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Mandate & Activities
The Division for Oversight Services (DOS),
formerly Office of Oversight and Evaluation (OOE), was established
in January 2003. DOS is an independent Division consisting
of two Branches (Oversight and Evaluation and Audit Services).
It reports directly to the Executive Director of UNFPA. The
DOS assists the Executive Director in fulfilling her internal
oversight responsibilities and in facilitating accountability
of and learning for the organisation. It monitors and advises
on organisational performance, policies, procedures and internal
control systems to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency
and integrity in UNFPA operations. It sets organisational
standards for monitoring and evaluation and promotes a results
based monitoring and evaluation culture in the organisation.
It serves as focal point for liaison with UN system oversight
bodies and provides guidance to management on the implementation
of oversight recommendations.
The main activities of DOS include the
conduct of Policy Application Reviews and independent thematic
evaluations; development and promotion of monitoring and
evaluation tools and approaches, and management of audits
and monitoring their follow-up. The DOS also prepares reports
to governing bodies on the Fund’s oversight and evaluation
activities and networks with other UN organizations on oversight
and evaluation policies and practices.
In order to strengthen the quality and
impact of UNFPA's work through an improved monitoring and
evaluation culture, the DOS formed an Evaluation Network
of focal points in 1999. Focal points are located in each
of the nine UNFPA Country Technical Support Teams (CST) as
well as HQ Divisions.
PARs are a form of performance audit of UNFPA’s activities
in selected countries. In the current environment where most programme decisions
have been decentralized to UNFPA country offices, PARs aim to ensure accountability,
particularly with respect to compliance with UNFPA’s mandate and policies.
PAR country selection is conducted using risk analysis. Each PAR entails a
combination of documentation review and interviews at headquarters as well
as in the field to examine the processes of programme development and implementation.
Feedback is also sought from UNFPA country office staff and other partners
on the relevance and ease of understanding of the Fund’s policies and
procedures. Moreover, UNFPA’s working relationship with national and
international partners is also reviewed. The DOS monitors and reports on implementation
of PAR recommendations.
 more..
Together with the Evaluation Network, the DOS advocates for
qualitative improvement in UNFPA’s monitoring and evaluation activities
and promotes use of evaluation findings in decision-making. Apart from development
and dissemination of monitoring and evaluation methodologies and approaches,
the DOS also manages ad hoc independent evaluations, the findings of which
are inputs to the Fund’s continuous policy assessment.
The DOS organizes management and internal audits, and works
closely with the UN Board of Auditors in regard to external audits. It conducts
risk analysis of UNFPA operations to facilitate audit planning. DOS also monitors
the scope, quality and management of audits of projects executed by Governments
and NGOs and provides feedback to units at headquarters and country offices.
It analyses and disseminates all management letters and audit reports issued
by the internal auditors and the UN Board of Auditors. It maintains data-bases
on audit findings and follow up action. This information is used for periodic
reporting on areas of weakness in the organisation’s performance, together
with proposals for remedial action. The DOS also prepares periodic reports
on the status of implementation of audit recommendations.
The DOS is actively involved in training of UNFPA staff and
sharing of information on good approaches to address issues identified in PARs,
audits and evaluations and to promote a results-oriented monitoring and evaluation
culture throughout the Fund.
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