2.2 Inclusive, equitable and accountable governance

Outcome 3. Transparent, accountable institutions at all levels protect rights of all people.

Corresponding outputs:

OUTPUT 3.1. Governance institutions and processes enabled to be effective, accountable, gender sensitive, equitable and guarantee the rights of all. OUTPUT 3.2. Peace actors and institutions have strengthened capacities for peacebuilding including to reduce small arms violence.

OUTPUT 3.3. Civil society, including youth and women’s groups, empowered to demand transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from public institutions. OUTPUT 3.4. Justice and human rights institutions have strengthened technical and operational capacity to provide equitable access to quality services. OUTPUT 3.5. Policies and strategies for equitable health services (especially for HIV/AIDS, non‑communicable diseases, and infectious diseases) for the marginalized/vulnerable developed and implemented. OUTPUT 3.6. National planning institutions, development authorities and statistical agencies effectively produce SDG‑informed policies, plans and reports.

UNDP’s democratic governance thematic area has been at the centre of its overall country programme since the late 1990s. Throughout the 2000s and up to the previous country programme (2012‑2017), the focus was on decentralized or subnational governance, working to create a positive environment, increased public sector capacity for improved service delivery, and enhanced citizen participation in development planning and implementation. The evolution of this programme has moved from largely downstream activities to largely upstream activities, while using pilot projects to link policy initiatives to facts on the ground. The design of the current governance programme was built on the previous programme and includes continuing support to deepen Ghana’s peace architecture, preparing for and ensuring peaceful 2020 elections, and building both the public sector and civil society’s roles to supply and demand accountable, transparent and responsive governance.