Institutions and integrated and inclusive approaches

UN Photo/JC McIlwaine

The SDGs provide an integrated and multidisciplinary policy framework whose implementation requires whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches. This entails a paradigm shift in governance to enable integrated and inclusive approaches for decision-making and service delivery where governments work across policy sectors and in cooperation and partnership with different parts of society. Institutions and leaders at all levels of government and public administrations need to focus on people, innovation, partnerships and data to enable a shift from traditional policy and delivery tools to ones that are more conducive to experimentation and citizens feedback. To deliver on the SDGs, most countries will need to establish new, multi-sectoral coordination structures across different ministries, departments, agencies and centers of government to cover a wider range of topics and balance between sometime competing goals. They will also need institutions and public servants to develop new competencies and skills to engage with multiple stakeholders and innovate existing processes to support more integrated, participatory decision-making and service delivery.

WHAT we offer

UN DESA promotes institutional development and public service delivery systems that can support the implementation of the SDGs. SDG 16 provides the overarching framework for this work, which aims to foster national institutions, processes and leadership that support integrated, inclusive and innovative approaches for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Department  produces and provides access to a wealth of resources – from good practices to practical toolkits, e-learning, training courses and other tools – that can assist countries in developing capacities for transformational leadership, access to information, transparency, accountability, anti-corruption, and participation. These are intended to enable public administrations and public servants to manage integrated, inclusive and innovative approaches, including through whole-of-government approaches, accountability and transparency initiatives, multi-stakeholder engagement, and e-government.

UN DESA also supports institutional arrangements for policy coherence, innovation for public service delivery and digital government, building on the 11 principles of effective governance for sustainable development formulated by the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) and endorsed by the UN Economic and Social Council.

HOW – Delivery Modalities and Resources

UN DESA leverages its knowledge resources and products to support governments, UN resident coordinators and UN country teams to strengthen national institutions and public service delivery for the SDGs through various modalities. These include knowledge sharing platforms, technical advisory services and online and in-person capacity development training on a broad range of governance and public administration issues, which include: transformational leadership and public servants’ capacities for the SDGs; institutional transparency and accountability; whole-of-government approaches and institutional arrangements for policy coherence, inclusive governance and public participation; innovation in public service delivery; and e-government.

Transformational Leadership and Public Servants’ Capacities to Implement the SDGs

• Competency Framework for Public Servants and Transformational Leadership [Upcoming] to build and align the capacity of systems, organizations and individuals with the 2030 Agenda.
• Global Network of Schools of Public Administration
• Transformational Leadership online course [Upcoming]
• Public Servants’ Mindsets to Implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, training course [Upcoming]

Transparency and Accountability

• Guide on Lessons for Open Government Data Action Planning for Sustainable Development;
• Guidance on how to audit SDG preparedness;
• RBM Institutional Perspectives (e.g. Ecuador Project) [Upcoming]
• Curriculum on Governance for the SDGs for Public Administration Schools: Transparency, Accountability and Ethics in Public Institutions Training Course [Upcoming]

Whole of government

• World Public Sector Report: documents key trends in the institutional arrangements adopted by countries to implement the 2030 Agenda, and to assess some of the strengths and weaknesses of those arrangements in relation to the performance of key functions of the policy process
• Compendium of National Institutional Arrangements for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
• Institutional Readiness for Policy Coherence
• Readiness Assessment on Implementing the Principles of Effective Governance for Sustainable Development
• Curriculum on Governance for the SDGs:
• Institutional Arrangements and Governance Capacities for Policy Coherence, training course
• Effective National to Local Public Governance for SDG Implementation, training course
• Training Course on Localizing the SDGs

Innovation and e-government

• UN E-government Surveys
• E-Government Knowledge Base: a database on Digital Government readiness for 193 member states;
• UN Public Service Innovation Hub: showcases the United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA) Initiatives  and Winners over the years and how they relate to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The UNPSA programme was established in 2003 to bolster recognition of the Public Service Day
• Executive Development Course: Digital Government for Transformation towards Sustainable and Resilient Societies – the Singapore Experience:
• E-Government to support transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies
• Measurement and Evaluation Tool for E-Government Readiness
• Government Innovation for Social Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups Training Course [Upcoming]
• Government Innovation for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Training Course [Upcoming ]
• Innovation and ICT for Public Service Delivery Toolkit Training Course [Upcoming]