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Add to Preferred SourcesNature-based solutions for climate resilience receive €10 million boosts, Women’s empowerment center stage in tourism’s recovery, Global Fund – a new strategy to lead the fight against HIV, TB, Malaria. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Nature-based solutions for climate resilience receive €10 million boost
At the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), the Federal Environment Ministry of Germany (BMU) announced it will provide an additional €10m to the Global EbA Fund, a pioneering funding mechanism implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and designed to support nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. This takes the Ministry’s total commitment to the fund up to €30 million.
At the same time, the Global EbA Fund has approved its first seven grants, ranging from coral reef protection in the Philippines to restoring riverbank ecosystems for erosion control in Fiji.
The Global EbA Fund was launched in March 2021 by IUCN and UNEP, supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the BMU. The Fund aims to accelerate the uptake and financing of ecosystem-based adaptation by providing seed capital to catalytic and innovative ecosystem-based adaptation initiatives.
Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is a strategy that harnesses biodiversity and ecosystem services to build the resilience of human communities to the impacts of climate change. It includes the conservation, sustainable management, and restoration of ecosystems – such as forests, grasslands, or wetlands – to reduce the harmful impacts of climate hazards, whether it’s shifting rainfall patterns, temperature changes, or intense storms.
Putting women’s empowerment centre stage in tourism’s recovery
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched the ‘Centre Stage’ project, with the support of German Federal Ministry for Economic Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and UN Women.
Over the course of one year, from November 2021 – November 2022, the project will support the tourism sector in placing women’s empowerment and gender equality at the heart of recovery plans following the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will be piloted in four participating Member States in collaboration with the National Tourism Administrations of Jordan (MOTA), Costa Rica (ICT), the Dominican Republic (MITUR), and Mexico (SECTUR).
The impact of COVID-19 on women in tourism
Women make up more than half of the tourism workforce at a global level (54%), according to the Global Report on Women in Tourism, Second Edition. However, women are often concentrated in low-skilled or informal work and have fewer opportunities for education and career development. As a result, women in the sector have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, with less access to social protection and a reduced capacity to absorb the economic shock caused by the pandemic.
Nevertheless, the tourism sector has historically provided women with opportunities for empowerment, offering many a livelihood and source of autonomy. For this reason, UNWTO has identified the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to address the gender inequality in the sector.
Global Fund new strategy placing people and communities at center to lead fight against HIV, TB, Malaria and strengthen pandemic preparedness
The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria approved the new Global Fund Strategy: Fighting Pandemics and Building a Healthier and More Equitable World. The new Strategy places people and communities front and center of the fight against HIV, TB, malaria and accelerates the shift to more integrated, people-centered models of prevention, treatment, and care.
Strengthening the leadership and engagement of communities living with and affected by the diseases will reinforce this unique strength of the Global Fund partnership and tackle barriers to effective participation and leadership.
“The Strategy process has been inclusive to reflect the diverse views of the Board constituencies, various consultations with relevant stakeholders, and evidence-based information in a bold and coherent plan,” said Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Board Chair.
He pointed out that the new Strategy will more strongly address health inequities, gender inequalities, and human rights barriers such as the criminalization of key populations and the removal of legal barriers that so deeply affect the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.
“With our focus on the poorest and most marginalized, we will support countries as they progress to address global challenges and emerging impacts of the pandemic towards strengthening their health systems and delivering universal health coverage,” he added.
“This is a bold, new plan that puts people at the center of the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria,” said Lady Roslyn Morauta, Vice-Chair of the Board. “Implementer governments, communities, civil society, development partners, and technical partners have come together in shared resolve to redouble efforts to defeat the diseases. This speaks to the power of the Global Fund partnership — what we can do when we work together, in solidarity and common purpose. The new Strategy approved today sets us up for a strong Replenishment next year, successful implementation in the years ahead, and the opportunity to save more lives.”
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Women in politics to make societies stronger. Why still underrepresented?
The active and equal participation of women in politics is central to building inclusive democracies. Currently, women are heavily underrepresented in decision-making and political processes almost everywhere around the globe due to many structural and social obstacles. At the same time, there is weighty evidence that women in politics can ultimately contribute to stronger societies, better accountability, and genuine democracy. This article describes women’s political participation, points out the structural and societal barriers that limit such participation, and underlines a number of benefits associated with the active involvement of women in politics.
World leaders’ pledges at climate-related COP26 summit
A 30% cut in global methane emissions, phasing out coal, putting an end to deforestation, more financing to help preserve biodiversity. These are some of the pledges made so far during the world’s biggest climate event, COP26, held in the UK city of Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November. As encouraging as these may sound, their impact might be less than expected as some of the biggest emitters have shunned making any such commitments.
Six skills to emphasize on your resume
Whether applying for a job in a completely new field or trying to make a transition into the global development sector without apparently having the aptitudes required, it is still possible to transfer many skills from previous or current employment. DevelopmentAid asked an experienced HR recruiter to share what is currently in high demand and what aptitudes one should always include in a resume.
Five tips to build a good pension
Young people rarely think about their retirement and a pension and retirement seem like something that is very far away from them. Everybody realizes they will need a pension later on but would rather not think about it now. However, the future is created from the actions of today and that’s why we’re presenting some tips gathered from several Dutch pension experts about how to build a good pension starting from… now.
Here’s what else has happened
COP26 commitments: The pledges regarding greenhouse gas reduction made during COP26 are not sufficient to maintain a temperature rise below 1.5C. It has transpired that under the current commitments made, global temperatures may reach over 2.4C by the end of this century. The COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, the world’s biggest climate event, brought together about 25,000 people including state leaders, scientists, activists, negotiators, and journalists. The main hope for the event was for countries to commit to staunch actions to prevent and mitigate the consequences of climate change.
US president: US President Joe Biden has unveiled a multinational plan aiming to cut methane emissions by 30% worldwide by the end of this decade. Biden made the statement during the world’s biggest climate summit, COP26, which is currently taking place in the UK city of Glasgow. He specified that the decrease was to be ensured by an alliance of 90 states led by the US and the EU that aimed to reduce the emissions of one of the most potent greenhouse gases.
UN: Over the past three decades, disaster-related losses are estimated to have exceeded US$5 trillion, a recent report has pointed out. Nevertheless, the aid allocated for disaster-prevention projects continues to remain low and between 2010 and 2019, this accounted for just 11% of overall development aid. Of this, only 4.1% was allocated to prevent and prepare for disaster events. In these circumstances, the UN has urged for more investment in disaster prevention in order to cope with the surge in disaster events.
Reports
IOM and EIB join forces to promote safety of migrants and resilience of affected communities
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed an agreement that aims to strengthen their collaboration in supporting safe, humane, and regular migration while enhancing economic resilience and climate adaptation of countries of origin, transit, and destination. According to the World Migration Report (WMR 2020), out of a global population of 7.7 billion people in 2019, 272 million were international migrants, a number and proportion that already surpassed some projections made for 2050.
UNICEF’s most comprehensive statistical analysis finds
The number of children with disabilities globally is estimated at almost 240 million, according to a new UNICEF report. Children with disabilities are disadvantaged compared to children without disabilities on most measures of child well-being, the report says.
Many countries are prioritizing health and climate change, but lack funds to take action
Countries have begun to prioritize health in their efforts to protect people from the impact of climate change, but only about a quarter of those recently surveyed by the World Health Organization has been able to fully implement their national health and climate change plans or strategies. Countries report that a lack of funding; the impact of COVID-19; and insufficient human resource capacity are major barriers to progress. 2021 WHO health and climate change global survey report find, however, that over three-quarters of surveyed countries have developed or are currently developing national health and climate change plans or strategies.
NGOs call for better responsibility-sharing three years after the Global Compact on Refugees
Three years after the international community agreed on the Global Compact on Refugees, lack of political will and leadership is challenging the achievement of more equitable and predictable responses to forced displacement. Developing countries continue to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility by hosting 86 percent of the world’s refugees. This is the main conclusion of a report commissioned by the International Rescue Committee in collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council and Norwegian Refugee Council ahead of the first mid-term review of progress at a high-level meeting this December. The report – The Global Compact on Refugees Three Years On: Navigating barriers and maximizing incentives in support of refugees and host countries – comes ahead of a major indicator report, produced by UNHCR, which is expected to be released on 16 November.
Events
TENDERPLUS – Project Presentation | Virtual
📅 16 November 🕒 3.30 PM (CEST)
Virtual
TENDERPLUS project promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency aims to support the internationalization processes of Italian small and micro enterprises that operate or wish to operate in the field of international tenders, with the aim to strengthen their competitive capacity.
Often Italian SMEs, especially micro-enterprises, are discouraged from participating in multilateral procurement processes due to a series of difficulties: from understanding tender notices; the required bureaucratic formalities (so-called paperwork); the often too large size and amount of the advertised projects; up to the lack of local partners with whom to carry out the project. To this, we must then add the general belief that only large companies or established consulting firms are able to compete for the contracts of the European Union and the Multilateral Development Banks (BMS).
In reality, there are many opportunities for SMEs, and the TENDERPLUS project was born with the intention of increasing the awarding possibilities for small and micro Italian enterprises.
TENDERPLUS consists of three lines of intervention:
☑️ TENDER LAB – Free training aimed at improving specific knowledge and developing the skills necessary to operate successfully in international tenders
☑️ TENDER PASS – Unlimited and free access to tenders and multilateral tenders promoted by the main international organizations
☑️ TENDER DESK – Service designed to guarantee Italian companies the necessary assistance from the drafting and processing of international calls for tenders
Thanks to TENDERPLUS, companies will be able to acquire all the tools needed to formulate winning projects.
RewirEd Summit
📅 12 – 14 December 2021
Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo 2020 Dubai
The RewirEd Summit will focus on three key pressing areas in Education globally: Youth, Skills, and the Future of Work; Innovation in Education; and Education Financing. The Summit will convene education stakeholders including educationalists and front liners, policymakers, youth, the private sector, international organizations, and foundations, among others together in one place for three days to engage in discussions, panels, hands-on workshops, and to launch exciting initiatives and experiments, and much more.