Democracy and Governance

The overall objective in developing the Productive Capacities Index (PCI) is to support the formulation and implementation of holistic, coherent, and evidence-based policymaking in developing countries. The PCI is designed with the aim to improve the quality of trade and development policies by placing the fostering of productive capacities and structural economic transformation at the centre. It particularly helps to identify economy-wide gaps and limitations that hinder efforts aimed at fostering productive capacities and structural economic transformation. It also serves as a tool to track progress towards targets and goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In developed countries, public procurement accounts for almost 15% of gross domestic product; in some developing countries, this figure can reach as high as 40%. It is shocking that women-owned businesses account for a mere 1% of this critical sector. Women-owned businesses often cite lack of information about opportunities and requirements, complex procedures, and strict financial and qualification requirements as barriers to winning public tenders. This publication guides policymakers, procurement officers and other stakeholders on ways that they can contribute to improving women’s participation in public procurement. It provides a step-by-step guide to assess the state of their inclusion in public procurement, to identify barriers that women face, to understand policy options and procurement opportunities, to design a roadmap, and to monitor progress over time. It also features case studies from three countries at the forefront of this initiative – Chile, the Gambia and Nigeria – which are all finding solutions to these challenges.

Cette publication présente et analyse les conclusions du premier exercice pilote de rapport dans le cadre de la Convention sur l'eau, réalisé en 2017. Les progrès réalisés dans la mise en œuvre de la Convention sont passés en revue et résumés, ainsi que l'identification des tendances significatives, des succès, des défis et des opportunités concernant la coopération transfrontalière dans le domaine de l'eau. Le mécanisme d'établissement de rapports au titre de la Convention a été formellement adopté (décision VII/2) par la Réunion des Parties à la Convention sur l'eau lors de sa septième session (Budapest, 17-19 novembre 2015).

Five years after the start of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), governance issues remain at the forefront. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted even more the importance of national institutions for the achievement of the SDGs. The World Public Sector Report 2021 focuses on three dimensions of institutional change at the national level. First, it documents changes in institutional arrangements for SDG implementation since 2015. Second, it assesses the development, performance, strengths and weaknesses of follow-up and review systems for the SDGs. Third, it examines efforts made by governments and other stakeholders to enhance the capacity of public servants to implement the SDGs. Based on in-depth examination of institutional arrangements for SDG implementation in a sample of 24 countries in all regions, the report aims to draw attention to the institutional dimension of SDG implementation and provide lessons for national policymakers in this regard. The report also takes stock of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on national institutions and their implications for delivering on the 2030 Agenda. The e-book for this publication has been converted into an accessible format for the visually impaired and people with print reading disabilities. It is fully compatible with leading screen-reader technologies such as JAWS and NVDA.

After setting forth general principles on use of force, the guidance discusses international norms and standards on the use of less lethal weapons in a scenario-based, weapon-specific manner with a particular focus on the policing of assemblies. If a user in the field is attempting to determine whether law enforcement has used a less-lethal weapon improperly while policing an assembly, he or she can find a description of the weapon, and refer to various scenarios for lawful use, as well as scenarios of unlawful use. Crucially, he or she can also find the specific threshold of conduct, which makes use of that weapon permissible.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technologies have allowed for continued connectivity and delivery of services online. Policy makers have mobilized public-private partnerships to design new services and apps as part of the crisis response, some going beyond information-sharing to deliver essential services to those most in need. This Compendium captures emerging trends in digital responses of UN Member States to the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a preliminary analysis of the main features of such responses. It demonstrates how governments have sought to ensure e-participation, facilitate E-health and E-business, support working and learning from home, and initiate contact tracing. As policy makers respond to increased expectations of e-services in the post-pandemic era, this Compendium may offer inspiration for innovative digital technologies that can help achieve development objectives. The inclusion of any technology or platform in this publication does not represent an endorsement from the United Nations. Cases shared are intended for the exchange of information so that Member States can learn from each other and possibly create new partnerships.

Countries in the Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus (EESC) sub-region have considerable potential for sustainable growth and development that will require systematic experimentation with ideas and technologies across their respective economies and societies. This publication supports EESC countries in this challenge through a comparative assessment of the quality and scope of innovation policies, institutions and processes with a clear sustainable-development perspective. Offering policymakers a framework for identifying strengths and weaknesses in their national innovation systems, it delivers actionable policy recommendations at the national and sub-regional levels, including guidance on setting priorities and designing effective interventions. It further identifies opportunities for international donors and private investors to support and invest in innovation for sustainable development in the EESC sub-region.

This publication presents and analyses the findings of the second reporting exercise under the Water Convention, which was carried out in 2020. It reviews and summarises progress made in the implementation of the Convention and further identifies significant trends, successes, challenges and opportunities concerning transboundary water cooperation. The reporting mechanism under the Convention was formally adopted (decision VII/2) by the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention at its seventh session (Budapest, 17-19 November 2015).

The study’s primary goal was to objectively present facts and conclusions that define a country’s e-government environment and demonstrate its capacity to sustain online development. This was accomplished by a comparative analysis of fundamental information and communication technology (ICT) indicators and critical human capital measures for each UN Member State. The final measure or E-government Index Could be useful tool for policy-planners as an annual benchmark.

The World Public Sector Report, one of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Flagship Reports, aims to capture the emerging issues, concerns and innovations in governance and public administration. The 2008 World Public Sector Report, People Matter: Civic Engagement in Public Governance, highlights the importance of civic engagement in public governance and, by profiling several case studies, demonstrates how such practices gain the capacity to strengthen governance, make it more transparent and accountable and, most importantly, contribute to developmental outcomes that are more sustainable, equitable and just.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an imperative for change. Universal in scope, it calls for collective action on an unprecedented scale to support countries’ own paths for development. Consequently, through the repositioning of its development system, the United Nations is shifting the paradigm for more ownership, coherence and effectiveness at the country level. The UN Inter-Agency Cluster decided to join its forces to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and articulated a relevant offer of joint Cluster interventions to UN country teams aimed at enhancing coherence and impact at the country level.

L’Afrique est dotée d’une profusion de ressources naturelles diverses, comme des sols et de l’eau pour l’agriculture, des forêts pour la production de bois et de produits forestiers non ligneux, ainsi que des ressources minérales, du pétrole et du gaz. L’exploitation directe de ces ressources domine l’activité économique du continent, mais les avantages ne vont malheureusement qu’à quelques privilégiés. La stratégie la plus répandue consistant à exporter des produits de base sous une forme brute, sans création de valeur ajoutée, a donné des résultats décevants qu’on voit dans une croissance économique ni viable ni solidaire, des améliorations mineures du bien-être de la population ou de faibles niveaux de diversification et de transformation des économies. Ce résultat médiocre sur le plan du développement est le signe des problèmes qui perdurent dans la gouvernance des ressources naturelles. La cinquième édition du Rapport sur la gouvernance en Afrique, intitulée « La gouvernance des ressources naturelles et la mobilisation des recettes publiques pour la transformation structurelle », s’appuie sur les thèmes et recommandations des précédentes éditions. Elle examine les efforts visant à améliorer la gouvernance des abondantes ressources naturelles de l’Afrique, en mettant l’accent sur la nécessité de renforcer les institutions et les cadres de gouvernance pour l’amélioration de la mobilisation des recettes intérieures, la promotion de la diversification économique et, à terme, la transformation structurelle. Le rapport utilise une combinaison de sources de données primaires et secondaires, notamment des preuves empiriques tirées de huit études de cas de pays répartis sur tout le continent (Botswana, Cameroun, Côte d’Ivoire, Égypte, Madagascar, Nigéria, Ouganda et République-Unie de Tanzanie). Il aborde quatre grandes questions : i) l’incapacité des pays africains riches en ressources à transformer leur économie ; ii) les institutions chargées d’améliorer l’impact des ressources naturelles africaines sur le développement ; iii) la planification du développement et les résultats des politiques africaines ; et iv) l’augmentation des recettes intérieures en Afrique. Le rapport présente un certain nombre de messages clés et de recommandations de politiques destinés à contribuer aux efforts en cours visant à renforcer le secteur des ressources naturelles en tant que partie prenante et catalyseur du développement sur le continent.

After setting forth general principles on use of force, the guidance discusses international norms and standards on the use of less lethal weapons in a scenario-based, weapon-specific manner with a particular focus on the policing of assemblies. If a user in the field is attempting to determine whether law enforcement has used a less-lethal weapon improperly while policing an assembly, he or she can find a description of the weapon, and refer to various scenarios for lawful use, as well as scenarios of unlawful use. Crucially, he or she can also find the specific threshold of conduct, which makes use of that weapon permissible.

The Guidance on Modernizing Statistical Legislation aims to support and inspire countries wishing to benchmark or update the legal framework of their national statistical systems. Based on a review of the current legal and institutional frameworks and the operational environment of statistical production, the Guidance identifies common elements of statistical legislation and their intended outcomes as well as emerging issues relevant for statistical legislation. The Guidance builds on the Generic Law on Official Statistics developed by UNECE for the countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia and is aligned to the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, the European Statistics Code of Practice and the OECD Recommendation on Good Statistical Practice.

Across the world, but notably in Africa, instability and conflict continue to generate and exacerbate poverty and institutional fragility, which in turn decrease resilience and the prospects for peace. Conflict has many different causes, drivers, and triggers. This publication examines the challenges of conflict prevention and sustaining peace in Africa from a perspective that is often overlooked, namely, the role of weak or failed public service planning and delivery as a source of instability and potential driver or trigger of conflict. In the report, this challenge is explored through four main fault lines in public service delivery observed in Africa, but which are not unique to the continent, namely, inequality in access to services; planning processes, and service delivery that do not promote the inclusion of all segments of the population; corruption in service delivery; and the delivery of services in areas where there are challenges to governance. This Publication is prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 74/302 of 3 September 2020, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to continue to monitor and report to the Assembly on an annual basis on persistent and emerging challenges to the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa.

This report highlights the evolving nature of armed conflict and violence, examining seven major trends related to global peace and security today. It notes areas of progress and in which solutions are still wanting, as well as opportunities and persistent challenges faced by the international community. It subsequently serves as a contribution to the reflections that will take place during the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and throughout the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace. In that regard, it also serves to honour the spirit and wisdom of one of the world’s great humanists. As Mr. Mandela himself declared, “peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish, regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social markers of difference”.

Part of the Professional Training Series (No. 23), this Guide aims to assist States parties by facilitating an understanding of the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the corresponding obligations of the States. It is based on the provisions of the Covenant and the Committee’s general comments, jurisprudence on individual communications and concluding observations on State party reports, as well as reporting guidelines, rules of procedure, working methods and other documents. The Guide provides practical tools to enhance reporting skills with respect to the Covenant and the capacity to implement the Committee’s recommendations. It further serves as an analytical information and training tool for trainers to design and deliver courses on reporting to the Committee.

This premier Economic Governance Report (EGR I) assesses the institutional architecture pledged by African governments for blocking illicit financial flows (IFFs) and recommends initiatives to strengthen it. The report’s findings indicate that IFFs continue to thrive, though African countries have tried to establish dedicated institutional frameworks for combatting them. The IFFs include corruption, money laundering, trade mis-invoicing to move money illicitly, and tax fraud (including corporate tax dodging). The report encourages more inter-agency collaboration, coordinated reporting, the removal of duplicated and competing mandates, and consistent political support for institutional reforms to combat IFFs. The report suggested that the African countries that are parties to international conventions on corruption should fully implement and align all national laws governing anti-corruption agencies. Anti-corruption laws should expressly cover IFFs. African countries should also strengthen the powers and independence of anti-corruption agencies to effectively address corruption, money laundering, trade-related IFFs, and tax-motivated IFFs. They should integrate data systems across all economic channels—central banks, customs authorities, other tax authorities, registries of companies, security exchange commissions, and commercial and non-banking financial institutions—to support tracking of corrupt transactions and the movement of corrupt proceeds.

The study examines the national approaches taken to implement the registration-related provisions of the United Nations Treaties, Principles, Guidelines, and applicable resolutions. In doing so, the Registration Project aims to create a baseline understanding of national approaches to registration, empower new, emerging or established space-faring nations to register satellites with the UN, enhance international expertise, and share knowledge, good practices and lessons learned from national approaches. This study can inform future capacity-building activities or topics to be discussed within expert meetings of National Focal Points on Registration.

The Plan of Action provides methodological guidance to develop a comprehensive human rights education strategy for young people at the national level that supports youth empowerment, participation and inclusion. It addresses governments, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, including youth movements and networks, as well as education practitioners. Member States adopted the Plan of Action to guide implementation of the second phase (2010-2014) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005-ongoing), proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2004 and structured in consecutive phases, each focusing on a specific target sector or thematic area.

The Plan of Action provides methodological guidance to develop a comprehensive human rights education strategy for young people at the national level that supports youth empowerment, participation and inclusion. It addresses governments, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, including youth movements and networks, as well as education practitioners. Member States adopted the Plan of Action to guide implementation of the fourth phase (2020-2024) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005-ongoing), proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2004 and structured in consecutive phases, each focusing on a specific target sector or thematic area.

This revised edition strengthens the widely recognized and highly valued Istanbul Protocol standards on the effective investigation into and documentation of torture and ill-treatment. Relying on multi-sectoral engagement, specialized global expertise, and practical experiences of law, health, and human rights professionals in the field, including members of United Nations anti-torture bodies, the updated edition seeks to fortify the implementation of international norms and preventive tools to assist survivors of torture worldwide. The Istanbul Protocol and the accompanying “Istanbul Principles” also serve as a global standard against which the delivery of expert legal and medical evidence can be benchmarked in the investigation and prevention of torture.

Countries in the Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus (EESC) sub-region have considerable potential for sustainable growth and development that will require systematic experimentation with ideas and technologies across their respective economies and societies. This publication supports EESC countries in this challenge through a comparative assessment of the quality and scope of innovation policies, institutions and processes with a clear sustainable-development perspective. Offering policymakers a framework for identifying strengths and weaknesses in their national innovation systems, it delivers actionable policy recommendations at the national and sub-regional levels, including guidance on setting priorities and designing effective interventions. It further identifies opportunities for international donors and private investors to support and invest in innovation for sustainable development in the EESC sub-region.