United Nations Office for Partnerships

Infobox UN
name = UN Office for Partnerships


caption =
type = Partnerships
acronyms = UNOP, UNFIP, UNDEF
head = Amir Dossal, Executive Director
status = Active
established = March 1998
website = http://www.un.org/partnerships
parent = UN Secretariat
subsidiaries =
commons =
footnotes =

The United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) is an agency of the United Nations located at the UN Headquarters in New York, New York and serves as a gateway for partnership opportunities with the United Nations family by promoting new collaborations and alliances in furtherance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As part of the UN Secretariat, UNOP also provides support to new initiatives of the Secretary-General.

UNOP provides Partnership Advisory Services and Outreach to a variety of entities, as well as managing the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), established by the Secretary-General in March 1998 to serve as the interface in the partnership between the UN system and the UN Foundation, and the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), established by the Secretary- General in July 2005 to support democratization throughout the world. The Office, headed by Mr. [http://www.un.org/partnerships/aadbio.htm Amir Dossal] , reports to the Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro.UN Office of Partnerships] UNOP and the UN Global Compact work closely together to reinforce each other’s mandates.

UNOP oversees three cohesive mechanisms: the Fund for International Partnerships, the Democracy Fund, and Partnership Advisory Services.

UN Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP)

The United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP) was established by then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan in March 1998 to serve as the interface for the partnership between the United Nations system and the United Nations Foundation - the public charity responsible for administering Ted Turner's $1 billion contribution in support of UN causes. UNFIP is responsible for administering and developing partnerships between the agencies, departments, and programmes of the United Nations and the private sector. UNFIP works with foundations and corporations that wish to support UN causes to identify opportunities for partnership and collaboration. In particular, UNFIP facilitates the UN's work with the United Nations Foundation, which Ted Turner established to donate $1 billion to the UN over the course of 15 years, though UNFIP has also worked closely with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Synergos Institute, and the LTB Foundation, among others. Some of the companies which UNFIP has engaged in partnerships include Google, Microsoft, and Ericsson. The partnerships developed and managed by UNFIP all work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. UNFIP's priority areas within the MDGs, as identified on its website, are children's health; population and women; environment, including biodiversity, energy, and climate change; and peace, security, and human rights. UNFIP is supervised by Ms. [http://www.un.org/partnerships/YStaffShariKlugman.htm Shari Klugman] , the Chief Operating Officer.

UNFIP Priorities

Funds mobilized by the UN Foundation are channelled, through UNFIP into the UN system, for implementation of projects to achieve the Millennium Development Goals through investments in:
# Children’s Health
# Population and Women
# Environment
# Peace, Security and Human RightsSince establishment of UNFIP in 1998, the UN’s partnership with the UNF has channelled over US $810 million into development programmes working with more than 30 UN entities in 120 countries.

UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF)

The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), established by then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan in July 2005, supports democratization throughout the world by focusing on democratic institutions, promoting human rights, and ensuring the participation of all groups in democratic processes. UNDEF provides assistance to governmental, non-governmental, national, regional, and international organizations, including relevant United Nations departments, offices, funds, programmes and agencies. UNDEF complements current UN efforts to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide. UNDEF is overseen by Mr. [http://www.un.org/democracyfund/XStaffRolandRich.htm Roland Rich] , the Executive Head.

UNDEF Priorities

# Strengthening democratic dialogue and support for constitutional processes
# Civil society empowerment
# Civic education, voter registration and strengthening of political parties
# Citizen’s access to information
# Human rights and fundamental freedoms
# Accountability, transparency and integrityAs of October 2006, the Democracy Fund had received US$ 51 million in pledges or contributions from 22 Member States.

UNDEF launched the second round of project applications from November to December 2008 and received over 1,800 applications. In early 2008, UNDEF conducted assessments of these projects with a team of assessors using a score scale, which resulted in a short list of 360 projects. The Programme Consultative Group (PCG) members consist of the UN Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Department of Political Affairs (UNDPA) (with the Peacebuilding Commission as an observer). UN Resident Coordinators participate in a quality control process of reviewing projects and produce a list of 86 projects totaling a project cost of about US$ 25 million. UNDEF held its 7th Advisory Board meeting with the Secretary-General on 28 March 2008. In May, all 86 projects were approved by the Secretary-General and in June 2008, UNDEF forwarded letters to all Permanent Representatives informing them of projects which will take place in their countries. In parallel to this effort, UNDEF initiated negotiation of project documents with implementing agencies of 86 projects. Upon approval by the UN Controller’s Office, UNDEF will initiate disbursements of grants in July and August 2008. [http://www.un.org/partnerships/library/docs/sgreportunop-a-62-220.pdf]

Partnership Advisory Services and Outreach

UNOP also provides Partnership Advisory Services and Outreach to a variety of entities, including academic institutions, companies, foundations, government agencies and civil society organizations. UNOP encourages investment in high-impact initiatives by advising on UN procedures and best practices; assisting in the design of programmes and projects; helping establish and, in some cases, manage global and regional networks; and advocating use of the MDGs as a framework for action.

ee also

* UN Fund for International Partnerships
* United Nations
* Millennium Development Goals
* UN Secretariat

References and notes

External links

* [http://www.un.org/ United Nations]
* [http://www.un.org/partnerships UN Office of Partnerships]
* [http://www.un.org/democracyfund UN Democracy Fund]
* [http://www.unfoundation.org UN Foundation]
* [http://www.http://www.mdgmonitor.org/ MDG Monitor - Tracking the Millennium Development Goals]