A Development Economist in the United Nations: Reasons for Hope (Global Institutions)

This book explores the joys and occasional frustrations of a development economist working for the United Nations. From 1982 to 2000 Richard Jolly worked in senior positions in UNICEF and UNDP on assignments that were innovative, for the UN, the countries concerned and for development. The book analyses his experiences as Deputy Director of UNICEF, Principal Coordinator and co-author of UNDP’s widely acclaimed __Human Development__ __Report__ and a community development officer in Kenya, as well as his involvement in the UN and country mission to Zambia and ILO employment missions to Colombia, Sri Lanka and Kenya. It shows what the UN can achieve when there is strong leadership at central and field levels, together with decentralized approaches. Jolly’s experiences lead him to conclude there are in fact three UNs: the formal UN of governments; the second UN comprising UN staff members, often the source of initiatives and action; and the third UN of NGOs, experts, consultants and others closely following the UN or working with it, and also often bringing new thinking and innovation. Reflecting on the need for international action to be more effective and the UN to be more strongly supported, this volume is a fascinating guide to students and scholars of global governance, development and international organizations and those working for them. This book explores the joys and occasional frustrations of a development economist working for the United Nations.From 1982 to 2000 Richard Jolly worked in senior positions in UNICEF and UNDP on assignments that were innovative, for the UN, for the countries concerned and for development. The book analyses his experiences as Deputy Director of UNICEF, Principal Coordinator and co-author of UNDP’s widely acclaimed Human Development Report and a community development officer in Kenya, as well as his involvement in the UN and country mission to Zambia and ILO employment missions to Colombia, Sri Lanka and Kenya. It shows what the UN can achieve when there is strong leadership at central and field levels, together with decentralized approaches. Jolly’s experiences lead him to conclude there are in fact three UNs: the formal UN of governments; the second UN comprising UN staff members, often the source of initiatives and action; and the third UN of NGOs, experts, consultants and others closely following the UN or working with it, and also often bringing new thinking and innovation.Reflecting on the need for international action to be more effective and the UN to be more strongly supported, this volume is a fascinating guide to students and scholars of global governance, development and international organizations and those working for them. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Information 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 Figures 10 Tables 11 Preface 12 An Acknowledgement 15 1 UN Development – More Pioneering and Professional Than Generally Realized 18 Early Development Thinking 19 Disarmament and Development 20 Goals for Development 21 1980–2000: Debt, Structural Adjustment and Transition 22 Collapse of the USSR 24 2000 and After – the MDGs and the SDGS 25 Human Rights and Human Development 25 Forecasting 27 Conclusions 27 Notes 30 2 Early Life, One Life-Changing Event and Four People 32 Early Life and Kindnesses 33 Schooling – the Good, the Bad and the Pointless 33 University and Starting Economics 34 Discovering Real-Life Development 36 Graduate Studies at Yale – It’s Not What You Learn But Who You Meet 37 Notes 39 3 Discovering Development – Baringo, Kenya 40 Grace Mahboob 40 Water and Literacy With Slide Shows in the Evening 41 Athletics – World Class On a Sloping School Field 42 Departure and Return 42 Baringo Today 44 Conclusions 45 4 Cuba – Close Up to the Revolution and the Cuban Missile Crisis 47 Cuban Education After the Revolution 49 Entering the US Customs 51 In the UN During the Cuban Missile Crisis 52 Conclusions 54 Notes 54 5 Education, UNESCO and ECA 56 Expanding Education in Africa – a Thesis Topic 56 Manpower Planning 60 UNESCO – Initial Frustrations and Later Collaboration for a New Phase of Worldwide Expansion 60 Conclusions 62 Notes 63 6 Zambia – My First UN Mission in the Heady Days of African Independence 65 Absurdities Into the Basket 65 Full-day Meetings With All Government Ministers 67 Working in the Office of National Development and Planning 68 Basic Needs in Zambia 71 Conclusions 72 Notes 72 7 Applied Economics in Cambridge and in Oil-Rich Abu Dhabi 73 Family and Children in Cambridge 73 Mission to Abu Dhabi 76 Conclusions 79 Notes 79 8 ILO and IDS – Employment Policy in Colombia, Sri Lanka and Kenya 88 The Institute of Development Studies 88 Inequalities and the Widening Gap 89 The ILO Employment Missions 90 Colombia 91 Sri Lanka 92 Kenya 93 Conclusions 95 Notes 96 9 UNICEF – Global Goals and Lessons of Successful Implementation 97 The Seven Key Elements for Success in Implementing Global Goals 99 Children as a Zone of Peace 103 The World Summit for Children 105 Notes 106 10 UNICEF Economists and Children 107 UNICEF’s Country Programme Approach 108 The Impact of Recession On Children 109 Adjustment With a Human Face 111 The Rights of the Child 112 Conclusions 113 Notes 116 11 UNDP and Human Development 117 The Human Development Report 118 HDR 1996 On Economic Growth 120 Conclusions 124 Notes 125 12 UN Ideas That Changed the World 126 Experiences of Over 70 Senior UN Staff Members 127 Notes 136 13 The Third UN and the North South Roundtable 139 The North South Roundtable 140 Peace and Disarmament 141 Conclusions 142 Notes 142 14 Final Words 144 Notes 145 Index 146 UN,development;,Cuban,missile,crisis;,UNICEF;,UNDP;,ECA UN development,Cuban missile crisis,UNICEF,UNDP,ECA "This book explores the joys and occasional frustrations of a development economist working for the United Nations. From 1982-2000 Richard Jolly worked in senior positions in UNICEF and UNDP on assignments that were innovative, for the UN, the countries concerned, and for development. The book analyses his experiences as Deputy Director of UNICEF, Principal Coordinator and co-author of UNDP's widely acclaimed Human Development Report, and community development officer in Kenya, as well as his involvement in the UN and country mission to Zambia and ILO employment missions to Colombia, Sri Lanka and Kenya. It shows what the UN can achieve when there is strong leadership at central and field levels, together with decentralized approaches. Jolly's experiences lead him to conclude there are in fact three UNs: the formal UN of governments; the second UN comprising UN staff members, often the source of initiatives and action; and the third UN of NGOs, experts, consultants and others closely following the UN or working with it, and also often bringing new thinking and innovation. Reflecting on the need for international action to be more effective and the UN to be more strongly supported, this volume is a fascinating guide to students and scholars of global governance, development, international organisations and those working for them"-- Provided by publisher