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Photo by: Martine Perret

The New Face of Global Hunger
By Ban Ki-moon

The price of food is soaring. The threat of hunger and malnutrition is growing. Millions of the world’s most vulnerable people are at risk. An effective and urgent response is needed.


Online solution for hunger

The United Nations World Food Program has a new online campaign called “Free Rice” (http://www.freerice.com) that combines two very different messages: charitable giving can be painless and “wasted” time can be made productive.


WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 - The MPOWER package

This landmark new report presents the first comprehensive worldwide analysis of tobacco use and control efforts. It provides countries with a roadmap to reverse the devastating global tobacco epidemic that could kill up to one billion people by the end of this century.


Global Employment Trends For Women 2008 More Women Enter The Worforce, But More Than Half of All Working Women Are in Vulnerable Jobs

More women are working than ever before, but they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at work according to a new report by the International Labour Office (ILO) issued for International Women’s Day.


UN actively supports humanitarian aid efforts in Tajikistan Photo by: A Hollmann

UNICEF Responds to Mounting Crisis in Tajikistan

UNICEF emergency operation launched as power cuts and severe water shortages threaten large swathes of the Central Asian country Most children in Tajikistan are at risk because of a dire shortage of water and energy supplies, says UNICEF.


Staffan de Mistura Photo by: Paulo Filgueiras

Special Rep’s visit to Ankara

Mr Staffan de Mistura, Special Representative of the UN secretary general and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, arrived in Ankara on invitation for the Turkish authorities. On 6 March 2008, he had consultations with Ertugrul Apakan the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, Mr Murat Ozcelik, Special Envoy for Iraq, and Mr Derya Kanbay, the Republic of Turkey Ambassador to Iraq.


Internal displacement update for Iraq

According to a report issued in March by the working group on internally displaced people (IDP) in Iraq, it is estimated that over 2.77 million people are currently displaced inside the country. Of these, 1.2 million were displaced before 2006 and more than 1.5 million were displaced in 2006 and 2007.

 

Ban: It is our collective responsibility to eradicate racism International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination New York, 21 March 2008

By proclaiming March 21st as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the General Assembly urged action to honour of the memory of the scores of peaceful protestors who were massacred on this day in 1960 in the South African township of Sharpeville as they demonstrated against the racist apartheid “pass laws.”


The Secretary-General’s Message on The International Day In Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
New York, 27 January 2008

Today, we mark the third International Day in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. On this day of observance, unanimously proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, we stand in solidarity with Holocaust survivors and victims’ families around the world. To those who claim that the Holocaust never happened, or has been exaggerated, we respond by reiterating our determination to honour the memory of every innocent man, woman and child murdered at the hands of the Nazis and their accomplices. We mourn the systematic genocide of one third of the Jewish people, along with members of other minorities, which deprived the world of untold contributions.

World Economic Situation and Prospects 2008

According to WESP 2008, the world economy is facing serious challenges in sustaining the strong pace of economic growth seen over the past few years. While the baseline forecast is for world economic growth to moderate somewhat in 2008, the risks associated with the bursting of the housing bubble in the United States, the related unfolding credit crisis, the decline of the dollar, large global imbalances and high oil prices are all pointing to the downside.

Country Partnership Strategy

The Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) is the World Bank's work plan that guides its operations in a country, usually for a period of three or four years. It describes the country's economic and social performance, its main development challenges, and a summary of the government's development strategy.

Photo by: WHO

World Health Organization reports highest rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis to date

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been recorded at the highest rates ever, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report that presents findings from the largest survey to date on the scale of drug resistance in tuberculosis.


The Secretary-General’s Message on World TB Day 24 March 2008

World TB Day is an occasion to urge action to stop tuberculosis, a disease which still kills an appalling 4,000 people every day. The man-made multi-drug resistant strain and its even more lethal form, extensively drug-resistant TB, are both spreading.


Kyoto Protocol’s Adaptation Fund Board Concludes Inaugural Meeting

UN Efforts Expected to Usher In New Era in Environmental Financing The Adaptation Fund Board concluded its inaugural meeting in Bonn on March 28, under the chairmanship of Mr. Richard Muyungi of Tanzania, in what is widely seen as a major step forward in delivering funding for developing countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.



© 2008 United Nations Turkey

Investing in Women and Girls

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Launches Campaign to End Violence against Women

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is launching today a multi-year campaign to intensify action to end violence against women and girls. At least one out of every three women in the world is likely to be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime, according to UN estimates, and one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape. Trafficking, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, dowry murder, honour killings and female infanticide are other widespread aspects of the problem.

Combating Domestic Violence against Women Project

Combating Domestic Violence against Women Project, which is implemented by the Directorate General on the Status of Women with the technical assistance of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and financial assistance of European Union (EU), has on-going multi-dimensional efforts to strengthen women victimized by or under the risk of domestic violence.

UNICEF Marks International Women’s Day by Stressing Importance of Investing in Maternal Health

UNICEF marked International Women’s Day 2008 (8 March) by drawing attention to the need for improvements in maternal health care.

Better access to maternal health care will reduce the estimated half a million pregnancy related deaths that occur each year and also help reduce child mortality rates.

“Evidence from the World Health Organization shows that a motherless child is more likely to die before the age of two than an infant whose mother survives,” said Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF.

Financing for gender equality to be the focus of Commission on the Status of Women

The Commission on the Status of Women had as its priority theme “Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women,” when it met for its fifty-second session from 25 February to 7 March 2008. Numerous Government Ministers and over a thousand non-govern-mental organizations attended the meetings. As an emerging issue, the Commission considered gender perspectives on climate change, and it reviewed national implementation of the recommendations it adopted in 2004 on women’s equal participation in conflict prevention and resolution, and in post-conflict peacebuilding.


Photo by: Atilla Parla

Children still at high risk of poverty

Despite improvements, poverty in the wider sense continues to affect a large proportion of the population -particularly children. Over a quarter of children aged under 15 in Turkey belonged to households stili living in "food and non-food poverty" in 2006, according to the most recent annual study on poverty published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat).


Did you know?

Nearly a third of children under five in t e develaping world are stunted. In 20 developing countries, more than 5% of under-fives are overweight Rural children are twice as likely to be underweight as urban children. 60% of newborns in the developing world are not weighed.


Famous names become UNICEF ambassadors

Actress Prof. Yildiz Kenter, actor Müjdat Gezen and novelist Ayse Kulin are the latest Goodwill Ambassadors of UNICEF in Turkey. The title was conferred by Prof. Talat Halman, President of the National Committee for UNICEF, at a press conference on November 29. The appointments were made upon a joint proposal from the National Committee and the UNICEF Turkey Representation.


Launch of new project to combat human trafficking of IOM Turkey

In support of Turkey’s efforts to combat human trafficking, the Ministry of Interior of Turkey, in close cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), have organized a press conference to present this 2-year and €3 million project funded by the EU, on 19th of March at Ministry of Interior. The event was attended by Mr. Alim Barut; the Deputy Undersecretary of Ministry of Interior, Mr.Melih Ulueren, the Head of Illegal Migration and Asylum Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr.Michael Vögele, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the European Commission Delegation to Turkey and Mr.Maurizio Busatti, Chief of Mission of International Organization for Migration Turkey Mission.


Refugee or migrant?

In the case of the man on the above photo, at the moment when the picture was taken, the question was irrelevant. Whoever he is, he deserved to be saved – precisely what the coast guards were trying to do after a boat of would-be migrants overturned off the coast of Spain, drowning several of its occupants including two pregnant women.

LDC conference held in Istanbul in 2007

Turkey announces additional US$50 million for financing of development projects in vulnerable African countries

Turkey announced an additional US$50 million for the financing of development projects in African countries over the next five years. Making the announcement, Kenan Tepedelen, Coordinator for Turkey’s Relations with the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) told a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York on 28 March that the world cannot be a safe place to live unless equitable and sustainable development for all was ensured.


A Successful Model UN Turkey Conference

Model United Nations Turkey (MUNTR) fourth conference was held in Ankara on March 3-7, at the TOBB-ETU University with the participation of Turkish and foreign students.


UNFCCC: Latin American and Caribbean countries to play key role in global fight against climate change

According to Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Latin American and Caribbean countries will play a key role in designing an international post-2012 climate change agreement and will be among the countries that stand most to benefit from it.

UN Joint Programme “To Protect and Promote the Human Rights of Women and Girls”

UN Joint Programme is designed to address persistent gender inequalities by improving the national policy environment, building local government and NGO capacity, designing service models for women and girls and raising awareness about women and girls’ human rights in the six pilot cities. It was started in November 2005, officially launched in 7 March, 2006.


Please share your views and opinions on United Nations and our magazine with us. We value your input. You can reach us at : unic@un.org.tr


The Secretary-General’s Message on the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members New York, 25 March 2008

Every day, around the world, countless brave women and men put their lives at risk in service of the international public good. These include United Nations staff and peacekeepers, as well as our colleagues in the non-governmental community and our friends in the press. The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is a moment to honour them, increase public awareness and redouble our efforts to reduce the significant threats and risks they face.


The Suffering of the Girl Soldier

Although the plight of child soldiers embroiled in conflicts across the globe is better known, the fate of girls remains overlooked. They are often the victims of sexual violence and exploitation, recruited by rebel groups to serve as combatants and “sex slaves”. And even when they are freed, the stigma of rape and their association with militias remains.


INCB Calls for Proportionate Application of Drug Control Treaties across Countries

Insufficient access to pain treatment medication; situation in Afghanistan and other issues highlighted at launch of INCB Annual Report today in Vienna The disproportionate application of drug laws between different countries and regions is the focus of chapter one of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) Annual Report, released on March 5 in Vienna, Austria.


60th anniversary of UDHR

All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms. The United Nations is committed to upholding, promoting and protecting the human rights of every individual. This commitment stems from the United Nations Charter, which reaffirms the faith of the peoples of the world in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has stated in clear and simple terms the rights which belong equally to every person.


Turkey Needs to Act Before the ‘Window of Opportunity’ Closes

Turkey must now focus on developing comprehensive policies for youth in order to ensure that the country has a healthy, educated, and skilled society to face the challenges of next 15 years and beyond, according to the 2008 Human Development Report for Turkey, which was released on March 21.

Forest tenure in Central Asia

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry jointly organized a work shop for experts from Central Asian countries between March 16-21, 2008 in Antalya Turkey.


The World Habitat Awards 2008

The World Habitat Awards were established in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF) to identify and promote examples of good housing practice. They were initiated as part of BSHF’s contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless in 1987. The concept of identifying good practice was virtually unknown in 1985 and the Awards were originally intended to run for only three years. Since there was such a positive response however, BSHF decided to carry on running the competition and more than twenty years later, the World Habitat Awards continue to go from strength to strength.


UN Vienna

New International System for Early Flood Warning in Danube River Basin Launched

The first international system for forecasting Danube floods and providing an early flood warning was launched on March 10 by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, according to United nations Information Centre in Vienna.  

2008: International Year of Sanitation

2008 is recognized as the International Year of Sanitation (http://esa.un.org/iys/), which was officially launched on 21 November 2007. Sanitation, as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated in his message for the launch, "is deeply connected to virtually all the Millennium Development Goals, in particular those involving the environment, education, gender equality and the reduction of child mortality and poverty.


Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Message on World Water Day New York, 22 March 2008

This year, World Water Day coincides with the International Year of Sanitation, challenging us to spur action on a crisis affecting more than one out of three people on the planet.


WATER IS LIFE
By Ban Ki-moon

At the United Nations, March 22nd is World Water Day. We don’t expect people to stop what they are doing and observe a moment of silence – but maybe they should. Every 20 seconds, a child dies from diseases associated with a lack of clean water. That adds up to an unconscionable 1.5 million young lives cut short each year.

The UNCCD has reached 193 Parties

Membership of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has now become 193, with the accession on 17 March of Serbia.

The UNCCD entered into force on 26 December 1996, 90 days after the fiftieth instrument of ratification was deposited.


UN Turkey Newsletter board of editors (in alphabetical order)

Ahmet Parla
Ayşe Selçuk Gencer
Aygen Aytaç
Gökçe Yörükoğlu
Gözde Doğan
Halide Çaylan
Melek Çakmak
Meltem Ağduk
Metin Çorabatır
Müveddet Farrell
Nezih Tavlaş
Selin Arslan
Sema Hosta
Şehnaz Tanılkan

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