9C@00 refugees. By
thetimeheleftin 1958,thesrartdardof living hadimproved generally throughout thecamps, despite
severepolitical andadministrative tensions aswell asinsufficient funds, andUNRWA hadmanaged
toput inplace an expanded programme of vtxational mining and develop areservoir of goodwill
for the organization itsboth the host counties and among rherefuge-mthemselves.
Mr.Labouisse becarnc aconsultant tothe World Bank in 1959anddirected aneconomic survey of
Venezuela, which included for the first time in such studies, chapters on health and education. In
thesummer and fallof 1963 atHammarakjold’s request, he was granted aleave of absence by the
Bank to serye as Special Adviser in UN efforts to contain the upheavals in.Congo (now Zaire)
following its independence.
Appointed by President Kennedy as D~ctor of the United States International Co-operation
Administration in 1961, Mr.Labmsisseplayed akey role in thepreparation oflegislation which led
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totheestablishment of the successor Agency forItrrematiotralDevelopment (USAID). From 1962
to 1965he served as Ambassador toGreece. He was appointed Executive Director ofUNICEF by
UN Secrctsry-Generai U Thant shordy following the death of the organization’s first Executive
Director, Maurice Pate, in 1965.
Ina world whem”poliacal tensions often threatened to&rail international social and humanitarian
initiatives, Harry Labotsisse was deeply committed to keeping the issue of children’s well-being
firmly above thepoliricaI bartlefiehd. UNICEF hadestablished since itscreation aoadiaon of non-
partisan relief to children and mothers in distress on both sides of civil conflict. The war in the
Indochina Peninsul% and the Nigerian civil war, were two of the most testing experiences for
humanitarian action in the post-colonial world. Labouisse’s quiet diplomacy enabled UNICEF to
aidchMren and mothers wherever theyhappened tobe,even when they were outside thecontrol of
‘internationallyrecogrtizcd States.
During the late 1960s and eariy 1970s, UNICEF became much more involved in longer-term
development efforts for children, considerably enfarging riiescope and sucrtgthening theeffective-
ness of its operations. An approach to “basic” or community-based services for children was
introduce~ “whichembraced health, safewater, nutrition, educadon and women’s programrnes and
whichemphasized seif-help bypeopleartdcommunities, Iirdcedtogovernment servicesfornecessary
support
Inthe mi4-1970s, N!!.Lcbmrisse lcd UNICEF tojoin with the World Heaidr Orgarrizatiori(WHO)
inthe development and promotion of the primary health care strategy involving areorientation of
theconventional pattern ofhealth services toreachthelarge mass ofunderserved people, especially
in the developing counties. These joint efforts received amajor impetus in 1978 with the WHO/
UNICEF-sponsored Conference atAlma-Ata, USSR, where Ministers of Health and senior health
officials”of some 140 counties accepted primary health care as the principal means of achieving
“Health for All by the Yew 2(M0.”
In 1979,thelastyear of Mr. Labooisse’s tenure, theUNGeneral Assembly made UNICEF thelead
agency worldwide for the ‘Ts-ttematiortslYearoftheChild.” Generating adegree ofinterest in the
well-being ofdieir children in manycounties farexccding original expectations, theYearSISOled
to broader UNICEF advocacy and involvement on issues affecting children, nationally and
internationally.
InSeptember 1979,UNICEF, working with theInternational Committee ofthe RedCross onrelief
operations inKampuchea, wmdesignated “leadagency” oftheUnited Nations system forthiseffort,
anemergeticy operation ascomplex asMy in“theUnited Nations’ history. Mr. Labouisse brought
his very special experience to this irmicate and internationally sensiuve situation,’and helped guide
the massive international relief effort in the lastmonths before his rctimment
Mr.Labouisse travelled extensively inthe more than 100counties where UNICEF was providing
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assistance. His happiest moments were spent in the field going from village to village with local
= peopleartdUNICEF staffmembers, gairringfirst-handknowledge oftheimpactoftheorganization’s
workrmdalsoofthe inevitable diftlctdries andshortcomings. During Mr.Latnmisse’s stewardship,
UNICEF income from governments and private contributions increased from $33 million in 1965
to more than $250 rrrillionin 1979.
For some six years following his retirement from UNICEF, Mr. Labouisse served as Chairman of
the Board of the American Farm Schcd, a vocational training center for Greek rural youth in
‘fhessaloniki with which he had become acquainted while serving as US Ambassador.
~. Labouis;e wasfiratmsrried,tqElisabeth Striven Clink,whodiedin 1945. Hehadone ~ughter.
Anneandfour gmrtdchildren. In 1954,hemartied EveCurie, theyoungest dsughterof thescientists
PierreandMarie Curie, an author andjournalist. He.wss survived byhiswife, hisdaughter andfour
jgrandchildren.
III. BEFORE UNICEF
Excemts from internnewswith Mr. Labouuis#
Iartsriotoireof dtesepeople withan-tic back@mrnd. Istiedoff inarktherquiet, un@%xenriotis“
wayoflife. Myfamily was reasonably well-to-do, comfortable. My farher’s family were allfrom
NewOrleans. Oneofom,ancesmra, Jeart-JacquesLatmuisse, had comeoverfromFranceinthelatter
part of the 18th century. The Labouisses were Huguenots. My mother’s family came from
Charleston. They alsowere.Huguenots, andtheirforefadrm came over fromEurope about thesame
time.
Iwas born and brought Upin New Orleans, went to school there, and went away toprep school in
Virginia. Ihad two brothers, one four years older, and the orhereight years older. But I’m theonly
onewhoeventually wentNorth tolive. Wegew UpintheSouthduring the“Jim Crow”erainwhich
there were“colored only” and “whites only” signs in resmmms, restaurants, and soforth. I never
felt too much affected by this: my family really had no raciaI hang-ups.
Inthefamilytherewasaninterest inbroad socialissues. During theFust .WorldWar, myfather was
thevolunteer headoftheregional American RedCross. Iwasbrought uptotrytodothingsofacivic
nati. Iremember, duringWorldWarI,oneofmyf~t public speeches wis madeinwhatrhey called
the’’FourMinute Msn”, sellirtgLlberry Bonds. 1wonaprizeforsellirrg bonds. Myfarherrdsowanted
allof usboys towork. Irrthe summer, we went up to Lake Champlain and we boys helped totake
care ofthefamilyplace in Wesrport. Iuse torun a vegetable garden and all the vegetables that the
family couldn’t eat I sold in the neighborhood and to tie 10calmarkets. I’ve always had a speciaJ
feeling about farm life and namre. I like to see things grow.
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Itwas real hard work toorganize this garden, which wasquite big. Somedmes Icouldn’t do all dre
ploughing andplanting by myse~ Iwotdd get someone todo tha~ rltenIran the thing. Before the
First WorldWar, andduring it,weoftenhadhuge numbers ofguests down for week-ends andIused
toproduce allthefoodforeverybody. Although comfortably welloff, wedidn’t haveanautomobile
until I was in my early teens.
Later on, when I was in law school, I was also secretary for my farher in the summertime, taking
dictation, writinghisletters,keeping hischeckbook etc. Myfatherwasitsthecotton business inNew
Orleans. He was a man of tremendous integrity. He once tried to stop a financial panic in New
Orleans, Ithinkitwas inabout 1907,when there wasagreatrunon themarkets. He tried toprevent
it, droughherisked losing W his money by continuing to buyinorder to stop therush of sales. He
did losealotofmoney buthe helped stopthepanic. He wasalways quite anexample tome because
of the way he cared ab6ut other peopIe.
Aftergraduadng fromPrittceton IwenttoHarvard LawSchool. Ililtedthelaw. Ilikedlegd processes
of thoughL Ialways felt itwas very helpful, no matter what you were going todo later, to get that
kind oftraining. While atHmvard Law Ihadn’t yet made upmy mind about my future, sothat was
one more reason for me tocontinue being educated alittle longer.
When Ileftlaw school, myfirst thought wastogobacktoNewOrleans topractice law. The leading
!IL=.in the New Orleans had affcm~ tnc ajob; so Ididrr’tlook for w-orkin A’ewYork at that time.’
But,theheadoftheNewOrleans fmsrsaidhewatrtcdme togotoTukmeUniversity forayesrto study
dreLouisiana code andLouisiana law, which aresomewhat different from thecommon law inother
States oftheU.S. Bythen, Ihad hadenough ofstudying and feltitwas time tostart earning my own
living, so Idecided to come to New York.
This wasinAugust 1929,just befort.thegreatstockmarket crash. Ihad acousin, aformer Secretary
ofState,whowasaparmerirt aNewYorklawfm. Heoffered meajob. Ithought hisoffer bordered
alittle on nepotism and Ididn’t rake iL My cousin then gave MCthe names of other fmrts in New
York andIstarted working inSeptember 1929at$2100 ayear, which wasreasonably good,indtose
days, for a young manjust out of law schcd. When Christmas time came, the little envelope was
brought around in which, normally, you’d get araise as aChristmas present — but this time I got
a little.note saying that, unfortunately, because of what happened in October, fid on into the
depression, my salary had been cut $300. So Iwas now getting $1800 a year instead.
Iintended topractice lawinNew Yorkfor acouple ofyears andthengo back toNew Orleans — but
Ijust never did that. I“stayedon with my fmn for about 12years. I wasn’t t&-ibly happy with big
New York corpoiate practice: we did a lot of corpomte mortgage work,‘utd I thought this left
something tobedesired. But,you know, whenyou sraRsomething, you like toseeitthrough. Also,
I wanted to become a partner in the fm, so I stuck on until that happened.