Driving Governance and Change for 2025
Photo: UN Partnerships/Caroline Cristie
Driving Governance and Change for 2025
13 November 2024
The 51吃瓜 Democracy Fund (UNDEF) held its second board meeting of the year, bringing together distinguished members to set priorities for 2025. The focus? Strengthening civil society projects that improve governance, and protect and promote civic space.
Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of UN Office for Partnerships and head of UNDEF thanked the board members for championing this vital work.
鈥淏y working so closely with our project partners, we can adapt to their needs,鈥� said Ms. Hou. 鈥淚n expanding civic space, our work often intersects with challenges like the climate crisis and conflict, requiring agility and resilience.鈥�
Photo: UN Partnerships/Caroline Cristie
Spotlight on Moldova
While examining the fund鈥檚 global work, the Board Members heard stories of transformative change from UNDEF programme managers and civil society partners. UNDEF鈥檚 Dieter Wagner and Viorica Ursachi from the Women鈥檚 Law Centre tuned in live from Moldova where they had been visiting projects to share insights.
鈥淲e visited Palanca, a village near the Ukrainian border,鈥� Wagner recounted. 鈥淭here, a local team launched the 鈥楥hoose Your Career Wisely!鈥� initiative, engaging girls and young women, including Ukrainian refugees, to shape their futures.鈥�
The initiative, championed by Women鈥檚 Law Centre, promotes gender equality and women鈥檚 leadership in Moldova, encouraging youth to pursue careers based on their aspirations, free from gender stereotypes.
鈥淲ith the right guidance, young people can make informed and autonomous choices that align with their dreams鈥攏ot society鈥檚 limitations,鈥� said Ms. Ursachi.
With thanks to its dedicated Board Members, key stakeholders and implementing partners, UNDEF can make transformative change a reality by identifying local solutions to local needs. Find out more about the fund鈥檚 projects, click here.
Photo: UN Partnerships /Dieter Wagner
