Wednesday 17 August 2016

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 2016, August 23.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition , August 23.



The Slave Route 1994-2014 - The Road Travelled

Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 2016, August 23rd.

In the night of 22 to 23 August 1791, men and women, torn from Africa and sold into slavery, revolted against the slave system to obtain freedom and independence for Haiti, gained in 1804. The uprising was a turning point in human history, greatly impacting the establishment of universal human rights, for which we are all indebted.
The courage of these men and women has created obligations for us. UNESCO is marking International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition to pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom, and, in their name, to continue teaching about their story and the values therein. The success of this rebellion, led by the slaves themselves, is a deep source of inspiration today for the fight against all forms of servitude, racism, prejudice, racial discrimination and social injustice that are a legacy of slavery.
The history of the slave trade and slavery created a storm of rage, cruelty and bitterness that has not yet abated. It is also a story of courage, freedom and pride in newfound freedom. All of humanity is part of this story, in its transgressions and good deeds. It would be a mistake and a crime to cover it up and forget. Through its project The Slave Route, UNESCO intends to find in this collective memory the strength to build a better world and to show the historical and moral connections that unite different peoples.
In this same frame of mind, the United Nations proclaimed the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). UNESCO is contributing to it through its educational, cultural and scientific programmes so as to promote the contribution of people of African descent to building modern societies and ensuring dignity and equality for all human beings, without distinction.
Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General.
 



The Project's Achievements
 
 

Tuesday 16 August 2016

World Humanitarian Day 2016, August 12.

世界人道主义日, 8月19日.
World Humanitarian Day. 19 August.
Día Mundial de la Asistencia Humanitaria, 19 de agosto.
Всемирный день гуманитарной помощи,19 августа.
Journée mondiale de l'aide humanitaire, 19 août.
اليوم العالمي للعمل الإنساني, 19 آب/أغسطس

 




2016 Theme: One Humanity.
Thème 2016 : Une Humanité.
Tema 2016: Una humanidad.
Тема 2016 года: Единое человечество.
 2016年主题: 同一人类.
موضوع 2016 هو "إنسانية واحدة"



 
A record 130 million people are dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive.  Grouped together, these people in need would comprise the tenth most populous nation on Earth.
These figures are truly staggering, yet they tell only a fraction of the story.  Hidden behind the statistics are individuals, families and communities whose lives have been devastated.  People no different to you and me: children, women and men who face impossible choices every day.  They are parents who must choose between buying food or medicine for their children; children who must choose between school or working to support their families; families who must risk bombing at home or a perilous escape by sea. 
The solutions to the crises that have plunged these people into such desperate hardship are neither simple nor quick.  But there are things we can all do – today, and every day.  We can show compassion, we can raise our voices against injustice, and we can work for change.
World Humanitarian Day is an annual reminder of the need to act to alleviate the suffering.  It is also an occasion to honour the humanitarian workers and volunteers toiling on the frontlines of crises.  I pay tribute to these dedicated women and men who brave danger to help others at far greater risk.
Today, I urge everyone to sign on to the United Nations “World You’d Rather” campaign.  As well as raising awareness and building empathy, the campaign has a concrete goal: to raise money for the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund and to enrol the support of individuals everywhere as Messengers of Humanity.  We need everybody to demand that their societies and governments put humanity first. 
Earlier this year, 9,000 participants gathered in Istanbul for the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit.  World leaders committed to transform the lives of people living in conflict, disaster and acute vulnerability.  They rallied behind the Agenda for Humanity and its pledge to leave no one behind. 
This promise is also at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals.  With their focus on human rights, resilience and poverty eradication, these 17 global goals offer a 15-year plan to reduce needs and vulnerability and promote a world of peace, dignity and opportunity for all.  To succeed on this collective journey, we need everyone to play their part.  Each one of us can make a difference.  On this World Humanitarian Day, let us unite in the name of humanity and show that we cannot and will not leave any one behind.

Ban-Ki moon, United Nations Secretary General.




Forum : World Humanitarian Day- 19 August

Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations.

World Humanitarian Day is a day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes.

What can you do?
WHD is a day for everyone to come together and take action for a safer and more humane world for the communities affected by crisis and the people who devote their lives to helping them. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

  • Learn about the Agenda for Humanity and the five core responsibilities
  • Use the #sharehumanity hashtag to advocate for the Agenda for Humanity and the more than 130 million people affected by crisis
  • Attend or organize a WHD event on 19 August

What we do in Emergencies?

                               
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three 'L3' emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system's classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises.  In addition, OCHA is coordinating the reponse to other critical emergencies.

YEMEN, Humanitarian  Aid Assistance
 Armed conflict has spread rapidly across Yemen since March 2015, with devastating consequences for civilians. Aid groups estimate that 4 in 5 Yemeni require some form of humanitarian protection or assistance. OCHA Yemen>>


Iraq, Humanitarian Aid Assistance

The surge in violence between armed groups and government forces has displaced an estimated 3.4 million people across Iraq and left millions of people in need of assistance. OCHA Iraq>>
Syrian, Humanitarian Aid Assistance
 13.5 million people, nearly half the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. An estimated 6.6 million people have been displaced inside the country. OCHA Syria>>


Events :
Events will be held around the world on 19 August to honor the work of humanitarian workers and to celebrate the theme of ‘One Humanity’. In New York, a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the United Nations headquarters, and a high-level event will be held in the General Assembly Hall.



Digital Campaign :
 In addition a digital campaign will be launched on the day to raise awareness of the impossible choices that people caught in crisis face.



The UN's Agenda for Humanity

The UN's Agenda for Humanity outlines the collective actions that we need to take to create a safer and more humane world.

 This World Humanitarian Day (19 August) support the Agenda for Humanity and ask world leaders to do the same: www.unocha.org/whd2016


#ShareHumanity




Prevent and end conflicts - AGENDA FOR HUMANITY


Photo Exhibitions :
World Humanitarian Day will also feature photo exhibitions and film screenings documenting the lives of those affected by conflict and disaster.

For more information, please visit: www.unocha.org/whd2016.


Humanitarian Aid Delivery by the World Food Programme






News : Commitments to support people affected by crisis and ensure that aid workers can safely and more effectively deliver to those in need. World Humanitarian Summit 2016
Human Security Strategic Plan 2014-2017.
UN Emergency Fund allocates US$50 Million to Neglected Aid Operations to Assist Two Million People in Dire Need
Africa: War On Climate Terror (II) - Fleeing Disasters, Escaping Drought, Migrating

 Related Links :


Publications : Global Humanitarian Overview 2016


"Donor support in the first half of 2016 has enabled us to deliver critical, life-saving relief. It is now incumbent on us to do substantially more to invest in the lives of millions of people bearing the brunt of crises around the globe. Their needs cannot wait."

— Stephen O'Brien
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator


A consolidated appeal to support people affected by disaster and conflict.

For 2016, the humanitarian community needs $20.1 billion to provide aid for 87.6m people.


Emergency Response Plans



RESPONSE PLANS AROUND THE WORLD


RESOURCES
 

  •  Proclamation of the World Humanitarian Day
  •  Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel
  • Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
  • Delivering Humanitarian Aid
  • Humanitarian News and Analysis (IRIN)
  • Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
  • UN World Food Programme (WFP)
  • UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
  • UN Children's Agency (UNICEF)
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Remember the Fallen
  • Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation


  • ReliefWeb Developing Four Mobile Apps
     

    International Youth Day 2016, August 12.

    Международный день молодежи, 12 августа.
    International Youth Day, 12 August.
    Día Internacional de la Juventud, 12 de agosto.
    Journée internationale de la jeunesse, 12 août.
    国际青年日, 8月12日.
     اليوم الدولي للشباب، 12 أغسطس.




    Тема 2016 года — На пути к 2030 году: ликвидация нищеты и достижение ответственного потребления и производства.
    2016 Theme: The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production.
    Tema 2016: El camino hacia 2030: erradicar la pobreza y lograr el consumo y la producción sostenibles
    Thème 2016 - La route vers 2030 : Éliminer la pauvreté et parvenir à des modes de consommation et de production durables
    2016 年主题: 通往2030年之路:消除贫困,实现可持续消费和生产.





    Statement by Ban Ki-moon, U.N. Secretary-General on the occasion of the International Youth Day 2016, August 12th.

    The world’s young people – who make up the largest generation of youth in history – can lead a global drive to break the patterns of the past and set the world on course to a more sustainable future. Young people are directly affected by the tragic contradictions that prevail today: between abject poverty and ostentatious wealth, gnawing hunger and shameful food waste, rich natural resources and polluting industries. Youth can deliver solutions on these issues, which lie at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this first year of that15-year plan for a healthier, safer and more just future, we count on the active engagement of the world’s young people to transform the production and consumption of goods and services so they meet the basic needs and aspirations of the world’s poorest people without overburdening already strained ecosystems. Young people are traditionally at the cutting edge, and today’s youth have more information than any previous generation. Their dynamism, creativity and idealism can combine to shape attitudes toward demand and help create more sustainable industries. Youth are already influencing how the world produces, distributes and consumes while driving green entrepreneurship by designing sustainable products and services. As conscious consumers, young people are at the forefront of a shift toward more fair, equitable and sustainable buying patterns. Youth are strong and effective advocates of recycling, reusing and limiting waste, and they are leading technological innovations to foster a resource-efficient economy. When we invest in youth, they can contribute to new markets, decent jobs, fair trade, sustainable housing, sustainable transport and tourism, and more opportunities that benefit the planet and people. I am proud that the United Nations is actively engaged in supporting young leaders who can carry out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 12 on sustainable consumption and production patterns. I encourage all young people to become involved in advancing the SDGs and demanding action by their Governments. My Youth Envoy is eager to connect you to our campaigns, which are being carried out across the entire United Nations system. On International Youth Day, I urge others to join this global push for progress. Let us empower young people with the resources, backing and space they need to create lasting change in our world.
     
    Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General.
     

     
    Young people are not only our future -- they are our present. Our planet has never been so young, with 1.8 billion young women and men. They are the most connected, the most outspoken and the most open-minded generation the world has ever seen. They are powerful agents of positive change, essential to taking forward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is not enough to hope for a better tomorrow -- we must act now. Change is underway, and millions of citizens are already transforming the way we produce, consume, behave and communicate. Young people, such as our #YouthofUNESCO sustainable consumption advocate, Ms Lauren Singer, show us the way towards a zero-waste life-style, fitting all of her refuse produced over the past four years into one small jar! This is an inspiration for this year’s celebration -- The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Production and Consumption. There are countless initiatives like this, all giving shape to a new humanism, to new forms of solidarity and citizenship to combat poverty, marginalization and despair. Optimism and confidence do not mean we minimize the challenges ahead. Most young people live today in least developed countries, and shoulder the heaviest burden of conflicts and poverty. There can be no sustainable development if they remain on the side-lines, and I call upon all Member States and UNESCO partners to support their initiatives, to give them voice, to let them grow, to shape together the future of dignity that we are building today.
    Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General


     
     
    Message of the UN Envoy on Youth, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, on the occasion of the International Youth Day 2016, August 12th.
     
    Every year on August 12, we celebrate young people everywhere and the tremendous contributions they make to their communities and the world.
    This year, the celebration is even more special given the adoption of the boldest vision for sustainable development in history: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By adopting these Goals, governments made a commitment to combat climate change, end extreme poverty, and reduce inequalities and injustice everywhere. In the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals, the theme of this year’s International Youth Day is “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production.” The math is simple. Half of the world’s population is under 25 years old. Therefore, young people are not just the beneficiaries of the 2030 Agenda, but rather, they hold the key to its success. Young people are making waves in every field from technology, to art, to sports, to food, to science and innovation, and everything in between. They are offering bold and inspiring solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
    This is true for all 17 SDGs, and it is certainly true for sustainable consumption and production. Youth are inventing energy efficient technologies for our cars; innovative ways to recycle and dispose of goods; and new ways to preserve our water. Imagine the possibilities if we open up more venues for their participation. At the UN, we are actively working to do so. We are determined to engage them in our work. The UN is increasing and strengthening programs and initiatives focused specifically on youth. The objective is to elevate the role of young people in peacebuilding, development, human rights, and humanitarian work. But if there is one thing I have learned it is that, the more we do, the more we realize how much more should be done. With the talents and innovative spirit of young people, we can pave the way to a world where every individual not only survives, but thrives.
    On this International Youth Day, let’s not just celebrate the contributions of young people worldwide, but also commit to invest in their energy and idealism. Let’s unlock this potential. That is our ticket to the future we want and the future we deserve.
     
    Ahmad Alhendawi, United Nations Envoy on Youth.
     


    Statement of UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin on International Youth Day 2016.
     
    UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, celebrates International Youth Day by reaffirming and recognizing the central role of young people in promoting the well-being of their families, communities and nations.
    This year’s theme, “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Production and Consumption,” couldn’t be more relevant and timely. More than 500 million youth worldwide live in poverty, and often cannot afford their basic needs. They lack access to vital resources, and are disproportionately represented amongst the world’s poor. They have the most to gain if we succeed in eradicating poverty, and will have the most to lose if we fail. The good news is that young people are not the problem, as is often thought, but, in fact, they are the solution.
    Last year, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which requires us to balance the needs of present and future generations, create economic growth without destroying natural resources and reduce consumption while enforcing well-being and dignity. To achieve these goals, a fundamental shift is needed. We must make decisions on the allocation of resources while keeping the interests of future generations in mind. We must make investments in social sectors that improve the resilience of individuals and communities. And we must place the fulfilment of human rights at the centre of development.
    Globally, large youth populations represent a historic opportunity to introduce progress and adopt innovative solutions to ignite this change. Essential to this is the realization of young people’s rights to participate in the political, economic and social life of their communities and countries, and to freely make informed choices regarding their bodies, sexuality and reproduction without discrimination, violence or coercion.
    To empower young people means giving them the tools to become even more influential, productive actors in their societies. In order to achieve this, countries need to end all forms of discrimination faced by young people, particularly adolescent girls, such as forced and child marriage and sexual violence, which can result in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and HIV infections, and risk derailing their future. Central to these efforts must be the promotion of access to education, health services, including sexual and reproductive health and family planning. These combined interventions are critical in order to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, strengthen the resilience of populations in the face of all challenges and seize the opportunities of the new economy.
    Young people are already driving innovations in science and technology, making conscious choices that are drastically influencing patterns of consumption and production, and mobilizing to make companies, organizations and governments more socially and environmentally responsible. Where they can get information, technology, financing, mentorship, and platforms for collaboration, young innovators are able to turn their ideas into transformative solutions.
    UNFPA is proud to partner with young people in more than 150 countries and territories around the world to promote their participation and leadership, enabling them to overcome barriers, spearhead innovations and unleash their full potential.
    UNFPA calls on governments, development partners and other influencers to enact policies that promote young people’s development and human rights, and to measure progress across the Sustainable Development Goals that relate to adolescents and youth.
    Young people must be engaged as partners in achieving these goals, as they are the generation that will inherit our planet. An adolescent girl who is 10 years old today will be an adult of 24 in 2030, the target year for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
    We must ensure that her path through adolescence and youth leads to a brighter future for herself, her community and the world – that is paved with rights upheld, opportunities realized and promises fulfilled.
     
    Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director.

    Empowered Young women and Young men as partners in achieving gender equality. UN WOMEN
     
     
     
    Increasing prosperity, reducing exploitation, and encouraging new ideas and habits that support sustainability is the message behind the theme for this year’s International Youth Day: “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production.” With more than half the world’s population currently under 30, and a projected rise to 75 per cent over the next decade, young people have tremendous potential in helping to create a sustainable, prosperous and fair future for all. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which guide the road to 2030, are interlinked, so that the implementation of SDG 12, on responsible consumption and production, can help to achieve SDG 1, to reduce poverty. Both of these SDGs go hand in hand with SDG 5, the empowerment of women and girls. An integral part of the conversation around these issues is the barriers to women’s sustainable production practices and participation in the economy. A blog published on Empower Women reported that around 80 per cent of the labour that goes into producing coffee is done by rural women. Many of them are paid just US$1.75 per day, when the fruits of their labours can sell for up to US$240 per kilo. Globally, women make up the majority of those living on less than two dollars a day and, in some regions, account for 81 per cent of the unemployed. Where they do earn a wage, women are paid an average of 24 per cent less than men for the same work. Supporting small and starter businesses to grow not only creates badly needed jobs—it also drives growth and advances shared prosperity. Some 9.34 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) around the world are run by women. Yet, in many countries, women still face challenges that impede their ability to operate and grow their businesses. These barriers include exclusion from male-dominated markets, concentration in less-productive and lower-paying sectors and lack of access to business management skills training. We have the means to change these inequalities through the decisions that we make. As young activist Thabo Mubukwanu told us: “By purchasing from socially conscious companies that support women, I have the power to determine whether my money goes into making my community and the world at large a better place. Rather than spend $1 at a company that produces goods in sweatshops, I can spend it at a company that empowers women by including them at every level of their supply chain. I will know that with every purchase a woman somewhere can have a dignified life.” As individuals, we can all aim to be conscious consumers and encourage decisions that positively influence women’s livelihoods. As business owners, we can provide training and make explicit, fair purchasing and commissioning choices that support women producers, and as governments, we can remove legislative barriers that constrain women’s entrepreneurship and put in place provisions to ensure fair trade practices. Strengthening initiatives to promote women’s economic empowerment, including investing in innovation and skills development for young women and the gender responsive implementation of Agenda 2030, is a key component of UN Women’s youth strategy. In addition, we must educate young people on sustainable use of land, water and natural resources. This will empower them to make purchasing decisions that will encourage companies to re-evaluate their supply chains and integrate sustainability into corporate policies and culture.
     
     
     Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director UN Women.
     

    
    Explore SDG4 Data - Unesco Institute for Statistics

    Forum : International Youth Day is on August 12 each year.

    The theme of the 2016 International Youth Day is “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production”. This year’s Day is about achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It focuses on the leading role of young people in ensuring poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development through sustainable consumption and production.



    
    Toolkit to celebrate International Youth Day


    Events : Events at UN Headquarters, New York.
     
    Join us at UN Headquarters on 12 August 2016 to commemorate International Youth Day 2016 under the theme “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production.”
    Find more information about the International Youth Day 2016 event.

    Events Around the World
     
    Events to celebrate International Youth Day 2016 will take place all over the world. You can organize an event to celebrate International Youth Day in your community, school, youth club, or workplace. Let us know about your event by sending your planned event or activity for International Youth Day to youth@un.org, and we’ll map it on the IYD World Map of Events.

     
     
     
     
    Youth Video Competition on Climate Change
    Young people can share how they are shaping a more sustainable future and win a trip to the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Morocco. Send your video for the Global Youth Video Competition on Climate Change and win a trip to the ‪#‎COP22. See details on the competition.

    Edit a Thons.
    Wikipedia compiles what represents close to the sum of all human knowledge, and as an effort to ensure women are recognized as part of that sum, on the occasion of the International Youth Day, Empower Women is pleased to announce the launch of the HerStory initiative. Empower Women by UN Women, Wikimedia Foundation, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, the UN Inter-agency Network on Youth Development's Working Group on Youth and Gender Equality, and hundreds of volunteer champions are working on enhancing the content on Wikipedia related to women and gender equality to raise awareness, close the gender knowledge gap, and start changing and editing the future. Join HerStory edit-a-thons to contribute, promote and celebrate women of the world. Make sure you going to be an agent of this ‘herstorical’ change.


    News :

    Monday 15 August 2016

    International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2016, August 9.

    Международный день коренных народов мира, 9 августа.
    International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, 9 August.
    世界土著人民国际日, 8月9日.
    Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas, 9 de agosto.
    Journée internationale des peuples autochtones, 9 août.
     أغسطس 9.,اليوم الدولي للشعوب الأصلية في العالم



    Theme 2016 : Indigenous Peoples' Right to Education.




    Statement by the United Nations Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon for the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2016, August 9.

    The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders last year, is predicated on the principle of leaving no one behind in the journey to a world of peace and dignity, opportunity and prosperity.  Among those most vulnerable to being left behind are indigenous peoples.
    Indigenous peoples face a wide range of challenges including systematic discrimination, denial of their land and territorial rights and inadequate access to essential services.  Indigenous peoples regularly face stigmatization of their cultural identity and lack of respect and recognition for their heritage and values, including in textbooks and other educational materials.  Their marginalization is often compounded by language barriers.  Instruction is mainly in the national language, with little or no instruction in, or recognition of, indigenous languages. 
    This has grave consequences.  Around the globe, indigenous youth are graduating from high school at rates well below the national average.  In some countries, less than 40 per cent of indigenous children attend school full-time.  In many others, few indigenous children complete a full high school education.  This is unacceptable.  We will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals if we fail to address the educational needs of indigenous peoples.
    In recent decades, the world has progressed considerably in advocating for the rights of indigenous peoples.  The United Nations now has three specific mechanisms to advance their cause: the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  We also have the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  Adopted by the General Assembly on 13 September 2007, the Declaration is the definitive benchmark for the recognition, promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.
    In September 2014, the first World Conference on Indigenous Peoples adopted an action oriented outcome document to achieve the ends of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  As a direct result we now have a UN System Wide Action Plan to promote awareness and action to support the implementation of the UN Declaration, particularly at the country level.
    On this International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, I call on Governments everywhere to draw on the guidance of this international framework to improve access to education for indigenous peoples and to reflect their experiences and culture in places of learning.  Let us commit to ensuring indigenous peoples are not left behind as we pursue the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Other Statements




    Forum : International Day of the World’s Indigenous People - August 9.
    On Twitter, follow #WeAreIndigenous and @UN4Indigenous

    The right of indigenous peoples to education is protected by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which in Article 14 states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.”
    The right of indigenous peoples to education is also protected by a number of other international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
    Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for ensuring equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.
    In spite of these instruments, the right to education has not been fully realized for most indigenous peoples, and a critical education gap exists between indigenous peoples and the general population.
    Where data exist, they show consistent and persistent disparities between the indigenous and the non-indigenous population in terms of educational access, retention and achievement, in all regions of the world.
    The education sector not only mirrors the historical abuses, discrimination and marginalization suffered by indigenous peoples, but also reflects their continued struggle for equality and respect for their rights as peoples and as individuals.


    EVENTS: Commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2016.
     
    Tuesday, 9 August 2016
    ECOSOC Chamber
    3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

    Live broadcasting : Press briefing on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People - August 9, with a focus on Indigenous peoples and the ' right to education. UN Web TV Speakers: Álvaro Pop, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (Maya Q'eqchi, Guatemala); Karla Jessen Williamson, University of Saskatchewan, Canada (Inuit, Greenland); Octaviana Trujillo, Northern Arizona University (Yaqui, USA).


        
    Indigenous Peoples' Organizations, National Human Rights Institutions, indigenous Members of Parliament, and friends of indigenous peoples could registered.

        
    Indigenous Peoples' Right to Education - Interactive dialogue. UN Web TV
     
     
     
    UN Information Centres around the world are holding events and activities in observance of the International Day on or around 9 August 2016.

     Among them are:

    ColombiaEvents on the right to education across nine different localities, as well as an event bringing together indigenous peoples from across the region to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals (2030 Agenda), with a special focus on access to education.
    Ghana: Visit by a youth group to a children's home in a rural community of indigenous peoples.
    Peru: Dialogue with Tarcila Rivera, incoming member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, with 250 students from 10 schools, with a special focus on the right of indigenous peoples to education.
    Sri Lanka: Discussion session with the indigenous Vedda people in the remote village of Dambana, to raise awareness of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
    Indonesia: Events in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, including a parade showcasing indigenous traditions, dress, music and arts; a one-day seminar on improving access to education for indigenous populations; and performances by some of Indonesia’s over 1,000 indigenous tribes.
    Honduras: Event with the indigenous Pech people in a rural community of Olancho, to promote education and food security rights and showcase indigenous traditions, music and art.


    Publications :

    Minority Group International -  The State of the World' Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2016

    The 2016 edition of State of the World’s Minorities and Indigenous Peoples highlights the impact of Armed Conflict, Indigenous land rights, Ancestral Lands dispossession, Forced assimilation and Discrimination on the most fundamental aspects of minority and indigenous identities, namely their Languages, Art, Traditional Knowledge and Spirituality.

    The State of the World' Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2016




     
     

    International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2016, Augusto 30.

    International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, 30 August.
    Día Internacional de las Víctimas de Desapariciones Forzadas, 30 de Augusto.
    Международный день жертв насильственных исчезновений, 30 августа.
     اليوم العالمي لضحايا الاختفاء القسري، 30 أغسطس.



    Every disappearance violates a range of human rights


    Statements :

    Statement of CED on Treaty Bodies Strengthening
    Decision of CED on Addis Ababa guidelines



    Forum : International Day of the Disappeared on August 30
    Enforced disappearances can nowadays be perpetrated in complex situations of internal conflict, especially as a means of political repression of opponents. Of particular concern are:
    • the ongoing harassment of human rights defenders, relatives of victims, witnesses and legal counsel dealing with cases of enforced disappearance;
    • the use by States of counter-terrorist activities as an excuse for breaching their obligations;
    • and the still widespread impunity for enforced disappearance

     
    Every disappearance violates a range of human rights including:
    • right to security and dignity of person
    • right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
    • right to humane conditions of detention
    • right to a legal personality
    • right to a fair trial
    • right to a family life
    • right to life (if the disappeared person is killed or their fate is unknown).
     
    Governments must:
    • Investigate and prosecute those responsible in a fair trial.
    • Legislate to make the International Convention national law.
    • Implement the International Convention and accept the competency of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances.
    • Live up to their obligations under international law.
    • Make sure survivors and people who have lost their loved ones receive reparation – this includes compensation, rehabilitation, restitution and a guarantee that it won’t happen again.
     
     

    A-Life-on-Hold : Adressing the needs of families of the missing

    Events : Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance

    United Nations Human Rights.

    10th session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances 7-18 March 2016
    11th session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances 3-14 October 2016

    News :
    - Enforced disappearances, Amnesty International
    - Amnesty International urges governments across Southeast Asia to address the culture of impunity for crimes.
    - Sierra Leone: Amnesty International Submission to the Committee on the rights of the child
    - South Africa: Smoke and mirrors: Lonmin’s failure to address housing conditions at Marikana
    Saudi Arabia: Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
    - Haiti: Internal displacement, forced evictions, statelessness – the catalogue to violations continue


    #StopDisappearances


    Resources :

    World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2016, July 30.

    World Day against Trafficking in Persons, 30 July.
    Día Mundial contra la Trata, 30 de Julio.
    Всемирный день борьбы с торговлей людьми, 30 июля.
    Journée mondiale de la dignité des victimes de la traite d’êtres humains, 30 juillet.
    اليوم العالمي لمكافحة الاتجار بالأشخاص، 30 يوليو.

     
     
     

    All over the world, tens of millions of people are desperately seeking refuge, many of them far from home and even farther from safety.  Migrants and refugees face imposing physical obstacles and bureaucratic barriers. Sadly, they are also vulnerable to human rights violations and exploitation by human traffickers.

    Human traffickers prey on the most desperate and vulnerable. To end this inhumane practice, we must do more to shield migrants and refugees -- and particularly young people, women and children -- from those who would exploit their yearnings for a better, safer and more dignified future. We must govern migration in a safe and rights-based way, create sufficient and accessible pathways for the entry of migrants and refugees, and ultimately tackle the root causes of the conflicts -- extreme poverty, environmental degradation and other crises which force people across borders, seas and deserts.

    These issues will be central to the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants, to be held in New York on 19 September 2016. This meeting aims amongst other goals to win renewed commitment for intensified efforts to combat human trafficking and smuggling of migrants and refugees, ensure protection and assistance for the victims of trafficking and of abusive smuggling, as well as all those who suffer human rights violations and abuse in the course of large movements, and promote respect for international law, standards and frameworks.

    I call on every nation -- whether country of origin, transit or destination --  to recognize our shared responsibility. As a first step, we need a strong legal basis for action. I encourage all States to adopt and implement the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocol on human trafficking as well as all core international human rights instruments.   

    On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, I urge everyone to recommit to protect, respect and fulfil the human rights of all migrants and refugees. Creating and supporting well-governed, safe and human rights-based migration and asylum procedures will be an important step towards ending the abhorrent practice of profiting from human despair and misery.

    Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General.
     

     Statement by UNODC Executive Director, Mr. Yury Fedotov for the World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2016.

    Excellencies,
    Ladies and gentlemen,

    Thank you for joining us for this event to mark the 2016 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
    I would also like to thank our distinguished panellists for their participation.
    This day to call attention to the plight of trafficking victims is needed more than ever.
    The international community is struggling with what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called the biggest refugee and migration crisis since the Second World War.
    Meanwhile, human traffickers, as well as migrant smugglers, are taking advantage of misery to turn a huge profit.
    Criminals prey on vulnerable people in need and without support, and they see migrants, especially women and children, as easy targets for exploitation, violence and abuse.
    Armed conflicts and humanitarian crises expose those caught in the crossfire to increased risk of being trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour, organ removal, servitude and other forms of slavery.
    The scope of the violence and criminal exploitation the world has witnessed appears to know no bounds.
    An ongoing investigation by Italian authorities into smuggling groups operating in the Mediterranean has found that these criminals are highly organized, working together to manage most of the business in this region.
    Migrants who can pay are crammed into boats and shipped out. Thousands of children, men and women have died on these perilous sea crossings, while the criminals responsible escape justice.
    The terrible fate of migrants who run out of money and cannot pay the smugglers thousands of dollars is beyond imagination.
    Investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting that these people are being sold, fifteen thousand dollars per person, to other criminal groups, who kill them and harvest their organs for sale.
    While not all migrants are vulnerable to being trafficked, the forthcoming UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2016 identifies a clear pattern linking undocumented migration to trafficking in persons.
    Certain migration flows appear particularly vulnerable to human trafficking.
    Nationals from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador represent about twenty per cent of the victims detected in the United States, while the legal migration flows from these countries represent about five per cent of the total.
    Similar patterns are found in Western Europe, where citizens from South Eastern European countries comprise a large share of detected victims.
    The UNODC report, which will be released later this year, further highlights the links between human trafficking and refugee flows from countries including Syria and Eritrea, and involving refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
    We clearly need to do much more to stop human traffickers and migrant smugglers, as part of coordinated and comprehensive responses to the refugee crisis and migration challenges we are facing around the world.
    In order to do this, I urge governments to ratify and effectively implement the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols on human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
    By strengthening action under the Protocols, we can better protect vulnerable children, women and men.
    The Convention and the Protocols also underpin the international cooperation needed to bring criminals to justice.
    Too often and for too long, migrant smugglers and human traffickers have gone about their business with impunity.
    But we know how to fight this fight.
    The migrant smuggling investigation I referred to earlier is using the Convention's provisions on mutual legal assistance and extradition to pursue the alleged criminals across borders.
    The Italian investigation is built on the instruments and expertise honed through many years of anti-mafia action, including tracking the financial proceeds of crime.
    This shows that we can and we must make better use of the tools and frameworks that we already have in place, also in cases involving human trafficking.
    I very much hope that Member States will take the opportunities presented by the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants in September, and the Conference of the Parties to the UNTOC in October, to reinforce these efforts.
    I also urge you to contribute to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, which works across the globe to provide trafficking victims with shelter and vocational training and schooling, as well as access to health, psychosocial, legal and economic services.
    Ladies and gentlemen,
    The challenges presented by the unprecedented flows of people around the world are many. But as the Secretary-General has said, this is not a crisis of numbers, it is a crisis of solidarity.
    This is true too of our efforts to protect people from human trafficking and other crimes.
    Working together, we can give trafficking victims, as well as the many children, women and men vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, a much-needed voice and a helping hand.
    You can count on UNODC to support you, as ever.

    Thank you.

    Yury Fedotov, UNODC Executive Director.



    Statement by the United Nations human rights expert, Mrs. Maria Grazia Giammarinaro for the World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2016.



    Speaking ahead of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on Saturday 30 July, United Nations human rights expert Maria Grazia Giammarinaro urged all States to protect people, particularly women and children, from trafficking in persons, and made a special appeal to those countries hosting victims and potential victims of trafficking among persons fleeing conflict around the world.
    “Walls, fences and laws criminalising irregular migration do not prevent human trafficking; on the contrary, they increase the vulnerabilities of people fleeing conflict, persecution, crisis situations and extreme poverty, who can fall easy prey to traffickers and exploiters.

    Women and girls raped and sexually exploited during their journey, often pregnant, men who have lost all their possessions and are indebted with their smugglers and bound to work without a salary for years, children begging or working to support their families in precarious circumstances, children travelling alone sent by their families abroad in the hope of a better future: all these people trying to reach a safe place, during their journey have probably been already subjugated by traffickers, or are at high risk of being trafficked.
     
    Over the past years thousands of people including many children fleeing conflict have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea.  In the first half of 2016 only, the International Organization for Migration estimated 2.856 deaths or missing persons. Such tragedies have fostered enormous emotion and solidarity in the public opinion, but unfortunately have not substantially changed the terms of the discussion at the government level.

    The Syrian conflict in particular is causing a massive exodus that should be seen as a global humanitarian crisis, which requires a shared responsibility approach at the European and international level.

    Unfortunately, EU countries have mostly failed to detect trafficked persons and address protection needs among people fleeing the Syrian and other conflicts. Some countries have adopted restrictive approaches, which exacerbated vulnerabilities of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to human trafficking.

    States should establish or  adapt existing procedures and services aimed at providing assistance and protection, including gender- and child-sensitive measures, to victims of trafficking, and consider extending some assistance measures – especially help for job opportunities - to people at risk of trafficking and exploitation.

    Such national procedures and mechanisms should be established, in close cooperation with civil society organizations, in all hotspots, reception and administrative detention centers, where situations of trafficking and risk of trafficking and exploitation can be detected and addressed.

    It is time to take action, and put in place policies based on shared responsibilities, aimed at ensuring survival, relocation and social inclusion of people fleeing conflict, and preventing trafficking and exploitation in the context of mixed migration flows of people.”

    Ms. Maria Grazia Giammarinaro (Italy) was appointed as Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014, to promote the prevention of trafficking in persons in all its forms, and to encourage measures to uphold and protect the human rights of victims. Ms. Giammarinaro has been a Judge since 1991. She served as a Pre-Trial Judge at the Criminal Court of Rome, and currently serves as a Judge in the Civil Court of Rome. She was the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings of the OSCE, and served in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security in Brussels, where she was responsible for combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. She drafted the EU Directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims.

    The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
     
    Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, United Nations Human Rights.




    Forum : World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July 30.

    Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. The link between the refugee and migration crisis and trafficking in persons was highlighted at this year's observance of the day by the UN Office for Drugs and Crime.




    Resources :
    Feature stories on trafficking from the UN Human Rights Office
    UN Voluntary Trust Fund for victims of trafficking,
    EU Directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims.
    A/RES/68/192 Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons
    2014 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons
    UNODC Human Trafficking Case Law Database
    UN.GIFT - Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking
    Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking