Tag: Culture and education

Eight trends that will impact children in 2023

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The war in Ukraine, has resulted in high food and energy prices, global hunger, and inflation – just one example of the way that crises, affecting millions around the world, including children, affect each other.

The report, “Prospects for Children in 2023: A Global Outlook”, also looks at a range of other significant areas, from the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the fragmentation of the internet, and the climate emergency. Here are eight insights contained within the study.

1) The pandemic casts a long shadow, but health breakthroughs offer hope

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for strong global health security and many countries remain at risk. Unfortunately, it is children who are so often the most vulnerable – if not to the virus itself, then to its many impacts.

At the same time, the pandemic has spurred remarkable progress in vaccine development and reforms in global health systems and, in 2023, it is essential the world continues to strengthen health architecture around the world.

© UNICEF/Delil Souleiman

A child receives a vaccine in Hasakeh City, Syria (file)

2) Efforts at taming inflation have unintended impact on child poverty

Soaring inflation has been the economic story of the year and, unsurprisingly, its impacts can weigh heavily on families and children. Attempts to tame price rises can also have harsh consequences, like slowing economic growth and reducing job opportunities – particularly for young people.

Government action to expand and protect social benefits, cushion the most vulnerable from the impacts of economic austerity.

3) Food and nutrition insecurity is set to continue

Food insecurity has been rising as a result of extreme weather events, bottlenecks in key supply chains, and conflicts like the war in Ukraine.

As prices go up, families across the world find it tougher to feed their children – and that’s likely to continue in 2023.

Making the world’s food systems more resilient, is one way to mitigate this issue.

© UNICEF/Safidy Andrianantenain

A girl crosses a bridge over a dried up river (file)

4) Energy crises cause immediate harm, but a focus on sustainability means a greener future

For billions of people, rising energy prices are sharply increasing the cost of living, and the outlook for 2023 is uncertain.

That outlook has spurred an even greater focus on transitioning to clean and sustainable energy sources, with the potential to create new jobs for young people.

However, many of them don’t feel prepared for these new careers, so preparing young job seekers with training opportunities, needs to be a critical part of any green energy agenda.

5) Focus on climate finance, debt relief for developing countries

Developing countries face multiple challenges as they attempt to recover from the pandemic, address the climate crisis, and deal with economic stress, but financial support for these countries is not increasing to meet their escalating needs.

Without reforms to unlock additional development finance, resources will be spread increasingly thin and urgent needs will be left unmet – and that’s bad news for children.

© UNICEF/Aleksey Filippov

Temporary shelter for Ukrainian refugees in Lviv (file)

6) Democracy under threat, social movements push back

Democracy has been increasingly imperilled in recent years, and it will continue to be challenged in 2023. Political instability can lead to positive social change, but it can also leave the door open for authoritarian leaders.

In 2023, it is likely that young people will play an even more prominent role in social movements, whether in climate action, mental health, education, or gender equality. Their advocacy will be powerful and will contribute to momentum for change.

7) Increased antagonism complicates efforts to help children

In an atmosphere of increasing factionalism, multilateralism becomes more difficult: the number of children in need is currently at its highest level since World War Two, and an antagonistic world is unlikely to lead to positive outcomes for children.

Improved international cooperation is needed for multilateral organizations to be able to address challenges facing children; there are still opportunities to set tensions aside, find common ground and prioritize the well-being of children.

8) The internet becomes less open, and more fragmented

Technological, commercial and political factors, are fragmenting the web into isolated islands of connectivity and governance.

Children are particularly affected since they rely heavily on the internet for their education and social interactions. In 2023, we are likely to see efforts to promote a free, inclusive, and secure web, and all opportunities to create a digital future that benefits children must be seized.

Read the full report here.

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January 31, 2023
The Jewish cemetery of Fez, a symbol of cultural harmony

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Before he died, Johanna Devico Ohana’s father asked her to promise him one thing: “if I ever die when I’m in France”, he insisted, “bring me to Fez”.

He also asked her to take care of the Jewish cemetery, a role that was his responsibility before he passed away. His daughter agreed to both requests, and her father is laid to rest in the cemetery she now maintains.

‘We lived in harmony’

“My father was a lover of Morocco and a lover of Fez”, says Ms. Ohana, who was born and raised in the city. “We lived in harmony. There was no tension. We all knew we were Jews, Muslims, or Catholics, and we never had any problems on that side”.

Located in northern Morocco, on the Wadi Fez, the city was founded in the ninth century, and was the ancient capital of Morocco for hundreds of years. In the year 809, King Idris II encouraged Jews to move to Fez, so the city could benefit from their skills.

Today, Fez is known for its religion, art, sciences, craftwork, and trade activities. The Fez Medina, often described as Morocco’s cultural and spiritual centre, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It also retains a mix of cultures and identity, and a Jewish neighbourhood, named ‘Mellah’. The word literally means ‘salt’ or ‘saline area’, in reference to either a saline water source in the area or to the former presence of a salt warehouse, but ‘Mellah’ is now used as the name for Jewish quarters in other Moroccan cities, including Rabat and Marrakech.

The Jewish cemetery, nestled in the Mellah, is distinguished by its semi-cylindrical tombs, which capture the history of Morocco’s flourishing Jewry.

A ‘convergence of confluents’

The age-old intermingling of peoples made Fez an appropriate location for the ninth Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), which took place in November 2022.

Opening the event, Andre Azoulay, the senior adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco – and father of UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay – who is himself Jewish, declared that Morocco “is built around a model of openness, harmony and synergy that has seen the convergence of Arab-Islamic, Amazigh and Saharan-Hassanian confluents, and that has, at the same time, been enriched by African, Andalusian, Hebrew and Mediterranean tributaries”.

When asked about how she felt when she learnt that Fez was chosen to host the UNAOC ninth Forum, Ms. Ohana said she felt proud that Fez was chosen: “for Morocco, it reflects exactly the reality of our image, our culture”.

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January 15, 2023
UNESCO ‘deeply saddened’ over death of football legend, Pelé

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The UN education and culture organisation which champions the power of sport across the world, UNESCO, tweeted that it was “deeply saddened” at his passing, and extended condolences to the Brazilian people, and the wider “football family”.

As a 17-year-old, Pelé won his first football or soccer World Cup, in 1958, going on to lift the top trophy in the game a further two times, in 1962 and 1970. He scored a world record 1,281 goals, playing in 1,363 games during his professional career, which began when he was just 15.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, in 1940, the football giant, nicknamed, “the Black Pearl”, and “the King”, retired from the game in 1977.

In 1999, the Santos player and Brazil’s most venerated star, was voted player of the century in a poll of previous Ballon d’Or winners – the players who win the annual global football award for being the outstanding performers that year.

Scoring for the United Nations

He devoted considerable time in retirement to supporting the UN and its work, both as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, and as a UNESCO Champion for Sport, from 1994.

He was also appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the crucial UN Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992, one of the first major global development and environment summits devoted to a more sustainable future for all.

You can hear Pelé conducting a press conference ahead of the Earth Summit, from the UN audiovisual archives, here.

At the time, the Secretary-General of the Summit, Maurice Strong, described him as not only the greatest footballer in the world, but “a universal man”, rooted in Brazil.

“His commitment to people, to the planet, really distinguish him a true citizen of our earth”, he told reporters.

UNESCO said in its tweet, that he had “worked relentlessly to promote sport as a tool for peace. He will be greatly missed.”

In a tweet, the head of UN refugee agency, UNHCR, Filippo Grandi, wrote that “we are all with the people of Brazil” tonight, “celebrating a man who made millions of kids dream across continents, and generations.”

UN Photo/Joe B. Sills

UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Goodwill Ambassador Pele (holding children) of Brazil, is greeted by children as he makes his way to Plenary Hall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (June 1992)

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December 29, 2022
UN launches 10-year survival plan for endangered indigenous languages

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On Friday, the UN launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to help them survive, and protect them from extinction.

The Organization has long advocated for indigenous peoples, who are the inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment.

A benefit for all

Preserving their languages is not only important for them, but for all humanity, said the President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi.

“With each indigenous language that goes extinct, so too goes the thought: the culture, tradition and knowledge it bears. That matters because we are in dire need of a radical transformation in the way we relate to our environment,” he said.

Indigenous people make up less than six per cent of the global population but speak more than 4,000 of the world’s roughly 6,700 languages, according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Alarm bells ringing

However, conservative estimates indicate that more than half of all languages will become extinct by the end of this century.

Mr. Kőrösi recently returned from the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal and left convinced that “if we are to successfully protect nature, we must listen to indigenous peoples, and we must do so in their own languages.”

Indigenous peoples are guardians to almost 80 per cent of the world’s remaining biodiversity, he said, citing data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

“Yet every two weeks, an indigenous language dies,” he remarked. “This should ring our alarms.”

The General Assembly President urged countries to work with indigenous communities to safeguard their rights, such as access to education and resources in their native languages, and to ensure that they and their knowledge are not exploited.

“And perhaps most importantly, meaningfully consult indigenous peoples, engaging with them in every stage of decision-making processes,” he advised.

More than words

During the launch, indigenous persons and UN Ambassadors – sometimes one and the same – made the case for protection and preservation.

Language is more than just words, said Mexican Ambassador Juan Ramón de la Fuente, speaking on behalf of the 22-member Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples.

“It is at the essence of the identity of its speakers and the collective soul of its peoples. Languages embody the history, culture and traditions of people, and they are dying at an alarming rate,” he warned.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres of Colombia addresses UN General Assembly members at the launch of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Cultural identity and wisdom

Leonor Zalabata Torres, an Arhuaco woman and Colombia’s UN Ambassador, drew applause for her address, delivered partly in Ika, one of 65 indigenous languages spoken in her homeland.

“Language is the expression of wisdom and cultural identity, and the instrument that gives meaning to our daily reality that we inherited from our ancestors,” she said, switching to Spanish.

“Unfortunately, linguistic diversity is at risk, and this has been caused by the dramatic reduction of the use and the accelerated replacement of indigenous languages by the languages of the majority societies.”

Ms. Zalabata Torres reported that the Colombian government has underlined its commitment to implementing the 10-year plan on indigenous languages, which is centred around pillars that include strengthening, recognition, documentation and revitalization.

Language and self-determination

For Arctic indigenous communities, language is critical to political, economic, social, cultural and spiritual rights, said representative Aluki Kotierk.

“In fact, every time an indigenous person utters a word in an indigenous language, it is an act of self-determination,” she added.

However, Ms. Kotierk said native tongues and dialects “are in various levels of vitality”.

She envisions a time where Arctic indigenous peoples “can stand taller in their own homelands with dignity, knowing that they can function in all aspects of their lives, in their own language, receiving essential public services in the areas of health, justice, and education.”

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Ms. Mariam Wallet Med Aboubakrine, Indigenous peoples’ representative of the Socio-Cultural Region of Africa, addresses the UN General Assembly at the launch of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Towards linguistic justice

Mariam Wallet Med Aboubakrine, a doctor from Mali, advocates for indigenous peoples in Africa, particularly the Tuareg.

She urged countries “to deliver linguistic cultural justice to indigenous peoples”, which will only contribute to reconciliation and lasting peace.

She expressed hope that the International Decade will culminate with the adoption of a UN Convention “so that every indigenous woman can cradle and comfort her baby in her language; every indigenous child can play in their language; every young person and adult can express themselves and work in security in their language, including in digital spaces, and to ensure that every elder can transmit their experience in their language.”

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December 16, 2022
UN health agency outlines ‘clear direction’ for reducing online violence against children

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In its new report, What works to prevent online violence against children, WHO focuses on ways of curbing the grooming of youngsters via the Internet, sexual image abuse – and cyber aggression and harassment in the form of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, hacking and identity theft.

What works also showcases strategies and best practices to better protect children.

“Our children spend more and more time online; as such, it is our duty to make the online environment safe”, noted Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department of Social Determinants of Health.

Collective action essential

The report highlights the importance of implementing educational programmes directed at children and parents to prevent online violence.

Studies have shown their effectiveness in reducing levels of victimization, curbing abusers, and associated risk behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse.

“This new document provides for the first time a clear direction for action by governments, donors and other development partners, showing that we must address online and offline violence together if we are to be effective”, added Mr. Krug.

Wide-ranging strategies

The report recommends implementing school-based educational programmes, promoting interaction among youth, and engaging parents.

It also underscores the importance of training young people in assertiveness, empathy, problem-solving, emotion management and seeking help, among other skills.

WHO pointed out that educational programmes are more successful with multiple and varied delivery formats such as videos, games, posters, infographics and guided discussions.

What works, argues that comprehensive forms of sex education can reduce physical and sexual aggression – particularly in dating online, reducing partner violence, and tackling homophobic bullying.

The effectiveness of sex education has been confirmed in countries across the whole development spectrum.

‘Stranger danger’ overemphasized

Improvements must be made in several areas, according to the report.

Given the overlap of problems and solutions, more violence prevention programmes are needed to address the problem, together with offline violence prevention.

As strangers are not the sole or even the predominant offenders online, less emphasis should be placed on stranger danger.

Instead, more attention should be paid to acquaintances and peers, as they are responsible for a majority of offences.

Given that looking for romance and intimacy online are major sources of vulnerability, the report spotlights the need to emphasize healthy relationship skills.

© UNICEF/Karel Prinsloo

UNICEF are collaborating with tech companies to make digital products safer for children.

Harnessing the good

From fostering learning to developing personal and professional skills, and expressing creativity, the internet offers a great deal to children and young people, the report is careful to stress.

However, governments must find the right balance between developing digital opportunities and protecting users from harm.

The UN health agency is committed to contributing to better understanding all forms of violence against children and helping to guide the international response.

As part of its public health approach, WHO currently aids in supporting data collection on violence against children; researching factors that can increase or decrease violence; implementing and evaluating interventions; and scaling up evidence-based interventions, such as those illustrated in INSPIRE: Seven strategies for Ending Violence Against Children.

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December 2, 2022
‘How I became the first UN video game expert, and landed the best job in the world’

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“If you do something in a video game and then it appears in real life, you notice that you have this power to change your community, to change the world, and you start getting involved in other projects,” explains Mr. Gastelum, the first person in UN history to hold the title “Video Game Expert”.

Mother’s pride

This skillset has been put to good use in the workshops he leads, where young people redesign renderings of public spaces on the Minecraft platform – where players build and tend their own virtual worlds – and get the chance to see those plans turned into reality, transforming neglected, unwelcoming urban environments into safe, vibrant, and popular parts of town.

“We go to the community, teach them how to play Minecraft, and then the community members are the ones who change the public space into what they desire or what they need in Minecraft,” he says. “It’s the best job in the world! I’m playing video games, I’m travelling, I’m meeting people, and I’m teaching. I’m improving the planet.”

Looking back on his childhood growing up in Mexico City, Mr. Gastelum laughs when he recalls how his mother used to scold him for wasting his time on screen. Now she takes pride in the fact that he’s not just gaming – he’s a game-changer.

The workshops are organized by the Block by Block Foundation, a collaboration between Microsoft, Mojang (the makers of Minecraft), and UN-Habitat, the UN programme for human settlements.

Access all areas

The foundation says that it has implemented over 50 projects in 30 countries since 2012, giving millions of young people access to a public space they designed in Minecraft.

“Millions and millions of people play Minecraft,” says Shipra Narang Suri, Chief of UN-Habitat’s Urban Practices Branch. “And we’ve actually allowed children as young as six or seven to express their views on the re-design of public spaces. And then we help put it into proper design and take it to city leaders and make sure that it gets done.”

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October 22, 2022
Time to get off the couch, WHO warns, as 500 million risk developing chronic illness
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And the price of inaction and staying on the couch, will be severe, WHO said – around $27 billion in extra healthcare costs.

The Global status report on physical activity 2022, measures the extent to which governments are implementing recommendations to increase physical activity across all ages and abilities.

Data from 194 countries show that overall, progress is slow and that countries need to accelerate the development and implementation of policies to increase heart rates and help prevent disease and reduce the burden on already overwhelmed health services.

Unsplash/Adrian Swancar

More than 80% of the world’s adolescent population is insufficiently physically active

The statistics lay bare the extent of the challenges facing countries worldwide:
- Less than 50 per cent of countries have a national physical activity policy, of which less than 40 per cent are operational.
- Only 30 per cent of countries have national physical activity guidelines for all ages.
- While nearly all countries report a system for monitoring adult exercise, only 75 per cent of countries monitor adolescent activity, and less than 30 per cent monitor physical activity in children under 5.
- In transport policy terms, just over 40 per cent of countries have road design standards that make walking and cycling safer.
Time to take a walk: Tedros

“We need more countries to scale up implementation of policies to support people to be more active through walking, cycling, sport, and other physical activity”, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“The benefits are huge, not only for the physical and mental health of individuals, but also for societies, environments, and economies…We hope countries and partners will use this report to build more active, healthier, and fairer societies for all.”

The economic burden of taking it too easy is significant, says the WHO report, and the cost of treating new cases of preventable non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will reach nearly $300 billion by 2030.

Whilst national policies to tackle NCDs and physical inactivity have increased in recent years, currently 28 per cent of policies are reported to be not funded or implemented.

There is much to be said for countries running a national PR campaign, or mass participation events, that extoll the benefits of getting more exercise, said WHO.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only stalled these initiatives, but it also affected other policy implementation which has widened inequities when it comes to upping the heart rate in many communities.

Unsplash/Chander R

Physical activity reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Fitness plan

To help countries increase physical activity, WHO’s Global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030 (GAPPA) sets out 20 policy recommendations.

These include safer roads to encourage more biking and walking, and providing more programmes and opportunities for physical activity in key settings, such as childcare, schools, primary health care and the workplace.

“We are missing globally approved indicators to measure access to parks, cycle lanes, foot paths – even though we know that data do exist in some countries”, said Fiona Bull, Head of WHO’s Physical Activity Unit.

“Consequently, we cannot report or track the global provision of infrastructure that will facilitate increases in physical activity”.

“It can be a vicious circle, no indicator and no data leads to no tracking and no accountability, and then too often, to no policy and no investment. What gets measured gets done, and we have some way to go to comprehensively and robustly track national actions on physical activity.”

National workout

The report calls for countries to prioritize a fitness boost, as key to improving health and tackling NCDs, integrate physical activity into all relevant policies, and develop tools, guidance and training.

“It is good for public health and makes economic sense to promote more physical activity for everyone,” said Dr. Ruediger Krech, WHO Director in the Department of Health Promotion.

“We need to facilitate inclusive programmes for physical activity for all and ensure people have easier access to them. This report issues a clear call to all countries for stronger and accelerated action by all relevant stakeholders working better together to achieve the global target of a 15% reduction in the prevalence of physical inactivity by 2030.”
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October 19, 2022