The United States Was Generally Underrepresented at All Five UN Organizations

Based on UN organizations’ formal and informal targets for equitable  geographic representation in 2009, the United States was  underrepresented at all five of the UN organizations we reviewed—the  Secretariat, WHO, FAO, IAEA, and UNHCR. For  example, from 2006 to 2009, the annual growth rate of nongeographic  positions at the Secretariat was 13 percent, leading to an increase in  nongeographic positions as a percentage of all professional positions from  about 64 percent in 2006 to 70.5 percent in 2009. Representation in Policymaking and Senior- Level Positions Generally Decreased at UN Organizations

With regard to Americans in geographic policymaking and senior-level  positions, we found that, from 2006 to 2009, U.S. representation in these  positions decreased at three of the four organizations that distinguish  between geographic and nongeographic positions—the Secretariat, WHO,  and IAEA. UN Organizations Face Challenges to Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Professional Staff, Including Americans

Based on our interviews with 63 Americans employed at the UN  organizations, UN human resources officials, and U.S. officials, we  identified eight issues that present challenges to recruiting, hiring, and  retaining American professional staff at the five UN organizations we  reviewed. Difficulty obtaining spousal employment. Lengthy hiring process. UN organizations’ lengthy hiring processes can  deter candidates from accepting employment. Limited opportunity for promotion and professional growth. State Has Made Efforts to Increase U.S. Representation but Has Not Evaluated the Effectiveness of Most of These Efforts and Allocates JPOs at Only a Few UN Organizations

State has taken steps to increase U.S. representation in UN organizations,  including the implementation of some of our 2006 report  recommendations. In 2006, we reported that State’s  recruitment and outreach efforts did not reach some potential applicants. In addition, the U.S. However, State has not assessed the effectiveness of most of its efforts to  increase U.S. representation. Instead, many Americans we spoke with learned about UN job  opportunities through their own personal or professional networks. JPOs are  considered staff members of the UN organizations but are funded by  member states. (1)  To provide more complete information on the level of U.S. representation  at UN organizations, we recommend that the Secretary of State include  data on U.S. representation in all professional positions, similar to the  information it currently provides on staff in geographic positions, in  State’s annual report to Congress on U.S. representation in UN  organizations. The evaluation should include an assessment of  State’s ongoing efforts such as its Web-based database for sending UN  vacancy announcements to interested job candidates. (3) Consider  implementing a pilot program to fund JPOs at UN organizations where the  United States currently does not have JPOs such as the Secretariat. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

The objectives of this report were to examine (1) U.S. representation at  five United Nations (UN) organizations; (2) issues affecting the  recruitment, hiring, and retention of professional staff, including  Americans at these five UN organizations; and (3) efforts the State  Department (State) has undertaken to improve U.S. representation at UN  organizations, including its implementation of our 2006 recommendations. Our scope included five UN organizations: the UN Secretariat (the  Secretariat), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Office of the  United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Food and  Agriculture Organization (FAO), and World Health Organization (WHO). Together they comprised over 50 percent of total UN organizations’  professional staff as of December 2008. Methodology for Reviewing U.S. State Department’s Efforts to Increase U.S.
Why GAO Did This Study

The U.S. Congress has continuing concerns about U.S. underrepresentation in United Nations (UN) organizations. Some UN organizations establish targets for member state representation, and such positions are classified as geographic positions. GAO's 2006 report found that the State Department (State) could take additional steps to increase U.S. representation. This report examines (1) U.S. representation at five UN organizations; (2) issues affecting the employment of professional staff, including Americans at these organizations; and (3) efforts State has undertaken to increase U.S. representation. GAO analyzed employment data from five UN organizations that comprise over 50 percent of total UN professional staff and interviewed U.S. and UN officials, including 63 Americans employed at the five organizations.

What GAO Found

In 2009, the United States was underrepresented, based on formal and informal targets, at all five of the UN organizations GAO reviewed--the Secretariat, World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This follows general U.S. underrepresentation at most of these organizations from 2006 to 2009. At the four UN organizations that distinguish geographic and nongeographic positions, there was an increase in the percentage of nongeographic professional positions during 2006 to 2009. The United States is not as well represented in nongeographic as geographic positions at FAO and the Secretariat, which could affect future overall U.S. representation. In addition, U.S. representation in policymaking and senior-level positions generally decreased at these UN organizations from 2006 to 2009. The five UN organizations GAO reviewed have challenges that affect the recruitment, hiring, and retention of professional staff, including Americans. Challenges include Americans' lack of proficiency in UN languages, difficulty for spouses to obtain employment in some locations, lengthy hiring processes, and limited opportunities for promotion and professional growth. For example, 45 out of 63 Americans we interviewed identified the lengthy hiring process as a challenge to recruiting and hiring. While these UN organizations have initiated human resource reforms that may address some of the issues, such as efforts to decrease hiring time, it is too early to determine their impact. Since 2006, State has made efforts to increase U.S. representation in the UN, including implementing some of GAO's 2006 recommendations. State has improved its Web site; increased outreach initiatives; begun developing a Web-based database, so interested UN job applicants can receive automatic vacancy announcements; and conducted an informal review of funding JPOs, but it continues to allocate JPOs at only a few UN organizations. State has not assessed the effectiveness of most of its current efforts to increase U.S. representation. Despite State's efforts, many Americans employed at the five organizations learned about UN job opportunities through their own networks, not through State.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that the Secretary of State (1) include data on U.S. representation in all professional positions in its annual report to Congress, (2) evaluate its ongoing activities to increase U.S. representation, and (3) consider a pilot program to fund Junior Professional Officers (JPO), who are entry-level employees funded by member states, at UN organizations where the United States currently does not have any JPOs. In commenting on a draft of this report, State concurred with GAO's recommendations.