Democratic Governance

UNDP works with national partners to develop state and social structures that protect human rights, encourage healthy parliamentary and judicial oversight, reduce corruption, and empower local governments and civil society.

Countries in the region have made significant progress towards democratic governance. However, not all reforms are complete, and much remains to be done.

Governance challenges include transparent decision-making, and access to information and public institutions, especially for marginalized groups – challenges that deepened with the global financial crisis, which hit countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia particularly hard.

Group of men and women with their arms raised

Project Portfolio

272 active projects

$109 million 2011 delivery

$93.2 million 2010 delivery

Practitioners

4 regional expert advisers
100+ governance professionals in country offices
150 recommended consultants

Our Stories

A.H. Monjurul Kabir
Wanted: YOU, to promote human rights and justice

From 28 to 30 June 2013, HuRiLab, the first international social innovation camp dedicated to rule of law, justice and human rights will take place in Yerevan, Armenia. Learn more and submit your idea! more

Bojana Balon
Women in the police means a better response to community needs

Women police officers play a critical role in addressing sexual and gender based violence which disproportionately affects women and children. more

Branka Meic
The right to vote: A step forward in achieving equality for people with disabilities

On 14 April 2013, a new act was put to the test in elections for Croatian Members of the European Parliament toward a better consideration of people with disabilities in their right to vote. more

Malika Tayjanova
Local budgets in Uzbekistan: Recipe for local development

Local budgets are responsible for expenditures in key social sectors. However, certain disadvantaged provinces have insufficient revenues. How do they fill the gap between the State budget and local budgets? more

Olena Ursu
Can citizens influence service delivery in municipalities?

Members of Urkainian Parliament approved eight times more money in the budget 2013 for maintaining recreational sanatoriums. Would the proportion be the same if citizens were asked about their preferences? more

Erkinbek Kasybekov
Using the web to address torture in Kyrgyzstan

A local NGO, the Civil Initiative for Internet Policy, is using the web to collect new reports of torture and make relevant information more accessible. more

Toni Popovski
Opening up local government one person at a time

UNDP brainstormed with the Ministry for Local Self-Government of fYR Macedonia about one question: How to bring citizens into decision-making at the local level?

more

Francesco Checchi
From e-government to we-government: Can we do it in Eastern Europe and Central Asia?

Story from the Personal Democracy Forum in Poland that gathered a strong and very diverse community of NGOs full of ideas pushing the agenda for democracy, accountability and human rights. more

Projects and Initiatives

Human trafficking victim in shadow, Moldova

Human rights and justice

Many countries in the region – to varying degrees – are still challenged with issues including violation of civil and political rights, denial of economic, social and cultural rights, lack of access to justice, corruption, social exclusion, gender inequality, organized crime, ethnic tension and violence, and increased vulnerability to economic instability.

Anti corruption

Corruption, lack of transparency and accountability of public institutions affect access to quality public services, especially for disadvantaged groups.