climate crisis

Multilateralism & Multi-stakeholderism: Where does accountability for the corporate sector fit in?

Join this UNGA76 side event exploring corporate influence across the United Nations System, and identifying ways in which civil society and all actors can resist corporate influence with a view to build a more accountable and equitable system that operates in the interests of people and planet, rather than profit.

 Register:  bit.ly/AccountabilityForCorporateSector

Speakers will include:

  • Moderator: Barbara Adams, Global Policy Forum
  • Cai Yiping, Development Alternatives for Women (DAWN)
  • Emilia Reyes, Campaign of Campaigns/Equidad de Genero
  • Debbie Stothard, ALTSEAN / Steering Committee of Corporate Accountability Working Group at ESCR-Net

Some guiding questions:

  • How can pushes for inclusivity have unintended consequences for enhancing corporate influence across the United Nations system?
  •  How do states and governments use PPPs and the idea of multistakeholderism to obfuscate responsibilities to their populations?
  •  How can corporations be held accountable to Human Rights mechanisms and international law?
  • What changes are needed to transform the way in which the UN System is funded to reduce or combat corporate capture of decision-making?

This event will be recorded and uploaded to the Women’s Major Group YouTube Channel. Interpretation will be available in French and Spanish.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Major Group, please visit ngomg.org. 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 congocsd.wordpress.com.

Multilateralism & Multi-stakeholderism: Where does accountability for the corporate sector fit in?

Join this UNGA76 side event exploring corporate influence across the United Nations System, and identifying ways in which civil society and all actors can resist corporate influence with a view to build a more accountable and equitable system that operates in the interests of people and planet, rather than profit.

 Register:  bit.ly/AccountabilityForCorporateSector

Speakers will include:

  • Moderator: Barbara Adams, Global Policy Forum
  • Cai Yiping, Development Alternatives for Women (DAWN)
  • Emilia Reyes, Campaign of Campaigns/Equidad de Genero
  • Debbie Stothard, ALTSEAN / Steering Committee of Corporate Accountability Working Group at ESCR-Net

Some guiding questions:

  • How can pushes for inclusivity have unintended consequences for enhancing corporate influence across the United Nations system?
  •  How do states and governments use PPPs and the idea of multistakeholderism to obfuscate responsibilities to their populations?
  •  How can corporations be held accountable to Human Rights mechanisms and international law?
  • What changes are needed to transform the way in which the UN System is funded to reduce or combat corporate capture of decision-making?

This event will be recorded and uploaded to the Women’s Major Group YouTube Channel. Interpretation will be available in French and Spanish.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Major Group, please visit ngomg.org. 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 congocsd.wordpress.com.

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!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

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!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Sustainable Ageing in a Digital World

Objectives:

An increasing number of concerns have been raised regarding the risks of leaving vulnerable groups behind in a hyper-digitalised world which includes older and marginalised populations. Therefore, digital inclusion needs to be a top priority in terms of public policy making from a human rights and from an economic productivity point of view. The latter is of particular importance for countries that do not yet have an adequate social safety net for their citizens and also for countries faced with the challenge of older persons soon outnumbering the younger population. Responsive policies could empower the older population who are not yet digitally proficient to reap the potential benefits of the digital technology and support their participation in an increasingly digitalized economy and society.

An ageing workforce poses a known dilemma to companies. Older employees who hold more manual and less highly skilled jobs tend to be less familiar with ICT and less equipped to participate in today’s digitalised workplace. Excluding older workers and employees from acquiring digital literacy and minimal competence to work in an ICT dense workplace would reduce retraining costs but might jeopardize productivity and externalise social costs. For example, in service sector where companies’ productivity might actually increase with age due to accumulation of tacit knowledge and abilities to network across age groups with clients. This will take younger employees more time, emotional intelligence and social capital. Hence productivity might be higher for a socially skillful older staff. While many routine works continue to be necessary within an ICT integrated work environment, older workers, arguably with greater patience, are better equipped to carry out the more routine data processing tasks with less errors and need for rework.

Inclusion of older workers in the development of digital competence would also make sense since many of the customer services and other more routine type of work connected to data platform interactions will continue to require a human touch for all age groups. A later life work pattern will become the norm in many of the ageing societies. Hence, acquiring digital literacy would enable older workers to remain active and productive longer. The aim of this panel is to broaden the public’s understanding about the impact of digital technology on ageing in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) which has accelerated the coverage and depth of digitalization in both public and private domains.

The key note speech will be based on the newly published policy brief on “Ageing in the Digital Era” by the UNECE and highlight the barriers to digital technology adoption and the use of digital tools in later life and suggest action areas for policy makers. Panelists will discuss various policy considerations for governments to adopt.

Learn more and register here: https://hopin.com/events/unisa-iasia-hybrid-conference

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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. 

Sustainable Ageing in a Digital World

Objectives:

An increasing number of concerns have been raised regarding the risks of leaving vulnerable groups behind in a hyper-digitalised world which includes older and marginalised populations. Therefore, digital inclusion needs to be a top priority in terms of public policy making from a human rights and from an economic productivity point of view. The latter is of particular importance for countries that do not yet have an adequate social safety net for their citizens and also for countries faced with the challenge of older persons soon outnumbering the younger population. Responsive policies could empower the older population who are not yet digitally proficient to reap the potential benefits of the digital technology and support their participation in an increasingly digitalized economy and society.

An ageing workforce poses a known dilemma to companies. Older employees who hold more manual and less highly skilled jobs tend to be less familiar with ICT and less equipped to participate in today’s digitalised workplace. Excluding older workers and employees from acquiring digital literacy and minimal competence to work in an ICT dense workplace would reduce retraining costs but might jeopardize productivity and externalise social costs. For example, in service sector where companies’ productivity might actually increase with age due to accumulation of tacit knowledge and abilities to network across age groups with clients. This will take younger employees more time, emotional intelligence and social capital. Hence productivity might be higher for a socially skillful older staff. While many routine works continue to be necessary within an ICT integrated work environment, older workers, arguably with greater patience, are better equipped to carry out the more routine data processing tasks with less errors and need for rework.

Inclusion of older workers in the development of digital competence would also make sense since many of the customer services and other more routine type of work connected to data platform interactions will continue to require a human touch for all age groups. A later life work pattern will become the norm in many of the ageing societies. Hence, acquiring digital literacy would enable older workers to remain active and productive longer. The aim of this panel is to broaden the public’s understanding about the impact of digital technology on ageing in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) which has accelerated the coverage and depth of digitalization in both public and private domains.

The key note speech will be based on the newly published policy brief on “Ageing in the Digital Era” by the UNECE and highlight the barriers to digital technology adoption and the use of digital tools in later life and suggest action areas for policy makers. Panelists will discuss various policy considerations for governments to adopt.

Learn more and register here: https://hopin.com/events/unisa-iasia-hybrid-conference

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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. 

Towards the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change

Dear friends and colleagues,

As the 47th session of the Human Rights Council (21 June-13 July 2021) is about to end, we would like to invite you to a virtual briefing for civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, to take stock of the most recent developments on the proposal to establish a new UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change under the Human Rights Council and discuss the way forward.

The event Towards the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change: Briefing on the June/July 2021 Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC47) will take place on Thursday 15 July, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM GMT+2/CEST.

Register at the following link: https://bit.ly/2SVkcZu. Interpretation in French and Spanish will be provided.

Please find the concept note here and the background note here.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Sustainable Development-NY, please ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

Towards the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change

Dear friends and colleagues,

As the 47th session of the Human Rights Council (21 June-13 July 2021) is about to end, we would like to invite you to a virtual briefing for civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, to take stock of the most recent developments on the proposal to establish a new UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change under the Human Rights Council and discuss the way forward.

The event Towards the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change: Briefing on the June/July 2021 Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC47) will take place on Thursday 15 July, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM GMT+2/CEST.

Register at the following link: https://bit.ly/2SVkcZu. Interpretation in French and Spanish will be provided.

Please find the concept note here and the background note here.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Sustainable Development-NY, please ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

Reclaiming and Transforming Multilateralism: Towards a Peoples’ Multilateralism

Alongside the High-Level Political Forum 2021, ActionAid’s Youth Working Group will launch its popular education and advocacy series called “Reclaiming and Transforming Multilateralism: Towards a Peoples’ Multilateralism.” The report was authored by Diyana Yahaya, edited by Nancy Kachingwe, and commissioned by Katherine Robinson.

This series of primers are intended to raise awareness and increase participation amongst the youth movements and young human rights defenders, including young womxn and feminist activists, on the importance of multilateral spaces in safeguarding and expanding their rights, advancing social justice, defending democratic space, and fostering cooperation and solidarity between states as well as between peoples’. With a focus on global multilateral spaces and institutions, it explores the current state of multilateralism, attacks on and the corporate capture of multilateral spaces; and how we can reclaim and transform multilateralism in a way that puts human rights, environmental, social, and gender justice at its center.

Join this panel of feminists from across the Global South in reimagining a just future. Register here!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanne.seperson@gmail.com. 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-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. 

Reclaiming and Transforming Multilateralism: Towards a Peoples’ Multilateralism

Alongside the High-Level Political Forum 2021, ActionAid’s Youth Working Group will launch its popular education and advocacy series called “Reclaiming and Transforming Multilateralism: Towards a Peoples’ Multilateralism.” The report was authored by Diyana Yahaya, edited by Nancy Kachingwe, and commissioned by Katherine Robinson.

This series of primers are intended to raise awareness and increase participation amongst the youth movements and young human rights defenders, including young womxn and feminist activists, on the importance of multilateral spaces in safeguarding and expanding their rights, advancing social justice, defending democratic space, and fostering cooperation and solidarity between states as well as between peoples’. With a focus on global multilateral spaces and institutions, it explores the current state of multilateralism, attacks on and the corporate capture of multilateral spaces; and how we can reclaim and transform multilateralism in a way that puts human rights, environmental, social, and gender justice at its center.

Join this panel of feminists from across the Global South in reimagining a just future. Register here!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanne.seperson@gmail.com. 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-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. 

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