John Hendra

Last updated
John Hendra
John Hendra.jpg
Born1960/05/01 - 58
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)President, JD Hendra Strategic Consulting and former UN ASG and Senior Coordinator 'Fit for Purpose' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

John Hendra recently established his own consulting practice after retiring from a dynamic 32 year United Nations career as a development leader in both Headquarters and the field. Hendra recently served as a member of the High-Level Group to review the governance of The Commonwealth and is currently serving on: the Advisory Council to Canada's Development Finance Institution (FinDev Canada); on the board of Women Deliver Canada; and as an Associate Researcher with the German Development Institute (GDI).

Contents

Most recently, he served as UN Assistant Secretary General (ASG) and Senior UN Coordinator helping the UN Development System (UNDS) become more "fit for purpose" to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through the 2016 GA Resolution on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR), the policy framework set out by Member States to guide the UNDS' support to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this role, he served as the UN Development Group ASG Co-Chair of the QCPR Coordinating Team, working directly with the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, on the development of reform proposals for the UNDS.

As such, he played a key role in the preparation of UN Secretary-General Anotonio Guterres’ two seminal reform reports on “Repositioning the UN Development System to Deliver on the 2030 Agenda” - Ensuring a Better Future for All (July 2017) and Our Promise for Dignity, Prosperity and Peace on a Healthy Planet (December, 2017). He also substantively supported the intergovernmental negotiations in the UN General Assembly on the repositioning of the UNDS which resulted in the landmark GA Resolution (72/279; May 2018) which has ushered in perhaps the most comprehensive reform of the UN Development System in decades. Over this period he also provided advisory support to the UNDG, to individual UN Agencies and to UN Resident Coordinators and UN country teams. [1]

Prior to this position he served from 2011 to 2014 as UN assistant secretary-general and deputy executive director, policy and programme, at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). He was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on 11 March 2011. [2] Hendra has also been closely involved in the process of formulating the 2030 Agenda, including as a member of the Informal Senior Coordination Group (2012-2014) and as co-chair of the UN Development Group's MDG Task Force. [3] He also recently served as Co-Chair of the UN Leadership Group.

Career

Hendra has had a dynamic career in the UN Development System, playing a leading role in major UN change initiatives including pioneering the "Delivering as One" Initiative for UN system-wide coherence and country-level reform in Vietnam; helping establish UN Women, the UN's newest entity; and in the design and strategic direction of the UN's support for, and response to, both the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As deputy executive director for policy and programme at UN Women, he oversaw the development of the first two Strategic Plans (2011-2013 and 2014-2017) and provided strategic guidance to the design and implementation of UN Women's overall programme and its new regional architecture. He also helped lead UN Women's global policy work and engaged in extensive public advocacy on women's rights, [4] putting gender equality at the heart of the new sustainable development agenda, [5] the impact of austerity policies on women [6] and the imperative of addressing care work, [7] among other areas.

Before joining UN Women, Hendra served the United Nations in many countries, including 13 years as UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative (most senior UN official in-country) in Latvia (1993-1997), [8] in Tanzania (2002-2006) [9] and in Vietnam (2006-2011). Hendra has extensive experience and demonstrated achievement in UN reform, having served as UN resident coordinator in two of the most complex development environments: in Tanzania, where he helped develop a more coherent international response to national priorities and the new aid environment; and in Vietnam, where he led perhaps the most ambitious and comprehensive UN reform effort ever at country level, the "Delivering as One" Initiative.

Selected as one of eight pilot countries (along with Tanzania among others), Vietnam's experience of implementing "Delivering as One" was independently evaluated to have made significant progress in enhancing the coherence, effectiveness and relevance of the UN's development support to Vietnam. [10] This model for more effective UN development support is now being used by 55 countries around the world.

As UN resident coordinator in Vietnam, he also enhanced the UN's policy engagement with top national leadership, while also maximizing the UN's convening power, in part by articulating a clear UN policy and advocacy voice in key areas such as the challenge of climate change, [11] ethnic minority issues, [12] mitigating the social impact of the economic crisis, [13] addressing inequality, [14] fighting corruption, [15] gender equality and ending violence against women [16] and achieving the MDGs. [17]

Personal

Hendra was born in Calgary, Canada, in 1960 and is married to Robin Benitz. They have two children Julia and Alison. Hendra has an MA in development studies from the University of Toronto (1985) and an Honours BA from Queen's University (1982). He also served as a Yale World Fellow in 2009. [18]

Publications

Hendra recently co-wrote a chapter "Change in the UN Development System: Theory and Practice" for the Routledge Handbook on the UN and Development (2021) and has published over 20 articles and op-eds including most recently a GDI briefing paper on the UN's role in policy advice; [19] a "theory of change" for making the UN development system fit to support the 2030 Agenda; [20] opening up national budgets for more accountable SDG financing; [21] women's rights and the 2030 Agenda; [22] UN reform and "Delivering as One"; [23] and the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality [24] in such publications as Columbia University Journal of International Affairs, Dag Hammarskjold Foundation Development Dialogue Papers and the UN University's Centre for Policy Research Papers.

Awards

Hendra was awarded the Three Star Order of Latvia in 1997 and Vietnam's Friendship Medal in 2011. [25] He was also awarded six medals in May 2011 for his contributions over the preceding five-year period (2006-2011) to Vietnam's progress in gender equality and women's empowerment, [26] social protection and poverty reduction, [27] development planning and public investment, [28] access to justice and legal reform, [29] agriculture, rural development and disaster prevention [30] and addressing climate change.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International development</span> Concept concerning the level of development on an international scale

International development or global development is a broad concept denoting the idea that societies and countries have differing levels of economic or human development on an international scale. It is the basis for international classifications such as developed country, developing country and least developed country, and for a field of practice and research that in various ways engages with international development processes. There are, however, many schools of thought and conventions regarding which are the exact features constituting the "development" of a country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium Development Goals</span> Eight international development goals for the year 2015 by the United Nations

In the United Nations, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 created following the Millennium Summit, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. These were based on the OECD DAC International Development Goals agreed by Development Ministers in the "Shaping the 21st Century Strategy". The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) succeeded the MDGs in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka</span> South African politician

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a South African politician and former United Nations official, who served as the Executive Director of UN Women with the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Gender mainstreaming is the public policy concept of assessing the implications for people of different genders of a planned policy action, including legislation and programmes. Mainstreaming offers a pluralistic approach that enhances diversity among people of different genders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UN-Water</span>

United Nations Water (UN-Water) is an interagency mechanism that coordinates the efforts of United Nations entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues.

The Gender Development Index (GDI) is an index designed to measure gender equality.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), previously the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), is a consortium of 36 United Nations funds, programmes, specialized agencies, departments and offices that play a role in development. It was created by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in order to improve the effectiveness of United Nations development activities at the country level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenya Vision 2030</span> Medium-term development programme in Kenya

Kenya Vision 2030 is a Kenyan development program, aiming to raise the average standard of living in Kenya to middle income by 2030. It was launched on 10 June 2008 by President Mwai Kibaki. Developed through "an all-inclusive and participatory stakeholder consultative process, involving Kenyans from all parts of the country," the Vision is based on three "pillars": Economic, Social, and Political. The Vision's adoption comes after the country's GDP growth went from 0.6% in 2002 to 6.1% in 2006, under Kibaki's Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERS).

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity charged with working for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women is charged with advocating for the rights of women and girls, and focusing on a number of issues, including violence against women and violence against LGBT people.

The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development was established in May 2010 as a joint initiative by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote Internet access, in particular, broadband networks in order to help achieve United Nations development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals. The Commission was renamed the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, following the adoption of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gender Equality Architecture Reform</span> Campaign

The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) campaign was a network of over 300 women's, human rights and social justice groups around the world. The GEAR campaign urged UN Member States and the UN Secretariat to move swiftly forward to create a new UN gender equality entity. GEAR also urges the UN to set up a transparent process now for recruiting the best qualified Under Secretary-General to head this agency. The United Nations must move without further delay to implement changes that it has repeatedly recognized as critical to fulfilling its mandate of working for gender equality as a crucial component of development, human rights, peace, and security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amina J. Mohammed</span> United Nations official (born 1961)

Amina Jane Mohammed is a British Nigerian diplomat and politician who is serving as the fifth Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. Previously, she was Nigerian Minister of Environment from 2015 to 2016 and was a player in the Post-2015 Development Agenda process. She is also Chair of United Nations Sustainable Development Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-2015 Development Agenda</span>

In the United Nations, the Post-2015 Development Agenda was a set of talks and discussion that led to the creation of the 2016 Sustainable Development Goals. This replaced the 2015 Millennium Development Goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goals</span> United Nations 17 sustainable development goals for 2030

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were created with the aim of "peace and prosperity for people and the planet..." They state that ending poverty and other deprivations, goes alongside strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and increase economic growth – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. The SDGs emphasize the interconnected environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development by putting sustainability at their center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MDG Achievement Fund</span> International cooperation mechanism

The Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) was an international cooperation mechanism committed to eradicating poverty and inequality and to accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) worldwide. Its aim was to improve livelihoods and to influence public policy, which made it responsive to the needs of the poorest populations.

Measures of gender equality or inequality are statistical tools employed to quantify the concept of gender equality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goals and Iran</span>

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is a set of seventeen global goals for 169 specific areas developed by the United Nations during a deliberative process involving its 193 member states on 25 September 2015. As one of the participants, Iran pledged to carry out the 2030 Agenda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahra Razavi</span>

Shahra Razavi is an Iranian-born academic and senior United Nations official specialising in gender and social development. A graduate of the London School of Economics and Oxford University, Razavi is currently Director of the Social Protection Department of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 5</span> Global goal to achieve gender equality by 2030

Sustainable Development Goal 5 concerns gender equality and is fifth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by United Nations in 2015. The 17 SDGs recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals and Lebanon explains major contributions launched in Lebanon towards the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs and the 2030 agenda.

References

  1. ↑ "UNSSC". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  2. ↑ "Secretary-General Appoints John Hendra of Canada Assistant Secretary-General for Policy and Programme, UN Women | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". Un.org. Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Priorities for the global development agenda shaped by unprecedented public outreach effort". Sdgactioncampaign.org. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "Rollback of Women's Rights: Not Just in Afghanistan". Archived from the original on 2016-12-07. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  5. ↑ "Gender equality: Will the post-2015 goals succeed where the MDGS failed?". TheGuardian.com . 6 December 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  6. ↑ "Q&A: Women Hardest Hit by Growing Austerity Measures". 10 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "OP-ED: The Care Imperative". Ipsnews.net. 3 March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "Development Highway". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  9. ↑ "Talk Vietnam". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ "Opposing Views: Climate change – what does it mean for Vietnam? By John Hendra (UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam)". Climaterealists.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  12. ↑ "Engage ethnic minorities in nation's growth: UN". Thanhnienews.com. 24 September 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Financial turmoil threatens Vietnamese poor". Taipeitimes.com. 27 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  14. ↑ "Fruits of progress 'haven't been shared out equally'". Vietnamnews.vn. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Consistency Needed in Policy Implementation – VietNam Breaking News". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  16. ↑ "Gender parity still a distant goal". 13 March 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "Challenges remain for Viet Nam to achieve the MDGS". Archived from the original on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  18. ↑ "John Hendra". Archived from the original on 2016-09-27. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  19. ↑ "Towards more policy advice: maximizing the UN's assets to build back better". Die-gdi.de. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  20. ↑ "Who Wants (to) Change? Making the UN Development System Fit to Support the 2030 Agenda - United Nations University Centre for Policy Research". Cpr.unu.edu. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  21. ↑ ""Show Me the Money" - Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation". Archived from the original on 2016-09-27. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  22. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ↑ Hendra, John (September 2014). "Making the UN 'Fit for Purpose': Lessons from the 'Delivering as One' Experience" (PDF). Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation. Development dialogue paper no. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  24. ↑ "Agenda". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  25. ↑ "Website Under Maintenance". En.baomoi.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  26. ↑ "UN co-ordinator wins award for help to women". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  27. ↑ "Awarded a medal for the cause of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs to Mr. John Hendra". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  28. ↑ "Consistency Needed in Policy Implementation". Vccinews.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  29. ↑ "Cổng thông tin điện tử Bộ Tư pháp". Moj.gov.vn. 2005-03-25. Archived from the original on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  30. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2016-12-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.