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Today when children are under serious threat from Covid-19, the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Summit is a highly appropriate time for countries to renew and update the vows they made then. Credit: Manipadma Jena/IPS

By Richard Jolly
BRIGHTON, United Kingdom, Sep 28 2020 (IPS)

On the eve of the UN’s 75th anniversary, Antonio Guterres, the UN’s Secretary-General has declared that the coronavirus pandemic is the world’s top security threat. He has called for action – for greater international co-operation in controlling outbreaks and developing an affordable vaccine, available to all. Such action is needed and possible -even in the absence of a large gathering of world leaders in New York to celebrate the anniversary.  But children today in every country need more.

Thirty years ago, on 29/30 September 1990, the largest gathering of world leaders that had ever taken place, met at UN Headquarters under the auspices of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF. This was The World Summit for Children. It was an enormous success, gathering headlines around the world-and leading to worldwide action for children.

The Summit set goals for improving the situation of children everywhere, in health, education and their needs in especially difficult circumstances. Every country in the world adopted and agreed to these goals and, since then, all but the United States has– ratified the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The World Summit for Children was the brainchild of the American James P. Grant, the charismatic head of UNICEF. After initial doubts about whether more than a handful of presidents or prime ministers would come for a high -level meeting on children – as opposed to one on trade or the economy – The World Summit for Children took place with 71 heads of State, including President Bush and Prime Minister Thatcher.

Though children are much less likely to suffer direct effects from the virus, the indirect effects are already serious -in disrupted education, in neglect of essential medical care, in disturbed relations with family, relatives and friends

Such was the success of the event that the idea of holding Summit meetings soon caught on – the Earth Summit in 1992, the World Summit for Social Development in 1995, the Millennium Summit in 2000, and the Summit for Sustain able Development in 2015.  agreed at the Summit for children.

More importantly, following the goals, child survival has improved dramatically: the number of children dying under five has been reduced by 60%, from 12 million in 1990 to well under 6 million today. Immunization, growth monitoring and other actions have improved the health and life expectancy of millions of children in the developing world, and all countries have accepted that “the best interests of a child shall be a primary consideration.”

Today when children are under serious threat from Covid-19, the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Summit is a highly appropriate time for countries to renew and update the vows they made then.

Though children are much less likely to suffer direct effects from the virus, the indirect effects are already serious -in disrupted education, in neglect of essential medical care, in disturbed relations with family, relatives and friends.

Many are also suffering the consequences of domestic violence and child abuse. Countries are turning away from collective national and international action just when it is needed most.

Today’s COVID crisis could be an opportunity -for a new impetus to invest in our children and in the next generation of doctors, nurses, scientists, statisticians and carers, who will need to be well prepared to deal with future crises and emergencies.

Though a collective meeting is not possible, every country needs to consider and plan for its children, both to recover from the immediate effects of the virus and to set new paths for the next five and ten years.

Prime ministers and heads of state should take the lead, citizen’s assemblies should add to the specifics and communities and governments should make the commitments. A World Summit is not possible nor necessary, -but every country needs to consider the new priorities for its children and make serious plans and policies to respond to them.

Richard Jolly is Honorary Professor at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. From 1982-95 he was Deputy-Executive Director of UNICEF when Jim Grant was Executive Director. Among the books he has written are “UNICEF- Global Governance that works” and “UN Ideas that Changed the World”, which he co-wrote with Tom Weiss and Louis Emmerij.

The post 30th anniversary of World Summit for Children – Today Children Need a New Initiative appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

The show “Kings of Kin” – brings together the work of Chéri Samba (pictured above), Bodys Isek Kingelez and Moké, known affectionately as the kings of Kinshasa, as their art is closely linked with the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, their home and work base. Credit: AD McKenzie

By SWAN
PARIS, Sep 28 2020 (IPS)

Chéri Samba has a sly sense of humour, both in person and in his work. Standing in front of his 2018 painting “J’aime le jeu de relais” (I Love the Relays) – which criticizes politicians who cling to power instead of passing the baton – Samba is asked about the resemblance of one of his subjects to a famous statesman.

“Oh, I was just portraying a politician in general. I didn’t really have a particular person in mind because they all have certain characteristics,” he responds. Then he adds mischievously, “Isn’t it me though? Doesn’t it look like me?”

In this case it doesn’t, but the Congolese artist sometimes depicts himself in various guises in his paintings. Visitors to the current exhibition in Paris featuring his work and those of two of his equally acclaimed countrymen will have fun trying to spot him on canvas.

The show – Kings of Kin – brings together the work of Samba, Bodys Isek Kingelez and Moké, known affectionately as the kings of Kinshasa, as their art is closely linked with the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, their home and work base. All three have participated in numerous exhibitions around the world, in group and solo shows, but this is the first time they’re being shown together in galleries.

Kings of Kin is being held jointly at the MAGNIN-A and the Natalie Seroussi galleries (running until Oct. 30) and features some 30 works, including Samba’s latest paintings. He is undoubtedly the star attraction with his bold, massive canvases commenting on social and political issues in Africa and elsewhere, but the others command attention as well.

Samba also is the only surviving “king” as Moké died in 2001 and Kingelez in 2015.

On a recent unseasonably hot afternoon, the artist is present at the MAGNIN-A gallery, speaking with a visitor who’s wearing a mask, although he himself is without one. He says he came to Paris in January, then got caught in the lockdown as the Covid-19 pandemic spread in France. He has used the time to complete several paintings for the current show.

Asked if he doesn’t miss the “inspiration” that Kinshasa provides, Samba replies that all artists should be able to produce work wherever they find themselves.

“I live in the world, and I breathe as if I’m in Kinshasa,” he says. “In my head, I want to live where I can speak with people and where they understand me. I travel with the same brain. I would like to be in Kinshasa, but this doesn’t prevent me from creating. The world belongs to all of us.”

His new paintings fill the entry and the main hall of the MAGNIN-A gallery, with bright greens, reds, blues – inviting viewers into his mind or current state of world awareness. 

The first work that strikes the eye is “Merci, merci je suis dans la zone verte” (Thank you, thank you I’m in the green zone), which depicts a man – the artist – seemingly caught in a vortex of some sort. Painted this year, the painting reflects the current global upheavals with the Covid-19 and other ills. It could also be referencing the DRC’s past under brutal colonialism and the difficulties of the present.

Another equally compelling work features the faces of six girls of different ethnicities, produced in acrylic with particles of glitter, and titled: “On Est Tout Pareils” (We’re All the Same). Samba says that his daughter served as the model and that the painting is a call for peace, equality and the ability to live together without discord.

The oldest of his paintings on display dates from 1989 and reveals a very different style, with softer colours and intricate workmanship, as he portrays a Congolese singer – the late feminist performer M’Pongo Love – wearing an attractive dress. Here the broad strokes are absent, and the designs on the dress are meticulously captured.

He says that although viewers may notice variations between his earlier output and the new works, he tends not to take note of such differences.

“All the paintings are like my children,” he says. “I can’t make distinctions between them.”

In contrast to Samba, the paintings by Moké comprise softer hues and have a more earthy feel, but they also compel the viewer to see into the lives of those depicted. Moké’s subjects nearly always elicit a certain empathy, a certain melancholy, and sometimes hope – whether these subjects are performers or an older couple simply having dinner together.

Moké lived for only 51 years, but his output was impressive – dating from the time he arrived in Kinshasa as a child and began painting urban landscapes on cardboard. He considered himself a “painter-journalist” and portrayed the everyday life of the capital, including political happenings. One of his paintings from 1965 depicts then-general Mobutu Sese Seko waving to the crowds as he came to power in Zaire (the previous name of the DRC).

In the Paris show, Moké’s paintings depict boxers, performers, frenetic city scenes, and portraits of women staring out with expressions that are both bold and solemn.

Meanwhile, the work of Kingelez takes viewers into a sphere of colourful towers and other “weird and wonderful” structures with a utopian bent, as he imagines a world that might possibly rise from the ravages of colonialism, inequity and bad urban planning.

The first Congolese artist to have a retrospective exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (“City Dreams” in 2018), Kingelez used everyday objects such as paper, cardboard and plastic to produce his first individual sculptures before creating whole fantastical cities.

His futuristic urban settings, which also address social issues, thus form a perfect companion to the “surreal earthliness” of Samba and Moké in Kings of Kin.

“These are artists who worked because of deep necessity, because they had something to say. It wasn’t about the art market or commerce,” said French gallery owner and independent curator André Magnin, who first encountered their work in the 1980s in Kinshasa.

The author of several books on Congolese art, Magnin said he hoped visitors to the exhibition would discover the unique “artistic richness” of the Congo region as exemplified by the “kings”. As for “queens”, he said that there weren’t many women artists working at the time, but that more are now becoming known and should be the focus of coming shows.

Dorine, a French art student of African descent who visited the exhibition, said she admired the artists and particularly Samba because he “speaks of African reality”.

“Their work is very interesting, and the message is extremely strong,” she told SWAN.

The post Congolese ‘Kings’ of Art on Exhibition in Paris appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

The UN estimates that 74% of Africans cannot afford healthy diets. That is nearly 1 billion Africans. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

By Dr Lawrence Haddad and Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko
ADDIS ABABA, Sep 28 2020 (IPS)

One of the biggest revelations of the COVID-19 pandemic has been that people with pre-existing, diet-related conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, are more at risk of suffering severe forms of the disease leading to a need for intensive hospitalization.

In Kenya, for instance, the Ministry of Health in July reported that 16 percent of seriously ill COVID-19 patients had diabetes, while diabetes and hypertension alone accounted for 47 percent of the COVID-19 deaths linked to pre-existing conditions.

According to WHO data, these chronic diet-related conditions were among the main risk factors for illness and mortality in Africa prior to COVID-19. The current crisis is simply throwing fuel on the fire. It has highlighted the criticality of diet as the key determinant of health of individuals and populations, particularly in urban areas, where an increased uptake of highly-processed and unhealthy foods is increasingly undermining regional nutrition goals.

In fact, data from countries in East and Southern Africa published in the Journal of International Development show that highly-processed foods now account for more than one third of the purchased food market. Not all of these foods are unhealthy, but many are, and combined with the availability of cheap, convenient and tasty street foods, the result is cheap food that is high in saturated and trans fats, salt and sugar.

Long-term solutions must be sought, a process that demands the involvement of all the world’s leaders from communities, governments, civil society and the private sector. The challenge is clear: how to incentivize food producers, processors, distributors and marketers to make nutritious food more available and affordable? 

To change these devastating trends fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, high-protein legumes, nuts, eggs and fish must become more widely available and much more affordable in Africa’s food markets. Healthy diets are often inaccessible to most of Africa’s population.

The UN estimates that 74% of Africans cannot afford healthy diets. That is nearly 1 billion Africans. This is shocking and unacceptable. These numbers are only likely to rise during this time of a pandemic, where job cuts have greatly reduced people’s spending power and lockdowns have broken food supply chains, further increasing food prices, especially the prices of perishable fresh foods.

Temporary and very partial workarounds include the expansion of social protection programmes such as in Nigeria providing targeted transfers to poor and vulnerable households. These financial packages help the vulnerable to meet their minimum dietary and nutritional needs, but they are not a complete or sustainable solution.

Long-term solutions must be sought, a process that demands the involvement of all the world’s leaders from communities, governments, civil society and the private sector. The challenge is clear: how to incentivize food producers, processors, distributors and marketers to make nutritious food more available and affordable?

First public policy needs to be aligned with this goal. Too many policies are working against this aim. For example too few food production and consumption subsidies are going to nutritious foods; too little public agricultural research development and farmer extension focuses on these foods; too often public food procurement disfavours these items and infrastructure development ignores cold chain development.

Agriculture in Africa is a key economic driver and supporter of livelihoods. Productivity needs to be increased, biodiversity promoted and climate resilience attained. Is this possible? Yes. Already, farmers in countries like Zambia are recording up to a 60 percent increase in yields through the application of ecosystem-based adaptation techniques.

Elsewhere, in Burkina Faso, farmers have reclaimed 200,000 to 300,000 hectares of degraded lands by digging shallow pots in barren land and filling them with organic matter. The reclaimed land now produces an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 additional tonnes of cereal for the Burkinabe. The challenge is to replicate these successes throughout the continent.

Second, private investment into these more nutritious foods needs to be incentivised. Of the $200 billion impact investment fund industry, GAIN estimates less than 0.3% goes to nutritious foods in Africa. Fund facilities that stimulate private investment in small and medium sized companies that produce nutritious foods for low income populations need to be established that offer loan rates that are lower than market while targeting nutrition outcomes.

Institutional investors such as pension funds need to signal to the bigger companies with extensive value chains in Africa that they will favour companies producing more nutritiously beneficial foods.

Third, consumer demand needs to be shifted towards healthy foods. Too often healthy food campaigns pale in comparison to private sector campaigns for highly processed foods: they lack imagination, humour and flair.

Healthy eating campaigns must be engaging, aspirational and memorable. Food environments—where consumers come face to face with food—are stacked against the consumption of healthy foods which are often consigned to unattractive spaces in markets and stores. This needs to change too.

Fourth, civil society campaigns can hold businesses and governments accountable for promoting healthy foods. Civil society activism is particularly essential to focus attention on silent crises such as unhealthy diets.

Together these four levers can incentivize businesses and other stakeholders to innovate and develop business models, products and services that make nutritious and safe foods more available, affordable, desirable, and sustainable. Africa cannot move ahead smoothly if 1 billion of its people cannot afford a healthy diet.

The approaches defined above are not exhaustive, but if well implemented will bring the continent closer to better nourishment, further improving the prospects of properly fighting emerging health challenges such as COVID-19, both from a health and economic perspective.

The post How to Make Nutritious Food Affordable for the 1 Billion Africans appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Excerpt:

Dr. Lawrence Haddad is the Executive Director, GAIN and H.E. Ambassador Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko is Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission

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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Fast fashion consumes vast resources, often polluting and devastating the natural world. Pictured here are garment workers in Bangladesh. Credit: Obaidul Arif/IPS

By Samira Sadeque
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 28 2020 (IPS)

Racism “keeps the global north oblivious to the effect of fast fashion addiction on the global south” say environmental and gender justice experts.

Organisers and activists came together last week to discuss how the fast fashion industry sits at the intersection of environmental and gender justice. The industry, which discriminates against women from the production cycle to the consumption of it, contributes to environmental degradation as two million tonnes of textile are discarded every year.

Beyond that, fashion also plays a crucial role for people of different genders to express themselves, panelists said at the United Nations General Assembly event “Subversive Catwalk: Women, Fast Fashion & Climate Justice”.

“We hoped to encourage people to look at the connection between women’s oppression – the pressure to look good, to be fashionable, that their bodies are not good enough – and the oppression of women worldwide in the garment sweatshops of the world,” Su Edwards, organiser of the panel, told IPS.

“We wanted to raise awareness of the vast resources consumed by fast fashion and the resulting pollution and devastation of the natural world,” she added.

The panel shed light on the importance of women from the global north creating a bridge to work in solidarity with women in the global south.

“We are very keen to emphasise the unity between groups that are often seen as having divergent interests,” Edwards said. “Fashion is a good place for women to find common interests and to begin to understand that their life choices may impact on their sisters in other places.”

The panel, however, lacked the presence of any Bangladeshi representative on the conversation of the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,100 garment workers. Scores of garment workers were injured in the disaster, sparking off a massive global conversation on garment workers’ rights.

The only representative invited to speak about the issue was Sumedha Shivdas, a fashion designer  from India.

“We wanted to include at least one woman from the global south in our panel and Sumedha is part of our organisation,” Edwards said when this issue was addressed. “The point was that she had heard about the Rana Plaza disaster but was numb about it.”

On environment, panelists stated that it takes 12 years to get rid of waste that fast fashion makes in 24 hours.

Beyond environmental concerns, fashion also has a large role to play in one’s identity. One of the highlights of the panel was Josephine Carter, a queer artist-activist and panel member who spoke about the role fashion plays on the intersection of environmental justice, human rights, and identity. 

For Carter, identity is at the center of her activism. She is currently working on a poetry project honouring black men for Black History month in the United Kingdom.

“This work feels deeply relevant at the moment, as we’re once again reminded of how endangered black lives are, and of the particular forces of white supremacy which work to endanger black men particularly,” she told IPS.

This relevance is further deepened by the environmental concerns around the world.

“I am thinking, writing and working my way towards climate activism, and finding a way to make this inextricable with the activism work I already do, on race, gender, sex and class,” she said.

For the panel talk, her aim was to have her message reach women and have them engaged in the conversation on climate crisis, and for them to realise how urgent and relevant it is to their lives.
Another goal for her, as well as that of the workshop’s, was to convey the message that for activists, their emotions are very intricately linked with doing the work of climate justice. Understanding that link, and figuring out which measures work and what needs improvement, can help unlock opportunities for climate justice initiatives that are effective.

Excerpts from the interview follow.

Inter Press Service (IPS): What role has fashion played for you in your identity?

Josephine Carter (JC): As a queer woman of colour, I got to explore how people with my identities get pushed in two different directions – to use fashion and dress as self-expression, or to use fashion and dress as a way to conform to a heteronormative and cisnormative society. Not only do big feelings about ourselves and our bodies come up as a result, there are also real-world consequences to conforming or not conforming.

IPS: The intersection of fast fashion, environment and the queer community aren’t usually examined together. What does this intersection tell society?

JC: The reality is that over consuming fast fashion clothing, either to stand out or to fit in, doesn’t come without environmental consequences. Once we accept that the ecologically degrading and exploitative fast fashion industry can’t be allowed to continue, for the sake of the planet and its people, we then have to reconsider our relationship to clothes and reckon more closely with the presence of homophobia and transphobia in our lives.

As mentioned in the workshop, a part of the work of achieving climate justice is the elimination of all oppressions. Bringing together the topics of fashion, environment and queerness (or other identities) shows that the climate crisis actually permeates all areas of our lives and experiences, even areas that might seem unrelated at first glance. It goes, I hope, a little way towards demonstrating that there are a thousand reasons for every person alive to be active in the fight for climate justice, including people who usually get left out of the climate movement.

IPS: What role do you believe fashion plays a role for queer and gender non-conforming communities?

JC: Experiences with fashion in queer and gender non-conforming communities are as diverse as the communities themselves. While I can’t speak for these communities as a whole – especially as a cisgender queer woman – I notice that fashion provides an opportunity for self-creation, for queer and trans people to reclaim their bodies from oppression and dysphoria. Because clothing is so gendered, it can be a useful tool for exploring and subverting the gender binary. It can also be an outlet for creativity, self-expression and sheer joy in queer lives which are so often marred by interpersonal and systematic homophobia and transphobia – from workplace discrimination to homelessness, from medical mistreatment to hate-motivated violence.

IPS: What other roles does fashion play in this conversation?

JC: Conversely, fashion can also play a role in keeping queer and trans identities hidden, especially when individuals have to conform to heteronormative and cisnormative gender roles because of an oppressive family environment, community or government. The necessity to stay hidden and the harshness of the punishment of visibly queer and trans people increases as homophobia and transphobia overlap with other systems of discrimination such as race, class and disability.

IPS: How has your identity as a queer person shaped your relationship with fashion?

JC: I use clothing to announce my queer identity and to hide it. Some of the pressure that is put on heterosexual women to look “feminine” and attractive according to our culture’s norms actually passes me by, and I love putting myself out in public as a weird, fat, butch, boxy, short, black queer woman when I wear dungarees, Doc Martens, men’s clothing, and the rainbow flag. It works as a way to signal to other people in the LBGTQ community that I’m here, that we see each other, that I stand in solidarity with a queer aesthetic and heritage.

I also sometimes get slurs yelled at me on the street, have disparaging comments made about my body by strangers, and am generally made aware that I don’t look how a woman “should” look. It’s interesting that the defining aesthetic categories for queer women, butch and femme, separate us out into who “looks like a woman” and who doesn’t. I remember many occasions as a teenager and young adult where I have tried and failed to look feminine, attractive and acceptable.

I use fashion as a way of constructing my queer identity, and fashion constantly reminds me that society’s idea of what’s acceptable for women’s lives is still very narrow.

The post Q&A: How Fast Fashion Sits at the Crucial Intersection of Environmental & Gender Justice appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

A suicide survivor shares her story of how an online community helped her overcome anxiety and depression. Credit: Unsplash / Dan M

By Fairuz Ahmed
NEW YORK, Sep 28 2020 (IPS)

Romana Hoque had it all, a comfortable life, a happy family. Despite this, the 43-year-old second-generation immigrant from Indonesia living in the United States was depressed enough to contemplate suicide.

Hoque, in an exclusive interview with Inter Press Service (IPS), said despite her comfortable life, not being able to conceive resulted in her feeling so depressed that she tried to take her own life. She shared her story during September – set aside as a month for creating awareness of suicide prevention.

“For me, it was a blur. I studied at a top university in Singapore and had a beautiful life. But job stress and not being able to conceive a child used to burden me,” Hoque says.

“One attempt after another, and the hormone therapy led me to try to end my life. The cycle was brutal and vicious.”

She said she tried reaching out to family and friends, but many dismissed her concerns saying she would be alright.

“I had to put up a face that everything is going alright and act accordingly. I had no way of expressing myself. One night the pain was unbearable, and I decided to give up.”

Depression and mental health issues are linked to suicide. Globally, 79 percent of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries; however, high-income countries have the highest rates of suicide. It proves that triggers can be varied, and having a successful life dreamt by many does not guarantee peace of mind. Societal pressure, judgement, and constant pressure could create triggers.

Also, men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women in wealthier countries, but in emerging countries, the rate is equal. With the need for a better, successful life, comes the need to prove and achieve. This paves the road for self-loathing and destructive behaviour among many. However, there is no specific pattern in suicides – just as there no pattern to mental health.

Someone, very close to you may seem fine, but deep inside there may lie a silent pain killing the person’s spirit, she says.

Hoque was admitted to the hospital for trying to end her life after taking sleeping pills in 2018. After a week in the hospital, she sought therapy. It took her a year of therapy and monitoring to finally let go of the negative thoughts and move forward.

“I had it all, money, a good job, and a loving family. But I think unless someone really understands what is going in inside, no one wants to talk about depression and triggers. I used to get asked on a regular basis when I will conceive and why I don’t have a child,” she said. “This was my struggle, and I was feeling less of a woman for not giving birth. I used to get paranoid that my husband will leave me for being barren.”

Social stigma, cultural norms, and expectations are a few factors that could push a person to the breaking point. Her support system and coping mechanism included extensive therapy, and she found surprising support online platforms. Social media was a crucial factor in helping her to recuperate and open-up.

Hoque started to read articles and people’s stories in various suicide prevention groups. After a few months, she found two online writing platforms called Fuzia and Medium. Later she joined a writers’ forum called Writers of Fuzia on Facebook (@fuziaworld).

Finally, after a long time, she could voice her thoughts. She could open up and be herself. She felt liberated.

“Sometimes the people who don’t know us are the best therapists,” she said with a smile. “I could write anything I want to. I could be silly. I could be open, and I could be myself. I joined countless discussions and even made friends with girls half my age. No one judged me; no one wanted anything from me. I felt free. I felt happy.”

For her recovery and mental healing, Hoque gives credit to Fuzia.

Another critical factor in the process of self-expression was anonymity. She used a fake name and a generic picture. She felt comfortable sharing with unknown people because she found that thousands of girls were experiencing the same feelings.

She was highly motivated to learn more about how people connect and how they are triggered. The piece of the puzzle that was missing was a place to vent.

Here, in Fuzia, no one really knew each other but still, they felt like sisters, like family. And they felt of belonging somewhere. There is a global audience of 4 million and opinions varied, as did perspectives. But somehow everyone connected and felt each other’s pain.

Her experience with Fuzia and having a group to relate to she later launched her own company helping youth and women become aware of the patterns and identify triggers for suicide. A little know-how and compassion can help others share their trauma and anguish. The inspiration for judgment-free sharing and listening gave her the backdrop to give back to society.

Married, unmarried, single, widowed, or single mothers, gays, lesbians, or bisexuals, young and old: all were equals in the social media platforms. In Fuzia, the online community’s tolerance was crucial, and there was no divide on religion or geographical identity. People were treated with dignity and respect.

The United Nations and partners have drawn attention to different aspects of mental health concerning children, the workplace, stigmatization of issues, and psychological first aid or ways in which to lend support to the distressed.

The link between suicide and mental health is well established in high-income countries; however, “many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis”, according to the World Health Organization.

“Experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behaviour,” WHO outlines in its list of key facts.

The post Judgment Free Online Platform Key to Helping Suicidal People, Says Survivor appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Civil society protest during the 3rd UN Financing for Development Summit in Addis Ababa in 2015. Credit: Civil Society FfD Group

By Tove Maria Ryding, Pooja Rangaprasad and Emilia Reyes
NEW YORK, Sep 28 2020 (IPS)

On 29 September, the world’s heads of state will come together (virtually) at an extraordinary meeting to discuss financing for development during the 75th UN general assembly. This will be crucial in the battle to address the Coronavirus crisis.

Our leaders will need to ask themselves this question: can we tackle a global recession while ensuring that basic human rights are protected, and the fight against poverty and environmental destruction are not completely run off the tracks?

The simple but harsh answer at this point in time, is that we cannot. The necessary global mechanisms and agreements are not in place, and unless governments urgently start working together to plug the gaps in the system, billions of people are likely to be heavily impacted by the Coronavirus crisis for years to come.

While the crisis is threatening up to half a billion people with poverty, the fortunes of the ultrawealthy are skyrocketing. Meanwhile, existing inequalities and discrimination, including those related to gender and race, are being reinforced by the Coronavirus crisis. National action is vital, but no country can address the global challenges alone.

Ahead of the heads of state meeting, a ‘menu of options’ for action has been published which includes key recommendations on debt, illicit financial flows, global liquidity and financial stability, among others. The heads of state must move from talk to action by agreeing to implement some of these recommendations and kickstart real intergovernmental negotiations to deliver new international frameworks and agreements.

At the top of the intergovernmental to-do list has to be debt resolution. The coronavirus crisis is creating a high risk of debt crises, especially in the Global South. And while the G20 response – to offer a standstill on bilateral debt to the poorest countries – has delayed the problem, it has done nothing to actually resolve it.

Even before the pandemic, there were clear warning signs that new debt crises were looming. This was alarming in light of the fact that we currently do not have an international mechanism to ensure that debt crises are resolved without undermining basic human rights of the people living in the impacted countries.

The good news is that the ‘menu of options’ includes concrete proposals for solutions, such as debt cancellations and an international UN debt workout mechanism. Now is high time for governments to get to work on these proposals.

Another top priority ought to be addressing tax havens, international tax dodging and other illicit financial flows. This problem has been causing a continuous bleeding of hundreds of billions of dollars annually from public budgets in both the Global North and South.

A core reason for this disaster is a deeply broken and outdated international corporate tax system. But here too, a clear and concrete proposal for a UN tax convention is part of the ‘menu of options’. Such a convention could pave the way towards new international tax and transparency rules to combat tax dodging. What is missing is an international alliance of progressive countries that can increase international pressure for progress and action.

A third, and related, top priority for governments should be to address the broader economic problems, which are exacerbating the impacts of the crisis. Governments ought to agree a date and preparation process for a crisis summit under the UN’s Financing for Development process, to be held at heads of state level as soon as practically possible.

The summit should follow up on previous commitments, which started with the Monterrey Consensus in 2002. Originally, governments had actually agreed to discuss a follow-up conference in 2019, but up to now have procrastinated and postponed the decision.

The sad reason for these delays is an old fight about control over economic decision-making processes. Countries in the Global South have been pushing for negotiations to start under the auspices of the UN, where all countries participate on an equal footing.

However, the countries in the Global North have blocked this and instead insisted that all decisions must be kept in opaque forums where they dominate the decision-making, including G20, IMF, the Paris Club and the OECD.

In 2014, when countries in the Global South wanted to start working on a UN debt resolution mechanism, constructive forces within the EU were drowned out by a small group of hardliners – and in particular the UK and Germany, and the EU ended up boycotting the process.

During a Financing for Development (FfD) summit in 2015 a group of countries in the Global North –with the UK and US in leading roles – put all their political muscle into blocking a proposal for a UN intergovernmental tax process put forward by the Global South countries.

This behavior has not only led to secret negotiations and unfair decisions that disregard the interests of the Global South, it has also led to a complete failure to develop effective solutions. By getting engulfed in a dirty fight to keep a large part of the world’s countries out of decision-making processes, many otherwise progressive European countries acted against the interests of their own people, including by increasing the influence of some of the most obstructive powers.

This includes the Trump administration, but also some of the OECD countries that are very aggressive tax havens. But the coronavirus crisis seems to be causing some governments to crawl out of the trenches, and the high-level meeting this month provide an important opportunity.

75 years ago, the UN was set up to “achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character”. In reality, the UN became the place where global agreements on human rights, sustainable development, peace and environmental protection are negotiated.

However, on economic issues, power-hungry developed countries have blocked UN cooperation. Unless we find fair and effective solutions to address economic and financial crises, it will not only undermine all the other UN objectives and agreements. It will also make the coronavirus crisis much longer and more disastrous than it has to be.

The post No More Excuses – Time for Global Economic Solutions appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Excerpt:

Tove Maria Ryding is Tax Justice Coordinator, European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad); Pooja Rangaprasad is Policy Director, FfD, Society for International Development (SID) and Emilia Reyes is Co-convener of the Women’s Working Group on FfD

The post No More Excuses – Time for Global Economic Solutions appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Tony Ondo Mba, l’ancien ministre gabonais de l’Energie et des Mines continue de payer le lourd prix de son incarcération à la prison centrale de Libreville. A la tête d’un des partis satellite soutenant Ali Bongo, le Rassemblement pour la restauration des valeurs (RV) l’a évincé dimanche après-midi, de la présidence de ce parti créé il y a 3 ans. Désormais, les destinées du parti bleu seront entre les mains d’Arsène Edouard Nkoghe, lui aussi ancien ministre évincé du gouvernement Nkoghe Bekale et député du (…)

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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Le chronogramme de la transition s’accélère au Mali. Après des jours de rumeurs, de bras de fer avec la Communauté économique ouest-africaine (Cedeao), c’est bien un civil qui a été choisi pour occuper le poste stratégique de Premier ministre de transition. C’est en tout cas ce que révèle la nomination ce dimanche 27 septembre de l’ancien ministre des Affaires étrangères, Moctar Ouane, selon un décret signé par le président intérimaire Bah N’Daw et lu par le secrétaire général adjoint de la présidence, Sékou Traoré, en direct à la télévision publique ORTM.

Ce diplomate de carrière, ministre des Affaires étrangères de 2004 à 2011 sous la présidence d’Amadou Toumani Touré, prédécesseur de l’ex-président Keïta, était depuis 2016 délégué général à la paix et à la sécurité de la Commission de l’Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (Uemoa). Il est natif de Bidi dans le centre du pays, la région la plus touchée par les attaques djihadistes entremêlées à des violences intercommunautaires, qui ensanglantent le pays. 

Après des études à Dakar, où il obtient une licence de droit public puis une maîtrise en relations internationales et administration publique, Moctar Ouane entre en 1982 dans la fonction publique malienne. Il occupe plusieurs postes de responsabilité au sein du gouvernement et devient au début des années 1990 conseiller diplomatique du chef de l’Etat.

Après de nouvelles études à l’Ecole nationale d’administration (ENA) de Paris, il part à New York de 1995 à 2002, en tant que représentant du Mali auprès des Nations unies.

L’ambassadeur de l’Union européenne en RDC, Jean-Marc Châtaigner, en poste à l’époque à la Mission permanente de la France auprès de l’ONU se souvient sur Twitter « d’avoir étroitement travaillé à New York sur plusieurs crises africaines avec Moctar Ouane et son équipe », saluant « un diplomate d’une grande finesse d’analyse et de jugement ».

La formation de son gouvernement sera annoncée mardi, a affirmé à l’AFP un officier de la junte au pouvoir, sous le couvert de l’anonymat.

Lire aussi Le Mali tire les leçons des années IBK

Le Mali connaît ses nouveaux dirigeants

Le bloc ouest-africain avait exigé qu’un chef de gouvernement civil soit installé comme condition pour lever ses sanctions à l’encontre du Mali. La Cedeao, qui a imposé un embargo sur les flux commerciaux et financiers avec le Mali deux jours après le putsch, a annoncé vendredi qu’elle lèverait ses sanctions « lorsqu’un Premier ministre civil sera nommé ».

Ouvertement inquiète face au risque d’une emprise durable des militaires sur le processus, la Cedeao a aussi exigé l’assurance que le vice-président, chargé des questions de défense et de sécurité, ne puisse en aucun cas remplacer le président, ainsi que la dissolution de la junte.

Elle réclame également la libération des personnalités arrêtées depuis le 18 août, dont l’ancien Premier ministre Boubou Cissé.

Lors de sa prestation de serment devant la Cour suprême vendredi, le président de transition a assuré la Cedeao de « la détermination des Maliens à conduire une transition stable, apaisée et réussie dans les conditions et les délais convenus ».

« Ma plus grande satisfaction résidera dans la passation de témoin au futur président de la République élu, élu proprement et élu indiscutablement », a-t-il dit.

La charte de la transition « constituera mon bréviaire », a-t-il dit, en référence au document élaboré lors de trois journées de concertation nationale sur la transition qui se sont achevées le 12 septembre.

Le contenu exact de cette charte, pourtant invoquée tout au long de la cérémonie d’investiture du président et du vice-président, n’a pas été publié de façon officielle. « Vous prenez les rênes de votre pays à un des moments cruciaux de son histoire. Votre tâche sera ardue, car les attentes de votre peuple sont immenses et toutes plus urgentes les unes que les autres », les a prévenus vendredi le président de la Cour suprême, Wafi Ougadeye Cissé. « Votre peuple a soif de paix, de sécurité, de stabilité, d’unité nationale, de concorde, de cohésion sociale et de justice », a-t-il souligné.

D’après les premiers échos du Mali, cette nomination est également une surprise dans la mesure où il ne figurait pas sur la liste des 14 personnalités proposées par le M5RFP pour le poste.

Désormais, voici le Mali doté de trois personnages clés qui vont superviser la transition de 18 mois vers un régime civil : le président intérimaire, Bah N’Daw, un colonel à la retraite et ancien ministre de la Défense, un vice-président de transition, le colonel Assimi Goïta, qui n’est autre que le chef de la junte, et Moctar Ouane, chargé de former un gouvernement, préparer les prochaines échéances électorales et remettre les institutions à plat.

Lire aussi Mali : Bah N’Daw investi président par intérim

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Le rappeur gabonais Franck Ba’Ponga connu pour être proche des autorités gabonaises, vient de s’épancher ce lundi contre elles. Dans une tribune postée sur sa page Facebook, l’ancien leader du groupe Raaboon, affirme qu’il ne prendra plus part aux shows organisés par l’Etat gabonais. En cause, le mépris des pouvoirs publics sur la question du statut d’artiste dans le pays depuis les Indépendances. Lecture.
Lire aussi >>> Méprisés, des artistes gabonais appellent au boycott du festival Gabon 9 (…)

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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Nombreux sont les Gabonais cultivés de l’époque coloniale qui combattaient le régime du feu président Léon Mba, considéré comme corrompu et à la solde de la France. Dès l’arrivée d’Albert Bernard Bongo au pouvoir, plusieurs d’entre eux vont retourner leur veste et rejoindre les rangs de la majorité pour être les figures de proue de la politique très contestée d’Albert Bernard Bongo. Ils sont considérés comme les traîtres de la résistance. C’est le cas de Léon Augé (1929-2002), né Léon Sajoux.

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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Plus de 24 000 adultes répartis dans 18 États membres de l’Union africaine apportent des informations sur les effets indirects du virus 

NEW YORK, USA, le 24 septembre 2020 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- La plupart des États membres de l’Union africaine (UA) ont rapidement mis en œuvre des mesures de santé publique et sociales (MSPS) pour contenir l’épidémie de COVID-19. Ces mesures ont probablement ralenti la propagation du virus, et le nombre de cas en Afrique est resté inférieur aux prévisions. Bien que de nombreux gouvernements aient depuis lors assoupli les restrictions, permettant ainsi la reprise d’une certaine activité économique, de nouvelles recherches menées par le Partenariat pour une réponse à la COVID-19 fondée sur des données probantes (PERC) mettent en exergue les charges indirectes importantes que le virus fait peser en Afrique et offrent des recommandations aux gouvernements à l’heure où les pays augmentent ou réduisent les MSPS pour contrôler la pandémie.

Près de la moitié des personnes interrogées ont déclaré avoir renoncé aux soins habituels pendant la pandémie, selon le dernier rapport du PERC – le deuxième de sa série « Utiliser les données pour trouver un équilibre » (Using Data to Find a Balance) – qui s’appuie sur une enquête menée auprès de plus de 24 000 adultes dans 18 États membres de l’Union africaine, ainsi que sur des données sociales, économiques et épidémiologiques provenant de plusieurs sources. Jusqu’à 70 % des personnes interrogées ont déclaré avoir rencontré des problèmes d’accès à la nourriture pendant la semaine précédente, et le même pourcentage de personnes interrogées ont déclaré gagner moins d’argent que l’année dernière à la même époque. Malgré tout, le respect des MSPS est resté fort, et 85 % des personnes interrogées ont déclaré avoir porté un masque de protection au cours des sept jours précédents.

« Les États membres de l’Union africaine ont fermement réagi à la COVID-19 », a déclaré le Dr John Nkengasong, directeur des Centres africains de contrôle et de prévention des maladies. « Les données présentées dans le nouveau rapport du PERC vont permettre aux décideurs de ne pas se fixer uniquement sur le nombre de cas de COVID-19 et de prendre plutôt en compte la santé et le bien-être d’une façon plus globale et d’adapter les mesures d’intervention en conséquence. »

Les gouvernements et les organisations d’aide internationale doivent agir rapidement afin de rétablir l’accès aux services de santé pour les soins qui ne concernent pas la COVID-19 et pour reconstruire la demande publique de services.

Parmi les participants à l’enquête qui ont eu besoin de soins de santé pendant la pandémie, près de la moitié ont déclaré avoir sauté ou retardé des soins ; parmi ceux qui ont eu besoin de médicaments, près de la moitié ont déclaré avoir eu plus de difficultés à les obtenir. Les services de soins de santé les plus souvent retardés ou omis ont été les examens de contrôle, suivis par les soins pour la malaria, le diabète, les problèmes cardiovasculaires, les soins prénataux et les soins aux enfants de moins de 5 ans.

« Comme lors des épidémies précédentes, nous constatons que les soins de santé manqués et retardés ont un fort prix à payer », a déclaré le Dr Zabulon Yoti, directeur régional par intérim du groupe de l’état de préparation et de la réponse aux urgences de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé. « Même les examens de contrôle sont essentiels pour dépister et traiter les personnes atteintes de maladies transmissibles et non transmissibles. Nous devons protéger l’accès aux soins de santé en veillant à ce que les établissements soient équipés pour traiter les infections à la COVID-19 et pour offrir une protection adéquate au personnel sanitaire ».

La plupart des personnes interrogées se sont déclarées favorables à la réouverture de leurs économies nationales, mais elles ont également fait part de leur forte anxiété face à la reprise des activités normales. Les données indiquent que la COVID-19 est considérée comme une menace sérieuse, mais que pour beaucoup, les besoins économiques l’emportent sur l’inquiétude de contracter le virus.

Toutefois, l’observance de ce que l’on appelle les « 3 M » – masque mis, mains bien lavées et maintenir la distance – est resté élevée, ce qui indique aux responsables politiques la voie à suivre. Un soutien efficace des gouvernements à ces mesures comportementales pourrait atténuer le besoin de mesures plus restrictives à l’avenir.

« La COVID-19 a menacé les progrès effectués à l’égard de tous les objectifs de développement durable, et les données du PERC montrent clairement l’importance de mesures d’aide ciblées », a déclaré la Dr Elsie S. Kanza, responsable de l’agenda régional pour l’Afrique et membre du comité exécutif du Forum économique mondial. « Ces mesures sont nécessaires pour favoriser la reprise économique, protéger la santé et empêcher les inégalités de se creuser. »

Le rapport souligne également les lacunes dans la communication des données clés, notamment les données sur la transmission au sein des communautés et l’observance des mesures préventives, ce qui limite la rapidité et l’impact des efforts déployés pour gérer les épidémies locales et rend difficile le bon dimensionnement des MSPS.
« Les données sont essentielles pour notre défense contre la COVID-19, et plus les gouvernements des États membres de l’UA pourront s’y fier pour étayer leurs décisions, plus leur réponse sera efficace », a déclaré le Dr Tom Frieden, président-directeur général de Resolve to Save Lives, une initiative de Vital Strategies. 

Les principales conclusions du rapport sont les suivantes :

• 44 % des personnes interrogées ayant besoin de soins de santé ont déclaré qu’elles-mêmes ou un membre de leur foyer avait manqué ou retardé des services nécessaires, et 45 % des personnes interrogées ayant besoin de médicaments ont déclaré la même chose à l’égard de l’accès aux médicaments
• 70 % des personnes ont fait état de problèmes d’accès à la nourriture, principalement en raison de la perte de revenus ou de la hausse des prix des denrées alimentaires
• 70 % des personnes interrogées ont déclaré gagner moins d’argent qu’à la même époque l’année dernière
• Les familles à faibles revenus étaient plus susceptibles de connaître une baisse de revenus. Près de 80 % des foyers ayant un revenu mensuel inférieur à 100 USD ont vu leurs revenus baisser, contre 60 % des foyers ayant un revenu mensuel d’au moins 500 USD
• Six personnes interrogées sur dix sont d’avis qu’il est nécessaire de rouvrir l’économie et que les risques sanitaires de la COVID-19 sont minimes si les règles de distanciation sociale sont respectées
• 85 % des personnes interrogées ont déclaré avoir porté un masque de protection en public au cours des sept jours précédents, mais comme on pouvait s’y attendre, compte tenu du récent relâchement de certaines MSPS, un pourcentage plus faible (60 %) a déclaré éviter les rassemblements religieux et seulement la moitié a déclaré rester à la maison au lieu de se rendre au travail, à l’école ou à d’autres activités régulières
• Alors que plus des deux tiers des personnes interrogées sont d’avis qu’un grand nombre de personnes de leur pays seront touchées par la COVID-19, moins d’un tiers (29 %) ont estimé avoir personnellement un risque élevé d’être infectées
• Bien que la plupart des personnes interrogées aient indiqué avoir une connaissance élémentaire de la COVID-19, la désinformation sur le virus est fréquente, en particulier celle qui implique une interférence étrangère dans les traitements et les vaccins. Près d’une personne interrogée sur trois se range derrière l’affirmation selon laquelle les étrangers discréditent les médicaments africains et testent les vaccins sur les Africains 

Les recommandations incitent les gouvernements à :

• Donner la priorité au « coinçage » du virus, en garantissant un approvisionnement adéquat en kits de dépistage et en réactifs pour identifier les cas positifs, en traçant les contacts étroits de ceux-ci et en isolant les cas, plutôt que de se fier à un confinement de grande envergure
• Faciliter le plus possible aux communautés l’observance des mesures de protection personnelle peu coûteuses, appelées « 3 M » – masque mis, mains bien lavées et maintenir la distance. 
• Protéger le personnel sanitaire en établissant des protocoles pour la COVID-19, en augmentant la disponibilité des équipements de protection individuelle et la formation sur la prévention et le contrôle des infections ; puis encourager les gens à se faire soigner dans des services de santé qui n’ont pas de lien avec la COVID-19 en impliquant les dirigeants communautaires dans le processus
• Donner la priorité aux mesures fondées sur des données probantes pour accroître la sécurité alimentaire et la reprise économique, y compris les transferts d’argent et l’aide alimentaire directe, en mettant l’accent sur les foyers aux revenus les plus faibles et sur les populations vulnérables
• Lutter contre la désinformation en partageant des messages cohérents et basés sur des donnés probantes avec des membres de confiance des communautés, qui servent de messagers
• Investir dans la collecte, l’analyse et la communication de données, notamment des indicateurs clés sur les cas et la réponse de santé publique, la surveillance rapide de la mortalité, les données sur les infections à la COVID-19 au sein du personnel sanitaire et les données sur l’utilisation des services de santé 

Pour lire le rapport en intégralité, veuillez consulter: https://preventepidemics.org/covid19/perc/

Distribué par African Media Agency (AMA) pour Vital Strategies

À propos du Partenariat pour une réponse à la COVID-19 fondée sur des données probantes (PERC)
Le Partenariat pour une réponse à la COVID-19 fondée sur des données probantes (Partnership for Evidence-Based COVID-19 Response) est un consortium d’organisations mondiales de santé publique et d’entreprises du secteur privé. Les organisations membres du PERC sont les Centres africains de contrôle et de prévention des maladies (Africa CDC), l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), Resolve to Save Lives, une initiative de Vital Strategies, la UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (équipe de soutien rapide pour la santé publique du Royaume-Uni) et le Forum économique mondial. Ipsoset Novetta Mission Analytics apportent leur expertise en matière d’études de marché et des années d’expérience dans l’analyse des données au partenariat PERC, qui a été créé en mars 2020 en vue de fournir aux États membres de l’UA des informations et des conseils en temps réel afin de réduire l’impact de la COVID-19 sur le continent. Le premier rapport régional du PERC, intitulé Répondre à la COVID-19 en Afrique : Utiliser les données pour trouver un équilibre (Responding to COVID-19 in Africa: Using Data to Find a Balance) a été publié en mai 2020. 

À propos d’Africa CDC
Africa CDC est une institution technique spécialisée de l’Union africaine qui renforce les capacités des institutions de santé publique africaines ainsi que des partenariats pour détecter et répondre rapidement et efficacement aux menaces de maladie et aux épidémies, grâce à des interventions et des programmes basés sur des données. En savoir plus : https://africacdc.org/

À propos de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS)
L’Organisation mondiale de la santé contribue à un meilleur avenir pour les populations du monde entier. Une bonne santé pose les bases de communautés dynamiques et productives, d’économies plus fortes, de nations plus sûres et d’un monde meilleur. En tant que principale autorité sanitaire au sein du système des Nations unies, notre travail touche chaque jour la vie des gens dans le monde entier. En Afrique, l’OMS est au service de 47 États membres et travaille avec des partenaires du développement pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être de toutes les personnes qui vivent ici. Le Bureau régional de l’OMS pour l’Afrique est situé à Brazzaville, au Congo. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site www.afro.who.int et suivez-nous sur Twitter, Facebook et YouTube.

À propos de Resolve to Save Lives
Resolve to Save Lives, une initiative de l’organisation internationale de santé Vital Strategies, se consacre à la prévention des décès dus aux maladies cardiovasculaires et à la prévention des épidémies. Elle est dirigée par le Dr Tom Frieden, ancien directeur des centres américains de contrôle et de prévention des maladies. Pour en savoir plus, rendez-vous sur : https://www.resolvetosavelives.org ou sur Twitter @ResolveTSL et @DrTomFrieden

À propos de Vital Strategies
Chez Vital Strategies, une organisation mondiale dans le domaine de la santé, nous pensons que chaque personne devrait être protégée par un solide système de santé publique. Nous travaillons avec les gouvernements et la société civile dans 73 pays pour concevoir et mettre en œuvre des stratégies fondées sur des preuves qui s’attaquent à leurs problèmes de santé publique les plus urgents. Notre objectif est de voir les gouvernements adopter des interventions prometteuses à grande échelle aussi vite que possible. Plus d’informations sur www.vitalstrategies.org ou Twitter @VitalStrat. 

À propos de l’équipe de soutien rapide pour la santé publique du Royaume-Uni
La UK-PHRST est financée par l’aide britannique du ministère de la Santé et des Affaires sociales. C’est un partenariat entre la London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) et Public Health England (PHE). L’université d’Oxford et le King’s College London (KCL) sont les partenaires universitaires. Grâce à l’équipe de soutien rapide pour la santé publique du Royaume-Uni (UK-PHRST), le pays a la capacité de réagir rapidement aux épidémies dans les pays à faibles et moyens revenus du monde entier et de mener des recherches opérationnelles sur l’état de préparation aux épidémies, jouant ainsi un rôle important dans la sécurité sanitaire mondiale. L’équipe s’efforce également d’aider les pays à renforcer leurs propres capacités pour répondre mieux et plus vite aux épidémies à l’échelle nationale.

À propos d’IPSOS
Ipsos est la troisième plus grande société d’études de marché au monde, présente sur 90 marchés et employant plus de 18 000 personnes. Nos professionnels de la recherche, analystes et scientifiques curieux et passionnés ont développé des capacités multispécialistes uniques qui fournissent une véritable compréhension et des informations précieuses sur les actions, les opinions et les motivations des citoyens, des consommateurs, des patients, des clients ou des employés. Nos 75 solutions commerciales sont basées sur les données primaires provenant de nos enquêtes, la surveillance des médias sociaux et les techniques qualitatives ou d’observation. « Game Changers », notre slogan, résume l’ambition que nous avons d’aider nos 5 000 clients à naviguer en toute confiance dans notre monde en mutation rapide.

Fondée en France en 1975, Ipsos est cotée sur Euronext Paris depuis le 1er juillet 1999. La société fait partie des indices SBF 120 et Mid-60 et est éligible au Service de règlement différé (SRD). Code ISIN FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS: FPhttps://www.ipsos.com/en/news-and-polls/overview

À propos de Novetta 
Novetta fournit des solutions analytiques et techniques de pointe et évolutives pour relever des défis d’envergure nationale et mondiale. Fortement attachée à la réussite de ses missions, Novetta est une pionnière des technologies de rupture dans l’apprentissage automatique, l’analyse des données, les solutions cybernétiques à large spectre, l’analyse en open source, l’ingénierie du cloud, DevSecOps et l’analyse multi-INT pour les clients de la Défense, de la communauté du renseignement et des autorités fédérales de l’application de la loi. Novetta est basée à McLean, en Virginie, et emploie quelque 1 300 personnes aux États-Unis.

À propos du Forum Économique Mondial
Le Forum Économique Mondial est l’Organisation internationale pour la coopération entre les secteurs public et privé. En réponse à l’urgence induite par la COVID-19, le Forum Économique Mondial, en tant que partenaire de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), a lancé la plate-forme d’action COVID. Cette plate-forme vise à favoriser la contribution du secteur privé à la stratégie mondiale de santé publique relative au COVID-19, et à le faire à l’échelle et à la vitesse requises pour protéger des vies et des moyens de subsistance, afin de trouver des moyens d’aider à mettre fin à l’urgence mondiale le plus tôt possible. Plus d’informations : https://www.weforum.org/

Contacts médias

• James Ayodele, Principal Communication Officer, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Email: Ayodelej@africa-union.org; Tel: +251 11 551 7700
• Collins Boakye-Agyemang, Communications Officer, WHO Regional Office for Africa. Email: boakyeagyemangc@who.int; Tel: +4724139420 or +242065206565
• Christina Honeysett, Director of PR, Vital Strategies. Email: CHoneysett@vitalstrategies.org; Tel: +1 914 424 3356
• Natalie Lacey, Chief Operating Officer, Global Affairs, Ipsos. Email: Natalie.Lacey@ipsos.com; Tel: +14165098460
• Amanda Russo, Head of Media Content, World Economic Forum. Email: Amanda.Russo@weforum.org; Tel: +1 415 734 0589

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

L’article Un nouveau rapport sur la COVID-19 en Afrique souligne le besoin d’améliorer l’accès aux services de soins de santé et la protection du personnel sanitaire est apparu en premier sur Capsud.net – Une information riche et complète sur la RD Congo.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

Le bras de fer entre les autorités gabonaises et les leaders religieux souhaitant la réouverture des lieux de culte a connu un nouveau rebond ce dimanche. Après avoir menacé les leaders religieux qui entendaient ce dimanche rouvrir leur temple, la police gabonaise est passée à l’œuvre en arrêtant l’archevêque Jean Baptiste Moulaka de l’église Béthsaïda du PK8. L’homme de Dieu a été arrêté dans son bureau alors qu’il ne présidait aucune messe. Il a ensuite été relâché cet après-midi.
Lire aussi >>> Ouverture (…)

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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)