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GB.269/WP/APP/1
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Working Party on the Evaluation of the Active Partnership Policy |
WP/APP |
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Terms of reference of the Working Party
Background
1. In 1993 the ILO adopted its Active Partnership Policy with the aim of bringing it closer to its tripartite constituency in member States and enhancing the coherence and quality of the technical services provided to them, within the mandate of the Organization and in pursuit of common objectives.
2. The Governing Body discussed the policy at length at its 252nd Session (February-March 1992).(1) Three major reasons were invoked for a new policy of relations between the Organization and its constituents. The first was that the major donors and UNDP had proposed national execution with the transfer of the responsibilities for the implementation and management of operational activities to recipient member States. Specialized agencies should therefore focus on their normative functions and their analytical capacity. A second reason lay in the transformation of most countries to a market economy and democratic political regimes. Under these more fluid conditions, constituents must make rapid decisions, and must have the conviction that the ILO is capable of responding to their needs and of helping them develop their capacities and human resources. The third reason was the need for the ILO to compete on the international market for technical cooperation. In order to do so, the ILO had to project a much sharper image and become more visible, defining its role and improving its products, which should concentrate on the Organization's core mandate and integrate international labour standards.
3. In order to put the policy into practice the Organization underwent important internal changes. The establishment of 14 multidisciplinary teams in the regions was a response to the complex nature of the economic and social problems arising in member States and to the need to offer them a more coordinated response. Area Offices were charged with the task of developing an active partnership with constituents and drawing up ILO programmes and projects in the framework of more extensive tripartite consultations. This new organizational structure aimed at making the best use of the Office's capacity both in the regions and at headquarters. The policy was to be increasingly executed in the field; certain administrative and financial functions were accordingly to be progressively transferred to field offices. Personnel and recruitment policies were revised, and the whole system was to be supervised by the Regional Offices. The linkage between the work of the MDT members responsible for employers' and workers' activities with ACT/EMP and ACTRAV was specified.
4. The Active Partnership Policy has now been in operation for five years. The Committee on Technical Cooperation has monitored the progress of the policy through Office papers submitted to its meetings in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Among the issues discussed have been: the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the services provided to constituents; cooperation and teamwork between headquarters technical departments, the MDTs and the field offices; the need for full consultations with constituents to ensure that their priorities and concerns are fully integrated into the country objectives; the need to implement activities in support of the country objectives and to mobilize external resources for this purpose; the need to ensure and maintain the demand-driven nature of the country objectives exercises and to maintain dialogue with the constituents at the highest level. The members of the Committee also raised the issue of an assessment of the impact of the Active Partnership Policy and the country objectives.
Scope of the Working Party
5. On the recommendation of the Committee on Technical Cooperation in March 1997, the Governing Body decided to constitute a Working Party on the evaluation of the Active Partnership Policy, for which it approved a budget allocation and a tripartite composition of 3 Government, 3 Employer and 3 Worker members. The Government group then proposed that the Working Party also have as its Chairperson the Chairperson of the Committee on Technical Cooperation. This was agreed.
6. The Working Party will conduct its evaluation through discussions in Geneva, through the study of documentation and through field trips to a limited number of ILO member States in four regions. Each mission will be comprised of three members of the Working Party. The regions to be visited are Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
7. The findings, conclusions and recommendations of the Working Party will be presented to the Committee on Technical Cooperation in March 1998 and the Committee will make its recommendations to the Governing Body.
Aspects to be addressed
I. Major assessment issues
- Has the Active Partnership Policy brought the ILO closer to its tripartite constituency in member States?
- Have the constituents been increasingly involved in joint action with the ILO?
- Have the coherence and quality of technical services provided to the constituents been enhanced?
II. Within the framework of the above issues...
- Has the introduction of the Active Partnership Policy enhanced --
(a) dialogue and consultation between the ILO and its constituents?
(b) opportunities for tripartite discussion between constituents?
(c) knowledge among constituents of the range of services the ILO offers?
(d) more rapid access to the range of services offered by the ILO?
- What have been the benefits to the employers' and workers' organizations of the Active Partnership Policy?
- Has the Active Partnership Policy promoted international labour standards at the country level, through the work of the MDTs and the focus on standards provided in the country objectives?
- The country objectives are the programming framework for ILO activities in each country:
(a) What assessment do constituents give of consultation and dialogue with the ILO Area Office and the MDT specialists during the formulation of the country objectives?
(b) What progress has been made in achieving the activities foreseen in the country objectives?
(c) What has been the main impact of the country objectives (capacity building, training of constituents' staff resources, promotion of tripartism, etc)?
- Were the issues and concerns of women as well as men addressed in the country objectives?
- Are there any important, specific factors in the country or countries which may have influenced positively or negatively the achievement of the country objectives?
- The ILO has aimed to involve the constituents directly (together, or separately) in the design, planning, programming and operational activities of technical cooperation projects and programmes. What assessment do the individual partners give of the experience?
- The ILO has aimed to involve the constituents in mobilizing resources to carry out technical cooperation activities in support of the country objectives. What assessment do the constituents give of the experience?
- Were local representatives of donors involved in the consultations on the country objectives? What were the results?
- The MDTs are responsible for offering front-line policy advice and practical guidance: what assessment do the constituents make of the level and rapidity of response?
- Has the ILO's field structure been sufficiently strengthened to respond to the constituents' needs?
- What suggestions do constituents make for improving --
(a) the operation of the Active Partnership Policy?
(b) the formulation of country objectives?
(c) the involvement of the constituents in the technical cooperation programme of the ILO at country level?
(d) the involvement of the constituents in the resource mobilization efforts at country level?
Composition of the Working Party, practical arrangements,
timetable and itinerary
8. The evaluation team is composed of 10 members:
Chairperson:
Mme A.C. Diallo (Senegal)
Government members:
Mr. K. Fannizadeh, (Islamic Republic of Iran)
Mr. R. Henczel (Poland)
Ms. J. Perlin (Canada)
Employer members:
Mr. I.P. Anand (India)
Mr. E. Hoff (Norway)
Mr. J. Varela (Uruguay)
Worker members:
Mr. B. Brett (United Kingdom)
Mr. I.M. Mayaki ( Niger)
Mr. R. Zainal (Malaysia)
9. The Bureau for the Promotion of Active Partnership and Technical Cooperation will be available to assist the Working Party in its deliberations in Geneva and will provide a rapporteur during the missions. It will also provide assistance in the drafting and production of the report of the Working Party. The Regional Offices for Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America and the relevant MDTs and area offices will provide assistance in the countries to be visited. Officials from ACT/EMP and ACTRAV will accompany the missions.
10. The proposed timing and itinerary is as follows:
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Itineraries / Missions |
Length of mission
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Departure date | |
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Africa |
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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3
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20 October 1997 |
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Asia |
Bangkok, Thailand
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3
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to be determined |
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or |
Bangkok, Thailand |
4 | |
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Europe |
Budapest, Hungary |
3 |
13 October 1997 |
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Americas |
San José, Costa Rica
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3
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15 or 22 or 29 September 1997 |
Sources of information
11. The Bureau for the Promotion of Active Partnership and Technical Cooperation, in coordination with the Bureau for Employers' Activities and the Bureau for Workers' Activities, will make available --
- a report on the outcome of the Turin III workshop;
- a profile on the ILO structure, on the constituents and on the country objectives for each country to be visited;
- data on the ILO resources made available in the country from 1992 onwards (regular budget and extrabudgetary);
- a dossier containing relevant circulars on the Active Partnership Policy, MDT and country objectives.
12. Additional information will be provided by the Regional Offices, Area Offices and MDTS.
Consultations
13. Following initial meetings in Geneva, the Working Party will conduct a series of consultations with constituents and development partners in the countries to be visited. In each country, the staff of the ILO field structure (Regional Office, Area Office, MDT, technical cooperation projects and programmes) will be fully available for consultations.The suggested programmes are attached.
14. The Working Party may wish to arrange a number of additional consultations at country level.
Final report
15. The full Working Party will meet on 6 and 7 November 1997 in Geneva to draft its report, which will be presented to the Committee on Technical Cooperation and the Governing Body in March 1998.
Geneva, 17 June 1997.
1. GB.252/15/1: International labour standards and technical cooperation.