The Joint Inspection Unit and its Participating Organizations

This article is part of a series commemorating the 60^th anniversary of the Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations system highlighting its mandate, evolution and contribution to the United Nations system over the last six decades.

Overview

Participating organizations: 28 (as of 2026, International Organization for Migration joining in 2027)

Role of participating organizations:

→ Accept the JIU Statute

→ Contribute to the JIU budget through cost-sharing

→ Engage actively in JIU reviews and follow-up

Why it matters:

→ Participation enables effective system-wide oversight, learning and coordination across the UN system.

Who are the JIU Participating Organizations?

The Joint Inspection Unit operates vis-à-vis the legislative organs and secretariats of United Nations system organizations that have voluntarily accepted its Statute. These entities are referred to as JIU participating organizations.

As of 2026, the Joint Inspection Unit serves 28 participating organizations, including the United Nations Secretariat, all funds and programmes, and several specialized agencies. This number will increase to 29 in 2027, when the International Organization for Migration becomes a participating organization.

Participation is central to the Joint Inspection Unit’s mandate. By opting into the JIU framework, organizations contribute to a shared system of independent oversight that allows for comparison, learning and coordination across institutional boundaries.

From Experiment to System-Wide Coverage

The Joint Inspection Unit operated on an experimental basis for the first ten years of its existence, before becoming a permanent body with the approval of its Statute by the General Assembly in 1976. At the time of its institutionalization, 12 organizations, primarily UN funds and programmes, adopted the JIU’s Statute, thereby becoming the first participating organizations.

Over the following decades, additional organizations chose to join the JIU’s oversight framework. This gradual expansion created a broad and diverse oversight universe, enabling the JIU to deliver on its mandate at a system-wide level.

How Participating Organizations Support the Joint Inspection Unit

Participating organizations support the Joint Inspection Unit in two main ways:

• Financially, through a cost-sharing arrangement that funds the work of the Unit; and
• Substantively, through active engagement in the JIU’s oversight reviews and follow-up processes.

This partnership model ensures that the JIU’s work remains relevant and informed, grounded in the operational realities of the organizations it serves, while preserving its independence.

Participation in the Oversight Process

The mission of the Joint Inspection Unit is to help participating organizations increase their efficiency and effectiveness in achieving their mandates, while supporting their legislative bodies in fulfilling governance and oversight responsibilities. The JIU’s system-wide mandate also allows it to promote information-sharing and coordination across the United Nations system.

To fulfil this mandate, the Joint Inspection Unit works in close collaboration with its participating organizations throughout all cycles of a review, while maintaining the independence of its analysis and conclusions.

Participation begins at the planning stage. Each year, organizations have the opportunity to:

• propose new topics for future reviews; and
• assess the relevance of topics proposed by other organizations and by the JIU itself.

These inputs inform the development of the JIU Programme of Work for the following year.

Once topics are selected, collaboration continues during the project planning phase. Draft terms of reference are shared with the management of concerned organizations to ensure a common understanding of the scope, objectives and methodology of each review.

During the data collection phase, organizations contribute by:

• responding to corporate questionnaires and surveys;
• participating in virtual and in-person interviews;
• providing relevant documentation; and
• engaging in ongoing exchanges with Inspectors and project teams.

In the analysis and reporting phase, the Joint Inspection Unit prepares a draft report, which is shared with organizational management for comments. These comments are reviewed and considered by the Inspectors, who may request clarification as needed. While all inputs are given due consideration, final findings and recommendations remain the prerogative of the Inspectors.

« Focal points have become a cornerstone of effective collaboration between the JIU and its participating organizations, directly strengthening the relevance and impact of the JIU’s system-wide oversight function. » - Inspector Conrod HUNTE, Chair of the Joint Inspection Unit for the year 2026

Focal Points: Much More Than Contact Persons

Effective cooperation between the Joint Inspection Unit and participating organizations relies heavily on the work of designated organizational focal points. These staff members, appointed by senior management in each organization, serve as the primary interface between organizations and the Joint Inspection Unit.

Focal points are typically drawn from management, oversight or external relations functions. Regardless of their institutional location, their role is consistent across organizations and is central to ensuring smooth communication and effective follow-up.

Focal points support the JIU review process by:

• facilitating data collection and helping to identify relevant internal stakeholders;
• supporting the JIU team in their conduct of on-site missions and virtual interviews;
• collecting and transmitting comments on draft reports;
• coordinating internal processes to ensure consideration is given to JIU reports by executive heads and governing bodies; and
• gathering information on the acceptance, implementation and impact of Joint Inspection Unit recommendations for follow-up.

A Partnership at the Heart of System-Wide Oversight

As the Joint Inspection Unit commemorates its 60th anniversary, the continued engagement of participating organizations remains essential to the Unit’s ability to promote learning, accountability and improved performance across the United Nations system. Through sustained cooperation, participating organizations enable the JIU to deliver independent, system-wide oversight that supports better governance today and into the future.

* Certain sections of this article were proofread with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools for language refinement purposes.