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Myanmar earthquake: Search and rescue efforts continue in race against time 2025-03-31 30 March 2025 | Humanitarian Aid The human toll of the earthquake which devastated central Myanmar continues to rise, UN humanitarians warned on Sunday, putting more pressure on nearly 20 million people who were already in need of aid. According to news reports citing Myanmar’s military leader, around 1,700 are confirmed dead from Friday’s 7.7 magnitude quake, with some 3,400 injured and hundreds still missing.In the Thai capital Bangkok which was also rocked by the seismic event, 76 construction workers are reportedly still missing following the collapse of an unfinished skyscraper. The death toll there now stands at 17.The search and rescue effort in Myanmar is focused on the major cities of Mandalay and the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. Some survivors continue to be pulled from the rubble and multiple international aid teams have reached the stricken areas – although the aid effort is being hindered due to damage to airports. Shelter, medicine, water “People urgently need shelter, medical care, water and sanitation support. This disaster puts more pressure on already vulnerable people facing an alarming crisis,” the UN aid coordination office in the region, OCHA, said on X.Burmese civilians are also stuck between forces of the military junta and numerous armed militia battling for control of the country since the February 2021 coup. More than three million have been displaced by the fighting.The National Unity Government which represents the democratically-elected civilian administration overthrown by the coup, called on rebel fighters to observe a two week ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.But the military regime is reportedly continuing to carry out airstrikes, including in areas close to the epicentre of the earthquake Call for ‘immediate ceasefire’ The Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert who monitors the situation in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said in a social media post on Sunday that the junta should follow opposition forces and declare an immediate ceasefire.“Military conscription should be suspended; aid workers should not have to fear arrest and there should be no obstructions to aid getting to where it is most needed. Every minute counts,” he added.The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is one of the agencies on the ground urgently working with partners and local communities to assess critical needs and deliver life-saving aid – particularly for women and girls. Women and girls face ‘increased risks’ In an update, UNFPA said early assessments highlight significant damage to health facilities, population displacement and the disruption of essential services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare.“In emergencies like this, women and girls face increased risks, from compromised access to life-saving maternal healthcare to heightened risk of gender-based violence, " said Jaime Nadal Roig, UNFPA Representative for Myanmar.“UNFPA is committed to supporting relief efforts, placing the well-being of women and girls – including pregnant women, mothers, and adolescents – at the heart of our humanitarian response efforts.”UNICEF Myanmar's Ko Sai, said in a post on X from Mandalay, that the quake was “an absolute catastrophe” for children in the region, with many youngsters and families in Mandalay still missing.“We need urgent assistance, especially for the children, who often suffer the most in this kind of situation,” he added. Lifesaving medical supplies The UN World Health Organization, WHO, has rushed nearly three tonnes of medical supplies from its emergency stockpile in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, to hospitals in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Daw.The UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Myanmar, Michael Dunford said in a tweet that the agency carried out its first emergency food distribution in Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday which included high energy biscuits “and we're about to scale up our assistance.”WHO on Sunday issued a 30-day flash appeal for $8 million to deliver trauma care, prevent disease outbreaks and restore essential services that have been decimated by the quake. Click here to donate to the UN emergency appeal for Myanmar © UNICEF / A major road in Nay Pyi Taw shows severe structural damagefollowing the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar. URL: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161716 
One in Four Countries Report Backlash on Women’s Rights in 2024 2025-03-11 On International Women’s Day, UN Women calls on everyone to stand up for Rights, Empowerment and Equality for ALL Women and Girls 6 March 2025 Women’s and girls’ rights are facing unprecedented growing threats worldwide, from higher levels of discrimination to weaker legal protections, and less funding for programmes and institutions that support and protect women.UN Women’s latest report “Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing”, published ahead of the UN 50th International Women’s Day on 8 March, shows that in 2024 nearly a quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash on women’s rights. Despite important progress, only 87 countries have ever been led by a woman, and a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a partner or member of her own family. Digital technology and artificial intelligence spread harmful stereotypes, while the digital gender gap limits women’s opportunities. In the past decade, the world registered a disturbing 50 percent increase in the number of women and girls living in conflict, and women’s rights defenders confront daily harassment, personal attacks and even death. Recent global crises—like COVID-19, the climate emergency, soaring food and fuel prices—are only increasing the urgency to respond. “When women and girls can rise, we all thrive. Yet, globally, women’s human rights are under attack. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we’re seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny. Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere,” said António Guterres, UN Secretary-General. “UN Women is committed to ensuring that ALL Women and Girls, everywhere, can fully enjoy their rights and freedoms,” affirmed UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. “Complex challenges stand in the way of gender equality and women’s empowerment, but we remain steadfast, pushing forward with ambition and resolve. Women and girls are demanding change—and they deserve nothing less.” 2025 marks 30 years of progress since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most visionary roadmap on women’s rights. The “Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing” report, which draws on feedback provided by 159 Governments to the United Nations Secretary-General, shows progress that must be acknowledged - since 1995, parity has been achieved in girls’ education and maternal mortality has dropped by a third. Women’s representation in parliaments more than doubled, and countries continue to remove discriminatory laws, with 1,531 legal reforms between 1995 and 2024 in 189 countries and territories. It demonstrates that when women’s rights are fully upheld in their countries, families, communities, and economies flourish. Yet, significant efforts are still required to achieve gender equality and bring us closer to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. That’s why today’s report also features the new Beijing+30 Action Agenda, a courageous roadmap to complete our unfinished business by focusing on: A digital revolution for all women and girls: We must ensure equal access to technology, equip women and girls to lead in AI and digital innovation, and guarantee their online safety and privacy. Freedom from poverty: Investments in comprehensive social protection, universal health coverage, education, and robust care services are needed for women and girls to thrive and can create millions of green and decent jobs. Zero violence: Countries must adopt and implement legislation to end violence against women and girls, in all its forms, with well-resourced plans that include support for community-based organizations on the front lines of response and prevention. Full and equal decision-making power: Temporary special measures like gender quotas have proven their effectiveness in rapidly increasing women’s participation. Peace and security: Fully finance national plans on women, peace and security and gender-responsive humanitarian aid are essential. Frontline women’s organizations, so often the first responders to crisis, must receive dedicated, sustained funding to build lasting peace. Climate justice: We must prioritize women’s and girls’ rights in climate adaptation, center their leadership and knowledge, and ensure they benefit from new green jobs. Across these six Actions, putting young women and girls at the heart of our efforts is the best way to guarantee success, both today and tomorrow. These six plus one actions have the potential to unleash progress on women’s rights and put us back on track for 2030. The Beijing+30 commemoration and the forthcoming UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) are clear opportunities to enshrine this Action Agenda into national policies, regional strategies, and global agreements. In a pivotal year for women and girls, that is also a year of pushback and crises like no other, let us push women’s rights forward to create a world where all women and girls enjoy equal rights and equal opportunities. We can be the first generation that can live in an equal world. Read UN Women’s full report. 
How Marriage Laws Can Contribute to Protecting Every Girl’s Right to Education 2025-03-11 Every girl has the right to education. Yet, across the world, gender-based discrimination continues to deny millions of girls this right. A striking example of discriminatory practice against girls is child marriage, a practice that disproportionately affects girls, with 19 per cent of girls and 3 per cent of boys married before the age of 18. 7 March 2025 As recalled by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Committee of the Rights of the Child (Recommendation N°31, General Comment N°18), “child marriage, also referred to as early marriage, is any marriage where at least one of the parties is under 18 years of age. (…) A child marriage is considered to be a form of forced marriage, given that one or both parties have not expressed full, free and informed consent” (para. 20).For many girls, marriage often marks the abrupt end of their education. Once married, their likelihood of remaining in school drops dramatically. An alarming 87 per cent of adolescent girls (aged 15–17) who are married or in union are no longer in school. Child marriage and early pregnancy are closely linked, with 76 per cent of childbearing among girls under 18 occurring within marriage. This cycle of early marriage and motherhood reinforces dependency and limits opportunities, curbing girls’ potential and future prospects. Marriage laws worldwideThe interactive world map HerAtlas, through its global legal monitoring of the right to education, has been tracking marriage laws worldwide, including recent progress in raising the age of marriage and removing exceptions.Under Article 16.2 of the CEDAW Convention, States must ensure that child marriage and betrothal hold no legal validity. Both the CEDAW Committee and the Committee on the Rights of the Child call for the elimination of harmful practices. Both Committees emphasize the need for a comprehensive, rights-based strategy that integrates supportive policies, social measures, and strong political commitment, ensuring real accountability at all levels to protect children’s rights and end child marriage (Recommendation N°31, General Comment N°18). Source: HerAtlas data, as of February 2025© UNESCO As of early 2025, 18 per cent of countries still allow marriage before the age of 18 for girls in their legislation, while only 26 per cent of countries have set the legal age at 18 without exceptions. The remaining 54 per cent permit marriage at 18 but allow exceptions, often requiring parental or judicial consent, sometimes with no absolute minimum age in place.A closer analysis of HerAtlas data reveals that among the countries allowing exceptions, 65% have at least set an absolute minimum age under which marriage is strictly prohibited. However, in some cases, that minimum is alarmingly low—the most common absolute minimum age is 16 (75 per cent), but in some countries, it drops to just 13 years old. Source: HerAtlas data, as of February 2025© UNESCO Since 2019, governments around the world have been stepping up to explicitly ban child marriage without exceptions, marking a growing commitment to gender equality and education. Fourteen countries have amended their marriage laws to set the legal minimum at 18 years old without exceptions. Progress towards the end of child marriageIn just the past two years, notable reforms include: Belize (2024): Amended its Marriage Act to raise the legal age of marriage from 16 to 18 years old, without exception. Colombia (2025):Repealed a Civil Code provision that previously allowed minors over 14 to marry with parental or legal consent. Sierra Leone (2024): Adopted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, eliminating all exceptions that previously allowed marriage before the age of 18. Bulgaria (2023): Repealed legal provisions that had allowed marriage exceptions for minors as young as 16. Zambia (2023): The legal age of marriage is set at 21 years old. Previously, exceptions allowed marriage from 16 years old with parental consent and below with judicial consent. However, with the adoption of the Marriage Amendment Act in 2023, these exceptions were restricted, establishing an absolute minimum age at 18 years old. This positive tendency is continuing as several countries are following the same path and are currently in the process of amending their laws to progress towards the end of child marriage: Bhutan (2024): A new Marriage (Amendment) Bill has been adopted by the National Assembly and is now being considered by the National Council, aiming to align the legal marriage age for boys and girls at 18. South Africa: the Marriage Bill of December 2023 has been debated over the last year, one of the proposed amendments is to raise the legal age of marriage at 18 years without exception. Morocco: Following a two-year consultation process, discussions on the Family Law include a proposal to set an absolute minimum age of marriage 17, where currently none exists. Marriage laws: a powerful tool in protecting girls' education While many nations are moving in the right direction, some setbacks threaten progress. In a couple of countries, legislative discussions are underway—or decisions have already been made—to lower the legal age of marriage, putting even more girls at risk of being pulled out of school and denied their future.The evidence is clear: strengthening marriage laws is a powerful tool in protecting girls' education. Governments must take decisive action to close loopholes, enforce 18 as the absolute minimum age for marriage, and ensure that every girl has the right to learn, grow, and thrive—free from the constraints of child marriage. → HerAtlas→ Protect her rights, strengthen your laws: Her Atlas: status report on girls’ and women’s right to education→ Pregnancy and the right to education→ Right to education handbook URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/how-marriage-laws-can-contribute-protecting-every-girls-right-education?hub=701 
UNESCO - EU Partnership Grows: Tackling Disinformation and Hate Speech Globally 2025-02-28 The EU-funded Social Media 4 Peace (SM4P) project has kick-started 2025 with a significant expansion to Iraq, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan. 21 February 2025Building on success in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Indonesia and Kenya, UNESCO continues to strengthen societal resilience against online hate speech, disinformation, and other harmful content while promoting peace through social media.Initially launched in 2021 with a 4 million-euro contribution from the EU, SM4P has successfully engaged key national stakeholders to develop locally informed responses to the challenges posed by harmful online content in Indonesia, Kenya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Colombia. With a new contribution of 4 million euros in 2025, the project will extend its impact in Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, and South Africa while reinforcing achievements in Indonesia and Kenya. "The partnership between UNESCO and the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments at the EU is allowing us to address fast and with flexibility the impact of harmful content in societies in conflict-prone and polarized environments, while protecting freedom of expression and the rights of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities." Tawfik JelassiAssistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO To date, SM4P project has mobilized over 80 partners through national multistakeholder coalitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Indonesia and Kenya. The project has produced ground-breaking research to better understand the real-life impacts of hate speech and disinformation on societies, especially communities in situation of marginalization and vulnerability, developed over 20 advocacy and user empowerment tools, and trained over 3,000 youth, journalists and CSO leaders. These efforts have enhanced fact-checking, advocacy, Media and Information Literacy, and peacebuilding narratives while protecting freedom of expression. The national multistakeholder coalitions have successfully engaged digital platforms to address the local challenges of the spread of harmful content online. Anida Sokol from Media Centar Sarajevo explains: "In BiH, we have a vibrant civil society that has been engaged in monitoring and countering hate speech. Before, although our country has been facing pressing challenges related to online hate speech, major social media platforms didn’t have any local presence or engagement in the country. Thanks to the multistakeholder coalition, this has changed. We are establishing meaningful dialogues with digital platforms and demanding more accountability."Anida Sokol Similarly, the project has strengthened coordination among stakeholders. Rosemary Mwangi from Communication Authority of Kenya shares her experience: In Kenya, all our efforts suffered from an inconsistent exchange of knowledge and experiences among us. Now, we joined forces through our multi-stakeholder coalition, FeCoMo. We are taking joint positions about emerging issues of digital spaces, and we are much more powerful in voicing what the needs for our communities are when we speak as one. Rosemary Mwangi SM4P’s influence extends beyond its target countries, contributing to global policy discussions on platform governance. At the 2024 International Conference on Digital Platform Governance in Dubrovnik, co-hosted by UNESCO and the National Regulator of Croatia, SM4P partners played a pivotal role in shaping the vision of the Global Forum of Networks. Their participation bridged knowledge gaps and advanced collective goals in digital governance.Looking ahead, SM4P will continue until December 2027, fostering multistakeholder collaboration and strengthening resilience against online harm. A key focus will be implementing UNESCO’s Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms, ensuring human rights and freedom of expression remain central to digital governance. The multistakeholder coalitions established through SM4P will be instrumental in applying these Guidelines locally while informing their broader implementation. The project's national coalition of Kenya participates in a training workshop in 2023,during which the coalition adopts a joint resoultion for a multisectoral approach and actionto address gendered disinformation and hate speech on digital platforms. UNESCO On February 12, 2025, Christina Kokkinakis, Permanent Representative ofthe European Union to UNESCO, delivers an opening remark and partipatesin the kick-off workshop for the expansion ofthe Social Media 4 Peace project at UNESCO HQ in Paris. UNESCO URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-eu-partnership-grows-tackling-disinformation-and-hate-speech-globally?hub=701 
UN Regrets US Exit from Global Cooperation on Health, Climate Change Agreement 2025-02-10 21 January 2025 - Humanitarian Aid UN agencies responded on Tuesday to President Trump’s executive orders ending US membership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its adherence to the Paris Climate Agreement, highlighting the massive potential negative impact on public health and efforts to curb global warming.“The WHO regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization…We hope the United States will reconsider,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, hours after the new President signed an executive order at the White House, bringing US involvement in the UN agency to an end in 12 months. The US joined WHO in 1948 after a joint resolution was passed by both chambers of Congress. The resolution requires the country to provide one year’s notice to leave the organization. President Trump took steps to withdraw from the WHO in 2020 during his first term – but the move was reversed by the Biden administration. Responding to journalists’ questions in Geneva, Mr. Jasarevic insisted that WHO “plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go.” Asked about the impact of the US withdrawal, Mr. Jasarevic pointed out that he saw the executive order “this morning like everyone else” and that further analysis will be needed. He confirmed that the US was WHO’s largest single donor, accounting for 18 per cent of the agency’s budget in 2023. Also in Geneva, UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke highlighted the UN health agency’s importance, saying that “the world lives longer, healthier, perhaps a little bit happier because of WHO”. “WHO is in places where others cannot go,” Mr. Laerke said, including Gaza, Yemen, Afghanistan and Sudan. “It is an indispensable part of the international humanitarian system,” he insisted. Climate shock From the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), spokesperson Clare Nullis reacted to President Trump’s vow to quit the universally adopted 2015 Paris Agreement - marking an immediate return to the policies of his first presidential term, which ended in January 2021. The need for all countries to respect the accord was “pretty obvious”, she said, given that 2024 “was the hottest year on record”, at about 1.55°C above the pre-industrial era. “It is the defining challenge of our time,” she insisted. In the wake of the recent devastating and deadly massive wildfires that ripped through Los Angeles, the WMO spokesperson also noted that the US had suffered the bulk of global economic losses from weather, climate and water-related hazards. “It has sustained 403 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion. The total cost of these 403 events exceeds $2.915 trillion, according to US figures,” Ms. Nullis said. Her comments echoed those of the UN Spokesperson’s Office late on Monday which responded to journalists’ questions insisting that “the transformation envisaged in the Paris Agreement is already underway”, with a renewable “energy revolution” offering opportunities for jobs and prosperity. “The Secretary-General remains confident that cities, states and businesses within the United States - along with other countries - will continue to demonstrate vision and leadership by working for the low-carbon, resilient economic growth that will create quality jobs and markets for 21st century prosperity," the statement continued. “It is crucial that the United States remains a leader on environmental issues,” it concluded. URL: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159211 
Winners of UNESCO’s Youth Hackathon 2024 Shape the Future of Media and Information Literacy 2025-02-10 Marking its sixth year, the 2024 edition set a new record with 202 teams from 68 countries submitting projects under the theme “Youth Leading the Way: Media and Information Literacy and the New Digital Frontiers of Information”. 7 February 2025"Taking part in the Youth Hackathon was a truly transformative experience. Representing Indonesia and presenting our project on an international platform was an honor, but the real impact came from the connections we built in Amman. Engaging with youth from diverse countries and backgrounds highlighted the power of collaboration and cultural exchange", said Muhammad Rafi Aurelia from Indonesia, one of the 2024 winners for his project MILBoard. Muhammad, along with three other teams from Madagascar, Iraq/UAE/Egypt, and Ukraine, attended the closing ceremony of the Global MIL Week Feature Conference in Amman on 30 October 2024. They presented their project, aiming to raise visibility and support to further develop their ideas. The Youth Hackathon is a flagship initiative in UNESCO’s ongoing efforts to engage young people in shaping the future of media and information literacy. Each year, UNESCO invites young innovators to submit projects tackling misinformation, through mobile applications, podcasts, educational tools, and community-based interventions. This year’s participants also benefited from a two-day online mentoring program covering media literacy, disinformation challenges, hate speech, and coding fundamentals. Expert mentors from DW Academie, TeensinAI, and SAP guided teams through this preparation phase. After a rigorous review by an independent international jury, four teams were selected as winners: Mobile Application: MAHWDeveloped by a collaborative team from Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, MAHW, inspired by the Arabic word for "erasing", is a mobile application designed to combat misinformation and enhance media literacy. Featuring gamified learning, AI-powered fact-checking, and interactive quizzes, MAHW equips users with essential tools to identify and counter misinformation. With 60% of its core features already developed, the project demonstrates significant potential for real-world impact. [Learn more about MAHW] Community-Based Intervention: ARTiFAKERepresenting Ukraine, ARTiFAKE, a blend of "Art Invades Fakes", leverages creative mediums such as street art, digital comic books, and animated cartoons to counter disinformation. By integrating visually engaging content into public spaces and distributing digital comics featuring protagonists Arti and Tina, ARTiFAKE fosters critical thinking and community-driven media literacy. [Explore ARTiFAKE's comic book series] Podcast Channel: Idea’s EchoDeveloped by CliMates Madagascar, Idea’s Echo harnesses the power of radio and podcasting to raise awareness on climate change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG13). By featuring local experts discussing region-specific issues in Malagasy dialects, the project ensures accessibility and accuracy, empowering communities to make informed decisions in an ever-changing digital landscape. [Listen to Idea’s Echo] Peer-Education Game: MILBoardCreated by a team from Indonesia, MILBoard is an innovative snakes-and-ladders-inspired board game integrated with a mobile app. Designed for children aged 10–17 in remote and underserved areas, the game introduces media and information literacy concepts in an interactive and engaging way. Features like “challenge cards” and MIL curriculum modules help participants build critical thinking skills while making learning fun and impactful. [Discover MILBoard] UNESCO Youth Hackathon underscores the creativity, passion, and resilience of young people in tackling today’s digital challenges. By fostering innovation and equipping youth with essential media and information literacy skills, this initiative plays a vital role in advancing informed, inclusive, and responsible digital citizenship worldwide. Details for the 2025 edition will be announced in June. → More on 2024 Edition URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/winners-unescos-youth-hackathon-2024-shape-future-media-and-information-literacy?hub=701 
Climate Change in News Media, South-East Asia 2024-10-30 Last update: 30 September 2024 South-East Asia is among the regions most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, where rising sea levels and intensifying natural hazards affect millions of people in densely populated areas and coastal zones. As the extreme weather events increasingly impact livelihoods and cause displacement in the region, information for making decisions on climate change mitigation and adaptation is becoming all the more important. UNESCO implemented the “Climate Change in News Media” training project for news organizations in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. The programme, which ran from March to September 2023, reinforced the climate change and environmental reporting by broadcast and online media outlets by strengthening the use of key online sources, fact-checking, data visualization, satellite imagery, cartographic regression and the like. "We use data from open sources, which allows us to create stories about environmental issues. We also use artificial intelligence and the latest technologies to help make these environmental stories resonate with the young audience."Participating media from Malaysia Enhancing Climate Change and Environmental Reporting in South-East AsiaDiscover In 2024-2025, UNESCO continues its efforts through targeted programmes in the region, including in Cambodia and Timor-Leste, to strengthen media capacity for climate reporting and disaster management. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/climate-change/news-media/south-east-asia 
Forum sous-régional de l’UNESCO sur l’intelligence artificielle en Afrique de l’Est : adoption de la Déclaration de Nairobi 2024-08-29 The ministers responsible for education, ICT, the digital economy, emerging technologies, communication and innovation in the countries of East Africa have adopted the Nairobi Statement on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Eastern Africa , at the end of the UNESCO-Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence , held from 24 to 26 June 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. Co-organised by UNESCO and the Kenyan government, the theme of the UNESCO-Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI) was ‘‘Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for sustainable development in Eastern Africa: Governance, Ethics, Capacities, and Partnerships’’. High turnoutA number of key figures attended the EARFAI, including the ministers responsible for education, ICT, the digital economy, emerging technologies, communication, science and innovation and their representatives from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda, as well as UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS), Ms Gabriela Ramos, representing the Director-General of UNESCO. The Forum was also attended by UNESCO experts, experts in artificial intelligence from East Africa and beyond, academics and researchers, industrialists and partners from various sectors, representatives of civil society, etc. The Forum brought together around 400 face-to-face participants and up to 850 online participants. EARFAI was structured around three main segments: the Expert Segment, on 24 and 25 June 2024; the Partnerships Forum, on 25 June 2024; and the High-Level Segment, on 26 June 2024. Parallel events (Exhibitions, “Women for Ethical AI” Networking Session; Workshop on AI Kiswahili-English Dictionary - “Inside AI: an algorithmic adventure (Ndani ya AI - Ziara ya Algorithi) were also organised. During the opening ceremony of the high-level segment, Ms Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO’s ADG/SHS, underlined the timeliness of the organisation of the Forum, particularly in the context of the completion of the first RAM in East Africa by Kenya, and also reinforced the relevance of the African voice in the ongoing negotiations on the Global Digital Compact. H.E. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union Commission (AUC), welcomed, via video message, UNESCO's support in the development of the AU's continental strategy on AI and highlighted its relevance to the achievement of the AU's Agenda 2063. H.E. (Dr) Ezekiel Machogu, EGH, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education of Kenya highlighted the critical role AI plays in the education sector and shared the strategies in place in Kenya to harness the power of AI to improve learning, foster innovation and ensure inclusivity. “UNESCO has been your most important supporter in leveraging the African voices on AI to the global discourse. With the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, we pushed for a global standard on AI – and the outcome represents YOUR collective voice. We are pushing hard for this standard to make it count in all major AI governance processes”.Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences "Integrating artificial intelligence into education is not just an opportunity, it's an imperative. As we enter this new era, we must work collaboratively with policy makers, educators, technologists and the wider community to ensure that AI is at the service of quality education."H.E. (Dr) Ezekiel Machogu, EGH, Minister of Education of Kenya HE. Peter K. Ngure, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Kenya to UNESCO, presented the Nairobi Statement on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Eastern Africa , before its adoption by consensus and thanked UNESCO for choosing Kenya to host EARFAI, as well as all the panellists for their contributions to the proceedings. In particular, the Declaration approved the African Union Continental Strategy on Artificial Intelligence, welcomed the implementation of Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) in East Africa and called for the establishment of a coordination mechanism in East Africa to support the implementation of the UNESCO recommendation on the ethics of AI. In her closing speech, ADG/SHS Gabriela Ramos thanked all those who had contributed to the Forum's success, in particular the Kenyan government. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-eastern-africa-sub-regional-forum-artificial-intelligence-adoption-nairobi-statement 
Ai movement, launches its second Summer Camp of the "African Women in Tech & AI Program" in Rabat 2024-08-29 As part of Priority Africa (Flagship Program 4 of its operational strategy) aims to reduce the digital divide on the continent and meet the challenges of inclusion for African women. Second Cohort: Launch of the "Summer Camp"The in-person training, or summer camp, for the second cohort of the "African Women in Tech and AI" project, which aims to strengthen the capacities of African women entrepreneurs in artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-applied leadership, will take place from 1 to 13 July 1, 2024, at the International Artificial Intelligence Center of Morocco, "Ai Movement," in Rabat. The training programme of the summer camp will cover topics such as strategic foresight applied to AI, AI project management, leadership, development of start-up projects, benchmarking, and market research in Africa, benefiting nearly 80 women scientists from 28 countries across the five regions of the African continent. At the conclusion of the summer camp, participants will have the opportunity to present their entrepreneurial projects to a panel of professionals from Ai Movement, the OCP Foundation, and UNESCO. This panel will select the projects that will receive incubation and financial support from the OCP Foundation, with approximately 15 projects to be selected for the 2024 cohort. This summer camp was preceded by a six-week online training programme in the spring of 2024, which was followed by the same 80 women scientists. This online training covered topics such as data science, programming languages (deep learning and machine learning), and AI ethics. The 80 participants for the 2024 cohort were selected with the support of the African Permanent Delegations to UNESCO and the African National Commissions for UNESCO. Participants will subsequently join a network of innovators sharing values oriented towards sustainable and inclusive development for the continent. First Cohort: Pilot PhaseDuring the pilot phase of the project in 2023, 34 women scientists from 11 African countries benefited from training and support, including an online training course and a summer camp at the Ai Movement Center in Rabat, Morocco. Eight entrepreneurial projects were selected with the support of the OCP Foundation, Ai Movement, and UNESCO's Priority Africa and External Relations Sector. These eight projects are currently being incubated at the Ai Movement Center, highlighting the spirit of innovation among African women. Background of the projectThe "African Women in Tech and AI" project was officially launched in 2023 and is jointly implemented by UNESCO, the Ai Movement Center of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, and the OCP Foundation. The project is funded by the OCP Foundation for a total amount of 500,000 USD and will span over a period of three years (2023-2025). This innovative initiative is implemented as part of UNESCO's Operational Strategy for Priority Africa (2022-2029), specifically its Flagship Programme 4, which focuses on "New and Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development in Africa”, with a particular focus on the following key objectives: (1) Improve the capacity of African countries in the adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), and (2) Strengthen gender equality in the design and use of AI systems. It also aligns with UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The project aims to strengthen AI, data science, AI-applied leadership, and AI ethics skills for 150 African women professionals, while raising awareness on the strategic foresight approach to artificial intelligence. Through their scientific training and technological expertise, these women will be supported in developing AI-based solutions and projects that will transform their communities and address challenges and issues specific to the continent in sectors such as agriculture, health, education, social security, cybersecurity, renewable energy, animal health, finance, employment, and culture. These efforts will align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the aspirations of the African Union's Agenda 2063, "The Africa We Want." The "African Women in Tech and AI" project is the first project developed under the financial and strategic partnership agreement signed in July 2022 between the International Artificial Intelligence Center of Morocco, Ai Movement, and UNESCO's Priority Africa and External Relations Sector. In November 2023, the Ai Movement Center was officially designated as a Category 2 Center under the auspices of UNESCO, the first of its kind in Africa. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ai-movement-launches-its-second-summer-camp-african-women-tech-ai-program-rabat 
“A scar in history”: UNESCO opens a photo exhibition on the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda 2024-08-27 “We knew our destiny would be grim, but we didn’t expect to be exterminated by our own neighbours”. This is an excerpt from Gaudance’s testimony. She is a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Her story, together with her portrait, is part of the photo exhibition “Une cicatrice dans l'histoire" (A scar in history)” that UNESCO organized between 12-21 April 2023 to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Genocide and pay tribute to survivors along with their compatriots who bravely resisted. Conceived by the Camp des Milles Foundation – Memory and Education, the exhibition features 14 portraits captured by the acclaimed French photographer Stéphane Dumont de Sauret and accompanied by personal testimonies. It was officially presented to the public on 13 April 2023 in partnership with the Permanent Delegation of Rwanda to UNESCO, the Camp des Milles Foundation and Ibuka France. “These photos are powerful reminders of the persisting challenges in the fight to prevent mass atrocity crimes. For the exhibition heroes, genocide left indelible marks on their lives, souls and bodies. But through education and remembrance, we can begin to heal these scars,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay during her visit to the exhibition on 19 April. The exhibition opening took place in the presence of UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone; H.E. Mr François Nkulikiyimfura, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Delegate of Rwanda to UNESCO; and Marcel Kabanda, President of Ibuka France. Dafroza Gauthier, Co-founder of the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs to Rwanda, who dedicated her life to seeking justice for genocide survivors, and Nicolas Sadoul, Director of the Camp des Milles Foundation, both behind the conception of the exhibition, shared how it was brought to life ten years ago. They stressed the continued importance of keeping the stories of survivors alive and teaching current and future generations to cherish and protect human dignity. “I have lost all my family”: stories of genocide survivors Epiphanie, Gaudance, Cassier, Ernestine and other survivors whose stories are in the spotlight of the exhibition witnessed unimaginable violence, because they were Tutsi. Many of them lost their families during the Genocide and were on the verge of death themselves. Their stories are of pain, suffering, survival, despair, hope, strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable horrors. “I studied at the private school … because Tutsi were not admitted to public schools,” remembers Ernestine, who never graduated. “I feel sad: the disability caused by my injuries has prevented me from having a family,” says Epiphanie, the sole survivor of the family of 12. Maurice, who was five during the Genocide, recalls how he and his little brother were saved: “[A] Hutu neighbour explained to my mother that the little Tutsi girls would not be killed but spared for future “breeding” purposes. As there were no little girls in our house, he gave my mother two red dresses.” 100 days of remembrance The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda remains a haunting scar on humanity's conscience. In just 100 days, more than 800,000 members of the Tutsi minority were murdered by the Hutu extremist-led government. This period also saw the killing of moderate Hutu and those who stood against the genocide. Every year, 7 April marks the beginning of a 100-day mourning followed by remembrance events in Rwanda and around the world under the slogan “Kwibuka” (“to remember”). UNESCO joins yearly commemorations of the International Day of Reflection about the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and works systematically with policy-makers, educators and civil society worldwide to advance education about genocide and promote its importance for conflict transformation and sustainable peace. Learn more about UNESCO’s programmes to educate about the history of genocide. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/scar-history-unesco-opens-photo-exhibition-genocide-against-tutsi-rwanda?hub=70962