From climate change to conflicts to persistent poverty, young people are “disproportionately impacted by interlinked global crises,” his Youth Envoy, Jayathma Wickramanayake, told a commemorative event in New York, speaking on behalf of the UN chief.
“Today, we highlight the importance of transforming youth skills for the future of work,” she said, delivering his message from the top.
Youth at risk
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated fragilities, leaving 24 million young people today, at risk of not returning to school and accelerated the labour market’s transformation, “adding uncertainty and widening the digital divide”.
“We must ensure the right of young people to effective and inclusive education, training, and lifelong learning…[by] ramping up youth skills development, while investing in technical vocational education and training (TVET), broadband connectivity, and digital skills,” the message continued.
Countering learning disruption
To this end, top politicians, and leaders from youth and education non-governmental organisations, will meet in September during a Transforming Education Summit at UN Headquarters in New York.
Guided by the UN Youth 2030 strategy, the UN chief urged everyone to “act for youth skills development as a priority, at the Summit and beyond”.
“Together, let us build a more just and thriving workforce, rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind,” his message concluded.
Build skills
As it stands, millions of young people, especially those most vulnerable and marginalized – such as young women and girls – continue to bear the brunt of social, political, economic, and cultural upheaval, General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid said in his video address.
Reminding that these challenges “eliminate jobs and opportunities, reduce access to education, and impede the reskilling and upskilling of young women and men,” he spelled out: “More must be done”.
As “a proud champion of young people,” he upheld that youth must be empowered to build skills through policy making, education, technical and vocational training.
“Let us explore how to increase youth employment opportunities while sustainably reducing the number of uneducated and untrained young people…[and] act collectively to ensure an inclusive and brighter future led by skilful, educated, and well-trained youths, while leaving no one behind,” he said.
‘Be the change’
Speaking via videoconference from Geneva, Martha Newton, Deputy Director-General for Policy at the International Labour Organization (ILO) stressed the importance of fostering digital transformation skills to reach the scale of today’s unmet labour market needs.
To help young people “quickly adapt” to these “rapidly changing demands,” she advocated for quality apprenticeships and internships that would equip them with “skills for life”.
Investing in a world where decent work is the reality of every young person requires scaling up action for youth employment while also protecting the rights of young people. This in in turn, will spark healthy lives and equality for all.
“Be the change you want to be, be relentless, be bold…we can’t transform efforts without you,” she encouraged young people around the world.
Speaking on behalf of Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Maki Katsuno-Hayashikawa, Division Director for Education 2030 Support and Coordination, highlighted that skills for the future of work must be identified to empower today’s youth.
She cited innovation in entrepreneurship; promoting flexible pathways to foster lifelong learning; bridging the digital technology gap; and promoting open education resources.
“Encourage youth to think of themselves as agents for change and understand the complexity of sustainable development,” the UNESCO chief’s message said.
During the Education Summit, “we must use all of our power” to provide an opportunity for youth to develop skills for the future and give them “a centre place” at the decision-making table.
Youth: Greatest treasure
Co-chair Peter Mohan Maithri Pieris, Sri Lanka’s Permanent UN Representative, described youth as “the greatest treasure we have on this planet,” adding that if the right decisions are taken at the right time, young people could have a “meaningful” impact around the globe.
In his video message, co-chair, João Gomes Cravinho, Foreign Minister of Portugal, underscored that youth must have a say in their own future and shared his country’s “guiding principle” of “nothing about youth without youth”.
Scientific research and academic freedom are under threat, they warned, following reports that research submitted by scholars from sanctioned countries were being disqualified from publication.
“We are gravely concerned at the growing negative impact of existing sanctions regimes on academic and scientific research, as well as on initiatives of international academic cooperation, adversely affecting the participation of scholars and academics from sanctioned countries,” the experts said.
They urged publishing houses and scientific journal boards to refrain from “over-complying” with existing sanctions regimes out of fear of potential reputational, business, or other implications.
Concern over ‘sanction clauses’
The rights experts are concerned about expanding the application of unilateral sanctions into areas of scientific and academic research, and publishing.
They have received information about impediments to academic freedom stemming from sanctions, including imposed restrictions in the review and publication procedures of research conducted and submitted to international journals.
They expressed particular concern over the existence of “sanction clauses” contained in some publishing companies’ research and publishing ethics policies and guidance.
“These clauses encourage scientific journal editors to treat submissions from sanctioned countries with ‘caution’. The practice presumes the legitimacy of unilateral coercive measures that does not correspond to numerous relevant resolutions of the Human Rights Council,” they said.
US: ‘Vague’ criteria
Furthermore, these practices are incompatible with international human rights norms and standards, they added, including the fundamental principle of non-discrimination, and the right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress.
The experts made specific reference to the 2016 Guidance on Certain Publishing Activities issued by the United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), noting what they described as “the vague and complex interpretation of criteria for ‘authorised’ publishing activities.”
This has led some publishing houses, editors and reviewers to over-comply and summarily reject submissions from sanctioned countries, even without preliminary review, for fear of repercussions, including personal liability.
Stop over-complying
“Scientific and academic research and the dissemination of its findings should not be conditioned by decisions other than those based entirely on scientific and academic considerations. They should not be contingent upon political decisions and enforcement of sanction regimes against countries and their nationals,” the UN experts stated.
They called for academic associations, publishing companies and editorial boards to take all necessary measures to eliminate over-compliance with existing sanctions regimes.
Academic cooperation and exchange is an inalienable part of the process of getting new knowledge on behalf of the global community, the experts said.
“We urge the US Government to withdraw unilateral sanctions, which discriminates against professionals and scholars from countries under sanctions.”
The experts have communicated their concerns to the US Government. and to several publishing companies, to seek clarifications, but have yet to receive a response.
Recognizing the past “collective failure” in the Conference’s final declaration, world leaders called for greater ambition to ensure that the dire state of the ocean is addressed, and admitted frankly to being “deeply alarmed by the global emergency facing the ocean”.
At the closing, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Miguel de Serpa Soares, commended co-hosts – Portugal and Kenya – for the conference’s enormous success.
“[The Conference] has given us the opportunity to unpack critical issues and generate new ideas. It also made clear the work that remains, and the need to scale up that work for the recovery of our ocean”, Mr. Serpa Soares said, adding that it is essential to now turn the tide.
More than 6,000 participants, including 24 Heads of State and Government, and over 2,000 representatives of civil society attended the Conference, advocating for urgent and concrete actions to tackle the ocean crisis.
Collective failure
Recognizing a “collective failure to achieve Ocean related targets” so far, leaders renewed their commitment to take urgent action and to cooperate at all levels, to fully achieve targets as soon as possible.
Among the challenges the Ocean faces are coastal erosion, rising sea levels, warmer and more acidic waters, marine pollution, overexploitation of fish stocks and decrease of marine biodiversity.
Acknowledging that climate change is “one of the greatest challenges of our time”, and the need to “act decisively and urgently to improve the health, productivity, sustainable use and resilience of the ocean and its ecosystems”, top politicians gathered in Lisbon stressed that science-based and innovative actions, along with international cooperation, are essential to provide the necessary solutions.
Calling for transformative change, leaders stressed the need to address the cumulative impacts of a warming planet, on the ocean, including ecosystem degradation and species extinctions.
Reaffirming commitments
Reaffirming that the ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future, the signatories emphasized the particular importance of implementing the Paris Agreement of 2015, and last November’s Glasgow Climate Pact to help ensure the health, productivity, sustainable use, and resilience of the ocean.
“We are committed to halting and reversing the decline in the health of the ocean’s ecosystems and biodiversity, and to protecting and restoring its resilience and ecological integrity.
Voluntary commitments include:
The Protecting Our Planet Challenge will invest at least USD $1 billion to support the creation, expansion, and management of marine protected areas by 2030.
The European Investment Bank will extend an additional EUR 150 million across the Caribbean Region as part of the Clean Oceans Initiative to improve climate resilience, water management and solid waste management.
Portugal committed to ensure that 100 per cent of the marine area under Portuguese sovereignty or jurisdiction is assessed as being in Good Environmental State and classify 30% of the national marine areas by 2030.
Kenya is currently developing a national blue economy strategic plan, inclusive and multistakeholder-oriented. Kenya also committed to developing a national action plan on sea-based marine plastic litter.
India committed to a Coastal Clean Seas Campaign and will work toward a ban on single use plastics.
“We call for an ambitious, balanced, practical, effective, robust, and transformative post-2020 global biodiversity framework”, the Lisbon declaration continued.
Resilient and healthy marine environments are the foundations of climate regulation and sustainable development, with the potential to produce food and energy for billions.
At the conference, more than 150 Member States made voluntary commitments to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the global ocean within Marine Protected Areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures, by 2030.
“I am impressed by the new commitments [countries made], Mr. Serpa Soares said at the closing ceremony, adding that “commitments must be implemented at pace and monitored”. Some examples include:
Protecting or exceeding 30% of national maritime zones by 2030
Achieving carbon neutrality by 2040
Reducing plastic pollution
Increasing renewable energy use
Allocating billions of dollars to research on ocean acidification, climate resilience projects and to monitoring, control and surveillance
With the mission to generate and use knowledge for the transformational action needed to achieve a healthy, safe, and resilient ocean for sustainable development by 2030 and beyond, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UN Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is driving development for the Decade of action.
For that, the Decade framework is designed to produce better-informed ocean management, restore fish stocks; mobilize actions for sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture for sufficient, safe and nutritious food.
Ocean Image Bank/Thomas Horig
One of the biggest threats to our oceans is man-made pollution.
It’s also geared to reducing marine pollution of all kinds, from both land and sea based sources, and work towards more effective marine protection, and develop and implement measures to adapt to climate change, reducing disaster risk, and the impacts of sea level rise, together with reducing emissions from maritime transportation.
Recognizing that developing countries, in particular small island developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries, face particular capacity challenges, political leaders are committing to strengthen data collection efforts, and enhancing cooperation at all levels to share knowledge.
After Lisbon
Financing is another particular focus of the declaration. The seven-page document states that innovative financing solutions must be found to drive the transformation towards sustainable ocean-based economies, and scale up nature-based solutions, as well as ecosystem-based approaches to support the resilience, restoration, and conservation of coastal ecosystems.
Declaring that the Conference proved the Blue Economy is now a huge part of the future security of humanity, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson, called for more financial resources for it.
UNDP/Pierre Michel Jean
Sustainable fishing is improving livelihoods in Haiti.
He noted that the Secretary-General had pushed for consensus, after launching a red alert for humanity, and Mr. Thomson added that 2022 was proving to be a “super year”, calling for young people to be at the table for all the discussions on the ocean’s future, moving forward.
Speaking to UN News, Miguel de Serpa Soares added that the UN Ocean Conference was not the sole focus for ocean action this year.
“In the next several months, we will have several crucial events that hold many opportunities to demonstrate our commitments and ambition to turn the tide in favour of ocean sustainability”.
Following the event in Lisbon, the path to save our ocean will continue through the Intergovernmental Conference on a treaty on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework negotiations, and the negotiations for increased climate finance and adaptation actions at COP27 in Egypt.
Empower youth, women, and indigenous people
Recognizing the important role of indigenous, traditional, and local knowledge, innovation and practices held by indigenous peoples, as well as the role of social science in planning, decision-making and implementation, leaders are calling to meaningful participation of local communities.
UN News/Eleuterio Guevane
Young volunteers supporting the Ocean Conference in Lisbon.
“Empower women and girls, as their full, equal and meaningful participation is key in progressing towards a sustainable ocean-based economy and to achieving Goal 14”, the declaration highlights, stressing the importance of giving the power to youth to enable them to understand the “need to contribute to the health of the ocean, including in decision-making, through promoting and supporting quality education and life-long learning for ocean literacy”.
Calling on stakeholders to urgently take ambitions and concerted action to accelerate implementation to achieve Goal 14, the Conference concluded saying that “restoring harmony with nature through a healthy ocean is critical for the planet”.
Hope, and urgency
Encouraged by a renewed sense of hope and urgency about our future ocean, Mr. Serpa Soares concluded: “as we leave, we must follow-up on our commitments”.
“As the famous Tongan and Fijian writer Epeli Hau‘ofa said, we are the ocean. The ocean is in all of us, it is what sustains us, and it is the basis for our future survival on this planet Earth.”, he said.
The power of science
Building on the scientific focus of the week, UNESCO launched its key State of the Ocean Report on Friday.
The report was developed to provide new and revealing data on the current state of the ocean, structured around the initial 10 challenges of the Decade.
UNESCO’s Chief of the Ocean Science Section, Henrik Enevoldsen, spoke to UN News and said that the report complemented the scientific work of the conference, enhancing our capacity to manage the ocean.
Talking about the outcome of the conference he said it “highlighted the areas where we need more knowledge to provide a proper basis for decision makers [and to] better manage the ocean.
UN News has been on the ground in Lisbon, Portugal, all week, bringing you multimedia coverage of the Ocean Conference. You can access all our reports and interviews, here.
As a part of this push, the UN Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is asking the world to join the revolution to unlock innovative ocean science solutions. UN News spoke to experts within and outside the UN system to reveal the importance of ocean literacy.
Empowering people to take action
Ocean literacy is commonly defined as an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean.
Francesca Santoro, who is in charge of ocean literacy at UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), explained however that the definition goes beyond that.
“It is really about empowering people with tools, to better use that ocean knowledge to become more responsible and able to take decisions that involve ocean resources, in a more knowledgeable way. It is really about being capable of understanding how much the oceans influence our life and how much we can influence the ocean in both positive and negative ways.”
Moken children swim in the Myeik Archipelago in Myanmar.
As the focal point for ocean science within the United Nations system, the IOC leads the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021 to 2030), and supports ocean research institutions around the world to strengthen public engagement.
“IOC works mainly to strengthen the international collaboration on ocean science and ocean research – as no single country can undertake research on all ocean basins, by itself”, Ms. Santoro continued.
Critical moment
The Decade of Ocean Science is an opportunity to change the state of the ocean for the next 100 years.
Earlier this year, UNESCO launched a campaign to empower people to join the Generation Ocean global movement.
The idea is to use transformative storytelling to connect citizens with ocean knowledge and drive action to restore, protect, and live better with the ocean.
In an interview with UN News, Vinicius Grunberg Lindoso, Communications Officer at UNESCO’S Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, described how you can be a game changer at this critical moment.
Students as active agents of change
Some of IOC’s flagship programmes examine the particular impacts of climate change on the ocean, and how the ocean can be considered the best ally in fighting climate change.
Working closely with schools, teachers and educators, the UN Scientific agency uses results from its ocean research to develop lesson plans.
Aquarium’s help young children to discover the aquatic realm in an immersive environment.
“We develop a number of resources – booklets, videos or games – and we use them to collaborate with schools all around the world in order to engage people from an early age, from elementary school to high school. We use an approach that doesn’t include only learning objectives, it also includes what we call social emotional learning objectives, and behavioral learning, because we want the students to become active agents of change – so they can take part in initiatives that support ocean protection”, Ms. Santoro highlighted.
Blue schools
In Portugal, co-host along with Kenya of the UN Ocean Conference, which is taking place from 27 June through 1 July, the Oceano Azul Foundation has an important role in developing literacy and conservation practices there.
Working towards children’s climate education in Portugal, the Foundation aims to have more kids learning about ocean issues and their impact on the ocean, so when they grow to be decision makers, no matter what profession they choose, they will have an important role to play.
Samuel Collins, Programme Manager at Oceano Azul, explained to UN News how the initiative works: “We must deliver information in a way that is digestible for different age groups. But considering the importance of these issues, and the impact they will have on the near future of the current generations, we have the responsibility to deliver certain information to the youth.”
Together with Oceanario de Lisboa, Oceano Azul has a programme to educate the blue generation, training teachers and providing them with the curriculum and resources to pass the message in the first cycle of education.
“They will do math, but they will speak about fish, they’ll learn French, speaking about the ocean, they’ll do history, but integrating oceanography, so it’s just reinforcing the curriculum, looking through a blue lens. They come to the Oceanario, and they do a lot of fantastic activities, and get excited, because there’s a huge amount of potential in a healthy ocean, and reinforcing that is important.”.
The programme envisages to bring ocean literacy to all children, resident in Portugal, with a special focus on the group between the ages 5 to 9 years old.
According to the Foundation, using Portugal as a starting point in the case of literacy will, nevertheless, allow the replication of actions in other countries, namely in Portuguese speaking countries and developing states.
Kindergarten of the Lagoon
Not so far away in Italy, Venice has for centuries illustrated the dynamic interaction between humankind and nature, underlining its capacity to act as a model for other similar ecosystems.
Due to its ideal characteristics and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site, ‘Venice and its Lagoon’ were selected as the implementation site of the pilot edition of the “Kindergarten of the Lagoon” Initiative, which was launched last May.
The new educational programme based on promoting ocean literacy principles and interaction with the environment, aims to foster a close connection between children and nature, using outdoor activities and interactions with the local community.
IOC-UNESCO
Children participate in drawing activities at an ocean awareness event, in Venice, Italy.
Thematic lessons are given to classes of 25 kindergarten students, conducted using outdoor education and aimed at discovering the lagoon ecosystem. This is then followed by creative stimulation and drawing at the end of each lesson.
In partnership with the Prada Group, UNESCO, hopes to empower youth in becoming the future Generation Ocean.
“The international community must make education one of the pillars of its action for the ocean and engage in education to help today’s youth become responsible and aware citizens of tomorrow,” said Ana Luiza M. Thompson-Flores, UNESCO Regional Bureau’s Director.
Lisbon: scale it up
The ocean literacy community will convene in Lisbon, Portugal, for the UN Ocean Conference, ensuring that ocean literacy is seen as a central element of ocean action.
“The last UN Ocean Conference [in 2017, in New York], ocean literacy was in its infancy, but now we can really prove that we have been able to achieve important results such as promoting the presence of ocean literacy in formal education, and we have an increasing network of blue schools around the world. But we need to scale this up, make sure that ocean literacy initiatives are happening around the world, and strengthen the collaboration to share good practices among different actors,” Ms. Santoro told UN News.
In Lisbon, on the first day of the 2022 Conference, there will be a high-level Ocean Decade Alliance Meeting, followed by an Ocean Decade Forum on 30 June, to convey a message of action, partnership, and inclusivity.
“My other expectation is to see our community include more and more stakeholders. Right now, we mainly have scientists and educators, but I think we need, for example, journalists, the media, to help us make sure the ocean is present in media outlets, and that people are more aware of the importance of the ocean for the future of this planet,” she added.
Creative community is ‘crucial’
UNESCO has a series of events lined up for the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon – which include exhibitions such as the Ocean Decade Creative Exhibition at the city’s main Square, and a Generation Ocean Concert at the Rock in Rio Festival, on 26 June. Those events involve the global creative community, aiming to raise more awareness to ocean science and conservation.
For Ms. Santoro, the collaboration with the creative community is “crucial, especially because we are more aware that our emotions drive action. Working [more in depth] with artists, photographers, enhances the capacity of people to feel more connected to the ocean or to rediscover how much we are connected to it. The creative community is really helping us in finding this emotional part of our connection with it – so we need to work together, scientists and artists, to co-design and co-develop projects. No matter if you are a scientist or a journalist or an artist or a policymaker, or somebody working in the private sector. We should all come together and have a common vision and a common goal,” Ms. Santoro concluded.
It was the fourth stop of her tour of Central Asia, having previously visited Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Coalitions must be built
“According to official statistics, one in three women has experienced domestic violence at some point in their lives”, said the Deputy UN chief, opening a meeting with representatives of civil society organizations involved in the Spotlight initiative, a joint UN-European Union program to combat gender violence.
“In recent times, especially during the (COVID-19) pandemic, we have seen the horrendous scale of this problem,” she added.
“SDG 5 (reaching gender equality) is critical to achieving all the other SDGs”, she said. “If you count how many days an abused woman misses work, you can understand how a silent pandemic is negatively affecting the economy and GDP of any country.”
The UN wants to hear first-hand information from those who work directly with victims of domestic violence on the ground, in order to understand how to make the Spotlight Initiative more effective still.
The local Director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, Malika Zhusupova, told Ms. Mohammed about the difficulties her team had to face.
Burden of proof
There are legislative gaps which mean, for example, that a woman who accuses her husband of beating her, must provide the court with a doctor’s certificate, that her injuries had forced her to spend at least 21 days hospitalized.
And an accused rapist, can only be charged, on the basis of doctors’ testimony.
“Few women will agree to lie in the hospital for so many days, leaving their children unattended, to leave work. We sometimes have to fight to prove that a woman suffered”, Ms. Zhusupova said.
The Deputy Secretary-General expressed that view that in such cases, NGOs should work closely with lawyers, parliamentarians, and others, to change or amend existing laws and change the balance of power.
“The UN has worked this way in many parts of the world”, she said. “For example, in Latin America, and even in my home country, there are many cases where the death of a woman at the hands of her husband is considered in court as simple domestic violence. Here you need to create a coalition of your supporters from among lawyers, parliamentarians, the presidential administration, the government, since it is always easier to work together”, she said.
Executive Director of the public fund, Daris – 2016, Gulnur Idigeeva, speaking at the meeting, raised the problem of psychological burnout faced by NGO employees who help victims of violence.
“It is impossible to remain indifferent and psychologically calm after difficult life situations that victims of violence come to us with”, she said.
“People do not withstand such psychological impacts, and they quit. Are there any special trainings or services that would help defenders of victims of violence, go through rehabilitation?”
Amina Mohammad agreed that burnout is one of the important issues that has not been given due attention.
“During my trips to different countries, I was shocked by the work of one woman who provided psychological assistance to victims of violence. I asked her how she copes with such a heavy moral burden, to which she replied that this was the first time she had been asked such a question and that she was trying to find support and strength for recovery on her own.”
Ms. Mohammed said the Spotlight Initiative should now consider adding a psychological rehabilitation component to its programme, for those who work with victims of violence: “Well, Kazakhstan has proposed a new component to the UN programme,” she exclaimed.
Bringing men on board
According to the Deputy UN chief, it’s important to involve local leaders, including men in positions of authority, in the effort to end violence against women.
“We need to organize a movement to create a society without violence”, said Ms. Mohammed, which includes some of those typically seen as “macho” types, to condemn such violence.
She said it was also important to involve youth “in this social movement, as we need to reach out to the next generation. Men need to be educated from an early age,” she suggested.
She said that the UN is planning to expand funding for the Spotlight Initiative, and not only through partners, the EU.
“There are already other countries that have reacted positively to our offer to help with funding so the Spotlight Programme can be extended. And now we need your support so that this silent pandemic, which no one notices, is finally, completely eradicated”, she concluded.
High level meetings
The Deputy Secretary-General also met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during her visit to Kazakhstan. The meeting covered a range of issues, including Government efforts to make State institutions more people-centred, Kazakhstan’s Voluntary National Review of its plans to help limit global warming and climate change in line with the Paris Agreement, and plans to operationalize a commitment to decarbonisation, by 2060.
The Deputy Secretary-General also met with Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin, as well as with the UN country team. From Kazakhstan, Amina Mohammed went on to Kyrgyzstan.
“As in other conflicts, we currently witness the unfolding of suffering in Ukraine that does not seem to end and we cannot stop,” said Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur on cultural rights.
“The questioning and denial of the Ukrainian identity and history as a justification for war, is a violation of the Ukrainians’ right to self-determination and their cultural rights.
“Self-identification is the paramount expression of these rights and all discussions, by States and in social media, should respect this.”
She said that the considerable loss of cultural heritage already, and destruction of cultural artefacts, was worrying for the identity of both Ukrainians and minorities within the country, and would impact the return to a peaceful multicultural society after the end of the war.
Museums under fire
Ms. Xanthaki expressed her concern at damage inflicted by Russian forces on city centres, cultural sites and monuments and museums, housing important collections.
“These are all part of the identity of people in Ukraine; their loss will have a lasting effect,” the expert said. She shared UN cultural agency UNESCO’s concern that there is an existential threat to Ukraine’s entire cultural life.
The expert said the cultural rights of all individuals – Ukrainians, Russians and other members of minorities living within Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and elsewhere – must be fully respected and protected.
“As the battles rage on, we are not completely powerless,” she said. “Beyond recalling that the rules of international humanitarian and human rights law should be scrupulously applied by all parties to the conflict, we must ensure that culture helps us maintain our dignity and is not used as a means to pursue and fuel the war.
“We often do not measure how devastating violations of cultural rights can be for peace”, she continued.
“Attempts against academic and artistic freedoms, linguistic rights, falsification and distortion of historical facts, denigration of identities and denial of the right to self-determination, result in further degeneration and fueling of open conflict.”
The expert paid tribute to the many cultural professionals in Ukraine devoted to protecting the country’s heritage, who are using powerful artistic expression, against the war, and in favour of peace.
‘Regret’ over retaliation
The Special Rapporteur also expressed her regret about the indiscriminate exclusion of Russian artists from cultural events.
“I am saddened by the numerous restrictions affecting Russian artists in retaliation for the actions of the Russian Government, as well as by the deprogramming of sometimes centuries-old works of art from Russian writers or composers”.
Ms. Xanthaki cited reports of Russian musicians prevented from performing or taking part in competitions, and of Russian artists being asked to publicly take sides.
“It is especially in this situation of continuous dehumanization, that culture and cultural rights must be visible and visibly push for humanity, empathy and peaceful co-existence,” she said.
UN Special Rapporteurs are independent experts, appointed by the Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff, nor are they paid by the UN, for their work.
At least 19 children and two teachers were killed on Tuesday when 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary School in the small city of Uvalde, Texas, located near the border with Mexico.
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Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Executive Director, said there have already been “horrific attacks” this year on schools in Afghanistan, Ukraine, the US, West Africa and beyond.
“Tragedy after tragedy, shooting after shooting, young life after young life: how many more children will die before government leaders act to keep children and their schools safe? Because until they do, these horrors will continue,” she said in a statement.
Ms. Russell emphasized that outside of their homes, school is the one place where children should feel safest.
She noted that in addition to the lives lost, “many more children, teachers and school staff who witnessed the carnage will bear the emotional and psychological scars for the rest of their lives.”
Shock and sadness
UN Secretary-General António Guterres was deeply shocked and saddened by “the heinous mass shooting”, saying it was particularly heart-wrenching that most of the victims are children.
Mr. Guterres has extended his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and to the entire community, his Spokesperson said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed expressed her outrage in a post on Twitter.
“When children go to school, they should only be concerned about learning,” she wrote. “Children should not go to school fearing for their lives!”
Ms. Mohammed said her heartfelt prayers are with the families, classmates and teachers who are mourning this “devastating loss”.
After two years of COVID-19 lockdowns and amid increasing pressures on the classic “9 to five” business model – from zero-hours contracts to telework – ILO Director-General Guy Ryder insisted on Thursday that voluntary negotiations known as collective bargaining had proved their worth.
“Workers want to keep their heads above the water, as prices rise, as they are right now, and they want to ensure workplace safety and secure the paid sick leave that has proved so critical over the last two years,” he told journalists in Geneva. “Employers for their part have welcomed agreements that have allowed them to retain skilled and experienced workers, so that they could restart, recover and rebound.”
He added: “The higher the percentage of employees covered by collective agreements, the lower the wage inequality. And the more equality and diversity there is likely to be in the workplace.”
Staying afloat
According to a new report by the UN agency, over one in three employees in 98 countries, currently have their wages, working hours and other professional conditions set by collective agreements.
But there is a considerable variation across countries, ILO said, ranging from over 75 per cent of workers having a collective agreement in many European countries and Uruguay, to below 25 per cent, in around half the countries where data was available.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, ILO’s Social Dialogue Report 2022 indicated that collective bargaining agreements had helped to protect people’s jobs and income.
“Collective bargaining has played a crucial role during the pandemic in forging resilience by protecting workers and enterprises, securing business continuity, and saving jobs and earnings,” Mr. Ryder said, noting that joint accords had also helped to allay the concerns of millions of workers by boosting occupational safety and health in the workplace, together with paid sick leave and healthcare benefits.
Flexible working arrangements and leave provisions were negotiated so that workers, particularly women, could balance work with additional care responsibilities relating to school closures or to sick family members,” he said. “And workers on temporary work had their contracts extended or converted to permanent ones so that they could maintain their earnings.”
New hybrid reality
After two years of upheaval in the workplace caused by the coronavirus, post-pandemic collective agreements have now evolved to reflect the new realities of working from home and other “hybrid” work practices, the ILO Director-General maintained.
“Agreements are already focusing on agreeing equal opportunity, the integration of on-site and remote work practices, re-regulating working time to a right to disconnect and addressing shared concerns of workers and employers over cybersecurity and of data privacy,” he said, in an appeal to more countries to embrace dialogue between workers’ organizations and employers.
“There are very good reasons to strengthen the institutions that facilitate collective bargaining,” he continued. “Employers and workers’ organisations need to be strong to ensure the legitimacy of the agreed solutions, and in light of the proliferation of diverse forms of work, we need to ensure the effective recognition to the right to effective collective bargaining for all workers in need of protection.”
The study by UN Women and the international humanitarian organization CARE, is based on surveys and interviews with people in 19 regions in Ukraine, conducted between 2 and 6 April.
After more than two months of war in #Ukraine, women & minorities are facing immense hardship when it comes to health, safety & access to food due to the crisis.
New @unwomenukraine & @CAREGlobal report highlights the disproportionate impact of the war on women & minorities.
Women are increasingly becoming heads of households and leaders in their communities as men are conscripted into the fighting, now in its third month.
Address different needs
However, women remain largely excluded from formal decision-making processes related to humanitarian efforts, peace-making, and other areas that directly impact their lives.
“It’s critical that the humanitarian response in Ukraine takes into account and addresses the different needs of women and girls, men and boys, including those that are furthest left behind,” said Sima Bahous, Executive Director at UN Women.
The Rapid Gender Analysis found the war’s impacts are particularly disproportionate for internally displaced people and marginalized groups, such as female-headed households, the Roma community, people with disabilities, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex or asexual (LGBTQIA+).
Many Roma reported experiencing severe discrimination, both in their daily struggle and in access to humanitarian aid.
Unpaid care burden
Gender roles are also changing. While many men have become unemployed or have been called up to serve in the armed forces, women have taken on new roles and multiple jobs to make up for lost household income.
Women’s unpaid care burden has increased significantly, due to the Russian invasion, with schools closed, as well as high demand for volunteer work, and the absence of men at the front.
Women and girls also highlighted poor access to healthcare services, especially for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), and pregnant, expecting, and new mothers. They also spoke of rising fears of GBV, and lack of food, especially for those in heavy conflict areas.
Many respondents mentioned challenges and barriers they face in accessing humanitarian aid and services, and around 50 per cent of both women and men indicated that mental health was a main area of life impacted by the war.
Make room for women
The report contains several recommendations for governments, the international community, and others, such as prioritizing women and young people in leadership roles, and share decision-making responsibilities equally.
Priority also should be given to sexual and reproductive health, and to maternal, newborn, and child healthcare, including the clinical care of sexual assault survivors.
‘Decimation’ marks tragic end to school year
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) continues to highlight how the war is having a dramatic impact on the lives and futures of Ukraine’s children.
“The start of the academic year in Ukraine was one of hope and promise for children following COVID-19 disruptions,” said Murat Sahin, the agency’s Representative to Ukraine.
“Instead, hundreds of children have been killed, and the school year ends amid the closure of classrooms due to war and the decimation of educational facilities.”
Education under fire
Since Russia’s invasion, hundreds of schools across the country are reported to have been hit due to use of heavy artillery, airstrikes, and other explosive weapons. Others are being used as information centres, shelters, supply hubs, or for military purposes.
At least one in six UNICEF-supported schools in the east of the country have been damaged or destroyed, including the only “Safe School” in Mariupol.
The “Safe Schools” programme was established with the education ministry, primarily in response to attacks on kindergartens and schools in the Donbas region, where armed conflict has simmered since Russian-backed separatists took charge in some areas in 2014.
A nine-year-old Ukrainian girl holds a drawing of her family as she sits in a learning hub with her mother and cat (in blue basket) in Romania.
A safe space for children
UNICEF said being in classrooms was critical for children affected by crisis, as it provides a safe space and a semblance of normality, and also ensures that they do not miss out on learning.
“Ensuring access to education can be the difference between a sense of hope or despair for millions of children,” Mr. Sahin added. “This is crucial for their future and that of all Ukraine.”
Amid the conflict, UNICEF and partners are working to provide as many children as possible with safe and appropriate learning opportunities.
An online education programme for grades 5-11, developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to reach more than 80,000 students displaced in Ukraine.
In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, children have been forced to seek shelter and safety in metro stations. UNICEF-supported volunteers have set up spaces in these locations where teachers, psychologists and sports instructors play and engage children on a regular basis.
Other initiatives include an ongoing digital campaign to educate children about explosive ordnance risk, which has reached eight million users online, while a new online kindergarten platform regularly receives hundreds of thousands of views.
Millions of youngsters have also fled Ukraine for other countries. UNICEF is supporting governments and municipalities to include these children in their national school systems, along with alternative education pathways such as digital learning.
The day shines a spotlight on the essential work they do, bringing those in power to account, with transparency, “often at great person risk”, said Secretary-General António Guterres, in a video message.
Frontlines of crises
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many media workers have been on the frontlines, providing accurate, science-based reporting to inform decision-makers and save lives”, he said.
“At the same time, journalists who cover climate, biodiversity and pollution have succeeded in bringing global attention to this triple planetary crisis.”
But the threats to their freedom to go about their reporting and story-telling fairly and accurately, are multiplying daily.
“From global health to the climate crisis, corruption, and human rights abuses, they face increased politicization of their work and attempts to silence them from many sides.
“Digital technology has democratized access to information. But it has also created serious challenges.”
Feeding on outrage, lies
The UN chief noted that many social media platforms make their money not through increasing access to fact-based reporting, but on boosting engagement, “which often means provoking outrage, and spreading lies.”
“Media workers in war zones are threatened not only by bombs and bullets, but by the weapons of falsification and disinformation that accompany modern warfare. They may be attacked as the enemy, accused of espionage, detained, or killed, simply for doing their jobs.”
Mr. Guterres said that digital technology, was also making censorship easier for authoritarian governments and others, seeking to suppress the truth, with many journalists and editors facing the prospect of their work being taken offline on a daily basis.
Women at ‘particular risk’
Digital technology is also creating new “channels for oppression and abuse”, with women journalists “at particular risk” of online harassment and violence.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, has found that nearly three-quarters of women respondents, had experienced online violence. Hacking and illegal surveillance also prevent journalists from doing their jobs.
“The methods and tools change, but the goal of discrediting the media and covering up the truth remains the same as ever”, said the UN chief, leading to citizens who live in societies without free media, being “manipulated in horrifying ways.”
No democracy
“Without freedom of the press, there are no real democratic societies. Without freedom of the press, there is no freedom”, he said.
Ten years ago, the UN established a Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, to protect media workers and end impunity for crimes committed against them, and the UN is continuing to fight to protect their rights.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day Global Conference, began on Monday, and will run until 5 May in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, built around the theme Journalism under Digital Siege.
Participants will discuss the impact of the digital era on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy. World Press Freedom Day events will reunite relevant stakeholders such as policymakers, journalists, media representatives, activists, cybersecurity managers and legal experts to explore these issues and develop concrete solutions to address the threats posed to press freedom and privacy in the digital age.
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