A woman sorts through a big box of red chili peppers.

Financing

Quality of funding and financing

More and better funding for UN teams’ efforts 

Enhanced coordination leveraged quality funding, with a drastic increase in UN teams’ access to global pooled funding.

  • Resident Coordinator leadership was crucial for the Spotlight Initiative to reach women and girls with essential services for survivors of violence across more than 25 countries, promoting gender-equitable norms to one million young people, and passing laws and policies to address violence against women and girls across 17 countries.  
     
  • In Nepal, the Spotlight Initiative allocated €23 million for four years to a programme on jobs, social protection, elimination of gender-based violence and governance access for women.  
     
  • The Peacebuilding Fund invested $195 million in 2021 in joint programmes under Resident Coordinator leadership (nearly a 12% increase from 2020), contributing to Cooperation Frameworks’ peacebuilding components in 31 countries and seven cross-border settings.

UN teams’ access to global pooled funds

 

Source: UNSDG Information Management System (IMS), 2021

85%

Of UN teams on the ground accessed global pooled-funding mechanisms, compared to 47% in 2020

UN teams’ access to global pooled funds - Which ones?

 

The Joint SDG Fund hosted by the Development Coordination Office mobilized $79 million in 2021 and capitalized $224 million in total. 

To date, the Joint SDG Fund has approved a total of $236 million in commitments under 151 joint programmes, with financing channeled to 25 UN entities covering 118 countries and territories. 

What RCs say: Have the joint programmes supported by the Joint SDG Fund contributed to these areas?

 

Viet Nam

In Viet Nam, supported by the Joint SDG Fund, the Government simplified the eligibility criteria for emergency cash transfers that enabled COVID-19 support to reach over 12 million people.  

Map of Viet Nam

Lebanon

In Lebanon, with the support of the Joint SDG Fund, new disability allowances boosted social protection schemes for persons with disabilities.

Map of Lebanon

Brazil

In Brazil, the Joint SDG Fund supported an existing national and local social protection scheme benefitting over 1.2 million children and 300,000 pregnant women.

Map of Brazil

In 2021, the Joint SDG Fund launched a dedicated window to address Small Islands Developing States' vulnerabilities. In 2022 the Fund is investing in resilience building and recovery, promoting sustainable blue economies, food systems, digital/data transitions and social protection in 42 Small Islands Developing States. 

The Resident Coordinators in Small Island Developing States spearheaded a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, under consideration by the UN General Assembly, with potential to overhaul the access to development financing for Small Island Developing States.

The UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Trust Fund ensured a strong link with the Resident Coordinator system.  

  • The UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Trust Fund programmed $85 million to 24 UN entities jointly delivering across 83 countries.
    • The UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Trust Fund will close in June 2022, and the Joint SDG Fund will take over through targeted investments for resilience building and recovery. 

Enhanced quality and innovative financing for the SDGs  

Resident Coordinators proved pivotal in shifting the UN discourse from funding to financing, bringing together whole-of-UN capacities for SDG financing.  

UN teams, with the support of the Finance Sector Hub established by UNDP, are supporting governments in 80 countries to develop SDG financing strategies through the roll-out of Integrated National Financing Frameworks, 69 of which benefit from Joint SDG Fund support. 

Malaysia

In Malaysia, the Resident Coordinator led UN team efforts for a national SDG acceleration fund with seed allocation of around $5million by the Government to engage civil society, private sector and academia.   

Map of Malaysia

Egypt

In Egypt, the Resident Coordinator Office established an inter-agency financing for development task team with UN entities, including regional commissions and DESA, producing a ‘One-UN’ SDG costing offer to better support national efforts.   

Map of Egypt

Jordan

In Jordan, support for a national SDG financing strategy enabled the Amman Stock Exchange’s implementation of sustainability reporting requirements for publicly traded companies, enabling the largest national investor to align its portfolio to the SDGs.  

Map of Jordan

Benin

In Benin, the UN team helped to set up an innovative digital platform with real-time data on direct foreign investments, aid and other development financing to support the government in SDG-aligned planning and budgeting.  

Map of Benin

Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, the UN team, led by the Resident Coordinator, partnered with authorities to devise an integrated financing strategy for the SDGs, supporting the Government to issue its first-ever SDG Bond, which mobilized $870million in financial markets.  

Map of Uzbekistan

Cambodia

In Cambodia, the UN team identified the potential for unlocking US$23.4 billion by 2025 from public and private financing.  

Map of Cambodia

Belize

In Belize, the UN team delivered an SDG Investor Mapping, sharing insights for opportunities that advance the SDGs while generating financial returns for investors.  

Map of Belize

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the UN team supported the first-ever sovereign SDG Bond in Southeast Asia, raising €500 million.  

Map of Indonesia

Malawi

In Malawi, the UN team launched a blended financing impact fund to support small agribusinesses.  

Map of Malawi

The UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Trust Fund 

The UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Trust Fund programmed nearly $75 million to 24 UN entities to deliver on joint programmes across 80 countries, procuring critical supplies, providing essential healthcare, extending digital learning, restoring water, sanitation and other basic service infrastructure, and helping formal and informal businesses, while mainstreaming a gender-sensitive approach and supporting millions of people most at risk of being left behind.