Syria Pledging Conference – London, 4 February 2016

Record $10 billion pledged in humanitarian aid for Syria at UN co-hosted conference in London
UN News Service – 4 February 2016 – An international conference on war-torn Syria in London today pledged a record $10 billion after United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon laid out three main objectives: raising $7 billion in immediate humanitarian aid, mustering long-term support, and protecting civilians.

“Never has the international community raised so much money on a single day for a single crisis,” he told a news briefing at the end of the day-long conference, co-hosted by the UN and the Governments of the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Germany and Norway.

More than half of the pledged amount is earmarked to meet immediate needs in 2016 in a country where nearly five years of war has killed over 250,000 people, sent over 4 million fleeing Syria, displaced 6.5 million internally, and put 13.5 million people inside the country in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

Today, let us change the narrative. Let us, by and with our solidarity and generosity, and compassionate leadership, bring true hope to the people of Syria and the region.

“Today’s pledges will enable humanitarian workers to continue reaching millions of people with life-saving aid,” Mr. Ban said. “The promises of long-term funding and loans mean that humanitarian and development partners will be able to work together to get children back into school, design employment programmes and begin rebuilding infrastructure.

The commitment of countries hosting large numbers of refugees to open up their labour markets is a breakthrough, he added, thanking the Governments of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey “for choosing solidarity over fear.”

He hailed the commitment to get 1.7 million children in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey into school, and to increase access to learning opportunities for children inside Syria.

“Perhaps most important, I welcome the shared commitment of today’s attendees to use their influence to end sieges and other grave human rights abuses,” he said. “What will most help the people of Syria is not just food for today, but hope for tomorrow. Yet the parties to the conflict remain deeply divided – even on improving the humanitarian situation.”…

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Editor’s Note:
In addition to those links just below, a number of organizations. including UN agencies and NGOs, released statements on the pledging conference. Please see links to this content as captured with other news by organization title: UNDP, UNESCO, FAO, World Bank, IMF, US Department of State, EU, DFID, Care, HelpAge, IRC, Islamic Relief, NRC, Oxfam, Save the Children, The Elders, Interaction…

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Sudden Spike in Military Action, Insufficient Humanitarian Access ‘Deeply Disturbing’, Secretary-General Tells Supporting Syria Conference
4 February 2016 SG/SM/17512

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Syrian Arab Republic: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien Remarks at Syria Conference Plenary Session, London, 4 February 2016
04 Feb 2016

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Syria Pledging Conference: ICRC President’s call to the international community
04 February 2016
Speech given by Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the Syria Pledging Conference 2016 in London.

Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
When my colleagues arrived in Madaya three weeks ago, Fatma, a little girl maybe six years old, walked up to them and said ‘We have been waiting for you. Did you bring any food?’ Every person my colleagues talked to, hundreds of them, malnourished, with pale green skin, asked them: ‘Did you bring food?’

Anyone who has been to Syria knows the people’s extraordinary hospitality and great pride. For a six year-old girl to walk up to a stranger, to ask for food – this shows in a nutshell what the crisis has done to the spirit of the people of Syria.

So how did we get here?
The answer is alarmingly easy: constant violations of international humanitarian law: use of illegal weapons and the illegal use of weapons, an epidemic of sieges, urban warfare destroying electricity and water infrastructure, deliberate attacks on schools and hospitals have cumulated into full system failure, forcing more than half of the Syrian population from their homes.
Over four and a half million Syrians have fled abroad, the vast majority to countries neighbouring Syria. But twice as many – twice as many! – About 8 million people – are displaced inside Syria, until the next attack forces them to flee yet again. These people need help, they need protection; they need you to work for their safety, urgently.

Let me be clear: attacks on civilians are not collateral damage. Bombing civilians is a standard practice of warfare in Syria – but that does not make it acceptable. While the fronts have hardly moved over the last years, the civilian population’s suffering has surged. The letter and spirit of international humanitarian law aims to protect people from direct and indiscriminate attacks; from blind violence; from unacceptable pain. It does not outlaw warfare or strategy, but it outlaws the deliberate creation of humanitarian catastrophes, like the one we witness in Syria today.

We got here also because of the lack of political action and ambition to resolve the crisis. International attention outweighs political investment to find a long-term solution to the crisis, allowing for people to resume their lives, safely, in dignity. At the same time, humanitarian aid is becoming a bargaining chip in political negotiations.

Last year, the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent aided over 16 million people inside Syria, but we can’t reach everyone and for those we do reach, we can’t do nearly enough.

Humanitarian aid is always just a quick fix, and never enough. Because the reality is that access to people is restricted; cities are under siege; we estimate that nearly half a million people are completely cut off from the world. As long as this goes on, people will lack food, so they will get weak. They have no fuel for heating, so they get sick. They have no medicine, so they get sicker. And they have no hospitals, so, eventually, they die.

So how do we get out of here?
Ladies and gentlemen, Lift all sieges immediately.

Fatma isn’t here today, so on her behalf, I say to you:
:: Start putting Syrians first, and your own interests second.
:: Find a political solution, urgently.
:: In the meantime, ensure that international humanitarian law is respected by you and your partners, whoever they are.
:: And – give us access so we can bring food and medicine to Fatma and all the other children, women and men in Syria.

We need you to show more political ambition to open impartial humanitarian spaces and less political meddling in humanitarian work.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is by far the foremost humanitarian actor in Syria today. In five years, 58 of our colleagues died, while they tried to save people. Our principles, neutrality, independence, impartiality, have not changed. The ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent can still do more, together, but we need unimpeded access, and we need your support. Movement partners also need your support to help more Syrians in the region, and beyond.

Ladies and gentlemen,
When my colleagues got ready to leave Madaya three weeks ago, after offloading food, blankets and medicine, a family stopped them. They had prepared food, saying “You saved us. You have to eat with us.”

Ensure that the dignity, pride and generosity of the Syrian people will survive. Thank you.

International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation 2016

New statistical report on female genital mutilation shows harmful practice is a global concern – UNICEF
NEW YORK, 5 February 2016 – At least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation in 30 countries, according to a new statistical report published ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

The report – Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Global Concern – notes that half of the girls and women who have been cut live in three countries – Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia – and refers to smaller studies and anecdotal accounts that provide evidence FGM is a global human rights issue affecting girls and women in every region of the world. Female genital mutilation refers to a number of procedures. Regardless of which form is practiced, FGM is a violation of children’s rights.

“Female genital mutilation differs across regions and cultures, with some forms involving life-threatening health risks. In every case FGM violates the rights of girls and women. We must all accelerate efforts – governments, health professionals, community leaders, parents and families – to eliminate the practice,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Geeta Rao Gupta.

According to the data, girls 14 and younger represent 44 million of those who have been cut, with the highest prevalence of FGM among this age in Gambia at 56 per cent, Mauritania 54 per cent and Indonesia where around half of girls aged 11 and younger have undergone the practice. Countries with the highest prevalence among girls and women aged 15 to 49 are Somalia 98 per cent, Guinea 97 per cent and Djibouti 93 per cent. In most of the countries the majority of girls were cut before reaching their fifth birthdays…

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‘We Can End Female Genital Mutilation within a Generation’, Secretary-General Says in Message to Mark Global Zero-Tolerance Day for Harmful Practice
4 February 2016
SG/SM/17513-OBV/1578-WOM/2058

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Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation by 2030, say UNFPA and UNICEF
Joint statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake on the 2016 International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM
NEW YORK, 5 February 2016 – “FGM is a violent practice, scarring girls for life — endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.

“FGM is widespread. It is a global problem that goes well beyond Africa and the Middle East, where the practice has been most prevalent — affecting communities in Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. And the number of girls and women at risk will only get larger if current population trends continue, wiping out hard-won gains.

“FGM is discrimination. It both reflects and reinforces the discrimination against women and girls, perpetuating a vicious cycle that is detrimental to development and to our progress as a human family.

“FGM must end. In September at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, 193 nations unanimously agreed to a new global target of eliminating FGM by 2030. This recognition that FGM is a global concern is a critical milestone.

“But the recognition, while important, is not enough. To protect the wellbeing and dignity of every girl, we need to take responsibility as a global community for ending FGM.

“That means we need to learn more — improving our data collection to measure the full extent of the practice — and do more. We need to encourage more communities and families to abandon FGM. We need to work with larger numbers of medical communities — including traditional and medical professionals — persuading them to refuse to perform or support FGM. We need to support more women and girls who have undergone the harmful practice and provide them with services and help to overcome the trauma they have suffered. And we need to support and empower girls around the world to make their voices heard and call out to put an end to FGM.

“All of us must join in this call. There simply is no place for FGM in the future we are striving to create – a future where every girl will grow up able to experience her inherent dignity, human rights and equality by 2030.

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Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Date: 05 February 2016
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development brings renewed urgency to the call for “Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation”, explicitly naming this as an instance of a “harmful practice” that is targeted for elimination as part of our collective efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Today, we assert again every girl’s right to live as a full human being with control over her own body and informed choice in what happens to it. Some 200 million women and girls in 30 countries have already undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). In most countries, the majority were cut before the age of five.

It is not a simple matter to challenge and change customary behaviours. Yet where those practices enforce gender inequality, this is what we must do, supported by collective international agreements that bring universal condemnation to this most private of violations.

One aspect of achieving change is legislation that bans FGM, with policies that securely implement the laws. While 41 Member States have already criminalized FGM, legislation is not yet having its desired impact in every country.

Next month, in a series of meetings and events that draw thousands of representatives from government and civil society, the Commission on the Status of Women will review global progress in ending violence against women and girls, including the practice of FGM, as a matter of urgency, within the context of the overall priority theme of women’s empowerment and its link to sustainable development. The scope of this review underlines our understanding that a comprehensive approach is necessary to address the root causes of gender inequality, violence against women and girls, and harmful practices such as FGM.

The prevalence of FGM is decreasing in most countries – but it is far from zero. Eliminating FGM is also an essential step to realizing other Sustainable Development Goals, including targets on health and well-being, quality education, decent work and economic growth, all of which are underpinned by work that empowers women and girls and achieves gender equality.

There are success stories: national action plans are in place in a growing number of countries, through which governments are supporting community engagement in prevention activities, with hotlines to receive reports of FGM and provide information on support services, and specialized clinics to treat survivors.

Working with governments, the UN system, civil society, and the media, we must continue to change how girls are valued in their community, reduce the pressure they experience from their families, communities and peers, and help in the search for alternative rites of passage, and means of income for those who perform the ritual, finding creative solutions, for example, that engage men in culture change. Let this International Day of Zero Tolerance galvanize us in all our collective efforts to achieve our goals and eliminate FGM for good.

UN: Draft Strategy for Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth
HLCP Task Team on the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth
CEB/2015/HLCP-30/CRP.5 :: 28 pages
[Excerpt]
…2 Vision and objective of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth
The vision of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth is a world in which young women and men have greater access to decent jobs everywhere.

The objective of the Initiative is to facilitate increased impact and expanded country-level action on decent jobs for youth through multi-stakeholder partnerships, the dissemination of evidence-based policies and the scaling up of effective and innovative interventions.

This objective is directly linked to the achievement of the SDGs relating to youth employment and more specifically to the outcome document of the United Nations Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda titled “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, annexed in draft resolution A/69/L.85. The outcome document includes the following youth employment targets: (i) 4.4 “By 2030, increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship”; (ii) 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value”; and (iii) 8.6: “By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training”.11

The objective will be pursued by using the power of the United Nations system to convene multi-stakeholder partnerships and by pooling cutting-edge advice, expertise, resources and support. More specifically, the objective will be operationalized by:
a) engaging stakeholders and world leaders in high-level policy action on youth employment;
b) expanding and scaling up context-specific interventions at the national and regional levels for systematic and coherent policies and interventions on youth employment;
c) pooling existing expertise and enhancing knowledge development and dissemination on what works for youth employment, including through the development of tools and capacity building; and
d) leveraging resources from existing facilities and mobilizing additional resources…

…4 Key elements
The strategy includes the following inter-connected elements:
[i] A strategic multi-stakeholder alliance.
The Initiative addresses decent jobs for youth as an issue of global concern which requires the highest possible level of policy attention and action. It is a development imperative that builds on and transcends the action of any individual organization or actor. The alliance will be set up by leveraging the convening power of the United Nations system, its overarching policy frameworks and its multiple and diverse partners from governments and non-governmental entities. It will bring together major actors of substantive significance to the issue of decent jobs for youth, including national institutions, the private sector, the United Nations system and other multilateral organizations, representatives of academia, representatives of the social partners and youth organizations. It will be an umbrella forum for global advocacy and will raise existing activities on youth employment to a higher level of action and impact. The main functions of the alliance will be to: (1) advocate high-level policy commitment and action on youth employment; (2) support policy convergence and coherence; and (3) stimulate innovative thinking and resource mobilization to scale up youth employment interventions and their impact.

[ii] Expanded and scaled up regional and country level action on decent jobs for youth.
The Initiative will promote and monitor multi-pronged interventions through broad partnerships and joint action on decent jobs for youth. These interventions will focus on scalable and innovative solutions that have proved effective in improving youth employment outcomes at the regional and national levels with a view to developing sustainable policies and institutions. This element will respond to national development priorities, support United Nations country programming and be implemented through broad multi-stakeholder partnerships under the leadership of United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs). It will involve governmental and non-governmental institutions, private sector actors, representatives of the social partners, youth and other organizations active in the region and/or country. In particular, support will be provided to UNCTs that are engaged in the implementation of the employment and entrepreneurship priority of the Youth-SWAP.

[iii] Knowledge facility on decent jobs for youth.
The knowledge facility will promote the sharing of knowledge and experience, capacity building and peer learning, including through South-South and triangular cooperation mechanisms. It will facilitate the exchange of information and good practice on what works for youth employment, support the testing and evaluation of policy packages, encourage the development and implementation of innovative strategies and disseminate broadly evidence, guidelines and tools for the replication of effective and scalable youth employment responses. It will identify and document successful practices in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of interventions for decent jobs for youth. Finally, it will support policy and multi-stakeholder dialogue during the implementation of youth employment initiatives in pilot countries.

[iv] Funding modalities and resource mobilization.
This component will pool domestic resources and those available from existing funds.12 It will mobilize additional resources where required. Funding will support innovative initiatives that have the potential for wide replication and high impact in selected countries.13 Resources will principally be used to support youth employment action at the country and local levels, including work undertaken through the knowledge facility that is instrumental for country-level implementation. Resources management will be based on the criteria of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, accountability and transparency…

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Press Release
UN initiative targets job creation and decent work conditions for young people
FAO to lead efforts for youth in agriculture and the rural economy
1 February 2016, New York – FAO welcomed today the launch in New York of the UN Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, which includes a focus on promoting decent employment opportunities for young people in agriculture and the rural economy.

Under the lead of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Initiative was developed by 19 international organizations that are committed to increasing the impact of youth employment policies and expanding country-level action on decent jobs for young women and men…

FAO will be leading one of the eight thematic areas of the strategy, on Youth in the Rural Economy, while contributing to others.

“Poverty and hunger cannot be eradicated without addressing the inadequacy of employment conditions and opportunities facing the world’s young people, especially for young women and those living in rural areas,” said Brave Ndisale, FAO Social Protection Division Deputy Director…

To date, in many parts of the world employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young women and men remain limited, poorly remunerated and of poor quality, particularly for those living in economically stagnant rural areas of developing countries.

The majority of rural youth are employed in the informal economy as contributing family workers, subsistence farmers, home-based micro-entrepreneurs or unskilled workers. They typically earn low wages, are employed through casual or seasonal work arrangements and face unsafe, often exploitive working conditions that compel many to migrate to urban areas – or abroad…

FAO has placed the promotion of decent rural employment as one of its top priorities, and has established a specific programme of work targeting youth.

UN-Habitat to lead in planning Kenya’s first Integrated Settlement in Kalobeyei, Turkana County
Kenya, 04 February 2016 – UN-Habitat has joined in the implementation of Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Program (KISEDP), a Turkana-based initiative that seeks to facilitate collaboration and coordination between the Kenyan Government, UN agencies, development actors, NGOs, private sector and civil society to build sustainable services and economic opportunities in Kalobeyei, a new settlement in Kenya that is expected to accommodate more than 60,000 refugees and host communities. The programme focuses on both short-term (humanitarian) and long-term (sustainable development) interventions and will be implemented through four thematic areas: sustainable integrated service delivery and skills development; spatial planning and infrastructure development; agriculture and livestock development and private sector and entrepreneurship.

UN-Habitat, having gained unique and universally-acknowledged expertise in human settlements development for the past 40 years, will lead the spatial planning and infrastructure development thematic area in close collaboration with the World Bank, Turkana County Government, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), national government agencies, refugees and host communities as well as humanitarian implementing partners such as Peace Winds Japan. UN-Habitat’s intervention will be participatory and is expected to lead to the establishment of a support function for the county government of Turkana, sustainable livelihoods development for refugee and host communities and formulation of detailed re-settlement plan that will include an integrated spatial and investment plan…

Mercy Corps Pilots Refugee Cash Assistance Program in Serbia
February 3, 2016 Presevo, Serbia – The global organization Mercy Corps has launched a new pilot program to distribute MasterCard prepaid debit cards to an estimated 5,600 eligible refugees traveling through Serbia, in partnership with the Serbian Ministry of Labor. Families will receive cards of 210 Euros, and individuals will receive cards of 70 Euros, which can be used to purchase what they need most. It is the first such program in the region to use an international payment mechanism to help the tens of thousands of refugees and migrants seeking haven in Europe.

“At Mercy Corps, we believe cash assistance is the most rapid, efficient and dignified manner of providing humanitarian aid,” says Rebecca Thompson, Mercy Corps’ team leader for its refugee response in the Balkans. “Even a small amount of cash lets people choose how they prioritize their individual needs, in addition to offering a measure of protection. And an important side benefit is that this kind of program infuses cash into the economy and markets of the communities that are hosting refugees.”

The stream of people journeying to Europe continues steadily despite the harsh winter weather, with an estimated 1,000 to 3,000 people traveling through the Balkans every day. Mercy Corps is focusing its distributions on people who are the most vulnerable: people with disabilities, the elderly, women traveling alone, those in financial need and others at particular risk. The card can be used anywhere in the world that accepts MasterCard. It comes pre-loaded with the estimated funds families would need to buy essential supplies and obtain shelter over the 72-hour period typically spent in Serbia.

“Although we are able to help several thousand people over the next two months, the reality is that thousands more urgently need assistance,” says Thompson.

Urban Institute Announces New Partnership to Develop Solutions for Social Mobility in America
WASHINGTON, DC, February 5, 2016 — Today, the Urban Institute announced a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish The US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty, a new collaborative aimed at discovering permanent ladders of mobility for the poor.

The partnership will be made up of 24 leading experts, advocates, and academics from across the country. Over the next two years, the group will identify breakthrough solutions that can be put into action by philanthropy, practitioners, and the public and private sectors. The initiative will also be a resource for the field: all its work will be public, sharing insights and ideas with those poised for action.

The partnership will uncover the country’s most successful programs, collaborate with outside innovative organizations to test promising new models, and identify new approaches to improving social mobility in America. It will be chaired by well-known poverty and social policy scholar David Ellwood, the Scott M. Black Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University, who also served as Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government from 2004 to 2015.

“Working with communities across the country, we will develop an action plan that builds on what works and deploys new ideas,” said Ellwood. “Our approach will be geographically agnostic and politically nonpartisan; our findings will be transparent and available to all. We will consult widely, seeking out diverse voices and expertise as we examine the causes of persistent poverty and stagnant mobility. Rather than producing a single report, this partnership will regularly release its findings and ideas as we do our work. We hope that as a result, we can reset our country’s approach to social mobility.”…

Sarah Rosen Wartell, president of the Urban Institute, noted: “The partnership is about putting the country’s best ideas into practice and learning from diverse voices, experiences, and research. The approach of the partnership will be grounded, pragmatic, and action-oriented.”

The partnership will operate independently of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has committed $3.7 million toward the effort. It also will be independent of any other potential private or public funders. The partnership will be staffed and supported by the Urban Institute, but it will engage other institutions and experts.

“This partnership is being created to serve as a resource for the field that we hope will provide insight, analysis, and expertise around causes of persistent poverty and approaches to improving mobility out of poverty,” said Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “While education is one of the most important interventions for improving mobility in the United States—and the focus of our investments here—it is not the only intervention that is needed to improve opportunity. We look forward to working with the partnership to better understand those factors, in addition to education, that shape long-term outcomes for children, families, and individuals.”…

List of partnership members

Editor’s Note:
We include the full text of the Marrakesh Declaration below and the overview of the conference which produced it. Additional content is available on the Declaration website.

Marrakesh Declaration
Executive Summary of the Marrakesh Declaration on the Rights of Religious Minorities in Predominantly Muslim Majority Communities
25th-27th January 2016
WHEREAS, conditions in various parts of the Muslim World have deteriorated dangerously due to the use of violence and armed struggle as a tool for settling conflicts and imposing one’s point of view;

WHEREAS, this situation has also weakened the authority of legitimate governments and enabled criminal groups to issue edicts attributed to Islam, but which, in fact, alarmingly distort its fundamental principles and goals in ways that have seriously harmed the population as a whole;

WHEREAS, this year marks the 1,400th anniversary of the Charter of Medina, a constitutional contract between the Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace and blessings be upon him, and the people of Medina, which guaranteed the religious liberty of all, regardless of faith;

WHEREAS, hundreds of Muslim scholars and intellectuals from over 120 countries, along with representatives of Islamic and international organizations, as well as leaders from diverse religious groups and nationalities, gathered in Marrakesh on this date to reaffirm the principles of the Charter of Medina at a major conference;

WHEREAS, this conference was held under the auspices of His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, and organized jointly by the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs in the Kingdom of Morocco and the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies based in the United Arab Emirates;

AND NOTING the gravity of this situation afflicting Muslims as well as peoples of other faiths throughout the world, and after thorough deliberation and discussion, the convened Muslim scholars and intellectuals:

DECLARE HEREBY our firm commitment to the principles articulated in the Charter of Medina, whose provisions contained a number of the principles of constitutional contractual citizenship, such as freedom of movement, property ownership, mutual solidarity and defense, as well as principles of justice and equality before the law; and that,

The objectives of the Charter of Medina provide a suitable framework for national constitutions in countries with Muslim majorities, and the United Nations Charter and related documents, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are in harmony with the Charter of Medina, including consideration for public order.

NOTING FURTHER that deep reflection upon the various crises afflicting humanity underscores the inevitable and urgent need for cooperation among all religious groups, we

AFFIRM HEREBY that such cooperation must be based on a “Common Word,” requiring that such cooperation must go beyond mutual tolerance and respect, to providing full protection for the rights and liberties to all religious groups in a civilized manner that eschews coercion, bias, and arrogance.

BASED ON ALL OF THE ABOVE, we hereby:

Call upon Muslim scholars and intellectuals around the world to develop a jurisprudence of the concept of “citizenship” which is inclusive of diverse groups. Such jurisprudence shall be rooted in Islamic tradition and principles and mindful of global changes.

Urge Muslim educational institutions and authorities to conduct a courageous review of educational curricula that addresses honestly and effectively any material that instigates aggression and extremism, leads to war and chaos, and results in the destruction of our shared societies;

Call upon politicians and decision makers to take the political and legal steps necessary to establish a constitutional contractual relationship among its citizens, and to support all formulations and initiatives that aim to fortify relations and understanding among the various religious groups in the Muslim World;

Call upon the educated, artistic, and creative members of our societies, as well as organizations of civil society, to establish a broad movement for the just treatment of religious minorities in Muslim countries and to raise awareness as to their rights, and to work together to ensure the success of these efforts.

Call upon the various religious groups bound by the same national fabric to address their mutual state of selective amnesia that blocks memories of centuries of joint and shared living on the same land; we call upon them to rebuild the past by reviving this tradition of conviviality, and restoring our shared trust that has been eroded by extremists using acts of terror and aggression;

Call upon representatives of the various religions, sects and denominations to confront all forms of religious bigotry, vilification, and denigration of what people hold sacred, as well as all speech that promote hatred and bigotry; AND FINALLY,

AFFIRM that it is unconscionable to employ religion for the purpose of aggressing upon the rights of religious minorities in Muslim countries.
Marrakesh
January 2016, 27th

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Pre-Conference Overview
The Rights of Religious Minorities in Predominantly Muslim Lands: Legal Framework and a Call to Action
In order to examine more deeply what entails the rights of religious minorities in Muslim lands, both in theory and practice, His Highness, King Muhammad VI of Morocco, will host a conference in Marrakesh in the Kingdom of Morocco. The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, based in the U.A.E., will jointly organize the conference, scheduled to be held from 25th – 27th January, 2016 (15th – 17th Rabi al-Thani, 1437).

A large number of ministers, muftis, religious scholars, and academics from various backgrounds and schools of thought will, God willing, participate in this conference. Representatives from various religions, including those pertinent to the discussion, from the Muslim world and beyond, as well as representatives from various international Islamic associations and organizations will be in attendance.

The conference’s discussions and research will focus on the following areas:
:: Grounding the discussion surrounding religious minorities in Muslim lands in Sacred Law utilizing its general principles, objectives, and adjudicative methodology;
:: exploring the historical dimensions and contexts related to the issue;
:: and examining the impact of domestic and international rights.

This conference, with God’s help and providence, aims to begin the historic revival of the objectives and aims of the Charter of Medina, taking into account global and international treaties and utilizing enlightening, innovative case studies that are good examples of working towards pluralism. The conference also aims to contribute to the broader legal discourse surrounding contractual citizenship and the protection of minorities, to awaken the dynamism of Muslim societies and encourage the creation a broad-based movement of protecting religious minorities in Muslim lands…

The Neglected Dimension of Global Security: A Framework to Counter Infectious Disease Crises (2016)
Commission on a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future; National Academy of Medicine, Secretariat
National Research Council. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2016. doi:10.17226/21891 :: 145 pages
Pdf: http://www.nap.edu/login.php?record_id=21891&page=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nap.edu%2Fdownload.php%3Frecord_id%3D21891

Description
Since the 2014 Ebola outbreak many public- and private-sector leaders have seen a need for improved management of global public health emergencies. The effects of the Ebola epidemic go well beyond the three hardest-hit countries and beyond the health sector. Education, child protection, commerce, transportation, and human rights have all suffered. The consequences and lethality of Ebola have increased interest in coordinated global response to infectious threats, many of which could disrupt global health and commerce far more than the recent outbreak.
In order to explore the potential for improving international management and response to outbreaks the National Academy of Medicine agreed to manage an international, independent, evidence-based, authoritative, multistakeholder expert commission. As part of this effort, the Institute of Medicine convened four workshops in summer of 2015. This commission report considers the evidence supplied by these workshops and offers conclusions and actionable recommendations to guide policy makers, international funders, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

United Nations – Secretary General, Security Council, General Assembly  [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/
Selected Press Releases/Meetings Coverage

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5 February 2016
SOC/4834
Urging Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in 2030 Agenda-Based Policies, Speakers Hail Historic Gains at Social Development Commission Discussion
There was now a common understanding that social policies inclusive of persons with disabilities were a “sound” investment in society and that their exclusion from decisions came with economic costs that countries could no longer ignore, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities told the Commission for Social Development today, outlining ways to ensure the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development built on historic gains in their recognition.

4 February 2016
SG/SM/17512
Sudden Spike in Military Action, Insufficient Humanitarian Access ‘Deeply Disturbing’, Secretary-General Tells Supporting Syria Conference

4 February 2016
SG/SM/17513-OBV/1578-WOM/2058
‘We Can End Female Genital Mutilation within a Generation’, Secretary-General Says in Message to Mark Global Zero-Tolerance Day for Harmful Practice

3 February 2016
SOC/4832
Despite ‘Enormous’ Gains since Copenhagen Declaration, Inclusive Progress Must Reach Millions More, Delegates Tell Social Development Commission
While “enormous” gains had been made since the World Summit for Social Development had resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration in 1995, progress remained uneven — both within and among countries — with millions of people still excluded from access to the very rights, services and income-generating activities that underpinned a sustainable future for all, delegates said today as the Commission for Social Development opened the substantive segment of its fifty-fourth session.

2 February 2016
SG/SM/17507
Secretary-General, in Message for Meeting on Mass Atrocity Crimes, Hails Growing Commitment to Preventing ‘Brutal Acts that Defy Our Common Humanity’

UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true
Selected Press Releases

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Upholding women’s human rights essential to Zika response – Zeid
GENEVA (5 February 2016) – Upholding women’s human rights is essential if the response to the Zika health emergency is to be effective, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said Friday, adding that laws and policies that restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services in contravention of international standards, must be repealed and concrete steps must be taken so that women have the information, support and services they require to exercise their rights to determine whether and when they become pregnant.

Press briefing note on Israel
5 February 2016
Subject: Israel
We are extremely concerned at the rapidly deteriorating health of Mohammed Al-Qiq, a Palestinian journalist who is on hunger strike in Israel to protest against his administrative detention and the ill-treatment he alleges since his arrest on 21 November 2015.

Julian Assange arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the UK, UN expert panel finds
5 February 2016

Sudan: UN expert urges protection of unarmed civilians after new escalation of violence in Darfur
5 February 2016

Committee on the Rights of the Child [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex.aspx
Selected Announcements

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UN child rights experts issue findings on Senegal, Iran, Latvia, Oman, France, Ireland, Peru, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Maldives, Brunei, Benin, Kenya, Zambia
4 February 2016

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Best interests of the child must come first, UN child rights committee reminds Australia
3 February 2016

SRSG/SVC Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/media/press-releases/

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05 Feb 2016
United Nations Under-Secretary-General Zainab Hawa Bangura praises ‘heroine’ Rebecca Masika Katsuva
New York, 05 February 2016) United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, is saddened to hear of the passing away on 2 February of Rebecca Masika Katsuva, a rape survivor and women’s rights activist who had dedicated her life to helping others in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Masika opened her home to victims of sexual violence and children born of rape. She countered the violence of rape with love and support for victims. Through her work with communities, she helped many women and girls to return to their husbands and families despite the stigma of rape. She is a heroine whose work will continue to inspire us,” said Under-Secretary-General Bangura…

UN OCHA [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases

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05 Feb 2016
South Sudan: South Sudan: Humanitarian community calls for NGO bill to be subject to public consultation following formation of transitional government
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: South Sudan (Juba, 5 February 2016): Following the adoption of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Bill by the National Legislative Assembly, the humanitarian community has called on the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to ensure that the Bill is submitted to a process of public consultation following the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

04 Feb 2016
Syrian Arab Republic: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien Remarks at Syria Conference Plenary Session, London, 4 February 2016

03 Feb 2016
Democratic Republic of the Congo: D.R. Congo government and humanitarian actors launch plan to assist 6 million people in complex humanitarian crisis
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Kinshasa, 2 February 2016): The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its humanitarian partners today appealed for USD 690 million aimed at providing life-saving aid to some 7.5 million people, the vast majority of which live in eastern DRC where access to health services, food and water is very limited.

02 Feb 2016
World: Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien – Briefing to Member States – Preparations for the World Humanitarian Summit

02 Feb 2016
Mali: US $354 million requested in 2016 for humanitarian aid in Mali
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Mali
(Bamako, 2 February, 2016): – Humanitarian organizations in Mali are seeking to raise 354 million dollars (approximately 200 billion CFA) in 2016 to help people affected by the crisis in the country. These funds are required to implement the third and last component of the 2014-2016 Humanitarian Response Plan developed by humanitarian actors in Mali.

01 Feb 2016
Syrian Arab Republic: USD$1.4 billion needed to get every Syrian child back in school, say aid agencies [EN/AR]
Source: Government of the United Kingdom, Government of Canada, Norwegian Refugee Council, INTERSOS, US Department of State, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Food Programme, US Agency for International Development, Mercy Corps, UN Children’s Fund, International Medical Corps, European Union, Save the Children, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, World Vision, UN Women

UNICEF [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_89711.html
Selected Press Releases

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New statistical report on female genital mutilation shows harmful practice is a global concern – UNICEF
NEW YORK, 5 February 2016 – At least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation in 30 countries, according to a new statistical report published ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation by 2030, say UNFPA and UNICEF
NEW YORK, 5 February 2016 – “FGM is a violent practice, scarring girls for life — endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.

On articles in the Israeli press related to children and violence
NEW YORK, 5 February, 2016 – With regard to recent articles in the Israeli press quoting UNICEF National Committees about abuse and violence committed against and by children, our National Committees are legally independent non-governmental organizations.

As Zika spreads, UNICEF works to help keep communities safe
NEW YORK/PANAMA/GENEVA, 2 February 2016 – With the Zika virus now a public health emergency affecting more than 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF is working with governments to mobilize communities to protect themselves from infection.

More children and women seek safety in Europe: UNICEF
GENEVA, 2 February 2016 – For the first time since the start of the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, there are more children and women on the move than adult males, says UNICEF.

US$1.4 billion needed to get every Syrian child back in school, say aid agencies
AMMAN, Jordan, 2 February 2016 – The future of a generation of Syrian children and youth is in jeopardy unless donors meeting in London this week prioritise the funding needed to get them back to school, say aid agencies leading the response to the brutal conflict ravaging the country.

UNICEF Innovation Fund to invest in open source technology start-ups
NEW YORK, 1 February 2016 – UNICEF is inviting technology start-ups developing solutions with the potential to improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children to apply for funding from its recently launched Innovation Fund.

Pneumonia kills half a million children under five in sub-Saharan Africa, UNICEF says as it launches campaign to curb the disease
NEW YORK/ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 31 January 2016 – UNICEF and global partners launched a campaign today urging African leaders to increase funding for pneumonia interventions and adopt policy changes to strengthen its treatment at the community level. More than 490,000 children under-five died from the disease last year in sub-Saharan Africa…

… Pneumonia kills nearly 1 million children under the age of five around the world, causing more deaths than HIV/AIDS, diarrhea and malaria combined. Progress in the fight against the disease has been slow compared to progress in other leading diseases. Childhood pneumonia deaths have fallen by just 50 per cent compared to an 85 per cent decline in measles deaths, and 60 per cent in deaths from malaria, AIDS and tetanus in the last 15 years. Funding has also remained low: For every global health dollar spent in 2011, only 2 cents went to pneumonia.

The campaign, Every Breath Counts, seeks to raise awareness among leaders, donors and policy makers of the need for increased funding and more adequate policies for pneumonia interventions. Such measures would help:
:: Prevent pneumonia by immunizing children, reducing household air pollution and improving hygiene practices;

:: Protect new born babies from pneumonia though exclusive breastfeeding;

:: Facilitate community access to effective and timely diagnosis and treatment with amoxicillin as well as oxygen for severe cases.

Every Breath Counts was launched during the African Union Summit at the General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA)…

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

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02/05/16
Mediterranean Migrant Deaths Reach 374; Arrivals in Greece Top 68,000 in 2016
Greece – IOM estimates that Mediterranean migrant and refugee arrivals in Italy and Greece reached 74,676 through February 4th.

IOM: Migrants Must Be Included in Zika Virus Response Plans
02/05/16
Switzerland – IOM DG William Lacy Swing has called on governments to include migrants and mobile populations in Zika Virus preparedness and response plans.

IOM Guinea Supports Psychosocial, Socio-economic Recovery of Ebola Survivors
02/05/16
Guinea – IOM has launched a programme to distribute cash grants to Ebola survivors as part of community-led projects in Boke in the northwestern part of the country.

IOM Tracks New Displacement in Burundi
02/05/16
Burundi – IOM Burundi has released its second Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report for three provinces – Makamba, Kirundo and Rutana. It shows a total of 25,081 internally displaced persons (IDPs), of whom 46 per cent are men and 54 per cent women.

IOM, Central American States Promote Regular Flights of Stranded Cuban Migrants
02/05/16

Migrant Deaths in January Top 360; Arrivals in Greece Top 62,000
02/02/16
Greece – Fatalities of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean in January topped 360 due to a particularly deadly final weekend of the month.

Resettlement of Syrians from Lebanon to Canada Passes 8,000
02/02/16
Lebanon – The ongoing resettlement operation has moved over 8,200 Syrian refugees to Canada.

IOM Helps Iraqi Migrants Voluntarily Return Home from Belgium
02/02/16
Iraq – On Monday, February 1, 106 Iraqi nationals departed voluntarily from Belgium to Baghdad under IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme.

IOM, UNDP Support Consolidation of Brazil’s Migration and Refugee Policy
02/02/16
Brazil- IOM and UNDP have signed an agreement to support the efforts of the Government of Brazil in consolidating its Refugee and Migration Policy, under a project agreed between the Brazilian National Secretariat of Justice and UNDP: Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Social Participation in the Justice Policy [Fortalecimento da Capacidade Institucional e da Participação Social na Política de Justiça].

UN Women [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

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Date: 05 February 2016
Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
[see Week in Review above for more detail]

Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the establishment of the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board to contribute to peace talks
Date: 03 February 2016

A snapshot of UN Women’s work in response to the crisis in Syria
Date: 02 February 2016
During the ongoing conflict in Syria, UN Women has been actively working to highlight the distinct needs of women and girls, including protection and resilience, and promote their role as meaningful participants in conflict-resolution, peacebuilding and eventual recovery and development.

Ahead of CSW, Latin American and Caribbean countries prioritize gender equality goal
Date: 02 February 2016
Ministers, officials and authorities of national women’s machineries from Latin America and the Caribbean met from 26–28 January in Santiago, Chile, calling for full implementation of the commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of women within the Sustainable Development Goals.

WHO & Regionals [to 6 February 2016]

Zero tolerance for female genital mutilation
February 2016 — More than 125 million girls and women alive today have undergone some form of female genital mutilation. WHO opposes all forms of female genital mutilation, which can cause a wide range of both short- and long-term health risks, and which is a grave violation of the human rights of women and girls.

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:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Dr Moeti urges vigilance amid spread of Zika virus
Brazzaville, 4 February 2016 – Countries from the WHO African Region have been urged to be watchful and prepare to tackle any signs of the Zika virus disease. The call was made by Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa. “The most effective forms of prevention are reducing mosquito populations by eliminating their potential breeding sites, and using personal protection measures to prevent mosquito bites. I call upon countries in the Region to strengthen vector control, surveillance and laboratory detection of Zika virus disease and neurological complications, as well as public awareness”, said Dr Moeti..

:: Delegates adopted recommendations on Exchange of Best Practices to Reaching Every District/Community, equity and integration of child survival interventions in ESA –
Cape Town, 29 January 2016 – The first ever workshop on Exchange of Best Practices to Reaching Every District/Community (RED/REC), equity and integration of child survival interventions in East and Southern African (ESA) jointly organized by WHO, UNICEF and JSI, MCSP/USAID, ended with delegates agreeing on recommendations to address inequities in coverage of child survival interventions and make progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
One hundred forty six (146) delegates drawn from the Ministries of Health child health and immunization programmes, partner organizations namely, WHO, UNICEF, JSI/MCSP, CDC, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sabin Vaccine Institute, the Gavi Alliance and PATH agreed for WHO and partners to develop a framework for integration of child survival interventions to address inequities and make progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage. Additionally EPI managers were called upon to use findings and recommendations from the workshop to brief their respective ministers in preparation for the impending Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa scheduled to take place from February 24-25 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia…
…The meeting agreed on the following recommendations:
…Countries to further review the best practices identified, adapt and plan for use in the national context, and develop an operation framework based on the integrated RED/REC strategic approach
…The African Region and partners to adapt the current RED strategic approach guidelines to include the expansion of RED components with equity and integration
…EPI managers to brief their respective ministers on the need to capitalize on the gains and expand RED approach to address inequities before the ministerial meeting
…WHO and partners should develop a regional framework for equitable and integrated delivery of child survival interventions in order to address inequities and make progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage…

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: PAHO Director calls for political commitment and more resources to fight Zika in the Americas (02/03/2016)
:: PAHO Director to brief ministers of health on microcephaly/Zika in the Americas (02/03/2016)
:: Films with smoking scenes should be rated “R” to protect children from tobacco addiction (02/01/2016)

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: WHO calls for preventive measures against Zika virus disease
New Delhi, 02 February 2016: WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh is urging countries in the Region to strengthen surveillance and take preventive measures against the Zika Virus disease which is strongly suspected to have a causal relation with clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities.
WHO has declared the recent clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities reported in the Americas region as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The Zika virus is of concern in the WHO South-East Asia Region as the Aedes aegyptii mosquito, responsible for its spread, is found in many areas and there is no evidence of immunity to the Zika virus in many populations of the Region.
In the past sporadic Zika virus cases were reported from Thailand and Maldives…

WHO European Region EURO
:: Preventing cancer – The European code against cancer 04-02-2016
:: Statement – WHO urges European countries to prevent Zika virus disease spread now 03-02-2016

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO calls on countries of the Region to take steps to prevent Zika virus
Cairo, 31 January 2016 — As the Zika virus outbreak continues to spread reaching 24 countries in the Americas (as of 27 January), WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ala Alwan is calling on governments to work together to keep the Region protected.

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified.

UNFPA United Nations Population Fund [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.unfpa.org/press/press-release

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Press Release
3 February 2016
UNFPA to Strengthen Support for Health, Safety of Syrian Women, Girls
UNITED NATIONS, New York – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is seeking $107.1 million to meet the urgent needs of more than 5 million women and girls from Syria affected by the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. About $51.93 million of the sum is to keep women and girls inside Syria healthy and safe, while $55.17 million will be used to tackle the special needs of refugees in neighbouring countries…

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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Feb 4, 2016
Helen Clark: Statement at the Support Syria and the Region Conference
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Center – London, United Kingdom

Strong Support for resilience at Syria pledging conference
Feb 4, 2016
UNDP welcomes the major pledges made for responses to the Syria crisis in London today at the conference co-hosted by UK, Germany, Kuwait, Norway and the UN.

Helen Clark: Closing Remarks to 2016 ECOSOC Youth Forum
Feb 2, 2016 United Nations – New York, USA

UNDP stands ready to act on Zika virus
Feb 2, 2016
UNDP stands ready to join an international response, led by the World Health Organization, to an outbreak of microcephaly and other severe neurological abnormalities, which may have been associated with the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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05/02/2016
Kenya Green Universities Network Launched to Promote Sustainability Practices in Higher Education Institutions
With 70 public and private universities in Kenya, there is great potential to promote sustainability both through education and practice.

02/02/2016
More than a Billion People Depend on Wetlands for Livelihoods, Says Ramsar Convention Secretariat on World Wetlands Day
Today marks the 45th anniversary of signing the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.