The United Nations As A Principal Organ Of International Public Administration

Though the domain of public administration is essentially focused on the implementation of government programs, it is also considered to include the task of determining the policies and programs of governments. As an international body encompassing a wide-range of interests, the United Nations plays a crucial role in determining many of the policies and programs of the member nations.

The United Nations (UN) essentially functions as a multi-lateral diplomatic forum addressing a range of international political, economic and social interests apart from the organization’s wide-ranging and extensive roles in the preservation of law and social order in international society. The United Nations is ideally placed to assist various types of institutions to establish the policy frameworks in crucial matters of socio-economic, political and development. The UN now provides a well-defined and functional framework for institutional strengthening and capacity building in support of governance and also in effective administration of socio-economic systems, thus functioning as a principal organ of international public administration. [Report of the UN Secretary-General, 1996]

Public Policy– The Crux of Public Administration

International public administration, like other domains of public administration, essentially involves the process of formulation of public policies and the implementation of programs charted in accordance with the public policy. Thus formulations of public policies and programs or policy implementation are the two essential prongs of international public administration. Of the two, public policy refers to the “purposeful course of action followed by a government in dealing with a problem”; and policy implementation or programs though used interchangeably with policy, is more specific as compared to policy and refers to “a major organizational endeavor with an objective.” [Starling, 2002; pg 21]

Thus, UN’s commitment to “promote gender equality and empower women” – one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) endorsed by the 180 member nations during the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 is an example of public policy where as NCFAW-UNDP-Netherlands VIE 01-015-01 Project “Gender in Public Policy” is an example of a program under the public policy designed towards achieving gender equality in Vietnam through gender-responsive national policy and planning. Seen thus, public policy pertains to the formulation of the policy and program relates to the implementation of the public policy in accordance with the policy guidelines.

Formulation of Public Policies

As suggested above, public policy, particularly the formulation of the policy, is central to successful public administration, as policy implementation is significantly based on policy directives. The first and major problem in policy formulation is the identification of the policy objective. [Simon, 1947]

This is the basic requirement for the successful implementation and effective relationship of the different programs and projects under the policy.The formulation of public policies in international organizations like the United Nations are greatly influenced by the public policy proposals and dialogues initiated by the NGO, public as well as private organizations, the international public interest and the media responses to the emerging issues, the constitutional provisions of the UN charter, the provisions of international law and court decisions and directives, broad national polices adopted/under consideration by the member nations on the issue under consideration.

Based on the policy proposals submitted by interest groups such as the NGOs, heads of member states and other agencies, the United Nations undertakes the following crucial steps in formulating a policy on the issue
- Statement of the issue, which forms the objective for the policy
- Analysis of options for resolving the issue
- Assessment of needs for resolving the issue
- Selection of possible and viable action(s)
- Prioritizing the actions
- Formulation of programs and projects based on the selected actions
- Identification/ allocation of resources for the programs
[Starling, 2002]

During the policy formulation stage the legal and political requirements and considerations such as the required national and international support for the formulated policy, the political legitimacy of the policy, the legal framework within which the policy operates, the possibilities of establishing the required machinery for implementation of the policy are also reviewed and ascertained.

Policy Implementation through Programs and Projects

Once the policy and its functional framework are formulated, the next comes policy implementation – the execution of the programs and projects formulated in the policy. Policy implementation basically refers to (i) the management of every day operations of the programs; overview of performance, instituting a system for feedback, monitoring, evaluation and reporting and (ii) the management of resources – administrative support system including finance, supplies and personnel -- related to execution of the formulated programs.

Policy implementation, in the context of the functioning of UN essentially involves the following phases:
- Seeking and establishing the mandate of the target nation as well as member nations, for execution of the policy
- Providing budgetary allocations and other resources
- Designing the program based on the strategic analysis of objectives and priorities
- Initiation of management phase -- managing internal components of the program based on the established management functions in public administration – Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Operating, Reporting and Budgeting (POSDCORB) – as explicated by Luther Gulick in his “Science of Public Administration.” [Gulick, 1937; pg. 191-195] Also includes managing external components of the program including the partners of the implementing unit, interested independent organizations, interaction with media and other forums of public opinion.

- Implementation Phase –the overview of performance towards carrying out the program.
- Monitoring and Evaluation – the UN administrators play a crucial role in this phase and more often UN “policy implementation” vitally refers to this key phase
- Corrective Action –remedial measures if necessary are taken at this phase for the effective and successful implementation of the policy.
[Starling, 2002]

Policy Formulation and Policy Implementation – An example

In September 2000, 180 member nations of the UN adopted the Millennium Declaration – a public policy with reference to human development. In the Declaration/ policy document, an augmented set of global goals and targets with corresponding indicators were agreed upon for monitoring human development in the international context. The objectives or goals of the policy, referred to as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), include:
- Eradicate poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
Vietnam Development Goal – A Policy Implementation of the MDG

In accordance with the MDG, the Viet Nam Development Goals (VDGs) were formulated to better reflect the actual development needs and situation in Viet Nam. One of the main policies adopted for implementation in Viet Nam included the program of Ensuring Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. The policy was formulated in accordance with the situational analysis of critical gender issues in Vietnam conducted by the National Committee for the Advancement of Women. The policy implementation – VIE 01-015-01 Project “Gender in Public Policy” included the joint action of National Committee for the Advancement of Women (NCFAW) in Vietnam, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam, the Netherlands Embassy in Viet Nam and the various associated and/or interested, ministries departments and agencies within Viet Nam. [NCFAW, 2004]

Based on the policy, programs have been designed with specific objectives, which are presently under implementation stage and include steps towards
- Increasing the number of women in elective bodies at all levels
- Increasing the participation of women in agencies and sectors [includes ministries, central agencies and enterprises] at all levels by 3-5% in the next 10 years
- Ensure that the names of both husband and wife appear on land-use certificates by 2005
- Reduce the vulnerability of women to domestic violence
[NCFAW, 2004]

Policy Implementation in International Scenario – A Challenging Task

Policy implementation by international public administration bodies like the UN is extremely complex and challenging, being characterized by the “complexity of joint action”. [Starling, 2002] While it may be relatively easy to manage the bureaucratic machinery implementing the program, the multiplicity of participants – the government departments, the national and international NGO community, the public and private sector, individuals, media -- and the resulting multiplicity of perspectives make the implementation of social policies a difficult, often daunting affair. [Starling, 2002]

While there are many instances when the complexity of joint action has thwarted the successful implementation of public policies adopted by the UN such as the policy failure of UN initiative towards keeping peace and economic advance in Kosovo, Iraq, etc, the failed “War on Drug” policy etc., there have been many instances in public administration of developmental projects, when the organization have furthered the cause of economic and social development through effective policy formulation and policy implementation.

References

1. Gulick, L. (1937). Science, values and public administration. In L. Gulick & L. Urwick (Eds.), Papers on the science of administration New York: Institute of Public Administration.
2. National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Viet Nam [NCFAW] (2004) Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines In National Policy Formulation And Implementation: Towards Gender Equality In Viet Nam Through Gender-Responsive National Policy And Planning VIE 01-015-01 Project "Gender in Public Policy" Hanoi, Viet Nam
3. Public administration and development: Report of the UN Secretary-General (March 1996) UNITED NATIONS A/50/847, E/1996/7 8 Available at http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/lebanon/254/publicad.htm Accessed 10/24/04
4. Shafritz, J. M., & Russell, E. W. (2003). Introducing public administration (3rd ed.). New York: Longman.
5. Simon, H. (1947). Administrative behavior: A study of decision-making processes in administrative organization. New York: Macmillan.
6. Starling, Grover, 2002 (6th ed.), Managing the Public Sector. Ft. Worth: Harcourt College Publishers