News headlines in July 2018, page 6

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 12 (IPS) - Kingsley Ighobor, Africa Renewal* On a bright, sunny day in January this year, Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf turned over power to George Weah, a decorated soccer star, following peaceful and successful elections. This marked Liberia's first democratic transfer of power in more than 70 years.

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 12 (IPS) - A long standing proposal for the creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) is slowly gathering momentum.

The 751-member European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg has called on the European Union (EU) to extend its support for the establishment of the proposed new body -- specifically with a resolution before the upcoming 73rd session of the 193-member UN General Assembly (UNGA), which begins in mid-September.

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 12 (IPS) - Understanding the different way that terrorists target women and how to prevent their recruitment could play a significant role in counter-terrorism efforts, and is gaining increased recognition among the international community.

ESPERANÇA/CUMARU, Brazil, Jul 12 (IPS) - "Now we live well," say both Givaldo and Nina dos Santos, after showing visiting farmers their 1.25-hectare farm in Brazil's semi-arid Northeast, which is small but has a great variety of fruit trees, thanks to innovative water and production techniques.

BANGKOK, Thailand, Jul 11 (IPS) - Kaveh Zahedi is Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Three years into the implementation period of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is Asia Pacific on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Jul 11 (IPS) - Dr. Palitha Kohona is former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations.

The World Youth Skills Day is being celebrated around the world on 15 July. This day was established on 18 December 2014 by General Assembly resolution A/RES/69/145 which was initiated by Sri Lanka. Following a lengthy consultation process, at the UN and outside, during which some delegations, including some Europeans expressed reservations, the resolution was eventually adopted unanimously. It received solid support from youth delegations from around the world.

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 11 (IPS) - It has been five decades since the international community affirmed the right to family planning but women still remain unable to enjoy this right, which is increasingly under attack around the world.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 11 (IPS) - Fifty years ago at the International Conference on Human Rightsfamily planning was affirmed to be a human right. It is therefore apt that the theme for this year's World Population Day is a loud reminder of this fundamental right.

KIGALI, Rwanda, Jul 10 (IPS) - Behailu Shiferaw is communications specialist for WaterAid in the East Africa region.

To many of us, ‘keep out of the reach of children’ is a phrase we see printed on labels for medicines and chemicals. To mothers in Rweru Sector, Rwanda, it's a daily principle to live by.

NEW ORLEANS, United States, Jul 10 (IPS) - Danielle Nierenberg is Founder and President of Food Tank. Emily Payne is a food and agriculture writer based in New York.

According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organizationwomen make up about 43 percent of the agricultural labor force worldwide, and in some countries they make up 80 percent of all farmers. In addition to tending crops, most women—particularly in the Global South—are also responsible for seed saving, animal husbandry, grain processing, and other tasks related to growing food. This is in addition to cooking, cleaning, and taking care of sick elders and children.