Europe & CIS

Social Enterprise: A new model for poverty reduction and employment generation

This report finds that traditional development initiatives in post-communist states often focus on bolstering the private sector or the state, while ignoring organizations that combine for-profit activities with social aims.  It covers 12 post-communist countries and includes three in-depth sections devoted to the social enterprise phenomenon in Poland, Serbia and Ukraine. It suggests a number of ways to promote social enterprises in transition countries, including efforts to make the legal and political environments more favourable, holding outreach and advocacy initiatives that engage decision makers and the public, setting up agencies specifically designed to support social enterprises, and providing ‘seed money’ and small grants aiming to sustain social enterprises.

Development and Transition, 10th issue, "Climate Change"

Issue ten of the UNDP-LSE publication focuses on the challenges of climate change in Europe and the CIS, and the national and regional responses. Topics discussed include the threats posed to water supply by melting glaciers, Russian potential for renewable energy generation and the legal and regulatory steps needed to make carbon finance a viable activity in the region.  

www.developmentandtransition.net

Georgia 2008 National Human Development Report: The Reforms and Beyond

The report examines the extent to which post-Revolution reforms have impacted on human development opportunities. Specifically, the report looks at the way the reforms have affected the efficiency of the economy; the equity with which people are treated and resources are used; the sustainability of the political, economic and social environment; the physical and economic security of the population; and their level of empowerment to take control of their lives and make choices.

Kosovo Early Warning Report, May 2008: Fast Facts

The latest report from the Kosovo Early Warning System Project, released in May 2008, shows that development issues attract ever more attention from the population of Kosovo. Social issues such as unemployment, poverty, electricity and prices are considered the main problem by more and more Kosovo citizens after the Declaration of Independence by the Kosovo Assembly. However, trust in security institutions has fallen among Kosovo Serbs. The Kosovo Early Warning System Project is a component of UNDP’s regional early warning framework.

Designing Inclusive and Accountable Local Democratic Institutions: A Practitioners' Guide

This practitioners' guide to designing local democratic institutions was published by the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok in the context of its regional initiative Local Democracy in Asia. This publication is the first of its kind to provide an overview of the current range of local representative arrangements and electoral systems in Asia and the Pacific. The aim was to create an easy-to-use guide that would assist Country offices/teams and government partners as programmes are shaped to make local decision-making processes more inclusive and accountable to all citizens.
 
Through country-specific examples, it explores such pressing governance issues as affirmative action and its affects on representation of women, indigenous peoples and minorities. It probes the role of political party engagement in local elections and their implications on local representation. The publication illustrates some of the ways that countries in this region have organized their electoral systems and tried to promote local political voices. It also investigates traditional approaches to local governance and how they interact with modern representative arrangements. The book concludes with 22 concise country case studies of local council representation in Asia and the Pacific.

Ethnicity as a statistical indicator for monitoring living conditions and discrimination

Slovak-language publication offering public policy makers and the broader public a review of ethnic data collection in Europe as well as an analysis of the situation in Slovakia. This report closely examines: 

1) concept documents, legislation and discussion at the supranational level – mainly at the levels of the Council of Europe and the European Commission;
2) legislation, institutions and practices in the area of ethnicity-related data in Slovakia; and
3) legislation, institutions and practices regarding ethnicity data in selected EU countries.

A comparison within these three contexts – European, Slovak and selected national states – leads to certain conclusions and recommendations.

Ukraine 2008 National Human Development Report: Ukraine's European Choice

If Kiev pursues its European aspirations and treats the European ‘agenda’ as the main organising framework for the process of vital reforms, Ukraine can achieve real improvements for the quality of life, poverty reduction and social exclusion.  The European integration process offers a unique chance to significantly advance the level of human development. Moreover, the Report explains that human development, reflecting a philosophy that puts people at the centre of the development process, is very similar to European integration, implying meeting specific requirements and implementing many standards. But both approaches lead to improved people’s prosperity.

News article, 24 June 2008, discussion of the report in Ukraine

Progress Report on the National Strategy "On Improving the Living Conditions of the Roma Community", Albania

The Albanian Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, with support from UNDP, produced a report to measure progress on implementation of the National Strategy for Improving the Living Conditions of the Roma Community. Covering the areas of education and training; cultural heritage and family; economy, employment, poverty reduction and social protection; health care and infrastructure; and public order, justice and civil administration, the report also includes recommendations that are necessary to achieve full implementation of the Strategy.

Demographic Policy in Russia: from Reflection to Action

The demographic problem remains one of the most severe challenges in modern Russia: the ongoing population decline and shrinking workforce caused by low fertility, high mortality, ageing, a reduction in the working share of the population, and so far indistinct migration policy pose risks for the future of the country. The United Nations in the Russian Federation and the Center of Strategic Research present the UN in Russia joint publication Demographic Policy in Russia: from Reflection to Action, prepared by a group of independent national experts.
 

Youth in Turkey: national human development report 2008

The 2008 National Human Development Report was launched in Ankara on 21 March 2008 with the participation of public and private institutions, ambassadors, NGOs, academics, parliamentarians and international organizations.

Turkey must now focus on developing comprehensive policies for youth in order to ensure that the country has a healthy, educated, and skilled society to face the challenges of next 15 years and beyond, according to the 2008 Human Development Report for Turkey, which was launched on 21 March 2008 in Ankara.

The report, launched by the United Nations Development Programme and entitled Youth in Turkey, offers guidance on how employment, education and health policies for youth need to be reshaped to ensure that these policies are people-oriented and better prepare the country for the coming demographic challenges.