Governance for People and Planet

 

Inclusive, accountable, and effective governance underpins sustainable development.  

Governance systems across the globe are under increasing pressure in multiple ways, including economic contractions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing debt crisis, a changing climate with increasingly extreme weather events, the rapid pace of technological change, increasingly visible inequalities, a fragmented, contested and less effective multilateralism, and people’s growing dissatisfaction with the status quo. Furthermore, some governments and governance systems are becoming increasingly repressive, reinforcing exclusion, political polarity, and discrimination, thereby hindering efforts to end poverty, protect the planet and improve lives and livelihoods.

Our work

UNDP seeks to strengthen and promote inclusive, effective and accountable governance through a people-centred, systemic approach that is innovative and draws on the opportunities of digitalization.  Our work in governance is organized into four interrelated and integrated workstreams:

  1. Inclusive and future-smart public goods and services;
  2. Democratic institutions and processes;
  3. Inclusive public sphere; and
  4. Integrating governance principles in development.

Globally, UNDP’s work on governance is enhanced by the Oslo Governance Centre (OGC), UNDPs dedicated Global Policy Centre for Governance issues. The OGC supports UNDP’s governance delivery across key functional areas, including innovation, data, and knowledge.  The teams at the Centre create knowledge, insight and data on key governance challenges by drawing on the experience of practitioners, policymakers and researchers. 

40

states and territories

received electoral support from UNDP in 2022

35

countries

have benefited from UNDP support to women's political participation

100+

countries have advanced youth empowerment

thanks to UNDP's comprehensive support

60+

Countries where

UNDP has provided support to anti-corruption efforts