UN REFORM: UN STAFF UNION REPORT CALLS FOR

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001343 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR UNGA SUBJECT: UN REFORM: UN STAFF UNION REPORT CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE SYSTEM ¶1. SUMMARY: The UN Staff Union's Report of the Commission of Experts (CE) on Reforming Internal Justice at the United Nations concludes that the UN is in breach of the international human rights standards, because: it does not provide a level playing field for staff involved in administrative or disciplinary proceedings; final adjudication can take years; internal processes are not open to public scrutiny; resolutions by UN Panels are not binding on management; and the entire process lacks the requisite professional legal scrutiny by accredited judges and mediators. The report calls for an overhaul of the current "dysfunctional" system and provides various recommendations to fix it. End summary ¶2. On June 12, 2006, the UN Staff Union released its Report of the Commission of Experts on Reforming Internal Justice at the United Nations, for consideration by the General Assembly's recently commissioned Redesign Panel (RP),which is set to release its own report in late July 2006 in response to GA resolution 59/283. This resolution directed the Secretary-General to form a panel of external and internal experts to consider redesigning the system of administration of justice. ¶3. The CE report is authored by three internationally experienced jurists, Geoffrey Robertson (UK),Roger Clark (Rutgers University) (USA) and (Columbia University) (Senegal). They concluded the current internal justice system breaches the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is long overdue for reform. ¶4. Current System: According to the report, the current system, with its informal and formal mechanisms, is mired with inefficiencies. Informally, the Commission identifies both the Informal Dispute Resolution process and Ombudsman's office as insufficient mechanisms for dispute resolution. In both instances, these processes lack the capacity and decision making authority to successfully mediate disputes. Formally, the Commission declares the Administrative Law Unit (ALU),Joint Appeals Body (JAB) and Joint Disciplinary Committee (JDC) inadequate, while also citing procedural overlap. The report described the ALU as inept when, in 2000, it received 167 requests for review yet did not issue a single response. JAB was determined by the Commission to be more of an advisory body to management than a directing body. The report cites delays in JAB's procedure ranging from 19 to 37 months. The Commission noted overlap between JDC and JAB as a contributing factor to such delays. ¶5. The Commission concluded that the United Nations Administrative Tribunal (UNAT) lacked credibility, as the judgments passed by this body are 'non-binding' on the Secretary-General. Furthermore, because the Under SIPDIS Secretary-General fo Management (USG) considers the JAB SIPDIS reports (which are non-binding) before any appeals can be made to the UNAT, the process is innately biased since the primary body that makes the original decision on the matter is headed by the same official. As a result, the USG's involvement through JAB creates a conflict of interest and predetermines (or biases) any recommendation to the Secretary-General; this can undermine the entire process and SIPDIS damages the integrity of the judicial system. ¶6. Reformed (New) Structure: Informal mechanisms, utilizing the Ombudsman Office are strongly encouraged by the Commission as an avenue of mediation which may reduce time and costs associated with adjudication in formal channels. The Commission suggests expansion of outreach activities of the Ombudsman Office as a primary informal means of dispute resolution. In addition, the Ombudsman Office should subsume the responsibilities of the Panel on Discrimination and Other Grievances (PDOG). In short, this report suggests that the JAB, JDC and PDOG should be dissolved while the Ombudsman Office should be expanded and refined. ¶7. In the cases of formal mechanisms, the Committee suggests that an 'Employment Tribunal' be erected, taking over some responsibilities from JAB/JDC which were not assumed by the Ombudsman Office. The report perceives the complete separation of UNAT from Office of Legal Affairs as the most effective way to reinsert procedural integrity. As part of this plan, the report suggests two changes: the increased openness and accessibility of appeal hearings, and the utilization of modern communications technology. Incorporation of these changes would improve the functional side of the process. ¶8. Besides addressing formal and informal mechanism reform, the Commission also commented on other contentious issues. First, it notes the current system of using volunteer staff members through the Panel of Counsel to provide advice to staff members in early stages of a dispute has failed to provide sufficient and effective counsel. The CE states the POC can only fulfill its public defender role through the recruitment of licensed attorneys to defend staff that cannot afford outside counsel. Second, it notes the failures in abiding by specified time-limits for formal appeals processes. Third, the report refers to the institutionalization of peer review as an effective and acceptable mechanism for administration of justice, yet the current system has several drawbacks that need to be addressed if peer review is retained. Lastly, the report underscores the importance of the establishment of an Ethics Office and the development of a Whistle blower Protection Policy. The report then notes that the Ombudsman position should be upgraded from a D-2 position (within the Department of Management) to an Assistant Secretary-General (reporting to a newly formed independent review board suggested by the CE). ¶9. Recommendations: CE proposes the following major recommendations: (a) Establish an Internal Justice Council (IJC). -- Five expert person body to supervise the overhauled UN internal justice system, appointing professional judges and arbitrators, not assigning individuals nominated by member states, to newly formed Employment Panel and Appeals Tribunal. (b) Restructure UN Appeals Tribunal (UNAT). -- Full-time President and 6 part-time judges, meeting 4 times per year. -- Separate UNAT completely from the Office of Legal Affairs. -- Empower UNAT to issue decision binding judgments. (c) Establish an Employment Tribunal (ET) to decide employment disputes -- Replace JAB/JDC with ET -- Staffed ET with professional judges (d) Request for Administrative Review. -- Rescind Staff Rule 112.2 abolishing review as a precondition for appealing an administrative decision. -- Empower Ombudsman to conduct reviews and make recommendations to SG, as an alternative to voluntary mediation. (e) Restructure and Upgrade the Ombudsman's Office -- Appointed by IJC. -- Comprised of external and internal mediators. -- Take over abolished PDOG functions. -- Ombudsman or OIOS should assume protection of whistle blowers from Ethics Office (f) Miscellaneous -- Provide legal counsel to staff -- Maintain peer review for disciplinary matters -- Ethics Office Chief should be upgraded to ASG level. ¶10. COMMENTS: The Commission's critical report, not surprisingly, is biased in the Staff Union's favor. More importantly, the many weaknesses identified by the CE have also come to the attention of the Redesign Panel. In a recent informal preliminary briefing by the Redesign Panel to WEOG mission members, given before the CE report's release, the RP reached similar conclusions and their final report may be more expansive. For instance, the RP's report will also be focused on justice issues at UN field operations, where the panel believes there are thousands of UN employees whose contract status precludes them from receiving the same standards of justice as their full time international staff colleagues. The RP report is scheduled for release in late July 2006 and the Secretary-General's accompanying report is due to be issued in the first resumed session of the 61st UNGA, March 2007. ¶11. Mission notes that both expert bodies call for overhaul of the UN administration of justice system to introduce institutional use of external legal professionals, shift decision-making from management to an independent legal entity and make decisions binding on management. Administration of Justice issues will be a prominent feature in the General Assembly's 61st session. BOLTON