UNISDR was established in 2000 to serve as the focal point within the UN system for the coordination of strategies and programs for natural disaster risk reduction (DRR). The bulk of Australia’s funding for UNISDR under our partnership agreement is allocated to support the work of their Asia-Pacific office.
The Multilateral Performance Assessment (MPA) confirmed that UNISDR is achieving results with clear evidence of impact across the full spectrum of UNISDR’s mandate. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2016-2030 (agreed in March 2015 and adopted by 185 UN member states) is a key result of UNISDR’s global DRR advocacy efforts. With the support of its partners, UNISDR positioned DRR as an essential element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. The MPA suggested better streamlining of reporting to minimise the burden on countries and maximise the value of countries’ inputs. UNISDR’s relevance and alignment with Australia’s priorities was assessed as strong, particularly the aid program’s strategic objective to build disaster resilience. UNISDR’s engagement with the private sector was also acknowledged as strong, together with their utilisation of innovative approaches and engagement in the Asia-Pacific to support risk-informed development. Internally, UNISDR’s work was assessed as effectively monitored and reported.
On partnership behaviour and contribution to wider multilateral system, UNISDR’s leadership of the UN family and broader global community on DRR was recognised and the importance of their role in overseeing implementation of the Sendai Framework – the global blueprint for DRR over the next fifteen years. UNISDR also rated well on value for money, with the MPA noting improvements adopted to better capture and utilise performance information, as well as UNISDR’s improved focus on evidence-based decision-making.
In terms of areas for improvement, the MPA noted that on organisational capacity UNISDR’s field presence is light relative to the number of countries they are seeking to service, and that while there is evidence staff have appropriate technical and sectoral expertise, there is room for improvement to build expertise. Under organisational governance, UNISDR was assessed as having adequate risk management systems in place and strong leadership, with the Special Representative to the UN Secretary General on DRR helping to build a prominent global profile for DRR.
UN Women
Australia contributed $8.2 million in core funding to UN Women in 2015-16.
Multilateral Performance Assessment: UN Women
Overview of performance
Results and Impact
Good
Partnership Behaviour
Good
Relevance and Alignment
Good
Organisational Capacity
Good
Value for Money
Adequate
Organisational Governance
Good
Summary of assessment
UN Women is a key partner for Australia. Its triple mandate of normative support, coordination and operational functions provides an effective platform for delivering results on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Its priorities align with Australia’s aid program and DFAT’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy. It is an important partner in a number of country and regional programs as well as globally, where UN Women is well aligned with Australia’s advocacy activities. UN Women provides substantive support to intergovernmental bodies, in particular the Commission on the Status of Women, and engages with a broad range of other bodies, including the private sector
UN Women has performed solidly with regard to results and impact although performance of country offices between and within regions varies. This is demonstrated by regular performance evaluations of its work to ensure accountability, evidence-based decision-making, and the accomplishment of its strategic goals. It has a commitment to performance evaluation and strong accountability and audit processes. UN Women has reduced its management costs with adequate value for money processes in place. It operates in accordance with the UN System’s program management, anti-corruption and fraud prevention directives. UN Women undertakes regular audits of its program through the independent Office of Audit and Investigation.
UN Women is still a relatively new organisation within the UN system and continues to build its reputation for delivering transformative gender equality outcomes. UN Women faces the challenge of not receiving its target funding, this is in spite of having a very wide donor base. It has had to adjust to its current funding environment. It is operating in a crowded space, competing with other organisations with an interest in gender equality. One response has been its Flagship Programme Initiatives which are high-impact, scalable programs that aim to ensure UN Women is fit for purpose to deliver results and achieve its strategic plan. The initiatives provide it with access to high-quality, non-core funding to complement its core resources, which are critical for program delivery and future non-core funding development.
Australia values the good working relationship it has with UN Women, particularly the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Australia is supportive of UN Women’s work with women with disabilities and encourages it to highlight those achievements. DFAT has also encouraged UN Women to improve its communications and better share its news and resources with stakeholders.
Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund)
Australia contributed $83 million in core funding to the Global Fund in 2015-16.
Multilateral Performance Assessment: Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria
Overview of performance
Results and Impact
Good
Partnership Behaviour
Good
Relevance and Alignment
Good
Organisational Capacity
Good
Value for Money
Good
Organisational Governance
Good
Summary of assessment
The MPA confirmed the Global Fund is a strong, responsive development partner for Australia. Evidence of impact is robust. Global Fund-supported programs have saved over 20 million lives since 2002, including 10 million in the Indo-Pacific region. Between 2012 and 2015, Global Fund investments averted 146 million infections across the three diseases. The Global Fund makes a major contribution to regional health security, financing efforts to combat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and artemisinin resistant malaria.
The MPA recognised the significant reforms undertaken by the Global Fund over its 2012-2016 Strategy period, including on fraud prevention and control. The Global Fund has also greatly improved its strategic leadership and governance, and made financing more predictable through a needs-based allocation methodology. Tensions within the Global Fund model remain. The need for strong fiduciary risk management can result in a reticence to use government systems. The need for robust data and reporting can often result in an administratively heavy approach. This is particularly evident in Pacific Island countries where the administrative workload of managing grants is high relative to their size. In 2016, the Fund began implementing a differentiated approach to grant management which will increase flexibility and reduce reporting requirements for smaller portfolios. Australia expects to see improvement in the efficiency of investments in our region.
The Global Fund’s counterpart financing requirements have helped increase domestic investment in health. The Global Fund is a world leader in mobilising private sector finance and expertise. The Global Fund works with private sector organisations such as Coca-Cola, Munich Re and Standard Bank to improve supply chains and help tailor approaches to risk and financial management. Working with partners and pooling procurement, the Fund has driven down the price of key health commodities – reducing the price of insecticide-treated bed nets by 38 per cent since 2013, and of antiretroviral drugs by 25 per cent since 2014.
While the Global Fund has increased its investment in health systems in recent years, sustainability of the programs it supports remains a challenge. In April 2016, the Global Fund Board approved a Sustainability, Transition and Co-financing Policy to improve analysis and embed sustainability measures in all country grants. It also approved a Challenging Operating Environments Policy allowing it to work more flexibly in the most difficult contexts. The Global Fund’s 2017-22 Strategy has an intensified focus on building resilient and sustainable systems for health and on addressing gender inequality. The Global Fund’s long-term success in ending the epidemics will be critically dependent on these welcome policy initiatives being effectively operationalised.
