Issue: 72
Since then the complexion of the challenges and the problems we face, have changed massively:
66 years ago there was hardly any mention of the climate change, today it is a global debate and a mounting threat beyond borders that concern us all.
Global temperatures now average 0.75 degrees Celsius higher than at the beginning of the 20th century. Some of the largest increases are in already hot parts of developing countries.
Unbridled human activity is aggravating the situation further: burning fossil fuels, cutting forest, which increases carbon emissions.
The average sea level has risen 20 centimeters since 1870 with progressive acceleration in the rate of change. For small island states, this is indeed devastating.
The likelihood of natural disasters, such as droughts, storms and floods has almost doubled over the last 25 years and its deleterious impact is highest in low and medium income countries.
Loss of forest cover threatens livelihoods and biodiversity. Environmental trends over recent decades show deterioration on several fronts, especially for the millions of people who depend directly on natural resources for their livelihoods and are living in the marginal and fragile eco-systems.
There is no simple choice
The scientific evidence is abundant and unequivocal: there is an urgent need to act now to save especially the poorest and the most vulnerable segments.
Integrating what we do on climate and broader environment issues with what we do on development is essential.
There is no simple choice to be made between fostering growth and development or protecting our climate and ecosystems.
Both objectives are essential and could be pursued as fully compatible and complimentary.
What is required is a concerted collective action within an effective multilateral system to develop a recipe which blends the livelihood needs of the poorest with the integrity of the ecosystems of our planet.
Indeed, beyond the Millennium Development Goals, the world needs a post-2015 development framework that reflects equity and sustainability; Rio+20 stands out as a key opportunity to reach a shared understanding of how to move forward.
Climate change is a development issue
Unsustainable development, in the past and the present, is its root cause; only sustainable development can confront the challenge.
It was precisely in recognition of this daunting challenge that the UN Joint Programme on “Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change” was first launched.
No one would have imagined that this joint initiative between the Turkish Government and United Nations would lead to a treasure of groundbreaking experience.
Through the dedicated works of all national partners from public institutions to the private sector and from NGOs to academia, Turkey now has a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy but the Joint Programme is not just about policies and strategies. It genuinely touched people’s lives.
Eco-efficiency pilot projects and the climate change adaptation Grants Programme acquainted the local communities with a better understanding of their environment and fostered innovative approaches for adaptation to the changing climate.
These communities now can deal with their vulnerabilities better and increase their resilience much more than ever before.
The fight against climate change requires dedicated resources and human capital, unswerving political leadership and the strongest possible partnerships among all who can contribute to making a difference.
* Shahid Najam, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkey and UN Resident Coordinator in Turkey
UN Resident Coordinator Najam and other UN officers from UNDP, FAO and UNV volunteered in daily activities of TEGV Ankara Semahat-Dr. Nüsret Education Park leading workshops for children together with more experienced volunteers.
The UN and TEGV volunteers helped children in arts, reading, mathematics, positive attitude and sports.
During the day, volunteering as a corporate social responsibility activity has also been introduced – something in which increasingly many Turkish companies already engage.
The objective for this first of its kind event was to celebrate volunteerism in Turkey and the contribution it makes to the society.
The event also provided UN staff an opportunity to contribute personally to children's lives.
The event was organised jointly by UN Volunteers and TEGV to celebrate International Year of Volunteering +10.
IYV+10 is a global campaign, initiated by the UN, to enhance the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteering.
The campaign calls everyone – UN agencies, governments, volunteer organisation, civil society, private sector – to celebrate volunteerism as an expression of our common humanity.
They are encouraged to recognise the role of volunteerism in building solidarity and respects, in helping both individuals and society at large, achieving Millennium Development Goals and in contributing towards human development.
The UN report has been launched in conference organised by Educational Volunteer Foundation TEGV, in cooperation with the Centre for European Union Education and Youth Programmes (Turkish National Agency) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in the scope of 2011 European Year of Volunteering.
Annual ‘Volunteering’ conferences, which TEGV organised in Istanbul for the 6th time on the International Volunteer Day 5 December, now has a theme of ‘Volunteer! Make a Difference’ to mark European Year of Volunteering and 10th anniversary of United Nations International Year of Volunteering.
The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report commissioned by the United Nations Volunteers that launched in the conference, aims at bringing into light the role and contribution of volunteering in peace and development and to the attainment of Millennium Development Goals.
To share the message with the Turkish public, the Centre for European Union Education and Youth Programmes (Turkish National Agency) has translated and printed the report into Turkish.
The first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) promotes a better understanding of volunteerism by demonstrating its universality, scope and reach and by discussing new trends in volunteerism in the twenty-first century.
The Report examines important contributions in diverse fields such as sustainable livelihoods, social inclusion, social cohesion, disaster risk reduction, governance and political participation.
SWVR also provides an alternative vision of a better society and considers how to take volunteerism forward.
The SWVR is expected to enhance recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteerism worldwide.
Even without the multiple crises that have afflicted the world in recent years, it is obvious that the efforts of governments and international actors need to be reinforced by the people.
MDGs and volunteers
Meeting and sustaining internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals, needs the voluntary engagement and support of the people.
Yet volunteerism still remains largely absent from the peace and development agenda. The report shows that this must change.
The first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) brings to light an unacknowledged renewable resource; and shows why volunteerism, in its many and diverse forms, is crucial to human development.
The first SWVR has been presented to the United Nations General Assembly on 5 December 2011 in New York, United States.
It will also be launched in many countries around the world as part of global and national events being supported by UNV to mark IYV+10.
The UN report has been launched in conference organised by Educational Volunteer Foundation TEGV, in cooperation with the Centre for European Union Education and Youth Programmes (Turkish National Agency) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in the scope of 2011 European Year of Volunteering.
Annual ‘Volunteering’ conferences, which TEGV organised in Istanbul for the 6th time on the International Volunteer Day 5 December, now has a theme of ‘Volunteer! Make a Difference’ to mark European Year of Volunteering and 10th anniversary of United Nations International Year of Volunteering.
The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report commissioned by the United Nations Volunteers that launched in the conference, aims at bringing into light the role and contribution of volunteering in peace and development and to the attainment of Millennium Development Goals.
To share the message with the Turkish public, the Centre for European Union Education and Youth Programmes (Turkish National Agency) has translated and printed the report into Turkish.
The first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) promotes a better understanding of volunteerism by demonstrating its universality, scope and reach and by discussing new trends in volunteerism in the twenty-first century.
The Report examines important contributions in diverse fields such as sustainable livelihoods, social inclusion, social cohesion, disaster risk reduction, governance and political participation.
SWVR also provides an alternative vision of a better society and considers how to take volunteerism forward.
The SWVR is expected to enhance recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteerism worldwide.
Even without the multiple crises that have afflicted the world in recent years, it is obvious that the efforts of governments and international actors need to be reinforced by the people.
MDGs and volunteers
Meeting and sustaining internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals, needs the voluntary engagement and support of the people.
Yet volunteerism still remains largely absent from the peace and development agenda. The report shows that this must change.
The first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) brings to light an unacknowledged renewable resource; and shows why volunteerism, in its many and diverse forms, is crucial to human development.
The first SWVR has been presented to the United Nations General Assembly on 5 December 2011 in New York, United States.
It will also be launched in many countries around the world as part of global and national events being supported by UNV to mark IYV+10.
The project aims to promote volunteering by exchange of good practices and experiences, to raise awareness about the value and importance of volunteering and to promote European Voluntary Service (EVS) and to increase participation in EVS, which are the purposes of the European Year of Voluntary Activities.
The project began with the launch at the Opening Conference that held on the 27 October, 2011 in Istanbul. Therefore, the “Best Volunteer Story Competition” and the “Itinerary Meetings” activities have been carried out within the scope of the Project.
Best Volunteer Story Competition aims to promote volunteering by rewarding the successful and inspiring practices. The Competition is for all volunteers who are aged between 18 and 30, and participated in any social responsibility project of a NGO, an institution or an organization.
The Project can be followed on the gonulluturkiye.org website and twitter.com/GonulluTurkiye. Moreover, volunteer stories can be shared on gonulluturkiye.org by being an applicant.
Ankara, 25 November 2011 – “For a More Just World, Stand by Me” campaign has been launched by Speaker of the Parliament Cemil Çiçek, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Shahid Najam and Chairperson of TGNA Equal Opportunities Commission for Man and Woman, Azize Sibel Gönül.
The main objective of the campaign is to expand the legislative framework on gender equality, empower the role of women in the society, eliminate the inequalities in both humanitarian and socio-economic indicators, internalize gender equality perspective and raise public awareness on preventing domestic violence.
The campaign also aims to create public awareness and increase the ownership among society and general public on the project, through ensuring the visibility of the project activities on this field.
The campaign, the target group of which has been selected as all parties of the society (women, men, children, civil servants, local authorities, civil society organisations, unions and employer organizations, development agencies, private sector, universities, local and national media, etc.), will carry on its activities for one year.
Institutions Implementing the Campaign:
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
UN WOMEN
Turkish Grand National Assembly Equal Opportunities Commission for Man and Woman
Date of the Campaign: 25 November 2011 - 25 November 2012
UNDP organized a Regional Forum on Equal Opportunities in Decision Making (15-17 November 2011, Istanbul) with co-funding from the UNDP-Japan Women in Development Fund.
The speakers included women political leaders and experts on gender equality in governance issues from the region.
This forum is part of a Regional Project on “Enhancing Women’s Meaningful Participation in Politics, and builds upon synergies with the Europe and CIS Component of the Global Programme on Electoral Cycle Support (GPECS), global projects on gender equality in public administration (GEPA) and gender equality in political parties.
The forum explored opportunities to strengthen the capacities of institutions—parliament, political parties, electoral management bodies, public administration, and civil society – in eliminating challenges and capitalizing on opportunities to achieve equal participation of women and men in decision-making.
The forum also identified how collaborative action of these institutions can lead to greater women’s involvement in decision-making.
A new publication
In Istanbul, UNDP also launched a new Publication – “Empowering Women Stronger Political Parties: A good Practices Guide to Promote Women’s Political Participation”
This publication is a compilation knowledge and insight coming from the experiences of working with political parties.
The “Ronaldo, Zidane & Friends vs. HSV All Stars” match, which kicks off at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany, at 19:05 local time, will channel funds into bolstering recovery efforts for the ongoing crisis in the Horn of Africa.
Luís Figo and Pavel Nedved have also answered the call, thus confirming their participation in this year’s edition of the match.
Both of them have already played the 7th Match Against Poverty which was held in Lisbon, Portugal, in January 2010.
UNDP will receive two thirds of the match proceeds which will be used to support humanitarian and recovery activities in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
The UN is working in these countries to provide emergency food aid, water, shelter, and health services, while working on longer term development plans.
Hamburger SV, which hosts the event, will donate the remaining 33 percent of the event’s profits to the club’s initiative, Der Hamburger Weg (The Hamburg Way), to support diverse community development projects focused on sports, youth, education and protection of the environment.
Information on ticket sales is available at: www.hsv.de/ticket
“One Day on Earth” video project will cover global video coverage from UNDP’s works taken in 11.11.11.
Video shooting focusing on UNDP’s works in these two regions has taken place on 11 November 2011.
With the editing work, five short videos have been produced.
You could reach the short video clips by clicking: http://vimeo.com/user9357008
“One Day on Earth” video project: http://onedayonearth.org
Küre Mountains National Park PAN Parks verification process, started in 2006, has reached its final stage as a result of GEF supported “Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey Project” actions.
“Preparation of PAN Parks Site Guide of Küre Mountains National Park” project was completed with stakeholders meetings organized in Kurucaşile, Amasra and Ulus districts and Bartın center.
This project implemented by Bartın Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry and supported by Eastern Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA).
Under this project “Site Guide” for Küre Mountains National Park PAN Parks process was prepared. This guide lists PAN Parks criteria of certification for candidate local business partners and recommends communicating Küre Mountains National Park and prioritizing local values and products in regional tourism activities. The guide also includes sample trekking and travel routes around the national park for visitors.
This guide and PAN Parks local business criteria were shared with representatives of government organizations, private sector (travel agencies, hotels, pensions, cafes, restaurants etc.), representatives of NGOs and forest cooperatives in Kurucaşile, Amasra, Ulus districts and Bartın center.
Training Manual is prepared by WWF – Turkey, a partner of GEF supported “Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey Project”.
Training manual and ways to implement the activities were shared with primary school teachers at the training.
“Black Sea Training Box”, having similar content with “Wise Use of Water Training Manual”, was also introduced.
102 teachers were participated in the trainings organized in Bartın and Kastamonu.
Interactive methods were used in the trainings including subjects like Küre Mountains National Park, water resources and utilization of water resources, and Black Sea ecosystem.
Additionally, 12 students from “Ministry of National Education Scout Group” participated in Bartın training.
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Support to Further Implementation of Local Administration Reform in Turkey Project (LAR Phase II) started implementation in September 2009.
The Project was executed by the Ministry of Interior, within the scope of European Union-Turkey Pre-Accession Financial Cooperation Programme, through the financial support of the European Union and technical assistance of the United Nations Development Programme.
The specific objective of the Project was to develop and strengthen the administrative capacity and co-operation of the Ministry of Interior (especially General Directorate of Local Authorities, provincial and district governorates), local authorities and their unions in the task of ensuring the effective implementation of new policy and legislation on local administration.
In line with this objective, UNDP established a technical assistance team to provide required support for the Ministry of Interior and ensure the highest standards in implementation of planned activities. The Project was implemented for two years, operating under five main components.
These components were; Capacity Building at the Local Authorities, Capacity Building at the Union of Local Authorities, Strengthening Local Participatory Mechanisms, Improvement of Municipal Coordination and Cooperation and Capacity Enhancement at the Ministry of Interior.
Tour operators and officers of member agencies had the chance to see the toursitic attractions of the region as well as the accomodation and dining facilities.
“We will consider Erzurum and its environs as an important destination” said Sinan Haliç, Head of HTC Tour and Director of Nature, Environment and Sustainable Tourism Commitee of TURSAB.
The visit was organized by Northestern Anatolia Development Agency or KUDAKA in October 2011.
KUDAKA’s support in promoting tourism sector in the region in cooperation national actors like TURSAB is one of the main outputs of the increasing tourism awareness in the region.
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Climate Classroom, which aimed training the trainees on adaptation to climate change, was arranged by UN Joint Programme on Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change within the coordination of Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and with the support of Provincial Directorates of National Education.
Through the trainings 150 teachers have been reached in Adana, Niğde and Kayseri. Training Programme on Adaptation to Climate Change has developed to raise level of awareness and knowledge of school children on adaptation to climate change through their teachers.
During the trainings presentations on climate change, impacts of climate change to Turkey, pilot implementations on adaptation to climate change in Seyhan River Basin were communicated to teachers.
From all around the world, more than 300 scientists, experts and government representatives participated in this conference under this year’s theme of “Ecosystem Services: Integrating Science and Practice”.
After that, Adaptation to Climate Change Toolkit produced in the context of training programme was presented.
Adaptation to Climate Change Toolkit aims to give teachers detailed but not complicated information on climate change with its all dimensions.
This Toolkit consists of five chapters: 1- Introduction to Climate Change, 2- Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change, 3- Observed and Projected Impacts of Climate Change, 4- Global Climate Change and Turkey: Possible Impacts of Climate Change in Turkey and 5- Looking for Solutions. Every chapter has general information, activities that can be implemented together with students, and questions for evaluating the activities.
The Toolkit which has developed by reviewing the curriculum aims to reach fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh class teachers and students. Activities designed and developed for the Toolkit are appropriate to implement in Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Design Technologies, Computer, English lessons and free activity time.
Adaptation to Climate Change Toolkit will be first implemented in pilot schools in Seyhan River Basin (Kayseri, Niğde, Adana).
Within the coordination of Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, it is aimed to raise awareness among students on adaptation to climate change through implementing the Toolkit in urban and rural areas of Turkey.
Activity 1. 9 Hotspots Documentary Series GEF supported “Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey Project” partners worked in partnership with İZ TV Documentary Channel on “9 Forest Hotspots Documentary Series” for awareness raising in Turkey’s 9 forest hotspots.
Various artists, scientists, NGO representatives, local branches of Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs got role in each episode.
Each episode of the documentary serried is hosted by important figures of Turkish theater and film sector: Erkan Can, Pelin Batu, Olgun Şimşek, Uğur Polat, Hakan Gerçek, Şevval Sam, Güven Kıraç, Mehmet Aslantuğ and Serhat Tutumluer.
Documentary series is ended by “Sea of Forest: Yenice” episode in November.
Till the end of November, 272 episodes were broadcasted in İZ TV Documentary Channel, reaching to at least 3 million 250 thousand people.
At each episode of this documentary series a different forest hotspot is introduced and current threats were stated. Series have been playing an important role in awareness raising process of 9 forest hotspots conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
For more information on documentary series: http://www.iztv.com.tr/kusak.aspx?id=75
Turkey’s National Parks Photography Exhibition
“Turkey’s National Parks Photography Exhibiton”, prepared by many volunteers, was exhibited in Bartın and Kastamonu as 2 seperate exhibitions between World Biodiversity Day (22 May) and World Environment Day (June 5).
Exhibitions, which are the first ones of their kind in Turkey, introduced 41 national parks and were visited by more than 5000 people.
Articles on Turkey’s forests and 9 forest hotspots
“Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey Project” staff wrote 2 articles about Turkey’s forests and 9 forest hotspots in November.
Article 1. Yeşil ATLAS e-journal November 2011 issue entitled “Autumn Colors – Call of Forest”
Article in Turkish: http://www.yesilatlas.com/emagazine.aspx
Article 2. National Geographic Turkey November 2011 entitled “Best Cloth of the World”
Turkish summary: http://www.nationalgeographic.com.tr/ngm/1111/konu.aspx?Konu=1
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76 percent of the Komi Republic, located in the Russian Federation consists of forest areas.
35 percent of all virgin forests in European Russia are also located in Komi Republic.
Increasing population and the industry sector supply in particular are threatening the forests in the region and therefore the ecosystems affected by these forests.
In this respect the Komi Republic is carrying out an exemplary project with the support of UNDP Russia country office in order to protect the forests in the region, reduce their damages and ensure their sustainability.
In the context of the “Strengthening Protected Area System of the Komi Republic to Conserve Virgin Forest Biodiversity in the Pechora River Headwaters Regions” Project supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the region’s plant and climate maps are being prepared, the effects of forest areas and peatlands in the region to the global climate is being researched, carbon measurements in 15 different spots are being taken and training and awareness raising activities are being realized.
In this context a technical study visit to Komi Republic was realized on 20-24 November 2011 in the context of the “Integrated Approach to Management of Forests in Turkey with Demonstration in High Conservation Value Forests in the Mediterranean Region” Project that is currently under preparation by UNDP Turkey under the coordination of the Ministry of Forestry and Water Works and with the support of GEF in order to benefit from the knowledge and experiences gained through the project implemented in the Komi Republic.
Following initial meetings with UNDP Russia country office the Turkish delegation made up of officials from the Ministry of Forestry and Water Works, the General Directorate of Forestry, the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and UNDP Turkey country office representatives went to Syktyvkar, the capital city of Komi Republic where they met with the local project team, project partners and relevant experts, studied the works conducted in the field and received information on the carbon calculations and other scientific calculations carried out in peatlands and forest areas.
Apart from meetings held with the project team, discussions were also held with Sergey Geraimovich, Deputy Minister of the Komi Republic in which both parties relayed their goodwills and discussed future cooperation and partnership between two Republics.
The climate change and sustainable forest management models implemented in the Komi republic will set an example for Turkish forestry and will accelerate and effectuate the preparation process of the new GEF project.For more information on the “Strengthening Protected Area System of the Komi Republic to Conserve Virgin Forest Biodiversity in the Pechora River Headwaters Regions” Project please visit http://www.undp-komi.org/en/
Under the United Nations Joint Programme “Decent Work for All: National Youth Employment Programme and Pilot Implementation in Antalya”, the Action Plan was drafted by the National Technical Team through a process coordinated by the Turkish Employment Organization (İŞKUR).
The NYEAP consists of three main parts: Labour Market Situation Analysis; Policy Recommendations and an Action Plan Matrix containing specific measures to be taken by the İŞKUR until 2015.
Capitalizing on International Labour Organization’s (ILO) “Guide for the Preparation of Action Plans on Youth Employment”, the Action Plan aims at ensuring the employment of higher numbers of young men and women in decent jobs in Turkey.
The Action Plan which is the first in its field in Turkey and of interest to about 12 million young people in the age group 15-24 identifies specific outcomes under the following 3 major objectives:
i) Enhancing İŞKUR’s capacity in increasing youth employment,
ii) Strengthening the linkages between education and employment, and
iii) İŞKUR’s contribution to job creation.
The National Technical Team that prepared the National Youth Employment Action Plan consists of representatives of various governmental organizations, confederations of workers’ and employers’ unions, academics and a representative from one youth NGO.
The United Nations Joint Programme was financed by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund. In the process of drafting the plan, International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) that worked with the İŞKUR extended technical support to the National Technical Team in such issues as gender equality and poverty reduction through workshops, training seminars, study visits abroad and reports prepared by experts in various fields.
Members of the National Technical Team represent the following organizations: Turkish Employment Organization, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Turkish Statistical Institute, TİSK, DİSK, HAK-İŞ, TÜRK-İŞ and Youth Employment Association. The team also has two academics as one agricultural and one labour economist.
UNV’s message to Member States is clear - millions of volunteers are changing lives for the better every day and with better recognition and support much more can be done.
When the internationally acclaimed singer, Angélique Kidjo, is not wowing audiences with her music she is often volunteering to help UNICEF advocate for children.
As a Goodwill Ambassador, Ms. Kidjo travels to refugee camps and far-flung villages in some of the world’s poorest countries.
On a recent trip she met a child soldier and a victim of rape and shared her music with them.
“The moment I saw them smile I had won the battle against the solitary confinement they had put themselves in because of their trauma,” she said.
“Volunteering matters to me because there are many things all of us can do every day to help others.”
Ms. Kidjo is among the millions who volunteer worldwide every year.
A recent study of 36 countries estimated that 140 million people engage in volunteer work annually, which taken together, would comprise the 9th largest country in the world.
This week Ms. Kidjo dedicated her song ‘Agolo’ to volunteers everywhere ahead of a landmark UN General Assembly session, which will be the culmination of the tenth-anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers.
Hopes are high that the 5 December Session will result in better recognition and support for volunteering.
The Joint Programme, aimed to enhance capacity in order to manage climate change risks that threaten Turkey’s urban, rural and coastal area development.
In order to share the experiences and achievements of the Joint Programme, Closing Conference has organized in Ankara Chamber of Commerce Congress Hall on 23-24 November 2011 with the participation of the Environment and Urbanization Minister Mr. Erdoğan Bayraktar and UN Resident Representative Mr. Shahid Najam.
In the first day of the Closing Conference, Turkey’s Draft National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan which has prepared in the context of Joint Programme has launched together by Kadir Demirbolat, Division Manager of Climate Change Adaptation in Ministry of Environment and Urbanization General Directorate of Environmental Management, and Atila Uras, UN Joint Programme Manager.
Draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan focuses on five vulnerability areas which are identified as “water resources management; agricultural sector and food security; ecosystem services, biodiversity and forestry; natural disaster risk management and public health”.
Draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan also indicates the measures regarding to policy, scientific research, implementation and capacity building that Turkey should take.
After the launch of the draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, a panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Turkey – Sectoral Perspectives has organized within the coordination of Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and with the high level participation from Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs; Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology; Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.
On the second day of the Closing Conference of Joint Programme, thematic parallel sessions have arranged with the participation of the experts from various institutions.
The themes of the thematic sessions were “Food Security”, “Adaptation to Climate Change, Water Management and Disaster Risk Management”, “Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity and Forestry”, “Capacity Development, Education and Science on Adaptation to Climate Change”, “Climate Change Adaptation and Eco-efficiency”, “Adaptation in Climate Change Negotiations” and “Adaptation to Climate Change and Turkey, Lessons Learned – Next Steps”.
It is anticipated that a resolution on volunteering will be adopted, taking the objectives of the Anniversary year a step further.
This has already been preceded by a volunteering resolution adopted by the GA Social, Humanitarian Cultural Affairs Committee this November, which was backed by 93 co-sponsor countries, including Turkey.
It is 10 years since the International Year of Volunteers in 2001.
Through General Assembly Resolution 63/153 (2008), the United Nations called for this anniversary to be marked across the planet this year.
During the anniversary Year, the wide range of partners and stakeholders have aimed to promote the values of volunteering, to recognize the positive impacts of volunteering, to build and reinforce volunteering networks, and to facilitate people’s contributions to peace and the Millennium Development Goals through volunteering.
The Anniversary year has been marked also by a Global Summit on Volunteerism and the MDGs in September, launch of the first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report in December, global online campaign and five regional, multi-stakeholder consultations, one of which was organized in Turkey.
Recommendations from the meetings will guide the work on UNV in Turkey into 2012 and beyond.
A delegation formed by the Turkish officials from the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology (MoSIT) and Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR) General Directorate for Renewable Energy (DG for Renewable Energy) participated the Study Tour. Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and MoENR-DG for Renewable Energy and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the project has partners from both public and the private sector including the MoSIT, Turkish White Goods Manufacturers Association (TURKBESD) and Arçelik A.S.
Project aims to reduce the household electricity consumption and the associated GHG emissions through the realization of the market transformation of more energy efficient household electrical appliances. In that respect, the Study Tour, which has been realized in collaboration with the Tom Lock, Project’s International Consultant on Appliance Energy Efficiency Policies, has started with the visit to government funded Energy Saving Trust (EST), which is a core institution that gives recommendations to British Government on the energy efficiency policies with regard to electrical household appliances, buildings and transportation.
On the other days, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFRA) Sustainable Energy Using Products Team representative shared experiences on the transition process during the implementation of newly established EU Energy Labeling and Ecodesign directives.
The delegation also shared know-how with the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) and the Advertisement Standards Authority (ASA).
Furthermore, within the scope of the Study Tour, Turkish delegation visited test labs of the National Measurement Office (NMO), which is an institution responsible for the Market Surveillance of the products under the ecodesign and energy labeling directives, and Intertek, which is a testing body that serves both industry and NMO for various energy efficiency tests.
Under the guidance of the representatives from the institutions, the delegation had chance to examine the samples tested and learned the applied procedures during the testing.
During the meetings, success stories as well as the challenges faced during the implementation process of market regulations on energy efficiency were shared through the comprehensive presentations and discussions, in which Chris Evans, Project’s International Consultant on Conformity Assessment and Testing, also contributed.
At the end, during the wrap-up meeting, it is mentioned by the Turkish delegation as well as the Project Management Unit that especially at the threshold of implementing the 2010/30 EU Energy Labeling and 2009/125 EC Ecodesign Framework Directives, the experiences and know-how gained during this Study Tour is crucial for Turkey’s transition process to establish the conformity assessment and testing infrastructure.
The Symposium held on 31st of October 2011,in Istanbul Bilgi University, which aims to discuss the legal status of Turkey, introduce and evaluate the new climate regime in both international and national scales, and moreover, reflect the framework of Turkey’s effort in order to take an effective role in the climate regime beyond 2012 in the international process.
The meeting was hosted by Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme and İstanbul Bilgi University.
A total of 66 representatives from the public institutions, private sector, NGOs, and universities participated to the symposium.
The participants were informed about the international and national conditions of climate regime beyond 2012 by the attendances of international and national academicians and experts.
The symposium started with the opening speech of Dr.Öznur Oğuz Kuntsal, continued with related presentations given by Dr. Daniel Bodansky, Dr. David Freestone, Daniel Greenberg, Dr. Nilüfer Oral, Prof. Dr, Frank Maes and Nursel Atar,, and attendance of speakers.
In the presentations given by national and international experts, last developments on climate change law with the aspect of their reflections to Turkey, and recent developments on climate change in Turkey were underlined.
In this episode our topic is UNDP Human Development Report, which we published and presented in early November, and what messages it contains for Turkey.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. In this episode, our topic is UNDP Human Development Report, which we published and presented in early November, and what messages it contains for Turkey. We will talk about the content and the purpose of this report, and the definition of the notion of human development in detail with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Can Özen from METU. Welcome Mr. Özen.
Can Özen (C.Ö.): Thank you.
UNDP Turkey: You are a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and you specialize in development economics. In this respect, you are the right person to discuss this topic with. If you wish, let’s start with the definition of the notion of human development. According to you, why is national income not sufficient to evaluate development?
C.Ö.: Before, national income was seen basically sufficient to evaluate development. That is why countries were simply listed in a one-dimensional way and successful/unsuccessful countries were determined accordingly. However, after the 1980s it has become clear that development should be analyzed and understood from multiple dimensions, not just one. This means that the notion of development is a highway with multiple lanes rather than one long narrow path. For example, if we look at child development, in previous times people only asked the weight and the height of children. But now questions about their education, health and friends replaced such questions. Just as the number of criteria for human development increased, the number and type of criteria for economic development did as well.
UNDP Turkey: So from a 'money-can’t-buy-happiness' perspective, it is not possible to think that countries with money can ensure happiness, health, high-level education and gender equality. If you would allow me, I would like to emphasize some messages of this year’s report before proceeding with my next question. The title of this year’s report is “Sustainably and Equity: A Better Future For All”, and actually, it is related to the notions that you have been already stated for us. So it is important to provide not just financial opportunities, but also environmental sustainability. Since you are here, we would also like to talk about the Human Development Index. For example, Norway is the highest-ranking country in this index this year, as it was last year. At the bottom of the list, we see Sub-Saharan countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo is at the bottom of the list; while Norway, Australia and the Netherlands are the top three. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Burundi are the last three countries on the list. If we look at Turkey, it ranks 92nd in the list. Judging from the factors that resulted in this score, what messages does this listing convey to Turkey in your opinion?
C.Ö.: Actually, I would like to ask first if the rankings are really so important. For example, last year we were 83rd in the list and we are now 92nd. I think that the ranking itself is not that important. The important thing is that countries are obliged to compare themselves with their past. So one should use these indexes to evaluate the country’s own historical improvement within a period of 30 or 50 years. Secondly, using this index, countries should compare their performances with their neighbors or economically similar countries. We need to use this index this way as well. Additionally, I think that these indexes are important for countries like Turkey because, well, Norway already knows that it is successful in all indexes. Therefore, it doesn’t receive significant feedback from this index. Similarly, the Democratic Republic of Congo is aware of the poverty in the country, having fallen behind the development trend in the world. In our case, we are in the middle of a wave of development. The preferences to make and the directions to follow put us a more critical situation than Norway or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
UNDP Turkey: Do you think that in Turkey the development agenda is discussed as much as financial matters?
C.Ö.: Unfortunately not. As you have already mentioned, our understanding of development is limited to its financial aspect. We believe that the more money we have, the more developed we will become.
UNDP Turkey: From 1980 to 2011, the progress of Turkey can be seen as being really promising. While the life expectancy was 56 years 30 years ago in the early 80s, it has now increased to 74 years. This means that Turkish citizens live 18 years longer than they did in the past. The expected schooling period has increased from 7 to 11.8 years, and GNP per capita has risen from 5,500 USD to 12,100 USD. It should be noted that these numbers are calculated depending on purchasing power. Now, these calculated numbers may not in fact mean anything for most people. But what lessons should decision makers in Turkey draw from this? In other words, which lessons drawn from these indexes should they include in their policies for Turkey to be in a better position in other indexes similar to the one on human development?
C.Ö.: We can easily see an overview of our strengths and weaknesses throughout this index. For example, you mentioned our positive progresses in several figures. Our economic growth trend in last 30 years is approximately 4.3%, which is the basic growth in production. However, if we look at the growth trend in human development, it is 1.3%. So they are not parallel. What I mean is that economic growth by itself cannot contribute to the immediate increase of human development.
UNDP Turkey: If we compare human and economic development of Turkey, we can say that the progress of economic development is 3 times faster than human development.
C.Ö.: Definitely. If we are to compare ourselves with other countries in the world, we are 65th in economic development and 92nd in human development. There is a 27-rank difference inbetween. What is the reason for such difference? As we said, while some countries put on a good performance in human development, others do well in economic aspects.
UNDP Turkey: However, these social indicators are not rapidly and easily improvable factors. How much you can improve the schooling period or health indicators, such as life expectancy, in one year? And where should you start?
C.Ö.: It is a very good question. But first, we should look at the trend in the last 30 years. Secondly, we are not only successful in economic matters but also in health care. If we look at the situation worldwide, we are the 76th healthiest country.
UNDP Turkey: Of course, 18 years of increase in life expectancy within 30 years is a very important indicator.
C.Ö.: We can easily say that in the last 30 years our performance in health care is impressive, as well as our economic performance. But unfortunately, we cannot say the same for preventing economic and educational inequalities.
UNDP Turkey: We are globally preparing for the United Nations Sustainable Development Conference which will be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. And the two most important topics of this conference, excluding these indexes and reports, are sustainability and equality. By equality, one can consider overcoming disparities in health, education and other social indicators. This report points to overcoming domestic inequalities, as well as gender inequalities. In the report on gender inequality, Turkey ranks 77th. What can you say about this?
C.Ö.: As you have already pointed out, we are not in very good standing at this point. While we do well in economic and human development on a global scale, we do not have a high ranking when it comes to gender equality. There are lots of reasons for this, like you said. Especially the lack of employment and education opportunities for women, as well as women’s participation rate in the labor market, indicate that there are serious obstacles in front of us. Profound differences in educational levels between men and women also explain our bad standing in this index.
UNDP Turkey: When it comes to indicators, in Turkey we look at the number of women MPs. This year the number increased but this index uses 2010 figures. This is something we should call attention to. Perhaps next year our ranking may increase slightly. Apart from that, we look at indicators of maternal and child health, on which, as your findings show, Turkey’s performance is not at the desired level.
Thank you very much for joining us. We have covered a wide range of subjects but of course, there is still so much to talk about. For more information, you can download the full text of the report and its summary in Turkish from undp.org.tr. Development economist Asst.Prof.Dr. Can Özen from Middle East Technical University was with us today. We have come to the end of this episode of New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This program has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of Ankara University Communications Department. You can follow our program on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes under podcasts and on undp.org.tr. Our username for social media is undpturkiye. Hope to see you next week, good-bye!
In this episode our topic is the Angora goat (capra hircus ancryrensis) breeding support project, which aims to ensure the continuation of the species.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. In this episode, our topic is the Angora goat breeding support project, which aims to ensure the continuation of the species. This project is jointly conducted by Global Environment Fund (GEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Turkish Association for the Conservation of Nature. Today we welcome Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Salih Karaçaltı from the Turkish Association for the Conservation of Nature. He is the coordinator for the Angora goat project. Hello, Mr. Karaçaltı.
Mehmet Salih Karaçaltı (S.K): Hello.
UNDP Turkey: We also welcome GEF Small Grants Programme Coordinator, Özge Gökçe. Hello, Ms. Gökçe.
Özge Gökçe (Ö.G): Hello.
UNDP Turkey: Let’s start with you Mr. Karaçaltı, if you wish. We are talking about a project with a very long title, initiated to ensure the continuation of the Angora goat. Is the Angora goat an endangered species?
S.K.: The Angora goat has a very short, but also very long story of a thousand years. It is a species found only here in Central Anatolia. There were about 2-3 million of this particular breed not long ago, only ten years ago. The Angora goat is also the source of the worldly renowned mohair. The British sent these goats first to the UK, then to South Africa and introduced the famous mohair to the world. Today, mohair is still used in the manufacturing of special apparel. However, unfortunately the official number of this species, which was 2-3 million ten years ago and 10 million twenty years ago, is now only 56 thousand.
UNDP Turkey: So here we are talking about an endangered species, the number of which decreased from 10 million to 2 million and then to 56 thousand. Mohair that we all know about is produced from the Angora goat. It is good that you mentioned these beforehand so that we understand what exactly is under threat. Now, I would like to ask you, Ms. Gökçe. The Angora goat is a domestic animal but how can we put it under the category of environmental sustainability? Or perhaps, I should phrase it this way, what does the extinction of a domestic species have to do with biodiversity?
Ö.G.: They are related. This is a very valid question actually. Individuals and institutions don’t directly consider domestic species under biodiversity. In fact, domestic species deserve attention because many of them descend from wild species. Therefore, one should pay attention to its genetic ancestry before the animal itself. The Angora goat is a source of important products. We would consider its extinction under the framework of agricultural biodiversity. You can think of it this way: Global Environment Fund also provides grants for preserving various wheat species. The Angora Goat can be considered in a similar way.
UNDP Turkey: Going back to you Mr. Karaçaltı, you are also a zootechnics expert and an academic in this field. You take part in this project on behalf of the Turkish Association for the Conservation of Nature. Let’s talk a little bit about this project aiming to save this species. What is currently being accomplished in Turkey?
S.K.: We are analyzing why the number of species fell to 56 thousand, one of the figures I just mentioned. We have also tried to understand how this species became limited to only three districts in Ankara when it was widespread throughout Ankara and Central Anatolia, also in Siirt to some extent, and why its number has decreased so much. Our findings are the following: Firstly, people don’t make money from mohair. Secondly, its meat doesn’t bring as much money as it used to and it has brought this species to the verge of extinction. As you know, for the preservation of genetic diversity, the 15-thousand threshold is very important. And we are moving fast towards this threshold. The gene of the Angora goat is indigenous to this land. What can we do with it? First, we need to teach people how to make money from the Angora goat. Why shouldn’t we, while the South Africans and the Chinese have lately made so much money from this species native to us? Why can’t we compete with them?
UNDP Turkey: You are saying that this fluctuation stemmed from the decrease in mohair and meat prices. Perhaps the breeders started concentrating mostly on other species and, as a result, the number of the Angora goat fell to thousands from millions. But how are those farmers going to make money from this business when the prices are so low?
S.K.: Now, putting aside meat prices, mohair brought money until ten years ago. However, South Africa’s over production and sale of low quality products for low prices in the market undermined our competitiveness. In the meantime, we also analyzed if we have a chance to compete with them or not. And we found out that if the animals are fed well and if the Angora goat is included in intensive farming, we can easily compete with them. On top of that, the species found here locally are proved to be superior to their relatives, which were brought to South Africa, for certain reasons: One, the animals are not well fed; two, they are not well bred. Therefore, the problem is caused by lack of knowledge. Let me give an example; if the goat is fed well, the amount of mohair per goat goes up to 4.5kg from 2.5kg.
UNDP Turkey: Almost a two fold increase from a well-fed goat.
S.K.: What is important is curl length, quality of mohair and, most importantly, what we call mohair standard. With our level of quality in these criteria, we observe that we can rapidly overcome our lack of competitiveness especially with South Africa. So we thought of how we could fill this gap and that is how this project was born.
UNDP Turkey: One might come to the conclusion that you need to adapt business models at this point and that is what you are underlining. There is no problem with breeding. Leaving aside meat prices, making money from mohair appears to be the focal point. It seems that you need to deviate from agriculture and business models and focus on the business management aspect. In the meantime, it is important to stress the following: We can gather from what you have told us that South Africa and China breed the Angora goat, and the number, as well as products of goats in Turkey and in these countries, are in competition.
S.K.: We saw that it could happen and we tried to show it to the people. The gist of this project is that if the people learn how to care for, feed and make money from this species, its number will increase rapidly. Although the project is on a small budget, it yielded some positive results. It yielded even better results than other projects on large budgets. After one year, we saw that farmers we observed started to get 3 kids per goat instead of 1.2 after only regular feeding. The project proved to be productive with the increase of the number of herds belonging to the farmers we observed, from 2 to 3. This was the indication we needed.
UNDP Turkey: You are saying that these results were obtained on a small budget. So I would like to ask a question to Ms. Gökçe at this point; what you have achieved shows that you accomplish big things with little money and you support a lot of projects. In this respect, where does this project stand?
Ö.G.: What we are talking about today is not for the protection of a certain breed and species, or for the preservation of agricultural diversity. It is also about not forgetting the people. You may take various precautions to protect a species but if those precautions don’t directly affect people’s lives, unfortunately they yield short-lived results. That is what we tried to accomplish here. We protected a species to ensure the continuity of a particular breed and species, but in the meantime, we tried to make sure that the people who live on this species earn a higher income and maintain a certain life standard. We weren’t alone in this. Small Grants Programme (SGP) is never the only party providing funds. It receives support from project owner and partners, as well as other sources, and conducts joint financing. SGP provides really small grants. It can provide 50 thousand dollars maximum for projects prioritized by NGOs but these projects have an impact way beyond this amount.
UNDP Turkey: We can see these impacts when we look into the output.
Ö.G.: But we don’t achieve this on our own. Resources provided by the state shouldn’t be forgotten. The government of Turkey has made significant contributions. Besides those regarding mohair production and those in district and administration level, the Ministry of Agriculture provides subsidies. The project succeeds when all these incentives are combined. If you are to protect a certain species, it is impossible that you do it with a small fund like the SGP. However, once you have planted the tree, small funds like the SGP become the water that gives life. And you hope that it gives you the strength to move forward.
UNDP Turkey: You have shown that by lending a small hand a species can continue to exist.
S.K.: I regard SGP’s position here as displaying a small demonstration for everyone to see.
UNDP Turkey: You have set an example and you wish the rest to follow.
S.K.: Of course, this example has a certain influence since our people tend to believe what they see. Seeing that a certain farmer has increased the number of his goats, the others wonder how he did it and how he earned money from it. Then they say, “I can do it too”. The question itself is an answer.
UNDP Turkey: Thank you very much. For more information on the Angora goat project, go to undp.org.tr. Thank you once again Ms. Gökçe from GEF and Angora goat project coordinator, Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Salih Karaçaltı, from Turkish Association for the Conservation of Nature. We have come to the end of this episode of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This program has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of Ankara University Communications Department. You can follow our program on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes under podcasts and on undp.org.tr. Our username for social media is undpturkiye. Hope to see you next week, good-bye.
In this episode, our topic is UN Volunteers Program (UNV).
UNDP Turkey: In this episode, our topic is UN Volunteers Program (UNV). We will talk about a new and extensive report about the State of the World’s Volunteerism, published by the UNV Program, with our guest speaker Mr. Aygen Aytaç who is the project manager of this report. We are doing this interview with Mr. Aytaç through a tele-conference. Welcome, Ms. Aytaç.
Aygen Aytaç (A.A.): Hello.
UNDP Turkey: Before talking about this final report, I would like to ask you a question about UN Volunteers Program. Probably UNV is not known by a broader audience, in this respect can you inform us about the UNV and its work process?
A.A.: Of course. United Nations Volunteers, in other words, United Nations Volunteer Program (UNV) is one of the agencies in UN that is working collectively with UNDP to sustain global development and global peace. Its centre is situated in Bonn. The basic working principle of UNV regarding global development and peace is based on its belief that neither global development nor peace can be sustained without the support of people. In this respect, the main goal of this organization is enhancing the notion of volunteerism around the world through gathering volunteers from each part of the world. We send five thousand volunteers to 132 countries in order to participate in development programs. There is no country restriction to be a UN Volunteer. But some countries develop collective programmes with UNV and make agreements to allow their volunteers to work in international development projects. However, in general the application process is made through unv.org website. There is an age restriction to be UN Volunteer, but people who are a minimum of 25 years old and who have 2 or 3 years experience in specific subjects can apply and work internationally for UNV. In recent years, volunteerism has become a very widespread notion especially among developing and developed countries.
UNDP Turkey: I think that being a UN Volunteer has to be very exciting opportunity for younger generations. It is clear that UNV is an important organization to both enter into the United Nations system and to make contributions to the solutions to some of the most deep-rooted problems of the world. UNV is currently establishing its organization in Turkey. Let us spread the word to young people out there. 2001 was celebrated as the year of United Nations Volunteers and this year is the 10th anniversary of this celebration. During this past year, UNV Program has organized lots of activities and I would like to talk about those activities. What is the meaning of International Year of Volunteers+10 and what are its purposes?
A.A.: 10 years ago, the year 2001 was designated as the year of volunteerism and the UN General Assembly had passed a resolution with the support of every country, to support, to make widespread and to introduce the notion of volunteerism through civil society organizations. It issued a call to make known the volunteers’ contribution to development and peace by the whole world. 10 years have passed since then and many things have been achieved in the world. International volunteerism is more widespread than ever. However there are still many things left to be accomplished to fully recognize UNV’s contribution among people and that’s why UNV has decided to write a report about global volunteerism this year. This report is the first published report of UN about global volunteerism. During these past two years, we have tried to complete this report. We have worked collectively with academicians, civil society organizations, government authorities and the volunteers themselves from all around the world and we have presented this report on December 5 to the General Assembly and in more than 80 countries in all over the world. In this respect, today is the 10th anniversary of UNV program and UNV wanted to celebrate its 10th anniversary by publishing a report about the notion global volunteerism in order to bring volunteers forward much more effectively into the global agenda. On the other hand, several meetings have been held with NGOs in all over the world under the leadership of UNV in order to hear some advices about the development of the notion of volunteerism throughout the world and how the 10th anniversary of UNV can be celebrated.
UNDP Turkey: It is obviously clear that this year was a very busy calendar and UNV is closing it up with a very intensive program, publishing the State of the World's Volunteerism report under your leadership. Let’s talk about the report itself. I know that you are working very hard and for a very long time to prepare this report. What are your basic findings in this report? What are the main purposes of this report?
A.A.: The most important finding of this report is that volunteerism is global. Therefore, people volunteer with this knowledge. Our report simply got people talking about this fact and provided a definition of volunteerism. We argued that everybody, women, young and old people, are working as volunteers in all districts, provincial and national levels. What we mean by volunteerism is regularly helping and sparing time for people other than one’s family. I’m not talking about financial support here. As I said, for approximately 2 years we have made lots of researches and organized lots of meetings and we saw that there is no community, not even a very small one, which doesn’t possess the notion of volunteerism. That’s why the most important finding of this report is that notion of volunteerism is directly related with the notion of confidence. According to a study by John Hopkins University, the number of volunteers who work for organizations are capable of forming the 9th biggest country of the world. They would form a country as big as Russia with a population near Russia’s.
UNDP Turkey: So there is great potential because you are telling that if all the volunteers of the world came together, they would in fact form a huge country.
A.A.: Yes, it is true.
UNDP Turkey: Do you really think that the notion of volunteerism can create a difference in the process of reaching Global Development Goals? And, even most of the people are asking if volunteerism can solve the economic crisis? How much can volunteerism achieve against such great problems?
A.A.: We cannot see that it can be a solution to the economic crisis but it is true that it has very big contribution for the economy. The notion of volunteerism can never replace public services and there is no suggestion in that direction in the report. However volunteers are really very effective in development and peace issues and there are lots of examples that support this argument in the report. And I really recommend everybody to read it. You can find it on unv.org. For example, by contributing to the polio vaccine, thousands of volunteers saved the lives of 2.5 million children. 50 thousand female volunteers in Nepal travelled from district to district to help and offer consultation to pregnant women after taking a short training period. These women were so poor, they didn’t even have shoes. As a result, the mortality rate of pregnant women in Nepal decreased 40% in 17 years and this is one of the most important Millennium Development Goals for such countries.
UNDP Turkey: It can be understood that globally, volunteers have great potential and power. Perhaps member states and major organizations should have a responsibility to support the organization of volunteers much more seriously and help them work towards their goals. Thank you so much for joining us Ms. Aygen Aytaç.
A.A.: You are welcome.
UNDP Turkey: Our contributor was UNV employee Ms. Aygen Aytaç, project manager of the State of the World's Volunteerism report. She participated in our program through teleconference. You can download and read the report that we talked about on unv.org. And, we would like to highlight that you can find a lot of information on UNV in social media by typing United Nations Volunteers, UNV or UN Volunteers. We have come to the end of this episode of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This program has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of Ankara University Communications Department. You can follow our program on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes under podcasts and on undp.org.tr. Our username for social media is undpturkiye. Hope to see you next week, good-bye!