UNDP Europe and Central Asia

From the heart of Europe to the Silk Road in Central Asia, we help people build better lives.

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Istanbul Innovation Days 2025

Institutional innovation in an unsecure world

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Featured

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Stories
The path to tuberculosis recovery is paved with support

Tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment in Turkmenistan have become more accessible but the path to recovery can still be challenging. Here is Meryem's story.

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A woman speaks into a microphone while another holds a poster in a well-lit meeting room.
Stories
Mentorship accelerates women's success across fields and countries

UNDP sees mentorship as essential—not just for training or policy change, but for shifting mindsets. It helps women overcome gender barriers, gain leadership…

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Blog
Technology is evolving faster than institutions can adapt, deepening inequalities and concentrating power

Once envisioned as open, digital spaces are now shaped by a few dominant actors. How can technology help build institutions that truly serve society?

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A person with a cane crossing a quiet, tree-lined street in autumn.
Stories
Walking towards equality

In Georgia, people reach across cultural, ethnic and religious divides to overcome differences, strengthening social cohesion.

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A man with a beard sits in a wheelchair, surrounded by a modern, minimalistic room.
Stories
Unbreakable: Ukrainians who never stop

The resilience of the Ukrainian people is unwavering. UNDP, along with its partners, is supporting Ukrainian communities, businesses and state institutions in…

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Our mission

UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. We help countries develop strong policies, skills, partnerships and institutions so they can sustain their progress.

Istanbul Development Dialogues

Microsite

Since their inception in 2015, UNDP's Istanbul Development Dialogues (IDD) have grown into a premier global development forum, building on Istanbul’s geopolitical position and active role in global development. Here, policymakers, business leaders and a wide array of experts ranging from journalists to designers come together to deliberate on contemporary issues.

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Microsite

Eurasia doesn't get the spotlight it deserves - so we created a journal of our own(link is external)

Why do stories from our region often go unreported? Maybe it's because countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have had a legacy of equality, job security and functioning safety nets. But there are many stories to be told, which is why we created Voyages. Our current issue takes a deeper look at the power of connection and how it transforms lives, creates opportunities and protects us and our environment's impact on people and communities throughout the region. Explore visual stories.(link is external)

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Microsite

Innovation for Development(link is external)

The UNDP innovation community in Europe and Central Asia is working to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by harnessing the potential of the data revolution (Ministry of Data), new technologies, urban transformation (City Experiment Fund and the Mayors for Economic Growth), innovative finance (AltFinLab), new, systemic ways of working and thinking (Portfolio Design & Management), and organizing unique acceleration programs (BOOST). We take a systems thinking-based approach to addressing the complex development challenges of the region, collaborating closely with public, private and nonprofit sectors.(link is external)

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Microsite

#STEM4ALL(link is external)

The STEM4ALL platform uses knowledge and advocacy to advance gender equality in the workplace in the men-dominated growth industry sectors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across Europe and Central Asia. For economies to prosper, and for women to participate and benefit from them on an equal footing with men, new STEM pathways must be forged, from classroom to career. Businesses, governments, academia, and civil society organizations are encouraged to use this platform to learn and collaborate to design new solutions that dismantle gender-based barriers to STEM-related work.(link is external)

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Microsite

Equal Future(link is external)

The Equal Future platform is a resource and hub for knowledge and information on the topic of women’s participation and leadership in politics and public administration. The platform collects, analyzes, and examines the current status of women in politics and public administration in the 19 countries and territories covered by UNDP in Europe and Central Asia. Equal Future also looks forward, gathering good practices around gender equality and the meaningful inclusion of women in leadership and decision-making roles, and presenting inspiring stories of women who have entered and thrived in the political sphere. (link is external)

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Stats

35

percent

are excluded from society

19

percent

of youth are unemployed

1.4

million

are living with HIV

88

percent

of primary energy supply is from fossil fuels

21.5

percent

of women in parliament.

15

percent

of the world’s migrants from the region

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