In 2014 Remembrance Day is on Tuesday, November 11. On remembrance day members of the armed forces (soldiers, sailors and airmen) are commemorated. The other common name for this day is Armistice Day which marks the date and time when armies stopped fighting World War I. on November 11th at 11am in 1918 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month). Some 100,000 Canadian soldiers died in the First and Second World Wars. In Canada, Remembrance Day is a federal statutory … [Read more...]
UN Foundation, Elizabeth Gore
Can becoming an entrepreneur help a refugee live a better life? I recently had the opportunity to join the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for a visit to the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, where I met seven incredible women entrepreneurs who have formed the Twitezimbere tailoring group. And through them, I learned the answer is yes. Despite the challenges they’ve faced, these women have been able to create and grow a business serving their neighbors in the eighth largest … [Read more...]
‘Gender Marker’ – Is Bettering Women’s Life Impossible?
London - At a conference on violence against women and girls in emergencies, a CARE International UK special report it has been revealed the tiny proportion of international aid that is directed towards projects that target gender violence and sexual exploitation of women in humanitarian crises. The report also shows the inadequacies of global efforts to track how effectively humanitarian projects address gender. (pdf Document - CLICK IMAGE) In 2010, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon set a … [Read more...]
Samantha Joan Nutt, CM, OOnt, FRCPC, CCFP – WOMAN of ACTION™
A Celebration of Women™ is elated to Celebrate the Life of this passionate activist, one woman that has devoted her life to humanitarian efforts in wars zones. She is a leading authority on the impact of war on civilians. Her reach has been global bettering the lives of children and their families at the front line of many of the world's major crises including Iraq, Afghanistan, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Darfur, South Sudan, Burundi, northern … [Read more...]
Stefanie Graf – WOMAN of ACTION™
A Celebration of Women™ is elated to Celebrate the Life of this woman, a sensitive visionary that is Taking Action to better the lives of children! Her foundation and mission in life today is to heal and renew hope and strength inside the hearts of children that have been abused or traumatized in conflict. She works diligently caring for those little souls that suffer from night terrors, through her focus on what she refers to as 'psychological … [Read more...]
“Building on Progress in Afghanistan: 2014 and Beyond”
Washington, D.C. – A discussion on "Building on Progress in Afghanistan: 2014 and Beyond” was held in Washington today at an event organized in partnership between the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), offering a big picture of the country’s current situation and development challenges. A similar briefing with Afghanistan partners was organized on 9 May in New York, co-hosted by the Afghan Mission to the United Nations and the … [Read more...]
Women & Children deaths pose ‘serious concern’ – Take Action!
Afghan children at play. Photo: UNAMA/Aurora Verceles Alambra April 2013 – The United Nations today voiced “serious concern” over the deaths of at least 10 Afghan children and a woman, and injuries to seven others in an armed clash during a joint Afghan-NATO operation against the Taliban in eastern Kunar province. “The Afghan National Security Forces and the international military forces should take all measures aimed at preventing harm to civilians during military operations, including … [Read more...]
Syria: “We Want Our Lives Back. We Want To Go Home”
During her recent trip to Syria, WFP Senior Spokesperson Abeer Etefa met Souad, a 27-year-old mother whose family lost their home to the fighting. Eking out an existence in an empty building near the battles lines, she and her family are surviving on food provided to them by WFP. “Please look at me closely, look at my face. Do I look like a 27 year old?” she asks me. She is waiting for an answer from me. She certainly doesn’t look like she is 27. “When I happen to come across a mirror … [Read more...]
SYRIA – Fleeing for their lives, “My daughter is 2 months old,” one woman said.
Syrians flee violence in dangerous nighttime trek to Jordan (CNN) -- With darkness as their only cover, Syrian families make a break for northern Jordan. They are fleeing for their lives. Small children walk alongside their mothers, whose arms are reserved for babies and whatever possessions they can carry. In a treacherous nighttime escape such as this one, you walk if you're old enough. As the group makes its way over the border, just a few meters away from its … [Read more...]
Zainab Hawa Bangura, Sierra Leone – Sexual Violence in Conflict
Secretary-General Appoints Zainab Hawa Bangura of Sierra Leone Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Zainab Hawa Bangura of Sierra Leone as his 'Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict' at the level of Under-Secretary-General. Ms. Bangura will replace Margot Wallström, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service and able leadership in achieving milestones within a challenging … [Read more...]