ADVANCING STATUS OF WOMEN IN SECRETARIAT WILL BE PART OF EFFORT TO INTRODUCE NEW MANAGEMENT CULTURE, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL'S ADVISER

Press Release
SG/SM/5852
WOM/872

ADVANCING STATUS OF WOMEN IN SECRETARIAT WILL BE PART OF EFFORT TO INTRODUCE NEW MANAGEMENT CULTURE, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL'S ADVISER

Following is the text of the statement made today on behalf of the Secretary-General by his Special Political Adviser, Rosario Green, to the meeting of the Women's International Forum:

Achieving the Charter objective of a Secretariat possessing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity implies a Secretariat which sets an example in terms of equality between men and women as in all other respects. We still have far to go. Nevertheless, it is a particular source of pride that women staff members at the United Nations have consistently made a critical contribution and that the Secretariat strives to strengthen the presence and role of women at all levels. More than one third of our staff today are women.

Between 1990 and September this year, the number of women in positions subject to geographical distribution in the Secretariat, at the level of Principal Officer and above, has increased by 145 per cent. The percentage of women staff members in posts that fall outside the scope of geographic distribution, such as posts requiring specific language skills, is still higher.

The Office for Human Resources Management has made concerted efforts in this regard, as have individual programme managers. Rigorous and objective scrutiny, so essential to the high standards which are expected and demanded of the international civil service, has contributed to a higher proportion of women being approved for promotion over men for the first time in the period between 30 June 1994 and 30 June 1995.

Overall, however, the number of women in senior, policy-making positions remains relatively low.

The General Assembly has lent its moral and political weight to the three main targets in the Secretary-General's strategic plan of action for the improvement of the status of women in the years of 1995 to 2000. Of these, the target of an overall level of 35 per cent women among the United Nations Professional staff before the end of 1995 is about to be reached. The two

other targets are at least 25 per cent of senior-level positions to be held by women staff members before 1997; and an overall level of 50 per cent women by the year 2000.

The fact that these levels, which should have been attained in the normal course of administrative procedure, promotion and selection, have had to be codified as targets reveals, quite clearly, shortfalls of our own making. But these are not impersonal or mechanical targets. They are an integral part of ensuring that the Organization is able to attract staff of the highest calibre.

This is particularly important today when United Nations staff are confronted by a range of unprecedented challenges and unprecedented dangers. Many died or have been injured in the cause of United Nations service. This is not the time when the United Nations can afford to have anyone but the best. Indeed, today, women are participating more than ever in areas such as peace-keeping, administration and in such politically and socially challenging fields as the environment, food provision and refugee programmes. The perception that the ability, skills and talents of women are concentrated in a few limited areas has proved a fallacy.

The strategic plan of action has brought efforts to advance the status of women to the forefront as a policy priority of the Organization. Its implementation will be pursued as part of the effort to introduce a new management culture involving changes in approaches, attitudes and ways of thinking among all levels of management and emphasizing a culture of responsiveness, client-service orientation and gender sensitivity. It includes measures to assist in reaching the targets. Women applicants from other United Nations agencies are now being considered as internal candidates for vacancy announcements. Women have the right to benefit from accumulated seniority, with consideration given to their years of service at previous grade levels, thereby accelerating their opportunities for promotion.

In a meeting of all heads of agencies, the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), which the Secretary-General chaired earlier this year, a breakthrough statement of commitment was made which extends this effort to the United Nations system as a whole. An ACC Task Force has also made significant progress on work/life issues such as flexitime and flexiplace, spouse employment, parental leave and care for children and the elderly, recognising that women usually have dual roles in the home and at the workplace. An evaluation of problems relating to spouse employment is being undertaken to identify ways to facilitate the movement of staff, their spouses and families between duty stations. Member States who are host to offices of the United Nations family could greatly assist in tackling this obstacle to the advancement of women by exceptionally permitting the spouses of staff members, male or female, the right to work when the staff member changes location.

- 3 - Press Release SG/SM/5852 WOM/872 15 December 1995

Networking on databases on women, improving of internal skills, expanding external candidate rosters of women, and advertising these activities, are all system-wide activities in which the new Specialist Services Division in the Office of Human Resources Management, created on 1 September 1995, is participating. Executive searches at a representative number of universities and in various regions have been initiated to identify potential candidates among students from many of the 51 unrepresented and under-represented countries, with specific focus on qualified women candidates.

Commitment and accountability on the part of senior managers will be the key to achieving the goals of the strategic plan. The full commitment of all Member States will also be essential, as will be the support of non- governmental organizations. As the Secretary-General observed in his address to the Beijing Women's Conference, the United Nations has provided the venue and the framework to move issues of gender equality to the top of the global agenda. It is significant that the Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women addresses issues relating to women in the United Nations system as part of the overall effort for the advancement and empowerment of women worldwide. Let us ensure that the momentum of Beijing is translated into concrete action everywhere, including within the United Nations itself.

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