Twenty-five years since the entry into force of the Convention against Torture, this cruel and dehumanizing practice remains pervasive.
Every day, women, men and children are tortured or ill-treated with the intention of destroying their sense of dignity and human worth. In some cases, this is part of a deliberate state policy of instilling fear and intimidating its population.
In too many countries, people’s legitimate demands for freedom and human rights are met with brutal repression. Even when regimes change, torture often persists and a culture of impunity remains.
On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we express our solidarity with, and support for, the hundreds of thousands of victims of torture and their family members throughout the world who endure such suffering.
We also note the obligation of States not only to prevent torture but to provide all torture victims with effective and prompt redress, compensation and appropriate social, psychological, medical and other forms of rehabilitation. Both the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council have now strongly urged States to establish and support rehabilitation centres or facilities.
The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture supports hundreds of organizations and entities that provide assistance to victims of torture and their family members in all regions of the world. However, the Fund has seen a significant decrease in contributions over the past two years.
I strongly encourage States to reverse this trend, despite current global financial uncertainty. By concretely supporting victims of torture, the international community will prove its unequivocal determination and commitment to fight torture and impunity.
United Nations, New York, June 2012 - In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed, in its resolution 47/90 of 16 December 1992, the International Day of Cooperatives to be celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July.
Imagine an item that you simply couldn’t live without. Maybe it’s
your music player, or a pen, or your computer, something you use every
day in your work, a piece of medical equipment or just your favourite
toy. Now stop and think: did that item, or any part of that item, or any
of the materials from which that item has been made, come by sea? The
chances are, the answer is “yes”.
25 June 2012 marks the second international Day of the Seafarer.
On that day, IMO is asking people around the world to use social
networks to highlight just how important seafarers are to everyone on
the planet, as they transport all over the world those vital items,
commodities and components which are so vital to all our daily lives.
So, on 25 June 2012, the Day of the seafarer, we ask you to
tell the world, through your social media connections, about an object
in your daily life that you can’t live without, and which came by sea.
Take a photo, write a description, record a song, make a film, whatever
you prefer: and then just post it on the social platform of your choice
and add the campaign slogan: “thank you seafarers”.
Seafarers leave their homes and families, often for long periods to
ensure that essential items and commodities on which our lives depend
arrive safely at our homes.
So show the seafarers of the world -
and your friends, too – your appreciation of the extraordinary services
they render every day of their professional lives, under demanding and
sometimes dangerous circumstances.
Day of the Seafarer is an innovative campaign that harnesses the
power of social media to raise awareness of seafarers and their unique
role. Everyone, regardless of where they live, can join the campaign
online.
So, on 25 June, you can join in by:
o Sharing your post on Facebook, if you have pictures, videos or any special message, please share them on our wall. o Sending us a message @IMOHQ and @SeafarerDay using hashtag #thankyouseafarer o On pinterest, you can pin a picture of your chosen object with the caption “Day of the Seafarer”
We invite participants to download the toolkits available here and join the campaign:
Thank you very much for your support. Join the campaign, follow us
on social media and let us know on the 25th June, your favourite object
that came by sea and that you can’t live without!
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE SEAFARER - June 25
25 June of each year is the "Day of the Seafarer", recognizing the
invaluable contribution seafarers make to international trade and the
world economy, often at great personal cost to themselves and their
families.
"On the annual observance of Public Service Day, we honour
those who accept the responsibilities of service to humanity and who
contribute to excellence and innovation in public service institutions."
Women can be exposed to extensive vulnerabilities when their
husbands pass away. Far too many widows are shut out of any inheritance,
land tenure, livelihood, social safety net, health care or education.
Their children must cope not only with grief at the loss of their
father, but also their own sudden loss of status and benefits in
society.
At the same time, it is important to recognize the strengths and
contributions of the world’s widows, who raise families, run companies
and even head governments and States. Our challenge is to optimize this
potential by removing discriminatory laws, policies and practices that
impede widows from enjoying the dignity and equality they deserve.
Discrimination can take many forms. Widows are sometimes required
to conduct their business through male guardians. Widows may be cast
out from their communities, forced into marriage or physically abused
with impunity. Their children are more likely to drop out of school and
become trapped in intergenerational poverty.
I am especially concerned about the plight of widows in
situations of conflict and natural disasters. At such times of violence
and upheaval, many relatively young women find themselves suddenly
widowed and victimized. We should do more than protect them; we should
ensure they have the opportunity to participate in decisions on
humanitarian relief and peacebuilding so they can help build a better
future.
On this International Widows’ Day, let us resolve to end all
discrimination against the world’s widows, and to enable them to enjoy
their full human rights. The benefits will extend to their children,
communities and society as a whole.
The
United States is strongly committed to protecting and assisting
refugees and we offer resettlement to more refugees each year than all
other countries in the world combined.
The
United States joins the international community in commemorating the
courage and determination of millions of refugees around the globe. The
United States is strongly committed to protecting and assisting refugees
and we offer resettlement to more refugees each year than all other
countries in the world combined. Since 1975, more than three million
refugees have made new homes in the United States, and nearly half of
them have become U.S. citizens.
Refugees are contributing in ways large and small to business,
academia, the arts, science and technology. Today we celebrate the
success of refugees who have built new lives here and in other
resettlement countries, but we also recognize the millions of refugees
who remain displaced in camps, cities, and rural settlements around the
world. We are proud to support the efforts of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the many other organizations that
work on behalf of refugees worldwide, and recommit ourselves to provide
protection and assistance to some of the world's most vulnerable people.
They fled across the
borders of Libya as the country slid into civil war. They ran for their
lives through the dense bush in western Cote d’Ivoire, to reach shelter
in Liberia. And, as famine loomed in Somalia, they poured into the camps
of Dadaab in Kenya and Dolo Ado in Ethiopia desperate for food, water
and medical attention.
ROME -- Of the 99 million people who received WFP food
assistance last year, one in five was a displaced person. Forced to
flee across borders as refugees, or internally displaced within their
own countries by fighting or by natural disasters, they are among the
world’s most vulnerable people. Every year on World Refugee Day (20
June), we recognize their struggle.
WFP Assisting Refugees
In 2011, WFP provided food assistance to:
• Refugees: 2,595,785
• IDPs: 15,093,137
• Returnees: 3,061,072
Unfortunately, many refugee crises continue for a long time. For
example, WFP provides food assistance near the Sudan-Eritrea border in
camps for Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees that were set up in the
1960s.
Today, among the newest camps are those in Mauritania, Niger and
Burkina Faso, where WFP is helping tens of thousands of Malians who fled
their homes following a recent coup d’etat.
WFP works closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to provide
emergency rations to new arrivals and longer-term food assistance once
refugees are officially registered.
WFP also works with the International Organization for Migration and
governments to assist ‘returnees’ with reintegration packages to help
them get back on their feet when they finally go home. Today, WFP is
assisting thousands of returnees who are going home to South Sudan,
which became the newest country in the world last July.
3 places where WFP is assisting refugees right now:
More than 42 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes and communities. More than a million fled their countries in the last eighteen months alone due to a wave of conflicts, in Côte d'Ivoire, Libya, Mali, Somalia, Sudan and Syria. These numbers represent far more than statistics; they are individuals and families whose lives have been upended, whose communities have been destroyed, and whose future remains uncertain.
World Refugee Day is a moment to remember all those affected, and a time to intensify our support.
Four out of five refugees are in developing countries, and have benefitted from the remarkable generosity of host countries that themselves face serious deprivations. The Islamic Republics of Pakistan and Iran host the largest number of refugees, with over two and half million between them. Tunisia and Liberia are also among countries that, despite their own national challenges, maintained open borders and shared scarce water, land and other resources for those suffering the impact of armed violence.
Kenya’s third biggest city is a refugee camp and hosts over half a million Somalis, many in their third decade of exile. Niger, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso — suffering famine and drought — now host some 175,000 refugees fleeing conflict in Mali. These countries cannot be left to shoulder this burden alone.
The United Nations — and in particular the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees — is working to address all of these challenges, while also providing protection and assistance to 15.5 million persons displaced within their own countries. We are also focusing on preventing and reducing statelessness. But humanitarian assistance is not enough.
The recent UNHCR Global Trends report shows that displacement is outpacing solutions. We must work together to mobilize the political will and leadership to prevent and end the conflicts that trigger refugee flows. Where security is restored, we must address the underlying causes of conflict, allowing sustainable refugee return through access to livelihoods, services and the rule of law.
Despite budget constraints everywhere, we must not turn away from those in need. Refugees leave because they have no choice. We must choose to help.
Global Trends Report: 800,000 new refugees in 2011, highest this century
GENEVA, June 18 (UNHCR)
A report
released today by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees shows 2011 to
have been a record year for forced displacement across borders, with
more people becoming refugees than at any time since 2000.
UNHCR's "Global Trends 2011" report details for the first time the
extent of forced displacement from a string of major humanitarian crises
that began in late 2010 in Côte d'Ivoire, and was quickly followed by
others in Libya, Somalia, Sudan and elsewhere. In all, 4.3 million
people were newly displaced, with a full 800,000 of these fleeing their
countries and becoming refugees.
"2011 saw suffering on an epic scale. For so many lives to have been
thrown into turmoil over so short a space of time means enormous
personal cost for all who were affected," said the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees António Guterres. "We can be grateful only that the
international system for protecting such people held firm for the most
part and that borders stayed open. These are testing times."
Worldwide, 42.5 million people ended 2011 either as refugees (15.2
million), internally displaced (26.4 million) or in the process of
seeking asylum (895,000). Despite the high number of new refugees, the
overall figure was lower than the 2010 total of 43.7 million people, due
mainly to the offsetting effect of large numbers of internally
displaced people (IDPs) returning home: 3.2 million, the highest rate of
returns of IDPs in more than a decade. Among refugees, and
notwithstanding an increase in voluntary repatriation over 2010 levels,
2011 was the third lowest year for returns (532,000) in a decade.
Viewed on a 10-year basis, the report shows several worrying trends:
One is that forced displacement is affecting larger numbers of people
globally, with the annual level exceeding 42 million people for each of
the last five years. Another is that a person who becomes a refugee is
likely to remain as one for many years –
often stuck in a camp or living precariously in an urban location. Of
the 10.4 million refugees under UNHCR's mandate, almost three quarters
(7.1 million) have been in exile for at least five years awaiting a
solution.
Overall, Afghanistan remains the biggest producer of refugees (2.7
million) followed by Iraq (1.4 million), Somalia (1.1 million), Sudan
(500,000) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (491,000).
Around four-fifths of the world's refugees flee to their neighbouring
countries, reflected in the large refugee populations seen, for
example, in Pakistan (1.7 million people), Iran (886,500), Kenya
(566,500) and Chad (366,500).
Among industrialized countries, Germany ranks as the largest hosting
country with 571,700 refugees. South Africa, meanwhile, was the largest
recipient of individual asylum applications (107,000), a status it has
held for the past four years.
UNHCR's original mandate was to help refugees, but in the six decades
since the agency was established in 1950 its work has grown to include
helping many of the world's internally displaced people and those who
are stateless (those lacking recognized citizenship and the human rights
that accompany this).
The Global Trends 2011 report notes that only 64 governments provided
data on stateless people, meaning that UNHCR was able to capture
numbers for only around a quarter of the estimated 12 million stateless
people worldwide.
Of the 42.5 million people who were in a state of forced displacement
as of the end of last year, not all fall under UNHCR's care: Some 4.8
million refugees, for example, are registered with the UN Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Among the 26.4 million internally
displaced, 15.5 million receive UNHCR assistance and protection.
Overall, UNHCR's refugee and IDP caseload of 25.9 million people grew by
700,000 people in 2011.
The Global Trends report is UNHCR's main annual report on the state
of forced displacement. Additional data is published annually in the
agency's Statistical Yearbooks, and in twice-yearly reports on asylum applications in industrialized nations.
“Essentially,
all life depends upon the soil. There can be no life without soil and
no soil without life; they have evolved together”, American
naturalist Charles Kellogg wrote in 1938. Fertile soil is indeed among
the world’s most significant non-renewable and finite resources. It is a
key element, which sustains life on the Earth and provides us with
water, food, fodder and fuels.
But, as the global population is growing, competing claims on this
finite resource are sharply increasing. Productive land is under
pressure from agriculture and pastoral use as well as infrastructure
growth, urbanization and extraction of minerals. To make things worse,
policy-makers often overlook or misguide land use.
By 2030, the demand for food is expected to grow by 50 percent and
for energy and water for 45 and 30 percent respectively. The demand for
food alone is likely to claim an additional 120 million hectares of
productive land – an area equal to the size of South Africa. Unless
degraded land is rehabilitated, forests and other lands will have to
make way for the required food production.
The rates of land depletion are especially worrying in the drylands,
areas highly vulnerable to degradation due to aridity and water
scarcity. Land degradation is called desertification here because it
often creates desert-like conditions. Each year due to desertification
and drought, 12 million hectares of land - the area equal to half the
size of UK - are lost. This is an area, where 20 million tons of grain
could have been gown.
Drylands make up 44 percent of all the world’s cultivated systems and
account for 50 percent of its livestock. If we want to be able to meet
the three biggest global challenges in the next twenty years – food,
water and energy security – we need to do everything it takes to combat
desertification and to restore degraded lands.
The global observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification this
year takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, just a few days before the
Rio+20 Conference. To this end, world leaders at Rio+20 need to adopt a
stand-alone goal on sustainable land use for all and by all. To achieve
this goal, we need to avoid land degradation in the non-degraded areas
and restore soil fertility in the already degraded lands. We also need
to avoid deforestation and adopt drought preparedness policies in all
drought-prone countries and regions.
In the past, zero net land degradation
was unattainable. But success stories in land restoration, scientific
findings and technical know-how today indicate that the goal is
realistic. Practical solutions to desertification exist and are already
being employed by local communities around the world. Sustaining healthy
soil and restoring degraded land ensure food security, alleviate rural
poverty and hunger and build resilience to major environmental
challenges.
More than two billion hectares of land worldwide are suitable for
rehabilitation through agro-forestry and landscape restoration. Of that,
about 1.5 billion hectares are suitable for mosaic restoration by means
of agroforestry and smallholder agriculture. We need to promote
sustainable land and water management techniques, agroforestry and
re-greening initiatives and support them on the political level and
through new inclusive business models. Only this way can we become a
land-degradation neutral society.
To make it happen, we need your support. Governments should introduce
sustainable land-use into their policies, make it their priority and
set up national targets to halt land degradation. Businesses should
invest in practices that increase efficiency in land-use. Scientists,
media and civil society should help us spread the word that this goal is
crucial. Together, we can make this paradigm shift.
It is my pleasure to wish you all a memorable celebration of the
World Day to Combat Desertification. This is an important reminder for
us that despite some progress, land degradation, desertification and
drought are still our reality. We should not let them dry up our soil,
the very foundation of the Future We Want.
Therefore, let us go land-degradation neutral.
-------------
Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York
‘Without Healthy Soil, Life on Earth is Unsustainable,’ Says Secretary-General, Urging States to Ensure Sustainable Land Management Part of Rio+20 Legacy
Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message on the World Day to Combat Desertification, which is observed 17 June:
The World Day to Combat Desertification falls this year on the eve of the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development. Global efforts to halt and reverse land degradation are
integral to creating the future we want. Sustainable land use is a
prerequisite for lifting billions from poverty, enabling food and
nutrition security, and safeguarding water supplies. It is a
cornerstone of sustainable development.
The people who live in the
world’s arid lands, which occupy more than 40 per cent of our planet’s
land area, are among the poorest and most vulnerable to hunger. We will
not achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 without preserving
the soils on which their subsistence depends.
Nor will we be able to
guarantee our freshwater resources, 70 per cent of which are already
used for agriculture. By 2030, the demand for water is projected to
rise by 35 per cent. Unless we change our land-use practices, we face
the prospect of diminishing and inadequate water supplies, as well as
more frequent and intense droughts.
Further, by 2050, we will
need sufficient productive land to feed an estimated 9 billion people
with per capita consumption levels greater than those of today. This
will be impossible if soil loss continues at its current pace — an
annual loss of 75 billion tons. Important land-use decisions need to be
made, as well as critical investments ranging from extension services
for small farmers to the latest technology to support environmentally
sustainable mass food production.
Rio+20 is our opportunity
to showcase the many smart and effective land management systems and
options that exist or are in the pipeline. Twenty years on from the
adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, let
us ensure that a commitment to sustainable land management features
prominently in the official outcome at Rio and in the wider mobilization
for sustainability that will also be part of Rio’s legacy. Without
healthy soil, life on Earth is unsustainable.
17 June 2012 – Top
United Nations officials have called for greater efforts to preserve
the soils on which human subsistence depends and to halt and reverse
land degradation.
“Without healthy soil, life on Earth is unsustainable,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his message
for the World Day to Combat Desertification, which is observed annually
on 17 June and falls this year on the eve of the UN Conference on
Sustainable Development.
“Global efforts to halt and reverse land degradation are integral to
creating the future we want,” Mr. Ban said. “Sustainable land use is a
prerequisite for lifting billions from poverty, enabling food and
nutrition security, and safeguarding water supplies. It is a cornerstone
of sustainable development.”
The upcoming sustainable development conference, to be held from 20 to
22 June in Rio de Janeiro, follows on from the Earth Summit held in the
same city in 1992, during which desertification, along with climate
change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest
challenges to sustainable development.
Over 100 heads of State and government, along with thousands of
parliamentarians, mayors, UN officials, chief executive officers and
civil society leaders will gather at “Rio+20” to shape new policies to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and advance social equity and environmental protection.
“Rio+20 is our opportunity to showcase the many smart and effective land
management systems and options that exist or are in the pipeline,” said
Mr. Ban, calling on countries to ensure that a commitment to
sustainable land management features prominently in the meeting's
outcome.
Speaking to reporters in Rio yesterday, Luc Gnacadja, Executive
Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), called
on countries to reiterate their commitment at the conference to combat
desertification and achieve zero net land degradation by 2030.
“Efforts to combat desertification by fostering sustainable land
management practices have potential co-benefits for climate change
adaptation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use through
protecting and restoring the productive potential in drylands,” he
stated.
While only three per cent of the Earth is fertile land, 75 billion
tonnes of fertile soil are lost every year, Mr. Gnacadja said, making it
more essential to focus on policies that will help regenerate the soil.
In a separate message
to mark the Day, Mr. Gnacadja noted that, as the global population is
growing, competing claims on this finite resource are sharply
increasing.
By 2030, the demand for food is expected to grow by 50 per cent and for
energy and water for 45 and 30 per cent respectively. The demand for
food alone is likely to claim an additional 120 million hectares of
productive land – an area equal to the size of South Africa. Unless
degraded land is rehabilitated, forests and other lands will have to
make way for the required food production.
Mr. Gnacadja said world leaders at Rio+20 need to adopt a stand-alone
goal on sustainable land use for all and by all. “To achieve this goal,
we need to avoid land degradation in the non-degraded areas and restore
soil fertility in the already degraded lands. We also need to avoid
deforestation and adopt drought preparedness policies in all
drought-prone countries and regions.”
He added that governments should introduce sustainable land-use into
their policies, make it their priority and set up national targets to
halt land degradation. Businesses should invest in practices that
increase efficiency in land-use. Scientists, media and civil society
should help spread the word that this goal is crucial.
“Together, we can make this paradigm shift,” said the Executive Secretary.
As part of the events in Rio to mark the Day, the winners of the Land
for Life Award will be announced today by the reigning Miss Universe
2011, Leila Lopes, who is also the UNCCD Drylands Ambassador. The award,
with a total prize fund of $100,000, recognizes innovations from around
the world that show tangible evidence of combating land degradation,
but need scaling up.
Each year, on June 14, we commemorate World Blood Donor Day. This
event provides an opportunity to draw public attention to the importance
of blood donation in saving lives. The theme for this year’s
commemoration is “Every blood donor is a hero”.
This
theme acknowledges the heroic gesture of donating blood to save lives
and encourages all healthy people to voluntarily donate blood. It also
draws attention to the importance of mobilizing adequate resources to
support efforts to achieve 100% voluntary blood donations. Safe and
adequate supplies of blood are needed to save lives because blood is
often the only means of survival. However in the African Region a
significant number of patients needing transfusion do not have timely
access to safe blood. Blood- transmitted diseases, haemorrhage and
anaemia during difficult childbirth, road accidents, and others are
evidence of the scale of the unmet need in the region.
A lot of
progress has been made in the WHO African Region since the adoption of
the regional strategy on blood safety in 2001. Many countries developed
policies as well as implementation plans to ensure the provision of
adequate safe blood supply by improving blood donor recruitment, testing
of blood, appropriate clinical use of blood and establishment of
quality systems. However, it is regrettable that others are far from
reaching the target of collecting at least 80% of donated blood from
voluntary and regular donors. Today, about 20 out of the 46 countries of
the WHO African Region collect more than 50% of their units of blood
from replacement family donors. In spite of the laudable efforts and
progress in recent years, the total units of blood collected remain
inadequate.
Improving the health of the people is an essential
component in the sustainable development of every country. Safe blood
donations play a vital role particularly in the effective and prompt
provision of care for women, children and men suffering from haemorrhage
and severe anaemia. In recognition of this, WHO adopted a number of
resolutions urging Member States to organize their blood services in a
manner that will minimize the occurrence of untoward effects while
ensuring adequate safe blood supply for their populations. While yearly
needs are estimated at 8 million units of blood, countries of the Region
are able to collect only a half of the required quantity. The gap to be
filled is still substantial especially in rural areas where the
majority of the population and patients live.
Donating blood is an
act of generosity, solidarity and humanism. Furthermore, this year’s
theme reminds us that it is indeed an act of heroism that brings immense
joy to blood donors whose sole aim is to give back life and hope to
patients who would otherwise not survive without this selfless act.
While thanking all voluntary donors for their loyalty and commitment, I
appeal to everyone to emulate this gesture by donating blood to ensure
that there is adequate supply in health facilities.
As we
commemorate World Blood Donor Day, I call upon countries to accelerate
efforts in mapping out new strategies to convert family donors into
voluntary, regular donors because they constitute the cornerstone of any
reliable and sustainable blood transfusion system. We should also
redouble our efforts to raise public awareness of the importance of
blood donation, the recruitment and retention of new donors to ensure
availability of blood in a sustainable way by blood transfusion
services.
For its part, the WHO Regional Office for Africa will
continue to support all initiatives helping to improve blood transfusion
safety in general and to increase blood collection from voluntary and
regular donors in particular.
Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but many patients
requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. The need
for blood transfusion may arise at any time in both urban and rural
areas. The unavailability of blood has led to deaths and many patients
suffering from ill-health. Around 92 million units of blood donations
are collected globally every year. Nearly 50% of these blood donations
are collected in high-income countries, home to 15% of the world’s
population. An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured
by a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. Regular,
voluntary, unpaid blood donors are also the safest group of donors as
the prevalence of blood borne infections is lowest among these donors.
Ten facts you need to know about blood transfusion
1. Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health.
However, many patients requiring transfusion do not have timely
access to safe blood. Every country needs to ensure that blood supplies
are sufficient and free from HIV, hepatitis viruses and other infections
that can be transmitted through unsafe transfusion.
2. Transfusions are used to support various treatments.
In high-income countries, transfusion is most commonly used to
support advanced medical treatment and complex surgeries like open-heart
surgery and advance trauma care. In low- and middle-income countries it
is used often for management of pregnancy-related complications,
childhood malaria complicated by severe anaemia and trauma-related
injuries.
3. An adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular donation by voluntary unpaid blood donors.
Adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular
donation by voluntary unpaid blood donors, because the prevalence of
blood borne infections is lowest among these donors. It is higher among
donors who give blood only as a replacement when it is required for a
family and among those who give blood for money or other forms of
payment.
4. Voluntary unpaid donors account for 100% of blood supplies in 62 countries.
Since the inception of World Blood Donor Day in 2004, 111 countries
have reported an increase in the number of voluntary donations. But in
40 countries, less than 25% of blood supplies come from voluntary unpaid
donors.
5. Around 92 million blood donations are collected globally every year.
About 50% of these are donated in low- and middle-income countries
where nearly 85% of the world’s population lives. The average blood
donation rate is more than 13 times greater in high-income countries
than in low-income countries.
6. Collections at blood centres vary according to income group.
About 8000 blood centres in 159 countries report collecting, on an
average, 10 000 blood donations per centre (range from 20 to almost 500
000). The average annual collection per blood centre is 30 000 in
high-income countries, 7500 in middle-income countries and 3700 in
low-income countries.
7. People in high-income countries donate blood more frequently than in low- or middle-income countries.
The median blood donation rate in high-income countries is 36.4
donations per 1000 people. This compares with 11.6 donations per 1000
people in middle-income countries and 2.8 donations in low-income
countries.
8. Donated blood should always be screened.
All donated blood should always be screened for HIV, hepatitis B,
hepatitis C and syphilis prior to transfusion. Yet in 39 countries not
all donated blood is tested for one or more of these infections. Testing
is not reliable in many countries because of staff shortages, poor
quality test kits, irregular supplies, or lack of basic laboratory
services.
9. A single unit of blood can benefit several patients.
Separating blood into its various components allows a single unit of
blood to benefit several patients and provides a patient only the blood
component which is needed. About 91% of the blood collected in
high-income countries, 72% in middle-income countries and 31% in
low-income countries is separated into blood components.
10. Unnecessary transfusions expose patients to needless risk.
Often transfusions are prescribed when simple and safe alternative
treatments might be equally effective. As a result such a transfusion
may not be necessary. An unnecessary transfusion exposes patients to the
needless risk of infections or severe transfusion reactions.
Looking for accurate, up-to-date data on development issues? 'World Development Indicators' is the World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. This indispensable statistical reference allows you to consult over 800 indicators for more than 150 economies and 14 country groups in more than 90 tables. It provides a current overview of the most recent data available as well as important regional data and income group analysis in six thematic sections: World View, People, Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links. 'World Development Indicators 2012' presents the most current and accurate development data on both a national level and aggregated globally. It allows you to monitor the progress made toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals endorsed by the United Nations and its member countries, the World Bank, and a host of partner organizations. These goals, which focus on development and the elimination of poverty, serve as the agenda for international development efforts.
World Development Indicators 2012
Rio+20 must result in ‘concrete’ decisions to advance sustainable development – Ban
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon (right) greets journalists before his briefing on the
upcoming UN Sustainable Development Conference. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine
6 June 2012 – With just two weeks until the start of a major United Nations sustainable development conference, Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon today urged countries to step up efforts to achieve
concrete decisions to reduce poverty while promoting decent jobs, clean
energy and more sustainable and fair use of resources.
“Rio+20 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make real progress towards the sustainable economy of the future,” Mr. Ban told a press conference
at UN Headquarters in New York, referring to the UN Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio+20) that will be held in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, from 20 to 22 June.
More than 100 heads of State and government, along with thousands of
parliamentarians, mayors, UN officials, Chief Executive Officers and
civil society leaders are expected to attend Rio+20 to shape new
policies to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and advance social equity
and environmental protection.
The gathering follows on from the Earth Summit in 1992, also held in Rio
de Janeiro, during which countries adopted Agenda 21 – a blueprint to
rethink economic growth, advance social equity and ensure environmental
protection.
Mr. Ban said that there is still much work ahead, but foundations are in
place for agreement on the remainder of the negotiating text that is
expected to become the outcome of the conference.
“I expect the negotiators to accomplish this in the days before
ministers and world leaders arrive in Rio. Leaders will then act to
resolve all outstanding issues,” he stated. “Their job is to achieve
renewed political commitment for sustainable development. We aspire to
nothing less than a global movement for generational change.”
Negotiators concluded the last round of Rio+20 preparatory talks –
focussed on the gathering’s outcome document – in New York last
Saturday, and they have now reached agreement on more than 20 per cent
of the document, with many additional paragraphs close to agreement.
The Secretary-General cited several “concrete outputs” he expected from
Rio+20, which he said will improve the lives of people around the world.
The first is to agree to define a path to an inclusive green economy
that will lift people from poverty and protect the global environment,
he said, adding that this requires international collaboration,
investment, and an exchange of experiences and technology among
countries.
Second, leaders should agree to define sustainable development goals
with clear and measurable targets and indicators. These so-called
“SDGs” will be a central part of the post-2015 global development
framework, he stated.
Also needed are decisions on key elements of the institutional framework
for sustainable development, as well as strong, action-oriented
outcomes on a wide range of cross-cutting areas, such as food security
and sustainable agriculture, oceans, gender equality and women’s
empowerment, education and energy.
Progress is also required in the area of implementation, including
reaffirming past commitments and initiatives on trade, financing for
development, technology transfer and capacity building, the UN chief
said.
In addition, more partnerships with civil society and the private sector
– strategic alliances that can galvanize global public support and
drive change – are important.
“Ultimately, Rio+20 will be measured in the transformation it sets in
motion – the lives it changes for the better,” said Mr. Ban.
“Our hopes for future prosperity, health and stability rest on finding a
path that integrates the economic, social and environmental pillars of
development,” he added. “Sustainable development is an idea whose time
has come. It is the future we want.”
Following the latest round of negotiations in New York, the next and
final preparatory talks will be held in Rio de Janeiro from 13 to 15
June, just ahead of the Conference.
“I sense a real dialogue – a real willingness to find common ground,”
said the Secretary-General of Rio+20, Sha Zukang, in the wake of the New
York talks. “This spirit is encouraging and we must carry it to Rio.”
Addressing a press conference
at UN Headquarters today, the President of the General Assembly, Nassir
Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, said that it is important that the negotiations
focus on the “big picture” and not just individual national interests or
individual group interests.
“Rio+20 is about setting the world on the right course for sustainable
growth for future generations,” he told reporters. “The real work will
begin after the conference is over, when we will need concrete action on
various key areas of concern.”
8 Jun 2012 - Leaders from around the world explain why they are going to Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 to attend the Rio+20 conference and the Corporate Sustainability Forum, hosted by the UN Global Compact. (15-18 June 2012, Windsor Barra Hotel, Rio de Janeiro)
Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum
8 Jun 2012 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlights the role of the private sector leading up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and invites business to participate in the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, organized by the UN Global Compact.
Oceans provide indispensable
food reserves and livelihoods and account for two thirds of the value of
all natural services essential to our quality of life. But, we are
allowing this vital lifeline to be devastated by unsustainable human
impact… The health and security of our oceans are our collective
responsibility – one that we cannot afford to ignore as safe, healthy
and productive seas and oceans are integral to human well-being,
economic security and sustainable development.
UNEP’s flagship publication Global Environment Outlook (GEO) report series keeps the state,
The fifth edition of the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5), launched on the eve of the Rio+20 Summit, assessed 90 of the most-important environmental goals and objectives and found that significant progress had only been made in four.
More on the report findings at http://bit.ly/LzPDdd
SHFT
is a multi-media platform, founded by film producer Peter Glatzer and
actor-activist Adrian Grenier, whose mission is to convey a more
sustainable approach to the way we live through video, design art and
culture. The Big SHFT, launched on WED, will focus on the trailblazers
who are cutting a path to a more sustainable future and greener economy.
Directed by filmmaker Gilly Barnes, the 10-part documentary series is
presented in conjunction with Ford Motor Company, whose manufacturing
innovations forever changed the way that things are made.
"Sustainability is the biggest issue facing business in the 21st
century, and the problem will not be solved by one person or group,"
says Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company. "How we answer
the challenge of the future of mobility will have a lasting impact on
generations to come. By partnering with organizations like SHFT, we are
able to inspire people to make smart decisions about the products they
choose today."
As executive producers of the series, SHFT co-founders Peter Glatzer
and Adrian Grenier curate a vast array of topics ranging from food and
fashion to urbanization, technology and design.
"Innovation is not dead in America, but it's not just about
innovation in industry," says Grenier. It is about innovation of the
heart and the spirit. You'll find a lot more social entrepreneurs
cropping up in America these days. We're very excited about that. Those
are the types of stories we want to highlight."
If necessity is the mother of invention, then the
state of the environment should be driving innovation around the world.
And indeed it is.
In our new series "The Big SHFT: 10 Innovators Changing
Our World," we team up with Ford Motor Company to profile leading
innovators who are shaping new sustainable businesses and influencing
positive change around the world.
Open publication - Free publishing - More geo5
The GEO-5 process began with UNEP convening an Intergovernmental and
Multi-stakeholder consultation on GEO-5 which agreed on the scope,
objectives and process for GEO-5.
New York, 8 June 2012 - Welcoming Remarks at Roundtable Panel Discussion "the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea at 30"
Happy World Oceans Day.
I am delighted to join you to mark both World Oceans Day and the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The “Constitution of the Oceans” has given the world real results.
The Convention set up the three institutions represented here today. Each is active in its field, dealing with the settlement of disputes … the continental shelf … and the international seabed.
In addition, the Convention provided the legal framework to settle disputes through the International Court of Justice or through arbitration.
The treaty has proved the truth of its preamble, which states that the Convention has historic significance as “an important contribution to the maintenance of peace, justice and progress for all peoples of the world.”
Unfortunately, humankind has not returned the favour.
Countries and companies use oceans as dumping grounds for millions of tons of waste, some of it toxic and hazardous. Fisheries are depleted. Climate change worsens this assault.
We will have an opportunity to address these urgent problems when the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development opens in less than two weeks.
This will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future we want.
At Rio+20, I expect all partners to take steps to improve the management and conservation of oceans. We need to curb overfishing … better protect the marine environment … and cut pollution.
In this effort, we can learn from three decades of experience with the Convention, which should continue to be our guide in establishing the rule of law on the world’s oceans and seas.
That is why I am so eager to hear from the experts in the room. I hope you can help us identify ways to better use this treaty for sustainable development.
This would be the best way to mark the Convention’s thirtieth anniversary and World Oceans Day.
In that spirit, I wish you great success.
Thank you very much.
New York, 8 June 2012 - Secretary-General's message on World Oceans Day
This year’s World Oceans Day falls as the international community marks an important milestone: the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
When the Convention opened for signature on 10 December 1982, it was rightly characterized as a “constitution for the oceans.” Forged through a process of negotiation among more than 150 States, the treaty is a living monument to international cooperation.
When it was adopted, the Convention on the Law of the Sea made treaty history. With 320 articles and 9 Annexes covering every aspect of the oceans and marine environment, the Convention sets out a delicate balance of rights and duties.
The protection of the world’s oceans and coasts is among the key goals of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which will open in Rio de Janeiro in just 12 days. The Convention is contributing to this goal through its provisions, including on the preservation of the marine environment, marine scientific research and the transfer of marine technology.
We must do more for our world’s oceans, which are threatened by pollution, depleted fishery resources, the impacts of climate change and the deterioration of the marine environment. Rio+20 must mobilize the United Nations, governments and other partners to improve the management and conservation of oceans through initiatives to curb overfishing, improve protection of the marine environment and reduce ocean pollution and the impact of climate change.
There could be no more fitting way to commemorate World Oceans Day than for all countries that have not yet done so to ratify the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Let us make 2012 another milestone year for the world’s oceans, so that we can set sail toward the future we want.
Here is Water. You have met before. In fact, you come across Water in everything you do. Your life would not exist without Water. But Water is not infinite and we are draining our supplies. We need to rethink the way we are using Water. Every drop counts.
June the 5th marks World Environment Day. It is an event celebrated
every year to raise global awareness about the need to take positive
environmental action.
The 2012 theme for World Environment Day is the "Green Economy: Does
it include you?" A Green Economy is low carbon, resource efficient and
socially inclusive. However, China's economic and social development has
come at the cost of resources and the environment.
To improve the environment, China has made great efforts in recent
years. While restructuring the economic development mode, China
encourages enterprises to gain economic benefits through developing
green industries.
Meanwhile, air quality has been a major concern to people in China.
In today's press conference, top Chinese environmental protection
officials said the country will launch new air quality standards in
pilot cities this year.
Wu Xiaoqing, Vice Minister of Ministry of Environmental Protection, is outlining the country's environmental protection policies.
Chinese seas', bays' water quality "extremely poor"
The quality of both near-shore water in north China's Bohai Sea and
the East China Sea and water in five of the nine bays along China's
coast has been slammed by the country's Ministry of Environmental
Protection. Full story>>
China establishes more nature reserves in 2011
China has established a total of 2,640 different types of nature
reserves by the end of 2011, covering 14.9 percent of the country's land
territory, announced vice minister of environmental protection Wu
Xiaoqing on Tuesday. Full story>>
China 2011 air quality fails new standards
Fine particulate matter in the air of most Chinese cities in 2011
exceeded the new air quality standards set by the country, with an
average level of 58 micrograms per cubic meter, Wu Xiaoqing, vice
minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced on
Tuesday. Full story>>
New York, 5 June 2012 - Secretary-General's message on World Environment Day
As the world gears up for the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio+20), World Environment Day is an
opportunity to highlight the need for a paradigm shift towards a more
sustainable world. This year’s theme, “Green Economy: Does it include
you?”, underscores the need for everyone to play their part in keeping
humankind's ecological footprint within planetary boundaries.
The world’s population stands at 7 billion and may rise to more than 9
billion by 2050. This means greater pressure on already crowded cities –
where more than half of all people now live – and on natural resources,
as demand for food, water and energy rises. It also means more people
in search of decent jobs. Globally, 1.3 billion people are currently
unemployed or under-employed. An estimated half billion more will join
the job market over the next decade.
Sustainability entails
providing opportunity for all by balancing the social, economic and
environmental dimensions of development. We have to rebut the myth that
there is conflict between economic and environmental health. With
smart policies and the right investments, countries can protect their
environment, grow their economies, generate decent jobs and accelerate
social progress.
Rio+20 is our opportunity to deepen global
commitment to sustainable development. In Rio, we should agree that
measuring growth and wealth by Gross Domestic Product alone is
inadequate. We should agree that the world needs a set of sustainable
development goals that will build on the Millennium Development Goals.
And we should make progress on some of the building blocks of
sustainability – energy, water, food, cities, oceans, jobs and the
empowerment of women.
Sustainability is gaining prominence
on the public policy agenda in both developed and developing nations.
The UN itself is working towards climate neutrality and sustainable
management of our offices and activities. In Rio, we must mobilize the
partnerships we need to shift the world onto a more sustainable
trajectory of growth and development. On this World Environment Day, in
advance of this historic conference, I urge governments, businesses and
all members of society to make the holistic choices that will ensure a
sustainable future – the future we want.
A Green Economy as an economic environment that achieves...
low carbon emissions, reduces pollution, uses natural resources
efficiently and improves our well-being, whilst preventing the loss of
biodiversity and ecosystems which provide numerous service we need to
live for free. Find out ten ways you can be part of a greener economy… 1 - Energy
Our lifestyles demand energy but mainstream sources of oil, coal and
gas are not sustainable and are harmful to our health and environment.
You can help us build a Green Economy by being a model of energy
efficiency and showing support for clean, sustainable energy sources in
your home, business and local community...
Choose businesses & products which invest in clean, renewable energy
Loan an electricity monitor kit from our libraries
to find out where you can save energy. We currently have monitors
available for residents to loan, and will shortly have kits for
businesses and community groups to loan as well.
2 - Water
Billions of people worldwide do not have
access to clean drinking water. More of our rain is falling in heavy
downpours and we will see more in winter, less in summer. Resource
efficiency is key for a Green Economy and water is one of our most
precious and important resources, so we need to use it wisely...
We can get more water wise today:
Turn off taps when you are not using them, to save 6 litres / min
Ensure you do full loads for laundry or dishwashing
Limit shower time; some powershowers use more water than baths!
Don't water your lawn after it has rained
Be Water Wise and find more ways to save water on our Water Saving Tips webpage 3 - Buildings
Take charge of your buildings to help support a resource-efficient Green Economy
Car share and use pool cars - Find car sharers to Oakham & Uppingham at www.travel4rutland.co.uk
Use lower emission vehicles, drive smoothly & check tyre pressures regularly - Find more ideas on how you can save money and carbon emissions our Transport Saving Tips webpage
5 - Waste
By reducing waste going to landfill, you are reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, other environmental impact and supporting a
resource-efficient Green Economy.
Recycle - You can recycle from your doorstep or
business and recycle more items including electronic and white goods at
our civic amenity sites - Find information on what you can recycle where
and when at www.rutland.gov.uk/waste_and_recycling.aspx
6 - Manufacturing & Industry
When you choose a sustainable
product or business instead of a 'business-as-usual,' you send the
message to industry & manufacturing that it's time to move towards a
Green Economy
Be a wiser consumer & buy from businesses with
Sustainability plans
Investments in renewables
Eco-labels - some examples are:
Supporting greener businesses & homes
Superfast broadband will be available from 2013 for our businesses
& homes in Rutland, helping you to reduce your travel costs and
increase your efficiency, whilst reducing our carbon emissions and other
impacts of travel on our environment. Find out more at www.rutland.gov.uk/digital_rutland.aspx 7 - Tourism
You can help your destinations achieve economic growth without
sacrificing environmental well-being and social well-being by supporting
ecotourism.
Find out which businesses support ecotourism before you go
Buy local - Find out about local food producers and markets at the local tourism information office
Travel with others to save money and carbon on holiday
Limit water and energy use - Find tips on our webpages
Find out how you can limit your impact on sensitive habitats by observing any local requirements and advice, and by following the Countryside Code
Holiday at Home to save time and travel, as well as
money and reducing your impact on our environment - Find out about
activities available in Rutland at http://www.discover-rutland.co.uk/
8 - Forestry
By buying certified sustainable forest products, you help to support
sustainable livelihoods and communities as well as a healthly
ecosystems. When our forests are managed sustainably, we reduce our
damage to the environment, our climate and our wildlife, by preventing
unsustainable deforestation. Here are some tips to help protect our
forests:
Use certified sustainable forest timber & paper products - Look for the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) logo or the PEFC logo on products
Find out more at www.forestry.gov.ukandwww.fsc.org
Use electronic files to reduce the need for paper for printing
Reuse & recycle - See our tips above on managing your waste more sustainably
9 - Agriculture
Send a message of your support for a Green Economy to producers by
buying local, organic, and sustainable food products. Here are a few
ways you can reduce the impact of your daily or weekly shop:
Grow your own veggies - Find tips on growing your own vegetables and ideas for tasty recipes at http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own and contact your local town or parish council for information on local allotments.
Eat in-season to have fresh fruit and vegetables which can be grown in our climate
10 - Fisheries
Overfishing threatens to deplete our future fish stocks & has
impacts on other sea life. We can avoid this by choosing sustainably
harvested seafood, sending a message of your support of a Green Economy
to producers.
Buy sustainably harvested seafood with the Marine
Stewardship Council label and findsustainable products & suppliers at www.msc.org/where-to-buy
Find out more about World Environment Day, events and activities taking place in the UK and around the world and the Green Economy at www.unep.org/wed
Photo: WFP/Phil Behan
2 - Water
5 - Waste
6 - Manufacturing & Industry
7 - Tourism
8 - Forestry
10 - Fisheries
Find out more about World Environment Day, events and activities taking place in the UK and around the world and the Green Economy at