The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 28 July 2018

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
GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

PDF: The Sentinel_ period ending 28 July 2018

Contents
:: Week in Review  [See selected posts just below]
:: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities
:: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates
:: Journal Watch – Key articles and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals

Global Governance

Crimea Declaration
Press Statement
Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State. Washington, DC
July 25, 2018
Russia, through its 2014 invasion of Ukraine and its attempted annexation of Crimea, sought to undermine a bedrock international principle shared by democratic states: that no country can change the borders of another by force. The states of the world, including Russia, agreed to this principle in the United Nations Charter, pledging to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. This fundamental principle — which was reaffirmed in the Helsinki Final Act — constitutes one of the foundations upon which our shared security and safety rests.

As we did in the Welles Declaration in 1940, the United States reaffirms as policy its refusal to recognize the Kremlin’s claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law. In concert with allies, partners, and the international community, the United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.

The United States calls on Russia to respect the principles to which it has long claimed to adhere and to end its occupation of Crimea. As democratic states seek to build a free, just, and prosperous world, we must uphold our commitment to the international principle of sovereign equality and respect the territorial integrity of other states. Through its actions, Russia has acted in a manner unworthy of a great nation and has chosen to isolate itself from the international community.

Human Rights

Global Disability Summit sparks 170 commitments to tackle stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities
The UK Government’s first ever Global Disability Summit has yielded ambitious commitments from a host of governments and other organisations.
24 July 2018 DFID Press release
:: The Global Disability Summit has resulted in 170 ambitious commitments from all over the world to take action on stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities
:: The commitments follow the call to “move from rhetoric to action” from the International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, in the build up to the Summit
:: 301 organisations and governments have signed the Charter for Change – an action plan to implement the UN International Convention on Disability

The UK Government’s first ever Global Disability Summit has yielded ambitious commitments from a host of governments and other organisations to tackle discrimination and stigma against peop
le with disabilities…

Among the most significant pledges made were commitments to pass transformative new laws to protect the rights of people with disabilities, as well as assurances to help those affected by humanitarian crises. There were also commitments to help people with disabilities to access vital technology and work with the private sector around the world to reduce their prices.
:: Nine national governments have committed to passing or formulating new or revised laws to give people with disabilities greater rights in the countries in which they live
:: 18 governments and other organisations have committed to new action plans on disability inclusion
:: 33 governments and other organisations have pledged to specifically support more people with disabilities affected by humanitarian crises – this includes the Australian government who will give $16.4m to support disability inclusive action in response to the Syria crisis
:: Nine organisations and governments, including USAID, The World Health Organisation and UNICEF, have, along with the UK, joined the Global Partnership on assistive technology, aimed at transforming access to, and the affordability of, life changing devices and basic technology, like wheelchairs and glasses

Seven UN agencies attended the Summit, and they committed to change the way they include people with disabilities into their work…

Featured Journal Content

The Lancet
Jul 28, 2018 Volume 392 Number 10144 p253-358
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current
The Lancet Commissions
Advancing global health and strengthening the HIV response in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals: the International AIDS Society—Lancet Commission
Linda-Gail Bekker, George Alleyne, Stefan Baral, Javier Cepeda, Demetre Daskalakis, David Dowdy, Mark Dybul, Serge Eholie, Kene Esom, Geoff Garnett, Anna Grimsrud, James Hakim, Diane Havlir, Michael T Isbell, Leigh Johnson, Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Parastu Kasaie, Michel Kazatchkine, Nduku Kilonzo, Michael Klag, Marina Klein, Sharon R Lewin, Chewe Luo, Keletso Makofane, Natasha K Martin, Kenneth Mayer, Gregorio Millett, Ntobeko Ntusi, Loyce Pace, Carey Pike, Peter Piot, Anton Pozniak, Thomas C Quinn, Jurgen Rockstroh, Jirair Ratevosian, Owen Ryan, Serra Sippel, Bruno Spire, Agnes Soucat, Ann Starrs, Steffanie A Strathdee, Nicholas Thomson, Stefano Vella, Mauro Schechter, Peter Vickerman, Brian Weir, Chris Beyrer

Key messages
:: The HIV pandemic is not on track to end, and the prevailing discourse on ending AIDS has bred a dangerous complacency and may have hastened the weakening of global resolve to combat HIV

:: Existing HIV tools and strategies are insufficient, and although dramatic gains can be made through maximizing existing prevention and treatment strategies, the HIV pandemic is likely to remain a major global challenge for the foreseeable future

:: Tens of millions of people will require sustained access to antiretroviral therapy for decades to come, vigilance will be needed to prevent a resurgence of the epidemic as the largest-ever generation of young people age into adolescence and young adulthood, and intensified efforts are required to address HIV among populations and settings that are being left behind

:: Allowing the pandemic to rebound after achieving such remarkable progress would not only increase the human and financial costs of HIV, but it would potentially demoralise the global health field and diminish support for similarly ambitious global health undertakings

:: A rejuvenated global effort on HIV is essential; to renew and strengthen the global HIV response, the world’s impressive commitment to the scaling up of HIV treatment services must be matched by a similarly robust commitment to expanded access to HIV prevention

:: The HIV response must make common cause with the broader global health field to herald a new era of global solidarity for health, and specific action is urgently needed to respond to the rapidly rising health toll associated with non-communicable diseases, including taking health into account in the development of public policies of all kinds. HIV services should, where feasible, be integrated with broader health services, in co-located sites where possible, with the aim of improving both HIV-related and non-HIV-specific health outcomes; greater integration of HIV and global health must preserve and build on key attributes of the HIV response, including participatory community and civil society engagement and an ironclad commitment to human rights, gender equality, and equitable access to health and social justice

:: The new era of global health solidarity should focus on the development of robust, flexible, people-centred health systems to end communicable diseases, develop effective measures to address the steady rise of non-communicable diseases, achieve universal health coverage, provide coordinated services tailored to the needs of health service users, and effectively address the social and structural determinants of health.

Featured Journal Content

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
August 2018 Volume 55, Issue 2, p133-280, e19-e52
http://www.ajpmonline.org/current
Global Health Promotion and Prevention
Human Rights as Political Determinants of Health: A Retrospective Study of North Korean Refugees
Jiho Cha, Pamela J. Surkan, Jaeshin Kim, Isabel A. Yoon, Courtland Robinson, Barbara Lopes Cardozo, Hayoung Lee
p271–279
Published online: June 19, 2018
Introduction
The gravity, scale, and nature of human rights violations are severe in North Korea. Little is known about the mental health consequences of the lifelong exposures to these violations.
Methods
In 2014–2015, a retrospective study was conducted among 383 North Korean refugees in South Korea using respondent-driven sampling to access this hidden population. This study collected information on the full range of political and economic rights violations and measured post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression symptoms, and social functioning by standard instruments. Multivariate regression analysis was performed with the adjustment of political, economic, and demographic variables in 2016–2017.
Results
The results indicate elevated symptoms of anxiety (60.1%, 95% CI=54.3%, 65.7%), depression (56.3%, 95% CI=50.8%, 61.9%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (22.8%, 95% CI=18.6%, 27.4%), which are significantly associated with exposures to political rights violations (ten to 19 items versus non-exposure: anxiety AOR=16.78, p<0.001, depression AOR=12.52, p<0.001, post-traumatic stress disorder AOR=16.71, p<0.05), and economic rights violations (seven to 13 items versus non-exposure: anxiety AOR=5.68, p<0.001, depression AOR=4.23, p<0.01, post-traumatic stress disorder AOR=5.85, p<0.05). The mean score of social functioning was also lower in those who were exposed to political (adjusted difference=–13.29, p<0.001) and economic rights violations (adjusted difference= –11.20, p<0.001).
Conclusions
This study highlights mental health consequences of lifelong human rights violations in North Korea. Beyond the conventional approach, it suggests the need for a collaborative preventive response from global health and human rights activists to address human rights in regard to mental health determinants of the 20 million people in North Korea.

Heritage Stewardship

African Development Bank reiterates support for Lake Chad Basin Heritage Project
25/07/2018 – The African Development Bank will continue its support for an environmental initiative to protect the shrinking Lake Chad – a source of water to millions of people in central and West Africa, the Bank’s Director General for Central Africa Region, Ousmane Dore told UN bodies and representatives of west and central African UN missions.

In the past decade, the Bank has invested more than $160 Million through regional projects aimed at fighting the ecological and humanitarian crises in the Lake Chad region.

The UNESCO Biosphere and Heritage of Lake Chad (BIOPALT) project, funded by the Bank, is a multi-disciplinary project, linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project is implemented in five countries within the Lake Chad area: Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

The lake has shrunk to nine tenths of its size due to climate change, population growth and irrigation.
Addressing participants at the meeting, UNESCO Assistant Director General Flavia Schlegel described it as a platform for governments, UN agencies, civil society and academia to reflect on the relevance of adopting a multisectoral response to solving the region’s humanitarian and ecological crisis.

The Lake Chad area is important for its terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, but a 90% reduction in rainfall has affected more than 40 million people, Zacharie Serge Raoul Nyanid, Permanent Mission of Cameroon, said.

Dore who represented the Bank at the meeting, reiterated its commitment to work closely with the five member countries’ governments to restore and rehabilitate degraded ecosystems, improve the livelihoods of the communities and bring back lasting peace in the region…

Ebola – DRC

Ebola outbreak in DRC ends: WHO calls for international efforts to stop other deadly outbreaks in the country
24 July 2018
News Release – KINSHASA/GENEVA
Today marks the end of the ninth outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates the country and all those involved in ending the outbreak, while urging them to extend this success to combatting other diseases in DRC.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, joined Minister of Health Dr Oly Ilunga for the announcement in Kinshasa.
“The outbreak was contained due to the tireless efforts of local teams, the support of partners, the generosity of donors, and the effective leadership of the Ministry of Health. That kind of leadership, allied with strong collaboration between partners, saves lives,” said Dr Tedros.

Unlike previous Ebola outbreaks in the country, this one involved four separate locations, including an urban centre with river connections to the capital and to neighbouring countries, as well as remote rainforest villages. There were initial concerns that the disease could spread to other parts of DRC, and to neighbouring countries.

Within hours of the outbreak being declared on 8 May, WHO released US$2 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, deployed a team to augment capacity in the field, and activated an emergency incident management system.

“WHO moved quickly and efficiently,” said Dr Moeti, “We also demonstrated the tremendous capacity of the African region. More than three-quarters of the 360 people deployed to respond came from within the region. Dozens of experts from Guinea spent weeks leading Ebola vaccination efforts here, transferring expertise which will enable the DRC to mount an effective response both within its borders and beyond.”

Dr Tedros urged the DRC Government and the international community to build on the positive momentum generated by the quick containment of the Ebola outbreak.

“This effective response to Ebola should make the Government and partners confident that other major outbreaks affecting the country such as cholera and polio can also be tackled,” said Dr Tedros. “We must continue to work together, investing in strengthened preparedness and access to healthcare for the most vulnerable.”

Funding
:: WHO’s rapid response and scale up of operations in the DRC was funded by a total of US$4 million disbursement from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE).
:: WHO and partners appealed for US$57 million to stop the spread of Ebola. The total funds received by all partners, as tracked by OCHA, amount to US$63 million.
:: Funding towards WHO’s contribution to the Ebola response was provided from: Italy (€ 300 000), UN CERF (US$ 800 000), Gavi (US$ 1 million), USAID (US$ 5.3 million), Wellcome Trust and UK-DFID (US$ 4.1 million), UK-DFID (£5 million), Germany (€5 million), Norway (NOK 8 million), Canada (CAD$1 million), World Bank PEF (US$ 6.8 million), Japan (US$1.3 million), EU ECHO (€ 1.5 million) and from the Ebola MPTF (US$ 428,000) bringing the total to approximately US$ 36 million.
:: Germany’s contribution is in recognition of the critical role the WHO CFE has played in responding to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and will go to replenish the CFE, which provided initial funds for the response efforts.
:: In-kind contributions for medical evacuation were received from Norway. EU ECHO support was provided for flights between Kinshasa and Mbandaka. Technical expertise was provided by Guinea, the UK, USA and Germany through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). Merck provided the vaccines that were used to protect over 3300 people.

WHO partners in the DRC Ebola response included the following:
The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo Red Cross), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF), the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC), ECHO, the Department for International Development (DFID), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, UNCERF, UNOCHA, MONUSCO, UNFPA, International Organization for Migration (IOM), the FAO Emergency Management Centre – Animal Health (EMC-AH), the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), the UK Public Health Rapid Support team, the EPIET Alumni Network (EAN), the International Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Emerging Diseases Clinical Assessment and Response Network (EDCARN), the World Bank and PATH. The Government of Guinea deployed more than 30 Ministry of Health staff to assist with the ring vaccination campaign, and Merck provided the Ebola vaccine. Additional coordination and technical support through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), Association pour le développement de l’épidémiologie de terrain (EPITER), European Mobile Laboratory (EMLab), Infection Control Africa Network (ICAN), Institut Pasteur (IP), National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa, Robert Koch Institut (RKI), and Emergency Medical Teams (EMT).

Children in fragile states missing out on lifesaving vaccines – Gavi
New vaccination figures show millions more children being immunised in world’s poorest countries.
Geneva, 26 July 2018 – Children in fragile states are being left behind in the global effort to improve immunisation rates in the world’s poorest countries, an analysis by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance of the latest global immunisation statistics has shown.

For the 68 developing countries in which Gavi works, the latest WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage (WUENIC) show that coverage for the basic Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis vaccine (DTP3) rose to 86% in 2017 from 80% in 2010, when fragile states are excluded.

However coverage has stagnated at 62% in fragile states. Five of the six Gavi-supported countries with less than 50% DTP3 coverage in 2017 were classed as fragile. The number of under-immunised children has also increased by 170,000 in Gavi-supported countries to 16.2 million children. Just under half of these children were in fragile countries.

In July 2017, Gavi introduced a new fragility, emergencies and refugee policy to boost the number of children receiving vaccines in fragile settings, especially among vulnerable populations. Bangladesh became the first country to take advantage of the policy in late 2017, carrying out Gavi-funded vaccination campaigns for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

“Over the last two decades we have made enormous progress in boosting vaccination coverage in many of the world’s poorest countries,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Gavi is helping more children receive lifesaving vaccines than at any point in our history but millions of children are still being left behind, with half of these under-immunised children living in fragile countries. As an alliance we need to redouble our efforts and maintain our focus on routine immunisation as the most sustainable way to improve child health, strengthen health systems and boost economies.”..

Emergencies
 
POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 24 July 2018 [GPEI]
:: Strengthening vaccine trust in Pakistan: How a vaccine refuser became an advocate for polio eradication.
:: Disease surveillance innovations help defeat the poliovirus: Across the Lake Chad Basin, e-Surve technology is reshaping the way that the polio programme conducts disease surveillance.

Summary of new cases this week:
Afghanistan:
::   Following advance notification last week, one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case in Chawkay district, Kunar province, has been confirmed. The case had onset of paralysis on 22 June.
:: Five new WPV1 positive environmental samples were reported in the past week. Two samples were collected in Kabul province on 26 June, two samples were collected in Kandahar province, one on 26 June and one on 5 July, and one sample was collected in Nangarhar province, on 26 June.
Pakistan:
:: Three new WPV1 positive environmental samples were reported in the past week. All samples were collected on 10 July, one in Islamabad province, one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and one in Punjab province.
Nigeria:
:: Two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples detected in Sokoto State have been confirmed, following advance notification last week. The samples were collected on 5 June and 12 June.

::::::
::::::

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies  [to 28 Jul 2018]
Yemen 
:: WHO airlifts 168 tonnes of life-saving medicines and medical supplies to Yemen
20 July 2018— Seven WHO-chartered aircraft have landed in Sana’a Airport this week, while between 30 to 50 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies reach Aden regularly by a UN ship run by the World Food Programme (WFP). In total this week more than 200 tonnes of life-saving medicines and medical supplies, and emergency equipment have been delivered in Yemen by WHO, in partnership with WFP and the logistic cluster, as health needs in Yemen grow at an alarming pace.
The shipments contain Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK), surgical kits, cholera kits, intravenous (IV) fluids and various types of antibiotics which are much-needed by health facilities across the country, particularly in Hudaydah and Aden. Around 120 tonnes of these supplies will be distributed to Al Hudaydah as part of WHO plans to scale up health interventions in the governorates affected by the recent intensification of the military operations…

Iraq  – No new announcements identified
Nigeria  – No new announcements identified
South Sudan  – No new announcements identified
The Syrian Arab Republic – No new announcements identified
 
::::::
 
WHO Grade 2 Emergencies  [to 28 Jul 2018]
[Several emergency pages were not available at inquiry]
Cameroon  – No new announcements identified
Central African Republic  – No new announcements identified.
Democratic Republic of the Congo  – No new announcements identified
Ethiopia  – No new announcements identified.
Libya – No new announcements identified.
Myanmar  – No new announcements identified
Niger  – No new announcements identified.
Ukraine – No new announcements identified.

::::::
::::::
 
UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic 
:: Syrian Arab Republic: Dar’a, Quneitra, As-Sweida Situation Report No. 4 as of 26 July 2018

 Yemen
:: Yemen: Al Hudaydah Update Situation Report No. 9 – Reporting Period: 14 – 24 July 2018

::::::

UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Ethiopia  – No new announcements identified.
Somalia   – No new announcements identified.

::::::
:::::

MERS-CoV [to 28 Jul 2018]
http://who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/
:: MERS situation update, June 2018
:: At the end of June 2018, a total of 2229 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), including 791 associated deaths (case–fatality rate: 35.5%) were reported globally; the majority of these cases were reported from Saudi Arabia (1853 cases, including 717 related deaths with a case–fatality rate of 38.7%).
:: During the month of June, a total of 4 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS were reported in Saudi Arabia including 1 associated death (case-fatality rate: 25%). No healthcare associated transmission or hospital outbreak was reported during this month.
:: The demographic and epidemiological characteristics of reported cases, when compared during the same corresponding period of 2013 to 2018, do not show any significant difference or change. Owing to improved infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, the number of hospital-acquired cases of MERS has dropped significantly since 2015.
:: The age group 50–59 years continues to be at highest risk for acquiring infection of primary cases. The age group 30–39 years is most at risk for secondary cases. The number of deaths is higher in the age group 50–59 years for primary cases and 70–79 years for secondary cases.
,
Yellow Fever  [to 28 Jul 2018]
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/yellowfev/en/
– No new announcements identified.
.
Zika virus  [to 28 Jul 2018]
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/zika/en/
:: Progress toward discovery of Zika virus vaccines and therapeutics
23 July 2018
…Studies in animal models have shown promising results of Zika virus vaccines for preventing maternal-fetal transmission and generating immunity in the vaccine recipient, but further validation is still required in clinical settings. Several vaccine candidates are currently in phase 1 and 2 of human clinical trials, summarized in the WHO vaccine pipeline tracker.
Many hurdles remain, however, before a vaccine will become available. The limited number of cases occurring globally limits the ability of studies to evaluate the protective effects of vaccines in phase 3 human trials. To prepare sites for future clinical trials, mathematical modelling is being used to predict when and where potential future Zika outbreaks may occur, but accurately predicting and preparing sites for future multi-centre clinical trials present unique logistical challenges. In the absence of a suitable population and/or environment to test a candidate vaccine, other options for clinical evaluation are being considered…
:: Zika vaccines and therapeutics: landscape analysis and challenges ahead
Wilder-Smith A, Vannice K, Durbin A, Hombach J, Thomas SJ, Thevarjan I, Simmons CP. BMC Med. 2018 Jun; 16(1):84.
 

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 21 July 2018

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
GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

PDF – The Sentinel_ period ending 21 July 2018

Contents
:: Week in Review  [See selected posts just below]
:: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities
:: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates
:: Journal Watch – Key articles and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals

Governance/Human Rights – Nicaragua

.
OHCHR – Press briefing notes on Nicaragua, Mali and Kashmir
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(1) Nicaragua
Tomorrow, Wednesday, will mark three months since demonstrations began in Nicaragua, initially against planned pension reforms but which have evolved into protests against President Daniel Ortega’s government.

The violence that has to date left an estimated 280 people dead and 1830 injured has been overwhelmingly perpetrated by the State and by pro-government armed elements. Those killed include at least 19 police officers.

Police, armed elements and other violent groups have carried out so-called “clean-up operations” in different parts of the country, forcibly removing barricades erected by demonstrators and local communities. At least 12 people were killed over the weekend, including two when shots were fired at the Divina Misericordia Church in Managua where student demonstrators had sought refuge after the university premises they had been occupying came under attack.

The violence is all more horrific as armed elements loyal to the government are operating with the active or tacit support of and in coordination with the police and other state authorities. UN Human Rights Office staff on the ground report that a wide range of human rights violations are being committed, including extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detentions, and denying people the right to freedom of expression. There has been incitement to hatred and smear campaigns, including against human rights defenders. The backdrop for all these violations is the absence of rule of law and due process…

.

OAS Resolution “The Situation in Nicaragua”
Organization of American States
July 18, 2018
CP/RES. 1108 (2172/18)
THE SITUATION IN NICARAGUA
(Adopted by the Permanent Council at its special meeting, held on July 18, 2018)

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,
BEARING IN MIND the principles enshrined in the Charter of the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, of which Nicaragua is a State party;

REAFFIRMING declaration AG/DEC. 97 (XLIII-O/18), adopted by the OAS General Assembly on June 5, 2018;

TAKING NOTE of the Central American Integration System’s (SICA) “Special Declaration on Nicaragua” of 30 June, 2018; and

NOTING with deep concern the situation confirmed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in the final report on its visit to Nicaragua, from May 17 to 21, 2018, titled “Gross Human Rights Violations in the Context of Social Protests in Nicaragua” and presented to the Permanent Council on June 22 and July 11, 2018,

RESOLVES:
[1] To reiterate its vigorous condemnation of and grave concern over all acts of violence, repression, and human rights violations and abuses committed by police, parapolice groups, and others against the people of Nicaragua, as documented by the IACHR; to encourage that steps be taken to identify the individuals responsible, through the corresponding legal procedures; and to demand that parapolice groups be disbanded.

[2] To also condemn attacks on the clergy, the harassment of Roman Catholic bishops engaged in the National Dialogue process, and the acts of violence at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), the headquarters of CARITAS, and against other peaceful protesters.

[3] To urge the Government of Nicaragua and all the parties to participate actively and in good faith in the National Dialogue as a mechanism to generate peaceful and sustainable solutions to the situation unfolding in Nicaragua, and for the strengthening of democracy in that country.

[4] To call on the Government of Nicaragua to consider all options to achieve this objective, to collaborate in the effective pursuit of efforts to strengthen democratic institutions in Nicaragua through the implementation of the recommendations of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission, and to support an electoral calendar jointly agreed to in the context of the National Dialogue process.

[5] To support the recently established Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) to investigate the acts of violence which have been taking place in the country, as documented by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), as well as the Special Follow-up Mechanism for Nicaragua (MESENI) and the initiative to strengthen democratic institutions advanced by the OAS General Secretariat, and to urge the Government of Nicaragua to provide the conditions necessary to allow these groups to fulfill their duties.

[6] To reiterate the willingness of the Permanent Council to collaborate and consider all possible measures and mechanisms it deems appropriate to find a peaceful solution to the situation faced by Nicaragua, as provided for by the Organization’s regulations.

[7] To invite the IACHR to keep the Permanent Council informed as to the functioning of the mechanisms specifically established by the IACHR to monitor the human rights situation in Nicaragua and the follow-up of the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the IACHR.

[8] To request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the OAS Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO), the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OAS Secretary General and the European Union to support the work of the Verification and Security Commission.

Human Rights – Global Justice

.
Rome Statute 20th anniversary high-level commemorations generate strong calls for justice
Press Release : 17 July 2018
On 16 and 17 July 2018, an event was held at the headquarters of International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”), in The Hague, The Netherlands, to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the ICC. High-level representatives of more than 30 States in attendance included the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representatives of national Senates and Parliaments, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice, as well as officials of international and regional organisations, civil society and academia. Speakers reiterated their support to justice and accountability for the gravest crimes listed under the Rome Statute…

In his opening remarks, the President of the Court, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, recalled that the Rome Statute was adopted with a vision of a world in which atrocities that shock the conscience of humanity would no longer be committed with impunity. He said that reflections on the 20th anniversary of the treaty should concentrate on what this generation will do with the monumental legacy handed to it by the visionaries of 1998. “Let us ensure that allegations of the most serious crimes are met with a robust, fair and impartial judicial response – at the international level as a last resort, where national systems prove unable to give victims their day in court. Let us make sure that we do not let down those who worked so hard to make the Statute of an International Criminal Court a reality”, President Eboe-Osuji said.

“The ICC has given hope for justice to so many, by demanding strict adherence to the rules of international humanitarian law. A strong and effective ICC demonstrates the international community’s commitment to the rule of law,” said the President of Nigeria, H.E. Muhammadu Buhari. “I urge all States that have not yet done so to, as a matter of deliberate State policy, accede to the Rome Statute of the ICC so that it can become a universal treaty.”

“I am certain that the Rome Statute is as necessary today as it was 20 years ago. I believe it is important to go ‘back to the basics’ with a renewed dedication, commitment and also excitement – just as we did when we first adopted the Rome Statute,” said the President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. O-Gon Kwon. “Let today serve as a time to reflect, look back, appreciate what we have accomplished, and most importantly revive our commitment to the fight against impunity.”

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda stressed the importance of the anniversary and the opportunity it presents to recommit to the values and goals of the Statute, but also to take stock of the last two decades and reflect on how the Rome Statute system can be made more effective. “As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, we owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations to fully support and nurture the ever evolving international criminal justice system, and the ICC as its central pillar,” she stated, adding, “a more rule-based global order where mass atrocities are checked through the force of the law and the progress of humanity, demand it.”

Background: Adopted on 17 July 1998, the Rome Statute is the ICC’s founding treaty, ratified by over 120 countries. The ICC is the first permanent international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. The Rome Statute has also established the Trust Fund for Victims with a two-fold mandate: (i) to implement Court-ordered reparations and (ii) to provide physical and psychological rehabilitation, and material support to victim survivors, their families, and affected communities. The TFV assists survivors to begin the process of healing and rebuilding their lives, for them to be able to promote peace and reconciliation.

Health – Refugees

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UNHCR reports progress on health efforts for refugees despite record displacement
20 July 2018
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has this week released its Annual Public Health Overview of new refugee emergencies and ongoing operations. Despite record forced displacement globally, the report finds that health services to refugees and other displaced populations are in most cases on track. However, communicable diseases, anaemia and stunting remain areas of concern.

The report notes that strengthened weekly surveillance of key health indicators among refugee populations during emergencies and systematic monitoring are contributing to prompt, effective interventions. The report is a snapshot of what has been achieved and highlights the trends based on key indicators in UNHCR’s public health, reproductive health and HIV, nutrition, food security, and water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in 37 key operations. In 21 of these operations, UNHCR and its partners collect and analyse public health data using a standardized health information system to better protect and serve refugees.

The report includes, for example, the findings on the mortality rates among refugee children under the age of five – which is always an important health impact indicator in emergencies. Despite major refugee emergencies and disease outbreaks in 2017 – a year in which wars and persecution drove global forced displacement to a new high – this rate remained globally stable in post-emergency situations at an average of 0.4 deaths per 1,000 refugee children every month, sustaining the declining trend we’ve observed since 2011. The indicator is within the range reported in developing and middle income countries, according to the UN 2017 World Mortality report.

There have been also improvements in reproductive health services as 9 out of 10 deliveries (in total 96,776 deliveries) in more than 83 per cent of the reporting operations were conducted by a skilled health worker, a 25 per cent increase from 2016. About half a million pregnant refugee women attended antenatal services at 135 monitored sites in 21 operations, an 18 per cent increase from 2016.

In 2017 over 8 million clinical consultations were provided to refugees at health facilities. This is a 10 per cent increase from 2016. Nine out of 10 refugees who were treated at the health facilities were suffering from communicable diseases, underscoring the importance of continued investment in high impact preventive services.

The number of mental health consultations for refugees has been also steadily increasing over the years – doubling in 2017 compared to numbers seen only three years ago. This was possible due to improved availability of these services at primary health care clinics.

Sixty-five per cent of our refugee operations reported measles vaccination coverage rates among children under one year of age above 90 per cent – against an international standard of above 95 per cent. Overall, more than 160,000 children in this age group were vaccinated against measles in routine programmes, a 15 per cent increase from 2016. Access to HIV treatment was sustained with over 10,000 refugees enrolled in HIV treatment programs a threefold increase from 2015.

Against these results, UNHCR remains very worried about continued high levels of anaemia as well as persistently high levels of stunting. Acute malnutrition also remains extremely concerning amid reductions in refugee food rations and basic assistance in several operations. Overall, 62 per cent of the surveyed refugee sites met the global acute malnutrition standards, showing a slight improvement from 2016. The levels of stunting among children under the age of five reached acceptable standards in only 25 per cent of sites, remaining at similar levels compared to 2016. Over 50 per cent of surveyed sites exhibited critical levels of child anaemia prevalence (above 40 per cent). Only three per cent of surveyed sites met anaemia standards with prevalence below acceptable standard of 20 per cent.

UNHCR managed to maintain the average volume of water provided to refugees at 21 litres per person per day, exceeding the basic minimum standard of 20 litres per day. However, UNHCR did not always meet the standards in emergency nor protracted situations. The average number of refugees per toilet improved to 22 persons – still over the standard of up to 20 persons per toilet for sanitation.

Given the record levels of forced displacement globally, in 2018 UNHCR’s budget requirements are at a record high of US$8.275 billion. However, as of mid-2018, only 33 per cent of these needs are funded. While UNHCR is grateful for the generous and timely support already provided by donors, and particularly grateful to donors for unrestricted contributions which allowed us to continue our work on these and other activities without interruptions, it is vital that UNHCR and partners have more resources available to provide life-saving services and improve the living conditions for refugees.

Governance – Migration-Asylum: Hungary

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Migration and Asylum: Commission takes further steps in infringement procedures against Hungary
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 19 July 2018
The European Commission has today decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for non-compliance of its asylum and return legislation with EU law.

The Commission has also today sent a letter of formal notice to Hungary concerning new Hungarian legislation which criminalises activities that support asylum and residence applications and further restricts the right to request asylum.

Court referral for non-compliance with EU asylum and return legislation
The Commission first launched an infringement procedure against Hungary concerning its asylum laws in December 2015. Following a series of exchanges on both administrative and political levels and a complementary letter of formal notice, the Commission sent a reasoned opinion in December 2017. After analysing the reply provided by the Hungarian authorities, the Commission considers that the majority of the concerns raised have still not been addressed and has therefore now decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union – the last stage of the infringement procedure.

Specifically, the Commission finds that Hungarian legislation is incompatible with EU law in the following respects:
Asylum procedures: Whilst EU legislation provides the possibility for Member States to establish transit zones at the external borders, the Hungarian legislation falls short of the requirements of the Asylum Procedures Directive as it only allows asylum applications to be submitted within such transit zones where access is granted only to a limited number of persons and after excessively long waiting periods. The border procedure implemented by Hungary is not in compliance with EU law as it does not respect the maximum duration of 4 weeks in which someone can be held in a transit centre and fails to provide special guarantees for vulnerable applicants. Within its territory, Hungary fails to provide effective access to asylum procedures as irregular migrants are escorted back across the border, even if they wish to apply for asylum.

Reception conditions: The Commission considers that the indefinite detention of asylum seekers in transit zones without respecting the applicable procedural guarantees is in breach of EU rules as set out in the Reception Conditions Directive.

Return: The Hungarian law does not comply with the EU’s Return Directive as it fails to ensure that return decisions are issued individually and include information on legal remedies. As a result, migrants risk being returned without the appropriate safeguards and in breach of the non-refoulement principle…

Human Rights – Data Protection

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The European Union and Japan agreed to create the world’s largest area of safe data flows
European Commission – Press release Tokyo, 17 July 2018
The EU and Japan successfully concluded today their talks on reciprocal adequacy. They agreed to recognise each other’s data protection systems as ‘equivalent’, which will allow data to flow safely between the EU and Japan.

Each side will now launch its relevant internal procedures for the adoption of its adequacy finding. For the EU, this involves obtaining an opinion from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the green light from a committee composed of representatives of the EU Member States. Once this procedure will have been completed, the Commission will adopt the adequacy decision on Japan.

Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality: “Japan and EU are already strategic partners. Data is the fuel of global economy and this agreement will allow for data to travel safely between us to the benefit of both our citizens and our economies. At the same time we reaffirm our commitment to shared values concerning the protection of personal data. This is why I am fully confident that by working together, we can shape the global standards for data protection and show common leadership in this important area.”

This mutual adequacy arrangement will create the world’s largest area of safe transfers of data based on a high level of protection for personal data. Europeans will benefit from strong protection of their personal data in line with EU privacy standards when their data is transferred to Japan. This arrangement will also complement the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, European companies will benefit from uninhibited flow of data with this key commercial partner, as well as from privileged access to the 127 million Japanese consumers. With this agreement, the EU and Japan affirm that, in the digital era, promoting high privacy standards and facilitating international trade go hand in hand. Under the GDPR, an adequacy decision is the most straightforward way to ensure secure and stable data flows.

The key elements of the adequacy decisions
The agreement found today foresees a mutual recognition of an equivalent level of data protection by the EU and Japan. Once adopted, this will cover personal data exchanged for commercial purposes, ensuring that in all exchanges a high level of data protection is applied.*

To live up to European standards, Japan has committed to implementing the following additional safeguards to protect EU citizens’ personal data, before the Commission formally adopts its adequacy decision:
:: A set of rules providing individuals in the EU whose personal data are transferred to Japan, with additional safeguards that will bridge several differences between the two data protection systems. These additional safeguards will strengthen, for example, the protection of sensitive data, the conditions under which EU data can be further transferred from Japan to another third country, the exercise of individual rights to access and rectification. These rules will be binding on Japanese companies importing data from the EU and enforceable by the Japanese independent data protection authority (PPC) and courts.
:: A complaint-handling mechanism to investigate and resolve complaints from Europeans regarding access to their data by Japanese public authorities. This new mechanism will be administered and supervised by the Japanese independent data protection authority…

Governance

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World Bank and Partners Launch US$ 12 million Fund to Help Countries Increase Government Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness
Press Release TBILISI, July 19, 2018 — With the goal of supporting governments and civil society in countries and sub-nationals that participate in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to increase government transparency, improve accountability and strengthen citizen engagement and government responsiveness, the World Bank and development partners have launched the OGP Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF).

The US$12 million Fund will support implementation of open government reforms, an inclusive and participatory dialogue and decision-making process, and build the evidence base on the impact of open government reforms. The design, strategy and governance of the MDTF is rooted in OGP’s founding principles that government and civil society should have an equal seat at the table. With the support of Agence Française de Développement, the Department for International Development UK, and Global Affairs Canada, the MDTF aims to deliver customized support to both governments and civil society in line with the OGP standards and timeframes, and it incentivizes robust performance by all partners while leveraging the World Bank’s technical expertise and country programs.

“The World Bank is supporting both governments and civil society in OGP to deliver country or locally led reforms to build knowledge, and create avenues and opportunities for open government and citizen engagement, and help build and maintain trust between citizens and the state,” said Debbie Wetzel, Senior Director of the World Bank’s Governance Global Practice. “The MDTF is an instrument to leverage the Bank’s technical specialists and in-country presence to support experimentation and innovative approaches to reform, participation, inclusion, and learning to move the needle on open government and citizen engagement.”…

The first set of awards have been given to nine civil society organizations to facilitate the participatory process of developing OGP Action Plans in five countries and four sub-nationals. Given the significant demand, this exceeded initial expectations. Eyakuze added, “The superb quality of the CSO proposals, and the decision to fund more than we had anticipated underscore the unique value of this MDTF.”
[More information on the MDTF, please visit: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/ogp-trust-fund ]

Development – Inclusion

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Adolescents with disabilities: enhancing resilience and delivering inclusive development
ODI – Research reports and studies | July 2018 | Nicola Jones, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall and Maria Stavropoulou

Over the past decade there has been growing recognition that adolescence is an ‘age of opportunity’ in terms of helping children launch into successful adulthood. At the same time, the world has recognised that in order to ‘leave no one behind’, we must focus on people who have disabilities – four-fifths of whom live in developing countries and below the poverty line. As of yet, however, there has been little attention paid to the adolescents with disabilities who live in low- and middle-income countries and how we can make sure that they too are supported to achieve independent futures.

This ground-breaking report takes stock of what we know about adolescents with disabilities living in the global South. Drawing on interviews with approximately 600 adolescent girls and boys with physical, visual, hearing or intellectual impairments, as well as interviews with their parents, teachers and other service providers, it also presents emerging findings from the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) research programme in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Jordan and the State of Palestine.

This report focuses, for the first time, on the intersection of age and disability – specifically the unique needs of adolescents with disabilities – and the gender dynamics that shape girls’ and boys’ lives. Alongside this, it also looks at the particular experiences of adolescents with disabilities who grow up in rural areas and conflict-affected contexts.

It finds that, primarily due to disability-related stigma and discrimination, adolescents with disabilities:
:: are excluded from education, especially at the secondary level;
:: often face insurmountable barriers to obtaining health care;
:: are likely to be socially isolated and have few sources of emotional support;
:: are much more likely to experience bullying and violence;
:: have few opportunities to make decisions even about their own lives; and
:: are largely shut out of the types of training and employment programmes that would help them achieve independence.

The report concludes by identifying key areas for action – including a need for a more integrated approach that takes account of adolescents’ intersecting needs, supporting caregivers so they can better support adolescents, and tackling gaps in data, policy and funding.

:: Report | Adolescents with disabilities: enhancing resilience and delivering inclusive development
:: Policy note | Adolescents with disabilities: enhancing resilience and delivering inclusive development
:: Infographics | Adolescents with disabilities: enhancing resilience and delivering inclusive development

Sustainable Development – Implementation of 2030 Agenda

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High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Overwhelmingly Adopts Ministerial Declaration by 164 Votes in Favour, 2 Against
18 July 2018
ECOSOC/6943
[Editor’s text bolding]
Adopting its Ministerial Declaration by a vote of 164 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with no abstentions, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development reaffirmed today its commitment to effectively implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for all people, everywhere.

Held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council under the theme “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”, the Forum, in adopting the Declaration (document E/HLPF/2018/L.2), stressed that the 2030 Agenda is people-centred, universal and transformative.

Ministers and high representatives also reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating poverty, expressing concern that poverty remains a principle cause of hunger, and stressed the importance of taking collective measures to make an impact, among other goals. They further reaffirmed their commitment to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, stressing that much work remains to achieve the ambitious 2030 Agenda three years into its implementation. They also commended the 46 countries that delivered voluntary national reviews.

They committed to embracing diversity in cities and other human settlements, and to strengthening social cohesion, intercultural dialogue and tolerance. They noted with concern that 844 million people lack basic water services, 2.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, 4.5 billion people have no access to safely managed sanitation, and 892 million still practise open defecation. They also acknowledged that owing to rapid urbanization, many cities and local authorities face challenges in providing access to adequate housing and that migration and forced displacement further exacerbates these challenges. They called on all stakeholders to adopt a sustainable-food systems approach and develop effective strategies to reduce food waste. They underlined the challenges related to plastic waste, especially in the oceans, stressed the critical role of science, technology and innovation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and endeavoured to take immediate steps to strengthen multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The Forum recognized that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security and that peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development. “We call for further effective measures and actions to be taken, in conformity with international law, to remove the obstacles to the full realization of the right to self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation,” the Declaration reads.

It also reaffirms the Forum’s commitment to gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls and full realization of the human rights of all women and girls. “To achieve inclusive, sustainable and resilient societies, we call for the leadership and full, effective and equal participation of women in decision-making in the design, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of policies and programmes that affect their livelihoods, well-being and resilience,” the document reads. We reiterate the urgency to ensure women’s equal access to, and control over, land and nature resources, it adds.

Voting on an amendment submitted by the United States (document E/HLPF/2018/L.3), proposing to replace the words “mutually beneficial” in paragraph 28 with “international cooperation”, the Forum rejected that proposal by a vote of 107 against to 50 in favour, with 3 abstentions (Norway, Republic of Moldova, Seychelles). It rejected another amendment proposed by the United States — by 155 votes against to 2 in favour (Israel, United States), with 3 abstentions (Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea) — to replace the sentence “will continue to promote a universal, rules-based, open, transparent, predictable, inclusive, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, as well as meaningful trade liberalization”, in paragraph 28, with the following sentence: “We reaffirm that trade can contribute to the promotion of sustainable development and the alleviation of poverty, as recognized in the 2030 Agenda.”

The Forum also voted to retain paragraph 12 of the Declaration, rejecting Israel’s proposal to delete it, by 109 votes in favour to 5 against (Australia, Canada, Honduras, Israel, United States), with 45 abstentions. It further voted to retain paragraph 16 of the Declaration — by 133 in favour to 11 against, with 10 abstentions (Algeria, Bahrain, China, Egypt, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Zimbabwe) after the Russian Federation requested a recorded vote seeking the paragraph’s deletion…

12. Recognize that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security and that peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda recognizes the need to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies that provide equal access to justice and that are based on respect for human rights, including the right to development, on effective rule of law and good governance at all levels and on transparent, effective and accountable institutions. Factors that give rise to violence, insecurity and injustice, such as inequality, corruption, poor governance and illicit financial and arms flows, are addressed in the 2030 Agenda. We must redouble our efforts to resolve or prevent conflict and to support post-conflict countries, including by ensuring that women have a role in peacebuilding and State-building. We call for further effective measures and actions to be taken, in conformity with international law, to remove the obstacles to the full realization of the right to self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development as well as their environment;

16. Reaffirm our commitment to achieving gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls and the full realization of the human rights of all women and girls. To achieve inclusive, sustainable and resilient societies, we call for the leadership and full, effective and equal participation of women in decision-making in the design, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of policies and programmes that affect their livelihoods, well-being and resilience, and we recognize that unequal gender roles as reflected in women’s disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work holds women back in the economy and other areas. We reiterate the urgency to ensure women’s equal access to, and control over, land and natural resources. We reaffirm our commitment to preventing and responding to gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and harmful practices. Our efforts will reinforce the linkages between Sustainable Development Goal 5 and the other Sustainable Development Goals. The systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is crucial;

Sustainable Development – SDG Visualization

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UN Environment and Google announce ground-breaking partnership to protect our planet
New York, 16 July 2018 – UN Environment and Google announced today a global partnership that promises to change the way we see our planet. Combining environmental science, big data and unprecedented accessibility, this joint effort aims to expand what the world knows about the impacts of human activity on global ecosystems.

When completed, the platform will leverage Google’s cloud computing and earth observation public catalogs and for the first time enable governments, NGO’s and the public to track specific environment-related development targets with a user-friendly Google front-end.

“We will only be able to solve the biggest environmental challenges of our time if we get the data right,” Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said. “UN Environment is excited to be partnering with Google, to make sure we have the most sophisticated online tools to track progress, identify priority areas for our action, and bring us one step closer to a sustainable world.”…

“This partnership announcement builds on a common shared vision between our organizations,” said Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Earth Outreach. “We are excited to enable all countries with equal access to the latest technology and information in support of global climate action and sustainable development.”

Long term, the partnership hopes to establish a platform for open-source data and analysis of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As an entry point to development, the partnership launches today with an initial focus on fresh-water ecosystems including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.

These areas account for 0.01% of the world’s water but provide habitat for almost 10% of the world’s known species and evidence suggests a rapid loss freshwater biodiversity.

Google will periodically produce geospatial maps and data on water-related ecosystems by employing massive parallel cloud computing technology. Satellite imagery and statistics will be generated to assess the extent of change occurring to waterbodies, and made freely accessible to ensure nations have the opportunity to track changes, prevent and reverse ecosystem loss.

Other areas of collaboration include advocacy and capacity building activities as well as the development of partnerships with organizations like the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)…