medicine

GAROP briefing for OHCHR Multi-stakeholder Meeting

GAROP briefing for OHCHR Multi-stakeholder Meeting / Sesión informativa de GAROP para la reunión de múltiples partes interesadas de la OACDH

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is organising a multi-stakeholder meeting on 29-30 August 2022 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, room XVII. This hybrid meeting will take place both in person and online.

NGOs are encouraged to attend in person if possible. You do not need to have ECOSOC status to participate. You can register now via the Indico system here.The multi-stakeholder meeting is a follow-up to the Human Rights Council (HRC) Resolution 48/3 (read more here) and will discuss the recent report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Further information and relevant documents are available here.

This is an important moment to further the discussions on older people’s rights and build support for a UN convention.

In preparation for the Multi-stakeholder Meeting on 29-30th August in Geneva organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), GAROP is organizing a briefing meeting on Tuesday 23rd August from 9:00-10:30 EDT. You are all warmly encouraged to attend.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUod-itqD4iGNbKpSsqc2se-jvi1Cx2SHIf

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

2022 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated globally on 9 August. It marks the date of the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is organizing a virtual commemoration of the International Day from 9 am to 11am (EST) on Tuesday, 9 August 2022, focusing on this year’s theme: “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge. ” Indigenous Peoples, Member States, UN entities, civil society, and the public are all invited.

Background:

Indigenous women are the backbone of indigenous peoples’ communities and play a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of traditional ancestral knowledge. They have an integral collective and community role as carers of natural resources and keepers of scientific knowledge. Many indigenous women are also taking the lead in the defence of lands and territories and advocating for indigenous peoples’ collective rights worldwide.

The significance of indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge is widely acknowledged: “Long before the development of modern science, which is quite young, indigenous peoples have developed their ways of knowing how to survive and also of ideas about meanings, purposes and values.” As noted by the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples, the term “scientific knowledge” is also used to underscore that traditional knowledge is contemporary and dynamic, and of equal value to other kinds of knowledge.

International consultations jointly facilitated by UNESCO and the Internal Council of Science (ICSU) states that “Traditional knowledge is a cumulative body of knowledge, know-how, practices and representations maintained and developed by peoples with extended histories of interaction with the natural environment. These sophisticated sets of understandings, interpretations and meanings are part and parcel of a cultural complex that encompasses language, naming and classification systems, resource use practices, ritual, spirituality and worldviews.”

However, despite the crucial role that indigenous women play in their communities as breadwinners, caretakers, knowledge keepers, leaders and human rights defenders, they often suffer from intersecting levels of discrimination on the basis of gender, class, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Their right to self-determination, self-governance and control of resources and ancestral lands have been violated over centuries.

Small but significant progress has been made by indigenous women in decision-making processes in some communities. They are leaders at local and national levels, and stand at the frontlines of defending their lands, their cultures, and their communities. The reality, however, remains that indigenous women are widely under-represented, disproportionately negatively affected by decisions made on their behalf, and are too frequently the victims of multiple expressions of discrimination and violence.

The Committee of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) highlighted some of the major issues encountered by indigenous women, particularly noting the high levels of poverty; low levels of education and illiteracy; limitations in access to health, basic sanitation, credit and employment; limited participation in political life; and the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence.

Format:

The virtual commemoration will include an interactive dialogue segment with invited speakers, moderated by Ms. Rosemary Lane, Acting Chief of the Indigenous Peoples Development Branch – Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Speakers will share their expertise and experience from their indigenous communities in preserving, reviving, retaining, and transmitting the traditional ancestral knowledge in various fields of communal activities, including but not limited to effective and sustainable climate solutions, use of natural resources, protection of biodiversity, ensuring food security, promoting native languages and culture, and managing indigenous science and medicine. Questions to be discussed include:

  • What is the unique position of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge?
  • What are some of the brightest examples of indigenous women-led processes in solving contemporary global issues through the effective application of traditional scientific knowledge?
  • How are indigenous languages crucial to the development, preservation, and transmission of indigenous cultural and knowledge systems? How are women leading the way in maintaining indigenous languages?
  • What was the effect of applying indigenous scientific knowledge and medicine in alleviating the consequences of the COVID-19 epidemiologic crisis?

Panel Speakers:

Archana Soreng (Kharia) – Member of UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

Aili Keskitalo (Sámi)  – Former President of the Sámi Parliament of Norway

Zakiyatou Oualet Halatine (Touareg) – Former Minister of Tourism & Handicrafts, Mali

Hannah McGlade (Noongar) – Member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Commentary on Panel Discussion by His Excellency Ambassador Diego Pary Rodriguez(Quechua), Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations

 

More information about International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2022 available here: un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-2022.html

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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 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. For more information on the NGO Committee on Language and Languages, please email the co-chairs at fmhult@umbc.edu or tonkin@hartford.edu. 

World Hepatitis Day 2021 – Hepatitis Can’t Wait

World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and hepatocellular cancer. This year’s theme is “Hepatitis can’t wait,” conveying the urgency of efforts needed to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis related illness – even in the current COVID-19 crisis – we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis.

To mark the day, WHO is hosting a Global talk show providing a platform for global, regional and national leaders, policy makers, communities and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities for accelerating the hepatitis response to achieve elimination by 2030. Contributions and stories from countries from different WHO regions will be showcased at the event. More information on speakers and registration/connectivity information will be made available shortly here: who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/07/28/default-calendar/world-hepatitis-day-2021

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

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

24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion [registration open]

Bonjour,

We are happy to confirm the opening of registrations to the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion – IUHPE 2022, being held in Montréal (Québec) Canada and in hybrid format from 15 to 19 May 2022. Registration is available for both in-person and remote participants to benefit fully from our hybrid conference, featuring a dynamic programme in English, French and Spanish under the conference theme “Promoting policies for health, well-being and equity”.

Visit our website here for full details on the registration process.

We look forward to welcoming you to Montreal, or online, in May 2022. For any questions, please contact the IUHPE 2022 Conference Secretariat – JPdL (iuhpe2022@jpdl.com).

Sincerely,

Carl-Ardy Dubois, Dean, École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal
Co-Chair 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion

Margaret Barry, President, IUHPE
Co-Chair 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion
IUHPE 2022 Conference Secretariat – JPdL

Contacts: iuhpe2022@jpdl.com or www.iuhpe2022.com

Background:

This major event of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) is held every three years and will take place from May 15 to 19, 2022 in Montréal, Quebec.

The School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal (ESPUM), which has hosted the IUHPE International Secretariat since 2017, is joining forces with the IUHPE to develop the 24th World Conference on the theme: Promoting policies for health, well-being and equity. The Conference is organized by the School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal in collaboration with the Québec National Institute of Public Health, the Montréal Regional Directorate of Public Health as part of the “Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal”, the Université de Montréal Hospital Centre, and the “Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine.”

Health is a priority for all countries. Policies structure and guide action in various sectors of society. They are a key element in improving the health and well-being of populations and in reducing health inequalities. The development and adoption of policies that promote health and well-being for all and reduce inequalities have been central to health promotion strategies. Embedding health into policy and holding decision-makers accountable for the impact of their decisions on the health of the population is one of the priority areas of action set out in the WHO Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and has been reinforced in subsequent WHO declarations and statements. Health promotion is a political action.

The IUHPE is the only NGO with a global scope that brings together decision makers, practitioners and researchers in the field of health promotion.  Its mission lies in moving forward effective health promotion and the development and implementation of healthy public policy. Its purpose is to provide leadership and advocacy in facilitating the development and implementation of health promotion knowledge and strategies.  It recognizes the need to strengthen the development of health promotion systems and ensure effective governance to improve health promotion action around the world and across sectors.

The 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion will provide a unique opportunity to take stock of strategies and actions that can be taken to align policies with health, well-being and equity objectives  (e.g. Health in All Policies), and to reinvigorate all sectors of society and all regions of the world concerned with supporting health and well-being. This will be an opportunity for researchers, health practitioners and decision makers and other sectors critical to population health to exchange knowledge and share experiences on progress and challenges in better aligning policies for the promotion of population health equity and well-being.

We very much look forward to seeing you in Montréal from May 15 to 19, 2022, for the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion.

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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 for Rare Diseases, please visit ngocommitteerarediseases.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 Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

COVID-19 and the Increasing Risks of Substandard and Falsified Pharmaceutical Products in Africa

Dear CoNGO members,

I am delighted to get in touch with you for the first time since the Brazzaville Foundation’s membership in November 2020 to the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO).

On the occasion of the upcoming World Health Assembly and Africa Day, the Brazzaville Foundation is pleased to invite you to an online high-level roundtable on Tuesday 25th May to discuss “Covid-19 and the Increasing Risks of Substandard and Falsified Pharmaceutical Products in Africa: A public health and security issue”. High-level speakers are expected such as Prof. Moustafa Mijiyawa, Minister of Health of the Republic of Togo; Michel Sidibé, African Union Special Envoy for the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

If you are interested in taking part in global health and security discussions, please register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z0sYZHfPQnWICzmnQY2r0g. Simultaneous translation will be available in French/English.

We are eager to share this event with you and we look forward to collaborating together in the future.

Best regards,

Richard Amalvy, Chief Executive, The Brazzaville Foundation

À l’occasion de la 74e Assemblée mondiale de la Santé et de la Journée de l’Afrique, la Fondation Brazzaville réunira des intervenants de haut niveau pour discuter des enjeux de santé publique et de sécurité liés aux risques croissants des médicaments falsifiés et de qualité inférieure dans le contexte de la pandémie de la COVID-19. Traduction simultanée en français/anglais.

Background notes:

Poor-quality medicines can be both falsified and substandard:

  • Falsified medicines are deliberately fake medical products. Criminals manufacture, traffic and sell fake products to unsuspecting customers.
  • Substandard medicines can be the result of poor manufacturing and quality-control practices in the manufacture or distribution of the product.

Poor-quality medicines lead to death and illness:

  • Both fake and substandard medicines pose a threat to public health because they can lead to death, additional illness in individuals, the spread of disease within a community and antibiotic resistance.
  • The link between the traffic in falsified medicines and organised crime has been well established by intelligence services and law enforcement agencies. They are smuggled onto markets using the same routes and techniques as drug, weapon, or human trafficking.
  • Transnational organised crime also funds terrorism, destabilising countries and weakening state structures.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Drugs-NY, please visit nyngoc.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 Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org

CSTD Special Event: Conversation with Great Minds

Twenty-Fourth Annual Session of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN-CSTD)

Special Session: A Conversation with Great Minds

Scientific advances are being made in leaps and bounds. In the biotech field, the revolutionary CRISPR gene editing tool and the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, are revolutionizing healthcare and hold the promise of changing our world for the better, with the prospects of eradicating pathogens, treating degenerative conditions, and growing more food, to name a few. But important questions arise with such ground-breaking advances. These need to be answered to inform public policy making, especially for developing countries – where many of the challenges that these technologies promise to address are prevalent.

Moderator: Ms. Didi Akinyelure, award-winning journalist

Speakers:

  • Dr. Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, UC Berkeley
  • Dr. Katalin Karikó, Senior Vice President, BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals

This year’s Conversation with Great Minds will address the following issues:

  • What support is needed for doing cutting-edge research?
  • How do we scale breakthrough technologies to those who need them most?
  • How can politicians be engaged to support research priorities of public interest?
  • How do we ensure that any risks of such revolutionary technologies are mitigated?
  • How did these remarkable women in science break the glass ceiling in their careers?

Join us via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86891619693?pwd=SG9BNG5zMmJDZS9kNEhjRW9sK0pIUT09

Meeting ID: 868 9161 9693 Passcode: Lj7PLwNe

The event will also be livestreamed on UNCTAD’s Facebook page: facebook.com/UNCTAD/live_videos

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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-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.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 Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN.

A National Day of Remembrance: Honoring Nursing Home Lives Lost

Please join us for a national online event to honor more than 182,000 nursing home lives lost to COVID-19.

This program will feature shared remembrances, spiritual reflections, musical tributes and statements by elected officials. Register here!

Presented by Gray Panthers NYC

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

Building Global Momentum for Adult Vaccination Policy within COVID-19: Making COVID-19 a Springboard for Adult Vaccinations

The COVID-19 pandemic has unearthed an uncomfortable structural and societal ageism affecting the human rights of millions of people around the world. From hospital triaging guidelines to chronic understaffing of long-term care facilities, national health systems did not take the necessary steps to ensure that vulnerable people had access to life-saving health services, regardless of age or socioeconomic background.
Now is a critical time to collectively inform post-pandemic policies needed to recover and rebuild national health systems and consider investment strategies that prevent resurgence of infectious diseases and associated strain on health system capacity.
As part of a four-part series to build global momentum on vaccination within COVID-19, IFA invites you to the fourth and final webinar entitled “Making COVID-19 a Springboard for Adult Vaccinations.” Dr. Michael Moore and Dr. Monika Arora provide their perspectives on essential post pandemic multi-sectoral actions to keep on the agenda the critical importance of immunization for older people and those with noncommunicable diseases.
Register here!
Speakers:
  • Dr. Michael Moore, World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA)
  • Dr. Monika Arora, Non-communicable Disease (NCD) Alliance

This session 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 and resources will be available at: ifa.ngo/ifa-virtual-town-hall-resources.

For any questions or concerns please contact zchouhdry@ifa.ngo.

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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 for Rare Diseases, please visit ngocommitteerarediseases.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the co-chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion [call for abstracts]

Under the conference theme “Promoting policies for health, well-being and equity”, the Call for Abstracts is now open for the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion – IUHPE 2022, being held in Montréal (Québec) Canada and in hybrid format from 15 to 19 May 2022. Submissions can be made in English, French and Spanish.

We invite all abstract submitters, including individual contributors, to interact and collaborate with other presenters and participants wherever possible. Participatory, collaborative and non-traditional session formats will be given priority in the selection process.

Abstracts can be submitted in eight different formats: 1) symposium, 2) workshop, 3) research oral/poster presentation, 4) innovation in policy and practice oral/poster presentation, 5) round table discussion, 6) alternative showing/new technology, 7) alternative showing/art, and 8) lunch with an author. For further information on each of these formats, please click here.

The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday 17 September 2021.

Registration and hotel reservations for the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion will open in May.

We look forward to welcoming you to Montreal, or online, in May 2022. For any questions, please contact the IUHPE 2022 Conference Secretariat – JPdL (iuhpe2022@jpdl.com).

Sincerely,

Carl-Ardy Dubois
Dean, École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal
Co-Chair 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion

Margaret Barry
President, IUHPE
Co-Chair 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion
IUHPE 2022 Conference Secretariat – JPdL

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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 Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

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