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GB.270/TC/4
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Committee on Technical Cooperation |
TC |
FOURTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Internal measures taken to enhance the ILO's technical cooperation programme
Contents
I. General administrative measures
1. This paper should be read in conjunction with the other papers before the Committee at its present session concerning the ILO's Technical Cooperation programme, 1996-97, and the ILO's resource mobilization strategy.(1) It illustrates the importance the Office attaches to capacity building and communication in the area of technical cooperation.
I. General administrative measures
2. A number of activities have been undertaken during the reporting period in order to enhance the strength and quality of the ILO's Technical Cooperation programme. General administrative measures, aimed at accelerating internal procedures and improving control over the progress and impact of technical cooperation projects, have been introduced or strengthened. The most important are the computerized follow-up system (PILS), the computerized database of evaluation results (PROGEVAL), and the new Guidelines for the preparation of independent evaluations of ILO programmes and projects, published in May 1997. Section VII of document GB.270/TC/1 describes this in greater detail.
3. An open in-house seminar was offered on 11 April 1997, entitled Staff seminar on approaches and methods of delivery of technical cooperation. The seminar was attended by some 80 officials present at headquarters, from technical and administrative units, many of whom had recently served in the field. Experience with the implementation process of three successful programmes provided the framework for the seminar. Presentations on IPEC (International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour), ACOPAM (Organization on Cooperative Support to Grassroots Initiatives) and the Cambodia Employment Generation Programme (EGP) were made, followed by general and more detailed discussions on constraints and possible solutions, in four working groups concerned respectively with policy and institutional issues, core international labour standards and technical cooperation, financial issues and personnel issues.
4. A high-level workshop on the Active Partnership Policy (APP) was held from 28 to 30 April 1997. All the regional directors, selected MDT and area office directors, directors of technical departments and bureaux, as well as some members of the General Management Committee, participated in the workshop. The Director-General attended its final session. The workshop, known as Turin-III, focused on the APP in developing countries and countries in transition. Previous in-house consultations formed the basis for discussion of the latter in four working groups on country objectives, programme development, tripartism and resource mobilization.
5. A Staff Symposium on Current Social Issues was organized in Geneva from 2 to 3 October 1997. The main purpose was to review critical and emerging issues related to the technical areas covered by the Office. Directors and staff of technical departments and certain MDT members discussed specific topics with a number of outside speakers in plenary and different groups.
6. All the regional directors' meetings -- the annual meeting of MDT directors and area office directors -- focused on the Active Partnership Policy, the promotion of technical cooperation and the development of a resource mobilization strategy. These were held in Bangkok (31 March-4 April), Abidjan (5-9 May) and Lima (6-10 October).
7. Many activities also concerned investment in human resources, thus increasing the staff's capability in the broad area of technical cooperation. In addition to the above seminars, a number of training courses, study tours and expert meetings were carried out in a coordinated manner by PROPAR/TEC, PROGRAM, PERS, technical departments and the field structure.
8. Several training workshops on the design, monitoring and evaluation of ILO programmes and projects were again held in cooperation with the Turin Centre. Three workshops were offered for ILO staff at headquarters, and some 100 officials were trained. Six workshops were held for ILO field staff, covering six different MDTs in all regions, with some 150 officials participating. Four workshops were also organized at the request of constituents (in Denmark and South Africa), training some 150 participants in ILO methods in technical cooperation. The slides of the ILO training manual have also been made available on the ILO's Intranet and the Internet, facilitating their widest possible use.
9. A considerable number of officials were also sponsored to participate in courses which met their individual professional needs, of which a good number were in the field of technical cooperation. These included administrative courses in such areas as finance and budget procedures, as well as technical courses, internships and study tours. Technical courses were in general external courses, mostly at universities and requiring and deepening professional experience (e.g. the continuing education course on industrial hygiene at Harvard University). The convening of MDT members from different regions covering the same professional field also falls under this category. Visits, study tours and internships, ranging from one day to three months, with ministries, constituents, enterprises and national and international organizations also helped enhance knowledge of technical cooperation issues.
10. The Personnel Department regularly organizes one-week orientation courses for newly recruited staff which cover technical cooperation topics. In each of the past two years, two courses have been offered for associate experts to get better acquainted with the ILO's work and mandate.
11. Training plans have been developed by the regions departments in order to respond to the increasing demand for individual and group training. The field structure has a specific budget for training activities, which complement headquarters efforts and respond to specific and regional needs.
Geneva, 23 September 1997.
1. GB.270/TC/1 and GB.270/TC/2 respectively.