Archive for September 23rd, 2014

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23/09/2014

Climate Action – "Who Is Stopping Us?"

Human Wrongs Watch

By Kumi Naidoo*, 23 September, 2014 — The world has changed since our leaders discussed climate change in 2009. It has become even more evident; ravaging crops in Africa, melting ice in the Arctic, drowning the Philippines and drying-up California. The poor are paying the highest price. But ever since super storm Sandy hit New York, even the rich in industrialized countries know that they can’t hide from devastating climate change in their gated communities.

Climate change is not on its way. It’s already here.

Photo: Greenpeace

Photo: Greenpeace

Yet, cost-effective, sensible solutions have also made quantum leaps since 2009. Clean, renewable energy is getting bigger, better and cheaper every day. It can provide the answers our exhausted planet is looking for.

Renewables are the most economical solution for new power capacity in an ever-increasing number of countries. 100% of power capacity added in the United States last month was renewable and countries like Denmark and Germany are producing new ‘clean electricity’ records almost every month.

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23/09/2014

Juggling a Cacophony of Tongues, UN Interpreters Avert Linguistic Disaster

Human Wrongs Watch

Out of potential linguistic chaos, a corps of over 100 United Nations interpreters brings order and comprehension as speaker after speaker from around the world takes the podium of the General Assembly to give their annual speeches at the General Debate, discusses war and peace in the Security Council, or delves into arcane details of administrative and budgetary affairs in one of the Assembly’s six specialized committees.

Highly skilled interpreters perform a vital service at UN meetings, where delegates come together to present their views in one of the six official languages or in their own tongue. A UN Interpreter, at work in a booth over looking a meeting room. (1965) UN Photo

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Were only interpreters but its our contribution to what the UN is doing, Laurence Viguie, a French interpreter with the Organization, told the UN News Centre in an interview. I love the job, and I never have the feeling that Im going to work.*

Back in 1964, when Anthony Mango became an interpreter, the job was a very prestigious one. People used to consider that as something that was magical your ability to come out in one language while simultaneously listening to a statement in another language, said the now retired UN staffer.

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23/09/2014

'Global Film Industry Perpetuates Discrimination against Women'

Human Wrongs Watch

Nowhere to be “scene,” women protagonists have less than one-third of all speaking roles in film and are largely absent from powerful positions, according to a United Nations-backed survey released on 22 September 2014, which argues for the involvement of more female film-makers in the industry, and for greater sensitivity to gender imbalance on screen.

Actress Geena Davis. Photo: UN Women/Catianne Tijerina

“The first-ever global study of female characters in popular films, launched today, reveals deep-seated discrimination and pervasive stereotyping of women and girls by the international film industry,” according to UN Women, which supported the study along with The Rockefeller Foundation.*

It was commissioned from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.

“The fact is – women are seriously under-represented across nearly all sectors of society around the globe, not just on-screen, but for the most part we’re simply not aware of the extent,” said actress Geena Davis, founder of an eponymous Institute on Gender in Media, which released he 22 September study.

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23/09/2014

UN Summit: Tackling Climate Change Requires “All Hands on Deck”

Human Wrongs Watch

True to his belief that tackling climate change requires “all hands on deck”, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is gathering a new and unique mix of partners at United Nations Headquarters on 23 September 2014, from Government, business, finance and civil society – for a summit aiming to raise ambition, mobilize resources, and generate action towards a universal climate deal.

Pictured, Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in southeast Iceland, formed by a melting glacier (2013). UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The UN chief’s Climate Summit is expected to draw more than 120 Heads of State and Government to announce their vision and commitment for reaching a universal and meaningful climate agreement in 2015, as well as make announcements on actions that will reduce emissions, enhance resistance to climate change and mobilize financing for climate action.*

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Posted in Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Market Lords, Middle East, Mother Earth, Others-USA-Europe-etc., The Peoples | 2 Comments »

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