Briefing on UN Partnership Facility, November 14 2013; NLB Conference Room 4; 9:00-10:45 am

By Stan Bernstein, formerly of UNFPA and partner Re-Generation Consulting LLC

Under-Secretary-General Robert Orr and three staff members of the Secretariat briefed over 200 representatives of civil society on the proposed Partnership Facility being promoted by the Secretary-General and expected to be the subject of a UN General Assembly Resolution in December.

Current multi-partner partnerships

Mr. Orr first presented details about 3 UN-related multi-party partnership development initiatives: Every Woman/Every Child, the Sustainable Energy for All network and the Zero Hunger Challenge.  They can be contrasted on many dimensions. Every Woman/Every Child is grounded in MDG goals and targets, with participation by UN Agencies (oversight mechanisms include the H4+ agencies; i.e., UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WHO and the World Bank) and a growing roster of civil society, Government and private sector participants. It spent considerable time defining its governance and accountability processes. It is rooted in national level planning and implementation mechanisms. The Sustainable Energy for All effort is assisted by a partners’ network run by the United Nations Foundation. Energy was not in the MDGs but actors in multiple sectors (women’s groups, urban development and employment groups, health groups concerned about bio-mass burning’s contribution to illness and pollution, etc.) have recognized that access to more and cleaner energy is fundamental to their success. Multiple constituencies are learning to pool their mobilization efforts. The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched in the margins of Rio+20 and is organized around 5 strategic objectives (reducing stunting, providing year-long food access and sustainable food systems, increasing small holder productivity and reducing food waste). Strong links have been forged to knowledge institutions (academia and think tanks) and on the ground civil society groups. The Nutrition for Growth Summit mobilized $4.5 billion.

Mr. Orr presented a vision of the United Nations as a facilitator of more such initiatives, supported by social media, websites and discussions, involving multiple stakeholders. He contrasted this vision with the “20^th century model” focused on Member States and bureaucratic approaches which he characterized as not “user friendly” for those engaged in on-the-ground development efforts. Each of the model efforts has succeeded in promoting information sharing, improved synergies and efficiency and expanded resource mobilization (from national budgets, civil society mobilizations, philanthropists, etc.). 

Proposed Partnership Facility

The proposed Partnership Facility (a network of networks developing their own structures and processes) through which partners working in countries can get backstopping with increased accountability and transparency, better and more efficient provision of common services (e.g., vetting organizations and experts, developing protocols and guidelines governing practices), improving knowledge flows, promoting scale-up of successful models  and  facilitating cross-sectoral efforts.  It is to be hosted at the UN Secretariat with 5 full-time budgetary posts dedicated staff members being redeployed from their current activities for these responsibilities. (This will be an improvement on the 2-3 persons committed to the effort using extra-budgetary funds.) He promised many additional meetings, in multiple locales, supported by various media outreach as the idea develops.

An extended Q&A session followed. Some expressed a concern about the development of the concept without broader consultation with CSOs. It was explained that the starting point was consultations with the diverse participants in the past successes and that this will be expanded. Mr. Orr cited the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS) as an example of how a small group, without significant resources, can engage and mobilize a diverse group of actors. Several questions about accountability and transparency elicited a commitment to ensure transparency, including on-line documentation of funds raised and distributed and outcomes attained.  A concern was expressed that pointing to the Global Compact on Corporate Responsibility’s experience in mobilizing private funding might portend increased corporate involvement at the expense of local less resourced civil society groups.  Answers reiterated the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration supporting broader resource investments. The effort will build on existing institutions and structures and give priority to helping to identify the actors engaged on the ground in countries. The UN Country Support Teams are expected to promote the necessary linkages, expanding the One UN concept to foster action around national development plans and priorities.  In response to concerns mentioned by some CSOs, Mr. Orr and his colleagues reiterated the SG’s interest in working with youth groups and in using new technologies and heightened connectivity to organize efforts around solving problems.  An important priority will be to respond to the voices of beneficiaries and community suggestions about their priorities and possible solutions to problems.  This effort will require Governments to be engaged in support. This is needed to promote engagement on the ground and reach the underserved and break the mindset that sees civil society as a work-around for what Government won’t do.  The UN sees its role as fostering more genuine partnerships to solve development challenges.

More documentation on the meeting and other developments will be posted on the NGLS website.