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STU/69th Council/20/014
29 June 2020

209 EX/5: Follow-up to decisions and resolutions adopted
by the Executive Board and the General Conference at their previous sessions

Part II – Management Issues

E. UNESCO’s Strategic Transformation

ADDENDUM BY THE UNESCO STAFF UNION (STU)

1. The STU notes the progress reported in document 209 EX/5.II.E and the initiatives being taken in the area of human resources management.

2. Due to the nature of such initiatives and the context of the global pandemic, however, the STU considers it rather early to assess the operational effectiveness of the new policies and come to a conclusion.

3. Some of the measures taken may in fact be noticeable but not conducive to a better working environment. In particular, the STU reiterates the fact that the suppression of the Special Advisory Board further to the decision of the General Conference at its 40th session, does not represent an improvement to the internal justice system, but rather puts the administration in a double role of judge and party that formulates recommendations, gives opinions and decides without any neutral and consultative mediation body.

4. STU acknowledges and welcome the efforts of the Administration to develop the leadership skills of senior managers, towards building an enabling environment for staff, essential to the smooth functioning of the Organization, and suggests that staff be given the possibility to participate in the evaluation of immediate superiors.

5. STU is taking good note of the ongoing implementation of the workforce planning pilot project, and looks forward to the results, and considers that this process cannot happen without the full involvement of staff, ensuring the respect of UNESCO’s staff specialized expertise.

6. STU embraces the adoption of agile methodology and emphasizes the importance to sharing thoroughly information on the results of the pilot projects as to ensure the methodology will be duly adapted to the rest of the organisation and supported by career planning measures.

7. STU welcomes the measures and efforts of the Administration to make UNESCO environmentally sustainable Organization.

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