United Nations DP/RPD/RLA/5

Executive Board of the United Nations Development

Programme, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Office for Project Services

Distr.: General 24 June 2025

Original: English

Second regular session 2025

25 to 28 August 2025, New York Item 16 of the provisional agenda

Regional programme documents, 2026-2029

Regional programme document for Latin America and the Caribbean (2026-2029)

Contents

Chapter		Page
I.	Programme rationale………………………………………………………………………………………..	2
II.	Programme priorities and partnerships………………………………………………….……….…	6
III.	Programme and risk management ……………………………………………….…………………	11
IV.	Monitoring and evaluation …………………………………………………….……………………	12
Annex
	Results and resources framework for the regional programme for Latin America and the Caribbean (2026-2029)	13

Programme rationale
1. The regional programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2026-2029, is aligned with the goals, objectives and accelerators of the UNDP Strategic Plan, 2026-2029. It is based on the premise that the region holds unique potential for sustainable development that can only be unleashed by placing resilience1 at the centre of the development agenda.
2. Global economic volatility, geopolitical tensions and accelerating technological and social change converge in Latin America and the Caribbean with deeply rooted structural vulnerabilities, elevated levels of uncertainty and exposure to more frequent, intense and interconnected shocks. These factors – compounded by governance challenges and insufficient institutional capacity– are undermining the region’s development trajectory.
3. Placing resilience – as promoter of agency, protector of development gains and the path forward for progress – at the centre of this regional programme proactively addresses structural vulnerabilities, while equipping individuals, communities and institutions with coping mechanisms to manage immediate challenges, unlock the region’s potential and ensure it is better prepared to withstand and rebound from shocks.
4. Over the previous decades, Latin America and the Caribbean achieved significant progress in human development, poverty reduction, democratic consolidation and economic growth. Between 2000 and 2024, it halved poverty levels – from 50.3 to 25 per cent2 – reduced child mortality by half,3 and cut school exclusion from one in four children to one in ten.4 Life expectancy increased by over six years,5 reflecting improved healthcare. Electoral systems, citizen participation and women’s political representation6 also advanced. As living conditions improved, economies expanded – making the region largely middle-income, though not quite middle class.
5. Progress has been unequal and began to stall even before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Persistent structural challenges and certain characteristics of its development trajectory make the region vulnerable to shocks, threatening past gains and impeding further progress. The pandemic exemplified this – while global, it hit Latin America and the Caribbean the hardest, with the highest mortality rates, steepest recession and most severe setbacks in human development. These setbacks have made individuals and communities feel fragile and less optimistic about the future.
6. Latin America and the Caribbean is characterized by slow and volatile growth that is highly dependent on external conditions. In 2024, the region experienced a moderate growth rate of
2.2 per cent of gross domestic product, 1.1 percentage points below the world average and the lowest among developing regions.7 The region’s sluggish economic growth is largely attributed to stagnant productivity, which has remained relatively unchanged for the past 50 years. Compounding these challenges is the prevalence of a large informal sector that employs about half of the region’s workers.

1 The regional programme conceptualizes “resilience” from a human development perspective, with the aim to enable people to enjoy valuable lives in terms of capability and agency so that the impact of critical pervasive shocks on their lives is prevented or mitigated, while people and communities, especially the most disadvantaged, can shape their lives and, if adversity strikes, rebound and flourish again.
2 World Bank (2023), Poverty and Inequality Platform: Latin America and the Caribbean. The World Bank Group. Retrieved from https://povertydata.worldbank.org.
3 United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2023), Levels and Trends in Child Mortality: Report 2023. UNICEF. Retrieved from https://childmortality.org.

4 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Institute for Statistics (2023). Education and literacy. Retrieved from http://uis.unesco.org
5 World Bank (2023). Life expectancy at birth, total (years) – Latin America and the Caribbean. The World Bank Group. Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
6 Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). (2023). Global data on national parliaments. IPU Parline. Retrieved from https://data.ipu.org.
7 World Bank (2025). “Global Economic Prospects, January 2025.”

The growing debt burden has further constrained fiscal space. The recent economic contraction, coupled with rising global interest rates and currency depreciation, has exacerbated debt vulnerabilities. Several countries now allocate a prominent share of their budgets to debt servicing, diverting resources away from areas such as health, education and infrastructure. This is further accentuated in the Caribbean, where recovery costs from extreme weather events generate a vicious cycle of fiscal needs and high interest rates. Growing debt pressures underscore the need for more sustainable financing strategies.
1. Latin America and the Caribbean continues to face challenges related to weak institutional capacity, which undermine effective governance. Institutions struggle with limited resources, low levels of coordination and excessive bureaucracy that hamper policy action and service delivery. Corruption, political polarization and frequent leadership changes further erode public trust.
2. Frustration and discontent with systems that fail to adequately meet citizens’ needs deepen social fragmentation and obstruct constructive public discourse.8 Political polarization limits consensus building and cooperation – and coupled with uncertainty and more frequent adverse events – erodes agency and effective freedoms, exposing the region to divisive narratives and growing violence and criminal activity.9 But dissatisfaction can also provide energy for transformation, as part of a process of social change which, if managed adequately, can lead to positive transformations and improved social cohesion.
3. Rapidly evolving technologies – including artificial intelligence – are reshaping fundamental aspects of daily life, while fuelling misinformation, cyberattacks and political violence. Although the uneven adoption of new technologies exacerbates preexisting inequalities, the region can still steer this technological disruption to boost human capabilities, agency and resilience. To do so, the region needs to invest in human capital, digital infrastructure, responsible data governance and robust digital ecosystems.
4. The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related hazards is impacting the region. Over the past two decades, Latin America and the Caribbean experienced more than twice the annual average number of extreme events10 than in previous decades. These events impact women and vulnerable groups disproportionately. As a biodiversity superpower with a significant proportion of its economies depending on climate-sensitive activities, such as agriculture and tourism, the region’s natural capital offers unique sustainable economic opportunities, including the possibility to expand human capabilities.
5. Crises of diverse nature also impact health outcomes in the region, which despite some progress, still face significant challenges. Mental health is a growing concern, particularly among youth, costing the region over $30 billion annually in lost productivity and early mortality.11 Awareness and prioritization of mental health are rising, with social policies increasingly recognizing mental well-being as integral to human development.
6. Care services can act as a significant buffer to support households’ ability to generate income in times of shocks. But they remain highly undervalued. Unpaid care work represents about
21.4 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product and could amount to 21 cents for every dollar generated.12 Care duties, mostly carried out by women, reinforce gender inequality and constrain women’s economic empowerment. Many countries in the region are advancing care policies that aim to recognize, redistribute and reward care work. Enhancing care systems can greatly boost

8 UNDP (2025). Regional Human Development Report – Under Pressure: Recalibrating the Future of Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
9 Latinobarómetro (2023). Informe 2023: La democracia en América Latina. Fundación Latinobarómetro. https://www.latinobarometro.org
10 Additional information on EM-DAT (The International Disaster Database) is available at www.emdat.be.

11 UNDP (2025). Regional Human Development Report – Under Pressure: Recalibrating the Future of Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
12 UNDP, 2024. The Missing Piece: Valuing women’s unrecognized contribution to the economy https://www.undp.org/latin-america/blog/missing-piece-valuing-womens-unrecognized-contribution-economy

economic resilience and wellbeing – especially with the number of older adults rising to 1 in 6 people by 2030.13

Tackling these interconnected challenges requires integrated, system-level approaches capable of managing complex risks simultaneously. By embedding resilience at the core of development agendas, such strategies not only mitigate the impact of shocks but also create opportunities to accelerate progress and open a way forward for development in the region.
1. The regional programme – anchored on countries’ priorities and national ownership – will be the foundation to bring innovative, evidence-based, context-specific policy solutions and technical support to local counterparts. Through multidimensional strategies and regional cooperation platforms, the programme will mobilize strategic partnerships, catalyse private and public resources and foster knowledge-sharing to drive transformative outcomes that align regional cooperation and financial resources with national and territorial development priorities. Strengthening resilience, expanding agency and fostering shared prosperity within planetary boundaries will be central to these efforts.
2. The regional programme draws on: (a) a synthesis of development challenges in the region;
(b) lessons and recommendations from evaluations of the regional programme, 2022-2025, and its projects; (c) a review of UNDP country programme documents; (d) analysis of regional and country consultations for the Strategic Plan, 2026-2029; (e) inputs from consultations with UNDP country offices and regional partners informing the programmatic vision and strategic knowledge products of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean; and (f) programmatic learning from previous regional cycles.
1. Over the past four years, the regional programme prioritized four outcomes: (a) inclusive and sustainable growth, emphasizing small and medium-size enterprises’ (SMEs) productivity, decent jobs and sustainable finance; (b) equity through stronger social protection and care systems to reduce inequalities and enhance shock resilience, alongside multidimensional poverty analysis and policy; (c) resilient, sustainable development and green recovery, with gender-responsive, risk-informed policies and financing for climate action, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction; and
(d) effective governance, reinforcing inclusive, accountable systems to boost civic engagement, uphold the rule of law, improve citizen security and access to justice, and promote evidence-based policymaking.
1. During the 2022-2025 cycle, progress was achieved across these four areas, demonstrating the programme’s concrete impact. UNDP advanced sustainable finance with innovations such as the sovereign sustainability-linked bond tied to greenhouse gas emissions and land-conservation targets. It also strengthened social protection through unified beneficiary systems, multidimensional targeting and interoperable databases. The expansion of the gender equality seal to public and private sectors, improving pay equity and anti-harassment policies. The Spotlight Initiative enhanced civil society organizations’ advocacy efforts and contributed to new legislation on violence against women and girls. Digital transformation delivered gains in governance – using the SIGOBito 2.0 methodology14 to reduce municipal processing times and allowing citizens to track mayoral commitments. Infosegura15 and CariSECURE16 strengthened citizen security in Central America, the Dominican Republic and the English-speaking Caribbean. In April 2024, UNDP launched the Digital 4 Development Hub17 in Latin America and the Caribbean to accelerate digital transformation in the region.

13 Pan-American Health Organization available at https://www.paho.org/en/healthy-aging-data-and-visualizations

14 Additional information on SIGOBito is available at www.sigob.org/sigobito.

15 Additional information on Infosegura is available at www.undp.org/latin-america/infosegura.
16 Additional information on CariSECURE is available at www.undp.org/latin-america/carisecure.
17 Additional information on the Digital for Development Hub is available at www.undp.org/latin-america/digitalhub4.

Despite notable successes, the programme cycle encountered challenges that slowed progress and restricted reach: (a) the economic contraction due to COVID-19 negatively impacted critical sectors such as tourism, with lasting impact on fiscal stability, employment, education and social protection; (b) political volatility hindered effective governance and policy continuity, underscoring the fragility of gains without cross-party consensus or statutory budgets; and (c) constrained regional financial and human resources limited engagement in crucial sectors such as disaster risk reduction, climate and energy.
1. Nonetheless, UNDP remains strategically positioned to drive transformative changes, thanks to the following critical strengths: (a) extensive country presence, as the development partner with the largest footprint in the region; (b) longstanding and robust partnerships with governments; (c) high stakeholder trust; (d) a global network of technical expertise allowing timely, coherent, cutting-edge policy advice and knowledge exchange; (e) proven track record spanning six decades as a transparent and reliable development partner; and (f) a holistic development mandate.
2. Building on its comparative advantage, UNDP will:
  1. (i) advance thought leadership; (ii) respond to national and local demands for policy advice and strengthened capacities; (iv) create an enabling environment for larger investments in development; and (iv) offer its convening power, strong presence and partnerships to serve as the regional platform for resilient human development, where different levels of government,, development banks, economic actors, multilateral institutions and multiple ecosystems come together to advance human development within planetary boundaries;
  2. work closely with local governments and decentralized cooperation agencies to build resilience at the territorial level – by supporting local governance structures in developing and implementing context-specific resilience strategies that address unique environmental, social and economic vulnerabilities;
  3. foster collaboration with other regions – including the European Union and its Global Gateway approach, bilateral donors, such as the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and multilateral organizations, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to bridge financing and development needs;
  4. bring together actors to institutionalize tax, budget and debt frameworks aligned with development objectives and scale work on financial instruments – including sustainability-linked bonds, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) bonds, and emerging nature-performance bonds across Caribbean small island developing States (SIDS). UNDP will play an active role in blended finance packages with the private sector, regional institutions, including the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and multilateral and bilateral banks such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the World Bank and others;
  5. prioritize private sector actors – ranging from micro, small and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) to multinational corporations – and promote enabling conditions and policy de-risking measures to unlock private and public finance towards development objectives. To do so, it will work with different levels of government and partners in the region on leveraging its large portfolio of vertical fund projects and flagship programmes, such as the Climate Promise, towards the promotion of sustainable value chains and the generation of market transformation opportunities. Existing partnerships with development banks, financial institutions and private sector companies such as AFD, the Fondo para el
  Financiamiento del Sector Agropecuario (FINAGRO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), CAF, BanEcuador, Lavazza, Silvacaco, Toyota and Mabe will be further consolidated;
  1. build on its vast expertise in governance to bring together regulators, treasuries, parliamentary commissions and private sector actors to support policy and financial alignment in key development sectors. It will build on existing work in sustainable finance taxonomies and budget tracking methodologies; and
  2. strengthen effective governance as a fundamental pillar of resilience and human development within planetary boundaries, supporting national stakeholders through electoral assistance, economic governance, strengthening of subnational governments, public integrity measures, the reduction of toxic polarization, women´s political participation and a broader civic space.
3. A reduction in multilateral partner presence and resources available to finance development in the region reinforces the relevance of the regional programme´s proposed approach: to offer the UNDP competitive advantage in the region as a platform for development cooperation to respond to national demands through context-specific, coherent policy choices; facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among countries; and catalyse development finance, placing resilient human development in harmony with the planet at its core.
Programme priorities and partnerships
The regional programme aims to advance human development on a healthy planet while navigating an uncertain and increasingly complex landscape in Latin America and the Caribbean. It aims to achieve this by strengthening resilience, acknowledging that focusing solely on development progress is insufficient in the face of stalled development progress and recurring shocks. The regional programme is grounded in the premise that resilient human development is the new frontier in unlocking the region’s economic and social development potential within planetary boundaries.
From a systems perspective, the regional programme recognizes that progress in resilience, governance, prosperity and environmental sustainability depends not only on targeted actions in each area, but also on how key accelerators – gender equality, digital transformation and sustainable finance – interact across them. These accelerators are not standalone efforts but fundamental drivers shaping interconnected development pathways. To catalyse transformative change, the programme promotes interventions that strengthen these accelerators and embed them into the design, implementation and outcomes of broader systemic shifts.
The regional programme will work with countries to expand opportunities for youth, women and girls by helping to remove structural barriers and strengthen women’s participation. Through its Latin America and the Caribbean Facility for Financing Resilient Human Development, UNDP will support national and subnational actors to enhance regulatory, institutional and policy frameworks to better align public and private investments with national sustainable development objectives. In the digital space, the programme will contribute to building digital ecosystems by boosting institutional capacities and expanding access to digital infrastructure and services.
The regional programme connects knowledge and action across sectors by revitalizing expert networks and using UNDP convening power to bring together diverse actors. It offers a platform to rebuild trust, coherence and collective narratives. The programme advances its priorities through targeted, integrated initiatives at the regional, multi-country and subregional levels, co-designed with partners; through dedicated and decentralized advisory services; and by providing a space for countries to tackle shared challenges, access joint solutions and benefit from cross-country learning.
Through risk-informed governance, the programme focuses on strengthening countries’ capacity to prevent, anticipate, absorb and adapt to evolving risks. It learns from the Caribbean experience, where SIDS face disproportionate exposure to climate, economic and security-related shocks. Outcome 1. Resilience as a path forward for development in Latin America and the Caribbean (Strategic Plan outcome: crisis resilience)
The regional programme will work with countries to elaborate strategies that place resilience at their core, recognizing that development progress needs to be advanced as well as protected. This involves promoting preventive, anticipatory and risk-informed governance that enables coordinated action across typically siloed sectors and government levels. A key focus will be designing social protection systems that endow households with coping mechanisms, while reducing impacts and supporting response and recovery efforts. Support could include the use of portfolio approaches and participatory dialogues, as well as investments in digital public infrastructure (data, registries) and early warning systems. Regional cooperation and knowledge exchange will be vital for leveraging synergies and innovations.
The programme will work with countries to test and scale innovative tools that protect development gains and accelerate recovery with a multidimensional approach. This includes supporting risk-informed planning, foresight and scenario analysis, promoting resilient infrastructure and services and investing in adaptive capacities, with an emphasis on human security and agency. The programme will foster coalitions of governments, civil society organizations, international partners, academia, the private sector and United Nations entities to shape resilient recovery pathways. Their distinct impact on youth, women, girls and vulnerable groups will inform these efforts. Recovery will be treated not as a return to a previous state, but as an opportunity to tackle root causes, lower future risks and support equitable transitions.
The programme will leverage key accelerators – digital transformation, gender equality and sustainable finance – to strengthen resilience. This includes advancing digital public infrastructure for early warning, anticipatory action and agile service delivery; supporting countries in accessing financial mechanisms (grants, loans, loss and damage funds) and scaling up risk-sharing tools (for example, insurance) to attract private capital; and promoting regional collaboration to expand financial protection instruments. These enablers will be embedded in both prevention and response efforts. Outcome 2. Effective governance for inclusive, resilient and people-centred development (Strategic Plan outcome: effective governance)
The regional programme will work with countries to strengthen institutions to deliver more inclusive, anticipatory and resilient governance – capable of navigating complexity, rebuilding trust, renewing social contracts and expanding development opportunities. A key focus will be on enabling institutions to move beyond silos towards integrated solutions that improve coordination, transparency, citizen engagement and service delivery. Support for digital transformation and the ethical use of artificial intelligence will remain central, along with parliamentary development, foresight and strengthening local governance.
As governance systems face growing stressors, UNDP will work with countries to strengthen state capacities to anticipate, prevent and respond to emerging threats – such as violence, organized crime, cyberattacks, political disruption and social unrest. Since these risks often cross institutional boundaries, the programme will promote collaboration across sectors. Support will include access to justice, people-centred approaches to citizen security and expanding rights and services through digital transformation.
As the region advances energy transitions and as resource-intensive sectors such as mining, agriculture, fisheries and forestry grow in importance, the regional programme will support governance that fosters land-use planning, social dialogue and consensus building. It will promote economic strategies that uphold the rights of local communities, including Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and rural populations. Regional platforms will enable dialogue on responsible resource governance and environmental justice, facilitating the alignment between competitiveness, social cohesion and sustainability.
To promote effective governance and an inclusive public sphere, the programme will invest in electoral integrity, citizen participation and the leadership of women and youth. Amid rising polarization, governance must rebuild institutional trust and empower citizens to shape their futures. The programme will support open, inclusive decision-making and foster national dialogues at all levels. It will work with countries to strengthen governance responses to human mobility and forced displacement, encouraging cooperation and institutional adaptation. In partnership with United Nations organizations, the European Union, and international cooperation and development banks, the programme will mobilize expertise and financing to enhance governance systems that deliver better services, peace, inclusive prosperity and resilience. Outcome 3. Healthy planet for sustainable, inclusive and resilient human development (Strategic Plan outcome: healthy planet)
The regional programme will work with countries to transform strategies, policies, institutions and financial systems to better align with climate and nature goals. It will promote policy coherence across sectors and levels by working with countries in achieving their international environmental commitments, including their nationally determined contributions and national biodiversity strategies and action plans, while prioritizing national ownership and context-specific pathways, fostering sustainable growth, equality and social cohesion.
The programme will facilitate dialogue and cooperation on complex trade-offs – such as water, energy transitions and critical mineral extraction – ensuring that economic transformation strategies are inclusive and uphold the rights and participation of Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and local communities.
Building on the region’s leadership in environmental and energy action, the regional programme will work with countries to enable investment ecosystems for sustainable development. This includes mobilizing and aligning public and private finance through environment-based instruments and blended finance approaches that link climate action with local economic opportunity and resilience. The programme will also offer technical support to strengthen digital infrastructure – such as geospatial tools, risk data platforms and early warning systems. Outcome 4. Prosperity for all – inclusive economic opportunity and resilient pathways (Strategic Plan outcome: prosperity for all)
The regional programme will focus on enhancing productivity and reducing vulnerability – two interconnected goals. It will work with countries on job creation, productivity and access to skills and assets, especially for youth and those furthest behind. It will foster local economic development and improve the MSME ecosystem through interventions that enhance digital skills, promote entrepreneurship and use artificial intelligence for productivity. It will also promote dialogue among finance, planning, labour and social ministries to co-design policies that build resilience to future shocks while enabling inclusive growth aligned with emerging market opportunities.
The programme will work with national, subnational and local governments to reduce both monetary and multidimensional poverty, while reducing vulnerability and contributing towards consolidating a stable middle class. It will strengthen social protection, health and care systems, alongside policies and market mechanisms that ensure access to quality and affordable services and support the accumulation of assets. Through the UNDP Poverty Hub and evidence-based policymaking tools, the programme will collaborate with decision makers to implement innovative instruments that improve the efficiency of public spending. Emphasis will be placed on adaptive social protection, comprehensive care systems and asset-building tools – such as savings, insurance, credit and physical assets – that enhance household resilience to shocks. Regional knowledge platforms will support exchange on innovative, shock-responsive social protection models and multidimensional poverty analysis, including those integrating care systems and promoting rights-based approaches.
The programme will work with countries in expanding fiscal space through inclusive frameworks, progressive taxation, budgeting aligned to national sustainable development objectives and results-based policies that improve public investment efficiency. It will promote alignment between development plans and financing strategies by using integrated national financing frameworks to combine public and private finance. Support will also include capacity-building in progressive taxation, development financing and innovative tools linking climate, digital and social investments. The overall goal is to assist countries in financing development with resilience at the core.
The programme will deepen cooperation and strategic partnerships to scale solutions and optimize resources. UNDP will work with regional partner countries and the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the European Union, and align with the Global Gateway and fragility streams. The programme will also continue to work closely with AECID, which has been a decades-long partner to UNDP in Latin America and the Caribbean in advancing human development and democratic governance.
With Latin America and the Caribbean countries increasingly acting as non-traditional donors, funding their own development and contributing to regional cooperation, the regional programme will offer a platform for co-designing and implementing solutions for resilient human development in harmony with the planet. It will also expand engagement with regional organizations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), the Organization of American States (OAS) System for Central American Integration (SICA), and the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) to strengthen regional and subregional strategies, enhance policy coherence and address transboundary challenges.
UNDP will act as a decentralized and integrated regional response platform for South-South and triangular cooperation and collaboration among United Nations organizations. As co-vice chair of the United Nations Regional Collaborative Platform for Latin America and the Caribbean, alongside the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), UNDP will help steer integrated regional support to accelerate sustainable development at the subregional and cross-border levels in line with national priorities. UNDP will continue to co-lead the coordination mechanisms under thematic areas inherent to its mandate. Regional collaboration with United Nations entities will be strengthened through its regional networked presence to enhance synergies with key organizations, including ECLAC, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). UNDP will continue to serve as the backbone of the United Nations development systems, leveraging its regional presence, expertise and partnerships in support of programme countries and the broader United Nations system.
In alignment with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the specific needs of middle-income countries, the regional programme will promote development finance mobilization through partnerships with international financial institutions and national development banks. These include the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), IDB, CAF, the World Bank, CABEI, the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), the Nacional Financiera (Nafin), the Banco de Desarrollo y Exportaciones (BANDEX), the Banco República, the Agency for Development Finance of Paraguay and the Productive Development Bank of Bolivia. These collaborations will support priority investments, mobilize private capital for public goods and implement impact measurement systems to drive sustainable development and climate finance.
The programme will intensify engagement with the private sector, chambers of commerce, foundations and local economic development agencies to promote inclusive business models, circular economy initiatives, responsible technology use and sustainable investment – enhancing the private sector’s contribution to regional and national SDG priorities.
Recognizing the role of non-state actors, the programme will broaden partnerships with civil society networks, think tanks, academia and community groups to foster civic participation, accountability and innovation. Youth networks, women’s organizations and environmental advocates will be prioritized to ensure diverse perspectives inform regional programming and policy dialogue.
The programme will leverage: (a) flagship knowledge products such as the Regional Human Development Report and the Democracy and Development Report; (b) high-level forums such as the Ministerial Forum for Development (co-organized with ECLAC); and (c) dialogue platforms such as Reimagining Our Future: Dialogues about Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Programme and risk management
This regional programme outlines UNDP contributions to regional results and serves as the primary accountability mechanism to the Executive Board for results alignment and resources assigned to the programme. The accountabilities of managers at the country, regional and headquarters levels with respect to regional programmes are prescribed in the organization’s programme and operations policies and procedures and the internal control framework.
Oversight of the regional programme lies with the Director of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, with day-to-day management and monitoring delegated, under the supervision of the Deputy Director, to the Regional Hub Manager in Panama. An Advisory Board – comprising resident representatives and senior central bureau staff – will provide overall guidance, quality assurance and help validate alignment with global and country-level priorities. Project-level oversight will follow UNDP norms and include internal and external stakeholders as needed. UNDP policies and standards will guide implementation and quality assurance.
The programme will be implemented in coordination with the region’s country offices, mainly through regional projects using the direct implementation modality. Regional and subregional activities will be paired with targeted country-level components as needed, planned and coordinated in annual workplans. Design will emphasize integrated, portfolio-based approaches.
To meet resource needs and reduce reliance on declining core and traditional funding, the programme will engage a diversified partner base, including cost-sharing arrangements, multilateral donors and private sector partners. A resource mobilization plan will guide donor engagement, aligned with the UNITY regional pipeline. Estimated programme financing is $40.7 million – $3.2 million from regular resources and $37.5 million from other resources. In accordance with Executive Board decision 2013/9, all direct costs associated with project implementation should be charged to the concerned projects. The harmonized approach to cash transfers will help manage financial risks when involving external implementation partners.
Beyond its own resource mobilization, programme implementation will contribute to expanding overall regional programme financing. The Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean mobilizes around $200 million annually – totalling roughly $800 million over the 2026–2029 cycle – most of which will be programmed at the country level and reported under country programmes, avoiding double-counting.
Successful implementation depends on managing interconnected risks, including uncertainty, reduced development financing, political polarization, low trust in institutions, organized crime, slow growth, high debt, limited fiscal space, intensifying climate shocks, resource pressures and the undesired impacts of an accelerated digital transition.
Risks will be monitored via early warning tools, risk logs and monitoring systems, using the UNDP enterprise risk management policy. Contingency measures include scaling down interventions when necessary and prioritizing sustainable development goals, crisis response and recovery. Adaptive management, theory of change adjustments, virtual technical assistance and greater local ownership will help maintain programme relevance and sustainability. Additional measures include fostering political dialogue, building United Nations coherence, leveraging regional frameworks and intensifying resource mobilization.
All activities will be grounded in gender analysis and follow UNDP social and environmental standards, with conflict-sensitive approaches as needed. The risk log will be regularly updated using corporate tools, and all due diligence procedures will be strictly followed and monitored.
Monitoring and evaluation
The Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean has adopted a robust results-based management approach in the design of its resources and results framework and to ensure systematic monitoring, evaluation and learning across all programme components, in line with UNDP programme and operations policies and procedures.
The regional programme’s results framework includes outcome and output indicators that:
(a) reflect the programme’s priorities; (b) align with the UNDP Strategic Plan, 2026-2029, integrated results and resources framework, and (c) are measurable using diverse data sources to track interlinked results. Output indicators also reflect regional contributions, including beneficiary data. Progress on results and resource use will be monitored quarterly and annually through planning, budgeting and monitoring exercises. All programme activities will follow UNDP institutional processes and standards. Annual progress will be reported in the results-oriented annual report.
UNDP will ensure sound monitoring and evaluation systems are supported by adequate budgets and technical guidance for results tracking and reporting.
Adaptive management will be central to programme monitoring, focusing not only on tracking outcomes but also on understanding how uncertainty affects them, and adjusting strategies accordingly. Quick feedback loops and continuous learning will strengthen the programme’s adaptability and impact orientation.
Data collection and analysis will be enhanced to monitor progress, support adaptive management and inform decisions. Both traditional and digital data methods will be used. The programme will allocate 15 per cent of expenditures to gender specific results and gender-sensitive, target group-focused data, which will be monitored applying the UNDP gender marker. At least 5 per cent of the programme budget – charged proportionally to projects – will be allocated to monitoring, evaluation and communication.
A comprehensive evaluation plan will cover priority areas, balancing programme and project-level assessments. It will support accountability, learning and course correction.
The results framework includes a multi-year policy research and knowledge management agenda, to be updated in collaboration with development partners, academia and think tanks.

Annex. Results and resources framework

Related SDG: 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 17
REGIONAL PROGRAMME OUTCOME #1 CRISIS RESILIENCE: By 2029, institutions and people in Latin America and the Caribbean are better prepared to prevent, respond to and recover from crises while sustaining long-term development.
RELATED STRATEGIC PLAN OUTCOME 3: By 2029, institutions and people in Latin America and the Caribbean are better prepared to prevent, respond to and recover from crises while sustaining long-term development.
Outcome indicator(s), baselines, target(s)	Data source and frequency of data collection	Indicative regional programme outputs (including indicators, baselines targets)	Major partners	Indicative resources by outcome (United States dollars)
Number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework (results and resources framework (RRF) strategic outcome (SO) 3.1) Baseline (2025): To be determined (TBD) Target (2029): TBD Number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean whose vulnerability to crisis and disaster risk has improved (RRF SO 3.2) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD	SDG 1.5.3 INFORM Risk Index European Commission	Key institutional actors and stakeholders, including vulnerable populations, strengthened their capacities for gender-responsive crisis prevention and risk reduction, ensuring people-centred proactive measures to mitigate crises before they escalate. Number of institutional actors and stakeholders that implement people-centred proactive measures through enhanced capacities on risk-informed planning, governance and coordination for: Disaster risk reduction and recovery; Human mobility, conflict prevention and peacebuilding; Adaptation to climate change; Inclusion of gender-responsive approach to crises and disaster risk management. Baseline (2025): 271 22 0 7 Target (2029): 379 60 4 19 Source: UNDP annual, project/initiative reports	UNDRR, OCHA CAF, IDB, Coordination Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Latin American Network of Social Sciences in Disasters Prevention, European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, AECID, government institutions	Regular: $700,000 Other: $3,687,182
		O.1.2. Inclusive innovative solutions and governance mechanisms are leveraged to enable key stakeholders, vulnerable population, and government institutions to effectively respond,

		accelerate early recovery, and promote long-term resilience I.1.2.1. Number of inclusive innovative solutions that enable key stakeholders to promote long-term resilience through enhance capacities on: Disaster risks reduction, losses, damage and recovery; Human mobility, conflict prevention and peacebuilding; Adaptation to climate change; Inclusion of gender-responsive approach to crises and disaster risk management. Baseline (2025): 29 7 0 3 Target (2029): 59 20 3 7 Source: UNDP annual, project/initiative reports
Related SDG: 1, 5, 10, 16, 17
REGIONAL PROGRAMME OUTCOME #2 EFFECTOVE GOVERNANCE: By 2029, governance systems in Latin America and the Caribbean are more effective, inclusive and accountable, enabling people, societies and economies to thrive.
RELATED STRATEGIC PLAN OUTCOME 2: By 2029, governance systems are more effective, inclusive and accountable, enabling people, societies and economies to thrive.
I.2.1. Proportion of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by gender (RRF SO 2.1) Baseline (2025): TBD	SDG 16.7.2	O 2.1. Public institutions at national and subnational levels formulate people-centred policies and solutions that lead to more efficient, accessible and inclusive services, through enhanced capabilities, including for innovation and for the use of digital technologies,	OIM, UNODC, ECLAC, UN-Women, UNFPA, OAS, CARICOM, SICA, SEGIB, Ibero- American Youth Organization (OIJ),	Regular: $700,000
				Other: $14,314,938


Target (2029): TBD I.2.2. Number of people in Latin America and the Caribbean who have access to justice (RRF G.2.2.2) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD I.2.3. Proportion of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with high levels of digital maturity in public services (RR SO 2.6) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD	TBD United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) e-government development index	expanding development opportunities, strengthening resilience and fostering social cohesion. I.2.1.1. Number of public institutions strengthen to deliver people-centred policies and services, disaggregated by: Capacities to implement programmes, deliver services and run effective operations, including using digital solutions and advancing digital transformation and interoperability; Capacities for transparency and accountability; Capacities for strengthened parliamentary work on regulation, oversight and representation; Capacities for local governments and governance, including addressing challenges from forced displaced populations; Capacities for designing strategic plans, including anticipatory and inclusive approaches. Baseline (2025): 90 0 0 13 0 Target (2029) 150 15 15 40 20 Source: UNDP annual, service plans, project documents, internal and external reports, web publications I.2.1.2. Number of institutions and organizations strengthened towards new generation of gender-responsive, people-centred policies and services that are: Implementing the gender equality seal in public institutions; Developing capacities through regional initiatives. Baseline (2025): 80 106 Target (2029): 100 146 Source: UNDP annual, service plans, project documents, evaluation reports, institutional diagnosis, workshop inscriptions	ParlAmericas, Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries (COMJIB), Network of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights of the American Continent (RINDHCA), Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Supreme Audit Institutions (OLACEF), Inter-American Commission of Women, Regional Conference on Women, Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), Latin American Team for Justice and Gender (ELA), Trinidad and Tobago Judicial Education Institute, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Judicial Education Institute, AECID, Spanish decentralized cooperation, CAF, government institutions, Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE), Equals Foundation

		O 2.2. Rule of law, justice and security institutions are strengthened for enhanced people-centred access to justice greater security and resilience, and the full enjoyment of human rights. Number of initiatives that support institutions and organizations of the justice ecosystems to advance people-centred access to justice with a gender responsive approach. Baselines (2025): 18 Targets (2029): 50 Source: UNDP global, regional and national documents, internal and external reports, web publications Number of institutions supported to improve the delivery of evidence-based, people-centred security services that reduce the negative impact of different types of violence, broken by: Initiatives that foster institutional capacities and evidence-based policy to manage security; Initiatives that foster women, youth, peace and security; Initiatives that foster mechanisms for resilience and reduce negative impacts of organized crime and violence reduction. Baseline (2025): 18 16 8 Target (2029): 32 36 46 Source: UNDP global, regional and national documents, internal and external reports, web publications I.2.2.3. Number of national human rights institutions supported to comply with nationally and internationally ratified human rights commitments, including: (a) strategic plans, policies, trainings and e-solutions to strengthen institutional capacities of national human rights institutions; (b) innovative solutions on business and human rights; and (c) initiatives to support national and regional networks of human rights defenders. Baseline (2025): 9 Target (2029): 34

		Source: UNDP global, regional and national documents, internal and external reports, web publications, O 2.3. Effective governance and inclusive public sphere are strengthened at national and subnational levels through the active participation of citizens in decision-making spaces to promote inclusive economic development, women´s leadership, trust and social cohesion. I.2.3.1. Number of institutions engaged in capacity building processes that strengthen effective governance disaggregated, by: Initiatives promoting open and inclusive public sphere, including youth participation; Initiatives supporting electoral management bodies and other stakeholders to conduct or support inclusive, peaceful and credible electoral processes; Initiatives of future-ready institutions, including capacities for social participation; Initiatives strengthening capacities to effectively plan and promote local development; Initiatives promoting information integrity systems. Baseline (2025): 0 0 0 0 0 Target (2029): 20 25 15 8 12 Source: UNDP service plans, project documents, internal and external reports, web publications. I.2.3.2. Number of national and regional initiatives that promote women’s leadership, participation and parity, including policies and legislation. Baseline (2025): 8 Target (2029): 16 Source: UNDP annual, service plans, project documents, internal and external reports, web publications.

Related SDG: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 ,9, 10, 11 ,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
REGIONAL PROGRAMME OUTCOME #3 HEALTHY PLANET: By 2029, international environmental agreements are mainstreamed into national development frameworks of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to drive sustainable development.
RELATED STRATEGIC PLAN OUTCOME 4: By 2029, international environmental agreements are mainstreamed into national development frameworks to drive sustainable development.
Improvement in Environmental Policy Stringency Index and related policy coherence scores measuring the strength, alignment and enforcement of environmental policies (RRF SO 4.6 Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD Number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean doubling energy efficiency improvements and tripling renewable power capacity by 2030 (RRF SO 4.7) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD I.3.4. International and domestic financial flows to developing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to finance environmental goals (RRF SO 4.1) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD	OECD Environmental Policy Stringency Index and environmental policy review SDG 7.2.1/7.3.1 and International Energy Agency, UNFCCC, International Renewable Energy Agency	National and subnational development and sectoral strategies, policies, institutions and financial frameworks are transformed/supported to better align with climate, nature, sustainable energy and pollution reduction priorities – ensuring policy coherence across sectors and levels of governance to drive human development. Number of strategies and policies revised and/or adopted to reflect integrated environmental and sustainable energy priorities. Baseline (2025): 0 Target (2029): 66 Source: UNDP Environment and Energy (E&E) monitoring and evaluation system. Percentage of revised and/or adopted financial frameworks explicitly linked to national development priorities and stakeholder-identified needs. Baseline (2025): 0 Target (2029): 100 Source: UNDP E&E monitoring and evaluation system.	Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, UNEP, FAO, CARICOM, CAF, IDB, international financial institutions, national and regional development banks, European Union, European Commission, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, private sector	Regular: $700,000
				Other: $7,210,424
	OECD https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/sub-issues/climate-finance-and-the-usd-100-billion-goal.html SDG 15.a + SDG 15.b (for nature finance)	O.3.2. Environmental and energy actions are accelerated and upscaled through integrated approaches that promote sustainable economic growth, equality between men and women, human rights, social cohesion and equity I.3.2.1. Number of integrated environmental and energy initiatives launched or scaled up nationally/subnationally. Baseline (2025): 0 Target (2029): 12 Source: UNDP E&E monitoring and evaluation system.
		I.3.2.2. Volume of financial resources mobilized or unlocked through public and private investments in

		Latin America and the Caribbean countries through integrated environment and energy actions. Baseline (2025): 0 Target (2029): TBD Source: UNDP E&E monitoring and evaluation system.
Related SDG: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 17
REGIONAL PROGRAMME OUTCOME #4 PROSPERITY FOR ALL: By 2029, prosperity in Latin America and the Caribbean is increased for all strengthening people’s agency, capabilities and dignity to thrive.
RELATED STRATEGIC PLAN OUTCOME 1: By 2029, prosperity is increased for all strengthening people’s agency, capabilities and dignity to thrive.
Proportion of population in Latin America and the Caribbean covered by social protection floors/systems (RRF SO 1.3) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD Proportion of small-scale enterprises with a loan or line of credit Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD Labour force participation rate for persons aged 15+, by gender Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD	ILO SDG 9.3, annually ILOSTAT https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/# annually	O 4.1. People and enterprises across the region have increased access to productive and financial assets, skills, digital solutions, income opportunities and sustainable jobs by strengthening their agency through regional, national and local initiatives, with special attention to those left behind Number of initiatives designed and implemented to accelerate socioeconomic transformation by strengthening: Capacities and resilience of MSMEs led particularly by women and youth; Capacities and effectiveness of public and private institutions in supporting local economic development and business ecosystems. Baseline (2025): 2 1 Target (2029): 12 12 Source: UNDP, annual, service plan signed, evaluations, project documents	ECLAC, ILO, UN-Women, UNFPA, PAHO, SICA, SEGIB, Inter- American Commission of Women, Regional Conference on Women, FLACSO, CLACSO, ELA, CAF, Global Alliance for Care, Oxfam, Open Society, ECADE, Equals Foundation, AECID, Spanish decentralized cooperation, European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean national and regional development banks, government institutions, private sector	Regular: $700,000
				Other: $10,138,304
		I.4.1.2. Number of institutions supported to implement initiatives that strengthen socioeconomic opportunities for women in the region, broken by: Initiatives on Equanomics implemented to advance women´s economic empowerment and inclusive fiscal frameworks; Initiatives on the gender equality seal in financial institutions. Baseline (2025): 12 4

		Target (2029): (a) 24 (b) 20 Source: UNDP, annual, service plans, project documents, internal and external reports, web publications, evaluation reports, institutional diagnosis O 4.2. Social protection, health, and care policies and programmes are strengthened and made more adaptive at the national and local levels through regionally facilitated policy advice, digital innovations and knowledge exchange, supporting countries in extending coverage and responsiveness to all, with special attention to those left behind. I.4.2.1. Number of national and/or local institutions supported to measure poverty and vulnerability and to enhance efficiency and impact of social policy, broken by: National institutions; Local institutions. Baseline (2025): 0 0 Target (2029): 12 3 Source: UNDP, annual, national policy documents, service plans, bulletins, web publications I.4.2.2. Number of institutions receiving technical support to improve coverage, efficiency or impact of social protection or health policies or programmes: social protection policies or programmes; health policies or programmes. Baseline (2025): 0 TBD Target (2029): 16 TBD Source: UNDP, annual, national policy documents, service plans, bulletins, web publications I.4.2.3. Number of countries with strengthened capacities for the creation of care policies, services and programs, broken down by:

		Care policies; Care maps. Baseline (2025): 3 9 Target (2029): 7 17 Source: UNDP, annual, service plans, project documents, care maps
REGIONAL PROGRAMME ACCELERATORS: Actions across resilience, governance, prosperity and planetary health will be amplified, catalysing faster, more inclusive and more sustainable development across Latin America and the Caribbean.
A.1. Number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that have made positive progress on artificial intelligence readiness to enable responsible and inclusive adoption of artificial intelligence (RRF SO 2.7) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD Amount (in United States dollars) of public and private finance leveraged at regional level for the SDGs (RRF A.3.2.1) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD Proportions of positions in national and local institutions, including: (a) the legislatures; and (b) the public service, compared to national distributions, by sex (RRF SO 2.3) Baseline (2025): TBD Target (2029): TBD	Government Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index by Oxford Insights UNDESA e-government development index SDG 16.7.1	Countries strengthen digital ecosystems and institutional capacities to accelerate inclusive digital transformation, enhance access to digital services, and foster sustainable, equitable and resilient societies. Number of countries supported to strengthen national digital ecosystems Baseline (2025): 2 Target (2029): 6 Source: UNDP annual Number of policy instruments and regulatory frameworks supported to foster ethical, inclusive and safe digital transformation Baseline (2025): 2 Target (2029): 6 Source: UNDP annual Regulatory, institutional and policy frameworks and capacities are strengthened at national and subnational levels to expand and align public and private finance and investments in sustainable development, including through regional coalitions Number of initiatives launched by public institutions at the national level to develop progressive fiscal policies, expand fiscal space and align public finance with sustainable development Baseline (2025): 19 Target (2029): 27 Source: UNDP annual, global and national projects reports	CAF, IDB, European Commission, UNESCO, ECLAC, CARICOM, UN-Women, UNFPA, ASC, Humanitarian Open Street Map, Financial Centres for Sustainability Network (FC4S), FLACSO, CLACSO, ELA, Norway, Germany, Finland, OECD, government institutions, academia	Regular: $400,000
				Other: $2,149,152

		Number of initiatives launched by public institutions at subnational level to develop progressive fiscal policies, expand fiscal space and align public finance with sustainable development Baseline (2025): 25 Target (2029): 37 Source: UNDP annual, global and national projects reports Number of initiatives that increase capacities of Public institutions to unlock and align private capital for sustainable development; Private institutions to unlock and align private capital for sustainable development, including by engaging with the financial sector. Baseline (2025): 9 8 Target (2029): 13 12 Source: Annual, global and national projects reports A.2.4. Number of integrated national financing frameworks supported in the design and/or implementation phase Baseline (2025): 7 Target (2029): 13 Source: UNDP annual, global and national projects reports Institutions and organization at regional, subregional and national level strengthened their capacity to increase women´s participation, leadership and empowerment. Number of partnerships established with institutions, platforms and organizations to advance women´s empowerment, broken down by: Regional and subregional intergovernmental organizations supported; Civil society organizations, women´s organizations, academia and think tanks; Foundations, international financial institutions, United Nations entities and donors Baseline (2025): 8 10

		(c) 12 Target (2029): (a) 10 (b) 18 (c) 16 Source: UNDP, annual, memoranda of understanding, project documents, internal and external reports, websites A.3.2. Number of country offices assisted in strengthening their capacities to enhance their national contributions for women’s empowerment, broken down by: Enhanced gender capacities for planning, advocating and innovating on gender equality; Implement the gender equality seal for development. Baseline (2025): 12 15 Target (2029): 20 18 Source: National policy documents, UNDP, annual