What are the strategic principles of the UNDP Global Programme on Democratic Governance Assessments?

The global programme reflects UNDP’s distinct approach to democratic governance assessments that emphasizes:

1. National ownership – governance assessments and the development of governance indicators need to be nationally owned which is achieved through an inclusive and consultative process involving government, civil society, elected representatives, and other key stakeholders about what should be assessed and how.
2. Capacity development – governance assessments are a critical entry point and opportunity for developing the capacities of national stakeholders (including statistical offices, government and civil society) in the production and application of governance related data. This entails support to national and local participative processes of assessing and monitoring governance with a focus on building national and local capacities to collect, analyze, and share governance data.
3. Harmonisation – country driven governance assessments and monitoring systems, as well as sector specific plans, must be harmonised and aligned with national development plans and related instruments where relevant such as the PRSPs, MDG progress reports, local development plans etc.