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UNESCO. Programme de participation

• UNESCO. Participation Programme

• PP

1955 -

The Participation Programme provides a means by which UNESCO can fund initiatives of Member States or NGOs that were not foreseen in the Regular Programme, but which fall within UNESCO’s fields of competence and current programme priorities. The Participation Programme makes funds available from the regular budget for either a direct financial contribution, or UNESCO implementation of the following forms of assistance: specialist and consultant services; study grants and fellowships; publications, periodicals and documentation; equipment; and, conferences, meetings, seminars or training courses (UNESCO, 2010).

Under UNESCO’s Programme and Budget for 1955-1956 (8 C/5), assistance for unplanned activities was provided to Member States through a programme called “Technical Aid Services for Special Activities” or “Aid to Member States.” The title “Participation Programme” was first used in the Programme and Budget for the following biennium (9 C/5, 1957-1958). In his introduction to this document, Director-General Luther Evans stated his belief that many of UNESCO’s initiatives in the field of special activities should “…cross over to the Participation Programme… Many of the activities were initiated by the Organization only in a purely formal sense. They were mostly brought to our attention by individual Member States who had inadequate opportunities of securing UNESCO’s support in any other way” (UNESCO, 2010). The objectives and operational modalities of the Programme are determined specifically and in full by a resolution of the General Conference at each session and in the framework of the approved C/5 budget (UNESCO, Executive Board, 191st Session).

The resulting flexibility of the Programme means that its procedures have evolved over time. The General Conference determines the budget amount to be dedicated to the Participation Programme and may set priority themes (capacity building of National Commissions, Culture of Peace, Africa, youth, etc.). UNESCO Field Offices have been given the responsibility to assist National Commissions in the preparation of requests. The Director-General and the UNESCO Secretariat approve the requests submitted according to criteria explained in the General Conference resolution in force and following internal procedures documented in the current Handbook, Guide or Administrative Manual item. With slight variations over time, the workflow within the Secretariat is as follows: 1) unit responsible for relations with member states receives the requests; 2) requests directed to programme sector for comments on substance, and also potentially forwarded to units responsible for procurement and budget for additional comments; 3) comments sent to Deputy Director-General (1966-1981) or an intersectoral committee (since 2000) for comparative intersectoral review; 4) final decision by Deputy Director-General (1960-1966, 1988-1992) or Director-General (1966-1988, since 1992) 5) unit responsible for relations with member states sends notification; 6) financial services allot and distribute funds; 7) programme sector or field office follows implementation (1966-2010) or reviews financial and evaluation reports sent by member states or NGOs (since 2010). The Director-General submits a list of approved projects and reports on the overall implementation of the Programme to the Executive Board.

In 1989, the General Conference approved the use of Participation Programme funds for emergency assistance programmes. After an emergency, a Member State can seek assistance which has an expedited process for approval and implementation. A percentage of the Participation Programme budget is reserved for such cases. Another change to the Programme came in 1999 when the 30th Session of the General Conference decided that Intergovernmental Organizations could no longer make requests.

Limits to the amount of requests accepted from member states, NGOs, and on a regional basis, and to the amount given for each request were introduced over time to address the disparity between demand and funds available. The growth of the Programme is demonstrated by these limits. A limit to the maximum number of requests per Member State was first established during the 28th Session of the General Conference in 1995. Member States were asked to submit a maximum of 15 requests at that time, which was reduced by the General Conference to 12 requests maximum by its 31st Session in 2002, then to 10 requests by its 33rd Session in 2005, and then reduced again to 7 requests by its 37th Session in 2013. Whereas the limit to the amount that could be granted was set at $10,000 in 1960, in 2001 the limits were: $46,000 for regional activities, $35,000 for interregional and sub-regional activities and $25,000 for emergency assistance activities. Overall in 1955, 105 requests were received for an amount totaling $2,000,000. In answer to these requests, a total of $1,099,330 was allocated. For the biennium 2012-2013, as of August 2012, 1,263 requests were received for an amount totaling $33,250,266. From this, as of September 2013, a total of $11,905,125 was allocated which was nearly 100% of the overall appropriation for the Participation Programme as voted by the General Conference.

The Participation Programme has been audited or evaluated on a number of occasions, including, most recently, a 2013 external audit and a 2008 internal evaluation. These audits have drawn attention to the staff time required to process requests and the dispersed nature of the wide variety of themes approved. The 2013 audit also recommended the codification of the Programme by means of Statutes voted upon by the General Conference.

While multiple UNESCO units work on the Participation Programme, the following units have had primary administrative responsibility: Technical Assistance Department, [Aid to Member States] 1955-1957; Bureau of Relations with Member States,1957-1969; Bureau of Relations with Members States and International Organizations and Programmes, Division of Relations with Member States (RMO/RMS), 1969-1975; Cooperation for Development and External Relations (CPX),1975-1985; Sector for External Relations and Public Information (REX) 1985-1987; Sector for External Relations/Office of External Relations (REX/RMO) 1987-1989; Bureau of the Budget, Participation Programme Unit (BB/PP), 1989-1992; Bureau for External Relations, Participation Programme and Emergency Assistance Co-ordination Unit (BRX/PPE),1992-2000; Sector for External Relations and Cooperation, Participation Programme Section (ERC/RMS/PP), 2000-2005; Sector for External Relations and Cooperation, Participation Programme Section (ERC/RSC/PP), 2006-2010; Sector for External Relations and Public Information, Participation Programme Section (ERI/RSC/PP), 2010-2011; Sector for External Relations and Public Information, Participation Programme Section (ERI/NCS/PPE), 2011-2013; and Sector for External Relations and Public Information, Participation Programme and Fellowships (ERI/MSP/PPF), 2013-.

UNESCO. Programme of Aid to Member States (1955 - 1956)

UNESCO. Section du Programme de participation et des bourses (2013-06-26 -)

UNESCO. Section du Programme de participation (2011-01-26 - 2013-06-25)

UNESCO. Section du Programme de participation (2000-10-01 - 2011-01-25)

UNESCO. Unité de coordination du Programme de participation et de l'aide d'urgence (1992-07-29 - 2000-09-30)

UNESCO. Unité du Programme de participation (1989-07-01 - 1992-07-28)

UNESCO. Office des relations extérieures (1985-07-27 - 1989-06-30)

UNESCO. Division des relations avec les États membres

UNESCO. Bureau des relations avec les Ètats membres (1957-02-04 - 1969-10-31)

UNESCO. Département de l'assistance technique

UNESCO. Secteur pour la coopération en vue du développement et les relations extérieures (1975-11-01 - 1985-07-26)

Following RAD Rule 24.1A, authorized form of name comes from the Terminology Database as reference source.

Stub created by AWT 19-12-2013. Administrative History added, AWT, 18-11-2014. Review by Chief Archivist, 3-11-2014.

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