India UNDAF 2008-2012 - UNOPS

India UNDAF 2008-2012
Section I: Introduction
UNDAF Formulation Process
The India-United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2008-2012
is the planning framework for the UN in India in its support to the Government's national
priorities. The UNDAF is harmonised substantively and in terms of its timeframe
with the country's development plan, the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012).
The second India-UNDAF builds on the two cross-cutting priorities of the previous
UNDAF based on the 10 th Five Year Plan priorities - promoting gender equality and
strengthening decentralization. Its overarching objective is: "Promoting social, economic
and political inclusion for the most disadvantaged, especially
women and girls".
The UNDAF process began in India in April 2006 with an Orientation Workshop for the
UNCT and key development partners from 18-19 April. This was facilitated by the UN
Development Group Office. The Planning Commission, the UN's nodal body in Government,
set the scene at this consultation by providing insight into the challenges identified
by the mid-term appraisal of the 10 th Plan and the emerging priorities of the 11 th
Plan. Inspired by the Planning Commission's guidance to focus on inclusion, women's
empowerment and on making local governance systems work for effective programme
implementation and service delivery, the UNCT transformed the orientation meeting
into a strategic planning exercise.
The Country Team agreed to use the 10 th Plan mid-term appraisal and the 11 th Plan
Approach Paper as the analytical base of the UNDAF, rather than undertake a separate
common country assessment. The UNCT agreed to develop the UNDAF around
the Millennium Development Goals. Eight thematic working groups were set up to
encompass the Millennium Development Goals and Disaster Risk Reduction and
Decentralisation.
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