Putting spotlight on innovative governance
Over 600 participants are expected to attend the 2011 UN Public Service Day, Awards Ceremony and Forum on 20-23 June. With a focus on "Transformative Leadership in Public Administration and Innovation in Governance: Creating a Better Life for All", the event will feature workshops, an exhibition and celebrate excellence in public service delivery.
Taking place in Tanzania’s largest city Dar es Salam, this is the first time the UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) will be commemorated concurrently with Africa Public Service Day. To mark this special event and leading up to the Awards Ceremony on 23 June, a series of capacity-building workshops and a ministerial roundtable will also be held at the Mlimani City Complex.
This global event is managed by DESA's Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM), under the leadership of its Director, Haiyan Qian. DPADM organized the Awards Ceremony and Forum in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the President’s Office of the United Republic of Tanzania, hosting the event, and in partnership with UN Women and supported by the UN Development Programme in Tanzania.
Programme grows dramatically
The UNPSA team led by the Public Administration Capacity Building Branch of DPADM and a devoted group of staff from across the division’s branches and UN Women, which has been involved this past year for its first collaboration with DPADM on the Awards Ceremony and Forum, are all excited by the growth and expansion of the overall programme. UNPSA Coordinator Adriana Alberti says the programme has grown dramatically over the last two years, with 2011 showing the number of nominations increasing by 44.4 per cent compared to 2010.
“Olympics” of public service excellence
The team works all year round, starting with the Call for Nominations in the third quarter, to raise awareness and encourage countries to nominate best cases and examples of innovations in governance and delivery of public services. By showcasing and sharing what works with each other, countries can compete in a kind of “Olympics” of public service excellence, from water services to the administration of elections, and share what they know best for possible replication and adaptation. The four-day Forum also creates a unique opportunity to explore issues of governance in a critical and organic way, presenting trends and allowing for discussion on best practices and ways forward.
The winners of the prestigious United Nations Public Service Awards, which are selected from the finalists in each category and region by the Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) at its annual session, are recognized for their achievements on the last day of the Forum. This also coincides with UN Public Service Day and Africa Public Service Day. It was the General Assembly, which designated 23 June as UN Public Service Day to "celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community".
Briefing sessions and new categories
This past fall DPADM for the first time held a series of informative sessions, both in English and Spanish, for representatives of Permanent Missions to the UN, to brief them on the programme and encourage them to notify their governments to increase nominations and participation. Attendees included representatives of Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Canada, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Romania, South Africa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago and USA. Eight new countries were also nominated this year, including Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Dominica, Somalia, Tajikistan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine.
In addition, two new categories were created this year in partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and with UN Women: “Preventing and Combating Corruption in the Public Service” and “Promoting Gender-responsive delivery of Public services”. There are five categories in total.
A platform for exchange and exploration
Drawing together world leaders, policy-makers, innovators in governance, representatives of international and regional organizations, members of academia, non-profit organizations, the private sector, the UN Public Service Forum puts governance and innovation squarely in the spotlight. Every year it focuses on a specific critical area and explores its different dimensions and components in an organic way. It provides a platform to explore, discuss and learn about: (i) Emerging challenges, issues and trends in public governance; (ii) Innovative practices to address these challenges; and (iii) Capacity development strategies, approaches and tools – how can we learn from these practices and what tools are available or can we develop to move forward?
Five capacity-building workshops will be arranged including: Leading with Integrity and Inventiveness in Public Governance; Engaging Citizens and Civil Society Organizations to Promote Effectiveness, Accountability and Transparency in Reconstruction and Recovery Strategies after Natural Disasters; African e-Leadership Capacity-Building; Leading Innovations in Gender-Responsive Service Delivery; and Special Meeting of Awards Programmes Coordinators.
Public governance app to be launched
Besides highlighting many first time winners, the awards ceremony will also feature the launch of DESA’s first App developed for mobile devices. It is an interactive publication “UN Innovations in Public Governance” showcasing all winners from the beginning of the programme in 2003 including the current ones of 2011. The App will be available as a free download on the iTunes store for iPhone and iPad.
The UN Public Service Awards is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service. It is held every year on 23 June, United Nations Public Service Day.
For more information: http://www.unpan.org/unpsa
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/newsletter/2011/june/feature.shtml#fea2
