Disarmament
The future of the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty
The worlds first nuclear test Trinity took place on 16 July 1945 in a torrid desert in New Mexico which the Spanish Conquistadores had named Jornada del Muerto (Journey of the Dead Man). In the decades that followed over 2000 such tests occurred in eight countries some in the atmosphere some underground and others underwater.
Space debris and the battle for space
On 10 February 2009 a decommissioned Cosmos 2251 satellite and an operational Iridium 33 satellite collided at an altitude of 790 km in low Earth orbit (leo) a zone heavily populated by communications satellites. The collision created two distinct clouds of more than 800 pieces of space debrisman-made objects in orbit that no longer serve a useful purpose. It was the first collision of two intact spacecraft and the fourth known accidental hypervelocity collision caused by catalogued space debris.
Small arms: No single solution
A thousand people die each day from gunshot wounds and three times as many are left with severe injuries. If the death injury and disability resulting from small arms were categorized as a disease it would qualify as an epidemic. Yet the media and popular perception tend to suggest that gun violence is simply an unavoidable consequence of human cruelty or deprivation rather than a public health problem which can be prevented or at least reduced.
Every surviving war child has two stories: One from the war and one from its aftermath
I remember trying to write a book report when I heard the first gunshots of my life; sounds that no child anywhere in the world should ever hear. I tried hard to concentrate on my homework assignment worried what the teacher might say the next day. That was the last book report I did for almost two years of my life during the conflict in Bosnia.
A short history of international human rights law
The phrase human rights may be used in an abstract and philosophical sense either as denoting a special category of moral claim that all humans may invoke or more pragmatically as the manifestation of these claims in positive law for example as constitutional guarantees to hold Governments accountable under national legal processes. While the first understanding of the phrase may be referred to as human rights the second is described herein as human rights law.
Four doable actions for mother and newborn care
With only six years to go before the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health some countries have made encouraging progress while many have stagnated or worse slipped backwards since the Millennium Declaration was adopted in 2000.
KBR68H, Indonesia: Radio as a force for democracy
Founded by six journalists in 1999 at a time of Indonesias transition to democracy KBR68H is the first interactive media channel of its kind in Indonesia. Today the radio news agency is a highly respected media organization which provides eight hours a day of independent information and educational programmes to a network of over 630 radio stations throughout Indonesia parts of Asia and Australia. It is the largest private radio news agency in the Indonesian archipelago reaching out to more than 18 million daily listeners. The radio news agency plays an important role in connecting Indonesias dispersed populations; reporters of KBR68H are active in the most remote areas of the country such as the Central Highlands of Papua Central Sumba and South East Maluku.
Forecast 2020: Financial meltdown and malnutrition
In the aftermath of the recent global food crisis and economic downturn the worlds poor face unparalleled challenges to their food and nutrition security. While increased volatility in food prices will likely continue wages for unskilled labour are failing to keep pace. Meanwhile the financial crisis has pushed up unemployment and further reduced the purchasing power of poor people who in a globalized economy now feel the effects of economic shocks more acutely. The crisis has also limited the funds available for social protection which are essential for protecting the most vulnerable people from malnourishment. Under these circumstances health expenditures are often unaffordable. Because poor people in developing countries spend between 50 to 70 per cent of their income on food they have little capacity to adapt and their health is being sacrificed as a result.
Myrdal and the Economic Commission for Europe
Myrdal served as Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) for 10 years (from 1947 to 1957). This period was the most dynamic of the six decades of ECE and built on the three major pillars of Myrdal's leadership.
Achieving zero new victims of landmines
As we think about how to reduce and eliminate new victims of landmines we are reminded of the remarkable advances during the evolution of mine action work which began with the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan in 1989. Our determination to live in a world free from the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war is fortified as we remember those lost and those affected. It is my fervent hope that a world with zero new victims of landmines will become a reality in my lifetime.
Heavy lifting for un peacekeeping
When the decision has been taken to initiate a peacekeeping mission the required lead-time for deployment varies depending on the of Member States to contribute troops equipment and other financial and material resources in a timely fashion. Previous UN deployments have shown the paramount need for an accessible stand- alone materiel reserve which could be rapidly dispatched anywhere thereby facilitating the rationale to create the Strategic Deployment Stocks (sds).
Learning from slavery-The legacy of the slave trade on modern society
In 2006 I gave some lectures at Harvard during which I called for a month a weeka day evenof collective mourning for the millions whose souls still cry for proper burial and mourning rites. These lectures have now been published under the title: Something Torn and New. I did not know then that others were thinking along the same lines. I am glad that this day is being commemorated at the United Nations but it should be actively observed in the whole world as slave trade and plantation slavery were of prime importance in the making of the modern world. But what was a gain for the world especially in the West was a loss for Africa. Here I am not simply talking about the loss of human lives power resources the economic loss for Africa and gain for the world: Slave trade and slavery were a historical trauma whose consequences on the African psyche have never been properly explored.
Health literacy and sustainable development
Many of us wonder what exactly literacy is and the role it plays in improving the lives of people on a daily basis. Literacy is a human right and can be considered a tool of personal empowerment: a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy. Thus literacy is essential for eradicating poverty improving the socio-economic status of communities reducing child and maternal mortality rates curbing population growth achieving gender equality and promoting sustainable development at the local regional and national levels.
Breastfeeding, the mother in charge
We have reached a tipping point. In less than a century breastfeeding has become the exception rather than the rulea devastating trend to the health and well-being of large segments of the world population. Increasing the rates and duration of breastfeeding could save the lives of 1.4 million babies. It could also help national and local governments in both developing and developed countries to achieve the health-related United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
L’allaitement, c’est la mère qui decide
Nous avons atteint un point culminant. En moins de cinquante ans l’allaitement est devenu l’exception plutôt que la règle une tendance dévastatrice pour la santé et le bien-être de vastes segments de la population mondiale. L’augmentation des taux et de la durée d’allaitement pourrait sauver la vie de 14 million de bébés et aider les gouvernements nationaux et locaux à la fois des pays en développement et des pays développés à atteindre d’ici à 2015 les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement en matière de santé.
Les débris spatiaux et la bataille pour l’espace
Le 10 février 2009 « Cosmos 2251 » un satellite hors service et « Iridium 33 » un satellite opérationnel placés en orbite basse terrestre (leo) sont entrés en collision à une altitude de 790 km une zone très encombrée par les satellites de communication. La collision a créé deux nuages de plus de 800 débris spatiaux des objets en orbite qui ne sont plus d’aucune utilité. Il s’agissait de la première collision entre deux vaisseaux spatiaux et la quatrième collision accidentelle causée par des débris spatiaux catalogués.
Myrdal et la Commission économique pour l’Europe
Myrdal a occupé le poste de Secrétaire économique de la Commission économique pour l’Europe (cee) pendant 10 ans (de 1947 à 1957). Cette période considérée comme la plus dynamique des six décennies de la cee s’est appuyée sur les trois grands piliers établis par Myrdal.
Celso Furtado
Lorsqu’il lui a été demandé de définir le sous-développement Celso Furtado a répondu avec son accent caractéristique du Nord-Est du Brésil : « Il n’y a pas besoin de définir le sous-développement il suffit de regarder autour de soi; voilà le sous-développement ! ». Il a cependant contribué à la réflexion sur le développement en étudiant de manière approfondie le sous-développement et ses facteurs déterminants.
Les prochaines étapes du désarmement universel nucléaire
Cela fait près de 65 ans que la première bombe nucléaire a été fabriquée et pourtant les armes nucléaires ont été utilisées en temps de guerre seulement à deux occasions à Hiroshima et à Nagasaki. Les horreurs d’une vaste guerre nucléaire nous ont donc été épargnées pendant cette période où plus de 130 000 armes nucléaires ont été fabriquées. C’est un fait peu banal dans l’histoire de l’humanité : des armes fabriquées en grand nombre et jamais utilisées. Comment en sommesnous arrivés là ? Premièrement les deux grandes puissances nucléaires et les autres États nucléaires de plus petite taille ont pris des décisions judicieuses concernant le contrôle des armes nucléaires et de la restriction de leur utilisation. La dissuasion a donc été efficace même si la crise des missiles de Cuba en 1962 et d’autres crises de moindre importance (par ex. en 1973) ont frôlé la catastrophe. En outre la dissuasion nucléaire a marché et continue de marcher sur la base de la capacité de chaque puissance nucléaire à réagir rapidement dès la détection d’une d’attaque nucléaire. Il s’agit de réagir avant que l’ennemi ne détruise les missiles nucléaires stockés dans ses silos. Avec ce système appelé état d’alerte nucléaire ou « lancement sur alerte » de nombreuses fausses alertes ont failli déclencher une guerre nucléaire accidentelle. Parmi les facteurs qui ont épargné à l’humanité les horreurs d’une guerre nucléaire on peut citer la chance : personne n’a pris de mauvaises décisions aux moments critiques et les erreurs et les défaillances ont pu être rectifiées à temps.
Éducation pour la santé et développement durable
Nous sommes beaucoup à nous demander ce que signifient exactement l’alphabétisation et le rôle qu’elle joue dans la vie quotidienne des gens. L’alphabétisation est un droit humain et peut se révéler un outil d’autonomisation individuelle et de développement social. Les opportunités en matière d’éducation sont liées à l’alphabétisation. Celle-ci est donc essentielle pour éradiquer la pauvreté car elle améliore la situation économique des communautés réduit les taux de mortalité infantile et maternelle réduit la croissance démographique réalise l’égalité des sexes et encourage le développement durable aux niveaux local régional et national.