Good Practices & Innovations in Public Governance

Genesis, Purpose and Scope of the United Nations Public Service Awards This chapter provides an overview of the rationale for establishing the United Nations Public Service Awards, and it outlines the objectives, the categories and criteria of its annual competition, and its selection process.

1. What is the United Nations Public Service Awards Programme?

The United Nations Public Service Awards Programme is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the United Nations Public Service Awards Programme promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service. It encourages exemplary public service and recognizes that democracy and successful governance are built on a competent civil service.

2. Why was the United Nations Public Service Awards Programme Established?

Governments from around the world are required to respond to increasingly complex demands from their citizens and significant changes in their global environments. At the national level, they are grappling with several difficult social and economic issues; including poverty eradication, unemployment, poor education systems; health epidemics (including HIV/AIDS and the avian influenza), and environmental degradation. At the same time, they are attempting to readjust their policies and skills to integrate effectively into the world economy.

Overall, governments face three main challenges: r 'JSTU UIFZ NVTU PQFSBUF BOE QSPWJEF NPSF GBS SFBDIJOH BOE IJHIFS RVBMJUZ TFSvices with reduced resources and limited operational capacities. That is to say, governments must use their resources and build capacities not only more effectively but also more creatively by, for example, enlisting the support of the private sector and civil society in service delivery. r 4FDPOE UIFZ NVTU NBLF QVCMJD JOTUJUVUJPOT NPSF BDDPVOUBCMF SFTQPOTJWF BOE effective by promoting a more citizen-oriented public administration. r 5IJSE BOE NPTU JNQPSUBOUMZ UIFZ NVTU SFTQPOE NPSF BEFRVBUFMZ UP DJUJ[FOT demands for greater participation.

Although government still plays a central role in society, it is now widely recognized that civil society and the private sector also have an important role to play in this sphere. Citizens no longer perceive themselves as passive “consumers� of government services but as part of the solution to handle emerging issues more effectively.

3