6.2 BUILDING UNDP CAPACITY ON MINORITY ISSUES Many UNDP COs have good experience in working with vulnerable groups, including indigenous peoples. This experience can be used in building capacity for effective engagement with ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. There are several actions that could be undertaken to build this capacity. Some general recommendations are outlined below. 6.2.1 Staff Diversity: One of the best ways to engage with minorities is to employ staff members from minority groups. By employing staff that are able, for instance, to communicate in minority languages or understand the opportunities and constraints of minority cultures, awareness on minority issues could be raised. Box 18. UNDP Nepal’s Interim Workforce Diversity Policy A task force was created in 2006 to examine the issue of workforce diversity in the UNDP country office for Nepal and to develop a strategy to diversify the workforce. The report of this task force revealed that 78% of the total staff came from only five ethnic groups (while Nepal has 102 ethnic groups according to census data). Also, among the national officers, 78% came from the same five ethnic groups. Female staff numbered only 38% out of which only 21% were officers and 79% were support staff. It was concluded that there was no gender balance, women were concentrated in support positions, and men from particular ethnic groups dominated professional positions. In response, UNDP developed a policy and strategy to diversify its workforce both to implement the corporate policy of gender Existing staff members could be encouraged to know the relevant minority groups in their countries of concern, the key issues for such minority groups, and to have sensitivity to minority cultures and languages. Similarly, UNDP could build knowledge on minority issues at regional and global levels. UNDP could consider establishing training programmes that aim to enhance knowledge on minority issues among its staff. UNDP Nepal has made staff diversity a priority and has strengthened its engagement with excluded groups as a result (see Box 18). Where there are few qualified minority candidates, consideration could be given to career support initiatives, and the creation of internship programmes to nurture emerging professionals. In order to avoid a ‘brain drain’ of highly qualified minorities from minority CSOs, CSO partnership frameworks may be explored to increase UNDP’s capacity on minority issues without decreasing the capacity of minority CSOs. balance at all levels by 2010 and to have a more representative staff composition given Nepal’s ethnic diversity. Some of the key features of this policy include:  All Terms of References are to include issues on gender and social inclusion relevant to the position and areas of responsibility  All vacancy announcements are to include the statements: “UNDP has a policy to have a gender balance in its staff at all levels by 2010”, “Women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, persons with disabilities, and other minorities are especially encouraged to apply” “Work experience and/or academic knowledge in relation to gender and social exclusion will be an added advantage” Chapter 6: Capacity Development 93