Plastic pollution is a big environmental problem: the amount of such waste increases annually, as 96% of single-use plastic is disposed in the first year after production. This problem is also relevant for Belarus, where 280,000 tons of plastic waste is sent to the landfill every year, 140,500 tons of which are package waste.
In 2020 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus approved an action plan to gradually reduce the use of plastic packaging. It is planned to replace it with environmentally friendly packaging. And from 2021 it will be forbidden to use and sell disposable plastic dishes in public catering.
Reducing the use of plastic packaging and disposable plastic production contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 12 (Sustainable consumption and production), 13 (Combating climate change), 14 (Conserving marine ecosystems) and 15 (Conserving terrestrial ecosystems).
A presentation on plastic packaging can be viewed on the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
More than 80% of all settlements in Belarus are small towns with population up to 100 thousand people. Lagging in the economic development of small towns compared to big cities is often the result of the move of a large number of young people from small towns to the capital of Belarus and regional centres where they start their own businesses. Therefore, it is very important to make small towns more attractive for supporting small and medium businesses.
Assistance in creating conditions for business development in small towns of Krichev, Mstislavl, Chausa, Gorky, Barani and Glubokoye was provided under the “Small Cities” project funded by the Russian Federation and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus. Under the project, these six cities in the Mogilev and Vitebsk regions have created modern infrastructure to support small and medium businesses. This infrastructure combines business incubator and business support centre functions. There, experts also advise on business plan development and fundraising. As a result of the project, an interactive tourist route was developed in Mstislavl, and a business incubator on the basis of technopark was created in Gorky, where business training events and acceleration programmes for start-ups are regularly held. Business schools “By myself” were also held, which helped to overcome stereotypes about female entrepreneurship.
The development of small towns and business initiatives is a contribution to Sustainable Development Goals 11 (Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reducing Inequality), 17 (Partnership for Sustainable Development) and other goals.
Information on project results can be found on the UNDP in Belarus in Belarus .
In the Republic of Belarus, family support is a key area of state social policy, which is also enshrined in national legislation. Equal participation of men and women in family life and the upbringing of children contributes to achieving Goal 5 of sustainable development, gender equality.
According to the national study “Family formation, stability of family relations and fertility in the changing socio-economic conditions of Belarusians”, women are more actively involved in all activities related to childcare. Parents also share quite evenly the responsibilities related to playing with children and spending leisure time with their children: 82% of men and 75% of women said that they and their partner perform these responsibilities approximately equally. Data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey to assess the situation of children and women (MICS 6) conducted by the National Statistical Committee in 2019 also confirms the trend of involving fathers in activities connected with teaching and preparation for school of young children aged 3-4 years.
To increase the involvement of fathers in the upbringing of children, the Labour Code was amended in 2019 (entered into force on January 28, 2020). One of the important innovations is the introduction of paternity leave at birth. The employer is obliged to provide such leave at the employee’s request for up to 14 days within 6 months after the birth of the child. In addition, the Labour Code includes such new provisions as:
In order to combine professional and parental functions, the Labour Code includes a chapter on “Distance employment”.
The main lines of social policy development regarding families:
More detailed information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
The Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus is holding the contest “Year of the Small Motherland”.
The main objectives of the contest are: implementing state information policy in the development of the country’s regions; respecting small motherland, contribution to its development, demonstration of bright achievements in saving and reviving the native land; educating young people on love for the Motherland and active life position. This contributes to local sustainable development, partnership for sustainable development and establishment of sustainable settlements, responsible consumption and production, and preservation of terrestrial ecosystems (Sustainable Development Goals 11, 12, 15).
Materials published in print media, online publications and Internet resources or broadcasted by TV or radio broadcast media during 2019 can be submitted for the contest. They should be sent to the Ministry of Information no later than July 15, 2020, marked “for the contest” at the address: 220004, Minsk, np.Pobediteley, 11. The application can be found on the website of the Ministry of Information.
At the exhibition of Belarusian science and technology achievements Minsk Automobile Plant presented its first electric bus, which belongs to the latest generation of buses and is able to pass a large city without recharging.
Electric bus is a more environmentally friendly form of transport than an ordinary bus due to the absence of pollutant emissions into the environment. At the same time, it does not depend on a contact network like a trolleybus. The development of environmentally friendly urban transport is a contribution to Sustainable Development Goals 9 (Industrialization, Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Settlements), 13 (Combating Climate Change).
The new model combines the advantages of bus and trolleybus. The electric bus has a barrier-free zone and a retractable ramp for wheelchair users. Information on the characteristics of the new electric bus can be found on the website of the Ministry of Industry.
Gomel TV and Radio Company has released an interview with Nina Kekukh, coordinator of the regional partner network of social non-profit organizations in the Gomel region, about Sustainable Development Goals. The host and the guest talked about the goals most relevant for the Gomel region and the whole Belarus.
Nina Kekukh stressed that the key role in changes is given to education, which gives a person the opportunity to realize the scale and nature of existing problems, as well as to acquire skills to apply non-standard approaches in solving these problems. She also drew the attention of viewers to the importance of Goal 17, Partnership for Sustainable Development. Only partnership and cooperation can bring about far-reaching change. The interlocutors discussed specific initiatives of the Gomel region that are working to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
The environmental campaign “Let’s tidy up a small motherland” continues in Belarus. The aim of the campaign is everyone’s contribution to the improvement of their city, district, residential yard, nearest park or public garden, natural object.
Campaign activities include planting trees or shrubs, decorating flower beds, arranging playgrounds, participating in various environmental campaigns and educational activities. Memorial complexes are also put in order, as the campaign is dedicated not only to greening cities and villages, but also to preserving the memory of ancestors.
The greening and cleaning campaigns help to make communities where people live and work more comfortable and environmentally sustainable and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
More information about the environmental campaign can be found on the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
From 13 to 24 April 2020, a national prevention campaign “Home without violence” was held in Belarus. Specialists from the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Labour and Social Protection, Education, and Health, as well as from various voluntary associations, took part in it. The aim of the campaign was to help solve the problems of domestic violence.
Combating violence includes prevention of domestic violence (strengthening the social protection of families raising children, promoting employment, improving women’s competitiveness in the labour market, and generally improving the welfare and quality of life of families); development of a system of social service institutions that will provide assistance to victims of domestic violence (social service centres, crisis rooms for temporary shelters); and information and awareness-raising activities to prevent violence in rural areas.
According to UN data, one in three women and girls experiences physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives. Most often this happens at the hands of an intimate partner. One of the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 5 is to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. Violence against women is a major factor in death or disability among women of reproductive age and an obstacle to progress towards equality, development and peace. The central principle of the Sustainable Development Goals — that no one is left behind — cannot be achieved without eliminating violence against women.
More information about the action can be found on the website of the Ministry of Labour.
The first Earth Day took place in 1970. In 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution formally recognizing it as International Mother Earth Day. In 2016, on Earth Day, the UN formally adopted the Paris Agreement, which refers to the decision of countries to limit the global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels and strengthen measures by countries to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Earth Day 2020 is thus the fiftieth anniversary of Earth Day and the anniversary of the signing of the Paris Accord on climate protection measures.
It is usually the day of various public events that bring people together, but this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, events are held online, and the pandemic itself has become a reminder of the need to focus on sustainable development goals that better address new challenges and global threats.
On International Earth Day, activities and events are held in Belarus to plant trees, establish and clean recreational areas, improve springs and restore order to the land. This year, 118,000 trees are planned to be planted. Citizens’ participation is very important it is possible to offer places for tree planting, for example, through the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and then to participate in such planting in person. The Ministry of Natural Resources is also planning to survey 660 springs this year – educational institutions and local authorities will be informed about this. All those who wish to participate will be able to do so.
It is also possible to take part in the Earth Day virtually. On 22 April you can join discussions, events and actions on the website www.earthday.org live. A list of virtual Earth Day events can be found in the online time zone catalogue. Earth Challenge 2020 applications will help activists measure air quality and plastic pollution where they live. There are also daily tasks, a social networking schedule, tips for creating your own Earth Day profile and a place to tell others about your own green action.
Fighting the Coronavirus pandemic and protecting against future global threats requires sound management of hazardous medical and chemical waste, worldwide protection of the environment and biodiversity, clear commitments to better recovering, creating green jobs and facilitating the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
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