Projects & Initiatives

UNDP helps Pacific nations avert tsunami impacts

Bangkok -- Within five minutes of receiving alerts about a possible tsunami from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan on 11 March, more than 120,000 of an exposed coastal community in the Philippines, 2,000 kilometres south, were put on stand-by. While the Philippines’ pro more

Helping Haitians prepare for the future

Cap Haitien, Haiti -- The Government of Haiti and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the first prevention plan to reduce vulnerability to seismic threats. The new plan aims to reduce impacts in earthquake-prone areas by improving resilience of infrastructure and reducing risks more

Supercities face high quake risk

New York – More than half of the world’s supercities, with populations of 2-15 million, are at future risk of being affected by nearby magnitude seven or greater earthquakes, warned Eric Calais, Haiti-based seismologist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A significant number more

Cameroon community to return home after lake explosion

Nearly 1,700 people died in 1986 when Cameroon's Lake Nyos suddenly released deadly levels of carbon dioxide into the air, following a build-up of the gas in the lake. Another 10,000 people were uprooted and 3,000 heads of livestock were also lost. "I lost more than 21 members of my family and more

Floods in Pakistan

After three months of severe flooding across the country, a UNDP SURGE planning team was deployed to assist the UNDP Pakistan country office to realign its programmes to address emerging and urgent priorities, such as helping affected communities recover from the disaster. To help with the rollout o more

Rebuilding Livelihoods in Liberia

Martha lost her husband during the civil war that tore Liberia apart and left 75 percent of the population in extreme poverty. A mother of two, Martha did not have any formal training. She could not send her children to school as she was not able to pay their school fees. Since Martha became a be more

New court house enhances access to justice in Sri Lanka

M.H.M. Ziyath watches with heartfelt pleasure as throngs of men, women and children fill the public benches and every available space of the new court house in Delft. It is the day of the inaugural sitting of the circuit court house newly established in the island and the first time after over 30 ye more

Legal aid for rape victim in Sudan

Garssila, a small village in war-torn Darfur, was the theatre of a shocking case in 2010, when a 13 year old girl was brutally raped by an adult man. Defying prevailing stereotypes and social taboos the girl and her family courageously took the case to court, seeking justice. To their shock, the Cou more

Municipalities cooperate to deliver better services

Accurate maps to guide fire fighters, better roads and water systems, training for teachers of special needs children - these are among the many public services that smaller municipalities in the former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia can now offer their citizens. As part of a UNDP-supported pr more

Rebuilding Haiti

Building Back Better Two years after the devastating earthquake of 12 January, 2010, Haiti continues to draw on its resources to recover. The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) mission in Haiti is to support and build capacities for the government, the private sector and those of the comm more

Albania: Mine free and on the road to development

Albania is officially free from mine threats, following a decade of demining. Combined efforts by government agencies and UNDP resulted in the destruction of 12,452 anti-personnel mines, 152 anti-tank mines and 4,965 pieces of unexploded ordnance. In northeast Albania - considered the country’s poor more

Fighting for Peace: Hakamas in Darfur

Hakamas are a traditional part of the daily lives of men and women throughout the Darfur region in western Sudan. They used to comprise women singers who would accompany male combatants to the frontline, intoning their rally cries to the thrill of victory and the glory of battle. Now however, the Ha more

Kenya: Working to rebuild lives after post-election violence

More than 12,000 people are back on their feet, earning incomes from selling farm produce and small businesses, as they rebuild their lives in the aftermath of Kenya’s 2007 post-election violence. Over the past few years, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been working with communi more

From disaster relief to risk reduction

Armenia is prone to natural disasters. Eight out of every 10 persons in the country face the probability of experiencing a natural disaster such as an earthquake, landslide or flooding. The country incurs $33 million in damage from such disasters every year. But thanks to recent efforts, Armenia has more

UNDP explores applications of crowdsourcing in conflict prevention

On Wednesday 9 November 2011, UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery and the International Peace Institute hosted a discussion to explore applications of crowdsourcing technology to conflict prevention. UNDP has been a pioneer in this field, first using crowdsourcing to curb violence durin more

Crisis support to UNDP Kyrgyzstan

When civil conflict arose in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan in mid-2010, the UNDP country office suddenly found itself with additional responsibilities of supporting the country’s constitutional reform process, preparations for the October 2010 parliamentary elections, strengthening new gove more

Bangladesh: Disaster Risk Reduction as Development

A country of exceptional vulnerability to natural hazards Bangladesh has a long history of natural disasters. Between 1980 and 2008, it experienced 219 natural disasters, causing over US$16 billion in total damage. The predicted effects of climate change will only compound these impacts. UNDP has more

Montenegro: Defense reform brings greater security

Montenegro’s Boka Bay is a place of striking beauty. Only a few years ago, this unique place faced a dire threat : 128 tonnes of toxic fuel, once destined to propel anti-ship rockets, was stored on the shore at risk of leaking from outdated storage tanks. “My family, friends and neighbours were all more

Global Risk Identification Programme

Officially launched in 2007, the Global Risk Identification Programme (GRIP) has been adopted by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system to support worldwide activities to identify and monitor disaster risks. Although hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UND more

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