The drylands of the world occur on every continent, covering some 41% of the terrestrial surface. One third
of humanity inhabits these harsh degrading landscapes, eking out a living through adaptive processes that
have served them well until recent increases of land degradation. Growing pressures from population growth,
increasingly erratic climatic conditions, and a general lack of investment in drylands are now putting extraordinary strains on the livelihoods of dryland inhabitants and the integrity of their ecosystems. Desperation is resulting in migrations from drylands, threatening not only the political stability of these countries, but also that of neighbouring countries and even other continents. Drylands are prevalent in poor developing countries and have been marginalized and left outside of mainstream development efforts which focus on relatively better-off environments. Nowadays it is recognized that the alleviation of poverty and the achievement of development goals cannot be achieved without significant attention to drylands.
Authors and Publishers
Schaaf, Thomas
Thomas, Richard
Steward, Naomi
The United Nations Development Fund for Women, commonly known as UNIFEM (from the French "Fonds de développement des Nations unies pour la femme") was established in December 1976 originally as the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women in the International Women's Year. Since 1976 it has supported women’s empowerment and gender equality through its programme offices and links with women’s organizations in the major regions of the world.
The United Nations Development Fund for Women, commonly known as UNIFEM (from the French "Fonds de développement des Nations unies pour la femme") was established in December 1976 originally as the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women in the International Women's Year. Since 1976 it has supported women’s empowerment and gender equality through its programme offices and links with women’s organizations in the major regions of the world.
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The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.