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“Famine is not a word we use lightly” said Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the Rome meeting called to discuss the emergency in Eastern Africa which is in the grip of the worst drought in 6 decades.

The rains did not come; the crops failed; the next rains – if they come – are not expected until October; and the next harvest cannot be expected before January 2012.

Right now the drought has placed over 11 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and part of Uganda. The damage is much worse because of high prices for food and fuel. This affects transport, limits access to health facilities and makes it harder for emergency food and water to be distributed.

At the UN briefing today we heard this is a children’s emergency. Every day 1100 children arrive in Ethiopia from Somalia; 800 children arrive every day in Kenya.  More than half of the children arriving are moderately or severely malnourished. It is a life and death issue. Hundreds of thousands of packs of high energy biscuits, water purifiers and packs to rehydrate children are being distributed. For too many the end of a desperate journey ends in death, not life.

Children born during a drought are 71% more likely to be severely stunted for the rest of their lives.

The good news is that all the UN agencies – the Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) – are working together.  Many governments are increasing their financial contributions to the emergency.

The experts agree that the humanitarian crisis must be addressed right now. But it must be accompanied by an action plan to address the root causes of food insecurity and bring resiliency to the region. This means helping the countries in the Horn of Africa to support their poorest farmers with essential help such as tools, seeds, fertilizers, food-based nutrition and the knowledge to boost agricultural production and sustain rural livelihoods.

A joint FAO/WFP/Oxfam statement says: “The good news is that we know what to do: in 2010 an Action Plan was created that calls for a partnership between countries, humanitarian organizations and the development assistance community to link long-term development efforts and humanitarian assistance to build food security”.

Image by IFRC via Flickr

Food insecurity remains at emergency levels across parts of the Horn of Africa, famine has been declared in two regions of Southern Somalia.

Humanitarian organizations are struggling to cope with the influx of Somali refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya. Malnutrition and mortality rates are alarmingly high in many parts of the region.

More at: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/DR-2011-000029-KEN_0720.pdf

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Passionist men and women have been working with and serving people living with HIV and AIDS in many countries over many years. Among the places where we stand with people infected by this pandemic are Botswana, South Africa, Australia, USA. Their practical ministry is a constant reminder that “love is ingenious”. They show us what compassion looks like and they witness to hope.

At the United Nations on June 10, 2011, the General Assembly adopted a political declaration that promises to fully eradicate the devastating remains of HIV/AIDS. The declaration was the fruit of the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS convened to review progress in combating the pandemic. More than 30 Heads of State and over 160 governments and organizations reported on their progress. Fortunately, many states had good news to report. Studies indicate that AIDS related deaths declined by 20% in the past five years, and infection rates also declined by 25% in more than 30 countries. Since 2001, funding for antiretroviral treatment has increased eight fold.  But these countries still have much more work to do. The Assembly was concerned that many countries are not on target to stop AIDS by 2015.

Governments renewed their commitment to fight against AIDS. Everyone must have access to HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention by 2015. To achieve this universal access, they agreed to focus on particular groups most affected by the epidemic. These include women, young girls, homosexuals, victims of sex trafficking, and drug users. Discrimination against these people must end if there is to be a healthy response to the crisis. They must also be guaranteed access to treatment.

Member states said they will expand education programs, extend HIV testing and counseling to all citizens without discrimination, and make condoms more accessible. They pledged to continue investing in HIV/AIDS research and development in order to create safe, affordable, and effective vaccines and cures. By 2015, member states aim to use these vaccines and cures to stop the mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS. They also aim to put 15 million infected people on antiretroviral drug therapy. Member states asked the Secretary General to review their progress every year until 2015.

While noting the progress made, states acknowledged that they must continue the fight: 33 million people currently live with the disease; more than 7000 new infections occur every day Most new infections occur in the poorest regions of the world, in particular in Sub-Saharan African countries. Poverty and HIV/AIDS share a strong correlation. Many who become infected do not have the resources to even acknowledge their own infection.

Many countries have made great strides. Last year’s funding topped $16 billion, but fear was expressed that the global financial crisis prevented even greater levels of funding. The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria failed to receive all of the $30 million in donor commitments. The General Assembly also urged the World Trade Organization to make it easier for developing countries to obtain cheaper generic versions of patented medicines. To read more, go to: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/ga11093.doc.htm

-          Joshua Malone, Summer Intern, Passionists International

Nine-time Olympic gold medallist and UN advocate Carl Lewis will embark tomorrow, June 10^th, on a visit to the Dominican Republic and Haiti to meet national leaders and visit forestry and agricultural projects. He will highlight the International Year of Forests as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) “http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/ambassadors/ambassadors/ambassadors-carllewis/en/“

In February the UN kicked off a year-long celebration to raise awareness of the role of forests, on which at least 1.6 billion people depend for their daily needs for work and survival.

Mr. Lewis will also spotlight a global campaign by FAO to end hunger known as “The 1billionhungry project.” People can voice their outrage about world hunger by adding their names to a petition online  1billionhungry.org The campaign uses a yellow whistle as an icon encouraging people to “blow the whistle” on this global scourge.

Mr. Lewis will see an FAO project aimed at stabilizing the soil and forests in the mountains near the epicentre of the devastating January 2010 earthquake. Haiti is one of the most deforested countries in the world with only 2 per cent of forest cover left. This makes it extremely vulnerable to flash floods and landslides.

To mark World Environment Day on June 5^th,  UN agencies UNIDO (Industrial Development) and UNEP (Environment), presented a most informative panel on Green Economy: Ecosystem Services and Resource Efficiency with Special Focus on Forests and Forest Industries. It stressed the need for all countries to make the changes so as to shift to a green industry.

Forest industries play a special role in this shift. We must protect and preserve our forests. They hold 50% of the global species and cover 1/3 of the Earth’s landmass. Forests reduce the negative effects of carbon emissions and natural disasters. The panel stressed the importance of resource efficiency. They defined resource efficiency as sustainable management of resources throughout the resources lifecycle. It means getting more value from fewer materials – doing more with less!

Each speaker’s message called for responsible use of the forests. If we manage forests responsibly, both our environment and our people will be winners. Currently, trade in timber and non-timber forest products generates billions of dollars in revenue. With better conservation, we can create new industries and generate revenues. Targeted investments in forests could generate about 10 million jobs. The international community, governments, and businesses can create incentives to maintain and invest in forests.

Janardhan Plywood Limited, an Indian company, has shown resource efficiency in processing wood. Janardhan worked with local farmers to grow sustainable plantation timber and to leave old-growth forests intact. The company further optimized resource efficiency by minimizing waste, innovating costs, and saving energy. This process benefited farmers, conserved large quantities of forest, and influenced other Indian companies to follow its successful model.

The nation of Costa Rica has adopted creative measures to reverse the degradation of its forests. In 1940, forests covered over 75% of Costa Rica. By 1987, this had dropped to only 25%. Action by the government has enabled Costa Rica to restore forest coverage to 51%. It also imposed a 3.5% fuel tax, and promotes ecotourism and environmental services. It is surely no coincidence that Costa Rica’s concern to protect the environment follows an earlier decision to abolish its military and to enshrine this abolition in the Costa Rican Constitution. The government plans to make the country carbon neutral by 2021. The rest of the world would do well to learn from this small nation.

Sister Bernadette Hughes C.P., a member of Passionists International, is attending the meeting.

Violence, with its many faces, continues to destroy innocent lives and to deface the earth. National budgets devote obscene amounts of resources to weapons and preparing for war; the lives of families, communities and economies are devastated by wars and a military mindset; we see wholesale violation of women through rape used as a weapon of war; we see our governments fail to meet the basic needs of their citizens because of ever-increasing military expenditure.

So it is timely that Christians and the Christian churches gather to challenge the arguments that prop up and strengthen the use of military power as a solution to world problems, whether these are theological, economic, security or any other sort of arguments.

We who follow Jesus Christ as Prince of Peace, rejoice in peace as the gift of both Christmas and Easter. The way forward for our world, as it experiences major political shifts, can no longer be by violence.

Pope Paul VI said many years ago “Development is the new name for peace”. But peace is not just about ending conflicts. It must be founded on justice.

The theme of the Jamaica meeting is, “Glory to God and Peace on Earth.” It will search for ways to build peace in four areas – peace in our primary communities, peace in the marketplace, peace with the earth and peace among the peoples.

Central to the nine-day gathering in Jamaica is the idea of ‘just peace’. This is inspired by the biblical idea of “shalom” (Hebrew for peace) according to which there is an inseparable link between justice and peace.

Former WCC General Secretary, the Rev Dr Konrad Raiser has led a group drawing up a document: “Ecumenical Call to Just Peace” to be presented to delegates at the Jamaica gathering.

It challenges an understanding of peace merely as the absence of conflict that does not, at the same time, address the root causes of social and political conflicts. The way to a new shared future must be by way of non-violent conflict transformation. This is a primary challenge to the churches and to all who work for peace.

The document highlights the central role of “non-violent resistance” in promoting just peace, and in confronting government oppression and abuse, as well as business practices that exploit vulnerable communities and the environment.

* An Ecumenical Call to Just Peace:

www.overcomingviolence.org/en/resources-dov/wcc-resources/documents/decl…

Ambassador Pablo Solon of Bolivia opened the debate by quoting Victor Hugo: “It is a huge sadness that nature speaks and humans do not listen.” He asked three basic questions:

1. What is nature? Is it a thing, a source of resources, a system, a home, a community of living and interdependent beings?
2. Are there rules in nature, laws that govern its integrity, relationships, reproduction and transformation?
3. Are we, as states and as a society, recognizing and respecting these rules of nature?

Mr. Solon said nature cannot be submitted to the wills of the laboratory; science and technology are capable of everything, including destroying the world itself;  “all technologies should be evaluated on their environmental, social, and economic impacts.” The future lies not in scientific inventions but in our capacity to listen to nature which is ruthless when it is goes ignored.” He concluded with Albert Einstein’s words: “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” Solon’s response: “We have not come here to watch a funeral!”

The theme: ‘Ways of promoting a holistic approach to sustainable development in harmony with nature.” was developed by four excellent presentations. Here are a few thought from each.

Ms. Vandana Shiva, Quantum Physicist and Philosopher, India
Laws of the market are in direct collision with the laws of nature; harmony with nature is an  imperative not a luxury; earth rights are human rights—protecting the earth also protects the rights of people to food and water and all that is necessary for our survival; limitless resource exploitation leads to resources grab; around the world today, people are rising up to keep capitalism from grabbing resources; extreme consumption by humans leads to extreme response from nature. Recommended book: “The Death of Nature” by Carolyn Merchant.

Peter Brown, Professor, McGill University, Canada
We must take holism seriously; the current neo-classical framework is failing because (1) it is a-scientific, based in 17th century science and 18th-century theology; (2) it seeks more growth when growth is already too much (de-growth is essential); (3) it is grotesquely unfair to the poor, to future generations and other species; (4) it measures the wrong things; (5) it is unsustainable financially, socially and ecologically; we should act on the principles of the Earth Charter. He ended by quoting Thomas Berry on the interdependence of all beings within the community of life.

Cormac Cullinan, Environmental Lawyer, South Africa
We are living on borrowed time; humanity has reached the point where our modifications of earth’s resources mean our offspring are likely not to survive in the future; our change of thought and actions must be in terms of millions of years, not just a year or decade; the current transition we are experiencing is unparalleled in the history of our species; we need a major shift in world view—at present everything revolves around humans; humans need to see that the earth is the centre; global legal instruments are not supporting real change, only supporting political positioning; governance systems are not fit for the purpose any longer; Rights of Nature movement calls for respect of the rights of all people to live and participate with nature.

Ms. Riane Eisler, Author, USA
The earth is calling us to new thinking. “We cannot solve problems with the same thinking that created them” (Einstein); In this time of dislocation we must challenge the economics of domination/exploitation of people and nature which cannot be sustained and will lead to an evolutionary dead end; ‘trickle down’ does not work—akin to paupers eating crumbs from the plate of the rich and being told to be content; old ways of thinking and current paradigms—especially economic policies, are ‘Weapons of Mass Distraction’!

Kevin Dance

Watch Video:

(Part 1/2) Interactive Dialogue of the General Assembly on Harmony with Nature

(Part 2/2) Interactive Dialogue of the General Assembly on Harmony with Nature

From left: Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Lazarous Kapambwe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zambia to the UN and President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); and Muhammad Shaaban, Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Management; are pictured during a high-level meeting of ECOSOC with the Bretton Woods Institutions, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

Statement by Fr. Kevin Dance, Chair NGO Committee on Financing for Development and Passionists International

Thank you Mr. President.

Even the most powerful governments failed to have the right policies in place to prevent excessive risks taken by the financial industry. The damage done has been contagious. We’ve all been affected though not equally. Let’s face it – our world has changed!

Many of the problems spoken of here are global, but policies to address them are national. There is still much disagreement on basic long-term issues such as trade, climate change or financial stability. We can’t continue to think exclusively in terms of national effort. We need to be working towards an overarching global structure that can help moderate the risks, balance the benefits and respect the right of every country to take an active role in shaping the policies that affect its citizens and its prosperity.

We hear over and over a call for coherence and an integrated approach to the global challenges we face. But we still want to operate in silos of self-contained units of influence. We need global governance, not global government. The expertise of such bodies as the Bank, the Fund, G20…continues to be relevant and needed. But they can no longer function with full autonomy and no accountability to the rest of the international community.

Every institution we create will be imperfect. But we badly need a mechanism that comes closer to embodying the principles of universality, inclusiveness, transparency and legitimacy.

As we face global challenges beyond the resources of any one country to meet, we need an overarching instrument that can help us look to longer term rather than just short term solutions; that can provide a second opinion to balance the decisions of more technical and less representative bodies; that can coordinate the development of policy and planning to minimize the variety of risks that will be a continuing part of our future and make it possible to share the benefits.

•  Because of its universality and legitimacy, the United Nations must become the forum for policy creation on financing for development, with human rights as its foundation and framework.

• It is time to grow the FfD Office into a functional commission on Financing for Development.

• The Working Group of the General Assembly must be enabled to continue its unfinished work. We strongly support the position of the G77 and China is calling for this and for the prompt creation of a panel of experts. A Panel of Experts, representative and independent of politics or ideology, could become the source of a valuable “second opinion” in policy making. It could alert us to long-term global trends, how they are interconnected and what is their risk potential.
•   Tax systems are vital to development, but there is an urgent need for greater cooperation between States, especially in combatting tax evasion. We support upgrading the UN Tax Committee to an intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder body to fully reflect the importance of inclusive international tax cooperation. This forum will enable all countries to make their voices heard in their own words. Such a strengthened tax body would complement not threaten the work of the OECD.

• We must move towards a Global Economic Council for Sustainable Development. We have long spoken of the triple bottom line – economic, social and environmental.  We will make real progress when we do more consistently what we are doing here – trying to listen to one another. I was pleased to hear Mr. Priyadarshi call for not less but more meetings such as this one.

The time is past when we can effectively deal with economics, social reality and ecological necessity in separate places. We, with various skills and capacities, share a common humanity and a common future. There is an urgent need to rebuild the trust on which this institution was founded. Only by taking the risks to rebuild this mutual trust can we can find solutions to match the enormity of the global challenges that face us.

Thank you Mr. President.

Kevin Dance

March 11, 2011

Related Articles

• We Need a New Model of Development that Promotes Justice for All (passionistsinternational.wordpress.com)
• Girls as leaders for future youth revolutions to be trained in downtown Manhattan Sunday (thewgg.wordpress.com)

You can download inspiring Stations of the Cross for Japan at this link: http://bit.ly/eYrQZv

Early day motion 1716

FATHER AUSTIN SMITH

Main content

• Session: 2010-11
• Date tabled: 04.04.2011
• Primary sponsor: Goggins, Paul
• Sponsors:
  • Benton, Joe
  • Berger, Luciana
  • Ellman, Louise
  • Howarth, George
  • Rotheram, Steve

Total number of signatures: 16

• Benton, Joe; Berger, Luciana; Blears, Hazel; Dobbin, Jim; Durkan, Mark; Ellman, Louise; Esterson, Bill; Field, Frank; Goggins, Paul; Howarth, George; Lloyd, Tony; McGovern, Alison; Murphy, Paul; Rotheram, Steve; Twigg, Derek; Twigg, Stephen

That this House celebrates the life of Father Austin Smith, who died on 24 March 2011; acknowledges and is grateful for his 40 years of ministry within the Toxteth community and the positive influence he achieved at local, national and international level; recognises his deep understanding of community relations; and remembers with affection and respect his commitment to the poorest people in society and his determination to uphold human rights and overcome racism in all its forms.