Human rights must be ‘front and centre’ in the fight against terrorism, tourism has potential to play a major role in global pandemic recovery, step up action on drought. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Human rights must be ‘front and centre’ in the fight against terrorism
Responses to terrorism must be anchored in the rule of law, human rights, and gender equality to ensure their effectiveness, Secretary-General António Guterres told an UN-backed counter-terrorism meeting that opened in Málaga, Spain.
“As a moral duty, a legal obligation, and a strategic imperative – let’s put human rights where they belong: front and center in the fight against terror,” Mr. Guterres said in a video message to the High-Level International Conference on Human Rights, Civil Society and Counter-Terrorism.
The two-day event is taking place against the backdrop of the growing threat of terrorism across the globe, and the resulting increase in related legislation and policies.
The UN chief spoke of how extremist groups are targeting women and girls with gender-based violence, including sexual violence, while terrorists are also using technology to “spread and export lies, hatred and division at the touch of a button.” Meanwhile, xenophobia, racism and cultural and religious intolerance are accelerating.
The strategy, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2006, includes measures that range from strengthening State capacity to counter terrorist threats to better coordinating the UN System’s counter-terrorism activities. The Foreign Minister of Spain, José Manuel Albares Bueno, who also addressed the opening ceremony, expressed high hopes for the conference.
Tourism has potential to play a major role in global pandemic recovery
A meeting of tourism specialists has laid out policy recommendations that could help the tourism sector play a major role in the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The technical meeting, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), stressed the importance of policies and measures that focus on tourism recovery that is inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.
Priorities should include support for a just transition towards formality in the tourism sector, the promotion of decent jobs and sustainable enterprises, measures to ensure adequate protection for all workers, and improving the sector’s preparedness for future crises.
“Policies that promote an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism enterprises, invest in the development of a skilled tourism workforce, and facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy are key to a human-centered, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient recovery,” said Joséphine Andriamamonjiarison, Chairperson of the meeting.
Step up action on drought
Humanity is “at a crossroads” when it comes to managing drought and there is an urgent need to accelerate mitigation using every tool possible, says a new report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
“The facts and figures of this publication all point in the same direction: an upward trajectory in the duration of droughts and the severity of impacts, not only affecting human societies but also the ecological systems upon which the survival of all life depends, including that of our own species,” says Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD.
One of the best, most comprehensive solutions is island restoration, which addresses many of the underlying factors of degraded water cycles and the loss of soil fertility. WMO must build and rebuild the landscapes better, mimicking nature wherever possible and creating functional ecological systems, says the report.
Beyond restoration is the need for a paradigm shift from ‘reactive’ and ‘crisis-based’ approaches to ‘proactive’ and ‘risk-based’ drought management approaches involving coordination, communication, and cooperation, driven by sufficient finance and political will.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Hero Stories | François Grünewald: “Humanitarian needs will become bigger and more unpredictable”
We came across Grünewald during his visit to Chad. The agricultural engineer, specializing in rural economics, was in this Afriсan country for what he called “a sustaining peace mission”. When asked to explain more about the concept, he defined the term, Triple Nexus, and the growing interest into this. Today’s DevelopmentAid Hero explains how crisis management works, the peace paradigm, and unexpected excessive humanitarian needs that the international development community is not ready for.
Shortlisting talents has never been harder for recruiters but DRS can help
A dedicated and hardworking team is key to organizational success and efficiency. That’s why if there is a vacancy you need to fill but you can’t find the right person, it’s quite difficult to maintain the rhythm of work and to concentrate on securing tenders and active projects at the same time. In this situation, DevelopmentAid can help your organization to find not just a person but that one talent you were looking for. Your recruiting process will be more efficient and perhaps even pleasant thanks to two of our services we invite you to learn about right now!
Global economic impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine
While countries continue to struggle with the destructive effects of the pandemic on their economies, the war in Ukraine threatens to strike the world economy in multiple ways, jeopardizing food, energy, and financial markets. At the same time, a recent paper published by the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy, and Finance warns that developing countries are expected to be particularly badly hit.
Here’s what else has happened
UNESCO: UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) aims at reshaping ideas and practices in higher education to ensure sustainable development for the planet and humanity. As the main United Nations agency for Sustainable Development Goal 4, UNESCO works for the right to education from a human rights approach, based on respect for life and human dignity, equal rights, social justice, cultural diversity, international solidarity, and shared responsibility for a sustainable future. Within this framework, UNESCO is organizing the WHEC2021 to offer new knowledge, innovative ideas, and creative alliances and form a broadened and reinvigorated coalition of the international higher education community in support of the 2030 Agenda.
UNWTO: The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Save the Children Dominican Republic have launched a new challenge to promote the development of educational ideas and experiences through the tourism sector in Central America and the Caribbean. The challenge seeks innovative and technological proposals in ‘Early Stage’ development that offer new educational opportunities through the tourism sector.
USAID: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the 2022–2030 Climate Strategy in order “to tackle the existential threat of climate change over this decade in a way that is truly transformational” according to the agency’s administrator, Samantha Power. This new Climate Strategy sets six ambitious targets that combine USAID’s increased efforts to halt the climate crisis.
Reports
Focus on quality key to effective healthcare reform in developing nations
Funding medical care projects in low- and middle-income countries with Performance-Based Financing (PBF) increases the number of patients treated but often falls short of improving the quality of health services offered, according to a new World Bank report.
Direct financing of frontline facilities may play a more important role in supporting impactful health financing reform, according to the Policy Research Report Improving Effective Coverage in Health: Do Financial Incentives Work?
Renewable power is set to break another global record in 2022 despite headwinds from higher costs and supply chain bottlenecks
The world added a record 295 gigawatts of new renewable power capacity in 2021, overcoming supply chain challenges, construction delays, and high raw material prices, according to the IEA’s latest Renewable Energy Market Update. Global capacity additions are expected to rise this year to 320 gigawatts – equivalent to an amount that would come close to meeting the entire electricity demand of Germany or matching the European Union’s total electricity generation from natural gas. Solar PV is on course to account for 60% of global renewable power growth in 2022, followed by wind and hydropower.
Events
Accelerating Action to Reduce Climate-Related Disasters – The Road to COP27
📅 17 May 2022
Virtual
The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the UN Environment Programme, MEP Javi López, MEP Lídia Pereira, MEP Kira Peter-Hansen, and MEP Dragoş Pîslaru, are co-hosting an exchange on “Accelerating Action to Reduce Climate-Related Disasters – The Road to COP27”.
International Migration Review Forum
📅 17-20 May 2022
New York
The quadrennial International Migration Review Forum (17-20 May 2022) will be hosted by the President of the UN General Assembly. It consists of four interactive multi-stakeholder round tables, a policy dialogue, and a plenary. It will result in an intergovernmental agreed on Progress Declaration. An informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing, hosted by the PGA, will take place on the day immediately preceding the Forum (16 May).
Sustainable Energy for All Forum
📅 17-19 May 2022
Kigali, Rwanda
The 2022 SEforALL Forum is the landmark global gathering bringing people together to take stock of progress, showcase success and identify solutions to achieve faster, broader gains towards sustainable energy for all. It serves as a platform to broker new partnerships, spurs investment, address challenges, and drives action toward realizing SDG7 and a global clean energy transition.
International Conference “Groundwater, key to the Sustainable Development Goals”
📅 18 – 20 May 2022
Paris, France
The conference is co-organized by the French Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (CFH-AIH), UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (UNESCO IHP), and the French Water Partnership (FWP), under the patronage of the French National Commission for UNESCO and with the support of the French Ministry of the Ecological Transition, the Seine-Normandy Water Agency, and Sorbonne University.
Business resilience in the pandemic and beyond from Eastern Europe to Central Asia
📅 18 May 2022
Virtual
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, and the International Monetary Fund are launching a new report on business resilience in the pandemic and beyond from Eastern Europe to Central Asia.
Connecting buyers and sellers in international value chains | Free webinar
📅 19 May 2022 🕟 4 PM (Brussels)/ 10 AM (Washington DC)
Virtual
DevelopmentAid, together with Coverpoint RCM and the International Trade Centre (ITC), invites you to join a thematic webinar on “Connecting buyers and sellers in international value chains”. During the webinar, attendees will discover the essentials of global value chains and learn some important tips for identifying foreign buyers and building sustainable export channels for their products.
Key Takeaways
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- Tips for a successful product/service launch into export markets
- How to find foreign distributors for your product/services
- What factors distributors consider when deciding to take on a new product
Speakers
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- Anthony Brand, CEO & Partner at CoverPoint RCM
- Cristina Reni, Market Development Coordinator at International Trade Centre
- Abel Fernández, General Manager of the cooperative CONACADO in the Dominican Republic
Host
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- Elena Rata, External Relations & Events at DevelopmentAid