To highlight the pivotal role that public services play in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations has named the eight public institutions from eight countries that will receive awards for their public service innovation and excellence.

The winners of the UN Public Service Awards 2018 are from Austria, Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand.

The awards ceremony will take place on 23 June –UN Public Service Day—which serves as a special occasion to recognize public service innovations and excellence around the world.

Rewarding a wide range of initiatives from around the world

The Awards are rewarded to various initiatives that are contributing to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and their promise to leave no one behind.

In Austria, the initiative Talents for Austria works with asylum seekers to help them integrate into Austrian life through primary care, education and career guidance. Change your mind…Build Peace of Colombia is an initiative that facilitates dialogues with young gang members by seeking to change their mentality, as well as provide them with scholarships and employment opportunities. In Kenya, the initiative Promoting Gender Responsive Public Service to Achieve the SDGs helps women and youth develop skills in agriculture to in response to the employment gender gap.

Other winners include initiatives that provide cervical cancer treatment to women in rural areas of Thailand; a transparent and responsive communication channel between citizens and the government of Spain; reduce malaria cases in Indonesia:, an online fiscal platform that discloses information of revenues, budget, expenditure and settlement to the public in the Republic of Korea: and closing the gender pay gap in Switzerland.

The winners will showcase their initiative during the UN Public Service Forum “Transforming Governance to Realize the Sustainable Development Goals” held from 21 to 23 June in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Knowledge sharing on innovative best practices

The three-day forum will provide an opportunity for policy-makers to exchange good practices, experiences and lessons learned through collaborating and networking to improve public service in all areas.

“Governments have a lead role in implementing the SDGs through the policies they make and the public services they are responsible for,” said Liu Zhenmin, Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs. “It is crucial to ensure that public services improve the lives of all people to leave no one behind”.

The Forum will facilitate discussions on two inter-twined themes: governance transformation and public administration innovation. Both are critical in realizing the SDGs.

This Forum is organized by the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

Winners of the United Nations Public Service Awards 2018:

Category 1: Reaching the Poorest and Most Vulnerable through Inclusive Services and Partnerships
Austria – Talents for Austria
Indonesia – Reducing Malaria Cases Trough Early Diagnosis and Treatment (EDAT)

Category 2: Making institutions inclusive and ensuring participation in decision-making
Colombia – Change your mind … Build Peace
Republic of Korea – Tax Administration Division
Spain – Citizen Participation Project

Category 3: Promoting gender responsive public services to achieve the SDGs
Kenya – Promoting Gender responsive public service to achieve the SDGs
Thailand – Integrated approach of comprehensive cervical cancer control
Switzerland – Switzerland Advancing Gender Equal Pay SAGE