LocationsElections as a reset of social contracts in disrupted times
January 23, 2026
As 2026 dawns, Asia and the Pacific are on the cusp of an electoral season, perhaps unlike any before. Hundreds of millions will cast their votes in what can only be described as a “year of opportunity” for governance renewal, for new beginnings or confirmations of continued trust in leadership.
For countries heading into elections in the coming months, such as Bangladesh and Nepal, where UNDP is supporting these exercises of agency, at the very core it demonstrates a renewal of faith in democracy, at a time when the notion and institutions of democracy are challenged. While this causes upheaval, it can be an indication of renewal as seen in Nature, like shedding an old skin or sprouting new wings.
The region faces economic uncertainty, information and technology disruptions, post-pandemic fatigue, and geopolitical tensions that converge with a pressing need to reset development. Income-based growth models have played their part but outlasted their usefulness. This year’s elections will test whether leaders and institutions can rise to meet rapidly evolving peoples’ demands that are amplified through social media, to deliver on the promise of a more inclusive economy and governance.
UN electoral assistance is provided upon a formal request from a Member State or Security Council/General Assembly mandate. And this brings in UNDP, as the UN’s largest provider of electoral assistance on the ground. We support over 50 countries each year, in this field, guided by UN electoral assistance policies, that includes maintaining strict neutrality and national ownership throughout the process.
Electoral support covers everything from technical advice to electoral commissions on updating systems and improving practices, extended voter education, measures that ensure women, youth, and persons with disabilities have full access, and public communications. UNDP’s support spans the entire electoral cycle - before, during, and after election day - addressing the issues that shape transparency, credibility and inclusiveness of what it means to fully exercise the right to vote.
A key lesson is that while errors in the technical inputs or mishandled logistics can cause disruption and anxiety, credible and inclusive elections are not defined primarily by perfectly placed ballot boxes and the finest counting machines, but by leaders who have gained the public’s confidence.
Like much else, the world of elections has been impacted deeply by the digital revolution and social media avalanche. Digital platforms now intervene constantly to shape voter views and behavior. While this has expanded reach of campaign message and citizen’s engagement, technology has also fueled electoral disinformation and cyber threats. Embedding digital checks and transparency, digital literacy and response is a critical input at all stages of the electoral cycle.
In Bangladesh, voters will decide on key constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening the balance between different branches of power. The February 2026 elections will be the largest in the country’s history and one of the largest in the world this year with 127.6 million registered voters. 7.9 million new voters, including 51% women and one-third youth, will be eligible to vote for the first time. The elections will also mark the first introduction of out-of-country and postal voting. UNDP is supporting civic education, capacity-building of the Election Commission, greater participation of women, youth and marginalized groups, and strengthened transparency measures in the electoral process.
In Nepal, the March 2026 election follows mass youth protests demanding anti-corruption. Together with UN Women, UNDP is supporting increased participation of voters from across the country and digital literacy. A particular focus is on civic education for women and marginalized groups.
In conflict-affected contexts, electoral processes serve as entry points for sustaining peace, consolidating political dialogue, and strengthening the social contract. Such is the case of Bangsamoro region in the Philippines, where elections are expected later this year. UNDP’s support here has focused on strengthening electoral integrity, promoting greater citizen participation, and addressing emerging risks in the digital electoral environment, including online gender-based violence.
In many countries in the region and beyond, UNDP has helped electoral bodies to modernize ICT for multiple election operations, introducing satellite connections, improved ICT efficiency and security, and using these means to reach voters on election education and access to vote to remote communities. Support to digital campaign finance reporting is also enhancing transparency and accountability.
Across the Pacific Islands, our assistance to national elections has strengthened electoral bodies in Tuvalu, Kiribati, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Samoa. It has also advanced gender equality, and deployed digital tools to bolster leadership and voter engagement in small, dispersed atoll constituencies.
Elections are opportunities to rebuild a society’s trust, strengthen institutions of governance, and ensure that everyone who has the right to vote can do so. Thanks to UNDP’s partners in election work, including the EU, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Japan, the United Kingdom, plus our core contributors, this work continues in 2026. As people demand more of their leaders and institutions of governance, a nation’s governing system, in turn, must rely on the commitments and obligations of citizens, for a peaceful coexistence. Elections can provide that moment to reset the social contract in disrupted times.