Personnel Questions

A/RES/35/210View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 98 Personnel questions, published in 1981.

What else is in this group?

41 documents · 1979–1993

Newer documents in this group exist (latest: 1993).

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
1993	A/RES/47/226[IV]	Personnel questions	—	–
1993	A/RES/47/226[III]	Personnel questions	—	–
1993	A/RES/47/226[II]	Personnel questions	—	–
1993	A/RES/47/226[I]	Personnel questions	—	–
1993	A/RES/47/226	Personnel questions	—	–

This group bundles related documents that are not individually ordered.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Career Development Employment Geographical Distribution Professional Staff Retirement Women

What’s in this document?

49 operative paragraphs

This extracted fulltext may contain errors or omissions. Please check the source document.

Decides to terminate the activities identified in the Secretary-General's report as obsolete, ineffective or of marginal usefulness, taking into consideration the opinions of competent bodies;

Approves the proposals of the Set:retary-General that an integrated and comprehensive procedure for the identification of completed, obsolete, ineffective and marginally useful activities should be established within the framework of the planning, programming and budgeting cycles of the United Nations:

Requests, to this end, the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination at its twenty-first session to undertake, in the context of its consideration of programme priority setting, a comprehensive study of this subject and to submit its conclusions to the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1981 and to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session:

Transmits the report of the Secretary-General to the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination for

further consideration at its twenty-first session:

Requests the Secretary-General in the meantime to identify obsolete, marginally useful and ineffective activities, in the preparation of the programme budget for the biennium 1982-1983, for the consideration of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions in their examinations of the programme budget proposals;

Endorses the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions that the submission of a full and 1:omprehensive report on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 3534 (XXX) and subsequent resolutions

affirming it, requested by the Assembly in its resolution 34/225, be deferred until the thirty-seventh session.

35 /210.

Personnel questions

Requests the Secretary-General to continue toestahlish a target of 40 per cent of all vacancies arising in Professional posts subject to geographical distribution during the period 1981-1982 for the appointment of nationals of unrepresented and under-represented countries. in order to ensure that all such countries achieve their desirable ranges during that biennium. while ensuring that the representation of countries which are within desirable ranges does not decrease;

Requests the Secretary-General to establish and pursue an active recruitment policy in order to raise the levels of personnel recruited from unrepresented and under-represented countries and countries below the midpoint of their desirable ranges to the extent possible towards this midpl)int:

Reaffirms that no post should be considered the exclusive preserve of any Member State, or group of States, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that this principle is applied faithfully in accordance with the principle of equitable geographical distribution;

Requests the Secretary-General to continue to permit replacement by candidates of the same nationality within a reasonable time-frame in respect of posts held by staff members on fixed-term contracts, whenever this is necessary to ensure that the representation of Member States whose nationals serve primarily on fixed-term contracts is not adversely affected;

Reqffinns the need to increase the representation of developing countries in senior and policy-formulating posts, while safeguarding the principle of equitable geographical distribution in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;

Reaffirms the need to apply the regulations regarding the age of retirement and not to grant exceptions beyond six months after the established age of retirement:

II

Having considerf'd the report of the Secretary-General on the geographica I distribution of Professional staff in the Secretariat.'"

I.

Requests the Secretary-General to calculate new desirable ranges for all Member States, to apply from

VIII.January 198 I, on the basis of the following initial criteria:

The base figure for the calculations will be 3,350 posts;

The membership factor will be based on 7.75 as the midpoint of the minimum desirable range:

The population factor, to which 240 posts shall be allocated, will be directly related to the populations of the various regions and be distributed among the regions in proportion to their populations:

The contribution factor will be based on the distribution of the remaining posts in proportion to the scale of assessments;

The upper and lower limits of each range will be based on a flexibility of 15 per cent up or down from the midpoint but not less than 5.75 posts up or down:

Decides that, in future, 10 out of every additional I 00 posts shall be added to the population factor, and the remaining posts shall be assigned equally to the membership and contribution factors:

Decides further to review at its forty-first session the question of desirable ranges, taking into account the concept of parity between the membership and contribution factors and discussions on this concept at the thirty-fifth session:

III

Conscious of the need to define objective methods of recruitment in order to ensure the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly,

Requests the Secretary-General to implement the procedures and mechanisms for recruitment and appointment described in the annex to the present resolution and to report to the General Assembly annually on their implementation:

IV

Recalling its resolution 1436 (XIV) of 5 December 1959, in which it recommended, inter a/ia, that the Secretary-General's endeavours to increase the number of the Secretariat staff appointed on fixed-term contracts should be continued and encouraged,

Noting the growing tendency to increase the number of fixed-term appointments of staff in various organizations of the United Nations system,

Concerned about the limited progress in the establishment of a policy of career development,

A ware of the divergent views on such matters as various concepts of career, types of appointment and career development expressed, inter alia, in the reports of the Joint Inspection Unit and the International Civil Service Commission,

Recognizing the need to study further those matters and their impact on the implementation of Article IOI of the Charter of the United Nations and personnel policy reforms,

Requests the International Civil Service Commission and the Joint Inspection Unit to study further the subjects of the concepts of career, types of appointment, career development and related questions and to submit separate reports thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session:

Invites the International Civil Service Commission and the Joint Inspection Unit to co-operate in the drafting of those two reports:

V

Noting resolution 24 adopted by the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women 40 and the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the status of women in the Professional category and above in the United Nations system, 1'

Expressing deep concern at the lack of progress in increasmg the proportion of women in the Secretariat,

Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures to implement fully the provisions of section III of General Assembly resolution 33 / 143;

Calls upon Member States to continue their endeavours to assist the United Nations and the specialized agencies to increase the proportion of women in the Professional category and above, inter alia, by nominating more women candidates;

Calls upon the Secretary-General and the executive heads of the other organizations of the United Nations system to end all forms of discrimination based upon sex in recruitment, conditions of employment, assignment, training and promotion;

Requests the Secretary-General and the executive heads of the other organizations of the United Nations system, in pursuit of these objectives:

To increase the proportion of women, particularly at the senior levels, in accordance with the principle of equitable geographical distribution, and on personnel advisory and administrative boards, so as to meet the target set in General Assembly resolution 33/143 and in resolution 24 of the World Conference o the United Nations Decade for Women;

To amend staff rules which inbihit the employment of spouses in the same organization or duty station and to extend the practice of part-time employment and flexible working hours as soon as possible;

To ensure that staff members employed in organizations of the United Nations system are not subject to sexual harassment in their place of work or in connexion with their work:

To ensure further that women employed in the organizations of the United Nations system are not discriminated against because of their sex;

To intensify efforts to eliminate prejudices and other factors which work against the recognition of women's capabilities and the improvement of their status within organizations of the United Nations system;

Requests the Secretary-General and the executive heads of the other organizations of the United Nations system to examine additional measures that will advance the attainment of the policy directives concerning the appointment, promotion and assignment of women in the secretariats, including the possibility of designating a senior official to co-ordinate these functions;

Requests the Joint Inspection Unit to continue to monitor developments and to report to the General Assembly not later than at its thirty-seventh session:

Requests the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, to report to the General Assembly, at its thirty-sixth session, on progress made in the organiza-

. "' See Report of the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality. Development and Peace, Copenhagen, 14-30 July /980 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.80.IV.3 and corrigendum). chap. I, sect. B.

tions of the United Nations system in the recruitment, conditions of employment, career development and promotion of women in the Professional category and above;

VI I.

Decides that the application of the provision of General Assembly resolutions dealing with mandatory retirement at the age of 60 shall not be rigorously applied to locally recruited General Service staff who were already employed by the Organization prior to December 1978 and will have less than 20 years' contributory service in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund at the age of 60;

Takes note of the work of the Panel to Investigate Allegations of Discriminatory Treatment in the United Nations Se~retariat and requests the Secretary- General to continue to provide the Panel with the necessary facilities for its activities;

Reiterates its requests to the Secretary-General that Professional staff of the United Nations should be

encouraged to work at more than one duty station and that satisfactory performance during such tours of duty should be considered an additional positive factor in evaluating them for promotion.

Decides, as an exception to its resolution 35/5 of 20 October 1980, to establish a Committee of Governmental Experts to Evaluate the Present Structure of the Secretariat in the Administrative, Finance and Personnel Areas, which should submit a report prior to the thirty-sixth session of the General Assembly;

Requests the Secretary-General to appoint sc:venteen experts through consultations with regional groups and with due regard to equitable geographical distribution;

Requests the Committee to take fully into account the views expressed in the Fifth Committee during the discussions of the relevant items on the agenda of the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly;

Requests the Secretary-General, pending and without prejudice to the decision to be taken by the General Assembly during its thirty-sixth session on the above-mentioned report, to take such interim measures, within the existing administrative structure, as to ensure that the Office of Personnel Services has the authority necessary to implement effectively the personnel policies outlined in the relevant resolutions of the Assembly.

' 1 A/C.5/35/48.

35/212. Respect for the privileges and immunities of officials of the United Nations and the specialized agencies

Appeals to all Member States to respect the privileges and immunities accorded to officials of the United Nations and the specialized agencies by the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of 13 February 1946 and by the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies of 21 November 1947;

Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of all organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system with the request to furnish information on cases in which there are clear indications that the status of the staff members of such organizations has not been fully respected;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit, on behalf of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, a report to the General Assembly containing any cases in which the international status of the staff members of the United Nations or of the specialized agencies has not been fully respected.

,, E/1980/34.

'' Resolution 22 A (I).

" Resolution 179 (II)

1 '

BASIC PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS 1.

All posts shall be classified at each level of grades by occupashall be published.

(a) Occupations for which it is reasonable to expect several vacancies each year;

(b) Those for which recruitmenl will be open only at widely spaced intervals.

For posts falling under category 2 (a), job descriptions shall be the main functions, the minimum level of qualifications and the desirable supplementary qualifications.

existing job description. All changes in existing job descriptions and proval to the Office of Personnel Services, justified by references to

fice of Personnel Services by the substantive departments as far in advance as possible of the actual departure date.

In order to increase the number of candidates from unrepre- (a)

Timely and frequent publicity shall be made regarding vacan-

Services to implement the personnel and recruitment policies adopted (b) the Office of Personnel Services and the substantive departments shall be sent.

ANNl·Al. WORK PI.AN 0~ RECRUITMENT 8.

In order to facilitate the search for and the appointment of of recruitment shall be established. The plan shall indicate:

(a) The targets to be reached during the year as to the number of (b) tablished by the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly; such as competitive examinations, publicity or recruitment missions.

USH)f COMPETITIV!c MEl HODS AT TfH. P-1 AND P-2 LEVELS IO.

At the P-1 and P-2 levels, recruitment shall be made as a rule follows:

(a) Movement of staff from the General Service category to the Professional category shall continue to be limited to 30 per cent of the

General Assembly resolution 33 / 143 of 20 December 1978. No excep- (b)

For the remaining 70 per cent of posts at the P-1 and P-2 levels. a transitional plan ending 3 I December I 982 shall be established for due regard paid to the principle of equitable geographical distribution.

shall contain measures to protect the confidentiality and objectivity of

first-level university degree. The examinations should be based on written tests in one of the official languages of the United Nations, inand personal interview. They may be organized simultaneously by groups of countries, but a given number of vacancies should be defined and offered to each country in advance, taking into account shall be established from which all P-1 and P-2 posts will be filled.

IV.

M!-THOIJSOI· Rl:CRlllTMFNTATTfff P-J I l'VEI ANIJABOVF 11. several vacancies each year, as stated in section I. paragraph 2 (a). above, shall be communicated to Member States, together with the the preceding year, and applications for candidatures shall be requested on this basis.

Vacancy announcements for all posts shall t,, ;ssued without delay as soon as vacancies are known.

I 3.

from minimum standards established by the Office of Personnel Services for posts and occupations shall be put into the roster of external candidates. This roster shall be modernized rapidly and rendered operable Regulations and R ulcs of the United Nations.

V 111.

(a) 16,

Recruitment procedures for posts subject to geographical distribution in the United Nations Secretariat

tion, this concept meaning "posts having largely comparable functions and the same entrance level qualifications". This classification

Distinction shall be made between:

complemented by an "occupational description•·, which will outline

The vacancy announcement for all posts shall incorporate the

the content of job descriptions of new posts shall be submitted for ap-

changes in programmes approved by intergovernmental bodies.

All pending departures of staff shall be made known to the Of-

No prior commitments for appointments shall be made by the substantive departments.

sented and under-represented countries and of women candidates:

cies and recruitment of personnel, in co-operation with Member States, through information media, United Nations offices, universities and professional organizations, including women's organizations whenever appropriate, so as to enable the Office of Personnel

by States Members of the Organization:

Regular recruitment missions composed of officials from both

II.

qualified candidates, particularly from unrepresented and underrepresented countries and from among women, an annual work plan

General data on the estimated number of recruitments by grade and broad occupational groups:

candidates to be recruited from unrepresented and under-represented countries and among women, in accordance with the targets es-

The various means by which recruitment will be undertaken.

The Secretary-General will report to the General Assembly each year on the implementation of the plan.

Ill.

through competitive examinations. This principle shall be applied as

total number of posts available for appointment at these levels and is to be regulated exclusively through competitive examinations under the conditions outlined in section I. paragraphs I (g) and (i), of

tions shall be authorized.

applying progressively the method of competitive examination, with

Competitive examinations under the plan shall be devised on a national basis, in consultation with the Governments concerned. They

the methods of selection and to ensure that the methods of testing take into account the cultural and linguistic diversity of the membership of the United Nations. They shall be geared to candidates with at least a

cluding a general test, specialized examination by occupational groups

the geographical representation of each Member State. A reserve list

The list of occupations for which it is reasonable to expect

corresponding "occupation description" not later than I October of

All applications received candidates meeting the

and efficient. A roster of internal candidates should be developed and organized along the same lines and used in accordance with the Staff

For each post open to recruitment a dossier shall be established comprising:

A list of all potential qualified candidates, indicating name, nationality, sex, age and qualifica•· ~<- this list shall be drawn from the roster;

Their ranking by -rder of preference established by the substantive department concerned in consultation with lhe Office of Personnel Services;

A summary of the interviews of the candidates considered most suitable. This dossier shall be made available to the Appointment and Promotion Committee and the Appc,int,nent and Promotion Board.

15. For the evaluations of the candida, ·s, the Office of Personnel Services, in consultation with the substantive c ·;,artments concerned, shall take into account the t.argets indicated in the annual recruitment work plan.

If the substantive department and the Office of Personnel Services agree on the selection of one candidate, this recommended candidate will be proposed for appointment, in accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. If there is no agreement, the matter shall be submitted for advice to lhe Appointment and Promotion Committee and the Appointment and Promotion Board. If no solution is found, the Secretary-General or his designated representative will take the final decision.

17,

The qualifications, nationality and sex of selected candidates shall be indicated on a list to be published twice a year and communicated to the delegations of Member States.

35 /211.

Establishment of the Committee of Governmental Experts to Evaluate the Present Structure of the Secretariat in the Administrative,

Finance and Personnel Areas