The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health ::
Holistic Development :: Sustainable Resilience
__________________________________________________
Week ending 30 April 2016

This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortia and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. Comments and suggestions should be directed to:

David R. Curry
Editor &
Founding Managing Director
GE2P2 – Center for Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

pdf version: The Sentinel_ week ending 30 April 2016

blog edition: comprised of the 35+ entries  posted belo

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health ::
Holistic Development :: Sustainable Resilience
__________________________________________________
Week ending 23 April 2016

This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortia and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. Comments and suggestions should be directed to:

David R. Curry
Editor &
Founding Managing Director
GE2P2 – Center for Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

pdf version: The Sentinel_ week ending 23 April 2016

blog edition: comprised of the 35+ entries  posted belo

:: Week in Review [posts below]

A highly selective capture of strategic developments, research, commentary, analysis and announcements spanning Human Rights Action, Humanitarian Response, Health, Education, Holistic Development, Heritage Stewardship, Sustainable Resilience. Achieving a balance across these broad themes is a challenge and we appreciate your observations and ideas in this regard. This is not intended to be a “news and events” digest.

Syria; EU Turkey Agreement; Refugees

Editor’s Note:
We aggregate below a number of announcements, analyses, and calls-to-action addressing the continuing refugee-migrant crisis.
Please see additional European Commission and agency/NGO announcements around the EU-Turkey Agreement and migration-refugee issues overall below.

.
Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in 2016: 180,245; Deaths: 1,232
04/22/16
IOM reports that an estimated 180,245 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea in 2016, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain, through 20 April.

.
Survivors report massive loss of life in latest Mediterranean Sea tragedy
18 April 2016
On Tuesday, a UNHCR team interviewed survivors of what could be one of the worst tragedies involving refugees and migrants in the last 12 months. If confirmed, as many as 500 people may have lost their lives when a large ship went down in the Mediterranean Sea at an unknown location between Libya and Italy. The 41 survivors (37 men, three women and a three-year-old child) were rescued by a merchant ship and taken to Kalamata, in the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece on 16 April. Those rescued include 23 Somalis, 11 Ethiopians, 6 Egyptians and a Sudanese…

…UNHCR continues to call for increased regular pathways for the admission of refugees and asylum-seekers to Europe, including resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes, family reunification, private sponsorship and student and work visas for refugees. These will all serve to reduce the demand for people smuggling and dangerous irregular sea journeys.

.
Managing the Refugee Crisis: Commission reports on implementation of EU-Turkey Statement
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 20 April 2016
The Commission has today reported on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Agreement and finds that good progress has been made to operationalise the Statement. Continued efforts and commitments are needed to consolidate this position and carry out sustained return and resettlement operations, given that this aspect of implementation still largely lies ahead. On 18 March 2016, EU Heads of State or Government and Turkey agreed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and replace it instead with legal channels of resettlement of refugees to the European Union. This new approach has started to deliver results, with a sharp decrease seen in the number of people irregularly crossing the Aegean from Turkey into Greece. Today’s report also constitutes the fourth report on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan of 29 November 2015.

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “The first result of our cooperation with Turkey is that the message is starting to get through that turning to smugglers is the wrong choice to make. In the past three weeks we have seen a sharp decrease in irregular arrivals, which now needs to go hand-in-hand with opening up the legal channel of resettlement to those in need of protection. Although we have seen good progress in the initial stages of implementation, the Commission will remain engaged to ensure full and timely delivery of all elements of the EU-Turkey Statement, including projects for refugees from Syria in Turkey, the visa liberalisation process and compliance with EU and international laws.”

Today’s Report concludes that there has been good progress since 18 March, with joint efforts by the Greek and Turkish authorities, the Commission, Member States and EU agencies making headway in operationalising the Statement:

:: The return of irregular migrants to Turkey started on 4 April. So far, 325 irregular migrants arriving to Greece via Turkey after 20 March have been returned to Turkey under the Statement. We welcome that a number of legal changes have been undertaken by both Greece and Turkey to ensure full respect of EU and international law. Frontex has deployed 318 escort officers and 21 readmission experts to the Greek islands to support the return operations. In addition, a total of 25 Turkish liaison officers have been deployed in the Greek hotspots and 5 Greek liaison officers to arrival points in Turkey.

:: The first resettlements from Turkey following the Statement took place on 4-5 April. So far, 103 Syrian refugees have been resettled to the EU under the 1:1 scheme. Standard Operating Procedures for resettlement have been developed in close cooperation between the Commission, Member States, EASO, UNHCR and Turkey, and now need to be finalised.

:: Greece has set up accelerated procedures for the processing of all stages of asylum applications on the islands, from the initial interviews to the appeals. Greece has already deployed case officers and police officers to the islands, in line with the requirements of the Asylum Procedures Directive. EASO has deployed 60 asylum officers and 67 interpreters to the Greek islands to support the processing of asylum applications.

:: The Commission will present its third visa liberalisation progress report for Turkey on 4 May and, if Turkey takes the necessary measures to fulfil the remaining benchmarks, the report will be accompanied by a legislative proposal for transferring Turkey to the visa-free list.

:: Programming and project preparation under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey have been accelerated. In addition to €1 billion from the EU budget, 16 EU Member States have now sent in their contribution certificates, covering €1.61 billion out of the €2 billion pledged for 2016-2017. The first contracts under the Facility, worth €77 million, were signed on 4 March and the first payments were made on 18 March.

The good progress in the initial phase of implementation now needs to be stepped up in the next phases. The Commission will remain fully engaged in implementing all elements of the Statement. Member States need to step up their efforts in supporting Greece, particularly given the need to pay particular attention to children and vulnerable groups; more pledges and acceptances are needed in terms of resettlement, relocation and support to the EU agencies. Those Member States that have not sent in their contribution certificates under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey should quickly do so.

Equally, further efforts are required by Turkey to make sure that those who need international protection receive the kind of support they most require including through the Facility. Turkey also needs to take the necessary measures to fulfil the remaining benchmarks of the visa liberalisation roadmap by the end of April, with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish citizens at the latest by the end of June 2016.

The Commission will present its second report on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement in early June 2016…

:::::::

New measures approved to improve stability and tackle the root causes of irregular migration
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 18 April 2016
The European Commission today announced the introduction of 20 new measures in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin, worth over EUR 280 million in total.

The European Commission today announced the adoption of 20 new measures to assist the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin under the ‘Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa’.

These measures, with a budget of over EUR 280 million, correspond directly to the commitments made under the Action Plan adopted at the Valletta Summit (11 12 November 2015). The aim of the measures is to improve the management of migration flows, create sustainable economic opportunities for young people and address the factors of instability and vulnerability. Under these measures, EUR 100 million are earmarked for the Lake Chad region, in particular to support those affected by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, added: ‘With these twenty new measures worth almost EUR 300 million, the Trust Fund is demonstrating once again its added value in swiftly launching projects to tackle the root causes of instability and irregular migration in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions. We are focusing in particular on job creation, especially for young people, and the socio economic reintegration of vulnerable groups. These sections of the population are the main victims of instability and they should be the main beneficiaries of our projects.’

The measures are targeted specifically at the areas of origin and transit of migrants and the main areas of instability. They are part of a comprehensive response by the European Union and are the result of an enhanced political dialogue with its partners on the question of migration.

Eight countries in the region will benefit from this assistance through an integrated approach which reflects the complexity of migration and the diversity of the challenges in the region:
:: Three measures (EUR 63 million) will be geared to the regions of origin of migrants in Senegal and Mauritania in order to create economic opportunities for young people, prevent irregular migration and promote voluntary returns.
:: Two measures (EUR 37 million) will target the areas of transit in Niger in order to increase employment opportunities and income-generating activities for migrants and local populations.
:: One measure (EUR 6 million) will be aimed at setting up a joint investigation team in Niger to combat networks engaged in smuggling migrants and human trafficking.
:: A regional measure (EUR 5 million) will build on the capacities of the countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the fight against organised crime, trafficking and terrorism by creating or strengthening capacity to collect, pool, manage and share police data.
:: One measure (EUR 3 million) will help to protect migrant children from exploitation and human trafficking in Mauritania.
:: One measure (EUR 6 million) will be aimed at strengthening the commitment of the Malian diaspora in Europe to developing Mali’s economy and in particular the areas of origin of migrants.
:: One measure (EUR 10 million) will underpin the implementation of the Northern Mali Peace Agreement.
:: Eight measures (EUR 118 million) will target the Lake Chad region and the areas affected by the crisis linked to Boko Haram in order to boost the resilience of vulnerable groups, in particular women and the displaced, and strengthen conflict prevention and management.
:: Two measures (EUR 30 million) will be aimed at supporting the most vulnerable groups and contributing to the socio-economic integration of women in northern Burkina Faso.

Other measures more specifically aimed at combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking, supporting internal security forces, border management and governance of migration flows are currently being formulated and will be presented in the coming weeks.

Following the adoption of 10 measures in January 2016 worth EUR 100 million in addition to today’s EUR 280 million, the Fund thus confirms its ability to respond swiftly and in a targeted manner to the specific challenges of the region, complementing other EU action.

:::::::

IOM Releases Global Migration Trends 2015 Factsheet
Posted: 04/19/16
IOM’s Global Migration Trends Factsheet 2015 presents a snapshot of the migration trends worldwide for the year 2015, based on migration statistics from a variety of sources.

In 2015, the number of international migrants worldwide – people residing in a country other than their country of birth – was the highest ever recorded, at 244 million (up from 232 million in 2013).

As a share of the world population, however, international migration has remained fairly constant over the past decades, at around 3 percent.

While female migrants constitute only 48 percent of the international migrant stock worldwide, and 42 percent in Asia, women make up the majority of international migrants in Europe (52.4 percent) and North America (51.2 percent).

South-South migration flows (across developing countries) continued to grow compared to South-North movements (from developing to developed countries.) In 2015, 90.2 million international migrants born in developing countries were living in other countries in the Global South, while 85.3 million born in the South lived in countries in the Global North.

Germany became the second most popular destination for international migrants globally (in absolute numbers), following the United States and ahead of the Russian Federation, with an estimated 12 million foreign-born people living in the country in 2015 (compared to 46.6 million in the US and 11.9 million in the Russian Federation).

As a proportion of the host country’s population, however, numbers of international migrants continue to be highest in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The foreign-born population makes up 88.4 percent of the total population in the United Arab Emirates, 75.7 percent in Qatar and 73.6 percent in Kuwait.

Close to 1 in 5 migrants in the world live in the top 20 largest cities, according to IOM’s World Migration Report 2015. International migrants make up over a third of the total population in cities like Sydney, Auckland, Singapore and London. At least one in four residents in Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris is foreign-born.

The year 2015 saw the highest levels of forced displacement globally recorded since World War II, with a dramatic increase in the number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people across various regions of the world – from Africa to the Middle East and South Asia.

The world hosted 15.1 million refugees by mid-2015. This is a 45 percent increase compared to three and a half years ago, largely due to continued conflict in the Syria, now well into its fifth year. Some five million people were newly displaced in the first half of 2015…

For more information and figures, see the Global Migration Trends Factsheet 2015
http://iomgmdac.org/global-trends-2015-factsheet/

The Social Monitor: Social Protection for Child Rights and Wellbeing in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia
UNICEF Regional Report
December 2015 :: 188 pages
Pdf: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/Social_Monitor_Regional_Report.pdf

.

Press Release
Invest in better social protection for the most disadvantaged children: UNICEF
Low public spending, ineffective social protection policies and programmes are hampering progress for children in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia

GENEVA, 20 April 2016 – Children who are falling furthest behind in society benefit the most when countries invest in more effective social protection, according to a new UNICEF Report launched today.

The Social Monitor: Social Protection for Child Rights and Wellbeing in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia report consolidates recent evidence on trends and patterns of change in child poverty and the impact of social protection on children in 30 countries and territories in the region.

It highlights key challenges that the region faces in meeting the social protection needs of children and shares UNICEF recommendations on how to tackle them. Social protection for children includes cash assistance, subsidies for health or education services, counselling and social work, and parental leave.

The report found children are doing better in the region than 20 years ago but too many children are still living in poor households, deprived of basic necessities, excluded from services, communities and societies.

Key findings include:
:: Cash benefits in the region are increasingly reaching children and families who need them. However, too many children in need are still not covered, especially if they come from disadvantaged groups. Among the most vulnerable and discriminated are children with disabilities, children from ethnic and linguistic minorities, and children affected by migration.
:: What children and families receive, in most countries and territories of the region, is not making a difference in their lives.
:: Parents with low incomes or without a job do not get quality social support to help them deal with family conflicts or connect with available benefits and services, including training and employment opportunities…

MILLIONS LEARNING – SCALING UP QUALITY EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Brookings – Center for Universal Education
Jenny Perlman Robinson and Rebecca Winthrop with Eileen McGivney
April 2016 :: 83 pages
Pdf: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Reports/2016/04/millions-learning/FINAL-Millions-Learning-Report.pdf?la=en

.
Executive summary
Around the world, countries are grappling with how to scale quality education for their children and youth. Quality education is at the center of a nation’s progress, and it is also enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which 193 countries have recently committed to support. While the spread of schooling over the past 150 years is one of the most widely successful “going to scale” stories, this expansion too often has been met with little mastery of core academic content and higher-order thinking skills.

An estimated “100-year gap” persists between education levels in developed and developing countries, and if business proceeds as usual in the education sector, this gap is not projected to close. Today, 250 million children around the globe—many of them having spent at least four years of school in a developing country—lack the most basic literacy and numeracy skills. Additionally, countries around the world are struggling to help young people develop 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking and collaborative problem solving, which are increasingly demanded by the labor market.

Millions Learning tells the story of where and how quality education has scaled in the developing world. The story emerges from wide-ranging research on scaling and learning, including 14 in-depth case studies, from Brazil and Honduras, to Uganda and Zambia, to Jordan and India.

What we found is that from the slums of New Delhi to the rainforest in Brazil, transformational change in children’s learning is happening at large scale in many places around the world. We found that successful scaling of quality learning often occurs when new approaches and ideas are allowed to develop and grow on the margins and then spread to reach many more children and youth. What constitutes the margins varies on a case-by-case basis. For some, it means a flexible central government giving freedom to its officials within a district to try a new approach. For others, it involves a community movement that develops new ways of reaching marginalized children whose educational options are limited.

Scaling from the margins occurs in two main ways: idea adoption, namely the spread of new approaches across an education ecosystem, and delivery innovation, the development of new ways to deliver education to marginalized children and youth. With the former, effective new approaches to improving components of the teaching and learning process—from curriculum, to materials, to teacher development—have spread across education ecosystems and been adopted by different actors. With the latter, new education delivery approaches for the most marginalized communities— such as distance learning models or alternative education programs—have developed and grown within and across countries.

We identified 14 core ingredients, in different combinations depending on the context, contribute to scaling quality learning. Each of these ingredients is central for scaling effective approaches that improve learning. Their importance is frequently reinforced from evidence in the broader scaling literature. They include essential elements for designing, delivering, financing, and enabling scaling of quality education.

INTERFAITH CLIMATE CHANGE STATEMENT TO WORLD LEADERS
18th April 2016
STATEMENT BY RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL LEADERS ON THE OCCASION OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL’S HIGH LEVEL SIGNATURE CEREMONY FOR THE PARIS AGREEMENT

Ahead of the Paris Agreement Signing Ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters on 22nd April 2016, as religious and spiritual leaders, we stand together to urge all Heads of State to promptly sign and ratify the Paris Agreement.

Caring for the Earth is our shared responsibility. Each one of us has a “moral responsibility to act,” as so powerfully stated by the Pope’s Encyclical and in the climate change statements by Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and other faith leaders [1]. The planet has already passed safe levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Unless these levels are rapidly reduced, we risk creating irreversible impacts putting hundreds of millions of lives, of all species, at severe risk. The challenges ahead require honesty and courage and we all must take action to reduce emissions.

Humanity is at a crucial turning point. We as faith communities recognize that we must begin a transition away from polluting fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy sources. It is clear that for many people significant lifestyle changes will have to be made. We must strive for alternatives to the culture of consumerism that is so destructive to ourselves and to our planet.

The unprecedented consensus resulting in the adoption of the Paris Agreement, welcomed by faith communities the world over, has opened up a new path towards a low-carbon, climate resilient transformation of the global economy. The global collaboration by all nations is proof that our shared values are far greater than any differences that divide us. It demonstrates that the sense of collective responsibility shared by all nations and society is far more powerful than the recklessness and greed of the few.

We are united in our support for the full and ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement and of all other decisions adopted at COP 21. To achieve the 1.5C goal, governments must accelerate climate action before 2020 and also greatly increase the level of ambition of the future Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs), rapidly converting them into national policies, law and programmes. These commitments must be defined by increasing ambition outlined in national road-maps on how to transform our societies and economies by 2050 and clearly integrated into national development plans. We recognise the importance of peaking of global emissions by 2020, rapid phasing out of all fossil fuel subsidies and a transition to 100 per cent renewable energies by 2050. Finally, we note that more progress on the scaling up of finance, particularly for adaptation and loss and damage, is required so as to help vulnerable countries better prepare for climate impacts and to help us all in our transformation to a safe, zero carbon future.

Climate change presents our global family with the opportunity to embark on a path of spiritual renewal defined by deeper awareness and greater ecological action. Every act to protect and care for all beings connects us to one another, deepening the spiritual dimension of our lives. We must reflect on the true nature of our interrelationship to the Earth. It is not a resource for us to exploit at our will. It is a sacred inheritance and a precious home which we must protect. United with the shared hope that arises from faith, we the undersigned believe that the means, desire, and will to care for Earth and all life can and will become action as our political leaders ratify the promises made in Paris – and thus safeguard the greater promises of this generation and of all those to come.

We therefore:
:: Urge governments to rapidly sign, ratify and implement the Paris Agreement, and to increase pledges to reduce emissions in line with keeping the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels;
:: Insist on rapid emissions reduction and peaking by 2020, in order to keep the 1.5C limit within reach;
:: Strongly advocate the greater flows of finance, especially for adaptation and loss and damage;
:: Urge the swift phase out of all fossil fuel subsidies and transition from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy by 2050;
:: Encourage faith communities to reduce emissions in their homes, workplaces and centres of worship and to support and stand in solidarity with communities already impacted by climate change;
:: Call for fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment in renewables and low carbon solutions, including within our own communities, and/or by engaging companies on climate change.

PDF with 270 signatures here
The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders was handed over by a young faith leader, surrounded by faith leaders to H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, President of the UN General Assembly at the UN Church Centre, April 18th 2016. Credit. Paul Hunt/ WCC

Leaders Set Landmark Global Goals for Pricing Carbon Pollution
April 21, 2016
Call for faster action on carbon pricing to deliver on Paris climate change agreement
NEW YORK, April 21, 2016—Six heads of state and government, two city and state leaders, and the heads of the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund and the OECD today agreed on an ambitious global target for putting a price on carbon pollution.

The leaders, who are all members of the Carbon Pricing Panel, convened by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, challenged the world to expand carbon pricing to cover 25 percent of global emissions by 2020 – double the current level – and to achieve 50 percent coverage within the next decade.

The call, which comes on the eve of the signing ceremony in New York of the Paris COP21 Agreement, was made by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, President of Chile Michelle Bachelet, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia Hailemariam Dessalegn, President of France François Hollande, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel, and President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, together with Bank Group President Kim, IMF Managing Director Lagarde, California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

“There is a growing sense of inevitability about putting a price on carbon pollution,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “In order to deliver on the promises of the historic Paris climate agreement, a price on carbon pollution will be essential to help cut emissions and drive investments into innovation and cleaner technologies. Prices for producing renewable energy are falling fast, and putting a price on carbon has the potential to make them even cheaper than fuels that pollute our planet.”

The call to expand carbon pricing was supported by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Carbon pricing is an invaluable tool for redirecting investments and transforming markets to build low-carbon, climate-resilient economies that will drive prosperity, strengthen security and improve the health and well-being of billions of people,” he said.

In a joint vision statement released today, the leaders declared that carbon pricing needs to be implemented faster and further on a global scale to keep to the Paris COP21 commitment of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and drive efforts to keep the rise to no more than 1.5°C…

United Nations General Assembly Special Session the World Drug Problem  18 – 21 April 2016, New York
A/S-30/L.1 – Draft resolution containing outcome document entitled “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem”

.

Press Release
UNODC Chief: UNGASS momentum can drive progress in addressing world drug problem
New York / Vienna 21 April 2016 – The Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, urged the international community to seize the opportunity provided by the UN General Assembly special session (UNGASS) on the world drug problem to address shared challenges…

“We must take advantage of the momentum provided by UNGASS to strengthen cooperation and advance comprehensive, balanced, integrated rights-based approaches that help to protect and promote the health, safety and security of people everywhere,” said Mr. Fedotov.

The landmark special session, only the third such meeting held by the UN General Assembly on global drug policy, concluded on Thursday.

At the opening of the plenary, Member States adopted the outcome document of the session, which reaffirms their commitment to undertake innovative approaches to drug control within the framework of the three international drug control conventions. It also recognizes that the conventions allow for sufficient flexibility for States parties to design effective national drug policies according to priorities and needs.

The outcome document recommends measures to address demand and supply reduction, and to improve access to controlled medicines while preventing diversion. The recommendations also cover the areas of human rights, youth, children, women and communities; emerging challenges, including new psychoactive substances; strengthening international cooperation; and alternative development.

The text puts new emphasis on proportionate national sentencing policies and practices for drug-related offences, and features a strong focus on prevention and treatment…

:::::::

19/04/2016 –
New campaign on science-based drug prevention launched at UN General Assembly Special Session
New York / Vienna 19 April 2016 – The global ‘Listen First’ campaign on science-based drug prevention was launched at a high-level event during the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the world drug problem in New York today…

…’Listen First’ is promoted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), together with the World Health Organization (WHO), the French Interministerial Mission for Combating Drugs and Addictive Behaviours (MILDECA) and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of Sweden.

…Run under the theme ‘Listen First’, the campaign and a Public Service Announcement aim to raise awareness around listening to children and youth as the first step to help them grow healthy and safe. The campaign targets parents, teachers, policy makers, health workers and prevention workers and highlights how to recognize – and prevent – risky behaviours and drug use.

It is based on research that shows that through this kind of science-based approach, on average, 30 times the amount of funds invested in drug prevention can be saved in future health and social care costs. Content for and on individual target groups will be rolled out in the coming months, following today’s launch.

The campaign website can be found at http://www.unodc.org/listenfirst.

:::::::

Statement on the UN Special Session on World Drug Problem
in Voices on 21 April 2016
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcomes the UN General Assembly Special Session on the world drug problem as an opportunity to bring public health and human rights concerns at the center of the current debate.

We welcome this meeting as an opportunity to shape drug policies that facilitate good health outcomes. Good drug policy can help in many ways: by ensuring adequate investment in essential, cost-effective health services for people who use drugs, including comprehensive HIV, TB, and Sexual and Reproductive Health services; by supporting the meaningful participation of people who use drugs in health programs; and by ensuring that resources are used for programs that minimize health harms and protect human rights, rather than incarceration of large numbers of people who use drugs.

People who inject drugs have consistently poor and inequitable access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. To compound the issue they often face discrimination, marginalization and abuse. As their behaviors are criminalized in the majority of countries, they often face incarceration (or, in some countries, extrajudicial detention) – settings in which access to comprehensive HIV services is even more limited. Worryingly, NSP provision in prison has significantly decreased, with only eight countries globally providing this harm reduction intervention in at least one of their prisons.

In too many countries, approaches to drug use still focus overwhelmingly on prohibition and criminalization, yet the limits and harms of this approach are becoming increasingly well documented and drug policies need urgent reform to remove barriers to effective HIV prevention, treatment and care. UNAIDS “estimates suggest that 56-90% of people who inject drugs will be incarcerated at some stage during their life”. Often, they will continue using (and injecting) drugs while in closed settings.

Until these maladaptive drug policies are reformed, particular efforts are needed to ensure continuity of ART, TB treatment, needle and syringe programs, and opioid substitution therapy at all stages – upon arrest, pre-trial detention, transfer to prison and within the prison system, and upon release. It is therefore essential to promote alternatives to detention and to provide harm reduction in these settings as well as in the community.

The Global Fund recognizes in its current strategy the importance of human rights-based approaches to addressing HIV, TB and malaria. This is especially true of most-at-risk populations such as people who inject drugs. The denial of essential, and potentially lifesaving, harm reduction interventions is a violation of the human right to the highest attainable standard of health – yet is the practice in too many countries. Discriminatory laws and policies can further stigmatize and marginalize this population – such as rules excluding current drug users from ART.

United Nations – Secretary General, Security Council, General Assembly [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/
Selected Press Releases/Meetings Coverage

.
2 April 2016
SG/SM/17700-ENV/DEV/1664-L/T/4451
Closing Signature Ceremony for Paris Climate Change Agreement, Secretary-General Says ‘Governments Have Made a Covenant with the Future’

.
22 April 2016
SG/SM/17698-ENV/DEV/1663-L/T/4450
Take Climate Action to ‘Next Level’, Tackle Challenges Together, Secretary-General Tells World Leaders at High-Level Event on Implementing New Development Agendas

.
22 April 2016
ENV/DEV/1659-L/T/4446
Secretary-General Hails History-Making Ceremony as World Leaders from 175 Countries Sign Paris Agreement on Climate Change
World leaders from 175 countries gathered at United Nations Headquarters today for the official signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the historic accord reached last December, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling upon all States to quickly sign up to the treaty so it could enter into force as soon as possible…

.
21 April 2016
GA/11776
World Leaders Urge Real Action on Combating Climate Change, as General Assembly Debates Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals
Outlining early actions and evolving plans to achieve the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, world leaders called for tangible climate action, the eradication of poverty and bolstered development financing as the General Assembly convened a high-level thematic debate on the Agenda’s implementation today.

.
21 April 2016
GA/11778
Round Tables Consider Innovative Solutions, Alternative Development Strategies as General Assembly Concludes Special Session on World Drug Problem
Innovative solutions would be required to confront a host of new and emerging threats associated with drug use, a range of participants emphasized today as the General Assembly concluded its special session on the world drug problem.

.
19 April 2016
GA/11773
General Assembly Special Session Adopts Resolution Recognizing Persisting Health, Safety, Well-Being Challenges Posed by World Drug Problem
In a special session today, the General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing that despite tangible progress, the world drug problem continued to present challenges to the health, safety and well-being of all humanity.

.
19 April 2016
SG/SM/17685-L/3255
International Criminal Court’s Success Will Be Legacy for Future Generations, Secretary-General Says at Inauguration of Its Permanent Premises

UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true
Selected Press Releases
.
UN Human Rights Chief deeply concerned at growing military role in Thai Government
GENEVA (22 April 2016) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Friday expressed growing concern about the military’s deepening role in Thailand’s civilian administration, as well as tight curbs on dissent, as the Kingdom prepares to vote on a final draft Constitution…

.
“Right to housing vision needed to achieve equality for the poor in India” – UN expert
NEW DELHI/GENEVA (22 April 2016) – The contrast between the vast numbers of pavement-dwellers and the rapid development of luxury real estate was brought into stark focus by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, who today ends a two-week official visit to the country. Leilani Farha called for a national housing law to effectively, and urgently, address the implementation of the right to adequate housing…

.
Closing space for civil society in the UK, UN expert warns
GENEVA (21 April 2016) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, warned today against a series of measures resulting in the “closing of space for civil society in the UK”, at the end of a four-day visit to the country.*

The Special Rapporteur highlighted that the UK takes its role as one of the global leaders in human rights seriously and added that “many people around the world look to the UK as a model for democracy and human rights” and emphasised that “the UK truly should consider its civil society a national treasure.”…

… “I am concerned about a series of separate measures by the Government – some implemented and others proposed – which, put together, suggest that the Government has a negative view of civil society. These moves have, in many instances, been subtle and gradual, but they are unmistakable and alarming,” said the expert.

The Government’s focus on countering “non-violent extremism” without a narrow and explicit definition was worrisome, Mr Kiai noted. He specifically referred to the Preventstrategy which focuses on individuals and groups that appear contrary to the “British Values” of democracy, pluralism and tolerance, and who are seen as being predisposed to respond to terrorist ideologies.

“The lack of definitional clarity, combined with the encouragement of people to report suspicious activity, have created unease and uncertainty around what can legitimately be discussed in public,” said the expert. Mr. Kiai referred to the case of families who are afraid of even discussing the negative effects of terrorism in their own homes, fearing that their children would talk about it at school and have their intentions misconstrued…

.
Honduras murders: UN Expert urges independent investigation into killings of rights defenders
GENEVA (22 April 2016) –The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst today urged Honduras to set up an independent investigation into the murders of Berta Cáceres and Nelson Garcia in March…

.
Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities publishes findings on Portugal, Thailand, Chile, Slovakia, Serbia, Lithuania and Uganda
22 April 2016

.
Release Azimjan Askarov and quash his conviction, UN human rights experts urge Kyrgyzstan
21 April 2016

.
Japan: UN rights expert warns of serious threats to the independence of the press
19 April 2016

.
Torture and illegal detention on the rise in Burundi – Zeid
GENEVA (18 April 2016) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein warned Monday of “a sharp increase in the use of torture and ill-treatment in Burundi” and voiced concerns about worrying reports of the existence of illegal detention facilities, both in Bujumbura and in the countryside…

Committee on the Rights of the Child [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex.aspx

.
18 April 2016
Tackling the world drug problem: UN experts urge States to adopt human rights approach

Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Children/Pages/ChildrenIndex.aspx

.
19 April 2016
End of mission statement of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, on her visit to Georgia

.
19 April 2016
UN human rights expert urges Georgia to address the root causes of the institutionalisation of children

Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Health/Pages/SRRightHealthIndex.aspx
.
18 April 2016
Tackling the world drug problem: UN experts urge States to adopt human rights approach

.
15 April 2016
Joint Open Letter by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health; and the Committee on the Rights of the Child, on the occasion of the United Nation General Assembly Special Session on Drugs New York, 19-21 April 2016

UN OCHA [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases

.
22 Apr 2016
Ecuador: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien – Member States Briefing on Ecuador, New York/Geneva, 22 April 2016

.
21 Apr 2016
World: Global Call for Support and Action: Responding to El Niño: Technical Panel Discussions on the morning of 26 April 2016

.
20 Apr 2016
Ecuador: UN humanitarian chief calls for more support to vulnerable communities affected by Ecuador earthquake

.
19 Apr 2016
Fiji: Serious humanitarian needs remain in cyclone-devastated Fiji

UNICEF [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_89711.html
Selected Press Releases
.
First airlift of UNICEF relief items reaches quake-hit Ecuador
NEW YORK/PANAMA CITY/QUITO/GENEVA, 22 April 2016 – A first airlift of 86 metric tons of UNICEF relief items landed in Quito, Ecuador, last night, as the number of children affected by the earthquake reached 250,000.

.
UNICEF Youth Advocate on climate tells UN General Assembly: “We expect more than words on paper and promises”
UNITED NATIONS, 22 April 2016 – Full text of speech by Getrude Clement, 16-year-old radio reporter from Tanzania and UNICEF youth representative and climate advocate, to the opening segment of the Signing Ceremony for Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

.
Two-thirds of unimmunized children live in conflict-affected countries – UNICEF
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 22 April 2016 – Almost two-thirds of children who have not been immunized with basic vaccines live in countries that are either partially or entirely affected by conflict, UNICEF said ahead of World Immunization Week.

.
Invest in better social protection for the most disadvantaged children: UNICEF
GENEVA, 20 April 2016 – Children who are falling furthest behind in society benefit the most when countries invest in more effective social protection, according to a new UNICEF Report launched today.
[See Week in Review above for more details]

.
UNICEF Statement on the abduction of Ethiopian children
NAIROBI, Kenya, 19 April, 2016 – “UNICEF condemns in the strongest possible terms the abduction on Friday of some 100 children in western Ethiopia during a brutal attack on their community by armed assailants, allegedly cattle raiders from South Sudan. Unverified reports indicate that children are also among the dead and wounded.

.
At least 150,000 children affected by Ecuador earthquake – UNICEF
NEW YORK/ GENEVA/PANAMA CITY/QUITO, 19 April 2016 – At least 150,000 children are affected by the April 15 earthquake in Ecuador, according to initial UNICEF estimates.

.
Children in Afghanistan struggle to access education and healthcare
KABUL, Afghanistan, 18 April 2016 – Children in Afghanistan increasingly struggle to access healthcare and education, the UN said in the report released today, ‘Education and Healthcare at Risk – Key trends and incidents affecting children’s access to healthcare and education in Afghanistan.’

.
UNICEF delivers 20,000 water purification tablets to survivors of Ecuador earthquake
QUITO/PANAMA/NEW YORK/GENEVA, 17 April 2016 – UNICEF delivered today 20,000 water purification tablets to Pedernales, the area worst affected by the earthquake that hit Ecuador last night. A UNICEF team is on the ground assessing the impact of the quake on children.

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=&comid=4a0950336&cid=49aea93a7d&scid=49aea93a40
Selected Press Releases

.
18 April 2016
UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner George Okoth-Obbo Commends Iran on Stabilising Refugee Communities in the Country

18 April 2016
Survivors report massive loss of life in latest Mediterranean Sea tragedy

18 April 2016
UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner urges continued international support for Afghan returnees and internally displaced or risk further population outflows

18 April 2016
UNHCR to launch emergency airlift from Copenhagen for Ecuador earthquake

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

.
04/22/16
Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in 2016: 180,245; Deaths: 1,232
Greece – IOM reports that an estimated 180,245 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea in 2016, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain, through 20 April.

.
IOM Boosts Funding for Ecuador Earthquake Response
04/22/16
Ecuador – IOM Director General William Lacy Swing has increased funding from USD 100,000 to USD 500,000 to support IOM’s emergency response in Ecuador.

.
Lake Chad Basin Displacement Affects Nearly Three Million People in Four Countries: IOM
04/22/16
Senegal – Displacement due to the Boko Haram insurgency has now reached almost three million in four countries -Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad – according to IOM.

.
Why Unaccompanied Egyptian Children are Migrating to Europe
04/22/16
Egypt – “Egyptian Unaccompanied Migrant Children: A Case Study on Irregular Migration” is a new assessment published by IOM Egypt designed to shed light on the irregular migration of Egyptian children to Europe.

.
IOM Confirms Reports of Hundreds of Migrants Killed in Latest Mediterranean Shipwreck Tragedy
04/20/16
Greece – IOM confirms a reported shipwreck that may have caused the deaths of more than 400 migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.

.
IOM Releases Global Migration Trends 2015 Factsheet
04/19/16
Germany – IOM’s Global Migration Trends Factsheet 2015 presents a snapshot of the migration trends worldwide for 2015, based on migration statistics from various sources.
[See Week in Review above for more details]