Sunday, 12 October 2014

International Day for Disaster Reduction 2014, October 13th.

Международный день уменьшения опасности бедствий,13 октября.




Тема Дня 2014 года «Стойкость во имя жизни»



As a human family, we are growing older. Globally, approximately 700 million people – 10 per cent of the world’s population – are over the age of 60, and by 2030, there will be more elderly persons than children for the first time in history.
This year’s commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Reduction is an opportunity to recognize the role of older men and women in fostering resilience.
When a natural disaster hits, older persons suffer disproportionately high levels of death and injuries. This tragic trend must be reversed through plans, services and support that ensure we address the vulnerabilities facing older persons while optimizing their contributions to our collective safety and wellbeing.
Disaster planning must take account of the reduced mobility experienced by many older persons. We have to enable them to prepare for a potential disaster, reach safety and protect themselves. The needs of older persons should also be taken into account in early warning systems, social protection mechanisms, evacuation and emergency response plans, and public awareness campaigns.
At the same time, it is important to recognize that older persons have strengths that can serve the community at large. Their years of experience can help in reducing risks posed by disasters. We should involve them in disaster risk management as well as related planning and decision-making processes. Older persons can also meaningfully enrich our critical global discussions on addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development.
On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, let us remind ourselves that building resilience to disasters has no time limit in one’s life; it starts in youth and grows more important as we age.
Ban Ki-moon


 Resilience is for life
Vulnerability to natural hazards is increasing to alarming rates, as their frequency intensifies, and exacerbated by rapid population growth and ageing populations. The 2014 International Day for Disaster Reduction is dedicated to older people, to their needs and to their contribution to better planning and understanding disaster risks in their communities.
We know well that age is a major factor for evacuation during emergencies. Older people are also more vulnerable than younger groups to injuries resulting from such weather extremes as heatwaves, storms and floods. It is projected that by 2050, people over the age of sixty will represent 22 percent of the world’s population, twice the current number. This is why we must start today to include the concerns of older people in all planning and preparations to mitigate the risks of disasters.
We must also listen more carefully to the voices of older people, whose contribution to tackling environment challenges is underestimated. Our elders are forces for resilience, thanks to their understanding of natural phenomena, including within traditional knowledge systems and those of indigenous people. This vast reservoir of knowledge can help in improving preparedness as well as in preventing disasters, thanks to the wisdom that older people can share about local phenomena. Mitigating the risks of disasters must build on local foundations, drawing on the views and needs of local communities, who are the first affected by natural disasters.
This was a key message that UNESCO sent at the 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States, held in Apia, Samoa, during the High-Level Event on Coping with and adapting to Ocean Threats for Resilient SIDS Communities. UNESCO is acting across all areas of its mandate and across the world to build a global culture of resilience for local communities. In Viet Nam, we have been working with media institutions to train journalists in producing written and broadcast material that highlights the vulnerability of older people, as well as women and children, during evacuation situations and calling for more inclusive prevention plans.
Resilience is more than simply recovery from adversity –- it must be about building stronger societies today to prepare for tomorrow. On this International Day for Disaster Reduction, I call on all Governments and all relevant actors to integrate older people in programmes and plans of disaster risk reduction, and to ensure the participation of local communities into all stages of planning. This is essential to lay the ground for a more sustainable for all.
   
Irina Bokova

Join the forum :  International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction - 13 October
 Why should disaster risk reduction involve older persons?

Events





Resilience is for Life
 Resources : 
  1. UNISDR work programme 2014-2015: delivering against the strategic framework SOURCE: UNISDR
  2. Sixth Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management: Chair's summary 
  3.  A catalyst for change: how the Hyogo Framework for Action has promoted disaster risk reduction in South East Europe SOURCE: UNISDR EUR; GFDRR; WB
  4.  Sixth Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management: Chair's summary SOURCE: UNISDR Pacific; SPC
  5.  Submission to the UNFCCC Executive Committee call for inputs for the initial two-year workplan for the implementation of the functions of the Warsaw international mechanism on loss and damage associated with climate change impacts SOURCE: UNISDR
  6.  Status report on implementation of Africa regional strategy and Hyogo Framework for Action SOURCE: UNISDR AF
  7.  Finland peer review report 2013 - Building resilience to disasters: implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015) SOURCE: UNISDR EUR; EC; OECD
  8.  
  9.  Asia-Pacific input document for the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (HFA2): risk sensitive development as the cornerstone of resilience and sustainability SOURCE: UNISDR AP; Thailand - gov
  10.  Urban risk reduction and resilience SOURCE: UNISDR
  11.  International cooperation to reduce disaster risk SOURCE: UNISDR
  12.  Climate resilience SOURCE: UNISDR
  13.  Risk-informed public policy and investment SOURCE: UNISDR
  14.  Risk-sensitive business investment SOURCE: UNISDR
  15.  Suggested elements for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (June 2014) SOURCE: UNISDR
  16.  R!SE: program summary SOURCE: UNISDR
  17.  UNISDR Europe annual report 2013 SOURCE: UNISDR EUR
  18.  UNISDR annual report 2013 SOURCE: UNISDR
  19.  Natural disasters in the Middle East and North Africa: a regional overview SOURCE: WB; UNDP; UNISDR ROAS; GFDRR
  20.  Historical collection of disaster loss data in Albania SOURCE: CIMA; UNISDR
  21.  planificación de la reducción del riesgo de desastres (RRD) en América Latina y el Caribe SOURCE: UNISDR AM; ECHO; CRID
  22.  Criterios en la identificación de acciones claves para la planificación de la reducción del riesgo de desastres (RRD) en América Latina y el Caribe SOURCE: UNISDR AM; CRID; ECHO
  23.  Guía para la aplicación de criterios en la identificación de acciones claves para la planificación de la reducción del riesgo de desastres (RRD) en América Latina y el Caribe SOURCE: UNISDR AM; ECHO; CRID

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Friday, 10 October 2014

International Day of the Girl Child 2014, October 11th.

Международный день девочек, 11 октября.
International Day of the Girl Child, October 11.








All over the world, an alarming number of adolescent girls are assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated and even murdered. ;The threat of violence at the hands of family members, partners, teachers and peers grossly violates their rights, diminishes their power and suppresses their potential. This violence is exacerbated and reinforced by the multiple deprivations adolescent girls face, including unequal access to education, skills, information, sexual and reproductive health services, and social and economic resources.  Girls are subjected to discriminatory social norms and harmful practices – such as female genital mutilation -- that perpetuate a cycle of violence.  A culture of impunity allows violence against adolescent girls to continue unabated; Conflict and humanitarian crises dramatically increase the risk of violence, abuse and exploitation.
My UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign is engaging governments, international organizations, civil society groups, the media and citizens everywhere to raise awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and ending violence against women and girls.  A parallel campaign – HeForShe – emphasizes that gender equality is not just a women’s issue by enrolling males to act against all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls.  As we define the post-2015 development framework and review progress achieved under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, ending gender violence and promoting the empowerment of girls and women must be at the heart of our global agenda.
To end the cycle of violence against adolescent girls we must go beyond and take action to equip girls with knowledge, skills, resources and power to determine their own path in life.  We must provide them with safe transport, and access to sources of energy and water, quality health services and supportive environments that will allow them to thrive.
On this International Day of the Girl Child, I call on all governments to take action to end all forms of violence against girls in all parts of the world.  Together, we must create a world where violence against women and girls is never tolerated and girls are always empowered to reach their full potential.

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General.


Message of Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Chil 2014.

 Today on the International Day of the Girl Child, I join every person around the world who believes that adolescent girls should live free of violence and discrimination.

We are guided by the international human rights to which every human being is rightfully entitled.

Every girl, no matter where she is born, should have a chance to reach her potential.

Every girl deserves to be welcomed to this world with the same joy and celebration as a boy. Every girl has the right to life and dignity.

Every girl has the right to education, including comprehensive sexuality education, and to learn and be as smart as she can be.

Every girl has the right to be a girl, and not a child bride.

Every girl has the right to live free of female genital mutilation.

Every girl has the right to health, including sexual and reproductive health.

Yet these rights continue to be violated worldwide on a massive and systematic scale.

Today on the International Day of the Girl Child, and every day, we say no to violence against girls.

We say yes to education, empowerment and equality. Now is the time for action!

We must take action when nearly one quarter of adolescent girls have been victims of physical violence since the age of 15.

We must take action when one in three adolescent girls has suffered violence committed by her husband or her partner.

We must take action when some 70 million young women aged 20-24 in developing countries were married before the age of 18. Early, forced and child marriage deprives girls of their autonomy, their education and their health. It steals their hopes and dreams away from them before their very eyes.

We must take action when three million girls, the majority of whom are younger than 15 years of age, undergo female genital mutilation, FGM, each and every year. This can increase their vulnerability to HIV and to complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and in the worst cases result in maternal and newborn death.

UNFPA is taking action to protect the health and rights of adolescent girls.

Through comprehensive sexuality education; through sexual and reproductive health counselling, information and services; and through youth participation, UNFPA works to protect the human rights of adolescent girls. We also work with boys so they will become the first male generation to neither perpetrate nor tolerate violence against women and girls.

Through a UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme, more than 12,700 communities in Africa have abandoned FGM and an estimated three million girls will now grow up free of this harmful practice.

Development is not sustainable when adolescent girls live with the fear and the reality of violence.

Today on the International Day of the Girl Child, and every day, UNFPA will continue to work with governments, the United Nations system and civil society so that adolescent girls are empowered to claim their rights and are protected from violence.

We will not stop until the world upholds the inherent rights of every girl child.
If you change her life, you can change the world.

Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director


Message by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, 11 October 2014.

  On this International Day of the Girl Child let us commit to creating a world where girls can live free of violence and achieve their full potential. Violence against girls, in all its forms, is a grave human rights violation rooted in gender inequality. Up to one-third of adolescent girls report their first sexual experience as being forced.

At least 133 million girls and women have experienced female genital mutilation. When an adolescent girl experiences violence, often perpetrated by those closest to her, she has limited choices and opportunities. Without redress, the effects of such violence will last throughout her lifetime and may extend to future generations. Every day, 39,000 girls are married before they turn 18 and, if current trends continue, there will be 140 million child brides by 2020. Girls married young are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence and sexual abuse than those who marry later. They suffer complications during pregnancy and childbirth, with these complications being a leading cause of death in young women aged 15-19. This is a catastrophic loss of human potential. Eradicating violence against the girl child is a critical area of concern of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark international agreement reached almost 20 years ago.

The promise made to girls at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing must be delivered. Protecting girls from all forms of violence and promoting girls’ empowerment must be at the heart of the global development agenda. It is in our hands to make this possible, through provision of adequate services and comprehensive prevention efforts.
By providing girls and women with access to education, by ensuring their sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as engaging men and boys in the promotion of gender equality, we can protect and empower girls.
 By improving justice mechanisms and supportive services, we can crush impunity and mitigate the impact of violence on survivors. Girls themselves are part of the solution. They are a powerhouse of talent, creativity and potential.

This year, UN Women is rolling out a global youth-led programme, “Voices against Violence,” to prevent violence against girls and young women. In partnership with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and using non-formal education as a tool, the programme will reach some 800,000 young people aged 5 to 25, in 12 countries. In many more countries, we are partnering with young people to challenge gender stereotypes and norms that perpetuate violence.

With Together for Girls, a unique public-private partnership, UN Women is supporting data collection and country-driven efforts to address sexual violence against children, especially girls. In the Asia-Pacific region, a joint programme — “Partners for Prevention” — supported by UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Volunteers, is focusing on prevention of violence against women and girls through research, capacity development and communications for social change. As part of the Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting with UNICEF and UNFPA, UN Women is also working to address harmful traditional practices that impact millions of girls worldwide.

 The International Day of the Girl Child is an opportunity to step up collective action to break the cycle of violence against girls and women. Empowering girls today makes for a safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable tomorrow. 

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka





 Forum : International Day of the Girl Child - October 11


Events :  This year, the theme is "Empowering adolescent girls: Ending the cycle of violence". UN Women Executive Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will speak at an event at UNICEF House co-sponsored by UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and Plan International, from 12.30-2 p.m. [Invitation]. Watch the livestream here. 

Check out our special In Focus compilation on the Girl Child, one of the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
This year, the theme is "Empowering adolescent girls: Ending the cycle of violence". UN Women Executive Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will speak at an event at UNICEF House co-sponsored by UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and Plan International, from 12.30-2 p.m. [Invitation]. Watch the livestream here.
Check out our special In Focus compilation on the Girl Child, one of the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/girl-child#sthash.XOMFm74z.dpuf

 Resources



  • Message of Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child
  • UN Secretary-General Campaign UNiTE to End Violence Against Women
  •  Because I am a Girl
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    Thursday, 9 October 2014

    World Sight Day 2014, October 9th.


     World Sight Day 2014 is on 9 October 2014 (the second Thursday of October). World Sight Day 2013 saw numerous organizations putting together events of great verve and colour to draw attention to avoidable blindness and rehabilitation. 2014 is the first year of the WHO Global Action Plan and IAPB encourages our members and partners to continue with our rolling theme: Universal Eye Health

    Events : This year, the 'Call to Action' for World Sight Day is:
    No more Avoidable Blindness


    Forum :    World Sight Day - 9 October
    Theme 2014: No more Avoidable Blindness.



    2014 is the first year of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan and VISION 2020/IAPB encourages our members and partners to continue with our rolling theme: Universal Eye Health This year, the 'Call to Action' for World Sight Day 2014 is: No more Avoidable Blindness


    Tell a story with your eyes

    Ages 20 to 39 ( Dry eye, Eye Infection, Refractive Errors, Ocular Allergies)

    Age 40 to 59 (Inflammation, Diabetic Retinipathy, Dry eye,  Glaucoma, Refractive errors, including Presbyopia)
    Teenagers (Eye infection, Refractive Errors,  Ocular Allergies)

    Ages 40 to 59 (Ocular Allergies, Eye infection, Retinal Detachment)
    Infants, Ages 3 and Younger (Uncommon eye Conditions, Eye Infection)

    Ages 60 and Older (Retinal Detachment, Dry Eye, Inflammation, Eye Infection)
    Ages 60 and Older (Cataracts, Age related Macular Degeneration ( AMD),  Diabetic Retinipathy, Glaucoma)
    Children, Ages 4 to 12 ( Eye infection, Refractive Errors, Amblyopha ans Strabimus,  Ocular Allergies)

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    World Post Day 2014, October 9th

    ‪Всемирный день почты‬, ‪9октября‬.
     世界郵政日,10月9日.
    Día Mundial del Correo‬, ‪‎9 de octubre.
     ‎Journée mondiale de la poste‬, ‪‎9 octobre‬.
    World Post Day, October 9.
    باليوم العالمي للبريد

     
    Theme 2014 : Posts claim their place in the changing communication landscape.
    موضوع اليوم العالمي للبريد لعام 2014: لخدمات البريد مكانتها في مجال الاتصالات المتغير





    Each day the United States Postal Service processes hundreds of millions of pieces of mail and delivers to over 150 million addresses. At the center of this bustling postal network are more than a hundred Processing and Distribution Centers spread across the United States. Follow these letters, catalogs, magazines, and parcels as they make their way through the Postal delivery network.

    See the giant screen exhibit in person at the National Postal Museum in Washington DC! Visit the entire Smithsonian online exhibit: http://npm.si.edu/systemsatwork

    National Postal Museum in Washington DC



    Universal Postal Union. : Director General Bishar A. Hussein delivers his 2014 annual message for World Post Day.




    Posts claim their place in the changing communication landscape.

    Postal services have always been important motors of economic activity and growth.
    The very creation of the Universal Postal Union 140 years ago established a multilateral framework for the exchange of documents and goods across borders. It helped postal services pave the way to globalized trade and commerce.
    Today, Posts are poised to play a very important role in a new wave of globalization being ushered in by the Internet, which calls for greater inclusion of citizens everywhere.
    With half of the world’s population living in rural areas, the postal network is well placed to reach them. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, 80% of post offices are located in smaller cities and rural areas, where the majority of people live.
    For postal services to flourish, electrical and Internet connectivity is essential, especially in developing countries, where only 32% of the population has access to the Internet.
    The global postal network is a tremendous asset for extending this digital reach – not only for the benefit of citizens and businesses, but also for governments, development agencies and other stakeholders looking for solutions to many of the challenges our world is grappling with.
    According to the World Bank, post offices are the cheapest providers of remittance services, ahead of banks and money transfer operators.
    Posts are also the second biggest contributors to financial inclusion after banks, with one billion people holding a postal account.
    And there are new opportunities with cross-border e-commerce. Although this business is still relatively new, global online sales should reach 1.5 trillion dollars by year end. More often than not, online purchases are delivered by the Post.
    Postal activities stimulate the global economy and improve livelihoods. And, with 640,000 post offices worldwide, we find them where they can make a difference.
    By increasing post offices’ electrical and Internet connectivity, governments can ensure that post offices make a major contribution to efforts to bring communication, financial, social and economic services to rural populations.
    As the communication landscape evolves, I see an important place in it for Posts, especially in this new globalized world.
    I urge governments to carry on investing in their national postal network so that citizens and businesses continue to benefit from a most essential and affordable public service.

    I wish you a happy World Post Day.


    Resources :
    Postal contacts for international customers, Universal Postal Union .



    Forum :  World Post Day - 9 October


    This event is celebrated every year since 1969, on the anniversary of the founding of the UPU (Universal Postal Union), and commemorates all the hard work and social contributions of the postal services worldwide.
    So across the world, post offices celebrate this special day in many different ways. This includes special philatelic exhibitions, free entrance in postal and communications museums, introducing new products and services, special cancellation marks, seminars, workshops and more!

    We are currently gathering information for the events for 2014, so if you know of some, please let us know so that we can mention it on this page.

    These are the events we are aware of in 2014:
                          Belarus
    Belpochta will release a special World Post Day stamp and cancellation mark, available at the main post office in Minsk 

    Czech Republic
    Česká Pošta will have a special cancellation mark with the UPU logo. It will be available from 9-17th October, on Prague's main post office.
    Finland
    The Finnish Post is celebrating its national Stamp Day, by offering unique postage stamps with local attractions in 60 of their Post offices (these can also be ordered online). Special cancellation marks will also be available on this day.
              Germany
    Deutsche Post has a special cancellation stamp to mark the occasion.
    The Museum für Kommunikation in Berlin will hold a conference at 5pm on the theme "Die Post geht um die Welt. 140 Jahre Weltpostverein" in cooperation with Deutsche Post.
               Hong Kong
    The Hong Kong Post will issue a set of joint stamps together with Pos Malaysia, celebrating local food.
    Also, the Hong kong post office will allow everyone to post one personal local letter for free on the World Post Day.
              Ireland
    An Post is producing free international, postage-paid postcards which will be available to customers at the GPO, Dublin and in the Main Post Offices in Cork, Galway, Athlone and Letterkenny. Also, visitors can avail of free admission to the Letters, Lives & Liberty exhibition at the An Post Museum in Dublin’s GPO.
              Japan
    Four new stamps celebrating "International Letter Writing Week" will be issued by Japan Post. A special cancellation stamp will be available from 9-15th October, on the mail post offices throughout the country.
              Latvia
    The Latvijas Pasts is holding its 9th Postcrossing meeting to celebrate the World Post Day 2014. Participants will have the chance to tour the mail sorting center in Riga and gain some insight into the company’s daily operations.
               Macao
    Macao Post will have a special postcard, commemorative envelope and cancellation mark, available at Macao Post's Headquarters and the Communications Museum on 9th October 2014.
              Philippines
    PHLPost is holding its second Letter Writing Day, in various malls around the country.
              Thailand
    Thailand Post is launching a World Post Day-themed stamp, and allowing its users to send one free postcard during World Post Day.
              Ukraine
    Ukraine Post has a special cancellation stamp for October 9th, which will be available at the main post office in Kharkiv (Kirova, 6).
               U.S.A.
    The Smithsonian National Post Museum will host a meeting of the Mail Social Club, with mail workshops & passionate experts to share their skills & love of the post.



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    Monday, 6 October 2014

    World Habitat Day 2014, October 6th.


     


    Voices from slums - World Habitat Day 2014

    2014 Theme: Voices from Slums




    Over the past decade, efforts under the Millennium Development Goals have cut the proportion of people living in slums by more than half.  Yet, over the same period, rapid urbanization, especially in the developing world, has seen overall slum populations rise.  In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 70 per cent of urban dwellers live in slums and informal settlements.
    Slums are often located on the least desirable and appropriate land, such as flood plains and steep hillsides, and are inherently vulnerable to the increasingly severe weather events that climate change is causing.  Many of the people who inhabit slums were pushed to migrate by the lack of opportunities in rural areas or their countries of origin.  They regularly lack basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity and street lighting.  Crime is often endemic, with women and girls particularly at risk.  Unemployment, under-employment and the cost of transport to distant places of work add further hardship.
    To achieve sustainable development and a life of dignity for all, we must address these issues.  This year, World Habitat Day is devoted to giving a voice to slum dwellers.  Often, people in the slums live in near-anonymity -- no address, no census and no idea when their living conditions will improve.  By learning from their experiences, city planners and policy makers can enhance the well-being of a significant portion of the human family.  Let us hear from people who live in slums what has worked and what has not – and what we need to do.
    On this World Habitat Day, I encourage governments, businesses, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations to give slum dwellers a voice – and to listen to what they have to say.  We have the technology and the know-how to build economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cities based on local solutions.  Ensuring that our towns and cities expand in a well-planned and managed way is not only necessary to meeting the housing needs of our growing urban population, it is also vital for combatting climate change, protecting the environment and supporting sustainable development.  Let us focus on a new urban agenda that leaves no-one behind.

     
    From World Habitat Day to World Cities Day, 31 days for promoting a Better Urban Future

    World Habitat Day 2014 Message of the UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos


    Monday, 6 October 2014

    Every year on the first Monday of October we reflect on the state of our human settlements and what we want the cities of our future to look like. This year, the United Nations has chosen to turn the spotlight on the people who live or have lived in informal settlements, listening to “Voices from Slums”.
    The goal is to raise awareness of life conditions in some areas of the planet which are crowded, with inadequate housing, poor or no water and sanitation facilities and no security of tenure. There is rarely any public space in these areas and no allocation for streets, meaning no public transport and no access for emergency services.
    As part of the Millennium Development Goals, the world pledged to improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by the year 2020. By 2010 we had achieved this by more than 2 fold. However, with growing urbanisation, the number of people being born in or moving into these areas is also increasing and the overall number of people living in slums continues to rise. Estimates claim that there are already one billion people living in slums.
    People in slums are also disproportionately affected by climate change, with houses often built precariously on slopes or unsuitable building space and with inadequate materials making them vulnerable to landslides, floods and earthquakes.
    Great efforts are being made to improve many slums around the world and better the lives of those that live there. But slums are a manifestation of rapid unchecked urbanisation – a result of allowing our cities to expand without design or regulation and with disregard to their citizens. While continuing to upgrade the slums we have, we urgently need to focus our efforts on robust urban planning and the provision of safe, affordable housing that is appropriate and adequate for our citizens’ growing needs.
    Through real stories it is possible to demonstrate to decision makers in the urban arena that slum upgrading programmes can achieve better life conditions for slum dwellers, and greater economic and social impacts.
    In 2016, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III will set us on the path for a new urban agenda. But we cannot wait until then to stop the spread of slums. Our urban citizens have the right to adequate housing and basic services and we need to make sure that our cities and towns are planned appropriately to provide these.
    Nearly one billion urban slum dwellers are counting on it. We should hear their voices.


    Manifesto for cities - The Urban Future we want

     Forum :Join us this World Habitat Day - October 6

    World Habitat Day provides an excellent opportunity to highlight key human settlement issues. Each year UN-Habitat calls upon its partners in central government, local government, civil society, the private sector and the media to take part in organizing activities to raise awareness and stimulate debate on the selected theme of the year.

     Mr.Joan Clos, UN-HABITAT Executive director message for World Habitat Day 2014.


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    Sunday, 5 October 2014

    World Teachers' Day 2014, October 5th



    World Teacher Day, October 5th.
     اليوم العالمي للمعلمين





     



    5 October 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of World Teachers’ Day.

    An education system is only as good as its teachers. Teachers are essential to universal and quality education for all: they are central to shaping the minds and attitudes of the coming
    generations to deal with new global challenges and opportunities. Innovative, inclusive and results-focused teaching is crucial for 2015 and beyond if we are to
    provide the best possible opportunities for millions of children, youth and adults worldwide.
    In many countries, the quality of education is undermined by a deficit of teachers. An extra 1.4 million teachers are needed in classrooms across the world to achieve universal primary education by 2015, and 3.4 million additional teachers will be needed by 2030, according to the
    UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

    Added to the challenge of numbers is the issue of quality. All too often, teachers work without resources or proper training. The stakes are high: we face today a global learning crisis, with 250 million children not learning the basics, over half of whom have spent four years in school. Equipping teachers to succeed is therefore a priority. This means rigorous training, better conditions for employment, quality-based teacher recruitment, thoughtful deployment and attracting new teachers and talents, especially young people and women from under-represented communities.

     Reflecting on the lead-up to, and looking beyond, 2015, the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda aptly sums up the essentials for supporting teachers’ effectiveness as follows:

     (1) decent conditions of employment, including appropriate contracts and salaries, and prospects for career progression and promotion; 
    (2) good conditions in the work environment, based on creating school contexts that are conducive to teaching;
     (3) high-quality pre-and in-service training for teachers, based on respect for human rights and the principles of inclusive education; and 
    (4) effective management, including teacher recruitment and deployment.

    Moreover, quality teaching depends on teachers enjoying basic rights, such as protection from violence, academic freedom and the freedom to join independent unions. Protecting teachers' rights also helps them to promote the safety and security of the girls and boys in their charge; we must insist that schools remain a protective space for children and teachers.
    Children and young people are at the heart of society. A good education enables them, as global citizens, to respond to the challenges of a complex world, and contribute to building peaceful and sustainable communities.
    The teachers of today and tomorrow need the skills, knowledge and support that will enable them to meet the diverse learning needs of every girl and boy. We must remember that teachers are an investment for the future.

    The international community and governments must stand united to support teachers and quality education worldwide, and especially in those countries where the highest number of out-of-school
    children exists. We invite you to join us in spreading the message that 5 October is World Teachers’ Day and that investing in teachers means investing in the future.

    Irina Bokova, Director -General, UNESCO
    Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO
    Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF
    Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP
    Fred van LEEUWEN, General Secretary, Education International





     Data shows standards being sacrificed to fill teacher shortage gap.


     In the rush to fill the chronic, global shortage of teachers many countries are sacrificing standards and undermining progress by hiring people with little or no training, concludes a new UNESCO policy paper, published on World Teachers Day 2014.

    Prepared by UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the EFA Global Monitoring Report (GMR), it shows that at least 93 countries have an acute teacher shortage, and need to recruit some four million teachers to achieve universal primary education by 2015.

     If the deadline is extended to 2030, more than 27 million teachers need to be hired, 24 million of whom will be required to compensate for attrition, according to UIS data. At present rates, however, 28 (or 30%) of these 93 countries will not meet these needs. Sub-Saharan Africa faces the greatest teacher shortage, accounting for two-thirds of the new teachers needed by 2030. The problem is exacerbated by a steadily growing school-age population.

     “A quality universal primary education will remain a distant dream for millions of children living in countries without enough trained teachers in classrooms,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO. “Teachers are the core of any education system. Hiring and training new and already established teachers is fundamental to protecting children’s ability to learn in school.

    ’ Under pressure to fill gaps, many countries are recruiting teachers who lack the most basic training. According to UIS data, in one-third of countries with data, fewer than 75% of primary school teachers were trained according to national standards in 2012. In Angola, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and South Sudan, this figure falls below 50%. As a result, in roughly a third of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the GMR shows that the challenge of training existing teachers is greater than that of recruiting new teachers to the profession.

     “Putting well-intentioned instructors in front of huge classrooms and calling them teachers will not deliver our ambitions to have every child in school and learning,” said Aaron Benavot, director of the EFA Global Monitoring Report. “We have prepared a new Advocacy Toolkit for teachers to help us relay these messages to their governments. Teachers, better than anyone else, can relay how teacher shortages and a lack of training are making it just about impossible to deliver a quality education”.

     Countries must ensure that all new teacher candidates have completed at least secondary education. Yet the GMR shows that the numbers of those with this qualification in many countries are in short supply: eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa would have to recruit at least 5% of their secondary school graduates into the teaching force by 2020. Niger would need to recruit up to 30%.


     In sub-Saharan Africa, the cost of paying the salaries of the additional teachers required by 2020 totals an extra US$5.2 billion per year, according to UIS projections, before counting for training, learning materials and school buildings. With the greatest number of children out of school in the world, Nigeria alone will need to allocate an extra US$1.8 billion per year.

    “The good news is that most countries can afford to hire the extra teachers if they continue to steadily increase investment in education,” said Hendrik van der Pol, director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. “Over the past decade, education budgets across Sub-Saharan Africa have been growing by 7% in real terms, reflecting the commitment to get more teachers and children in classrooms. However four countries will need to significantly increase their education budgets if they’re to cover the bills and provide training to new recruits: the Central African Republic, Mali, Chad and Malawi.”

    Contacts:
     Kate Redman EFA Global Monitoring Report,  Email: k.redman@unesco.org Phone: +33602049345
    Amy Otchet UNESCO Institute for Statistics , Email: a.otchet@unesco.org Phone: +15144027836
    Sue Williams Chief, Media Relations, UNESCO,  Email: s.williams@unesco.org Phone: +33145681706


    Related Links 
    "Investing in teachers means investing in the future" ILO.
    ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, 1966

    Wanted: Trained teachers to ensure every child’s right to primary education - The full paper.
    Infographics on Education
    Advocacy Toolkit for Teachers
    eATLAS for Teachers - Interactive maps 
     The Global Partnership for Education

    Forum :  5 October, World Teachers' Day.

     On World Teachers' Day, tell the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, that you support quality education for all, a post-2015 development goal on education, and the global campaign to get all children into school.


    Events : 06 October 2014 to 07 October 2014, Paris, France.
    Upcoming Live Webcast - World Teacher's Day

     List of all Prizes and Celebrations


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    Thursday, 2 October 2014

    International Day of Non-Violence 2014, October 2nd


    United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the International Day of Non-Violence 2014.

    On this International Day of Non-Violence, we commemorate the philosophy of the late Mahatma Gandhi, who through his example proved that peaceful protests could accomplish much more than military aggression.
    The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, the year of Gandhi’s death, owe much to his beliefs.
    At this time of increased sectarian violence and the wanton destruction of cultural sites and heritage, it is timely to recall Gandhi’s call for peace and reconciliation, and his warning that, “An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind.”
    We have to foster a culture of peace, built on dialogue and understanding, for living together in harmony while respecting and celebrating humanity’s rich diversity.
    There is no greater tool than education to enhance human dignity, promote a culture of non-violence, and build lasting peace. Through education, we can craft new ways of living with each other and the planet. Education can also lay the foundation for developing new forms of global citizenship and solidarity that are so essential in today’s world.
    On this Day, I call on all people to counter the forces of intolerance, advance global citizenship and forge human solidarity based on Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence.
    Ban Ki-moon

    Honouring Gandhi’s legacy, Deputy Secretary-General reaffirms power of peaceful protest.

    In these dramatic and perilous times, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson urged the international community to reaffirm the power and potential of bringing about change through peaceful means, following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, who inspired today’s International Day of Non-Violence.
    “The response to violence is all too often more violence when, in fact, reconciliation and dialogue is needed,” Mr. Eliasson said in a special event for the occasion, held at UN Headquarters in New York.
    He called for embracing the fundamental values embodied by Mr. Gandhi: passion, compassion, and belief in the dignity and equal worth of all human beings.
    Mr. Eliasson recalled Mr. Gandhi’s warning that “an eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind.”
    The International Day, marked annually on Mr. Gandhi’s birthday, celebrates his non-violent philosophy and tactics have been adopted by leaders around the world. It was established by the General Assembly as an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness,” and has been observed annually since 2007.
    Mr. Gandhi’s historic “Salt March” against unfair colonial taxation, and his other non-violent resistance inspired change in countries from the Georgia to South Africa, Northern Ireland and the United States, Mr. Eliasson said.
    This year’s event is particularly relevant given the resurgence of exceptionalism and sectarianism in parts of the world, the senior UN official said. He added that many minorities find themselves under attack, and civilizations are being displaced as conflicts force them to flee.
    “We must reject violence as the futile and default means to bring about change,” Mr. Eliasson said. “We must embrace the path to non-violence and peaceful settlements as the road to sustainable and equitable transformations of societies.”
    The UN is strengthening its efforts to bring non-violence to concrete action through preventive diplomacy and the recent “Human Rights up Front” initiative which highlights the need for early action, and the crucial role of responding early to human rights violations.
    In his message Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, the year of Gandhi’s death, owe much to Mr Ghandi’s beliefs.
    At this time of increased sectarian violence and the wanton destruction of cultural sites and heritage, “We have to foster a culture of peace, built on dialogue and understanding, for living together in harmony while respecting and celebrating humanity’s rich diversity,” the UN chief said.
    Stressing that there is no greater tool than education to enhance human dignity, promote a culture of non-violence, and build lasting peace, Mr. Ban said: “Through education, we can craft new ways of living with each other and the planet. Education can also lay the foundation for developing new forms of global citizenship and solidarity that are so essential in today’s world.”


    Forum :  2 October - International Day of Non-Violence


     Special event on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence - 2 Oct '14


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