human dignity

Ontario’s Senior Care Beyond COVID-19

IFA Global Cafe: In Conversation with Ms. Lisa Levin on “Ontario Senior’s Care Beyond COVID-19”

Everyone’s ageing journey is different. Insights and experiences can help seniors and health providers to navigate challenging circumstances and sudden changes. In many instances, it is important to discuss the subject with empathy, and to have a conversation that acknowledges seniors’ concerns instead of simply telling them what to do.

The IFA is honored to invite Ms. Lisa Levin, a high energy leader, with extensive experience in focusing on advocacy and education and delivering the best possible care for seniors in a respectful way. Register here!

This Global Cafe takes place at 07:00 am (Eastern Day Time) on Friday 3 September 2021 (additional time zones below):

Vancouver, Canada 4:00 am
London, UK 12:00 pm
Geneva, Switzerland 1:00 pm
Lagos, Nigeria 12:00 pm
New Delhi, India 4:30 pm
Perth, Australia 7:00 pm

This Global Cafe will be recorded and streamed live on Facebook. Should you be unable to participate, a recording will be available on the IFA Facebook page at facebook.com/intfedageing.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. 

Uniting to Dismantle Racism and Militarism in U.S. Foreign Policy

The major challenges facing Americans today – racial and gender injustice, economic inequality, pandemic disease, climate change – cannot be solved without international solidarity and human compassion.  Endless wars and endless Pentagon spending only exacerbate these problems, making people at home and abroad less safe.  Without addressing the racism and militarism at the core of U.S. foreign policy, progress toward a more sustainable, just, and peaceful world will not be possible.

Please join us for a webinar to explore how progressive groups working on a wide variety of domestic and foreign policy issues can join together to dismantle structures of militarism and white supremacy

Speakers include:

• Salih Booker, President and CEO, Center for International Policy
• Shailly Barnes, Policy Director, Kairos Center and Poor People’s Campaign
• Diana Duarte, Director of Policy and Strategic Engagement, MADRE
• Tobita Chow, Founding Director, Justice is Global
• Diana Ohlbaum, Senior Strategist and Legislative Director for Foreign Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation (moderator)

Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvcumrrT0vGtOXAq3fM6tBj7AerKMTqD1i

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Migration, please visit ngo-migration.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP.

International Day for People of African Descent

The International Day for People of African Descent will be celebrated for the first time on 31 August 2021. Through this Observance the United Nations aims to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent.

International days reflect the values that society shares. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies. Any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust, and dangerous and must be rejected, together with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races.

The United Nations strongly condemns the continuing violent practices and excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent and condemns structural racism in criminal justice systems around the world. The Organization further acknowledges the Transatlantic Slave Trade as one of the darkest chapters in our human history and upholds human dignity and equality for the victims of slavery, the slave trade and colonialism, in particular people of African descent in the African diaspora.

Learn more about how and why the UN commemorates this observance at un.org/en/observances/african-descent-day.

For further information on the International Decade for “People of African Descent: recognition, justice and development” (2015-2024), please visit un.org/en/observances/decade-people-african-descent.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. 

Faith + Biodiversity briefing

Dear colleagues,
At our June 30th Faith and Biodiversity meeting we agreed to meet every 3-4 weeks to share updates and progress towards the CBD COP15. Over the past few weeks our Faith and Biodiversity Working Group has been working hard drafting a response to the First Draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. We plan to finalize our response by late August in order to submit it to the next round of negotiations, due to start on August 23rd.
We would like to invite you to a call on Thursday, August 5th, 10am ET, for a presentation on the key items our group have identified that we feel need to be included in the First Draft of the GBF from a faith perspective. Zoom details are below.
Meeting ID: 528 839 2946
Passcode: Bhumi
 
Many thanks, Bhumi Global
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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. 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-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. 

International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism

Victims of terrorism continue to struggle to have their voices heard, have their needs supported and their rights upheld. Victims often feel forgotten and neglected once the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack fades, which can have profound consequences for them. Few Members States have the resources or the capacity to fulfill the medium and long-term needs required for victims to fully recover, rehabilitate and integrate back into society. Victims can only recover and cope with their trauma through long-term multi-dimensional support, including physical, psychological, social and financial, in order to heal and live with dignity.

The primary responsibility to support victims of terrorism and uphold their rights rests with Member States. The United Nations has an important role in supporting Member States to implement Pillar I and IV of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy through standing in solidarity and providing support to victims, capacity building assistance, establishing networks of, and offering support to, civil society organizations, particularly victims of terrorism associations, and encouraging Member States to promote, protect and respect the rights of victims. The United Nations has been working to provide resources, mobilize the international community and better address the needs of victims of terrorism.

The General Assembly, in its resolution 72/165 (2017), established 21 August as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism in order to honor and support the victims and survivors of terrorism and to promote and protect the full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms

Resolution 72/165 builds on existing efforts by the General Assembly, the Commission of Human Rights and the Human Rights Council to promote and protect the rights of victims of terrorism.

By proclaiming an International Day dedicated to victims, the General Assembly reaffirmed that the promotion and the protection of human rights and the rule of law at the national; and international levels are essential for preventing and combating terrorism.

The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted unanimously in its resolution 60/288, on 8 September 2006, notes that the dehumanization of victims counts among the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, and the most effective way to counter terrorism is through measures that respect human dignity and uphold the rule of law.

To hear victim testimonies, read relevant documents, and learn more about how/why the UN commemorates this observance, click here.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

Building Back Better after COVID-19 through Addressing Health Equity, Mental Health, and Well-being: Contributions of Psychological Science and Practice to Leave No One Behind

Building Back Better after COVID-19 through Addressing Health Equity, Mental Health, and Well-being: Contributions of Psychological Science and Practice to Leave No One Behind

The event highlights challenges and solutions related to achieving health and mental health equity in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Speakers include experts, “voices from the field,” and high-level diplomats from the co-sponsoring UN Missions of Sierra Leone, Bahrain, Canada, Ecuador, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Lebanon, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Portugal, Sweden, Costa Rica, and Qatar, as well as the World Health Organization, the International Association of Applied Psychology, the American Psychological Association, and the United African Congress.

We look forward to you joining us. Please feel free to circulate/post this invitation to your lists and colleagues.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__yJ1ykoeTGCoj4WtLxqB6g

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

Global Citizenship: Foundations for an Interconnected World

CGC 2030 Side Event

Join the NGO Major Group’s Cluster for Global Citizenship to explore how our interconnectivity impacts the United Nations and the UN Sustainable Development goals.

Register here!

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Major Group, please visit ngomg.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-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org.

The Union of Humanity: Bridging Medicine, Music, Technology & Global NGO for Pandemic Recovery {CoNGO President Speaks at this Event}

Join here: https://stufunitedfund.my.webex.com/stufunitedfund.my/j.php?MTID=me2355e3ac7a7db8d2358b2fa2408254b

STUF United Fund (a member of CoNGO), along with The Permanent Mission of Belize to the United Nations and Helping Overcome Obstacles Peru (HOOP), will present a side event on Tuesday July 6th, during the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.  STUF United Fund is honored to have CoNGO President Dr. Liberato C. Bautista join as one of the speakers.

The UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) is an essential platform hosted by the United Nations to follow up and review the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.  The side event is entitled “The Union of Humanity: Bridging Medicine, Music, Technology, and Global NGO Partnership for Pandemic Recovery.”  It will be held in a hybrid format of virtual and in-person conference.  The event includes speeches and Q&A from 6pm to 8pm and live musical performance from 8pm to 8:30pm.

Speakers include:

  • Ms. Han Wu, Co-Artistic Director of the CMS of Lincoln Center (video speech)
  • Rev. Liberato C. Bautista, President of CoNGO (The Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations) “Global NGO Partnership for Pandemic Recovery”
  • Dr. Shang Ju Li, MD, MPH, Senior Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Americares; Co-Founder, Helping Overcome Obstacles Peru (HOOP) USA and Peru “Challenges and Strategies: Pandemic Recovery from the Perspective of Local NGO”
  • Dr. Alex Chen, MD, PhD, Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine “Global Burden of Disease (GBD), Non-Communicable Disease (NCD), and Digital Solutions”
  • Mr. Michel Lu, Ph.D in Far-East Research from Université Paris VII, retired diplomat “International Medical and Health Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities”

Online Webex Meeting Number: 182-627-7918, password: hlpf (lower case of HLPF)

Please RSVP to join the in-person meeting at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Music Center at 129 W 67th St, New York, NY 10023: eventbrite.com/e/stuf-2021-un-high-level-political-forum-side-event-tickets-161241492645

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee for Rare Diseases, please visit rarediseasesinternational.org. 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. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. 

Nelson Mandela International Day

Nelson Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity — as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa.

November 2009 – in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom, UN General Assembly declares 18 July “Nelson Mandela International Day.” Resolution A/RES/64/13 recognizes Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity in: conflict resolution; race relations; promotion and protection of human rights; reconciliation; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups; the fight against poverty; the promotion of social justice. The resolution acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.

Last year, coinciding with the date of the Nelson Mandela International Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the 18th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture. In his speech, “Tackling the Inequality Pandemic: A New Social Contract for a New Era,” the Secretary-General takes aim at the various layers of inequality that are being exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information about Nelson Mandela and view UN materials on his life and message, check out nelsonmandela.org/content/page/annual-lecture or un.org/en/events/mandeladay.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

The UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June marks the moment in 1987 when the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, one of the key instruments in fighting torture, came into effect. Today, the Convention has been ratified by 162 countries.

Torture seeks to annihilate the victim’s personality and denies the inherent dignity of the human being. Despite the absolute prohibition of torture under international law, torture persist in all regions of the world. Concerns about protecting national security and borders are increasingly used to allow torture and other forms of cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment. Its pervasive consequences often go beyond the isolated act on an individual; and can be transmitted through generations and lead to cycles of violence.

The United Nations has condemned torture from the outset as one of the vilest acts perpetrated by human beings on their fellow human beings.

Torture is a crime under international law. According to all relevant instruments, it is absolutely prohibited and cannot be justified under any circumstances. This prohibition forms part of customary international law, which means that it is binding on every member of the international community, regardless of whether a State has ratified international treaties in which torture is expressly prohibited. The systematic or widespread practice of torture constitutes a crime against humanity.

On 12 December 1997, by resolution 52/149, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view to the total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

26 June is an opportunity to call on all stakeholders including UN Member States, civil society and individuals everywhere to unite in support of the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have been victims of torture and those who are still tortured today.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Alliance on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, please visit crimealliance.org/about.

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