MDG, Human Development, and poverty monitoring in Europe & CIS

Sanitation and quality of life in Turkish villages

4 September 2008

Turkey, 4 September 2008 – Quality of life will be improved in fourteen villages in the Southeast Turkey with the support of the Government of Turkey, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and UNDP. Studies on existing sanitation conditions have been completed in fourteen villages of Diyarbakır, Siirt and Batman provinces, and the sewage systems have been completed in three of them (Ünsaldı and Beyçayırı in Batman and Doluharman in Siirt). Sanitation sewer works are still continuing in the İkizbağlar and Beykent villages of Siirt. By the end of 2009, all fourteen villages (seven villages in Diyarbakır, four in Batman and three in Siirt) will have new sewage systems, including sewer pipelines, manholes, septic tanks and natural treatment plants.

Studying statistics for social inclusion

6 August 2008

Poland/Moldova, 6 August 2008 – In an attempt to share relevant development experience, UNDP organized a study tour to Poland for Moldovan civil servants from 16-20 June 2008. Moldovan professionals learned from their Polish counterparts about the collection and use of data in developing and monitoring social inclusion policies. Through the EU accession process, several countries in the region have recently introduced ways of monitoring levels and forms of people’s exclusion from broad socio-economic development trends.

Social inclusion has thus far been poorly understood by policy-makers and others in Moldova, with related measurements also being undeveloped. This tour was an opportunity to meet bodies in Poland involved in monitoring social inclusion, including at national level the National Statistical Office (GUS), ministries and government agencies and think tanks; and at local level, data administration agencies and experts involved in implementing local monitoring systems.

Human development: policy and practice

17 July 2008

Hungary/region, 20 July 2008 – Graduate students, civil servants and researchers had the chance to take part in the third Sustainable Human Development summer school organized by UNDP and the Central European University. With the aim of improving understanding of human development, the Millennium Development Goals and the interaction of theory and policy, experts from the UNDP Regional Centre, CEU and other European institutions presented their experiences in poverty reduction, social inclusion, civil society, environmental challenges and climate change, and localizing the MDGs. 

Day centre connecting people in Croatia

1 July 2008

Croatia, 1 July 2008 – The district of Vrhovina has witnessed a significant decrease in its population compared to the pre-war period. Today Vrhovina's population stands at about 1,200, out of which 60% is comprised of the elderly, that is inhabitants who are 65 and older. This week’s opening of the program "Daily Care Center and home assistance for the elderly" in Gornje Vrhovine will assure day-to-day assistance and care for 215 inhabitants older than 65. By implementing daily assistance and visits for those people who are off residential premises, the quality of life will significantly improve for many households inhabited by the elderly in the county of Lika.

Women's committees and empowerment in Uzbekistan

22 May 2008

Uzbekistan, 22 May 2008 – UNDP last week conducted a training course for members of regional women’s committees from across Uzbekistan. The course was focused on the use of CEDAW to address gender gaps and discrimination and is the latest UNDP activity in the country to strengthen the mechanisms for women’s participation and work toward gender equality.

Youth taking Turkey by storm

9 May 2008

Turkey, 9 May 2008 – UNDP’s National Human Development Report 2008 – Youth in Turkey – has caused quite a stir: six weeks after its launch it is still in the news, and top of the political agenda. Yesterday, more than forty youth NGOs issued a press release offering their contribution to implementing the recommendations, and the parliament’s youth and education commission has requested a detailed presentation of the findings from UNDP. The lead author Aygen Aytaç explained how it came about and where we go from here. 

Demography and development in Russia

29 April 2008

Russia, 28 April 2008 – The demographic problem remains one of the most severe challenges in modern Russia: the ongoing population decline and shrinking workforce caused by low fertility, high mortality, ageing, a reduction in the working share of the population, and so far indistinct migration policy pose risks for the future of the country. The United Nations in the Russian Federation and the Center of Strategic Research present the UN in Russia joint publication Demographic Policy in Russia: from Reflection to Action, prepared by a group of independent national experts.

Localizing the MDGs: The role for local leaders and using disaggregated data for local development

21 November 2007 - 23 November 2007
The training event aims to strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders to mobilize all stakeholders for local development planning and budgeting and for improved usage of disaggregated data in local development decisions to support the achievement of the MDGs. By understanding the importance of and sources for sub-national data, the objective is to assist communities to set MDG targets that are tailored to local realities. The resulting targets and indicators would be incorporated into local development strategies and used to monitor their progress. The workshop is based on two training programmes developed and implemented by UNDP: “Local leadership for localization of the MDGs” and “Building Capacity and Statistical Literacy for MDG monitoring”.

Sub-regional CoP meeting on Human Development and Social Inclusion

9 November 2007
The technical workshop will bring together UNDP and UNV programme and project staff, and few experts from the countries of the Western Balkans and some EU new member states. It is expected that the workshop will increase awareness about the links between the MDGs and the EUs Social Policy, provide opportunity to exchange experiences and lessons learnt from new EU member states and clarify UNDP’s role and niche with respect to social inclusion and the linkages with UNDP’s core mandates of human development and human rights. The workshop is planned for one day following the “Quality of Life Survey” conference organized by the Croatian CO on November 8th.

The UN, Google and Cisco Unveil Online Resource in the Fight to Decrease Global Poverty

2 November 2007

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the project, called MDG Monitor, and highlighted the urgent need to increase global cooperation.  The site is available at www.mdgmonitor.org.

MDG Monitor Tracks Progress to Development Goals.

Regional Training: Capacity Development for Sustainable Growth and Human Development

9 July 2007 - 11 July 2007

Addressing regional disparities key to Russia's human development: new report

22 May 2007

Russia continues to enjoy robust economic growth but positive socio-economic policies are needed to address continuing inequalities and regional imbalances, says a new UNDP report.

Community-of-Practice meeting of RBEC practitioners dealing with human development and MDGs - Istanbul, May 2007

3 May 2007 - 5 May 2007
The meeting would have two major objectives. First, it could map the existing experience regarding mainstreaming HD and MDGs across other practices. Second, during the meeting we could better identify existing needs in regard to methodological and other support that colleagues in COs may need, and suggest possible ways for addressing those needs with particular focus on support that BRC can provide. The expected outcomes of the meeting would include a CoP work plan for 2007; a working network of NHDR/MDG practitioners including the NHDR/MDG focal points and colleagues working on those issues at BRC; HD/MDG regional umbrella project document that would respond to the COs demands in HD and MDG mainstreaming.

Action needed to pull Central Asia out of extreme poverty: MDG conference

19 March 2007

While Central Asia con­tinues to experience economic growth, the overall poverty situation remains severe, with over 10 million people living in extreme deprivation.

MDG/PRSP/national development strategy conference

15 March 2007 - 17 March 2007
Regional Conference on MDG-based National Development Strategies and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. The conference will therefore be a timely opportunity for promoting a better understanding of MDG needs assessment, raising its profile, advocating for MDG-based PRS efforts, and for disseminating existing experience. It will also help to determine demand for technical assistance and bring together representatives of governments from CIS countries, UN agencies, IFIs and donors in support of these efforts. This event will serve as an opportunity to illustrate UNDP's work in helping countries to achieve the MDGs, to discuss resource mobilization, and possibly to pin down some donor commitments in support of MDG-based PRS processes in some of the countries the region.

Targeted efforts needed to ready Bulgaria for EU funds: NHDR 2006

15 December 2006

Bulgaria must step up efforts to ready itself for the upsurge in EU development support it will receive when it joins the union in 2007, or risk squandering the opportunities of accession, warns the new National Human Development Report.

World water and sanitation crisis urgently needs a Global Action Plan

9 November 2006

Cape Town, 9 November 2006—A Global Action Plan under G8 leadership is urgently needed to resolve a growing water and sanitation crisis that causes nearly two million child deaths every year, says the 2006 Human Development Report, released here today.

Spectre of ‘water wars’ distracts from urgent need for cross-border cooperation

9 November 2006

Cooperation over water is more pervasive than conflict — and more essential than ever, says 2006 Human Development Report.

Localizing the MDGs through Improved Local Governance and Civic Engagement

31 October 2006 - 1 November 2006

MEDIA ADVISORY - 2006 Human Development Report

2 October 2006

Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis. In a world of unprecedented wealth almost 2 million children die each year for want of a glass of clean water and a toilet. Beyond the household, competition for water for production intensifies, while the environment and the rural poor lose out. Debunking the myth that the global water crisis is the result of scarcity, the 2006 Human Development Report argues that poverty, power and inequality are at the heart of the problem.