It is important to include the voices
of vulnerable and marginalized people,
and to foster accountability and trust
in the public sector. Disaggregated data
is vital for effective policy-making.
In Georgia and Moldova, for example,
UNDP has supported such reform and
the bridging of capacity gaps in national
institutions. We have introduced Capacity
Development Facilities which provide on-
demand technical advice for the highest
levels of the civil service, together with
training, capacity building, and funding
for key priorities. These mechanisms
have enabled governments to gain
access to senior level international
expertise which would otherwise
have been unavailable to them.
UNDP also helps countries to develop
tools for assessing the performance
of their public administrations against
international standards and principles.
We’ve worked with Vietnam, for example,
to develop a Public Administration
Performance Index which measures
citizens’ experience of governance
and public administration performance.
We also have a Gender Equality in
Public Administration initiative which is
working with governments to monitor
and advocate for progress on getting
better representation of women across
all levels of public service.
UNDP engagement on support to
public institutions in fragile settings
Post-conflict contexts require particular
attention. Both short and long-term
approaches to addressing institutional
weaknesses are needed if political
settlements are to be durable.
Overcoming fragility requires the
restoration of core government functions
and building institutional capacity to
manage recovery and transitions.
UNDP currently partners with the World
Bank in Somalia on a flagship Capacity
Development Programme which supports
the government on consolidating core
government functions across the civil
service and on aid management. The aim
is to support the Government to tackle
various dimensions of the country’s
fragility, manage recovery, and build
strong public sector institutions which
can deliver services to Somalia’s people.
UNDP Partnerships with UNDG agencies
for Institutional Capacity-Building
UNDP partners with UNDESA in the
UN Committee of Experts on Public
Administration. Each year this brings
together the expertise of practitioners
and the latest research in this area. We
draw from that a wealth of knowledge
and resources, which are then available
to assist countries to build stronger and
more responsive public administrations.
UNDP also co-chairs with DPA the UN
Interagency Platform on Support to Core
Government Functions in Fragile and
Conflict-Affected Countries. The aim is
to strengthen co-ordination across the
UN system, ‘working as one’, to deliver
better results on institutional capacity-
building in post-conflict environments.
Conclusion
Having effective, accountable, and
responsive public institutions is vital for
sustained development. UNDP values its
many partnerships with Member States
on establishing and strengthening
such institutions. ■
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