By MediaGlobal News Service
17 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: Future generations will inherit a world where rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns disrupt agriculture, diminish biodiversity and put millions at risk of violent storms and rising seas. This week the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released a youth version of its 2007/2008 Human Development Report on climate change, which calls for immediate action to avoid irreversible environmental damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Produced entirely by young people, the youth report highlights the key points of UNDP’s official publication, and includes poems and drawings by children and young adults from all over the world. The report also includes ideas on adaptation and mitigation strategies. “The youth in particular got very engaged with the idea of renewable energies,” Cecilia Ugaz, Acting Director of UNDP’s Human Development Report Office who oversaw the creation of the report, told MediaGlobal. “They talk about policies at the broad level, but they also talk about individual policies,” and what young people can do to reduce emissions starting in their own homes and schools. In their introduction, the report’s authors stress the need for individual action and global cooperation. They write, “We can change our today, little by little, person by person and with that obtain a more sustainable tomorrow for coming generations.”
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND CALLS ON YOUTH IN SOMALIA TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
17 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: In honor of International Youth Day, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced Tuesday that youth in Somalia can work together to reduce the effects of climate change. International Youth Day was created to give young people, who are normally not involved in large-scale decision-making, the chance to get involved in dialogue for future planning. UNICEF understands that youth in particular must become part of the efforts to maintain a healthy environment because they will be most affected by climate change in the future. UNICEF Somalia Adolescent Development and Participation Specialist Jairus Ligoo told MediaGlobal, “UNICEF directly supports a skills building initiative that facilitates the engagement of youth with local governance structures to raise and address issues concerning young people and their communities, including environment.” One program in particular that helps promote conversation about youth and skills building in Somalia is UNICEF’s Adolescent Development and Participation Program. Today, with increasing droughts and floods in the past five years severely affecting Somali populations as well as broader issues of peace building in Somalia, getting youth involved is more important than ever. Ligoo said, “For youth, various organic initiatives promote peace and non-violent initiatives that engage youth to be a part of the efforts in promoting peace building in Somalia—peace and normalcy is a key prerequisite for development in Somalia.” Currently, UNICEF supports delivery of safe drinking water and food aid in Somalia, specifically to children in need, but UNICEF Somalia Deputy Representative Hannan Sulieman said, “it is vital that [youth’s] energies be tapped to ensure the country a better future.” Ultimately, the problem of climate change is a global issue and needs support worldwide, but UNICEF is doing its part in getting youth involved in dialogue and policy-making because, according to Ligoo, “Global action is not feasible without local action.”
BIKES GIVEN TO WOMEN IN NORTHERN UGANDA TO PROMOTE PEACE
17 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: The United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) finished its distribution of “peace bikes” to women in the regions of Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lira in northern Uganda on Friday. On July 30, 306 bicycles were given to the Kitgum and Pader districts, and on Friday the final 210 were given to Lira and Gulu. Program Analyst-Information at UNDP Uganda Charlotte Ntulume told MediaGlobal, “Women received training on peace building, negotiation and conflict resolution skills. This training is intended to increase their awareness on their rights, and to empower them to participate in prevention of violence and in the formal peace process.” The “Bikes for Peace” project is just one part of UNDP’s Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Program, in which over 700 women have been trained in peace building and violence prevention. UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in charge of Operations Athman Kakiva said at the ceremonies on July 30, “Women are remarkably eager and innovative in pursuing conflict prevention and reconciliation in this region.” Once they are trained, the women are very committed to raising awareness of sexual violence and rallying locals to prevent it, but the poor condition of many roads in northern Uganda make it difficult for such women to reach many areas. “The bicycles will enhance their mobility, thus enabling them to reach a wider section of the community to convey the message of peace and security, especially for women and girls,” according to Ntulume. Additionally, all women were given bicycle repair training to not only increase the life of their bikes but also allow them to earn money in the future. According to the UNDP, the project is worth about $80,000.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS AS UN TROOPS WITHDRAW FROM ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA
14 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: The United Nations Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) is disbanding, even as tensions rise between the two countries and food becomes increasingly scarce, leaving one of the world’s most unstable regions on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. According to an analysis published Wednesday by Oxford Analytica, climbing inflation and increases in global food prices, coupled with drought and crop failure, have left 11.8 million Ethiopians in need of immediate food aid. Eritrea faces similar crises, but harsh governmental policies limiting the presence of aid workers has made accurate information on the humanitarian situation there extremely scarce. UNMEE’s withdrawal will further limit the international community’s ability to monitor the area, said Brigadeer Patrick Davidson-Houston, the mission’s Acting Force Commander. “The withdrawal of the mission clearly means that, from a military perspective, we no longer have a foot on the ground in either Eritrea or Ethiopia,” he told MediaGlobal. There are no immediate plans to replace UNMEE, and attacks on aid workers have prompted some humanitarian organizations to withdraw from their already limited areas of operation. But as the international presence in the region decreases, further conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea—adversaries in a war eight years ago that left some 100,000 dead—may be brewing. In his report to the Security Council, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the decision to let the mission’s mandate expire could “result in an escalation of tensions in the border area, with the risk of a resumption of open hostilities.” Davidson-Houston observed that UNMEE “will have no presence left, and we will have withdrawn just about all of our equipment in the next few months. So we will have no capacity to support any other components or missions.”
FUTURE OIL PRICES REPORT PAINTS A TURBULENT FUTURE
14 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: Speculation over future increases in the price of oil continues to put the world on tenterhooks. And the speculation and spotlight is on oil-rich countries. Take Nigeria, for instance – the constant news of violence in the country has quite an effect on oil supply. Nigeria is rich in oil, but not so rich or fortunate in sustaining peace for its people. “The problem in Nigeria is civil unrest, especially in the Niger Delta region that holds much of the onshore petroleum reserves. This is preventing both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and international companies from producing at capacity,” Adam Sieminski, Chief Energy Economist at Deutsche Bank, told MediaGlobal. Now an alarming report produced by a think-tank may increase speculation on oil prices, as the report does not give the much needed impression that the oil scenario in the future will be better than what it is today. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. The Chatham House report warned that insufficient oil supply could push oil prices up to as high as $200 a barrel within years. This has severe consequences for the world’s poor – high oil prices have a profound effect on them because they are the least able to afford it. The report blamed companies and governments for failing to invest in oil production. The scene in Mexico is a good example of this – investment is not possible because of government policy. “The constitution forbids foreign companies from participating in oil development, while the government takes such a high proportion of revenue from the state oil company, Pemex, that there is not enough capital left for reinvestment,” Sieminski said.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS BAN’S FOCUS ON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2008
12 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: Since its conception in the General Assembly in December of 1999, August 12th has been declared International Youth Day to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth, a programme adopted in 1995. Each year the day is recognized in New York by United Nations headquarters, as well as in countries around the world. This year, United Nations Secretary General Ban ki-Moon declared the theme to be “Youth and Climate Change: A Time for Action.” At his address to the children celebrating the day in the Robert Moses Park, adjacent to the United Nations Headquarters, Ban urged “young people around the world to invest their energies and bright ideas into shaping a safer, more sustainable planet.” Children at the event, ranging from 5 years of age to 16, enjoyed performances of international dance and song, as well as a climbing wall, face-painting and other games. Seven-year old Sabrina, taking in the African dance performance, told MediaGlobal, “Today is all about us! We are the future; that’s why we are important!” Away from United Nations Headquarters in Kathmandu, a group of high-school and college students were touring the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) and given the floor to ask the OHCHR-Nepal’s Representative questions and have discussion.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME LAUNCHES CASH-ROLL OUT PACKAGE IN HUNGER HOTSPOTS
12 August 2008 [MediaGlobal]: An estimated 854 million people are going hungry because of the current global food crisis. The World Food Programme (WFP) is launching a cash roll-out package of US $214 million that will be allocated to fourteen of the world’s greatest “hunger hotspots”. These “hunger hotspots” include Djibouti, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Liberia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, occupied Palestinian territory, Pakistan, Senegal, Tajikistan, Uganda, and Yemen. “The hotspots were chosen on a basis of detailed assessments, looking at vulnerability levels through macro analysis and then verified by on-ground assessments as to the real impact price rises are having. In general these are the countries which have extreme levels of food insecurity, populations which spend a significant proportion of their income on food, have substantial reliance 3) are experiencing high inflationary pressures 4) have substantial reliance on food and fuel imports and 5) have big urban populations,” Brenda Barton, Deputy Director of Communications, told MediaGlobal. This project is one of the many funded by the US$500 million donation by the Saudi Arabian government. This money was needed on top of the WFP’s normal budget to offset the increased costs of procuring and delivering food operations. The longevity of the cash roll-out package is unknown, but according to Barton, “The key is that the fourteen countries now have the seed money to get started, running through 2009.”
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME DELIVERS FOOD TO THOUSANDS DISPLACED IN GEORGIA
11 August 2008 [MediaGlobal]: The World Food Programme (WFP) is delivering food to more than 2,000 people displaced by the conflict in Georgia where hundred have been killed and tens of thousands are fleeing. As stated by the WFP Georgia Country Director, Lola Castro, “The number of people in need of our help is rising by the hour.” A 10-day food ration was provided for people living in shelters in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, where more than 2,750 displaced people have been registered. Bettina Leuscher, WFP Spokesperson, told MediaGlobal that, “the demographic of aid recipients is wide, people fleeing from conflict, families, children, and the elderly.” High energy, biscuits, wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, beans, and salt are being delivered to the displaced because they have no access to cooking facilities. According to Leuscher, “The WFP will make an appeal for funds for an emergency operation. Meanwhile, we are using stocks from our ongoing aid operation.”
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM PROVIDING FOOD AID TO PAKISTAN’S FLOOD VICTIMS
11 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: Major flooding from the Thara Khur stream last week in Pakistan’s Peshawar Province left 35 dead with even more injured and missing. The United Nations estimates that the flooding has affected over 100 villages in Peshawar, leaving 500,000 Pakistanis in need of immediate aid. “As an immediate response, the World Food Programme is providing food assistance to the flood affected population for a period of one month,” Amjad Jamal from the Public Affairs Unit from the WFP Country Office in Pakistan told MediaGlobal. “The WFP will provide 741 tons of wheat flour, 55 tons of cooking oil and 22 tons of biscuits to support nearly 89,000 people in Peshawar district, where food assistance is badly needed,” said the head of WFP’s provincial office. The floods destroyed the villages, as well as the entire maize crop and an estimated 15,000 of the provinces livestock. Losses such as these put the entire community in the position to require long-term food aid. For right now, “the provincal governments are taking care of the long term recovery plans, “ said Jamal. However, the WFP is prepared to prepare further, long term aid to Pakistan if such assistance is requested from the government, according to Jamal.
MORE FUNDING NEEDED TO BEAT AIDS
11 August 2008 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: If you’ve been to Mexico City, you know that two different worlds inhabit the area. While poverty is a sad reality, another world exists, and it’s quite glamorous: the rich living in their own communities with rooftop swimming pools. Still, it’s not such an odd place to have an AIDS conference, and so the International AIDS Conference was held there last week. Unfortunately, the consensus among the conference’s participants did not paint a very happy picture of the progress in the fight against AIDS. Michel Kazatchkine, the head of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, said that “we should be deeply concerned that with less than two years to go before our deadline for universal access, the G8 has committed little more than a third of the resources that it promised to deliver by 2010.” Kazatchkine was referring to the commitment made by G8 industrialized nations in 2005 to provide treatment to all of those needing it by 2010. While one serious consideration is the lack of funds, another factor is the way such funds are distributed. Consider the recent passage of the $48 billion AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis bill in the United States. One component of the bill is a subject of fierce debate: the conscience clause. “There are restrictions in the way funding is distributed. The conscience clause means that any organization can refuse services to people – such as gay mean and sex workers,” Aleza Summit, Program Officer at the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, told MediaGlobal. Kazatchkine also said in the conference that future priorities are fighting AIDS discrimination, strengthening health systems in developing countries and coordinating research more.
GLOBAL HAPPENINGS
For August
Fourth World Youth Congress
Québec, Canada: Laval University (10-21 August 2008): The 4th World Youth Congress will bring together 600 of the world’s most dynamic young activists in the field of sustainable development from 120 different countries. Delegates will join forces with young Canadians to undertake hands-on community action projects across Quebec, and will help shape international policy by documenting and showing governments what young people are doing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. CIDA participates in the event.
Website: http://www.wyc2008.qc.ca/index.php?rand=584811289
Creating Values for Sustainable Development
Basel, Switzerland (21-22 August 2008): Following the outstanding success of the 1st International Sustainability Conference ISC 2005 in Basel, the organizers – the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland and the University of Basel – are organizing a follow-up conference. The theme of this 2nd International Sustainability Conference is “Creating Values for Sustainable Development”. From a socio-economic perspective we take this to be one of the major tasks and challenges with regard to the expected societal transformation processes toward sustainability.
Website: http://www.isc2008.ch/index.htm
World Water Week
Stockholm, Sweden (17-23 August 2008): The World Water Week in Stockholm is the leading annual global meeting place for capacity-building, partnership-building and follow-up on the implementation of international processes and programmes in water and development. The theme of the week is Progress and Prospects on Water: For a Clean and Healthy World with Special Focus on Sanitation.
Website: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/
Understanding Chronic Poverty and Poverty Dynamics in Rural Bangladesh
Dhaka (19 August 2008): This workshop will present results of various phases of this research project, which has used an innovative mix of focus group, life history and quantitative survey methods; and discuss their implications for research design and public policy.
Website: http://www.chronicpoverty.org/38/event-details.php
UNU: WIDER Project Workshop on Entrepreneurship and Economic Development: Concepts, Measurements, and Impacts
Helsinki, Finland (21-23 August 2008): Entrepreneurship is important for structural economic change, growth, and ultimately for improving human well-being. Governments and development agencies are recognizing the need to build entrepreneurial capacity. This can gain from a better understanding of the role of entrepreneurship in economic development. Topics include: The concept and measurement of entrepreneurship in the context of developing countries; the channels through which entrepreneurship drives economic structural transformation and growth and institutional development; the advantages and disadvantages of small, micro, and medium sized firms as vehicles for entrepreneurship in developing countries; the impact of female entrepreneurs, and the constraints and opportunities they face in developing countries; entrepreneurship’s spatial contexts: local and regional development, and urbanization; the policy challenge for supporting and developing entrepreneurship.
Website: http://www.wider.unu.edu/events/project-meetings/en_GB/21-08-2008/
21st World Congress of Rehabilitation International
Québec, Canada: Centre des Congrès de Québec (25-28 August 2008): The 21st World Congress of Rehabilitation International will bring together people with disabilities, human rights activists, experts, government representatives, service providers and leaders of civil society from all continents. The event provides an opportunity to discuss key questions with respect to people with physical, intellectual or mental disabilities, and to form or reinforce partnerships. CIDA supports the participation of delegates at this event.
Website: http://ewasteguide.info/newsandevents/2nd-in
Development agencies and non-governmental organizations are welcome to send details of upcoming conferences for inclusion in our HAPPENINGS column.
Contributors: Nosh Nalavala, Sheana Laughlin, Adelia Saunders, Shipra Prakash, Emily Geminder, Alina Haddad, Nadia Khan and Gabrielle Wade
MediaGlobal is a leading provider of information on global development issues facing vulnerable countries in Africa and Asia. Leaders of developed countries, the global media (with media in developing countries), policymakers in donor countries, non-governmental organizations, Permanent Representatives of Missions to the United Nations and key personnel in the United Nations Secretariat, its agencies and managers in the field worldwide read MediaGlobal’s newswire stories. Contact: media@mediaglobal.org . media@mediaglobal.org . United Nations, Room S-301, New York, NY 10017. Tel: (212) 963-9878. Fax: (609) 716-1297 Website: www.mediaglobal.org
Email: Nosh Nalavala at media@mediaglobal.org