Background

UNDP’s Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) is responsible for articulating UNDP’s development policy, using evidence gathered through country applications, regional experiences and global interactions.  BDP has a key role to play in helping country offices to accelerate human development by supporting the country offices in the design and implementation of programmes and projects that effectively contribute to the national-level policies and results. 
UNDP’s work in democratic governance is reinforced by its network of over 166 offices and its global partnerships with democratic governance institutions. The Democratic Governance Group (DGG), which is part of BDP, tracks governance policy, promotes knowledge networks, and contributes to shaping the global dialogue on governance. The work of DGG focuses on fostering inclusive participation, strengthening responsive governing institutions, and promoting democratic principles. Driven by demand, and working through the Regional Bureaux and the Regional Service Centres (RSC), DGG provides the tools, analysis and capacities that country offices need to make a real difference in UNDP’s practice areas.
Background to the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre (OGC)

The UNDP Oslo Governance Centre [OGC] was established in 2002 as a centre of excellence designed to provide support to the practical and operational work of UNDP in assisting partner countries in developing more democratic and effective forms of governance for sustainable peace and development.  The OGC is a unit of the Democratic Governance Group [DGG] in the Bureau for Development Policy [BDP].
The UNDP Oslo Governance Centre [OGC] was established in 2002 as a centre of excellence designed to provide support to the practical and operational work of UNDP in assisting partner countries in developing more democratic and effective forms of governance for sustainable peace and development.  The OGC is a unit of the Democratic Governance Group [DGG] in the Bureau for Development Policy [BDP].

The overarching purpose of the OGC is to conduct systematic analysis and review of UNDP’s governance work around the globe, aimed at learning from experiences in the field and contributing to UNDP’s programming and policy advisory services at the national, regional and global levels.  One of the main focus areas of this work is the analysis of emerging trends in the area of Democratic Governance (DG).

Background to the consultancy
In the context of the global economic and other crises, development discourses are being reshaped as international and national financial, economic and political contexts continue to change. The concept of development itself has moved well beyond its original conception based on growth in income to broader concepts of human development. Since the late 1980s and early 1990s, the idea of governance has also evolved beyond its more technocratic understanding to the idea of democratic governance, with an emphasis on democratic process, which includes such values and principles as inclusion, participation, non-discrimination, accountability and transparency.
In response to these shifts, and as the Rio+20 Conference approaches, the development agenda of the international community is also changing. In short, sustainable human development, with its three pillars of the social, the economic and the environmental, is returning to centre stage as an organizing concept for development. International discussions of the means through which sustainable human development is to be achieved have included a significant role for democratic governance (DG). The assumption is that more inclusive, participatory, and accountable governance is important for achieving sustainable human development (SHD). Additionally, while the number of countries usually classified as ‘democratic’ increases, so too does global inequality. Moreover, although the argument is intuitively attractive and widely acknowledged, it is little explored and the robust empirical basis for these assumptions is currently weak.
 
Some existing statistical analysis has suggested that democracies are better at providing human development (a combined measure of income, literacy and longevity) and better at distributing the benefits of development, measured primarily through income distribution indicators. It also shows that democracies lower the probability of inter-state conflict, that democracies tend to use less repression in the face of domestic conflict and that they are better at protecting human rights. There is also a positive and significant relationship between income distribution and the protection of civil and political rights, even after controlling for democracy, conflict, ethnic fractionalization, population size and regional location. These analyses, however, have not focused precisely on operational measures of democratic governance or sustainable human development.
 
UNDP as a key development organization and as the UN system’s main advocate of democratic governance needs to further explore the relevance and importance of DG in SHD, and how support to each of the pillars and their interaction can contribute to the achievement of SHD. Work in this area should, in the short term, contribute to the discussions at and after the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), as well as to the discussions surrounding the post-2015 development framework in the longer term.  This consultancy will therefore explore whether it is feasible to demonstrate using existing datasets both that the tangible benefits of democratic governance include sustainable human development, and which elements of DG are particularly significant. It will also contribute to an exploration of whether such analysis can provide policy makers and practitioners with the necessary tools for strengthening democratic governance and pursuing sustainable human development.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

The key outputs of this consultancy will be to: 

  • Provide a literature review on existing research showing the linkages between democratic governance and sustainable human development (output 1).

Produce a preliminary report (output 2) which, drawing on existing definitions and frameworks within the UN system,  lays out:

  • Conceptual and methodological framework that defines and measures both concepts for the purpose of this analysis
  • Theoretical framework that specifies causal mechanisms that link DG and SHD.
  • Datasets which could be used to undertake the analysis and briefly highlights the strengths and weaknesses of available datasets in this context. 

Taking into account comments received on outputs 1 and 2, develop and apply a cross-national and time-series statistical model that controls for other explanatory factors (output 3).

Produce a final report which presents and summarizes the above outputs, with a summary using language appropriate for non-statisticians, and a technical annex (output 4, final).

Databases created should be shared with UNDP in both the original analytical format and using open/portable standards (CSV or XML).  Appropriately annotated programme code files used to run the analysis should also be shared.

Competencies

  • Strong understanding of development programming and the current development agenda;
  • Strong track record of research in democratic governance;
  • Superior analytical and research skills;
  • Proven publication record in English;
  • Ability to write and communicate in a clear and concise manner.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced degree in Statistics, Applied Statistics, Political Science, Economics, Law, Development Studies, or other relevant field. PhD in relevant field with a strong quantitative element considered as asset;

Experience:

  • Knowledge of UNDP Democratic Governance work an advantage;
  • Minimum of 7 years international experience in the field of democratic governance;
  • Proven strong research skills in the area of democratic governance;
  • Excellent drafting skills;

Language:

  • Fluency in English required.

Please note that the VA is open for individuals as well for companies to apply. A different contractual modality will be used in case the company is selected.
Only shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide a short outline of the proposal as well as a financial offer.