Valery Belsky, the National SDG Coordinator, and Erol Arduç, the UN Resident Coordinator a.i in Belarus welcomed the meeting participants from ministries, the Parliament, regional executive committees, educational institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and UN agencies. The UN Resident Coordinator a.i stressed that the meeting of the Council for Sustainable Development bears a particular importance as the world is preparing for the upcoming SDG Summit scheduled for September 2023 in New York and the world needs the SDG Summit to send a clear message from world leaders through a strong political declaration. The UN Resident Coordinator a.i underlined that in 2022, the United Nations in Belarus continued to be committed to advancing the SDGs and the strategic priorities that were agreed with national partners. “We continued to focus on four key crosscutting strategic priorities: green transition for inclusive and sustainable growth, future generations orientation, digital transformation and social innovation, and gender equitable society”, said the UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Throughout the year, the UN in Belarus promoted a green transition and climate action, allowing Belarus to make new commitments to reduce CO2 emissions from 28 to 35 percent by 2030. The UN system organizations also collaborated to empower young people in areas such as education, health, social protection and employment opportunities. Active steps were taken towards a safe and inclusive digital transformation, as well as building a gender-equitable society. The United Nations, in collaboration with national partners, actively worked towards safeguarding the progress made towards the achievement of the SDGs amidst turbulent time: recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, mixed migration crisis, and the conflict in Ukraine. In his address, Erol Arduç underlined that despite another year of increased volatility and decline in funding, the United Nations in Belarus remains committed to deliver results for the sustainable development of the country, in line with national priorities, in accordance with the mandates, strengths, and expertise of each of the UN entities. At the same time, given the challenging environment, it is becoming increasingly necessary to maintain and accelerate the progress already made towards achieving the SDGs and that is why the UN Secretary-General encourages Member States to put forward commitments on national and global levels. “On a national level, Member States are encouraged to outline a forward-looking National Commitment to SDG Transformation – every government is urged to come to the SDG Summit with clear policies, investment plans and partnerships to strengthen action in their countries to 2030”, said the UN Resident Coordinator a.i in Belarus, expressing the hope that Belarus will put forward its national commitments to achieve the SDGs at the SDG Summit and noting the readiness of the UN in Belarus to support its national partners in this work.  As part of the meeting of the Council for Sustainable Development, following the opening remarks of the Resident Coordinator a.i., a briefing session and interactive discussion involving heads of the UN agencies and experts on the results of the work of the UN in Belarus in 2022 was conducted. Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus, focused on UN’s work in helping Belarus with the transition to green economy for inclusive and sustainable growth. In her address she noted that the sheer scale of resources, including financial, required to move toward a green economy may represent a particular challenge. This prompts us to search for new approaches and solutions, to join our efforts to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, following the key principle of the 2030 Agenda "Leave no one behind". The presentation of the concrete results of the UN’s work on introduction of environmental solutions in entrepreneurship, agriculture, gender equality and support to vulnerable groups showcased the critical role of green economy for local economic growth, job creation, and social and gender equality. A green economy has to be attained by efforts at all levels of society, including private sector and financial institutions, as well as by new knowledge, partnerships, innovations, and financing. When presenting on future generations: adolescence and youth, Rustam Haydarov, UNICEF Representative in Belarus, highlighted the UN’s support to the national partners on measuring child-oriented government spending; education, including transformative skills and inclusive education; as well as healthcare, and psychological wellbeing. Cyber safety, creating and maintaining a safe and enabling environment, combating human trafficking, and support to refugees and migrants were discussed as well. “Continued investment in children, adolescents and young people by the Government of Belarus is key for the achievement of SDGs. Children and youth already take active part in shaping equitable future through sharing their ideas, participation, volunteerism, and building their skills to embrace emerging opportunities and stay resilient to challenges,” said UNICEF Representative Rustam Haydarov. As the result of the joint work of  UN agencies, it is expected that by the year 2025, adolescents, youth, families with children and vulnerable groups will lead safer and healthy lifestyle and have better access to inclusive and quality healthcare services, provided in a gender-sensitive manner; inclusive education, education, focused on the needs of the labor market; strengthened  system of social protection, more widespread use of restorative approaches to justice and opportunities to build resilience of families to shocks. In his review of the UN’s work in digital transformation and social innovations Armen Martirosyan, the UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative in Belarus, mentioned that UN activities to advance digitalization aim to ensure that digitalization is accessible to all, increasing people's opportunities and well-being, while mitigating cybersecurity and data privacy risks. The review spotlighted the agencies’ contributions to the development of digital solutions for vulnerable groups to facilitate access to services, address the issue of asylum and statelessness, ensure equal access to and safety of Internet technologies. UN worked with national and local partners to advance digital and green technologies for smart small towns development, design digital solutions for hazardous waste management. The focus was also done on the results in fostering education and training of women and girls in information and digital technologies, including women entrepreneurs and girls in STEM. Olga Atroshchanka, Head of UNFPA Office in Belarus, presented the results of UN activities in Belarus aimed at the achievement of gender equitable society.  The work of the UN in Belarus in this area was focused on addressing gender stereotypes and gender-based violence, improving the system for obtaining and use of official data on population dynamics, age and gender sensitive budgeting that takes into account implementation of the SDGs and  prioritizes vulnerable groups, gender mainstreaming, including strengthening the role of women entrepreneurs and support for gender equality and the capacity of the national statistical system for the collection, analysis and dissemination demographic data. By 2025, thanks to improved mechanisms data collection, implementation of policies to ensure gender equality and the introduction of child and gender budgeting, conditions will be created in order to men and women of all ages, including aged 65 years and older, as well as girls and boys, could more effectively exercise their rights and improve their standard of living, including through expanding employment opportunities and improving protection against gender and domestic violence. «I am pleased to note that today, all UN agencies in Belarus apply a gender perspective when designing new programs, and integrate it into the monitoring and evaluation systems. And many country authorities and organizations do the same. Applying age sensitive gender perspective at the planning level means that we understand gender inequalities – different groups of women and men in different ages have different needs, different access to resources and services, and different opportunities and challenges. Thus, we enable women’s and men’s needs and aspirations to be visible and to be addressed considering them during the implementation of a policy, programme or project, and achieving better results for a better future for all», said Olga Atroshchanka Violetta Volkova, Officer-in-Charge, IOM Belarus, highlighted the UN measures taken in response to the migration crisis at the Belarus-EU borders. She mentioned that IOM Belarus assessed needs of migrants who were accommodated at the transport logistics center "Bruzgi", and following the centre closure conducted an assessment of profiles, movement patterns, intentions and needs of migrants in vulnerable situations. Food and non-food items were supplied to the migrants until the closure of the centre. Afterwards, IOM continued to provide targeted protection-centered humanitarian assistance through its field offices represented in all regions of the country. In 2022, with the support of IOM, a record number of 725 migrants voluntarily returned to their countries of origin based on an informed consent and provided the conditions for return in home countries were safe and conducive. “We are committed to further protect and fulfil the rights of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, at all stages of their journey.” The UN Belarus Annual Report for 2022 is available at the Publications section of the UN  Belarus web site.

Nearly one third of the population forced to flee their homes -- about 8 million people have fled Ukraine and found refuge in neighbouring countries and 5.4 million people Ukrainians left their homes and moved to other parts of Ukraine.  According to the Government of Belarus, as of 21 February 2023 there are 20,536 Ukrainian refugees registered in the country.  Among them, 66% are women. Since the beginning of the crisis, the UN system has played an important role in providing humanitarian support to the refugees and strengthening the capacities of Belarusian institutions and organisations on the local level responsible for the first line of response.  Under the leadership and coordination of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), all entities, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) joined efforts for implementation of the regional Plan of response to the influx of refugees from Ukraine. Working together, UN agencies developed the WeHelp online platform functioning as  information portal for refugees from Ukraine, where they can conveniently and quickly get information on registration of legal status in the country, humanitarian assistance or finding work and housing.  It is linked to a number of other sources including the UNHCR Help Page which is connected to a network of UNHCR Help Pages across the region for a regional approach. On the ground, in cooperation with the Belarussian Red Cross and local authorities, each UN agency provides specialised services to the refugees.  UNFPA provides support to people, mainly women, older people (53.5% of all refugees) and people with disabilities.  This includes needs assessment, medical and psychological services, counselling regarding gender-based violence, support in receiving documents and allowances. Hygiene kits, women and thermal underwear, etc. are provided as humanitarian aid. UNFPA Orange Safe Spaces support self-help groups for older people, where they can access important information on available services and digital resources and take care of their physical and mental health. Psychological support, technical knowledge and skills on planning and delivering gender-sensitive services and preventing gender-based violence to was provided by UNFPA to social workers and volunteers working with refugees in Gomel, Brest and Grodno regions.   IOM delivered food and sanitary products, clothes and household goods, healthcare and psychological assistance services, transporting and housing support to more than 2,000 people. IOM also assists refugees from Ukraine to find employment, namely pays for professional training and retraining courses, helps with necessary documents. UNICEF and UNHCR, with the Belarusian Red Cross, assist with psychological support and the provision of targeted cash assistance to refugees from Ukraine, as well as voucher assistance to purchase basic necessities, especially important during the cold winter months. Near the border in Brest, at a bus station, UNICEF and UNHCR, operate an information point where families arriving in Belarus access information and legal assistance, protection services, psychological support, and other services and assistance.  This project is undertaken in cooperation with the city of Brest, Belarus Red Cross and the Refugee Counselling Services. WHO in Belarus is implementing a number of measures aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Belarusian Red Cross such as training for BRC team and volunteers in crisis intervention counselling, psychosocial support and first aid; purchasing goods for distance counselling for refugees, including healthcare, mental health and psychosocial counselling; purchasing rehabilitation equipment, diagnostic equipment and hygiene items for the refugees. UNDP works to strengthen capacity of national partners in delivering refugee response i.a. via volunteer management and capacity building. More than 160 national volunteers improved their knowledge and skills in responding to people in need. UNVs were engaged to increase the efficiency of information management and conduct a continuous assessment of multi-dimensional vulnerabilities of refugees. UNDP contributes to humanitarian efforts of partners by offering long-term development solutions, helps advance social cohesion and expands the involvement of local communities in refugee response. More than 200 refugees received livelihoods support in the framework of UNDP’s partnership with the Belarusian Red Cross. By staying engaged, impartial and neutral in provision of humanitarian assistance in Belarus for the Ukrainian refugees, the UN system takes part in implementation of the Global Compact for Refugees and the Regional Refugee Response Plan adopted internationally. Although the share of the Belarus response is relatively small, the work provides essential support to the families and individuals fleeing the war and destruction in Ukraine.  As UN, we believe the conflict must end. We hope that comprehensive, just and lasting peace solution is possible so that all Ukrainians wishing to go back home will be able to do so soon. 

The Government representatives and the UN agencies in Belarus participated today in the meeting of the Council for Sustainable Development in Minsk to discuss the draft version of the ninth periodic report of the Republic of Belarus on the implementation at the national level of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Yury Ambrazevich, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki, the UN Resident Coordinator addressed the Council with welcoming remarks. Elimination of discrimination against women is one of the United Nations’ strategic priorities. Growing gender inequalities as the result of COVID-19 consequences, economic and security crises and nature disasters are aggravating the women’s rights worldwide. Speaking at the meeting, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus emphasized that Gender Equitable Society is one of the four pillars of the agreed UN-Belarus Cooperation Framework for 2021-2025.   Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki underlined that Belarus ranks 36th among 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index and achieved good progress on gender equality. The UN country team welcomes initiatives undertaken by Belarus to address domestic violence and human trafficking, promote gender equality and other rights of women enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, along with improvements made related to the increased availability of the gender-disaggregated data.  To achieve a fully gender-equitable society, UN calls for focusing on four strategic areas of priority.  Expanding further women’s economic opportunities, balancing home and care responsibilities,  strengthening the system to address gender-based violence and  combating gender stereotypes --  such change will accelerate the process towards equality in Belarus.  “These goals can be achieved by removing a number of systemic bottlenecks preventing the further promotion of gender equality in Belarus.The lack of specific legislation on domestic violence, the lack of legal definition of discrimination; challenges with enforcement of laws and by-laws; relatively weak capacity of existing institutions dealing with gender equality issues are some of the priority concerns”, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus said.  The UN Representative added also that the continuing absence of CSOs and women activists specialising in the area of women’s rights creates a serious capacity gap to address the needs of vulnerable women and families. United Nations agencies act as key partners supporting implementation of the National Action Plan to Ensure Gender Equality in the Republic of Belarus for 2021-2025. The UN system in Belarus implements a range of programmes on introduction of gender responsive budgeting and helps collect disaggregated data on  gender impact of domestic policies and programmes.  The programmes give particular attention to the needs of elderly women and men of 65+. Policy advice and capacity support is offered to institutions working with gender-based violence.     Head of UNFPA Office in Belarus Olga Atroshchanka in her speech broached the subject of gender stereotypes in the society that prevent men from being fully involved in taking care for their families and children. She also noted that the importance of crisis centres for people experiencing hardship, however in the last two years a range of services of family violence prevention and victim assistance has decreased as a result of significantly reduced number of non-governmental organizations acting in this field.  Unfortunately, the national helpline that had been providing free counselling services over the years for people suffering from any types of violence, no longer works.  The head of UNFPA Office also pointed out the articles in the Criminal Code that criminalize HIV transmission; and women are the ones who suffer most from these articles.  Application of these articles involves criminal prosecution of HIV transmission and often entails manipulations, intimidation and violence against HIV-positive women from their male partners.  According to Olga Atroshchanka, a system approach is needed to address this problem using the expertise of governmental, non-governmental and international organizations. Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Belarus Armen Martirosyan informed the Council members on the progress of implementation of the project aimed at supporting the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Belarus for the period up to 2035 and 2030 Agenda. The project, funded by the Russian Federation, with a total budget of three million US dollars is being jointly implemented by the UN Development Program, United Nations Children's Fund, UN Population Fund, World Health Organization. In partnership with the Belarusian Ministry of Economy, the project will support regional executive committees and local communities to develop local sustainable development strategies.  Educational programs for sustainable development will also be developed and implemented as well as an awareness campaign to promote sustainable development principles and ideas on both national and regional levels. The Council for Sustainable Development headed by the National Coordinator for Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals is an advisory body that unites the representatives of 38 governmental organizations, parliamentary group, non-governmental associations and SDG Youth Ambassadors as well as the UN Country Team in Belarus.  

Every year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS. The inequalities which perpetuate the AIDS pandemic are not inevitable; we can tackle them.The “Equalize” slogan is a call to action. It is a prompt for all of us to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS. To mark the Day the two-day conference "Health and well-being of people living with HIV and people vulnerable to HIV in today's challenges" organized jointly by UNAIDS and UNDP in Belarus opened in Minsk. Speaking at the opening of the conference the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki noted that for many years, Belarus has been one of the champions in the region in implementing evidence-based WHO recommendations, including “Treat all” policy, HIV self-testing, harm reduction programmes (including opioid-substitution therapy and needle exchange programme). “In Belarus, the Joint UN team on HIV/AIDS and all its members – UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNODC, UNDP, UNHCR and others - have always been and will remain reliable partners for both governmental and non-governmental institutions in Belarus, in order to maximize the impact of national efforts on the HIV epidemic”, said Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki Just during the last year, the UN agencies have supported the implementation of the Global Fund grant in Belarus, including the procurement of ARV medicines and tests and presented the Assessment of the National Drug Policy of Belarus with concrete recommendations and the HIV legal environment assessment. «We provided capacity building and trainings for healthcare workers, representatives of civil society and communities, Ministry of Interior, and social workers. An example of evidence- and scientific-based approach to “knowing your epidemic” principle of UNAIDS, is the IOM nation-wide quantitative and qualitative research on migrant health, including risks and vulnerabilities to HIV. One of the most important achievements of Belarus in terms of HIV response was receiving in 2016 a prestigious WHO certificate confirming the validation of elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.   Belarus has become one of the first, and still few countries, to receive this certificate”, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus said.
The UN Resident Coordinator underlined that in order to maintain the status confirmed by WHO, Belarus has to implement one of Global Validation Committee’s recommendations, which is to remove disease-specific articles 157 and 158 of the criminal code regarding HIV and STIs exposure and transmission.  To date, 87% of people living with HIV in Belarus are receiving antiretroviral therapy. Thanks to the availability of effective antiretroviral therapy, HIV is now a chronic disease, not a fatal one. Attracting attention to the problem, reliably informing the population about the main prevention measures and diagnostic methods, as well as creating a social environment that excludes stigma and discrimination in relation to the topic of HIV/AIDS, help to reverse the HIV epidemic. The full text of the speech is available here.