Europe and Central Asia | United Nations Development Programme

UNDP Europe and Central Asia

From the heart of Europe to the Silk Road in Central Asia, we help people build better lives.

The climate crisis and the rise of eco-anxiety in Turkey

A sustainable future comes with women changemakers

Can Georgia's tourism rebound from the pandemic?

An app that detects mine suspected areas, not faces

On the trail of the snow leopard in Kazakhstan

Featured

Viktoria is the only woman firefighter in the Kyiv region’s of Ukraine

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Fighting fires and stereotypes in Ukraine

Viktoria is one of few women firefighters in Ukraine, and the only one in the Kyiv region. She says positive thinking helps her and her colleagues face the daily demands of their risky job.

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In Ukraine, recovery can’t wait

“It is still terrifying to bring kids here.” Olexander Krushynskii lives in Bucha in Kyiv Oblast, 25 kilometres west of the capital. “We have no idea what the situation at the playgrounds is. There are many more locations where shells and mines are being found.”

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Two sides, one goal: consolidating power for gender equality

In the 2020 elections in Georgia, women increased their share of seats in parliament from 14 to almost 20 percent. This was the highest it had ever been. But it is not enough, say two MPs, Ana Natsvlishvili from the opposition party, Lelo, and Nino Tsilosani from the ruling party, Georgian Dream.

UNDP response

War in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is devastating communities and threatening the lives of millions. UNDP teams have been on the ground throughout this crisis, helping to save lives and support relief efforts, but the needs are rapidly increasing.

Our mission

UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. We help countries develop strong policies, skills, partnerships and institutions so they can sustain their progress.

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Innovation for Development

The UNDP innovation community in Europe and Central Asia is working to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by harnessing the potential of the data revolution (Ministry of Data), new technologies, urban transformation (City Experiment Fund and the Mayors for Economic Growth), innovative finance (AltFinLab), new, systemic ways of working and thinking (Portfolio Design & Management), and organizing unique acceleration programs (BOOST). We take a systems thinking-based approach to addressing the complex development challenges of the region, collaborating closely with public, private and nonprofit sectors.

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#STEM4ALL

The STEM4ALL platform uses knowledge and advocacy to advance gender equality in the workplace in the men-dominated growth industry sectors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across Europe and Central Asia. For economies to prosper, and for women to participate and benefit from them on an equal footing with men, new STEM pathways must be forged, from classroom to career. Businesses, governments, academia, and civil society organizations are encouraged to use this platform to learn and collaborate to design new solutions that dismantle gender-based barriers to STEM-related work.

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Equal Future

Over the last 25 years, since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by the United Nations in 1995, the number of women parliamentarians has nearly doubled worldwide. Yet, with a global average of only 24.9 percent, women’s representation in parliaments is still lagging in most places. This interactive platform looks at the progress of women in parliaments since 1995, with data projections, statistics and key advances in gender quotas and national legislation to provide a picture of women’s political achievements.

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Eurasia doesn't get the spotlight it deserves - so we created a journal of our own

Why do stories from our region often go unreported? Maybe it's because countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have had a legacy of equality, job security and functioning safety nets. But there are many stories to be told, which is why we created Voyages. Our current issue takes a deeper look at the power of connection and how it transforms lives, creates opportunities and protects us and our environment's impact on people and communities throughout the region. Explore visual stories.

Stats

35

percent

are excluded from society

19

percent

of youth are unemployed

1.4

million

are living with HIV

88

percent

of primary energy supply is from fossil fuels

21.5

percent

of women in parliament.

15

percent

percent of the world’s migrants from the region

Take Action

Interested in working for UNDP in Europe and Central Asia? Check out our job opportunities in the region.

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