Global Gender Gap Report 2014

Readreporthere

 

There is a very short video with graphics that give an overview of the report.  Click her to read more and see the video   The focus is on four areas – economic; political; health and education – measuring the relative gaps between men and women.  Here are some ranking Top 10

Iceland (1)   Finland (2)  Norway (3)  Sweden (4) Denmark (5)  Nicaragua (6), Rwanda (7) Ireland (8) Philippines (9) Belgium (10)

If you go to page 10 of the report you can find how your country ranked in in each of the four aspect.  I was surprised to see that while Iceland was 1st yet ranking for health was 128!

World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2014: Gender Equality and Sustainable Development

World Survey 2014

 

UN Women released on October 16th its new report, the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2014:  Gender Equality and Sustainable Development.  Read more

The event was also webcast.

There was another event which I attended.  The contributing authors of the report spoke –  Melissa Leach, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK, lead author; Isha Ray, Professor of Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley, contributing author; Hilal Elver, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food; and Zenebework Tadesse, independent researcher, Ethiopia.

The report is situated in the every day of reality of girls and women cooking and eating, breathing, urinating and defecating, studying and working in the night – these are all environmental acts.  Everyday activity affects the environment.  Care of the environment in the report is seen from the toilet not the stratosphere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H.E. David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations to co-chair the new Global Development Agenda

H.E. David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations to co-chair the negotiations towards the new global development agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals in 2015. This appointment was announced by the President of the General Assembly yesterday.   H.E. Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya has also been named as co-chair. Ambassador Kamau was a very effective co-chair during the Open Working Group process.  Check out the document that will lead into the discussion at the sustainable development website.  17 goals have been presented. We are awaiting the report of the Secretary General which is expected by the end of the month.

 

 

Northern Ireland votes in favour of making it a crime to pay for sex.

Gerardine Rowley

 

Gerardine Rowley of Ruhama speaks on Morning Ireland about the new legislation in Northern Ireland criminalizing those who pay for sex.  Ruhama has been advocating for this sort of legislation for the past 10 years where the demand is criminalized.  Those involved in prostitution will not be criminalized rather buyers will be called to account. Listen to the interview at 1.13

Yesterday October 18 was European Anti-Trafficking Day

Poverty, inequality, discrimination – Let’s stop human trafficking at the roots.   Three United Nations human rights experts* today called for a concerted global response to fight the transnational scourge of trafficking in persons, speaking ahead of the European Anti-Trafficking Day on Saturday 18 October. – Read the full text here  Of specific interest to Good Shepherd is the following quotation “All over the world, child trafficking – often connected to the sale and sexual exploitation of children – is on the rise as a proportion of all human trafficking. Detected cases of child trafficking represent 27 per cent of human trafficking. And, in recent years, the increase has been greater for girls: two out of every three child victims are young girls.”  “…eradication requires coordinated efforts to address its root causes across multiple sectors. It is of paramount importance that countries of origin, transit, and destination, work together to tackle poverty, inequality, discrimination, and other factors causing vulnerability.”  In my panel presentation on Thursday 16th October – part of the events for the international day for the eradication of poverty I focused also on root causes.    Poverty is a consequence, a symptom that something is not working well. Even with 100% attention to ‘poverty as a condition’ this does not address the symptom – because the systemic and structural root causes of poverty are not addressed. The trickle down theory of economics has not changed the situation of poverty. Unfortunately even the development of the new post 2015 sustainable development goals which is underpinned by hopes and desires for a bold and transformative agenda, ‘leaving no one behind – stops short of the structural and systemic changes necessary to address growing inequalities. Poverty is the result of sets of policies at the macroeconomic level coupled with deeply entrenched, attitudes and mindsets – Patriarchy, Power Over, Control, Greed and Lust resulting in the denial of human rights of girls and women, experienced in all forms of Violence Against Girls and Women – Domestic Violence, Poverty, Sexual Abuse, Human Trafficking and Prostitution.

Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Urmila Bhoola, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; and Francois Crepeau, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.

thMaria Grazia Giammarinaro will be in New York on Friday 24th and I had the pleasure of meeting meeting Maud de Boer-Buquicchio on Tuesday 14th

Maud

We congratulate both rapporteurs on their appointments, support them in their mandate and wish them every success.  I wish to include also Philip Alston the new rapporteur for extreme poverty and human rights.  I met him on Thursday evening when he addressed law students at NYU (New York University)

Philip Alston

Webcast of Panel Event of October 16, 2014

A Panel discussion was held on Thursday October 16th in the ECOSOC, UN 16 Oct 2014  – “Beijing+20 Leaving No One Behind: Women, Poverty and Participation”.  It was co-organized by the International Movement ATD Fourth World and the United Nations Millennium Campaign.  The NGO Committees on the Status of Women, Social Development and the Subcommittee for Poverty Eradication .collaborated in the organization of the discussion.  The panelists brought together a broad range of topics and experiences around poverty, women and empowerment, while looking forward to the celebration of Beijing +20 and the new post 2014 development agenda and sustainable development goals.  The discussion was webcast.  Click here

2014-10-16 12.27.06It is always a privilege to share panel space with people who have experienced poverty.  Alvenia Hutton was one such person, a single Mum from Brooklyn.

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The Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations H.E. David Donoghue  was a ‘keynote’ respondent.

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On the right of the Ambassador is Ravi Karkara,  the global focal point for MyWorld2015 UN Global Citizen’s Survey and co-chair of the policy strategy Group on WorldWeWant2015 citizen’s e-platform. Have you completed the survey on My World.  It is not too late to do so.  You choose 6 items from a range of 16. There is a space for your priority.   Vote here

The other speaker on the panel – Ms. Lakshmi Puri is Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.

Lakshmi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today October 17 is the International for the Eradication of Povety

These are busy days at the United Nations.  So much is happening simultaneously.  Today is dedicated to the celebration of people living in poverty. The Secretary General Ban Ki Moon attended the celebration today at 1.15.  The link to the webcast is here Click here

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A group photo following the commemoration in the space of the art exhibit at the United Nations.

Link to the Webcast of ‘The Girls Shout Out’ on International Day of the Girl

WGG Girl Advocates

Photo – The Working Group on Girls – Girl Advocates who presented the programme

The Girls Shout Out at the United Nations on October 10th was a great event celebrating the International Day of the Girl.  I hope that you will take time to look at it.  Click her for the webcast

Girls Speak Out 2014

 

Above girls who auditioned to be presenters of ‘The Girls Shout Out’ and were selected.

This Week … International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

IDEPOctober 17th is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.  The week begins this evening with the launch of an art exhibition at the United Nations in New York.

The theme of the celebration is ‘Leave No One Behind’ – Think, Decide, and Act Together Against Extreme Poverty.   Friday, October 17   1:15 to 2:30 pm (New York time)  Conference Room 2 CB.  Watch live on Friday.  See Social Media Toolkit 10 – 17, October 2014
See how Good Shepherd are Eradicating Poverty … 20 Countries, 50 Artisan Groups, 6,000 Women
Handcrafting Justice  2

More from Mozambique …    Peanut farm

peanut farm moz

 

Girls Speak Out

Girls Speak Out will commence in one hour at the United Nations.  There is live coverage starting at 3.00 p.m. (New York time)  Follow here

girls-speak-out

 

Please understand that the poetry, songs and stories that will be performed at this year’s  Girls Speak Out include depictions of girls’ experiences with difficult topics, including bulimia, rape, abuse and violence against girls. These stories represent many of the realities faced by girls around the world; it is with these stories that we elevate our voices and stand together for global girls’ rights. It’s a powerful message that may be best suited for girls over 13. Thank you!

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Thanks, too, to the Working Group on Girls who is busy organizing the Girls Speak Out alongside the Missions of Canada, Peru, and Turkey.!