Download The Resident Coordinator`s Report-Workplan 2007

United Nations in Russia
Resident Coordinator’s
Annual Report 2007 and Workplan 2008
Key aspects
Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in the Russian Federation
January 2008
UN Resident Coordinator’s Annual Report 2007 for Russia
_contents
A
B
C
D
E
Context for UN operations
Progress in UN reform
Highlights of 2007 joint efforts
Key Aspects of the 2008 Workplan
Recommendations
a. Context for UN operations
Russia
continues to
experience
an
investment
boom and
improvement
s population
incomes
The economic growth in Russia remained robust in 2007, with full-year GDP
growth of over 7 %, buoyant household consumption (over 9 % growth) and
business investment (over 20 %). In general, according to World Bank
assessment1, the country continues to experience an investment boom,
significant improvements in productivity and population incomes. According to
Rosstat, average real wage and disposable income increased by 16.2 and 12.9
percent, respectively during the first nine months of the year. This figure
reflects a longer-term trend of rising relative prosperity over the past 5 years
(see Box 1).
As the growth continues to be largely based on soaring oil and gas export
revenues, and structural reforms (except for the one in the electricity sector)
have stagnated or stopped, the economy remains internationally
uncompetitive2, and increasingly exposed to inflationary pressures. The latter,
exacerbated by rising world prices, led, in 2007, to a noticeable surge
(averaging over 20%) in food prices – making the 3-year high inflation rate of
11,5% felt by the poorest and most vulnerable in society.
Box 1. Average monthly wage 2003-07, USD
497
Box 2. Registered labor migrants in Russia ,
thousands
1200
1014
1000
395
800
702
302
600
237
460
179
360 378
400
200
211
213
284
0
2003
2007
2004
2005
2006
Source: Federal Statistics Service (latest available data)
Situation of
jobless,
poorly
educated and
unhealthy
behaving
youth put the
country’s
future at risk
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Federal Migration
Service
Social vulnerability and unequal access to the benefits of economic growth
are widely seen as key challenges Russia is facing. While poverty levels
decrease, incomes of budgetary sector workers, pensioners and younger
people, particularly outside large metropolitan areas, remain too close to
subsistence level. In addition, the quality of social services differs significantly
1
World Bank Russian Economic Report No 15. November 2007
58th position in the 2007-2008 Global Competitiveness Index Ranking published by the World Economic
Forum
2
2
UN Resident Coordinator’s Annual Report 2007 for Russia
across Russia, and unresolved and often unnoticed issues of jobless, poorly
educated and unhealthy behaving youth3 put the country’s future at risk.
Young people are also disproportionately affected by alcoholism, tobacco use
and spread of infectious deceases, including TB and HIV.
The country
is undergoing
a
demographic
transition
marked by
shrinking and
rapid aging
population
Marginalization of the first post-Soviet generations is one of the factors of low
fertility and high mortality rates that define the emerging demographic crisis4.
As a recently published World Bank report5 argues – after the political and
economic transition, Russia, like other Eastern European and CIS countries, is
undergoing a demographic transition marked by shrinking and rapid aging
population. The report estimates that by 2025, one person in every five may be
over the age of 65, while Russia’s working-age population is expected to
decline by 10 % in the next two decades and is also aging rapidly. A declining
and aging population poses two key challenges: sustaining economic growth
with a shrinking labor supply and managing fiscal costs associated with aging.
In this context the issues of attracting labor migrants, regulating their status
and ensuring their integration in the society remain highly topical, and yet
largely unattended by public policy debate and action. As demonstrated by Box
2, the number of officially registered labor migrants has seen a dramatic 5-fold
increase since 1999. This trend demonstrates both growing demand for
migrant labor, and its increased legalization. Nonetheless, prohibitive
administrative barriers, widespread corruption and xenophobic tendencies
make it difficult for Russia to know how many migrants it actually receives, to
create incentives for them to legalize and to take full benefit from their activity,
while protecting their basic human rights.
Key political developments of 2007 include the parliamentary elections, as a
result of which the United Russia party won the constitutional majority in the
State Duma and nomination of the likely successor for the presidential seat.
The year was also characterized by formalization of state control over several
sectors of the economy (through state corporations) and pressure on
increasingly vocal opposition.
National
Projects will be
come longerterm and more
comprehensive
state programs
in 2008
The National Priority Projects brought first visible results in 2007, such as
new equipment in schools and hospitals, computerization of the rural school
network and increased access of small farmers to agricultural credit. At the
same time, as the National Projects are expected to be transformed into
longer-term comprehensive state programs during the next presidency, the
need for more profound structural changes in the social services sector is
becoming evident. Among issues of top concern are: affordable housing,
development of preventive healthcare, improved quality of secondary and
professional education, as well as ensuring the National Projects benefit the
most vulnerable, including children without parental care and persons with
disabilities. In addition, given the degree of differentiation in levels of
development, particular focus of many of the emerging national policies will be
on remote and poor areas of the country, such as the Arctic zone and the Far
East.
In this context, the UN assistance remains relevant and is increasingly geared
towards supporting national and sub-national initiatives that help transform the
social fabric, find sustainable infrastructure solutions and develop
comprehensive approaches to policy, with reliance on local human resources
and local funding.
3
As reference see the recent UNFPA report by Yael Ohana Generation Russia: An International Perspective
on Youth Policy in the Context of Russian State and Nation Building (unpublished, Jan 2008)
4
For details see the UNCT publication “Demographic policy in Russia: from ideas to action”
5
“From Red to Gray: The Third Transition of Aging Populations in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet
Union” (2007)
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UN Resident Coordinator’s Annual Report 2007 for Russia
b. Progress in UN reform
New themes for
joint advocacy
& action
emerged
including rights
of disabled and
development of
the Arctic
The key focus of the Resident Coordinator work in 2007 was on ensuring that
UN programs are better aligned with national development plans. To this end
several new, flexible coordination mechanisms were created as new themes for
joint advocacy and action emerged including the rights of persons with
disabilities, the development of the Arctic and the demographic policy – all
reflecting UN’s attention to areas which the Government sees as among its
priorities. The Theme Group on Poverty was discontinued, while the TG on
HIV/AIDS was transformed into the Joint Team on AIDS.
With the
closure of
OCHA office,
UN work in the
North
Caucasus
almost fully
focuses on
recovery and
development
Following an explicit request from the Government and reflecting the relative
stabilization of the situation in the region, the Inter-Agency Transitional
Workplan, for the North Caucasus was discontinued in 2007. The last update of
the Workplan prepared in summer 2007 in a consultative UNCT effort outlined
several key areas of UN assistance in 2008-2009 as well as a new coordination
mechanism. The latter includes the Theme Group on North Caucasus
established in November 2007 and replacing the Humanitarian Coordination
Group. With the closure of OCHA office, which took place, as planned in
December 2007, UN work in the North Caucasus almost fully focuses on
recovery and development, in line with the key national priorities.
UN House
renovation is
in its final
stage
As in previous years, UN contribution in the area of support to national efforts
in preparation of MDG-based development strategies is limited by the scale of
the country, complexity of its policy agenda as well as insignificance of financial
resources brought in by international actors, as compared to available national
resources. Nonetheless, UN through a joint analytical exercise, based on local
expertise, has been able to prepare a publication on demographic issues that
contributes to analysis and advocacy of synergetic policy measures, linking
healthcare, socio-political, demographic and sociological aspects of the
problem. The publication will be published and launched in 2008. In addition,
several joint advocacy activities focusing on human rights, in including rights of
disabled and of young people, were carried out. Highlights of joint efforts in
2007 is given in the table below.
Last but not least, the renovation of the future UN House started and
progressed significantly in 2007, while UNCT has been able to ensure optimum
timeframe and costing arrangements. The move into the new common
premises that will accommodate 9 UN agencies is planned for late summer
2008.
c. Highlights of 2007 joint efforts
Area of support
Strategically
supporting
national efforts to
address the
demographic
crisis
Supporting
outreach activities
at sub-national
level with focus on
rights of the
National
Partners
Moscow State
University;
Research
Institute of the
Ministry of Health
Russian Guild of
Film Makers;
Administrations
of Novgorod and
North Ossetia
UN Team
UNFPA,
UNICEF,
UNDP,
UNESCO,
ILO, WHO,
UNHCR,
UNAIDS,
WFP
UNFPA, ILO
UNHCR,
UNDP,
UNICEF,
UNESCO,
Key Results
A thought-provoking publication
is ready for print right at the time
when Government sets out the
implementation of its new
demographic policy concept
Two high-profile film festivals
focused on rights of the youth
organized in 2 regions,
accompanied by training for
regional media.
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UN Resident Coordinator’s Annual Report 2007 for Russia
youth
UNIC
Facilitating public
debate on the
rights of persons
with disabilities
Ministry of
Communications;
Ministry of
Education,
NGOs
UNIC,
UNESCO,
UNDP, World
Bank, WHO,
ILO
Raising
awareness on
HIV/AIDS
epidemic
Completing the
transitional stage
of UN’s
assistance to the
North Caucasus
RIA-Novosti
news agency,
Federal Service
on Surveillance
Ministry of
Foreign Affairs,
Government of
the North
Caucasus
republics
Joint Team on
AIDS
UNHCR,
WFP,
UNICEF,
FAO, UNDP,
OCHA, WHO,
UNDSS
UN in Russia website was
adapted to become fully
accessible for persons with
disabilities. Several high-profile
expert discussions on the topics
of e-accessibility and social
integration of the disabled were
organized.
A highly successful online
conference on the topic “Living
with HIV in Russia” organized to
mark the World AIDS Day
The update to 2007 Transitional
Workplan outlined the strategy
of UN assistance in 2008-2009,
and was agreed upon with the
Government in a breakthrough
consultation meeting
d. Key Aspects of the 2008 Workplan
In 2008, the Resident Coordinator function will continue to support all joint UN
initiatives in the spirit of the Millennium Declaration and UNDG Action Plan on
the Development Outcome of the World Summit, as well as facilitate internal
coordination mechanisms, contributing to increased coherence and
effectiveness of UNCT work. Continued effort will be made to focus UN joint
efforts work on areas of high relevance and added-value.
The bulk of such effort will be undertaken by the renewed UN theme/working
groups, such as the ones on Gender, HIV/AIDS, North Caucasus, Youth,
Human Trafficking, to which the Office of the RC will provide on-demand
support. At the same time several key areas that require follow-up or support
at the initiation stage will be the main focus of the RC work during the year. The
“what” and “how” of this work is summarized below:
Focusing the
MDG+
advocacy on
one acute
issue, one
region and one
vulnerable
group
WHAT? Joint efforts will focus on MD/MDG issues relevant for Russia, where
several UN agencies can contribute, and where gaps exist in properly
understanding, planning or implementing the necessary mix of national policy
measures. This will include, inter alia:
Following up on MD / MDG+ agenda for Russia
Planned Activity
.most acute issue
Supporting national efforts
to address the
demographic crisis
(continuation of 2007
initiative)
.regional focus
Supporting national efforts
to ensure sustainable and
equitable development of
the Russian Arctic
Focus / Theme
Analysis of synergetic policy
measures, linking healthcare,
socio-political, demographic and
sociological aspects of the problem
[Ad-hoc WG on demography]
Advocacy contributing to enhanced
understanding of the development
opportunities and risks associated
with the exploration of the Arctic, as
well as promoting responsible
private investment in the region
[WG on the Arctic]
National Partners
Ministry of Health
and Social
Development;
Administration of
the President
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
Environment;
Administrations of
the Arctic regions;
Russian Union of
Industrialists and
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UN Resident Coordinator’s Annual Report 2007 for Russia
.vulnerable group
Supporting national efforts
on ratification and
implementation of the UN
Convention on the rights
of persons with disabilities
Partnership
with private
sector and
youth
participation as
emerging tools
Supporting multi-stakeholder
dialogue to sensitize decision
makers and the public on the
implications the ratification of
Convention
[Informal WG on rights of
disabled]
Entrepreneurs
Ministries of Health
and Social
Development,
Information
Technologies,
Education, MFA,
etc.
Special attention will be also paid to marking the 60th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In addition, depending on availability of
resources, UNCT may envisage additional advocacy activities within the
framework of the International Year of Sanitation.
HOW? In implementing the above activities, the UNCT will continue to rely on
cross-sectoral partnerships involving government, NGOs and media. Special
attention will be paid in 2008 to building practical yet principled alliances with
the private sector (using Global Compact as a framework). In addition, effort
will be made to involve active young people in formulation and realization of UN
initiatives, promoting youth participation as an important element of the
emerging civil society. Finally, the human-rights based approach will remain at
the core of the UN’s joint activities, thus also constituting an important topic for
joint advocacy and communications.
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UN Resident Coordinator’s Annual Report 2007 for Russia
e. Recommendations
It is noted with disappointment that practically none of the recommendations
provided in the previous year RC report and in many similar documents were
taken into consideration. It means that:



Financial contributions remain barely sufficient to cover staffing costs;
No mechanism of regularized allocation of funding for UN coordination
from Ex-Com agencies was created at HQ level;
Expectations from UNCTs formulated in the RC report / workplan
templates are still too broad and only lead to dispersion of limited
funding available.
In essence, all of the above, no matter how much justified by institutional and
donor relationship constraints undermine the leveraging potential of the
Resident Coordinator function.
Another issue of concern for UNCT in Russia is the legal uncertainty of the
status of the UN in Russia. The umbrella agreement between UN and the
Russian Federation signed in 1993 and amended in 1995 has not been ratified
to date. This jeopardizes the normal operation, makes application of certain
privileges and immunities discretionary, leaves UN staff largely unprotected.
While talks seem to have taken place with regard to a renewed agreement, a
firm and official legal advice and support from HQ would be more than
appreciated, so that the issue of UN’s legal status in the country could be
resolved without delay.
7