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Add to Preferred SourcesLatest COVID-19 data confirms infections have risen globally, one year after the Beirut explosions and human trafficking. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Latest COVID-19 data confirms infections have risen globally for four consecutive weeks
COVID-19 infections have continued to rise globally for more than a month now, with over four million cases reported in the past week alone, the UN health agency said.
In its latest update, the World Health Organization (WHO) attributed the uptick to “substantial” caseload increases of 33 percent in the Western Pacific and 37 percent in the Eastern Mediterranean – where coronavirus fatalities also rose 48 and 31 percent, respectively.
The number of deaths in the four remaining WHO regions of Africa, Americas, Europe, and South-East Asia was in keeping with previous weeks, apart from the Americas, which dropped 29 percent. Africa and Europe witnessed a two percent decrease in COVID-19 deaths, while South-East Asia registered a three percent increase, according to WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update.
Overall, the total number of reported cases is around 197 million and with 4.2 million deaths worldwide.
One year after the Beirut explosions, children’s needs remain acute, with 98 per cent of families still in need
One year after the devastating explosions in Beirut, a UNICEF survey shows the needs of affected children and families remain acute, magnified by a collapsing economy, political instability, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rapid assessment highlights the severity of the trauma children suffered and the dire needs families have experienced. Seven in ten households requested basic assistance after the August 4, 2020 explosions, and almost all of those families still need support. Most of the requests were for cash assistance and food, which remains the case.
One-third of the families with children under the age of 18 said at least one child in their household was still showing signs of psychological distress. In the case of adults, it’s almost half.
“One year after the tragic events, children’s lives remain deeply affected. That is what their parents tell us,” said Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “Those families have been struggling to recover from the aftermath of the explosions at the worst possible time – in the middle of a devastating economic crisis and a major pandemic.”
The explosions devastated large swathes of Beirut, killing more than 200 people, among them six children, and injuring more than 6,500, including 1,000 children.
Human trafficking: UN chief calls for action as COVID leaves ‘many millions’ more vulnerable
Highlighting how the COVID pandemic has pushed as many as 124 million more people into extreme poverty, the UN chief insisted that “many millions” have been left vulnerable to the scourge.
Half of the victims in low-income countries are children, Mr. Guterres noted, just ahead of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, adding that most are trafficked for forced labor.
Leading up to World Day Against Trafficking in Persons let’s show appreciation for the dedication of survivors to raise awareness, support victims & work with policy makers to #EndHumanTrafficking💙
Victims’ Voices Lead the Way – let’s follow their lead.
🔗https://t.co/nBt32TjGzm pic.twitter.com/crUJQMbV1b— UN Office on Drugs & Crime (@UNODC) July 26, 2021
“Criminals everywhere are using technology to identify, control and exploit vulnerable people,” the UN chief said, adding that children are increasingly targeted through online platforms for sexual exploitation, forced marriage, and other forms of abuse.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Afghan-Taliban tensions force civilians to flee, poverty estimated to grow
Civilians in Afghanistan continue to flee as the country’s army launches counterattacks against the Taliban who have intensified their fight now that the U.S. has withdrawn its troops from the country. The intense fighting in recent days between the Taliban and Afghan forces has claimed dozens of lives with experts warning that the situation will further worsen the persistent poverty of the country.
Better governance critical for smarter cities – World Economic Forum
On 13 July 2021, a report released by the World Economic Forum in partnership with Deloitte’s revealed some alarming facts indicating that, regardless of size, location, or rate of growth, cities are facing serious governance gaps. The Governing Smart Cities report defines a benchmark for the appropriate and accountable use of smart city technologies having analyzed the working mechanisms of 36 pioneer cities.
Richest countries fail to respect refugee rights
On the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, defenders of human rights point out that the wealthiest states are failing to meet the commitments made leaving many refugees and displaced people without the help they are eligible to receive.
United Nations’ Procurement Operations in 2020
The United Nations (UN) sees procurement as an essential instrument necessary to fulfill its mission. Last year, UN agencies and organizations reported a total procurement volume of US$22.3 billion of which almost 10% or US$2.1 billion was earmarked for the procurement of goods and services related to the COVID-19 pandemic response. This article provides a helicopter view of the UN’s procurement operations in 2020.
Here’s what else has happened
ADB, Timor-Leste: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Timor-Leste have signed a $47 million loan to help provide safe, reliable, and affordable water supply and sanitation services to about 62,000 people living in Lospalos, Viqueque, and Same.
Red Cross: One year on from the devastating Beirut port explosion, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Lebanon continues to rise, due to the severe economic crisis and the devaluation of the local currency, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) continues to support the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) with life-saving activities, reaching millions of people throughout the country.
Ethiopia: The new UN Emergency Relief Coordinator ended a six-day mission to Ethiopia with a fresh push to get badly needed food and other supplies into the embattled Tigray region.
Afghanistan: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) urges greater international support for millions of people in Afghanistan who are suffering due to worsening drought, COVID-19, and armed conflict.
Reports
Call for urgent action following ‘alarming’ 80 per cent rise in sexual violence in Somalia
The reports (the Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict and the Report of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.) documented that in 2020, 400 civilians, primarily girls, were victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence.
This represented an almost 80 percent increase compared to 2019. More than 100 cases of sexual violence against girls were verified by the UN in the first quarter of 2021. Perpetrators often exploited the vulnerability of displaced girls, targeting them when they left camps to perform domestic chores, the reports noted.
Violence in schools leads to $11 trillion in lost lifetime earnings
The study, Ending Violence in Schools: An Investment Case, which was released together with the new strategy of the Safe to Learn initiative, finds that violence in schools – including physical, emotional, and sexual violence – is widespread in most countries. It profoundly affects students’ experience in schools, leading to, among others, lower grades, more absences from schools, fewer friendships, and less trust in teachers. This contributes to children dropping out of school and learning less in school, leading, in turn, to losses in earnings in adulthood. Violence in schools also has a wide range of negative effects not only for mental health and psychological well-being but also for multiple physical ailments. It is furthermore associated with risky behaviors, from using drugs and alcohol to having sex at a younger age.
UNEP West Asia launches the State of Food Waste Report
Improved awareness, appropriate policies, and a strong regulatory framework are needed to reduce food waste in West Asia, according to a new report, The State of Food Waste in West Asia, released by the UN Environment Programme’s Regional Office for West Asia.
Events
The list of major upcoming events in the development sector in August-September 2021
Keep up to the date key events about emerging funding strategies, environmental policies, climate change, technological development, labour standards and energy issues in the development sector via our compiled list.
Track events hosted by reputable international organisations, donors, NGO’s and IFIs that bring together the biggest change-makers and stakeholders in international development cooperation.
Save the date to register and attend the upcoming events in August-September 2021.
Download the comprehensive schedule of major online events.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Solving Current Development Challenges: Opportunities and Risks | Webinar
📅 2 September 2021 🕒 3 PM (Brussels Time) / 9 AM (Washington DC Time)
Virtual
DevelopmentAid is inviting you to join for an exciting free webinar on The role of AI in solving current development challenges: opportunities and risks.
During the webinar, it will be possible to learn more about AI, its role in international development, and the associated risks and opportunities. Furthermore, due to the interactive nature of our online event, it will be possible to address specific questions to our speakers and build a constructive discussion.
Speakers
- Zaki Khoury, Senior Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank
Zaki Khoury is a Senior Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank. His focus is on helping governments to advance their data-driven digital economy, providing thought leadership on enabling policies for digital infrastructure of the future (AI, 5G, Cloud), strengthening digital government platforms, and supporting investment operations in East Asia, Middle East, and Africa regions. He is an active leading contributor to the work on AI for Development and Data Governance knowledge initiatives. Dr. Khoury holds a PhD in Planning (UdeM), an MSc in Economics (UCL), and a BSc in Engineering (AU). He has also continued his executive education in Business (Harvard) and Management (McGill).
- Katya Klinova, Head of AI, Labor, and the Economy Programs at the Partnership on AI
Katya Klinova is the Head of AI, Labor, and the Economy Programs at the Partnership on AI, where her work focuses on designing mechanisms for steering AI progress towards expansion of access to good jobs and improving working conditions along the AI supply chain. Prior to that, Katya’s worked at the UN Executive Office of the Secretary-General on preparing the launch of the Secretary General’s Strategy for New Technology, and at Google in a variety of managerial roles, where she was responsible for launching and driving worldwide adoption of Google’s early AI-enabled services. Katya holds an MPA in International Development from Harvard University, a B.Sc. cum laude in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from Rostov State University, and a Joint M.Sc. in Networks and Data Science from University of Reading, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, where she was a Mundus Scholar.
Host: Ion Ilasco, External Relations & Events, DevelopmentAid
Global Green Growth Week 2021 | Virtual
📅 25 – 27 October 2021| Virtual
GGGWeek2021 will feature high-level panel discussions, keynote speeches, interactive sessions, and debates that will highlight examples of solutions and best practices to green COVID-19 recovery, develop Green New Deals to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement, engage with global green growth leaders and practitioners, forge partnerships, and provide participants with learning and sharing opportunities across a range of sectors and topics to advance the global efforts to build back better.
Trade beyond COVID-19: Building Resilience | Virtual
📅 28 – 30 September 2021
Virtual
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis with far-reaching socio-economic effects. It has increased poverty and deepened inequality across the world – with women, youth, and children the most affected. According to the ILO, global employment losses stood at 114 million jobs relative to 2019, with the highest number of losses affecting women (5% decline) and young workers (8.7%). Job losses and subsequent loss in income have had far-reaching consequences, including increased stress and mental illness, greater domestic violence, and fewer children going to school.