Weekly – year 12th, number 200 - 4 April 2012
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 out” in the space of a day. It is
distributed free of charge through Internet to 10,000 media and editorial journalists in 54 countries and to
3,000 NGOs and 1,600 high schools, colleges and universities.
It is an all-volunteer
service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà
Mondiale, an educational
charity associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information.
In the final report of the Decade
for a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) presented to the UN General
Assembly, Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been
playing a major role in the field of Information via Internet*.
International
legislation – Human rights – Economy
and development
– Solidarity
Peace and
security – Health – Energy and Safety – Environment and
wildlife
Religion and spirituality – Culture and education
Parliaments still vital to quest for democracy, UN
report finds
New
York, April 2 - Despite the current low level of trust in parliaments, these
bodies have never been more essential to the political life of a country,
according to a joint report launched today by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The
first Global Parliamentary Report (GPR) calls on parliaments to address the
fragile trust in them, engage with citizens, stay closely attuned to their
needs and make every effort to meet them.<http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-governance/the-global-parliamentary-report.html>
More
than 125 parliaments and 660 members of parliament (MPs) participated in the
report, which aims to help both legislative assemblies and politicians better
understand and respond to the public pressures they are facing.
The report also points
to the emergence of more than 190 parliamentary monitoring organizations in
more than 80 countries, the growing number of parliaments with codes of conduct
and the limits placed on the length of parliamentary mandates as measures to
make MPs more accountable to an increasingly demanding electorate.
Suu Kyi's win more than symbolic
Tony
Henderson
Yangon,
Myanmar, April 1, Pressenza IPA - Myanmar's opposition party, the National
League for Democracy (NLD), has stated that their leader Aung San Suu Kyi has
won a seat in the country's parliament in the by-election, the party having
gained 45 out of the 664 seats. Though, no official confirmation of this from
government so far. The success in these elections could well mean bigger gains
for the Opposition in the 2015 general elections.
Sunday's
vote was seen as an important test of the government's commitment to its
democratic reforms. About six million people were eligible to vote this time
around, with a total of 160 candidates from 17 parties, including six new to
the political arena, contesting for 45 parliamentary seats. The number of seats
at stake was not enough to threaten the military-backed ruling party's
overwhelming majority.
The
government invited teams of foreign observers for the first time, with
attendance by representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
European Union and the US, plus journalists, all witness the elections.
Honduras becomes 70th State Party to
cluster bomb ban
March
22 – The Republic of Honduras ratified the Convention on Cluster
Munitions on 21 March 2012 becoming the 70th State Party to the treaty. The ratification comes in advance of the Convention
on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings that will take place in Geneva
from 16-19 April 2012. At this meeting
governments will take stock of the progress made so far in implementing the
Convention on Cluster Munition using the Vientiane Action Plan as a roadmap.
The
2008 Convention comprehensively bans the use, production, stockpiling and
transfer of cluster munitions, sets strict deadlines for clearance of
contaminated land and destruction of stockpiles of the weapon, and includes
groundbreaking provisions for assistance to victims and affected communities.
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=3575
UN Officials stress need to strengthen and harmonize
Human Rights Treaty bodies
New
York, April 2 - Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon today called for increased resources to help strengthen and harmonize
the treaty bodies that monitor the implementation of international human rights
treaties, describing them as the indispensable link between universal standards
and the individuals they are designed to protect.
“Human
rights are at the heart of the UN system, and treaty bodies are at the heart of
the UN human rights machinery,” <http://www.un.org/sg/statements/index.asp?nid=5967>
said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “We cannot afford to undermine these
critical engines of the human rights protection system. We must strengthen them.”
Mr.
Ban was addressing a treaty body strengthening consultations meeting for States
parties to international human rights treaties at UN Headquarters in New York.
The treaty bodies are created in accordance with the provisions of the
respective human rights treaty they monitor, and the Geneva-based Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) supports their work
and assists them in harmonizing their working methods and reporting
requirements through their secretariats.
African Local Summit, Kumasi, Ghana - April 1 - 4
Representatives
of all sectors of society (government agencies, popular social movements, educational
institutions, entrepreneurs, youth, media, traditional and community leaders,
artisans and artists) from across Africa are invited to gather for this first
ever Summit to consider distinctly African approaches to expanding efforts to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
This
African Local Sumit is part of a wider context, leading into the Global Summit
2012 : The Olympics of Sustainability - Empowering Humanity to Achieve the MDGs
to be held in London, UK in August.
www.africanlocalsummit.org www.theglobalsummit.org
Inauguration of newly renovated Lebanese agro-food
laboratory
Upgrading services in Lebanon to promote business
opportunities
March
30 – To compete in today’s marketplace, companies must comply with strict
sanitary and quality control regulations, present verifiable nutritional
information and adhere to standardized labeling and packaging guidelines. Most
companies turn to a third-party testing laboratory or a product development
firm for help in meeting these exacting requirements as well as staying abreast
of product innovation.
To
expand access to accredited labs and improve the quality and scope of services
those labs provide, ACDI/VOCA implements the USAID-funded Lebanon Agricultural
Quality Control and Certification (QCC) program. Since July 2009, QCC has
helped build the capacity of food testing laboratories embedded in the Chambers
of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli, Saida and Zahle. The
renovated Agro-Food Development Lab (AFDL) in Saida will play a leading role in
providing services to Beirut and southern regions of Lebanon through laboratory
testing and consulting. On March 10, a new 40-square meter microbiology lab and
a renovated chemistry lab were inaugurated. The facility will offer upgraded
services with such new equipment as an Alveograph and a Glutomatic machine for
testing dough characteristics and gluten content of pastries and
confectionaries.
http://www.acdivoca.org/site/ID/news-Lebanese-Agro-Food-Laboratory-Renovation-Launch
The Coca-Cola Company contributes $2 million to
Catalyst's 'Changing Workplaces, Changing Lives' campaign
Grant supports research for women leaders in the
global marketplace
Atlanta,
March 30 - The Coca-Cola Company today announced a $2 million, multiyear award
to Catalyst Inc. to help women worldwide grow and thrive in business. The donation was announced in conjunction
with Catalyst’s 50th anniversary celebration held this week in New York
City.
Catalyst,
a nonprofit organization working to accelerate the advancement of women
globally, will use the funding to create the Center for Corporate Practice
Research, which will analyze more than 20 years of initiatives on inclusion
used by large corporations. It will share its findings and best practices with
global markets working to achieve gender parity.
Founded
in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization expanding
opportunities for women and business. With offices in the United States,
Canada, Europe, and India, and more than 500 preeminent corporations as
members, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice
about women at work. The Coca-Cola Company has previously awarded more than
$1.2 million to Catalyst for sponsorships, general operating and program
support. (…)
Nepal: ADRA combats poverty through agro-based
training program
March
28 – Silver Spring, Md., USA – The Adventist Development and Relief
Agency (ADRA) is fighting against the effects of poverty in the Kapilvastu,
Palpa, and Rupandehi districts of Western Nepal. The local ADRA Nepal office
developed this three and a half year project entitled, Develop Local Economy to
Eradicate Poverty (DEEP), with the primary focus to empower women's groups
through sustainable agro-based livelihood activities, which will ensure food security
and income diversification.
ADRA
Nepal is increasing income-generating capacities of women through
entrepreneurial and vocational classes, as well as integrating newly formed
savings groups into strengthened cooperatives. This project will also seek to
strengthen the organizational capacity, leadership, and management of members
of the cooperatives through the use of the Result Orientated Leadership and
Development Program (ROLDP). This project will reach out to 2,100 women in
their respective communities, and is estimated to reach a further 40,838
secondary beneficiaries in the wider community.
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11750&news_iv_ctrl=1141
Looking to RIO+20, world must act on sustainable
development, says UN Forum
New
York, March 23 - Organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in
conjunction with Turkey’s Ministry of Development, the Global Human Development
Forum gathered more than 200 leading development experts, civil society
activists, private sector representatives and UN officials from around the
world to tackle the need for reinforced global and national sustainable
development strategies.
The
two-day Forum concluded with the adoption of the unanimously-approved Istanbul
Declaration calling on the international community to take bold action against
social inequities and environmental deterioration when delegates meet at the UN
Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20, in Brazil in June.
Noting
that economic development has frequently meant environmental degradation and
increased inequality, the Declaration also urges members of the global
community to ensure that their development strategies promote key elements such
as social inclusion, social protection, and equity. In addition, it also
endorses UNDP’s 2011 Human Development Report –“Sustainability and
Equity: A Better Future for All” – stressing the need to maintain
progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 while
building a consensus for a new post-2015 global development framework.
FAO and EBRD make an agreement to boost cooperation in
the Mediterranean
March 21, Rome –
The UN Food and Agriculture
Organization and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have
decided to cooperate to promote private sector investments in agribusiness in
the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region. The agreement provides new
technical assistance projects for developing policies and legal frameworks that
create a favorable investment climate and foster private sector involvement; in
particular the projects include policy discussions between governments and
private agricultural businesses.
FAO and EBRD have started their collaboration in 1994 : since then, they
have implemented over 80 projects for a total value of 9.4 million dollars;
this new project is valued 2.2 million dollars and EBRD will contribute with
1.5 million dollars. The projects will start with Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and
Tunisia.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/129871/icode/
IFAD
will help Cote d’Ivoire reduce rural poverty with a 22.5 million dollars grant
March 16,
Rome - The agriculture sector contributes to about 24% to the
country’s gross domestic product but a long period of civil conflict has
increased the vulnerability of poor rural people particularly small producers
who do not have access to appropriate technologies, services and markets. The
new IFAD project will provide sustainable rural development in the context of a
post-crisis environment in Savanes, Bandama Valley and Zanzan regions in the
North, to improve food security and household incomes in these regions. The
project will enhance farm production by helping small producers to access
improved seeds and mechanized equipment for tillage and harvesting. Cofinanced
by the government of Côte d’Ivoire, this new project will benefit more than
25,000 poor rural households, including women and young people.
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2012/24.htm
New FAO project to help policymakers maximize the
potential of bioenergy
March 5, Rome - FAO has just released guidance documents and policymaking tools
that governments can use to help rural communities benefit from bioenergy
development and ensure that biofuel crop production does not come at the
expense of food security. The “Bioenergy and Food Security Criteria and Indicators
(BEFSCI) Project” includes: methodologies for assessing the environmental and socioeconomic impacts
of bioenergy production, indicators that can be measured when doing so,
recommended good practices and policy measures for promoting sustainable
bioenergy development.
The BEFSCI project was funded by the General Federal Ministry of Food,
Agriculture and Consumer Protection and has generated a number of products: a web-based tool for assessing potential food security impacts of
bioenergy projects, a comprehensive list of methodologies and indicators, a set of good environmental practices to minimize negative environmental impacts and
a compilation of socio-economic practices.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/123156/icode/
Rotary International signs project partner agreement
with ShelterBox
By
Ryan Hyland
Rotary
International News, 30 March – Rotary International and ShelterBox, a
grassroots disaster relief organization, signed a project partner agreement
this month, allowing the two organizations to collaborate more closely to
provide relief and temporary shelter to survivors of natural disasters.
“Project partner” is a special status RI gives to groups started or managed by
Rotary clubs. The agreement will build on the strengths of both organizations
in responding to disasters all over the world.
“Our
Rotary friends have always been there ready to assist – from generous
donations to direct operational support on the ground Rotary has always been
part of our DNA,” said Tom Henderson, ShelterBox CEO. “I feel like we have
34,000 ShelterBox offices around the world working together to help those who
have lost everything when they need us the most.”
RI
General Secretary John Hewko said the agreement will enable Rotary club members
to have an immediate, lifesaving impact in communities hit by natural
disasters. “ShelterBox will be able to ensure that local Rotarians are provided
an opportunity to participate in the distribution of ShelterBox containers,” he
said.
Each
ShelterBox typically provides a bespoke tent designed to withstand extreme
weather conditions, stove, water purification kit, blankets, tools, and other
necessities to help a family survive for six months or more after a disaster.
(...)
http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/120329_news_shelterbox.aspx
Montenegro: severe snowstorms leave thousands
stranded, ADRA responds
March
28 – Silver Spring, Md.,USA – ADRA Montenegro is procuring supplies
for their distribution that will go to 175 families (approximately 800 people)
affected by the severe snowstorms in the towns of Berane and Kolasin. These
towns are home to refugee settlements, a large population of elderly, and Roma
families. ADRA is working with the local Red Cross to coordinate the
distribution of the food and hygiene parcels, along with the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees and local authorities in order to prevent
duplication to beneficiaries. A central distribution point will be established
for beneficiaries to collect relief aid, however, in the event beneficiaries
are unable to travel due to weather conditions, home deliveries will be
coordinated to ensure aid assistance is received. ADRA Montenegro, the Regional
ADRA office, and ADRA International have jointly funded this emergency response
in the amount of $20,000.
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11749&news_iv_ctrl=1141
Feeding the Future, WFP’s nutrition-education
programme, will help Laos to fight child malnutrition
March 16, Rome –
Laos has some of the worst child malnutrition rates in the world, children of
the rural areas are chronically malnourished, impacting their physical
and mental development for a lifetime: nutrition knowledge is central to tackle
this problem and the WFP programme will empower communities
throughout the country to improve their diets and ensure children grow up
strong and healthy. The objective of Feeding the Future is to educate
villagers about the dangers of malnutrition and how to use the natural
resources in their environment to ensure a well-balanced and complete diet for
themselves and their children. The trainings are tailored to the needs of
different ethnic groups and delivered in their ethnic languages through
colorful visual materials, role playing, nutrition games and cooking sessions.
WFP helps Yemen fight hunger by giving cash vouchers to
the poorest families
March 15, Hajjah
– In late 2011, WFP started to help the poorest families in the Hajjah
and Ibb Governorates by giving them cash vouchers that they could change in
post offices. Each voucher is the equivalent of 50$ so the families can afford
to buy food as well as medicine and other necessities they can’t afford : the programme benefits
10,000 vulnerable households, comprising around 70,000 people in total. The cash transfer in Yemen is still
in its pilot phase and following the final round of distribution in March; WFP
representative in Yemen Lubna Alaman, explains: “This is a new intervention in
Yemen, that is why we need to assess its success before implementing a wider
scale expansion. Throughout the duration of this six-month pilot scheme,
WFP will distribute 1.4 million dollars and WFP calculates that each voucher is
the equivalent of 50kg of wheat and 5 liters of vegetable oil.
http://www.wfp.org/stories/Transferring-Cash-in-Yemen-to-Help-Poorest-Households
Global Youth Service Day - April 20 - 22
Global
Youth Service Day is the largest annual celebration of young volunteers, where
millions of young people from over 100 countries in 6 continents carry out
thousands of community improvement projects. I have hope that stems in large part from my knowledge that the future
of this planet lies in the tremendous energy, enthusiasm, and commitment of
young people around the world. Jane Goodall
UN mission head, Lebanese and Israeli officials hold
‘constructive’ meeting
28
March – The head of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon and
senior military officials from that country and Israel today discussed issues
relevant to the implementation of the Security Council resolution that ended
the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese group known as Hizbollah. “It was
overall a constructive meeting,” said the head of mission and Force Commander
of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major-General Paolo Serra,
following a regular tripartite meeting with officials from the Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), at a UN position located near
the Ras Al Naqoura crossing between the two countries.“Both parties expressed
their full support and commitment to work together with UNIFIL for the
implementation of the relevant provisions of resolution 1701 and to maintain
calm in the area,” said Maj-Gen Serra in a press release.
In
2006, the Security Council adopted resolution 1701, ending the so-called summer
war between Israel and the Lebanon-based group Hizbollah. It has largely been
respected over the past five years. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently said
the resolution has brought an “unprecedented” degree of relative calm and
stability to southern Lebanon.
The
meeting also covered “very important issues” on maritime security, the UNIFIL
Force Commander said, adding that he had encouraged the Lebanese and Israeli
officials to work together on the issues to reduce the risk on incidents that
could escalate the situation.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41662&&Cr=lebanon&&Cr1=
Cambodian campaigners receive Justice and Peace Award
March
28– The Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions, a
member of the ICBL-CMC, was awarded the 15th Tji Haksoon Justice and Peace
Award 2012 on 14 March 2012 in recognition of their dedication to the welfare
and rights of landmine victims. During the visit, campaigners took the
opportunity to urge the South Korean government to stop the manufacture of
cluster munitions in the country and to join the Convention on Cluster
Munitions and the Mine Ban Treaty.
Sister
Denise Coghlan, the Director of the Cambodia Campaign and Director of Jesuit
Refugee Service Cambodia, and Song Kosal, Youth Ambassador to the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines, accepted the award at a ceremony in Seoul. The award
is named after the deceased Bishop Tji Haksoon, who offered his entire life to
peace and justice in South Korea. The Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines has
campaigned around the world since its inception in 1994.
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=3589
Jordan latest country to clear all known minefields
Geneva,
27 March - The ICBL welcomes Jordan’s announcement that all its known mined
areas have now been cleared.
Jordan’s
National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation (NCDR), under the leadership
of its Director Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein, declared on 21 March that
all known minefields in the country are now safe after nearly 20 years of
demining.
Earlier
this month the ICBL and Human Rights Watch led the world in condemning Syria
after eye witness reports showed the Syrian Army had been laying new minefields
along the country’s borders with Lebanon and Turkey.
Many
countries in the Middle East region are affected by mines, including: Egypt,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Yemen. However, only Jordan, Iraq, and Yemen
have joined the Mine Ban Treaty and have been working to remove this threat
from their land.
http://www.icbl.org/index.php/icbl/Library/News-Articles/Jordan_known_mines_cleared
International Child Art Foundation youths host art
exhibition in Japan
Kanazawa.
19th March – The International Child Art Foundation (ICAF)
concluded the "Art for Peace"
Exhibition at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan
which was attended by over 3,000 people. Rune Kondo, a student at Sophia
University in Tokyo, a winner of the 2nd Art Olympiad and an ICAF
Youth Board Member from Japan, organized this exhibition with ICAF Japan from
March 13 to March 18 to bring artwork created by children around the world and
introduce ICAF's peace building efforts to Japanese children, teachers and
parents.
The
exhibition displayed hundreds of artwork created by Art Olympiad winners from many countries and finalists in Japan. A
section of the exhibition contained artwork dedicated to the people in Tohoku
area who were affected by the earthquake/tsunami in March 2011 to emphasize the
mission of ICAF to nurture children's creativity and develop empathy. This
included works from Trappenhuis Elementary in Belgium, paintings from Chile
depicting friendship among Japanese and Chilean people who suffered from
similar earthquakes, and works co-created by children in Washington DC.
The
exhibition ended on Sunday, March 18 with several thousands of visitors, some
of whom came from China, Ireland, Singapore, Sweden, and United Kingdom as well
as California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey in the United States.
HIV360° - Take part in the 3 Zeros Campaign!
HIV360° are gearing up
for World Health Day (April 7) by running the HIV360° Poster Challenge and
asking young people on Rafi.ki to submit their ‘Call to Action’ posters telling
policy makers what needs to be done to get to zero infections, Zero
AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination! These Calls to Action will be presented to
decision makers at the MDG Summit in South Africa on the 3rd and 4th
of May as well as public exhibitions in London and Cape Town. Students taking part also have a chance of
winning a £15 Itunes vouchers. Teachers
interested in taking part should visit http://v3.rafi.ki/resource/the-3-zeros
and register for FREE on Rafi.ki at: http://v3.rafi.ki/register . Deadline
for submission is April 7th. For more info: HIV360@Rafi.ki
World Autism Awareness Day - April 2
Autism
is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the world - more
children being diagnosed with the disorder than diabetes, cancer and AIDS
combined. There are high rates of Autism in all regions of the world.
World
Autism Awareness Day is dedicated to creating greater understanding about
autism and promoting universal adherence to the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities. By combining research and awareness-raising efforts,
we can provide adults and children with disabilities such as autism the
protection, support and full membership of an inclusive society. Ban Ki-moon
Light
it Up Blue campaign, in its third year, is a unique global initiative to help
shine a light on autism. Iconic landmarks around the world (including the
Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, Sydney Opera House and New York Empire State
Building) will be bathed in a blue light to show their support.
http://www.worldautismawarenessday.org
www.un.org/en/events/autismday/index.shtml
Philippines: amputees to benefit from latest
technology at Davao facility
Manila,
March 30 – Amputees can now walk proudly with durable and affordable
prostheses made possible by the use of the latest technology at Davao Jubilee
Foundation (DJF).
With
support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), DJF opened
its newly constructed workshop today as it shifts to state-of-the-art
technology. The workshop is now fully equipped to produce lightweight
artificial legs and braces made of polypropylene, instead of heavier
fibreglass.
The
ICRC has been providing DJF with support enabling it to enhance its prosthetic
services, which are one of the main needs of people physically disabled by
injuries resulting from armed conflict. Last year, the ICRC built a gait
training area where patients could practise using their new prostheses.
DJF
is a non-profit organization that provides physical rehabilitation services to
amputees and other people with disabilities. It mainly helps people from
Mindanao, a region affected by conflict and insecurity. The ICRC has been
sending war-wounded patients to the foundation since 2000.
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/news-release/2012/philippines-news-2012-03-30.htm
Sahel: MSF's dual response to an expected nutritional
crisis
30
March – A food crisis has been declared in the Sahelian Band of West
Africa. UNICEF has estimated that up to 15 million people in six countries in
the region are living with moderate or acute food insecurity. In a region where global acute childhood
malnutrition rates regularly near the warning threshold of 10 percent, any
factor that further reduces access to food can tip the situation into a
full-blown nutritional crisis.
Although
MSF has not yet noted a significant increase in cases in most of its current
nutritional programs, the organization did have to open new malnutrition
treatment programs in Biltine and Yao, in Chad, where rates of acute
malnutrition of 24 percent and 20 percent, respectively, have been reported.
Teams are also evaluating the nutritional situation in other areas of Chad, as
well as in Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Senegal.
In
2011, more than 100,000 severely malnourished children received treatment in
MSF's Niger programs alone. More than 90 percent of them recovered. In Niger
and Mali, MSF also provided milk-based nutritional supplements to more than
35,000 children in conjunction with its regular paediatric programs.
http://www.msf.org/msf/articles/2012/03/sahel.cfm
The first polio-free BRICS
Finishing the job of polio eradication will require
the political and financial support of the BRICS, which together represent a
large proportion of the polio-free world.
March
28 – The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are
gathering in New Delhi, India this week for the 4th BRICS summit. As India has
stopped transmission of endemic poliovirus, this is the first polio-free BRICS
summit. The BRICS play a pivotal role in international support for global
eradication of polio, having made significant investments in their domestic
eradication activities as well as contributions to stop recent outbreaks of
polio.
As
most of the world is now polio-free, the remaining reservoirs of polio
(Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan) now pose an ever-greater risk to polio-free
countries with vulnerable populations. Recent polio outbreaks in China, Congo
and Tajikistan have paralyzed and even killed adults. The World Health Assembly
in May will consider a resolution declaring the eradication of polio a global
emergency in order to protect polio-free areas. Greater accountability will be
sought both from the governments of polio-affected countries and from
international partners and donors.
Finishing
the job of polio eradication will require the political and financial support
of the BRICS, who together represent a large proportion of the polio-free
world.
http://www.polioeradication.org/tabid/461/iid/207/Default.aspx
Rotary clubs have water projects on tap
Rotary
International News, 22 March – Villages in four regions of Ghana are
being equipped with ventilated pit latrines, showers, and boreholes featuring
hand pumps and mechanized pipes through the efforts of dozens of Rotary clubs
in Latin America, North America, and Ghana.
The
effort is part of the The International H2O Collaboration, an alliance between
Rotary International and USAID, a centerpiece of Rotary’s emphasis on water and
sanitation issues. Launched in 2009, the alliance works to implement long-term,
sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene projects in the developing world.
The first phase of the partnership has focused on three countries: Ghana, the
Philippines, and the Dominican Republic.
In
2011, The Rotary Foundation also established a strategic partnership with
UNESCO-IHE, a United Nations institute in The Netherlands that is the world’s
largest postgraduate water education facility. The Rotary Foundation will
provide grants to Rotary clubs and districts to select and sponsor eight
students each year for scholarships leading to master’s degrees in specified
program areas.
Collaboration
is key if Rotary is to help the world achieve the water and sanitation
improvements called for in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals,
said Ron Denham, chair of the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group and a
member of the Rotary-USAID Steering Committee.
http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/110322_news_waterday.aspx
111 million children in four days
West and Central Africa Polio Campaign enters decisive
phase
Brazzaville/Dakar,
21 March - Health Ministries, UN agencies and communities are uniting with tens
of thousands of volunteer immunizers over four days to go door-to-door and hut
to hut for a vaccination campaign against polio in 20 African countries
starting on 23 March.
The
vaccination campaigns are critical to protect children before the ‘high season’
for polio, which starts in the northern hemisphere summer. Due to insufficient
funding, the polio eradication initiative is scaling back campaigns planned
from March to July in over 20 countries. Many of these countries remain
therefore vulnerable to polio outbreaks. The reduction in vaccination
activities leaves the eradication effort with a funding shortfall of US$405
million for 2012.
Across
West and Central Africa, over 111.1 million children below the age of five are
expected to be vaccinated through this campaign. Nigeria, the only polio
endemic country in Africa, aims to get two drops of the oral vaccine into the
mouths of 57.7 million children. Nineteen other countries, which are at risk of
re-infection, are stepping up efforts to reach nearly 53.3 million children.
This
gigantic exercise represents a dramatic effort of will by governments and
partners, and relies on hundreds of thousands of health workers and volunteers
who will be administering the drops to all children under the age of five,
irrespective of their previous immunization status.
http://www.polioeradication.org/Mediaroom/Newsstories/Newsstories2012/tabid/461/iid/206/Default.aspx
EDC creates new tool to measure reading progress
Washington,
D.C., March 12 – A free electronic tool that quickly and accurately
measures the reading progress of young children is now available for use by
teachers in the developing world. An adaptation of USAID’s paper-based Early
Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), eEGRA was created by EDC and runs in
Microsoft’s Excel spreadsheet software. It will be demonstrated for
international literacy experts and policymakers at a forum March 13 at EDC’s
Washington, D.C. office.
One
of the benefits of eEGRA is that results are available immediately after a
student has completed a test, instantly providing the classroom teacher or
headmaster with a snapshot of the student’s reading progress. By comparison,
data from the paper test can take six months to analyze, and because it is
developed at the national or district level, is rarely seen or used by
teachers.
First
conceptualized in 2009, eEGRA was developed for an Excel platform in the spring
of 2010, and then field tested in the Philippines. That field study established
that eEGRA scores learners as accurately as its paper-based counterpart and the
use of a laptop does not inhibit testing. http://www.edc.org/newsroom/press_releases/edc_announces_new_electronic_tool_measure_reading_progress
(top)
UN-backed study shows
technology can help world move to low-carbon economy
New York, April 2 The use of broadband in
information and communication technology (ICT) can help the world transition to
a low carbon-economy and address the causes and effects of climate change,
according to a United Nations-backed report <http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/
press_releases/2012/16.aspx > released today.
The report aims to raise awareness of the
pivotal role information and communication technology, particularly broadband
networks, can play in helping creating a low-carbon economy. It also highlights
the importance of public private partnerships in accelerating change.
It provides practical examples of how broadband
can contribute to reducing greenhouse gasses, mitigate and help adapt to the
effects of climate change, and promote resource efficiency, while building more
prosperous and inclusive societies.
Simple tool helps companies address water risks
28
March – WWF and DEG (Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft
mbH) have created a practical online
questionnaire that not only identifies water risk in supply chains and
investment portfolios, but also provides practical steps to mitigate risk.
Roughly
40 per cent of the world’s population lives in river basins that experience
severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year; more than 900
million people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.7 billion lack access
to basic sanitation services. Population growth and climate change are set to
increase pressure on vital freshwater resources, with serious consequences for
nature, people and economies.
WWF
and DEG’s message to companies is simple: Why take the risk? DEG has established
water as a critical field for its client companies, and has used the Water Risk
Filter to help them identify and mitigate water risk in business
operations. “Water availability is the
most underestimated critical issue for the companies we are financing, but we
believe that financial institutions can help make the companies more
sustainable in their performance. Our work with WWF looks beyond the risks and
shows practical ways how to change them into business opportunities,” said
Bruno Wenn, Chairman of DEG.
http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?203999/Simple-tool-helps-companies-address-water-risks
P&G and CARE announce commitment to provide 100
million liters of clean drinking water through innovative partnership
Achieves milestone of 100th school reached on World
Water Day
March
22 – Announced today at a ceremony hosted by U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton, the Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) and leading
humanitarian organization, CARE plan to provide more than 100 million liters of
clean drinking water in Kenya and Ethiopia through an investment of over $1
million. The organizations came together on World Water Day to announce the
grant and to celebrate the milestone of the 100th school in Kenya provided with
clean drinking water through their partnership, which focuses on enabling
students to be agents of change.
In
addition, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced P&G's commitment to
the newly formed U.S. Water Partnership, a public-private effort to unite and
mobilize expertise and resources to address water challenges around the globe.
P&G will sit on the 2012 Steering Committee of the U.S. Water Partnership
and continue to focus efforts on sharing clean drinking water through
partnerships like the CARE schools program.
http://www.care.org/newsroom/articles/2012/03/care-pg-water-partnership-ethiopia-20120322.asp
WorldStove model: pilot
programs
As a retail item, the LuciaStove is intended for
lots of 500 or more, and has a focus to set up micro industries in communities.
WorldStove constructs the base components and then works with local liaisons to
set up small manufacturing plants. These plants do not require welding,
riveting or drilling. They serve as a skill based income generating activity
for the community.
The LuciaStove technology has a variety of
applications and was invented with adaptability in mind. Pilot Programs are a
core part of the WorldStove model and give us an opportunity to work with
individuals and communities to mold the technology to local needs. An
organization may opt to start with a Pilot Program in order to: 1) assess
whether or not a particular biomass can be used efficiently; 2) study the
cooking traditions of the community so the stove can be adapted to meet those
requirements; or 3) test the viability of setting up local income generation
through onsite manufacturing. Based on the results of the Pilot Program,
organizations can determine the viability of the stoves in a particular
community and work with WorldStove to adapt the technology to local needs.
Pilot programs have been conducted in Uganda, Kenya, Haiti, Malawi, Indonesia,
Zaire and the Philippines. Currently, additional pilot programs are operating
in Burkina Faso, Congo, Niger and Uganda.
Five key nonprofit organizations team up with Ecomedia
to fulfill "green" projects for advertisers nationwide
New
York, March 29 - Dozens Of Projects Have Been Funded in the Last Seven Months
by Advertisers such as Chevrolet, Ford, Energizer, Waste Management, Cirque du
Soleil, and Boston Scientific, as Momentum and Scope of the EcoAd Program Grows
CBS’s
EcoMedia announced today that it has signed new agreements with several
national nonprofit organizations, greatly expanding its ability to fund
ad-supported environmental projects in communities across the nation. The
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Waterkeeper Alliance, Forest
Stewardship Council, Enterprise Community Partners and Volunteers of America
now join the Trust for Public Land and National Association of Counties as
partners in the EcoAd program. Through the purchase of an EcoAd, advertisers
are able to directly help fund bricks-and-mortar projects in local communities,
creating jobs, saving taxpayers dollars and reducing carbon emissions.
Through
these new partnerships, some of the nation’s most respected and effective
nonprofit organizations are collaborating with EcoMedia to identify key
projects that will most benefit from receiving advertising dollars through
EcoMedia’s EcoAd program. Projects already completed include lighting
retrofits; solar arrays; tree plantings and organic gardens; new urban parks;
the development of open spaces; and water quality improvement projects, all of
which will generate energy efficiency, taxpayer savings and public enjoyment.
Earth Day & International Mother Earth Day - April
22
Over
a billion people participate in Earth Day activities every year. It is the
largest civic observance in the world, and is evidence of the massive concern
to build right relations between humanity and the Earth. In 2009 the United
Nations General Assembly added its weight to this popular movement, proclaiming
April 22 International Mother Earth Day, with a significant resolution
affirming the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living
species and the planet we all inhabit.
Following
the UN declaration of Mother Earth Day the General Assembly invited member
states and other interested parties to present to the UN Secretary-General
their views, experiences and proposals on promoting life in harmony with
nature. These views were then incorporated into an exceptional report (here) by the Secretary-General on the theme: Sustainable development:
Harmony With Nature. Issued in August 2010, the Report includes sections on
Harmony with nature: the ancient heritage of mankind; The evolving relationship
of human health with nature; Sustainable development: a holistic paradigm for
harmony with nature in the twenty-first century.
http://www.earthday.org/
http://www.un.org/en/events/motherearthday/
Golden Rule Day - April 5
Golden
Rule day seeks to draw attention to the universal significance of the Golden
Rule, Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you, celebrated in all major world faiths.
The
day was originally proclaimed in 2007 by the Interfaith Peace-building
Initiative, a United Religions Initiative Cooperation Circle in Ethiopia. It is
now observed by inter-faith groups and is celebrated every year by the United
Religions Initiative at the United Nations, an NGO, with the presentation of an
annual Golden Rule Medal.
http://www.urimulti.org/blog/golden-rule-day-april-5th/
U.S. Senate calls for release of religious prisoners
in Iran
April 1, Washington,
D.C. - The United States Senate has passed a resolution condemning the
government of Iran for its systematic campaign of persecution of Baha'is and
calling for the release of all Iranian prisoners held solely for their
religious beliefs. The resolution – approved by unanimous consent on Thursday
– also called for sanctions against Iranian officials directly
responsible for human rights violations.
The resolution took
note of recent international measures that have cataloged the growing
oppression of Baha'is and other religious minorities in Iran, such as recent
reports on human rights in Iran by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
http://news.bahai.org/story/903
In education: financier gives $48-million for
Dartmouth Arts Center
March
30 – The head of a New York private-equity firm and his wife have donated
$48-million to Dartmouth University’s development of a new center for the
visual arts, according to Bloomberg.
The
new Black Family Visual Arts Center, named for donors Leon and Debra Black,
will feature a gallery, screening room, auditorium, and academic facilities
serving the more than one in four Dartmouth students who take courses each year
in the field, the New Hampshire school said.
In
other education news, Wal-Mart scion Rob Walton and his wife, Melani, have
pledged $27.5-million to Arizona State University’s Global Institute of
Sustainability, writes the Arizona Republic.
The
five-year grant will fund an expansion of the institute, a new master’s
program, and additional training, education, and research programs aimed to
promoting sustainable solutions to energy, water, climate, and urbanization
issues.
Rwanda: ADRA donates latrines to primary school
March
28 – Silver Spring, Md., USA – The Adventist Development and Relief
Agency (ADRA) has made the school day far less challenging for Janjagiro
Primary School in the Rwamagana District of Rwanda, through providing the
school with significantly needed latrines. In total, 14 latrines were constructed,
two of which were built to meet the needs of two students living with physical
handicaps.
For
the past few years, ADRA Rwanda has provided training for teachers to equip
them with a greater understanding of how to teach children with disabilities.
In addition, the parents and Parents Committee have also received training.
Changes in addressing the needs of all student types are now evident through
newly constructed ramps to accommodate students in wheelchairs, and custom-made
latrines for children with disabilities.
This
project was implemented by ADRA Rwanda and sponsored by ADRA Poland and the
Christian Charity Service.
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11751&news_iv_ctrl=1141
14 organizations receive grants to improve the status
of women in Azerbaijan
By
Jennifer O'Riordan
March
26 - Six new grants from Counterpart International will support women’s rights
and promote women’s leadership in Azerbaijan. Six NGO coalitions received the
grants from Counterpart earlier this month. The coalitions comprise 14
organizations, among them the Women’s Association for Rational Development, Women
Leaders, Tomris, Solidarity Among Women, Clean World and Women for Development
of Municipalities.
The
grants were awarded as part of Counterpart’s Women Participation Program, which
is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The program aims to
improve implementation of the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Azerbaijan.Grantees were
selected through an open and transparent five-step process overseen by a Grants
Selection Committee that included representatives from international
organizations, embassies and the government of Azerbaijan.
The
two-year Women’s Participation Program (WPP) is funded by USAID and made
possible through the Global Civil Society Strengthening Leader with Associates
award (GCSS LWA).
http://www.counterpart.org/blog/womens-organizations-receive-grants
Winners of 2012 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage /
Europa Nostra Awards announced
The awards will be presented on 1 June in Lisbon
The
Hague/ Brussels, 20 March - The winners of the 2012 European Union Prize for
Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards are announced today by the European
Commission and Europa Nostra (see list below). The awards will be presented on
1 June during a ceremony at the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon in the presence
of Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture,
Multilingualism and Youth, and Plácido Domingo, the world-renowned tenor and
President of Europa Nostra. The event is taking place under the patronage of
Aníbal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal, who will also be present, and José
Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the Commission. Of the 28 winning projects
from 15 different European countries, six will be named as 'grand prix'
laureates as 2012’s most outstanding heritage achievements.
The 28 winners were selected from among 226
submitted projects from 31 countries. The awards are split into four
categories – conservation, research, dedicated service,
and education, training and awareness-raising. Each category has its own
specialist jury, composed of independent experts from across Europe. All the
winners receive a plaque or trophy. The six 'grand prix' winners also receive
€10,000 each.
The
2012 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage /
Europa Nostra Awards ceremony in Lisbon on 1 June is part of
Europa Nostra's annual European Heritage Congress.
Europa
Nostra, cultural heritage, winners 2012
Save the Children, UNICEF to receive $16.2 million for
education from IKEA Soft Toy Campaign
Westport,
Conn., USA, March 13 – Shoppers around the globe proved that their
purchasing power can do more than spur on the economy, it also can help educate
kids. Save the Children and UNICEF will receive $16.2 million from the IKEA
Foundation for funds raised by IKEA customers and co-workers through its 2011
Soft Toy for Education campaign.
The
donation will help Save the Children and UNICEF carry out 18 education projects
in 16 countries. Save the Children's share will support education for children
in some of the most marginalized groups (minorities and children with
disabilities) in Asia (Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar,
Philippines) and Eastern Europe (Lithuania and Romania). UNICEF's equal share
will go to its Schools for Africa projects in seven countries and two projects
in Russia and China.
*
* * * * * *
(top)
Good News Agency is
published in English on one Friday and in Italian the next. Past issues
are available at www.goodnewsagency.org
. Rome Law-court registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
Managing
Editor: Sergio Tripi, Ph.D. (sergio.tripi@goodnewsagency.org).
Editorial research by Fabio Gatti (fabio.gatti@goodnewsagency.org), Azzurra Cianchetta,
Isabella Strippoli. Webmaster and media and NGO coverage: Simone
Frassanito (simone.frassanito@goodnewsagency.org)
Good News Agency is distributed free of charge through Internet to 10,000 media and editorial journalists of the daily newspapers and periodical magazines and of the radio and television stations in 54 countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bermuda, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Caribbean Islands, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Oceania, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, USA. It is also distributed free of charge to 3,000 NGOs, 1,600 high schools, colleges and universities, as well as 23,000 Rotarians in the world.
It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, a registered educational charity chartered in Italy in 1979 The Association operates for the development of consciousness and promotes a culture of peace in the ‘global village’ perspective based on unity in diversity and on sharing. It is based in Via Antagora 10, 00124 Rome, Italy.
The Association is a member of the World Association of Non Governmental Organizations.
*In the final report of the Decade for
a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) presented to the UN General Assembly
(http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/2010_civil_society_report.pdf),
Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been playing a
major role in the field of Information.
In section A - International Organizations, the Report says:
"Participatory Communication and Free Flow
of Information and Knowledge has been advanced largely through use of the
Internet by civil society corresponding to para 6 in the 1999 Programme of
Action calling for the promotion of a culture of peace through sharing of
information among actors in the global movement for a culture of peace (p.7). Diffusion
and exchange of culture of peace information via the Internet has become the
major instrument for several international organizations, notably the Culture
of Peace News Network, the Good News Agency and the Education for Peace
Globalnet (p.12).
* * * * * *
If you received the Good News Agency from a colleague or a friend and wish to receive it directly, just send us a message to the address info@goodnewsagency.org. If you do not wish to receive the next issues, please send us a message with "unsubscribe" in the subject line and in the text the address to be deleted.