International Migration Review
Summer 2016 Volume 50, Issue 2 Pages 267–533, e17–e32
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imre.2016.50.issue-2/issuetoc

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IMMIGRATION POLICIES: STATE, CHURCH, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ACTORS
Alternative Approaches to the Governance of Transnational Labor Recruitment (pages 269–314)
Patricia Pittman
Version of Record online: 11 FEB 2015 | DOI: 10.1111/imre.12164
Abstract
As globalization advances, the governance challenges relating to cross-border labor recruitment have also grown. Transnational companies that manage the employment-based migration process often take advantage of individuals seeking work abroad. While some states have implemented recruitment regulations, a combination of jurisdictional constraints and economic interests have limited states’ capacity and political will to take action. Supplemental strategies are emerging led by international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, and corporate trade groups. This paper reviews the strengths and weaknesses of strategies led by each of these different types of actors and explores potential synergies among them.

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 3, June 2016
http://link.springer.com/journal/10903/18/2/page/1
[Issue focus on a range of health parameters and challenges among Latino migrants]

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Open Access :: Original Paper
First Online: 21 June 2016
Mental Health of Refugees and Non-refugees from War-Conflict Countries: Data from Primary Healthcare Services and the Norwegian Prescription Database
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0450-y
Melanie L. Straiton, Anne Reneflot, Esperanza Diaz
Abstract
High rates of mental health problems are consistently found among immigrants from refugee generating countries. While refugees and their family members may have experienced similar traumas, refugees are more likely to have undergone a stressful asylum period. This study aims to determine whether their mental health differs. Using national registry data, refugees and non-refugees from the same countries were compared on primary healthcare service use for mental health problems and purchase of psychotropic medicine. Refugees had higher odds of using primary health care services than non-refugees. Refugee women were more likely to purchase psychotropic medicine than non-refugee women. Refugee men were more likely to purchase anti-depressants. The findings suggest that refugees have poorer mental health than non-refugees. This may be due to a combination of greater pre-migration trauma and post-migration stressors such as enduring a difficult asylum period.

The Lancet
Jun 25, 2016 Volume 387 Number 10038 p2575-2664 e30
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

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Editorial
What can public health do for mental health?
The Lancet
Summary
Public health practitioners should prioritise and advance the public’s mental health wherever possible, argues Better Mental Health For All, a report published last week by the UK’s Faculty of Public Health, in collaboration with the Mental Health Foundation. The report aims to be a resource for public health professionals to support the promotion of mental wellbeing and the primary prevention of mental ill health.

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Comment
Who should finance WHO’s work on emergencies?
Y-Ling Chi, Jaya Krishnakumar, Jürgen Maurer, Dejan Loncar, Antoine Flahault
Summary
In May, 2015, the 68th World Health Assembly approved the decision to reform the work of WHO on emergencies by creating a single programme for outbreaks and health emergencies, and an accompanying Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE).1 According to latest estimations, the core funding needs for the programme and the initial capital of the CFE will, respectively, range about US$300 million per year and $100 million.2 To respond effectively to emergencies, these resources should be flexible, predictable, and directly accessible.

New England Journal of Medicine
June 23, 2016 Vol. 374 No. 25
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

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Perspective
From Patient to Patient — Sharing the Data from Clinical Trials
Charlotte J. Haug, M.D., Ph.D.
N Engl J Med 2016; 374:2409-2411 June 23, 2016 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1605378
[Excerpt]
…Instead of spending time and resources on complicated techniques to try to deidentify and anonymize complex patient data — and risk failing and making populations or patient groups skeptical about the whole concept of data sharing — it may be better to define a core set of data that can be released (and freely accessed) from all trials and to allow sharing of the more complex data only through real and inclusive collaborations, the way successful data sharing related to specific diseases already happens in global health today. “It is not only about sharing of the raw data, but sharing of the questions, the problems, and the code that everybody is using,” Shasha Jumbe said. “It means collaborations throughout the whole process, definition of the goals, framing of the questions — and also thinking about inclusive attribution all the way from subjects that are part of these studies to the data science team.”

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Perspective
A Global, Neutral Platform for Sharing Trial Data
Barbara E. Bierer, M.D., Rebecca Li, Ph.D., Mark Barnes, J.D., LL.M., and Ida Sim, M.D., Ph.D.
N Engl J Med 2016; 374:2411-2413 June 23, 2016 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1605348

PLOS Currents: Disasters
http://currents.plos.org/disasters/
[Accessed 25 June 2016]

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Research Article
Behavior Problems and Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in Children Beginning School: A Comparison of Pre- and Post-Earthquake Groups
June 22, 2016 ·
Introduction: Literature reviews caution that estimating the effects of disasters on the behavior of children following a disaster is difficult without baseline information and few studies report the effects of earthquakes on young children. In addition the relationship between age at the time of disaster and consequential behavior problems have not been reported for young children who experience disaster-related stress during a developmentally sensitive period.

Methods: Behavior problems and symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS) were reported for two groups of children from nearby neighborhoods during their first term at school, using the Behavior Problem Index by teacher report, following approved informed consent procedures. Data on one group, “Pre-EQ” (N=297), was collected four years before the beginning of the earthquakes on children born 2001-2002. Data on the second group, “Post-EQ” (N=212), was collected approximately three to four years after the beginning of the earthquakes on children born 2007-2009 and living in heavily damaged neighborhoods. The Post-EQ group had significantly more children from high socioeconomic neighborhoods but no other significant differences on main demographic characteristics.

Results: The mean behavior problem score was significantly higher in the Post-EQ group (Mean =6.11) as compared to the Pre-EQ group (Mean = 3.78). PTS symptoms were also significantly higher in the Post-EQ group (Mean =2.91) as compared to the Pre-EQ group (Mean=1.98) and more children had high PTS scores (20.9% v. 8.8%, OR= 2.73, 95%CI =1.57, 4.76). Model testing identified that a younger age at the time of exposure was the only significant predictor of high numbers of PTS symptoms in the Post-EQ group.

Discussion: Rates of teacher-reported behavior problems in young children more than doubled following the Christchurch earthquakes. Younger children may be more vulnerable to the effects of earthquakes that occur during a developmentally sensitive period. Additional research is needed to consider the effects of age and duration of disaster effects to better understand the effects of disasters on children, their families and communities.

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 25 June 2016)

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Essay
Why Most Clinical Research Is Not Useful
John P. A. Ioannidis
Essay | published 21 Jun 2016 | PLOS Medicine
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002049
Summary Points
:: Blue-sky research cannot be easily judged on the basis of practical impact, but clinical research is different and should be useful. It should make a difference for health and disease outcomes or should be undertaken with that as a realistic prospect.
:: Many of the features that make clinical research useful can be identified, including those relating to problem base, context placement, information gain, pragmatism, patient centeredness, value for money, feasibility, and transparency.
:: Many studies, even in the major general medical journals, do not satisfy these features, and very few studies satisfy most or all of them. Most clinical research therefore fails to be useful not because of its findings but because of its design.
:: The forces driving the production and dissemination of nonuseful clinical research are largely identifiable and modifiable.
:: Reform is needed. Altering our approach could easily produce more clinical research that is useful, at the same or even at a massively reduced cost.
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Research Article
Exclusive Breastfeeding and Cognition, Executive Function, and Behavioural Disorders in Primary School-Aged Children in Rural South Africa: A Cohort Analysis
Tamsen J. Rochat, Brian Houle, Alan Stein, Hoosen Coovadia, Anna Coutsoudis, Chris Desmond, Marie-Louise Newell, Ruth M. Bland
| published 21 Jun 2016 | PLOS Medicine
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002044

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 25 June 2016]
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Research Article
The Challenge of Timely, Responsive and Rigorous Ethics Review of Disaster Research: Views of Research Ethics Committee Members
M Hunt, CM Tansey, J Anderson, RF Boulanger…
Published: June 21, 2016
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157142
Abstract
Background
Research conducted following natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods or hurricanes is crucial for improving relief interventions. Such research, however, poses ethical, methodological and logistical challenges for researchers. Oversight of disaster research also poses challenges for research ethics committees (RECs), in part due to the rapid turnaround needed to initiate research after a disaster. Currently, there is limited knowledge available about how RECs respond to and appraise disaster research. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the experiences of REC members who had reviewed disaster research conducted in low- or middle-income countries.
Methods
We used interpretive description methodology and conducted in-depth interviews with 15 respondents. Respondents were chairs, members, advisors, or coordinators from 13 RECs, including RECs affiliated with universities, governments, international organizations, a for-profit REC, and an ad hoc committee established during a disaster. Interviews were analyzed inductively using constant comparative techniques.
Results
Through this process, three elements were identified as characterizing effective and high-quality review: timeliness, responsiveness and rigorousness. To ensure timeliness, many RECs rely on adaptations of review procedures for urgent protocols. Respondents emphasized that responsive review requires awareness of and sensitivity to the particularities of disaster settings and disaster research. Rigorous review was linked with providing careful assessment of ethical considerations related to the research, as well as ensuring independence of the review process.
Conclusion
Both the frequency of disasters and the conduct of disaster research are on the rise. Ensuring effective and high quality review of disaster research is crucial, yet challenges, including time pressures for urgent protocols, exist for achieving this goal. Adapting standard REC procedures may be necessary. However, steps should be taken to ensure that ethics review of disaster research remains diligent and thorough.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 25 June 2016]
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Health and Ethical Consequences of Outsourcing Pivotal Clinical Trials to Latin America: A Cross-Sectional, Descriptive Study
Núria Homedes, Antonio Ugalde
Research Article | published 23 Jun 2016 | PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157756
Abstract
Introduction
The implications of conducting clinical trials in low and middle income countries on the financial accessibility and safety of the pharmaceutical products available in those markets have not been studied. Regulatory practices and ethical declarations lead to the commercialization of the new products, referred to as New Molecular Entities (NMEs), in the countries where tested as soon as they are approved in high surveillance countries. Patients and patients’ associations use the Latin American courts to access new and expensive treatments, regardless of their safety profile and therapeutic value.
Design and Objectives
Cross-sectional, descriptive study. To determine the therapeutic value and safety profile of the NMEs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 and 2012 that had been tested in Latin America, and the implications of their market approval for the pharmaceutical budgets in the countries where tested.
Setting
Latin America.
Measures
To assess the therapeutic value and safety of the NMEs commercialized in the different countries we used f independent drug bulletins. The prices of the NMEs for the consumers were obtained from the pharmaceutical price observatories of the countries were the medicines had been tested. If the price was not available in the observatories, it was obtained from pharmaceutical distributors. We used the countries’ minimum wage and per capita income to calculate the financial accessibility of a course of treatment with the NMEs.
Results
We found that 33 NMEs approved by the FDA in 2011 and 2012 have been tested in Latin America. Of these, 26 had been evaluated by independent drug bulletins and only five were found to add some value to a subset of patients and had significant side-effects. The pharmaceutical prices were very high, varied widely across countries and were unrelated to the countries’ income per capita or minimum wage.
Conclusion
The implementation of clinical trials in Latin America results in the commercialization of medicines with questionable safety profiles and limited therapeutic value, putting patients at risk and causing budgetary strains in pharmaceutical budgets.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 25 June 2016]
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Hitting the Optimal Vaccination Percentage and the Risks of Error: Why to Miss Right
Michael J. Harvey, Lisa A. Prosser, Mark L. Messonnier, David W. Hutton
Research Article | published 22 Jun 2016 | PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156737
Abstract
Objective
To determine the optimal level of vaccination coverage defined as the level that minimizes total costs and explore how economic results change with marginal changes to this level of coverage.
Methods
A susceptible-infected-recovered-vaccinated model designed to represent theoretical infectious diseases was created to simulate disease spread. Parameter inputs were defined to include ranges that could represent a variety of possible vaccine-preventable conditions. Costs included vaccine costs and disease costs. Health benefits were quantified as monetized quality adjusted life years lost from disease. Primary outcomes were the number of infected people and the total costs of vaccination. Optimization methods were used to determine population vaccination coverage that achieved a minimum cost given disease and vaccine characteristics. Sensitivity analyses explored the effects of changes in reproductive rates, costs and vaccine efficacies on primary outcomes. Further analysis examined the additional cost incurred if the optimal coverage levels were not achieved.
Results
Results indicate that the relationship between vaccine and disease cost is the main driver of the optimal vaccination level. Under a wide range of assumptions, vaccination beyond the optimal level is less expensive compared to vaccination below the optimal level. This observation did not hold when the cost of the vaccine cost becomes approximately equal to the cost of disease.
Discussion and Conclusion
These results suggest that vaccination below the optimal level of coverage is more costly than vaccinating beyond the optimal level. This work helps provide information for assessing the impact of changes in vaccination coverage at a societal level.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 25 June 2016]
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Research Article
Use of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination and Its Associated Factors among Elderly People with Disabilities in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study
Yu-Chia Chang, Ho-Jui Tung, Shang-Wei Hsu, Lei-Shin Chen, Pei-Tseng Kung, Kuang-Hua Huang, Shang-Jyh Chiou, Wen-Chen Tsai
| published 23 Jun 2016 | PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158075
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Cost-Effectiveness of Increasing Influenza Vaccination Coverage in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Turkey
Levent Akın, Bérengère Macabéo, Zafer Caliskan, Serdar Altinel, Ilhan Satman
Research Article | published 20 Jun 2016 | PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157657

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Science
24 June 2016 Vol 352, Issue 6293
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

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Policy Forum
Capitalizing on convergence for health care
By Phillip Sharp, Tyler Jacks, Susan Hockfield
Science24 Jun 2016 : 1522-1523
Summary
For decades, scientists have called for more collaboration between the life and physical sciences, and in the past 5 years, we have been among those calling for a new national research strategy—one we call “convergence”—that would integrate engineering, physical, computational, and mathematical sciences with biomedical science (1). Thanks to the accelerating pace of biological discovery, the expanding power of computation, and a new focus in engineering on biocompatible materials and nanotechnology, the potential of such a strategy for advances in health care is greater than ever (see the photo). Technologies emerging from such efforts have potential implications far beyond health care: creating jobs; speeding products to market; and improving everything from agriculture and the environment to defense, the economy, and energy production. It all adds up to a moment of unprecedented opportunity, if we choose to invest in it meaningfully. But so far we have not. We detail below, and in greater depth in a new report with colleagues from across the country (2), the stakes in the convergence revolution and what we should do to capitalize on it.

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Review
Childhood undernutrition, the gut microbiota, and microbiota-directed therapeutics
By Laura V. Blanton, Michael J. Barratt, Mark R. Charbonneau, Tahmeed Ahmed, Jeffrey I. Gordon
Science24 Jun 2016 : 1533
Editor’s Summary
Gut microbiota and undernutrition
Poor nutrition during the early years of life can have severe consequences for subsequent skeletal, immunological, and intellectual development. Blanton et al. review the evidence showing that undernutrition is not caused by food insecurity alone. Other factors range from the length of the breastfeeding period and the availability of milk oligosaccharides, enteropathogen exposure, and enteric dysfunction marked by villus atrophy and loss of gut barrier function. Unfortunately, nutritional restoration with or without antibiotic treatment may not be effective in the longer term. Differences in the succession of microbial establishment and maturity can explain much of family discordances in nutritional status. The evidence indicates that microbiota-directed therapeutics could be a promising route to nutritional restoration in these children

TORTURE Journal
Volume 26, Nr. 2, 2016
http://www.irct.org/Default.aspx?ID=5768
Scientific Articles
Creating community life among immigrant survivors of torture and their allies
Nancy Bothne, Christopher B. Keys

Measuring change and changing measures: The development of a torture survivor specific measure of change
Rebecca Horn, Andy Keefe

Prevalence of torture and other war-related traumatic events in forced migrants: A systematic review
Erika Sigvardsdotter, Marjan Veaz, Ann-Marie Rydholm Hedman, Fredrik Saboonchi

Torture survivors’ symptom load compared to chronic pain and psychiatric in-patients
Uwe Harlacher, Linda Nordin, Peter Polatin

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Statement
Statement on Anal Examinations in Cases of Alleged Homosexuality
Independent Forensic Expert Group

From Google Scholar & other sources: Selected Journal Articles, Newsletters, Dissertations, Theses, Commentary

International Journal of Research & Method in Education
Published online: 20 Jun 2016
Original Article
Respecting and fulfilling the right of post-primary pupils to consent to participate in trials and evaluative research: a discussion paper
DOI:
10.1080/1743727X.2016.1200028
Lisa K. Maguireab*, Bronagh Byrnec & Susan Kehoed
ABSTRACT
This paper provides an introduction to issues surrounding the participation rights of young people in research and the implications of their growing involvement in research as well as providing a discourse on the ethical implications related to consent. The unique contribution of this paper is that it considers children’s rights in respect to the increasing opportunities for young people to take part in evaluation research. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to acknowledge the growing involvement for young people in research and the implications of ensuring that their rights of participation are respected. Secondly, we will consider the children’s rights legislation and our obligations as researchers to implement this. Finally, we will explore consent as an issue in its own right as well as the practicalities of accessing participants. This paper will postulate that any research about young people should involve and prioritize at all stages of the research process; including participation in decision-making. We conclude by identifying five key principles, which we believe can help to facilitate the fulfilment of post-primary pupils’ ability to consent to participate in trials and evaluative research.

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Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)
Original Article
A Comparison of Two Methods for Recruiting Children with an Intellectual Disability
Dawn Adams1,*, Louise Handley1,2, Mary Heald1, Doug Simkiss3, Alison Jones1,
Emily Walls1 and Chris Oliver1
Version of Record online: 21 JUN 2016
Abstract
Background
Recruitment is a widely cited barrier of representative intellectual disability research, yet it is rarely studied. This study aims to document the rates of recruiting children with intellectual disabilities using two methods and discuss the impact of such methods on sample characteristics.
Methods
Questionnaire completion rates are compared between (i) participants being approached in child development centre waiting rooms and (ii), one year later, the same participants being invited to take part by phone, email and/or post.
Results
The face-to-face recruitment method resulted in a better recruitment rate (58.5% compared to 18.5%) and a larger sample (n = 438) than the telephone/email/post sample (n = 40). It also required less hours of researcher time per completed questionnaire.
Conclusions
In-line with previous research, recruitment of participants with intellectual disabilities (or their parents/carers) requires significant time and resources to get a sample of an acceptable size

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Australasian Journal on Ageing
Volume 35, Issue 2, pages 90–97, June 2016
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajag.2016.35.issue-2/issuetoc
Review Articles
What keeps you strong? A systematic review identifying how primary health‐care and aged‐care services can support the well‐being of older Indigenous peoples
Carol Davy1,*, Elaine Kite1, Graham Aitken2, Garth Dodd3, Janice Rigney3, Jenny Hayes4 and
Jan Van Emden5
Abstract
Aim
The objective of this systematic review was to identify primary health-care or aged-care strategies that have or could support the well-being of older Indigenous peoples.
Methods
A search was undertaken of primary databases including Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Papers which reported on the perspectives of older Indigenous peoples, community members and provider participants were included. Findings were pooled using a meta-aggregative approach.
Results
Three high-level synthesised findings – maintaining Indigenous identity, promoting independence and delivering culturally safe care – were believed to be important for supporting the well-being of older Indigenous peoples.
Conclusions
As physical independence often diminishes with age, having the support of culturally safe primary health-care and aged-care services that understand the importance of maintaining an Indigenous identity and promoting independence will be crucial for the well-being of older Indigenous peoples.

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Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
April 2016; 11 (2)
http://jre.sagepub.com/content/11/2.toc
Informed Consent—Uninformed Participants Shortcomings of Online Social Science Consent Forms and Recommendations for Improvement
EK Perrault, SA Nazione – Research …, 2016
June 21, 2016 1556264616654610
Abstract
As informed consent forms continue to lengthen, are these lengthening forms helping to create better informed participants? The aim of this research was to determine whether the length of consent forms affected reading frequency and comprehension, and to provide recommendations on how to improve consent forms in the social sciences so they are more likely to be read. A quasi-experiment was conducted using actual consent forms at two liberal arts schools, one requiring a long form (463 words, n = 73) and one requiring a shorter form (236 words, n = 57). Participants exposed to the shorter form reported fully reading, or at least skimming the form more frequently than those exposed to the longer form. Those exposed to the shorter form also comprehended more of the form’s information. The majority of participants indicated consent forms need to be shortened if researchers want future participants to be more likely to read these forms’ contents. Additional recommendations are discussed.

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World Medical & Health Policy
Volume 8, Issue 2, pages 197–200, June 2016
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wmh3.v8.2/issuetoc
Commentary
The Rapidly Increasing Number of Emergency Global Food Crises and the Implications for the International Community
Allan Jury –
. Abstract. The following text served as the basis of remarks delivered at the Second Annual Summit on Global Food Security and Health at the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs at George Mason University on October 15, 2015.

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 18 June 2016

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

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

pdf version: The Sentinel_ week ending 18 June 2016

Hate is being mainstreamed – global update by the High Commissioner
In a wide-ranging update to the Human Rights Council [at its current meeting] the High Commissioner detailed concerns in more than 50 countries and situations, and outlined ways the Office can assist.

[Initial text of speech]
When the Inter-American Commission announces it has to cut its personnel by forty percent – and when States have already withdrawn from it and the Inter-American Court;

When States Parties have threatened to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court – and, even more recently, others threaten to leave the United Nations, or the European Court of Human Rights and the European Union;

When those calling for departure have seemingly already fled in their minds from the urge to protect the world from the untold sorrow and miseries which twice swept it, and brought about the creation of many of these very institutions;

When filthy abuse by politicians of the vulnerable is tolerated; when the laws – human rights law, refugee law, international humanitarian law – are increasingly violated, and when hospitals are bombed – but no one is punished;

When human rights, the two words, are so rarely found in the world of finance and business, in its literature, in its lexicon – why? Because it is shameful to mention them?

When working for the collective benefit of all people, everywhere is apparently losing its ardour, and features only in empty proclamations swelling with unjustified self-importance and selfishness –

Then do we really still have an international community? When the threads forming it are being tugged away and the tapestry, our world, is unravelling? Or are there only fragmented communities of competing interests – strategic and commercial – operating behind a screen of feigned allegiance to laws and institutions?…

Mr President,
As I speak before this 32nd session of the Human Rights Council, at which all of the 193 Member States of the United Nations are represented, the international community’s familiar customs and procedures are much in evidence.

And yet the workable space in which we function as one community – resolving disputes, coming to consensus – is under attack. The common sets of laws, the institutions – and deeper still, the values – which bind us together are buckling. And suffering most from this onslaught are our fellow human beings – your people – who bear the brunt of the resulting deprivation, misery, injustice, and bloodshed.

I, and many others, seek your support.

Hate is becoming mainstreamed. Walls – which tormented previous generations, and have never yielded any sustainable solution to any problem – are returning. Barriers of suspicion are rising, snaking through and between our societies – and they are killers. Clampdowns on public freedoms, and crackdowns on civil society activists and human rights defenders, are hacking away at the forces which uphold the healthy functioning of societies. Judicial institutions which act as checks on executive power are being dismantled. Towering inequalities are hollowing out the sense that there are common goods.

These trends bleed nations of their innate resilience. They do not make them safe: they make them weaker. Piece by piece, these mutually reinforcing trends are shearing off the protections that maintain respect, enable development, and provide the only fragile basis for world peace. They are attacks on sanity. And they can be reversed…

Secretary-General Urges States to Stand by Victims of Torture, Support United Nations Fund, in Message for International Observance
17 June 2016
SG/SM/17863-HR/5315-OBV/1629
Press Release
Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed on 26 June:

Around the world, in every region, men, women and children are still being tortured by non-State actors and under direct State policy. Despite its absolute prohibition under international law, this dehumanizing practice remains pervasive, and most disturbingly, is even gaining acceptance.

The law is crystal clear: torture can never be used at any time or under any circumstances, including during conflict or when national security is under threat. On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we express our solidarity with and support for the hundreds of thousands of victims of torture and their family members throughout the world.

The Convention against Torture, ratified to date by 159 United Nations State Parties, stipulates that States have to ensure that a victim of torture under their jurisdiction obtains redress, including the means for as full rehabilitation as is possible. When States neglect their obligation to prevent torture, and fail to provide torture victims with effective and prompt redress, compensation and appropriate forms of rehabilitation, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture is a lifeline of last resort. Established by the United Nations General Assembly 35 years ago, the Fund supports hundreds of organizations that provide legal, social, psychological and medical assistance to some 50,000 victims every year.

The Fund requires a minimum of $12 million in annual voluntary contributions. I strongly urge States to stand by victims by supporting this United Nations Fund and to remain fully engaged in the fight against torture and impunity. Assisting victims of torture and stopping this crime will benefit whole societies and help provide a future of safety and dignity for all.

Joint Statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
European Commission – Statement
Brussels, 19 June 2016

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Federica Mogherini, High Representative/ Vice-President, Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Neven Mimica, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, and Vera Jourova, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, made the following statement:

“On this first International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the European Union reaffirms its strongest support for zero tolerance to any form of sexual violence. Sexual violence is a flagrant and unacceptable violation of human rights – we stand in solidarity with all survivors, as well as with their families who had to suffer from any form of sexual violence in conflict and its ramifications.

Sexual violence in conflict has been and continues to be used as a tactic of war and terror. It targets predominantly women and girls, but also men and boys, who after having suffered their plight, also face double victimisation: not only do they suffer physical injuries and psychological traumas, but they can face stigmatisation and rejection by their families and communities, as well as reprisals from the perpetrators. As a consequence, many victims do not report this crime: it is estimated that for every case of rape reported in conflict zones there are ten to twenty cases that remain undocumented.

Following up on the London Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict of June 2014, the EU adopted a Guide to Practical Actions for Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict, which promotes a comprehensive, multi-sectoral and multidimensional approach. The EU is also committed to the global initiative “Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies” and its implementation.

We want to see practical steps to tackle impunity for the use of rape as a weapon of war and to begin to change global attitudes to these crimes. Accountability and access to justice are a must; victims and witnesses of sexual violence have to be ensured access to impartial and gender-sensitive tribunals and to reparations, including as a form of transitional gender justice. The EU has adopted a framework for transitional justice that ensures gender is a variable taken into account in these processes. Perpetrators must be prosecuted in accordance with national and international law, within national justice systems that respect the rule of law; we support security and justice sector reforms to this end.

Efforts to fight sexual violence in conflict also need to comprise measures to ensure adequate information, fact-finding and proper documentation. Fighting the banalisation of sexual violence and raising awareness of women’s and girls’ rights, as well as of the existence of sexual violence against men and boys, are extremely important. We acknowledge the central role of civil society organisations in identifying and protecting victims, and we will continue supporting them in this endeavour.

The EU continues to support the International Criminal Court, as well as non-permanent International Criminal Tribunals, and recognises the significant progress they have achieved in combating sexual violence in conflict. We also support multilateral mechanisms in tackling sexual violence in conflict, in particular the valuable work of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Bangura.

The EU strongly supports women’s full and effective participation in conflict prevention and resolution and in peacebuilding processes in order to achieve long-term sustainable results – we know this leads to more inclusive outcomes and contributes to lasting peace and a more gender equal society.”
STATEMENT/16/2243

American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
June 15, 2016 – OAS
50 Million People in the Americas Self-Define as Indigenous.
The declaration is the first instrument in the history of the OAS to promote and protect the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The Declaration recognizes:
:: The collective organization and multicultural and multilingual character of indigenous peoples.
:: The self-identification of people who consider themselves indigenous.
:: Special protection for peoples in voluntary isolation or initial contact, such as certain peoples of the Amazon, which is an aspect that distinguishes it from other similar initiatives.
:: That progress in promoting and effectively protecting the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas is a priority for the OAS.

Key points of the Declaration
:: Self-identification as indigenous peoples will be a fundamental criterion for determining to whom the Declaration applies.
:: Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination.
:: Gender equality: indigenous women have collective rights that are indispensable for their existence, wellbeing, and comprehensive development as peoples.
:: Indigenous persons and communities have the right to belong to one or more indigenous peoples, in accordance with the identity, traditions, and customs of belonging of each people.
:: States shall recognize fully their juridical personality, respecting their forms of organization and promoting the full exercise of the rights recognized in the Declaration.
:: They have the right to maintain, express, and freely develop their cultural identity.
:: They have the right to not be subjected to any form of genocide.
:: They have the right not to be subject to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, or other related forms of intolerance.
:: They have the right to their own cultural identity and integrity and to their cultural heritage.
:: They have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal affairs.
:: Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation or initial contact have the right to remain in that condition and to live freely and in accordance with their cultures.
:: They have the rights and guarantees recognized in national and international labor law.
:: They have the right to the lands,

Joint Declaration on a Framework for European Commission-World Bank Group Collaboration in Situations Affected by Fragility, Conflict and Violence
June 14, 2016
The European Commission and the World Bank Group, hereby envisage to define a framework for collaboration in situations affected by fragility, conflict and violence (FCV). We believe that in FCV situations, more than anywhere else, stronger and better partnerships among international actors are key to the success of the Sustainable Development Goals. We are committed to strengthen our strategic dialogue, coordinate our approaches, and develop joint operational solutions for sustaining peace, preventing violence and conflict and achieving development in FCV that will also ensure synergies and complementarities with our respective collaborations with other international organisations.

A framework for collaboration
By creating a dedicated framework for collaboration in FCV situations, we intend to provide the conducive environment for our institutions, at both headquarters and country levels, to avoid doing harm and maximise our joint development impact by leveraging each other’s interventions. Therefore, in situations affected by FCV, we intend to:

:: Increase shared understandings, by developing common methodologies and instruments to collect, analyse, and share information, in synergy with the EU comprehensive approach to external conflict and crises;

:: Strengthen in-country policy dialogue and planning processes, by more systematically consulting one another, promoting joint initiatives, and using common risks and results monitoring;

:: Promote and apply the principles encompassed in the New Deal for engagement in Fragile States in our cooperation and strengthen country ownership;

:: Increase the conflict-sensitivity of our cooperation programmes;

:: Initiate transformational interventions, including the provision of global public goods, by supporting international collective action, making best and most effective use of financial resources and combining them where possible;

:: Address the gender dimension of FCV and prioritise the needs of women and children in our cooperation programmes;
:: Improve the overall mobilisation, allocation, and conflict sensitive delivery of resources, by working together in the development of innovative financial solutions;

:: Deepen our partnership by encouraging active collaboration, exploring different possibilities such as joint staff trainings, staff exchanges, and other appropriate initiatives; and

:: Focus on results, by monitoring the use of this framework through an annual senior-level meeting that provides priorities and themes for the following year.

So doing, we are committed to bring a decisive contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, leaving no-one behind in the pursuit of a sustainable future.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) will be associated in the implementation of this Joint Declaration.

Adopted on 14 June 2016

Managing the Refugee Crisis: Commission reports on progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement
European Commission – Statement
Brussels, 15 June 2016

The Commission has today adopted its second report on the EU-Turkey Statement showing that while there has been further good progress in its implementation, progress achieved so far remains fragile.

Today, the Commission adopted its second report on the EU-Turkey Statement showing that while there has been further good progress in its implementation, progress achieved so far remains fragile. The continued successful implementation depends mainly on the political determination of all parties involved. The sharp and continued decrease of people crossing irregularly or losing their lives in the Aegean on their way from Turkey into Greece is proof of the Statement’s effectiveness so far and also shows that the business model of smugglers can be broken. Member States have also increased their efforts on resettlement – offering legal and safe pathways as an alternative. Return operations have continued to be carried out. All Member States have sent their contribution certificates for the Facility for Refugees in Turkey which will allow for the accelerated disbursement of the Facility to be delivered and the first €1 billion to start benefiting refugees by the end of the summer. Since the publication on 4 May of the Third Progress report on the implementation of Turkey’s Visa Liberalisation Roadmap, progress has also continued towards fulfilling the remaining benchmarks of the visa liberalisation roadmap.

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “The EU-Turkey Statement is delivering results: migrants see that it is not worth risking their lives on smugglers’ boats and we are on track to contract €1 billion of projects under the Refugee Facility by the end of this summer. But now is not the moment to sit back. We need to fully implement all elements of the Statement. This includes stepping up resettlement and increasing Greece’s capacity to address the humanitarian situation and deal with asylum applications in line with EU law. The Turkish authorities also need to complete the implementation of the visa liberalisation roadmap.”

Whilst the success achieved so far remains fragile, today’s Report confirms the EU-Turkey Statement continues to deliver concrete results, with joint efforts by the Greek and Turkish authorities, the Commission, Member States and EU agencies making headway in operationalising the Statement:

Considerably reduced irregular crossings:
In the weeks before the implementation of the Statement, around 1,740 migrants were crossing the Aegean Sea to the Greek islands every day. By contrast, the average daily number of irregular crossings since 1 May is down to 47.

Return of irregular migrants from Greece to Turkey:
Since the Statement took effect on 20 March, 462 irregular migrants who have not applied for asylum, including 31 Syrians, have been returned to Turkey from Greece, in accordance with EU and international law and in full respect of the principle of non-refoulement.

“One for One” Resettlement from Turkey to the EU:
Substantial progress has been made on establishing an operational framework for carrying out resettlement operations from Turkey to the EU, aimed at both helping to alleviate the situation in Turkey and to meet the EU’s commitment to provide legal pathways to the EU for victims of the Syrian crisis, sending a clear message to Syrian refugees in Turkey that there is a legal pathway instead of dangerous irregular crossings. A total of 511 Syrians have been resettled so far from Turkey to the EU under the 1:1 scheme (additional 408 since the First progress report) – substantially exceeding the number of returns from Greece to Turkey. A Resettlement Team, set up by the Commission at the EU Delegation in Ankara, coordinates and assist Member States’ operations and liaisons with Turkish authorities, the UNHCR and the IOM.

Visa liberalisation:
On 4 May, the Commission published its Third progress report on the implementation of Turkey’s Visa Liberalisation Roadmap and proposed lifting the visa requirements for the citizens of Turkey, under the understanding that the Turkish authorities will fulfil, as a matter of urgency and as they committed to do on 18 March 2016, the outstanding seven benchmarks. Since 4 May, further progress has been made, notably with the entry into force of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement that still requires a final decision on actual application. The Commission continues to support Turkey in the work that still needs to be done to fulfil the remaining benchmarks and invites Turkey to take these measures as soon as possible to enable the EU to lift the visa requirements for Turkish citizens.

Facility for Refugees in Turkey:
Further EU financial support through the Facility for Refugees in Turkey has been delivered to support refugees and host communities in Turkey and programming and project preparation has been accelerated. So far, €150 million under the EU budget has been contracted; out of which around €105 million has been disbursed to notably cover expenses for food, health care, accommodation and access to education. In addition to the €1 billion provided by the EU budget, all EU Member States have now sent in their contribution certificates for the €2 billion pledged for 2016-2017. The Commission will do all in its power to accelerate disbursement of the Facility, in close cooperation with Turkish authorities, committing for both humanitarian and non-humanitarian needs contracting €1 billion before the end of the summer.

Upgrading the Customs Union:
The Commission is advancing in the preparation of an Impact Assessment and a public consultation has recently been concluded. It is expected that draft negotiating directives will then be prepared for adoption by the Commission in the 4th quarter of 2016 and tabled to the Council.

Accession process:
The Commission tabled the Draft Common Position on Chapter 33 (financial and budgetary provisions) in the Council on 29 April, enabling the Council to decide on the opening of this Chapter by end of June. In addition, preparatory work continues at an accelerated pace to make progress on five Chapters, without prejudice to Member States’ positions in accordance with the existing rules. Preparatory work has been finalised in the area of energy; the Commission will finalise the documents on the judiciary and fundamental rights by the end of June; the Commission finalised the Common Position on education and culture on 2 May 2016; and the EEAS updated screening report on foreign, security and defence policy, was issued on 20 May.

Humanitarian conditions inside Syria:
The EU and Turkey have both continued to deploy substantial resources for the humanitarian response in Syria and have worked together to promote full and unimpeded access throughout Syria. The EU will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to people across Syria, and has allocated an initial €140 million for life-saving activities for 2016, almost half of which has already been contracted.

In the next implementation phase, the Commission concludes that urgent attention should be given by Greece to increase its capacity in processing asylum applications and appeals on an individual basis and in the most timely manner to ensure returns and readmissions, notably through the use of the safe third country concept. Greece should also enhance the reception capacity on the islands and improve the day to day management and coordination of the hotspots, with the coordinated support of the EU and its Member States. Member States should build on the results achieved so far step up their efforts in order to increase substantially the number of resettlements. Equally, Turkey needs to take the necessary measures to fulfil the remaining visa liberalisation benchmarks as soon as possible in order to enable the EU to lift the visa requirements for Turkish citizens.

The Commission will present its third report on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement in September 2016…