18 Joint Programmes on Culture and Development have been implemented in Africa, the Arab States, Asia, Latin America, and South-East Europe within the framework of the MDG-F.
Aiming at increasing socio-economic opportunities and improving cross-cultural understanding, these Joint Programmes focus on intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and cultural expressions, cultural heritage and cultural industries. At work at both the institutional and the community levels, often with indigenous and ethnic groups, special attention was given to the participation of women and youth.
Through these 18 Joint Programmes, UN organizations have joined their expertise, each according to its comparative advantage, to contribute "as one" to the national priorities and development strategies, and to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) Plans. This inter-agency, joint programming approach has brought a substantial contribution to an increased coherence and effectiveness of the actions of the UN System at country level. As such, the MDG-F Joint Programmes are often considered as laboratories of the UN Reform. Among the 18 countries selected, 3 (Albania, Mozambique, Uruguay) are also involved in the pilot initiative "Delivering as One" to test how agencies, funds and programs can work together at country level to support the UN Reform.
Strong national ownership is another main innovative feature of the 18 Joint Programmes on Culture and Development. Building on the Paris Declaration (2005) and the Accra Action plan (2008), both of which deal with the effectiveness of development assistance, appropriation and participation at national and local levels, throughout the project cycle, are an essential component of the MDG-F. This feature no doubts contributes to the sustainability and long-term impact of the actions of the Joint Programmes.
By virtue of its mandate on Culture, UNESCO has 3 main roles in the MDG-F experience:
- At the global level: Convenor of the MDG-F Thematic Window on Culture and Development
- At country level (coordination): UN Lead Agency for 13 Joint Programmes
- At country level (implementation): Active protagonist in the implementation of each of the 18 Joint Programmes.
The links below present the 18 Joint Programmes on Culture and Development in a detailed manner. For further information, please consult available documents on the MDG-F Website.
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