UNDP defines Knowledge Management (KM) as the summary of all measures designed to address its knowledge-related challenges. It recognizes that knowledge is both a key output that it delivers to its partners and clients, as well as a key resource that the organization needs in order to deliver its results. The key objective of KM in UNDP is to drive UNDP’s global leadership in achieving (1) inclusive and sustainable growth and development, (2) stronger systems of democratic governance, (3) strengthened institutions to deliver access to basic services, (4) gender inequality and women’s empowerment, (5) reduced likelihood of conflict and risk of natural disasters, (6) early recovery and return to sustainable development pathways in post-conflict and post-disaster settings, and (7) development of debates and actions that prioritize eradication of poverty, inequality and exclusion, Within this context knowledge products and tools are key elements for knowledge management. Knowledge creation and learning is the ultimate objective of UNDP’s knowledge generation work. UNDP aims at injecting itself into the public development conversation by actively reaching out to its audience such as readers of publications, visitors of websites, and participants of events. It engages with local and regional public intellectuals, research-based institutions, think tanks, policy forums and public media to learn and shape policy debates, emphasizing in particular local adaptation of knowledge and ownership of solutions that are responsive to local needs and support the scaling up of local innovations. The required knowledge products (KP) will therefore assist in realizing the above-mentioned goals. At times, political sensitivities favor private knowledge sharing, with public sharing limited to highly processed knowledge products. This makes open public sharing of challenges, shortcomings and lessons outside organizational boundaries difficult and ‘against the culture’. Land Reform Programme in South Africa proved to be one of those interventions where all parties involved were very cautious about sharing knowledge prematurely due to political sensitivities. After nine years of implementation, from 2011, UNDP and DALRRD believe that a wealth of knowledge has been developed over this period, and thus this assignment is considered necessary and timely. |
