News

Catch up on what’s happening in the world of global citizenship education.

154 results found

© 中国民族宗教网 教育部长陈宝生在内蒙古调研时强调：把铸牢中华民族共同体意识作为教育核心工作来抓 2021-05-05 来源：中国民族宗教网 教育部党组书记、部长陈宝生近日在内蒙古自治区调研时强调，要把铸牢中华民族共同体意识作为教育核心工作来抓，切实增强广大师生对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同。    陈宝生深入内蒙古农业大学、呼和浩特三十中、赤峰市蒙古族中学、内蒙古交通职业技术学院实地考察，并出席了内蒙古自治区教育工作座谈会。座谈会上，在听取内蒙古教育厅、呼和浩特市委市政府、内蒙古大学等汇报后，陈宝生指出，“十三五”期间，内蒙古在自治区党委政府领导下，认真贯彻落实中央部署要求，教育工作取得积极进展，教育面貌正在发生格局性变化。他强调，今年是中国共产党成立100周年，也是实施“十四五”规划、开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程的第一年。站在新的历史起点上，内蒙古要深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于教育的重要论述和关于认真做好推广普及国家通用语言文字工作、全面推行使用国家统编教材的重要指示要求，坚定不移、凝心聚力、不折不扣、稳扎稳打，推动内蒙古教育事业实现新发展。要把铸牢中华民族共同体意识作为教育核心工作来抓，将有关要求具体到教师队伍建设上、教材建设上、教学方法上、教育生态上、教育政策上，真正肩负起研究阐释、教书育人的历史使命，使教师成为践行中华民族共同体意识的生力军、示范者，切实增强广大师生对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同。要以盟为单位加快推进基础教育优质均衡步伐，推动高质量发展，为民族地区教育探索路子、积累经验。 URL:http://www.mzb.com.cn/html/report/210332753-1.htm © UNESCO 2021 World Press Freedom to promote Information as a Public Good in a severely challenged media landscape 2021-04-28 UNESCO and the Government of Namibia will host the World Press Freedom Day Global Conference in Windhoek from 29 April through 3 May, World Press Freedom Day. The laureate of the 2021 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize will be honoured during the conference, on 2 May.   Professional journalists and other media stakeholders at the Conference will call for urgent measures to counter the threats that are weakening independent and local news media around the world, a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. They will put forward solutions to bolster media viability, push for greater transparency from social media companies, and measures to improve the safety of journalists and support independent media. Participants are also expected to urge governments to invest in media and information literacy training to help people recognize, value, and defend fact-based journalism as an essential part of information as a public good. Some 40 sessions will be held during the 5-day conference including three thematic discussions on issues currently affecting media viability, the transparency of online platforms, and ways to strengthen media and information literacy. Hage Geingob, the President of Namibia, and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay will address the conference on 2 May, alongside senior African government officials and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (through a video message). Keynotes and interviews with over 250 world-renowned journalists, media and tech leaders, experts, policy makers, and activists will be held during the event which be an opportunity for registered participants to network, and interact with speakers, and access an offering of podcasts, films, and artistic contributions on a conference online platform. Notable speakers will include: Joseph Stiglitz (USA), Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International Maria Ressa (Philippines), CEO of Rappler Swe Win, Editor in Chief of Myanmar Now, recognized media outlet for its collaborative and investigative reporting on human rights abuses. Julie Owono, Member of Facebook’s Oversight Board. Executive Director of Internet sans Frontiers Miranda Johnson, The Economist, Deputy Executive Editor Stephen Dunbar-Johnson (USA), President, International of The New York Times Sir Nicholas Clegg, Vice-President for Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook  Notable programme highlights will include: Six Regional Forums on specific, regional aspects of press freedom and ways to tackle current trends and challenges. The Forums build on the regional seminars that followed the UNESCO’s first African press freedom seminar in Windhoek in 1991. A one-on-one dialogue about information as a public good with Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and Miranda Johnson, Deputy Executive Editor of The Economist. 30 April: Presentation of key findings from UNESCO’s global study on online violence against women journalists, a trailblazing research project that assesses the scope and impact of the new frontline of media safety through big data analyses and an in-depth literature review. Link for registration here The digital revolution has weakened business models of most independent media and damaged their viability. The loss in revenue in 2020 is estimated to total US$30 billion. Local news 'deserts' are becoming ever more common as media outlets close, merge, or downsize in many parts of the Global North and South, and political interest groups take control of struggling media outlets. Due to the COVID-19 disruption, two-thirds of staff and freelance journalists worldwide have also suffered pay cuts, lost revenue, job losses, cancelled commissions or worsening working conditions, according to a survey carried out by the International Federation of Journalists IFJ.  A survey by the International Center for Journalists and the Tow Center at Columbia University found that over 40% of surveyed journalists reported losing more than half their income. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a steep rise in the in attacks on journalists and a weakening in regulations protecting freedom of expression. UNESCO’s forthcoming study on online violence against women journalists shows that 73% of the women journalists surveyed had experienced online violence relating to their work. Online violence, often in the form of coordinated misogynistic attacks, goes from hateful language to threats of sexual or physical violence. According to the International Press Institute, countries have reported more than 400 media freedom violations linked to the COVID-19 crisis, including restrictions on access to information and excessive regulations against alleged fake news, ostensibly meant to address COVID-19 related disinformation. The role of journalists in producing and sharing factual information is essential to all members of society. Whether exposing corruption, alerting us to conflicts or debunking disinformation on COVID-19, the information they provide must be recognized as a public good. This year’s celebration of World Press Freedom also marks the 30th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, developed by African journalists pressing for a free, independent, and pluralistic African press at a seminar organized by the UN and UNESCO in Windhoek in 1991. The declaration which triggered the proclamation of the 3rd May as World Press Freedom Day by the UN General Assembly. The Award Ceremony of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize will take place on 2 May. The Prize, unique in the UN system, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and, or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially in the face of danger.  Related links   Programme Read our FAQs Read the concept note Visit World Press Freedom Day website UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Register your World Press Freedom Day event  URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/2021-world-press-freedom-promote-information-public-good-severely-challenged-media-landscape ⓒ UNESCO Connectivity, gender and teachers: How the Global Education Coalition is supporting COVID-19 learning recovery 2021-04-05 The COVID-19 pandemic hit the education sector with full force, disrupting schools globally and threatening to strip off decades of progress made towards learning. A year into the crisis, the situation remains bleak: Half of the world’s student population is still affected by full or partial school closures; nearly one-third cannot access remote learning; more than 11 million girls may never return to the classroom; and over 100 million children will fall below the minimum proficiency level in reading due to the impact of school closures. Unless urgent action is taken today, over 24 million children and youth are at risk of dropping out of school. As the pandemic revealed and amplified inequalities in education, UNESCO quickly mobilized support to ensure the continuity of learning around the world by establishing the Global Education Coalition in March 2020. This multi-sector Coalition brings together 175 institutional partners from the UN family, civil society, academia and the private sector currently working in 112 countries around three central themes: Connectivity, gender and teachers. A new report,  published ahead of a high-level ministerial meeting, is showcasing the innovative responses that have been achieved through this unique partnership in the past year. How is the Global Education Coalition operating and what are its achievements? The Global Education Coalition has become an essential platform to support Member States to respond to the unprecedented challenges facing the education sector. Coalition contributions do not replace national responses, but rather engage new actors that would not have been obvious partners, such as technology and media organizations, to complement and support national efforts to ensure the continuity of learning. Coalition members are currently engaged in 233 projects across 112 countries. At least 400 million learners and 12 million teachers are benefitting directly or indirectly from the actions of the Coalition. Here are a few global, regional and country-specific examples of actions that have been achieved so far.  In West Africa, the Francophone African regional online learning platform Imaginécole was launched as a key component of a Global Partnership for Education project to improve the quality of distance education in 10 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Togo. The platform offers a large-scale experience in distance education for 6.6 million students and 200,000 teachers with over 600 educational resources. More than 5 million girls in the 20 countries with the greatest gender disparities in education will be supported to fulfil their right to education, with a focus on bringing back to school the most marginalized girls through wide range of actions. This includes information and awareness raising, skills acquisition and providing evidence-based recommendations to decision-makers. The Global Skills Academy, established to help equip 1 million youth with digital skills to adapt to changes in the workplace, reaching to date 142,000 beneficiaries. Since its launch, the Academy has mobilized more than 150 TVET institutions across 56 countries and is actively working with 15 partners to enroll 75,000 additional students and teachers in the coming days. In response to the explosion that rocked Beirut, Lebanon in August 2020, Coalition members mobilized financial commitments, technical assistance and capacity building support to rehabilitate damaged schools, provide technical assistance to teachers, ensure access to distance learning with content and support higher education. UNESCO and partners are supporting the rehabilitation of 55 public schools, 20 public Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, and 3 universities. In South Africa, a phone app-based support service for teachers developed with a partner was launched to provide a real-time chat-based learning and mentorship platform, along with a wellness and safety feature. It currently has over 67,200 users and plans to reach 400,000 more teachers in the upcoming months. UNESCO is supporting an open source platform for home-based distance learning and a regional repository of curriculum aligned resources for learners and teachers in Kiribati, Marshall Islands (Republic of), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.   With GIZ’s support, UNESCO is launching a teachers’ training programme for 20 Caribbean countries and a digital and social emotional skills training for migrants and refugees in Peru. Read and explore the Global Education Coalition’s latest progress report.Access the first progress report from September 2020. UNESCO is convening a high-level ministerial event on 29 March to take stock of lessons learnt, the greatest risks facing education today and strategies to leave no learner behind. It will show how the Global Education Coalition has mobilized partners to support learners, teachers and policy-makers with new tools and knowledge. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/connectivity-gender-and-teachers-how-global-education-coalition-supporting-covid-19-learning ⓒ UNESCO Mathematics for a Better World, UNESCO marks International Day of Mathematics, 14 March 2021-03-15 14 March, proclaimed by UNESCO as International Day of Mathematics (IDM), will be held under the theme “Mathematics for a Better World". Celebrating the beauty and relevance of mathematics, the Day highlights the essential role played by this discipline in reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Organized by the International Mathematics Union, IDM will feature a mixture of virtual and face-to-face celebrations, notably in classrooms. Celebrations are scheduled in more than 70 countries with over 410 individual events. Mathematics, with its many technical applications, now underpins all areas of our lives. Together with algorithms, mathematics plays a key role in artificial intelligence and technological disruptions – and, as we address global issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, we are reminded of the importance of mathematics in responding to the challenges of our time.   -- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General The new feature of IDM 2021 is the Poster Challenge to which more than 2,100 schools and organizations responded, producing their own IDM poster to illustrate one facet of the theme of “Mathematics for a Better World”. The posters will be made available to all under an open licence. IDM 2021 is celebrated on all continents. From Madagascar to Gambia, from Panama to Chile, from Albania to Malaysia, from Bangladesh to Australia, people all over the world are organizing festivities. An international live celebration in English, French and Spanish will take place on 14 March, 2 to 6pm, UTC. Also, 48 hours of live coverage on the IDM website will start at 00:00 New Zealand time and end at 24:00 Pacific time. The international celebration is complemented by national and local competitions, conferences, exhibitions, and talks, organized by mathematical societies, research institutes, museums, schools, universities, etc. In Algeria, many events will take place all over the country to show how mathematics helps improve our world. They consist in the organization of webinars, national mathematics competitions, recreational mathematics, and classroom activities. A special event involving blind pupils shows that mathematics is a universal language. Celebrations are in partnership with the public television El Maarifa channel (TV7) which will report on the different events to promote them to the wider population.   -- Djamel Eddine Cheriet, Vice-President of the Algerian Mathematical Society In a joint project with the Simons Foundation, the mathematical societies of Algeria, Senegal, and the Republic of Congo will organize online and on site activities on mathematics and artificial intelligence, as well as mathematical games, for a large audience in French, Arabic, and English. They will also offer special training programmes for teachers and educators in Africa and the Arab region. The IDM is an opportunity to share the knowledge that men and women have developed throughout history. It is also a space to create, share, motivate and inspire future generations with mathematics. It is a day to remember that mathematics empowers us, sets us free, and makes us better citizens.   -- Laura Vanessa Gomez Bermeo (Colombia) Through the gloom of the pandemic, IDM is an opportunity for exciting and challenging activities in schools. Students can explore how mathematics helps to understand the spread of an epidemic and how the theory of fair division allows for more equitable policies.   -- Christiane Rousseau, University of Montreal, initiator for the IMU of the IDM project The date of 14 March is already known as Pi Day and celebrated in many countries. It is named after the important number π, the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a circle, approximately equal to 3.14. The IDM celebration expands Pi Day to include the whole spectrum of mathematics. In view of the pandemic, the 2021 theme of “Mathematics for a Better World” reminds us that athematics and statistics are essential tools for decision-makers in that they enable us to predict the evolution of the disease and optimizemitigation strategies with limited resources. But the role of mathematics in building a better world goes well beyond the pandemic response, and schools are invited to explore the mathematics of fair division, which has so many applications in designing economic and social policies. The IDM website is the main hub for the International Day of Mathematics. It hosts information material to be used by press and organizers (including logos and flyers in different languages) as well as proposals for activities related to the theme for everyone interested in hosting an event. All the official material provided through the website is under an open license, which means it can be freely shared, translated, and adapted. Partners:  The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is headquartered in Paris. As the United Nations’ “House of Peace,” UNESCO serves to develop mutual understanding and the strengthening of bonds among nations through international cooperation in education, the sciences, culture and communication. More information At the 40th session of its General Conference, UNESCO proclaimed 14 March of every year International Day of Mathematics. More information The International Mathematical Union (IMU) is an international non-governmental and non-profit scientific organization, with the purpose of promoting international cooperation in mathematics. IDM is communicated and supported by the IDM website, which is hosted by IMAGINARY, a non-profit organization dedicated to communication about modern mathematics.  Sponsors:  The Klaus Tschira Foundation (which supports natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science in Germany) sponsor of the IDM website and communication. The Simons Foundation sponsor of the special IDM celebrations in Africa.  The Canadian Commission for UNESCO sponsor of the 2021 IDM Poster Challenge.  Contacts for further information:  Helge Holden, Secretary General of the International Mathematical Union, secretary@mathunion.org Christiane Rousseau, Chair of the IDM Governing Board, idm@mathunion.org, +1 514 9156081 Andreas Matt, Managing Director of IMAGINARY and of the IDM website, andreas.matt@imaginary.org, +49 151 51836352 The International Mathematical Union, Hausvogteiplatz 11A, D-10117 Berlin, Germany, imu.info@mathunion.org Pictures:  The logo and all pictures below can be used freely for articles about the International Day of Mathematics. Please find high-resolution versions via the “Download Link”. The pictures are from locally organized events (exhibitions, workshops, festivals) celebrating mathematics. Logo of the International Day of Mathematics Press Kit page with images and press releases URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/mathematics-better-world-unesco-marks-international-day-mathematics-14-march © UNESCO UNESCO figures show two thirds of an academic year lost on average worldwide due to Covid-19 school closures 2021-03-02 Paris, 25 January — One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, over 800 million students, more than half the world’s student population, still face significant disruptions to their education, ranging from full school closures in 31 countries to reduced or part-time academic schedules in another 48 countries, according to new data released on UNESCO’s interactive monitoring map. The map shows that globally, schools were fully closed for an average of 3.5 months (14 weeks) since the onset of the pandemic. This figure rises to 5.5 months (22 weeks) – equivalent to two-thirds of an academic year – when localized school closures are taken into account. The duration of closures varies greatly by region, from as many as 5 months (20 weeks) of complete nation-wide closures on average in Latin America and the Caribbean countries, to 2.5 months (10 weeks) in Europe, and just one month in Oceania. Similar regional variations are observed when accounting for localized closures: The duration of complete and localized closures exceeded seven months (29 weeks) on average in Latin America and the Caribbean compared to the global average of 5.5 months (22 weeks). Governments have endeavoured to minimize country-wide closures – down from 190 countries at the peak in April 2020 to 30 countries now –in favour of partial and/or local closures. Schools are now fully open in 101 countries. Prolonged and repeated closures of education institutions are taking a rising psycho-social toll on students, increasing learning losses and the risk of dropping out, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable. Full school closures must therefore be a last resort and reopening them safely a priority. -- Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO Data released today by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report shows that, even before the COVID-19 crisis, only 1 in 5 countries demonstrated a strong commitment to equity in education through their financing mechanisms, and there is little evidence of a strong equity angle in COVID-19 responses.  We need an adequately financed recovery package to reopen schools safely, targeting those most in need and setting education back on track for the COVID-19 generation. Today, on International Day of Education, I call on countries and partners to prioritize education, a global common good, in the recovery.-- Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO UNESCO’s celebration of International Day of Education calls for increased and better financing of education, and draws attention to the low priority allocated to education in recovery efforts. UNESCO data shows that the sector only receives an estimated 0.78% of relief packages worldwide. Additionally, aid to education looks set to decline by 12% as a result of the pandemic. According to our findings, the pandemic also stands to increase the funding gap for education by one third to as much as $200 billion annually in low and middle-income countries, representing close to 40% of total cost. Upfront investment in catch-up and remedial programmes will save money down the line reducing by 75% the cost of repairing the damage caused by COVID-19. At the Global Education Meeting convened by UNESCO in October 2020, governments and partners committed to protect education budgets and to focus the recovery on the safe and inclusive re-opening of schools, and support for teachers, skills development and connectivity for all. To enable a safe return to school, UNESCO has called for the world’s 100 million teachers and educators to be given priority in vaccination campaigns. To mark the International Day of Education, UNESCO and the Global Partnership for Education, with UN Headquarters, are co-organizing an event to stress the necessity to protect and mobilize equitable funding for education, give voice to 'community heroes' who acted to leave no learner behind during school closures, and present innovations that pave the way towards more resilient and inclusive education systems. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-figures-show-two-thirds-academic-year-lost-average-worldwide-due-covid-19-school  ⓒ UNESCO, GEM Report 2020 最新全球教育监测报告提醒勿忘弱势群体，并敦促拉美和加勒比国家在疫情下促进教育包容性 2020-11-13 A new GEM Regional report in partnership with SUMMA shows that COVID-19 has increased education divides in Latin America and the Caribbean, which was already the most unequal region in the world before the pandemic began. Although the report acknowledges the efforts made by countries to continue distance learning programmes, it points to the need to develop urgent measures to reach those left behind. Its recommendations show steps policy makers most prioritise in their response plans so that the education emergency does not turn into a disaster.  The Report, Todos y todas sin excepción, produced by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report and the Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC /UNESCO Santiago), along with the Laboratory of Education, Research and Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean (SUMMA) shows that, prior to the pandemic, in 21 countries, children from the richest households were five times as likely as the poorest to complete upper secondary school.  Learning outcomes were low before COVID-19. Only half of 15-year-olds achieved minimum proficiency in reading. In Guatemala and Panama, barely 10 disadvantaged 15-year-old students master basic mathematics skills for every 100 of their better-off peers. Indigenous people and Afro-descendants also have lower attainment and literacy rates. In grade 3, students who do not speak the language of the test are less likely to reach a minimum level of proficiency in reading. The probability of Afro-descendants completing secondary education was 14% lower than that of non-Afro-descendants in Peru and 24% lower in Uruguay in 2015. Adolescents with disabilities were on average 10 percentage points less likely to attend school than their peers. "The education systems in the region are not only characterized by low quality, but also by high levels of inequality and social exclusion. This problem has been exacerbated by the pandemic. For this reason, we must urgently invest and reform our education systems to develop their capacity to adapt to the particular needs of their students and territories, recognizing, valuing and building on diversity, as an essential and constitutive element of educational quality."   - Javier González, Director at SUMMA The report includes a set of key recommendations for the next decade, which will help countries achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and calls for schools to be more inclusive, which many still are not. A survey of 10% of schools in Jamaica showed only 24% had ramps and 11% had accessible bathrooms. Bullying urgently needs to be addressed: LGBTI youth in seven countries being heavily victimized were at least two times as likely to miss school. "Now more than ever Latin American societies need to come together as a society and build bridges. What all of us think and uphold matters. Everyday discrimination against migrants, backlashes against progress for gender equality, identity and expression, and false beliefs about the ceiling of potential for people with disabilities end up reflected in education systems. Change is urgently needed, but it won’t happen unless we all sign up."   - Manos Antoninis, Director of the GEM Report Better data is needed on those left behind. In the Caribbean, only 4 of 21 countries have had a publicly available household survey since 2015 to disaggregate education indicators by individual characteristics. The Dominican Republic was the only country in the Caribbean to participate in a cross-national learning assessment in the same period. Training teachers to teach inclusively is also critical. In Brazil, Colombia and Mexico over half of teachers reported a high need for training on teaching students with special needs. Claudia Uribe, Director of OREALC said: “There is the expectation that teachers have strategies to compensate for these disadvantages, but it is difficult to do so if they do not have the tools and training to do so. Two-thirds of countries say they will train teachers on inclusion in the region, but data indicates that this is not yet the case in practice. Our Report urges countries to pay greater attention to this”. Curricula and textbooks must represent all groups are fairly, and respectfully. Textbooks in various countries tend to present indigenous peoples in stereotyped images and situations, when they are represented at all. Educational support is often not provided in the home language, affecting children from indigenous communities, children and young people of Haitian origin who have migrated to Spanish or English-speaking countries, and children whose mother tongue is different from the official language of the school, as is typically the case in Caribbean countries. In Suriname, for example, only 4% of children in Sipaliwini district speak the language of instruction, Dutch, at home. The Report shows that the region is often an example of strong laws and policies that express a will for change, but calls for these to be more adequately implemented. The analysis of the PEER educational profiles of each country in the world from the GEM Report on Inclusion shows that 10 of the 19 countries in the world that adopt inclusion for all in their educational laws are in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, although the laws in only 42% of the countries in the region provide for the education of persons with disabilities in separate settings, not many ordinary primary schools serve students with disabilities. In Nicaragua, for example, a third of the approximately 10,000 students with disabilities studied in special schools in 2019. In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, among others, regulations have not yet been established to guarantee the right to education of refugee boys and girls and migrants from Venezuela, which has led national and international civil society actors to work together to meet their needs. The Report has ten recommendations in total, backed up with evidence based examples from across the region and invites countries to take them into account in their plans for action in the decade for action until 2030 and to prevent education progress backsliding as a result of COVID-19. The Report is the focus of a 2020 Regional Forum on Education Policy – Inclusion and Education in Post-Pandemic Times, 9-12 November with ministry officials and experts in education from across the region. This platform for exchange is co-organised by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), the GEM Report, OREALC/ UNESCO Santiago, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the UNESCO Division of Education 2030 Support and Coordination. The forum will provide a space for policy makers to develop concrete actions for developing policies to mitigate exclusion in the region. Contacts: Carolina Jerez, OREALC/UNESCO Santiago: c.jerez@unesco.orgKate Redman, GEM Report: k.redman@unesco.org URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/dont-forget-disadvantaged-says-new-gem-report-urging-countries-latin-america-and-caribbean © Spotlight Initiative 2020 消除暴力侵害女性行为，和她站在一起 2020-10-21 Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today. It threatens rights to which every woman and girl is entitled: the right to education, the right to work, the right to physical and mental well-being, and the right to equality. Since its creation in 2017, the Spotlight Initiative, a global partnership between the European Union and the United Nations, has worked to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. The Spotlight Initiative is committed to shift people’s minds and attitudes, by  drawing attention to gendered discrimination; working to change the social norms and practices; increasing public awareness; creating space for activists and survivors to share their stories; and educating communities about sexual and genderbased violence.  It has a worldwide impact, covering specifically Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific.In 2020, UNESCO’s Director General, Audrey Azoulay, joined the Spotlight Initiatives global #WithHer campaign to raise global awareness of violence against women and girls. UNESCO field offices in Guatemala, Nigeria, Samoa, and Zimbabwe are working with civil society organisations as partners to design and implement programmes to change laws, provide essential services, and address the linkages between sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices. The project has also highlighted the importance of preventing gender-based violence during the COVID-19 in Nigeria and in Latin America, and providing accelerated second-chance education opportunities to out-of-school girls and young children facing intersectional marginalization. To learn more about Spotlight Initiative, please check the latest report entitled Universal rights, global action which highlights the ways the Spotlight Initiative country and regional programmes have meaningfully reached women and girls, including those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.  41 laws newly signed or strengthened to support gender equality 15% increase in survivors seeking help from support services 10% increase in cases reported to the police across our country programmes  Ending violence against women and girls is critical to achieving sustainable development. Decades of progress and millions of lives are at stake. Keeping gender-based violence at the top of government agendas and engaging the public is more important than ever.  URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/eliminating-violence-against-women © UNESCO UNESCO Green Citizens showcases grassroot projects at the service of biodiversity and sustainable development 2020-10-20 Today UNESCO will launch the Green Citizens initiative to amplify the voice of some 100 local citizen projects worldwide in key domains of biodiversity and sustainable development, including the Ocean, Water/Hydrology, Education for sustainable development, Indigenous and local knowledge.  UNESCO has witnessed a great increase in the number and pertinence of local citizen projects over decades of scientific research in biodiversity, oceanography and hydrology, and conservation work in its protected sites around the world (Biosphere Reserves, Geoparks, natural World Heritage sites). The Organization wishes to highlight and support local, innovative, duplicable citizen projects with a verifiable impact on their community and stimulate the dissemination of new change driving ideas worldwide.  The project reflects the conviction that changes in our relationship with living ecosystems will only be achieved by bringing together the complementary actions of the different actors at all levels and the reinforcement of networks of committed individuals and organizations. It is also a call on decision-makers to act quickly and a reminder that it is only together that we can make the change that is needed. UNESCO Green Citizens is a collective endeavour bringing together the Klorane Botanical Foundation as a founding partner, Adveris digital agency, Passion Pictures Paris, Twitter (for Good), artists including Juan Delcan, Roxane Campoy, Desta Hailé, students and volunteers, as well as partners, dubbed Watchers such as Solar Impulse Foundation, Sparknews or ChangeNow that are critical in identifying outstanding local projects.  The Initiative enriches UNESCO’s extensive and growing range of programmes and partnerships aiming to protect biodiversity. **** More information  UNESCO biodiversity URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-green-citizens-showcases-grassroot-projects-service-biodiversity-and-sustainable ⓒ UNESCO لمديرة العامة لليونسكو تضم صوتها إلى قادة العالم في دعوتهم لتوطيد الالتزام السياسي لتحقيق المساواة بين الجنسين 2020-10-07 UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has cautioned that much remained to be done for gender equality as world leaders gathered at a High-Level Meeting during the UN General Assembly to mark the 25th anniversary of the visionary Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) that set a global agenda for the empowerment of women and girls and called for the recognition of women’s rights as human rights, "Much has been achieved since the 4th World Conference on Women took place in 1995, and yet the struggles to achieve full Gender Equality remain dire in all societies [...] I call upon women worldwide to be inspired by the extraordinary achievements of the Beijing Declaration and to take control and full leadership in every aspect of life and domain of society to build back a better future for all." --- UNESCO's Director-General, Audrey Azoulay Evidence suggests that women and girls are hit hardest by economic down-turns, violence, conflict and climate change, and the COVID-19 crisis has proved no different. The pandemic and its associated school closures and lockdowns have had a disproportionate impact on the life and wellbeing of millions of women, putting many of the Beijing Declaration’s objectives at risk. The exacerbated burden of unpaid care has further limited the time women and girls are able to dedicate to learning; more than 767 million girls were out of school due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, 11 million of whom are unlikely to return to school. According to UN-Women, the pandemic will push 47 million more women and girls below the poverty line. Gender-based violence increased dramatically during lock downs around the world. Women scientists, journalists, artists and creators found and continue to find themselves at increased risks of different forms of harassment, censorship and abuse, both online and offline. We also learned how wide the gender digital divide really was with only 54% of women connected to mobile internet. This limits the access of millions of women to information and to a diversity of information sources that is necessary to sift out disinformation.  767 million girls were out of school due to the COVID-19 lockdowns 11 million of these girls might never go back to school 47 million more women will be pushed below the poverty line Only 54% of women are connected to mobile internet  Recognizing the vision of the women who made history in Beijing in 1995, UNESCO’s Director-General declared that “The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action are the most powerful examples of how the global agenda can be written for women and by women. Twenty-five years after their launch we still owe a lot to those visionary women leaders, and we remain accountable to the new generations in ensuring that the multilateral system amplifies their voices and strives towards full equality in all societies.” With signs of an impending recession likely to have a devastating impact on the poorest and as social spending appears likely to shrink, decision makers worldwide have a collective responsibility to prioritize work on gender equality. Ambitious legislation, measures and policies to ensure gender equality are needed to avoid detrimental economic, social, cultural, political and environmental consequences that will jeopardize the achievement of the internationally agreed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  UNESCO is determined to work with its partners to make gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls a central driving force in optimizing recovery from the socio-economic and cultural impact of COVID-19. Now is the time to defend and advance women and girl’s human rights. Now is the time for the Beijing Declaration and its legacy to be fully delivered. Now is the time to work toward a new Generation Equality. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-director-general-joins-world-leaders-call-highest-political-commitment-achieve-gender ⓒ WHO جائحة كوفيد-19‏‎:‎‏ حثّ البلدان على اتخاذ إجراءات أكثر قوة لوقف انتشار المعلومات ‏الضارة 2020-10-02 The World Health Organization (WHO) together with the UN, specialised agencies and partners today called on countries to develop and implement action plans to promote the timely dissemination of science-based information and prevent the spread of false information while respecting freedom of expression.  WHO, the UN, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UNESCO, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN Global Pulse initiative and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies  (IFRC), together with the governments of Indonesia, Thailand and Uruguay held a webinar on the margins of the 75th UN General Assembly to draw attention to the harm being done by the spread of misinformation and disinformation, the latter being deliberate misinformation to advance an agenda. “As soon as the virus spread across the globe, inaccurate and even dangerous messages proliferated wildly over social media, leaving people confused, misled and ill-advised”, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. ”Our initiative, called “Verified”, is fighting misinformation with truth. We work with media partners, individuals, influencers and social media platforms to spread content that promotes science, offers solutions and inspires solidarity. This will be especially critical as we work to build public confidence in the safety and efficacy of future COVID-19 vaccines. We need a ‘people’s vaccine’ that is affordable and available to all.” “Misinformation and disinformation put health and lives at risk, and undermine trust in science, in institutions and in health systems,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “To fight the pandemic we need trust and solidarity and when there is mistrust, there is much less solidarity. False information is hindering the response to the pandemic so we must join forces to fight it and to promote science-based public health advice. The same principles that apply to responding to COVID-19 apply to managing the infodemic. We need to prevent, detect and respond to it, together and in solidarity.”  “On top of the immediate impact on pandemic responses, disinformation is undermining public trust in democratic processes and institutions and exacerbating social divides”, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “It’s one of the most concerning governance challenges of our time. UNDP is actively collaborating with Member States, fellow UN agencies, and other partners to find holistic responses which respect human rights.” “Misinformation is one of the fastest growing challenges facing children today,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “It takes advantage of the cracks in trust in societies and institutions and deepens them further, undermines confidence in science and medicine, and divides communities. In its most pernicious forms, such as when it convinces parents not to vaccinate their children, it can even be fatal. Because misinformation is more a symptom than a sickness, countering it requires more than just providing truth. It also requires trust between leaders, communities and individuals.”  “We can beat COVID-19 only with facts, science and community solidarity,” said Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “Misinformation is perpetuating stigma and discrimination and must not come in the way of ensuring that human rights are protected and people at risk and those marginalized have access to health and social protection services.” “Since the start of the pandemic, UNESCO has mobilised its international networks of media partners, journalists, fact-checkers, community radio stations, and experts, to give citizens the means to fight against false information and rumours — phenomena that have been exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Audrey Azoulay, the UNESCO Director-General. ”Collective mobilisation to promote quality and reliable information, while strictly ensuring respect for freedom of expression, is essential. A free, independent and pluralistic press is more necessary than ever.” “Trust is a cornerstone of our digital world,” said Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. “Building on the long-standing WHO-ITU BeHe@lthy BeMobile initiative, ITU has been working with national ministries of telecommunications and health and mobile network operators since the beginning of this crisis to text people who may not have access to the internet, providing them with science- and evidence-based COVID-19 health advice directly on their mobile phones.” WHO and partners urged countries to engage and listen to their communities as they develop their national action plans, and to empower communities to build trust and resilience against false information.  “Engaging communities on how they perceive the disease and response is critical to building trust and ending outbreaks,” said Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General. “If our response does not reflect the communities’ concerns and perceptions, we will not be seen as relevant or trusted by affected populations, and the epidemic response risks failure.  More than ever, local responders are at the forefront of this crisis. We need to recognize the incredible role they play in understanding and acting on local knowledge and community feedback.” The co-hosts also called on the media, social media platforms, civil society leaders and influencers to strengthen their actions to disseminate accurate information and prevent the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Access to accurate information and the free exchange of ideas online and offline are key to enabling effective and credible public health responses. "UN Global Pulse was set up a decade ago inside the UN System to pioneer the use of real-time and predictive insights to protect vulnerable communities in times of crisis”, said Robert Kirkpatrick, Director of UN Global Pulse, the United Nations Secretary-General’s initiative on big data and artificial intelligence (AI). “During this pandemic we have seen a tremendous increase in requests for advanced analytics from across the UN System and Member States. We will continue to work with WHO and other partners to help identify and combat mis- and disinformation.”  Note to Editors WHO defines an infodemic as an overabundance of information, both online and offline. It includes accurate information as well as mis- and disinformation.  In May 2020, WHO Member States passed Resolution WHA73.1 on the COVID-19 response at the World Health Assembly. The Resolution recognises that managing the infodemic is a critical part of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic: it calls on Member States to provide reliable COVID-19 content, take measures to counter mis- and disinformation and leverage digital technologies across the response. The Resolution also called on international organisations to address mis- and disinformation in the digital sphere, work to prevent harmful cyber activities undermining the health response and support the provision of science-based data to the public.  URL:https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/23-09-2020-covid-19-pandemic-countries-urged-to-take-stronger-action-to-stop-spread-of-harmful-information