How does UNDP enable the work of the entire UN Country Team ?
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UNDAF and UNDP CPAP: Following the mid-term review of the Government’s interim plan (2008-2010), formulation of the new Approach Paper for the next 3 years and the extension of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2008-2012), the UNDP Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) has been extended up till 2012 and signed with the Government of Nepal. The new UNDP CPAP (2011-2012) outcomes and outputs have been revised and readjusted to align with the Government’s priorities on how to best support the development needs in Nepal.
The Millennium Development Goals in the current National Three Year Plan (2010-2013)
Upon the request of the Government of Nepal, the UN country team in Nepal helped prepare and finalize the Approach Paper of the Government's National Three year Plan (2010-2013). The country team is also supporting to finalize the final document to make it MDGs based.
The 2010 MDGs progress report provided a comprehensive picture towards achieving the goals and served as the baseline for this National Plan. Also, the MDGs needs assessment exercise that took place under the leadership of the National Planning Commission with the involvement of all the Ministries helped to identify concrete strategies and resource gaps to achieve the MDGs by the year 2015.
As a result, the Government Approach Paper for the next 3 years has a dedicated chapter on MDGs. The Nepal Government has included MDGs as one of the criteria for prioritization of the development projects in Nepal.
UNDP supports the UN system in building capacity towards the attainment of MDGs
UNDP and the other UN agencies in Nepal are actively supporting the Government in fulfilling its commitment to the MDGs. Large-scale joint programming on effective service delivery at the local level is being developed. In addition, the UN is supporting the capacity of the Government in mainstreaming the MDGs in its planning and monitoring since 2002 with the introduction of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Together with the Regional Offices of UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA, the agencies helped to conduct training on MDGs needs assessment and costing to the relevant government staff who are involved in preparing the next Three Years Plan beyond 2010.
The MDG needs assessment exercise that took place under the National Planning Commission and with the involvement of all development ministries together with preparation of the MDGs progress report 2010 and training on MDG consistent macro economic framework has contributed to integrate MDGs into the Government's Three-Year Interim Plan 2008-2010. UNDP is also supporting the NPC to operationalize poverty monitoring and analysis system (PMAS) and district poverty monitoring and analysis system (DPMAS).
UNDP support to the peace processThe 10 year long Maoist insurgency has been a matter of history after the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement between Seven Party Alliance and CPN-Maoists, but the issue of rehabilitation and reintegration of Maoist ex-combatants has still to be addressed. Apart from 19602 ex-combatants limited in seven cantonments and 21 satellite camps, there are 4,008 Maoists combatants who were verified as 'disqualified' based on their age and recruitment time, and discharged from cantonments, to be rehabilitated in the society. The successful discharge and rehabilitation of the 4008 has been considered as a step with strategic importance in ensuring the establishment of long lasting peace in Nepal.
In response to the request of the Government of Nepal and following on the Action Plan, signed by UCPN-M and United Nations, the United Nations Inter-agency Rehabilitation Programme (UNIRP), a joint endeavor between UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and ILO, is putting its full effort towards the rehabilitation of the Verified Minors and Late Recruits – VMLRs into civilian life. As part of the rehabilitation programme, four rehabilitation packages have been offered to support the socio-economic rehabilitation of these VMLRs. The packages include Educational Support, Micro Enterprise Development Training, Vocational Skills Training, and Health Services related Training and Education. The rehabilitation packages also include post-training support to link the graduates to employment opportunities and self-employment.
United Nations Country Team (UNCT) coordination and progress toward UN Reform: In line with the principle of harmonisation, UNDP in close collaboration with UNFPA and UNICEF introduced a new fund transfer mechanism- Harmonised approach to Cash Transfer, which will reduce transaction cost for the Government. As a part of this process, a macro-assessment of the Government's public financial management system was conducted and submitted to the Government for endorsement.
Joint Programme: The UN Joint Programme – Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP) has brought together UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNV and UNCDF contributions to the new programme. These agencies will also continue to implement the Harmonised Approach for Cash Transfer.
The joint programme is an integral part of LGCDP being subject to the wider programme’s management, work planning and implementation arrangements. Within the join programme, UNDP in association with the other UN agencies will provide technical and capacity building support in three important areas such as empowering communities and community organisations to participate in local governance, enabling local body capacity building and enabling central government and national NGOs to support local governments.
UNDP and UNCDF: Partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has helped UNDP to achieve results in promoting decentralization and good governance in Nepal. The UNCDF is playing a central role in developing the administration of performance-related grants for District Development Committees and extending this concept to the Village Development Committees. UNCDF and UNDP are working together in 20 districts. Progress on almost all the MDGs will benefit from local governments more effectively delivering education, health and other services. The decentralization of government is also a key factor for overcoming resentments that local needs are often ignored in plans and programmes made and implemented at central government level. Decentralisation is also key for beginning to provide a peace dividend at the local level.
UNDP and UNV: Partnership with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) has helped UNDP achieve results in the areas of access to justice, environment and disaster reduction. A number of national and international UNVs have been deployed to provide advisory and administrative support to government and other UN agencies, including a large number supporting the OHCHR mandate. In addition, UNDP has supported UNV to send Nepali UNVs to serve in other countries. Sixty-four Nepali nationals of various professions and specializations are serving to promote the MDGs, volunteerism for peace and development and other development issues.
Simplification and Harmonization: UNDP has played a crucial role in promoting simplification and harmonization through the provision of operational support and common services as well as operational practices and policies.
Notably, operational support is provided by the Inter-Agency Task Forces on human resources (HR), information technology (IT), procurement and finance to achieve common operational goals. For example, the HR Network has established a Consultants' Roster and the IT Task force negotiated a joint contract for EDP maintenance and repair for all the UN Agencies in Nepal. Operational support has been provided to the Resident Coordinator system by assisting newly arriving UN Agencies (OHCHR, OCHA, OPRSG, ODC and IOM) to set up offices. This includes both allotting space within the UN House as well as renting buildings outside. Most importantly, full fledged services are provided, ranging from technical backstopping to the actual procurement and set up of equipment necessary for fully functioning offices.
Common Services: Newly harmonized practices include the Internal Messenger Service used by all UN Agencies in the UN House to deliver internal documents from one Agency to another, resulting in economies of scale. Two more new common services established since 2006, i.e. a joint contract for international courier services for the entire UN System in Nepal, and joint training for electrical maintenance and repair, strengthen the image of one UN in Nepal. Efficiency in procurement has been increased through a Joint Vendor data-base established by the UN Agencies for the purchase of office items available locally.
UNDP has also facilitated the harmonization of operational policies and practices. For example, UN agencies have been paying uniform DSA Rates to Government Counterparts. All UN Agencies observe the same holidays. It has also been agreed that all agencies working at the field level should harmonize their office hours.
There is a trend of establishing a joint UN Committee to carry out the Inter-Agency Salary Survey for National staff. The UN DSA Survey for UN Staff is done jointly by all UN Agencies, collecting data from various parts of the country.