Action 2030 Blog
Delivering as one: Now more than ever
Written by
Helen Clark
|
05 February 2015
At the national level, public sector institutions need departments and divisions - they help keep the focus on results. But when they don’t work together, they don't help their governments solve complex problems.
The same applies in the UN. If we can't join forces to be more effective, we would be of less and less relevance to governments addressing the cross-sectoral challenges of sustainable development.
Throughout the post-2015 discussions, member states have reaffirmed that economic growth, environmental protection, and social justice can no longer be pursued as separate agendas. There is broad awareness that we all need to break out of our silos.
A call for integrated solutions
Take energy policy as a good example of how segmented solutions will never suffice. Governments look for solutions which bring reliable and affordable access, support delivery of basic services, and stimulate economies without damaging peoples’ health or the environment. Achieving all that requires integrated decision-making.
Inclusive development cries out for cross sector thinking - we know that economic growth which doesn't translate into better services does little for those who have been marginalized by illness or disability, or by lack of identity documents. And if the growth has come from poisoning the air and water, everyone suffers.
The truth is that there there is no one sector, silver bullet solution for most development challenges. No one agency, ministry, or department can solve them - and no one UN agency acting alone can be much help either.
These challenges call on us all in the UN Development Group to work together to help craft coherent, multi-sector support to governments aimed at achieving inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development for their countries.
Forging ahead, together
In our efforts to improve how we deliver together, we have seen progress. We have hammered out ways of working together in countries through Delivering as One. We have worked together on how we plan, programme, we communicate, co-ordinate logistics, and demonstrate results. Inside the system, the new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) point the way forward for all UN Country Teams. The UN Secretary-General and the whole UNDG are behind these, and we are advancing them in a growing number of countries.
The new development agenda needs joined up ways of working more than ever. We know the theory, now it’s time to build up the evidence of how it’s done in reality. How do inter-sectoral initiatives work best? What are the factors for sucesss (and failure)? How can we find ways to demonstrate the impact of working together? We want to hear from you. Tell us your stories, and give us your feedback. We need to Deliver as One, now more than ever.
The same applies in the UN. If we can't join forces to be more effective, we would be of less and less relevance to governments addressing the cross-sectoral challenges of sustainable development.
Throughout the post-2015 discussions, member states have reaffirmed that economic growth, environmental protection, and social justice can no longer be pursued as separate agendas. There is broad awareness that we all need to break out of our silos.
A call for integrated solutions
Take energy policy as a good example of how segmented solutions will never suffice. Governments look for solutions which bring reliable and affordable access, support delivery of basic services, and stimulate economies without damaging peoples’ health or the environment. Achieving all that requires integrated decision-making.
Inclusive development cries out for cross sector thinking - we know that economic growth which doesn't translate into better services does little for those who have been marginalized by illness or disability, or by lack of identity documents. And if the growth has come from poisoning the air and water, everyone suffers.
The truth is that there there is no one sector, silver bullet solution for most development challenges. No one agency, ministry, or department can solve them - and no one UN agency acting alone can be much help either.
These challenges call on us all in the UN Development Group to work together to help craft coherent, multi-sector support to governments aimed at achieving inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development for their countries.
Forging ahead, together
In our efforts to improve how we deliver together, we have seen progress. We have hammered out ways of working together in countries through Delivering as One. We have worked together on how we plan, programme, we communicate, co-ordinate logistics, and demonstrate results. Inside the system, the new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) point the way forward for all UN Country Teams. The UN Secretary-General and the whole UNDG are behind these, and we are advancing them in a growing number of countries.
The new development agenda needs joined up ways of working more than ever. We know the theory, now it’s time to build up the evidence of how it’s done in reality. How do inter-sectoral initiatives work best? What are the factors for sucesss (and failure)? How can we find ways to demonstrate the impact of working together? We want to hear from you. Tell us your stories, and give us your feedback. We need to Deliver as One, now more than ever.
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