ESCAP and Governance: the next steps Background …workspace.unpan.org/sites/Internet/Documents/ESCAP and...ESCAP and Governance: the next steps Background and Context In the interval

ESCAP and Governance: the next steps

Background and Context

In the interval between the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (or

Rio+20) and the conclusion of the Millennium Development Goals, the international

community has been increasingly focused on – and giving greater prominence and

emphasis to – governance and ensuring that all peoples benefit from inclusive and

sustainable development in the post-2015 development agenda.

One key message from Rio+20 is the importance of effective governance through

democracy, good governance and the rule of law – at the local, national, regional and

global levels – for achieving sustainable development. Institutions are needed at all levels

that are effective, transparent, accountable and democratic in order to achieve sustainable

development goals. The report of the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN

Development Agenda, Realizing the Future We Want for All also recognized the

fundamental role of effective governance capacities at national, local and municipal

levels, including political commitment and leadership in implementing the post-2015

global development agenda.

Another common thread highlighted throughout both documents is the importance of

addressing the disparities that exist both within and between countries, a phenomenon

growing ever-more acute in Asia and the Pacific as the region continues to accumulate

great wealth.

Democratic governance can ensure that the voices and interests of all people are

represented and they can participate effectively in national and local decision-making

critical to the success of the post-Millennium Development Goals agenda. Only the legal

and economic empowerment of people, especially those most excluded, and of their civil

society organizations, would put countries on a clear path to inclusive and sustainable

development.

ESCAP

The dialogue at ESCAP has featured similar emphasis on governance. At the

Distinguished Person Lecture held on UN Day 2012, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs strongly

reaffirmed this position in speaking about the four pillars of sustainable development,

stressing the need for good governance alongside economic prosperity, social inclusion

and environmental sustainability.

In addition to serving as the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the MDGs, Professor Sachs has

been asked by the Secretary-General to direct the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an

independent network of research centres, universities and technical institutions which will work with

stakeholders including business, civil society, UN agencies and other international organizations to identify

and share the best pathways to achieve sustainable development.

Professor Sachs defined good governance as setting goals and plans for sustainable

development; corporate good governance, public provision of quality health, education

and infrastructure; and contributing to global problem solving. His remarks only

amplified what previous speakers in the series have also pointed out, most notably Nobel

Laureate Prof. Amartya Sen who famously said that famines do not occur in functioning

democracies.

Until now ESCAP has taken a low-key approach towards governance-related activities.

The time now is ripe to take cues from the Rio+20 and the post-2015 documents, as well

as the five-year action plan of the Secretary-General, to begin to integrate the governance

dimension more explicitly in the pursuit of sustainable development.

A mapping exercise of the work of ESCAP’s divisions and subregional offices with a

“governance” dimension revealed the following examples:

The 2011-2012 edition of the regional MDG report by ESCAP, ADB and UNDP

focused on “Accelerating equitable achievement of the MDGS: closing gaps in

health and nutrition outcomes.” (MPDD, SROs)

Projects to strengthen urban transport planning for urban transport systems, and

for transport to withstand impacts of climate change. (EDD)

An update of a study to analyze the governance structures at the local level, and

projects to assess the municipal governance and urban infrastructure of Central

Asian countries and to strengthen local governments in solid waste management.

(EDD)

The State of Cities Report 2010-2011, which extensively discusses governance,

emphasizing the need to improve governance to integrate the three pillars plus

resilience in urban development. (EDD)

The Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2012 published by ESCAP and UNISDR

highlights the crucial role of disaster risk governance in reducing vulnerability

and exposure to hazards. (IDD, SROs)

The regional programme on the improvement of civil registration and vital

statistics, which is the underpinning of almost all government services, the

improvement of population statistics and the regional programme on economic

statistics. (SD, SROs)

The Working Group on Women, Peace and Security under the Regional

Cooperation Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and

Women’s Empowerment, which focuses on enhancing women’s participation in

peace processes and decision-making, particularly in conflict and post-conflict

affected areas. (SDD)

Other related activities include a review of work in the SPECA framework in support of

the regional economic cooperation conference on Afghanistan, which was held as a side-

event to the SPECA meetings in Bangkok. The meeting was an opportunity to emphasize

the importance of integrating Afghanistan’s economy into the rest of the Asia-Pacific

region, with a special emphasis on governance issues to ensure even and widespread

growth. (MPDD, North and Central Asia SRO/SPECA)

ESCAP is also co-organizing with the Government of Timor-Leste in February 2013 a

high-level international conference for the g7+ fragile states. The meeting will focus on

ways to ensure the 1.5 billion people living in fragile or conflict-affected States are not

left behind in the post-2015 development agenda. (OES)

At the same time, the Regional Coordination Mechanism and the UNDG Asia-Pacific are

having ongoing discussions on ways to strengthen synergies and collaboration, including

in the following areas:

Development of a joint UN strategic framework for development cooperation at

the regional level.

Strengthening of regional/national linkages through better use of regional

analytical and policy products at the country level, such as the preparation of

UNDAFs.

Focusing on concrete outputs as a basis for strengthening collaboration – e.g.,

updating and completing the RCM Rio+20 publication prepared by the TWG for

Poverty and Hunger and the TWG for Environment and Disaster Risk

Management.

Ways for the RCM to complement national consultations and global thematic

consultations planned on the post-2015 development agenda, especially in the

areas of MDG Goal 8; lessons from MDGs processes; and implementation of

SDGs and the development of SDG indicators.

A joint conference on supporting countries in transition is another possible area for

collaboration between the RCM and UNDG.

More specifically, ESCAP and UNDP recently met to share information about the

governance-related dimensions of their current work and to identify possible areas of

collaboration within their respective mandates. The two organizations agreed to a broad

set of principles to guide their collaboration as follows:

The added value of the regional commission is in providing an intergovernmental

platform for identifying and developing norms for various economic, social and

environmental sectors in the region, particularly to address issues of inequality in

the region.

UNDP’s added value lies in being able to work with countries to implement those

norms. At the same time, UNDP’s country-level experiences and best practices

can also feed upward into the regional process of developing norms and sharing

best practices.

The regional coordination mechanism (RCM) and its thematic working groups

could/should play a leading role in strengthening inter-agency collaboration on

the governance dimensions of work within the UN system.

ESCAP-UNDP collaboration can potentially help improve the quality of

resolutions adopted by the Commission by bringing more issues to the table,

addressing different aspects of those issues and making them more “practical” for

implementation by member States, thereby addressing the often missing link

between norm setting and the country programming process.

The issue of inequalities of a social, economic or environmental nature could

potentially provide an important interface point for ESCAP/UNDP collaboration

on the governance dimensions of their work.

Conclusion

As the outcome of Rio+20 and the discussions for the post-2015 development agenda

show, both member States and the United Nations system are paying greater attention to

the need to ensure economic growth, social equity and environmental sustainability not

only for the broadest segments of today’s society but also for generations that follow. For

the Asia-Pacific region, an emphasis on good governance can help to sustain the

remarkable development seen over the past two-and-a-half decades and close the ever-

widening gap between those at the top of the pyramid and those at the bottom,

particularly women, persons with disabilities, older persons and youth, as well as

between the rights of the people and the rights of the planet.

ESCAP is well-placed to lead this move to integrating governance issues more

prominently with efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and

the Pacific. An internal examination of its current programme of work identified

numerous activities that already carry a governance dimension. At the same time,

discussions with other UN agencies – either through the RCM or bilaterally with UNDP –

show several areas for possible collaboration. Working together could improve synergies

between the development of policies and norms at the regional level through the

intergovernmental conference structure and resolutions adopted by the Commission, and

implementation at the country level through work carried out by the UN agencies.

As for country-specific activities in addition to those already mentioned for Afghanistan

and Timor-Leste and the g7+ countries, the following could also be linked to ESCAP’s

subregional programmes: Myanmar (ASEAN) – OES/South-East Asia, MPDD; the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Greater Tumen Initiative) – OES/East and

North-East Asia SRO, MPDD; and Iran (ECO) – South and South-West Asia SRO.

MINUTES Special Senior Management Team Meeting

on ESCAP/UNDP dialogue on governance collaboration

Thursday 15 November 2012 (14:30 – 16:00 hours) MR-E, UNCC

UNDP Participants:

Mr. Rathin Roy, Regional Manager Ms. Pauline Tamesis, Democratic Governance Practice Leader Ms. Thusitha Pilapitiya, Decentralization and Local Governance Advisor Ms. Sujala Pant, Regional Programme Specialist Ms. Antje Kraft, Justice and Human Rights Specialist Mr. Samuel De Jaegere, Regional Programme Analyst Mr. Harald Thorud, Programme Analyst Mr. Marcus Brand, Consultant ESCAP Participants:

Mr. Adnan Aliani (OES) Mr. Donald Clarke (PPD) Ms. Francyne Harrigan (SCAS) Mr. Mitchell Hsieh (OES) Ms. Laura Lopez (OES) Mr. Shun-ichi Murata (CHAIR) Ms. Nanda Krairiksh (SDD) Mr. Nagesh Kumar (videoconference) (SRO-SSWA) Mr. Nikolay Pomoshchnikov (videoconference) (SRO-NCA) Mr. Kilaparti Ramakrishna (SRO-ENEA) Mr. Ravi Ratnayake (TID) Ms. Shamika Sirimanne (IDD) Ms. Rikke Hansen OiC a.i. of SD Mr. Aynul Hasan OiC a.i. of MPDD Mr. Hongpen Liu OiC a.i. of EDD Mr. Irfan Rahim OiC a.i. of TD Ms. Maria Misovicova Programme Officer Apologies:

Mr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury (MPDD) Mr. Rae Kwon Chung (EDD)

Ms. Haishan Fu (SD) Mr. Dong-woo Ha (TD) Ms. Noeleen Heyzer (OES) Mr. Iosefa Maiva (EPO) Mr. Robert Spaull Mr. Peter Van Laere (DA) Ms. Michele Von Rautenkranz Meeting Highlights:

ESCAP_Collaboration on Governance

UNDP_Democratic Governance

In his introductory remarks, the Deputy Executive Secretary expressed the hope that the session would pave the way for collaboration between ESCAP and UNDP in order to achieve tangible results for the next generation of activities as part of the post-2015 development and sustainable development agendas.

Mr. Roy agreed, adding that he hoped the meeting would close with some

ideas on how to take forward the partnership between the two organizations. He also emphasized that for UNDP, governance was defined as democratic governance rather than “good” governance, embedded in a human rights approach.

The meeting then heard presentations by Mr. Clarke and Ms. Tamesis on

the governance-related work carried out by ESCAP and UNDP, respectively. It was noted that exploratory discussions between the two organizations on possible areas for collaboration on governance (within their respective mandates) was included in the 2012 annual ESCAP/UNDP joint workplan.

In the ensuing discussion, the meeting identified the following principles

to guide collaboration between ESCAP and UNDP: The added value of the regional commission lies in providing an

intergovernmental platform for identifying and developing norms for various economic, social and environmental sectors in the region, particularly to address issues of inequality.

UNDP’s added value is in being able to work with countries to

implement those norms. At the same time, UNDP’s country-level experiences and best practices can also feed upward into the regional process of developing norms and sharing best practices. (Some good

examples of this process include ESCAP’s work on HIV and disabilities, where regional plans and strategies adopted by governments are implemented at the country level and monitored at the regional level).

The regional coordination mechanism and its thematic working groups

could/should play a leading role in strengthening inter-agency collaboration on the governance dimensions of work within the UN system.

ESCAP-UNDP collaboration can potentially help improve the quality

of resolutions adopted by the Commission as well as promote their implementation by member States, thereby addressing the often missing link between norm setting and the country programming process.

The issue of inequalities could potentially provide an important

interface point for ESCAP/UNDP collaboration on the governance dimensions of their work.

The following areas were identified as potential areas for collaboration: Data and statistical analysis on governance indicators (ESCAP’s

Statistics Committee is developing a core set of social statistics for the region, with governance indicators among them).

Gender mainstreaming in local government.

Urban issues and climate change Decentralization of responsibilities/good examples of effective local

governance systems for disaster risk reduction. Management of water and energy resources.

Trade policies.

Promoting dialogue among central and local governments and

investors.

Corporate governance to change the behaviour of the business sector.

Sectoral approaches to anti-corruption.

Norm setting in sectors not normally facilitated through the UN system (e.g. Ministries of Justice, electoral management bodies, national human rights bodies).

Youth.

Decision/Action: (a) It was agreed that ESCAP and UNDP would develop a matrix which pulls

together the discussion in a succinct form as the basis for further discussion on practical ways to develop collaboration in a small number of priority areas.

(b) The focal points for the two organizations for ongoing liaison will be Mr. Clarke (ESCAP) and Ms. Tamesis (UNDP).

*******

Governance-related Activities at ESCAP

Division Subprogramme

(including

Regional

Institutions)

Programme/Project/Activity “Governance”

Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward

Classification Stakeholde

rs

MPDD Macroeconomic

policy and

inclusive

development

Implementation of the

Istanbul Programme of Action

for the LDCs in the Asia-

Pacific region

“Governance at all

levels” is one of the

eight priorities of the

Istanbul PoA

A regional roadmap

for the Istanbul PoA

was developed at

the ESCAP-

convened regional

meeting in late

2011.

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance All aspects of

governance

All major

stakeholders

MPDD Macroeconomic

policy and

inclusive

development

Economic and Social Survey

of Asia and the Pacific

Looks at how

government policies,

particularly

macroeconomic

policies, could be more

responsive to the needs

of ordinary citizens,

such as social

protection and food

security

While the ability of

developing

countries to invest

in essential social

programmes has

increased over the

years, more

analyses and

experience sharing

are needed for

governments to

move forward.

ESCAP will look

deeper into these

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


governance

All major

stakeholders


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

issues in the 2013

issue of the Survey.

MPDD Macroeconomic

policy and

inclusive

development

Asia-Pacific consultation on

G20 summit agenda

Global economic

governance; voice and

representation of all

countries including

LDCs in key global

forums

While all countries

including LDCs are

affected by global

economic

initiatives, their

voice and

representation

remain weak in

forums like the

G20. Therefore,

ESCAP will

continue to convene

high-level

consultations so that

all countries

including LDCs

could raise their

concerns and

priorities to forums

like the G20.

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


governance

National

Government

s, private

sector

TID Subprogramme 2

Trade and

Investment

Joint TID/TD publication

“Guidelines on Establishing

and Strengthening National

Coordination Mechanisms for

Trade and Transport

The publication aims to

assist countries in

addressing the non-

physical barriers in

international trade and

These guidelines,

along with other

United Nations

publications on

national

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

National

Government


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

Facilitation in the ESCAP

Region”,

http://www.unescap.org/tid/pu

blication/ttf-guide.pdf

transport in a

sustainable way

through establishing or

strengthening of

national facilitation

mechanisms. It lays

down broad principles,

salient aspects and

main requirements for

national coordination

mechanisms to be

successful.

coordination and

cooperation for

trade and transport

facilitation, intends

to provide countries

with a practical

guidance in

designing and

operating national

coordination

institutions based

on their institutional

environment and

trade and transport

facilitation

priorities. This will

help develop a

secure, smooth and

efficient trade and

transport system in

the region.

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance Effectiveness

and efficiency

TD Ongoing

Subprogramme

3. Transport

WP Code: 3-3-401

Technical cooperation

projects on capacity

development of member

States to develop and

operationalize an integrated

Building capacity of

the decision makers

and government

officials to develop and

operate an integrated

Continue to

promote and

facilitate the

achievement of the

vision of

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

National

government

s

http://www.unescap.org/tid/publication/ttf-guide.pdf

http://www.unescap.org/tid/publication/ttf-guide.pdf


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

regional transport network,

including Asian Highway, the

Trans-Asian Railway and dry

ports

1. Promotion of Investment

in the Asian Highway

Network: Prefeasibility

Studies of Priority

Sections

2. Promoting the use of the

Trans-Asian Railway

through improved

awareness of commercial

requirements

3. Development of dry ports

along the Asian Highway

and Trans-Asian Railway

networks

4. Capacity building for dry

port planning through

prefeasibility studies of

selected dry ports in

ASEAN subregion

regional transport

network that efficiently

and effectively

responds to the

transportation needs of

society while make

best and sustainable

use of resources and

minimize adverse

impacts to the

environment

international

integrated regional

transport and

logistics network

that would provide

safe, clean, and

affordable

transportation

system to all

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and efficiency


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

TD Subprogramme

3. Transport

WP Code: 3-3-403

Technical cooperation project

on capacity development of

member States to formulate

and implement policies to

improve road safety

Building capacities and

assisting ESCAP

member states,

particularly developing

countries, in

formulating national

road safety goals,

targets and indicators

in line with the UN

Decade of Action for

Road Safety ,as well as

action plans which

include, among others,

the enforcement of

road safety laws and

regulations as well as

the protection of

vulnerable road users

Continue to

enhance awareness

and understanding

of road safety issues

in member

countries and

promote/encourage

the participation of

women in this area.

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance Rule of Law,

Equity and

Inclusiveness

National

Government

s

TD

Subprogramme

3. Transport

WP Code: 3-3-404



development of member

States to formulate and

implement transport

Building capacity of

and providing

assistance to enable

relevant authorities to

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

National

government

s, private

sector


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

facilitation measures,

including facilitation of

transport between subregions

WP Code: 3-3-406



development of policy-makers

and the private sector to

develop efficient freight

forwarding, multimodal

transport and logistics

services

1. Provided assistance for

negotiation of draft

annexes to the Shanghai

Corporation Organization

(SCO) Road Transport

Agreement and

contributed to organizing

meeting in SCO road

transport facilitation

agreement; serviced the

meeting.

2. (UNDA Project) Capacity

- formulate and

implement transport

facilitation measures

that is responsive to the

needs of transport

operators in order to

improves efficiency of

cross-border transport

within and between

subregions (particularly

for landlocked and

least developed

countries)

Continue to build

capacity and

provide assistance

to member States to

improve the

efficiency and

timeliness of cross-

border transport

within and between

subregions

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

responsivenes

s


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

building for control

authorities and transport

operators to improve

efficiency of cross-border

transport in landlocked

and transit developing

countries

TD PLANNED

Transport with

ADB and KDI and

PPIAF

Capacity building for

engaging the private sector in

infrastructure provision.

Working with partners and

regional networks that already

exist to identify and develop

projects for implementation

Preparation of less

developed countries to

engage the private

sector Building

government capability

to plan and implement

PPP financing options

for infrastructure

projects

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

responsivenes

s

National

government

s, private

sector

TD Transport with

GIZ

Strengthening governance in

urban transport planning for

urban transport systems of

public transport, non-

Facilitating sustainable

development decisions

by working with cities

to strengthen their

Link to

governance:

High

National

government

s, local


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

vehicular transport and

pedestrians with learning by

doing

transport planning

capability

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

responsivenes

s

government

s

TD Transport with

GIZ

Improved capacity of

transport policy makers and

officials at national, provincial

and municipal and city level

in the area of climate change

adaptation and planning,

design and construction

transport to withstand impacts

of climate events

Governance at all

levels in adapting to

the new future

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

responsivenes

s

National

government

s, local

government

s

TD Transport with Enhancing Sustainable and Building capacity in


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

ADB and KOTI

and partners

Inclusive Transport

Development in Asia

Working with partners to

leverage maximum resources

and influence to impact in

these areas

Integrated planning and

development of

transport infrastructure

and systems, transport

innovation and

transport operations

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

responsivenes

s

National

government

s

EDD Environment and

Development/Envi

ronment and

Development

Policies

Capacity development and

regional cooperation on

sustainable development to

achieve internationally agreed

development goals and to

implement the outcomes of

MCEDs

Cambodia -

Establishment of a

National Green Growth

Secretariat, an Inter-

ministerial Working

Group on Green

Growth and

development and

approval of a National

Green Growth

Roadmap;

Kazakhstan –

Establishment of an

Cambodia – a

National Green

Growth Committee

under the Prime

Minister under

development.

Implementation of

National Green

Growth Roadmap

on the way with

support from GGGI

Kazakhstan – The

report received

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and efficiency

National

Government


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

Inter-ministerial

Working Group on

Green Growth,

development of a Study

on Application of

Green Growth Policies;

highest recognition

from the President

of RKz and was

embedded in the

Inter-regional

Astana Green

Bridge Initiative:

Europe-Asia-Pacific

Partnership for

Green Growth

endorsed at MCED-

6 (October 2010)

EDD Environment and

Development/Envi

ronment and

Development

Policies

Low Carbon Green Growth

Roadmap

The Roadmap collects

and analyzes several

case studies from Asia

and the Pacific on

green growth,

including in terms of

institutional

arrangements and

governance and puts

forward

recommendations in

this regard.

Green growth

should be driven by

the top level of

Government

(President, Prime

Minister), through

an inter-Ministerial

Mechanism, backed

by a framework law

(in addition to

sectoral

regulations), as well

as by a concrete

budgetary allocation

(e.g. 2% of GDP).

Link to

governance:

Low

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and efficiency

National

Government


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

EDD Environment and

Development/Sust

ainable Urban

Development

Study on local government

systems

The study will update

previous studies made

by ESCAP and analyse

the governance

structures at the local

level in selected

countries in Asia and

the Pacific

A comparative

analysis exists and

will be updated

together with

updating 14 country

reports. The main

lessons are local

governments need

to be strengthened.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance All aspects

National and

local

government

s, other

stakeholders

to a lesser

extent

EDD Environment and

Development/Sust

ainable Urban

Development

Sustainable urban

infrastructure development

The project will assess

the municipal

governance and urban

infrastructure of

Central Asian

countries. It will

especially look at the

capacities of local

governments in terms

of budget, management

and basic services

provisions.

Lessons were in

obtaining reliable

information and

data on governance

from local

authorities. We

learned that local

knowledge and

networks with

intermediaries are

essential for

assessing the

situation on the

ground.

Institutionalization

of information

gathering and

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance All aspects,

with an

emphasis on

effective and

efficient

National and

local

government

s,

academic/re

search/traini

ng

institutions


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

analysis of

governance

dimensions are

critical and needs to

improve in the

future.

EDD Environment and

Development/Sust

ainable Urban

Development

Pro-poor Solid Waste

Management

Project aims at

strengthening

institutional, financial

and human resources

capacities of local

governments in solid

waste management

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

participation,

equity and

inclusiveness,

National and

local

government,

private

sector, civil

society

EDD Environment and

Development/Sust

ainable Urban

Development

State of Asian Cities Report I

& II

The reports have a full

chapter on governance.

The first report was

published in 2011. The

second will be

published in 2014

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

National and

local

government

s,

academic/re

search and


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

characteristi

cs of


training

institutes

EDD Environment and

Development/Sust

ainable Urban

Development

Asia-Pacific Urban Forum The Asia-Pacific Urban

Forums are held once

every four years. The

Fifth AP Urban Forum

was held in 2011. The

Sixth AP Forum will

be held in 2015. The

Forums bring together

national and local

government

representatives, NGOs,

private sector

organizations and

research and training

organizations to

discuss urban issues

including those related

to governance. For

example the Fifth

Forum discussed issues

related to urban finance

and governance and the

role of new social

It is important to

provide a regional

platform for policy

dialogues for urban

stakeholders to

discuss critical and

emerging issues.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


All

stakeholders


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

media in creating

movements for change.

EDD Environment and

Development/Sust

ainable Urban

Development

Regional Consultative

Meeting on Good Urban

Governance

A regular meeting of

UN and Non UN

agencies working on

urban governance

issues to discuss and

coordinate

programmes. The

Meetings are convened

by ESCAP.

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


UN and

non-UN

agencies

providing

assistance

IDD 5: Information,

communications

technology and

disaster risk

reduction

Asia-Pacific Disaster Report

2012

It has a governance

chapter to stress the

importance of good

governance in disaster

risk reduction

Good governance is

a key in land use,

environmental

management,

resource

management, etc.

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


All major

stakeholders

IDD 5: Information,

communications

technology and

disaster risk

Asia-Pacific Regional

Disaster Statistics (proposed

future activity)

Standard setting and

commitment is a key to

success through a good

governance mechanism

--- Link to

governance:

High

National

government

s


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

reduction at the regional and

country level Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance Accountabilit

y and

transparency

IDD 5: Information,

communications

technology and

disaster risk

reduction

Making Provincial

Communities Safer Through

Disaster Risk Reduction in

Development (DRR-PC)

(financed by ESCAP Trust

Fund for Tsunami, Disaster

and Climate preparedness)

Strengthening both

national and regional

institutions and policy

as regards to disaster

risk reduction,

including

decentralization. Focus

on how to engage the

local communities and

secure financial

commitments from

local administrations.

Stronger results at

national than

provincial level.

Further provide

level empowerment

needed.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and efficiency

National and

local

government

s, civil

society

organization

s

IDD 5: Information,

communications

technology and

disaster risk

reduction

Reducing risks of tsunami,

storm surges, large waves and

other natural hazards in low

elevation coastal zones

(financed by ESCAP Trust

Fund for Tsunami, Disaster

and Climate preparedness)

Focus on establishing

multi-stakeholder

mechanisms, linking

early warning

institutions with other

stakeholder

(agricultural, health

Promising results in

Maldives,

Myanmar, Thailand

and India. Project

ongoing.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

National

government

s, local

government

s(?) and

civil

society(?)


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

and planning

departments). Good

governance for climate

adaptation and DRR.

cs of


and

efficiency,

participation

IDD Strengthening ICT capacities

for disaster risk reduction and

development: addressing

information, knowledge and

policy gaps in Asia

(Development Account

Tranche 8)

Strengthened ICT capacities can help strengthen governance dimensions, particularly with regard to the open and transparent flow of information (see Rio+20 Outcome. Furthermore, social networking has taken root as a new form of communication with profound effects on the nature of expression and content exchange, As social networking has turned people from passive consumers of information to active

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


governance

All major

stakeholders


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

producers of content, the internet has become pivotal to the communicative power of individuals and their plural values. This is having extensive effects on group dynamics, the formation of group ideologies and societal and institutional structures. The project analyzes the transformative impacts that is having on governance structures across societies of the region, and capacity development seminars will be held as well. The project will be jointly implemented by IDD and APCICT

IDD APCICT’s ‘Academy of ICT

Essentials for Government

The programme aims

to strengthen the

Link to

governance:

National

government


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

Leaders’ (Academy)

programme

capacities of

policymakers and

government officials in

ESCAP member States

in use of ICTs for

socio-economic

development, thus

helping to bridge the

digital divide through

better communication

and shared knowledge.

Strengthened ICT

capacities can also

contribute to increased

transparency in

governance. The

programme comprises

of a set of 10 stand-

alone, yet interlinked

training modules that

have been localized by

partners into 8

languages. Since its

launch in June 2008,

the programme has

been rapidly rolled-out

in 26 countries across

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

accountability

and

transparency

s


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

the Asia-Pacific region

through strategic

partnerships. It has also

been institutionalized

into long-term national

capacity development

frameworks in many

countries, thus

indicating strong

national ownership and

demand. Given its

relevance in varied

development contexts,

the programme has

been taken up in Africa

and Western Asia by

ECA and ESCWA.

SDD Social

Development

Promotion of the ratification

and implementation of the

Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities

(CRPD).

- Human rights

- Equality

- Access to justice

- Access to electoral

processes

- Anti-discrimination

laws

The “Make the

Right Real

Campaign” to

support the CRPD

has been launched

in more than 10

ESCAP countries. It

has promoted the

harmonization of

domestic legislation

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance Equity and

National

government

s; civil

society

organization

s (?)


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

with the

international

obligations in the

CRPD.

inclusiveness,

rule of law

SDD Social

Development

Reforming national laws to

promote universal access to

HIV prevention, treatment,

care and support for key

affected populations, namely

sex workers, men who have

sex with men, drug users and

transgender populations.

- Human rights

- Law and order

- Justice

ESCAP is working

with UNAIDS,

UNODC and

UNDP in moving

this agenda forward.

Focus is on legal

reform to address

discriminatory laws

against key

affected

populations.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


inclusiveness,

rule of law

National

government

s; civil

society

organization

s (?)

SDD Social

Development

Strengthening of citizen

participation and civil society

organizations’ engagement.

- Institutional building

- Accountability and

transparency

ESCAP has

supported the

development of

self-help

organizations of

persons with

disabilities for over

two decades. They

have become a

powerful force in

advocating with

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance Participation,

Equity and

Civil society

organization

s


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

governments for the

rights of persons

with disabilities.

inclusive,

Accountabilit

y and

transparency

SDD Social

Development

Women, peace and security

(enhancing women’s

participation in peace

processes and decision-

making, particularly in

conflict and post-conflict

affected areas)

- Human rights

- Human security

- Law and order

- Justice

This UN system

work is undertaken

under the

framework of the

RCM Thematic

Working Group on

Gender Equality

and Women’s

Empowerment.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


inclusiveness,

rule of law,

participation

National

government

s; civil

society

organization

s (?)

SDD Social

Development

Ending violence against

women

- Human rights

- Law and order

- Justice

The UNiTE

Campaign is

undertaken under

the framework of

the RCM Thematic

Working Group on

Gender Equality

and Women’s

Empowerment.

Link to

governance:

Medium

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


National

government

s; civil

society

organization

s (?)


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

inclusiveness,

rule of law

SD Statistics Regional programme on the

improvement of civil

registration and vital statistics

(CRVS) in Asia and the

Pacific

According to the UN

Handbook on Training

in Civil Registration

and Vital Statistics

Systems, civil

registration consists of

compulsory,

permanent, continuous

and universal recording

of the occurrence and

characteristics of vital

events. Therefore,

CRVS systems are a

fundamental

foundation for good

governance.

Not only are they

necessary for vital

statistics that support

targeted policy

planning and

monitoring, but they

are the vehicle for

people to claim many

The focus of the

initiative has

evolved since 2009.

It began as a focus

on vital statistics

and then developed

more emphasis on

civil registration

and the

development and

human rights

challenges

connected with

CRVS systems.

This shift presents

an opportunity for

close collaboration

across

subprogrammes

within ESCAP, and

for great value-

added from

collaboration with

other institutions. It

also highlights the

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of

governance Rule of Law,

participation,

equity and

inclusiveness

National

government

s


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

of their rights: to vote,

to justice, to access

healthcare, to access

schooling etc.

need for

mechanisms within

ESCAP to position

and implement such

programmes as

broader

organizational

initiatives, in cases

where skills and

expertise are needed

from across the

organization.

SD Statistics Improvement of population

and social statistics in Asia

and the Pacific

“Governance” is one of

eleven domains of the

draft core set of

population and social

statistics identified by

the Technical Advisory

Group on Social

Statistics (TAG-SS)

that all States should be

able to produce by

2020. Strong

capacities, and high

quality and reliable

statistics in this domain

support transparency,

The “Governance”

domain is a very

broad one, and in

some States it is its

own area or

programme and not

under the title of

population and

social statistics. In

addition, the vast

differences in Asia

and the Pacific

mean that there are

different

interpretations of

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

participation,

accountability

and

National

government

s, civil

society (?)


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

government

accountability and

freedom of

information.

The specific statistics

are:

- Participation in

electoral processes

- Participation in

decision making

- Perceptions of

satisfaction with

governance processes

across public and

private institutions

- Satisfaction with

delivery of specified

services

- Feelings of trust in

public institutions

- Effectiveness of the

legal system and the

rule of law

- Extent of country

commitment to

human rights

what statistics

should be included

in the governance

domain and what

the indicators of

governance actually

are.

There is a need to

get a more

structured focus on

the issue of

governance in terms

of statistics. The

current work under

the programme of

population and

social statistics can

help in that

direction.

transparency


(including

Regional

Institutions)


Dimensions

Lessons/Way

Forward


rs

SD Statistics Regional programme on the

improvement of economic

statistics in Asia and the

Pacific

As well as fostering

evidence-based public

policy, the transparent

and accurate disclosure

of high quality and

reliable economic

statistics are crucial for

the public to hold

governments

accountable and to

check against

corruption.

The relevant domains

of the core set of

economic statistics are:

- Government

(including

expenditure, revenue,

accounts and debt)

- Natural resources and

the environment

(including the value

and flows of a State’s

natural resources).

It was useful to

have political

commitment –

through the ESCAP

Commission, in its

Resolution 67/10 –

to the core set of

statistics, in order to

set the scope for the

programme’s

activities.

Link to

governance:

High

Most

relevant

characteristi

cs of


and

efficiency,

rule of law,

accountability

and

transparency

National

government

s

Abbreviations:

SCO: Shanghai Corporation Organization

ADB: Asian Development Bank

KDI: Korea Development Institute

PPIAF: Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility

GIZ: Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

KOTI: Korea Transport Institute