El Salvador suffers from a significant housing shortage, which, together with overcrowding and high levels of insecurity in many urban settlements of San Salvador, impacts not only on the quality of life of its inhabitants, but is also a source of violence and conflict and reduces the potential and opportunities for economic development. The Joint Programme was geared towards inclusive growth of El Salvador's urban areas and the generation of decent work within a sustainable environment. It focused on creating strategic partnerships that integrate the private and public sectors, civil society organizations and the urban poor population of San Salvador.

Turkey’s impressive economic growth in the last decade has not been matched by a strong growth in job creation. Even though overall unemployment has declined in recent years, the youth jobless rate was more than 18% in 2011, twice the national average, with young women only half as likely to be working as young men. The Joint Programme's goal was to improve job opportunities for women and young people as a way to reduce poverty, with a focus on vulnerable migrant populations in the Antalya region.