UN AGENCIES LAUNCH NEXT ROUND OF CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVE IN SOMALIA

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have launched a second round of Child Health Days in Somalia in a bid to improve child survival rates in the violence-wracked country.

The aim of the days is to deliver a package of critical health services, including vaccinations, vitamin supplements and hygiene education, to children under five and to women of child-bearing age.

The first round of Child Health Days, held during the first six months of this year, reached an estimated 1.8 million women and children throughout the country. This time, some 5,000 volunteers are targeting 1 million women and children in the Somaliland region, before moving on to the central-south region and Puntland in October and December.

The package includes measles and polio immunization, vitamin A supplementation, de-worming, aqua-tabs to treat drinking water, hygiene education, tetanus vaccination for women, and nutritional screening and referral.
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UN EXAMINES HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO MINIMIZE DISASTER DAMAGE IN ASIA-PACIFIC

Better utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) to prepare for and deal with catastrophic natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region is the focus of a United Nations meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, today.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and last year's Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar have caused massive human and economic losses, partly due to inadequate national warning and response mechanisms, as well as the inability to address underlying risks, according to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

In 2008, nearly 250,000 people died as a result of natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific, representing 97 per cent of fatalities worldwide.

With climate change increasing both the frequency and severity of disasters, setting up disaster resilience strategies is an urgent matter, said Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director of the UN Asian and Pacific Training Centre for ICT for Development (APCICT), which organized today's session.

ICT spans radio, television and other traditional media, as well as new media and space-based technologies including satellite communications.

It can "play a major role in disaster management, from mapping risks, developing early warning systems, raising awareness to preparing communities for disasters," Ms. Rhee said. "ICT is also indispensable in response and recovery operations."

The APCICT gathering is bringing together experts to discuss gaps in disaster management and how to boost the use of ICT in response, recovery and risk reduction efforts.

Today's meeting is part of the three-day International Conference on Building a Local Government Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction, set up by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and the Incheon Metropolitan City of the Republic of Korea.
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DEPLORING MYANMAR VERDICT, BAN URGES IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today deplored the decision by a Myanmar court to sentence pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to an additional 18 months of house arrest, and urged that she be released immediately.

"The Secretary-General is deeply disappointed by the verdict in respect of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," his spokesperson said in a statement. "The Secretary-General strongly deplores this decision."

Ms. Suu Kyi, who leads the National League for Democracy (NLD), was reportedly convicted of violating state security laws after an uninvited United States citizen gained access to her home. She has already spent over 12 years under house arrest.

Mr. Ban urged the Government to "immediately and unconditionally" release Ms. Suu Kyi and to engage with her without delay as an essential partner in the process of national dialogue and reconciliation

"Unless she and all other political prisoners in Myanmar are released and allowed to participate in free and fair elections, the credibility of the political process will remain in doubt," today's statement added.

The Government had refused Mr. Ban's request to meet with Ms. Suu Kyi when he visited the South-East Asian nation in July, losing what the UN chief called a "unique opportunity" to show its commitment to a new era of political openness.

He added that allowing the visit "would have been an important symbol of the Government's willingness to embark on the kind of meaningful engagement that will be essential if the elections in 2010 are to be seen as credible."

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NBA STAR AND UN AMBASSADOR STRESSES RIGHT TO SCHOOLING IN NATIVE ARGENTINA

National Basketball Association (NBA) star Manu Ginóbili stressed the right of all children to complete their elementary and secondary studies during a recent visit to a school in the impoverished Argentine province of Chaco in his role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Mr. Ginóbili, a native of Argentina, made the visit to the school in Fontana on the eve of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, observed on 9 August. Fontana is home to a sizeable population belonging to the indigenous group known as Qom.

According to UNICEF, education is a challenge for Qom students since they begin school without knowledge of the Spanish language and during their education they receive no instruction in their mother tongue.

"When it comes to Qom students, our efforts must be doubled to make sure that we help fulfil their right not just to an education, but to quality bilingual education as well," said UNICEF Representative in Argentina Andres Franco.

During his visit to the school, Mr. Ginóbili took part in a language class with the children and emphasized the importance of sport as a powerful tool for child development.

"I am delighted to share this time with the children and to talk about the importance of sport as a way to bridge between studies and fun and in increasing the likelihood that children will remain in school," he said.

The three-time NBA champion also visited the Centre for the Promotion of Rights, where he heard from Qom women about the importance of having a space where they could learn new skills and gain knowledge about their rights.

Mr. Ginóbili also took the time in Fontana to highlight the "Cities for Education" initiative, which promotes the right of all children and adolescents to complete their elementary and secondary studies.

Supported by UNICEF, provincial and local authorities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the initiative will reach out to thousands of students in Chaco province from preschool to adult night school, as well as all school administrators and teachers.

The initiative provides training for teachers and school administrators on successful teaching methods including sequence learning, which promotes holistic learning through the use of words and concepts that are familiar to the children. Instead of learning single letters, for instance, the children identify each letter with words and sentences which give meaning to the concepts they are learning.

"Strategies such as sequence learning contribute to the success of the first learning experiences of these children, which, in turn, provides them with the incentive to continue their studies," Mr. Franco said.

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FAITH-BASED GROUPS PROPEL DEVELOPMENT, SAYS HEAD OF UN POPULATION AGENCY

Faith-based groups play a key role in promoting development, the head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has said, stressing the need for stepped-up cooperation between the world body and religious organizations in boosting the welfare of the most vulnerable.

UNFPA is cognizant of "the profound moral authority that religious leaders have" and is aware of "the fact that religious organizations are the older social service providers humankind has known," Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the agency's Executive Director, said at a round table discussion yesterday with faith-based organizations.

Between 30 and 60 per cent of basic healthcare services in the developing world are provided by such groups, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), while the World Bank has found that in some instances, health and education services offered by the religious organizations are better than those of governments.

Given this evidence, "systematic, deliberate and focused" engagement between faith-based groups and the UN is crucial, Ms. Obaid said at the gathering in New York.

"Ad-hoc partnerships, and ones where the United Nations is a donor and the faith-based organization is one of many civil society partners, can be lost opportunities," she cautioned.

Therefore, the official said, a studied approach focusing on "culturally sensitive development" is essential to enhance any collaboration between the UN and religious groups to promote human rights.

Areas ripe for cooperation include HIV/AIDS, women's empowerment, maternal health, migration, humanitarian relief, reproductive health and gender-based violence, Ms. Obaid emphasized.
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UNICEF USES TEXT MESSAGES TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT POLIO IN ZAMBIA

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will be sending text messages to millions of Zambian parents this week as part of a new initiative to harness modern technology in the fight to prevent polio.

UNICEF has joined forces with the Zambian Health Ministry and two mobile phone companies, ZAIN and MTN, to encourage parents to bring their children under the age of five to the nearest health-care centre for free polio vaccinations.

"It is about time that we used modern technology to ensure child health and this year is particularly important because of the polio prevention campaign," said UNICEF Zambia Representative, Lotta Sylwander.

Ms. Sylwander also expressed gratitude to MTN and ZAIN for sending SMS texts informing millions of their subscribers of activities taking place during the prevention campaign against the crippling disease in 28 districts bordering Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"Your child can be healthier! Take your children under age five to the nearest health centre for free vaccinations from 20-25 July," is the message Zambian mobile phone users will read, UNICEF said in a news release.

The campaign at the centre of Zambia's Child Health Week activities is part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a partnership spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the United States Center for Diseases Control and Prevention and UNICEF.

Polio is a highly infectious and incurable viral disease. Contracted through contaminated food, water and faeces, it attacks the nervous system and mainly affects children under five. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, usually in the legs, and among those paralyzed, five to 10 per cent die when their respiratory muscles become immobilized.
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NEW UN-BACKED REPORT FINDS DECLINING FUNDING LEVELS FOR HIV VACCINE RESEARCH

A new United Nations-backed report on investment in HIV prevention research in 2008 finds that funding levels for a possible vaccine for the virus have decreased for the first time since investment trends have been tracked.

The report – "Adapting to Realities: Trends in HIV Prevention Research Funding 2000 to 2008" –notes that this trend may have been influenced by shifts in scientific priorities, the global economic downturn and competition for various health issues.

Despite the decrease, the overall trend since 2000 has been of greater investment for experimental biomedical prevention strategies, adds the report, prepared by the HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Resource Tracking Working Group, of which the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is a member.

It identifies investments of almost $1.2 billion in HIV prevention research in 2008, of which $868 million supported vaccine research and development (R&D), and $244 million supported microbicide R&D.

The United States was once again the leader in funding HIV prevention research, supporting 71 per cent of HIV vaccine R&D and 63 per cent of microbicide R&D in 2008. "A decrease in investment from the US National Institutes of Health contributed to the overall decline of funding for HIV vaccine R&D," states a news release published by UNAIDS on the report.

In addition to the $39 million decline in US investment, there was also a decrease in funding for HIV vaccine research from other countries, including from European governments, Brazil, Canada, India, South Africa and Thailand.

A recent report from UNAIDS and the World Bank warned that the well-being of millions of people could be put at risk as HIV prevention and treatment programmes fall victim to funding cutbacks as a result of the global economic crisis.

It found that eight countries – which together are home to more than 60 per cent of all those receiving AIDS treatment – are already facing shortages of antiretroviral drugs or other disruptions to treatment.

In addition, 34 out of the 71 surveyed countries report that HIV prevention programmes focusing on high-risk groups such as sex workers, injection drug users and men who have sex with men are already feeling the impact of the crisis.

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, said research to develop new HIV prevention tools and strategies is essential to prevent new infections, and an HIV vaccine still holds "the greatest hope" to ending the epidemic. "It is vitally important that investments into research for HIV prevention be sustained and increased for as long as it takes to reach those goals."

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FORMER GHANAIAN LEADER TAKES HELM OF UN EFFORTS TO FIGHT SCHOOLCHILDREN’S HUNGER

The former president of Ghana, John Kufuor, today was named a Global Ambassador against Hunger – with a focus on the need to provide good nutrition for the 66 million children who go to school hungry every day – for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

"Ensuring that every child has proper nutrition has to be the goal of every world leader," Mr. Kufuor said. "I hope to inspire them all to strive for this goal."

With his appointment, he joins other ambassadors for the agency, including marathon run

ner Paul Tergat, the footballer Kakà, actress Drew Barrymore and former United States Senator George McGovern, in advocating on behalf of the world's poorest and hungriest.

With the number of hungry people in the world expected to top one billion this year, WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said that Mr. Kufuor's support is crucial.

"John Kufuor not only talks the talk, but walks the walk," she said. "Ghana is a leader in nourishing its children and Ambassador Kufuor can be a leader in getting others to follow his good work."

As WFP Ambassador, the former Ghanaian leader will also stress the need to fight hunger on several fronts: investment in long-term agricultural development, funding the agency's work and helping the poor access affordable and nutritious food.

WFP – which feeds over 20 million young people every year – said that just over $3 billion is needed annually to reach all 66 million hungry school-age children.
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UN EXPERT CALLS ON JAPAN TO BOOST ACTION IN COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Although Japan recognizes the seriousness of the problem of human trafficking within its border, the East Asian nation must take more concrete action to fight the scourge, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today.

"Human trafficking affects every country of the world, and Japan is clearly affected as a destination country for many of those victims," said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, wrapping up a six-day visit to the country.

The majority of trafficking is for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation in Japan, but she pointed out that trafficking for labour exploitation is also cause for great concern.

The country has adopted a National Plan of Action on trafficking. Further, Japan has granted victims special residence permits if they wish to stay in Japan and is also cooperating with sending countries, including Thailand, to support victims' reintegration in their home countries.

But Japan must ratify relevant international treaties; adopt a clearer identification procedure to lessen cases of victims' misidentification; and boost training and coordination of law enforcement officials, Ms. Ngozi Ezeilo said.

She also urged the country to take greater action at the regional level to combat trafficking and consider entering into bilateral agreements with source countries to address the problem on a long-term basis.

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GREATER EFFORTS NEEDED TO END DISPLACEMENT IN NORTHERN UGANDA, SAYS UN EXPERT

Stepped up efforts are needed to ensure that the last of the people uprooted by the long-running conflict between the Government and a notorious group in northern Uganda are able to return to their homes, a United Nations independent expert said today.

Wrapping up a week-long visit to the Great Lakes nation, Walter Kaelin, the Secretary-General's Representative on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs), said that he is "impressed" by progress made in tackling the displacement situation in the country's north, where nearly 80 per cent of the uprooted have returned to their villages.

He voiced his appreciation for the Government's actions in allowing the IDPs to find durable solutions, welcoming progress made in restoring security and freedom of movement in northern Uganda, which has seen two decades of fighting between the Government and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

But Mr. Kaelin noted that "serious challenges remain for those remaining in camps to freely opt for return, local integration or settlement elsewhere as provided for by the Ugandan National IDP Policy and to ensure the sustainability of returns or other durable solutions.

Also impeding sustainable returns are the lack of water, food, health and education services, as well as land and property disputes, in areas of return, he added.

In spite of the Government's efforts, the Representative said that the low impact of recovery and development activities in the north, especially the setting up of basic services in return areas, threatens stability and the durability of peace.

He called on national and local authorities to implement the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for northern Uganda, calling on the international community to support recovery efforts.

"The implementation of recovery projects and support for solving land conflicts would go a long way in restoring economic, social and cultural rights of those who have been deprived of their human rights for so long," Mr. Kaelin said in a press release issued in the capital, Kampala.

Food insecurity is another cause for concern, especially among elderly people and orphans, he noted, urging authorities and their development partners to increase investment in guaranteeing the right to food.

Earlier this week, the outgoing UN envoy for the conflict in northern Uganda today stressed the need for a two-pronged strategy of pursuing negotiation as well as military action against the LRA.

In his last briefing to the Security Council as the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the LRA-affected areas, Joaquim Chissano spoke about the state of the Juba peace agreements – originally signed in Sudan in February 2008 and set to take effect after the signing of a final overall peace accord – involving the LRA and the Ugandan Government.

Countries in the region, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), have joined forces with Uganda to militarily root out the LRA, following the failure by the group's leader, Joseph Kony, to sign the final peace pact which would end two decades of fighting.

Those operations, which display a new determination by countries to collectively deal with t

he dangers posed by the LRA, had both uprooted and disrupted the group, Mr. Chissano, the former president of Mozambique, told the 15-member Council in a closed meeting.
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TRIBAL VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN UNDERMINES PEACE AGREEMENT, UN REPORTS

Escalating inter-tribal violence in Southern Sudan is jeopardizing the stability of the entire country, and key milestones in implementing the peace pact that ended the long-running north-south civil war are at risk, the United Nations warned today.

In his latest report on the work of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the security situation in the south has deteriorated since April, with long-simmering disputes sparking "alarming waves of violence [and] at times triggering vicious cycles of attack."

At least 200 civilians have been killed in the clashes, as well as dozens of members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the former southern rebel group that signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 to end the civil war.

Mr. Ban said the future of the CPA depends largely on the relationship between the SPLA and the National Congress Party (NCP), which signed the agreement and formed a Government of National Unity in Khartoum.

"Their action or inaction in the coming months will determine whether the outstanding benchmarks," such as elections scheduled for next year and a subsequent referendum that could result in the secession of southern Sudan, can be upheld.

He urged both sides to "take steps to engage in meaningful dialogue and reach agreement on outstanding issues."

One of those issues is the status of Abyei, an oil-rich area in the centre of the country that has been contested by north and south and was the scene of deadly clashes last year that forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration on Abyei is preparing to give its decision on the issue shortly, and in today's report, Mr. Ban said he welcomed the commitment by both sides to accept and peacefully implement whatever the court decides.

"This commitment would now have to be translated into requisite orders to the security apparatus on the ground and to the local leadership and communities who may feel disenfranchised by the arbitration decision.

"Crucially, the Abyei area needs a fully funded and functional civilian administration irrespective of the result of the arbitration and I urge the parties to take all steps needed to achieve this."

Next year's planned national elections are vital, the report noted, "for the process of democratic transformation throughout" the country and it stressed the importance of peaceful, transparent and credible polls.

Mr. Ban also welcomed recent joint efforts by the Government, the UN and its aid partners to reduce the most critical humanitarian gaps created by the expulsion in March of many international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

But he added that "current levels of assistance in some areas remain below the necessary standards and the humanitarian community remains watchful of the onset of the rainy season."
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CHALLENGES REMAIN IN RUN-UP TO COPENHAGEN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE – UN OFFICIAL

With only 144 days left until the start of the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, greater efforts are needed to ensure that countries "seal the deal" on a new pact to slash greenhouse gas emissions, an official with the world body said today.

Countries attending the meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on 9 July made some headway on climate change, "but also highlighted areas where we have a lot to do before we reach agreement in Copenhagen," Janos Pasztor, Director of the Secretary-General's Climate Support Team, told reporters in New York.

Leaders of over one dozen developed nations attending the MEF meeting in L'Aquila, Italy, said they recognize that the global average temperature should not increase more than 2 degrees centigrade, which is "a critically important goal" which these nations had never endorsed explicitly before, he said.

They also agreed to set up a global partnership to spur the use of low-carbon technologies and to double public sector investment into research of these new technologies by 2015.

Further, the leaders said that financial resources for both mitigation and adaptation must be scaled up dramatically, and although the stopped short of specifying amounts, they did agree to consider a 'green' fund, Mr. Pasztor noted.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the cuts in greenhouse gas emissions proposed by the Group of Eight (G8) leaders, "while welcome, are not sufficient."

Underscoring that "the time for delays and half-measures is over," Mr. Ban stressed that "the personal leadership of every head of State or government is needed to seize this moment to protect people and the planet from one of the most serious challenges ever to confront humanity."

Heads of G8 countries agreed in L'Aquila to a long-term goal of reducing emissions by 2050, but Mr. Ban said that this target was not credible without "ambitious mid-term targets, and baselines.

"In order to achieve such a global goal, developed countries must lead by example in making firm commitments to reduce their emissions by 2020 on the order of the 25 to 40 per cent below 1990 levels that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tells us is required. It is disappointing to note that thus far, the mid-term emissions targets announced by developed countries in the MEF are not in this range."

To support countries in their bid to conclude a successor pact in December to the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012, Mr. Ban is convening a high-level summit – expected to be the largest climate change gathering this year – in New York on 22 September.

It is hoped that this summit can foster trust among world leaders, Mr. Pasztor said today, adding that "we will not be able to address climate change without that trust."
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UN INVESTIGATING CASE OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS SENT BACK TO LIBYA BY ITALY

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is looking into the cases of dozens of asylum-seekers who were returned to Libya by Italian authorities after they were intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea.

Based on its interviews in Libyan detention centres with 82 people intercepted on 1 July some 30 miles from the Italian island of Lampedusa, UNHCR staff said that it does not appear that the Italian Navy made any attempt to determine their nationality or their reason for fleeing.

Of those trying to reach Italy, 76 were from Eritrea, including nine women and at least six children. "Based on UNHCR's assessment of the situation in Eritrea and our interviews with the people themselves, it is clear that a significant number from this group are in need of international protection," agency spokesperson Ron Redmond said today.

UNHCR staff also heard disturbing accounts of force being used by Italian personnel during their transfer to the vessel carrying them back to Libya, with six Eritreans requiring medical attention as a result. Those attempting to flee to Italy also said that personal items, including vital documents, were seized by the Italian Navy and have yet to be returned.

"Those interviewed spoke of their distress after four days at sea and said that the Italian Navy did not offer them any food during the 12-hour operation to return them to Libya," Mr. Redmond said.

Due to these serious allegations, UNHCR has sent a letter to the Italian Government requesting information on the treatment of people sent back to Libya and asking that international norms be requested.

In recent years, Italy has rescued thousands of people in distress in the Mediterranean Sea, providing assistance to those in need, the agency spokesperson said. But since early May, when a new push-back policy was unveiled, at least 900 people trying to reach Italy have been sent back to Libya and other countries.

"UNHCR has expressed serious concerns about the impact of this new policy which, in the absence of adequate safeguards, can prevent access to asylum and undermines the international principle of non-refoulement," Mr. Redmond said.
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UPROOTED FAMILIES BEGIN RETURNING TO NORTH-WEST PAKISTAN, REPORT UN AGENCY

Around 800 people displaced by the conflict in north-west Pakistan have headed back home yesterday under a government-run programme, while another 2,500 are slated to return today, the United Nations refugee agency reported.

Returnees to the district of Swat told the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that they felt safe going back to their villages after contacting neighbours who had already safely returned on their own, the agency's spokesperson, Ron Redmond, told reporters in Geneva.

"Other internally displaced people (IDPs) reported they were not yet ready to return, citing security concerns in various areas in Swat," he stated. "Some IDPs have been displaced several times in the course of the past several months and want to avoid being uprooted yet again."

More than 2 million Pakistanis have fled the conflict between Government forces and militants in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), and the vast majority are either sheltering in schools and other public buildings, with host families or in rental accommodations.

Those that headed home yesterday were living in the Jalozai camp, which is managed by UNHCR together with its partners and provincial authorities. Unbearable heat in the camp was cited as one of the main reasons they decided to go back to their villages.

Some of the most vulnerable IDPs, including pregnant women, said they would rather remain in camps for now since they have access to health services – something that is not always available in their villages, noted Mr. Redmond.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which just completed a high-level mission to Pakistan on Friday, said one of its major concerns is ensuring that returnees have access to functional health systems. The agency's spokesperson, Paul Garwood, also cited a major gap in female health workers available to treat patients, particularly female returnees who prefer to be treated by women.

The scale of the displacement crisis continues to "exhaust the current health system's ability to meet all needs," he told reporters. The situation is being further complicated by the coming monsoon season, which will result in higher risks to displaced women and children under five, especially with regard to respiratory infections, malaria, and other water-borne diseases.

The Government's return plan – known as Naway Sahar, or 'Dawn of a New Beginning'– will focus first on repatriating displaced people currently staying in camps, and then move on to those staying with host families, renting rooms or staying in schools.

Government authorities and UN agencies, including UNHCR, signed a statement over the weekend pledging that the return process would follow the principles of voluntariness, safety and dignity.

UNHCR will help to monitor the willingness of people to return as well to implement the registration process. It will also provide assistance in cash to the Government for the transportation of vulnerable people, and distribute relief items to families which have not yet received them, especially for IDPs staying in host families and school buildings.

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UNAIDS WELCOMES FRENCH-SPEAKING BLOC’S COMMITMENT TO COMBAT HIV

Parliamentarians from Francophone countries, which bear a large burden of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, today reaffirmed their commitment to tackling the disease, in a move welcomed by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

A resolution adopted during the annual gathering of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie in Paris from 3-6 July sent a strong message that fighting AIDS is given high priority on the agenda of Francophone parliamentarians.

"I am encouraged to see this level of leadership from Francophone countries to the AIDS response," said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "A strong response is needed to break the trajectory of the epidemic and start building a better future for people affected by HIV," he added.

The resolution adopted by the Assembly called for, among other matters, boosting HIV prevention efforts, especially among groups with higher risk of infection.

It also rejected punitive laws, such as the criminalization of HIV transmission and laws barring marginalized groups from accessing health services.

Access to anti-retroviral drugs must be free to all in need, the resolution added, stressing the need to ensure that the necessary resources are provided for the health-care systems of developing countries in Africa and Asia. The lack of an effective response to poverty will weaken the response to AIDS, it warned.

More than half of all UN Member States hold either full-fledged or observer-status membership of La Francophonie, which signed a cooperation agreement with the UN in October 2006.

CIVILIANS PAYING PRICE OF EFFORTS TO THWART DR CONGO ARMED GROUPS, UN ENVOY SAYS

Civilians are bearing the brunt of attempts to dismantle armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with the rebels carrying out vicious reprisals and some Government soldiers committing serious human rights abuses, the senior United Nations official to the country told the Security Council today.

Alan Doss, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC (known as MONUC), said in a briefing to Council members that there is growing concern about the humanitarian impact of the efforts to disband the armed groups.

"We take these concerns very seriously and have addressed them with the Government at various levels," he said, citing the deployment of more MONUC resources and personnel to the affected provinces, such as North Kivu, continuing efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence, and increased pressure on the Government to take action against undisciplined soldiers.

MONUC has established 35 military bases in North Kivu, many of which are in very remote areas, where operations against the FDLR [the Forces Démocratiques de Liberation du Rwanda, one of the rebel groups] are ongoing. These bases have allowed for close monitoring of the operations and rapid intervention in a number of instances."

But he warned that the Mission's resources are being stretched thin as it waits for reinforcements to arrive following the Security Council's recent authorization of additional troops to deal with the strife in the DRC's east.

In an op-ed article published in <i>The Washington Times today, Mr. Doss urged the Government to do its utmost to ensure discipline and end impunity within the ranks of its forces, which are known as the FARDC.

"People have to trust in those sent to protect them, and the army needs local cooperation to root out the FDLR," he wrote. But he added that that discipline will not improve unless pay and living conditions are enhanced for Congolese soldiers.

"This means barracks, sufficient food and wages paid in full and on time. Military families need shelter and protection as well… Donor partners must dig deeper to help the Congo deal with this crisis and fund the reforms that can help the army gain the confidence of the people."

Mr. Doss told the Council that he welcomed this week's announcement by the FARDC of a zero tolerance policy towards the perpetrators of criminal acts within its ranks.

He also called for more determined action against FDLR leaders in exile, who have been able to operate from abroad and maintain contacts with their commanders on the ground.

Later, in a press statement, the Council expressed grave concern about the ongoing human rights violations against civilians, particularly the widespread sexual violence and the recruitment and use of child soldiers by rebels groups and some elements of the FARDC.

Council members also encouraged MONUC to continue to monitor the performance and conduct of the army units involved in joint operations against armed groups.
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ECONOMIC AND FOOD CRISES THREATEN RECENT DEVELOPMENT GAINS – UN REPORT

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on rich and poor nations to boost efforts to fight poverty and hunger after a new United Nations report shows that recent advances are being threatened by the global economic and food crises.

The report, launched today in Geneva by Mr. Ban, warns that, despite many successes, overall progress has been too slow for most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the globally agreed targets to halve poverty, hunger and a host of other social and economic ills – to be achieved by the target date of 2015.

"This year's Millennium Development Goals Report delivers a message that should not surprise us but which we must take to heart: the current economic environment makes achieving the goals even more difficult," Mr. Ban told the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The Secretary-General noted that higher food prices in 2008 have reversed the nearly two-decade trend in reducing hunger. In addition, momentum to reduce overall poverty in the developing world is slowing; tens of millions of people have been pushed into joblessness and greater vulnerability; and some countries stand to miss their poverty reduction goals.

Further, the target for eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 has already been missed, he noted. Meanwhile, 1.4 billion people must gain access to improved sanitation by 2015 in order to achieve the sanitation target.

"We have been moving too slowly to meet our goals," said Mr. Ban. "Yet the report also shows that when we have the right policies, backed by adequate funding and strong political commitment, actions can yield impressive results."

The new publication, based on data from over 20 organizations both within and outside the UN system, is considered the most comprehensive global MDG assessment to date. It finds, among other things, that the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day decreased from 1.8 billion to 1.4 billion in the period from 1990 to 2005.

However, major gains in the fight against extreme poverty are likely to stall, indicators show, although data are not yet available to reveal the full impact of the recent economic downturn. In
2009, an estimated 55 million to 90 million more people will be living in extreme poverty than anticipated before the crisis.

At the same time, the Secretary-General noted that the report does show some progress. Fewer people today are dying of AIDS and many countries are implementing proven strategies to combat malaria and measles, two major killers of children.

"We are edging closer to universal primary education. We are well on our way to meeting the safe drinking water target," he said. "We can and must build on these foundations.

"In Africa and across the developing world, we have abundant evidence that aid can help transform lives. But delays in delivering aid, combined with the financial crisis and climate change, are slowing progress," he stated.

Mr. Ban recalled that the Group of Eight (G8) and Group of 20 (G20) nations have made specific commitments to increase financial and technical support to developing countries by 2010 to achieve the MDGs.

"Those commitments include raising annual aid flows to Africa, yet aid remains at least $20 billion below the Gleneagles targets," he noted. "I urge the G8 to set out, country by country, how donors will scale up aid to Africa over the next year."

The Secretary-General also urged donor countries to meet existing pledges on aid for trade, a crucial component in improving trade competitiveness of developing country producers and exporters.

Speaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Second Global Review on Aid for Trade, also in Geneva, he noted that the aid for trade initiative has made good progress in the three years since its launch. The April G20 Summit pledge of $250 billion for trade financing could lead to a significant increase in the $25 billion that aid for trade received in 2007.

However, the global financial and economic crisis has had a severe impact on demand, and it is now widely predicted that global trade will decline by 10 per cent this year, he added. "Unless the direction of the crisis is reversed soon, it will further unravel the progress that developing countries have made over the past two decades in reducing poverty."

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SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH TOP OFFICIALS IN MYANMAR

Secretary-General has held talks with top officials in Myanmar on key issues, including the release of political prisoners such as Nobel laureate and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In the capital Nay Pyi Taw, Mr. Ban met with Senior General Than Shwe yesterday and this morning, and he has also held talks with Prime Minister Thein Sein.

Ahead of his two-day visit, the Secretary-General told reporters in Japan that he understood there were concerns about the timing of his visit given that the trial of Ms. Suu Kyi is pending.

"It may be the case that the trial may happen during my visit in Myanmar. I am very much conscious of that. At the same time, to find the most appropriate timing has been a challenge for me, too," he said, adding that he would use the visit to try to "raise in the strongest possible terms" the concerns of the international community about the situation inside Myanmar.

Mr. Ban said stressed in Japan that Myanmar's authorities should release all political prisoners, including Ms. Suu Kyi, immediately resume dialogue between the Government and opposition leaders, and create both a political atmosphere and a legal framework conducive to the holding of credible elections next year.

"This is the commitment and concerns and aspiration of the international community. I am going to convey this strongly to Senior General Than Shwe and other leaders," he said, adding that he also hopes to have dialogue with grassroots groups during his visit.

The Secretary-General last visited Myanmar in May 2008 in the wake of the catastrophic impact of Cyclone Nargis, which killed almost 150,000 people, and he has said that he considers building on the joint humanitarian efforts that emerged following that disaster to be essential.

From Myanmar, the UN chief is scheduled to travel to Switzerland, Ireland and Italy.
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WOMEN’S CENTRES RE-OPEN IN DARFUR WITH HELP FROM AU-UN MISSION

Female internally displaced persons (IDPs) will again be able to learn job skills, take literacy classes and receive awareness programmes on reproductive health after the joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) helped reactivate women's centres at an IDP camp in the Sudanese region.

UNAMID's Gender Advisory Unit has worked with the North Darfur state Ministry of Social Affairs to relaunch the centres at the Abu Shouk IDP camp on the outskirts of the state capital, El Fasher. The centres, which will be run by a local non-governmental organization (NGO), had closed last year.

The Abu Shouk centres are expected to carry out several activities aimed at helping women gain livelihoods, including tailoring, candle-making and handcrafts. There will also be adult literacy classes, and awareness programmes on women's reproductive health, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

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NEW UN REPORT SPOTLIGHTS CHALLENGES TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN BALKANS

Economic development in the rural areas of several nations in the Western Balkans is being hindered by challenges related to agriculture, climate change and migration, according to a new report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank.

The report, "The Changing Face of Rural Space: Agriculture and Rural Development in the Western Balkans," takes a look at the situations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

It says that agricultural trade deficits are widening and climate change is putting pressure on agricultural resources. In addition, young people are increasingly migrating to urban areas or abroad in search of economic opportunities.

While the five countries are at different stages of development, they face similar challenges in modernizing their agricultural sectors to become competitive in regional and European markets.

"The agrifood sectors in these countries are undercapitalized and highly fragmented, dominated by small producers with unsophisticated production and quality control systems," says FAO's David Lugg, a co-author of the report. Processing capacity, a potentially critical part of the value chain, is also limited.

The report, intended primarily for policy-makers and donors in the region, notes that scarce credit or land, expensive inputs, degraded infrastructure and poor access to high-value markets are among the obstacles faced by some farmers.

At the same time, the report suggests that the prevailing challenges, as well as the region's ongoing process of integration with the European Union, are an opportunity.

"The need to meet EU food safety and other standards while addressing the food and financial crises is a powerful incentive for improving agricultural policy," it states. "Agriculture and rural development as sources of growth, employment and food security now need to be taken seriously."

Julian Lampietti of the World Bank also notes the need to look beyond agriculture at overall rural development in the region.

"What's needed is a balanced approach that emphasizes increased competitiveness of the agrifood sector while providing alternative income opportunities in rural communities to help future generations avoid the poverty trap," he says.

The report also calls on countries to come up with strategies to adapt to climate change, noting that the region is likely to face higher temperatures, reduced and more variable precipitation, and more frequent extreme climatic events, such as floods, droughts and heat waves.
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