SISTER is one of the Organization’s IT-based management tools which follows
and supports the Results-Based Management (RBM) approach as applied in UNESCO. RBM
is a cornerstone of UNESCO and UN reform. It constitutes a central pillar of the
Organization’s programming, operations and monitoring and is critical for the accountability,
effectiveness and efficiency of programme and management as requested by UNESCO’s
Governing Bodies.
SISTER was designed in 1998 to support the transition to the Results-Based Management approach and now accompanies its
implementation by being continuously adapted to reflect emerging and evolving needs,
such as the principles of authority and accountability, those flowing from the decentralization
policy and exigencies of UN reform. It also seeks to integrate RBM good practices.
Since the 36 C/5, SISTER increasingly takes into account Results-Based Budgeting
(RBB) as well.
Built on the principles of transparency, accountability and knowledge-sharing, SISTER
encompasses the programming, management, monitoring and reporting of the Programme
and Budget (C/5) and associated operational Workplans for regular programme activities
and extrabudgetary projects alike. SISTER ensures the alignment and harmonisation
of regular programme activities and extrabudgetary projects, and that the latter
reinforce the Regular Programme of UNESCO and thus contribute to its results attainment.
The core of the system lies in the definition of expected results - and the strategy
to attain them - by the person responsible for each element at the various programming
levels. Each level of the hierarchy is given the means to fully exercise its responsibilities
and is fully accountable for the programming and implementation of the interventions
undertaken. This process is meant to be interactive, in the sense that the proposals
from each level answer to the direction of the higher level and provide for a process
of a programming and budgetary negotiation. These agreements are the essence of
a co-operative strategy, as they determine how and under which conditions the respective
results will be reached and combined in achieving the higher-level results. This
Results chain allows a seamless linkage from the C/4 to the C/5 to the workplans
as well as from UNESCO’s results to the UN (via among others the UNDAF or One UN
Programme Results Matrix).
In brief, SISTER has been developed to adapt to the reforms of the UN and of the
Organization, such as through decentralization and delegation of authority. It provides
the basis for informed decision-making at UNESCO by presenting a comprehensive view
of UNESCO’s programmatic and financial information and workplans, up-dated on an
ongoing basis with relevant substantive, budgetary and financial information. SISTER
is the Organization’s unique entry point for sharing progress attained against the
expected results defined in the relevant C/5 document and workplans, and contributes
to making UNESCO a more interactive, transparent, integrated working environment.
SISTER (System of Information on Strategies, Tasks
and the Evaluation of Results) is one of the Organization’s IT-based
management tools which follows and supports the Results-Based Management (RBM) approach
as applied in UNESCO. RBM is a cornerstone of UNESCO and UN reform. It constitutes
a central pillar of the Organization’s programming, operations and monitoring and
is critical for the accountability, effectiveness and efficiency of programme and
management as requested by UNESCO’s Governing Bodies.
SISTER was designed in 1998 to support the transition to the Results-Based Management approach and now accompanies its implementation by being continuously adapted to
reflect emerging and evolving needs, such as the principles of authority and accountability,
those flowing from the decentralization policy and exigencies of UN reform. It also
seeks to integrate RBM good practices. Since the 36 C/5, SISTER increasingly takes
into account Results-Based Budgeting (RBB) as well.
Built on the principles of transparency, accountability and knowledge-sharing, SISTER
encompasses the programming, management, monitoring and reporting of the Programme
and Budget (C/5) and associated operational Workplans for regular programme activities
and extrabudgetary projects alike. SISTER ensures the alignment and harmonisation
of regular programme activities and extrabudgetary projects, and that the latter
reinforce the Regular Programme of UNESCO and thus contribute to its results attainment.
A Working Tool: Interactivity and Cooperation
The core of the system lies in the definition of expected results - and the strategy
to attain them - by the person responsible for each element at the various programme
levels. Each level of the hierarchy is given the means to fully exercise its responsibilities
and is fully accountable for the programming and implementation of the interventions
undertaken. This process is meant to be interactive, in the sense that the proposals
from each level answer to the direction of the higher level and provide for a process
of a programming and budgetary negotiation.
These agreements are the essence of a co-operative strategy, as they determine how
and under which conditions the respective results will be reached and combined in
achieving the higher-level results. This Results Chain allows a seamless linkage
from the C/4 to the C/5 to the Workplans as well as from UNESCO’s results to the
UN (via among others the UNDAF or One UN Programme Results Matrix).
To underpin this strategy and to ensure the successful implementation of SISTER,
all UNESCO personnel (including interns and temporary staff), as well as the representatives
of Member States, are entitled to follow an individual or group training. For more
information on SISTER training please contact sister@unesco.org
for UNESCO personnel and o.du-souich@unesco.org
for Member States.
A Consultation Tool: Transparency and Partnership
In addition to serving as a working tool for UNESCO personnel, SISTER also serves
as a consultation tool facilitating exchange of information, and reinforcing collaboration
between Member States and UNESCO.
As stipulated by the General Conference, Member States have access up to the C/5
Expected Result level of the Programme and Budget. The information available to
Member States is constantly updated via SISTER thus providing a continuously updated
Programme and Budget (C/5) document. In addition, it is also complemented with supplementary
information such as performance indicators and associated baselines and targets/benchmarks
for each expected result. Moreover, SISTER’s extensive Search/Reports function also
allows extracting substantive and financial information by topics, by Strategic
Objectives, by Expected Results, by geographical area including benefitting countries
and other criteria, such as the indicative amount benefitting a specific country,
sub-region or region. Please note that the Secretariat is undertaking the necessary
measures to integrate gradually the Category 1 Institutes and Centres.
Through SISTER Member States also have the possibility to view the targets of the
Complementary Additional Programme (CAP).. The CAP is UNESCO’s key programming and
resource mobilisation tool. It is part of an effort to increase resource mobilization
by making it easier for potential donors and partners to match UNESCO’s priorities
to their own, both with respect to geographic and substantive focus. For more information
on the CAP please consult:
Partners and Donors.
The SISTER Architecture: Multi-level Coherence
In line with the Results-Based Management approach, the Programme and Budget is
built according to a coherent strategy of well-articulated, nested results. This
arborescence is directly visible via the “SISTER C/5 Tree,” which allows users to
visualize UNESCO’s Programme and Budget by sequentially descending from the Major
Programme level, through the Main line of Actions (MLAs) to the C/5 Expected Results
levels and down to the Workplans level.
An innovative IT-system for an Integrated Working Environment
UNESCO’s integrated management system underpins the key pillars of the RBM approach:
results, financial and human resource management. It is comprised of three interconnected
IT-based applications: SISTER, FABS and STEPS.
SISTER encompasses the Programme and Budget (C/5) and the Workplans. FABS (Finance
and Budget System) is used to record financial transactions, maintain accounts and
provide data for budgetary and financial reporting. STEPS (System to Enhance Personnel
Services) covers human resources management and payroll information. The link between
individual performance on outputs/tasks defined in the Human Resources application
and their associated activities, projects or programmes in SISTER ensures that individuals
are incited to focus and contribute to the achievements of the Organization.
Furthermore, SISTER was conceived to function both via the UNESCO Intranet and the
Internet, which means that all personnel of the Organization have access to SISTER
whether in or away from Headquarters. This allows for direct and continuous collaboration
between Headquarters, Field/Liaison Offices and Category 1 Institutes and Centres,
and with colleagues who are away on mission. In this way, SISTER serves as a working
tool which contributes to the creation of an integrated working environment.
In brief, SISTER has been developed to adapt to the reforms of the UN and of the
Organization, such as through decentralization and delegation of authority. It provides
the basis for informed decision-making at UNESCO by presenting a comprehensive view
of UNESCO’s programmatic and financial information and Workplans, up-dated on an
ongoing basis with relevant substantive, budgetary and financial information. SISTER
is the Organization’s unique entry point for sharing progress attained against the
expected results defined in the relevant C/5 document and Workplans, and contributes
to making UNESCO a more interactive, transparent, integrated working environment.
SISTER for the 37 C/5 (2014-2017) is available at:
http://sister.unesco.org
For more information on SISTER or SISTER Training please contact
sister@unesco.org for UNESCO personnel and
o.du-souich@unesco.org for Member States.