UN Public Service Day & Awards

Deadline: 16-Oct-23

Applications are now open for the United Nations Public Service Awards, a prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.

It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service.

The UN Public Service Day intends to celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community; highlight the contribution of public service in the development process; recognize the work of public servants, and encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. Since the first Awards Ceremony in 2003, the United Nations has received an increasing number of submissions from all around the world.

Categories

• Nominations for the 2024 UNPSA are invited in three categories:
  • Innovation in Public Institutions: Does your institution have creative solutions for improving public service delivery? Have you improved ways to increase access to quality and affordable public services? Did you improve efficiency by adopting non-traditional approaches? Has your new legislation addressed underserved needs and policy gaps? Have you done anything to increase transparency to foster people’s trust?
  • Gender-Responsive Public Services: Is your institution mindful of the specific public service needs of women and girls? Are you proactive in providing targeted services to address inequality? Have you instituted enabling policies and legislative frameworks to meet the needs of women and girls?
  • Special category on Tackling Climate Change: What plans does your institution have in the face of climate change risks? How are you helping people and businesses to manage climate-induced challenges? How are you encouraging green initiatives from the private sector? What kind of programmeme do you have in place to encourage the use of renewable energy, sustainable transportation or to protect oceans and forests?

Eligibility Criteria

• The UNPSA will continue to be open to all public sector institutions at the national, sub-national and local levels from all UN member states. In the case of partnerships, the application must include the public sector institution. There is no personal nomination or recognition.
• The initiative must be relevant to one of the categories
• The initiative must have been implemented for a minimum of two years, except for the special category which will be specified, if different.
• To avoid conflict of interest, the initiative must not be implemented by the United Nations System.

Criteria

• In all categories, the initiative will be evaluated according to three general criteria:
  • Common criteria
    • innovation
    • impact
    • adaptability
  • Category specific criteria on:
    • Innovation in public service
      • user-centered design
      • openness and transparency
    • Gender-responsive public service
      • gender mainstreaming
      • inclusivity
    • Tackling climate change
      • climate adaptation
      • co-benefits

Evaluation Criteria

• Innovation: The initiative should present an innovative idea, policy, new approach, or an improved mechanism that supports the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It could be improving the delivery of public services, solving a problem of public concern, or strengthening public institutions.
• Impact: The initiative should make a positive impact and catalyze change.
• Adaptability: The initiative should be applicable and adaptable to other contexts for possible upscaling or replication.

For more information, visit UN Public Service Day & Awards.