Tag: Human Rights

Safe, Regular & Orderly Migration for Inclusion and Sustainability — Global Issues

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2020). International Migrant Stock 2020.
  • Opinion by Vanessa Steinmayer, Simon Graham (bangkok, thailand)
  • Inter Press Service

BANGKOK, Thailand, Sep 08 (IPS) – In Asia and the Pacific, migration is again on the rise. In 2020, almost 109 million people lived in a country other than that of their birth. They represented 2.3 per cent of the region’s population in 2020 and almost 38 per cent of the world’s international migrants.

If managed properly, migration can benefit migrants, their families, as well as both the countries they come from and go to.

Growth in the international migrant stock in Asia and the Pacific and by subregion, 1990—2020

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2020). International Migrant Stock 2020.

Migration is largely a result of disparities

Development disparities are a key driver of international migration. Poverty, limited job opportunities, recently exacerbated by rising food and energy prices, and the prospect for higher wages abroad are main contributors to the decision to migrate.

Migrants work in jobs of all skill levels: construction and domestic workers, nurses, accountants, computer scientists, teachers and many others. Women are particularly engaged in domestic and care work.

Migration primarily occurs within the region. People often prefer to migrate to countries with geographic and cultural proximity. The region features distinct migration corridors, such as from Central Asia to the Russian Federation, from Pacific islands to Australia or within South East Asia.

Temporary labour migration from Asia and the Pacific to the Middle East is significant too, with Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines as the main countries of origin. Overall, Asia and the Pacific is a hub for international migration; many countries are simultaneously countries of origin, destination and transit.

Millions of young people from the Asia-Pacific region also migrate to study abroad. After completing their degrees many of them gain work visas and employment in their country of destination, such as Australia or New Zealand.

Migration without choice

Other people have no choice but to migrate. They flee their countries due to war and conflict. In 2022, there were 31.6 million refugees from Asia and the Pacific under the mandate of UNHCR and 27.5 million of them were living in the region.

A total of 53 per cent of refugees from Asia-Pacific countries are female and 43 per cent are under 18 years old. Countries such as Bangladesh, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, and Türkiye are among the largest host countries of refugees in the world for refugees from neighbouring countries in conflict. An increasing number of people migrate for environmental reasons and climate change because they see their livelihoods being destroyed.

Migration comes with a high cost for migrants

Despite the gains, migration comes at a high cost for migrants. Recruitment costs to private recruiters remain high. Some pay with their lives: Since 2014, every year, an estimated 4,000 deaths have been recorded worldwide on migration routes.

Each year, thousands of men and women fall prey to traffickers and smugglers, often for forced labour and sexual exploitation. Access to social services and protection, as well as rights, in destination countries often remain limited, particularly for workers classified as low skilled, including domestic workers. Women migrants are at higher risk of being abused and find limited access to sexual and reproductive health services.

Migrants are agents of development

Migrants typically send back cash or goods to support their families in their country of origin, known as remittances. In 2022, a total of $311 billion was sent to Asia and the Pacific as remittances, which support better housing, nutrition and better education for children. In countries of destination, migrants perform jobs that often could not be filled otherwise. Migrant workers are essential to many sectors in the economy, particularly in ageing societies.

Migration is an irreversible trend in the Asia-Pacific region. To harness the benefits, safe and low-cost pathways for regular migration are needed. There is also a need to address development disparities, conflict and environmental degradation to ensure that migration is people’s individual choice. Regional dialogue and cooperation on international migration is crucial to this end.

The Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference, organized by ESCAP and UNFPA, in Bangkok from 15 to 17 November 2023, will provide opportunities for policymakers, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to discuss key population and development issues.

The meeting’s outcome will provide the regional input to the global review of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) at the 57th session of the Commission on Population and Development, in 2024.

Vanessa Steinmayer is Population Affairs Officer, Social Development Division, ESCAP and Simon Graham is UNFPA Fellow on Population and Development.

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The UNs Own Relevance Is at Stake at This Years General Assembly — Global Issues

  • Opinion by Mandeep S.Tiwana (new york)
  • Inter Press Service

NEW YORK, Sep 07 (IPS) – This September, world leaders and public policy advocates from around the world will descend on New York for the UN General Assembly. Alongside conversations on peace and security, global development and climate change, progress – or the lack of it – on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is expected to take centre-stage. A major SDG Summit will be held on 18 and 19 September. The UN hopes that it will serve as a ‘rallying cry to recharge momentum for world leaders to come together to reflect on where we stand and resolve to do more’. But are the world’s leaders in a mood to uphold the UN’s purpose, and can the UN’s leadership rise to the occasion by resolutely addressing destructive behaviours?

Sadly, the world is facing an acute crisis of leadership. In far too many countries authoritarian leaders have seized power through a combination of populist political discourse, outright repression and military coups. Our findings on the CIVICUS Monitor – a participatory research platform that measures civic freedoms in every country – show that 85% of the world’s population live in places where serious attacks on basic fundamental freedoms to organise, speak out and protest are taking place. Respect for these freedoms is essential so that people and civil society organisations can have a say in inclusive decision making.

UN undermined

The UN Charter begins with the words, ‘We the Peoples’ and a resolve to save future generations from the scourge of war. Its ideals, such as respect for human rights and the dignity of every person, are being eroded by powerful states that have introduced slippery concepts such as ‘cultural relativism’ and ‘development with national characteristics’. The consensus to seek solutions to global challenges through the UN appears to be at breaking point. As we speak hostilities are raging in Ukraine, Sudan, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Sahel region even as millions of people reel from the negative consequences of protracted conflicts and oppression in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Syria and Yemen, to name a few.

Article 1 of the UN Charter underscores the UN’s role in harmonising the actions of nations towards the attainment of common ends, including in relation to solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. But in a time of eye-watering inequality within and between countries, big economic decisions affecting people and the planet are not being made collectively at the UN but by the G20 group of the world’s biggest economies, whose leaders are meeting prior to the UN General Assembly to make economic decisions with ramifications for all countries.

Economic and development cooperation policies for a large chunk of the globe are also determined through the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Established in 1961, the OECD comprises 38 countries with a stated commitment to democratic values and market-based economics. Civil society has worked hard to get the OECD to take action on issues such as fair taxation, social protection and civic space.

More recently, the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – grouping of countries that together account for 40 per cent of the world’s population and a quarter of the globe’s GDP are seeking to emerge as a counterweight to the OECD. However, concerns remain about the values that bind this alliance. At its recent summit in South Africa six new members were admitted, four of which – Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – are ruled by totalitarian governments with a history of repressing civil society voices. This comes on top of concerns that China and Russia are driving the BRICS agenda despite credible allegations that their governments have committed crimes against humanity.

The challenge before the UN’s leadership this September is to find ways to bring coherence and harmony to decisions being taken at the G20, OECD, BRICS and elsewhere to serve the best interests of excluded people around the globe. A focus on the SDGs by emphasising their universality and indivisibility can provide some hope.

SDGs off-track

The adoption of the SDGs in 2015 was a groundbreaking moment. The 17 ambitious SDGs and their 169 targets have been called the greatest ever human endeavour to create peaceful, just, equal and sustainable societies. The SDGs include promises to tackle inequality and corruption, promote women’s equality and empowerment, support inclusive and participatory governance, ensure sustainable consumption and production, usher in rule of law and catalyse effective partnerships for development.

But seven years on the SDGs are seriously off-track. The UN Secretary-General’s SDG progress report released this July laments that the promise to ‘leave no one behind’ is in peril. As many as 30 per cent of the targets are reported to have seen no progress or worse to have regressed below their 2015 baseline. The climate crisis, war in Ukraine, a weak global economy and the COVID-19 pandemic are cited as some of the reasons why progress is lacking.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is pushing for an SDG stimulus plan to scale up financing to the tune of US$500 billion. It remains to be seen how successful this would be given the self-interest being pursued by major powers that have the financial resources to contribute. Moreover, without civic participation and guarantees for enabled civil societies, there is a high probability that SDG stimulus funds could be misused by authoritarian governments to reinforce networks of patronage and to shore up repressive state apparatuses.

Also up for discussion at the UN General Assembly will be plans for a major Summit for the Future in 2024 to deliver the UN Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda report, released in 2021. This proposes among other things the appointment of a UN Envoy for Future Generations, an upgrade of key UN institutions, digital cooperation across the board and boosting partnerships to drive access and inclusion at the UN. But with multilateralism stymied by hostility and divisions among big powers on the implementation of internationally agreed norms, achieving progress on this agenda implies a huge responsibility on the UN’s leadership to forge consensus while speaking truth to power and challenging damaging behaviours by states and their leaders.

The UN’s leadership have found its voice on the issue of climate change. Secretary-General Guterres has been remarkably candid about the negative impacts of the fossil fuel industry and its supporters. This July, he warned that ‘The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived’. Similar candour is required to call out the twin plagues of authoritarianism and populism which are causing immense suffering to people around the world while exacerbating conflict, inequality and climate change.

The formation of the UN as the conscience of the world in 1945 was an exercise in optimism and altruism. This September that spirit will be needed more than ever to start creating a better world for all, and to prove the UN’s value.

Mandeep S. Tiwana is chief officer for evidence and engagement + representative to the UN headquarters at CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance.


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UN rights chief — Global Issues

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stressed the urgency of addressing these challenges if the country is to move forward, recalling the 2022 anti-Government protests demanding a fairer and more inclusive society.

“But the potential for a historic transformation that would address long-standing challenges is far from being realized.”

The UN rights chief’s message coincides with the launch of a new report documenting the country’s human rights situation. It outlines the challenges and opportunities to address them, in the wake of the 2022 economic crisis.

Families search for truth

Although the brutal decades-long civil war ended more than 14 years ago, tens of thousands of victims and their families in Sri Lanka still seek truth and justice.

While the Government proposed a new truth-seeking mechanism, meaningful and transparent consultations with victims and civil society are essential for the success of any transitional justice process, OHCHR said.

This includes putting an end to all forms of harassment and unlawful surveillance, and supporting initiatives to acknowledge and memorialize victims’ experiences.

“Truth-seeking alone will not suffice. It must also be accompanied by a clear commitment to accountability and the political will to implement far-reaching change,” Mr. Türk said.

Concerns over proposed laws

The report raises concerns over proposed new laws, such as the Anti-Terrorism Bill before parliament and legislation to regulate broadcasting.

It also highlights the need for comprehensive security sector reform, including reduced military spending and a cut in military personnel in areas affected by armed conflict.

The report also calls on the authorities to accelerate investigations and prosecutions into emblematic cases of human rights violations, as well as the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed 269 lives and injured over 500.

© UNICEF/Weerasinghe

In July 2022, autorickshaws wait in a long queue at a Sri Lankan fuel station, amidst a severe economic crisis.

Economic crisis

The report summarizes the impact of the 2022 economic crisis on the human rights and well-being of Sri Lankans.

The crisis resulted in severe shortages in fuel, electricity, food, medicines, and other essential items. While some stabilization occurred in 2023, many experienced a sharp decline in living standards, and the country still grapples with a heavy debt burden.

Poverty has almost doubled – from 13 per cent in 2021 to 25 per cent in 2022, according to World Bank estimates, and it is projected to further rise to 27.4 per cent this year, and remain over 25 per cent for the next few years.

Women have borne a “distinct impact” post-crisis, as many are primarily engaged in informal sectors of the economy and face limited access to social protection, said OHCHR.

Food and education

Food insecurity and access to health and education also remain major concerns.

Across the country, about 37 per cent of households faced acute food insecurity in November 2022, leading to a significant number of families buying cheaper less nutritious food and sometimes skipping meals altogether, leading to fears of rising malnutrition among children.

Mental health has also been affected as people face multiple stresses due to price increases, scarcity and loss of income.

Access to education is also at risk, amid rising truancy due to competing economic needs, and higher transport and food costs.

Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and girls are particularly vulnerable, OHCHR noted.

Recommendations

The report outlines a series of recommendations, including a call on the Government to guarantee people’s economic and social rights, tackle corruption and create an enabling environment for a successful and sustainable transitional justice process.

It also urges increased women’s participation in political life and decision-making, as well as ensuring free and fair elections at all levels of government.

The report also calls on the international community to support effective and meaningful transitional justice processes, in compliance with international norms, and targeted sanctions against those credibly alleged to have perpetrated gross human rights violations.

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Record civilian cluster munitions victims as experts urge global ban — Global Issues

The CMC 2023 report indicates that 1,172 people were killed or injured in 2022, which is the highest number since regular reporting started in 2010.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Human Rights Arms Advocacy Director Mary Wareham, emphasised that 95 per cent of casualties reported were civilians.

“It is unconscionable that civilians are still dying and being wounded from cluster munitions 15 years after these weapons were prohibited,” she said.

Cluster bombs are weapons designed to be scattered over large areas, containing several hundred “mini-bombs” called sub-munitions. As they make no distinction between civilians, civilian property and military targets, cluster bombs violate the rules of international humanitarian law.

Convention milestone

The treaty banning the weapons was first agreed in May 2008 and entered into force on 1 August 2010. The Convention prohibits all use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster munitions, primarily because of the indiscriminate harm they cause civilians.

Global support for the convention is in “good standing”, Human Rights Arms Advocacy Director Mary Wareham noted, as 112 countries are now bound by its provision and 12 others are signatories.

Other positive developments include South Sudan’s accession to the convention on 3 August, while Nigeria ratified it on 28 February, the report authors noted.

Since the convention’s adoption in 2008, there have been no confirmed reports or allegations of new use, production, or transfers of cluster munitions by any state party to the international treaty.

Ms. Wareham emphasised that the greatest obstacle to eradication “are the governments that are unwilling to join this Convention and that undermine its principles by using and transferring these weapons”.

She also highlighted civil society’s efforts to prevent the transfer of United States cluster munitions stocks to Ukraine.

“We were appalled by that decision, we fought it behind the scenes for the year leading up to this decision,” said Ms. Wareham. “The cluster munitions have been transferred now…There can be no responsible use of cluster munitions.”

Facts and Figures

According to the UN-partnered report, 987 people were killed or wounded directly in cluster munition attacks in 2022. This is compared to the previous year, where no casualties were attributed to cluster munition attacks anywhere in the world.

The vast majority of these casualties were in Ukraine, where at least 890 people, primarily civilians, were killed or wounded in attacks. The report highlights that Russia has repeatedly used cluster munitions in Ukraine since the invasion in February 2022 and that Ukraine itself has also employed the weapons – although to a lesser extent.

Furthermore, government forces in Syria and Myanmar were found to have used cluster munitions in 2022. This is the first year use of the deadly weapons have been reported in Myanmar. None of these countries has signed or ratified the 2008 treaty banning cluster munitions.

Long-term impacts

Cluster munitions pose severe long-term risks to communities. It is reported that up to 40 per cent do not explode on impact, allowing for decades of intermittent detonations.

The report authors warned of the dangers of when war ends and communities go back to “normal”, often triggering any unexploded remnants.

According to the Paul Holtom, Head of the conventional arms and ammunition programme at UN Institute for Disarmament Research at least 185 people were killed or wounded by cluster munition remnants across Ukraine, Syria, Myanmar, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon and Yemen in 2022.

Devastating for children

Loren Persi, the report’s editor, said that “these remnants are particularly devastating for children”, who made up 71 per cent of remnant casualties in 2022.

Youngsters are often drawn to the weaponry which often land “in areas where children play or work taking animals out of the field”, said Mr. Persi, who emphasised the importance of education and awareness around the ammunition’s dangers.

The report’s authors also insisted that governments should unite to condemn any use of cluster munitions and join the global ban on these weapons.

To date, “124 countries are managing to live without cluster munitions in their arsenals, without using them and they are using alternative weapons, means and methods of war fighting,” said Ms. Wareham.

The Cluster Munition Monitor is a civil society group, of which the UN Institute for Disarmament Research is a partner. It is the official monitoring regime for the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

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Record numbers risking lives to cross dangerous Darien Gap — Global Issues

So far this year, more than 330,000 people have crossed the Darien Gap on their journey towards North America – the highest annual figure recorded to date, OHCHR said. One in five was a child.

Risk of sexual violence

During the crossing, migrants and refugees are exposed to multiple human rights violations and abuses, including sexual violence – “a particular risk for children, women, LGBTI people and people with disabilities”, said OHCHR spokesperson Marta Hurtado.

She added that there were also murders, disappearances, trafficking, robbery, and intimidation by organised crime groups.

10-day journey

Ms. Hurtado pointed out that traveling on foot through the 575,000-hectare jungle was already perilous in itself, and a four to seven-day walk across the Darien Gap in the dry season could turn into a 10-day trip during the nine month-long rainy season.

The harrowing trek involves climbing steep mountains and crossing dangerous waterways.

Increased vulnerabilities

OHCHR highlighted “limited humanitarian attention” both in Panama and Costa Rica as a factor that worsened the precarious living conditions in the two countries and increased vulnerabilities.

Last month, the UN quoted figures from Panamanian authorities showing that those crossing the jungle came mainly from Venezuela (55 per cent), Haiti (14 per cent), and Ecuador (14 per cent).

Some are coming from Colombia and Peru and children of Haitian parents born in Chile and Brazil have been recorded too.

Others come from as far away as China, Afghanistan and Nepal.

Stretched capacity

With the support of the international community, the Government of Panama has built three migration centres to provide shelter, food, health care and water and sanitation for those on the move, OHCHR said. Two are located in Darien province and one at the border with Costa Rica.

However, capacity remains stretched. OHCHR warned that amid rising numbers of incoming refugees and migrants, providing protection and aid was increasingly challenging for the authorities.

Avoid anti-migrant narratives

Ms. Hurtado said her office recognised the efforts being made by Costa Rica and Panama to meet humanitarian needs.

OHCHR called on the international community to strengthen its support to the States in the Americas to close protection gaps and to help address the structural factors forcing people to leave their homes.

Back in August, the UN migration agency (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) also urged a “collaborative, comprehensive and regional approach” in responding to humanitarian and protection needs of people on the move across the whole Latin America and Caribbean region.

Advocating for human rights-based solutions to migration governance challenges, OHCHR warned against “discriminatory, anti-migrant narratives” targeting vulnerable people on the move.

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People of African descent facing ‘immense challenges’ in public square — Global Issues

It details how systemic racism, marginalization and exclusion, rooted in the legacies of enslavement and colonialism, continue to have a negative effect on all aspects of life.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged States to “accelerate action towards meaningful, inclusive and safe participation for people of African descent in every aspect of public affairs”.

Tackling systemic racism

The UN rights chief emphasized that efforts to address systemic racism must be grounded in evidence, with data analysed in terms of race and ethnic origin.

But he warned that many countries still do not collect, publish, or use such data to inform policymaking.

While the report includes examples where participation has been facilitated, it cautions that there are persistent challenges and the lack of “a safe and enabling environment” in many countries.

“Racial abuse and discrimination, surveillance, harassment, intimidation, arrests and violence against people of African descent and civil society actors of African descent, hinder meaningful, inclusive and safe participation for people of African descent in public affairs in many countries,” Mr. Türk said.

Targeted action

The High Commissioner urged States to take targeted action to change the status quo.

This includes evidence-based legal, policy and institutional approaches to dismantle systemic racism, including in law enforcement, as described in a new guidance note on transformative change for racial justice and equality.

Deaths continue

According to the OHCHR report, the deaths of people of African descent during or after interactions with law enforcement continue.

It found that little progress has been made to address impunity – despite attempts by families seeking justice.

“Deaths during or after interactions with law enforcement continue to be reported, with insufficient progress towards accountability and redress,” Mr. Türk said.

“States need to take firm action to ensure justice and redress in these cases, and to put in place strengthened and independent oversight mechanisms. It is essential that they examine what role racial discrimination, stereotypes and biases play in law enforcement and accountability processes,” he added.

The case of Adama Traoré

Speaking in Geneva, OHCHR spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, pointed out that the death of 24-year-old Adama Traoré in police custody in 2016 was “one of seven illustrative cases” in the report, demonstrating the “challenges that families of African descent face in seeking truth and justice promptly”.

Last week judges concluded that the gendarmes responsible for his arrest in Beaumont-sur-Oise, north of Paris, had not committed “illegitimate intentional violence” and could not be charged for failing in their duties.

Ms. Shamdasani emphasized that OHCHR is watching the case closely following the family’s decision to appeal the ruling.

She noted that: “Seven years after his death the family are still waiting for the full truth to be formally established, for corresponding responsibilities and for appropriate measures to be taken to ensure that justice and effective remedies are put in place so such an incident cannot occur again”.

She added that the report highlights allegations of an online smear campaign and threats against Adama Traoré’s sister.

These include posts from accounts on social media site X of two professional police unions, following her cooperation with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) last year.

“We will continue to follow this closely,” she said.

Reparations

Regarding questions of reparations for people of African descent, Ms. Shamdasani pointed out that the High Commissioner has insisted on several pillars of the response to systemic racism.

These include “confronting the legacies of the past, accountability and redress”. She stressed that Mr. Turk believes “States need to recognise that behind contemporary forms of racism, dehumanization and exclusion, is a failure to acknowledge responsibilities for enslavement”.

He believes there is a need to “comprehensively repair the harms”.

She emphasized again that the process of redress needed to be “informed by people of African descent,” with “wide-ranging initiatives, including formal acknowledgement, apologies, truth-telling processes and reparations in various forms. This should be structured through “the effective participation of people of African descent and their communities,” she added.

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Civil Society Organizations Unite to Urge Public Development Banks to Change the Way Development Is Done — Global Issues

  • Opinion by Bibbi Abruzzini (cartagena, colombia)
  • Inter Press Service

CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sep 04 (IPS) – In the midst of a complex web of crises, spanning climate change, biodiversity depletion, constraints on civic space and mounting debt burdens, civil society organizations and human rights defenders from over 50 countries have united their voices to call for immediate and impactful action from Public Development Banks (PDBs).

The global coalition’s message is clear: when it comes to financing for development, principles of rights, justice, sustainability, transparency, accountability and dignity for all cannot remain mere slogans. They must form the core of all projects undertaken by all Public Development Banks.

The Finance in Common Summit has become a pivotal platform for Public Development Banks from around the world. The fact that this year’s summit is taking place in Cartagena, Colombia, the deadliest country in the world in 2022 for human rights, envrionmental and indigenous activists, development banks must acknowledge and integrate the protection of human rights into their projects.

“Development banks are advocating to play an even bigger role in the global economy. But are they truly fit for this purpose? Unfortunately, the stories of communities around the world show us that development banks are failing to address the root causes of the very problems they claim to solve. We need to hold them accountable for this,” says Ivahanna Larrosa, Regional Coordinator for Latin America at the Coalition for Human Rights in Development.

“When PDB projects cause harm to people and the environment, PDBs must remedy these harms. All PDBs should implement an effective accountability mechanism to address concerns with projects and should commit to preventing and fully remediating any harm to communities,” adds Stephanie Amoako, Senior Policy Associate at Accountability Counsel.

The ongoing crises demand a transformation in the quality of financing and a power shift to include the voices of communities. The existing financial architecture not only impedes governments’ ability to safeguard both their citizens and the environment but also contributes to the escalating issue of chronic indebtedness. Policy-based lending and conditionalities enforced by International Financial Institutions have steered countries toward privatization of essential services, reduced social spending and preferential treatment for the private sector. This burdens the population with higher taxes, inflation, and weakened social safety nets.

“The same multinational companies that have polluted and violated human rights in Latin America are now obtaining financing from development banks for energy transition projects. Another example is the development of the green hydrogen industry in Chile, which carries a very high environmental and social risk,” says Maia Seeger, director of the Chilean civil society organization Sustentarse.

Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive and sustainable transformation of the financial architecture as well as holistic reforms and synergies with civil society and communities. Environmental and neo-colonial debts need to be a thing of the past and equitable reforms the thing of the present.

Global civil society, in response to these challenges, demands bold and decisive actions in a collective declaration signed by over 100 organisations. The demands are the result of a 4-year process in which a coalition of civil society organisations has come together to call on all PDBs at the Finance in Common Summit to embrace tangible actions that genuinely prioritize and protect people.

Just last month we have seen that change is possible when communities are involved, as the people of Ecuador voted to ban oil drilling in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, the Yasuní National Park in the Amazon rainforest.

“The global financial system needs not just a rethink but a surgical operation, and that requires bold action. Governments and institutions such as the Public Development Banks must cancel the debt of the countries that require it and put in place concrete and immediate measures to put an end to public financing of fossil fuels, to have financing based on subsidies so as not to fall into the debt trap once again. It is time for the rich countries, the biggest polluters and creditors, to offer real solutions to the multiple crises we are currently experiencing,” says Gaïa Febvre, International Policy Coordinator at Réseau Action climat France.

“Public and Multilateral Development Banks must divest from funding false climate solutions and projects that harm forests, biodiversity and communities. Instead, they should redirect finance to support gender just, rights based and ecosystems approaches that contribute to transformative changes leading to real solutions that address climate change, loss of biodiversity and create sustainable livelihoods for Indigenous Peoples, women in all their diversities and local communities. Public funds must support community governed agroecological practices, small scale farming and traditional animal rearing practices instead of large scale agri-business which perpetuates highly polluting and emitting industrial agriculture and unsustainable livestock production, the root cause for deforestation and food insecurity,” adds Souparna Lahiri, Senior Climate and Biodiversity Policy Advisor at the Global Forest Coalition (GFC).

The call to action emphasizes that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), effective climate action aligned with the Paris Agreement and successful implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework require Public Development Banks to pivot from a top-down profit-driven approach to one that prioritizes community-led involvement and human rights-based approaches.

“It is important that civil society participation be strengthened at the Finance in Common Summit (FICS). In previous years, civil society has been sidelined. Clearly, there is still some room for improvement for civil society participation to become truly meaningful. The lack of civil society representative on the opening panel this year is just one example of that. PDBs should promote and support an enabling environment for civil society and systematically incorporate civic space, human rights and gender analysis. This year, we are working towards ensuring that civil society voices, including those from communities are heard at the FICS. In collaboration with the FICS Secretariat, Forus seeks to establish a formal mechanism between civil society and PDBs and to ensure that civil society is recognised as an official engagement group,” says Marianne Buenaventura Goldman, Project Coordinator, Finance for Development at the global civil society network Forus.

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Draft hijab law tantamount to ‘gender apartheid’ say rights experts — Global Issues

“The draft law could be described as a form of gender apartheid, as authorities appear to be governing through systemic discrimination with the intention of suppressing women and girls into total submission,” the independent experts said.

They stressed that the proposed parliamentary Bill to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab and existing de facto restrictions are inherently discriminatory and may amount to gender persecution.

“The draft law imposes severe punishments on women and girls for non-compliance which may lead to its violent enforcement,” the experts warned.

It also violates fundamental rights such as the right to take part in cultural life, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful protest, and the right to access social, educational, and health services, they added.

Mahsa Amini death

“After months of nationwide protests over the death of Jina Mahsa Amini and against restrictive veiling laws, the authorities have introduced a tiered system of punishments targeting women and girls,” the experts said.

The 22-year-old was arrested in Tehran and taken into custody nearly a year ago by the so-called morality police for her alleged failure to comply with the already strict hijab laws.

She reportedly fell ill at a police station with witnesses testifying that she had first been severely beaten, and later died in hospital. Iranian authorities denied that she had been assaulted.

Culture war

The UN-appointed added the proposed new punishments under the draft legislation would “disproportionately affect economically marginalised women”.

The use of culture by the Iranian government as a tool to restrict the rights of women and girls is misplaced, the experts warned, noting that “culture is formed and evolves with the participation of all”.

By using terms such as “nudity, lack of chastity, lack of hijab, bad dressing and acts against public decency leading to disturbance of peace”, the draft law seeks to authorise public institutions to deny essential services and opportunities to those who will not comply.

Directors and managers of organisations who fail to implement the law could also be punished; the independent experts warned.

‘Weaponizing’ morality

“The weaponization of “public morals” to deny women and girls their freedom of expression is deeply disempowering and will entrench and expand gender discrimination and marginalisation, with wider negative consequences for children and society as a whole,” the experts said.

They note that the so-called morality police have also been reportedly redeployed in some areas since early July, potentially to enforce compulsory veiling strictures.

The bill was submitted to parliament by the Government and the judiciary on 21 May. Since then, it has been amended several times, with the latest draft significantly increasing the number of punishments for non-compliance.

“We urge authorities to reconsider the compulsory hijab legislation in compliance with international human rights law, and to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights for all women and girls in Iran,” the experts said.

Experts’ mandate

Special Rapporteurs and other independent human rights experts are appointed to monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues.

They serve in their individual capacity, are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.

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‘Carnage needs to stop’ says UN relief chief — Global Issues

The desperate situation prompted a tweet on Friday from Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths calling for an immediate end to the fighting.

“This carnage needs to stop” said the UN relief chief.

Major escalation

In the past two weeks alone, 71 people have been killed and injured in capital Port-au-Prince, marking a major escalation, according to UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, which Mr. Griffiths heads.

“Entire families, including children, were executed while others were burned alive. This upsurge in violence has caused unspeakable continued suffering of Haitians,” Philippe Branchat, acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country said in a news release on Thursday.

So far this year, gang violence in the Caribbean country has claimed more than 2,500 lives, with over 1,000 injured.

At least 970 Haitians have been kidnapped, and 10,000 forcibly displaced from their homes.

The latest wave of violence has also resulted in the forced displacement of over ten thousand people who have sought refuge in spontaneous camps and host families.

Brazen human rights violations

Also on Thursday, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) issued a report outlining the dire human rights situation there, including brutal killings and lynchings.

The report noted that frustrated by lack of security and functioning government, residents armed with machetes, rocks, and fuel cans have resorted to brutal measures to prevent gang members and anyone associated with them from entering their neighbourhoods.

Between April and June, nearly 240 alleged gang members were killed by these self-proclaimed “self-defence groups.”

“While some killings appeared to be spontaneous, others were encouraged, supported, or facilitated by high-ranking police officers and gang members belonging to the G-9 and allies,” the report said.

The report also documented horrifying instances of sexual violence, including collective rape and mutilation, perpetrated by gangs to spread fear, punish rivals, and target women and girls under their territorial control.

BINUH expressed concern about the forced recruitment of children by gangs and the severe mental and psychological toll the violence is exacting on the population.

The office reiterated its call to the international community to deploy a specialized international force to address the crisis.

Massive humanitarian needs

According OCHA, nearly half of Haiti’s population needs humanitarian and food assistance.

Despite access challenges due to insecurity, humanitarian partners are reaching the displaced people with immediate aid such as food, water, shelter, sanitation, health, and psychosocial support, particularly for victims of sexual violence.

“The people in Haiti cannot continue to live trapped in their homes, unable to feed their families, find work and live in dignity,” OCHA said.

The relief agency added that humanitarians are committed to stand with the people in Haiti and assist in providing immediate assistance to alleviate human suffering.



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What Nigers Coup Says About US Security Assistance in the Sahel — Global Issues

Elias Yousif
  • Opinion by Elias Yousif (washington dc)
  • Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON DC, Sep 01 (IPS) – In what has become an all too familiar phenomenon, U.S.-trained security personnel have been implicated in the July 26th coup that deposed Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum.

It is the fifth such putsch in the Sahel since 2020, and just the latest to, once again, upend Washington’s expansive counterterror operations in the region that seems to depend on questionable military partners.

As the Biden administration wrestles with how to respond, it should consider how this latest military takeover reflects on years of U.S. security cooperation in the Sahel and the efficacy of the approach that has defined U.S. engagement with the region.

Overview of U.S. Assistance to Niger and the Sahel

Over the last decade, U.S. security cooperation in the Sahel, and the western Sahel in particular, has grown substantially, reflecting widespread concern about the surge in Islamist militancy in the region.

A mix of armed groups, including those with affiliations with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, have proliferated in the region over the years, carrying out opportunistic attacks, engaging in illicit economic activity, and posing acute challenges to state authority.

Elias YousifThe United States has responded to perceived threats in the region by investing heavily in its own counterterror operations and security assistance programs, amounting to more than $3.3 billion in military aid to the Sahel over the last two decades.

Programs like the Trans-Sahara Partnership Initiative, Department of Defense building partner capacity programs, and numerous foreign military training operations have been central pillars of the U.S. approach to the region.

Despite being paired with significant amounts of economic and humanitarian assistance, they have anchored bilateral relations between Washington and its Sahelian partners.

Between FY2001 and FY2021, the United States provided the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal at least $995 million in direct security assistance, a figure which likely excludes much of the aid provided through large but opaque Department of Defense capacity building programs.

And between FY2001 and FY2020, the United States provided training to at least 86 thousand trainees in these countries, including 17,643 from Niger.

Substantial Aid But Little Progress

Unfortunately, this assistance has not resulted in commensurate improvements in the security landscape or acted as an effective bulwark against civil-military strife. Whatever tactical advances U.S. assistance has contributed to, on the part of Sahelian security forces, the presence, activity, and power of sub-state armed groups has continued to grow.

Terrorism-related activity in the region has increased by more than 2,000 percent over the past decade and a half, while militant organizations have pursued increasingly bold operations and pseudo-state activities.

At the same time, U.S. security assistance activities have provided material support to military officers who have both engaged in grave human rights abuses or who have gone on to support the overthrow of civilian governments.

In just the last three years, the Sahel has seen five coups, two each in Mali and Burkina Faso and now one in Niger, each of which has involved or implicated officers that received U.S. military training.

Unsurprisingly, these military coups have reflected poorly on U.S. security assistance efforts and exposed severe shortcomings in Washington’s approach to the region.

Although it would be difficult to identify a causal relationship between U.S. training and coup propensity on the part of recipients, repeated putsches by U.S.-backed forces show a lack of discretion in how the United States selects its security partners.

Indeed, the behavior of many of these U.S.-trained forces is far from unpredictable, especially in places where military figures have long played outsized political roles.

More robust, in-depth, and multidisciplinary pre-assessments should better inform the selection of U.S. security assistance beneficiaries and partners, and policymakers should have the courage to use that information to decline invitations to engage in security cooperation when the risk is too high.

More broadly, the highly securitized nature of U.S. engagement with the region places significant emphasis on addressing the symptoms of insecurity and distracts from other lines of effort aimed at issues of governance, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution.

Moreover, the rhetorical and political emphasis Washington has placed on counterterrorism, in addition to overshadowing significant humanitarian and development investments, can also risk securitizing local politics and elevating the political saliency of military leaders over their civilian counterparts.

Indeed, in nearly all of the most recent coups, their military leaders have cited militancy and counterterror imperatives as justification for removing civilian leaders. Without a greater emphasis on governance, civil-military reforms, and defense institution building as a prerequisite to combat-oriented assistance, the United States risks perpetuating conflict and political instability.

Finally, when U.S.-backed security forces engage in coups or grave human rights violations, the United States should be unequivocal in its response. Too frequently, the United States has been willing to voice rhetorical condemnation while discreetly sustaining security cooperation activities.

Invoking the need to address terrorism or the infiltration of other competing powers in the region, the familiar turning of the United States’ blind eye in the Sahel has both undermined any meaningful commitment to conditionality in U.S. assistance and sent a troubling signal about the consequences of predatory behavior on the part of U.S. security partners.

The United States should re-orient its strategic calculus and right size how it weighs the risks of shedding abusive security partners against the risks of continuing to partner with forces undermining good governance and human rights.

Elias Yousif is a Research Analyst with the Stimson Center’s Conventional Defense Program. His research focuses on the global arms trade and arms control, issues related to remote warfare and use of force, and international security cooperation and child-soldiers prevention. Prior to joining the Stimson Center, Elias was the Deputy Director of the Security Assistance Monitor at the Center for International Policy where he analyzed the impact of U.S. arms transfer and security assistance programs on international security, U.S. foreign policy, and global human rights practices.

Source: Stimson Center

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© Inter Press Service (2023) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service



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