• Overview
• Introduction
• Achievements
  in Conflict
  Prevention
  and Recovery
• Achievements
  in Early
  Recovery
• Achievements
  in Disaster
  Risk Reduction
  and Recovery
• Achievements
  in Gender
  Equality in
  Crisis Prevention
  and Recovery

• Institutional Partnerships
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• 2009 Initial
  Results
• Financial
  Summary
• Conclusion
• Annex

 

Overview

The Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) works around the world to restore dignity and hope for men, women and children who have been devastated by natural disasters or violent conflicts. The Bureau, created in 2001 as part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), also works to prevent losses and reverses in development by helping countries to avoid crises, both natural and man-made. Through its support to more than 100 UNDP country offices, the Bureau serves as a bridge between the humanitarian agencies that handle emergency needs and the long-term development actors whose work begins after recovery. Clearing a path from turmoil to stability, BCPR is always seeking new ways of addressing crisis — faster, earlier and in riskier contexts.

This report presents the Bureau’s key achievements and lessons learned in 2008. The first three chapters report on the areas of focus in line with UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2008-2011: conflict prevention and recovery (Chapter 1), early recovery (Chapter 2) and disaster risk reduction and recovery (Chapter 3).

Chapter 4 explains the significant efforts undertaken to advance gender equality. BCPR’s work is guided by the UNDP Eight Point Agenda for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality in Crisis Prevention and Recovery – a clear and concise strategy launched in 2007 to protect and empower women and girls. In everything we do, we ensure that both men’s and women’s perspectives are reflected and that their unique needs are addressed. To achieve this, the Bureau dedicates 15 percent of its overall staff time to the implementation of the Eight Point Agenda. The Bureau also allocates a minimum of 15 percent of its resources to gender-specific programmes in crisis countries. For 2008, we are pleased to report that we have exceeded this target by devoting 24 percent of the Bureau’s budget to gender initiatives. Implementation of the Eight Point Agenda remains a priority in 2009.

Another key aspect of the Bureau’s work relates to partnerships. Chapter 5 highlights the headway we have made in our collaboration with key partners to advance crisis prevention and recovery planning and programming.

Monitoring and evaluation is a central part of our operations to provide timely, effective assistance to UNDP country offices. We monitor and share our results every year against carefully selected annual bureau targets and provide catalytic funding to crisis prevention and recovery programmes based on a thorough vetting process. Chapter 6 of this report presents our progress in this area.

Given the publication date of this report, chapter 7 highlights 2009 initial results in critical crisis prevention and recovery areas. Chapter 8 provides a summary of BCPR’s funding and expenditures, while full financial information is available in Annex 1.