Panel Discussion on Deepening Inequalities Exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and their Implications for the Realization of Human Rights

Join us at HRC48 for this half-day panel discussion on 28 September from 15:00 to 17:00 CET.

Background documents, the concept note and full agenda are available here: ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Panel_Discussion_Inequalities_COVID19.aspx

Date and venue:

Tuesday, 28 September 2021, 3 to 5 p.m. Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva and online platform (Zoom)

To be webcast live and archived at http://webtv.un.org

Objectives:

As States work to build back better after the COVID-19 pandemic, this panel discussion will address inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic and their implications for the realization of human rights. This discussion aims to identify ways to alleviate inequality within and among States by sharing best practices, solutions to challenges and lessons learned, including in the context of integrated approaches to the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – paying particular attention to Goal 10 on reducing inequality. The meeting will also address the role of greater international cooperation in further reducing inequalities within and among States.

The objectives are:

To highlight and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the goal to reduce inequality, with a particular emphasis on the requirement of the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health to eliminate vaccine inequality. Recognition that no one is safe until everyone is safe will also be looked at from a human rights perspective as will the necessity of vaccine equality in promoting and protecting all human rights;
To identify the role of the promotion and protection of human rights and technical cooperation in setting priorities and addressing gaps in the global vaccine roll out. The focus will be on the importance of the human rights approach in addition to the moral and ethical case;
To understand how to better use the United Nations human rights mechanisms to advance vaccine equality as a necessary step in the promotion and protection of all human rights and how to provide technical cooperation in this regard;
To address how the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the digital divide – using education to illustrate how the divide detrimentally affects the realisation of human rights – and to engage in a constructive dialogue among States and other stakeholders about sharing good practices and experience with regard to overcoming the digital divide and ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all;
To identify concrete steps for building back better, including by reversing the impact of austerity and economic inequalities and realising a human rights-based economy.

Organized by:

Development Economic Social issues Branch
Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

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

FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth

In solidarity with other NGO’s offering a strong critique of the fall UN Food Summit, FORUM2021 explores the potential of local regenerative agriculture, highlights the growing organic farming movement and offers an interfaith moral call to redressing the harm caused by agribusiness, the industrialization of the world’s food production system.

FORUM2021 explores the ancient, respectful and regenerative ways of farming practices and our spiritual relationship to food by focusing on the Earth as an interconnected web of life. A moral and spiritual voice is essential in the transition away from the industrialized, fossil fuel and chemical intensive, global agriculture system which is degrading our Earth, contributing to the climate crisis and to the extinction of species, as well as creating severe health issues for all living beings. FORUM2021 is a call to all spiritual and religious leaders and activists for a return to local, biodiverse organic food systems which regenerate soil, water and biodiversity while providing healthy sustenance for all. Learn more & register here!

Opening Prayer & Welcome

Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle for the Great Sioux Nation

Welcome from the Temple of Understanding

Chris Wang, Temple of Understanding Board Member

Chief Oren Lyons Keynote Address

Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Member Chief of the Onondaga Council of Chiefs and the Grand Council of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Haudenosaunee Peoples

Dr. Vandana Shiva Keynote Address: Reclaiming Ancient Wisdom to Protect Our Future

Dr. Vandana Shiva, Founder, Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (India) and President of Navdanya International, world-renowned environmental thinker, activist, feminist, philosopher of science, writer and science policy advocate

International Activists on Regenerative Farming Panel

Darcy Neill, (Moderator), Temple of Understanding Board Member
Kathryn Manga, Project Coordinator, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines, Philippines
Adelita San Vicente Tello, Director of Primary Sector & Renewable Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources, Mexico
Daniel Wanjama, Coordinator, Seed Saver Network, Kenya

Scientists on the Impact of Industrialized Agriculture Dialogue

Tyrone Hayes, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Faith-Based Farming in the United States Panel

Rev. Susan Hendershot, (Moderator), Interfaith Power & Light, USA
Edgar Hayes & Anne Rader, Freedom Farm Community NY
Clayton Harvey, Ndée Bikíyaa (Peoples’ Farm), AZ
Shani Mink, Jewish Farmer Network, NC
Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farm, NY

Sacred Food from an Interfaith Perspective

Rev. Jim Antal, denominational leader, climate activist, author and public theologian, special advisor on Climate Justice to the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ
Mary Evelyn Tucker, Senior Lecturer & Research Scholar, Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Divinity School, Department of Religious Studies

Global Interfaith Prayer Service + Prayers and Offerings

Rev. Dr. Michael Bos
Imam Saffet Catovic
Samir Chatterjee & Steve Gorn
Rabbi Ephraim Isaac
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
Grandmother Mona Polacca
Rev. John Vaughn and more to be announced!

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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 Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. 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.

Launch of Repository of Women in Tech

WSIS Forum 2022 ICTs and Gender Mainstreaming — Launch of Repository of Women in Tech

At the request of and in collaboration with WSIS Stakeholders a repository of Women in Tech will be launched. The goal is to identify and connect women leaders and practitioners in all sectors of the ICT industry from all regions and engage them in events, forums (e.g. WSIS Forum) and activities such as various workshops, training courses, networking events, aimed at fostering a dialogue on the use of ICTs as a means for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Register here!

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CoNGO Notes: 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. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN.

Deadline Glasgow: Defund Climate Chaos

On November 1st, the most important international climate talks since Paris will begin in Glasgow, Scotland. National leaders from around the world will gather and make new climate commitments; many corporations will release their latest climate plans.

That’s why today Stop the Money Pipeline and our coalition partners are launching: Deadline Glasgow – defund climate chaos.

The Glasgow Climate Talks are a historic opportunity for the world to act on climate. When the Paris Agreement was signed five years ago, every nation on earth agreed to meet five years later and “ratchet up” their climate ambition. We’re now at that moment ― and it is vital that we hold the world’s leaders to their promises.

We’ll share the plan to campaign hard through Glasgow & we’ll have clear steps for activists to join us on the campaign.

Speakers include Tara Houska of Giniw Collective, Kayah George of Indigenous Climate Action, Representative Rashida Tlaib, and Bill McKibben.

Register here!

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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 the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. 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.

[VNR Lab] 2021 National Experience of the Voluntary National Review (VNR) Process: Tunisia

This lab will focus on the Voluntary National Review (VNR) preparation process in Tunisia, highlighting the methodology and principles of the country’s VNR report, preparation process and follow-up actions. The VNR lab could also reflect on the impact on COVID-19 on the VNR preparations and SDG implementation.

Concept Note: sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/28245VNR_Lab16_Concept_Note.pdf

Registration: forms.office.com/r/a5WMZPqiXb

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

[VNR Lab] Path to Equal: New Measurement Framework on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

Only nine years remain to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and greater efforts are needed to diagnose the root causes of structural gender inequality, identify game-changers and spur further commitments. New gender indices produced by UN Women and UNDP provide powerful tools for this pursuit. Together, they illustrate a country’s status in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. The dimensions and indicators selected for the indices are universally relevant and complement the policy efforts of the 2030 Agenda. This lab will highlight some of the findings from this work and its relevance for the preparation of VNRs, particularly in their assessment of the different forms of discrimination that women and girls face and its impact on society and on accelerating progress in achieving the SDGs.

More information: unwomen.org/en/news/events/2021/07/event-path-to-equal-new-indices-on-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment

Register here: unwomen.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QHhVS8-CQ_aRdhEzNOGXxw

Concept Note: sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/281672021_VNR_Lab_14_Concept_Note.pdf

Speakers:

Ms. Céline Jacquin, Head of the Department of Evaluation of Geographic Information and the Environment, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, Mexico
Mr. William Komu, Chief Economist, SDGs Coordination Directorate, The National Treasury and Planning, Kenya
Ms. Jeyran Rahmatullayeva, Head of the Apparatus of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, Azerbaijan
Ms. Ginette Azcona, Lead, Data and Statistics, Global Reports, Research & Data Section, UN Women

Moderated by H. E. Ms. Hoda Al-Helaissi, Member of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council

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

No-First-Use: A powerful tool to achieve a world without nuclear weapons

Dear colleagues,

We draw your attention to the international launch on July 15 of NoFirstUse Global, a campaign platform and network promoting no-first-use policies globally as a measure to prevent nuclear war and to help achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.

Support for No-First-Use policies is growing in nuclear armed countries and around the world, as evidenced by the recent Open Letter to Presidents Biden and Putin on No-First-Use which was endorsed by over 1200 political, military and religious leaders, as well as legislators, academics/scientists and other representatives of civil society. Find out more by attending the launch event.

Register here for Session B, which is timed for the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LIMFa4HXTzqCVaAKToVr1Q

July 15 Program:

Tribute for the 76^th anniversary of the Trinity nuclear test;
Introductions to NoFirstUse Global from cosponsoring organizations;
Video messages from prominent supporters;
Launch of a social media action ‘Don’t even think about starting a nuclear war’
Questions and comments from the audience/participants

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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.

Supporting Implementation of the Post-2020 Global Diversity Framework [English and Spanish]

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) in collaboration with the UN Regional Commissions are organizing a series of webinars to increase the understanding of the monitoring framework of the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), to foster collaboration between national statistical offices, Parties to the CBD and experts in the biological sciences for its operationalization and to discuss the current activities and technical aspects of implementation of the GBF monitoring framework at the global and national level.

Considering the development of EBV, BONs and Biodiversity Change indicators endorsed by GEOBON, and recent adoption of the SEEA EA and their relevance to the GBF, this webinar series will bring together relevant stakeholders from the CBD Parties, scientific communities and statistical communities to advance a shared understanding and have an initial discussion on implementing the GBF Monitoring Framework.

The high-level regional webinars will be conducted according to the official language or the region. Registered participants will receive the connection links for the webinars.

Register here!

To read the full concept note and view recordings of the June 28 webinar pertaining to Africa, Europe, North America, and the Caribbean region, visit seea.un.org/events/webinars-supporting-implementation-post-2020-global-biodiversity-framework.

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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 Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.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.

2nd Open Science Conference: From Tackling the Pandemic to Addressing Climate Change

You are invited to attend the Second United Nations Open Science Conference, From Tackling the Pandemic to Addressing Climate Change. This three-day virtual Conference will take place on 21-23 July 2021 and is organized by the United Nations Department of Global Communications, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development Goals.

The conference will bring the global discussion on the connection between open science and climate action to the United Nations in New York and will highlight open science initiatives and infrastructures from around the world as well as policies that can strengthen these. Policy makers, librarians, publishers and research practitioners will discuss what open science has learned – and is still learning – from tackling COVID-19, and how this can be applied into actions addressing the global climate crisis, at the interface of science, technology, policy and research.

In cooperation with the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), the Conference will also engage with early career leaders advancing openness in research and education at a time of lockdowns, and has invited them into conversation with established leaders and policy makers in this key area for advancing the 2030 Agenda.

More information on the conference programme, including registration, is available on the website (Twitter hashtag: #OpenScienceUN).

Kind regards,

Division for Sustainable Development Goals, UNDESA

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CoNGO Notes: 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 Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN.

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