The purpose of the Day is to: - Honour the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice; - Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all; - Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.
• 226 000 children and adolescents lost their lives from this preventable and curable disease in 2020.
• 21 000 (or 9%) of the children and young adolescents under 15 years who died of TB were living with HIV.
• In 2020, an estimated 63 % of children and young adolescents below 15 years with TB were not reported or didn’t get access to lifesaving TB diagnosis and treatment services; the proportion was even higher - 72% - for children under 5.
• Progress towards reaching the targets set at the UN High Level Meeting is lagging behind:
- Approximately 1.4 million children were diagnosed and notified between 2018 and 2020, which is only 41% of the 2022 target of 3.5 million.
- Only 12 200 children started treatment for MDR/RR TB in that period, which translates to less than 11% of the 2022 target.
- Only 29% of eligible children under 5 years accessed TB preventive treatment between 2018 and 2020. Almost two thirds of eligible children under 5 years therefore remain at risk of getting sick with TB.
IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING
TB IN CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS
Diagnosing TB in children can be challenging
due to many factors, including the nonspecific nature of TB symptoms that are similar
to other childhood illnesses and difficulties in
collecting specimens for diagnostic testing.
Infants and young children (especially those
under two years) are at higher risk of
developing TB meningitis and disseminated
disease, which are associated with high
morbidity and mortality.
Adolescents usually present with infectious TBdisease, as typically seen in adults. However,
adolescents also form a particularly
vulnerable group who face psycho-social
challenges, requiring careful consideration of
their growing autonomy, treatment support
and assistance with transitioning from
paediatric to adult health service provision.
We need to manage TB in children and
adolescents recognising the unique
characteristics and needs of these groups, as
well as those of their parents, caregivers and
families.
IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
• COVID-19 has had an additional negative and disproportionate impact on children
and adolescents with TB and at risk of TB.
• There has been a steady increase in notifications of children with TB from just over
340,000 in 2011/2012 to over 520,000 in 2019, with a substantial drop in 2020, as a result
of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A detailed analysis shows that TB notifications in children aged below 5 years dropped
by 28% between 2019 and 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions, these figures for children
aged 5-14 years and for those aged 15 years and above were 21% and 18%.
• Overall deaths increased for the first time in a decade to 1.5 million up from 1.4 million
in 2019, as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO, UNICEF, Stop TB Partnership and other
partners released an action plan in 2018
outlining measures to prevent and treat TB in
children and adolescents.
The roadmap
highlights key actions
to end TB in children
and adolescents, such
as high level leadership
& accountability,
functional partnerships,
increased funding,
advocacy, integrated
family- and
community-centred
strategies, improved
monitoring, and more
child and adolescent
TB research.
EVENTS :
The event will take place in a talk-show format with speakers connected by video on WHO’s interactive web-platform- End TB Forum. The main speakers will include Ministers, leaders and other high-level government representatives, Heads of Agencies, TB survivors, civil society and partners. The Show will be broadcast live, with interactive Q&A from the audience online.
On World Meteorological Day; this 23 March; we will highlight the critical role of early warning systems and early action as an adaptive measure for climate change. Greater coordination between national meteorological and hydrological services, disaster management authorities and development agencies is fundamental to better prevention, preparedness and response. Join the conversation with the hastags#WorldMetDay, #Earlywarningearlyaction.
Greetings from the World Meteorological Organization secretariat in Geneva.
The top priority of WMO is to protect lives and livelihoods from weather, climate and
water extremes.
Every minute of every day of the year.
I am therefore very happy that the theme of World Meteorological Day 2022 is “Early
Warning and Early Action.”
It celebrates the great achievements of national meteorological and hydrological
services in improved early warning systems. It also highlights the vital work of the
disaster risk reduction community in making sure that these early warnings lead to
early action.
But we cannot be complacent. We face many challenges, especially in making sure
that early warnings reach the last mile to the most vulnerable who need them most.
Climate change is already very visible through more extreme weather in all parts of
the world. We are seeing more intense heatwaves and drought and forest fires. We
have more water vapor in the atmosphere, which leads to extreme rainfall and
deadly flooding. The warming of the ocean fuels more powerful tropical storms and
rising sea levels increase the impacts.
We expect this negative trend to continue. Greenhouse gas concentrations are at
record levels, locking in climate change to continue for decades to come, melting of
glaciers and sea level rise up to centuries.
In addition to climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation is a top priority.
Early warning systems are a powerful way to adapt.
2
Last year WMO published a report on disaster statistics for the past 50 years. It
showed that there were more than 11 000 disasters linked to weather, climate and
water-related hazards, almost equal to one disaster per day. There were 2 million
deaths – or 115 per day.
The number of disasters has increased five-fold in the past 50 years. And the
economic cost has soared.
But the good news is that the number of casualties has fallen dramatically. We are
better than ever before at saving lives.
Supercomputers, satellites and advances in science have greatly increased the
accuracy of our forecasts. Mobile phone alerts and weather apps can reach even
remote areas.
WMO is promoting impact-based forecasting, of what the weather will be and what it
will do. That is needed to enhance the preparedness and early action of various user
and customer groups, who are dependent on weather.
But much more remains to be done. Only half of the 193 Members of WMO have
multi-hazard early warning systems in place. There is also a major need to enhance
the impact based forecasting skills of a large fraction of Members.
There are severe gaps in weather and hydrological observing networks in Africa,
some parts of Latin America and in Pacific and Caribbean island. This undermines
forecasts local and globally.
WMO has therefore created a financing mechanism known as SOFF (The
Systematic Observation Financing Facility) to drive investment in the basic observing
system and fill data gaps.
WMO is an implementing partner in the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems
Initiative (CREWS), which builds resilience among vulnerable countries and
communities.
WMO is spearheading a new water and climate coalition to focus more attention on
water-related hazards and shortages. We have highly successful programmes and
projects on tropical cyclones, coastal inundation, floods and drought.
In Geneva we have joined forces with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to
form a centre of excellence on climate change and disasters.
WMO has been developing a support mechanism to provide reliable and
authoritative information to the UN humanitarian agencies to be able to optimize the
humanitarian aid before and after a weather related disaster. We are working
together with financing institutions like the World Bank, European Union, UNDP,
Green Climate Fund, to allocate more funding to early warning services and to
ensure sustainability of the investments.
3
And of course, WMO is committed to the 2030 international agenda on climate
action, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction.
WMO’s vision is that “by 2030, we see a world where all nations, especially the most
vulnerable, are more resilient to the socioeconomic consequences of extreme
weather, climate, water and other environmental events.
Early warnings work. They must work for everyone. They must lead to early action.
I wish you all a happy World Meteorological Day
WMO Secretary-General.
EVENT
Want to catch all the action from World Meteterology Day 2022 ceremony? Tune in to our live event from Geneva on 23 March 2022 from 14:00 to 15:30 (CET). To participate in the event, join us via Zoom where interpretation into Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish will be available. The ceremony will also be live-streamed on the WMO YouTube channel in English.
Hot or cold, still or storm, drought, or downpour. Weather affects us all. The WWRP is advancing and promoting research activities on weather, its prediction and its impact on society. The improvements in science and operational predictions are driven by international cooperation, and in turn, international cooperation in weather science is a unique opportunity to drive sustainable development.
As the science is advancing, critical questions are arising such as the potential sources of predictability on weekly, monthly and longer time scales; seamless prediction from minutes to months; optimal use of local and global observing systems and the effective utilization of supercomputers.
In addition, communication of forecasts, warnings and their uncertainty, as well as some indication of the impacts of these warnings, raise new challenges for weather-related approaches for the full value chain. All of these challenges can only be met through strong interdisciplinary collaborations and thus the World Weather Research Programme relies on strong links with social scientists, Early Career Scientists and public-private partnerships.
A World Water Day on groundwater would put a spotlight on this invisible resource, enhance knowledge exchange and collaboration and thereby increase the awareness of the importance of taking care of our groundwater.
Groundwater is a vital resource that provides almost half of all drinking water worldwide, about 40% of water for irrigated agriculture and about 1/3 of water required for industry. It sustains ecosystems, maintains the baseflow of rivers and prevents land subsidence and seawater intrusion. Groundwater is an important part of climate change adaptation process and is often a solution for people without access to safe water. Despite these impressive facts and figures, invisible groundwater is out of sight and out of mind for most people. Human activities (including population- and economic growth) and climate variability are rapidly increasing the pressure on groundwater resources: serious depletion and pollution problems are reported for many parts of the world.
Held in December 2022, the Summit will use the UN World Water Development Report 2022 as a baseline and the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework to define actions towards more responsible and sustainable use and protection of this vital natural resource. The Summit will unify the statements from all major water-related events in 2021 and 2022 into one comprehensive groundwater message for the UN 2023 Water Conference.
The northern hemisphere is saying goodbye to cold, barren landscapes and hello to spring’s budding leaves and blooming flowers. Millions around the world put on festivals, feasts and enjoy outdoor activities in celebration of Nowruz, the first day of spring and official start to Persian New Year.
Nowruz is one of the oldest holidays and has a rich history that dates back over 3,000 years. The 13-day celebration begins with the vernal equinox when the sun crosses the equator. This widely symbolizes rebirth and the affirmation of life in harmony with nature.
For many, common traditions include house cleaning, visiting friends and neighbors, and preparing traditional dishes such as special desserts, herb rice, and fried fish.
Last year, the Nowruz celebration coincided with the early days of an unprecedented and devastating global pandemic.
This year, the Nowruz spirit is more vital than ever.
Solidarity between communities and generations is more crucial than ever.
Our promise in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind is more essential than ever.
Today, we can start to see light at the end of the tunnel.
As the world comes together to defeat COVID-19, Nowruz serves as an inspiration to recover and rebuild in a more just and durable way, in harmony with nature.
I offer my best wishes to everyone marking Nowruz.
May this day advance happiness, health, and harmony to all.
EVENTS: 13th Annual Celebration of Nowruz at UCLA.
Join Farhang Foundation on Sunday March 20th for our return to the 13th Annual Celebration of Nowruz at UCLA in-person after a two-year hiatus. This event is the largest free celebration of Nowruz (Iranian New Year) in the world. The event takes place in Dickson Court from 12PM - 5PM and is open to all. This year's free events include: Live performances by: The Ava Choir Negar Estakhr Puppet Show Arezoo Koochakan's L.A. DAF Ensemble The Melieka Fathi Dance Company The Firuze Dance Company by Robyn Friend The UCLA Iranian Music Student Ensemble Children's Activities and Arts and Crafts Exclusive art and virtual activities by the Getty Villa Museum Plus a Grand Haft Sîn Display and an Iranian Tea House. Nowruz at UCLA is FREE and open to all. For full details and more information please visit us at https://farhang.org/nowruzla Location Address: 10745 Dickson Court, LA, CA 90095 Parking: UCLA Structure #2 719 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Forests are essential for the achievement of the #GlobalGoals. In celebration of the upcoming International Forests Day on 21 March, learn more about how your actions can help save our forests. Follow the conversation with the hashtags #IntForestDay
Healthy forests are essential for people and the planet. They act as natural filters, providing clean air and water, and they are havens of biological diversity. They help to regulate our climate by influencing rainfall patterns, cooling urban areas and absorbing one third of greenhouse gas emissions. They provide many communities and indigenous peoples with livelihoods, medicines, sustenance and refuge.
The commitments to halt deforestation have been loud and clear, and in some regions, deforestation is slowing. Yet each year we still degrade and destroy some 10 million hectares of forest. It is essential that the world implements the recent Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use and other instruments designed to protect our forests.
It is time we see tangible and credible action on the ground. This means ending the unsustainable consumption and production patterns that jeopardize our forests. And it means providing support for the sustainable management of forests to the countries and peoples who need it.
On this International Day of Forests, let us recommit to healthy forests for healthier livelihoods.
Meet high level guests and experts – discussing how forest-based innovations, resource efficiency, forest-based products and ecosystem services can contribute to a sustainable lifestyle and accelerate a shift towards more sustainable consumption and production. These efforts help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, wellbeing and a transition towards low-carbon and green economies. Visit the International Day of Forests event web to learn more.
The theme of the 2022 International Day of Forests celebration is “Forests and Sustainable Production and Consumption”. The celebration aims to raise awareness of how sustainable production and consumption of forest resources helps to restore balance in how we use natural resources. It is about increasing efficiency, reducing environmental degradation, and creating sustainable lifestyles for current and future generations.
Every year, the Forum secretariat holds a special event to celebrate the International Day of Forests at United Nations Headquarters in New York which attracts participation from representatives of Member States, regional organizations, members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and non-governmental organizations.
I am honoured to join you today to celebrate the voices of the people who stand up against racism – millions of people around the world who have decided to stand up for our fundamental, and universal, equality and rights.
Despite considerable efforts – and some progress – millions of Africans and people of African descent; Asians and people of Asian descent; indigenous peoples; national, ethnic and linguistic minorities; religious communities; and migrants continue to be confronted by racism, racial discrimination, inequality and exclusion. Racism still permeates social structures and institutions in every region of the world.
The impact of racism on people’s human rights is far-reaching. From people seeking refuge from conflict – as we saw recently on the borders of Ukraine – to children attending school; people in need of health-care; job-seekers and many others – my Office has observed multiple manifestations of racism in every aspect of people’s lives.
Digital tools often enhance these profoundly negative phenomena. For instance, algorithms embedded in internet searches often reinforce negative racial stereotypes and biases. Facial recognition – which is often used for surveillance purposes – can be a source of discrimination, and may reinforce discriminatory practices against minority communities especially by law enforcement. The banning of certain books, especially books about racial identity, from school curricula and school libraries also constitutes an assault against the right to education and efforts to recognise and combat past legacies of harm.
At the international level, this effort should be guided by the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and several other important instruments, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Ensuring the meaningful and effective participation and representation of all communities at all levels of State institutions and decision-making processes is also fundamental. In this context, I welcome this year’s thematic focus of “Voices for action against racism”. Acknowledging the people who face and stand up against racism – and actively responding to their concerns – is essential to achieving progress.
We must protect the civic space and safety of those who face and stand up against racism. Their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association in particular must be safeguarded as they often constitute the only way they can impart change.
I also want to emphasise that all politicians and authorities bear a special responsibility to refrain from, prevent and confront incitement to hatred and discrimination.
Serious discussions on the legacies of enslavement and colonialism must continue and lead to reparatory justice. Only when we fully acknowledge the burdens created by past harms will we be able to move forward and achieve real and sustainable change.
Racism is an assault on human dignity, and on everything the United Nations stands for. Today – and every day – I stand in solidarity with all victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. I ask all of you to act with me, to end this deep injustice.
Thank you.
Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Monday, 28 March 2022. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CET. Palais des Nations, UN Geneva
The panel discussion will gather speakers who are known for their active role in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and who are from diverse backgrounds. They will share their experiences and will advocate in favour of listening to those who face racial discrimination.
CAMPAIGN
We need everyone’s voice for action against racism. Join us to spread the word for racial justice and equality. Show support for #FightRacism by sharing your picture w/ our “I Stand Up To Racism” filter on social media using: #FightRacism, #StandUp4HumanRights
