International Day of Families: Family-Friendly Business Enterprises

Dear Colleagues,

It is a pleasure to invite you to a virtual high-level side event organized by the Partnership for Families (Brazil, Hungary, and Poland) on the occasion of the International Day of Families. The event will take place on Tuesday, 18 May 2021, from 10 am – 11:30 am. New York time.

To attend the event, please register on the following link: https://forms.gle/zmKEqdnLNC1evp1dA. The connection details for the event will be sent by email to registered participants.

Background:

During the 58th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD58), which took place in New York in February 2020, the “Partnership for Families” initiative was launched with the aim of raising awareness and promoting families and family-friendly policies in the international agenda. As we celebrate the 2021 International Day of Families, the Partnership will hold a virtual panel to discuss policies to promote and support family-friendly business enterprises.

In the Side Event to be held on the occasion of the International Day of Families, the members of the Partnership will present a scientific and evidence-based approach on the implementation of policies to support family-friendly business enterprises, and how they can improve the well-being of families, which also translates into the general well-being of the society on a country level. Such practices also promote social and economic development, the enjoyment of human rights and support individuals and their families all over the world. Considering all systemic changes in the world of work caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we expect a comprehensive debate over this increasingly influential theme during the scheduled event.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Family, please visit ngofamilyny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a frontline technology with profound implications for human beings, cultures, societies and the environment. AI has the potential to be our ally in the struggle for a more equitable, fair, and sustainable future. It is remarkable that AI generated some of the earliest alerts about the COVID-19 outbreak, even before it was confirmed, by routinely scanning hundreds or thousands of governmental and media data sources in multiple languages. This analytical capacity has also helped accelerate the discovery of the vaccines, and even understanding the protein structures. Self-learning algorithms and smart machines are playing an increasingly important role in our efforts to recover from the current crisis. Digital platforms and infrastructure have been broadened to keep our economies, our schools and our societies going.

We must always keep in mind that AI technologies also possess significant risks and challenges, especially in terms of deepening the existing divides, exacerbating gender disparities, and infringing on human dignity and human rights. This is why there are many initiatives that have emerged to ensure that these technologies help to overcome the current crisis and mitigate future risks, while tackling the downsides. Thus, the European Union is launching its AI rulebook and UNESCO member states are negotiating the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.

This high level session is aimed at taking stock of where we are and how to move forward with the tools that we have and that are about to be developed. Speakers will share their perspectives on how to make sure that developments in these technologies do not create new forms of exclusion and inequalities, including gender, and how to justly distribute the benefits.

Register here: itu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KKDgPi8ESj6ACfGeMhB9ng

View the full program and list of speakers here: itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2021/Agenda/Session/353

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CoNGO Notes: CoNGO is a civil society focal point with the WSIS Forum. See former CoNGO President, Cyril Ritchie, in this interview with ITU: youtube,com/watch?v=cYA8UauD28U. 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 Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. 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.

Conversation with Mr. Kazuki Yamada on ‘The Decade of Healthy Ageing Digital Platform: A Vehicle for Change’

IFA Global Cafe: In Conversation with Mr. Kazuki Yamada on ‘The Decade of Healthy Ageing Digital Platform: A Vehicle for Change’

As to share some of the features and explain how the Decade of Healthy Ageing Digital platform works and how individuals can engage with the variety of content available to drive the decade of healthy ageing forward, the IFA is honored to invite Mr. Kazuki Yamada, Project Manager and Administrator for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Platform to be our key speaker.

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYtf-2rqDopHNVPlJ5XcCNi1KLqD-d1yqWE

This Global Cafe takes place at 07:00 am (Eastern Standard Time) on Friday 21 May 2021 (additional time zones below):

London, UK 12:00
Geneva, Switzerland: 13:00
Lagos, Nigeria: 12:00
New Delhi, India: 16:30
Perth, Australia: 19:00

This Global Cafe 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

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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 on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

The Contribution of Development to the Enjoyment of all Human Rights

Dear NGO colleagues,

Please consider yourselves invited to participate in a one-day intersessional seminar on the contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights, which will be held online on 28 May 2021, from 11 am to 1 pm and from 3 to 5 pm Central European Standard Time (CEST). The seminar is organized as requested by the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 41/19 (para.14), in order to allow Member States, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, international organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to identify challenges and gaps and share good practices and experiences in this regard.

More information, including the concept note and programme of work is available at this link: ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/Pages/contributionofdevelopment.aspx

All participants are required to register at indico.un.org/event/35807. The link to the meeting and instructions about the list of speakers will be made available to the registered participants.

Delegations are reminded to submit copies of their statements prior to delivery to r2d@ohchr.org.

For further details, please contact Mr. Diego Valadares (ext. 79177; dvaladares@ohchr.org) or Ms. Helen Ochero (ext. 89668; hochero@ohchr.org).

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

2021 International Day of Families: “Families and New Technologies”

Please join the International Day of Families online webinar, “Families and New Technologies” on Friday, May 14 from 10 to 11:30 am EDT. This is sponsored by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The focus will be on the megatrends of new technology, analysis of their impacts on family life, and recommendations for responsive family-oriented policies to harness the positive aspects of those trends and counteract their negative facets. Discussion will follow-up on the theme of the 59th session of the Commission for Social Development “Socially just transition towards sustainable development: the role of digital technologies on social development and well-being of all.”

Watch the event live on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/UNDESASocial

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

Remarkable Women, Powerful Stories

Join Zonta each month to hear a remarkable woman share her achievements and personal story as part of our Remarkable Women, Powerful Stories Leadership Series.

In May, Zonta is pleased to welcome Kendra Sharp, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State University (OSU), currently on loan to the U.S. National Science Foundation where she has been serving as the Head of the Office of International Science and Engineering since February 2021.

Register here!

Learn more about Kendra at https://www.zonta.org/RemarkableWomenPowerfulStories.

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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.

Generation Equality: Lifting Up Young Women’s Voices in the Church

Dear UN partners in gender justice and women’s and girls’ empowerment,

You are cordially invited to “Lifting Up Young Women’s Voices in the Church.”

Join Episcopal United Nations and the Presiding Bishop’s UNCSW65 delegates at the Generation Equality Forum as they discuss how Generation Equality fits into Church life, women who have guided them along the way, and advice for young women who are also looking to use their voice to effect change.

RSVP at EpiscopalUN@episcopalchurch.org

Spanish interpretation will be available during this webinar.

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

Memorial and Celebration of the Life of Pamela Kraft

Dear friends,

Please join us for this special online event celebrating the life of our dear Pamela. She is being honored in this side event at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues – the global gathering of Indigenous Peoples at the UN that she so loved and participated in for decades, and for which Project Access prepared Indigenous Peoples.

The program will feature speakers, artistic presentations, and open sharing. Spanish and Portuguese interpretation will be available. Registration is not required to attend this virtual event. If necessary, you can use this time zone converter to see the time of the event in your time zone.

We hope to see you at this special event.

Best wishes,

Tribal Link’s staff and Board

Special note:

This has been one of the most difficult months in Tribal Link’s history, as we continue to mourn the passing of our inspirational founder and leader, Pamela Kraft. However, this has only strengthened our resolve to continue on with the crucial work of facilitating opportunities for Indigenous Peoples’ voices to be heard in international decision-making. With a record-breaking 1,400+ people already signing up for “Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations: Project Access Online,” we are sure that she is looking down on us, happy to see the fruits of her labor multiplying. We will continue to honor her legacy, as was her deepest wish.

Thank you all so much for your support during this time. Should you wish to contribute to Tribal Link’s ongoing work, memorial contributions are still being accepted at Tribal Link’s d onation page.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP.

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