Profile and Review of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)

Profile of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Organization

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By Putra
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What organization is UNDP, what are the tasks and functions of UNDP?

UNDP - United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is the United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. 

UNDP Headquartered in New York City, it is the largest United Nations development assistance agency, with offices in 170 countries.


The history of the founding of UNDP

UNDP was founded on 22 November 1965 with the merger of the Expanded Technical Assistance Program (EPTA) and the Special Fund in 1958. The reason is to "avoid duplicating [their] activity". EPTA was established in 1949 to assist the economic and political aspects of underdeveloped countries while the Special Fund was to expand the scope of UN technical assistance. The Special Fund arose from the idea of ​​the United Nations Special Fund for Economic Development (SUNFED) (which was originally called the United Nations Fund for Economic Development (UNFED). 

Countries such as the Nordic countries are backers of funds controlled by the United Nations (UN). However, these funds are opposed by developed countries, especially by the United States which is aware of the dominance of the Third World in these funds and prefers to be under the auspices of the World Bank. The SUNFED concept was dropped to form a Special Fund. This Special Fund is a compromise of the SUNFED concept, does not provide investment capital, but only helps provide prerequisites for private investment. 

With the US proposing and forming an International Development Association under the umbrella of the World Bank, the EPTA and Special Fund appear to be doing a similar job. In 1962, the UN Economic and Social Council asked the Secretary-General to consider the advantages and disadvantages of combining UN technical assistance programs and in 1966, the EPTA and Special Funds merged to form UNDP.


UNDP Organization Profile 

UNDP was founded on 22 November 1965 Active official status UNDP 

Headquarters in New York City (international territory) 

Chief Achim Steiner ECOSOC parent organization 

The Undp website is UNDP.org


UNDP Administrator

The UNDP Administrator has the rank of Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. Although the Administrator is often referred to as the third highest ranking official in the United Nations (after the UN Secretary General and UN Undersecretary General), this has never been formally codified. In addition to her responsibilities as head of UNDP, the Administrator is also co-chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group. 

The office of Administrator is appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and confirmed by the General Assembly for a term of four years. Achim Steiner is the current Administrator. The five countries on the UNDP board have influence over the election of the administrator. [citation needed] UNDP's first administrator was Paul G. Hoffman, the former head of the Economic Cooperation Administration which managed the Marshall Plan. 

Other position holders include: Bradford Morse, former Republican congressman from Massachusetts; William Draper, venture capitalist and friend of George H. W. Bush who saw one of the United Nations system's great achievements, The Human Development Report, introduced during his tenure; Mark Malloch Brown, formerly Vice President for External Affairs at the World Bank and later UN Undersecretary General. Kemal DerviÅŸ, former Turkish finance minister and senior World Bank official, is a former UNDP Administrator. DerviÅŸ started his four-year term on 15 August 2005.

UNDP emphasizes local capacity building towards self-sufficiency and long-term prosperity. It manages projects to attract investment, technical training, and technology development, and provides experts to help build legal and political institutions and expand the private sector. 

UNDP operates in 177 countries and is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. Also, UNDP is governed by an executive board of 36 members overseen by an administrator, who is the third highest ranking UN official after the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General.


UNDP progress

UNDP established the Innovation Facility in 2014, with support from the Government of Denmark, as a dedicated funding mechanism for nurturing promising development interventions. 

The Innovation Facility offers technical assistance and seed funding to collaborators in 170 countries and territories to explore new approaches to complex development challenges. Since its inception, the Innovation Facility has encouraged innovation labs across the 5 regions to deliver and monitor SDGs with more bSDGs In 2015, the Innovation Facility invested in 62 initiatives in 45 countries to achieve 16 SDGs


UNDP Global Policy

UNDP runs six Global Policy Centers, including Seoul Policy Center (USPC) for partnerships, Nairobi Global Policy Center on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GPC-Nairobi), Singapore-based Global Center for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development (GC) -TISD ), the Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), the Oslo Governance Center, and the Singapore-based Global Center for Public Service Excellence (GCPSE) which published the “Raffles Review” email bulletin on research public administration developments.


UNDP HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INSIGHTS RANK BY COUNTRY

UNDP HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INSIGHTS RANK BY COUNTRY


UNDP Task

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a global organization that works to promote sustainable development and reduce poverty around the world. The organization is dedicated to helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a range of initiatives, from capacity-building and technical assistance to policy development and advocacy.

One of the key tasks of the UNDP is to provide support to countries in developing and implementing strategies for sustainable development. This includes providing technical assistance to help countries build institutional capacity, develop policies and strategies, and implement programs that promote sustainable development and reduce poverty.

In addition to its technical assistance and capacity-building work, the UNDP also works to promote good governance, human rights, and gender equality. The organization provides support to governments, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure that development is inclusive and responsive to the needs of all people.

Another important task of the UNDP is to mobilize resources and partnerships to support sustainable development initiatives. The organization works closely with governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to leverage resources and build partnerships that can drive progress towards the SDGs.


UNDP community program

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Community Program is a global initiative that seeks to empower communities and promote sustainable development through local-level interventions. The program operates in over 170 countries and territories, and aims to create an environment where communities can participate in decision-making processes, access resources and services, and build resilient and sustainable communities.

One unique feature of the program is its emphasis on building partnerships between communities, governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector, to facilitate a collaborative and inclusive approach to development.

Another unique aspect of the UNDP Community Program is its focus on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The program recognizes that gender inequality is a major barrier to development, and therefore aims to address this issue by promoting women's participation in decision-making processes, increasing their access to resources and services, and supporting their economic empowerment. This approach not only improves the lives of women and girls, but also has broader social and economic benefits for communities as a whole.

The UNDP Community Program also places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and climate action. Through various interventions, such as promoting renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and eco-tourism, the program aims to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment and build resilient communities that can adapt to the challenges of climate change. This focus on environmental sustainability is essential for achieving long-term development goals, as it ensures that communities can continue to thrive in a healthy and sustainable environment.

In summary, the UNDP Community Program is a unique global initiative that seeks to empower communities, promote gender equality and women's empowerment, build resilient and sustainable communities, and protect the environment through collaborative and inclusive partnerships.