Executive Direction and Management

Executive Office, 10 June 2009

The Executive Office formulates policy, ensures effective management and oversees UNHCR activities worldwide. It designates corporate and programmatic priorities in consultation with senior management and endeavours to secure political and financial support for the Office. The Executive Office comprises the High Commissioner, the Deputy High Commissioner, the two Assistant High Commissioners and the Chef Cabinet with their staff. The Inspector General's Office and UNHCR's office in New York report directly to the High Commissioner. The Policy Development and Evaluation Service also reports to the High Commissioner; however functional oversight is exercised by the two Assistant High Commissioners.

In 2008, an Ethics Office was established to ensure that all staff members understand, observe and perform their functions consistent with the highest standards of integrity as well as to foster a culture of ethics, respect, transparency and accountability. A key responsibility of the Ethics Office will be to implement the recently issued policy on protection of individuals who report misconduct or who participate in audits, inspections, investigations, inquiries or in the work of the Mediator's Office against retaliation of any kind. The Director of the Ethics Office reports directly to the High Commissioner.

The Inspector General's Office (IGO) contributes to the management of UNHCR's operations by carrying out the following three core oversight functions: 1) performing standard inspections of operations; 2) performing investigations of possible misconduct by UNHCR personnel; and 3) performing inquiries into violent attacks on UNHCR personnel and operations as well as other incidents causing loss or damage to the Office's credibility or assets.

IGO inspections bring about changes in the overall management of UNHCR's operations. In addition to standard inspections, incipient management problems are addressed through ad hoc inspections. As part of its efforts to ensure that inspection recommendations are implemented in a timely manner, the IGO follows up on inspection recommendations until they are deemed to have been fully implemented. Compliance missions are included in the annual inspection programme. In 2009, the IGO is introducing a new electronic survey instrument, enabling more detailed feedback to operations managers and their teams prior to departing from the inspected operation. This tool will improve transparency and facilitate the identification of trends that could benefit from policy review.

In 2009, the IGO will train additional staff to investigate misconduct through its revised Investigation Learning Programme. This training will increase the support from field-based staff in investigations. During the next two years, the IGO aims to reinforce its capacity to undertake computer-based fact finding. The delegation of authority for discipline of staff members has prompted the IGO, the Division of Human Resources Management and the Legal Advice Section to work closer together to monitor the disposition of cases after their investigation is concluded. This is also to prepare for the integration of UNHCR's investigative and disciplinary mechanisms into the new UN Justice System which will be introduced in 2009. In this respect, the IGO's Investigation Unit will continue to ensure coordination and consistent application of standards. The reform of the UN Justice System also requires UNHCR to review internal procedures during 2009 and 2010, in order to ensure that the standard of its reports meet any new evidentiary standards of tribunals composed of professional judges. The IGO will maintain close links with UNHCR's informal conflict resolution mechanisms such as the Mediator and the Ethics Office. These links promote solution-oriented approaches to inappropriate behaviour that does not amount to misconduct.

The Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES) is located in the High Commissioner's Office and works closely with the Assistant High Commissioners for Operations and Protection. The Service is responsible for the formulation of global policies on crosscutting operational issues, manages UNHCR's evaluation function, and undertakes and publishes research on refugee, humanitarian and migration issues. The primary objective of the Service is to bring greater effectiveness and efficiency to the Office's operations and to ensure that the organization's policies are coherent and consistent, thereby maximizing the impact of UNHCR's efforts to provide protection and solutions to people of concern.

In 2009, PDES' work will be structured around a number of principal themes: refugee protection in the context of international migration and mixed movements of people; UNHCR's role in the return and reintegration of displaced populations; protracted refugee situations; humanitarian action in urban areas; the implications of humanitarian and United Nations reform for the work of UNHCR; climate change, natural disasters and forced displacement; and UNHCR's accountability to its beneficiaries. The Service will address these themes in an integrated manner, combining policy development, evaluation and research.

In addition, the Service will take further steps to strengthen UNHCR's policy development and evaluation function. This objective will be pursued by providing appropriate training to staff, by reviewing and reinforcing UNHCR's evaluation policy and procedures, and by enhanced cooperation with the evaluation units of other humanitarian organizations. The Service will continue to make use of innovative evaluation methodologies and to work in accordance with the principles of independence, transparency, integrity and consultation.

UNHCR's office in New York seeks to ensure that displacement issues are on the agenda of United Nations proceedings in New York and that the needs and priorities of refugees, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and other populations of concern are taken into account in all relevant UN New York decision-making fora. The New York office will continue to give priority to the discussions in the UN Security Council, particularly those relating to countries where there are UN peacekeeping or peacebuilding operations. The office builds and strengthens partnerships within the UN system, the diplomatic community and non-governmental partners. The New York office will also promote awareness about UNHCR and refugee issues and support the efforts of the Division of External Relations and the Regional Office in Washington to mobilize resources from private sector in New York.

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