UNIFEM
PROGRAMME and OPERATIONS
Reference Manual
Revised December2007
1
UNIFEM REFERENCE MANUAL
Revised December 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of Programme/Operational Reference Manual
Existing Guidelines and Instructions that compliment the Manual
UN & UNDP Rules, Guidelines, Circulars, and Forms
UNIFEM Circulars
Limitations of the Reference Manual
Intended users of the Reference Manual
Availability of the Reference Manual
CHAPTER 1 - UNIFEM OVERVIEW
1.1 History and Mandate of UNIFEM
1.1.1History and governance of UNIFEM
1.1.2Mandate of UNIFEM
1.1.3Where UNIFEM Works
1.1.4What UNIFEM Does
1.2 UNIFEM Staffing Structure
1.2.1UNIFEM Staff in New York
1.2.2UNIFEM Staff in the Field
1.3Business Environment
Annex 1-I: Evolution of UNIFEM Mandate (General Assembly and Executive Board Resolutions)
Annex 1-III Relationship between UNIFEM and other Gender mechanisms in the UN
CHAPTER 2 - UNIFEM FINANCIAL RESOURCES
2.1 Type of Resources
2.1.1 Voluntary Contribution to Regular Resources by Donors
2.1.2 Co-financing of programmes by donors
2.1.3 UNIFEM Execution of Projects Funded by other UN agencies
2.1.4 Interest on Bank Deposits
2.1.5 Support Costs (SCs)
2.1.6 Donations
2.2 Mobilization of Resources
2.2.1A Donor Matrix
2.3 Resources Management
2.3.1 What is ATLAS
2.3.2Financial Management Business Tracks
2.3.3Managing Resources in Atlas
2.4Receipts and Recording of Contributions
2.4.1Regular Resources
2.4.2Cost Sharing and Trust Funds – Non-core resources
2.4.3Interest
2.4.4Donations
2.5Support Costs
2.6 Operational Reserve
2.7 Strategic Plan
2.8 The Uses of UNIFEM Resources
2.8.1 Administration (Management projects)
2.8.2 Programme and Projects
2.8.3 Framework in a harmonized manner Projects
These are Regular Resources allocated annually to UNIFEM sub-regional programme offices to provide sustainable programming and technical support at the sub-regional level and to facilitate and backstop UNIFEM initiatives and developmental projects at the country and regional levels.
2.8.4 Facility Projects
2.8.5 Contingency Funds
2.9 Process for Allocation of Resources
2.9.1 Biennium Support Budgets (BSB) Allocation
2.9.2 Programme, Framework, Facility Allocations
2.10 Disbursement of Resources and Accounting for Expenditure
CHAPTER 3 - FORMULATION, APPRAISAL & APPROVAL OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
3.1 Overview of Programmes and Projects
3.1.1 UNIFEM Programme Directive (FEM/ADM/ED/05/06)
3.1.2 UNIFEM Strategic Plan, Regional Strategic Plans and Sub-regional Strategies
3.1.3 Programmes and Projects
3.1.4 Principles of Programming
3.2 Programme Cycle
3.3 Programme Formulation
Step 1: Concept Development
Step 2: Context Analysis
Step 3: Consultations with Partners
Step 4: Learning from UNIFEM expertise and relevant experience
Step 5: Developing a Results Framework
Step 6: Selecting Management Arrangements and Implementing Partners
Step 7: Monitoring and Evaluation Planning
Step 8: Communication and Knowledge Products Planning
Step 9: Budget Formulation
Step 10: Preparation of Programme Document Annexes
Step 11: Final Pre-appraisal Clearance
3.4 Programme/Project Appraisal
3.4.1 Purpose
3.4.2 Requirement
3.4.3 Project/Programme Appraisal Criteria
3.4.4 Appraisal Process
3.5 Programme/Project Approval
3.5.1 Approval Authority
3.5.2 Approval Procedures
3.6 Appraisal and Approval for UNIFEM to Manage Other UN Agency projects
3.6.1 Criteria for Choosing Implementing Partners
3.6.2 Appraisal and Approval
Annex 3-I: Programme/Project Formulation to Approval Flowchart
Annex 3-II: UNIFEM Project Document Format(revised November 2007)
Annex 3-III: Implementing Partner Capacity Assessment Criteria
Annex 3-IV: Pre-Appraisal Clearance Notes Examples
Annex 3-V: The Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) Guidelines
Annex 3-VI: Criteria to Guide the Selection of Programmes/Projects for UNIFEM to accept Implementing Partner Responsibilities
CHAPTER 4 - IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
4.1 Authority and Accountability for Approved Projects/Programmes
4.2 Preparation for Programme Implementation
4.3 Programme Management Agreements and Requirements
4.3.1 When NGO is an Implementing Partner
4.3.2 When a National Agency is the Implementing Partner – Previously known as National Execution (NEX)
When UN Agency is Implementing Partner
When UNIFEM is Implementing Partner for another UN Agency project
4.4 Monitoring and Evaluating for Progress and Learning
4.4.1 Purpose
4.4.2 Definitions
4.4.3 Monitoring and Evaluation in UNIFEM
4.4.4 Policies
4.4.5 Learning from Monitoring and Evaluation Findings
4.5 Finalizing the Workplan
4.6 UNIFEM Direct Management of Programmes
4.6.1Disbursement of funds
4.6.2Working with NGOs
4.6.3Procurement Principles and Authority
4.6.4The Procurement Process in UNIFEM
4.6.5Travel
4.7Reporting and Documentation
4.7.1Programme/Project Reports
4.7.2MYFF/SP Implementation Progress Reports
4.7.3Consultative Committee (CC) Report
CHAPTER 5 - FINACIAL MANAGEMENT OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
5.1 Financial and Budget Management, Tools, and Prescriptions for Programme/Project Implementation
5.1.1 PeopleSoft Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
5.1.2 UNDP Financial Regulation and Rules
5.1.3 UNDP HR and HR in UNIFEM
5.2 Project Budget Approval in ATLAS
5.2.1Initial project budget approval in ATLAS
5.2.2 Project budget revisions process and approval in ATLAS
5.2.3 Financial Closure of Project in ATLAS
5.2.4Financial Reports
5.3.1 Internal Audit
5.3.2 External Audit
CHAPTER 6 - HUMAN RESOURCES PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES
6.1 Types of Personnel Contracts
6.1.1 100 series appointments
6.1.2 200 series appointments
6.1.3 300 series appointments (ALD)
6.1.4 Special Service Agreement (SSA)
6.1.5 Service Contract
6.1.6 Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA)
6.1.7 Procurement Contract for Services
6.2 Budgeting for Personnel
6.3 Preliminary Steps in the Recruitment of Personnel
6.3.1 Classifying the Post
6.3.2 Management Approval
6.3.3 Position Number
6.4Recruitment and Appointment Process
6.4.1 100/200 series posts (international and local NY)
6.4.2 100/200 series – (local: sub-regional offices)
6.4.4 ALD recruitments
6.4.5 SSA recruitments
6.5 UNIFEM Acquisition Management Review Committee (AMRC)
6.6 Management of Personnel
6.7 Global Staff Survey
6.8 Career and Staff Counseling Issues
6.9 Learning Plans
6.10 Work-Life Policy
6.11 Programme for Staff Assistance
6.12 Security
6.13 Junior Professional Officer Programme
6.14 Internship Programme
6.15Harassment at the Workplace Policy
CHAPTER 7 - UNIFEM ICT ENVIRONMENT
7.1 The UNIFEM Computing Network
7.2 UNIFEM Electronic Data Processing (EDP) Environment
7.2.1 Hardware
7.2.2 Software
7.3 UNIFEM Public Web Site
7.4 UNIFEM Intranet
7.5 UNDP Intranet and Portal
7.6UNIFEM Enterprise Resource Planning (ATLAS)
7.6.1 What is ATLAS
7.6.2 Access ATLAS
7.6.3 ATLAS Security
7.7Telecommunication Facilities
7.8 UNIFEM ICT Documents
ACRONYMS
ACABQAdvisory Committee on Accounting and Budgetary Questions
ACPAdvisory Committee on Procurement, UNDP
ALDActivities of Limited Duration
AMRCAcquisition Management and Review Committee
APCAppointment and Promotion Committee
ARAccounts Receivable
ATLASUNIFEM Enterprise Resource Planning System
BOMBureau of Management, UNDP
BPfABeijing Platform for Action
BRMSBudget Resources Management Section
BSBBiennial Support Budget
CARDSComprehensive Audit Recommendation Database System
CCConsultative Committee
CCACommon Country Assessment
CEDAWConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
CPMCountry Programme Manager, UNIFEM
CPOCountry Programme Office
CRGCareer Review Group
CSCost Sharing
CSWCommission on the Status of Women
EBExecutive Board
EDExecutive Director, UNIFEM
ERPEnterprise Resource Planning
EXBExtra-budgetary Resources
FRMSFinancial Reporting and Management Section
GAGeneral Assembly
HQHeadquarters, UNIFEM
HRCHuman Resources Centre, UNIFEM
IANWGEInter-agency Network on Women and Gender Equality
IAPSPInter-agency Procurement Service Office
ICCInternal Control Framework
ICSCInternational Civil Service Commission
IMISIntegrated Management Information System
ITBInvitation to Bid
JDJob Description
JPOJunior Professional Officer
KKCommitment Control
KSKnowledge Sharing
M&EMonitoring and Evaluation
MDGsMillennium Development Goals
MOUMemorandum of Understanding
MYFFMulti-year Funding Framework
NGONon-governmental Organization
OAAOffice of Associate Administrator
OAPROffice of Audit and Performance Review
OASOffice of Administration Security, UNDP
OBDTOutreach and Business Development Team, UNIFEM
OBROffice of Budget Resource, UNDP
OISTOffice of Information Systems and Technology
OLPSOffice of Legal and Procurement Support
OSAGIOffice of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women
PACProgramme Appraisal Committee
PRSsPoverty Reduction Strategies
RBBResults-based Budgeting
RBMResults-based Management
RCAResults Competency Assessment
RFPRequest for Proposal
RLAReimbursable Loan Agreement
RPDRegional Programme Director, UNIFEM
RRResident Representatives, UNDP
SPStrategic Plan
SROSub-regional Programme Office, UNIFEM
SSASpecial Service Agreement
TFTrust Fund
TORTerms of Reference
TSSTravel Services Section, UNDP
UNBOAUnited Nations Board of Audit
UNDAFUnited Nations Development Assistance Framework
UNDGUnited Nations Development Group
UNDPUnited Nations Development Programme
UNFPAUnited Nations Population Fund
UNICEFUnited Nations International Children’s Fund
UNIFEMUnited Nations Development Fund for Women
WFPWorld Food Programme
Also see UNIFEM Intrafor:
Glossary ofCommon UNIFEM Terminology
JPO Service Center Acronym (English, French, Spanish)
Atlas Glossary
UN Multilingual Terminology Database
UN Spelling (in English)
Guidance Note on Joint Programming - UNDG
UNDP User Guide Glossary
UNDP Intranet Site Index
Welcome to the United Nations
UN Staff Regulations and Rules
UNDP Human Resources Management User Guide
UNDP HR Site Map
1
UNIFEM REFERENCE MANUAL
Revised December 2007
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of Programme/Operational Reference Manual
This Reference Manual intends to provide UNIFEM staff with an overview and description of the business processes, rules and regulations that underpin UNIFEM programming and operations. It is designed as a guide rather than a ‘how to’ manual; it provides general guidance and points the reader to more in-depth sources of information. It covers both programming processes and administrative, financial and human resources practices.
In many cases, the Manual builds on processes already in use in UNDP. As stated in the UNIFEM founding resolution (GA 39/125, see Section 1.1 below), the Administrator of UNDP has oversight responsibility for UNIFEM. Unless specifically stipulated, UNIFEM follows UNDP rules, guidelines and administrative and operational procedures in sub-regional programme offices (SROs) and country programme offices CROs) and in New York. Within UNDP itself there are varying interpretations and applications of these rules and standards, and there are some practices in UNDP that do not apply to UNIFEM. Thus, this Manual describes for staff the way in which UNIFEM applies and augments UNDP rules and standards to facilitate UNIFEM programming.
The Manual is complimented by a range of existing guidelines and instructions available in other UNDP and UNIFEM Manuals, Guidelines, Circulars, Administrative Memoranda, and mandatory standard forms. The Manual will be regularly updated as procedures change, with the most recent update as of December 2007.
Existing Guidelines and Instructions that compliment the Manual
UN & UNDP Rules, Guidelines, Circulars, and Forms
UNDP has been posting its guidelines and instructions (prescriptive documents) on its intranet Posting is an ongoing process as many of these documents are beingmodified and updated. In all instances – and particularly where specific UNIFEM guidelines do not exist – it is useful to consult UNDP documents for insight into the relevant standards and practices. These UNDP circularsand guidelines are referenced in the Manual. Access and guidance may also be sought from local UNDP offices.
Many important documents and/or information can be accessed on the UN web sites and
UNIFEM Circulars
The UNIFEM Executive Director (ED) has issued a number of programme and administrative circulars that set internal UNIFEM rules and procedures for a variety of UNIFEM business processes. These circulars are available on the UNIFEM intranet at:
- For programme and administrative circulars and memos go to: Legislation, Policy& Strategy > Circulars, Management Memos
- For information on Delegations of Authority go to: Legislation, Policy & Strategy > Delegations of Authority
Limitations of the Reference Manual
The Manual offers UNIFEM staff information on UNIFEM and its programming and operational business practices. It is intended to serve primarily as a procedural map with electronic links to necessary supporting documents including prescriptive, descriptive, and substantive documentsfrom the UN, UNDP, and UNIFEM.
The Manual, while providing brief definitions where appropriate, does not attempt to serve as a definitive text and the user should, as necessary, review the relevant hyperlinked source document(s).
Moreover the UNDP rules, regulations and procedures under which UNIFEM operates are currently under revision as UNDP regularly works to simplify and adapt them to modern management practices. In particular, financial management processes have been changing as a result of the introduction by UNDP and UNIFEM of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (ATLAS) on 1 January 2004. The ERP software replaced the systems that were previously in use. This updated version of the Manual reflects the content of the latest formal documentation drafted by both UNDP and UNIFEM reflecting business processes changes mandated by ERP. AMemorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the relations between UNDP and UNIFEM was signed in 2004 and followed up on in June 2005 by the UNDP Administrator with the issuance of theInstrument of Delegations of Authoritywhich accorded the UNIFEM ED significantly higher authority. The ED followed through and issued a number of Directives re-defining the authorities, responsibilities, and new procedures for UNIFEM staff for the management of UNIFEM business processes in the new regime. UNIFEM, along with several other UN Agencies, is committed to Harmonization and Simplification procedures currently underway, which may create a need to further update this Reference Manual.
Intended users of the Reference Manual
The intended users are all UNIFEM staff including those that are charged with programme development and management, and those who manage the administrative and operations services (financial, human resources, budget control etc.). The manual isa primary source of information on procedures and administrative arrangements for all matters concerning management of UNIFEM human resources, programmes and projects, as well as financial administration including management of its resources and assets. See the ED circular FEM/ADM/ED/03/06.
Availability of the Reference Manual
The Manual is available on-line at the UNIFEM intranet: which UNIFEM staff can access by using their username and password;obtained from UNIFEM Webmaster:.
Some links to documents referred to in the Manual are on the UNDP intranet When the login box appears, enter your username (firstname.lastname) and password (your own e-mail password).
CHAPTER 1 - UNIFEM OVERVIEW
1.1 History and Mandate of UNIFEM
1.1.1History and governance of UNIFEM
UNIFEM was established in response to calls from governmental and non-governmental organizations to create a women’s fund in the United Nations. In 1974, the United Nations Economic and Social Council established, by its resolution 1850 (LVI), the Voluntary Fund for the International Women’s Year. The following year, after the First World Conference of Women held in Mexico City, the General Assembly (GA) declared that 1976-1985 would be the Decade for Women and subsequently decided that the Voluntary Fund should be extended to cover the decade and become the Voluntary Fund for the UN Decade for Women (Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirtieth Session, Supplement 34, A/10034, Item 76). In keeping with this, the GA by its resolution A/RES/31/133 of 6 December 1976 set the arrangement for the Fund’s use and management.In 1984, as the Decade for Women was coming to an end, the GA decided by its resolution A/RES/39/125 of 14 December 1984 that the Fund’s activities “shall be continued through establishment of a separate and identifiable entity in autonomous association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which will play an innovative and catalytic role in relation to the United Nations overall system of development co-operation.”
In response to the resolution, a year later on 1 July 1985 UNIFEM was established.
This resolution agreed on the following management arrangements between the Fund and UNDP.
- The UNDP Administrator will be accountable for all aspects of the management and operations of the Fund
- The Administrator appoints a Director for the Fund and delegates “the management of the Fund and its administration, including responsibility for the mobilization of resources, to the Director, who shall have the authority to conduct all matters related to its mandate and who shall be accountable directly to the Administrator”
- The regulations, rules and directives of the United Nations Development Programme will be applied to the operations of the Fund
Guidelines on the Operational Relationship between UNIFEM and UNDP of 7 June 2004 and;
Instrument of Delegation of Authority for UNIFEM of 15 June 2005
The first requires that “the policies and procedures applicable to all phases and aspects of UNIFEM activities shall be set out….” in this Manual.
The second sets out the formal authority of the ED of UNIFEM in matters relating to human resources, program and project management, financial administration as well as acquisition and management of property (assets) and services.
There are three inter-governmental bodies that are particularly relevant to the governance of UNIFEM.
a.UNIFEM Consultative Committee
Originally formed through resolution 31/133 as the Consultative Committee on the Voluntary Fund for the Decade for Women to advise the Secretary-General, UNIFEM has a Consultative Committee (CC) that advises the Administrator on “all matters of policy affecting the activities of the Fund, including the application of criteria set forth by the General Assembly in respect of the use of the Fund” (A/RES/39/125).The CC is composed of representatives of five Member States representing each of the UN five regional groupings. The President of the GA appoints CC members for a period of three years. The five are selected with due regard for the financing of the Fund from voluntary contribution and to equitable geographical distribution. In 2007, at its 62nd session, the GA adopted a decision to stagger the terms of office of the members of the CC in order to preserve institutional memory from one set of CC members to the next. The rotation pattern was altered so that the three-year terms of all five members would neither commence nor end at the same time.Two of the five new CC members serving from 2007-2009 resigned after serving only one year to allow replacements to commence new full three-year terms from 2008-2010.
The CC has one formal meeting annually, usually held in late February immediately prior to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March. At this meeting, UNIFEM presents an annual progress report on its activities and the implementation ofthe Committee recommendations from previous years and discusses key policy issues that require guidance from the Committee. The Committee then issues a new set of recommendations to UNIFEM. The Committee convenes inter-session meetings as needed.