The United Nations Development Programme has presented its Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2029, emphasizing that meaningful progress on equality must be driven by internal institutional transformation as well as external development programming.
The strategy was outlined on June 11, 2026, during the Executive Board Annual Session on Gender Equality by Marcos Neto, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. It sets out a framework in which gender equality is treated not as a standalone sector but as a core driver of development outcomes across governance, economics, and environmental policy.
According to UNDP’s 2025 Annual Report, the organization continues to show strong performance in advancing gender-focused programming. It reports that between 2022 and 2025, around 155 million women gained access to financial services, while 182 million gained access to basic services. In addition, 117 public institutions and 330,000 civil servants were supported in reforms aimed at improving governance and service delivery.
The strategy also highlights that in 2025, 100 countries integrated gender equality considerations into national climate and biodiversity plans, reflecting a growing link between gender policy and climate action. UNDP notes that most of its expenditure—around 75 percent—contributes in some way to advancing gender equality objectives.
A key focus of the new strategy is embedding gender equality into core systems such as fiscal policy, social protection, elections, public administration reform, and climate action. It also places emphasis on emerging risks, including technology-facilitated violence and the potential for digital transformation and artificial intelligence to deepen existing inequalities.
UNDP describes the approach as a shift toward “future-proofing development,” where previously separate policy areas such as budgets, care systems, and environmental planning are integrated to support more inclusive and resilient outcomes.
The strategy was developed through extensive global consultation involving more than 3,500 participants, 152 UNDP country offices, and a wide range of partners. It reflects a shared expectation that UNDP should help countries embed gender equality more deeply into political, economic, and environmental decision-making processes.
The organization also underscores that progress depends on internal transformation, including stronger institutional culture, improved coordination across teams, and more diversified financing to support implementation. UNDP emphasizes that gender equality is central to making development more effective, sustainable, and inclusive.
