United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Backbone of UN Development System

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a specialised agency of United Nation formed in 1965 to triggered global development network. It works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion.

It also helps countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

Agenda 2030 of UNDP

UNDP’s strength comes from having the trust of developing countries, owing to our impartial character, longstanding presence and commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable. It also plays a key role as the backbone of the wider UN Development System, helping agencies work together for sustainable development.

• Strategic Plan and Structural Change of UNDP have made more focused, efficient, and country-oriented. The new structure integrates crisis and gender for the first time in all areas of policy and programmes. UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2014-17 — centred on seven sets of outcomes, compared to the previous 35 — presents a unifying vision to best help countries eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities and exclusion.

• UNDP Integrated Results and Resources Framework clearly shows the allocation of resources and results achieved, allowing stakeholders to easily monitor performance, learn lessons, and hold the organization accountable for the funds entrusted to it. Executive Board members were pleased with the new reporting format based on the Framework, and welcomed the 2015 Annual Report as a step towards greater results-based management.

• UNDP has improved standards for program planning and quality assurance, and a robust process for program appraisal. Country Program Documents show better targeting of resources. Data is used more rigorously to inform programming. New quality standards for projects are being rolled out in 2016.

• UNDP is today a leaner and more efficient organization, operating even closer to the field.  UNDP’s new structure reflects a staff reduction of 12% at headquarters and regional levels. It has also moved a further 20% of staff from New York to regional hubs to strengthen its support to country offices.

• UNDP was judged the most transparent development agency of the 68 assessed in the latest IATI exercise (October 2014), and one of the development partners that communicates most frequently with host government counterparts (2015 Aid Data).