Seeing Red!!!

If you were in an airplane flying over the nation of Peru and happened to gaze out of your window, you may have gotten a bird's eye-view of 100 of Peru's most famous actors, musicians, and other notable citizens, splashing the landscape in red t-shirts, forming a giant ribbon. You Prevent, the strategic plan to rid Peru's community of the stigma given to HIV/AIDS, continued its advocacy with its advertising campaign. With the help of UNDP and UNAIDS, their message is: Tolerance, Information, Respect.

This program has set out to inform the people of Peru of an issue that has greatly impacted their population and to rid the stigma attached to getting tested. With friendly images and slogans, the media, who dodged stories of HIV/AIDS, are now informing their viewers and readers wisely and helpfully.

For more information, go here!

INtegrating the OUTcasts

Were you a member of a clique in high school? Whether you were a member of the chess club, a cheerleader, a Mathlete, or MVP of the football team, it was societally acceptable for you to receive an integrated and equal education. However, young people living with HIV have experienced discrimination by society due to the lack of public education about the disease. From 2001-2007 the prevalence of HIV in Eastern Europe has increased 140 percent. People are so afraid of the social effects of being HIV positive that many have neglected to seek medical help for their condition. According to a recent survey regarding the education of HIV positive children, many citizens living in the Ukraine and Russia believe that it “would be better to create a boarding school for them, so that they could be educated separately.”

To combat the negative stigma that is associated with HIV, UNDP has launched a campaign in Eastern Europe to help promote public education about the condition and to integrate historically marginalized populations into society regardless of their status as a HIV-positive individual. Providing equal education, access to jobs, and health care are the main goals of the UNDP's work in Eastern Europe.

For more information, click here

The Most Popular Man Around

What makes Zafor Ullah such a popular man? Is it the dashing way he parts his hair or his stylish camouflage pants? Or maybe it's the stash of condoms in his house?

Zafor is a 22-year-old refugee from Myanmar living in the Nayapara Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. He is also a community health worker and he has been distributing condoms from his home for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

From 2005 to 2008, condom distribution jumped from 780 to 62,580 and dramatically reduced the incidence of STDs by 67% in these camps. Distribution is combined with training on HIV prevention and family planning education.

For more information about UNHCR, visit the website.

Forget firewood! Rice husk is the way to go!

Do you live far away from the closest forest? Is it costing you an arm and a leg to buy firewood for your stove? If so, then you should switch to a rice husk stove!

Rice husk stoves are fueled by rice husks instead of firewood. They are an ideal solution for villages with rice mills that are not near a forest. These stoves were introduced to Purainya village in Nepal, which is in this exact situation, by Nature and Human Development Centre (NHDC) with financial support from UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme.

The sudden increase in demand for rice husks has increased its cost ten-fold from Rs. 2 to Rs. 20 for 5 kg (2-7 days worth depending on family size). However, this is still significantly cheaper than firewood at about Rs. 150 per week.

For the full article, go here.

Fish Food!

What is your favorite food? Is it spaghetti? Or maybe it's chilly ice cream? Well, if seafood is your favorite and you live in Angola, chances are it came from Ambriz!

Today, the UNDP along with locally-based organizations have begun to implement a plan to make a life of fishing easier for all in Ambriz. The Fishermen Cooperative was created to better organize the relationship between the fishers and to support the creation of 30 individual fishing businesses. Planning for the future, Ambriz has started a youth training program, training 10 youth over the period of six months to take positions in the cooperative as mechanics, electricians, and other useful roles.

At this point in time, 90% of Ambriz has enrolled into the program and are effectively fishing and making gains in their community. So the next time you are sitting down to a herb-crusted salmon or a beer-battered fillet of whiting, think about the fishermen!

Wind farms? What's next? Cloud farms?

Wind farming is a fantastic way to work your green thumb without all the strenuous digging, messy fertilizing or daily watering! But crop rotations can become a hassle.

Wind farms are on the rise in the Philippines. After completing the 33-megawatt wind farm in Ilocos Norte – currently the largest in Southeast Asia – Northpoint Wind Power Corp. plans to build a larger 40MW facility in Cagayan.

The Filipino government has shown support for wind power initiatives and aims to harness 200MW to 400MW from wind energy in the next 15 to 20 years. They also passed the Renewable Energy Bill, which will help attract investors to projects focused on lessening dependence on traditional fossil fuel.

The UNDP-Global Environment Facility is assisting in project preparation and in securing loan guarantees.

For the full article, go here. For more information about the UNDP-GEF, go to their website.

Ethnic Integration in Kosovo

Can you imagine living in a country where it is legally acceptable to segregate your neighbors simply because they have different religious or cultural beliefs? It's hard to believe that since the creation of Yugoslavia in 1943, Kosovar Albanians have been ethnically segregated and have suffered violent discrimination. Luckily, the United Nations came to the rescue in 1999 following the war that erupted between Kosovar Serbians and Kosovar Albanians.

In order to prevent further ethnic conflicts from arising, the United Nations Development Programme has teamed up with CARE Kosovo to promote democratic governance and the societal integration of minorities into society. Not being able to call 9-1-1 in the case of an emergency was a reality for Kosovar Albanians. Instead of providing security, the pan-Serbian police force was known to carry out atrocities against Kosovar Albanians. Thus one of the UN's first measures was to provide all the citizens of Kosovo security by desegregating the police task force.

In addition to providing security to Kosovars, the UNDP is working to incorporate minorities into government affairs and local organizations. By assisting citizens with the creation of reliable ethnically-mixed democratic governments that guarantee the equality of all persons regardless of religious or cultural heritage, the UNDP hopes to create a Kosovar society in which all ethnicities are accepted.

For more on the United Nations' work to improve ethnic relations through Democratic Initiatives, click here

The World Celebrates the 60 Year Anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration

“All human beings are born free and equal in rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

These words, ratified 60 years ago today, open the Declaration of Human Rights. A world divided by war and ideology, but united in hope, gathered to inscribe these words in history. On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly gathered and ratified what would become the most universally translated document of all time.

Unfortunately, we still witness daily violations of these human rights in countries ranging from Mynamar to even the United States. However, as we are driven further apart by our ideological differences and economic competition, we must remember that we are united as a global community. Empowerment of all people, respect for every human life regardless of ethnicity, nationality, race or sexuality is something we declared our alliance to 60 years ago and needs to remain at the forefront of our global consciousness.

The legacy of the Declaration has at times been overshadowed in this era of globalization; yet the United Nations has continued working hard to promote human rights globally. We must recognize the strides we have taken, please visit the web sites of those working to protect human rights: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, UNHCR.

Let There be Net

Have you ever had to deal with pesky mosquitoes? If you live on planet Earth, then the answer is probably yes. You probably have not, however, had to deal with the crippling and deadly effect of malaria; a disease born by and transmitted to humans from mosquito bites. Malaria is a huge problem, and merely smacking every mosquito you see is not going to stop it anytime soon. Fortunately, the United Nations is on the case, and there is promising evidence that malaria may be wiped out by the target goal of 2015. Run and hide little vampires, the entire international community is shining a light on this problem, and the results are already very encouraging.

Almost one million people die every year from malaria, a completely preventable disease. The majority of these deaths are in children under 5 years old. The answer is revolutionary. The World Health Organization, Bill Gates Foundation, and countless other organizations are providing state of the art high tech mosquito repellent webbed force-field technology…or mosquito nets, in layman’s terms. The answer is that simple, and extremely effective. The UN estimates that deaths from malaria have so far dropped 50% this decade, and increased investment in vaccines, pesticide treatments, and bed nets may completely eradicate the disease by 2015. The recent meeting to up the attack on the disease was attended by star-advocates of the cause, Bono and Bill Gates. This plan aims at being the ultimate bug zapper, and will protect millions of at risk people around the world. According to Bill Gates, “It’s going to make a huge difference.”



mosquito netsia

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cool? Not if you're an Elephant!

Imagine you are an elephant in Kenya. You wake up in the morning and smell sweet corn in the distance. Being the curious pachyderm that you are, you decide to head over to a giant corn planting--taking no heed of the fence since, after all, you ARE an elephant. You were just following your nose and it doesn’t occur to you that these crops might be the livelihood of your human neighbors.

However, as land in Kenya becomes scarcer, farmland increasingly encroaches on elephant habitats. This is dangerous for elephants that wander into towns in search of water and for habitants who have had homes and livelihoods destroyed by the elephants. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is working with the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) to search for solutions to wildlife-human conflict. The solution will focus on maintaining biodiversity and elephant habitat while promoting sustainable and environmental farming practices. These solutions include: planting crops that are repellant to elephants such as chili, building moats around crops and cohabiting with the wildlife while promoting ecotourism.

Football Players Game to Stop the Spread of HIV/AIDS

Of the multitude of events and efforts surrounding today’s 20th Annual World AIDS day, football fans across the globe can expect the launch of a new campaign featuring two of the games most popular and renowned players, Michael Ballack and Emmanuel Adebayor. This campaign is aimed at emphasizing the importance of teamwork and cooperation in the battle against global aids. While Ballack has been involved with UNAIDS since 2006, his on the field rival and off the field friend, Adebayor is new to the cause, but no less enthused and dedicated. Employing the prominence and star-power of two such remarkable figures in the world of football, this effort is an effective way to reach out and empower young populations around the world. To view their public service announcement and to find out more about World AIDS day, please visit UNAIDS.

Fistula: Nasty but not Necessary

Have you ever avoided someone because you thought they were smelly or dirty? While you probably just decided not to spend too much time with them, in some places women are literally expelled from their communities because they smell. And it is not their fault… blame fistula.

Fistula is a common complication of giving birth. Basically, the baby accidentally rips a hole between the birth canal and its mom’s bladder or rectum. Left untreated, it causes a new mother to leak urine or feces. However, it is an almost completely preventable condition that occurs from a lack of medical attention and has been eliminated in North America and Europe, and for only $300 the tissue can be repaired and the woman can return to her community and care for her children.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is on a campaign to provide access to this surgery for women around the world. To learn more about fistula, or to help change lives (just $5 provides food to a recovering fistula patient for one week), click here.

Ahoy! Pirates off of Somalia’s coast are more destructive than you think…

Pirate attacks are increasing off the coast of Somalia, and committing atrocities that would put even Davy Jones to shame. While the pirates hijack ships, the Somali people end up walking the plank in this maritime struggle. Somalia relies heavily on the developed world for aid, and piracy is keeping this important commodity from reaching the shore. The U.N. is doing its part in organizing the international community to combat these scurvy-ridden sea rats, but there is something you can do to help make the lives of countless Somalis better.

Women in Somalia are struggling to survive against many hardships. In addition to the horrific situation in some areas of Somalia, women face discrimination throughout the country. One of the obstacles they face is the inability to attend college. This lack of education leads to a lack of representation in government, business, and leaves them with no opportunity to succeed. Only 4% of women in Somalia can pursue higher education!!! With your help, we can change this. The Somali Women’s Scholarship Fund is working to send deserving women in Somalia to school so they can be effective, productive members of society. Watch our video, and see how you can help here. Pirates depend on instability in this region to continue their marauding ways, so kick them in their booty, and help Somali women!

Rhinos are Cool, Poaching is Not

Rhinos, those fascinating animals with unfortunate horns in the middle of their faces, have a tough life. Not only do they have to live with the largest facial "decoration" of any species, some humans have decided rhino horns are way cooler decorating their walls.

Back in 1977 the countries of the world came together at the United Nations to protect these odd creatures from poaching. Now the UN has recruited Interpol, the USA, China, Kenya, and others to be real world Planeteers. The United Nations wants to ensure a peaceful existence for all--even if you have horns growing out of your face!

For more on the United Natons' work to the protect rhinos, click here.