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11 May 2022
Empowering Those Most Vulnerable: Social Protection Must Be An Inseparable Part Of Communities’ Emergency Response
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Press Release
26 April 2022
229 laptops delivered for the most marginalized students in the framework of the „Reimagining Education in BiH“ project
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Press Release
26 April 2022
European Immunization Week – celebrating the progress and potential of vaccines to support a long life well lived
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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 Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Story
24 October 2021
UN Festival #ZamisliPromijeni / #ImagineChange gathers almost a hundred participants and thousands of citizens
More environmental protection, life without conflicts, true respect for human rights, better perspectives and more employment opportunities – that is the future that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina imagine in 25 years from now.
By promoting culture, creativity and creation, innovation and entrepreneurship, equality but also diversity, heritage, art and ecology, the United Nations (UN) in Bosnia and Herzegovina marked its day with the #ImagineChange Festival at the Zemaljski muzej in Sarajevo. Twenty selected participants of the fair, youth bands, musicians, chefs, animators and poets – all partners of UN agencies, funds and programs in BiH, who are actively working on positive changes in their local communities and beyond, made a visit to the Zemaljski muzej an unforgettable and different experience for thousands of citizens. Participants of the #ImagineChange Festival came from different cities and municipalities all across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The partnership between the United Nations in BiH and the Zemaljski muzej provided free entrance to the Museum from October 21st to 24th, celebrating the UN Day. More importantly, it reminded citizens that the treasury of the Museum is safeguarding traces of the rich past and the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so they responded to the invitation to visit in large numbers.
”2021 was a challenging year for the world, including for so many of the people that the United Nations works with in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But through our work across BiH, we continue to see innovators, entrepreneurs, change makers, activists, and everyday people, working tirelessly to positively contribute to the development of their communities and the country. Some of these people and organizations - impressive change makers - joined us to celebrate the UN Day and showcase the many possibilities which exist across this country. They are the people who are paving the way towards gender equality and the empowerment of women; quality education; entrepreneurship and youth start-ups; climate action and environmental protection; healthy aging; food production and security and agricultural development, and much more. They are imagining change and making it happen. At this challenging time, when political rhetoric takes so much public space, it’s important to highlight the many positive voices and actions that happen every day, and to move past divisive narratives. We hope that they can be an inspiration to all”, said dr. Ingrid Macdonald, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH.
This year's UN Day is marked under the slogan #ImagineChange in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which celebrates all those heroes and changemakers who are, step by step, initiating positive changes in their communities, but it also invites all of us to imagine and work on changes that are important to us.
Radomirka Alić, the founder of a small family business - Cafe Confectionery "Slatki zalogaj" Srebrenica was among the exhibitors. Great attendance and interest in Radomirka's stand marked the very beginning of the Festival.
"Participation in the Festival is a great honor and joy. I am positively surprised and I did not expect that there would be so many people, and that they would like our program so much, part of which we brought for tasting. I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with the United Nations through the ”Biz Up” program late last year. We started our business with two goals - the first is to provide a job, and the second is to create a place in Srebrenica where everyone can gather, where it doesn't matter who you are or what you are - a place that breaks down prejudices and stereotypes 365 days a year."
The moderation duo of the Festival were Haris Bilalović and Aida Vehabović - a seventeen-year-old girl from Kakanj, an award-winning actress who breaks down prejudices and who says:
“It is a great honour to be invited to co-host the United Nations birthday program and I am happy to write down in my memory book yet another striking event with the UN. My most important message is that young people should be given opportunities to stay here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, because we too can create and work like other countries if we make a change. The world remains with us young people, and if we start to change what doesn’t suit us, it will be a fantastic proof that we are doing well. From the sustainable development goals, I would single out education in the first place - education and practical work. Of course, everything depends on us young people and I hope that we will be able to make changes and that future generations will have more quality education."
United Nations agencies, funds and programs have promoted cooperation with people, companies, organizations and institutions throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, which they support in creating and implementing change in their communities, in cooperation with their international partners and donors.
The United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina is thankful to the UN agencies and partners: Nevid teatar, Muzička škola Banja Luka, AIESEC, Vjeko Kramer, youth bands Zelene oči, Krx, AMD and VuciBAtine who are working jointly in Srebrenica, Bratunac and Vlasenica, and also to Balkantina Sarajevo, SOR Narcis Posušje, Outdoor/Aquabalkan Konjic, NVO Genesis and UPSHIFT, the band Deminutiv, Healthy Aging Center Novo Sarajevo, coffee confectionery Slatki zalogaj Srebrenica, chocolate shop Bashka, BHWI Foundation, IOM Fashion Corner, Disaster Risk Reduction Program for Sustainable Development, IT Girls Initiative and all other participants of the Festival who have enriched the program and who imagine and change their environment for the better every day.
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Publication
01 June 2021
A Partnership for Sustainable Development: Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025
This Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF), adopted by the BiH Council of Ministers at its 22nd Session on 16 December 2020 and reconfirmed by the BiH Presidency at its 114th Extraordinary Session on 5 March 2021, will guide the work of authorities in BiH and the UN system until 2025. This framework builds on the successes of our past cooperation and it represents a joint commitment to work in close partnership for results as defined in this Cooperation Framework that will help all people in BiH to live longer, healthier and more prosperous and secure lives.
This Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF) describes four strategic priorities for joint work by 2025:
Sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth
Quality, accessible and inclusive education, health and social protection
People centered governance and rule of law
Citizen and community engagement for social cohesion
The authorities in BiH and the UN system have mutual accountability for the achievement of planned CF results. Based on their comparative advantages, UN system agencies will contribute policy advice, in accordance with international norms, standards, and best practices, and they will help to develop new capacities at all levels of government in BiH for the implementation and monitoring of strategies, policies and plans in BiH. Emphasis is placed on those strategies, policies and plans that align strongly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and targets as set forth in the emerging SDGs Framework in BiH.
This is our Partnership for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
See more on the official signing of the Cooperation Framework: https://bosniaherzegovina.un.org/en/127284-partnership-sustainable-development
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Press Release
22 November 2021
It's youth time!
The waterfall in Jajce was illuminated in UN blue on 16 November, continuing the United Nations Day marking, and honoring all the activities that the United Nations is implementing in the field of sustainable development in cooperation with partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The blue water is a powerful message of peace and hope for a more prosperous future for everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The United Nations Day is marked on 24 October, and this year it was celebrated with the #ImagineChange campaign. The central part of the celebration was the first ever UN Festival held at the Zemaljski Muzej. The #ImagineChange mission was continued with the United Nations Secretary General's Envoy on Youth, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, at the formal reception held last night in the City Hall in Sarajevo.
Reception was held with representatives of young people from all across BiH, as well as representatives of UN agencies, funds and programmes in BiH, embassies and missions - partner organizations of the United Nations in BiH. The special guest - the UN Secretary General's Envoy on Youth, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH, dr. Ingrid Macdonald talked with the Sarajevo Mayor, Ms. Benjamina Karić, as well as with representatives of young people from all over the country about the perspectives, opportunities and role of young people in BiH.
"We usually say that young people are leaders of the future, but in fact they are the leaders of today," said the United Nations Envoy on Youth Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake in her introductory speech.
"Young people who are trying to create opportunities for themselves in their communities cannot do it alone. And they should not do it alone. They should be expected to create solutions, and the United Nations, donors, local decision makers should create a conductive environment so that these young people can really live the change, and not just want it and perceive it. We at the UN are ready to work with young people and partners to ensure that every young person in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the world reaches its full potential."
Ms. Wickramanayake has been a youth development activist in her country since she was 13 years young, followed by engagements at the international level. As UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, she works to expand the United Nations engagement and advocacy activities across all pillars of UN's work - human rights, peace and security. Under her leadership and the leadership of her Office, the United Nations developed the first comprehensive system-wide Youth Strategy, and the High-level Steering Committe which she leads coordinates its implementation across all UN member states.
"The people we work with throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina inspire us to focus on positive change despite the difficult times and the pandemic, to see that change is possible and to strive for it. To aim high, because it's possible even under difficult circumstances. To aim high, because that's exactly what the people we work with do. The past two years have been crucial for the United Nations partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina - we have prepared and signed the five-year Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework with the Council of Ministers, confirming the commitment to work together - for the people, their environment and the prosperity of their communities," said dr.Ingrid Macdonald, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Dr. Macdonald also thanked the United Nations staff, across 17 resident and non-resident agencies, funds and progarmms, who worked on aligning the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework with the different programs of the United Nations agencies. "All the areas we are committed to are important to us, but one of the most important areas is certainly working with young people," she added, referring to the month of August, during which young leaders took over the official social media accounts of United Nations agencies and programs, making sure that the voice of the country's youth is heard.
"I want a society in which we do not judge each other based on our skin color, accent, origin, social status. I want us to be a society of good and tolerant people. In order to create such a society, we must take responsibility for our future", said Aida Vehabović, a young actress and activist from Kakanj who, together with Haris Bilalović, moderated the event and the conversation between youth in BiH and UN representatives.
Haris and Aida reminded that the #ImagineChange Festival, which was visited by thousands of citizens, sent a message that it is time for better environmental protection, for life without conflicts, for true respect for human rights. It is time for better prospects and more employment opportunities and continuous work with the United Nations on these goals, together with partners and despite the pandemic.
United Nations programs and agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the #ImagineChange campaign promote cooperation with people, companies, organizations and institutions throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, supporting them in imagining and implementing positive change in their communities, in cooperation with their international partners and donors.
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Story
20 September 2021
Young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina know what kind of future they want to see
Bosnia and Herzegovina has all the natural and human resources to be a prosperous, fast-growing, leading ‘green’ country by 2045, for the benefit of everyone living in it. This was the underlining vision shared by the young people participating in the “Next 25 years in BiH” arts competition, whose winners were awarded in Sarajevo on 17th September.
The competition was organized by the United Nations’ Dialogue for the Future initiative and the OSCE Mission to BiH in June this year, building upon the “25 Years of Peace” competition for youth organized in December 2020.
Guided by the call for a Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, young people across BiH were asked to reflect on what a peaceful and prosperous future means to them and what should the next 25 years look like in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Winners were announced in three categories, with Ms. Nizama Husetic awarded for the best written piece, Ms. Azra Imamovic for an illustration and Ms. Ajla Berber for a video-presentation.
A conversation with young people participating in the competition followed, with dr. Ingrid Macdonald, the UN Resident Coordinator in BiH, Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Mr. Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Siniša Šešum, Head of UNESCO Antenna Office in Sarajevo, and Ms. Sanja Kabil, UNICEF Head of Education Section.
“We know that many people are leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina every year. It is a serious problem: the country is rapidly losing its most valuable capital – its people. Yet, traveling across the country, meeting the young people today, reading their words, viewing their art – it gives us hope. It energizes us to redouble efforts to make their vision of a more prosperous, inclusive and fairer future a reality.”, said dr. Ingrid Macdonald, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH.
“It is crucial that young people engage to help move BiH forward, to ensure change based on democratic values, and foster political and social stability. Such voices need to be amplified: this is just one reason why the OSCE Mission to BiH has supported this essay competition, together with our United Nations colleagues.” said Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH.
The overall competition winner, Ms. Nizama Husetic, outlined in her winning piece the potential that BiH holds in its industry, tourism, tradition and – people, which could enable its growth and implementation of Sustainable Development Goals: “Fortune favors the brave, and we have never been anything less than that. Society in which everyone is working in the sphere in which they are the best, to which they are dedicated, will never be a doomed society”.
The art works submitted for the two cycles of the competition show without doubt that young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina know what kind of future they want to see – one guided by the values of peace, mutual understanding, dignity and inclusion.
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Publication
01 June 2021
2020 UN Bosnia and Herzegovina Results Report
The work of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the last six years was guided by the 2015–2020 United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), which was endorsed by the Council of Ministers on 14 May 2015. Thirteen outcomes were agreed, across four strategic focus areas that respond to the country’s needs and make use of the United Nations comparative advantages.
This Report offers a summary of the key results achieved, with a detailed highlight of the 2020 actions across:
Pillar 1 - Rule of Law and Human Security
Pillar 2 - Sustainable and Equitable Development and Employment
Pillar 3 - Social Inclusion: Education, social protection, child protection and health
Pillar 4 - Empowerment of Women
Visual presentation of results here.
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Story
11 May 2022
Empowering Those Most Vulnerable: Social Protection Must Be An Inseparable Part Of Communities’ Emergency Response
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is one of the most challenging areas that requires attention. But it is also a framework created for the purpose of protecting local communities from hazards and minimizing their vulnerability. One of the most important DRR aspects is the active involvement of local communities.
Although natural disasters cannot be avoided, the approval of appropriate assessments, plans, guidelines and approaches to risk reduction can significantly reduce damage and improve sustainable development of Bosnia and Herzegovina - a country considered at high risk of exposure to natural and other hazards.
In the light of those challenges, the importance of DRR has been recognized at the local community level in BiH, and the City of Trebinje is an example of continuing and systemic efforts made towards promoting and implementing DRR measures through vertical and horizontal structures of society and also of continuous investment in empowering the most vulnerable groups within the society, children and families, in order to prevent or mitigate both economic and social consequences of disasters.
“DRR Programme has enhanced cooperation and coordination among different sectors, which has proven to be useful for effective implementation of the Programme in the area of protection and rescue”, said Đorđe Jelica, DRR Platform Coordinator in Trebinje. “Maintaining closer cooperation with institutions at different levels of government, sectors at the local level and other partners and donors has contributed to achieving good results and an excellent operational model for successful implementation of this Programme”.
The public institution “Social Welfare Centre (SWC)” stands out in the Trebinje DRR Platform. Having developed and adopted the necessary documents, a risk assessment and the Protection and Rescue Plan for natural and other disasters, the SWC placed the focus on the most vulnerable groups of population, that is, on the beneficiaries of the social welfare system, with a particular emphasis on children and families.
“Although the SWC Trebinje is not yet a formal member of the City Emergency Response Command, it maintains close cooperation and ties with the local authorities and sectors involved in the provision of security and safety and risk prevention at the local level”, Zoran Anđušić, a member of the DRR Platform from the social welfare sector, explained.
“The capacities of the Trebinje Social Welfare Centre have been strengthened”, said Tanja Manojlović, a social worker at the SWC, adding that “it is through the implementation of the DRR Programme that the SWC has been recognized for the first time ever as an important factor in a response to adverse climatic events and natural disasters”.
Implementation of activities within the Joint Programme of the Swiss Government and the United Nations (UN) "Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina", the training of the SWC staff and provision of new equipment to the SWC have all secured adequate preparedness and continuity in service delivery and provision of assistance in emergencies.
The SWC staff play one of the key roles in disaster risk reduction thanks to their presence in communities that they belong to and, Tanja Manojlović believes, training of the SWC staff in the provision of psychological first aid, including practical assistance, stabilization and support to affected people in order to restore normal community functioning, will be the next step towards the SWC growth and improvement.
The role of DRR Platforms in the local communities in BiH goes far beyond mere assistance provided to the communities to cope with the impacts of such events as floods or fires. They are in a unique position to identify and tackle what makes people vulnerable, be it natural or man-made hazards, poverty, poor health and displacement or a combination of all factors, as is sometimes the case.
“If DRR is successfully implemented as part of sustainable development, the concept of the city resilient to disasters will help reduce poverty, ensure growth and employment and will also provide an increased social justice, new development opportunities, a balanced ecosystem, better health and improved education”, Đorđe Jelica explained.
We should look at all individual challenges and risks as part of a larger whole. The City of Trebinje is committed not only to making efforts to respond successfully to natural hazards but also to enhancing its relationships with the neighboring municipalities, cities and regions in order to set up the systems that go hand in hand and which would provide mutual support and assistance if needed, because the ultimate goal is to ensure sustainable future of the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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30 March 2022
Butteria: A small business of great taste
Pistachio, cashew, pumpkin seeds, hazelnut, almond and peanut butter of the brand Butteria are products of the 24-year-old Hamida Begović. From a small workshop in Donji Vakuf these domestic products made from natural ingredients are being sent off across Bosnia and Herzegovina, from Čapljina and Trebinje, to Banja Luka and Sarajevo.
The company Bonsai was registered in 2020 and now stands as a success story of this young entrepreneur who worked on rebrandingand presenting new products under the name „Butteria“ in the past several months. New name, new design and new products are the result of financial and mentor support through the programme “BizUp” which is being implemented by Foundation 787 and UN Women as a part of the project „Economic empowerment of women – rebuilding better”, which is being financed by the United Kingdom government.
As a graduated professor of Arabic language without a job in her profession, Hamida dedicated her time to producing spreads from highly nutritional nuts, drupe and seeds, which are being ordered by those who want to eat healthy or vegan, but other customers as well. She makes her products with a machine with a stone mill, originally made for making chocolate, which was supposed to be its initial purpose. Together with her husband she wanted to make homemade chocolate but they eventually gave up due to the high prices of ingredients. Instead, she makes products rarely found in Bosnia and Herzegovina today.
„I especially love Bosnian coffee and it is my biggest pleasure to have it with a piece of chocolate. I think that was the biggest reason to start with chocolate, but also to offer others a healthy option. We found chocolate molds and the machine came from India through a friend, but we never bought all the ingredients. We bumped into several obstacles and in the end, we gave up“, Hamida recalls. „The machine stood there for about half a year until we tried to make peanut butter.“
„Since 2019 we experimented and then we gave some to our friends to try out, simply to see the reactions – they were delighted. Great – let’s sell that! Let’s buy the jars and all the rest. We had a few friends who tend to eat healthy,“ she recalls, adding that after peanut, she decided to try other nuts and seeds that contain a certain level of natural fats which, due to long processing, turn to a liquid spread.
„The longer the processing, the more liquid, better, it gets. Everything needs to be chopped up first, then put in the machine to make this spread. It really turns it into a nice butter. We called it the process of ‘butterisation’, even though there is no word like that. It is not just grinding. That is why: ‘butterisation’,” Hamida explains.
Registering the business
After a year of experimenting and preparing of new products, two years ago, with the financial help of Foundation Mozaik, Hamida registered as a small company in Donji Vakuf, a small town in central Bosnia where she, a Sarajevan, and her husband, Travnik-born, moved due to his work as a graduate mechanical engineer. They registered the business and renovated a storage room in the rented house they live in, turning it into a workshop and equipping it for production. Afterwards, Hamida got a self-employment subsidy from the Federation BiH employment bureau. Both programmes enabled her to be employed and, by selling what she produces, earn a monthly salary.
„It is not a big amount of money, but it is enough for me. Just so that I can work, so I can come to my workshop and work. I am not a type of person to work in a company for eight hours and come home tired,” she says, explaining what is the most important to her: „I still have time to spend with my child, which is my priority. I can dedicate my time to him.“
Aside from a few customers, Donji Vakuf is not a market large enough for her butter-spreads. Her first bigger buyers were people she met in Sarajevo, where she and her husband looked around to see whether there are similar products in the shops and sections with healthy food.
„We saw there is nothing similar, but while we were preparing everything in the beginning, there were already a few domestic peanut butters and one hazelnut butter. That shook us a little bit, in the sense of will we make it, but many shops opened their doors to us. The first of them was Kašahana,“ Hamida recalls, adding that her products, which are passing all legally required quality control tests every month, can be ordered via Facebook and Instagram or be found in a few shops in Sarajevo, Mostar and Tuzla.
Mentor work
As she was already in contact with Selma Mezetović Međić, the owner of Kašahana, Sarajevan snack bar which offers porridge and other meals made from healthy ingredients that contain no refined sugars, Hamida got a recommendation from her to apply for the programme BizUp at Foundation 787.
„Aside of the financial help which was really helpful to me – I bought ingredients for new butters and a new machine right at the time when one stopped working – mentorship that I had was especially useful,” Hamida says, adding that in the beginning it was unusual that her mentor was Vladimir Grabovac, the owner of Biona, a company with products similar to hers, which she used to see as competition. She soon realised that was a good decision.
„He came to Donji Vakuf and talked about his experiences and the first point of our work was for me to read books. I did not get anything served on a plate, but my mentor gave me a task of reading different books and he tried to help me to discover myself, to find my ‘why’ which leads me”, Hamida recalls. „Then we tried to think of new names, which would reflect the ‘why’ and my butters.”
Both the mentor and the designer Ana Lukenda helped her to come up with the name Butteria and replace Bonsai – a name quickly thought of when the company was registering. This was also a symbolic name, after a tree that she and her husband have. The tree came a long way and it was damaged during traveling, but still survived, blossomed and lives in their home. Like the skills in shaping this tree, Hamida says she is careful in making the butters.
„That is how I make the butters – I handpick every fruit and it is like a special technique of making the butter. Large companies which make butters have special machines, and make 50 kg of butter in a few hours. I do everything manually. First I have to bake everything, and, for example, manually peel the hazelnut, after which I bake it, and when it gets cold, I bake it again to kill bacteria. Afterwards, I chop it and put it in the machine. It is not so simple, to just put into a blender and that is it,“ she explains, adding that for the cashew butter nothing else is added and it takes about o 6-7 hours of work of the stone mill.
Even though she is happy to see the work develop, she says that it is not easy to make it being a young entrepreneur and a woman taking care of a one-year-old son during the day.
„I would like for the business to grow so I can hire someone to work with me. Now I try to grab some time and work when the baby falls asleep, and I also finish other obligations”, Hamida says, adding that she thinks it is harder for women to achieve everything, both private and work tasks.
Even though she had and still has support from her family, she says that her experiences showed her that the society is not aware that women can run businesses on their own and that she senses that the general perception is that a safe job is a job in a company.
„When I started this, people used to ask me ‘Why are you doing this?’ First, the product I was making was unusual, and why was I initiating something here on my own, how am I going to do it, also while having a baby. But I thought, ‘I will make it’,” she says, emphasising how she was encouraged by her family to do what she loves, and that her example inspired a colleague to start her own business, by opening a cafeteria in Donji Vakuf.
„Whenever I am asked what it’s like, I say: 'Extremely hard, but if you want to, you’re going to make it',“ Hamida says. „I work an unsafe job, where one does not know what will happen, but for me there is some charm in this insecurity. Will I sell it? So, I tell myself ‘Come on, put more effort in it, call that shop, call another one’, and I fight. I think there is a greater feeling of fulfilment when you succeed that way.“
This article was made possible within the project “Women Economic Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Rebuilding Better” which is implemented by UN Women in BiH with financial support of United Kingdom government.
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30 March 2022
"Angel investors" finance and advise developing businesses
Finding the financial support a business is just starting or is in the early phase of development is among the biggest challenges to entrepreneurs. When lacking one’s own financial means and being unable to get a loan from a bank or other sources, angel investors can be an alternative source of financing of businesses.
Angel investors are successful entrepreneurs who invest their money and time, and share their knowledge and experience with those who either only have a business idea or are leading a business they want to develop further. Such investors are usually in the same profession as the business they are supporting, and aside of money, they help with contacts in the business community, as well as provide business advice.
Even though there are different types of support for women-owned businesses, in Bosnia and Herzegovina they are, in general, significantly leaning on informal support when starting their businesses, such as financial support of family or friends, reveals an unpublished study on resilience to crises of businesses owned by women in BiH. The study was conducted in 2021 within the project „Economic empowerment of women – rebuilding better” which is being implemented by UN Women and Foundation 787 with the financial support of United Kingdom government.
Among the ways of financing a business, women entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina have access to gender sensitive programmes of international donors through commercial banks and microcredit organisations, reveals the study, adding that additional ways of financing are needed.
Amra Humačkić - Omeragić
„Women turn to crowdfunding as well, even though possibilities for that are limited in BiH, due to legal regulations which don’t allow for such financing. The time needed to get a loan in a bank with expensive documentation and bureaucratic demands makes the women entrepreneurs in BiH turn to microcredit organisations as alternative sources of financing”, the study finds, adding that “there is a lack of investment such as angel business investors, venture capital, etc., which constrains specifically younger businesses in their scale-up.“
Network of business angels in BiH
A community of business angels in Bosnia and Herzegovina still doesn’t exist formally, but this year a significant move was made towards its creation. Organised by Foundation 787, the Business Angel Summit 2022 was held in Sarajevo in February, and gathered representatives of companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region and potential international investors. One of the goals of the gathering was to set up a network of business angels in BiH which would largely help make investment partnerships happen in the future, but also promote such possibilities to both those who invest and those who seek financial support for their business.
The director of Foundation 787, Dajana Džindo, explains that business angels usually invest in early phases of development of a business and finance even those who only have a business idea or someone who just started working, but still don’t have a company which can be financed in a typical way. She adds that such investors usually invest smaller amounts, from 10.000 to 100.000 BAM or USD, and it is possible also for several investors to unite in an investment into a small business.
Fondacija 787
„What is characteristic for them is that they are not only giving money but also their time, knowledge and contacts. They are opening the doors to new markets and they are open to sharing their success and contacts. The companies often look for angels from a certain market they want to get in. It is a lot easier when you have a business angel in a country where you want to do business,“ Džindo says. „Angels often primarily invest in businesses from their own countries and most often have a few sectors in which they are most relaxed and where it’s easiest to invest, which does not mean they would not invest in other sectors.“
There were attempts to formalise an association of angel investors in the past, but such an initiative did not live on. In the meantime, there were investments on a similar principle like angel investment, but on an individual level and through personal connections. The idea of forming a network of business angels is useful for setting up connections and communication of companies that need investment and those who would invest their money and advice gained from their own experience.
„It will still not function in a way that it will be publicly known who the angel investors are. They mostly do not want to be very exposed. Instead, there will be a channel of possible communication with them, and businesses which seek funds will know who to ask,” Dajana says, adding that the first steps were made through the Business Angel Summit.
During this two-day event there were more than 20 business angels and potential angels from Bosnia and Herzegovina and additionally about 30 from the region and abroad. In preparation for the summit, Foundation 787 examined their affiliation to gather information on the framework of their capacities and readiness to invest.
„Less than 30 of them said they were ready to invest more than two million BAM in this year,“ she says. „On the Business Angel Summit there were people who already invested, some of them want to do it, but all of them agreed they want to join a network and soon we will have the first meeting to see how it will function. For now, Foundation 787 is the facilitator in terms of communication with start-ups and businesses.“
Finances for starting and developing a business
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are insufficient opportunities to finance starting or developing a business in the early-stage from public funds, while getting a loan from a bank usually requires positive business reports, which is difficult for many beginners.
“Many who want to start a business are leaving BiH because they can get an incentive for start-ups elsewhere,” says Dajana. “Angels fill this space between banks, the state and other incentives.”
„But also, if we create stories that will turn out to be successful, we are already creating the interest of others who want to create start-ups and we are thus developing the market. The same happened in Germany – people were leaving for the USA, so there were measures to make Germany attractive as well“, says the director of Foundation 787 which implements different support and education programmes for women and young people in business. Even though the concept of investments of business angels is not created for women entrepreneurs nor is it in any way specifically adjusted to them, it represents an alternative way of financing which can be used.
„I think that it creates a possibility which women entrepreneurs currently do not have. It is not easy, but from the beginning of this initiative we made sure that there are also women investors, and we do have them, which means a lot, both for the success of the network and the diversity in the context of involving businesses led by women,“ concludes Dajana Džindo.
This article was made possible within the project “Women Economic Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Rebuilding Better” which is implemented by UN Women in BiH with financial support of United Kingdom government.
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Story
29 March 2022
Improving safety in a school for over 500 children and adults
Wailing of sirens coming from the firefighters' trucks and ambulances cars echoed through Kakanj, a small town in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their final destination was the local high school. On arrival, emergency response personnel met convoys of students and school staff exiting the school building. The peace on the faces of children and teachers unusual for this situation is the outcome of a carefully prepared Emergency Evacuation Exercise. The exercise is part of broader activities to improve safety in this school, attended by 433 students and employs 58 adults.
Bearing in mind that many people, primarily children, stay in school facilities during the day, schools carry high risks from the consequences of natural and other disasters.
However, it is not only the number of people who put this Kakanj school at the top of the list for intervention through the "Safe School Environment" project.
The school was built in 1968, consists of a ground floor and one floor, and has only one entrance/exit. Since its construction, the building has not been renovated, and the materials used in the construction of the school in the late 1970s are now considered harmful to people. The school also never had a plan for action in crisis or disaster.
This Kakanj school is one of many in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Brčko District (BD) facing the risks of natural disasters and catastrophes. During 2017 and 2018, World Vision BiH conducted a survey of school safety and preparedness for disasters caused by natural and other disasters in FBiH and BD. 724 schools participated in the research. The research concludes that only 10% of schools can be considered safe.
"There is no absolute safety, but we can reduce the risks faced by all those who stay in schools. Safe schools are constructed to code, their protection and rescue plans are updated, employees and students are educated on how to act in case of an accident, and they relate to local rescue services. In addition, school evacuation exercises are regularly conducted in these schools", said Sveto Đurđević, manager of the" Safe School Environment“ project.
Having in mind all the components of safe schools, Kakanj's Mixed Secondary School demanded urgent intervention, which was initiated within the project "Safe school environment". The project is implemented within the educational component of the joint program of the Government of Switzerland and the United Nations "Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina". Improving the safety of this Kakanj school contributes to disaster risk reduction for nearly 500 people who stay in the school building every day.
The basis for establishing safety in schools is Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (DRR). This plan list and analyzes risks, proposes risk reduction actions, guidelines for dealing with accidents, and mitigation of the consequences of the accident. Each school in BiH is legally obligated to create such a plan.
The school plan was prepared jointly by the school principal and teachers, representatives of the parents of the children attending the school, municipal services, the local red cross, and one NGO. Representatives of local services, including rescue teams, are one of the most important links in the preparation of the school plan for disaster risk reduction - firefighters, police officers, civil protection, health, and welfare centers representatives are the first to react in case of accidents and must be aware of the risks in their local environment.
"Everything that is being done through this project is an improvement for the school and the entire local community. This teamwork strengthens the school's connection with emergency rescue services, which is crucial in a crisis. All members of the school DRR team advocate in the local community and beyond, for stronger involvement of the relevant ministries and other institutions in strengthening the resilience of schools to natural and other disasters," says Zerina Sehagic, member of the Parents' Council school "Kemal Kapetanović Kakanj".
The risks and actions taken to reduce the risks are presented to teachers and school staff, as well as school students. In addition, staff and students learned how to behave in the event of an accident or disaster.
The evacuation exercise served as a practical test of the students' and schools staff's behavior in case of an accident and the responsiveness of the local rescue services.
In addition to the educational and demonstration segment, the project "Safe School Environment" finances interventions defined by the School Plan. According to the plan, the school building will get another exit, and the asbestos plates that are in direct contact with the external environment will be covered with a thermal facade. The school will also receive a smoke and fire alert system. At the same time, the system will sound the alarm to the school staff and pupils, and the local fire brigade.
Working on the cost estimate for the interventions defined by the plan, it quickly became evident that the funds provided by the project plan were not sufficient for the planned reconstruction. World Vision BiH has involved a broader team in fundraising and advocacy to support interventions at the local level. In this context, World Vision managed to provide additional funds donated by local socially responsible companies, and the necessary interventions will be carried out in full.
Sanja Kabil, The Education Specialist from UNICEF BiH underlines how UNICEF supports governments and schools worldwide, to improve policies and practices of disaster risk reduction. The schools must be safe places for all children, while the preparedness saves lives.
Activities in the school Kemal Kapetanović Kakanj, as well as in other schools involved in the project "Safe School Environment", are executed according to the World Vision's "Safe Schools" project model., as well as global model of “Comprehensive framework for school safety, and principles and guidelines for COVID’19 prevention in schools. So far, 39 primary and secondary schools in BiH implemented interventions according to this model.
The project is part of a joint program of the Government of Switzerland and the United Nations (UN) "Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina", while jointly implemented by UNESCO, UNFPA, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina, and World Vision BiH.
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Story
24 March 2022
Crowdfunding as an alternative source of business financing
An innovative business idea or a creative project can get financing from crowdfunding - when usually a large number of people invests small amounts of money, which leads to the target amount needed for the realisation of a business plan.
Crowdfunding campaigns for entrepreneurs and businesses are mostly about the implementation of a concrete activity, buying processing machines or tools for work, or something else that represents a core change and speeds up the development of a business, contributes to lowering prices or making the products available on larger markets, explains Vladica Jovanović, expert for social organising, crowdfunding and socially responsible and sustainable initiatives and businesses.
As a part of the project “Economic empowerment of women – Building better”, implemented by UN Women and Foundation 787, with the financial support of the United Kingdom government, Vladica spoke about crowdfunding as an alternative way of financing on a workshop organised for 15 BiH women entrepreneurs within the programme BizUp.
Vladica Jovanović
She explains there are four types of crowdfunding: donations, as a non-profit and often humanitarian; rewards or a model where those who give money are rewarded with a “perk”/a present; and investment and loan crowdfunding which did not take place in the region so far due to specific legal demands that are required, and that do not exist here.
„The easiest practice is to organise non-profit campaigns because people understand this very well and it is the easiest way for them to give money. People feel good if they give money to something like that. Another thing is the rewards crowdfunding, because people love to support good things, but they find it hard to do it unless, aside of supporting something, don’t get something in return, which will help rationalise their financial contribution,” Jovanović says.
A successful campaign
Some of the successful crowdfunding campaigns in Bosnia and Herzegovina were rewards campaigns, organised despite the fact that the renowned platforms, like Indiegogo and Kickstarter, are not available in our country. Those who decide to use these platforms for crowdfunding have to look for a mediator, someone who has a bank account in a country where it is possible to use the platform, who will then transfer them the money.
This is exactly what the 27-year-old Ružica Ivanović did with her team gathered around Gea Heal, the Herzegovina-based business producing herbal cosmetics.
„It is a bit more complicated that it seems at first. The very essence of a crowdfunding campaign is to make a pitch of your idea or some kind of a short description, a video, photographs, and to present it on one of the crowdfunding platforms. I think this is honestly the best way to gather funds because people invest in your idea directly. You set your own parameters, you make your own budget exactly as it suits your idea and I think that crowdfunding is really a great way of collecting money, especially for an emerging business.”
Gea Heal herbal cosmetics
With a bank account from Bosnia and Herzegovina it is not possible to use Indiegogo and Kickstarter platforms, but Ružica and her colleagues found an alternative. With the help of i-platform, an initiative which supports and encourages development of Bosnia and Herzegovina through BiH connections with the diaspora in Switzerland, implemented the campaign through Wemakeit. The Gea Heal campaign in 2020 raised around 7.000 franks which allowed them to register the business, open their space and buy a distiller for essential oils.
„Now we make products which are similar to old traditional balms and we use ingredients from the region of Herzegovina,” says Ružica, who is a fine arts graduate and nature lover. „The main idea of Gea Heal is to produce essential oils.”
Ružica notes that it takes a team of people to create and implement a crowdfunding campaign and that theirs included persons in charge of marketing, video, photographs and written materials, persons tasked with administration, as well as those who prepare the “perks” and lead the production. She emphasises the importance of good preparation.
„One of the things that crowdfunding requires is a big team of people who work on preparation. The preparation itself is as hard as the campaign itself, so I would recommend crowdfunding to everyone who have a strong will and a clear idea in their head, and to people who are persistent,” Ružica says. „We were preparing for 2,5 months and the campaign lasted for a month.”
Planning the funds
There are more than 300 different crowdfunding platforms in Europe for different types of campaigns, Vladica says, adding that that it is possible to use one’s own website for such a campaign, especially if it has an integrated payment system. She explains that, for the planning funds which will be gathered during a campaign, it is important to calculate in all the costs. For example, buying a machine for work, but also the costs of import if the product is from outside of country, taxes, the costs of making the perks and a percentage for the mediator if the campaign is hosted on a foreign platform.
„If the money from crowdfunding campaign counts as revenue – do you pay a tax? If you are a private person, then you have to communicate that during the campaign so people will trust you. There can also be some taxes in that case. One has to think about all that and calculate everything in,” she says. “There is a lot of administrative work behind a crowdfunding campaign as well as expenses, besides the net amount needed.”
She adds that the most common mistakes are a wrong estimate of time and effort needed for a crowdfunding campaign and an assumption that everything can be done by one person. She thinks that it takes at least three persons for a campaign – one to lead the campaign and be its face, another to prepare and implement communications for social networks and someone to do logistics and administration.
Crowdfunding is not only for those who are just starting off, but for those who already have a business, and need support for meaningful development. This is how the 24-year-old Emina Kapetanović, co-founder and CEO of Motus Health, plans to start a crowdfunding campaign and seek financial support for her start-up to certify a mobile phone application for the rehabilitation and socialisation of stroke patients as a medical device.
After her father suffered a stroke at the end of 2019 and her family was left without directions and knowledge about how to take care of him, this IT student from Mostar was thinking about possible solutions. With an idea for an app that would help her father rehabilitate and socialise with such a health condition, together with a team she won a regional innovation competition and later got support through other competitions and programmes as well. Her idea got the attention of an investor from Germany where she plans to move soon to work on the development of her business idea.
Emina Kapetanović
„At first it seemed to us that it is simple to make crowdfunding campaign, that you make an account on some crowdfunding platform and that’s it. However, it is completely different. There should be videography, which is very expensive, marketing and all the logistical parts of the application,” Emina says, adding that the months-long preparations are almost complete and that they plan to start the campaign in April.
This article was made possible within the project “Women Economic Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Rebuilding Better” which is implemented by UN Women in BiH with financial support of United Kingdom government.
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Press Release
26 April 2022
229 laptops delivered for the most marginalized students in the framework of the „Reimagining Education in BiH“ project
Representatives of the United Nations in BiH, led by the UN in BiH Resident Coordinator, dr. Ingrid Macdonald, UNICEF Representative in BiH, dr. Rownak Khan and Head of UNESCO Antenna in Sarajevo, Mr Sinisa Sesum, handed over laptops purchased for primary and secondary schools, as well as for higher education institutions from Una-sana Canton, West-Herzegovina Canton and Republika Srpska.
According to data collected by UNICEF and UNESCO in 2020, approximately 4,700 primary and secondary students did not have access to e-learning due to the lack of ICT equipment and Internet connection.
Minister Gudeljevic thanked the UN representatives for continued cooperation and engagement in ensuring equal access to education for all students, particularly the most marginalized: „It is obvious that in BiH we are facing great challenges, especially when it comes to the learning outcomes, which are lower that in the EU countries, with the quality education, which is to be enhanced together with the conditions of the realization of the educational processes. These challenges were even more flagrant during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and many other countries all over the world. Educational systems had to respond quickly and shift overnight from in person and traditional to hybrid education.“
She also added: „as we summarize the project’s results, we can say that the main goal of the project has been achieved, with responding to the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and incurred learning losses through a gender-sensitive approach, and encouraging both parents and students not to give up on learning.“
Lack of accessibility to education can provoke significant learning losses and deepen educational and socio-economic gap in the longer run.
The UN Resident Coordinator in BiH, dr. Ingrid Macdonald said that: „the United Nations in BiH is committed to supporting the authorities, teachers, parents and students with the latest global educational innovations and closing the digital divide. Our goal is that no child will be left behind in accessing education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with our partners, I am proud that the United Nations Secretary General’s COVID-19 recovery fund supported UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO and UNV’s efforts to create a stable foundation for transformation of the education sector with the Reimagining Education initiative.“
Head of UNESCO Antenna in Sarajevo, Mr Sinisa Sesum emphasized the importance of defining basic standards for the purchase of ICT equipment: „Document which was developed and adopted by all educational authorities in BiH throughout several-month-long consultations process is an important step forward in the process of the digitalization of education, enabling harmonization of quality of ICT equipment which corresponds to the real needs at all educational levels. Through the cooperation with Microsoft, all educational authorities in BiH from now on have the opportunity to purchase ICT equipment under very favorable conditions and by benefiting from significant savings, more equipment can be provided to the most marginalized students“, said Sesum.
Purchase of the ICT equipment within this project is realized through Microsoft „Shape the Future“ programme. This initiative provides opportunities for provision of ICT equipment for educational purposes per favorable prices, with 95% software discount.
Dr. Rownak Khan, UNICEF Representative in BiH pointed out the importance of equal access to ICT and Internet for all children: „Lack of ICT equipment and Internet connection not only limits children and youth to connect online, it also disables them to compete in modern economy. It isolates them from the rest of the world. In case of school closures, like those during the COVID-19 pandemic, it deprives them of learning. Openly speaking: lack of access to ICT equipment and Internet can cost the next generation of their future.”
In the upcoming period, the purchased equipment is to be delivered to the educational authorities in Republika Srpska, Una-Sana Canton and West-Herzegovina Canton, and distributed to the most marginalized students from primary and secondary schools and higher education institutions.
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Press Release
26 April 2022
European Immunization Week – celebrating the progress and potential of vaccines to support a long life well lived
This week marks the European Immunization Week (EIW) – an opportune moment to reflect on the importance of vaccination as one of the foundations of a successful public health system. This year highlights crucial achievements of vaccination – including progress towards global eradication of polio and elimination of measles and rubella in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region – as well as the potential to achieve much more, such as control of hepatitis B and elimination of cervical cancer. The hundreds of thousands of lives saved through COVID-19 vaccination in the WHO European Region are another great reason for celebration.
“Vaccines have been indiscriminately saving lives since 1798. Smallpox – how devastating it could be – was the first disease eradicated thanks to vaccination. Vaccinated children no longer need to worry about suffering from devastating diseases that plagued past generations. A “Long Life for All” is not a promise, it is an ambition. Because everyone deserves a chance at a fulfilling life,” said Dr Erwin Cooreman, WHO Special Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Health services (including immunization) in many countries across the world have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Bosnia and Herzegovina WHO has worked together with health authorities and partners to roll out COVID-19 vaccination, thereby prioritizing the most disadvantaged population groups. This progress is the result of a collaborative effort. EIW is an opportunity to thank all the health and care workers who have worked tirelessly to protect others by making vaccination possible.
This effort will not end until every eligible person is fully protected, in particular the elderly or people more likely to develop severe disease. The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted routine vaccination. Bosnia and Herzegovina has reported a lower vaccination coverage compared to other countries in Europe and this was further aggravated during the pandemic. To protect children and prevent disease outbreaks, it is critical that every child who missed a scheduled vaccination is provided with easy access to catch up needed doses.
The progress made over the past decade by the country in protecting children and adults from life-threatening diseases deserves celebration. Maintaining this progress and ensuring that no one is left behind is a collective duty for obtaining future success.
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Press Release
14 April 2022
The War in Ukraine: A Silent Assault on the Developing World
For the people of Ukraine, the Russian invasion is a waking nightmare, and a humanitarian disaster on a terrifying scale.
But the war is also fast becoming a matter of life and death for vulnerable people around the world.
We have all seen the tragedy unfolding inside Ukraine: cities flattened; people suffering and dying in their homes and in the streets; the fastest displacement crisis in Europe since the Second World War.
But beyond Ukraine’s borders, far beyond the media spotlight, the war has launched a silent assault on the developing world. This crisis could throw up to 1.7 billion people — over one-fifth of humanity — into poverty, destitution and hunger on a scale not seen in decades.
Ukraine and the Russian Federation provide 30 per cent of the world’s wheat and barley, one-fifth of its maize, and over half of its sunflower oil. Together, their grain feeds the poorest and most vulnerable people, providing more than one-third of the wheat imported by 45 African and least-developed countries.
At the same time, Russia is the world’s top natural gas exporter, and second-largest oil exporter.
But the war is preventing farmers from tending their crops, while closing ports, ending grain exports, disrupting supply chains and sending prices skyrocketing.
Many developing countries are still struggling to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with historic debt burdens and soaring inflation.
Since the start of 2022, wheat and maize prices have increased by 30 per cent.
Brent oil prices have risen more than 60 per cent over the last year, while natural gas and fertilizer prices have more than doubled.
The United Nations’ own lifesaving operations are under severe strain. The World Food Programme has warned that it faces the impossible choice of taking from the hungry to feed the starving. It urgently needs $8 billion to support its operations in Yemen, Chad and Niger.
Some countries are already sliding from vulnerability to crisis and serious social unrest. And we know the roots of many conflicts lie in poverty, inequality, under-development and hopelessness.
But while much of the world has stepped up in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, there is no sign of the same support for the 1.7 billion other potential victims of this war.
We have a clear moral duty to support them, everywhere.
The Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance that I launched last month aims to develop coordinated solutions to these interlinked crises, with governments, international financial institutions and other key partners. I thank the global leaders in all sectors who are supporting this initiative.
On food, we are urging all countries to keep markets open, resist hoarding and unjustified and unnecessary export restrictions, and make reserves available to countries at the highest risk of hunger and famine.
This is not the time for protectionism. There is enough food for every country to get through this crisis if we act together.
Humanitarian appeals must be fully funded, including for the World Food Programme. We simply cannot allow people to starve in the twenty-first century.
On energy, the use of strategic stockpiles and additional reserves could help to ease this energy crisis in the short term.
But the only medium- and long-term solution is to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, which is not impacted by market fluctuations. This will allow the progressive phase-out of coal and all other fossil fuels.
And on finance, the G20 and international financial institutions must go into emergency mode. They must find ways to increase liquidity and fiscal space, so that governments in developing countries can invest in the poorest and most vulnerable, and in the Sustainable Development Goals.
This should be a first step towards deep reforms to our unfair global financial system, which makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.
Social protection, including cash transfers, will be essential to support desperate families through this crisis.
But many developing countries with large external debts do not have the liquidity to provide these safety nets. We cannot stand by and watch, as they are forced to choose between investing in their people, and servicing their debt.
The only lasting solution to the war in Ukraine and its assault on the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world is peace.
As the United Nations works to support the innocent victims of this war — both inside and outside Ukraine — we call on the global community to speak with one voice and support our plea for peace.
This war must end, now.
***
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Press Release
12 April 2022
FAO Food Price Index posts significant leap in March
Rome – World food commodity prices made a significant leap in March to reach their highest levels ever, as war in the Black Sea region spread shocks through markets for staple grains and vegetable oils, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported today.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 159.3 points in March, up 12.6 percent from February when it had already reached its highest level since its inception in 1990. The Index tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of commonly-traded food commodities. The latest level of the index was 33.6 percent higher than in March 2021.
The FAO Cereal Price Index was 17.1 percent higher in March than in February, driven by large rises in wheat and all coarse grain prices largely as a result of the war in Ukraine. The Russian Federation and Ukraine, combined, accounted for around 30 percent and 20 percent of global wheat and maize exports, respectively, over the past three years. World wheat prices soared by 19.7 percent during the month, exacerbated by concerns over crop conditions in the United States of America. Meanwhile, maize prices posted a 19.1 percent month-on-month increase, hitting a record high along with those of barley and sorghum. Contrasting trends across the various origins and qualities kept the March value of FAO’s Rice Price Index little changed from February, and thus still 10 percent below its level of a year earlier.
The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index rose 23.2 percent, driven by higher quotations for sunflower seed oil, of which Ukraine is the world’s leading exporter. Palm, soy and rapeseed oil prices also rose markedly as a result of the higher sunflower seed oil prices and the rising crude oil prices, with soy oil prices further underpinned by concerns over reduced exports by South America.
The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 6.7 percent from February, reversing recent declines to reach a level more than 20 percent higher than in March 2021. Higher crude oil prices were a driving factor, along with currency appreciation of the Brazilian Real, while favorable production prospects in India prevented larger monthly price increases.
The FAO Meat Price Index increased by 4.8 percent in March to reach an all-time high, led by surging pig meat prices related to a shortfall of slaughter pigs in Western Europe. International poultry prices also firmed in step with reduced supplies from leading exporting countries following avian flu outbreaks.
The FAO Dairy Price Index rose 2.6 percent and was 23.6 percent higher than in March 2021, as quotations for butter and milk powders rose steeply amid a surge in import demand for near and long-term deliveries, especially from Asian markets.
Further details are available here.
Updated forecasts for cereals
FAO also released its new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, which includes a forecast for global wheat production in 2022 of 784 million tonnes, a 1.1 percent increase from 2021. That estimate factors in expectations that at least 20 percent of Ukraine’s planted area to winter crops, notably winter wheat, may not be harvested due to direct destruction, constrained access or a lack of resources to harvest crops, reports from Russia of continued conducive weather conditions, as well as prospective production trends in China, the European Union, India, North America and elsewhere. Coarse grain production prospects remain favorable in Argentina, Brazil and South Africa.
Wrapping up the 2021 crop year, FAO’s estimate points to a worldwide cereal production of 2 799 million tonnes, up slightly from 2020, with rice production reaching an all-time high of 520.3 million tonnes (in milled equivalent).
Global cereal utilization in 2021/22 is projected at 2 789 million tonnes, including a record level for rice, with increases also expected for maize and wheat.
Global cereal stocks ending in 2022 are forecast to rise by 2.4 percent from their opening levels, largely due to higher wheat and maize stocks in Russia and Ukraine on account of lower expected exports. The global cereal stocks-to-use ratio is forecast at 29.7 percent in 2021/22, only marginally below the previous year and “still indicating a relatively comfortable supply level,” according to FAO.
FAO lowered its forecast for world trade in cereals in the current marketing year to 469 million tonnes, marking a contraction from the 2020/21 level, largely due to the war in Ukraine and based on currently available information. Expectations point to the European Union and India increasing wheat exports, while Argentina, India and the U.S. shipping more maize, partially compensating for the loss of exports from the Black Sea region.
Further details are available here.
More on this topic
FAO Food Price Index
Cereal Supply and Demand Brief
World Food Situation
AMIS Market Monitor
FAO Markets and Trade
Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS)
Information Note The importance of Ukraine and the Russian Federation for global agricultural markets and the risks associated with the current conflict
Note on the impact of the war on food security in Ukraine
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Press Release
06 April 2022
FAO launches a new project to support local agricultural and rural development planning in selected cantons and municipalities
Local communities are vital for creating lasting positive change in the country. Sound planning and strategizing at the local level results in more targeted public sector interventions and expenditures related to rural development and agriculture, and that leads to improved sustainable management of natural resources and better economic well-being of the rural communities in the long run. By facilitating local partnerships between public, civil and private sector stakeholders, the long-term potential of the rural areas can be unlocked.
Building on the lessons learnt and successful results of the past project which supported the preparation of Local Agriculture and Rural Development Plans and implementation of a pilot project in the Livno area (Canton 10) several years ago, FAO has launched the new initiative aimed at providing technical assistance to local authorities of target cantons and municipalities to prepare their Local Agriculture and Rural Development Plans and corresponding Action Plans. The project will be implemented in Una-Sana Canton and city of Bihac in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and municipalities of Gacko, Rogatica, Rudo, Visegrad, Osmaci, Foca and Zvornik in Republika Srpska – all of these local authorities have committed to developing and later adopting the Local Agriculture and Rural Development Plans following the guidance and support of FAO. The cornerstone of the process will be the formation of multi-stakeholder working groups, which with the technical support of FAO will prepare the Local Agriculture and Rural Development Plans and corresponding Action Plans. To ensure that the development process is participatory and the views and needs of all stakeholder groups, including rural youth, women and other vulnerable groups are reflected in the documents, the working groups will organize workshops and consultations with the local community members. Within the framework of this project to test how local communities can be mobilized, absorb funding and implement projects outlined in the drafted Actions Plans, a call for application will be issued for piloting funding of a few small-scale demonstration projects, corresponding with the strategic priorities defined by the communities in the Local Agriculture and Rural Development Plans.
To launch the project, FAO organized two inception workshops in Jahorina on 5 April and Bihac on 6 April. The workshops have been attended by high-profile participants, including Jelena Prorok, Expert Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Zoran Maletic, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska; Sulejman Kulenović, Minister of Agriculture of Una Sana Canton; Rasima Bobic, Assistant Minister of Agriculture of Una Sana Canton; Šuhret Fazlić, Mayor of Bihac; Ognjen Milinković, Mayor of Gacko; deputy mayors, local coordinators, potential members of the local working groups, representatives of academia and civil society organizations, FAO experts from the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and FAO Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and others.
“There is important momentum coinciding with the launch of the FAO project - ‘Supporting local agricultural and rural development planning’, as Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently in the process of updating its Strategic Plan for Rural Development and defining its key priorities for the post-2021 time period. FAO is aspired for this project to become an important milestone in harmonizing rural development programmes and support measures across the country. The pronounced local ownership of the Rural Development Plans by local institutions will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project results”.
Vlado Pijunovic, National Programme Coordinator, FAO Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina
“In the upcoming months the institutions from both the Una Sana Canton and the City of Bihac in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will dedicate time and resources to developing Local Agriculture and Rural Development Plans and corresponding Action Plans with the support of the FAO experts. These Plans will be developed in the participatory and inclusive manner ensured through the organization of the community workshops. The development and adoption of the dedicated plans on rural development and agriculture will enable the more effective allocation of funding towards these priorities in the medium and long run.”
Šuhret Fazlić, Mayor of Bihac
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