SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS: TOOL FOR REDUCING EXTEREME POVERTY AND INEQUALITY

The World Banks defines extreme poverty as living on less than $1.90 per day. The organization estimates that about 10.7% of the world’s population or 760 million people still live in extreme poverty. World leaders made a commitment in 2015 through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eradicate extreme poverty by the year 2030. SDG 1 calls for an “End to Poverty in all its Forms Everywhere.” Access to Social Protection or social security has been identified as key to achieving SDG 1. Therefore, SDG 1:3 states that governments “implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 to achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.” As described by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Protection or social security are set of policies and programmes designed to reduce and prevent poverty and vulnerability across the life cycle. This includes nine main areas: child and family benefits, maternity protection, unemployment support, employment injury benefits, sickness benefits, health protection, old-age benefits, disability benefits and survivors’ benefits.

The Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Guy Ryder, notes that “when access to essential benefits and services is guaranteed for mothers and children, for persons with disabilities or illness, for the elderly and unemployed, countries actually make their economies resilient while ensuring the human rights to social security.” Unfortunately, only 1 in 5 people around the world have access to universal social protection coverage as indicated in the 2017 – 2019 World Social Protection Report. Governments must therefore, recognize that providing social protection for the people is not only the right and just thing to do, it is actually a very economic smart thing to do. Countries that have made efforts in expanding their safety net programmes have seen a rapid decline in the rate of poverty and experienced economic growth.

Read more:

ILO World Social Protection Report 2017 – 2019: https://bit.ly/2CyyaTn

Infographic : https://bit.ly/2BbsTV2

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In case you missed this from our January newsletter:

 2018 marks the 70^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). DO YOU KNOW YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS? Learn the UDHR. Encourage others to do the same. Teach the UDHR to your students.  Click here to download illustrated copy of the UDHR.

ACTION: Join in the #standup4humanrights campaign and take the following pledge:

• I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you
• When anyone’s human rights are denied, everyone’s rights are undermined, so I will STAND UP
• I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.

 

Read more:

History of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; http://bit.ly/2nQeV4G

#Standup4humanrights campaign: http://bit.ly/2A5a81t

Illustrated booklet of the UDHR: http://bit.ly/2hTiaDI

Educational resources for teaching the UDHR to youths: https://bit.ly/2J7InJD

UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES: “INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ COLLECTIVE RIGHTS TO LANDS, TERRITORIES AND RESOURCES”

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) held it’s Seventeenth Session from April 16 – 27. The theme for the 2018 forum was; “Indigenous Peoples’ Collective Rights to Lands, Territories and Resources.” According to the UNPFII, indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. Indigenous Peoples have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Several indigenous communities from around the globe were represented at the UNPFII. Many of them had opportunities to present statements on issues of concern to their different communities.

The President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, in his opening remarks

Indigenous Peoples at the UN.  UN Photo

at the forum, painted the grim picture of the situation of the over 300 million Indigenous Peoples around the world. He noted that while Indigenous Peoples make up about 5 percent of the world’s population, they comprise 15 per cent of the world’s poorest people.  A situation he described as ‘shocking.’ Mr. Lajčák also

highlighted some of the challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples as violations of their human rights, marginalization, and violence they face for asserting their rights. Focusing on the theme of indigenous land, territories and resources, Mr. Lajčák pointed out that, “Indigenous Peoples are being dispossessed of the lands their ancestors called home,” often by big time and multi-national farmers and mining corporations. The President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, in his opening remarks at the forum painted the grim picture of the situation of the over 300 million Indigenous Peoples around the world. He noted that while Indigenous Peoples make up about 5 percent of the world’s population, they comprise 15 per cent of the world’s poorest people.  A situation he described as ‘shocking.’ Mr. Lajčák also

In a recent report by Conselho Indigenista Missionaria (“Indigenous Missionary Council” – a subsidiary of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil), some of the challenges faced by a number of indigenous communities in Brazil (as well as indigenous communities around the world) include; high rate of suicide, lack of health care, high child mortality, alcohol and drug, lack of indigenous education and lack of general support from the State.

Learn more:

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: https://bit.ly/2pvCccv

UN News on Indigenous Peoples’ land rights: https://bit.ly/2H4EU1M

Conselho Indigenista Missionaria report on violence against indigenous peoples in brazil in English, Espanol and Portugese: https://bit.ly/2F1w133

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE VICTIMS OF SLAVERY AND TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE: “TRIUMPHS STRUGGLES FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY”

The transatlantic slave trade era which spanned from about 1501 to 1803, marked one of the darkest chapters in the history of humanity. Over 15 million children, women, and men were taken from the African continent and were enslaved in Europe and the Americas, to work mostly in plantations. The transatlantic slave trade became the largest forced migration in history. On December 17, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly in resolution 61/122 declared 25 March as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, in commemoration of the victims of this horrendous act against humanity. The theme for the 2018 commemoration is: “Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality.”  Additionally, in 2014 The UN General Assembly declared 2015 – 2024, as the International Decade for the People of African Descent. Some of the main objectives of the International Decade according to the UN are to uphold the following:

• Promote respect, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by people of African Descent, as recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Promote a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, culture and contribution of people of African descent to the development of societies.
• Adopt and strengthen national, regional and international legal frameworks according to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to ensure their full and effective implementation.

Although, the transatlantic slave trade was formally abolished in the 19^th century, modern day slavery continues to thrive till this day. In his remarks at the occasion of the unveiling of the Permanent Memorial to the Victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the UN Headquarters in 2015, the Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, expressed his hope that “The Ark of Return will also serve as a call to action against the many contemporary manifestations of slavery, from human trafficking and sexual enslavement to debt bondage.”

 

Read more: Brazil: The Story of Slavery; http://bit.ly/2I3xzfM

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade: http://bit.ly/15e9sGC

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the International Decade for the People of African Descent: http://bit.ly/2ocpCOc

 

2018 WORLD SOCIAL JUSTICE DAY: “WORKERS ON THE MOVE: THE QUEST FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE”

February 20, is the World Day of Social Justice. The pursuit for social justice is at the core of the United Nation’s global mission to promote development and human dignity. “Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.” (UN)

The theme for the 2018 World Day of Social Justice is, “Workers on the Move: The Quest for Social Justice.” The majority of people migrate in search of work. The International Labour Organization (ILO), estimates that there are about 150 million migrant workers the world over. Fifty-six percent of these are men and forty-four percent are women. According the ILO Director General, Mr. Guy Ryder, “migrant workers, like all workers, are entitled to fair treatment, and fair treatment for migrant workers is also key to preserving the social fabric of our societies and to sustainable development.”

Read more:

World Day of Social Justice: http://bit.ly/1gjPbzb

International Labour Organization: http://bit.ly/1gjeDtB

 

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: “WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS”

The United Nations (UN) was founded in the aftermath of World War II in 1945. To forestall the tragedy of another world war, “to promote social progress and better standards of living, human rights and freedoms” are some of the principal objectives of the organization. On December 10, 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This complements the UN Charter. The UDHR which sets out fundamental rights of people to be universally promoted was the result of the experience of atrocity crimes committed against the Jews and other minority groups during World War II. The document is considered the UN’s “road map for guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of individuals everywhere.” The UDHR has been translated into over 500 languages, making it the single most translated document in history.

December 10, 2018 will mark the 70^th anniversary of the adoption of the UDHR. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on December 10, 2017 launched a year -long campaign to mark the 70^th anniversary of the UDHR. This campaign tagged, #STANDUP4HUMANRIGHTS, is to highlight the importance of the UDHR in the lives of people around the world. According to the OHCHR, the campaign is aimed at three main objectives; to engage a broad base of audiences’ world over, to help promote an understanding of how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all; and to encourage further reflection on the ways that each of us can stand up for human rights, every day.

Ways to engage:

KNOW YOUR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS. Learn the UDHR. Encourage others to do the same. Teach the UDHR in schools this year.  Click here to download illustrated booklet of the UDHR.

Join in the #standup4humanrights campaign and take the following pledge:

• I will respect your rights regardless of who you are. I will uphold your rights even when I disagree with you
• When anyone’s human rights are denied, everyone’s rights are undermined, so I will STAND UP
• I will raise my voice. I will take action. I will use my rights to stand up for your rights.

Read more:

History of the Universal Declaration of HumanRights;http://bit.ly/2nQeV4G

#Standup4humanrights campaign: http://bit.ly/2A5a81t

Illustrated booklet of UDHR: http://bit.ly/2hTiaDI

THE CALL TO END POVERTY: A PATH TOWARD PEACEFUL AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES

Extreme poverty is a violation of human rights. On December 22, 1992, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, in resolution 47/196, declared October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The theme for 2017 celebration is, “Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive society.” The observance of October 17 was inspired by the Call to Action by Father Joseph Wresinski; founder of International Movement ATD Fourth World, a nongovernmental organization that aims to eradicate extreme poverty through human rights based approach. Since the adoption of this resolution, some progress has been made toward global poverty eradication. Yet, significant work towards this goal remains.

There are sufficient resources in the world for fair allocation to every individual, yet millions of people live in extreme poverty. This occurrence is because only a handful of the world’s population controls the bulk of the world’s resources, leaving the majority of the world’s population in poverty. A recent report by Oxfam International clearly illustrates this sad situation.  According to this report published by Oxfam in January 2017 titled, An Economy for the 99%, eight men own the same wealth as the 3.8 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity. This is simply not acceptable! As stated by the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, to the UN General Assembly in 2016, “a world where 1% of humanity controls as much wealth as the bottom 99% will never be stable.”

In 2015, world leaders under the auspices of the United Nations made a commitment to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals, with the eradication of poverty as its first goal.

Read more:

UNSG message on poverty:  https://youtu.be/GQ_ehELVScY

An Economy for the 99%: http://bit.ly/2jXPgES

Poverty is Political: These 3 Things Will Help Us Eliminate It: http://bit.ly/2yzT31B