1 Jun, 2011

UN Expert Presents Global Standards For Human Rights In Business World

Click on the headline to go directly to the story.

UN URGES CONCERTED GLOBAL ACTION TO STEM DEADLY TOLL FROM TOBACCO USE

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS FROM MOBILE TELEPHONES COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO CANCER – UN

UN EXPERT PRESENTS GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BUSINESS WORLD

WORLD LEADERS TO GATHER AT UN MEETING ON COMBATING HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC

URGING STRONGER NON-PROLIFERATION RULES, BAN CALLS FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS-FREE WORLD

UN CALLS FOR GRAIN STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES TO REDUCE AFRICA’S POST-HARVEST LOSSES

BOLLYWOOD STARS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CHALLENGE

+++++++++++++

UN URGES CONCERTED GLOBAL ACTION TO STEM DEADLY TOLL FROM TOBACCO USE

May 31 2011 — The United Nations today urged governments to drastically step up their efforts to curb the use of tobacco, stressing that policy-makers already have the tools they need to combat consumption of a drug that kills nearly 6 million people worldwide every year.

Marking World No Tobacco Day, the UN called on all countries to sign up to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which has accumulated 173 States Parties since it was opened for signature in 2003.

India, Indonesia, Argentina and Ethiopia are among the few remaining countries not to have signed the treaty, which spells out a series of measures aimed at reducing use of tobacco control, such as restrictions on sales to minors, the introduction of taxes on cigarettes to reduce demand, and the implementation of comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising.

“We have the treaty. It’s effective. Let’s use it,” Douglas Bettcher, Director of WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative, told the UN News Centre. “The measures are not expensive. All we need is political will.”

Dr. Bettcher said too many countries were lagging in their commitments to eliminate all forms of tobacco advertising or to ban smoking in workplaces and public spaces. “That means no designated smoking areas, no carve-out areas for people to smoke.”

While there are no formal international guidelines in place yet on the appropriate level of taxes on cigarette packets, Dr. Bettcher said WHO has established a yardstick that such taxes should comprise at least 70 per cent of the eventual retail price.

This year’s Day is being celebrated less than four months before world leaders hold a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters in New York in September on non-communicable diseases such as cancer and heart disease – many of which are caused by tobacco use. “What we start on 31 May we need to continue for the rest of the year,” Dr. Bettcher said.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his message to mark the Day, noted the myriad health problems and costs associated with smoking and said that “tobacco use makes us poorer – in health and economic terms.”

Tobacco is estimated to have killed about 100 million people last century and could kill as many as 1 billion more this century unless action is taken.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS FROM MOBILE TELEPHONES COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO CANCER – UN

May 31 2011 — Exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile telephones could possibly cause cancer, including an increased risk in a malignant type of brain tumour, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.

There has been mounting concern the past few years about the possibility of adverse health effects resulting from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, such as those emitted by wireless communication devices. The number of mobile phone subscriptions is now estimated at 5 billion globally.

A working group of 31 scientists from 14 countries has been meeting at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, to assess the potential carcinogenic hazards from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.

The working group discussed the possibility that these exposures might induce long-term health effects, in particular an increased risk for glioma, a type of brain cancer, according to WHO and IARC. This has relevance for public health, particularly for users of mobile telephones, as the number of users is large and growing, particularly among young adults and children.

The working group discussed and evaluated the available literature on the following exposure categories involving radiofrequency electromagnetic fields – occupational exposures to radar and to microwaves; environmental exposures associated with transmission of signals for radio, television and wireless telecommunication; and personal exposures associated with the use of wireless telephones.

International experts shared the complex task of tackling the exposure data, the studies of cancer in humans, the studies of cancer in experimental animals, and the mechanistic and other relevant data.

UN EXPERT PRESENTS GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BUSINESS WORLD

May 31 2011 — A United Nations human rights expert today unveiled a series of global benchmarks aimed at helping businesses and governments to act ethically and protect human rights.

John Ruggie, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business and Human Rights, presented the guidelines to the UN Human Rights Council, which is currently meeting in Geneva.

In a press release issued after his presentation, Mr. Ruggie said that “The principles seek to provide for the first time a global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse human rights impacts linked to business activity, by outlining what States and business enterprises should do in practice.”

“They also give businesses predictability in what is expected of them, and provide other stakeholders, including civil society and investors, the tools to measure progress where it matters most – in the daily lives of people,” he said.

The 27-page document, the result of six years of effort, and based on visits to 20 countries, and online consultations with thousands of participants from 120 countries, contains dozens of recommendations. They include that:

X+X States must protect against human rights abuses within their jurisdiction by third parties, including business enterprises.

X+X States should take additional steps to protect against human rights abuses by business enterprises that are owned or controlled by the State.

X+X Because the risk of gross human rights abuses is heightened in conflict-affected areas, States should help ensure that business enterprises operating in those contexts are not involved with such abuses.

X+X The responsibility of business enterprises to respect human rights applies to all enterprises regardless of their size, sector, operational context, ownership and structure.

X+X Business enterprises whose operations pose risks of severe human rights impacts should report formally on how they address them.

X+X Where business enterprises identify that they have contributed to adverse impacts, they should provide remediation.

X+X States must ensure that when abuses occur within their jurisdiction those affected have access to effective remedy.

X+X States should ensure the effectiveness of domestic judicial mechanisms when addressing business-related human rights abuses.

In opening the annual conference earlier this month, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the meeting would focus on women’s rights defenders, racism, and the relationship between human rights and business.

WORLD LEADERS TO GATHER AT UN MEETING ON COMBATING HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC

May 31 2011 — An unprecedented number of national leaders and other high-level figures will participate in next week’s United Nations meeting on combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the UN announced today. At least 32 heads of State, heads of government or vice-presidents have committed to participating in the three-day event beginning on 8 June, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said.

The agency described the number as a positive signal that the international community is committed to meet goals on HIV/AIDS prevention and care at a critical time “as more people than ever before are living with HIV, but international funding for AIDS is seen to be declining.”

“The commitment we are seeing for this meeting from world leaders is an extremely positive signal and is coming at a critical time,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “This meeting will provide a real opportunity for countries to take ownership of the response and produce a strong and visionary declaration to guide global efforts in reaching universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2015.”

“The top-level leaders will join ministers and other UN Member State representatives to commit to new ways forward in responding to AIDS,” according to a press statement issued by UNAIDS. “There will also be strong participation from civil society and other actors from the AIDS movement who will join discussions on how to take the AIDS response to the next level.”

“Significant progress has been made in reducing numbers of new HIV infections, in accessing treatment, in reducing the number of AIDS-related deaths and in addressing stigma and discrimination. However, if efforts in responding to the epidemic are not sustained and scaled-up, the important results which have been accomplished risk being reversed.”

URGING STRONGER NON-PROLIFERATION RULES, BAN CALLS FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS-FREE WORLD

May 31 2011 — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today reiterated his call for a world free of nuclear weapons and called for the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty as the cornerstone for global disarmament, and the bringing into force of the agreement banning nuclear arms tests.

“All Member States share a common interest in building a world in which the use of nuclear weapons is not simply improbable, but impossible,” Mr. Ban said when he addressed the Conference on Promoting the Global Instruments of Non-Proliferations and Disarmament, whose theme was “the United Nations and the Nuclear Challenge.”

“I pledge my full commitment to liberating humanity from the terror of weapons of mass destruction,” Mr. Ban told the conference, which was hosted in New York by Japan, Poland and Turkey.

He said the UN has consistently been promoting the key goals of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) relating to disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The Secretary-General said he was encouraged by the entry into force of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (known as the New START Treaty) between Russia and the United States.

“If ‘global instruments’ are to truly deserve this designation, they must not only achieve universal membership, but full compliance by States Parties with their commitments,” said Mr. Ban.

“The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty [CTBT] should be brought into force without further delay. I have suggested next year, 2012, as a target date when we will be able to see the effect of the CTBT come into force,” he added.

The Secretary-General said he will convene the Seventh Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT in New York in September to sustain the current political momentum.

He called for additional legal instruments to address the grave challenges posed by fissile materials and assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States that such arms will not be used against them.

“The international rule of law must also extend to conventional arms. And, of course, we cannot address rule of law issues without touching on the work of the Conference on Disarmament,” said Mr. Ban, urging the conference to reach agreement on a programme of work, including immediate negotiations of a fissile material cut-off treaty, without delay.

Mr. Ban said the Security Council should build on its September 2009 summit on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and discuss the topic every year, noting that sanctions imposed by the Council play a significant role in non-proliferation efforts.

The General Assembly, for its part, could forge closer links between disarmament and other challenges on its agenda, Mr. Ban said, adding that disarmament complemented efforts to tackle other important global challenges, including poverty and climate change.

UN CALLS FOR GRAIN STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES TO REDUCE AFRICA’S POST-HARVEST LOSSES

May 31 2011 — Large amounts of food in sub-Saharan Africa goes to waste as a result of inappropriate storage, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report unveiled today, which calls for investing in post-harvest technologies to reduce to the losses and boost the continent’s food security.

The joint FAO-World Bank report, entitled Missing Food: The Case of Postharvest Grain Losses in Sub-Saharan Africa, estimates the value of grain losses in sub-Saharan Africa at around $4 billion a year.

“This lost food could meet the minimum annual food requirements of at least 48 million people,” said Maria Helena Semedo, the FAO Assistant Director-General. “If we agree that sustainable agricultural systems need to be developed to feed 9 billion people by 2050, addressing waste across the entire food chain must be a critical pillar of future national food strategies,” she said.

According to estimates provided by the African Postharvest Losses Information System, physical grain losses prior to processing can range from 10 to 20 per cent of African annual production, which is worth $27 billion.

Losses occur when grain decays or is infested by pests, fungi or microbes, and physical losses, but the waste can also be economic, resulting from low prices and lack of access to markets for poor quality or contaminated grain.

According to the report, food losses contribute to high food prices by removing part of the food supply from the market. They also have a negative environmental impact as land, water and resources such as fertilizer and energy are used to produce, process, handle and transport food that no one consumes.

“Reducing food losses is increasingly recognized as part of an integrated approach to realizing agriculture’s full potential, along with making effective use of today’s crops, improving productivity on existing farmland, and sustainably bringing additional acreage into production,” said Jamal Saghir, the Director of the Sustainable Development Department of the World Bank’s Africa Region.

A variety of practices and technologies are available for reducing post-harvest losses, including crop “protectants” and storage containers such as hermetically sealed bags and metallic silos, the report notes.

Those technologies have proved successful in Asia, but more research is needed to identify methods adapted to local environments in Africa. To succeed, interventions must be sensitive to local conditions and practices.

The report recommends that governments create enabling conditions for farmers by reducing market transaction costs through investing in infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water, and strengthening agricultural research and extension services.

BOLLYWOOD STARS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CHALLENGE

Nairobi/Bangkok, 31 May 2011 – It’s not every day you see two film stars squaring up to each other. But as the countdown to India’s hosting of World Environment Day (WED) on June 5th begins, Priyanka Chopra and Rahul Bose are taking off the gloves to do battle.

The Bollywood stars are facing off in a new video (links below) for the ultimate WED Challenge – and they’re hungry for votes.

World Environment Day 2011 – hosted for the first time in India – is all about positive action for the environment. Thousands of people across the world will take part in WED activities on June 5th. This year’s theme, Forests: Nature at Your Service, celebrates the multitude of services – providing clean air, housing rich biodiversity, supplying water – performed by the world’s forests.

In the run-up to World Environment Day, individuals, groups, families and schools – even entire communities – can post details of their green activities online here.

And for Priyanka and Rahul, this is where the battle lines get drawn. When registering a WED activity on the site, you’ll have the opportunity to pledge your activity to either one celebrity or the other.

Full of green goodwill, Priyanka has pledged to plant a tree for every WED activity registered in her name. Full of confidence, Rahul has pledged to plant two.

When the votes are counted on June 5th, the result will be a new forest inaugurated by the winner – leaving the perfect legacy from the global WED community.

Whether it’s switching from plastic bags to cloth bags, car-pooling with colleagues or organizing a tree-planting day, WED activities can be big, small, local, international, noisy, quiet….just as long as they’re green.

Visit www.wedchallenge.org/india to browse the A-Z of WED ideas, find your inspiration and tell the world what you’re doing. Then most importantly, decide if it’s Priyanka or Rahul who will get your vote…

Download WED Challenge India video (English)

Download WED Challenge India video (Hindi)

Download WED Challenge India radio spots

++++++++++++++