Udenrigsudvalget 2021-22
URU Alm.del Bilag 198
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2020-2021
RESULTS
REPORT
Asia and the Pacific
RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC,
TRANSFORMING TO WIN THE FUTURE
 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
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Cover Photo: UNDP Malaysia. Orang Asli/Orang Asal Micro-Grant Facility for Conservation and Livelihood. Orang Asli/Orang Asal
Micro-Grant Facility for Conservation and Livelihood. AdenoSara oil
2020-2021
RESULTS
REPORT
Asia and the Pacific
RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC,
TRANSFORMING TO WIN THE FUTURE
[2]
[3]
 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
Table of Contents
THEME 4
RESPONSIVE AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE ..................................................................53
12. Expanding freedoms in a gradually shrinking space .......................................................... 56
13. Parliaments meet virtually .......................................................................................................... 58
14. Justice served online................................................................................................................... 59
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................... 06
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 08
KEY MESSAGES ............................................................................................................................. 10
THEME 1
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP......................................................................................................... 19
1. Frontier issues that reimagine development for a sustainable future ........................... 20
2. Spotlight on Myanmar and Afghanistan .................................................................................. 21
3. Responding to the shocks of climate change and COVID-19 to ensure
4. social sustainability .......................................................................................................................23
5. Socio-economic impact assessment influence COVID-19 response and recovery ....24
6. National Human Development Reports fuel public debate for equitable growth .......27
THEME 2
COVID-19 RESPONSE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC RECOVERY ...........................................29
7. Immediate Health Sector Support .............................................................................................31
8. Digital Vaccine Management .....................................................................................................33
9. Social Protection to Respond to Economic Shocks during the Pandemic.....................34
10. Effective Communication Matters .............................................................................................38
THEME 3
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION ............................................................... 41
7. Digital transformation in government ......................................................................................43
8. Closing the digital divide for small businesses .....................................................................46
9. Bringing care online ...................................................................................................................... 47
10. Making data work for people .....................................................................................................49
11. Making innovation integral to development solutions .........................................................51
15. Innovative local solutions for development challenges ..................................................... 60
16. Business and human rights ..........................................................................................................61
17. UNDP and partners step up to address gender-based violence .................................... 62
18. Eliminating stigma and discrimination towards gender identity ...................................... 64
19. Engaging youth ............................................................................................................................ 65
THEME 5
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ........................................67
20. The Climate promise .....................................................................................................................70
21. Building resilience to climate change .......................................................................................71
22. The governance of disaster preparedness and response .................................................73
23. Gender and climate responsive measures ............................................................................. 74
24. Sustainable management of forests, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity .................75
25. Supporting the blue economy ...................................................................................................77
26. Improving energy efficiency and expanding renewable energy use ..............................77
27. Waste management ......................................................................................................................78
THEME 6
SDG ACCELERATION, INTEGRATION, AND FINANCING .................................................. 81
28. Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs) .............................................................83
29. Thematic bonds to finance COVID recovery and the achievement of the SDGs ........84
30. Innovative financing instruments ............................................................................................. 85
31. Youth rally around the SDGs ..................................................................................................... 85
32. SDG Integration............................................................................................................................. 86
FUNDING PARTNERS .................................................................................................................. 88
ACRONYMS LIST ......................................................................................................................... 90
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 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
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Foreword
The COVID-19 pandemic was ever-present through 2020 and 2021, causing
social, political, and economic upheavals across the globe. We witnessed
a region grappling with the evolving and devastating consequences of the
virus, with huge loss of life and livelihoods. While these losses can and will
be measured, the more intangible, such as learning and psychosocial losses
will take more time to be seen and measured.
Protecting societal capabilities and building institutional resilience has
been fundamental to UNDP’s support to country response strategies in Asia
and the Pacific, in two years of turmoil, where COVID met climate shocks
and political implosions. For a region experiencing most of the world’s
natural hazards and extreme weather events, environmental perils are
increasingly poised to inflict further suffering.
The region has also witnessed democratic reversals in several countries this
past year, with the most forceful experienced in Afghanistan and Myanmar.
The barometer of public trust in governance institutions and leadership
has diminished in most countries. Income inequalities widened in a large
number of countries, as millions got left behind, whether in city-center
urban slums or remote rural areas. Other deeply regrettable fall-backs were
on gender equality markers, access to new technology and both within and
among countries the evident vaccine and global financial flow inequities.
2021 should have been a year to reduce these gaps, not exacerbate them.
UNDP swiftly realigned programmes and budgets to address immediate
needs in these volatile situations, working in this context of ‘development
emergencies’, where needed, without losing sight of longer-term sustainable
development objectives of reducing poverty, shoring up underlying
socioeconomic vulnerabilities, strengthening accountable and inclusive
governance, promoting solutions for a sustainable planet, and supporting
livelihoods. Fostering resilience, diversity and gender equality drove design
and purpose.
For UNDP, tackling these complex issues requires a constant rethink of
how we bring in new ideas, learning and innovations to apply integrated
approaches to a complex of challenges. The reality of shrinking traditional
ODA funding is clear, as LDCs move to graduation and low income to middle
Kanni Wignaraja
Assistant Secretary General
Assistant Administrator & Regional Director
Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
UNDP
income albeit at a decelerated rate. Expanding partnerships and tapping the
power of new financing will be critical to our continued ability to respond
at scale.
Our experience and presence in the Asia Pacific region, demonstrates a
uniquely positioned UNDP that leads with analytics and substance, to work
with national institutions as they test and drive their own transitions to
COVID recovery and to decarbonizing their economies. As countries look
for solutions at varying levels of acceleration, we must increasingly expand
and tap our regional and global expertise and knowledge networks to
engage with and support transformational change.
This report highlights the results of this journey over the last two
pandemic-defined years. It has been unusual times and has required from
us an extraordinary response. We hope we have done justice to that team
effort, and the work done together with our UN, national and international
partners. If we can leave the reader with just one take-away – we hope the
capture of results shows more than a series of outputs – we hope it conveys
the spirit and commitment of UNDP teams working with clarity of purpose
to help countries in the region get back on track with the SDGs.
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 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
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Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause
social and economic upheavals across
Asia and the Pacific.
Even as this report is
compiled, the region grapples with the evolving
and devastating consequences of the virus,
which has taken the lives of thousands of
people, destroyed tens of millions of jobs and
livelihoods, reversed progress in reducing
poverty, and exacerbated existing inequalities.
As COVID-19 affects all human development
dimensions, UNDP realigned programmes
and budgets to address immediate
emergency needs, without losing sight of
longer-term aims like pulling people out of
poverty, strengthening accountable and
inclusive governance, building resilience,
promoting solutions for a sustainable planet,
and fostering diversity and gender equality.
A results report like this one usually looks back
at challenges and progress. However, given the
enormity of the crisis that the world now faces,
this report also presents responses to the current
crisis that set a path for addressing future ones in
Asia and the Pacific. After all, we need to look at
the long road ahead to post-pandemic recovery
to be better prepared for tomorrow’s shocks,
whatever form they may take.
Address
emergency needs,
without losing sight of longer-term aims like
immediate
accountable and
inclusive governance,
strengthening
pulling people
out of poverty,
building resilience,
solutions
and
promoting
sustainable planet,
diversity and
gender equality.
for a
fostering
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 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
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Key Messages
The world was confronted by the ultimate
disrupter in the form of a global pandemic that
laid bare and intensified the development deficits
that already existed. Gains in attainment of the
Sustainable Development Goals were stopped
in their tracks, and in many cases reversed.
COVID-19 highlighted the integrated and
interlinked nature of development issues and
sectors, where progress in one area cannot be
achieved without simultaneous and coordinated
work in others.
The pandemic also triggered new ways of
thinking and collaborating. It provided avenues
to harness the power of existing and emerging
digital technologies to fight COVID-19, empower
citizens to work remotely and transform the way
governments connect with citizens. Innovative
use of technologies has spurred a rethink and a
reimagining of the way we do development and
has offered an opportunity to ‘build back better.’
Even as COVID-19 ravaged the globe in 2020 and
2021, ongoing development challenges persisted
throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Poverty,
joblessness, exclusion and widening income
gaps, unsustainable use of the environment,
including deforestation and land degradation, loss
of biodiversity, inadequate water management,
pollution, and climate change remain serious
concerns. The deepening of authoritarian
impulses and the restriction of democratic space
for citizens to express themselves and influence
their societies is a disturbing trend.
UNDP continued to support the momentum
of regional and national campaigns and the
mobilization of public and private finance to
achieve the SDGs by 2030. However, the
pandemic forced UNDP to quickly evolve its
programmes and expand its expertise to combat
and manage the crisis. It repurposed existing
resources to meet the challenge. Priority was
given to rapid multi-dimensional assessments of
the impact of COVID-19, and the development of
national response and mitigation strategies.
RBAP promoted regional dialogue platforms to
share experiences and enrich knowledge and
learning. We boosted the use of innovation,
experimentation, and the leveraging of digital
technologies for social service delivery and
enhancing the interface between citizens and
government. Many of these innovations are
here to stay and grow. They position UNDP as
a responsive partner attuned to the needs and
priorities of its programme countries.
Empowering
Youth
Entrepreneurs
27
COUNTRIES
SUPPORTED
THROUGH
CLIMATE PROMISE
20
COUNTRIES
PRODUCED
NATIONALLY DETERMINED
CONTRIBUTIONS
NDCS
81%
93%
Combating
Climate
Change
28
9,500
YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
HELPED
TO STAY AFLOAT DESPITE
COVID 19 CHALLENGES
YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS
SUPPORTED
ACROSS
COUNTRIES
RAISED
MITIGATION
AMBITION
RAISED
ADAPTATION
AMBITION
OF
GLOBAL GHG
EMISSION
10.77%
COVERING
1,240
YOUTH LED
BUSINESSES
INNOVATION ORIENTED
SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
LAUNCHED OR IMPROVED
1.9B
DOSES OF VACCINATIONS
ADMINISTERED USING DIGITAL
SYSTEMS FOR COVID VACCINE
MANAGEMENT IN
INTEGRATED
COASTAL
MANAGEMENT
Responding
to COVID
5
COUNTRIES
213,700
BANGLADESH, BHUTAN,
INDIA, INDONESIA, AND NEPAL
OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES
KILOMETERS
OF
COASTLINE
ACROSS
EAST ASIAN
COUNTRIES
12
US$30M
AND EQUIPMENT
PROCURED AND DELIVERED TO
266,2 M
HECTARES
LIFE SUPPORTING
ECOSYSTEMS
PROTECTED
487,000
HECTARES
22
COUNTRIES,
LAND RESTORED
YOUTH LED BUSINESSES
PROVE
RESILIENT
TO THE PANDEMIC:
14
E HEALTH
130
SOLUTIONS
12
E LEARNING
PLATFORMS
SOLUTIONS
ADOPTED IN
INCLUDING PPE, DIAGNOSTICS,
OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS,
HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT, AND
OTHER COVID RELATED ITEMS
SYSTEM
SOLUTIONS
17 18
COUNTRIES
E GOVERNANCE
23
DATA
193 M
17
COUNTRIES,
SUPPORTED WITH COVID 19
SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACT
ASSESSMENTS
HECTARES
MARINE
ECOSYSTEMS
UNDER IMPROVED
MANAGEMENT/
PROTECTION
141,000
HECTARES
FOREST AND
WETLANDS
RESTORED
Protecting
Nature
87%
86%
PIVOTED THEIR
BUSINESS STRATEGY
EMPLOYED
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Digital
Transformation
Development
Solutions
COLLECTION
SOLUTIONS
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 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
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In 2020-2021,
UNDP delivered
US $1.618 million
in Asia and the
Pacific, of which
more than 90 per
cent came from
non-core resources
from our strong
partnerships at the
country, regional
and global levels.
RBAP DELIVERY BY FUNDING SOURCE
2020 & 2021*
US$1,618M
0.04%
6.18%
1.96%
REGULAR
RESOURCES
OTHER
RESOURCES
10.51%
0.02%
This report on UNDP results in the Asia-Pacific
region in 2020-2021 is organized around six
themes. These are highlights of each theme:
7%
93%
0.25%
4.92%
19.73%
49.46%
THEMATIC TRUST FUNDS
THIRD PARTY COST SHARING
VERTICAL TRUST FUNDS
Theme 1:
Thought leadership
THOUGHT
LEADERSHIP
- Frontier issues that reimagine
development
- Spotlight on Myanmar and Afghanistan
- Responding to the shocks, preserving
social sustainability
- COVID-19 impact assessments inform
response & recovery
- National Human Development Reports
fuel public debate
EC COST SHARING
EC TRUST FUNDS
FUNDING WINDOWS
LOCAL COST SHARING
OTHER RESOURCES
OTHER TRUST FUNDS
for the Decade of Action in Asia and the Pacific
is being published by Cambridge University
Press. It documents policy lessons that can
underpin development discourse and outreach
to governments, thinktanks, social movements
and the private sector on development priorities
leading to 2030. The chapters address policy shifts
in areas accelerated by the pandemic, including
climate change; sovereign finance; digitalization;
global value chains and productivity growth;
measures and aspirations for improved human
conditions, such as equality of opportunities, multi-
dimensional poverty, human security, and vaccine
equity; and new modes of state capacity and
international governance, including global public
goods, and regional cooperation.
In addition, Socio-Economic Impact Assessments
in 17 countries provided much-needed evidence
and information to policy makers for their
COVID-19 responses. Policy options included
adoption of economic stimulus packages and
cross-sectoral response programmes.
Strategic communication is an integral part of
policy analysis and forecast. RBAP led a collective
effort to study the anticipated impact of the crises
in Myanmar and Afghanistan on the development
trajectories in those countries. It produced reports
that were released in the immediate aftermath of
the countries’ shift of power and received wide
global coverage in the media.
In 2020-2021, the Bangkok Regional Hub
produced 17 publications, several with partners
such as WHO, ADB and ESCAP, that triggered
policy debates often contributing to policy
changes. It analysed and disseminated a range
of relevant policy briefs, launched virtual theme-
based knowledge networks, and convened
symposia and conferences on pertinent topics in
the region. At the national level, UNDP Country
Offices in the region catalyzed, national dialogues
and conversations on critical development and
policy issues conveyed through the flagship
National Human Development Reports.
Financial resources to support COVID-19
response came from repurposing US $96 million,
and US $131 million were mobilized resources. The
largest focus was on health systems support (over
40 per cent), followed by inclusive and integrated
crisis management and social protection,
which underscored the immediate needs of
the countries. At the same time, longer-term
objectives of advancing governance mechanisms,
green economy, digitization, and innovation have
also been reflected in the 2020-2021 investments.
1.6%
7.6%
UTILIZATION OF RESSOURCES TO SUPPORT
COVID 19 RESPONSE
2.4%
5.8%
9.1%
1.7%
2020
UTILIZATION
$87M
4.0%
44.2%
14.2%
19.0%
6.7%
46.8%
With many countries in Asia and the Pacific now
attaining lower- or upper-middle income status,
rigorous evidence-based policy advice has
become an important part of UNDP work. The
goal is to inspire innovation and influence action
through cutting-edge analysis and policy advice.
An important component of UNDP policy
expertise is the Economist Network, which was
expanded by placing economists directly in
Country Offices. It has consolidated into a strong
community that offers policy advice and foresight
to national partners, and works alongside the
new Strategy, Policy and Partnerships team in
headquarters, closely aligned with the Bangkok
Regional Hub.
A policy compendium titled The Great Upheaval:
Resetting Development Policy and Institutions
19.3%
2021
UTILIZATION
$67M
17.4%
*2021 data as of 30 December 2021
HEALTH SYSTEMS SUPPORT
INCLUSIVE AND INTEGRATED CRISIS MANAGEMENT
SOCIAL PROTECTION
SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT
DIGITAL DISRUPTION AND INNOVATION
GOVERNANCE
GREEN ECONOMY
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Theme 2:
COVID-19 response and
socio-economic recovery
using digital systems for COVID-19 vaccine
management, and the procurement of US $30
million worth of medical supplies and equipment
delivered to 22 countries. Supplies have included
PPE, test kits, oxygen concentrators, hospital
equipment, and other COVID-related items.
Many of the approaches introduced during the
pandemic will remain as the new normal and will
comprise some of the ‘build back better’ plans
that can yield benefits in the future.
COVID RESPONSE
AND RECOVERY
- Immediate health response
- Digital vaccine management
- Social Protection to respond to economic
shocks
- Restoring livelihoods and building
economic resilience
- Effective Communication matters
them to bridge the digital divide, develop
digital strategies, access finance, build digital
infrastructure and mainstream digital solutions
throughout national institutions. Improved
accountability, transparency and reduction
of corruption are crucial by-products of this
effort. Finally, RBAP has worked to stimulate
economic activity through skills development in
e-commerce, e-payments, and funds transfers.
UNDP has invested heavily in strengthening
innovation and digital capabilities across the
region through 18 Accelerator Labs, and a Regional
Innovation and Digital Team, which is supported
by global teams. They have focused on systems
thinking, and systems design and transformation,
rather than on isolated single point solutions. The
disruptions from COVID-19 have provided the
opportunity to reimagine the way our societies can
work in the future and offered fertile ground for
innovation and experimentation.
The COVID-19 pandemic was at first a health
emergency, but with serious impacts across
the socio-economic spectrum. Governance
institutions in many cases struggled to organize
capacities and resources for their response.
Simultaneously, some countries in the Asia-Pacific
region saw the gradual, but noticeable, expansion
of centralized measures and the contraction
of space in civil society for peaceful and free
discourse. Laws were passed to bypass or
undermine legislatures, judiciary, or civil society.
Press freedoms were curtailed.
UNDP helped to strengthen institutional
responses to COVID-19, including support to
social service delivery, revitalization of economic
activity and bolstering social safety nets. UNDP
also pioneered innovations in online governance
such as digitalization of the judiciary and
parliaments. It created new digital opportunities
for citizen engagement, such as Social Innovation
Platforms (SIPs), for collaboration at local level
among citizens, governments, and the private
sector. UNDP also developed guidance and
toolkits to create awareness and promote human
rights in the private sector. It supported advocacy,
capacity building and policy changes to address
gender-based violence. Partnerships and direct
support to women’s groups, police, judiciary, and
parliaments were all part of its multi-pronged
approach. Some of its most effective efforts to
address gender-based violence were carried out
as part of the EU and UN Spotlight Initiative. In
addition, UNDP and the Citi Foundation helped
to catalyze Asia’s largest youth leadership and
social entrepreneurship movement through its
Youth Co:Lab programme, which has benefited
more than 9,500 young entrepreneurs and
1,240 startups in 28 countries. Similarly, UNICEF
and UNDP worked together in an Asia-Pacific
partnership for young people’s empowerment
which helped more than two million youth.
Theme 3:
Digital transformation
and innovation
The pandemic has revealed and intensified
development deficits such as poverty, inequality,
exclusion, and environmental decline. It has
exposed institutional weaknesses including
limited health and disease surveillance, education
systems, insufficient social safety nets and
inadequate fiscal resources to respond to crises.
In 2020-2021, UNDP promoted holistic approaches
to tackling COVID-19 through multi-dimensional
responses to the pandemic, particularly in health
and economic sectors. RBAP has fostered the
sharing of best practices and lessons learned on
effective surveillance and disease control, use
of innovative IT technologies to track and map
the spread of the virus, and the quick ramp up of
income support schemes. We have also provided
direct assistance through procurement and
supply of essential health products and vaccine
distribution. We have helped to strengthen crisis
management and response and provided support
to address critical social and economic impacts.
Financial resources for the COVID-19 response
have come from repurposing US $96 million and
mobilizing US $131 million. Our strong partnerships
in support of national programmes have enabled
the administering of 1.9 billion doses of vaccines
DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION
AND INNOVATION
- Digital transformation in government
- Closing the digital divide for small
businesses
- Bringing care online
- Making data work for people
- Innovation as an integral part of
development solutions
Theme 4: Responsive and
inclusive governance
RESPONSIVE AND
INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE
- Expanding freedoms in a
shrinking space
- Parliaments meet virtually
- Justice Served Online
- Innovative local solutions for
development challenges
- Business and Human Rights
- Stepping up to address Gender Based
Violence
- Eliminating stigma and discrimination
towards gender identity
- Engaging youth
Access to digital technologies is an enabler of
development and an equalizer of opportunity,
amplifying the voices and providing knowledge
and information to the powerless and
marginalized so that no one is left behind. Access
to the internet transforms the way in which
citizens interface with government and eases
access to public service. Unequal access can
deepen vulnerabilities.
RBAP is working with partner governments
to foster digital transformation by helping
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 URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 198: Opfølgning på briefing om Afghanistan ved regionaldirektør Kanni Wignaraja den 3. maj 2022
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Theme 5:
Climate change and
environmental sustainability
CLIMATE CHANGE
AND ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
- The Climate Promise
- Building resilience to climate change
- The governance of disaster preparedness
and response
- Gender and climate responsive measures
- Sustainable management of forests,
natural ecosystems and biodiversity
- Supporting the blue economy
- Energy efficiency and renewables
- Waste management
change funding from the Global Environment
Facility, the Adaptation Fund, Green Climate
Fund (GCF), Least Developed Country Fund
(LDCF), Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries
(REDD+) and bilateral donors.
We advise countries on ways to finance the
management of forests, natural ecosystems, and
biodiversity, including through the Biodiversity
Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) which supported 11
countries in the region in 2020-2021. The REDD+
programme helps to conserve tropical forests and
reduce greenhouse gases. With financing from
the GEF, UNDP in the Pacific has been promoting
a sustainable blue economy for decades through
integrated coastal management and improved
management of marine resources.
Our support to energy efficiency and expanded
use of renewable sources extends beyond
technical solutions to also examine the linkages
of energy access to poverty, gender, and human
rights. In addition, UNDP works to de-risk
investments for renewable energy markets and
attract and leverage private and public sector
resources.
UNDP, in our most disaster-prone region in
the world, works closely with governments
to strengthen governance capacities to plan
and respond to disasters and conduct impact
assessments after disasters have occurred.
It supports the development of national
disaster reduction and management plans and
strengthens resilience through disaster and
climate change adaptation programmes. With
UNDP assistance, a risk-informed lens is applied
to national planning and budgetary processes,
large-scale infrastructure investments, as well as
local recovery and development actions.
Theme 6:
SDG Acceleration, Integration and
Financing
SDG
ACCELERATION,
INTEGRATION
AND FINANCING
$
- Integrated national financing frameworks
- Thematic bonds to finance COVID recovery
and the SDGs
- Innovative financing instruments
- Youth rally around the SDGs
- SDG integration
Innovation Platforms (SIPs) to dialogue on wide-
ranging development challenges such as ways
to strengthen overall labor market resilience and
tackle environmental pollution. The Youth Co:Lab
programme brings youth together to empower
them to create solutions to pressing issues and
afford them opportunities in leadership and
entrepreneurship. To date, more than 200,000
young people in 28 countries in the region have
participated in Youth Co:Labs, and 1,240 youth-
led enterprises have been launched or assisted
by the programme. The Climate, Land-use, Energy
and Water Systems (CLEWS) modelling approach
assesses the interlinkages between natural
resource systems and helps develop sectoral
models for water, energy, and land use, taking into
consideration different climate futures. In addition,
the UNDP-wide flagship SDG Integration Spark
Blue Platform, an online space for practitioners,
has expanded collaboration in the region for
collective intelligence, sharing and co-creation.
The Asia-Pacific region faces serious
environmental challenges, including deforestation
and land degradation, loss of biodiversity,
inadequate water management, pollution, and
climate change. It is also one of the most disaster-
prone regions in the world.
RBAP provides critical support to integrate
environmental considerations into planning
and budgeting frameworks, including National
Adaptation Plans. We also help to prepare
countries for Conference of Parties (COP)
meetings and advocate for them to raise their
ambitions for climate action. Through a portfolio
of 131 projects in 33 countries in the region, we
are a key interlocuter and conduit for programme
countries to access environment and climate
COVID-19 stalled progress on the Sustainable
Development Goals. The health emergency is not
yet over, with new variants emerging and cases
rising again in early 2022 even as this report is
written. COVID-19 demonstrated the interlinked
nature of the SDGs. A renewed focus on SDG
acceleration is crucial to getting back on track to
reach the global goals by 2030.
UNDP has conducted rapid assessments of the
impact of COVID-19 at regional, national, and
sub-national levels, and has helped to recalibrate
SDG targets and plans when needed. In 2020
– 2021, UNDP scaled up its support for SDG
financing initiatives to tap both public and private
capital flows. Innovative finance instruments
have included the Integrated National Financing
Frameworks (INFFs), thematic SDG bonds, and
SDG-themed Multi-Partner Trust Funds.
UNDP promotes SDG integration through
processes and platforms that bring together
diverse groups, including civil society, the
private sector, and investors, to examine SDG
priorities and plans. RBAP pioneered Social
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Theme 1
Photo: UNDP Solomon Islands
Thought leadership
In recent decades, there has been heightened demand for sound technical advice to
initiate policy reforms that pave the way for development outcomes that are just and
lasting. With many developing countries in Asia and the Pacific now attaining lower- or
upper-middle income status, rigorous evidence-based policy advice is a domain that merits
greater UNDP engagement. As part of this effort, UNDP, including in Asia and the Pacific,
aims to be an evidence and experience-based thought leader in the six signature solutions
championed by the UNDP Strategic Plan and tailored to local contexts and needs.
What is thought leadership?
The goal is to offer policy guidance,
inspire innovation and influence action through cutting edge analysis
and policy advice. UNDP plays the role of a connector by linking
country partners with resources, expertise, and knowledge.
In Asia and the Pacific, UNDP has responded to this imperative by moving
swiftly on two fronts: policy advice to influence longer-term, sustainable policy
change to achieve results at scale; and, leveraging our value as a knowledge-
based development partner, cataloguing the vast experience and practical
advice gleaned through our global network and putting it at the service of our
programme countries. This is achieved through wide use of data and expertise,
drawing on local policy context and developments, and undertaking rapid
human development assessments, such as reports on the effects of acute crises
in Afghanistan and Myanmar, or socio-economic assessments of COVID-19
impacts across the region.
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Photo: Policy Briefs Series, 2021
At the regional level in Asia and the Pacific, this includes creation of
collaborative policy space to examine options and generate development
solutions with national partners, through the help of policy briefs and analyses,
establishment and nurturing of virtual theme-based knowledge networks,
convening of symposia and conferences on key issues, and direct support
to Country Offices. At the national level, in addition to the policy advice and
advocacy provided through our projects, UNDP Country Offices in the region
are catalysing national dialogue and conversations on critical development
and policy issues. In 2020-2021 the launches of our flagship National Human
Development Reports have brought together diverse national partners to
generate consensus on the way forward, supported by perspectives of regional
and global thought leaders. The effective use of media as part of a systematic
communications strategy is key to this effort, be it turning a spotlight on
rapidly evolving development emergencies through global news outlets or
sharing real-time development events in social media.
Partnerships (SPP) Unit at Headquarters in New
York. These steps augmented in-house capacity
that resulted in rigorous, evidence-based
knowledge products on policy and strategic
foresight. To solicit periodic ideas from some of
the world’s finest thinkers in development, an
Eminent Advisory Council was formed.
1
High-level
dialogues and events regularly brought together
leading thinkers from academia and governments,
including sessions with Asia-Pacific Ambassadors
to the United Nations, former Australian Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd at The Asia Society, and
‘The Equity Imperative’ discussion series with
the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth in
the sidelines of the 76th UN General Assembly.
These helped to ensure a laser focus on the
development challenges and explore the solutions
that are critically important for the region.
An edited policy compendium,
The Great
Upheaval: Resetting Development Policy and
Institutions for the Decade of Action in Asia
and the Pacific,
will be published by Cambridge
University Press. It documents policy lessons that
can underpin current dialogues and outreach
to governments, thinktanks, social movements
and the private sector on development priorities
leading to 2030. The chapters address policy
shifts accelerated by the pandemic, including
climate change, sovereign finance, digitalization,
global value chains, and productivity growth;
measures and aspirations for improved human
conditions, such as equality of opportunities,
multi-dimensional poverty, human security, and
vaccine equity; and new modes of state capacity
and international governance, including global
public goods, regional cooperation, and lessons
from pandemic governance.
UNDP is institutionalizing ‘horizon scanning,’
along with creation of a foresight network to
explore strategic futures for designing selected
Country Office programmes. An innovative
foresight research project on
Reimagining
Development in Asia and the Pacific
identified
tipping points that are shifting development
trajectories. This research positioned foresight
as a global public good, a collective process of
action and reimagination to evolve pathways
and capacity needed for countries to navigate
uncertainty. Topics covered under this research
project included development as long-termism
for future generations; new forms of rights for the
21st century; and reimagining digital public goods
for equitable futures and indigenous futures.
In 2020-2021, the Bangkok Regional Hub
responded to the urgent need to gain and share
knowledge about the rapidly evolving COVID-19
pandemic and the ways to respond and recover.
Our policy teams produced 17 publications, several
with partners such as WHO, ADB and ESCAP,
that triggered policy debates often contributing
to policy changes. Themes included
COVID-19
response,
such as the report,
Responding to
the COVID-19 Pandemic: Leaving No Country
Behind,
which underlines the risk of leaving
behind vulnerable countries. It highlights how
digitalization and regional cooperation can help
close development gaps and manage and mitigate
growing divergence between countries. For
COVID
recovery,
Recovering from COVID-19: Lessons from
Past Disasters in Asia and the Pacific
highlights
ten lessons and good practices from Asia-Pacific
to ‘build back better.’
Investing in care: a pathway
to gender-responsive COVID-19 recovery
calls
for transformative actions to develop policies and
initiatives to turn unpaid care into decent work,
support behavioural changes to dismantle gender
stereotypes, reduce and redistribute the burden of
unpaid care work, and ultimately build a new social
contract that puts gender equality at the center of
the COVID-19 recovery.
Frontier issues that
reimagine development for a
sustainable future
The Asia and Pacific region is remarkably diverse,
and UNDP’s policy support is essentially demand
driven. However, issues such as inequality,
climate change, basic social services, governance
and judicial reform, LDC graduation, and building
resilient economies are of global and lasting
interest, and therefore are the focus of much of
the thought leadership provided by UNDP. In
2020-2021, the high demand for policy advice
to deal with the impacts of COVID-19 meant that
RBAP ramped up advice on responding to the
economic, health, inequality, and social effects of
the pandemic.
UNDP plans to deepen its support to policy and
foresight analysis on frontier issues that reimagine
development for a sustainable future. With the
advanced capabilities for policy modeling and
anticipatory analysis, UNDP and our national
partners will be better positioned to navigate
complexity and uncertainty. UNDP’s core mandate
to integrate and coordinate varied facets of
sustainable development requires continued forging
of partnerships with diverse development allies.
In 2020-2021, UNDP laid the solid foundation
to support a thought leadership agenda in
the region. We consolidated the Economists
Network by placing 27 economists in 20 country
offices, formed a regional Foresight Network,
strengthened a regional team of advisors on
inclusive growth at the Bangkok Regional
Hub, and established the Strategy, Policy and
1
Includes Professors Kaushik Basu, Mariana Mazzucato, Branko Milanovich, Rohini Pande, and Danny Quah
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97%
Photo: Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP Assistant Administrator and
Director, RBAP. Interview with BBC November 2021
Photo: Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, Interview with CNN
April 2021
OF
AFGANS
COULD PLUNGE INTO
POVERTY
MID 2022
Responding to the shocks of
climate change and COVID-19 to
ensure social sustainability
The impacts of climate change and the
COVID-19 pandemic have emerged as key
hurdles to SDG attainment. The policy response
to each of these shocks is multifaceted and call
for globally coordinated actions that ensure
social sustainability.
The RBAP Economist Network produced a series
of policy papers on these interrelated topics
to examine development challenges faced by
the countries in the region and proposed policy
options to address them.
The Economic Aspects
of Climate Change
provided a succinct overview
of key policy elements needed for a shift from
fossil fuels.
3
It recommended pricing carbon
in a way that is compatible with the ambitious
targets in the Paris Agreement. It noted that
taking this approach would contribute to creating
the necessary fiscal space to help manage the
transition. A critical mass of countries following
this path could lead to a sustained transition.
BY
Photo: Abdallah Al Dardari, UNDP Resident Representative in
Afghanistan. Interview with CNBC in November 2021
670,000
HOUSEHOLDS
Spotlight on Myanmar
and Afghanistan
caused by the disruption which helped provide
a broader understanding of the impact. The
policy brief
COVID-19, Coup d’état and Poverty:
Compounding Negative Shocks and their Impact
on Human Development in Myanmar,
was
released at the end of April 2021. It forecasted
that half of Myanmar’s population would live
in poverty in 12 months due to the compound
political, security, and economic crises, and
the COVID-19 pandemic. Extensive print and
broadcast coverage included stories on CNN,
CNBC and articles in the
Financial Times, New
York Times, Foreign Affairs, Associated Press,
Reuters,
and others. A follow-up study was
launched on the Impact of the Twin Crises on
Human Welfare in Myanmar.
As well, the global media narrative on
Afghanistan
in August 2021 was dominated by a
‘humanitarian crisis’ frame, and the commentary
called for a ‘humanitarian response.’ The need
PEOPLE WITH
to sustain livelihoods at the same time rarely
DISABILITIES
featured. Here, too, UNDP set out to
WOMEN
provide
a broader understanding of the impact by
highlighting the consequences on the formal
and informal economy. The Afghanistan Country
Office, with support from several economists
and economic modeling experts from UNDP
2
,
ASSISTANCE
TO
CAMBODIA
produced an economic rapid appraisal,
Economic
Instability and Uncertainty in Afghanistan after
August 15.
One of the main projections was
that 97 per cent of Afghans could plunge into
poverty by mid-2022.
The Washington Post,
New York Times, Associated Press,
and other
news outlets carried headlines warning of
Afghanistan’s risk of universal poverty. The rapid
appraisal grabbed media attention around the
world, from the
Hindustan Times to Euractiv
and
El Pais.
The economic appraisal continued to be
quoted in interviews and opinion pieces in the
The Economist, BBC,
and
Al Jazeera.
UNDP’s
economic modeling was referenced by Member
States during the UN pledging conference for
Afghanistan in Geneva in September 2021.
Two analytical briefs were also prepared: a
Situation Report on the Afghan Banking and
Financial System;
and a
2021-2022 Outlook
on Economic and Basic Human Needs.
Both
pieces, provide analysis and recommendations
to address the economic challenges that
could accelerate a slide into extreme poverty.
The briefs also generated momentum for the
integration of livelihoods and support to local
economies in the response.
77,560
HOUSEHOLDS
ASSISTANCE
TO
BANGLADESH
Myanmar and Afghanistan have fallen into deep
crisis, at risk of losing decades of development
gains. The situation in
Myanmar
topped global
media attention in early 2021, with a focus
on the political and security crises and their
effects on the ongoing humanitarian situation
in the country. UNDP, through cooperation
between its field presence, expert network,
and headquarters teams, quickly contributed
analysis on the consequences of the ongoing
crisis on development and the setbacks
98,494
+50%
62,425
42,265
The Economist Network also produced a
Position
Note of the Social and Economic Impact of
Covid-19 in the Asia-Pacific,
4
policy guidance
for UNDP Resident Representatives in the Asia-
Pacific Region, and 17 country-specific notes,
summarized in the
Synthesis of Socio-Economic
Impact Assessments of COVID-19 in Asia Pacific
5
.
Key insights included the need to overhaul
policies and invest in public health, economic
stimulus, and social safety nets to set countries
on a path toward recovery. Short-term fixes to
previous unsustainable policy frameworks should
be avoided. Instead, policies should be developed
that build sustainability, and governments must
coordinate their policies.
3,255
peer reviewed by Balázs Horvath (Senior Economic and Strategic Advisor for RBAP) and Swarnim Waglé (Chief Economic
Advisor for RBAP)
3
https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/climate-and-disaster-resilience-/position-note-on-economic-
aspects-of-climate-change.html
https://www.undp.org/publications/social-and-economic-impact-covid-19-asia-pacific-region
https://undp.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/RBAPEconomistNetwork/EbwrJrUI0kFHhBKb82X15mIBFEQSy4XsFvWl11end9mNHA
2
The report was prepared by the UNDP Afghanistan Country Office under the guidance of Kanni Wignaraja (Director for UNDP
Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific) and Abdallah Al Dardari (UNDP Afghanistan Resident Representative). Initial drafting
and modeling were led by Sebnem Sahin Modelling Specialist (Computable Equilibrium Model in UNDP Afghanistan) and
4
5
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In addition, the Economist Network produced
the paper,
Addressing the COVID-19 economic
crisis in Asia through social protection.
6
It
pointed to gaps in social protection systems
throughout the region, linked in part to the
informality in these economies. It noted that
the pandemic presents an opportunity to build
more effective, comprehensive, and universal
social security schemes that can reduce poverty
and inequality and be scaled to the magnitude
of shocks. A separate World Economic Forum
op-ed emphasized the timeliness and feasibility
of a Universal Basic Income element in social
protection systems.
7
A policy report was produced by the China
Country Office in partnership with the China
Center for International Economic Exchanges
(CCIEE) entitled,
Paving the way for low-carbon
development globally and along the Belt and
Road.
8
To support global SDG attainment and
facilitate low carbon development worldwide,
the report described three key pathways:
development and transfer of clean energy
technologies; channeling investment and
financing flows towards low-carbon projects; and
advancing low-carbon capacity-building. The
report highlighted China’s role in a global low-
carbon transition, the need for internationally
coordinated policies, including appropriate
carbon pricing, and the role of the private sector.
These policy-focused thought pieces contributed
to the policy advisory roles of Country Offices.
Many of the policy insights and recommendations
in these papers helped to sharpen UNDP inputs
to policy formulation, particularly in today’s rapidly
changing environment.
Photo: UNDP Mongolia. Rapid socio-economic impact assessment for
vulnerable groups
Socio-Economic Impact
Assessments influence COVID-19
response and recovery
UNDP in Asia and the Pacific joined the UN-
wide response to the pandemic, including as a
technical lead in the socio-economic response
- a role entrusted to UNDP by the UN Secretary
General. Building on the
Position Note of the
Social and Economic Impact of COVID-19 in
the Asia-Pacific,
9
the policy guidance for UNDP
Resident Representatives in the Asia-Pacific
region, and the 17 Socio-Economic Impact
Assessments commissioned by Country Offices
in 2020 in the region, UNDP helped national
partners to understand the dynamics of the socio-
economic impact and derive policy options for the
response in country-specific context.
The
Mongolia
Country Office released Poverty
and Inequality during COVID-19, using Big Data
from Value-Added Tax data to track changes
in consumption, poverty, and inequality. This is
the first time that Big Data generated from such
records was used for research and analysis to
present alternative estimates of poverty and
inequality in the country. The data can provide
evidence for policy makers to define targeted
social protection policies. The
Philippines
Country Office issued a brief on
Leveraging Non-
traditional Datasets for Assessing Socioeconomic
Impact of COVID-19 across Philippine
Households,
using data from private sector
market research and mobility data from internet
companies to assess the impact of COVID-19
and recovery. In
Fiji,
monitoring of social and
economic effects from the onset of the pandemic
in 2020, led to the Country Office producing
a COVID-19 recovery policy brief to help
decision-makers to navigate the uncertainties
of the crisis. The brief was developed through
a ‘sense-making methodology’ to understand
the evolving COVID-19 socio-economic impact,
including through the collection of personal
stories from those most affected by the pandemic.
Future scenarios were then developed through
a ‘foresight approach’ which led to a set of
proposed policies in governance, and social and
economic sectors.
Several Country Offices have advocated for
long-term investments in strengthening social
protection systems as a policy lever for poverty
reduction and inclusive growth. The
Cambodia
Country Office, with the Ministry of Economy and
Finance, conducted a COVID-19 Economic and
Social Impact Assessment in Cambodia based
on modelling and simulation that also examined
the impact of social protection on growth and
poverty reduction. The brief informed high-level
dialogues with national and UN partners. It also
led to the Government launching in 2020 a new
COVID-related social assistance programme
and MSMEs stimulus packages, equivalent to
3.4 per cent of GDP. Accordingly, 674,146 poor
households received US $300 million in cash
transfers. A national allocation of around US
$200 million benefitted 682,328 households
in 2021. The
Malaysia
Country Office issued a
policy brief on
Unified Social Registry: Towards
an Efficient Social Protection System in Response
to the COVID-19 Crisis.
The aim was to present
MIGRANT
58%
MIGRATE
DID NOT
WORKERS
84%
IN
INDIA
REQUIRED
60%
FINANCIAL AID
LOST THEIR JOB
opportunities to improve efficiency, coordination,
and coherence in the mechanisms that can expand
the coverage of social safety nets. In
Nepal,
the Rapid Socioeconomic Impact Assessment
informed recovery programmes in the 2020 and
2021 national budget. The assessment also led to
the Government of Nepal introducing schemes to
generate employment for poor and disadvantaged
people. This included a new US $450 million fund
to revive MSMEs. Nearly US $100 million was
allocated for the Prime Minister’s Employment
Programme, which aims to generate 200,000
short-term employment opportunities.
Employment, especially among women, young
people, and migrants, was heavily affected by the
pandemic in the region. The
India
Country Office
released the
Impact of COVID-19 and Industry 4.O
on Future of Work for Women: Insights from the
Formal Sector in India,
highlighting the effects of
COVID-19 on employment by gender and sector,
the importance of reskilling, and the pandemic
as a catalyst to adopt new technologies that curb
job polarization. The
India
Country Office also
partnered with civil society organizations on the
Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 on Migrant
Workers in India,
following
An Analysis of the
6
7
8
9
https://www.undp.org/publications/addressing-covid-19-economic-crisis-asia-through-social-protection
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid-19-universal-basic-income-social-inequality
https://www.cn.undp.org/content/china/en/home/library/south-south-cooperation/paving-the-way-for-low-carbon-
development-globally-and-along-the.html
https://www.undp.org/publications/social-and-economic-impact-covid-19-asia-pacific-region
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MIGRATE
%
RED
CIAL AID
ASSISTANCE
TO
SRI LANKA
IN TOURISM
685
WOMEN
BUSINESSES
DEVELOPMENT
WOMEN
SKILLS FOR LIVELIHOOD
DEVELOPMENT
670
from Citi, have developed a project that is both a
social protection and a recovery initiative. It has
provided direct financial support to more than
685 women, business development services to
more than 670 women to enhance their skills
for livelihood development and assisted with
registering 75 new businesses and provided
PPE items that enabled 322 business ventures
to reopen. As part of its wider support to the
recovery of the tourism sector, UNDP is providing
technical expertise for the national tourism policy,
including rolling out the national sustainable
certification scheme for tourism with funding
support from the EU and BIOFIN.
As an advocate for sustained investment in
human development and inclusive recovery,
UNDP examined issues of fiscal sustainability
during COVID-19. The
Pakistan
Country Office
conducted an
Analysis of the Federal Budget
2020-2021
focusing on development and
socioeconomic aspects.
Maldives
published
two
Economic Bulletins
with analytics of the
2021 national budget, insights on the country’s
pension system and reform options based on
expenditure analysis. The
Malaysia
Country
Office commissioned
Financing Development in
Times of Change,
presenting quantitative analysis
of the challenges in financing development.
They include insufficient domestic public finance,
untapped domestic private finance, unstable
international private finance flows, and the
changing nature of international public finance.
LDC graduation emerged as a challenge in the
context of COVID-19. The
Bhutan
Country Office
issued a policy brief on
Trade Diversification in
Bhutan,
analyzing the difficulties in addressing
economic vulnerability through economic
diversification. Specific recommendations on
trade diversification included: improving the
alignment of investment and export promotion
policies; strengthening export and investment
in sectors with markets in India and the world;
establishing linkages between domestic firms
and foreign companies; incorporating the service
sector into the diversification portfolio; and
pursuing import substitutions.
75
NEW
BUSINESSES
REGISTERED
322
REOPENED
BUSINESSES
Photo: Youth Co:Lab Summit
,500
ALTH
NTERS
30
Socioeconomic Situation of Working Migrant
Women in 12 States of India.
The research
indicated that 60 per cent of the respondents
lost their jobs, 58 per cent did not migrate when
the restrictions lifted, and 84 per cent required
additional financial aid. The
Philippines
Country
Office commissioned a policy brief on
Exploring
Opportunities for Economic Diversification
and Productive Employment in the Philippines,
analyzing how industrial policy can play a role in
the COVID-19 recovery.
RESPONSE
IN
IRAN
A green and low-carbon agenda remained at
the heart of UNDP’s advocacy on COVID-19
recovery in the region. The
China
Country Office
issued several policy briefs and co-organized
a series of UN policy dialogues. Through these
initiatives the Country Office informed and offered
recommendations in areas such as energy reform
and the use of green technology, green finance,
and nature-based solutions to accelerate a just
and inclusive low-carbon transition going forward.
road map that is the basis for transforming the
sector. A rapid assessment jointly undertaken by
UNDP and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development
Authority found that 67
AT RISK INDIVIDUALS
per cent of those who
HEALTH
lost
AND
their jobs due to the pandemic were female
PATIENTS
WORKERS
workers. As a result of these findings, UNDP, and
the Tourism Authority, with financial assistance
PCR
assessments of the impact of the pandemic
UNDP
on tourism
MACHINES
in
Sri Lanka
informed a recovery
500,000
National Human Development
Reports foster public debate on
inclusive development pathways
The third National Human Development Report
for
Pakistan,
the
Three Ps of inequality: Power,
People and Policy,
examined how inequality
has affected the country’s economic and social
11,000
progress. Despite the Constitution of Pakistan
upholding equality and regardless of global
commitments to the SDGs, there are still two
different Pakistan’s – one for the rich, with
access to the best avenues and opportunities,
and one for the poor, who have a narrow pool
of choices. Accompanying a Regional Human
Development Report, the
Malaysia
Country Office
commissioned the
Satellite Paper on Inequality
in Access to Essential Health and Medicine
(COVID-19 Vaccines) in the Asia-Pacific
region
to analyze vaccination distribution by income
groups, the COVAX allocation scheme, and the
underlying reasons for vaccination inequality.
The
Nepal
Human Development Report 2020:
Beyond Graduation: Productive Transformation
and Prosperity
recommends that LDC graduation
strategies must go beyond economic yardsticks
and consider social and environmental
dimensions of development.
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Theme 2
Photo: UNDP Thailand
COVID-19 response
and socio-economic recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time. It
amplified what it is to live in poverty, as it did to live with opportunity. For UNDP,
the pandemic has meant adapting to new demands and realigning programmes
to meet the changing needs of countries in Asia and the Pacific.
The pandemic has revealed and enlarged weaknesses and exposed
development fault lines already present in the region, including widening
inequality, inadequate health and social service delivery systems, threadbare
to non-existent social safety nets, and the fragility of work in the informal
sector. The economic and social disruption of COVID-19 in Asia and the
Pacific has been devastating. In addition to loss of life, millions have lost their
livelihoods, many industries have gone into debt, small and larger businesses
have gone bankrupt, and the education of millions has been interrupted for
extended periods. The worst hit are the most vulnerable – the poor, women,
workers in the informal sector, the elderly. There has been a marked regression
of development gains of the past decades, and the growth momentum of the
region has been stalled.
However, the RBAP assessments of the impact of COVID-19 in Asia reveal
another trend. Many Asian nations have mounted multi-dimensional responses
to the pandemic which have mitigated its most damaging impacts, particularly
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in the health and economic arenas. UNDP has been involved with some of the
successful responses, including effective surveillance and disease control,
use of innovative IT technologies to track and map the spread of the virus,
and income support schemes. Another heartening development has been the
robust regional cooperation to address the pandemic.
Not surprisingly, the wide variance in the impact and effectiveness of the
national response to COVID-19 reflects the diversity within the region with
respect to institutional capacities, fiscal strength, and demographic size.
UNDP has recognized that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work in Asia
and the Pacific, and a customized and tailored COVID-19 response is required
in each country.
How has RBAP responded in 2020-2021 to meet the challenge of COVID-19?
The pandemic brought shifts to UNDP which needed to swiftly adapt to
new demands and reprogramme initiatives to meet the changing needs of
the countries which it serves. While quickly tapping and bringing on board
health expertise directly related to the spread and control of the disease,
RBAP proactively repurposed existing substantive and budgetary resources
at regional and country levels. To meet the unprecedented challenges, UNDP
conducted multi-dimensional assessments of the impact of COVID-19, put in
place institutional and fiscal capacities, and fostered national response and
mitigation strategies.
Specific areas of support to combat COVID-19 included health procurement;
introduction and scale-up of digital vaccine management systems; improving
access to PPE, vaccination, and health care services; ramping up tele-
medicine; strengthening and scaling up social protection schemes and
livelihoods support; and broad information campaigns to create awareness
and influence safer behaviour. The intersection of these efforts and the need
for a rapid response has led to the development of integrated COVID-19
response programmes that favour multi-sectoral national campaigns. RBAP
has facilitated cross fertilization of experience throughout the region so that
successes and lessons learned from ‘first movers’ could be shared with others.
Leveraging longstanding partnerships, RBAP mobilized US $155 million for the
immediate pandemic response, and quickly moved resources to where they were
needed most in three priority areas: the procurement and supply of essential
health products and vaccine distribution, strengthening crisis management and
response, and addressing critical social and economic impacts.
Asia’s experience with COVID-19 has also revealed another silver lining.
Many of the approaches introduced during the pandemic will remain as
the new normal when this period becomes a distant memory. For example,
digital solutions in managing health products, remote work and education
arrangements, rapid-response mechanisms for strengthening social safety nets
and livelihoods, management of vaccine delivery systems, and safe behavior
MIGRANT
58%
MIGRATE
communications will all be components of ‘build back better’ plans that can
DID NOT
ASSISTANCE
WORKERS
yield future benefits.
IN
INDIA
60%
LOST THEIR JOB
84%
REQUIRED
FINANCIAL AID
TO
SRI LANKA
IN TOURISM
685
Immediate Health Sector Support
More than 12,000 new health facilities were
established, and 250,000 health care workers
were hired or trained with UNDP support for
COVID-19 response in the region.
Through its support to global procurement for
early COVID-19 response, UNDP contributed
to the world’s collective efforts to combat the
virus. UNDP helped countries to procure critical
supplies from China, during the early days of the
pandemic when supplies in most other global
markets were running low and were subject to
export restrictions. In total, procurement support
from UNDP
China
covered 47 different types
of COVID-19 medical supplies for 72 countries.
Specific support included market
analysis and mapping, quality
assurance of medical goods,
and logistical operations. Within
China, UNDP supplied vulnerable
locations with vital medical
equipment including patient
monitoring systems, infusion
pumps, and protective suits for
healthcare workers.
In 2020, at the outset of the
pandemic, UNDP in
Cambodia
in
partnership with the World Bank
and WHO, procured US $6 million
worth of priority health equipment
and supplies for the Ministry of
Health. In recognition of UNDP’s
quality and speed of delivery,
the budget almost trebled to US
$17 million in 2021. The urgently
needed equipment enhanced the capacity
and preparedness of Cambodia’s COVID-19
WOMEN
designated hospitals and testing facilities to
SKILLS FOR LIVELIHOOD
respond and support
DEVELOPMENT
the reopening of the country
in late 2021.
WOMEN
BUSINESSES
DEVELOPMENT
670
In
Timor-Leste,
UNDP worked closely with the
NEW
Government through a cost-shared US$ 11 million
BUSINESSES
programme to support emergency procurement
REGISTERED
REOPENED
and quality assurance of health products
BUSINESSES
during the critical period of 2020. With UNDP
assistance the Government was able to procure
over 7.3 million units of medicines, 4.5 million
test kits and reagents, 802 units of equipment
and accessories, and other health supplies. In
addition, as one of the country’s first responders
in 2020, UNDP’s Accelerator Lab in Timor-Leste
75
322
RESPONSE
IN
IRAN
2,500
HEALTH
CENTERS
30
PCR
MACHINES
AT RISK INDIVIDUALS
AND PATIENTS
500,000
HEALTH
WORKERS
11,000
[ 26 ]
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2573691_0017.png
Photo: UNDP Nepal. Vaccination in Dhangadi
families in five northern provinces. After the 15th
of August, in the face of a breakdown of public
service delivery, UNDP in Afghanistan continued
to play a crucial role in preventing the disruption of
essential health services. With emergency funding
mobilized from the Global Fund, UNDP contributed
to sustaining health services around the country.
Such support ensured that 2,157 health facilities
remained operational, providing health services to
more than 3.1 million Afghans including 1.1 million
children and 782,000 women, with 2.5 million
people receiving health services in outpatient
departments. As part of this support, UNDP paid
the salaries of 26,013 health workers.
In close coordination with WHO and the UN
Country Team, UNDP in
Myanmar
worked with
government ministries and partners to strengthen
national preparedness efforts. UNDP provided
health system support to 11 regional and state
governments with over 300,000 medical and non-
medical items such as walkthrough temperature
scanners, suction machines, patient monitors,
ventilators, oxygen concentrator, pulse oximeter,
oxygen facemasks, and thermometers, in addition
to PPE items. PPEs were also distributed to
IDP camps and quarantine centres. As part of
strengthening capacities of national institutions in
tackling the health crisis, UNDP also established
an oxygen plant at the Sittwe Hospital in Rakhine.
Partnering with the Korean International
Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Lao
Women’s Union, UNDP
Lao PDR
provided
essential health equipment to support more than
1,200 women in temporary quarantine centres.
Medical supplies went to the national hospital
for women and children, serving more than
2,000 patients. Community outreach initiatives
in Bokeo Province, one of the regions hardest hit
by COVID-19, informed women about their rights
and how to access services if they experienced
domestic violence during the pandemic. The
community outreach model will be adopted in
three more provinces.
In
Maldives,
UNDP procurement of PPE for
frontline health workers opened new opportunities
in the health sector for UNDP to work with the
Ministry of Health. In 2021, UNDP was able to
secure funding for additional national emergency
medical supplies. In addition, through the regional
project on Digital Solutions for the Deployment of
COVID-19 Vaccines, UNDP is conducting a digital
readiness assessment. It is also providing technical
support to strengthen the legal framework for data
governance in the health sector through the Health
Information Bill, which will cover data privacy,
security, data use and data collection.
Digital Vaccine Management
Closing the digital divide and harnessing the
power of digital technologies for COVID-19
vaccination is essential for driving faster and
fairer vaccination access. As part of national
deployment and vaccination plans, UNDP is
working with governments, UN, and other
partners to introduce digital solutions to
strengthen health systems and ensure equitable,
safe, and efficient vaccine distribution.
By leveraging the experience of both
India
and
Indonesia,
UNDP supported digitalization
of COVID-19 vaccine tracking in
Bhutan,
Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Philippines,
and
Afghanistan.
South-South cooperation, facilitated
produced 1,200 face shields using 3D printers.
More than 6,280 frontline workers and journalists
received face shields, face masks and other PPE.
Building on health infrastructure created through
the Global Fund, UNDP could immediately
contribute to the COVID-19 response in
Iran.
UNDP joined forces with the Ministry of Health
and Medical Education, the Social Welfare
Organization, and the Prisons Organization to
support government-led responses in harm
reduction centers, specifically in mobile centers
that offered infection prevention and control
services to prevent the spread of COVID-19
among high-risk populations. UNDP supported
the provision of 30 PCR machines to increase
COVID-19 diagnostic and testing capacity.
More than 2,500 health centers, 11,000 health
workers and nearly 500,000 at-risk-individuals
and patients directly benefited from targeted
distribution of essential health supplies.
In the
Pacific
region, the UNDP Multi-Country
Western Pacific Programme (MCWP) funded
through the Global Fund was positioned to
provide immediate procurement of urgent medical
supplies and equipment that included 85,500 PPE
kits to 11 countries for 350 health care workers in
public health departments, along with screening
of TB, HIV and STI prevention and testing.
In addition, the UNDP MCWP supported public
health information campaigns in
Samoa, the
Federated States of Micronesia,
and
Palau. Niue
and
Samoa
upgraded laboratory testing facilities.
The Ministries of Health in
Marshall Islands,
Tonga, Tuvalu,
and
FSM
enhanced their infection
prevention and control in hospitals and other
health facilities.
Also, with financial support from the Global
Fund, UNDP in
Afghanistan
assisted the Ministry
of Public Health to strengthen laboratory
capacity and establish a surveillance system by
expanding prevention diagnosis and management
services at the Central Public Health Laboratory
facilities and reference labs in five regions.
UNDP provided technical assistance to train 25
regional and provincial laboratory staff in the use
of new equipment. UNDP also supported the
establishment of 15 health centers, 11 mobile health
teams and two home-based care outreach teams
in eight provinces. In partnership with the Ministry
of Interior Affairs, UNDP in Afghanistan provided
technical and financial support to 300-bed hospital
facilities and ICUs across five provinces to ensure
they can quarantine, isolate, and treat affected
Afghan National Police (ANP) personnel. UNDP
assistance helped to reconstruct a police hospital
to fight COVID-19 in Mazar-e-Sharif city, which
serves nearly 9,000 ANP personnel and their
Photo: UNDP India. CoWIN (Winning Over COVID-19) programme
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2573691_0018.png
by UNDP, has been crucial to the success in
digital vaccine tracking and deployment among
these countries.
In
India,
the mobile cloud-based eVIN system
(Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network) was
adapted to manage COVID-19 vaccine logistics
and ensure uninterrupted tracking of COVID-19
vaccines and other routine vaccines. The eVIN
system, developed and implemented with
technical support from UNDP, was already in use
at all 28,994 vaccine cold chain points across all
733 districts in the country to manage vaccine
stocks and storage temperatures for the regular
immunization programme of the government.
To bolster the herculean task of providing free
vaccinations to a population of 1.4 billion people,
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and
the Government of India, developed the CoWIN
digital platform. The existing eVIN platform with
trained users in place to handle large-scale
databases, facilitated the adoption of CoWIN
(Winning Over COVID-19).
CoWIN tracks vaccine recipients, appointment
bookings, and facilitates vaccination registration
and certificates. With 3.2 billion hits per day, no
other Management Information System in India
handles a scale equivalent to CoWIN, which
by mid 2021 had registered more than 530
million vaccinations for an average of 3.5 million
vaccinations a day, and more than 1.4 billion by
end of 2021. UNDP provided technical support to
the Ministry for developing and managing CoWIN
and has assisted with training more than 1.2
million health workers and frontline staff on use
of the Co-WIN software. It has set up a call centre
which receives 1,500 calls a day that works in
tandem with a government vaccination helpline.
By partnering with the Ministry of Health, the
Ministry of Economic Affairs, UNICEF and WHO,
UNDP also helped to expand digital solutions to
vaccine management for COVID-19 in
Indonesia.
The existing digital vaccine logistics management
system, Monitoring Imunisasi Logistik secara
Elektronik (SMILE), funded by GAVI, uses a
mobile app to provide an online dashboard of the
entire vaccine supply chain. SMILE enables real-
time visibility of vaccine cold chain logistics by
digitizing stock supplies and storage temperature
across vaccine cold chain points. Health officials
can check if vaccines are overstocked, falling
short or out of stock. It informs decision-making to
maximize vaccine distribution and management.
More than 10,000 health staff have been using
SMILE to update vaccine logistics and more than
100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have
been distributed and recorded in SMILE. UNDP
Indonesia developed and expanded the use of
the system from just two pilot districts and 54
health facilities in 2018 to all 514 districts and
10,000 health facilities by 2020. It aims to reach
600 Public Health Centers by 2021.
In
Bhutan,
UNDP supported the Ministry of Health
to develop a digital system for COVID-19 vaccine
beneficiary management, known as the Bhutan
Vaccine System. The app-based digital system
ensures that those eligible for vaccinations are
registered, vaccine supplies match demand,
adverse effects are monitored and reported, and
vaccination coverage information is sent to central
health authorities. The IT equipment used for
the system has meant that health workers could
vaccinate more than 93 percent of eligible adults.
More than 2,100 health workers received training
on registering and screening patients through the
digital system.
97%
OF
COULD PLUNGE INTO
AFGANS
POVERTY
BY
MID 2022
Photo: UNDP Cambodia. Social Protection Program.
77,560
HOUSEHOLDS
ASSISTANCE
TO
BANGLAD
670,000
HOUSEHOLDS
ASSISTANCE
TO
CAMBODIA
Social Protection to respond
to economic shocks during the
pandemic
The UNDP position paper on
Addressing the
COVID-19 economic crisis in Asia through
Social Protection,
noted that the strongest
social protection systems are those that blend
innovative approaches with existing ones that
have a proven track record. After 18 months
responding to the socio-economic impact of
the pandemic, 1 million formal and informal
sector workers have been supported by UNDP
in the region, and an estimated 4 million people
have benefited from social protection schemes
PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES
98,494
+50%
WOMEN
and services, such as UNDP’s cash transfer
programmes, water and sanitation services, and
food and nutrition schemes. With UNDP support,
more than
25,5000 jobs
were protected by
economic or other labour market measures in
Asia and the Pacific.
UNDP in
Cambodia
supported the government
in mounting a quick policy response, including a
stimulus package, which catalyzed partnerships
with development banks. UNDP and the Ministry
of Economy and Finance used economic
modelling to predict the size and impact of the
pandemic on vulnerable households, which
assisted the government in developing stimulus
options. Technical support from UNDP, GIZ and
UNICEF contributed to the government rapid
rollout of social protection cash transfers for every
Cambodian below the national poverty line. The
assistance reached over 670,000 households,
including 98,494 people living with disabilities.
Furthermore, nearly 7,800 PLHIV households
received ID Poor cards and access to cash
transfers in 2021, of which the majority were
women-headed households. In addition, as part
of the emergency response to COVID-19, UNDP
in Cambodia with funding from SIDA, set up a
cash-for-work scheme for affected households. It
engaged 2,810 people from 1,915 households (27
per cent were headed by women) in tree planting,
and injected emergency cash in communities
that led to the reforestation of 181.93 hectares in
community-managed areas.
62,425
42,265
3,25
UNDP partnered with over 22 municipal
governments in
Nepal
to provide short-term
[ 30 ]
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2573691_0019.png
97%
OF
COULD PLUNGE INTO
AFGANS
POVERTY
BY
MID 2022
77,560
HOUSEHOLDS
ASSISTANCE
TO
BANGLADESH
response amongst the 30 million slum dwellers
in
Bangladesh.
As part of its National Urban
Poverty Reduction Programme, UNDP supported
the Government of Bangladesh with a rapid
emergency response in low income and slum
communities in 19 towns and cities. The response
provided food assistance to 77,560 households
through digital cash transfers and food baskets.
It also included COVID-19 preventative measures
like the installation of more than 3,255 handwash
points, distribution of 62,425 hygiene kits and
42,265 masks, and other PPE for health workers.
In
India,
UNDP helped link 177,500 people
across ten states to government social protection
programmes. Its support to livelihoods for
marginalized and vulnerable communities,
particularly women and youth, included training
104,000 individuals on entrepreneurial skills. A
central aim of UNDP support and its partnerships
with more than 25 civil society organizations,
government institutions, industry associations,
foundations and the private sector was to assist
farmers, artisans, primary producers, self-
employed people, MSMEs, and informal sector
workers to cope with the crisis and get back on
their feet. More than 17,000 farmers, artisans,
small-scale entrepreneurs, and informal sector
workers were able to restore their livelihoods
through training on financial and digital literacy
and support for them to access markets.
In addition, over 87,000 women and youth in
India
were provided career guidance and counselling
to enable them to make informed career choices,
including through
Sach Honge Sapne (Dreams
Will Come True)
an online career counselling and
job readiness series launched by UNDP. A UNDP
initiative for those who lost livelihoods due to
the pandemic placed more than 6,600 people,
aged 18 to 35, in jobs in e-commerce, logistics,
manufacturing, banking, finance, telecom,
and retail. UNDP also partnered with industry
associations to set up helplines to inform MSMEs
on COVID-19 related government schemes. It
supported business continuity for nearly 9,000
MSMEs, which helped to restore livelihoods and
build economic resilience.
62,425
42,265
3,255
Photo: UNDP Iran. Livelihoods and women economic empowerment
employment through cash-for-work projects for
more than 6,000 vulnerable people who were
hardest hit by COVID-19. Those involved in the
projects included workers who lost jobs in the
tourism sector, or economically marginalized
communities and migrants. The projects, co-
funded with the respective municipalities,
included building agriculture roads, trails,
irrigation canals, and community buildings, using
local labour and materials.
UNDP fostered inclusive social services amidst
the pandemic, with systems that will be useful for
the future in
Viet Nam.
Specifically, it provided
experts to design and test the software and
processes for e-registration and e-payment of
social assistance programmes and identify and
verify eligible households. The online tools were
tested in five provinces, benefiting more than
11,560 ethnic minority individuals. Approximately
100 ethnic minority cooperatives, led by women,
gained access to cash transfers, cash for work,
PPE, and other essential support to protect, and
sustain their livelihoods.
UNDP tapped its existing community outreach
networks to implement a holistic COVID-19
UNDP in
Bangladesh
brought current COVID-19
prevention information to marginalized
communities while also offering ways to restore
their economic support. The UNDP project on
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive
New Opportunities (SWAPNO)
targeted remote
communities to raise awareness about COVID-19
prevention measures by reaching nearly 900,000
people through community radio. The distribution
of over 190,000 hygiene kits including soap
bars, facemasks, and hand sanitizers provided
easy protection methods against COVID-19. In
collaboration with the Ministry of Women and
Children’s Affairs, 164 women were trained to
produce WHO-approved protective masks which
have provided steady household incomes for the
participating rural women, benefitting 650 families.
In
Iran,
households received training, financial
support, and assistance in linking their local
supply chain networks with potential buyers.
UNDP helped to re-tool women-headed
microenterprises in the garment sector so they
could produce PPEs to reduce national shortages.
The focus on home-based businesses helped to
repurpose jobs in other sectors such as food and
extension services. These initiatives contributed
to creating more than 5,500 direct and indirect
jobs in hard-hit provinces.
Under the SEEDS project to kick-start economic
recovery, support to agricultural entrepreneurs
is helping to increase food production and
improve food security in
Maldives.
The project
provides capacity development to the newly
established state-owned enterprise Agro National
Corporation (AgroNat), that was created to
increase crop yield and mitigate food shortages
during the crisis. Nearly 215 farmers, 47 percent of
them women and nearly 20 per cent were youth,
are now under contract farming. AgroNat provides
them with training on sustainable farming
practices and offers starter packs which include
fertilizers, seedlings, and tools.
In addition, an agri-business incubation pilot
programme in
Maldives
was introduced with the
Housing Development Corporation, to increase
urban farming among youth, women, and persons
with disabilities. The SEEDS project also provided
technical support and capacity development to
the Business Center Corporation of Maldives,
to provide support services for MSMEs to adapt
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2573691_0020.png
Photo: UNDP China. “Spread the Word, Not the Virus” campaign.
Photo: UNDP Sir Lanka. Enhancing skills of women in the tourism sector
eds, interviews, blogs, and social media posts on
these subjects resulted in more than 1.8 billion
media impressions.
to the post-COVID business environment. This
includes the establishment of co-working space
for entrepreneurs and development of the
‘Authentic Maldives’ website, reaching over 2,000
MSMEs and 50 home-based workers.
The
Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme
(PFIP)
is jointly administered by UNCDF and UNDP and
supports low-income Pacific Islanders to improve
their access to useful and affordable financial
products and services across Pacific countries
including
Fiji, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tonga,
and
Vanuatu.
By the end of 2020, the
programme funded over 44 Pacific projects which
assisted financial service providers to innovate
their technology, products, and services for
mass market customers. New business models
and innovations contributed to the enrolment of
approximately 1.9 million customers in financial
services such as mobile wallets, micro insurance,
remittances, and savings groups. Just over
half of the enrollments were women. The PFIP
technical and financial support contributed
to the development of National Financial
Inclusion Strategies in
Fiji, Solomon Islands,
Samoa, Papua New Guinea,
and
Vanuatu
and
supported the development of financial education
curriculum in
Fiji, PNG,
and the
Solomon
Islands.
The experiences from PFIP serve as an
important foundation for new programmes such
as the Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaption
Programme (PICAP), the Pacific Digital Economy
Programme (PDEP) and the Coral Reef and Blue
Economy Programme.
An extensive information campaign in
Timor-
Leste
included an app-based COVID-19 game,
information pamphlets, and public service
announcements. News and feature shows
were broadcast in nine local languages on six
community radio stations. Nearly 500 journalists
received training on how to accurately report on
COVID-19.
In
Sri Lanka,
in partnership with the Health
Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Health, a
#StayAtHome cartoon campaign was carried
through social media and on national TV to
counter misinformation about COVID-19.
UNDP supported a national awareness raising
campaign in
Bangladesh
to highlight the
importance of maintaining basic health and
safety measures during Eid-ul-Azha celebrations
in 2021. Using its community-based networks,
UNDP mobilized 1,200 people to conduct vaccine
awareness sessions and assisted nearly 22,970
citizens to register online for COVID-19 vaccines
on a government digital platform.
COVID-19 awareness campaigns were organized
in
Myanmar,
reaching thousands of people in
high-risk areas, informing communities, in local
languages, about safety measures to prevent
infection. Vocational training for hand-sanitizer
production to 3,500 of the most vulnerable
households in targeted townships was organized.
Joint UNDP and UNHCR awareness campaigns
distributed COVID-19 information, education,
and communication materials to 40 villages. In
Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships in Rakhine,
nearly 6,000 households in 48 villages received
mask-making kits.
Effective communications matters
UNDP assisted national awareness campaigns
on best health practices to avoid COVID-19
infection, and ways to combat misinformation
and stigmatization.
Following the initial outbreak of the virus in
China,
UNDP, in partnership with WHO, launched
a ‘Spread the Word, Not the Virus’ campaign
on Chinese social media. With over 36 million
views on Weibo, the month-long campaign
mobilized netizens to share crucial information on
safe health practices in over 50 languages and
dialects including Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese,
Korean, Spanish, Romanian, and Icelandic.
As people returned to work, a separate joint
UNDP–WHO campaign raised awareness about
workplace safety. Companies demonstrated their
enhanced infection prevention protocols through
the campaign, helping over 480,000 people gain
awareness on how to return to work safely. Op-
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2573691_0021.png
Theme 3
Photo: UNDP Bangladesh
Digital transformation
and innovation
Access to digital technologies is an enabler of development and an equalizer of
opportunity, while unequal access can deepen vulnerabilities. COVID-19 and the
lockdowns triggered new shifts towards digital technologies and highlighted the
importance of access to the internet for children’s education, working from home,
telemedicine, coverage by social assistance programmes and accessing financial
services for everyone. Policies and solutions that tackle the digital divide are
therefore essential for inclusive recovery and continued digital transformation
that ensure no one is left behind in socioeconomic inclusion.
The power of digital technologies has opened new possibilities
for accelerating human development, expanding engagement in
social and economic life, and transforming the way government
interacts with citizens. The emergence of digital technologies
has prompted a rethink and a reimagining of the way we do
development. UNDP has been a leader in this transformation.
The Asia-Pacific region has been a source of innovation and digital
and technological development long before the pandemic. New
technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics, and the ‘Internet
of Things’ have been influencing how societies and states connect.
UNDP has been working with countries to build the foundations to
harness the power of this Fourth Industrial Revolution.
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2573691_0022.png
DIGITAL
SUPPORT
Our work on digitalization and innovation in the region
covers two broad areas: building government capacities
to harness digital technologies for development; and
empowering individuals to use data, information, and
knowledge to enhance their capacity and maximize
personal potential.
UNDP is working with partner governments as an
enabler of digital transformation by helping to develop
digital strategies and encourage digital solutions in
national institutions. We have been working with
national partners to access new technologies and
identify financing mechanisms for building physical
digital infrastructure. We have provided support and
advice to develop digital systems and interfaces in
a range of sectors. Specifically, UNDP has fostered
digital transformation in areas such as finance,
business, government, health care, and the provision
of easier public access to essential services. Improved
accountability, transparency and reduction of corruption
are crucial by-products of this effort.
PARTNER
GOVERNMENTS
Increased access to
digital technologies and
solutions, mobilizing
resources for digital
infrastructure, sectoral
support
and
cross-sector
connectivity.
Digital transformation
in government
A significant area of work in the region has
helped governments and institutions to continue
functioning during the pandemic, while also
planning broader and longer-term digital
transformation strategies. With UNDP support,
governments, and institutions in 18 countries
benefited from new technological equipment and
capacity building to maintain their operations
while working towards closing digital gaps.
In
Lao PDR,
UNDP is a strategic partner in the
Digital Government Transformation project
which pilots new government service delivery
approaches. At the outset of the pandemic, UNDP
provided capacity building to more than 3,000
government officials on digital literacy and the
use of mobile applications. UNDP worked with
the Department of International Cooperation
(DIC) at the Ministry of Planning and Investment to
assess their systems and re-engineer workflows.
Installation of video conferencing equipment
in all provinces and e-office suites in 14 priority
provinces enabled the DIC to hold remote
meetings. Equipment and capacity development
at the E-Government Center at the Ministry
of Technology and Communications similarly
bolstered government functions. As smart phone
INDIVIDUAL
LEVEL
Broader access
to
essential services
(health,
education, judicial etc.),
and
support to SMEs.
Photo: UNDP Sri Lanka. Support to digital solutions in
government practice
At the individual level, digitalization is empowering
citizens through provision of information and knowledge
and enabling them to be more active participants in civil society. UNDP in Asia
and the Pacific is focusing on two important digitalization areas: ease of access
to basic social services, in particular health and education; and bridging the
digital divide for small and medium businesses through skills development and
establishment of e-commerce and e-payment systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated and quickened the pace of
digitalization and revealed the benefits and urgency of moving to digital
solutions. UNDP has invested in strengthening innovation and digital
capabilities across the region through 18 Accelerator Labs and a Regional
Innovation and Digital Team which is supported by global teams.
With the help of these change agents, UNDP and its partners have facilitated
the adoption of nearly 140 digital and innovative solutions across 18 countries
in Asia to respond to the pandemic and set the path for accelerated recovery.
RBAP’s focus on innovation to confront the region’s most intractable and
complex development challenges includes systems thinking and systems design
and transformation, rather than isolated single point solutions. The intent is
that such approaches will lead to better and more durable results.
use increases in the country, UNDP is helping to
develop and test new mobile applications for the
country’s One Door Service Centers for people
who apply online for government services. To
advance the rule of law and widen access to
justice in Lao PDR, UNDP launched the Digital
Legal Aid Platform with the Ministry of Justice.
The platform provides basic legal information
and an interactive chat function for people to
receive legal consultancy online. It provides
targeted support to vulnerable groups, including
persons with disabilities and women at risk of
gender-based violence in rural communities who
experience barriers to accessing legal advice.
In
Sri Lanka,
UNDP supported the finalization
of the Digital Economy Strategy which included
incorporating scalable initiatives from UNDP
and other partners, as well as sharing regional
and global best practices on social innovation
within this sector. The Country Office also
facilitated a Digital Maturity Assessment that
gauges public sector readiness for digital
transformation, providing useful insights for the
development of a Digital Government Strategy.
UNDP partnered with the e-Governance
Academy in Estonia, a pioneer in this area, and
Photo: UNDP Lao PDR. Digital Legal Aid Platform.
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2573691_0023.png
IDENTIFY
DIGITAL ACCESS
1,000
ISLANDS
130
OFFICIALS IN
DIGITAL LITERACY
PROGRAMME
SUPPORT IN
SOLOMON
ISLANDS
SB $2.5 million
(USD $310,000)
SAVED WITH
DIGITALIZATION
4
MICROWAVE
ANTENNAS
120
ZOOM
LICENSES
capabilities, and generators were
complemented with more than
120 Zoom licenses. Nearly 130
government officials took part
in a video-based digital literacy
programme or in-person classes.
The digitalization saved nearly
SB $2.5 million (US $310,000)
from the national budget
that was redeployed for the
COVID-19 response.
of health information on patients and health
providers, as well as an integrated development
of digital health infrastructure. The blueprint will
also help the Government of Indonesia accelerate
its national goal to provide universal, affordable,
equitable and quality care to all Indonesians,
leveraging digital technology. In a country of
270 million where paper records are still the
norm, implementing this blueprint will help the
Indonesian Government develop an integrated
Health Information System.
In
Myanmar,
an e-learning platform for training
the civil service was developed and rolled out
for the new cadre of civil servants in 2020.
Approximately 40 professors from the Central
Institute for Civil Service received training-
of-trainers distance learning for Senior and
Executive Leadership Development, who in turn
trained 268 civil servants. UNDP supported the
Hluttaw Learning Centre to establish its Online
Learning Centre, which was used to deliver
professional development support to Members
of Parliament and courses for other staff. UNDP
also provided training and ICT equipment for
the Human Rights Commission and the Anti-
Corruption Commission to facilitate remote
working during the pandemic.
IT equipment, projectors and laptops
strengthened the communication and planning
capabilities of the Ministries of Health in
Palau
and
Samoa. Fiji’s
National Disaster
Management Office was also supplied with
laptops that bolstered its coordination of remote
emergency operations. Siren systems and HF/
VHF radios meant that all of
Palau’s
remote
island communities could be reached. In
Samoa,
e-governance platforms were enhanced and
open-source e-learning management systems
were established at seven educational institutions
in response to the disruptions from the pandemic.
Teachers and students benefited from capacity
building for their digital skills. These initiatives are
developing the necessary capabilities for several
countries in the Pacific to make a successful
digital transition.
carried out the assessment, and made relevant
recommendations for departments and ministries.
In parallel, UNDP and the Information and
Communication Technology Agency assessed
the needs and skills of the Chief Innovation
Officer network for its readiness to carry out a
digital government strategy. UNDP also helped
to develop digital solutions for the Sri Lanka
Tourism Development Authority. In addition, it
offered technical assistance to the Department of
Motor Traffic to re-engineer business processes
for issuing driving licenses and transitioning to a
smart office.
A UNDP-supported assessment of the digital
capacities in
Solomon Islands
was carried out
to identify excluded and digitally marginalized
areas in the country’s nearly 1,000 islands.
UNDP collaboration with the government led to
the establishment of the Digital Transformation
Authority in 2021 and a commitment to the first
National Digital Strategy. UNDP partnered with
the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry
of Provincial Government and Institutional
Strengthening, the Ministry of Communication
and Aviation, and the Government Information
Communication Technologies Services to
begin the digitalization of state authorities. New
technology improved facilities in all nine provincial
government headquarters, as did the procurement
and installation of four microwave antennas to
establish and upgrade internet connections in
targeted remote areas. Laptops, LED monitors and
related equipment, including video conferencing
In Indonesia, UNDP has
provided support for a platform
called SP4N-LAPOR, which
is a national public service
complaints handling system. Indonesian
citizens can directly send their feedback on
the quality of public services they receive. With
its dedicated mobile application, this online
citizen complaints system helps increase public
participation in the supervision of programmes
and government performance in public services.
Complaints are logged and directed to the
relevant government institution. With support
from UNDP, this national complaint system is
now transforming into a direct communication
channel between the government and citizens on
COVID-19 information. In addition, UNDP and the
Government of Japan are supporting the Ministry
of Health in Indonesia to launch the Blueprint of
Health Digital Transformation Strategy 2024. It
rests on key pillars such as a digital integration
Photo: UNDP Philippines. EMPOWER PH platform.
UNDP in the
Philippines
provided 43 Zoom
teleconferencing licenses to the government
in Bangsamoro to continue operations and
reach its partners amidst COVID-19. Among the
recipients are the Office of the Chief Minister, all
15 ministries and select Local Government Units.
With community quarantine in the provinces,
the government in Bangsamoro capitalized on
virtual meetings and teleconferencing technology
to reach its constituencies and partners. UNDP
also created the EMPOWER PH platform to
improve digital access to the PPE supply chain,
consolidate PPE-related resources approved by
the Department of Health through a centralized
information hub, and facilitate the vetting of non-
medical use PPE for consumer protection. The
EMPOWER PH platform has been handed over to
the Department of Trade and Industry, with UNDP
continuing to provide technical support services
for its expansion to include RT-PCR test services.
Given the flexibility of the platform, it may be
used as a public procurement site for a range of
products and services for disaster response.
In
Sri Lanka,
UNDP provided communications
equipment and Zoom licenses that allowed
Photo: UNDP Indonesia. SP4N-LAPOR platform.
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SUPPORT
FOR
PAKISTAN
business continuity of 134 Local Government
Authorities. Similarly, in
Nepal,
UNDP provided
Zoom licenses to all seven provinces and 753
local governments, improving communication
between provincial and local governments. The
upgraded virtual communication and operational
capabilities meant better coordination and more
efficient service delivery during the pandemic.
e-commerce platform that was built to respond
to the economic effects of COVID-19. It allows
registered vendors to upload their goods
and services for potential buyers to purchase
through real-time digital payments. The project
will expand the reach of the Maua App to make
it more accessible for women, people with
disabilities, and remote and rural communities.
MSMEs in
China
employ roughly 80 per cent of
the workforce. The pandemic has demonstrated
that digitalization provides some stability for
the continuity of these businesses, easier
transition to e-commerce and access to wider
markets. Through its Bangkok Regional Hub,
UNDP’s Digital Transformation Catalytic Facility
engages with the private sector to assist in the
digitalization of MSMEs. Support also includes
financial and technical assistance to ageing
entrepreneurs to help them cross the digital
divide and build resilience to future shocks.
To boost the sales and livelihoods of farmers
who cultivate dragon fruit in
Viet Nam,
UNDP has
been working with the Binh Thuan Agriculture
Extension Center and the Vietnam E-commerce
Association. The local farmers have needed new
approaches to selling their hometown specialty.
Live streaming, especially across the border in
China,
has now become the norm for farmers to
reach customers who increasingly operate online.
This innovative solution has been important for
economic recovery from COVID-19. Rural live
streaming has benefited 2,000 rural users who
now generate a monthly income over RMB 10,000
(US $1,400).
In
Iran,
UNDP is working with local communities
to enhance their digital literacy and reduce the
digital gap between urban and rural communities.
The aim is to provide access for rural producers
to the markets through e-commerce platforms
and build forward better and greener from the
economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. As
a result, more than 600 MSMEs in five provinces
are being registered on a national e-commerce
platform. Furthermore, UNDP conducted a
nationwide innovation ecosystem mapping
exercise. Through this initiative, 200 national
PLATFORM DESIGN
TELEMEDICINE ICU PILOT
1.5 MILLION
PEOPLE REACHED
THROUGH E CLINICS
4,500
MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS
Closing the digital divide for
small businesses
UNDP’s support has resulted in the development
of a range of online services for small businesses
and improved technical and vocational skills
through training in six countries. Establishing
digital payment platforms and e-commerce
systems are central to the functioning of online
businesses. UNDP assistance has focused on
women-run small and medium enterprises to
help close the digital divide for women and
marginalized populations.
For example, in
Samoa
UNDP and UNCDF are
working in partnership with SkyEye, an ICT
and Geographic Information System Mapping
company, to support the Maua App, an
Photo: UNDP Pakistan. Tele ICU.
innovation platforms and more than 400 startups
were identified that can provide entry points to
connect traditional knowledge with innovation
and new technology that will promote sustainable
human development.
Bringing care online
COVID-19 catalyzed digital innovations in
healthcare. New technological approaches have
strengthened the provision of medical care and
expanded access to health services that will
endure beyond the pandemic. UNDP supported
the development of digital health systems and
remote healthcare in eight countries.
For example, UNDP partnered with the healthcare
firm, Sehat Kahani, in
Pakistan,
to design and roll
out a telemedicine ICU pilot platform. At the same
time, it supported the Ministry of Health with policy
and legislative changes that will institutionalize
tele-medicine in the country. While the healthcare
firm had 27 existing e-clinics across Pakistan, their
platform was modified to meet the expanding
needs of public and private hospitals, clinics,
and critical care experts. To date, the e-clinics
reach more than 1.5 million people. Nearly 4,500
medical professionals and junior doctors in 60
underequipped or understaffed intensive care
units are now linked with critical care specialists
and can receive on-the-spot guidance on patient
care via the platform. UNDP continues to engage
with the digital health team in the Ministry of
Health, Ministry of Information Technology, and the
National Database and Registration Authority to
enhance policies on telehealth. UNDP is providing
technical assistance to the country’s Digital Health
Strategy and is coordinating with USAID, UNICEF,
UNFPA and WHO to mobilize resources with
private telecom partners. Knowledge exchange on
the digital health agenda is also expanding through
the UNDP Singapore Global Center.
UNDP supported the development of robotics
in healthcare in
Viet Nam
with the provision of
19 service robots for 10 health facilities in six
provinces. The robots helped to protect frontline
doctors and nurses from COVID-19 and other
infectious diseases by performing nonclinical
tasks like remote communication, diagnoses and
treatment, and delivery of medicine to isolated
patients. One robot, the BeetleBot, was made
Photo: UNDP Samoa. Maua App.
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it useful for gaining knowledge on mental health
issues and maintaining a positive and healthy
lifestyle. A rural development organization, Palli
Karma-Sahayak Foundation, made the course
mandatory for its staff. In addition, a UNDP-
supported mobile app provides information and
self-assessment tools on common mental health
problems like stress, sleep problems, depression,
and domestic violence. Caritas Bangladesh
and OKUP, a community-based migrants’ rights
organization, has used the app with 1,000 return
migrant workers and their families. Action in
Disability and Development, and the Innovation
for Wellbeing Foundation and Disability Children’s
Foundation have also used the app to raise
mental health awareness among 9,000 people
with psychosocial needs.
Photo: UNDP Viet Nam. UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam Ms. Caitlin Wiesen presents 15 Service Robots.
Making data work for people
Using new and traditional forms of data to achieve
the Sustainable Development Goals is one of
UNDP’s core capabilities. Real-time data and
evidence to inform decisions are essential during
crises. As countries faced widening data gaps and
information scarcity for an effective response to
the pandemic, UNDP supported 23 different data
collection systems in nine countries to enhance
the integration and analysis of data and facilitate
decision-making.
For a more comprehensive picture of the
economic impact of the pandemic, the Accelerator
Lab in
Cambodia
developed a nowcasting
dashboard, called
www.dataforcambodia.org,
that
shows the short-term past and future forecasting
of socio-economic data. The dashboard combines
traditional phone-based surveys and mobility
data to provide up-to-date insights on the impact
of COVID-19 on MSMEs and informal workers to
show socio-economic trends since the onset of
the pandemic. In addition to the data dashboard,
the Country Office is leveraging Artificial
Intelligence and Machine Learning to combine big
data with traditional data to create models that
generate poverty and vulnerability data across
the country. Using AI for poverty mapping ensures
the provision of timely and transparent data for
decision-making during crises.
A command center for the Department of
Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force in the
Philippines
was set up to visualize data on case
trends and healthcare capacity. Data revealed
specific socio-economic impacts of the pandemic
on MSMEs and more than 18,000 low-income
families in urban areas. This information continues
to be used for policy decisions on quarantine
measures, procurement, and recovery, with
visualization also forming a key part of the
Department of Health daily public briefings
on Viber (~ 2.7 million people) and Facebook
(~8.5 million people). UNDP also launched
the Pintig Lab, a network of data field experts
that synthesize epidemiological data for policy
recommendations for the government’s response
and recovery strategy.
in Viet Nam by a startup, called AIOZ, that won
UNDP’s Hackathon on COVID-19 response
innovations. As robot makers are currently isolated,
UNDP helps facilitate dialogue between them
and doctors and policymakers. UNDP is planning
to work with the Ministry of Health on policy
recommendations to promote robots for healthcare
as part of the larger national telehealth strategy.
In
Indonesia,
UNDP partnered with the
Indonesian Telemedicine Association, a platform
of 28 health-related digital applications, to boost
the telemedicine industry. Through this platform
Indonesians have been able to use telemedicine
services, paving the way for an integrated
telemedicine platform. Under this partnership,
UNDP and the Telemedicine Association will
work together to gain relevant verified data and
information as a basis for building a telemedicine
regulatory system.
The Ministry of Health in
Bhutan,
in partnership
with UNDP, JICA and the Government of Japan,
launched a programme to scale up eHealth
solutions in one of the country’s most important
priorities – meeting Sustainable Development
Goal 3 on health, especially for maternal and
childcare. Forty-six new mobile cardiotocography
devices, or iCTG, are being used to remotely
monitor fetal heart rates and uterine contractions
of pregnant women to detect high-risk
pregnancies and ensure timely care. With only
14 gynecologists in the country, access to their
care and obstetric services remains a challenge,
especially for pregnant women in remote
areas. The technology helps reduce exposure
to infections including COVID-19 and allows
continuity of maternal health services. The new
iCTGs will benefit more than half of the 10,000
pregnancies reported each year in Bhutan.
In
Bangladesh,
UNDP partnered with an
online team of counselors at Moner Bondhu to
facilitate psycho-social counselling during the
pandemic. This initiative focuses on women and
adolescents to destigmatize mental health and
sensitize people to psychosocial counselling.
This partnership fostered primary mental health
care for 14,130 people through a helpline and
conducted 1,171 remote psychosocial counseling
sessions. UNDP piloted a 40-hour training course
on mental health in which 100,000 participants
enrolled. The nearly 15,540 people who
completed the course reported that they found
Similarly in
Fiji,
Empower Pacific, which is a
community-based provider of counselling, social
services, and training, opened counselling
helplines to respond to stress and anxieties
caused by the pandemic. Their expert counsellors
responded to calls across Fiji, 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. Callers received counselling
support and were linked to social service
providers. In 2021, the helpline responded to
4,550 calls, 69 per cent of them female.
Photo: UNDP Cambodia. Data for Cambodia platform.
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2573691_0026.png
Labour and Social Protection. UNDP managed
the procurement and worked with the Ministry to
distribute 1,000 portable tablets and fingerprint
scanners. This virtual assistance system also
enhances the collection and updating of social
services data which will inform the government
as it develops policies on social welfare and
protection services.
Exploration, experimentation, mapping,
and scaling solutions
UNDP has provided support to test new
development approaches that involve
experimentation, mapping, and scaling solutions
in 18 countries. UNDP’s Accelerator Lab activities
include mapping small grassroot innovations,
as well as large-scale public sector innovations.
Processes involve sensemaking, systems thinking,
collective intelligence, data analytics, the use of
emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence,
and predictive analysis to add value to UNDP
programming and deliver next generation
development solutions.
For example, in
Malaysia
the Accelerator Lab has
run an urban biodiversity challenge, using citizen
science, ethnography, and in-depth interviews
to develop locally driven insights on green and
blue spaces to bring nature to urban centres.
They are also building a network of partners for
the Youth Environment Living Labs, which is a
joint project with UNICEF to equip and mobilize
youth for local action on the environment and
the SDGs. In
Nepal,
the Accelerator Labs are
working in a range of areas including unplanned
urbanization, unemployment, and promoting a
circular economy through ethnographic research
and GIS mapping of urban municipalities to track
plastic waste. In
Samoa,
the Accelerator Lab has
entered a partnership with the Samoa Bureau
of Statistics to test a digital solution that helps
increase the timeliness and coverage of birth
registration, especially in rural villages where
there are significant information gaps on home
births. This is a critical gateway activity supporting
the Government’s move towards introduction of a
national digital ID.
Making innovation integral to
development solutions
Innovation at UNDP supports transformation
of systems and structures rather than a single
solution to development challenges. The 18
Accelerator Labs in the region serve as a platform
for innovation, and for decision-makers and
development partners to explore and experiment
with new approaches to address their most
pressing development concerns.
In
Nepal,
the UNDP Accelerator Lab partnered
with a youth led enterprise, Cellapp Innovations,
for an application called ‘SmartPalika’ to assist
the local governments in Sudurpaschim Province
with COVID-19 preparedness and response.
Given the large number of migrants returning
from India to the province, the application has
an ‘Immigrant Assistant’ feature that reports
migrants who return, which helps local authorities
with quarantine management. Data received is
monitored daily from the SmartPalika Call Center,
which assists local government to manage their
COVID-19 response amidst the influx of migrants.
With funding from Japan, UNDP in
Mongolia
offered technical assistance for the creation of
a digital case management system for social
workers to better assist marginalized people
and those with disabilities whose lives were
disrupted by COVID-19. The system helped to
digitally connect the country’s 728 social workers
with the most vulnerable communities through
a digital platform developed with the Ministry of
Photo: UNDP Nepal. Smart Palika platform.
Systems transformation
UNDP works with countries to develop new
and transformational solutions to the complex
challenges they face. In
Bhutan,
UNDP is
helping to tackle youth unemployment through
technology and infrastructure solutions which
are now being prototyped and tested with
government and other partners.
Thailand’s
tourism industry was hit hard by COVID-19. UNDP
has been working with the Thai Government to
reimagine tourism that is more sustainable and
environmentally friendly, while also fostering
economic growth. This systems transformation
approach involves participation across sectors
and society to find solutions together.
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2573691_0027.png
Theme 4
Photo: UNDP Bangladesh
Responsive and
inclusive governance
The governance work of RBAP is anchored in the conviction that the quality of governance
structures and the rule of law are fundamental to peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. It
operates under the precept that the quality of governance is determined by adherence to
values that must permeate all institutions and policies – universal human rights, inclusion,
transparency and accountability, and responsiveness to human needs. Our approach
to governance provides special attention to vulnerable and marginalized groups – the
poor, women, youth, disabled, LGBTIQ, indigenous groups – and seeks to strengthen and
amplify their voice in the development and implementation of policies and programmes.
Advocacy around these values and efforts to strengthen governing institutions
form the core of what UNDP does in Asia and the Pacific. However, the
emergence of two factors in 2020-2021 had a critical impact on our governance
support in the region. The first was a once-in-a-generation pandemic, COVID-19,
a development emergency that halted social and economic activity and forced
UNDP to devise new kinds of responses. The second was the gradual, but
noticeable, expansion of authoritarian impulses and the contraction of space in
civil society for peaceful and free discourse. Some countries manifested these
changes through policies that bypassed or limited the scope of legislatures, the
judiciary, or civil society. Press freedoms were curtailed. The year 2021 saw the
ascension of regressive regimes, in Myanmar and Afghanistan, both countries
now in deep crisis. UNDP has been assessing the impacts of these changes on
human development in these and other countries.
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Photo: UNDP Bhutan. Supreme Court Justice Tashi Chozom and UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Azusa Kubota at the launch of
eLitigation at the Supreme Court of Justice
The COVID-19 pandemic in Asia and the Pacific
was a health and socio-economic crisis, but also a
human rights and governance one. Governance is
more important than ever when governments are
under pressure to navigate crisis and uncertainty.
RBAP provided crucial support to buttress
inadequate health and social service delivery
systems, helped in vaccine and PPE procurement,
supported digital vaccine management
campaigns, and advised governments on how
to quickly scale up weak social safety nets.
Our experience with COVID-19 has yielded
lessons that will help governments ‘build back
better’ and in some ways change forever the
ways national institutions respond to crisis and
interface with the public. For example, digital
solutions in administering policies and managing
health products, remote work and educational
arrangements, rapid response mechanisms for
strengthening social safety nets and livelihoods
under crisis, management of vaccine delivery
systems, safe behavior communications will all be
components of national policies that could yield
benefits in the future. New digital governance
mechanisms, pioneered by RBAP in 2020-2021
are here to stay and will be developed further.
Such advances include digital governance in
parliaments and the judiciary, citizen inclusion
and outreach through electronic means, and
anticipatory governance.
UNDP in Asia and the Pacific continued to work in
2020-2021 to expand the freedom of citizens and
civil society for free expression and participation
in the discourse on the decisions and policies
that impact their lives and secure the universal
rights due to them. Advocacy on tolerance for
diversity, on gender bias, gender-based violence
and responsiveness, on the importance of a free
and independent press, on ‘right to know’ laws
and mechanisms, on the importance of setting
up public grievance mechanisms, and a myriad of
other topics continued apace. Our programmes,
in partnership with programme country
governments, have been active in promoting
and setting up multi-stakeholder platforms and
events that include civil society and the private
sector to generate consensus and build coalitions
for change. An important example of this is the
launch in almost every country, of the global and
national Human Development Reports.
Young people, typically between 15 and 25 years
of age, will have an influence on society and the
economy in the 21st century. UNDP is consciously
seeking to bring youth into the development
discourse and help them realise their potential to
shape the future. At the regional level, the UNDP-
supported Youth Entrepreneurs network has
demonstrated agility and resilience in the face
of COVID-19 and contributed to the response to
the pandemic to build forward better. The Karma
Dialogues, launched by RBAP, helped connect
youth in the region through video conversations
with inspirational leaders and trailblazers of their
generation. An important inter-agency partnership
on youth has been established with UNICEF that
already shows early results.
UNDP has built capacities and provided support
to strengthening parliaments in their legislative
and oversight functions, as well as in increasing
female representation in legislatures. Similarly,
UNDP has become a partner of choice for
support to the rule of law and the judiciary,
and in ensuring legal access to the poor and
marginalized. The digitalization of legislatures
and judicial institutions to permit remote work
showed significant expansion during 2020-2021,
in response to COVID-19. Online e-Litigation
platforms were set up in several countries in
2021, allowing electronic registration of cases,
electronic filing of documents, electronic
payments, and remote hearings in courts. This has
improved access, greatly reduced time and cost
of dispensing justice and allowed uninterrupted
service of courts during the pandemic.
Gender concerns and gender specific
objectives have been mainstreamed throughout
programmes in Asia and the Pacific. This starts
from the collection of gender disaggregated data
and the commissioning of gender assessments
as the basis for the design of programmes. UNDP
work in increasing the voice and participation
of women in parliaments, in the judiciary and in
local governance is particularly well recognized.
Advocacy, civic education and capacity building
of law enforcement, judiciary, parliaments,
and women’s groups to prevent gender-based
violence have been a critical part of our work.
As for other marginalised groups, we have used
the power of innovation and our convening role
to establish platforms where important gender
issues can be discussed.
In 2020-2021, work was scaled up on frontier
governance issues that have not received much
attention or have proven intractable due to their
complex and multi-dimensional nature. These
challenges have been taken in hand by newly
established innovation and digital capabilities
across the region, specifically 18 Accelerator Labs
and a Regional Innovation and Digital Team which
is supported by global teams. These experts have
facilitated the adoption of nearly 140 digital and
innovative solutions across 18 countries in Asia. In
the area of local governance, UNDP experimented
with Social Innovation Platforms (SIPs) to dialogue
and encourage new forms of collaboration among
citizens, governments, and the private sector.
RBAP also launched a programme to assess and
formulate national policies on the human rights
implications of private business.
Overall, in 2020 and 2021, the region carried out
340 governance projects in 23 countries, with an
RESULTS PAVE THE WAY TO
FUTURE READY GOVERNANCE
DIGITAL SOLUTIONS IN
ADMINISTERING
POLICIES AND
SERVICE PROVISION;
DIGITALIZATION IN
LEGISLATURES AND
JUDICIAL INSTITUTIONS;
CITIZEN INCLUSION
AND OUTREACH;
ANTICIPATORY
GOVERNANCE
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Photo: UNDP Bangladesh. Peace caravan.
Photo: UNDP Solomon Islands
estimated implementation budget of US $230
million.
1
Continuous lockdowns from COVID-19
meant that most of the initiatives took place online.
Expanding freedoms in a
gradually shrinking space
The space for freedom of speech, freedom of
opinion, and civil society in general is gradually
shrinking around the world. Asia and the
Pacific is no exception to this trend. To address
the decline in civic space, UNDP supports
governments in the promotion of tolerance for
diversity, an important counterforce to hate-
speech, disinformation, and polarization. These
trends are among the main threats to democratic
space and social cohesion today.
In line with this focus, grants and technical
support from the project, Partnerships for a
Tolerant, Inclusive
Bangladesh,
assist CSOs
in Bangladesh to advocate for tolerance and
diversity. One of the partners, Genlab, managed
a ‘peace caravan’ campaign that carried peace
messages on public buses. In addition, the project
1
Excluding Afghanistan
supports advocacy for digital literacy and digital
citizenship to challenge online hate speech and
disinformation. The ICT Ministry furthers this
work, which is closely aligned with the cyber-
crime unit of the police. The aim is to encourage
a shift from the policing of digital space to an
approach based on prevention through digital
literacy and citizenship.
Similarly, to reinforce the significant role
young people can play in building a united
and peaceful nation, UNDP is helping to make
parliaments more open and inclusive to youth.
The development of youth councils is one
approach for engaging young people in civic life
and building their understanding of democratic
principles. In
Fiji
and
Solomon Islands,
UNDP
is working with youth councils and youth
parliaments to empower young people, build
trust and strengthen their participation in anti-
corruption efforts. In
Timor-Leste,
UNDP is
assisting youth to develop data analysis and
management abilities to enhance their decision-
making skills and inclusion in local policymaking.
In
Thailand,
the National Children and Youth
Council and local governments are working on
ways to localize the SDGs. With members of the
Thai Parliament, a series of dialogues have been
organized with LGBTI youth, stateless young
people, and those with disabilities.
To further civic engagement, UNDP advocates
for parliaments to systematically reach out to
youth for their ideas in parliamentary agendas
and policy alternatives. At the end of 2020,
UNDP began to facilitate simultaneous online
youth conversations on open-source platforms
in
Bhutan, Pakistan,
and
Timor-Leste.
The
digital conversations started with a simple
question: What challenges need to be tackled
by the government to make Bhutan, Pakistan, or
Timor-Leste a better place to live in, both during
COVID and in post-COVID times? More than
19,312 people participated by providing ideas
and voting on the suggestions. Machine learning
was used to analyze the responses and identify
common trends and opinion groups. Members
of Parliament and parliamentary officials in each
country received the results, with the aim of
informing parliamentary agendas and debates. As
a result, the Bhutanese Parliament has expressed
interest in the development of their own digital
platform to systematically consult and engage
Bhutanese people.
To foster anticipatory, agile, and adaptive
governance, UNDP in
Viet Nam
advocated for
the inclusion of ‘modern and effective national
governance innovation’ as a goal for the first
time in Viet Nam’s highest political and strategic
levels including: the 13th National Party Congress
Resolution approved on 1st February 2021, the
Five-Year Orientation of the Socio-Economic
Plan 2021-2025, and the 10-Year Socio-economic
Development Strategy 2021-2030. The inclusion
of “innovating national governance towards
modernization and effective competition” reflects
a strategic policy shift that recognizes the
need for collaboration among multiple levels of
governance to address complex societal issues,
moving away from siloed and traditional state
management approaches.
In
Samoa,
The Women in Leadership in Samoa
project, a joint programme by UNDP and UN
Women funded by Australia, established the
Village Leadership Development Initiative that
targets both men and women. Through this effort
in seven villages, nofotane – women who marry
into the village and are traditionally excluded
from the same privileges as the women of the
village vis-à-vis their dress code and ineligibility
for decision-making positions – now enjoy the
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LEGISLATURES
IN THE PACIFIC BOLSTER
RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC AMIDST LOCKDOWNS
judges, lawyers, and court officials on the online
system, which led to a deluge of bail applications
and hearings and the release of prisoners. As a
result, the prison population decreased by almost
12 per cent in three months in 2020, a record
in Bangladesh. As well as reducing the risk of
COVID-19 infections in prisons, those releases
allowed thousands of absent family members
to return home to provide support and reduce
economic hardship. Building on the success of
MyCourt, the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Law,
the National Legal Aid Services Organization, and
UNDP began developing a judicial portal, an SMS-
based online case tracking system and an E-case
filing system for legal aid and the commercial
justice system.
APPROVED
STIMULUS PACKAGES
AND ANNUAL BUDGETS
OVERSIGHT OF GOVERNMENTS’
RESPONSE TO COVID 19 IN PLACE
Photo: UNDP Maldives. Online Hearing. Employment Tribunal
Digitalization Project.
UNDP
Supported Results
SUSTAINED
BUSINESS
CONTINUITY
AND
DIGITAL SOLUTIONS
KEY LAWS PASSED
INCLUDING ELECTIONS
EMERGENCY
DECISIONS TAKEN
same rights and opportunities. Also, through
project support, 20 out of 23 women candidates
for the Samoa 2021 general election were trained
in public speaking and campaign strategy. All
four elected female MPs took part in the project,
including Samoa’s first female Prime Minister, the
Minister of Finance and Minister of Justice and
Courts Administration.
Parliaments meet virtually
The role of Parliament in a time of crisis is vital
to pass and review emergency laws, allocate
and analyze the use of public resources as well
as oversee government actions. UNDP worked
with 17 governments in the region to deploy
technologies, such as video conferencing
services and hardware supplies as they moved
their critical operations online.
As
Pacific
countries placed safety measures
and closed their borders due to the pandemic,
state institutions faced the challenge of
continuing essential services while respecting
social distancing. At the same time, the work of
parliaments increased, given their legislative and
oversight mandates requiring them to approve
government budgets, address the emergency
and provide scrutiny of the government response
to the pandemic. UNDP deployed hardware and
software solutions while also helping parliaments
to devise and implement business continuity
plans. Such support furthered parliamentary work
in the
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM),
Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands,
and the Solomons Islands. As a result, the
FSM
Congress became the first Pacific parliament to
convene virtual sessions and approve a stimulus
package of US $2 million. The
Fiji
Parliament used
UNDP’s support to organize hybrid sessions, which
enabled it to approve the annual budget and pass
legislation for upcoming elections in 2022.
In
Myanmar,
UNDP supported the national
Parliament to move to a digital learning platform
to continue professional development and
training of MPs and parliamentary staff across
all 17 subnational parliaments
2
. UNDP also
assisted with the digitalization of the national
Parliament in
Timor-Leste
through the provision
of 15 Zoom licenses which made it possible for
parliamentarians to take part in virtual meetings,
discuss and pass new bills and approve plans
proposed by the government. Additionally, UNDP
supported the production of 20 episodes of
civic education television, using MPs and staff as
protagonists of these shows, which made them
more relatable to the public.
UNINTERRUPTED DELIVERY
OF
JUDICIARY SERVICES
BANGLADESH:
Justice served online
UNDP responded to the needs of national and
local justice systems to continue functioning
against a backdrop of lockdowns and social
distancing. Online platforms meant justice could be
met. Virtual courts with remote court hearings were
set up in
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives,
and
Sri
Lanka,
greatly reducing travel time and costs while
picking up the pace of judicial processes.
For example, UNDP accelerated virtual courts
that allowed a continuation of court hearings,
even during the COVID-19 crisis in
Bangladesh.
UNDP worked with the government’s digital
transformation initiative to set up the MyCourt
platform, a countrywide virtual court that hears
and fast tracks bail applications. UNDP trained
countrywide
virtual court;
reduced virus
infection in prisons;
online case
tracking, judicial portal.
BHUTAN:
eLitigation
platform for
full-cycle case management.
MALDIVES:
islands access justice through
3000+
online court hearings a month.
SRI LANKA:
10,000 bail hearings
piloted remotely in
23 courts
and go to scale.
2
See also reference in Theme 3 under ‘Digital
transformation in government’
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in the country. Since its launch in October 2021,
UNDP has provided 44,335 paid workdays
for 4,560 men and women from vulnerable
households in Mazar, Kunduz and Herat through
cash-for-work. Simultaneously, UNDP led in
the establishment of the Special Trust Fund for
Afghanistan (STFA) as an interagency vehicle to
foster and fund joint programmes in support of
ABADEI, with 13 agencies having joined the Fund
to date.
Photo: UNDP Pakistan. Gender Desk.
institutions. Recognizing the importance of
Social Innovation Platforms to enhance inclusive
participation, the Danish ‘TechForDemocracy’
global initiative is supporting the Country Office
to design a ‘social listening platform.’
Business and Human Rights
The volume of UNDP work on the UN Guiding
Principles on Business and Human Rights has
doubled over the past two years. UNDP experts
based in the Bangkok Regional Hub now support
dedicated Business and Human Rights initiatives
in nine countries. The intensified interest in this
arena is reflected in the increase in participation
in the flagship Regional Forum on Business and
Human Rights for Asia Pacific, which grew from
120 people five years ago to more than 7,000 in
2021. The Regional Forum fostered policy work
at country level, including support through UNDP
technical assistance resulting in development
and official launch of the National Action Plan on
Business and Human Rights by the Government of
Pakistan.
Similar Action Plans are being finalized
with UNDP regional and national support in India,
Mongolia, Indonesia,
and
Malaysia.
The UNDP
regional programme on Business and Human
Rights designed a simple and accessible toolkit,
Human Rights Due Diligence and COVID-19: Rapid
Self-Assessment for Business, to help businesses
consider and manage the human rights impacts
of their operations. Companies across the region
downloaded the toolkit more than 10,000 times.
The regional programme on
Promoting a Fair
Business Environment in ASEAN
has boosted
transparency in infrastructure procurement in
Thailand
through a pilot project that discloses
data on public procurement contracts to civil
society organisations. Known as CoST, the
Infrastructure Transparency Initiative has helped
the Thai Government reduce its procurement
costs by approximately 20 percent. As a result,
the Thai Government amended its procurement
law to mandate additional data disclosures for all
major infrastructure procurement.
Similarly, UNDP and the Judiciary in
Bhutan
launched an eLitigation platform in 2021 that
allows electronic registration of cases, electronic
filing of documents, electronic payments, and
remote hearings in courts. The eLitigation
platform, an innovative and transformational
initiative aimed at mitigating disruption in
administering justice, is being piloted in seven
courts in the country including the Supreme
Court. Court officials are receiving training in
the use of the digital platform and the case
management system to record the virtual
hearings. Given Bhutan’s sparsely distributed
population and harsh geographic terrain, this
project has the potential to reduce lengthy travel
and related costs for litigants and provide them
with judicial services during and after COVID-19
travel restrictions.
Through digitalization of the justice sector that
allowed uninterrupted service in
Maldives,
UNDP
enabled 11,000 online court hearings in just four
months in 2020, a jump from the 14,451 hearings
in the entire previous year. The digitalization
effort has meant that all courts are now virtually
connected with video conferencing and network
connections to ensure quick and easy access to
justice for everyone, especially those in remote
islands. This digital transformation of the justice
sector was the result of UNDP collaboration
with the Department of Judicial Administration,
the Judicial Services Commission, Attorney
General’s Office, Prosecutor General’s Office,
Supreme Court of Maldives, High Court, District
and Magistrate Courts of Maldives, and the
Australian Government.
With technical assistance from UNDP in
Sri
Lanka,
the Judicial Service Commission, the
Ministry of Justice, the Legal Aid Commission,
and the Prisons Department have piloted digital
technology for remote hearings, including more
than 10,000 bail hearings in 23 courts. Initiated
with UNDP in 2020, the pilot hearings resulted
in the Cabinet of Ministers granting approval to
expand to other courts and prisons to eliminate
delays. Technical support to the Legal Aid
Commission and the Prisons Department has
already enabled remote legal counselling for
more than 85 prisoners.
UNDP experiments with new ways to help
strengthen local governance and find solutions
to local development challenges. In
Thailand,
Pakistan and Indonesia,
UNDP has used Social
Innovation Platforms (SIPs) to support new forms
of collaboration among citizens, governments,
and the private sector. Created with the support
of ALC, an innovation lab based in Spain, the
SIP platforms highlight the power of social
innovation and digital tools to enhance inclusive
participation, build trust and forge new paths for
collaboration and investment between public and
private sectors.
For instance, in
Thailand,
a ‘deep listening’
exercise at the start of the SIP, highlighted the
impact of COVID-19 on local populations and the
importance of the food sector for recovery from
the pandemic. Responding to these needs, UNDP
now supports provincial and local governments,
farmers, entrepreneurs, fisherman, local artists,
and event organizers to co-design a portfolio
of solutions that promotes local food products
across Thailand. This food system portfolio is
helping UNDP strengthen collaboration with
other UN agencies, development partners and
government agencies. In addition, SIPs fostered
a strategic partnership between UNDP
Indonesia
and the Ministry of Villages that allocates
public investments at the local level. A portfolio
of local economic development was created
which focuses on the green and blue economy.
Financing options are under discussion with
IFIs and private banks. In
Pakistan,
a portfolio
of integrated solutions to respond to urban
migration is being developed that will strengthen
collaboration between relevant public and private
Innovative local solutions for
development challenges
In Afghanistan, to prevent a humanitarian
catastrophe and the breakdown of the country’s
economy, UNDP launched the initiative ABADEI
(Area-Based Approach for Development
Emergency Initiatives), which aims to support the
most vulnerable populations and small businesses
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RESULTS
IN SAMOA
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING IN 2020
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING IN 2021
47
FOR
WOMEN
LEADERS
20
FROM
VILLAGES
AGAINST
GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE
300
FOR
WOMEN AND
TEENAGERS
SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION
IN 2 VILLAGES WHERE
WOMEN’S COMMITTEES
ARE
PART OF VILLAGE
COUNCIL DICISION-MAKING
GBV
700 MOBILIZED WOMEN
TO
FORM LEADERSHIP TEAMS
AND ADVOCATE FOR SOLUTIONS
TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Photo: UNDP Thailand. Pride Month.
UNDP and partners step up to
address gender-based violence
Gender-based violence (GBV) intensified during
the pandemic. UNDP and its partners provided
support to 10 countries in the region to integrate
violence prevention and response into COVID-19
response plans. Advocacy campaigns have
raised awareness about this shadow pandemic
of violence. UNDP assisted women in seven
countries with a breakthrough approach that
allows women to report abuse and seek help
without alerting perpetrators. UNDP support to six
countries has meant that their shelters for victims
of violence to protect women and children could
stay open.
UNDP, the National Police and a prominent
university in
Indonesia
developed a set of
Standard Operating Procedures for use by
the Youth, Children and Women investigators
and the Women and Children Service Unit in
handling cases of violence against women
and children during the pandemic. The new
procedures now include health protocols,
such as initial health screening, that protect
both officers and victims who are at risk of
COVID-19 transmission during the reporting and
investigation of domestic violence incidents.
Roughly 886 gender-based violence cases
were reported in the first half of 2021. The
service providers that managed these cases
were guided by the new operating procedures.
Some of the most effective efforts to address
gender-based violence during COVID-19 were
carried out as part of the Spotlight Initiative,
a global, multi-year partnership between the
European Union and the United Nations to
eliminate all forms of violence against women
and girls. In
Timor-Leste,
legal-awareness
campaigns informed women of their legal rights
and provided free legal consultations. As a result,
310 survivors of gender-based violence received
legal assistance. Also, 188 people, mostly from
rural areas, were introduced to relevant aspects
of the formal justice system and how to respond
to gender-based violence. In addition, 152 police
officers on the frontline of this critical human
rights issue, working at the Vulnerable Persons’
Unit and as Community Police Officers, received
training on handling sexual violence and abuse
cases. UNDP began providing support in 2021
to community-based organizations that offer
shelter, legal and medical assistance to 70
women and children survivors of gender-based
violence. Legal outreach campaigns on formal
justice system and women’s legal empowerment
reached 326 community members, including
religious leaders, police officers, veterans, and
LGBTI persons. As a result, 36 civil cases were
registered, and 14 cases were mediated. In a
country with limited access to courts, these legal
aid and mediation services to remote areas fulfill
a critical gap in access to justice. Furthermore,
in partnership with UN-EU Spotlight programme
and KOICA-funded Together for Equality initiative,
have been able to bring about synergies and
scale up legal assistance, counselling and safe
spaces to hundreds of GBV survivors while public
campaign on GBV prevention reached out to
over 50 thousands individuals. Working jointly
with Australian police development programme
and Korean National Police, UNDP helped to
build investigative capacities of the police for
sexual assault and abuse cases and to share best
practices of survivor-centered response to GBV,
benefiting health workers, police officers and civil
servants.
In
Samoa,
UNDP and the joint EU and UN
Spotlight initiative assisted in the development
of Samoa’s new Law and Justice Sector Plan
in English and Samoan, which recognizes
gender-based and domestic violence and the
need to improve access to justice services for
all vulnerable people. UNDP was instrumental
in organizing the first high-level coalition
of parliamentarians against gender-based
violence in the country, where 46 percent of
women in relationships have experienced
abuse. At the local level, a Spotlight-supported
leadership training for women from 20 villages
resulted in social transformation in two villages
where women’s committees are now directly part
of the village council decision-making process
alongside the council chiefs.
Building on previous work to establish a Coalition
of Parliamentarians to End Gender-based
Violence in
Papua New Guinea,
UNDP further
intensified its advocacy to eliminate family,
sexual and gender-based violence. Improved
law enforcement in GBV, support for family
planning and counselling services, and efforts
to address the increase in Sorcery Accusation
Related Violence are just a few of the targeted
initiatives. UNDP established in 2020, the Special
Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Based
Violence which held its first public hearing in
2021. With UNDP assistance, it delivered a
series of recommendations tabled in the national
Parliament aimed to eliminate the devastating
impacts of violence on Papua New Guinea’s
economy and its national development. Such
efforts have seen increased government funding
to address GBV through the 2022 national
budget. Other partners have now pledged
support, including the Australian Government.
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UNDP STANDS WITH
YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
AS THEY
WITHSTAND COVID 19 AND HELP RESPOND TO IT
87%
choices, are transferred from the social
to the digital sphere. The study used
data mining from Twitter and Facebook,
and interviews with parliamentarians to
examine topics such as hateful content
against women. YouTube productions
on honour killings, women’s safety
and toxic masculinity were produced,
along with an SMS campaign, and
digital stories of young men recounting
and regretting their previous abusive
behaviour towards women. More
than 60 percent of surveyed viewers
indicated that they agreed with the
women’s empowerment messages that
the stories reflected.
86%
INNOVATED
40
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
CATALYZED RESPONSE
TO THE PANDEMIC
pandemic, many young entrepreneurs showed
agility and resilience. Eighty-seven per cent
pivoted their business strategy, while 86 per
cent employed innovation – from launching new
products and services, to transforming their
operating models. Furthermore, more than 40
innovative youth-led solutions were developed to
address challenges caused by the pandemic.
PIVOTED
BUSINESS STRATEGY
Engaging youth
Engaging youth through
the Karma Dialogues
In November 2020 UNDP organized the Karma
Dialogues, a six-part series aimed to inspire and
motivate youth during the most difficult days of
the COVID-19 pandemic that were compounded
by lockdowns, quarantines, and curfews. Each
one-hour interactive show was designed to
engage youth on issues such as leadership,
empowerment, and resilience. The dialogues
featured conversations with entrepreneurs,
actors, scientists, leaders, and innovators who
have shown grit and perseverance to beat the
odds and achieve success while also changing
the world for the better. By bringing together
‘believers in the good’, the dialogues aimed to
help catapult their stories to motivate and inspire
others. The Dialogues attracted a large audience
from across 36 countries in Asia and the Pacific.
They were watched live by over 80,000 people
on social media platforms including YouTube,
Twitter, and Facebook. Some of the feedback
received from youth in the region included
comments on how these stories motivated them
to persevere in their endeavors.
“‘Karma’ speaks to destiny, a
journey of cause and effect,
across space and time. Our past
and current actions impact
future existence; it reminds us
to be mindful that our ideas and
actions have consequences,”
said Kanni Wignaraja Assistant
Secretary-General and Director
of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for
Asia and the Pacific. “In the best
of these ideas and actions, comes
the ability and belief in being
able to play even a small part
in influencing outcomes for the
greater good.”
Photo: Karma Dialogues.
UNDP and UNICEF partnership for youth
UNICEF and UNDP are committed to an
Asia-Pacific partnership for young people’s
empowerment which was undertaken in
Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,
and
Thailand
in 2021. More than two million
adolescents and youth were reached with online
and offline programmes to develop digital skills,
foster participation in their communities, and
refine their businesses. Over 12,300 young
people were engaged in activities promoting
climate action, social innovation skills and digital
learning through seed funding and regional
advocacy. Approximately 32,000 youth were
reached through online campaigns associated
with these activities. The Youth Environmental
Living Lab (YELL) in
Malaysia
has plans to
strengthen youth-led action for the environment
and integrate into national schools and
universities in 2022. In
Pakistan, Thailand, Nepal,
and
Indonesia,
teams are providing technical and
organizational support to local youth networks,
National Youth Councils, young parliamentarian
networks and policymakers. Regional teams
launched the Youth Engagement in Climate
Action Platforms, a youth-led effort to bring
together UNICEF, UNDP, and the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change to
enhance climate advocacy. In its inaugural year,
the platform hosted more than 210 consultations
to build young people’s capacity and bring their
voices to regional and global events.
Eliminating stigma
and discrimination towards
gender identity
To mitigate the impact of the pandemic on
racism, xenophobia, stigma, and other forms
of discrimination, UNDP provided capacity
development to 14 women’s organizations, 38
youth organizations, and 2,686 urban community
associations in four countries in the region.
Initiatives ranged from preventing and responding
to human rights abuses to addressing stigma and
discrimination.
With increased online violence against
women exacerbated by COVID-19 in
Pakistan,
UNDP conducted extensive research on
hypermasculinity and online abuse of women. It
analyzed ways in which gender hierarchies, like
men’s control of women’s bodies, mobility, and life
UNDP helped to preserve the pre-
pandemic gains that
Thailand
has made
towards gender equality and sexual
diversity and continues to promote
LGBTI inclusion. UNDP provided grants
to the SWING Thailand Foundation,
Sisters Foundation, Empower
Foundation, and the Rainbow Sky
Association of Thailand to procure food and PPE
for 3,200 LGBTI sex workers whose livelihoods
were affected by the closure of entertainment
businesses during the pandemic. UNDP also
provided guidance to two private sector
companies to adopt a Standard Code of Conduct
on diversity and inclusion for LGBTI people in
the workplace. Their public commitments have
encouraged 15 other companies, largely SMEs,
to adopt the Standards of Conduct. In addition,
UNDP has been partnering with the Department
of Corrections of the Thai Ministry of Justice
to improve the standards of managing LGBTI
prisoners, particularly transgender prisoners.
UNDP proposed recommendations for the
correctional system to align their policies with
international standards. As a result, standard
operating procedures were developed on data
collection regarding transgender prisoners,
identification of transgender individuals,
escorting, housing and body searches, access to
health services and HIV treatment, and psycho-
social support.
Catalyzing the largest youth social
entrepreneurship movement in Asia
and the Pacific
Through support from UNDP, the Youth Co:Lab
initiative has benefited over 9,500 young
entrepreneurs and kept them afloat even during
COVID-19. As a result, nearly 1,240 startups
have been developed or strengthened to
address challenges to the SDGs. How have
young entrepreneurs in the region responded
to COVID-19? While 92 per cent of assessed
businesses were negatively impacted by the
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Theme 5
Photo: UNDP Cambodia
Climate change and
environmental sustainability
Countries in Asia and the Pacific are confronted with serious environmental
challenges, including deforestation and land degradation, loss of biodiversity,
inadequate water management, pollution, and climate change. When they are
interwoven with the influences of poverty, inequality and COVID-19, the region
requires integrated solutions to address these multidimensional crises.
While Covid-19 was the most urgent development challenge in 2020-2021, the
impacts of the pandemic were significantly intensified and compounded due
to ongoing environmental threats. As global greenhouse emissions continued
to grow, the unsustainable use of natural resources, climate change and loss of
biodiversity pushed more people into poverty, thereby weakening the ability of
natural ecosystems and vulnerable groups to withstand and absorb health and
economic shocks.
The effort to preserve and protect the bounties
of nature is a race against time, a test of whether
modern societies can change existing production
and consumption patterns before we are
overwhelmed by an ecological disaster. Therefore,
even as we fight the pandemic, it is imperative not
to lose momentum in ongoing efforts to rebalance
the environment, move to a green and more
inclusive economy, and enhance resilience.
Fortunately, as with most development
challenges, there is another, more positive
and hopeful side to the picture. The huge
transformations required to decarbonize the
economy, invest in renewable energy, promote
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEVELOPMENT
BENEFITS
COUNTRIES
2020
BUDGET
USD$
2021
BUDGET
USD$
approach, which is now being replicated in other
countries, targets multiple ‘entry-points’ that can
collectively transform an entire system to address
vulnerability to climate change.
In preparation and negotiations for COP-26
in Glasgow, UNDP made deliberate efforts to
consider human health, the planet’s health, and
climate change in an integrated manner. Guidance
was offered to countries to raise their ambitions
for climate action.
Asia and the Pacific is the most disaster-prone
region in the world. Nearly 45 per cent of the
world’s natural disasters occur in the region, and
more than 75 per cent of those affected by natural
disasters globally live in the region. Accordingly,
disaster preparedness and strengthening
resilience to withstand climate shocks is a
major part of UNDP’s work. This includes a
range of climate adaptation support, like the
mainstreaming of resilience goals into economic,
agriculture, housing, water management and
other national plans. Examples include research
on development of climate resilient seeds, climate
proofing of roads and transport infrastructure,
and installation of climate early warning and data
collection networks.
Support to programme countries has resulted
in the development of disaster vulnerability,
preparedness, and response plans, and
strengthening of governance capacities at
national and local levels through Disaster
Management Councils. The sub-regional
programme on the ‘Governance of Resilience’ has
provided a key mechanism for support.
Considerable work has focused on the management
of forests, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity.
UNDP’s global Biodiversity Finance Initiative
(BIOFIN) supported 11 countries in the region in
2020 and 2021. BIOFIN helps countries develop
their national biodiversity finance plans through
national ‘biodiversity finance assessments’ that
review policies, existing expenditures, and finance
gaps to identify potential finance solutions. Through
REDD+, incentives are being provided to conserve
tropical forests and reduce greenhouse gases that
are released when forests are cut down. Social
33
158.3M
161.62M
PROJECTS
LDCF
BILATERAL
DONORS
131
Photo: UNDP China. nterview with China Global Television
Network during COP15, October 2021.
forestry initiatives are underway in several countries.
In the Pacific, UNDP, GEF and the Pacific Islands
Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have contributed to
improved marine resources management with 15
Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The fisheries
are now recognized as the best-managed tuna
fisheries globally. In twelve East Asian countries,
UNDP, with financing from the GEF, has been
promoting a sustainable blue economy through the
implementation of integrated coastal management
since the early 1990s.
As part of a green recovery from the pandemic,
it is imperative to promote and install greener
and cleaner renewable energy options. UNDP
recognizes that access to clean energy is a pre-
condition for social and economic prosperity,
and that any plan to achieve the SDGs must
include a strategy to transition from fossil
fuels to renewable energy sources. While
acknowledging that such a transformation will
be difficult, UNDP will deploy its expertise and
experience to advocate for a fair process that
minimizes the impact on the poor and vulnerable.
This includes promoting an approach that goes
beyond technical solutions for energy issues, and
instead examines the linkages of energy access
to poverty eradication, gender equality, and the
protection of human rights.
The Asia-Pacific region is responsible for half of
the world’s energy consumption and half of global
greenhouse gas emissions. Aggregate energy
more environmentally friendly resource use, and
conserve habitats and species holds the promise
of millions of new jobs, better energy access, and
potential for progress on gender equality.
UNDP is ideally placed to assist countries in
this critical shift. With expertise in multi-sectoral
and multi-dimensional fields, UNDP can help
to better understand the systemic linkages and
risks between the environment, climate change,
poverty and exclusion, governance and the
ability of individuals and societies to absorb
and rebound from shocks. UNDP is providing
countries in the region with critical support to
integrate environmental considerations into
planning and budgeting frameworks, including
in the formulation of National Adaptation Plans.
We are amongst the largest implementers of
environment projects in the region, and a key
interlocuter for programme countries to access
environment and climate change funding from
multilateral climate funds. Environmental and
development benefits are delivered through a
portfolio of 131 projects in 33 countries, financed
by the Adaptation Fund, GEF, Green Climate
Fund (GCF), Least Developed Country Fund
(LDCF), Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries
(REDD+) and bilateral donors. The total portfolio
budget for 2020 and 2021 was US $158.3 million
and US $161.62 million, respectively.
In 2020-2021, Nature, Climate Change, and
Energy (NCE) continued to represent a key focus
in our comprehensive support to countries to
bring environment and climate concerns into
national development plans and strategies.
The range of programmes helped address
the effects of climate change, promote sound
management of chemicals and waste, protect
biodiversity, valuable land, forests, coastal and
marine ecosystems, and water resources, and
build resilience to disasters. Good governance
and gender equality are essential elements
in this portfolio to ensure that no one is left
behind when it comes to a sustainable future.
Taking into account the special needs of
Small Island Developing states, the regional
Governance for Resilient Development (Gov4Res)
project works with Pacific Island countries to
systematically consider climate and disaster risks
in all development decisions. This successful
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use declined in 2020-2021 due to the economic
contractions necessitated by COVID-19. UNDP
programmes focus on increasing energy access,
promoting renewable energy, and enhancing
energy efficiency to meet the different needs of
men and women in rural and urban households and
businesses. We also work to de-risk investment
in renewable energy markets and to attract and
leverage private and public sector resources.
The Climate Promise
Climate change presents the single biggest
threat to sustainable development and is
already causing a disproportionate impact on
the poorest, marginalized and most vulnerable.
UNDP’s
Climate Promise
has become the world’s
largest offer of support to governments to adapt
to and mitigate the effects of climate change. A
key principle in the Paris Agreement is that no
country should go back on its intentions, which
were put forward in climate action plans known
as Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs.
UNDP’s Climate Promise initiative supports 27
countries in Asia and the Pacific to ensure that
any country wishing to increase the ambition of
their national climate pledges can do so.
In
Cambodia,
for example, UNDP is creating an
enabling environment for investments in key
climate related sectors with stronger gender
targets. By providing coordination and policy
support, UNDP contributed to the NDCs to
ensure that they now include specific targets on
the percentage of women who will participate
in each climate action. The more robust and
comprehensive NDCs now recognize gender
disaggregated data as vital in measuring gender
targets for climate actions. In addition, the NDCs
now include an ambition of 42 per cent emission
reduction by 2030, and a target of halving the
deforestation rate by 2030.
In
Papua New Guinea,
UNDP supported the
country’s Climate Change and Development
Authority with finance and technical expertise
in the revision of the country’s enhanced
NDCs, aiming among other things to reduce
CO2 emission by 60 million tonnes over the
next decade. These also present a pathway for
Papua New Guinea to deliver on its national
policy, and a commitment to achieve 100 per
cent power generation from renewable energy
sources by 2050 and increase electrification
rates to 70 per cent by 2030. The government
committed to reduce the annual emissions
from deforestation and forest degradation to
an equivalent of an annual reduction of 8,300
hectares of deforestation and 43,300 hectares
of degradation. The Government of Papua New
Guinea has also mainstreamed gender equality
considerations and youth engagement into the
revision of its NDCs.
Building resilience
to climate change
The shocks brought on by climate change could
drive an additional 100 million people into poverty
by 2030. UNDP assists governments to scale
up the integration of climate change adaptation
into policy, planning, and investments at national
and local levels. It supported nine countries in
the region to advance their National Adaptation
Plans which reduce vulnerability to the impacts of
climate change.
Governance for
Resilient Development (Gov4Res)
is a UNDP project that works with Pacific Island
countries to systematically consider climate
and disaster risks in all development decisions.
This approach, now being replicated in other
countries, targets multiple ‘entry-points’ that can
collectively transform an entire system to address
vulnerability to climate change. This agile initiative
uses a risk-informed lens in a range of areas
including local development efforts, national
planning and budgetary processes, and large-
scale infrastructure investments. The results have
meant more programmatic responses to climate
risks for community development projects in
Fiji
and
Solomon Islands,
new resilience financing
mechanisms in the Ministry of Finance in
Tonga,
integration of climate change and disaster risk
criteria in investment processes in
Tuvalu,
risk-
Photo: UNDP Solomon Island. Afforestation in Guadalcanal
informed community-led planning in
Vanuatu,
and the inclusion of climate risks in parliamentary
budget scrutiny in
Tonga.
Through this work, the
UNDP Pacific Office is advancing its strategic
partnerships with Australia, Sweden, the Republic
of Korea, New Zealand, and the UK.
In
Bhutan,
support from UNDP, the Green Climate
Fund and GEF has helped 56,000 farmers and
other community members to withstand the
effects of climate change by promoting resilient
seeds, climate proofing rural connectivity roads
to make them usable throughout the year and
building climate resilient irrigation channels. As
GOVERNANCE FOR RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT
(GOV4RES)
THE AIM
Consider climate change and disaster risks in all
development decisions.
National planning & budgetary processes,
local development efforts,
ENTRY POINTS
large-scale infrastructure investments,
new financing mechanisms.
BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES
Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIPS
Australia, Sweden, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, UK.
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SUPPORT
TO
VIETNAM
1,550
LOW-COST
STORM-RESILIENT
HOUSES
BENEFITTING
7,760
PEOPLE
Photo: UNDP Nepal. Bipad Portal.
Photo: UNDP Cambodia. Weather Stations.
2,522
HECTARES OF MANGROVES
The governance of disaster
preparedness and response
UNDP works closely with governments to
provide integrated support to strengthen
governance capacities at central and local
levels to keep pace with the changing nature of
disasters and climate change.
With assistance from UNDP, the national
resilience programme in
Bangladesh
has helped
improve the capacity of public institutions to
make risk-informed, gender-responsive disaster
and recovery decisions for recurrent and mega
disasters. In 2020, the programme developed
tools for conducting disaster impact assessments
that promote risk-informed public investment.
In 2021, persons with disabilities participated in
the local Disaster Management Councils, which
resulted in measures to reduce their exposure to
risk in natural disasters. In 2021, 1,723 members
of the Disaster Management Council, volunteers,
and 76 journalists received training on the
concepts of integrating gender into disaster risk
management and resilience. The programme
provided training and grants to 2,700 women who
are most vulnerable to disasters.
In the
Philippines,
UNDP collaborates with the
National Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Council and has supported the development of
the updated National Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Plan for 2022-2025. UNDP
brought together a wide range of stakeholders
to foster open dialogue on the new Plan and
ensure inclusiveness. UNDP advocated for a shift
from disaster risk reduction to building resilience
through climate change adaptation that reduces
the impact of disasters on lives, livelihoods and
health. UNDP is working closely with the Council
on a data governance study which includes
mapping existing digital platforms, data flows
and policies on climate change adaptation and
disaster risk reduction. This study will serve as the
basis for the country’s Digital Readiness Strategy
as part of its revised Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Plan. In addition, a mapping and
analysis of vulnerable groups was conducted to
ensure their needs and priorities are part of the
disaster risk plans.
Technical support from UNDP, with Green
Climate Fund financing, has helped shape
Viet
Nam’s
National Climate Change Strategy, which
led to enhanced pledges made at COP-26.
Through work with the Ministry of Planning and
Investment, a new government circular now
guides the mainstreaming of climate and disaster
risk reduction into the country’s socio-economic
development planning process for the next
five years. At the community level, resilience to
disasters has been strengthened through UNDP
technical support to the construction of 1,550
low-cost and storm-resilient houses, benefitting
roughly 7,760 people. In addition, 2,522 hectares
of mangroves were planted, which will improve
coastal resilience to climate change.
a result, farmers now have enhanced access
to market, and no longer face disruptions
from landslides and flooding. They are also
assured irrigation water through the creation of
a sustainable, reliable, and efficient irrigation
system. In addition, farmers can now cultivate
diversified crops, securing more food while also
earning additional income. More than 410,000
hectares of forest have been brought under a
sustainable management regime.
With support from GEF and UNDP, the
Government of
Cambodia
has strengthened the
national climate observation network to improve
the production and use of climate information. At
the start of the project, the country had only 12
fully functional hydrological stations that manually
captured daily data. Now, 24 automated weather
stations and 29 automated hydrological stations
capture and transmit data every 15 minutes to a
central database that enables early warning and
climate analysis. The country could produce only
three-day forecasts before the project, but can
now make seven-day weather forecasts, which
are important for farmers to manage climate and
weather risks.
UNDP assisted the Government of
Tuvalu to
establish a state-of-the-art Light Detection and
Ranging technology which collects baseline
data for accurate and detailed analysis of climate
vulnerability. The analysis helps assess the
relationship between land elevation and sea-
level rise which is critical for adaptation action
and planning. The technology is fully integrated
into mapping systems of the Department of Land
and Survey and other agencies. The information
has been used for detailed designs of coastal
adaptation, including for reclamation in the main
island, a project implemented through a Green
Climate Fund coastal adaptation project. The
technology will be used to develop detailed
coastal vulnerability assessments for all islands
for planning and development purposes.
Enhanced government capacity will improve
coastal hazard monitoring and inform long-term
adaptation planning.
A technological innovation in
Nepal is
reducing
the risk of future climate-related disasters by
examining historical ones. UNDP developed a
solution in the country to transform nearly 40,000
records from the last half-century of national
disaster incidents into illustrative disaster profiles,
accessible in Nepali and English. Based on the
inherited rich dataset from the National Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the
profiles can illustrate primary hazards, frequency,
impact, and disaster trends for any period
or administrative jurisdiction, from national,
provincial or district levels. These profiles could
be a powerful tool for policymakers to quickly
grasp the vulnerability of their jurisdictions to
make risk-informed decisions. The capability is
now being integrated into the National Disaster
Information Management Platform for planning
and allocating resources.
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SUPPORT TO THE
ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY
487,000
hectares
of
LAND
restored
6,123,643
hectares
of
LANDSCAPES
have been
brought under improved
practices, including
production systems
141,000
hectares
of
FOREST AND WETLANDS
restored, improving water
availability and quality
social inclusion concerns. In addition, climate
change considerations were better reflected in
the country’s ministerial budgets for agriculture,
energy, and local government. Social protection
and funding to climate-impacted communities
were also expanded. In
Cambodia,
climate
change was included in the Ministry of Finance
budget circular where support was provided to
build capacities for green budgeting.
including protection; 193,003,969 hectares of
marine ecosystems under improved management
including protection; 141,000 hectares of
forest and wetlands restored, improving water
availability and quality; 48,7000 hectares of land
restored; and 6,123,643 hectares of landscapes
have been brought under improved practices,
including production systems, benefiting
approximately 97,000 people.
In the
Philippines,
the knowledge, innovations
and practices of indigenous peoples and
local communities play a critical role in the
conservation of the rich biodiversity of the
country. An estimated 85 per cent of the country’s
key biodiversity areas are within ancestral
domains. UNDP has been working with 16
indigenous communities to delineate boundaries,
map ecosystems, inventory resources, and
document indigenous knowledge and practices.
These locations are Indigenous Peoples and
Local Communities Conserved Areas and
Territories (ICCAs) that may be sacred spaces or
ritual grounds. To date, the work with ICCAs has
covered 154,868 hectares including land sites and
ancestral waters in key biodiversity areas. These
efforts include developing inventories of vital flora
and fauna and documenting traditional resource
management methods.
Rice is a vital agricultural crop in
Lao PDR
and
accounts for over 80 per cent of total cultivated
areas in the country. The SAFE Ecosystem Project,
supported by UNDP and GEF demonstrates
sustainable land and forest management in
Savannakhet Province, a leading producer of
rice. Villages in the project areas previously
used a traditional paddy-rice cropping system
which resulted in soil depletion and decline in
farm productivity. The SAFE Ecosystem project
introduced a rice intensification system and
the use indigenous nitrogen-fixing trees in rice
production fields. This approach contributes to
sustainable farming, forest conservation and
increased farm incomes.
In
Niue,
through the UNDP-supported Ridge
to Reef project, 14 management plans for
Special Managed Reef Areas were completed, a
66,464,961
hectares
of
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEMS
under
improved management
including protection
266,220,573
HECTARES
OF LIFE-SUPPORTING
SYSTEMS PROTECTED
IN 2020-2021
Sustainable management of
forests, natural ecosystems, and
biodiversity
UNDP supports countries to develop long-term
conservation programmes and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. The climate and forest programme
focuses on implementation of socially inclusive
policies and measures on deforestation and forest
degradation, and access to innovative finance.
Working more than a decade to qualify for
payments under REDD+ (Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in
Developing Countries),
Indonesia
received its first
financial rewards in 2020. REDD+ was introduced
in 2007 to provide incentives to conserve tropical
forests and reduce greenhouse gases that are
released when forests are cut down. In August
2020, the Green Climate Fund approved a REDD+
payment of US $103.8 million in recognition of
Indonesia’s reported reduced emissions of 20.25
million tonnes of CO2 achieved from reduced
deforestation and forest degradation in 2014-
2016. The payments will be used to rehabilitate
degraded peatland and mangrove, strengthen
community empowerment through social forestry
and alleviate poverty through eco-friendly
economic activities. An estimated 200,000
households are expected to benefit from support
to the national social forestry programme.
Between 2020 and 2021 the cumulative results
achieved to protect life-supporting systems in the
region include 66,464,961 hectares of terrestrial
ecosystems under improved management
193,003,969
hectares
of
MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
under improved
management including
protection
97,000
PEOPLE
BENEFITED
WOMEN
49.5%
Gender and climate
responsive measures
UNDP has helped to bring gender and climate
responsive measures into the budget cycle in
seven countries through an initiative on the
governance of climate change finance. The effort
is managed by the SDG Finance team, which
is supported by SIDA, Sweden’s development
cooperation agency. In
Bangladesh,
the national
climate change financing framework was
updated to be more responsive to gender and
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INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(ICM)
Pollution reduction and waste management,
food security and livelihood management,
water use and supply,
habitat protection, and
hazard prevention and management.
12 East Asian countries.
ICM covers 40% of the countries’ combined 213,700 km
of coastline.
TYPES OF SUPPORT
THE SCOPE
LENGTH OF COASTLINE
Photo: UNDP Lao PDR. SAFE Ecosystem Project.
Supporting the blue economy
culmination of work over several years. The plans
enshrine the commitment by communities to the
conservation of 17,213 hectares of terrestrial areas
and up to 1,766 hectares of coastal reef areas. The
commitments are aligned with the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
category for Protected areas with sustainable use
of natural resources. Resource Management and
Advisory Committees were established in all 14
villages of Niue. The Committees are comprised
of key government agencies and all marine and
terrestrial biodiversity related representation of
stakeholders, including fisherfolk and traditional
landowners. Their aim is to ensure the long-term
sustainability of the 14 conservation areas. In
2021, the project supported the development of
Marine Spatial Planning for the Niue Moana Mahu
Large Scale Marine Protected Area (127,000 km2),
which had been formalised in 2020.
UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN)
helps countries develop their national biodiversity
finance plans through national ‘biodiversity
finance assessments’ that review policies,
existing expenditures, and finance gaps to
identify potential finance solutions. In
Bhutan,
BIOFIN supported local governments to bring
biodiversity considerations into their budgeting
process and develop an insurance mechanism
to respond to Human Wildlife Conflict cases.
In Indonesia, BIOFIN helped secure a US $2.7
million investment for a bird conservation center
in the Maluku Islands.
In the
Philippines,
BIOFIN supported the
formulation of a US $40 million budget proposal
for protected areas that was adopted for the 2020
budget. A new ‘GCash Forest’ app was launched
with a payment platform that combines incentives
for sustainable behavior with payments for tree
planting, raising over US $500,000 a year. BIOFIN
has also assisted in reaching a formal agreement
between the Biodiversity Management Bureau
of the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources and the Public Private Partnership
Center. The aim is to collaborate on policy
development to increase private sector
participation in biodiversity financing, and provide
feasible business models for private sector
investments in nature-based solutions.
Sri Lanka
has developed a Biodiversity Finance
Plan that includes payment for ecosystems
services through mini-hydropower plants that
invest part of their profits in conserving their
immediate catchment areas. In addition, a
sustainable tourism certification mechanism was
created with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development
Authority. BIOFIN also supports the Central Bank
of Sri Lanka to promote sustainable financing in
the country.
In the
Pacific,
UNDP, GEF and the Pacific Islands
Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have contributed
to improved marine resources management with
15 Small Island Developing States. The fisheries
are now recognized as the best-managed tuna
fisheries globally. In fact, the four key tuna stocks
in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean are
now within biologically sustainable levels. This is
significant because the tuna industry plays a vital
role in economic development and food security
for Pacific countries.
In
Samoa, the
Green Climate Fund has supported
the Vaisigano Catchment Project, a cash-for-work
programme for catchment rehabilitation that
also provides job opportunities for community
members. A total of 4,480 native trees were
planted on seven hectares, and 3,434 invasive
trees were removed from more than 55 hectares.
As part of enrichment reforestation, a total of 12,416
trees were planted in an area of 8.7 hectares.
UNDP, with financing from the GEF has been
promoting a sustainable blue economy through
the implementation of Integrated Coastal
Management since the early 1990s. ICM helps
local governments to achieve social and economic
development targets through pollution reduction
and waste management, food security and
livelihood management, water use and supply,
habitat protection, and hazard prevention and
management. Implemented across
12 East Asian
countries, ICM covers 40 per cent of the countries’
combined 213,700 kilometres of coastline.
Improving energy efficiency and
expanding renewable energy use
The Asia-Pacific region is responsible for half of
the world’s energy consumption and half of global
greenhouse gas emissions. UNDP focuses on
increasing energy access, promoting renewable
energy, and enhancing energy efficiency to meet
the different needs of men and women in rural
and urban households and businesses. UNDP
also works to de-risk the investment environment
for renewable energy markets and to attract and
leverage private and public sector resources.
UNDP in Iran has been collaborating with the
Global Environment Facility, and the government
to improve national energy efficiency and reduce
CO2 emissions through institutional shifts towards
energy-efficient solutions. The implementation
took place in 541 pilot buildings, including 362
residential buildings and 179 non-residential
buildings. Measurement and verification of
energy indicated energy savings of 10 per cent
in natural gas and 15 per cent in electricity, which
is annually equal to 24,889 tonnes of CO
2
. The
government subsequently endorsed an updated
energy efficiency building code.
In
Indonesia,
UNDP supported project
development for small-scale renewable hydro
projects which has enhanced the bankability
of projects that have already secured a
Power Purchase Agreement with the national
utility or were in advanced stages of such
an agreement. This assistance was provided
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through collaboration with the Indonesia financial
institution PT.SMI, a leading infrastructure
financier in Indonesia. The pipeline projects have
the potential for installation of an additional 50
MW of renewable energy capacity.
UNDP in
China
has been promoting hydrogen-
based clean energy for nearly two decades, in
collaboration with the Ministry of Science and
Technology and GEF. What began as small pilots in
eight cities has now been scaled across 45 cities,
with UNDP support to the commercialization of
fuel cell vehicles. By 2020, policies that provide
incentives for hydrogen and FCV development
were issued in 22 provinces and municipalities.
Technical assistance and advocacy for hydrogen-
based solutions in the energy sector has enabled
four large renewable energy-based hydrogen
production projects in the country and gradual
use of hydrogen in steel production plants. UNDP
organized two hydrogen industry conferences that
created a platform for technical communications
amongst more than 20 countries.
In
Cambodia,
UNDP provided technical
assistance to establish a new energy unit at the
Ministry of Economy and Finance that gathers
economic information to inform energy policies.
With the Ministry of Mines and Energy, UNDP
provided seed funding to pilot solar mini-grids
in four remote villages, with plans to expand
to 210 remote off-grid communities. A total of
225 households, including 30 female-headed
households and 10 households with people
with disabilities, living in remote areas and in
indigenous communities, gained access to
electricity. These projects contributed to the
country’s rural electrification, which grew from a
6.6 per cent electrification rate in 2000 to 97.3
per cent two decades later. UNDP has worked
with the country’s Ministry of Mines and Energy,
the Electricity Authority of Cambodia, and the
private sector to develop business models that
influence investors in the country’s 100 per cent
electrification target of affordable and reliable
electricity through renewable energy. UNDP
also trained government staff to bring climate
components into their budget decision for
infrastructure. With UNDP support, an additional
US $4.4 million of infrastructure investments went
through climate change screening, increasing
cumulative climate-smart investments by 11.7 per
cent since 2019.
UNDP recognizes the environmental impact of
its own operations and is committed to setting
an example. The Regional Bureau for Asia and
Pacific invested US $800,000 in 2020 and US
$540,000 in 2021 to support
18 Country Offices
overall through a competition to ‘green’ their
premises to reduce their own carbon footprint and
minimize use of natural resources. The impact of
the sum of all projects implemented in 2020 has
resulted in an estimated CO2 reduction of 520
tonnes. Simple solutions included the purchase
of electric vehicles and switching to LED lighting
and presence-based electrical systems, and
installation of solar panels. UNDP India is working
towards a Green Building Certification. A move to
solar PV systems in China and Sri Lanka Offices
led to corporate funding to expand their PV
systems in 2020. Cambodia, Indonesia, and Iran
have also received funding to expand their PV
systems in 2021 and implementation is ongoing.
Photo: UNDP Viet Nam. Responsible business practice and vulnerable groups assessment
Economy Hub, a digital platform to connect and
share knowledge to sustainably manage resources.
At the city level, UNDP works with a public-private
partnership in Danang to mobilize businesses and
startups to support the circular economy. Its work
with the municipal government is creating the first
circular economy road map in Danang.
In
China,
UNDP supported the Foreign Economic
Cooperation Office with a GEF project that reduces
harmful pollutants during the life cycle of electronic
equipment. In addition, the project partnered
with Lenovo to develop a laptop with eco-design
standards that reduce waste. Additionally, 250
management officers were trained in Extended
Producer Responsibility concepts, which give
producers responsibility for the treatment or
disposal of post-consumer products. Three
demonstration recycling systems were established,
and more than two million e-waste units were
collected, removing 284,890 metric tonnes of
hazardous chemicals from the recycling chain.
The project also resulted in the development of
technical guidelines on eco-designs and standards
to produce electronic equipment.
A UNDP plastics waste management project
contributed to
India’s
flagship programme,
Swachh Bharat (Clean India). The UNDP initiative
enhances collaboration between municipal
corporations, pollution control boards, and
relevant government departments to strengthen
waste management and improve socio-economic
conditions for waste collectors. By 2021, this effort
helped process 83,900 metric tonnes of plastic
waste, thereby saving CO2 emissions that are
equivalent to planting 9,988 trees. This ambitious
partnership with 35 urban local bodies in 35 cities
plans to process or recycle 85,000 metric tonnes
of plastic waste and reach 100 cities by 2024.
In
Indonesia,
UNDP has supported the
Ministry of Industry with initiatives to establish
a recycling industry that can facilitate the
collection and aggregation of plastic waste
that contains harmful chemicals. Through the
project, in coordination with the Government of
Indonesia’s assigned companies, businesses in
local communities received training in plastics
collection, segregation and disposal that has
prevented more than 1,000 metric tonnes of
plastics containing hazardous chemicals from
re-entering the recycling chains. In the Province
of Central Sulawesi, which was severely impacted
by the earthquake and tsunami in 2018, UNDP is
currently reconstructing two landfills as part of its
reconstruction efforts in the region.
In
Cambodia,
the Country Office supported the
preparation of the National Circular Economy
Strategy and Action Plan (2021-2035). Launched
in 2021, the Circular Economy Strategy adopts a
life-cycle approach and sets as a national goal
to close the loop of production, distribution,
consumption, waste generation, and waste
treatment. UNDP and the Alberta CoLab
conducted a system design workshop on waste
management in the Maldives. Subsequently,
technical support and equipment were provided
to the Waste Management Corporation to support
circular economy waste management in the
greater Male’ region. In the Philippines, Viet Nam
and Indonesia, similar system design workshops
on plastic pollution and circular economy were
organized that further some of the circular
economy principles on recycling waste.
Waste management
An important element of a circular economy
involves recycling and waste management. It
includes designing out waste and pollution and
keeping materials and products in use for as long
as possible. UNDP supports countries in changing
the way they produce and consume materials for
more sustainable prospects.
UNDP in
Viet Nam
is working with the country
as it transitions towards a circular economy for
a more resilient, green, and inclusive future. The
National Action Plan on Sustainable Production
and Consumption promotes eco-labeling and
sustainable production, consumption, and
exportation. UNDP is collaborating with the
Ministry of Natural resource and Environment
on the Law on Environmental Protection and
is working towards building a National Circular
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Theme 6
Photo: UNDP Thailand
SDG acceleration,
integration, and financing
In 2020-2021 the world faced a new and unforeseen development crisis in the form
of the COVID-19 pandemic that threatened to roll back years of progress towards
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Economic activity
everywhere declined precipitously, and governments were forced to marshal all available
resources to deal with the socio-economic trauma created by the pandemic. In a rapidly
globalizing world, international trade and supply chains suddenly ground to a near halt.
COVID-19 demonstrated the interlinked nature of the Sustainable Development Goals. A
tiny virus had a significant negative impact on almost all the SDGs.
The Asia-Pacific region was no exception to the global effects of the pandemic.
UNDP in 2020 - 2021 rapidly mounted a multi-faceted effort to assist
programme countries in assessing the impact of COVID-19 on their SDG plans
and indicators, and devise appropriate responses to protect their populations,
preserve SDG gains and mobilize the necessary financial resources to
implement development and resilience strategies.
Building on the years of engagement with national and local partners on
formulation and mainstreaming of SDG plans and indicators, UNDP conducted
rapid assessments of the impact of COVID-19 at regional, national, and, in
some countries, sub-national levels. Where necessary, we helped programme
countries to recalibrate SDG targets and plans. While the ultimate impact
of the pandemic is still unknown, given that variants of the virus are still
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emerging and this is the final decade to achieve the SDGs by 2030, there can
be no interruption in national efforts to meet the goals. UNDP advocacy and
technical support is assisting countries to build forward better from COVID-19
and get back on track to deliver on the global goals.
UNDP scaled up its support for SDG financing initiatives in 2020 - 2021.
Nearly every country in the Asia-Pacific region is committed to ambitious
SDG programmes but lack the necessary financing. Few countries have
coherent strategies to mobilize public and private capital flows in support of
their development strategies. UNDP has spearheaded the use of innovative
instruments in the region, like the Integrated National Financing Frameworks
(INFFs) and issuance of thematic SDG bonds, to tap new sources of
development finance. In some countries, SDG related Multi-Partner Trust
Funds have been set up where interested national and international donors can
coalesce around a particular SDG goal or theme. Our experience has shown
that such innovative approaches can raise significant resources and build
coalitions of like-minded partners that can support other national initiatives.
An understanding of the linkages between the SDGs lies at the heart of any
poverty reduction strategy. After all, reduction of poverty must go hand in hand
with progress on health, education, food security, climate change and all the
other dimensions of the global goals. UNDP is an advocate of SDG integration,
and a champion of processes and platforms that bring together diverse groups
across society to dialogue on SDG priorities and plans. RBAP has pioneered
Social Innovation Platforms (SIPs) in several countries that bring together
national and international groups, including civil society, the private sector, and
investors, to discuss development issues. Socio-economic models for sustainable
jobs, strengthening overall labor market resilience, and tackling environmental
pollution are some of the topics that have been the subject of SIP dialogues.
In addition, Youth Co:Lab is a programme that brings young people together
to create opportunities for leadership and entrepreneurship to tackle SDG
obstacles. To date, over 200,000 people in 28 countries in the region have
participated in Youth Co:Lab, and approximately 1,240 youth-led enterprises
have been launched or assisted by the programme.
Two other SDG integration platforms have been active. The Climate, Land-
use, Energy and Water Systems (CLEWS) model assesses the linkages
between natural resource systems to help develop sectoral models for water,
energy, and land use, taking into consideration different climate futures. In
addition, the SDG Integration Spark Blue Platform offers an online space for
practitioners that enables collective intelligence, sharing and co-creation.
Photo: UNDP Bangladesh
Integrated National Financing
Frameworks (INFFs)
UNDP launched programmes in 17 countries
in the region to support INFFs, which assist
governments to link planning and budgeting, and
align and mobilize public and private finance for
the SDGs. Examples from
Bangladesh, China,
Fiji, India, Malaysia, Mongolia,
and
Maldives
show that UNDP not only assists countries in
developing their SDG financing strategies, but it
also supports them to mobilize the finance for the
SDGs and climate action.
Bangladesh
is now expanding its new financing
strategy to map ways that private sector financing
can be used in three critical areas: energy, water
and sanitation, and climate. For instance, a Local
Climate Financing Framework was drafted to
identify needs of communities exposed to climate
vulnerabilities. The Framework also allocates
additional resources that factor in gender and
social inclusion issues.
In
Malaysia,
a UNDP-designed Ecological
Fiscal Transfer scheme was integrated as a
recurring annual allocation starting from the
2022 national budget, providing a strong fillip
to the achievement of SDG 14 and 15 on oceans,
biodiversity, and forest management at the
sub-national level. Operating under COVID-19
restrictions, UNDP pivoted its focus to the local
level, resulting in an SDG localization roadmap.
In addition, the Indigenous Peoples Microgrant
Facility, funded by the Ministry of Finance and
managed by UNDP, provides grants to grassroots
organizations that work directly with indigenous
populations. Projects target such areas as
food security, rural electrification, clean water,
entrepreneurship, biodiversity, and climate
change. The platform has convened local NGOs
and formed a peer network for collaboration for
future initiatives with indigenous communities.
Mongolia’s
INFF is one of the most
comprehensive in scope. As part of the country’s
larger public financial management reform,
Mongolia is piloting SDG-aligned budgeting in
five sectoral ministries. To complement this public
sector integration of SDGs, UNDP is engaging
with the Development Bank of Mongolia to
shape the financing policies, which now adopt
sustainable financing principles in its strategic
plan for 2021-2024. Capacity building for SDG
audit practices at the National Audit Office are
also part of the INFF support. Other innovative
financing approaches include a feasibility study
for a debt-for-nature swap, and the development
of a green bond that can channel savings from the
conversion of the government’s debt refinancing
to environmental and climate projects.
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INTEGRATED NATIONAL
FINANCING FRAMEWORKS
help to plan, mobilize and align
financial resources with SDGs
IN
COUNTRIES
BANGLADESH
– engaging private
sector to help address climate
vulnerabilities, gender social inclusion.
MALAYSIA:
SDG localization in
partnership in sub-national and
grassroot levels.
MONGOLIA:
SDG-aligned
sectoral budgeting.
17
In collaboration with resident UN agencies,
UNDP in the
Maldives
has been supporting
the government to draft a climate-informed
development finance assessment, which will
lay the foundation for designing the INFF in the
Maldives. The resulting INFF roadmap is expected
to help the government streamline national
development planning and financing decisions,
track and monitor SDG financing, and raise
additional funds.
Thematic Bonds to finance COVID
recovery and the achievement of
the SDGs
There has been growing interest in the region in
thematic bonds, such as green and blue bonds,
social bonds, sustainability bonds, Environmental
Social and Governance bonds, and recently,
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-bonds to
mobilize resources for sustainable development.
UNDP’s SDG Impact Standards for Bond Issuers
and Enterprises have been gamechangers to
accelerate the issuance of sustainability and SDG
bonds and engage the private sector.
In 2021, the New Development Bank (NDB) in
China
issued a three-year fixed rate SDG Bond
in the China Interbank Bond Market worth 5
billion RMB (US $767 million), adopting the
UNDP Sustainable Development Goals Impact
Standards for Bonds Issuers and UNDP SDG
Finance Taxonomy (China). This was the first
time that the standards, which help bond issuers
optimize their contribution to the SDGs, were
put into practice by a multilateral development
bank. The proceeds of the SDG Bonds are going
towards an Emergency Program Loan to China
to finance SDG-aligned projects. As a technical
advisory partner, UNDP will support the NDB
to authenticate and benchmark how the capital
raised by this bond will have an impact on the way
public and private entities raise capital to support
the achievement of the SDGs.
first sovereign Green Sukuk (Sharia-compliant
Islamic Bond) in 2018. To date, Indonesia has
raised US $3.9 billion via Green Sukuk for
projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency,
waste management, sustainable transport and
resilience to climate change, which is expected
to reduce up to 10.3 tonnes of CO
2
-eq. Proceeds
have also been used for the construction of more
than 690 kilometres of railway tracks to foster
cleaner transportation. Building on this success,
UNDP is working with Indonesia to accelerate
progress towards the SDGs by supporting the
issuance of its first SDG Bond. The first sovereign
SDG Bond in Southeast Asia raised EUR 500
million (US $584 million) with a 12-year tenor
and coupon rate of 1.3 per cent. The SDG Bond
provides an alternative source of financing for
Indonesia to fast-track the achievement of the
SDGs. The proceeds will be allocated to the
social sector as part of the response to COVID-19,
including for social protection, health, and
education. UNDP partnered with the Ministry of
Finance to conduct a feasibility study, develop a
government securities framework, and support
the verification process. In addition to social and
green sectors, the framework includes the blue
sector as eligible for financing – which will allow
Indonesia to issue Blue Bond/Sukuk in the future
that will advance the country’s blue economy.
Similarly,
Fiji
is looking to issue a blue bond in
2022 to raise money for ocean conservation
under a Sustainable Development Bond
Framework that will enable the country to issue
other specialised bonds related to its sustainable
development ambitions.
8), and leverage innovative public and private
partnerships (SDG 17). In Indonesia, the funding
will accelerate development in underfunded
sectors, including climate mitigation and
adaptation (SDG 13); water and sanitation (SDG 6);
and marine resource management (SDG 14).
UNDP
Indonesia
is also catalysing the issuance
of thematic bonds, facilitating SDG-adapted
credit lines for youth and women entrepreneurs,
and assisting an Impact Investing Fund that
will invest in Indonesian startups that focus
on the SDGs. In
India,
the Pimpri-Chinchwad
Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in Maharashtra
signed an MoU with UNDP to create India’s
first Social Impact Bond. As part of this new
finance approach, the Municipal Corporation’s
administration will bear the cost of the public
welfare project associated with the bond if the
pre-defined project targets are fulfilled. This limits
the conventional risks of inefficient and ineffective
spending. The Innovative Financing Lab in
Indonesia and the SDG Financing Facility in India
are finance programmes through which these and
other pioneering services are delivered.
Youth rally around the SDGs
Over half of the world’s young people live in Asia
and the Pacific. An empowered new generation
can drive the 2030 Agenda and help solve the
region’s most urgent challenges. Youth Co:Lab
is a regional initiative that was created in 2017
by UNDP and the Citi Foundation. It catalyses
youth startups and opens opportunities for
entrepreneurial young people to pioneer new
SDG solutions. It is the largest youth movement
for empowerment, equality, social inclusion, and
social justice in the region.
To date, Youth Co:Lab has built the capacities
of over 200,000 people in leadership, social
innovation, and entrepreneurship across 28
countries and territories in Asia-Pacific. Youth
Co:Lab has also launched or improved over 1,240
youth-led social enterprises offering innovative
solutions to meet the SDGs. These include social
Innovative financing instruments
Fiji
and
Indonesia
received funding through the
UN Joint SDG Fund, which is a multi-partner trust
fund to incentivize policy shifts and stimulate
investments to get countries back on track to
meet the SDGs. The funding in
Fiji
will directly
impact marine conservation and the health of
coral reefs and other marine ecosystems (SDG
14), create coastal sustainable economies (SDG
Photo: UNDP China. Technical Report on SDG Finance Taxonomy
UNDP worked with HSBC and the World Bank to
assist
Indonesia
with the issuance of the world’s
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enterprises led by women, Indigenous young
people, and young people with disabilities.
For example,
DeafTawk,
a youth-led startup
founded in
Pakistan,
is an online platform that
facilitates real-time language interpretation,
enabling the deaf community to access health,
education, and employment opportunities.
DeafTawk has provided more than 90,000 hours
of sign language interpretation to 17,000 people
with hearing disabilities, while creating 400 jobs.
Another youth-led startup accelerated by Youth
Co:Lab is iFarmer, based in
Bangladesh.
iFarmer
allows individuals and institutions to fund the
capital requirements of farmers. To date, iFarmer
has generated over US $1.13 million in funding
support for over 53,000 farmers.
integration is to understand the linkages among
the various goals and targets. Several tools
have been designed to tackle integration and
policy coherence. UNDP has provided countries
with evidence-based insights so they can
make decisions and investments that advance
towards the SDGs in an integrated and mutually
reinforcing way.
UNDP uses Social Innovation Platforms (SIPs)
as one method to facilitate individuals and
organizations to collaboratively develop social
solutions to development challenges. The
approach also helps to align disconnected
initiatives and enhance their impact through better
coherence. The methodology is particularly useful
in attracting new partners and financial support for
integrated policies and programmes.
An enhanced SIP approach, which includes
engagement with potential international partners
and investors, is underway to transform socio-
economic models for sustainable jobs and
building overall labour market resilience in the
Maldives
and
Bangladesh.
In
Thailand
and
Photo: UNDP Bhutan. Druk Thuksey Award given to UN Bhutan by His Majesty the King
SDG Integration
Many SDGs are interconnected, which
necessitates an integrated approach in their
implementation. An important step in SDG
Lao PDR,
the SIP methodology is being used to
shape new socio-economic models of the factors
that drive air pollution. With resources from the
Republic of Korea and UNDP, a regional air quality
monitoring platform will reinforce air pollution
monitoring and forecasting capabilities in these
Lower Mekong countries.
These endeavours
will offer a digital space for a range of capacities,
technologies, and partners to come together to
devise inclusive and sustainable socio-economic
models that can be replicated across the region.
UNDP has a leadership role in UN inter-agency
efforts on SDG Mainstreaming, Acceleration
and Policy Support (MAPS). The approach has
been applied in several countries, including the
Maldives,
and in
Mongolia,
where the focus has
been on policy support.
The prominent role of the UN and UNDP, as
the oldest and largest agency in addressing
development goals of
Bhutan
over decades of
partnership, was recognized in December 2021
when His Majesty the King gave the UN Bhutan
the Druk Thuksey (the Heart of the Son of the
Dragon Kingdom) award. This award highlights
UNDP support to the country’s priorities and
contributions to Bhutan’s management of the
COVID-19 pandemic and climate leadership.
UNDP and the Government of Bhutan have also
been advancing the SDGs through new forms of
engagement, such as the High-Level Advisory
Support Track (HEAT), which addresses complex,
interrelated development issues.
Several countries in the Asia-Pacific region
have joined an initiative on Climate, Land-use,
Energy and Water Systems (CLEWS) modelling.
It assesses the interlinkages between natural
resource systems and develops sectoral models
for water, energy, and land use, taking into
consideration different climate futures.
Bhutan,
Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal,
the
Philippines,
and
Sri Lanka
benefited from the methodology.
Bhutan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Iran,
the
Philippines,
and
Pakistan
received support to
tailor the CLEWS methodology to assess their
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for
climate action.
Collaboration has been expanding through the
SDG Integration Spark Blue Platform, an online
space created by UNDP globally for practitioners
to engage through collective intelligence, sharing
and co-creation. In this UNDP-wide collaborative
platform, the Asia and the Pacific region
accounted for 31 per cent of engagement and 512
events to co-create development solutions by
UNDP staff and practitioners across countries.
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Funding partners
DONOR
Multi Partner Trust Funds
Japan
Green Climate Fund
Global Environment Facility
The Global Fund
European Union
Germany
United Kingdom
Italy
Montreal Protocol
Republic of Korea
Australia
UN Agencies
The Vaccine Alliance
India
China
Sweden
Timor-Leste
New Zealand
International Private Sector
TOTAL
2020
157,257,704
102,187,788
40,470,151
87,401,602
27,746,684
53,075,179
68,908,581
31,472,248
47,789,725
23,656,637
13,572,746
18,281,456
23,356,257
16,146,888
17,832,424
15,962,178
15,055,647
9,682,260
10,304,998
9,016,243
789,177,399
2021
153,950,907
108,363,304
146,508,875
98,367,176
60,806,260
27,561,980
847,083
17,314,535
20,024,197
29,491,798
20,770,181
12,589,131
14,687,441
11,348,288
9,787,090
8,638,979
9,271,225
8,232,091
5,705,562
764,266,105
TOTAL
311,208,611
210,551,092
186,979,026
185,768,778
88,552,944
80,637,159
69,755,664
48,786,783
47,789,725
43,680,834
43,064,544
39,051,637
35,945,389
30,834,329
29,180,713
25,749,269
23,694,626
18,953,485
18,537,090
14,721,806
1,553,443,503
Multi Partner Trust Funds
Japan
Green Climate Fund
Global Environment Facility
The Global Fund
European Union
Germany
United Kingdom
Italy
Montreal Protocol
Republic of Korea
Australia
UN Agencies
The Vaccine Alliance
India
China
Sweden
Timor-Leste
New Zealand
International Private Sector
2020
0
2021
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
MILLIONS OF USD
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Acronyms
Definition
Asian Development Bank
Artificial Intelligence
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Biodiversity Finance Initiative
Climate, Land-use, Energy and Water Systems
2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties
Coronavirus Disease 2019
Civil Society Organizations
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
European Union
Fuel Cell Vehicle
Federated States of Micronesia
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation
Gender-based Violence
Green Climate Fund
Global Environment Facility
Geographic Information System
German Agency for International Cooperation
Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction
High Frequency/Very High Frequency
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Integrated Coastal Management
Information Communication Technology
Intensive Care Unit
International Financial Institutions
Integrated National Financing Frameworks
Information Technology
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Least Developed Countries
Least Developed Countries Fund
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex
Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support
Multi-Country Western Pacific Programme
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Pacific Financial Inclusion Program
Personal Protective Equipment
Photovoltaic
Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Economic Empowerment and Development for SMEs
Social Innovation Platforms
Short Message Service
United Nations
United Nations Capital Development Fund
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Population Fund
United Nations Children’s Fund
The United States Agency for International Development
World Health Organization
Acronym
ADB
AI
ASEAN
BIOFIN
CLEWS
COP26
COVID-19
CSOs
ESCAP
EU
FCV
FSM
GAVI
GBV
GCF
GEF
GIS
GIZ
RBAP
RT-PCR
HF/VHF
HIV
ICM
ICT
ICU
IFIs
INFFs
IT
JICA
LDCs
LDCF
LGBTQI
MAPS
MCWP
MSME
PCR
PFIP
PPE
PV
SDGs
SEEDS
SIPs
SMS
UN
UNCDF
UNDP
UNFPA
UNICEF
USAID
WHO
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United Nations Development Programme
Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
One United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017, USA
www.undp.org
www.facebook.com/undp
@undpasiapac
www.youtube.com/undp
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