March 2020 — Page 5 of 16 — Human Rights & Charity

Ease sanctions against countries fighting COVID-19: UN human rights chief

Michelle Bachelet said humanitarian exemptions to sanctions measures should be authorized for essential medical equipment and supplies to avoid the collapse of any national healthcare system.

“At this crucial time, both for global public health reasons, and to support the rights and lives of millions of people in these countries, sectoral sanctions should be eased or suspended. In a context of global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us”, she stated.

COVID-19 has affected nearly 190 countries, with more than 330,000 cases reported globally as of Monday, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

At least 1,800 people in Iran have died from the disease, including 50 doctors. Human rights reports on the country have repeatedly highlighted the impact of sanctions on access to essential medicines and equipment, such as respirators and protective equipment for healthcare workers.

Ms. Bachelet feared sanctions could also impact medical efforts in Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

“The majority of these states have frail or weak health systems. Progress in upholding human rights is essential to improve those systems – but obstacles to the import of vital medical supplies, including over-compliance with sanctions by banks, will create long-lasting harm to vulnerable communities”, she said.

“The populations in these countries are in no way responsible for the policies being targeted by sanctions, and to varying degrees have already been living in a precarious situation for prolonged periods”.

The UN rights chief underscored the need to protect health workers in these countries, who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, while authorities should not punish professionals who point out any deficiencies in response.

Ms. Bachelet urged world leaders to come together at this time as no country can combat the pandemic alone.

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Readers can find information and guidance on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the UN, World Health Organization and UN agencies here. For daily news updates from UN News, click here.

G-20 summit provides chance to rally strongly against coronavirus threat: UN chief

In a letter to the members of the Group of 20 industralized powers (G-20), António Guterres welcomed their decision to convene an emergency virtual summit on the pandemic, which has already affected health, education and economies worldwide.

“COVID-19 will require a response like none before — a ‘war-time’ plan in times of human crisis”, he wrote on Monday.

“The G-20 leadership has an extraordinary opportunity to step forward with a strong response package to address the various threats of COVID-19. This would demonstrate solidarity with the world’s people, especially the most vulnerable”.

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Suppress the virus

Mr. Guterres recommended three areas for discussion and decision-making at the meeting, due to be held on Thursday.

Topping his list is the need for coordinated action to suppress the virus through “an articulated response mechanism” guided by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Such a mechanism would strengthen the global response and provide countries with stronger capabilities to stop transmission: test, trace, quarantine, treat the sick and coordinate measures to restrict movement and contact. It would also help enhance scientific collaboration in the search for a vaccine and therapeutic treatment”, he said.

Additionally, he called for increased procurement of medical and protective equipment, particularly for developing countries, and offered up the UN’s global supply network for this purpose.

G-20 leaders were also asked to ban tariffs and remove restrictions on cross-border trade that affects the deployment of medical equipment, medicines and other essential goods.

“And I am encouraging the waiving of sanctions imposed on countries to ensure access to food, essential health supplies, and COVID-19 medical support. This is the time for solidarity not exclusion”, the Secretary-General added.

Stimulus package for developing countries

For his second point, Mr. Guterres previewed the social and economic impact of the pandemic, which is likely to be in the trillions of dollars. He urged the G-20 to launch a large-scale stimulus package for developing countries.

“Unlike 2008, this is not a banking crisis”, he said. “While the liquidity of the financial system must be guaranteed, we need to focus on people — families, low-wage workers, small and medium enterprises and the informal sector. Important steps have already been taken by developed countries in this direction. This must be scaled up”.

Furthermore, developing economies also will require a support package that could include trade credits, liquidity lines and help in accessing concessional financing.

‘Recover better’ through sustainable development

Looking further ahead, the UN chief underlined the need to “recover better” through more inclusive and sustainable development models. The pandemic has served as a “stark reminder” of humanity’s common fate and the need to invest in critical public services and social protection systems.

He reminded G-20 leaders of the agreed global framework for action through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“We must ensure that the recovery strategy out of this crisis keeps us on track towards these longer-term objectives, building a sustainable and inclusive economy”, he said.

Mr. Guterres also urged G-20 nations to “contribute generously” to the COVID-19 humanitarian appeal he will launch on Wednesday, mainly focused on 40 countries where health systems are most vulnerable.

UN in Nigeria strengthens COVID-19 containment and care, mobilizes $2 million for key support to Government

The funds – to be used to procure essential medical supplies – was announced today by Edward Kallon, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, at a national conference in Abuja on the COVID-19 crisis.

“The United Nations system in Nigeria will support rapid procurement of disease commodity packages for surveillance, prevention and control, and clinical management,” he said.

He added that the UN will support the Government’s efforts to immediately set up a national response fund that will serve as a single national platform and financing framework, coordinating partnerships and mobilizing resources that can make an effective impact on the ground.

The gesture is part of a wider United Nations strategy to amplify efforts by Governments around the world to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Kallon said. It also underscores the urgent need for collaboration, given the multifaceted nature of the virus and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and society.

Nigeria’s Minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire, thanked the United Nations system for its support. He said the Government will ensure that resources are deployed where they are needed most, and that his Ministry is prepared for both worst-case and best-case scenarios.

The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Abuja has reported a total of 44 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria as of today, including one death.

COVID-19: Lockdown across India, in line with WHO guidance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s order for the country’s 1.3 billion people to stay home, is an escalation of the 07:00 – 21:00 “Janata curfew” introduced on March 22, and it comes a day after the government grounded all domestic flights. Mr. Modi reportedly declared that the lockdown applies to “every district, every lane, every village”, and warned that “If you can’t handle these 21 days, this country will go back 21 years”.

The future of this pandemic will be determined by what happens to densely-populated countries Mike Ryan, Emergencies Programme Director, WHO

As of Tuesday, WHO figures showed that India is so far relatively unscathed by the pandemic, with fewer than 500 confirmed cases, but there are fears that, if the disease takes a hold, the consequences could be more catastrophic than anything seen so far in China, Europe or the USA.

Speaking at press briefing in Geneva on Monday, Mike Ryan, WHO Emergencies Programme Director, said that it was important for India to introduce ramped up measures at a public health and societal level, to control and suppress the disease. “India is a hugely populous country”, he said. “The future of this pandemic will be determined by what happens to densely-populated countries”.

A ‘timely, comprehensive and robust response’

Dr. Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India, praised the country’s response to the pandemic, describing it as “timely, comprehensive and robust”, with the authorities taking the “whole-of-government” approach advocated by WHO, and Prime Minister Modi personally spearheading efforts.

The government, he continued, is making headway in areas such as prevention and containment, including “strengthening surveillance, laboratory capacity, contact tracing and isolation, risk communications and initiating emergency measures”.

Dr. Bekedam noted that Mr. Modi’s call for social distancing has received widespread community support across the country, a step that is expected to help in “flattening the curve” (slowing the rate of infection).

WHO and other UN partners, noted Dr. Bekedam, have been working closely with the Indian government on preparedness and response measures, disease surveillance, laboratory and research protocols, risk communications, training on infection prevention and control and cluster containment plan, surveillance and tracking of travellers.

Amidst pandemic, now is the time for action to also beat tuberculosis, urges WHO

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a quarter of the global population is estimated to be infected with TB bacteria. And even if there are no signs of sickness, those infected with TB already are at greater risk of developing the disease, especially those with weakened immune systems.

In 2018, 10 million people worldwide fell ill with TB – 1.5 million fatally.

“COVID-19 is highlighting just how vulnerable people with lung diseases and weakened immune systems can be”, stressed Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The world committed to end TB by 2030 [and] improving prevention is key to making this happen”.

New WHO guidance aims to help countries accelerate efforts to stop those infected with TB from becoming sick by giving them preventive treatment, which will also cut down on the risk of transmission.

The WHO chief highlighted the importance of continuing efforts to tackle longstanding health problems, including TB, during global outbreaks such as COVID-19.

Preventive treatment

Although some progress has been made towards targets set at the UN high-level meeting on TB in 2018, TB preventive treatment has been largely inadequate.

“Millions of people need to be able to take TB preventive treatment to stop the onset of disease, avert suffering and save lives”, asserted the WHO chief.
And while global leaders committed to ensuring access to preventive treatment to at least 24 million contacts of people with active TB, and six million living with HIV, by 2022, to date only a fraction of that target has been reached, with countries providing for less than 430,000 contacts and 1.8 million people with TB.

TB preventive treatment is an affordable intervention that can prevent families from sliding into poverty and preserve the health and economy of whole communities. WHO anticipates that as new and safer drugs come to market, and as prices fall, it will become a highly-cost effective way to save millions.

New consolidated guidelines

New WHO guidance is designed to help countries accelerate efforts to stop people with TB infections from becoming sick, including by ramping up preventive treatments among high-risk populations, such as those living with HIV and others with lowered immunity.

Tuberculosis remains the top cause of death among people with HIV. And because preventive treatment works with antiretroviral therapy to thwart TB, WHO underscored that reinvigorated efforts by governments, health services, partners, and donors is needed to increase access to TB preventive treatment.

While emphasizing that it does not become a barrier to scaled-up access, the UN agency also recommended testing for TB to determine who would most likely benefit from preventive treatment.

“As people around the globe come together to commemorate World TB Day, WHO is calling on governments, affected communities, civil society organizations, health-care providers, donors, partners and the industry to unite forces and step up the TB response – notably for TB preventive treatment – to ensure no one is left behind”, said Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme.

Affirming that the WHO’s new guidance “shows the way forward for millions to rapidly access new tools and shorter, safer options for preventive treatment”, Dr Kasaeva concluded by spelling out: “The time for action is now”.

Commemorating the day

World TB Day is observed annually on 24 March 24 to raise public awareness and understanding about the devastating health, social and economic impact it has on people globally.
The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
This year’s theme “It’s Time”, spotlights the need to urgently accelerate the TB response to save lives and end suffering.

COVID-19: UN health agency advice informs decision to delay Olympic Games for first time since 1944

The decision to delay the Games was announced in a joint statement from the International Olympics Committee (IOC), which is a partner with the United Nations, and the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.

The Joint Statement referred to the words of the WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who warned on Tuesday that the virus pandemic is ‘accelerating’, with the number of confirmed global cases rising from 200,000 to 300,000 in just four days.

IOC President, Thomas Bach, and Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, expressed concern for the effect that the pandemic is having on people’s lives, and the significant impact that it is having on elite athletes’ preparations for the Games.

The likelihood of the Games taking place on time receded in the days leading up to the decision, with Canada and Australia announcing that they would not send athletes to Tokyo this Summer, and a number of other countries openly called for a postponement, because of the spread of COVID-19.

Déjà vu for Tokyo

The leaders announced that the Games will be rescheduled to “a date beyond 2020, but no later than Summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community”.

However, the Games, even though they have been moved to next year, will retain the official name “Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020”. The Olympic flame will stay lit, and remain in Japan.

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The decision to delay the event will mark the first time that the Games have not taken place as scheduled, since 1944. They were cancelled in 1916 due to World War One, and neither the 1940 nor the 1944 Olympics took place, because of World War Two.

This is the second time that a global crisis has affected Games due to be held in Japan: Tokyo would have been the venue of the cancelled 1940 Summer event.

The UN and the Olympics

Sport has been recognized by the UN as an “important enabler” of sustainable development, and is included in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. The UN and the International Olympic Committee have worked closely together for several years, in recognition of the contribution that sport plays in development and peace.

The IOC was granted Permanent Observer status by the UN General Assembly in 2009, enabling the IOC to be directly involved in the UN Agenda and to attend UN General Assembly meetings where it can take the floor, thus providing the possibility to promote sport at a new level.

New global platform to keep information networks ‘safer, stronger’ throughout COVID-19 pandemic

“The new platform will assist governments and the private sector in ensuring that networks are kept resilient and telecommunication services are available to all”, said ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao.

Telecommunication networks have never before been as vital to “our health and safety, and to keep our economy and society working” as they are during the current crisis, where millions are being encouraged to stay put at home, the ITU chief maintained.

He has asked instructed his team to “leverage without any delay” the new platform in aid of existing networks “to help countries and industry cope with the increasing stress being put on global networks”.

“At stake is our ability, as one human family, to give health workers everywhere, the tools they need to carry out their duties, to allow all those that can to work from home, to trade online, to ensure that hundreds of millions of children and young people keep up with their studies, and to keep in touch with loved ones, wherever they are”, he detailed.

The Global Network Resiliency Platform will also share best practices and initiatives that have been put in place during the COVID-19 crisis to ensure that telecommunication services are available to the maximum extent possible.
Moreover, the portal will collect relevant information and expertise on actions that telecommunication policymakers and others in the regulatory community can use to ensure that their networks serve their country’s needs.

‘Relevant and trustworthy’ information

“This new ITU platform will provide countries struggling to find appropriate solutions to ensure their networks’ resiliency with relevant and trustworthy information and expertise on how to cope with the stresses faced by their infrastructure”, assured the agency chief.

“And because time is of the essence, it will give those countries that still have time to prepare an opportunity to learn from what is being done elsewhere – from emergency spectrum reassignments to guidelines for consumers on responsible use”.

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Serving initially as an informative tool, the portal will soon be expanded to provide an interactive and engaging platform for continuous sharing throughout the pandemic and beyond.

“The crisis we are in today calls for solidarity”, he spelled out. “In these uncertain times, we should not forget all those around the world who still lack access to the Internet”.

ITU has long promoted universal, reliable and affordable connectivity, and will continue to push on all these fronts and advocate until everyone is connected.

“I call on all ITU members, from the public and private sector alike, to come together to build the best platform we can so that information and communication technology can help defeat COVID-19 and make us safer, stronger and more connected”, concluded the Secretary-General.

UN expert raises alarm over migrant, asylum seeker ‘pushbacks’ at Turkey-Greece border

“I am very concerned about the reported pushbacks of asylum seekers and migrants, which constitutes a violation of the prohibition of collective expulsions and the principle of non-refoulement,” said Felipe González Morales, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.

On 1 March, Greece suspended for 30 days, asylum applications for anyone who crossed the border irregularly, which prompted the Special Rapporteur to urge the country to “immediately reverse its decision”, saying it “has no legal basis in international human rights law”.

Migrants who managed to cross into Greece were allegedly intercepted by Greek border guards, detained, stripped, looted and pushed back to Turkey.

And alleged excessive use of force seems to have led to deaths and injuries, including the death of a Syrian asylum seeker.

“The right to individual assessment is the cornerstone of human rights and refugee protection”, warned Mr. González Morales. “It cannot be put on hold”.

He pointed out that returning people without due process “will inevitably result in cases of refoulement to situations where they may face the risk of death, torture, ill-treatment, persecution or other irreparable harm”.

Humanitarians in crosshairs

The Special Rapporteur also raised the alarm over an increase in hostility and violence against humanitarian workers, human rights defenders and journalists working at the border and in the Greek Aegean Sea.

“Greece has the responsibility to ensure that migrants and those assisting them are protected from threats and attacks”, he said. “The authorities should condemn promptly and ensure accountability for any such acts.”

The independent UN expert has shared his concerns with the Greek Government along with the relevant European Union institutions and the Government of Turkey.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Coronavirus update: WHO and world football launch ‘kick out coronavirus’ campaign, as millions sign up to WhatsApp helpline

The campaign involves a video featuring many of the biggest names in football (soccer to those in the US), including Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, and former England team captain, and World Cup semi-finalist, Gary Lineker.

FIFA President Gianni Infanti, said that the organization is calling on everyone to follow the WHO’s five key steps to stop the spread of the disease, focusing on hand washing, coughing etiquette, not touching your face, social distancing, and staying home if you feel unwell.

10 million users for WHO Whatsapp helpline

During his Monday press briefing, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that, since its launch just four days ago, the agency’s WhatsApp Health Alert messaging service, has already attracted some 10 million users. The service delivers reliable, accurate health information directly to users’ mobile phones.

Anyone who has Whatsapp on their mobile phone can subscribe by texting “hi”, to +41 22 501 76 55.

They will then receive a message from the UN health agency, inviting them to request further information on a range of coronavirus-related topics, including how to protect yourself from infection, travel advice, and latest news.

The service can send out replies to questions about coronavirus, 24 hours a day, and is designed to service government decision-makers by providing the latest WHO numbers and situation reports.

Currently sending out information in English, the free service will be launched in Arabic, French and Spanish-language versions later this week. Chinese and Russian versions are also being planned. To find out how to sign up, go to whatsapp.com/coronavirus/who.

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COVID treatments: avoid raising false hope

On the subject of treatments for COVID-19, Tedros reminded reporters that no treatment has so far been proven to be effective. The WHO chief noted that using untested medicines, without the right evidence, could raise false hopes, and even do more harm than good, in the short term.

“Small, observational and non-randomized studies will not give us the answers we need”, he said, adding that the use of untested treatments could also cause a shortage of essential medicines that are needed to treat other diseases.

We’re not ‘prisoners to statistics’

Updating the press on the latest COVID-19 case figures, Tedros said that the pandemic is accelerating: whilst it took 67 days from the first reported case to the first 100,000 cases, it took 11 days to reach 200,000, and just four days for 300,000 cases to be reported.

However, the WHO chief insisted that “we are not prisoners to statistics”, and that it is still possible to change the trajectory of the pandemic – by flattening the curve – adhering more closely to the agency’s guidance, particularly by testing every suspected case, isolating and caring for every confirmed case, and tracing and quarantining every close contact.

Recognizing that some countries are finding it hard to carry out such measures, Tedros expressed his gratitude for the efforts that several nations have made, to send Emergency Medical Teams to care for patients and train health workers in countries that need support. “This is an incredible example of international solidarity”, he said.

Reaching ‘beyond the possible’ in Hawaii to meet sustainability goals

UN News travelled to the island archipelago, as part of an International Labour Organization (ILO) project, called Dignity at Work, and spoke to the Governor of Hawaii, David Ige

Why are the Sustainable Development Goals important to Hawaii?

Hawaii is the most isolated island community on the planet, 2,500 miles from the nearest landmass, and we see the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise in a real way. These impacts are happening virtually every day. In the last five years, we’ve had at least five “500-year events”; events that would normally occur only once every 500 years. In 2018, we had the most rainfall ever in a single 24-hour period, 51 inches, and this is the most that has ever been recorded in human history.

In 2015, we actually had three Category 4 hurricanes surrounding the islands for the first time in recorded history. We’ve had four [coral] bleaching events. We’ve had “king tides” and rainstorms, so we know that climate change is real and impacts our weather and our communities.

That’s all very concerning…

It certainly is. As the sea level rises, we see greater erosion of our road system, for example, which creates a physical cost to the state in the sense that we know that the relocation of those highways is essential to maintain our transportation system.

So, we know that we have to begin planning for sea-level rises.

What mitigation measures are you taking now?

‘Sustainable Hawaii’ is an initiative that we launched in 2016, which aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Hawaii has committed to reaching 100 per cent clean, renewable energy for electricity by 2045. The initiative also includes managing and protecting 30 per cent of our priority watersheds, because we know that fresh water starts in our watersheds. It means managing 30 per cent of our near ocean waters.

Hawaii has committed to reaching 100 per cent clean, renewable energy for electricity by 2045 David Ige, Governor, Hawaii

And we’ve been aggressively looking at traditional and native practices, including streamlining our permitting process to allow for the restoration of traditional fish farms all around the state. We know that more than a thousand years ago, Hawaii was completely self-sufficient and that fish farms and managing ocean resources was a thriving part of that self-sufficiency.

Sustainable Hawaii also includes protection against invasive species. Hawaii has more endangered species than anywhere else on the planet. We do have many species that are not found anywhere else in the world, and that’s partly due to our geographic isolation from everyone.

So, we certainly are committed to keeping invasive plants and animals out of our ecosystems and most importantly being able to respond when invasive species are introduced into our islands.

Hawaii is also aiming to double local food production by the end of this year. Hawaii, like many other island communities, has had to import food; more than 90 per cent of the food consumed here is imported from somewhere else, and we recognize again that if we can invest in our communities, we would be able to grow more of our food.

Our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals is really a commitment to sustainable communities, to investing in ourselves. Rather than spending our dollars out of state to create jobs elsewhere, we believe that becoming a more sustainable Hawaii means that we will invest in ourselves and create jobs here in our local communities.

It sounds as though traditional knowledge is going to play a very important role in that process…

A thousand years ago it’s estimated that the population of Hawaii was very similar to what it is today and at that time they were totally self-reliant. Neither energy nor food was imported. So, we are definitely looking at utilizing traditional and cultural resource management ideas in today’s modern world to return to self-reliance.

Is there one achievement that you could point to, towards building sustainability, that you’re particularly proud of?

Our commitment to 100 per cent clean renewable energy for electricity. At the time we enacted the law to commit to that, no other community had done anything similar and at the National Governors’ Association, people were generally very surprised. They thought that it was so beyond possible that it was a foolish undertaking.

Now, California has embraced the commitment to 100 per cent clean renewable energy and other states are contemplating doing the same. I’m proud that Hawaii has really inspired other states and communities.

What are the new jobs that you’re looking to create?

A lot of the clean renewable energy projects have focused on solar and we’ve had tremendous expansion of rooftop solar for individuals in Hawaii; 37 per cent of the single-family homes now have rooftop solar and are generating energy for themselves. I think that’s the highest penetration in the country. We do know that that rooftop solar and utility-scale solar projects, have created jobs in the construction and support services tied to clean energy.

And are you taking any steps to prepare workers for these new jobs?

We have made a commitment in our community colleges to educate and retrain individuals who are wanting to work in the clean energy fields. We know that education is the key to improving a family’s quality of life. We have focused on a wide range of education programmes that hopefully will provide the skills that our residents need to thrive in the jobs created in the sustainable economy.

What are the biggest challenges you face in creating jobs?

Hawaii, for many years, was a leading sugar and pineapple producer and that spurred a lot of innovation. The last plantation closed in 2016, and now we want to support diversified agriculture. We do see a lot more technology in farming, for example, smart greenhouses that can produce a wide range of food.

We reinvested in our livestock industry so that we can produce more beef and pork, and we’re getting very close to launching an egg farm, so Hawaii can once again be self-sufficient in egg production.

Part of our commitment for doubling food production is focused on small-scale farmers and getting more young people interested in farming and this is a big challenge. We know that the farms of the future will rely on technology to be more efficient. if we can’t attract a new generation of farmers, then it’ll be very hard to increase local food production.

How optimistic are you about the future of work for Hawaiians?

I’m very optimistic about the future of work. There have been dire predictions that many jobs will be eliminated because of technology. However, in every instance where technology has eliminated jobs, it also has created many new jobs.

So, I am optimistic, as I think that our economies will change and the jobs of the future will be different from jobs in the past. But I also believe that there will be more work for our citizens, and it will be different work, but it would be just as challenging and rewarding.

We recognize as an island that we need to be committed to being more sustainable for the long-term benefit of the community. The overall majority of people in Hawaii feel the same way and they are willing to take on the challenge of sustainable development by investing in our communities.

The UN, SDGs and Hawaii

•   In 2015, countries across the world launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.
•   According to the UN, the SDGs provide “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”
•   The goals recognize that ending poverty reduction “must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth.”
•   Those improvements have to be made whilst tackling climate change and working to preserve the world’s oceans and forests.
•   The Sustainable Hawaii Initiative was launched in 2016 in response to the SDGs and focuses on food production, biodiversity, protecting watersheds, managing oceans and achieving 100 per cent renewable energy.

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Suppress the virus

Stimulus package for developing countries

‘Recover better’ through sustainable development

A ‘timely, comprehensive and robust response’

Preventive treatment

New consolidated guidelines

Déjà vu for Tokyo

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

The UN and the Olympics

‘Relevant and trustworthy’ information

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Humanitarians in crosshairs

10 million users for WHO Whatsapp helpline

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

COVID treatments: avoid raising false hope

We’re not ‘prisoners to statistics’

Why are the Sustainable Development Goals important to Hawaii?

That’s all very concerning…

What mitigation measures are you taking now?

It sounds as though traditional knowledge is going to play a very important role in that process…

Is there one achievement that you could point to, towards building sustainability, that you’re particularly proud of?

What are the new jobs that you’re looking to create?

And are you taking any steps to prepare workers for these new jobs?

What are the biggest challenges you face in creating jobs?

How optimistic are you about the future of work for Hawaiians?

The UN, SDGs and Hawaii

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