Latest
Story
18 March 2024
Gaza: 23 million tonnes of debris ‘will take years to clear’; acute malnutrition doubles in a month
Learn more
Story
15 March 2024
Services and institutions that cover women with disabilities are essential to prevent violence against them
Learn more
Story
14 March 2024
Gaza: Number of children killed higher than from four years of world conflict
Learn more
Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Türkiye
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Türkiye:
Story
14 March 2024
Gaza: Number of children killed higher than from four years of world conflict
Amid reports of fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza overnight into Wednesday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said that more children have been killed there in recent months than in four years of conflict worldwide.“This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, who described as “staggering” the latest Gaza health authority data indicating that at least 12,300 youngsters have died in the enclave in the last four months, compared with 12,193 globally between 2019 and 2022.Writing on X, formerly Twitter, late on Tuesday, the UNRWA chief reiterated repeated international calls for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave, where intense Israeli bombardment in response to Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October has levelled entire neighbourhoods.To date, more than 31,184 Palestinians have been killed and 72,889 injured, according to the local health authorities. As of 12 March, 247 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza with 1,475 injured since the start of the ground operation, Israeli army data shows.UNRWA staff killed and injuredOn Wednesday the agency reported that at least one staffer had been killed and another 22 injured when Israeli Forces hit a food distribution centre in the eastern part of Rafah in the far south of the Strip.“Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centres in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine”, Mr. Lazzarini said.“Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict. The Israeli army received the coordinates including of this facility yesterday,” said the UNRWA chief.Since the war began five months ago, UNRWA has recorded an unprecedented number of violations against its staff and facilities. At least 165 UNRWA team members have been killed including while in the line of duty, with more than 150 facilities hit, among them many schools.Children most vulnerable
The development came as UN humanitarians repeated dire warnings about the catastrophic situation in Gaza, where one in four is close to famine – at least 576,000 people. Some 25 individuals have now died from severe acute malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza according to UN aid coordination office, OCHA, 21 of them reportedly children.Youngsters are among those least able to cope with hunger and disease, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has warned, with one million youngsters already uprooted from their homes by the war and some 17,000 unaccompanied or separated children – one per cent of the 1.7 million Gazans displaced.Some relief for north Gaza
UN-partnered efforts to help alleviate the desperate situation amid ongoing fighting and Israeli bombardment included a World Food Programme (WFP) aid convoy to Gaza City on Tuesday – the agency’s first successful mission to the north since 20 February.“With people in northern Gaza on the brink of famine, we need daily deliveries to the north, as well as direct entry points,” WFP said in the latest UN update on the crisis.Last week, 19 UN-partners reached a daily average of 200,000 people in Gaza with food assistance, including food parcels and hot meals, reported UN aid office, OCHA. “More than two-thirds of this number were in Rafah, with the rest in Deir al Balah, Khan Younis and other areas.”Hospital aid
Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and partners reached two more hospitals in northern Gaza on Monday – Al Shifa and Al Helou – in addition to others reached at the weekend: Al-Ahil Arab Hospital and Al-Sahaba Hospital.Food and 24,000 litres of fuel was delivered to Al Shifa, along with medical supplies for 42,000 patients, including medicines, anaesthetic drugs and surgical materials.In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Al Shifa was only minimally functional and urgently needed specialized health workers. Needs remain dire at Al Helou hospital, Tedros added, with services limited across all departments, along with shortages of fuel, food, surgical equipment and medical staff.
The development came as UN humanitarians repeated dire warnings about the catastrophic situation in Gaza, where one in four is close to famine – at least 576,000 people. Some 25 individuals have now died from severe acute malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza according to UN aid coordination office, OCHA, 21 of them reportedly children.Youngsters are among those least able to cope with hunger and disease, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has warned, with one million youngsters already uprooted from their homes by the war and some 17,000 unaccompanied or separated children – one per cent of the 1.7 million Gazans displaced.Some relief for north Gaza
UN-partnered efforts to help alleviate the desperate situation amid ongoing fighting and Israeli bombardment included a World Food Programme (WFP) aid convoy to Gaza City on Tuesday – the agency’s first successful mission to the north since 20 February.“With people in northern Gaza on the brink of famine, we need daily deliveries to the north, as well as direct entry points,” WFP said in the latest UN update on the crisis.Last week, 19 UN-partners reached a daily average of 200,000 people in Gaza with food assistance, including food parcels and hot meals, reported UN aid office, OCHA. “More than two-thirds of this number were in Rafah, with the rest in Deir al Balah, Khan Younis and other areas.”Hospital aid
Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and partners reached two more hospitals in northern Gaza on Monday – Al Shifa and Al Helou – in addition to others reached at the weekend: Al-Ahil Arab Hospital and Al-Sahaba Hospital.Food and 24,000 litres of fuel was delivered to Al Shifa, along with medical supplies for 42,000 patients, including medicines, anaesthetic drugs and surgical materials.In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Al Shifa was only minimally functional and urgently needed specialized health workers. Needs remain dire at Al Helou hospital, Tedros added, with services limited across all departments, along with shortages of fuel, food, surgical equipment and medical staff.
Story
18 March 2024
Gaza: 23 million tonnes of debris ‘will take years to clear’; acute malnutrition doubles in a month
The war in Gaza has left a staggering almost 23 millions tonnes of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across the enclave, UN humanitarians said on Friday.In a fresh alert about the disastrous humanitarian emergency still unfolding in the enclave, the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, said on Friday that it will “take years” before the Strip is made safe again.The lives of more than two million Gazans have been devastated by daily Israeli bombardment, since Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October, the UN agency noted in a post on X, formerly Twitter.As the largest relief agency in Gaza, UNWRA continues to provide lifesaving supplies and services to more than 1.5 million displaced people in the south of the enclave. The agency runs shelters for more than one million people, providing them with humanitarian relief and primary healthcare.No let-up in violence
Lifesaving humanitarian work has continued amid intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations – as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups.In its latest update on the emergency, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported ongoing violence “across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly in the Hamad area of Khan Younis…The hostilities are causing further civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure.”OCHA noted that mine action partners are now carrying out “assessments of explosive threats” and educating Gazans about the dangers.“Larger-scale assessments are urgently required, but response efforts have been hampered by restrictions on the import of humanitarian mine action supplies and authorization requirements for the deployment of specialized personnel.”Funding boostThe news came as Australia became the latest country to announce that it intended to resume funding UNRWA, which saw international donor support evaporate, amid Israeli allegations that some of the agency’s staff had participated in the 7 October Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel.Seaborne aid contribution A high-level UN investigation continues into the claims, which UNRWA is also complementing with its own inquiry. Shortly after the allegations were made public, nine UNRWA staff were dismissed.Meanwhile, efforts to secure a new maritime aid route from Cyprus to Gaza continued on Friday as the NGO ship Open Arms moved closer to the Gaza coastline.The vessel, which open-source satellites showed moored off the coast of Gaza City in the north of the enclave on Friday morning, left Larnaca in southern Cyprus on Tuesday with 200 tonnes of relief supplies. These are to be delivered ashore once a jetty is built south of Gaza City, according to reports.The initiative involves UN-partner World Central Kitchen and the search-and-rescue charity Open Arms, reportedly in coordination with the Israeli authorities and international partners.Malnutrition doubles in northern Gaza: UNICEFOne in three children under two in the Northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition – double the rate of 15.6 per cent in January, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF said on Friday.Malnutrition among children is spreading fast and reaching devastating and unprecedented levels.At least 23 children in Northern Gaza Strip have reportedly died from malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks, adding to the mounting toll of children killed in the Strip in this current conflict – about 13,450 reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.Nutrition screenings conducted by UNICEF and partners in the north in February found that 4.5 per cent of the children in shelters and health centers suffer from severe wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition.“The speed at which this catastrophic child malnutrition crisis in Gaza has unfolded is shocking, especially when desperately needed assistance has been at the ready just a few miles away,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.“We have repeatedly attempted to deliver additional aid and we have repeatedly called for the access challenges we have faced for months to be addressed. Instead, the situation for children is getting worse by each passing day. Our efforts in providing life-saving aid are being hampered by unnecessary restrictions, and those are costing children their lives.”Screenings conducted for the first time in Khan Younis, in the middle area of the Gaza Strip, found 28 per cent of children under two have acute malnutrition, more than 10 per cent of which have severe wasting.
Lifesaving humanitarian work has continued amid intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations – as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups.In its latest update on the emergency, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported ongoing violence “across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly in the Hamad area of Khan Younis…The hostilities are causing further civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure.”OCHA noted that mine action partners are now carrying out “assessments of explosive threats” and educating Gazans about the dangers.“Larger-scale assessments are urgently required, but response efforts have been hampered by restrictions on the import of humanitarian mine action supplies and authorization requirements for the deployment of specialized personnel.”Funding boostThe news came as Australia became the latest country to announce that it intended to resume funding UNRWA, which saw international donor support evaporate, amid Israeli allegations that some of the agency’s staff had participated in the 7 October Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel.Seaborne aid contribution A high-level UN investigation continues into the claims, which UNRWA is also complementing with its own inquiry. Shortly after the allegations were made public, nine UNRWA staff were dismissed.Meanwhile, efforts to secure a new maritime aid route from Cyprus to Gaza continued on Friday as the NGO ship Open Arms moved closer to the Gaza coastline.The vessel, which open-source satellites showed moored off the coast of Gaza City in the north of the enclave on Friday morning, left Larnaca in southern Cyprus on Tuesday with 200 tonnes of relief supplies. These are to be delivered ashore once a jetty is built south of Gaza City, according to reports.The initiative involves UN-partner World Central Kitchen and the search-and-rescue charity Open Arms, reportedly in coordination with the Israeli authorities and international partners.Malnutrition doubles in northern Gaza: UNICEFOne in three children under two in the Northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition – double the rate of 15.6 per cent in January, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF said on Friday.Malnutrition among children is spreading fast and reaching devastating and unprecedented levels.At least 23 children in Northern Gaza Strip have reportedly died from malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks, adding to the mounting toll of children killed in the Strip in this current conflict – about 13,450 reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.Nutrition screenings conducted by UNICEF and partners in the north in February found that 4.5 per cent of the children in shelters and health centers suffer from severe wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition.“The speed at which this catastrophic child malnutrition crisis in Gaza has unfolded is shocking, especially when desperately needed assistance has been at the ready just a few miles away,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.“We have repeatedly attempted to deliver additional aid and we have repeatedly called for the access challenges we have faced for months to be addressed. Instead, the situation for children is getting worse by each passing day. Our efforts in providing life-saving aid are being hampered by unnecessary restrictions, and those are costing children their lives.”Screenings conducted for the first time in Khan Younis, in the middle area of the Gaza Strip, found 28 per cent of children under two have acute malnutrition, more than 10 per cent of which have severe wasting.
1 of 5
Story
15 March 2024
Services and institutions that cover women with disabilities are essential to prevent violence against them
It is estimated that one in every five women globally lives with a disability. The likelihood of disabled women experiencing violence is at least two to three times higher than that of non-disabled women. In addition to gender-based violence, disabled women and girls also face challenges such as stigmatization, sexual abuse, neglect, mistreatment, and exploitation. We discussed the necessary actions for ending violence against women with disabilities and the importance of implementing laws and preventive measures for people with disabilities before the natural disasters with lawyer Özlem Kara from the Association of Women with Disabilities.1 - What are the challenges in preventing violence against women and girls with disabilities? What are your solutions to these challenges?Women with disabilities may experience disability-specific difficulties in accessing prevention mechanisms. In order to overcome this situation, it is important that informative tools are produced and disseminated in a way to cover various disabled groups. Emergency hotlines should be planned based on the needs of different disability groups. For example, video calls can be provided for deaf women. In addition, alternative communication methods should be developed for women with difficulties in expression and these lines should be adapted for women with disabilities.On the other hand, physical accessibility is an important step in addressing violence. Women with disabilities may experience difficulties in accessing prevention centers, making it difficult to protect women who have been subjected to violence. In addition, the professionals working in the centers must have disability awareness to provide support appropriate to the needs of women survivors. When women with disabilities are informed about and have access to prevention mechanisms, they emerge from this process empowered.2 - What other factors are important in combating violence against women with disabilities?Women with disabilities require more than protective measures to escape violence. It is essential to provide economic support and create employment opportunities for women to have independent lives. The needs of women with disabilities should be taken into account in holistic policies.Ensuring the active participation of women with disabilities in decision-making processes related to preventing violence is essential. These mechanisms should be planned taking into account the needs of women with disabilities and they should be actively involved in the process.Moreover, addressing violence against women and girls with disabilities requires the elimination of biases and stereotypes associated with both gender and disability.3 - Could you tell us about the importance of law enforcement in combating violence against women and girls with disabilities?Article six of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities includes a special provision for women and girls with disabilities. Since women and girls with disabilities are subjected to intersectional discrimination and are therefore at higher risk of being subjected to violence and abuse, States Parties are obliged to make special arrangements and take measures in this regard. The realization of the convention, to which Turkey is a party, and ensuring its actual implementation is of great importance for preventing violence against women and girls with disabilities.Furthermore, ensuring the effective implementation of Law No. 6284 and preventive and protective mechanisms is of particular significance in protecting women and girls with disabilities from violence.4 - We witnessed that the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, deeply affected not only women and children but also individuals with disabilities. What preventive measures and policies are needed specifically for disabled women and children?The absence of comprehensive policies for natural disasters and similar crises, and the failure to establish plans that specifically address the needs of people with disabilities, especially disabled women and children, result in a distinct impact on the disabled community during natural disasters.There is a need to increase awareness among relief personnel and emergency support staff regarding the diverse needs of individuals with different requirements. Basic human rights should not be violated and respecting the privacy of people with disabilities is crucial. There is a necessity to consider and distribute resources equitably according to their diverse needs.The Association of Women with Disabilities, a partner civil society organization of UN Women, is undertaking a research to assess the current situation of women with disabilities in education, employment, health, violence, social participation, and access to services emphasizing rights violations and gender perspectives. The research is being carried out within the scope of the “Strong Civic Space for Gender Equality” project implemented by UN Women with the financial support of the European Union.
1 of 5
Story
13 March 2024
For the first time in weeks, UN aid teams reach Gaza City
Enough aid for 25,000 people has reached Gaza City for the first time in weeks, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on MArch 12, in a call for daily aid missions and better access.“WFP delivered enough food for 25,000 people to Gaza City early Tuesday in first successful convoy to the north since 20 February,” the UN agency said in a tweet. “With people in northern Gaza on the brink of famine, we need deliveries every day and we need entry points directly into the north.”The news came as UN humanitarians also welcomed the announcement on Tuesday that an aid ship, Open Arms, had left Cyprus for Gaza carrying 200 tonnes of relief supplies. But they stressed that it was “not a substitute” for overland assistance to Gazans on the verge of famine.“Any food and other emergency aid that comes into Gaza, as we all know, is desperately needed; there is no question about it,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for UN aid coordination office, OCHA. “So, it's highly appreciated…But it's not a substitute for the overland transport of food and other emergency aid into Gaza and particularly northern Gaza. It cannot make up for that.”The UN's Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag also welcomed the opening of the new maritime coordinator to Gaza, together with the head of UNOPS, Jorge Moreira da Silva."For aid delivery at scale there is no meaningful substitute to the many land routes and entry points from Israel into Gaza", the stressed."The land routes from Egypt, Rafah in particular, and Jordan also remain essential to the overall humanitarian effort. The maritime corridor brings, however, much needed additionality and is part of a sustained humanitarian response to provide aid as effectively as possible through all possible routes."Children’s scissors deniedUnderscoring the dire humanitarian emergency still unfolding in Gaza, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, condemned the refusal to allow so-called “dual-use” items destined for the enclave.“A truck loaded with aid has just been turned back because it had scissors used in children’s medical kits,” tweeted Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General on Tuesday.“Medical scissors are now added to a long list of banned items the Israeli Authorities classify as ‘for dual use’. The list includes basic and lifesaving items: from anaesthetics, solar lights, oxygen cylinders and ventilators, to water cleaning tablets, cancer medicines and maternity kits. “The clearance of humanitarian supplies and the delivery of basic and critical items need to be facilitated and accelerated. The lives of two million people depend on that, there is no time to waste.”Famine ‘imminent’In a related development, UN World Food Programme chief Cindy McCain warned on Monday that famine is “imminent” in Gaza and will only be avoided if humanitarian there increases “exponentially”.Speaking in Rome, the WFP Executive Director underlined grave concerns for people “across Gaza, particularly the north, which is in the grip for humanitarian catastrophe.“If we do not exponentially increase the size of aid going into the northern areas, famine is imminent.”Ahead of Tuesday’s announcement that aid had reached northern Gaza, the veteran aid official explained that WFP had been forced to pause aid deliveries there owing to concerns “for the safety of our staff and due to the complete breakdown of law and order”.The UN agency head insisted that all options were being explored to alleviate the hunger crisis in northern Gaza, including air drops, but “they will never deliver the necessary volume that road access can”. Road access “and the use of existing ports and crossings is the only way to get aid into Gaza at the scale that is now required,” the WFP chief insisted. "We need 300 trucks of food entering Gaza every single day."UNRWA Ramadan campaignAmid the humanitarian crisis, UNRWA on Tuesday launched its annual Ramadan campaign to provide emergency food aid to Gaza.The campaign will run through the end of the holy month and provide 100 per cent of Zakat contributions directly to internally displaced people in the Gaza Strip who are facing starvation. Zakat contributions – almsgiving which is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith - will also go to eligible Palestinian families in the region through emergency food and cash assistance, the agency said.
1 of 5
Story
12 March 2024
UN chief calls for global action to defend women’s rights
The UN Secretary-General on Monday highlighted the urgent need to defend women's rights which are under threat, citing a reversal in hard-won progress, increasing violence against women and a growing digital gender divide.Addressing the opening of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the pivotal forum dedicated to promoting and safeguarding the rights of women and girls worldwide, Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the disproportionate impact of wars on women.“In conflict zones around the globe, women and girls are suffering most from wars waged by men,” he said, urging immediate ceasefires and humanitarian aid.He emphasized the appalling situation in Gaza, where over two-thirds of those killed and injured during Israel’s offensive are reportedly women and girls. He also noted shocking testimonies of sexual violence against Palestinian women in detention settings, house raids and checkpoints in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.In Israel, he added, last week’s report released by UN Special Representative Pramila Patten highlights horrific sexual violence against women and girls and indications of sexualized torture during the terror attacks launched by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October.Mr. Guterres also voiced concern over the situation faced by women in other countries, including Afghanistan and Sudan.“In Afghanistan, the Taliban has issued more than 50 edicts suppressing women’s and girls’ rights. In Sudan, scores of women have reportedly been subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence in the ongoing conflict,” he said.Women peacemakersSecretary-General Guterres stressed that despite evidence that women’s full participation makes peacebuilding much more effective, the number of women in decision-making roles is falling.“The facts are clear: Women lead to peace,” he said, calling for more funding and new policies to boost women’s participation and investment in women peacebuilders.Digital gender divideThe UN chief also emphasized a growing digital gender divide, noting the dominance of men in digital technologies, particularly in Artificial Intelligence.He warned that male-dominated algorithms could perpetuate inequalities into various aspects of life, noting that women’s needs, bodies and fundamental rights are often overlooked in the design of systems by male leaders and technologists.“It’s time for governments, civil society and the Silicon Valleys of the world to join a massive effort to bridge the digital gender divide and ensure women have decision-making roles in digital technology at all levels,” he urged.Breaking glass ceilings Mr. Guterres also drew attention to the pressing need for women to hold leadership roles, particularly in financial institutions.He highlighted the stark gender disparity in finance, with over eight of ten finance ministers and more than nine out of ten central bank governors being men.The Secretary-General emphasized that dismantling structural barriers is crucial for achieving gender parity in leadership roles.“Overwhelmingly male-dominated financial institutions need to dismantle the structural barriers that are blocking women from leadership roles,” he said.Drawing parallels with the UN’s successful achievement of full gender parity among senior management and leaders worldwide, he urged governments, banks and businesses to replicate these efforts, emphasizing that change does not happen by accident.Call to actionThe Secretary-General concluded his address by urging the international community to unite in the fight for gender equality, emphasizing that the CSW serves as a catalyst for transformative change. He called for collaborative efforts to end poverty in all its dimensions.“Let’s do it by investing in women and girls, betting on women and girls, and pushing for peace and dignity for women and girls everywhere,” Mr. Guterres said.68th sessionThe 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women is taking place from 11 to 22 March at the UN Headquarters, in New York, under the priority theme, “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.”Held every year, CSW is the largest global gathering of civil society representatives, government officials, policy makers and experts to take stock of progress on gender equality, discuss pressing issues and agree on actions to transform the lives of women and girls everywhere.It consists of a wide range of meetings, panel discussions, interactive dialogues, ministerial round tables, intergovernmental negotiations and more.
1 of 5
Story
12 March 2024
Interview: “We only can accelerate process towards a better world and towards a thriving economy if we advance investing in women and girls”
Dr. Elisabeth Klatzer is an international expert on gender responsive budgeting and holds a PhD in economics from Vienna University, and a MA in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Klatzer has a vast international experience working on gender responsive budgeting projects and training programs for various government agencies and stakeholders. Over 20 years of work experience, she has strong expertise in conceptualizing approaches on institutionalizing gender mainstreaming, gender equality and gender responsive budgeting (GRB). Currently, with the Implementation of Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting in Turkey project, co-funded by UN Women and the European Union, Klatzer explains why gender-responsive budgeting is a accelerator for progress towards gender equality. In what ways can gender responsive budgeting serve as a tool to accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality by 2030? In a way it’s very simple: we need to make sure that there is enough money for priorities of women and priorities to end the existing inequalities and gender gaps. Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) is the approach that helps us to keep the focus on this and re-organize public finance to meet these goal. And we know, that in an economy there are enough resources to finance that. It is just a question in whose hands the money is, who contributes how much to public resources and who is benefiting from it.Even though progress towards the goal to achieving gender equality by 2030 has been slow, we can achieve it, if we concentrate our efforts on it. If we make clear what economic research is telling us: achieving gender equality will benefit us all, not only disadvantaged women, but all people in a society. And, it is necessary for a thriving economy, and for inclusive growth.With many countries expected to curb public spending by 2025 due to conflicts and economic challenges, how can gender responsive budgeting mitigate the negative impacts on women and ensure continued investment in essential public services and social protection?Yes, indeed, it is of utmost importance that we do not repeat the mistakes in the past: every time there are economic difficulties – whatever the cause of it, e.g. financial speculation, economic mismanagement, or in the aftermath of natural disasters or a pandemic at world scale – every time we make the same mistake: the mistake of cutting public expenditures, and a much larger mistake: around the world, governments are making the mistake of cutting expenditures that are most important to the economic well-being of people. And again and again, this has exacerbated the economic crises and crises of people, reducing long-term perspectives of growth. What we need instead during difficult economic times, is a strong investment in care sectors and in gender equality. Such investments need to be understood as productive investments – and not “social spending”, which mistakenly is a currently often used label. Such investments help to get out of crises, create employment, enhance perspectives for gender equality and support getting out of the crisis. We know from economic research that these are sectors of crucial importance to increase long-term productivity, income as well as gender equality. Well done GRB work can help to guide governments to make the right investment decisions and avoid cutting of sectors which have a large equality-enhancing impact. Because cutting in these sectors would be harmful, both to people, and to the economy.Considering the disproportionate impact of the current economic system on women, how can gender responsive budgeting contribute to reducing poverty and inequality?First of all, GRB helps us realize, that it is gender equality and women who make crucial contributions to a thriving economy. The continuous and systematic application of GRB analysis and gender impact assessments is a worthwhile and helpful undertaking in this context. Investing in women and girls is key to ending poverty in this world. And secondly, putting women in the drivers’ seat of decision making about the economy – equally besides men – is crucial on the way into the future we need to survive well.Thirdly, we need to realize that there is an urgent need to change the current economic system, and GRB helps to realize that by pointing the way towards the right public investments for sustainable, inclusive economies. An economic system focused on caring for each other and caring for the environment is needed, moving beyond exploitation. Looking ahead, what are the emerging trends and opportunities in the field of gender responsive budgeting, and how can stakeholders leverage these to advance gender equality and women's rights globally?What we have achieved with GRB during the last decades, is an international recognition of the importance of gender perspectives in budgetary decision-making processes. Now we are moving towards recognizing that GRB is not only about how, but essentially about what we do with public budgets: There is emerging knowledge – and consensus building – about the importance of putting gender equality and care economy at the core of public investment priorities, and as guiding principles in economic decision making. We can create the world as a better place to live, if we increasingly adhere to international benchmarks related to key gender equality enhancing reforms. Such transformance gender reforms include adequate investments in girls’ education, in high quality early childhood education and childcare, in women’s full economic empowerment and independence, at equal foot with men, in equal wages and equality in social protection for all, in eradicating gender based violence, in reducing and equal sharing of unpaid care, household and community work between men and women, and other such reforms; if we strengthen these emerging trends and opportunities, we support creating blossoming economies.We all need to understand well that we ONLY, and I repeat, we only can accelerate process towards a better world and towards a thriving economy if we advance investing in women and girls. It is up to all people and actors to act upon this understanding. Let us not forget that economic policies that benefit women and men equally are one of the most important pathways to a prosperous future.
1 of 5
Press Release
14 March 2024
Türkiye ranks 45th of 193 countries in human development, new UNDP report says
Ankara, 13 March 2024 - Türkiye ranks 45th among 193 countries in this year’s edition of the Human Development Index (HDI) released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Based on 2022 data, Türkiye lands in the “very high human development” category—the highest of four—for the fourth year in a row. But while the ranking offers good news for the most prosperous countries, it shows a worrying divergence in human development outcomes, with poorer countries failing to regain ground lost to the pandemic. Globally, the HDI hit a record high, rebounding from two years of pandemic declines. The average conceals widening inequality, however, as half of the world’s poorest countries failed to regain their pre-pandemic level. “Like most of the world’s wealthier countries, Türkiye has bounced back vigorously from pandemic setbacks,” said UNDP Türkiye Resident Representative Louisa Vinton. “But this encouraging progress is overshadowed by resurgent inequality that threatens millions of people around the world with the risk of being left behind.” UNDP’s HDI was created 34 years ago to provide a fuller measure of human wellbeing than that afforded by financially focused indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP). It combines three key measures: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. Türkiye has shown remarkable improvement over three decades: the country’s HDI value rose from 0.598 in 1990 to 0.855 in 2022, a 43 percent increase. Türkiye has seen advances across all three dimensions of the HDI: life expectancy at birth increased by 10.8 years between 1990 and 2022; mean years of schooling increased by 4.4 years; and expected years of schooling increased by 10.8 years. And the country’s gross national income per capita surged by 154.3 percent in the same period. But Türkiye’s ranking slips when the HDI is adjusted for inequality. Overall men enjoy a higher level of human development than women, so when adjusted for gender equality, Türkiye’s ranking falls to 66th of 166 countries.The new ranking is based on national statistics and data reported in 2022, so it does not reflect the impact of the February 2023 earthquakes. Despite the huge loss of life and the vast scale of the damage caused by the disaster – a government assessment prepared with UNDP’s support estimated total damages and losses at US$103.6 billion, or 9 percent of forecast GDP for 2023 – the earthquakes are not expected to affect the country’s HDI ranking. The HDI rankings are a core part of the Human Development Report (HDR) published each year by UNDP. The 2023/24 edition, entitled Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World, warns that uneven development progress is leaving the poorest behind, exacerbating inequality and stoking polarization on a global scale. The report finds that international collective action is hindered by an emerging “democracy paradox”: while nine in ten people worldwide endorse democracy, over half of global survey respondents express support for leaders that may undermine it by bypassing fundamental rules of the democratic process. Half of people surveyed worldwide report having no or limited control over their lives, and over two-thirds believe they have little influence on their government’s decisions. Such feelings of powerlessness combined with growing political polarization are causing some countries to turn inward precisely when renewed cooperation is vital, the report concludes. Pronouncing “deglobalization” an irresponsible illusion, the report recommends collective action to create “a new generation of global public goods” to provide solutions to cross-border challenges such as climate change. “In a world marked by increasing polarization and division, neglecting to invest in each other poses a serious threat to our wellbeing and security,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “Protectionist approaches cannot address the complex, interconnected challenges we face, including pandemic prevention, climate change, and digital regulation. Our problems are intertwined, requiring equally interconnected solutions.”To learn more about the 2023/24 Human Development Report and UNDP’s analysis on navigating the new uncertainty complex, visit: https://www.undp.org/turkiye/publications/human-development-report-2023
1 of 5
Press Release
05 March 2024
United Nations (UN) agencies in Türkiye will mark International Women's Day in Ankara with a collaborative event titled "Investing in Women for Progress"
Scheduled for 6 March 2024 at 9:15 am, the event will be held at the J.W. Marriott Ankara Hotel.The program features the Minister of Family and Social Services, Ms. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, as the keynote speaker.This year's International Women's Day theme, "Investing in Wome: Accelerate Progress," highlights the crucial role of women in propelling social, economic, and cultural advancement worldwide.Members of the press are invited to cover the event.***Please inform unic-ankara@un.org about your participation in the event.
1 of 5
Press Release
22 February 2024
Applications invited for journalism fellowships at the United Nations Headquarters
New York, NY. The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists is now accepting applications from professional journalists for its 2024 fellowship program. The application deadline is April 5, 2024. The fellowships are available to radio, television, print and web journalists, age 25 to 35, who are interested in coming to New York to report on international affairs during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly during the opening 10 weeks. Travel and living accommodations in New York, as well as a per diem allowance, are provided. The fellowships are open to journalists who are native to the mainly developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Oceania and are currently working for media organizations. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in and commitment to international affairs and to conveying a better understanding of the U.N. to their readers and audiences. They must also have approval from their media organizations to spend up to three months in New York to report from the U.N. The program is not intended to provide basic skills training to journalists; all fellowship recipients must be media professionals.Journalists are selected each year after a review of all applications and given the incomparable opportunity to observe international diplomatic deliberations and to gain a broader perspective and understanding of matters of global concern. Many past fellowship recipients have achieved prominence in their professions and countries. Fellowship eligibility criteria and documentation requirements, as well as the fellowship application, can be found on the Fund’s web site at www.unjournalismfellowship.org. Questions about the program, eligibility and the application process can be directed by email to fellowship2024@unjournalismfellowship.org.Although the Fund is based at the U.N., it does not receive financial support from the world organization. The Fund was established as an independent entity by U.N. journalists over 60 years ago as a living memorial to the legacy of Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld. It continues to be operated by U.N. journalists and relies on financial support from U.N. Missions, foundations, organizations and individuals.
1 of 5
Press Release
05 December 2023
First-ever Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs takes the helm at newly established United Nations Youth Office
Following the recommendation in the Secretary-General's groundbreaking report "Our Common Agenda", Member States unanimously agreed to the establishment of the UN Youth Office as a dedicated entity for youth affairs within the Secretariat, building upon more than a decade of work led by the Secretary-General's Envoys on Youth, and marking a pivotal breakthrough for the revitalization and expansion of the UN's engagement with and for youth.
Over many decades, the UN has made significant strides in advancing the rights and opportunities of young people. Youth empowerment is not just a matter of equity; it holds immense social and economic potential. Empowering young people drives vibrant societies, fosters innovation, and accelerates progress.
Yet, disparities affecting youth persist in every corner of the world. Young people face challenges such as limited access to education, employment and health services, and their voices often go unheard in decision-making processes.
"We are establishing a United Nations Youth Office in the UN Secretariat — building on nearly a decade of important work done by the two Envoys on Youth — to advance efforts towards stronger advocacy, coordination, and accountability for and with young people," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The establishment of the UN Youth Office marks a pivotal breakthrough for the revitalization and expansion of the UN's engagement with and for youth, with a focus on addressing these challenges and opportunities.
Guided by the UN’s systemwide youth strategy, Youth2030, the UN Youth Office will lead efforts to enhance collaboration, coordination and accountability on youth affairs, ensuring that the United Nations works effectively and inclusively with young people in all their diversity.
Through the fostering of multi-stakeholder intergenerational solidarity, the UN Youth Office's mission focuses on strengthening meaningful, inclusive and effective youth engagement across all pillars of the UN’s work, including sustainable development, human rights, and peace and security.
On 28 October 2023, the Secretary-General announced Dr. Felipe Paullier as the first Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs. Dr. Paullier officially assumes his mandate today, becoming the youngest ever senior appointment in the history of the UN.
“With the establishment of the UN Youth Office, we mark the start of a new era for the UN system,” said Dr. Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs. “As I assume my mandate, I am eager to begin meeting with young people from all corners of the world, both virtually and on-the-ground in their communities. Learning from young people’s experiences over the coming months will be critical in helping me to shape an action plan for the new Youth Office that ensures no young person is left behind.”
Dr. Paullier was previously the Director General of the National Youth Institute of Uruguay, a position he held since 2020. Prior to that, he served in various political management positions, including as Deputy Mayor in the Municipality of the CH jurisdiction of Montevideo (2015-2020) and Alternate Counsellor in the Montevideo Departmental Legislative Court (2010-2015). Dr. Paullier is a Medical Doctor specialized in Pediatrics by training.
###
About the UN Youth Office
As an unwavering champion and advocate for young people everywhere, the UN Youth Office envisions a world in which all young people are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them most. We lead system-wide collaboration, coordination and accountability on youth affairs, harmonizing the ways the United Nations works with and for young people in all their diversity. By fostering multi-stakeholder intergenerational solidarity, our work focuses on strengthening meaningful, inclusive and effective youth engagement in the areas of sustainable development, human rights, and peace and security. For more information, follow @UNYouthAffairs on social media.
For press enquiries:
Matthew Hunter
matthew.hunter@un.org
+1 (631) 829-4275
1 of 5
Press Release
24 November 2023
UN Women marks 16 Days of Activism with #NoExcuse for violence against women campaign
Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Despite many countries passing laws to combat violence against women, weak enforcement and discriminatory social norms remain significant problems. Globally, an estimated 736 million women — almost one in three — have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, which kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day, calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
This year, the United Nations marks 16 Days under the theme UNiTE! Invest To Prevent Violence against Women & Girls. By using #NoExcuse as a slogan and hashtag, the campaign calls for financing different prevention strategies and transforming social norms to end violence against women and girls.
UN Women Türkiye’s #NoExcuse campaign underlines the importance of legal frameworks
Aligned with the global campaign, UN Women Türkiye launches #NoExcuse campaign to emphasize that violence against women cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, anywhere, and any time.
Throughout the 16 Days of Activism and beyond, #NoExcuse campaign underlines the importance of protective legal frameworks and calls for the effective implementation of laws to prevent violence against women. The campaign declares #NoExcuse for any forms of violence and violence against women is a human rights violation.
“As we launch the #NoExcuse campaign, we affirm our commitment to build a world where there is no violence against women and girls. The campaign this year aims to raise public awareness about the current legislation in Turkiye, to call for its effective implementation and for its further strengthening, on the basis of the international standards and recommendations. Throughout the 16 Days of Activism and beyond, together with our partners from civil society and public institutions, we will show that when implemented well, laws can protect and transform lives. We will emphasize the importance of knowledge among women and society as a whole on how they can exercise their rights, and the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to effective implementation of policies and laws, in which public institutions and women’s civil society organizations work in close collaboration,” says Asya Varbanova, UN Women Türkiye Country Director.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, welcomed the launch of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence: “Eliminating violence against women and advancing women’s rights and gender equality is at the top of European Union’s agenda, both internally and in our partner countries.”
UN Women Türkiye Launches #NoExcuse Campaign with an event in Ankara
The #NoExcuse campaign will be launched with an event in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye on 24 November 2023 in Ankara. The event will bring together civil society organizations, government officials, diplomatic representatives, and the media to express solidarity and commitment to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
At the event representatives from civil society organizations and youth will take the stage to say “No Excuse” to any forms of violence. Women-led civil society organizations will not only express their manifests and commitment to ending violence against women but also share how they have played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of women survivors.
As part of the launch event, an art performance will be showcased in collaboration with the artist and lawyer Kutlay Evrensel (@kutlayus). The artwork, curated in real-time, aims to highlight the importance of legal frameworks using key terminology.
Key facts from the world
Globally, an estimated 736 million women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life.
1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
In 2021, around 45,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members. This means that, on average, more than five women or girls are killed every hour by someone in their own family.
Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence against women, affecting women across diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Less than 40 per cent of women who experience violence seek help of any sort.
Violence against women not only causes immense physical harm but also leads to severe psychological and emotional trauma.
A global study by the Economist Intelligence Unit found that 38 per cent of women have had personal experiences of online violence, and 85 per cent of women who spend time online have witnessed digital violence against other women.
According to the Rapid Gender Assessment surveys (RGAs) on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 conducted by UN Women in 58 countries, 45 per cent of women reported that they or a woman they know has experienced a form of VAW since COVID-19
Key facts from Türkiye: (2014 Research on Domestic Violence against Women in Turkey)
4 of 10 women are exposed to intimate partner physical or sexual violence
Only 1 of 10 women exposed to violence apply to an institution for help;
3 of 10 women are married before they turn 18;
48 per cent of girls married by age 18 are exposed to physical violence;
11 per cent of women are prevented from working by their families;
90 per cent of human trafficking victims in Türkiye are women.
For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Ebru Demirel, ebru.demirel@unwomen.org
1 of 5
Latest Resources
1 / 11
Resources
25 May 2023
Resources
13 April 2022
1 / 11