Bikem Ahiska 🇺🇳🟠

Communicating for @unfpa_eval & #Eval4Action, formerly @UNDP. From Ankara. Opinions are my own. Tweeting in EN/TR.

[UNFPA Independent Evaluation Office @unfpa_eval]

How did we use AI to process evidence from 15 countries & 6 humanitarian contexts in 1 evaluation?

Our new article explains how the evaluation of UNFPA's capacity in humanitarian action used AI responsibly: https://t.co/k0oFUCnwXU

#GenAIforEval

[UNFPA Independent Evaluation Office @unfpa_eval]

75% of young people still fear speaking to someone about mental or emotional distress.

On 14 April, the #ECOSOCYouth side event discussed preliminary findings from the #Eval4Youth inter-agency report on what works for youth in health & mental health.

🔎https://t.co/XjD2AJsVIJ

[Foreign Press Assoc. @FPAIsPal]

Let us in.

For more than two years, we’ve been barred from entering Gaza to report freely. It’s long past time for Israel to lift this ban and #LetUsIn.

Join us. Share this post. And sign the FPA’s petition: https://t.co/Z7JMO4wu2K

[World Food Programme @WFP]

WFP Statement | #Gaza

On the morning of 20 July, a 25 truck WFP convoy carrying vital food assistance crossed the Zikim border point destined for starving communities in northern Gaza.

Shortly after passing the final checkpoint beyond the Zikim crossing point into Gaza, the convoy encountered large crowds of civilians anxiously waiting to access desperately needed food supplies.

As the convoy approached, the surrounding crowd came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire.

We are deeply concerned and saddened by this tragic incident resulting in the loss of countless lives. Many more suffered life-threatening injuries. These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation. This terrible incident underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which humanitarian operations are forced to be conducted in Gaza.

Today’s violent incident comes despite assurances from Israeli authorities that humanitarian operational conditions would improve; including that armed forces will not be present nor engage at any stage along humanitarian convoy routes.

There should never, ever, be armed groups near or on our aid convoys, as reiterated on many occasions to all parties to the conflict. Shootings near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions must stop immediately. Any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable.

We stand firmly by our principles of operating with independence, impartiality and neutrality. It is one of the many reasons why communities trust us.

The World Food Programme continues to call for the protection of all civilians and aid workers delivering life-saving assistance. WFP teams accompanying convoys should not have to risk their own lives in the effort to save others. Without these fundamental conditions in place, we cannot continue providing life-saving support across the Gaza strip.

Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation. People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance. Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment. Nearly one person in three is not eating for days. Food aid is the only way for most people to access any food – as the cost of a one-kilogram bag of flour has surged to over USD100 in local markets.

Only a massive scale-up in food aid distributions can stabilize this spiraling situation, calm anxieties and rebuild the trust within communities that more food is coming.

An agreed ceasefire is long overdue. All hostages should be released, and humanitarians should be able to reach the civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a consistent, predictable, orderly and safe manner -- wherever they are across the Gaza Strip.

WFP is ready. We have food supplies nearby, experienced teams on the ground, and proven systems in place to respond at scale. We did it before and we can do it again.

We urgently call on the international community and all parties to advocate for, and facilitate, the delivery of life-saving food aid to starving populations inside Gaza – safely, securely, wherever families are, and without obstruction.

[United Nations @UN]

Israeli settlers & security forces have intensified killings & attacks in the occupied West Bank, including the demolition of homes & forced mass displacement of Palestinians.

@UNHumanRights calls for investigations to hold those responsible to account.

https://t.co/WudpzREZp3

[Novara Media @novaramedia]

Karen Hao has been both a worker in, and reporter on the tech industry, and is uniquely poised to present a nuanced and informed analysis of this rapidly expanding industry. https://t.co/DiBF81wQud

[Global Evaluation Initiative @GEI_GlobalEval]

💭 Did you know that #evaluation has a lot to teach us about how to tackle #polarization on #SocialMedia?

Turns out, applying a bit of evaluative thinking to the way we communicate online can help us foster healthier, more inclusive conversations.🤝

🔎 Discover 10 evaluation practices that can transform the way we engage online: https://t.co/OVfCSFJUVL

[World Food Programme @WFP]

#Gaza

[UNFPA Independent Evaluation Office @unfpa_eval]

Proud to co-convene the launch of Mapping the engagement of young & emerging evaluators in @UN_Evaluation member agencies

The launch discusses findings & lessons of the exercise through intergenerational dialogue, focusing on meaningfully engaging youth in UN evals

#Eval4Action

[UNFPA @UNFPA]

⚠️ #ClimateChange worsens many inequalities faced by women and girls.

Extreme weather can lead to more gender-based violence, more child marriages and more pregnancy complications.

This #WorldEnvironmentDay, join @UNFPA to take #ClimateAction: https://t.co/51DeoInzOk

[UNFPA Independent Evaluation Office @unfpa_eval]

This Wednesday!

@unfpa_eval's @bdahiska will join the #Glocal2025 discussion on practical ways to counter polarization on social media, by leveraging evaluation practices to build more inclusive online spaces.

[Bikem Ahiska 🇺🇳🟠 @bdahiska]

I look forward to being part of this discussion next week!

Sign up here: https://t.co/J44xfLIsyS

[Global Evaluation Initiative @GEI_GlobalEval]

📢 Attention all social media managers & users! This #Glocal2025 session is especially for you.👇

Join @GEI_GlobalEval & @unfpa_eval for a conversation on how #SocialMedia drives #polarization & how we can counter it.

↔️ Polarization is accelerating online, widening rifts between people & communities. We may not be aware, but our social media practices could be fueling it.

How can we be part of the solution instead?

🔎 This #glocal session will explore practical ways to counter polarization on social media, including #evaluation practices that can help us build more inclusive & thoughtful online spaces.💡

🗓️ June 4, 3-4 PM (CEST)
👉 Sign up here: https://t.co/vwNsZpPLPU

[United Nations @UN]

“Families are being starved and denied the very basics.

All with the world watching in real time.”

– @antonioguterres appeals for the delivery of life-saving aid for the long-suffering people of Gaza:

“Let’s do it right. And let’s do it right away.”

https://t.co/WDfKtQvlUN

[Tom Fletcher @UNReliefChief]

Outrageous attack on UN. We grieve with @UNOPS_Chief & colleagues.

We are in Gaza to save lives, not lose them.

International community must defend humanitarians and demand genuine investigation and accountability for violations of international law.

https://t.co/uxJVcvLDkr

[Diene Keita @unfpachief]

Since the ceasefire in #Gaza, @UNFPA reached 170,000 women and girls with life-saving supplies and services.

We cannot accept a return to the restrictions on humanitarian assistance that we saw throughout this war.

Sustained humanitarian aid is urgently needed.

[兔兒神 @chenchenwrites]

let me stay tender-hearted, despite despite despite

[António Guterres @antonioguterres]

The Palestinian people have the right to simply live as human beings in their own land.

The @UN is fully committed to peace, stability, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

[60 Minutes @60Minutes]

“It’s like modern-day slavery. Because it’s cheap labor,” says Nerima Wako-Ojiwa, a Kenyan civil rights activist. Big American tech companies advertise AI jobs as a ticket to the future, but she calls the workspaces AI sweatshops. https://t.co/iQTFVvTwUn

[Diene Keita @unfpachief]

I join the call of @iascch Principals to stop the assault on Palestinians in #Gaza and on those trying to help them.

An immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustained, unconditional ceasefire are long overdue.

See full statement: https://t.co/3PrgDkerkG

#CeasefireNOW