THE ROLE OF THE UN IN STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: WHAT WORKS?

www.undp.org/governance

Structure

1. Contemporary doubts about democracy promotion

US Policy Global trends

2. Role, structure and resources of the UNDP Strengths and limits of the UNDP culture UNDP operational principles Organizational structure, resources and staffing

3. Role, structure and resources of the Democratic Governance group

Focus areas, organizational structure, and role

4. Conclusions Challenges and future priorities Long-term process requires national ownership and

capacity building for sustainable human development

1. CONTEMPORARY DOUBTS ABOUT DEMOCRACY PROMOTION

Reasons for doubts

1. The Bush administration’s record Grandiose claims: 2nd inaugural address 20 Jan 2005 ‘Democratic realism’:

“The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in the world.”

“America’s vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one.”

Recent history of Iraq and Afghanistan Real politik: Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt (Carothers) Inherent difficulties of conflict reduction, peace-building

and reconstructing failed states after elections (Collier, Snyder) E.gSudan, East Timor, DRC, Lebanon, Liberia

2. Stagnation in global trends Little progress in democratization since 2000

# of nations with civil liberties and political rights (FH)

Many autocracies remain 45 autocracies out of 191 states worldwide (25%) (FH) Common in Africa, Arab states, Central Asia Many ‘electoral autocracies’ (Levitsky) High risks of instability during any transition Active pushback on human rights (fuelled by oil

politics?): Russia, Venezuela, China Challenge of deepening democracy

57 ‘consolidating’ democracies out of 191 states (28%) (FH)

Many have weak channels of participation States lack the capacity to deliver basic public services Unstable transitions remain vulnerable to deterioration

(Russia) or even collapse (Thailand, Fiji)

Reasons for doubts

The growth in democracy 1972-2004

2004

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1972

Year

70.0

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Participatory Democracy(Vanhanen)

Constitutional Democracy (Polity IV)

Contested Democracy(Cheibub and Gandhi 2004)

Liberal Democracy(Freedom House)

Note: The graph shows the growth of in the proportion of democratic regimes worldwide as monitored using standardized 100-point scales by Freedom House, Cheibub and Gandhi, Vanhanen, and by Polity IV. See Norris Driving Democracy (CUP 2007) for a discussion of these measures and trends.

Reasons for hope

Many bilateral donors have strengthened their spending programs on democratic governance Eg Dfid, CIDA, NORAD, Spain, Netherlands,

Ireland, France, Sweden Good governance now a mainstream

focus within World Bank New UN Democracy Fund

Democratic governance can be strengthened but…

Requires long-term investment in capacity building

Needs national ownership and multilateral cooperation

Risky enterprise with no guarantees of success

2. ROLE, STRUCTURE AND RESOURCES OF THE UNDP

Strengths of the UNDP

International legitimacy of the UN Trusted impartial partner working with

national governments and bilateral donors

Global coverage (Staff and offices in 130 program countries)

No aid conditionality Dedicated staff

Limitations of the UNDP Lack of coherence

Decentralized structure with real power in country offices (and thus national partners)

Accountability to the UNDP Executive Board Can only go as far as there is an international consensus at the UN

Limited budget dispersed across multiple outcomes Often low-level technical assistance rather than large innovative projects

with major impact Complex organization and ‘flat’ managerial structure

Feeding the beast Social networks

Deeply anti-intellectual and conservative culture Pushback against change Little information derived from outside the organization ‘Flat’ culture of information sharing from COs

Uneven staff quality and poor accountability of results/impact

Principles and role of the UNDP

• National ownership• Capacity development • Gender equality and women’s

empowerment• Multilateral cooperation, technical

assistance, and aid effectiveness• South-south cooperation• Long-term sustainable human

development• Values from the Millennium Declaration

(Freedom, Equality, Solidarity, Tolerance, Respect for Nature, Shared Responsibility)

DG

UNDP Focus Areas

Democratic

Governance

Poverty reduction

Crisis prevention & recovery

Environment &

sustainable

development

Source: UNDP Strategic Plan 2008-11: Focus Areas

UNDP income, 1993-2005

UNDP largest donors, 2005

UNDP expenditure, 2005

DG is the largest area

$1.4bn

3. ROLE, STRUCTURE AND RESOURCES OF THE DEMOCRATIC

GOVERNANCE GROUP

The UNDP mandate for strengthening democratic governance

The Millennium Declaration resolution 55/2 “To promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law…” (September

2000)

General Assembly resolution 55/96 “Promoting pluralism, the protection of all human rights and

fundamental freedoms, maximizing the participation of individuals in decision-making and the development of effective public institutions.” (December 2000)

2002 Creation of the Democratic Governance practice in

UNDP Kofi Annan In Larger Freedom

“The protection and promotion of the universal values of rule of law, human rights and democracy are ends in themselves.” (2005)

High Level Panel Delivering as One Recommends UNDP’s programmatic work “leading the UN’s

support to governance” (Nov 2006 clause 19)

DG’s role and mission

“Developing, identifying, and sharing effective solutions to the challenges facing democratic governance in developing countries.”

Problem-oriented Expanding awareness about a wide range of

alternative policy interventions Sharing practical experiences about ‘what works’

among different countries worldwide (knowledge networks)

Serving broader UNDP goals of human development by expanding individual and institutional choices

DG’S Focus Areas

Fostering inclusive

participation

Strengthening responsive governing

institutions

Promoting democratic governance grounded in UN principles

Enabling mechanisms

Regional bureau/SURF governance advisersCountry offices focal points for governance

Members of the DG knowledge network

Inclusive participation

Civil engagement (Political parties/civil society/citizen’s audits)

Elections

Communication channels(Independent journalism,

E-gov, access to information)

Responsive institutions

Government service delivery(Economic governance, poverty /MDGs,

conflict prevention)

Parliaments and assemblies

Justice & rule of law

UN principlesGender equality | Anticorruption | Human rights

Enabling mechanismsKnowledge networks | Capacity development and learning | Resource management/ partnerships | |

Regional bureau/SURF governance advisersCountry offices focal points for governance

Members of the DG knowledge network

DG Focus Areas

Draft DG Integrated Results Framework UNDP Strategic Plan 2008-2011

Key Result Area Development Outcomes

1. Fostering inclusive participation: empowering the poor, women, youth, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized groups, through expanding the core channels of civic engagement, at the national, regional and local levels.

1.1 Civic engagement is strengthened, thereby empowering all people to influence public policies, through voluntary groups, social movements, trade unions, civic associations, political parties, private sector organizations, and citizen’s audits.

1.2: Effective electoral channels are improved, including electoral laws, processes and institutions, strengthening inclusive participation.

1.3: Inclusive communication channels are expanded, including e-governance, independent journalism, and access to information policies, promoting government accountability and transparency.

2. Strengthening responsive governing institutions: ensuring that the state reflects and serves the needs, priorities, and interests of all people, including women, the poor, youth, and minorities, by promoting the core governing institutions of representation and accountability at the national, regional and local levels.

2.1: Government develops greater capacity to deliver public goods and services, to regulate markets, and to achieve the MDGs, effective economic governance, and crisis prevention and recovery.

2.2: Representative and inclusive legislatures and assemblies are strengthened, representing the interests of all people.

2.3: The justice system is more effective, responsive and accessible, promoting the rule of law as well as both formal and informal processes of justice.

3. Promoting knowledge and practices about democratic governance grounded in UN values, including at national, regional, and global levels.

3.1: The UN values of human rights, gender equality, and anti-corruption are fully integrated into democratic governance.

3.2: Understanding of the principles and processes of democratic governance is promoted through knowledge management, sharing with partners in the public, NGO and private sectors.

Staffing resources

24 in HQ NY 10 in the Oslo Governance Center 24 in Regional Centers/SURFS

Panama, Bangkok, Beirut, Bratislava, Jo-burg, Dakar, Colombia, Geneva, Brussels

Total 58 policy advisers and staff--------------------------------------------------

Advisors in 166 UNDP country offices 1,800 members of DG knowledge

network

Executive Director Pippa Norris (D2)

OGC Director Bjoern Forde (D1) Manager Pauline Tamesis (P5)

Responsive governance institutions

Inclusive participation

Policy advisers

Elections Linda Maguire L5 Independent Journalism Bill Orme D1

e-gov (Raul Zambrano L5) Civil Society (replacement L5)

Citizen audits/gov indicators (replacement L3)

-------------------------------------------------------- Dakar (Pierre Dandjinou L5, Kango Lare-Lantone

L5, replacement A4)

Research analysts/program managers

(Research analyst A3)

Programme Assistant Terencia Leon Joseph

Policy advisers

Parliament (Scott Hubli L5) Public administration (Elissar Sarrouh P5) Service delivery (New L5, New L4, Giske

Lillehammer L4) Poverty/MDGs (Noha El-Mikawy L5, Ernest

Rwamucyo L5) Local governance (Lenni Montiel L6)

Justice (Nina Berg L5) --------------------------------------------------------------------

Jo’burg (Jockley Mbeye L4) Dakar ( Mohamed Sall-Sao L5, Luigi Tessiore L4) Bangkok (Patrick Keuleers L5, Henrick Larsen L4,

Sudarshan Ramaswamy L5) Bratislava (Jurgita Siugzdiniene L4, PAR

replacement, Nicoletta Feruglio) Panama (Juan Manual Salazar D1, Alvarez

Alejandro L4, Sonia Duran L4) Beirut (replacement L4, Zena Ali-Ahmad L4)

Research analysts/program managers Diane Sheinberg (L2-JPO) Thomas Huyghebaert (A5) (Research analyst A3)

Programme Assistant Josie Catuncan

Advisory Board (Proposed)

Related UN Agencies UNDP Bureaus and Agencies

Partner organizations

Integrating UN Principles

Knowledge networks and CD (Noel Matthews L5,

Monjurul Kabir L3, Haley Horan L2, Mark Blitzer A2/3)

Policy advisers

Human Rights (Patrick van Weerelt L5) Conflict-prevention (Siphosami Malunga L5)

Anti-corruption (Philliat Matsheza L5) Gender empowerment (new L5)

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Research analysts/program managers Zanofer Ismalebbe A3, Elilie Filmer-Wilson ALD (Research analyst A3 )

Programme Assistant Tenagne Getahun

Partnerships and collaboration

Within the UN family UN Department of Political Affairs/Electoral

Assistance UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human

Rights, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNIFEM UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs UN Department of Peace Keeping Operations UN Office on Drugs and Crime World Bank, Etc.

External partners Multilateral organizations

ICNRD, CD, IPU, IDEA, IFES, Transparency International,

Regional organizations eg African Union Bilateral organizations eg NDI, ABA, national

donors, Private-public partnerships eg Microsoft, CISCO

Illustrative cases e.g.

East Timor Justice and security sector reform

Women and politics KNOW politics

Arab States Parliamentary oversight and transparency

Democratic Republic of Congo Electoral assistance and administration

Challenges

UN reform and cohesion High Level Panel Delivering as One

8 pilot nations Debate about speed of reform Role of UNDP in coordinating UN agencies

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2008-11 Pushback on human rights based development Issues of implementation and impact Problems of vertical integration from corporate, regional

and country levels Challenge of horizontal integration among UN agencies