About

The Policy Portal is an online compendium hosting the streamlined policies of the Secretariat regulatory framework. It is an online web-based platform where all the Secretariat administrative policy documents and resources are organized by key thematic areas. The Policy Portal contains all current policy documents as well as an archive of those that had been abolished or superseded.

The Policy Portal is organized around thematic sections relevant to the overall regulatory framework of the Secretariat.

Within each thematic section, the content is organized following the hierarchy of the regulatory framework for the Secretariat, as indicated below.

Refer to UN Terms, a multilingual database of official terminology relevant to the work of the United Nation.

 

UN Building in New York

Charter

The United Nations Charter is the treaty that established the United Nations, and includes the purposes and principles, membership, and organs of the United Nations, among other things. The Charter of the United Nations was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945.

Staff Regulations

The Staff Regulations designate staff as international civil servants and contain the text of the Declaration made at the time of appointment. In the Regulations you will find the fundamental conditions of service and the basic rights, duties and obligations of UN staff members related to the relevant articles of the Charter of the United Nations.

 Read the Staff Regulations in full

 

Staff Rules

The Staff Rules follow on and relate directly to the Staff Regulations by expanding on their meaning and how they are applied. The Staff Regulations and Staff Rules are normally published together.

Financial Regulations and Rules

The Financial Rules are promulgated by the Secretary-General in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Regulations approved by the General Assembly. They shall govern all the financial management activities of the United Nations except as may otherwise explicitly be provided by the Assembly or unless specifically exempted therefrom by the Secretary-General.

Read the Financial Regulations and Rules 

 

Secretary-General's Bulletin (SGB)

A Secretary-General Bulletin establishes the directives for and implementation date of policy and mechanisms related to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules or decisions adopted by the General Assembly, or any important decision decided by the Secretary-General.

The procurement manual and the security risk management manual are considered part of the Regulatory Framework, although they are not governed by a specific SGB.

 

Administrative Instruction (AI)

When a Secretary-General Bulletin is issued or a Staff Regulation or Rule is modified, an Administrative Instruction usually follows from the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Strategy, Policy and Compliance. An AI provides the ‘how-to’ procedures for carrying out the policy or change. When even more specific details in procedures are required, Guidelines in support of an Administrative Instruction may be written.

 

Information Circular (IC)

Information Circulars cover a range of just-in-time updates and practices in the Secretariat, such as holiday schedule, visas, local salary scales, working hours, pension, taxation, and membership in selection bodies.

 

Policy Guidelines (PG)

Policy Guidelines are issued by the Office of Human Resources and cover a wide range of policy advisory issues. They provide general information, practical advice, explanations, practical examples of implementation of the step-by-step processes or additional information (such as rates) that may be necessary to implement administrative issuances. Policy Guidelines do not promulgate any new rules or policies or procedures, or amend, supersede, or otherwise, in any manner, override the rules and policies of the Organization.

 

Knowledge Gateway

For UN Staff, operational guidelines on policy issues and elements of the Regulatory Framework, can be found in the Knowledge Gateway. Guidance resources available in the Gateway include enterprise application manuals, job aids, forms, standard operating procedures, among others.