The devastating earthquakes in western Afghanistan have left a trail of sorrow, as narrated through the poignant stories of survivors like Dawood, Mahzada, and Raiza Gul. Trapped under debris and haunted by the cries of his daughter, Dawood emerged from the wreckage to discover the loss of his brother and another daughter. Mahzada's simple life in the village crumbled with the walls during the earthquake, leaving her family in darkness and despair. Meanwhile, Raiza Gul, saved by a twist of fate as she checked on her sheep, witnessed the collapse of her village and the tragic demise of 27 family members. These narratives emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive humanitarian aid, addressing shelter, medical care, and the unique vulnerabilities of women and children, to help these shattered communities rebuild amidst the harsh conditions of winter and the challenges of displacement.
UNDP
"I want my old life back." It’s a powerful reflection of how people feel when they’re in the thick of crisis, when unthinkable tragedy has struck. Because behind each crisis headline, where we read of millions uprooted or facing trauma or conflict, are the individual humans who just want to once again walk their children to school along safe roads, eat a warm meal, go shopping, laugh with friends, live free from fear and dread. As we close 2023, we hear from people around the world who have faced tremendous adversity this year, and see how they're working, with support, to get back the most basic and also most precious right—that to a ‘normal’ life.
The Earth is now . The harmful impacts of climate change have already become a harsh reality, but climate change does not affect everyone in the same way. The differential impacts undermine development efforts and most severely affect the poorest and most vulnerable, who often rely directly on natural resources for their livelihoods and subsistence. There is an urgent need to address the challenges. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (), implemented by , has over three decades of experience in providing financial and technical support to civil society and community-based organizations at the local level to tackle global environmental issues while improving livelihoods.
presents its 3 episode of season two, ; The nature and climate crisis is rapidly transitioning from the theoretical and distant to the very real and immediate. Yet transformational change is still possible – and already happening in some places.
Fighting has resumed in Gaza after a temporary humanitarian truce that allowed desperately needed assistance to reach people displaced by the war. The temporary halt provided some respite for residents who endured constant shelling, repeated displacement and sleepless nights. One of them is Asmaa Marouf. A UN Volunteer, Asmaa was working as a geographic information systems specialist with the (UNDP). When the war began, she was forced to flee her home along with her children. Asmaa shares her experience, her fears, her hopes and her belief that the current war is different from the previous escalations she has lived through. Her words underscore the need for a full humanitarian ceasefire.
The Montes del Aguacate Biological Corridor is located in the western part of Costa Rica's Central Valley. It serves as a link between Protected Wildlife Areas and Protected Zones, promoting biological connectivity. The area is home to several rural communities with scarce job opportunities and low human development. However, the inspiring story of MarÃa Olivia RodrÃguez Vasquez and Jesús MarÃa Molina Salas shows that this doesn't have to be the case. Over 30 years ago, they started farming livestock on a 20-hectare land, and with the support of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, which is implemented by the 51³Ô¹Ï Development Programme, they have been able to make a living out of it.
Gökova Bay, a sparkling blue body of water on the Mediterranean coast off Türkiye, is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and one of the most successful marine ecosystem conservation initiatives. This is in large part thanks to Zafer Kizilkaya and the efforts of his organization, , a . At its outset, the organization focused primarily on the creation of marine protected areas, which allowed fishing but limited development, and included no-take zones, which forbid all fishing and were critical to fully restoring marine ecosystem functions after years of overfishing. The organization still maintains the highest level of respect and reverence for the small-scale fishermen who have accumulated generations of knowledge about local fishing conditions of this Mediterranean spot.
Hello Future is a exploring the trends shaping our world. Today's episode explores the current cost-of-living and food insecurity crisis, fuelled in part by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, impacting the entire world.
Cities, towns and surrounding areas act as powerful magnets for innovation, culture and opportunities, alluring talent and investment. Urban living has already been embraced by more than half of the world's population, and projections indicate that . Urban areas can also be an inequality trap, with overcrowding, pollution, poor infrastructure and social injustice. While there isn't a one-size-fits-all formula for attaining sustainable urban development, the UN’s offers guidance and strategy. When the urban landscape is well planned and managed, it can be a transformative force to accelerate the SDGs.
In 1987 Cyclone Uma, resulted in a spike of malaria incidence due to damage to health facilities, and increase in the number of mosquito breeding sites. In 2015, Cyclone Pam found Vanuatu prepared, having learnt from its previous experience, and no increase in malaria outbreaks were detected. In March of 2023, Vanuatu was hit by twin Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin within 48 hours of one another and the damage was extensive, creating a serious burden on the country’s resources. and partners are to enhance the capacity of national and local health system institutions, personnel, and local communities to manage health risks induced by climate variability and change.
While decades of progress have lifted more than a billion people out of poverty, COVID-19 and a series of geopolitical shocks have resulted in serious setbacks. We are halfway to the deadline set by the and the . Therefore, there’s still time to finish strong. Eliminating poverty in all its forms is the all-access key and as we mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, there needs to be an understanding of what poverty actually is. Poverty is the very unnatural outcome of failing to truly recognize, or care, that every human is equal in dignity and deserves the same opportunities. It is a byproduct of unjust, biased laws, policies, or institutions that deepen marginalization.
Tourism is one of Malaysia’s major economic sectors, contributing 6.7 percent to its gross domestic product, and was responsible for generating US$18.32 billion in revenue in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent travel restrictions resulted in a 72 percent reduction in tourism’s direct contribution to Malaysia’s GDP in 2020. To address the issues of tourism sustainability and island waste management, launched the project and subsequently the .
as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by , it’s clear as we approach the halfway mark that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in trouble. In the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, and climate-related disasters have wiped out advances on some SDGs. remains optimistic through its ongoing initiative which has produced Integrated SDG Insights reports for over 90+ countries. These provide a landscape of SDG trends and national priorities – and chart pathways that maximize the interlinkages – helping to drive more effective policies to achieve the Goals.
One important lesson from the pandemic is that countries can design policies that support gender equality; it is a matter of choice. Even in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, we witnessed governments – from high-income to low-income countries – introducing measures focused on addressing women’s economic security and recovery. Building capacities to respond to the specific needs and priorities of women and girls in crisis has long been a priority for . UNDP, with support from the Government of Denmark, is supporting an all women construction initiative helping to rebuild war-damaged homes in Ukraine. The idea arose after the women found themselves being overlooked when volunteering in local construction groups.