Myanmar

Public Statement by Chair of Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict
Security Council SC/13904 30 July 2019

At its eighty-third meeting, on 30 July 2019, the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, in connection with the examination of the fifth report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Myanmar (document S/2018/956), agreed to convey the following messages through a public statement by the Chair of the Working Group:

To all parties to the armed conflict in Myanmar as described in the report of the Secretary-General, in particular to the Tatmadaw Kyi, including the integrated border guard forces, as well as non-State armed groups, such as the Karen National Liberation Army, the United Wa State Army, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, the Kachin Independence Army, the Karenni Army, the Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council, and the Shan State Army:

:: Strongly condemning all violations and abuses that continue to be committed against children in Myanmar, urging them to immediately end and prevent all violations of applicable international law involving the recruitment and use of children, abduction, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals as well as the military use of schools and denial of humanitarian access and to comply with their obligations under international law; and calling upon the Government of Myanmar to criminalize the six grave violations against children affected by armed conflict;

:: Expressing deep concern about the continued recruitment and use of children in violation of international law by all parties to the armed conflict, including by non-State armed groups, the continued abductions of children, including for recruitment purposes, as well as the detention of children associated with armed forces and armed groups;

:: Expressing deep concern at the high number of children killed and maimed, including as a direct or indirect result of actions by the Myanmar military and security forces, of fighting between parties to armed conflict and of attacks against civilian populations, including through the use of anti-personnel landmines, and urging all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable, in particular the principles of distinction and proportionality and the obligation to take all feasible precautions to avoid and, in any event, minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects;

:: Calls upon all parties to armed conflict to allow and facilitate safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access to children, respect the exclusively humanitarian nature and impartiality of humanitarian aid and respect the work of all United Nations humanitarian agencies and their humanitarian partners, including child protection actors, without distinction;

:: Calling upon all parties to the armed conflict to comply with applicable international law and to respect the civilian character of schools and hospitals, including their personnel, and to end and prevent deliberate, disproportionate or otherwise indiscriminate attacks or threats of attacks against those institutions and their personnel as well as the military use of schools and hospitals in violation of applicable international law;

:: Urging all parties to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement to fully abide by its provisions relating to the prevention of the six grave violations against children, as well as those actors who are or will be engaged in the peace process fully comply with the agreement made at the July 2018 third session of the Union Peace Conference (21st Century Panglong Conference) to “set up and conduct programs to ensure children’s rights, abide by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child for all-round development of children and eliminate the Six Grave Violations against children”;

:: Demanding that all parties to the armed conflict further implement previous conclusions of the Working Group (S/AC.51/2008/9, S/AC.51/2009/4, and S/AC.51/2013/2)…

Education – Internally Displaced Children

Equitable access to quality education for IDP children
UNICEF/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
July 2019 :: 12 pages
PDF: https://www.unicef.org/media/56196/file/Equitable%20access%20to%20quality%20education%20for%20internally%20displaced%20children.pdf
Key Messages
:: The exact number of children living in internal displacement worldwide is unknown, but there were estimated to be over 17 million at the end of 2018, as a result of conflict and violence, and millions more due to disasters. Five million youth, aged between 18 and 24, were also living in internal displacement. Too many internally displaced children grow up deprived of an education and the long term opportunities it affords.

:: A lack of capacity, resources and persistent insecurity, social tensions and discrimination are all significant barriers to education in many displacement situations. Internal displacement often places huge strains on already inadequate educational infrastructure, and when displaced children do attend school in many cases it is through parallel systems. These tend not to have qualified teachers or offer certified examinations, and risk having their funding cut at short notice.

:: Access to quality inclusive education brings significant economic, social and health benefits to displaced and host communities alike. It helps to foster cohesive societies and is a vital tool in fighting prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination. By improving livelihood opportunities and supporting socioeconomic development for all, it also has the potential to address some of the causes of displacement and prevent future crises.

:: Ensuring access to national education systems for internally displaced children is vital, provided it is safe to do so. The reflexive responses of governments to crises, and in many cases the humanitarian actors supporting governments, however, often include offering education outside the formal system. Governments have an obligation to provide equal access to education for internally displaced children, and there is growing consensus that informal schooling is not a sustainable solution.

:: Far greater priority needs to be given, and efforts and investment devoted to minimizing the disruption to education that internal displacement causes, while maximizing the potential protection and other vital support that schools provide for their displaced pupils.

Featured Journal Content

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 3 Aug 2019)
Editorial
Migrants and refugees: Improving health and well-being in a world on the move
Richard Turner, on behalf of the PLOS Medicine editors
| published 30 Jul 2019 PLOS Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002876
At the 72nd World Health Assembly, held during May 20–28 of this year in Geneva, Switzerland, a very welcome global action plan was agreed upon, which seeks to establish a “framework of priorities and guiding principles… to promote the health of refugees and migrants” [1]. Indicating the pressing need for leadership by WHO and other actors, over the period from 2000 to 2017, the number of international migrants is estimated to have risen by 49%, to 258 million people [2]. The WHO document also notes that the number of forcibly displaced people has reached its highest-ever level, at an estimated 68.5 million individuals, including 25.4 million refugees—the majority hosted in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, approximately 10 million stateless people lack basic human rights to freedom of movement, education, and healthcare. Scattered across the planet, such enormous numbers of people dwarf the individual populations of many countries, yet, all too often, no government or international agency can offer adequate protection or health provision to this virtual state of refugees and migrants.

Migration, whether voluntary or otherwise, covers a wide range of situations. People may move within their own country or to another country for economic or family reasons, and, even in familiar surroundings or in transit, individuals will have health needs that may not be addressed, and they can also be vulnerable to exploitation or violence. Where there is armed conflict or persecution, the degree of danger and vulnerability is substantially greater. One distressing example is the Syrian conflict, which has involved extreme and prolonged violence and led to the harm and displacement of large numbers of people since 2011. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, estimates that, as of June 2019, 5.6 million people have been displaced to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and other nearby countries, with 6.6 million people displaced within Syria itself [3]. Such large and unpredictable movements of refugees create great challenges in protection and provision of shelter, food and water, and medical care.

There is substantial documentation of the numerous and grave health threats faced by migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Migrant workers who have relocated internationally are at risk of occupational injuries and ill health, for instance, highlighting the need for employers and host country governments to strengthen employment rights and healthcare provision [4]. Migrants and refugees can be vulnerable to serious outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as cholera, in emergency settings [5]. In a transit or destination country, people could be affected by diseases prevalent in their country of origin, such as tuberculosis, and by noncommunicable diseases, for example, that reflect the situation in countries of transit and destination. Mental ill-health, including posttraumatic stress disorder in relevant groups of people, is a particular concern for migrants and refugees and their health providers [6]. In many settings, barriers of language, culture, or law prevent migrants from accessing essential services. As discussed in an article by Cathy Zimmerman and colleagues published as part of the “Migration & Health” Collection in PLOS Medicine in 2011, migration can be viewed in terms of distinct phases, from predeparture to potential return to a person’s country of origin, with opportunities for health monitoring and intervention through suitable services at each stage [7].

Some of the drivers of the growing phenomenon of human migration include population expansion, increased availability of long-distance travel, and greater access to economic opportunities for those willing and able to move. Alongside these factors, it would be naïve not to acknowledge the potential impact of migration on the populations and infrastructure of destination countries—witness the heated debate in the United States over its long and tortuous border with Mexico and the people who attempt to cross that divide. Owing to the prominent, large-scale challenges presented in many countries by the fluid and unpredictable nature of migration, regrettable political constituencies have emerged that can marginalize and stigmatize migrants and refugees. Based as they are on the nonsensical idea that one person merits appropriate access to healthcare and other services but another person does not, these political entities are, though dangerous and destructive, vulnerable to those who can mobilize principled and just arguments. Generally, stable governments can be expected to provide the necessary resources and plan the provision of suitable infrastructure and health services for those who have migrated to their jurisdiction, and where they do not, support from international agencies must be made available.

International agreements set out clear responsibilities for protection of and provision for refugees and asylum seekers, whereas the situation for other migrants is less clear—indicating the potential importance of the new WHO plan in driving the activities of host states and appropriate international bodies. Priorities of the WHO plan include deploying public health interventions to improve migrant health alongside promotion of essential health services and occupational health provision. Strengthening health monitoring and information systems is recommended, as is accelerated progress toward universal health coverage. There should be attention toward mainstreaming migrant and refugee health, the plan notes, and to overcoming misconceptions about these groups of people. We look forward to seeing the impact of the plan in practice.

Seeking to raise awareness of the health threats faced by migrants and refugees and to promote research, service, and policy innovation in this area, the editors of PLOS Medicine are planning a Special Issue on the topic to be published early in 2020. Paul Spiegel, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health, who will be a Guest Editor for the issue, comments that “migration is a global phenomenon that will likely increase due to improved communication and modes of transport as well as, unfortunately, due to climate change. Health is a human right, and we must all work together to provide appropriate health services to migrants that are equitable, affordable and take into account services available to nationals.” A call for papers has been issued separately setting out the detailed scope for the Special Issue, and we look forward to considering your research papers dedicated to understanding and improving the health and well-being of refugees and migrants in all settings.

References available at title link above

Ebola – DRC+
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Inter-Agency Statement on Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one year on
Joint statement from WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, and World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley
.
NEW YORK/GENEVA/KINSHASA/DAKAR/ROME, 31 July 2019 – “Tomorrow, 1 August, marks one year since the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in North Kivu province of the DRC. Two weeks ago, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern.

“Just yesterday, a new case of the disease was confirmed in Goma, with the patient later dying – the second case to be confirmed this month in the city of around 1 million people. This latest case in such a dense population center underscores the very real risk of further disease transmission, perhaps beyond the country’s borders, and the very urgent need for a strengthened global response and increased donor investment.

“In the last year, there have been more than 2,600 confirmed cases, including more than 1,800 deaths in parts of Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Almost one in three ‘cases’ is a child. Every single ‘case’ is someone who has gone through an unimaginable ordeal. More than 770 have survived.

“The disease is relentless and devastating.

“Ebola passes from mother to child, husband to wife, patient to caregiver, from the dead body of a victim to the mourning relative. The disease turns the most mundane aspects of everyday life upside down — hurting local businesses, preventing children from going to school and hampering vital and routine health services. It is primarily a health crisis, but one that also critically impacts how people care for their family, view their neighbours and interact with their community.

“The challenges to stopping further transmission are indeed considerable. But none are insurmountable. And none can be an excuse for not getting the job done. The United Nations and partners are continuing to ramp up the response in support of the Government and to further bolster joint action. The UN is working to ensure an enabling environment for the public health response that its health agency supports, including appropriate security, logistics, political and community engagement, and action to address the concerns of affected communities. We commend the recent Government decision to take measures to ensure its efforts are further joined up.

“We also salute the heroic efforts of the mostly Congolese healthcare workers on the front line, the people of affected communities and partners. Despite their ceaseless work, the disease continues to spread. This outbreak is occurring in an active conflict zone which makes an effective response far more complicated because of insecurity, including armed attacks on health workers and facilities, and population displacement. In some of the affected areas, violence is preventing us from reaching communities and working with them to stop further transmission.

“We call on all parties to the violence to ensure that responders can do their work safely and that those seeking care can access it without fear of attacks.

“We are proud of the work that we and our partners have done so far, collaborating with communities in support of the Government-led response to protect those at risk and care for those affected:
:: Over 170,000 people vaccinated;
:: 1,300 people treated with investigational therapies across 14 treatment and transit centres;
:: 77 million screenings of national and international travelers;
:: 20,000 contacts visited daily to ensure they do not also become sick;
:: 3,000 samples tested in 8 laboratories every week;
:: More than 10,000 handwashing sites installed in critical locations;
:: More than 2,000 community engagement workers operating in affected – areas listening to concerns, gaining trust, and mobilizing local action;
:: Over 440,000 patients and contacts provided with food assistance, crucial to limiting movement among people who could spread the disease; and
:: Daily meals provided to 25,000 schoolchildren in Ebola-affected areas to help build trust within communities.

“Now we must build on those achievements, but to do so we urgently need far more support from the international community. The Government needs more support than ever before. The public health response to an Ebola outbreak requires an exceptional level of investment; 100 per cent of cases must be treated and 100 per cent of contacts must be traced and managed. We need air transport to get responders and critical equipment to some of the most remote areas and warehousing to safely store precious health supplies including vaccines. We will continue to accelerate our response, and we ask partners old and new to do the same.

“At this critical juncture, we reaffirm our collective commitment to the people of the DRC; we mourn for those we have lost; and we call for solidarity to end this outbreak.”

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 31 July 2019
:: July 2019 Polio News is available online for all the latest news, polio in numbers and the funding updates.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan — one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case;
:: Pakistan— two WPV1-positive cases and eight WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Nigeria —one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case and one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample;
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) — one cVDPV2 sample isolated from a contact case and one cVDPV2 community isolate;
:: Central African Republic — one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample and 13 cVDPV2 samples isolated from community;
:: Myanmar — one cVDPV type 1 case and five cVDPV1 samples isolated from a contact case.

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Ebola – DRC+
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Inter-Agency Statement on Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one year on
Joint statement from WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, and World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley
NEW YORK/GENEVA/KINSHASA/DAKAR/ROME, 31 July 2019 – “Tomorrow, 1 August, marks one year since the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in North Kivu province of the DRC. Two weeks ago, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern.

“Just yesterday, a new case of the disease was confirmed in Goma, with the patient later dying – the second case to be confirmed this month in the city of around 1 million people. This latest case in such a dense population center underscores the very real risk of further disease transmission, perhaps beyond the country’s borders, and the very urgent need for a strengthened global response and increased donor investment.

“In the last year, there have been more than 2,600 confirmed cases, including more than 1,800 deaths in parts of Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Almost one in three ‘cases’ is a child. Every single ‘case’ is someone who has gone through an unimaginable ordeal. More than 770 have survived.

“The disease is relentless and devastating.

“Ebola passes from mother to child, husband to wife, patient to caregiver, from the dead body of a victim to the mourning relative. The disease turns the most mundane aspects of everyday life upside down — hurting local businesses, preventing children from going to school and hampering vital and routine health services. It is primarily a health crisis, but one that also critically impacts how people care for their family, view their neighbours and interact with their community.

“The challenges to stopping further transmission are indeed considerable. But none are insurmountable. And none can be an excuse for not getting the job done. The United Nations and partners are continuing to ramp up the response in support of the Government and to further bolster joint action. The UN is working to ensure an enabling environment for the public health response that its health agency supports, including appropriate security, logistics, political and community engagement, and action to address the concerns of affected communities. We commend the recent Government decision to take measures to ensure its efforts are further joined up.

“We also salute the heroic efforts of the mostly Congolese healthcare workers on the front line, the people of affected communities and partners. Despite their ceaseless work, the disease continues to spread. This outbreak is occurring in an active conflict zone which makes an effective response far more complicated because of insecurity, including armed attacks on health workers and facilities, and population displacement. In some of the affected areas, violence is preventing us from reaching communities and working with them to stop further transmission.

“We call on all parties to the violence to ensure that responders can do their work safely and that those seeking care can access it without fear of attacks.

“We are proud of the work that we and our partners have done so far, collaborating with communities in support of the Government-led response to protect those at risk and care for those affected:
:: Over 170,000 people vaccinated;
:: 1,300 people treated with investigational therapies across 14 treatment and transit centres;
:: 77 million screenings of national and international travelers;
:: 20,000 contacts visited daily to ensure they do not also become sick;
:: 3,000 samples tested in 8 laboratories every week;
:: More than 10,000 handwashing sites installed in critical locations;
:: More than 2,000 community engagement workers operating in affected – areas listening to concerns, gaining trust, and mobilizing local action;
:: Over 440,000 patients and contacts provided with food assistance, crucial to limiting movement among people who could spread the disease; and
:: Daily meals provided to 25,000 schoolchildren in Ebola-affected areas to help build trust within communities.

“Now we must build on those achievements, but to do so we urgently need far more support from the international community. The Government needs more support than ever before. The public health response to an Ebola outbreak requires an exceptional level of investment; 100 per cent of cases must be treated and 100 per cent of contacts must be traced and managed. We need air transport to get responders and critical equipment to some of the most remote areas and warehousing to safely store precious health supplies including vaccines. We will continue to accelerate our response, and we ask partners old and new to do the same.

“At this critical juncture, we reaffirm our collective commitment to the people of the DRC; we mourn for those we have lost; and we call for solidarity to end this outbreak.”

::::::

Rwanda’s border with DRC remains open
Kigali, August 1 2019 — The Ministry of Health confirms that Rwanda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo is open, following traffic slow-down this morning as measures were put in place to reinforce screening procedures and public safety at entry points.
To date, Rwanda remains Ebola free. The Ministry has advised against unnecessary travels to Goma-Eastern Congo, following increasing number of cases confirmed in DRC, and requested that individuals who have recently travelled to an Ebola affected area to report to the nearest screening station and to report any suspected Ebola cases via the Ministry of health toll-free lines 114, police number 112 or to community health workers or the nearest health centre…

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Geneva Palais briefing note on the impact of the Ebola outbreak on children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Press release
This is a summary of remarks by Jerome Pfaffman, UNICEF Senior Health Specialist – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
30/07/2019
…This Ebola response is far more complex because it is in an active conflict zone. People living in North Kivu and Ituri are facing a public health emergency and a humanitarian crisis at the same time.
Both provinces, for example, are also facing a major measles outbreak. In Ituri, about half of the health facilities have been damaged or destroyed during fighting over the past two years. There is mass displacement. We have just completed a first vaccination campaign in the provincial capital, Bunia, where we vaccinated more than 40,000 children against measles. But we need to vaccinate far more children, against the full array of diseases, in order to protect them from all the public health risks they are exposed to.
This is why the new strategic response plan includes both an intensification of the public health response, and a whole program to address acute humanitarian and social needs.
UNICEF will need to triple its budget to respond to this complex crisis. This includes about 70 million dollars for epidemic control activities, 30 million to build community capacities in at-risk areas, and another 70 million to deliver essential services.
Colleagues and communities are fighting the outbreak tirelessly but we desperately need the international community to back us up…

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Press release
UNICEF ramps up Ebola prevention efforts as South Sudan assessed as ‘high-risk’ country
UN children’s agency reaches 3 million with Ebola prevention messages
29/07/2019
…UNICEF South Sudan is focusing on and engaging populations that are most at risk in the states bordering DRC and Uganda. The UN children’s agency and its partners have trained 450 front-line mobilizers who are knocking on doors, organizing community meetings and engaging religious and local leaders to disseminate life-saving messages.
“Our teams and partners on the ground working in the communities confirm that an increasing number of people are now aware of Ebola, and the protection measures they can take to avoid infection,” said Ayoya, “The early detection and containment of the three Ebola cases in Uganda in June came as a result of increased public awareness and shows the true value of the prevention work and of working with communities. As long as Ebola remains on our doorstep, we cannot rest and must continue our efforts.”…

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Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.
WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 3 Aug 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
[See DRC Ebola+ above for detail]

Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 3 Aug 2019]

Libya
:: Libya: Five medical staff dead in latest attack on health facilities in Tripoli
Tripoli, 28 July 2019 – The World Health Organization strongly condemns yesterday’s attack on Az Zawiyah Field Hospital in the south of Tripoli. Five health workers were killed and eight were injured in the attack. The hospital was damaged and forced to suspend its services.

MERS-CoV
:: MERS-CoV global summary and assessment of risk – August 2018
pdf, 570kb

Myanmar
:: Bi‐weekly Situation Report 15 – 1 August 2019

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017)
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 3 Aug 2019]

Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth – No new digest announcements identified
EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 27 July 2019

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

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

PDF-The Sentinel_ period ending 27 Jul 2019

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 and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals  [see PDF]

Hungary – EC Action on Treatment of Asylum Seekers

Commission takes Hungary to Court for criminalising activities in support of asylum seekers and opens new infringement for non-provision of food in transit zones
Brussels, 25 July 2019
Today, the European Commission decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU concerning legislation that criminalises activities in support of asylum applications and further restricts the right to request asylum. The Commission has also decided tosend a letter of formal notice to Hungary concerning the non-provision of food to persons awaiting return who are detained in the Hungarian transit zones at the border with Serbia…

… Specifically, the Commission finds that Hungarian legislation is incompatible with EU law in the following respects:
:: Criminalisation of support to asylum applicants: The Hungarian legislation curtails asylum applicants’ right to communicate with and be assisted by relevant national, international and non-governmental organisations by criminalising support to asylum applications. This is in violation of the Asylum Procedures Directive and the Reception Conditions Directive.

:: Unlawful limitation of the right to asylum and introduction of new non-admissibility grounds for asylum applications: The new law and the constitutional amendment on asylum have introduced new grounds for declaring an asylum application inadmissible, restricting the right to asylum only to people arriving in Hungary directly from a place where their life or freedom are at risk. These additional inadmissibility grounds for asylum applications exclude persons who entered Hungary from a country where they were not persecuted but which does not fulfil the criteria of a safe-third-country. Therefore, these inadmissibility grounds curtail the right to asylum in a way that is not compatible with EU or international law. As such, the national rules are in violation of the EU Asylum Procedures Directive, the Asylum Qualifications Directive and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Letter of formal notice concerning the situation of returnees in the Hungarian transit zones
The European Commission has decided today to send a letter of formal notice to Hungary concerning the situation of persons in the Hungarian transit zones at the border with Serbia, whose applications for international protection have been rejected, and who are waiting to be returned to a third country.

In the Commission’s view, their compulsory stay in the Hungarian transit zones qualifies as detention under the EU’s Return Directive. The Commission finds that the detention conditions in the Hungarian transit zones, in particular the withholding of food, do not respect the material conditions set out in the Return Directive and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

In view of the urgency of the situation, the deadline for Hungary to respond to the Commission’s concerns is set to 1 month, after which the Commission may decide to follow-up by sending a reasoned opinion.

The European Court of Human Rights has already granted interim measures in several instances, obliging Hungary to provide food to persons detained in the transit zones. In July 2018, the Commission referred Hungary to the Court of Justice in a case relating to the detention of asylum seekers in the Hungarian transit zones. The case is currently pending before the Court…

Development/Employment– Refugees

New Report: Refugee Women Could Generate up to $1.4 Trillion to Annual Global GDP
:: Refugee women could generate up to $1.4 trillion to annual global GDP if employment and earnings gender gaps were closed.
:: Refugee men and women could contribute up to $2.5 trillion to annual global GDP if gender pay gaps and barriers to work were removed.
:: Closing gender pay gaps and removing barriers to work for refugee men and women in Turkey, Uganda, Lebanon, Jordan, Germany, and the US alone could boost overall annual GDP by up to $53 billion.
:: The IRC and GIWPS call for a Global Refugee Women and Work Commission to assemble and address closing the gender-pay and decent work gaps among refugees.

New York, NY, July 25, 2019 —
In accessing paid, decent work, refugee women face restrictive labor market laws, increased threat of violence, discrimination, as well as regulatory and administrative barriers.

According to a new analysis conducted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS), in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), refugee women could generate up to $1.4 trillion to annual global GDP if employment and wage gaps were closed.

Key takeaways from the report:
:: Refugee women’s labor market participation is as low as 6%. Highest refugee women employment rates are seen in the US (40%) and Uganda (37%), but down to as low as 6% in Germany, Jordan and Lebanon.

:: The gender pay gap is highest in Turkey, where there is a pay gap of roughly 94 cents per dollar between refugee women and host men. The gap is lower in the US, where the pay gap is roughly 29 cents per dollar earned.

:: Refugee women could generate up to $1.4 trillion to annual global GDP if employment and earnings gender gaps were closed to meet the national levels of hosting countries, per analysis done in top 30-refugee hosting countries, which host 90% of the world’s refugees.

:: Refugee women in the US alone could contribute $1.6 billion to US GDP.

:: Closing wage and employment gaps for refugee men and women, equalizing wages and employment rates between genders in these countries, could boost global GDP up to $2.5 trillion.

:: Closing pay gaps and removing barriers for refugee men and women in Turkey, Uganda, Lebanon, Jordan, Germany, and the US alone – six countries which together host almost eight million refugees, or 40% of the world’s refugee population – could boost overall GDP by $53 billion. This is five times the combined annual budget of the UN Refugee Agency and International Organization for Migration.

The report focuses on Turkey, Uganda, Lebanon, Jordan, Germany, and the US, and extrapolates findings to the top 30-refugee hosting countries, which collectively host approximately 18 million refugees.

David Miliband, IRC president and CEO, said, “Our analysis shows the extraordinary scale of economic rewards, for both refugee women and the economies they live in, if they were able to access local jobs at non-discriminatory pay rates. Understanding this economic prize is important, but getting there is the fundamental challenge, particularly in the contexts of state fragility and economic vulnerability where most refugees live. That’s why the IRC will continue to focus on employment programs, from Uganda to Lebanon, that remove gender barriers for refugees accessing jobs…

View the full report here.

Livelihood – Digital Technology

The Future of Work in Africa: The Roles of Skills, Informality, and Social Protection in Unleashing the Promise of Digital Technologies for All
HIGHLIGHTS
:: A new World Bank report says Sub-Saharan African countries could benefit from well-harnessed technological adoption
::Supportive policies and investments are needed to put lower-skilled and lower-educated workers in a position to benefit from digital technology adoption
:: The report, an in-depth regional perspective, complements the World Bank’s World Development Report 2019: The Changing Nature of Work

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2019 – As developing countries brace for technological advances and other disruptions arising from climate shocks, fragility, economic integration and population transitions that will fundamentally transform the work landscape, a new World Bank report notes that Sub-Saharan African countries may benefit from digital technology adoption in different ways than other regions.

The Future of Work in Africa: Harnessing the Potential of Digital Technologies for All, a regional companion piece to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2019: The Changing Nature of Work, says the region has an opportunity to forge a different path from the rest of the world – if digital technologies are harnessed correctly by governments and businesses by ensuring that critical policies and investments are in place….

To take advantage of these opportunities, the report offers several fundamental public policy recommendations for governments to consider, including:
:: Ensure that digital infrastructure is available and affordable to all—in rural and urban areas, and across all demographics—by developing digital infrastructure regulation that spurs competition, supports universal access, and promotes integration across countries to create bigger markets
:: Provide complementary physical infrastructure such as reliable electricity
Support the inventors and entrepreneurs that are needed to develop tools both for upskilling the stock of low-skilled workers in their current occupations and for the new tasks that the adoption of new technologies will enable
:: Develop interventions to facilitate the productivity upgrading of informal farms and firms and to upgrade the skills of their workers
:: Expand the coverage of social protection and labor systems, especially to workers, to spur greater entrepreneurial and worker risk-taking, and to facilitate worker transitions between jobs

Global Innovation/IP/Trade Restrictions

Global Innovation Index 2019: India Makes Major Gains as Switzerland, Sweden, U.S., Netherlands, U.K. Top Ranking; Trade Protectionism Poses Risks for Future Innovation
New Delhi, July 24, 2019
PR/2019/834
Released jointly by WIPO, Cornell University, INSEAD and the 2019 GII Knowledge Partners, the Confederation of Indian Industry, Dassault Systèmes – the 3DEXPERIENCE Company – and the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) – Brazil and Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae)

Switzerland is the world’s most-innovative country followed by Sweden, the United States of America (U.S.), the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (U.K.), according to the 2019 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII), which also identifies regional leaders India, South Africa, Chile, Israel and Singapore, with China, Viet Nam and Rwanda topping their income groups.

Now in its 12th edition, the GII is a global benchmark that helps policy makers better understand how to stimulate and measure innovative activity, a main driver of economic and social development. The GII 2019 ranks 129 economies (Annex 1 ) based on 80 indicators, from traditional measurements like research and development investments and international patent and trademark applications to newer indicators including mobile-phone app creation and high-tech exports.

The GII 2019 also looks at the economic context: Despite signs of slowing economic growth, innovation continues to blossom, particularly in Asia, but pressures are looming from trade disruptions and protectionism. Sound government planning for innovation is critical for success, the report shows.

“The GII shows us that countries that prioritize innovation in their policies have seen significant increases in their rankings,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. “The rise in the GII by economic powerhouses like China and India have transformed the geography of innovation and this reflects deliberate policy action to promote innovation,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry.

GII 2019 Key Findings
Among notable GII key findings (Annex 2) this year:
:: The global landscape of science, innovation, and technology has undergone important shifts over the last decades. Middle-income economies, especially in Asia, are increasingly contributing to global research and development (R&D) and international patenting rates via WIPO’s International Patent System;

:: The GII 2019 shows that public R&D expenditures – particularly in some high-income economies – are growing slowly or not at all. This raises concerns given the public sector’s central role in funding basic R&D and blue-sky research, which are key to future innovations;

:: Increased protectionism poses risks. If left uncontained, it will lead to a slowdown of growth in innovation productivity and diffusion across the globe;

:: Innovation inputs and outputs are still concentrated in very few economies. Divides also persist in how effectively economies obtain return on their innovation investments. Some economies achieve more with less;

:: Most top science and technology clusters are in the U.S., China, and Germany, whlie Brazil, India, Iran, the Russian Federation, and Turkey also feature in the top 100 list. The top five clusters: Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan); Shenzhen-Hong Kong, China (China); Seoul (Republic of Korea); Beijing (China); San Jose-San Francisco (U.S.).

“While the Global Innovation Index ranks economies according to their innovation capacity and performance, it also provides valuable insights into the dynamics of global innovation: It highlights economies that excel in innovation and those that are more successful in translating investments in innovation inputs into innovation outputs. Lessons from these innovation leaders provide useful guidance on innovation policy for others,” said Soumitra Dutta, Former Dean and Professor of Management at Cornell University, a GII co-publisher.

Global Health/Innovation Governance

WHO Statement on governance and oversight of human genome editing
26 July 2019 Geneva
WHO Statement
The WHO expert advisory committee on governance and oversight of human genome editing convened on 18-19 March 2019. At this meeting the Committee in an interim recommendation to the WHO Director-general stated that “it would be irresponsible at this time for anyone to proceed with clinical applications of human germline genome editing.”

WHO supports this interim recommendation and advises regulatory or ethics authorities to refrain from issuing approvals concerning requests for clinical applications for work that involves human germline genome editing.

“Human germline genome editing poses unique and unprecedented ethical and technical challenges,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “I have accepted the interim recommendations of WHO’s Expert Advisory Committee that regulatory authorities in all countries should not allow any further work in this area until its implications have been properly considered.”

WHO’s Expert Advisory Committee continues its consideration of this matter, and will, at its forthcoming meeting in Geneva on 26-28 August 2019. evaluate, inter alia, effective governance instruments to deter and prevent irresponsible and unacceptable uses of genome edited embryos to initiate human pregnancies.

Human Rights – Child Labour

2021 declared International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour
The UN General Assembly has urged the international community to step up efforts to eradicate forced labour and child labour, and declared 2021 as the Year for the Elimination of Child Labour.

26 July 2019 – GENEVA (ILO News) – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has unanimously adopted a resolution declaring 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, and has asked the International Labour Organization to take the lead in its implementation.

The resolution highlights the member States’ commitments “to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.”

The UNGA acknowledged the importance of the ILO’s Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999 (No. 182) – which is close to universal ratification by the ILO’s 187 member States – as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

It also recognized the importance of “revitalized global partnerships to ensure the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , including the implementation of the goals and targets related to the elimination of child labour.”…

Heritage Stewardship

Foundation Consortium Acquires Historic African American Photographic Archive
July 25, 2019 | Press Release
To Be Donated for Public Benefit and Broadest Possible Access
A consortium of foundations—the Ford Foundation, the J. Paul Getty Trust, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—today acquired the archive of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC), publisher of the iconic Ebony and Jet magazines. The acquisition is pending court approval and the closing of the sale.

The archive includes more than four million prints and negatives comprising the most significant collection of photographs cataloging African-American life in the 20th century. The archive was acquired for $30 million as part of an auction of the assets of JPC in connection with its Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing and approved by the bankruptcy court.

The foundation consortium will donate the archives to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Getty Research Institute, and other leading cultural institutions for the public benefit to ensure the broadest access for the general public and use by scholars, researchers, journalists, and other interested parties.

“This iconic and unique collection will stand the test of time, documenting an essential part of American history over an extraordinary period.”

Speaking after the sale, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker said, “We’re thrilled with the outcome. This archive is a national treasure and one of tremendous importance to the telling of black history in America. We felt it was imperative to preserve these images, to give them the exposure they deserve, and make them readily available to the public.”

James Cuno, president of The J. Paul Getty Trust noted, “There is no greater repository of the history of the modern African-American experience than this archive. Saving it and making it available to the public is a great honor and a grave responsibility.”

The sale of the archive is a coda to the story of a company of great significance to the African-American community. Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, added that the partnership to preserve and make publicly available this profound collection of African-American history and culture represented a tremendous opportunity. “The preservation and accessibility of this singular and remarkable photographic archive exemplifies Mellon’s values and is of immeasurable service to picturing the vast and varied range of African-American life,” said Alexander…

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 24 July 2019
Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Pakistan — three WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Nigeria —two circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2)-positive environmental samples;
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) — four cVDPV2 cases.

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DRC – Ebola
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Disease Outbreak News (DONs}
Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
25 July 2019
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in Democratic Republic of the Congo is ongoing amidst a complex crisis, and we continue to observe sustained local transmission and a high number of cases. Most notably, Beni Health Zone accounted for over half of all new cases reported in the last three weeks, as well as a number of cases and contacts that travelled to other health zones. This is the second wave of the outbreak in Beni Health Zone, and it is larger in case numbers and longer in duration than the first. New healthcare worker and nosocomial infections continue to be reported in Beni and other affected health zones, despite substantial infection prevention and control by multiple agencies during the last wave of the outbreak; a total of 141 (5% of total cases) have been reported to date.
The intensive follow-up of contacts of the confirmed case who arrived in Goma on 14 July (see the 18 July Disease Outbreak News) will continue until the end of the 21-day period. In response to this case, 19 health workers were deployed from other posts to Goma to provide support. Rumours of his contacts travelling to Bukavu, South Kivu, were investigated and ruled out by response teams. No new cases have been reported in Goma to date. There are currently no confirmed cases of EVD outside of the Democratic Republic of the Congo…

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World Bank Mobilizes US$300 Million to Finance the Ebola Response in Democratic Republic of Congo
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2019—The World Bank Group today announced that it is mobilizing up to US$300 million to scale up support for the global response to the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The announcement follows the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the current outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The US$300 million in grants and credits will be largely financed through the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) and its Crisis Response Window, which is designed to help countries respond to severe crises and return to their long-term development paths. The financing package will cover the Ebola-affected health zones in DRC and enable the government, WHO, UNICEF, WFP, IOM and other responders to step up the frontline health response, deliver cash-for-work programs to support the local economy, strengthen resilience in the affected communities, and contain the spread of this deadly virus…

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The United States Announces More Than $38 Million in Additional Assistance to Contain the Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
July 24, 2019
The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing more than $38 million in additional assistance to help end the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including $15 million in new funding to the World Health Organization. This brings the total USAID funding for the response to Ebola to more than $136 million since the beginning of the outbreak in August 2018.

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Summary of new polio viruses this week:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Four cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported this week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo): two from Kalonda-Ouest and one from  Nyanga, Kasai province, with onset of paralysis on 3, 7, and 5 June 2019; one from Tshumbe, Sankuru province, with onset of paralysis on 14 June 2019.  There are 15 reported cases of cVDPV2 in 2019. The total number of cVDPV2 cases reported in 2018 is 20.  DRC is currently affected by eight separate cVDPV2 outbreaks; one each originated in Haut Katanga, Mongala, Sankuru, two in Haut Lomami and three in Kasai provinces.

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Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.
WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 27 Jul 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
[See DRC Ebola+ above for detail]

Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 27 Jul 2019]

Iraq
:: WHO Regional Director in Iraq to reinforce WHO support as country enters transition to development phase 15 July 2019

Myanmar
:: Bi‐weekly Situation Report 14 – 18 July 2019 pdf, 737kb

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Libya – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017)
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 27 Jul 2019]

Chad
:: Partner meeting for the eradication of poliomyelitis in the Lake Chad Basin under the coordination and leadership of the WHO African region [in French] 30 June 2018

Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic
:: Humanitarian Update Syrian Arab Republic – Issue 04 | 25 July 2019
Upsurge in violence endangers 3 million people in northwest
The United Nations remains gravely concerned by the dramatic escalation of violence in northwest Syria which has resulted in over 400 civilians confirmed dead and hundreds of thousands of women, children and men displaced since the upsurge in violence began almost three months ago…

Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth – No new digest announcements identified
EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 20 July 2019

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

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

PDF-The Sentinel_ period ending 20 Jul 2019

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 and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals  [see PDF]

DRC – Ebola/Cholera/Polio/Measles

Disease Outbreak News (DONs}
Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
18 July 2019
…The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in North Kivu and Ituri provinces continued this past week with similar transmission intensity to recent weeks. While the stability of the transmission intensity of the outbreak is an indication of the strong response efforts to limit local transmission in affected health zones, the spread of EVD into new geographical areas and continued insecurity in the affected regions continue to complicate the control of the outbreak.

A salient example of this is the confirmed case of EVD that was reported in Goma, a city of approximately two million inhabitants close to the Rwandan border, on 14 July 2019. The case was a man who travelled to the city from Beni by bus, visiting a local health centre on arrival where the alert was raised. He transferred the same day to the Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) in Goma, and died while being transferred to the ETC in Butembo. The case’s full travel history is known, and all contacts are being identified and followed-up. Vaccination of his contacts, and contacts of contacts, in Goma commenced on 15 July 2019. The confirmation of a case of EVD in the city of Goma had been long anticipated. Preparation activities, including the vaccination of health workers, intensive training in infection prevention and control, and heightened surveillance have been ongoing for more than six months. Neighbouring Rwanda is also conducting preparedness activities. Rumours of his contacts travelling to Bukavu, South Kivu, have been investigated and ruled out by response teams…

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Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
17 July 2019 News release Geneva
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today declared the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

“It is time for the world to take notice and redouble our efforts. We need to work together in solidarity with the DRC to end this outbreak and build a better health system,” said Dr. Tedros. “Extraordinary work has been done for almost a year under the most difficult circumstances. We all owe it to these responders — coming from not just WHO but also government, partners and communities — to shoulder more of the burden.”…

“It is important that the world follows these recommendations. It is also crucial that states do not use the PHEIC as an excuse to impose trade or travel restrictions, which would have a negative impact on the response and on the lives and livelihoods of people in the region,” said Professor Robert Steffen, chair of the Emergency Committee…

“This is about mothers, fathers and children – too often entire families are stricken. At the heart of this are communities and individual tragedies,” said Dr. Tedros. “The PHEIC should not be used to stigmatize or penalize the very people who are most in need of our help.”…

Migration Governance

United Nations Launches Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office to Support Cooperation on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
2019-07-17
New York – UN Member States and UN entities Tuesday (16/07) unveiled a new trust fund in support of achieving safe, orderly and regular migration.

The initiative, The Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), was called for by the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2018. The aim is to provide financing for innovative programmes designed to support States’ migration priorities, ensure the better protection of migrants, foster cooperation, and further the promotion of migration governance that benefits all.

“The Migration Fund can provide the impetus for all of us to take the next step; to bring the Migration Compact to life, to move us closer to realizing the SDGs, and to effect positive change in the field of migration,” explained Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, at the launch held at the UNICEF’s New York headquarters.

For his part, António Vitorino—Director General of the International Organization for Migration and chair of the UN Network on Migration—compared the positive impacts of safe and regular migration with the ‘tremendous human and economic losses incurred when migration is poorly managed. DG Vitorino noted that migrants make up 3.4 per cent of the world population and contribute 10 per cent of global GDP, with 85 per cent of migrants’ earnings contributing to their host countries’s economies, and only a small proportion being remitted back to their homelands.

Nonetheless, migration today continues to be a life-threatening transaction for far too many men, women and children. According to UN figures, since 2014, over 32,000 migrants worldwide have lost their lives or gone missing along migratory routes. Many have fallen victim to trafficking, arbitrary detention and exploitative or forced labour. Many more victims remain unaccounted for.

Migration governance, DG. Vitorino added, is “one of the most urgent and profound tests of international cooperation in our time.”

DG Vitorino noted, too, that social discourse on migration currently is too often framed in binary terms: those in favour or against migration. Research shows, however, that migration is overwhelmingly positive for migrants and communities of origin, transit and destination–when managed in a safe, regular and orderly manner.

The Multi-Partner Trust Fund is open for contributions, with a target of USD 25 million for its first year of operations. Under the aegis of a representative Steering Committee comprising States, the UN system, and a broad range of partners, the Fund will facilitate the exchange of best practices and evidence-based migration policies.

The event was organized by the Chairs of the Friends of Migration group and the UN Migration Network, which brings together all UN entities working on migration. Find more information on the Migration MPTF here.

Global Health – Child Immunization

20 million children missed out on lifesaving measles, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines in 2018
New estimates find dangerous stagnation of global vaccination rates, due to conflict, inequality and complacency
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 15 July 2019 – 20 million children worldwide – more than 1 in 10 – missed out on lifesaving vaccines such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus in 2018, according to new data from WHO and UNICEF.

Globally, since 2010, vaccination coverage with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) and one dose of the measles vaccine has stalled at around 86 per cent. While high, this is not sufficient. 95 per cent coverage is needed – globally, across countries, and communities – to protect against outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

“Vaccines are one of our most important tools for preventing outbreaks and keeping the world safe,” said Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “While most children today are being vaccinated, far too many are left behind. Unacceptably, it’s often those who are most at risk– the poorest, the most marginalized, those touched by conflict or forced from their homes – who are persistently missed,” he said.

Most unvaccinated children live in the poorest countries and are disproportionately in fragile or conflict-affected states. Almost half are in just 16 countries – Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen…

Food Security/Nutrition

Press release
Joint statement by the Principals of FAO, WHO, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP and UN OCHA
14/07/2019 [
As principals of the United Nations humanitarian system, we have all looked into the blank stare and nearly lifeless body of a badly malnourished child, whose ever-so shallow breathing is often the only sign of life.

We have all been deeply affected when a child could not be saved.

But we have also witnessed the tireless work that United Nations staff and partners do every day – often in dangerous environments – so that children on the brink of death can recover and so that hungry children lacking enough nutritious food never fall to that level.

Every year, the United Nations provides 10 million children suffering from acute malnutrition (“wasting”) with services they need to recover, including nutrition treatment, treatment of infections such as diarrheal diseases, hygiene and sanitation services, and access to clean water and the nutritious diets needed for heathy growth. Two million malnourished pregnant women and new mothers received food supplementation to improve their nutrition and that of their baby.

Furthermore, the United Nations also supports millions more children every year so that they do not fall into a state of malnutrition, by promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding and adequate access to healthy and nutritious diet at all times.

Yet, after decades of falling, the number of hungry people in the world has increased in recent years. Now they number 820 million. In addition, nearly 50 million of children under the age of five are “wasted” – that is children suffering from acute malnutrition, marked by their being underweight for their height. And 149 million are “stunted” – that is suffering stunted growth in height and development caused by malnutrition.

For many children, undernutrition begins in the womb due to mothers not being able to access the healthy diets they need. The children who survive these risky pregnancies and the first critical months of life are more likely to have some form of malnutrition – being stunted or wasted – and millions suffer both forms at the same time. These children are much more likely to die before the age of 5 because their immunity to infections is weakened by a lack of nutrients. Those who survive may go on to suffer poor growth and mental development.

In many cases, their cognitive development is permanently impaired, and they perform worse in school and are less productive as adults. They are at greater risk of living a life in poverty, which means their children will be more likely to suffer the same fate. Breaking the intergenerational transmission cycle of malnutrition is key to eradicating malnutrition in all its forms and to reach Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The United Nations is working to put a more unified response in place. To draw attention to the growing problem of malnutrition and bring the international community together for an integrated response, the United Nations will launch the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World tomorrow to share the latest information on the number of individuals in the world suffering from hunger and more importantly the number of children still wasted and stunted.

The United Nations is learning from existing studies to improve the tools we have to treat and prevent malnutrition. We are supporting research to ensure improvements to existing treatment guidelines are based on the best possible evidence.

In the light of that, the World Health Organization will publish comprehensive, updated guidelines on treating acute malnutrition (“wasting”) by the middle of 2021. We are working to build environments that ensure access to healthy and nutritious diets at all times and ensure families with acutely malnourished children can access life-saving treatments, including in their communities and outreach clinics so they do not have to travel up to hundreds of miles to get a child to a clinic.

More importantly, the United Nations is also working to prevent malnutrition with increased efforts, especially for households with infants and children, in livelihood development, social protection measures, and accessible health services that can result, increased consumption of healthy and nutritious diets, and healthy growth and development.

With conflict driving much of the growth in hunger and malnutrition in recent years, we are streamlining treatment and prevention for acute malnutrition in complex emergencies. Recognizing, however, that the larger burden of malnutrition in terms of absolute numbers affected is outside of conflict, we are also working with governments to enhance prevention and treatment programmes for all forms of malnutrition.

Before the end of the year, we will launch the UN Global Plan of Action on Wasting to underscore our commitment to global action over the next decade to stop malnutrition before it occurs and to give children the chance to reach their full potential, while ensuring that all children and women suffering from acute malnutrition receive the treatment they need.

To succeed, the United Nations is ready to support the member states to further develop and implement their policies, programmes and strategies, to address the burden of all forms of malnutrition. For success, we need the world’s commitment to be matched by the required funding. It is a good investment – for every dollar spent on preventing child malnutrition there is a US$16 return in reduced health costs and increase productivity.

The future of millions of children hangs in the balance. We must not let them down.

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The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019
SAFEGUARDING AGAINST ECONOMIC SLOWDOWNS AND DOWNTURNS
FAO, 2019 :: 239 pages
Key Messages
:: Analysis of household and individual level data from selected countries across all regions shows that food insecurity plays an important role as a determinant of many different forms of malnutrition. In upper-middle and high-income countries in particular, living in a food-insecure household is a predictor of obesity in school-age children, adolescents, and adults.

:: Previous editions of this report show how conflict and climate variability and extremes are exacerbating the above trends. This year the report shows that the uneven pace of economic recovery and continuing poor economic performance in many countries after the 2008–2009 global economic downturn are also undermining efforts to end hunger and malnutrition. Episodes of financial stress, elevated trade tensions and tightening financial conditions are contributing to uncertain global economic prospects.

:: Hunger has increased in many countries where the economy has slowed down or contracted, mostly in middle-income countries. Furthermore, economic shocks are contributing to prolonging and worsening the severity of food crises caused primarily by conflict and climate shocks.

:: Out of 65 countries where recent adverse impacts of economic slowdowns and downturns on food security and nutrition have been strongest, 52 countries rely heavily on primary commodity exports and/or imports.

:: Economic slowdowns or downturns disproportionally undermine food security and nutrition where inequalities are greater. Income inequality increases the likelihood of severe food insecurity, and this effect is 20 percent higher for low-income countries compared with middle income countries. Income and wealth inequalities are also closely associated with undernutrition, while more complex inequality patterns are associated with obesity.

:: To safeguard food security and nutrition, it is critical to already have in place economic and social policies to counteract the effects of adverse economic cycles when they arrive, while avoiding cuts in essential services, such as health care and education, at all costs. In the longer term, however, this will only be possible through fostering pro-poor and inclusive structural transformation, particularly in countries that rely heavily on trade in primary commodities.

:: To ensure that structural transformation is pro-poor and inclusive requires integrating food security and nutrition concerns into poverty reduction efforts, while ensuring that reducing gender inequalities and social exclusion of population groups is either the means to, or outcome of, improved food security and nutrition.

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Press Release
World hunger is still not going down after three years and obesity is still growing – UN report
More than 820 million people are hungry globally
15 July 2019 News release
An estimated 820 million people did not have enough to eat in 2018, up from 811 million in the previous year, which is the third year of increase in a row. This underscores the immense challenge of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030, says a new edition of the annual The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report released today.

The pace of progress in halving the number of children who are stunted and in reducing the number of babies born with low birth weight is too slow, which also puts the SDG 2 nutrition targets further out of reach, according to the report.

At the same time, adding to these challenges, overweight and obesity continue to increase in all regions, particularly among school-age children and adults.

The chances of being food insecure are higher for women than men in every continent, with the largest gap in Latin America.

“Our actions to tackle these troubling trends will have to be bolder, not only in scale but also in terms of multisectoral collaboration,” the heads of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) urged in their joint foreword to the report.

Hunger is increasing in many countries where economic growth is lagging, particularly in middle-income countries and those that rely heavily on international primary commodity trade. The annual UN report also found that income inequality is rising in many of the countries where hunger is on the rise, making it even more difficult for the poor, vulnerable or marginalized to cope with economic slowdowns and downturns.

“We must foster pro-poor and inclusive structural transformation focusing on people and placing communities at the centre to reduce economic vulnerabilities and set ourselves on track to ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition,” the UN leaders said.

Key facts and figures
:: Number of hungry people in the world in 2018: 821.6 million (or 1 in 9 people)  in Asia: 513.9 million
in Africa: 256.1million
in Latin America and the Caribbean: 42.5 million
:: Number of moderately or severely food insecure: 2 billion (26.4%)
:: Babies born with low birth weight: 20.5 million (one in seven)
:: Children under 5 affected by stunting (low height-for-age): 148.9 million (21.9%)
:: Children under 5 affected by wasting (low weight-for-height): 49.5 million (7.3%)
:: Children under 5 who are overweight (high weight-for-height): 40 million (5.9%)
:: School-age children and adolescents who are overweight: 338 million
:: Adults who are obese: 672 million (13% or 1 in 8 adults)

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 17 July 2019
:: In Central African Republic, a series of previously-detected/reported VDPV2s have now been officially classified as ‘circulating’.  Since initial detection of the viruses in May, the country had already operationally considered these viruses to represent an outbreak and implemented emergency outbreak response and declared the event to be a national public health emergency.
:: A cVDPV2 originating in Jigawa, Nigeria, continues to spread.  Genetically-linked virus has been confirmed from an environmental sample in Ghana.
:: In Myanmar, a cVDPV1 has been reported and response measures are being implemented.  Neighbouring countries have been informed of the confirmed cVDPV1, and surveillance for polioviruses is being strengthened across the region.  Myanmar had previously successfully stopped a cVDPV2 outbreak in 2015.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan — one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case and one WPV1-positive environmental sample;
:: Pakistan— four WPV1 cases and three WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Nigeria —three circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases, two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples, and one cVDPV2 isolated from a healthy contact;
:: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — five cVDPV2 cases;
:: Central African Republic (CAR) — three cVDPV2 cases, one case classified cVDPV2 based on a positive contact, and ten cVDPV2 community/close contacts ;
:: Angola — one cVDPV2 isolated from healthy child;
:: Ghana — one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample linked to Jigawa/Nigeria outbreak;
:: Myanmar — two cVDPV1 cases and two cVDPV1 positive contacts.

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Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.
WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 20 Jul 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern 19 July 2019
:: High-level meeting on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo affirms support for Government-led response and UN system-wide approach 15 July 2019
:: 50: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu 16 July 2019
:: Disease Outbreak News (DONs} Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
18 July 2019
[See DRC Ebola+ above for detail]

Syrian Arab Republic
:: Elizabeth Hoff: Seven years of tireless work in war-torn Syria 15 July 2019

Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 20 Jul 2019]

Measles in Europe
:: Vaccination against measles increases amid ongoing measles outbreaks in Europe 15-07-2019

MERS-CoV
:: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
16 July 2019
From 1 through 31 May 2019, the National International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported 14 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) infection, including five deaths…

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Libya – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017)
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 20 Jul 2019]

Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth – No new digest announcements identified
EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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