Definition of objectives, guidelines, and thematic areas of the Secretariats

Ad Hoc Working Group on the Strategic Vision of the OAS

October 2015

“To instruct the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Strategic Vision to define the objectives, guidelines, and thematic areas of the Secretariats, in accordance with the Strategic Vision and the Strategic Objectives, the Charter, and other rules of the Organization. Its outcome will be presented to the General Assembly at its fiftieth special session, through the Permanent Council.”

Mandate

The proposal that the Chair is submitting for the delegations to consider is an organized collection of the all documents generated in defining objectives of the Strategic Vision, as well as in the process of approval, by the Permanent Council, of the General Secretariat’s organizational structure, as well as the information submitted by the General Secretariat in the proposed 2016 program-budget, which documents are listed below:

• Resolution AG/RES.1 (XLVII-E/14) rev. 1•Proposed 2016 Program-Budget of the General Secretariat •Document CP/doc.5138/15 rev. 1 of the Chair of the Permanent Council, produced during the process of informal meetings•Document CP/INF.7223/15 rev.1 , submitted by the Chair of the informal WG on the structure •Document of objectives for the Secretariats, submitted by the Delegation of Guatemala•Document of Objectives, Guidelines, and thematic areas, submitted by the Delegation of Bolivia

Considerations

1.- Aligning the approved Structure with the Strategic Vision

“The Organization of American States is the hemispheric political forum comprised of all the countries of the Americas, committed to the strengthening of democracy, the promotion and protection of human rights, the advancement of integral development and the fostering of multidimensional security, all equal and interdependent, with justice and social inclusion, for the benefit of the peoples of the Americas.”

DemocracyHuman Rights Integral

DevelopmentMultidimensional

Security

Institutional Strengthening

Administrative Management

Secretariat for Strengthening

Democracy

Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity

Secretariat for Multidimensional

Security

Secretariat for Administration and

Finance

Secretariat for Hemispheric Affairs

Secretariat for Legal Affairs

Strategic Counsel for Organizational Development and Management for Results

Executive Secretariat for

Integral Development

Office of the Ombudsperson

2.- Objectives and Thematic Areas

Democracy

Democracy

Human Rights

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Access to Rights and

Equity

To complement the efforts of member states to guarantee full enjoyment, promotion, and protection of human rights for every individual in the Hemisphere without distinction

• Promote the equity agenda in the region; support member states in their efforts to follow up on regional regulatory frameworks on equity and access to rights.

• Promote implementation of public policies and programs to bring about greater inclusion and equity and facilitate full enjoyment of the rights of citizens.

• Improve the level of fulfillment of goals and objectives with sufficient resources

• Persons with disabilities• Indigenous Populations• Populations in Vulnerable

Circumstances• Consumer Rights• Rights of older persons• People of African Descent• LGBTI• Judicial Facilitation • Civil Society Relations

Integral Development

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Executive Secretariat for

Integral Development

To help member states achieve their economic, social, and cultural development goals in a comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable manner.

Enhance complementary partnerships and linkages with the international community and other international organizations, in support of cooperation initiatives agreed upon at the global level, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

•Science and Technology•Cooperation•Culture•Economic Development•Social Development and Employment•Sustainable Development•Education•Migration•Ports•Tourism

Multidimensional Security

Institutional strengthening 1/3

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Hemispheric Affairs

To strengthen the capacities of the OAS to promote and facilitate pluralistic and wide-ranging policy dialogue among member states, foster solidarity and strengthen collaboration among its members, bring about harmonious interdependence of the four pillars, and to work with the growing network of global, regional, and subregional actors in order to complement efforts and more effectively implement its tasks.

•To serve as focal point for Secretariat initiatives that require various departments to consult and cooperate in order to determine feasibility and relevance of initiatives and to help coordinate their preparation; follow-up on the implementation of hemispheric priorities.•Help fulfill the strategic objectives of the four pillars by strengthening OAS capacity to promote and facilitate plural, broad policy dialogue among member states.

• Design of inter-sectoral programs

• Project incubator • Follow-up on and

implementation of Summits mandates

• Innovation in public management

• Strategic partnerships with donors and institutions

Institutional strengthening 2/3

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Legal Affairs

To develop, promote, and implement the Inter American Program for the ‐Development of International Law; provide advisory services concerning international law; serve as a depository and source of information for inter American treaties and the ‐agreements of the OAS and its organs; disseminate information on the legal instruments of the OAS and its legal programs; and provide legal advice on the interpretation of regulatory instruments governing the General Secretariat

•Provide legal advice on the interpretation of regulatory instruments governing the General Secretariat

•Disseminate information on OAS legal instruments and its legal programs;

• Legal interpretation• International treaties• Inter-American judicial

cooperation• Legal services in administrative,

budgetary, labor, and hiring matters

• Advice in international law• Codification on inter-American

law• Secretariat of the Inter-

American Juridical Committee

Institutional Strengthening 3/3

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Office of theOmbudsperson

To ensure and promote the rights of OAS Secretariat staff and process confidentially complaints about any violations of those rights.

•Ensure and promote respect for Secretariat staff rights under Chapter 3 of the General Standards. •It will operate based on the principles of neutrality, confidentiality, and independence. •This Office will function autonomously and will report to the Permanent Council.

• Human Resources• Labor relations

Administrative Management 1/2

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Administration and Finance

To allocate and efficiently execute the budget for each fiscal period based on the mandates contained in the Charter of the Organization of American States and in General Assembly resolutions, taking into account the harmonious interdependence among the pillars.

• Resource management based on the principles of rationalization, austerity, and budgetary discipline.

• Transparency- and accountability-based management

• Management of human, material, and financial resources

• Transparency and accountability

• Austerity and rationalization• Procurement of goods and

services• Information and Technology

Services

Administrative Management 1/2

SECRETARIAT PURPOSE GUIDELINES THEMATIC AREAS

Strategic Counsel for Organizational

Development and Management for

Results

To develop mechanisms to manage and monitor programs using tools to ensure that funds are allocated according to priorities established by member states.

• Improve the level of fulfillment of goals and objectives with sufficient resources

• Foster development and implementation of (internal and external) communication strategies to publicize the OAS' work and priorities.

• Coordinate training and fund-raising activities to increase specific fund contributions.

• Planning• Results-based management• Reporting• Management evaluation• Press and Communication• Organizational Development• Lecture Series of the Americas

Proposed Course of Action

• Presentation of the proposal • Informal consultations and meetings• Formal meetings• Adoption of the text by the Working Group• Adoption by the Permanent Council • Consideration by the General Assembly