'Unseen' News and Views
– UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told a Chatham House meeting in London last week that the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), one of the legacies of the late Secretary-General Kofi Annan, “spawned tremendous progress” in the battle against poverty worldwide.
She pointed out that the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day was reduced from 1.9 billion in 1990 to 836 million in 2015 — “the largest decline of its kind in human history”.
Together with Uganda, UN humanitarian agencies are racing to contain deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) there, after the announcement that it has claimed a second victim.
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The development, which is likely linked to the ongoing outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), comes ahead of a key meeting on Friday [14 June 2019] at the World Health Organization (WHO), to decide whether to announce an international public health emergency.
13 June 2019 (UN Environment)* — The brick-clay industry employs around 10 million people in India. The industry also burns around 35–40million tonnes of coal per year, emitting carbon dioxide and sulfur, contributing to air pollution.
Photo by Qube
According to India’s Central Pollution Control Board, India produces over 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily, much of which ends up in landfills.
Ultimately, 40 per cent of this waste finds its way into river and drainage systems, oceans, the soil and fragile ecosystems. Some of it is ingested by animals, causing environmental harm.
As the world prepares to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June 2019, the UN independent human rights expert mandated with defending the rights of older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, has stressed that they are often victims of sexual abuse and rape, although it remains rarely detected, reported or exposed.
2018 UNRWA Photo by Carlos Pérez Osorio
– The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been forced to justify its existence at the United Nations ahead of a pledging conference later this month.
UNRWA came under fire by Jason Greenblatt, US Special Envoy for International Negotiations, at a Security Council meeting late last month.
Allegations and criticism raised by Greenblatt did little to aid the already precarious financial situation of the Agency. Last week, UNRWA held a press conference at the UN in an attempt to raise awareness — and funds for their work.
11 June 2019 (openDemocracy)* — For too long, we have related to climate change mainly as consumers and voters. We have been responsibilised as meat eaters and airplane travellers, we have been urged to vote for the party with the most green agenda, but we have never been addressed as workers.
With the likes of John Bolton and Elliot Abrams directing US foreign policy, the US government has abandoned all pretense of “plausible denial” for its illegal regime-change initiatives. The “humanitarian” bombs may not be falling but, make no mistake, the US is waging a full-bore war against the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela.
Back in 1998, Venezuela had had nearly a half a century of two-party rule. A duopoly, not unlike the Republican and Democratic parties in the US, alternated in power imposing a neoliberal order. Poor and working people experienced deteriorating conditions of austerity regardless of which party was in power.
12 June 2019 — With thousands of people from around the world coming together at the Women Deliver conference (us included!) beginning on June 2nd in Vancouver, there was bound to be some major developments! Here’s your quick rundown on the most important stories to come out of the past two weeks.
Canada’s First Women, Peace and Security Ambassador
After much anticipation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that Jacqueline O’Neill has been named Canada’s first-ever Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security! Sending a huge congratulations fo Jacqueline, whose decades of experience makes her the perfect candidate for this vital job.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 