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  1. Past hour
  2. Canadanne
    Agreed, that's a fascinating disc - I was expecting it to be a bit rubbish, but there's so much great stuff in these alternate versions. It's an amazing gift, like being given a time machine so we could hear a whole bunch of "new" material from Bono at his vocal peak. I love the previously unheard bonus tracks on the B-sides disc, too. My personal favourite thing was the Naked City DVD and Easter Eggs from the Zooropa Tour - sooo grateful for those!
  3. Yesterday
  4. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    Shabir Madhi, a professor of vaccinology at Wits University and director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) at SAMRC, is leading the COVID-19 vaccine study in South Africa. Supplied by Wits University. HEALTH Ask An Expert: Why Is It Important for Countries in Africa to Take Part in COVID-19 Vaccine Trials? We spoke with Prof. Shabir Madhi from South Africa’s Wits University to learn about vaccine trials. SHARETWEETEMAIL By Lerato Mogoatlhe AUG. 5, 2020 Why Global Citizens Should Care Developing an effective vaccine will be an essential part of combating COVID-19 — and all efforts to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as tests and treatments, must be available to everyone, everywhere. Join us to help put an end to the pandemic and mitigate its impacts on the world’s most vulnerable people by taking action here. The number of COVID-19 cases in South Africa is soaring at such a rate that President Cyril Ramaphosa warned in July of a COVID-19 storm “far fiercer and more destructive than any we have known before.” The country has gone from its first case of COVID-19 on March 5, to just over 471,000 cases now having been recorded. This means that developing an effective vaccine is crucial, and not just to stop the spread of coronavirus. It will also allow people who are at the greatest risk of contracting COVID-19 — such the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions — to live more freely than the current health recommendations allow. Haz el test: ¿Cómo afecta el coronavirus a las personas más vulnerables? 26.460 / 50.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información A vaccine could give people all around the country — and indeed the world — the chance to return to “normal”, to get back to their lives and work, and to start again earning an income to support their families. At the moment, there are dozens of vaccine candidates that are being developed globally, with "a number" undergoing human trials at the moment, according to World Health Organisation Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. One of these vaccines — technically named ChAdOx1-nCOV-19 — is being tested by South Africa’s Wits University. The study is a partnership between WITS and Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and is also being tested in the United States and Brazil. The South African study is supported by the national department of health and the South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC), while the R150 million cost is being funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations. Related StoriesJune 22, 2020Ask an Expert: How Are Vaccines Actually Developed and How Long Will One Against COVID-19 Take? The vaccination is aimed at preventing infection by the virus that causes COVID-19. Here, Shabir Madhi, a professor of vaccinology at WITS and director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) at SAMRC, tells us more about the study, and how vaccine development and testing works. Professor Shabir Madhi is leading the COVID-19 vaccine study in South Africa. It's the only study of its kind in Africa. Image supplied by Wits University. What does it mean when experts say a vaccine is being tested? What processes are involved in this? When we talk of vaccine development we’re referring to the stages that a vaccine goes through (before it becomes ready for wider use). The first stage is when we conduct clinical trials. This is when a vaccine is evaluated on animals to work out if it’s safe to use and its effect on the immune system. Animals are artificially inoculated with the virus to see if the vaccine will protect them or not. It is only when we have proof that the vaccine is safe to use, after testing it on animals, that we move to human trials. Related StoriesJune 3, 2020In Ghana, Drones Are Turning Out to Be a Key Tool for Transporting COVID-19 Tests How do human trials work? Human trials have three phases. The first phase typically has between 50 and 100 participants. In this phase, we’re trying to determine the schedule for the vaccine and look for common side-effects. If the information looks promising and we have established a safety profile for the vaccine, we move to the second phase. Phase two involves about 100 participants. Here we’re still looking for the best dosage (to administer the vaccine). However, if there is a large-enough group of participants, we can on occasion also work out if a vaccination can protect against a virus or not. Phase three is pivotal. It determines whether the vaccine can protect against illness and protect people from dying. Related StoriesJune 27, 2020West African Leaders Have Pledged $25 Million to the Region’s COVID-19 Response This phase involves thousands of participants. For example, the study in the United States has 30,000 participants. There are 10,000 participants in the United Kingdom, 5,000 in Brazil, and 3,000 in South Africa. How do you choose the number of participants? [It] depends on the amount of the virus that’s circulating. South Africa is in the middle of the pandemic, that’s why we can target and enrol a smaller number of participants. South Africa is in phases two and three of the study; a bridging phase, because we’re also looking into whether the vaccine protects against COVID-19. There were concerns that Africans would be turned into guinea pigs to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. How valid were these fears? There are 30 vaccines that are being evaluated in humans, and 29 of these evaluations are in high-income countries. South Africa is the only African country [to be testing a COVID-19 vaccine], so certainly, Africans are not being used as guinea pigs. The vaccine trial in South Africa only started after we got the results back from the UK showing that it was safe to test on humans. There were already 5,000 participants in the UK trial without side effects [when the trial at WITS started]. In fact, I’m the one who went to the University of Oxford to convince them to partner with us. The South African study is supported by the national department of health and the South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC), while the R150 million cost is being funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations. Image supplied by Wits University. Related StoriesMay 22, 2020100-Year-Old Man Raises £186,000 to Fight COVID-19 by Walking Laps in His Garden During Ramadan Why was it important for you to approach Oxford? We have to determine how the vaccine will work in the African context. The UK and South Africa are worlds apart, with different dynamics. What we’re seeing about COVID-19 [in South Africa] is that more than 90% of its transmission is in urban areas, due to higher density of people in close contact. Soweto and Alexander have a higher population density than London. The virus is also likely to transmit in Africa in areas that have poor access to basic things like water, and those who use public transport, which increases chances of being infected. There is still a lot of complacency [in South Africa] and people are still not wearing masks, while taxis still have 100% occupancy, for example. These factors lend themselves to more rapid transmission and more people getting infected; burning out health systems quickly. Related StoriesMay 1, 2020How Can We Prevent a Pandemic Like COVID-19 From Happening Again? There is more of the virus circulating in South Africa than there is in the UK, and we haven’t peaked yet. South Africa also has [high rates] of co-morbidities like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, and these can influence how well the vaccine works — and we might find a different result in South Africa due to the nature of the settings under which we’re evaluating the vaccine. Unless we work out how the vaccine performs in our settings, we’ll be in the dark. How long will the vaccine testing by WITS take place? When will we know whether it’s working or not in South Africa? Due to the large number of people getting infected over a short period of time, we’ll get an answer around the end of November or the beginning of December. There is nothing that the general public can do to contribute to the test’s success. Just do what has been requested. Adhere to rules [like wearing a mask, social distancing, and frequently washing hands with soap and water]. We have to take the rules seriously. This virus will be with us until the vaccine is available to 60% of the population, which is not going to happen until the end of 2021. Related StoriesJuly 27, 2020Thomson Reuters FoundationYoung People in Zimbabwe Are Using Social Media to Combat COVID-19 'Infodemic' [Even if the vaccine is approved] there is still the manufacturing process, and huge demand. Some countries are already purchasing vaccines that don’t exist yet as they have been shown to work. There is huge competition around gaining access to vaccines. There are currently 30 COVID-19 vaccines that are being evaluated in humans. Image supplied by Wits University. What are you most hopeful about with regards to the vaccine trials by WITS? Oxford University said [in July] the initial response to the vaccine is promising. People were able to produce antibodies. Additionally, the antibodies quadrupled after they were given a second dose of the vaccine. Antibodies are really important in whether a vaccine will work or not. However, there is still a long way ahead before a vaccine becomes available to low- and middle-income countries. Our Unite for Our Future campaign supports organisations leading the global efforts to tackle COVID-19, and ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to tests, treatments, and vaccines. You can take actions here to support the global response to COVID-19. TOPICS
  5. dmway
    That’s one of my very favorite discs! That and the full b-sides disc are the real jewels of the set (besides AB itself, that is).
  6. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    In 2000,the Irish Examiner sent Kevin Barry to Chernobyl. Here they reproduce what he reported 20 years ago. Sadly, though there has been progress in many areas since that time, much of what Kevin Barry reports here still rings true for Chernobyl's victims, except there is now an additional generation of children who suffer as Misha did. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/views/analysis/kevin-barry-in-chernobyl-misha-is-an-example-of-what-happens-when-a-country-is-on-its-knees-941735.html?fbclid=IwAR385BT9vbbymLN04EezsB59C6gkmE2rQW1cORnYQsETGLl1PKQSvHW9jhI
  7. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    Music Generation Carlow's senior traditional music ensemble, Reelig, will feature on TG4 this week as part of a four-day celebration of traditional Irish music marking Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2020. Reelig recorded their performance in Mullingar, where the Fleadh should have taken place this year. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the world's largest celebration of Irish music, language, song and dance, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to the host town every year. While this year's Fleadh can't unfortunately happen in the usual way, TG4 are celebrating Fleadh 2020 across the week with engaging, unmissable entertainment not only for all the people who would have been in Mullingar this week, but also as well as many viewers who enjoy it at home on TG4 every year. Presented by Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Dáithí Ó Sé . The broadcasts will run each evening from August 6th to 9th, with Reelig set to feature on the first night's programme. Tune in from 9.30pm and enjoy the show! 📽🎶 https://youtu.be/bxGSsydZnjk
  8. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    The Government have made new "Please Give Me Space" cards and badges. 👍 They are designed for people who may have difficulties social distancing. 🧍‍♂️↔🧍‍♀️ The badges show others around them that they should pay attention, and give that person space. 👀 The cards and badges are available to download or print off from the website below.👇 https://www.gov.uk/…/please-give-me-space-social-distancing
  9. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    #LeadersMust take decisive, urgent action to tackle a global pandemic. Unfortunately, at the start of COVID-19, too many countries dragged their feet. One place we did see leadership was the African Union. But more needs to be done. Here’s a look at three was the AU can step up: https://bit.ly/33sBz6U
  10. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    Due to #COVID19 lockdowns & supply-chain disruptions... 🚨80% of HIV, TB & malaria programs reported service disruptions 🚨1 in 4 people living with HIV are having problems gaining access to medication Learn more ⬇️ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/health/coronavirus-tuberculosis-aids-malaria.html?fbclid=IwAR13UcX96QXMlL_49bLKZmfzekCshn3pSAv5tyLttigcZ5tWIWb8swaVOE0
  11. RobAneurysm
    Thanks guys for the replies! I actually paid £150 for my 2nd hand copy with shipping included. I don't know what others think but I really love disc 6, the Kindergarten version, superb stuff.
  12. seresere

    seresere

    seresere added images to a gallery album in Subscribers Gallery

  13. fozbollard
    Still waiting on news of weekly highlights show for Fans outside of USA / Canada
  14. Bonoman74 Bonoman74 joined the community
  15. andryu2
    Exactly. I think he's just being Larry.
  16. andryu2
    Me too!
  17. sandybend sandybend joined the community
  18. Grift15 Grift15 joined the community
  19. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    By Madeleine Keck AUG. 4, 2020 1 CITIZENSHIP Australian Leaders Release 16 New Targets Aimed at Improving Indigenous Inequalities For the first time, the targets have been set by Indigenous Australians. Why Global Citizens Should Care A significant gap remains between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians when it comes to school attendance, academic achievement, employment and life expectancy. In 2018, the child mortality rate for Indigenous children was double the rate of their non-Indigenous counterparts. Inequalities have an impact on the progress of all of the United Nations’ Global Goals. Join Global Citizen and take action for health, education and equality here. The Australian government has released a historic Closing the Gap agreement, featuring 16 new targets aimed at improving Indigenous outcomes across health, life expectancy, employment and education. The new agreement, which has been signed by all state and territory governments, has been set by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians — a key difference to the targets set in 2008, which were created with minimal input from Indigenous communities and have predominantly been unmet. Alongside setting the agreement, Indigenous organisations will direct the execution of the targets. Haz el Quiz: Cuánto sabes sobre los 17 objetivos globales que prometieron los líderes del mundo. 26.794 / 50.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información During the launch of the new targets in Canberra on July 30, Prime Minister Scott Morrison acknowledged previous failings. "We told Indigenous Australians what the gap was that we were going to close — and somehow thought they should be thankful for that. That was wrong-headed. That wasn't the way to do it,” Morrison said, according to Nine News. “For the first time, First Nations people will share decision-making with governments on Closing the Gap.” In another first, the targets also include commitments on reducing Indigenous suicide, incarceration rates and the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care. Preserving languages, reducing overcrowded housing and increasing land rights also feature for the first time. Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt applauded the new targets. "The way all levels of government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives have come together to negotiate this National Agreement and collectively determine how we strive to close the gap demonstrates our commitment to working together through meaningful partnerships,” Wyatt said in a media release. “We know that the best outcomes are achieved when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are equal partners with governments, and when they have a direct say in how we are going to be successful in driving the desired outcomes.” The agreement, however, hasn’t been without its share of criticism. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service Co-chair Nerita Waight said the incarceration rate target lacks substance and is not ambitious enough. Waight claims the 15% reduction target will not achieve parity in prison rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous adults until 2093. "It feels like a very missed opportunity," she said in a statement. Related StoriesFeb. 19, 2020Just 2 of the 7 Targets Set to Close Indigenous Inequality in Australia Are on Track: Report Other advocates claim issues specifically related to drug, alcohol, primary and middle school education and mental health have been forgone. Activists have also criticised the government for failing to pledge new funding to support the agreement. Morrison stated the new targets “may not include everything our people want or need to make lasting change,” but emphasised that “this is a huge step forward.” "This isn't about buckets of money," Morrison said. "This is about changing the way we do things and ensuring that we apply the resources most effectively to achieve that." Federal, state and local governments, and the Coalition of Peaks — a body composed of around 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations — are jointly accountable for the outcomes under the new agreement. An independent Productivity Commission is expected to provide a progress report every three years. The 16 new targets are below. Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation, by 2031. By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies with a healthy birthweight to 91% By 2025, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in Year Before Fulltime Schooling early childhood education to 95% By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children assessed as developmentally on track in all five domains of the Australian Early Development Census to 55% By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (age 20-24) attaining year 12 or equivalent qualification to 96% By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25-34 years who have completed a tertiary qualification to 70% By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth (15–24 years) who are in employment, education or training to 67% By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25–64 who are employed to 62% By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in appropriately sized housing to 88% By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration by at least 15% By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10-17 years) in detention by at least 15% By 2031, reduce the rate of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45% A significant and sustained reduction in violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children towards zero Significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people towards zero a) By 2030, a 15% increase in Australia's landmass subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's legal rights or interests b) By 2030, a 15% increase in areas covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's legal rights or interests in the sea By 2031, there is a sustained increase in number and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken TOPICSAustraliaIndigenousAboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderClose the GapClosing the gap COMMENTS
  20. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    By Leah Rodriguez AUG. 4, 2020 3 GIRLS & WOMEN 50% of Young Men in the UK Believe Feminism Has ‘Gone Too Far’: Report HOPE not hate surveyed young men about their attitudes towards gender equality during COVID-19. Why Global Citizens Should Care Gender equality is not just a women’s issue. When women have equal rights to men, societies are healthier, wealthier, and better educated. You can join us and take action on this issue here. Everyone benefits from a more gender-equal society — but some young men in the UK believe that feminism has gone overboard in its pursuit for equality. The UK-based anti-extremism charity HOPE not hate released a new report on Monday that found half of the young men surveyed believe feminism "has gone too far and makes it harder for men to succeed." The charity surveyed 2,076 young men between 16 and 24 years old about their ideological beliefs during the COVID-19 pandemic in the report entitled "Young People in the Time of COVID-19." Firma: Apoya a la generación de la igualdad 47.164 / 50.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información Only 21% of male participants did not agree that feminism had gone too far. Less than half of male participants, 39%, believed it is a more dangerous time to be a woman than a man in Britain today. Meanwhile, nearly 1 in 5 had "negative" views about feminists. HOPE not hate attributes the anti-feminist perspective popular among younger millennial and Generation Z men to the growing far-right ideology in the UK. "Men’s rights and anti-feminism are increasingly becoming a slip road to the far right, appealing to young men feeling emasculated in an age of changing social norms," the report said. HOPE not hate’s data is in line with research conducted by the women’s rights organization Fawcett Society, which found that young men are threatened by feminism. The Fawcett Society, however, also noted that younger men are more likely to identify as feminists, according to Fawcett Society Chief Executive Sam Smethers. "This explains the high levels of misogyny, abuse, casualized violence, and objectification women experience every day," Smethers told Global Citizen via email. "We need a step change in men's attitudes if we are going to reverse it." Despite the perceptions of young men surveyed, critics would argue that feminism has not gone far enough in the UK. The UK now ranks 21st on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Equality Index. Women in the country remain underrepresented in politics, and the gender pay gap is not narrowing. Related StoriesMarch 5, 2020We'll Never End Extreme Poverty Without Tackling Gender Inequality, Too Furthermore, the economic crisis spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting women much harder than men as they’re more likely to hold jobs in industries impacted by the crisis. The pandemic is also causing a spike in domestic violence cases while women are trapped at home with their abusers. Although the survey represented a widespread belief that feminism is at the expense of men, gender equality actually improves men’s lives. The World Health Organization found that in 41 European countries, men’s health was weaker in more gender-unequal societies. Men also report they are more satisfied with life when women have more rights. TOPICSGender EqualityFeminismWomen & GirlsGen ZMillenialsSurveysCOVID-19The UK
  21. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    By James Hitchings-Hales AUG. 4, 2020 1 ENVIRONMENT This Landmark Climate Case in Ireland Might Be ‘Huge' for the Rest of Europe Too Climate activists took on the government — and won. Why Global Citizens Should Care The UN’s Global Goals include Goal 13 for climate action. Experts say there’s just 10 years left to limit the damage caused by the increase in global temperatures — and that means governments must take much more radical action to curb countries' emissions of greenhouse gases. Join our movement by taking environmental action here. On July 31, the Irish Supreme Court ruled that Ireland’s climate plans just weren’t good enough — as judged by the country’s very own standards. It examined the Irish government’s 2017 National Mitigation Plan — basically its roadmap to reducing greenhouse gases — and found that its targets were not specific enough. It’s a case that may very well have “huge ramifications” beyond Ireland too, according to the group that brought the case. Firma: El cambio climático amenaza la vida. Ayuda a los países más pobres a adaptarse 58.029 / 75.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información The Friends of the Irish Environment organisation took the Irish government to court because it felt the reduction of greenhouse gases was an immediate emergency — but the government’s plan didn’t reflect that sense of urgency. The Supreme Court found large parts of the plan “excessively vague or aspirational.” Indeed, the 2017 National Mitigation Plan even allowed for some increases in carbon emissions, according to the BBC. The legal problem lay in how that plan contradicted previous legislation passed in 2015. While the National Mitigation Plan was left unclear on emissions targets, those other laws insisted that a very specific plan must be released. The Supreme Court declared that the 2017 National Mitigation Plan “fell well short of the specificity required” from the previous laws, and that they must be upheld. It overturned a previous High Court ruling in September 2019 at the highest possible judicial level. The Irish government must now publish its objectives to detail how it will achieve its goal to hit net zero emissions by 2050, a target that means that the country will eventually contribute nothing to global warming as it emits less carbon than it takes out. Related StoriesJune 12, 2019Britain Becomes First Major Country to Commit to Legally Binding Zero Emissions Target "It shows governments have to do more to protect their citizens from the worst impact of the climate crisis,” said Clodagh Daly, a spokesperson for Friends of the Irish Environment. "We know that the transition to the low-carbon economy is technologically feasible — there is no legal basis for a lack of political will.” "Governments around the EU [European Union] have no excuse now,” she added. Meanwhile, the group’s director in Northern Ireland, James Orr, called the ruling a “wake up call.” "Not only do we have a moral duty to stop the climate crisis but we now have a legal duty as well," Orr said. "The argument for decisive climate action has become a lot stronger as a result of this epic court case." Related StoriesAug. 3, 2020UK MPs Call for a ‘Food Minister’ to Tackle Joint Threats of Climate Change, Brexit, and COVID-19 It is just the second time ever that a country’s highest national court has challenged its own government to revise its climate policies. And a UN expert has predicted that the result in Ireland could have wide ranging consequences for climate justice everywhere, empowering activists to take on their leaders, demand greater ambition on how it tackles the climate crisis, and win. “This landmark decision recognises the urgency of responding to the climate emergency and sets a precedent for courts around the world to follow,” said Dr. David R. Boyd, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights and the environment. The BBC reports that the Irish government welcomed the ruling, saying it would "carefully examine the decision." TOPICSIrelandClimateClimate ChangeSupreme CourtGlobal WarmingClimate CrisisNet ZeroFriends of the Irish EnvironmentClimate Justice2017 National Mitigation Plan COMMENTS
  22. tan_lejos_tan_cerca
    By Joe McCarthy MAY 13, 2020 7 FOOD & HUNGER 6 Food Crises Worsened by the COVID-19 Pandemic From Venezuela to Kenya, starvation looms for many people. Why Global Citizens Should Care The World Food Program warns that an additional 130 million people could face starvation-like conditions in 2020 unless immediate interventions are made. The United Nations’ Global Goal 2 calls on countries to fully eliminate hunger. You can join us in taking action on related actions here. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is causing knock-on crises around the world. Economies are faltering, human rights are under attack, and now food is becoming a scarce commodity, leading to widespread food insecurity in various countries. Haz el Quiz: La pandemia de coronavirus ha aumentado el hambre global. Responde el quiz para más información. 6409 / 20.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información The food crisis doesn’t have a single pain-point that can be swiftly remedied, according to the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development. Instead, it’s an all-encompassing crisis that spans the entire system of food production. Fewer people are able to manage crops as farm workers engage in social distancing. Supply chains have been disrupted. Food processing facilities and markets are closed. Financial support networks — including remittances — are shrinking, even as smallholder farmers lose access to key secondary forms of income that they need to maintain their fields. Related StoriesJuly 30, 2020Clean Bandit and Global Citizen Team Up to Host an All-Day House Party to Fight World Hunger The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) warns that these impacts could lead to an additional 130 million people facing crisis levels of hunger in 2020. This growing food crisis can be averted with effective interventions, but experts say governments must support the vast system of food production and consumption, from farm workers to the transportation and storage of food to the ability of families to afford groceries. “There are no famines yet,” David Beasley, the executive director of the WFP, said in a statement. “But I must warn you that if we don’t prepare and act now — to secure access, avoid funding shortfalls and disruptions to trade — we could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months.” Encuentro virtual con Clean Bandit Términos y Condiciones para esta recompensa se pueden encontrar aquí REGÍSTRATE PARA INGRESAR ¿Ya eres usuario?Iniciar sesión para tus puntos. Here are six countries facing food crises amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Venezuela Image: Ariana Cubillos/AP With a worsening economic crisis, underfunded and understaffed health care system, and lack of running water, Venezuela is ranked by the UN to be one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to coronavirus. Now the country is coping with a burgeoning food crisis as farmers are unable to bring their crops to markets, according to Reuters. Entire fields of vital crops — from lettuce to potatoes to plantains — are rotting in place as farmers are unable to transport and store them. Prior to the pandemic, more than a fifth of the country struggled to get enough food on a daily basis largely because of extreme economic sanctions imposed on the country by the United States. As lockdown measures continue to take effect in Venezuela, the number of people without food could dramatically increase. “This is what humanitarian activists hoped to never see: a sanitary crisis on top of a nutritional crisis,” wrote Venezuelan nutrition expert Susana Raffalli on Twitter, according to Reuters. “It hits us as the country does not have gasoline, protective equipment, or a clear response to COVID-19.” Take Action: Sign This Petition to Earn a Chance to Meet Clean Bandit! Lebanon In Lebanon, the pandemic swiftly sparked an economic crisis, with inflation soaring in recent weeks. Nearly half of Lebanon’s population lives in poverty, lockdown measures caused large swaths of the population to lose their jobs, and new withdrawal restrictions imposed by banks have prevented people from accessing their funds. As a result, people are struggling to buy groceries, according to the New York Times. Meanwhile, citizens in need have yet to receive government aid, civil unrest is exploding across the country, and families that had previously been well-off are scavenging for food in the streets. Colombia In Colombia, red pieces of cloth strung from windows now symbolize hunger, according to Colombia Reports. In recent weeks, these flags of despair have appeared in increasing numbers across the country as people are unable to afford food amid the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Food aid promised by the government has yet to materialize in some cities, leading to protests and looting. “We need to make sure the world knows we exist,” Robinson Álvarez Monroy, 31, told the Washington Post. “We have nothing to eat. We depend on good-hearted people who pass by and see the flags. That is how they know we are hungry.” Kenya The economic impacts of the pandemic have been unevenly felt within and across countries. People already living in or near poverty have been hit the hardest. In Kenya, social distancing and lockdown measures to contain the virus have caused many people to lose their sources of income, worsening the already widespread poverty in the country. Insufficient support from the government, meanwhile, means that many families are unable to buy food during the crisis. In Nairobi, the capital, a stampede during a recent food giveaway left two people dead. “We don’t have any money, and now we need to survive,” Pauline Karushi, who lost her job at a jewelry business in Nairobi, told the New York Times. “That means not eating much.” India Image: Bread for the World/ Flickr The massive lockdown measure imposed by India’s government to contain COVID-19 has exposed the country’s patchy social safety net, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). For the hundreds of millions of people who work in the informal sector or who are self-employed, the sudden loss of income has left them unable to afford food. India’s government has mobilized huge sums of money to address the food crisis, but many people are falling through the cracks. Many people who lost their jobs now have to line up twice a day for meals to avoid starvation. Organizations like IFAD are helping to support agricultural workers and farmers during this time to ensure the food supply remains robust, but it’s unclear whether it will all be enough to prevent a full-blown famine. Haiti The pandemic has deepened already widespread poverty in Haiti, where more than half of the country lives below the poverty line. Since the government enacted lockdown measures, hunger has grown in the country. More than 4 million Haitians need urgent food aid, and nearly 1 million face starvation, according to the UN. People living in settlement camps with little access to government aid have been hit the hardest, according to CNN. “We are defenseless against this new virus," Miguel Wilner, a 40-year old Haitian, told CNN. "People are already dying of hunger; here at the camp, we have no help and we don't know what will happen. At this point anything is possible. We have very little information on what's going on. On top of the hunger and lack of sanitation, we have no electricity to stay connected with the news." As Beasley of the WFP said, these food crises can be averted. Countries can be supported. Supply chains, production centers, and food markets can be bolstered. Hunger, ultimately, can be minimized. You can donate to organizations the WFP, UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and others that are on the frontlines of feeding people and ensuring food supplies remain robust. You can also take action here with Global Citizen by calling on global leaders to invest in agriculture and food services. Clean Bandit x Global Citizen: House Party Against Hunger on August 8 will call on world leaders to step up to stop the COVID-19 crisis becoming a food crisis too. Join the campaign to tackle starvation by taking action here — and you could earn a meet and greet with the band. TOPICSCurrent eventsIndiaKenyaFamineColombiaVenezuelaFood & hungerHaitiLebanonPandemicFood insecurityCoronavirusCOVID-19
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    By Joe McCarthy and Pia Gralki JULY 10, 2020 7 ADVOCACYCITIZENSHIP LGBTQ+ 'Conversion Therapy': What Is It and How Can We Take Action to End It? The movement to end the “barbaric practice” has gained momentum in recent years. Why Global Citizens Should Care LGBTQ+ communities are disproportionately affected by poverty, and conversion therapy further marginalizes them by threatening the mental and physical health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people around the world. The United Nations Independent Expert is calling for a universal ban on the harmful practice. You can join us in taking action on this and related issues here. Editor’s note: This story contains details of violence. A.O. was 13 when she was first beaten with a broom by a pastor as part of a so-called “conversion therapy” session in Nigeria. Then, at 15, her mother sent her to a church where she was locked in a room, forced to fast and pray, tortured, and humiliated for a month, all in an effort to “correct” her sexual orientation. A.O., who shared her story with the human rights organization OutRight Action International and whose name was altered to maintain confidentiality, is now 46. She identifies as a lesbian, but those early experiences of “conversion therapy,” consisting of torture and abuse, impacted her for years. Her story is painfully specific yet disturbingly common; millions of people who don’t conform to narrow sexual orientation and gender identity norms have had their lives and well-being threatened in similar ways. Conversion therapy is the pseudo-medical or religious practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity to heterosexual or cisgender (non-transgender). It occurs in nearly every country in the world and often amounts to torture, according to Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the United Nations independent expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (IESOGI). Brought to you by: The World Bank Group yCoty Firma: El mundo necesita datos sobre la comunidad LGBTI 45.490 / 50.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información Conversion therapy often masquerades as a legitimate collection of practices informed by scientific or religious principles, and marketing and misinformation campaigns have bolstered this view for years. “The persistence of so-called conversion therapy is directly related to beliefs about LGBTIQ people and the degree to which we are accepted within our families, our faiths, and societies at large,” Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International, told Global Citizen. “When homophobia and transphobia prevail, the consequences are stigma, discrimination, and violence.” As the nature and scale of conversion therapy become better known, scientific and religious organizations, governmental bodies, and survivor advocates have called for a universal ban on the practice and its promotion. The continuation of conversion therapy is an ongoing human rights catastrophe that particularly threatens young people, according to the UN. Related StoriesJune 25, 2020In My Own Words: As a Doctor, Here's What We Need to Make Health Systems LGBTQ+ Inclusive Although efforts to restrict and ban the practice have gained momentum in recent years, conversion therapy still exists with little interference in much of the world, and the wide range of forms that it takes often undermine legal efforts to stop it. Ending conversion therapy once and for all requires the public to fully understand the context surrounding the practice, its consequences, and how and why it persists. “We have known for decades that when people recognize that a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity is not a choice but a feature of who they are, the more likely they will be to support equal rights in general,” said Casey Pick, senior fellow for advocacy and government affairs for the Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ youth organization. “So the extent to which conversion therapy continues to promote the idea that a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity is something that can or should be changed, that idea undercuts our ability to win equality in other areas,” she added. “It’s also just an insult to the dignity of LGBTQ+ people and undermines our efforts to have societies accept us for who we are.” What does conversion therapy look like around the world? Conversion therapy has been documented in at least 68 countries and surveys suggest it takes place in all regions of the world, according to a report on conversion therapy published by the UN in June. The practice occurs in institutional settings such as hospitals and churches as well as more informal circumstances, reflecting the cultural characteristics of a given community. As a result, conversion therapy varies widely around the world, with the one abiding feature being that it seeks to alter the identity of LGBTQ+ people with techniques that harm, traumatize, and ostracize. Conversion therapy exists because of the routine discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ people that takes place on a familial, communal, and systemic level, according to Stern. “Entire systems and communities are involved in making conversion therapy happen,” said Stern. “Everyone from your aunt to your religious leader to your neighbor.” “It can be a combination of laws that dehumanize LGBTIQ people, religious or cultural interpretations that perceive us as being less than other parts of humanity, and also family and cultural ideas of who and what makes a family,” she added. Conversion therapy programs are often fraudulent money-making schemes that exploit people's fears, prejudices, and misconceptions. Broadly speaking, they can be placed within three categories: psychotherapy, medical, and faith-based, according to the UN. Psychotherapy programs rest on the assumption that LGBTQ+ people have had certain experiences — such as an unloving mother or an absent father — that explain their sexual orientation or gender identity. These programs insist that different sexual orientations and gender identities represent a character flaw stemming from a childhood trauma. “The technique [of psychotherapy] might be legitimate but the objectives [of conversion therapy] are illegitimate,” said Pick. “These techniques were never meant to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s why every major medical and mental health organization has condemned the practice as illegitimate at the least, and actively harmful at the worst.” Conversion therapy providers often subject a person to interrogative questioning about their lives to find potential “abnormalities” and then frame them in prejudiced terms. Aversion therapy, in which providers use painful or distressing stimuli to deter a person from thinking and feeling in certain ways, and behavioral training, in which providers seek to instil stereotypically “masculine” or “feminine” behaviors within a subject, are also common. In various countries, subjects are forced to masturbate while envisioning persons of a different gender, the UN reported. Medical practitioners of conversion therapy believe non-heteronormative sexual orientations and non-cisnormative gender identities result from a biological dysfunction that can be corrected with pharmaceutical drugs or surgery. In China, for instance, there are reports of subjects undergoing electroshock therapy and medical injections, while in India, doctors promote hormone therapy as a way to “cure” people, according to the UN. These methods are used around the world. Faith-based programs often represent the most extreme form of conversion therapy. Practitioners tend to view LGBTQ+ identities as an inherently immoral “choice,” or that subjects themselves are inherently immoral. Subjects in these programs are often forced to pray, starved, yelled at and berated, beaten with objects, sexually assaulted, and more. Exorcisms, in which practitioners attempt to extract a demonic presence from a subject, happen frequently. Related StoriesMay 8, 2020LGBTQ+ Indonesians Are Being Forced to Undergo Exorcisms as a ‘Cure’ Other faith-based programs force subjects to take a vow of celibacy. In this way, they’re not trying to change a person’s sexual orientation and gender expression so much as definitively suppressing it. All of these methods have been widely discredited and condemned by medical experts and human rights activists. “You can’t change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity by giving someone a pill, or praying it away, or waving a wand,” said Stern. “We are who we are, we can’t change. The world around us needs to change.” The effects of conversion therapy All instances of conversion therapy “are inherently humiliating, demeaning, and discriminatory,” according to Madrigal-Borloz. The consequences are magnified by the fact that the majority of conversion therapy subjects are young people. An estimated 80% of people who undergo conversion therapy are under 24 years old, while half are younger than 18, the UN reported. Subjecting youth to these harmful practices can result in lifelong psychological and physical repercussions. “It’s so sad [that people] experience something this traumatic that young,“ said Stern. “It changes you for literally the rest of your life.” People who undergo conversion therapy report a wide range of consequences. The UN reports that individuals experience “profound feelings of shame, guilt, self-disgust, and worthlessness, which can result in a damaged self-concept and enduring personality changes. The deep impact on individuals includes significant loss of self-esteem, anxiety, depressive syndrome, social isolation, intimacy difficulty, self-hatred, shame and guilt, sexual dysfunction, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as often significant physical pain and suffering.” Related StoriesAug. 3, 2018This Trans Activist Fled Death Threats. Now She Wants to Overhaul Global Law. Survivors often drop out of school, lose their jobs, and can experience other material consequences such as homelessness due to the many effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Eating disorders can develop, as well as gastrointestinal problems and other health complications. People who undergo forced hormone therapy can face lasting bodily harm, and those who have been beaten may face lasting physical injuries. Individuals often experience sexual assault during conversion therapy sessions that can cause lasting physical and psychological trauma. These generalized consequences are broad strokes, but they’re corroborated on the individual level by survivors who spoke with OutRight Action International. “When I tried to kill myself, I didn’t die,” said Re. Nokuthula Dhladhla, a 46-year-old lesbian in South Africa, who was raped and tortured. “My family disowned me,” said George Barasa, a 28-year-old gay, gender-nonconforming Kenyan living in South Africa. “I was given a choice — change or be disowned. I chose to be disowned. I was so naive, depressed. Some people took advantage of this. In the process, I was infected with HIV. I attempted suicide ... and was found unconscious by neighbors who checked on me.” “I have tried to move on, but the religious counseling really affected me, and up to now, I have a hard time believing if there is even a God in the first place,” said Jay Angwenyi, a gay man living in Kenya. “At some point, I made a suicide attempt,” K.A., a 23-year-old gay man in Jordan, told OutRight. “I ... didn’t want to live like that. It seemed like [conversion therapy] wasn’t going to work ... so I was blaming myself for not being good enough for it to work.” “[Conversion therapy] makes you feel disgusted about yourself,” said Jamal Jonathan, a 28-year-old gay man in Tanzania. “It is very damaging. It makes you feel not like a human. It makes you lose your confidence. But we cannot talk about this publicly.” Related StoriesJuly 1, 2019LGBTQ Refugees Face Barriers Around the World. Here's How You Can Help. The movement to stop conversion therapy Organizations like the United Nations, the Trevor Project, and OutRight Action International are advocating for a worldwide ban on conversion therapy on the grounds that every instance of the practice is a human rights abuse that violates international law and threatens the well-being and safety of LGBTQ+ people. To date, five countries — Germany, Malta, Ecuador, Brazil, and Taiwan — have outlawed conversion therapy, and more than a dozen other countries are consideringsimilar policies. Hundreds of cities and towns around the world have enacted bans on the local level. Getting to this point, however, has been an arduous process involving extensive advocacy and grassroots work. Stern of OutRight Action International and Pick of the Trevor Project both said that building a broad coalition of religious leaders, public figures, politicians, and everyday citizens is key to banning the practice. The first step is raising awareness. “OutRight believes that if more people were aware of the prevalence and the egregious consequences of conversion therapy, more people would be moved to action,” Stern said. “If we can create a snowball effect, if we can create international norms and standards that say conversion therapy amounts to torture, then it becomes easier for states to ban it in law, it becomes easier for medical associations to bar doctors from performing it,” she added. Pick said that it’s important for countries to fund educational campaigns about the harms of conversion therapy. Survivors sharing their stories can show how harmful and traumatizing the practice is for individuals, giving a personal voice to what may otherwise seem like an abstract scenario that happened in the past, or happens elsewhere. “There is a challenge in making it known that this is an ongoing issue,” Stern said. “Many people believe that it was a problem in the 1970s, when homosexuality was removed from the textbooks as a disorder.” Pop culture also has a role to play. Diverse LGBTQ+ representation in movies and television helps the public to better understand and dignify different expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity. Films and documentaries such as Boy Erased, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, and Pray Away have elevated the fight against conversion therapy. Religious leaders also must condemn the practice and demonstrate their support for LGBTQ+ people, Pick said. “When you have a broad base of support raising this issue up, then you find champions among your lawmakers, bipartisan leaders, who want to prioritize this, and they will introduce the legislation,” she said. Related StoriesSept. 24, 2019How Jonathan Van Ness Announcing He's HIV-Positive Is a Big Step Against Global Stigma Ultimately, banning conversion therapy is only the first step of what it takes to societies that allow LGBTQ+ people to thrive. “Conversion therapy is the bare minimum of ‘do no harm,’” said Pick. “There is so much that we can do to create welcoming and fully embracing societies.” Countries must also ban all forms of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in the workplace, in private establishments, in public, and in homes. Because of widespread discrimination, LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience poverty than the broader public, and this has been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated existing inequalities. Currently, 73 countries outlaw homosexuality and various other countriers legally allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. These laws encourage widespread violence and cruelty and cause LGBTQ+ people to be marginalized and dehumanized. "Because so-called conversion therapy is a practice done to LGBTIQ people, we don’t think about it as a form of assault. We don’t think about it as rape. We don’t think about it as starvation or kidnapping. We don’t think of it as medical malpractice, but it is. But it is all of these things," said Stern. “The laws of society and the principles of human morality must also apply to how we treat LGBTIQ people." Once laws are put in place that protect LGBTQ+ people, countries can then go about creating actively beneficial living conditions. Schools have to invest in suicide prevention and mental health policies in schools, with the understanding that LGBTQ+ youth are up to five times more likely to attempt suicide than the general public. Schools also have to develop sexual education curriculums that reflect the full spectrum of sexuality and gender identity, empowering young people with the knowledge and language to discover and own their sexual orientation and gender identity. “We can protect our youth from bullying based on who they are and who they care for,” Pick said. Related StoriesFeb. 22, 2018LGBTQ Refugees Face Unimaginable Trauma, But They’re Rising Up Empowering LGBTQ+ people also depends on providing basic human rights: adequate health care, housing assistance, educational and employment opportunities, financial support, nutritional food, clean water, and a clean environment. “In order to end conversion therapy, we don’t just need good laws on the books, but also love and acceptance of LGBTQ people within our religious groups, families, and societies,” Stern said. “That’s the only thing that’s going to end this barbaric practice.” If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (US). The Trevor Project has an LGBTQ+ specific hotline and chat service. You can find international resources here. TOPICSCurrent eventsLGBTQ+Human rightsMenschenrechteDiskriminierungGender identityConversion Therapysexuelle GewaltSexual orientationLGBTQ+ discriminationKonversionstherapieGeschlechtsidentität
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    De: Thomson Reuters Foundation 3 DE AGOSTO DE 2020 5 NIÑAS Y MUJERES La pandemia está poniendo a las niñas latinoamericanas en riesgo de embarazo y abuso, dicen los expertos Se espera un aumento en los embarazos adolescentes. Por Christine Murray y Anastasia Moloney para Fundación Thomson Reuters. Traducción Erica Sánchez. CIUDAD DE MÉXICO / BOGOTA, 31 de julio (Fundación Thomson Reuters) - Cuando el vientre de su hija de 11 años comenzó a crecer en mayo, Paloma descubrió lo inimaginable: la niña había sido violada por su padrastro. Paloma, cuyo nombre ha sido cambiado, llevó a su hija a un hospital público en el estado de Michoacán, en el oeste de México, pero a la niña se le negó la realización de un aborto. Por ley, los hospitales públicos de México deben proporcionar abortos a las sobrevivientes de violación, y también cuando la salud de la madre está en riesgo. Además debe practicarse en algunos estados, si un feto está gravemente deformado, pero en la práctica, muchos se niegan a hacerlo. El año pasado, se llevaron a cabo un total de 470 abortos legales en el sistema de salud pública en México, una nación de 126 millones de personas, según muestran las cifras del Ministerio de Salud. En toda América Latina, las restricciones durante los tiempos normales significan que obtener un aborto legal es difícil, pero es aún más difícil durante las restricciones impuestas por el coronavirus, según indican los expertos. Firma: ¡Firma esta petición para empoderar a las niñas y mujeres alrededor del mundo! 36.500 / 50.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Con más de 4,3 millones de casos de COVID-19, América Latina y el Caribe se han convertido en uno de los principales focos de contagios. Los expertos advierten sobre un aumento en los embarazos de adolescentes, ya que los recursos de atención médica se desvían para tratar casos de COVID-19, y el acceso al aborto y la anticoncepción se vuelven más limitados, a pesar de que la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos permiten abortos en casos de violación. "Desafortunadamente, todavía hay mucha ignorancia entre la población y los servicios de salud sobre la ley", dijo Karla Berdichevsky, quien dirige el Centro Nacional de Equidad de Género y Salud Reproductiva del Ministerio de Salud de México. La organización sin fines de lucro Las Libres organizó atención médica especial en una clínica privada de Ciudad de México, para la niña de 11 años, a las 17 semanas de embarazo, durante la pandemia. "Las niñas son completamente impotentes", dijo Veronica Cruz, fundadora de Las Libres. "Ellos son exactamente las que necesitan más acceso, más orientación, más recursos desde el estado y no al revés". Las adolescentes de toda la región luchan por conseguir acceso a métodos de anticoncepción, que algunos proveedores de salud ofrecen gratuitamente y en clínicas administradas por el gobierno o sin fines de lucro. En Colombia, por ejemplo, menos de un tercio de las niñas de 15 a 19 años informan que usan anticonceptivos en un país donde casi una de cada cinco adolescentes es madre o está embarazada. "Teníamos grandes necesidades insatisfechas en la planificación familiar para adolescentes. Sin embargo, esto empeora con la pandemia", dijo Alma Virginia Camacho-Hubner, asesora regional sobre salud sexual y reproductiva del Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas (UNFPA). El gobierno de México estima que podría haber cerca de 22,000 embarazos no deseados más de lo normal en chicas de entre 15 a 19 años, este año y el próximo, debido a la falta de acceso a la anticoncepción. En toda América Latina, 18 millones de mujeres y adolescentes podrían dejar de usar anticonceptivos debido a la pandemia, lo que podría llevar a más de 600,000 embarazos no deseados, estima el UNFPA. Antes del coronavirus, América Latina y el Caribe registraron la segunda tasa mundial más alta de embarazos de adolescentes, después del África subsahariana, con un aumento en las cifras, dijo el UNFPA. Hubo 66,5 nacimientos por cada 1.000 niñas de 15 a 19 años entre 2010 y 2015 en toda la región, en comparación con 46 nacimientos por cada 1.000 niñas en el mismo grupo de edad a nivel mundial, según muestran las cifras del UNFPA. Las altas tasas de embarazo adolescente en América Latina se deben a la falta de acceso al control de la natalidad, la violencia sexual y la falta de educación sobre los derechos de las niñas. Las adolescentes a menudo quedan embarazadas como resultado de una violación a manos de parientes en el hogar, y los cierres de escuelas significan que las niñas están en sus casas con familiares abusivos. "Las casas no son lugares seguros en este momento, y las niñas y mujeres ahora están atrapadas en sus hogares con sus abusadores", dijo Daniel Molina, experto en género y masculinidades de la organización benéfica para niños Plan International. Los informes de violencia sexual han aumentado durante la pandemia de coronavirus, aunque no hay datos que muestren cuántos resultan en embarazos adolescentes. En muchos países, las líneas directas administradas por el gobierno han sido inundadas con llamadas que denuncian violencia sexual. La línea directa de Perú, por ejemplo, recibió 17,000 llamadas sobre violencia sexual contra niños durante los primeros 107 días de encierro. En Colombia, se reportaron casi 22 casos de abuso sexual contra niñas por día en promedio desde el inicio del cierre el 25 de marzo hasta el 23 de junio. Una encuesta en línea de Plan International realizada en junio a 350 adolescentes en 12 países, incluidos cinco países latinoamericanos, mostró que la mayoría de ellas estaban preocupadas por la violencia de género durante la pandemia. Hubo temores adicionales de que se vuelvan más vulnerables como consecuencia de la pobreza ocasionada por la pandemia y sean empujadas a casarase o vivir con una pareja a medida que sus padres se vuelven demasiado pobres para alimentarlos. En toda la región, 50 millones de personas adicionales se volverán pobres o extremadamente pobres debido al impacto económico causado por la pandemia, según las estimaciones de la ONU. "Las niñas contraen matrimonio más temprano como una forma de salir de la pobreza. Pero cuando llegan allí, se dan cuenta que se trata de otro espacio de abuso", dijo Molina. Más información: http://news.trust.org TEMASSexual assaultsexual assaultLatin AmericaTeenage PregnancycolombiamexicolatinoamericaGender based violenceteen pregnancylatin americaGender based ViolenceabuseTeenage GirlsCoronaviruscoronavirusColumbiaembarazo adolescente en latinoamericaabuso sexual COMENTARIOS
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    By Sushmita Roy JUNE 4, 2019 25 ENVIRONMENT This Woman Single-Handedly Picked 2 Metric Tons of Plastic Trash Off Canada's Beaches “We have a plastic problem here.” Why Global Citizens Should Care Plastic waste can kill and harm marine creatures that ingest it or becoming trapped in it. It can also disturb ecosystem by upsetting natural food chains. While the amazing recycling efforts of individual slike Karen Jenner are important, effectively addressing the world’s plastic pollution problem must start with plastic production and usage. Join the movement here to #UnplasticthePlanet and prevent 8 million tons of plastic from entering the world’s oceans by 2020. For more than a year, Karen Jenner has visited Nova Scotia’s beaches two or three times a week. But the Canadian’s visits to the Bay of Fundy haven’t all been for fun. Jenner has been on the hunt — for plastic. Within a year, she has collected more than 2,200 kilograms (about two metric tons) of trash left behind after enormous tides, including plastic bottles and fishing-related waste like lobster bands and ropes, CBC reported. "It's a drip in the bucket," Jenner told CBC. "There could be 100 of me out doing this, and yet the trash would still be coming in. There's just so much in the water." Though Jenner is just one person, her effort is helping to address a global issue that has only worsened over the years: plastic pollution. At least 8 to 13 million tons of plastic enter the world’s oceans every year — that’s the equivalent of about one garbage truck every minute. And plastic makes up 73% of the garbage on beaches, according to a report by National Geographic. Brought to you by: Coca-Cola Africa Take The Quiz: Learn How Kenya Is Fighting Plastic Pollution 13.717 / 20.000 acciones realizadas TOMA ACCIÓN Más información Many marine creatures, unable to distinguish between food and plastic, are killed each year as a result of accidentally ingesting waste. Even if animals do not intentionally consume plastic waste, plastic in the ocean breaks down into small particles, called microplastics, that marine life may inadvertently ingest. The plastic waste, which often contains toxins, accumulates in their digestive systems, clogging their organs. Many marine animals also end up entangled or trapped in nets and plastic. Animal species including sea turtles, sea lions, seabirds, dolphins, and whales are increasingly becoming victims of rising ocean pollution. “This isn’t a problem where we don’t know what the solution is,” Ted Siegler, a Vermont resource economist, working with developing nations to find garbage disposal solutions, told National Geographic. “We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to dispose of it. We know how to recycle.” “It’s a matter of building the necessary institutions and systems … ideally before the ocean turns, irretrievably and for centuries to come, into a thin soup of plastic.” Read More: Why Global Citizen Is Campaigning to Reduce Plastic Waste in the Oceans Activists like Jenner are single-handedly working to protect oceans from plastic, but to really tackle the problem, a much larger effort is needed. That’s why Jenner likes to photograph and document the trash she collects on her Facebook page. Jenner believes the photo posts help people understand the scale of the issue. "If people aren't aware of a problem, it's hard for them to relate to it. When people think about plastic and problems with plastic, we tend to think about places other than Nova Scotia, but we have a plastic problem here," Jenner said. Residents across the nation are taking responsibility and uniting to fight the issue. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, an initiative that helps collect and dispose waste, has helped collect 1.2 million kilograms of waste over 19,000 clean up events with 70,000 volunteers. "What's been neat about it is that other people are going to the beach now and picking things up, and that's nice to see," Jenner said. "You don't need to go and come back with 100 pounds, or 100 things. All you need to do is, if you see something where it shouldn't be, pick it up, and anybody can do that." TOPICSEnvironmentCanadaPlastic PollutionPlastic WasteOcean Plastic
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    By Joe McCarthy and Pia Gralki OCT. 18, 2019 18 FOOD & HUNGER This Company Is Giving Bees a Super Food to Make Them Stronger Healthier bees could mean more food for us. Why Global Citizens Should Care Bees are critical to the global food supply, pollinating around two-thirds of the crops humans eat. The United Nations urges countries to take steps to protect bees from the environmental hazards that threaten their continued existence. You can join us in taking action on related issues here. A nutritious diet can help humans achieve their full potential by providing energy, mental clarity, and physical strength. What about bees? The Argentina-based startup BeeFlow has developed a nutritious formula for bees to test out this question — and its results have been promising. Brought to you by: Action Against Hunger Horn & Eastern Africa Region Bees that consume the formula, made of sugar, water, and proprietary ingredients, are significantly more productive. In fact, bees on the formula can make seven times more trips in cold weather than bees subsisting on a standard diet, and can carry twice as much pollen, Bloomberg reports. Farmers who use the formula have reported crop yield gains of 20% to 90%, according to BeeFlow. This new method of turbocharging the insects comes amid a widespread decline in bee populations around the world. Bees and other animals pollinate an estimated 35% of crops grown worldwide, and around two-thirds of the crops consumed by humans rely on bee pollination, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Bees also help to pollinate the majority of the planet’s wild plants, which support healthy ecosystems. In the US, bees support around $20 billion in agricultural output. Related StoriesMay 8, 2019London's 7-Mile 'Bee Corridor' Will Help Boost Insect Numbers Over the past decade, beekeepers in the US and Europe have reported annual bee colony losses of 30% to 50%. A phenomenon known as “colony collapse disorder,” in which a bee colony gets wiped out, has become common in recent years. Scientists believe the rise in the use of a specific class of pesticides called neonicotinoids is responsible for colony collapse. Climate change creates other threats for bees. As temperatures rise, some areas are becoming too hot for the insects. Flowers stressed by climate change are beginning to release different signals that confuse bees. For bees that do survive, they’re often weaker than usual, affected by diseases, parasites, and contaminated food sources. "Bees are under great threat from the combined effects of climate change, intensive agriculture, pesticides use, biodiversity loss and pollution," said José Graziano da Silva, FAO's Director-General, in a video message recorded for World Bee Day on May 20. "The absence of bees and other pollinators would wipe out coffee, apples, almonds, tomatoes, and cocoa, to name just a few of the crops that rely on pollination. Countries need to shift to more pollinator-friendly and sustainable food policies and systems." Declining bee populations have made crop yields more unpredictable and have driven up the costs of raising and renting bees, according to CNN. BeeFlow is aiming to address these challenges by creating bees with stronger immune systems that can better withstand hostile conditions. Almond farmers, in particular, could benefit from the BeeFlow formula. Almond trees can only be pollinated during colder months when bees are normally averse to traveling. BeeFlow bees, meanwhile, can efficiently pollinate in cold weather. “We think that with healthier bees and then with a stronger immune system, bees can work better and perform better," Matias Viel, CEO of BeeFlow told CNN. Related StoriesAug. 15, 2017Bees Face ‘Spiral of Decline’ Because of Toxic Pesticide TOPICSCurrent eventsFarmingBeesAgricultureFood & hungerUmweltschutzBienensterbenBienenColony Collapse DisorderBeeBee colonyBeeFLowBee hiveArtensterben
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    This is little Sofia who was born with a complex congenital heart defect. Her mother spent two months looking for a miracle to save the life of her beautiful new born baby girl. Thankfully, Sofia’s mother received word that Dr Bill Novick of the Novick Cardiac Alliance could offer her treatment at Kharkiv Center of Cardiac Surgery. Sofia received life-saving heart surgery and we are delighted to announce that she made a wonderful recovery and continues to get stronger every day. Thank you to all our supporters and donors who make this vital programme possible. The Programme sees teams of internationally renowned cardiac surgeons fly to Eastern Ukraine up to 6 times a year to carry out life-saving ‘open-heart’ operations on the most critically ill children. During each trip, the surgical teams are able to save the lives of 30 - 40 children with a condition that surgeons call ‘Chernobyl Heart’. Without the intervention most of the children born with these defects would die before they reach their sixth birthday. You can support the programme by donating at http://www.chernobyl-international.com/donate
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    Music Generation Kilkenny presents FREE ONLINE MUSIC SUMMER CAMPS open to the whole country! The two camps on offer are Trad Camp and Song-writing and Sound Production Camp, both commencing soon in August. Early booking advised. Email: musicgenerationkilkenny@kcetb.ie What an excellent way to learn and make music this summer! 🎶🙌
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    Do you have a child with a learning disability who will be turning 18 from September? 👩‍👦 If you do, they could have issues with accessing their Child Trust Fund. 💷 Renaissance Legal have produced information about what this means and how people might be affected. ℹ See their website at https://www.renaissancelegal.co.uk/child-trust-fund-access/ for more details. There is also a petition you can sign to get raise awareness of the issue at Government level. Do you think you and your child may be affected? ❓ If so, please feel free to contact our Wills and Trusts team by email at willsandtrusts@mencap.org.uk 📧 Or you call 0207 696 6925 and leave a message. 📞 https://www.renaissancelegal.co.uk/child-trust-fund-access/?fbclid=IwAR2bOWrbvNCDBAQUaMHDL5F9T4ODBliYbdlylKi52ex8InTqSLaiMUejUds
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