human rights

Criminalising Ecocide: A New Deterrent to Crimes that Affect the Environment

You’re invited to this important side event of the 31st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)!

Register here: unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/31_Session_2022/registration.html

The regular thirty-first session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is scheduled for 16-20 May 2022. The provisional annotated agenda will be published on the website of the Commission following the present arrangements. The present proposed organizational arrangements were drafted in response to the recent
developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into consideration the regulations by the host country, Austria, and the guidelines of the Vienna International Centre. Based on the developments of the global health situation and to possible changes to the regulations by the host Country Austria, arrangements may be revised closer to the regular session.

Organization Format
The sessions will be conducted in a hybrid format, in the M-building of the Vienna International Centre. The meetings of the plenary and COW will be held in parallel. The plenary meetings will be held in the plenary hall of the M-building. The meetings of the COW will be held in Boardroom A.

In-person participation will be possible for a limited number of delegates from United Nations Member States, UN Entities, IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC. Due to COVID-requirements the number of seats in the room is limited and as such only a limited number of in-person participants can join. In-person participants are required to confirm adherence to relevant provisions contained in the COVID guidelines for participants and are expected to provide supporting documents as necessary.

Participation In line with the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, Member States, as well as representatives of UN Entities, IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC can participate in the session.

More information about this specific side event, and the full schedule of events, will be provided here at a later stage: unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/31_Session_2022/session-31-of-the-ccpcj.html

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Likewise, for more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-New York, please visit . 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.

Criminalising Ecocide: A New Deterrent to Crimes that Affect the Environment

You’re invited to this important side event of the 31st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)!

Register here: unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/31_Session_2022/registration.html

The regular thirty-first session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is scheduled for 16-20 May 2022. The provisional annotated agenda will be published on the website of the Commission following the present arrangements. The present proposed organizational arrangements were drafted in response to the recent
developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into consideration the regulations by the host country, Austria, and the guidelines of the Vienna International Centre. Based on the developments of the global health situation and to possible changes to the regulations by the host Country Austria, arrangements may be revised closer to the regular session.

Organization Format
The sessions will be conducted in a hybrid format, in the M-building of the Vienna International Centre. The meetings of the plenary and COW will be held in parallel. The plenary meetings will be held in the plenary hall of the M-building. The meetings of the COW will be held in Boardroom A.

In-person participation will be possible for a limited number of delegates from United Nations Member States, UN Entities, IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC. Due to COVID-requirements the number of seats in the room is limited and as such only a limited number of in-person participants can join. In-person participants are required to confirm adherence to relevant provisions contained in the COVID guidelines for participants and are expected to provide supporting documents as necessary.

Participation In line with the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, Member States, as well as representatives of UN Entities, IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC can participate in the session.

More information about this specific side event, and the full schedule of events, will be provided here at a later stage: unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/31_Session_2022/session-31-of-the-ccpcj.html

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Likewise, for more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-New York, please visit . 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.

Financing for Universal and Crisis-Responsive Social Protection and Decent Work: Proposals of 2021 UN Inter-Agency Working Group

Join the NGO Committee on Financing for Development on Tuesday, April 26, from 8 – 9:30am EST for an official side event of the 2022 ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum on Financing for Universal and Crisis-Responsive Social Protection and Decent Work: Proposals of 2021 UN Inter-Agency Working Group

Speakers:

  • H.E. Mr. Phillippe Kridelka, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations
  • Mr. Helmut Schwarzner, Senior Social Security Specialist for the Americas, Social Protection Department, ILO Geneva
  • Mr. David Stewart, Chief of Child Strategy and Social Protection, UNICEF
  • Dr. Santosh Mehrotra, Research Fellow, IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Bonn, Germany
  • Ms. Tikhala Itaye, Director, Global Movement Building, Women in Global Health

Moderator: Dr. Barry Herman, Member Advisory Board, Social Justice in Global Development

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsfuqqrjwiHtLVutntuRo0xgsa9K_vEKxP

Co-sponsors: Vivat International, Women First International Fund, Salesian Missions, International Labour Organization, World Vision, Social Justice in Global Development

Background: Social protection refers to assuring a basic income floor and access to basic healthcare throughout the life cycle. It should be provided universally to all people in need, but that is far from current practice. While decent jobs, including self-employment, are mainly in the private economy, meeting the qualifications for most jobs usually requires education and good health, which are primarily public service functions. Thus, programs to promote social protection and decent jobs entail adequate, effective, and fair national systems of taxation, complemented by international assistance, often in the form of technical assistance but also sometimes in aid-financed budget support, as for low-income countries.

The experience of the pandemic laid bare inadequate systems to deliver cash transfers to compensate for the economic costs of the crisis and inadequate public health systems to deliver vaccines, tests, and protective equipment, along with the very limited capacity, especially in developing countries, to maintain employment during the crisis-induced economic contraction. The pandemic experience requires us to think about preparing better “shock responsive” social protection and health systems and stronger counter-cyclical policies. Preparation, in turn, requires consideration of ways to mobilize the necessary domestic and international financial resources on an ongoing basis and with the capacity to meet the higher expenditure needs at times of crisis.

While the inter-agency report concluded with 21 separate proposals, speakers in the side event will be asked to discuss one or more of the proposals. There is no expectation that all 21 proposals would be covered, nor is that necessary. What is necessary is to bring the attention of the FfD Follow-up Forum for consideration by policymakers the work of the 16 cooperating agencies in the task force and the civil society, labor, employer, and youth stakeholders that were consulted in preparing the report.

______________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Financing for Development is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

Financing for Universal and Crisis-Responsive Social Protection and Decent Work: Proposals of 2021 UN Inter-Agency Working Group

Join the NGO Committee on Financing for Development on Tuesday, April 26, from 8 – 9:30am EST for an official side event of the 2022 ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum on Financing for Universal and Crisis-Responsive Social Protection and Decent Work: Proposals of 2021 UN Inter-Agency Working Group

Speakers:

  • H.E. Mr. Phillippe Kridelka, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations
  • Mr. Helmut Schwarzner, Senior Social Security Specialist for the Americas, Social Protection Department, ILO Geneva
  • Mr. David Stewart, Chief of Child Strategy and Social Protection, UNICEF
  • Dr. Santosh Mehrotra, Research Fellow, IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Bonn, Germany
  • Ms. Tikhala Itaye, Director, Global Movement Building, Women in Global Health

Moderator: Dr. Barry Herman, Member Advisory Board, Social Justice in Global Development

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsfuqqrjwiHtLVutntuRo0xgsa9K_vEKxP

Co-sponsors: Vivat International, Women First International Fund, Salesian Missions, International Labour Organization, World Vision, Social Justice in Global Development

Background: Social protection refers to assuring a basic income floor and access to basic healthcare throughout the life cycle. It should be provided universally to all people in need, but that is far from current practice. While decent jobs, including self-employment, are mainly in the private economy, meeting the qualifications for most jobs usually requires education and good health, which are primarily public service functions. Thus, programs to promote social protection and decent jobs entail adequate, effective, and fair national systems of taxation, complemented by international assistance, often in the form of technical assistance but also sometimes in aid-financed budget support, as for low-income countries.

The experience of the pandemic laid bare inadequate systems to deliver cash transfers to compensate for the economic costs of the crisis and inadequate public health systems to deliver vaccines, tests, and protective equipment, along with the very limited capacity, especially in developing countries, to maintain employment during the crisis-induced economic contraction. The pandemic experience requires us to think about preparing better “shock responsive” social protection and health systems and stronger counter-cyclical policies. Preparation, in turn, requires consideration of ways to mobilize the necessary domestic and international financial resources on an ongoing basis and with the capacity to meet the higher expenditure needs at times of crisis.

While the inter-agency report concluded with 21 separate proposals, speakers in the side event will be asked to discuss one or more of the proposals. There is no expectation that all 21 proposals would be covered, nor is that necessary. What is necessary is to bring the attention of the FfD Follow-up Forum for consideration by policymakers the work of the 16 cooperating agencies in the task force and the civil society, labor, employer, and youth stakeholders that were consulted in preparing the report.

______________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Financing for Development is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

Exploring Digital Finance’s Real Promises and Challenges for Development

Exploring Digital Finance’s Real Promises and Challenges for Development

Join the NGO Committee on Financing for Development on Wednesday, 27 April 2022, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. EDT for this official side event to the 2022 ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qc-6orjsuGdFhyWHfljp7ZNxV526Onoc7

Speakers:

  • Ms. Cina Lawson, Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation of the Republic of Togo (TBC)
  • Dr. Purva Khera, Economist, International Monetary Fund
  • Mr. Johannes Ehrentraud, Senior Advisor, Financial Stability Institute, Bank for International Settlements
  • Ms. Sofie Blakstad, CEO of hiveonline and author of Fintech Revolution: Universal Inclusion in the New Financial Ecosystem
  • Ms. Anneleen Vos, Seionr Economic Policy Officer, International Rescue Committee
  • Mr. Prabhat Labh, CEO, Grameen Foundation India
  • Ms. Mercy Buku, Program Leader, Toronto Center

Moderator: Mx. Anita Thomas, Chair, NGO Committee on FfD, Representative to the UN, Women First International Fund

Co-sponsors: ManUp Campaign, Change Management Solutions, Sisters of Charity Foundation, African Development Interchange Network, IBVM

Background:

The UN Secretary General’s task force on digital finance in its report titled “People’s Money: Harnessing Digitalization to Finance a Sustainable Future,” spells out the transformational impact digital finance can have on sustainable development. Providing relief for millions around the world, supporting businesses, and protecting jobs and livelihoods, digital finance served as a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic. A World Bank tally of policy responses to the pandemic finds that at least 58 governments in developing countries used digital payments to deliver COVID-19 relief, of which 36 countries made payments into fully transactional accounts that were being used for saving beyond simply withdrawing cash. According to the GSMA, international remittances processed via mobile money increased by 65 percent in 2020.

Proponents of digital finance highlight its strong capabilities to reduce transaction costs, the potential of Artificial Intelligence to provide fair and equitable treatment of credit applicants, and the scalability of cloud technology, through the use of blockchain technology, to allow consumers to transact remotely and seamlessly across multiple platforms.

While the experience of COVID-19 has proven that digitalization can transform economies and lives, it needs to be shaped with both its advantages and potential risks in mind in order to bring everyone into the digital age. For technology to benefit everyone, private sector innovation must be supported by the appropriate public goods such as the public provision of foundational infrastructure, access to electricity, mobile and internet coverage.

As in the case of any disruptive technology, without combining technological advances with sound policy measures, digital technology cannot deliver on its potential to meaningfully advance financial inclusion for everyone, including the more than 2 billion unbanked people globally. Delivering on promises to advance financial inclusion can only be considered meaningful when the account holder has a fully functional account that they utilize to save, make payments, obtain manageable credit, and mitigate economic risks and is simply not utilized to withdraw cash from cash transfers from the government, which is overwhelmingly the case at this time.

By examining successful strategies that maximize digital finance’s potential while minimizing risks to the financial sector, government revenues, and at-risk populations, attendees will gain a better understanding of how digital finance can sustainably advance development objectives.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Financing for Development is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

Exploring Digital Finance’s Real Promises and Challenges for Development

Exploring Digital Finance’s Real Promises and Challenges for Development

Join the NGO Committee on Financing for Development on Wednesday, 27 April 2022, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. EDT for this official side event to the 2022 ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qc-6orjsuGdFhyWHfljp7ZNxV526Onoc7

Speakers:

  • Ms. Cina Lawson, Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation of the Republic of Togo (TBC)
  • Dr. Purva Khera, Economist, International Monetary Fund
  • Mr. Johannes Ehrentraud, Senior Advisor, Financial Stability Institute, Bank for International Settlements
  • Ms. Sofie Blakstad, CEO of hiveonline and author of Fintech Revolution: Universal Inclusion in the New Financial Ecosystem
  • Ms. Anneleen Vos, Seionr Economic Policy Officer, International Rescue Committee
  • Mr. Prabhat Labh, CEO, Grameen Foundation India
  • Ms. Mercy Buku, Program Leader, Toronto Center

Moderator: Mx. Anita Thomas, Chair, NGO Committee on FfD, Representative to the UN, Women First International Fund

Co-sponsors: ManUp Campaign, Change Management Solutions, Sisters of Charity Foundation, African Development Interchange Network, IBVM

Background:

The UN Secretary General’s task force on digital finance in its report titled “People’s Money: Harnessing Digitalization to Finance a Sustainable Future,” spells out the transformational impact digital finance can have on sustainable development. Providing relief for millions around the world, supporting businesses, and protecting jobs and livelihoods, digital finance served as a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic. A World Bank tally of policy responses to the pandemic finds that at least 58 governments in developing countries used digital payments to deliver COVID-19 relief, of which 36 countries made payments into fully transactional accounts that were being used for saving beyond simply withdrawing cash. According to the GSMA, international remittances processed via mobile money increased by 65 percent in 2020.

Proponents of digital finance highlight its strong capabilities to reduce transaction costs, the potential of Artificial Intelligence to provide fair and equitable treatment of credit applicants, and the scalability of cloud technology, through the use of blockchain technology, to allow consumers to transact remotely and seamlessly across multiple platforms.

While the experience of COVID-19 has proven that digitalization can transform economies and lives, it needs to be shaped with both its advantages and potential risks in mind in order to bring everyone into the digital age. For technology to benefit everyone, private sector innovation must be supported by the appropriate public goods such as the public provision of foundational infrastructure, access to electricity, mobile and internet coverage.

As in the case of any disruptive technology, without combining technological advances with sound policy measures, digital technology cannot deliver on its potential to meaningfully advance financial inclusion for everyone, including the more than 2 billion unbanked people globally. Delivering on promises to advance financial inclusion can only be considered meaningful when the account holder has a fully functional account that they utilize to save, make payments, obtain manageable credit, and mitigate economic risks and is simply not utilized to withdraw cash from cash transfers from the government, which is overwhelmingly the case at this time.

By examining successful strategies that maximize digital finance’s potential while minimizing risks to the financial sector, government revenues, and at-risk populations, attendees will gain a better understanding of how digital finance can sustainably advance development objectives.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Financing for Development is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

2nd PyeongChang Youth Peace Challenge [registration deadline]

Dear Friends,

Greetings of peace from PyeongChang on the Korean peninsula!

We are pleased to announce that youths interested in promoting and building peace are warmly invited to “The 2nd PyeongChang Youth Peace Challenge (YPC)”.

The YPC 2022 is the peace and global citizenship education program in the form of essays and group debates for youths. It is organized in the context of the UN Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs by 2030 and the UN Declaration on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the UN in 2020 in accordance with the PyeongChang Peace Spirit born out of the historical PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. 

THEME

How to implement the proposals contained in the Our Common Agenda report of the UN Secretary-General (Sep. 2021) from the peace perspective as a youth in your country and/or internationally. https://www.un.org/en/un75/common-agenda   

Pre-register online by 20th December 2021 at https://forms.gle/FsvHYpoK97HsdGwF7. Orientation for early applicants at 4-6 PM on Tuesday, 21 December 2021.

Submission of the essay is due by 15 January 2022. More detailed guidelines about the essay and group debate will be sent to registered applicants by email.

For any inquiries about YPC 2022 please contact us through PyeongChangYPC2022@gmail.com. More details about the PyeongChang Peace Forum (PPF) are available at http://ppf.or.kr/en/. Summary Report (English) of the PPF 2021 is available at http://ppf.or.kr/en/board/board_view.asp?BoardID=Notice&LangType=ENG&searchtext=&page=1&SNO=615. We look forward to welcoming your participation.

In peace and solidarity,  

PyeongChang YPC 2022 Organizing Team 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

2nd PyeongChang Youth Peace Challenge [registration deadline]

Dear Friends,

Greetings of peace from PyeongChang on the Korean peninsula!

We are pleased to announce that youths interested in promoting and building peace are warmly invited to “The 2nd PyeongChang Youth Peace Challenge (YPC)”.

The YPC 2022 is the peace and global citizenship education program in the form of essays and group debates for youths. It is organized in the context of the UN Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs by 2030 and the UN Declaration on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the UN in 2020 in accordance with the PyeongChang Peace Spirit born out of the historical PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. 

THEME

How to implement the proposals contained in the Our Common Agenda report of the UN Secretary-General (Sep. 2021) from the peace perspective as a youth in your country and/or internationally. https://www.un.org/en/un75/common-agenda   

Pre-register online by 20th December 2021 at https://forms.gle/FsvHYpoK97HsdGwF7. Orientation for early applicants at 4-6 PM on Tuesday, 21 December 2021.

Submission of the essay is due by 15 January 2022. More detailed guidelines about the essay and group debate will be sent to registered applicants by email.

For any inquiries about YPC 2022 please contact us through PyeongChangYPC2022@gmail.com. More details about the PyeongChang Peace Forum (PPF) are available at http://ppf.or.kr/en/. Summary Report (English) of the PPF 2021 is available at http://ppf.or.kr/en/board/board_view.asp?BoardID=Notice&LangType=ENG&searchtext=&page=1&SNO=615. We look forward to welcoming your participation.

In peace and solidarity,  

PyeongChang YPC 2022 Organizing Team 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

1st Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Human Rights Conference

Join us for the First Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Human Rights Conference, sponsored by the Fannie Lou Hamer branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF US)!

Saturday, December 11th, 10AM -2PM Pacific, 1PM – 5PM Eastern

WILPF US awarded a mini grant of $1,500 to the Fannie Lou Hamer branch for this conference.

The conference will consist of an opening plenary, breakout sessions, and discussion.
Topics will be: Ending Mass Incarceration, Abolishing the Death Penalty, Immigration Justice, the UN International Decade for People of African Descent / Reparations, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

For more information contact Theresa El-Amin at theresa@projectsarn.org or 919-824-0659.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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

1st Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Human Rights Conference

Join us for the First Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Human Rights Conference, sponsored by the Fannie Lou Hamer branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF US)!

Saturday, December 11th, 10AM -2PM Pacific, 1PM – 5PM Eastern

WILPF US awarded a mini grant of $1,500 to the Fannie Lou Hamer branch for this conference.

The conference will consist of an opening plenary, breakout sessions, and discussion.
Topics will be: Ending Mass Incarceration, Abolishing the Death Penalty, Immigration Justice, the UN International Decade for People of African Descent / Reparations, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

For more information contact Theresa El-Amin at theresa@projectsarn.org or 919-824-0659.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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

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