Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023

UNwomen.org Publication year: 2023

This publication is the latest instalment in the annual series jointly produced by UN Women and UN DESA. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of gender equality progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Halfway to the end point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world is failing to achieve gender equality, making it an increasingly distant goal. If current trends continue, more than 340 million women and girls will still live in extreme poverty by 2030, and close to one in four will experience moderate or severe food insecurity. Growing vulnerability brought on by human-induced climate change is likely to worsen this outlook, as many as 236 million more women and girls will be food-insecure under a worst-case climate scenario.

The gender gap in power and leadership positions remains entrenched, and, at the current rate of progress, the next generation of women will still spend on average 2.3 more hours per day on unpaid care and domestic work than men. No country is within reach of eradicating intimate partner violence, and women’s share of workplace management positions will remain below parity even by 2050. Fair progress has been made in girls’ education, but completion rates remain below the universal mark.

With the clock ticking, urgency mounts.

This report advocates for an integrated, holistic approach to advancing gender equality, involving multistakeholder collaboration and sustained financial backing. Neglecting to amplify efforts and invest in gender parity jeopardizes the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Additional documents

Today is United Nations Day – October 24, 2023

UN.org

United Nations Day Message – 24 october 2023

The United Nations is a reflection of the world as it is – and an aspiration of the world we know it can be. 

It is our responsibility to help build that world of peace, sustainable development and human rights for all.

I know we can do it. The Charter of the United Nations – which entered into force 78 years ago today – points the way.

Above all, it is rooted in a spirit of determination to heal divisions, repair relations, and build peace.

To expand opportunities, and leave no one behind. 

To ensure justice, equality and empowerment for women and girls.

To provide life-saving relief to those in need.

And to be flexible enough to address challenges that did not even exist when the UN was born – from the existential climate crisis to the perils and promise of artificial intelligence. 

The United Nations is guided by timeless values and principles, but it must never be frozen in time. That is why we must always keep strengthening ways of working and applying a 21st century lens to all we do.

On this United Nations Day, let us commit with hope and determination to build the better world of our aspirations.

Let us commit to a future that lives up to the name of our indispensable organization. 

We are a divided world. We can and must be united nations.

Source: 

https://minusma.unmissions.org/en/united-nations-day-message-24-october-2023

Trendsetters! How Vietnam’s female referees are breaking barriers

FIFA Published 3 Aug 2023

Vietnam’s female football referees are inspiring a new generation of women in their country

FIFA
  • In 2021, Truong Thi Le Trinh and Ha Thi Phuong became the first female referee assistants to officiate in men’s V. League 2 matches
  • In 2021, six Vietnamese female referees received elite FIFA status
  • Trinh and Bui Thu Trang were also selected in the preliminary list of 750 referees and assistant referees for 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Shilarze Saha Roy

In a sport predominantly dominated by men, Vietnam’s female referees are taking centre stage – and how! With their exceptional skills, dedication, and passion for the game, these women are not only shattering stereotypes but also inspiring a new generation of girls to dream big and reach for the stars. Among these trailblazers are Truong Thi Le Trinh and Ha Thi Phuong, who made history as the first female referee assistants to officiate in men’s V. League 2 matches during the 2021 season. Their journey began with determination, as they passed the rigorous Vietnam Football Federation referee test alongside 70 other referees and assistant referees, proving that women can excel in men’s football as well.

Tiếp tục đọc “Trendsetters! How Vietnam’s female referees are breaking barriers”

The Palestinian misuse, and Zionist abuse, of the Holocaust

Both sides are guilty of invoking the Holocaust, but the Palestinians do it defensively, the Israelis offensively.

In truth, the Palestinians have been so impacted by the implications of the Holocaust, albeit indirectly, that they have never truly understood its essence or comprehended its evil. Arabs are no strangers to colonial, imperial or ethnic violence, but nothing like the industrial-scale crimes perpetrated by Nazi Germany.

Aggrieved and angry, the Palestinians have long believed that it was they who paid the price for the horrors inflicted upon Jews in Europe…

…After all, the early Zionists chose to settle and build a homeland for Jews in Palestine nearly half a century before the Holocaust, knowing all too well that it is the homeland of another people. They wished it cleansed of its non-Jewish inhabitants.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Olaf Schultz on August 16. Abbas accused Israel of committing "50 Holocausts" against the Palestinian people.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Olaf Schultz on August 16. Abbas accused Israel of carrying out ’50 Holocausts’ against the Palestinian people [Reuters]
Tiếp tục đọc “The Palestinian misuse, and Zionist abuse, of the Holocaust”

Vietnamese buddhism: Influence of buddhist culture in vietnam during Ly- Tran dynasty (1009-1400 A.D.)

International Journal Of Current Research.

Author: Le Chi Luc Ph.D. Research Scholar, Mahayana Buddhist Studies, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur-522510, A.P, India

Abstract: Ly-Tran dynasty (1009 – 1400 A.D.) was the peak period of Vietnamese feudalism history. It was also known as the golden age of Vietnamese Buddhism. Therefore, the finding of study aim on the explore influence of Buddhist culture in Vietnam during Ly-Tran Dynasty (1009-1400 A.D.), that finds absorbed and deeply influenced in Vietnamese culture. This article addresses the main influences of Buddhist culture on the decisive ideology of this period, which is the premise to create a great landmark in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism finds the influence several aspects related the Vietnamese Buddhists 4 aspects as followed (1) influence on political – social thought, (2) influence on traditional and customs of Vietnamese, (3) influence on literature, and (4) influence on architecture and sculpture.

Download PDF file:  36536.pdf

Why the Global Stocktake is a Critical Moment for Climate Action

UNFCCC.int

Climate Change

The global stocktake is a critical turning point in our battle against the escalating climate crisis – a moment to take a long, hard look at the state of our planet and chart a better course for the future.

“The global stocktake is an ambition exercise. It’s an accountability exercise. It’s an acceleration exercise,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. “It’s an exercise that is intended to make sure every Party is holding up their end of the bargain, knows where they need to go next and how rapidly they need to move to fulfill the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

What is the global stocktake?

Tiếp tục đọc “Why the Global Stocktake is a Critical Moment for Climate Action”

Climate Change History – PM of the UK, Margaret Thatcher – Speech to UN (Nov. 8, 1989)

Prime Minister of the UK, Margaret Thatcher studied chemistry at Oxford, and worked briefly as a research chemist before becoming a barrister

Mr President, it gives me great pleasure to return to the Podium of this assembly. When I last spoke here four years ago, on the 40th anniversary of the United Nations, the message that I and others like me gave was one of encouragement to the organisation to play the great role allotted to it.

Of all the challenges faced by the world community in those four years, one has grown clearer than any other in both urgency and importance—I refer to the threat to our global environment. I shall take the opportunity of addressing the general assembly to speak on that subject alone.

INTRODUCTION

Tiếp tục đọc “Climate Change History – PM of the UK, Margaret Thatcher – Speech to UN (Nov. 8, 1989)”

Chasing malware scams: From Singapore to Vietnam, hacker hotspot

CNA

How Do Scammers Take Over Your Phone And Steal Your Money? – Part 1/2

Ever scroll through your social media and come across an advertisement for food or cleaning service? But an innocent ad could turn insidious when the seller asks you to download an app to place an order or booking. Since the start of this year, some 750 people have lost a combined total of over S$10 million to malware app scams. In this episode, host Steven Chia investigates how these scams work and attempts to bait a scammer himself.

00:00 Introduction

01:22 A deal too good to be true?

05:59 Malware: How does it work?

09:12 Could we easily fall for malware scams?

12:19 What a malware app might look like

18:55 Why are Android phones at greater risk than iPhones?

21:06 If I lose my money, will banks give my money back?

Who Are The People Behind Malware Scams? – Part 2/2

After investigating how malware scams affect victims, host Steven Chia heads to Vietnam to find out who is behind these scams and how easy it is to create malware. He meets a notorious ex-hacker who digs further into an app embedded with malware that was making its rounds in Singapore. He also finds out how sophisticated scams are going to get, and what we can do to protect ourselves. WATCH Part 1:    • How Do Scammers Take Over Your Phone …  

Tiếp tục đọc “Chasing malware scams: From Singapore to Vietnam, hacker hotspot”

Fukushima’s Nuclear Wastewaters Have Been Released. Now What?

34,303 views Oct 10, 2023 #Radioactive#CNAInsider#Japan

Japan has completed phase one of wastewater release from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster. Despite assurances from the government and IAEA representatives that the water’s radioactive particles, specifically Tritium, are not harmful, many in Japan and the region are not appeased.

Insight’s Genevieve Woo travels across Fukushima to find out what has happened since the release. She finds fishermen off the coast of Japan who are worried about their livelihoods. Meanwhile, China and Hong Kong seafood curbs continue. What repercussions will the wastewater have on Japan and its neighbours? What has happened one month after the water release? And does the data support further release of waters?

00:00 Introduction

01:30 Activists protest discharge of radioactive water

05:34 Treating radioactive wastewater before release

08:07 Fukushima’s fishermen unhappy

13:00 Impact on Fukushima’s tourism industry

17:59 People living near the plant react to the release

23:42 How much radiation is there really?

28:18 Distrust towards TEPCO and the Japanese government

35:08 China’s import ban on Japanese seafood

37:13 Does the rest of Japan have fears about the wastewater release?

42:41 Japan’s future nuclear power plans

=============== ABOUT THE SHOW: Insight investigates and analyses topical issues that impact Asia and the rest of the world.

Fukushima wastewater issue will further divide a nation, split families, and cause ‘atomic divorce’

thebulletin.org By Maxime Polleri | October 17, 2023

 Mothers march in Tokyo against radiation exposure risks five years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster on March 5, 2016. (Photo by Maxime Polleri)Share

In a bid to dispel seafood worries around the release of Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the ocean, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ate an array of sashimi late in August; the raw fish ranged from flounder to sea bass caught in the Fukushima area. It is “safe and delicious,” he joyfully declared during a public relations effort to revitalize the fishing industry, which has been affected by a Chinese seafood ban and consumer anxieties over the wastewater release.

Many applauded Kishida’s comment, which echoes the same government narrative around post-Fukushima food safety, as well as his firm support for the release of tritium-contaminated water—a discharge process that the International Atomic Energy Agency stated complies with operational safety limits for radiation.

But as someone who studied the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster for more than a decade, I believe that this decision will irreversibly erode public trust and create irreparable long-lasting tensions. During my years of research in Japan as an anthropologist, I witnessed first-hand how state policies around Fukushima’s economic recovery are fragmenting communities, which constitutes an enduring catastrophe of its own.

Tiếp tục đọc “Fukushima wastewater issue will further divide a nation, split families, and cause ‘atomic divorce’”

Why Is Britain Retreating from Global Leadership on Climate Action?

Yale Environment 360

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announcing last month that the U.K. will delay the phaseout of gasoline and diesel cars.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announcing last month that the U.K. will delay the phaseout of gasoline and diesel cars. JUSTIN TALLIS / POOL VIA AP

While Britain has long been a leader in cutting emissions, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is now implementing a stunning reversal of climate-friendly policies, with new plans to “max out” oil production. Business leaders have joined environmentalists in condemning the moves.

BY FRED PEARCE • OCTOBER 17, 2023

In 1988, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher became the first world leader to take a stand on fighting climate change. Last month, exactly a quarter-century later, her successor Rishi Sunak tore up a cross-party consensus on the issue that had survived the intervening eight general elections and replaced it with a populist assault on what had been his own government’s environmental policies.

Thatcher, who trained as a chemist before entering politics, took her stand at a packed meeting of the country’s most prestigious science body, the Royal Society, on September 27, 1988. She told the assembly that “we are creating a global heat trap which could lead to climate instability” and promised action to curb global warming and achieve “stable prosperity”.

Tiếp tục đọc “Why Is Britain Retreating from Global Leadership on Climate Action?”

Amazon River hits lowest level in over a century

reuters.com

The Amazon River fell to its lowest level in over a century on Monday at the heart of the Brazilian rainforest as a record drought upends the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and damages the jungle ecosystem.

Rapidly drying tributaries to the mighty Amazon have left boats stranded, cutting off food and water supplies to remote villages, while high water temperatures are suspected of killing more than 100 endangered river dolphins.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Tiếp tục đọc “Amazon River hits lowest level in over a century”

Commission of Inquiry finds further evidence of war crimes in Ukraine

UN.org

A playground lies in ruins near  in the village of Groza in eastern Ukraine.

© Yevhen Nosenko

A playground lies in ruins near in the village of Groza in eastern Ukraine.

Facebook Twitter Print Email

Human Rights

A new UN report has found continued evidence of war crimes and human rights violations committed by Russian authorities in Ukraine, including torture, rape and the deportation of children. 

Tiếp tục đọc “Commission of Inquiry finds further evidence of war crimes in Ukraine”

Explainer: What is international humanitarian law?

UN.org

© UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

Families flee their shattered homes in Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza city.

Human Rights

While aid workers serving conflict-affected civilian populations depend on a set of laws to protect them, some warring parties violate these global agreements, from targeting hospitals and schools to blocking aid workers from reaching civilians with lifesaving goods and services.

But, what exactly are the rules of war and what happens when they are broken?

To find out more about international humanitarian law, known by its acronym IHL, UN News spoke with Eric Mongelard at the UN human rights office, OHCHR.

Here’s what you need to know:

Rules of war

International humanitarian law is as old as war. From passages in the Bible and Quran to medieval European codes of chivalry, this ever-growing set of rules of engagement aims to limit a conflict’s effects on civilians or non-combatants.

The laws represent “the very minimum rules to preserve humanity in some of the worst situations known to mankind,” Mr. Mongelard said, noting that the rules of war apply the moment an armed conflict has begun.

A UN interpreter works during a debate on international humanitarian law.
Tiếp tục đọc “Explainer: What is international humanitarian law?”