Passionist International

BRIEFINGS

World Fit for Children +5
On December 11-12, 2007 the General Assembly held a special session at United Nations Headquarters focusing on building a world that is truly fit for every child. Participants gathered in New York to review progress towards “A World Fit for Children” a landmark plan of action agreed by world leaders in 2002 to improve the well being of children. Five years ago governments committed to a set of time-bound and specific goals in four priority areas concerning children: promoting healthy lives; providing quality education; protecting against abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS. (More Details)

One Laptop Per Child The UN held a briefing on this idea as an example of a strategy and program to address the Millennium Goal that deals with education. It is a fascinating idea and has the potential to provide a motivational tool to millions of children in economically poor regions of the world. As you read more you will find information on how to get involved in this effort- a great Christmas idea! (Click here)

General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which created the Human Rights Council, decided that the Council shall “undertake a universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfillment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all States This preliminary note aims at informing NGOs and providing them with some guidance on the way they may contribute to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) established by the Huma

We invite you, wherever you are in the world, to take an active part in Standing Up and Speaking Out Against Poverty. (Click here)n Rights Council in Resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007. Further suggested guidelines on NGO participation in the UPR will be provided by the OHCHR Civil Society Unit. (Click here)

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Laureate
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006, divided into two equal parts, to Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank for their efforts to create economic and social development from below. Lasting peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights. (More details)

CATHOLIC PRIEST IN BRIXTON PRISON FOR WAR PROTEST
"So we went to the Ministry of Defence to grieve, because to grieve is the only way out of denial: to grieve for our
innocence, to grieve for our loss, to grieve for all those who have suffered and died and lost loved ones in Iraq, where a fate worse than death is to be the one who is left behind. We went to express our grief in the hope that hearts would be opened and lead to the repentance, conversion and change that could end the occupation. This is still our hope and cry: end the occupation: bring the troops home now." (More details)

Leaders Change; Message Continues
December 31st 2006 saw Secretary General Kofi Annan take leave of the UN, reminding us of the three great challenges facing us an unjust world economy, world disorder and widespread contempt for human rights and the rule of law global challenges that demand a global response. His farewell words: “I yield my place to others with an obstinate feeling, a real obstinate feeling of hope for our common future”. January 1st. 2007. (More details)

15th Session of Commission on Sustainable Development
This year's themes:Energy for Sustainable Development, Industrial Development, Air Pollution, Atmosphere, and Climate Change
(More details)

February-March 2007 GENEVA 70th Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Country Reports: Liechtenstein, Czech Republic, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, India (P), Canada (P), Antigua and Barbuda, Italy (P), Republic of Moldova, Republic of Indonesia (I-P)
Chair: Mr. Régis de Gouttes (France)
http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/

Exxon Mobil Posts Record Annual Profit
Feb 01, 2007 9:47 AM US/Eastern, By JOHN PORRETTO, AP Business Writer
HOUSTON (AP) -- Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp. on Thursday posted the largest annual profit by a U.S. company, $39.5 billion, even as earnings for the last quarter of 2006 declined 4 percent.
The 2006 profit topped Exxon Mobil's own previous record of $36.13 billion set in 2005.
Revenue at the world's largest publicly traded oil company rose to $377.64 billion for the year, surpassing the record $370.68 billion Exxon posted in 2005. (More details)

Scientists offered cash to dispute climate study Ian Sample, science correspondent

Friday February 2, 2007 The Guardian
The arctic habitat of polar bears is under threat as climate change causes ice to melt. Photograph: Joseph Napaaqtuq Sage/AP Scientists and economists have been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group funded by one of the world's largest oil companies to undermine a major climate change report due to be published today. (More details)

Inequality rising despite promises of globalization, UN expert says
9 February 2007 – Much of the world has seen “a significant and disturbing increase of inequality” in the last two decades, contradicting predictions that globalization and liberalization would foster more equal opportunities, a senior United Nations economist said today.(More details)

UN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OPENS SESSION WITH CALL FOR ACTION ON JOBS
New York, Feb 7 2007 7:00PM

The United Nations Commission for Social Development opened its annual session today in New York with a call for the adoption of policies that will ensure that economic growth generates employment to help fight poverty. (More details)

"Globalization has increased interdependence among countries, leaving governments limited policy space to increase employment levels on their own through more expansionary macroeconomic policies,” said Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs José Antonio Ocampo. (More details)

World Bank and Governments Asked to Ensure Human Rights in Mining Sector

Isabella Gyau Orhin, Accra, February 5, 2007 Civil Society groups, CIDSE and Partner organizations across the globe that participated in the just ended World Social Forum in Nairobi Kenya have asked the World Bank to implement the original recommendations of the Extractive Industries Review report which includes the need to secure the free, prior and informed consent of local people. They have also asked Trans-national Corporations to respect their contracts with host governments, which must be in line with national laws and international human rights and environmental standards, while asking governments to allow for renegotiation of contracts which are not in the best interests of affected communities. (More details)

Poverty to be UN human rights focus Arbour took over as OHCHR chief from Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was killed in Baghdad in August 2003.
Indifference and narrow-mindedness from rich countries has hindered efforts to fight global poverty, according to the UN. Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said developed countries need to do more for poor people in the developing world by cutting back on billions spent on government handouts to farmers and the military. The UN set out at the beginning of the decade a millennium development goal to cut poverty in half by 2015. It may, however, fail to reach that goal. (More details)

FREEDOM FROM POVERTY IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND NOT A MATTER OF COMPASSION: SAY UN LEADERS,New York, Dec 11 2006
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights rings hollow to the millions of people around the world who have to struggle in extreme poverty, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today as he called for progress on human development to go hand in hand with advances in security and human rights. (More details)

SOME NEWS FROM THE 5TH SESSION OF THE PERMANENT FORUM
For the first time the General Assembly Hall was the site for the opening on Monday 15th May of the 5th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It was to mark the launch of the Plan of Action for the Second UN International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The Forum is the proud child of the First International Decade. (More details)

UN FORUM RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF DECLARATION ON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS BY 61ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AS FIFTH SESSION CONCLUDES
Convinced that a declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples will greatly advance the rights and aspirations of the world’s indigenous and tribal peoples, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues today recommended the adoption of the most recent version of the long-negotiated draft of a declaration, by the General Assembly sixty-first session, in one of nine sets of draft recommendations and three draft decisions the Forum approved by consensus at the close of its fifth session. (More details)

GA High-level Dialogue on Migration and Development
At the opening of the 61st session of the General Assembly, UN Government Members held a High-level Dialogue on Migration and Development on September 14-15, 2006. It aimed to explore the many complex aspects of international migration and development and to identify appropriate ways to maximize its benefits and minimize its negative impacts. It also aims to link discussion of migration with the reduction of world poverty through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (More details)

DPI BRIEFING ON MIGRATION APRIL 27, 2006
Migration is like the weather: everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.
There is scarcely a topic we deal with that isn't connected to the issue of migration - whether decent work, or women and children, gender equality, the dignity of people, abuse of and trafficking in persons for work or sex slavery, poverty eradication, indigenous concerns, human rights, the welfare of the family, strong community life, education, financing, debt, development issues, peace, security. (More details)

DPI/NGO Briefing - International Migration and Development - 27 April 2006 - Summary
The DPI/NGO Section held its regular weekly NGO briefing on 27 April 2006 on International Migration and Development.
During the panel discussion H.E. Enrique Berruga, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations; Hania Zlotnik, Director, Population Division, Department of Social and Economic Affairs; and Kevin Dance, NGO Working Group on Migration, talked about migration trends around the world and preparations for the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in September. (More details)
DPI BRIEFING Feb 2006 - Avian Influenza
One of the biggest threats to world health today is Avian influenza. Commonly known as “bird flu,” Avian flu has the ability to spread worldwide through the migration patterns of the birds that are infected. Not only health is affected by this virus. In Southeast Asia, where the virus is most prominent, poultry is used as currency, food, and business, it is many peoples livelihood.
(More Details)

"U.N. Reform: Can the Churches make a Difference?"
This question was explored by a panel organised in the UN by the World Council of Churches on 12 January 2006.
Mr. Jan Eliasson, President of the General Assembly gave a keynote address. Members of the World Council including former WCC General Secretary Dr. Konrad Raiser and Ms. Salpy Eskidjian, responded to his address. Mr. Jan Eliasson said we are living a dramatic paradox. On one hand we face problems that spread across national borders war, terrorism, trafficking in persons, HIV/AIDS pandemic. Only global solutions can solve these global problems. At the same time deep suspicion and widespread mistrust make cooperation among UN member states much harder. We must face this fear factor.
Full Story.

PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES OPENS FOURTH SESSION
WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
In Efforts to Achieve Goals, Indigenous People Must Not Be Forgotten, Discriminated Against or Marginalized, Forum Told