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Executive Summary
Workers in Azerbaijan now have one of the most modern pension systems in the world.
UNDP’s Europe and Central Asia region includes the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia. They have attained diverse levels of development—some are already members of the European Union, while others are characterized by low GDP and basic development challenges. Most share a common legacy of transition, and in a good many of them, the prospect of European Union accession continues to play an influential role. UNDP assists countries across the region in achieving both national and international development priorities, towards the goal of improving people’s lives through greater empowerment and resilience. It works in five areas: poverty, inequality and social inclusion; local development; good and effective governance; energy and environment; and crisis response and post-conflict recovery. This publication features success stories from 16 countries where UNDP support has resulted in transformative changes, including by fostering the growth of institutional and human capacities. To qualify as a transformational success, a story needed to demonstrate tangible and sustainable achievements, substantiated by data and personal testimonies. Since these depend on significant changes in institutions, attitudes and behaviours, which require long-term efforts, each story chronicles a development intervention that generally spans a 5-to-10-year period. The success stories in this publication show how UNDP has contributed to building the capabilities of government institutions, civil society and the private sector by providing seed funding, expertise and implementation support, and by bringing different parties together. Across the stories, several key factors emerge as critical to fostering long-term, transformational change. Foremost among these are: national ownership, capacity development, knowledge and innovation and partnerships. NATIONAL OWNERSHIP: It is impossible to achieve sustainable results without the full commitment and engagement of national authorities. However successful, a pilot project will remain as such unless national decision makers acknowledge the lessons learned and results achieved, and incorporate them into national policies, plans and budgets. Long-term success depends on the will and ability of national counterparts to assume ownership of the activities. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT: Anchoring development cooperation from the outset in an institutional development objective, involving either establishing new capacities or strengthening existing ones, is an indispensable condition for transformational success. Developing the organizational abilities of government counterparts, as well as civil society and community groups, and engaging the private sector are critical achievements in this regard. Without institutions, policies, legislation and human resources to support them, programme activities will likely cease when the funding ends, however valuable and relevant the immediate results. KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION: UNDP’s ability to draw on a global knowledge network, and to bring in experience and One of 15 restored wetlands in Belarus.