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31 January 2023
Youth project “Blindness is not a sentence” kicks off in Ashgabat
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30 January 2023
Young SDG Ambassadors in Turkmenistan as Champions of today’s world
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30 January 2023
Remembering the Holocaust victims in Turkmenistan
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Turkmenistan
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 Turkmenistan:
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30 January 2023
Young SDG Ambassadors in Turkmenistan as Champions of today’s world
In the modern world, when there are eight billion people on the planet, it is crucial to take into account the diversity and power of all generations to effect constructive change. In light of this, and in consideration of the Agenda 2030, which was adopted in 2015 and defines the global priorities for sustainable development for our generation and represents an ambitious response from the international community to the most pressing global issues of development, the special role of young people becomes increasingly apparent.
As it may seem initially, the term of Sustainable Development Goals may be referred only to policy makers or government officials, but in fact SDGs are all about bringing inputs by everyone and indeed leaving no one behind. That is why, when considering promotion of sustainable development, we must analyze the roles of young people in this process. Numerous researches and the real practice demonstrate us that only positive consequences emerge from the active participation of young people. This allows us to identify the main roles of youth such as critical thinkers, catalysts of changes, innovators, communicators, leaders and many more.
“We are very happy that we have such an inclusive platform such as Young Sustainable Development Goals Ambassadors in Turkmenistan endorsed by the United Nations Office and the Government of Turkmenistan. It helps us translate our vision of development into reality and convert our ambitious ideas into actions. In this process, I use the power of music as my tool to deliver my message. Also, I'm proud to have worked with the British Embassy and young activists to co-organize the first ever Climate and Environment festival in Turkmenistan, which took place in Ashgabat. The festival sought to encourage environmental awareness and community-led climate action throughout Turkmenistan. It is wonderful that many young people who demonstrated their excitement for eco-life were present at the event that attracted over a thousand individuals”, says Sabrina Guseynova, Young SDG Ambassador for Climate action and Regional winner of UNDRR “Sing for Resilience” competition.
Young SDG ambassadors in Turkmenistan are selected through the competitive process and when such pioneers of social changes form their group, they are provided with plenty opportunities for personal and professional growth.
“As an ambassador for Goal 6 on water and sanitation, I had an amazing opportunity to participate at the professional children's forum on climate change organized in Ankara, Türkiye in November 2022. I was motivated not only by fruitful conversations and discussions with my fellow Young Water activists, but I also got inspired by the meeting with the First Lady of Türkiye who equally supports young people and advocates for positive changes. This was indeed a life-changing opportunity for me. In addition, as part of my SDG mission, I began delivering lectures to the first-year students of my university enrolled in the Water Diplomacy course. For me, it's more than just an extracurricular activity; it's an opportunity to use a platform to educate young people about conflict prevention, mediation and international agenda about water issues”, tells us Yupar Egirjayeva, Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 6, a student at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Young SDG Ambassadors in Turkmenistan cover their activities according to the specific goals that they have chosen in the beginning of their term. There is a spectrum of aspects that define their work and each of them decides on their own what sphere they would focus on during еtheir mission.
“There are 5 aspects that I love about being a youth ambassador: the ability to express myself, knowing to be needed, knowing that all good things happen now, and not sometime in the future, pride that I also contribute to changing the world, and that I have met such interesting and amazing activists. In light of this, I'm happy to report that I've written numerous articles for my university's newspaper that discuss gender equality and useful strategies for encouraging tolerance among young people. I hope to carry on this endeavor after using literature to educate my peers about this problem”, says Annabibi Baymuhammedova, Young SDG Ambassador for Gender Equality and Reduced Inequalities.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that, as the winner of the 23rd F.F. Martens International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition, which was held in Moscow by the ICRC Regional Delegation, my team and I have organized training sessions at my university using a peer-to-peer approach to get the next generation of students ready to compete in this competition. We taught 35 students the fundamentals of human rights law and international humanitarian law during our training sessions. Building on this success, in the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, working closely with UN in Turkmenistan, I will continue to contribute to the achievement of SDG 16 in our community with my knowledge, passion, capacity and strong will to bring more to this world”, shares his aspirations Nowruz Nurberdiyev, Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 16 and Coordinator of the Turkmenistan Team at UNICEF Central Asia Youth Partners Group.
“I do believe that superhumans exist in Turkmenistan and they are called Young SDG Ambassadors! We may not fly as superheroes, but I as promoter of Quality Education, I do have a power to promote youth awareness about my topic. Personally, as SDG Ambassador of Quality Education also as Graphic Designer, I use all capacities and opportunities that I have to educate students and all those people around me who want to study design tools, but may not have chances to do so. There is one room in my local area with computers, and I am using that room every day to give lessons for students for free. What I learn today I pass this knowledge to them. Also, I am happy to share that within my scope of work, my fellow SDG Ambassadors and I organized Food Fair for Older People among faculty students at the International University for the Humanities and Development where I study”, proudly shares her experience Selbi Shaylyeva, Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 4.
“Being an SDG Ambassador and representing Goal 4 "Quality Education" I would love to share the quote that has made a great impression on me and altered my life, "Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world". It goes without saying, education plays an important role in our lives, because it's a passport for our future. In several months I have gained quite a lot of new and fascinating things. I strongly believe that if we pluck up our courage together, we as young people will promote the quality of education. In order to exchange ideas and have talks about the value of inclusive education among young people in society, I actively participated in the online bridge session between Turkmen State University, where I study, and foreign educational institutions. I also make it a point to encourage inclusivity in my workplace as an English language teacher”, says Jepbarberdi Gurbanmuradov, Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 4.
“With growing population, there is even more demand than supply in the global economy. This holds true for job markets as well. Women, refugees, people with disabilities, and young, enthusiastic people from low income families are deprived of the opportunity to land their dream jobs. As for me, we should create opportunities ourselves, and help to do the same for others. I'm also happy to report that in my role as the current cohort's social media manager, I concentrated on promoting chances for young people to grow personally and professionally. Additionally, I led a session with my fellows at the American Center to discuss academic and professional opportunities for people with disabilities to pursue”, reflects Mengli Veliyeva, Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, and the cohort’s social media manager.
The year of 2022 was a full of diverse events. It is delightful to observe that Youth Messengers engaged in this process both through the platform created by the UN and partners and the initiatives that were fully led by them - young people.
“As the SDG ambassadors we did a fantastic job collaborating with UN agencies. I really appreciate their dedication to our social and professional development. Special thanks goes to UNICEF for providing an unforgettable opportunity to take part in the youth conference in Uzbekistan! I hope, soon, we will be able to make our voices heard not only in the regional, but also on the international arena! Furthermore, I believe the best way to influence the world is by volunteering, so I'm happy to report that I committed to teach English to children at a local secondary school. Over the course of three months, I and my fellow volunteers taught 90 young people. We also succeeded in promoting the SDGs through an interactive approach and a peer-to-peer methodology”, shares her story Maral Allaberdyyeva, Young SDG Ambassador for Quality Education.
“Education is a fundamental human right and indispensable for achievement of many SDGs. That’s why I chose SDG 4 to promote it. I think that being an envoy for SDGs is a very moral position. I am delighted to be part of the SDG Turkmenistan team as I found peers with the same objectives, who always want to take actions. Past 6 month were full of many memories with joyful emotions. It was interesting and important for me to participate in every event, which was held by different UN Agencies and partners, where I learned about new aspects and took action together with my team. Moreover, as I am a student of IUHD (International University for the Humanities and Development), I can share one bright event, “The UN Session”, which we organized as Diplomats' Club at our University to promote Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at creating the next generation’s change makers. Being a Youth SDG Ambassador for me is a great opportunity to realize my goal and to improve the world around me”, declares Saida Halmamatova, Young SDG Ambassador for Quality Education.
“I am happy to share that the climate action that I stand for is not only limited to the actions to promote sustainability but it also refers to the issues of equality and inclusion. It was a special delight for me to attend the Inclusive Sports Festival organized in Ashgabat Olympic Village, and the Local Conference of Young People for Climate in Turkmenistan organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the British Embassy in Turkmenistan and the United Nations. I am particularly excited to share that as part of the Technovation Girls Program, I presented a series of sessions on climate action to girls aged 8 to 18 who participate to design tech solutions for community challenges. I am strongly assured that in a spirit of such productive cooperation we may and we will achieve many more impactful results”,remarks Gulshat Ayydova, Young SDG Ambassador Goals 12 and 13 and Coordinator of the Cohort.
“In my opinion, being SDG Ambassador is not only about activism, but it is also about enriching our academic background and enriching our knowledge to be able to leverage this information for activities in real life. It also helps me develop my public speaking skills and analytical thinking abilities. About my activities, I am glad that my team and I decided to run the "New Year Tree of Wishes" campaign in my university on New Year's Eve in order to help children who are in need and those with disabilities. All students of our university could randomly choose a card hung on the tree that had a child's name and a wish, and then offer a gift for that child. As a result, we visited the children at the Medical Educational Center in Ashgabat and had more than 600 gifts to give them”, states Shabibi Beshimova, Young SDG Ambassador for Gender Equality and No Poverty.
“I was very glad to broaden my horizons about the climate action which I promote as my goal of choice at capacity-building sessions organized by different entities at the UN especially for young people and youth ambassadors. I was then able to use this knowledge to promote my goal further at my university and campus. In regard to this, I am thrilled to announce that together with my fellow SDG Ambassadors, we initiated and led a fund-raising event to collect resources to buy food and hygiene items for children with disabilities at the local boarding school”, notes Enejan Achilova, Young SDG Ambassador for Climate Action.
The contribution of young people to the process of advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is fundamental to shaping the whole outcome. Described by former UN Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon as “Torchbearers of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, there are many successful examples of young people contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The development of a highly educated, erudite, physically and morally healthy, intelligent young generation is one of the strategic tasks for the development of Turkmenistan which is in the Renaissance towards a powerful state. Given the huge decisive role in the further sustainable and comprehensive socio-economic development of the country, youth is a priority for the nation that is strengthening its position on the world stage.
Shukurgeldi Myradov, Coordinator of Young SDG Ambassadors in Turkmenistan, Youth Ambassador for Good Health and Well-being and Partnerships for Sustainable Development
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13 March 2020
A Coordinated Response to Coronavirus
On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) characterized the coronavirus (COVID-19) viral disease a pandemic, but it is a pandemic that can be controlled. Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the UN agency, said, in his statement, “Let me be clear: describing this as a pandemic does not mean that countries should give up.”
The UN Secretary-General urged all countries to take a comprehensive approach tailored to their circumstances – with containment as the central pillar. COVID-19 is affecting thousands of people, impacting countries’ health systems and having widespread social and economic effects. The UN entities working on development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, are supporting countries in their preparedness and response plans.
This page convenes sources of information and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) regarding the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
WHO is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to track the spread and to provide guidance to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak.
To stay up to date with the latest information, please visit:
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Latest news on the United Nations’ response: https://news.un.org/en/events/un-news-coverage-coronavirus-outbreak
WHO guidance for countries: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd
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20 January 2023
UNICEF and Young SDG Ambassadors Recollect their Joint Work in 2022
Initiated in 2019 by UN Resident Coordinator Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2022 was the third year of Young SDG Ambassadors contributing to social good in Turkmenistan. Throughout these years, UNICEF together with the Government and UN partners in Turkmenistan continuously worked with the Young SDG Ambassadors to promote child rights and raise awareness on diverse topics related to child wellbeing, from climate change and healthy lifestyle to education and gender equality. To highlight their efforts, UNICEF and Young Ambassadors recollect their experience and share some of the stories from 2022 that showcase the valuable contribution made by young people for children in Turkmenistan.
In October 2022, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and National Red Crescent Society in dedication of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction organized a celebration to acknowledge the progress being made towards reducing disaster risks in Turkmenistan. Shukurgeldi Myradov, Young Ambassador for SDG 17 (partnerships) and coordinator of the 3rd Cohort of Young SDG Ambassadors, a student at Turkmen State Architecture and Construction Institute, took active part in co-facilitating the event and learned the importance of early-warning systems.
“Youth can bring input being the torchbearers of peace and innovations! Given opportunities, young people will co-design a prosperous future together!” says Shukurgeldi Myradov.
The importance of creating a climate-resilient planet has been a talking point for many Young SDG Ambassadors in 2022. Whether in delivering information sessions for school students on Earth Day or engaging with children in summer camps, these young people have been continuously promoting sustainable living.
“The future of our planet, the future of environment, of peace and development, solely depends on our actions today”, says Kerwenmyrat Myradow, Young Ambassador of SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities).
On 16-17 November, the European Union and UNICEF, together with European Training Foundation (ETF) held a regional dialogue for young people from Central Asia, on the sidelines of the EU-Central Asia Connectivity Conference. Maral Allaberdiyeva and Nowruz Nurberdiyev were among the four SDG Ambassadors from Turkmenistan who participated online and exchanged ideas and experience with young people from the neighboring countries. She is the Young Ambassador of SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and he is Ambassador of SDG 16 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 5 (gender equality). They both study at International University for the Humanities and Development with Maral majoring in International Trade and Nowruz in International Public Law.
"Just recently, I was lucky to take part in the event "Young Voices of Central Asia" where we, the ambassadors of the SDGs, together with other young people, could discuss issues concerning us, youth. I was pleased with the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of young people. Participating in thematic sessions, we could offer ideas for combating climate change, for promoting digitalization and gender equality. Through these and many other UN activities, young people have a chance to expand their knowledge, promote and develop a more sustainable life. I am very glad to have these opportunities, because I believe in lifelong learning!", says Maral Allaberdyyeva. Nowruz adds: “Because the future leaders of tomorrow are today's youth with great potential. We will actively promote the SDGs towards the sustainable future we want to live in.”
Yupar, who is a Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) and a second-year student at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, had an opportunity to voice ideas and initiatives at the 23rd International Children’s Forum on Climate Change which was organized by the Ministry of Family and Social Services and UNICEF in Ankara, Turkiye, from November 20 to 22, 2022. Young participants discussed climate change in the region, attitudes of young people towards the environment, climate change and youth rights.
“Small steps can turn into bigger steps, and they can inspire others to make changes too”, notes Yupar Egirjayeva.
Calling on the general theme of youth participation and empowerment, Young Ambassador of SDG 5 (gender equality), Shabibi Beshimova says: “I was lucky to meet some of the brightest women of my country. I can’t stop discovering how strong and amazing women and girls can be. As an SDG Ambassador for gender equality, I will continue making my best efforts in 2023 to further promote my Goal and make sure each and every girl in our country knows her value and achieves the best”.
In addition to engaging youth in events, in 2022, UNICEF also focused on capacity building of young people in advocacy and communication, data and evaluations, which makes youth voices stronger and evidence-based, and contributes to being a role model among peers and wider society. Young people are speaking out and taking action for SDGs and children in their daily life, ranging from championing the rights of children with disabilities to promoting gender equality and living in harmony with the environment. Just as the Government announced the official motto of the year “2023 - Arkadag Serdarly bagtyýar ýaşlar ýyly (2023 - Happy Youth with Arkadag Serdar)”, UNICEF will continue to scale up its work with Young SDG Ambassadors in 2023, and in this way empower them to contribute to a future for every child in the country.
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20 January 2023
Turkmen youth participate at Non-Violence Cup tournament
With the support of the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator UN Turkmenistan jointly with IDEA Central Asia the Non-Violence Cup tournament among Turkmen youth was convened on 15 January 2023. The event was held as part of the Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan funded by the European Union and the annual global campaign devoted to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.
Thirty-two participants representing students and instructors from Turkmenistan and split into four “Government versus shadow Government” groups learnt from the demonstrative debate round from IDEA Central Asia, and then took part in a full round of debates. During the debate, which was held in the British Parliament format, the young participants learnt how to combat and prevent gender inequality, gender-based violence and other forms of violence, promote women’s participation and rights in all spheres of social life and hence, bring about positive transformational changes in the community.
It served as a platform to express insights, ideas and vision through the lens of young people to address gender related issues from a wide range of perspectives, as well as advocate for gender equality and the rights of women.
Based on the results of the competitive round and the previous online trainings, 8 finalists got the opportunity to take part in the regional INSTA -debates on 29 January 2023, where they will compete for the title of the best debaters on gender equality across Central Asia.
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Story
22 December 2022
The UN Senior Experts’ Mission on Census completes its visit to Turkmenistan
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund supported the second visit of the UN Mission in support of the Population and Housing Census in Turkmenistan, which took place from 16 – 20 December 2022. Turkmenistan is conducting a complete census of the population and housing stock, which is taking place from 17 to 27 December 2022 using tablet computers for data collection. The mission consisted of representatives from the United Nations Statistics Division, Statistics Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and the Interstate Statistical Committee of CIS.
The purpose of the UN Mission was to find out how enumeration was going from the perspective of full compliance with international standards, namely the UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses and the Recommendations of the Conference of European Statisticians for the 2020 population and housing census round. The mission had fruitful meetings with the management and core team of the State Committee on Statistics and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In April 2022 the same composition of the UN senior experts visited the country to get acquainted with the progress of preparations for the 2022 census and developed recommendations to ensure that the processes and results of the census comply fully with international standards. During its December visit, the mission delegates visited selected census enumeration units and communicated with the enumerators to inquire about technical and substantial details related to the field work, concluding that the field work progresses as planned. The Mission also concluded that most of the previously issued recommendations were successfully implemented by the State Statistics Committee. In particular, the government ensured that public awareness about the census was increased to stimulate active participation of the population.
The mission experts conducted a training for mass media representatives on the role of media in census communication and dissemination, which was followed by the press briefing.
“We commend the decision of the Government of Turkmenistan to conduct the population and housing census of Turkmenistan in 2022 using tablet computers, which facilitates quality assurance, enables accelerated editing and processing of collected data, and permits timely release and dissemination of preliminary and final census results. We look forward to trusted cooperation with the Government of Turkmenistan to continue to provide United Nations support for the 2022 Population and Housing Census of Turkmenistan until all the phases have been accomplished. We also take this opportunity to congratulate the Government of Turkmenistan for its commitments, invested resources and expertise in planning and conducting the population and housing census”, said Mr. Srdjan Mrkic, Head of the Demographic Statistics Section of the UN Statistics Division, Head of Mission.
“Census does not finish when data collection ends, according to the international recommendations, publishing and analyzing data is a key part of the process” highlighted Mr. Andres Vikat, Head of the Social and Demographic Statistics Unit of the Statistics Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
The Mission outlined that disseminating provisional and later final census results will significantly and positively impact the perception of the statistical capacity of Turkmenistan, placing it into the column of UN Member States that are able to generate granular statistics necessary for national policies and monitoring of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. In this connection, UNFPA will continue to provide technical advisory support to the State Statistics Committee to ensure all census operations at all stages are in line with UN principles and recommendations, collected data is of high quality and used for the national socio-economic development, and population policies.
Read about 2022 April’s visit of UN Senior Experts Mission on Census to Turkmenistan
Frequently Asked Questions on 2022 Census in Turkmenistan
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Press Release
01 February 2023
Youth project “Blindness is not a sentence” kicks off in Ashgabat
The youth project “Blindness is not a sentence” was initiated by young leader Shabibi Osmanova, Chairwoman of the Youth Committee at BDST, which successfully passed the selection process. The project aims to help late-blinded people overcome emotional and psychological barriers and develop their skills for adaptation and integration into society.
The project “Blindness is not a sentence” will involve 50 late-blinded people who find it difficult to adapt to the social environment, need psychological assistance, social adaptation and integration into society. In this regard, the project will organize trainings for target groups in the cities of Ashgabat, Dashoguz and Balkanabat. Trainings participants will review specific methods for overcoming domestic problems, get acquainted with the methods of orientation and finding direction in space and mobility, learn the types and methods of relaxation, and also dig deeper into the information technology. The uniqueness of the project lies in the fact that the trainers themselves are late-blinded people, and training materials will be presented using the peer-to-peer method.
By the end of the project, the training participants will be able to work independently on removing emotional and psychological barriers, overcoming their phobias, reconsidering their prejudices regarding the use of a cane for blind people, not be ashamed of their current condition, learn the basic computer skills adapted for a blind person.
This project is one of the nine Youth Leadership Grant projects aimed at building capacity of young people through strengthening their leadership qualities and involving young people in social projects supported by public associations together with young leaders that contribute to social, economic and environmental development in communities.
The project “Building youth resilience through community engagement” is implemented by IOM in partnership with the Eurasia Foundation (EF) within the framework of the Social Innovations in Central Asia (SICA) program with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Strengthening the capacity of young people to participate in local community projects is one of the goals of the project to develop and improve the well-being of local communities.
IOM contact person in Turkmenistan:
Nargiza Davletova, NGO Coordinator
phone: +99364183250, e-mail: ndavletova@iom.int
Nargiza Davletova, NGO Coordinator
phone: +99364183250, e-mail: ndavletova@iom.int
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Press Release
30 January 2023
Remembering the Holocaust victims in Turkmenistan
Speakers representing the Diplomatic and Jewish communities in the country noted that such events provide opportunities to develop a deeper appreciation of the victims and survivors. They stressed “placing the victims and survivors in the centre of historical research, and that learning and remembrance illuminates the humanity of victims of atrocities today, and the impact of antisemitism fueled by disinformation and the distortion of history. Focusing on the humanity of victims prompts us to remember our humanity, and our responsibility to combat hate speech, combat antisemitism and prejudice - to do all we can to prevent genocide”.
Following the panel discussion and music interlude the participants explored the photo exhibition “The Butterfly project: remembering the children of the Holocaust” that outlined the impact of the Holocaust on children, and showcases an educational initiative called "The Butterfly Project" developed by Holocaust Museum Houston to teach this history to young people, encourage them to remember the 1.5 million children who perished and to stand up against hatred and prejudice.
“Remembering, discussing and learning about the Holocaust is important not only because it helps us gain a better understanding of the past, but because it also raises awareness about contemporary forms of antisemitism, xenophobia and other forms of hatred. It illustrates how these can create the preconditions for genocide”, noted Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan during his welcoming remarks.
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Press Release
30 January 2023
High level launch of International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace
Over 80 high-level participants representing the Government, UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, international organizations, foreign diplomatic delegations joined the event and expressed their support to promoting peace through dialogue.
This high-level forum was held in support to the implementation of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 77/32 of December 6, 2022, adopted unanimously by all UN members states, and which proclaimed 2023 as the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace.
The high-level speakers presented their vision of promoting dialogue as guarantee of peace and shared their proposals to observe the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, informed on planned activities aimed at implementation of the International Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.
“Today we witness the increased tension in the world. The global pandemic, the ongoing economic slowdown and the challenges of growing protectionism have affected the development of the international and ongoing cooperation for the sustainable development, peace and prosperity,” stressed Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator.
The high-level forum resulted in adoption of the Roadmap for the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace that has a series of planned events including international and regional forums, debates, sport and youth activities aimed at mobilizing the international community to develop culture of peace and dialogue in relations amongstates, strengthening political dialogue based on mutual understanding and cooperation, and achieving sustainable peace, solidarity and harmony.
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Press Release
30 January 2023
Confluence of multiple crises unleashes one of the lowest global economic outputs in recent decades, according to UN flagship report
A series of severe and mutually reinforcing shocks — the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and resulting food and energy crises, surging inflation, debt tightening, as well as the climate emergency — battered the world economy in 2022. Against this backdrop, world output growth is projected to decelerate from an estimated 3.0 per cent in 2022 to 1.9 per cent in 2023, marking one of the lowest growth rates in recent decades, according to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2023, launched today.
The report presents a gloomy and uncertain economic outlook for the near term. Global growth is forecast to moderately pick up to 2.7 per cent in 2024 as some of the headwinds will begin to subside. However, this is highly dependent on the pace and sequence of further monetary tightening, the course and consequences of the war in Ukraine, and the possibility of further supply-chain disruptions.
The tepid global economic prospects also threaten the achievement of the the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), when the 2023 SDG Summit in September marks the mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
“This is not the time for short-term thinking or knee-jerk fiscal austerity that exacerbates inequality, increases suffering and could put the SDGs farther out of reach. These unprecedented times demand unprecedented action,” said António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General. “This action includes a transformative SDG stimulus package, generated through the collective and concerted efforts of all stakeholders,” he added.
Gloomy economic outlook for both developed and developing economies
Amid high inflation, aggressive monetary tightening and heightened uncertainties, the current downturn has slowed the pace of economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, threatening several countries — both developed and developing — with the prospects of recession in 2023. Growth momentum significantly weakened in the United States, the European Union and other developed economies in 2022, adversely impacting the rest of the global economy through a number of channels.
Tightening global financial conditions coupled with a strong dollar exacerbated fiscal and debt vulnerabilities in developing countries. Over 85 per cent of central banks worldwide tightened monetary policy and raised interest rates in quick succession since late 2021, to tame inflationary pressures and avoid a recession. Global inflation which reached a multi-decade high of about 9 per cent in 2022 is projected to ease but remain elevated at 6.5 per cent in 2023.
Weaker job recovery and rising poverty
Most developing countries have seen a slower job recovery in 2022 and continue to face considerable employment slack. Disproportionate losses in women’s employment during the initial phase of the pandemic have not been fully reversed, with improvements mainly arising from a recovery in informal jobs.
According to the report, slower growth, coupled with elevated inflation and mounting debt vulnerabilities, threatens to further set back hard-won achievements in sustainable development, deepening the already negative effects of the current crises. Already in 2022, the number of people facing acute food insecurity had more than doubled compared to 2019, reaching almost 350 million. A prolonged period of economic weakness and slow income growth would not only hamper poverty eradication, but also constrain countries’ ability to invest in the SDGs more broadly.
“The current crises are hitting the most vulnerable the hardest — often through no fault of their own. The global community needs to step up joint efforts to avert human suffering and support an inclusive and sustainable future for all,” said Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.
Stronger international cooperation is imperative
The report calls for Governments to avoid fiscal austerity which would stifle growth and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable groups, affect progress in gender equality and stymie development prospects across generations. It recommends reallocation and reprioritization of public expenditures through direct policy interventions that will create jobs and reinvigorate growth. This will require strengthening of social protection systems, ensuring continued support through targeted and temporary subsidies, cash transfers, and discounts on utility bills, which can be complemented with reductions in consumption taxes or custom duties.
Strategic public investments in education, health, digital infrastructure, new technologies and climate change mitigation and adaptation can offer large social returns, accelerate productivity growth, and strengthen resilience to economic, social and environmental shocks.
Additional SDG financing needs in developing countries vary by source, but are estimated to amount to a few trillion dollars per year. Stronger international commitment is urgently needed to expand access to emergency financial assistance; to restructure and reduce debt burdens across developing countries; and scale up SDG financing.
Media contacts:
Sharon Birch, UN Department of Global Communications, birchs@un.org
Helen Rosengren, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, rosengrenh@un.org
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Press Release
30 January 2023
UNODC global report on trafficking in persons: crises shift trafficking patterns and hinder victim identification
The number of victims detected globally fell by 11 per cent in 2020 from the previous year, driven by fewer detections in low- and medium-income countries. The pandemic, in addition to reducing opportunities for traffickers to operate, may have weakened law enforcement capacities to detect victims.
“This latest report shows how the pandemic has increased vulnerabilities to trafficking in persons, further undercutting capacities to rescue victims and bring criminals to justice,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. “We cannot allow crises to compound exploitation. The UN and the donor community need to support national authorities, most of all in developing countries, to respond totrafficking threats, and to identify and protect victims especially in states of emergency.”
Globally, the number of convictions for trafficking offences also fell by 27 per cent in 2020 from the previous year – with sharper decreases registered in South Asia (56 per cent), Central America and the Caribbean (54 per cent) and South America (46 per cent) – accelerating a longer-term trend registered by UNODC since 2017.
The report also details how war and conflict offer opportunities for traffickers to exploit. It shows that the war in Ukraine is elevating trafficking risks for the displaced population. Most victims resulting from conflicts originate in and are trafficked to countries in Africa and the Middle East.
The seventh UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons covers 141 countries and provides an overview of patterns and flows of trafficking in persons at global, regional and national levels, based on trafficking cases detected between 2017 and 2021. The findings are further informed by analysis of 800 court case summaries and accompanied by detailed suggestions to policy makers to help formulate effective responses.
Fewer cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation were detected during the pandemic as public spaces were closed and related restrictions may have pushed this form of trafficking into more concealed and less safe locations, making it harder to identify victims.
Court case analysis featured in the report further shows that trafficking victims, when they are identified, escape from traffickers on their own and are in effect ‘self-rescued’ – there are more cases of victims escaping and reporting to authorities of their own initiative (41 per cent) than cases where victims were located by law enforcement (28 per cent), members of the community and civil society (11 per cent). This is especially alarming considering many victims of trafficking may not identify themselves as victims or may be too afraid of their exploiters to attempt escaping.
Breaking down trafficking in persons statistics by region, the report shows higher levels of impunity in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Countries in these regions convict fewer traffickers and detect fewer victims than the rest of the world. At the same time, victims from these regions are identified in a wider range of destination countries than victims from other regions.
The 2022 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons also examines court cases showing that female victims are subject to physical or extreme violence at hands of traffickers at a rate three times higher than males, and children almost twice as often as adults.
At the same time, women investigated for trafficking in persons are also significantly more likely to be convicted than men. This suggests that the justice system may discriminate against women, and/or that the role of women in trafficking networks may increase the likelihood that they are convicted for the crime.
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The UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons has been published since 2009. Mandated by the UN General Assembly to inform an effective response to this crime and place it within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda, the Report draws upon the largest existing dataset on trafficking in persons, with information on the more than 450,000 victims and 300,000 (suspected)offenders detected worldwide between 2003 and 2021.
For further information, please contact: Brian Hansford
Chief, UNODC Advocacy Section Mobile: (+43-699) 1458-3225 Email: brian.hansford[at]un.org
For further information, please contact: Brian Hansford
Chief, UNODC Advocacy Section Mobile: (+43-699) 1458-3225 Email: brian.hansford[at]un.org
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