In all ICIMOD's activities a number of common operational principles will feature. In addition to the inherent focus on poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability, the following principles will be adhered to.
In order to fulfill its mandate, it is critical for the Centre to provide adequate attention to all the four statutory functions. In view of the close interrelationships among the four major functions, the Centre must ensure that these are properly integrated in all of its activities. Research, training, and information exchange are highly interrelated activities and should be developed at different stages of any one programme activity. Advisory services should be provided when needed. This is a good test of the extent to which the Centre's work and outputs are in demand from national and local agencies.
Partnership is very essential in order for the Centre to play an effective role. It must foster collaborative arrangements and help promote national capacities to facilitate integrated mountain development in order to ensure need-oriented activities, more effective use of scarce resources, and promotion of regional cooperation.
To ensure gender-balanced development and, in particular, to create opportunities for women to participate in and benefit from decision-making on policies and technologies for sustainable mountain development, the Centre's programme activities will demonstrate a strong integration of gender concerns.