This project document describes the UNDP approach, guiding principles, and how the programme aims to respond to country demand. It also provides an overview of services.

Reflecting the critical outcome of the Millennium Declaration and the World Summit 2005 which highlighted democratic governance as a requirement for inclusive development and the achievement of the MDGs, countries are increasingly pressed to assess and measure their progress towards democratic governance as both end and means. A direct effect of this encouraging trend, UNDP Country Offices register a rising demand to assist national counterparts develop
their capacity to engage in nationally owned and driven democratic governance assessments. In response, capacity development for country-led governance assessments and measurements are a priority in UNDP strategic plan for 2008-2011, and they are also a flagship support area for the UNDP Democratic Governance Group (DGG) and its Oslo Governance Centre (OGC). DGG’s OGC has been supporting national initiatives for monitoring and measuring governance focused on the development of national governance indicators since 2003. The Global Programme on Capacity Devlopment for Democratic Governance Assessments and measurements addresses the need to better understand various methods and approaches to assess and measure democratic governance and its links to pro-poor planning, budgeting, and delivery of the MDGs. Operationalised through country, regional and global level windows, the Global Programme thus provides a comprehensive response to related concerns and demands among national partners.