UNESCO and UN reform - Impact on programming at the country level -

1. UNESCO and UN reform - Impact on programming at the country level - Hans d’Orville, DIR/BSP 90 minutes on UN reform, Vol. II 19 June 2007

2. Country-level programming – What is at stake? Operating in a shared “biotope” with some 30 other UN agencies, funds and programmes, UNESCO must: • Maintain relevance and credibility as lead agency in several thematic areas – globally, regionally and at the country level • Ensure high-quality and results-oriented delivery in support of national development priorities as well as international development goals, including the MDGs • Pursue priorities set by UNESCO’s governing bodies, including gender equality • Hone ability to collaborate programmatically in-house (intersectoral) and with other specialized agencies, funds and programmes (inter-organisational), especially in the context of joint programmes • Integrate peculiar dimensions of UNESCO’s work (subregional, regional; scientific; normative) which cannot be easily captured in a country-based framework

3. Inserting UNESCO in UN common country programming • UNESCO has to be speedy and proactive in identifying appropriate entry points for action responding to national priorities (jointly with UNCT) • Special challenges: « Packaging » of UNESCO’s competences under different thematic headings and engagement for joint programmes • Prerequisite: “Getting our mind focused on the country level” – Get clarity about the scope and content of our activities for each country as an indispensable basis for further action and engagement

4. New generation UNDAFs – the pivot of future joint programming exercises • UNDAF exercises are the central entry point for all UN agencies to bring their competences to bear in response to national priorities • One Plan exercises invariably derive from UNDAFs and aim at presenting a strategically more focused and financially better costed plan • February 2007 UNDG CCA/UNDAF guidelines for UNCTs delineate a new generation of UNDAFs (with UNESCO’s concerns being reflected). Objective: UNDAF transformed into a more coherent, focused and strategic programme framework – and leaving behind first generation UNDAFs with agency barriers and output orientation • Main features: • Inclusivity: reflection of activities and mandates of specialized agencies • Provisions for NRA participation • (Any) Financial contribution not prerequisite for agency involvement; thematic core competence of agencies is overriding factor • Emphasis on formulation of results-based deliverables • Stress on cross-cutting themes: gender equality; human-rights based approach; sustainable development

5. From UNDAF to One UN programme • Pilots are at different stages of the UNDAF cycle – some have completed their UNDAF recently (Rwanda, Mozambique), while others may deal with an UNDAF of the ‘older generation’, which might not always be ideal in strategic terms • Some countries (notably Pakistan) decided to review their UNDAF, to enhance its quality and to transform it into the One UN programme. Lessons for UNESCO: • Maintain focus on UNDAF (in all countries) • Get involved in Regional Director’s Team so as to assure quality control, arbitration and evaluation of performance of RC/UNCT • Prepare systematic analyses/mapping of national development plans and existing UNDAFs to identify possible entry points for UNESCO or gaps to be closed – and relate them to MLAs in 34 C/5 • NB 1: CCA/UNDAF roll-out countries (for 2007: Benin, Burundi , Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya , Niger, Nigeria , Angola, Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, Ecuador , Sudan) • NB 2: One UN countries (proposed by HLP: 20 countries by 2009, 40 by 2010 and all others by 2012)

6. Features of a One UN programme • Various pilots follow different approaches and modalities • Viet Nam: part of UNDAF has been transformed into a ‘One Plan’ (with 3 ExCom agencies and 3 other smaller entities), launched before One UN initiative – full SA involvement only foreseen by 2008 • Tanzania: based on recently approved UNDAF • Cape Verde: started out as a One UN (Joint) Office exercise, which morphed into a programme-based pilot • Albania: recently began to draft a “one programme framework” (with UNESCO participation) • Other pilots (Mozambique, Rwanda) develop One Programmes by preparing a common operational document with the agencies involved, outlining main principles / activities / results, mutual roles and responsibilities, M&E structures, etc • Challenge: relationship to workplan approach – continue as a supplement biannually or on multi-year basis

7. Indispensable characteristics of a One UN programme • Discussions about quality criteria and good practices for the One programme have begun in UNDG and other bodies • The challenge will be to operationalise the One programme • In response to and aligned with national priorities • In a coherent and results-based manner • Inclusive of all constituent parts of the UN system, including non-resident agencies(NRAs), bringing together the entire range of analytical, normative and technical expertise of the UN system, and based on thematic leadership and sectoral expertise of the agencies involved • Integrating cross-cutting priorities such as gender equality (for which UNDG prepares performance indicators for use by UNCTs) • By simplifying existing planning processes (e. g. replacing the common CPAP for ExComs) • To improve accountability, monitoring, quality of programme

8. Strategic focus vs. Inclusiveness? • Strategic focus is not inimical to inclusiveness – as some quarters have begun to suggest • Instead, we should concentrate on achieving “strategic inclusiveness” – a programme in response to national development priorities and implemented/led by agencies best qualified in thematic terms

9. Living up to the challenge • UNESS (Education only) • Sectoral support and SWAp preparation (Culture) • High-quality formulation of expected results in work plans is key and a precondition for articulating and “owning” UNDAF/ One programme outcomes – common country programming documents are negotiated over results (all Sectors) • Continued UNDAF and RBM training for HQ and FOs • Development of cross-cutting responses

10. Showcasing our activities and impact at country level: UNESCO Country Programme Documents (UCPDs) • Designed to capture UNESCO’s ongoing and future activities in a particular country in a succinct and results-based manner • One comprehensive document with results matrix, drawing on all sectors, from regular and extrabudgetary resources alike, including intersectoral activities • Highlighting UNESCO’s contribution to deliverables of existing common country programming documents (CCA/ UNDAF etc.) • Helping to identify entry points for future contribution to joint programming with other UN organizations • Currently, first UCPDs are being drafted with backstopping support from BSP, for One UN pilot countries and UNDAF countries. Ideal timeline: presentation during General Conference, 34th session

11. The role of sectoral/thematic messages at the country level • Articulate a clear and succinct set of UNESCO’s thematic messages in each of its five domains as well as sectoral approaches and priorities • Familiarize UNCTS about gist of UNESCO’s core competences – and ambitions • Enable UNESCO staff in the FOs to advocate for the inclusion of UNESCO’s multidisciplinary expertise in common UN country programming exercises and country-level activities • To highlight linkages between UNESCO’s global and normative work and on-ground operational action • Challenge will be to transform sectoral messages into thematic components of joint programmes

12. 2 % modality: improving UNESCO’s insertion in country-level programming exercises • When approving the work plans for the 33 C/5, the DG decided to set aside 1 % of regular programme resources, with 50 % going to sectoral activities in support of country-level programming, and with 50 % to be pooled for country-level programming activities that relate to the Organisation as a whole • Later on, the DG increased the amount to 2 % • Not all Sectors have yet identified budget codes against which the relevant activities should be paid • Purpose: to contribute to the preparation of country-level programming exercises, including in One UN pilots, cost of SWAps, training, expert papers, etc. • Not covered: Implementation of UNDAFs

13. NRAs - special circumstances • Increased commitment in UNDG to be more inclusive and to « reflect the full normative and analytical expertise and capabilities available within the UN system to effectively support country development work » • Following a UNDG principals decision, UNDP was mandated to recruit and deploy NRA coordination analysts in 14 countries «to act as NRA focal points… and to promote inclusion of NRAs into the work of the UNCT » • To this date, only 2 out of 14 NRA coordination analysts have been recruited – lack of effective action which will have to be addressed in the evaluation of the pilots UNESCO challenge: Both FOs and HQ will have to find effective ways of engagement with these new potential advocates of our competences – and to ensure that they indeed follow our directions