The coronavirus pandemic has shown us that we need to build back a greener and fairer society. That means, for example, changing the fashion and textile industry, which produces vast amounts of waste each year. This sector’s largely female workforce have been hard hit by the crisis, but the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, through the EU Partnership Instrument is empowering these women to turn today’s environmental challenges into opportunities.

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia and Mexico are markets with strong growth opportunities. At the same time, these markets have a clear demand for green technologies and solutions to transition toward a circular economy.

For the International Mine Awareness Day, held annually on 4 April, FPI reaffirms the important contribution the EU is making to mine action worldwide.

As the crisis deepens and threatens to escalate into widespread political and ethnic confrontation, young Guineans are speaking out all over the country, using theatre, film and dance to spread messages of peace, tolerance and ‘togetherness’.

The European Union supports a national reintegration plan in Niger. More than 1100 people have benefited from psychological help, personal and professional training and are now ready for a new active life in their communities.

UNICEF and the European Union recently launched a peacebuilding programme for 20,500 adolescents and youth from the Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities to strengthen social cohesion in Cox’s Bazar.

120 members of the cultural industry from 30 countries met in Brussels from 23 to 25 October to exchange and support practices based on knowledge, intercultural dialogue, and social engagement.

The European Union is helping countries in Central Asia take measures to effectively counter radicalisation and promote peace and stability. The aim is to increase societal resilience and empower people to spot and react to disinformation.

Respect for the rule of law and public trust in an independent judiciary are crucial elements for building a healthy democracy. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an armed conflict costing millions of lives over the last three decades has weakened the country’s justice system. The European Union reacted to the Congolese peoples’ need for justice by supporting the creation of Prosecution Support Units. These Units aim to help the civil and military authorities in bringing perpetrators of serious offences, such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, homicide and sexual violence, to justice.

After the 2011 Revolution about 40,000 Libyans from the city of Tawergha had to flee they homes and started living in dire conditions in camps spread across the country. In the following years, the return of these people to their homes became one of the most pressing issues for the international community and Libyans alike. An EU project raises awareness about unexploded ordonnances and mines and helps clearing people’s properties so that they can safely return home.

"The situation of women has been better during the conflict than before, despite the war… during the peaceful protests in 2011, the voice of women became equal to that of men and the revolution was an opportunity to demand more rights for women."

Syria’s civil war has been tearing the country apart for eight years. When it ends, political will, knowledge and expertise will be needed to build consensus for a democratic and inclusive society.

The Mill of Frok Dokic may not look like much. However, here, in the shadow of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Letnica, students, professors, restorers, carpenters and other tradespeople are restoring a centuries-old building full of cultural heritage to its former glory.

Natural resources belong to local communities not to militias. Since 2003, the EU and international partners representing 99% of the world’s diamond trade have joined forces to make sure that the production and trade of rough diamonds contributes to peace and sustainable economic and human development. The Kimberley Process is a unique tool for conflict prevention and promotes sustainable development. Holding the rotating Chairmanship in 2018, the EU seeks to ensure that the Process remains fit for purpose in a changing context.