Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

Good Practices and InnovATIONS in Public Governance
The Impact of the United Nations Public Service Awards
Introduction
Improvements in the delivery of public services contribute greatly to good governance
for the achievement of international development goals. The UNPSA Programme
inspires public servants all over the world to work towards perfecting their
approaches, methodologies, practices, systems and processes, in the delivery of public
services. Coupled with the United Nations Public Service Day celebrations, the
Awards Programme has enhanced the visibility and transferability of innovations, as
well as opportunities for sharing experience on the improvement of public service
performance. Increasing knowledge about successful experiences in public administration
is a catalyst for change in other public organisations.
The UNPSA Programme is the only global recognition, which acknowledges and
encourages public organisations and agencies around the world at national or subnational
level; as well as public-private partnerships to achieve excellence in the
public service.
As in the private sector, the public sector has to be able to unleash the creativity, resourcefulness
and initiative of its employees to be able to keep pace with our rapidly
changing world. The Public Service Awards are an important instrument to encourage
this trend in all countries of the world.
In 2010, the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, delivered a statement on the occasion
of United Nations Public Serice Day and stated that “In an era of increasingly
complex challenges, from climate change to food insecurity and the financial and
economic crisis, the world needs its public servants to be more creative and talented
than ever. … On this Public Service Day, I thank all people who currently work in
service of their town, city or country, and I encourage young citizens everywhere to
explore the dynamic and diverse careers that exist today in public service.*”
As mentioned by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Migiro, at
the UNPSA Ceremony held during the 7 th Global Forum on Reinventing Government
in Vienna in June 2007: “The winners of the 2007 UNPSA have made countless efforts
and shown a strong commitment to the search for new means, approaches, and
work methods to improve the performance of the public sector. Their imagination
and determination in finding effective solutions to governance challenges should be
an inspiration to all of us.”
Since its launching in 2003, governments around the world have shown and expressed
their strong interest for the UNPSA Programme: not only has the number of
*http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un-dpadm/unpan039739.pdf
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