The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship :: Sustainable Development

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Week ending 24 April 2021 :: Number 364

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

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

Myanmar

The UN and its regional partners have a ‘fleeting window’ to cooperate on Myanmar

Speech  19 Apr 2021

Highlighting the situation in Myanmar, Ban Ki-moon calls on the UN Security Council to work with regional partners to maintain peace and security.

[Excerpts]

…Mr. President,

Today, the international community collectively faces a plethora of monumental challenges. These include, but are not limited to, an ongoing and deadly global pandemic, both longstanding and emerging conflict and security crises, and a deepening climate emergency.

At the same time, the United Nations, and multilateralism more largely, has faced immense difficulties over the past few years in holistically addressing such crises as some countries have unfortunately prioritized nationalism and isolationism over cooperation and partnership.

Under this troubling backdrop, the role of cooperative regional partnerships between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations, as envisioned under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, is all the more critical to help ensure the maintenance of international peace and security.

Particularly, regional and sub-regional organizations have unique and prominent roles to play in enhancing dialogue and confidence building in conflict prevention and its resolution.

In this context, I commend Secretary-General Guterres’ prioritization of prevention, and urge all members of this Council to scale-up their support for his efforts in addressing the root causes of conflict and enhancing the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.

During my decade-long tenure as Secretary-General, I worked tirelessly to enhance cooperation between the UN and regional organizations with a view towards scaling-up conflict prevention and resolution. I worked side-by-side with the ASEAN, AU, LAS, OAS, EU, OSCE, and other key regional organizations, including attending the majority of ASEAN and AU summit meetings during my time.

As a result of their geographical proximity and intimate knowledge of local dynamics, regional and sub-regional organizations are also essential UN partners in providing early warning assessment of atrocity crimes.

Mr. President,

I believe that today’s Security Council debate is well-timed, as both the United Nations and its regional partners now have a fleeting window to cooperate through strong action to halt the ongoing atrocities in Myanmar and prevent a further escalation of violence.

According to rights-monitoring groups, over 700 people including 50 children, have been killed by security forces since the February 1 military takeover of Myanmar.

I condemn the brutal use of lethal force against civilians, and the detention of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, as well as thousands of protestors.

The worsening situation in Myanmar represents a pivotal moment to showcase the utility of cooperation between the UN and its regional partners in maintaining peace and security and saving human lives…

Mr. President,

To deal with the Myanmar situation, an effective and regional-led approach requires both unity and action. But, ASEAN has so far been divided in its responses to the situation in Myanmar. The principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign States should not be used as a pretext for inaction in the face of serious human rights abuses.

 

ASEAN must make it clear to the Myanmar military that the current situation is so grave that it cannot be regarded only as an internal matter. The military’s use of lethal force and the gross violations of human rights being perpetrated against the civilians are not compatible with the ASEAN Charter. These actions are clear violations of international law, and constitute a threat to the peace, security and stability of the region.

According to the news report, General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar will attend ASEAN special Summit on Myanmar to be held in Indonesia on April 24. I urge ASEAN leaders to take immediate and concerted actions at the Summit. As a minimum, they should agree that a high-level ASEAN delegation will visit Myanmar to engage with all relevant parties.

It is equally vital that this Council moves beyond statements to collective action, as has been stated by countries around the world. After ASEAN special Summit, the Council should monitor the situation closely to take follow-up actions. The UN Security Council cannot neglect its basic obligation to prevent a situation from deteriorating, in which so many innocent people are being killed. As former UN Secretary-General, I urge this Council to take immediate actions to halt the violence and bloodshed, and initiate a process to restore peace and democracy in Myanmar.

In particular, the Permanent Members should focus their attention on actions that can be taken to respond to the situation in Myanmar. The Security Council has the responsibility to protect Myanmar’s civilian population in the context where the atrocities being committed may constitute crimes against humanity.  The Principle of R2P – responsibility to protect – should be seriously considered in ways that are appropriate to the Myanmar context, using a range of tools at the Council’s disposal.

Given the gravity and urgency of the situation, I believe the Secretary-General himself should use his good offices to engage directly with the Myanmar military, to prevent an escalation of violence.

The task ahead is daunting.  It will require the collective and coordinated efforts of the UN, ASEAN and the wider region to avert catastrophe and instead help return Myanmar to the path of a peaceful, democratic transition.

Mr. President,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it is now more important than ever to pursue multilateral and multi-layered solutions to the security problems that we face, borne out of robust partnerships with the UN, its Member States, and particularly, regional groups all working together.

As regional conflicts continue to both emerge and deepen, the UN can no longer deal with all of these crises on its own. This is why I believe that a partnership approach can best bear fruit for both conflict prevention and resolution.

Now is the time for this Council and its regional partners to not only act together, but act decisively to prevent the worst in Myanmar and beyond.

I once again thank the Viet Nam Presidency for convening this High-level Open Debate and inviting me to brief the Security Council today.  Again, I count on your strong leadership.

I thank you for your attention and leadership.

Venezuela

Statement from the OAS General Secretariat on Indiscriminate Operations by the Venezuelan Army and Criminal/Terrorist Organizations on the Border with Colombia
April 21, 2021
The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) rejects the terms of the notes that the Venezuelan dictatorship has sent to the United Nations Security Council on the tensions and hostilities on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, in the departments of Arauca and Apure.

It is a strategy of deceptive arguments, disinformation and propaganda that seeks to divert the attention of the international community and avoid its own responsibility, something common in the Chavista/Madurista regime. At the same time, the dictatorship intends to blame, without proof or justification, the Government of Colombia for the events that occurred in Venezuelan territory and to tarnish the progress that the country has made toward peace, requesting that the issue be addressed on the occasion of a meeting to discuss issues related to the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.

On the contrary, the events denounced, which include aerial and artillery bombardments and attacks against the civilian population with explosive weapons and looting, are a direct consequence of the indiscriminate operations of the regime’s military apparatus; actions that, in turn, are explained by the complicity of said regime with criminal and terrorist actors who are present in Venezuelan territory enjoying total impunity.

The actions of the dictatorship are part of the systematic forced exodus of Venezuelans and the detachment of the Venezuelan regime from international law and human rights, which has already caused, among other consequences, the departure of more than 5.6 million Venezuelans from their homeland.

The General Secretariat urges the international community to redouble its efforts to address the current displacement of the civilian population in the area of the Departments of Arauca and Apure, in Colombia and Venezuela respectively, which is part of the tragic humanitarian situation that the Venezuelan people are experiencing, and that has produced the most serious refugee crisis ever to have occurred in the Americas.

International Court of Justice

The Court commemorates the 75th anniversary of its inaugural sitting

THE HAGUE, 19 April 2021. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, today commemorated the 75th anniversary of its inaugural sitting, which took place on 18 April 1946 in the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace in The Hague.

The Court was set up in the aftermath of the Second World War as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The Statute of the Court forms an integral part of the Charter of the United Nations, which was signed in San Francisco on 26 June 1945 and came into force on 24 October 1945. The first Members of the Court were elected on 6 February 1946 at the First Session of the General Assembly and the Court held its inaugural sitting at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 18 April 1946.

… During the first 75 years of the Court’s existence, States have submitted over 140 disputes to it. Over 25 requests for advisory opinions have been referred to the Court by United Nations organs and specialized agencies.

… The Court has demonstrated that it is equipped to tackle cases relating to new areas of international law that have emerged and developed since its first sitting. In recent years, for example, the Court has gotten high marks for the way it has handled scientific and technical aspects of environmental disputes. The docket has also included cases arising under a number of important human rights treaties.

At present, outer space law is one field that is burgeoning. There are lively discussions about the legal framework applicable to many aspects of the cyber world. The drafters of the Court’s Statute could not have envisioned these areas of law, just as I cannot predict the fields of international law that will be blossoming 75 years from now. However, I feel confident that the institution and procedures established in the Statute of the Court and in its Rules will continue to provide fertile ground for the peaceful settlement of inter-State disputes…

Climate/Emissions – Finance

Mark Carney, UN Race to Zero campaign and COP26 Presidency launch Net Zero Financial Alliance with world’s biggest banks, Asset Owners,
21 Apr 2021 Press release
Industry-led and UN-convened Net Zero Banking Alliance also announced today, co-launched by the UNEP Finance Initiative and the Financial Services Taskforce of the Sustainable Markets Initiative

:: The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), chaired by Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, unites over 160 firms (together responsible for assets in excess of US$70 trillion[1]) from the leading net zero initiatives across the financial system to accelerate the transition to net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

:: All GFANZ member alliances must be accredited by the UN Race to Zero campaign. They must use science-based guidelines to reach net zero emissions, cover all emission scopes, include 2030 interim target setting, and commit to transparent reporting and accounting in line with the UN Race to Zero criteria.

:: 43 banks from 23 countries (with assets of US$28.5 trillion) form the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) today – which joins GFANZ – with its members committing to align operational and attributable emissions from their portfolios with pathways to net-zero by 2050 or sooner.
:: The Net-Zero Banking Alliance is convened by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative and co-launched by the Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative Financial Services Taskforce (FSTF).

…U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said: “The largest financial players in the world recognize energy transition represents a vast commercial opportunity as well as a planetary imperative. As countries around the world move to decarbonize, the large sums these institutions are dedicating to climate solutions reflect a growing understanding that the transition to a low-carbon global economy will be critical for their business models. To be credible and effective as market signals, these financial commitments should adhere to clear definitions, metrics, and reporting. Ultimately, the transition to this new economy will create a massive number of new jobs and increase our collective ability to tackle climate change.”…

AI – Governance/Regulation

Europe fit for the Digital Age: Commission proposes new rules and actions for excellence and trust in Artificial Intelligence
Press release 21 April 2021
[Text-bolding from original]
The Commission proposes today new rules and actions aiming to turn Europe into the global hub for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI). The combination of the first-ever legal framework on AI and a new Coordinated Plan with Member States will guarantee the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses, while strengthening AI uptake, investment and innovation across the EU. New rules on Machinery will complement this approach by adapting safety rules to increase users’ trust in the new, versatile generation of products.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “On Artificial Intelligence, trust is a must, not a nice to have. With these landmark rules, the EU is spearheading the development of new global norms to make sure AI can be trusted. By setting the standards, we can pave the way to ethical technology worldwide and ensure that the EU remains competitive along the way. Future-proof and innovation-friendly, our rules will intervene where strictly needed: when the safety and fundamental rights of EU citizens are at stake.”…

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The European approach to trustworthy AI
The new rules will be applied directly in the same way across all Member States based on a future-proof definition of AI. They follow a risk-based approach:

Unacceptable risk: AI systems considered a clear threat to the safety, livelihoods and rights of people will be banned. This includes AI systems or applications that manipulate human behaviour to circumvent users’ free will (e.g. toys using voice assistance encouraging dangerous behaviour of minors) and systems that allow ‘social scoring’ by governments.

High-risk: AI systems identified as high-risk include AI technology used in:
:: Critical infrastructures (e.g. transport), that could put the life and health of citizens at risk;
:: Educational or vocational training, that may determine the access to education and professional course of someone’s life (e.g. scoring of exams);
:: Safety components of products (e.g. AI application in robot-assisted surgery);
:: Employment, workers management and access to self-employment (e.g. CV-sorting software for recruitment procedures);
:: Essential private and public services (e.g. credit scoring denying citizens opportunity to obtain a loan);
:: Law enforcement that may interfere with people’s fundamental rights (e.g. evaluation of the reliability of evidence);
:: Migration, asylum and border control management (e.g. verification of authenticity of travel documents);
:: Administration of justice and democratic processes (e.g. applying the law to a concrete set of facts).

High-risk AI systems will be subject to strict obligations before they can be put on the market:
:: Adequate risk assessment and mitigation systems;
:: High quality of the datasets feeding the system to minimise risks and discriminatory outcomes;
:: Logging of activity to ensure traceability of results;
:: Detailed documentation providing all information necessary on the system and its purpose for authorities to assess its compliance;
:: Clear and adequate information to the user;
:: Appropriate human oversight measures to minimise risk;
:: High level of robustness, security and accuracy.

In particular, all remote biometric identification systems are considered high risk and subject to strict requirements. Their live use in publicly accessible spaces for law enforcement purposes is prohibited in principle. Narrow exceptions are strictly defined and regulated (such as where strictly necessary to search for a missing child, to prevent a specific and imminent terrorist threat or to detect, locate, identify or prosecute a perpetrator or suspect of a serious criminal offence). Such use is subject to authorisation by a judicial or other independent body and to appropriate limits in time, geographic reach and the data bases searched.

Limited risk, i.e. AI systems with specific transparency obligations: When using AI systems such as chatbots, users should be aware that they are interacting with a machine so they can take an informed decision to continue or step back.

Minimal risk: The legal proposal allows the free use of applications such as AI-enabled video games or spam filters. The vast majority of AI systems fall into this category. The draft Regulation does not intervene here, as these AI systems represent only minimal or no risk for citizens’ rights or safety.

In terms of governance, the Commission proposes that national competent market surveillance authorities supervise the new rules, while the creation of a European Artificial Intelligence Board will facilitate their implementation, as well as drive the development of standards for AI. Additionally, voluntary codes of conduct are proposed for non-high-risk AI, as well as regulatory sandboxes to facilitate responsible innovation…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Coronavirus [COVID-19] – WHO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Weekly Epidemiological and Operational updates
Last update: 24 April 2021
Confirmed cases :: 145 216 414 [week ago: 134 139 501]
Confirmed deaths :: 3 079 390 [week ago: 2 992 193]
Countries, areas or territories with cases :: 223

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Statement on the seventh meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
19 April 2021 Statement
The seventh meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) took place on Thursday, 15 April 2021 from 12:00 to 16:30 Geneva time (CEST)…

The Committee recognized WHO’s and States Parties’ progress in implementing the previous advice and Temporary Recommendations from the 6th meeting of the Emergency Committee. The Committee congratulated the mission team and the report from the WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2 and encouraged implementation of the recommendations published in the Mission report.

The Committee remains concerned that the world will not exit the pandemic unless, and until, all countries have access to appropriate supplies of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines, irrespective of their ability to pay and the capacity and financial resources to rapidly and effectively vaccinate their populations. Inequities within and among all countries is slowing the return to normal social and economic life. The Committee provided the following advice to the Director-General accordingly.

The Director-General determined that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a PHEIC. He accepted the advice of the Committee to WHO and issued the Committee’s advice to States Parties as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR. 

The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General. The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.

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Weekly operational update on COVID-19 – 19 April 2021
Overview
In this edition of the Weekly Operational Update on COVID-19, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to Member States include:
:: Training critical care nurses for COVID-19 in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem
:: Health for all in India during the COVID-19 pandemic
:: Supporting monitoring health inequities and minimizing health service disruptions in Nigeria
:: COVAX Facility delivers COVID-19 vaccine doses to Brunei Darussalam
:: Workshop and technical dialogue on COVID-19 surveillance, testing and contact tracing in the Czech Republic
:: Addressing mental health needs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
:: Updates from the UN Crisis Management Team meeting and the Global Health Cluster
:: Advancing health emergency preparedness in cities and urban settings in COVID-19 and beyond
:: The Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) 2021 resource requirements and progress made to continue investing in the COVID-19 response and for building the architecture to prepare for, prevent and mitigate future health emergencies
:: Updates on WHO/PAHO procured items, Partners Platform, implementation of the Unity Studies, and select indicators from the COVID-19 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework

Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 20 April 2021
Overview
Globally, new COVID-19 cases rose for the eighth consecutive week, with over 5.2 million new cases reported in the last week. The number of new deaths increased for the fifth consecutive week, increasing by 8% compared to last week, with over 83 000 new deaths reported. While all regions except the European Region reported an increase in incident cases in the last week, the largest increase continues to be reported by the South-East Asia Region, largely driven by India, followed by the Western Pacific Region.
In this edition, special focus updates are provided on:
:: WHO COVID-19 global rapid risk assessment
:: Pandemic influenza surveillance—drawing a parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic
:: SARS-CoV-2 variants

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 21 April 2021
:: The GPEI has made available reports from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meetings for Pakistan and Afghanistan which were held virtually in February and March this year.

Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Afghanistan: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Pakistan: three WPV1 and one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Benin: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Iran: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Sierra Leone: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Tajikistan: two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples

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WHO/OCHA Emergencies

Editor’s Note:
Continuing with this edition, we include information about the last apparent update evident on the WHO emergency country webpages, recognizing almost universal and significant interims since last update regardless of the level of the emergency listed.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 24 Apr 2021]

Democratic Republic of the Congo – No new digest announcements [Last apparent update: 12 Jan 2021]
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 November 2020]
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 Jun 2020]
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 17 July 2020]
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 February 2020]
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 October 2020]
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2020]

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 24 Apr 2021]
Malawi
:: Boosting equity to malaria prevention in Malawi through vaccination 22 April 2021

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 5 July 2020]
Angola – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 March 2021]
Burkina Faso – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 01 avril 2021]
Burundi – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 04 July 2019]
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019]
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 June 2018]
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019]
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 2 March 2020]
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 11 April 2021]
Libya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 7 October 2019]
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16-12-2020]
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019]
Mozambique – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 03 November 2020]
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: ²9 March 2021]
Niger – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 avril 2021]
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 September 2019]
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 27 August 2019]
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017) – No new digest announcements
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 June 2020]
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 1 May 2019]
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 May 2019]

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 24 Apr 2021]

Kenya
:: Kenya Third Wave Response: A time to synergize and re-energize 23 April 2021

Chad – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2018]
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 25 novembre 2020]
Mali – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2017]
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 20 July 2018]
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 October 2020]

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UN OCHA – Current Emergencies
COVID-19 – No new unique digest announcements identified

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The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship :: Sustainable Development

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Week ending 17 April 2021 :: Number 363

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

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

Fighting trafficking in human beings: New strategy to prevent trafficking, break criminal business models, protect and empower victims

European Commission

Press release  14 April 2021  Brussels

The Commission is presenting today a new Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025), focusing on preventing the crime, bringing traffickers to justice and protecting and empowering victims. Between 2017 and 2018, there were more than 14,000 registered victims within the European Union. Globally, traffickers make estimated profits of €29.4 billion in a single year. With demand for exploitation expected to continue, traffickers moving their acts online and the pandemic likely to create the conditions for increased exploitation, today’s strategy sets out the measures that will allow the EU and its Member States to continue strengthening their response…

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said: “Trafficking in human beings is a crime that should have no place in our societies. Yet, criminals continue to traffic victims, mainly women and children, and mostly for sexual exploitation. We owe the victims protection, and we need to bring to justice the perpetrators who treat human beings as a commodity. We will look at the rules in place to check if they are still fit for purpose and we will assess the possibility of criminalising the use of exploited services from trafficking victims”.

The strategy builds on the EU’s comprehensive legal and policy framework in place to address trafficking in human beings, rooted in the Anti-trafficking Directive. The Commission will continue to support Member States in the implementation of the Directive and, if necessary, will propose revisions to make sure it is fit for purpose. The EU anti-trafficking coordinator will continue to play a key role in the implementation of this strategy.

In addition, the Strategy focuses on:

:: Reducing demand that fosters trafficking: The Commission will assess the possibility of establishing minimum EU rules criminalising the use of exploited services of trafficking victims and will organise – together with national authorities and civil society organisations – a prevention campaign targeting high-risk sectors. The Commission will also consider strengthening Employers’ Sanctions Directive and will propose legislation on corporate governance to clarify the responsibilities of companies and will provide guidance on due diligence to help prevent forced labour.

:: Breaking the business model of traffickers, online and offline: The Commission will conduct a dialogue with internet and technology companies to reduce the use of online platforms for the recruitment and exploitation of victims. The Commission will encourage systematic training of law enforcement and judicial practitioners on detecting and addressing trafficking in human beings.

:: Protecting, supporting and empowering the victims with a specific focus on women and children: The Strategy seeks to improve the early identification of victims and their referral for further assistance and protection, strengthen victim empowerment programmes and facilitate re-integration. The Commission will also fund gender-specific and child-sensitive training to help police, social workers, border guards or healthcare staff detect victims.

:: Promoting international cooperation: With half of the victims identified in the EU being non-EU citizens, cooperation with international partners is key to address trafficking. The EU will use a range of foreign policy instruments and operational cooperation to help combat trafficking in countries of origin and transit including through dedicated human rights and security dialogues, enhanced cooperation with the Council of Europe and regular and targeted communication, action and exchange of information with EU delegations in partner countries. The upcoming Action Plan against Migrant Smuggling will also help disrupt traffickers’ business in moving victims for exploitation to Europe…

EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime & EU Strategy on combatting Trafficking in Human Beings: Questions and Answers

Questions and answers  14 April 2021

Development – SDG Investment

UNDP and GISD Alliance Launch ‘SDG Investor Platform’ to unlock trillions on SDG-Aligned Investment Globally

Posted on April 14, 2021

New York – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Secretary-General’s Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance today launched the ‘SDG Investor Platform,’ an innovative tool to facilitate private sector investments that contribute to furthering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

According to the OECD’s latest data, developing countries are facing a shortfall of USD 4.2 trillion in the financing they would need this year to keep them on track for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Reallocating just 1.1% of the total assets held by banks, institutional investors, or asset managers would be sufficient to fill the gap in SDG financing.

Building on the SDG Investor Maps – created by UNDP’s SDG Finance initiative SDG Impact – and leveraging on UNDP’s presence in more than 170 countries and territories, the SDG Investor Platform – established in partnership with the GISD Alliance – provides private sector investors with access to country level market intelligence, including on-the-ground insights on the local investment landscape and investor connections.

SDG Investor Maps is a unique tool that allows investors to identify the impact/sustainability areas that, combined with high return, can be game-changers in their portfolio. To date, it has identified over 200 investment opportunities in 14 countries[1] covering a wide range of sectors, from food and beverage to healthcare and infrastructure, where financial promise and impact potential to advance the SDGs coalesce. The production of SDG Investor Maps is expected to grow further in 2021 and 2022 across all continents.[2]…

COVID – Global Recovery

Secretary-General, at Economic and Social Council Forum, Spells Out Priority Areas for Urgent Action in Response to, Recovery from COVID-19

SG/SM/20681  12 April 2021

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the opening of the 2021 Economic and Social Council Forum on Financing for Development, in New York today:

Financing for Development in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic means an unprecedented effort to mobilize resources and political will.  Since the pandemic began one year ago, no element of our multilateral response has gone as it should.

More than 3 million people have lost their lives.  Some 120 million people have fallen back into extreme poverty, while the equivalent of 255 million full-time jobs have been lost.  We have seen the worst recession in 90 years.  And the crisis is far from over.  Indeed, the speed of infections is now even increasing.

We need to heed the lessons now if we are to reverse these dangerous trends, prevent successive waves of infection, avoid a lengthy global recession and get back on track to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.  Unity and solidarity will save lives and prevent communities and economies from falling into catastrophic debt and dysfunction.

Advancing an equitable global response and recovery from the pandemic is putting multilateralism to the test.  So far, it is a test we have failed.  The vaccination effort is one example.  Just 10 countries across the world account for around 75 per cent of global vaccinations.  Many countries have yet to start vaccinating their health-care workers and most vulnerable citizens.  A global vaccine gap threatens everyone’s health and well-being.  The virus is dangerous everywhere if it spreads unchecked anywhere.  And global value chains do not function if one link is broken.

Some estimates put the global cost of unequal access and vaccine hoarding at more than $9 trillion.  The same lack of solidarity means that some countries have mobilized relief packages worth trillions of dollars, while many developing countries face insurmountable debt burdens that will put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) completely out of reach if not corrected.

Even in 2019, before the pandemic, 25 countries spent more on debt service than on education, health, and social protection combined.  Now, many Governments face an impossible choice between servicing debt or saving lives.  But in reality, there is just one choice:  to take action to avert a global debt crisis.

Inequalities are also growing within countries, as women and girls and the most vulnerable groups have been hit the hardest by the pandemic.  Nearly 170 million children around the world have been out of school for a year.  We face a global education crisis with a devastating long-term impact on individuals and their communities, which could contribute to inequality across the generations.

We are here today to set the course for an equitable, sustainable and resilient response and recovery from COVID-19.  I call for urgent action in six areas.

First, vaccines must be available to all countries in need.  We must close the funding gap of the COVAX facility.  To end the pandemic for good, we need equitable access to vaccines for everyone, everywhere…

COVID 19 Vaccines – Access

Global leaders rally to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines for lower-income countries

:: The “One World Protected” Event, hosted today by the United States and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched a campaign to raise US$ 2 billion for the global fight against COVID-19.

:: The additional funding from donors and countries with MDB support will enable the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to secure 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 92 lower-income countries by the end of the year.

:: At the event, governments and private sector partners made early pledges worth nearly US$ 400 million and committed to donate millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses to COVAX to benefit the most vulnerable in lower-income economies.

:: The new campaign will culminate in June 2021, at the Gavi COVAX AMC Summit, which will be hosted by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan.

COVID 19 Impacts

New Global Fund Report Shows Massive Disruption to Health Care Caused by COVID-19 in Africa and Asia

13 April 2021

GENEVA – A new report by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria shows COVID-19 has massively disrupted health systems and health service delivery for HIV, TB and malaria in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia in 2020. The report highlights the urgent need to scale up the adaptive measures that health facilities adopted to continue the fight against HIV, TB, malaria, to ramp up delivery of critical supplies for the COVID-19 response, and prevent health care systems and community responses from collapse.

Through programmatic spot-checks recording information from 502 health facilities in 32 countries in Africa and Asia between April and September 2020, the Global Fund has assembled a snapshot of the extent of the disruption to health services for HIV, TB and malaria, and of how health facilities have responded.

“This snapshot underscores the scale of the challenge,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “HIV prevention has been knocked backwards. With the dramatic drop in case management for malaria, we face a real risk for a spike in mortality. Much of the progress we’ve made to close the gap on finding “missing” people with TB has been reversed. The stark truth is that we will see more incremental deaths from HIV, TB and malaria in 2021 as a consequence of the disruption caused by COVID-19 in 2020.”

The data collected shows that for April to September 2020, compared to the same six-month period in 2019:

:: HIV testing fell 41%.

:: TB referrals – where patients suspected of having TB are referred to the next step of diagnosis and treatment – declined by 59%.

:: Malaria diagnoses fell by 31%.

:: Antenatal care visits fell by 43%.

The spot-checks also highlighted a critical lack of tests, treatments and PPE needed to fight COVID-19, particularly in Africa:

:: Only 45% of health facilities had enough essential PPE items for its health workers, including masks, disinfectant, gloves and hand sanitizer.

:: Across the 24 countries in Africa that were surveyed, only 11% of health facilities could conduct COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests, and only 8% could conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

However, the snapshot also shows that countries that implemented adaptive measures to counter the impact of COVID-19 on health service continuity fared better than those that did not adapt. More than two-thirds (68%) of facilities surveyed adopted at least one adaptive measure, such as dispensing long-term supplies of medicines for HIV and TB to patients, or switching to a door-to-door delivery system for mosquito nets and preventative malaria medicines. These successful adaptations to service disruption by COVID-19 need to be further investigated, scaled up and tailored to local contexts.

The Global Fund has already deployed nearly US$1 billion to fight COVID-19 and mitigate the impact on HIV, TB and malaria in more than 100 countries. Through the ACT-Accelerator, the global collaboration to ensure the accelerated launch and equitable deployment of tools to fight COVID-19, the Global Fund is now the primary channel for providing grant support to low- and middle-income countries on tests, treatments (including medical oxygen), PPE and health system strengthening. For the Global Fund to fulfil its responsibility to the ACT-Accelerator and regain lost progress against HIV, TB and malaria, an additional US$10 billion is needed. To date in 2021, the Global Fund has raised US$3.7 billion.

“In most low- and middle-income countries, the crisis is far from over, with infections and deaths from COVID-19 continuing to increase, and the knock-on impact on HIV, TB and malaria continuing to escalate ” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “To regain the ground lost on the three epidemics in 2020 and to step up the fight against COVID-19, we have to massively scale up adaptation programs, increase access to COVID-19 tools, and shore up systems for health so they don’t collapse.” Report: The impact of COVID-19 on HIV, TB and malaria services and systems for health: a snapshot from 502 health facilities across Africa and Asia

COVID 19 Impacts

New Global Fund Report Shows Massive Disruption to Health Care Caused by COVID-19 in Africa and Asia
13 April 2021
GENEVA – A new report by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria shows COVID-19 has massively disrupted health systems and health service delivery for HIV, TB and malaria in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia in 2020. The report highlights the urgent need to scale up the adaptive measures that health facilities adopted to continue the fight against HIV, TB, malaria, to ramp up delivery of critical supplies for the COVID-19 response, and prevent health care systems and community responses from collapse.

Through programmatic spot-checks recording information from 502 health facilities in 32 countries in Africa and Asia between April and September 2020, the Global Fund has assembled a snapshot of the extent of the disruption to health services for HIV, TB and malaria, and of how health facilities have responded.

“This snapshot underscores the scale of the challenge,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “HIV prevention has been knocked backwards. With the dramatic drop in case management for malaria, we face a real risk for a spike in mortality. Much of the progress we’ve made to close the gap on finding “missing” people with TB has been reversed. The stark truth is that we will see more incremental deaths from HIV, TB and malaria in 2021 as a consequence of the disruption caused by COVID-19 in 2020.”

The data collected shows that for April to September 2020, compared to the same six-month period in 2019:
:: HIV testing fell 41%.
:: TB referrals – where patients suspected of having TB are referred to the next step of diagnosis and treatment – declined by 59%.
:: Malaria diagnoses fell by 31%.
:: Antenatal care visits fell by 43%.

The spot-checks also highlighted a critical lack of tests, treatments and PPE needed to fight COVID-19, particularly in Africa:
:: Only 45% of health facilities had enough essential PPE items for its health workers, including masks, disinfectant, gloves and hand sanitizer.
:: Across the 24 countries in Africa that were surveyed, only 11% of health facilities could conduct COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests, and only 8% could conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

However, the snapshot also shows that countries that implemented adaptive measures to counter the impact of COVID-19 on health service continuity fared better than those that did not adapt. More than two-thirds (68%) of facilities surveyed adopted at least one adaptive measure, such as dispensing long-term supplies of medicines for HIV and TB to patients, or switching to a door-to-door delivery system for mosquito nets and preventative malaria medicines. These successful adaptations to service disruption by COVID-19 need to be further investigated, scaled up and tailored to local contexts.

The Global Fund has already deployed nearly US$1 billion to fight COVID-19 and mitigate the impact on HIV, TB and malaria in more than 100 countries. Through the ACT-Accelerator, the global collaboration to ensure the accelerated launch and equitable deployment of tools to fight COVID-19, the Global Fund is now the primary channel for providing grant support to low- and middle-income countries on tests, treatments (including medical oxygen), PPE and health system strengthening. For the Global Fund to fulfil its responsibility to the ACT-Accelerator and regain lost progress against HIV, TB and malaria, an additional US$10 billion is needed. To date in 2021, the Global Fund has raised US$3.7 billion.

“In most low- and middle-income countries, the crisis is far from over, with infections and deaths from COVID-19 continuing to increase, and the knock-on impact on HIV, TB and malaria continuing to escalate ” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “To regain the ground lost on the three epidemics in 2020 and to step up the fight against COVID-19, we have to massively scale up adaptation programs, increase access to COVID-19 tools, and shore up systems for health so they don’t collapse.”
Report: The impact of COVID-19 on HIV, TB and malaria services and systems for health: a snapshot from 502 health facilities across Africa and Asia

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Coronavirus [COVID-19] – WHO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Weekly Epidemiological and Operational updates
Last update: 17 April 2021
Confirmed cases :: 139 501 934 [week ago: 134 308 070] [two weeks ago: 129 902 402]
Confirmed deaths :: 2 992 193 [week ago: 2 907 944 [two weeks ago: 2 831 815]
Countries, areas or territories with cases :: 223

::::::

Weekly operational update on COVID-19 – 12 April 2021
Overview
In this edition of the Weekly Operational Update on COVID-19, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to Member States include:
:: COVID-19 vaccines now in all countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region
:: Kingdom of Tonga receives COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility
:: Restoring essential services after massive fire in the world’s largest refugee camp: Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
:: Strengthening COVID-19 surveillance and contact tracing in Armenia
:: Second WHO training in infodemic management: open call for applications
:: Experiences of long-term care facilities in managing the COVID-19 pandemic
:: The Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) 2021 resource requirements and progress made to continue investing in the COVID-19 response and for building the architecture to prepare for, prevent and mitigate future health emergencies
:: Updates on WHO/PAHO procured items, Partners Platform, implementation of the Unity Studies, and select indicators from the COVID-19 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework

Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 13 April 2021
Overview
Globally, new COVID-19 cases rose for a seventh consecutive week, with over 4.5 million new cases reported in the last week. The number of new deaths increased for the fourth consecutive week, increasing by 7% compared to last week, with over 76 000 new deaths reported.
In this edition, a special focus update is provided on SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Emergencies POLIO Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) Polio this week as of 13 April 2021 :: Dr Hamid Jafari, Director of Polio Eradication for WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region, declared Somalia’s outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 3 (cVDPV3) closed a full 28 months after this strain of polio was last detected in Somalia. Read more… Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives): :: Afghanistan: four cVDPV2 cases :: Pakistan: one WPV1 positive environmental sample :: Burkina Faso: one cVDPV2 case :: Congo: one cVDPV2 case :: Côte d’Ivoire: one cVDPV2 case :: Democratic Republic of the Congo: one cVDPV2 case :: Guinea: five cVDPV2 cases :: Liberia: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample :: Mali: two cVDPV2 cases :: Senegal: one cVDPV2 case :: Sierra Leone: two cVDPV2 cases :: Yemen: three cVDPV1 cases :::::: :::::: WHO/OCHA Emergencies Editor’s Note: Continuing with this edition, we include information about the last apparent update evident on the WHO emergency country webpages, recognizing almost universal and significant interims since last update regardless of the level of the emergency listed. WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 17 Apr 2021] Democratic Republic of the Congo – No new digest announcements [Last apparent update: 12 Jan 2021] Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 November 2020] Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 Jun 2020] Somalia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 17 July 2020] South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 February 2020] Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 October 2020] Yemen – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2020] :::::: WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 17 Apr 2021] Iraq :: WHO confirms the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and urges Iraqis to register and vaccinate to help defeat the pandemic Baghdad – 11 April 2021. The World Health Organization (WHO) in Iraq refutes the fabricated statement recently circulated in an unofficial social media platform to undermine the citizens’ confidence in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines… Niger :: Le Niger a reçu 355 000 doses du vaccins Aztra Zeneca contre la COVID-19 expédiés par le mécanisme COVAX 16 avril 2021 Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 5 July 2020] Angola – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 March 2021] Burkina Faso – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 01 avril 2021] Burundi – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 04 July 2019] Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019] Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 June 2018] Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019] Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 2 March 2020] Libya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 7 October 2019] Malawi – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 07 April 2021] Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16-12-2020] MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019] Mozambique – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 03 November 2020] Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: ²9 March 2021] occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 September 2019] HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 27 August 2019] Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017) – No new digest announcements Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 June 2020] Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 1 May 2019] Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 May 2019] :::::: WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 17 Apr 2021] Chad – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2018] Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 25 novembre 2020] Kenya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 06 March 2021] Mali – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2017] Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 20 July 2018] Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 October 2020] :::::: :::::: UN OCHA – Current Emergencies COVID-19 – No new unique digest announcements identified :::::: ::::::  

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship :: Sustainable Development __________________________________________________ Week ending 10 April 2021 :: Number 362

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

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

COVID – Global Mobility

First Comprehensive Global Analysis of COVID-19 Travel Restrictions, Border Closures Weighs Future Impacts on Mobility
Media Release
2021-04-08 07:24
GENEVA/WASHINGTON – While the overall picture of cross-border human mobility in 2020 is of movement dramatically curtailed as a result of measures imposed by governments since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report shows a varying reality over time and by region, with particularly harsh effects for refugees and other migrants who move out of necessity.

The report resulting from the collaboration by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) marks the first comprehensive analysis of the travel measures and border closures that governments around the world took during 2020—which at their peak in mid-December exceeded 111,000 in place at one time. The report, COVID-19 and the State of Global Mobility in 2020, results from MPI analysis of IOM’s COVID-19 Mobility Impacts platform, which collects all of the actions taken by countries and subnational authorities to close international borders, restrict travel between particular locations, impose quarantines and health requirements for travellers, and establish “travel bubbles” and other arrangements.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely impacted global mobility, stranding millions of people, migrant labourers, family members or international students overseas,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. “This report draws out these dynamics over the course of 2020 and highlights the ways governments are attempting to restart mobility in 2021 and beyond.”

Cross-border mobility in 2020 can be divided into three phases, the report’s authors find:
:: January to May: Mobility lockdowns. In this first phase, countries introduced a raft of national lockdowns, other travel restrictions and health requirements to respond to the fast-evolving public health crisis. The scale of border closures was unprecedented, many occurring with limited coordination. By the end of March, governments had issued or extended 43,300 travel measures. Movements of all kinds were dramatically curtailed. For instance, the numbers of passengers on international flights in April and May were down by 92 per cent relative to the same months in 2019.

:: June to September: Phased reopening. This period brought the staggered reopening of some points of entry, especially of airports. Travel bans were increasingly replaced by health measures, including certificates of pre-departure COVID-19 tests, quarantine measures or health declarations. During this phase, different strategies across the world began to crystallize. This was obvious most clearly in the divergent approaches of island countries: as New Zealand and Australia pursued virus-elimination strategies and maintained border closures, others such as the Caribbean islands opened up to tourism.

:: October to December: Responses to new outbreaks and virus mutations. The remainder of the year was a mixed picture, as countries sought to replace travel restrictions with health requirements, while battling a second (and in some cases, third) wave of infections and grappling with the emergence of new variants of the virus. Some countries, including Chile, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates, opened even to tourists. Health certificates became the most common health-related travel measure.

Three shifts in cross-border mobility were particularly visible, and could persist in the years ahead:
:: Widening gulf between movers and non-movers. The pandemic has deeply curtailed the mobility prospects of some groups who move out of necessity, including refugees and migrant workers, while having little effect on business travellers and others with the resources and opportunity to cross borders for work, family or tourism. This gulf is especially likely to persist if travel begins to favour those who have been vaccinated or tested, or if reliance on digital health records makes a person’s ability to travel dependent on digital access and literacy.

:: Greater socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The pandemic has amplified the socioeconomic vulnerability of those who depend on mobility for survival. Job losses have hit migrant workers hard, especially since in many countries they often work in sectors particularly disrupted by pandemic response measures or with a higher infection risk.

:: Amplified relationships of dependence and exploitation. Restrictions on movement have increased the dependence of many migrants on intermediaries and facilitators, from employment agencies to smugglers. Even as fast-changing travel restrictions have increased the demand for smuggling services among people desperate to flee violence, natural disasters and economic deprivation, or to be able to return home, they have pushed smugglers to use more dangerous routes and raise their prices – exposing migrants and refugees to an increased risk of exploitation and trafficking.

The report examines the future of mobility as countries begin to emerge slowly from the pandemic, finding no easy or one-size-fits-all answers.

“More than a year on from the onset of the pandemic, it remains an open question what role border closures, travel restrictions and health-related travel requirements should play in a pandemic management response,” said MPI President Andrew Selee. “As new strains of the virus emerge, governments face the challenge of developing risk mitigation strategies that move beyond the blunt tools of border closures and travel bans. They also need to avoid unilateral responses and work with other governments and international organizations to develop well-planned border health policies.”

::::::

COVID-19 and the State of Global Mobility in 2020
IOM
2021 :: 63 pages ISSN: 978-92-9068-950-8
PDF: https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/covid-19-and-the-state-of-global.pdf
Description:
The year 2020 was a landmark for human mobility, with dramatically reduced cross-border movements of all kinds. The COVID-19 pandemic decimated tourism and business travel; severely curtailed labour migration; and dampened movement of all stripes, from that of international students to family reunification. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been tracking the surge in travel restrictions, border closures and health-related travel requirements imposed by governments since the onset of the pandemic. This report, produced through collaboration between the IOM and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), marks the first comprehensive analysis of these data to understand how the pandemic has reshaped border management and human mobility – and what the lasting ramifications may be throughout 2021 and beyond.

Space – Weapons Use

The Potential Human Cost of the Use of Weapons in Outer Space and the Protection Afforded by International Humanitarian Law
09 April 2021 -ICRC
While space objects have been employed for military purposes since the dawn of the space era, the weaponization of outer space would increase the likelihood of hostilities in outer space, with potentially significant impacts for civilians on earth.

The use of weapons in outer space – be it through kinetic or non-kinetic means, using space- and/or ground-based weapon systems – could have significant impacts on civilians on earth. This is because technology enabled by space systems permeates most aspects of civilian life, making the potential consequences of attacks on space systems a matter of humanitarian concern.
In line with its humanitarian mission and mandate, the International Committee of the Red Cross submits this position paper to the United Nations Secretary-General to contribute its expertise to the discussion on the issues outlined in General Assembly Resolution 75/36.

The paper lays out:
:: the potential human cost of the use of weapons in outer space,
:: the existing limits to such use under international law, notably the Outer Space Treaty, the UN Charter and international humanitarian law, including prohibitions and limitations on the use of certain weapons, means and methods of warfare,
:: conclusions and recommendations that States are invited to consider.

The ICRC recommends that future national and multinational discussions and processes acknowledge:
:: the potentially significant human cost for civilians on earth of the use of weapons in outer space
:: the protection afforded by the IHL rules that restrict belligerents’ choice of means and methods of warfare, including in outer space, on the understanding that acknowledging the applicability of IHL neither legitimizes the weaponization of or hostilities in outer space, nor in any way encourages or justifies the use of force in outer space.