Copyright (c) UN. All rights reserved.http://social.un.org/index/Lastest News from Division for Social Policy and Development.en-US22 April 2013 11:24:11http://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Forty-Ninth session of the Commission for Social Development will take place from 9 to 18 February 2011 in Conference Room 4 at the United Nations North Lawn Building (NLB) in New York. The Priority Theme of the session is “Poverty Eradication”. In addition to the priority theme, the session will include review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups such as: disabled persons, youth, ageing, and the family. Information on the session will be regularly up-dated at the following link: Beginning with the forty-fifth session, the Commission has organized its work according to a cycle of two sessions dealing with one single priority theme. The first year is a review session, while the second year is a policy session resulting in a set of resolutions or decisions. In conjunction with the forty-ninth session, a Civil Society Forum would be organized. It will take place on 8 February 2011 in Conference Room 4, one day before the opening of the session. The outcome of the Forum, which is presented in the format of a declaration, will be read during the first meeting of the session. Information on the Civil Society Forum will be made available through webpage of the NGO Committee for Social Development. NGO representatives interested in attending the Forum may get directly in touch with the NGO Committee for Social Development through the following email: csocdcivilsocietyforum2011@gmail.com Since the holding of the World Summit for Social Development, DSPD has established a more proactive approach and a solid tradition in involving civil society organizations and actors in the different aspects of its substantive work as well as in the work of the Commission. Sessions of the Commission are open to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with ECOSOC. NGOs in general and special consultative status may submit written statements to be circulated and also make oral presentations during the general debate at the Commission. DSPD is the main provider of substantive servicing to the Commission. This means that most of the reports before the Commission are prepared by DSPD. In addition, DSPD advises the Bureau of the Commission, as well as Member States, on organizational and substantive issues relating to sessions of the Commission. Information Note on ECOSOC accredited NGOs participation at the Forty-Ninth session of the Commission for Social Development.  Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe United Nations Secretary-General's latest report on progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals has been released. Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxInternational Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), 3 December 2010. The theme this year is: "Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond". Background | Events around the World to commemorate IDPD2010.Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues will hold an Expert Group Meeting on indigenous peoples and forests from 12 to 14 January 2011, coinciding with the International Year of Forests. The findings of this Expert Group Meeting will be presented to the Tenth Session of the Permanent Forum in May 2011.Sat, 11 Dec 2010 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is organizing, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), an Expert Group Meeting on “The Challenge of Building Employment for a Sustainable Recovery”. The meeting, which will take place on 23-24 June in Geneva, Switzerland, will bring together specialists to undertake a review of responses to the global jobs crisis in different countries and regions of the world and will consider concrete policies and strategies to create productive, decent employment during the recovery.   Objectives  Mon, 09 May 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxIn its resolution 52/81 of 12 December 1997, the General Assembly recognized that the basic objective of the Follow up to the International Year of the Family should be to strengthen and support families in performing their societal and developmental functions and to build upon their strengths, in particular at the national and local levels. The International Day of Families was celebrated on 12 May 2011 in New York. The theme this year was: "Confronting family poverty and social exclusion". "On this International Day of Families, let us resolve to support families as they nurture the young, care for the old and foster strong communities built on tolerance and dignity for all." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Message of the Secretary General | English | French | Spanish | Chinese | Arabic | Russian | For more information, please visit: http://social.un.org/index/Family/InternationalObservances/Mon, 16 May 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx The annual United Nations forum aimed at advancing the rights of the estimated 370 million indigenous persons around the world opened today with a call to turn those rights into a practical reality. More than 1,300 delegates are expected to participate in the two-week Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which is being held at UN Headquarters in New York and is marking its tenth anniversary. This year the forum will focus on reviewing progress made on issues ranging from economic and social development to the environment and whether indigenous peoples have given free, prior and informed consent to decisions affecting their communities. Opening the forum, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – adopted by the General Assembly in September 2007 – finally had the consensus support that it deserved. “Now we need to make the declaration’s principles a reality,” he said, stressing that protecting and promoting the rights of indigenous peoples benefited everyone, and not only those groups. Mr. Ban urged participants to “raise your voices” during the forum so that the world can hear about the threats and risks that indigenous communities face, as well as the unique expertise that they can bring to issues such as climate change. “This forum can play a dynamic role in… helping indigenous peoples around the world achieve the self-determination they deserve. Your success can build momentum toward the World Conference in Indigenous Peoples planned for 2014. You can identify ways to bring to life the principles enshrined in the declaration.”   Video of the Opening of the 10th Session of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 16 May 2011. Running time: 01:17:21. Source: UN News CentreTue, 17 May 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the first international human rights treaty of the twenty-first century. On 10 May 2011, Colombia became the 100th nation to ratify the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In doing so, it joins the ranks of those countries that now support greater access, backed by their legal systems, for citizens with disabilities to fully participate in the lives of their communities, including the political process and health and education services. “This is an important milestone for Colombia and for the global community.  The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a powerful tool for inclusion and development.  Let us use it to make concrete improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, commenting on the 100th ratification. Around 10 per cent of the world’s population, or 650 million people, live with a disability.  They comprise the world’s largest minority who are excluded from fully participating in the economic, social, political, legal and cultural life of their communities.  To address this inequality, in 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was drafted along with the participation of persons with disabilities and their organizations.  At its core, the Convention ensures that persons with disabilities enjoy the same human rights as everyone else.  A record number of 82 countries — the highest in the history of a United Nations treaty — signed it on the opening day. The Convention marks a shift away from the old “medical” view of disability towards a more “social” view that “disability” is a result of the interaction between a person and his/her environment, and not something that resides in the individual as the result of an impairment.  An estimated 386 million of the world’s working-age population are disabled, but unemployment among the persons with disabilities is as high as 80 per cent in some countries. Sha Zukang, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which serves as the secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said:  “We are greatly encouraged by this 100th ratification of the Convention.  This is a great achievement by the international community in working towards a just and equitable society, based on equality and equal opportunity for all, including persons with disabilities.” For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/disabilities/index.aspFri, 27 May 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues concluded its tenth anniversary session on 27 May with the adoption of a draft report on that session. The Forum looked to its future work, welcoming the opportunity and full responsibility in playing a central role in preparations for the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and underlining the need for the equal, direct and meaningful participation of indigenous communities during all stages of that landmark meeting. The Forum’s draft report, adopted as orally amended, was composed of eight texts approved by consensus and based on the 16-member expert body’s discussions during its 2011 session, which opened on 16 May.  Meeting without a special theme this year, the Forum conducted follow-up reviews of a number of its recommendations on economic and social development, the environment and free, prior and informed consent, as well as human rights.  The human rights review focused on implementation of the 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which, the Forum concluded, remained a big challenge in most regions around the world. In closing remarks, Forum Chairperson, Mirna Cuningham of Nicaragua recalled the positive note on which the tenth session started when Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “Raise your voices at this Forum and beyond.  I will urge the world to listen.”  Outlining other highlights from the two-week session, she called attention to important insights resulting from various presentations and dialogues, including an interactive dialogue with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which underscored the urgent need for a strategic approach to address gaps between the world’s richest and poorest children, particularly indigenous children. “We need to continue with the dialogue in our countries.  That’s our challenge… be better prepared for 2012,” she said, stressing that, as participants returned to their countries, organizations and communities, their collective task would not end, but must continue as they worked in alliance with Governments and United Nations agencies, as well as each other.  “We have to keep looking to the future to ensure that this Forum truly becomes ours.” The Forum recommended that the Economic and Social Council decide that the Forum’s eleventh session be held in New York, from 7 to 18 May 2012 and authorize a three-day international expert group meeting on the theme “Combating violence against indigenous women and girls:  Article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”.  By other terms of that text (document E/C.19/2011/L.8), the Forum recommended that the Council approve the provisional agenda for its eleventh session. For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/hr5064.doc.htm Photos of the Tenth Session: http://www.flickr.com/photos/unpfii/sets/72157626614337731/    Tue, 31 May 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxDESA News is an insider's look at the United Nations in the area of economic and social development policy. It is produced by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Communications and Information Management Service with feature articles written by DESA staff. This is an electronic publication - no printed edition is generated. The current edition is: Volume 15, No.6 - June 2011 or download the newsletter. Featured in this issue: Leading the way to a sustainable future Putting spotlight on innovative governance Call to turn indigenous rights to reality For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/newsletter/archive.shtml  Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxPotentially irreversible environmental changes threaten the progress that has brought hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, stressing the need for policy-makers to do more to preserve and strengthen the planet’s natural resources, particularly its forests. In a message marking World Environment Day, which falls on 5 June each year, the Secretary-General noted that in the past two decades “hundreds of millions of people in Asia, Latin America – and, increasingly, in Africa – have risen from poverty. Yet, evidence is also accumulating of profound and potentially irreversible changes in the ability of the planet to sustain our progress.” He said economic growth has come with costs that “range from atmospheric and water pollution to degraded fisheries and forests, all of which impact prosperity and human well-being.” “Despite growing global awareness of the dangers of environmental decline – including climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification – progress… has been too slow,” he said. “We will not build a just and equitable world unless we give equal weight to all three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental.” In a separate message, noting that the theme of this year’s environment day is “Forests: Nature at Your Service,” and that 2011 is the International Year of Forests, Mr. Ban told a forestry conservation meeting in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo: “From access to clean water to agricultural productivity, from soil conservation to flood control, forests are central to economic development, poverty reduction and food and nutrition security. For more information, please visit: http://goo.gl/H5J8I Source: UN News CentreMon, 06 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxCiting dwindling stocks and only small production increases for the majority of crops, a new United Nations report released today says world food prices are likely to remain high for the rest of this year and into 2012. The biannual Food Outlook published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that the next few months will be critical in determining how the major crops will fare this year, according to a news release issued by the Rome-based agency. “The general situation for agricultural crops and food commodities is tight with world prices at stubbornly high levels, posing a threat to many low-income food deficit countries,” according to David Hallam, Director of FAO’s Markets and Trade Division. FAO’s monthly food price index showed that global food prices, which earlier this year soared to levels seen during the 2007-08 food crisis, dropped by one per cent in May. Declines in the prices of cereals and sugar were responsible for the slight decrease in the May index, says FAO, adding that this offset increases in meat and dairy prices. The agency says current prospects for cereals in 2011 point to a record harvest of 2,315 million tons – a 3.5 per cent increase over 2010, which marked a one per cent drop over 2009. Global wheat output is expected to be 3.2 per cent up from last year’s reduced crop, mostly reflecting improved yields in Russia. World cereals stocks at the close of the crop seasons in 2012 are put at 494 million tons, up only two per cent from sharply reduced opening levels. “Demand for cereals has also been increasing so that the 2011 crop, even at record levels, is expected to barely meet consumption, providing support to prices,” notes FAO. In the oilseeds market, supplies in 2011-12 may not be sufficient to meet growing oil and meal demand, implying further reductions in global inventories, the agency adds. Meanwhile, the global supply and demand balance for sugar points to some improvements, supported by large anticipated production in 2010-11, which is likely to surpass consumption for the first time since 2007-08. Turning to global meat production, the agency says that high feed prices, disease outbreaks and depleted animal inventories were forecast to limit the expansion of production to 294 million tons in 2011 — only one per cent more than 2010. The international meat price index hit a new record in May and a combination of strong import demand and limited export availability pointed to a further “firming of prices” in the next few months, FAO points out. Source: UN News CentreTue, 07 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxMore than 3000 people have come together at the United Nations in New York for the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS. The meeting, which runs from 8-10 June, will provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress and challenges of the last 30 years and shape the future AIDS response. The High-Level Meeting on AIDS is taking place 10 years after the historic 2001 United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS, and the 2006 signing of the Political Declaration where UN Member States committed to moving towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. More than 30 Heads of State, Government and Vice Presidents are attending the meeting which includes official plenary and five panel sessions along with 40 individual side events. On the final day of the High-Level Meeting on AIDS, UN Member States are expected to adopt a declaration which will guide country responses to HIV over the next five years. For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/en/ga/aidsmeeting2011/ Side-event on AIDS & Disability-Partners Forum, 9 June 2011, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., UN Headquarters, Conference Room 6, NLB UN News Centre: Security Council highlights role of UN peace missions in global AIDS response. Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxMore than one billion people worldwide experience some form of disability, the United Nations and the World Bank said today in a report that calls for the elimination of barriers that often force the people with disabilities to “the margins of society.” The World Report on Disability, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, with contributions from over 380 experts, urges governments to “to step up efforts to enable access to mainstream services and to invest in specialized programmes to unlock the vast potential of people with disabilities.” “Disability is part of the human condition,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan at a ceremony in UN headquarters to launch the report. “Almost every one of us will be permanently or temporarily disabled at some point in life.” “We must do more to break the barriers which segregate people with disabilities, in many cases forcing them to the margins of society,” Dr. Chan said. The famed British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), told the launch via video: “We have a moral duty to remove the barriers to participation for people with disabilities, and to invest sufficient funding and expertise to unlock their vast potential. It is my hope this century will mark a turning point for inclusion of people with disabilities in the lives of their societies.” The barriers mentioned in the report include: stigma and discrimination; a lack of adequate health care and rehabilitation services; and inaccessible transport, buildings and information and communication technologies. “As a result, people with disabilities experience poorer health, lower educational achievements, fewer economic opportunities and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities,” WHO said. The report recommended that governments and their development partners provide people with disabilities access to all mainstream services, invest in specific programmes and services for those people with disabilities who are in need, and adopt a national disability strategy and plan of action. In addition, governments “should work to increase public awareness and understanding of disability, and support further research and training in the area. Importantly, people with disabilities should be consulted and involved in the design and implementation of these efforts.” Nearly 150 countries and regional organizations have signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and 100 have ratified it, committing them to removing barriers so that people with disabilities may participate fully in their societies, WHO said. Source: UN News CentreThu, 09 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThere is often a misconception that individuals with disabilities are at lower risk of being infected with HIV. But a recent Yale University survey reveals that this group actually face a greater risk of exposure to HIV as they often lack access to prevention, treatment and support services due to obstacles including inaccessible health care centers and lack of information. Issues on AIDS and disability were highlighted in connection with the 2011 High-level Meeting on AIDS on 9 June at the AIDS and Disability Partners Forum, organized by UNAIDS in collaboration with DESA, Health Canada, USAID, the US State Department, Global Partnership for Disability and Development, ILO, UNICEF and WHO. The panelists underscored the fact that people who both have a disability and AIDS, face double stigma and consequently a double burden. They also highlighted the importance of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006, as it provides a framework to integrate AIDS programming for persons with disabilities. At the same time, the need to turn the Convention and international laws into national laws and to incorporate disability components in all AIDS programming was stressed by the participants. The event coincided with the release that same day of the first ever World Report on Disability by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. The report reveals that there are over one billion people living with disabilities around the world, corresponding to about 15% of the global population. Between 110-190 million face severe difficulties. The report stresses that few countries have adequate mechanisms to respond to the needs of people with disabilities. Obstacles include stigma and discrimination, lack of adequate health care and rehabilitation; and inaccessible transport, buildings and information and communication technologies. “Disability is part of the human condition,” says WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan. “Almost every one of us will be permanently or temporarily disabled at some point in life. We must do more to break the barriers which segregate people with disabilities, in many cases forcing them to the margins of society.” Source: UNDESAFri, 10 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Broadband telecommunications have the potential to spur rapid economic growth and facilitate job creation, according to a United Nations report unveiled on 6 June 2011, which urges countries to implement national broadband plans or risk losing the benefits of the global high-speed digital communications. “To optimize the benefits to society, broadband should be coordinated on a countrywide basis, promoting facilities-based competition and with policies encouraging service providers to offer access on fair market terms… efforts should be coordinated across all sectors of industry, administration and the economy,” according to the report. “Developing isolated projects or piecemeal, duplicated networks is not only inefficient, it delays provision of infrastructure that is becoming as crucial in the modern world as roads or electricity supplies,” said the report, prepared by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development, set up last year by the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN International Telecommunications Union (ITU) with the support of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The report showed, for example, that every 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration in China could contribute an extra 2.5 per cent increase in the growth of gross domestic product (GDP). Other data cited in the report suggest that, for low- and middle-income countries, a 10-per cent rise in broadband penetration could add up to a 1.4-per cent point rise in economic growth. An analysis for the European Commission estimates that broadband could create more than two million jobs in Europe by 2015, while a study in Brazil reports that access to broadband has already added up to 1.4 per cent to the employment growth rate. “History has witnessed many ‘declarations of independence.’ But in today’s interconnected world we might propose a new ‘Declaration of Inter-dependence’ – a recognition that the economic welfare of each individual country increasingly depends on access to the rest of the world through broadband Internet,” said Hamadoun Touré, the ITU Secretary-General. “This new Broadband Commission report indicates that improvements in broadband penetration directly correlate to improvements in GDP. Basically, the more available and cheaper broadband access is, the better for a country’s economy and growth prospects,” he added. Irina Bokova, the UNESCO Director-General, stressed the importance of broadband in sharing knowledge and extending education to people everywhere. “Provided it is available to all and affordable for all, broadband-powered applications and content can be a powerful lever for achieving Education for All goals. Inclusive, universal and equitable broadband roll-out can be a tremendous accelerator for development and growth – one way to build knowledge societies and to share the wealth of the world’s cultural, linguistic and scientific resources,” she said. “Access to broadband is only one part of the picture – developing human capacity is absolutely vital, to ensure that individuals have the skills to make the most of new technologies. All actors – national, international, private and public – must work together to these ends. A study by ITU released last month showed that on average, consumers are paying 50 per cent less for high-speed Internet connections than they were two years ago. This reduction is, however, mainly due to price decreases in developing countries, with steep declines often reflecting the extremely high cost of broadband in the developing world. The cheapest broadband prices relative to average national monthly income can be found in Monaco, Macau (China), Liechtenstein, United States and Austria. Customers in 31 countries – all of them industrialized nations – pay only the equivalent of 1 per cent or less of average monthly gross national income (GNI) per capita for an entry-level broadband connection. At the other end of the scale, in 19 countries, a broadband connection costs more than 100 per cent of monthly GNI per capita. Africa continues to stand out for its relatively high prices. Ban underlines the role of information technologies in accelerating development Source: UN News CentreMon, 13 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxSouth Sudan becomes the world’s youngest state following one of Africa’s longest and deadliest civil wars. As such it faces many challenges – 90% of the population live below internationally defined income standards; 92% of women cannot read or write; one out of every seven children dies before their fifth birthday; and few children complete primary school. As the South becomes independent, both the North and South will face a number of socio-economic challenges which require the early mobilization of the international community to ensure the development of two viable states and to consolidate the peace attained, despite recent military clashes along the border. On 13 June, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission convened an informal joint event “Promoting Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Sudan and South Sudan“ to highlight the importance of development to peace; the need for effective international support to Sudan and South Sudan and the importance of regional cooperation. Two panel sessions were held under the themes “Development and state-building priorities in South Sudan” and “Promoting durable peace and sustainable development in the Sudan and South Sudan: A regional perspective“. The event featured statements by many high-level representatives including the President of ECOSOC, Lazarous Kapambwe; Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Eugène-Richard Gasana; President of the General Assembly, Joseph Deiss, Deputy Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro; Permanent Representative of the Sudan to the United Nations, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman; and Vice-President of Southern Sudan Riek Machar. Acknowledging that this meeting takes place at a critical time, many speakers conveyed the importance of capacity building in South Sudan and the need for efficient international cooperation and support. They also underscored the need for political stability and basic security for development, as well as the importance of national ownership and an inclusive and participatory approach to governance to restore confidence and create legitimacy of the new state. “It is well recognized that economic and social development can only occur if basic security is provided. At the same time, a successful and rapid implementation of economic and social programmes could help to stabilize the fragile security situation. This is why this joint special event between our two bodies is so important,” said Lazarous Kapambwe, President of ECOSOC, in his opening statement. Joseph Deiss, President of the General Assembly, also recognized that the UN and the international community face a historic moment, “in a few weeks, a new State will formally declare its independence and will become a Member of the United Nations. This is a remarkable achievement, and we must spare no effort to ensure that this process is a success. This is critical, not only for the history of Sudan and of its people, but for the entire region and the continent,” he said. South Sudan is expected to become a member of the UN, making the total number of member states 193. At this time, the new state will also have a development plan ready to highlight its needs to the international community. Source: UNDESAWed, 15 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxLong-term trends such as climate change and human impact on the world’s natural resources are “radically changing the development landscape,” the top United Nations development official warned today. Speaking at the annual meeting of the board of directors of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said that “we meet at a time of great change, with the cumulative effects of longer-term trends radically altering the development landscape.” “These include the impacts of climate change and of human activity on our ecosystems and natural resources,” Miss Clark said. “There are challenges associated with high food and fuel price volatility, poor governance, and the difficulties of helping countries prevent and recover from natural disasters and conflicts.” “We also see tensions boiling over from growing disparities, exclusion, and alienation, even where conventional indicators have suggested that progress was being made – bringing to mind the old adage that men and women do not live by bread alone,” she said. In the face of these challenges, and with UNDP’s development record and experience, “our work today not only is highly relevant, but indeed may be even more critical now than before.” Miss Clark outlined for the board some “over-arching priorities,” which she said, include “even greater determination on promoting growth and development which are inclusive, sustainable and resilient,” and “tackling governance challenges and the danger of countries slipping into crises.” Miss Clark singled out the Arab region, where she said that UNDP would be working to “ensure we can respond effectively to changing circumstances.” The administrator told the board: “We will improve our organizational effectiveness and our contribution to co-ordination of the development system.” “Our business processes should be faster, cheaper, and better,” she said. Source: UN News CentreWed, 15 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx“The agreed deadline of 2015 is fast approaching. We do not have a moment to lose. We need to make greater strides towards balanced and sustainable development. We also need to intensify our talks on what lies beyond 2015,” said Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro at the General Assembly’s Development Dialogue on 14 June. With support from DESA, the meeting was convened by the President of the General Assembly, Joseph Deiss. It featured both a formal and informal plenary meeting, with two panel discussions entitled “MDG implementation and accountability: women’s and children’s health as an engine for progress” and “Advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015”. Although there are many examples of progress around the world, there is still much to be done prior to the 2015 deadline and stakeholders were encouraged to “think big” in the final push to meet the goals. Mr. Deiss said that an important development in the implementation and accountability of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 had been the launch in 2010 of the Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health. He also highlighted the agreement in May on a new 10-year agenda for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), also known as the Istanbul Declaration. “The ultimate goal is to transform economies and societies of these countries so that the category of ‘Least Developed Countries’ no longer exists,” said Mr. Deiss. Mr. Deiss also stressed that despite the extremely positive developments in the global fight against diseases and poverty, it must not be forgotten that in many countries and in several sectors, the MDGs may not be achieved by their target date. “This reality confronts us with the fundamental challenge of turning commitments into action and action into results. In making a tangible difference on the ground in the lives of the poor, we demonstrate that the UN is reliable, credible and accountable,” Mr. Deiss said. Source: UNDESAThu, 16 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx The United Nations is set to unveil a report highlighting the vital work of midwives in ensuring that millions of women and newborn children do not die needlessly at a time when many countries still lack enough skilled staff to serve as birth attendants. The report, The State of the World’s Midwifery 2011: delivering health, saving lives, is the first of its kind and draws on data gathered from 58 countries. Co-authored by several UN agencies – including the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) – and more than 20 international partners, it will be released on Monday at a global conference of midwives taking place in Durban, South Africa. The report will examine the progress made so far on boosting the numbers of midwives, which are particularly critical to the achievement of two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): boosting maternal health, and reducing child mortality. The world continues to lag behind its targets on both those goals, and last year Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched a Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health to try to accelerate action on these issues. UNFPA, whose Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin will launch the report on Monday, has estimated that about 900 women die every day and more than 34,000 others experience problems as a result of complications while giving birth. But the number of midwives – most of whom are women – varies enormously between and within countries, and many regions with high maternal and newborn mortality rates suffer from a shortage of skilled staff. In some of the world’s poorest countries, as few as 13 per cent of all births are assisted by a midwife or a health-care worker with the necessary skills. Tomorrow about 3,000 midwives participating in the Durban conference are expected to march through the city as a sign of their commitment to improving standards of maternal and newborn care around the world. Source: UN News Centre Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx The international community will be facing higher food prices and volatility in commodity markets for some time, according to a new report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that calls for greater investment in agriculture. The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2011-2020 says that a good harvest in the coming months should push commodity prices down from the extreme levels seen earlier this year. Over the coming decade, however, real prices for cereals could average as much as 20 per cent higher and those for meats as much as 30 per cent higher, compared to 2001-10, FAO states in a news release, adding that these projections are well below the peak price levels experienced in 2007-08 and again this year. “In the current market context, price volatility could remain a feature of agricultural markets, and coherent policies are required to both reduce volatility and limit its negative impacts,” said FAO Director General Jacques Diouf. “The key solution to the problem will be boosting investment in agriculture and reinforcing rural development in developing countries, where 98 per cent of the hungry people live today and where population is expected to increase by 47 per cent over the next decades.” He added that efforts should focus in particular on smallholders in low-income food-deficit countries. The latest publication follows the release of FAO’s biannual Food Outlook earlier this month which said that global food prices are likely to remain high for the rest of this year and into 2012 due to dwindling stocks and only small production increases for the majority of crops. The OECD-FAO report sees global agricultural production growing more slowly over the next decade than in the past 10 years, with farm output expected to rise by 1.7 per cent annually, compared to the 2.6 per cent growth rate of the past decade. In addition, it states that per capita food consumption will expand most rapidly in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America, with demand increasing the highest for meat, dairy products, vegetable oils and sugar. Global production in the fisheries sector, which is covered by the report for the first time, is projected to increase by 1.3 per cent annually to 2020. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxAbout 200 million children worldwide are estimated to live with a disability and around 80 per cent of them are in developing countries. Invisibility, discrimination and an absence of reports means that this number may be considerably higher. It is therefore crucial seeking comfort and visibility for these children, for their full inclusion in society.  “Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Children with Disabilities”, was the theme of a panel discussion addressing these issues on 17 June, convened by the Delegation of the European Union to the UN, Permanent Mission of Uruguay, UNICEF and DESA. It was moderated by Ms. Akiko Ito, Chief of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities within DESA. Ms. Ito underscored the importance of disability issues within the developmental framework and the need for them to be included in all goals. Child protection issues; technical and financial support to families; the creation of a more inclusive education; and the strengthening of national institutions’ protection framework were some of the key areas addressed. The needs to improve the collection of correct data, to increase the visibility and for global strategies to empower these children, were also stressed. Marta Santos Pais, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, also highlighted indispensable measures for awareness: “It is urgent to establish in all countries effective and well-resourced and child and disability sensitive mechanisms to prevent and address incidents of violence!” The panelists also agreed that there now exists a platform to develop mechanism for these rights, focusing on children, thanks to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006 and with 101 ratifications. The event also provided an opportunity to give Member States and stakeholders an overview and a real dimension on the issue of children with disabilities; preparing for the upcoming discussions on this theme in the Third Committee, a theme that is also included in the “Annual Secretary–General’s Report on the Rights of the Child (2011)”. For more information, please visit United Nations Enable website: www.un.org/disabilities. Source: UNDESATue, 21 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx The United Nations today urged African countries to empower the continent’s youth through schooling and jobs, stressing that the foundation for peace and development lay in giving young people opportunities to build better lives for themselves. “If we are to bring lasting peace and sustainable development to the continent, we must empower Africa’s youth,” Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told heads of State at the annual African Union (AU) summit, which is being held in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, and whose theme is youth empowerment for sustainable development. She pointed out that 35 per cent of Africa’s total population is between the ages of 15 and 35, the phase in people’s lives when they lay foundations for their future, build careers and plan families. “For too many young adults in Africa, this is a time of dashed hopes, frustration, and political, economic and social exclusion,” said Ms. Migiro. “But there is a way for African nations to defuse the youth time bomb – by empowering youth and reaping the benefits. You have recognized this yourselves – by choosing the theme of this meeting and by prioritizing youth development in your development agenda,” she added. She said that the United Nations will continue to work closely with Africa’s leaders to maintain and strengthen peace by supporting the efforts of the African people to realize their right to choose their own leaders. “Countries that prioritize democratic principles generally fare better in avoiding armed conflict, promoting stable and equitable development, and building socially inclusive societies,” Ms. Migiro. “The young men and women of Africa need to know that their dreams can and will be achieved – not through violence and crime, but through the ballot box and the decent jobs that will come from thriving economies,” she added. She pointed out that the continent has over the past decade undergone a period of rapid economic growth, a stark contrast to the stagnation and reversals of previous years. Attractive investment opportunities are expanding beyond the minerals and energy sectors, and a middle class is also emerging in several countries, although extreme poverty, hunger and inequality remain a major concern. “For Africa, this is, in many ways, an era of opportunity. Our job is to ensure that it is an era of opportunity for all,” she said. Ms. Migiro reminded the African heads of State that this year marks the tenth anniversary of the coming into force of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The protocols prohibit the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has launched a global campaign to promote the universal ratification of the protocols, Ms. Migiro said, but only 18 AU Member States are parties. “I call on all 53 AU Members to become parties and implement them fully,” she said. On Sudan, Ms. Migiro noted that despite the recent outbreaks of violence in Southern Kordofan and Abyei, the upcoming independence of Southern Sudan was another milestone for Africa, and for the continent’s partnership with the UN. “The United Nations will remain committed to supporting South Sudan’s peaceful development and to good neighbourly relations between north and south,” she said She also reiterated that the UN remains committed to the search for a political solution to the ongoing crisis in Libya. “There should be no doubt about our aims. The objective – and the obligation – of the international community is to protect civilians and to work for a durable peace that meets the legitimate aspirations of Libyan people,” she added. Source: UN News CentreFri, 01 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx"Education for All - Accelerating Progress" - Priority actions and recommendations for achieving the Education for All agenda will be the main focus of discussions during the High-level Segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), taking place in Geneva from 4 to 8 July. More than 500 participants representing governments, multilateral organizations, aid agencies, civil society, private sector and academia will assess and recommend how the world, in the face of the global financial and economic crisis, can maintain and accelerate its commitments to the Education for All agenda and ensure that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are achieved. The High-level Segment will focus on a broad range of issues relevant to the implementation of the UN development agenda (Programme): The Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) will focus on "Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to education". Eleven countries will make National Voluntary Presentation (NVPs) and present an assessment of progress made towards the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals (IADGs), including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); The Thematic debate on “Current global and national trends and challenges and their impact on education” is based on inputs from the entire UN system, with special contributions from UNESCO and UNICEF.  It links the assessment of education progress to current global vulnerabilities.  Specifically, it discusses the potential risks to educational access and quality posed by the uneven global economic recovery, rising food prices and climate change. As a result, the report includes recommendations for managing the impacts – both short- and long-term – of these trends, and highlights opportunities for advancing progress on the education related MDGs and the broader Education for All goals.  At the High-level policy dialogue, the Executive Heads of the international financial and trade institutions will discuss the state of the world economy and its implications for the achievement of the United Nations development agenda. A series of special policy dialogues focusing on education challenges will be organized during the segment. Among them, the dialogues on “Accelerating education for all (EFA): mobilizing resources and partnerships”; “Education for sustainable development”; and the “Education challenges in Africa and LDCs”. The Face to Face debate on “Education, human rights and conflicts” will inform the public of the challenges surrounding access to education, particularly in high-risk environments. It will also introduce new ideas about how to improve the educational system and achieve human rights and educational access, as a contribution to the Millennium Development Goal 2. The Council will also organize a panel discussion on "Promoting sustained, inclusive and equitable growth for accelerating poverty eradication and achievement of the MDGs", to be held on 6 July 2011, and a panel discussion on “Education for the Future - changing needs”, to take place on 8 July. The Innovation Fair on the theme, “Education For All” will showcase innovative practices, approaches and projects in education from around the world. A wide range of institutions, NGOs and private sector companies will take part in the Fair. Ministerial roundtable breakfasts will be organized from 5 to 8 July. A series of side events, organized by Member States, international and civil society organizations, will take place take place at lunch time or in parallel to the panel sessions.   For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/julyhls/index11.shtml Mon, 04 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxDESA News is an insider's look at the United Nations in the area of economic and social development policy. It is produced by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Communications and Information Management Service with feature articles written by DESA staff. This is an electronic publication - no printed edition is generated. The current edition is: Volume 15, No.7 - July 2011 or download the newsletter.   Featured in this issue: Giving a voice to young people Assessing progress towards the MDGs Debating education, human rights and conflict More news stories on topics including: Global dialogue on development;Trends and analysis;Capacity development Source: UN-DESAMon, 04 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxA fundamental technological overhaul of production processes is required worldwide to end poverty and avert the likely catastrophic impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. “Business as usual is not an option,” said Rob Vos, Director of the Development Policy and Analysis Division and lead author of the report The World Economic and Social Survey 2011: The Great Green Technological Transformation, published by DESA and released today. “Without drastic improvements in and diffusion of green technologies, we will not reverse the ongoing ecological destruction and secure a decent livelihood for all of humankind, now and in the future,” Mr. Vos continued. The global environment’s capacity to cope with human activity has reached its limits. About half of the earth’s forests are gone, groundwater resources are being depleted and contaminated, enormous losses in biodiversity have already occurred, and climate change threatens the stability of all ecosystems. Over the next 40 years, $1.9 trillion per year will be needed for incremental investments in green technologies. At least one-half, or $1.1 trillion per year, are needed in developing countries to meet their rapidly increasing food and energy demands through the application of green technologies. At the same time, about 2.7 billion people rely on traditional biomass, such as wood, dung and charcoal, for their energy needs. And 20 per cent have no access to electricity. To achieve a decent living standard for people in developing countries, much greater economic progress is needed. “This report shows how important technological progress will be for ensuring a future that benefits everyone while protecting our planet,” said Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General of DESA and Secretary-General of Rio+20. “The report is required reading as we gear up for Rio+20, which is an opportunity to define pathways to a safer, cleaner and more prosperous world for all.” The report recommends that policies be guided by four key goals: improving energy efficiency without expanding consumption where energy-use levels are high; supporting a broad global energy technology development portfolio while scaling up the use of known green technologies in specific places; supporting greater experimentation and longer discovery times; and applying superior governance and accountability strategies in energy-related technological development than at present. Source: UNDESA  Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Recent studies in the World Report on Disability, show that persons with disabilities tend to live in vicious cycles of low education and subsequently in poverty. More than 200 million live in developing countries with unclear obstacles, laws and lack of education. A study in Nepal found that the return on investment in education was very high among persons with disabilities and that education has played an important role. The panel discussion “Disability and Economics: The nexus between disability, education and employment”, held on 1 July and moderated by Akiko Ito, Chief of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighted the moral, social imperatives and economic return when including persons with disabilities in the labour market using Nepal as an example. Michael Morris, J.D., Executive Director of Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University, stressed that most of the problems for persons with disabilities is located in the informal market where there is a lack of solutions. “In many countries, persons with disabilities often work primarily in unpaid forms of employment, including work in the home, self‐employment and informal work,” said Mr. Morris. He highlighted the importance of making affirmative actions and of having company quotas for adding disabled people. Akihiko Matsui from the READ Project of the University of Tokyo, presented a path to a more inclusive way, using the game theory, that when people with disabilities are more included into the market and society, the benefit will exceed the cost. “Poor economic conditions and segregation policy of persons with disabilities may induce prejudices, which in turn prevent the society from including some people,” Mr. Matsui said.   The discussion concluded with recommendations about the need for an improvement in education as an opportunity; investment in inclusive economy development; and protection against discrimination. The importance to promote employer incentives, inclusive financial service and publicize road maps out of poverty were also highlighted, along with the Nepal study as an improvement in data collection for governments to design appropriate policies to alleviate poverty among the disabled. Source: UNDESA  Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxAs the world population approaches seven billion, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that ending global poverty and inequality is the key to unleashing the great human potential for prosperity and peaceful coexistence, while protecting the planet and safeguarding the natural resources that sustain humanity. “Later this year, a seven-billionth baby will be born into our world of complexity and contradiction,” Mr. Ban said in a message to mark World Population Day, observed annually on 11 July. “We have enough food for everyone, yet nearly a billion go hungry. We have the means to eradicate many diseases, yet they continue to spread. We have the gift of a rich natural environment, yet it remains subject to daily assault and exploitation. All people of conscience dream of peace, yet too much of the world is in conflict and steeped in armaments,” said the Secretary-General. Mr. Ban said the global focus should be on improving the welfare of the people by promoting the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the eight poverty reduction targets that the international community has agreed to strive to attain by 2015. “When we act on our shared values, we contribute to our common future. Ending poverty and inequality unleashes vast human potential,” he said. To mark the Day, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) launched the “7 Billion Actions” campaign to promote dialogue on the challenges, opportunities and actions that will be needed to ensure a better future for humanity. “While poverty, inequality and increased stress on resources represent major challenges, the world is more interconnected than ever before, creating enormous possibilities,” said UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin in his message to mark the Day. “We now have unprecedented capacity to share information and ideas, and engage communities across the globe to solve common problems. Reducing inequities and improving living standards for people alive today – as well as for generations to follow – will require new ways of thinking and unparalleled global cooperation. The moment to act is now,” said Mr. Osotimehin. He said that protecting reproductive health and rights is fundamental for sustainable development, and called for concerted efforts to meet the needs of some 215 million women in developing countries who have the desire to plan and space the birth of their children but lack access to modern contraception. Mr. Osotimehin stressed that, acting together, the world has the capacity to prevent the deaths of 1,000 women who lose their lives every day to complications of pregnancy and childbirth. “We have an opportunity and responsibility to invest in the world’s 1.8 billion adolescents and youth aged 10 to 24. They constitute more than a quarter of the world’s population and almost 90 per cent live in developing countries. “Every young person deserves education, including sexuality education, and access to comprehensive health services. With the right policies, investments and social support, young people can enjoy healthier lives free of poverty and enhance prospects for peace and stability,” said Mr. Osotimehin. According to UNFPA, the global population has doubled since 1968 and grown by almost 40 per cent since reaching 5 billion in 1987, when the first World Population Day was observed. Population growth is projected to continue at least until the middle of this century despite dramatic declines in the average number of children per woman. The vast majority of the population growth ¬– 97 of every 100 people – is occurring in less developed countries, some of which already struggle to meet their citizens’ needs. The gap between rich and poor is growing, as urbanization and migration continue, while climate change is an increasing concern with a rising number of people becoming vulnerable to food insecurity, water shortages and weather-related disasters, according to the UNFPA. On the other hand, many rich and middle-income countries are concerned about low fertility and ageing. Source: UN News CentreMon, 11 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxA new United Nations report released on 11 July 2011 on development in Africa calls for increased manufacturing on the continent to reduce poverty.   “Africa now accounts for about 1 per cent of global manufacturing, and cannot realistically hope to reduce widespread poverty if its governments don’t take effective measures to expand this vital economic sector,” says the report by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).   The Economic Development in Africa Report 2011 calls for “a practical, well-designed approach to industrialization, that is adjusted to specific country circumstances and based on extensive discussion with and feedback from businesses and entrepreneurs,” the agencies said in a news release. The report says that Africa is losing ground in labour-intensive manufacturing – which is generally the entry-level step in industrial development, and is a category especially important in Africa, where jobs are needed in rapidly growing cities.   Strategies to spur industrial development – in order to be effective – must be individually tailored by governments, according to the agencies. The report says government support to private firms is necessary to steer investment and business activities into areas of industry critical for long-term economic growth and employment generation. But such support should not be open-ended. It should be terminated if improved performance – such as the production of competitive export goods – is not achieved within a specified period of time. It also calls for building effective state-business relations; improvement in roads, railroads and electricity supplies; and “putting into place a mechanism for monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.”   “While the report stresses the need to promote manufacturing development, it argues that this must not be achieved at the expense of the agricultural sector,” the agencies noted, adding that agriculture has been and will continue to be a major source of revenue, employment, and foreign exchange earnings, in the short to medium term. Source: UN News CentreWed, 13 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), concluded its High-level Segment on 8 July, by adopting a Ministerial Declaration calling for more effective and efficient international cooperation in order to achieve the Education For All (EFA) goals. In the Declaration, Ministers and Heads of Delegations acknowledged insufficient progress on some of the "Education for All" goals: quality of education, early childhood care and education, skills development and adult literacy.  In that context, the Council called for more effective and efficient international cooperation in order to achieve these goals. Sha Zukang, Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that the ECOSOC Ministerial Declaration provides a roadmap to navigate the considerable challenges in education at the moment, while also focusing on emerging issues such as secondary and tertiary education, information technology, and lifelong learning. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of national commitments to education and highlighted the importance of domestic resources as critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the EFA goals. They also encouraged youth, the private sector and civil society to positively contribute to achieving the EFA Goals. Additionally, the Council called on donors to fulfill their commitments to education, in particular basic education, emphasizing the importance of international financing as a critical supplementary source to domestic financing. The Ministerial Declaration stressed the need to take measures to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence in any education setting, including gender-based violence. It emphasized that education and sustainable development are interlinked and mutually reinforcing, and stressed the need to recognize the important role of education for sustainable development. This includes how education can contribute to the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. ECOSOC President Lazarous Kapambwe said at the closing of the High-level Segment that "success in the MDG and EFA goals is not solely the responsibility of any one entity or institution. As a collaborative partnership, facilitating the inputs and ideas of all stakeholders is crucial.  In particular, the voices of young people must be heard in shaping policies and curricula that are relevant to their needs, the needs of development and the needs of the market".  Closing Remarks by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Secretary-General of The 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development | Watch  UN Webcast Video. Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Featured in this issue: Protecting human rights of older persons Education for all at top of ECOSOC’s agenda Urge to invest more in young people More news stories on topics including: Global dialogue on development; Trends and analysis;Capacity development DESA Calendar of Events For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/desaMon, 01 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the world to recognize the right of indigenous peoples to control their intellectual property, saying they needed help to protect, develop and receive fair compensation for their cultural heritage and traditional knowledge.  “Indigenous peoples face many challenges in maintaining their identity, traditions and customs, and their cultural contributions are at times exploited and commercialized, with little or no recognition,” Mr. Ban said in a message to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.  “I encourage all Member States to take concrete steps to address the challenges facing indigenous peoples – including marginalization, extreme poverty and loss of lands, territories and resources. Countries should also commit to ending the grave human rights abuses that indigenous peoples encounter in many parts of the world,” he said. He noted that there were 5,000 distinct groups of indigenous peoples in some 90 countries, who make up more than five per cent of the world's population – some 370 million people in total. They are custodians of valuable and often fast-disappearing cultural heritage, the Secretary-General said. “We see their creativity and innovations in the arts, literature and the sciences,” said Mr. Ban, noting that those contributions were highlighted by the theme of this year's observance of the Day, which is “Indigenous designs: Celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future.” “As we look forward to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014, I urge all Member States to work in full partnership with indigenous people to identify practical ideas and proposals for action at this important gathering,” he said, calling for concerted efforts to strengthen their rights and support their aspirations. In her statement to mark the Day, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that indigenous peoples around the world have lost, or are under imminent threat of losing, their ancestral lands, territories and natural resources as a result of unfair exploitation for the sake of “development.” She said natural resource extraction projects such as mining are land-intensive and water-intensive and often directly affect the collective rights of indigenous peoples to their lands and territories. “All too often we see conflict between corporations, indigenous peoples and the State over development projects which are initiated without consultation or consent of the very people who are dispossessed of their land,” said Ms. Pillay. “The right to development is a human right for all, and indigenous peoples have the right to define and determine their own development. On this International Day of the World's Indigenous People, let us ensure that development for some is not to the detriment of the human rights of others,” she said. Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), said the agency was partnering with indigenous peoples in various places – including the Arctic, Africa and so-called small island developing States – to highlight the fact that more than two-thirds of the Earth's biological resources are also the traditional territories of most indigenous peoples. The Director of the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, said indigenous peoples hold some of the solutions to global challenges. They speak the majority of humanity's languages and have crafted livelihoods that combine cultural and biological diversity. “They have developed knowledge systems with unique insight to sustainable development,” she said. Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), called for concerted efforts to overcome barriers that prevent the children of indigenous communities from access to services they need to survive and thrive. He pointed out that indigenous children have lower school enrolment rates, higher drop-out rates and lower educational attainment than non-indigenous children. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed its commitment to working with indigenous peoples and other partners to advancing those communities' right to health, while Michelle Bachelet, the Executive Director of UN Women, stressed the need to end gender-based violence and improve the economic status of all women, including the most marginalized in indigenous communities. Francis Gurry, the Director-General of UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in his message said traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions hold potential economic value which can form the basis for community enterprises and cultural industries and contribute to economic development and poverty reduction. The Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Ahmed Djoghlaf, and Jan McAlpine, the Director of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat, also highlighted the important role that indigenous communities play in global conservation efforts. Patricia Velasquez, an indigenous model and actress from Venezuela, will today address a special event at UN Headquarters via video message, highlighting the work of her own Wayuu Taya Foundation to help improve the lives of Latin American indigenous communities, while maintaining and respecting their traditions, culture and beliefs. “In every indigenous design there is a story representing the heritage, traditions and the spirituality of an individual or a community. Protecting these works, the artists who create them and the knowledge behind them from misuse or exploitation is essential to preserving indigenous cultures. “At Wayuu Taya we have seen how indigenous crafts can be developed into a sustainable business that celebrates as well as preserves the traditions of the community. The full participation of indigenous peoples in decisions that affect them and their communities is key,” said Ms. Velasquez. Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxScreened at the opening of the annual International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the short film Kalimantan’s Craft; Harmony of Culture and Nature, communicated the way peoples’ stories can be, quite literally, woven into traditional arts. The film also highlighted the challenges faced by indigenous cultures, thereby introducing the theme of the event: Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future.  While the knowledge and culture of indigenous societies has enriched the world immeasurably, the future for the global population of 370 million is uncertain, and the need to support the aims of indigenous communities is pressing. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated: “Let us celebrate and recognize the stories, cultures and unique identities of indigenous peoples around the world. At the same time, let us work to strengthen their rights and support their aspirations.” Adding to these comments, Sha Zukang, DESA’s Under-Secretary-General, emphasized that “we must not lose sight of the difficulties many indigenous groups around the world still face: extreme poverty, social exclusion and often facing threats to their culture or very existence.”  Despite these difficulties, an optimistic note was also sounded. Mirna Cunningham, the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues recalled that it is the hard work of indigenous artists and artisans that “not only educates the rest of the world, but also revitalizes and strengthens indigenous peoples’ cultures for the generations who will come after us.” Also looking to the future, Ban Ki-moon urged all Member States to work in cooperation with indigenous groups to prepare for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014 and make the principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples a reality. Source: UNDESATue, 16 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxDaniela Bas was only six years old when doctors found a tumor pressing on her spine. Beating the odds, she survived but became paraplegic in less than 20 days before surgery. Now, Daniela heads UN DESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development, where one of the tasks is to promote the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its implementation worldwide. “I was very lucky,” says Daniela Bas, about having defeated a very rare disease that affects only two or three children in every million and which hardly any child survived in the 1960s. “Probably life knew that I had a mission,” she adds. Daniela also refers to her parents and the fact that they always stood by her. Coming from a small town on the Italian countryside, the mentality and culture were different in those days. “Because I was paraplegic, I was a ‘handicapped’. The label was there. People started treating me as a ‘handicapped’, except my parents.” To them, she was exactly the same child in her heart, feelings and personality. She might not be using her shoes anymore. She was wearing them, but it was the tires of a wheelchair that helped her move forward. But the way she commuted was the only thing that had changed. Her parents also made sure that she could attend the primary school she was supposed to, only five months after she had become paraplegic, despite rules in those days not allowing children with a disability to attend ordinary school. However, three years later in the 1970s, regulations changed and Daniela was legally accepted in ordinary school. “I think overall in Europe, things have improved. It took about 40 years. When it comes to developing countries, we have to be aware that even if we have the convention, it will take time before we see improvements,” says Daniela. International expert and broadcaster Daniela graduated in international relations, writing her dissertation on employment of people with physical disabilities and the elimination of architectural barriers. With knowledge of several foreign languages and after completing an exam, she joined the UN’s CSDHA/Disabled Persons Unit in Vienna as a Junior Professional Officer in 1986. In the 1990s, this office moved to New York and later on became DESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development, of which Daniela now is in charge. “I have to thank the United Nations for being so motivated. It is because the UN started promoting equal opportunities also for people with disabilities decades ago that I am here,” she says. For about 10 years, Daniela worked for the UN in the area of social development and human rights. She left the organization in 1995 and held a number of other significant assignments including as Special Adviser on “Fundamental Rights” to the former Vice President of the European Commission; as the Italian representative to the European Commission on “Tourism for All”; as Management Board Member of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna, and as journalist and broadcaster for Italian Radio RAI and Radio24/Sole24 Ore and TV channels. Concept of reduced mobility “When I talk about disability, and this is my very personal point, I prefer to talk about reduced mobility. Because that can embrace 80 per cent of the population. For one reason or another in our lives we will have some sort of reduced mobility, temporary or permanent,” says Daniela. During her years working as a journalist, Daniela focused mainly on leisure and tourism, as these are topics that appeal to people. “In all my broadcast, I was talking about social issues through tourism, trying to convey a message, to educate people and my listeners to this concept of reduced mobility.” Also behind this choice of focus, is probably Daniela’s passion for travel. “For me, travel means freedom. I can move. And I have met many people with disabilities around the world, who have inspired me.” Focus on the person Over the years, Daniela has seen progress within the UN on matters relating to disabilities. “The UN has changed its definitions during the past decades from ‘handicapped’, ‘disabled person’, to nowadays ‘a person with a disability’. We are focusing on the person. I think this is a huge achievement.” Daniela also mentions other signs of improvements in society. When looking at fairy tales from the old days, the “bad guys” of the stories were often portrayed with some sort of disability. The cat in Pinocchio was blind, Captain Hook in Peter Pan had a hook instead of an arm and the wicked queen in Snow White probably had scoliosis. Nowadays, the stories are different and characters with disabilities are portrayed in a positive way. “This tells us that things have improved and that all the efforts of the UN during the last decade are paying off,” says Daniela. Working for change and advancing rights Three months ago, Daniela returned to the UN and her area of expertise as the Director of UN DESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development. Daniela highlights that through DESA’s work, three disability-focused instruments have been adopted at the international level. First there was the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons in 1982; then the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in 1993; and lastly the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006. Pakistan is the latest country to ratify the convention, making 103 the total number of countries which have ratified so far. “I hope the convention will help countries as well as the UN system to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and development,” says Daniela. She also hopes that the convention will bring about raised awareness about disability as a development and human rights issue as well as the situation of persons with disabilities on the ground. “Persons with disabilities should enjoy equal opportunities and a better quality of life. It takes decades, because it requires a cultural change.” Daniela also underscores UN DESA’s cooperation with civil society and the possibilities created when we all work together. Member States, civil society, UN agencies and NGOs at grassroots level all play a part in affecting people and bringing about change. Meeting to evaluate progress made in the implementation of the convention Next on the agenda for Daniela and her team is one of the largest meetings of the international community working on disability issues, taking place in New York on 7-9 September. The Fourth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will then be held under the theme Enabling Development, Realizing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Member States, the UN and civil society will discuss on-going progress and will share good practices on the effective implementation of the convention around the world. At the end of this DESA News interview with Daniela Bas, it is clear that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. And as said in a quote by Goethe, included on Daniela’s personal website: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”. For more information:  UN DESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development: http://social.un.org/index/   Daniela Bas: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/newsletter/2011/june/cg.shtml#cg2 Source: UNDESA  Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe United Nations will host the Fourth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from 7 to 9 September 2011. This year's theme is "Enabling Development, Realizing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities". Sub-themes for this year's conference include "Realizing the Convention through International Cooperation", "Political and Civil Participation" and "Work and Employment". The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted in 2006 in General Assembly resolution (A/RES/61/106). It came into force on 3 May 2008 upon the 20th ratification. Article 40 of the Convention stipulates that “The States Parties shall meet regularly in a Conference of States Parties in order to consider any matter with regard to the implementation of the present Convention.” Since 2008, three sessions of the Conference of States Parties have been held at  United Nations Headquarters, New York.  Hundreds of delegates from governments and civil society will gather at United Nations in New York to discuss ways to improve the lives and well-being of people with disabilities by addressing some of the challenges they face, including unemployment.  The three-day Fourth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will bring together up to 500 delegates, including 78 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with more than 300 representatives, under the theme “Enabling Development, Realizing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” Ronald Clive McCallum, the chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stressed, at a news conference at UN Headquarters, the need to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities to help them support themselves and give them the opportunity to use their talents for the larger good of society. “It is only through employment that we can play full roles as citizens in our countries. It is only through employment that we can use our talents to contribute to the better of society. It is only through employment that we can support ourselves and our families,” said Mr. McCallum, who has a visual disability himself. He pointed out that too much money was being spent on disability pensions and social welfare benefits in some countries. “What we want is money to be spent to get us into employment so that less of us need be on social security benefits. And in these economic times of downturn when some countries are cutting society security, it is even more imperative to have more programmes to get us out of sheltered workshops, to get us out of our homes, and to get us in full-time employment.” The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been ratified by 103 States and signed by 149 countries. Ratification makes it legally binding on States to comply with its contents. There are also 62 States that have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention that allows for individuals and organizations of persons with disabilities to complain to the UN committee about non-compliance with the Convention by governments. Daniela Bas, the Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), which houses the Secretariat of the Convention, stressed that persons with disabilities must enjoy equal opportunities. “It can take decades to change attitudes and behaviours deeply ingrained in cultures,” she said in a press release. “The UN has been focusing on a people-centred, developmental approach to disability.” Round-table discussions during the Conference will focus on issues related to international cooperation, participation in political and public life, and the right to work and employment for persons with disabilities. An interactive dialogue will be held to discuss the implementation of the Convention by UN agencies and other stakeholders. UN Resources on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Enable website Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities website World Health Organization and World Bank World Report on Disability (2011) Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Persons with disabilities must enjoy full human rights and fundamental freedoms and enabling them to do so benefits society as a whole, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today at the opening of a United Nations forum that is seeking to improve their lives. “You and I and millions of others know, that when we respect the inherent dignity of persons with disabilities, we enrich our human family,” she stated in her remarks to the fourth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The conference, which runs through Friday, brings together over 500 participants around the overall theme of “Enabling development: realizing the rights of persons with disabilities.” There are 103 States that are party to the Convention, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 2006 in an effort to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the same human rights as everyone else. Ms. Migiro said that the large number of countries that have ratified the treaty is a testament to the growing global understanding of how important it is to redress the many challenges facing persons with disabilities. “Now we have to take this understanding to the next level,” she stated. “That means giving this issue the attention it deserves far beyond this conference room. You can tell the world – and many of you can show the world – that persons with disabilities can make an enormous contribution to progress.” The Deputy Secretary-General also noted that even today, almost five years after the adoption of the Convention, too many persons with disabilities do not even know that this historic instrument exists. “Far too many are denied the rights it is supposed to guarantee. As long as they are denied those rights, we cannot rest,” she stated. Delegates to the conference include representatives of government, the UN system, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, information and communications technology groups and media organizations. Among the issues that will be considered during the meeting are employment challenges faced by people with disabilities and international cooperation in the present global economic situation. Deputy S-G's statement Meeting Photos Press Conference Radio UN Enable  Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx“Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Rio+20 is one of the most important conferences in the history of the United Nations (because) our world is facing unprecedented changes and challenges,” said Sha Zukang, UN DESA’s Under-Secretary General and the Rio+20 Secretary-General, as he led and addressed the High-Level Symposium on the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, hosted by China on 8-9 September. Mr. Sha, addressing representatives of NGOs, government officials and sustainable development experts, outlined the importance of the matters being considered and the challenges faced. Mr. Sha said that today’s world can be described in a few words: “volatility, uncertainty, unemployment, erosion of the natural resource base, extreme shocks.” Given these circumstances, a cohesive international strategy is required which links economic, social and environmental issues and works effectively to promote sustainable futures. The absence of a unified approach thus far, Mr. Sha argued, had limited the achievements of the first Rio conference in 1992, and he therefore urged that Rio+20 be a conference focused on implementation. The preparatory meetings, he pointed out, had identified a number of priorities for sustaining development, like water and food security and social inclusion. What Rio+20 must achieve is to put in place practical measures for addressing critical issues. On the issue of water management, for example, the Rio+20 Secretary-General suggested that closer international cooperation and responsiveness might both avoid conflict and protect resources. A similarly cooperative approach would also go some way to addressing the future of oceans. Overseeing developments, the future of an institutional framework for sustainable development is also under discussion. Mr. Sha stressed the importance of deliberation in this area, saying that this “institutional architecture will play a fundamental role in coordinating international cooperation.”  The High-Level Symposium is an important moment in sharpening the focus for the Rio+20 Conference by providing a forum for open, productive and practical discussions. By synthesizing the outcomes of previous meetings and negotiating prospective institutional frameworks, the final impact of the conference is significantly enhanced. For more information about Rio+20, please visit: http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.phpTue, 13 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Donors need to intensify their support to help countries achieve the globally agreed goals of slashing hunger, poverty, disease and a host of other social ills by the target date of 2015, says a new United Nations report released today. The annual report prepared by the UN’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Gap Task Force says that support has risen sharply since the targets were set in 2000, with donor countries having provided a record-high $129 billion in official development assistance (ODA) last year. “Yet the international community has yet to meet the targets we have assigned ourselves,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the launch of the report at UN Headquarters. “There is a troubling distance between what we have promised and what we are actually doing to support the global partnership for development. And that gap is expected to widen,” he stated. Mr. Ban created the Task Force in 2007 to track global commitments on aid, trade and debt, and to follow progress on access to essential medicines and technology. With the 2015 deadline looming, he called for accelerated efforts towards the Goals. “Certainly the global economic outlook remains sobering,” he said. “But this cannot be an excuse not to deliver. We cannot afford to leave the poor even further behind.” Trade is a traditional means by which nations lift themselves out of poverty, the report notes. However, a deadlock in global trade talks has frustrated opportunities for rapid advancement through trade. The report also warns against trade protectionism in response to slow economic growth, noting that it is a self-defeating measure that would also penalize poor countries. In addition, the recent financial turmoil has caused some backsliding with regard to the removal of the debt burden from many poor countries. “This report shows us the formidable challenges still ahead in our work towards the MDGs,” said Mr. Ban. “Some may see it as a bleak assessment. I take a more hopeful view. The global campaign for the MDGs has achieved remarkable progress in a short time – more effective disease control, more children in school, new technologies bringing new solutions. “There is also a growing awareness that relieving the world’s most vulnerable people of the needless burdens of poverty, hunger and disease is not just a moral obligation – it is also a smart investment in our shared future,” he added. “With effort and solidarity, we can close the gaps identified in this new report.” The MDG Gap Task Force brings together more than 20 UN agencies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).   Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx The theme of the general debate of the 66th session is: "The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told world leaders gathered at United Nations Headquarters today for the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate that they face critical choices on global issues to ensure the well-being of future generations. “We have five imperatives – five generational opportunities to shape the world of tomorrow by the decisions we make today,” he said. Mr. Ban cited sustainable development; preventing and mitigating conflicts, human rights abuses and the impacts of natural disasters; building a safer and more secure world; supporting countries in transition; and working to engage the talents of women and young people. “The first and greatest of these is sustainable development — the imperative of the 21st century,” said the Secretary-General. “We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women’s empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all.” Mr. Ban called on leaders to reach a binding climate change agreement, one with more ambitious national and global emissions targets, and to take urgent action on cutting emissions and on adaptation. Turning to prevention, he asked those gathered to consider the savings of acting before conflicts erupt – by deploying political mediation missions, for example, rather than troops. This will require support and resources, he noted, to raise ‘prevention’ from an abstract concept to a core operating principle across the spectrum of the UN’s work. Building a safer and more secure world is the core responsibility of the UN, Mr. Ban continued, citing the Organization’s efforts in hotspots such as Côte d’Ivoire, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and the Middle East. “In the Middle East, we must break the stalemate. We have long agreed that Palestinians deserve a State. Israel needs security. Both want peace. We pledge our unrelenting efforts to help achieve that peace through a negotiated settlement,” he stated. The UN is capable today of more rapid and effective response than ever before, Mr. Ban added, and it remains the “world’s first emergency responders” – noting recent disasters in Pakistan, Haiti and beyond. The Secretary-General appealed to leaders to help save the children of the Horn of Africa, where more than 13 million people are in crisis due to famine, conflict and drought, as well as to keep pushing for disarmament and non-proliferation to fulfil the dream of a world free of nuclear weapons. Recalling this year’s dramatic events in North Africa and the Middle East, Mr. Ban said it is important to help make the Arab Spring “a true season of hope for all.” Whether a country is emerging from war, moving from autocracy to democracy or from poverty to a new prosperity, the UN must help find the right path. “That may involve support to restore justice or build back public services. It may mean helping to organize elections or write a constitution,” noted Mr. Ban. “Our challenge today is to cement this progress — and apply the lessons learned,” he added, stating that nowhere is this challenge more clear than in the efforts to help South Sudan build a functioning State after decades of conflict. He also highlighted the need to work with – and work for – women and young people. “Women hold up more than half the sky and represent much of the world’s unrealized potential… And we will focus on the new generation. Young people are more than our future. They are also our present, both in numbers and how they drive political and social change.” In responding to all of these challenges, solidarity will be critical, said Mr. Ban, especially in the area of resources, without which the UN cannot deliver. “Today, I ask governments that have traditionally borne the lion’s share of the costs to not flag in their generosity. Budgets are tight. Yet we also know that investing through the UN is smart policy. Burden-sharing makes the load lighter. Scaling back is no answer.” It is also necessary to adapt to changing times, the Secretary-General noted. “At this time of austerity, we must do more with less. We must invest the global taxpayers’ money wisely, eliminate waste and avoid duplication by Delivering as One. “Accountability and transparency remain our watchwords. We are accountable to the Member States. Yet we cannot become more efficient without their strong and consistent support,” he stated. The world body also needs to streamline the budget process, as well as build a more modern and mobile workforce. In addition, it is vital to do everything possible to protect UN staff, he said. “We have lost so many lives; the UN has become too soft a target. Today, we remember with gratitude those who serve with such dedication in so many dangerous places.” The peoples of the world – soon to be 7 billion strong – are looking to the leaders gathered today, said Mr. Ban. “They need solutions. They demand leadership. They want us to act. To act with compassion, courage and conviction. To act in concert – nations united at the United Nations.” After Mr. Ban’s remarks, General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser addressed the gathering, followed by the first speakers in the annual General Debate. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Freerice.com, the online game that allows players to improve their vocabulary while simultaneously fighting world hunger by making donations to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), launched its French- and Italian-language versions today. The new versions of Freerice will give millions of Italian and French speakers the chance to test their vocabulary and help feed hungry children around the world, said the WFP in a news release. “Whether you are a French or Italian speaker eager to enrich your vocabulary or an avid language student, Freerice engages players in a fun and challenging way that helps the hungry,” said Nancy Roman, WFP Director of Communications, Public Policy and Private Partnerships Division. The game, which already has English and Spanish versions, consists of increasingly difficult vocabulary and educational questions, and for every correct answer, 10 grains of rice are donated to WFP and paid for by advertisers of the site. Freerice became popular soon after it was released in 2007, and since then it has donated almost 100 billion grains of rice, enough to feed 4.8 million people for a day in countries such as Haiti, Uganda, Pakistan and Cambodia. The game, designed by fundraising pioneer John Breen to help his teenage sons prepare for their college entrance exams, now attracts 40,000 players daily, and has evolved to allow players to form online groups and compete. “Freerice is a truly innovative concept that has taken the Internet by storm over the last few years. From Paris to Montréal, and from Hanoi to Dakar, French speakers and learners around the world can now actively participate in this online viral phenomenon and help save millions of lives,” said Marina Catena, Director of WFP in France. The WFP said Chinese- and Korean-language versions of the game will follow.   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxMr. Sha Zukang, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of next year’s United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) urged countries to pursue economic policies that take social considerations into account to ensure that the poor, youth, persons with disability and the elderly do not continue to bear the brunt of fiscal austerity measures and unemployment in the uncertain global economy. “Successful policies are those that promote economic and social development together with human rights protection, more [and] better jobs, social cohesion and less inequality,” Mr. Sha said in an address to the annual opening of the Third Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs. In his speech, delivered by Thomas Stelzer, the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, Mr. Sha stressed that the world must design ways of integrating social and economic policies to ensure “people-centred recovery and long-term” sustainable development. The official highlighted three approaches that he said could facilitate the achievement of inclusive and sustainable development. “First, in the current economic climate, it is important to maintain our commitment to poverty eradication and social justice. We must retain and strengthen social objectives, not to diminish them,” he said, noting that countries must safeguard growth-enhancing social expenditures even at they strive to bring fiscal deficits under control. “Second, experience has shown that job creation is paramount. As policy responses to the current crises are developed, jobs are needed for inclusive recovery and poverty reduction. “Third, the establishment and expansion of social protection floor is also imperative. Such a floor protects people from extreme poverty and deprivation. And it functions as an automatic stabilizer by supporting aggregate demand during economic downturns,” said Mr. Sha. He said the Rio+20 will be an opportunity to integrate social concerns with the economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development. “We know that a green economy must support poverty eradication. That is why we continue to explore… ways in which a green economy can create jobs for the poor and sustainable livelihoods,” added Mr. Sha. Resources: UN General Assembly of the United Nations: Social, Humanitarian & Cultural - Third Committee Press Release: As World Struggles with Economic Crisis, ‘Time Bomb’ of Rising Social Inequality Could Tear Apart Moral Fabric of Societies, Third Committee Told (3 October 2011) Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe President of the General Assembly praised the African initiative created to enhance the continent’s economic growth, development and participation in the global economy, saying it has contributed significantly towards the socio-economic progress achieved over the past decade. “Africa has been the home of six out of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world,” said Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the President of the 66th session of the General Assembly, which hosted a high-level event to mark the 10th anniversary of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). “Africa is a growth pole and is increasingly attracting foreign direct investment. Social indicators, such as those for education and health, have significantly improved,” Mr. Al-Nasser told the event, entitled NEPAD and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Progress, Challenges and the Way Forward. “NEPAD’s priorities – poverty eradication, sustainable growth, the empowerment of women – echo those of the United Nations Millennium Declaration,” he added. The NEPAD initiative of the African Union (AU) was adopted in 2001, with the continent’s leaders pledging to pursue new priorities and approaches for the political and socio-economic transformation of Africa. The programme is intended to accelerate Africans’ efforts to extricate the continent from underdevelopment and exclusion from the global economy. Mr. Al-Nasser said NEPAD’s African peer review mechanism had helped improve good governance and rule of law, thus creating an atmosphere conducive to sustainable and broad-based economic growth. “While strengthening partnership with NEPAD, it is also important to look beyond aid. We must emphasize the need for a productive global partnership which includes mutually beneficial trade and investment relationships, as well as the protection of the global climate. “The 10th anniversary of NEPAD is an opportunity to renew the genuine partnership between African Member States and development partners. This partnership should capitalize and build upon achievements to date,” he said. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro pointed out that NEPAD “broke new ground” as a concept, stressing that “Africa should own the African development process.” “Thanks to the efforts of hard-working Africans and the support of development partners, these past 10 years have seen remarkable economic progress,” she said, noting that continent’s average economic growth from 2002 until last year was an impressive 5.5 per cent. “All of these positive signs are translating into gains for the Millennium Development Goals and the African people. Governments scaled up investments in education, health, agriculture, and food security.”’ Ms. Migiro, however, stressed that what has been achieved has not been sufficient to lift large numbers of Africans out of poverty. “The African child who gets an education still may not find a decent job. The African woman who enjoys greater gender equality still may die in childbirth. The African patient receiving anti-retroviral drugs still may fall victim to bacteria from poor sanitation.” She said the much more remains to be done and that the UN MDG Acceleration Framework would help governments overcome the main obstacles to progress. “We are working especially closely with the African Union to strengthen the continent’s capacity to reach its development goals. “We will continue to help build skills and technological capabilities. We will press on in helping mobilize domestic resources and foreign direct investment. And we will support Africa’s industries so that they can become more competitive.” Cheikh Sidi Diarra, the UN Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States told a news conference on the margins of the high-level event that he was “very optimistic for the future of the continent,” noting that Africa’s governance was improving. He pointed out that decentralization of local development at national levels, regional integration and international treaties were gradually reducing governments’ stranglehold on power, leading to greater transparency and accountability in many African States. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxHow can an ailing global job market be cured and what can be done to promote more jobs and decent work around the world? Are there viable alternative strategies for job creation and development that provide less risk to global market fluctuations and financial volatility? These were some of the questions raised yesterday at the Second Committee panel event on “Alternative Development Strategies for Job Creation”. Widespread job losses, increased underemployment in developed countries and underemployment, a growing informal economy and increased vulnerable employment in developing countries are some of the effects and challenges following the economic crisis. Chaired by the Second Committee Vice-Chair Bitrus Vandy Yohanna and moderated by Lakshmi Puri, Deputy Executive Director and Director, Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships Bureau of UN Women, the panel event brought together development and employment experts. The aim was to explore alternative development strategies for employment creation and economic growth. The panel underscored the importance of supporting a job-rich recovery. “The moment to do so is now. Recovery will not take place by itself,” said Peter Bakvis, Director, Washington Office of the International Trade Union, Confederation and the associated Global Union Federations and one of the panelists. He also elaborated on how the labor movement can build synergies with public and private partners in creating a better enabling environment for decent work and job growth. He also highlighted three positive examples where challenges had been met successfully in Germany, Brazil and India. The roles of small and medium sized enterprises when it comes to generating jobs were also stressed. Adam Greene, Vice President, Labour Affairs and Corporate Responsibility, United States Council for International Business, addressed the issue of employment in the private sector and highlighted the need for establishing favorable environments for companies, with peace, stability, transparency, an educated workforce and well-functioning infrastructure. The panel, which included distinguished representatives from Columbia University, ILO and UNDP, also discussed the role of women as well as the issue of a ‘green economy’ and what implications it might have for the global job market. This was the first of a number of side events planned by the Second Committee. Upcoming events include: “People’s empowerment: a peace model”; “Follow-up to the LDC IV Conference: integrating its provisions into national plans and policies”; “Means of implementation for sustainable development” and “Food and energy security and energy efficiency”. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxPersons with disabilities make up an estimated 15 per cent of the world’s population. Almost one-fifth of the estimated global total of persons living with disabilities, or between 110-190 million, encounter significant difficulties. Furthermore, a quarter of the global population is directly affected by disability, as care-givers or family members. Persons with disabilities encounter many disadvantages in their societies and are often subjected to stigma and discrimination. They remain largely marginalized, disproportionately poorer, frequently unemployed and have higher rates of mortality. Furthermore, they are largely excluded from civil and political processes and are overwhelmingly voiceless in matters that affect them and their society. Experience shows that when persons with disabilities are empowered to participate and lead the process of development, their entire community benefits, as their involvement creates opportunities for everyone – with or without a disability. Including persons with disabilities and their communities in developmental efforts is important to advance the development agenda.   Thus it is imperative that development efforts around the world include disability issues when determining policies, programmes, as well as allocating funds for developmental programmes and projects. Mainstreaming disability in development is a strategy for achieving equality for persons with disabilities.   The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is both a human rights treaty and a development tool, provides an opportunity to strengthen developmental policies related to the implementation of internationally agreed development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), thereby contributing to the realization of a “society for all” in the twenty-first century.   The General Assembly in its most recent resolution 65/186, seeks to convene a High-Level meeting on disability in 2012, with a view to strengthening efforts to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of development efforts.   Commemorating the International Day of persons with disabilities   This year, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs requested the input of its partners and the general public for suggestions on a theme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2011. Many responses were received from both, the UN system and civil society.  Now, for the first time, the Day will be commemorated under a general theme with supporting sub-themes to draw attention to key areas that would work in synergy to mainstream disability in all development processes. For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1561Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Top United Nations officials stressed today the importance of practising active tolerance at a time when the world is undergoing unprecedented economic and political changes, and called for countries to embrace diversity, combat discrimination and increase education efforts about human rights. “Our practice of tolerance must mean more than peaceful coexistence, crucial as that is. It must be an active understanding fostered through dialogue and positive engagement with others,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message to mark the International Day of Tolerance. “Practising tolerance can serve as the antidote to prejudice and hatred,” he said, emphasizing that engaging with others is crucial to combat discrimination. “We all have a responsibility to protect those vulnerable to discrimination, whether based on race, religion, nationality, language, gender, sexual orientation or other factors.” Director-General of UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Irina Bokova echoed Mr. Ban's remarks, underscoring active tolerance as a way to make the most of human diversity as a source of vitality, creation and social cohesion. “In a world that is more connected than ever, intolerance is not an option, and 'passive tolerance' or mere peaceful coexistence is not enough,” she said. Ms. Bokova stressed that the key to active tolerance is quality education that enables individuals to take part in informed debates, listening and integrating different points of view. “The building of an ethic of real tolerance today calls for each of us to improve our skills and our ability to embrace global diversity, by sharing knowledge, mastering languages, discovering cultures and learning the lessons of history,” she said. President of the General Assembly Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser also emphasized the importance of education to promote tolerance and understanding, and urged countries to step up their efforts “to teach children about tolerance and human rights, about diversity and other cultures, and about other ways of life. Peace education needs to be a part of the teaching in all educational institutions.” Mr. Al-Nasser added that even though there is a growing acknowledgement of the need for tolerance and dialogue, the world is still witnessing discrimination, extremism and radicalism every day. Mr. Al-Nasser underlined the importance of mutual listening and solidarity to sustain peace, saying that given the current complexities and challenges, the world needs “enhanced respect, understanding and appreciation between individuals, families and communities.” “I encourage Member States to reaffirm their commitment to promoting the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of their peoples by supporting activities that build tolerance,” he said. “In doing so, we will enrich our oneness and our diversity, and thereby help to build a peaceful world for all. Source: UN News CentreWed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro stressed that sustainable development is key to addressing Africa’s economic, social and environmental challenges, noting that the continent has the capacity to transition to a green economy without the adverse effects that have accompanied growth in other regions. “For the most part, Africa has avoided many destructive aspects of unsustainable development,” Ms. Migiro said at the meeting of the regional coordination mechanism of United Nations agencies and other organizations working in the continent in support of the African Union (AU). “And let us not lose sight of Africa’s own wealth and advantages. Countries here can leapfrog straight to green technology. Many are in a strong position to move quickly,” Ms. Migiro told the meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where both the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the AU are based. She said that the UN and AU are strengthening cooperation as the world body strives to deliver services as a one unified entity. Africa is also showing impressive economic growth, she said, pointing out that the continent is home to six of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the few regions in the world showing resilience in the face of the global economic crisis, she added. “But we know that Africa, as a whole, is still faced with daunting yet not unsurpassable challenges. From water and sanitation, child and maternal health to job creation, and from the food crisis and famine – as currently seen in the Horn of Africa – to stemming armed conflicts where they persist. In addition, climate change and natural disasters threaten to reverse hard-won development gains,” she said. The integrated approach embodied in sustainable development is Africa’s most promising way forward, Ms. Migiro said, urging the continent to actively engage in preparations for next year’s UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil. “The Conference is a major opportunity to produce plans for greater economic dynamism, social protection, and the creation of jobs, especially for youth – all while protecting our natural resources. “With concrete plans and political will, we can make the most of Rio+20 and get the best possible outcome. The benefits will spread across the African continent,” she added. Source: UN News Centre Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe UN launched a new campaign today to promote next June’s Rio+20 conference and the need for sustainable development by engaging people in a global conversation on the kind of communities they would like to live in twenty years from now. The new campaign, Rio+20: The Future We Want, will work through public participation to envision how societies in all parts of the world can build a future that promotes prosperity and  improves people’s quality of life without further degrading our planet’s natural environment. “We need to imagine a different future.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “What would our world look like if everyone had access to the food they need, to an education, and to the energy that is required to develop? What would our communities look like if we created a vibrant, job-rich, green economy?  This is the future we want”. The campaign aims to encourage people everywhere to engage in a global conversation that will be collected and melded into visions of the future to be exhibited in Rio de Janeiro at the conference. Rio+20 will bring together world leaders and thousands of participants representing all sectors of society, including academia, agriculture, business and industry, indigenous peoples, mayors and local authorities, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, women and youth. “Rio+20 is our best chance to define pathways to a sustainable future,” Rio+20 Secretary-General Sha Zukang said. “World leaders, along with thousands of participants from the private sector, NGOs and other groups, will come together to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet.” The UN also unveiled its new website, www.un.org/sustainablefuture, that links the Rio+20 Conference and The Future We Want project. The website also serves as a platform for informing the public about several key sustainable development issues, including cities, disasters, energy, food, jobs, oceans and water. A wide range of actions and results on these key issues will be presented at Rio+20. “With today’s launch of Rio+20: The Future We Want, we are launching a global conversation about our future.  Through this conversation, we are looking to engage people everywhere on what this future should look like, and what we need to do to realize this vision,” said Kiyo Akasaksa, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. “We need to do more to take sustainable development out of the realm of the abstract and make it real to people. We need to show, now more than ever, that it is possible to have development that generates prosperity for everyone and an improved quality of life while protecting our natural environment.” For the campaign, the UN is working with a non-governmental organization, The Future We Want, to develop the exhibit for Rio. Through electronic and non-electronic formats, especially for those without Internet access, the project asks everyone to join the global conversation and voice their ideas for a better future. The online contributions, together with people’s videos, photos, letters, essays and drawings offering different perspectives on a sustainable future, will form the basis on the exhibit. More than 600 contributions have been received from governments, civil society and international organizations, which will contribute to the outcome of Rio+20. The Conference will take place in Rio de Janeiro from 20-22 June 2012. Source: The UN Department of Public InformationTue, 22 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) called for governments to work together to reduce inequality and support sustainable development ahead of the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in the Republic of Korea next week. In a statement, the group cited the global economic crisis, the devastating floods in various countries, and the millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance as urgent calls for decisive action in the forum, to be held in the city of Busan. “At this critical juncture, developing countries and their peoples look to us gathered in Busan to be part of the solution to the challenges they face,” UNDG said in a statement. “They expect continued commitment and contribution from all partners: developed countries, the global South, multilateral organizations, civil society, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector. We cannot fail them.” Some 2,000 delegates will convene at the forum to review global progress in improving the impact and value for money of development aid. Its outcomes will also inform the discussions on international development cooperation at the UN conference on sustainable development (Rio+20) to be held in June next year in Brazil. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will also attend the event. UNDG said the parties gathered at Busan must support inclusive growth that reaches the marginalized poor, address inequalities between women and men, increase their help to developing countries to rise out of poverty, use their resources more effectively, and improve their health care and nutrition programmes. Established in 1997, the UNDG is comprised of 32 UN funds, programmes, agencies, departments and offices that play a role in development. The group’s common objective is to deliver more coherent and effective support to countries seeking to attain internationally agreed development goals. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for governments, civil society and the global community to work alongside persons with disabilities, saying their participation is essential to achieve inclusive and sustainable development worldwide. In his message marking the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Ban said that although there has been significant progress in raising awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities and many countries have committed to protect their rights through international agreements, they still experience unequal conditions. “Persons with disabilities experience higher rates of poverty and deprivation and are twice as likely to lack health care,” Mr. Ban said. “Employment rates of persons with disabilities in some countries are as low as one third of that of the overall population.” An estimated 15 per cent of the world’s population has a disability and over two thirds of persons with disabilities live in developing countries, where the gap in primary school attendance rates between children with disabilities and others ranges from 10 per cent to 60 per cent. “This multi-dimensional exclusion represents a huge cost, not only to persons with disabilities but to society as a whole. This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities reminds us that development can only be sustainable when it is equitable, inclusive and accessible for all,” Mr. Ban said. “Persons with disabilities need therefore be included at all stages of development processes, from inception to monitoring and evaluation,” he added. Echoing Mr. Ban’s remarks, General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser said development cannot be inclusive without implementing policies and programmes to help persons with disabilities. “As we work towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and as the agreed date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches, let us seize all opportunities to ensure the inclusion of disability in the development agenda post-2015,” he said. Mr. Al-Nasser stressed that States already have the tools to make progress on this issue and urged countries which have not done so to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. “Worldwide, the link between disability, poverty and social exclusion is clear and direct. Yet we have at our finger tips international human rights instruments that protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities,” Mr. Al-Nasser said in his message for the day, celebrated tomorrow. “It is only if the convention is implemented at the national level that it can have any positive impact on the lives of persons with disabilities,” he added. The convention, which came into force in 2008, aims to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with disabilities. It has been signed by 153 States and ratified by 107. “The vast majority of UN Member States have recognized the importance of respecting the rights of men, women and children with disabilities to the same quality of life as others,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. “They must now urgently set about making the promise of the convention a reality, including by ensuring that individuals with disabilities are not disenfranchised.” Ms. Pillay also stressed that countries need to remove obstacles that prevent persons with disabilities from exercising their political rights, saying that they are “often prevented from exercising this right because of discriminatory laws, the lack of accessible voting booths or because electoral material and information is not available in accessible formats such as sign language and Braille. “Such obstacles prevent the exercise of one of the most fundamental human rights – to have a say in one’s own government,” she said. As part of the celebrations for the Day, a series of events have been organized at UN Headquarters in New York today, including panel discussions on strengthening the data and statistics on disability for informed policy-making and integrating disability issues into global development reports. In the afternoon, the Enable Film Festival (EFF) will showcase films and documentaries on persons with disabilities from around the world. The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December was established in 1981 during the International Year for Disabled Persons. The Day aims to promote a better understanding of disability issues with a focus on the rights of people with disabilities and the gains that could be derived from integrating them better in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life of their communities. Source: UN News Centre Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Stressing that volunteerism contributes to the well-being of individuals, communities and society, a new United Nations report released today urges countries not to forget this largely untapped asset. The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report by UN Volunteers (UNV) presents for the first time empirical evidence of the importance and contribution of volunteerism on a global scale. It was released today on the occasion of International Volunteer Day, which is observed annually on 5 December and which this year also marks the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers. “Since the International Year of Volunteers in 2001, we’ve had greater recognition of the achievements of volunteerism, but it has not been enough,” said Robert Leigh, senior writer of the report. “We hope through this report that everyone will recognize volunteerism as an essential and as yet under-utilized sustainable, renewable asset for making all our lives better ones,” he told a special meeting held at UN Headquarters to mark the Day. The report gives recognition to the millions, perhaps billions, who are volunteering their time and energy for the well-being of their communities, said Mr. Leigh, noting that many are doing crucial peace and development work in disaster, environmental or in humanitarian situations.  “The report challenges perceptions which obscure the true dimensions and impact of volunteerism,” he said. “Volunteering does not only occur through formal, structured civil society organizations in developed countries, by well-off, educated, unskilled older women.” The report documents volunteerism through local community groups in income poor communities around the world. National volunteer studies identify almost equal numbers of men and women volunteers, involvement of the public and private sector in volunteering, as well as strong civic participation by young people. “We cannot ignore this wealth anymore,” stated Mr. Leigh. “We cannot ignore this largely untapped asset that can be a powerful force for the future of development.” UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri told the meeting that it is only fair to recognize the contributions of volunteers to peace, development and global well-being. “It is equally important to commit continued support to these people who, through their volunteerism, light up our world with their commitment to these values,” she said. Established 40 years ago, UNV deploys nearly 8,000 volunteers every year. Through UN agencies, funds and programmes, peacekeeping and special political missions, these unsung heroes have worked in about 130 countries, contributing to the UN’s global agenda and supporting national development efforts. “With the world population having surpassed seven billion this year, we must tap every person’s potential to help others. Everyone can make a difference,” said Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, reading a message fromSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “All over the globe, millions of volunteers are helping to advance sustainable development and peace,” she said, noting that this engagement takes many forms, including volunteering organizations, individuals working on their own in their communities, and service with the UN and its partners as UN Volunteers. General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser stated that volunteerism matters in reaching the UN anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as in humanitarian responses, poverty reduction, and sustainability. It also involves overcoming social exclusion and discrimination, strengthens values based on collaboration and partnership, and helps to build a better world, he added in his remarks, which were read out to the meeting by Assembly Vice President and Ambassador of Hungary Csaba Körösi. “Volunteering is the people-centred approach to peace, humanitarian response, and sustainable development. It strengthens trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens. It empowers change from the grassroots up, especially when enabled by strong partnerships at every level,” he added. UNV has organized a series of events to showcase the work of volunteers as part of celebrations for the Day, including a multimedia exhibition entitled “Volunteers of the World” that is on display at UN Headquarters in New York. The exhibition aims to demonstrate the universality of the volunteer ethic in people of all walks of life. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxTwo United Nations officials called for developed countries to fulfil their aid pledges for developing countries, stressing that without aid, they run the risk of falling behind as the global economic crisis spreads to their nations. “Fragilities in the global economy, including the risk of spillovers from developed countries, reversals in private capital inflows, exchange rate misalignments and commodity price volatility, continue to hamper [developing countries’] growth prospects,” said President of the General Assembly Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser in his remarks to the Fifth High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development in New York. ...It is important for the international community to deliver on our promise to provide duty-free and quota-free access for all products originating from LDCs.  In his message, delivered on his behalf by Assembly Vice President Gary Quinlan, Permanent Representative of Australia, Mr. Al-Nasser said that given the current economic environment, it is “critical that developing countries undertake measures to address poverty and expand productive employment opportunities,” but that to do this they will require considerable levels of external assistance. Mr. Al-Nasser stressed that the current economic downturn will adversely affect foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to developing countries as well as private capital investment, having a potentially destabilizing effect in their economies. He also asked countries to address the imbalances on the trade system, as “the development potential of international trade continues to be limited by a wide range of tariff and non-tariff restrictions as well as agricultural subsidies in developed countries,” and said it is imperative to arrive at a successful conclusion to the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, which have been stalled over such issues as removing agricultural subsidies in developed countries and trade barriers that impede the least developed countries’ (LDCs) efforts to market their produce. “After almost a decade of multilateral trade negotiations, the share of LDCs in world trade remains extremely low. It is important for the international community to deliver on our promise to provide duty-free and quota-free access for all products originating from LDCs,” he said. Mr. Al-Nasser said the two-day event provides countries with the opportunity to build up on previous trade agreements and prepare the ground for future negotiations. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, echoed Mr. Al-Nasser’s remarks adding that developing countries face a “vicious cycle of slow growth, low revenue and high debt.” Ms. Migiro said developing countries are in need of additional assistance to be able to cope with the impact of the crisis, yet most donor countries are tightening their budgets. “We cannot allow the economic crisis to deflect us from our commitment to the world’s poorest people. Development cooperation is not charity; it is smart investment in security and prosperity. “While government budgets are tight, we also have to find new ways to complement and strengthen traditional aid,” she said. She also emphasized the importance of ensuring that the spillover effects from debt crises in developed countries do not jeopardize debt sustainability in developing countries. “Fresh efforts are needed to extend debt relief to the poorest and most vulnerable countries – and, more broadly, to explore how to deal with debt distress more effectively and fairly,” she said.  Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Top United Nations officials stressed today that solutions to current world challenges can only be achieved if countries practice solidarity among themselves, calling on States to establish partnerships and dialogue to make progress on issues such as climate change, poverty and conflict prevention. “Solidarity must be the foundation for global solutions,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message marking International Human Solidarity Day, observed annually on 20 December. “In a world of common challenges, no nation can succeed on its own, but by working together in common cause, we can build a safer, more prosperous future for all.” In his message, Mr. Ban recalled calling on world leaders at the General Assembly debate in September to pay greater attention to five imperatives: achieving sustainable development, preventing conflict, stopping human rights abuses, mitigating the impact of natural disasters, and engaging the talents of women and young people. Without solidarity, Mr. Ban stressed, none of these can be achieved. “This will not happen by itself. Nor will it happen with business as usual. Our times demand something different. We need big thinking, bold action and efforts to connect the dots among global challenges,” he said. General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser echoed Mr. Ban’s remarks, highlighting that the current economic crisis, a constantly changing political sphere, and extreme weather conditions all threaten to slow down development if they are not tackled in a concerted manner by States. “Common challenges require common responses. It is my wholehearted belief that solidarity, cooperation, and partnership between Member States, the UN system and civil society are the cornerstone of efforts to move forward,” Mr. Al-Nasser said. Mr. Al-Nasser also emphasized the importance of solidarity between developed and developing countries and said the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil in June will be “a distinct opportunity to reinvigorate the international community’s commitment to achieving its sustainable development goals, as well as reaching global consensus on the eradication of poverty and global inequality. It is our chance to ensure that the benefits of sustainable development are extended to people of all countries.” Virginia Dandan, the UN expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity, said solidarity should be seen not as mere rhetoric or act of charity, but as an effective way to respond to threats, drawing strength from partners and expressing a common humanity. “Solidarity should, and must be a positive force in the lives of people and of nations, and must therefore be protected from exploitation and corruption,” she said, adding that world leaders should see it as a key factor for progress. “Our common future is at risk and our common present is under grave threat and yet, world leaders continue the illusion that the crowds and their loud clamour for justice and fair distribution of resources, will eventually tire and go away in due time,” she said. “Their shortsightedness comes with the inability to see the chain that links together climate change, food crises, water scarcity, energy shortages, population pressure and displacement. These global challenges require multilateral global responses.” For more information, please visit: http://social.un.org/index/InternationalDays/InternationalHumanSolidarityDay/2011.aspx Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx From being increasing vocal on human rights to taking important decisions to tackle non-communicable diseases, the General Assembly has made great strides during its current session, its President said, adding that efforts will continue on a range of vital issues next year. “This has been an eventful and demanding year for the United Nations, with several significant developments since I assumed the Presidency of the General Assembly,” Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser told a year-end press conference at UN Headquarters. “In fact, the last three months have been among the most exciting of my two-decade experience of diplomatic service here at the United Nations,” he said, adding that the 66th session that began in September has achieved some “great strides” with certain key issues. He pointed to the uprisings and popular protest movements that engulfed North Africa and the Middle East this year and led to the toppling of long-term regimes in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen, which he referred to as the Arab Awakening. “These popular protests have generated a lot of concern for the needs and demands of people in the affected countries, especially in the areas of human rights and the rights of women and the youth. “The General Assembly is increasingly getting vocal on human rights issues,” he added. “There is growing consensus among Member States for the protection and promotion of human rights across the world, especially in the countries experiencing the Arab Awakening.” Mr. Al-Nasser said that under his presidency, the Assembly remains active in galvanizing the necessary global partnership to assist the governments and people undergoing the Arab Awakening. The President also highlighted his close collaboration and joint initiatives with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with whom he embarked on two significant joint visits, to Libya in November and Somalia in December. “We are demonstrating the UN working as one to achieve the best results for the benefit of groups and people in need around the world,” he stated. Outlining some of the highlights of the Assembly session so far, Mr. Al-Nasser cited the political declaration adopted on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, which are now the biggest cause of death worldwide. “Millions of people in developing countries are increasingly becoming victims of this crisis,” he noted. “And this major declaration by Member States should help to deal with this issue fully and quickly.” The Assembly has also spoken with one voice against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, he said. “Despite great gains made in the fight against racism too many people still suffer from racist attitudes and deep discrimination. We must do more to promote and ensure equality and non-discrimination across the world and for global prosperity and harmony.” In addition, Member States worked to restore the legitimate representation of the Libyan people at the UN, and witnessed an historic development at the UN with the application for UN membership by the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas. Looking ahead, he said efforts will continue on the four main areas of focus for the 66th session of the Assembly: the peaceful settlement of disputes; UN reform; improving disaster prevention and response; and sustainable development and global prosperity. The revitalization of the disarmament machinery is also a priority, he added. High-level events and thematic debates on these issues are planned, as well as a retreat on Security Council reform, for next year. “We have about nine more months to go… And we will continue to tackle all the topical important issues on the international agenda,” said Mr. Al-Nasser.    Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx“Let us not for a moment lose sight of the gravity of the task before us. There are high expectations for Rio+20. We must resolve to deliver. Failure is not an option. At Rio+20 we must chart a clear course to the future we want,” said Rio+20 Conference Secretary-General and DESA’s Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang as the 2nd Intersessional Meeting of Rio+20 opened today. As Member States and other stakeholders gathered for this preparatory meeting taking place in New York on 15-16 December, Mr. Sha underscored: “This is a critical meeting. We have important work to do. The Conference is only six months away.” Today’s meeting will be the first step towards the negotiations, which will start with a “zero-draft outcome document”, combining the suggestions, comments, proposals and ideas of 672 contributors, including Member States, international agencies, non-governmental organizations and political groups. “We need to decide how ambitious we want to be at Rio. The Secretary-General and I have reiterated many times that for the United Nations this is a hugely important Conference. At stake is no less than the effectiveness of multilateralism in addressing humanity’s common future,” Mr. Sha stated further. “We all know that we face huge sustainable development challenges in the coming decades. Thanks in no small part to Rio 1992, the international community has processes underway to address some of the most pressing challenges – the climate change, biodiversity and desertification conventions; the forest principles and the permanent forum on forests, to name a few.” Mr. Sha urged for governments to be ambitious and to aim high at Rio+20. He also highlighted proposals made in the submissions, saying that “some common messages and common priorities are beginning to emerge.” “One of the most interesting – and I dare say unanticipated – developments is the broad interest in measuring progress through a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs for short),” said Mr. Sha. He also mentioned other priority issues with support including promoting sustainable consumption and production, energy for all, water, oceans, food security, sustainable agriculture, sustainable cities, green jobs, employment, social inclusion, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity and forests.Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Commission for Social Development (CSocD) is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. Since the convening of the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, the Commission has been the key UN body in charge of the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.  The Fiftieth Session of the Commission for Social Development will be convened from 1 to 10 February 2012 in conference room 4 at the United Nations North Lawn Building (NLB) in New York. The priority theme this year is"Poverty Eradication". In addition to the priority theme, the session will include review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups such as: disabled persons, youth, ageing, and the family.   Beginning with the forty-fifth session, the Commission has organized its work according to a cycle of two sessions dealing with one single priority theme. The first year is a review session, while the second year is a policy session resulting in a set of resolutions or decisions.   In conjunction with the fiftieth session, a Civil Society Forum would be organized. It will take place on 31 January 2012, one day before the opening of the session. The outcome of the Forum, which is presented in the format of a declaration, will be read during the first meeting of the session. Information on the Civil Society Forum will be made available through webpage of the NGO Committee for Social Development: http://www.ngosocdev.net. Provisional annotated agenda and proposed organization of work English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语 Membership of the session (pdf) Documents of the session NGOs Statements  Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Participation at the session  Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxSidelined for too long, the rights of people with disabilities must be fully integrated into the development policy road maps to be hammered out at the upcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and at next year’s General Assembly High-level Meeting on Disability and Development, Shuaib Chalklen, Special Rapporteur on Disability, told the Commission for Social Development today. “Both meetings are important for setting future global development goals and we cannot have a repeat of the exclusion of disability such as we experienced in the past,” Mr. Chalklen said as he briefed the Commission on his work over the past year.  He called on Member States to support those meetings at the highest level, facilitate the participation by organizations representing people with disabilities, and support the United Nations Partnership to Promote the Rights of Disabled Persons, an inter-agency initiative launched in December. He said Governments and civil society alike must work to create policies that would bring equal opportunities to disabled people in all aspects of life.  Such efforts were particularly important as the number of disabled people continued growing to more than 1 billion people, or 15 per cent of the global population, according to the 2011 World Report on Disability, a joint publication of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. Mr. Chalklen said that in the past year, he had travelled the globe, attending intergovernmental seminars in Oslo, New Delhi and New York, and meeting with Government representatives from China to Spain to spread that message.  His mandate also includes monitoring, promoting and implementing the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in the context of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other human rights and disability-specific instruments. He said he was encouraged by the increasing number of States that had ratified the Convention and its Optional Protocol, and by the fact that United Nations bodies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) now employed full-time staff as disability focal points, in addition to paying more attention to the concerns of disabled children. Citing recent positive steps by African Governments to implement the Convention, he said that a High Court ruling in Zambia required polling stations to provide disability access during elections, while a regional court in South Africa had ordered the Cape Town provincial government to increase funding for centres supporting disabled children.  As part of efforts to strengthen the continent’s disability institutions, the African Union Commission had upgraded the African Rehabilitation Institute from a membership-based organization to a full structure, he said, adding that it had also decided to set up a Disability Advisory Board.  However, important regional institutions remained silent on disability, he said, noting that there had been little or no involvement by the African Development Bank and only limited involvement by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2012/soc4790.doc.htm  Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxMr. Sha Zukang, UN DESA’s Under-Secretary-General, yesterday outlined a set of priorities that Member States should tackle ahead of the Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20) in June so that there is a clear framework of action during the event.  “Rio+20 should lead to better coherence, integration and implementation in our development efforts,” Mr. Sha, Secretary-General of the conference, told participants at a panel discussing the role of development cooperation to enhance sustainable development. The panel was held at UN Headquarters in New York as part of the Development Cooperation Forum. Mr. Sha outlined seven priority areas that have been agreed by Member States and stakeholders that will help guide the creation of a framework to advance green economies. They include poverty eradication and green jobs, energy, water, food security, urbanization, disasters, oceans and seas, as well as climate change and biodiversity. Mr. Sha emphasized that during informal discussions on the initial draft of the Rio+20 outcome document, there had been a strong call to strengthen south-south cooperation so countries can share the lessons they’ve learned in the seven key aspects. He also stressed that development cooperation programmes should be driven by recipient countries taking into account their priorities and specific national circumstances. “Rio+20 therefore is an opportunity for reinvigorating development cooperation,” Mr. Sha said. “Now is the time for an in-depth discussion on how it can better support green growth and sustainable development,” he added.  Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe World Day of Social Justice was declared by UN resolution A/RES/62/10 in November 2007 and is celebrated annually on 20 February. The resolution invites all Member States to devote this special day to the promotion of concrete activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development. Observance of World Day of Social Justice should support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all. Message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon  Over the past year, the winds of change have swept across the globe. Citizens by the millions have voiced their discontent around similar themes: inequality, corruption, repression and the absence of decent work. At the heart of this mass mobilization lies a call for social justice.    Achieving social justice for all is integrally linked to realizing the agreed development goals articulated at the Copenhagen Social Summit, the Millennium Summit and elsewhere.   As we look to the upcoming Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, we have a chance to rethink development strategies and business practices so that they point us toward a more sustainable and equitable future.   Sustainability depends on building markets that do a better job of spreading the benefits of development. It means meeting growing consumer demand for greener products and services. And it means laying the foundations for dignity, stability and opportunity for all. As we strive to make this transformation, we must integrate social inclusion into our policies and other efforts. Let us work together to balance the global economy and build a new social contract for the 21st century. Let us chart a development path that leads to greater social justice and the future we want.   Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Over one billion people around the world live with a disability. However, disability issues are not included in any of the Millennium Development Goals, targets or indicators, thereby representing a lost opportunity to address pressing social, educational, health and economic concerns of this large segment of the global population. This was one of the main points of a recent UN DESA report. Released in December 2011, the report Disability and the Millennium Development Goals: A Review of the MDG Process and Strategies for Inclusion of Disability Issues in Millennium Development Goal Efforts, examines the MDGs and its relation to disability issues with a view to impact the post-2015 development agenda.  The MDGs represent a concerted effort to address global poverty. Yet there is a striking gap in the current MDGs, where persons with disabilities – the 15 per cent of the global population, who live with one or more physical, sensory, intellectual or mental health impairments – are not mentioned in any of the 8 Goals or its 21 targets and indicators, nor in the Millennium Declaration, itself. This absence is of particular concern because a growing consensus of disability advocates, experts and researchers find that the most pressing issue faced globally by persons with disabilities is not their specific disability, but rather their lack of equitable access to resources such as education, employment, health care and the social and legal support systems. The result is that persons with disabilities experience disproportionately higher rates of poverty. Not only are the links between disability and poverty of note in themselves, but the size of the global disabled population makes these links of particular concern to all working on poverty issues. This clear link between disability and poverty means that all MDGs are relevant to persons with disabilities and persons with disabilities must be included in all MDG efforts. Historically, persons with disabilities have been overlooked in international development and global health circles because they were incorrectly seen as people whose lives are defined by medical and rehabilitative needs (the medical model) or as individuals who were considered to be appropriate recipients of social and economic support (the charity model). A newer “social model of disability” has now emerged, which provides a clearer understanding of the constraints faced by persons with disabilities that reflect social, cultural and economic barriers, and are not inherently part of living with a disability. This view has been further strengthened by the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the UN General Assembly in 2006. The UN has played a key role in the way people with disabilities are now viewed. “The UN has changed its definitions during the past decades from ‘handicapped’, ‘disabled person’, to nowadays ‘a person with a disability’. We are focusing on the person. I think this is a huge achievement,” said Daniela Bas, Director of UN DESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development in a recent interview with DESA News. The report is intended to provide a “road map” for how and why disability can and should be included in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of MDG-related programmes and policies. Lack of inclusion for persons with disabilities is more than a lost opportunity — a growing body of opinion and data argues that unless persons with disabilities are included, none of the MDGs will be met by the deadline of 2015.  Disability and the Millennium Development Goals View more documents from Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). Source: UNDESA Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxIn September 2013, the General Assembly will convene a High-level Meeting with the overarching theme “The way forward: a disability inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond”.   In accordance with General Assembly resolution 65/186, the Report of the Secretary General (A/66/128)   provided information on possible outcomes for such a meeting. These included a commitment to the allocation of adequate resources for improved collection and analysis of data and statistics on the situation of persons with disabilities as they relate to the MDGs and other internationally agreed development goals. As a contribution to the preparatory process and the envisaged outcomes of the High-level Meeting, DESA is organizing a series of panel discussions on disability data and statistics. The first two of these interactive panel discussions were held on 2 December 2011 at UN Headquarters in New York as part of the programme to commemorate the International Day on Persons with Disabilities 2011. (Panel 1: Towards inclusive development: improving data and statistics on disability and Panel 2: Mainstreaming disability in the global development agenda: experience in other development issues). The two panels, which focused on improving disability data and statistics, recognized some of the challenges in standardizing the measurement of disability statistics and highlighted the efforts and progress made in building collaborations to promote internationally comparable disability data. Continuing on with the series and in conjunction with the 43rd Session of the Statistical Commission (28 February to 2 March 2012), a panel discussion will be organized by DESA on 1 March in collaboration with other stakeholders under the theme “Disability data and statistics for inclusive development: next steps for action at national, regional and global levels”.  Panel Discussion The panel discussion will contribute towards sustaining the effort from all actors to improve statistical capacity with regard to disability, and to promote evidence-based planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies on disability. The panelists will look at the experience of countries in collecting data and statistics on disability and explore the role of international cooperation in promoting internationally comparable data and statistics on disability. The panel will also will consider options for a global report on disability and discuss strategies with which to integrate disability into existing global reports on development. The panel will discuss the importance of data and statistics on disability to promote inclusive development policy and programming at national and international levels. It will review existing recommendations for improving the availability and quality of data on disability and explore some of the common obstacles and challenges in gathering reliable data on disability. The panel is organized by UN DESA and co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations. The event is held in collaboration with the World Bank and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics.  Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon joined other senior United Nations officials on the eve of International Women’s Day in highlighting the potential of rural women to improve the well-being of entire societies if given equal access to resources and set free from the discrimination and exploitation that hold them back.   “The plight of the world’s rural women and girls mirrors that of women and girls throughout society,” Mr. Ban told an event at UN Headquarters to commemorate the Day, which is observed annually on 8 March. This year’s theme is ‘Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty.’ He acknowledged that women are increasingly exercising greater influence in business, government, politics, public administration and other professions. Also, more girls are going to school and are growing up healthier and better equipped to realize their potential. “But, despite this momentum, there is a long way to go before women and girls can be said to enjoy the fundamental rights, freedom and dignity that are their birthright and that will guarantee their well-being,” said the Secretary-General. Rural women and girls make up a quarter of the global population, yet they routinely figure at the bottom of every economic, social and political indicator, from income, education and health to participation in decision-making, Mr. Ban said. They perform most of the unpaid care work in rural areas and are a major part of the agricultural labour force, making up almost half a billion smallholder farmers and landless workers. “Countries where women lack land ownership rights or access to credit have significantly more malnourished children. By empowering rural women we could end the hidden development tragedy of stunting, which affects almost 200 million children worldwide,” said the Secretary-General. “On this International Women’s Day, I urge governments, civil society and the private sector to commit to gender equality and the empowerment of women – as a fundamental human right and a force for the benefit of all. The energy, talent and strength of women and girls represent humankind’s most valuable untapped natural resource,” he added. Michelle Bachelet, the Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), stated that no enduring solution to the major global challenges – from climate change to political and economic instability – can be solved without the full empowerment and participation of women across the world. “We simply can no longer afford to leave women out,” Ms. Bachelet said in a recorded video message. She is currently in Morocco, where she will tomorrow attend the observance of the Day to underline the need for women in the North African region to be fully involved in the democratic transition under way there. “Women’s full and equal participation in the political and economic arena is fundamental to democracy and justice, which people are demanding. Equal rights and opportunity underpin healthy economies and societies,” said Ms. Bachelet. She highlighted the fact that providing women farmers with equal access to resources would result in 100 to 150 million fewer hungry people, while ensuring that they have income, land rights and credit would mean fewer malnourished children. “Studies show that higher levels of gender equality correlate positively with higher levels of per capita gross national product. Opening economic opportunities to women would significantly raise economic growth and reduce poverty,” she added. In her message to mark the Day, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged governments, community leaders and heads of families to recognise and tap the enormous potential of women to positively impact the world around them. “This is a call directed not at any particular region of the world – it is a global call because the failure to capitalise on women’s potential is a global problem,” she said. She stressed that participation requires that women are able to access relevant information and are empowered through education and political access. She underlined the need to ensure inclusion of women from minority groups, the poor, the elderly, those with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Rashida Manjoo, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, emphasized the need for a holistic approach that does not treat all women homogenously, but recognizes that discrimination and violence affect women in different ways. Rural women face discrimination in accessing assets and resources and are more likely to be involved in unpaid family-related work or in low-paid work. They are also at higher risk of being subjected to violence, with far less access to redress for the human rights violations they suffer. “Legal and policy environments which are responsive and promote independence and empowerment of women is also essential for women to seek remedies for violations of rights,” said Ms. Manjoo. The President of the General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, urged Member States, the UN system and partners to boost their efforts to empower rural women in view of their existing and potential contribution to the global fight against hunger and poverty. “We need also to carry out extensive education and awareness-raising campaigns on the rights of women,” he said in an address delivered on his behalf by his Chef de Cabinet, Mutlaq Al-Qahtani.  “To empower rural women, more action is needed to improve the active participation of women in all political and economic decision-making processes at the local level,” he said.Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe declining prospects for economic growth, especially in developed countries and the challenge of financing the transition to green economies are some of the topics that will be discussed in the upcoming Special High-level meeting of ECOSOC with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD on 12-13 March in New York. The meeting will take place under the overall theme of “Coherence, coordination and cooperation in the context of Financing for Development”.  The UN Secretary-General will address the meeting followed by a short opening plenary with brief statements by the President of ECOSOC and senior representatives of relevant intergovernmental bodies. The meeting will consist of informal thematic debates on the following topics: “Promoting sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth, job creation, productive investment and trade” and “Financing of sustainable development”. The first thematic debate will center on policy interventions that can help promote sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth, job creation, productive investment and trade. The declining prospects for economic growth, especially in the developed countries, continue to threaten the fragile recovery from the world financial and economic crisis. Many workers in developing countries continue to face social challenges such as unemployment, poor pay, vulnerable job conditions and lack of access to any form of social security. Overall, according to ILO estimates, the world must create 600 million jobs over the next decade to compensate for jobs lost during the crisis and meet the needs of a larger global population. Public spending measures to increase demand and productive capacities as well as efforts to set in place an enabling legal and regulatory framework to promote an effective private sector are some of the many possible solutions that will be discussed to facilitate job creation.  In addition, the debate will discuss the potential for a trade-employment nexus, as well as the possible contribution of Official Development Assistance and external borrowing to sustain growth and employment in developing countries. Major steps in the continuing effort to reform the international financial and monetary system will also be debated in this first session. This includes strengthening international financial regulation and the management of volatile cross-border capital flows. In the second thematic debate on the financing of sustainable development, participants will examine the concept of greening the economy and the measures and policies needed to scale up financing at the national, regional and international levels. It is estimated that at least $1.1 trillion will be needed per year for incremental investments in green technology in developing countries. The main challenge is that “Green technologies” need to become cost-competitive with established technologies and be afforded appropriate support. Given the magnitude of financing requirements for a sustainable economy transition, financial resources need to be raised from the entire range of private, public and mixed sources, and through multiple channels and instruments. A strategic approach, using public funds in part to steer and leverage private sector finance, will be debated in this final session. The meeting will conclude with remarks from the President of ECOSOC, H.E. Mr. Miloš Koterec.  Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged governments to consider setting up a new global arrangement that integrates environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development, stressing the need to mobilize public support for an approach that guarantees the well-being of humanity while preserving the planet for future generations. Presenting the report prepared by his High-level Panel on Global Sustainability to an informal plenary of the General Assembly, Mr. Ban said the team’s recommendations address three main topics – empowering people to make sustainable choices; working towards a sustainable economy; and strengthening institutional governance. “The Panel’s vision is to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality, to make growth inclusive and production and consumption more sustainable, while combating climate change and respecting a range of other planetary boundaries,” Mr. Ban told the Assembly. The 22-member panel, established by Mr. Ban in August 2010 to formulate a new blueprint for sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity, was co-chaired by former Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma. The group’s final report, ‘Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing,’ which was formally launched in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on 30 January, contains 56 recommendations to put sustainable development into practice and to make it a part of mainstream economic policy as quickly as possible. The Secretary-General highlighted the “nexus approach” of the report that underlines the fact that food, water and energy security are inextricably linked and must be pursued together. He stressed that the recommendations that can be acted on immediately should be included in the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Developed (Rio+20) to be held in Brazil in June. Mr. Ban also noted that some of the recommendations relate to initiatives that he has already set in motion, including the Sustainable Energy for All initiative and a sustainable development strategy for the UN system. Others will be included in a new sustainable development index or set of indicators for sustainable development goals, he added. “I also see the value of a periodic global sustainable development outlook report, and I will explore the modalities, including the availability of resources, for such an important and ambitious undertaking,” he said. He promised to strengthen ties between the global scientific community and the UN so that science occupies the central place in policy-making. “We need everyone to work together to create a future worth choosing, the future we want,” he added.   Fri, 16 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspx Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the world to reaffirm that persons with Down syndrome are entitled to the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, deploring the stigma and discrimination they continue to face. “For too long, persons with Down syndrome, including children, have been left on the margins of society,” said the Secretary-General in a message to mark the first World Down Syndrome Day. “In many countries, they continue to face stigma and discrimination as well as legal, attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their participation in their communities.” He noted that the discrimination can be as invidious as forced sterilization, and as subtle as segregation and isolation through both physical and social barriers. Persons with Down syndrome are often denied the right to equal recognition before the law, as well as the right to vote or be elected. “Intellectual impairments have also been seen as legitimate grounds for depriving persons with Down syndrome of their liberty, and for holding them in specialized institutions, sometimes for their entire lives,” said Mr. Ban. The prejudice that children with Down syndrome obstruct the education of others has led some parents of children with intellectual disabilities to put their children in special schools or keep them at home. “Yet research shows – and more people are coming to understand – that diversity in the classroom leads to learning and understanding that benefit all children,” said the Secretary-General. He pointed out that the United Nations has for decades worked to ensure the well-being and human rights of all people and that those efforts were strengthened by the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006. That Convention “embodies a paradigm shift in which persons with disabilities are no longer regarded as objects of charity and welfare, but as persons with equal rights and dignity who can make an enormous contribution to society in their own right.” “Let us each do our part to enable children and persons with Down syndrome to participate fully in the development and life of their societies on an equal basis with others. Let us build an inclusive society for all,” said Mr. Ban. He praised the global partnership of governments, activists, families, professionals and others who worked tirelessly and passionately to bring the Day into existence. For more information about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, please visit: http://un.org/disabilities   Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe annual observance of World Autism Awareness Day should spur global action to combat the “unacceptable” discrimination, abuse and isolation that people with the disorder and their loved ones face, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Autism is not limited to a single region or a country; it is a worldwide challenge that requires global action,” states Mr. Ban’s message for the Day, observed annually on 2 April. “People with autism are equal citizens who should enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.” In December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in an effort to draw attention to a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions around the globe. Autism is characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interactions and in restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour. In his message, Mr. Ban notes that although developmental disabilities such as autism begin in childhood, they persist throughout a person’s life. “Our work with and for people with autism should not be limited to early identification and treatment; it should include therapies, educational plans and other steps that lead us towards sustained, lifelong engagement,” he states. “Reaching out to people with autism spectrum disorders requires global political commitment and better international cooperation, especially in sharing good practices.” He stresses the need for greater investments in the social, education and labour sectors, since developed and developing countries alike still need to improve their capacities to address the unique needs of people with autism and cultivate their talents. “We also need to promote further research, train non-specialized care providers, and enable the autism community to more easily navigate care systems to obtain services that can support and mainstream individuals with autism,” the Secretary-General says in his message. Today in New York, Vienna and Geneva, the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) released six commemorative postage stamps and two collectible envelopes dedicated to autism awareness, with images created by artists who have been diagnosed with autism. The stamps will send a “powerful message to people around the world that talent and creativity live inside all of us,” said Mr. Ban. The UN is the only organization in the world which is neither a country nor a territory that is permitted to issue postage stamps. It is the only postal authority to issue stamps in three different currencies – the United States dollar, the Swiss franc and the euro. UNPA’s chief, David Failor, told a news conference in New York that the selection process enabled the agency to discover the many hidden talents that people diagnosed with autism have. “Probably the best part of the process, that we learned, is the talents that some of these people have and working with their families and their relatives and their supporters, and what a great network of people that there is around the world that are really passionate about the subject and want to help raise awareness about it,” he said. UNPA originally intended to pick three designs to feature on each of the three denominations that it issues stamps for. However, the artwork received was so good that it decided to feature eight designs from among the 200 different pieces of artwork it received. The stamps will go on sale in New York, Vienna and Geneva, beginning on Monday.  Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxEvery year, World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. World Health Day is a global campaign, inviting everyone from global leaders to the public in all countries to focus on a single health challenge with global impact. Focusing on new and emerging health issues, World Health Day provides an opportunity to start collective action to protect people's health and well-being. It is an opportunity to engage in finding solutions that benefit us all. "Good health adds life to years" The topic of World Health Day in 2012 is Ageing and Health with the theme "Good health adds life to years". The focus is how good health throughout life can help older men and women lead full and productive lives and be a resource for their families and communities. Ageing concerns each and every one of us – whether young or old, male or female, rich or poor – no matter where we live. Toolkit This Toolkit will help you plan activities to celebrate World Health Day in 2012. It includes the following materials: - information on ageing and health, including population trends; - key messages and calls to action; - ideas for planning and implementing events and campaigns; - a list of communications materials you can use; - tips on how to effectively engage audiences through social and traditional media; and - contacts for technical and communications support.  Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (DESA) and the United Nations Information Center (hereinafter referred to as “UNIC”) in close collaboration with the Nippon Foundation of Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Foundation”), will organize at the United Nations Information Center in Tokyo, Japan, a three-day “Expert Group meeting on Building Inclusive Society and Development through Promoting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility: emerging issues and trends ” on 19 to 21 April, 2012. The Expert Group Meeting aims to promote greater awareness of accessibility and ICT accessibility in particular; promote policy and practices that facilitate social inclusion and advancement of persons with disabilities in development through ICT accessibility, including in emergencies and natural disasters; and to identify good practices and innovative approaches to advance ICT accessibility as well as promote traditional human resources intensive solutions such as sign language and subtitling as means to further inclusive development for all.  Following the meeting, a half day International Forum will be also organized by the Foundation in partnership with civil society in Japan, with a view to share the benefit of the Expert Group Meeting and exchange with national and local policy makers, professionals and experts in Japan. The Expert meeting will provide a forum for intensive exchanges of knowledge and experience relating to norms and standards, institutional arrangements, governance, technologies and actual practice related to accessibility and reasonable accommodation in the information and communication technologies (ICT).  Special attention will be directed to ICT accessibility and advancement of persons with disabilities in the situations of natural disasters and emergencies preparedness and responses and in the context of developing countries.  Universal design will be accorded special attention in the review and analysis of issues, trends and priorities for action in promoting accessibility as a means and goal of development.    Meeting objectives will be pursued by means of select presentations and round-table discussions of issues, trends, key concepts and practical methods of planning, design and evaluation of accessible environments in countries.  Group work will focus on examination of (1)status and  policy frameworks concerning ICT accessibility in key areas such as telephony, television, internet , electronic service appliances and services, including in situations of natural disaster and emergency management, (2) identification of innovative approaches and promising practices in addressing challenges encountered; and (3)  recommendations on priority areas for strategic action to be taken by different stakeholders at national and international levels with aims to advance ICT accessibility and inclusive development for all. For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1596    Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxHave you ever heard a singer sing in silence? Signmark is a deaf rapper and singer and he was giving an amazing performance on 17 April at the UN Headquarters in New York. This flashmob mini-concert aimed to support the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Singing in sign language is a challenge, and a large audience was there to sign and sing with him.  “Even if the world comes crashing down – and even if my luck would turn around – I stand tall, proud back against the wall – and even if the hands of time would freeze – you won’t see me begging down on my knees – I stand tall, proud back against the wall.” It is the lyrics of the song “Against the Wall” performed by deaf rapper Marko Vuoriheimo from Finland, also known as Signmark. He brought his unique brand of hip-hop and message of equality to United Nations staff and diplomats on Tuesday. With floating clouds in sunny blue sky and a warm breeze blowing on everyone’s face, Signmark first of all taught the audience – in sign language translated - the meaning of the lyrics. With his energetic and superb body movement and hip-hop music, and his colleague Brandon as his voice, the audience has quickly warmed up.  Everybody was impressed by his silent cries and his cheerful appearance and happy attitude. Signmark is a deaf rap artist from Finland, who uses his music and positive approach to change attitudes towards persons with disabilities. He has also been designated as a Special Representative of the Foreign Ministry of Finland to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. The flashmob mini-concert performance has been sponsored by the office of the High Commissioner for Human Right(OHCHR), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in support of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the UN Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. It is intended as a human rights instrument with an explicit, social development dimension. It adopts a broad categorization of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.  JW Player goes here // //Source: UNDESA  Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxRepresentatives from Governments and civil society have started a new round of negotiations that will shape the outcome of “Rio+20”, a major global conference that will have a significant impact on how the world will address key challenges affecting economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection in the years ahead.  The two-week session for Rio+20 — formally the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development — has begun in New York on Monday, 23 April, and will continue through 4 May.  The negotiations follow celebrations for Earth Day —officially observed as the International Mother Earth Day at the United Nations — on Sunday, 22 April. In a statement addressed to the Conference ahead of the round of talks, leaders from across the United Nations system called on Rio+20 to “provide the road map to the future we want — a future with peace, dynamic economic and social development, universal social well-being, and a healthy and equitable environment for present and future generations where women and men, boys and girls, equally contribute to and benefit from development.” The negotiations will consider a range of measures to advance sustainable development that include setting new goals and indicators, innovative financing, and actions that can reduce present unsustainable levels of consumption and production.  This round offers Governments another chance to review the latest version of the draft outcome document for Rio+20 and further hone the text before the talks move to Rio de Janeiro in June.   “There is a delicate balance that needs to be achieved in negotiations that considers the needs and interests of all people,” the United Nations Rio+20 Secretary-General, Sha Zukang, said.  “We are getting there.  I am very optimistic that the negotiations and Rio+20 will be a success. For a better future for all of us and our children, this is where we need to go — and Rio+20 can lead us there.” Some of the issues being considered and negotiated closely include sustainable development goals; strengthening the United Nations Environment Programme; and putting forward new ways to measure a country’s success that go beyond economic growth and gross domestic product to factor in people’s well-being and the protection of the environment. “I’m looking forward to some hard-fought outcomes that reverse our unsustainable course and drive us forward to a future with peace, dynamic economic and social development, universal social well-being, and a healthy and equitable environment for present and future generations,” Mr. Sha said. In addition to the negotiations, there will be several key side events focusing on global issues, challenges and solutions that will be under consideration for Rio+20, including the lack of access to energy and clean water, depleted oceans, food insecurity, widening inequalities and rapidly expanding cities.  The next steps for finalizing the Rio+20 outcome document will occur during a final round of talks taking place in Rio from 13 to 15 June, ahead of the Rio+20 Conference on 20-22 June. To help facilitate active civil society participation ahead of Rio+20, the United Nations launched a public online platform on 16 April to inform the recommendations of the Rio Dialogues, several high-profile events to be organized immediately prior to Rio+20 by the Government of Brazil.  The Rio Dialogues will engage civil society and leading experts in seeking innovative solutions on global sustainability issues, solutions that will then be submitted directly to world leaders at the Conference. Earth Day With International Mother Earth Day falling on a weekend, the United Nations General Assembly marked the Day with an Interactive Dialogue on Harmony with Nature on Wednesday, 18 April.  United Nations General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser said, “Rio+20 is an opportunity to assess our relationship with nature over the last 20 years and to inject new impetus and genuine innovation towards fostering a sustainable way forward,” adding that the “commemoration of the International Day of Mother Earth is therefore both timely and relevant, as we aim to have a successful outcome in Rio.” The United Nations also took part in Earth Day observances around the world in places where the Day has traditionally been observed.  In New York, the United Nations and the United Nations Environment Programme joined Earth Day New York’s celebration outside of Grand Central Terminal from 20-21 April, and at the New York City Green Festival from 21-22 April at the Javits Center. Also on Earth Day, the United Nations supported the global screening of the feature film One Day on Earth, including at the United Nations General Assembly Hall.  The film was created in collaboration with many United Nations partners and an online community of media creators who filmed in every country of the world on the same day in October 2010.  The 104-minute film documents the incredible diversity that defines our unique cultures and the common threads that connect us all, visualizing the joys and struggles of everyday life. This year, the Earth Day Network is promoting sustainable energy issues, which are aligned with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative, building support for comprehensive action at Rio+20.  It is also gathering commitments online for “a billion acts of green” with the goal of registering one billion environmentally friendly actions in advance of Rio+20. Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20-22 June and is expected to set the agenda for a more sustainable future for years to come.  At Rio+20, Governments, business and civil society organizations are expected to launch actions that will make a measurable difference, leading to greater prosperity, health and opportunities, and an environment that will continue to support growth for future generations. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxWork-family balance lies at the core of the ability of the family to provide economically and emotionally for its members. A variety of strategies to help families cope with work and family responsibilities is being used around the world. In the majority of developing countries, however, reconciliation of work and family life policies competes with a large number of development priorities. Moreover, access to work-family balance support systems is chiefly in the formal and regulated labour markets while many workers in the informal sector face not only family-unfriendly but also dangerous work environments. Global employment protection is then needed to secure better working conditions, especially for poor working families.  Family-friendly strategies facilitating work-family balance have a key role in supporting parents to raise the next generation of children and ensure harmonious family relations. Work-family balance policies also demonstrate Governments commitment to the well-being of families and employers’ social responsibility and contribute to successful labour relations, employee health and well-being, gender equality and child welfare.  It is important to share knowledge  about good practices in work-family balance being implemented and advocated for by Governments, private sector, civil society and academic institutions. Promoting professional support and advice and efforts to create a more family-friendly culture in the workplace are equally important. Wide-ranging consultation and partnerships between employers, trade unions and employees to promote better understanding of the importance of work-family reconciliation is strongly encouraged to improve the well-being of families worldwide. The 2012 observance of the International Day of Families, with a theme on "Ensuring work family balance” will be organized by the Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in cooperation with the New York NGO Committee on the Family.  A panel discussion will take place on 15 May (1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.) in Conference room 6 (NLB) at UN Headquarters in New York.  Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxShamshad Akhtar was appointed by the Secretary-General as Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development at DESA and took office on 9 July 2012. Ms. Akhtar has previously served as Governor of the Central Bank of Pakistan and recently also as Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa Region of the World Bank. In her capacity as Governor, Ms. Akhtar served as the Chairperson of the Central Bank Board and its affiliates and as Governor of the IMF. During her term, she was recognized for the conduct of the bank, which was restructured significantly, the introduction of an analytical framework for monetary policy, and the development of a ten-year-vision for the finance industry with a vibrant structure for the banking sector. For these accomplishments, she won two consecutive awards as Asia's Best Central Bank Governor from Emerging Markets and the Banker’s Trust. In 2008, The Asian Wall Street Journal also recognized her as one of the top ten professional women of Asia. Ms. Akhtar has had a long standing career with the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). In her assignment for the World Bank she spearheaded the Bank’s response to the Arab Spring and the Arab regional integration strategy and its implementation. She has served the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for almost 15 years, rising from the ranks as Senior Economist, to attaining the highest professional positions including as Special Senior Advisor to the President of ADB and as the bank’s Director General of the East Asia region. During the Asian Financial crisis she also served as the ADB’s Coordinator to the APEC Finance Minister providing analytical support in a number of economic and social areas for crisis prevention and mitigation, while also leading the engagement with the Bank for International Settlement, and other standard setting bodies. Ms. Akhtar has worked in several regions/countries dealing with fiscal and taxation policy, decentralization, poverty and inequality, financial and monetary policy, industrial and infrastructure policies and governance development. In the past few months she further served as a member of the Pakistan Economic Advisory Committee and of the Governing Council of Pakistan Statistics Bureau. In addition, Ms. Akhtar advised development agencies on the operationalization of Pakistan’s New Economic Growth Framework and worked on PPP policy frameworks and governance issues. Ms. Akhtar has earned her post doctorate degree as a US Fullbright Fellow at the University of Harvard and prior, she obtained her PhD in Economics at the Scotland's Paisley College of Technology and a Master in Development Economics at the University of Sussex in the UK. She also has an MSc in Economics from Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad. Source: UNDESAFri, 13 Jul 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxHundreds of advocates and experts on disability, as well as Government delegates, have gathered at UN Headquarters for the start of the Fifth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which will have a special focus on women and children. “It is our responsibility as members of the international community and citizens of our own countries to bring about changes to more than one billion persons with disabilities worldwide,” the UN Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo, said in a news release. “There is no development when so many people are without equal opportunities and excluded from society,” he added. The Conference of States Parties – the largest international meeting on disability issues – is held each year to exchange experience and ideas for implementation of the Convention, which was adopted in December 2006. There are currently 119 States that have ratified or acceded to the Convention – these States Parties are required to promote full equality and participation of persons with disabilities in society. Ending on Friday, the theme of the Conference is ‘Making the CRPD count for Women and Children.’ It brings together hundreds of delegates from Governments, UN system organizations, academia and civil society, including representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities, to review good practices and challenges in the implementation of the Convention, especially for groups with vulnerabilities. “Women and children with disabilities face aggravated forms of discrimination and other forms of obstacles in life,” said the Conference’s President, Mårten Grunditz, the Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN. “So much talent is wasted – but opportunities can be seized and created. Let’s make it count for them – because it’s right and it’s smart.” “Albert Einstein had a learning disability and didn’t speak until age three. Ludwig van Beethoven was deaf. Helen Keller was deaf and blind. These stories tell the same simple truth: disability is by no means an inability,” added Mr. Wu. “These individuals, just like many others, including the incredible athletes of the recent Paralympic Games, achieved greatness and demonstrated that by breaking down barriers, and with the right opportunities, exceptional things are possible.” The CPRD entered into force in May 2008. It followed decades of work by the United Nations to change attitudes and approaches to persons with disabilities, and takes a new height the movement from viewing persons with disabilities as ‘objects’ of charity, medical treatment and social protection towards viewing persons with disabilities as ‘subjects’ with rights, capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of society. States Parties meeting Press Conference Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Global Issues- Disabilities Source: UN NewsWed, 12 Sep 2012 04:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxOver one billion people, or approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability. Persons with disabilities, “the world’s largest minority”, often face barriers to participation in all aspects of society. Barriers can take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment or to information and communications technology (ICT), or those resulting from legislation or policy, or from societal attitudes or discrimination. The result is that persons with disabilities do not have equal access to society or services, including education, employment, health care, transportation, political participation or justice. Evidence and experience shows that when barriers to their inclusion are removed and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in societal life, their entire community benefits. Barriers faced by persons with disabilities are, therefore, a detriment to society as a whole, and accessibility is necessary to achieve progress and development for all. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recognizes that the existence of barriers constitutes a central component of disability. Under the Convention, disability is an evolving concept that “results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.” Accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities are fundamental rights recognized by the CRPD and are not only objectives, but also pre-requisites for the enjoyment of other rights. The CRPD (Article 9, accessibility) seeks to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life and development. It calls upon States Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to all aspects of society, on an equal basis with others, as well as to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers to accessibility. In spite of this, in many parts of the world today, lack of awareness and understanding of accessibility as a cross-cutting development issue remains an obstacle to the achievement of progress and development through the Millennium Development Goals, as well as other internationally agreed outcomes for all. The commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2012 provides an opportunity to address this exclusion by focusing on promoting accessibility and removing all types of barriers in society. For more information, please visit: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1597    Fri, 30 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNDESA) would like to express our sincere appreciation to you all, colleagues and friends from Governments, United Nations Agencies, Intergovernmental Organizations, Academic Institutions and Civil Society Organizations. Thanks to a growing commitment across the world to Social Development, 2012 has seen some extraordinary advances made both within and outside the United Nations, bringing us closer to achieving a more inclusive and equitable society for all. Thank you very much for your support and partnerships throughout the year. We look forward to working closely with you in the coming year. UNDESA-DSPD wishes you a Happy Holiday Season and a Prosperous New Year 2013!  Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxThe United Nations Commission for Social Development today kicked-off its 10-day session in New York with a call to give the poorest and most vulnerable populations the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty. “Empowerment is critical to poverty eradication and to development,” said the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo. “Indeed, I would even say that any long-term solution to poverty must start with empowerment.” According to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report on promoting people’s empowerment, nearly 80 per cent of the world’s population is without adequate access to social protection, leaving those living in poverty feeling powerless to improve their position. The report, “Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all” also states that while more than 600 million people have overcome poverty since 1990, 1 billion people will still be struggling to reach that goal by the 2015 deadline year for attaining the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In addition, the economic crisis and high fuel prices have slowed the rate of poverty reduction and increased unemployment rates, which also lead to social unrest. Globally, 200 million people were unemployed at the end of 2011, an increase of 27 million jobless persons since 2007, and 621 million young people are neither in employment, school or training nor looking for work. “These are not mere statistics, but are lives affected, livelihoods lost and opportunities missed,” Mr. Wu said, urging the Commission to come up with concrete measures and actions for combating unemployment and empowering vulnerable populations. To better understand how to promote empowerment and integrate it into the development agenda, participants at the Commission’s session will hear from experts leading discussions on this topic, as well as focusing on the elderly, youth, and people with disabilities. The session will also include more than 30 side events and consideration of five resolutions as well as recommendations by the Civil Society Forum on promoting the empowerment of people to achieve social development goals. Speaking at the Commission’s opening meeting, the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Néstor Osorio, said that without adequate policies and mechanisms, social tensions increase and erode social cohesion, which is essential for promoting development. Mr. Osorio also underlined the potential of information and communications technology to empower people in rural areas or disadvantaged communities by giving them access to knowledge. “These tools will allow people to have their voices hear and increase their visibility,” Mr. Osorio said, noting that this would be one of the aspects explored during panel discussions in the next few days. Source: UN News  Thu, 07 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMTDESANewshttp://social.un.org/indexhttp://social.un.org/index/Home/tabid/40/news/-1/Default.aspxGrowth in Asia-Pacific remains subdued due to the impact of persistent weaknesses and uncertainties in the developed economies, the United Nations reported today, urging Governments to implement macroeconomic policies that focus more on inclusivity and sustainable development. The report, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2013: Forward-looking macroeconomic policies for inclusive and sustainable development, argues that macroeconomic policies can play a vital role in reorienting the region towards a more inclusive and sustainable growth path – a high priority of its post-2015 development agenda. The Survey cautioned, however, that “much lower growth compared to recent years could become a new normal for many regional economies if present economic trends were to continue,” and this could cause an estimated economic output loss of about $1.3 trillion by the end of 2017. According to the report, the flagship publication of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the growth rate of the region’s developing economies is projected to rise to 6 per cent in 2013 from 5.6 per cent last year, but compared to 7 per cent in 2011. “The global economic conditions remain challenging for the region. Since the beginning of 2013, we have witnessed some measurable improvement in global financial markets, however we have not seen robust improvement in the real economy,” Pingfan Hong, Chief of the Global Economic Monitoring Unit at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), told journalists in New York. The survey estimated that since the onset of the global financial crises in 2008, GDP for the region had lost about 3 per cent if compared with the trend growth of the region before the crises, a loss of roughly $870 billion in output. “The 2013 Survey reminds us that this is no time for complacency, as the need for a more inclusive and sustainable pattern of economic and social development continues to be critical,” UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Noeleen Heyzer, said in her preface to the Survey. China is estimated to record a moderate increase in growth from 7.8 per cent in 2012 to 8 per cent this year, while India is projected to recover somewhat from last year’s low of 5 per cent to 6.4 per cent in 2013. According to other figures in the Survey, oil and gas exporting North and Central Asia will continue to benefit from high global energy prices, maintaining steady growth. In South and South-West Asia, the economies of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are projected to grow 6 per cent or more in 2013. The export-led economies in East and North-East Asia as well as South-East Asia are expected to gain from “improved, although still tepid, global trade.” In Indonesia, ESCAP noted that domestic demand will drive the economy to a growth rate of 6.6 per cent. Strong private consumption will support growth in the Philippines at 6.2 per cent and 5.3 per cent in Thailand, while Viet Nam’s economy is expected to pick up in the second half of 2013 to 5.5 per cent. Meanwhile, growth is expected to decelerate in Pacific island developing economies in 2013 due to a sharp, energy sector-led slowdown in Papua New Guinea, the largest Pacific island economy. The Survey also argues that long-term structural issues, such as rising inequality, energy and infrastructure shortages are compounding the regional slowdown and the “structural solution to invigorating the domestic drivers of growth…will lie in making the development process more inclusive and sustainable”. According to figures cited, it will cause many of the countries surveyed 5 to 8 per cent of GDP to finance the social protection and sustainable development policies supported, such as creating job guarantee programmes and universal pension schemes. Among measures to support inclusive development, the Survey argues for a minimum wage policy. It estimates that the recent minimum wage hikes in Thailand could increase job growth by up to 0.6 per cent and real GDP growth by 0.7 per cent by 2015. While in China, efforts to reduce reliance on exports and boost domestic consumption-driven demand by promoting inclusive and sustainable growth will spur domestic growth and benefit intraregional trade. ESCAP estimates the new policies would generate an additional $13 billion worth of exports by other Asia-Pacific countries to China during 2013-2015 and cause regional export growth to pick up by up to 0.5 percentage points above the level it would otherwise have been. “The good news is that Asia and the Pacific has already started to rethink and reinvent itself. These efforts should be supported, enhanced and propagated throughout all countries in the region,” Ms. Heyzer said. Source: UN News CentreMon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMTDESANews