UN Reform

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UN General Assembly
Resolution 55/2: United Nations Millennium Declaration. New York, 2000

Sets out the framework for development in the 21st century adopted by the UN member states 2000 and contains the eight Millennium Development Goals.

UNDG
UN Reform: Harmonization & Alignment to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals. New York, 2005
Highlights UN reforms to achieve the MDGss and the ways to translate UN reforms into results at country level, including common country programming, strengthening national capacities and ensuring national ownership.

UNDG
Implementing the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. New York, 2005
This UNDG action plan describes three priority areas as the key to turn the Paris commitment into practice: Putting national development plans at the center of UN country programming, strengthening national capacities, increasingly using and strengthening national systems.

UNDG
The Role of the UN System in a Changing Aid Environment: Sector Support and Sector Programmes. Position Paper. New York, 2005
Spells out a UNDG position on sector support and sector programmes, based on country-level experiences. It demonstrates a common understanding of the potential benefits of sector programmes and highlights the UN system's contribution.

Global Task Team
Final Report: On Improving AIDS Coordination among Multilateral Institutions and International Donors. Geneva, 2005 
Focuses on ways UN system organizations and the Global Fund can improve support to national AIDS responses and states recommendations in four main areas: Empowering national leadership and ownership, alignment and harmonization, reform for a more effective multilateral response, accountability and oversight.

Global Task Team
UNAIDS Technical Support Division of Labour. Geneva, 2005 
Sets out a new approach to the UNAIDS technical support division of labour. Underpinned by an analysis of implementation bottlenecks and of comparative advantages of each UNAIDS organization, the document defines 17 broad areas of UNAIDS technical support and identifies ‘Lead Organization’ and ‘Main Partners’.

Guidelines and Best Practice

UNDGO
Common Country Assessment and United Nations Development Assistance Framework. Guidelines for UN Country Teams. New York, 2004
Update of the Common Country Assessment (CCA) and United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) guidelines. The CCA and the UNDAF are the UN system’s strategic planning tools for a unified approach towards common development goals at the country level.

UNDGO
Guidance Note on Joint Programming. New York, 2003
Contribution to the Secretary-General’s call for the UN to articulate a strategy for a unified approach towards common development goals at regional and country level. Provides: Rationale for, and definition and steps of, joint programming, definition of joint programs/projects, how to develop and manage a joint program, fund management options for joint programs.

UNDGO
Joint Programmes Overview
. New York, 2005 
Brief overview of joint programs, including definition, proper timing for and appropriate form of a joint program.

UNDGO
Joint Programmes:
 Your Frequently Asked Questions. New York, 2005 
Answers frequently asked questions such as the difference between joint programs and programming, steps to take in joint programming, accountability, funding, relationship with national authorities, number of agencies to be part in a joint program, etc.

UNDGO
What you need to know about the Framework for Cash Transfers to Implementing Partners
. New York, 2005 
Describes the framework for cash transfers to implementing partners and the different aspects that various UN system stakeholders need to be aware of.

Training Resources

United Nations System Staff College
Strategic Planning Retreat, Facilitation Manual. May 2005 
Designed to help facilitation teams tasked by UNDG and UNSSC with supporting UN Country Teams with their common country programming process. The present manual focuses on the Strategic Planning Retreat, formerly known as UNDAF Prioritization Retreat, which is a 2-3 day event organized by UN Country Teams in countries with a harmonized programming cycle.

Websites

United Nation Development Group ( UNDGO)
www.undg.org
Hosts UNDG documents and reports and offers up-to-date information on the Millennium Development Goals, Common Country Programming, the UN System at country level as well as UN system transition and reform.

UN System Staff College (UNSSC)
www.unssc.org
The UNSSC has been created by the General Assembly to strengthen the performance of the UN system. Through its programs and services, the College helps UN organizations and UN staff develop skills and competencies to fulfill their mandates more effectively.