On Governance

Good Governance:
Governance refers to the exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority in the management of a country’s affairs at all levels. The UNDP’s conception of good governance builds from this basic definition. Good governance encompasses the state, civil society, and the private sector, and is concerned with the long-term, multi-generational impacts of development. Its dimensions are the rule of law, transparency, responsiveness, participation, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability, and strategic vision.

The UNDP's Arab Human Development Reports stress the importance of good governance in:
- Chapter 7 of the UNDP's Arab Human Development Report 2002 [Arabic text]
- Part I pages 28-31 and 149 (knowledge and Governance) of the UNDP's Arab Human Development Report 2003 [Arabic text].

Sustainable Human Development:
The UNDP’s approach to development, based on the model of sustainable human development (SHD), integrates good governance goals. The SHD model seeks to expand the choices of all people in society, including women, the poor, and future generations, emphasizing greater integration among economic, political and social spheres, and participation by local, national, regional, and global actors. This model relies on good governance practices, recognizing that such practices cannot be imposed from the outside or accomplished quickly.

Governance in the Arab Region: the Driving Forces for Reform
Good Governance and its Relationship to Democracy and Economic Development