United Nations in Belarus

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 Belarus:

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28 July 2021

UN Belarus Results Report 2020

Year 2020 has brought many challenges to Belarus, yet the UN in Belarus continued to deliver its programmes working on both emergency and long-term projects for the benefit of the people of Belarus. The “UN Belarus Results Report 2020” represents the multi-faceted work of eighteen UN agencies, funds and programmes that supported the development process in Belarus. The report is the first such publication presenting a consolidated picture of the work of all UN agencies, funds and programmes delivering assistance in Belarus, including FAO, IAEA, ILO, IOM, ITU, OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNDRR, UNDP, UNECE, UNFPA, UN-HABITAT, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNODC, UN WOMEN and WHO. The report illustrates the COVID-19 response, the long-term programming towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), efforts for facilitation of the government and civil society cooperation, and the engagement with the whole spectrum of society of Belarus with the focus on the vulnerable groups. It demonstrates effective partnerships and financial support, as well as sets goals for the future. The 2020, the United Nations’ 75th Anniversary year, saw the COVID-19 pandemic shifting many UN development priorities in Belarus towards supporting the country in addressing its socio-economic impact. Since March 2020, the UN Country Team (UNCT) has been providing continued emergency support for COVID-19 relief. WHO worked with the Ministry of Health on a needs assessment for the prioritization of medical supplies. The UN agencies assisted in the procurement of medicines and protective equipment in the framework of a World Bank loan, which helped the country weather the first waves of the pandemic. In parallel, they mobilized new grant resources and have partially reprogrammed ongoing projects to finance the procurement of basic and urgently needed medical supplies for the providers of medical and social assistance services. UN Belarus’ procurement met the needs of the healthcare and educational establishments, border services, residential care institutions of many kinds including those for elderly people, people and children with disabilities and health issues, orphanages, and baby homes across Belarus. Following the request of the government, WHO organized the COVID-19 technical mission of experts to the Republic of Belarus in April 2020 and submitted a set of recommendations. The UN system entities in Belarus, working with national and international partners, provided some USD 7.5 million worth of emergency supplies and support to the national response to COVID-19. This includes 3 465 050 masks, 52 000 COVID-19 tests, 390 oxygen concentrators, and many more. Almost 2.3 million people were reached by messages on COVID-19 prevention within the national “Clean Trend” campaign. To seek to minimize the impact of the COVID-19, a Socio-economic Response Plan – “From Economic Shocks to Building Back Better” – was developed by the UNCT as a comprehensive offer for response and recovery measures from short, medium- and long-term perspectives. Despite the pandemic, Belarus’ long-term engagement in progressing towards the SDGs demonstrated fruitful results in some areas: adoption of the legislation reducing the use of single-use plastic and ensuring collection of waste; restoration of inefficiently drained peatlands and implementation of green economy pilot initiatives; development of the National Strategy on Active Longevity 2030; development of a network of early intervention centres of the Ministry of Health; and partial decriminalization of HIV transmission, to name just a few. The aftermath of the August 2020 presidential elections revealed the lack of progress towards achieving the SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions. The UN promoted universal values and dialogue and cross-sectoral partnerships for sustainable development. However, the weakening of the human rights and rule of law protection mechanisms, shrinking civic space, continues to impact the ability of Belarus to meet its international obligations and achieve its development goals. The UN in Belarus has also set a specific focus on women’s rights in 2020 and was engaged in drafting the sixth National Action Plan for gender equality (2021-2025) and advocating for new solutions to old problems – traditional gender roles and stereotypes, growing gender pay gap, need for gender-responsive healthcare, and gender gap in life expectancy. 2020 was the last year of the implementation of the UN Development Assistance Framework 2016-2020 (UNDAF), a programme that, over the five years of implementation, attracted and delivered USD 85 million of international assistance to Belarus in the areas of governance, economic development, environmental sustainability, and human capital development. All the above would not have been possible without the longstanding and newly emerged partnerships with government, civil society organisations and private business that all contributed to the benefit of the Belarusian people. Main donors that provided funding to support the UNDAF in 2020 included the European Union, Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the Russian Federation, USAID, Germany, Poland, UK, Norway, Sweden, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), the World Bank, Estonia, OSCE. The UN agencies also managed to mobilize additional resources through partnership with the private sector. The report reflects also on the UN’s internal efforts and systematic work to ensure equal opportunities between men and women in the workplace. “Long-term development priorities should be at the center of everyone’s attention. The innovations, investments and competition of ideas driving the ‘green’ post-Covid-19 recovery agenda – all of these require close cooperation and partnerships between the government, private sector, academia, the non-governmental organisations, the media and donors. Belarus needs such partnerships more than ever and the UN is ready to facilitate such cooperation,” says Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus. The UN Belarus Results Report 2020 is also available in Belarusian.

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Speech

07 March 2021

A Crisis with a Woman's Face

The pandemic is worsening already deep inequalities facing women and girls, erasing years of progress towards gender equality. Women are more likely to work in sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. Most essential frontline workers are women — many from racially and ethnically marginalized groups and at the bottom of the economic ladder. Women are 24 per cent more vulnerable to losing their jobs and suffering steeper falls in income. The gender pay gap, already high, has widened, including in the health sector. Unpaid care has increased dramatically owing to stay-at-home orders and school and childcare closures. Millions of girls may never return to school. Mothers – especially single mothers – have faced acute adversity and anxiety. The pandemic has also sparked a parallel epidemic of violence against women worldwide, with skyrocketing domestic abuse, trafficking, sexual exploitation and child marriage. Meanwhile, even though women represent the majority of health care workers, a recent study found that only 3.5 per cent of COVID-19 task forces had equal numbers of men and women. In global news coverage of the pandemic, just one of every five expert sources were women. All of this exclusion is itself an emergency. The world needs a new push to advance women’s leadership and equal participation. And it’s clear that such action will benefit for all. The COVID-19 response has highlighted the power and effectiveness of women’s leadership. Over the past year, countries with women leaders have had lower transmission rates and are often better positioned for recovery. Women’s organizations have filled crucial gaps in providing critical services and information, especially at the community level. Across the board, when women lead in government, we see bigger investments in social protection and greater inroads against poverty. When women are in parliament, countries adopt more stringent policies on climate change. When women are at the peace table, agreements are more enduring. Yet, women make up a mere quarter of national legislators worldwide, a third of local government members, and just one fifth of cabinet ministers. On the current trajectory, gender parity will not be reached in national legislatures before 2063. Parity among Heads of Government would take well over a century. A better future depends on addressing this power imbalance. Women have an equal right to speak with authority on the decisions that affect their lives. I am proud to have achieved gender parity among the leadership of the United Nations. Pandemic recovery is our chance to chart a new and equal path. Support and stimulus packages must target women and girls specifically, including through scaled up investment in care infrastructure. The formal economy only functions because it is subsidized by women’s unpaid care work. As we recover from this crisis, we must chart a path to an inclusive, green and resilient future. I call on all leaders to put in place six key building blocks: First, ensure equal representation– from company boards to parliaments, from higher education to public institutions -- through special measures and quotas. Second, invest significantly in the care economy and social protection, and redefine Gross Domestic Product to make work in the home visible and counted. Third, remove barriers to women’s full inclusion in the economy, including through access to the labour market, property rights and targeted credit and investments. Fourth, repeal all discriminatory laws in all spheres – from labor and land rights to personal status and protections against violence. Fifth, each country should enact an emergency response plan to address violence against women and girls, and follow through with funding, policies, and political will to end this scourge. Sixth, shift mindsets, raise public awareness and call out systemic bias. The world has an opportunity to leave behind generations of entrenched and systemic discrimination. It is time to build an equal future.

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15 November 2021

IOM and UNHCR visits migrants at the Belarus-Poland boarder

IOM Belarus and UNHCR Belarus were granted access to the temporary refugee camp on the Belarusian side of the borderline near Bruzgi border crossing, where nearly 2,000 asylum seekers, refugees and migrants have been staying since 8 November. There are many children and women, including pregnant ones, among them. As part of their visit, UNHCR and IOM delivered certain emergency aid: personal hygiene products for children and women as well as food products. In the nearest possible time, more vital assistance will be provided, namely, blankets, warm clothes, gloves, hats and shoes for children, which will be delivered by the Belarusian Red Cross, the organizations' partner. This is the emergency aid indeed, as the major priority now is to prevent deaths and to work with the authorities to convince them of the need to move people to safe places where they can get necessary help and consultation services and where solutions can be found for each specific situation and people's needs. The spontaneous camp at the border lacking appropriate housing, food, water and medical assistance as well as the temperatures below zero are rather dangerous for people and may lead to their subsequent deaths. When visiting the camp IOM and UNHCR representatives were able to talk to the migrants and provide the trustworthy information on possible options available to them. Subject to people's personal circumstances and needs, the option for those in need of international protection is to claim asylum in Belarus. Besides, some asylum seekers and refugees may have valid reasons for moving, including for the purposes of family reunification in the EU. Another option is provided by the IOM assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) programme, which enables a dignified, safe and legal return and is based on a person's free choice. IOM and UNHCR stand ready to cooperate with the authorities of the countries to ensure the observance of human rights and safety of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

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27 January 2022

Memory, Dignity and Justice: the theme of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Seventy seven years ago, on 27 January 1945, the prisoners of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz were released by the Red Army. To prevent similar crimes against humanity in future the United Nations Organization (UN) designated the date as the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. This year the central theme of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day is “Memory, Dignity and Justice.” Today we commemorate six million Jewish men, women and children, who died in the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945, including 800 thousand Jews murdered in Belarus by the Nazi and their accomplices. In his speech dedicated to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Remembering the past is crucial to safeguarding the future. Today, let us commit to never be indifferent to the suffering of others, and never forget what happened or let it be forgotten by others. Let us pledge to always be vigilant and uphold human rights and dignity for all.” The UN rejects and condemns without reservation any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event and considers such denial a manifestation of extreme religious intolerance, anti-Semitism and act of genocide. The UN considers hate speech a direct attack on the ideals of tolerance, inclusion, and diversity. Hate and hostile speech influences social cohesion, sets the stage for the manifestation of violence and undermines peace and sustainable development principles. The UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki took part in the ceremony of a memorial ketubah signing in the Beit Simcha Centre in the presence of the Plenipotentiary for religions and nationalities, representatives of the embassies of Israel, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Great Britain, Romania, Poland and other countries and the Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim communities of Belarus. The text of the ketubah says: “In 2005, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted its Resolution 60/7, in which resolved to designate the day of liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. May the memory of the Holocaust victims help prevent any acts of genocide in future as well as any attempts to deny the tragedy of six million Jews, the victims of the Catastrophe. May their memory remain eternal.” Together with the representatives of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the diplomatic corps and religious communities the UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus Alexandra Solovieva took part in the memorial ceremony in the Yama Memorial Complex. “Belarus is working on perpetuation of the memory and passing it on to future generations. Memorials and memorial boards are being opened and educational activities conducted, - Alexandra Solovieva said addressing the ceremony participants. - We cannot allow these crimes to happen again. The tragedy of the Holocaust is an eternal and fearful memory for all of us about the consequences of anti-Semitism, discrimination, hatred and prejudices.”

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14 December 2021

Climate change and green economic growth - the issues raised at the meeting of the National Council for Sustainable Development

Speaking at the meeting of the National Council for Sustainable Development Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Belarus Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki emphasized the importance of discussing in Belarus the implications of climate change and how to combat them, which is one of the top priorities on the UN’s agenda. The National Council for Sustainable Development plays an important role in coordinating the cross-sectoral aspects of greening transition in Belarus. “Green economic growth is reflected in the National Development Strategy and multiple sectoral five-year national plans and programmes. Green transition for inclusive and sustainable growth is the first accelerator and one of four pillars of the UN’s Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Belarus for 2021-2025,” said Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki. UN Country Team is ready to complement these efforts under the climate agenda of Belarus and has already started working on implementation of green urban development plans at the district level, smart sustainable city profiles, technical cooperation and trainings to improve energy efficiency standards for buildings and the piloting of public private partnerships. UN agencies started a new joint UN SDG Fund project in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance. As part of this initiative, a development finance assessment of environmental expenditures will be undertaken by the UN Development Program (UNDP). Also, UN will soon be launching the big new SDG project funded by the Russian Federation, which will open new opportunities to further engage experts amongst all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, academia and the private sector. Green transitions require financing. The external resources are very important and UN Belarus is ready to leverage such resources.

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12 December 2021

IOM and Partners Scaling Up Aid for Migrants and Refugees Stranded in Belarus

In response to the situation at the Belarusian-EU border, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its partners have scaled up their assistance for migrants and refugees, providing humanitarian aid at the border and expanding voluntary return opportunities and other forms of assistance. It is estimated that there are up to 2,000 migrants and refugees at the border with Poland, predominantly Kurds from Iraq, but also Syrians, Iranians, Afghans, Yemenis, Cameroonians and others. There are grave concerns for their welfare in the freezing conditions, as several deaths from hypothermia have already been registered on the EU’s border with Belarus, and because there are large numbers of women and children among the group. IOM, UNHCR and the Belarus Red Cross have been granted access to the migrants and refugees at the border by the Belarusian authorities on several occasions in recent weeks to assess their conditions and needs, distribute humanitarian aid and elaborate options for those wishing to return home. IOM was able to provide aid in late October via the Belarus Red Cross. Following the first visit to the Bruzgi border crossing on 11 November, IOM secured food items, clothing and hygiene kits which were promptly delivered by the Red Cross to migrants relocated to a logistics facility near the border. On 24 November the same group received water, food and infant food. The total number of migrants and refugees currently in Belarus is estimated at 7,000, with only a limited number so far expressing a desire to return home voluntarily. However, in recent days the Government of Iraq has organized the repatriation of over 1,000 of its citizens and discussions with IOM to facilitate more voluntary returns are ongoing. It is envisaged that IOM will be able to provide a charter flight for all those remaining who wish to return to Iraq in the next two weeks. This is longer than the usual process due to the need for COVID-19 protocols to be observed. At least 44 people have so far been assisted by IOM to return home voluntarily, with another 38 in the pipeline. “Together with UNHCR and partners, our priority is the safety of these stranded migrants, upholding their human rights and preventing more deaths as temperatures remain well below freezing,” said António Vitorino, Director General of IOM. “We are committed to providing humanitarian assistance and working with authorities on both sides of the border, and those who wish to return voluntarily will be helped by IOM to do so in a safe and dignified way.” For further information, please contact: In Vienna: Joe Lowry, Spokesperson, Senior Regional Media and Communications Officer at jlowry@iom.int, tel: +43660 3776404 In Geneva: Safa Msehli, Spokesperson, Crisis Communications and Advocacy at smsehli@iom.int, tel: + 4179 4035526
In Minsk: Hanna Kalichava, Public Information Specialist at hkalichava@iom.int, tel: +375 29 568 44 94

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Press Release

06 May 2022

New WHO report: Europe can reverse its obesity “epidemic”

The new WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022, published on 3 May by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, reveals that overweight and obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions across the Region and are still escalating, with none of the 53 Member States of the Region currently on track to meet the WHO Global Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) target of halting the rise of obesity by 2025. New data on obesity and overweight The report, launched at a press event on 3 May and presented at the European Congress on Obesity, reveals that in the European Region, 59% of adults and almost 1 in 3 children (29% of boys and 27% of girls) are overweight or living with obesity. Obesity prevalence for adults in the European Region is higher than in any other WHO region except for the Americas. Overweight and obesity are among the leading causes of death and disability in the European Region, with recent estimates suggesting they cause more than 1.2 million deaths annually, corresponding to more than 13% of total mortality in the Region. Obesity increases the risk for many NCDs, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic respiratory diseases. For example, obesity is considered a cause of at least 13 different types of cancer, and is likely to be directly responsible for at least 200 000 new cancer cases annually across the Region, with this figure set to rise further in the coming years. Overweight and obesity are also the leading risk factor for disability, causing 7% of total years lived with disability in the Region. Overweight people and those living with obesity have been disproportionately affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been unfavourable shifts in food consumption and physical activity patterns during the pandemic that will have effects on population health in the years ahead, and will need significant effort to reverse. Obesity in Europe: an ongoing “epidemic” To address the growing epidemic, the report recommends a suite of interventions and policy options that Member States can consider to prevent and tackle obesity in the Region, with an emphasis on building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Obesity knows no borders. In the Europe and Central Asia, no single country is going to meet the WHO Global NCD target of halting the rise of obesity,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “The countries in our Region are incredibly diverse, but every one is challenged to some degree. By creating environments that are more enabling, promoting investment and innovation in health, and developing strong and resilient health systems, we can change the trajectory of obesity in the Region.” Obesity is a disease – not only a risk factor Obesity is a complex disease that presents a risk to health. Its causes are much more complex than the mere combination of unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. This report presents the latest evidence, highlighting how vulnerability to unhealthy body weight in early life can affect a person’s tendency to develop obesity. Environmental factors unique to living in modern Europe’s highly digitalized societies are also drivers of obesity. The report explores, for example, how the digital marketing of unhealthy food products to children, and the proliferation of sedentary online gaming, contribute to the rising tide of overweight and obesity in the European Region. However, it also looks at how digital platforms might also provide opportunities for the promotion and discussion of health and well-being. Policy measures: what can countries do? Addressing obesity is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and is a priority echoed in WHO’s European Programme of Work 2020–2025. The new WHO report outlines how policy interventions that target environmental and commercial determinants of poor diet at the entire population level are likely to be most effective at reversing the obesity epidemic, addressing dietary inequalities and achieving environmentally sustainable food systems. Obesity is complex, with multifaceted determinants and health consequences, which means that no single intervention can halt the rise of the growing epidemic. Any national policies aiming to address the issues of overweight and obesity must have high-level political commitment behind them. They should also be comprehensive, reaching individuals across the life course and targeting inequalities. Efforts to prevent obesity need to consider the wider determinants of the disease, and policy options should move away from approaches that focus on individuals and address the structural drivers of obesity. The WHO report highlights a few specific policies that show promise in reducing levels of obesity and overweight: the implementation of fiscal interventions (such as taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages or subsidies for healthy foods); restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children; improvement of access to obesity and overweight management services in primary health care, as part of universal health coverage; efforts to improve diet and physical activity across the life course, including preconception and pregnancy care, promotion of breastfeeding, school-based interventions, and interventions to create environments that improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity. Link to report on WHO/Europe website: WHO Regional European Obesity Report 2022

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Press Release

22 April 2022

ILO Director-General calls for the release of Belarusian trade union leaders

ILO Director-General Guy Ryder has expressed deep concern over reports of the arrests of trade union leaders in Belarus and has called for a halt to the intimidation of those peacefully exercising their freedom of association rights in the country.

The arrests are reported to have been made as officials of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus searched trade union offices and their leaders’ homes, seizing computers, personal documents, passports, union flags, leaflets and other items.

Those arrested include Alexander Yaroshuk, President of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), who is also vice-president of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and a member of the ILO Governing Body; Siarhei Antusevich, BKDP Vice-President; Oleg Podolinski, BKDP International Secretary, and Elena Yeskova the Unions’ lawyer. Mikola Sharakh, Chairperson of the Belarusian Free Trade Union, was also arrested on his way to a court hearing. There are reports that more than a dozen other trade union leaders have also been arrested.

The arrest, even briefly, of trade union leaders for exercising their legitimate right to freedom of association constitutes a grave violation of the principles of freedom of association. Trade union rights lose all meaning in the absence of full and meaningful respect for those civil liberties enunciated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in particular the right to freedom and security of the individual, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly, the right to a fair trial and the right to protection of trade union property.

The Director-General calls on the responsible Belarusian authorities to immediately release the trade union leaders and any others still detained, and to take all necessary measures to ensure that they can carry out their trade union activities in a climate free from violence, intimidation, or threat of any kind.

Belarus has ratified all eight ILO Fundamental Conventions, including the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) , and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) .

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Press Release

11 February 2022

A study focused on the development of recommendations intended to improve the national drug policy of Belarus and its implication from medical and legal perspectives was presented in Belarus

The prepared forecast of the drug situation development in Belarus will determine the perspectives for formulation and implementation of the state policy to counter spread of drugs and drug trafficking. The team of national and international experts reviewed national and international drug laws and drug enforcement practices, national criminal justice statistics, open sources and grey literature concerning drug control, drug enforcement, crime investigation, crime prevention, and human rights. Certain recommendations of the study: Harmonize drug laws in accordance with the international standards in order to ensure a balanced and proportional approach to crimes related to drug trafficking; Review the narcological registration procedure allowing for its consequent abolishment. Any form of client/patient registration needs to serve the purpose of individual and/or public health only, should contribute to the monitoring and assessment of the progress, and must comply with basic standards for protection of confidentiality. Review any forms of coercion to medical examination and treatment. Introduce integrated care approach for substance use disorders. This would include developing and adopting common standards and mechanisms for screening and assessment, developing care plan, and monitoring and evaluating the progress; Ensure the provision of a comprehensive package of services in prisons on the prevention of HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis including substitution therapy; Engage in planning, development, implementation and follow-up drug enforcement assessment representatives of the key groups of population, their families, human rights lawyers, health professionals, social workers, national and international independent researchers, and gender experts. The study was implemented with the support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

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