UNDP Ombudsperson Function Established
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Leon KukkukUNDP Ombudsperson Function Established
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Leon Kukkuk7 May 2002
To: All UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff
From: Mark Malloch Brown
Subject: Establishment of a Full-time Ombudsperson Function for UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS
As part of the ongoing efforts to reform the internal justice and grievance system in
UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, I am very pleased to announce, on behalf of the Executive Directors
of UNFPA and UNOPS, and on my own behalf, the establishment of a full-time
Ombudsperson function for all three organizations. The attached terms of reference for the
function are in direct follow-up to the review of the internal justice system undertaken in
2001 by a team of consultants, one of whom is the former Senior Ombudsman of the World
Bank. The UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff Council has taken the lead in developing the terms
of reference in close consultation with the Office of Human Resources and the Office of
Legal and Procurement Support.
I also take this opportunity to announce the appointment of Mr. James Lee as the first,
full-time UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Ombudsperson. Mr. Lee has served a long and
distinguished career in UNDP, and has served with equal distinction on the Ombudsman
Panel since 1987. Mr. Lee, whose appointment takes effect from 1 June 2002, may be
contacted at (212) 906-5748 or [email protected].
The Ombudsperson function is the informal grievance mechanism established within
UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS with the objective of conciliation among staff members,
between staff members and supervisors, and between staff members and their employing
organization by seeking mutually acceptable solutions to grievances or conflicts through
informal means.
The new full-time Ombudsperson replaces the Ombudsman Panel, which has consisted
of staff members working on a purely voluntary basis and in a part-time capacity. I take this
opportunity to thank the Members of the Panel and commend them for their important work.
It is recognized by staff and management – and by members of the Panel – that the
structure that has been in place until now has been far from ideal with regard to ensuring the
necessary independence of the Ombudsperson. The new Ombudsperson will be equally
available to staff of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS. He/she will liaise directly with the
executive heads and/or management of the employing organization of the staff member(s)
party to a given case. Mechanisms will be established for supplementing the Ombudsperson
so as to ensure adequate coverage of the field, as well as sufficient accessibility and
organization-specific expertise at the levels of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS.
