Plan's Guidelines for UN Engagement

PLAN’S GUIDELINES FOR

UN ENGAGEMENT

PLAN’S GUIDELINES FOR UN ENGAGEMENT

Table of Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Coordination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Coordination when Engaging with the UN in Geneva and New York.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Coordination when Engaging with the UN Outside Geneva and New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Coordination when Engaging with the UN at Country-Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Internal Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

External Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Accreditation and Enagement in Geneva and New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Engagement in Geneva and New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Accreditation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Child Participation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Accountability.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 Form I: Plan Geneva/New York Visit Form Form II: Plan Geneva/New York Visit Checklist Form III: Plan UN Accreditation (Short Form) Form IV: Plan UN Accreditation (Long Form)

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Photo: Š Plan Ineternationsl

One Plan Voice at the UN – Unified Effective Professional

Introduction The Guidelines for UN Engagement is Plan’s official guidance document for engaging with the UN – both at headquarters in Geneva and New York, and for country-based UN agencies.

Its purpose is to harmonize and professionalize Plan’s engagement with the UN at all levels.

By unifying and systematizing the process by which all Plan staff, teams, and offices work with the UN, our work in this area will be more efficient and effective, presenting unified and professional organization to UN partners and counterparts. This will enable Plan to reach its goal of One Plan at the UN. As Plan has decided to scale up its advocacy and activities in the international arena, a clear and coordinated voice at the UN is absolutely necessary for Plan to be effective and to present a professional and expert image; in addition to avoiding confusion, contradictory messages, and overlap. The guidelines are therefore a critical component to implementing the One Plan UN Strategy. Its value will be felt through improved coordination, cooperation, and communication resulting from increased clarity in roles and coherence in procedures.

The UN is a complex, multi-bodied organisation, with convoluted and, at times, contradicting systems and procedures. The two Plan UN Offices are here to help Plan staff work in and around the UN. We can provide the support and technical guidance so that Plan can work to achieve the best possible outcome, where we speak with One Voice. The two Plan UN Offices are Plan’s face and first point of contact with the UN. Accordingly, our joint efforts will be most effective if Plan staff work through the Plan UN Offices in relation to joint events/ activities, sharing of best practices, influencing policy, and advocacy with the UN. It is essential that every Plan interaction with the UN be heard and perceived as representing Plan International; there must be consistency and commonality in the messaging and knowledge that is shared. Documentation prepared for, and submitted to, the UN should be equally consistent and representative, and always submitted under the name of Plan International, Inc. Further to this, if Plan is to demonstrate to

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ECOSOC1, and by extension to the UN and Permanent Missions, that it is an organization of the calibre required for General Consultative Status, and the level and access to the UN that such status bestows, it is important that we are all seen as representing One Plan. A clear, unified and systematic approach to our work at the UN will earn Plan recognition and respect as a coherent and effective child rights leader that should be sought out and heard.

activities with UNICEF Country Offices (COs).

For this reason, we will consider separately coordination issues relating to engagement with the UN: • In Geneva and New York; • Outside Geneva and New York; and • At country-level.

To help facilitate all coordination and communication with and between the two Plan UN Offices and the rest of Plan, it is a good idea if each Plan office and team has an appointed ‘UN focal point’2.

Coordination Strong coordination is foundational in order for Plan to realise its UN goals. Plan offices at every level, together with the Plan UN Offices and other relevant bodies within Plan, will need to jointly coordinate our work in order to achieve the best intended results. This coordination, however, takes on different forms depending on which Plan offices and UN agencies are concerned. For example, working with UNICEF headquarters on an event or working group involves alternative procedures and considerations than working on the same types of

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The Economic and Social Council, a principal organ of the United Nations and the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues. A select number of NGOs are granted consultative status to ECOSOC. Plan International currently enjoys ‘special’ status, meaning that we have demonstrated the ability to contribute to only a few of the areas concerned by the work of the Council. Plan International would like

This person will serve as the primary liaison between each office/team and the two Plan UN Offices. All UN-related information will be shared through them and information requests to complete reporting obligations and strategy implementation will be coordinated through them. It is envisioned that by having a specific focal point in each office, coordination and communication on UN-related work and information will be systematically and shared and organized, contributing to greater efficiency and cooperation. This system will be piloted during the first strategy and reviewed regularly to measure its contributions to better communication and coordination. Modifications will be made as needed.

to apply to be considered for ‘general’ consultative, as an organisation concerned with most activities of the Council and capable of making ‘substantive and sustained’ contributions to the work of the UN. This status will extend the range

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Focal points to be discussed and established

and depth of Plan’s potential engagements with

during roll-out meetings with Plan office directors/

the UN. See http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/

heads of teams.

Coordination when Engaging the UN in Geneva and New York This sub-section refers to all UN engagement with UN and Permanent Missions that are based in Geneva or New York. This includes engagement involving Plan staff travelling to Geneva or New York, such as for meetings or attending functions, virtual/not in-person interactions with Geneva- or New York-based UN, such as global working group meetings or alternative report submissions; and when Geneva- or New York-based UN engage Plan staff at our COs/Regional Offices (ROs)/ National Offices (NOs), such as the visit of a Special Procedure or Mandate Holder such as a Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral (SRSG).

In these instances, Plan’s work will be most effective if all initiatives coordinate with the Plan UN Offices throughout the duration of the engagement, from the preliminary stage till its conclusion. This includes direct engagement, such as: direct partnerships and drafting Memorandums Of Understanding (MOUs), projects, campaigns, workshops, and conferences; and indirect engagement via partnerships with other NGOs or civil society organizations, such as NGO networks and working groups and ad hoc committees for specific tasks.

The UN is a complex and, at times, opaque system. Plan’s UN Offices can provide support and technical know-how in understanding how this system, and all its parts, work and how best to manoeuvre within it to achieve Plan’s best outcome.

For engagements such as these, the Plan UN Offices request notification at the start of the process to discuss the initiative, what it entails, the support needed from either side, and to map out how all Plan offices involved can best coordinate and cooperate to achieve the desired outcome. In some cases, this process may begin with annual planning activities to ensure that appropriate time and staff resources are reserved to provide the support and guidance needed by Plan offices.

Coordination of engagement involving Plan staff traveling to Geneva or New York involves more comprehensive procedures. These are covered in detail below, in the Section 4 on Accreditation and Engagement in Geneva and New York.

Coordination when Engaging the UN Outside Geneva and New York In situations where Plan offices and staff are engaging with UN agencies and bodies based outside of Geneva and New York – such as UNESCO, based in Paris – the procedure remains to consult and coordinate with the Plan UN Offices from the preliminary stage, at which point the depth of engagement and appropriate focal point will be determined.

This includes participation in international UN Conferences, workshops, and highlevel meetings taking place outside of New York and Geneva. Over time, a more formal structure for engaging these agencies will be developed.

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Coordination when Engaging the UN at Country-level When Plan offices are collaborating with the UN in their respective countries, it remains important for overall organizational coherence to consult the Plan UN Offices at the preliminary stage. However, in these cases, the role of the Plan UN Offices is to support and provide technical expertise, not to lead and actively participate throughout. In these instances, the Plan UN Offices may be able to link Plan COs with others who are or have undertaken a similar activity, sharing good practices and lessons learned, or simply to advise on the current climate and pulse of the UN agency involved. Given the expected volume of these requests, and the capacity of the Plan UN Offices, office focal points may be involved in facilitating coordination and communication requests.

Communication An open and transparent system of communication is essential for Plan to speak with One Voice at the UN. Although the UN is a large, multi-faceted organization, it remains an intimate community. Even the smallest programme or seemingly standard report produced at the local level can have its impact, positive or negative, felt at the UN. It is thus important to keep lines of communication and information sharing as open and free-flowing as possible to best ensure that the messages and policies Plan wants promoted at the UN are heard, and to avoid misunderstandings. To achieve this, the Plan UN Offices will work closely with all Plan offices to coordinate both internal and external communication.

Internal Communication Effective internal communication is critical for Plan to reach its UN goals. This communication is two-directional: from Plan offices and teams to the Plan UN Offices, and from the Plan UN Offices to the rest of Plan.

As outlined in the coordination section, the quality and efficacy of all UN-related undertakings will be enhanced by involving the Plan UN Offices from the outset. The earlier these plans are communicated, and the earlier the Plan UN Offices are involved, the better and more relevant support the Plan UN Offices can provide. As all Plan offices will be working with the Plan UN Offices, they will have a wealth of knowledge and resources not only on issues and activities occurring at the UN, but also within Plan, opening lines of communication and opportunities for collaboration.

In addition to communicating on UN-related activities, increasing communication on data collection and research being undertaken, particularly in the policy areas on which Plan is concentrating its UN work3, can greatly enhance the level of coordination and technical support the Plan UN Offices can provide. Sharing research and data being collected within Plan will contribute to strengthening the positions and policy advocated by Plan at the UN, helping to increase awareness of Plan’s work 3

Please see the Policy Areas section of the UN Strategy for details on Plan’s current policy areas.

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and capacities. This is particularly important given the potentially sensitive nature of data collected, particularly surrounding child rights and child protection. When UN Member States see statistics or data sourced to Plan that they do not support or agree with, it is the Plan UN Offices that they approach. By being aware of what is collected and how it is applied, the Plan UN Offices will be better prepared to speak to the quality and calibre of Plan’s data and research, clarifying its source and applicability, and defending it, as need occurs.

Further, through enhanced communication and sharing of research activities we can avoid re-creating the wheel. The Plan UN Offices will disseminate the work shared with them by different Plan offices, as well as their own work. This increased flow of information will help create partnerships and synergies internally, strengthening the quality of Plan’s programmes and work. In this way, the Plan UN Offices will be the centre of communication for UN-related activities and areas, sharing within and without the good work and research that Plan is undertaking.

Similarly, open communication and sharing of the work and initiatives of the Plan UN Offices with the rest of Plan is also required. The two Plan UN Offices will develop a communication strategy for sharing their work internally and externally. Plan offices will have the opportunity to input on what type of information can best support their work, and how best to receive it during the UN Strategy roll-out. This will include the sharing with relevant COs, ROs, NOs of information and activities at the UN impacting their country/areas of work, as well as the sharing of research and advocacy activities and initiatives undertaken by the Plan UN Offices, or networks and groups in which they are engaged.

The Plan UN Offices will also communicate

what other Plan offices are doing with relation to the UN, highlighting good practice examples and help create initiatives throughout the organization.

External Communication With 75 offices and approximately 8,000 staff members, coordinating external communication and messages to have ‘One Plan Voice’ is a difficult and complex task.

Yet, with the support and cooperation of all Plan offices and staff, the Plan UN Offices will undertake to coordinate all Plan documents, messaging, programmes, advocacy, and campaign tasks, and initiatives targeting UN agencies, staff, Permanent Missions, and Member States. This is of particular importance as information aimed at UN bodies varies in the language, approach, and level of technical comprehension required, depending on which aspect and element of the UN is involved.

The Plan UN Offices can help tailor Plan’s messaging and information to best fit the intended audience, and in a manner that is best likely to yield the intended result.

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Accreditation and Engagement in Geneva and New York Engagement in Geneva and New York Any engagement undertaken by Plan staff in Geneva or New York will involve additional procedures for coordination and communication.

When in Geneva or New York, the procedures extend beyond UN engagement, and also include NGOs and partners based in these cities, as they too work with the Plan UN Offices and its UN partners. It can be helpful in these cases to recall the aforementioned guiding approach on considering the UN a country.

It would be difficult to achieve a positive outcome for Plan – and portray the organization in an unprofessional light – for staff to travel to a country (Geneva or New York) and engage with government (UN) and partners (NGOs) there without closely collaborating with the CO. So it is in Geneva and New York, with the Plan UN Offices and their UN and NGO partners.

Each UN Office is available to help coordinate visits to their respective cities. Plan staff planning work-related travel should alert the appropriate office as early as possible to initiate the coordination process. This process will include describing the aims and objectives of the visit, including supervisor sign-off, and identifying which events/meetings will be attended, and appropriate contacts. To facilitate sharing of this information, the Plan UN Offices have developed a Plan Geneva/New York Visit Form (see Form I)4. It is requested that the completed form be submitted to the Plan UN Offices at least two weeks prior to arrival, unless an earlier timeframe is detailed elsewhere in this document, such as in cases needing accreditation or when child participants are involved (please see sections below).

If a visa letter of invitation is required, please complete the Visit Form and submit it to the Plan UN Offices as early as possible, and at least six weeks in advance of travel. All other logistical arrangements are the responsibility of Plan staff, though the Plan UN Offices will gladly provide recommendations on hotels and transport.

Prior to arrival, the UN Office staff and visiting staff member will review the aims and objectives, determine which areas require support from the UN Office and the manner of that support, and discuss if staff from the UN Office will accompany the visiting Plan staff on any of the engagements. It is highly likely that these engagements will have benefits that extend beyond the initial prompting, and can contribute to the work of the Plan UN Offices. Additionally, other Plan offices may benefit from the knowledge and access

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The Plan UN Offices are exploring options to incorporate this, and all forms, on Planet to make the process easier and more efficient.

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gained during these visits, or have contributions to share. During this process, arrival and debriefing meetings with the Plan UN Offices will be scheduled.

Once in Geneva or New York, unless otherwise agreed in the planning stage, at the first meeting or engagement the visiting Plan staff will attend, they will be accompanied by the head of the UN Office, or appropriate staff member. Here, too, any support materials or logistical needs requested in advance will be provided, and the plan for the visit confirmed.

Similarly, prior to departure, a pre-arranged debrief will take place for review of the visit and coordinate any follow-up.

It will also be extremely helpful if Plan staff could send a copy of the report of their meetings at the UN to the Plan UN Offices. The sharing of these reports, as well as the Visit Form, will be invaluable in preparing Plan’s ECOSOC Consultative Status report. In the medium term, it will lessen the burden of work on all Plan offices.

To facilitate the visit process in the preliminary, planning, on-site, and post-trip stages, a user-friendly checklist has been developed for Geneva and New York-bound staff (see Form II).

one contact with ECOSOC5. This means that all interaction between Plan and ECOSOC (by extension, the UN) must come from and go through the Plan UN Offices. Depending on the event being attended and its level security, one of two forms is required for requesting accreditation: a short form or a long form (Form III and Form IV, respectively).

Because the accreditation process can take some time, all Plan staff requiring UN accreditation are requested to submit their form to the appropriate UN Office at least four weeks in advance of the event.

For large groups (ten or more people), please allow for six weeks. It is requested that Visit Forms be submitted in these cases according to the accreditation timeframe to begin coordinating the visit in advance. All forms will be available on Planet on the UN Office website.

Accreditation Certain UN events, fora, and buildings require pre-arranged accreditation in order to access them. Accreditation requests must be submitted to ECOSOC well in advance of events for processing. Officially, the Plan UN Offices are the primary UN contacts for Plan, with the New York Office specifically listed as the

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Please note, all NGOs are accorded one contact office/person at ECOSOC. As the ECOSOC offices are based in New York, the New York Office is Plan’s registered focal point.

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Child Participation As all Plan staff are aware, a key component to all our work is promoting the participation of children, communities, and civil society at large. In keeping with the third Guiding Principle on Child Participation, and adhering to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General Comment 12, and Plan’s CCCD, the Plan UN Offices will seek to facilitate and share the views and voices of children, through collaboration with Plan COs who work with children directly.

At times, Plan may choose to support the direct participation of children at UN events through travel to New York or Geneva.

ECOSOC does not have guidelines for child participants at the UN, save one rule: all children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Guided by its Child Protection Policy and newly developed Guidelines on Child Participation at International Events, Plan will strive to ensure that all child participation is meaningful and rigorously ethical. Any office or team considering bringing a child, or any Plan beneficiary, to a UN event must contact the relevant UN Office at least six months in advance of the event to begin coordination on this process, which will include liaising with Plan’s child protection team.

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Photo: Š Plan Ineternational

Accountability These Guidelines for UN Engagement are for all Plan’s staff. Respecting and implementing them will improve coordination, cooperation, and communication within Plan, and take great strides toward establishing a One Plan presence and One Plan voice at the UN. A lack of adherence does not just affect the staff involved, or the offices involved, but rather, all of Plan and the professional and united image we present. This system will be further refined with input from Plan staff members, though the managers and supervisors concerned will need be involved to determine how better to work together in future.

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FORM I: PLAN GENEVA/NEW YORK VISIT FORM contact information

Purpose of visit and meeting objectives

Please state reason for visit; and list objectives in bullet form.

Full Name: Office: Title: Email: Mobile: Visit dates: Supervisor:

Meeting Contact Information

Please complete for each meeting/person – copy and paste if more than three contacts.

• Eg. If meeting directly with an individual (or individuals), complete the information below, and mention the issue/content of meeting (ex. DRM in Ecuador).

• Eg. If attending a larger forum, such as a cluster working group or the UNGA, complete the information below and provide the contact for head of the group.

Name

Name: Organization: Title: Date & time: Email phone: Issue to be discussed:

Organization: Title:

Name:

Date & time:

Organization:

Email

Title:

phone:

Date & time:

Issue to be discussed:

Email

phone: Issue to be discussed:

FORM I: PLAN GENEVA/ NEW YORK VISIT FORM (continued)

Anticipated Support Needs from Plan UN Office

Visa Request Information (if required)

Please specify anticipated support needed, with timeframes if applicable.

Name as on passport:

Nationality: Passport number:

Date of arrival and departure:

Country and city of residence:

Emergency Contact Information Name of contact:

Relation:

Phone number: Email:

FORM II: PLAN GENEVA/NEW YORK VISIT CHECKLIST Before your visit to Geneva/New York Item

timeframe

o I nform UN Office of preparations and intention to visit at the start of planning

At the start of your preparation

o S ubmit request for visa letter of invitation, if needed o S ubmit Plan UN Accreditation Form (long or short), if needed

At least six weeks in advance

At least four weeks in advance (six weeks for large (10+) groups)

o S ubmit Plan UN Office Visit Form, including TOR

At least two weeks in advance (six weeks if Visa required)

o S chedule meeting with UN Office for arrival

During Visit in Geneva/New York Item

o Meet with Head of UN Office o K eep UN Office informed of changes to TOR / programme

Upon Conclusion/After Departure Item

o S end UN Office summary report of visit/meetings o L iaise on visit/meetings follow-up, as needed/decided with UN Office

FORM III: PLAN UN ACCREDITATION – SHORT FORM personal information and contact details

Please list below any other information or requirements for the Plan UN Offices:

first Name: last name:

Mobile: Email: plan office: title: Supervisor’s name:

event details Name of UN event attending:

Date(s): Location: Address while in Geneva or New York:

FORM IV: PLAN UN ACCREDITATION – LONG FORM personal information and contact details

first Name:

Do you have any accessibility requirements?

o

Yes

o

No

last name: If yes, please indicate whether you need braille

Mobile:

documentation, sign language, interpretation, or have any other requirementS.

Email: title: Supervisor’s name:

plan office: place of Birth: Date of Birth:

Weight (kg/lbs):

Personal identification type:

Height (cm/inch): Eye colour:

Issuing authority:

Hair colour: Sex:

event details

Name of UN event being attended:

emergency contact details First name: Last name: Relation:

Date(s):Location: Telephone no.: Address while in Geneva or New York:

Email:

Cover Photo: Early Childhood Care & Development (ECCD) is still a new concept for communities in Timor Leste.

Plan is helping communities understand its importance and how it is translated in children’s daily lives. Plan is working with Playgroup Management Committees and providing training on the roles of these Committees. Child protection training was also provided to all 22 playgroup management committees.

Photo by Plan.

Plan International United Nations Liaison and Advocacy Office Rue de Varembé 1 CH-1202 – Geneva, Switzerland Anne-Sophie Lois anne-sophie.lois@plan-international.org Plan International Liaison Office to the United Nations Headquarters 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 1902 New York, NY 10017 USA Fiyola Hoosen-Steele fiyola.hoosen-steele@plan-international.org