Water is essential for life and crucial for sustainable development, including the preservation of our natural environment and the alleviation of poverty and hunger. Water is indispensable for human health and well-being. Realizing these facts,

COMMENT: TIME TO CLOSE THE GREAT WATER DIVIDE Let's be honest. Nobody reading this started the day with a two mile hike to collect the family's daily supply of water from a stream. None of us suffered the indignity of having to use a field, the roadside, or a plastic bag for a toilet. More>>>

the UN Educational, in December 2003, proclaimed the years 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' and declared 22 March of each year as the World Water Day (WWD).

Every year, a different UN agency is selected to coordinate events surrounding WWD around the world, and a different theme is chosen to reflect the many facets of freshwater resources. WWD 2006 was guided by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under the theme 'Water and Culture.' As the UN's focal point for the promotion of cultural diversity, UNESCO drew attention to the fact that there are as many ways of viewing, using, and celebrating water as there are cultural traditions across the world. More>>>

TURKEY AND GLOBAL WARMING

Before the next heat waves hit the country, Turkey is speeding up its efforts for the prevention of global warming. Within the scope of the project for the preparation of the Initial National Communications (INC) of Turkey on Climate Change More>>>

IMPACT OF 'LINKING EASTERN ANATOLIA TO PROGRESS'

UNDP and its partners in the "Linking Eastern Anatolia to Progress-LEAP" project came together on the 24th of March 2006, in Ankara to discuss the progress and impact of the project, which is being implemented in Eastern Anatolia since 2001 in order to support social and economic development of the region, especially in participatory rural development, rural tourism and local entrepreneurship. More>>>

PROMOTING AND PROTECTING WOMEN'S AND GIRLS’ RIGHTS

The United Nations launched its joint programme on Promoting and Protecting Women’s and Girl’s Human Rights in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of Interior and Association for Training and Supporting Women Candidates (KA-DER), on 7 March 2006 in Ankara. More>>>

KEMAL DERVİŞ' STATEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Kemal Dervis, during the launch of the programme, referred this year's theme for International Women's Day, 'Women in Decision-Making,' giving examples of women Heads of State or Government in countries on every continent. More>>>

GENDER MAINSTREAMING TRAINING FOR UNDP STAFF

UNDP Turkey has started to train the UNDP Turkey staff, project partners, beneficiaries, and decision makers on gender mainstreaming, within its project, which aims to engage more strategically in exploring the impact UNDP is making on the important gender issues in Turkey. More>>>

COMPUTER TRAINING PROJECT REACHES OUT TO MORE YOUNG PEOPLE

Jointly organized by UNDP, Microsoft Company

and the Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21, the educational project entitled "Young Trainers Teach Their Peers Basic Computer Skills" continues unwaveringly. More>>>

UNDP SURVEY REVEALS COMMERCIAL BANKS' APPROACH TO MICROFINANCE

UNDP held a one-day workshop, at which the findings of its survey on 'Commercial Banks and Microfinance' were debated, with the cooperation of The Banks Association of Turkey in Istanbul on March 17th 2006. More>>>

How to achieve equitable and sustainable economic growth was the focus of a recent UNDP forum in Kiev on growth, productivity and development in Ukraine and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). More>>>

COCA-COLA JOINS UN GLOBAL COMPACT

Coca-Cola Company, a major project partner of UNDP in Turkey, signed the UN Global Compact, which is the most important international initiative in the area of "institutional social responsibility". More>>>