Issue: 121
Calling the Paris Agreement on climate change “a health insurance policy for the planet,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he never lost faith that the international community could rise to the challenge and take steps to curb emission and boost climate-resilient growth.
“The countries of the world have made a historic choice,” he told a news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York on his return from attending the so-called COP21 conference in Paris, as he called on Governments to put their pledges into action.
“They have unanimously decided to work as one to rise to the defining challenge of our times. The Paris Agreement is a victory for people, for the common good, and for multilateralism.
“For the first time, every country in the world has pledged to curb emissions, strengthen resilience and act internationally and domestically to address climate change.”
The accord covers all crucial areas identified as essential for a landmark conclusion: mitigation – reducing emissions fast enough to achieve the temperature goal; a transparency system and global stock-take – accounting for climate action; adaptation – strengthening ability of countries to deal with climate impacts; loss and damage – strengthening ability to recover from climate impacts; and support – including finance, for nations to build clean, resilient futures.
Mr. Ban said it embodies a successful new approach to global cooperation on climate change, with countries acknowledging that their national interest is best served by acting for the common good by transforming the global economy to low-emission, climate-resilient growth.
The Market Transformation of Energy Efficient Appliances in Turkey Project which was implemented by General Directorate for Renewable Energy together with UNDP with the financial support of Global Environment Facility (GEF) has successfully completed.
A final event was organized on 16 December 2015 with the participation of all stakeholders to share the concrete and successful results of the project.
The Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Turkish White Goods Manufacturers’ Association (TURKBESD) and Arçelik A.Ş. were the other partners of the project.
There are several reasons for the success of the Market Transformation of Energy Efficient Appliances in Turkey Project. Within the project the improvement of regulatory framework regarding energy labelling and eco-design requirements was ensured. The project accelerated transposition and publication of legislation in Turkey and 14 implementing Communiqués on Eco-design Requirements and Energy Labelling of energy related products have been entered into force through project.
Wet products (washing machines, dishwashers and tumble driers) and air conditioner testing laboratories were established with the support of TSE which will enable TSE to compete in international conformity assessment market for energy efficiency tests. Training on enforcement of eco-design and energy labelling regulations was given to field inspectors of Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology and for the first time a market screening programme was implemented by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology completed with testing services.
Moreover, a market monitoring system was developed to monitor energy consumption and GHG emissions caused by household appliances. Training programme was designed and delivered to salespersons of TURKBESD members as well as department stores who directly communicate with customers.
In addition to these, the public awareness campaign reached more than 9 million people and ensured the change in public perception on energy efficiency. The post-campaign consumer awareness survey also confirmed the success of the public awareness raising campaign indicating that the level of awareness on energy efficiency increased from 43.5% to 58.6%, awareness on energy labels from 52.5% to 58.2% and priority of energy efficiency in purchase decision making shifted from third level to the first level.
All these works provided a GHG reduction of 2.8 million tCO2 and supported Turkey’s efforts on combatting climate change.
The conference was organized by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the technical assistance of United Nations Development Programme within the context of “Institutionalization and Broader Use of the E-Consulate System for Increased Efficiency in the Service Delivery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” project.
The conference consolidated the ownership and ensured sustainability of the outputs of the project at national level and to serve as a platform for discussion of the best national and international practices about e-government.
Participants elaborated on the service delivery methods in e-government practices. They discussed the current e-government practices and future trends in e-government.
Turkey’s e-consulate system chosen to be best practice
“Project for the Institutionalization and Broader Use of the E-Consulate System for Increased Efficiency in the Service Delivery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” started in 2010 and it is developed to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness with a focus on enhanced citizen-satisfaction from the services of the Ministry all over the world.
The project has become a success story in terms of e-governance and access to information. This system which is built in Ministry of Foreign Affairs is recognized as “good practice” by international institutions such as International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as well as by United Nations institutions like United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESWA).
The Support Programme will be implemented with partnership of GAP Regional Development Agency (GAP RDA), İpekyolu, Karacadağ, Dicle Development Agencies and technical assistance of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The programme, which was launched with the attendance of Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Development and Matilda Dimovska, UNDP's Deputy Resident Representative in Turkey, is first of its kind and it will be implemented in 9 provinces. GAP Energy Efficiency Pilot Projects Financial Support Program will be implemented in 2016 with the budget of 9.000.000 TL. Program priorities are;
GAP Energy Efficiency Incubation Center had opened on 22th of April 2015 with the participation of Cevdet Yılmaz, the Minister of Development, and Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator. The current situation of the GAP Energy Efficiency Incubation Center that is among the priorities of the Financial Support Program will also be presented at the launch event by Adil KONUKOĞLU, Chairman of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yavuz COŞKUN, Rector of Gaziantep University.
The launch of the GAP Energy Efficiency Pilot Projects Financial Support Program will be followed by various panels and training on energy efficiency in industry.
Women shared their experiences, needs and perceptions on governance, efficient use of public resources and enhanced accountability through structured relations and discussion platforms.
This initiative developed by UNDP will be finalized in December 2015 and it has been piloted in İzmir and Trabzon.
After analysis of perceptions and needs of grassroots women on accountability and efficiency in governance, the initiative aims to develop and support implementation of small-‐scale initiatives for pilot neighborhoods, provide capacity building trainings on local governance and accountability both for institutions and neighborhood women and generate recommendations for increasing participation of citizens in local decision‐making processes and effective monitoring of those decisions by citizens.
Ortahisar’s Women Sub-Assembly, together with Trabzon Women Platform, had organized a workshop on gender equality and women empowerment on 26th November 2015.
The workshop aimed to reactivate the communication among and renew the agenda of organized women in Trabzon so to show more active and effective participation in decision making processes, increase the effectiveness of civil society to initiate the change and monitor planning and budget spending of local administrations and ask for more accountability.
The outcomes of these discussions were shared on 27 November with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including the Mayor and Deputy Governor. They announced their road map for participatory and transparent processes in the preparation of local policies, involvement of women in the decision making processes of different institutions and monitoring of local plans and policies with a gender perspective.
On the Human Development Report (HDR) published in 2014 Turkey was ranked 69th among 187 countries and territories with the HDI value of 0.759. But the country is ranked 72nd on the same index of the HDR 2015 among 188 countries and territories with an index value of 0.761. Since the scale of countries covered in both reports are not equal, a direct comparison between two rankings should be made carefully.
Between 1980 and 2014, Turkey’s HDI value increased from 0.492 to 0.761, an increase of 54.7 percent or an average annual increase of about 1.29 percent.
Between 1980 and 2014, Turkey’s life expectancy at birth increased by 16.6 years, mean years of schooling increased by 4.7 years and expected years of schooling increased by 7.0 years.
Turkey’s GNI per capita increased by about 139.7 percent between 1980 and 2014.
Comparison with OECD and EU
Turkey’s HDI value which is 0.761 is below the average HDI value of EU member states which is 0.867 and OECD countries, which is 0.882.
Loss of 15.8% in HDI due to inequality
Turkey’s HDI for 2014 is 0.761. However, when the value is discounted for inequality, the HDI falls to 0.641, a loss of 15.8 percent due to inequality in the distribution of the HDI dimension indices.
The average loss due to inequality for high HDI countries is 19.4 percent and for Europe and Central Asia it is 13.0 percent.
Gender Inequality Index (GII) reflects gender-based inequalities in three dimensions –reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity. Turkey has a GII value of 0.359, ranking it 71 out of 155 countries in the 2014 index.
In Turkey, 14.4 percent of parliamentary seats (after November elections, it is 14,7%) are held by women, and 39.0 percent of adult women have reached at least a secondary level of education compared to 60.0 percent of their male counterparts.
For every 100,000 live births, 20 women die from pregnancy related causes; and the adolescent birth rate is 30.9 births per 1,000 women of ages 15-19. Female participation in the labor market is 29.4 percent compared to 70.8 for men.
Female HDI value less than male HDI value
Gender Development Index (GDI), based on the sex-disaggregated Human Development Index, measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health (measured by female and male life expectancy at birth), education (measured by female and male expected years of schooling for children and mean years for adults aged 25 years and older); and command over economic resources (measured by female and male estimated GNI per capita).
The GDI is calculated for 161 countries. The 2014 female HDI value for Turkey is 0.716 in contrast with 0.793 for males, resulting in a GDI value of 0.902.
Human Development Report 2015 focuses on ‘work’
Human Development Report 2015 focuses on work and its contribution to making lives more fulfilling.
Work contributes to the richness of human lives and the richness of economies. However, this positive link is not automatic.
UNDP’s 2015 Human Development Report analyses the imbalance in paid and unpaid work and focuses on the changing world of work, driven by globalization and the digital revolution, which presents opportunities, but at the same time poses risks. The Report includes a series of policy recommendations focused on harnessing work for human development and achieving equitable and sustainable progress.
New approaches are required to create work opportunities for present and future generations alike, the report will argue.
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ABOUT THIS REPORT:
Human development is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of economies. This idea focuses on people, and their choices and opportunities. The Human Development Reports use this approach to analyze some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity to achieve sustainable progress. More information at http://goo.gl/c7rHcc
Trabzon City Council Women’s Assembly organized a Women’s Workshop with the support of Trabzon Ortahisar Municipality on the role and effects of women organizations. UNDP supported them on the grassroots women empowerment work with the UN Joint Programme on Women Friendly Cities. The workshop brought all women organizations in the city together and they discussed their gains with the Women Friendly Cities programme, the status of the partnerships between women’s organizations and public institutions, participation of women’s organizations in participatory mechanisms and Local Equality Action Plans. The outcomes of these discussions were shared on 27 November with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including the Mayor and Deputy Governor. They announced their road map for participatory and transparent processes in the preparation of local policies, involvement of women in the decision making processes of different institutions and monitoring of local plans and policies with a gender perspective. Right after this, they wore their Orange t-shirts and declare their support to the 16 days of activism campaign.
In Aydın, we supported women to get out the street and walk together to enlighten the darkness where a violence free world is possible. They hold posters with the logos of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign and they shouted to end violence against women.
UNDP supports women in the Southeast Anatolia to boost their economic prospects, together with the GAP Regional Development Administration (GAP RDA) and with financing from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The project works to increase women’s participation in labour markets, re-branding of Southeast Anatolia, and creation of innovative sales and marketing opportunities. It has changed the lives of hundreds of women in the Southeast Anatolia, where the basic development indicators for women today are bleak and violence against them all too pervasive. Argande women in Kilis atelier prepared orange shawls made of kutnu, an authentic handicraft peculiar to the region, to show their support to the Campaign. They expressed their commitment to the global activism for ending violence against women with their artistic work reflected on the shawls.
UNDP also supported Kocaeli Cultural Development and Solidarity Organization (KOGED) who organized an Orange event in a school situated in a low income neighborhood. They gave cards to the school kids and ask them to write their opinions about violence against women and girl children. The students hanged these on a wall and they discussed this topic throughout the day with their teachers and peers.
“I think, it is true to say end violence against women. Because in villages, girl children suffers from the violence and girl children and grown up women are humiliated. Hence, those who use violence against women and girl children should be punished. Kids should go to school.”
Nilüfer Misi Village Women's Cultural and Beneficiary Association joined a charity bazaar in Bursa on 5 December which was organized to contribute to the Rehabilitation Center of persons with spastic disabilities. They dedicated their stand to the Orange Campaign and told everyone in the bazaar why they chose the Orange for the day. They prepared orange and peach jams to show their support to the 16 Days of Activism campaign. They decorated jam jars with orange pinkings. They gave orange pins made of cocoon flower for free to those who bought something from their stand. People were very impressed that a village association supported a global campaign.
European Union funded “Mitigating the Impact of Syrian Crisis in Southeast Anatolia Region Project” is implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with Southeastern Anatolia Development Project Regional Development Administration (GAP BKİ), the Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and with local partners Gaziantep Municipality, Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, and Şanlıurfa Municipality.
The aim of the project is to decrease the pressure on local resources of Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, which are highly impacted by the population influx due to Syrian crisis and to support both local population and Syrians under temporary protection. Primarily, the target is to improve the livelihoods in order to increase the employability of the impacted communities including the Syrians under temporary protection and to provide vocational trainings for industry and service sectors in Gaziantep in order to increase vocational skills for local population and Syrians, to enhance their employability chances and to support livelihoods in the short and long run.
Secondly, with the waste management component, it is planned to provide assistance in enhancing local administrations capacities in Şanlıurfa, and provide the local communities and the Syrian population to benefit from the better services.
This project is funded by European Union with a budget of 5.3 million Euros. The project has started in July 2015 and planned to be completed in January 2017.
In order to officialize the vocational trainings component of the project, a protocol was signed with the participation of Fatma ŞAHİN, Gaziantep Major; Adil KONUKOĞLU, Chairman of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry; Sadrettin KARAHOCAGİL, President for Southeastern Anatolia Development Project Regional Development Administration; Matilda DIMOVSKA, UNDP Turkey Deputy Resident Representative, and Cevdet YILMAZ, the Minister of Development. Vocational trainings are planned to be started in January 2016.
Some of the highlights of this year celebration was from Barack Obama, the President of the US, with his video announcement about the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in Silicon Valley.
#GEW2015 became trending topic on Twitter, Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and the GEDI Institute released the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Index, which provides information on the health of entrepreneurial ecosystems in 132 countries.
In Turkey, UNDP joined Global Entrepreneurship Week on November with the International Entrepreneurship Initiative, (a partnership initiative with Habitat Association and Vodafone Turkey), together with Endeavor Turkey.
Almost 100,000 people were inspired during this week. Entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs as well as ecosystem supporters including policy makers, incubators, investors, academics, civil society, private companies and media representatives created synergies and excitement to foster entrepreneurship not only in big cities but also other geographical regions of Turkey.
The week opened by ringing the opening bell of the Istanbul Stock Exchange with leaders of Turkish entrepreneurship ecosystem on 16th November. On 17th of November, Endeavor Turkey organized Twitter social media challenge, on 18-19th of November, DIGIT.EMEA which is considered as world’s startup friendly enterprise event held in Istanbul by Webit. TurkishWin, Kagider, Garanti Bank, GirVak and Arya Women Investment Platform fostered the women entrepreneurship. On 20th November, biggest event of GEW – G3 Forum was held with the partnership of Vodafone Turkey, TEB, TOBB Women and Young Entrepreneurship Councils, International Entrepreneurship Initiative (UGM) and Gate, gathered 100 successful entrepreneurs and business men/women with potential entrepreneurs in roundtables.
This year’s communication campaign was created by TBWA emphasizing the contrast with messages like ‘you won’t have a week long holiday’ or ‘you will never be getting promoted’ and continues ‘because you will be the founder of your own company!’ Additionally, media contributed to extend entrepreneurship to reach out different target groups, such as Pozitif TV, biggest online streaming initiative in Turkey, had streamed the most important events of the week, Onedio highlighted success stories of entrepreneurs based on different geographical regions of Turkey, Bloomberg Turkey interviewed with successful entrepreneurs to inspire young people. #GGH15 is used as social media tag and @girisimcilik which is an official account for GEW Turkey shared all the events in Turkey related to entrepreneurship during November.
International Entrepreneurship Initiative encouraged its national youth and entrepreneurship network and stakeholders to organize local events not only in 3 main cities but also nationwide. During GEW 2015, variety of activities were organized in 21 cities on financial literacy, ICT literacy, analytical thinking for children. Additionally, IEI hosted MassChallenge from Boston - 3rd biggest ecosystem in the world and introduced with Turkey entrepreneurship ecosystem including leading global and national institutions, early stages entrepreneurs, public bodies and related actors of the ecosystem in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. MassChallenge, which is the largest-ever startup accelerator, shared Boston ecosystem characteristics, its complimentary services for early stage entrepreneurs and observed Turkey as a regional hub.
See more at www.globalgirisimcilikhaftasi.com for more information or detailed activities on entrepreneurship.
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Editor: Faik Uyanık
Assistant: Nazife Ece
Intern: Gülce İpci
Contributors to this issue: Deniz Tapan, İdil Şerifoğlu