In India, the UNDP Resident Representative is also the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) representing the UN

system in India. As the chair of the UN Country Team (a team comprising the heads of UN agencies), the Resident
Coordinator provides overall leadership for the United Nations strategic initiatives and the operational framework
for development in India.
The effectiveness of the UN Resident Coordinator System is central to providing ever higher quality services to
programme countries to enable them to accelerate MDG progress, advance peace and stability and achieve
sustainable human development. According to UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, When we empower Resident
Coordinators and UN Country Teams, streamline decision-making, and lay out clear lines of accountability, we do
improve the coherence, effectiveness, and efficiency of the UN at the country level. There are 23 UN agencies
working in India. Most of them have offices in India, and a few who do not, are supporting projects.
The UNCT developed the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), India for the period of
2008 to 2012. The overarching objective of the UNDAF is to promote social, economic and political inclusion of the
most disadvantaged, especially women and girls and the specific goals are in line with the national priorities of the
Government of Indias 11th Five-Year Plan. UNDP was an active partner in the development of the UNDAF. It is
also the lead agency for many of the thematic clusters such as Governance for implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of specific outputs and outcomes under the UNDAF.
Joint efforts
As part of a joint UN initiative, UNDP supports Solution Exchange an online platform that brings together
development practitioners through Communities of Practice (CoP). As part of this initiative, UNDP leads four CoPs
- Decentralisation, Microfinance, Disaster Management and Climate Change. UNDP chairs the Operations
Management Team (OMT) and have been working with UN agencies to minimise operational costs by agreeing on
common services.
UN agencies in the country
APCTT (UNESCAP): The APCTT works on technology transfer services, technology capacity-building, promotion
and management of innovation as well as sub-regional and regional networking.
FAO: FAO focuses on providing technical assistance in facilitating multi-lateral cooperation to reduce the risk to
food security and economic growth. It offers support to the national government in strengthening the
implementation of national missions and programmes aimed at reducing poverty and piloting innovative approaches
with governments, NGOs and private sector in agricultural and rural development.
IFAD: IFADs focus is on providing access to improved livelihood opportunities, microfinance services, and the use
of new technologies for tribal communities in semi-arid areas.
IFC: IFCs main areas of focus are- infrastructure, natural gas, wind power, port services and developing PPP in
infrastructure sector.
ILO: The overarching goal of ILO work is to promote equal opportunities for all women and men to obtain decent
and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity.
IMF: The focus of IMF's work is to facilitate the flow of information between the Government of India, the Reserve
Bank of India and the IMF, and to train officials from RBI, national and state governments.
UNAIDS: The UNAIDS in India provides technical support for implementation of the third five-year phase of the
National AIDS Control Programme. It also generates strategic information to track and monitor the epidemic.
UNODC: UNODC activities in India focus on drug abuse awareness, preventing transmission of HIV, precursor
chemical control, human trafficking and on new areas such as prison reforms, migrants and corruption.
UNDP: UNDP is committed to help India achieve the global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as the
national objectives articulated in consecutive Five-Year Plans. The goal of the organization is to help improve the
lives of the poorest women and men, the marginalized and the disadvantaged in India. UNDP works in the following
areas: Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Environment and Energy, and
HIV and Development.
UNESCO: UNESCOs work in India focuses on capacity building in the areas of education, natural, social and
human sciences, heritage sites, culture and strengthening communication and information capacities.
UNIC: The UNIC was the first United Nations office to be established in India and also covers Bhutan. UNIC's
work includes informing media, governments, NGOs, academia and general public about the work of the United
Nations.
UNFPA: UNFPA works within the SWAP on the Reproductive and Child Health programme (RCH II) within the
rubric of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). It also provides support for addressing pre-natal sex selection
and gender based violence, improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health, promoting safe sexual behaviour,
mainstreaming RH and gender in disaster response, and promoting population and development strategies.
UNHCR: The UNHCR protects and assists about 11,500 refugees in India. While India is not a signatory to the 1951
Refugee Convention or its Protocol of 1967, it has been a member of UNHCRs Executive Committee in Geneva
since 1996.
UNICEF: The India Country Programme is UNICEFs largest country programme of cooperation. The overall goal
of the Country Programme is to advance the fulfillment of the rights of all women and children in India to survival,
development, participation and protection by reducing social inequalities based on gender, caste, ethnicity or region.
UNIDO: The UNIDOs Regional Office for South Asia acts to mobilize knowledge, information, skills and
technology to promote competitive industry, productive employment and sound environment.
UN Women: Advancement of womens rights being the centre of all its efforts, UN Women focuses its activities on
three strategic areas: Enhancing womens economic security and rights; reducing prevalence of violence against
women and HIV/AIDS; advancing gender justice in democratic governance, and capacity building of women elected
representatives.
UNMOGIP: The UNMOGIP observes developments pertaining to the adherence of the cease-fire of December 1971
and reports these to the Secretary-General. Based in both India and Pakistan, UNMOGIP has field stations, liaison
office in New Delhi, administrative and logistics HQ in Rawalpindi, and operational HQ (alternates six-monthly
between Rawalpindi and Srinagar).
UNOPS: UNOPS India Procurement Office (IPO) has been operating from New Delhi since September 2007. It
operates, currently, as a procurement agent for Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
WB: The World Banks Country Strategy for 2009-2012 focuses on helping the country to fast-track the
development of much-needed infrastructure and to support the seven poorest states to achieve higher standards of
living.
WFP: The World Food Programmes Country Programme (2008-12) has three major components- capacity
development to improve the performance of food based schemes, improving nutritional status of women and
children through fortification initiatives and support to the ICDS and improving food security by creating assets and
reducing vulnerability through food for work projects.
WHO: In India, WHO provides technical assistance and collaborates with the Government of India and major
stakeholders in health development efforts. It assists in policy development; capacity building and advocacy. The
four main strategic objectives of WHO in India are: reducing the burden of communicable and emerging diseases;
promoting maternal and child health; scaling up prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and
strengthening health systems development within the national and global environment, with a focus on human
resources.
UNCTAD: UNCTAD assists Indian policy makers and other stakeholders in understanding the developmental
dimension of key trade issues.
UN HABITAT: The Programme focuses on: Pro-poor Urban Water Governance, Urban Water Demand
Management, Integrated Urban Environmental Sanitation, and Creation of income generation opportunities for the
urban poor by involving them in the management and delivery of community-based water and sanitation services.
UN Millennium Campaign: The UNMC works in close collaboration with the UNRC mechanism for promoting
MDGs, especially focusing on civil society initiatives.
ITC, Geneva: International Trade Centre, Geneva has operations in India and works as a Non-Resident Agency.
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