Removal of Barriers to Women's Economic Empowerment

Today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon asked the international community to worker harder to get rid of barriers that prevent the full participation of women in the economy. He referred to the lack of access to jobs, markets, credit and property as a few of the obstacles.

Alongside two hundred business leaders, governments, and the UN, Mr.Ban participated in the second annual Equality Means Business initiative. This initiative is a joint effort of UN Women and the UN Global Compact which has produced the UN Women's Empowerment Principles(WEPs).

Over 400 chief executives have announced their efforts to implement the WEPs within the past two years. The WEPs provide companies with guidelines on how to increase the status of women. By implementing these principles, Mr.Ban has said that all the initiatives that focus on sustainable development simultaneously ensure gender equality. Stating the main point of the conference, Mr.Ban told attendees that, "We (cannot) achieve sustainability-at a corporate or a global level-without empowering the world's women."

-Akshika Patel

SOURCE:UN News Centre

Women's Education is the Smartest Investment

During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged business leaders to increase their investment in women's education and health. "Investing in the health of women and girls is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do for national economies and global stability," said Mr.Ban.

Educating women is a tactic that can significantly contribute to the economy. The Secretary-General highlighted the role that business leaders can play to help women in their education pursuits.

Education aside, Mr.Ban made clear the need for improvement in women's health. In 2011, over 300,000 women died during child birth from preventable complications. Mr.Ban stressed that it is imperative that maternal health efforts be increased in order for women to safely give birth. The private sector has the resources to improve not only maternal health care, but also HIV/AIDS prevention among women.

In the words of the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, "The private sector is uniquely positioned to deliver a better life for women and children around the world."

-Akshika Patel


SOURCE:UN News Centre

Ban Ki-moon: Private Investment and Universal Energy Access

One in five people lacks access to modern electricity. Three billion people use wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for cooking and heating. In an attempt to address this huge disparity, business leaders from around the world attended the World Economic Forum's conference on "Ending Energy Poverty" in Davos, Switzerland.

During this conference, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon underlined the necessity of private investment for the achievement of universal and sustainable energy access. Mr.Ban urged those attending to utilize their resources in order to support government and non-public sector relationships. He stressed that by working with global CEOs and investors, the international community can work to improve energy access and enhance efficiency.

Mr.Ban has proposed to the panel his Sustainable Energy for All Initiative. This initiative looks to cement universal access to modern energy services, double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. By gaining access to modern energy, developing nations will be able to improve productivity, public health, and education. Mr.Ban said at the conference that,"By providing sustainable energy for all, we can revitalize economic growth, protect the planet, protect the environment and spread the benefits of development more equitably. This can be a triple win."

-Akshika Patel


SOURCE:UN News Centre

United Front to Help The Poor

Today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will address the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Republic of Korea.  A united front from the international community needs to happen if the Millennium Development Goals are to be reached.  The forum will be in process until Thursday to discuss the effectiveness of aid and how it is vital for those who are desperately in need.  The forum will focus on how aid will be delivered, how MGDs will be achieved, and measures to help reduce maternal mortality and severe poverty.  It is known that a worldwide economic crisis is underway, but by no means is it an excuse to hide behind it.  Now is the time to come together and live up to your commitments.  

-Georisa Chang

SOURCES: UN News Center

Common-Sense Investments Can Lead to Eradicating Poverty

Are we in danger of not meeting the Millennium Development Goals deadline?  According to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the fight for global poverty appears to be headed in the wrong direction.  Our failure seems to resonate in the lack of focus in putting people at the center of our development policies and strategies concerning economic recovery.

The fears of job loss, inability to feed their families, and access to health care are concerns, but to overcome these and many other challenges faced globally, common-sense has to come in play. Investment needs to be in the source, the people.  Continuing to ignore the voices of the poor and the youths will only deter us from ultimately achieving our goals of eradicating poverty.

An expert in extreme poverty and human rights, Magdalena Sepulveda, urged States to immediately address the growing inequalities between the rich and the poor.  "These rising inequalities have diminished social cohesion and increased insecurity and exclusion through out the world." stated in her message.  Also noted was that the poorest and most excluded are taking the hardest hits with these financial crisises, while the richest continue to prosper.  "What is required are recovery measures that are equitable, accompanied by human rights safeguards and designed from the ground up, taking into consideration the specific needs of vulnerable populations."

"As we work to avoid a global financial meltdown, we must also work to avoid a global development meltdown."

-Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations

-Georisa Chang

SOURCE: UN News

Ban Ki-moon: Global Aid For Trade Is Vital For Boosting Development

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, addressed the WTO's Third Global Review of Aid for Trade in Geneva on July 19th. He urged the donors to maintain their support of "Aid for Trade." These efforts help developing countries, especially the poorest, accelerate their development and benefit from economic growth.

Aid for Trade was launched by the World Trade Organization (WTO) more than five years ago and it specifically helps developing countries develop trade-related skills and infrastructure in order to benefit from WTO agreements and expand trade.

Ban stated that Aid for Trade is crucial for building global partnerships and for global development.

However, with the economic decline, budgets are tight. "this is no excuse for letting up our efforts," stated Ban. The Secretary-General stressed the need to pay attention to the needs of the least developed countries and ensure that they are not left behind.

Another main topic of the speech was the necessity of sustainable development. "Meeting our development goals is ultimately about building self-sufficiency and helping people feed themselves," said Ban.

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: UN NEWS WIRE

Global Poverty Rate is Dropping

The global poverty rate is falling. An annual progress report shows that the Millennium Development Goals are on track to lower poverty rates despite the recent economic set backs.

The poverty rate is expected to fall by 15% by 2015. This is a significant achievement as it is well below the 23% target that was set.

And interestingly, it is not the developed countries that are making the difference. The world remains on track due to the momentum of growth in the developing world. In fact, the number of people in developing countries that live in extreme poverty (less than $1.25 a day) is estimated to fall below 900 million due to the growth of developing countries in the last decades.

East Asia has the record for the greatest reduction in poverty, especially China and India. In both countries the number of people living in poverty fell by 455 million between 1990 and 2005.

Despite these significant reductions in poverty, world hunger remains an issue, which is another target of the Millennium Development Goals. Access to food and high food prices has proved to be a problem for policy makers.

"We have success stories," stated Bank Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, "but achieving all the MDGs will require extra effort." Progress is not universal and the benefits are not evenly shared.

According to Ban Ki-moon, achieving the MDGs will require equitable and inclusive economic growth that reaches everyone. "World leaders must show no only that they care, but that they have the courage and conviction to act."

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

UN Call To World Leaders: End Aids By 2020!

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for global action to end Aids by 2020! "That is our goal- zero new infections, zero stigma and zero Aids-related deaths," stated Ban at the UN Summit on Aids in New York. Ban acknowledged that in order to eradicate Aids, the world is going to have to face sensitive issues including drug users, homosexuality and the sex trade. Ban urged the global community to come together to achieve universal access to treatment by 2015 by lowering costs. Meanwhile, African leaders have called for greater access to resources to battle the pandemic.

The meeting in New York was attended by 30 presidents and heads of government. African leaders spoke of the desperate need in their countries for better funding to fight the disease. The Nigerian President stated, "to say that adequate funding is critical to the success of our HIV and Aids response is an understatement." Nigeria has the second highest number of HIV positive people after South Africa. Still, the resources available for Africa are insufficient against the enormous size of the HIV impact on the continent.

More than 9 million people are not able to access retroviral treatment and an estimated 1.8 million people die each year from Aids. That does not account for the other 34 million that are estimated by the UN to have Aids and not be aware of it. However, new infections have dropped by 20% since 2001 and infection rates are continuing to decrease. With the new technology available and a strong sense of global solidarity, it is likely the goal for 2020 can be achieved!

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: BBC NEWS

Tomorrow Is UN Peacekeepers Day!

On May 27th, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute to the more than 120,000 military, police and civilian personnel who served in the numerous UN peacekeeping missions across the world. He honored those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. "Their deployment is a manifestation of our collective conviction that people should not have to suffer through a period of insecurity, injustice and fear," was his message for the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which is observed on May 29th every year.

When conflict strikes, violence erupts and people are forced from their homes, UN Peacekeepers are sent in to work to improve the rule of law, implement a system of rights and establish peace in an area. Peacekeeping in the 21st century is focused on building foundations for long term institution building and sustainability. UN peacekeepers send police forces to train and monitor the security systems within a collapsed country. They help restore and reform institutions and work with the court systems to become more accountable. This makes it possible for culture and the rule of law to re-develop in weak or collapsed states.

Sunday is the 9th observance day of UN Peacekeepers. It is a particularly sombre day since in early April 173 peacekeepers were lost in an attack on the UN compound in Afghanistan. Only a few days later, 32 more lives were lost in a plan crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Peacekeepers make heavy sacrifices, working towards peace in countries ranging from Southern Sudan to the Ivory Coast. There are nearly 85,000 military personnel, more than 14,000 police officers, around 5,700 international civilians and 13,700 national staff serving in 15 current operations in four continents, as stated by the UN.

"On this day of United Nations peacekeepers, focused on the rule of law, we thank the countries who contribute forces to the operations and honor the individuals who serve with such distinction and dedication," stated Ban.

On Sunday, let us all remember and honor those that have sacrificed in the name of peace and stability!

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: UN NEWS