Go Between 76, Aug.-Sept. 1999 UN NEWS FAO: 10 MILLION AFRICANS NEED EMERGENCY FOOD At least 10 million people in sub-Saharan Africa need emergency food assistance, according to a report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In Somalia alone, "one million people are facing serious food shortages, with over 400,000 at risk of starvation." The report, Food Supply Situation and Crop Prospects in Sub-Saharan Africa, lists 16 African countries as "facing exceptional food emergencies:" Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The causes for the food shortages are varied and include civil strife, population displacement, unfavourable weather, poor harvests and localized food deficits. The report says the food outlook in Somalia for 1999 and beyond is "extremely grim, due to the cumulative effects of adverse weather, the long running civil war and uncontrolled crop pests and diseases." The current crop has failed, making it the seventh consecutive poor harvest since 1996. In Ethiopia the 1999 "Belg" season crop failed because of inadequate rainfall, and over five million people need emergency food aid. The report says that in spite of a good harvest in Eritrea last year, the food situation is "very tight" for families displaced by the ongoing war with Ethiopia, as well as for deportees from Ethiopia. Across the border in southern Sudan, the food situation continues to be difficult due to persistent civil conflict despite favourable growing conditions. In western Uganda, the report says that "a prolonged drought has affected crop production and livestock...Large numbers of farmers, particularly cattle producers, are reported to be in need of urgent assistance. Thousands are reported to have moved to northern Tanzania in search of water and pasture." Kenya is reportedly facing difficulties with its crop and livestock production because of erratic and below-average rainfall during the current "long rains" season, while crops have failed in Tanzania, leading to a significant--and unforeseen--increase in imports. The food outlook for Angola is "very bleak," says the report, because of the escalating civil war. A large number of people have abandoned their farms to seek refuge in government-held towns and cities or in neighbouring countries. This has resulted in low yields, despite the fact that the country has had average or above-average rainfall and overall planting was normal. The report estimates that one million new internally displaced people (IDPs) are in need of emergency food aid. According to Mwita Rukandema, senior economist in FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture and the editor of the report, "If the stranglehold on cities and towns by UNITA continues, mass starvation of IDPs, particularly children, is almost inevitable." Other parts of southern Africa have also suffered from a reduced cereal crop this year. In South Africa, estimated cereal production is lower than last year's already below-average crop. As a result, the country's exportable surplus has been substantially reduced. In Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe, cereal output is lower than average for the second consecutive year. The Great Lakes region continues to face food supply problems caused by "persistent insecurity and sporadic violence." In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where there are 660,000 IDPs, the report says there are hopes for an improved food supply situation after a ceasefire agreement was signed in July. Burundi and Rwanda have suffered inadequate rainfall and an armyworm infestation that has affected this year's recently harvested secondary crops. The report also says that food production has been disrupted by insecurity in the two countries. In the Republic of Congo, the report says that renewed fighting between government forces and the opposing militia has displaced large numbers of people and disrupted economic activities, seriously affecting the food supply situation. On the positive side, the report says, crop prospects are generally favourable for most of western Africa so far, especially in the Sahel. Except for Sierra Leone, the food supply situation should be good until the next harvest. In Sierra Leone, according to the report, the recently signed peace accord should improve the situation. Contact: John Riddle, Information Officer, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/5705 3259, fax +39-06/5705 3699, e-mail , website (www.fao.org/giews). OGATA: PEACE CAN RESOLVE AFRICAN REFUGEE CRISIS Sadako Ogata, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has told leaders attending the 35th Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in Algiers (Algeria) in July that peace and development were the only hope for resolving the continent's refugee crises. Ms. Ogata held discussions with the presidents of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia on regional conflicts that continue to create refugees. She urged them to renew their commitment to "Africa's neediest," its millions of refugees and displaced people. "The progress towards peace in Sierra Leone and the DRC has raised hopes for countries where civilians have suffered for years. UNHCR [the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees] is there, caring for refugees and ready to help them go home, but their return will depend on whether the peace can be sustained," the High Commissioner said. The call for political settlements echoed the message Ms. Ogata carried to Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo during an eight-day mission in June. While she promised that her office would continue to press for more solidarity with Africa, she cautioned that little support would come before successful conflict resolution. "Solutions for the millions of uprooted Africans have to be part of a new commitment to peace and reconciliation. Answers can be found in the provisions of the OAU Refugee Convention--one of the cornerstones of the organization itself--and in the will of the continent's leaders," she said. Contact: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, CP 2500, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/739 8111, fax +41-22/731 9546, website (www.unhcr.ch). WORLD BANK MAINSTREAMS AFRICAN AIDS BATTLE The World Bank has called on African leaders, civil society, and the private sector to put the HIV/AIDS crisis at the centre of their national agendas. To move this effort forward the Bank has created an AIDS Campaign Team, ACTafrica, to provide its own staff with the knowledge, tools and resources it needs to mobilize others. The team will be located in the Office of the Regional Vice Presidents, underscoring the Bank's commitment to intensifying HIV/AIDS prevention and care. "We will now place HIV/AIDS at the center of our development agenda, and mainstream it in all aspects of our work in Africa," Bank officials said in the foreword to Intensifying Action Against HIV/AIDS in Africa: Responding to a Development Crisis. The report, released in June, introduces the Bank's new strategy to combat the epidemic, in partnership with African governments and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The report makes the case for stronger intervention in Africa: two-thirds of the world's 34 million people living with HIV/AIDS are African; a third are aged between 10-24; more than 11 million Africans have died from the disease; the 21 countries with the highest prevalence are in Africa; and in most African countries, the lifetime risk of dying of the disease is greater than one in three. Unknown a generation ago, today HIV/AIDS poses the foremost threat to Africa's development. "Given the scale of the epidemic, it is no longer just a public health problem. It is a development crisis," the World Bank strategy report said. It explained how although this is the worst threat to hit people since the bubonic plague of the European Middle Ages, people have been slow to respond, in part because of lack of knowledge, but also because of "a certain fatalism." The strategic plan calls on the Bank and its partners to make a new and broad-based commitment to saving millions of lives and has several thrusts: advocacy to position HIV/AIDS as a central development issue and to intensify the response to it; increasing resources and technical support for African partners and Bank country teams to mainstream HIV/AIDS activities in all sectors; targeting prevention efforts to both general and specific audiences; and expanding the knowledge base to help countries better deal with the epidemic. The new ACTafrica team will be the regional focal point and clearinghouse and provide a number of services. Among other activities it will provide support to country teams in their efforts to mobilize government and non-government groups, help add HIV/AIDS components to development projects and develop new projects, collect and disseminate information, and strengthen partnerships with UNAIDS and other key agencies. Contact: Debrework Zewdie, Head, ACTafrica, and HIV/AIDS Coordinator, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433, United States, telephone +1-202/473 8390, fax +1-212/473 8239, e-mail website (www.worldbank.org/afr/aids/default.htm). FAO: ONE MILLION AFGHANS WILL NEED AID As the Six Plus Two group--the United States, Russia and six neighbouring countries--meets under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the prospects for peace in Afghanistan, there are reports that more than one million Afghans will need aid over the next 18 months. This is because of a sharp fall in cereal production this year, according to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The report, based on a recent mission by FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) to the country, says total cereal production will fall by about 16% this year to 3.24 million tonnes. The decrease is due to poor climate, pests, and a tendency for farmers to switch from wheat to cash crops. Afghanistan will need a record 1.1 million tonnes of cereal over the next year, but commercial imports will only account for 800,000 tonnes. The shortfalls will be felt most strongly by Afghanistan's poorest. The country is already heavily dependent on food aid because of poverty and unemployment. Afghanistan has just come out of its mildest winter in 40 years. There was little snow, which provides the country's main source of irrigation as it melts in spring. Rains have been late and erratic, and unusually high incidences of yellow rust and sunnpest were reported in some regions. The security situation also contributes to food scarcity. Access to many areas is difficult due to poor infrastructure, and sending produce to markets often requires complex transport arrangements. Contact: Media Relations Branch, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/5705 3276, fax +39-06/5705 4975, website (www.fao.org) or Press Office, WFP, Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, I-00148 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/6513 2253, fax +39-06/6513 2840, website (www.wfp.org). ICC PREPCOM MAKES PROGRESS The Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court (ICC) has concluded its second, three-week session from 26 July-13 August during which it made considerable progress on the rules of operation of the court. PrepCom working groups addressed a number of issues including the organization and administration of the court, rules relating to investigation, prosecution, trial, appeal and review, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Also, in line with a resolution of the General Assembly, the PrepCom undertook consultations on the acceptability of the ICC to the United States. The PrepCom also decided to set up a working group to define aggression. Without a proper definition, the PrepCom said, the court's reputation could be damaged. Jurisdiction over aggression will be established once agreement is reached on a definition. The PrepCom also concluded that procedural rules are a key to credibility. "For an international criminal court to have credibility, its rules must address the actual circumstances and cases that it confront[s] on a daily basis," said Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. One of the most important lessons learned by that tribunal, she told the PrepCom, was about the role judges played in the rule-making process. The ICC, already ratified by four countries, will begin to function once its statute is ratified by 60 states. The treaty establishing the court, the Rome Statute, has been approved by 120 countries and signed by 84. The ICC will be a permanent international tribunal that will investigate and bring to justice individuals (not states) who commit the most serious crimes of concern to the international community such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. These include widespread murder of civilians, torture and mass rape. The ICC will complement national legal systems and will assume jurisdiction only after national courts have shown themselves unwilling or unable to prosecute. The NGO Coalition for an International Criminal Court also participated in the PrepCom. Over 100 representatives of 60 NGOs attended. The coalition organized itself into teams focusing on specific issues: rules of procedure and evidence, elements of crime, the definition of aggression, and composition and administration of the court. The coalition also established a working group on the rights of victims and a group to monitor the efforts of the United States to revise the agreement. On the whole, both NGOs and governments felt that the PrepCom had been more productive and constructive than had been expected. The next session of the PrepCom is scheduled for 29 November to 17 December. Contact: Codification Division, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations, Room 3460, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 5332, fax +1-212/963 1963, website (www.un.org/law/icc/index.htm) or NGO Coalition for an International Criminal Court, c/o World Federalist Movement/Institute for Global Policy, 777 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/687 2176, fax +1-212/599 1332, e-mail . website (www.iccnow.org). SG CALLS FOR ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST TORTURE UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on countries to renew their support for victims of torture and to fully back the international war crimes tribunals. "The world community is trying to fight back," he said, on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed on 26 June. "The International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, through their indictments, are sending the signal that no one, regardless of power or rank, should be able to violate human rights and get away with it." He also called on nations to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and to contribute to the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. "It is too late to prevent torture from accompanying us into the new century," he said, "but not too late to redouble our efforts to contain this menace." In a related move, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Committee Against Torture, the special rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights for torture issues and the Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund have again this year issued a joint declaration asking those countries that have not done so to ratify the Convention Against Torture. They called on all states to ensure that torture is considered a crime under domestic laws and to rigorously pursue perpetrators. Torture was one of the first issues taken up by the UN and is prohibited by a number of documents including the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Convention Against Torture, which entered into force in 1987, makes torture an international crime. Since then, many countries have passed anti-torture legislation and taken other measures to prevent its use. Despite this, reports still reach the UN Commission on Human Rights about the continuing use of torture as a weapon of intimidation in war and as a means to keep human rights abusers in power. WORLD BUSINESS AND UN AGREE TO GLOBAL COMPACT The United Nations and world business leaders have agreed to a global compact to cooperate in promoting human rights, better labour conditions and protection of the environment. In a joint statement released on 5 July, the UN and the International Chamber of Commerce "reaffirmed that there is great potential for the goals of the United Nations--peace and development--and the goals of business--wealth creation and prosperity--to be mutually supportive." The statement comes in response to a call by the UN Secretary-General last January at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland for a global compact with business to uphold a set of values reflecting good human rights, labour and environmental standards. "A stronger private sector worldwide, and particularly the positive impact of foreign direct investment, are already making an effective contribution to the attainment of UN goals," the statement says. Both sides believe companies can best promote the UN's values by the way they conduct their own businesses and by the spread of good corporate practices. "By setting themselves high standards in these fields they exercise a positive influence in their immediate environment and among customers, suppliers and business associates." The statement says that by creating wealth and jobs, companies help fight poverty, but insists that "companies cannot be expected to take on responsibilities outside their own sphere of activity that are properly the preserve of governments." In addition to the Secretary-General, the UN delegation included Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization; Rubens Ricupero, Secretary General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development; Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; and Klaus T”pfer, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme. The ICC delegation was headed by ICC President Adnan Kassar. The ICC has over 7,000 member companies and business associations in more than 130 countries, including such corporate giants as Alcatel, Norsk Hydro, Rio Tinto, Unilever, Royal Dutch/Shell and Siemens. BALKANS POSTWAR ENVIRONMENTAL MISSION The UN Inter-Agency Needs Assessment Mission, which visited Yugoslavia in late May, has reported that during the 78-day war over Kosovo, more than 80 civilian industrial facilities were bombed, causing the release into the environment of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and other short- and long-term health problems. According to NGOs monitoring the situation, many of the pollutants released spilled directly into the Danube river, which flows through Yugoslavia, into Romania and down through Bulgaria into the Black Sea. In May Klaus T”pfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, UNCHS (Habitat) established a joint UNEP/UNCHS Balkans Task Force on Environment and Human Settlements (BTF). The task force visited Serbia and Montenegro from 17-22 June to examine direct environmental and human settlements impacts of the conflict in the Balkans and the wider consequences to countries of the region. "The need for a neutral, objective and scientifically credible comprehensive report on the environmental and human settlement situation in the Balkans region is of paramount importance," said Mr. T”pfer. A second mission took place on 18 July when three teams of international experts from the BTF travelled to the Balkan region to begin work on an independent and thorough assessment of the situation. The first two groups, arriving in Belgrade, conducted an environmental assessment of the worst damaged industrial sites, primarily in Serbia. Locations included the Pancevo industrial complex, Novi Sad oil refinery, Baric chemical plant and Rakovica industrial complex, as well as the Zastava car factory and oil depots in Kralijevo, Nis and Pristina, Kosovo. Mobile laboratories travelled with the teams around the country. The third group, based in Pristina, concentrated on creating mechanisms for land title registration, resolving tenancy and property disputes, and strengthening municipal (including environmental) administration and leadership. The team worked closely with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the legal advisors of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to develop an administrative capacity for better urban governance at the municipal level and to find ways of ensuring security of tenure for returning refugees. A team of experts from the BTF began work on 23 August to to assess the environmental impacts of the conflict on the Danube river. A fourth mission is planned to assess the region's biodiversity. A final report will be submitted to the Secretary-General in late September/early October. The earlier UN Inter-Agency Needs Assessment Mission to the region recommended that a detailed assessment of the environmental situation be carried out to identify specific needs for targeted assistance. This recommendation was echoed by European Union environment ministers at a recent Council meeting on the Environment in Luxembourg, and at a meeting of the European Commission in Brussels in June, which was attended by EU member states, UN agencies and NGOs like Greenpeace, WWF, and Green Cross. The Brussels meeting concluded that environmental aid should be a part of the wider humanitarian assistance effort for the Balkans, and emphasized the importance of rebuilding capacity of relevant environmental authorities, including support for NGOs to ensure long-term environmental rehabilitation of the region. Contact: BTF Chairman's Office, Geneva Executive Centre, 11 chemin des Anemones, CH-1219 Chatelaine, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 8616, fax +41-22/917 8064, e-mail , or Tore Brevik, Spokesman, UNEP, PO Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya, telephone +254-2/623 292, fax +254-2/623 927, e-mail , website (www.grid.unep.ch/btf). SMALL ISLAND STATES FORGE COMMON POSITION Small island states attending a workshop in the Marshall Islands discussed strategies to help lessen the threat of rising sea levels and climate change and to benefit from the UN climate treaty and the Kyoto Protocol. The protocol was agreed in 1997 and is designed to help stabilize the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It requires certain industrialized countries to cut overall greenhouse gas emissions to at least 5.2% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012. One of the proposals for doing this is through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows selected countries to count certain emission cuts achieved from the year 2000 towards their 2008-2012 commitments. Workshop participants issued the Majuro Statement on Climate Change as an expression of their common position for the upcoming special session of the General Assembly to review the implementation of the 1994 Global Conference on Small Island Developing States, scheduled for 27-28 September in New York. The statement noted the importance of domestic action in achieving the Kyoto Protocol's commitments and that the CDM could be an important tool for meeting these commitments if expanded to other countries. Further, it noted that the CDM must become a viable and credible mechanism and that the emission cuts it generates must be additional to those which would have occurred anyway. The statement made clear that small island developing states need special capacity-building initiatives because of their particular vulnerability. Participants also placed vulnerability assessment and adaptation at the top of their priority list. Participants recognized the importance of holding the workshop in a low-lying small island state. The highest point on the Marshall Islands is barely one metre above sea level and the threat of rising sea levels is constant. Sacred burial grounds are already crumbling into the ocean as sea levels rise. According to the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, two small islands have already disappeared in the Pacific nation of Kiribati. The Workshop on the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol was convened by the 42-country Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) from 14-16 July. UN Contact: Deonanan Oodit, Chief, Small Island Developing States Unit, Water Management and SIDS Branch, Division for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2 UN Plaza, Room DC2-2206, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 4671, fax +1-212/963 4260, e-mail , website (www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sids.htm). UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON OUTER SPACE The first United Nations conference on outer space since the end of the Cold War has adopted a blueprint for the peaceful use of outer space. The United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), held on 19-30 July in Vienna, also issued a declaration and a related action plan to protect the planet and prepare for the "space millennium." The conference's theme was "Space Benefits for Humanity in the 21st century," and it examined the links between outer space and human development. Earth, which UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called "a tiny sanctuary of life in the midst of the magnitude of the heavens," is threatened by rising sea levels, deforestation and desertification. Population is rising at unprecedented rates, and production and consumption patterns are unsustainable. Space technology is essential for sustainable development since it has applications in health, education and natural disaster management. The Vienna Declaration and Action Plan put forward a programme which involves environmental protection and natural resource management, using space applications for human security, development and welfare, protecting the environment in outer space, increasing the access of developing countries to space science and its benefits, raising awareness, strengthening the UN's space activities and promoting international cooperation. To achieve these goals the documents make a number of key recommendations. These include the creation of a voluntary fund to implement projects and raise awareness on the impact of space activities on development; the proclamation of 4-10 October as World Space Week; improved access by states to the International Space Station; further exploration of the legal aspects of space debris, nuclear power use in space, intellectual property rights for space related technologies, and ownership and access to resources from space; better participation mechanisms for young people, women, and developing countries; and a five-year review of the implementation of these recommendations. A number of issues highlighting divergent opinions among countries were discussed. These related to the increasing commercialization of space, the near infinite life spans of space debris and the need to protect the environment in outer space, and the use of space technology to benefit the environment on Earth. The conference was attended by over 2,500 representatives of governments, intergovernmental bodies, civil society and the private sector. Contact: Director, Office for Outer Space Affairs, United Nations Office at Vienna, PO Box 500, Vienna, Austria, telephone +43-1/26060 4950, fax +43-1/26060 5830, e-mail , website (www.un.or.at/OOSA/). CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY The World Conference on Science, an international forum held to map the course of science into the new century, has adopted a Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge that commits governments to use science for the benefit of the entire planet. Conference participants stressed the benefits of science for development. Although these are obvious, "Most of these benefits are unevenly distributed, as a result of structural asymmetries among countries, regions and social groups and between the sexes," the declaration said. By issuing the declaration, governments agreed there was a need to promote equitable access to science and to involve women more. "It is essential that the fundamental role played by women in the application of scientific development to food production and health care be fully recognized, and efforts made to strengthen their understanding of scientific advances in this area," the declaration said. At the same time, it pointed out that science could also reduce the quality of life through environmental degradation, exclusion, or the invention of sophisticated weapons of war. This is why it stressed the need for ethical principles that respect human rights and the dignity of human beings. The framework for action that underpins the declaration expects governments to commit adequate funds for education and research, which Federico Mayor, Director General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) suggests could be around 0.3%- 0.4% of a country's GDP. At present, the heaviest investors earmark between 2.5%-3%. In addition to a commitment of public funds, the action plan calls for pooling research and skills, especially on environmental issues. UNESCO used the conference venue to launch its first World Social Science Report, the latest in a series of world reports published in recent years on education, the natural sciences, communication and culture, the organization's fields of competence. The report builds on an earlier World Science Report and extends its scope from the natural to the social sciences by studying the state and evolution of societies. An international NGO consultation was organized parallel to the conference to enable fullest possible NGO participation. Some 60 mainly international NGOs attended the consultation, which focused on elaborating suggestions to improve the conference's two main documents, the draft Declaration and Framework for Action. The two co-rapporteurs of the NGO meeting took up the two seats reserved for NGOs in the conference's Drafting Group. This enabled some of their recommendations to be worked into the conference's final documents. However, the more pointed and controversial NGO recommendations (such as a commitment to the precautionary principle in applying new technologies or the development of a scientific oath) did not survive in the final versions. The meeting was still seen as positive, and NGOs praised UNESCO's efforts to involve them fully in the conference proceedings without shunning controversy or intense discussion on the vital issues at stake. The conference was held in Budapest (Hungary) from 26 June-1 July and was organized by UNESCO and the International Council for Science (ICSU). Some 2,000 participants from 150 countries attended, including representatives of educational, research establishments, scientists, industry, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and 100 government ministers responsible for scientific affairs in these countries. Contact: Michael Millward, Chief, Section of Non-Governmental Organizations and Foundations, UNESCO, 7 place de Fontenoy, F-75700 Paris, France, telephone +33-1/45 68 18 77, fax +33-1/47 34 20 98, e-mail , website (www.unesco.org/science/wcs). DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH Fifty European countries adopted a declaration affirming their commitment to specific measures that will reduce the harmful effects of environmental degradation on human health. The London Declaration was adopted at the Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, held from 16-18 June in London. Over 900 participants, including ministers of environment and health, NGO representatives, and technical experts attended the conference, which was organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the European region and hosted by the United Kingdom. Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO Director-General, told the conference that environmental action was a key to better health conditions in Europe. "Focused investments in education, healthy work conditions, environmental sanitation and a safe water supply are extremely effective in improving health and well-being, as well as in increasing productivity and economic growth," she said. "We need to take this message to decision makers and remind Prime Ministers and Finance Ministers that they are indeed Health Ministers themselves." Environmental conditions in Europe over the past few decades have improved, leading to longer and healthier lives for millions of people. But environmental hazards are still a significant cause of disease, Dr. Brundtland warned. She said outdoor air pollution accounts for 3-4% of premature mortality and disability in Eastern Europe and causes at least half a million deaths worldwide each year. Indoor air pollution is emerging as a major contributor to ill-health, primarily from respiratory diseases. Poor water, sanitation and hygiene practices add to this disease burden, causing an estimated 7-8% of all disease and injury in developing countries. In the London Declaration ministers agreed to adopt the legally binding Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. They agreed to ensure adequate sanitation and supplies of drinking water; protect water resources; safeguard human health against water-related disease from recreation, aquaculture, wastewater and sewage sludge; and implement effective systems to monitor and respond to situations likely to result in outbreaks of water-related disease. They also adopted the Charter on Transport, Environment and Health, which commits to making transport sustainable to health and the environment. The charter states that the volume of motorized transport is growing, and this has an adverse effect on both health and the environment. It recommends steps to help make transport sustainable, such as reducing the need for motorized transport by adapting land use policies, and urban and regional planning; and applying strategic health and environmental indicators and impact assessments, involving environmental and health authorities. Among other things, participants agreed to encourage multisectoral cooperation and ensure that environment and health requirements are integrated in transport-related decision-making processes, such as those on transport, water and land use planning; infrastructure investment programmes and policy decisions. The charter is not legally binding, and ministers agreed to look at the possibility of producing a new legislative instrument by 2000. The next conference will be hosted by the government of Hungary in 2004. Contact: Jon Liden, Press Officer, Public Relations, WHO, 20 avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/791 3982, fax +41-22/791 4858, e-mail , website (www.who.dk/London99). CODEX COMMISSION POSTPONES SETTING BST LIMITS The Codex Alimentarius Commission, the highest international body on food standards, postponed a controversial decision at its 28 June-3 July meeting to set international safety standards for the genetically engineered growth hormone BST. The decision not to adopt a standard was proposed by the United States and supported by the European Union. The US support surprised many governments, who had expected a long debate between the US and the European Union. Earlier, the US had argued strongly in favour of a Codex standard. Consumer organizations applauded the decision. Some groups, including Consumer International, say there is no proof the hormone is safe and so no standard should be set. It believes a standard would have signalled the world that using the hormone was safe. BST, or Bovine somatotropin, boosts production of cows' milk. In other decisions, the commission approved guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically produced foods. In response to the recent European crisis over dioxin in animal feed, it also set up a task force to speed up the adoption of a code on animal feeding. Another task force will work on standards for foods derived from biotechnology. The commission adopted 35 new food standards, four codes of good hygienic practice, and 220 maximum residue limits in food. The international food trade is valued at more than US$500 billion a year and is growing. Contact: Pierre Antonios, Media Relations Branch, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/5705 3473 , fax +39-06/5705 3152, website (www.fao.org). FAO COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY MEETS The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has reoriented its work to meet the challenges set down by the 186 governments that participated in the 1996 World Food Summit: to halve the number of hungry people in the world by 2015. At its latest meeting held in Rome in June, the committee endorsed moves to improve the way food insecurity is assessed, monitored and reported. The CFS looked at ways of improving the capacity to accurately assess the number and characteristics of the world's hungry people. It agreed to a better structure to monitor food security and made improvements in the indicators used in assessments. The CFS also endorsed a reporting format to track actions on commitments made at the food summit and agreed all future reporting on progress under the summit's Plan of Action would use this format. The committee also examined the role of civil society in the summit's follow-up and gave the floor to NGOs/CSOs when relevant agenda items came up, a new practice. FAO is now reviewing policies and strategies for cooperation with NGOs and CSOs, and the results of the review will be available soon. The CFS has a standing agenda item on nutrition and this year's session looked at the importance of food quality and food safety as integral components of food security. The meeting stressed the importance of participation by developing countries in the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which aims to improve food quality and safety worldwide. Contact: Barbara Huddleston, Secretary, Committee on World Food Security, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/5705 3052, fax +39-06/5705 5522, e-mail , web site (www.fao.org). UNCTAD: TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT LINKS Over the next 18 months, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will be working with policy makers, NGOs and developing country research institutions to help improve understanding of the complex links between international trade and environment issues. This new project will strengthen research and policy making capacity on trade and environment issues in 10 developing countries, selected to provide a balanced mix of levels of economic development and geographic regions. The countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, India, Philippines, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The goal of the project is to deepen understanding of the issues; improve policy coordination at the national level; and improve national ability to participate effectively in multilateral deliberations on trade and environment in the World Trade Organization (WTO), UNCTAD and other forums. It also aims to bring the trade and environment communities together, link national priorities with the international trade and environment agenda, and open channels between developing countries, enabling them to identify areas of common interest. The 10 beneficiary countries each nominate two experts, one from the Ministry of Trade and one from the Ministry of Environment, to participate in two roundtables and three workshops. The workshops will also include participants from research institutions and NGOs, particularly from the host country and countries in the region. At a roundtable held in Geneva on 24-25 June to launch the project, participants defined the following priority issues: -- specific systems for traditional knowledge and access to genetic resources and mutual benefit sharing cases; -- market access and trade liberalization; -- promoting trade in environmentally preferable products, particularly organic products; -- sectoral study on textiles and garments, agriculture and fisheries products; -- technology transfer issues and the WTO; -- technology transfer issues and Agenda 21 and Multilateral Environment Agreements; and -- domestically prohibited goods. Groups of participants will work jointly on each issue, coordinated by a lead country. The resulting papers will be discussed at three regional workshops in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Papers from the project will be made available on UNCTAD's website. Funded by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID), the project is being implemented by UNCTAD in collaboration with the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD), a UK-based NGO. Contact: Rene Vossenaar, Chief, Trade, Environment and Development Section, UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/907 5679, fax +41-22/907 0044, e-mail , website (www.unctad.org). UNCTAD: TRADE RULES MUST EMPOWER WOMEN Experts at a preparatory workshop for UNCTAD X have concluded that globalization has not reduced gender inequalities. In some cases, it has even intensified them. In its final statement, the workshop pointed out that while industrialization in developing countries had been fuelled by massive employment of women, they often lost their jobs in times of economic crisis. Women have absorbed a disproportionate share of economic shocks, the meeting concluded. Women also make up most of the rural poor. "They carry most of the responsibility for food production and family food security," the workshop's statement said. "Where trade expansion has led to increased production of traditional cash crops, women's labour has been mobilized without proportionate monetary reward." At the same time though, a new form of "industrialized" export-oriented agriculture in some developing countries is drawing some rural women into wage employment. The workshop also concluded discrimination in the commercial sector against women is especially high in least developed countries (LDCs). UNCTAD, as the main UN agency in charge of trade and development, encourages governments to promote the economic advancement of women. "In the future, multilateral trade agreements should pay more attention to the empowerment of women as actors and beneficiaries of the development process," said Rubens Ricupero, UNCTAD Secretary General, at the opening of the meeting. The workshop, held on 12-13 July, is part of the preparatory process for UNCTAD X, which takes place in Bangkok (Thailand) in February 2000. It focused on gender in intergovernmental negotiations, policy making, and the work of UNCTAD in the advancement of women and the promotion of their economic role. It brought together aspects from both the public and private sectors, researchers from developed and developing countries, as well as representatives of intergovernmental organizations and NGOs from 40 countries. Contact: Gloria Koch, Departmental Focal Point on Women, UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/907 5690, fax +41-22/907 0122, e-mail , website (www.unctad.org). CONFERENCE LINKS ENVIRONMENT TREATIES A two-day conference in Tokyo has concluded that greater cooperation and links among environmental treaties are needed since environmental problems ignore borders and national governments. Inter-Linkages--the International Conference on Synergies and Coordination between Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) was designed to help develop a coordinated approach to environmental policy that takes into account the links among the various environmental issues. The meeting focused on five issues discussed in working groups: harmonization of information systems and exchanges, finance, issue management, scientific mechanisms, and synergies for sustainable development. A number of recommendations were made by the working groups, which were designed to enhance collaboration among MEAs. For example, the working group on information harmonization suggested a common entry point on the Web for all MEAs, harmonizing national reporting mechanisms, improving data collection and public information, and building capacity. The working group on synergies for sustainable development recommended the mainstreaming of planning for the implementation of MEAs into national development activities. Several dozen other recommendations were made. Some 300 participants attended the 14-16 July conference, which was organized by the United Nations University (UNU) in cooperation with the Global Environment Information Centre, the UNU Institute of Advanced Studies, and the United Nations Environment Programme. Contact: UNU, 53-70 Jingumae 5-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150, Japan, telephone +81-3/3499 2811, fax +81-3/3499 2828, e-mail , website (www.unu.edu). TWO NEW CHEMICALS IN ROTTERDAM CONVENTION An international meeting in Rome has added two additional chemicals--binapacryl and toxaphene--to the Rotterdam Convention's prior informed consent (PIC) procedure. The PIC seeks to ensure banned or restricted chemicals and pesticides are not exported unless specifically agreed by the importing country. The meeting also set up an Interim Chemical Review Committee to make recommendations for the inclusion of other chemicals to the list. Its first task is to recommend the addition of four other harmful chemicals. These are bromacil, ethylene dichloride, ethylene oxide and maleic hydrazide. The two newest additions are considered dangerous chemicals. Binapacryl is a pesticide and can provoke aches, nausea and breathing difficulties among agricultural workers. It can also harm the environment and build up in fish and aquatic organisms. The other chemical, toxaphene, is an insecticide which does not degrade easily and spreads rapidly throughout the body when absorbed. It is highly toxic and can cause thyroid tumours and cancer. It can also harm soil and species. The Rotterdam Convention, adopted in September 1998, is designed to scale back trade in dangerous chemicals. It will enter into force when ratified by 50 countries; 60 have already signed it. The convention will help protect health and the environment, particularly in poorer countries where there may be unacceptable exposure to pesticides and industrial chemicals. It requires that hazardous chemicals and pesticides banned or restricted in at least two countries or regions are not exported unless explicitly agreed by the importing countries. The global pesticide market continues to grow and is worth more than US$33 billion in 1998. The fastest growing markets are in developing countries. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from 12-16 July and was organized by FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to address the interim period until the convention's entry into force. Delegates from 121 countries attended. Contact: John Riddle, Information Officer, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/5705 3259, fax +39-06/5705 3699, e-mail , website (www.fao.org). EXPERT GROUP AGREES ON EXPANDING POPS LIST An expert group of the International Negotiating Committee for a convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which met in Vienna from 14-18 June, has agreed on scientific criteria and procedures for adding POPs to the initial list. The recommendations will be taken up by governments at the third round of talks towards a legally binding treaty on POPs, to be held from 6-11 September in Geneva. The treaty, due to be negotiated by 2000, calls for reducing or eliminating releases and discharges of the 12 POPs in the list. "These proposals represent a major step forward in moving us to a global treaty that protects public health and the environment from POPs," said Klaus T”pfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "Taking action against the initial list of 12 and establishing the means for combatting others will give us a strong and ready defence against known and emerging toxic threats at the end of the 20th century and beyond." This was the second meeting of the Criteria Expert Group, a subsidiary body established by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. The criteria to identify POPs include technical factors such as toxicity and whether they can travel long distances. The procedure covers steps, such as nomination, screening and evaluation, to determine whether a chemical is a large enough risk to warrant global action. The initial list of 12 POPs comprises aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, dioxins and furans. Persistent organic pollutants pose a serious risk to public health and the environment. They persist for long periods of time, travelling long distances from the source. They accumulate in living species, becoming increasingly concentrated in fatty tissue as they move up the food chain. These toxic contaminants are passed on to the next generation through breast milk. They are also found with increasing frequency in a variety of food products, and millions of people are potentially exposed to dangerous levels of the pollutants. Mr. T”pfer reminded the world community of the health and environmental risks from dioxin and other persistent organic pollutants to less developed countries, which typically lack data on sources and levels as well as the means for dealing with them. UNEP has published a report, Dioxin and Furan Inventories--National and Regional Emissions of PCDD/PCDF, which provides details of 15 national inventories, mostly in Western Europe and North America. Contact: Jim Willis, Director, UNEP Chemicals, Geneva Executive Centre, 11-13 chemin des Anemones, CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva), Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 8183, fax +41-22/797 3460, e-mail , website (irptc.unep.ch) or (www.chem.unep.ch/pops). ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES FOR INDUSTRY The World Bank has published guidelines designed to reduce industrial pollution. The Bank says they "constitute the most comprehensive attempt to date to provide a broad audience in developing countries and elsewhere with advice and practical guidelines on how to reduce pollution in a wide range of industrial sectors." The guidelines provide practical information on how to reduce pollution in 40 industrial sectors and describe minimum standards that can be attained with the resources and skills normally available in industry. The Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook was published by the Bank and the International Finance Corporation in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Contact: World Bank, PO Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960, United States, telephone +1-703/661 1580, fax +1-703/661 1501, e-mail , website (www.worldbank.org). BANK APPROVES FUND FOR EMISSIONS TRADING The World Bank has approved a fund capped at US$150 million to help finance, validate and monitor projects to reduce greenhouse gases in developing countries. The Prototype Carbon Fund should help demonstrate how emissions trading projects can cut down local pollution, transfer environmentally friendly technology from North to South, and enhance the equitable sharing of benefits. The fund is not-for-profit and should be closed down once a private sector market for emissions trading develops. So far, a number of corporations and governments have agreed to invest between US$5-10 million in the fund, which will formally accept contributions from 15 November until end January 2000. Emissions trading faces criticism from those--including the European Union--who want to limit trading in order to achieve domestic emissions reduction targets. It also faces support from others such as the United States who say trading will help reduce worldwide emissions cheaply. Contact: Sarah Roberts, Prototype Carbon Fund, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433, United States, fax +1-202/522 2130, e-mail , website (www-esd.worldbank.org/cc). Meanwhile, an international group of business, government and environmental organizations has formed a partnership to develop an international protocol for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from business. The protocol is designed to simplify reporting and improve the credibility, comparability, and usefulness of information. According to the World Resources Institute, a member of the group, "Standardized measurement and reporting is an important first step toward reducing emissions and responding to global climate change." The group includes such diverse partners as the World Wildlife Fund, Royal Dutch Shell, the UN Environment Programme and the Tokyo Electric Power Company. Contact: World Resources Institute, 10 G Street NE, Suite 800, Washington DC 20002, United States, telephone +1-202/729 7600, fax +1-202/729 7610, website (www.wri.org). INSURANCE AND ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE Eight major financial institutions have agreed to launch a joint US$100 million investment initiative called Sustainability Investment Partners (SIP). This was announced at an international conference on insurance and investment industries and the global environment, held in Oslo (Norway) from 10-11 June. The conference, Natural Capital at Risk, was an effort to deal with a dramatic increase in weather-related insured losses. It explored links between critical environmental issues, global economic prosperity and sustainable growth. It was attended by over 120 executives of financial services (insurers, investment companies, banks, brokers and pension funds) from Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. The conference was the annual meeting of Insurance Industry Initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which was founded in 1995. Members signal their support by signing a Statement of Environmental Commitment by the Insurance Industry whereby they agree to include environmental considerations in their internal and external business operations. The initiative includes 86 companies from 27 countries. "As a key player in the globalization of the world economy, the financial services sector, and in particular the insurance industry, can play a major role in promoting environmental protection and sustainable development," said Klaus T”pfer, UNEP's Executive Director. "It is now time for aware and active insurers and banks, acting as responsible global citizens, to move from assessing the environmental challenge to implementing solutions. I therefore challenge all insurance companies to report publicly on their environmental performance." The meeting also adopted the findings of a study launched last year on the effects of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change on insurers, which concluded that implementation of the protocol offers business opportunities for the insurance sector. "Insurers can play an important role through guiding their financial flows towards more environmentally friendly investment initiatives," said Jesper W. Simonsen, Norway's State Secretary for the Environment. "By recognizing the importance of cleaner production in their insurance coverage and investment activities, they can help by making growth more sustainable." Mr. Simonsen also announced that Norway would sign the UNEP International Declaration on Cleaner Production. Contact: Aiko Bode, Coordinator, UNEP Insurance Industry Initiative, Geneva Executive Centre, 15 chemin des Anemones, CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva), Switzerland, telephone +41-22/979 8197, e-mail , website (www.unep.ch). INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON EFFICIENT WATER USE One of the most critical problems facing decision makers is supplying adequate water to meet the needs of people, especially in the constantly growing cities of developing countries. To help address this problem, the International Environmental Technology Centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP-IETC) organized an International Symposium on Efficient Water Use in Urban Areas--Innovative Ways of Finding Water for Cities on 8-10 June in Kobe (Japan). Among other things, participants discussed various approaches for efficient use of existing water sources, such as using rainwater, reusing water, recharging aquifers, controlling leaks and water management. Recommendations were made on awareness, education and training; planning and policy; regulatory and legal frameworks; financing; and research and development to promote approaches for efficient water use. IETC will publish a report on the proceedings and a monograph with all the case studies presented. Both the proceedings and monograph will be distributed free of charge to all developing countries. The meeting was co-sponsored by the Environmental Agency of Japan, the Global Environment Centre Foundation and the International Lake Environment Committee Foundation in Japan. It was attended by managers and decision makers in national or local governments, aid agency managers, water supply authorities, urban planning departments, international agencies and NGOs interested in urban water use. Contact: UNEP-IETC, 2-110 Ryokuchi Koen, Tsurumi-ku, Osaka 538-0036, Japan, telephone +81-6/6915 4581, fax +81-6/6915 0304, e-mail , website (www.unep.or.jp/ietc). BASEL CONVENTION PREPARATIONS BEGIN The agenda has been set for the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-5) of the Basel Convention, set to take place in Basel (Switzerland) from 6-10 December 1999. The agenda and a range of other items were discussed during a meeting of the convention's Implementation Committee on 21-25 June in Geneva. The Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal was adopted in March 1989 after a series of highly-publicized "toxic cargoes" from industrialized countries caused international outrage. A key item on the agenda is the conclusion of a protocol on liability and compensation for damage resulting from transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, which officials of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are confident will be ready for formal adoption in December. The COP will also address the 1995 Ban Amendment, which prohibits the export of hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries; the problem of illegal trade in hazardous wastes; the listing and classification of various types of wastes; technical guidelines for the sound management of plastics, tires and biomedical and health care wastes; and international cooperation and information exchange. Contact: Per Bakken, Officer-in-Charge, Secretariat of the Basel Convention, UNEP, Geneva Executive Centre, 15 chemin des Anemones, CH-1219 Geneva, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 8218, fax +41-22/797 3454, e-mail , website (www.unep.ch/sbc.htm). TWO CBD BODIES MEET IN MONTREAL The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has held two meetings to move its work forward: the fourth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-4) on 21-25 June, and the first Intersessional meeting on the Operations of the Convention (ISOC) on 28-30 June. Both meetings were held in Montreal (Canada). A number of items were discussed at the SBSTTA including genetic use restriction technologies (GURTs), the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI), and the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP). GURTs are technologies that stop seeds from reproducing, popularly known as the Terminator technologies. Some of these technologies are patented. The GTI was proposed at SBSTTA-2 and is designed to promote capacity building for taxonomy in order to overcome gaps of knowledge in taxonomy and the lack of trained taxonomists, particularly in developing countries. The GISP was developed to build the knowledge base needed to address the onslaught of invasive species on natural ecosystems. Proposals were also made to improve the meetings' scientific content, such as the development of expert panels and rosters of experts. Several issues were dealt with briefly and will reappear at SBSTTA-5, such as dryland biodiversity and sustainable use. Coral bleaching was not considered at all and will be discussed at a later meeting. There were extensive discussions on the implications of GURTs for food technology and on whether to call a moratorium on their use. The meeting finally compromised with a text suggesting that the use of GURTs would not be approved until in-depth scientific studies had taken place. Other issues discussed included the impact of alien species on ecosystems, incorporation of biodiversity considerations into environmental impact assessments, secretariat staffing, and cooperation with other bodies. NGOs present at the session focused on a number of specific issues such as GURTs, eco-tourism, indigenous people and intellectual property rights. ISOC was convened to pave the way for the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP-5), which will be held in Nairobi from 15-26 May 2000. It discussed access to genetic resources and benefit sharing, the potential retroactive application of the CBD to ex situ genetic resource collections, and the relationship between the convention and intellectual property rights. Some NGOs issued a joint statement of recommendations to improve the operations of the CBD. The fifth session of the SBSTTA will take place in Montreal from 31 January to 4 February (in parallel with the fourth meeting of the International Forum on Forests) and will focus on, among other things, a work programme for drylands, the principles of sustainable use and the terms of reference for expert groups. Contact: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, World Trade Centre, 393 St Jacques Street, Office 300, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 1N9, telephone +1-514/288 2220, fax +1-514/288 6588, e-mail , website (www.biodiv.org). For the NGO position, contact: Biodiversity Action Network (BIONET), 1630 Connecticut Avenue NW, 3rd Floor, Washington DC 20009, United States, telephone +1-202/238 0550, fax +1-202/238 0579, e-mail , website (www.unep.ch/ozone/home.htm). IPCC: AIRPLANES CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says aircraft emissions alter the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, trigger the formation of condensation trails, and may increase cirrus clouds, all of which contribute to climate change. Air travel has been expanding since 1960 at about 9% a year, or 2.4 times that of the world's gross national product (GNP) and is expected to grow by about 5% a year until 2015. Fuel used for civilian and military air traffic during the same period is expected to increase by about 3% a year, but ideal air traffic management--where improved technologies will reduce total emissions--will not take place before 2050. The report, Aviation and the Global Atmosphere, provides a scientific assessment but makes no recommendations. The IPCC was created by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. Contact: World Meteorological Organization, 41 avenue Giuseppe-Motta, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/730 8111, fax +41-22/734 2326. website (www.wmo.ch). BEIJING+5 PREPARATIONS CONTINUE The UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS), Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century, is scheduled to take place from 5-9 June 2000 at UN headquarters in New York. The special session is also known as Beijing+5 because it will act as the five-year review and appraisal of the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women Platform for Action (PFA). The Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the special session has met twice, during the 42nd and 43rd sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March 1998 and 1999 respectively. At its 43rd session, the CSW acting as PrepCom adopted a resolution on preparations for the special session. The resolution invited governments that had not yet prepared national action plans to do so. As of June, 112 governments and one observer had prepared such plans and submitted them to the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UN/DAW). By 6 August, 83 governments and two observer states had responded to a questionnaire submitted by the Secretary-General on implementation of the PFA. The resolution also encouraged all UN regional commissions and other intergovernmental organizations to carry out activities in support of the Beijing+5 preparations. Regional preparatory meetings are now planned as a key source of input to the review process: -- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)--the High-Level Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Jakarta Declaration and Plan of Action and Regional Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action will be held from 26-29 October in Bangkok (Thailand); -- Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)--the Sixth African Regional Conference on Women to Assess Progress in the Implementation of the Beijing and African Platforms for Action will be held from 22-27 November in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); -- Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)--the second meeting of the Arab Conference on the Integrated Follow-up to Global Conferences will be held in November in Beirut (Lebanon); -- Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)--the Expert Group Meeting to review economic issues, problems and policies relating to the situation of women in ECE countries, will be held in January 2000 in Geneva (Switzerland); -- Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)--the eighth Regional Conference on Women of Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in January 2000 in Lima (Peru). UN/DAW, which has begun its analysis of information available on the implementation of the PFA, convened a series of informal consultations in New York during June. Ms. Roselyn Asumwa Odera (Kenya) was elected Chair of the Preparatory Committee. Since 1998, Ms. Odera has been the Deputy Permanent Representative and Head of Chancery at Kenya's Permanent Mission to the UN. UN/DAW will submit its analysis to the 44th regular session of the CSW, serving as the PrepCom. The session will meet from 28 February-17 March 2000, not 6-24 March as previously announced. As a result, the NGO Consultation will also be held earlier, on 27 February. In the context of its Womenwatch internet project, the UN system is collaborating with a network of NGOs to gather views for the review and appraisal of the 12 critical areas of concern comprising the PFA. The project, Beijing+5 Global Forum, will be comprised of a series of Internet working groups. For more information see website (www.un.org/womenwatch/forum/index.html). To join the working groups, send an e-mail to . NGOs are also setting an International NGO Committee to facilitate communication about the process leading up to the Special Session. Participants include representatives of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO); the three NGO Committees on the Status of Women (New York, Geneva, Vienna); regional NGOs; large NGO networks; and NGO issue-based caucuses. CONGO is also planning to hold a two-day NGO Working Session for Women 2000, scheduled for 3-4 June 2000 in New York, to prepare for the Special Session. Contact: Koh Miyaoi, United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, 2 UN Plaza, 12th Floor, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8034, fax +1-212/963 3463, e-mail , website (www.un.org/womenwatch/daw) or Sudha Acharya, NGO Coordinating Committee for Beijing +5, CONGO, 777 UN Plaza, 12th Floor, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/692 0725, fax +1-212/692 0724, e-mail or the International Women's Tribune Centre website (www.womenaction.org/preview). WOMEN KEY TO HALTING DESERTIFICATION The theme of this year's commemoration of the World Day to Combat Desertification on 17 June was Strengthening the Role of Women. "This is an especially appropriate theme as we start preparations for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session to measure the progress accomplished since the Fourth World Conference on Women held at Beijing in 1995," said James Gustave Speth, then Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). "Desertification correlates with poverty, and the burden of poverty falls most heavily on women," he added. In many countries women are still marginalized in decision-making processes about desertification, despite the fact that women are responsible for managing the majority of farms worldwide and constitute about half of the workforce in dryland regions. In many developing countries women are the main providers of food, fuel and water for their families. They play a critical role in natural resource management at the grassroots level and have a unique understanding of their environment. Yet women receive little of the financial benefit of their efforts, and control a mere 1% of the land. An enabling environment is therefore needed to enhance the role of women in decision making about land management issues, so that all people may share responsibility for managing resources. Nearly 10 million acres of the world's arable drylands are lost to desertification every year in places as diverse as Australia, Brazil, India, Spain, the United States, and many countries in Africa. At a roundtable on Drylands, Poverty and Development convened by the World Bank from 16-17 June in Washington DC, Bank President James Wolfensohn outlined the challenge: 40% of the earth's surface, 25% of the population and more than 100 of the Bank's client countries have desertification problems. Many of these areas are under siege from environmentally inadequate farming, urban sprawl and worsening water shortages. Poverty drives people to exploit fragile natural resources for their survival and the ensuing environmental decay hurts the poor the most. An estimated 70% of the world's poor are women, many of whom must provide for their families in areas vulnerable to drought and other natural disasters. "The brunt of the consequences of environmental degradation are borne by women," said Klaus T”pfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Desertification both contributes to women's work load and reduces their ability to meet their families' needs, he added. UNDP's Office to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNSO) has worked with dozens of countries and NGOs to implement the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought (CDD), which was adopted in June 1994 and has been signed by 150 countries thus far. In collaboration with governments and private agencies, UNSO has launched a special programme to strengthen women's role in decision-making, particularly in matters that have an impact on poverty and protecting the environment. The World Day to Combat Desertification provided an opportunity for governments and NGOs to assess the progress of gender mainstreaming and the National Action Programme (NAP) process now being undertaken by 60 countries, as well as other efforts to ensure that women play an integral role in policy planning and decision-making processes. Contact: Office to Combat Desertification and Drought, Division for Sustainable Energy and Environment, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP, Room FF-0920, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/906 5755, fax +1-212/906 6550, website (www.undp.org/seed/unso). WHO WARNS AGAINST MICROBIAL THREATS The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the world has dangerously underestimated the threat of bacteria and viruses to economic growth, and may be unable to protect people from this risk if too much time passes. According to a WHO report, Removing Obstacles to Healthy Development, one in two deaths among young adults and children worldwide is caused by just six infectious diseases: AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), measles, diarrhoeal diseases, and acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia. In 1998, these six diseases accounted for nearly 90% of all deaths due to infectious diseases among under 44-year-olds. "The World Health Organization is...issuing a wake-up to the world's governments, decision makers and the private sector to take action against infectious diseases before it is too late," said Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO's Director-General. "A person can be cured or protected from each one of these diseases for less than the cost of a few bottles of aspirin. In fact, half of these killer diseases can be stopped for under 35 US cents, less than the cost of this morning's newspaper." Despite this, 11 million people died from these diseases in 1998. WHO is concerned that the world's ability to affordably stop these epidemics might soon disappear as drug resistance, the emergence of new diseases, and increased travel make control efforts more difficult. As a result of greater resistance to drugs, TB medicines are no longer effective in up to 20% of patients in some parts of the world. Two leading anti-malaria medicines have become ineffective in many Asian countries, and a third is effective in only half the patients. New diseases continue to appear at a rapid rate in all corners of the world. As international travel increases by 50% every decade, prospects for containing future outbreaks are diminishing. According to the report, malaria, TB and AIDS have claimed six times as many lives in the past 50 years as military and civilian casualties from all wars during the same period. Yet strategies to defend the world against these three diseases receive less than 2% of the funding devoted to global military expenditures. The WHO report also describes the negative consequences of infectious diseases on economic growth, and says that the control of infectious diseases can encourage economic growth. The report calls for greater political support to overcome the threat of infectious diseases, including increased financial support for control, surveillance and research activities; adoption of WHO-recommended health policies by all countries; and the involvement of government sectors other than the health sector in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Contact: Jon Liden, Press Officer, Public Relations, WHO, 20 avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/791 3982, fax +41-22/791 4858, e-mail , website (www.who.int). IFAD SEMINAR ON AGRICULTURE'S MULTIPLIER EFFECT A seminar by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has taken a closer look at the multifunctional character of agriculture and land--or the idea that a single agricultural investment has a multiplier effect on other aspects of human livelihood, such as food security, employment and environmental protection. IFAD points out that agriculture has always been the main source of livelihood for most of the world's population. At the same time, developed countries have used it "as an instrument of growth and development, exploiting land for economic, biological and social benefits over and above the simple gains from increased food production." The assumption is that this multiplier effect could be applied to poorer developing countries. The seminar brought together a group of nine partner countries and eight organizations, including the Popular Coalition to Eradicate Hunger and Poverty, to play an active role in setting the stage for an international conference on the multifunctional character of agriculture. The conference will take place in Maastricht (Netherlands) on 12-17 September and will be organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the government of Netherlands with support from IFAD. Contact: IFAD, Via del Serafico 107, I-00142 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/54591, fax +39-06/5459 2141, e-mail , website (www.ifad.org). IFAD SAYS HELP IS NEEDED FOR ASIAN CRISIS VICTIMS The Asian financial crisis has been a catastrophe for millions of poor in Asia's developing countries, many of whom had just begun to lift themselves out of poverty, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The fund has called for urgent action to help these innocent victims of the crisis. IFAD figures show that some Asian countries had made impressive progress in overcoming poverty. For example, in Indonesia the percentage of people living below the poverty line declined from 60% in 1970 to 11% in 1996, and from 57% to 13% in Thailand. IFAD warns these achievements are threatened by the financial crisis. "So far the most publicized victims of the crisis have been the banks and finance houses, while the worst hit are the poorest households," said Takao Shibata, IFAD's Assistant President. There is now less money in government budgets for health care. Twenty per cent of schoolchildren in Indonesia have dropped out of school, and prices of basic commodities have soared since the crisis intensified. Millions of people have lost their jobs, and poverty increased significantly between 1996 and the end of 1998. In both Indonesia and Thailand, IFAD found that small-scale farmers, who do not produce all the food their families need, are among the hardest hit. Prices of seeds and basic foodstuffs have risen sharply. Small-scale artisans have also suffered because the demand for their products has declined drastically. The income of traditional weavers in Indonesia declined by as much as 76%, and many of them now prefer to work as landless labourers. Rural families who relied on remittances from relatives working in towns, which account for 10-15% of rural income in Thailand, have been badly hit. Family members who once worked in cities are now back in rural areas. With more mouths to feed, families are under additional strain, and women often bear the brunt of the crisis. "The Asian financial crisis clearly shows that solid development in the rural areas is needed to enable people to cope with crises," said Mr. Shibata, "unless you solve long-standing problems of rural poverty, you won't have stability." He said that investment in rural areas is vital to give people a more secure base for their livelihoods. Yet in the aftermath of the crisis, Asian governments lack the finance for such investments. Mr. Shibata called for more international aid to finance projects aimed at alleviating poverty and stressed that more needs to be done "to help poor farmers in the region to produce more in order to satisfy food needs and overcome poverty on a sustainable basis." This is particularly true in remote areas of Asia, especially those inhabited by indigenous peoples. Many of the farmers in these areas have suffered because of the prolonged drought caused by El Ni¤o and forest fires, as well as from the effects of the financial crisis. Among the few who have gained from the crisis are rice farmers, who produce a surplus for the market and have profited from increased prices. Contact: IFAD, Via del Serafico 107, I-00142 Rome, Italy, telephone +39-06/54591, fax +39-06/504 3463, e-mail , website (www.ifad.org). UNV PREPARATIONS FOR IYV 2001 Preparations for activities and celebrations of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV) in 2001 are already well underway. The secretariat of United Nations Volunteers (UNV), which was designated by the UN General Assembly as the focal point for IYV 2001, has already held a series of brainstorming sessions with NGOs, UN agencies, researchers and member states, to identify specific themes, activities, and campaigning platforms for IYV. It has produced an information kit and an interactive website with the aim of ensuring IYV preparations are a "bottom-up" process driven by grassroots initiatives around the world, motivated by local definitions and priorities for enhancing volunteerism. Governments and civil society organizations in many countries have already begun consultations among local voluntary organizations, ministries, relevant state bodies, schools, universities and religious organizations, with the objective of setting up national committees for the International Year of Volunteers. In 1997, some 123 governments supported General Assembly resolution 52/17, which proclaimed 2001 the international year of volunteers. The objectives of the year are: -- increased recognition--for instance, governments and local authorities could ensure that they have mechanisms for consultation with the voluntary sector, or seek to quantify the essential contributions of the voluntary sector to national welfare and development; -- increased facilitation--for example, by providing state training facilities to volunteer groups on concessional terms, providing the same legal status and social protection rights to volunteers as to other workers, or according special leave of absence for public and private sector employees to undertake voluntary service; -- networking--for example, by using television, radio and printed media to exchange and replicate "best practices" and best procedures; and -- promotion--closely linked to recognition and facilitation, promotional activities could aim at attracting more offers of voluntary service while seeking better support from official institutions and public opinion. Contact: Team IYV 2001, c/o UNV, Postfach 260111, D-53153 Bonn, Germany, telephone +49-228/8152000, fax +49-228/815 2001, e-mail , website (www.iyv2001.org). SUPPORT GROWS FOR LOCAL SELF-GOV'T CHARTER Support is mounting for a World Charter of Local Self-Government. Three regional meetings--in Latin America, the Arab States and Europe--have pledged support for the charter and called for a treaty that sets out and guarantees the autonomy of local governments. The World Charter of Local Self-Government is an initiative of the United Nations Centre on Human Settlements (Habitat) and the World Associations of Cities and Local Authorities Coordination (WACLAC). It aims to draw up an internationally agreed, adaptable framework for the practice of local democracy to contribute to the improvement of people's living conditions in all continents and regions. The first of the regional meetings, held in the Moroccan resort town of Agadir, issued a declaration pledging full support for the charter and appointed a committee to coordinate work with that of other regions. A week later, a similar endorsement came at the regional meeting in Strasbourg (France) and in July from 15 Latin America and Caribbean countries in Santiago (Chile). The goal of Habitat and WACLAC is to turn the charter into a UN Convention on local autonomy and local democracy by 2001. Contact: Sharad Shankardass, Media & Press Unit, UN Centre for Human Settlements, UNCHS (Habitat), PO Box 30030, Nairobi, Kenya, telephone +254-2/623153, fax +254-2/624060, e-mail , website (www.unchs.org). UNDP CONSULTS WITH INDIGENOUS GROUPS A consultation in Geneva between the UN Development Programme and more than 20 indigenous peoples' organizations (IPOs) has ended with consensus on three main priority areas: the development of a Policy Statement and Operational Guidelines, design and financing of a programme of support for indigenous peoples, and continued direct assistance to indigenous peoples and their organizations to participate in international forums and other capacity-building initiatives. The UN agency said that the meeting's goal was to renew and deepen UNDP's partnership and engagement with indigenous peoples, their organizations and their communities. Other aims included achieving a common understanding of critical issues facing indigenous peoples, including emerging trends identifying the comparative advantage of UNDP in working with IPOs; and exploring innovative approaches, strategies and principles for UNDP's engagement with IPOs. In the past year, UNDP has reviewed its work and engagement with indigenous peoples and made strategic plans on how to move forward over the next four years. These exercises consisted of internal and external reviews of UNDP's activities involving indigenous communities and their respective organizations since the Year of Indigenous Peoples in 1993. The internal review included a study of past and current projects within UNDP's multiple programmes that either directly or indirectly involved indigenous peoples to see what worked best and how. The external review looked at existing policies or processes in intergovernmental organizations, including various UN agencies and bilateral development cooperation agencies. The purpose of the comparative study was to help UNDP in its own policy formulation process. "At stake for UNDP is the question of how best to mobilize collective energies to promote and protect indigenous peoples' development and to advocate and support a process that fosters the full respect for the dignity, rights, knowledge, traditional systems, and culture of indigenous peoples," said UNDP. In 1982, as a result of a shift in perceptions about indigenous peoples and rights, the UN created the Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP) to review developments on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples. The WGIP meets yearly under the auspices of the Commission on Human Rights where the current situation of indigenous peoples and the development of standards regarding the recognition of their rights are being discussed. The UNDP consultation, entitled Indigenous Peoples and UNDP: Strengthening Our Partnership, took place from 22-24 July. Contact: Geoff Prewitt, Programme Officer, CSO and Participation Programme, UNDP, 1 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/906 5884, fax +1-212/906 5313, e-mail , website (www.undp.org). SPECIAL DECOLONIZATION COMMITTEE CONCLUDES The Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples met from 21 June-30 July in a resumed session at UN headquarters in New York. The committee, chaired by Peter Donigi (Papua New Guinea), adopted one decision and nine resolutions by consensus, and one resolution by roll-call vote. The most hotly contested item was the question of East Timor. Twenty-one speakers addressed preparations for the ballot on the territory's future, which took place on 30 August, just as Go Between was going to press. The Secretary-General said that despite the relative calm in the East Timor capital of Dili, the rest of the territory was still subject to violence. Pro-integration militias believed to be acting with the acquiescence of elements of the Indonesian army were intimidating the local population, Mr. Annan said. There were also "strong indications" that local officials had used public funds to campaign against independence, contrary to the agreements signed on 5 May by the UN, Indonesia and Portugal, setting out the terms of the autonomy vote. Serious consequences of the violence include the continuing inability of tens of thousands of internally displaced people to return to their homes in safety. The UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), whose budget of just over $52.5 million was recently approved by the General Assembly Administrative and Budgetary Committee, currently estimates that there are some 50,000-60,000 internally displaced people in camps in East Timor, many of whom have not been registered to vote. A resolution (A/AC.109/1999/L.6) concerning Puerto Rico, adopted by a vote of 12 in favour, none against with five abstentions (Chile, India, Papua New Guinea, Russian Federation, and Venezuela), reaffirmed the hope that the US would assume its responsibility of expediting a process that allows the Puerto Rican people to fully exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in conformity with GA resolution 1514 (XV). It further encouraged the US to order a halt to its armed forces military drill land manoeuvres on Vieques Island, and expressed the hope that the US President would consider the release of Puerto Rican prisoners serving sentences in US prisons on cases related to the struggle for the independence of Puerto Rico. US President Clinton in fact agreed on 12 August to commute the sentences of 16 members of the Puerto Rican Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN), on the condition that they renounce the use of violence. By a resolution (A/AC.109/1999/L.5) on the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), the committee requested that the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom consolidate the current process of dialogue and cooperation through the resumption of negotiations, in order to find a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute. It expressed regret that implementation of the GA resolutions on the issue had not yet begun, in spite of widespread international support for negotiations between the two governments, and decided to keep the issue under review. Concerned about the damaging exploitation and plunder of marine and other natural resources of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs) such as American Samoa, as a threat to the integrity and prosperity of those territories, the committee adopted a resolution (A/AC.109/1999/L.9) reaffirming the responsibility of the administering powers under the UN Charter to promote the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the NSGTs, and reaffirmed the legitimate rights of their peoples over their natural resources. The resolution further called upon the administering powers to ensure that no discriminatory working conditions prevail in the territories, and to promote in each territory a fair system of wages applicable to all inhabitants without any discrimination. The committee adopted a resolution (A/AC.109/1999/L.10) reaffirming its strong conviction that military bases and installations in the territories could constitute an obstacle to the exercise by the peoples of those territories to their right to self-determination, and could also adversely affect the economic development of the territories concerned. It called upon the administering powers concerned to terminate such activities and to eliminate such military bases in compliance with the relevant General Assembly resolutions. Contact: Decolonization Unit, Department of Political Affairs, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 5573, fax +1-212/963 2979. UNESCO FIGHTS INTERNET PAEDOPHILIA Innocence in Danger, a new campaign against using the Internet for paedophilia and child abuse of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was launched on 15 June, in close collaboration with various law enforcement agencies, such as Interpol. The Plan of Action aims to counterbalance the rising number of paedophilia cases on the Internet, where an estimated 23,000 of the 3.8 million sites are linked to paedophilia. Unlike other "watchdog" agencies such as CyberAngels, Innocence in Danger is, at present, an education programme designed to make people aware of the problem, and the action that they can take. According to Homayra Sellier, president of Innocence in Danger, the objectives are "to inform public opinion about the need to act urgently and together and to contribute to harmonizing the legislation on child rights." The campaign follows from a Paris conference held in January, which adopted a declaration and requested UNESCO to establish an committee of experts to put an end to paedophilia on Internet. This specialized group took up various tasks, such as creating, supporting, and encouraging international hotlines to provide immediate help for children in need. Plans were also made to publicize this issue by developing Internet education, especially in developing countries. With committees established in Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, France, Italy, Panama, and Switzerland, and new committees being set up in Germany and Sweden as well as in some Asian countries, Innocence in Danger is expanding rapidly and gaining public support along the way. Its supporters hope that the campaign will be the biggest breakthrough yet in the war against paedophilia. Contact: C. Arnaldo, Chief, Free Flow of Information and Communication Research, UNESCO, 7 place de Fontenoy, F-75700 Paris, France, telephone +33-1/45 68 42 40, fax +33-1/45 68 57 55, e-mail , website (www.unesco.org). UNESCO REAFFIRMS PEACE MANDATE The 156th Executive Board meeting of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reaffirmed the organization's "constitutional role to construct peace in the minds of men, through education and intellectual solidarity, and to serve as an ethical forum of the international community, in a world still torn by armed conflicts and challenged by aspects of scientific and technological developments." Member states attending the meeting raised a number of issues concerning the gap between developed and developing worlds. These included the effects of globalization on poorer countries, unequal access to new information technologies for the rich and the poor, the need for ethics in making money from genetic engineering, and the sorry state of the environment and the failure of states to implement decisions made at the 1992 Earth Summit. The board focused on UNESCO's role in the 21st century and examined the organization's programme and budget for the next two years. A debate confirmed that fostering a culture of peace remained the major concern and that education was essential to building peace. The board adopted two specific decisions to help rebuild education, science, culture and communication in the Balkans and Sierra Leone, as well as help refugees. Contact: Press Service, UNESCO, 7 place de Fontenoy, F-75700 Paris, France, telephone +33-1/45 68 17 44, fax +33-1/45 68 56 52, website (www.unesco.org). SMALL ARMS CAUSE MORE DAMAGE THAN TANKS The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Department for Disarmament Affairs have unveiled a joint exhibit at the UN General Assembly lobby in New York as part of their campaign against the uncontrolled spread of small arms. In the past decade, small arms and light weapons have killed three million people, eight in ten of them children and women. The exhibit, Taking Aim at Small Arms: Defending Child Rights, is designed to draw attention to small arms, which are more lethal than missiles, tanks and mortars. The exhibit looks at child soldiers, the arms trade, demobilization, disarmament and post-conflict peace-building. It also highlights positive moves taken internationally to dismantle the small arms trade. According to Carol Bellamy, UNICEF's Executive Director, small and cheap armaments have made it easier to turn children into soldiers. "During the past decade, some 300,000 children participated in over 30 conflicts worldwide. Such participation would have been impossible without access to small arms, which children can easily strip and reassemble." In 1994, nearly 300 companies in over 50 countries manufactured small arms. The US and European Union account for 80% of the global arms trade, worth about US$4 billion. Contact: UNICEF, 3 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/326 7000, e-mail , website (www.unicef.org) or UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations, Room S-3151 D, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/963 8199, fax +1-212/963 1121, website (www.un.org/Depts/dda). UNICEF PLEDGES TO SCHOOL ALL KOSOVO CHILDREN The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has pledged to give every primary school age child in Kosovo the opportunity to be back in school by the start of the academic year in September, despite the destruction of the province's infrastructure. UNICEF said schools have been vandalized or destroyed and many teachers injured or killed. Landmines laid during the conflict, unexploded ordnances (UXOs) and booby-traps left by fleeing combatants have created an especially dangerous environment for children. Dozens of people have been injured or killed since refugees began returning to Kosovo, including several children. A rapid assessment by UNICEF in an area west and south of Pristina showed that out of 13 schools inspected, five were demolished and four burnt, and one was suspected of being booby-trapped. Only three were deemed safe and usable. UNICEF will work with its partner organizations to carry out temporary repairs on moderately damaged primary schools to prepare them for winter. Meanwhile the schools will be housed in tents. UNICEF will provide basic furniture, teaching equipment, learning materials, and educational kits or "school-in-a-box," which contain both classroom and student supplies. It will also mobilize teachers, including those with whom UNICEF is working in the refugees camps. UNICEF has already distributed more than 100,000 pamphlets and posters to alert people affected by the conflict to the danger of landmines and will intensify mine awareness activities in Kosovo itself. The effort will focus on providing mine and UXO awareness educational materials in local languages to primary schools and communities. The development of resources to promote human and child rights and assist local reconciliation efforts through "peace education" will also be explored. The agency expressed the hope that by restoring primary education it would help Kosovo's children to sense that normal life can and will go on. Contact: UNICEF, 3 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/326 7000, e-mail , website (www.unicef.org). UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD ANNUAL SESSION The Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) met at UN headquarters in New York from 7-11 June. In her opening statement to the board, UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy presented a new global agenda for children for the 21st century and outlined the initiatives and challenges that fulfilling that agenda will present. "In drawing up our recommendations for a new global agenda for children," she said, "we began with a fundamental question: What are those moments of intervention in the life of a child that can open the way to dramatic gains for human development?....First, we must ensure that infants begin life in good health--and that young children are nurtured in a caring environment that enhances the physical, emotional and intellectual capacities that they must have to learn and to grow. Second, all children must be educated--which means that they must have access to basic quality education. Third, we must ensure that adolescents have ample opportunities to develop and participate in a safe and enabling environment." Ms. Bellamy said that countries that have made the well-being of children and the advancement of women their overarching priorities are those that have already made the greatest strides in human development. "The missing ingredient," she said, "is political commitment on a global scale--and resources and actions to match." Many of the challenges that the next century will present are impervious to sector-based strategies alone, Ms. Bellamy said. UNICEF is therefore making a strong effort to forge alliances among governments, community-based organizations, people's movements and other diverse elements of civil society, and the private sector, to help define, develop and implement the global agenda for children. Ms. Bellamy went on to describe UNICEF's Leadership Initiative for Children, designed with a focus on child survival, development, participation and protection. The initiative will be linked to the 2001 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) to review the end of decade goals of the World Summit for Children, held in 1990. The meeting highlighted UNICEF's future work, and discussed priorities set in the Medium-Term Plan (MTP) for 1998-2001, based on an integrated approach to planning, budget, programmes and reporting on outcomes. The report of the Executive Director gave a detailed assessment of UNICEF's progress toward achieving the MTP priorities. UNICEF's focus on child survival--especially the 12 million children under the age of five who continue to die from preventable causes--included stepped-up support for increased immunization coverage. In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and NGO partners like the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) and the Gates Foundation, UNICEF has begun a major new vaccination drive, starting with sub-Saharan Africa where child survival rates are declining. UNICEF is also focusing on the immense threat posed by HIV/AIDS to every aspect of child survival, and has underscored the need to mobilize young people in prevention efforts. UNICEF, in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is involved in efforts to combat mother-to-child transmission of the virus. The increasing threat to children from armed conflict and social instability was also discussed at the board meeting. UNICEF has proposed a global Peace and Security Agenda for Children, which was presented to the UN Security Council in February. Among other things, the agenda recommends actions for improving child protection standards while strengthening humanitarian assistance. Ms. Bellamy stressed the need to explicitly recognize that global poverty, which has already consigned three billion people to living on less than two US dollars a day, is not only a moral outrage but a profound political and economic threat to the whole world. She said that this was compounded by "the neglect and indifference that has condemned impoverished countries to strangulation by external debt, by the damage to social sectors in upheavals like East Asia's financial crisis," and by natural disasters. All of which, she pointed out, have unfolded in tandem with a decline in official development assistance (ODA). Ms. Bellamy reminded delegates that the main goal of the United Nations has become the conquest of poverty, and that the well-being of children is central to this question. Contact: Maie Ayoub von Kohl, Deputy Director, Division of Communication, UNICEF, 3 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/326 7225, fax +1-212/326 7518, e-mail , website (www.unicef.org). UNAIDS MOVES FEMALE CONDOM PROJECT TO PHASE II The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in collaboration with the US-based Female Health Company, has launched the second phase of its efforts to provide female condoms to developing countries. Under the programme, UNAIDS will buy 400,000 female condoms from the Female Health Company and distribute them in 14 countries of Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa that have not yet integrated the product into their national condom programmes. "We hope to jump-start female condom distribution in countries that have not yet had access to it," said Bunmi Makinwa, who is responsible for condom programmes at UNAIDS. "We are confident that once programme managers and donors have seen that the female condom is acceptable to many women and men, there will be no question about the return on investment in making the product widely available." Research has already shown the female condom can be widely accepted. In one South African study, for example, 84% of the 600 urban and rural women surveyed said they would use the condom. Testing revealed that repeated use often leads to greater acceptance, despite initial reticence. In Cambodia, where the government is promoting 100% condom use among sex workers and their clients, officials plan to use the female condom as an additional option. The first phase of the public-private partnership between UNAIDS and the Female Health Company included an agreement with the company to keep prices low for the public sector. As a result, more than six million female condoms were sold in 16 developing countries. This next phase will include a more systematic analysis of the most successful approaches to distributing the condom. Contact: Lisa Jacobs, Press Officer, Communication and Public Information, UNAIDS, 20 avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/791 3387, fax +41-22/791 4187, e-mail , website (www.unaids.org). UNAIDS BOARD APPROVES BUDGET AND WORKPLAN The Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), which is the organization's governing body, has approved a budget of US$ 140 million for 2000-2001 and endorsed an emergency response to the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan African, which it has declared a "development crisis." According to a new report by UNAIDS and the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, the epidemic is spreading too fast for funding to keep up. "After a quick influx of donor spending in the late 1980s, support for the international fight against AIDS began to level off in 1990, with wealthy nations allocating an average of less than 1% of their annual official development assistance budgets for AIDS programmes in developing nations," UNAIDS said. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of all HIV/AIDS cases and 83% of AIDS deaths. "Africa can barely begin to meet its immediate and long-term AIDS needs," said Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. He also called on leaders worldwide to help reduce the stigma attached to AIDS and encourage society to deal openly with the epidemic. By the end of last year, 33.4 million people were living with HIV infections or AIDS. Nearly 14 million more have died from AIDS-related causes since the start of the epidemic. Contact: Lisa Jacobs, Press Officer, Communication and Public Information, UNAIDS, 20 avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/791 3387, fax +41-22/791 4187, e-mail , website (www.unaids.org). UNDP/UNFPA EXECUTIVE BOARD ANNUAL SESSION The annual session of the UN Development Programme (UNDP)/UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Board met at UN headquarters in New York from 14-23 June. The first week was primarily devoted to UNDP matters. The board expressed its sincere appreciation to James Gustave Speth who was stepping down from his position as Administrator of UNDP. The board acknowledged Mr. Speth's "unrelenting efforts" to place UNDP at the centre of the promotion of sustainable human development and the progress made by UNDP in its work on poverty eradication while he was Administrator, a post held by Mr. Speth from 1993 to 1999. Among the decisions taken by the board concerning UNDP was a measure for financial risk management. The board decided to support the establishment of a reserve for other resource activities, and a mechanism for its funding. Regarding the formula for calculating the level of operational reserve for regular resources, the board decided to reduce the factor used to calculate the reserve's liability and structural risk component from 25% to 10%. The second week of the Executive Board meeting was devoted primarily to UNFPA matters. In her introductory statement, UNFPA Executive Director Nafis Sadik provided an overview of UNFPA's major achievements in its three core programme areas at the country and interregional levels during 1998. Referring to the quinquennial appraisal of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5) process, she said review at the country level had shown that the country programmes provided a solid basis for implementing the ICPD Programme of Action (POA). She outlined the main challenges with regard to operationalizing a reproductive health approach, such as improving infrastructure, programme management and donor coordination. She also stressed the need for relevant and reliable population data in formulating policies and developing, monitoring and evaluating programmes. She emphasized the importance of continuing advocacy to support the principles and goals of the POA and of conducting research on links between population and development, including macro-economic and environmental issues. Board members expressed positive views about UNFPA's overall achievements in its core programme areas, and several members commented on the importance of continued investment and capacity building to address maternal mortality, adolescent reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. Many board members expressed their concern that the projected income for UNFPA's 2000-2003 work plan was considerably lower than that in previous years, and stated their doubts about the annual growth rate of 7% used to project income of future years, proposing 5% instead. They felt that the decline in programmable resources was of particular concern and that administrative costs needed to be held at a minimum. The adopted decision reflected a more realistic approach in estimates, taking into account the decline in income of the past years and the fluctuation of exchange rates. Responding to an oral report on UNFPA's information and communication strategy, the board focused on such issues as developing tools for monitoring and evaluating the impact of advocacy efforts; building national capacity, including the use of South-South mechanisms, in the area of information and communication strategies; expanding the role of the goodwill ambassadors; and enhancing collaboration with NGOs. In joint UNDP/UNFPA sessions, the board took up reports on internal audit, oversight and evaluation activities, and an Executive Board field visit to Brazil. The next session of the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board will take place from 13-17 September at UN headquarters. Contact: Alex Marshall, Chief, Media Services Branch, UNFPA, 220 East 42nd Street, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/297 5020, fax +1-212/557 6416, website (www.unfpa.org) or Djibril Diallo, Director/Division of Public Affairs, UNDP, 1 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/906 5300, fax +1-212/906 5313, website (www.undp.org). NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ALMOST Y2K READY A workshop conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded the world's nuclear power plants are on track to face the Y2K millennium bug at the end of the year. The meeting, with 52 participants from more than 20 countries, found that although some problems remain, "none was found which compromises safety," the IAEA said in a statement. What problems do exist concern data control and monitoring processes, the agency said. These include radiation monitoring systems, personal computers, plant entrance monitoring systems, vibration monitoring systems, spectrometry equipment, fuel inventory systems, and office software. Most countries are following guidelines set by the IAEA or by the US nuclear industry and maintain that safety is the top priority in their Y2K activities. The workshop, from 12-16 July, was the second held to assist member states in dealing with the Y2K computer bug, which may affect older computers unable to distinguish between the years 2000 and 1900. An additional workshop on contingency planning may be held in October. Contact: Division of Public Information, IAEA, PO Box 100, Wagramerstrasse 5, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, telephone +43-1/2600 21275, fax +43-1/2600 29610, website (www.iaea.org/ns/nusafe/y2000/y2k.htm). SPORT FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE From the 5-7th of July the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chaired a meeting on sport for a culture of peace at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The main aim of the conference was to bring together various organizations, as well as world leaders, sport personalities, and teachers, to discuss their views on the role played by sport in developing a culture of peace. The President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, opened the conference saying that sport brings people together, and helps them forget their miseries. He also stressed that sport is not only physical, but also a measure of intellectual properties, just as it was in 776 BC during the original Olympic games of Ancient Greece. "Olympism aims to contribute to building a peaceful and better world concerned with the preservation of human dignity. This is the reason for our commitment to the promotion of a culture of peace," said Mr. Samaranch. UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, praised the IOC and UNESCO for their joint initiative and expressed his support for the collaboration of the two organizations. "The Olympic ideal...has long been recognized as closely resembling the ideas enshrined in the United Nations Charter. I am glad that the IOC and the UN family are joining hands," he said. A number of seminars, lectures and debates were held during the conference, at the end of which it was unanimously agreed that sport, specifically Olympism, plays an essential role in establishing a culture of peace. Contact: Press Service, UNESCO, 7 place de Fontenoy, F-75700 Paris, France, telephone +33-1/45 68 17 44, fax +33-1/45 68 56 52, website (www.unesco.org). NGO NEWS ATTAC INTERNATIONAL MEETING From 24-26 June, over 1,200 civil society representatives from 80 countries gathered in Paris (France) to discuss various strategies to coordinate and mutually reinforce the activities of international NGO networks campaigning on different aspects of economic globalization. The meeting, called The Dictatorship of Financial Markets? Another World is Possible, was organized by the French-based Association for the Taxation of Transactions to Aid Citizens (ATTAC) and other partners, including the Coordination of Committees against MAI's Clones, the World Forum of Alternatives, and Development of Alternatives for Women in a New Era (DAWN). The discussions covered campaigning topics such as the taxation of speculative capital movements; a moratorium on a possible "millennium round" of multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO); debt cancellation; the social accountability of international financial institutions; and democratic controls on the proliferation of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). ATTAC President Bernard Cassen told the opening plenary that this gathering represents "an archipelago of struggles in every hidden recess of the world"--struggles for land rights, for access to water, health care, education, employment, trade union and democratic rights, and gender equality. "One of the primary merits of this gathering," he said, "is that of giving global visibility to fights that are dispersed and [social movements that are] unaware of one another's existence. There is also the merit of demonstrating the coherence and convergences between them." During the workshops and discussion groups held throughout the event, participants from countries as diverse as Brazil, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Benin, the Philippines and Russia, stressed that currently dominant "neoliberal" forms of economic globalization are increasingly being counteracted by another form of globalization led by civil society campaigns and movements of international solidarity: "the globalization of democracy and human rights." The meeting's objective of facilitating greater coordination and synergy between civil society movements was reflected in a final resolution adopted on June 26, after which participants joined a large public demonstration in front of the Paris stock exchange. Among others, the resolution calls for: -- a moratorium on the forthcoming "millennium round" at the WTO, which should be replaced by an "assessment round"--meaning that assessment of existing WTO agreements should be undertaken through democratic debates at the national level, in consultation with civil society organizations, including trade unions, and with small and medium-sized enterprises; -- a global petition for the taxation of speculative capital movements and against the legality of fiscal havens, to be coordinated on a regional basis; -- unconditional debt cancellation by the year 2000 (in line with the global Jubilee 2000 campaign); -- developing democratic oversight and regulatory mechanisms to ensure that research in biotechnology is placed at the service of society rather than for the "exclusive profit of multinational corporations;" -- a moratorium of GMOs with a view to reversing what participants described as the increasing subordination of farmers to the interests of large agribusiness firms, particularly in the area of genetically modified seeds; -- a halt to all intergovernmental negotiations in favour of patents on life; -- legal and civil actions, as well as campaigns for institutional reform, aimed at promoting democratic accountability of international financial institutions; and -- supporting the 2000 global women's march and all initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality. In the same spirit as the March 1999 international conference on Economic Sovereignty in a Globalizing World (see NGLS Roundup, No. 38), much of the follow-up work will be carried out on the Internet (see ATTAC website address below), and by associating with and supporting civil society networks and campaigns focused on forthcoming intergovernmental events, such as the third WTO ministerial conference to be held in Seattle (United States) on 30 November-3 December, the G-7 meeting planned in July 2000 in Okinawa (Japan), and the possible UN General Assembly meeting on Financing for Development in 2001. Contact: Secretariat International, ATTAC, 9 bis rue de Valence, F-75005 Paris, France, telephone +33-1/43 36 30 54, fax +33-1/43 36 26 26, e-mail , website (attac.org). NGOS MOBILIZE FOR EU/LAC SUMMIT Development NGOs monitoring the first-ever Latin American and Caribbean (LAC)/European Union (EU) Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from 28-29 June, used the opportunity to evaluate the extent to which bi-regional relations have advanced and political statements of solidarity have been honoured. One the eve of the summit, a coalition of NGOs including the Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the European Union, the Asociacion Latinoamericana de Organizaciones de Promocion (ALOP), International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), Human Rights Internet, and Plataforma Sudamericana de Derechos Humanos Democracia y Desarrollo, issued a Joint Declaration for the European Union-Latin American and the Caribbean Summit. Among other things, the declaration called upon delegates from those regions to: -- ensure that civil society organizations from the countries concerned participate in inter-regional fora and in managing cooperation programmes; -- put in place mechanisms to cancel or significantly reduce developing countries' foreign debt; -- introduce a new global financial architecture that is more just and that takes into account the vulnerability of developing countries; -- ensure that the voices of developing countries as well as the EU are heard within the international financial institutions (IFIs); -- analyze the effect of cooperation agreements on the marginalized sectors of the population such as indigenous peoples in the states Parties, and prioritize the aims of sustainable development, democracy, and human rights in these agreements; -- make human development a key element in negotiations on the future of the Lome Convention; -- improve the EU's development cooperation policy, making it an example of solidarity and genuine partnership between the two regions; and -- undertake to sign and then quickly ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and adopt the domestic legislation necessary for implementing it effectively. Though some heads of state, including Brazil's President Henrique Cardoso and Mexico's President Ernesto Zedillo, spoke of the need to transform the IFIs and the global financial architecture, discussion for the most part focused on trade barriers and protectionism, national sovereignty and drug trafficking. These are reflected in the Declaration of Rio de Janeiro and the Priorities for Action adopted by the summit. The NATO bombings of Yugoslavia from 24 March-10 June became an obstacle to the EU accepting an item in the summit declaration that said that strategic association between the regions participating in the Rio Summit should be based "on full respect of international law," which would include the principle of non-intervention in other countries' affairs. Governments did however firmly reject all unilateral measures with extra-territorial effects that contradict international law and commonly accepted standards of free trade, calling them "a serious threat to multilateralism." The case of the US Helms-Burton Act that sanctions companies that invest in Cuba, and the arrest of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet provided subjects for debate in this regard. Language in the summit declaration related to drug trafficking confirmed "the principle of common and shared responsibility." Some Latin American countries argued for greater emphasis on the role of demand, however, and urged consumer nations to take more domestic action. In discussions on the environment, Latin American and Caribbean countries expressed their concerns that environment-related issues not become an obstacle to economic growth and prolong the poverty of broad sections of LAC populations. The summit declaration says that governments will "give priority to overcoming poverty, marginalisation and social exclusion, within the framework of sustainable development promotion, as well as to modify patterns of production and consumption, to promote conservation of biological diversity and the global ecosystem, the sustainable use of natural resources and to prevent and reverse environmental degradation, especially that arising from excessive industrial concentration and inadequate patterns of consumption, the destruction of forests and erosion of the soils, as well as the depletion of the ozone layer and the increasing greenhouse effect, which threaten the world climate." With regard to trade, governments stressed their willingness "to strengthen the multilateral trade system, open regionalism, and intensify economic relations between our regions." The issue of agricultural protectionism proved controversial, however, prompting MERCOSUR (Mercado Comun del Sur) countries wielding their own trade liberalization processes as an argument, to insist that the industrialized North "reciprocate" by opening their markets to the South. Developing countries criticized in particular the subsidies that protect EU and US markets, saying that such restrictions create adverse trade conditions that depress international prices of products that are important to the South's economies and social conditions. With regard to cooperation with civil society the summit declaration underlines "the importance of the contribution of new actors, partners and resources from civil society with the objective of consolidating democracy, social and economic development and deepening respect for human rights. International co-operation involving public resources requires a dialogue in which both governments and civil society participate. Development co-operation partners will have to comply with the laws of the countries involved, as well as with transparency and accountability. We will encourage exchange and co-operation of civil society between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union." Contact: Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the EU, 10 Square Ambiorix, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium, telephone +32-2/743 8760, fax +32-2/732 1934, e-mail , website (www.oneworld.org/liaison). FOUNDATION CALLS FOR END TO TERMINATOR SEEDS The Rockefeller Foundation has called on the Monsanto Company, the largest commercial plant biotechnology firm, to drop the idea of terminator seeds. The foundation says the company should "enter into an open and honest dialogue" with the poor in developing countries over the terminator technology and other issues, and "invest more in strengthening plant science research in developing countries." At the same time, it cautions against excessive rhetoric over genetically modified (GM) plants. The foundation said such rhetoric could threaten promising advances in improving food supply to the poor. Prior to widespread European outcry, the foundation said, real gains from GM technology were near. These included insect and disease-resistant rice, as well as rice with added beta-carotene, which in humans turns into vitamin A. In developing countries 180 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency and each year two million die from it, the foundation said. "We believe these achievements hold the real promise of considerable benefits for the people of the developing countries," said Gordon Conway, the foundation's president, in a speech to the board of directors of Monsanto. "However, the use of this research, particularly by the poor and excluded, is being threatened by the mounting controversies in Europe and to some extent in the United States. There is a real danger that the research may be set back, particularly if field trials are banned. It is, of course, only through field trials that we can truly assess both the benefits and the risks." He cautioned against excessive reactions, but also said lack of evidence was no reason to dismiss people's fears about genetically modified products. The Rockefeller Foundation has funded more than US$100 million of plant biotechnology research and trained more than 400 plant scientists from developing countries. Contact: Rockefeller Foundation, website (www.rockfound.org). GREEN NGOS TO FIGHT WTO WOOD TARIFF REMOVAL A coalition of environmental groups has launched a campaign to counter the World Trade Organization's proposed zero-tariff agreement on traded wood products. In addition to preventing any new rules for international trade, the NGOs want a review of the environmental and social effects of existing tariffs. Timber producers believe lower tariffs would lead to more competition "which could translate to better use of trees and wood products." The wood agreement would reduce tariffs on paper and wood products to zero, which NGOs say would fuel consumption and thus increase deforestation. They cite a study by a Finnish consultant that estimates free trade could increase world use of wood and paper by 3-4%. The global campaign will continue until the WTO ministerial meeting set for November in Seattle, at which the wood tariffs may be discussed as part of a liberalization package. Campaigners will climb buildings and hang banners at the WTO meeting, and otherwise call attention to the tariff proposal. Groups involved in the campaign include the Sierra Club, Rainforest Action Network and International Forum on Globalization. Contact: Sierra Club, 85 Second Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco CA 94105-3441, United States, telephone +1-415/977 5500, fax +1-415/977 5799, e-mail , website (www.sierraclub.org). AMNESTY CALLS FOR END TO IMPUNITY FOR OFFICIALS The 24th International Council Meeting (ICM) of Amnesty International pledged to campaign more actively to end the impunity of high-placed officials who order the wholesale violation of human rights, and bring to justice the lesser-known perpetrators of torture, political killings and arbitrary arrest. The ICM also agreed to strengthen the organization's work against abuses targeted at women and children, and increase its efforts to support the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. The delegates at the ICM said that bringing human rights perpetrators to justice would involve new work, including: -- campaigning worldwide to ensure national legislation is adopted to prosecute human rights abusers, regardless of when and where the crimes were committed; -- working against amnesty laws that allow people responsible for political killings or "disappearances" to go free; and -- developing strategies to help support the early establishment of the International Criminal Court. The meeting of the ICM was held in Troia (Portugal) in August and attended by some 400 participants from nearly 80 countries. Contact: International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ, United Kingdom, telephone +44-171/413 5500, fax +44-171/956 1157, website (www.amnesty.org). YWCA MEETING ON WOMEN'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP Some 500 women from over 100 countries attended the 29th World Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Council 1999 in Cairo (Egypt) from 18-24 July. Participants considered the council's theme, "Power to Change," and what it will mean for the 105-year old organization, one of the world's largest women's voluntary movements, as it enters the next millennium. At the conclusion of the council, participants elected Jane Lee Wolfe of the United States to a four-year term as the new President of the World YWCA. Aruna Gnanadasan, Coordinator of the Women's Programme for Justice, Peace and Creation of the World Council of Churches highlighted ethical questions raised by structural adjustment and the changeover to open market economic systems, and the pressures developing countries face in a unipolar world. She linked the spiritual and cultural dimensions of women's lives to the challenges posed by hard economic realities. "Action is urgently needed to address the risks to equitable international relations and every nation's aim to achieve development without compromising its own character and vision," she said. Sithembiso Nyoni, Zimbabwe Minister of State, emphasized women's potential to protect and nurture life, and said that women must work actively for change and recognize and act upon the issues that oppress them and their societies. Ms. Nyoni underlined the importance and potential of ordinary grassroots women to become confident and informed actors in the development process. She welcomed the 21st century as the century for women's ascendance to power, and called upon women to "stand up against injustice, poverty, conflict and wars." Based on input from its members and associations around the world, the council discussed and adopted a strategic plan, Focus for the Future, for the next four years. The new plan directs the World YWCA movement to work for three goals: to achieve cultural, economic, political, religious and social justice for all women and girls; to use the collective power of the World YWCA to ensure women's participation in leadership as decision makers; and to increase effectiveness as an international women's movement with an informed and active membership at local, national and world levels. Four key issues were identified as priorities for World YWCA advocacy: economic justice for women; human rights of women and girls; women's health and the environment; and world peace with justice. In resolutions setting its policy framework for the next four years, the plan underscored the need for peace and constructive actions in troubled situations where peace and development are at risk. Resolutions called for implementation of all United Nations resolutions on the Middle East; support for national associations with inclusive ways of working with women of all faiths, education on interfaith issues; and work for the eradication of all forms of discrimination and stereotypes based on religion. The UN and related international organizations care called upon to grant refugee status under international law to North Korean refugees and set up refugee camps to shelter and protect them. A workshop held by Christian Aid on the international debt crisis spurred the council to support the international campaign for debt relief, Jubilee 2000. The council urged the UN, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and the Group of 8 richest countries to cancel the multilateral and bilateral debt of the poorest countries. They will also ask the IMF to replace the concept of structural adjustment with a system that respects the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the right to self-determination. "It is deeply shocking that 13 children die every minute due to the effects of the debt crisis on the world's poorest people. The World YWCA and Christian Aid believe that we have the power to bring about change. We are excited that together we can further the campaign," said Musimbi Kanyoro of Kenya, General Secretary of the World YWCA. Contact: World Young Women's Christian Association, 16 Ancienne Route, CH-1218 Grand Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/929 6040, fax +41-22/929 6044, e-mail , website (www.worldywca.org). WOMEN'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FORUM The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) held their seventh annual two-week institute at Rutger's University in New Jersey (United States) from 7-18 June, to explore the concepts, strategies and practices by which the understanding of human rights has been expanded to incorporate women's lives and gender differences. Participants representing more than 20 countries from all regions explored how women organize to implement promises made by governments to end human rights abuses of women. They developed strategies to move beyond rhetoric to institutionalization of systems of accountability regarding women's human rights. The UN and local New York NGO community shared experiences with institute participants in a networking session and forum at UN headquarters on 17 June. The session, Challenges of the New Millennium: Building Bridges for the Future, enabled women to share information about their work across national boundaries in small group dialogues. A public forum, Local Action, Global Change, provided institute participants with an opportunity to share some of their discussions and conclusions with the broader community. Charlotte Bunch, Executive Director of CWGL, outlined discussions on human rights education, the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and follow-up to the UN world conferences and preparations for the Millennium Forum, to increase women's voice in policymaking. Elmira Nazombe, CWGL Program Director for Leadership Development, noted that the participants had modelled such core values of feminist leadership as cooperative leadership styles, the importance of diversity, mutual support, a recognition of the value of healing, and the "importance of spreading some love around." Participants also mapped regional and global trends and discussed the future action to be taken. Using theatre, readings and dialogue to present their perspectives, participants addressed violence and health across all stages of a woman's life, held a tribunal for women's human rights in the framework of the five-year review and appraisal of the Platform for Action (PFA) of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, and discussed the development of a human rights education programme for girls and young women. Participants also addressed globalization and economic and social rights, defining globalization as "the rapid restructuring and integration/aggregation of countries through technological advancement, opening of and domination of markets, worldwide implementation of a neo-liberal development paradigm, of deregulation and intensification of business competition and economic crisis." They said that "globalization exacerbates unequal power relations and resource distribution." They further noted that men are more active at the macro level in both governments and NGOs, while women are more often leaders at the micro level and in grassroots organizations, and discussed ways in which to improve this gender disparity. Participants from the Asia/Pacific region made specific plans to establish an Asia/Pacific Women's Leadership Institute in February 2001 to strengthen women's human rights activities in the region, challenge government and religious practices, and build networks and alliances. Also during the forum, CWGL and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) launched a training manual for a new curriculum, Local Action/Global Change: Learning about the Human Rights of Women and Girls. The manual addresses women's human rights issues in an interactive format, with links to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform For Action and other international agreements. Contact: Center for Women's Global Leadership, Rutgers University, 160 Ryders Lane, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States, telephone +1-732/932 8782, fax +1-732/932 1180, e-mail , website (www.cwgl.rutgers/edu). WORLD MARCH OF WOMEN PLANNED FOR 2000 Over 200 women's groups in 132 countries are preparing for a World March of Women in the year 2000. The march is being organized by the Federation des femmes du Quebec (FFQ), a non-partisan feminist advocacy group whose aim is to promote and protect the interests and rights of women. The idea emerged from a successful Women's "Bread and Roses" March Against Poverty, which took place in Quebec in 1995 as part of the preparations for the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women. Three contingents of 850 women marched for ten days to secure demands related to economic justice. Focusing on equality, development and peace, the World March of Women 2000 is conceived as a pacifist global action that will mark the new millennium by demonstrating women's continuing determination to change the world. Among the stated goals of the march are to: -- stimulate a vast movement of grassroots women's groups; -- promote equality between men and women; -- highlight common demands and initiatives issuing from the global women's movement relating to the issues of poverty and violence against women; and -- pressure governments and decision-makers to institute the changes necessary for improving the status of women and women's quality of life. An International Preparatory Meeting for the March was held in Montreal from 16-18 October 1998. Approximately 140 delegates from 65 countries discussed possible demands and action scenarios. An international liaison committee was created, and three levels of action were proposed for the march. First, signed support cards demonstrating women's mass support for international demands will be prepared. Then women's movements in each country will organize national actions that will present demands reflecting their realities and priorities regarding poverty and violence against women. These actions, which will begin on International Women's Day, 8 March 2000, will culminate either in several demonstrations around the world, or in a single world rally in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York on 17 October 2000. Organizers are currently working to develop a popular education initiative to support the actions. Contact: Federation des femmes du Quebec, 110 rue Ste-Therese, Suite 307, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 1E6, telephone +1-514/395 1196, fax +1-514/395 1224, e-mail , website (www.ffq.qc.ca). CONSUMER GROUP LOOKS INTO INTERNET SHOPPING A landmark international survey on electronic commerce has uncovered some disturbing trends in the practice of e-commerce, or business on the Internet. The European Union-funded study took place in 11 countries--Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States--and involved buying more than 150 items from 17 countries. Here are some of the key findings: -- Eight items took more than a month to arrive and 11 never arrived at all; -- Information on delivery charges was often unclear, contributing to higher costs, especially in distant countries; -- A minority of sites disclosed which laws--whether from the buyer's or the seller's country--would apply in case of dispute; -- Only 13% of sites promised not to sell personal customer information to third parties; -- 53% had a policy on returning goods and 32% had a complaint procedure; -- 65% confirmed receiving the order and 13% let customers know the dispatch date; and -- In two cases, consumers are still waiting for their money back more than four months after returning their purchases. The survey was coordinated by Consumers International, a federation of 245 consumer organizations in 110 countries. "This study shows that although buying items over the Internet can benefit the consumer by offering convenience and choice, there are still many obstacles that need to be overcome before consumers can shop in cyberspace with complete trust," said Louise Sylvan, vice-president of Consumers International. As an essential step to achieving this goal, Consumers International is calling for the finalization of guidelines for electronic commerce. Such guidelines will be debated at a meeting of the Consumer Policy Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris from 8-10 September. The committee consists of representatives of the 29 OECD member governments, as well as business, labour and consumer representatives. Known as the Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce, they have been under discussion for two years and cover areas such as jurisdiction, collection of personal information and redress. According to Consumers International, business opposition has been one of the main stumbling blocks to passage of the guidelines, with business lobbying hard to weaken them by turning their detailed, practical content into a set of vague general principles. Consumer organizations strongly oppose such a move and are urging the OECD "not to bow to industry pressure and delay tactics" and to approve the guidelines by the end of 1999. "Electronic commerce will flourish only when consumers are reassured of real protection in the areas of privacy, security and redress," Ms. Sylvan said. "Enough people are starting to use e-commerce that its potential can really take off, or it will start to produce horror stories and will falter from mistrust." Contact: Consumers International, 24 Highbury Crescent, London N5 1RX, United Kingdom, telephone +44-171/226 6663, fax +44-171/354 0607, e-mail , website (www.consumersinternational.org). OTHER NEWS OECD: AID FLOWS UP IN 1998 According to preliminary figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), total official development assistance rose by US$3.2 billion in 1998 (8.9% in real terms) to US$51.5 billion, or 0.23% of the combined gross national product (GNP) of donor countries. From 1992-1997 total aid flows from donor countries (members of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, DAC) fell by 21% in real terms and from 0.33% of their combined GNP to an all-time low of 0.22%. The overall decline in aid flows over the 1990s was largely due to falling aid budgets of the G-7 group of countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States). The recovery in aid in 1998 was due in part to the timing of contributions to multilateral agencies and to short-term measures to deal with the Asian crisis, but also reflected firm commitments by some DAC members to maintain or increase aid flows. Fourteen of the 21 DAC members reported a rise in official development assistance (ODA) in real terms. Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden remained the only countries to meet the UN target of 0.7% of GNP while France (0.41%) and Luxembourg (0.61%) were the only other countries that exceeded the DAC country average of 0.4% of GNP. In 1998, both Japan and the US increased their aid by US$1.3 billion. Aid from Italy recovered to US$2.4 billion while that from the UK rose by 7.8% in real terms. Aid from Canada, France and Germany fell in real terms. Total aid from DAC countries outside of the G-7 increased by 3.8% in real terms and now accounts for 26% of total aid from DAC countries compared with their 13% share of the combined GNP of DAC countries. The largest percentage rises were reported by Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Spain. At the same time, 1998 witnessed a sharp fall in private financial flows to developing and transition countries, a reflection of the Asian, Russian and Latin American financial crises. While private direct investment rose slightly in 1998, total combined net resource flows to developing and transition countries (private flows and aid) fell by over 40% in 1998 from US$325 billion to a five-year low of US$181 billion. Contact: Media Relations, OECD, 2 rue Andre-Pascal, F-75775 Paris Cedex 16, France, telephone +33-1/45 24 80 91, fax +33-1/45 24 80 03, e-mail , web site (www.oecd.org/dac). DONORS MEET ON POST-MITCH RECONSTRUCTION Donor countries met in Stockholm (Sweden) from 25-28 May to discuss the reconstruction and transformation of Central America in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch in October 1998. The scale of ruin caused by the category 5 hurricane, which brought winds of almost 300 kilometres an hour, was further aggravated by man-made factors such as large-scale deforestation and cultivation of marginal lands without proper soil conservation, according to the Secretary-General's report on collaborative efforts to assist affected countries with relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts (A/54/130). Heavy rains and ensuing mudslides and flooding, exacerbated by lack of adequate watershed management, proved catastrophic, at times burying entire villages. Pre-existing social conditions such as unequal access to employment, land and social services were aggravated as the poorest communities lost not only their homes but their sources of income as well. According to the report, a firm consensus exists within the Central American countries that the recovery process must incorporate efforts to transform the social and economic conditions underlying the ecological and social vulnerability of the region. At the conclusion of the Stockholm meeting, donors issued a declaration that defined good governance, respect for human rights and debt relief as key principles to guide the region's recovery. The declaration stressed the importance of coordinating donor support and strengthening civil society participation and decentralization. "The governments of Central America and the international community have committed themselves to sharing the responsibility for achieving the reconstruction and transformation of the countries concerned, thus establishing a long-term partnership guided by the principles defined by the Central American countries," the declaration said. Donors announced US$9 billion in pledges for reconstruction and recovery efforts at the conference. UNDP, which manages a US$495 million programme for Central America, has budgeted US$26 million for Hurricane Mitch-related activities. The high-level meeting was attended by presidents Carlos Flores of Honduras and Arnoldo Aleman of Nicaragua, delegates from all Central American countries, and representatives of donor countries and multilateral aid agencies. At the meeting UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the building of a new compact between the region and the international community so that the paths of peace and reconstruction could be brought more closely together. "The unfinished political and human rights agendas of the peace process, and the reconstruction agenda following the loss of life, devastation and ruin brought on by Hurricane Mitch...are compatible, mutually reinforcing agendas," he said. "The two agendas--peace and reconstruction--both address pivotal questions relating to poverty, social inequity, population pressures and environmental sustainability. Both involve crucial issues such as local development, decentralization, transparency, good governance and institution-building....We look to donors and international financial institutions to continue their support and to do their utmost for more and quicker debt relief," said Mr. Annan. "And we look to the United Nations family to assist governments in ensuring that preparations are in place for the next hurricane season; and to help the countries of the region establish more just societies." WORLD BANK, OECD: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE The World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have agreed to work together to promote improved corporate governance as a means of strengthening countries' economic performance and the international financial system. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by World Bank President James Wolfensohn and OECD Secretary-General Donald Johnston on 21 June calls for the establishment of a Global Corporate Governance Forum that will consist of regional development banks and other international organizations such as APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and the IMF. Meeting once every year the forum will build on the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance and will seek to build a consensus in favour of appropriate policy, regulatory and institutional reforms; coordinate and disseminate corporate governance activities; provide support for regulatory and private voluntary action; promote institutional development and human capacity building in the associated fields of corporate governance; and train the various professions and the other agents who are essential to bring about a culture of compliance. The MOU also envisages the holding of regional and national policy dialogues and development roundtables, which will bring together experts from OECD member countries and government and private sector representatives from different regions. Such a meeting has already been held in Seoul (Republic of Korea) and a Corporate Governance Roundtable for Russia has recently been established. The work of the forum and the roundtables will be supported by a high-level Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG). The MOU also states that the Global Corporate Governance Forum "will consult with representatives of non-governmental organizations and stakeholder groups with a specific interest in corporate governance." The secretariat of the forum will be housed in the Private Sector Development Department of the World Bank while the OECD will house the secretariat for the roundtables. The Global Corporate Governance Forum and the PSAG will be officially launched during the World Bank's annual meeting in late September 1999. Contact: World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433, United States, telephone +1-202/477 1234, website (www.worldbank.org) or OECD, 2 rue Andre-Pascal, F-75775 Paris Cedex 16, France, telephone +33-1/45 24 82 00, fax +33-1/45 24 85 00, web site (www.oecd.org). LDCS TABLE TRADE AGENDA FOR WTO MEETING The world's poorest countries have joined together to make their own proposals on integration into the multilateral trading system. For the first time, the world's least developed countries (LDCs) have prepared proposals to the World Trade Organization (WTO). They will present them at the WTO's Third Ministerial Conference in Seattle (USA) later this year. The package of 67 proposals centers on the need for LDCs to strengthen both their competitive position in world trade and their own capacity to supply goods and services that can find an export market. The LDC proposals cover all trade areas--agriculture, industrial goods and services--and include recommendations on a simplified "fast-track" procedure for accession to the WTO. The proposals include support for LDCs to develop their physical and institutional infrastructure, improve their market access, and strengthen the policy instruments they need to boost competitiveness of strategic export sectors. The proposals emerged from a workshop organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Sun City (South Africa) from 21-25 June. The workshop was designed to help LDCs prepare for the Seattle meeting. Another proposal to emerge from the UNCTAD workshop and which is ready for submission to the WTO involves setting up a "revolving fund" to help LDCs cope with high food import prices. It would enable them to increase local production and capacity in marketing, storage, and distribution. LDCs are a group of 48 nations with 600 million people but which account for only 0.4% of the world's exports. Contact: Anna Tibaijuka, Special Coordinator for the Least Developed, Landlocked and Island Developing Countries, UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 2033, fax +41-22/0046, e-mail , website (www.unctad.org). SWITZERLAND ANNOUNCES GENEVA 2000 FORUM The government of Switzerland and the Geneva authorities are planning to organize and host a parallel forum to the Special Session of the General Assembly that will review the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development (WSSD), scheduled to be held in Geneva, 26-30 June 2000. The Geneva 2000 Forum, the Next Steps for Social Development, is conceived as an opportunity to create a platform for debate and dialogue on social development topics and themes, particularly as they relate to the outcomes and commitments adopted by governments at the WSSD in Copenhagen in 1995. The forum will be open to the broadest range of actors concerned with social development: NGOs, citizens groups, professional organizations, industry and business, academics, parliamentarians, intergovernmental organizations and governments. The programme of Geneva Forum 2000 will be based on the proposals made by the above-mentioned groups to organize events and activities, and will include conferences, workshops, panel discussions and meetings of various kinds, stands, exhibitions and video presentations. All of the forum's activities will be held in the international district of Geneva next to the United Nations where the Special Session of the General Assembly will be held. For more information on accreditation to the forum, and on procedures for organizing activities at the forum, contact: Geneva 2000 Forum Secretariat, PO Box 125, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/749 2570, fax +41-22/749 2589, e-mail , website (www.geneva2000.org). FOCUS ILO CONFERENCE OUTLAWS CHILD LABOUR The International Labour Organization (ILO) concluded its 87th annual International Labour Conference on 17 June with the unanimous adoption by its 174 member states of the "Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention 1999." Here are some of the convention's key provisions and other highlights of the conference. The new convention defines for the first time what constitutes the "worst forms of child labour." These include all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage, serfdom and forced or compulsory labour; forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict; use of a child for prostitution, production of pornography or pornographic performances; use, processing or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular, for the production and trafficking of drugs; and, work that is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children. The new convention applies to all persons under the age of 18 and calls for "immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of urgency." States that ratify the convention are required to establish programmes of action and mechanisms for monitoring compliance and should "provide support for the removal of children form the worst forms of child labour and their rehabilitation; ensure access to free basic education or vocational training for all children removed from the worst forms of child labour; identify children at special risk; and take into account the special situation of girls." An accompanying recommendation defines "hazardous work" as "work which exposes children to physical, psychological or sexual abuse; work underground, underwater, at dangerous heights or in confined spaces; work with dangerous machinery or tools, or which involves heavy loads; work in unhealthy environments which may expose children to hazardous substances, temperatures, noise or vibrations; and work under particularly difficult conditions such as long hours, during the night or where a child is confined to the premises of the employers." Another recommendation urges ratifying states to declare the worst forms of child labour criminal offences and impose penal sanctions on their perpetrators. "With this Convention, we now have the power to make the urgent eradication of the worst forms of child labour a new global cause," ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said. "This cause must be expressed, not in words, but deeds, not in speeches, but in policy and law. To those who exploit children, forcing them into slavery, debt bondage, prostitution, pornography or war, we are saying, Stop it, now!" Mr. Somavia announced that the ILO will immediately launch a worldwide campaign for the ratification of the convention and declared that the new convention would become one of ILO's "core conventions" along with those concerning freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of forced or compulsory labour; non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; and observance of a minimum age for employment. The ILO estimates that some 250 million children between the ages of five and 14 work in developing countries alone. About half, or some 120 million work full time, while the rest combine work and schooling. In some cases, nearly 70% of these children are engaged in hazardous work. Of the 250 million children concerned, some 50-60 million between the ages of five and 11 are working in circumstances that could be termed hazardous given their age and vulnerability. Girls face special hazards, often bearing a triple burden of housework, school work and economic work. They are more likely to begin working at an earlier age, be paid less, and work more hours than boys. They face greater exposure to exploitation and abuse, both physical and sexual, as well as dangers to their health, safety and welfare. Often, girls are denied access to any form of education. In other action the ILO's Committee on Maternity Protection agreed that the time was right for revising the Maternity Protection Convention of 1952 and introducing new international standards on maternity leave. This will be taken up at the ILO Conference in 2000. The conference also adopted an unprecedented resolution against Myanmar for consistent violations of the ILO's Forced Labour Convention and the failure of Myanmar's government, the State Peace and Development Council, to put an end to forced labour, a practice that an ILO Commission of Enquiry found to be widespread in the country. The resolution states that "the Government of Myanmar should cease to benefit from any technical cooperation or assistance from the ILO, except for the purpose of direct assistance to implement immediately the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry." The conference also considered the Director-General's strategic programme and budget proposals for the 2000-2001 biennium and adopted unanimously a budget of US$467,470,000 to finance ILO activities around the world. Sharpening the focus of ILO activities, the programme and budget set out four strategic objectives: to promote and realize fundamental principles and rights at work; to create greater opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment and income; to enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all; and to strengthen tripartism and social dialogue. Under each strategic objective, a number of international focus programmes (InFocus) of high priority will concentrate and integrate activities already under way while responding to new needs and demands. InFocus programmes cover the promotion of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the progressive elimination of child labour, reconstruction and employment-intensive investment, economic and social security in the next century, the boosting of employment through small enterprise development, safety and health at work, the investment in knowledge, skills and employability and the strengthening of social partners. Contact: Bureau of Public Information, ILO, 4 route des Morillons, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/799 7940, fax +41-22/799 8577, website (www.ilo.org). HDR '99 CALLS FOR RADICAL GLOBAL GOVERNANCE REFORM The theme of this year's Human Development Report 1999 (HDR), commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), focuses on "globalization with a human face"and addresses the alarming exponential growth of inequalities between people and nations. Below are some of the main points of the report. The report says that globalization offers great opportunities for enriching people's lives and creating a global community based on shared values. But markets, it argues, have been allowed to dominate the process. The result is a "grotesque" and dangerous polarization in income and living standards between a minority of people benefiting from the system and those that are passive recipients of its effects. "The world is rushing headlong into greater integration, driven mostly by a philosophy of market profitability and economic efficiency," says Richard Jolly, coordinator of the report. "We must bring human development and social protection into the equation." "Grotesque" Inequalities The top three billionaires now have assets greater than the combined gross national product of all 48 least developed countries and their 600 million people. In just the four years between 1994 and 1998, the net worth of the world's 200 richest people increased from US$440 billion to more than US$1 trillion. Meanwhile, over 80 countries have lower per capita incomes than they did a decade ago. The income gap between the richest and poorest fifth of the world's population has escalated from 30 to 1 in 1960 to 74 to 1 in 1997. In a global economy increasingly based on knowledge and computer links to the Internet, the gap between a small "connected" elite and the "unconnected" majority is also increasing at alarming rates. An invisible barrier has emerged, the report says, that "true to its name, is like a world wide web, embracing the connected and silently, almost imperceptibly excluding the rest." In nearly all these trends, women are bearing the heaviest burden. New Threats Globalization is not only bringing integration but also fragmentation, the report says. It is "dividing communities, nations and regions into those that are integrated and those that are excluded." These extremes of inequality--not only in income, but also in political participation, economic assets and social conditions--have ignited a new wave of social tensions and conflicts, posing new threats to security and social cohesion. Although civil conflicts have been flaring for decades, what's new today, according to the report, is the complex interaction of interests, the "blurred line between conflict and business." Defence is becoming privatized and international private military firms are proliferating. In some countries, mercenaries often sell their services to mining and energy concessions and set up affiliates in air transport, road building and trading. More and more, their clients are multinational corporations seeking to protect their interests in conflict-prone countries. The report says crime syndicates,"among the most enterprising and imaginative opportunists," are prime beneficiaries of globalization. The six major international syndicates are believed to gross US$1.5 trillion a year. In 1995, the illegal drug trade was estimated at US$400 billion, which is more than the share of iron and steel or in motor vehicles in world trade, and roughly the same as textiles. Illegal trafficking in weapons is also growing, destabilizing societies and governments and arming conflicts in Africa and Eastern Europe. Another "thriving" industry is the illegal trafficking in women and girls for sexual exploitation, "a form of slavery and an inconceivable violation of human rights," which is estimated to approach US$7 billion a year. Economic and Corporate Restructurings Another source of insecurity for people in both rich and poor countries is the wave of economic and corporate restructurings undertaken to face an increasingly competitive global market. Coupled with widespread dismantling of social protection, these have translated into heavy job losses, more precarious employment and worsening labour conditions. The pressures of global competition have compelled governments and employers to adopt more flexible labour policies and work arrangement. Yet, the report argues, "evidence does not show that flexible labour markets contribute to competitiveness and the trade-off between worker protection and competitiveness may be illusory." Squeeze on Government Revenue The report says that government revenue is being "squeezed" at precisely the time when more public money is needed to deal with the damaging side of globalization and meet needs that are not profitable for markets. This is a result of liberalization policies and tax competition between nations. The growth of the "underground" or "black" economy, which accounts for 20% of gross domestic product in many developing countries, has been one source of government revenue losses. Trade liberalization policies have also brought about drastic reductions in trade taxes, with a particularly strong impact on developing countries, whose trade-related tax base accounts for a third of public revenue on average. With capital tending to prefer low-tax situations, countries compete in lowering their corporate and capital gains taxes, shifting the tax burden onto labour. In addition, multinational corporations--that can earn up to 50% of their profits outside their home country--use "transfer pricing" mechanisms to make it even more difficult for national governments to tax them. "Footloose capital of the globalized economy," the report argues, "weakens the connections between corporations and communities, and the obligations to citizens. Why then would multinational firms remain in countries that tax them to support the production of human capabilities when they can go elsewhere and free-ride? They will remain for a while, out of habit and loyalty. But the ones that jump first to take advantage of new opportunities will win the race if the finish line is defined by maximizing the short-term value of market output." Squeeze on Caring Labour Closely related to fiscal pressures on the state, the report says globalization is putting a squeeze on "care" and caring labour. The tasks of providing for dependents, children, the elderly, the sick and the immediate community (also called "social reproduction") are essential to the formation and sustenance of human capabilities, and have been mostly provided by women's unpaid labour and by state-financed care services. Globalization's shifts in employment patterns have promoted, and to some extent enforced, the participation of women in wage employment; yet in most countries, women continue to carry the "double burden" of also providing care services, ending up exhausted. Meanwhile globalization's pressures on state revenue have led to a deterioration or dismantling of publicly-provided care services. The report says the problem is that the market does not reward, and even penalizes, individuals who spend time in these activities--unless they perform these through market-based services, which only the better-off can afford. The result is an often overlooked deficit of care services that not only destroys human development, but also undermines economic sustainability. TRIPs: A "Serious Threat" The report says the new rules of globalization--privatization, liberalization and tighter intellectual property rights--are shaping the path of technology in a way in which "money talks louder than need." Tighter control of innovation in the hands of multinational corporations "ignores the needs of millions. From new drugs to better seeds for food crops, the best of the new technologies are designed and priced for those who can pay." This raises the price of technology transfer and risks blocking out developing countries from the dynamic knowledge sector in areas such as computer software and generic drugs. New patent laws pay little attention to the knowledge of indigenous people, leaving it vulnerable to claims by others. The report argues that intellectual property rights agreements were signed before most governments and people understood their full social and economic implications. In particular it warns that the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) under the World Trade Organization (WTO) was drawn up "with remarkably little analysis of its expected economic impacts." Moreover it "effectively means that if a country does not fulfil its intellectual property rights obligations, trade sanctions can be applied against it--a serious threat." Financial Instability According to the report, other threats are the increasingly sharp swings in short-term speculative capital flows, as manifested by the devastating social and economic impact of the global financial crisis triggered in East Asia in mid-1997. Echoing the views held by other UN bodies and civil society groups (see NGLS Roundup, No. 38), the report says these are not isolated incidents but have become "systemic features of global capital markets." The output losses of the East Asian crisis and its global repercussions from 1998 to 2000 are estimated at nearly US$2 trillion, according to the report. These losses are equivalent to the amount needed to double the incomes of the poorest fifth of the world's population, and about twice the additional finance required over the next decade to achieve the goals of basic education, primary heath care, family planning, nutrition, water and sanitation for all. Human Rights-Centred Global Governance Reform Although the East Asian crisis has brought about widespread recognition for the need to reform global governance, the report argues that the international debate is still too narrow in scope. "Global competition and market efficiency are the big objectives of current efforts to restructure global economic governance," it says. This excludes human development as an objective, underplays the importance of employment and environmental sustainability and largely neglects economic and social rights. This agenda is also too driven by the economic and financial interests of the rich countries--"often those of the G-7, sometimes just the G-1." Although the rules and institutions that advance global markets are far ahead of those that promote universal ethics and norms, the report highlights two "important forces of social governance" that are gaining strength: institutions of human rights (including the appointment of a high commissioner for human rights) and global NGO networks (maintaining pressure on national governments, international agencies and corporations to live up to their commitments, or to reverse policy such as the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, which the report says gave no consideration to multinationals' responsibilities to people). The report argues that "reform should be driven by concern for people, not for capital." This means that changes in international governance must be based on the system of shared values that underlies the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A broader and more coherent set of international principles that restore an integrated approach to social and economic issues should be built on: -- economic, social and cultural human rights as well as political and civil ones; -- goals and commitments of the global conferences of the 1990s; and -- democratic and equitable governance, globally and nationally. The report says the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund need to explore how these principles are brought into their policies and operations, and proposes an ombudsman mechanism to investigate cases of alleged bias and injustice by these bodies. It argues that global management today suffers because many countries lack coherence between positions taken by their finance ministries (which generally represent them in the Bretton Woods Institutions) and ministries that represent them in other parts of the UN system such as the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. It also suggests broadening the United Nations with a "two-chamber General Assembly" to allow for civil society representation. The report also calls for a "fairer" WTO (including an international legal aid centre and ombudsman) and an expanded mandate to give it anti-monopoly functions over price discrimination and predation by multinational corporations. However, it cautions against starting new global trade talks before completing a review of implementation of existing WTO agreements. In addition, "TRIPs must be broadly and fully reviewed to create a system that does not block developing countries from knowledge or threaten food security, indigenous knowledge, biosafety and access to health care." A Code of Conduct for Multinational Corporations The report says "multinational corporations are too important and too dominant a part of the global economy for voluntary codes to be enough." Globally agreed principles of performance are needed in areas such as compliance with human rights and labour standards, ensuring fair trade, genuinely competitive markets and environmental sustainability. The report also suggests the creation of a global forum to bring multinationals into open debate with other parts of the global community--governments, unions and NGOs. Global Taxes and Other Proposals In order to help narrow global gaps, the report highlights various means to finance an international transfer mechanism to channel additional flows of resources to poor countries, such as polluter-pays charges on global pollution, taxes on such items as international air tickets, and implementation of the Tobin tax proposal to levy a charge on short-term financial movements and restrain volatile flows of short-term finance. It also proposes a "bit tax" on data sent through the Internet to finance access to information technologies by those communities and countries that market forces will not serve. The report also proposes a number of other measures at various levels, aiming at reversing gender inequality; fostering pro-poor economic growth strategies; accelerated action on debt relief; protecting national and regional economies against financial volatility, and protecting people during periods of crisis and adjustment; attracting quality foreign direct investment; and fighting global crime. Contact: Division of Public Affairs, UNDP, 1 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone + 1-212/906 5000, fax +1-212/906 5001, e-mail , website (www.undp.org). THE PROGRESS OF NATIONS: CHILDREN STILL AT RISK Even though the global fight against polio is in its final phase, children's health worldwide is more precarious than it was a decade ago, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). In its annual report The Progress of Nations, UNICEF says that AIDS is having devastating effects on children worldwide. The report looks at the status of the world's most vulnerable children and women. "During this final year of the 20th century, a child will be born, bringing the world's population to 6 billion," said Carol Bellamy, UNICEF Executive Director, in The Progress of Nations. "What lies ahead for this 6 billionth baby, no one can say. But for the majority of babies, the risks are high and the odds daunting. Half the world's poor are children. Early death from preventable disease, illiteracy or traumatic conflict often awaits them. For the 6 billionth child and for all children, the odds can and should be better." Assessing Risks Faced by Children UNICEF has devised a new index to evaluate countries by risks faced by children. The Child Risk Measure (CRM) is made up of five factors that have an impact on a child's well-being: under-five mortality, moderate or severe underweight, primary schooling, risk from armed conflict, and risk from HIV/AIDS. The highest-risk countries for children are Afghanistan, Angola and Sierra Leone, all three scarred by conflict. Argentina, Costa Rica, Libya and Uruguay are among the lowest-risk developing countries for children. CRM is still a "work in progress," and UNICEF hopes to start a discussion by launching it in the report. Children in Armed Conflict The report estimates that some 300,000 children and young people are currently involved in wars or armed conflict. Surveys show that volunteers under 18 are accepted into state armed forces or paramilitary groups in at least 62 countries. The Convention on the Rights of the Child cites 15 as the minimum permissible age for military service. An Optional Protocol to the convention is being drafted to raise the minimum age to 18. Polio Eradication Now in its Final Phase The good news in the report is that the global campaign to eradicate polio has been highly successful. The number of polio cases worldwide has dropped sharply, from 35,000 a decade ago to 6,000 last year. This is the result of the use of the oral polio vaccine and a combination of routine immunization and national immunization days, during which all children under five years old are vaccinated, even those living in remote or isolated villages. The blanket immunization of an entire age group of children is essential to the eradication of polio, which will be complete three years after the last case of the disease is reported. This means that some US$1.5 billion will be saved, the same amount now spent annually for protection against polio. Ms. Bellamy said the polio eradication effort, which is being carried out in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, still needs approximately US$500 million to achieve its goals. Devastating Effects of AIDS on Children The report paints a devastating picture of the destruction and death caused in the developing world by HIV/AIDS. Some 16,000 people are infected by HIV every day. Over 8 million children worldwide have lost their mothers to AIDS. Ninety percent of AIDS orphans live in sub-Saharan Africa. The number of AIDS orphans is expected to reach 13 million by 2000; of these, 10.4 million will still be under 15. In 35 countries the rate at which children are being orphaned because of AIDS has doubled, tripled or even quadrupled in three years, depending on the country. "The number of orphans," says the report, "particularly in Africa, constitutes nothing less than an emergency, requiring an emergency response. As already impoverished societies struggle with this massive blow, their hard-won gains in social development--including improvements in child health, nutrition and education--are being wiped out." Developed countries also suffer; in the United States, for example, young people aged 13-21 account for a quarter of new infections. AIDS wreaks havoc on society, particularly children. In families where an adult has died of AIDS, food consumption drops sharply. The level of literacy falls because families can no longer afford to put children through school. AIDS orphans are more likely to die of preventable diseases because it is assumed they have AIDS, which carries a social stigma. Economically, the loss of family income and health care expenditures strain resources, with women carrying a larger part of the load. The burden on the health care system is also huge. According to the report, AIDS is raising the cost of health care and thus reducing its availability. Debt Burden Affects Children The report calls for debt relief so countries that now spend a large portion of their national budgets on debt servicing, can use the money for child-centred or social programmes instead. For example, sub-Saharan Africa spends more on servicing its US$200 billion debt than on the health and education of its 306 million children. Zambia devotes 7% of its central government expenditure to basic social services, and 40% to debt servicing; the figures for Philippines are 8% and 31% respectively. In a chapter entitled Debt Has a Child's Face, Shridath Ramphal, Co-Chairman of the Commission on Global Governance, discusses the effects of debt on the hundreds of millions of poor. "As though bound to feudal lords, their lives and labour have been mortgaged to rich country banks and governments, often by leaders they did not choose, to finance projects that did not benefit them. Debt, like an oppressive political system, strips them of their rights." Among the poor, debt particularly affects the young. It leaves them without immunization against preventable diseases, condemns them to inadequate or no education, and orphans them as mothers die in childbirth because of poor health care services. The problems created by debt are made worse by falling levels of official development assistance. Carol Bellamy says that by acting now to secure children's rights, "We can all help improve the odds for the 6 billionth baby--and all the rest of the world's children. But the clock is ticking. Before we know it, some 12 years from now, the dice will roll again for the 7 billionth baby." Contact: Helene Martin, Communications Assistant, UNICEF, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/909 5519, fax +41-22/909 5907 or Madeline Eisner, Communications Officer, UNICEF, 3 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, United States, telephone +1-212/326 7261, fax +1-212/326 7768, website (www.unicef.org). SOCIAL WATCH REPORT SAYS 1998 WAS A POOR YEAR The Social Watch initiative, an NGO network which tracks how well governments have been fulfilling the commitments they made at the 1995 World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) and other related events, has released its Social Watch Report 1999. The report calls 1998 "not a good year for social development" and explains how a number of countries stand to lose the gains of years in just a few months of economic crisis. Go Between takes a look at the report's highlights. The report's major conclusion is this: all in all, most governments are not keeping their promises. But the news is both good and bad. On the positive front, "social indicators are showing significant progress in over 60 countries." On the down side, however, progress for another 70 is too sluggish to allow them to meet their goals. In addition, "thirteen countries are in the same shape or worse off today than they were in 1990, and for almost 40 countries, the data is insufficient to say anything, which probably reflects an even worse situation." With one-third of the developing world's population living in poverty and 800 million people facing hunger, NGOs are keen to track government advances in social fields. Yet according to a survey carried out by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in 130 countries, most countries have not yet even defined goals or deadlines to eradicate poverty at home. Resources are rarer than ever as countries face excessive debt, a drop in development aid, and low levels of funds allocated to basic social services. In countries implementing the 20/20 Initiative on social sector investment, spending should increase by at least 50% to meet the goals established at WSSD. This grim picture has been made worse by the impact of the financial crises shaking Southeast Asia, Russia and other countries. "The bailout of banks and private investment funds with public money and fiscal adjustments generally affects resources that would have been allocated to education, health or social security," the report says. It adds that even greater deterioration would probably be noted next year once information reflecting post-1997 crisis figures is published. The report takes a close look at international finance, which it says is "emerging as the number one factor influencing national policies around the world." Controlling international financial flows has become critical for international politics, it says, and "it is anti-poverty policies that can save the international economy and not the other way around." The report analyzes in depth the various commitments made by governments at the WSSD and draws conclusions on how well they are faring. It points out that a solemn commitment was made not simply to alleviate but to eradicate poverty altogether. Yet this will happen, the report said, "only where there is clear political will and policies." It examines how well equality and equity between women and men have been achieved, and how women are faring in the search for full employment. The report takes a close look at the commitment to provide "new and additional sources" of funds for social development and explains that not only have these not been forthcoming, but "there has been no political will to do so....No progress has been made on fulfillment of the long-standing commitment of the rich countries to allocate 0.7% of their gross product to international cooperation," the report says. It also points out that the key institutions of globalization are either outside the United Nations or acting outside it, severely disrupting the balance of international governance organizations. Some of the report's strongest criticisms are aimed at adjustment policies pursued by the International Monetary Fund. "Excessive focus on anti-inflation policies that predominated in first generation' reforms does not seem to have contributed to the eradication of poverty," it says. "Studies are conclusive regarding the negative impact of economic recession on poverty: poor people are most vulnerable to negative growth. Positive growth, on the other hand, does not have a direct relationship with poverty. A UNDP study of 38 countries shows that neither moderate nor accelerated growth are guaranteed to reduce poverty." Inequality is also on the rise, the report says. "The effects of globalization tend to increase the inequality gap between rich and poor people within countries and between rich countries and poor countries." To describe poverty in isolation from inequality or exclusion is "to ignore that it results from prevailing accumulation models, or to discuss it without also discussing the negative impact of adjustment policies on lower income sectors displays ignorance of the problem." But all is not criticism. The report praises the creation of the International Criminal Court, which signals progress toward fulfilling the WSSD commitments on human rights and on strengthening the UN. One of the ways Social Watch tracks unkept promises is through a series of unique charts published in its report. One of the charts looks at the commitment to provide reliable social statistics. Some countries have such outdated information it can be of little use. For example, information on access to health services in Canada dates back to 1988, safe water in Lesotho to 1985, and sewage statistics in St. Vincent to 1982. Another chart shows how well countries have done in commitments to providing basic education by the year 2000--countries like Swaziland and Uruguay have met their goals, while others are in sharp regression. These graphics allow watchdog groups and concerned citizens to check their government's performance at a glance without having to interpret or read complicated graphs and reports. The Social Watch Report was prepared exclusively by NGOs based in the countries from which they reported and who were involved in the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen or the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, both held in 1995. It is designed to hold governments accountable to the commitments they made at these conferences to increase access to basic social services, reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries and promote gender equality. Governments agreed action programmes with concrete goals and target dates, but many of the targets will not be met. The report says conclusions reached last year are still valid. "While the goals targeted are feasible, many countries have failed to make a sufficient effort. The assistance promised has yet to materialize, the participation of citizens is paltry, and globalization is not benefiting those who need it the most." Contact: Control Ciudadano-Social Watch, Casilla de Correo 1539, Montevideo 11000, Uruguay, telephone +598-2/409 6192, fax +598-2/401 9222, e-mail , website (www.socwatch.org). WORLD DISASTERS REPORT WARNS OF "SUPER-DISASTERS" The combination of human-driven climate change and rapidly changing socio-economic conditions will set off chain reactions of devastation leading to "super-disasters," according to the World Disasters Report 1999, published by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Insurance companies fear that the destructive effects of climate change could bankrupt their industry, and many insurance companies now refuse to cover the hurricane-ravaged Caribbean. "Everyone is aware of the environmental problems of global warming and deforestation on the one hand, and the social problems of increasing poverty and growing shanty towns on the other. But when these two factors collide, you have a new scale of catastrophe," says Dr. Astrid Heiberg, President of the International Federation. "At the Red Cross and Crescent alone, we have a huge increase in the number of people needing our assistance due to floods and earthquakes. In the last six years, it has risen from less than half a million to more than five and a half million." According to the report, the environmental disasters in 1998 were the worst on record and caused greater damage than ever. More refugees were created by environmental disasters than by wars and conflict. Declining soil fertility, drought, flooding and deforestation drove 25 million people--58% of the refugee population worldwide--from their land and into squatter communities of already overcrowded cities. The report says that populations, especially in developing countries, will continue to be affected by human-driven climate change, environmental degradation and population pressures. El Ni¤o alone caused 21,000 deaths through fires, droughts and floods. It also caused worldwide epidemics of disease. Deforestation in the Yangtze basin led to floods that affected 180 million people. In Russia, where 44 million people live in poverty, one million children are homeless and tuberculosis rates are high, very cold temperatures turned a normally harsh but manageable winter into a disaster. Hurricane Mitch gave Central America one year's rainfall in a few hours, leading to vast mudslides on deforested slopes; it killed nearly 10,000 people and made 2.5 million temporarily dependent on aid. In the deforested slopes on the Himalayan foothills, landslides killed over 300 people. Last year also saw longer and hotter heatwaves, one of the consequences of global warming. Hotter temperatures increase air pollution and allow infectious tropical diseases such as river blindness, malaria, dengue and yellow fever to thrive. The report says these diseases will spread to areas where they are not endemic and where the population has no immunity. Experts predict a doubling in heat-related deaths worldwide by 2020. Global warming also caused drought in continental interiors and rising sea levels, which threaten the existence of small island states. As natural resources become scarcer, there is a greater likelihood that nations and communities will fight "resource wars," especially over fresh water. Fresh water accounts for only 2.5% of the earth's total water, only 3% of which is directly accessible in rivers and lakes. Over two-thirds is used for irrigation, often for cash crops destined for developed country markets. Several international rivers have been pinpointed as flashpoints for future conflicts. To compound these environmental problems, disaster preparedness and mitigation are being given low priority by governments with less money to spare. "The changing nature of government and the relationship between the state and citizens and other agencies in the post-Cold War world is starting to have significant implications for the ability of communities to withstand natural disasters," says the report. "The decline of central planning and, in many countries, a shrinking welfare state are global trends." For example, in 1997 floods had been predicted in central Europe several months early. Yet Poland and the Czech Republic were unable even to evacuate people from flood zones because their emergency services were crippled due to lack of funds. No steps have been taken to refurbish the flood-prevention infrastructure. The report says that natural disasters tend to provoke "knee-jerk" responses from donors and humanitarian agencies, with highly publicized disasters getting quick and generous responses. However, "a silent, ongoing calamity like the malnutrition and disease afflicting millions of Russians--precipitated by poverty, savage winters and institutional collapse--attracts very little cash or attention." The report says that global aid has been declining since 1992; in 1997 it fell to a record low of 0.22% of donors' gross national product (GNP). Private flows grew during the 1990s, reaching a peak at US$286 billion in 1996, but fell to US$206 billion in 1997. Government donors have justified the decrease in aid by saying that they need to reduce national budget deficits. "The implication is clear," says the report, "that once budgets are brought back on track, aid can rise. In fact...aid has borne a disproportionate share of budget cuts in most countries." Despite the fact that countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have reduced their budget deficits, aid continues to decline. The share of emergency assistance in overall aid has also declined. In 1994 it accounted for 8.4% of OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donor countries' bilateral official development assistance; in 1997, it shrank to 6.7%. Three-fourths of bilateral aid for emergencies in 1997 was given by seven DAC donors: Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Several donors are moving towards greater integration of their emergency and development responses. Australia, for example, is anticipating expenditure on the social impact of the Asian financial crisis under its emergency relief programme. Natural disasters have tripled in the 1990s compared to the 1960s, according to recent figures. In 1998 alone, over 700 "large-loss" natural catastrophes caused more than US$90 billion in economic losses worldwide. The report calls for a change in dealing with disasters, a move away from "knee-jerk" reactions, and more spending on disaster preparedness. Technology is advanced enough to predict natural disasters in the making; if these predictions are acted upon, lives and money can be saved. The good news in the report is that governments are beginning to take these predictions seriously and are making efforts to avert disasters. Contact: Solveig Olasfdottir, Information Officer, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, PO Box 372, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/730 4296, fax +41-22/733 0395, e-mail , website (www.ifrc.org). CEDAW MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONVENTION'S ADOPTION The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) held the second of its two annual sessions in New York from 7-25 June and evaluated progress made by seven states Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The committee considered the reports of Belize, Chile, Georgia, Ireland, Nepal, Spain and the United Kingdom and heard country-specific information from NGOs. It also considered the Secretary-General's note on reports of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on how they implement the convention, and a report of the secretariat on ways of improving its work. The committee held a special ceremony on 7 June to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the convention's adoption. This ceremony marked the beginning of a three-year celebration. The year 2000 is the 20th anniversary of the signing of the convention, and 2001 is the 20th anniversary of the convention's entry into force. Senior UN officials spoke during the special ceremony, and CEDAW hosted a roundtable discussion on the convention's impact at the national level, including changing national legislation for the promotion of women's rights, equal employment opportunities for women and political representation of women. Speakers also addressed the human rights of children and women, and trafficking in and sexual harassment of women and girls. Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette commended the work of CEDAW, calling the convention a powerful tool in influencing legislation, policy and opinion worldwide. "Yet on the eve of the new millennium, even as we celebrate this twentieth anniversary of the Convention, women's human rights continue to be disregarded and violated all over the world--although in different ways and to varying degrees," she said. In addition to rape and sexual violence, Ms. Frechette drew attention to the fact that women comprise the bulk of the world's poor and illiterate, and that women's work, including subsistence farming and family enterprises, is often ignored in statistics like gross national product (GNP). "Women are also deprived of basic health rights, as you can see from the shocking maternal mortality rates in so many countries, and in the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes every year," she said. "How can we not suspect that these failures are directly related to the continued under-representation of women in nearly every political forum?" Angela King, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, noted that the convention was the only human rights treaty that directly addresses the significant roles rural women play in the economic survival of their families, and the particular problems they face. It is also the only one to affirm reproductive rights. Yakin Erturk, Director of the UN Division for the Advancement of Women (UN/DAW), noted the opportunities and challenges faced by CEDAW and UN/DAW once the optional protocol to the convention enters into force. The protocol enables individuals and groups of women to submit claims of violations of rights protected under the convention to the committee and enables CEDAW to initiate inquiries into grave or systematic violations of women's rights. Aida Gonzalez Martinez (Mexico), the chair of CEDAW, highlighted several articles in the convention, especially article 12, which concerns women's rights to health, and the way in which the committee had expanded the scope of those rights. Other areas of serious negotiation, according to Ms. Martinez, were rights of the family, women in marriage, their position as mothers, and their rights with respect to care for and education of their children. High rates of teenage pregnancy, the absence of sexual and reproductive health information, punitive abortion laws, poverty, ageing, stereotypes and the role of the church were among the many concerns raised during the 21st session. Another major concern related to states which cited traditional, religious and cultural beliefs as rationales for not addressing or eliminating infringements of women's human rights. The committee urged states Parties to be more mindful of their commitments under the convention, and called upon states to rescind reservations to the convention that were hindering its implementation. Reproductive rights for women and girls were viewed by the committee as coming under threat in a number of areas. The committee noted that discrimination against teenage mothers continued during their education, reducing their ability to seek and gain employment, to adequately safeguard their own health or that of their families, and making it more difficult to break the cycle of poverty. Another area was denial of continued employment of women due to pregnancy, for example, the dismissal of teachers when they became pregnant. That denial was seen as an impediment to a woman's ability to sustain herself and her family, as well as preventing her from contributing to her country's development. The influence of the Catholic Church in compromising the rights of women in this regard was highlighted. The committee continued to see violence against women as a very important factor in women's daily lives. The committee found that human rights and health of the girl child and women were at risk with continued exposure to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The committee noted that the high level of teenage pregnancy might be an indication that adequate education and services in reproductive health were not readily available, as well as an indication of possible sexual abuse of young girls. Throughout the session, committee members expressed concern on issues such as the increased use of tobacco and alcohol by young women, and the serious impact of policies which permitted trafficking in women. The 21st session of the CEDAW was chaired by Aida Gonzalez Martinez (Mexico). Vice-Chairs were Yung-Chung Kim (Republic of Korea), Ahoua Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), and Hanna Beate Schopp-Schilling (Germany). Ayse Feride Acar (Turkey) served as Rapporteur. CEDAW's 22nd session will be held from 17 January-4 February 2000. It will consider the reports of Austria, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Jordan, Luxembourg, Myanmar and Romania. The pre-sessional working group for CEDAW's 23rd session will be held from 11-14 January 2000. Contact: Division for the Advancement of Women, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States, fax +1-212/963 3463, e-mail , web site (www.un.org/womenwatch). IDNDR FORUM ADOPTS GENEVA MANDATE The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) Programme Forum concluded on 9 July with the adoption of the Geneva Mandate on Disaster Reduction and a programme strategy for A Safer World for the 21st Century: Risk and Disaster Reduction. Seven hundred participants from 120 countries--high-level representatives, policy makers at the national and local level, representatives of international agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and members of the scientific community--took part in the Programme Forum. It was convened from 5 to 9 July by the IDNDR Secretariat, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reminded the forum that "The cost of weather-related disasters in 1998 alone exceeded the cost of all such disasters in the whole of the 1980s. Tens of thousands of mostly poor people have died. Tens of millions have been temporarily or permanently displaced. 1998 was, in fact, a truly disastrous year. In the Caribbean, hurricanes George and Mitch killed more than 13,000. In fact, Mitch was the deadliest Atlantic storm in 200 years. A cyclone in India in June got less publicity. But it caused comparable damage and an estimated 10,000 deaths. India, Nepal and Bangladesh were hit by major floods, with more than four thousand killed. Two-thirds of Bangladesh was inundated for months: millions were made homeless. But the greatest single disaster of 1998 was China's catastrophic Yangtze flood. Thousands were killed. Millions were displaced. The cost has been estimated at 30 billion dollars--yes, 30 billion dollars. In Afghanistan, major earthquakes killed more than 9,000 people. In Brazil, Indonesia and Siberia, fires ravaged tens of thousands of square kilometres of forest. "The cost of disasters in the 1990s was some nine times higher than in the 1960s, and it is becoming increasingly clear that term natural' for such events is a misnomer....It is no accident that 90 per cent of disaster victims worldwide are in developing countries. Poverty and population pressures are forcing growing numbers of poor people to live in harm's way--on flood plains, earthquake-prone zones and unstable hillsides. Their extraordinary vulnerability is perhaps the single most important cause of disaster casualties. "We must, above all, shift from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention. The humanitarian community does a remarkable job in responding to disasters. But the most important task in the medium and long term is to strengthen and broaden programmes which reduce the number and cost of disasters in the first place....Prevention policy is too important to be left to governments and international agencies alone. To succeed it must also engage civil society, the private sector and the media....Of course the United Nations is not alone in the disaster prevention field. But it has a special leadership role thanks to its universal character, its broad policy agenda, its capacity for acting as an honest broker and its vital role as a forum for global dialogue. Real progress will require Member States, NGOs and international organizations to work together on advocacy, networking and consensus building, creating the sorts of global coalition that we saw in the campaigns to ban landmines and establish the International Criminal Court....Above all, let us not forget that disaster prevention is a moral imperative, no less important than reducing the risks of war." Various aspects of risk and disaster reduction were discussed during the Forum: education and socio-economic concerns, scientific and technological applications, development and environment issues. The need for innovative approaches aimed at the poor and the most vulnerable to natural disasters through programmes promoting community-based approaches was stressed. Also, it was agreed that greater attention should be given to developing resilient communities and hazard-resistant infrastructure, especially through greater application of land use planning. Conclusions underlined the importance of widespread public awareness of natural hazards and risks. Participants adopted the Geneva Mandate on disaster reduction to guarantee a safer world for future generations. It emphasizes that, "We must build on progress achieved during the IDNDR, so that risk management and disaster reduction become essential elements of government policies." It further states, "Scientific, social and economic research as well as technological and planning applications will be required at all levels and from a wide range of disciplines in order to support risk management and effective reduction of our vulnerabilities." There is need for increased information exchange, improved early warning capacities, technology transfer and technical cooperation among all countries, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable and affected. "These last ten years have shown the multisectoral, interdisciplinary and cross-cutting nature of broad risk management and its contribution to disaster reduction," the Geneva Mandate stresses. It also notes the importance of "continued interaction and cooperation among all disciplines and institutions concerned to accomplish commonly agreed objectives and priorities and of developing and strengthening regional approaches dedicated to disaster reduction in order to take account of local specificity and needs." The Geneva Mandate concludes with a recommendation that the international cooperative framework for disaster reduction should be maintained and strengthened. "This framework should ensure partnership and synergy among all elements of risk management and disaster reduction, and promote a shift from a mentality of reaction to a culture of prevention." The Programme Forum adopted the strategy for action, A Safer World in the 21st Century: Risk and Disaster Reduction, which will serve as a frame of reference at the international, regional, national and local levels of activity. The objectives of the strategy are to stimulate research, develop a more proactive interface between management of natural resources and risk reduction practices, and build a global risk community dedicated to making risk and disaster prevention a public value. Other goals include linking risk prevention and economic competitiveness issues to enhance opportunities for greater economic partnerships, completing comprehensive risk assessments and integrating them within development plans, and seeking innovative mechanisms dedicated to sustained risk and disaster prevention activities. Contact: IDNDR Secretariat, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, telephone +41-22/917 9711, fax +41-22/917 9098 or 917 9099, e-mail , website (www.idndr.org). PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE Bringing Equality Home This publication from the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The book provides examples of work being done by women's NGOs worldwide to stimulate the political will of governments to change the condition of women's lives. Accounts include the drafting and revising of constitutions, court decisions giving women the legal right to land and to protection from sexual harassment, new laws that prohibit gender-based discrimination, and government policies that respect women's health needs. A listing of women's NGOs is also included. Contact: UNIFEM, 304 East 45th Street, New York NY 10017 United States, fax +1-212/906 6705, e-mail , website (www.unifem.undp.org). Sustainable Development Success Stories The Division for Sustainable Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA/DSD) has published a collection of success stories in implementing Agenda 21 that have led to tangible results and involved partnerships among different actors, and have a potential for replication elsewhere. Collected from governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental actors, these stories are presented to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development to help share positive experiences, encourage information about sustainable development, and to demonstrate the level and extent of Major Groups involvement in the areas of capacity building, education, freshwater management and industry. Contact: DESA/DSD, 2 UN Plaza, Room 2220, New York NY 10017, United States, fax +1-212/963 4260, e-mail , website (www.un.org/esa/sustdev). Development Policies in Natural Resource Economics This book, published in association with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, examines the factors that influence economic growth and sustainable development in countries with a significant natural resource sector. It addresses the key issue of how to help the primary sector provide for investment in both itself and other sectors of the economy. The authors highlight successful policy measures applied to economies with an abundance of natural resources and also provide cross-country analyses. They say that such economies need proactive government policies, successful cooperation between private and public institutions and a gradual process of upgrading skill and technology to achieve sustainable development. Available from: Edward Elgar Publishing, Glensanda House, Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham, Glos. GL50 1UA, United Kingdom, fax +44-1242/262111, e-mail or Edward Elgar Publishing, 6 Market Street, Northampton MA 01060, United States, fax +1-413/584 9933, e-mail . Sharing Responsibilities: Women, Society and Abortion Worldwide This study brings together research findings on abortion in both legal and illegal circumstances worldwide. It looks at, among other things, the factors contributing to unplanned pregnancy; abortion rates in 61 countries; abortion laws, regulations and their enforcement and practical impact; and quality and availability of abortion services. Available from: The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 120 Wall Street, New York NY 10005, United States, fax +1-212/248 1951, e-mail , website (www.agi-usa.org). Forum: War and Water This is the first in a new series, Forum, to be published annually by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The series is designed to stimulate debate on a particular issue through articles by journalists, outside and in-house specialists. This issue deals with war and water, seeing water both as a source of conflict and an essential part of survival. It draws attention to water problems faced by affected populations in times of conflict and proposes solutions to deal with its lack, excess or contamination. Available from: ICRC, 19 avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland, fax +41-22/733 2057, website (www.icrc.org). Canadian Development Report 1999: Civil Society and Global Change This report is the third volume in the North-South Institute's annual series that looks into Canada's relationship with the developing world. The 1999 report focuses on the activities of Canadian NGOs and examines their effectiveness in working in the developing world. The report also contains statistics charting the flow of money, goods and people between Canada and the South. Available from: Melanie Gruer, The North-South Institute, 55 Murray, Suite 200, Ottawa, Canada K1N 5M3, fax +1-613/241 7435, e-mail , website (www.nsi-ins.ca). The World Guide 1999/2000 The guide is a reference book on countries and territories worldwide. The entry for each country covers the history, politics and economics of development and is accompanied by maps and charts. It also has an overview of the major development issues as well as a review of the major environmental, social, technological and economic trends of the century. It is published by the Third World Institute in Uruguay and is written by a worldwide network of researchers, writers and citizens' groups. Available from: Oxfam, c/o BEBC, PO Box 1496, Parkstone, Dorset BH12 3YD, United Kingdom or Oxfam, c/o Humanities Press, 165 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands NJ 07716-1289, United States. The Ties that Bind: Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Drug Industry Sponsorship This is a report of a seminar held in December 1998 by Health Action International (HAI) on drug industry sponsorship, which brought together NGO representatives, the pharmaceutical industry and the press. The report highlights the possible consequences of pharmaceutical industry funding for health charities and health-promoting NGOs. Discussion topics include raising awareness about the effects of privatization; need for greater transparency in industry funding; questions about shared goals between health-promoting NGOs and industry; and sponsorship as a public relations and marketing tool. Available from: HAI Europe, Jacob van Lennepkade 334-T, 1053 NJ Amsterdam, Netherlands, fax +31-20/685 5002, e-mail , website (www.haiweb.org). Earthscan Publications Future Positive This book, written by Mike Edwards, Senior Civil Society Specialist at the World Bank, presents a rethinking of an international system facing a period of change. It explains, in non-technical language, how the international system operates, the pressures it faces and the changes it must undergo. The book offers concrete new ideas to reframe international cooperation and foreign aid. Turning Point: The End of the Growth Paradigm This book, which says institutions underpinning the global economy are inherently incapable of delivering social welfare to most people, distinguishes between the symptoms and causes of the economic malaise and analyses what it describes as the flawed basis for many deeply-held orthodoxies. The book argues that only a fundamental restructuring of economic activity, with emphasis on services rather than goods, will lead to a sustainable future. Available from: Earthscan Publications, 120 Pentonville Road, London N1 9JN, United Kingdom, fax +44-171/278 1142, e-mail , website (www.earthscan.co.uk). Oxfam Publications Development and Social Action Civil society NGOs are playing an increasingly prominent role in promoting pro-poor policy change in their own countries and internationally. The challenge now facing them is to move from protest and opposition to constructive forms of engagement with the state and private sector. This book, a thematic collection of papers from the journal Development in Practice draws on social action experiences from around the world in areas such as new social movements, governance and the state of law, North-South NGO and the use of development theatre in working for social and political change. Information Management for Development Organizations This book is written for managers of community groups and NGOs. It aims to help them think critically about what kinds of information they, their organizations, staff and project partners need. Information flows are increasing rapidly and the traditional ways of managing information flow no longer work. The book offers simple and practical tools and exercises to help managers relate the ideas to their own situations. A Guide to Gender-Analysis Frameworks This is a guide to the main analytical frameworks for gender-sensitive research and planning. It draws on the experience of trainers and practitioners of gender-sensitive research. It includes step-by-step instructions for using the frameworks and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using them. Available from: Oxfam, c/o BEBC, PO Box 1496, Parkstone, Dorset BH12 3YD, United Kingdom or Oxfam, c/o Humanities Press, 165 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands NJ 07716-1289, United States. 1999 World Directory of Parliaments This directory, published by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), is a reference book that provides information on the basic characteristics of the world's national legislatures and gives their addresses. The data in the directory can also be accessed online at IPU's website. Available from: IPU, CP 438, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland, fax +41-22/733 3141, e-mail , website (www.ipu.org). DPI Audio-Visual Website This website, sponsored by the UN Department of Public Information and WomenWatch, includes radio news and features accompanied by pictures on issues related to the advancement of women. Some of the themes of current and archived radio programmes include women's fight against poverty, women and mental health, teenage pregnancy, women and drugs, and a two-part programme on domestic violence. Text is available in English, French and Spanish. A selection of video clips from UNTV's UN in Action weekly magazine is also available on the website. Website: (www.un.org/av/video/sidex.htm). To download radio programmes, contact website (www.un.org/av/radio/programs.htm). A Real Audio player is also needed and can be accessed on website (www.un.org/av/radio/instruc.htm). UNIFEM's Bangkok Website The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) has posted two briefing kits on its Bangkok office website. Women in a Global Economy: Challenge and Opportunity in the Current Asian Economic Crisis highlights women's pivotal economic role in the Asian economies and provides concrete data showing the importance of women's contributions to national economies. The kit provides practical suggestions for specific actions to address these issues. Trafficking in Women and Children in the Mekong provides a subregional overview of some of the main issues in trafficking in women and children, and outlines possible strategies for action. The UNIFEM website also carries information on the Asia-Pacific Campaign on Elimination of Violence against Women, and on the global e-mail network on Gender and HIV/AIDS. Website: (www.undp.org/unifem/eseasia). Environmental Agencies on the Web The World Bank's website now lists the online resources of environmental agencies with a short description of each site. Website: (www.worldbank.org/nipr/epas/index.htm). UNRWA Website The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East has launched its new website. The site has describes UNRWA's programmes, and contains documents and links to other relevant sites. Website: (www.unrwa.org). Social Development Indicators The Uruguay-based Instituto del Tercer Mundo has implemented a system based on the World Wide Web for visualizing social indicators. The system, linked to the "Internet Gateway" of the UN Department for Social Policy and Development, includes three different interrelated subsystems: a collection of indicators related to social development in the UN member states stored in a database server; a system to upload and update the database; and a public access website. The information available through the database currently focuses on indicators related to the World Summit for Social Development commitments, originating from sources of the UN system, as well as some other basic indicators. The website offers users such possibilities as the generation of graphs and customized data tables combining different indicators, selected countries or years. Website: (www.socwatch.org.uy/indicators). IFCB Website The International Forum on Capacity Building (IFCB), a southern NGO-led initiative, has a new website. The site contains, among other things, Regional Action Plans prepared by NGOs and NGO networks in Africa, Asia and Latin America; IFCB contacts for the three regions; and an online discussion forum. Website: (www.ifcb-ngo.org). Conflict Data Service The Conflict Data Service (CDS) at the University of Ulster's Initiative on Conflict Resolution and Ethnicity (INCORE) has recently produced a new section on its website on "Peace Agreements 1989-99." According to CDS, the accords are worth examining in detail from a comparative perspective because it has become increasingly common for actors in one peace process to borrow from the experiences of another. Website: (www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/cds/agreements/index.html). AF-AIDS: An E-mail Discussion Forum on HIV/AIDS in Africa AF-AIDS is a regional e-mail forum for discussion and exchange of information and experiences on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Over 850 people and organizations working in or for African countries on HIV/AIDS are part of this forum, which exists in English and French. The forum can be accessed on the website (www.hivnet.ch:8000/af-aids/tdm). To join, send an e-mail to with "join" in the subject line. Global Youth Meet Website This website gives details about Global Youth and the 21st Century: Meeting of Minds on the Roof of the World, a global youth meeting to take place from 28 December 1999-3 January 2000 in Kathmandu. The meeting aims to bring together 500 young people from around the world to share experiences and ideas. It is organized by National Youth Forum Nepal. Website: (asukatravel.com/globalyouthmeet). CALENDAR DISARMAMENT -- Ad Hoc Group of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction --16th session: 13 September-8 October, Geneva --17th session, 22 November-3 December, Geneva GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- 54th UN General Assembly, 14 September-December, New York HUMAN RIGHTS -- Open-Ended Working Group on the Right to Development, 13-17 September, Geneva -- Human Rights Committee, 67th session, 18 October-5 November, Geneva -- Committee Against Torture, 23rd session, 8-19 November, Geneva -- Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 21st session, 15 November-3 December, Geneva -- Commission on Human Rights, Open-Ended Working Group on Draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 5th session, November, Geneva Rights of the Child -- Committee on the Rights of the Child, 22nd session, 20 September-8 October, Geneva INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT -- Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court, third session, 29 November-17 December, New York NARCOTIC DRUGS -- Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Latin America and the Caribbean Region, 3rd quarter (1 week), Santiago -- Commission on Narcotic Drugs, 42nd resumed session, 2-3 December, Vienna SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal -- Conference of Parties, 5th session, 6-10 December, Basel Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) -- 42nd Meeting of the Standing Committee, September, Geneva Climate Change Convention -- Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA) -- Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI) -- Ad Hoc Group on Article 13 -- Conference of the Parties, 5th session The above meetings will take place from 25 October-5 November in Bonn. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals -- Conference of Parties, 6th session, 10-16 November, Cape Town Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) -- Conference of Parties, 3rd session, 15-26 November, Recife Global Environment Facility (GEF) -- NGO Consultation, 16 November, Washington DC -- GEF Council Meeting, 17-19 November, Washington DC Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer -- 11th Meeting of the Parties, 29 November to 3 December, Beijing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) -- SIDS+5: Special Session of the UN General Assembly, 27-28 September, New York TRADE, FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT International Monetary Fund/World Bank -- IMF/World Bank Joint Annual Meeting of the Boards of Governors, 28-30 September, Washington DC United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) -- Commission on Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities, 4th (and final) session, 20-24 September, Geneva -- Commission on Investment, Technology and Related Financial Issues, 4th (and final) session, 4-8 October, Geneva -- Making Foreign Direct Investment Work for Sustainable Development, 14 October, Geneva -- Trade and Development Board, 46th session, 18-29 October, Geneva (preparatory process for UNCTAD X) World Trade Organization -- Third Ministerial Conference, 30 November-3 December, Seattle OTHER MEETINGS -- Executive Board of UNDP and UNFPA, third regular session, 13-17 September, New York -- Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee, 50th session, 4-8 October, Geneva -- United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities, November (1 day), New York GUEST EDITORIAL Juan Somavia, Director-General International Labour Office Working Children: A Global Cause Working children are the forgotten underclass of globalization, underdevelopment and social neglect. Child labour constitutes the single most important source of child exploitation and abuse in the world today. Estimates by the International Labour Office suggest that about one-quarter of a billion children under the age of 14 are economically active. As many as 60 million are engaged the worst forms of child labour. To put that in perspective, imagine a country as populous as the United States of America in which the entire population was made up of child labourers. Within that population would be an underclass of children roughly as numerous as the citizens of France or Great Britain who work in conditions which cripple their bodies and mind, stunt their growth and shorten their lives. None of us would tolerate such an abomination if it were visibly concentrated in one place. Why then tolerate it in a hidden and dispersed form? Those children live in different countries on different continents, both developing and developed, but they are one nation, united only by suffering and injustice. For millions and millions of the world's children, childhood is marked by economic and social marginalization and exclusion. Children are routinely exploited in many parts of the world. They serve in wars and other armed conflicts, are trafficked across borders to work as prostitutes or in exploitative domestic service, or toil at a young age in a dangerous work environment. Such exploitation is not only cruel to the children concerned and a violation of their basic rights, but it is also a waste of their human potential. They are denied the opportunity to gain the education and skills needed in today's ever more difficult international environment. The younger the children, the more vulnerable they are to hazards at the workplace and to economic exploitation. ILO survey results show that in some areas up to 20 per cent of child workers are under the age of ten. Child labour is intrinsically linked to poverty. It is both a consequence and a cause of poverty. We have also seen horrendous forms of child exploitation in the developed world. The ILO has already put the spotlight on the extremely complex nature of diverse child labour situations that need to be handled with sensitivity, particularly in the context of poverty, economic deprivation and parental unemployment. Its vestiges should be progressively removed by addressing concurrently all root causes and providing for sustainable rehabilitation of working children as well as their families. In a number of countries, structural adjustment has resulted in severe cut-backs in public social services and in a further informalization of the economy. Children are often the first to suffer. We must all take utmost care so that the reasonable search for macro-economic balance is not waged on the back of our future generations. Fortunately, world opinion has rallied to the cause. One indication of this is the universal acceptance of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Another sign of concern over child labour is the recent adoption of the ILO Convention Concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. This new tool places the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labour at the heart of the ILO's development efforts. The ILO pursues a three-pronged approach in its campaign against child labour: -- the establishment of a body of international labour conventions and recommendations as a guide for national policy and legislative action; -- technical assistance through its International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) to help countries, at their request, to develop and undertake practical action; and -- insistence on the fact that development is the long-term and stable solution. We are living in a world without causes. Few ideals, if any, galvanize the entire world. Why not make the time-bound eradication of the worst forms of child labour a cause for all of us? A global cause we all share across regions, cultures, spiritual traditions and development levels. No parents in the world want to see their children caught up in prostitution, pornography, drug peddling or other demeaning situations. I have the intention of inviting other institutions to organize a multilateral task force in which we can all work together to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in the world. This is a modest contribution of the ILO to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. But this is not just an issue for the multilateral system. I think that if there is one cause in a world that is truly lacking in causes, it is the plight of these children. I believe this to be a truly global cause on which everybody in the world can come together. The fact that the new ILO Convention has just been approved by a unanimous vote, without abstention, without a vote against should help galvanize us to come together around something we all profoundly believe in. I would like to invite everybody to be part of this global cause so that it can become an unstoppable global force.