Annual Report 2023 - Adviser and service provider

Adviser and service provider

We offer insight-driven advisory services to help UN organizations achieve better results. By leveraging our understanding of the UN system, we help convert ideas into actionable plans to realize new opportunities to make progress on the SDGs.

Engaging Youth

Mainstreaming Innovations

Mediation Networks

Engaging youth and strengthening partnerships for a sustainable future

An educational platform prompting sustainable action among young people in Thailand

Understanding how people can positively impact sustainable development is crucial for future generations. The Thai SDG Micro-Primer is an innovative learning tool, developed by UNSSC in collaboration with the UN in Thailand. It aims to mobilize youth and young professionals towards sustainable actions, offering accessible, engaging learning experiences. This initiative addresses Thailand’s specific sustainable development challenges and opportunities and encourages youth-led actions.

The initiative’s unveiling at the Sustainability Expo in Bangkok in October 2023 was a landmark event, attracting 1,500 attendees and engaging more than 4,000 participants. The tool significantly raised SDG awareness among Thai youth fostering their participation in local sustainability initiatives. Moreover, it has been instrumental in strengthening partnerships between educational institutions and youth organizations, further broadening the event’s reach and impact.

“The collaborative effort between UNSSC, the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, and the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand, is a prime illustration of how UN agencies can leverage partnerships, unique expertise, and innovation to reach new heights in sustainability. It’s exciting to see the SDG Micro-Primer community growing as we collectively share knowledge, learning material and best practices through AI-supported, digital platforms, providing seamless user access from across all regions of the country, with more than 4,000 users already reached.”

Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator, Thailand

Assessing readiness to integrate innovation into civil aviation

A readiness assessment helping to lay the foundation for clear global aviation innovation processes

In an effort to advance innovation in global aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) last year partnered with the Staff College to take a hard look at how they foster new ideas.

Over nine months, the Staff College engaged over 190 people from inside and outside the organization for their views. The long- term goal of this exercise was to ensure that every country, big or small, can benefit from the latest in aviation. The result was a clear path that ICAO can follow to enhance its innovation processes while remaining aligned with their overall strategic objectives of safety, capacity, efficiency, security, facilitation, economic development, and environmental protection.

Fostering insider mediation networks in Arab States

An online regional platform serving as a central hub for coordination and capacity-building activities and resources

In today’s increasingly complex and volatile world, the practice of insider mediation has emerged as a crucial tool for navigating conflicts. This practice is facilitated by trusted individuals, groups or institutions embedded within a conflict, and plays a pivotal role in fostering trust within the local community and facilitating the necessary shifts in mindset and behaviour needed to prevent conflict and sustain peace.

UNSSC collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Hub in Amman to bolster the role of insider mediation in Lebanon, Sudan and Jordan by developing capacities and improving access to resources. The Staff College developed an online regional platform that serves as a central hub for coordination and capacity-building activities and resources. It is a safe space for insider mediators with digital tools and an online forum, allowing people to interact, share experiences, discuss challenges, successes, and best practices. The platform serves as a virtual arena for the insider mediators' network that fosters peer learning and a collaborative learning environment. It includes a self-paced learning package, contextualized to the region, in Arabic

“The Insider Mediation online platform and courses with UNSSC offer rich, comprehensive content in an accessible format, providing valuable resources and organized information. The inclusion of diverse representations and thoughtful design elements enhances engagement and cognitive focus, while the evaluation process emphasizes understanding and analysis over mere product assessment.”

Manal Zahreddine Bou Alwan, Lebanese Insider Mediator