Addressing Racism and Racial Discrimination in the UN System: JIU Review and Contribution

1. Measures and mechanism for addressing Racism and Racial Discrimination in United Nations system organizations Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations System

2. What is the review about? • Human dignity, honesty, human integrity, human rights, human responsibilities • Organizational justice/fairness • Intellectual capital including human capital • Values and Production • Credibility in the global leadership role of the United Nations System

3. JIU Contribution to Addressing RRD Value of the JIU Review  Contribute to organization efforts started in 2019 for: dignity, honesty, organizational justice/fairness, inclusion, and belongingness, leveraging diversity for increased productivity and talent management, collective impact from all employees.  JIU mandate and comparative added value in making a contribution How the JIU is positioned to support the UN system (JIU Statute, JIU Strategic Plan, GA Resolutions)  System-wide reviews, performance assessments, analyses, and evaluations of organization effectiveness – compliance, doing the right things, doing things right, making a difference. o Two pertinent strategic areas of focus: i) on accountability, oversight, integrity, ethics, and administration of justice, (ii) management methods and their value o Normative role: development of common conceptual and benchmarking frameworks and tools to facilitate common understanding and meaning for coherence, collaboration and collective impact across the UN system o o Responsiveness to emergent, dynamic, and changing times to support organizations

4. JIU contribution to addressing RRD Guiding Principles with implications for approach and methods 1. Content derived from information from activities across the UN systems starting in 2019 (organization ethnographic method - opportunistic) 2. Addressing complexity, multi-dimensional, interrelated factors, and addressing complications from varying contexts 3. Conceptual framework based on values we want and results-based management for effectiveness, impact, coherence, sustainability and continued relevance 4. Because racial discrimination is an individual, systemic and structural issue we are looking through three lenses and using systems operation theory – micro meso and macro and levels within each 5. We are also mindful of the unique patterns of privilege and power at play in the UN as an employer and are aware that we will need specific approaches to the realities of the UN that will not be the same as those found in other work environments. 6. We know this is new or early days for the UN system. So, we are taking a deliberately formative approach: (i) developing conceptual frameworks and definitions to guide the work and engagement; (ii) a benchmarking framework (normative as guide), (iii) addressing stages in development (respecting organization change process), (iv) providing baseline info and (v) providing definitions. Also, consideration and appreciation given to contextual factors that are enablers and facilitators 7. Formative yet establish the framework for standards, accountability, and transparency

5. JIU contribution to addressing RRD Methods and Key Tools of Reference: I. Benchmarking Framework (as the central conceptual framework defining content and quality) II. Key Instruments and data sources:  Corporate Organization Level Questionnaire (OLQ)  Common System-wide Survey (CSWS)  CEB HR data (partial)  Other secondary data or info (for triangulation or confirmation)  Assessment Framework and Tool – Stage of development of organization on Pillars and Components on criteria: (i) existence, (ii) coverage (iii) quality (iv) implementation (maturity)

6. JIU Contribution to Addressing RRD Key Points about Methodology for Rigour 1. Validity  Internal validity: content, construct, concurrent,  external validity/generalizability: representativeness and effect size 2. Reliability (internal consistency, inter-rater reliability) 3. Exploratory analyses – examining relationships, patterns, trends and questions

7. The Review Lens of the review • GA Organizational effectiveness as the lens for understanding what is going on in addressing RRD? • Yet - Organizational effectiveness with integrity • What are we talking about? What is being done? What is the quality? What is the value? • Organization effectiveness criteria: relevant, effective, outcomes/benefits, impact, sustainable and coherence

8. The Review Conceptual Framework • Results framework (RF) for managing for achieving results • RF and RBM principles provide the organizing framework for a vast range of information developed from an organizational ethnographic study (opportunistic) of what was happening in the UN system in 2019 and 2020 : - a complex and complicated organization phenomenon in context across the UN system depicting the lives of organizations and the experience actors within the organization; statements, conversations , dialogue, contestation, anti-racism groups, special thematic groups, expert presentations and dialogue with experts, open space in the UN System - - all words, thoughts, ideas, values, webinars, expressions, surveys, statements, etc.

9. The Review RF requires: 1. Understand and define the Evaluand: Study of the subject matter in context (graphic illustration and assessment of form and configuration of Race Racism and Racial Discrimination 2. Define contextual factors using appreciative inquiry • Foundations, values, related initiatives (DEI), ongoing reforms (in the UN system and externally. – enabling environment and readiness for adoption (inputs in results framework) (Pillar 1) • Conditions for success as relates to RRD (Pillars 7 and 8) • Also continue with appreciative inquiry method: the search for the best in organizations or in the UN system and its people.

10. The Review • 3. Define the measures and mechanism for effectiveness and achieving outcomes (Pillars 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6) • 4. Define the measures and mechanisms to enhance impact and sustainability (Pillars 6, 7, 8,9)  This provided the content and structure of the Benchmarking Framework and the basis for developing management pillars and components that define the pillars quality criteria for the

11. Graphic Illustration: Micro Meso and Macro

12. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD What are the forms and configurations of racism and racial discrimination in the UN system organizations. 21 Participating Organizations 10,170 respondents 7,000 + Complete Surveys How does it manifest itself at Micro/Individual, Meso/Institutional and Macro/Structural levels To answer some of these questions, JIU conducted a system-wide review

13. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD Respondent Demographics  Mean age of 44.29 years with a mean length of service given as 10.63 years.  79% of the respondents were staff personnel.  White, Black/Afro-descent and Hispanic as the highest represented population in descending order, respectively (32.7%, 22.1% and 10.4% respectively).  53.4% of the respondents identified themselves as female and 43.7% as male while 2.9% identified in other categories.All genders except female and male were consolidated into other category.  50.8% hold a Masters and 19% held an undergraduate degree. Rest of the sample had other degrees.  42.1% of the respondents reported to be working from HQs, 30.1% of the respondents from Country office and 13.3% from Regional office.  The highest respondents were P position (32%), followed by G Staff (23.4%) and National Office Staff (5.8%).

14. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD Magnitude of RRD and variations in magnitude among different groups The results showed that approximately 21% of the respondents responded “Yes” when asked “Have you ever been personally racially harassed or discriminated or harmed in any other way because of racial prejudice, at your workplace or outside your workplace, by work colleagues – peers or supervisors?”

15. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD – Reasons for NOT Reporting Unawareness of the existence of reporting mechanisms 10% Other 12% Fear of breaching confidentiality 9% Burdensome procedure 11% Lack of competence 3% Fear of retaliation 30% Poor confidence in such institutions 25%

16. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD

17. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD 70 Items were converted into 5 constructs using Factor Analysis. These 5 constructs were labelled as: Belongingness/Invisibility Microaggressions Equal Opportunity Senior Leader Support Organizational Intolerance

18. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD Micoaggressions Black\Afro-descent South Asian Mixed The analysis of the items of the CSWS addressing micro and meso forms of racism and racial discrimination (using component factor analysis) leads to 5 main forms of discrimination. These 5 forms of discrimination differ across racial groups pointing towards discrimination in some race/ethnicities. East Asian Indigenous MENA Other Central Asian Southeast Asian Hispanic\Latinx White 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

19. Belongningness\Invisibility Organizational Intolerance Black\Afro-descent Black\Afro-descent South Asian South Asian Mixed Mixed East Asian East Asian Indigenous Indigenous MENA MENA Other Other Central Asian Central Asian Southeast Asian Southeast Asian Hispanic\Latinx Hispanic\Latinx White White 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 2.9 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Equal Opportunity Senior Leader Support Black\Afro-descent Black\Afro-descent South Asian South Asian Mixed Mixed East Asian East Asian Indigenous Indigenous MENA MENA Other Other Central Asian Central Asian Southeast Asian Southeast Asian Hispanic\Latinx Hispanic\Latinx White White 2.7 2.8 2.9 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 2.9 2.95 3 3.05 3.1 3.15 3.2 3.25 3.3 3.35

20. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD CEB Data Findings The results showed that nationality (divided into regional group) has a statistically significant impact on rank or grade level at the United Nations Australia/New Zealand, Eastern Asia Northern Europe and North America have a higher status at the UN

21. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD Likelihood of Reported Racial Discrimination by Organization Size 8 7 6 We find that the magnitude of discrimination is bigger in Small organizations than Large organizations. 5 4 3 2 1 0 UN System Average Large Medium Small Organizations

22. Objective 1: Forms and Configurations of RRD Relationship with Stress • Employees were asked to provide a self-assessment of their stress level and most of the employees rated stress level to be average or moderately high (mean value of 3.4). • Higher stress-levels for respondents who reported “Yes” to have been racially discriminated (mean value of 3.9).

23. Objective 2: Organization measures and mechanisms • Main Question: What the UN system is doing to address RRD and whether it is doing the right things (content and coverage and approach), doing things right (quality and level of implementation), and committed to making a difference that is sustainable. • Content and Assessment 1. Management areas for measures and mechanisms  See Pillars and Components (to be presented on next page)  See Outline of Benchmarking Framework: Pillars and Components –Annex 1 of summary report – horizontal view (to be presented next pages)  2. Primary data source  The RRD Assessment Framework and Tool - Use date from the corporate OLQ and from supporting documents provided by organizations • Assessment of components and ratings based on: (i) existence (ii) Coverage (iii) Quality (against benchmarks), (iv) level of adoption and implementation (maturity)

24. Objective 2: Organization measures and mechanisms Outline of the Benchmarking framework: pillars and components Pillar 1 – The Foundations and Contextual Factors for RRD Pillar 6 – Mechanism for addressing the various forms of racism and racial discrimination at the Macro/structural level Pillar 2 – Forms and Configurations of race, racism, and racial discrimination Pillar 7 – Institutional commitment and conditions for enhancing success in implementing measures and mechanism for RRD Pillar 3 – Organization purpose, goals, outcomes, benefits, policy and strategy for RRD Pillar 8 – Managing for coherence, alignments, and partnerships in order to enhance the UN system integrity, efficiency, collective impact Pillar 4 – Mechanism for addressing the various forms of racism and racial discrimination at the Micro or individual human level Pillar 9 – Futuristics Next Steps and Way Forward of Organizations and for the UN system in addressing racism and racial discrimination for global leadership, governance and alliances Pillar 5 – Mechanism for addressing the various forms of racism and racial discrimination at the Meso or institutional level

30. Objective 2: Organization measures and mechanisms Main Findings First – Findings from presentation of Objective 1  RRD exists in all UN system organizations. It is an unspoken word in some organizations.  The magnitude of racism across the UN system is high in comparison what is normally observed in many other public and private organizations  It exists at all levels Micro and Meso and Macro • This section focus on what the UN system is doing in managing for achieving success in prevention and mitigation of RRD

31. Objective 2: Organization measures and mechanisms • Performance at level of organizations 1. The UN system operates at a low stage of development (in the aggregate) (Average score = 2.3) (March 2022)  Level of effort is not aligned with its statutes, codes of conduct and DEI priorities  Level of effort is not commensurate with magnitude of the problem 2. There are major variations among organizations.  This raises question about what to do and how to enhance collaboration across the UN system and leadership role of high performing organizations • Existing at a statistically significant level:  Large organization perform at higher level  Small organization perform at a very low level.  There are some medium and large organizations that also perform at low level • Question for discussion: what are the factors driving the difference in performance

32. Objective 2: Organization measures and mechanisms • Performance in Management Areas - Pillars and Components – Priorities, Strengths, Challenges  Highest performance is Pillar 1 – The context and enabling factors provide a strong foundation for some organizations  Lowest performance = Pillar 6 – macro structural factors addressing the root causes and constraints beyond the sole control of organizations  Lowest performance = Pillar 4 – addressing micro racism at individual level  Higher performance on institutional factors (Pillar 3 (policy strategy ) and for Pillar 4 (institutional factors meso.) and Pillar 7 (institutional conditions for success )  Priority not given to addressing issues at the individual level o HR issues o Change management: Typical for UN and others to focus on structural and systems issues when managing change. Change is about people., It is people who change. (JIU Change Management Report) • Role of employee resource groups and networks

33. Objective 2: Organization measures and mechanisms 1. Thematic issues raised by the review 2. Cross cutting and strategic issues from the data analysis : (i) for the organization and (ii) for the UN system and reform; (iii) UN global leadership role i. ii. Division: (a) Large versus small organizations (b) white and other racial groups Strategic priority: Trust and credibility in what organizations are doing – (i) the pillars of focus, and ii) internal response mechanisms; Organizational justice/fairness – at all levels including at institutional levels and dealing with power asymmetries and entitlements Large organization- increased diversity, representation and challenges with increase in RRD and value addition Race identification for policy and accountability for (i) organization and (ii) for UN system and value of central data bases and annual reporting (Pillar 2) Small organizations – role of system-wide support for cross organization engagements (e.g., common surveys , sharing information, sharing support systems vii. Role of governing bodies and Member States and role of executive leadership in addressing constraints viii. Other main issues from the validation session by managers of organizations iii. iv. v. vi.

34. Thank you for your time.