United Nations in Serbia

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Serbia:

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28 July 2022

Learning Together

At Economics and Trade Secondary School, they know that a child’s right to inclusive education does not stop with health difficulties and developmental disabilities. That’s why Rade and Mihajlo are part of the class. Their friends help them with wheelchairs. “It's going well at school. I’ve been accepted [by my peers]. I’m grateful for that. I thought they wouldn't accept me, but I was wrong.... I have the best friends.” For Rade, the most important thing is that they are all together. “They’ve learned how to behave towards me. We should always help and never reject each other. We should always help each other out.” Their school friends took some time to learn how to establish a relationship with them. Rade’s best friend, Alisa, says that he is proof that anything is possible – when you have support. “There is no need for them to get the impression that they’re any different from us. We’re all the same. And regardless of their problems, they’re children just like us.” Parents and caregivers say that the progress is more than evident. “His memory is better. His vocabulary is better compared to when he was staying at home. We’re involved as partners, with both teachers and children. We’re doing everything we can to ensure good results for children,” says foster mother Ruska. Dusan is a student at the Economics and Trade Secondary School in Zajecar, in eastern Serbia. He never missed a single class. He is in the running to be class valedictorian. He has a talent for cooking and is developing his culinary skills during practical lessons. Most of all he likes baking bread rolls. “I spread the oil, make the dough balls, put the cheese, cut it on top, roll it, put it on a baking tray, put the sesame seeds. Then I wait for it to rise and then put it in the oven. My best friend, Nemanja Jovanovic, taught me how to do that,” Dusan explains the process. Nemanja is glad that he was able to teach him something, but says that Dusan taught the entire class about tolerance and responsibility. “My heart is full when I see that he implemented what I told him and he always thanks me. But we also learned a lot from him – most of all to study hard, improve our grades and go to classes regularly.” Although she was worried about how he would be accepted, Dusan’s mother is happy, because she knows that she can count on everyone’s support at school. “Dusan had an individualized education plan. He had lesson plans for each subject and his friends helped him.” Marina Ilic, the school pedagogue, explains that they make plans in cooperation with parents. “All of our students are different. No one’s difficulties and needs are completely the same. We must be ready to support each of them individually to help them, to support them, and to make sure the plans are in line with their capabilities.” There are more than twenty children who need additional support in this school. And each one of them is included in group and team work. If possible, they are also included in project teaching, extracurricular and sports activities. Biljana Milkic, a teacher, believes they are on the right track to additionally improve inclusive education. “Inclusive education is not only for children who have a problem. It’s intended for all children – because they’re fulfilling their goals when interacting with other children.” At the Economics and Trade Secondary School in Zajecar, they have ten years of experience with inclusive education. This is one of the 200 schools that will be included in the Learning Together Project, implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, and UNICEF. The aim is to provide support to institutions, schools, teachers, communities in order to ensure quality education for every child. Danijela Arunovic, a homeroom teacher in the school, says that individual education is everyone’s business in the school. “Yes, all employees, all teachers, not only homeroom teachers or subject teachers. We’re trying to include students in all activities, both in classes and extracurricular activities. We are developing their peer learning and group work skills, so that they can help each other, socialize more, be in touch with each other.” Dusan hopes he’ll stay in touch with his friends, even after they finish school. He is also hoping to get a job in a hotel, so he can show off his skills and bake a cake for his friends. Written by Jelena Obućina

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05 July 2022

The school we want

Belgrade, Serbia, June 2022 - Students of the Nikola Tesla Primary School in Belgrade are happy to return to regular classes and spend time together. They say they would like to be more involved in designing their school curriculum and class work, because school is where they spend most of their time. We asked them what, in their opinion, schools need to deliver. The students came up with concrete answers. At the top of their list - teaching adapted to 21st century needs. “Children now have to study things that are complicated and too broad, just to pass tests and get a grade. But they won’t need this knowledge and they won’t have any way to implement it in practice. We should be doing biology and chemistry experiments. We’ve actually never done them,” explains Dusan Vukmirovic. Jaroslava Zonova, who came from Russia last year and has already learned Serbian, thinks that students in primary schools should have elective subjects which would contribute to modernizing schools. “I think some elective subjects should be introduced so that children can expand their knowledge in several directions and better understand what they want to do. This will help them in the future when deciding what to do in their careers,” says Jaroslava. The kind of school they want would consider their rights, as well as their feelings. There would be more practical classes and extracurricular activities. “My favourite subject is biology. It’s easy to learn the lessons at my age, but it would be better to go to a museum,” says Stefan Milic whose favourite subject is biology. Online classes introduced a novel approach in education. And the students want to continue using digital technologies in the future. “[Making] the internet available to children during classes, to research something online. Now, which is very good, teachers have started showing us presentations, showing photos, playing video experiments. It would be good for every classroom to have its own router to make the internet stable enough and avoid problems when playing videos, ” Emilija believes. But students don’t only want fast internet, but also smart boards, to work in small groups, and virtual reality in classes. “The virtual classroom would be a very good way to learn. Much better than [learning] just from books,” says Vukasin Krstic, a sixth-grade student. The Nikola Tesla Primary School is a good example of inclusive practice. The students know this. They believe that it’s important that everyone has a place in their school. “I think that the school should also adapt to children who need help. Simply, to ensure that everyone can get the same education and understand the lessons in the same way,” Marina Crnomarkovic is certain. Students also believe that every school should have modern classrooms, gyms, and P.E. equipment, as well sports grounds. And to ensure all students are safe in schools. The workshop, which was attended by 19 students, is one in a series of workshops organized by UNICEF to collect the opinions of everyone involved in the education process. That is a part of the commitment of all UN member states ahead of the Transforming Education Summit in September in New York. Written by Jelena Obućina

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05 July 2022

World Refugee Day: UNHCR opened an exhibition displaying objects from refugees and celebrities who support them

The exhibition was dedicated to all those who were forced to flee their homes due to wars and persecution. The exhibition was inspired by the video of the same name, produced by UNHCR in collaboration with Branka Katic, a famous Serbian actress and UNHCR High Profile Supporter. The video is available at the following link. This year’s World Refugee Day marks a dismal milestone as the number of forcibly displaced persons worldwide has passed the staggering figure of 100 million. All those people, no matter where they are coming from, nor what their religious belief and political background might be, face the same dilemma when they are forced to leave their previous lives behind them, and embark on journeys into the unknown. What to take with you when you have just a couple of moments to pack in a hurry is a question looming ahead of all refugees and other displaced people, and this very dilemma is the theme of the display at the Ethnographic Museum. Refugees from former Yugoslavia, the Middle East and Africa, as well as those from Ukraine responded to UNHCR’s call to lend us the real objects that they had brought with them into their countries of destination. Hence, visitors to the exhibition will have a chance to see an ivory decorated prayer book and handmade cards for Women’s Day by former refugees from Croatia; a traditional costume and a dress for special occasions from Burundi; as well as Grandma’s perfume and a handmade glass from Ukraine. The importance of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with refugees and lending them a hand in support in their hour of need has been demonstrated by some local celebrities, such as Rambo Amadeus, Lana Bastasic, the Roma band “Pretty Loud”, and many others. They have provided UNHCR with the objects they believe they would take with them if they were forced to leave their homes overnight, and these objects have also been displayed in the exhibition. The exhibition “What They Took with Them” will be open at the Ethnographic Museum until 30 June.

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21 June 2022

From Uncertainty to Safety

“When you’re a child, you like being with your friends, playing football and riding a bike. You can do all that at Info Park. The best thing is that here, you can feel like a child again,” says nineteen-year-old Ali[1] from Afghanistan, in perfect Serbian. He learned it in the 5 years that he has been in Serbia. During this time, he was granted asylum, enrolled in secondary school and became a cultural mediator for Pashto and Farsi at Info Park, as part of a UNICEF-supported programme, where he helps refugees and migrants. “To every boy that we meet at the Refugee Reception Centre, or that we find alone in the park or at the border, I say – come to Info Park, come once a week to Boys’ Day. There are boys your age, you can play with them, study, socialize, talk,” says Ali who was himself that boy, alone and scared in one of Belgrade’s parks. He understands these children. His story, just like those of many other boys who fled their countries alone or with their families, starts with the same sentence - I had to leave. Although he remembers a happy childhood in Kabul, his friends and his school, in 2017, when he was 14 years old, he left Afghanistan. With just one friend, he took a journey that no child should ever take. “You set off and you don't know when you’ll see your family again. It was very hard. I walked a lot. I was afraid that the police would catch me,” says Ali. After several months of walking, of fear and uncertainty, he arrived in Serbia a couple of days before New Year’s Eve in 2018. He slept on the streets the first few nights. “Then people from Info Park found me and helped me settle into the Reception Centre, and later in a safe house, because I was an unaccompanied child,” says Ali. Within Info Park’s programme for refugee and migrant children, which is implemented with the support of UNICEF, one of the activities is related to the psychosocial protection of unaccompanied children. Ali first came to Info Park’s psychosocial support workshop after one year of being in Serbia. Since then, that place has been his home away from home. “They know my entire life here. It meant a lot to me that someone heard my story. You have to talk to someone you trust to feel better. Now I encourage other boys to talk. We’re like a family here,” says Ali. For years, he hasn’t missed a single Boys’ Day. That’s the happiest day of the week for many other boys too. One week they go to play football, go to the movie, or bowling. Another week they participate in workshops where facilitators teach them about the prevention of gender-based and sexual violence, abuse and human trafficking. “Topics also include emotions, communication, stress, relationships with family, friends, health. They want to talk about stress the most, because their journey is hard and they are taking care of their families,” says Ali. And fifteen-year-old Mohammed has not missed a Boys’ Day for the three weeks he has been coming to Info Park. Last year he fled Somalia with his mother and seven siblings. “Our childhood was hard. We didn’t go to school and we just studied the Quran. My father told us one day - if you go to Serbia or another country, you will have a better future,” says Mohammed, a boy with bright eyes and a wide smile. Because at Info Park, he says, he is always smiling. He plays sports there, meets new friends, talks about Somalia, his father, his school. “I feel safe here. This place is good for children. If someone is sad or under pressure, they can come here to cheer up and unload their worries,” he explains. Children are the most vulnerable migrant population, particularly if they travel alone. They often don’t stay at the centres and that’s why they are at risk of violence and violation of their rights. That is why UNICEF Serbia, in partnership with Info Park in Belgrade, is implementing the Child Protection and Psychosocial Support Project for refugee and migrant children, including unaccompanied and separated children. For five years now, the Info Park team has been locating, identifying and taking care of children, usually boys who travel unaccompanied or are separated from their families. They refer them to the Centres for Social Work and the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration. In addition to organizing educational workshops and Boys’ Days, they provide children and their families with daily information about migration experiences, possibilities for legal protection and integration, access to services in the field of health, education, coping with trauma, and experiences of sexual and gender-based violence. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, through a Viber community and an SOS hotline, children and their parents were able to receive information on protection measures, vaccinations and assistance. Irena Abdelmaksoud has been working for seven years at Info Park as a specialist for the protection of unaccompanied and separated children. Since 2018, she has also been involved in the programme Child protection and prevention of gender-based violence for women and children on the move. In her experience, a large number of boys are coming with existing traumas from their country of origin, but also from their journey and stay in Serbia. “They are often unable to recognize various forms of physical or psychological violence and neglect, or are unable to make decisions that are in their best interest. One of the examples that best illustrates this is when boys initially say in interviews that they did not have any major problems along the way, but after an in-depth conversation, they reveal that they were forced to cross long and unsafe distances, that they spent days without food and water, that they witnessed scenes of violence against refugees and migrants, or that they were exposed to police brutality. This results in them having problems with sleeping, eating or concentration, and they are at times aggressive or prone to self-harming,” explains Irena. That is why continuous work with boys, while providing a space where they can feel safe and accepted, is of crucial importance. Since the start of 2021, the Info Park team has identified and supported more than 1200 unaccompanied and separated boys from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The support has changed their lives and desires and provided opportunities for many of them. Mohammed has also been thinking a lot about his future. He wants to be a pilot in Germany or England. However, Ali, from the beginning of our story, wants to stay in Serbia and be a social worker or an Arabic teacher. Whatever he decides, he will certainly continue helping children who are facing hardships like he was. Since the start of the refugee and migrant crisis, UNICEF has been working to ensure the child protection and overall wellbeing of refugee and migrant children and their parents. Workshops and info-sessions for children, recreational and creative activities, including activities for unaccompanied and separated boys, have enabled the recovery from trauma and continuation of the proper development of children and young people. Written by Ivana Miljković [1] The name has been changed to protect his identity.

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28 July 2022

UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia: We can all take action to say #NoToHate

Hate speech is on the rise worldwide with the potential to incite violence, undermine social cohesion and tolerance, and cause psychological, emotional, and physical harm to those affected. Hate speech not only affects the specific individuals and groups targeted, but societies at large. In July 2021, the UN General Assembly highlighted global concerns over “the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech” around the world and adopted a resolution on “promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech”. The resolution recognizes the need to counter discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech and calls on all relevant actors, including States, to increase their efforts to address this phenomenon, in line with international human rights law. The resolution proclaimed 18 June as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, which will be marked for the first time in 2022. The devastating effect of hatred is sadly nothing new. However, its scale and impact are amplified today by new technologies of communication, including social media, so much so that hate speech has become one of the most frequent methods for spreading divisive rhetoric and ideologies on a global scale. If left unchecked, hate speech can even harm peace and development, as it lays the ground for conflicts and tensions, wide scale human rights violations or increased discrimination against particular groups. More recently, we have also seen how online hate speech targeted to individuals may have led to extreme self harm actions, increased depression and suicide. This is yet a new frontier for our common fight for universal human rights. The United Nations defines Hate Speech as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behavior, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender or other forms of identity. This is often rooted in, and generates intolerance and hatred and, in certain contexts, can be demeaning and divisive.” It feeds from a mix of fear, ignorance, anger, unhealthy group behaviours, egoistic desire for personal gain, and the protective anonymity of operating from behind a screen. It can be very casual, such as a comment at the bottom of a media article, a picture, or a statement on social media – or very explicitly calling for offline action. To some extent, it is also a collateral effect of extreme individualism, and in some contexts, the result, and the cause of weakening democratic processes. There are various levels of gravity in incitement to hate, which must be addressed diligently through public condemnation, legal and judicial action, information and education. The United Nations has a global strategy to address hate speech, which emphasizes the need to counter hate holistically and with full respect for freedom of opinion and expression, while working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including civil society organizations, religious leaders, media outlets, tech companies and social media platforms. We have to engage at multiple levels: with the sources of hate speech, the conveyors such as social media platforms, the judicial and legislative systems, the education system. Most recently, there is a particular effort towards ensuring that social media platforms become fully accountable for the impact of their strategies, are a lot more diligent to protect their users, and are not used to incite offline violence against specific individuals and groups – as was the case in 2017 with Facebook platform used to foment violence against Rohingyas ethnic minority. This is part of a wider effort of the UN to ensure that technology products, policies, practices and terms of service comply with human rights principles and curtail the fast spreading of misinformation.

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Press Release

28 July 2022

UN Secretary-General: Black Sea grain exports deal ‘a beacon of hope’ amid Ukraine war

Ukraine and the Russian Federation are breadbaskets of the world, producing almost one-third of the world’s wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil. Russia is also a top global exporter of fertilizers and the raw materials for its production. Today in Istanbul, senior representatives from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Türkiye gathered to sign an initiative which establishes a mechanism for the safe transportation of grain, related foodstuffs and fertilizer from Ukrainian ports to global markets. The United Nations, represented by the Secretary-General, signed the Initiative as a witness. The purpose of the Initiative is to contribute to the prevention of global hunger, to reduce and address global food insecurity, and to ensure the safety and security of merchant ships entering or departing Ukrainian ports. In the Initiative, the Parties recognized the role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in securing the discussions for this Initiative. They went on to request his further assistance in its implementation, in the furtherance of the humanitarian mission of the United Nations, subject to its authorities and mandates. To facilitate the implementation of their Initiative, the Parties agreed to set up a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, under the auspices of the United Nations, comprised of representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Türkiye and the United Nations. The JCC will enable the safe transportation, by merchant ships, of commercial foodstuffs and fertilizer from three key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea: Odesa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny. The new Centre will: Monitor the movement of commercial vessels to ensure compliance with the Initiative; Focus on export of bulk commercial grain and related food commodities only; Ensure the on-site control and monitoring of cargo from Ukrainian ports; and Report on shipments facilitated through the Initiative. The new Centre will not: Facilitate the export of food from countries other than Ukraine; and Facilitate exports of containers and non-food items not included under the provisions outlined in the Initiative. An agreement was also reached with the Russian Federation on the scope of engagement of the United Nations to facilitate the unimpeded exports to world markets of Russian food and fertilizer – including the raw materials required to produce fertilizers. This agreement is based on the principle that measures imposed on the Russian Federation do not apply to these products. Simultaneously, the Russian Federation has committed to facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil and fertilizers from Ukrainian controlled Black Sea ports. Agreements to facilitate unrestricted access to exports of Ukraine food from the Black Sea along with exports of food and fertilizer from the Russian Federation matter on many levels. To calm commodity markets, lower prices and provide critical relief to the most vulnerable people and countries getting hammered by an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis. To the numerous countries in the developing world that rely on wheat and other grain imports to feed their people. And to assist in reversing the turmoil in the global fertilizer market that is now threatening next season’s crops – including rice, the most widely consumed staple in the world. The comprehensive agreements secured today in Istanbul are a big step forward in tackling the global food crisis now gripping the world. They will provide much-needed relief to the most vulnerable people and countries.

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Press Release

14 July 2022

Social Protection Services Improved for 3,000 Citizens with the Support of the Swiss Government

The total value of support provided by the Swiss Government through two public calls of the Swiss PRO Programme under the slogan "Join Forces, Provide Support" is over 530,000 euros, while local self-governments co-funded the project in the amount of about 170,000 euros. Also, local self-governments received technical support for the development and implementation of social protection services, such as home care and a senior club for the elderly, a personal assistant and day care center for people with disabilities and counseling for families, youth and children. "Improving the position of vulnerable groups is the policy of the Government of Serbia and the priority of the social protection system. Local self-governments are one of the most important parts of the system and support for strengthening their capacities is very valuable because in the future they should become even more important bearers of social protection and social policy at the local level", pointed out Biljana Zekavica, Assistant Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs. Improving social inclusion is one of the key priorities of Swiss development cooperation with Serbia, and close cooperation between Swiss PRO and national and local partners has contributed to observable progress in this area, said Melina Papageorgiou, Head of Governance at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Serbia. "Greater quality, scope and inclusiveness of public services for citizens, especially social protection services for vulnerable groups, is an important aspect of public administration reform. The COVID-19 pandemic has been and continues to be a challenge for vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and people with disabilities, and the Swiss government plans to continue to support partners in furthering these important public services”, Papageorgiou said. Director of the UNOPS Serbia Multi-Country Office Michela Telatin pointed out that local self-governments have successfully used the Swiss PRO Programme as a tool to do some heavy lifting in the domain of social protection for essential advances in this area. "I am really proud that our joint activities have improved the quality of life for 3,000 people throughout Serbia. I would like to thank the Ministry of Labour for its guidance and cooperation, the Swiss Government for having social inclusion and good governance as their priorities and all the financial contribution being provided, especially for response to COVID-19 consequences, and I would like to congratulate the local self-governments for their leadership and commitment to implement the change at social level that really allows not to leave anyone behind", Telatin concluded. Certificates for successful implementation of projects were awarded to local self-governments Arilje, Babusnica, Bela Palanka, Blace, Brus, Cuprija, Gadzin Han, Ivanjica, Krupanj, Lebane, Loznica, Medvedja, Mionica, Negotin, Novi Pazar, Paracin, Pirot, Pozarevac, Prijepolje, Prokuplje, Raca, Raska, Razanj, Rekovac, Sabac, Sjenica, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Topola, Tutin, Uzice and Zagubica. In addition to the results of supported projects, the event presented the experience of the City of Loznica in improving social protection services with the support of Swiss PRO and presented examples of good practice of the Municipality of Sjenica that introduced the sensory room service.

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Press Release

08 July 2022

Challenge Call for Innovative Solutions: Forest Ecosystem Restoration and Greening

This challenge aims to support the implementation of innovative ideas that will contribute to increasing the forested area and improving the functionality of ecosystems, thus enriching the biodiversity and increasing the resilience to natural disasters and extreme weather events caused by climate change. The application of these ideas in practice will contribute to a healthier environment, further accelerate the green transformation of the economy and society, and the implementation of the EU Green Agenda in Serbia. Best solutions under this call will receive mentoring and technical support, while co-financing will be provided to the most successful among them, so that these ideas may be applied in practice.  All interested local self-government units, public companies, managers of protected areas, and/or cooperatives can apply for projects on publicly owned land and all interested forest owners (e.g. cooperatives, associations, companies) can apply for projects on forest and agricultural land in private and cooperative ownership, until July 13, 2020. Project applications that result in the formation of forests and green urban areas by using diverse indigenous species of forest vegetation would be particularly welcomed. Also, projects that have multiple benefits for local communities, such as better air quality, improvement of biodiversity, preservation of the quality of agricultural land, and greater absorption of carbon dioxide - will be prioritised. This Challenge Call for Innovative Solutions is published within the "EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia" project, which, with the financial support of the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is implemented by UNDP, in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and EIB.
To apply and find more information, click here.

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Press Release

07 July 2022

Cascading global crises threaten human survival and the SDG roadmap is the way forward

The Report highlights the severity and magnitude of the challenges before us, with these cascading and intersecting crises creating spin-off impacts on food and nutrition, health, education, the environment, and peace and security, and affecting all the SDGs, the blueprint for more resilient, peaceful and equal societies. COVID-19 AND ITS CONSEQUENCES According to the latest data presented in the Report, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the Goals and its effects are still far from over. Global “excess deaths” directly and indirectly attributable to COVID-19 reached 15 million by the end of 2021. More than four years of progress in alleviating poverty have been wiped out, pushing 93 million more people worldwide into extreme poverty in 2020. An estimated 147 million children also missed more than half of their in-person instruction over the past two years. The pandemic also severely disrupted essential health services, derailing hard-won progress on SDG 3. CLIMATE EMERGENCY Meanwhile, the world is on the verge of a climate catastrophe where billions of people are already feeling the consequences. Energy-related CO2 emissions for 2021 rose by 6 per cent, reaching their highest level ever and completely wiping out pandemic-related declines. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, as set out in the Paris Agreement, global greenhouse gas emissions will need to peak before 2025 and then decline by 43 per cent by 2030, falling to net zero by 2050. Instead, under current voluntary national commitments to climate action, greenhouse gas emissions will rise by nearly 14 per cent over the next decade. WAR IN UKRAINE The war in Ukraine is creating one of the largest refugee crises of modern time. As of May 2022, over 100 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes. The crisis has caused food, fuel and fertilizer prices to skyrocket, further disrupted supply chains and global trade, roiled financial markets, and threatened global food security and aid flows. Projected global economic growth for 2022 was cut by 0.9 percentage point, due to the war in Ukraine and potential new waves of the pandemic. The world’s most vulnerable countries and population groups are disproportionately impacted. Women have suffered a greater share of job losses combined with increased care work at home. Some evidence suggests that violence against women has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Young people continue to have higher unemployment rates than before the pandemic, and child labour and child marriage are on the rise. Least developed countries struggle with weak economic growth, rising inflation, major supply-chain disruptions, policy uncertainties, and unsustainable debt. A ROADMAP OUT OF CRISIS Today, we are on the verge of a critical juncture. Either we fail to deliver on our commitments to assist the world's most vulnerable, or we step up our efforts to rescue the SDGs and deliver meaningful progress for people and planet by 2030. “The road map laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals is clear,” stated Mr. Liu Zhenmin, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “Just as the impact of crises is compounded when they are linked, so are solutions. When we take action to strengthen social protection systems, improve public services and invest in clean energy, for example, we address the root causes of increasing inequality, environmental degradation and climate change.” The report also emphasizes that to emerge stronger from the crisis and prepare for unknown challenges ahead, funding our data and information infrastructure must be a priority for national governments and the international community. Additional key facts and figures: The combined crises could lead to an additional 75 million to 95 million people living in extreme poverty in 2022, compared with pre-pandemic projections. About 1 in 10 people worldwide are suffering from hunger and nearly 1 in 3 people lack regular access to adequate food. Immunization coverage dropped for the first time in 10 years, and deaths from TB and malaria increased. In 2020, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by an estimated 25 per cent, with young people and women most affected. In 2021, an estimated 17 million metric tons of plastic entered the world’s ocean and the volume of plastic pollution entering the ocean is expected to double or triple by 2040. About 24 million learners from the pre-primary to university level are at risk of not returning to school. The number of Internet users surged by 782 million to reach 4.9 billion people in 2021 from 4.1 billion in 2019. In low-income countries, the total public and publicly guaranteed debt service to export ratio rose from an average of 3.1 per cent in 2011 to 8.8 per cent in 2020. The Sustainable Development Report 2022 presents data provided by over 200 countries and areas around the world. While this year’s report demonstrates the dire impacts of the current crises on the 17 Goals, it clearly demonstrates that realizing the SDGs is the remedy needed to address our global challenges. To achieve the SDGs demands urgent transformative action and evidence-based approaches at a global scale. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 is available at https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/

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Press Release

19 July 2022

WUF11 closes with calls for urgent urban action

The closing ceremony in the Spodek Arena concluded with the torch for WUF12 being officially passed to the Egyptian government, represented by General Mohammed Sharawy, Minister of Local Development, in a short signing. “What we have witnessed here was a rich experience with many inspiring topics,” he said. “I am extremely proud that Cairo is the first African city to stage the World Urban Forum since Nairobi staged the first event in 2002.” The enthusiasm generated by participants throughout WUF11 was however balanced by warnings that there could be no further delays in taking urgent action to deliver sustainable urbanization, given the multiple crises confronting world cities. Addressing the closing ceremony in the Spodek Arena, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, said: “The climate emergency, pandemics, the housing crisis, violence and conflict, all converge in cities. “If we want to transform to a better urban future, we will have to increasingly deal with urban crises. We have no excuse not to be prepared. “We don’t have much time to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal targets of 2030. We have only 7.5 years, 90 months or 2,742 days left to implement the New Urban Agenda in order to achieve the SDGs. So, what shall we do? The time to act is now.” Ms Sharif announced that the global observance of the World Habitat Day this year will be on 3 October in Belkiser, Turkey. She also opened a call for the expression of interest to host the World Urban Forum in 2026. The Executive Director warmly thanked Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, State Secretary at Poland’s Ministry of Regional Development and Funds, Marcin Krupa, the Mayor of Katowice, and the local organising committee. “The Government of Poland as well as the city of Katowice have exceeded all expectations helping us make WUF11 a most memorable and accessible event,” she said. Ms Jarosińska-Jedynak responded that WUF11’S Declared Actions must be a basis for action. “This is the time for bold steps and bold action,” she said. “The World Urban Forum has given us energy and enthusiasm to push for change in our cities for a better future.” Speakers acknowledged the special Urban Crises Track created at WUF11 on responses to conflict and disaster, prompted by the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine, and Poland’s hospitality to an estimated three million Ukrainian refugees. The Executive Director thanked the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, H.E. Collen Kelapile, for leading the Group of Friends of Sustainable Urbanisation and UN-Habitat in New York, which is putting its full weight behind the New Urban Agenda. She acknowledged the contributions of H.E Madame Martha Delgado, President of the UN-Habitat Assembly and Co-Chair of the Advisory Group, for her work to bring the key messages from all the constituencies of WUF11 to the UN-Habitat Assembly next year.

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