Women want to be actively engaged in local decision-making processes and they have proved that they can drive positive results when in top political positions, believes Maksymenko Sofia, the self-help group leader and newly elected head of Zvanivka, a community in the conflict-affected Donetsk oblast located in close proximity to the contact line. Sofia is one of the 72 women members of self-help groups from conflict-affected Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions who ran in the 2020 local elections elective positions in their communities. “Women nowadays are not only mothers and housekeepers. Women's political representation in our community has been growing in the recent years. After the last election, half of our community council are women. And I can now say for sure that women in decision-making positions are more detail-oriented and results-driven, mindful, and empathetic. Women are highly responsive not only to women's needs but to the needs and concerns of each and every member of community. Women in politics have a vision and they bring their unique knowledge and experiences to the to the local development processes””. I am always open for new learning opportunities this is the reason why I have joined the training on Community Mobilization for Empowerment organized by UN Women. Despite the fact that many small villages in Ukraine are almost drained of people who are migrating to urban settlements, I want to ensure that my community will offer quality health care, education, employment opportunities and social services that will discourage people from leaving. I am planning to mobilize resources to build a kindergarten, open a grocery store, and a pharmacy in Zvanivka. These is my homeland and I want to protect it and contribute to its development. Our community is comprised of very diverse people of different ethnicities, with various skills and competences, who want to contribute to building a prosperous and sustainable settlement”. UN Women Ukraine supported women from the conflict-affected East of Ukraine by developing their advocacy and leadership capacity to enable their engagement in the local decision-making processes and as a result boosting their participation in the local political life. This work is a part of the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, implemented by UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, and FAO. Twelve international partners support the Programme: the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden & Switzerland.

World Bee Day 2021 calls for global cooperation and solidarity to counter the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to food security and agricultural livelihoods alongside prioritizing environmental regeneration and pollinator protection. It is also an occasion to raise awareness of how everyone can make a difference to support, restore and enhance the role of pollinators. This year's topic "Build back better for bees" means supporting COVID-19 recovery activities which decrease drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem loss - we can simultaneously lower pandemic risk while safeguarding our pollinator communities. Pandemic risk is driven by increases in anthropogenic changes, such as land-use change, habitat degradation, agricultural expansion and unsustainable intensification, which also negatively impact pollinator communities. Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. For our survival, we depend on bees and other pollinators. Nearly 90 percent of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75 percent of the world’s food crops and 35 percent of global agricultural land. Three out of four crops across the globe producing fruits or seeds for human use as food depend, at least in part, on pollinators. Today bees are under threat. Present species extinction rates are 100 to 1 000 times higher than normal due to human impacts. Close to 35 percent of invertebrate pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, and about 17 percent of vertebrate pollinators, such as bats, face extinction globally. If this trend continues, nutritious crops, such as fruits, nuts and many vegetable crops will be substituted increasingly by staple crops like rice, corn and potatoes, eventually resulting in an imbalanced diet. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) coordinates the International Pollinators Initiative 2.0 (IPI 2.0) to monitor pollinators' decline, address the lack of taxonomic information on pollinators, the economic value of pollination, and the economic impact of the decline of pollination services, and protects pollinator diversity. FAO also provides technical assistance to countries on issues ranging from queen breeding to artificial insemination to sustainable solutions for honey production and export marketing. In Ukraine, FAO has been active and supported the initiatives of Ukrainian beekeepers and honey exporters in the framework of the project "Improving Ukrainian Agribusinesses' Access to Export Markets". The Association of Honey Exporters and Processors and the Ukrainian Beekeepers' Union were presented at the 46th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress in early September 2019: the national stand "Ukrainianhoney.KeepTrue" was organized with the joint initiative of FAO, EBRD and EU4Business project. "Despite the pandemic and unpredictable challenges faced by both beekeepers and honey exporters during last year, Ukraine continues to strengthen its position in the global honey market. Thus, according to the results of 2020, honey exports reached an absolute record for the entire history of Ukraine's independence, amounting to 81 thousand tons with a total value of 139.4 million US Dollars, which allows Ukraine to remain in the TOP-5 world leaders in honey exports," said Anna Burka, an FAO expert. The main markets remain the European Union and the United States, which have increased demand for Ukrainian "golden" sunflower honey. Ukraine now has new prospects, given the beginning of a free trade zone with Britain and Israel. How can we build back better for bees? Individually by: · planting a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year; · buying raw honey from local farmers; · buying products from sustainable agricultural practices; · avoiding pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in our gardens; · protecting wild bee colonies when possible; · sponsoring a hive; · making a bee water fountain by leaving a water bowl outside; · helping sustaining forest ecosystems; · raising awareness around us by sharing this information within our communities and networks; The decline of bees affects us all! As beekeepers, or farmers by: · reducing, or changing the usage of pesticides; · diversifying crops as much as possible, and/or planting attractive crops around the field; · creating hedgerows. As governments and decision-makers by: · strengthening the participation of local communities in decision-making, in particular that of indigenous people, who know and respect ecosystems and biodiversity; · enforcing strategic measures, including monetary incentives to help change; · increasing collaboration between national and international organizations, organizations and academic and research networks to monitor and evaluate pollination services. Please find more tips on how to help bees and other pollinators.

The article was originally published on KyivPost  Over a year has gone by since the World Health Organization proclaimed COVID-19 a global pandemic. Our lives have changed in unthinkable ways. It wasn’t easy at first, but I have learned to adjust and adhere to basic measures such as safe distancing, mask use, and strict hand hygiene. What remains painful is coping with my curtailed freedoms to work as I used to, to socialize and network, to celebrate, to travel to see my family, and importantly, to be close to those I hold dear who grieve the loss of loved ones. But with time I realized that there is, however, the light at the end of the tunnel! Thanks to monumental efforts by scientists and researchers, a range of safe vaccines against COVID-19 have been developed in record time, thus becoming game-changers in the fight against this deadly virus. Ukraine has joined global efforts to vaccinate its population, justly prioritizing frontline workers and other high-risk groups, with a commitment to ensure that in due course every Ukrainian can access a vaccine. The United Nations together with Ukraine’s international development partners is committed to helping the Government of Ukraine expedite its ambitious goal. With every day that passes more citizens can access vaccines, whether via new mobile teams, digital apps, or simply through a family doctor. However, the single, most serious worry that clouds my hope for a return to normalcy is the extraordinarily high hesitancy among Ukrainians to get vaccinated. Our best chance to bring an end to the pandemic phase, with COVID-19 infection rates lowered to a level that can be managed just as any other infectious disease, is to convince many more Ukrainians to get vaccinated. As a United Nations representative but also in my personal capacity, I want here to challenge doubts and skepticism and put forward arguments in favor of considering getting vaccinated: True, all the vaccines are new, and as research continues furiously, indeed we do not have answers to all the questions. However, all the vaccines on the WHO Emergency Use List (EUL) have undergone a rigorous process and are declared safe. All existing research and evidence show that while vaccination does not guarantee that you will not get infected, just as the regular flu shot, getting vaccinated significantly reduces your chance of contracting a life-threatening form of the disease requiring hospitalization and potentially causing death. Importantly, taking the vaccine is also critical to reducing the spread of the virus to others. Here I have a message to young Ukrainians who think: “I am young and healthy. I don’t need to take the vaccine.” While the virus is more threatening to older persons, if you are young, consider that by taking the vaccine you are protecting your Babushka and Dedushka. And to those who say: “I’ve had COVID-19 and recovered, so I am immune.”  We now know that you can contract COVID-19 more than once and that you can also continue spreading it to others. True, there have been some cases recorded of health complications associated with getting vaccinated. Countries have taken different approaches to such occurrences, with some putting a temporary hold to do more research. What we need to recall is that these cases are extremely rare. Just as we don’t stop taking medicine prescribed by a doctor based on warnings on rare complications contained in the medicine leaflet, we should listen to those who can provide expert advice on vaccines, including organizations such as WHO and UNICEF. To put things in proportion, it was helpful for me to listen to those knowledgeable in statistics who say that my chance of getting into my car and having a lethal accident is considerably higher than suffering complications from COVID-19 vaccination. Considering that the pandemic has caused the loss of over 45,000 Ukrainian lives this past year, it seems to me that the advantage of getting vaccinated and protecting myself from getting severely ill greatly outweighs the risks. What about those who wish to wait for one vaccine brand they heard is better and safer than another that is available to them right now? True, vaccines are not all the same. We learn more every day about levels of effectiveness. I would, however, point out again any of the vaccines on the WHO EUL is recommended as effective and safe. Just last Friday, Sinopharm became the latest vaccine to join the EUL, alongside AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and a few others. More are in process. I wish to point out the process of approval for inclusion on the EUL certifies the uniform quality of vaccine production, therefore a preference for a vaccine manufactured in one country over another is baseless. While WHO cannot proclaim judgment on a vaccine until the review is complete, that does not mean that vaccines not yet on the EUL are bad. Personally, I respect the decision of individuals in many countries who have chosen to take a vaccine still in process of approval by WHO but already authorized by their national health authorities. Bottom line – my view is that rather than waiting and delaying, getting any recommended vaccine on offer now can contribute to containing the virus. Finally, I often hear that vaccine hesitancy in Ukraine relates to a post-Soviet legacy of mistrust in the healthcare system. As Ukraine approaches the landmark anniversary of its 30th year of independence, I suggest it is time to stop repeating this statement so that we also stop believing in it. Ukraine is a country committed to the global sustainable development 2030 Agenda and moving forward as a European modern democracy. True, there is a lot to do to advance reforms, but a lot of progress has already been accomplished, in the health sector in particular. With full respect for the individual right and freedom of every Ukrainian citizen to decide to take or not to take the vaccine, I urge every Ukrainian to consider getting vaccinated, to beware of disinformation, to reach out to trusted sources including the UN so as to ensure you have the best available evidence-based information to make the right decision.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. More than a year has passed since then. Countries have adapted to the new reality: people keep social distance, wear face masks and limit their social interactions or ‘migrate’ online. According to the WHO estimates, it is only through herd immunity achieved with the help of mass vaccination that we could overcome COVID-19. Six months ago, Jarno Habicht, the Head of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine, predicted the third wave of the pandemic and commented on COVID-19 cure in his interview for Suspilne. Suspilne has recently had another interview with Dr. Habicht and found out when exactly is the expected time for the humankind to exit the pandemic and whether Ukraine will have enough vaccines under international aid programmes. The vaccination level in Ukraine is one of the lowest in Europe. How do you assess the country’s preparedness for vaccine supply under the COVAX agreement? — We should look to the vaccination campaign not only in Ukraine but across the world as well. It is a good thing that we are talking about this during the European Immunization Week. We should also consider the availability of the vaccines. Now health care workers are being vaccinated, as well as people from risk groups, including the elderly. As of the end of April, a half of the vaccines supplied under the COVAX agreement had already been administered. We are expecting a new batch in the nearest time. Ukraine has been scaling up vaccination since the end of February within the framework of the National Plan. It all started with mobile teams going to hospitals. Now we can see fixed vaccination sites open in all oblasts, there are 1,900 of them — people can visit those sites, get their vaccine and primary health care, etc. The goal for the summer is to have more than 3,000 vaccination sites. Thus, to succeed, we need a combination of quantity and availability of vaccines, trained staff and vaccination sites in place. So, I am optimistic and I expect the vaccination to expand in the nearest months. Taking this into account, do you find the Ministry of Health’s public outreach efficient? — I think people should be well informed, especially the priority groups. There are different outreach mechanisms: from health care professionals to information channels and telephone hotlines. We have been building so many different dashboards in Europe and globally to see how many vaccines are administered daily, what are the groups who are covered. Now we can track it quite well. We can also see that more than 50 percent of the citizens would like to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and I think that is very positive dynamics. The most important thing is that the vaccines will help us to exit the pandemic in 2021–2022. What are the predictions for the achievement of herd immunity in Ukraine? — As for herd immunity, this term implies that a critical mass of people should develop immunity against a disease. We are dealing with a new disease. We are still studying the duration of immunity for the administered vaccines. These criteria are not clear. That is why nobody knows when the herd immunity will be achieved. The second aspect which is extremely important in terms of vaccination is that the vaccines prevent serious disease to the serious condition through COVID. Vaccination will protect health care workers, who help us all. The reason is, you cannot abolish all the other health care services as many people have chronic diseases and no possibility to visit their doctor on time. Maybe some of them have to postpone their care because of cancer treatment. Thus, health care workers, the elderly and the ones in the risk groups come first. Then we can move on and collect data on herd immunity. How was the pace of vaccination affected by the decision of several countries to stop using particular vaccines? What can be done about that now? — When you stop vaccination, it surely does slow down the pace. Many countries did so. They temporarily suspended vaccination to evaluate the risks. And some countries stopped vaccinating altogether. Some countries are doing research on which age group they should stop vaccinating. The reason is, safety is important for everyone. And we want to find out what is going on. Maybe it has something to do with the side effects? — That is true. There were many discussions about certain vaccine products and the information we have on thrombocytopenia syndrome, for example, which is very rare. It is listed as a rare side effect for some vaccines. And we know the incidence is very low. So, we are talking about one case in 250 thousand according to the United Kingdom statistics, or one case in 100 thousand according to the data collected across the EU. Every medicine, every vaccine can have certain side effects. It is crucial that we should manage them and inform the public accordingly. That is why thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome are something that we as doctors have to monitor in people for 4–20 days and provide them with support and aid in case they have any side effects. How prepared is the world to fight new COVID-19 strains? Can vaccination protect against them? — The current vaccine products we now have mostly help to fight the already existing strains. They are gradually spreading from different parts of the world. And, of course, we should see how the vaccines and the platforms used in their development might help us achieve immunity. So, the current vaccine helps. But this is an area where research should be carried on. A year ago we could only dream of having vaccines. Now we have them. So, in these circumstances we should study the interaction between the new strains and vaccines. Are vaccines equitably distributed across the world? What is your advice for the poor countries that are considerably falling behind in vaccination, thus having less possibilities than the developed countries? How can the inequity be tackled? — 92 countries are going to get free vaccines for their citizens to cover up to 20% of the risk groups. Part of the vaccines delivered to Ukraine. No one is safe until everyone is safe. Research shows that we could efficiently fight COVID-19 and prevent 6 deaths out of 10 if we had 2 billion vaccines for simultaneous distribution across the world. With no equitable distribution, say, if 50 countries get more than the others, we will prevent only 3 deaths out of 10. So, that means that many lives will not be saved. That is why Covid-19 vaccines, as well as solidarity and equitable distribution, are really important. Otherwise we will not be able to exit this global pandemic. And, as we can see today, the reality is that most vaccines, that is, 4 out of 5, are currently concentrated in high-income or upper-middle income countries. If we take a look at the low-income countries, we will see that they have less than one percent of all COVID-19 vaccines available. Thus, we can see inequality. We need more solidarity. Otherwise we will see some countries exit the pandemic, but on a global scale the pandemic will last for several more years. The psychological consequences of the disease turned out to be as stunning as the physical ones. Is there any research on this? — We see that 8 million people in Ukraine need different kinds of mental health support. Now, in the times of COVID-19, this issue is more acute than ever. Mental health needs are on a continuous rise in all countries affected by the virus. Thus, we understand that we should provide more assistance to families and people within the next 5 to 10 years. But the effects are very high. We have children that lost dozens of academic days last year. We have families that lost their income. We have many families that do not know what will happen to their job in the future. So, this pandemic has many consequences that we should look into before we take action. Are there any WHO studies on the impact of vaccination on pregnant women? — This issue is being studied at the moment. And it is the responsibility of not the WHO, but, as a rule, of the national regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccines. We know that pregnant women may be more vulnerable to COVID-19, so we have to evaluate every case of administering a vaccine to a pregnant woman. How many more vaccines can Ukraine get and what companies will they come from? Ukraine received over 1.1 million vaccine doses by now, and half of them have already been administered. COVAX currently aims to vaccinate up to 20 percent of the population. Moreover, there is a possibility that the Ukrainian government could use COVAX to cover even more than 20% of Ukrainians. Ukraine has also reached additional agreements with different manufacturers. Pfizer, for example. But I also know about the Serum Institute of India’s AstraZeneca vaccine that helped Ukraine to launch its vaccination campaign in February 2021. So, I hope we will have enough vaccines due to these different mechanisms. As for the coming supplies, COVAX will provide additional vaccines in May. Thus, under the current commitments, 1.7 million AstraZeneca vaccines will be available through COVAX. Furthermore, Ukraine will receive more than a million Phizer vaccines. And still, COVAX continuously monitors the vaccine supply rates, vaccination capabilities and the equity of distribution of vaccines on a global scale. So, there will be more available vaccines. It is crucial that we follow the National Vaccine Distribution Plan and the National Vaccination Plan. We protect the vulnerable populations. How did the WHO adapt its work amid the pandemic and what programmes did it have to cut down or curb altogether? — At the beginning of the pandemic, huge part of our work was focused on COVID-19. And we had to start with studying what we knew about the virus and what to do next. But in hindsight, I would say that our work in Ukraine was never altogether curbed in any other area. Our team keeps on working with HIV and tuberculosis. These are also important directions of aid for the country. We have to provide access to antiretroviral therapy and testing for people with HIV. The same with mental health. As we go through the pandemic it cause a need for mental health support. But our work is still largely focused on COVID-19 and response to it. My colleagues are currently visiting hospitals. We are checking oxygen availability. While the situation in western oblasts is improving, some eastern oblasts still have hospitals with more than 80% occupancy. We need to provide oxygen for those areas. We have to take all precautionary measures and sustain high vaccination rates. Then we can move out of the outbreak. I am very optimistic 2022 will be much better. But we need to join our efforts to make it better.