Locations
Securing Our Future
Investing in a thriving future
UNDP is committed to charting a path towards stability and prosperity for all.
Investing in a thriving future means promoting peacebuilding and prevention, upholding the rule of law, security and human rights, and bolstering local governance.
“Our world is in big trouble. Divides are growing deeper. Inequalities are growing wider. Challenges are spreading farther.”UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Anticipating risks, preventing conflict, and sustaining peace
UNDP helps countries identify risks early, prevent tensions from escalating, and support peace and recovery after crises so that people can live free from fear and violence. With presence in 115 countries – half in fragile contexts – and US$1.5 billion invested each year in prevention, governance and resilience, UNDP is the largest UN implementer of the Peacebuilding Fund, delivering 33 per cent of its portfolio in 2024.
Peacebuilding is patient work. It means restoring trust, rebuilding services and creating spaces for people to come together, with women and youth at the centre. UNDP supports countries through the full cycle of crisis, anticipating risks through analysis and dialogue, preventing conflict by strengthening inclusive governance, responding by restoring livelihoods and essential services, and supporting recovery by rebuilding institutions and resilience.
In Ethiopia, for example, the echoes of war are slowly being replaced by the sound of children learning again. At Shewit Goro School in Tigray, once gutted by conflict, classrooms have been rebuilt and students are returning with hope. “Our children used to sit on stones in a roofless classroom,” recalls Asefu Ayele, a mother of two. “Now they’re excited to go to school.” Thanks to the Peace Support Facility – a partnership supported by Germany, Japan and UNDP – the school has been rehabilitated and attendance has soared. From classrooms to courtrooms, the Facility is rebuilding not just institutions but opportunities for lasting peace and a more hopeful future.
Across contexts, these efforts are transforming lives. In Lebanon, mine action and police reforms have reduced fear and restored public trust. In Iraq, UNDP sustains governance during peacekeeping drawdowns; in North Macedonia, digital safety initiatives counter online hate; and in Libya, more than 700 local projects have provided safe spaces for 3 million people. From Somalia to Colombia, UNDP supports dialogue, reconciliation, and community peacebuilding, from religious networks mediating local disputes to transitional justice that helps communities heal.
UNDP’s approach links peace, governance and development, empowering national institutions, women and youth leaders, and insider mediators to tackle the root causes of fragility. Through the Joint UNDP–DPPA Programme, Peace and Development Advisors help governments and civil society in over 50 countries to prevent tensions from escalating. From Benin to Bolivia, innovation, mediation and governance reforms are saving lives and building the foundation for lasting peace.
Rule of law, human rights, and security protect people, prevent conflict, and enable inclusive, sustainable development. Development, powered by the rule of law, justice, and human rights, presents the most compelling ‘exit strategy’ from conflict, crisis and uncertainty.
UNDP works with national partners, civil society and communities to strengthen justice systems, protect human rights, and build safer societies—especially in crisis-affected and fragile settings. Through its Global Programme on Rule of Law and Human Rights, UNDP supports over 100 countries each year with financial, technical and expert assistance.
Justice should meet people where they are.
UNDP helps close the global justice gap by supporting people-centred, data-driven and inclusive approaches. In Palestine, a digital court system enabled remote proceedings for over 160,000 users. In Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mobile courts brought justice to over 1,000 people in hard-to-reach areas. In Guinea and the Central African Republic, landmark rulings delivered justice and reparations to survivors of war crimes and sexual violence, breaking cycles of impunity and restoring trust. UNDP’s Policy Framework on People-Centred Justice and Security underpins the commitment to using a people-centred lens to provide innovative solutions and strengthen justice and security systems.
For development, we need security.
Safety is a foundation for peace and development. UNDP supports police and security sector reforms that build trust and protect communities. In Bangladesh, Mali and South Sudan, community policing helped reduce crime and strengthen relationships between law enforcement and communities. In Lebanon, audio and video recording in police stations improved human rights protections during investigations. Across Fiji, Iraq and The Gambia, UNDP promotes people-centred policing to ensure security is inclusive and accountable.
Human rights are universal. The rule of law is for everyone.
Human rights are essential for peace, recovery and resilience. UNDP helps countries strengthen accountability, protect vulnerable groups and expand access to justice. In Ukraine, over 250,000 people received free legal aid, and human rights monitoring reached rural and frontline areas. In Burundi, hundreds of detainees received legal and psychosocial support.
A key part of strengthening national human rights systems is partnering with national human rights institutions (NHRIs). As frontline human rights defenders, NHRIs face many interrelated challenges at national level. By bolstering their capacities and enabling them to prevent and address pressing human rights challenges, UNDP can advance human rights and sustainable development globally. In Nigeria, a Human Rights Dashboard and Observatory provides real-time data on human rights violations across the country.
In Malawi, Peru, Timor-Leste, NHRIs advanced in addressing gaps in rights of older persons, persons with disabilities, and social conflict management.
UNDP has expanded its toolbox on human rights mainstreaming. A new toolkit on human rights-based approaches for development programming was launched, building on 20 years of experience.
Ensuring businesses drive positive change
Businesses have a role to play in building peace. UNDP supports companies in conflict-affected areas to uphold human rights and operate responsibly. In 2024 alone, UNDP’s Business and Human Rights Academy engaged 320 businesses across 16 countries. In Ukraine, UNDP partnered with national authorities and the private sector to promote responsible recovery using its Guide on Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence. This guide has been referenced in landmark European Union legislation, helping shape global standards for business conduct in fragile contexts.
Local solutions for global challenges
Local Action places people, communities, and local governments at the centre of peacebuilding, resilience, and sustainable development. By supporting local actors with the capacities, partnerships, and resources they need, UNDP works alongside them to lead solutions that are grounded in local realities and deliver lasting impact.
In fragile and conflict-affected settings, this means strengthening local governance and service delivery, promoting area-based approaches that bridge humanitarian, development and peace efforts, and supporting grassroots peacebuilding initiatives. This approach amplifies community voices, fosters local leadership, builds trust, and lays the foundation for resilient, inclusive and peaceful societies.
UNDP supports local action in 115 countries, including 56 affected by fragility. More than half of these investments are directed toward challenging contexts, ensuring recovery and resilience are locally led. Today, 37% of UNDP’s overall spending reaches local actors directly, channelling resources where they can achieve the greatest impact.
Local leadership in action
In Lebanon, decades of political and economic crises have left communities vulnerable. Over several years, UNDP partnered with 245 municipalities to deliver services and employment to more than 2.9 million people, including Lebanese host communities and Syrian refugees. Municipalities played a central role in driving recovery and local development. Following the 2024 hostilities, which damaged more than 90,000 structures and displaced more than a million people, UNDP has worked with local authorities to support immediate recovery and stabilization – restoring public services, rebuilding infrastructure, supporting livelihoods, and strengthening local governance.
In Burkina Faso, decentralisation support has improved service delivery in 114 municipalities. In Mali, UNDP supported the establishment of over 800 local land commissions to resolve conflicts and rebuild trust. In Ukraine, local councils lead mine clearance, home repairs and psychosocial support for communities affected by war. In Afghanistan and Yemen, area-based programmes enable millions of people to e access basic services and restore livelihoods through community-driven solutions.
Across contexts, one principle guides UNDP work: fostering local leaders underpins sustainable recovery and lasting peace.
The Area-Based Approach for Development Emergency Initiatives (ABADEI) Programme is working in Afghanistan to provide humanitarian and development assistance in response to the ongoing crisis there. The program works across all eight regions of the country, addressing basic needs, supporting livelihoods, and fostering community resilience.
