UNDP
AND THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY
Across the world, developing
countries are working to create their own national strategies
to eradicate poverty, based on local needs and priorities.
UNDP advocates for these nationally-owned solutions and helps
ensure their effectiveness. We sponsor innovative pilot projects;
connect countries to global best practices and resources;
promote the role of women in development; and bring governments,
civil society, investors and donors together to coordinate
their efforts.
THE
CHALLENGE IN TURKEY: REGIONAL AND GENDER DISPARITIES
In Turkey the incidence
of extreme poverty in Turkey (the percentage of the population
living on less than 1 USD a day) is very low, at less than
0.02 % according to the latest SIS Poverty Study based on
2003 Household Survey. But as the poverty threshold is raised,
poverty rates also increase dramatically, with 24 % of the
population living on less than 4.30 USD a day. According to
recent poverty research carried out under the auspices of
the UNDP, it appears that there is an increase in "new
poverty" in Turkey -- poverty which is long-term and
not easily remedied by access to traditional support networks
of family and friends.
A
striking aspect of inequality in Turkey is regional disparity,
with the Eastern and South-eastern regions less prosperous
than the west. These disparities are of long historical
standing and are partly due to less advantageous levels
of natural and human resources -- and to the fact that
the coastal areas along the Mediterranean sea enjoy better
access to world and regional markets.
One of the population groups who have traditionally been
economically disadvantaged in Turkey have been women,
particularly in distant rural areas and in the shanty
towns of large cities. |
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The last 25 years have
shown improvements in women's living standards in Turkey.
But with the exception of life expectancy, all available indicators
tend to be worse for women than for men and generally Turkey
does worse on gender indicators than comparable middle-income
countries.
WHAT
UNDP TURKEY IS DOING TO HELP REDUCE POVERTY
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Poverty
reduction has been highlighted on UNDP agenda for Turkey
since the 1990s and the agency's National Human Development
Reports have been effective in focussing media and public
interest on problems relating to the issue.
UNDP Turkey is supporting the Turkish Government's own
poverty reduction goals. The ultimate aim is to create
sound policies for reducing the disparities between Turkeys
regions. In particular, UNDP Turkey helps to design and
finance projects that complement the Government's Southeast
Anatolia project (GAP) and its Eastern Anatolia project
(DAKAP). |
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ONGOING
PROJECTS
For details of
recently completed programmes in Turkey, click
here.
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