A task force was created in 2006 to examine the issue of workforce diversity in the UNDP country office for Nepal and to develop a strategy to diversify the workforce. The report of this task force revealed that 78% of the total staff came from only five ethnic groups (while Nepal has 102 ethnic groups according to census data). Also, among the national officers, 78% came from the same five ethnic groups. Female staff numbered only 38% out of which only 21% were officers
and 79% were support staff. It was concluded
that there was no gender balance, women were concentrated in support positions, and men from particular ethnic groups dominated professional positions. In response, UNDP developed a policy and strategy to diversify its workforce both to implement the corporate policy of gender
balance at all levels by 2010 and to have a more representative staff composition given Nepal’s ethnic diversity. Some of the key features of this policy include:
- All Terms of References are to include issues on gender and social inclusion relevant to the position and areas of responsibility
- All vacancy announcements are to include the statements:
“UNDP has a policy to have a gender balance
in its staff at all levels by 2010”,
“Women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, persons with disabilities, and other minorities are especially encouraged to apply”
“Work experience and/or academic knowledge in relation to gender and social exclusion will be an added advantage”
- All vacancy announcements are to be disseminated as widely as possible through
the media, civil society networks, UNDP field offices and project offices.
- Recruitment committees are to have equal number of males and females whenever possible.
Applicants are categorized into three
priority groups:
- First group: Madhesi, Dalits, persons from religious minorities, disadvantaged Janajatis (indigenous peoples) and women with disabilities.
- Second group: Madhesi, Dalit, persons from religious minorities, disadvantaged Janajatis, men with disabilities, and women from Brahman/Chhetri or advantaged Janajati groups.
- Third group: advantaged Janajati groups (Newars, Gurungs, Thakalis) and male Hill Brahman/Chhetri
- For candidates from the first and the second categories, the following affirmative action policies are to be applied: Their work experience on gender and/or social inclusion issues is counted under “years of experience”. The number of years of experience required for project positions is lowered by 2 to 3 years. Candidates are also assessed for their potential to advance in the job and, if selected, are provided with capacity building support within the first 6 months of employment. Affirmative Action Points are to be given during written exam and interview. At least one question on issues of gender inequality and social exclusion, and part of the interview will be conducted in Nepali for project field level staff. Targeted head hunting will be carried out to ensure that individuals from excluded groups and women apply.
- Intermediate (i.e. by 2010) and long-term (by 2015) targets are set by social groups according to the proportion in the 2001 population census. The UNDP corporate target of gender balance by 2010 is also applied.
- Targets are to be revised annually and strategy modified accordingly.
Policy implementation has been challenging. More time is required for the recruitment process, there have been difficulties in determining the ethnicity of some applicants using UN Personal History Forms (P-11), there are fewer qualified candidates from excluded groups and the policy has proven difficult to implement for project work (i.e. outside the work of national office staff). Accordingly, UNDP Nepal has developed other tools to support the policy, including training on unbiased interviewing, offering telephone and field based interviews, and regular monitoring of policy impact. Some staff have expressed concern that the policy was passed too quickly at senior level without sufficient consultation. The strategy is an interim one at present and there are plans to revise it according to initial implementation challenges and to improve the communication strategy around the policy.
The benefits of the policy have been demonstrated. UNDP is more sensitive to gender and exclusion issues; there are more staff members with good knowledge of local realities and leaders from different regions; and there is recognition that future recruitment of staff from conflict areas would enable UNDP to better enter and communicate with communities in conflict. Since the implementation of the policy in June 2007,
there have been some significant changes in the staff composition. For example, by the end of November 2008, women were 47% of the entire staff (as opposed to 38% in May 2007); and the ethnic diversity of the staff had increased by 9%. Firm commitment to the policy at the senior level has been essential to its success. |
