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FOREWORD
Disasters and violent conflicts continue to claim lives and destroy livelihoods of far too many people around the world
and undermine development achievements. This can both heighten social and economic insecurity, and endanger
those already vulnerable in societies, including women and young people.
When crises occur, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is at the ready to help communities rebuild
their livelihoods. This focus on the restoration of economic strength in the aftermath of a conflict or disaster fosters longterm
peace and stability, creates resilience to future crises and sets in motion an equitable and sustainable process of
development.
UNDP approach to early stabilisation and inclusive growth embraces nationally-owned, crisis and gender-sensitive interventions
that are responsive to market conditions and aligned with security, recovery, conflict prevention and development
programming of other partners.
It is an approach that works. To highlight some achievements in 2011, UNDP worked with partners to create over 5.2
million workdays of emergency jobs; provided support to over 101,000 crisis affected people, including excombatants
and internally displaced people (of whom 40% were women) to establish micro, small and medium enterprises; and
rehabilitated socio-economic infrastructure for development to occur in places as diverse as Afghanistan, Burundi, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, South Sudan, Tajikistan and Uganda, helping to sustain livelihoods and revitalise economies in these crisis
and conflict-affected countries.
This “Guide” to Livelihoods and economic recovery programming in crisis and post-crisis countries is the first compilation
of such expertise of UNDP and the United Nations system in this important field. It is intended for practicioners, both
UNDP staff and others, who design programmes that focus on livelihoods, employment and economic recovery specific
settings affected by conflict or disasters.
This Guide does not offer a “one-size-fits-all” solution, as none exist for complex development problems in settings that
so depend upon local context. At the same time, however, it is hoped that this Guide comes as close as possible to being
a “one-stop shop” for programme design, offering a comprehensive range of lessons and good practice examples to the
reader.
I hope that users will find this publication to be a valuable tool that supports their efforts to develop programmes that
offer sustainable livelihoods, help create resilient communities, and provide for the meaningful participation of crisisaffected
people in both local and national recovery.
Jordan Ryan