Issue: 60
Ban urged businesses around the world to strengthen their ties with the United Nations in the fight against anti-corruption.
Meanwhile, in an effort to intensify Turkey’s efforts against anti-corruption, the International Conference on Anti-corruption Measures in Turkey and Around the Globe, was organized by the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Inspection Board, UNDP Turkey and UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre in Ankara on 1-2 December 2010.
Speaking at the International Conference on Anti-corruption Measures in Turkey and Around the Globe, the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative Shahid Najam said corruption prevents the development of many societies around the world. Underlining the fact that effective prevention of corruption will eliminate injustice, Najam argued that the fight against anti-corruption requires focused and well-directed policies.
In his opening speech, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek said all parts of society have an important role to play in fighting corruption. “Fighting corruption requires international cooperation” Çiçek noted.
Bringing together UNDP representatives and other international organizations working in the area of anti-corruption with representatives of the media, private sector and civil society organizations, objectives of the conference included creating awareness within the public on recently introduced national anti-corruption strategy in Turkey and thereby contributing to its effective implementation, facilitating dialogue and information exchange on recent trends in the fight against corruption, among international experts, officials of the Turkish public administration and practitioners with hands on experience and substantive knowledge, and contributing to the improvement of public, private and NGO cooperation in the field of anti-corruption in Turkey.
Designed to discuss different issues of anti-corruption in six separate sessions, the conference resulted in the discussion and collection of updated information about recent trends in anti-corruption, raising public awareness on the recently introduced National Anti-corruption Strategy, and the generation of new ideas and recommendations for improved public, private and NGO cooperation in the implementation of this strategy.
UNDP Turkey has recently initiated its first partnership with the Government of Turkey in the area of anti-corruption with the project entitled “Support to Effective Implementation of National Anti-Corruption Strategy in Turkey”, which is expected to lay the ground for a long-term partnership in the design and implementation of effective anti-corruption activities. The Conference on Anti-Corruption Measures which is considered the first step and launching event of this project, UNDP aims to support knowledge and experience sharing on recent developments on anti-corruption and awareness raising activities about the importance of the issue.
Through the Final Grantees Meeting that was held on 9-11 November 2010; the process of establishing and implementing the grants programme in the Seyhan River Basin, the results of the pilot projects and experiences gained were shared with the participants. The meeting was attended by almost 75 people including the representatives of various ministries as well as the beneficiaries of the grants programme in Kayseri, Niğde and Adana.
In his speech, Alper Acar, Regional Project Coordinator of the UN Joint Programme stated that the Seyhan River Basin is like an open laboratory due to its rich biodiversity and that the socio-economic structure, climate change adaptation capacity, livelihoods and agricultural practices of the basin vary depending on the geographical diversity. Acar indicated that the programme was established with a scaling approach and a spatial viewpoint and that the grants programme is a model demonstrating the climate change adaptation approach at the basin level. Moreover Acar also added that existing studies carried out in the Seyhan River Basin were benefitted from during the establishment phase of the grants programme and that in order to enhance and complement these studies, other studies such as a Stakeholder Analysis, a Livelihood Analysis and an Ecosystems Analysis in the basin were carried out. These analyses contributed to the formulation of a solid grants programme that would meet local needs.
In order to bring together various expertises from several institutions at the basin scale, a systems approach was applied. Using this approach, themes to be financed under the grants programme were identified which are Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources and Quality, Public Health, Disaster Risk Management, Natural Resources Management, Infrastructure and Basin and Coastal Areas Management.
In the context of the Grants Programme 18 pioneer pilot projects each of them aiming to enhance adaptive capacity and ensure the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals that are threatened with changing climatic conditions were supported under the headings of water and natural resource management, increasing agricultural productivity, food security, identifying disaster risks, forestry, use of alternative irrigation techniques, fisheries, animal husbandry, conservation of ecosystem services, sea level rise, public health and raising awareness. A total of approximately 2 million US dollars were distributed as grants to 18 projects of which 12 are in Adana, 4 are in Kayseri and 2 are in Niğde.
Through this initiative while scientific and technical studies were outreached to the public, an opportunity for local communities to take initial measures in regions where climate change risks will be felt more gravely in the near future was created.
The Grants Programme implemented under the context of the UN Joint Programme on Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change aimed to enhance climate change adaptation capacity in the basin while contributing to the identification of regional adaptation priorities. It is envisaged that the experiences gained through the grants programme will also contribute to the development of the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. 55 thousand people making up approximately 2,5 per cent of the total population of the basin were reached through the Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change in the Seyhan River Basin Grants Programme. Diverse target groups were informed on the impacts of climate change, the potential damages to livelihoods and adaptation measures that can be taken and their knowledge and awareness were enhanced on the possible risks they may encounter in the coming decades.
The impact of climate change on animal husbandry was presented using an econometric model for the first time. Modern irrigation systems were installed for demonstration purposes in more than two thousand decares of land. Moreover a water-powered pump, a climate station, an ultrasonic flow meter, two flow monitoring stations and an aflatoxine laboratory were established in the basin in the context of the projects that were supported. Adaptation to climate change was integrated into a wetland management plan for the first time. The impacts of climate change to forest lands were studied and adaptation results that can be included into forest management plans were achieved. Through the projections that were realized, knowledge on how water resources, forests, ecosystem services and animal husbandry in the basin will be affected in the future was obtained.
The UN Joint Programme on Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change aims to enhance capacity for managing climate change risks that can threaten the development of Turkey’s rural and coastal areas. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry is the leading executive institution responsible for the technical components of the Joint Programme. The Joint Programme is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade as well as other relevant ministries are providing technical support for the implementation of the programme. The Joint Programme is being financially supported by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) transferred to the United Nations by the Government of Spain.
Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change UN Joint programme was launched under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and UNDP in 2008 to facilitate Turkey’s adaptation to the effects of climate change, combat these effects, mitigate uncertainties and vulnerabilities and establish necessary strategies. Funded by the Government of Spain’s Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, the Joint Programme comprises of objectives and activities in the Seyhan River Basin to support climate change adaptation efforts at the local level. Other UN Agencies in the programme are UNIDO, FAO and UNEP.
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Many countries around the world are undergoing significant judicial reforms and institutional restructuring to address the challenges facing modern societies. It was in this context that the participants of the summit reaffirmed in the course of the meeting that the principles of judicial independence constitute the fundamental pillar in a democratic society and hence forms the basis of rule of law.
The three structures of power of the state being responsible to promote the independence of the judiciary have the duty to respect, preserve and promote the common goals of judicial independence. It is generally acknowledged that the three powers should be engaged in establishing public education to promote the value of independent judiciary through public outreach programmes to strengthen public awareness for enhancing confidence in the judiciary and promote respect for its independence.
The principles and practices agreed upon by representatives at the summit are listed below:
• Independence and impartiality of the judiciary are essential to democracy based on the rule of law.
• The laws and practices provide for security of tenure and respect the principle of immovability of judges as a guarantee of judicial independence.
• Judicial decision should not be called into question except in accordance with due process established by law.
• Adequate human, financial and technical resources are provided to carry out judicial responsibilities with the involvement of the judiciary.
• Members of the judiciary to perform their responsibilities in an efficient, effective and accountable manner without undue delays.
• Effective and fair procedures established relating to the conduct of the judges which are consistent with the independence of the judiciary.
• The recruitment, selection and promotion of the members of the judiciary based on merit and objective criteria.
• Enhancing confidence in the judiciary by promoting diversity, including gender in the making of judicial appointment.
• Continuing legal education for the members of the judiciary, under the supervision of the judiciary, with regard to domestic law, international legal standards and human rights.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in civil cases and Diversion in criminal cases, in a manner consistent with the basic principles of rule of law.
• Initiatives within the judicial system to promote and facilitate effective and affordable access to justice.
• The importance of appellate review in maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
• Assignment of cases in accordance with predetermined, objective and fair criteria established and applied by the judiciary.
• Development and strengthening of internationally recognized ethical principles for the members of the judiciary, taking into account national traditions.
• Effective communications with the public, with the aim of making the justice system and judicial decisions more transparent and better understood, consistent with judicial impartiality and the rights of the persons accessing the courts. • International dialogue and co-operation to promote the exchange of knowledge, experience, good governance and best practices within the judicial community.
All participants agreed that the importance of judicial independence as a fundamental pillar of democratic society cannot be taken for granted and it should be respected and guarded with vigilance by all institutions of the state.
Working as a forest ranger at the Küre Mountains National Park for the past 23 years, Tamer Korkmaz said he is now more aware of his surroundings thanks to the trainings on Biological Diversity and Environmental Protection held in Bartın between 8-12 November 2010. “Before the trainings” Korkmaz explains “our only concern was with animals, now we know the different types of plants and can recognize the changes they go through”.
In field visits in the Ulukaya region and around Alıçlı village, participants recieved training on ecosystems, defining plant and animal species, tracking the nutritional status of plants and animals, mapping, GPS and basic orientation skills, photo trapping, bird and large mammal species in the Küre Mountains, the importance of old and dead trees, radio communication, and non-wood forest products.
The participants received their certificates and expressed their interest for such seminars to be repeated in the future.
The project team interviewed 43 year old forest ranger Tamer Korkmaz about the trainings for the December issue of New Horizons.
As a resident of the community living in the area, did you know about the characteristics of Küre Mountains National Park and the surrounding buffer zone? Did you have knowledge of the ecosystem, vegetation, animal species in the region?
Although we did have general information about the Küre Mountains National Park and the surrounding area, we did not know what terms such as flora and fauna meant before these trainings. Now we are able to observe our surroundings better and see different things.
What did the training seminars contribute to you? Aside from acquiring technical skills like using radio communications, you were able to learn about non-wood products, mammal and bird species in the area. What are your thoughts/opinions about the scope of the trainings?
Before the trainings our only concern was with animals, now we know the different types of plants and can recognize the changes they go through. Most importantly, I think, is that we acquired good note taking skills. We learned how to record the changes we observe in a species of birds, a tree or vegetation. When taking photographs, we learned to pay attention to color, scale and size. Now I carry a 30cm ruler with me so I can use it when I need it. I knew how to read a map before but I learned how to use GPS at the seminar. Some of my colleagues, who did not know how to use it before, can now use it effectively, and thus, we can all communicate more systematically. I now have a list of all radio channels in the car I use for work.
“Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System” project is being implemented since May 2008. What are your thoughts about the project? What are the project’s contributions to the region and the local community?
I think that the project will support the villagers in general. I know about where the project is being carried out. I especially believe that plants in the area, such as mushrooms can provide additional income and benefit the villagers.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System project is implemented by UNDP Turkey; and executed by Ministry of Environment and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, and General Directorate of Forestry under the partnership of General Directorate of Forest-Village Relations, General Directorate of Afforestation and Erosion Control, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Turkey. The project aims to create a model to enhance nature conservation and sustainable resource management in Küre Mountains National Park and its buffer zone, and disseminate this model to other 8 forest hotspots in Turkey.
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Findings and recommendations, which were shared during the closing reception, aim to provide a supplementary source of information for policy makers in the area of youth.
During its first and second terms, the S-UN Fund for Youth supported 33 grant projects in the pilot provinces of Adana, Balıkesir, Kocaeli, Konya and Muğla, allocating 490 thoousand dollars worth of grant support. While 98 young women and 100 young men took part in grant projects’ implementation, approximately two thousand young people participated in the projects’ activities.
The projects which are supported by the Swiss-UNDP Fund for Youth focused on the social integration of young women and men from migrant populations, youth employment in culture and tourism sectors and effective utilization of information and communication technologies. In line with the grant projects’ implementation, capacity building support and consultancy was provided for the young project teams.
The grant projects created good practices in encouraging youth employment, extending youth work and supporting social adaptation of young people at the local level. Along with young women and men from migrant populations, the grant projects also targeted young people with physical and mental disabilities, young convicts and detainees and young women under state protection.
In operation since September 2008, the Swiss-UNDP Fund for Youth is a grant and technical assistance programme implemented by the General Directorate of Youth and Sports, and UNDP. As a direct response to support Turkish Government’s efforts to support social integration of young people, the fund was entrusted to UNDP by the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency.
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The inception workshop took place on 23 November 2010 in Ankara with opening speeches by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) General Director Prof. Cumali Kınaci, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative Ulrika Richardson-Golinski.
The overall objective of the project executed by MoEF, and implemented by UNDP is to assist the Republic of Turkey in the implementation of obligations under the UNFCCC by preparing its Second National Communication (SNC). Turkey expects to submit its SNC to the UNFCCC Secretariat by the end of 2011.The project is funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
Project activities include the review and update of Turkey’s national status, greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory information, GHG projections, identifying links in terms of total policies and measures effects, vulnerability assessment, climate change impacts and adaptation measures, research and systematic observation of climate change, financial resources and technology transfer, training and public awareness activities in Turkey, and assessment and analysis of existing policies and measures.
Since 2004, Turkey has undertaken several activities to comply with its commitments under the Convention; one of which was submission of the First National Communication (FNC) to the UNFCCC in 2007. The capacity building process which was accelerated during the preparation of First National Communication along with other efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and UNDP helped to enhance public awareness. The First National Communication was prepared with the cooperation of UNDP and the Republic of Turkey.
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