Archive for November 28th, 2015

28/11/2015

Adolescent Deaths from AIDS Tripled Since 2000

Human Wrongs Watch

The number of adolescent deaths from AIDS has tripled over the last 15 years with 26 new infections occurring every hour, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on 27 November 2015 announced and warned that “it is critical that young people who are HIV-positive have access to treatment, care and support.”

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Malawi teen, Martha, was born with HIV. Now a mother herself, she has defied the odds and her son, Rahim Idriss, is part of Malawis AIDS-free generation. In this picture, she awaits the results of Rahmins HIV test. After two months of waiting, she finds out the Rahmin, now 8-months old, is HIV negative. Photo: UNICEF/HIVA201500101/Schermbrucker

“At the same time, those who are HIV-negative must have access to the knowledge and means to help them to stay that way,” said Craig McClure, head of UNICEF’s global HIV/AIDS programmes, at a conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, where new data was released by UNICEF.

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28/11/2015

Child Brides in Africa Could More than Double to 310 Million by 2050 – UNICEF

Human Wrongs Watch

26 November 2015 – Nearly half of the world’s child brides in 2050 will be African, if current trends persist, due to the continent’s rapid population growth and lagging social reforms, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned, calling for sharper focus on reaching the poorest and most marginalized girls with quality education and a host of other protective services.

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Nafissa, of Niger is 17. This photo was taken on 18 November 2015. She was married when she was 16. She has been married for 10 months, becoming pregnant 3 months after marrying. Nafissa’s baby was still born 15 days ago. Photo: UNICEF/UNI202947/van der Velden

A UNICEF report released on 25 November at the African Union Girls Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, shows that the total number of child brides in Africa will more than double, rising from 125 million to 310 million over the next 35 years, largely because of slow rates of reduction, combined with rapid population growth.

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28/11/2015

UN Specialized Bodies Tell the Bad News Ahead of Climate Talks in Paris

Human Wrongs Watch

In the weeks leading up to the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), which begins in Paris on Monday 30 November 2015 and aims to reach a new universal climate agreement, many of the UN agencies and programmes announced their latest climate-related findings, bringing to light new data, major concerns, and underlining existing and potential opportunities to preserve the planet.

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A parched field in Kenya where drought has been especially devastating to sub-Saharan agriculture. Photo: ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached yet another new record high in 2014, continuing a “relentless rise” which is fueling climate change and will make the planet more dangerous and inhospitable for future generations.
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