United Nations Secretary-General’s Message for the International Friendship Day 2014.
This year’s International Day of Friendship comes at a time of
widespread war, violence and mistrust in many parts of the world.
People who have previously lived in harmony find themselves in conflict
with their neighbours; people who have no choice but to live together
find themselves ever farther apart. Whatever the cause, and however powerful the forces that drive
animosity and armed violence, the human spirit is potentially much
stronger. It is our solemn duty to see that it prevails.
In these difficult and unpredictable times, it is vital that we
reach out to one another in order to prevent conflict and build the
long-term foundations of lasting peace. On this International Day of Friendship, let us remember the ties
that bind us together, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual
orientation or borders. Let us cultivate solidarity as a single human
family on our one and only planet. Let us pursue true and lasting
friendship.
Ban Ki-moon
FRIENDSHIP VALUES AND QUALITIES
Generosity
GENEROSITY: A good friend is openly generous
in personality and character. They will be generous with both their time
and their money, and they won't hesitate to help you when needed.
Honesty
HONESTY : Honesty may be the most important quality for Friendship
as it is difficult to befriend anyone who tells you lies and can't be
trusted. If you can trust someone to do the right thing in all
situations and they are not tempted by temporary gain, it's a goof bet
they will make a lasting friend.
Humor
HUMOR : Life is better when approached with a good Sense of humor
and people that are happy and outgoing are a lot more fun to be around
than someone who is depressed, moody and sees the empty half of the
glass all the time.
Intelligence
INTELLIGENCE : Being a good friend involves
being aware of your needs and recognizing your values, and when a person
is ignorant and uncaring, it is hard to consider them as a friend.
Listening
LISTENING : If someone just doesn't " hear " what you are saying when you confide in them, they won't make a very goof friend. Communication is a two-way street and being a good listener is one half of the equation.
Loyalty
LOYALTY: Loyalty
is a quality that everyone looks for in a friend. A loyal friend will
stick with you no matter what the situation is and you can always count
on them being on your side.
Sensitivity
SENSITIVITY : Sensitive people make Good Friends because they often see life on their own terms which allows them to understand the thoughts and Feeling of others.
Supportive
SUPPORTIVE : Good Friends
will be supportive of you and your goals, and they will act
accordingly. A true friend will help you become the person you want to
be and know how to help you handle problems.
Human trafficking is a callous global industry that denies victims their rights and dignity and generates billions of dollars for organized criminal networks. Most of those trafficked are vulnerable women and children deceived into a life of suffering. They are exploited for sex and forced to work in conditions akin to slavery.
This first World Day against Trafficking in Persons is a call to action to end this crime and give hope to the victims, who often live unrecognized among us. To stop the traffickers, we must sever funding pipelines and seize assets. I urge all countries to ratify and fully implement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol on Trafficking in Persons.
Enforcement, cross-border cooperation and information-sharing can all be effective, but ending human trafficking also means tackling the root causes. Extreme poverty, entrenched inequality and a lack of education and opportunity create the vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit. Ultimately, the best protection is to accelerate development for all.
Victims of trafficking who are fortunate enough to be freed need assistance to regain their rights and reintegrate into society. The UN Trust Fund for the Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, works on their behalf but needs additional funding. I appeal to everyone to support the UN campaign, “Have a Heart for Victims of Human Trafficking”.
Let us open our eyes to this crime and our hearts to the victims. It is time to say no to human trafficking.
Ban Ki-moon
World Day against Trafficking in Persons was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/68/192.
Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation
of human rights. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall
into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad. Almost
every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a
country of origin, transit or destination for victims. UNODC, as
guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocols thereto, assists States in
their efforts to implement the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (Trafficking in Persons Protocol).
Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the
recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of
persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of
coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or
of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of
payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control
over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall
include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others
or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services,
slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of
organs
Last year, the world lost one of its greatest leaders when
Nelson Mandela passed away. We remember his legacy especially on his
birthday, the 18th of July.
Nelson Mandela and the United Nations had a strong history
together. Shortly after he was released from prison, he came to our
Headquarters. It was a moment of great excitement.
Nelson Mandela’s presence in the General Assembly Hall
proved that United Nations resolutions, sanctions and solidarity can win
over violence and injustice. His extraordinary compassion after 27
years in prison showed that human rights and equality are stronger
than discrimination and hate. On that day in 1990, he said people would
always be challenged by the fact that, quote, “it took as long as it
has before all of us stood up to say enough is enough.” The room burst
into applause.
Apartheid is gone – thanks to Nelson Mandela, countless other
individuals and the proud actions of the United Nations. But our planet
and its people still face terrible threats -- poverty, discrimination,
climate change, conflict and more. Nelson Mandela Day is a call to
action. Each of us can celebrate this Day by helping to address real
problems in our communities. Together we can give great meaning to our
celebration by paving the way for a better future.
Ban Ki-moon
Commemorative Events for 2014
New York, UN General Assembly Event
The UN General Assembly will hold a special session meeting to mark Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July 2014.
This year, in New York, UN staff, joined by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and in partnership with MillionTreesNYC,
will volunteer their time on 18 July 2014 and get their hands dirty by
pulling weeds, putting down mulch and watering tree beds to help take
care of newly planted trees on the streets of Midtown Manhattan and
East Harlem. See Take Action to learn more about the activity.
For more information see the UN press release.
Geneva
United Nations Information Service will hold a CinéONU screening at the Palais des Nations, Geneva.
"One Humanity" at 5 p.m. on Friday, 18 July 2014, followed by a debate.
Guests include Mr. Michael Møller, Acting
Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG); Ms. Navi Pillay,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Ambassador Abdul
Samad Minty, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN in
Geneva.
South African President Jacob Zuma, second left, in background with a
bust of former South African President Nelson Mandela, center, outside
Parliament before giving the State of the Nation address in the city of
Cape Town, South Africa, June 17, 2014. +VOA News
Day of International Criminal Justice - The UN and the ICC: Partners of Shared Values
17 Jul 2014 - “Day of
International Criminal Justice – The UN and the ICC: Partners of Shared
Values” - Marking the Tenth Anniversary of the Relationship Agreement
(2004-2014). Organized by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United
Nations.
I thank the Permanent Mission of Italy for hosting this important event.
Today we are marking two milestones. First, this is of course International Criminal Justice Day.
And second, we celebrate ten years of our Relationship Agreement with the International Criminal Court.
This is a day for all of us to underscore a crucial point: justice matters.
Accountability for serious crimes of international concern is central
to our global commitment to peace, security human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
So let me begin by once again calling for universal ratification of the Rome Statute.
I also encourage all Member States who are parties to the Rome
Statute to do their part to strengthen the International Criminal Court.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The drafters of the Rome Statute always envisaged a vital role for the United Nations in support of the Court and its work.
The Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the Court
is founded in a shared belief that the cause of peace can only be served
if those responsible for the most serious crimes of international
concern are prosecuted and brought to justice.
The world’s
commitment to the success of this Court is reflected in the fact that
that the Relationship Agreement was approved by the General Assembly
without opposition.
The objectives of the Court and the United Nations are clearly aligned.
The Relationship Agreement established a solid foundation for mutual cooperation.
It has served as the basis for a host of supplementary agreements
that cover the full range of our common efforts to bring perpetrators of
international crimes to justice.
These include detailed
arrangements on a number of issues – from the sharing of evidence to the
use of modern information technology to facilitating interviews with
our officials and experts.
Perhaps most notable are the
cooperation agreements with our peacekeeping operations in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire and, soon, Mali.
These agreements allow for the Court to operate more efficiently, in
part, because it can rely on the Organization for information and
logistical support.
Indeed, one of our child protection
officers, Ms. Kristine Peduto, was the first person to testify before
the Court in its first trial, that of the warlord, Thomas Lubanga.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Court is the centerpiece of our system of international criminal justice but it is a court of last resort.
We at the United Nations are proud to remain deeply involved in
assisting Member States to better address impunity at the national
level.
Allow me to commend the Court, and specifically its
Prosecutor, for her invaluable work with the States Parties to the Rome
Statute.
They have the primary responsibility to investigate
and prosecute the serious crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity
and war crimes.
I am confident that the relationship between
the United Nations and the International Criminal Court will continue to
strengthen and grow – through the Office of Legal Affairs and my Legal
Counsel, who serve as focal point for cooperation.
The Court will always find in the United Nations a committed partner, a staunch ally and a firm friend.
We look forward to our ongoing close cooperation in the years ahead.
Together with International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
President Vagn Joensen, President Theodor Meron in his capacity as both
ICTY and MICT President sent a letter to International Criminal Court
(ICC) President Song today offering their congratulations on the Day of
International Criminal Justice, a day that commemorates the adoption of
the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998.
In their letter, President Meron and President Joensen said that
today’s commemoration offers an opportunity to reflect on the
achievements of international criminal justice in the last twenty years,
including the establishment of the ICC, ad hoc international courts and
the hybrid criminal courts.
“Together these courts—including those over which the two of us
preside—have helped to transform the political and legal landscape.
Calling senior political and military leaders to account for their acts
before courts of law is increasingly the expectation, rather than the
exception. This is a heartening development, and one to be both
acknowledged and lauded,” the letter stated.
In concluding their letter, they noted that the Day of International
Criminal Justice also serves as a reminder that there is still work to
be done at both national and international levels “to bring an end
to impunity and, more importantly, to prevent the commission of war
crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in the first place.”
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia President.
Together with International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) President Theodor Meron, ICTR President Vagn Joensen sent a letter to International Criminal Court (ICC) President Song today offering their congratulations on the Day of International Criminal Justice, a day that commemorates the adoption of the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998.
In their letter, President Meron and President Joensen said that today’s commemoration offers an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of international criminal justice in the last twenty years, including the establishment of the ICC, ad hoc international courts and the hybrid criminal courts.
“Together these courts—including those over which the two of us preside—have helped to transform the political and legal landscape. Calling senior political and military leaders to account for their acts before courts of law is increasingly the expectation, rather than the exception. This is a heartening development, and one to be both acknowledged and lauded,” the letter stated.
In concluding their letter, they noted that the Day of International Criminal Justice also serves as a reminder that there is still work to be done at both national and international levels “to bring an end to impunity and, more importantly, to prevent the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in the first place.”
International Criminal Court (ICC) Messages for the Day of International Criminal Justice Day 2014.
When
representatives of 120 States adopted the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court (ICC), on 17 July 1998, they did so to
build a more just world. Conscious that all people are connected, and
that mass atrocities committed anywhere threaten the delicate mosaic of
modern societies as well as world peace and security, they set up a
permanent, international justice system to address crimes against
humanity, war crimes and genocide by holding individuals accountable
either at the national or international level. Through such action, the
Rome Statute system aims to help prevent such crimes, to protect all
peoples from them, and to uphold what is best, but also most fragile,
within us: the shared sense of justice that is a common bond of all
humanity.
Years later, when States
Parties to the Rome Statute decided to name the 17th of July as the Day
of International Criminal Justice, they invited all of us to commemorate
the tremendous efforts of the many international courts and tribunals
created in the last two decades while looking forward to what remains to
be done. Among these courts is the ICC, the first and only permanent
international criminal court with jurisdiction granted by States through
a multilateral treaty.
By
commemorating 17 July, we recognize past efforts that have fostered
reconciliation in societies across the world and have positively
affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of victims. We also look to
the future, and reaffirm the international community’s commitment to
fight against impunity for the most serious crimes, and thereby to stop
them from ever being repeated again.
We
are all exposed on a daily basis to news of massacres, crimes and war
in multiple regions of the world. Where the ICC has jurisdiction, it
endeavours to bring justice to the victims of these crimes. And where it
is already involved, the Court’s intervention has galvanised more
international attention to communities affected by crimes and the
efforts essential to aiding the survivors. However, we are all conscious
of the limits of the ICC’s current jurisdiction, which have to be
remedied by continued progress towards universal ratification of the
Rome Statute.
We recognize that the
ICC is only one element in the wider Rome Statute system, the core of
which is the responsibility of States themselves to investigate and
prosecute the Rome Statute crimes whenever possible. The Statute is
built on the principles of universality, complementarity and State
cooperation, with the ICC itself as a court of last resort. Like many
other parts of the emerging international system, it is still under
construction. We continue our efforts and engagement with the
international community so that this new global system can be
established with firm foundations, where the law is sovereign and
respected, and where justice for all is recognised as being crucial for
peace, stability and development worldwide.
We
cannot succeed on our own. All States, organisations and individuals
have a role to play in the fight against impunity. Each of us can make a
difference. Every year, on 17 July, we review and rededicate our
efforts to build a more just world, because we are all connected, and
because justice matters to us all.
Audio and
video statement, ICC President Judge Sang-Hyun Song:
Remarks for Celebration of the Day of International Criminal Justice 10 July 2014,
The Hague.
I am delighted to take part in today’s celebration of international criminal justice day.Today, of course, we commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute. I was honoured to serve as a member of the US delegation to the Rome Conference back in 1998 , and it is with profound pride that I have witnessed all that the International Criminal Court has achieved in the intervening years As we know from the experiences of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the early years of an international criminal court are fraught with challenges.
The creation of effective and efficient internal policies and practices,the cultivation of cooperative relationships with affected States, and the development of a coherent body of substantive and procedural jurisprudence based on legal rules and provisions sometimes being applied for the first time—these are but a few of the challenges that can face an international criminal court as it strives to carry out its mandate during the early years of its existence. It is a tribute not just to the International Criminal Court but also to all of the ad hoc international and hybrid criminal courts that,today, calling political and military leaders to account for their acts before courts of law is increasingly the expectation, rather than the exception; that, today, we speak of ensuring accountability for violations of international law not just at a few courtrooms here in The Hague but in national courtrooms the world over; and that, today, we stand, in many ways, in a world transformed from that which existed just two decades ago. But if today is a day to reflect on all that has been achieved since 1998, it is also a day to renew our commitment to the work that remains to be done.
Today is a day to remember that international criminal courts are, and should be, courts of last resort and that it is imperative that States do all they can to ensure the implementation and application of international law in their domestic legal frameworks.
Today is a day to remember that respect for court orders and rulings, even where one may disagree with them, is essential to strengthening respect for the rule of law.
Today is a day for States to renew their commitment to cooperating with and supporting the work of international courts, and for individuals to pause and reflect on why fair and impartial justice is so vital to us all. And today is a day to recall that while international justice is tremendously important, court proceedings alone cannot bring about reconciliation, heal the rifts in a society , or offer closure to victims and survivors. Indeed, such aims, valuable though they may be, fall outside the core mandates entrusted to criminal courts, and where expectations are created to the contrary, it can often seem—erroneously—that international justice is failing. So, today, even as we celebrate all that has been achieved since 1998, we must remember the importance of ensuring a better understanding of international justice.
We must remember that, without the full commitment of national jurisdictions to international law and to the principles and standards of international law observed by international criminal courts in their proceedings, we will never be able to truly bring an end to impunity and ensure accountability for international crimes. At the same time, we must remember that courts are just part of a panoply of transitional justice measures, including effort s focused on history, memory, community reconciliation, and caring for victims and survivors. And even as we salute international criminal justice today, we must also pay tribute to the many individuals and groups who work so hard every day to bring lasting peace , stability , and respect for the rule of law to their communities in other ways.
Your Excellencies,
Honourable Judges,
President Song, Mr Registrar,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Prosecutor, I am delighted to make a few brief remarks on this important occasion, marking the 16th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute and the strengthening international criminal justice. To begin, I would like to join with others to thank the organizers, and especially Ambassador Korac, for hosting this event, for this kind invitation, and for their dedication to the International Criminal Court and the cause of international criminal justice. Since its genesis, the ICC has indeed come a long way, from an innovative design on paper to a fully-functioning independent judicial institution.
The Court has faced many challenges along the way, and continues to face them, but the ICC has taken its place in the world as an indispensable legal institution promoting justice, giving a meaningful voice to victims, and helping to prevent mass crimes that threaten the peace, security and wellbeing of humanity. While the Court can point to solid achievements, much work lies ahead. As we improve our own capacity at the Court to do justice and to fulfil the mandate the international community has given us, consistent support of States Parties and the international community is needed to ensure the ICC reaches its full potential. States Parties must strengthen their will and national capacities to exercise their primacy of jurisdiction over mass crimes. Political will and diplomatic endeavour are necessary to ensure that crimes are addressed at the national level in accordance with the standards set by the Rome Statute.
When it becomes necessary for the Court to exercise its jurisdiction, however, the full and timely cooperation from States Parties remains necessary if the Court is to do justice effectively. As the Office charged with investigating and prosecuting the most heinous international crimes, we carry great responsibility, first and foremost toward the victims and communities affected by atrocities, but also to the international community as a whole. Cooperation is essential to enable us to discharge these responsibilities. Generally speaking, our requests for cooperation receive positive responses from both States Parties and States not party to the Rome Statute. There are exceptions and challenges, of course, but these are to be expected, since “push-back” in some quarters was inevitable as we implemented our mandate under the Rome Statute. The support and cooperation we receive, nonetheless, strengthens us and allows us to conduct our work in order to bring well prepared cases, built on solid foundations, before the Chambers.
The on-going implementation of the Office’s Strategic Plan is only reinforcing our ability to enhance the quality of our operations and to ensure success. The road to the achievement of justice in a complex, often violent, world is not without pitfalls. It can be a rocky road. But we relish the journey and do not fear the challenges we will meet along the way. Indeed, what other choice have we? The Court was created to advance the international rule of law and to deter the commission of mass crimes that shock the conscience of humanity and inflict great suffering. We must fulfil its promise.
The ICC represents the triumph of hope for a better, more just and peaceful world over a human history marred by mass atrocities and unchecked impunity. In its respect for due process, in its mandate to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of mass crimes, in its striving to give voice to victims and bring them a measure of justice, the ICC represents the best hope of the international community to realise the ideals of international criminal justice.
As we are gathered here to commemorate International Criminal Justice Day, may I conclude by borrowing from a very different context the words of the late Martin Luther King Jr. in a speech he delivered in 1968, only months before his assassination. He stated: "It may be true that the law cannot change the heart but it can restrain the heartless. It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can restrain him from lynching me; and I think that is pretty important also. And so while the law may not change the hearts of men, it does change the habits of men if vigorously enforced, and through changes in habits, pretty soon attitudinal changes will take place and even the heart may be changed in the process. […]
With this faith [in the power of the law] we will be able to transform the jangling discords of all the nations in the world, into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood and speed up the day when all over the world justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” The ICC offers us the opportunity to advance the cause of justice the world over.
Together we can ensure that justice – will always – matter. Thank you for your attention.
"The most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished." The Rome Statute
As the world population edged to 7 billion people in 2011 (up
from 2.5 billion in 1950), it has had profound implications for
development. A world of 7 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity
with implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health
services and youth empowerment.
In 1989, in its decision 89/46, the Governing Council of the
United Nations Development Programme recommended that, in order to focus
attention on the urgency and importance of population issues in the
context of overall development plans and programmes and the need to find
solutions for these issues, 11 July should be observed by the
international community as World Population Day.
Today’s 1.8 billion young people are shaping social and economic
realities, challenging norms and values, and building the foundation of
the world’s future. Yet too many young people continue to grapple with
poverty, inequality and human rights violations that prevent them from
reaching their personal and collective potential.
On 2014 World Population Day, we call for investments in support of the largest-ever generation of youth.
The world today has its largest generation of youth in history –
1.8 billion young people, mostly in developing countries – with
enormous potential to help tackle the major challenges facing humanity.
But too many are denied their rightful opportunities to get a quality
education, find decent work, and participate in the political life of
their societies. World Population Day is an opportunity to renew our
commitment to help young people unleash progress across society.
Action is urgently needed. Too many young people lack resources
they need to lift themselves out of poverty. I am particularly
concerned about adolescent girls who may face discrimination, sexual
violence, early marriage and unwanted pregnancies. And even among those
young people fortunate enough to receive university degrees, many find
themselves without employment or stuck in low-wage, dead-end jobs.
The solution lies in investments in health, education, training
and employment for young people as they undergo the critical transition
to adulthood. This will improve prospects for their lives and our
common future.
Young people themselves are speaking out. Earlier this year,
more than 1,000 youth organizations endorsed a Global Youth Call,
welcomed by 40 countries, which recommends youth-focused goals and
targets in the post-2015 development vision.
Next year marks the deadline for reaching the Millennium
Development Goals, shaping the successor agenda, and adopting a
meaningful legal agreement on climate change. Youth have a major role
in all these processes. The year 2015 also marks the 20th anniversary
of the World Programme of Action on Youth. Its practical guidelines for
national action and international support remain relevant today. In
particular, to fully carry out this Programme of Action, governments
must respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all youth and
respond effectively to any violations.
On this World Population Day, I call on all with influence to
prioritize youth in development plans, strengthen partnerships with
youth-led organizations, and involve young people in all decisions that
affect them. By empowering today’s youth, we will lay the groundwork
for a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Today’s 1.8 billion young people are a powerful force, individually and collectively. They are shaping social and economic realities, challenging norms and values and building the foundation of the world’s future.
Governments and the international community are increasingly conscious of the importance of providing resources and opportunities for all young people to reach their full potential as individuals and citizens. They recognize that investing in young people and enabling them to exercise their human rights not only benefits young people themselves, but can also help their countries reap a demographic dividend.
We know that healthy, educated, productive and fully engaged young people can help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and are more resilient in the face of individual and societal challenges. As skilled and informed citizens, they can contribute more fully to their communities and nations.
For millions of young people around the world, puberty – the biological onset of adolescence – brings not only changes to their bodies, but also new vulnerabilities to human rights abuses, particularly in the areas of sexuality, marriage and childbearing. Millions of girls are coerced into unwanted sex or marriage, increasing the risks of unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, as well as death or disability due to childbirth.
This is why young people, especially adolescent girls, are at the heart of our work at UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Working with a multitude of partners, in particular young people themselves, UNFPA is advocating policies and programmes that invest in adolescents and youth and foster a positive environment for them; promoting their access to comprehensive sexuality education as well as quality sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning; and facilitating their leadership and participation. We are doing this with an emphasis on reaching the poorest, most marginalized and underserved adolescent girls.
Through this multipronged effort, we and our partners are seeing how critical early investments in sexual and reproductive health can enhance the lives of young people and the welfare of their societies.
A sustainable future depends on having resilient populations, which cannot be achieved without investments in young people. They not only form a large proportion of the world’s population and deserve their fair share as a matter of equity, but are also in a critical stage of their lifecycle that will determine their future – and thus those of their families, communities, and societies.
On this World Population Day, I commit UNFPA’s full support to all efforts to promote young people’s aspirations and to place young people at the very heart of national and global development efforts.
This year’s International Day of Cooperatives falls at a critical
time. The United Nations is working to lay the groundwork for success
on three major fronts in 2015: reaching the Millennium Development
Goals; achieving a meaningful new climate agreement; and adopting a
long-range agenda for inclusive sustainable development. Cooperative enterprises can help further these objectives. They are
helping communities in both developed and developing countries to
generate energy, manage water supplies and provide other basic services.
Cooperatives are particularly important to agriculture, food security
and rural development. In the finance sector, cooperatives serve more
than 857 million people, including tens of millions who live in
poverty. As member-owned, member-run and member-serving businesses,
cooperatives can put social justice and equity at the heart of economic
progress while helping to ensure that the production and provision of
goods and services matches the needs and aspirations of communities. On this International Day of Cooperatives, let us commit to making
even greater use of these arrangements to empower people and usher in a
more sustainable future.
This year, International Co-operative Day, to be celebrated on 5 July, will
have the theme of"Co-operative enterprises achieve sustainable development for all.”Concern for the community is one of the co-operative
movement’s founding values and, as such, the need to sustainably safeguard
favourable living conditions for communities underpins all co-operatives’
operations and vision.
Since that date the global community celebrates United Nations International
Day of Cooperatives and ICA's International Cooperative Day on the first
Saturday of July. The United Nations Secretary-General issues a message on the
occasion of the day as does the International Co-operative Alliance as well as
other COPAC members. Celebrations of the Day are held at the international,
national and local levels around the world.
The Cooperative Movement :
The significance of cooperatives have been acknowledged as associations and
enterprises through which citizens can effectively improve their lives while
contributing to the economic, social, cultural and political advancement of
their community and nation. The cooperative movement has been also recognized as
a distinct and major stakeholder in both national and international affairs.
The cooperative movement is highly democratic, locally autonomous but
internationally integrated, and a form of organization of associations and
enterprises whereby citizens themselves rely on self-help and their own
responsibility to meet goals that include not only economic but social and
environmental objectives, such as overcoming poverty, securing productive
employment and encouraging social integration.
In 1992, following a concerted lobbying effort by the cooperative movements
in membership of the International Co- operative Alliance (ICA) and members of
the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), the
United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Cooperatives
by the UN by resolution
47/90 of 16 December 1992.
The resolution states:
"... The General Assembly, ... Proclaims the first Saturday of July 1995 to
be the International Day of Cooperatives, marking the centenary of the
establishment of the International Cooperative Alliance, and decides to consider
the possibility of observing an International Day of Cooperatives in future
years; ..."
The date of the celebration of the International Day was chosen to coincide
with the already existing International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
International Cooperative Day with has been celebrated since 1923.
In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly adopted another resolution 49/155 of
23 December 1994 on cooperatives which not only called on governments and
international agencies to:
"consider fully the potential of cooperatives for contributing to the
solution of economic, social and environmental problems in formulating national
development strategies; and consider reviewing legal and administrative
constraints on the activities of cooperatives with a view to eliminating those
constraints that are not applied to other businesses and
enterprises",
but also invited:
"...governments, relevant international organizations, specialized agencies
and national and international cooperative organizations to observe annually the
International Day of Cooperatives on the first Saturday of July starting from
1995, as proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution
47/90".
Cooperative enterprises achieve sustainable development for all. Panel Discussion, International Day of Cooperative 2014
Cooperative enterprises put social justice and
equity at the heart of economic progress. As member-owned, member-run
and member-serving businesses, cooperatives empower people to
collectively realize their economic aspirations, while strengthening their social and human capital and developing their communities.
The 2014 commemoration of the International Day of Cooperatives will highlight the principles, values and operational
realities of cooperatives that make them unique instruments for
achieving sustainable development and showcase the importance of the
business model to realizing people-centred, inclusive development,
post-2015.
This issue of the COOP News includes articles on various events,
projects, trainings and meetings related to the work of the ILO's COOP
Unit between January and March, 2014.
Providing clean energy and energy access through cooperatives - ILO
This publication is a collection of case studies on cooperatives
in energy production, distribution and consumption as a contribution to
the on-going search for ways in which the goal of sustainable Energy
for All can be turned into a reality.
Cooperatives and Sustainability - An investigation into the relationship.
Last month, the International
Cooperative Alliance (ICA) held their annual conference in Cape Town.
One the presentations at this conference included reporting on the
results of a partnership project, between Community Research Connections
and the Sustainability Solutions Group, that investigated the
relationship between the cooperative model and sustainable development.
This research employed a unique methodology to compare key concepts
distilled from seminal literature on sustainability to (firstly) the
cooperatives principles and (secondly) websites and annual reports from
various cooperatives around the world. As this was a global scan, the
study was limited in the manner that it did not visit the cooperatives
on-the-ground and thus could not validate whether cooperatives are
actually acting in a sustainable manner; however, this work served as an
initial step to see if cooperative model inherently leads to thinking
and speaking about sustainability.
Some of the main observations from the research include:
Co-operatives are involved in the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
The co-operative principles are more closely aligned with the social dimensions of sustainability.
Similarly, co-operatives websites and annual reports (overall) most strongly related to social aspects of sustainability.
In communicating their efforts on sustainability, co-operatives understate their efforts on Principles 1, 2 and 3.
A co-operative is sustainable when it is an economically viable
business that fully implements the seven co-operative principles, and
maintains or regenerates the ecosystem in which they are embedded.
Co-operative associations lag behind co-operatives in advancing a comprehensive sustainability agenda.
Of the cooperative principles, concepts related to principle 5
(education, training, knowledge sharing), principle 6 (cooperation among
cooperatives), and principle 7 (sustainable community development) were
strongly communicated.
Cooperatives websites highlighted sustainability concepts, whereas
in the annual reports, sustainability concepts were discussed in context
with items (e.g., items relating business operations).
The report can be downloaded from Sustainability Solutions Group's website here, and the presentation on the research can be downloaded from here.
Cooperatives and the Sustainable Development Goals - A contribution to the Post-2015 Development Debate. A ploicy Brief
This brief summarizes the main findings of a forthcoming report of the
same title, by Frederick O. Wanyama of Maseno University in Kenya,
prepared as part of ILO’s contribution to the initiative on the
contribution of cooperatives to sustainable development.
In order to bring cooperative voices into the discussion around the
post-2015 development agenda, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) have launched an
initiative on the contribution of cooperatives to sustainable
development. This brief reports on the results of an online survey that
investigated the current and potential contributions of cooperatives to
sustainable development.
"The term 'cooperative' means an autonomous association of persons
united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural
needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically
controlled enterprise."
This year, International Co-operative Day, to be celebrated on 5 July, will have the theme of “Co-operative enterprises achieve sustainable development for all.” Read message here
Cette année, la Journée internationale des coopératives, qui sera célébrée le 5 juillet, aura pour thème : « les entreprises coopératives aboutissent au développement durable pour tous ». Lire message ici
El lema de esta edición del Día Internacional de las Cooperativas, que se celebrará el 5 de julio, será “Las empresas cooperativas logran el desarrollo sostenible para todos”. Leer noticiaaquí
GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
The Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014 assesses
the competitiveness landscape of 148 economies, providing insight into
the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series
remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness
worldwide.
.PNG)
