Monday, 19 December 2016

UNICEF commemorates 70 years of tireless work for the world’s most vulnerable children



The world’s largest children’s organization was established on 11 December 1946 to bring help and hope to children suffering in the aftermath of WWII

For multimedia content visit: http://uni.cf/2gG7LZg
For the Then and Now photo series visit: http://uni.cf/2gbAE3e

NEW DELHI, 19 December 2016 – On the 70th anniversary of its founding, UNICEF celebrates the immense progress made for the world’s children – and renews the urgent call to reach millions of children whose lives and futures are endangered by conflict, crisis, poverty, inequality and discrimination.

“UNICEF was founded after World War II to bring help and hope to all children at risk or in need – no matter which country they lived in or what role that country played in the war.  Our mission is no less urgent and universal today,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “With so many children around the world in so much need, we are recommitting ourselves to delivering results for every child.”

The organization was established by the United Nations General Assembly to help children in post-war Europe, China and the Middle East. Funded entirely through voluntary contributions from governments, civil society, the private sector and concerned citizens, it rapidly expanded its reach and by 1955 was working for children in more than 90 countries.

Today, UNICEF is the world’s largest children’s organization, working with partners in 190 countries and territories and through the efforts of 13,000 national and international staff to reach every child.

UNICEF’s relentless engagement in the world’s toughest places has helped create remarkable progress for children in recent decades. The number of children dying before their fifth birthdays has been more than halved in the past 25 years. Hundreds of millions of children have been lifted out of poverty. Out-of-school rates among primary-school-aged children have been reduced by more than 40 per cent since 1990.

UNICEF started its journey in India in 1949 and has been working closely with the Government of India’s visionary initiatives to ensure that every child survives and thrives.
  • In 1949, UNICEF provided technical assistance to the Government to establish India’s first Penicillin plant.

  • In the mid-50s UNICEF joined hands with AMUL, a milk cooperative organization to embark on the journey of White Revolution in India.

  • In the late 70s, UNICEF helped Government of India fight drought and develop the world’s most famous hand pump, India Mark II. The hand pump supplied water to millions of people in rural India. India Mark is now exported to more than 40 countries around the world.

  • In 2009, the enactment of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act was a historic moment for every child in this country.

  • More recently, in 2014, when India was declared ‘Polio Free’ by the World Health Organisation, it was celebrated as one of the biggest health achievements worldwide. This was possible, thanks to the commitment and perseverance of millions of health and frontline workers.

  • Sanitation along with WASH in schools is now a national priority under the Swachh Bharat Mission and UNICEF supports the Prime Minister’s mission to make India open defecation free by 2019.

“UNICEF’s journey in India has been a remarkable story of commitment, perseverance and learning that has helped millions of children to realize their dreams for a better future. Today we reaffirm this commitment to work alongside the Government and ensure that all children get a fair start in life. It is our joint responsibility that every child is healthy, safe, educated, cared for and protected,” said Louis Georges Arsenault, UNICEF India Representative at the launch of the UNICEF@70 celebrations.
Despite this impressive progress, millions of children are still being left behind because they live in poverty or in hard-to-reach communities, because of their gender, race, religion, ethnic group, or because they have a disability.
Currently, more than 6 million children in India are out- of -school[1]; around 10 million children are engaged in work in India, close to 3200 children die every day before reaching age 5[2]; 39% of under 5 children  are stunted and almost half the population of India, about 564 million people need access to toilets. Girls in India deserve an equal chance in life too, but on an average 2.22 million girls marry early every year[3], some 46.7% girls drop out before completing secondary education and 34% of married girls between 15-19 years of age experience physical or sexual violence.

Notes to Editors:

UNICEF’s commemoration of its 70th anniversary includes:

  • The publication of a new book, For Every Child, Hope: UNICEF@70 1946-2016, which captures 70 years of the organization’s work for the most vulnerable children;
  • The launch of a new global institutional identity under the umbrella concept, UNICEF for every child, that underscores the universality of UNICEF’s mandate and the urgent need to reach the most vulnerable and excluded children; and
  • The relaunch of UNICEF’s global website, www.unicef.org,

Global milestones

  • In the 1940s, UNICEF provided emergency nutrition aid, mainly in the form of milk, to children in post-war Europe. In 2015, the organization and its partners treated 2.9 million children for severe acute malnutrition worldwide.

  • In the 1950s, UNICEF led its first immunization campaigns against diseases such as tuberculosis and yaws. In 2015, the organization procured 2.8 billion doses of vaccines, and with its partners helping to protect 45 per cent of children under 5 years old worldwide from a range of deadly diseases.

  • In 1953, UNICEF launched its first water, sanitation and hygiene programmes. Between 1990 and 2015, 2.6 billion people gained access to improved drinking water sources and 2.1 billion gained access to improved sanitation facilities.

  • In 1961, UNICEF expanded its programmatic focus to include children’s education. In 2015, UNICEF and its partners provided 7.5 million children aged 3 to 18 with access to formal or non-formal basic education.

  • In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which specifies that all children should be registered at birth to establish their identity under the law and thus to safeguard  their rights. In 2015, UNICEF supported the registration of more than 9.7 million children’s births in 54 countries.

  • In 1998, UNICEF became a founding member of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership to support malaria treatment and research, and expand prevention measures such as long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. In 2015, UNICEF procured 22.3 million bed nets to protect children and families in 30 countries.
  • Since its founding, UNICEF has responded to thousands of humanitarian emergencies affecting children. In 2015, UNICEF and partners vaccinated 11.3 million children against measles in countries affected by crisis; provided 4 million children in emergency situations with access to formal or non-formal basic education; and provided psychosocial support for 2 million children caught in conflicts and natural disasters.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Air pollution Chinese city surpasses WHO guideline

Chinese capital Beijing has prompted authorities to increase the level of health warnings and order the temporary shut down of more than 100 factories under severe foggy days ahead.
City Authorities urged its 20 million people to stay indoors and shut windows, eat a “balanced diet” and drink plenty of water. A third of all government vehicles have also been ordered off the road.
As media reports the US embassy in Beijing recorded the pollution in the city was 45 times above the recommended safety levels. Nation pollution problems are blamed on rapid urbanisation and dramatic economic development.without any environment effect in wild weather conditions.
The director of Beijing’s children’s hospital said earlier this week that the “continuous smoggy weather has significantly increased the number of child patients”.
China has a four-tier warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Despite government efforts to fight pollution, frequent outbreaks of smog have become increasingly common in the winter season in north China, where cold weather conditions and increasing burning of the dirty coal for heating combined to exacerbate the situation.
Parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hunan and Jiangxi will be covered by smog from Sunday to Monday, with some regions seeing heavy pollution, the National Meteorological Center said in an online statement.Beijing,
Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions, and the 10 cities with the worst air quality should realize negative growth in coal consumption, according to the plan.as per chinese media reports.
Excessive pollution levels have prompted the Beijing government to roll out a series of temporary emergency measures, such as shutting down 103 heavily polluting factories and taking 30 per cent of government vehicles off roads.
Thick smog has blanketed many Chinese cities in recent weeks and vehicle emissions are among the major contributors to the pollution.A new standard will be issued for petrol that caps sulphur content within 10 parts per million (ppm) before the end of the year, with a grace period extending to the end of 2017.Xinhua made the announcement after an executive meeting of the State Council that was chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao.
Beijing is so far the only city in China to have adopted such a standard, equal to Europe’s Euro V, it said in a report.Despite those steps, the capital’s air has remained hazardous on many days.
Concentrations of airborne pollutants in a major northern Chinese city exceeded a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline by 100 times on Monday as north China battled with poor air quality for the third straight day. In Shijiazhuang, capital of northern Hebei province, levels of PM 2.5, fine particulate matter, soared to 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, Xinhua reported on Monday. That compares with a WHO guideline of an annual average of no more than 10 micrograms. In nearby Tianjin city, authorities grounded dozens of flights for the second day and closed all highways after severe smog blanketed the port city, one of more than 40 in China’s northeast to issue pollution warnings. Media agencies

Press Conference of film Ajab Singh Ki Gazab Kahani

PRESS INVITATION

We cordially invite you to
attend the cover of press conference of the filmbased on black money & Curruption

Ajab Singh Ki Gazab Kahani
To be addressed by:IRS AJAY SINGH (Who is posting as Dy. Commissioner at Jamshedpur is making his debut)
YASHPAL SHARMA (Gangaajal, Aaja Nachle and many films fame)
GOVIND NAMDEV (Singham Returns, Ramaiya Vastavaiya fame)
RISHI MISHRA (Writer & Director)

Time   : 2 p.m
Date    : 20th December (Tuesday)
Venue : PVR PLAZA,C.P

You are requested to send correspondents/photographers/camera crew for the  PRESS CONFERENCE.

Election FUNDING Must But For UPSC Qualified Professionals

Election FUNDING Must But For UPSC Qualified Professionals
December18, 2016 (C) Ravinder Singh progressindia2015@gmail.com
‘Public Funding of Elections or Parties’ is in news to minimize Black Money use in Elections which in turn is stated to reduce corruption in government functioning.

But the real cause of ‘Corruption’ is Corrupt & Dubious people getting ‘Elected on Symbols of political Parties’ whereas both Candidate and Leadership of the party are Grossly Incompetent and Dishonest & Liars who By & Large don’t observe established Rules & Procedures – have no moral or ethics.

Demonetization was not in Manifesto of Any Political Party yet Innocent Majority subjected to Extreme Financial Hardship – Wealth of Indians is $3,099b but Cash released for Economic Activity is barely $2b per day or less than $75b in 40 days after Demonetization.

‘REGISTRATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES ITSELF IS CORRUPT’ – Objectives of All Political Parties is identical – ‘Build Strong and Prosperous Nation’ but there is no Qualification & Experience requirement for any Party Position and for Cabinet Ministers.

‘Guarantees to all citizens irrespective of caste, creed or sex, Political, Social & EconomicJustice, Equality of Opportunity and Liberty of Faith and Expression’ but not practiced.

State can’t be funding and supporting Lunatics & Incompetent and Corrupt to get elected. When for Job of Drain Cleaners in UP over half a million had applied and are subject to ‘Practical Test’ – Only the most deserving & competent should be eligible for Funding of Elections.

Ø    India’s Law Makers must be Subjected to ‘UPSC Test’ or Must Have Secured
50% Marks in UPSC tests in Past.

Ø    A Candidate must be registered with Election Commission for 12 months for
state elections and 18 months for Parliament – National Elections.

Ø    ‘Licensed to Contest An Election Every 5 Year.’ [This is to stop Losers from
returning via Rajya Sabha/Enter State Assembly or Made Governor.]

Ø    A Candidate Should provide DETAILED Bio-data to EC for Public Reference.

Ø    Tenure Limit of Elected Positions should be prescribed – 10 Yrs at National,
10 Yrs at State Level and 10 Yrs at District Level.

Ø    Registered Parties to have received Rs.50 Cr as Political Donations in a year
should not get its Candidate Political Funding.

Ø    Candidates reporting Rs.5m Income will not be Eligible for Political Funding.

Ø    All Ministers, Governors, Constitutional Positions, Secretaries and Generals
appointments should Subjected to Parliamentary Panel Scrutiny & ‘Testify Their Annual Report’ – i.e. Chairman of CEA or CWC to ‘TESTIFY’ before Parliament their annual achievements & future programs.
Ravinder Singh, Inventor & Consultant, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROJECTS
Y-77, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India. Ph; 091- 9871056471,
Ravinder Singh* is a WIPO awarded inventor specializing in Power, Transportation,
Smart Cities, Water, Energy Saving, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Technologies and Projects

Thank You Letter from the IRRI Director General

POST DEMONETISATION BUDGET: A PIF ROUNDTABLE

Invitation
POST DEMONETISATION BUDGET: A PIF ROUNDTABLE
January 10, 2017, New Delhi

“Post Demonetisation Budget: A PIF Roundtable” is being organised by Pahle India Foundation (PIF). 

The Union Budget is an opportunity for the Government to outline its priorities for the year to come. It remains the litmus test for assessing the direction and the detail of the government’s policy thinking. The Union Budget 2017-18 is going to be a ‘big’ budget in terms of its impact before the election year 2019 for lifting the economy in a major way. There are four provincial elections lined up and with demonetisation it is evident that Mr. Modi also undertakes structural reforms and not just incremental steps. This is not all. This Budget will be presented amidst the turbulent global environment demanding major moves from the Indian economy. The Roundtable aims to address the focus areas for this Big Budget.

Given your interest in the subject, we would welcome your presence and active participation in this Roundtable on January 10, 2017 at 2:30pm in the Lecture Room II, Basement, India International Centre Annexe, Lodi Road, New Delhi. A tentative agenda is given below. A line in confirmation would be greatly appreciated. If you are not able to attend, kindly nominate senior officials from your organization. For any further information, please contact Mr. Anil Kumar (anil.kumar@pahleindia.org)

Looking forward to your positive response.



AGENDA

2:00 pm onwards
:
Registration
2:30 – 2:35 pm
:
Welcome Remarks
Ms. Nirupama Soundararajan, Senior Fellow, Pahle India Foundation



2:35 – 2:45 pm
:
Opening Remarks
Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Founding Director, Pahle India Foundation
2:45 – 4:00 pm
:
Panel Discussion

Panelists
·         Mr. Mihir Sharma, Business Standard
·         Mr. Sanjaya Baru, Centre for Policy Research
·         Dr. Shubhashis Gangopadhyay, IDF
·         Dr. Surjit Bhalla, The Observatory Group

Moderator: Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Pahle India Foundation
4:00 – 4:30 pm
:
Questions and Answers
4:30 – 5:00 pm
:
Concluding Remarks
5:00 pm onwards
:
High Tea

With Warm Regards,

Rajiv Kumar
Founder Director
Pahle India Foundation
C4/54 First Floor
Safdarjung Development Area
New Delhi – 110016
+91 11 41551498

Chinese, US militaries discuss return of undersea drone

The Chinese and US militaries are having “unimpeded” talks about the return of US underwater drone taken by a Chinese naval vessel in the South China Sea last week, China’s foreign ministry said on Monday. The drone, known as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), was taken on Thursday in waters off the coast of the Philippines, the first seizure of its kind in recent memory. The Pentagon went public with its complaint about the incident and said on Saturday it had secured a deal to get the drone back.

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