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.
Author(s): Richard Jolly
Series: Global Institutions
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 152
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Series Information
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Figures
Tables
Preface
An Acknowledgement
1 UN Development – More Pioneering and Professional Than Generally Realized
Early Development Thinking
Disarmament and Development
Goals for Development
1980–2000: Debt, Structural Adjustment and Transition
Collapse of the USSR
2000 and After – the MDGs and the SDGS
Human Rights and Human Development
Forecasting
Conclusions
Notes
2 Early Life, One Life-Changing Event and Four People
Early Life and Kindnesses
Schooling – the Good, the Bad and the Pointless
University and Starting Economics
Discovering Real-Life Development
Graduate Studies at Yale – It’s Not What You Learn But Who You Meet
Notes
3 Discovering Development – Baringo, Kenya
Grace Mahboob
Water and Literacy With Slide Shows in the Evening
Athletics – World Class On a Sloping School Field
Departure and Return
Baringo Today
Conclusions
4 Cuba – Close Up to the Revolution and the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Education After the Revolution
Entering the US Customs
In the UN During the Cuban Missile Crisis
Conclusions
Notes
5 Education, UNESCO and ECA
Expanding Education in Africa – a Thesis Topic
Manpower Planning
UNESCO – Initial Frustrations and Later Collaboration for a New Phase of Worldwide Expansion
Conclusions
Notes
6 Zambia – My First UN Mission in the Heady Days of African Independence
Absurdities Into the Basket
Full-day Meetings With All Government Ministers
Working in the Office of National Development and Planning
Basic Needs in Zambia
Conclusions
Notes
7 Applied Economics in Cambridge and in Oil-Rich Abu Dhabi
Family and Children in Cambridge
Mission to Abu Dhabi
Conclusions
Notes
8 ILO and IDS – Employment Policy in Colombia, Sri Lanka and Kenya
The Institute of Development Studies
Inequalities and the Widening Gap
The ILO Employment Missions
Colombia
Sri Lanka
Kenya
Conclusions
Notes
9 UNICEF – Global Goals and Lessons of Successful Implementation
The Seven Key Elements for Success in Implementing Global Goals
Children as a Zone of Peace
The World Summit for Children
Notes
10 UNICEF Economists and Children
UNICEF’s Country Programme Approach
The Impact of Recession On Children
Adjustment With a Human Face
The Rights of the Child
Conclusions
Notes
11 UNDP and Human Development
The Human Development Report
HDR 1996 On Economic Growth
Conclusions
Notes
12 UN Ideas That Changed the World
Experiences of Over 70 Senior UN Staff Members
Notes
13 The Third UN and the North South Roundtable
The North South Roundtable
Peace and Disarmament
Conclusions
Notes
14 Final Words
Notes
Index
