All posts by CPNN Coordinator

About CPNN Coordinator

Dr David Adams is the coordinator of the Culture of Peace News Network. He retired in 2001 from UNESCO where he was the Director of the Unit for the International Year for the Culture of Peace, proclaimed for the Year 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly.

From Rwanda To Beyond: New Collaborations And Collective Action At Women’s Conclave

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article by Ridhima Shukla in Forbes Africa

Attendees at the just-concluded Women Deliver 2023 Conference in Kigali exchanged ideas and experiences through thought-provoking discussions that set the stage for the unveiling of new and transformative policy frameworks supporting women’s rights and issues.

In the heart of Kigali, Rwanda, the BK Arena and Kigali Convention Centre buzzed with excitement as women from all corners of the world gathered for the Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023), from July 17-20, held for the first time in Africa.


The Women Deliver conference witnessed participation from over 6,000 stakeholders and advocates dedicated to advancing gender equality. Photo: UN Women/Emmanuel Rurangwa

Held under the theme, Spaces, Solidarity, and Solutions, the sixth Women Deliver Conference aimed to ignite collective action, empower the feminist movement, and foster a world where gender equality and women’s rights thrive.

A wide range of topics, including abortion access, LGBTIQQ rights, gender-based violence and impact of the climate crisis on women and girls, were discussed, along with focus on fostering youth engagement and elevating the perspectives of young women in the global gender equality movement.

The event saw an impressive turnout with thousands in attendance. Notable speakers included renowned personalities such as activist Malala Yousafzai. Also in attendance were four heads of state including Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame – with his wife and first lady Jeannette Kagame – Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde, Senegal’s President Macky Sall, and the President of Hungary, Katalin Novák.

One of the most significant announcements came from the collaboration between Women Deliver and Open Society Foundations, a grant-making network founded and chaired by Hungarian-American business behemoth and philanthropist George Soros.

Together, they unveiled a new funding facility to address, among other things, neglected areas of female sexual health and reproductive rights. The room erupted in applause as the audience recognized the potential of this facility in empowering marginalized women and girls who have long been denied access to basic healthcare.

As the conference progressed, it became evident that the commitment to drive change extended beyond the arena’s walls. More than 40 organizations came together to launch a powerful campaign addressing the gender nutrition gap. Their collective call urged governments to take transformative action, shining a spotlight on the stark inequalities that persist globally in women’s and girls’ nutrition.

Another momentous step forward was the unveiling of the RESPECT Women website. Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Women, and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), this policy framework and online platform has been designed to combat and respond to violence against women and girls. The website’s potential to create a safer environment and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment was met with resounding support and recognition.

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Question related to this article:
 
Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

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Perhaps the most moving moment at the conference was when UNFPA introduced Kigali Call to Action: United for Women and Girls’ Bodily Autonomy. This powerful call placed bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and gender equality at the core of the agenda. With a clear focus on women-led organizations and the feminist movement, the call aimed to drive coordinated and collective action towards gender equality by 2030.

The conference’s commitment to empowering future generations was expressed with the launch of the Women Deliver Emerging Leaders Program to provide young people with trust-based funding, knowledge, resources, and leadership opportunities in the pursuit of gender equality and reproductive health advocacy. As the torch was passed on to the next generation, the attendees celebrated the potential of these emerging leaders to create a lasting impact on the global stage.

Throughout the conference, attendees engaged in thought-provoking discussions, exchanging ideas and experiences, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for progress. Challenges were acknowledged, and the urgency to address them collectively was clear.

The importance of funding for gender equality advocacies resonated strongly among the attendees. Julia Fan, Senior Manager for Youth Engagement at Women Deliver, emphasized that funding remains a critical aspect in driving forward the agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Alongside the vibrant discussions and inspiring stories of progress, Soraya Hakuziyaremye, the Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, too offered valuable insights. She acknowledged the strides Rwanda has made in promoting women to leadership positions, highlighting that this progress did not happen overnight but has been the result of extraordinary leadership that recognized gender equity as a vital indicator of the nation’s progress, almost three decades ago.

While there were successes to celebrate, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Board Chair of Women Deliver, also addressed a pressing concern shared by many attendees.

She remarked: “What concerns most women today here is that progress in gender equality has been slow and uneven, and a major space where all countries have failed is violence against women. It is sad to sit and talk about this here again; I was talking about this 10 years ago.”

While gender issues still persist, efforts to combat them also have a history, starting with the Beijing Declaration in 1995 that opened the door for women’s issues to find mainstream recognition globally, leading to the Platform for Action adopted unanimously by 189 countries. In the words of Mlambo-Ngcuka, “it was a defining moment when women’s rights received the status of human rights”.

The development and acceptance of the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights in 2005 has also come a long way. The protocol has one of the highest number of ratifications for an instrument in the African Union (AU) and has objectively established a uniform basis for protecting the rights of women and girls in Africa. Forty nine of the 55 AU member states have signed the Maputo Protocol thus far.

Reflecting on the week’s transformative experience. Rania Dagesh, the Deputy Regional Director for eastern and southern Africa at UNICEF, expressed her sentiments: “The past week at Women Deliver has been phenomenal; there have been moments of reflection, profound exchanges, and valuable learning. I am truly grateful for participating.”

As the final moments of the conference unfolded, the atmosphere was one of hope, determination, and camaraderie.

(Editor’s note: For another perspective on the conference, see UN Women Executive Director visits Rwanda, applauds remarkable progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment.)

Africa, global, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,

New book: Nonviolent Journalism, a humanist approach to communication

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

An announcement from Pressenza

This book aims to reflect the first twelve years of collective effort of a non-profit organisation run by volunteers from the fields of journalism and communication: Pressenza, an international press agency with a nonviolent approach. It is on the basis of this approach and the process of developing the agency that we are able to present these pages to you.

Twelve years of successes and failures, of experiments, alliances, and learning through dialogue with and the know-how of communicators, activists, and friends from academia who have provided us with the impetus to put down on paper the foundations and principles, the tools and suggestions that could shape a nonviolent approach to communication and journalism at the service of those who may find it useful. The team that worked on this production has been with the agency since its inception. We have lived and breathed this project, and that undoubtedly brings with it advantages and disadvantages to this text, which is why it is good for the reader to be aware of this fact.

As you will see, this production is halfway between a book and a manual. The reason is simple: we wanted to set out the elements that underpin the approach and also provide some tips that have helped us to put it into practice and to identify it in other allied media. Therefore, you will find examples taken not only from Pressenza but also from other media. We are not and do not aspire to be the “owners” of the content: we have learned from many people and in many environments. Our task is to integrate these learnings in the best possible way.

Who were we thinking of when we wrote these pages? Most especially in educational establishments where the new generations of communicators and journalists are being qualified. We would like this book to be useful in university lecture theatres, both for teachers and students. But we are also thinking of professionals in the field and activists in social collectives, movements and organisations whose agendas – also characterised by nonviolence – may find tools for dissemination in this approach.

This is the first edition. We reserve the right to improve it and, hopefully, in a little while, publish a second and third edition, etc. It is, therefore, a living publication.

Click here to purchase the English edition

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(Click here for the book in Spanish or click here for the book in French)

Questions related to this article:

Free flow of information, How is it important for a culture of peace?

Journalism in Latin America: Is it turning towards a culture of peace?

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About the authors

Pía Figueroa Edwards (Chile)

Chilean, has a degree in Art History and is an expert in ecology. From 2008 to date, she has been co-director of Pressenza, international press agency. She writes regularly, is an executive producer of television documentaries and has produced several research monographs. She has published three books, which form part of the current of thought known as Universalist Humanism.

Nelsy Lizarazo Castro (Ecuador/Colombia)

of Colombian and Ecuadorian nationality, has a postgraduate degree in Political Science and International Relations and an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Literature. As a communicator and educator, she worked for twelve years, over two different periods, in ALER, the Latin American Association of Popular Education and Communication. She is a university lecturer and founder of Pressenza, as well as editor in the Ecuadorian bureau and, for the last five years, has been a co-producer of the radio programme Cuatro Elementos [Four Elements], which focuses on the analysis of international events.

Juana Pérez Montero (Spain)

has a degree in journalism from the Faculty of Information Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid. She has worked in the written press and radio. She has developed her journalistic work collaborating with different groups, social movements and spiritual expressions. Her commitment to collective creation has led her to participate in the production of documentaries, books and monographs, as well as in the construction of networks of activists who advocate for an unconditional universal basic income, nuclear disarmament, dialogue and reconciliation between individuals and peoples.

Tony Robinson (United Kingdom)

As an activist in World without Wars and Violence, he took part in the first World March for Peace and Nonviolence which campaigned for the elimination of nuclear arsenals and all forms of violence. Since then, Tony has been first a writer, then an editor and finally a co-director for Pressenza, International Press Agency. In 2019, he produced the award-winning documentary film, The Beginning of the End of Nuclear Weapons, with director Álvaro Orús.

Javier Tolcachier (Argentina)

is a researcher at the World Centre for Humanist Studies. He is a columnist and member of the founding team of Pressenza, International Press Agency. His works include the books Memories of the Future, The Fall of the Dragon and the Eagle, Humanising History and Trends, as well as papers, articles, studies and monographs that attempt to apply a humanist look to diverse fields of human activity. He has been involved in the Humanist Movement for four decades and lives in Córdoba, Argentina, his hometown.

About the book

At the time of writing, the book has been published in 3 different Spanish language editions in Chile, Ecuador and Colombia  and also in Italian.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

Local resistance actions: can they save sustainable development?

There is a growing movement to resist development projects that destroy the natural environment. And we raise the question, can these resistance movements save sustainable development. A test case is developing in France where the resistance movement is continuing to grow despite efforts by the government to crush it.

Here are the relevant CPNN articles.

Greta Thunberg, 40+ Other Climate Activists Block Entrance to Swedish Parliament

France: Les Résistantes 2023 – meetings of local and global struggles

France: “You are, we are, Earth Uprisings”

Uncategorized

France: Les Résistantes 2023 – meetings of local and global struggles

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Les Resistantes

From August 3 to 6, 2023, the Larzac plateau will host the first edition of the Resistance – Meetings of local and global struggles! More than 570 local struggles are identified today on the Reporterre map, and this Meeting by and for struggles will be an opportunity to honor them and bring together this vast movement that is growing across France.


La carte de resistantes dans le sud de France
(Click on image to enlarge)

From local to global, many associations, unions and collectives also work on related, social, environmental, societal subjects, and would benefit a lot from meeting and helping each other more.

Concretely, these 4 days will be an opportunity to invite new people to join our struggles, to prepare perspectives for mobilization together, to train, to celebrate our victories, to see how to help each other and to strengthen the coalitions of struggles. geographic or thematic that pop up everywhere. Concerts, workshops, assemblies, meetings, training, screenings-debates, shows, children’s area, nature walks, participatory radio and many other things will be on the agenda!

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(Click here for the original article in French

Question for this article:

Local resistance actions: can they save sustainable development?

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The main objectives of the event:

-> Bring together the militant sphere that revolves around struggles without necessarily getting very involved, and encouraging them to do so through clear and numerous means.

-> Make visible and publicize the movement of local struggles across France, its scale and its strength, with a view to recruitment and credibility.

-> Bring together networks of struggles that do not speak to each other or speak too little, isolated local struggles or global organizations that fight on related issues, which would thus see that their case is far from being the only one and that they can find outside support.

-> Accelerate the dynamics of inter-struggle cooperation: the Meetings will make it possible to provide logistical, communication, organizational and financial capacities and skills so that the coalitions of struggles can structure mutual aid, planning and recruitment.

-> Put the struggles, the next deadlines and the next major global battles on the agenda of the media and many allies for the start of the 2023 school year.

-> Structure a long-term network of volunteers capable of supporting struggles and their networks over the long term across France.

-> Make a joyful time that celebrates our past victories and that allows us to prefigure dozens to come!

contact@lesresistantes2023.fr

(Thank you to Emmanuelle Dufossez for sending this to CPNN.)

Europe, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Brazil Federal District: Management of Culture of Peace and Mediation completes one year this Wednesday

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Jornal de Uberaba

This Wednesday, the Office of Culture of Peace and Mediation of the Public Defender’s Office of the Federal District (DPDF) completes one year. It was a period of positive results in conflict resolution, in order to avoid new lawsuits and encourage dialogue between the parties. In all, 3,185 consultations were carried out, with 75% of conflicts resolved through agreements.

In addition, several other initiatives were adopted to accelerate mediation and conciliation during the period. Partnerships were established with regional administrations, public schools and law universities in the Federal District, which carried out mediations and conciliations, training with more than 200 civil servants with postgraduate degrees and distance learning courses, management and alignment workshops, training and the offer of postgraduate scholarships. graduation with the counterpart of the beneficiaries contributing to the growth of the culture of peace and mediation of the Public Defender’s Office of the DF.

The three most recurrent demands in management throughout this first year were alimony, consensual divorce and divorce.

The implementation of the results management tool with the systematic spreadsheet of data was also essential for improving management work and decision-making.

In commemoration of the management’s anniversary, the DPDF will create a specific sub-secretariat to concentrate mediation actions within the scope of the institution. It will be one more way to encourage the practice in the assistance provided by the Public Defender’s Office, as a way to avoid judicialization and speed up the cases. Currently, the Culture of Peace and Mediation Management is linked to the DPDF School of Legal Assistance

Also in honor of the date, the DPDF will promote, on August 18, a lecture with the judge of the Court of Justice of Bahia (TJBA) André Gomma, one of the creators of the self-composition methods of conflict resolution in Brazil and a national reference in the subject. The class will be part of the continuing education course on Family Law, Culture of Peace and Mediation, and Childhood and Youth, promoted by Easjur.

The management’s proposal is to promote appropriate methods for conflict resolution, emphasizing mediation and conciliation, in order to implement multi-door justice, provided for in the Civil Procedure Code of 2015. With the objectives of humanizing conflicts, seeking peace, promoting education in rights and the speed of the process, the solution rate of the first 2,200 demands received was 90%, between September 2022 and March 2023.

In commemoration of the Management’s anniversary, the DPDF will create a specific subsecretariat to concentrate mediation actions within the scope of the institution.

The general public defender, Celestino Chupel, recognizes the transformative role of management in the traditionally established scenario of excessive judicialization. “It is necessary to break with paradigms and update the techniques used in conflict resolution. Mediation allows for faster and more uncomplicated dispute resolution, in addition to facilitating effective communication between the parties”, he analyzed.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Discussion question

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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For the public defender and head of the Culture of Peace and Mediation Management, Lídia Nunes, the work carried out in mediation is very important to avoid judicialization and possible overload of the Judiciary. “By means of self-composition techniques, we manage to make people aware and provide information so that they can build the solution to their conflicts themselves. It is a faster and more effective way of resolving disputes”, she explained.

Innovative project

The Legal Assistance Nucleus (NAJ) Deusa Maria de Carvalho, located in the Ceilândia Forum, innovated in the execution of the mediation project in ongoing processes. There were 203 hearings held in eight days throughout the month of July, with a success rate of 95%.

The success is due to the offer of 12 full postgraduate scholarships in Law at the Brazilian Institute of Teaching, Development and Research (IDP) to defenders and servants of the DPDF, who must collaborate with a minimum of 40 hours in mediation, conciliation hearings or attempted settlement in the administrative region. The purpose of the initiative is to increase the offer of hearings on peaceful methods of conflict resolution for residents of Ceilândia, the most populous region of the Federal District.

Management’s proposal is to promote appropriate methods for conflict resolution, emphasizing mediation and conciliation, in order to implement multi-door justice, provided for in the 2015 Code of Civil Procedure.

School of Legal Assistance

In the last year, Easjur has actively participated in the institutional evolution of the Culture of Peace and Mediation within the Public Defender’s Office of the Federal District. With the creation of management, the educational body conceived the workflows with the DPDF nuclei and bodies that make up the local public administration, as well as produced guidance materials that gave essence and direction to the work.

Established alignment with the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT) to ensure greater reach in service, in addition to partnerships with higher education institutions, enabling the entry of professors and hundreds of students in the institution to collaborate with the provision of services in mediation to the underprivileged population.

On the other hand, with a view to ensuring training and technical improvement, in line with private institutions, hundreds of postgraduate scholarships and training courses were offered to DPDF defenders and servants.

Dejudicialization of claims

One of the purposes of mediation and conciliation is the resolution of conflicts through dialogue, thus avoiding the judicialization of demands and the overload of the Judiciary.

One of the people who approached the Culture of Peace and Mediation Management during this period was Regiane Braseiro, 32 years old. She is the mother of five children and contacted the DF Public Defender’s Office to carry out a DNA test on her youngest son, who is eight months old. “I need proof of paternity for my youngest child to include the father’s name on the birth certificate and apply for child support,” she explained.

Conciliar Space

In April, the DPDF, the TJDFT and the Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT) inaugurated the Conciliar Space. The new environment offers a multidisciplinary service, with the aim of identifying the feasibility of resolving conflicts without filing a lawsuit, resolving issues through mediation or conciliation in loco and free of charge.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

World’s Children Launch Appeal for Peace from Rabat

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

An article from the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication of Morocco

Children from 26 countries launched an appeal for peace in Arabic and English on Wednesday from the Parliament building in Rabat, calling for a world of understanding and harmony, free of hatred and intolerance.


Video of Festival

“We, children from different parts of the world, are gathered here in Morocco to raise our voices and call for peace in all corners of our beloved country,” they stressed in this message read by one of the girls participating in a ceremony organized by the House of Representatives on the occasion of the 15th International Children’s Festival for Peace, organized by the Bouregreg Association under the honorary presidency of HRH Princess Lalla Meryem (July 23-31).

In their appeal, these children recall with hope and pride the achievements of the Moroccan football team during the World Cup in Qatar, noting that the round ball has once again demonstrated its power to unite hearts, spread love and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between peoples. “Through their dedication and selflessness, the Atlas Lions have shown the world the power of diversity and cultures,” they said.

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This spirit of solidarity can go beyond the stadiums and point the way to the peace that is longed for, the signatories of the appeal said, noting that in today’s world, the emergence of artificial intelligence offers endless opportunities to strengthen peace, understanding and cooperation around the world.

In this context, they called on governments, institutions and individuals to prioritize the ethical and responsible development of AI, while ensuring that this technology is governed by principles of justice and transparency for the benefit of humanity.

Speaking on the occasion, Hassan Benomar, Vice-President of the House of Representatives, said that the appeal launched by these children was aimed at instilling the culture of peace, friendship and fraternity in the minds of future generations.

He pointed out that the International Festival of Children for Peace has become a tradition that makes it possible to know Moroccan children and their life in a strong, democratic, stable and peaceful society.

He welcomed all the children participating in the Festival, highlighting Morocco’s millenary history, its cultural richness and its orientations that privilege universal values under the wise and insightful leadership of HM King Mohammed VI.

He also welcomed the choice of the United Arab Emirates as Guest of Honor for this edition, as a tribute to its cultural and social characteristics, as well as its economic and urban development.

For his part, Abderrahmane Rouijel, founding director of the International Children’s Festival for Peace, told MAP that 500 children participated in the preparation of the Rabat Appeal, which was launched from the seat of the Parliament and addressed to the whole world.

Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

PAYNCOP Gabon Trained Youth and Women in Political Leadership in the City of Oyem

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

Special for CPNN by Jerry Bibang

Thanks to the support of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace, Gabon section (PAYNCOP Gabon) trained, over the past weekend, around thirty youth and female candidates from the commune of Oyem for political leadership.

The town hall hosted the training workshop which brought together nearly forty participants, from the political parties of the majority and the opposition as well as independent candidates.

Long before the training workshop, an intergenerational dialogue was organized between the local authorities and the participants. This dialogue allowed participants to exchange freely with local authorities in order to strengthen collaboration between the two parties, in an inclusive management approach that gives young people the opportunity to participate in public affairs.

“We cannot all be mayors, municipal or departmental councillors. However, it is possible to participate in the management of public affairs when there is genuine collaboration between the local authorities and the citizens united in associations. This is the meaning of this intergenerational dialogue,” explained Jerry Bibang, the Project Coordinator.

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(Click here for the original French version of this article)

Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

How should elections be organized in a true democracy?

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“The representation of young people and women remains very low in political decision-making bodies, although they are the most numerous activists in the political parties of the majority and the opposition. This is why we want to accompany them during these various elections in order to improve this representativeness,” he added.

For the Secretary General of the prefecture, Cyprien Meboune M’Esso, “the project is in line with the country’s public policies, in particular the National Youth Policy (partnership contract for responsible youth) which recommends associating young people in the management of public affairs. It is also part of the political will of the highest authorities, a will materialized by several measures, in particular “the youth seven-year term” and “the women’s decade”.

The training, provided by the geopolitical expert and international consultant Francis Sima Mba, was intended to be very practical, essentially concerned elements relating to the electoral campaign, including political strategy, development of a political program, political marketing as well as public speaking tips.

“It was very instructive for us. We learned a lot about the actions to take before, during and after the vote. I also learned about managing a campaign team and even how to behave during the campaign,” said Junior Franck Nkou-Nkou, young candidate for the Forum pourla République Gabonaise (FRG) political party.

“The seminar was very fruitful for us because we learned how to run an effective campaign with limited resources,” added Mengue Arlette, young candidate for the Mon Destin en Main (MDM) party.

In addition to training, the project provides logistical support for young and female candidates who meet the defined criteria.

Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Three large South American economies sign an agreement in Cartagena to tighten tax policies against “ghost companies”

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Euro ES Euro

The First Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean for an inclusive, sustainable and equitable global taxation, had the participation of 16 governments of the region and is taking place in Cartagena. Twitter/@MinHacienda


Three of the main economies of South America (Chile, Colombia and Brazil) joined forces at the ‘First Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean for global, inclusive, sustainable and equitable taxation’ held in Cartagena de Indias, in which officials and Finance ministers from 16 Latin American countries met to establish a joint regional platform.

The objective of this initiative is to address the challenges posed by the global economic landscape, especially in relation to the impact of tech giants like Netflix, Spotify and Amazon in the region.

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Question for this article:

Opposing tax havens and corruption: part of the culture of peace?

(Article continued from the left column)

The summit, which included the participation of three other large economies in the region, such as Mexico, Argentina and Peru, represents an effort to discuss and harmonize the reform of certain shortcomings in the tax structure of Latin American nations, which are characterized by being one of the most unequal areas of the world in terms of wealth distribution.

The debate on the need to establish a worldwide corporate tax rate was the subject of discussion for a long period, however, the inherited social imbalances of the pandemic accelerated the urgency to take action on it.

The large economies of the world have already reached recent agreements to tax the profits of technology companies and other large transnational corporations operating in their countries with a minimum of 15%.

Former Colombian Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo who played a key role in the preparation of the summit, emphasized in an article published in the daily Time  about the importance of facing the challenges posed by the digital economy.

Ocampo pointed out that large fortunes and corporations use “shell companies” in tax havens to evade a significant part of their tax obligations, which has aggravated inequality in the region.

José Antonio Ocampo led the preparation of the summit from his position as minister, highlighting how the emergence of the digital economy allowed corporations to use more “shell companies” in tax havens. Twitter/@JoseA_Ocampo

This is related to awareness of tech companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon paying taxes in jurisdictions with very low tax rates, where they establish their financial headquarters, rather than in the countries where they operate and generate revenue.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

English bulletin August 1, 2023

NEWS FROM THE PALESTINE ISRAEL CONFLICT

“Israel’s military occupation has morphed the entire occupied Palestinian territory into an open-air prison, where Palestinians are constantly confined, surveilled and disciplined.” This is the conclusion of the latest report to the United Nations by its Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory.

The report “finds that since 1967, over 800,000 Palestinians, including children as young as 12, have been arrested and detained under authoritarian rules enacted, enforced and adjudicated by the Israeli military. Palestinians are subject to long detention for expressing opinions, gathering, pronouncing unauthorised political speeches, or even merely attempting to do so, and ultimately deprived of their status of protected civilians. They are often presumed guilty without evidence, arrested without warrants, detained without charge or trial and brutalised in Israeli custody.”

Not surprisingly, the rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, is under vicious attacks by Israel and it supporters. This is described in detail in the an article from the Jordan News.

Another recent report comes from Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, and Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former UN Secretary-General, based on a three-day visit to Israel and Palestine.

They heard from Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights organisations about the “ever-growing evidence that the situation meets the international legal definition of apartheid: the expansion and entrenchment of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the establishment of dual legal regimes and separation infrastructure in the occupied territories, and the institutionalised discrimination and abuses perpetrated against Palestinians. ”

Their report concludes that “The Government of Israel’s intent to exercise sovereignty over all the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea undermines the democratic ideals of the Israeli state, denies the Palestinian people their right to self-determination, and risks an uncontrollable explosion of violence on both sides.”

An editorial from Argentina summarizes recent events that threaten the democratic ideals of the Israeli State, in particular a new law that reduced the power of the Supreme Court of Justice to challenge government decisions. The editorial concludes that “the concentration of power makes it almost impossible to remove the president despite holding elections. Israel would thus seek to progressively abandon its democratic character, essential to maintain strong ties with the West and, particularly, with its greatest ally in the world, the United States.”

However, Israelis are not accepting the reforms without protest. As the editorial says that the protests are the greatest in Israeli history: “For more than 30 weeks, hundreds of thousands of protesters defy rain, cold or heat, opposing a reform that they simply consider a coup d’état.”

We are reminded of the apartheid regime in South Africa that was defeated by the combination of struggle within South Africa and diplomatic and economic pressure from the rest of the world.

The movement to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel’s regime of military occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid (BDS) continues to grow. A summary of BDS events over the past 18 years shows how this has developed.

The most recent BDS declaration comes from the American Anthropological Association, which voted to boycott Israeli academic institutions on the grounds that ““The Israeli state operates an apartheid regime from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea” and “Israeli academic institutions are complicit in the Israeli state’s regime of oppression against Palestinians… including by providing research and development of military and surveillance technologies used against Palestinians.”

Concerning the struggle by the Palestinians themselves, we publish two articles in CPNN this month.

The initiative Swim with Gaza proposes a solidarity swim with the children of Gaza on August 26: “Since 2007 the people of Gaza have been imprisoned. They have no parks, no mountains, no valleys. But they have the sea. Their only free space for fun. Let’s join them in the sea for a solidarity swim. Each year they have a swimming festival on Gaza beach. This year the Swimming Festival will be held on 26th August. So join in wherever you are – Egypt, Lebanon, South Africa, Morocco, Spain, Ireland, Brazil or Chile.”

Mazin Qumsiyeh, a Palestinian activist whom we quote often in CPNN, responds to the recent Israeli invasion of the city of Jenin including the Jenin Refugee camp. He asks himself the question of whether the Palestinian resistance can be non-violent or will it end in violence, and responds with a long quote from his friend, the historian Howard Zinn, including the following excerpt:

“We forget how often in this century we have been astonished by the sudden crumbling of institutions, by extraordinary changes in people’s thoughts, by unexpected eruptions of rebellion against tyrannies, by the quick collapse of systems of power that seemed invincible. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places — and there are so many — where people behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.”



HUMAN RIGHTS




Dismantle Israel’s carceral regime and “open-air” imprisonment of Palestinians: UN expert

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY



18 Years of BDS. 18 Years of Impact in Turning Darkness into Light

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



G77 Statement to High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

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WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Global Women for Peace United Against NATO members

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Promotion of the Culture of Peace in Africa – A Pan-African School of Peace in Yamoussoukro

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



11th World Peace Forum held in Beijing

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d-human rights

Israel: Democracy in Danger

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An editorial in La Nación, Buenos Aires (translation by Other News )

The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approved a law days ago that reduced the power of the Supreme Court of Justice to challenge government decisions, starting a dangerous path of weakening the most fundamental institutions of a country.


Israeli citizens protest against the reform proposed by Prime Minister Ohad Zwigenberg – AP

The ruling coalition is the most far-right in Israel’s 75-year history. Among its ranks are members of ultra-Orthodox parties, more interested in accentuating the Jewish identity of the State of Israel than in preserving its democratic component. In addition, members of the cabinet have been accused of supporting terrorist organizations, as well as being confessed homophobes who have called for violence against Palestinian populations.

Reforms to the judicial system have triggered protests never before seen in Israel. For more than 30 weeks, hundreds of thousands of protesters defy rain, cold or heat, opposing a reform that they simply consider a coup d’état.

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(click here for the original article in Spanish.)

Question related to this article:

Israel/Palestine, is the situation like South Africa?

(continued from left column)

Western democracies such as France and Germany added their criticism. The US president, Joe Biden, after 50 years of unconditional support for Israel, has personally demanded that Netanyahu stop the initiative and agree with the opposition on a reform that does not alter democracy. The move was also met with disappointment by many Jewish organizations in the United States such as the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League.

Within the Israeli government coalition there are voices and initiatives that would reduce the rights of the country’s minorities, mainly Palestinians with Israeli nationality, but also the rights of women and LGBTQ groups, among others.

Many analysts agree that, in line with what happened in Hungary, Poland or Turkey, where the concentration of power makes it almost impossible to remove the president despite holding elections, Israel would thus seek to progressively abandon its democratic character, essential to maintain strong ties with the West and, particularly, with its greatest ally in the world, the United States.

As Raanan Rein, the prestigious Israeli historian and former vice president of Tel Aviv University, explained, many coups are no longer carried out with tanks in the streets, but through the progressive erosion of individual liberties, through the domination of Justice, the media and the educational system.

If we continue on this path, the social fracture could be very detrimental to the country. Military reservists are threatening not to report to duty, the country’s largest doctors’ association has declared a 24-hour strike in protest of the vote and union groups are threatening force.

The sector that opposes the reform is made up mainly of groups of enormous economic weight, such as technology. Moody’s risk rating agency has already warned about the “negative consequences” of the reform. Following the vote, four Israeli daily newspapers published a large black spot on their front pages with the phrase “A black day for Israeli democracy.”

It is imperative that the Israeli government reconsider its progress on Justice, avoid further damage to its international prestige and the cohesion of its population with the aim of maintaining a plural society, a modern economy and a political system aligned with the democracies of the West, according to with the provisions of its declaration of independence.

(Thank you to Other News for sending this article to CPNN.)

HUMAN RIGHTS, Mideast