UNDP's commitment to addressing HIV and other major health and development challenges is based on the principles that health is a driver for and an indicator and outcome of development.
As outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UNDP’s support to countries aims to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformation for sustainable development and supporting governments to build resilience to shocks and crises.
UNDP defines capacity development as the process through which individuals, organizations and societies obtain, strengthen and maintain the capabilities to set and achieve their own development objectives over time.
Strong partnerships are the cornerstone of UNDP's work to strengthen systems for health. In its support to countries UNDP works closely with other United Nations entities, development organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia and key populations to develop resilient and sustainable systems for health.
The effectiveness of UNDP's model of health programme support, with its emphasis on end-to-end capacity development, is evident in the results of its long-standing partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund).
Whether in its role as an implementing partner managing large-scale HIV, TB, and malaria programmes funded by the Global Fund or as a technical assistance
Investments in resilient and sustainable systems for health lay the foundation for the effective and equitable delivery of HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.
Human rights barriers include stigma and discrimination, punitive laws, policies and practices, violence, harassment, gender, and social and economic inequalities.
People most affected by HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria are often the same people who are marginalised and have limited or no access to health care.
Gender equality is essential to achieving health and well-being for all, accelerate progress towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Successful and sustainable capacity development can only occur when there is commitment from individuals who invest in the process from the design stage onwards. Engaging stakeholders to build consensus from the time of designing the capacity development process is vital to ensure that all country partners are kept informed, consulted and engaged as necessary. Each organization will have a different role and view of the capacity development effort. UNDP works with organizations to bring country stakeholders together, along with tools to outline the scope and process for the capacity development.
Following the launch of a capacity development plan, UNDP supports the ministry of health and other stakeholders to:
Prepare for implementation: confirm the implementation arrangements, including who will monitor the day-to-day activities, how information will be shared about results, and management roles and responsibilities.
Confirm the capacity development oversight arrangements: identify who will oversee the implementation on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.
Implement the capacity development plan and conduct regular monitoring: manage inputs and resources to implement activities and ensure regular monitoring and reporting to management and the oversight group
Adapt the plan and alter course if necessary: adjust the programme as required during implementation to better achieve results.
Evaluations of both service delivery and plans to strengthen the health system should feed back to the stakeholders involved in the programme design and implementation and to the national strategic plan to assess the programme’s contribution to national goals.
Tools and guidance
UNDP has supported the implementation of capacity development plans in countries as diverse as Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Sudan and Zambia, working in close partnership with national entities. Based on this experience, UNDP has developed a guide to monitoring and evaluating capacity development which brings together lessons learnt and offers ideas on best practices.
The following points should be considered during implementation.
Capacity development needs can change over time. Capacity development interventions and schedules may need to be adapted, redefined and updated at many points during implementation, on account of changing needs of individuals and organizations within a changing environment. Therefore, the regular monitoring of indicators is important and the changing of plans is likely.
There should be flexibility in the management of capacity development. Because capacity development is complex, and it can be difficult to measure changes in capacity, it does not necessarily fit well within the typical project management method of measuring numbers relative to budget. The primary need is for management to critically review both quantitative and qualitative progress and assess the changes in capacity as well as any new needs that have emerged.
Strong communication on implementationis key. To improve effective communications during implementation between the various country stakeholders, a web-based knowledge sharing system can be considered to organize activity schedules, provide updates on deliverables and store reports.
Existing stakeholder bodies should be leveraged for oversight processes. In the context of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund) programmes, Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) can be one of the most effective mechanisms for the oversight of implementation of capacity development plans because of their focus on national ownership and because they consist of representatives from all key sectors and constituencies within countries. Creating a culture of dialogue among the different CCM members could result in more effective and efficient delivery of capacity development measures and should promote the sharing of good practices.
