United Nations in Lesotho Delivering as One 2013 - 2014 Note The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 2015 United Nations All worldwide rights reserved Cover photo credits: UN CONTENTS FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................................................................ 03 WHAT IS DELIVERING AS ONE? ............................................................................................................................................. 04 What prompted the reform? ....................................................................................................................................................................... How is the reform structured? ..................................................................................................................................................................... The One UN Programme ............................................................................................................................................................. The One Office ............................................................................................................................................................................... The One Leader ............................................................................................................................................................................. The Communicating as One ....................................................................................................................................................... What are the major achievements of the DaO reform to date? .......................................................................................................... What is the Lesotho Government’s role in the reform? ......................................................................................................................... Partnering with Civil Society Organizations ............................................................................................................................................. INVESTMENT CLIMATE, MANUFACTURING AND TRADE & FINANCIAL SERVICES ......................................................... 08 AGRICULTURE & FOOD SECURITY, ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE ....................... 12 GOVERNANCE & INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 16 HEALTH AND NUTRITION ........................................................................................................................................................... 20 HIV AND AIDS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 SKILLS AND INNOVATION ......................................................................................................................................................... 28 SOCIAL PROTECTION ................................................................................................................................................................. 32 CONTENTS 1 FOREWORD Since 2008, Lesotho has supported the entire United Nations reform process, known as “Delivering as One.” Lesotho was not one of the few pilot countries, yet the then-Government endorsed the process and embraced it nationally as a “self-starter” partner that has helped the UN in Lesotho speak in one voice and operate more effectively. Recent years have seen the UN in Lesotho work with the Government to develop new ways of cooperation, enabling partners to achieve greater impact on the ground by being more results-oriented, efficient, and by harmo- nizing business practices across agencies. What follows is an overview of that reform-process cooperation and what it has so far achieved through the Lesotho UN Development Assistance Action Plan (LUNDAP, 2013-2017). With only few months left for the culmination of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Lesotho has recorded a considerable progress in MDGs relating to access to universal education and gender equality and women’s empowerment. Although some progress was made in promot- ing environmental sustainability and building partnerships for development, more still needs to be done to achieve sustainability. There is a need to increase efforts in transforming lives and reducing vulnerabilities among Basotho, especially women and children to tackle persisting inequalities and poverty. As in many other countries, some of the MDG agenda remains un- finished, Lesotho is well off the target on the goals relating to eradication of extreme poverty and hunger and the health-related MDGs including reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and Combating HIV and AIDS and Tuberculosis. The lessons learnt from Lesotho’s MDG experience can help inform and lay the foundations for a smooth transition from the MDGs to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensure the continuation of existing efforts– the Post-2015 development agenda, which sets out the new global framework for development for the next 15 years. The UN helps address Lesotho’s development challenges by providing evidence-based policy advice and sharing innovation and international best practices. The UN continues to support the Government in addressing the development agenda, strengthening national capacities and using its convening role to bring together different stakeholders and facilitated multi-sectoral processes to inform policies and programmes. This publication provides a comprehensive overview of the development results achieved under the United Nation’s Delivering as One work during the period 2013-2014 in all six thematic areas that include Investment Climate, Manufac- turing and Trade and Financial Services, Agriculture, Food Security, Environment, Natural Re- sources & Climate change, Governance and Institutions, Skills and Innovation, Health, Nutrition and HIV and AIDS and Social Protection. The UN in Lesotho is keen to continuously adapt and improve the way results are delivered and measured, working closely with the Government, civil society and other partners. Only by working in partnership with multiple stakeholders and by delivering results cross-sectorally will the UN be able to support the Post-2015 development agenda in Lesotho. KARLA HERSHEY Resident Coordinator in Lesotho FOREWORD 3 The Delivering as One 4 United Nations in Lesotho Delivering as One What is Delivering as One? What is Delivering as One? are effectively applied as an operational standard across the world to maximize the impact on the ground. The Delivering as One reform involves streamlining pro- grammes, focusing on areas where the UN can have a What prompted the reform? greater impact, reducing duplication of efforts, and more effective use of human and financial resources. The Delivering as One reform comes in response to the changing aid environment - an attempt to translate the Par- Delivering as One involves a bottom-up approach to re- is and Accra principles of aid-effectiveness into practice. form: evidence from change in the field influences the It also aims to reaffirm the UN’s position as a key actor in agenda and the political process at UN Headquarters level. the field of international development with its unique global The support of UN Member States including Lesotho is cru- reach and potential for coordinated responses to develop- cial to ensure that the best practices from DaO countries ment challenges. How is the reform structured? THE DELIVERING AS ONE REFORM HAS FIVE PILLARS One Programme One Leader One Budget One Office Communicating as One HERE’S WHAT EACH PILLAR MEANS The One UN Programme approach House brings together all seven UN resi- The Communicating as One aproach calls for effective collaboration between dent agencies operating in Lesotho: Food enhances UN coordination, capacity and UN agencies and its various partners, re- and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Joint impact in the area of communications. The quiring joint work-plans, joint budgets and United Nations Programme on HIV and Delivering as One communication strategy the definition of common results. The UN AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Develop- enhances programme delivery through Country Team works “as one” to support ment Programme (UNDP), United Nations harmonized messaging and advocacy to Lesotho in achieving the Millennium Devel- Children Fund (UNICEF), United Nations the partners and Basotho people. opment Goals (MDGs), Lesotho’s National Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) and Organization (WHO) and World Food Pro- One Budget One Budget calls for agreed the new Post-2015 Development Agenda gramme (WFP) including the World Bank. costed results presented in one financial through a people-centered, rights-based The common operations strategy strength- framework, showing each agency’s planed approach to development as outlined in ens joint procurement, information and input together with the funding source.