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07 February 2023
Security Council Press Statement on Attack against United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo
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Story
07 February 2023
‘Act decisively before it is too late’, Guterres warns countries, laying out his priorities for 2023
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06 February 2023
UN Secretary-General condemns heinous attack against a MONUSCO helicopter resulting in the death of one South African Peacekeeper
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in South Africa
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in South Africa:
Press Release
31 October 2022
Celebrating 7 years of partnerships between the South African Government and the UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)
PRETORIA: Following seven-year term in South Africa, PAGE’s core engagement in South Africa is coming to an end. PAGE UN Agencies and national partners are collaborated to hold a PAGE Transition Ceremony to facilitate continued long-term action towards building an Inclusive Green Economy (IGE).
The most important output of this Transition Ceremony was the sensitization and sharing of experiences of the work that PAGE has supported since 2015. The PAGE South Africa Transition Ceremony was not only be an event to showcase the progress made by national stakeholders towards IGE and a green recovery, but also a means of affirming sustainable development and climate change priorities. In addition, this event gave an opportunity for national stakeholders to be better informed on steps required to build further on the progress made so far. The event consisted of keynote addresses, closing remarks, presentations and feedback solicited from participants on sustainability planning.
The Transition Ceremony presented an opportunity for government to revisit the Sustainability Report for PAGE South Africa: 2022 and Beyond, which was submitted to government in 2020. The Sustainability Report highlighted the key results achieved through PAGE support at the three PAGE outcome levels: national multisectoral level, thematic or sectoral level, and capacity building, which outline various means of sustaining the achievement and bringing impact at scale. Through active input from its National Steering Committee, the Sustainability Report reflects the most recent progress of the country’s initiatives towards an IGE, and what could be further actions to achieve sustainability.
The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) aims to put sustainability at the heart of economic policymaking. PAGE is the expertise and mandate of five UN agencies; UNEP, UNDP, ILO, UNIDO, and UNITAR, whose expertise and support assist and lead PAGE partner countries towards their transition to an Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) by providing policy advice, assessments, capacity development and analytical tools outputs. In addition to support and outputs provided to member countries (22 countries as of March 2022), the PAGE also shares global knowledge products to reinforce the work done at the country level to advance the 2030 Agenda.
CONTACTS
Moipone Kgatle, Page National Coordinator
Email: kgatle@iloguest.org Tshepo Mohatle, Communication and Information Management Assistant, DWT/CO-Pretoria Office
Email: mohatle@ilo.org
Moipone Kgatle, Page National Coordinator
Email: kgatle@iloguest.org Tshepo Mohatle, Communication and Information Management Assistant, DWT/CO-Pretoria Office
Email: mohatle@ilo.org
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12 October 2022
More than 31 per cent of 15–19-year-old females in South Africa overweight or obese, threatening a noncommunicable diseases epidemic
PRETORIA, 12 October 2022 – The persistent high rates of overweight and obesity, particularly among adolescent girls, is putting lives at risk, as the transition phase between childhood and adulthood is a critical period for the onset of obesity-associated morbidity. Some 31.3 per cent of 15-19-year-old females are overweight or obese, compared to 9.6 per cent of males in the same age range.
UNICEF South Africa has launched ‘My Body, My Health: My Wealth’, a campaign aimed at preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among adolescents and youth, coinciding with National Nutrition Week, 09 to 15 October. This supports the central theme of the Department of Health focus on ‘Making healthy food choices easier’ for all.
“The high rates of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in South Africa are extremely concerning,” said Muriel Mafico, Deputy Representative, UNICEF South Africa. “Investing in and enabling adolescents and young people to improve their mental wellbeing and physical lifestyles, particularly adolescent and young women, will save lives and ensure a more prosperous future for society as a whole,” added Mafico.
Young people’s choices to adopt healthier lifestyles are influenced by school and family environments, as well as peers and role models. Barriers to physical activity include time spent on social media and watching television, feeling tired, availability of facilities, safety, and having enough time all of which can prevent young people from being active – COVID-19 related lockdowns presented an additional challenge.
The My Body, My Health: My Wealth campaign, supported by AstraZeneca's Young Health Programme (YHP), works to make NCD prevention a national priority and enable young people to live healthily. The campaign, co-created with the input of young people, meets adolescents and youth where they are: both online and offline. Creative design, engaging content, live challenges and inspiring role models will spearhead the campaign to lower the incidence of NCDs among youth in South Africa by investing in their health.
NCDs are chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes. Collectively, they are responsible for 70 per cent of deaths worldwide. NCDs are the leading cause of death and disability in South Africa, carrying huge costs to patients, families, communities, the health system and the economy at large. Several NCDs can be prevented by adopting a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and managing stress levels.
UNICEF South Africa will leverage its extensive network of young volunteers across the country. Youth clubs, in and out of schools, have been invited to join the campaign, share their knowledge and encourage other young people to adopt healthy habits.
Notes to Editors
Statistics come from the South Africa Demographic Health Survey (SADHS 2016), as well as the UNICEF South Africa 2022 study on diet and physical activity among adolescents and youth in South Africa.
Childhood obesity among children under five is 13 per cent, more than two times that of the global average, while 60 per cent of 20–24-year-old women are overweight or obese, compared to about 14.5 per cent of men the same age.
The ‘My Body, My Health: My Wealth’ campaign supports the 2022 ‘National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases’ led by the National Department of Health.
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Press Release
08 October 2022
PRESS STATEMENT: Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed delivers this year’s Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture
Cape Town – In delivering this year’s annual 12th Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, last night reminded her audience that as the world continues to mourn the late Archbishop’s loss, we “celebrate his legacy, which has never been more relevant in our world of great pain”.
She exalted the late Archbishop Tutu’s leadership qualities, describing him as a civil servant “who served throughout his life as a towering global figure for peace and an unwavering voice for the voiceless.” He stood above all for courageous hope and healing, based on principles rooted in pragmatism, she added.
This year’s lecture, under the theme, A Vision for Hope and Healing in a Time of Crisis, marked the first posthumous in-person address following the passing of Archbishop Tutu last year. Other leaders who gave previous lectures include the former South African first lady and human rights activist, Gracá Machel, the late and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.
The lecture series, organized by the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, aims to foster a meaningful dialogue on healing and reconciliation as South Africa strives to rise above its fractured past and current challenges including the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and gender-based violence – severe issues that threaten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Agenda 2030.
“Our world is in crisis with Africa left behind, yet again,” the Deputy Secretary-General lamented, “Nearly three years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, nations across the world, particularly African countries, face a multitude of cascading and compounding crises”.
These included increased poverty, hunger, lack of access to healthcare and quality education and thus leading to greater inequalities while social cohesion is fraying, and xenophobia, nationalism, hate speech and radicalization are on the rise, she added.
“However, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Ms. Mohammed reminded her audience.
“Our planet is packed with the resources we need to thrive, plentiful food and water, and boundless renewable energy. These are unique, irreplaceable resources that must be treasured, protected and handed down from generation to generation.”
Speaking on the UN Agenda 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Deputy Secretary-General described the alignment of the two agendas as “a pathway to a world that cherishes human dignity; a world free of poverty, hunger, violence and injustice.”
Ms. Mohammed encouraged people to follow in the footsteps of the late archbishop, in pursuing education as he believed that “education is the most powerful tool that a person can receive to ensure their independence, self-sufficiency and equality.” Archbishop Tutu was a teacher by profession during his early years.
The Deputy Secretary-General noted that the late anti-apartheid activist embodied values of peace, which still resonate today as the archbishop “understood that peace, in its broader conception, can only be achieved if we approach humanity as a community in which – as in any African village – everyone takes care of each other.”
The full address by the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed can be accessed here.
Photo’s can be accessed here.
- ENDS -
For further information, please contact Ntombenhle Shezi, Advocacy and Communications Manager, Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation at ntombenhle@tutu.org.za or +27 21 552 7524; or Zeenat Abdool, Associate Public Information Officer, UN South Africa at abdool@un.org or +27 82 778 8080.
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Press Release
29 September 2022
The 12th Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture — A Vision for Hope and Healing
5 September 2022 – Cape Town - The 12th Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture returns on 7 October 2022, marking the first Lecture since Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s passing at the end of 2021. The event is being held on Archbishop Tutu’s birthday and will honour his extraordinary life while reflecting his legacy into the future.
The heart of the Peace Lecture is rooted in the Foundation’s work to transform our collective consciousness through the courageous pursuit of healing, inspired by the legacy that Archbishop Tutu left for us. In the last few years, we all witnessed the devastating impact of a global pandemic, climate change and conflict. The Arch, as he was fondly known, held a lifelong conviction that one can only get through hard times by holding on to hope. As he put it, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
In line with this, the 12th International Peace Lecture theme is: A Vision for Hope and Healing.
Chairperson of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Niclas Kjellström-Matseke noted, “We are excited to bring to Cape Town the voices of two powerful and globally influential individuals to deliver this year’s lecture.”
The two speakers are Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, who will appear with best-selling author Doug Abrams. Kjellström-Matseke went on to say, “Amina Mohammed, through her extraordinary work as a global leader can share an inspiring vision for global development. This is well-paired with Doug Abrams’ intimate portraits and ability to draw out the wisdom of many of the elders of our times. I am confident that this will be a powerful moment for us to reimagine the possibilities of a bold future, shaped by collective healing and humanity.”
Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed is credited as being one of the key architects of the Sustainable Development Goals, setting an agenda for how we can develop flourishing societies and planet. She is a globally recognised leader in action to prevent climate change, having served as the Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Abrams is best-known for his collaborative work with Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama to co-author The Book of Joy. He has worked with other Nobel Laureates including Nelson Mandela, Jody Williams, and Elizabeth Blackburn, as well as many visionary scientists. His latest collaboration was the Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times with Jane Goodall, published in 2021.
CEO of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Janet Jobson, noted that, “A conversation that calls on us to project towards a hopeful future is incomplete without the perspective of the youth. We are thus including elements in the overall event for young people and children’s voices to be powerfully heard.”
One way this will be achieved is through a children’s art exhibition at the Cape Town City Hall on the evening of the event. We are inviting young people under the age of eighteen to submit artworks depicting their own visions for hope and healing. Interested participants can post their artworks on social media and tag us, email, or send their submissions to us using the details below:
Email address: public@tutu.org.za
Physical address: The Old Granary, 11 Buitenkant St, Cape Town, 8001
We invite everyone to join us for this powerful dialogue at the Cape Town City Hall, 7 October 2022; 19h00-21h00.
Book your free tickets for The 12th Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture (quicket.co.za) or stream the lecture on tutu.org.za.
For media queries and interviews contact: Ntombenhle@tutu.org.za
*Note to Editors
About the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (DLTLF)
Founded in 2013, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (DLTLF) strives to take the example of its founders into the future, in part by growing and facilitating powerful and timely voices of moral courage on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Visit tutu.org.za for more information.
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Press Release
05 September 2022
Number of COVID-19 orphans nears 150,000 in South Africa
PRETORIA, 05 September 2022 – COVID-19 associated deaths have left nearly 150,000 children as orphans, according to latest data modelling from Imperial College London, as part of the Global Reference Group for Children Affected by COVID-19: Joint Estimates and Action. That number rises to 207,400 when including children who have lost their primary or secondary caregiver, such as a grandparent.
The tragic figures reiterate the importance of a holistic and child centred response to the broad ranging impact of COVID-19 on childhood, particularly to protect and support children who have been left without one or both parents, or another primary or secondary caregiver.
“Children’s lives have been devastated by the pandemic in so many ways and for those who have lost parents or caregivers the deep scars will last forever,” said Muriel Mafico, UNICEF South Africa, Deputy Representative. “But with love and care, access to social protection, education and opportunities for growth and development, these children can
recover, thrive and realize their full potential,” added Mafico.
The loss of parental support and loved ones during childhood can have a long-lasting impact on mental and physical health. These children are more likely to experience violence and abuse and be neglected and exploited.
“A nurturing, protective and stable family environment at home is vital for positive childhood experiences, yet for orphaned children this is too often a distant dream,” said Mafico.
Efforts to scale up and strengthen the capacity of family-based care and social protection systems are critical to enhance family resilience and help to prevent any recourse to institutional care.
UNICEF South Africa is working with partners to protect every child’s right to live and grow up in an environment that supports their physical, psychological, social and emotional development. This includes through:
Scaling up access to interventions such as Safe Parks that provide a protective and caring environment in which children are nurtured by professionals and caregivers, where they can play, receive learning support, counselling and health services.
Engaging caregivers and households in early childhood development, from learning through play to positive parenting techniques, including building knowledge and skills about how to best nurture children.
Building the capacity of teachers to best support the psychosocial needs of the most vulnerable children in the school environment and in-turn ensure school retention.
Building the capacity of staff in primary health care facilities and community health workers to provide integrated services to children that best protect their mental and physical health.
Increasing uptake of the Child Support Grant to ensure that the most vulnerable households receive help alleviate some of the stresses of everyday life, whilst closing the exclusion rate of 2.2 million eligible children.
Providing the most vulnerable youth with access to skills building opportunities, as well as work and entrepreneurial mentorships and opportunities.
The tragic and increasing number of COVID-19 orphans is also a reminder that COVID-19 is not over, and the virus has led to the deaths of more than 1-million people globally in 2022 alone, according to WHO figures.
Vaccination continues to be the most effective way to prevent serious illness or death. In June this year, The Lancet estimated that 19.8 million lives were saved during the first year of COVID-19 vaccinations, December 2020 to December 2021.
UNICEF South Africa continues its COVID-19 response with the National and Provincial Departments of Health to help build further momentum towards the 70% coverage target of the adult population by the end of 2022. This includes strengthening vaccine cold chain management and systems, as well as communication and community engagement work to bolster COVID-19 vaccine coverage, as well as routine childhood immunization.
UNICEF South Africa is extremely grateful for the support received towards the COVID-19 vaccine response from donors including the Government of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, the Government of Japan and the Cotton On Foundation.
Notes to Editors:
Imperial College London provides a regularly updated chart on estimates of orphanhood in South Africa and across the world and is available here
The Global Reference Group for Children Affected by COVID-19 and Crisis is hosted by and linked to the World Health Organisation to develop up to date evidence of the numbers of children affected by COVID-19 associated orphanhood, and to support policy and programming that can mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on children and adolescents.
The Lancet study, Global impact of the first year of COVID-19 vaccination: a mathematical modelling study is available here.
COVID-19 associated orphans are defined as being under age 18 and having lost one or both parents.
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Story
07 February 2023
‘Act decisively before it is too late’, Guterres warns countries, laying out his priorities for 2023
Addressing the General Assembly in New York, he appealed for urgent action now to achieve peace, economic rights and development, climate action, respect for diversity, and inclusive societies – both today and for generations to come.
Before unfolding his 2023 roadmap, the Secretary-General extended condolences to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, adding that the UN is mobilizing to support the response.
Rights-based approach
Mr. Guterres stressed the need for transformation this year, grounded in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“As we look to priorities for this year, a rights-rooted approach is central to achieving our ultimate priority: a safer, more peaceful, more sustainable world,” he said, urging countries to "act decisively before it is too late."
Doomsday Clock ticking
The UN chief began by referring to the news that the symbolic Doomsday Clock - developed more than 75 years ago by atomic scientists to measure humanity’s proximity to midnight, or self-destruction - was just 90 seconds away from that hour.
The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the climate emergency, rising nuclear threats, and the undermining of global norms and institutions have pushed the world closer to annihilation.
“This is the closest the clock has ever stood to humanity’s darkest hour – closer than even during the height of the Cold War. In truth, the Doomsday Clock is a global alarm clock. We need to wake up – and get to work,” he said.
Think of tomorrow
Stressing that “we need a course correction”, the UN chief said action is possible, however politicians and decision makers lack the strategic vision to see beyond the short term.
This “preference for the present” only focuses on the next poll, power move, or business cycle, making the future “someone else’s problem” – a mindset he described as deeply irresponsible, immoral, and self-defeating.
“My message today comes down to this: Don’t focus solely on what may happen to you today – and dither. Look at what will happen to all of us tomorrow – and act,” the UN chief said.
‘A time for transformation’
The international community has an obligation to act, he continued, as “this is not a time for tinkering” but, rather, “a time for transformation.”
Action should be grounded in the UN Charter, the Organization’s founding document, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which turns 75 this year.
“When I look at human rights in the broadest sense – with a 21st century lens – I see a roadmap out of the dead end,” he said, noting that it begins with the right to peace.
Work for peace
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine last February 24 inflicting untold suffering on the country’s population, and far beyond, prospects for peace keep diminishing while the risk of further escalation and bloodshed keeps growing.
“I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war. It is doing so with its eyes wide open. The world needs peace. Peace in line with the United Nations Charter and international law,” he said. “We must work harder for peace everywhere.”
Mr. Guterres referred to the situations in the Middle East, where the two-State solution between Palestine and Israel is becoming more distant; in Afghanistan, where women’s rights are being trampled; in the Sahel, where insecurity is rising; in Myanmar, which is facing new cycles of violence and repression, and in Haiti, where gang violence is holding the entire country hostage.
Recommit to the UN Charter
“If every country fulfilled its obligations under the Charter, the right to peace would be guaranteed,” he said. “It is time to transform our approach to peace by recommitting to the Charter - putting human rights and dignity first, with prevention at the heart.”
The Secretary-General called for “a holistic view of the peace continuum” that identifies root causes of conflict and focuses on prevention, mediation, reconciliation, peacebuilding and greater participation of women and young people.
These are among the UN’s proposed New Agenda for Peace, aimed at addressing both old and new threats, and maximizing coalitions for diplomacy, as evidenced by the Black Sea Grain Initiative which is operating even amid the war in Ukraine.
Nuclear war risk
This year also marks the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping, which will see increased commitment to reform, he added.
Mr. Guterres also called for bringing disarmament and arms control “back to the centre” to both reduce strategic threats from nuclear arms and work towards their total elimination.
“We are at the highest risk in decades of a nuclear war that could start by accident or design,” he warned, urging countries with nuclear arms to renounce these “unconscionable weapons”.
Transform global finance
With poverty and hunger rising, developing countries drowning in debt, and social safety nets frayed, among other signs, the Secretary-General called for “radical transformation” of the global financial architecture.
This will require new commitment and resolve, including to address the appalling inequalities and injustices exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to the global crisis.
New determination will also be needed to ensure developing countries have a greater voice in global financial institutions, and that vulnerable nations, including middle-income countries, can have access to debt relief and restructuring.
Multilateral Development Banks in particular, must change their business model and leverage their funds to attract more private capital that can be invested to help developing countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before the 2030 deadline.
“Without fundamental reforms, the richest countries and individuals will continue to pile up wealth, leaving crumbs for the communities and countries of the Global South,” he cautioned.
Sustainable development in danger
This year will also provide opportunities to “rescue” the SDGs, such as the Summit of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) next month and another in September devoted to the goals.
With the SDGs “disappearing in the rearview mirror”, countries should come to the summit with clear benchmarks on tackling poverty and exclusion, and on advancing gender equality.
However, the world must unite now to mobilize resources, said Mr. Guterres, so that developing economies have the liquidity to invest in education, universal healthcare, pandemic preparedness, decent work and social protection.
Climate Visuals/Supratim Bhattacharjee/ Tidal waves on Namkhana Island, West Bengal, India, flood coastal communities.
Climate action ‘reckoning’
As the right to development goes together with the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment, “we must end the merciless, relentless, senseless war on nature,” said Mr. Guterres, repeating a message that has become a mantra for his tenure.
“2023 is a year of reckoning. It must be a year of game-changing climate action. We need disruption to end the destruction.”
Countries are hurtling past the 1.5-degree limit on global temperature rise, therefore focus must be on the urgent priorities of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and achieving climate justice.
Shift to green energy
He said global emissions must be halved this decade, including through “far more ambitious action” in shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy, especially in the G20 group of industrialized nations.
Additionally, businesses, cities, regions and financial institutions that have pledged net-zero carbon emissions, must present their transition plans, with credible and ambitious targets, by this September.
“I have a special message for fossil fuel producers and their enablers scrambling to expand production and raking in monster profits. If you cannot set a credible course for net-zero, with 2025 and 2030 targets covering all your operations, you should not be in business,” said Mr. Guterres.
Deliver on COP27 pledges
Climate action is impossible without adequate finance, and the Secretary-General urged richer countries to, at minimum, deliver on promises made at the UN COP27 climate change conference in Egypt last year.
These commitments include establishing a fund to address loss and damage, doubling adaptation funding, and advancing plans on early warning systems globally within the next five years.
The Secretary-General will convene a Climate Ambition Summit in September, ahead of the COP28 conference in the United Arab Emirates in December.
It will be open to all government, business and society leaders, he said, though under one condition: “Show us accelerated action in this decade and renewed ambitious net zero plans – or please don’t show up.”
Diversity under attack
Turning to his fourth priority, Mr. Guterres spoke of how respect for diversity and the universality of cultural rights are under attack, as evidenced in part by the rise in antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, the persecution of Christians, racism and white supremacist ideology.
At the same time, ethnic and religious minorities, refugees, migrants, indigenous people and the LGBTQI-plus community, are increasingly targeted for hate, both online and off.
Meanwhile, many people in positions of power are profiting from caricaturing diversity as a threat, sowing division and hatred, while social media platforms use algorithms that amplify toxic ideas and funnel extremist views into the mainstream.
Fighting hate online
The Secretary-General underlined the UN’s commitment to protecting cultural rights and diversity, including through programmes on the Holocaust and the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, as well as its Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
“We will call for action from everyone with influence on the spread of mis- and disinformation on the internet – Governments, regulators, policymakers, technology companies, the media, civil society,” he said.
“Stop the hate. Set up strong guardrails. Be accountable for language that causes harm.”
© UNICEF/Christine Nesbitt/ Girls attend an Accelerated Learning Centre (ALC) class in Wardak Province in the central region of Afghanistan. (file)
Patriarchy pushing back
With half of humanity “held back by the most widespread human rights abuse of our time,” the UN chief underscored the right to full gender equality.
He especially emphasized the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, now “exiles in their own country” due to laws banning them from public life, and their counterparts in Iran, who have taken to the streets to demand fundamental human rights at great personal cost.
Gender discrimination is global, he said, and things are getting worse.
“We face an intense pushback against the rights of women and girls. Women’s sexual and reproductive rights and legal protections are under threat. At the international level, some governments now oppose even the inclusion of a gender perspective in multilateral negotiations,” he said.
Gender equality is fundamentally a question of power, and the patriarchy is reasserting itself, he said, but the UN is fighting back and standing up for the rights of women and girls everywhere, including in its own ranks.
Mr. Guterres also pledged to “double down” on support for measures towards greater gender equality, including quotas to close gaps in women’s representation, in elections, corporate board rooms and peace negotiations.
‘Pandemic’ of rights violations
Meanwhile, the civil and political rights that are the basis of inclusive societies are also under threat, as democracy is in retreat.
“The pandemic was used as cover for a pandemic of civil and political rights violations,” said Mr. Guterres, warning that civic space “is vanishing before our eyes”.
He reported on threats such as repressive laws that restrict freedom of expression, new technologies that serve as a guise for controlling freedom of assembly or even movement, and the increase in attacks against the media.
Through the Secretary-General's Call to Action for Human Rights, the UN is working to advance fundamental freedoms, promote civil society participation, and protect civic space around the world.
“And we are strengthening our support for laws and policies that protect the right to participation and the right to freedom of expression, including a free and independent media,” he added.
UNFCCC/Kiara Worth/ Secretary-General António Guterres with young climate activists at the Climate Implementation Summit at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Championing young people
The Secretary-General emphasized that the threats undermining rights today will also have an impact on future generations, who are often perceived as barely an afterthought.
He expressed hope that the Summit of the Future, scheduled for next year, will bring these rights to the forefront of the global discussion.
“There is no greater constituency to champion that future than young people – and the new UN Youth Office that will be up and running this year is designed to strengthen our work,” he said.
These efforts are also an opportunity to boost global action and build a UN that is fit for a new era, he added.
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06 February 2023
South African peacekeeper killed after helicopter comes under fire mid-flight in DR Congo
In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the attack, which left the South African ‘blue helmet’ dead, and another wounded.
Emergency landing
According to news reports, the severely injured peacekeeper was able to continue flying, and along with the rest of the crew, managed to land at the airport of the provincial capital, Goma.
There is no indication so far who was responsible for the attack, or what weapon was used in the assault.
Eastern DRC is home to multiple armed groups, including the rebel M23 force, which has been fighting a major campaign against Government troops in recent months, supported by the UN mission there, known by its French acronym MONUSCO, as part of its protection-of-civilians mandate.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed during the violence at the hands of armed groups, including women and children.
Last March, eight peacekeepers were killed when their helicopter crashed in an area of North Kivu province where the Congolese army was engaged in heavy fighting with M23.
Call for immediate ceasefire
At a summit of the East African Community on Saturday in Burundi, regional leaders renewed their call for an immediate ceasefire by combatants involved in eastern DRC. Kinshasa has accused the Rwandan Government of supporting the M23 rebels, a charge categorically denied by authorities in Kigali.
M23 has seized many areas of North Kivu province in eastern DRC since last October, threatening to advance on the provincial capital.
More than 500,000 have reportedly been displaced by intense fighting in the province since last March, and earlier in the week, Pope Francis made his first visit to DRC calling for an end to violence. An agreement signed in November when rebels agreed to withdraw, failed to come to fruition.
The head of MONUSCO, and Special Representative to DRC, Bintou Keita, briefed the Security Council in December, telling ambassadors that the security situation had “deteriorated dramatically” in previous weeks.
Guterres pledges continuing support
In his statement, Mr. Guterres expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the fallen peacekeeper, and to the Government and people of South Africa, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured following the dramatic helicopter landing.
He recalled that such attacks against peacekeepers "may constitute a war crime under international law." He asked Congolese authorities to investigate the heinous attack, and bring those responsible to justice as soon as possible.
“The Secretary-General reaffirms that the United Nations, through his Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will continue to support the Congolese Government and people”, the statement continued, “in their efforts to bring about peace and stability in the east of the country.”
Published by UN News
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Story
06 February 2023
UN South Africa - InFocus Magazine, Vol 6. Issue 2, December 2022
This edition of InFocus showcases some of our work in South Africa, ranging from responding to the floods in KwaZulu-Natal Province and other areas, to supporting programmes on gender-based violence, youth, among others. These highlights are a fraction of the ongoing, high impact work the UN has undertaken in the country. I look forward to collectively building on this work to create greater impact. Through multi stakeholder collaboration, whole-of-society approaches, and innovative approaches we can co-create people-centred and planet-sensitive solutions for South Africa. Here’s to a successful 2023 for the UN Family which must include, without compromise, impactful change towards a South Africa where no one is left behind and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Download a copy HERE. InFocus Magazine
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06 February 2023
UN Secretary-General condemns heinous attack against a MONUSCO helicopter resulting in the death of one South African Peacekeeper
The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack, on 5 February, against a helicopter of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The helicopter came under fire while travelling from Beni to Goma, North Kivu province, resulting in one South African peacekeeper killed and another severely injured. The crew managed to land the helicopter in Goma.
The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the family of the fallen peacekeeper and to the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa. He wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.
The Secretary-General recalls that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime under international law. He calls on the Congolese authorities to investigate this heinous attack and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
The Secretary-General reaffirms that the United Nations, through his Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will continue to support the Congolese Government and people in their efforts to bring about peace and stability in the east of the country. Published by: Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
New York, 05 February 2023
The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the family of the fallen peacekeeper and to the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa. He wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.
The Secretary-General recalls that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime under international law. He calls on the Congolese authorities to investigate this heinous attack and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
The Secretary-General reaffirms that the United Nations, through his Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will continue to support the Congolese Government and people in their efforts to bring about peace and stability in the east of the country. Published by: Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
New York, 05 February 2023
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Story
03 February 2023
Engaging youth through film screenings
As a facilitator on the ground, you learn that each community has unique dynamics that impact the lives of children and young people. But issues such as poverty, bullying and teenage pregnancy and other health concerns are a common factor.
UNICEF South Africa, together with Sunshine Cinema, the Zwakala campaign and Right to Care are hosting community film screenings for young people across the country. The film viewings are followed by facilitated discussions to explore key issues that affect children and young people in their communities.
Films cover topics based on the most pressing challenges that young people face, from violence at home and teenage pregnancy to fear and misunderstanding about COVID-19 vaccinations.
Through the screening of films, along with information clips and testimonials created by Eh!Woza and the UNICEF South Africa supported Zwakala Campaign, Sunshine Cinema Facilitators lead discussions with young people as they reflect on some of the challenges they face. This includes ongoing work to help dispel some of the misconceptions around COVID-19 vaccinations and to encourage immunisation uptake. In Chiawelo, Soweto, many teenagers raised the issue of negligence at healthcare facilities as being a major concern. They reported that nurses can be judgemental when they seek healthcare. As a result, some youth end up avoiding consultations due to the mistreatment they may encounter. The tragic impact is that they can and do end up resorting to unsafe alternatives. So, at one of the screenings, which told stories about the importance of looking after and having agency over your own body, we worked with the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute to provide HIV testing and counselling. Health experts spoke to young women about sexual and reproductive health and shared relevant information, such as about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) that many were not aware of. What is common is that many young people do not have enough accurate information about health issues that affect them. This became particularly clear during COVID-19, as the misrepresentation or lack of information led to confusion and misunderstanding around COVID-19 vaccinations. Infertility and potential death after taking the vaccine were rumours and concerns regularly raised by youth. That’s why educational programmes through film screenings and related discussions following the viewings are so important. They help to spark discussions that impact facilitators like myself help to manage, guiding the conversation and providing factual inputs from partners when needed. These events are important in sharing knowledge and at the same time bringing communities together. The mistreatment of people living with disabilities and substance abuse problems has also been raised. The impact on children and young people is terrible and it is an issue that needs to be tackled urgently. The Sunshine Cinema partnership with UNICEF South Africa, Right to Care, the Zwakala campaign, Love Life and other community-based organizations continues to not only help communities diagnose these grave issues that impact their lives, but also strengthens communities to develop their own solutions. There is growing demand on filmmakers to provide content that can tackle all of the current crises and challenges that young people face, many of which were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trained facilitators are key to support these discussions and I’m proud to be able to play a role in supporting young people directly in coming up with solutions in their communities. Sunshine Cinema has also partnered with the University of Cape Town to develop and share an online “Film Impact Screening Facilitator Course” and UNICEF South Africa has sponsored 10 bursaries for selected students. Through this course, we can broaden the base of facilitators who have the skills to hold difficult conversations and support the development of solutions with more vulnerable youth across the country. Notes:
This work has been enabled and supported by the Government of Germany through UNICEF South Africa in its response to the broad ranging impact of COVID-19 on young lives.
Lerato is a graduate of the Spark Impact Apprenticeship Programme. The 2023 Spark Recruitment Call is now open.
Registration for Sunshine Cinema's Film Impact Screening Facilitator short course is now open.
The Zwakala campaign advocates for and promotes vaccination as the best way to save lives, including COVID-19 and routine childhood immunisations.
Right to Care is a leading healthcare organization that began in response to the public healthcare emergency of HIV and AIDS in South Africa, and the pressing need to make medicine and care available to public sector HIV/AIDS patients.
Films cover topics based on the most pressing challenges that young people face, from violence at home and teenage pregnancy to fear and misunderstanding about COVID-19 vaccinations.
Through the screening of films, along with information clips and testimonials created by Eh!Woza and the UNICEF South Africa supported Zwakala Campaign, Sunshine Cinema Facilitators lead discussions with young people as they reflect on some of the challenges they face. This includes ongoing work to help dispel some of the misconceptions around COVID-19 vaccinations and to encourage immunisation uptake. In Chiawelo, Soweto, many teenagers raised the issue of negligence at healthcare facilities as being a major concern. They reported that nurses can be judgemental when they seek healthcare. As a result, some youth end up avoiding consultations due to the mistreatment they may encounter. The tragic impact is that they can and do end up resorting to unsafe alternatives. So, at one of the screenings, which told stories about the importance of looking after and having agency over your own body, we worked with the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute to provide HIV testing and counselling. Health experts spoke to young women about sexual and reproductive health and shared relevant information, such as about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) that many were not aware of. What is common is that many young people do not have enough accurate information about health issues that affect them. This became particularly clear during COVID-19, as the misrepresentation or lack of information led to confusion and misunderstanding around COVID-19 vaccinations. Infertility and potential death after taking the vaccine were rumours and concerns regularly raised by youth. That’s why educational programmes through film screenings and related discussions following the viewings are so important. They help to spark discussions that impact facilitators like myself help to manage, guiding the conversation and providing factual inputs from partners when needed. These events are important in sharing knowledge and at the same time bringing communities together. The mistreatment of people living with disabilities and substance abuse problems has also been raised. The impact on children and young people is terrible and it is an issue that needs to be tackled urgently. The Sunshine Cinema partnership with UNICEF South Africa, Right to Care, the Zwakala campaign, Love Life and other community-based organizations continues to not only help communities diagnose these grave issues that impact their lives, but also strengthens communities to develop their own solutions. There is growing demand on filmmakers to provide content that can tackle all of the current crises and challenges that young people face, many of which were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trained facilitators are key to support these discussions and I’m proud to be able to play a role in supporting young people directly in coming up with solutions in their communities. Sunshine Cinema has also partnered with the University of Cape Town to develop and share an online “Film Impact Screening Facilitator Course” and UNICEF South Africa has sponsored 10 bursaries for selected students. Through this course, we can broaden the base of facilitators who have the skills to hold difficult conversations and support the development of solutions with more vulnerable youth across the country. Notes:
This work has been enabled and supported by the Government of Germany through UNICEF South Africa in its response to the broad ranging impact of COVID-19 on young lives.
Lerato is a graduate of the Spark Impact Apprenticeship Programme. The 2023 Spark Recruitment Call is now open.
Registration for Sunshine Cinema's Film Impact Screening Facilitator short course is now open.
The Zwakala campaign advocates for and promotes vaccination as the best way to save lives, including COVID-19 and routine childhood immunisations.
Right to Care is a leading healthcare organization that began in response to the public healthcare emergency of HIV and AIDS in South Africa, and the pressing need to make medicine and care available to public sector HIV/AIDS patients.
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Press Release
07 February 2023
Security Council Press Statement on Attack against United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the attack against a helicopter of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) that occurred on 5 February 2023 in North Kivu, which resulted in the death of one peacekeeper from South Africa and in the injury of another peacekeeper.
The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences to the family of the victim and to South Africa. They also expressed their condolences to the United Nations. They wished the injured peacekeeper a speedy recovery.
The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms all attacks and provocations against MONUSCO. They underlined that deliberate attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. They stressed that involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against MONUSCO peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The members of the Security Council called on the Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate this attack, with the support of MONUSCO. They called on the Congolese authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and to keep the relevant troop- and police-contributing country informed of the progress consistent with Security Council resolution 2518 (2020). They requested the Secretary-General for an update consistent with paragraph 4(a) of Security Council resolution 2589 (2021) on measures undertaken to promote accountability for such acts.
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the increase of armed group activity in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They reiterated their condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country. They called on all actors to end violence and their violations and abuse of international human rights and international humanitarian law.
The members of the Security Council stressed the importance of MONUSCO having the necessary capacities to fulfil its mandate and promote, including by taking additional measures as appropriate, the safety and security of the United Nations peacekeepers and its operations, consistent with relevant Security Council resolutions. They underscored that the primary responsibility for the safety and security of United Nations personnel and assets rests with host States and highlighted the importance of engagements and continued communications between MONUSCO and the Congolese Government in this regard.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They reiterated their full support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Bintou Keita, and for the stabilizing action of MONUSCO, in line with the basic principles of peacekeeping, including consent of the parties, and its mandate as reflected in Security Council resolution 2666 (2022), and expressed their deep appreciation to MONUSCO’s troop- and police-contributing countries.
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Press Release
19 January 2023
Cricket 4 Good clinics promote physical and mental wellbeing and build life skills among children and adolescents
BENONI, 19 January 2023 – More than 450 children and teenagers have taken part in a series of Cricket 4 Good coaching clinics, running alongside the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, at schools across Gauteng and North-West Provinces.
The sessions, delivered in partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket South Africa (CSA), along with players from all sixteen participating World Cup countries, were complemented by a ‘Sports for Development’ component run by UNICEF South Africa youth volunteers. The clinics not only promoted cricket and sports for physical and mental wellbeing, but also built life skills and self-awareness.
Claire Furlong, ICC General Manager – Marketing and Communications said: “The ICC’s Cricket 4 Good programme is focused on empowering women and girls through cricket, and we are delighted to see more than 450 young people participate in these clinics in South Africa.
“Sport has extraordinary power to change lives and these sessions combine the fun of cricket with essential life skills that promote gender equality to both girls and boys. Thanks to Cricket South Africa and UNICEF we will be running more Cricket 4 Good clinics at next month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 as we build a legacy from these two ICC World Cups in South Africa,” added Furlong.
Johan Weyers, Senior Cricket Manager, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said, “Children of our cricket community centers, clubs and schools attended the ICC Cricket 4 Good clinics over the last few days. The presence of the international players added to the excitement of our girls and boys attending these sessions. The sessions provided ongoing skills development to grow the game amongst our youth. CSA would like to thank ICC, UNICEF, and the participating teams for their efforts to inspire the players to continue with the sport. The Cricket 4 Good clinics function as a catalyst to improve the game in the country.”
Christine Muhigana, UNICEF South Africa Representative, said that “Sport is a powerful force for good and is one of society’s greatest levelers. The Cricket 4 Good clinics have provided fun for the children, and they’ve empowered and engaged girls and boys to promote tolerance and gender equality. We know that when girls’ do better, we all do better,” added Muhigana.
A global partnership between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF calls on children, young people, and everyone to #BeAChampion for gender equality. Cricket and sports more broadly can play a critical role in tackling some of the pressing issues of our time.
Cricket 4 Good is the ICC’s global community outreach programme, aimed at leveraging the vast power and reach of cricket to empower women and girls.
UNICEF South Africa’s ‘Sports for Development’ approach aims to bring about social change and cohesion within communities. The strategy focuses on promoting sport and physical education as essential not only for physical and mental health but also to learn the importance of key values such as honesty, teamwork, fair play, and respect.
The Cricket 4Good clinics are scheduled to start again next month to run alongside the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, with the first match on 10 February in Cape Town.
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Notes to Editors
The volunteers conducting the ‘Sports for Development’ sessions are alumni of the UNICEF South Africa supported ‘Girls and Boys Education Movement’ (GBEM), which provides young people with life skills through sports and other activities to help them realize their full potential. Conflict resolution, leadership and mentoring skills are developed to ultimately empower adolescents and young people to thrive in and outside the school environment.
About ICC
The ICC is the global governing body for cricket. Representing 105 members, the ICC governs and administrates the game and is responsible for the staging of major international tournaments including the ICC Men’s World Cup and Women’s World Cup and the ICC Men’s and Women’s T20 World Cups as well as all associated qualifying events.
The ICC presides over the ICC Code of Conduct which sets the professional standards of discipline for international cricket, playing conditions, bowling reviews and other ICC regulations. The Laws of the game remain under the auspices of the MCC.
The ICC also appoints the umpires and referees that officiate at all sanctioned Test matches, One Day International and Twenty20 Internationals. Through the Anti-Corruption Unit it coordinates action against corruption and match fixing.
The ICC Development department works with Associate Members to improve the quality of international cricket, build better cricket systems, get more people playing cricket and grow the game.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org
Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
For more information, please contact:
Toby Fricker, Tel: +27 61 418 7486, tfricker@unicef.org
Sudeshan Reddy, Tel: +27 82 561 3970, sureddy@unicef.org
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Press Release
21 December 2022
Measles outbreak hits four provinces and threatens health of children across South Africa
PRETORIA, 20 December 2022 – The number of confirmed measles cases has risen to 169 across four provinces, according to the latest National Department of Heath figures. North West, Mpumulanga, Limpopo and Gauteng have reported cases and further spread is likely with the increased movement of persons during the holiday season.
Measles is a vaccine preventable disease but can be deadly, particularly for children who have missed routine childhood immunizations.
“Ensuring that children are vaccinated against measles and other preventable childhood diseases is a matter of life or death,” said Muriel Mafico, UNICEF South Africa Deputy Representative. “We call on all parents and caregivers to check the status of their children’s immunization coverage and to get up to date as quickly as possible,” added Mafico.
Most confirmed measles cases, 44 per cent, are affecting 5–9-year-olds, with some 28 per cent of cases among 1–4-year-olds and the remainder among people aged 10 to 42-years.
The outbreak has been attributed to consistent lower than optimal vaccine coverage of routine measles 1 and 2 doses, which increases the risk of being infected and of spreading the disease. COVID-19 further interrupted childhood vaccinations in South Africa but catch-up campaigns in late 2020 and 2021 helped to recover levels to near pre-COVID levels. Globally some 25 million children are missing out on life-saving vaccines every year.
As part of the outbreak response, UNICEF South Africa is working with national and provincial health authorities, as well as the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the World Health Organization to better understand the current barriers affecting access to and uptake of childhood immunization services.
In addition, UNICEF South Africa is engaging ‘The Truck’ a multimedia messenger to travel across hotspot areas providing lifesaving information and to work with communities through health workers and other partners. UNICEF South Africa is also collaborating with partners, including UNICEF offices in neighbouring countries, to monitor and support any needed response in cross-border areas.
Frontline health and social workers, and community, faith and civil society leaders, as well as educators and early childhood development practitioners, are advised to be on high alert for anyone showing symptoms, and to report this to the nearest health facility as soon as possible.
UNICEF South Africa calls for additional national and provincial government funding to be allocated to the measles response. These resources would strengthen vaccine administration and related services, as well as risk communication and community engagement to highlight the importance of routine immunization and to provide resources on how and where to access services.
UNICEF also reiterates its thanks for the generous support provided by the Governments of Germany and Japan to support and strengthen South Africa’s vaccine cold chain, management and risk communication and community engagement work.
Notes to Editors
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) hotline can be contacted at +27 800 212 552. Click for more information onmeasles and childhood vaccinations.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) hotline can be contacted at +27 800 212 552. Click for more information onmeasles and childhood vaccinations.
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Press Release
10 December 2022
International Human Rights Day Statement by the United Nations Resident Coordinator 10 December 2022
For 74 years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) has stood as a beacon of hope and a global guide towards development, peace and security. This remarkable document, born out of the brutality witnessed during the first and second World Wars, enshrines the rights of all human beings and recognises the equal worth of every person.
Adopted on 10 December 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UDHR marked the first time the international community agreed on a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”. The UDHR became the blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies.
In the years following its adoption, the UDHR gave rise to many struggles for stronger human rights protection and helped them to be more recognised.
Article 1 of the UDHR, which states that "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights," fuelled the principles of the Freedom Charter and the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
Exactly 48 years after the UDHR was adopted, on 10 December 1996, the South African Constitution was signed into law.
The provisions in the UDHR inspired the Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution. South Africa successfully transitioned from a discriminatory regime to a thriving democracy with a globally revered Constitution guaranteeing civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.
But the promise of the UDHR and the Constitution is being tested – not for its value, but rather in terms of a reversal in the enjoyment of rights that we are currrently witnessing.
Global economic shocks and uneven recovery following Covid-19 have amplified poverty, inequality and structural discrimination.
Women’s and children’s rights are violated daily through violence and abuse.
More than two-thirds of young people are unemployed.
Climate-related disasters have become more commonplace, claiming lives and battering livelihoods.
As South Africa tackles these challenges, the values and rights enshrined in the UDHR and the Constitution must continue to steer our solutions.
We must urgently shift from economic approaches and models that fuel instability to a new social contract, which more fairly shares power, resources and opportunities and sets the foundations of a sustainable human rights-based economy.
International Human Rights Day, this year, marks the start of a year-long campaign to promote and recognise the milestone 75th anniversary of the UDHR in 2023 (UDHR75) under the theme “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.”
With pushback against the human rights agenda and threats to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the campaign is a rallying call for us to mobilise in defence of human rights and our common future.
Let us stand up for human rights.
Let us invest in human rights.
Let us demonstrate what humanity can achieve when we act with common purpose.
History has shown us that the solutions to present and future challenges are rooted in human rights.
Today and every day, the United Nations stands with the people of South Africa to work towards a more sustainable, just, and prosperous society.
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Press Release
07 December 2022
United Nations thanks South Africa for its contribution to peacekeeping
New York, 7 December 2022- Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, thanked South Africa for its strong support to United Nations Peacekeeping and for the service and sacrifice of its military and police personnel deployed under the UN flag.
South Africa first provided peacekeepers to the United Nations in 1999 when it joined the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).
Today, South Africa provides 1189 uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, making it the 15th largest contributor among all UN Member States. It is also the 6th largest contributor of women peacekeepers, with 230 now serving.
South Africa’s largest deployment is with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), where 1,184 peacekeepers serve. It also contributes police personnel to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
In recent decades, South Africa also contributed to UN peace operations in Burundi, Ethiopia-Eritrea, Liberia, Nepal and to the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur, Sudan.
“South Africa’s peacekeeping contributions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the years, through personnel deployed as part of infantry battalions, helicopter units, and military medical teams, have been essential to efforts to build peace, as well as to ensure the health and safety of fellow peacekeepers. In addition, the South African female engagement team’s outreach efforts have significantly strengthened the mission’s relationship with Congolese communities,” according to Mr. Lacroix.
“The UN appreciates the service and sacrifice of the South African men and women, past and present. We will always remember the 50 South African peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag,” said Mr. Lacroix.
South Africa also endorsed the Secretary-General’s ‘Action for Peacekeeping (A4P)’ initiative, which aims to strengthen peacekeeping through more targeted mandates, stronger and safer operations, better equipped and trained forces, and by mobilizing support for political solutions.
# # # # #
Note to editors: The UN's Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with the Department of Peace Operations, runs the international multi-year communications campaign titled 'UN Peacekeeping -- Service and Sacrifice.' The campaign expresses the world body's gratitude to the countries that contribute their uniformed men and women to serve in the peacekeeping missions. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/service-and-sacrifice
Since 1948, more than a million women and men have served as UN peacekeepers. Every day, they make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of the world’s most vulnerable people. Peacekeeping is a unique force with military and police from over 120 countries serving together, alongside civilian personnel. UN peacekeepers come from diverse cultures and speak different languages but share a common purpose: the protection of vulnerable communities and the provision of support to countries struggling to move from conflict to peace. Tragically some make the ultimate sacrifice - over 3,500 peacekeepers have lost their lives in the cause of peace. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/what-is-peacekeeping
Action for Peacekeeping: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/action-for-peacekeeping-a4p
Media enquiries in South Africa: United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Pretoria Zeenat Abdool Public Information Officer Tel: +27 12 354 8507 Mobile: +27 82 778 8080 Email: abdool@un.org Media enquiries at UNHQ:
Department of Global Communications (New York):
Douglas Coffman Tel: + 1 917 361 9923
coffmand@un.org Department of Peace Operations (New York) Oana-Raluca Topala topala@un.org
Note to editors: The UN's Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with the Department of Peace Operations, runs the international multi-year communications campaign titled 'UN Peacekeeping -- Service and Sacrifice.' The campaign expresses the world body's gratitude to the countries that contribute their uniformed men and women to serve in the peacekeeping missions. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/service-and-sacrifice
Since 1948, more than a million women and men have served as UN peacekeepers. Every day, they make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of the world’s most vulnerable people. Peacekeeping is a unique force with military and police from over 120 countries serving together, alongside civilian personnel. UN peacekeepers come from diverse cultures and speak different languages but share a common purpose: the protection of vulnerable communities and the provision of support to countries struggling to move from conflict to peace. Tragically some make the ultimate sacrifice - over 3,500 peacekeepers have lost their lives in the cause of peace. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/what-is-peacekeeping
Action for Peacekeeping: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/action-for-peacekeeping-a4p
Media enquiries in South Africa: United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Pretoria Zeenat Abdool Public Information Officer Tel: +27 12 354 8507 Mobile: +27 82 778 8080 Email: abdool@un.org Media enquiries at UNHQ:
Department of Global Communications (New York):
Douglas Coffman Tel: + 1 917 361 9923
coffmand@un.org Department of Peace Operations (New York) Oana-Raluca Topala topala@un.org
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