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On a rainy day in the Gaza Strip, Salem, a 12-year-old, gazes at the rainbow during sunset in Rafah city. "I miss life before the war, when I would go to school and meet my friends, and when I would play football in the neighborhood,” Salem said. “The rainbow is beautiful, but the sounds of planes in the sky always make me afraid,” he added. Credit: UNICEF/El Baba

By Naureen Hossain
NEW YORK, Nov 20 2024 (IPS)

The future of childhood will be fundamentally shaped by the interventions taken in the present that can determine how children’s rights are protected amid compounding issues. As a new report from UNICEF shows, global trends that are already influencing children’s welfare and development will continue to shape them and be a further reflection of overall global development.

UNICEF’s flagship report provides projections on what childhood will look like in 2050 based on current trends in global issues. Released on World Children’s Day (November 20), The State of the World’s Children 2024: The Future of Childhood in a Changing World details the possible opportunities and challenges children may face in the future through the influence of three global influences, or megatrends: demographic change, climate and environmental crises, and breakthrough technologies.

On May 2, 2024, pupils play outside the UNICEF-supported Zarin Abad CBE (‘Community-Based Education’ classes) in Nangarhar Province, eastern Afghanistan. Credit: UNICEF/Mark Naftalin

“Children are experiencing a myriad of crises, from climate shocks to online dangers, and these are set to intensify in the years to come,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The projections in this report demonstrate that the decisions world leaders make today—or fail to make—define the world children will inherit. Creating a better future in 2050 requires more than just imagination; it requires action. Decades of progress, particularly for girls, are under threat.”

In its foreword, Russell remarked that these issues are threats to the safety and wellbeing of children and that it goes against the commitments made in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which was first adopted in 1990. She added that in many cases, governments have fallen short in honoring their commitments to protect children’s rights.

Children are having fun on a raft on a polluted river after winning their cricket match on the polluted Banani Lake in the Korail Slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 28 January 2024. Credit: UNICEF/Jannatul Mawa

When it comes to demographic changes, the report notes that the global child population will likely remain unchanged from the present day to 2050, sitting at approximately 2.3 billion. By 2050, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia may have the largest child populations globally. It is worth noting that these regions include some of the poorest countries in the world, along with countries that are more vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events.

What this also means is that by the 2050s, the child population will drop across different regions when compared to the rates in the 2000s. In Africa, it will drop below 40 percent by the 2050s compared to below 50 percent in the 2000s; in East Asia and Western Europe, the child population will drop below 17 percent, where in the past they made up 29 percent and 20 percent, respectively. By the 2050s, ten countries will be home to half the global child population, which may include India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The projected plateau in the child population is an indication of an aging population, as the life expectancy has increased and child mortality rates continue to decrease. For some regions with an older population, such as developed countries, there will be a need to meet the demands of this population group. This should not come at the cost of prioritizing children’s needs and child-responsive spaces, the report notes. Children’s needs must remain a priority for decision-makers. Opportunities for intergenerational dialogue and cooperation should be encouraged.

Children learn using tablets during an e-learning session at the Alshargia safe learning space, Kassala, Sudan. Credit: UNICEF/Ahmed Mohamdeen Elfatih

The climate and environmental crises have a pervasive impact on children when it comes to their health, education, and safety. The report notes that in the 2050s, eight times as many children globally will be exposed to extreme heatwaves, three times as many will be exposed to extreme river floods, and nearly twice as many will be exposed to extreme wildfires, compared to the 2000s.

While this is tragically a universal experience for children, the impact of these hazards on individual children will differ based on certain factors, such as their age, their health, their socioeconomic setting and access to resources. As the report argues, a child with access to climate-resilient shelter, health care, and clean water will likely have a greater chance of surviving climate shocks compared to a child without access to the same resources. Therefore, targeted environmental action is needed to protect all children from climate shocks and to mitigate the risks they face, such as displacement, disrupted education and health issues.

The third megatrend identified in the report is what it calls frontier technologies. These include the digitalization of education and social life and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). It acknowledges that these technologies have advantages and disadvantages. As they are emerging technologies, governance over their use and application, especially as it applies to children, is paramount. The report notes that these technologies can be game-changers if the focus is on children that are hardest to reach.

Yet the digital divide still remains, as over 95 percent of people in high-income countries are connected to the internet, compared to nearly 26 percent in low-income countries in 2024. The report notes that a large percentage of youth in low- and middle-income countries have difficulty accessing digital skills. In Sub-Saharan Africa for example, 230 million jobs will require digital skills by 2030. The disparity in digital skills training will likely impact young people’s ability to effectively and responsibly use digital tools in education and future workplaces. Such barriers are linked to socio-economic settings, gender and accessibility across developing and developed countries. 

Much of the projections discussed thus far are based on what the report describes as a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario, in which global development trends remain in the current trajectory. The report also presents its projections through two other scenarios: one in which accelerated development globally may lead to greater economic growth in lower-income countries and fewer children living in poverty, predicting a more optimistic viewpoint of global development; and the other scenario, in which delayed development leads to fragmentary results and an increasing number of children living in risk of environmental threats or in poverty.

Within the context of the climate crisis, under the current trajectory of development, eight times as many children will be exposed to extreme heatwaves by 2050. However, in the scenario of accelerated development, that rate drops to four times as many children being at risk, and in the delayed development scenario, fourteen times more children may be at risk of extreme heatwaves.

Increased gains in access to education are likely to increase across every region, with up to 96 percent of children completing primary education by the 2050s, higher than the rate of 80 percent in the 2000s. If countries work towards accelerated development, the report suggests that all school-aged children could receive primary and secondary education in the 2050s. Closing the gender gap in primary and secondary education must remain a priority, particularly under present-day circumstances where 1 in 4 girls aged 15-19 are not in school, employment or training compared to 1 in 10 boys.

The report calls for adult decision-makers, namely parents and governments, to make decisions on children’s wellbeing and development that are rooted in the conditions outlined in the CRC. It concludes with the call for all stakeholders to take action in three key areas. First, to invest in education and other essential services for children that are inclusive of their needs and guarantee social protections for them and their caregivers. Second, to build and expand climate-resilient systems and infrastructures, with a focus on developing climate action plans that include child-responsive practices. And thirdly, the delivery of safe connectivity and use of frontier technologies for children, noting the importance of promoting digital literacy and skills and employing a rights-based approach to the regulation and use of new technologies.

Whatever steps are taken towards responding to the great existential issues of our time, UNICEF stresses that children’s inputs should be heeded. As the future generations that will live with the consequences of the decision-makers’ actions, their insight into their own needs should be consulted throughout the process. Russell states in the foreword of the report that the scenarios presented are not inevitabilities. Rather, they should encourage stakeholders to set a forward-thinking course towards a better life for children and adolescents. “With resolve and global cooperation, we can shape a future where every child is healthy, educated and protected. Our children deserve no less.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Building a Gender-Equal Africa - UN Women East and Southern Africa Strategic Plan 2022-2025
 
Credit: UN Women

By Claver Gatete
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Nov 20 2024 (IPS)

Today, women in Africa generally have better access to education, healthcare, and opportunities than ever before. Yet, as they step into the world, a gap between them and their male counterparts persists, a reminder that gender equality remains out of reach.

The evidence is all around us. One in three women still experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly every woman spends twice as much time on unpaid household work as men. And not a single country offers women in Africa full legal protection.

For me, this reality stirs a mix of frustration and hope in recognizing how far we have come and how far we have still to go.

Nearly 30 years ago, 189 world leaders left the Fourth World Conference on Women with renewed hope, committing their countries to the Beijing Platform for Action, an ambitious roadmap for ending gender inequality. Yet today, as countries conduct their reviews, not a single country has achieved those commitments.

The 2023 Africa Gender Index report, produced by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank, reveals that we are only halfway there on the road to gender equality. The journey remains long, and progress has been agonizingly slow.

The stakes could not be higher. Failing to end gender inequality incurs a heavy price: economic stagnation, weakened social systems, instability, and wasted human potential – all of which derail Africa’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Without urgent action now, we risk sleepwalking into a future marred by spiralling inequality, injustice and instability – an outcome none of us can afford.

As we reflect on the promises made in Beijing, all of us must hold ourselves accountable and take bold political and financial steps to change our current trajectories. To support this, our analysis points to five critical areas, where concentrated efforts over the next five years could pave the way to achieving gender equality by 2030.

First, despite more women working full-time, they still shoulder most caregiving responsibilities, suffer discrimination and deal with harmful stereotypes. Governments and businesses must dismantle barriers to women’s career progression. Experience teaches us that providing women with equal opportunities is not just the right thing to do but also the smart approach, with the potential to boost the GDP of emerging markets and developing economies by an average of 23 percent.

Second, as digitalization shapes the future of work, many women are being left behind. In 2023, only 32 percent of women in Africa had access to the internet. This divide translates into lost opportunities and costs African economies millions of dollars every year. We urgently need to make digital services affordable and promote digital literacy so that every woman has an equal opportunity to participate in the digital world.

Third, although maternal mortality rates have dropped, we cannot overlook the fact that healthcare is still out of reach for too many women. Governments must prioritize access to healthcare for every woman, regardless of where she lives or her income status. Focusing on women’s health not only saves lives but also makes economic sense. Every dollar invested in women’s health generates $3 in economic growth.

Fourth, while women in Africa now have near-equal access to primary, secondary, and tertiary education, this has yet to translate into leadership roles or economic power. Women’s parliamentary representation in Africa increased by only one percent from 25 percent in 2021 to 26 percent in 2024. Without their voices in leadership, we risk perpetuating the very inequalities we seek to eradicate.

Lastly, we must confront the harmful cultural norms, gender-based violence and legal barriers that restrict women’s access to resources and leadership positions. Tackling these deeply entrenched issues not just requires robust enforcement of laws and policies but also a societal shift, with responsibility shared by policymakers, board members, community elders, faith leaders and people like you and me.

None of these issues are new. And while some may seem intractable, they are not insurmountable. Africa has demonstrated incredible successes, from Tunisia’s increase in women science graduates to Rwanda’s significant reduction in cervical cancer cases and Namibia’s gender-equal parliament.

These instances remind us that change is possible when we invest in what we know works. In all of this, data plays an inextricable role in targeting and tracking interventions based on evidence rather than opinion. However, when it comes to women and girls, the data we need is too often missing, leaving too many of their challenges invisible and unaddressed. If we are serious about real progress, we must invest in gathering a fuller picture by bolstering our data capabilities.

In a world where pressing challenges dominate our attention, gender equality is often pushed to a backseat. We can no longer afford complacency or business as usual. If we stay on the current course, gender equality remains 300 years away. This is unacceptable.

We call on leaders across all sectors to recommit to the goals of Beijing and invest in real change to address the gender inequality that we know exists. Only then can we bring equality from a distant hope to a reality within our lifetimes. I am confident that this is possible, but only if we all act now.

Claver Gatete is Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Youtuberin Rosanna Pansino erfüllt den letzten Wunsch ihres verstorbenen Vaters auf ungewöhnliche Weise. Sie baut Cannabis mit seiner Asche an und raucht es, wie sie in ihrem «Rodiclous»-Podcast enthüllt.

Ein Junge wurde in Heiden am Mittwochmorgen von einem Auto erfasst und verletzt.

Le commissariat frontalier d'Hillacondji a intercepté une cargaison de produits pharmaceutiques contrefaits à Ewécondji dans la commune de Grand-Popo. Trois (03) personnes ont été arrêtées dans le cadre de l'opération menée au petit matin du mardi 19 novembre 2024.

A la suite d'information faisant état de ce qu'un véhicule de marque Highlander chargé de faux médicaments roulait en direction de Grand-Popo ce mardi 19 novembre 2024, les agents du commissariat frontalier d'Hillacondji ont mis en place un dispositif à hauteur du poste de péage et pesage de ladite ville.

Le véhicule sera retrouvé vers 06 heures au quartier Ewécondji soigneusement dissimulé dans une brousse. L'immatriculation du véhicule a été modifiée et son contenu déchargé.

Les unités de Police dans la localité ont tôt fait d'encercler la zone. Ce qui a permis de localiser un immeuble. Une perquisition de toutes les dépendances de l'immeuble a permis de découvrir, « entreposés dans l'une des chambres, plusieurs cartons de faux médicaments ».

« Poursuivant les investigations, un transport a été effectué au débarcadère d'Hillacondji, lieu du chargement. A cet endroit, les sièges arrière du véhicule en cause démontés pour la circonstance ont été retrouvés avec quelques colis de faux médicaments. Au total, les produits illicites retrouvés composés essentiellement de PARACETAMOL, de GEBEDOL et des flacons de sirop, ont été évalués à une (01) tonne et deux (02) kilogrammes », a précisé la Direction générale de la Police républicaine sur son site d'information.

Trois (03) individus suspectés ont été interpellés. Lors de l'interrogatoire, les prévenus ont fait savoir à la police que le propriétaire des produits pharmaceutiques contrefaits se trouverait hors du territoire national.
M. M.

Donald Trump promet d'expulser des millions d'immigrés sans papiers et de durcir les lois sur l'immigration.

Donald Trump promet d'expulser des millions d'immigrés sans papiers et de durcir les lois sur l'immigration.

Les candidats à l'examen national de Master, session 2024 sont fixés sur leur sort. Les résultats de l'examen ont été rendus publics dans la soirée du mardi 19 novembre 2024.

Pour consulter les résultats de l'examen national de Master, session 2024, il suffit de cliquer dans un navigateur
le lien : https://www.eresultats.bj/consulter/Master-2024 et d'entrer votre numéro de table.

Wer das Krankenkassenmodell ändern möchte, soll dies in gewissen Fällen ab 1. Januar 2025 auch unter dem Jahr tun können. Der Bundesrat hat am Mittwoch eine entsprechende Änderung der Verordnung über die Krankenversicherung auf diesen Zeitpunkt hin in Kraft gesetzt.

Abobaker Eisa says the "bigger cause" of the Sudanese civil war has been a motivating factor in their qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Abobaker Eisa says the "bigger cause" of the Sudanese civil war has been a motivating factor in their qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Taking a cab is always an adventure in Baku. Credit: Cecilia Russell/IPS

By Cecilia Russell
BAKU, Nov 20 2024 (IPS)

The cab driver, identified as Akad, growled, “Cash, cash,” as we boarded our booked app-based taxi. I show him my phone, where the app clearly points to the payment confirmation. “No, no! Cash, cash!”

I confirm the destination, ignore the slightly bullying tactics and we move forward. He is one of many taxi drivers we have encountered in Baku and our experiences have been many and varied.

Cat-loving taxi driver in Baku. Credit: Cecilia Russell/IPS

Fun, aggressive, cat-loving, noisy, chatty, fast, slow—despite the obvious communication issues—often resolved with a quick translation via Google Translate—most have given us great service.

Even Akad made us laugh. He got lost, and I thought he was about to take us on a roundabout. He soon corrected himself (well, with a bit of help as I redirected using my own maps app) and then, in a flurry of flirtatiousness, sprayed himself liberally with so much perfume that my colleague had to open the window for fresh air.

Akad kindly spoke to our hosts by phone for the absolutely correct information of where to leave us and waved us off.

Outside the Ganjlik Mall, drivers looking for fares open their car’s trunks to advertise their availability. My Kenyan colleague is a master of negotiation. “Fifteen manat,” the driver tells her.

“Ha, why will I pay you 15 when I paid 10 yesterday?” she replies.

His English isn’t great, but the message is clear. He agrees, and as we board, he has to encourage a kitten that made a home in his driver’s seat out of the car.

The driver confirms in broken English he feeds her, and she looks for him when he returns to find his next fare. A relationship made in heaven, methinks.

IPS team at COP29, from left: Umar Manzoor Shah, Cecilia Russell, Joyce Chimbi, Farhana Haque Rahman and Aishwarya Bajpai.

At times drivers seem to not be able to reach the “pin” set. When it happens, I scout around for an authority figure to assist. When a police officer advised we cancel and use his (overpriced) mate, I realized Baku is not far from home in South Africa after all.

If I could, I would tell them that while we may be COP29 delegates and foreigners, that doesn’t make us naïve.

Baku likes heat; it may be winter, but almost every venue, hotel room and taxi is uncomfortably hot—including the London-style cab that took us from Baku’s famous Nizami Street to Sea Breeze—our residence in the sticks, or as my colleague calls it, “the boondocks.”

We asked him to turn down the heat and he opened the windows. It may have been low-tech, but a workable solution for his overheated passengers.

Baksheesh (a tip) is a big thing here, and the same London-style cab driver asked for a little extra for his negotiated fare. My colleague handed him a few manats.

When a tenner is added, he kisses her firmly and joyfully on the cheek.
IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Weil Gülle von einer Wiese abgeflossen war, ist es im Wänibach in Einsiedeln SZ zu einem Fischsterben gekommen. Mehrere Dutzend Fische verendeten.

A woman with her baby attends a UN-run awareness-raising session on gender-based violence at the One Stop Centre in Sominé Dolo Hospital in Mopti, Mali. Credit: UNFPA Mali/Amadou Maiga

By UN Women
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 20 2024 (IPS)

Every year, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign led by UN Women serves as a powerful reminder of the widespread violence women and girls face worldwide.

Starting from November 25, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and concluding on December 10, on Human Rights Day, this campaign calls on governments, activists, and individuals to unite and push for lasting change.

In support of this civil society initiative the UN Secretary-General back in 2008 launched the campaign UNITE by 2030, which runs parallel to the 16 Days of Activism.

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Every year, the UNITE Campaign focuses on a specific theme and this year’s focus is UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls, aiming for long-term solutions that address the root causes of the problem.

Why it matters

The statistics are staggering: nearly one in three women and girls worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime.

For at least 51,100 women in 2023, this violence escalated to femicide (homicide targeted at women) with over half committed by intimate partners or family members.

The agency championing women’s empowerment, UN Women, points out that femicides are the ultimate evidence that the systems and structures meant to protect women and girls are failing.

Women are not safe outside their homes either.

Public figures, including politicians, human rights defenders, and journalists, are often targeted by violence both online and offline, with some leading to fatal outcomes and intentional killings.

One alarming aspect of this issue is the prevalence of violence in conflict zones. In 2023, the United Nations reported a staggering 50 per cent increase in gender violence from the previous year.

From survivors to advocates

Women like Ukrainian activist Lyudmila Huseynova exemplify the harrowing reality of conflict-related sexual violence.

After enduring over three years of imprisonment and torture in a Russian prison, where she faced brutal physical abuse, “In that place, you become a person without rights,” she recalled of her torment in Izolyatsia prison, Ms. Huseynova’s resilience turned into activism.

Since her release in 2022, she has become an unwavering advocate for survivors, working with SEMA Ukraine to amplify the voices of those suffering from conflict-related sexual violence and to demand global attention to the atrocities faced by women and children in Ukraine.

Through her tireless efforts, Ms. Huseynova not only exposes the cruelty women endure but also leads efforts to secure justice and recovery for victims. “We will use every means to make their pain visible,” she emphasised.

What can we do?

While we may not all be activists, we all have a role in ending the abuse, says UN Women.

On an individual level, from supporting local organisations to advocating for stronger laws and supporting the women in our lives, everybody can make a difference.

Argentinian activist Iren Cari and founder of Women’s Forum for Equal Opportunities stressed the need to support women in political life and centre their voice: “We need funds to promote women’s participation – not only in public policy making, but also to participate in elections.”

UN Women emphasised that governments must enact laws to ensure accountability for perpetrators of gender-based violence, particularly through National Action Plans.

In parallel, funding women’s rights organizations is essential to support survivors and provide them with the necessary resources for recovery.

The 16 Days of Activism remind us that every action, no matter how small, counts in the fight to end gender-based violence, the agency stresses.

Source: UN News

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Die Schweizer Rettungshundeorganisation Redog hat am Mittwoch eine Suchhundestaffel ins Flutkatastrophengebiet der spanischen Region Valencia entsandt. Ihre Aufgabe werde es sein, die noch vermissten Menschen zu orten, teilte die Organisation mit.

In der Ausstellung «Kahnweiler & Rupf» zeigt das Kunstmuseum Bern bedeutende Kunstwerke der Moderne. Die Schau beleuchtet aber auch eine enge und langjährige Freundschaft zweier Kunstliebhaber. Denn diese ermöglichte erst die jetzt beginnende Ausstellung.

Die tieferen Ladekosten sollen den höheren Preis von Elektroautos über die Zeit ausgleichen. Doch die Kosten fürs Laden von E-Autos unterscheiden sich von Land zu Land stark. Wo die Schweiz steht – und wie der Vergleich mit Benzin und Diesel aussieht.

Am 27. Mai wurde Christian Dubé bei Fribourg entlassen. Fast ein halbes Jahr später gewährt der Kanadier Einblicke in seine Gefühlswelt, wie man sie nur selten von einem gefeuerten Trainer sieht.

Les négociations sur un accord de coalition entre les principaux groupes centristes du Parlement européen se poursuivront mercredi 20 novembre, afin notamment de résoudre l’impasse sur la composition de la prochaine Commission européenne.

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