POVERTY REDUCTION

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. 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 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). POVERTY REDUCTION ONGOING PROJECTS Reduction of Socio Economic Differences in the GAP Region TCDC II LEAP - Linking Eastern Anatolia to Progress Gap-GIDEM - Small and Medium Enterprise Development in Southeast Anatolia Microfinance Sector Development Promotion of Cooperation in the Area of Social Assistance For details of recently completed programmes in Turkey, click here.