Friday, 20 June 2014

World Refugee Day 2014, June 20

World Refugee Day, 20 June.
Día Mundial de los Refugiados, 20 de junio.
Всемирный день беженцев,20 июня.
 اليوم العالمي للاجئين - 20 حزيران/ يونيو
Journée mondiale des réfugiés, 20 juin.
世界难民日,6月20.



For World Refugee Day 2014, we will continue our global "1 Campaign", keeping with the theme: "1 family torn apart by war is too many".




 First marked in 2001, World Refugee Day is held every year on June 20. Tens of thousands of people around the world take time to recognize and applaud the contribution of forcibly displaced people throughout the world. The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries, involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians and the forcibly displaced themselves.



Around the world, conflict has forced a record number of people to flee their homes.  More than 50 million people are currently displaced by war and violence, some 33.3 million in their own country and some 16.7 million as refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries.  Last year alone, more than 10 million people were newly displaced; every 15 minutes, one family was forced into flight.
The conflict in Syria was one of the main reasons behind this massive increase. But large numbers of people were also uprooted in Mali and as a result of fresh eruptions of fighting in the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
At the same time, many long-standing conflicts remained unresolved, meaning that fewer people have been able to return home.  Hundreds of thousands of people from Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Somalia and Sudan continued to live in exile, many for several years or decades, sometimes even generations.
Most of the world’s refugees – 86 per cent -- live in the developing world, compared to 70 per cent 10 years ago. Most of these countries have kept their doors open to people in search of safety, and have shown a generosity that is often well beyond their means. I appeal to all Member States and our partners in civil society to do their utmost to support the nations and communities that have welcomed the forcibly displaced into their midst.
These rising numbers are a stark reminder of the international community’s inability to overcome its divisions to prevent and end conflicts. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and its partners continue to provide lifesaving assistance: water and sanitation, food and shelter, education and protection services. But a humanitarian response alone is not enough. Political solutions are urgently needed. 
On World Refugee Day, 20 June, we honour the strength and resilience of the more than 50 million people around the world who have fled war, persecution and human rights abuses. Let us renew our commitment to end armed conflict, and to help the people who have been forced to flee their homes.  Even one family torn apart by war is too many.

Ban Ki-moon


En todo el mundo, los conflictos han forzado a un número récord de personas a huir de sus hogares. Más de 50 millones de personas se encuentran desplazadas en la actualidad a causa de las guerras y la violencia, 33,3 millones en su propio país y 16,7 millones como refugiados, principalmente en países vecinos. Tan solo en el último año, más de 10 millones de personas se sumaron a la lista de desplazados; eso quiere decir que cada 15 minutos una familia se vio forzada a huir.
El conflicto en la República Árabe Siria es una de las principales razones de ese extraordinario aumento. No obstante, no hay que olvidar que también un gran número de personas quedaron desplazadas en Malí, como consecuencia de los nuevos enfrentamientos, y en la República Sudafricana y Sudán del Sur.
Por otro lado, muchos de los conflictos de larga data siguen sin resolverse, lo que significa que pocas personas han podido regresar a sus hogares. Cientos de miles de ciudadanos del Afganistán, Colombia, Myanmar, la República Democrática del Congo, Somalia y el Sudán siguen viviendo en el exilio, muchos de ellos desde hace años o décadas y algunos incluso desde hace generaciones.
La mayoría de los refugiados de todo el mundo (86%) viven en el mundo en desarrollo, frente al 70% hace tan solo 10 años. Muchos de esos países han mantenido sus puertas abiertas a las personas que buscan seguridad y han demostrado una generosidad que supera con mucho sus posibilidades. Hago un llamamiento a todos los Estados Miembros y a nuestros asociados en la sociedad civil para que hagan todo lo posible por apoyar a las naciones y comunidades que han acogido en su seno a las personas desplazadas por la fuerza.
El creciente número de desplazados es un crudo recordatorio de la incapacidad de la comunidad internacional para superar sus divisiones y prevenir y poner fin a los conflictos. La Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados y sus asociados siguen proporcionando asistencia vital, como servicios de abastecimiento de agua y saneamiento, alimentación, vivienda, educación y protección. Sin embargo, la respuesta humanitaria por sí sola no es suficiente; se necesitan urgentemente soluciones políticas.
En este 20 de junio, Día Mundial de los Refugiados, rendimos homenaje a la fortaleza y resiliencia de los más de 50 millones de personas de todo el mundo que se han visto obligadas a huir a causa de las guerras, las persecuciones y los abusos de los derechos humanos. Aprovechemos la ocasión para renovar nuestro compromiso de poner fin a los conflictos armados y ayudar a las personas que han tenido de abandonar sus hogares. No podemos permitir que ni una sola familia se vea desgarrada por la guerra.

Ban Ki-moon



De par le monde, des conflits ont forcé un nombre sans précédent de personnes à fuir leurs foyers. Plus de 50 millions de personnes sont actuellement déplacées par la guerre et la violence, dont environ deux tiers dans leur propre pays et un tiers en tant que réfugiés, pour la plupart dans des pays voisins. L’an dernier seulement, plus de 10 millions de personnes ont été déplacées; toutes les 15 minutes, une famille était contrainte de prendre la fuite.
Le conflit en Syrie a été l’une des principales raisons de cette augmentation massive mais un grand nombre de personnes ont aussi été forcées de se déplacer au Mali ou à la suite de combats survenus récemment en République centrafricaine et au Soudan du Sud.
Dans le même temps, de nombreux conflits prolongés sont restés sans solution, ce qui signifie que moins de personnes ont pu réintégrer leurs foyers. Des centaines de milliers de personnes d’Afghanistan, de Colombie, du Myanmar, de République démocratique du Congo, de Somalie et du Soudan continuent de vivre en exil, dont beaucoup depuis plusieurs années, plusieurs décennies, voire plusieurs générations.
La plupart des réfugiés à l’échelle mondiale – 86% – vivent dans des pays du monde développé, contre 70% il y a 10 ans. La plupart de ces pays ont laissé leur porte ouverte à ceux qui viennent y rechercher la sécurité, faisant preuve d’une générosité qui souvent dépasse largement leurs moyens. Je demande à tous les États Membres et à nos partenaires de la société civile de faire tout ce qu’ils peuvent pour aider les nations et les communautés qui ont accueilli chez elles les personnes qui n’ont eu d’autre choix que de s’y réfugier.
Cette augmentation du nombre de personnes déplacées rappelle durement à la communauté internationale son incapacité à surmonter ses divisions pour prévenir les conflits et y mettre fin. Le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux réfugiés et ses partenaires continuent d’apporter un secours vital : eau et assainissement, nourriture et abris, services d’éducation et de protection. Cependant, l’aide humanitaire seule ne suffit pas. Il faut d’urgence des solutions politiques.
En ce 20 juin, Journée mondiale des réfugiés, nous rendons hommage à la force et à la résilience de plus de 50 millions de personnes qui de par le monde ont fui la guerre, la persécution et les violations des droits de l’homme. Renouvelons notre engagement à mettre fin aux conflits armés et à aider les personnes qui ont été contraintes de quitter leurs foyers. Même une seule famille déchirée par la guerre est une famille déchirée de trop.


"يعيش معظم لاجئو العالم - 86 في المائة - في بلدان العالم النامي، في مقابل 70 في المائة قبل 10 سنوات. ومعظم هذه البلدان ظلت أبوابها مفتوحة أمام الباحثين عن الأمان، وأظهرت سخاء يتجاوز طاقتها في كثير من الأحيان. وإنني أناشد جميع الدول الأعضاء وشركاءنا في المجتمع المدني أن يبذلوا قصارى جهدهم من أجل دعم الأمم والمجتمعات التي ترحب بالأشخاص الذين شردوا بالقوة لكي يعيشوا في كنفها."
من رسالة السيد بان كي - مون
الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة

Во всем мире в результате конфликтов свои дома было вынуждено покинуть небывалое число людей. Вследствие военных действий и насилия к настоящему время были перемещены более 50 миллионов человек: около 33,3 миллиона человек в своих странах, а еще приблизительно 16,7 миллиона стали беженцами, обосновавшись большей частью в соседних странах. Только в прошлом году ряды беженцев пополнили более 10 миллионов человек; каждые 15 минут одной семье приходилось покидать родные места.
Одной из основных причин такого значительного увеличения потока беженцев стал конфликт в Сирии. Также большое число людей было вынуждено покинуть свои дома в Мали и в результате возобновления военных действий в Центральноафриканской Республике и Южном Судане.
В то же время до сих пор не урегулированы многие давние конфликты, из-за чего численность тех, кто смог вернуться к своим очагам, сократилась. Сотни тысяч людей из Афганистана, Демократической Республики Конго, Колумбии, Мьянмы, Сомали и Судана продолжают жить в изгнании, причем многие в течение нескольких лет или десятилетий и иногда жизни нескольких поколений.
Большинство беженцев мира — 86 процентов — живут в развивающихся странах; 10 лет тому назад этот показатель составлял 70 процентов. Большая часть этих стран продолжает принимать этих людей, стремящихся обрести жизненное спокойствие, и проявлять щедрость, существенно превышающую их возможности. Я призываю все государства-члены и наших партнеров по гражданскому обществу сделать все возможное для оказания содействия тем странам и общинам, которые принимают у себя вынужденных переселенцев.
Увеличение числа беженцев является недвусмысленным свидетельством неспособности международного сообщества преодолеть свои разногласия во имя предотвращения и урегулирования конфликтов. Управление Верховного комиссара Организации Объединенных Наций по делам беженцев и его партнеры продолжают оказывать жизненно необходимую помощь: это касается водоснабжения и санитарии и обеспечения продовольствия, жилья, образования и защиты. Однако одной гуманитарной помощи недостаточно. Срочно необходимы политические решения.
По случаю Всемирного дня беженцев, отмечаемого 20 июня, мы воздаем должное мужеству и жизнеспособности более 50 миллионов человек во всем мире, которые спасались от войны, преследований и нарушений прав человека. Подтвердим же нашу решимость положить конец вооруженным конфликтам и готовность оказывать помощь тем, кто был вынужден покинуть свои дома. Нельзя допускать ни единого случая разрушения семей в результате войны.


在世界各地,冲突已迫使前所未有数量的人逃离他们的家园。超过5 000万人目前由于战争和暴力而流离失所,3 330万左右在本国流离失所,1 670万左右成为难民,其中大部分是在邻国。仅去年一年,就有1 000多万新流离失所者;每15分钟就有一个家庭被迫逃亡。
  叙利亚冲突是造成这一人数大幅增加的一个主要原因。但也有许多人是在马里流离失所,或者由于中非共和国及南苏丹新近爆发的战斗而流离失所。
  与此同时,许多长期冲突仍未得到解决,这意味着得以重返家园的人更少。阿富汗、哥伦比亚、刚果民主共和国,缅甸、索马里和苏丹有数十万人人过着流亡生活,许多人已流亡了好几年或几十年,有时甚至是好几代。
  全世界大多数难民(86%)生活在发展中国家,而十年前是70%。这些国家大多都对寻求安全者敞开了大门,并展现了往往远超其能力的慷慨。我呼吁所有会员国以及我们民间社会的合作伙伴尽最大努力支持那些接纳了被迫流离失所者的国家和社区。
  这些不断上升的数字醒目地提醒人们国际社会对克服分歧、防止和结束冲突的无能为力。联合国难民事务高级专员公署及其合作伙伴继续在提供拯救生命的援助:水和环境卫生、食物和住房、教育及保护服务。但仅有人道主义应急行动是不够的。迫切需要政治解决方案。
  在6月20日世界难民日之际,我们对世界各地逃离战争、迫害和侵犯人权行为的5 000多万人的坚韧不拔表示敬意。让我们再次承诺结束武装冲突,帮助那些被迫逃离家园的人。战争造成的离散家庭哪怕只有一个,也嫌太多。




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2014 High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges: Under the Theme "Protection at Sea"
10-11 December 2014 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

 UNHCR Global Focus is currently in the pilot phase, following 15 operations in regions where UNHCR works.

 A repository of protection policy and guidance - REFWORLD

The Protection Manual is the UN Refugee Agency's repository of protection policy and guidance, gathering some 1,000 publications ranging from the 1951 UN refugee convention to the latest UNHCR policy positions. It is updated whenever a new protection policy or guidance document is published, and can thus be relied upon to represent the current state of UNHCR protection policy and guidance. The manual is organized thematically or by subject, including legal topics (reflecting, for example, UNHCR guidance on the different elements of the refugee definition) and operational protection guidance (for example, on asylum-seekers at sea or age, gender and diversity). Under each heading, the documents are arranged in reverse chronological order and are accessible individually through a hyperlink. Documents from external sources are generally not included, unless they provide guidance on protection-related topics that also applies to or has specifically been endorsed by UNHCR, such as inter-agency guidance. At the end of each subject heading, relevant related sources are listed, containing older guidance and documents which serve as background reading.


 About the Nansen Refugee Award : Once a year the Nansen Refugee Award honours extraordinary service to refugees, and outstanding work on behalf of the forcibly displaced.

Sunday, 15 June 2014

World Day to Combat Desertification 2014, June 17.

World Day to Combat Desertification,  Día Mundial de Lucha contra la Desertificación, Всемирный день борьбы с опустыниванием и засухой, 防治荒漠化和干旱世界日, Journée mondiale de la lutte contre la désertification et la sécheresse , اليوم العالمي لمكافحة التصحر


World Day Against Desertification  2014 Poster


Land degradation, caused or exacerbated by climate change, is not only a danger to livelihoods, but also a threat to peace and stability.  The warning signs lie in conflict between pastoralists and subsistence farmers competing for more productive land and communities fighting over increasingly scarce water resources.  We see the symptoms of insecurity in global food market volatility, internal displacement and mass migration.
While land degradation is acutely felt in the world’s arid lands, some 80 per cent is actually occurring outside these areas.  More than 1.5 billion people subsist on land that is degrading – the majority of whom are small farmers.  Climate change directly threatens their productivity.  In many regions, freshwater resources are declining, food-growing areas are shifting and crop yields are faltering.

Globally, unpredictable and extreme weather is predicted to have an even greater impact on food production.  With world population rising, it is urgent that we work to build the resilience of all productive land resources and the communities that depend on them.  We need to manage the land sustainably, avoid further degradation, and reclaim and repair that which has been damaged.  More than 2 billion hectares of land have potential for restoration and rehabilitation.  We need to inspire action that will prompt the recovery of these areas.

Recovering land that is degrading will have multiple benefits.  We can avert the worst effects of climate change, produce more food and ease competition over resources.  We can preserve vital ecosystem services, such as water retention, which protects us from floods or droughts.  And a comprehensive and large-scale approach to land recovery can create new jobs, business opportunities and livelihoods, allowing populations to not only survive but thrive.

The theme of this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification is “Land belongs to the future, let’s climate-proof it”.  It can be done, as communities in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have shown by recovering more than 5 million hectares of degraded land.  Let us take inspiration from these and other examples and protect and nurture the land for this and future generations. 


Ban Ki-moon

Land belongs to the future, let's climate proof it.

 

" Land belongs to the future, let's climate proof it! " is the theme of the World Day to Combat Desertification, 17 June 2014.
About the World Day to Combat Desertification

In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared (A/RES/49/115) June 17 the "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought" to promote public awareness of the issue, and the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa. It is a unique occasion to remind everybody that desertification can be effectively tackled, that solutions are possible, and that key tools to this aim lay in strengthened community participation and co-operation at all levels.


About the UN Decade for Deserts and the Fight a gainst Desertification With more lands around the world facing increasing deterioration and degradation, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2010-2020 the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification. There are two objectives for this period: to raise awareness about the causes of and solutions to desertification and land degradation; and to mobilize resources for special initiatives to achieve this objective.

Земля принадлежит будущему — защитим ее от изменения климата, Всемирный день борьбы с опустыниванием и засухой ,17 июня 2014 года

“土地属于未来,让其不受气候变化影响” , 防治荒漠化和干旱世界日, 6月17日
Land belongs to the future let’s climate proof it - 17 June 2014 World Day to Combat Desertification

 
موضوع العام 2014 — تربتنا مستقبلنا، فلنحمها من تغير المناخ

 
La Terre est notre Avenir préservons-la des changements climatiques, 17 juin 2014 Journée mondiale de la lutte contre la désertification

 
La tierra pertenece al futuro, protejámosla del cambio climático, Día Mundial de Lucha contra la Desertificación, 17 de Junio.

About the UNCCD

Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, UNCCD
is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment, development and the promotion of healthy soils. The Convention’s 195 signatory Parties work to alleviate poverty in the
drylands, maintain and restore the land’s productivity, and mitigate the effects of drought.



Global temperatures are rising. This is now well understood. But climate change is not only about the planet heating up. Global warming brings more extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts and floods. As a result, farmers produce less food, livestock herders have less grass to feed cattle, and communities become more vulnerable. Building up resilience is particularly important in the drylands where people living in poverty depend heavily on the productivity of their land and the many benefits it provides. Desertification, defined as land degradation in drylands, is a major challenge being exacerbated by climate change.


While we must continue to reduce our carbon footprint, we must also learn to adapt. The good news is that with the right interventions, we can turn the vicious cycle of climate change and desertification into a virtuous cycle of productive land and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

By strengthening biodiversity and ecosystem services through sustainable land management, we can help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. For ecosystem-based adaptation, land and soil play an important role. Healthy soil not only ensures steady food production, but increases resilience in the face of incremental changes in temperature and rainfall as well as disasters and extreme weather events.
Healthy soil also stores more carbon which helps mitigate climate change impacts.

 Implementing ecosystem-based adaptation through sustainable land management practices does not have to be difficult or expensive.For example, Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration is a low-cost, sustainable land restoration technique which promotes the regeneration of trees and shrubs and thus increasing productivity and resilience. Holistic Management is another example that facilitates the natural recovery of grasslands through livestock planning and monitoring. There are many success stories of land restoration and its sustainable management that support the effectiveness of ecosystem-based adaptation and even have other co-benefits like increasing food security.

In many cases ecosystem based adaptation strategies are potentially more cost-effective than other hard engineered adaptation options,yet they are often overlooked.

The theme of 2014 World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) is ecosystem-based adaptation.

About the World Day Against Desertification- UNCCD
The 2014 WDCD highlights the benefits of mainstreaming sustainable land management policies and practices into our collective response to climate change.
Call to action for the World Day Against Desertification 2014
The Objectives of the 2014 World Day to Combat Desertification - UNCCD


With the slogan ‘Land Belongs to the Future, Let’s Climate Proof It’, the 2014 WDCD highlights the benefits of mainstreaming sustainable land management policies and practices into our collective response to climate change. Sustainable land management increases both community and ecosystem resilience while improving the human condition particularly in the drylands.

The objectives of the 2014 WDCD are to:
1. Increase the attention given to land and soil within climate change adaptation
2. Mobilize support forsustainable land management
3. Call for the inclusion of land and soil and their significance in food security into national climate change adaptation policies.


Many claim that we have entered a new geological period in our planet’s history, the anthropocene. For the first time, the major driver of change on Earth is human activity, specifically the unsustainable use of our natural resources.
We still have time to reverse these trends, and for this to happen, sustainable land management is our pathway to change. We, as consumers and land users, have contributed to the acceleration of climate change. We now need to be part of the solution

Call to action

The 2014 WDCD campaign will kick-off on the African Environment Day/Wangari Maathai Day on 3 March. The kick-off combines the observance of the UN Decade for Desert and the Fight against Desertification (2010-2020).

The events planned for the global observance include: exhibitions of various kinds; the announcement of the 2014 Land for Life Award winners and the 2014 National Drylands Champions;
the release of a cartoon animation of success full and rehabilitation activities; and infographics featuring innovative actions to climate-proof land as well as the observance events for 2014 planned by various actors in countries that are party to the Convention.
The place and venue for the global observance will be announced in early 2014.

WDCD is an occasion for countries to honour National Dryland Champions.

These are individuals or institutions that have made a worthy practical contribution to sustainable land management practices. Under the Dryland Champions motto “I am part of the solution,” the initiative focuses first and foremost on people, their commitment and endeavors to improve the livelihoods of populations and the conditions of ecosystems affected by desertification and drought.

Join us in observing the 2014 World Day to Combat Desertification. If you plan to host an event, send us a short paragraph with information about the date, venue and planned activity.

It will be posted on our website as part of the global country-by-country infographic.

Please join us in spreading the word about the Day.

For further information,
contact:
Awareness Raising, Education and Communication Unit
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
P.O.Box 260129,
53153 Bonn, Germany
Web‐site: www.unccd.int
Email: arce@unccd.int

World Day to Combat Desertification Observance Event


 
Afternoon Programme 13h00-18h00,  World Bank, Washington DC; Preston Auditorium - WDCD 2014 Global Observance event
Morning Programme 8h30- 13h00,  World Bank, Washington DC; Preston Auditorium - WDCD 2014 Global Observance event
Tuesday, 17 June, 2014 - World Bank, Washington DC; Preston Auditorium - WDCD 2014 Global Observance event
Events around the World 2014

​ The slogan for the 2014 World Day to Combat Desertification is “Land belongs to the future - let's climate proof it." See how different stakeholders celebrated the Day and what events and activities took place in different parts of the world. If you marked the Day, but cannot find yourself on the list, please send us a note with information about your events to secretariat(at)unccd.int

Africa

Burundi

The Government of Burundi has decided to observe the World Environment Day and the World Day to Combat Desertification together on 14 June this year. On that day, the 2014-2015 campaign on forest will be launched by Director General of Forests and Environment.

Ghana

On the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification, the All Africa Students Union (AASU), an NGO based in Ghana has called upon the African youth, especially students, to imbibe a sense of voluntarism and participate in the efforts to combat desertification and drought. Recognizing the special status of Africa as with regard to the issue of land degradation, and the need to adapt, AASU urged African governments to implement national and regional strategies to combat desertification. Statement

Kenya

Kenya will mark the World day to Combat Desertification  in Mwea Kirinyaga County, a Semi-Arid ecosystem that is depended on water from the slopes of Mount Kenya, a montane ecosystem, critical in supporting livelihoods downstream. Some of the efforts to climate proof have been through irrigation initiatives to produce rice to boost national food security. Kirinyaga County is therefore relevant in showcasing sustainable land management in Kenya.

Mali

Mali holds several observance activities starting from 5 June, World Environment Day and end with 17 June, the World Day to Combat Desertification. The series of events will be launched in the even of the World Environment Day in the 4th Administrative Region of Mali, Segou. This event will be coupled with the launch of the national reforestation campaign from 2014 to 2015 under the initiative of the Prime Minister. During the period, the issues that will be addressed, among others, are: sustainable land management (SLM) / Climate Change, Sustainable Development, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), waste management, access drinking water, Public-Private Partnership in the management of natural resources and forest.
On 17 June, the Minister of the Environment will deliver a speech on the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and film screenings are scheduled in addition to other activities.

Morocco

The Réseau Associatif de Développement Durable des Oasis (RADDO) will organize in Tinjdad, Errachidia the conference entitled "collective oasis lands : what's their future? with participants from Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunis. A field trip will also be organized. More

Nigeria

The Nigerian NGO "Nigeria goes green" is marking this year's WDCD with an Award dinner to honor those who contributed in the fight against Desertification in Nigeria. Announcement 

Asia

China

China will observe and promote the day thru various channels and events. Since June 10, a TV Public Service Advertisement for awareness raising will be broadcasted in all 18 channels of CCTV with the theme of “Change Desert Into Oasis”. In the same vain, the Public Service Advertisement about the national hero of combating desertification will be broadcasted around June 17.The minister of SFA will get coverage by XinHua News agency

An article by Mr. Zhou Shucong will be released in People's daily and Green Times both Chinese newspapers. The Vice Minister of State Forestry Administration will appear on television (CCTV), scheduled on 17 June, and explain the present situation and future work on desertification. An online interactive dialogue among scientist and the public on desertification will be hosted by the Micro blog(Weibo) of the state Forestry Administration on June 17. Success stories and approaches on how to combat Desertification as well as on the progress made in China  will be the main topic at   theMicro blogs of Sina.com and People daily.

Iran

On the occassion of the WDCD 2014 Iran will organize a meeting and a field trip to a desertified area. A special newsletter for WCDC will be also prepared.

Kuwait

For the World Day to Combat Desertification, Kuwait provided a brief overwiev of the current afforestation campaign implemented throughout the State of Kuwait.Thanks to the afforestation projects, new trees and new varieties of trees have been introduced for the first time into the country. The construction of modern irrigation systems has also marked another significant development in the process of combating desertification in Kuwait.  Brief report

Republic of Korea

The Korea Forest Service, in collaboration with the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, is organizing the International Symposium on Combating Desertification in observance of the 2014 WDCD. It will bring together policy makers to discuss future directions of national policies relating to combating desertification, raise public awareness about the adverse affects of desertification and also to promote public-private partnership in the field. Programme/ Poster

Singapore

 the Green consultancy comapny Ecogreen Marché will be hosting the “1st World Day to Combat Desertification (Singapore) 2014” event on 27 June, 2014.
Ecogreen Marché will be showcasing their solutions to  combat desertification on a global scale. 

Thailand

 On WDCD, Thailands National Focal Point Agency in cooperation with the Saoil and water Conservation Society of Theialnd will organize a seminar with the aim to promote awarness raising and better cooperation among stakeholders for the UNCCD implementation. Programme

Turkmenistan

On 16-17 June, 2014 Turkmenistan will host the inter-regional Conference on issues of desertification in Central Asia. The government of Turkmenistan invites public officials, academic and community and non-governmental organizations from five Central Asian countries as well as reputed experts and representatives of international organizations, to discuss issues of desertification in Central Asia. The meeting is sponsored and organized by the Government of Turkmenistan with the support of the Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The participants will get familiar with international experience in the area of assessment of ecosystems services and ecosystems based adaptation. The issue of the regional cooperation among five affected Central Asian countries will be broadly discussed to provide impetus for further actions. The study tour to learn the experience on afforestation in Turkmenistan will also complement the meeting.

Europe

Hungary

In Hungary every year an expert meeting is organized on the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification. This year the General Directorate for Water Management will host the event on 17th June 2014. Hungarian experts, stakeholders and decision makers in the field of drought management, climate change adaptation, agriculture, meteorology are invited to the meeting. About 50 participants from the government, STIs and CSOs are expected to attend the consultation and representatives from the media will also be invited to inform the larger audience.
At the expert meeting the following topics will be discussed:  
1. Increase the attention given to land and soil within climate change adaptation
2. Mobilize support for sustainable land management
3. Call for the inclusion of land and soil and their significance in food security into national climate change adaptation policies.

Italy

On the occasion of the 2014 WDCD and in the context of the 149th session of the FAO Council, the Government of Italy, FAO and the GM are celebrating the inauguration of the GM’s Office at FAO with a side event on “Land for Life – How Sustainable Land Management can Improve People’s Livelihood and Resilience”. The side event will highlight activities of FAO, UNCCD and the Governments of Italy and Kuwait to combat desertification, land degradation and drought and present the priorities of the newly established GM office at FAO.
See the programme and flyer

Switzerland

On June 17th 2014, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Initiatives of Change International are organising a public event to celebrate the World Day to Combat Desertification 2014 in collaboration with UNCCD, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE)/WOCAT. The objective of the event is to raise awareness on the issue of desertification and to introduce the concept of ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change. See the poster

Ukraine

Currently relevant activities are being preparing by respective governmental bodies and scientific organizations. Ukrain will observe the WDCD 2014 through several events and activities.
The  National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAASU) for instance, has planed to organize 18 events at the occasion of the WDCD including, among others:
-  5-th International Conference “Combination of Research, Education, and Practice Production and Fair Selling High-quality Organic Products” (Organizer – National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agriculture of  NAASU”,  Date – 17.06.2014
- Workshop “Combating DLDD in the context of climate change” (Organizer –Institute of Agroecology  and Nature Resources Use of  NAASU,  Date – 17.06.2014
- Round Table “Combating DLDD for Sustainable Development of Agriculture of the Region” (Organizer – Biosphere Reserve “Askania – Nova” of NAASU,  Date – 17.06.2014,
MENR is preparing a special publication on the WDCD, UNCCD process and DLDD issues to the Ukrainian Geographical Journal.
A press-release on the WDCD will be distributed by MENR among different mass-media and relevant information will be placed on the Web-page of MENR.

Latin American and the Caribbean

Argentina

The Argentinean NGO Fundacion Agreste in collaboration with the University of Moròn and the Instituto de Estudios ambientales sociales y Resolución de conflictos will organize an event to celebrate June 17 and present the conclusions of the Environmental Management Indicators for the Republic of Argentina. More
The Ministry of Education of Argentina will show on its channel "Canal Encuentro" an environmental video focussing on climate change and desertification. More 

Brazil

Brazil is celebrating the World Day to Combat Desertification with the Brazilian match in the World Cup this year. Ministry of Environment will observe the World Day at an event on 16 June, in which the Ministry will recognize the national Dryland Champions winners as part of the programme.

Mexico

The National Forest Commission (CONAFOR) will celebrate the WDCD organizing a conference with representatives of FAO Mexico, Parliamentarians and representatives from the Water National Commission and the National Institute for climate change. The CONAFOR is also organizing an exhibition with information posters from environmental and academic institutions from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Agenda of the meeting

Peru

As part of the celebrations of the 2014 WDCD, Piura Regional Government and AIDER are organizing a workshop about REDD+ as a a financial alternative for dry forests. This event will take place from 11 to 13 June in the city of Piura, with financial support of the Environment Ministery and the Sustainable Forest Management Program of the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Introduction /Agenda

Other Regions

USA

The UNCCD secretariat is organizing the global observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification in Washington DC this year, which will be hosted at the World Bank in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), TerrAfrica and Connect4Climate. The event is open to public.

Highlights

Saturday, 14 June 2014

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2014, June 15.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Día Mundial de Toma de Conciencia de Abuso y Maltrato en la Vejez,
Всемирный день распространения информации о злоупотреблениях в отношении пожилых людей认识虐待老年人问题世界日, Journée mondiale de sensibilisation à la maltraitance des personnes âgées, اليوم العالمي للتوعية إساءة معاملة المسنين


United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2014.

Elderly people in all societies can be vulnerable to physical, psychological and financial abuse.  Older women are at particular risk due to widespread discriminatory attitudes and practices.

On this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I call on Member States to enact and enforce stronger laws and strategies to address all aspects of this under-acknowledged social, public health and human rights issue.

All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights, and have the right to age with dignity, respected by their families and communities, free of neglect, abuse and violence.

Ban Ki-moon



 Neglect, Abuse, and violence Against Older Women

Women can be victims of violence across their lifespan, yet neither the women’s domestic violence movement nor the ageing empowerment movement has mobilized to end violence against older women. Elder abuse has been the object of many studies, whereas the abuse of older women has had only modest attention in the gender-based literature (Jönson & Åkerström, 2004). Older women have lacked status as battered women in domestic violence research and activism. Older women were of ten excluded in studies of violence against women and often completely absent, as though older women did not belong to the category of women. Older women were often absent from discussions about shelters and hotlines, and there has lacked debate on the circumstances and special needs of older women victims of abuse that might affect help-seeking behaviour. In general, gender analysis of violence against women and girls has focused on male dominance and subordination of women, whereas subordination seems especially relevant for older women (Jönson & Åkerström, 2004). There is growing awareness of older women victims of family mistreatment, both in terms of prevalence and in terms of commonalities and differences when compared to younger battered women. Both quantitative and qualitative research studies have begun to identify salient factors in cultural differences, age-related needs, and service needs and gaps for older women victims.

Clearly, definitional and measurement issues need to be addressed to obtain a clearer understanding of the prevalence of neglect, abuse and violence against older women. In addition, unifying themes that connect older women in developing and developed countries, and in traditional and modern societies, could be identified, as well as unifying themes that connect girls and women of all ages.

In addition, there needs to be more data on evidence-based practices for the prevention of, and intervention in, situations of neglect, abuse and violence against older women, and how they can be strengthened. Finally, a review of all laws related to neglect, abuse and violence against older women needs to be undertaken, including an analysis of their implementation and their impact on the reduction and elimination of abuse against older women.
Gender-based scholarship has begun to examine the a pplication of frameworks for working effectively with older women victims of abuse. Gerontologists are focusing more research attention on older women and abuse, and human rights experts are recognizing the special vulnerabilities of older women who are care-dependent and may lack the ability to protect themselves from undue harm without the special protection that goes beyond that needed by women of all ages who are not care-dependent. Population ageing is a global trend that is changing economies and societies around the world. The feminization of ageing, representing the intersection of age and gender, has important implications for policy as the world continues to age. It is time for neglect, abuse and violence against older women to be made visible, and made to end.


Join the Forum, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15.
Read U.N. General Assembly Resolution  A/RES/66/127 proclaming the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

One Day to change the rest of their Lives - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Friday, 13 June 2014

World Blood Donor Day 2014, June 14.

World Blood Donor Day, Día Mundial del Donante de Sangre , Всемирный день донора крови, Journée Mondiale du Donneur de Sang, 世界献血者日, اليوم العالمي للمتبرعين بالدم , 




Forum of Discussions : 


Join the Forum, World Blood Donor Day, June 14th.

Public health context :

" An adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors."

Transfusion of blood and blood products helps save millions of lives every year. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life, and can support complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care.
However, in many countries, there is an inadequate supply of safe blood, and blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available while also ensuring its quality and safety. There is a marked difference in the level of access to safe blood between high- and low-income countries.
An adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. These donors are the safest group of donors as the prevalence of bloodborne infections is lowest among this group. WHO’s goal is for all countries to obtain all their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors by 2020.
WHO recommends that every country should put in place policies, systems and structures to ensure the safety, quality, accessibility and timely availability of blood and blood products to meet the needs
of all patients who require transfusion. Policies should be supported by appropriate legislation to promote uniform implementation of standards and consistency in the quality and safety of blood and
blood products. All activities related to blood collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution should be coordinated at the national level through effective organization and management

Origins of the campaign :


" World Blood Donor Day is now celebrated every year throughout the world on 14 June."

The first World Blood Donor Day was observed in 2004, which was followed by its designation as an annual global event by the Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly (Resolution WHA58.13) in 2005.

World Blood Donor Day is now celebrated each year throughout the world on 14 June to raise awareness of the importance of blood donation and to recognize the contribution of voluntary unpaid blood donors in saving lives and improving health. World Blood Donor Day has a further purpose: to create wider awareness throughout the world about the need for availability and appropriate use of safe blood and blood products, and the need for many more people to make a commitment to regular voluntary unpaid blood donation.
The date of 14 June is the birthday of Karl Landsteiner (1868–1943), an Austrian biologist and physician, considered to be the “founder” of modern blood transfusion. Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood groups in 1901, developed the modern system of classification of blood groups, and identified, in 1937, together with Alexander S. Wiener, the Rhesus factor, thus enabling physicians to transfuse blood without endangering a patient’s life.

World Blood Donor Day provides a springboard for blood safety programmes and campaigns throughout the year, as well as wider activities to strengthen blood transfusion services. It is designed to complement rather than replace the national blood donor days or weeks that are organized in a number of countries. Some are held at the same time as World Blood Donor Day while others take place at different times of the year.

Objectives :
The objectives of this year’s campaign:

° Ministries of health, particularly in countries with high rates of maternal mortality, to take concrete steps towards ensuring that health facilities in their countries improve access to safe blood and blood products from volunteer donors for women giving birth.

° National blood services in countries with high rates of maternal mortality to focus on safe blood for mothers in their activities and products for the 2014 World Blood Donor Day campaign.

° Maternal health programmes and partnerships engage in the 2014 World Blood Donor Day campaign.

WHO and partners throughout the world highlight how safe blood from voluntary donors can save women’s lives everywhere.




Target audiences :

The primary target audiences for World Blood Donor Day are donors who regularly give blood and healthy people who are eligible to give blood but are not yet occasional or regular donors.
Health officials at national level who are responsible for setting national policy and systems for blood donation and transfusion are another important target audience.
International partners (see Box 1), national blood transfusion services, Red Cross societies, donor associations and professional societies each have an important role to play, both in supporting countries towards self-sufficiency in this area and in disseminating campaign messages.

Partners :
WHO has worked with a number of partners to promote voluntary blood donation through the celebration of World Blood Donor Day since the first one in 2004.
These include: the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Theme :

The focus for this year’s campaign is “Safe blood for saving mothers”. The campaign will increase awareness about why timely access to safe blood and blood products is essential for all countries as part of a comprehensive approach to prevent maternal deaths.

WHO encourages all countries and national and international partners working on blood transfusion and maternal health to develop an activity plan to highlight the need for timely access to safe blood and blood products in the prevention of maternal deaths

Slogan : The slogan for the 2014 campaign is “Give blood for those who give life”.


Key messages :

Every day, about 800 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries. More than half of them occur in sub-Saharan Africa and almost one third in South Asia. The risk of maternal mortality is highest for adolescent girls under 15 years of age.
Severe bleeding during delivery or after childbirth is the commonest cause of maternal mortality and contributes to around 34% of maternal deaths in Africa, 31% in Asia and 21% in Latin America and the Caribbean. Severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth is a major cause of mortality, morbidity and long-term disability. Blood transfusion has been identified as one of the nine key life-saving interventions for the management of pregnancy-related complications as part of a comprehensive approach to maternal and newborn care that should be available in all facilities providing comprehensive emergency obstetric care.

In 2014, more than 40 years after the first World Health Assembly resolution (WHA28.72) addressed the issue of blood safety, equitable access to safe blood and blood products and the rational and safe use of blood transfusion still remain major challenges throughout the world; and
many patients requiring transfusion, particularly mothers and children in developing countries, do not have timely access to safe blood.
WHO has been providing support for strengthening service delivery and safety for obstetric care including improving access to safe blood and blood products for women and children and improve collaboration with maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS and malaria programmes.

Campaign materials :

Files for poster, T-shirt, mug, pen, tag, hall banner, wallpaper, cap, advertisement banner, folder cover, button, and car stamp in English and French can be downloaded from the site. The poster and banner are also also available on the campaign website in Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish languages.
Look out for news release about this year’s campaign and other related information on blood donation and transfusion on the campaign web site in the lead-up to World Blood Donor Day.









Global event :
The global host for the 2014 global World Blood Donor Day event is Sri Lanka. Through its national blood transfusion service, Sri Lanka has been promoting voluntary unpaid donation to increase access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products.

A global event will be held in Colombo on 14 June 2014.



The event will be held with high-level representation from the Government of Sri Lanka, Ministry of Health and National Blood Transfusion of Sri Lanka, WHO and partners working in the area of blood transfusion and maternal health. An international symposium on ‘Reducing maternal mortality through improved service delivery and access to safe blood for obstetric care’ will be held on 13 June 2014 in Colombo.




Get involved :
There are many ways to get involved in World Blood Donor Day. Here are some ideas.

Everyone
° Participate in local events being organized to celebrate World Blood Donor Day.
° Give blood at your nearest blood collection centre.

Ministries of health
° Organize and participate in activities to celebrate World Blood Donor Day and promote voluntary unpaid blood donation to the public, across government and to other sectors.
° Speak to the media about the importance of blood donation and the successes and challenges of your country in meeting national needs of blood through voluntary unpaid donations in line with the theme of this year’s World Blood Donor Day.
° Distribute posters and leaflets about blood donation to health centres.

International organizations

° Provide updated information on blood transfusion and blood safety to your members.
° Organize or participate in international, national and local events.
° Urge media outlets to run special features and editorials on blood donation.

National blood transfusion services
° Organize blood collection drives.
° Invite prominent politicians, celebrities and sporting heroes to participate in World Blood Donor Day celebrations.
° Disseminate information about the importance of giving blood.
° Print out and distribute posters that you can download from the World Blood Donor Day campaign web site.
° Produce, display and disseminate promotional materials such as T-shirts, caps and car stickers.
° Hold a donor recognition awards ceremony to honour individuals and partner organizations who have made significant contributions to blood donation activities in your country.
° Hold open days at blood centres and invite the general public to learn about blood donation and blood transfusion.

Journalists
° Broadcast messages and write articles about blood donation and the need for access to safe blood and blood products in the prevention of maternal deaths.
° Write articles about how close your country is to meeting national needs for blood through voluntary unpaid donations.
° Interview staff from the ministry of health and blood transfusion services.
° Write feature stories about people, particularly mothers, whose lives have been saved as a result of blood donation, or about people who are first-time donors, or have donated blood a record number Of times.
° Attend events organized to celebrate World Blood Donor Day and write about them.

Tell us about your events :

We appreciate hearing about events and activities that you are organizing. Let us, and others, know about your plans by registering your event through the following link:
http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-blood-donor-day/2014/event_registration/en/index.html

Through social media channels
Closer to World Blood Donor Day, we will be linking to campaign materials through our Facebook page, YouTube channel and Google+. Through these channels, you can let us know how you will be involved too.

Facebook
YouTube
Google+
Twitter
You can also follow us on Twitter@WHO. Join the conversation using the hashtag #GiveBlood (to confirm). Follow our World Blood Donor Day tweets and retweet those of interest to your own networks.


WHO contacts

Blood and Transfusion Safety Headquarters
Dr Neelam Dhingra
E-mail: dhingran@who.int

Dr Yetmgeta Abdella
E-mail: abdellay@who.int

Regional Office for Africa
Dr Jean Bosco Ndihokubwayo
E-mail: ndihokubwayoj@who.int

Regional Office for the Americas
Dr María Dolores Pérez-Rosales
E-mail: perezmd@paho.org

Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
Dr Humayun Asghar
E-mail: humayuna@who.int

Regional Office for Europe
Dr Valentina Hafner
E-mail: hafnerv@who.int

Regional Office for South-East Asia
Dr Aparna Singh Shah
E-mail: shahap@who.int

Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Dr Klara Tisocki
E-mail: tisockik@wpro.who.int

Communications

Headquarters
Christopher Bailey
E-mail: communications@who.int

Regional Office for Africa
Collins Boakye-Agyemang
E-mail: boakyeagyemangc@who.int

Regional Office for the Americas
Leticia Linn
E-mail: linnl@who.int

Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
Mona Yassin
E-mail: yassinm@who.int

Regional Office for Europe
Faith Vorting
E-mail: kilfordf@who.int

Regional Office for South-East Asia
Vismita Gupta-Smith
E-mail: guptasmithv@who.int

Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Christian Lindemeier
E-mail: lindmeierch@wpro.who.int