This publication sets out the vision, policy and programming offer of UNDP’s Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster. It is intended for UNDP staff, UNDP partners, donors and the global development community.

The publication first considers the global challenges confronting states and societies, which heighten their vulnerability to a wide range of interconnected risks – social, political, economic and environmental. It then turns to the importance of building-in resilience to external and domestic threats and vulnerabilities. In line with UNDP’s Strategic Plan and responding to recent rethinking of the nexus between development and peacebuilding, the paper highlights how UNDP has re-oriented its approach to democratic governance, conflict prevention and peacebuilding. A focus on prevention through democratic governance calls for increased attention and investment in processes that strengthen the state-society social contract, in particular in situations where that social contract has come under severe stress which may be the case in a variety of development situations.

The publication finally describes the global offer of the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster through its four interrelated areas of work: (1) Rule of law, justice, security and human rights; (2) Inclusive political processes; (3) Responsive and accountable institutions and (4) Conflict prevention. It also details the Cluster’s cross-cutting initiatives and the role of the two Global Policy Centers that are part of it.