ON STAFF DAY, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS WHATEVER THE CHALLENGES OR JOB, ALL

AT UNITED NATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO COMMON MISSION OF STRONGER UN FOR SAFER WORLD

 

Following are Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s remarks on Staff Day at United Nations Headquarters in New York, on Friday 25 April:

Good morning.

I bring greetings from the Secretary-General to all of you at Headquarters as well as our colleagues in the field, some of whom the Secretary-General has been meeting during his current visit to a number of African countries.

I am very happy to be here today to celebrate Staff Day with you -- this is my first Staff Day since coming to the UN about a year ago. 

I appreciate the considerable undertaking of the UN Staff Union in New York to continue this noble tradition of celebrating and recognizing staff.  Let me also thank the many colleagues who volunteered and gave their time and energy to assist in making this Day a reality.  This is a day to take a break from the daily routine and celebrate.

But, as we mark this day with joy, we must also commemorate our colleagues who have given their lives in the service of the peoples of the world.  This is therefore an occasion to pay tribute to those colleagues who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

It is only some months ago that we had the tragic attack in Algiers, which brutally killed colleagues.  As we remember and honour them -- and others who died in the name of the United Nations, we must remind ourselves that we are here to carry on the baton that they left.  The flag-raising ceremony this morning was, in this respect, very fitting.

As Secretary-General Ban has often said, nothing is more important than the security and safety of our staff.  This is why he established an Independent Panel on the Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises Worldwide to assess what happened in Algiers and to make recommendations on security policies and procedures as a whole.  The Panel is expected to finish its work in May, and will present its recommendations to the Secretary-General.

All of us, in every duty station, work towards the same goals.

Whatever our daily challenges might be -- be they in our offices or in the field, and some under difficult and dangerous circumstances -- let us never forget those goals, and what an honour it is to be able to contribute to achieving them.  But whatever your job is, whether you translate documents, arrange schedules, coordinate meetings, produce radio programmes or make sure our computers run, every task contributes to our common mission:  a stronger UN for a better and safer world.

What does it mean to be a UN staff member?  Since I joined the UN a little more than a year ago, I have had the privilege of meeting so many colleagues in New York and in other parts of the world and have been touched by your dedication, courage, versatility and commitment.

Together, you constitute what Secretary-General Ban has described as the backbone of our United Nations.   You make us optimistic about the future of the UN.  The Secretary-General and I are highly appreciative of your dedication.

We are devoting high priority to ensuring that we handle our human resources -- our people -- in a way that recognizes your value and best serves the Organization.  For you are at the forefront of delivering on the mandates entrusted to us, promoting development, peace and security, and human rights.

I am sure that many of you would agree that a lot of things need improving.   This is not an impossible task if we work together.

Last year, the Secretary-General gave me the responsibility of chairing a Task Force on Human Resources Management with the aim of making concrete proposals to the Secretary-General on how we can address some of the concerns that have been expressed by staff and managers, as well as improving our HR systems.

We have made specific recommendations for improvement -- some would be within the Secretary-General’s authority to implement, others would need consultation with staff and others approval by Member States.

The Recommendations for Action cover nine critical areas, namely:

-- Workforce planning

-- Staff selection system and vacancy management

-- Professional competitive examinations

-- Managers’ responsibilities and performance management

-- Mobility

-- Career development and training

-- Payment of staff entitlements

-- Pension schemes

-- Contracts and conditions of service

For example, some of the specific recommendations include:

--Ways of cutting down the time it takes to fill a post, including expanding the use of rosters of pre-approved candidates;

--More emphasis on workforce planning, the introduction of a more rigorous managerial assessment for the selection of Under-Secretaries-General, Assistant Secretaries-General and Directors;

-- Enhanced accountability of Heads of Departments through their compacts with the Secretary-General, HR action plans, and workforce planning;

-- Strengthening cooperative arrangements with agencies for mobility of staff; and

-- Improved pension terms for staff with less than five years of contributory service.

The Recommendations for Action are complementary to the proposals already presented to the sixty-second session of the General Assembly.  Probably the most significant are the Secretary-General’s proposals on contracts and conditions of service.  These proposals have been the subject of extensive consultation with staff and the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).  They require resources, but will have a far-reaching impact on the Organization and on staff morale. 

They will enable the integration of Headquarters and field staff and provide for greater mobility and opportunities for career development.  They will also enhance the Organization’s ability to recruit and retain staff, to ensure greater equity in treatment and movement of staff and allow for a more effective administration.  And they will help eliminate barriers, inequities in treatment and make it easier for staff to move within the system.

The Secretary-General regrets that Member States were not able to approve these comprehensive proposals during the Fifth Committee’s resumed session in March.  We would hope that the Assembly will act on them in the fall.

Management reform is essential to enabling the UN to keep pace with the growing demands being placed upon us.  It is an ongoing effort, in which each of us -- staff, managers and Member States -- have a critical role to play.

A harmonious and productive relationship between staff and management, at every level -- in each office, department, duty station and Secretariat-wide -- is essential to the success of our reform efforts.

This is a challenging time for our Organization.  We are at the cusp of so many changes, and I am excited to be part of some of them.  One that is close to my heart is the reform of the UN’s internal justice system.  I believe this is a wonderful example of a joint endeavour where staff and management have worked together on the design of a new system to handle internal grievances.

We now have to make sure all the pieces are in place to have the new system up and running by 1 January 2009.  There are some crucial decisions that Member States will need to take at the upcoming resumed session, including adopting the statutes for the Dispute Tribunal and the Appeals Tribunal, and to approve measures to ensure a smooth transition from the present to the new system.

The Secretary-General will continue to give it his utmost attention.  I am personally convinced that the new system of administration of justice will not only be more fair, expeditious and transparent, but will also contribute to improving the overall management of the Organization.

For those of us working in New York, we will soon have to cope with the need to relocate as the Capital Master Plan rolls out.

Yes, it might be disruptive, having to move and set up afresh in a completely new environment -- which will only be a temporary “home”.   We will all have to be prepared for the changes associated with the relocation -- be it not having our files in the usual place, not having our colleagues in the usual locations.

But, dear friends, let us also look upon this as an opportunity:  perhaps the Capital Master Plan will help to release us from the constraints of habit and force us to look at things differently.  We will all have to do our individual exercises of “management reform” to adjust to a new environment and demands.

As we prepare for this major move, the cherry trees in the garden of our Headquarters are in resplendent bloom.  So that we may walk among the trees in their full glory before major construction work begins in that area, the Secretary-General has asked that all staff be given access to the garden today.  I can think of no more moving way to mark Staff Day than a visit to this cherished treasure by the East River.  We are blessed with a perfect spring day for the occasion.

Let me also share with you one important area where the Secretary-General and I have a keen interest, and where we would like to see more concrete action:  improving gender balance in the Secretariat.

The Secretary-General is committed to lead the effort to improve the situation and achieve the goal of 50/50 parity.  He has recently written to all heads of department urging forceful action on their part.  But it is not enough to only look at the numbers, we must also embrace modern management methods and foster a healthy work-life balance.  This is good for women and for men.  And it will ultimately contribute to a more positive and productive working environment.

There are many other things in life than work.  Many activities that have been arranged for this day.

Now let’s go have some fun!  All the best on this day.

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For information media • not an official record