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The 63rd FICSA Council took place at the United Nations in Geneva from 18 to 22 January 2010, bringing together representatives from the Federation’s 29 member associations and unions, 10 associate members, 21 FUNSAs and 16 consultative members.

The FICSA President welcomed the participants and recalled the tragic loss of life in the ranks of the United Nations, in particular in the wake of the recent earthquake in Haiti that would increase the toll of lives lost still further. He invited those present to observe one minute’s silence in honour of those who had paid the supreme sacrifice in the past year while serving the United Nations.

The President remarked that the recent United Nations General Assembly resolution on the common system and the work of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) offered the Standing Committees ample food for thought in their upcoming meetings. He thus took great pleasure in welcoming Mr. Wolfgang Stoeckl, Vice-Chair of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), who would address Council and answer a limited number of questions from the floor.

FICSA mourns the heartbreaking loss of UN system colleagues in Haiti, and extends its sympathy to the entire UN family and the families of colleagues lost in this tragedy. It is our sincere hope that many of the missing will be found safe.

To those colleagues who have been injured and who have experienced unbearable losses, FICSA extends its compassion and concern.

FICSA will do everything in its power to provide assistance to everyone who has been affected by this catastrophe.

The Fifth Committee adopted a resolution on the UN common system: Report of the International Civil Service Commission for 2009. The draft was adopted without a vote.

Before its adoption, the representative of the Russian Federation said he intended to support and adopt the text as submitted, but wished to make one comment:  by the text, the General Assembly would ask for a review of the termination indemnity schedule.  He would like it to be placed on record that the Assembly had already affirmed the termination indemnity schedule.  Accordingly, it would now ask for a review.  A number of delegations had concerns about the application of the system, which were shared by the Russian Federation, and more than other delegations, the United States had insisted on the inclusion of the paragraph about the review.

He explained further that the agreed text was adopted on the condition that there would be a statement by the Chair, to clarify the thrust of that paragraph.  Unfortunately, no statement was agreed.  For that reason, he himself would make the statement.  He emphasized that the Assembly would not be asking for a review of the termination indemnity schedule as a whole, but that it was simply asking that a study be done of possible cases of abuse of the system for the category of staff that had worked 10 years or more.  In his view, the proposed language did not imply that there was any abuse of the system.  Rather, it would have the Assembly examine whether there might be some abuse in that connection.

By terms of the resolution, the Assembly would take note of the Commission’s report.  In section A of the draft, on conditions of service of staff in the Professional and higher categories, the text would have the Assembly reaffirm that the range of 110 to 120 for the margin between the remuneration of officials in the Professional and higher categories and that of the comparator civil service (the United States federal civil service) should continue to apply, on the understanding that the margin would be maintained at a level around the midpoint of 115 over time.  For the period from 1 January to 31 December, it is estimated at 113.8.

Regarding the base/floor salary scale, the text would recall the Assembly’s resolution 44/198 by which it had established a floor net salary level of officials in comparable positions serving at the base city of the comparator civil service.  It would approve, with effect from 1 January 2010, as recommended by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), the revised base/floor scale of gross and net salaries for staff in the Professional and higher categories contained in an annex to the Commission’s report.

On gender balance and geographical distribution, the text would have the Assembly note with disappointment the insufficient progress made with regard to women’s representation, particularly at the senior level.  It would welcome a decision by the Commission to implement outreach initiatives to attract, develop and retain the most talented men and women, and encourage the Commission to consider further issues relating to female staff retention.

Concerning conditions of service for both categories of staff, the text would have the Assembly take note of the Commission’s recommendation to introduce end-of-service severance pay in common system organization for fixed-term staff involuntarily separating from the organization upon the expiration of their contract after 10 or more years of continuous service.  It would decide to revert to the question of the proposed end-of-service severance pay at its sixty-fifth session.

Further to the text, the Assembly would take note of the recommendation of governing bodies of the United Nations common system organizations to harmonize their termination indemnity schedule with that of the United Nations, and also request the Commission to review the application of the termination indemnity.  It would reiterate that the death grant should not be payable to secondary dependants and reiterate its call to the governing bodies of the common system organization to align their provisions regarding death grants with those of the United Nations.

On the mandatory age of separation, the text would have the Assembly request the Commission to report, at its sixty-sixth session, on the possibility of changing the mandatory age of separation, including the implications in the areas of human resources policies and pensions.  As for the senior management network, it would note the decision of the Chief Executives Board to discontinue work on the senior management network, and request the Commission to monitor the adequacy of measures aimed at improving management capacity and performance within the United Nations common system.

World AIDS Day Statement 2009 from UN Plus

Today communities around world will remember the millions who have died of AIDS and speak out in solidarity with those living with HIV. While many of us, thanks to access to treatment, are able to lead full and productive lives, the global response is still not meeting the needs of the vast majority of those living with HIV. Of the almost 10 million people living with HIV in need of treatment, only around 4 million have access, and availability of second and third line therapies is still a challenge.

Aside from the medial and scientific hurdles that must still be overcome, we continue to face enormous socio‐cultural, political, legal and economic challenges to an effective and universal AIDS response. Of particular concern this year, we witnessed a growing trend towards criminalization of transmission in many countries as well as the introduction of legislation against men who have sex with men. In some parts of the world governments have demonstrated a lack of willingness to support life‐saving harm reduction initiatives and in November the World Health Organization announced that AIDS is the leading cause of death of women between the ages of 14 and 44.

Nonetheless, we have seen progress during the last twelve months. Countries have reported that with increasing treatment availability people are living longer and fewer are dying from AIDS related illnesses. The United States of America finally announced the removal of entry restrictions for people living with HIV and we hope that other countries will do the same in the year to come. In India, the longstanding antisodomy law ‐ Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code ‐ was repealed, paving the way for better legal protection for men who have sex with men and transgendered people. At its 98th session in June 2009, the International Labour Conference held the first of two tripartite discussions to develop a new international labour standard on AIDS and the world of work. It is expected to be adopted in June 2010 and focuses on prevention and the elimination of discrimination on the basis of HIV status.

During 2009, we witnessed the leadership and advocacy of the UN Secretary‐General through his outspoken support for the rights of people living with HIV and those most at risk, including people who use drugs, women, sex workers, men who have sex with men. Networks of people living with HIV around the world began to implement the People Living with HIV Stigma Index, which will assist our communities to monitor and respond to the stigma and discrimination we experience. In recent days, results of the Index have been launched in China and the UK, with the participation of high level government officials. At an international consultation in Tunisia earlier this year, and during several follow‐up meetings, people living with HIV came together to reclaim and redefine the ‘positive prevention’ agenda as ‘Positive Health Dignity and Prevention’. Meanwhile, others have reaffirmed the important links between treatment and prevention.

In 2009, membership of UN Plus has grown to 170 members, representing 28 UN entities and 43 countries. We launched our local presence in South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland. It is clear that stigma and discrimination remain the greatest barriers to effective and comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support, including within the UN. We are convinced that the meaningful participation of people living with HIV is crucial in overcoming such barriers and that our role in the development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of AIDS‐related programmes and policies must be a nonnegotiable. As UN staff living with HIV, we are committed to focusing our efforts towards the rapid achievement of Universal Access and we wish you all the best for your own efforts towards this goal in the coming year.

To join UN Plus, contact the following UN Plus regional representatives:

Eastern Europe (Moscow, Russia): Anastasia Kamylk‐ anastasia.kamlyk@undp.org            

Central Europe (Geneva, Switzerland): Paul Morejon‐ morejonp@unaids.org                     

Latin America (and Europe) : Romain Sirois‐Rsirois@ohchr.org                                            

West and Central Africa (Senegal) : Helene Badini‐ badinih@unaids.org                              

Eastern Africa (Kenya): Jane Sinyei‐ Jane.Sinyei@unon.org                                              

Eastern Africa (Rwanda): Colette Mukamusoni‐colette.mukamusoni@wfp.org                      

Central Africa (Tanzania)‐ Emmanuel Mziray‐ mziraye@unaids.org                                   

Southern Africa: Malawi): Siphiwe Kandiero‐Siphiwe.kandiero@undp.org                                

Asia (Pakistan): Masood Fareed ‐ Masood.Fareed@un.org.pk

For general inquiries on UN Plus contact the UN Plus Coordinator, Bhatupe Mhango: mhangob@unaids.org/ UNPLUS@unaids.org