ReportWire

Tag: United Nations news

  • WHO announces $43 million appeal to scale up response in Syria and Turkiye

    WHO announces $43 million appeal to scale up response in Syria and Turkiye

    [ad_1]

    The amount is set to increase as the magnitude of the disaster becomes clearer, he said, speaking during a press conference from the Syrian capital, Damascus.

    Latest reports put the death toll at more than 33,000, according to international media, with millions more left homeless.

    Ramping up operations

    Tedros also reported that the Syrian authorities appear open to allowing more border crossings to deliver humanitarian aid into the northwest.

    War-ravaged Syria is divided into areas under the control of the Government, opposition forces and armed groups.  

    WHO is working across all areas affected by the earthquake, which struck on Monday.  

    The UN agency is also scaling up operations across the country, including in the northwest, where the impact is even worse. 

    More than 4,300 deaths and 7,600 injuries have been reported there, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA .

    Prior to the earthquake, 4.1 million people were already depending on humanitarian aid, and needs were at an all-time high.

    Recent developments welcomed 

    Tedros stressed the need to take response “to the next level” to reach all populations who require support.

    He welcomed the decision by the United States to ease sanctions against Syria in the wake of the tragedy.

    “We equally appreciate the recent blanket approval by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic for the UN for cross-line convoys, as well as measures to increase cross-border access. We hope this continues,” he said.

    The WHO chief reported that he had met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad earlier on Sunday afternoon “who indicated he was open to considering additional cross-border access points for this emergency.” 

    Ready to move

    Tedros said he is waiting to move across conflict lines to northwest Syria.

    “We’re on stand-by actually,” he told journalists.  “We can move anytime now through the coastline to the northwest.  Based on the blanket permit, we have already permission from this side. We’re waiting now to hear from the other side. As soon as we get that we will cross to the northwest.”

    After the earthquake struck, WHO immediately accessed its pre-positioned supplies in the northwest and Aleppo, thus making treatment of major injuries possible. Staff also began distributing supplies to health facilities.

    WHO

    WHO is sending medical supplies to Syria to boost the humanitarian response.

    Responding to needs

    Tedros arrived in Syria on Saturday, where WHO and partners have so far distributed 110 tonnes of medical supplies to affected areas across the country. 

    A flight is scheduled to arrive in Damascus on Sunday night with vital specialized emergency health supplies for frontline workers.  

    The UN agency also is supporting surge capacity of frontline specialized medical teams.

    Cascading crises

    The earthquake is the latest crisis to hit Syria, following the ongoing conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, cholera outbreaks, and economic decline.

    Twelve years of war have “pulverized” the healthcare system, said Dr. Michael Ryan, WHO Emergencies Director.   Prior to the earthquake, just 50 per cent of health facilities were functioning, but the true impact is much greater.

    “Not only physical damage to the infrastructure itself but the exodus of health workers, the loss of salaries, loss of training,” he said.  “It’s just that death by a thousand cuts to the system.”

    ‘An unfolding tragedy’

    The WHO chief expressed deep respect and admiration for the survivors, first responders and health workers, though pointing to the immense needs they face.

    National and international organizations, but also neighbours, mosques, churches and community groups, have been racing to deliver everything from food, clean water and medical care, to a safe space for people to sleep.

    Tedros was in Aleppo on Saturday and visited a WHO-supported mobile health clinic distributing medicines to people with conditions such as headaches, anxiety and difficulty sleeping

    “WHO and other organizations have trained community workers to offer rapid mental health support, but much more is needed,” he said.

    While in the city, Tedros met a young girl called Nour, who lost her parents and suffered a broken arm when their six-storey apartment building collapsed, noting that she “is just one example of an unfolding tragedy that is affecting millions”.

    UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths visits the Turkish side of Bab Al-Hawa, the single remaining border-crossing authorized by the Security Council for UN aid delivery to north-west Syria

    UN News

    UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths visits the Turkish side of Bab Al-Hawa, the single remaining border-crossing authorized by the Security Council for UN aid delivery to north-west Syria

    Cross-border aid 

    The UN’s top humanitarian official continues his mission in the region, OCHA reported on Sunday.

    Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths travelled to the Turkish side of Baba Al-Hawa, the only remaining border crossing for UN aid delivery into northwest Syria authorized by the Security Council.

    Mr. Griffiths also visited a UN hub in Hatay, where he witnessed the transshipment and monitoring of 10 trucks loaded with aid provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) prior to setting off to Syria. 

    This was the fourth UN cross-border aid convoy since the earthquake struck northern Türkiye on Monday, affecting people on both sides of the border. 

    The first convoy, with six trucks, crossed into Syria on Thursday following a three-day temporary disruption from damaged key roads. 

    A second convoy of 14 IOM trucks crossed on Friday, followed by a third the next day comprised of 22 trucks containing medicines, cholera test kits, blankets, hygiene kits  solar lamps and other relief items.

    OCHA said aftershocks are reportedly continuing in northwest Syria, forcing people to keep fleeing their homes. 

    Civil defense teams concluded search and rescue operations on Saturday and have moved onto removing debris and recovering bodies, however efforts are being hampered by fuel shortages and a lack of machinery and vehicles.

    ‘Put politics aside’: UN Envoy

    Meanwhile, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, arrived in Damascus on Sunday on a pre-planned visit.

    He affirmed that humanitarians will do all they can to access everyone who needs help, and underlined his efforts to rally support.

    “We are reaching out of course to bilateral countries, we are mobilizing funding and we’re trying to tell everyone put politics aside. This is a time to unite behind a common effort to support the Syrian people,” he said.

    Mr. Pedersen also stressed the need for crossline and cross-border access.  “I’m in close touch with the UN humanitarian family, we’re working together to try to mobilize this support and that of course is my key message during this visit to Syria.”
     

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Türkiye: UN relief chief meets families affected by devastating earthquake

    Türkiye: UN relief chief meets families affected by devastating earthquake

    [ad_1]

    Mr. Griffiths was speaking in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş, where recovery efforts are ongoing in frigid temperatures.

    He met with families left homeless by the disaster and listened to their stories of shock and devastation. 

    “I am here to make sure that these people also are not forgotten,” he said.

    Hope for survivors

    The UN relief chief also spoke with search and rescue teams as they carried out their operations in the devastated central parts of the city, amid collapsed buildings with excavation equipment digging through the debris.

    UN teams are already on the ground, and more than 130 countries have dispatched responders, sniffer dogs, experts and other personnel.

    “There has never been an international response, a Turkish response, to a natural disaster, as we see here in these terrible days,” said Mr. Griffiths.

    He praised the courage of people, including parents, who are working round the clock in efforts to rescue their families and children from the rubble – “hoping for one more sound, for one more person to survive.”

    Humanitarian support

    It is estimated that more than 20,000 people have died in the double earthquake, which struck southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria early on Monday morning. 

    Millions more have been left homeless, including Syrians displaced by the 12-year war in their homeland and thousands of refugees who have fled across the border.

    For Mr. Griffiths, the next phase will be to look after those affected by the tragedy.

    “And I’ve met some of them already today,” he said, “people who’ve lost their homes, whose children don’t have schools to go to, who have no food, who have no money, who depend on the generosity of the Turkish people, the Turkish government and the international community.”

    Mr. Griffiths is expected to visit the UN-authorised cross-border operation to Syria in the south of Türkiye on Sunday before travelling there.

    The UN and partners will also launch appeals for the two countries.

    In a video on his Twitter, Mr. Griffiths said “I hope what we will see is the same kind of generous, immediate and urgent international response to humanitarian needs that we have seen to those organizations helping the people of these cities to rescue the living from the dead.” 

    Heartbreaking conditions

    Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, arrived in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday.

    “I’m heartbroken to see the conditions survivors are facing – freezing weather and extremely limited access to shelter, food, water, heat and medical care,” he wrote in a post on his official Twitter account.

    In a separate tweet, Tedros recounted how he met two babies, Nour and Omar, who lost their parents in the earthquake. 

    “There are no words to express the pain they are going through. Grateful to colleagues and partners who are providing them with needed care, comfort and love,” he wrote.
     

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Rights expert urges Denmark and Greenland to examine colonial legacy’s impact

    Rights expert urges Denmark and Greenland to examine colonial legacy’s impact

    [ad_1]

    The development would represent a key measure to tackle past injustices and create a more inclusive society, said UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, José Francisco Cali Tzay, in a statement at the end of a 10-day visit to the two countries. 

    Inuit people comprise nearly 90 per cent of the population of Greenland, an autonomous dependent territory of Denmark that was a colony up until 1953. 

    They still face barriers to fully enjoying their human rights, according to Mr. Cali Tzay. 

    Women forcibly sterilized 

    “I was particularly appalled by the testimonies of Inuit women who reported that Danish healthcare providers had inserted intrauterine devices (IUDs) without their knowledge or consent. Some of them were as young as 12 years old,” he said. 

    Mr. Cali Tzay recalled reports of Inuit women living in Denmark whose children had been taken from them without their knowledge and consent and placed in Danish foster care. 

    He urged Denmark to review its procedures for assessing out-of-home care for Inuit children and address structural bias within care services. 

    Abuse, poverty and suicide 

    Meanwhile, Greenland still faces numerous social challenges that relate to poverty and lack of adequate housing, appropriate quality education and scarce mental health support, he added.  

    “Around 20 percent of children in Greenland are estimated to have been exposed to violence and sexual abuse,” he said, adding that the country has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. 

    During his mission, the Special Rapporteur observed a lack of established mechanisms to implement the Inuit people’s right to free, prior, and informed consent, including when allocating tourism concessions, implementing business projects, and adopting legislative and administrative acts in Greenland. 

    Consult Inuit people 

    “I urge Greenland’s government to consult with the Inuit people whose traditional livelihoods will be directly affected by plans to expand mining, tourism and infrastructure,’’ the UN expert said. 

    He also hailed Greenland’s extensive self-governance as “an inspiring example of an indigenous self-government in practice and a peaceful process towards self-determination for Indigenous peoples worldwide.’’  

    About UN Rapporteurs 

    Special Rapporteurs like Mr. Cali Tzay receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva. 

    They are appointed to monitor and report on either specific thematic issues or country situations. 

    These experts operate in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization. 

    They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. 

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • United States: UN rights experts gravely concerned over ‘brutal deaths’ at hands of police

    United States: UN rights experts gravely concerned over ‘brutal deaths’ at hands of police

    [ad_1]

    Keenan Anderson died in Los Angeles after being repeatedly tased by police following a chase resulting from a traffic stop, according to news reports, and Tyre Nichols in Memphis, died after being severely beaten as he lay on the ground, by five officers in Memphis, Tennessee, who have since been charged with murder and other offences.

    ‘Urgency to act’

    “The brutal deaths of Keenan Anderson and Tyre Nichols are more reminders of the urgency to act,” said Yvonne Mokgoro, Chairperson of the UN Human Rights Council-appointed International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the context of Law Enforcement.

    The experts have asked for detailed information on the deaths of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Nichols, from the US Government, “on the ongoing investigations and regulations applicable to the use of less-lethal weapons vis-à-vis applicable human rights standards”, according to a statement issued by UN human rights office OHCHR.

    “In both cases, the experts stressed that the force used appears to have violated international norms protecting the right to life and prohibiting torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It is also not in line with standards set out under the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.”

    Be ‘guided by principles’

    Juan Mendez, a member of the Expert Mechanism, said that “while we acknowledge the role of less lethal options to reduce the risk of death or injury inherent in police conduct, any use of force by law enforcement officials must be guided by principles of legality, precaution, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination and accountability”.

    Morris Tidball-Binz, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions said that the use of “less lethal” weapons like stun-guns, “continues to raise serious concerns when it comes to States’ obligation to protect the right to life and the right to be free from torture and other ill-treatment. Such weapons can cause death, serious body injuries and permanent disability”.

    ‘Excessive use’ of Tasers

    UN News

    Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture interviewed by UN News.

    “We observe that, in cases like these, police officers use Tasers as a routine protocol” to incapacitate those who aren’t following orders, or individuals who are “going through mental health crises, who often do not appear to pose a serious danger to themselves or others”, added Ms. Mendez.

    “We remain highly concerned about the excessive use of tasers in law enforcement, especially in light of their inherent potential for misuse.”

    “Police and law enforcement bear special responsibilities to protect their citizens and to uphold their rights”, said Alice Jill Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

    “When this basic function is overtaken by unlawful and uncontrolled violence, it causes ordinary people to fear their own police. Only community-led and -designed solutions will do, in such circumstances.”

    Hiding behind the badge

    Responding to the death of Tyre Nichols which drew worldwide condemnation, the experts stressed that as well as prosecuting the officers involved, it was time for US authorities to show “determination in questioning and reforming an institutionalised police culture that permits criminal assault under the guise of law enforcement and public safety.”

    Tracie Keesee, another member of the Mechanism, said the independent experts had called on authorities in the US to “ensure prompt accountability and reparation”.

    Call for a ‘genuinely new approach’

    Despite the charges against the five police officers who were swiftly fired from the Memphis force, accused of murdering Mr. Nichols, “the horrifying footage of his beating is an alarming reminder of the urgent need of genuinely new approaches to traffic safety, traffic stops, and public safety more broadly.”

    Following and invitation from the US Government received last December, to visit the country, members of the Expert Mechanism will be conducting a “much-needed official mission to the US in April”, said Chairperson Mokgoro.

    “We will engage with the Government and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that police brutality is addressed with determination and that victims and their families obtain justice”, she added.

    Special Rapporteurs and other independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, work on a voluntary basis and serve in their individual capacity. They are not UN staff and are not paid for their work.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Moldova: The long and winding road to safety

    Moldova: The long and winding road to safety

    [ad_1]

    Tucked away in the southeastern corner of Europe, Moldova’s winters may be drab and harsh, but the road from Ukraine’s border spools out through bare, brown hills like a ribbon of hope.

    To Larysa, who came from the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the silent heath means safety. It means a pause in the constant barrage of artillery, the whine of sirens and drones, the rush for the bunker, the dark, the cold, the smell, and the grime of war. The terror can be set aside, and life can start again.

    When Larysa got off a bus from the border to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) station outside the small town of Palanca, she left behind the Donetsk region, having made a 2,000-kilometre, three-day journey with her sick daughter.

    ‘Mama, will we wake up tomorrow?’

    Her conversation, like all those who have just left the hell of war, comes in ebbs and flows. Torrents follow silences, stifled tears and too raw memories. At first, disbelief, then relief. But, she is already planning her next move, to Romania.

    “When I get to Bucharest, I want to apply for a job, find work, accommodation,” she says. “The most important thing is that there is no shooting there, that it’s peaceful and your child goes to bed without saying ‘mama, will we wake up tomorrow?’”

    Larysa and her daughter are two of a few dozen people sitting around a tent staffed by IOM and other agencies. Before the bus leaves for a 10-hour-long trek to the Romanian capital, there is time for a hot meal, a health check-up, to get information needed for the coming days and weeks and even a shower.

    “When we first came here in late February, immediately after the Russian invasion, there was total chaos on the border,” remembers Lars Johan Lonnback, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Moldova. “It was immediately clear to us that, along with food, shelter, medical care and counselling, transport was a massive need. Well-meaning volunteers were arriving, offering to take vulnerable families – who, you have to remember, left their men behind to fight – to Portugal, Norway, Italy. It was totally unorganized and a dream scenario for human traffickers, who always turn up when people are at their most vulnerable.”

    Bussed to Bucharest

    It was also abundantly clear to Lonnback that the thousands of people coming across the border would place a massive strain on Moldova’s scarce resources, risking a social crisis. IOM, partnering with the Moldovan authorities and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), assessed the needs and worked towards finding solutions. The partners quickly established a dedicated bus service that decongested the border area, protected the vulnerable, and added a raft of services to the massive relief effort.

    In the same vein, IOM has been helping people, particularly the most needy – including persons with disabilities, the elderly and those who are bedridden – to get to European Union countries by plane. To date, more than 15,000 people have entered the European Union by bus and plane with IOM support, which Lonnback believes has helped to stave off a difficult situation in Moldova, a country already wracked by poverty and social tensions.

    “The critical thing is that the international community continues to help Moldova in any way it can,” he says. “We’ve seen that the Ukrainians are proud and resilient, and they really don’t want to leave their homes. But, as the attacks on infrastructure mount, and as the snow piles up, it gets more and more difficult to live, to simply exist. We have established a system that is flexible and responsive, and we can scale up in the event of large numbers of people once again fleeing Ukraine.”

    About 10 per cent of those who have fled from Ukraine via Moldova have decided to stay in the country.  Many of those who stayed are from cities relatively close to the border; have family and friends in Moldova; or, like people in any war, they want to remain close to their homeland.

    Four generations uprooted

    Svitlana, a 60-year-old real estate agent from Odesa, 40 kilometres from Moldova, is now a mainstay for four generations of women living in a small house about an hour outside Chisinau. She speaks slowly, sometimes mechanically, describing the horrors she saw and heard. Her mother quietly reads as her daughter prepares borscht and her granddaughter sketches.

    But, she doesn’t cry. Svitlana gives the impression that sorrow is something she must not, will not, make time for. Her husband and sons-in-law are on the front line, and her task is to lead the family, alone.

    Moldova has welcomed them warmly, she says, with humanitarian aid and simple kindness. She and her daughter are learning Romanian so they can compete on the local job market and use their skills for the benefit of their host country and themselves. Much as they appreciate the aid they have been given, they don’t want to survive on it.

    “It’s sustainability through solidarity,” says Margo Baars, IOM’s Emergency Coordinator in Moldova, describing the organization’s approach. “We provide livelihood support, grants for small businesses, training and transitional shelter support, particularly to get people through this difficult winter. One of the main things we do is psychological support, because people have been through a lot and need more than just material aid.”

    Leaving Ukraine along with the mothers, young children and grandmothers, are old men. Yurii, 73, vividly remembers his parents talking about the Second World War, and never thought that he would see such death and destruction in his homeland. “It’s horrible,” he says. “Every day we have victims being brought in. Every day. There are so many victims, so much grief, so many people suffering.”

    Five-month-old Ivan, conceived in peace and born into war in Ukraine, is now safe in Moldova with his mother Ksenia. While heavily pregnant, Ksenia had run through a minefield as cluster bombs rained down. She fell, but escaped, with a birthmark on Ivan remaining as a memory of the day they had both cheated death.

    “I want this war to end so I can enjoy motherhood to the fullest,” says Ksenia. “I think I would have gone crazy with this war without Ivan. He’s the one who brightened up all the horror.” 

    In this cold, miserable field, her own smile is a beam of sunlight.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • UN rights chief appeals for Israelis and Palestinians to end ‘illogic of escalation’

    UN rights chief appeals for Israelis and Palestinians to end ‘illogic of escalation’

    [ad_1]

    “Rather than doubling down on failed approaches of violence and coercion that have singularly failed in the past, I urge everyone involved to step out of the illogic of escalation that has only ended in dead bodies, shattered lives and utter despair,” he said in a statement.  

    Record killings in 2022 

    Mr. Türk reported that record numbers of Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2022, which also saw the highest number of Israeli fatalities inside Israel and the occupied West Bank in years. 

    So far, the new year has brought “more bloodshed, more destruction, and the situation continues to grow more volatile”, he added. 

    In 2022, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) documented 151 killings of Palestinians by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, plus one boy who was killed by either the Israeli forces or a settler. Another two Palestinians were killed by Israeli settlers.  

    Many of the cases involving security forces spark serious concerns of excessive use of force and arbitrary killings.  

    During the same period, 24 Israelis were killed inside Israel and in the occupied West Bank by Palestinians.

    A deadly start 

    Meanwhile, 34 Palestinians and seven Israelis have been killed since the start of this year. 

    Mr. Türk feared recent Israeli measures “are only fuelling further violations and abuses of human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law.” 

    Following attacks last weekend in East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities moved to seal off the homes of the suspected perpetrators. More than 40 people were arrested, and two families were forcibly evicted. 

    Israel has proposed other measures, including revoking identity documents, citizenship and residency rights, and social security benefits of relatives of suspected attackers, as well as ramping up house demolitions.  

    Fuelling further violence 

    Mr. Türk said such measures, if implemented, may amount to collective punishment, which is “expressly prohibited” under international humanitarian law and “incompatible” with international human rights law. 

    Furthermore, Israeli Government plans to expedite and expand the licensing of firearms for civilians, coupled with hateful rhetoric, “can only lead to further violence and bloodshed”, he added. 

    “We know from experience that the proliferation of firearms will lead to increased risks of killings and injuries of both Israelis and Palestinians. The Israeli authorities must work to reduce the availability of firearms in society,” said the High Commissioner. 

    Stop fomenting hatred 

    Mr. Türk noted that there already have been several reports of violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians, particularly in the occupied West Bank over the past week. 

    “Rather than fuelling a worsening spiral of violence, I urge all those holding public office or other positions of authority – indeed everyone – to stop using language that incites hatred of ‘the other’,” said Mr. Türk. “Such fomenting of hatred is corrosive for all Israelis, Palestinians, all of society.” 

    The UN rights chief called for urgent measures to de-escalate tensions, including ensuring that killings and serious injuries are investigated in accordance with international standards. 

    Appeal to leaders 

    “Impunity has been rife, sending a signal that excesses are allowed,” he said. “The obligation under international human rights law is to investigate loss of life in any context of law enforcement – credibly and effectively – regardless of whether there was an exchange of fire between security forces and armed individuals.” 

    Mr. Türk urged Israel to ensure that all operations of its security forces in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are carried out with full respect for international human rights law. 

    “The people of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory need their leaders to work – urgently – to create conditions conducive to a political solution to this protracted, untenable situation”, he said. 

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • WHO launches bid to tackle inequalities behind global breast cancer threat

    WHO launches bid to tackle inequalities behind global breast cancer threat

    [ad_1]

    Each year, more than 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer, making it the most common cancer in the world affecting all adults, according to WHO.

    Although a limited number of high-income countries have been able to reduce breast cancer mortality by 40 per cent since 1990, for women in poorer countries, one of the main challenges is to receive a timely diagnosis.

    “Breast cancer survival is 50 per cent or less in many low and middle-income countries,” WHO’s Dr. Bente Mikkelsen told journalists in Geneva. But the rate is “greater than 90 per cent for those able to receive the best care in high-income countries”, she emphasized.

    Tedros: a priority, everywhere

    To tackle these inequalities, and to coincide with World Cancer Day on 4 February, the UN agency’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative seeks to reduce breast cancer mortality by 2.5 per cent a year.

    “Countries with weaker health systems are least able to manage the increasing burden of breast cancer. It places a tremendous strain on individuals, families, communities, health systems, and economies, so it must be a priority for ministries of health and governments everywhere,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

    “We have the tools and the know-how to prevent breast cancer and save lives. WHO is supporting more than 70 countries, particularly low and middle-income countries, to detect breast cancer earlier, diagnose it faster, treat it better and give everyone with breast cancer the hope of a cancer-free future.”

    In the frame

    To address country-specific needs and provide guidance to governments, the initiative’s framework has three pillars: promotion of health controls to encourage early detection; timely diagnosis, and treatment with effective therapies.

    By 2040, more than three million cases and one million deaths are expected each year worldwide.  Approximately 75 per cent of these deaths will happen in low and middle-income countries.

    “We really cannot avoid breast cancer if we are going to address cancer in countries,” said Dr. Ben Anderson, Medical Officer for WHO’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative.

    “It’s the most common cancer, among men and women together, it is the most likely reason that a woman will die of cancer globally, it is the most common cancer among women in 86 per cent of countries, and it is the number one or two cause of cancer-related death in 95 per cent of countries, so having a framework to build upon over the coming years is an essential beginning point.”

    In 95 per cent of countries, breast cancer is the first or second leading cause of female cancer deaths.

    However, nearly 80 per cent of deaths from breast and cervical cancer occur in low and middle-income countries, according to WHO.

    © Unsplash/Angiola Harry

    A woman holds a pink ribbon in awareness of Breast Cancer Day.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • UN child rights committee lauds Swiss asylum offer to Kurdish family

    UN child rights committee lauds Swiss asylum offer to Kurdish family

    [ad_1]

    “We welcome the timely action taken by Switzerland to suspend the children’s return to Bulgaria, in compliance with the Committee’s request for interim measures,” said Ann Skelton, a member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

    “We also welcome the decision to reassess these children’s situation and their risk of being exposed to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatments if returned to Bulgaria, showcasing the country’s commitment to compliance and cooperation with the Committee,” she added.

    Fleeing war-torn Syria

    The children, now 10 to 14, were born to a young mother, a victim of sexual violence who was forced into marriage at age 11 and gave birth to her first child at age 14. Fleeing war-ravaged Syria in early 2017, the family arrived in Bulgaria, which granted the parents and children refugee status and asylum.

    Violent father

    Expulsion from the asylum camp and the father’s extremely violent behaviour led the mother and her children to beg for food on the streets then, three months later, to seek asylum in Germany, which granted her protection measures in 2019.

    Fearing her husband, she took the children to Switzerland to seek asylum once again, but failed.

    Following the Swiss State Secretariat for Migrations order in August 2020 to deport the family to Bulgaria and a dismissed appeal of that decision, the mother and children petitioned the UN child rights committee.

    Members requested Swiss authorities to adopt interim measures to suspend the deportation pending its consideration of the complaint, in line with an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    More asylum cases reopened

    Swiss authorities then reopened the cases of the children and their mother, recognizing them as refugees. Following that action, the Committee issued a decision Thursday to discontinue the examination of the family’s complaint.

    “This is the fifth case in which Switzerland has immediately reopened asylum proceedings following the registration of the cases with the Committee and granted children residence permits after reassessing their situation,” Ms. Skelton said. “This shows the potential of the complaints mechanism to bring immediate relief to children.”

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Eight trends that will impact children in 2023

    Eight trends that will impact children in 2023

    [ad_1]

    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.

    On a misty morning, the Manabovo river is completely dry, the inhabitants are gathering on its bed to dig holes in the hope to find water.

    © 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.

    A little boy on a children's bicycle on the territory of temporary shelters in Lviv, Ukraine.

    © 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.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Hate speech: Nations fight back

    Hate speech: Nations fight back

    [ad_1]

    Costa Rica is known for its strong democracy, pro-human rights stance, and deep respect of the rule of law, so it was a shock when the 2018 general elections ushered in an unprecedented polarization of Costa Rican society.

    Allegra Baiocchi, the UN resident coordinator in Costa Rica, witnessed the unprecedented polarization of society, and the strong advance of populist and conservative agendas, which was accompanied by a sharp rise in hate speech, and expressions of discrimination and xenophobia.

    A study of hate

    In response to this alarming trend, the UN team in Costa Rica began the roll out of its Action Plan on Hate Speech and, in 2021, presented a landmark study on hate speech in Costa Rica.

    “When we started working on this issue we had a lot of conversations about the defence of free speech, and countering hate speech and discrimination”, says Ms. Baiocchi. “We know that there’s a danger that the fight against hate speech is used to restrict the freedom of expression, freedom of opinion”.

    Ms. Baiocchi and her team realised that a great deal of content was focused on women, particularly those in leadership positions; LGBTQ issues; and the migrant population. “When we started speaking to women and some of the people who had been targeted, they told us that they felt scared, scared to express their opinions”, she says.

    A big issue, according the senior UN official, is that the digital space is considered a free space for all with no accountability. Initially, the team tried to increase accountability, whether simply through the reporting of hate speech or discrimination on the platforms themselves, or using whatever legal basis there is in different countries.

    But after meeting with Meta, the owner of Facebook, they realized that, even though the company is investing in mediating and cleaning up conversations, the task is overwhelming, and that Meta is not able to protect or limit everything that is posted on its platforms.

    The Costa Rica study also looked at the dual role of the press, in relation to hate speech. “We’ve had cases where the media have on one hand been the victims of hate speech, for investigating cases or criticising the government, but on the other hand have covered stories in a way that can incite discrimination and hate speech.

    UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

    Children at an interfaith gathering at the Park East Synagogue, New York (file)

    Improved protection

    One of the outcomes of the study in Costa Rica was the forming of a partnership with the Lawyers Committee Association, who studied the legal and judicial jurisdiction around hate speech which is evolving around the world.

    The group looked at which countries have the best kind of jurisprudence and helped create a manual covering the existing jurisprudence that can help victims.

    “Right now in Costa Rica, if you’ve been a victim of hate speech, you can go to this handbook and see what is already available for you to protect yourself,” explains Ms Baiocchi, adding that, in her view, the parliament has been a huge ally, passing a law focusing on protecting women in politics.

    “A lot of schools also teach debate and it is really about how we can co-exist in the world with different opinions”, says Ms. Baiocchi. “I think that’s fundamentally the message behind any work on hate speech and discrimination. This is about being able to respect each other and coexist.”

    Listen, question, learn

    Education and literacy is a cornerstone of the approach taken by the media development organization “Transitions”, which is based in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

    Jaroslav Valuch, a news literacy and fact-checking project manager at the organization, explains that Transitions supports good quality journalism, and works on media literacy with neglected groups to prevent conflict, and improve people’s resilience to disinformation hoaxes and hate speech.

    “If we make people more resilient to this type of disinformation, we might be able to counter or prevent violent radicalization. The problem with schools and the educational system, is that it takes a long time to change the curricula, to change the system. We needed some interventions that could be implemented immediately.”

    Perhaps surprisingly, the sector of society that Transitions has identified as particularly prone to disinformation, is its elderly citizens. This is because, according to Mr. Varuch, they feel excluded from society, spreading disinformation via chain emails or private messages.

    “They feel underserved,” he asserts. “They feel that the topics that are important to them are not covered in the mainstream media. And all of these are very valid and relevant concerns. They use this information and hate speech as a kind of stick to beat the system or the government, to make them listen to their concerns”.

    To counter the issue, Transitions holds workshops in public libraries, which are widely used by seniors. At these sessions, participants learn basic investigation methods, learning to look more closely at the source of the information they receive, and spread.

    “The ultimate goal is not necessarily to tell them not to spread fake news or distrust sources,” says Mr. Varuch. “It’s rather to say ‘Hey, let’s enjoy some time together’. And, as a by-product, we make them more resilient towards disinformation and propaganda.”

    The programme has now been so successful that is working all over the Czech Republic, as well as in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

    You can subscribe to our UN Podcasts series, UNiting Against Hate, here.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Hate speech: A growing, international threat

    Hate speech: A growing, international threat

    [ad_1]

    Hate speech is having a demonstrable effect on society: one of the many similarities between the January attacks on Brazil’s government buildings, and the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, is that each occurred after certain groups repeatedly directed dangerous rhetoric and false claims against others.

    Concerns over the growing phenomenon have prompted independent human rights experts to call on major social media platforms to change their business models and become more accountable in the battle against rising hate speech online.

    Recently, the case of divisive social media influencer Andrew Tate captured widespread media attention, following his detention in Romania, as part of an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and rape, which he denies.

    Tate was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for expressing misogynistic views and hate speech.

    In the new UN Podcasts series UNiting Against Hate, producer Katy Dartford speaks to prominent activists whose work has made them the subjects of online attacks, disinformation, and threats.

    Hate speech and deadly violence in South Sudan

    In South Sudan, internet access is limited to a small elite, but activists such as Edmund Yakani, one of the country’s most prominent human rights defenders, are nevertheless targeted by online hate speech.

    In this episode of the UNiting Against Hate podcast, Mr. Yakani explains how hate speech, both in-country and from the diaspora, is contributing to further violence in the world’s newest internationally recognized country: 60 per cent of deadly violence in the country, he says, is triggered by hate speech.

    Mr. Yakani says that has often been the victim of online attacks, in which his image, or statement has made, have been distorted. “Some describe me as a type of an animal, a cockroach, monkey or snake, or just call me a murderer.”

    “This narrative has huge implications. It destroys my social fabric, my relationships with others, and it generates mistrust and a lack of confidence in people towards me.” 

    Hate speech is having a destabilizing influence on his country, worries Mr. Yakani, making violence the primary tool for resolving disputes. The answer, in his opinion, is more investment in effective responses, which include targeted sanctions on those responsible, improved legislation, and education.

    Despite the many risks to his own security, Mr Yakani continues to strive to ensure accountability, justice and respect for human rights. “Anybody who is standing and demanding accountability, transparency, and fighting against corruption, or demanding democratic transformation, is always a target of hate speech.”

    © UNICEF/Dhiraj Singh

    Children in a Mumbai slum. Dalits are often the most disadvantaged members of Indian society

    ‘Coming out’ as Dalit

    When in 2015  Yashica Dutt, publicly described herself as Dalit – a group of people who, according to those who subscribe to the Indian caste system, sit at the bottom of the pyramid – she became another victim of hate speech.

    “I was very vocal. I was talking about what caste looks like and how we need to identify and acknowledge that it exists and no longer erase it. And obviously that narrative bothered a lot of people, so I have been a part of many troll attacks”. 

    The journalist and award-winning author of the memoir “Coming out as Dalit” says that caste exists within Indian societies, whether in the country itself, or the Indian diaspora. The rise of social media has, she says, led to racism, hate, and verbal assaults making an unwelcome comeback.

    Her Tumblr blog, “Documents of Dalit discrimination”, is an effort to create a safe space to talk about the trauma of what it comes to be a lower-caste person, but she says she now faces hate speech every day on Twitter and Facebook.

    “If I give a talk or have a panel discussion, there are always a few trolls,” she says. “I’m told that I’m being paid by a mysterious agency, rather than because I’m truly sick of the discrimination that I face and that people around me face.” 

    Hate speech “truly does have a heinous form online because you can mobilise armies of trolls to swarm on your account and make sure that you never use your voice again. And it’s quite scary,” she says.

    According to Ms Dutt one prominent right-wing account incited its million or so followers to hurl abuses, slurs, and make threat of physical or sexual assault, and even death.

    “I had to go offline for a long time. Even though I live in New York, a lot of the threats comes from India. And now we have the rise of fundamentalist Hindu communities in the US as well. It was scary, and over time I’ve learnt how to cope with it.” 

    “Consciously or subconsciously, this affects how we use our voice. Ultimately, you think if I tweet this in this particular way, what is going to be the consequence?”

    ‘I buried all my hopes’

    Another female writer and journalist who has experienced the life-threatening effects of hate speech is writer and journalist Martina Mlinarević.

    For years, Ms Mlinarević, who is also the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Czech Republic, wrote about aspects of corruption in her country. For this she faced threats and insults online, but the level of abuse reached a new level, when a photo of her mastectomy scar was published in a magazine, a first for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    “I had to move with a small child to another city due to threats and cyberbullying. The toughest and saddest part for me was fleeing my home town, where I lived for 37 years.” 

    Ms Mlinarević explains how, in 2020, when she came to Prague, a doll created to resemble her was burned at a traditional carnival. “It was a kind of persecution campaign to punish me not only for the exposure of the scar on my breast, but also for daring to comment on politics and to promote gender issues and all other problems.”

    All these attacks were unpunished at that time, and they escalated into misogynistic, intimidating threats to her safety and family. “For me that was the point when I buried all my hopes regarding the area where I came from”. 

    Despite her experiences, Ms. Mlinarević remains optimistic for the future. “I’m trying to work with young people as much as I can, trying to empower their voice, girls’ and women’s voices, and trying to teach them to stand up for themselves, and for others. Let’s hope the future will bring something better for all of our children.” 

    You can subscribe to our UN Podcasts series, UNiting Against Hate, here.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • We must not simply remember, ‘but speak out and stand up’: UN chief Guterres

    We must not simply remember, ‘but speak out and stand up’: UN chief Guterres

    [ad_1]

    “The Holocaust did not happen as a ‘lesson’ for humanity, but it did happen. And because it happened, it may happen again,” Mr. Guterres told the annual ceremony held at the historic Park East Synagogue in New York to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.  

    “We must never let down our guard. We must be forever vigilant,” he warned, because The painful truth is that even today, antisemitism is everywhere. If anything, it is increasing in intensity.” 

    Moreover, the same is true for other forms of racism and hate: Anti-Muslim bigotry; xenophobia; homophobia; and misogyny. Indeed, the UN chief explained that Neo-Nazi white supremacist movements today represent the number one internal insecurity threat in several countries – and the fastest growing.  

    “Their venom is moving from the margins to the mainstream,” said Mr. Guterres, citing their demonization of the other, disdain for diversity, denigration of democratic values, and disregard for human right, as “evils are not new to our time. What is new is their reach and their speed.” 

    UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

    Stop the hate 

    The racist bigot who in the past might have spread his vitriol as far as his dinner table, today has a microphone with global reach, the Secretary-General said, adding that: “The paranoid conspiracy theorist who in the past might have found a single acquaintance to confide in, today finds a like-minded community of millions online.” 

    “The consequences are as troubling as they are dangerous,” he stressed, and recalled that on Friday during the UN General Assembly’s annual Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, he had launched an appeal to stop the hate and set up guardrails. 

    “I called out social media platforms, technology companies and advertisers for their complicity in amplifying vicious lies for profit. I called for regulation to clarify responsibilities. And I called on all of us to stand up and stand firm against hate. We must confront falsehoods with facts, ignorance with education, indifference with engagement,” he declared. 

    Religious leaders and governments must step up 

    Mr. Guterres went on to say that religious leaders everywhere had a duty to prevent the instrumentalization of hatred and defuse extremism amidst their followers. At the same time, governments everywhere have a responsibility to teach about the horrors of the Holocaust.  

    “The United Nations – including through our Holocaust Outreach Programme – is at the forefront of this crucial work. And as fewer and fewer can bear direct witness, “we will have to find new ways to carry the torch of remembrance forward. Within families and across generations. Within classrooms and across geographies. We must tell the stories of the persecuted.” 

    Those stories must include the mass murder of the Roma and Sinti; the torture and murder of other victims targeted by the Nazis: persons with disabilities; Germans of African descent; homosexuals; Soviet prisoners of war; and political dissenters and countless others. 

    “And above all, we must tell the stories of all the children, women, and men who were systematically murdered and who together made up the rich and vibrant mosaic that was Jewish life in Europe. We must remember the Holocaust not as the history of 6 million deaths; but as 6 million different stories of death,” Mr. Guterres said. 

    A view of the ceremony marking International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, held in Geneva.

    UN Photo/Violaine Martin

    Honour the memory of those who perished 

    The Secretary-General said that our responsibility is to honour the memory of those who perished, “but also to learn the truth of what happened, and to ensure that neither we, nor future generations, ever forget. To refuse impunity for perpetrators anywhere. To stand against those who deny, distort, relativize, revise, or otherwise whitewash their own complicities or that of their fellow citizens.”  

    Quoting renowned scholar and diarist Victor Klemperer, Mr. Guterres said: ‘Curious: At the very moment modern technology annuls all frontiers and distances…, the most extreme nationalism is raging.’  

    While this passage was written in the 1930s, the UN chief noted that it has an eerie resonance today.  

    “Our response must be clear. We must strengthen our defenses and reject those who seek to deny the past to reshape the future. We must pledge – not simply to remember – but to speak out and to stand up. To speak out wherever we witness hate and to stand up for human rights and the dignity of all – today and for all days to come,” concluded the Secretary-General. 

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • ‘All sides need to think about the future they want for Venezuela’, says UN human rights chief

    ‘All sides need to think about the future they want for Venezuela’, says UN human rights chief

    [ad_1]

    “Following my meeting with President [Nicolás] Maduro, he publicly expressed his readiness to work towards improving the justice system. This is a key area for reform, and I offer the support and expertise of my Office to pursue this,” Volker Türk told reporters in Caracas at the end of his three-day visit. 

    In addition to Mr. Maduro, the UN human rights chief also met with Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez, senior government officials, judicial leaders, opposition figures, civil society actors, indigenous peoples and victims of human rights violations. He came away from these discussions with a sense that all parties recognized the need for reforms. 

    The High Commissioner said he had also perceived the need for national and international actors and the UN to help Venezuela to overcome its crises. “And also, importantly, the chance to begin to overcome the deep divisions and rebuild the social contract among Venezuelans,” he added.  

    ‘Frank conversations’ on reforms and building trust 

    “During frank conversations with the authorities, I raised issues relating to civic space, conditions of detention and judicial delays, among others, encouraging them to take meaningful steps towards reforming the justice and security sectors,” said Mr. Türk in a press release issued by the UN human rights office, or OHCHR, which he heads up. 

    He also encouraged the authorities to take the lead in building trust with victims and civil society organizations, to listen to them, to include them meaningfully in dialogue and respond to the plight of the victims. 

    To this end, the High Commissioner said that during his visit he had heard accounts of people being arbitrarily detained and tortured, and of family members being killed in security operations and demonstrations. One woman, he said, was overcome with emotion, he explained, as she recounted how two years ago her sister had been detained, raped, and tortured.  

    ‘End torture once and for all’ 

    “In my meetings with the President and ministers, I called for all people who have been arbitrarily detained to be released. This also forms part of my global call to governments to amnesty, pardon or simply release all those arbitrarily detained for exercising their fundamental human rights,” stressed Mr. Türk. 

    He said he was given commitments that torture complaints would be addressed “decisively, fully investigated and those responsible brought to justice,” he said, encouraging the authorities to also take decisive steps to end torture once and for all, and to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, which seeks both to prevent torture and improve conditions in detention. 

    Socio-economic woes exacerbated by sanctions  

    “The economic and social challenges Venezuela faces, including with respect to the minimum wage and pensions, and the impact this has on people’s daily lives by curtailing their rights to food, water, healthcare, education, and other economic and social rights, were powerfully conveyed to me in my meetings with civil society, trade unionists and pensioners, among others,” the UN human rights chief continued.   

    He said he also heard from across the spectrum of people he spoke with, including humanitarian actors and UN agencies, about the impact of sectorial sanctions on the most vulnerable segments of the population and the hurdles sanctions create for the country’s recovery and development, not least in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

    “While the roots of Venezuela’s economic crisis predate the imposition of economic sanctions… it is clear that the sectorial sanctions imposed since August 2017 have exacerbated the economic crisis and hindered human rights,” said Mr. Türk, reiterating his recommendation that Member States suspend or lift measures that undermine human rights and that aggravate the humanitarian situation. 

    Mexico Dialogue 

    Noting that he had been able to hear from both the Government and the Unitary Platform delegations to the Mexico Dialogue political process, the High Commissioner said that he had reiterated support for the ongoing discussions and stressed the need to listen to victims in the political process.  

    “While I in no way underestimate the challenges ahead, I urged them to listen to one another and embark on meaningful dialogue to find a common vision for the future … All sides need to think about the future they want for Venezuela and my Office is ready to be a bridge-builder between the State institutions and the people,” he stressed.   

    As for Venezuelans outside the country, Mr. Türk said that he had encouraged the Venezuelan authorities to continue and strengthen their cooperation with UN agencies to ensure a voluntary, safe and dignified return for all those who seek it. 

    UDHR75 

    The High Commissioner also shared some of his overall impressions, including the fragmented, divided state of Venezuelan society; the overriding need and eagerness, expressed by many, to build bridges to try to heal these divides; and the human rights challenges that the country faces in the civil, political, economic, and social spheres. 

    In all his interactions, Mr. Türk said that he highlighted the importance of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year. “This is not a mere date in the diary or a miraculous text, but a real chance to tackle and advance on many long-standing issues, promote dialogue, and foster healing after decades of rupture,” he stated. 

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Systemic racism within UK criminal justice system a serious concern: UN human rights experts

    Systemic racism within UK criminal justice system a serious concern: UN human rights experts

    [ad_1]

    “We have serious concerns about impunity and the failure to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, deaths in police custody, ‘joint enterprise’ convictions, and the dehumanising nature”, of the so-called ‘stop and search’ policing strategy, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent said in a statement at the end of an official visit to the UK.

    ‘Will this ever end?’

    The Human Rights Council-appointed experts said they had gathered evidence of the all-too-real trauma felt by people of African descent who were suffering racial discrimination and injustice: “A woman of African descent we met during our visit lamented, ‘will this ever end?’” they said.

    A decade of economic austerity measures in the UK following the global crash of 2007-8, had exacerbated racism, racial discrimination and other intolerance which people of African descent encounter, thereby eroding their rights, the experts observed.

    “From the perspective of people of African descent, racism in the UK is structural, institutional and systemic,” the experts said.  

    The lived experience dealing with State and public institutions, the private sector and society, was that it perpetuates racial hierarchies, the experts concluded.

    Racist acts, persistent and widespread

    “Racialised acts targeting people of African descent have remained steadfast, and the experience is similar across different parts of the UK,” the experts said. “They are victimised and have no assurance of effective redress from authorities or the justice system”.

    Welcoming emerging efforts towards reparation for the legacies of the trade and trafficking in enslaved Africans, the Working Group encouraged all stakeholders including the Government, to do more to ensure rehabilitation, restoration, and reconciliation.

    “Streamlining accessible, independent and effective complaint mechanisms to address racism, ensuring police accountability, fair trial guarantees for all persons, and redress to all persons affected by the Windrush scandal, are imperative”, said Catherine Namakula, Chair of the Working Group.

    “Austerity to the peril of fundamental rights, is a costly undertaking for the UK,” she said.

    Legacy of Windrush

    The Windrush scandal erupted more than five years ago involving those born in the Caribbean who were brought to the UK as children, being asked by the UK Home Office – despite living in the country for 50 years – to prove their status as citizens, some having never been formally naturalized, or having never applied for a passport.  

    Dozens were deported or told they would be removed from the UK, despite being legal British subjects in their country of origin, and hundreds suffered hardships, threats and other deprivations of their rights, leading to the resignation of the then Home Secretary, in 2018.

    The Working Group visited London, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol in the course of their official visit.

    The experts will present a report with their findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council, later this year, in September.

    Independent experts

    The Working Group was established in 2002, following the World Conference against Racism, held in Durban, South Africa the previous year.

    It is composed of five independent experts: Catherine Namakula (Uganda) current Chair-Rapporteur; Barbara Reynolds (Guyana) current Vice-Chair; Dominique Day (United States of America); and Miriam Ekiudoko (Hungary).

    The Independent Experts are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Mali: ‘Critical year’ begins in country’s return to constitutional order

    Mali: ‘Critical year’ begins in country’s return to constitutional order

    [ad_1]

    The envoy was addressing ambassadors at what he called a “unique juncture” in the efforts to promote lasting peace and security in the West African country.   

    “Mali is ushering in a critical year in terms of returning to constitutional order,” he said, with several votes scheduled starting in March.  

    Work in progress 

    Mr. Wane heads the UN mission in Mali, known by the French acronym MINUSMA,  established nearly a decade ago following insecurity in the north and a military coup. 

    While much has been accomplished in that time, “the objectives that were set by the Council are yet to be fully achieved, and the context has witnessed significant changes,” he said.  

    “As the Council considers the recommendation of the Secretary-General, it is worth keeping in mind that stabilizing Mali is critical not only for the country itself but also for the entire region,” he added, referring to an internal review of MINUSMA, launched last year. 

    ‘Complex’ security situation 

    Mr. Wane last briefed the Council in October, reporting on progress in restoring civilian rule in Mali in the wake of the August 2020 military coup, ongoing insecurity and rising humanitarian needs. 

    Since then, the security situation remains “complex”, particularly in the centre of the country and in the tri-border region with Burkina Faso and Niger. 

    Due to the activities of extremist groups, internal displacement remains high.  In December, the figure amounted to some 412,000 people.   

    Overall, 8.8 million people require humanitarian assistance, a 17 per cent increase since the beginning of 2022. Two million children under five remain affected by acute malnutrition. 

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Mali.

    Humanitarian operations affected  

    “The armed forces have stepped up their efforts that in certain regions have allowed a reduction in the number of security incidents. However, extremist groups retain the capacity to undertake complex, coordinated operations,” said Mr. Wane.  

    Meanwhile, humanitarian personnel have also come under fire. Last year, some 124 incidents were recorded against them, and five aid workers were killed in the Kayes, Ménaka and Ségou regions. 

    The need for additional support to humanitarian operations also remains high, as a $686 million response plan is less than 40 per cent funded. 

    Mandated to protect 

    “In the last quarter, MINUSMA has continued to make a sustained effort to protect civilians. It’s done so despite the difficult environment in which it operates and the gaps in capacity, which are significant,” said Mr. Wane. 

    Looking ahead, he said MINUSMA has the capacity to more effectively contribute to improving security. 

    This will depend on several factors, including getting the tools they need to better protect themselves, timely replacement of troops serving at the mission, and increased coordination with the Malian defense and security forces. 

    The UN envoy also highlighted the “absolute pivotal need” to respect freedom of movement, in line with the Status of Forces Agreement. 

    Constitutional referendum ahead 

    Addressing the transition and peace process, he noted that in less than two months, Mali will hold a constitutional referendum that will mark the first of a series of polls towards the planned restoration of constitutional order in March 2024. 

    The authorities continue to demonstrate commitment to hold the polls on time, as evidenced by developments such as the establishment of a new independent electoral management body and a preliminary draft constitution. 

    Yet, several challenges remain, as the new electoral management body is required to set up local offices across the country, and the ongoing constitutional review process must be finalized. 

    Support inclusion efforts 

    Mali’s transitional authorities have convened a series of consultations with political parties and civil society to discuss various aspects of the preparation of the constitutional referendum and other elections.  

    “These initiatives must be encouraged and supported, for inclusion and consensus are crucial for the overall success of the Transition process,” said Mr. Wane. 

    Two other aspects are also critical, namely the availability of financial and logistical resources and “the evolution of the security situation”, he added, while underlining the importance of UN support. 

    2015 Peace Agreement 

    Mr. Wane also updated the Council on momentum surrounding the 2015 Peace Agreement, signed by the authorities and two armed group coalitions, in the wake of instability in the north several years prior. 

    Recent months have seen disagreements over the level of Government participation in the committee monitoring the deal, and the signatory movements have suspended their participation in the peace process. 

    MINUSMA, Algeria and other members of the international community have been promoting dialogue in the interim. 

    “I encourage the parties to spare no efforts to overcome the current difficulties and achieve decisive progress in the implementation of the peace agreement,” said Mr. Wane. 

    “The ongoing transition offers a unique opportunity to advance the agreement: an opportunity that cannot and should not be squandered.” 

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Guterres strongly condemns attack at Jerusalem synagogue which left at least seven Israelis dead

    Guterres strongly condemns attack at Jerusalem synagogue which left at least seven Israelis dead

    [ad_1]

    According to news reports, the incident happened in the Neve Yaakov district in the middle of the evening local time. Israeli police said the attacker, identified as a Palestinian from the Shu’fat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem, had been “neutralized” at the scene.

    In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, António Guterres extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed, and wished a prompt recovery for those injured.

    ‘Abhorrent’ assault, on Holocaust Memorial Day

    “It is particularly abhorrent that the attack occurred at a place of worship, and on the very day we commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day”, the statement said.

    No excuse for terror

    “There is never any excuse for acts of terrorism.  They must be clearly condemned and rejected by all.”

    Friday’s incident followed on from a worrying escalation in violence in recent months, and the deaths of nine Palestinians, militants and well as several civilians, at a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin on Thursday, following an Israeli raid targeting what they said was an active group of Islamic Jihad militants.

    Palestinian militants in Gaza launched rockets into Israel in response, which Israeli forces met with air strikes on the Palestinian enclave.

    ‘Utmost restraint’ needed

    “The Secretary-General is deeply worried about the current escalation of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory”, said the statement. “This is the moment to exercise utmost restraint.”

    The Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss the escalating crisis on Friday afternoon in New York.

    The High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who is tasked with building bridges between faiths and fighting antisemitism, also issued a statement strongly condemning what he described as an “horrific terrorist attack” on Jewish worshippers, after Friday Sabbath prayers.  

    “The High-Representative stresses that such a heinous crime is unjustifiable whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed”, the statement added.   

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Candlenuts, chilli and chickens: Transforming Indonesia’s rural economy

    Candlenuts, chilli and chickens: Transforming Indonesia’s rural economy

    [ad_1]

    Wilfridus Ngala, the mayor of Inegena, a village nestled amidst the central hills of Ngada district, on Flores Island, had a vision – to turn his community of 1,100 people, most of them subsistence farmers, into an agricultural powerhouse with its own food processing industry and exports.

    Mayor Ngala’s idea might sound far-fetched but, a year after Inegena was chosen to as a recipient of support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD, a UN agency) and Indonesia’s Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, there are many clear signs of progress in his community, with crops and vegetables grown in formerly barren lands, and chickens clucking along the formerly tranquil village roads.

    “Our village now has a future, and many young people have decided to stay and participate in the new agriculture projects,” says Viktorinus Roja, who learned how to farm chickens last year, and has been elected the head of the village enterprise association. “A year ago, I was thinking of moving on to find work in a city. But I’ve decided to give Mayor Ngala a chance.”

    M. Gaspar / UNIC Jakarta

    Building long-term economic success

    Inegena is one of 1,110 Indonesian villages supported through IFAD’s Integrated Village Economic Transformation Programme (TEKAD), which is funded jointly by the UN agency and the Indonesian government. In Ngada district, 20 communities are benefiting from TEKAD experts, who help villagers design business plans and long-term development strategies, and to submit funding applications to the 68 billion Indonesian Rupiah ($4.3 billion) national Village Fund, managed by the Ministry of Villages. The funding mostly comes in the form of a loan, which the government and the villages will need to pay back from the proceeds of the increased economic activity.

    “Many times in rural Indonesia, money is not the issue. Insightful planning to build the basis for long-term economic success is,” says Harlina Sulistroyini, General Director of Economic Development and Investment at the Ministry of Villages. “Places like Inegena are proof of what small funding and big ideas can achieve jointly.”

    The key, Ms. Sulistroyini adds, is for communities to focus on a single product where they have economic and market advantage. In the case of Inegena, the main commodity, and future cash-crop, is candlenuts which are used as a raw material in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

    With TEKAD support, the villagers drew up a business plan to improve the harvesting and start local processing of candlenuts. Until recently, each farmer harvested the nuts, cleaned them manually and took them to the local market, but they now band together to fetch better deals from buyers. Equally importantly, villagers no longer need to make the one-hour journey to town and spend hours selling their produce – the buyers now come to the village.

    The next step involves the purchase, with support from the ministry, of a machine to replace the manual labour now required to peel the nuts, and funding for a machine to extract the nut’s oil, Ms. Sulistroyini says.

    Villagers in Inegena, Eastern Indonesia, manually processing candlenuts.

    M. Gaspar / UNIC Jakarta

    Increasing production, finding markets

    By selling the oil rather than the nuts, the village will be able to keep more of the revenues from the candlenut value chain. “We want to support villages with the vision and the potential,” she adds. “Inegena is a small village but one day it will go international – as long as they keep the focus.”

    The villagers plan to have the oil extraction machine in place by late 2023, allowing them to process candlenuts harvested in neighbouring villages. “We are planning to become a local centre”, says Mayor Ngala.

    While the village’s economic transformation plan focuses on candlenuts, there are other products where locals see potential: they used Rp152 million ($9,600) from the Village Fund to increase the cultivated area of the village by 50 per cent; fields formerly filled with shrubs have been converted into horticulture plantations, and most of the chilli, eggplants, and cabbage grown is sold at the local market.

    Local farmer Bonevasius Redo has already managed to extend his bamboo house with the additional income he has earned during the last growing season. Thanks to the new opportunities at home, he was able to move back to Inegana, after many years working on an oil palm plantation on Borneo. He now earns around five million Rupiahs a month ($320), compared to just three million ($190) at the plantation. “We can now lead a life here by growing vegetables and chilli,” he says.

    Villagers in Inegena village, Eastern Indonesia, gather monthly to discuss implementation of their village’s economic transformation plan.

    M. Gaspar / UNIC Jakarta

    Chickens and food security

    The aim of the chicken scheme, which convinced Mr. Roja not to move to the city, is primarily to improve food security and nutrition by providing a stable protein intake to the community – as well as income from selling the surplus. There are now 2,400 chickens in the village, up from a few hundred two years ago.

    The goal of TEKAD is to provide support in economic transformation to interested villages in the five poorest provinces in Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara, where Inegena is located. By hiring and training local facilitators to work with the villagers, the programme ensures that there is buy-in from communities towards long-term planning.

    “In order to create the foundations for development that is sustainable, villages need to spend money on projects that will have long lasting economic benefits, rather than simply spending the Village Fund’s money each year on ad hoc initiatives,” says Anissa Pratiwi, Country Programme Officer at IFAD’s Jakarta office. “This fundamental change in approach requires learning and capacity building at the village level.”

    The change is sorely needed, as presently only 10 per cent of the Village Fund is used to support rural economic development. TEKAD helps to change that by increasing technical skills and the market information available to villages, along with guidance and oversight in planning and implementation of projects. The villages it works in have a combined population of over 1.6 million – making it one of the UN projects with the largest reach in Indonesia.

    “We are using TEKAD not only to help the participating villages develop but to also show other communities in these regions an example for long-term, sustainable economic development,” says Ms. Sulistroyini.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • In drought-stricken Cabo Verde, UN chief finds hope for creating sustainable oasis

    In drought-stricken Cabo Verde, UN chief finds hope for creating sustainable oasis

    [ad_1]

    For hours, António Guterres’ car had moved along a sinuous road, which opened against an arid landscape, but then one last curve, and a few hundred feet up a hill, the view outside his window bursts into myriad shades of green, as small terraces supported by stone walls filled with banana trees, palms and sugar cane, came into view, with silvery water streams flickering in the distance.   

    The lush Paúl Valley can be found in the mountainous island of Santo Antão, the westernmost island of Cabo Verde, and represents an oasis in an archipelago where only 10 per cent of the land is arable. Of that already small area, close to 18 per cent was lost between the years 2000 and 2020.   

    As Mr. Guterres visited one of the terraces, on the second day of his visit to the country, he was welcomed by a group of farmers. With them, an expert from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Katya Neves, explained that they were in the middle of an experimental garden, where men and women are trying out new plant varieties and learning about sustainable techniques.  

    “Muitos Parabéns,” or “great work”, the Secretary-General congratulated the group in Portuguese, pointing to a colorful table overflowing with coffee beans, cabbage, tomatoes, yams, cassava and other products. The locally grown bounty is a rarity in a country that needs to import 80 per cent of the food it needs to feed its population.  

    The UN chief was told how some of the plants growing in the garden are a new type of cassava, that experts are hoping will prove to be more resilient to the drought that has affected the country for the last five years. He also heard about how the farmers have learned new ways to irrigate or fertilize their land.  

    The initiative is benefiting around 285 farmers and is part of a large number of projects led by UN agencies and other partners that hope to transform agriculture in the country to feed more people and be more sustainable for the planet as a whole. 

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

      Managing water amidst drought  

    ‘Gota a gota’ is one of the initiatives, and it has been making drip irrigation more accessible to hundreds of farmers. “Only 3,000 hectares spread across the 10 islands are irrigated, but studies show that this number could increase to 5,000,” explained Mrs. Neves, Assistant Representative at FAO. 

    Angela Silva, who lives nearby, also met the Secretary-General. She is one of the beneficiaries that hopes to start installing the drip system soon.   

    “I was born in a family of farmers, my parents, my grandparents, my great-grandparents. But until I got separated from my husband he took care of the land,” she explained.  

    Two years ago, the full-time teacher decided to start working the plots of land she had inherited.  

    “I’m still learning, but I want to learn more and be able to turn this into a way to earn money,” she said. “My dream is to transform it into a forest of food, that can be enjoyed by my kids and grandkids.”  

    Her land was mostly taken over by sugar cane production, a crop that is not very profitable or sustainable, so she has started to replace it with banana and papaya trees and a variety of other vegetables. This was one of the lessons she learned in a training course supported by the UN.  

    UN supported projects include drip irrigation in drought-stricken areas, like this one in Casa do Meio, municipality of Porto Novo, on the island of Santo Antão.

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    With the new irrigation system, she hopes to avoid some of the worst consequences of the drought and make better use of the water during an average year. Studies show that, even when it rains in Cabo Verde, approximately 20 per cent of the water is lost through surface runoff, 13 per cent infiltrates, while 67 per cent evaporates.   

    This is one of the challenges for Dairson da Cruz Duarte, the young local farmer that brought the coffee that surprised the Secretary-General – he didn’t know the island produced it.   

    Pointing towards the bottom of the valley, near a creek filled with yams, the farmer explained that the beans are grown all the way up in Santa Isabel, a locality at the top of the highest mountain the eye can see, a ragged edge where the green of the land meets the blue of the sky.  

    You can only access this 100-person town on foot, and all agriculture is rainfed. That has made the last five years of drought especially hard on the population.  

    When the rains stopped, the young people were the first to leave.   

    “I don’t know if 10 young people live there right now,” Mr. Cruz Duarte explained. “The other ones all left for other places, because of the lack of jobs, rain, drought. Sometimes, even if you have livestock, you don’t have enough forage to feed them. There is no other livelihood, so they left to look for a better life.”  

    A UN system climate resilience project in Cape Verde's mountainous island of Santo Antão.

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    Spike in food insecurity  

    After years of unrelenting drought, the production was zero for the farming season of 2021-2022. By then, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and socio-economic fallout from the war in Ukraine had all combined to create a perfect storm for the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and the Cabo Verde Government was forced to make a difficult decision. In June of last year, the executive authorities declared a social and economic national emergency.   

    Until very recently, the archipelago, which sits in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa, could have been considered a champion in poverty reduction efforts among Sub-Saharan countries. Estimates from the World Bank show that poverty rates declined by six percentage points between 2015 and 2019, from 41 per cent to 35 per cent.  

    But by last June, the number of people affected by food insecurity was set to spike, according to data from UN World Food Programme (WFP). More than 46,000 women, men and children – almost 10 per cent of the overall population of Cabo Verde – were facing an acute deterioration in food security between June and August.   

    This represents a threat to the country’s hard-won development gains in recent years. Cabo Verde has committed to eliminating extreme poverty until 2026, and on Saturday, the Prime Minister of the country reassured the Secretary-General that the country is sticking to that goal. But, he admitted, the last few years have made it much more difficult.  

    Echoing that sentiment, the Secretary-General said at the same event: “I know that for Cabo Verde – just like other Small Island Developing States – which are a priority in the partnership and action of the United Nations – faces major challenges, such as the consequences of the pandemic and, above all, the increase in the cost of living, which always has a devastating impact on the population.”

    The UN chief added, that “sea level rise and biodiversity and ecosystem loss pose existential threats to this archipelago, like to many other archipelagos.”

    Katya Neves, the expert from FAO, tells UN News that last year’s crisis has given a new sense of urgency to the efforts by the UN and its agencies. “We can achieve these goals, and we can do this by improving the way agriculture is done.”  

    Back in the valley, Mr. Cruz Duarte is also not giving up. Even after seeing most of his friends leave his little town, he did the opposite – after years in a neighboring island, São Vicente, the farmer returned to work the land of his ancestors. “Agriculture is my calling,” he says.   

    He has two kids, who had to stay on the other island, because the remote locality closed its school a few years, but he’s been able to provide for them since then. He’s proud to list all the crops he grows – sweet potatoes, beans, pumpkins, the coffee that is sold in other islands for a high price – and how they change with the seasons. “I now know how to do it. I can keep it up,” he says.  

    That is no easy task in these islands. But even after a successful crop, there is still a long road ahead.   

    Sara Estrela, Sustainable Development Assistant at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), works on a climate resilience project in the Cape Verde island of Santo Antão.

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    From farm to school cafeteria   

    For Amilcar Vera Cruz, “the biggest difficulty is to sell it,” he says of the crops se grows.  

    Sara Estrela, a Sustainable Development Assistant at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), explains that, historically, farmers are not usually organized in associations or cooperatives in Cabo Verde.   

    “With the rule being subsistence farming or small family businesses, it becomes hard when the moment to sell for a fair price comes,” she said.   

    One of the projects the UN system has supported is the formation of an Association of Producers in this valley. The agencies have also supported the construction of two commercial warehouses where the crops can be gathered, washed and prepared for sale.  

    For Mrs. Estrela, the “bigger goal is targeting the whole sector and trying to organize the whole chain, from putting the seed on the floor to putting the food on the plate.”  

    “We are empowering the producers with knowledge and equipment,” she added.  

    Mr. Vera Cruz has received this support and, after decades of struggling with the sale of his crops, he hopes “the association is a way to open new horizons in terms of markets.”  

    “We have other difficulties, but that’s what has delayed the agricultural development, the selling of the products, the changes in prices. Sometimes you don’t make enough to cover the production costs,” he said.   

    The farmer has thought about this day for a long time. He has big dreams, that see his produce travelling well beyond the big town on the island, Porto Novo, to far countries, when the word about the quality of these products gets out. A combination of government and UN sponsored projects, he says, might help turn this into a reality.  

    For many years after the country’s independence, in 1975, WFP was responsible for the meals for all students in Cabo Verde. But the country graduated out of the UN’s Least Developed Country category to a lower middle-income country in 2007 and, a few years later, the government took over that task. One of the decisions it made was that 25 per cent of all food in schools used should be bought locally.   

    With that decision came the first big test for the recently formed Association of Producers of Vale do Paúl. For the whole school year of 2021-2022, these producers sold all the bananas that were consumed in the schools of the islands of Santo Antão and São Vicente. The initiative reached 20,000 students.  

    Now, the association is gearing up and, later this month, will hold its first assembly. Later in March, a final test will arrive.   

    The food grown by these farmers, the same as the Secretary-General tried today, will be washed and packaged in the new warehouses, loaded into boats, and eventually reach children in other islands. At the same time, the project will be replicated in other municipalities. Soon, the example of Paúl will help feed around 90,000 students, almost 20 per cent of the country’s population.  

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Fulfilling the UN dreams of Kale, a teenager battling cancer

    Fulfilling the UN dreams of Kale, a teenager battling cancer

    [ad_1]

    A year ago, Kale, who lives in California, started to have blurred vision in his right eye. After taking medical tests, his family received the devastating news that he had a tumour located in his right optic nerve.

    “This year has been a struggle for Kale,” says his father, William, explaining that, on top of battling cancer, his son is going through the usual upheavals faced by teenage high school students.

    The oldest of two boys, Kale, whose parents are both history teachers, has an interest in foreign and international relations, and dreams of becoming a diplomat. “The UN is one of the biggest forces for international relations on the planet Earth,” he told UN News. “It interests me a lot. And since the headquarters is here in New York, a city that I also want to visit, I figured it would be a really cool place to experience”.

    Improving the odds of recovery

    The Make-A-Wish Foundation believes that granting wishes can change the odds for children fighting illnesses, helping them to look past their limitations; support families dealing with anxiety; and bring joy to entire communities.

    The Foundation enables around 15,000 wishes to come true in the United States each year, guided by referrals from medical teams. “On average, it takes between six to 18 months to have your wish granted”, explains Coleen Lee from Make-A-Wish Foundation. “This is the first time a child has expressed a wish to come to the UN!”

    “The United Nations is important for me to visit because of the integral work that is done there, from humanitarian missions to peacekeeping efforts all in the hopes of making the world a better place,” Kale wrote in the wish he sent to the Foundation. “That is why I think it would be important to see the place so I could better understand the work that goes on there, and how these decisions are made”.

    United Nations/Helena Lorentzen

    Kale Ilac with his family and UN staff during his visit to UN Headquarters

    Creating a day to remember

    When the UN received the request from the Foundation, they tried to put together a bespoke programme to ensure his visit would be memorable.

    “To make it all worthwhile, we decided to organize not only a guided tour but also give Kale the opportunity to meet high level staff members and diplomats,” explains Rula Hinedi, Chief of the Guided tours Unit at the United Nations.

    The day starts early with a guided tour. “It was awesome, I am in awe”, says Kale, smiling. “I really liked the General Assembly. I was able to stand at the podium and it was cool being in the same place as great people before me. That was very powerful”.

    He was greeted by members of the Department of Safety and Security, including Paula Goncalvez, the highest female ranking officer, who has over 25 years’ experience. “We want you to enjoy the experience here”, she said. “It is a wonderful organization, and we are happy you chose us!”

    In the Security Council consultation room, Kale met Officer Richard Norowski. Kale’s visit, and his Make-a-Wish badge, brought back emotional memories for Officer Norowski, who accompanied his sister on a Make-a-Wish trip to Disneyland, when was seven years old. “My sister had leukaemia. I will never forget that, and the badge means a lot to me”.

    Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division in the Department of Global Communications met with Kaloenic Ilac ''Kale'' who asked him what he should do to fulfill his dream.

    United Nations/MHM

    Kale receives career advice from Maher Nasser, head of the UN Outreach Division

    High-level career advice

    The next part of the visit involved a series of meetings that might help Kale to achieve this goal in the future.

    Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division in the Department of Global Communications, shared his personal experience of rising through the ranks at the UN, and suggested the kinds of academic studies that could help Kale to achieve a career either as a diplomat, or as an international civil servant at the UN.

    “Follow your dream no matter what”, said Mr. Nasser, “and the stars will align to make your dream come true”, adding that he hoping to see Kale in the corridors of the UN in a few years.

    The Ambassador of France to the United Nations, Nicolas de Rivière, and Diarra Dime-Labille, the Legal Counsellor at the Mission, and Head of the Human Rights, Humanitarian and Influence Affairs division also gave Kale advice, and shared their experiences.

    “You have to be open-minded because a lot of time you have to work and negotiate with countries who have different goals, different visions than ours,” explained Ms. Dime-Labille. Our ultimate goal is to create a peaceful world, the goal that the countries had when they created the United Nations”.

    Make-a-Wish recipient Kale tours the UN

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    Kale is hopeful that he will beat cancer.

    ‘Do your best to be better’

    Kale and his family are full of hope for the future. “We have about six to 12 months to go before we hit what they called the maintenance program”, says his mother, Robin.

    “In the last two reports the tumour shrunk, and Kale has regained some eyesight in his right eye, says his father. “Hopefully, next month we will get more positive results”.

    Rula Hinedi admits that she was moved by the experience of meeting Kale and his family. “It really touched me. It humbled me a lot”, she says. I think that a request from a 16-year-old boy to visit the United Nations is a strong message to all of us that the work that goes on here is still relevant, especially for the new generation. Things are not always easy, but the world is surely a better place because of the UN”.

    Reflecting on the trip, Kale says that learning about the good that the UN does around the world, has inspired him to work in the service of others.

    “Just do your best to be better,” he says, “because when you’re better, you can help others be better, and it’s just going to be a positive chain reaction. Be helpful and be kind. That’s my message”.

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Cabo Verde ‘on the frontlines’ of climate crisis, says Guterres ahead of Ocean Summit

    Cabo Verde ‘on the frontlines’ of climate crisis, says Guterres ahead of Ocean Summit

    [ad_1]

    The answer goes back to 2015, when the national Government detailed a strategic plan on how the blue economy would be a central part of the island nation’s future, as well as to a series of investments that have been made since then.  

    But this evening, looking out at nearly a dozen boats participating in the Ocean Race docked in the port of Mindelo, their 10-storey high masts slicing the sky above the island of São Vicente, Mr. Guterres was witness to one of the most visible payoffs of this bet.  

    The Secretary-General called the blue economy “a fundamental opportunity to promote sustainable development in the archipelago” and said the UN looks forward to working with its government and people to “translate this ambition into reality.”  

    The Prime Minister of Cape Verde, José Ulisses Correia e Silva, said that his country wants to be “better known and have more relevance” in the international arena, and the Ocean is the sector where they want their voice to be heard.   

    “It makes sense to position ourselves in this specific area and to do it with relevance. It makes sense that this message is coming from here,” he said.   

    In the past five years, as part of this effort, the country has held an ‘Ocean Week’ every year and, on this coming Monday, Cabo Verde is partnering with the Ocean Race to hold a summit that will feature speakers from all over the world, including the Secretary-General. 

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    An existential threat   

    Cabo Verde’s commitment might not be enough. As Mr. Guterres warned, the country is “on the frontline of an existential crisis” – climate change.   

    “Sea level rise and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems pose existential threats to the archipelago,” he explained. “I am deeply frustrated that world leaders are not giving this life-and-death emergency the necessary action and investment.”  

    Some of these consequences can already be felt at the port hosting the Race, one of the best in all of Africa’s west coast, the reason it attracted merchants and pirates centuries ago and now welcomes sailing’s greatest around-the-world challenge.  

    In the last few years, Cabo Verde fishermen have noted a drop in the capture of black mackerel, one of the most popular fish among the locals. In 2022, the packaging industry reported a reduction in the capture of tuna and absence of black mackerel, raw material for the industry.    

    According to the preliminary results of a UN-led assessment that should be presented and discussed with key national stakeholders early this year, by 2100, the biomass of large pelagic fish – those that live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters, being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore – such as albacora, a species of tuna, is expected to decrease by up to 45 per cent. In the neighboring Senegalo-Mauritanian basin, the reduction will be even greater.   

    Changes like this can have a profound impact on the islands’ economy. In 2018, the fishing sector provided employment to 6,283 people, and was a touchstone in the diet of the 588,00 population. These products also accounted for almost 80 percent of the country’s exports.  

    “Climate change is an obvious threat to the future of fishing, but also all biodiversity,” said the Secretary-General later in the evening, as he participated in the Speaker Series promoted by the Prime Minister, at the Cabo Verde National Center for Art, Crafts and Design.   

    “The fact is, there is a very clear connection between the fishing industry and climate protection. Experience has shown that when you protect a certain region, it has a multiplying effect in other areas, and everyone benefits,” added the Secretary-General.  

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres joins José Ulisses Correia e Silva, Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, in visiting the Oceans Race grounds.

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    Fighting back  

    The two men sat against an extension of the National Center, its facade covered in the circular shapes of lids from oil barrels painted in primary colors.  

    The installation is a statement on the country’s commitment to sustainability, but also a nod to its large diaspora of over one million people; these barrels are often used by immigrants to send gifts to their families.   

    “The climate challenges are getting stronger and more frequent, but we have always faced difficulties and always found a way to overcome them,” said the Prime Minister.   

    According to Mr. Correia e Silva, the loss of species can affect Cabo Verde in yet another way.  

    The archipelago has been considered one of the top 10 marine biodiversity hotspots in the world and, for decades, the 24 species of whales and dolphins recorded in these waters – almost 30 per cent of all the cetacean species – have attracted many of the visitors that make tourism a stronghold of the country’s economy.  

    In 2022 alone, after a couple of years dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the islands received close to 700 thousand tourists, raising the sector contribution to around 25 per cent of its GDP.  

    Secretary-General António Guterres holds a joint press conference in Cabo Verde with Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    Climate justice for Cabo Verde   

    Cabo Verde has started fighting back against these changes.  

    The Secretary-General said the country “has shown climate leadership in words and in actions” and has highlighted the “efforts to convert debt into climate projects, including in the blue economy.”  

    Up to 20 per cent of Cabo Verde’s energy production now comes from renewable sources – one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa – and the goal is to increase renewable energy use by up to 50 per cent by 2030.  

    The Prime Minister said his country needs to “reconcile the needs of the economy, the environment, the communities” because it needs “these resources producing wealth to the country.”  

    Mr. Correia e Silva shared an example of how this can be done. In the community of São Pedro, in São Vicente Island, a part of the population has transitioned in recent years from fishing to providing a service where tourists can safely swim with turtles.  

    He went on to highlight a series of initiatives to fight plastic pollution and promote the circular economy. He also recalled how the country approved a “demanding” new law governing fishing and is working to extend the protected area from six to 30 per cent.  

    “We do want to go further, but we need resources to do that,” he said.   

    “We need justice for those who – like Cabo Verde – did little to cause this crisis, but who are paying a heavy price,” agreed the Secretary-General.   

    As the conversation came to an end, a few blocks away, at the port, the crews from the Ocean Race were taking a break. In just a few days, they start the second leg of the competition, which will take them out of Cabo Verde, across the Equator, down the coast of South America, and into Cape Town on the southern tip of South Africa.   

    A couple hours earlier, as the sailors had met Mr. Guterres, who shared how his son, just a few years ago, had joined three friends on a sailing trip crossing the Atlantic.  

    This story prompted one of the skippers, Kevin Schofield, to ask him: “Would you ever do something like that?”  

    “Maybe one day,” he quipped. “When I’m retired.” 

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link