الزراعة والتنمية الريفية والغابات

En 2025, le taux de fécondité mondial fait la une de la presse. Dans de nombreux pays, la baisse des taux de natalité incite les décideurs politiques à tirer la sonnette d'alarme face à un potentiel « effondrement démographique ». Pour tenter d'atténuer les changements démographiques auxquels ils sont confrontés, certains gouvernements recourent à des mesures drastiques pour inciter les femmes à avoir plus d'enfants. Malgré cela, des millions de personnes dans le monde ne parviennent pas à avoir le nombre d'enfants souhaité. Dans tous les pays, quel que soit le taux de fécondité total, la décision reproductive la plus importante qu'un être humain puisse prendre – quand, si et avec qui avoir un enfant – est remise en question. Le nouveau rapport de l'UNFPA sur l'état de la population mondiale affirme que la véritable crise à laquelle nous sommes confrontés n'est pas un problème de changement démographique mais une crise de la capacité à procréer.

This Social Development Report, the fifth in this series, provides deep analysis of the status of marginalized and excluded population groups facing severe vulnerabilities in the Arab region. This report examines the region’s ability to meet its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promise of leaving no one behind. Using the Sustainable Development Goal framework, the report reveals startling realities, with approximately 187 million individuals in the region being left behind across critical dimensions including social protection and access to health, education and housing services. Through intersectional analysis, the report examines the root causes of inequality and showcases pioneering initiatives addressing these challenges. The report presents actionable policy recommendations to empower marginalized groups and ensure more inclusion and equity towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The report also highlights the urgency of integrating the leave no one behind framework into national strategies and calls for the reinvigoration of data collection and monitoring.

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: A Gender Snapshot of the Arab Region 2024 provides a comprehensive analysis of gender equality across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), examining the Arab region’s progress, challenges and setbacks in achieving gender parity by 2030. Despite notable advances in education, health and essential services, critical disparities persist in employment, economic empowerment and the prevalence of violence and conflict, slowing progress towards gender equality. This report, jointly published by UN Women and UN ESCWA, underscores the pivotal role of gender equality in driving SDG achievements and highlights the centrality of women and girls in shaping sustainable futures. It also addresses the interconnections between the SDGs, providing regional and subregional evidence of both progress and persistent inequalities. A key focus is the importance of sex-disaggregated data, particularly from administrative sources and specialized gender surveys, which remain limited in the region. By emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive gender-related data, the report offers strategic policy recommendations aligned with the Beijing Platform for Action, calling for concrete governmental action to close the gender gap and advance women’s empowerment.

UNCTAD works with Governments of developing countries and key stakeholders to improve their digital economy capabilities through eTrade Readiness Assessments. These assessments analyse the digital and e-commerce ecosystems of beneficiary countries and provide policy recommendations based on the challenges and opportunities for e-commerce development identified across the seven policy areas. To operationalize those recommendations, UNCTAD established an eTrade Implementation Support Mechanism in 2020 to increase in-country coordination support and build national capacities needed to ensure efficient and effective implementation of e-commerce policies and initiatives. The eTrade Readiness Assessment of Zimbabwe is the fortieth such assessment conducted by UNCTAD and the twenty-first in Africa. It helps identify the challenges and measures to be taken to support the development of e-commerce and digital trade in line with Zimbabwe’s vision for digital transformation and its development aspirations. The eT Ready development process has laid the foundation for strengthening policy dialogue and engagement with a broad range of national stakeholders.

Since late 2024, escalating conflict has deepened Yemen’s already critical humanitarian crisis. Between February and April 2025, heavy bombardments have caused mass civilian casualties, widespread displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Attacks on key lifelines—Al Hudayda port and Sana’a airport in May—severed supply routes, halting the delivery of food, fuel, medicine, and humanitarian aid. This disruption has crippled humanitarian operations, shutting down health facilities, restricting food distribution, and impeding emergency services—especially in frontline areas. An estimated 9.6 million women and girls are in need of aid, facing mounting barriers to essential services, including maternal health, clean water, and psychosocial support. The destruction of health facilities and a water reservoir has cut off care for over 400 pregnant and lactating women and 9,600 children. Between January and May 2025, over 6,000 people were newly displaced —26% of whom are in female headed households, adding to the 2.3 million women already living in displacement across Yemen. Displaced women face risks from income loss to protection threats. Despite the complexity of the conflict, the fragile cessation of hostilities between the U.S. and the Houthis in Sanaa offers a narrow but critical window for de-escalation and humanitarian response. This moment must be used to scale up gender-responsive aid and restore essential services to displaced and conflict-affected populations.

The Compilation Guidelines for Measurement of Gender-in-Trade Statistics were prepared by UNCTAD for further refinement and application in country pilot studies to assess data availability and gaps, and to compile experimental gender-in-trade indicators. The compilation guidelines reflect on the findings of a pilot carried out in Georgia, and later repeated in Kazakhstan. The guidelines were produced as part of the joint UNCTAD-ECA-ECE United Nations Development Account project “Data and statistics for more gender-responsive trade policies in Africa, the Caucasus, and Central Asia" and are intended to be put to test by any country interested to assess data availability and develop new indicators by reusing data and statistics to provide new insights for a more informed and gender-responsive trade policy. These guidelines will be subject to further refinement and extensions based on the work of countries and other international organizations.

This is the official report submitted to the General Assembly by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its Eighty-fifth session (8–26 May 2023), Eighty-sixth session (9–27 October 2023), Eighty-seventh session (29 January–16 February 2024).

People living in the Arab region face various forms of inequality, many of them linked to unequal exposure to life-cycle risks. By providing financial protection against these risks, social protection systems can address inequalities. To be fully effective, social protection systems must take into account the particular needs of specific vulnerable groups such as informal workers, women and girls, older and younger people, persons with disabilities and migrants. This fourth edition of the Arab Inequality Report describes how social protection systems in the Arab region have evolved in response to economic developments and external shocks, and examines the varying degrees to which these systems provide effective protection and reduce inequalities. It concludes with practical policy recommendations for countries to ensure that their social protection systems are effective and responsive.

El informe de este año aprovecha el 30 aniversario de la Conferencia Internacional sobre la Población y el Desarrollo de 1994 para reflexionar sobre el progreso alcanzado en la consecución de la salud y los derechos sexuales y reproductivos para todos. Si bien el reporte celebra los logros alcanzados, también considera quiénes han quedado al margen de ese progreso, argumentando que un futuro más equitativo para todos requiere un compromiso renovado para empoderar y alcanzar a los más rezagados.

Le rapport de cette année saisit l’occasion du 30e anniversaire de la Conférence internationale sur la population et le développement de 1994 pour réfléchir au chemin parcouru en matière de santé et de droits sexuels et reproductifs pour toutes et tous. Si le rapport se félicite des avancées significatives réalisées, il se penche également sur les laissés-pour-compte de ces progrès, estimant qu’un avenir plus équitable pour tous nécessite un engagement renouvelé en faveur de l’autonomisation des personnes les plus vulnérables.

In 2025, the global fertility rate is making headlines. In many countries, birth rates are declining, leading policymakers to sound the alarm over the potential for “population collapse”. In an attempt to mitigate the demographic changes, they face, some governments are employing drastic measures to persuade women to have more children. Despite this fact, millions of people around the world are unable to have the number of children they want. In every country, regardless of total fertility rate, the most consequential reproductive decision a human being can make – when, whether and with whom to have a child – is being undermined. UNFPA’s new State of World Population report argues that the real crisis we are facing is not a problem of demographic change: It is a crisis of reproductive agency.

In 2025, the global fertility rate is making headlines. In many countries, birth rates are declining, leading policymakers to sound the alarm over the potential for “population collapse”. In an attempt to mitigate the demographic changes, they face, some governments are employing drastic measures to persuade women to have more children. Despite this fact, millions of people around the world are unable to have the number of children they want. In every country, regardless of total fertility rate, the most consequential reproductive decision a human being can make – when, whether and with whom to have a child – is being undermined. UNFPA’s new State of World Population report argues that the real crisis we are facing is not a problem of demographic change: It is a crisis of reproductive agency.

This publication provides a practical and actionable roadmap for public authorities, regulators, and quality infrastructure bodies seeking to integrate gender considerations into their organizational structures and outputs. Developed under the UNECE Trade subprogramme project on Mainstreaming Gender throughout Quality Infrastructure, the GAP Model Blueprint is the first of its kind in the UN system to directly target the intersection of gender equality and regulatory systems in trade, standards, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment. Gender equality remains a central pillar of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The publication builds on UNECE’s longstanding work on gender-responsive standards and the efforts of its Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies and its Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards. It represents a timely, concrete contribution to international efforts to make institutions more inclusive, effective, and equitable.

In an era where digital transformation is fast reshaping the global economy, having the ability to harness the potential of e-commerce and digital trade is essential for developing countries. This fourth edition of the eTrade Implementation Review series provides a timely and comprehensive analysis of how partner countries and regions are translating digital ambitions into concrete action. Covering 23 countries and 3 regional organizations, the review reflects a rich mosaic of experiences, capturing both progress made and remaining challenges. The review underscores the value of UNCTAD’s eTrade Implementation Support Mechanism in supporting countries to move beyond diagnostics and into implementation, while fostering national ownership, inclusive dialogue, and regional cooperation. It draws valuable lessons from various contexts and offers a practical resource for policymakers, development partners, and stakeholders committed to inclusive digital growth.

Gender equality has a transformative impact on everything from individuals to institutions and innovations in the space sector. Despite this, the space sector has many data gaps when it comes to gender equality, hampering our ability to know what to do, and how to do it, and impacting individuals’ experiences in the sector. Gender inequality in the sector has broader implications for talent retention, recruitment, and the sustainable uses of outer space. This study builds on the Phase 1 Landmark Study on Gender Equality in the Global Space Sector and the UNOOSA Space4Women Expert Meetings in the Republic of Korea, Canada, and Kenya. This report comprises two parts, launching the UNOOSA Phase 2 research into gender equality in the space sector. The first part of this report focuses on women’s experiences in the sector, while the second part provides information on gender representation in private space organizations and examines policies or interventions that advance gender equality. The purpose of both is to drive transparency, action, and progress towards equality and inclusion in humanity’s ambitions in space. Not only is this critical to the Space2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals but it is also a moral and strategic necessity.

Since 2016, Al-Hol camp has been a site of prolonged arbitrary detention for tens of thousands of Syrians, Iraqis, and third-country nationals who were detained following the fall of ISIL/Da’esh. At its peak in 2019, an estimated 73,000 people were arbitrarily detained, 91 per cent of whom were women and children. In July 2024, camp management estimated the population at 41,032 individuals. Movement is highly restricted, and humanitarian operations are severely limited and under-resourced. Conditions in the camp are marked by systematic human rights violations. This publication examines gendered experiences of arbitrary detention in Al-Hol and interrogates core assumptions of women’s alleged links or family ties to ISIL/Da’esh. The study uses an anthropological approach to provide an in-depth analysis of the socioeconomic composition of the camp, as well as the specific ways in which the lives of arbitrarily detained women and girls intersected—or did not intersect—with ISIL/Da’esh. In line with UN Women’s normative and protection mandate, this publication examines under-researched forms of gendered experiences in Al-Hol, including cases of extreme violence, insecurity, and criminality, alongside prior experiences during the conflict. The study examines exploitation, agency, and human rights, as well as humanitarian and protection risks in Al-Hol, particularly for women and girls. Furthermore, the analysis addresses the ways in which these experiences have shaped their daily lives, futures, and prospects for leaving the camp. The study generates evidence and provides recommendations in support of a human rights–based, gender-responsive policy and programmatic approach to addressing the situation of indefinite, mass arbitrary detention.

This gender alert analyses how food insecurity and conflict in Sudan are deepening gender inequalities. The report draws on field testimonies, rapid gender analysis, and data from humanitarian partners to highlight how women and girls are disproportionately affected by one of the world’s worst food crises. Female-headed households are three times more likely than male-headed ones to face extreme hunger, and 74 per cent of girls are out of school. The collapse of livelihoods, markets, and health systems has exposed women and girls to intersecting risks of malnutrition, displacement, and gender-based violence (GBV). Despite these conditions, women-led organizations are delivering frontline relief operating community kitchens, safe spaces, and health services, yet they receive less than three per cent of humanitarian funding. This publication calls for urgent, gender-responsive action, prioritizing women and girls in aid delivery, resourcing women-led organizations, scaling up protection and GBV prevention, and integrating gender equality across humanitarian and recovery efforts to save lives and restore dignity.

The 2024 Orange Book of Results features more than 600 immediate results achieved by UNFPA at the country level in implementing the country programmes in 2024. These results were achieved in close collaboration with governments and other partners including civil society organizations. The publication reflects the accountability of UNFPA for achieving results and can be used as a learning tool.

Despite growing momentum and investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE), private sector efforts remain fragmented and under-measured. The core issue is a lack of systemic accountability, credible data, and meaningful incentives for businesses to embed gender equality across leadership, operations, and supply chains. This has resulted in uneven progress, persistent gaps in women’s representation and economic empowerment, and limited visibility into what works. This ground-breaking global report provides a global snapshot of progress, gaps, and promising practices in corporate efforts to advance GEWE. It offers critical insights for States, companies, investors, the United Nations, and development partners working to harness the private sector’s full potential to deliver on Sustainable Development Goal 5 and the Beijing+30 Action Agenda. The report offers governments actionable recommendations to strengthen regulatory frameworks, incentivize inclusive practices, and align national strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals. For companies, the report highlights the business case for equality and calls on them to move beyond compliance toward accountability, transparency, and innovation. At the same time, it provides UN entities with a shared evidence base to inform programming, policy advocacy, and joint initiatives—particularly in crisis response, financing for gender equality, and advancing women’s leadership.

Tuvalu faces relatively higher barriers for the growth of its digital economy relative to other Pacific Island countries (see eTReady of Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu). Apart from geographical challenges of being remote and isolated from global markets, the small population reduces the potential to develop a market-driven ICT infrastructure, hindering the development of a mature e-commerce ecosystem via private sector investments. Moreover, low levels of human capital and productive capacities, high levels of economic vulnerability, and lack of economies of scale act as additional barriers to business and e-business development. On the other hand, the country can count on its popular domain name, which generates revenues equivalent to around one-third of the country's exports.

The eTrade for all Initiative, launched at the fourteenth Ministerial Conference of UNCTAD in July 2016, is a practical example of how to harness the digital economy in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, notably Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5, 8, 9, and 17. The initiative seeks to raise awareness, enhance synergies, and increase the scale of existing and new efforts by the development community to strengthen the ability of developing countries to engage in and benefit from e-commerce by addressing seven relevant policy areas.

This Rapid eTrade Readiness Assessment for Tuvalu was prepared by Sven Callebaut, UNCTAD Consultant, in close collaboration with a team comprising Cécile Barayre, Mohamad Fakhreddin, Iris Macculi, Htet Myat Min and Marian Pletosu, under the overall guidance of Torbjörn Fredriksson.