In 2007, UNDP
expenditures in democratic governance amounted to $1.286 billion. Over-all expenditure figures show that democratic governance
remains the largest priority area for UNDP development cooperation, comprising 41 percent of its overall portfolio. The Annual
Report 2007 is a snapshot of flagship products and services which the Democratic Governance Group (DGG) delivered in the past
year. For example, the book "Justice for the Poor – Perspectives on Accelerating Access" was completed with contributions
from academics, justice practitioners and development workers. The book is a testimony to the inherent value and significance
of providing all people with equal right to seek redress for wrongs committed against them. As is well known, UNDP’s specific
niche lies in supporting justice and related systems so that they work for the poor and disadvantaged.
We also take pride in being
part of the founding of iKNOW Politics Network, which took place at UN Headquarters in February 2007, together with the International
Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the National Democratic Institute
for International Affairs (NDI) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). iKNOW Politics provides free and
easy access to resources specifically designed to help women run political parties, fundraise, work with media and voters,
advocate and lobby for women’s issues, and more. Over the first twelve months of its existence, the iKNOW Politics membership
base has been steadily increasing and now includes almost 2,000 members from over 150 countries spanning every continent.
The iKNOW Politics website has received more than 9 million hits and hosted over 850,000 users worldwide with an average of
2,256 visitors per day.
The report also highlights the UNDP's pioneering initiative on
improving access to information and strengthening media in post-conflict situations. Initial work in Sierra Leone with the
UN Peace Keeping Operations illustrates this. The UN peacekeepers dispatched to Sierra Leone in 1999 set up a radio station.
Its importance in peace-building and democratization has been widely recognized by domestic and external observers. With the
UN peacekeeping mission (UNIOSIL) slated to shut down in September 2008, UN Radio will close. A national successor to UN Radio
is vitally important to continue nonpartisan information services to the entire citizenry. To assist this
process, the Democratic Governance Group offered to undertake
an independent analysis of UN Radio and organised a number of consultations to discuss different transition options.
In general, UNDP works with national partners to improve government capacity to deliver public services, to expand community
participation in decision making processes and to promote accountable and transparent institutions and policies. In the coming
years, UNDP will scale up its efforts to support national partners in using Democratic Governance Assessment tools and indicators.
UNDP is one of the largest providers of democratic governance technical assistance globally, spending over $5.13 billion worldwide
in the period 2004-2007. As such, democratic governance remains the most important development priority area for UNDP cooperation.
The Democratic Governance Network (DGP-Net), which connects people and drives change through interactive knowledge
sharing, was one of the most active knowledge networks in UNDP, responding to 145 queries and requests from the larger Community
of Practice and offering demand driven knowledge services. DGP-Net conducted three e-discussions in the past year, including
a broad consultation on the UNDP Strategic Plan, the Democratic Governance Strategic Initiatives (Inclusive Participation,
Responsive Institutions, and International Principles), and on ‘Local governance and Development’. DGP-Net continues to promote
the development of new knowledge products on thematic issues, capacity development initiatives and learning. The gradual DGP-Net
expansion aims to foster better knowledge sharing, working towards a “One UN” approach through inclusion of experience and
expertise from interagency colleagues working in similar fields.
The Democratic Governance Group
at UNDP is composed of 60 or so policy advisors, research analysts, programme managers and knowledge management professionals,
located in New York Headquarters, the Oslo Governance Centre (OGC), UNDP Liaison Offices in Geneva and Brussels, and the six
regional centres and sub-regional resource facilities of UNDP. DGG is the engine of the larger UNDP community of practice
on democratic governance, and is an integral part of the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP). It leads the UNDP mandate to
provide an enabling environment for countries to achieve the MDGs and fulfil commitments to the Millennium Declaration by
fostering democratic governance.
The full report can be downloaded
here.
