HRD Section
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United Nations ESCAP HRD Section |
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| The Jakarta Plan of Action on HRD in the ESCAP Region
Part Three: Arrangements for Implementation |
| I. Participation
43. The various participants, at both the national and regional levels, must play closely coordinated and complementary roles in the execution of the Jakarta Plan of Action if it is to continue to have a significant influence on human resources development in the region. 45. Second, private enterprises and NGOs, as well as the public at large, must continue to be mobilized to play supportive roles in the formulation and execution of the national plans of action. Procedures to enlist the regular participation of these sectors in the execution of such plans should be established. The various concerned sectors should continue to be encouraged to develop projects in support of those plans. Such multisectoral participation is essential not only because it ensures the most effective use of scarce resources but also because the various sectors possess accumulated experience and expertise that can complement government efforts. 46. At the regional level, the continued participation of intergovernmental organizations, including the United Nations bodies and agencies active in the region, is required to support national efforts. Specific activities must continue to be devised by these organizations to support the human resources development efforts of Governments. In addition, activities need to be developed by these organizations to promote further regional cooperation, including TCDC. Finally, it will be necessary for the ESCAP secretariat to continue to serve as the regional focal point for coordinating the implementation of the Plan, in addition to its role as an executing agency for implementation of the Plan at the regional level and support for activities at the national level. 47. All concerned donor countries and agencies need to continue to give special attention to providing financial assistance for the effective execution of programmes and projects in pursuance of the Plan. In view of the magnitude of the task and the high priority placed by Governments on their promulgation of the Plan, it is urged that donor countries and agencies accord the highest priority to the allocation of resources in support of activities in implementation of the Plan. 49. Priorities should be set by each country, taking into account its national circumstances, including the stage of human resources development that it has reached. The diversity of levels of development in the region point to the special need for each country to identify its own priorities based on its own special circumstances. Conformity with the broad principles and guidelines of the Plan is, however, necessary in all cases. In this regard, each country should identify its human resources development priorities in terms of the three components of the Plan: investment in human capital, utilization of human resources, and enhancement of the quality of life, with special reference to the needs of the poor. 50. Priority-setting should be a shared responsibility of the concerned national agencies and organizations in both the public and private sectors. The national priority-setting exercise should be coordinated by the national focal point for human resources development. At the regional level, priority-setting should be the collective responsibility of the various United Nations agencies and bodies and other intergovernmental organizations participating in the implementation of the Plan. A. At the national level 51. To ensure the full and effective coordination of the implementation of the Plan at the national level, each Government, if it has not already done so, will need to establish a national focal point for human resources development. The national focal point should be located at the highest possible policy-making level. It should oversee the coordination of all national activities in implementation of the Plan. It should be responsible for formulating a national plan of action on human resources development within the framework of the Plan. It should be empowered to promote the active participation of all sectors, including private enterprise, NGOs and other enabler groups and all social groups, as appropriate, in the implementation of the Plan. It should also serve as the national counterpart in and active member of the regionwide ESCAP Network of National Focal Points for Human Resources Development. 52. The majority of the 53 countries and areas in the region have already established national focal points for human resources development as called for in the original Jakarta Plan of Action. Experience in the implementation of the Plan has shown the effectiveness of national focal points that are located in strategic agencies able to influence national policy and planning. The effectiveness of the national focal points has also been enhanced where they have been given operational and budgetary autonomy. Governments should take into account these considerations and strengthen, where necessary, the capacity of their national focal points for human resources development to enable them to perform effectively their functions of coordinating the implementation of the Plan at the national level. B. At the regional level 53. Overall responsibility for coordinating regional measures in support of the implementation of the Jakarta Plan of Action, as distinct from coordination of the implementation of national plans of action at the national level, rests with ESCAP. This is in line with General Assembly resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977 on restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations, in which the regional commissions are directed to serve as the main general economic and social centres within the United Nations system for their respective regions. The General Assembly also calls on the regional commissions to exercise team leadership and responsibility for coordination and cooperation at the regional level. ESCAP fills this role for the Asian and Pacific region. 54. Important elements in the role of ESCAP in coordinating regional support for the implementation of the Plan include coordination of: assistance to countries in the formulation and implementation of national human resources development plans and policies; the provision of training to enhance the skills of government staff as well as personnel of NGOs in areas covered by the Plan; the conduct of research on regional human resources development issues; facilitating intraregional exchange of experience and expertise; the dissemination of regional information through the regionwide ESCAP Network of National Focal Points for Human Resources Development; and regular monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Plan. 55. In order to promote regional cooperation in the implementation of the Plan, opportunities for the exchange of information and views on human resources development issues will be institutionalized by ESCAP. Studies on issues of direct concern to regional cooperation on human resources development will be undertaken and the results disseminated widely. Intergovernmental meetings and periodic consultations among the national focal points will be held. In addition, meetings of senior officials and ministerial conferences will be convened from time to time to consider special issues related to the implementation of the Plan. The participation of NGOs in these gatherings will be encouraged. 56. The concerned bodies and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, together with other intergovernmental organizations, will coordinate their various activities in support of human resources development in the region so as to ensure optimal utilization of resources. To facilitate this process, the Inter-agency Task Force on Human Resources Development chaired by ESCAP will meet periodically to strengthen cooperation and complementarity in the development and implementation of the work programmes of the agencies concerned. 57. The original Jakarta Plan of Action, adopted by the Commission in 1988, envisaged a three-phase programme covering the periods 1988-1991, 1992-1995 and 1996-2000. Phase I, covering 1988-1991, was to lay the institutional basis for the subsequent formulation and implementation of a coordinated series of human resources development projects at both the regional and national levels under phase II, covering 1992-1995. 58. Under phase I, the institutional framework for implementation of the Plan was laid through the establishment by Governments of national focal points for human resources development and through the setting up of the regionwide ESCAP Network of National Focal Points for Human Resources Development. 59. Under phase II, ESCAP, in cooperation with other United Nations bodies and agencies such as UNDP, ILO and UNESCO, implemented a series of human resources development pilot projects at both the national and regional levels in implementation of the Plan. Human resources development training programmes for the personnel of both government agencies and NGOs were also conducted. In addition, the ESCAP Human Resources Development Award was established to honour exemplary work in human resources development, advisory services were provided to Governments on request, research was conducted on various human resources development issues, and the publication of the ESCAP HRD Newsletter was initiated. 60. The current revision of the Plan focuses on the broader structural adjustments and institutional changes which were envisaged in the original Plan under phase III, initially intended to cover the period 1996-2000. The present revision of the Plan calls for the initiation of phase III in 1994. It is envisaged that, during that phase, Governments and other participating sectors will continue to work towards a more coordinated approach to human resources development, including the elaboration of comprehensive human resources development policies, plans and programmes in line with the new features of the revised Plan. ESCAP will continue to support such efforts, with particular emphasis on capacity-building at the national level, focusing on the training dimension. 61. Upon the completion of phase III of the Plan in the year 2000, the Commission will take stock of the progress achieved in its implementation, review the further work that may be required, and propose a new set of phased cycles in line with the region's changing needs and priorities. |
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