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UN chief outlines ‘bold steps’ for education in the face of COVID-19 disruption

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UN chief outlines ‘bold steps’ for education in the face of COVID-19 disruption

Describing education as “the key to personal development and the future of societies”, António Guterres issued recommendations to get children back in the classroom in a policy brief launched alongside a new global campaign called Save our Future.

“As the world faces unsustainable levels of inequality, we need education – the great equalizer – more than ever,” he said in a video message.

“We must take bold steps now, to create inclusive, resilient, quality education systems fit for the future.”

COVID-19 and the classroom

The UN estimates that the pandemic has affected more than one billion students worldwide.

Despite efforts to continue learning during the crisis, including through delivering lessons by radio, television and online, many are still not being reached.

The UN chief said learners with disabilities, members of minority or disadvantaged communities, as well as refugees and displaced persons, are among those at highest risk of being left behind.

Even those students who can access distance learning face challenges, as success depends on their living conditions, and other factors such as fair distribution of domestic duties.

Looming potential catastrophe

A learning crisis existed even before the pandemic, the Secretary-General said, as more than 250 million children were out of school.

Furthermore, only a quarter of secondary school children in developing countries were leaving school with basic skills.

“Now we face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” said Mr. Guterres. “The knock-on effects on child nutrition, child marriage and gender equality, among others, are deeply concerning.”

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Children work from home in Guatemala following guidelines received from the Ministry of Education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back to school

The policy brief calls for action in four key areas, starting with the re-opening of schools once local transmission of COVID-19 is under control.

The UN chief also called for greater investment in education, as low- and middle-income countries had already faced an annual funding gap of $1.5 trillion prior to the pandemic.

“Education budgets need to be protected and increased,” he said.

“And it is critical that education is at the heart of international solidarity efforts, from debt management and stimulus packages to global humanitarian appeals and official development assistance.”

Education initiatives must also seek to reach those at greatest risk of being left behind, he continued. They also should be sensitive to the specific challenges faced by girls and boys, and women and men, while also addressing the digital divide.

Quality education for all

For his final recommendation, the UN chief highlighted what he sees as the “generational opportunity” to deliver quality education for all children, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 17 goals, which world leaders adopted five years ago, provide a pathway to a more sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet.

“To achieve this, we need investment in digital literacy and infrastructure, an evolution towards learning how to learn, a rejuvenation of life-long learning and strengthened links between formal and non-formal education,” said Mr. Guterres.

“And we need to draw on flexible delivery methods, digital technologies and modernized curricula while ensuring sustained support for teachers and communities.”

“Making cities belong to those who work to build them”: Baha’i Chair in India looks at urbanization

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“Making cities belong to those who work to build them”: Baha’i Chair in India looks at urbanization | BWNS
INDORE, India — Of the hundreds of millions of people employed in the informal economy in Indian cities, tens of millions have returned to their rural homes because of the pandemic. This mass exodus has awakened public consciousness to the precarious condition of people working in this sector, many of whom live in informal urban settlements without social protections.

 

The Baha’i Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya University, Indore, sees this period as especially important in promoting long-term approaches to development thinking. The Chair has been bringing together economists and academics in a series of online gatherings titled “Making Cities Belong to those Who Build Them” to examine the effects of the pandemic on marginalized people.

Arash Fazli, Assistant Professor and Head of the Baha’i Chair, explains how a new conception of human nature—one that sees the nobility of every human being and protects each one against prejudice and paternalism—is essential to any discussion on development.

“People living in urban poverty, particularly those who have migrated from rural areas, are predominantly spoken of as a pitiful group who suffer oppression and have all kinds of needs, or who are at most a source of labor. Yet to define people by the circumstances of their oppression is to deny them their full humanity.

“Advancing toward a more sustainable, prosperous, and peaceful future for our cities first requires a recognition of the nobility of each human being. Those who live in informal settlements lead meaningful and productive lives through creativity and ingenuity, strong social bonds, and spiritual convictions that give them joy, hope, and resilience in the face of dire circumstances.”

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The Baha’i Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya University, India, sees this period as especially important in promoting long-term approaches to development thinking. The Chair has been bringing together economists and academics in a series of online gatherings titled “Making Cities Belong to those Who Build Them” to examine the effects of the pandemic on marginalized people.

The Baha’i Chair was established nearly 30 years ago to promote interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the field of development from a perspective that regards human prosperity as an outcome of both material and spiritual progress.
At the most recent gathering held by the Chair, participants explored how urban development can become more inclusive of marginalized people.

Partha Mukhopadhyay of the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi, spoke about the different reasons given by migrants for returning to their home villages. “They have come to the city to support their families, and during difficult times they feel responsible to take care of those who remain in the village. At the same time, they don’t have faith that they will be taken care of in the city should something happen to them. … At these two levels, you realize that [migrants] still don’t belong to the city even if they have spent their entire working lives there.”

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Caroline Custer Fazli, a research scholar with the University of Bath, United Kingdom, and member of the Indian Baha’i community, said at the gathering that research in informal settlements in Indore, India, has highlighted rich elements of the residents’ culture that often go unrecognized.

Discussions also highlighted the need for structures that allow marginalized populations to advocate for themselves. Siddharth Agarwal, of the Urban Research Centre, New Delhi, spoke about several strategies of social solidarity that have emerged in his organization’s experience, including the formation of women’s groups that are able to assess their communities’ needs and seek for their rights to be upheld through a process of “gentle but persevering negotiation” with authorities.

Vandana Swami, a professor at Azim Premji University, Bangalore, observed that “cities have never been built for the poor,” and that urban areas attempt to keep the existence of people living in poverty out of view.

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Siddharth Agarwal, of the Urban Research Centre, New Delhi, spoke about several strategies of social solidarity that have emerged in his organization’s experience, including the formation of women’s groups that are able to assess their communities’ needs and seek for their rights to be upheld through a process of “gentle but persevering negotiation” with authorities.

In reflecting on the seminar, Dr. Fazli explains how ideas inspired by the Baha’i teachings can shed light on questions concerning development. “The long term purpose of these conversations is to provide new language and concepts which can allow new ways of thinking about urban development and effecting policy.

“Common ways of looking at this subject are from the perspective of access to material resources. While it is true that those living in poverty lack material means, they lead lives of meaning and purpose. When we recognize that social progress has a material and a spiritual dimension, we begin to see all the inhabitants of the city as potential contributors to the material and spiritual prosperity of the whole.

“Poverty is a great injustice that must be systematically addressed. But experience has shown that even well-meaning development interventions create dependence, exploitation and resentment when they are based on paternalistic assumptions about people living in poverty. Ultimately development will only bear enduring fruits when people become protagonists in their own development and are assisted to work with others in society to achieve common goals for collective social progress. Seeing the potential in everyone to contribute to this process, requires going beyond materialistic frameworks of thought and seeing the moral and spiritual capacities of people.”

A recording of the seminar may be viewed here.

CoR COTER Bulletin No. 3: Updates on the COVID-19 crisis

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European Committee of the Regions
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CoR COTER Bulletin No. 3: Updates on the COVID-19 crisis

​​​​​​Covid-19 impact and response measuresThe COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected our world and our way of living with dire loses and substantial consequences on every aspect of our daily existence. The Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget (COTER) at the European Committee of the Regions will prepare regular bulletins on the policy fields within its remits reflecting recent research, articles and discussions on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in Europe and on the different actions and response measures planned and implemented at EU, national, regional and local level.​
Tips and contributions to: [email protected].​

Storms, coronavirus pose ‘double threat’ for children in Central America and Caribbean – UNICEF

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United Nations News
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Storms, coronavirus pose ‘double threat’ for children in Central America and Caribbean – UNICEF

“In the coming days and weeks, children and families will be at risk of being hit simultaneously by two disasters, COVID-19 and hurricanes,” cautioned Bernt Aasen, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Roadblocks ahead

While acknowledging that displacement, infrastructure damage and service interruptions caused by storms – particularly in coastal areas – could render individuals more vulnerable to the disease and its impacts, the UN children’s agency expressed special concern that a powerful storm could severely undermine ongoing efforts to stem COVID-19. 

The coronavirus could spread easily in crowded emergency shelters or displacement sites where physical distancing would be difficult to ensure, according to UNICEF. 

At the same time, existing control measures like handwashing could falter if water, sanitation and health infrastructure were to be damaged or destroyed.  

“This is the perfect storm we fear for the Caribbean and Central America,” said the UNICEF official.

Hampered efforts

In addition to straining national and local health systems in the region, the pandemic is also raising serious questions about the aftermath of a catastrophic hurricane, including movement restrictions and budget shortfalls, which may hinder national hurricane preparedness efforts.

“As we continue to take precautions to keep families safe from COVID-19, efforts to prepare for hurricane now are vital to mitigate the spread of virus among the most vulnerable communities”, Mr. Aasen explained.

Danger on the horizon

As UNICEF reported in a recent Child Alert, over the coming years the Caribbean region is expected to experience intensified storms and subsequent population displacements. 

In late May, tropical storm Amanda caused flooding and landslides in parts of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. At least 33 people were killed in the region and thousands were displaced. All three countries have confirmed cases of COVID-19.

And in the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019, storms caused 895,000 new displacements of children in the Caribbean and 297,000 in Central America, according to the UN children’s agency.

Stepping up

Across the region, UNICEF is working to support hurricane preparedness efforts and public health responses to COVID-19 through education, community outreach and technical support. 

In collaboration with Governments and other partners, the agency is working to build disaster resilience among communities in the region, including by adjusting hurricane preparedness and response plans to reflect COVID-19 risks with a focus on vulnerable groups, like children, pregnant women and single-headed female families. 

Moreover, UNICEF is also working to improve coordination mechanisms and tools for timely needs assessments and response based on evidence and with Governments on climate change adaptation policies to ensure that they are child sensitive and informed by the long-term perspectives of youth and adolescents.

‘No silver bullet’ to combat COVID-19, says UN health agency head

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United Nations News
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‘No silver bullet’ to combat COVID-19, says UN health agency head

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergency Committee on COVID-19 met Friday to review the current coronavirus pandemic at what chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called “a sobering moment”.

At a regular press briefing on Monday in Geneva, he recalled that when the Committee met three months ago, WHO had received reports of three million COVID-19 cases and more than 200,000 deaths.

“Since then”, he updated, “the number of cases has increased more than five-fold to 17.5 million, and the number of deaths has more than tripled, to 680,000”.

Rippling effects

In addition to the direct toll of the virus, the Committee noted the impact disrupted services is having on a range of other diseases, which are compounding reduced immunization coverage, cancer screening and care, and mental health services.

And on top of the health impact, COVID-19 is causing social, economic and political damage, according to the WHO official.

Mitigation measures

The Committee suggested a range of proposals for countries to bring the virus under control, including enhanced political commitment and leadership for national strategies and localized response activities driven by science, data, and experience.

They also acknowledged that Member States have “tough choices” to make to turn the epidemic around.

While recognizing that “it’s not easy”, the WHO chief maintained that “when leaders step up and work intensely with their populations”, the disease can be “brought under control”.

“It’s never too late to turn this pandemic around”, Mr. Tedros upheld, adding that “if we act together today”, we can save lives and livelihoods.

Recommendations

The Committee recommended that countries engage in the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, participate in relevant clinical trials, and prepare for safe and effective therapeutics and vaccine introduction, the WHO Director-General told reporters.

He also informed them that some vaccines are currently in phase three clinical trials, sharing his hope of having “a number of effective vaccines”.

“For now”, Mr. Tedros explained, “stopping outbreaks comes down to the basics of public health and disease control”, including testing, isolating and treating patients, along with tracing and quarantining their contacts.

Meanwhile, individuals must keep physical distance, wearing a mask, clean their hands regularly and cough safely away from others.

It’s never too late to turn this pandemic around — WHO chief

“The message to people and Governments is clear: do it all”, he stated, “and when it’s under control, keep going!”

Masking up

This week, WHO is also launching a so-called “mask challenge”, by encouraging people to send in photos of themselves wearing a protective mask.

In addition to being a key tool to stop the virus, masks have come to represent solidarity.

“If you’re a health worker, a frontline worker, wherever you are – show us your solidarity in following national guidelines and safely wearing a mask – whether caring for patients or loved ones, riding on public transport to work, or picking up essential supplies” Mr. Tedros urged.

Breastfeeding during COVID

In closing, the UN official reminded that this is breastfeeding awareness week.

He reiterated WHO’s recommendation that mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be encouraged, the same as all other mothers, to initiate or continue to breastfeed, saying that the “many, many benefits of breastfeeding for newborn babies and children substantially outweigh the potential risks for COVID-19 infection”.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OFGiy6t7k5E%3Frel%3D0

High Representative EU on the postponement of elections in Hong Kong

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Council of the EU and European Council
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Declaration of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the postponement of the Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong

Hong Kong : Declaration of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the postponement of the Legislative Council elections

As set out in the Council conclusions of 24 July, the EU is following closely the political situation in Hong Kong and reiterates that it is essential that the Legislative Council elections take place in an environment which is conducive to the exercise of democratic rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Hong Kong’s Basic Law.

The proposed postponement by one year of the elections to the Legislative Council through recourse to emergency powers, would delay the renewal of its democratic mandate and call into question the exercise of the democratic rights and freedoms guaranteed under Hong Kong’s Basic Law.

The recent disqualification of pro-democracy candidates, including sitting lawmakers previously democratically elected by the people of Hong Kong, also weakens Hong Kong’s international reputation as a free and open society. The protection of civil and political rights in Hong Kong is a fundamental part of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, which the EU supports.

The EU calls on the Hong Kong authorities to reconsider these decisions.

USCIRF Expresses Outrage at the Killing of U.S. Citizen Over Blasphemy Charges in Pakistan

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Robert Johnson
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Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today mourns the death of Tahir Ahmad Naseem, a U.S. citizen who was shot in a courtroom in Peshawar, Pakistan on July 29, 2020. The assailant claimed to have shot Naseem because he had belonged to the Ahmadiyya faith.

“Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are indefensible to begin with but it is outrageous beyond belief that the Pakistani government was incapable of keeping an individual from being murdered within a court of law for his faith, and a U.S. citizen, nonetheless,” USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore stated. “Pakistan must protect religious minorities, including individuals accused of blasphemy, in order to prevent such unimaginable tragedies. The authorities must take immediate action to bring Mr. Nassem’s killer to justice.”

Tahir Ahmad Naseem was arrested two years ago and charged with blasphemy under the Pakistan Penal Code. Blasphemy cases in Pakistan are extremely controversial and have led to riots and vigilante justice. As highlighted in a USCIRF policy update about Pakistan’s blasphemy law, USCIRF is aware of nearly 80 individuals imprisoned on blasphemy charges, half of whom face life imprisonment or the death penalty.

“As USCIRF has noted countless times, Pakistan’s blasphemy law inflames interreligious tensions and too often leads to violence,” noted USCIRF Vice Chair Anurima Bhargava. “We urge the State Department to enter into a binding agreement with the Pakistani government that includes the repeal of blasphemy provisions in the Pakistan Penal Code.”

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended the State Department redesignate Pakistan as a “Country of Particular Concern,” or CPC, in part because of the “systematic enforcement of blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws,” which often target religious minority communities. In a recent policy update, USCIRF provided an overview of key issues that should be included in any binding agreement between the governments of the United States and Pakistan.

Yemen: Statement by the Spokesperson on the release of members of the Baha’i community

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Robert Johnson
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The European Union welcomes the release of members of the Baha’i community by the movement Ansar Allah after their prolonged detention. One of those detained had been imprisoned since 2013 and was sentenced to death. The EU and its Member States have consistently advocated for the immediate release of all detained individuals.

The spread of coronavirus in Yemen and appalling conditions in detention facilities throughout the country made their release even more urgent. This gesture is a step in the right direction, contributing to building confidence and bringing the resumption of the peace process in Yemen closer. We commend the efforts of the UN, notably the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, in securing the release of the members of the Baha’i community, as well as the generous facilitation of the Ethiopian government.

Nobody should be persecuted on the basis of their belief or political affiliations. The EU recalls that freedom of thought, conscience and religion, are fundamental rights which must be guaranteed under all circumstances according to article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Yemen has signed up to and ratified.

The EU calls on all parties to replicate such gestures throughout the whole country and put an end to the conflict by engaging with the efforts of the UN Special Envoy.

The EIB`s lends EUR 10 million to Credo Bank

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Newsroom
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Team Europe: The EIB`s lends EUR 10 million to Credo Bank under its Georgia Outreach Initiative to support MSMEs ©EIB

Team Europe: The EIB`s lends EUR 10 million to Credo Bank under its Georgia Outreach Initiative to support MSMEs

The EIB will lend EUR 10 million in synthetic local currency to Credo Bank, the leading actor on microfinance market in Georgia predominantly servicing enterprises in rural areas and agricultural sector;

This is the second loan under the EIBs Georgia Outreach Initiative launched to improve access to finance for the countrys MSMEs.

Loans will be available under flexible terms to help maintain liquidity of MSMEs to continue operating and preserve jobs;

The loan comes as a part of the immediate response to Covid-19 pandemic launched by the EU and its Team Europe and is facilitated by an EU grant.

The European Investment Bank will lend EUR 10 million to Credo Bank, the leading actor on microfinance market in Georgia, and provide more affordable loans to countrys micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), predominantly from the agriculture sector. This is the second loan granted under the EIBs Georgia Outreach Initiative. Launched in December 2019 the Initiative improves financial inclusion and access to finance for underserved MSMEs in Georgia by supporting smaller banks in the country to improve their service offers.

The loan from the EU bank will be available to MSMEs in synthetic local currency to shield them from risks related to the depreciation of the currency. A grant from the European Union will complement the EIB loan to promote the local currency financing and cover part of the foreign exchange risk related costs.

The EIB loan will support MSMEs to overcome problems induced by the Covid-19 pandemic by supporting MSMEs with much-needed working capital and additional liquidity by creating additional sources of finances, available under flexible terms, to preserve jobs and vital agricultural production in the country.

The investment is a part of the European Union`s Team Europe immediate response to Covid-19 pandemic, launched in over 100 partner countries around the world, to which the EIB alone pledged EUR 6.3 billion.

Lilyana Pavlova, Vice President of the EIB, responsible for the bank’s activities in Georgia said: “With this loan the European Investment Bank and Team Europe are delivering on their pledge to support Georgia overcome the challenges brought by Covid-19 pandemic. Through our partnership with Credo Bank we will provide liquidity in local currency in order to keep businesses running during the crisis, and support their early and speedy recovery, thus, contributing towards a more resilient economy and strengthening the national financial sector. This will all be crucial for any future sustainable development of Georgia.”

Carl Hartzell, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, said: Improving living conditions in rural areas is an important priority of EU-Georgia cooperation. This loan will have a strong focus on the local agricultural sector, which is key from a local food production and employment perspective.

Zaza Pirtshkhelava CEO of Credo Bank said: I would like to sincerely thank the European Investment Bank for years of successful cooperation to improve financial inclusion in Georgia, for standing by the bank and its customers during the most volatile times and the European Union for the complementary grant to the transaction. This long-term local currency finance will be directed to assist farmers survive current constraints induced by Covid-19 pandemic and will highly contribute to uninterrupted agriculture production and food security in the country.

Portugal: EIB supports The Navigator Company’s decarbonisation strategy with €27.5 million

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Newsroom
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@The Navigator Company

The project,  involving the construction and operation of a new biomass boiler at the Figueira da Foz pulp and paper plant, is a major step in the company’s recent decarbonisation strategy Funds are provided under the Investment Plan for Europe.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will support The Navigator Company, a major Portuguese industrial group and Europe’s leading pulp and paper manufacturer, with a €27.5 million loan for the construction and operation of a new biomass boiler at their integrated mill facility located in Figueira da Foz, a cohesion region in Portugal.

This project is the first major step of The Navigator’s decarbonisation strategy, launched recently with the aim of making the company carbon neutral by 2035 (15 years ahead of the EU target of 2050) in line with the Paris Agreement, the EU Green Deal and Portugal’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality.

Replacing the existing equipment with a new biomass boiler is part of the company’s investments for offsetting carbon emissions and is seen as crucial for preserving and improving its competitiveness and market presence in a cyclical business sector, especially now amid the far-reaching economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This EU bank financing is provided under the Investment Plan for Europe.
The Figueira mill only uses feedstock from forests that are either certified by internationally accredited forest certification systems or considered to be controlled wood. This project will also contribute positively to supporting rural economies and employment in Portugal through the further development of a forest and bioeconomy value chain.

“We are very pleased to support the Navigator Company’s ambitious decarbonisation strategy and their efforts in modernizing production to make it more sustainable and to strengthen their competitiveness. While boosting economic recovery from COVID-19, this project will promote circular economy and help the EU reach its objective of climate neutrality by 2050” said EIB Vice-President Emma Navarro, responsible for the operations in Portugal as well as for the Bank’s climate action. “Climate action and cohesion, along with sustainable growth, continue to be key priorities for the EIB, even amid this pandemic. We are glad to support a project that is strongly contributing to these goals in Portugal and in Europe”.

This is the eighth transaction between the EIB and The Navigator Company with the last operation signed in 2018. In that project, the EIB Group supported The Navigator Company’s investments in innovation and climate action, such as the financing of the modernisation of the Figueira da Foz mill and the upgrade of their production technologies. As a result, energy consumption and the amount of chemicals used were reduced, as were greenhouse gas emissions thanks to fossil fuels being replaced with the greater use of renewable biomass energy.

The EIB is the world’s largest multilateral provider of climate finance. Its goal is to be a leader in mobilising the finance needed to limit the average global temperature increase to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels to meet the Paris Agreement’s objectives. On 14 November 2019, the EIB Board of Directors approved its new climate objectives and the new energy lending policy. The Bank will gradually increase its financing for climate and environmental objectives by up to 50% by 2025, with the goal of ensuring that the EIB Group mobilises at least €1 trillion in the critical decade between 2021 and 2030 to promote investments helping to meet these objectives. It also announced its intention to align all EIB Group activities with the Paris Agreement. To this end, the EIB will cease financing fossil fuel-based projects from late 2021.

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