To accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda, particularly in crisis, conflict and fragile settings, UNDP is advancing a people-centred approach to justice and security that places people’s rights, needs, perspectives and lived experiences at the heart of reform, response and recovery. It responds to growing exclusion, insecurity, declining trust in institutions, and barriers to justice and essential services.

The approach promotes responsive, accountable and inclusive justice and security institutions that deliver tangible results for communities. It prioritizes equitable access to justice, safety, services and fair outcomes, especially for those most at risk of being left behind. It also recognizes that justice and security challenges are interconnected with broader development challenges and require integrated, context-responsive solutions.

UNDP has developed two complementary resources to support implementation:

1. Policy Framework for Justice and Security
Sets out the vision, principles and core elements of UNDP’s people-centred approach. It identifies key barriers and the institutional and programming changes needed to mainstream the approach across contexts.

2. Designing and Delivering People-Centred Justice and Security: A UNDP Programming Guide
Translates the framework into practice, providing practical tools, methodologies and country examples to help teams design, test and adapt context-responsive interventions. Applicable across prevention, response, recovery and development, it supports programming that strengthens institutions while empowering people and communities to address their justice and security needs.

Access the Guide: UNDP Programming Guide | United Nations Development Programme.