Development from day one

    Breaking the cycle of crisis
    The war in Sudan has caused 75 percent of hospitals in the conflict zone to close their doors. Many others have sustained damage. The situation threatens to reverse years of progress on HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases.

    But health workers are refusing to let that happen.

    They’re treating patients in shattered hospital rooms and delivering life-saving drugs across conflict lines. And UNDP is here supporting this critical work. With the Global Fund, we’ve brought in HIV and TB medicines and test kits, equipped clinics, trained health workers and improved warehousing and distribution.

    “We can’t wait for the hospital to be fully rebuilt before supporting patients. Despite the destruction, we continue our work.” Afif Eldeen Nour, Coordinator at the Tropical Disease Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan
    Man in sunglasses and a striped shirt. He has a calm expression, with a pocket square visible in his shirt.
    Four men sit and talk under a large tree next to a brick wall; cooking pots, utensils and a food cart are in the foreground.
    A man stands in a large room with damaged stone and tile walls and debris on the floor.

    Like caring for patients in the middle of a conflict zone, development work cannot wait until a crisis has passed. That’s why UNDP acts from day one. In even the most difficult crises, we repair infrastructure, support livelihoods and keep hospitals and other essential services running. These critical steps ease immediate suffering while laying the foundations for long-term recovery.

    Clearing the path to recovery

    This work takes many forms, depending on what communities need most. In cases of disaster or conflict, removing rubble and clearing landmines is often the first step on the road to recovery. It allows children to return to school, businesses to reopen, farmers to reclaim their fields and families to move safely through their neighbourhoods.

    In Gaza, UNDP and partners employ local workers to remove rubble, crush it and reuse it to repair roads and other infrastructure. They are processing about 1,500 tonnes of debris per day through five crushing sites.

    “It’s long days, and you need to be strong to deal with the tough conditions at the debris and landfill sites.” Dima, Gaza
    A woman in a yellow safety vest and gray coat. She wears a light hijab and a calm expression, exuding confidence.
    Aerial view of a construction site with piles of rubble and gravel. Trucks and machinery are moving materials. Workers in orange vests are visible.
    Man wearing a blue cap and beige vest with a logo stands in front of a truck. He appears focused. Others in similar vests are in the background.

    Over 20 percent of Ukraine’s land is potentially contaminated with mines. In 2025 alone, UNDP helped release 20.5 million square metres of potentially mined land, restoring safe access for 9,000 people and unblocking agriculture, services and infrastructure projects. With the support of the governments of Croatia, France, the Netherlands and Sweden, Ukrainians now have six remotely operated demining machines capable of clearing up to 3,000 square metres per hour, which significantly reduces risks to human deminers.

    In addition to removing physical obstacles to rebuilding, clearing landmines and rubble creates badly needed jobs, helping to revive the local economy. Every dollar spent on clearing landmines can yield up to seven in social and economic returns, so UNDP integrates mine action into broader development strategies to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and foster inclusive growth.

    Solutions that work

    Restoring livelihoods is also critical to help families and communities get back on their feet. In Viet Nam, with support from UNHCR, UNDP has partnered with the Women’s Union of Lao Cai and local post offices to distribute cash grants to households, directly helping over 1,000 people recover from Typhoon Yagi, which struck in 2024.

    The cash grants helped people buy food and cover other immediate needs. But it also gave them a chance to restart their livelihoods or create new sources of income. Mother of two Vàng Thị Sao used her grant to buy seedlings to replace the cinnamon trees destroyed by the storm.

    “We don’t just want to survive—we want to rebuild. This support helps us take the first step.” Vàng Thị Sao, Lao Cai Province, Viet Nam
    A young woman wearing a checkered green and blue headscarf and a white padded jacket.
    A woman in a green headscarf presses her finger into a red ink pad at a wooden table, assisted by another woman.
    A woman with a green headscarf touches a branch on a tree, with a green landscape behind her.

    The focus on livelihoods is especially important at a time of complex, overlapping global crises and strained financial resources. The jobs created and businesses supported will sustain families and communities long after humanitarian assistance runs out.

    Supporting people on the move

    War, disasters and climate shocks are uprooting more people than ever. Around the world, 117.3 million people remain forcibly displaced because of conflict, persecution or other serious disturbances. As a UN displacement solutions champion, UNDP invests in displaced people and the communities that host them.

    In Syria, supported by the Government of Japan, UNDP has removed 30,000 tonnes of waste that had accumulated in communities hosting large numbers of displaced Syrians and Lebanese refugees. The waste management initiative has helped to strengthen social ties and improve public health and living conditions for 20,000 people.

    "This project gave me the chance to do something meaningful for my city and my family. It was not just about earning money.” Ibrahim Abdel Rahman, Tartous, Syria
    A man in a beige uniform and cap smiles, holding a shovel. He wears glasses and orange gloves, with UNDP and Japanese flag logos on his jacket.
    A person in a mask shovels debris in a dusty environment. Behind them, a damaged car and a building with a rough facade are visible.
    A smiling man in a beige uniform and cap with UNDP logos stands holding a long wooden handle in one hand, with trees and a blurred landscape in the background.

    While supporting those on the move, we also work to create the conditions for people to return to their homes. In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNDP is partnering with communities to rebuild housing and restart farms and businesses in the midst of one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

    After being displaced several times by the fighting, Francine returned to her village in North Kivu to find homes and businesses reduced to ashes. Where her own home once stood, she went to work putting up a tent.

    “We are not giving up. We will rebuild, together.” Francine Maombi, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
    Smiling woman in a maroon headscarf and floral-patterned top.
    A woman in a blue UNDP work vest gestures to a man on ladder working on an incomplete wooden house frame.
    Sparks are seen flying out as a man wearing blue safety goggles works on a metal project in a workshop setting.

    UNDP’s support to Francine and her community includes tools to rebuild housing, seeds and equipment for farming, and funding and training for small businesses. Our work with returnees blends emergency aid with long-term support and matches the determination of communities seeking to rebuild.

    The right steps, right away

    After conflict, stabilization helps governments restore order so people can return home, services can restart and recovery can begin. The goal is not to do everything, but to do the right things quickly to prevent further instability and give communities confidence that peace will hold.

    In Iraq, the Funding Facility for Stabilization, established at the government’s request, has mobilized over US$1.88 billion. It has improved the lives of about 9 million Iraqis and helped 5 million displaced people return home and restart their lives. And in north-eastern Nigeria, early recovery work combines reconstruction with livelihoods, skills training and social cohesion to drive recovery and resilience.

    “I’m proud to be self-sufficient, supporting my family and contributing to my community.”   Karima Suleiman, Borno State, Nigeria
    A woman in a white headscarf and a focused expression uses a sewing machine on colorful fabric.
    Two people, wearing red and blue clothing, collaboratively sew a vibrant, patterned fabric on a sewing machine.
    A group of women in brightly coloured hijabs are gathered in a sewing class. They work at sewing machines on colourful fabrics.

    Since 2015, UNDP’s stabilization programmes have benefitted nearly 17 million people and helped to safeguard against the resurgence of violence in 12 countries. Stabilization delivers quick, visible changes that serve to rebuild trust, helping communities heal and take the first steps from crisis towards a peaceful and hopeful future.

    A climate of stability

    In crisis and fragile contexts, climate change places additional strain on communities that are already struggling. Building their resilience is critical to keep people from falling into further hardship.

    In Afghanistan, against the backdrop of an ongoing humanitarian crisis, climate change threatens lives and livelihoods by reducing crop yields and driving more frequent and severe disasters like drought and flooding.

    In Nangarhar Province, annual floods washed away homes, roads and crops. UNDP turned to a nature-based solution: planting hardy jujube trees whose deep roots help stabilize the soil, preventing erosion and reducing the risk of landslides.

    “When the rains come, these trees absorb the excess water, preventing the floods from sweeping away everything. We can already see the difference.” Abdul Aziz, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
    A man smiling warmly, wearing a tan cap and traditional Afghan clothing.
    Man in traditional Afghan attire sits on a rocky hillside surrounded by small green plants, gesturing as he speaks
    Children crouch by a narrow, flowing canal, touching the water. Adults stand nearby. The setting is outdoors with a blue building and greenery.

    Beyond their environmental benefits, jujube trees offer economic opportunity. The highly nutritious fruit can be sold in markets, providing a source of income for households. Similarly in Jamaica, UNDP’s response to Hurricane Melissa aims to address immediate needs while strengthening communities’ defences against future storms.

    The strongest line of defence

    Traditionally, crisis response models have begun with humanitarian relief, followed by development work. But this sequencing approach can delay recovery, deepening hardship and raising costs down the line.

    By bridging humanitarian relief and long-term development, UNDP’s approach aims to break cycles of crisis. Working with governments, donors and local partners, we turn immediate investments into lasting gains and support people as they move from dependence on aid to self-reliance and resilience.

    Development is our strongest line of defence against crisis and fragility. Investing in development from day one protects progress, reduces future need and gives peace its strongest chance to endure.

     
    Photo credits

    UNDP Sudan, UNDP PAPP, UNDP Viet Nam, UNDP Syria/Mohammad Jouni, UNDP DR Congo/Eve Sabbagh, UNDP Nigeria, UNDP Afghanistan