World Bank Group, United Nations, and Islamic Development Bank Pledge Support for Stability in Middle East and North Africa
Beirut, March 24, 2016 — World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President of the Islamic Development Bank Group Dr. Mohamed Ali Al-Madani arrived in Lebanon today at the start of a joint visit to rally global support for the shared responsibility of promoting peace and development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The three organizations are jointly supporting an initiative to raise additional financing needed to help countries in the region cope with the immediate consequences of conflict, while laying the foundations for recovery and reconstruction.

With the Syrian conflict entering its sixth year, and the region coping with one of the largest refugee crises since World War II, all three leaders pledged to work closely together in the region. The three organizations recently launched the New Financing Initiative to Support the MENA Region aimed at uniting the international community for the level of support required to meet the region’s immense challenges. Through innovative financing, the initiative plans to provide concessional financing to Lebanon and Jordan –both middle-income countries hosting large numbers of refugees — and to expand the funding available to countries struggling with slow growth and high youth unemployment because of instability.

At the Supporting Syria and the Region conference that took place in February in London, the World Bank Group announced that it will triple its investment in the region as compared to the previous five years. Funding from the New Financing Initiative to Support the MENA Region combined with current programs is expected to total about US$20 billion over the coming five years.

In addition, in response to the current crisis, the Bank will announce $200 million in new financing during the trip to support education and create jobs. This will come in addition to the current more than $1.5 billion of Bank commitments in the two countries, as well as the scaling up of financial support to Iraq, which has now reached $2 billion and which is projected to equal $5 billion in the coming few years.

Editor’s Note:
We have been monitoring the increasingly robust statements from UNESCO around protecting cultural heritage in conflict and similar contexts, including discussion around how military assets might be required, even if this is a last and unhappy option.

This week, the ICC brought to trial – with unprecedented speed and effect – a defendant accused of destroying a range of cultural heritage in Timbuktu, and received an unanticipated admission of guilt.

In parallel, the IPU (Inter Parliamentary Union) adopted an extensive resolution around these themes at its 134th Assembly which, among other calls-to-action, “proposes to include the protection of cultural and historical sites in multilateral peacekeeping operations…”

We include content from these two important developments below with links to the full text.

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International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/Pages/default.aspx
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24/03/2016
ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I confirms the charge against Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi and commits him to trial
Situation: Republic of Mali
Case: The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi
Today, 24 March 2016, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) confirmed against Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi the war crime charge regarding the destruction of historical and religious monuments in Timbuktu (Mali), and committed Mr Al Mahdi to trial before a Trial Chamber.

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24/03/2016
Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, following admission of guilt by the accused in Mali war crime case: “An important step for the victims, and another first for the ICC”
Today the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) confirmed the charge of war crime brought by my Office against Mr Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, and committed him to trial for attacking historic monuments and buildings dedicated to religion in Timbuktu, Mali between approximately 30 June and 11 July 2012. Following this decision, I can now publicly note a further significant development.

On 1 March 2016, Mr Al Mahdi explicitly expressed before ICC Judges and in the presence of his lawyers, his wish to plead guilty. He did so during the course of the confirmation of charges proceedings, at a point where the exchanges were in closed session. This part of the court record has now been made public.

This case is in many ways historically important in that it focuses exclusively on the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against ‘cultural property’. The deliberate and wanton destruction of historic mausoleums and buildings dedicated to religion, as witnessed in this case, caused severe harm to the religious practices, historical heritage, and cultural identity of the people of Timbuktu, Malians and the region more generally. The loss was not locally confined. The magnitude of the loss of such irreplaceable physical embodiment of history and culture was felt by the whole of humanity, and at the expense of future generations. This case underscores the seriousness of such crimes, and the necessity to hold perpetrators accountable. My Office is determined to continue to do its part to counter the scourge of such reprehensible crimes.

This is the first time that a suspect has expressed his intention to plead guilty to criminal conduct for which he is being prosecuted by my Office; a serious crime for which we had gathered overwhelming evidence. Such an admission of guilt, provided for in article 65 of the Rome Statute, will be a milestone in the history of the ICC.

This case is also unprecedented in terms of its expeditiousness and efficiency. The arrest warrant against Mr Al Mahdi was issued in September 2015. The arrest took place in the ensuing days, facilitated by the impressive cooperation of the States involved. The initial appearance hearing was held on 30 September 2015. The charge and the legal and factual submissions in support of the charge were filed on 17 and 18 December 2015. The confirmation of charges hearing was held on 1 March 2016…

Giving an identity to the 230 million children without a civil status: One of the major challenges of the humanitarian crisis in the 21st century
Resolution adopted unanimously by the 134th IPU Assembly
(Lusaka, 23 March 2016)

The 134th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Alarmed by the existence, according to UNICEF estimates, of more than 230 million children under five years of age without a legal identity because they were not registered at birth and by the fact that one in every seven children registered in the world does not have a birth certificate attesting to his/her legal identity,

Observing that without a civil status, these children are severely hampered throughout their lives (unable to go to school, vote, marry, receive welfare benefits, inherit, etc.) and fall victim to trafficking (illegal adoption, prostitution and criminal networks), which is further exacerbated in situations of humanitarian crisis,

Considering that having a reliable, comprehensive and lasting civil registry is a necessary prerequisite for drawing up credible electoral lists and, as a consequence, the legitimacy of electoral processes,

Concerned about the “black holes” in statistics caused by the absence of registration of these children, which disrupts the planning and the management of public services for children,

Recalling different provisions and instruments under international law, in particular:
– Article 24, paragraph 2, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights adopted on 16 December 1966 by the UN General Assembly,
– Article 7, paragraph 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989,
– Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which the IPU fully supports, including target 16.9, “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration”,
– the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Protocols, especially the Fourth Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War,
– the 1977 Protocol relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts,

Also alarmed by the tremendous impact of humanitarian crises, particularly in situations of conflict, on the most vulnerable groups, especially women and children,

Convinced of the absolute need to fully meet the needs of those children in terms of assistance and protection through the mandates of peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations,

1. Calls on parliaments to request their governments to put in place measures to inform parents of the need to register children at birth and remove all barriers to the registration of children in registry offices regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, language, religion or social status;

2. Requests parliaments to adopt laws to ensure the issuance of birth certificates free of charge or, at least, to reduce to a minimum the cost of birth registration;

3. Calls for registry offices to be set up as close as possible to homes by distributing them throughout the country with as a wide coverage as possible;

4. Recommends that parliaments take measures to allow women to register births;

5. Calls for support for the implementation of applications for mobile devices that allow authorized persons (e.g. midwives, village leaders and school principals) to register births;

6. Invites parliaments to promote campaigns on regularizing the status of children without a legal identity through roving public hearings that move from village to village;

7. Calls on parliaments ensure adequate funding for civil registry, including moving towards the digitization of registration where possible;

8. Urges in particular parties to armed conflict to respect schools and hospitals and to provide unrestricted access for humanitarian assistance and to give humanitarian personnel all the facilities required to carry out their work;

9. Calls on governments and parties to conflict to meet their obligations in conformity with international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, in particular the obligations set forth in the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005;

10. Strongly urges the IPU to commit to monitoring developments on this issue.

Water and Jobs – 2016 UN World Water Development Report
UNESCO
March 2016 :: 164 pages
ISBN 978-92-3-100146-8 ePub ISBN 978-92-3-100155-0
Pdf: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002439/243938e.pdf
Abstract
Three out of four of the jobs worldwide are water-dependent. In fact, water shortages and lack of access may limit economic growth in the years to come, according to the 2016 United Nations World Water Development Report, Water and Jobs, which was launched on 22 March, World Water Day, in Geneva.

From its collection, through various uses, to its ultimate return to the natural environment, water is a key factor in the development of job opportunities either directly related to its management (supply, infrastructure, wastewater treatment, etc.) or in economic sectors that are heavily water-dependent such as agriculture, fishing, power, industry and health.

Furthermore, good access to drinking water and sanitation promotes an educated and healthy workforce, which constitutes an essential factor for sustained economic growth.

In its analysis of the economic impact of access to water, the report cites numerous studies that show a positive correlation between investments in the water sector and economic growth. It also highlights the key role of water in the transition to a green economy.

The 2016 Report will provide the content and basis for debate throughout the year on the global theme ‘Water and Jobs’ of this year’s World Water Day. The Report illustrates that nearly 3 out of 4 jobs of the global workforce (3.2 billion people) are moderately or highly dependent upon access to water and water-related services and therefore states that “Water is essential to decent jobs and sustainable development”. Water stress and the lack of decent work can exacerbate security challenges, force migration and undo the progress made in the fight to eradicate poverty.

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Joint UNESCO and UN – Water Press Release
Water drives job creation and economic growth, says new UN report
22 March 2016
An estimated three out of four jobs that make up the global workforce are either heavily or moderately dependent on water. This means that water shortages and problems of access to water and sanitation could limit economic growth and job creation in the coming decades, according to a UN report…

UN urges stronger, coordinated international response to address El Niño impacts
Climate event has affected 60 million people; impacts set to increase at least until end of 2016

23 March 2016, Rome – The United Nations has called for a stronger response by governments, aid organizations and the private sector to address the devastating impact the El Niño climate event is having on the food security, livelihoods, nutrition and health of some 60 million people around the world.

The appeal came at a meeting organized in Rome by four UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Participants, including representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations and other UN agencies, took stock of the growing impacts of the current El Niño, which is considered as one of the strongest in history.

They noted that more than $2.4 billion are needed for current El Niño emergency and recovery-responses and currently there is a $1.5 billion gap in funding…

A global crisis
El Niño-related impacts have been felt across the globe since mid 2015. Among these are severe or record droughts in Central America, the Pacific region, East Timor, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and in Southern Africa. In addition, floods have affected certain parts of Somalia and the Tanzania, devastating forest fires have once again resurfaced in Indonesia while some regions has witnessed storms, as in the case of Fiji with Tropical Cyclone Winston.

These disasters have resulted in a wide range of consequences, most importantly, severe increases in hunger, malnutrition, water- and vector-borne diseases and the prevalence of animal and plant pests and diseases. Increasingly, populations are on the move: families across the globe are being forced into distress migration, both within and across borders, as their sources of livelihood disappear.

The meeting ended with a series of commitments by FAO, IFAD, OCHA and WFP aimed at urgently scaling up responses to the current El Niño crisis while also ensuring a more effective response to similar events in the future…

UNESCO and L’Oréal Foundation launch manifesto to promote gender parity in the sciences
25 March 2016
A manifesto for women in science was launched in Paris at the close of Thursday’s L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science award ceremony, which recognized five outstanding scientists and 15 your researchers. The Manifesto aims to draw attention to the need to ensure gender parity in science.

The Manifesto sets out to improve women’s access to science at all levels and in all disciplines. Its first signatories were Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of L’Oréal and head of the L’Oréal Foundation, and Elizabeth Blackburn, President of the L’Oréal-UNESCO Jury…

The Manifesto @4womeninscience promotes a six-point agenda:
:: Encourage girls to explore scientific career paths,
:: Break down the barriers that prevent women scientists from pursuing long term careers in research,
:: Prioritize women’s access to senior positions and leadership positions in the sciences,
:: Celebrate with the general public the contribution that women scientists make to scientific progress and to society,
:: Ensure gender equality through participation and leadership in symposiums and scientific commissions, such as conferences, committees and board meetings,
:: Promote mentoring and networking for young scientists to enable them to plan and develop careers that meet their expectations.

To sign the Manifesto: http://www.fwis.fr/en/manifesto

United Nations – Secretary General, Security Council, General Assembly  [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/
Selected Press Releases/Meetings Coverage

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23 March 2016
SC/12300
Security Council Press Statement on Announcement of Cessation of Hostilities in Yemen

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22 March 2016
SC/12298
Special Representative of Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Briefs on Situation of Children in South Sudan
The members of the Security Council welcomed the announcement on 23 March 2016 by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, of a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Yemen, scheduled to begin at midnight on 10 April 2016, and peace talks scheduled to begin on 18 April 2016 in Kuwait. The members of the Security Council welcomed the commitment of all parties both to the cessation of hostilities and to the peace talks…

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22 March 2016
SC/12297
Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Brussels

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22 March 2016
SG/SM/17621-AFR/3351-L/3254
Congolese Ex-Rebel Commander’s Guilty Verdict for War Crimes Sends Strong Signal that Impunity ‘Will Not Be Tolerated’, Secretary-General Says

UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true
Selected Press Releases

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UN rights chief expresses serious concerns over EU-Turkey agreement
GENEVA (24 March 2016) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Thursday expressed serious concerns about the recent agreement between the European Union and Turkey, pointing to what he termed “a contradiction at the heart of the agreement,” as well as raising concerns regarding arbitrary detention of refugees and migrants…

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Zeid lauds “hugely significant” conviction of Radovan Karadzic
GENEVA (24 March 2016) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein welcomed the verdict against Radovan Karadzic, President of the self-styled Bosnian Serb Republic, which was delivered today by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, describing it as “hugely significant.” Karadzic was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Twenty-one years after Karadzic was indicted, this verdict is a forceful manifestation of the international community’s implacable commitment to accountability,” Zeid said. “Karadzic master-minded the confinement, rape, torture and murder of thousands of people; the shelling of civilians; the siege of Sarajevo; and the extensive destruction and plunder of property, including Muslim and Roman Catholic places of worship.”

“His judgment is symbolically powerful – above all for the victims of the crimes committed during the wars in Bosnia-Herzegovina and across the former Yugoslavia, but also for victims across the world. No matter how powerful they are, no matter how untouchable they imagine themselves to be, no matter what continent they inhabit, the perpetrators of such crimes must know that they will not escape justice. Having witnessed first hand the effect of the horrific crimes for which Karadzic has been convicted, I welcome the findings of the Tribunal.”…

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Zeid urges Egypt to halt repression of NGOs
GENEVA (23 March 2016) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the closure of hundreds of civil society organizations in Egypt and the prosecutions of numerous human rights defenders for their legitimate work since November 2014.

“This looks like a clampdown on sections of Egyptian civil society and it must stop,” said Zeid. “NGOs who have played a valuable role in documenting violations and supporting victims will see their activities completely crippled if this continues. This will stifle the voices of those who advocate for victims.”…

SRSG/CAAC Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict [to 26 March 2016]
https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/virtual-library/press-release-archive/

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23 Mar 2016
Special Representative of Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Briefs on Situation of Children in South Sudan
Press release issued by the UN Security Council
On 14 March 2016, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan and the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict held joint informal consultations featuring a briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui, concerning the impact of the armed conflict on children in South Sudan.

The joint informal consultations were a continuation of a practice initiated in 2015 to enhance collaboration and coordination between the Working Group and sanctions committees in order to advance the protection of children in armed conflict.

In her briefing, the Special Representative stated that, despite the many commitments signed by the Government and opposition, the situation of children in South Sudan has worsened with a dramatic increase in grave violations against children in 2015. She expressed deep concern over the continuing recruitment and use of children by all parties to the conflict, as well as the re-recruitment of children previously released by armed groups. The Special Representative also detailed the deliberate targeting of civilians in the conflict, resulting in children being killed and maimed, as well as the wide-spread use of sexual violence as a tactic of war against women and children.

Citing names of perpetrators from both sides, the Special Representative called upon the 2206 Sanctions Committee and its Panel of Experts on South Sudan to continue to investigate and examine the individual and command responsibility of all parties to the conflict for grave violations against children. She also expressed full support for the recommendations of the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan for the establishment of accountability mechanisms, including the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to be established in pursuance of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan signed on 17 August 2015 (document S/2015/654)…

UN OCHA [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases

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26 Mar 2016
Sudan: Jebel Marra Crisis Fact Sheet Issue 5 I 24 March 2016
Sudan KEY FACTS :: An estimated 129,000 civilians have been reportedly displaced from the Jebel Marra area in Sudan’s Darfur region since mid-January as a result of increased hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Abdul Wahid faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA/AW). This is about 23,000 more than the number reported on 10 March.

24 Mar 2016
Syrian Arab Republic: Joint Statement by Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis on the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members [EN/AR]

24 Mar 2016
Haiti: Becoming Visible: Finding Solutions for Statelessness in Haiti and the Dominican Republic: Position Statement of the CLIO & CCO Haïti in support of CCHD
The Inter-NGO Liaison Framework (Cadre de Liaison Inter-ONG, CLIO in French) and the Comité de Coordination des ONG en Haiti (CCO Haïti), 2 independent coordination platforms that jointly comprise 75 NGOs from Haitian and international civil society organizations operating in Haiti, welcome the Kellogg Foundation initiative to host a series of Round Tables around critical border and nationality issues on the island of Hispaniola, starting on March 23rd 2016…

24 Mar 2016
occupied Palestinian territory: OCHA Flash Update: Third large-scale demolition in Khirbet Tana in 2016
On 23 March, the Israeli authorities destroyed 53 structures in the Palestinian community of Khirbet Tana, located in Area C of the occupied West Bank, on grounds of lack of Israeli-issued building permits. This is one of the largest incidents since OCHA began systematically tracking demolitions in 2009.

24 Mar 2016
Yemen: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien Statement on Yemen, New York, 24 March 2016 [EN/AR]
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Yemen
It is deeply saddening to be marking a whole year of violence in Yemen. A country whose people were already facing great deprivation and hunger, and who have had to deal since last March with the added horror of war, bombing, shelling; losing their homes and loved ones. I welcome the efforts to find a solution to the crisis, and the announcement yesterday of an agreement to cease hostilities on 10 April is positive…

23 Mar 2016
Iraq: Senior UN official warns of dire consequences for millions of Iraqis due to funding shortfalls

23 Mar 2016
Syrian Arab Republic: US $19 million is allocated through the Humanitarian Pooled Fund for projects in Syria [EN/AR]
Damascus, 23 March 2016 – Nearly $19 million has been allocated to partners through the Syria Humanitarian Pooled Fund (HPF). This standard allocation of funds will finance water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, health, food security and agriculture, education and cross-sectoral projects to meet the needs of and make a meaningful difference in the lives of almost 1.4 million people.

23 Mar 2016
Ethiopia: Humanitarian partners launch fundraising campaign to address funding gaps in Ethiopia drought response
(Addis Ababa, 23 March 2016): Humanitarian partners today launched a 90-day campaign to raise awareness on the urgent need for an additional funding for the drought crisis in Ethiopia to address the humanitarian resource gap. “Ethiopia is currently contending with one of the most serious climatic shocks in recorded history with ten million people facing lost harvests and livestock as well as severe water…

23 Mar 2016
World: CERF Advisory group supports the United Nations Secretary-General’s call for a $1 billion CERF by 2018
On 21 March, the CERF Advisory Group met in New York endorsed the Secretary-General’s call to expand CERF to $1 billion by 2018. The Group, which meets bi-annually and provides the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Secretary-General and CERF with policy guidance and expert advice, also encouraged all stakeholders and UN Member States to support a larger CERF.

UNICEF [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_89711.html
Selected Press Releases

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87 million children under 7 have known nothing but conflict – UNICEF
NEW YORK, 24 March 2016 – More than 86.7 million children under the age of 7 have spent their entire lives in conflict zones, putting their brain development at risk, UNICEF said today.

New EU-Turkey agreement on refugee and migrants could leave children at risk: UNICEF
GENEVA, 22 March 2016 – UNICEF today expressed concern that the new agreement between the EU and Turkey, which comes into effect this week, does not address the pressing humanitarian needs of 19,000 refugee and migrant children stranded in Greece.

Tsinghua University and UNICEF launch innovation partnership to help reach some of the world’s most disadvantaged children
BEIJING, 22 March 2016 – Tsinghua University and UNICEF announced a new long-term partnership to leverage the use of innovation, design and technology, in helping to reach some of the poorest and most disadvantaged children across the world.

Climate change and poor sanitation threaten water safety for millions: UNICEF
nnnNew York, 21 March 2016 – On the eve of World Water Day, UNICEF said the push to bring safe water to millions around the world is going to be even more challenging due to climate change, which threatens both water supply and water safety for millions of children living in drought- or flood-prone areas.

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=&comid=4a0950336&cid=49aea93a7d&scid=49aea93a40

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Press Releases
23 March 2016
UNHCR welcomes Ministerial Declaration in Bali, calls for new compact to absorb refugees in region
BALI, Indonesia – In a move welcomed by the UN Refugee Agency, Ministers of Bali Process countries today pledged to take a comprehensive regional approach to managing mixed migration flows by strengthening cooperation on search and rescue at sea, predictable disembarkation, temporary protection and legal pathways for refugees and migrants.

The Ministerial Declaration was adopted on Wednesday at the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process. It is the first-ever such declaration in the 14-year history of this regional forum and a strong sign that its 45 member countries are deeply committed to addressing the regional challenges of mixed migration at a time of massive forced displacement around the world.

“With more than 60 million people forcibly displaced from countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Burundi, no country or region is immune from the aspects, and combating smuggling and trafficking. This will only work, however, if it goes hand-in-hand with a clear and unequivocal human security impact,” said Volker Türk, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection. “Today’s pledge is a timely reminder that predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing arrangements are the only way to tackle these challenges while seizing opportunities.”…

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23 March 2016
UNHCR reaches embattled Taizz from Aden with life-saving aid

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

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03/23/16
Migrants Must not be Left out of Efforts to End Tuberculosis
Switzerland – IOM marks World TB Day by highlighting the importance of engaging in productive multi-sectoral partnerships to promote the health and well-being of migrants.

Final Group of Fisheries ‘Slaves’ to be Repatriated from Indonesia
03/22/16
Indonesia – One year after, the last group of men trafficked onto vessels operating in Indonesian waters is preparing to return home.

Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in 2016: 160,547; Deaths: 488
03/22/16
Greece – IOM this week confirms more than one million migrant and refugee arrivals to the Greek islands via the Eastern Mediterranean route from Turkey since the start of 2015. Earlier this month IOM confirmed combined land and sea arrivals surpassed the one million mark in Greece.

IOM: Migrants Must Fully Benefit from Protection under International Law
03/22/16
Switzerland – IOM has called upon the international community to address the current migrant rights deficit, highlighting the fact that migrants do not adequately benefit from the protection granted to them under international law.

UN Women [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

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Date: 25 March 2016
Press release: UN Commission on the Status of Women urges gender-responsive implementation of Agenda 2030
The 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women concluded today with UN Member States committing to the gender-responsive implementation of Agenda 2030. A set of agreed conclusions called for enhancing the basis for rapid progress, including stronger laws, policies and institutions, better data and scaled-up financing.

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Research reveals how fragile settings exacerbate inequalities
Date: 24 March 2016
UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality launched new research on women’s economic empowerment in fragile States this week on the sidelines of the 60th Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

UNAIDS [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/

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23 March 2016
UNAIDS calls for stronger partnerships to end the epidemics of tuberculosis and HIV
On World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, UNAIDS is calling for stronger partnerships and a united approach to end the twin epidemics of TB and HIV and save millions of lives. It has never been more urgent for governments, the medical and scientific communities, the private sector and people affected by the diseases to come together to ensure access to existing treatment regimens and to push for new diagnostic tools and treatments to reach all people in need.

“We achieve the most when we work together and use all our strengths to reach ambitious goals,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé. “Harnessing the potential of everyone involved in the response to HIV and TB is needed now more than ever to end these epidemics and create a healthier world as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

…The international community is committed to ending the epidemics of TB and HIV within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. This will be possible only by strengthening and accelerating current responses and by maximizing the contribution of all those involved through a united approach at the international, regional, national and community levels. For example, the development of new diagnostic tools, treatments and potential vaccines against HIV and TB must be speeded up, especially in response to the emergence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. Most importantly, these new regimens and tools must be within reach of everyone affected by TB and HIV…

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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Mar 24, 2016
UNDP Climate Action Hackathon Accelerates Innovative Approaches to Provide Weather Information to Vulnerable Communities in Africa
Hackers Leverage Weather and Climate Data to Create Mobile Applications to Improve Farming Productivity and Save Lives

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Mar 21, 2016
Helen Clark: Speech at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Conference – Dubai,UAE
…Conclusion
In conclusion, this is the year when the international community must make major strides on working more effectively across what have been the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding silos. Resources are finite, and they need to be used more effectively, particularly if the 2030 Agenda commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ is to be honored. Strengthening co-ordination across the development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding communities is the fundamental shift which is urgently needed; and there is encouraging progress. But we must do more, and quickly.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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24/03/2016
Renewable Energy Investments: Major Milestones Reached, New World Record Set
:: Coal and gas-fired generation attracted less than half as much capacity investment as renewables last year;
:: Renewables added more to global energy generation capacity than all other technologies combined;
:: For first time, developing world investments in renewables (up 19% in 2015) topped developed nations’ (down 8%);
:: World record total of $286 billion invested in renewables last year; makes $2.3 trillion over 12 years

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Three in Four Jobs in the Global Workforce Depend on Water, says UN on World Water Day
New report shows how water drives job creation and economic growth
22/03/2016

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 26 March 2016]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive

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23 Mar 2016
Speech by Robert Glasser at the World Meteorological Organization
Mr. Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
[Excerpt]
…We are probably still at a stage in human development when poverty and exposure to disaster risk are the main factors in deciding whether someone survives an event such as Typhoon Haiyan which claimed over 6,000 lives in the Philippines in November 2013.

Despite the fact that such events are usually well-announced beforehand, poverty and an exposed location can mean the difference between life and death more so than the nature of the hazard itself.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted a year ago at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, recognizes with a clarity unusual in international agreements how important it is not only to continue to improve disaster management but to go beyond that to address the underlying drivers of risk which include poverty, exposure, land use, unplanned urbanization, poor risk governance and, of course, climate change…
:: Download speech in PDF version [PDF 92.43 kB]

UNESCO [to 26 March 2016]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases/News

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Inter Parliamentary Union Adopts Landmark Resolution to Protect Culture
25 March 2016

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UNESCO and L’Oréal Foundation launch manifesto to promote gender parity in the sciences
25 March 2016

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20 sites added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves
Lima, 19 March—The International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO added 20 sites to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves during its meeting in the capital of Peru on 18 and 19 March. The newly adopted sites include 18 national sites and one transboundary site shared between Spain and Portugal. The Council also approved 9 extensions to existing Biosphere Reserves. Following the withdrawal of two sites at the request of Austria, this brings the total number of biosphere reserves to 669 sites in 120 countries, including 16 transboundary sites.