UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

REDUCING INEQUALITY WITHIN AND AMONG COUNTRIES

United Nations Development Programme

 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

A path towards global prosperity, human well-being and a healthy planet

The world has achieved remarkable gains in human development over the past two decades. Extreme poverty has
significantly reduced, access to primary education and health outcomes has improved, and substantial inroads have
been made in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. The pursuit of the eight Millennium
Development Goals has contributed to this progress and enabled people across the world to improve their lives and
future prospects. Yet, despite these significant gains, extreme poverty remains a key challenge, with more than 700
million people globally living on less than US$ 1.90 PPP (purchasing power parity) per day. Inequalities are either
high or widening, especially within countries. Unemployment and vulnerable employment levels are high in many
countries, particularly among youth. Unsustainable consumption and production are pushing ecosystems beyond
their limits—undermining their ability to provide services vital to life, development, and their own regeneration.
Shocks associated with macroeconomic instability, disasters linked to natural hazards, environmental degradation,
and socio-political unrest impact negatively on the lives of millions. In many cases, these shocks hold back, if not
reverse, progress already achieved in meeting national and internally agreed development goals. Preserving the
gains that have been made and addressing the current development challenges the world faces cannot be solved
by tinkering at the margins.

There is an imperative today to foster sustainable development. A vision for what this encapsulates is laid out in the
new sustainable development agenda that aims to end poverty by 2030 and promote prosperity and people’s well-
being while protecting the environment. As the UN’s development arm, UNDP has a key role to play in supporting
countries to make this vision a reality — putting societies on a sustainable development pathway, managing risk
and enhancing resilience, and advancing prosperity and well-being.

Building on its core strengths — a large country network covering more than 170 countries and territories, a
principal coordination role within the UN Development System, and proven ability in supporting efforts to reduce
poverty, inequality and exclusion, and protect vital ecosystems — UNDP has outlined a vision in its Strategic
Plan 2014−2017, focused on making the next big breakthrough in development: to help countries achieve the
simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion. While ambitious, this
vision is within reach.

In line with this vision, UNDP has worked with the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) in developing a
strategy for effective and coherent support in the implementation of the new sustainable development agenda
under the acronym ‘MAPS’ (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support). The Mainstreaming component of
MAPS aims to generate awareness amongst all relevant actors and help governments land the agenda at national and
local levels, and ultimately mainstream the agenda into their national plans, strategies and budgets. The Acceleration
component focuses on helping governments accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets,
by providing tools that will help identify critical constraints to faster progress and focus on those development
objectives relevant to the country context. The Policy Support component aims to provide coordinated and pooled
policy support to countries working to meet their SDG targets. In this regard, UNDP offers an integrated package
of policy support services that align with its programming priorities. These services, as outlined in this prospectus,
cover a wide range of areas: poverty reduction, inclusive growth and productive employment, gender equality and
the empowerment of women, HIV and health, access to water and sanitation, climate change adaptation, access
to sustainable energy, sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems, governance of oceans and promotion of
peaceful and inclusive societies.

Well equipped with this integrated package of policy support services, UNDP stands ready to support country
partners in effectively implementing the new development agenda and making long-term economic prosperity,
human and environmental well-being a reality.

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

REDUCING INEQUALITY WITHIN AND AMONG COUNTRIES

Why does this matter?

REDUCED INEQUALITIES

• The world is more unequal today than at any point since • High inequality undermines economic growth by
the 1940s.1 Income and wealth inequality within depriving the ability of lower income households to
many countries has soared, crippling efforts to realize remain healthy and accumulate human and physical
development outcomes and expand the opportunities capital.6 For instance, it can lead to underinvestment in
and abilities of people, particularly the poor. In a sample of education as poor children are left with no option but to
116 countries, household income inequality increased by attend lower quality schools and as a result are more likely
11 percent for low- and middle-income countries between not to go on to college. Consequently, labour productivity
1990 and 2010.2 Almost half of the world’s wealth is now could be lower than it would have been in a more
owned by just 1 percent of the population, amounting to equitable environment. Similarly, countries with higher
$110 trillion — 65 times the total wealth of the bottom half levels of income inequality are inclined to have lower
of the world’s population.3 Such income and wealth gaps, levels of mobility between generations, with parent’s
coupled with insecure livelihoods, volatile markets and earnings being a more important determinant of children’s
unreliable services increase the risk of many people earnings.7 Increasing concentration of incomes could also
falling below the poverty line. reduce aggregate demand and undermine growth as
the wealthy spend a lower fraction of their incomes than
• Inequality has been impeding progress in nutrition, middle- and lower-income groups.8
health and education for large segments of the
population, undermining the human capabilities necessary • Inequality of outcome, particularly income inequality,
for achieving a decent life. It has been reducing access and plays a critical role in determining variations in
opportunities to economic, social, environmental and human well-being. This is made evident by the strong
political resources. Growing inequality is almost certain link between income inequality and inequalities in
to unravel efforts to reach the last mile on eradicating nutrition, health and education.9 Furthermore, when
extreme poverty and hunger. the privileged exercise inordinate political control and
influence, and when this kind of influence affects access
• Inequality contradicts the key principles of social to resources, for instance, then income inequality
justice, including the notion enshrined in Article 1 of the compromises the economic, political and social lives of
Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “all human those less privileged and limits the opportunities they
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”4 have to secure their well-being.10 While some degree
With the adoption of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable of inequality is necessary in market-based economics
Development in September 2015, world leaders have insofar as it provides the incentives for people to excel,
made a commitment to combat inequality within and compete, save and invest to move ahead in life, the
among countries. growth in income and wealth inequality is a concern.

• Growing inequality can increase political and • Inequality is multidimensional and does not relate
social tensions, and in some circumstances it can to income and wealth alone. An excessive focus on
drive conflict and instability. The resulting risk levels inequalities of income or wealth cannot adequately
and systemic vulnerability is detrimental to economic account for inequalities in the quality of life. Inequality
growth, poverty reduction, health and social mobility, of opportunity is experienced in relation to education,
and generates a negative impact on governance and health, nutrition, employment, housing, health
democratic institutions. Widening inequality has major services, access to justice and economic resources.
implications for economic growth and macroeconomic Inequality of opportunity can be horizontal within
stability; it can lead to elite capture concentrating groups or vertical where they are not related to
political and decision making power in the hands of a group-based distinctions. Forms of discrimination
few, lead to inadequate use of human rights resources, against particular groups can result in many people
4 bring about investment-reducing economic and being affected by multiple and intersecting forms
political instability, and raise crisis risk.5 of discrimination that produce and reproduce
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

deep inequalities across generations. Many of the (such as women, minorities, youth), which suggests that
most excluded, disempowered and discriminated factors related to prejudice and discrimination continue
against populations and groups can face ingrained to powerfully reinforce and reproduce inequalities.11 The
discrimination manifested in laws, policies and unequal share of unpaid family responsibilities borne by
practices. It is important to recognize the aspiration women results in gender-based inequalities in the labour
to support formal equality — through procedural market, which in turn produces a subsequent bias in the
equality — and also substantive equality, which way social protection systems are structured, resulting
requires moving towards equality of opportunities and in unequal access, coverage and provision of social
outcomes, including through additional investments protection for women.12 Intra-household inequalities in
or measures that take into account differences, labour, income and wealth can result in intra-household
inequities and structural disadvantages. differences in poverty status. However, it is difficult
to differentiate the poverty rates within households
• Processes of social exclusion, driven by multiple because current measures of poverty rely on income or
economic, social, political and cultural factors, play a consumption data collected at the household level.
major role in entrenching inequalities of outcome
and opportunity. Social exclusion denies many, including • Female entrepreneurship represents a vast untapped
the urban and rural poor; indigenous peoples; ethnic or source of innovation, job creation and economic growth
sexual minorities; people living with disabilities or HIV; in the developing world. Female entrepreneurs, like
immigrants and refugees, especially those with insecure their male counterparts, are influenced by the general
legal status; internally displaced persons (IDPs); women business environment in which they live. However,
and youth — the rights, opportunities and capabilities formal institutions or cultural conditions create
they need to improve their lives. For instance, many additional barriers for women that make it more
drivers of social exclusion such as stigma, discrimination, difficult to start or grow a business enterprise.
criminalization and marginalization, limit access to HIV, The barriers to women’s entrepreneurship are various:
health and other basic services and increase health risks Women face greater obstacles in accessing credit,
for the most vulnerable people, such as men who have sex training, networks and information, as well as legal
with men (MSM), transgender people and sex workers. and policy constraints.13 Local Economic Development
(LED) based on the territorial approach can address
• Unequal outcomes appear to be strikingly persistent issues of increased global competition, population
for specific individuals or groups including those who mobility, technological advances and consequent spatial
are disadvantaged and marginalized within a population differences and imbalances by promoting inclusive

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

socio-economic development with a focus on excluded that leads to very large income gains, as well as increased
and marginalized populations. education and health outcomes of migrants.16 The
contributions of migrants through knowledge transfers,
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

• Pandemic diseases such as HIV, TB, malaria and investments, and remittances can also contribute to
neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) disproportion- community and national development and decrease
ally affect poor and marginalized populations and poverty and inequality. However, migration can also
adversely impact health and adult productivity. The exacerbate existing inequalities if poor populations
social and economic burden of non-communicable are trapped and cannot harness the positive potential
diseases (NCDs) on the poor is also rapidly growing: of migration. Migrants, especially those in vulnerable
It is estimated that cumulative losses in economic situations, may not have means to ensure their rights
output in LMICs as a result of NCDs could exceed $20 or seek protections from formal or informal justice
trillion by 2030.14 Costs of medical care in low and providers and national human rights institutions
middle income countries (LMICs) are often out-of- (NHRIs). In 2013, nearly half of the estimated 232
pocket expenses, shifting household income from million international migrants globally were women.17
asset accumulation, education and food security. In Women face special challenges with regard to irregular
the absence of effective and affordable health care migration and vulnerability to trafficking and abuse.
and social protection, households can accumulate Due to factors such as gender stereotypes, they tend
debt and/or liquidate income-generating assets to pay to be mainly concentrated in the service sector which
health care costs. Globally, direct payments for health has higher levels of unofficial employment, earn lower
care impoverish up to 150 million people per year.15 wages than men even when equally qualified and
engaged in similar activities and, as a consequence,
• International and internal migration can be key have limited access to social and legal systems.18
strategies for individuals, households and communities
to decrease inequalities and raise levels of human • Spatial and territorial inequalities are high and
development. Migration often is an adaption strategy increasing, with disparities between rural and urban

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

areas, and between geographically advantaged and into significant gender differences in occupational
disadvantaged regions. For instance, in developing distribution.23 While men and women are affected
regions, there is a 31 percentage point gap between differently by trade policies, gender inequalities, in
rural and urban areas in the coverage of births attended turn, impact on trade policy outcomes and economic
by skilled health personnel.19 Territorial inequalities growth. Recent experiences in trade liberalization and
can be a major contributor to overall inequality in their impact on gender equality thus make a strong
countries, especially if aligned with racial or ethnic case for the need to incorporate gender perspectives
divisions. Furthermore, spatial inequalities can create into overall trade policy design and implementation.24
a disproportionate impact on territories in the face of
natural disaster or crisis. • In a world faced by a scarcity of financial resources
and escalating development challenges, countries
• International trade can play an important role in often struggle to implement transformative sustainable
raising levels of human development and achieving development strategies. Estimates for investment
sustainable poverty reduction by expanding markets, needs to implement the SDGs in developing countries
raising productivity and accelerating technology range from $3.3 trillion to $4.5 trillion per year, mainly
transfer, particularly where it is sensitive to health for basic infrastructure, food security, climate change
impacts. Productive capacity gaps, the lack of export mitigation and adaptation, health and education.25 At
diversification, weak economic governance and the same time, the development and integration of
institutional constraints hamper many developing financial markets have increased the number of options
countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to choose from to advance investments in sustainable
from fully integrating into the world economy. In 2013, development. New opportunities have emerged for
the merchandise export of LDCs accounted for only catalysing, pooling, and making more efficient use of
1.1 percent of world trade.20 Furthermore, high trade resources to address these development challenges
costs, protectionist trade policies and other trade and better manage risks. Ensuring that all countries,
barriers impede the economic potential of many in particular the poorest and most vulnerable, are
of the poorest countries, pricing them out of global able to access the financing opportunities available
markets. Remote, landlocked and small economies are is key to reducing inequalities across countries,
marginalized by trade costs that reflect geography, promoting inclusive growth and achieving sustainable
not capability.21 Trade costs also disproportionately development.
fall on small- and medium-sized enterprises. These
enterprises are a key driver for growth and jobs, and Despite the numerous challenges in addressing
offer a path out of poverty. inequalities, there are grounds for optimism. It is now
possible to halt and reverse growing inequalities and
• Trade policy impacts women’s economic empower- eradicate extreme poverty. There is more room for voice
ment and well-being. As women and men have and participation than ever before, with an increasing
distinct economic and social roles and different access number of countries moving towards democratic political
to and control over resources, due to economic, systems and responding to growing public demand.
political and sociocultural factors, the effect of Innovative knowledge and experiences are also making
trade policy on their economic and social activities it possible to pursue economic growth, environmental
tends to be different.22 Women are likely to be more sustainability and social equity simultaneously. Making
affected by the negative effects of trade liberalization the most of this momentum, while putting in place
and face bigger challenges than men in availing the measures to mitigate risk and prevent loss of gains made
opportunities trade offers. This is due to gender biases when a crisis strikes, will be a major task of development
in education and training, gender inequalities in the in coming decades. Success will depend on finding ways
distribution of income and command over resources, of fighting poverty and inequality, deepening inclusion
as well as unequal access to productive inputs such and reducing conflict, without inflicting irreversible
as credit, land and technology, which translate damage on environmental systems.

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

What do we offer?

UNDP works with programme countries to design • Provide technical assistance to improve the assessment
and implement sustainable development policies that of the impact of fiscal and social policies on poverty
promote inclusive growth. UNDP’s strength lies in its and inequality. UNDP supports countries in advancing
large country network — a presence in more than fiscal reforms that contribute to reducing inequality
170 countries and territories, a core coordination through fiscal microsimulation exercises which analyse
function within the UN Development System and the and illustrate the impacts of social and fiscal policy
proven ability to support efforts to reduce poverty, interventions on the poor and most vulnerable.
inequality and exclusion and protect vital ecosystems.
UNDP is a trusted and convening partner with national • Help partners put in place and implement robust
counterparts including governments and civil society. We social and environmental safeguards and grievance
promote citizen participation and facilitate stakeholder mechanisms as a tool to integrate human rights,
engagement and dialogue to develop strategic gender equality and environmental sustainability in
inclusive public policies and inclusive societies. Through development planning and implementation. Such
the application of UNDP’s Social and Environmental mechanisms aim to ensure communities have a voice in
Standards and related Accountability Mechanism, UNDP decision-making and that vulnerable populations and
also ensures appropriate safeguards are in place across natural resources are protected from exploitation and
all of its programming to avoid, manage and mitigate inadvertent harm. UNDP provides this support through
potential harm to people and the environment. Our work the assessment and strengthening of relevant policies,
on addressing inequality is fully aligned with SDG 10 laws and regulations; strengthening of capacities
on reducing inequality within and among countries, for implementation and monitoring of safeguards;
as well as the relevant dimensions of all the other goals. stakeholder engagement and dialogue; assessment of
In partnership with a wide range of actors, we offer the strengths and gaps related to national and/or sectoral
following services to countries: grievance mechanisms; and strengthening grievance
mechanisms by enhancing transparency, accessibility,
• Assist countries in improving the design and effective credibility and the capacities of local and national
implementation of development strategies, policies institutions.
and programmatic interventions at national and
subnational levels to ensure that inclusive growth
spurs structural economic transformation to reach
the marginalized, and significantly reduce risks, health
inequities and poverty. We work with national and
subnational governments to develop analytical
tools, policy frameworks, financing methods and
knowledge management systems to undertake
integrated strategic planning in order to contribute to
a more balanced and inclusive development.

• Promote effective, transparent and accountable

intersectoral and multilevel governance
arrangements that are responsive to the needs
of all, but in particular the poorest and most
marginalized. This includes building the capacity of
national and subnational governments and other
stakeholders to more effectively address the social
determinants of inequalities, in particular through
strengthened governance mechanisms.
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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

• Support countries in addressing laws and policies that broader political and diplomatic efforts on conflict
reinforce stigma and discrimination and increase resolution and mediation by providing strategic
inequalities and exclusion. This includes reforming analysis as well as policy and programme support to the
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

legal, policy and regulatory environments that international community, the UN system, governments
continue to undermine the response to HIV and health and civil society partners.
responses in many countries. In particular, overly broad
criminalization of HIV transmission, laws that criminalize • Assist countries affected by crisis through the
sex work, drug use and sex between men, and laws and promotion of respect for human rights and redress
policies that limit access to affordable medicines or that for human rights violations. A human rights-based
fail to ensure equality for women and protect children approach to development programming, which is an
can all increase HIV vulnerability and act as barriers to engagement principle for UNDP globally, builds the
accessing HIV prevention and treatment. capacities of both duty-bearers and rights-holders and
enables an understanding of the situation of excluded
• Assist in the design, expansion and implementation and marginalized groups and individuals helping to
of social protection systems, centred on people and analyse complex power dynamics and understand the
based on a human-rights-based approach and the pillars root causes of discrimination and structural inequalities.
of inclusivity and comprehensiveness. We also help UNDP also supports national systems for the promotion
institutionalize a systemic approach to social protection and protection of human rights and has supported over
that aims at moving towards much more coordinated a hundred NHRIs, ombudsman institutions, equality
and harmonized responses in the context of poverty, and gender bodies and other independent oversight
health inequities, vulnerability and exclusion. In institutions in order to develop their capacities and
addition, we support national partners in increasing the enhance the role of NHRIs as cornerstones of national
gender responsiveness of social protection measures. human rights systems.

• Assist countries in developing an effective local • Promote inclusive and sustainable market growth
governance and local development (LGLD) agenda through the development, expansion, greening and
and support a range of efforts in a variety of contexts de-risking of national and regional value chains in key
(rural, urban, stable and crisis-affected environments). livelihoods and job creating sectors such as agribusiness,
Effective local governance is key to reducing tourism, renewable energy, retailing, mining and large
inequality in all its forms and enhancing relations capital projects.
between people and public institutions. UNDP’s
approach advances an LGLD process that involves a • Support countries in building capacity and creating
comprehensive and harmonized provision of key inputs an enabling environment for productive and decent
into local governance systems: facilitating democratic employment opportunities for disadvantaged
accountability, strengthening rule of law and security, groups, including women and youth. Support includes
building administrative capacity for development the development and implementation of institutional,
management and service delivery, enhancing fiscal legislative and policy frameworks, and helping remove
resources and empowerment, equipping collection and structural barriers that poor and disadvantaged groups
management of spatial information and accelerating face in the labour market.
social capital formation.
• Support countries in stimulating job creation by
• Contribute to reducing the likelihood of conflict by helping ‘biodiversity-friendly’ producers access
promoting social cohesion and empowering nations new markets, promoting nature-based tourism
and communities to tackle inequalities, and become initiatives that generate income for local communities
more inclusive and resilient to external and internal and supporting sustainable harvesting livelihoods,
shocks. This is done by providing tailored support for and access and benefit sharing agreements on genetic
core national and local governance capacities necessary resources. We promote secure land tenure, effective
for helping countries to navigate away from conflict, management and expansion of protected areas,
10 towards nonviolent change. UNDP also complements and large-scale rehabilitation projects to strengthen
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

livelihoods, and increase tourism revenues and job • Promote entrepreneurship development initiatives
opportunities. We also support partners in ensuring such as the provision of training, starting and scaling up
the gender responsive governance of national of small businesses, and business skills development.
resources management including ensuring the full This is to create an enabling institutional framework
participation of women in decision-making on the use, for Small, Medium and Micro-enterprises (SMMEs),
management and protection of national resources. particularly in labour-intensive (low productivity)
sectors in which the poor predominantly work.
• Advocate for partnerships with the private sector We support women entrepreneurs to overcome
through numerous programmes, including the Africa institutional and cultural barriers that prevent them
Facility for Inclusive Markets, to promote sustainable from starting a business enterprise and contributing
inclusive markets, generate tax revenues to finance to economic growth and development.
essential social and economic infrastructure, health
and human rights promotion, and develop new and Support countries in the formulation and
•
innovative solutions that help tackle development implementation of comprehensive national
challenges. UNDP helps promote and develop capacity policy and institutional frameworks for migration,
to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business including strengthening the government capacity
and Human Rights, particularly in strategic sectors to integrate migration into regional, national and
like extractive industries, to contribute to responsible subnational development strategies and plans.
economic activities that generate social benefits We also work with host and return communities
including for local communities. UNDP promotes to address the local drivers of migration and root
inclusive local economic development, facilitating causes of displacement (economic, social, political
public-private partnerships and participative spaces or environmental) while leveraging the potential
for stakeholder engagement that would strengthen of migration for local sustainable development and
their capacity to build local development strategies, managing the impacts of immigration, emigration,
plans and governance arrangements that are internal migration and displacement.
responsive to the needs of all actors, and advance
sustainable development particularly for the poorest • Support countries, especially the LDCs, at the global,
and most excluded. regional and national level, in harnessing trade

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

opportunities to spur inclusive growth. At the financial solutions in sustainable management of

global level, UNDP advocates for a fair and open ecosystem goods and services; improving water
multilateral trade system that takes into account the and oceans governance; scaling up climate change
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

special needs of developing economies. We promote adaptation and mitigation; sustainable, affordable and
regional integration and the development of regional clean energy; and sustainable management of chemicals
trade strategies, to enhance sustainable and equitable and waste. To achieve this, UNDP supports national
growth. UNDP also supports policy integration at the partners in planning, accessing, delivering, diversifying,
national level, enabling developing countries, LDCs in scaling up and sequencing a variety of environmental
particular, to integrate pro-poor and pro-health trade vertical funds — the Global Environment Facility, Green
policies in development strategies, and helps in the Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Multilateral Fund for
identification of trade capacity gaps and solutions to the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, and
overcome these challenges. multi-donor trust funds managed by the UN System
such as UN-REDD and the UNDP Thematic Trust Fund
• Provide strategic assistance in catalysing investment — and combining this funding with other sources of
in green technologies, practices and enterprises that public and private financing. This financing is used to
will pave the way for more inclusive and sustainable develop capacity, remove policy and regulatory barriers
development. We work with countries to develop and expand or transform green markets to increase
resilience and reduce poverty and inequality.

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 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

UNDP IN ACTION ensure transparency in the payment of wages and

efficiency in administration by introducing innovative
Social Protection technologies like smart cards, biometric devices
and ATMs and by digitizing information. NREGA has
With UNDP support, nearly 75 countries have reported reached over 200 million of the poorest people in
positive results in support of the social protection of India, 50 percent of them being women, 23 percent
vulnerable and discriminated groups. In 2013 alone, Scheduled Castes and 17 percent Scheduled Tribes.27
15 million people benefited from social protection
measures in 72 countries. Results include improved • In Myanmar, UNDP provided social protection
capacities of governments to develop and implement assistance through 194 rice banks, reaching 89,847
policies on social protection and social safety net people (52 percent of them women). These rice
mechanisms to alleviate the financial needs of poor banks helped reduce food insecurity among poor
and marginalized populations; the introduction households, particularly during the rainy season and
of reforms to increase access to social protection ahead of cultivation season.
schemes, including for women; and ensuring that
social protection schemes are better connected to • In India, UNDP has supported networks of people
basic service coverage and delivery, while reaching living with HIV (PLHIV), including women living with
the intended groups in urban and rural areas. South- or affected by HIV to better articulate their needs,
South exchanges have enabled the transfer of social understand social protection and demand inclusion.
protection knowledge and models, including those UNDP has also advocated and provided technical
based on cash transfer mechanisms, to support national support to relevant state and central ministries and
policies and strategies. civil society to expand the scope and inclusion criteria
of India’s existing social protection schemes, including
• Brazil celebrated 10 years of its Bolsa Familia social by linking these schemes to PLHIV and those most
protection programme in 2013, globally recognized vulnerable. For example, pension schemes have been
for extending health care and education to poor amended to include women widowed by AIDS, while
families. The programme has lifted 36 million people legal assistance and nutrition have been provided to
out of extreme poverty,26 and has contributed PLHIV. Approximately 24,854 women had benefited
significantly to the reduction of the poverty rate from changes in the pension policy by 2013. Moreover,
from 9.7 percent to 4.3 percent. 50 million low- states have been increasingly covering transportation
income people have obtained benefits through the costs for HIV patients to access treatment services.
programme. UNDP worked with the Ministry of Social In 2013, over 210,000 people benefited from the
Development and Fight Against Hunger to design, programme. This policy innovation is being extended
structure and deploy this programme. to other countries in the region, including Cambodia,
China, Indonesia and Viet Nam.
• In India, many unemployed, including migrant workers
who earn their income through casual jobs, have Enabling legal and policy frameworks
found a safety net in the form of the National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). It has helped UNDP has supported over 80 countries in creating
to slow down and, in some cases, reverse migration an enabling legal and policy environment to address
from rural to urban areas. UNDP is a key partner in this structural inequalities.
job guarantee programme and has strengthened the
government’s capacity to implement the programme • Through its Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
by setting up a Technical Secretariat with experts in and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programming, UNDP
monitoring, training and communications. It helped is supporting more than 20 countries in reviewing
raise awareness about the Act among potential and strengthening their national policies, laws and
participants, informing them about their rights and regulations to ensure consistency with internationally
the benefits of the programme. This has proved to be negotiated social and environmental safeguards. UNDP
crucial for creating demand for work. It also helped is also supporting several countries in strengthening 13
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

their national systems to address the grievances of HIV transmission; and Nigeria passed an anti-stigma bill.
people affected by adverse social and environmental In the Arab States, the Government of Djibouti committed
impacts. This support contributes to reduced to ratifying the Arab Convention on HIV Prevention and
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

structural inequality by mainstreaming core principles Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV. In
and standards of participation, accountability, non- Latin America, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and
discrimination, protection and transparency into Nicaragua reviewed gender identity laws.
national policies and planning processes.
• UNDP supported the Multi-Country South Asia Global
• UNDP established the Global Commission on HIV and the Fund HIV Programme (Phase 2) which operates in
Law with the aim of promoting legal and policy reforms seven countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
that protect human rights in the context of HIV and reduce India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Programme
the discrimination against marginalized key populations. worked to build the capacity of over 60 in-country and
More than 80 countries have initiated activities as a follow- regional community-based organizations engaged
up to the Commission’s recommendations, with UNDP in service provision (HIV prevention, care and
support. Governments and civil society in 86 countries support services), policy development and advocacy,
have conducted legal environment assessments and partnership building with local governments and
national dialogues. As a result, the Governments of health departments, research related to MSM
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan recognized and transgender issues and on creating stronger
transgender (hijra) as a third gender. A regional HIV legal community systems to support and sustain this work.
network provides people with HIV in Eastern Europe and Service provision in Afghanistan and Pakistan has
Central Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, reached over 40,000 MSM and transgender people
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, and almost 10,000 were tested for HIV and informed
Russian Federation and Ukraine) with access to quality, of their results in 2014.
free legal aid. In Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and
the United Republic of Tanzania reviewed and reformed • UNDP has supported over 90 NHRIs around the world
HIV-related law; Chad amended current laws to include since 2008. NHRIs are the cornerstones of national
protections for people living with HIV; Mozambique systems for the promotion and protection of human
approved a new HIV law free of provisions criminalizing rights and inter alia promote accountability, prevent

14
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

violence and promote and enforce non-discriminatory reduction.

laws and policies. NHRIs also act as a bridge between
the state, civil society and stakeholders, often as a • UNDP, through its Green Commodities Programme,
convenor for dialogue on national development strengthened the links between buyers and producers
plans and processes which affect marginalized and to facilitate improved terms and conditions for
excluded groups. This serves to promote transparent, small-scale farmers supplying sustainable products.
participatory and inclusive national development Companies which represent major global purchasing
processes and within the context of the SDGs power for the world’s agricultural commodities, such
also implementation and monitoring frameworks as Kraft, Walmart, Ikea and Dole, are engaged with the
in accordance with international human rights Programme. In 2008, Cadbury (now owned by Kraft)
standards. A strong, effective NHRI that is compliant launched the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership in Ghana
with the Paris principles can have an enabling and to secure the economic, social and environmental
catalytic impact on the realization of Goals 10 and 16. sustainability of 1 million cocoa farmers. Working in
partnership with the Government of Ghana, leading
Governance for equitable health development NGOs and UNDP, the initiative focused
on improving incomes by helping farmers increase
• UNDP is working with the World Health Organization their yields and produce top quality beans, introducing
to support countries in their governance response to new sources of rural income through microfinance and
NCDs, a group of conditions rooted in poverty and providing support to kick-start new rural businesses;
inequalities that kill more people than all other causes building government capacity to improve extension
combined. In Barbados, for example, UNDP and WHO services, and aiding in policy reform. The interventions
supported the Ministry of Health to put together a under this partnership have helped increase yields
‘business case’ for NCD prevention and control, to significantly. Cocoa production is now a year-round
demonstrate the relevance of NCDs to their colleagues exercise and farmers have started doubling their yields
in social welfare, tourism, trade and other sectors. The in less than two years of operation.
case pitted the costs of inaction, not just to health
but also to Barbados’ workforce and GDP, against the Local Economic Development
significantly greater benefits of early investment.
UNDP has supported the integration of Local Economic
Inclusive businesses and value chain Development (LED) processes as a means of promoting
development more equitable socio-economic development
opportunities in order to reduce inequalities between
UNDP supported the development of value chains persons and groups.
with growth, job and income generation potential,
specifically targeting low-income groups in over 40 • In Colombia, UNDP supported the establishment
countries. Support was also provided in building of 11 LED agencies (LEDAs) to promote productive
private sector capacity in inclusive agribusiness and value chains under a territorial development
value chain development through training, platform approach. These LEDAs were among the first entities
participation and knowledge products. to implement innovative approaches in territorial
management, privileging participatory democracy,
• UNDP’s regional Africa Facility for Inclusive Markets bottom-up processes and dialogue between and
supported cross-border value chain initiatives and across sectors and development actors. Their
strengthened the capacity of the Regional Economic achievements were consolidated with the creation of
Commissions to further support and enable inclusive a network for LEDAs, ADELCO, to serve as a national
market development in the region. This portfolio, coordination platform to strengthen, support and
including the activities of UNDP’s affiliate, the UN position LED processes in the country. ADELCO
Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), accounts for also seeks to influence public policies in support of
approximately $100 million per year globally, and is LED models and to promote dialogue, reflection,
aimed at enhancing the contribution of the private experience-exchange and knowledge management 15
sector, including SMMEs to trade, growth and poverty around the fundamental LED elements in Colombia.
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

Much has been achieved in the last few years: for Jobs and livelihoods
example, ADELCO promoted the implementation
of international cooperation programmes that In 2014, with UNDP support, 11.2 million people (5.7
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

eventually became the conceptual foundation of million women) benefited from improved livelihoods in
entrepreneurial development policies respectful of 94 countries, 920,000 new jobs (41 per cent for women)
inclusion principles. were created in 77 countries, 33 countries adopted policies
and systems to boost employment and livelihoods
• In Bolivia, authorities of the department of Tarija creation, 14 countries strengthened their capacities for
requested UNDP’s support in the elaboration of a collecting and analysing youth employment statistics,
public-private partnership to facilitate agreements and over 2.4 million women directly benefited from
and prioritization processes for its productive sector. interventions designed to reduce or eliminate barriers to
The Governorate and UNDP worked together to set in women’s economic empowerment.
motion a productive development and employment
generation strategy, establishing and strengthening a • In Bangladesh, with UNDP support, 90,000
public-private space supported by the Departmental underserved people (70 percent women) were able
Working Group (a multilevel governance mechanism to access digital mobile financial services through
established earlier) called the ‘Private-Public Alliance 2,000 digital centres. The centres supported 62
for Tarija’s Productive Development’. This platform rural cooperatives, providing access to finance and
facilitates cohesion among local, departmental consultation services for nearly 8,000 households
and national policies and the various initiatives and 2.5 million individuals.
of private actors and civil society. The strategy is
focused on several intertwined areas: support for • In Bolivia, UNDP provided more than 4,000
the implementation of local development projects; indigenous women with training and microloans to
territorial competitiveness and LED to improve social open up new, community-based businesses.
cohesion, employment generation and poverty
reduction; and support for a productive development • In Cambodia, UNDP supported the Ministry of
and employment generation strategy with a focus on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to help rural
territorial planning and multilevel articulation at the farming communities become more resilient to the
local level. impacts of climate change and strengthen their
livelihoods, benefiting more than 13,000 people in
• In Ecuador, UNDP is coordinating the platform for two provinces.
the implementation of the joint project ‘Youth,
Employment and Migration’, which has contributed
to inclusive development through the generation
of 1,134 entrepreneurship opportunities for youth
(570 of which are led by women) and financial and
non-financial assistance to 1,479 youth (of which
1,142 are young women). Eighteen local financial
entities and three LEDAs were strengthened as part
of this process so they can offer their services to local
youth in the provinces of Carchi, El Oro and Loja.
Moreover, a system to support entrepreneurship and
local economic development was developed. A key
result of this strategy is the change from the National
Programme of Popular Finances to the National
Corporation of Popular and Solidary Finances,
signaling a shift towards a more socially sensitive,
solidarity-based economic model, which has now
16 become a national priority.
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

• In Colombia, UNDP worked with the Ministry of round, enabling women to take an active role in local
Employment to develop policies to eliminate gender economic activity rather than having to depend on
inequalities in the public and private sectors. An initial unreliable remittances from abroad. Women received
group of 20 private companies with more than 60,000 training in how to organize their business, prepare
employees developed action plans to reduce gender and maintain family budgets, improve soil quality
gaps in recruitment, address salary differentials and and produce home compost. Each greenhouse now
promote career development for women. generates up to $3,600 in six months, providing stable
and independent livelihoods for these women.
• In Kenya, with support from UNDP’s Africa Facility
for Inclusive Markets, the Youth Enterprise Fund has Migration and human development
helped to support 89,000 youth enterprises, offered
market support to 1,800 entrepreneurs, trained over UNDP has planned or implemented at least 192
15,000 youth in entrepreneurship and facilitated over migration-related initiatives in a variety of countries,
2,000 youth in job-seeking efforts through the Youth more than 22 of which are ongoing. In addition,
Employment Scheme. This has been key to enabling currently, UNDP is working in over 30 countries that have
public-private sector dialogue in support of private suffered disasters and conflict and transit countries with
sector development. crisis migrants (including IDPs), and in host and origin
• In Jordan, UNDP supported the development of a communities to create livelihood opportunities for all,
national youth strategy that focused on strengthening alleviate the pressure on local governments to provide
120 youth training centres across the country that basic services and support social cohesion.
prepare youth for employment.
• UNDP, in cooperation with the International
• In Georgia, UNDP has been instrumental in overhauling Organization for Migration, implements the Global Joint
the out-of-date vocational and educational training Programme on Mainstreaming Migration into National
system curricula across the country with the objective Strategies (2011–2018) that supports governments
of providing participants with skills that respond to in including migration in national development
the needs of the labour market. planning, and establishes coherent UN country team
approaches to migration and development. This
Since 2010, UNDP has supported over 100 countries in includes extensive consultation on immigration and
integrating ecosystem management priorities into emigration policies, and appropriate institutional
development planning and production sector activities frameworks and links between mobility and sector
that strengthen livelihoods and job opportunities policies, such as health, education, investment and
linked to natural resources and help transform economies. agriculture. This programme is currently implemented
in eight countries: Bangladesh, Ecuador, Jamaica,
• In Tajikistan, agriculture provides the backbone of Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, Serbia and Tunisia.
the economy and supports the livelihoods of two
thirds of rural communities. However, deforestation • UNDP has supporting interventions to develop
and soil depletion due to unsustainable agricultural diaspora investment models aimed at leveraging
practices has reduced productivity, impacting the migrant savings for local business development and
livelihoods of rural communities. To address this as a means of boosting local economic development.
issue, the UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative Such efforts are already under way in Bosnia and
(PEI) supported the subnational government in the Herzegovina, El Salvador, Kosovo, Lesotho,
Sughd region, an area that generates 30 per cent of Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Russia,
the agricultural production of Tajikistan, to integrate Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Tunisia.
environment issues into the regional development
plan and 27 district plans. To create meaningful Trade
impact on the ground, PEI helped establish women’s
cooperatives to provide green jobs for women. These Along with other UN agencies and development
cooperatives use greenhouses to grow crops year partners, UNDP supported the Aid for Trade initiative. 17
 UNDP SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 10

UNDP provided support in the design of trade policies health technologies in the regions of Asia and Africa.
and mainstreaming trade into national development Alongside policy coherence strengthening activities
and private sector strategies to create an enabling at the national levels, the ADP has supported Ghana
REDUCED INEQUALITIES

environment to spur inclusive sustainable growth. to revise its national medicines policy, assisted
Tanzania to develop and implement a national health
• As a core partner of the Enhanced Integrated research agenda, and built capacity of Indonesia’s
Framework, UNDP provided assistance to Cambodia, health technology assessment (HTA) approach.
Comoros, Chad, South Sudan and Yemen in
formulating trade diagnostic studies. Trade diagnostics • The health technology needs of people living with
map the current economic outlook of a country and communicable diseases like HIV, TB, malaria, and viral
identify priority sectors and policy reforms necessary hepatitis, non-communicable diseases, neglected
to enhance trade opportunities with an impact on tropical diseases and rare diseases are frequently
poverty reduction. In Malawi, Samoa, Sao Tome unmet partly due to escalating costs. The use of Trade-
and Principe, Sierra Leone and South Sudan, UNDP Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
carried out capacity assessments of trade institutions flexibilities to promote access to essential health
and organizations, and proposed an action plan to technologies can promote access, but their use has been
address capacity gaps. Addressing these gaps will varied. UNDP plays a lead role in identifying the need for
help strengthen organizational performance and public health sensitive intellectual property legislation,
contribute to making trade a strong driver of inclusive providing technical and policy support to governments
growth and transformation. in drafting such legislation and regulations, and
developing the capacity of governments to implement
• In the South Pacific, UNDP and WHO have supported best practice intellectual property policies. Linked
an assessment of the impact of trade agreements on to this, UNDP promotes greater awareness of public
chronic diseases and their risk factors. Health and trade health concerns in the patent and industrial property
officials together identified strategies that align trade offices in developing countries. In recent years, UNDP
agreements with public health needs. Encouraged has supported the governments of Zambia, Lesotho,
by this process as well as the implementation of the Tanzania, Swaziland, Ukraine, Indonesia, Cambodia,
MDG Acceleration Framework, Tonga in 2013 raised Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, as well as regional
its excise rates on carbonated drinks and tobacco. organisations such as the Francophonie West African
countries and the African Union to ensure that relevant
• The Access and Delivery Partnership (ADP), a law reform efforts law reform efforts incorporate
collaboration between UNDP, WHO/TDR and PATH, public health related flexibilities which aim to address
supports low and middle-income countries (LMICs) inequality of access to health technologies.
to strengthen their capacity to improve access to, and
delivery of, new health technologies for tuberculosis, Financing for development
malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs);
diseases of poverty and inequality. While ending • UNDP is working with governments in Malawi, South
these epidemics will require substantial investment Africa and Tanzania to operationalize an innovative
in the development of technologies for diagnosis, co-financing approach in which the costs of social
treatment and prevention, building the capacity of protection programmes are fairly distributed across
countries to ensure access and sustainable uptake the sectors which benefit from the multiple impacts
of these technologies is also essential and will of social protection instruments. Specific investments
require the meaningful engagement of sectors are calculated based on each budget holder’s
beyond health. In line with its focus on South–South willingness to pay for anticipated outcomes. This
collaboration, regional networks and the facilitation cross-sectoral co-financing approach, linking poverty
of exchanges, the ADP has hosted a number of reduction, HIV, health, education, agriculture, social
regional initiatives to strengthen coherence of laws welfare and gender objectives can result in a more
and policies affecting access to and innovation in efficient allocation of existing resources.
18
1. United Nations Development Programme, ‘Humanity Divided: Confronting Inequality in Developing Countries’, 2013.
2. United Nations Development Programme, ‘Humanity Divided: Confronting Inequality in Developing Countries’, 2013.
3. R. Fuentes Nieva, and N. Galasso, ’Working for the Few - Political Capture and Economic Inequality’, Oxfam International, 2014.
4. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, 1948.
5. International Monetary Fund, ‘Causes and Consequences of Income Inequality: A Global Perspective’, 2015.
6. Ibid.
7. M. Corak, “Income Inequality, Equality of Opportunity, and Intergenerational Mobility,” Journal of Economic Perspectives 27 (3):
79–102.
8. L. Carvalho, and A. Rezai, “Personal Income Inequality and Aggregate Demand.” Working Paper 2014-23, Department of
Economics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 2014.
9. World Health Organization, ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of
Health’, Final Report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health, Geneva, 2008.
10. N. Birdsall, ‘The World is Not Flat: Inequality and Injustice in our Global Economy’, UNU World Institute for Development
Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), WIDER Annual Lecture 9, 2005.
11. United Nations Development Programme, ‘Humanity Divided: Confronting Inequality in Developing Countries’, 2013.
12. International Labour Organization, ‘Social Protection Floors and gender equality: A brief overview’, ESS Working Paper no. 37.
13. The 2015 Female Entrepreneurship Index of the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute analyses 77 countries, of
which 47 still score below 50 points, an indication that these countries must pursue significant changes to reduce barriers for
female entrepreneurs.
14. World Economic Forum and Harvard School of Public health, ‘Report on Global burden of non-communicable diseases’, 2011.
15. K. Xu et al., “Protecting households from catastrophic health spending,” Health Affairs 26: 972–983.
16. United Nations Development Programme, ‘Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development’, Human Development
Report, 2009.
17. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, International Migration Report, 2013.
18. ‘Migration and Gender Empowerment: Recent Trends and Emerging Issues’, Human Development Reports, 2009/04.
19. United Nations, ‘The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015’, 2015.
20. World Trade Organization, ‘World Trade Development. International Trade Statistics’, 2014.
21. OECD, WTO, ‘Aid for Trade at a Glance 2015: Reducing Trade Costs for Inclusive, Sustainable Growth’, 2015.
22. Women Watch, ‘Gender Equality and Trade Policy’, 2011.
23. Ibid.
24. Ibid.
25. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, ‘World Investment Report 2014 − Investing in the SDGs: An Action Plan’,
2014.
26. The Guardian, ‘Brazil’s bolsa familia scheme marks a decade of pioneering poverty relief,’ 2013.
27. United Nations Development Programme, ‘Empowering lives through Mahatma Gandhi NREGA’, 2011.

Photo credits:
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Page 5: Willemjan Vandenplas/ Flickr Page 12: World Bank
Page 6: Creative Commons/Flickr Page 14: John Mawer/Flickr
Page 10: Direct Relief/Flickr Page 16: Arnaud Z Voyage/Flickr

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