UNICEF [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_78364.html

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Selected press release and news notes
Three months on from first Nepal quake, children still at risk
KATHMANDU, Nepal, 25 July 2015 – Three months after Nepal’s April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks, children continue to face multiple risks as their families have been pushed deeper into poverty and they remain in need of aid.

Violence involving children in conflicts has taken a darker turn — UNICEF
NEW YORK, 24 July 2015 – “Millions of children around the world today are caught up in adults’ wars – deliberately killed, injured, raped, abducted. Their schools and homes are being destroyed; they are being denied food, water and health care. Tens of thousands are forced to join armed forces and groups.

Amid conflict in Yemen, UNICEF helps get children back to learning
SANA’A Yemen/GENEVA, July 24, 2015- The ongoing conflict in Yemen is having a devastating impact on the country’s education system – and on the chances of millions of children to access learning.

Water cuts in Aleppo threaten children amid intense heat wave
DAMASCUS, Syria, 22 July 2015 – The restoration of water supplies to the war-torn city of Aleppo has come as a welcome relief to residents whose taps have run dry in recent weeks due to the fighting and frequent power cuts. The disruption to piped water supplies – which in some cases was deliberately implemented by parties to the conflict – increased the risk of water-borne disease especially among children.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

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Selected Press Releases
Displaced Nepal Quake Survivors Move to Larger Sites, But Aid Gaps, Insecurity Persist
07/24/15
Nepal – A new IOM report shows that internally displaced people (IDPs) are consolidating in fewer, larger sites, but important service and security gaps remain.

Aden Displacement Escalates as Yemen Conflict Intensifies
07/24/15
Yemen – As the conflict in the Yemeni seaport of Aden escalates, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has increased rapidly during the last three days.

EU, Norway, Germany Back IOM Cash Aid to 16,000 Displaced in Ukraine
07/24/15
Ukraine – IOM is expanding its donor-funded cash assistance programmes in the country to help some of the most vulnerable IDPs.

Iraq Displacement Passes 3.1 Million
07/21/15
Iraq – The latest IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) has identified more than 3.1 million Iraqis displaced by conflict since the beginning of 2014.

IOM Evacuates Ethiopian Trafficking Victims from Yemen
07/21/15
Ethiopia – IOM has helped 3,478 vulnerable Ethiopian migrants stranded by the conflict in Yemen, including 229 medical cases, to return home.

IOM, Partners Assess Efforts to Combat New Ebola Cases in Sierra Leone
07/21/15
Sierra Leone – Ebola cases have been falling sharply since the start of the year, but the decline has now stalled in Sierra Leone.

Southern Africa Addresses Protection of Unaccompanied Child Migrants
07/21/15
Zimbabwe – IOM, in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, UNHCR and UNODC, met in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe earlier this month for a ministerial Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) meeting on mixed and irregular migration, with a special focus on the protection of unaccompanied migrant children.

IOM Colombia, Partners Discuss Risks Faced by Child Migrants
07/21/15
Colombia – National and international experts from the Colombian government, international organizations, academia and civil society have met in Bogota to discuss the risks faced by child migrants.

Papua New Guinea, IOM Sign Climate Change and Migration Pact
07/21/15
Papua New Guinea – The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident in the Pacific Region and especially in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Migration caused by changes in the environment is prevalent, but often overlooked. Climate driven migration and resettlement are also emerging as catalysts of tension and conflict with host communities.

IOM Supports CAR Peace Campaign In Bangui
07/21/15
Central African Republic – Since 15 July IOM has been supporting local artists in the Central African Republic (CAR) to kick off a campaign called “Peace Comes from You”. The campaign was rolled out in the conflict-affected 5th District of the capital Bangui and is part of IOM’s European Union-funded Community Stabilization Programme’s social cohesion activities.

UN Women [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

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Selected Press Releases
Financing for development outcome bolsters gender equality
Date : July 24, 2015
At the first of three international meetings which will shape international development, world leaders acknowledged the key role of gender equality in development at the recent Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa. At the conference, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda endorsed a global framework that will shape the development cooperation agenda for the next 15 years and provide financing for the Post-2015 Development Agenda, including the standalone, comprehensive and transformative goal on achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment.

UN Women Executive Director: As we move forward, we will seek opportunities to win traction for, and achieve, the deep changes in the global financial architecture
Date : July 23, 2015
Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, on the financing for development outcome document following the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 13-16 July 2015.

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive

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Selected Press Releases
Paris call to conscience on climate
23 Jul 2015
UNISDR’s Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia, Senator Loren Legarda, declared the willingness of the Philippines to lead the fight to combat climate change during this week’s Summit of the Consciences for the Climate in Paris, France.

Africa aims for substantial reductions in disaster losses
23 Jul 2015
Representatives of 37 African governments today agreed to work together to achieve substantial reductions in disaster losses over the next 15 years, including reductions in mortality, the numbers of people affected and the economic damage caused by natural and human-induced hazards.

Tackling poverty and drought in Uganda
22 Jul 2015
A five-year initiative to tackle endemic poverty in Uganda’s northern region of Karamoja is expected to boost resilience to natural hazards, especially the recurrent droughts which can decimate livelihoods.

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2015/en/

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New initiative looks to bring soils into classrooms around the globe
A new series of educational materials is teaching children the importance of healthy soils for our food, environment, livelihoods and well-being.
24-07-2015

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Syria: Better rains improve wheat production, but food security situation remains bleak
The 2015 wheat crop is expected to be better than the 2014 drought stricken harvest, but will not lead to significant improvements in the overall household food security situation, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said in their report.
23-07-2015

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Worries rise over outbreaks of avian flu in West Africa
FAO calls for $20 million to prevent spread across region of 330 million
20 July 2015, Rome – Fears are growing that without timely intervention to stem outbreaks of the highly virulent avian flu virus H5N1 across West Africa, further spread across the region and beyond is inevitable, FAO said today.

To this end, the agency is calling for $20 million for prevention and response activities.

The call follows outbreaks of the virus in poultry farms, markets and family holdings in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.

The outbreak comes as countries across West Africa are still recovering from, and in some cases still battling, Ebola. Avian flu could trigger a mass die-off of chicken – a nutritious and inexpensive source of food for many people– with detrimental impacts on diets and on the economy of the region, exacerbating an already difficult situation…

ILO International Labour Organization [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.ilo.org/global/lang–en/index.htm

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Liberia’s new labour law commits to decent work
Liberia has made history by adopting a new labour law, as it is the only one in the world that directly refers to the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda in its title.
Comment | 24 July 2015
By Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, ILO Regional Director for Africa
MONROVIA (ILO News) – On 25 June, Liberian President Sirleaf signed into law the Decent Work Bill, the country’s first labour law since the 1950s.
The act marks the second time that the African country becomes a forerunner in promoting ILO standards. In June 2006, Liberia became the first country in the world to ratify the ILO’s Maritime Labour Convention . Now it has adopted the first labour law in the world that refers to the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda directly in its title…

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.cbd.int/press-releases/

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2015-07-20
To support the mobilisation and alignment of technical and financial resources for priority capacity-building needs, IPBES is developing a prototype Matchmaking Facility.
This Facility aims to promote and facilitate dialogue and cooperation among institutions, organisations and individuals looking for technical and financial support, and those in a position to provide such support. IPBES is launching a call for proposals and pledges of support for capacity-building projects and activities under the prototype IPBES Matchmaking Facility, following up on the outcome of the third session of the Plenary (decision IPBES-3/1).

DFID [to 25 July 2015]
https://www.gov.uk/government/latest?departments%5B%5D=department-for-international-development

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Earthquake response shows the strength of 200 year relationship between Britain and Nepal.
Published 24 July 2015 News story DFID and FCO

Girl Summit anniversary: one year on
Published 23 July 2015 Speech DFID and Home Office

Working for international organisations
Updated 22 July 2015 Guidance DFID and FCO

Minister celebrates Scotland’s humanitarian heroes involved in Nepal earthquake response
Published 20 July 2015 News story DFID

African Union [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.au.int/en
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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Jul.24.2015 U.S. President on historic visit to the African Union

Jul.20.2015 – Jul.21.2015 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AFRICA’S FIGHT AGAINST EBOLA “Africa helping Africans in the Ebola Recovery and Reconstruction”

Jul.21.2015 Ministerial meeting adopts Statute of the Africa CDC Urges fast tracking of the establishment of the continental mechanism on disease control and prevention

Jul.20.2015 14 lessons to prepare for future health emergencies from AU Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv2/news/

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Selected Press Releases
OIC Condemns Terrorist Attack in The Northern Cameroon
The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a market and a residential neighborhood in Maroau, Northern Cameroon on Wednesday, 22 July 2015. About 20 people lost their lives and many more got injured when two female suicide bombers blew themselves causing the death of many innocent people…
23/07/2015

OIC Condemns Approval to Build 886 New Settlement Units
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the approval by the Israeli occupation authorities for the building of 886 new settlement units. It said that the continuation of the policy of building and expanding Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian lands are an ongoing violation of the rights of the Palestinian people and a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions…
23/07/2015

OIC Criticizes Nuri Al-Maliki’s Statement on Saudi Arabia
The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has criticized the statement made by Mr. Nuri Al-Maliki, Vice President of the Republic of Iraq, to Afaq Wisal Television on 17 July 2015. Malki claimed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a sponsor and supporter of terrorism and called for it to be placed under international trusteeship…
22/07/2015

The OIC Concludes its Ramadan and Eid El-Fitr Campaign in CAR
The OIC has concluded its 2015 Ramadan and Eid El-Fitr Campaign, which was launched on 10 July 2015 to express solidarity and support to the needy and vulnerable people of the Central African Republic (CAR) particularly during the last ten days of Ramadan…
21/07/2015

OIC Condemns the Terrorist Attack in Turkish City of Suruc
The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its strong condemnation of the terrorist suicide bombing that occurred today, Monday, 20 July 2015 in Suruc, the Turkish border town with Syria, leaving at least 28 people dead and wounding 100 others….
20/07/2015

Group of 77 [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.g77.org/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by a representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, Chair of the Group of 77, at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on the agenda item on International Cooperation in Tax Matters (New York, 23 July 2015)

Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by a representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, on the occasion of the seventh session of the Post-2015 Development Agenda – Follow-up and Review (New York, 23 July 2015)

Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by a representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, on the occasion of the seventh session of the Post-2015 Development Agenda – Means of Implementation (New York, 23 July 2015)

Statement by a South African Representative on behalf of the Group of 77 and China during the consideration of the outcomes of the Eleventh Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests at the coordination and management meeting of the Economic and Social Council (New York, 22 July 2015)

Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by a representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, on the occasion of the seventh session of the Post-2015 Development Agenda – Goals and Targets (New York, 22 July 2015)

Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by a representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, on the occasion of the seventh session of the Post-2015 Development Agenda – Goals and Targets (New York, 22 July 2015)

Introductory remarks by a representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, Chair of the Group of 77, on the Draft Resolution under Agenda Item 16: “Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan”, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Coordination and Management Meeting, (New York, 20 July 2015)

Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by a representative of the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations, on the occasion of the seventh session of the Post-2015 Development Agenda – Opening Statement and Declaration (New York, 20 July 2015)

UNCTAD [to 25 July 2015]
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/AllPressRelease.aspx

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UNCTAD opens first regional office in Africa to ‘make trade work’ for the continent
Français | Español
UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2015/025
Geneva, Switzerland, (23 July 2015)
To directly deliver on-the-spot authoritative advice on trade and development issues to policymakers and all stakeholders in Africa, UNCTAD has opened a regional office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Regional Office for Africa will be headed by Ms. Joy Kategekwa, a Ugandan former official with the World Trade Organization. The inauguration of the office was marked by an official ceremony at the Hilton Addis Ababa hotel on 22 July.

The first UNCTAD office of its kind, the Africa branch will, in the words of UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi, help “make trade work for Africa”.

World Bank [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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PRESS RELEASE
Poll: Most Not Convinced World is Prepared for Next Epidemic
July 23, 2015
Publics in France, Germany, Japan, UK, and US Strongly Support Investing in Health in Developing Countries to Reduce Threat
Washington, DC, July 23, 2015 – Citizens in France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States are not convinced that the world is prepared for another global epidemic like Ebola, and they strongly support investments in developing countries to reduce the threat of infectious diseases, according to a new opinion research survey with 4,000 respondents among the general public and opinion elites across the five nations.
As new cases of Ebola continue to emerge in West Africa, twice as many respondents think the world will experience another global epidemic in the next decade as will not, and fewer than half are convinced that their own country is prepared. Nearly 8 in 10 people believe that investing in doctors, nurses and clinics in poor and developing countries helps prevent epidemics from breaking out in their own countries, while nearly 7 in 10 people say that doctors and nurses in their own countries should be encouraged to work in areas with disease outbreaks, outweighing risks of carrying diseases back to their own countries.
The poll, Preparing for the Next Outbreak: Public Views on Global Infectious Diseases, found that nearly 6 in 10 people support investments and policy changes in developing countries that will help protect their own country from global epidemics, while 7 in 10 believe strengthening health care in developing countries will save the world money…To view the presentation of the survey findings, please click here.

Latin America: New ways to strengthen social advances
July 21, 2015
The goal of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group is to end extreme poverty by 2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Latin American and Caribbean region will make history again this year. For the first time in nearly 50 years, the region will become the site of the international discussion on development. It will open its doors to thousands of representatives from around the world to discuss a future without extreme poverty and with more opportunities for all. The Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group are held every year in October. This year, the discussions will be held in Lima, Peru. It will be an appropriate scenario for highlighting the achievements and advances made in the region during this century, and for defining the challenges for continuing to reduce inequality and for reaching the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. The meeting will take place at a time when the region is facing challenges that are shaking the foundations of the recent economic growth and swelled the ranks of the middle class to nearly 100 million people.

PRESS RELEASE
World Bank Group Welcomes Launch of New Development Bank
July 20, 2015
WASHINGTON, July 20, 2015 –The World Bank Group today issued the following statement by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on the launch of the New Development Bank:
“We would like to congratulate Mr. K.V. Kamath, President of the New Development Bank, and the founding members — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — on this important occasion.
The New Development Bank joins a growing number of multilateral institutions — including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank — that are working to address the world’s huge infrastructure needs. Emerging markets and low-income countries face an annual gap of $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion in infrastructure spending.
We are committed to working closely with the New Development Bank and other multilateral institutions, offering to share our knowledge and to co-finance infrastructure projects. These types of partnerships will be essential to reach our common goals to end extreme poverty by 2030, boost shared prosperity, and to reduce inequalities.”

IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.ipu.org/english/news.htm

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Countdown to global Speakers’ Conference
23 JULY 2015
Preparations are in full swing for the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 31 August-2 September. The Conference, which will focus on placing democracy at the service of peace and sustainable development and building the world the people want, is part of a series of high-level meetings leading up to the UN Summit in September and the adoption of the new Sustainable Development Goals…

Major research project on parliamentary oversight set to start
23 JULY 2015
The vital role parliaments play in holding governments to account will be the focus of the second Global Parliamentary Report, a major research project led by IPU and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The report will explore the many different forms the role of parliamentary oversight takes, and whether parliaments have access to the information, tools and strategies they need to carry it out effectively. It will also investigate the central role of MPs, and ways to ensure they are fully engaged in the process, as well as the relationship which effective oversight has with gender equality and the representation of minorities in parliament…

World’s women Speakers seek gender balance progress
23 JULY 2015
Female Speakers from around the world will discuss how parliaments can empower and support women and promote gender equality, when they gather for the 10th Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament. Delegates at the meeting in New York on 29-30 August will search for innovative ways to speed up the process of achieving gender equality.

Kenya team proposes women’s quotas
23 JULY 2015
An IPU mission to Kenya has recommended the introduction of formal mechanisms to ensure the country meets the constitutional requirement for at least one third of its MPs to be women. Current figures are only 19 per cent in the lower house and 26 per cent in the upper house…

IPU President urges parliamentary reforms to enable SDG implementation
23 JULY 2015
IPU President Saber Chowdhury has highlighted the need for parliamentary reforms to enable the future Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets to be integrated into a coherent policy framework in each country as well as globally…

Malaysia’s Anwar receives hospital care after IPU call
23 JULY 2015
IPU has welcomed the news that jailed former Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been sent for hospital treatment, less than a week after an IPU human rights team called for him to receive prompt medical care as and when needed…

Parliamentary support principles online in four languages
23 JULY 2015
Guidelines setting out how to provide support to national parliaments have been published online in Arabic, adding to the English, French and Spanish online versions. The Common Principles for Support to Parliament were adopted by IPU members last October, distilling more than 40 years of experience into a single, accessible document. The principles stress that parliaments must play a central role in their own development, and set out examples of good practice and ways to ensure more effective cooperation between parliaments and their partners, including those from the UN system. A total of 64 national parliaments, three parliamentary assemblies and 14 partner organizations have already formally endorsed (PDF) the Common Principles…

Rwanda agreement will improve sexual and reproductive health services
23 JULY 2015
An agreement between Rwanda and IPU has opened the way for new measures and activities to promote sexual and reproductive health, especially among adolescents. The agreement focuses on making parliament better equipped to pass relevant legislation, developing strategies for it to engage fully in the budget process to ensure funding is in place, and promoting statistics systems to accurately measure ongoing progress on maternal, newborn and child health…

Amref Health Africa [to 25 July 2015]
http://amref.org/news/news/

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Amref Health Africa CEO Speaks Out on Global Development Financing Meeting
20 July 2015
The 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development held in Addis Ababa last week discussed policies and actions that will generate resources for achievement of the new sustainable development agenda. Tax avoidance and illicit financial flows were identified as factors undermining efforts to boost domestic revenue for development. Amref Health Africa CEO Dr Githinji Gitahi was interviewed about the outcome of the conference on CCTV’s Global Business segment.

See a recording of the live interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB0L8zFcNGg

CARE International [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.care-international.org/news/press-releases.aspx

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Nepal Earthquake Three Months On: Monsoon Rains Bring New Threats to Survivors
NEPAL
23 JULY 2015
CARE warns that landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains are bringing new challenges to the earthquake relief effort in Nepal and have already claimed lives.

Danish Refugee Council [to 25 July 2015]
http://drc.dk/news/archive/

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Potential of devolution in Kenya for transitional solutions for refugees (24.07.15)
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) in partnership with the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) has launched its latest study titled “Devolution in Kenya: Opportunity for Transitional Solutions for Refugees.”

The research conducted by Samuel Hall was commissioned to analyse the potential opportunities opened by the devolution process in Kenya for interim solutions for refugees which can contribute to building their self-reliance and to local economies.

“This report examines the case studies of Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps while taking stock of the political and security context framing refugee affairs in Kenya. It intends to assist policy makers to increase the potential of refugees to contribute to the development of counties and communities where they are hosted. It also aims to assess the role of the county governments in supporting improved quality of asylum and transitional solutions for refugees,” said Gemma Davies, ReDSS Coordinator…

Casa Alianza [to 25 July 2015]
Covenant House [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.casa-alianza.org.uk/news
https://www.covenanthouse.org/

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“We Need To Enforce This Law”
Friday, July 24, 2015
Following the tragic death of a young woman, Covenant House Executive Director Jim Kelly makes a passionate plea to the New York City Council to enforce laws protecting young girls from the dangers of dancing in adult clubs.

Heifer International [to 25 July 2015]
http://www.heifer.org/about-heifer/press/press-releases.html

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July 21, 2015
Heifer International CEO Pierre Ferrari Joins Fair Trade USA’s Board of Directors
Oakland, CA
Today Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in North America, announced that Pierre Ferrari, Chief Executive Officer of Heifer International, has been elected to the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors.