LocationsDaniela Gašparíková, UNDP Resident Representative to Montenegro
Speech at the event organized on the occasion of celebrating the International Public Service Day, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media, in partnership with the Human Resource Management Authority and the UNDP
Dear Deputy Prime Minister Abazović, dear Minister Srzentić, dear Ms. Nišavić, distinguished partners,
Thank you for joining us today to celebrate the United Nations Public Service Day!
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the dedicated public servants across all sectors, from health and education to social welfare and beyond, have demonstrated their commitment to the people they serve even in the most challenging circumstances.
This experience has taught us a number of valuable lessons. Let me highlight three that stood out for me in the context of excellence in public service.
Firstly, the countries’ ability to respond effectively and timely was not driven so much by the their ability to fund the response, as it was driven by governance. Namely, the ability of countries’ institutions to respond in a coordinated, evidence-based and agile, adaptive manner. Citizens’ trust in institutions and community pulling together were the key.
Secondly, the COVID has highlighted importance of digitalisation, as well its risks which need to be proactively managed. Pursuing partnerships with the Government, private sector and civil society we have witnessed the roll-out of a number of e-services to overcome the barriers caused by the pandemic, such as electronic enrolment at kindergartens and elementary schools, and electronic registration of businesses. At the same time, digitalisation proved anything but a silver bullet. It has exposed already pre-existing societal inequalities in accessing meaningful education or digital job opportunities, mainly due to households’ inability to afford internet or computer equipment for all its members.
Thirdly, understanding how the crisis impacts on women and men differently does matter as they are not experienced the same way – both in terms of their extend, intensity and longevity. This has been witnessed through the increase in reported incidence of GBV, un-paid care burden carried largely by women, as well as physical and emotional stress experienced by health workers – majority of them women.
That’s why, the countries’ resilience to withstand any future crisis will be driven by adaptability, equality of opportunities and preparedness which is ideally built into the fabric of our institutions and societies long before the crisis hits.
The future public service needs to inspire trust through leading by an example of being more human-centered, agile, experimental, data-driven and active in seeking a challenge and change. The accelerated trend of digitalisation, underpinned by improved digital skills of civil servants and improved institutional processes is an opportunity to tap into for greater openness, transparency and efficiency. These are core elements to build future readiness, ensure inclusive policies and responsive services, to reduce inequalities and to improve trust in public institutions.
One of the pillars of any democratic society, we must not forget that only with equal access of women and men to opportunities, we can be sure that we live in a society which progresses on its pathway to sustainable development.
I have been encouraged to learn from our recent assessment that there is a significant difference in perceptions on the impact of feminism on women empowerment among civil servants and Montenegrin citizens. I am happy to see that Montenegro’s public administration recognizes the importance of integrating gender perspective into their work. While 2 out of 5 citizens believe that the feminist movement has harmed women more than it has improved their position, every second public administration employee views the contribution of feminism positively. Almost half of the public administration employees believe that there should be more women in decision-making positions, and that 3 out of 4 employees in the institutions would support the introduction of quotas for women in high-ranking management in the Government. Hence, the UNDP recognizes public administration as a role model and a transformative force with the power to influence the rest of the society with regards to gender equality.
We have been honour to have worked with the Montenegrin Public Administration and many of you on the journey towards a more equal and inclusive society. Through this partnership, we continue to be committed to join hands in creating an enabling environment for professional civil services, inclusive digital governance and gender equality.
Although genuine leadership starts with shared values, vision, and ideas, it is inextricable from the passion of all of you – civil servants – fuelling the transformation of public administration towards a modern and inclusive 21st-century organization. Thank you all and congratulations to those who will be awarded today – you set an example for everyone.
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