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7 May 2002

To: All UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff

From: Mark Malloch Brown

Subject: Establishment of a Full-time Ombudsperson Function for UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS

As part of the ongoing efforts to reform the internal justice and grievance system inUNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, I am very pleased to announce, on behalf of the Executive Directorsof UNFPA and UNOPS, and on my own behalf, the establishment of a full-timeOmbudsperson function for all three organizations. The attached terms of reference for thefunction are in direct follow-up to the review of the internal justice system undertaken in2001 by a team of consultants, one of whom is the former Senior Ombudsman of the WorldBank. The UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff Council has taken the lead in developing the termsof reference in close consultation with the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Legal and Procurement Support.

I also take this opportunity to announce the appointment of Mr. James Lee as the first,full-t ime UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Ombudsperson. Mr. Lee has served a long anddistinguished career in UNDP, and has served with equal distinction on the OmbudsmanPanel since 1987. Mr. Lee, whose appointment takes effect from 1 June 2002, may be

contacted at (212) 906-5748 or james.lee@undp.org.

The Ombudsperson function is the informal grievance mechanism established withinUNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS with the objective of conciliation among staff members,between staff members and supervisors, and between staff members and their employingorganization by seeking mutually acceptable solutions to grievances or conflicts throughinformal means.

The new full-time Ombudsperson replaces the Ombudsman Panel, which has consistedof staff members working on a purely voluntary basis and in a part-time capacity. I take thisopportunity to thank the Members of the Panel and commend them for their important work.

It is recognized by staff and management and by members of the Panel that thestructure that has been in place until now has been far from ideal with regard to ensuring thenecessary independence of the Ombudsperson. The new Ombudsperson will be equallyavailable to staff of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS. He/she will liaise directly with theexecutive heads and/or management of the employing organization of the staff member(s)party to a given case. Mechanisms will be established for supplementing the Ombudspersonso as to ensure adequate coverage of the field, as well as sufficient accessibility andorganization-specific expertise at the levels of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS.