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U.N. urges rebels to free 90 kids in Congo
The United Nations on Wednesday urged rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army to free 90 school children abducted two weeks ago in eastern Congo.
The U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, and the U.N. special representative for children in armed conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, reminded the rebels that the abduction and use of children in armed groups is a war crime and crime against humanity.
UNICEF and the U.N. special representative called in a joint statement "for the immediate and unconditional release of all of the abducted children, who were taken during simultaneous attacks on the Kiliwa, Duru, and Nambia villages in Orientale Province on Sept. 17."
They blamed the Lord's Resistance Army for abducting the 90 children from their schools in the villages.
UNICEF said last week that three civilians were killed in the attacks, and a village chief and two Italian missionaries were abducted. The attackers also torched Kiliwa so thoroughly that only the health center was left standing in the village, it said.
The rebel Lord's Resistance Army has been waging one of Africa's longest and most brutal rebellions, drawing in the volatile region comprised of northern Uganda, eastern Congo and southern Sudan.
Formed more than 20 years ago, it has become notorious for raping children and using them as soldiers. The group's elusive leader, Joseph Kony, believed to be hiding in eastern Congo, and other top members are wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
In their statement, UNICEF and the special representative said: "There are documented cases where children kidnapped by groups in this region have been forced to fight as child soldiers, and where young girls have been raped and used as sex slaves."
After years of fighting between warring militias, eastern Congo had appeared on the road to peace following a deal signed in January by the government and a host of rebel groups.
However, the area has seen renewed fighting since late August.
At least 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes. The United Nations on Wednesday urged rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army to free 90 school children abducted two weeks ago in... more -
500,000 women die in pregnancy, childbirth - Women's health- msnbc.com
4 in 10 births around world not attended by trained personnel, UNICEF finds no natual birthing for me thank you
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Thousands of Nicaraguan Children Get Name, Identity
Some 250,000 indigenous children and adolescents who had no legal identity in Nicaragua are in the process of being registered -- an essential step towards achieving recognition of their basic human rights.
This was achieved by the "Right to a Name and Nationality" program run by Save the Children, Plan International, UNICEF (the United Nations children's fund), Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), and regional and municipal authorities.
"A person who is not registered has no last name and not even a first name, because rural families and society call children whatever they want, which means children grow up without even having their own name," UNICEF official Hugo Rodríguez, a consultant for the programme, told IPS.
Five years ago, human rights groups and universities in Nicaragua expressed concern about the fact that around 500,000 youngsters in indigenous communities in the eastern North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS) had no birth certificates.
An investigation indicated that nearly 40 percent of children in Nicaragua are not legally registered and thus do not figure in the country's demographic statistics, said Rodríguez, a statistician.
In indigenous areas on the Atlantic coast and in central and northern Nicaragua, researchers found native communities where 100 percent of the children and adolescents, and a portion of the adults, had never been inscribed in the civil register.
These findings led to the start of a mission that has registered 97,000 children and teenagers in the RAAN, out of 100,000 minors without a legal identity, in the past four and a half years.
The efforts expanded this year to the RAAS, where the goal is to register 100,000 youngsters, and to the province of Nueva Guinea, south of that area, where about 50,000 minors have no birth certificates. Some 250,000 indigenous children and adolescents who had no legal identity in Nicaragua are in the process of being registered -- an e... more -
Bicycles for education in Togo, West Africa
Girl power and pedal empowerment!
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Would love to try some of that shea butter too...
TOGO, AFRICA. Bicycles for Education, a project founded by Alaffia Sustainable Skin Care and the Global Alliance for Community Empowerment, just shipped its second round of over 2,000 bicycles to disadvantaged students (mainly girls) in Togo, West Africa.
About 90% of girls in rural areas of Togo drop out before finishing secondary school, according to UNICEF. Only large towns house these schools, so students from outlying villages can walk up to 10 miles just to get to class every day (there is no bus service). It's physically demanding, often leaving them tired and unproductive, and given girls' household roles as their mothers' assistants, domestic responsibilities come first. So, in the end, the choice is simple for them: stay home.
Enter Alaffia. By supplying qualifying individuals (depending on household income, distance from school, and gender) with a bicycle, helmet, and training session, the people behind the Bicycles for Education project believe they will gradually reduce the reliance of African countries on Western societies. The thinking goes something like this: Get girls back in school, reduce gender and economic inequalities, increase self-empowerment, and eradicate poverty.
Since the first shipment in 2006, bicycle recipients in the 15 communities where they were distributed are still using the bikes for their intended purpose (getting to school). The next 2,000 used bikes were collected through drives in the US and shipped to Togo, where they will be repaired by local mechanics and prepared for distribution. (Bicycles for Education impacts donor communities, as well: It keeps bikes from ending up in landfills and recycles those in bad condition.) Funding for all aspects of the project comes from the sales of Alaffia's skin care line. Girl power and pedal empowerment! - Would love to try some of that shea butter too... ... more -
IN AUMENTO I TURISTI DEL "SESSO" TRA I GIOVANI ITALIANI
E' allarmante il numero di turisti italiani che ogni anno si reca nei Paesi in via di sviluppo per incontri sessuali con minorenni: circa ottantamila, e sono in aumento, i giovani tra 20 e i 30 anni.
Lo ha spiegato l'associazione di avvocati 'Legale nel sociale', nel corso di un convegno tenuto a Roma. "Il fenomeno - ha riferito l'associazione- così diffuso e drammatico, non può essere liquidato come pedofilia, visto che tra i turisti sessuali solo il 3 percento è pedofilo".
Le vittime di sfruttamento sessuale nel mondo sono 2 milioni e la maggior parte di loro si trova in Asia. 'Intrattenersi' con loro costa circa 20 dollari, ma ci sono paesi come il Brasile dove il prezzo può scendere anche sotto i 5 dollari.
Una delle mete preferite dai turisti del sesso, giovani e meno giovani, è il Kenya. Secondo i dati raccolti dall'Unicef e dal governo keniota lo sfruttamento di bambini e bambine è in vertiginoso aumento soprattutto nelle zone costiere del Paese africano. E' allarmante il numero di turisti italiani che ogni anno si reca nei Paesi in via di sviluppo per incontri sessuali con minorenn... more -
Iraqi violence preventing distribution of aid, UNICEF reports
Continued violence in Sadr City area of Baghdad is leaving over 150,000 people without adequate provisions of water and food. The ongoing fighting has claimed over 1000 lives according to the Iraqi government.
The BBC News website reports that, "The agency is also reporting one other worrying development stemming from the current conflict.
It says there are unconfirmed reports that children are being recruited by Shia militiamen into their ranks." Continued violence in Sadr City area of Baghdad is leaving over 150,000 people without adequate provisions of water and food. The ongo... more -
UN World Food Program needs help
"We find that people are being thrown into the urgent category and we really want to make the point that the clock is ticking and we need to help people now meet their nutritional needs," said Josette Sheeran of the UN World Food Program.
"We're seeing about 100 million people... who maybe didn't need assistance six months ago but today simply can't afford enough food for their family."
Ms Sheeran said the price of rice in Asia had soared from $460 a ton on 3 March to more than $1,000 seven weeks later. The global prices of wheat, rice and maize have nearly doubled in the past year.
Ms Sheeran said the crisis required large-scale, high-level action by the international community, focused on both emergency and longer-term solutions.
Hey people - donate to UNICEF at http://www.unicef.org "We find that people are being thrown into the urgent category and we really want to make the point that the clock is ticking and... more -
UN Aid Agencies Continue Relief in Madagascar
After Cyclones Fame, Ivan, and Jokwe struck Madagascar earlier this year, the U.N. continue to aid Madagascar. Dozens of people were killed and 190,000 people were left homeless by the cyclones. Relief has been coming along, but 36 million is still needed to provide aid across the country. After Cyclones Fame, Ivan, and Jokwe struck Madagascar earlier this year, the U.N. continue to aid Madagascar. Dozens of people were ... more
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Water Water Everywhere??
I am working w/Unicef's TAP Project (and participating San Francisco/Bay Area restaurants) which takes place during World Water Week, March 16-22nd.
www.tapproject.org
Last year in New York city, Unicef's TAP Project's participating restaurants asked their patrons if they would like to donate $1 every time they ordered a glass of Tap water, something they normally get for free. $1 gives clean drinking water to a child for 40 days. They raised over $100,000 in one day. This year, they have reached out to another 15 cities across the country to do it again, however, this time it's for World Water Week.
In addition, I set up a fundraiser which promises to be fantastic. It's on Thursday, March 20th, at Mezzanine, which rocks; DJ Richie Panic is spinning, so there will be shaking on the dance floor; and Living Room Events is providing snacks. Everyone has donated their time and energy to this event during World Water Week. We'd love to see and meet you and celebrate how the Bay Area continues to be a fabulous, socially conscious place to live.
www.mezzaninesf.com I am working w/Unicef's TAP Project (and participating San Francisco/Bay Area restaurants) which takes place during World Water W... more -
UNICEF gets a new face of hope
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has filmed a public service announcement for UNICEF to help raise money to prevent children being born with the HIV virus.
The actress agreed to take part in the PSA after being approached by pal Jemima Khan – ex-girlfriend of Hugh Grant – who is urging world leaders to honor their 2007 pledge for AIDS funding that would allow all pregnant women with HIV to receive treatment and care to ensure that their babies are born free from the virus.
"I asked Gwyneth if she would agree to do the voiceover for the film as she is a mother with a global profile who I know is a supporter of UNICEF." Khan said. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has filmed a public service announcement for UNICEF to help raise money to prevent children being born with th... more -
Smurfs Bombed In UNICEF Ads
Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurf's village is carpet bombed by warplanes — a horrific scene and imagery not normally associated with the lovable blue-skinned cartoon characters. Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurf's village is carpet bombed by warplanes — a horri... more
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War in Congo continues to kill 45,000 each month
The deadliest conflict since the second world war is that which continues today in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This survey reports that 5.4 million Congolese have been killed in less than a decade, and at present, about 45,000 people die each month -- half of them small children. While not all of the reported deaths are directly related to combat, the preventable diseases and starvation that have been aggravated by conflict are claiming many thousands of lives.
"Congo is one of 11 countries where 20% of children die before the age of five, according to a Unicef report released yesterday." The deadliest conflict since the second world war is that which continues today in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This survey repor... more -
Iraqis Resort to Selling Children
Many Iraqi families are living in such desperate conditions that they're resorting to selling their children to families outside of Iraq in the hope of providing them with a better future. "Omar Khalif, vice-president of the Iraqi Families Association (IFA), an NGO established in 2004 to register cases of those missing and trafficked, said that at least two children are sold by their parents every week. Another four are reported missing every week."
I couldn't imagine being in the position of having to put a price tag on my child so they could have a better life. This is so heartbreaking. Many Iraqi families are living in such desperate conditions that they're resorting to selling their children to families outside ... more -
2 Million Iraqi Children Suffer
A recent Unicef report concluded that the children are paying the highest price in Iraq. Nearly 20 % have dropped out of school and approximately 25,000 children are displaced from their homes each month to escape the violence. Poor health care is also a problem. A recent Unicef report concluded that the children are paying the highest price in Iraq. Nearly 20 % have dropped out of school and a... more
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Mia Farrow Launches Fund for Darfur
Actress Mia Farrow launched a fund to support survivors of the fighting in Sudan's Darfur region Sunday, and said that the jailing of a British teacher in the African nation showed the cruelty of its leadership.
"This is the first genocide of the 21st century and the one genocide that is ongoing as we speak," said Farrow, a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF who has visited Darfur seven times since 2004. "We have a regime that launched a military campaign on an unarmed population for no other reason than that they are not Arab." Actress Mia Farrow launched a fund to support survivors of the fighting in Sudan's Darfur region Sunday, and said that the jailin... more -
The best country to live
Take a guess before they reveal it in the video.
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Disney-inspired designer wear auctioned for charity
One-of-a-kind fairytale frocks inspired by Disney characters were auctioned at Christie's in Paris to benefit UNICEF. Top designers created modern-day dresses to celebrate Disneyland Resort Paris's 15th birthday (has it really been that long?).
click through to the article... there's a photo gallery link on there and the designs are really cool! One-of-a-kind fairytale frocks inspired by Disney characters were auctioned at Christie's in Paris to benefit UNICEF. Top designe... more -
Mia Farrow trading freedom for leader in Darfur
Very odd request and even more so if you are the one she is requesting this too. I'm sure the Sudan President at first was like "Who is Mia Farrow?". Then he probably wondered why this crazy white girl would think he would agree to such a stupid proposal. He obviously can't take her up on the offer as he would take a huge hit in PR and likely have to deal with the UN and others. Plus he would be forced to basically treat her as a guest, showing her around and publicly being a great host only to let her go in the end. Oh and the fact that he would be letting a real threat to his standing in the country go free so that he can have this chick hang out at his palace for a week or two is dumb. Makes no sense to accept this offer from his point of view, but maybe he could find an angle that benefits him and his goals. I guess it is the thought that counts. Very odd request and even more so if you are the one she is requesting this too. I'm sure the Sudan President at first was like &... more
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