Who We Are
UNDP - A World of Development Experience
UNDP is the United Nations global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively, and in all our activities we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women.
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000, world leaders placed development at the heart of the global agenda by adopting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which set clear targets for reducing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women by 2015. UNDP uses its global network to help the UN system and its partners raise awareness and track progress, while it connects countries to the knowledge and resources needed to achieve these goals. Our focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Energy and Environment and HIV/AIDS.
UNDP’s flagship publication for advocacy is the annual Human Development Report (HDR). The report is commissioned by UNDP and focuses the global debate on key development issues, providing new measurement tools, innovative analysis and often controversial policy proposals. The global HDR’s analytical framework and inclusive approach carries over into regional, national and local HDRs, also supported by UNDP.
Working Together in the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran is a transition economy. It is one of the largest countries in Asia and the Pacific and has vast natural resources and an educated population. Iran has made rapid progress in several spheres of development and today ranks 88 out of 173 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) [UNDP Human Development Report, 2011], which measures progress on three development indices – education, life expectancy and income. Despite such positive progress, Iran strives to meet a range of development challenges such as poverty, inequality, environmental degradation and disaster preparedness.
UNDP in Iran
UNDP has had a representative office in Iran since 1966. UNDP has worked closely with the government and other development partners, such as local councils, civil society, academic institutions and the private sector, by providing technical assistance and knowledge for more than 40 years. During this time many UNDP-funded projects have been successfully implemented throughout the country in areas as diverse as governance, trade, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation and recovery, conservation of the environment and wildlife and rural development.
While Iran’s extensive economic growth in recent years has led to better living standards, the continuous disparity between the rich and the poor presents a challenge which requires a more equitable and sustainable socio-economic development that includes the most marginalized groups of society, consisting of youth and women.
Building on the extensive dialogue with national partners, the newly formulated UNDP’s country programme for 2012-2016 is fully integrated with the United Nations Assistance Framework (UNDAF), signed on 27 Septemebr 2011, and supports the development priorities of the I.R Iran’s Fifth National Development Plan. It aims to contribute to national efforts in the fields of poverty reduction, environmental protection, natural disaster management and health system strengthening. The cross-cutting issues of south-south cooperation, knowledge sharing and monitoring and evaluation are included across all programme components.
The Country Programme components related to HIV/AIDS, trade, environment and disaster management have been making substantive progress. The Global Fund programme for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, managed by UNDP in cooperation with the Government, has been instrumental in supporting government policies and procedures to address the needs of most at risk groups as well as facilitate access to multilateral funding.
Environment is among the largest portfolios with the Government, Global Environment Fund, UNDP and the Multilateral Fund for the Montreal Protocol being the main funders of the projects. Through the Carbon Sequestration and Small Grants Programme projects, visible progress has been achieved in developing a participatory rangeland rehabilitation model while improving socio-economic conditions of local communities. The need for development and effective use of environmental assessment frameworks has been promoted through UNDP-assisted initiatives and entered into the 5th National Development Plan (2011-2015).
Disaster risk reduction has been advocated through preparation of risk reduction guidelines, establishing a National Information Portal and a National Disaster Database. For the purpose of data availability and reliability, Iran was selected as a case study country for the Global Assessment Report (GAR) launched by the Secretary General in May 2009.
Integrated approaches to water resources management have been on the rise in response to the declining integrity of inland aquatic ecosystems. With the assistance of a UNDP/GEF initiative on wetlands management, a high level national committee and a basin-wide council have been established to address the environmental issues at Lake Uromiyeh, the largest inland lake of Iran.
The UNDP also provides capacity and technical assistance to help the country fulfil its commitments under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer. As a result, Iran has achieved a major milestone, namely the scheduled phase out of target chemicals.
The UNDP works with various Iranian Government Ministries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is the key Government interlocutor for identifying priority areas for cooperation. Based on areas identified and the Country Programme which is approved by the MFA and the UNDP, line ministries and their affilitated organisations are engaged for project implementation. This range of partners includes the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOH), Department of Environment (DOE), Ministry of Jihad Agriculture (MJA), Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Management Organisation (FRWO), Customs Administration (IRICA), Prisons Organisation (PO) and Welfare Organisation (WO).
In addition to these national partners, the Country Office also enjoys the of coopearation with several multilateral trust funds such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), and the Multilateral Fund for the Montreal Protocol (MLF).
Further, through government led projects and initiatives, universities, the civil society and the private sector are also invovled in the process of Country Programme implementation.UNDP’s Role in the UN Country Team
The Resident Coordinator System: as in most countries, the UNDP Resident Representative also serves as the Resident Coordinator of the UN Country Team. As the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General, the Resident Coordinator assumes overall responsibility for, and coordination of, UN operational activities at the country level. Under the aegis of the Resident Coordinator, the currently 18 UN agencies and programmes represented in Iran compose the UN Country Team, working together in identifying areas for UN System interventions, work and collaboration. For further information on the UN Country Team's work in Iran, please visit UN System in Iran.
Under the Resident Coordinator’s supervision, the Resident Coordinator's Office works to ensure coordination among the agencies and programmes that are present in the country through regular inter-agency meetings and follow up on joint and collaborative activities. Additionally, the unit ensures a coordinated follow up to global UN conferences; works to ensure common approaches to cross-cutting issues such as the harmonization of programme cycles, common premises and common services; coordinates the inter-agency theme groups and taskforces; and follows up with the Common Country Assessment (CCA) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). Activities under the Resident Coordinator System are accounted for in the Annual Reports of the Resident Coordinator.
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework: the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) is the planning framework for the development operations of the UN at country level. It provides a collective, coherent and integrated UN system response to key national priorities and needs. The Framework consists of common objectives and strategies of co-operation, a programme resources framework, and proposals for follow-up, monitoring and evaluation. The newly approved UNDAF in the I.R. of Iran covers the years 2012 - 2016 and was developed in consultation among UN agencies and the national partners led by the UN Resident Coordinator's office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It emphasizes inter-agency cooperation in the following areas:
- Poverty Reduction
- Health
- Environmentally sustainable development
- Disaster risk reduction and management
- Drug prevention and control
Five UNDAF Theme Groups and UNDAF M&E Group are established under the authority of the UNDAF High Level Steering Committee to facilitate co-herent and integrated approach to the UNDAF implementation. Together with the rest of the UN Country Team, UNDP actively participates in the UNDAF Theme Groups that are addressing the areas of cooperation, aiming to increase and improve inter-agency programming, cooperation and information sharing.
About UNDP Iran
Millennium Development Goals
