Overview on National Commissions for UNESCO

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Overview on National Commissions for UNESCO

• Interregional Information Seminar for New
  Secretaries-General of National Commissions
• Paris, 26 February-2 March 2007
• By Xiaolin Cheng
• Chief, Section for National Commissions
• (ERC/RSC/NAC)

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Table of Contents

1. Origin and creation
2. Status and structure
3. Basic functions
4. Key roles in reform process
5. Capacity-building

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Origin and Creation of National Commissions

• 1) Why were they needed?
• Debate on the nature of UNESCO leads to the
  creation of such a special structure representing
  both the government departments and
  non-governmental institutions
• Achievement of the ideals and purposes of UNESCO
  demands cooperation on the widest possible scale
  within member states

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Origin and Creation of National Commissions

• 2) What has been decided?
• The Constitution of UNESCO adopted in
• London on 16 Nov. 1945
• The charter of national commissions
• Adopted in Paris on 17 Nov. 1978

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Origin and Creation of National Commissions

• 3) Number increased throughout years
• By end of 2006 Out of 191 Member States and 6
  Associate Members, 189 MS and 3 AM established a
  NatCom, but there were only
• 34 in 1949
• 72 in 1959
• 129 in 1979
• 152 in 1990

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2. Status and Structure of National
Commissions

• They are national entities set up by MS and
  working at inter-ministerial and inter-sectorial
  level
• 70 attached to Education Ministries
• 20 affiliated with Foreign Ministries
• -10 located in Culture or S T Ministries
• Even a few of them autonomous

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2. Status and Structure of National
Commissions

• Three fold relations and double life
• Within the country
• - vis à vis the government (inc. Perm.
  Delegation)
• - vis à vis the scientific communities and
  national
• partners
• Between the country and UNESCO
• - vis à vis UNESCO (HQ and FOs Institutes)
  

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2. Status and Structure of National
Commissions

• Broad membership within national context
• - Government representatives
• - Educational, scientific and cultural
  institutions
• - Parliamentarians municipalities
• - Media representatives
• - Women and youth organizations
• - NGOs
• - Individual experts, eminent personalities,
  etc.

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2. Status and Structure of National
Commissions

• Subsidiary organs
• - General Assembly
• - Executive Council
• - Programme Committees or Sub-Committees
• - Ad-hoc working groups
• - Secretariat

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3. Basic Functions of National Commissions

• Expected duties
• - Advisory
• - Liaison
• - Information
• - Programme elaboration and execution

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3. Basic Functions of National Commissions

• Advise the government on
• countrys overall relation with UNESCO, e.g.
  participation in the Executive Broad General
  Conference, political issues (elections, DRs,
  legal instruments, etc)
• Advise the partners on
• ways of dealing with UNESCO, channels of
  contact, procedures, principles, regulations, etc.

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3. Basic Functions of National Commissions

• Liaison between government, permanent delegation,
  partners and individuals
• Liaison between the national authorities and
  UNESCO, related UN agencies regional
  organizations

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3. Basic Functions of National Commissions

• Promote UNESCOs ideals programmes and
  disseminate information data on NatCom actions
  activities via
• UNESCOs World Reports, Books, Periodicals
  translated into national language
• Documentation Centre Library
• Newsletters, Brochures Annual Reports of the
  NatCom
• Website, CD-ROM
• Media coverage

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3. Basic Functions of National Commissions

• Programme elaboration execution
• National, cluster and regional consultations on
  the preparation of UNESCO Medium Term Strategy
  (C/4) and Biennial Programme and Budget (C/5)
• Implementation of activities at national and
  sub-regional levels (meetings, celebrations,
  exhibitions, studies/surveys, publications, prize
  awarding, etc.), financed by different resources
  (RP, PP, EB)

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4. Enhanced roles of National Commissions
in the reform process

• Key actors in the decentralization
• Contributing to the attainment of
  decentralization goals
• Interface and cooperation with UNESCO field
  offices and institutes
• Involvement in decentralized programming and
  projects
• Participation in CCA (Common Country Assessment)
  /UNDAF (UN Development Assistance Framework)
  process and One UN planning

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4. Enhanced roles of National Commissions
in the reform process

• Linkage to civil society partners
• Programme networks to be sustained
• UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations
  Associated Schools (ASPnet) UNITWIN/UNESCO
  Chairs NGOs
• New partners to be forged
• Parliamentarians Cities and local authorities
  Private sector
• Monitoring supervising the use of UNESCOs
  name, logo and Internet domain names by national
  partners

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4. Enhanced roles of National Commissions
in the reform process

• Contributing to improved visibility and awareness
  at national level
• Privileged status within the government structure
• Close link with the partners
• Improved capacities in communication
• Direct access to Media

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5. Capacity-building for National
Commissions

• Why for stronger NatCom?
• Old entities have to be reviewed and adjusted
• New changes and challenges need to be addressed
• Great disparities must be filled
• New functions should be fulfilled

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5. Capacity-building for National
Commissions

• How to strengthen them?
• Shared responsibility and joint effort by both
  sides
• MSs duties to provide adequate structure and
  resources, qualified staff
• UNESCOs task to assist, facilitate and encourage
  them to fulfill their responsibilities

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5. Capacity-building for National
Commissions

• What have been done?
• Advocacy and awareness towards authorities and
  partners (DGs CL, publications, database,
  website/portal)
• Training at all levels on key issues
• Updating office equipment
• Involving NatCom in the decentralization
  interface with FO

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5. Capacity-building for National
Commissions

• Future challenges
• Reviewing training modalities and contents
• Increasing local impact
• Ensuring proper resources
• Keeping NatCom leaders and staff stable