Good News Agency – Year VI, n° 3
Weekly - Year VI, number 3 – 18
February 2005
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph. D.
Rome Law-court registration
no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
Good News Agency carries
positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary
work, the work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and
institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn
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international organization in the web site http://www3.unesco.org/iycp/
International legislation – Human rights – Economy and development – Solidarity
Peace and security – Health
– Environment and
wildlife –
Culture and education
International
legislation
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New international labour convention for seafarers' ID documents comes
into force
Geneva, 10 February - The international Convention that creates the first
global biometric identification system for issuing secure identity documents to
the 1.2 million seafarers in the world seas came into force as of 9 February
2005, the International Labour Office (ILO) said today. The Seafarers' Identity
Documents Convention, 2003 (No. 185) adopted by the Government, Employer and
Worker delegates to the International Labour Conference in June 2003, has been
ratified by France, Jordan and Nigeria. Two countries must ratify the
Convention before it can come into force. (…)
In March 2004 the Governing Body of the ILO approved standards for
converting two fingerprints into a "biometric template" to be stored
in an internationally standardized 2-D barcode which would be printed on the
Seafarers' Identity Document (SID). One basic requisite for the SID's biometric
identification system is "global interoperability", meaning that the
fingerprint information issued in one country can be read correctly by
equipment used in another. (…)
According to information received by the ILO more than 50 countries have
submitted the Convention for consideration by their national parliaments. Many,
including India, Philippines and Indonesia, which have large numbers of
seafarers, are making plans for implementation while considering the ratification
of the Convention. (…)
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2005/7.htm
UNODC and Kazakhstan agree on new anti-drug projects
Vienna, 3 February - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) and the Government of Kazakhstan signed five new regional drug demand
reduction and drug control projects in Almaty last week. (…) UNODC will provide technical assistance to
Kazakhstan in the areas of drug intelligence analysis, controlled deliveries,
precursor chemical controls, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention. UNODC will
also provide policy advice to the Kazakh, and other Central Asian governments.
The value of the projects amounts to US$9 million for the entire Central Asian
region. The UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia is also designing a new
project to establish a regional drug treatment training center (ARTICA) in
Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.
UNODC is also partnering with the World Bank office in Almaty as a regional
advisor for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. A
UNODC advisor will assist governments in the region to strengthen legislation
in these areas and establish effective enforcement tools against
money-laundering. (…)
http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/pressrels/2005/unisnar879.html
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UNICEF relief operation to assist 50,000 displaced in eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo
Bunia, 7 February - UNICEF DRC, working together with its partners, has
begun a new humanitarian assistance operation in the district of Ituri in
Eastern DRC that will reach out to some 10,000 families in the areas most
affected by recent outbreaks of violence perpetrated against civilian
population by armed factions throughout the months of January. (…)
In collaboration with some of its partner organisations like CESVI,
OXFAM and German Agro Action and within the coordinated UN response framework,
UNICEF is currently undertaking a major relief operation to assist 50,000
internally displaced persons who are currently accessible. The interventions
cover water and sanitation, shelter and cooking materials and high protein
biscuits for vulnerable children. Planning is underway for the organisation of
a measles vaccination campaign and emergency education programme for displaced
children.
UNICEF DRC obtained financial and material assistance to the tune of US$
4,200,000 for its Rapid Response Fund (RRF) and can now respond within 48 hours
to any acute humanitarian crisis working through partner organizations. This
facility and other donor’s contributions have enabled UNICEF to put in place 80
tonnes of high protein energy biscuits, 28,000 family emergency kits (catering
for 150,000 displaces persons) and various water equipment, allowing for an
immediate response to any major internal displacement of populations. The Rapid
Response Fund is being supported by DFID and the Norwegian government.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_25049.html
Caritas at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre, 30 January - The
outstanding proposals arising from the seminar and workshop on people
trafficking, organised by Caritas at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre
(Brazil), were: the need to set up networks to determine available resources
for immigrants; to define an information procedure for groups at risk that
includes the three phases of migration (before, during and after); to inform
legal associations and voluntary organisations about the rights that migrants
have; and to urge governments to sign the various conventions regarding the
rights of migrants and their families, none of which has been ratified by any
EU member country to date. Around 400 people took part in the three sessions of
the seminar-workshop. (…)
Other issues dealt with at the Forum included: work with children and
adolescents to avoid the risk of abuse; education regarding social building and
integration of those excluded from processes; the situation of women; problems
relating to agricolture and the environment; current economic systems and
possible alternatives; organic crops and solidarity-based economics; means of
communication; the Millennium Development Goals, etc.
Denis Viénot, President of Caritas Europa, deemed Caritas’ presence at
the Forum to have been very positive, with almost 500 delegates attending.
Caritas seminars and workshops also benefited from the presence of Msgr Nelson
Viola, the Ecclesiastical Advisor of Caritas Internationalis.
Number of countries contributing to UNFPA reaches new high in 2004
United Nations, New York, 26 January - A total of 166 countries
contributed to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in 2004 – a record
high in the Fund’s 35-year history. The top six donors were the Netherlands,
United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Contributions to UNFPA
regular resources in 2004 were $326 million (provisional), the highest total
ever, passing for the first time the 1996 high of $300 million.
“This remarkable level of support from governments demonstrates their
commitment to reproductive health and rights, women’s empowerment and gender
equality,” said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid. “These priorities
were agreed upon at the 1994 International Conference on Population and
Development in Cairo, and these investments are absolutely essential to save
lives and reduce poverty in line with the Millennium Development Goals.”
At the Cairo Conference, 179 governments and civil society organizations
committed to a 20-year action plan to ensure universal access to reproductive
health information and services, including family planning, and to uphold
fundamental human rights, including reproductive rights. Last year’s
anniversary of the Cairo Conference generated increased political and financial
commitment. (…) The number of UNFPA donors has been steadily increasing over
the last few years, from 69 in 1999, to 149 in 2003, to the new high of 166 in
2004. In addition, more than 40 countries pledged multi-year funding in 2004 –
another record for UNFPA. (…)
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=555
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Ethos Water Company joins with CARE for water project in Congo
Santa Monica, California, February 9 - Ethos Water today announced a
partnership with CARE to bring clean water to a war-torn community in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Ethos Water will contribute $10,000 to CARE for
the construction of safe water and sanitation infrastructure and support
services in the rural village of Kampene in the Maniema region of the
Democratic Republic of Congo. The village’s previous water system was destroyed
during the ongoing civil war. The CARE project will impact the lives and health
of more than 3,000 residents. (…)
Ethos and its customers are already making an impact around the world,
helping to fund humanitarian water projects in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Honduras
and India. In these countries, Ethos collaborates with well-established
international organizations such as WaterAid and WaterPartners International,
helping to bring clean water to towns and villages in need of drinking water
and sanitation systems.
Ethos is the premium bottled water that uses its profits to help
children around the world get clean water. Founded in 2003 by beverage industry
veteran Peter Thum and former White House aide Jonathan Greenblatt, Ethos is
currently helping to fund clean water projects in five countries with plans to
expand its humanitarian efforts in 2005. www.ethoswater.com
http://www.careusa.org/newsroom/pressreleases/2005/feb/20050209_ethoswater.asp
IFAD to help poor farmers obtain financial services in Bangladesh
Rome, 7 February – About 210,000 poor farming families, many headed by
women, will benefit from better access to loans, savings and other banking
services through a US$ 29.7 million development project in northern Bangladesh.
Small and marginal farmers will also learn improved agricultural techniques to
increase farm production. The International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) and the microfinance apex institution, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation
(PKSF) will work together to assist poor farmer families in 14 districts where
poverty is particularly severe, but where there is good agricultural potential.
The project will be largely financed by a US$20.1 million loan from IFAD
to the Government of Bangladesh. The loan agreement was signed today at IFAD
headquarters in Rome by Anwarul Bar Chowdhury, Ambassador of Bangladesh to
Italy and IFAD’s President, Lennart Båge.
To ensure that microfinance and related services reach those in need,
IFAD has formed a partnership with PKSF, an apex institution that channels funds
to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for microfinance services. Through
this network of NGO partners, PKSF is providing loans to more than five million
clients, most of them women .
For this project, PKSF will work with approximately 25 NGO partners to
create 11,500 new savings and credit groups. These groups will also receive
training in improved agricultural technology and crop varieties, together with
support for improved access to local markets. (…)
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2005/7.htm
Sports footwear sector outpaces the retail and apparel sectors in
meeting code of conduct obligations, says new ILO study
Geneva, 4 February - The sports footwear industry, often criticized for alleged violations of
fundamental labour standards, has made greater progress in implementing
worker-friendly codes of conduct than the apparel and retail sectors, according
to a just published ilo study.
The study, implementing codes of conduct: how businesses
manage social performance in global supply chains, says brand recognition and intense consumer scrutiny have led the
sports footwear companies analysed to develop more sophisticated approaches to
code implementation. it attributes the success of the sports footwear industry
to effectively applying financial and human resources to compliance efforts.
The study is based on interviews with hundreds of
managers, activists, government officials, factory workers and worker
representatives and visits to over 90 enterprises and suppliers in the US,
Europe, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Turkey and
Honduras. (...)
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2005/4.htm
Rural poor in southern highlands of Jordan to benefit from IFAD project
Rome, 2 February - A US$41.8 million project will help improve the lives
of more than 130,000 rural poor people in the southern highlands of Jordan.
The Agricultural Resource Management Project – Phase II is largely
funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with a
loan of US$11.4 million, and a grant of about US$400,000. The project will be
co-financed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
Fund, which will provide a loan of US$10.3 million, and by the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), which will make a grant of US$6.5 million. The
project financing agreement was signed today by the President of IFAD, Lennart
Båge, and the Ambassador of Jordan to Italy, Ramez Goussous, at IFAD’s
headquarters in Rome.
The first phase of the Agricultural Resource Management Project targeted
small-scale farmers, landless men and women and other disadvantaged households
in highland districts of the governorates of Karak and Tafila. (…) The second
phase of the project will build on the progress and experience gained from the
first. Among a package of measures, it will finance soil and water
conservation, and water resource development. Jordan is one of the world’s
driest countries, with the lowest per capita availability of renewable water
resources. The project will also fund agricultural development in the area,
support the building of roads and promote rural financial services. (…)
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2005/6.htm
USDA backs Counterpart's food security program in Vietnam
USDA is contributing
food commodities and cash resources worth more than $4 million allowing
Counterpart to develop food aid and nutrition programs in Vietnam.
Hanoi, Vietnam – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
providing food commodities and cash resources worth more than four million US
dollars for Counterpart International to implement a three-year food security
program in the central provinces of Vietnam, announced John Wilson,
Agricultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.
Under its Food For Progress (FFPr) scheme, USDA will provide 12,500
metric tons of soybean meal and 7,600 metric tons of wheat to Counterpart
International, an American non-governmental organization undertaking long-term
development programming in Vietnam. The vessel 'Cynthia Fagan' arrived recently
with the commodities that have been bartered or sold to support Counterpart's
development programs in the central region.
The goal is to improve the food security of vulnerable populations while
restoring biodiversity in Vietnam's threatened environments. Linked projects
cover agricultural development, Counterpart's signature analog forestry project
"Forest Gardens" and enterprise development. (…)
Counterpart International has been operating in Vietnam since 1996 and
has cross-sectoral programs here, ranging from Food Security and Sustainable
Agriculture, Environment and Conservation, to Healthcare and Nutrition.
http://www.counterpart.org/dnn/Default.aspx?tabid=49&metaid=F38M0707-f33
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Afghanistan: Emergency distribution to combat Kabul's bitter weather
11 February - Afghanistan is currently experiencing its coldest winter
in years, with icy conditions, heavy snow, and reports of people dying from
cold in the tented squatter camps scattered around the capital, Kabul.
Following a request from the Afghan Ministry of Health and an assessment of the
needs, Italian Cooperation, working in conjunction with the Italian Red Cross
and the ICRC, distributed 45 tonnes of wood and over 400 blankets on 1 February
to families living in a makeshift camp at Chaman-i-Babrak on the outskirts of
Kabul. A similar distribution was carried out to 60 families living in another
tented camp, Shahi Shahid, the following day. Nearly 200 families – about half
the camp's residents – benefited from the aid provided in Chaman-i-Babrak.
While it certainly did not cover all the needs, it was a start. A further
distribution is planned.
Many of the families are returnees from Pakistan and have been living in
Chaman-i-Babrak, in abysmal conditions, for months and even years. The place
lacks all amenities, and the ragged shelters are made from mud and plastic
sheeting for the most part. (…)
Private sector to adopt islands in the Maldives
Male, Maldives, 8 February -- Big businesses are readying to adopt small
islands in the Maldives through a pioneering effort aimed at helping people
affected by the tsunami to rebuild their homes. The “Adopt An Island”
initiative was officially launched in the Maldives today by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) at precisely 9:30 am, the exact time the gigantic
tsunami devastated one-third of the Maldives' inhabited islands, just over a
month ago.
The new initiative invites private donors to “Adopt An Island” and
thereby directly help one or more among the worst affected communities to
rebuild or repair their houses.
In the Maldives, the tsunami forced thousands of people from their homes
and, in some cases, their communities.Thirteen islands had to be completely
abandoned as all the buildings and infrastructure were smashed and fresh water
sources contaminated by the sea. (…)
The “Adopt An Island” initiative provides a new avenue for private
donors to help some of the worst hit communities in the Maldives. (…) Adoptions
would cover the cost of purchasing and delivering essential construction
materials like cement, steel, timber and tin. Island rebuilding teams would be
established and paid through the programme, generating much needed income
opportunities for many islanders. The most expensive adoption (US$4.4 million)
would enable more than a thousand people to rebuild and move back into their
homes. At the other end of the scale, $95,000 would help 58 families mend their
dwellings. (…)
http://www.undp.org/dpa/pressrelease/releases/2005/february/pr8feb05.html
Roman Catholic priests respond to Counterpart's tsunami relief drive
The Marist Society in
the USA recently donated $10,000 to help finance Counterpart International's
relief efforts in tsunami-affected regions of south Asia.
Washington, D.C. ,February 8 – Counterpart International's tsunami
relief efforts in Asia have just received a welcome donation of US$10,000 from
a Roman Catholic missionary group - the Marist Society in the USA. Father Stan
Hosie, Chairman of Counterpart International, who is himself a member of the
Marists, applauded the Marists for their contribution to the 40 year-old
development organization. The Marists are better known as the Society of Mary,
a congregation of Roman Catholic priests founded in Lyons, France, in 1816 .
With 40 years of development experience in over 50 countries,
Counterpart International is one of the world's most experienced organizations
in civil society development. Counterpart's approach relies on the local people
to define their needs, and trains and uses local people to execute the projects
in a way which becomes self-sustaining Counterpart, which continues to assemble
millions worth of medical supplies and badly needed pharmaceuticals for
airlifting to the survivors in the devastated areas of south Asia, has sent US$
3.7 million worth of urgently needed drugs and supplies with the support of its
partners and contributors. (…)
http://www.counterpart.org/dnn/Default.aspx?tabid=49&metaid=F39P3808-197
UNFPA-trained volunteers lend social support to grieving Sri Lankan
women
Hambantota, Sri Lanka, 7 February - Sitting in a tent in the stifling heat, Latha Wijesiri, a volunteer
health worker, talks quietly with four women about their immediate emotional
and physical needs. One of the women, the youngest, lost her husband to the
tsunami which ravaged Sri Lanka’s southeast coast a month ago. The rest have
lost relatives and friends. All have lost their homes and livelihoods. The
entire waterfront section of the city of Hambantota was swept away by three
massive waves. In the aftermath, 4,500 people perished in this district and
thousands were left homeless. Some 500 traumatized survivors, living in tents
on the rubble of their fishing community, are now trying to rebuild their
lives. (...) Wijesiri is a member of Sardovaya, one of the country’s largest
NGOs. “We lost 800 of our members to the tsunami,” she sighs. “I feel it is my
duty to do as much as I can to help the women of this district to recover and
rebuild.” (...)
A $610,000 grant from the German Government will be used to address
sexual and gender-based violence in Sri Lanka. The grant will also be used to
assist victims by providing services, including long-term psychological
support. (...)
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?id=556
Sri Lankan fisher folk receive first donation
A consignment of boat repair kits inaugurates implementation of FAO's
recovery programme for Sri Lanka following the tsunami
3 February, Colombo -- The first of a US$380 000 consignment of boat
repair kits to help restore the livelihoods of thousands of Sri Lankan
fishermen was handed over to the country's fisheries minister Chandrasena
Wijesinghe today. The donation, funded jointly by FAO and the German technical
cooperation agency GTZ, represents the beginning of the implementation of FAO's
US$20 million initial response to the tsunami that ravaged more than three
quarters of the country's fisheries industry.
A number of donor governments and agencies such as Japan, Norway,
Belgium, UK, Italy, EU, ECHO and the German government via GTZ have channelled
their funding assistance through FAO for the emergency rehabilitation of the
fisheries sector.
The repair kits will go to boatyards set up around the country by the
Sri Lankan government to repair those vessels salvaged by the surviving
fishermen. More than 7 500 Sri Lankan fishermen were killed by the tsunami and
thousands of boats destroyed. (…)
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/89567/index.html
WFP to receive proceeds from IRB Tsunami Aid Match, March 5
Rome, 3 February - The International Rugby Board will donate proceeds
from the IRB Rugby Aid Match, 'Helping to Rebuild After the Tsunami' to its
humanitarian partner WFP.
The match, which will pitch a Northern Hemisphere XV against a Southern
Hemisphere XV, will take place at Twickenham on 5th March.
James Morris, WFP Executive Director said, "This is a truly
wonderful initiative that comes at a critical time for families whose lives
have been devastated by this tragic crisis."
"This crisis is far from over - there is so much work still to be
done. We are very grateful to the international rugby community for their
generosity and solidarity with the millions of people who still need
help," added Mr Morris.
Dr Syd Millar, IRB Chairman said, "The IRB is delighted that the
international rugby community has come together to support this very worthwhile
cause. This is highlighted by major Unions agreeing to release players for the
match." (…)
ADRA provides food, medicine to flood survivors in Guyana
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, 3 February — From January 21-30, the
Adventist Development and Relief Agency responded with potable water, food, and
medicine to survivors of flooding that occurred in Guyana throughout January.
Approximately 650 food hampers were distributed to flood survivors. (…)
ADRA also provided medicines, including anti-bacterials, anti-diarrheals, and
disinfectants. Medical teams accompanied the relief teams to various
communities and provided medical service to the residents. ADRA Guyana’s relief
efforts were concentrated on the Lower East Coast, Sophia (Greater Georgetown),
and Canal No. 2 Region 3 on the West Bank of Demerara. The project, valued at
$10,000, was funded by ADRA International, ADRA Inter-America, ADRA Caribbean
Union, ADRA Guyana, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Guyana. (…)
http://www.adra.org/ADRANews/020305.html
Somalia: ICRC distributes food to 10,000 nomadic families
27 January - Between 11 and 20 January the ICRC distributed over 2,000
tonnes of food to some 10,000 families in central Somalia and Puntland. These
supplies will enable people to survive until the next harvest, in April. The
ICRC decided to bring in food after its assessment revealed widespread
malnutrition. Children are particularly affected, suffering from a range of
illnesses brought on by acute undernourishment.
Recurrent droughts have had a devastating effect on the people in these
areas, many of whom are nomads. They have lost livestock due to the gradual
destruction of grazing land, and their means of survival and their traditional
coping mechanisms have been exhausted, creating a critical situation. (…)
The ICRC has been in Somalia since 1982. Working in close cooperation
with the Somali Red Crescent Society it helps support those in need, providing
regular emergency aid, operating medical programmes, and running over 300
water, health, agricultural and veterinary projects.
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Strengthening the NPT and World Security
2005 Review Conference of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty
2 February - The 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will meet 2-27 May 2005 at the
United Nations in New York, to hammer out priorities to confront the spread of
nuclear weapons.
The Treaty, which marks its 35th anniversary this year, is seen to be at
a turning point. IAEA Director General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei says the system
"clearly needs reinforcement."
"It is clear that recent events have placed the NPT and the regime
supporting it under unprecedented stress, exposing some of its inherent
limitations and pointing to areas that need to be adjusted," he said.
Dr. ElBaradei has proposed seven steps to strengthen the NPT regime and
with it, world security. "Some of the needed fixes can be made in May, but
only if governments are ready to act," he said. The May 2005 Review
Conference provides a forum for the 188 countries party to the Treaty, to examine
its operation and direction for the next five years. (…)
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2005/npt_2005.html
4th
International Kashmir Peace Conference, United
Nations, New York, 24 February
“Peace Initiative in South
Asia: Exploring Possible Options for Kashmir”
Speakers will
address the following themes: (10:00 a.m.) “Kashmir: Time for
Creative Approaches”; (11: 45 a.m.) “India-Pakistan
dialogue: Exploring Possible Options for Kashmir”;
(3.00 p.m.) “Kashmir: The Role of the
International Community”; (4:30 p.m.) “CBM’s: Help or
Hindrance for Resolving Kashmir Conflict”.
To register:
kashmirconference@yahoo.com or gnfai2003@yahoo.com
Brenz Band appointed Unesco artist for peace
31 January - Brenz Band, a
German group of handicapped musicians, will be appointed a UNESCO artist for
peace for 2005-2006 by director-general Koïchiro Matsuura on February 3, at a
ceremony to be held at UNESCO headquarters. Brenz Band is being honored “in
recognition of its fervent involvement in the promotion of peace through its
musical activities and its commitment to the ideals and goals of the
organization.” (...)
Defining itself as a “messenger of tolerance and peace”, the BRENZ BAND
is a member of Paix 21. This foundation brings together three national
associations in Switzerland, Germany and France (in the process of being
established). Its aim is to “promote and establish peace in the world, through
all forms of non-violent dialogue, on the basis of respect for differences and
the universal declaration of human rights.” (...)
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-url_id=24914&url_do=do_topic&url_section=201.html
Training of mine detection dogs in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Geneva, 19 January - The GICHD has published the very first study
describing the training of mine detection dogs (MDD) in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“The training of dogs to detect buried landmines is a complex process, often
using different methods, and accompanied by an equally varied range of opinions
and training techniques from one organisation to the other. Until now, detailed
documentation on Mine Detection Dogs training has not been available to the
general mine action community” says Ian Mansfield, Operations Director at the
GICHD.
Since 1999, the GICHD has conducted applied research projects on various
aspects of dogs, such as international mine action standards for MDD and
training methodology. The report describes the MDD training programme used by
Norwegian People’s Aid in its Global Training Centre in Bosnia-Herzegovina. (…)
The study has been requested by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS),
but should be of interest to other UN agencies and programmes such as UNDP and
UNOPS, as well as to non-governmental organisations, national mine action
programmes and commercial companies, training and using MDD in demining
programmes.
The study was made possible thanks to a grant from the United Kingdom
Department for International Development (DfDI) and the kind support of
Norwegian People’s Aid.
http://maic.jmu.edu/whatsnew/genevatrainingstudy.htm
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Kindergartens help care for abandoned babies as Russian AIDS epidemic grows
Kaliningrad, Russia / New York, 9 February - HIV/AIDS is a growing problem among young people in Russia.
Fuelled by intravenous drug use, around 80 per cent of all those living with
the virus are under 30, with women accounting for one in three new infections.
The effects of the crisis on children are starkly illustrated at orphanages and
shelters across the country. At one kindergarten in Kaliningrad, the majority
of the 23 babies being cared for were abandoned at birth by HIV-positive
mothers who also injected drugs. In many cases the grandparents assume responsibility
for the children, and the kindergarten, with support from UNICEF, offers
additional care and assistance. (...) With more than three million injecting
drug users, Russia is one of the worst-affected countries in Eastern Europe. As
the Russian AIDS epidemic grows, it is possible that more babies will become
abandoned and will need the sort of care offered by similar UNICEF-backed
projects. Education – particularly among women at risk of infection – is
another priority for UNICEF in the battle against the spread of HIV.
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/russia_25079.html
Efforts to reduce mercury emissions recognised
7 February - The European Commission's proposed environmental management
strategy for the toxic metal mercury published on January 31, 2005 clearly sets
out the need for a co-ordinated global approach to reducing mercury emissions
from all sources.
It recognises voluntary actions by the chlorine industry to reduce
manufacturing emissions and phase out mercury-based plants, which account for
almost 50% of European chlorine capacity. The switch to alternative
technologies will cost more than Euro 3,000 million.
Euro Chlor, which represents European chlor-alkali producers, has
accepted the Commission's invitation to collaborate on finding a solution to
permanent storage of mercury as plants are decommissioned. For further
information, download Euro Chlor press statement.
New vaccine store boost immunization in Afghanistan
Kabul, 6 February - A new vaccine storage facility will open in
Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad on Tuesday 8 February, improving
immunization services for at least 500,000 children in surrounding provinces.
The new storage centre, which has been established by the Afghan Ministry of
Public Health with the support of UNICEF, will be able to hold 700,000 vials of
various vaccines at any given time. This capacity is sufficient to meet both
immediate and longer term vaccine needs for
4 four provinces (…)
Safe storage of vaccine is essential in the battle against preventable
childhood diseases. Many vaccines lose their potency if their temperature is
not kept low enough, and as a result supplies of vaccines have previously had
to be transported into the eastern provinces for every campaign, or to respond
to emergency disease outbreaks, from Kabul. This is both costly and
inefficient. The new storage centre, which has been supported through funding from
Japan and the United States of America, will greatly enhance the ability of
local health departments to manage vaccination activities. Immunization efforts
are implemented by 246 trained vaccinators through 123 fixed centres, covering
43 districts of the region, every year. (…) Japan has contributed a total of
US$ 34,250 towards the establishment of the Jalalabad centre, along with a
contribution of US$ 96,175 from the United States.
The opening of the Jalalabad centre follows the establishment of a similar
facility in Kandahar, serving the southern region, which was opened in January.
The country’s first vaccine storage facility was opened in Kabul in March 2004.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_25048.html
South Asia slashes polio cases by nearly half
Authorities committed to 2005 target to end paralysing disease
Geneva, 4 February - The three countries on the Asian continent that
still have polio are on target to end the disease this year, their health
authorities said today. Last year, polio cases in Afghanistan, India, and
Pakistan were slashed by 45 per cent. Similar momentum this year should put an
end to the transmission of polio in this particularly crowded corner of the
world, which has proven a challenge to global eradication efforts.
Meeting at the World Health Organization’s headquarters in Geneva, the
health ministers and senior officials hammered out a plan for 2005 that
involves massive and repeated polio immunization campaigns in the few remaining
affected districts of these countries. The emphasis will be on reaching
children in communities traditionally under-served by health services.
Similar action last year paid off in the shrinking geographic footprint
of the poliovirus and in falling numbers of affected children. Total cases in the region have fallen from
336 in 2003 to 186 in 2004 (reported as of 1 February 2005), while surveillance
of the disease in the key districts is twice as sensitive. Vast areas of each
country reported no polio last year.
Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai, India's Congress Party leader
Sonia Gandhi and Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf all lent their personal
support to the 2004 immunization campaigns, during which 210 million children
were given 1.5 billion doses of vaccine. (…)
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_25028.html
Rotary provides gift of sight in Philippines
More than 150 children and adults to receive free eye surgery
Evanston, Ill. USA, 4 February - More than 150 needy adults and children
will receive donated corrective eye surgeries in a mission supported by Rotary
clubs of the Philippines and the United States. A group led by ophthalmologists
will undertake the surgeries at the Municipal Hospital of La Trinidad from 25
February to 7 March.
The group's goal is to perform 100 to 150 cataract operations for adults
free of charge. In addition, a pediatric ophthalmologist will operate on 20 to
25 children with strabismus, known as crossed eyes. They will be working
closely with the Philippine doctors, and medical personnel in accomplishing
this mission."There is a great deal of interest in this program in the
Philippines," said Dr. Albert Alley, program coordinator. (…)
They are planning to operate for five days, utilizing three operating
rooms, with three operations going simultaneously. The American surgeons and
the Philippine surgeons will be working side-by-side performing approximately
30 to 35 operations per day. The group has a grant from the Rotary Foundation,
and also receives contributions from the Rotary Club of Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
This project is in partnership with the Rotary Club of La Trinidad in the
Philippines. (…) "An interesting sidelight of this mission is that Dr.
Benny Santos from Malolos, Philippines and his son, both ophthalmologists, will
be joining us," said Alley. Dr. Santos is a Past Director of Rotary
International, the association of 33,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.
Rotary has organized more than fifty similar eye surgery missions in
twenty countries around the world, and performed thousands of eye operations. (…)
http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/presscenter/releases/2005/215.html
IAEA confronts Europe´s cancer scourge
3 February - With the death toll from cancer claiming 1.7 million
Europeans each year, Health Ministers and experts of leading oncology centers
from 27 countries across the continent met at IAEA headquarters in Vienna this
week to work together to combat the disease.
The IAEA has teamed up with European countries involved in its Technical
Cooperation programme, The World Health Organization, professional societies
and NGOs to improve cancer prevention, detection and treatment. Over the next
three years the IAEA will roll out close to $24 million in funding for cancer
projects on an expected cost-sharing basis with the governments involved. The
projects range from improving nutrition to upgrading radiotherapy equipment and
training staff to ensure cancer patients are treated safely.
Ten radiotherapy "Centres of Competence" are currently being
established in Europe with IAEA support within the scope of national and
regional Technical Cooperation projects. Each facility will be capable of
treating several hundred patients per year at internationally accepted
standards. Each centre will serve as a national model for improving
radiotherapy in other institutions in the country. (…)
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2005/europe_cancer.html
MSF fights meningitis among Darfur refugees in eastern Chad
The current outbreak
is caused by the relatively rare "W135" strain.
Abeche, 28 January - The international medical aid organization Médecins
Sans Frontières (MSF) is launching a meningitis vaccination campaign in eastern
Chad, following a recent outbreak among refugees from Sudan's Darfur region.
The campaign is aimed at protecting thousands of people in the area from the
highly infectious disease, which is particularly threatening in the overcrowded
camps.
MSF is working alongside local health authorities and the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Over a period of two weeks,
MSF is planning to vaccinate about 70,000 Sudanese refugees and local residents
in Bredjing and Farchana camps, their respective surrounding areas and the
border town of Adré. (…) The first cases of meningitis were discovered in Bredjing
and Treguine refugee camps at the beginning of January. More than a year after
people fled the war-torn region of Darfur, living conditions in these camps are
still difficult. (…)
Gates Foundation funds new polio vaccine to accelerate eradication
efforts
Monovalent Oral Polio
Vaccine destined for Egypt, bringing faster child immunity against predominant
polio strain
27 January, Geneva/New York -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and
UNICEF announced today that they have received grants totalling US$ 10 million
from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop and introduce a
powerful new polio vaccine – a critical part of the strategy to end poliovirus
transmission worldwide by the end of 2005. The new vaccine, monovalent oral
polio vaccine type-1 (mOPV1), will be more efficient at boosting immunity
against poliovirus strain "type 1" than today’s trivalent vaccine,
which works against all three polio strains. Epidemiologists believe the new
vaccine could help to bring a swift end to polio through mass immunization
campaigns across areas where virus types 2 and 3 have already been eliminated.
The Gates Foundation funds will help WHO and UNICEF together with a
qualified vaccine manufacturer to develop, licence and introduce mOPV1 by May
2005. The vaccine will be used initially in Egypt, which has successfully
eliminated poliovirus types 2 and 3, and could soon be made available to other
areas where only type-1 poliovirus remains.
The mOPV1 will be produced and licensed under the oversight of the drugs
regulatory agencies of France and Egypt. The Egyptian government will train
health workers in the use of the vaccine and conduct post-marketing
surveillance. WHO will be responsible for overall coordination of the project,
with UNICEF procuring and delivering the vaccine to the government of Egypt. Of
the total grant amount, US$ 3 937 500 will be disbursed by the WHO and US$ 6
152 500 by UNICEF. (…)
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2005/np03/en/index.html
7th ILO European
Regional Meeting: 14-18 February 2005, Budapest, Hungary
Geneva,
8 February - Worker,
employer and government representatives from 50 European and central Asian
members of the international labour organization (ILO), including some 30
ministers, gather in Budapest, Hungary on 15-18 February to address the
challenges of economic transformation and globalization across the region.
The 7th European regional meeting of the ILO comes at
a time when governments in the region are seeking to reduce unemployment and
poverty while grappling with social problems that continue to plague most
countries despite the region’s role as a key player in worldwide economic
integration, says a report prepared for the meeting. (...)
Four eminent guests will honour the meeting with their
participation on a high-level panel with worker and employer representatives:
Mr. Ferenc Gyurcsány, prime minister of Hungary; Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime
Minister of Luxembourg and holder of the European Union (EU) Presidency; Mr.
Danial Akhmetov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan; and dr. Lawrence Gonzi, Prime
Minister of Malta will discuss the question "Will social dialogue survive
globalization?"
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2005/6.htm
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Launch of UN-backed public transport campaign
New international TV campaign promotes public transport as sustainable
travel alternative
Paris, 8 February - The United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The International Association of
Public Transport (UITP) have joined forces to promote the environmental and
life-style benefits of public transport in a new TV campaign. An animated 30
second commercial available in English, French, German and Spanish and produced
by McCann Erickson is scheduled to run across a growing list of international stations
(BBC World, CNN International, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, National Geographic and
Discovery Channel), starting with EuroNews from 10 February. With the theme
"The world is your home. Look after it", this public transport Ad
coincides with the coming into force of the Kyoto Protocol on 16 February 2005.
Total greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector are growing
faster than any other sector, and it is estimated to be responsible for 30 % of
CO2 emissions in Europe. In Europe, approximately 50% of transport trips in
urban area are less than 5km. The new Ad campaign, the first of its kind
between UITP and UNEP, aims to raise awareness of some of the advantages of
using public transport, especially the environmental benefits.
Agreement between Lithuania and the Russian Federation keeps Curonian
Spit off List of World Heritage in Danger
1 February - The Curonian Spit, an elongated sand-dune peninsula
straddling the border of Lithuania and the Russian Federation, will not be
inscribed on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger. The decision follows an
agreement between the two countries to undertake an environmental assessment of
the impact of oil exploration and production in the Baltic Sea, 22 kilometres
from the World Heritage site. The Curonian Spit is an oustanding example of a
landscape of sand dunes, that is under constant threat from natural forces,
such as wind and tide. Inhabited since pre-historic times, its survival has
been made possible only as a result of ceaseless human efforts to combat
erosion, notably through reforestation and stabilisation projets. Jointly
nominated by Lithuania and the Russian Federation, it was inscribed on the
World Heritage List in 2000.
In 2003, the World Heritage Committee expressed its concern over
potential oil pollution and damage to the Spit’s fragile ecological system from
a project by a Russian company, which set up an oil platform in the Baltic Sea
, 22 kilometres from the World Heritage site. (…)
In addition to a Round Table convened by the UNESCO World Heritage
Centre in November 2003, Lithuania and the Russian Federation held several
bilateral talks to discuss how to comply with the World Heritage Committee’s
decision. On January 28 they announced their agreement for a post-project
environmental assessment. (…)
UNESCO Director-General announces interim tsunami alert system for the
Indian Ocean
29 January - UNESCO and its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
(IOC) are in the process of developing an interim tsunami alert system in the
Indian Ocean which will cover the region while a longer-term fully-fledged
system is put in place. UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, announced
this new development in a speech delivered by IOC Executive-Secretary Patricio
Bernal today to the Ministerial Meeting on Regional Cooperation on Tsunami
Early Warning Arrangements underway in Phuket (Thailand).
One proposal under consideration for the interim system could be
operational almost immediately, and would involve the Japanese Meteorological
Agency (JMA) and the IOC Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) providing
national authorities in the Indian Ocean region with information and warnings
arising from their monitoring activities. UNESCO is also working with the Asian
Disaster Preparedness Centre in Thailand and the Asian Disaster Reduction
Centre in Japan to accelerate the translation and adaptation of public
awareness materials developed for and widely used in the Pacific region.
At the same time, efforts are continuing to establish a “longer-term
fully-fledged system,” Mr Matsuura said. “Through a joint project with the
UN-ISDR […], which has received financial support from Japan, the European
Union and Sweden, we are planning the installation of six tsunami enabled
sea-level stations in the eastern Indian Ocean and the upgrading of 15 more in
the whole basin.” (…)
Your guide to the UNECE Water Convention now available in six languages
The guide explains how the Convention on the Protection and Use of
Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes helps countries to curb
water pollution, restore and conserve water-related ecosystems, prevent
conflicts over scarce resources, and ensure that international rivers are well
managed so that future generations, too, will be able to extract clean water
from them. Although originally negotiated by the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Convention was recently amended to enable
other UN Member States to sign up to it and benefit from the experience
acquired in UNECE. To raise awareness about the Convention around the globe,
this guide was translated into all the official languages of the United Nations
with the help of the Environment Ministries of Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
http://www.unece.org/press/pr2005/05env_n01e.htm
First bio-diversity park of its kind launched in Rawalpindi
Pioneering public-private partnership gives
poor access to bio-diversity
Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- The first bio-diversity
park of its kind in the world was officially opened today by representatives of
UNESCAP, the Government of Pakistan and the private sector in Morgah,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (…) “In Asia and Pacific, conservation of bio-diversity
has assumed renewed importance after the recent Tsunami which destroyed considerable
parts of the region’s reserves of bio-diversity such as forests, fish stocks,
coral reefs and mangrove swamps,” UNESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su told
the gathering. (…)
The Morgah Bio-diversity Park
Project is the brainchild of the Bangkok-based UN Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). It brings together participants
from the private sector, national and local governments, and the local
community. A part of UNESCAP's Pro-Poor Public Private Partnership for poverty
reduction, it is a follow up of the World Summit on Sustainable Development,
held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002.(...) Chief Executive Officer,
Attock Refinery Limited, said the Morgah Bio-diversity Park is a living example
that such diverse partners can work together efficiently.(...) The project was
made possible by the generous financial support of the Royal Government of the
Netherlands.
http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2005/jan/n03.asp
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Gaza students receive boost to support their commitment to education
Gaza City, 8 February - About 10,000 children in impoverished areas in
the Gaza Strip today received a boost in the form of educational supplies to
support their commitment to education.
“There are many children in schools affected by the conflict or in
marginalized areas where basic educational supplies are really needed,” says
the UNICEF Special Representative in occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), Dan
Rohrmann. “The children are very committed to pursuing education and we would
like to ensure that the commitment is supported through the provision of these
basic materials.” (…)
The distribution today also included supplies for some 800 children
given through the psychosocial emergency team in Khan Younis, an area seriously
affected by the crisis most recently. In addition, educational supplies were
given for some 10,000 children to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
(MOEHE) for use in emergency responses throughout Gaza.
UNICEF’s emergency action receives support from many donors - Arab Gulf
Fund (Agfund), Austria, Belgium, Canada, European Commission Humanitarian
Office (ECHO), Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and
the United States. Additionally, a Tunisian non-governmental organization
‘Children First’ and several UNICEF National Committees - including the French,
German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and United Kingdom. UNICEF’s emergency actions in oPt would not
take place at this scale if it were not for their voluntary support.
http://www.unicef.org/media_25066.html
Girls celebrated for determination to stay in school
Maharashtra, India, 8 February - Communities in Maharashtra, in the
western and central parts of India, are coming together to give special
recognition to girls who manage to stay in school against all odds. Last
November, UNICEF and the local television station ‘Doordarshan Sahaydri’
organized a ceremony to showcase both the struggles and successes of girls who
want to go to school. Nine girls, all from remote districts were selected to
receive an award. The event was so successful that there are plans now to repeat
it annually as part of an ongoing campaign to change social attitudes by
celebrating girls who have transformed their dreams of staying in school into
reality.(...) The event aimed to increase awareness about the importance of
girls’ education and the critical role of the community in supporting girls who
want to go to school. Speaking at the event, the Director of the Doorsdarshan
Sahaydri station, Mukesh Sharma, said, “Girls are a divine source of power in
India. They are the foundation of our society and it is our duty to educate
them.”(...)
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_25071.html
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors help raise $40,000 for ‘Africa Unite’
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 8 February - UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors Danny
Glover and Angélique Kidjo helped raise $40,000 at a benefit concert for
‘Africa Unite’. Kidjo, who's from Benin in West Africa,
performed and Glover, the world-renowned actor, hosted the UNICEF event on
4 February to help raise money for the construction of the Bob Marley Youth
Development Centre in Addis Ababa. Kidjo also performed at a concert in the
Ethiopian capital in celebration of Bob Marley’s 60th birthday. Both
events were part of ‘Africa Unite,’ a partnership between prominent activist
entertainers and organisations working on behalf of the world’s children,
including UNICEF. (...) Youth participants from Burundi, Cameroon,
Djibouti, the Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania , Ethiopia, and
Uganda set forth ten ‘Demandments’ urging their countries’ leaders to implement
programmes that address youth issues and most importantly to provide free,
quality education. They were joined by their peers from Jamaica. Over 200
young people contributed to the ideas. ‘Africa Unite’ comes in advance of
the fifth Africa Development Forum, scheduled for June 2005, which will focus
on youth.
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ethiopia_25072.html
Community-based schools bring hope to Afghan girls
by Phuong Nguyen
Bagrami, Afghanistan, 8 February - Eight-year old Zakira is a typical
girl from Hussain Khel village in Bagrami district, north of Kabul. She and her
five siblings have never enjoyed a day of schooling as there were no schools
around their village. Access to schools is the most important factor affecting
school enrolment rate in Afghanistan, particularly for girls. Parents have
cited this, along with lack of transportation and security, as major barriers
to sending their children to school. Faced with this problem, education
authorities and UNICEF have adopted a simple philosophy - if children are
unable to get to the school, the school must be brought to them. To help children
like Zakira, UNICEF and the Afghan Ministry of Education founded
community-based schools at the end of 2004. 50,000 children between the ages of
7 and 12 in communities where no schools currently exist are being
educated.(...)
The religious leader, or mullah,
plays a key role in Afghan society . Working closely with the local Department
of Education, UNICEF encourages such figureheads, along with village elders and
other notable personalities, to mobilize communities to establish non-formal
schools in their village.(...) In 2005, UNICEF plans to increase the number of
girls attending community-based schools to 500,000, helping to ensure that
girls’ rights to a basic education are fulfilled. (...)
http://www.unicef.org/girlseducation/index_25073.html
EC and UNICEF join hands to support education in Somalia
Nairobi, 31 January – Education prospects for Somali children are to
benefit from a European Commission grant of 4.5 million euros, UNICEF Somalia
Representative, Jesper Morch, said today following the signing of an agreement
between the two bodies. UNICEF will use the funds to promote pupil enrolment
and to ensure quality teaching and learning under initiatives spanning a two
year period from 2005. Part of the funds will be used in a major education
enrolment campaign through UNICEF Somalia’s Every Child Counts Initiative. Community education committees which manage
schools in most of Somalia will also be targeted under specific interventions
to ensure they are better able to manage schools under their supervision.
Currently only about 19.9% per cent of Somali children are in school.
According to the 2003/2004 Survey of Primary Schools in Somalia, 285,574
children were enrolled in primary schools. This was a 5.7% increase from the
previous year. Of those enrolled only
35% are girls. As per the latest survey there were 9,088 teachers of whom only
1,210 (13%) were female with one teacher having about 31 students per class in
average. (…)
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_24988.html
5th Annual EU-UNU Forum will discuss NGO participation in the democratic
process
28 January - Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have grown in number
and influence, and play an important role in mediating state-citizen relations
domestically and in shaping the agenda of world affairs. Such a robust and
independent civil society is an essential pillar of democratic states, and
gives flesh and meaning to the concept of "We the Peoples of the United
Nations".
Over the past two decades, citizens' movements and NGOs in democratic
societies worldwide have been seeking better representation in the political
process. Japanese NGOs, however, are generally small and understaffed in
comparison with their European counterparts, and face significant obstacles in
developing and attracting increased support.
On Thursday, 3 February, United Nations University and the Delegation of
the European Commission in Japan will co-organize the fifth annual European
Union-United Nations University (EU-UNU) Tokyo Global Forum. In recognition of
2005 as the "EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges", the theme
of this forum will be "Bridging the Gap: Involving Citizens' Movements and
NGOs in the Democratic Process." Participants, including political
leaders, academics, UN officials, and NGO representatives, will exchange views
on how to optimize the role that civil society plays in supporting the
democratic system of government. (…)
http://www.unu.edu/hq/rector_office/press2005/pre02-05.html
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