Girls and Women: Leading the Charge to Ensure #LearningNeverStops

This virtual event will offer an intergenerational space for dialogue and profile the extraordinary steps taken by extraordinary girls and women of all ages and in all contexts to support girls’ continuity in learning and their safe return to school.

This event will take place on Zoom, with simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish. Register here to participate. The event will be livestreamed on the UNWebTV.

Background:

In April 2020, schooling was disrupted for over 1.5 billion learners in more than 190 countries following nationwide closures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Today, a year into the crisis, over 800 million students are still out of school, students are on average losing two-thirds of an academic year and more than 20 million girls are projected to be at risk of dropping out.

This unprecedented disruption to education has the potential to roll back substantial gains made on girls’ education in recent decades, with broader immediate and longer-term effects on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to poverty reduction, health and well-being, inclusive quality education and gender equality.

The priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) recognises the critical role girls and women play as leaders and decision-makers in all aspects of public life to achieve gender equality, eliminate gender-based violence, and empower women and girls. This virtual event, held on the sidelines of CSW, will offer an intergenerational space for dialogue, and profile the extraordinary steps taken by extraordinary girls and women of all ages and in all contexts to support girls’ continuity of learning during school closures and return to school.

On March 24, leaders will aim to speak on behalf of the millions of at-risk girls whose voices are going unheard. They will highlight the essential need to build back equal through gender-transformative education systems that end harmful gender norms, free girls and boys from narrow aspirations and enable them to work together in the classroom today for a more equal world tomorrow.

This CSW65 event is hosted by UNESCO, PLAN International, the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative, the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the Argentine Republic to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations, and the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org.

Education for Sustainable Development: A Driver for Building Back Better

Consisting of a briefing session and a panel discussion on the crucial role of Education for Sustainable Development as a key enabler of successful achievement of the SDGs, especially within the context of Building Back Better from the COVID-19 pandemic, this event will provide a platform for participants from the UN Member States, UNESCO, other intergovernmental organizations and academia will engage with audience members.

Register here.

The virtual briefing will bring together Member States, key UN agencies and education experts around 4 objectives:

Highlight ways to harness the transformative power of ESD in achieving sustainable societies and sensitize the UN membership on the latest developments and trends;
Share the best practices on how ESD can contribute to building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic;
Facilitate exchange of good practices and provide a platform for the UN Member States to engage with key UN agencies and leading education experts on advancing ESD and integrating it into education plans and programmes;
Provide updates on the preparation and objectives of the upcoming World Conference on ESD.

The briefing session on Education for Sustainable Development is organized by the Group of Friends for Education and Lifelong Learning, as co-chaired by the Permanent Missions of Argentina, Czech Republic, Japan, Kenya and Norway, together with UNESCO.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

[#GGKP webinar] Green Jobs and a Just Transition: Country Perspectives from Argentina, South Africa and ILO

Please join #GGKP for an important and timely webinar,

Green jobs and a just transition: Country perspectives from Argentina, South Africa and ILO

Why must green jobs be central in national recovery strategies?

What sectors are leading in green jobs creation? What are some new green job profiles?

How can governments support workers during a green transition? What are key social protections as job profiles change or shift to new green sectors?

How can businesses lead in the green jobs transition, and how can going green make a business more competitive?

On 18 November (2-3:30pm CET), join the GGKP for a discussion on how governments and business can lead a just transition to greener economies featuring country perspectives from Argentina and South Africa. The discussion will be moderated by Moustapha Kamal Gueye, Coordinator of the Green Jobs Programme at the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The ILO Guidelines for a just transition to environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all provide a policy framework for inclusive, employment-centered green transitions for workers, enterprises and communities. This webinar is the third in a five-part #GGKPwebinar series held under the project, Green Economy Transformation in Cooperation with the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) – Synergies between low-emission pathways and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) through its International Climate Initiative (IKI), and is implemented jointly by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and UN Environment.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-New York, please visit ngocsd-ny.org.

[HLPF Webinar] “Digital with Purpose”

Digital with Purpose: Accelerating Action and Transformative Pathways for Delivering on the SDGs & Recovering from COVID-19

8 July 2020 (12 pm New York)
To join the webinar, please click on the Zoom link here.

The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) is organizing this webinar as a side event at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2020.

This session will make the case for accelerating action for an inclusive digital transformation to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, the SDGs and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The adoption of meaningful digital technologies and solutions, ICT infrastructure and leveraging South-South and triangular cooperation will be key to addressing the existing digital divides in developing countries.

Following the presentations from the panelists, there will be a Q&A session during which it will be possible to ask questions and further discuss lessons learned.

Moderator: Ms. Ursula Wynhoven, Head International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Liaison Office to the United Nations

Opening and Welcoming Remarks (20mins)

H.E Ms. Milica Pejanović Đurišić, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the United Nations
H.E Ms. Rabab Fatima, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations
Mr. Malcolm Johnson, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU
Mr. Jorge Chediek, UNOSSC Director and Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation

Presentations (15 mins)

Screening of video on Digital with Purpose
Mr. James Gowen, Chairman, Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) and Vice President of Global Supply Chain and Chief Sustainability Officer, Verizon

Panel discussion on country experiences with country representatives: (30mins)

Mr. Ibrahima Guimba Saidou, Minister Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of Niger, Directeur Général / CEO Agence Nationale pour la Société de l’Information (10 min)
Mr. Martin Olmos, Undersecretary of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Argentina (10 min)

Q & A interaction with audience (15 mins)

Wrap up and Closing (5 mins)

Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang, Deputy Director of UNOSSC

For more information, click here.

[HLPF virtual side event] Green Economy & COVID-19 Recovery

PAGE (Partnership for Action on Green Economy) @ #HLPF2020

Green Economy & COVID-19 Recovery: Implications for the Decade of Action

Join the virtual conversation: How can a green economic recovery contribute to accelerated action on the Sustainable Development Goals?

As we enter the Decade of Action and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must unlock the opportunity to build a better tomorrow. Green recovery responses will not only address the root causes of the current crisis but also build resilience to future economic shocks and accelerate action towards the achievement of inclusive sustainable development.

Drawing on the unique expertise of the Partnership and its commitment to supporting action on green economy, this high-level panel discussion will connect how targeted policies and investments can create jobs and income while addressing global sustainability challenges. This conversation will rally around renewed commitment towards the Sustainable Development Goals and climate and biodiversity targets, highlighting the ways in which an inclusive green economic recovery can support the Decade of Action.

Register now: mailchi.mp/8928be644e7c/page-hlpf-registration

Moderation by: Nozipho Tshabalala, Conversation Strategist and Global Moderator

Distinguished Speakers:

Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany
Omar Paganini, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining, Uruguay
Arifin Rudiyanto, Deputy Minister for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources, Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia
Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Minister of Industry, Trade and green Digital Economy, Kingdom of Morocco
Sveinung Rotevatn, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway, and President, United Nations Environment Assembly
Claudio Moroni, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Argentina
Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs of the Republic of South Africa
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme
Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization
Li Yong, Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research

__________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information, on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development-NY, visit ngosonffd.org.

Elder Abuse Awareness Day: The Impact of COVID-19 on Violence, Abuse, & Neglect of Older Persons

Virtual Event
Tuesday, 16 June 2020 at 08:00-09:00 EST (NY), 14:00-15:00 CET (Geneva)

Registration is required. REGISTER HERE

The UN General Assembly designated 15 June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (res. A/RES/66/127). According to WHO estimates, 1 in 6 people aged over 60 suffers from abuse. That means nearly 141 million people globally. This number might be much higher as elder abuse is one of the most hidden and underreported violations.

COVID-19 has put a spotlight on older persons including distressing reports of instances of abuse and neglect of older persons in long term care institutions. Not only older persons are at a high risk of serious illness and mortality, but they are also stigmatized through abusive language in both the conventional and social media.

Despite the lack of reliable data on the actual scale of elder abuse in the community where the majority of older persons live, emerging reports reveal the high impact of the COVID-19 pandemic both in the rise of cases of abuse and in the disruption of the services and protective measures.

The UN Secretary-General in his Policy Brief: The Impact of Covid-19 on Older Persons warned that measures to restrict movement may trigger greater incidence of violence against older persons and all types of abuse – physical, emotional, financial and sexual as well as neglect. He also claimed that the lack of adequate legislation at national level to protect the rights of older persons and the absence of a dedicated internationally agreed legal framework, contribute to the vulnerability of older persons and may have contributed to the inadequate responses to the COVID-19 crisis and that these gaps must be filled.

There is an urgent need to combat and prevent this serious human rights violation. Many Member States’ delegations at sessions of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing expressed the need to develop universally applicable normative standards for the protection of older persons against violence, neglect and abuse, which would contribute to providing a comprehensive response and would also provide guidance for the development of a reporting, accountability and remedy mechanism for such violations suffered by older persons.

Verbal abuse and hate speech: Do they lead to other types of abuse? When do under or/and over-protection become abuse? Have lockdowns increased the risk of financial exploitation. What are examples of passive and active neglect?

Opening words by H.E. Mr. Alejandro Verdier, Deputy Permanent Representative of Argentina to the UN in NY
Panelists:

Ms Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons
Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the department of Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization: WHO’s new guidance on elder abuse and COVID-19
Jillenne Gunther, AARP Bank Safe: Fighting financial exploitation
Michael S. Mulvey, University of Ottawa: Tracing an outbreak of ageist discourse in social media

Co-Moderators: Amal Rafeh (UN DESA) and Monica Ferro (UNFPA)

The panel will be followed by a session of questions and answers with the audience.

Register here

Support for this program provided by Apple Bank and Hebrew Home

CoNGO Notes:

For more information on the NGO Committee of Ageing – NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org.

Argentina