Civil Society and UNDP Thematic Areas
Democratic Governance | Poverty Reduction | Crisis Prevention and Recovery | Environment and Engergy | Women's Empowerment | HIV and AIDS
Democratic Governance
 Democratic governance is central to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as it enables development of institutions and processes that are more responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens, including the poor, and there by provides the conditions to eliminate poverty. The critical importance of democratic governance in developing countries was highlighted at the Millennium Summit of 2000, where the world's leaders resolved to "spare no effort to promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law, as well as respect for all internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development."
UNDP supports governments in strengthening civic engagement by supporting participation of the poorest and most vulnerable groups, including women, youth, persons living with disabilities, and indigenous peoples, in policy processes. Supporting civic engagement among these groups is a basic foundation for strengthening their access to the policymaking process and for holding those with responsibilities to deliver public services accountable. UNDP works with civil society to enhance civic engagement in the areas of democratic and local governance, electoral systems and processes, justice and human rights, and access to information.
Many international organizations, governments and NGOs recognize the importance of civil society in democratic governance and development. Despite this, growth has been slower in the number of initiatives aimed at assessing civil society compared to other governance areas, such as corruption. UNDP has launched a Governance Assessment Portal, which aims to aims to be a hub of information on democratic governance assessments, and includes civil society as an area of governance.
 The Governance Assesment Portal provides examples of several ways to assess civil society, including how to make such assessments sensitive to the country context.
Read more on the work of UNDP in the area of democratic governance >>
Poverty Reduction
 UNDP seeks to reduce poverty by working with governments and civil society to achieve the MDGs. These are eight goals that respond to the world's main development challenges to be achieved by 2015. Civil society has an essential role to play in achieving these goals. A strong civil society enables people, including the most vulnerable groups, to influence public policies at all levels. Civil society can remind governments in developing and developed countries of their commitments to end poverty and social exclusion. Many civil society organizations (CSOs) have a proven capacity for broad-based mobilization and creating bottom-up demand that holds leaders accountable. In addition, civil society can bring about pressure to ensure that strategies for the achievement of the MDGs are tailored to the local context. Furthermore, civil society plays a key role in monitoring and reporting on progress towards the MDGs.
Learn more about UNDP engagement with civil society in areas related to poverty reduction: MDG strategies, Participatory Local Development, and Poverty Assessment and Monitoring.
Partnering to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
UNDP partners with SNV Netherlands Development Organization in strengthening the capacity of local and community-based organizations. The partnership seeks to increase local and national ownership of the MDGs in 17 countries. UNDP brings networks and development activities at the national level while SNV brings networks and advisory capacities at decentralized levels of government and civil society. Together the partners complement each other for valuable development outcomes.
 For example, in Niger,
UNDP, SNV and Programme for the Fight against Poverty, a Nigerese civil society organization, collaborated in supporting local authorities to achieve the MDGs. In four districts they provided local authorities with advisory services in development planning. For instance, citizens were informed about the MDGs in their local language. Once they heard about MDG 2, on primary education, they began to question low enrollment rates in their district. It became apparent that low rates were caused by the high costs of birth certificates because schools were too far from where most people live. As a result of such citizen engagement, one district decided to issue free birth certificates and another built a new primary school on a more accessible location. Enrollment in primary education in these districts has increased considerably. Back to top
Crisis Prevention and Recovery
 UNDP works with civil society in various conflict, post-conflict and post-disaster settings. UNDP encourages CSOs to participate in post-conflict or post-disaster recovery and transitional justice processes; promote political participation and active citizenship; and strengthen civic engagement for human development. UNDP focuses on the following areas in Crisis Prevention and Recovery:
Conflict Prevention and Recovery
UNDP promotes a conflict sensitive approach to development assistance to ensure that programmes do not inadvertently exacerbate tensions. To achieve this, UNDP builds the capacity of national institutions and actors to analyze together common problems and identify joint solutions, supports inclusive and participatory dialogue processes, and promotes sustainable national infrastructures for peace to enable societies and their governments to resolve conflicts internally and with their own skills, institutions and resources.
From 2004 to 2006, UNDP sponsored a small grants programme for CSOs in conflict and post-conflict situations, implemented in Colombia, Liberia and Sri Lanka. The programme aimed to develop the capacity of CSOs to build peace through democratic dialogue, recover democratic and civilian institutions, revitalize economies, and develop sustainable partnerships with UNDP country offices. This initiative transformed UNDP engagement with civil society organizations from a relationship of service provision to one of genuine partnership.
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Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
UNDP collaborates with CSOs to ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and local priority and to build a culture of safety and resilience. Public awareness development is pursued, for example, through the establishment of information centres, networks, and community or participation actions, and advocacy.
Recovery programmes, coupled with the heightened public awareness and engagement after a disaster, afford a valuable opportunity to develop and implement disaster risk reduction measures. CSOs play a crucial role in disaster relief work and recovery. In the aftermath of a disaster CSOs are key actors in the conduct of needs assessments, implementation of emergency employment programmes, public awareness and communication. UNDP recovery programmes build on the knowledge of CSOs to reach beneficiaries in various stages related to disaster risk management, including prevention, preparedness and contingency planning, risk assessment as well as mitigation.
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Early Recovery
Early recovery addresses a critical gap in coverage between humanitarian relief and long-term recovery—between reliance and self-sufficiency. It encompasses the restoration of basic services, livelihoods, transitional shelter, governance, security and rule of law, environment and other socio-economic dimensions, including the reintegration of displaced populations. To strengthen its work in this area, UNDP has developed a Corporate Policy on Early Recovery (2008).
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Environment and Energy
Energy and environment are essential for sustainable development. The poor are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and lack of access to clean, affordable energy services. UNDP helps countries strengthen their capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels, seeking out and sharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods. Given the critical role of civil society in sustainable development, UNDP engages with a wide range of CSOs in policy dialogue, programme formulation and –implementation.
Some examples of important projects in which UNDP works in close partnership with CSOs include:
 Since 1992, the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) has generated over $500 million for local action. This has encompassed more than 10,000 initiatives in 125 countries with NGOs, CBOs and indigenous peoples, working in the areas of biodiversity, climate change, international waters and land degradation. Country programmes are managed by multi-stakeholder National Steering Committees that include government, civil society, and private sector representatives.
 UNDP works with SGP on a Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change Initiative in supporting local-level climate risk management projects. UNDP support includes the provision of advisory services for the assessment of vulnerability to climate change and community capacity to adapt to negative consequences.
 The Community Water Initiative (CWI), which is also implemented by SGP, supports community-based water resources management water supply and sanitation projects in rural areas. In this initiative, local management and initiative play a key role in ensuring and sustaining successful water supply and sanitation services for poor communities. Since 2004, the CWI has funded 89 community projects and brought water supply and sanitation services to more than 260,000 people directly.
 The Equator Initiative is a partnership that brings together the United Nations, governments, international and local civil society, businesses, and grassroots organizations to strengthen local efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Since 2002, the Equator Prize has recognized over 100 local community initiatives from 55 countries, awarding over US$1.2 million.
 The UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Programme) is a joint initiative of FAO, UNDP, and UNEP. The UN-REDD Programme is aimed at tipping the economic balance in favour of sustainable management of forests so that their formidable economic, environmental and social goods and services benefit countries, communities and forest users while also contributing to important reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
 The UNDP Energy Access Programme constitutes one of the major interventions at the country level. Energy access has always been a priority area within the UNDP and it includes efforts to expand access to a variety of energy technologies such as solar, wind, mechanical, micro-hydro, improved cooking stoves, biogas, and liquified petroleum gas. Since 1996, UNDP has supported more than 600 energy-related projects and has reached more than 5 million beneficiaries.
Read more on the work of UNDP in the area of Environment and Energy >>
 Gender equality and women's empowerment are human rights that lie at the heart of development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite the progress that has been made, six out of ten of the world's poorest people are women and girls.
Women are workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. They are peace-builders, voters, intellectuals, community and national leaders and advocates for change. They manage natural resources and form the backbone of the care economy. And they are essential partners in development for UNDP.
UNDP strives to ensure women’s participation in public dialogue and decision making, so that women can influence governance and governance institutions. UNDP also works with women’s networks and other civil society representatives to strengthen the delivery of basic services that meet the needs of poor women and men, girls and boys. The rising incidence and severity of gender-based violence in all societies is a pressing and fundamental human rights challenge, and one on which
UNDP collaborates with local, national and regional governments and with CSOs. In its efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, UNDP works closely with civil society organizations in all thematic areas. Please click to see examples in the areas of:
Democratic Governance | Poverty Reduction | Crisis Prevention and Recovery | Environment and Engergy | HIV and AIDS.
Gender and Democratic Governance
In 10 states in India, UNDP joined forces with the ministry for local governance and civil society organizations to support women elected to public office in more than 2,600 village councils, with proven results in improving service delivery to the some of most marginalized sections of society. Read more >>
In Serbia, UNDP is supporting six non-governmental organizations to address gender-based violence and improve the position of Roma women, women in rural areas, and women entrepreneurs. Read more >>
Gender and Povery Reduction
in Northern Ghana, UNDP supports a project to empower rural women and alleviate poverty by developing a mechanism for sustainable business in shea butter.
In close partnership with JETRO, JICA and Tree of Life, the project supports local women's producers' groups in two districts to improve the quality of shea butter products and improve business management skills. Read more >>
In India, a partnership with Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) has empowered self-employed grassroots women and develop their capacity through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool to improve their quality of lives and become users, controllers and mangers of their business. The partnership helped to establish 21 Community Learning Centres to provide grassroots women with ICT training to expand their access to information and enhance their business skills.
In partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNDP is working with governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal to support 600 sustainable, rural agro-enterprises centered around mechanizing laborious tasks like grinding grain, enabling women to increase their productivity and income. Read more >>
Gender and Crisis Prevention and Recovery
Despite five decades of conflict, the current conditions in Colombia are favorable for the promotion of human development and peace. The UNDP Redes Programme supports processes of community organization and articulation of civil society in human development and non-violent conflict management. Redes understands that the structural changes towards peace and development require transforming power relationships, including gender relationships. Read more >>
 In Somalia, UNDP has supported the efforts of women’s bar associations that campaign to protect and promote the rights of women in war-affected areas and support female lawyers. In Mogadishu, the Association of Somali Women Lawyers works with the Coalition for Grassroots Women’s Organizations, an association of 30 women’s groups. They have provided legal assistance and representation for about 100 individuals from vulnerable groups detained in Mogadishu Central Prison or in police custody without trial, with a number of cases resulting in the release of detainees. They have also trained 40 law enforcement personnel in human rights issues. Read more >>
Gender and Environment and Energy
UNDP has a strategic partnership with UNEP, IUCN and WEDO, called the Global Gender and Climate Alliance. Together with these and other partners, UNDP raises awareness of gender and climate change issues and supports women’s voices in global negotiations and decision making. It also develops capacity at global, regional and national levels to design and implement gender-responsive climate change policies, strategies and programmes. This includes supporting dialogue between governments and women’s organizations and supporting women at the national level to engage in planning processes.
Gender and HIV/AIDS
UNDP supports the work of the Huairou Commission, a global coalition of networks, institutions, and professionals that links grassroots women’s community development organizations. The Huairou Commission partners with the Africa Home Based Care Alliance to quantify the contributions of grassroots women caregivers in mitigating the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to use this evidence for policy advocacy at national, regional and global levels. Read more >>
In Ecuador, UNDP and the Ecuadorian Coalition of Persons Living With HIV/AIDS trained 400 leaders who are engaging over 50,000 people in prevention and activism aimed at reducing discrimination, with a focus on women living with HIV.
 Civil society organizations are a crucial resource, constituency, and partner to UNDP in responding to HIV and AIDS.
In most countries, civil society remains at the forefront of treatment, care and support as well as prevention and in reaching out to key populations, including the most vulnerable and marginalized.
The most active members of civil society are often those with personal experience of the epidemic, for example people living with HIV, members of marginalized groups such as sex workers , intravenous drug users, transgender populations or men who have sex with men. UNDP works with these people in addressing HIV and AIDS, often through partnering with associations and networks of HIV-positive people such as positive women’s groups, special community organizations and members of AIDS service organizations.
While governments and civil society are increasingly working together in AIDS responses, challenges persist in ensuring meaningful participation of civil society in the legislative arena. Stigma and discrimination remain the biggest obstacle, and are especially acute for marginalized populations. UNDP has made significant progress in both broadening and deepening its interaction with civil society at all levels of its work. In particular, UNDP focuses on creating the space with governments for civil society perspectives to be heard and incorporated into national HIV and AIDS policies and programmes.
UNDP focuses on:
- Developing the capacity of civil society organizations, including people living with HIV and AIDS, women and marginalized groups to participate in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of AIDS responses.
- Strengthening the leadership and organizational capacity of groups and networks of people living with HIV and AIDS, women living with HIV and marginalized groups.
- Facilitating dialogue mechanisms between civil society and governments for collaboration in policy formulation related to national AIDS responses.
Read more about the work of UNDP in the area of HIV and AIDS >>
Red Ribbon Award
The "Red Ribbon Award: Celebrating Community Leadership and Action on AIDS" is a partnership between UNDP, UNAIDS, UNFPA, and community-based organizations. It is a unique opportunity to support and publicize the work of communities around the world who have developed innovative and effective ways to address HIV and AIDS and secure livelihoods. Read more about the Red Ribbon Award >>
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