The United Nations and Malaysian women's power
ONE New Year gift that must surely cheer up all Malaysians is the appointment of Penang Mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif as executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements programme (UN-Habitat). Maimunah makes history by becoming the first Asian to hold this prestigious job, and her appointment helps meet one of UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ promises to see women in more of UN’s senior most positions. UN-Habitat is considered one of the most active agenci