Home » About Us

Who we are

 

UN's Global Development Network

EMPOWERED LIVES. RESILIENT NATIONS.

 

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 177 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

UNDP's mandate is human development.

We provide policy advice and help build institutional and human capacity that generates equitable growth. UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. It works with the public and private sector partners to make the best possible use of aid resources in confronting the challenges and opportunities offered by globalization. It is committed to promoting accountable governance at all levels of society and building coalitions for actions on issues critical to sustainable human development.

An Executive Board, representing both developed and developing countries governs UNDP. 

World leaders have pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the overarching goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015. UNDP's network links and coordinates global and national efforts to reach these Goals.

Our focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of:

  1. Democratic Governance
  2. Poverty Reduction
  3. Crisis Prevention and Recovery
  4. Environment and Energy
  5. HIV/AIDS

The annual Human Development Report, commissioned by UNDP, focuses the global debate on key development issues, providing new measurement tools, innovative analysis and often controversial policy proposals. The global Report's analytical framework and inclusive approach carry over into regional, national and local Human Development Reports, also supported by UNDP.

It is guided by the belief that development is ultimately a process of enlarging people's choices, not just raising national incomes. At the country level, UNDP provides support to publish National Human Development Reports.  More than 140 countries have now published NHDRs that have served to invigorate local policy debates.

UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

For more information on UNDP's mandate and goals, please click here. 

 

UNDP in Jamaica

 

Our Mission

UNDP works to promote the advancement of Human Development for the people of Jamaica. We do this by supporting good governance, poverty reduction and sound environmental management; providing quality advisory and support services and building strategic partnerships that leverage development assistance for Jamaica.

Our work in Jamaica is focused on:

In all our activities Human Rights, Capacity Development and Women's Empowerment are integrated. More>

MDGs

UNDP as the UN's global Development Network is committed to helping Jamaica achieve the global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Working with national plans and poverty reduction strategies, we assist the Country in formulating practical MDG strategies. The latest analysis of progress towards achieving the MDGs in Jamaica was published in the National Report of Jamaica for the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review in 2009. More>

Human Development Report

The global Human Development Report is our most popular flagship publication for advocacy. Each year the Report elaborates on an aspect of the thematic areas of focus for UNDP, and promotes an understanding of development as ultimately a process of enlarging people's choices. It is about development of the people, by the people, and for the people.  The very first regional Human Development Report, focusing on citizen security in Dutch and English speaking Caribbean Countries, is on the way to be published. More>

Click here to View Human Development indicators for Jamaica. 

Background

UNDP started its operations in Jamaica in January 1976 with the signature of the UNDP-Government of Jamaica Standard Basic Assistance Agreement. Since then, we have completed numerous projects, which have flowed from multi-year, Country Programmes assisting Jamaica in a diverse set of areas including: Natural Resources Management, National Energy policies, Disaster Risk Management, Democratic Governance, Security and Justice, Poverty Reduction and Youth Employment.

All support focuses on national capacity development and ensures promotion of gender equality.

 

 

(UNDP Jamaica Country Office; 1-3 Lady Musgrave, Kingston 5. Photo UNDP Jamaica)

How we work

Our assistance to Jamaica is defined in a Country Programme Document (CPD), a multi-dimensional five year programming strategy linked directly to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The current Country Programme cycle and consequent Action Plan (CPAP) covers the period 2012-2016. >More

The UNDP Jamaica Country Office procures goods and services through competitive solicitations, emphasizing the highest image and reputation of the organization through a procurement process in full conformity with financial regulations and rules. More>

We take pride in ensuring that our staff are of the highest caliber and observe the highest standards of professional ethics. More>

Our Focus Areas

The 2012-2016 Programme priorities for UNDP Jamaica are:

Poverty reduction,  and achieving the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) . More>

Democratic Governance, focused on security, justice and human rights. More>

Environment and Energy, focused on Environmental sustainability, Energy security, Climate Change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk reduction. More>

In 2011, UNDP delivered USD 2.1 Million in development assistance. More>

Our Partners

Our programmes are pursued in collaboration with Government partners, non-Government organizations, civil society and the private sector, as well as international development partners (IDPs) and other United Nations agencies. The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) remains the Government Coordinating Agency ensuring that UNDP provides the most relevant support to the Government of Jamaica either directly or through its other implementing partners.  Through these partnerships and the successful implementation of programmes, the Government of Jamaica and thousands of Jamaican citizens have benefited. More>

UNDP and the UN System

The UNDP Resident Representative serves also as the Resident Coordinator for the United Nations system as a whole in Jamaica. Through such coordination, UNDP seeks to ensure the most effective use of UN and international aid resources. As well, UNDP plays a key convening role bringing into closer collaboration the wider community of International Development Partners supporting development activities in Jamaica. More>

Our Team

Here at UNDP we currently employ 17 staff members, representing all segments of society, with higher degrees in specializations ranging from economics and international finance/banking to education and natural resource management, and with both Government and private-sector professional backgrounds. More >

The following chart shows current UNDP Jamaica Staff Members organized by series.

Job titles
FIXED TERM APPOINTMENTS (FTA)
PERMANENT APPOINTMENTS (PA)




1 Resident Representative   √
2 Deputy Resident Representative √
3 Assistant Resident Representative √
4 Programme Advisor - Poverty √
5 Programme Advisor - Environment & Energy √
6
 Finance Analyst
 √
7
 Operations Analyst
 √
8
 Programme Analyst - Poverty √
9
 Programme Analyst - Governance √
10 ICT Associate  √
11 Administrative Associate  √
12 Executive Associate  √
13 Programme Associate  √
14 Programme Associate √
15 Finance Associate √
16 Administrative Clerk √
17 Senior Driver √




   TOTAL N. OF STAFF MEMBERS 16 1