What we do 

UNDP Türkiye works for Inclusive and Green Growth, Governance and Social Inclusion, Crisis Response and Climate Change and Environment. For more than 50 years the UNDP has worked in close partnership with the Turkish Government and numerous national and international institutions, including NGOs, academics and the business community. 

UNDP supports Türkiye's ambitious reform agenda where EU accession figures prominently. 

UNDP Türkiye aims to find practical solutions to Türkiye's development challenges and manages projects together with the Turkish Government and other partners to address them. Since its foundation, UNDP implemented numerous programs and projects across the country. In addition, the UNDP has played a major role in response to crises and disasters in Türkiye and the surrounding region. 

What do we want to accomplish? 

UNDP focuses on three portfolio areas through which UNDP will support the implementation of Türkiye's development agenda through project implementation and policy advice. 

These are: 1) Inclusive and Green Growth; 2) Governance and Social Inclusion; 3) Climate Change and Environment and 4) Crisis Response. 

In addition to these core areas, UNDP Türkiye is supporting Türkiye on Syria Crisis Response and Resilience while also emphasizing the role of women, role of private sector in development in its policies and programmes. 

What are our results? 

Here are some results from our projects: 

Inclusive and Green Growth

• Future is in Tourism – Sustainable Tourism Support Fund has supported six projects so far. Women involved these projects improved their skills and competencies with several trainings provided by the Fund. As a result, women were empowered both to be employed in sustainable tourism initiatives, benefit from more employment opportunities in their region and to found their own businesses. 

• ‘Innovations for Women's Empowerment in Southeast Anatolia’ project, with its multiplier effect, helped establish textile factories and ateliers in Southeastern Anatolia, employing over 5,000 people. 

• With 'Market Transformation of Energy Efficient Appliances' project, more than 50,000 household appliance sales staff were enabled to get training on the benefits of energy efficiency. Over 9 million people were reached through public advocacy campaigns. 

Governance and Social Inclusion

• With 'Support to the Improvement of Practice of Mediation in Criminal and Civil Justice System in Türkiye' project, the awareness of the justice practitioners and the public at large raised through the study tours and information / experience sharing platforms and the 120 lawyer mediators are trained on mediation in civil disputes. 

• The Grant Programme of UN Joint Programme for Promoting the Human Rights of Women have supported CSOs, universities that have a discipline or center in gender studies or local administration to improve their individual and institutional capacities. It has reached out 20 CSO in 10 cities so far. 

• Human Rights Training programme was developed within the framework of 'Civic Training for Mehmetçik'. The programme reached out 7,500 conscripts and trained the conscripts who are in military service on the issues of human rights, gender equality and women’s rights, children’s rights, protection of the environment, general health care, legal empowerment, safe social life, learning and self-development. 

Climate Change and Environment

• With 'Strengthening Protected Area Network of Türkiye: Catalyzing Sustainability of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas' project, six No Fishing Areas (NFAs) covering 1,914 ha were established in the Gökova SEPA. 

• With 'Strengthening Forest Protected Areas Network of Türkiye' 
  project, 66,6% of 9 forest hot spots is under legal protection (Baba Dağı, Datça-Bozburun Penisula, Fırtına Valley, Istanbul and Yenice Forests and Küre Mountains). 

• Creation of the Kure Mountains National Park, covering nearly 38,000 hectares and surrounded by a buffer zone of over 134,000 hectares. In 2012, the park became the first in Türkiye and the 13th in Europe to be granted an elite PAN Parks certificate. 

Who are the decision makers? 

The Resident Coordinator heads the UN System in Türkiye and the Resident Representative heads the UNDP in Türkiye.  

UNDP Türkiye works closely with the Government of Türkiye. UNDP seeks to establish partnerships with the central government, local administrations, civil society, academia, and private sector to strengthen its contribution to Türkiye's development.