By the UN Development Programme
In 2021, the UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) Funding Windows delivered USD 90 million to support interventions in 121 countries. A total of USD 34 million was disbursed in 41 least developed countries (LDCs). Supported initiatives helped advance numerous SDGs, including SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong Institutions).
UNDP’s Funding Windows disburses resources to countries as catalytic funds to respond to emerging development priorities, pilot, scale up, and accelerate initiatives in support of those most in need, and bolster integrated action within the UN system.
As a snapshot of the results in 2021, the Funding Windows:
- contributed by supporting elections in five countries across three regions, strengthening electoral management bodies, improving citizen engagement, and supporting women’s leadership;
- supported nine countries on access to justice, case management systems, and mediation services;
- directly led to the creation of over 13,000 short-term jobs in 13 countries which were facing or recovering from crises, focusing particularly on youth and women;
- introduced digital solutions in 24 countries, including support to set up online courts in Chad, digital vaccine and health management systems in Bhutan, data management for disaster risk management (DRM) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), and e-voting in Paraguay;
- provided solar solutions to seven crisis-affected countries, including the deployment of solar lanterns, lights, water, and heating systems, benefiting over 50,000 people;
- supported the establishment of small and medium businesses that benefitted over 35,000 people;
- demonstrated that durable housing, electricity, essential services, and cash-for-work programmes provide means for crisis-affected people to recover, stabilize their lives, and regain hope through the building of over 800 infrastructures, including homes, water storage solutions, roads, bridges, health centers, courts, and police stations;
- through the means of pooled thematic funds, which have a multiplier effect, leveraged on average USD 2.67 for every dollar invested; and
- delivered durable solutions to migrants, internally displaced people, refugees, and host communities in 18 countries in Africa, the Arab States, Europe, and Latin America.
The Funding Windows reinforced UNDP’s work with those most marginalized. This included: internally displaced people returning home in Niger, representing almost one-third of the total Diffa region returnees; young detainees in Trinidad and Tobago; conflict-affected older people in Georgia; women experiencing violence in Timor-Leste; farmers from the persecuted Rohingya minority in Myanmar; and deaf citizens in Sri Lanka.
The Funding Windows also channel funds to global flagship projects, including UNDP’s Climate Promise, the largest global offer of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) support; strengthening conflict prevention capacities of national stakeholders with the Joint UNDP-UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Programme; and protecting human rights and enabling access to justice for some of the world’s most vulnerable people through the Global Programme on Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights.
The Funding Windows is UNDP’s trust fund and the primary vehicle for thematic funding. It is framed around four thematic areas: Governance, Peacebuilding, Crisis, and Resilience; Poverty and Inequality; Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment; and Nature, Climate, and Energy.
None of our results could be achieved without our partners and the hard work of UNDP personnel worldwide. Full results can be perused in the UNDP Funding Windows Annual Report for 2021. More information is available on the dedicated page on the UNDP website or by contacting fundingwindows@undp.org.