UN Women Releases New Map on Women’s Representation in Politics

According to a press release from UN Women:

The number of women in executive government and in parliament worldwide has stagnated, with only marginal improvements since 2015, according to the data presented in the Women in Politics 2017 Map launched today by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women. The Map, which depicts global rankings for women in the executive and parliamentary branches of government as of 1 January 2017, shows slow progress towards gender equality in these areas at regional and national levels. The presentation took place at a joint IPU-UN Women press conference in New York, in the context of the ongoing session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61).

Women’s political empowerment and equal access to leadership positions at all levels are fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a more equal world. With limited growth in women’s representation, advancement of gender equality and the success of the SDGs are jeopardized.

Read the full press release and download the map here.

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Events

For two weeks, the United Nations holds a major conference on gender issues and successes. While many events are closed to the public unless you apply for a conference pass, non-profits hold hundreds of public events around NYC between March 13 and March 23. The list of events can be found here and the locations given in the document correspond with the following locations:

Girls are not only allowed to attend, they are encouraged to! It's a great opportunity for a girl to learn about organizations working on gender issues, find out about topics being addressed internationally, and for them to raise questions or comments about issues that girls face specifically. It's also a great way to learn about Gold Award topics/ideas! (Girls under 18 should bring a parent/guardian/adult with them!)

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is hosting a parallel event on March 14 at the Armenian Convention Center at 4:30pm, titled Girls' and Women’s Economic Empowerment: Addressing Gender Norms and Stereotypes. Please do attend! It will be led by Girl Scouts/Guides from around the globe!

Again, these events are free and open to the public! Check out the full list of parallel events here.

UN Women's CEDAW for Youth Helps Young People to Explore Women's Rights

Just before Christmas, UN Women launched its new youth-friendly version of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also known as CEDAW for short (pronounced "see-daw"). CEDAW protects core human rights for women and girls and was signed by the UN General Assembly in 1989. This treaty is recognized by international law as a binding agreement and you can read the treaty in full here. CEDAW has been signed by 191 countries, as highlighted in blue below:

Light blue indicates countries that have signed but not ratified the treaty (only the US and Palau), dark blue indicates countries that have signed and ratified the treaty, orange indicates countries that have not signed the treaty

According to UN Women: 

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international legal instrument that requires countries to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in all areas and promotes women’s and girls’ equal rights.

CEDAW is often described as the international bill of rights for women, and is one of the key international agreements that guides the work of UN Women in achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. CEDAW for Youth is a youth-friendly version of CEDAW, that was authored by a young woman and young man. 

This resource explains why CEDAW is important to youth, describes CEDAW’s impact in advancing gender equality and human rights for women and girls around the world, and summarizes the articles of CEDAW, including the specific forms of discrimination that must be ended and how CEDAW is implemented and monitored.

Using the Youth-Friendly Report

The youth-friendly CEDAW resource is available here and is a great overview of CEDAW. I recommend it for a troop meeting where young people can read it and learn about their rights under international law. After reviewing the youth summary as a group, some activities you can do:

• In small groups, different groups can have a different article that they are meant to "market." How would you explain and promote this right on TV, radio, or in print? Create a full-page ad or TV/radio sketch as a group, and present it to the rest of your troop.
• Have a reflection moment where girls can write down thoughts about international standards for rights for girls. How does it make them feel that 191 countries have signed the treaty? Why is it important to have a treaty? How did this exercise help them to realize their own rights? This exercise can also be an opportunity to use the creative arts, such as poetry: ask girls to translate their thoughts/feelings/reflections into a freeform poem. At the end, girls who volunteer to can present their poem to the troop (do not pressure girls to perform their poems, as they can be deeply personal in nature; if no one volunteers, perhaps a troop leader can volunteer to go first). 
• Pretend that your troop has been asked to draft an "alternative report" to the CEDAW committee on the status of girls rights in your community and country. What are some of the issues you would want to discuss? What are some things that your country is doing well and what are some areas of improvement? What kind of evidence would you use, or how would you strategize to find the evidence you need to prove your point?
• For US Girl Scouts: The United States has not ratified the treaty, meaning that it is not subject to review by the CEDAW treaty body. Do you think the US should? Why do you think the US has still not ratified the treaty? What do you think is the value of being subject to review? If you think ratifying the treaty is a good idea, what would you do to advocate for ratification? Create an advocacy action plan/strategy, such as talking to local representatives, create an ad campaign, write a report that you can publish online, write op-eds for your local paper, etc. As a troop pick at least one idea and do it!

UNICEF also has a youth-friendly CEDAW document which I highly recommend as well. You can check it out here to decide what works best for the age level of your troop.

Opportunity to have YOUR Voice Heard at the UN!

This March, the U.N. will host the Commission on the Status of Women, or CSW, which brings together nations and "civil society" (or nonprofits and individual citizens) to review the current state of women and girls worldwide. For the first time ever, there will be a Youth CSW event. At the end of Youth CSW, a document will have been created to analyze the status of gender--by youth and for youth. This will then be read to key policymakers and UN representatives from around the globe to bring a voice to young people who often are not present and are unable to advocate at the UN!

YOU can be a part of this!

Join the CSW Youth Online Consultation

An online consultation will provide an opportunity for youth who are not able to attend the Youth CSW event to have their voice heard and presented in this document! This consultation will allow the voices and perspectives of diverse youth from all walks of life to be heard during CSW60. Youth will discuss the issues they face on local, regional and global levels and form a declaration to be read at CSW60. If you are interested in contributing, join us during the Youth CSW online consultation here featured on the World We Want website. Please register and contribute by 10 March 2016.

Participate on Social Media

You can contribute to the discussions on social media:
Facebook: CSW60 Youth Forum (https://www.facebook.com/CSW60/)
Twitter: @YouthforumCSW
Instagram: csw60
The following hashtags can be used:

• #YouthCSWForum 
• #YouthCSW 
• #Youth4GenderEquality 
• #genderequality 
• #High5 
• #SDG5

Tune in to the ECOSOC Youth Forum!

Samar Mezghanni, writer and activist, speaks at the ECOSOC Youth Forum

Today and tomorrow marks the UN's ECOSOC Youth Forum. The Youth Forum brings young leaders from around the world to the UN Headquarters in New York. It is a platform for youth to engage in dialogue with Member States and contribute to policy formulation on global economic, social and environmental issues. The forum will discuss ways in which young people can play an active role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will also address how the youth can best communicate on the Agenda, bringing on board the innovative use of social media and communication tools.

Three members of the WAGGGS UN Team will be here at the event representing WAGGGS! Tune into the @WAGGGSDelegates on Twitter to follow us live, and you can watch on UN Web TV here: http://webtv.un.org/

You can check out more information on the ECOSOC Youth Forum here: https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/events/2016/youth-taking-action-implement-2030-agenda-ecosoc-youth-forum

Follow the Youth Forum's hashtag at #Youth2030

WAGGGS UN Team Attends International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women UN Event

By Jen Caplan, WAGGGS UN Team NYC Member

November 25th was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and kickoff for the UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence. At the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, a special event was held in observance of the day featuring the launch the first UN Framework on Preventing Violence Against Women and speakers to join discussions of this year’s theme, “Prevention.”

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon made the opening remarks. Followed by speakers H.E. Ms. Gillian Bird, Permanent Representative of Australia to the UN; Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women; Ms. Maya Wiley, Counsel to Mayor Bill DeBlasio of New York City; Mr. Tony Gubesa, South Africa Site Coordinator of Grassroot Soccer; Ms. Mallika Dutt, President and CEO of Breakthrough, India; H.E. Mr. Mathew Ryfroft, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN, H.E. Mr. Carlos Serigio Sobral Duarte, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN; Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Population Fund; and Ms. Krishanti Dharmaraj, Executive Director of the Center for Women's Global Leadership, USA.

Each speaker discussed what needs to be done to prevent violence against women, and what their country or organization is doing is doing to achieve it. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the event addressing what the United Nations as a whole is doing, such as the UNiTE and HeForShe campaigns. Additionally, Mr. Ban touched on the next steps in order to end violence against women. Mainly, empowering women and girls is key in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In his work, the Secretary-General has and will continue to promote women's leadership in the "classrooms, boardrooms, [negotiating rooms, and the United Nations]" and it is they who can play a roll in defending human rights, justice, and the rule of law. "Women are victims,” he said, “but much more than that, they are agents of change with potentially enormous influence.” It is these empowered women and girls who have the power, and vision, to make gender-based violence a thing of the past.

Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, concurred with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s comments on the importance and relationship between women’s empowerment and the Sustainable Development Goals. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka said that violence against women is a “universal problem” impacting women of all races, religions, sexual orientations, and social classes; and, because of this, the response needs to be targeted. This targeted response will include a partnership between government, civil society organizations, and UN entities for a high-level leadership that can enforce international laws and close legislative gaps. In conjunction, there must be an education system set to teach men about unequal power relations and positive masculinity to break the cycle of violence against women; we must end violence before it begins.

That night, landmarks around the world were lit up orange “in solidarity and the promise of change” and to begin the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence. From the Pyramids in Egypt to the Empire State Building in New York City, the world showed their support and the need for a change.

Engagement Opportunity: UN World Humanitarian Summit

YOU can help choose the priorities for the World Humanitarian Summit! Show your support for the actions needed to transform humanitarian action!

Under the "Dignity" section, there are two options that might be of particular interest to those following this blog: "Guarantee protection and education for children, and engage youth as partners in emergency preparedness and response," and, "Close the gender gap by ensuring funding and programming enables women and girls to realize their rights, including protection from gender-based violence." If these options resonate with you, it would be great if you could take the survey and select them to show that women/girls and children/youth are important parts of the humanitarian process when responding to crisis!

Click HERE: http://voices.worldhumanitariansummit.org/ Share this with all your friends and networks to show our leaders, and the agencies and organizations that WE care about YOUTH and GIRLS and want more support and more youth leadership in humanitarian action!

Event hashtags: #WHSyouth #ReShapeAid

More Info on the World Humanitarian Summit

The UN's first World Humanitarian Summit will be held in Istanbul on 23 and 24 May 2016 and will bring together governments, humanitarian organizations, people affected by humanitarian crises and new partners including the private sector to propose solutions to our most pressing challenges and set an agenda to keep humanitarian action fit for the future.

UN General Assembly Volunteer Opportunity!

The One+1 and UN Millennium Campaign are teaming up to bring in a team of lucky volunteers for the rare opportunity to assist in the UN General Assembly (UNGA)! The General Assembly happens once a year at the UN in NYC when the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN convenes to make decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority. This is a special time when major heads of state and UN staff come from around the globe to discuss important issues and welcome in new leadership. This is also a special year in that it is the 70th anniversary of the UN! Volunteer opportunities to the UNGA are rare, so don't miss your chance!

Volunteers would be working as docents, helping to acts as guides and run information tables. Volunteers MUST be available two full days per week from 9am-6pm starting Saturday, September 19 until Wednesday, October 7! These days must be consistent each week, meaning you can sign up for Mondays and Thursdays, or Saturdays and Tuesdays. You have to be available the full days each week for the duration of the GA. 


Volunteers receive a certificate for their work as well as a small gift. This is also a great networking opportunity, as you will be volunteering right in the UN and will have the opportunity to meet with Heads of State, high level officials, etc.

In order to sign up, email networkforbetter@gmail.com with the following information:


1. Phone Number:
2. Email:
3. Emergency Contact Name:
4. Emergency Contact Info:
5. Volunteer Time Preference: (Mon-Sun):
6. Which days are a definite NO:

Please also considering following Network for Better on Facebook!
More info on Network for Better available here: http://www.network4better.com/about/
More info on the Millennium Campaign here: http://www.endpoverty2015.org/about/

Sustainable Development Goals Adopted + Child-Friendly Version

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of goals/targets that the United Nations will set from the years 2015-2030. The series of goals are important for identifying funding needs for projects and programs as well as creating measurable targets so the countries can see their progress.

On August 2, all member states of the UN have agreed to adopt the SDG agenda, which will not be officially adopted until September. The goals not take go into effect until January 2016, when the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are completed.

Alongside the adoption, there has been a release of a child-friendly version for parents, teachers, and volunteers to work with children around the world and teach them about the new SDGs, or "Global Goals." This is a great opportunity to talk with young children about the UN, human rights, and global issues around poverty, hunger, discrimination, and the environment. The child-friendly version is available here: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SDGs-child-friendly.pdf

Adults and youth can check out the full SDG agenda here: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/7891TRANSFORMING%20OUR%20WORLD.pdf

A press release from the UN with more information can be seen here: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/08/transforming-our-world-document-adoption/
and here: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=51546#.VcDFiflVikp

#Action2015 & the WAGGGS Take Action Backpack

If you are active on social media, particularly Twitter, you may have noticed the #Action2015 hashtag. Action/2015is a new global campaign to call to action, a movement to demand change and to work to ensure world leaders adopt truly ambitious goals and agreements on addressing climate change, poverty, inequality and injustice. This year is a pivotal year: the 2015 Millennium Development Goals are coming to an end and a new set of goals will be determined for the years to come! These new goals are important: they determine what key development issues get international support and funding, whether it's gender equality, infrastructure, government anti-corruption measures, and more.

January 15 was a big day to call our leaders to action, but you can still get involved-- leaders will be meeting throughout the year to decide these future goals, and every action you take in your local community and share with our global community makes a difference.

What Can I Do to Get Involved?

1. Check out the NEW WAGGGS Take Action Backpack, an interactive online "backpack" that will help you on your journey to understanding and taking action on child and maternal health. Why did WAGGGS pick these to focus on? Because Millennium Development goal 4 is on child health and Millennium Development goal 5 is on maternal health, and countries still have a way to go in ensuring that children and mothers have save and healthy lives! Check out the backpack here (be sure to click the play buttonn above the backpack to get started!): http://www.wagggs.org/en/take_action/mytakeactionbackback
2. Fill out the My World 2015 Survey and see what other people are saying. The My World 2015 Survey gives everyone around the globe the chance to have their voices heard in what they think are important goals as we look to the future! Fill out the survey here: http://vote.myworld2015.org/?partner=WAGGGS
3. GenUN also has a list of actions you can take to make 2015 a year of action. And remember, it is never too late to take any action and get your leaders' support! Check it out here: http://genun.unausa.org/action_2015_global_digital_rally
4. Check out the Action/2015 website for more information on what this big push for action in 2015 is all about: http://www.action2015.org/

International Day of the Girl Event at the UN

The Day of the Girl Summit brings girls and girl-serving organizations together to celebrate the International Day of the Girl and support the advancement of girls' rights. This year, thousands more of girls, boys, adults, teachers, leaders, politicians and hundreds more of organizations, will show their support for the celebration of the unique and special role girls play in the world.

This year, the 2nd annual Girls Speak Out event will be held at the UN and invites girls ages 13 and older to come on Friday, October 10 from 3-5pm. The event is free and an excellent opportunity for girls! Simply register by September 30 here. This event will feature multi-media performances to tell girls’ personal stories of tenacity, struggles and challenges to shine the light on the irrepressible spirit that binds all girls together from all over the world.

More details on this event as well as other activities around the International Day of the Girl are available here: http://dayofthegirlsummit.org/idg-2014/

Not able to come to the UN? Follow the event on social media through the following hashtags: #IDG2014 #11MonthsofAction, #11DaysofAction #GirlsSpkOut

GenUN Contest: Thank a Peacekeeper & Win a Trip to NYC!

What is GenUN?

GenUN is a national initiative of UNA-USA to engage and energize young supporters around UN issues. As an action-oriented platform, GenUN provides a vehicle for young people to get involved in global issues. GenUN also empowers a new generation of young Americans to be leaders in helping the UN build a better world for all.

About the Contest

Every day, UN peacekeepers assist in implementing peace agreements, stabilizing conflict zones after a ceasefire, disarming and demobilizing ex-combatants, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and building effective governments. Over 100,000 of these committed citizens are working around the clock to deliver peace some of the world’s most difficult conflicts.

Learn more about the details of UN Peacekeeping, sign a Thank a Peacekeeper card, find shareable infographics, and more here.

September 21st is International Day of Peace, and we’re challenging campus chapters nationwide to show us the best way to thank a UN peacekeeper.

Find a creative way to show your support in the form of an event, video, art project, blue jeans for blue helmets day, essay, giant blue balloon display, or something else- the sky is the limit! 

Three winners will be invited to New York City (travel expenses paid by UNA-USA) to participate in the Better World Campaign’s 2014 Thank a Peacekeeper event. Submissions should be entered here by midnight EST on September 30 and follow the guidelines below. The winners will be notified by October 6. Your creative way to show your support for UN peacekeepers should:

1. Involve the membership of your UNA-USA campus chapter; 
2. Engage other students on your college campus on the issue of UN Peacekeeping; 
3. Be shareable online, either through pictures or another form of media.

More details about the contest are available here!

Find your local GenUN chapter here. 

1st Global Forum on Youth Policies -- Applications Due Aug. 27

The Global Forum on Youth Policies will be convened by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth together with UNDP, UNESCO and the Council of Europe from October 28-30, 2014 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

According to the Global Forum on Youth Policies website:

"In 2014, of 198 countries, 122 countries (62%) have a national youth policy, up from 99 (50%) in the previous year. These numbers show that governments are increasingly aware of the need for legal and policy frameworks that respond adequately to young peoples’ needs, aspirations and demands.

"Despite these advances, however, a number of challenges affect both the efficiency and inclusiveness of youth policies, from fragmented responsibilities and challenged structures to the lack of reliable knowledge and the absence of appropriate resources.

"Against this backdrop, the Global Forum will build a common understanding of the needs for and rationales of systemic and cross-sectoral approaches to youth policy, and develop guiding principles for integrated youth policy development.

" By renewing the commitment to public policies on youth issues, the Forum will be a milestone in defining what it means to take young people and youth policies seriously in the twenty-first century."

Who should apply?

Nongovernmental experts of youth-led organizations and movements working on youth policy;
Youth experts of global and regional intergovernmental organizations working on youth policy;
Research experts from institutes, universities and think tanks with a focus on youth policy;
Development experts from organizations, agencies and institutions in the youth sector;
Programming experts from donors active in supporting policy change in the youth field.

What kind of experience should I have? Applicants who:

have at least two years of experience with youth policy at regional or global level;
are interested in critical and informed debate about the state of youth policy;
can use English with sufficient proficiency for a professional context;
are associated with an organisation or network that works on youth policy issues;
can attend the First Global Forum on Youth Policies for its entire duration;
and are, preferably, between 18 and 35 years old.

Applications are due August 27! Apply here: http://www.youthpolicyforum.org/details/call/

Millennium Development Goals-- 500 Days Remain, Tell Us Your Story!

Today marks 500 days remaining for United Nations Member States at achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)! In case you missed it, in 2000 the UN established 8 clear goals that are expected to be reached by 2015-- which is now just 500 days away! Here is a short video from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that helps to recap what the MDGs are:

Tell Us YOUR Story!

Success in the next 500 days will not only help improve lives for millions, put more girls in school, save mothers’ lives, fight diseases, ensure a safe start in life for children: it will add momentum as the world is developing the new global development agenda after the MDGs expire in 2015. This is known as the Post-2015 development agenda.

For every day in the remaining 500 days to MDGs, we want to hear a story from you – a story on what you have done to help the world achieve the MDGs, on what you have done to make an equal and just world a reality for billions of people around the world. Share your stories on social media via the hashtag #MDGMomentum #500stories or email them to comms@wagggs.org!

Get Involved!

It's never too late to get involved in and raise awareness about the Millennium Development Goals! There are some really helpful and amazing resources you can use to help educate young people and children in your community about the MDGs:

Take Action

Girls Worldwide Say, "Together We Can Change Our World" Badge Curriculum: An activity pack that helps children and young people to learn about the MDGs and take action on the issues that affect them and their communities.

Be the Change Community Action Programme: A resource for girls 14+ to engage their communities on the Millennium Development Goals.

My World 2015 Vote: The United Nations wants to know: What do YOU want to see as part of the post-2015 development goals? The result of this vote will influence the UN's Post-2015 Agenda, or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so cast your vote now!

Resources

The World We Want for Girls Policy Paper: The policy paper from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts reviews the gaps in the Millennium Development Goals and suggests how the voices and aspirations of girls and young women should be reflected in the next development agenda beyond 2015.

MDG +10 Report: A 2010 report on how girls and young women worldwide are taking action on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Today is International Youth Day!

Today is International Youth Day, which was established in 1999 by the UN. Events are being held around the world to herald the youth's have made in this last year as well as to spur on leadership and action in our global youth community. It's not too late to get involved! Here are some resources and information to help:

What is International Youth Day?

From the UN Website:

The theme of International Youth Day 2014 is "Youth and Mental Health."

Youth with mental health conditions can often experience stigma and discrimination, which in turn can lead to exclusion and/or discourage people from seeking help for fear of being negatively ‘labelled’. 

The 2014 observance of International Youth Day will raise awareness on this important topic, as well as highlight the experiences of brave, young individuals who have chosen to speak out about these issues with the objective of overcoming stigma and discrimination to ensure that young people with mental health conditions can lead full and healthy lives free from isolation and unnecessary shame, and openly seek the services and support they need. 

Today at the UN in New York a major event was held in honor of the day. Invited speakers for this event  in the ECOSOC Chamber at the UN in New York included Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, H.E. Ambassador Otto, the PR of the Republic of Palau. Confirmed speakers included mental health advocates, Alicia Raimundo and Jordan Burnham and the author of the report Social Inclusion of Youth with Mental Health Conditions, Catherine Bradshaw. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's statement can be read here.

Young people could also submit artwork for the event around the theme of Youth and Mental Health, some of which you can check out here:

Post by United Nations Youth.

---

Take Action: 

 
Join GenUN to get engaged in the UN community (just launched today!): http://genun.unausa.org/


International Youth Day Toolkit: http://undesadspd.org/Youth/InternationalYouthDay/2014/Toolkit.aspx

Resources and Further Information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UN4Youth

Twitter: @UN4Youth

Kathy Calvin, President and CEO of the UN Foundation, writes about International Youth Day for the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-calvin/on-international-youth-da_b_5669180.html

International Business Times Article: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/international-youth-day-2014-top-quotes-history-observance-1460756

UN Women Photo Essay on Girls' Struggles & Achievements in Honor of International Women's Day: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/8/youth-day-photo-essay

Podcast from UNGEI on the Growing Need for Education Funding

From a press release from the UN Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI):

This podcast is part of the Changing the World for Girls discussions, a collaboration of the Beyond School Books podcast series and United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI). In this series, you will find discussions on the lasting impact education has on girls, communities and nations around the world.

By Rudina Vojvoda

NEW YORK, United States of America, 20 June 2014 – On 25 and 26 June, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will hold its second Replenishment Pledging Conference, with the goal of raising US$3.5 billion from donors to address global education issues in access, equity and learning, for 2015–2018. In addition, it asks developing country partners to increase their domestic expenditures on education to at least 20% of their overall budgets.

AUDIO: Listen now

In the lead-up to this event, Beyond School Books podcast moderator Mia Lobel talked to Julia Gillard, Chair of the Board of Directors of the GPE and former Prime Minister of Australia, who is a lifelong advocate for educational equality and equity.

Global consultations with governments, civil society, the private sector and youth have identified education as a central priority for the post-2015 development agenda. More than 1.5 million of the 2.2 million contributors to the United Nations My World Survey identified ‘a good education’ as their top priority. Yet, in 2011, 57 million children were out of school and another 250 million who were in school were still not able to read or write. Aid to education had fallen by 10 per cent since 2010.

“We promised the children of the world that they all get to go to primary school. To achieve that would require 26 billion dollars more funding annually, so that is a very serious step up in world expenditure, but obviously so worthwhile,” said Ms. Gillard.

She explained that, in the next four-year period, 2015–2018, the GPE will follow a new model in which funding is increasingly based on performance and eligibility for funds is based on education needs, addressing not only access but also the quality of education.

A good education is the ‘magic bullet’ for development. Yet, about 30 million primary school-aged girls were out of school in 2011, and two thirds of the world’s 774 million illiterate people are female. Ms. Gillard counted conflict, insecurity, cultural and economic factors as some of the key barriers to girls’ education.

“There are some great and effective programmes around the world that prove the benefits of education for a poor girl and change the outlook of the family. But, we need to be working in these countries if we need to make a difference, which is why the replenishment round for the global partnership is so important,” said Ms. Gillard.

To learn more about the GPE Replenishment Pledging Conference, please click here.

To help UNICEF and GPE increase financing for education, please spread our message via social media.

Statement from WAGGGS on the kidnapping of 200+ girls in Nigeria

The following statement was made by the Word Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts:

12 May 2014

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girls Scouts (WAGGGS), the largest voluntary movement for girls and young women in the world, are deeply shocked and angered at the kidnapping over 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria. To kidnap girls and young women from the safety of their school is a clear violation of their human rights, to also publicly use the threat of violence against the girls and young women , including sexual violence, is appalling and totally unacceptable. Our thoughts are with the families of the girls and young women who must be suffering unimaginable pain and also with the Nigerian Girl Guides Association as they reach out to support the efforts to #BringBackOurGirls at this time.  

We demand that those responsible return every single girl to safety without delay and call on all international parties to use all resources necessary to secure the safe return of the girls and young women.

More information on #BringBackOurGirls and the kidnapping:

"Boko Haram holds girls, kills 300 Nigerians," USA Today, 7 May 2014

"CNN exclusive: Nigerian girl who escaped Boko Haram says she still feels afraid," CNN, 12 May 2014

"#BBCtrending: #RealMenDontBuyGirls and the #BringBackOurGirls campaign," BBC, 8 May 2014

UN's World We Want Survey

As part of the UN's World We Want campaign, there has recently been a simple survey on issues that matter to you. Participants simply need to select the top 6 issues that are important to them from a list of choices including education, gender equality, access to clean water & sanitation, access to health care, etc. There is also an option to create your own choice. After submitting your responses, you can create a personalized video based on your responses that you can easily share on social media. You can access the survey and vote here: http://vote.myworld2015.org/

What is the World We Want? 

The web platform launched on 31 July 2012 to coincide with the announcement of the UN High Level Panel on post-2015 and increases its interactive features over the following months to host a lively and active exchange of civil society opinions and experiences.  

 The World We Want 2015 will bring the priorities of people from every corner of the world to the forefront and help build a collective vision that will be used directly by the United Nations and World Leaders to plan a new development agenda launching in 2015, one that is based on the aspirations of all citizens! The gathered information will feed into the report of the UN High Level Panel on post-2015 and subsequently into the UN Secretary General’s report to the UN MDG review summit in September 2013.

Why is the UN sharing this survey? According to the website:

You're part of a global vote at the United Nations, allowing people for the first time to have a direct say in shaping a better world. 

The votes matter. The UN is working with governments everywhere to define the next global agenda to address extreme poverty and preserve the planet. The data from MY World continues to inform these processes and be used by decision makers around the world. 

“I want this to be the most inclusive global development process the world has ever known” – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Today: 20th Anniversary of the Start of the Rwandan Genocide

Today marks the start of the Rwandan Genocide, which began April 7, 1994. In honor of the event, the nation will begin a week of mourning, starting today with a ceremony at the genocide memorial in the capital of Kigali. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as Rwandan President Paul Kagame spoke earlier today at the ceremony. A flame has been lit and will remain lit for 100 days, the same duration as the genocide, which did not end until July 1994. According to a BBC report, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that the UN is still ashamed over it's failure to prevent the 1994 genocide.

More information:
"Rwanda genocide: 20th anniversary bring a nation together to mourn" (The Guardian): http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/apr/07/rwandan-genocide-20th-anniversary-thousands-mourn-stadium

"Rwanda marks 20th anniversary of genocide" (RTE): http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0407/607166-rwanda-marks-20th-anniversary-of-genocide/

"Rwanda genocide: UN ashamed, says Ban Ki-moon" (BBC): http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26917419

VIDEO: "Ban Ki-moon, 20th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide" (YouTube, United Nations channel):

Girls in ICT Day

ICT International Girls in ICT day will next be observed on 24 April 2014. 

What is ICT?

According to Wikipedia: Information and communications technology (ICT) is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.


What is a Girls in ICT Day event? 

These are events where girls and university students are invited to spend the day at the office of ICT companies and government agencies so they better understand the opportunities the ICT sector holds for their future. Ministries of ICT, Education, Labour, Youth, National ICT Regulatory Authorities, ICT companies, academic institutions, relevant UN agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders are encouraged to organize Girls in ICT day events on 24 April 2014. The ITU Secretary General invites all ITU Member States and Sector Members to organize events attracting as many girls and young women as possible.

To ensure that interested students can find more information about such events in their country, the ICT Studies and Careers Section includes links to national Girls in ICT Day activities. Public and private sector organizations are encouraged to consult the Girls in ICT Day Toolkit to help plan a Girls in ICT Day event. This Toolkit was developed by WITNET, the Global Network of Women ICT Decision Makers created in line with ITU Plenipotentiary Resolution 70.

Please contact ITU at girlsinict@itu.int for further information and coordination if you’re planning to celebrate Girls in ICT Day in 2014.

There are a ton of information, resources, tool kits, scholarship info, and much more available on the Girls in ICT website, which you can check out here: http://girlsinict.org/