5: Communicating as One Section
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ommunicating as One is critical for ensuring the strategic positioning of the UN in Rwanda in terms of its internal and external communication. Very fundamental to the relevance of the One UN will also be what is being communicated and how it is communicated. The UN will focus on developing common messages and policy positions; strengthening the outreach of the UN system by pooling efforts; supporting communication about the UN comparative advantages in the country to Communicating as One will improve both internal and external stakethe efficiency and holders; and avoiding message effectiveness of duplication, inconsistencies and the UN and also fragmentation. It implies develbring to the fore the added value oping common messaging and for the successful joint communication on key isimplementation of sues where the UN is active in the “Delivering as the country. One” with external partners and UN staff
The UNCG (United Nations Communication Group) will play a vital role in promoting the Communicating as One principle.
Structure and Composition of the UNCG The UNCG will be represented by communications focal points of all United Nations Agencies operating in Rwanda, including humanitarian agencies. It will be chaired by a UNCT member or the most senior Information/ communication Officer of any UN agency represented in the country. Recognizing that communications specialists are present in only a few UN agencies, communications focal points will be appointed by UN agencies as they may deem appropriate. An alternate will also be appointed whenever possible. RCO communication specialist will act as the Secretariat for the UNCG. The UN Communication group will be responsible for: 1. Identifying new and creative ways to show how UN programmes are delivering results (emphasizing interagency collaboration); 2. Promoting a coherent communication of the United Nations in Rwanda; 3. Serving as an advisory board to UNCT on strategic media and communication matters. 4. Facilitating the communication of the UN Reforms and other strategic policy decisions taken at the HQ level; 5. Increasing the United Nations profile among the media at the national and/or regional level.
A communications strategy will be developed which is aimed at promoting the United Nations in Rwanda as a family that speaks with One Voice on key development and humanitarian issues facing the people of Rwanda. The strategy will seek to increase stakeholder awareness and/or ownership of key UN achievements; ensure the awareness of Delivering as One processes and vision among the staff members and strengthen partnership and Resource mobilization efforts among others. The Communication Group will thus support the implementation of the UN Communications strategy as a whole. Since communication is one of the strategic pillars of the Delivering as One, the UNCG, in collaboration with the One UN Steering Committee and Heads of Agencies (HoA), will enhance the impact of UN Agency Programmes in the areas of Development and/or Humanitarian Assistance in Rwanda, in response to national needs and priorities. In addition to the communications strategy, a knowledge management strategy will be developed that will enable the UN to apply knowledge to improve effectiveness, innovation and the quality of its work. It will be quintessential in turning personal knowledge into corporate knowledge, and corporate knowledge into individual capacity. Knowledge Management will be a viable and effective programme and advocacy strategy to enhance the effectiveness of UN support to national development in Rwanda. The aim is to change the UNCT from being a predominant holder and broadcaster of information into an interactive sharer of appropriate knowledge at all levels (within and between agencies and other stakeholders, as well as with countries in the region), changing from the current structure of within-agency knowledge sharing to a common UN-wide knowledge sharing. A well-implemented knowledge management strategy will allow: a) appropriate expertise available to all agencies and clients, when needed; b) a culture of building human networks of competence for delivery of specific solutions, rather than the production of documents or databases; c) a more coordinated and coherent knowledge of products, which is more attractive and convincing with respect to donors and private investors; d) Partnerships spreading across recipients of UN services in Rwanda.
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