Canada and the United Nations
Human Rights Council: Charting a New Course (PDF - 1.3MB, 139 pages)
June 2010
"(...)The committee became aware of concerns that Canada is no longer fulfilling a "bridge-builder" role between UN Member States with diverging views, as it once was able to do. It is also noted that Canada received strong criticism during the review from some of its traditional allies over its handling of issues affecting Aboriginal peoples and the homeless. Canadaes international reputation could weaken unless Canada quickly demonstrates that it can improve its human rights record on such issues and unless it can demonstrate an ability to achieve results in promoting its own position on human rights issues in international fora.
[Excerpt, p. 2]

Source:
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

NOTE: For links to more information about the Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review of Canada,
go to the Human Rights Links page of this website:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/rights.htm

------------------

World Social Science Report 2010
June 25, 2009
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/resources/reports/world-social-science-report/
Where are people most likely to study the social sciences? Where are most of the academic publications in social sciences based? These are but a few of the questions asked (and answered) within the pages of the World Social Sciences Report 2010. The report was compiled by a blue-ribbon panel of social science experts. Interestingly, this report was a follow-up to the World Social Science Report published in 1999. The report has a number of positive findings, including the observation that the social sciences are "taught almost everywhere and their research results are widely disseminated, increasingly by new information technologies." The full report is 444-pages, and it includes chapters on the fragmentation of knowledge, the divide between academic disciplines, and the "sometimes tense relations between academics and society." For those who might be pressed for time, there is also a 28-page executive summary (PDF - 1.6MB)
Reviewed by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2010
Source:
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
"Building peace in the minds of people"

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Canada Ratifies UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
March 11, 2010
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced that, with the support of all provinces and territories, the Government of Canada has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at United Nations headquarters in New York City.
(...)
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities, and to ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law.There are approximately 4.4 million persons with disabilities in Canada—about 14.3 percent of the population.
Source:
Canada News Centre

Related link:

Canada Ratifies Historic U.N. Treaty on Disability Rights
New York and Toronto
March 11, 2010
Today, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Canada ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is a historic and profound moment in our country’s history. It is Canada’s declaration to Canadians and the international community that disability is at last to be recognized as a matter of fundamental human rights – at home in Canada and internationally. By ratifying this first international treaty that comprehensively recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities, Canada binds our governments to its implementation. The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) applauds the Government of Canada for this landmark decision, and indeed all Provincial/Territorial Governments for their support in taking this step. The Convention creates a new and lasting foundation on which to build an inclusive and accessible Canada where rights can no longer be diminished on the basis of disability. (...)
Source:
Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL)
The Canadian Association for Community Living is a Canada-wide association of family members and others working to advance the human rights and inclusion of persons of all ages who have an intellectual disability. Founded in 1958 by parents of children with intellectual disabilities who wanted supports and services within the community instead of in institutions, CACL has become one of Canada's ten largest charitable organizations, and has grown into a federation of 10 provincial and three territorial associations comprising of 420 local associations and over 40,000 members.

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United Nations Statistical Yearbook - Fifty-second Issue
February 2010
This is an annual compilation of a wide range of international economic, social and environmental statistics for over 200 countries and areas of the world, compiled from sources including United Nations agencies and other international, national and specialized organizations. The fifty-second issue contains data available to the Statistics Division as of June 2008 and presents them in 68 tables on topics such as: agriculture; balance of payments; communication; development assistance; education; energy; environment; finance; gender; industrial production; international merchandise trade; international tourism; labour force; manufacturing; national accounts; nutrition; population; prices; research and development; and wages. The number of years of data shown in the tables varies from one to ten, with the ten-year tables covering 1996 to 2005 or 1997 to 2006. Accompanying the tables are technical notes providing brief descriptions of major statistical concepts, definitions and classifications.

Table of contents (PDF - 124K, 4 pages)
NOTE: The complete report (the link below) is a large file and a slow download even for someone with a broadband connection.
Check the table of contents first by clicking the link above, then (if you wish to continue), click the link below.

Complete Yearbook (PDF - 9.6MB, 848 pages)

[ Purchase the print version of the yearbook ]
[ Statistical Yearbook - two previous years online ]

Source:
United Nations Department
of Economic and Social Affairs - DESA
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides support services to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the principal body coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations and its operational arms.

[ UN Economic and Social Council - ECOSOC
ECOSOC was established under the United Nations Charter as the principal organ to coordinate economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions.]

Also from DESA:

* World Population Ageing 2009 (PDF - 894K, 82 pages) - February 2010
This report provides a description of global trends in population ageing and includes a series of indicators of the ageing process by development regions, major areas, regions and countries. This new edition includes new features on ageing in rural and urban areas, the coverage of pension systems and the impact of the 2007-2008 financial crisis on pension systems. The report is intended to provide a solid demographic foundation for the follow-up activities of the Second World Assembly on Ageing.

* Rethinking Poverty : Report on the World Social Situation 2010 - January 2010
Fifteen years ago, in Copenhagen, global leaders at the World Summit for Social Development described poverty eradication as an ethical, political and economic imperative, and identified it as one of the three pillars of social development. Poverty eradication has since become the overarching objective of development, as reflected in the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, which set the target of halving global extreme poverty by 2015. Rethinking Poverty, the 2010 issue of the Report on the World Social Situation seeks to contribute to rethinking poverty and its eradication.

Complete report (PDF - 8MB, 203 pages)

=====> Executive summary (PDF - 196K, 8 pages)
=====> Table of contents (HTML) +links to individual chapters, including:
* Poverty: the official numbers * The poverty of poverty measurement * Deprivation, vulnerability and exclusion * Macroeconomic policies and poverty reduction * Economic liberalization and poverty reduction * Labour-market and social policies and poverty reduction * Poverty reduction programmes * Rethinking poverty reduction interventions

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Women central to efforts to deal with climate change, says new UNFPA report (Word file - 69K, 2 pages)
18 November 2009
LONDON -Women bear the disproportionate burden of climate change, but have so far been largely overlooked in the debate about how to address problems of rising seas, droughts, melting glaciers and extreme weather, concludes The State of World Population 2009, released today by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
Source:
Media Outreach Kit
- includes links to reports, news releases, videos, charts and contacts for media enquiries

Complete report:

State of World Population 2009
Facing a Changing World:
Women, Population and Climate (PDF - 4.3MB, 104 pages)
As greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere, droughts, severe storms and rising seas threaten to take an especially heavy toll on women, who make up a large share of the world’s poor.

At the Frontier:
Young People and Climate Change (PDF - 2.5MB, 56 pages)
Youth supplement to State of World Population report

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United Nations human-rights panel wants action on women
Canada must soon report to the UN on poverty and violence
against women, but advocate Shelagh Day argues that the report will have nothing to say.
November 26, 2009
By Carlito Pablo
Canada appears to be dragging its heels in responding to a demand from a United Nations human-rights panel. It probably won’t be until December 2014 that the country will file its next report regarding its compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, an international treaty ratified in 1981. However, when the CEDAW committee met in Geneva in 2008, the panel was so concerned about poverty and violence here that it asked Canada to report within one year—and not wait until its next scheduled report in 2014—about how it is dealing with these issues. The UN panel made the request when it released its observations on Canada’s treaty compliance on November 7, 2008. According to women’s-rights advocate Shelagh Day, the report is due by the end of November. But the codirector of the Poverty and Human Rights Centre and member of the B.C. CEDAW monitoring group says she doubts that Canada has much to say.
Source:
Georgia Straight

Related links:

From the
United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights:

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
New York, 18 December 1979
- complete text of the Convention + introduction
"(...) The implementation of the Convention is monitored by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Committee's mandate and the administration of the treaty are defined in the Articles 17 to 30 of the Convention. The Committee is composed of 23 experts nominated by their Governments and elected by the States parties as individuals 'of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention'. At least every four years, the States parties are expected to submit a national report to the Committee, indicating the measures they have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

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Poverty & Human Rights Centre
The Poverty and Human Rights Centre is committed to eradicating poverty and promoting social and economic equality through human rights.

The Role of International Social and Economic
Rights in the Interpretation of Domestic Law in Canada
February 1, 2008
This Law Sheet, produced by the Poverty and Human Rights Centre, is concerned with the role that international human rights law can play in the interpretation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other laws in Canada. It is intended to assist lawyers in their advocacy work before courts and tribunals. It is also intended to assist non-governmental organizations who rely on the human rights framework in their work to assist members of vulnerable groups. It is specifically focused on the domestic enforcement of social and economic rights.

Factum Library
The Factum Library section contains factums, pleadings and other litigation documents from selected Canadian Charter of Rights and statuatory human rights cases. The materials are organized by case name, parties, and document date.

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Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) is a dynamic coalition of over 75 Canadian women’s equality-seeking and related organizations. FAFIA’s mandate is to further women’s equality in Canada through domestic implementation of its’ international human rights commitments.

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CEDAW Report Card 2009 (PDF - 112K, 8 pages)
First annual CEDAW report card released: Province gets a “D” in women’s equality
British Columbia fares badly in the first annual West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund CEDAW Report Card.
October 6, 2009
The Report Card grades the BC government on how well it has adhered to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The Report Card monitors BC’s compliance between CEDAW’s 4-year reporting periods, in order to hold the government accountable both to UN standards and BC women. Measurements include a number of important legal and policy areas that fall within provincial jurisdiction, such as access to justice and violence against women.
Source:
West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund
The West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) formed when the equality guarantees of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force. Our mission is to achieve equality by changing historic patterns of systemic discrimination against women through BC-based equality rights litigation, law reform and public legal education.

Guinness World Book of Records shattered by
citizens across the globe demanding that their leaders end poverty
More than 173 Million People Gather at “Stand Up, Take Action,
End Poverty Now!” events, setting new world record for largest mobilization in history
By Sebastian
October 20, 2009
A Guinness World Record shattered this weekend when 173,045,325 citizens gathered at over 3,000 events in more than 120 countries, demanding that their governments eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!”, now in its fourth year, has been certified by Guinness World Records as the largest mobilization of human beings in recorded history, an increase of about 57 million people over last year.
Source:
Stand Up Blog
[ Stand Against Poverty ]

Related links:

Make Poverty History - Canada

United Nations

U.N. Millennium Development Goals

U.N. End Poverty 2015 Millennium Campaign
"End poverty by 2015" is the historic promise 189 world leaders made at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 when they signed onto the Millennium Declaration and agreed to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

United Nations calls for action and investment to eradicate global poverty
Conflict, chronic poverty and high food prices threaten children’s well-being in the eastern DRC
17 October 2009 – The United Nations today marked the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declaring that the fight against a scourge that afflicts over a billion people around the world is at a critical juncture.
Source:
United Nations

Related links:

Stand Up and Take Action
Last year, more than 116 million Stood Up and Took Action to end poverty and in support of the Millennium Development Goals.
This year, join the growing movement.
Stand with us.

For related links, go to the Anti-poverty Strategies and Campaigns page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/antipoverty.htm

2009 Human Development Report

Overcoming barriers:
Human mobility and development
Human Development Report 2009
October 2009
Human development is about putting people at the centre of development. It is about people realizing their potential, increasing their choices and enjoying the freedom to lead lives they value. Since 1990, annual Human Development Reports have explored challenges including poverty, gender, democracy, human rights, cultural liberty, globalization, water scarcity and climate change. Migration, both within and beyond borders, has become an increasingly prominent theme in domestic and international debates, and is the topic of the 2009 Human Development Report (HDR09).

Complete report (PDF - 3.9MB, 229 pages)
* Summary (PDF - 739K)
* Errata (PDF - 70K)
* Flyer (PDF - 257K)

Press Releases:

In 182 countries, uneven progress
and inequality in health, wealth and education persist (PDF - 337K, 3 pages)
Disparities in life expectancy can range up to 30 years,
says the 2009 Human Development Report
Bangkok, 5 October 2009—Despite progress in many areas over the last 25 years, the disparities in people’s well-being in rich and poor countries continue to be unacceptably wide, according to the Human Development Index (HDI) released today as part of the 2009 Human Development Report (HDR). This year’s HDI, a summary indicator of people’s well-being—combining measures of life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and GDP per capita—was calculated for 182 countries and territories, the most extensive coverage ever.

Human Development Report
challenges common migration misconceptions (PDF - 1.8MB, 4 pages)
Bangkok, 5 October 2009—Allowing for migration—both within and between countries—has the potential to increase people’s freedom and improve the lives of millions around the world, according to the 2009 Human Development Report launched here today.

[ Reports for earlier years ]

Source:
Human Development Reports
[ United Nations Development Programme ]

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Canada to UN: We'll decide what rights we will choose to observe...
June 8, 2009
By Michael Shapcott
Canada has signed a significant number of international human rights treaties that are legally binding in international law, but the federal government believes that it can pick and choose among its obligations - according to the official document tabled at the United Nations' Rights Council in Geneva today. The good news is that the federal government has accepted its responsibility to take a stronger role in ensuring all Canadians are adequately housed, but the federal government says that companion initiatives to address deep and persistent poverty and income inequality are mostly the responsibility of provinces and territories (and not the national government)...
Source:
Wellesley Institute Blog
[ Wellesley Institute ]

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Canada to reject 14 of 68 international human rights
recommendations including the development of a national strategy to eliminate poverty
June 6, 2009
By Rob Rainer
On Friday June 5, 2009 the Government of Canada made public Canada’s response to the 68 human rights-related recommendations made to Canada by the UN Human Rights Council, per the 2009 Universal Periodic Review.
This response will be communicated by the government before the Council on Tuesday June 9.

To aid your understanding of the UPR recommendations to Canada and Canada's response, and for ready reference, please see the links below from Heritage Canada's Human Rights Program website.

Of the 68 recommendations, Canada is accepting 39, rejecting 14 and partially accepting 15. Canada is rejecting some recommendations that, were they to be accepted, would mean Canada would join and/or ratify several international human rights treaties. The rejected recommendations also include a number specific to economic and social rights, including:

#1 (Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
#10 (Recognize the justiciability of social, economic and cultural rights, in accordance with the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; ensure legal enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights in domestic courts; grant the same importance to and treat equally civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, in its legislation at all levels); and
#17 (Develop a national strategy to eliminate poverty)

On #17, that Canada is rejecting the call for a national strategy to eliminate poverty undermines the recent or current efforts of the House of Commons' HUMA Committee and various Senate committees and sub-committees to help determine the appropriate role of the federal government in combating poverty Canada-wide. It also flies in the face of calls from at least a couple of provinces (e.g., Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario), pursuant to their provincial poverty action strategies, for complementary engagement of the federal government to help ensure progress on poverty.

If you have not already done so, please register your support for the new Dignity for All Campaign for a Poverty-free Canada. Through this campaign civil society will strengthen its press for enduring federal commitment for a pan-Canadian approach to combating poverty, in which the federal government exercises the leadership it ought to exercise. Such leadership includes convening a process by which a pan-Canadian strategy to eliminate poverty, that complements and supports provincial and territorial strategies, will be realized, with a strong foundation in Canada’s international and domestic human rights commitments.

Rob Rainer
Executive Director / Directeur executif
CANADA WITHOUT POVERTY / CANADA SANS PAUVRETÉ
Founded in 1971, Canada Without Poverty (officially the National Anti-Poverty Organization) is an incorporated, not-for-profit, non-partisan, member-based organization dedicated to the eradication of poverty in Canada. We believe this ideal can be realized by 2020, if not sooner, especially in a country as wealthy as Canada

---------------------------------------------------------

Related links from the
Heritage Canada Human Rights Program :

Canada's Universal Periodic Review
Canada’s review before the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group session took place on February 3, 2009. A total of 45 states intervened during the three-hour interactive dialogue. These states made recommendations to Canada on a wide range of topics.

The Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of Canada (PDF - 97K, 24 pages)
March 3, 2009
- includes a list of the 68 recommendations Canada received from other States.

Response of Canada to the Recommendations
June 5, 2009
Canada welcomes and has given careful consideration to the 68 recommendations made during its Universal Periodic Review. (...)

2009 Universal Periodic Review
Annotated Table of recommendations for Canada (Word file - 94KB)
June 7
NOTE: this table was included as an attachment to Rob Rainer's email (see above); it's a 14-page section-by-section checklist for all 68 recommendations, and it includes the government's response for each rejected recommendation in the marginal comments for that section. You must be using a reasonably recent version of Microsoft Word (or the FREE Word Viewer) to view the marginal comments.

Source:
Canadian Heritage

From the website of
the United Nations:

The Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The Council was created by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 with the main purpose of addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.

From Canada's International Gateway:

Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations
The Mission of Canada is the primary channel for communications between the Canadian government and the United Nations in New York City. The Mission acts as diplomatic representation for the Government of Canada abroad.

Canada's Diplomatic Missions to the United Nations
Canada has seven diplomatic missions accredited to the UN:
[Click the link above to access the links to more info on each of the specific missions listed below.]
* United Nations in New York * Office of the United Nations in Geneva * UNESCO in Paris * International Organisations in Vienna * Office of the United Nations in Nairobi * the FAO in Rome * the ICAO in Montreal

Related link:

Canada at the United Nations
- from the website of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Canada has been active at the United Nations since its foundation in 1945 and played a key role in drafting the UN Charter -- an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations.

Canada and other international organizations and forums
- incl. links to more info about the following:
* Arctic Council * Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) * Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) * Commonwealth * European Union (EU) * G8 Summits * International Criminal Court * International Indigenous Affair * La Francophonie * North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) * Order of Malta * Organization of the American States (OAS)

The 10th session of the Human Rights Council took place in Geneva, 2 – 27 March 2009.
For more info, see the Human Rights Links page of this website:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/rights.htm

UN panel calls for better treatment of Canada's Aboriginals, immigrants
February 6, 2009
GENEVA — A United Nations panel is calling on Canada to improve the treatment of its Aboriginal people and other disadvantaged groups such as new immigrants and minorities. The UN Human Rights Council mentions in particular the need to protect Aboriginal women who face discrimination in various areas including "employment, housing, education and health care." The council also points out the "inequalities" that exist between Aboriginals, recent immigrants and other Canadians. Canada's human rights record came under review in Geneva this week with a Canadian government delegation appearing before the 47-country council for several hours Tuesday. It took just 15 minutes Thursday for the council to adopt a report containing 68 points based on concerns voiced by dozens of UN member countries about the situation in Canada.
Source:
Google.ca News / Canadian Press

From the United Nations Human Rights Council:

Universal Periodic Review - Canada
3 February 2009
The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fourth session from 2 to 13 February 2009. The review of Canada was held at the 3rd meeting on 3 February 2009.

Highlights of the Canada session 3 February 2009

National report (PDF - 91K, 41 pages)
January 5, 2009
[ Each country under review must submit a written report to the Council in advance of the review; this is Canada's report for the Feb. 3/09 review. ]
- prepared in collaboration by the federal, provincial and territorial governments of Canada

Compilation of UN information (PDF - 94K, 19 pages)
The present report is a compilation of the information contained in the reports of treaty bodies, special procedures, including observations and comments by the State concerned, and other relevant official United Nations documents.

Summary of stakeholders' information (PDF - 87K, 18 pages)
NOTE : scroll down to "Related links" below for the actual text of each of the 50 submissions

Outcome of the review of Canada:
Report of the Working group (PDF - 96K, 24 pages)
February 5, 2009

Some general contextual information:

Universal Periodic Review
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.
[ More Basic facts about the UPR ]

Source:
Human Rights Council
[ United Nations ]

Related links:

Stakeholders’ information - links to all 50 submissions from Canadian NGOs.
Highly recommended reading --- insights into Canadian human rights issues from, among many others:
* Canadian Human Rights Commission * Assembly First Nations * Amnesty International * Council of Canadian with Disabilities * Charter Committee on Poverty Issues * Canadian Coalition for the rights of Children * Canadians For Choice * Citizens for Public Justice * Center on Research Action on Racial Relations * Disability Right Promotion International Canada * EGALE - Egale Canada * Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action * International Center for Transitional Justice * Independant Living Canada * Womens Housing Equality Network * British Columbia Universal Periodic Review Coalition * KAIRO * Ligue des Droits et Libertés * National Union of Public and General Employees * Native Womens Association of Canada * Pivot Legal Society * Wellesley Institute * more...
Source:
UPR Info
UPR-info.org is a creation of UPR Info, a Geneva-based Non-profit and Non-governmental Organisation aiming at promoting and strengthening the Universal Periodic Review by raising public awareness and facilitating the participation of delegations and the civil society.
- incl. links to : * Home * UN System * UPR Process * Countries * NGOs * Documents * Media Centre * About us * Links

Canada's Universal Periodic Review
Canada's review under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is taking place on February 3, 2009. Under the UPR, Canada must submit a written report (see "National Report" link above), with information on the promotion and protection of human rights in Canada, including achievements, best practices, and challenges. In addition, the report must include initiatives and commitments to address any challenges and improve human rights situations on the ground. Federal, provincial and territorial government officials worked together to identify the principal themes/issues that were to be addressed in Canada’s report. The issues that were included in Canada's report are available in the report outline.
- includes background information on the UPR, info on the UPR Process and a few links to related content
Source:
Canadian Heritage

United Nations News Centre - check this link first to see What's New at the UN   ---------------------------------   International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (Source: United Nations) Make Poverty History Canada Make Poverty History International

International Events List From the United Nations Association in Canada: Annual International Days and Weeks Since the early days of the United Nations system, the UN has established a set of Days and Weeks to help focus the world on the issues in which the UN has an interest and commitment. International Years Since 1959 the UN has designated International Years in order to draw attention to major issues and to encourage international action to address concerns which have global importance and ramifications. International Decades In addition to the annual celebration of certain UN-designated days and weeks, there are curently several on-going internationally-declared decades. Annual International Days/Weeks/Years/Decades ------------------------------------ From the United Nations: United Nations Conferences and Events

Happy 60th anniversary - Universal Declaration of Human Rights
December 10, 2008
By Michael Shapcott
Today (December 10) marks the 60th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human rights form the cornerstone of national and global economic, political and social policy. Every person, instead of being reduced to pleading for special favours, is recognized to have universal rights - and governments are obliged to also recognize those rights.

The Universal Declaration was forged in the aftermath of the second world war and the great depression of the 1930s, when the world had grown tired of bloodshed and inequality. The opening sentences recognize the importance of human rights and the perils of ignoring them: "disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people."

Source:
Wellesley Institute Blog
[ Wellesley Institute ]

Related links from the United Nations:

Human Rights Day - "Dignity and justice for all of us"
December 10, 2008
- incl. video statements from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, along with a schedule of events for Human Rights Day 2008 at UN Headquarters in New York.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories."

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Found in The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2008.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Marks 60th Anniversary
http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-12-09-voa49.cfm

Cuban activists say they were beaten on eve of 60th human rights anniversary
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1211/p25s02-woam.html

BBC News: World Marks UN Human Rights Day
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7771429.stm

Human rights violations in our own backyard
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/09/ED5S14KPD6.DTL

Mary Robinson: Climate change is an issue of human rights
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mary-robinson-climate-change-is-an-issue-of-human-rights-1059360.html

Human Rights Day 2008
http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2008/index.shtml

United Nations Audio Library: Radio Classics
http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/library/classics/date.html

This Wednesday marked the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A number of groups around the world, including the United Nations and Amnesty International, used the observation of this event to bring attention to some of the continued human rights challenges and abuses around the world. Of course, sixty years ago, just getting the Declaration approved by the new U.N. General Assembly was quite a challenge, as individual countries had their own separate ideas about what constituted human rights. As Larry Cox, the director of Amnesty International USA, points out: "It was no longer a question of individual states doing whatever they want to for their citizens, because the way that governments treat their citizens affects the whole word and especially the peace and security of the whole world." Also this week, a number of commentators, such as Mary Robinson, the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights remarked that global climate change may be the next frontier in terms of thinking about human rights, especially in regards to the world's poor. [KMG]

The first link will lead visitors to a piece from the Voice of America News which talks about the legacy and future of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The second link leads to a piece from this Thursday's Christian Science Monitor which comments on a group of Cuban activists who said they were beaten while readying for a rally related to the anniversary of the Declaration. The third link will lead visitors to an excellent site created by the BBC to commemorate this event. The site includes a news article, an interactive slideshow, and a general Q&A section about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Moving on, the fourth link leads to an editorial by Sumayyah Waheed on the state of California's prison youth system, which appeared in Wednesday's San Francisco Chronicle. The fifth link will whisk users away to an impassioned piece by Mary Robinson about the relationship between climate change and human rights. The sixth link leads to the official United Nations homepage on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Here, visitors can read the text of the Declaration in hundreds of different languages, watch short video presentations, and take a look through the "World Voices" project. Finally, the last link leads to a fascinating collection of audio documentaries produced by the United Nations over the past sixty years. While visitors do have to register to listen in, the range of voices is quite accomplished. The archive includes Edward Murrow talking about needy children in a post-WWII Europe, Helen Hayes narrating reports on the Korean War, and the unbeatable troika of Michael Redgrave, James Mason, and Orson Welles narrating the history of diplomacy.

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International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
(this link takes you further down on this page)

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United Nations Research Guide This is a selective guide designed to assist researchers and students in gaining access to United Nations materials available within the library’s collections and databases, and via the Internet. - incl. links to: UN System of Organizations - Background Information and History - Current Awareness - Indexes and Databases Directories - Statistical Information - Research Guides Source: Mitchell Memorial Library (Mississippi State University) United Nations Conferences and Events

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Official Web Site Locator for the United Nations System of Organizations Official Classification of the United Nations System  Find any U.N. organization quickly from this comprehensive list . This page contains over 100 links  Includes links to :  a) programmes of the United Nations;  b) specialized agencies;  c) autonomous organizations;  d) convention secretariats; and  e) the inter-agency coordination mechanism. United Nations System Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) International Computing Centre (ICC)  International Labour Organization (ILO) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (ITC) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) United Nations Interim Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the (UNHCHR) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Office of the (UNHCR) United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD - see below) World Health Organization (WHO) World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Source: United Nations Office at Geneva The United Nations System Over two dozen links to key United Nations sites - from Global Policy Forum

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UNdata - "A World of Information" The United Nations (UN) website contains a tremendous amount of data, and for some new users (and even those who are more experienced), it may be a bit overwhelming. Recently, the UN created this fine website designed to assist those who might need a bit of assistance with this whole process. On the UN Data site, visitors can simply type in their search terms, look over a list of popular searches, and even take a look at their "News" section, which offers up a selection of helpful recent additions. Further down on the homepage, visitors can look through the "Database Coverage" area. Here they can take advantage of some specially culled statistics, including data sets related to the World Health Organization (WHO), refugees, industrial commodities, and children. The site is rounded out by a "Glossary" section, which offers a nice summary of each term that might be encountered while utilizing the site. Reviewed by: The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2008. http://scout.wisc.edu/ - includes links to: * Indicator databases - Key Global Indicators - Millennium Development Goals - Gender Info 2007 - Indicators on Women and Men - The State of the World’s Children 2008 - ECE Database The list of topics covered includes: * Education * Employment * Energy * Environment * Food and Agriculture * Health * Human Development * Industry * Information and Communication Technology * National Accounts* Population * Refugees * Trade * Tourism Source: United Nations

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UN to Canada: Take action on housing, homelessness!
October 22, 2007
By Michael Shapcott
Canada has received both a sharp reprimand and a strong call to action in the preliminary observations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, Miloon Kothari, in his preliminary observations at the end of his fact-finding mission to Canada. (...) The preliminary observations are the first stage towards completing a major review on Canada’s compliance with its international housing rights obligations. Mr. Kothari, who visited five Canadian cities and several Aboriginal communities during his mission from October 9 to 22. He met with senior government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations and people who are directly experiencing Canada’s nation-wide affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
Source:
Welleseley Institute Blog
[ Wellesley Institute ]

Related links: go to the Homelessness and Housing Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/homeless.htm

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Social Watch
"Founded in 1995, Social Watch was first established to provide a global platform for non-governmental organizations to monitor and promote the effective implementation of the commitments made by national governments during the United Nations World Summit on Social Development. Since that time, the group's work has continued in the areas of monitoring poverty eradication and gender equality and users with interests in these areas will appreciate both the organization's annual report (available from the homepage) and its country-by-country reports. One very well-developed interactive graphic feature is the development indicator section of the site. Here, visitors can view representations of such indicators as female adult literacy, deforestation, and fertility across the globe, along with discrete data from each country. Additionally, many of the materials offered here are available in Spanish as well."
Review by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2005.
- Current issue of the Scout Report

Sources and resources - excellent collection from Social Watch --- 200 links to resources for NGOs.

Millennium Goals: Poverty is not a statistic
"MONTEVIDEO, Sep 14 - Fighting poverty requires, among other things, tools for measuring the phenomenon in all its complexity. Poverty cannot be defined by having an income of one or two dollars a day, nor is there any advantage in distinguishing the very poor from the "almost" very poor, says the annual report by Social Watch, a global coalition of around 400 citizens' groups and non-governmental organisations from more than 50 countries. Although poverty basically reflects drastically unequal distribution of income, it also involves unequal access to goods, job opportunities, information and social services and reduced participation in society, says the Social Watch Report 2005, titled "Roars and Whispers. Gender and Poverty: Promises vs. Action", released Wednesday in New York."

Complete report:

Social Watch Report 2005
Roars and Whispers
Gender and poverty: promises vs. action
- includes several dozen links links to thematic reports (e.g., Poverty and globalization), reports measuring progress in specific areas (e.g., gender) and 50 country reports (Albania to Zambia).

Canada Social Watch Country Report for 2005:

Divided and distracted: regionalism as an obstacle
to reducing poverty and inequality (PDF file - 263K, 15 pages)
By Armine Yalnizyan for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
"Canada’s political agenda is increasingly marked by regional differences. The focus on decentralization and tightly controlled growth in government spending has resulted in more privatization of public goods, intensification of inequality, and heightened federal-provincial rancour. Genuine progress on poverty reduction or gender equality requires committed federal-provincial unity of purpose. The new dynamic unleashed by a minority federal government could lead to either greater inter-governmental cooperation or further balkanization."

The World Distribution of Household Wealth: Pioneering Study Shows Richest Two Percent Own Half World Wealth (PDF file - 252K, 14 pages) Press Release (incl. tables) 5 December 2006 A new study on The World Distribution of Household Wealth by the World Institute for Development Economics Research of the United Nations University (UNU-WIDER) was launched on Tuesday 5 December 2006. According to the study, the richest 2% of adults in the world own more than half of global household wealth. "The most comprehensive study of personal wealth ever undertaken also reports that the richest 1% of adults alone owned 40% of global assets in the year 2000, and that the richest 10% of adults accounted for 85% of the world total. In contrast, the bottom half of the world adult population owned barely 1% of global wealth." Complete report: The World Distribution of Household Wealth (PDF file - 1.14MB, 70 pages) James B. Davies, Susanna Sandstrom, Anthony Shorrocks, and Edward N. Wolff 5 December 2006 Department of Economics University of Western Ontario Source: World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER) "WIDER seeks to raise frontier issues and provide new and original insights and policy advice aimed at bosdting the economic and social development of the poorest nations." - WIDER Publications WIDER is part of: United Nations University (UNU) - incl. links to : About UNU * UNU System * Environment & Sustainable Development * Peace & Governance * Capacity Development * Online Learning - UNU Publications

Women's Civil and Political Rights in Canada 2005
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee
on the occasion of its review of Canada’s 5th report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
September 2005
Introduction - HTML
Full Report (PDF file - 179K, 55 pages)
Source:
Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action

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2005 World Summit United Nations 14-16 September 2005 - includes links to : General Assembly - Information for the Media - Calendar of Events - UN 60 - Documents - Statements - News Centre - Webcast - Radio - Photos - Links - Un Home Documents - incl. links to main documents, resolutions and related UN reports UN General Assembly 60th Session Source: United Nations General Assembly Google News search Results : "2005 world summit, united nations" Google Web Search Results : "2005 world summit, united nations" Source: Google.ca From the Prime Minister's Office: Address by Prime Minister Paul Martin at the United Nations General Assembly September 16, 2005 New York Prime Minister Paul Martin attends UN 2005 World Summit September 15, 2005 New York

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61st Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights (March 14 - April 22, 2005) Double standards on human rights 'undermining UN' March 14 2005 The United Nations human rights commission, the UN's principal forum for promoting human rights, opens its annual six-week session today amid unprecedented criticism of its competence and credibility. For years human rights groups have complained of growing politicisation and double standards that have stifled debate and allowed countries responsible for egregious abuses to escape condemnation. (...) Kenneth Roth, head of New York-based Human Rights Watch, reckons that about half the commission's 53 members are there "not to promote human rights but to undermine them". Source: Financial Times - U.S. Related links: Materials for the 61st Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights "Human Rights Watch presents its priorities and concerns to the 61st session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights." March 11, 2005 Source: Human Rights Watch ------------------------------------------- Commission on Human Rights - 61st session (Geneva ) 14 March-22 April 2005 "The United Nations Commission on Human Rights is the world’s foremost human rights forum. Established in 1946 to weave the international legal fabric that protects our fundamental rights and freedoms, its brief has expanded over time to allow it to respond to the whole range of human rights problems. The Commission continues to set standards to govern the conduct of States, but it also acts as a forum where countries large and small, non-governmental groups and human rights defenders from around the world can voice their concerns." Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ------------------------------------------- Commission on human rights holds sixty-first session at Palais des nations from 14 March to 22 April 2005 10 March 2005 "The principal human rights organ of the United Nations, the Commission on Human Rights, will conduct its annual six-week session for 2005 from 14 March to 22 April." Source: United Nations Office at Geneva

New report to Annan proposes solutions to problems of world poverty
News Release
17 January 2005
"United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today launched a 3,000-page document which research team leader, Special Adviser Jeffrey Sachs, called 'a unique report'recommending that rich countries double their investments in poor countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of halving extreme poverty by 2015 and going beyond to eliminate it by 2025. The report comes at a time when more than one billion of the world's six billion people live on less that $1 day, and 2.7 billion live on less than $2 a day."

Complete report:

Investing in Development:
A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals
HTML Table of Contents + links to PDF files for each chapter
PDF report all in one file:
Low Resolution (3.6 MB)
High Resolution (33.2 MB)

Source:

The Millennium Project
"At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000 world leaders placed development at the heart of the global agenda by adopting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which set clear targets for reducing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women by 2015."
- Core Millennium Development Goals - Documents and Websites

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World Economic and Social Survey 2004
"The first part of the World Economic and Social Survey 2004 discusses the state of the world economy in 2004 and the outlook for 2005. It includes a review of developments in international trade and finance and an overview of the situation in the world’s economies as of mid-2004 and their prospects for 2005. (...) The second part of the World Economic and Social Survey 2004 addresses international migration. It examines historical and recent surges in migration, policies towards migration, its economic and social effects, the question of refugees and the state of international cooperation regarding migration."

Press Releases (PDF file - 12 pages,394kb)
November 29, 2004
- one file containing three press releases related to the World Economic and Social Survey 2004

Source:
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
[ Economic and Social Development ]
[ United Nations ]

Also from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs:

International Day of Disabled Persons - "Nothing about Us Without Us"
3 December
"The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life."
- incl. links to : How the Day may be observed - Themes and observances of previous years - 2004 : Observance at the United Nations Headquarters

United Nations System and Persons with Disabilities
- incl. links to : Disability and Development - Disability and Human Rights - Disability and Education - Disability and the World of Work - Disability and Health - Rural Disabled - Disability Definition and Statistics

Disability and the United Nations
- incl. links to : United Nations Global Programme on Disability - Towards a convention - United Nations System and Persons with Disabilities [see below] - Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social Development - History of Disability and the United Nations - International Day of Disabled Persons

Source:
UN Enable - The United Nations Focal Point on Persons with Disabilities
(incl. links to : Disability and the United Nations - Priorities - International Norms and Policy Guidelines - Resources)
[ Division for Social Policy and Development ]
[ Department of Economic and Social Affairs ]
[ Economic and Social Development ]
[ United Nations ]

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International Day of Older Persons
The General Assembly designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons by resolution 45/106 of 14 December 1990, following up on initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the General Assembly.
Source:
U.N. Conferences and Events

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The State of the World’s Cities: 2004/2005
"The United Nations Human Settlements Programme published the first State of the World Cities report in 2001, and just recently released this updated version which offers insight and critical analysis of the state of the world’s major urban areas and how they are changing, both for good and for ill. The report was launched on September 14, 2004, at a conference in Barcelona at the World Urban Forum, and while visitors to the site can’t read the entire report for free, they can read a brief summary of each section contained within the full report. The various sections include such provocative topics as “Ticking Time-Bombs: Low-income settlements”, “Africa’s Secret Modernist City”, and “Crimes of the Child”. These excerpts are enhanced by a Flash presentation that talks a bit about the general findings of the report and also a press kit."
Review by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2003

The UN Report on The State of the World's Cities Warns of the Advance of Poverty (PDF file - 26K, 2 pages)
September 16, 2004
Press Release
Barcelona
Source:
United Nations Human Settlements Programme 2004

Short articles from State of the World's Cities 2004/5: Globalization and Urban Culture (PDF and Word format)

UN-HABITAT Report Celebrates Multicultural Cities
September 14, 2004
Barcelona

Related UN-HABITAT Link:

World Urban Forum (September 13-17, 2004 - Barcelona)
- Draft Report of the Second Session of the World Urban Forum (updated 23 September 2004) (PDF file - 246K, 80 pages)
"This draft report contains summary reports on the Dialogues which were held during the Second Session of the Forum. These summary reports give the highlights of the discussions and the issues that emerged for consideration by the Executive Director and the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT."

Related Links:
Go to the Municipalities Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/municipal.htm

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United Nations General Assembly, 59th Session - September 14, 2004
Source:
United Nations

Also from the U.N.:

Millennium Development Goals Portal - Site launched September 16/04
- incl. links to : MDG Basics - United Nations Action - Civil Society Action - Country-Regional Action - Tools - Links & Listservs - Calendar - Make a Suggestion
Source:
United Nations' Non-Governmental Liaison Service
NOTE: The Millennium Development Goals are : Eradicate Extreme Poverty - Universal Primary Education - Gender Equality / Empower Women - Reduce Child Mortality - Improve Maternal Health - Combat HIV/AIDS & Other Diseases - Environmental Sustainability - Global Partnership

Millennium Development Goals - A World Bank Website The World Bank: An Online Atlas of the Millennium Development Goals http://devdata.worldbank.org/atlas-mdg/large.html The World Bank established a set of Millennium Development Goals as both a challenge to poor countries to demonstrate “good governance” and to wealthy nations as a spur that would hopefully encourage them to support economic and social development. Recently, the World Bank created this visually engaging and sophisticated interactive atlas to track those eight goals, which include the promotion of gender equality, combating disease, and reducing child mortality. Visitors can click on any of these eight goals and they will be able to view maps of the world that document the progress that has been made in each nation. Clicking on each nation individually brings up clear and easy-to-read tables that chart additional changes within each separate goal. Visitors can export the data for their own use, and they can also resize the map to demonstrate the changes made over the past few years. From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2007. http://scout.wisc.edu/

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UN secretary general praises Canada as 'pillar' of the United Nations Canadian Press March 09, 2004 "OTTAWA (CP) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan praised Canada on Tuesday as a "pillar" of the United Nations and called on the government to continue fighting poverty, protecting the environment and fostering good governance around the world." Source: Canada.com But... Kofi’s Choice: Paul Martin and the Privatization of Development March 09, 2004 "As Paul Martin continues to struggle with scandals and scathing criticism, a Liberal saviour of sorts has set foot on Canadian soil. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has begun his first official visit to the country, at the earnest invitation of our eager prime minister." Source: Paulmartintime -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor News Bulletin March 1, 2004 "United Nations - The Commission on the Private Sector and Development today presented its report—Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor—to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, calling for targeted policy reforms and other initiatives that would spur growth in the local businesses that are critical to the eradication of poverty in the developing world. The Commission, co-chaired by Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada and Ernesto Zedillo, Mexico’s former president, was convened by the Secretary-General nine months ago in an effort to identify and address the legal, financial and structural obstacles blocking the expansion of the indigenous private sector in developing nations—especially in the poorest regions and communities in those countries." Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making business work for the poor Complete Report "In this report to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Commission focuses on how business can create domestic employment and wealth, free local entrepreneurial energies, and help achieve the Millennium Development Goals." - incl. links to individual chapters: Foreword, Highlights and other introductory pages Chapter 1: Why the private sector is important in alleviating poverty Chapter 2: Contraints on the private sector in developing countries Chapter 3: Unleashing the potential of the private sector Chapter 4: Engaging the private sector in development Chapter 5: Recommended actions, bibliographic information - also includes the full report in one single file and a press kit (Press release, highlights, framework) Related U.N. Links: Millennium Development Goals United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Related Canadian Links Canada bolsters private sector in developing countries News Release March 1, 2004 "OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced two initiatives aimed at unleashing the power of the private sector to help reduce poverty in developing countries. The announcement was made in New York as the Prime Minister and his Co-Chair, former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, presented the report of the Commission on Private Sector and Development to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan." - incl. background info about the work of the Commission on Private Sector and Development Source: Prime Minister's website Notes for an address by Paul Martin Prime Minister of Canada and Co-chair of the Commission on the Private Sector and Development - Luncheon address Speech by the Prime Minister March 1, 2004 United Nations Headquarters, New York Property rights first step in helping developing world: Economist Hernando de Soto March 2004 "Property rights are the fundamental building blocks of prosperity in the developing world, according to Hernando de Soto, president of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy. In most developing countries – where there is an estimated $9.3 trillion of assets on which to build wealth – there is no way to identify and register property, says de Soto. Without the proper regulatory and legal systems to stimulate and protect investments – such as the sophisticated network of rules and regulations in countries such as Canada – people who live on this land can not build on their assets and as a result have trouble achieving economic growth, he says." Source: www.paulmartintimes.ca

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Poverty and Human Rights Centre (Canada, International, United Nations, etc.) Centre Directors: Gwen Brodsky, Shelagh Day (formerly the Poverty and Human Rights Project) "The Poverty and Human Rights Centre is committed to eradicating poverty and promoting social and economic equality through human rights. The Library is a searchable database of materials related to social and economic rights. It includes texts of relevant international human rights treaties, Canadian and other laws, court decisions, legal briefs, and articles. To use the library, go to buttons at the top of the page (topics, documents, resources). Factum Library What's new The Factum Library section contains factums, pleadings and other litigation documents from selected Canadian human rights cases. The materials are organized by case name, articles, and date." - incl. links to : Recently added links - Contact Us - About the Centre - Centre Publications Civil and Political Rights in British Columbia 2005 The Poverty and Human Rights Centre submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the occasion of its review of Canada’s 5th report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights October 2005 Introduction Full Report (PDF file - 140K, 48 pages) Source: Poverty and Human Rights Centre

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Ten Stories the World Should Hear More About
"To shine a spotlight on some of the important international issues and developments that often do not get sufficient media attention, the United Nations Department of Public Information presents a new initiative - 'Ten Stories the World Should Hear More About.' This list includes a number of humanitarian emergencies, as well as conflict or post-conflict situations and spans other matters of concern to the United Nations, although it is far from embracing all of the many issues before the Organization.

The list:
[click on the link above and then, on the next page, on any item in the list down the right-hand side of the page]

1. Uganda: Child soldiers at centre of mounting humanitarian crisis
2. Central African Republic: a silent crisis crying out for help
3. AIDS orphans in sub-Saharan Africa: a looming threat to future generations
4. The peacekeeping paradox: as peace spreads, surge in demand strains UN resources
5. Tajikistan: rising from the ashes of civil war
6. Women as peacemakers: from victims to re-builders of society
7. Persons with disabilities: a treaty seeks to break new ground in ensuring equality
8. Bakassi Peninsula: Recourse to the law to prevent conflict
9. Overfishing: a threat to marine biodiversity
10. Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation

Source:
UN Conferences and Events
[ United Nations ]

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From the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

Human Rights Week 2005
A Week of Events to Commemorate United Nations Human Rights Day

International Human Rights Day 2004

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From the United Nations website:

Human Rights Day

United Nations Human Rights page

Human Rights Day Message of Acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Poverty, Conflicts, Terrorism, Violence, Prejudice and Bad Governance Grossly Violate Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan Says
International Human Rights Day Press Document
December 5, 2003
Source:
United Nations Office at Geneva

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International Human Rights Day - December 10
"...recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world."
Source:
Human Rights Page
[ United Nations

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International Day for the Eradication of Poverty ------------------------------------- From the United Nations: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17 "(...) Through resolution 47/196 adopted on 22 December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution." International Day 2008 In recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the theme for this year's observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is "Human Rights and Dignity of People Living in Poverty". Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017) In December 2007, the General Assembly proclaimed the Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017) reiterating that eradicating poverty was the greatest global challenge facing the world and a core requirement for sustainable development, especially for developing countries. The proclamation recalls the outcomes of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly - includes links to related resources in the text and in the left margin of the page First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) - incl. links to : Information on the Decade - Reports and resolutions (current and previous sessions) - Bulletin on Poverty Eradication - Meetings/Events - more... October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty "The United Nations General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed beginning in 1993. It noted that activities undertaken with respect to the Day will take into account those undertaken each 17 October by certain non-governmental organizations and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities on the eradication of poverty and destitution. The General Assembly also invited intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to assist States, at their request, in organizing national activities for the observance of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, paying due attention to the specific problems of the destitute." [General Assembly resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992] - incl. links to messages from the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly, official press release, press briefing and conference, summary of events planned around the world and more... World Economic and Social Survey 2008: Overcoming Economic Insecurity The World Economic and Social Survey (WESS) provides objective analysis of pressing long-term social and economic development issues, and discusses the positive and negative impact of corresponding policies. The analyses are supported by analytical research and data included in the annex. Source: United Nations Economic and Social Development Related UN Links: * Millennium Development Goals * United Nations Development Program (UNDP) * UN News Centre * UN Economic and Social Council * United Nations Economic and Social Development Related links: STAND UP and TAKE ACTION - third annual Stand Up mobilization coordinated by the Millennium Campaign and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) to coincide with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17. About Stand Up In Canada: Stand Up and Take Action - October 17-19th Join millions worldwide to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals at events across Canada, October 17th to 19th. Last year, over 43 million people Stood Up to demand that world leaders keep their promises to end poverty and inequality . This year, help us break that record and send an even louder message to our governments. Source: Make Poverty History (Canada) ------------------------------------- First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) - incl. links to : Information on the Decade - Reports and resolutions (current and previous sessions) - Bulletin on Poverty Eradication - Meetings/Events - more... October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty "The United Nations General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed beginning in 1993. It noted that activities undertaken with respect to the Day will take into account those undertaken each 17 October by certain non-governmental organizations and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities on the eradication of poverty and destitution. The General Assembly also invited intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to assist States, at their request, in organizing national activities for the observance of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, paying due attention to the specific problems of the destitute." [General Assembly resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992] - incl. links to messages from the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly, official press release, press briefing and conference, summary of events planned around the world and more... Source: United Nations Economic and Social Development Related UN Links: UN News Centre UN Economic and Social Council United Nations Economic and Social Development ------------------------------------- International Forum on the Eradication of Poverty 15-16 November 2006 New York "To mark the end of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, the Division of Social Policy and Development, DESA, in collaboration with United Nations agencies and civil society, is organising the International Forum on the Eradication of Poverty. The Forum aims to achieve two major objectives. First, it is intended to send a strong message on the importance of a continued and enhanced commitment to poverty eradication in the run-up to 2015. Second, the Forum will provide a valuable opportunity for forward-looking dialogue among stakeholders on the next steps over the next decade towards the realization of the universal goal of poverty eradication." - the main page includes links to 14 UN partner organizations - Background Notes - Papers and Presentations Source: Economic and Social Development [ Department of Economic and Social Affairs ] [ United Nations ] ------------------------------------- United Nations General Assembly: Message from the Secretary-General on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 17 October 2004 First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, 1997-2006 "In December 1995, the General Assembly proclaimed the First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006). In December 1996, the General Assembly declared the theme for the Decade as a whole to be "Eradicating poverty is an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind." International Day for the Eradication of Poverty "The General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed beginning in 1993." Source: United Nations Economic and Social Development -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17, 2003 First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) - incl. links to : Information on the Decade - Reports and resolutions (current and previous sessions) - Bulletin on Poverty Eradication - Meetings/Events - more... Message from the UN Secretary-General on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17 October 2003 Eradication of world poverty will take ‘bold’ action – Secretary-General Kofi Annan 17 October 2003 From the UN News Centre "United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called for “bold reforms” from developing nations, and “bold action” from developed countries, to end world poverty." International Day for Eradication of Poverty and World Food Day to be Observed at UN Headquarters on October 17, 2003 Press Release October 14, 2003 Report of the Secretary-General: Implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) and draft programme of action for the International Year of Microcredit, 2005 - PDF file (118K, 19 pages) July 23, 2003 NOTE: Because of a firewall issue, I can't give you the direct URL for this file. However, if you click on the source link immediately below this note, you can scroll down through the list of documents until you find it (it's about halfway down the list). Click on the small "E" to the left of the title for the English PDF version of the report... Source: Documents prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs - incl. links to two dozen reports prepared for the General Assembly Second Committee (Economic and Financial) Related Links: UN News Centre UN Economic and Social Council United Nations Economic and Social Development

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Google Web Search Results:
"U.N., Day for the Eradication of Poverty"
Google News Search Results:
"U.N., Day for the Eradication of Poverty"

News search Results:
"Make Poverty History"
Web Search Results:
"Make Poverty History"

Web Search Results:
"End Child Poverty in Canada"
Google News search Results:
"End Child Poverty in Canada"

Source:
Google.ca

United Nations World Food Programme WFP is the frontline United Nations organisation fighting to eradicate world hunger -- whether it is the hunger that suddenly afflicts people fleeing ethnic conflict in Rwanda or Bosnia or the chronic hunger that affects the hungry poor in countries such as Bangladesh or India. WFP became operational in 1963 and is now the world's largest international food aid organisation. - incl. links to : About WFP - Newsroom - Appeals - How to Help - Operations - Policies - Executive Board - Contact WFP - World Hunger World Food Day reminder of daily crisis borne by millions, say UN officials Josette Sheeran, WFP Executive Director 16 October 2008 As the eyes of the world continue to watch the ups and downs of global markets amid the current financial turmoil, United Nations officials are calling attention today to another global crisis – hunger – which affects millions daily and kills a child every six seconds. World Food Day: 7 things to do For WFP, every day is World Food Day Rome, 15 October 2008 World Food Day is held every year on October 16 to mark the day that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization was founded in 1945. FAO was the first agency created by the United Nations to address global hunger. Among other things, World Food Day is an opportunity to learn about global hunger and join in the fight against it! Here are seven things you can do right now, without leaving your computer. - includes the suggestion : "Play FreeRice" - try it! Source: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Among the Millennium Development Goals which the United Nations has set for the 21st century, halving the proportion of hungry people in the world is top of the list. (...) WFP is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: World Food Day, 16 October 2008 World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy World Food Day provides an occasion to once again highlight the plight of 923 million undernourished people in the world. Most of them live in rural areas where their main source of income is the agricultural sector. Global warming and the biofuel boom are now threatening to push the number of hungry even higher in the decades to come The State of Food and Agriculture 2008 Biofuels: prospects, risks and opportunities "(...) explores the implications of the recent rapid growth in production of biofuels based on agricultural commodities." World Food Situation - includes links to : FAO News - New Reports - Key Issues - Related links - Partners - Media - more... Policy measures taken by governments to reduce the impact of soaring prices New policies or changes to existing measures since last report (Crop Prospects and Food Situation) April 2008 Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations The FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy.

 

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--------------- FAO reports a setback in the war against hunger But some countries made notable progress News Release November 25, 2003 "Berlin/Madrid/Rome/Paris/Washington, DC -- Hunger is on the rise again after falling steadily during the first half of the 1990s, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) annual hunger report." The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2003 - Table of Contents and acknowledgements - Flyer (PDF file - 91K, 4 pages) - Complete report (PDF file - 369K, 40 pages) Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Created in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has a mandate "to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations.(...) FAO has 183 member countries plus one member organization, the European Community. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - defined as the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life."

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Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Geneva, Switzerland

Louise Arbour Takes Up Mandate of High Commissioner
Press Release
July 1, 2004
"Louise Arbour takes up her duties today as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Mrs. Arbour was, until June 2004, a member of the Supreme Court of Canada."
Source:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

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*International Human Rights Instruments - links to over 100 declarations, covenants, protocols, resolutions, conventions, principles, guidelines - including the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons, the Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons, etc.

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Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966 Canada and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) Don't Ignore UN Committee Recommendations on Human Rights, Canadian NGOs say May 22, 2006 The Canadian government cannot ignore the recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a network of Canadian non-governmental organizations, said. The UN human rights body released its Concluding Observations on its review of Canada ’s record in implementing the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, one of the key United Nations human rights treaties it has signed. Source: National Anti-Poverty Organization Canada could do so much better Economic and social rights are not seen as fundamental human rights, says Vincent Calderhead May 25, 2006 "(...) On Monday, the released its "concluding observations" regarding Canada's poor human rights record in the area of social and economic rights. `Two weeks ago a large group of Canadian human rights advocates made submissions to [the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights] in Geneva as it reviewed Canada's compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. I was part of that group and while we came away from the hearings expecting criticism of Canada, the UN's final assessment was even more scathing and far-reaching than anticipated." Source: The Toronto Star Complete report: Concluding Observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: CANADA (PDF file - 98K, 11 pages) May 2006 - 73 recommendations by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to Canadian governments Source: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 36th Session (1 - 19 May 2006) - includes links to Canadian governments' 4th and 5th Periodic Reports, to the UN'list of issues for Canada, to the submissions of dozens of Canadian non-governmental organizations and to the U.N. committee's concluding observations about Canada. Related Links: Canada's poor face `emergency': UN group says social programs lacking Sharply critical on rights of aboriginals May 23, 2006 "Welfare benefits in most provinces have dropped in value in the past 10 years and often amount to less than half of basic living costs, a UN watchdog group charged yesterday. The employment insurance program needs to be more accessible, minimum wages don't meet basic needs, and homelessness and inadequate housing amount to a "national emergency," says the UN body's report from Geneva." Source: The Toronto Star Google News search Results: "Concluding Observations", Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Canada" Google Web Search Results: "Concluding Observations", Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Canada" Source: Google.ca --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concludes 36th Session Issues Concluding Observations on Reports of Monaco, Liechtenstein, Canada, Mexico, and Morocco 19 May 2006 "The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concluded today its three-week spring session by adopting its concluding observations on the reports of Monaco, Liechtenstein, Canada, Mexico, and Morocco, which were considered during the session. (...) With regard to the fourth and fifth periodic reports of Canada, the Committee welcomed the relatively low level of unemployment in the State party, and the decrease in the proportion of persons living below the Low Income Cut Off. The Committee noted with particular concern that poverty rates remained very high among disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups such as Aboriginal peoples, African-Canadians, immigrants, persons with disabilities, youth, low-income women and single mothers. It urged the State party to re-examine its policies and practices towards the inherent rights and titles of Aboriginal peoples, to ensure that policies and practices do not result in extinguishment of those rights and titles." Related Link: 8 May 2006 COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS REVIEWS FOURTH AND FIFTH PERIODIC REPORTS OF CANADA ----------------------------------------------------------------- UN Experts question Canada’s inaction on poverty, housing, aboriginal rights May 8th, 2006 News Release GENEVA - “Many of the issues our committee raised in 1993 and 1998 are unfortunately still live issues today,” said Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay, a member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights during the committee’s review of Canada’s performance. “ Years later, the situation appears to be unchanged, and in some respects worse. There is continuing homelessness and reliance on food banks, security of tenure is not still not enjoyed by tenants, child tax benefits are still clawed back, (...) the situation of aboriginal peoples, migrants and people with disabilities doesn’t seem to be improving.” (...) The Review began on Friday May 5th and will end today, May 8 th. Participating in the review process are Canadian NGOs, representing the First nations, African Canadians, women, poor people as well as legal experts. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is expected to submit its concluding observations on May 19th, 2006. Source: National Anti-Poverty Organization Related Link: United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [CESCR], 36th Session (1 - 19 May 2006) - links to the complete collection of reports submitted by the governments appearing before the Committee during the 36th Session - including Canada, as well as all relevant submissions by non-governmental organizations and reports by the U.N. Source: United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNESCR) Website [ United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ] -------------------- Canada fails to meet economic and social rights obligations, United Nations told Media advisory April 28, 2006 OTTAWA - Canada is going backwards on its commitments to implement the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a network of Canadian non-governmental organizations say in presentations they will make to a UN Committee on May 1. Though Canada is one of the wealthiest nations in the world with low unemployment and record Federal budget surpluses, too many people are being denied the human rights guaranteed by the Covenant, such as the rights to an adequate standard of living, to social security, to housing, to food, to health, and fair working conditions including fair wages. (...) Over 25 representatives of non-governmental groups will be presenting their evidence to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which meets in Geneva beginning on May 1. (...) The Canadian government will appear before the Committee on May 5 and 8. The Committee is expected to issue its Concluding Observations including recommendations on what needs to be done to improve Canada's human rights compliance on or shortly after May 19. Source: CNW Group ("the nation’s number one resource for time-critical news and information from more than 10,000 sources coast to coast and around the world") Why are Canadian NGOs using their skimpy budgets to send people to Geneva for the meetings of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, you ask? 1. Because Geneva is so beautiful at this time of year. 2. Because NGOs are exploiting poverty in Canada to increase their own budgets, especially the travelling to Switzerland part. 3. Because federal accountability to the Canadian public for welfare programs suffered a serious blow on April 1, 1996, when the Canada Assistance Plan was replaced by the Canada Health and Social Transfer as the vehicle for federal contributions to provincial-territorial welfare and social service spending [ See http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm]. Except for the Supreme Court, there is *no* forum in Canada where the federal government can be held accountable for its role in the evolution of our social assistance and social service programs to their current pitiful state. The same holds true for the provincial and territorial welfare authorities - there are no Canadian benchmarks against which they could be held accountable, and there's no recourse except for welfare appeals systems, and those tend to be pretty watered down compared with the appeals systems of "the good old days" (y'know, when Canada was more compassionate and caring...). The correct answer's pretty obvious --- given the current state of affairs, NGOs have no choice but to hold our governments accountable on the international stage for non-compliance with Canadian commitments under international human rights covenants. -------------------- Related Links: -------------------- From the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Website United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [CESCR], 36th Session (1 - 19 May 2006) This is the best starting page if you want to see all of the Canadian Government and non-governmental submissions and related info from the Committee. I highly recommend this site as an excellent source information on welfare and other social programs - if you take the time to read the submissions by both the governments and the NGOs, you'll find that the truth sometimes lies sort of halfway between the rosy "ain't-we-doing-such-a-dandy-job-on-human-rights" perspective of Canadian governments and the "wheels-are-falling-off-Canadian-social-policy" assertions of some advocacy groups. - Click on the link above for links to Canadian governments' 4th and 5th Periodic Reports and to the submissions of the following Canadian non-governmental organizations (as at April 30/06): African Canadian Legal Clinic * Alternatives North * Amnesty International * Assembly of First Nations * Canadian Bar Association * Canadian Council for Refugees * Canadian Human Rights Commission * Canadian Human Rights Commission: A matter of Rights * Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action and National Association of Women and the Law * First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada * Forward * Global initiative to end all corporal punishment of children * Justice for girls * Kairos * Ligue des Droits et Libertés * Low Income Families Together * Lubicon Lake Indian Nation * National Anti-Poverty Organization * Native Women’s Association of Canada * Organic Agriculture Protection Fund * Poverty and Human Rights Center * Together for Human Rights Compilation of NGO submissions, March 31/06 (PDF file - 474K, 82 pages) - this a good overview if you don't have time to read the two dozen submissions above, bearing in mind that some submissions arrived too late for inclusion in the compilation. CESCR Day of General Discussion on “The Right to Social Security” 15 May 2006 During its 36th session (1-19 May 2006), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will host a Day of General Discussion (DGD) on the Right to Social Security (Article 9 of the Covenant). The aim of the DGD is to foster a deeper understanding of the contents and implications of article 9 of the Covenant. (...) The DGD will help the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to elaborate a General Comment on this right. This will in turn enable the Committee to better monitor the right to social security and assist States parties to the Covenant implement their obligations under article 9 of the Covenant." ----------------- The "sample" links below to submissions of the National Anti-Poverty Organization and Amnesty International Canada are only two of the almost two dozen submissions to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). From the National Anti-Poverty Organization: Canada not living up to its human rights commitments, NAPO tells the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PDF file - 234K, 16 pages) April 18, 2006 The National Anti-Poverty Organization will be presenting a report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva on May 1, 2006 on areas where Canada is not living up to its obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. NAPO points out that there are problems with Canada's respecting the right to work freely chosen, the right to just and favourable conditions of work including fair wages, the right to social security and the right to an adequate standard of living. See full NAPO submission... Human Rights and Poverty - includes background info on the process involved in Reporting Poverty to the United Nations and an invitation for you to Tell your story to the United Nations, as well as many other resources to help explain why NAPO and many other non-governmental groups send representatives to Geneva for this important event. From Amnesty International Canada: Canada must do more to protect economic, social, and cultural rights, says Amnesty International 27 April 2006 News Release The record of Canada on economic, social, and cultural rights will be under scrutiny by the United Nations in Geneva on 5 and 8 May. As part of a regular review by the UN the Canadian government must show what it is doing and what more can be done. Amnesty International, and other activist organizations, have submitted to the UN Committee a number of concerns and recommendations about Canada’s approach. It Is A Matter Of Rights, from Amnesty International highlights a number of areas that need immediate attention." IT IS A MATTER OF RIGHTS: Improving the protection of economic, social and cultural rights in Canada (PDF file - 230K, 27 pages) Briefing to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the occasion of the review of Canada’s fourth and fifth periodic reports concerning rights referred in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Submitted March 27, 2006 ----------------- From Human Rights Program of Canadian Heritage: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Fifth Report of Canada Covering the period September 1999 – December 2004 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Fourth Report of Canada Covering the period October 1994 - September 1999 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Third Report of Canada Covering various periods (1987, 1992, 1994) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - incl. links to six other relevant texts Canada's Reports on UN Human Rights Treaties and Related Official Documents - links to dozens of reports and publications ----------------- The Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) and economic, social and cultural rights education "In addition to using provincial human rights legislation to forward housing equality, CERA works on a national and international level promoting social and economic rights, such as the right to housing and an adequate standard of living. Specifically, we work to promote interpretations of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms that protect the rights of poor people and are consistent with Canada's international human rights obligations." - includes over a dozen links to relevant documents (by govt, NGO, and UN), either prepared for the upcoming (May 2006) meeting of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Review of Canada or presented as contextual/historical information. Recommended reading! Source: Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation --------------------------------------------------------------------- Human Rights & Poverty- Get Involved! An initiative of the National Anti-Poverty Organization - incl. links to : Using human rights to fight poverty (an overview) * Core human rights concepts * Reporting Poverty to the United Nations * Tell your story to the United Nations * Right to adequate housing is at issue in Inter-American Commission on Human Rights hearings * Human Rights Links - excellent collection of resources related to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights "The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states that every person has the right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to be free from hunger, to have a job, be paid fair wages and get an education. Canada is a party to the Covenant which requires countries to turn these rights into realities. Yet poverty in Canada continues. Governments are required to report every 5 years on how they are implementing the Covenant to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which has been set up by the United Nations to monitor how governments are living up to their international human rights commitments. Canada sent in its most recent Fourth Report in October 2004 and will appear before the Committee to answer questions in the Fall of 2006. The National Anti-Poverty Organization, in cooperation with other Canadian non-governmental organizations, is going to submit an alternative report on poverty in Canada to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights because we don't think the government report presents a full or accurate picture of the extent of poverty in Canada or the way in which government policies at both the federal and provincial/territorial level violate provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. NAPO invites your participation in developing an Alternative Report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Canada's implementation of the Covenant. NAPO will be in Geneva on May 1st to present before the Committee." Use Your Rights to Fight Poverty! A Workshop* on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) - the National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO), Low Income Families Together (LIFT) and KAIROS are conducting workshops across Canada to gather evidence for the Alternative Report. * Personal note: I attended a NAPO/KAIROS/LIFT ICESCR workshop in Ottawa early in 2006, and I appreciated learning some of the finer points of the process surrounding the country reports to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. I strongly support the work of the groups involved in the preparation and presentation of the Alternative Report. Read the latest Canada reports below - they contain a section for the federal government and one for each province and territory, and they all offer valuable nuggets of information on welfare reforms. To get the full picture, though, you should read both the government paper and the NGO Alternative Report. Latest Canada Reports on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Fourth Report of Canada Covering the period October 1994 - September 1999 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Fifth Report of Canada Covering the period September 1999 – December 2004 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Third Report of Canada Covering various periods (1987, 1992, 1994) Related Links (partners) Low Income Families Together (LIFT) "Low Income Families Together began in response to Ontario's review of social assistance during 1986, when a group of single mothers came together to make suggestions for reform of the system. This group later expanded its membership and the scope of its activities to become a voice and an active group for low income families in the province. (...) LIFT staff and members continue to develop information and resources and make them available to our members and other low income people in Metro Toronto and throughout Ontario." KAIROS "KAIROS unites churches and religious organizations in a faithful ecumenical response to the call to "do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). We deliberate on issues of common concern, advocate for social change and join with people of faith and goodwill in action for social transformation." - incl. links to : Home - Who we are - Programme Areas - Take Action! - Resources - Network and Events - Media Room - Support Us - Aboriginal - Anti-poverty - Corporate - Ecology - Education - Economic - Human Rights - Partners - Refugees National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) The National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) is a non-profit, non partisan organization that represents the interests of low-income people in Canada. NOTE: Highly recommended! If you haven't visited the NAPO site in awhile, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of quality content that you'll find there. - incl. links to : News/Commentary - Action/Campaigns - Living wage - Youth Initiative - Human rights - Issues - Popular Education - Events - About NAPO - NAPO News - Subscribe - Join/Donate - Contact NAPO - Resources - Need help? - Jobs - Feedback - Links - Action/Campaigns - incl. info about the following campaigns : Make the Minimum Wage a Living Wage * Our Future Now! End Youth Poverty * Stop the Clawback of the NCBS * Make Poverty History * End Child Poverty * NAPO Action Campaigns - Issues - incl. Child Poverty * Federal Budget * Guaranteed Adequate Income * Health and Poverty * Housing and Homelessness * Human Rights * Minimum Wage/Living Wage * Panhandling * Poverty in Canada * Poverty Measures * Poverty Reduction Strategies * Race and Poverty * Social Assistance * Social Transfer * Women and Poverty * Work and Unemployment * Youth Poverty ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee : Canada Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant 2 November 2005 "The Human Rights Committee considered the fifth periodic report of Canada (CCPR/C/CAN/2004/5) at its 2312th and 2313th meetings (CCPR/C/SR.2312-2313), on 17 and 18 October 2005, and adopted the following concluding observations at its 2328th and 2330th meetings (CCPR/C/SR.2328 and 2330), on 27 and 28 October 2005." Related Links from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Human Rights Committee Opens 85th Session Press Release 17 October 2005 "The Human Rights Committee, which reviews the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its 153 States parties, this morning opened its eighty-fifth session, hearing an address by a Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, following which it adopted its agenda and programme of work." Human Rights Committee - "Monitoring civil and political rights" The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its State parties. Human Rights Committee 85th Session (17 October - 3 November 2005) Geneva Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant Fifth periodic report : CANADA (PDF file - 607K, 154 pages) [27 October 2004] "The present report outlines key measures adopted in Canada from 1995 to April 2004 to enhance its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Covenant). The report is focused primarily on issues raised by the Human Rights Committee in its Concluding Observations, issued after review of Canada’s Fourth Report in 1999, and on significant developments and case law since this review. NOTE: I can't offer you a direct link to this file because the link is broken when I test it immediately after creating it. (Some weird linking protocol...) Go to the Human Rights Committee page ( http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/hrcs85.htm ), and then click the "E" under State Reports next to the word Canada to open the 154-page report (PDF file - 607K) which is dated 27 October 2004 List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the fifth periodic report of CANADA July 25, 2005 Related Links from the website of the Human Rights Program of Canadian Heritage : Canada's Fifth Report on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Submitted to the UN on August 17, 2005 HTML Format PDF Format (572K, 149 pages) Source: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - incl. links to six other relevant texts Canada's Third Report on The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1997) Canada's Reports on UN Human Rights Treaties and Related Official Documents - links to dozens of reports and publications -------------------------- What's New from the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation: Submission by the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues to the Human Rights Committee on the Occasion of the Review of Canada's Fifth Periodic Report Under the ICCPR (Word File - 121K, 22 pages) (October 17 & 18, 2005) "The protection accorded to the poorest of the poor of the right to life has been degraded and rendered to an 'abysmal' and 'shabby' level and the discriminatory consequences of inadequate social assistance, minimum wage and other social programs on women, aboriginal people, people with disabilities, newcomers, racialized minorities and other groups have not been adequately addressed in Canada." [Excerpt, pp. 20] Submission of the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) and the Centre for Equal Rights in Accommodation (CERA) to the fifth periodic review of Canada by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, October 2005 - (Word file - 173K, 19 pages) October 17, 2005 The submission by ACTO and CERA addresses four issues: "1. The failure of residential tenancies legislation to require a hearing before eviction, and to require consideration of the tenant's vulnerability to homelessness; 2. The failure of governments to reverse cuts in social assistance levels, and to address the discriminatory impact of inadequate shelter allowances; 3. The failure of the federal government, and several provincial governments, to remove the statutory authority of human rights commissions to veto the right of a claimant to a hearing before an adjudicative tribunal; and 4. The failure of Canadian governments to take positive measures, including the development of a national affordable housing strategy, to address the on-going crisis of homelessness." [Excerpt, p. 3] Source: The Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) and economic, social and cultural rights education ------------------------------------- Media release from the National Working Group on Women and Housing (Word file - 32K, 2 pages) October 19, 2005 Related Link: United Nations Regional Consultation on Women and the Right to Adequate Housing in North America with Miloon Kothari, UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing October 15-17, 2005 From the website of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign ("...committed to uniting the poor across color lines as the leadership base for a broad movement to abolish poverty") ------------------------------------- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Fourth Report of Canada Covering the period October 1994 - September 1999 October 2004 Table of Contents page, includes links individual files for each of the sections of the report, as follows: Foreword - Introduction (Canadian federalism and human rights, Significant cross-jurisdictional developments) - Review of Jurisprudence - Measures Adopted by the Government of Canada - Measures Adopted by the Governments of the Provinces (incl. summaries for each province) - Measures Adopted by the Governments of the Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories) PDF version of the complete report (1.6MB, 438 pages) Source: Human Rights Program [ Department of Canadian Heritage ] ------ Comment on Canada's Fourth Report by Vince Calderhead of the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues: The feds have now posted Canada's latest (4th) report under the ICESCR on their Canadian Heritage web site. The report was filed in Geneva on October 4th 2004. The report purports to cover the period October '94 to September 1999. Having scanned the Federal section, one really does get the sense that 'this is old stuff'. A good example is the review of jurisprudence. Many of the cases featured would strike us as being really dated. Thus, Masse is featured and the while the report discusses Gosselin, the authors only cover the case up to the Quebec Court of Appeal. The following could be said to typify the Canadian government's approach to the whole thing: "One of the biggest challenges Canada faces is to find a balance between social objectives and economic imperatives that avoids the predominance of either. The reduction of poverty is especially difficult." (para. 32). The report's' thematic discussion of homelessness can hardly be described as thorough. After going thru the feds' disability and children's agendas, the NCB, SUFA etc, homelessness is then taken up in the following way: "All levels of government have taken actions to address the challenges Canada faces with respect to homelessness, literacy, and diversity. These strategies are detailed within their respective sections of this report." Here is my own province's [Nova Scotia's] 'full text' response to the crisis of homelessness, and, while they are at it, the right to adequate food: "Adequate food: Grants are provided by the provincial government to assist in the operation of food banks. As well, there are community organizations and churches that provide meals to people who are homeless and have low income." (with permission from Vince Calderhead) Related Links: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - incl. links to : Introduction - Statement to the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (Seattle) - General Comment 15: The right to water (articles 11 and 12) - General Comment 14: The right to the highest attainable standard of health (article 12) - Guidelines for Drafting General Comments - Sessions (State party reports, Concluding observations) - Notes on sessions - States Parties to the Covenant - Draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Plan of Action to Strengthen the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Press releases - Treaty Body Database. [ Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ] International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [ Source: Office of the High Commissioner ot the United Nations ] ------------------------------------- 1998 List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the third periodic report of Canada : United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (June 10, 1998)    Canadian Government Responses:  (November 1998)  Federal Government Response British Columbia Government Response Alberta Government Response Saskatchewan Government Response Manitoba Government Response Ontario Government Response Québec Government Response New Brunswick Government Response Nova Scotia Government Response Newfoundland Government Response Northwest Territories Government Response Yukon Government Response No response available from PEI  *Réponse du Gouvernement du Québec*  (voir la note sur la page de réponse du Québec pour obtenir le texte complet en français) NOTE: Check the government pages for a wealth of program information and statistics on welfare reform, poverty, disability, women, aboriginal people, homelessness and other topical issues.  . (excellent information on social program restructuring in Canada and its impacts on women)           Canadian Women and the Social Deficit: A Presentation to the International Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by the National Association of Women and the Law  November 1998 See also: Canada's Response to the UN Questionnaire to Governments on Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome of the Twenty-Third Special Session of the General Assembly (2000) June 2004 " The present response to the United Nations (UN) questionnaire is the 2nd report submitted by Canada on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) (1995) and the Outcome of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly (2000). Canada's 1st national response to the questionnaire submitted in 2000 contained detailed information on measures adopted in Canada in support of the implementation of the BPfA. This report has been prepared as an update and contains information on measures adopted since 2000." Complete report - HTML Complete report - PDF (257 KB, 27 pages) Source: Status of Women Canada   Concluding observations of reports submitted by CANADA to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights PDF file - 73K, 10 pages December 4, 1998 Source: Low Income Families Together

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From WomenWatch*: [*WomenWatch --- United Nations Information and Resources on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women] Forty-Ninth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women Beijing +10 (United Nations, New York, 28 February to 11 March 2005) - meeting of high level representatives from 100+ UN Member States and thousands of NGO representatives to review progress made since the Fourth World Congress on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The Ten-Year Review and Appraisal are part of the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Official Documents for the Commission on the Status of Women 49th Session Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcome Document of the Twenty-third Special Session of the General Assembly --------------------------------------------- From Status of Women Canada: Liza Frulla (Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister Responsible for Status of Women) Will Lead the Canadian Delegation to the Beijing +10 Meeting in New York News Release February 28, 2005 The Honourable Liza Frulla, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 10-year Review of the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action Statement of Canada March 2, 2005 "(...)2005, in addition to marking the 30th anniversary of the first world conference on women, also marks the 20th anniversary of the equality provisions of our Constitution." International Women's Day - March 8, 2005 You Are Here: Women, Canada and the World "Did you know that March 8 is International Women's Day (IWD) ? Established in 1977 by the United Nations, this special day provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to advance women's equality, to assess the challenges facing women in contemporary society, to consider future steps to enhance the status of women and, of course, to celebrate the gains made in these areas." - incl. links to : Theme * News releases and statements * Products available * Ordering products * Calendar of Activities * For more information Calendar of Activities 2005 (for all of Canada) Beijing +10 at a Glance Beijing +10 Resources Beijing +10: Fact Sheets --------------------------------------------- A Decade of Going Backwards: Canada in the Post-Beijing Era Beijing+10 UN shadow report February 25, 2005 "This shadow report provides a comprehensive analysis of Canada’s progress on the commitments it made to women’s equality ten years ago in Beijing. Source: Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) - incl. "information on Canada’s commitment under the Beijing Platform for Action or the upcoming Beijing meetings in New York (and) links to both the official reports and activities of Canada and the UN, as well as relevant information from women’s organizations around the world." - incl. links to resources in the following areas: Beijing +10 - Canada Social Transfer - Women, Trade and Economic Justice - Violence, Poverty and Housing - Human Rights in Canada - CEDAW - Gender Budgeting - Pay Equity Also from FAFIA: Beijing+10 Research and Resources --------------------------------------------- International Women's Day (IWD) "International Women's Day (IWD) is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. Find out what local IWD events are occurring near you for IWD 2005." Organisations Supporting Women "The following organisations have proudly listed their 2005 International Women's Day (IWD) event on this site. Learn more about what these organisations do and how you can become more involved with them." - links to 150+ women's groups --------------------------------------------- Beijing and Beyond "The Women of the World are Watching" "The Global Week of Action: Beijing and Beyond is an opportunity for everyone to get involved, apply pressure on their governments, demand women's human rights, and celebrate achievements." Resources List - --------------------------------------------- Beijing Betrayed Women worldwide report that governments have failed to turn the Platform into action. (March 2005) Source: Women's Environment &Development Organization --------------------------------------------- United Nations Development Fund for Women

Johannesburg Summit 2002 - August 26 to September 4, 2002
Official website of the United Nations Secretariat for the Summit
"Johannesburg Summit 2002 – the World Summit on Sustainable Development – will bring together tens of thousands of participants, including heads of State and Government, national delegates and leaders from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses and other major groups to focus the world's attention and direct action toward meeting difficult challenges, including improving people's lives and conserving our natural resources in a world that is growing in population, with ever-increasing demands for food, water, shelter, sanitation, energy, health services and economic security."
- incl. links to : Type 2 Initiatives - Summit Side Events - Accreditation and Registration - Media Logistics and Accreditation - National Activities - Johannesburg Summit 2002 brochure - Other News - PrepCom Calendar (all preparatory meetings).
Source :
United Nations Economic and Social Development
United Nations Sustainable Development

High-level officials of six countries* and European Union address Commission on Human Rights
[*including Canada]
Press Release
March 19, 2002
Source : United Nations Office at Geneva

The Commission on Human Rights holds its annual session from 18 March to 26 April 2002.
Read background release
Read all releases covering the session
The High Commissioner gives a press conference as Commission begins session

Canada can make a difference at Monterrey notes The North-South Institute
Press Release [Version française]
March 18, 2002
OTTAWA -- "Developed countries need to confirm their commitment to eradicating global poverty by taking strong steps toward implementing the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) during this week’s United Nations Monterrey conference,” emphasizes Roy Culpeper, President of The North-South Institute."
Source : The North-South Institute

Related Links from the UN News Centre :

Debate on foreign development assistance must focus on concrete goals: UNDP chief
March 19, 2002
As a key United Nations forum on development moved into its second day, the head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) today said the debate over official development assistance (ODA) should focus on what concrete goals spending would achieve instead of what should be spent.

UN’s principal human rights body opens session in Geneva
March 18, 2002
The United Nations Human Rights Commission opened its fifty-eight session in Geneva today, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, describing the gathering as the forum at which the most comprehensive debate on the state of human rights around the world takes place.

UN development summit opens amid calls for more international aid to poor countries
March 18, 2002
As world leaders assembled in Mexico today for the start of a United Nations forum on mobilizing resources for development, the heads of the UN economic commissions highlighted factors that blocked the flow of aid and development efforts in their regions, such as heavy debt and armed conflict.

From the U.N. Media Centre at Geneva :

The Commission on Human Rights holds its annual session from 18 March to 26 April
Background Release
Related Releases
Press Conference - (High Commissioner)

Statistical Databases Online
World Disability Statistics (by country)
National Government Statistical Departments or Agencies

International Statistical Agencies and Organizations

Millennium Indicators (United Nations Statistics Division)
- socio-economic indicators for countries covering the period 1985-2000. These indicators are being used to monitor implementation of the goals and targets of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.

United Nations Millennium Declaration

United Nations Population Division
- Population Database - estimates of population trends covering the period 1950-2000, and four projection variants for the period 2001-2050. Data is provided for world regions as well as for individual countries.

United Nations Population Information Network

Recent releases from the United Nations Population Fund

New report shows cultural sensitivity critical
to successful development strategies, women's equality( (Word file - 86K, 2 pages)
12 November 2008
Press Release
UNITED NATIONS, New York, 12 November 2008—Development strategies that are sensitive to cultural values can reduce harmful practices against women and promote human rights, including gender equality and women’s empowerment, affirms The State of World Population 2008 report from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights, launched 12 November 2008, reports that culture is a central component of successful development of poor countries, and must be integrated into development policy and programming. The report, which coincides with this year’s 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is based on the concept that the international human rights framework has universal validity. Human rights express values common to all cultures and protect groups as well as individuals. The report endorses culturally sensitive approaches to development and to the promotion of human rights, in general, and women’s rights, in particular.
Source:
Press kit & Resources
* The Reports * Media Outreach * Feature Stories * Contact Information * Graphs and Tables * Photographs

Complete report:

The State of World Population 2008
Reaching Common Ground:
Culture, Gender and Human Rights (PDF - 2.5MB, 108 pages)
Contents :
* Overview * Human Rights * Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality * Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights * Poverty, Inequality and Population * War, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment *
Conclusions

Source:
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is an international development agency
that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.

Related link:

The State of World Population 2008
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2008/en/
In November 2008, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) put out its State of World Population book, along with a Youth Supplement, and both are available in their entirety on the UNFPA website. The book is entitled "Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights" and the Youth Supplement is entitled "Generation of Change: Young People and Culture". This website offers so much worthwhile information to the visitor, in part because the entire 108 pages can be downloaded as a pdf by clicking on "Download PDF" under Resources on the left side of the page. The information in each of the nine chapters is eminently readable, extremely heart wrenching, and definitely eye-opening. However, the book does offer hope, as it includes the considerable successes by the UNFPA, which were achieved by being culturally sensitive to the traditions and beliefs of the groups with which they were working. To read the stories from the Youth Supplement, scroll down slightly and choose, from on the left, one of the young people's stories, such as "Grita", "Tsehay", or "Seif". Child marriage, females playing in male sports, becoming a Vietnamese hip-hop sensation, youth in politics, are all examples of topics found among these youth's stories. Visitors should not miss checking out the Photo Gallery, which can be accessed by scrolling down to the middle of the page, and clicking "View," located on the left side of the page. The line "there is laughter every day in the terrible streets of Calcutta," from a Jack Gilbert poem comes to mind upon seeing these photographs.
Review by:
From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2008.
http://scout.wisc.edu/

The State of World Population 2007:
Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth

SPEED, SCALE OF URBAN GROWTH WILL REQUIRE ‘REVOLUTION IN THINKING’, WARNS UNFPA
Asian, African Cities to Swell by Equivalent of one China, One U.S. Combined (Word file - 49K, 2 pages)
News Release
27 June 2007
Humanity will have to undergo a “revolution in thinking” in order to deal with the doubling of urban populations in Africa and Asia by 2030, warns UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. In a new report released today, The State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, the organization maintains that over 30 years, the population of African and Asian cities will double, adding 1.7 billion people—more than the populations of China and the United States combined.

Complete report:
HTML version
PDF version (2.8MB, 108 pages)

Press Kit & Resources - includes links to the main report and Growing Up Urban (Youth Supplement), press summary, press releases and much more...

Country-by-Country data
Use the drop-down menu to find data on urbanization for 78 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean with over 7 million people. Data is presented for each showing changes in the urban population starting in 1950 and projected through 2030.
The data sets reflect:
* Percentage of rural and urban dwellers compared to the total population
* Percentage of the total population living in urban areas
* Annual rate of change of the urban population
* Urban population by size of settlement (only for countries with cities of more than 750,000 people)
Data sets are presented in Excel files. Use the tabs at the bottom of the page to navigate from one data set to another.

Vancouver: Prosperity and poverty
make for uneasy bedfellows in world’s most ‘liveable’ city (Word file - 46K, 3 pages)
"(...) As the 2007 State of World Population report: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth points out, this is the kind of price that a city—any city—will pay if it fails to support, plan for or house an expanding population of the urban poor. What makes the Downtown Eastside so different is that it is located in one of the most prosperous cities in one of the world’s most prosperous countries. "

Previous Years' Reports - back to 1997, focusing on a different theme each year

Related links:

State of World Population 2007 (site review)
In terms of human settlement patterns, the world’s population is undeniably becoming more and more urbanized. By 2008, over half of the world’s population will be living in urban areas, and by 2030, it is estimated that 5 billion people will live in urbanized areas. This is but one of the aspects of the world’s population that is discussed within the interactive pages of the 2007 State of World Population report. Released in June 2007, the report can be viewed in its entirety on this site, and it is available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian. The website also includes a youth supplement, titled “Growing Up Urban”. Here, visitors can learn about the experiences of young people in Taijin, China, Mumbai, Caior, and San Salvador. A multimedia presentation is also made available here, and visitors can listen to those who have recently moved to cities talk about their experiences, opportunities, and challenges.
Source:
United Nations Population Fund
Reviewed by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2007.

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"State of World Population 2007"
Web search results page
News search results page
Blog Search Results page
Source:
Google.ca

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Poverty Home Page
UNDP Poverty Publications
World  Income Inequality Database (WIID)
Poverty Concepts and Poverty Lines
Poverty : Indicators Statistics and Measurement
- incl. links to: Development Indicators - Gender Dimensions - Measurement and Assessments - Poverty Indicators - Poverty Research - Sustainable Livelihoods

Human Development Report Website
(incl. links to the most recent report and to reports right back to 1990)

Google News Search Results: "Canada, human development index" (links to news about the HDR)
Source:
Google.ca

Human Development Report 2002 - Deepening Democracy in a Fragmented World
July 24, 2002
"Politics matter for human development. Reducing poverty depends as much on whether poor people have political power as on their opportunities for economic progress. Democracy has proven to be the system of governance most capable of mediating and preventing conflict and of securing and sustaining well-being. By expanding people's choices about how and by whom they are governed, democracy brings principles of participation and accountability to the process of human development."
Source : United Nations Development Programme
- UN Human Development Report Website
- View previous HDRs online
- Order Human Development Reports

But see also:

Canada ranks 17th on Index of Human Progress -- Most of the World Sees Large Gains
July 24, 2002
"Canada ranks a weak 17th on the Fraser Institute's Index of Human Progress released today, compared to its 3rd place ranking on the United Nations' often-quoted Human Development Index."
Source : Fraser Institute

Global Policy Forum
The United Nations has a number of policy initiatives occurring in all parts of the globe, and some might ask the question: Who evaluates the effectiveness of such programs? The United Nations does some of this work themselves, but the Global Policy Forum is also intimately concerned with monitoring their programs, along with "promoting accountability of global decisions." Visitors who know what types of material they are looking for will want to search through the headings which include such themes as globalization, international justice, and UN reform. Each one of these sections contains a brief essay on their work, along with a smattering of reports, tables, and charts that highlight their analyses, past and present.
Reviewed by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2006. http://scout.wisc.edu/

Housing New Canadians is a research partnership focused on housing access and discrimination in the Toronto area, where about forty percent of all newcomers to Canada settle.
Housing New Canadians examines in detail how immigrants and refugees secure housing, whether their housing needs are met, and the quality, adequacy, and cost of the housing they occupy.
Bibliographies -- Housing and Immigrants - Housing Related Discrimination in Canada
Links to three dozen sites about immigration and settlement, housing (in several countries) and housing discrimination
Publications - links to a dozen online reports on housing and immigration dating back to 1994. You should check them all out, but here's one in particular that caught my attention :
Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions : The Human Right to Adequate Housing
A Chronology of United Nations Activity, 1945 to 1999
PDF file, 330K, 70 pages
February 2000
 

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
UNRISD was established in 1963 with a mandate to conduct research into problems and policies of social development and relationships between various types of social development and economic development during different phases of economic growth.

United Nations CyberSchoolBus - Global Teaching and Learning Project
This United Nations site for teachers and students is very informative and interactive - well worth setting some time aside for a long visit (it's also a large site!)

InfoNation (Part of the CyberSchoolBus)
InfoNation is an easy-to-use, two-step database from the U.N. that allows you to view and compare the most up-to-date statistical data for the Member States of the United Nations.
Pick a country from the list by continent, then select a category -  like Geography, Economy, Population and Social Indicators. Each category includes a number of variables. Here's what you can see under Social Indicators : Life Expectancy (Women/Men) - Illiteracy Rate (Total) - Illiteracy Rate (Female) - Parliamentary Seats (Women/Men) - Spending on Education - School Enrolment - Homicides - Motor Vehicles - Telephones - Newspaper Circulation - Television Receivers - Refugees

U.N. Economic and Social Council
- Calendar -  (March 2001 - PDF format) forthcoming UN events and other meetings of special interest to NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC

UN End of Millennium Summit Final Declaration
- PDF version
Visit the Millennium Assembly website

Related Link:
- WSSD (Copenhagen) +5 (International Institute for Sustainable Development)

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
United Nations Economic and Social Development

ILO and Copenhagen +5
On the recommendation of the World Summit for Social Development, the General Assembly decided in 1995 (resolution 50/161) to hold a special session in 2000 for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of the Summit and to consider further actions and initiatives. The Special Session of the General Assembly of the General Assembly entitled "World Summit for Social Development and Beyond: Achieving Social Development for All in a Globalizing World" will be held in Geneva from 26 to 30 June 2000.
The ILO and the Geneva 2000 Forum - Programme of activities

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
For more than 53 years UNICEF has been helping governments, communities and families make the world a better place for children. Part of the United Nations system, UNICEF has an enviable mandate and mission, to advocate for children's rights and help meet their needs.
- incl. links to : UNICEF in Action | Highlights | Information Resources | Donations, Greeting Cards & Gifts | Press Centre | Voices of Youth | About UNICEF

State of the World’s Children 2004
"The State of the World’s Children 2004 focuses on girls’ education and its relationship to all other development goals and to the promise of Education For All. It presents a multi-layered case for investing in girls’ education as a strategic way to ensure the rights of both boys and girls and to advance a country’s development agenda. The web summary touches on general points of the main text and presents panel abstracts highlighting successful programmes."
Table of Contents - links to individual chapters, appendices, tables, maps and figures
Complete report (PDF file - 3.35MB, 156 pages)

UNICEF says getting more girls into school is first step to reaching Global Development Goals
Millions of girls are left out every year, with major consequences for nations
Press release
December 11, 2003

Source:
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Related Links:

State of the World's Children 2004 : Spotlight on Girls' Education
- what Canada (through CIDA) is doing about girls' education in the world
CIDA's Action Plan on Basic Education
Source:
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

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From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2003. http://scout.wisc.edu/

December 12, 2003
Recent Report from UNICEF Details Importance of Education

65 Million Girls Denied Education
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=88343898&p=883446x4

UN: Girls’ Education a Global Emergency
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D02D47D7-7369-4D15-97CD-86ECD8B37C59.htm

Education of Girls Key to Development in Poor Countries, says UNICEF [RealOnePlayer]
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=FED68F94-017F-4F03-BD13B8F066A92C41

UNICEF: The State of the World’s Children [pdf]
http://www.unicef.org/sowc04/index.html

United Nations Millennium Development Goals
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

African Virtual University
http://www.avu.org

.......................................................................................................................................................................

National Child Day / Universal Child Day Universal Children's Day 20 November 2003 "The General Assembly recommended in 1954 that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and of activity promoting the welfare of the world's children. (...) The date of 20 November marks the day in which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989." - 50+ links to UN and related resource for children, including : Unicef programs, Children's Rights, the State of the World's Children, 2003, Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women), Unicef & the Global Movement for Children, United Nations Special Session on Children, Children and the UN, A World Fit for Children, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - Unesco - World Bank - international children's resources - much more... Source: Dag Hammarskjöld Library [ United Nations ] Celebrate National Child Day - November 20th - incl. links to National Child Day stickers, info about the origins of National Child Day, ideas on how to celebrate this special day with children, and a two-page resource to helphs parents understand children's rights and to offer activities that help children deepen their understanding of their rights. Press Release (November 17, 2003) Source: Canadian Child Care Federation ............................................................................................................ National Child Day [ from Save the Children Canada ] ............................................................................................................ National Child Day Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

State of the World’s Children 2003
"The State of the World’s Children 2003 reports on child participation — the ‘right’ of all children to have their opinions taken into account when decisions are being made that affect them. The report showcases examples of meaningful child participation from every region of the world."
- Click on the above link to see the highlights, contents, press release, complete report and press kit.

Complete Report Online (download the entire report or selected sections)

The Progress of Nations 2000
July 2000
Over the past eight years, The Progress of Nations has diligently recorded the world’s progress towards giving all children the chance to live a decent life – a life of dignity and opportunity. The benchmarks have been the goals set at the 1990 World Summit for Children and the rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which virtually all nations have ratified.
- See "Online UNICEF publications" below for previous years

Child Rights - information concerning the 1999 Convention on the Rights of the Child and the rights of children, youth and women

Child Statistics (60 countries)
- incl. under-five mortality, maternal mortality, measles immunization, iodized salt use, child malnutrition, adult literacy, water supply, sanitation, net enrolment in primary school, sex difference in enrolment.

Online UNICEF publications (organized by date)
Online UNICEF publications (organized by theme)

United Nations Gateway to Social Policy and Development
- from the Eradication of Poverty page:
  - 1997-2006: First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty

 - International Year of Older Persons 1999

The WWW Virtual Library:  International Affairs Resources
 - Nongovernmental Organizations
 - The United Nations
 - The European Union
 - Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

Global Policy Forum
New York
Monitoring global policy making at the United Nations
Social and Economic Policy
Human Rights and Transnational Corporations
Bretton Woods Institutions & the World Trade Organization
 

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United Nations Association in Canada

Canadian Human Rights Commission
"The Canadian Human Rights Commission administers both the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act, and ensures that the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination are followed in all areas of federal jurisdiction."
- incl. links to : About Us - Discrimination and Harassment - Complaints - Alternative Dispute Resolution - Preventing Discrimination - Pay Equity - Employment Equity - Employers - Media Room - Publications - Legislation and Policies - Disclosure of Travel and Hospitality Expenses
What's New
Publications
Human Rights Links - incl. links to : Provincial and Territorial Human Rights Agencies - International Human Rights Agencies - Federal Departments or Organizations with Human Rights Responsibilities - United Nations - Organizations dedicated to the protection of Human Rights - United Nations tools for the enforcement of Human Rights - Non-Governmental Organizations - Acts, Tribunals and Judicial decisions - Universities - Others

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Human Rights in Canada
Canadian and International Human Rights Links
Source:
Human Rights Program - [ Canadian Heritage ]

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Canada ranked low in UN native report
April 11, 2005
"GENEVA - Canada's high ranking on the United Nations' human development scale would dramatically drop if the country were judged solely on the economic and social well-being of its First Nations people. According to a new UN report, Canada would be placed 48th out of 174 countries if judged on those criteria."
Source:
CBC News

The Virtual Human Rights Research Library section of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre is an enormous collection of links to Canadian human rights websites organized under the following headings: Human Rights Commissions in Canada - Human Rights Legislation - Human Rights Tribunals - Federal & Provincial Courts - Other Federal Human Rights Protection Mechanisms (incl. Court Challenges Program of Canada, Official Languages Commissioner, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, Privacy Commissioner) - Ombudsman Offices - Federal Law and Policy - Government Departments and Agencies - Parliament - Provincial Legislation and Policy - International Human Rights Instruments (Domestic Implementation) Source : Human Rights Research and Education Centre (University of Ottawa)  This is one of the most comprehensive Canadian collections of human rights resources that I've seen so far...

See also Links to Human Rights

CANADIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH LINKS HOME PAGE

PAGE D'ACCUEIL - SITES DE RECHERCHE SOCIALE AU CANADA

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Search the Web Search Canadian Social Research Links Only

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Gilles Séguin (This link takes you to my personal page)

E-MAIL: gilseg@rogers.com