public policy

Memory at risk: the importance of genocide archives for justice, remembrance, research and education

Beyond the long shadow: engaging with difficult histories is a live discussion series organized by the United Nations Department of Global Communications. The series is organized by the Outreach Programme on the transatlantic slave trade and slavery, the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme, and the Outreach Programme on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the United Nations. The aim of the collaborative series is to develop a deeper understanding of the legacies of these painful histories – and through examining the past, consider how best to build a world that is just, where all can live in dignity and peace.

Join us for the 5th installment of this Live Discussion Series:

Memory at risk: the importance of genocide archives for justice, remembrance, research and education

Archives play a crucial role in genocide remembrance and education and have been essential for legal procedures and conflict transformation processes in the aftermath of genocide. Establishing comprehensive archives in post-genocide societies can be a challenge, as well as ensuring the continuous preservation of artifacts and documents, and their accessibility to the public.

In a context of increasing disinformation, archives as places of authentic historical information, are an important counterbalance to narratives that seek to distort or deny genocidal pasts and form an important basis for informed research and education.

Register here: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R2NKoD1CR2aIVHXygJKYVA

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CoNGO Notes: 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 Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com.

World Bicycle Day

The mobility needs of people who walk and cycle – often the majority of citizens in a city – continue to be overlooked, states Share the Road Programme Annual Report 2018, even though the benefits of investing in pedestrians and cyclists can save lives, help protect the environment and support poverty reduction. Meeting the needs of people who walk and cycle continues to be a critical part of the mobility solution for helping cities de-couple population growth from increased emissions, and to improve air quality and road safety.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), safe infrastructure for walking and cycling is also a pathway for achieving greater health equity. For the poorest urban sector, who often cannot afford private vehicles, walking and cycling can provide a form of transport while reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, and even death. Accordingly, improved active transport is not only healthy; it is also equitable and cost-effective.

  • The bicycle is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation;
  • The bicycle can serve as a tool for development and as a means not just of transportation but also of access to education, health care and sport;
  • The synergy between the bicycle and the user fosters creativity and social engagement and gives the user an immediate awareness of the local environment;
  • The bicycle is a symbol of sustainable transportation and conveys a positive message to foster sustainable consumption and production, and has a positive impact on climate.

World Bicycle Day:

  • Encourages Member States to devote particular attention to the bicycle in cross-cutting development strategies and to include the bicycle in international, regional, national and subnational development policies and programmes;
  • Encourages Member States to improve road safety and integrate it into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning and design, in particular through policies and measures to actively protect and promote pedestrian safety and cycling mobility, with a view to broader health outcomes, particularly the prevention of injuries and non-communicable diseases;
  • Encourages stakeholders to emphasize and advance the use of the bicycle as a means of fostering sustainable development, strengthening education, including physical education, for children and young people, promoting health, preventing disease, promoting tolerance, mutual understanding and respect and facilitating social inclusion and a culture of peace;
  • Encourages Member States to adopt best practices and means to promote the bicycle among all members of society, and in this regard welcomes initiatives to organize bicycle rides at the national and local levels as a means of strengthening physical and mental health and well-being and developing a culture of cycling in society.

To learn more about how and why the UN commemorates this unique observance, visit un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day.

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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 Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.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.

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.

Policy and systems reforms to Building Back Better and Achieve SDGs Decade of Action in favor of older persons inclusion and rights

The NGO Committee on Ageing calls your attention to  an event hosted by SGA-Africa, UNDESA Programme on Ageing, AUC and UN ECA:

Policy and systems reforms to Building Back Better and Achieve SDGs Decade of Action in favor of older persons inclusion and rights

Meeting access: https://zoom.us/j/91818009876?pwd=L2tqMzRzU3R1T2N2YThlL0dNMURGUT09

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, like previous crises, continue to exacerbate already existing vulnerabilities, inequalities, and exclusion particularly for population groups that are not sufficiently integrated in public policies and systems like older persons. Older people population group continue to be most affected by the crisis. Building forward better strategies, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 frameworks provides a foundation to significantly transform and strengthen policies and institutional systems at national and regional levels to achieve wellbeing and dignity of older persons to reverse historical trend.

Rational: Reforms of policies and systems to support building forward better and SDGs’ acceleration actions by African governments and development partners must integrate older persons. The perennial lack of reflecting the implication of ageing and older persons rights in policies and supporting systems promotes exclusion, ageism, and discrimination of older persons. SGA-Africa, UNDESA Programme on Ageing, AUC and UN ECA will be hosting a dialogue forum to share and agree on strategies to ensure building forward better and implementation of SDGs’ Decade for Action comprehensively includes older persons. Policy and system reforms that includes older persons capacities and vulnerability will go a long way to achieve wellbeing of people across their life course.

Objectives: The side event seeks to: identify and priorities policy and systems reforms needed to integrate older persons in SDGs and Agenda 2063 implementation and reporting; share and strategies on ways in which policy makers and CSOs must evolve and prioritize to build forward better on issues of ageing and older persons; and increase political support for ageing development and its relevance in the success of SDGs and Agenda 2063 framework.

Program:

Welcome remarks, overview of SGA-Africa and objective of the meeting Roseline Kihumba, Co-chair of SGA-Africa

Opening remarks:

Ms. Masumi Ono, Chief of Social Inclusion and Participation Branch, Division for Inclusive Social Development, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Mr. Gideon Rutaremwa, Population Affairs Officer, Gender Poverty and Social Policy Division, Economic Commission for Africa

Progress, learning, challenges and priority in advancing integration of older persons in agenda 2063 and Covid-19 response and recovery programmes – Dr. Jane Marie Ongolo, Head of Division, Social Welfare, Vulnerable Groups, Drug Control and Crime Prevention

Covid-19 responses and impact on the human rights of older persons: integrating human rights and intersecting realities in building forward better – Dr. Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the rights of older people, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Experience sharing of what is working and gaps in integration of older people in SDGs, regional development agendas, Covid-19 response, and recovery strategies:

National and sub-national – Priscilla Gavi, HelpAge Zimbabwe

Global and continental level – Susan Sumer, IPEA

Discussions on way forward – Roseline Kihumba, SGA-Africa Co-chair

Closing Remarks: Dr. Ogugua Osi-Ogbu

For more information about the side event, please contact, SGA-Africa Co-Chair, Roseline Kihumba (Ms.), International & Regional Policies Coordinator, HelpAge International-Africa Regional Office, Email: roseline.kihumba@helpage.org.

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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. 

[IFFD Virtual Briefing] Parenting in the Digital Age: Policymaker Perspective

IFFD virtual briefing on “Parenting in the Digital Age” through a policymaker perspective

Co-organized by UN-DESA Division for Inclusive Social Development, with the participation of Center for Educational Research and Innovation – OECD, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Common Sense Media

Background Note

The global pandemic crisis has shown the great value of new technologies, especially for families. New technologies have enabled many people to continue working at home. They have helped many teachers and parents to continue to provide an education for their children when the schools closed. They have provided ways to stay connected with friends and relatives. They have been a way to reach out for help getting food and medicines. They have been a much-needed source of entertainment.

At the same time, new technologies have shown a darker side. Parents around the world are concerned about what impact the Internet is having on their children’s lives. Their concern is not so much about if they are spending too long online but more about how their online interactions are impacting on their health, happiness and wellbeing. They also worry about them being cyber-bullied, what their kids’ digital legacy will be and if they are safe online.

The event will focus on how policymakers can help parents and families to develop character and cyber-wisdom in their children. At the same time, it will spur parents’ proactivity in seeking to cultivate values, qualities and skills in their children.

Discussion Points

1. What is access and opportunities to digital technologies among different families? Digital opportunities and access for all (Curitiba Manifesto)
2. How does the digital gap impact the suitability and efficiency of parenting? (Venice Declaration)
3. How can policymakers, industry leaders and global media partners support parents in building a digital world that works better for every child, family and community? (Common Sense Media)

Register here!

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Family-NY, please visit ngofamilyny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights, childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. 

ESD and Climate Emergency: Bend the curve for climate change

UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development – Pre-conference workshops

Since COVID-19 outbreak, the world’s attention has been focused on the pandemic and the coordination of the emergency response to the crisis. Meanwhile, major sustainable development challenges, including the greatest challenge of our times – climate change – remain unresolved.

Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, cutting down rainforests and farming livestock are responsible for the rise of the earth’s temperature. The only way to counter climate change is to transform our lifestyles and establish sustainable patterns of consumption and production worldwide.

Education has been recognized as a crucial element to counter climate change and is one of the priority areas of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) because it has the power to transform the way people feel, think and behave. Education contributes to raising awareness on the physical mechanisms and the emergency of climate change and its impacts. Education empowers people to take action by promoting values, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

But, concretely, how can this happen? How can Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) contribute to urgent action for green and sustainable societies in light of the climate emergency?

This workshop will raise the parallels between the pandemic and climate emergency and discuss how the lessons learned from the public response to the Covid-19 crisis can help ‘flatten the curve of climate change,’ in particular through ESD’s contribution. This installment will also address the aforementioned question looking at examples from youth action and from formal education, and will review some recent data.

Register here: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C482BnaSQVWNpW5f5EYIRQ

Read more: https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-sustainable-development/ESDfor2030-workshops

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

Climate Adaptation Summit 2021: Accelerating Adaptation Action

Our planet is getting warmer, which has a growing impact on our societies and economies. We need to adapt to a new, more extreme climate.

The online international Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS) 2021 on 25 and 26 January, hosted by the Netherlands, convenes global leaders and local stakeholders. It will see the launch of a comprehensive Adaptation Action Agenda that sets out clear commitments to deliver concrete new endeavours and partnerships to make our world more resilient to the effects of climate change.

Watch the climate adaptation explainer video and the invitation to the Summit by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

At CAS 2021, over the course of 24 hours a range of events streamed from time zones across the globe will inspire change and support tangible solutions to the problems of a warming world, showing how we can achieve a climate-resilient future.

Take a sneak preview of the CAS 2021 programme and be sure to join.

Register here.

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

2030 Agenda Partnership Accelerator

The 2030 Agenda Partnership Accelerator webinar series are short (75 mins) online workshops seeking to demonstrate how partnerships are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The workshops are open to all stakeholders.

The first webinar in the series will explore the challenges – and successes – in being institutionally fit for purpose to partner effectively to implement the SDGs, from the perspective of diverse stakeholders and sectors (governments, UN entities, civil society and business).

Actors in different sectors often struggle with the same obstacles and challenges that can derail successful partnering efforts. These include institutional dimensions and challenges, such as rigid procurement processes, lack of strategic vision and leadership for developing effective ways of partnering, amongst others.

Participants will be able to learn about key aspects for organizations to be equipped for developing partnerships and build recognition of and appreciation of the institutional capacities required for effective collaboration.

Speakers include UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UN Development Coordination Office, World Vision International, The Partnering Initiative + governments, business, and civil society.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2zWeD09UYE-9zF6kFubccKTGcnvniKtJsvj-e_A23x1UQUdLQzhTWko2SkY2WFRDTDFNODExUFlUSS4u

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development – New York, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

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