TUNIS, Tunisia — At a recent press conference in Tunis, Tunisia, the faith communities of that country signed a jointly prepared “National Pact for Coexistence,” expressing their commitment to nurturing a more peaceful society.
“This initiative is a powerful sign of solidarity,” says Mohamad Ben Moussa of the Bahá’í Office of External Affairs. “The pact shows that we are united in our diversity and presents a refreshing view of our society, one that acknowledges a growing consciousness of our essential oneness.”
The press conference, which was also attended by a representative of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and civil society organizations, received wide media coverage in Tunisia and elsewhere in the Arab region. The event was arranged by the interfaith organization Attalaki, meaning “a gathering.”
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Pictured here is an image of the “National Pact for Coexistence,” signed by representatives of Tunisia’s faith communities, including Mohamed Ridha Belhassine of the Bahá’í Office of External Affairs of that country.
The agreement, coauthored by representatives of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Bahá’í communities, articulates a set of shared values for the promotion of social harmony and is the culmination of close collaboration among religious and civil society leaders over the past several years.
One of the issues addressed by the pact is the vital role of women in the transformation of society.
Drawing on the Bahá’í principle of the equality of women and men, Mr. Ben Moussa states: “An important dimension of coexistence and a requirement for achieving a more peaceful society is the full participation of women in all spheres of life. We cannot achieve peace if half the population of our society is not recognized as equal to the other half.”
He adds: “This initiative places this essential truth foremost in our consciousness.”
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The press conference for the signing of the pact received wide media coverage in Tunisia and elsewhere in the Arab region.
The agreement also highlights the need for an end to rhetoric that incites hatred and casts segments of society as “the other,” and calls for enhancements to the country’s educational curriculum in order that young people may develop a greater appreciation for the diversity of Tunisian society.
The spokesperson for the interfaith initiative, Imam al-Khatib Karim Shaniba, stated that the pact aims to promote constructive societal patterns that are accepting of all religions and is a response to the voices that depict religions as being in conflict with each other. “Religious diversity enriches our society and provides wide scope for cooperation and coexistence,” he said at the press conference.
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The Bahá’ís of Tunisia have been contributing to the discourse on coexistence, holding discussion forums on related issues such as the equality of women and men.
Since the pandemic began, faith communities in Tunisia have been seeking opportunities to address their fellow citizens with one voice. In April 2020, the Bahá’ís of that country, as part of their ongoing participation in the discourse on coexistence, joined with other religious communities and civil society organizations to deliver a message of hope and assurance to their society, calling for both science and religion to guide an effective response to the health crisis.
Secretary-General António Guterres is “greatly concerned” by the Russian Federation’s decision on the status of certain areas of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, his Spokesperson said on Monday
According to news reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally recognized separatist regions in Ukraine’s east as independent states.
In a statement issued by Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the UN chief calls for “the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2202 (2015)”.
Moreover, Mr. Guterres considers Russia’s decision to be “a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”.
Cease hostilities, immediately
Amid an intense spike in shelling in eastern Ukraine by opposing sides, the concentration of Russian troops reportedly continues to increase at the country’s borders.
The Secretary-General is urging all relevant actors to focus their efforts on “ensuring an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, preventing any actions and statements that may further escalate the dangerous situation in and around Ukraine and prioritizing diplomacy to address all issues peacefully”.
Mr. Dujarric assured that in line with the relevant General Assembly resolutions, the UN remains fully supportive of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.
The UN chief was planning to make and official visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but in light of the deteriorating situation regarding Ukraine, he has cancelled the mission.
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About laws to be amended; Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis and Muslims in prison or on the death row on blasphemy charges; the EU monitoring of the implementation of the GSP+; the controversial Single National Curriculum; the planned mission to Pakistan of EU’s Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore
This is Part II of interview conducted by Willy Fautre from Human Rights Without Frontiers International. – See Part I here
On 10 February 2021, three Members of the European Parliament Intergroup on FoRB – Peter van Dalen (EPP), Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), Joachim Kuhs (ID) – filed a written parliamentary question addressed to Josep Borrell, High Representative/ Vice President of the Commission, in which they raised the controversial issue of the privileged GSP+ status granted to Pakistan as follows: “Given the blasphemy laws in Pakistan and the unjustified treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan that they lead to, is the VP/HR considering ending the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus preferences for Pakistan? If not, why not?”
On 15 April 2021, the weak answer of the Vice-president of the Commission was not giving much hope to human rights defenders in Pakistan and in Europe:
“The 2018-2019 Report on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) shows that Pakistan is making progress over time in areas such as the elimination of honour killings, the protection of transgender persons, and the protection of women’s and children’s rights.
However, a number of shortcomings still remain. The report includes reducing the scope for the death penalty as one of the priority areas for action. The EU will continue to closely monitor, address and encourage further progress on these issues.”
“Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to immediately review Pakistan’s eligibility for GSP+ status in the light of current events and whether there is sufficient reason to initiate a procedure for the temporary withdrawal of this status and the benefits that come with it, and to report to the European Parliament on this matter as soon as possible.”
681 members of the European Parliament voted in favor of the resolution: only three MEPs opposed it.
Human Rights Without Frontiers interviewed former EU Special Envoy Jan Figel to share his views about the concerns of the European Parliament related to the continuation of the GSP+ status despite the persistent violations of religious freedom, the abuse of the blasphemy laws and the repeated sentences to the death penalty, the non-prosecution of perpetrators of violence, forced marriages and conversion of non-Muslim girls to Islam, and various other breaches of international law.
HRWF: Which laws in Pakistan are contrary to international agreements and should be urgently amended?
Jan Figel: Blasphemy laws are the single most draconian laws that undermine freedom of thought, religion or expression. It literally suffocates the religious minorities, instills deadly fear of mob violence and forces religious minorities into submission to the whims and authority of the majority.
Government efforts towards Islamization of Pakistan’s civil and criminal law, which began in the early 1980s, have dangerously undermined fundamental right to freedom of religion and expression, and have led to serious abuses against the country’s religious minorities. The broad and vague provisions of a series of laws known collectively as the “blasphemy” laws, which strengthen criminal penalties for offenses against Islam, have been used to bring politically motivated charges of blasphemy or other religious offenses against members of religious minorities as well as some Muslims.
The blasphemy laws have also contributed to a climate of religious bigotry which has led to discrimination, harassment and violent attacks on minorities – abuses which are apparently tolerated, if not condoned, by some political leaders and government officials.
HRWF: Our organization has a database of dozens of documented cases of Christian, Hindu, Ahmadi and even Muslim Pakistanis who are on the death row or have been sentenced to heavy prison terms or have been in pretrial detention for years on blasphemy charges. Does the judicial system work in conformity with international standards in this regard?
Jan Figel: In theory and on paper the judicial system may appear to work in conformity with international standards but in practice and reality on the ground it does not. The state influences action or inaction on any judicial process on matters of religious content in courts, keeping the political expediency at the forefront. This forces guilty verdicts or delayed verdicts in sensitive religious cases.
The most prominent example is the case of Asia Bibi. This woman from humble background was mercilessly beaten and charged with blasphemy for drinking water from a container used by her Muslim co-workers. She was sentenced to death by a lower court and subsequently by higher courts on appeal. However, when her case became known in international media, Pakistan found a way to release her after nine years of incarceration. The Supreme Court of Pakistan squashed the case on technical grounds but still did not declare her innocent. Asia Bibi had to flee from Pakistan to Canada under a hush deal between the two countries.
Quite often, the police also fail to protect vulnerable groups and individuals. This was the case on February 14, in Lahore, when 25-year old Pervez Masih was killed by a violent mob although the police had been informed and called for protection.
In Pakistan, the rule of law is weak and justice is delayed or not carried out because of the religious indoctrination of masses and street power. Quite often semi-illiterate religious clerics force the judicial system to bow down to their influences. The state security and law enforcing authorities are weak and also subject to some religious considerations. Due to this weakness, several courageous judges have been killed or had to flee the country.
The criminal justice system in Pakistan needs overhauling and courage in this context. It is flawed. There is a tacit support to the complainant’s side at all levels: police, prisons and courts. Amid fears, pressures and like-mindedness the judges try to shift the decision to higher and superior courts. Sometimes, their partiality is obvious, even in their judgments.
In a recent court ruling, the judge in Rawalpindi sentenced to the death penalty a Muslim woman accused of blasphemy, saying she was not only a blasphemer but also an apostate, for which she deserved the capital punishment.
So, there are few examples when the judicial system works in conformity with international standards. If it happens that is only at Supreme Court level, which is the highest level.
HRWF: To what extent does or doesn’t Pakistan promote religious tolerance in its school education system?
Jan Figel: The education system should do much more for interreligious and interethnic tolerance and coexistence. On the contrary, one can see instillation of hate against Hindus, in particular by misrepresenting and concocting the struggle for India’s independence from British colonial rule. The word Hindu for some groups represents an enemy of Pakistan and Islam.
There are positive efforts but a traditional mindset prevails in society. Discrimination and intolerance exist in the administration, and also among educators and teachers. Noteworthy is that the recent compulsory Single National Curriculum (SNC) also has a religious perspective; even in the English and science classes, religion has been introduced. The State has been defined as a religious one, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, since the times of the military regime… There are fears that this SNC will increase intolerance and biases, and will have an adverse impact.
Good literacy for all and relevant education is needed for peace, coexistence and more promising development in Pakistan. But the content of education is a decisive factor! The state must take more of that and do its duty properly.
HRWF: The GSP+ has been the best attempt of the EU at being concrete and objective about the importance of international treaties in its relationships with third countries. Soon, DG Trade, the EEAS and several services within the Commission will evaluate to what extent Pakistan has been complying with the 27 international agreements that are conditions to receive and keep the “GSP+” status that is worth billions of Euro, greatly benefitting the economy of Pakistan. What is your view on this process?
Jan Figel: I agree that the GSP+ is a great EU instrument to bring important rules, values and sustainable development into beneficiary countries, including the largest one among them – Pakistan. Here it cannot be “business as usual”. The EEAS runs a big EU Delegation of diplomats and has some detailed knowledge of the reality on the ground. It is important for the Commission to have a fair assessment and recommendations in line with the agreed objectives of this Agreement, and for the European Parliament and the Council to adopt responsible positions. Only a Europe caring about justice can be a strong, constructive and respected global actor.
Twenty-seven international treaties that are the conditions to receive and keep the “GSP+” status should be not only signed and ratified by the Government and the Parliament of Pakistan. They must be implemented (!) in practice for the benefit of people. Those treaties cover human rights, the rule of law, environmental protection, labor law, the fight against corruption, etc.
To this end, Pakistan has created the TIC – Treaties Implementation Cell. Therefore, the EU should focus on the monitoring of the implementation. A lot of European taxpayers’ money is donated to Pakistan in support of these commitments. It is time for a fair and credible assessment. This would be the only effective tool of the EU to force Pakistan to review its symptomatic, visible injustice towards its religious minorities.
HRWF: Do you think that by ignoring the non-compliance with a number of international treaties the EU would really be helping Pakistan and that other unsuccessful candidates for the GSP+ status would not feel discriminated against by perceived EU’s double standards ?
Jan Figel: By unconditionally condoning Pakistan, the EU is sending an inconsistent, wrong message to the other candidate countries. The Union must have one credible face and refuse double standards. Pakistani authorities speak a lot about democracy and protection of minorities. They have a ministry for human rights but there are many fresh blood stains on the white strip of Pakistan’s flag. The inspirational founding father of Pakistan, Ali Jinnah, needs followers in deeds, not in words.
HRWF: Considering Pakistan’s neighborhood and Europe’s interests, do you think it is justified to let Pakistan off the hook on human rights issues, because of the situation in Afghanistan and its influence in Pakistan?
Jan Figel: Pakistan is an important EU partner and a nuclear power but which country is not important in this region? If for this reason we let Pakistan continue to implement the same policies, it will only encourage it to play its geopolitical and geostrategic card. Status quo is not enough for the betterment of lives and relations within the country. Pakistan must be held accountable for its actions and its commitments. This is the best service the EU can provide to people of good will in Pakistan.
HRWF: What should Eamon Gilmore, the EU’s Special Representative for Human Rights, tell the Pakistani authorities when visiting Pakistan later this month?
Jan Figel: The EU Special Representative should ask the Government of Imran Khan to address the issue of the draconian blasphemy laws. I would recommend him to talk about the fairness of the administrative, legal and judicial systems dealing with, investigating and taking decisions about blasphemy cases. There must be a fair and impartial way of treating such cases. The Government also should think of a consensual mechanism to deal with the growing number of blasphemy cases, especially under the cybercrime legislation.
Eamon Gilmore was supportive of FoRB promotion and we had some very constructive cooperation during my mandate as EU FoRB Special Envoy. He may encourage the authorities of Pakistan to adopt effective and transparent laws, programs and actions to improve the situation of economically and socially marginalized religious minorities. The members of these communities are frequently relegated to the lowest and unhygienic waste cleaning jobs while they should given equal employment opportunities to show their talents.
As a former EU Commissioner for Education, Culture and Youth I would strongly recommend to the EU Commission to offer active cooperation and creative professional review of Pakistan’s new “One Curriculum” schoolbooks for the promotion of religious tolerance.
Without a necessary and credible review, the Single National Curriculum may increase hatred, discrimination and prejudices and may also lead to the misuse of blasphemy cases. Good and accessible education unites people and builds bridges among nations as well. Education is important for future of Pakistan both internally and externally.
(Photo: Courtesy Open Doors)Social media is increasingly being used by Hindu extremists in India to stir up hatred of Christians; the country is number 10 on the Open Doors World Watch List.
A 20-foot (6 meter) statue of Jesus, which had stood in the village for 18 years, was demolished by authorities in India’s southern Karnataka state after claims it was built on land earmarked by the government for an animal pasture.
Kolar district’s administration said last week’s demolition took place of the statue next to St. Francis Xavier’s Church in Gokunte village, Christian Today reported.
The Karnataka High Court had ordered the destruction, but local Christian leaders said the case was still pending.
Gokunte village has a population of 500-600 people, and all but four families are Catholic, Crux News reported.
Bengaluru Roman Catholic Archbishop Peter Machado denounced the statue’s demolition, stating that the church has ownership documents for the land where the statue was.
Machado said church leaders attempted to work with authorities to save the structure, but they would not cooperate.
“It is sad to note that yet another ruthless demolition of a Christian Structure, which included a 20- feet Statue of Jesus and 14 Stations of Cross was carried out by the taluka authorities in a Christian Village, Gokunte, in Kolar, a District of Karnataka touching the border of Andhra,” Machado announced in a statement.
“We were not served with written notice of the impending action which she had determined to demolish,” said Machado.
200-STRONG POLICE FORCE
The local authorities moved in with a 200-strong police force and pulled down the statue, which Machado said “has seriously affected not only the sentiments of the Christian community but also the people of other faiths.”
The bishop said, “Though the church has documents of the two acres of the land where these structures were located, the local authorities considered them as not proper or incomplete.”
The villagers believe a Hindu nationalist group filed a petition in the high court to stir tensions in the region.
“The video of the demolition was widely circulated, and the Christians are really alarmed and pained at such repeated acts by the pro-Hindu government machinery,” Fr. Faustine Lobo, the spokesperson of the Karnataka Regional Catholic Bishops’ Council, was quoted as saying.
Open Doors USA, which monitors Christian persecution in more than 60 countries, reports that persecution against Christians and other religious minorities has increased since the BJP took power in 2014, Christian Today reported.
For India’s Christians, 2021 was the “most violent year” in the country’s history, says a report by the United Christian Forum. At least 486 violent incidents of Christian persecution were reported in the year.
The UCF attributed the high incidence of Christian persecution to “impunity,” due to which “such mobs criminally threaten, physically assault people in prayer, before handing them over to the police on allegations of forcible conversions.”
Police registered formal complaints in only 34 of the 486 cases, according to the UCF.
“Often communal sloganeering is witnessed outside police stations, where the police stand as mute spectators,” the UCF report states.
Christians make up only 2.3 percent of India’s population of 1.38 billlion and Hindus make up some 80 percent.
Karnataka is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has also ruled India since 2014. The BJP is linked with the the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist group said Crux News.
Cover of article “The Secretive Prisons That Keep Migrants Out of Europe” in The New Yorker written by Ian Urbina
Ian Urbina, founder and director of The Outlaw Ocean Project, was honored with the Polk Award for International Reporting for investigation with The New Yorker
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, February 21, 2022 – Long Island University (LIU) has announced the winners of the George Polk Awards, honoring journalists in 15 categories for their reporting in 2021. Ian Urbina, founder and director of The Outlaw Ocean Project, was honored with the award for International Reporting for his investigation published in the New Yorker Magazine, “The Secretive Prisons That Keep Migrants Out of Europe.”
The story, published in November 2021, revealed that the European Union equipped and trained Libyans to intercept migrants from sub-Saharan Africa at sea and hold them in secret prisons. Led by Urbina, a team of four reporters went to Tripoli, Libya, to investigate the role of the E.U. and Italy in funding Libya’s corrupt and brutal Coast Guard, which aimed to catch migrants before they reach Europe, and effectively turned a blind eye to the ghastly conditions inside Libyan detention centers.
While reporting on the story, the team was taken captive and disappeared into a secret prison by the Libyan Intelligence Service, long affiliated with one of Libya’s most powerful militias, the Al-Nawasi Brigade. They were released after six days in captivity.
“This award belongs to a huge and daring and tireless team that helped me report the story, get out of Libya alive, and craft something with true impact,” said Ian Urbina. “A special thanks belongs to Joe Sexton, Pierre Kattar, and Mea Dols, who were in Libya with me”.
The George Polk Awards in Journalism this year honors a wide range of revelatory news coverage including the plot behind a Haitian assassination, the impact of a Madagascar climate disaster, the depth of American political upheaval, the consequences of corporate subterfuge, the victimization of brain-damaged children and factory workers in Florida, and the exploitation of migrants here and abroad. Winners were selected from a record total of 610 submissions of work that appeared in print, online, television, or radio and were nominated by news organizations, individuals or a national panel of advisors.
“Not only did we receive a record number of submissions, but they came from far more sources of investigative reporting than ever before, and dozens in addition to the award winners represented first-class work,” said John Darnton, curator of the awards. “This speaks to the vitality and continued promise of a changing journalism landscape and is reason to feel optimistic about the future of our craft.”
The George Polk Awards were established in 1949 by LIU to commemorate George Polk, a CBS correspondent murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war. The awards, which place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results, are conferred annually to honor special achievements in journalism.
It’s among the most prestigious prizes given in the profession of journalism. Urbina won a previous Polk Award in the category of Foreign Reporting in 2015.
About The Outlaw Ocean Project:
The Outlaw Ocean Project is a journalism non-profit that produces investigative stories about human rights and environmental concerns on the two thirds of the planet covered by water. Investigative reporter Ian Urbina founded the organization after spending years at sea reporting stories about lawlessness on the oceans for the New York Times, and later for The Outlaw Ocean book, published in 2019.
One of the limitations of the traditional model used especially by legacy news outlets, is that worthy investigative stories are typically seen by only a small fraction of the public because these stories get published in just one outlet and typically in just one language. Part of what The Outlaw Ocean Project and Ian Urbina seek to do is not just produce polished narrative investigative journalism, but also convert that reportage into new forms to reach new audiences.
This investigation into the secretive prisons that keep migrants out of Europe was published in 70 news outlets across 33 countries and translated into 12 different languages. This was a huge accomplishment that speaks to the new model of journalism that The Outlaw Ocean Project is seeking to leverage.
Media Team The Outlaw Ocean Project media@theotlawocean.com Visit us on social media: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Other
Drone View Of Al Mabani #AliouCande | #TheOutlawOceanProject | Ian Urbina
Ms Tara Cheyne, MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs of Australian Capital Territory with the Tibetan Community members
Canberra: International Mother Language day has been observed worldwide on 21 February every year since 2000, after it was approved by UNESCO, as a result of the initiative led by Bangladesh. It is a day to celebrate linguistic diversity and to promote differences in culture and language to develop respect and tolerance for each other.
In Canberra, the Tibetan community participated in the annual International Mother Language Day walk to represent our language – Tibetan. Representatives of the Tibetan community talked to members of other communities such as Bangladesh, Ukraine, India, China and Mon about the importance of our mother language, which is the bedrock of our culture and identity. The current situation inside Tibet where young children are forced in Chinese boarding schools to study in Mandarin was also highlighted.
Each community group talked about their respective languages, and taught the attendees how to greet each other in their language and presented a cultural performance from their country. The Tibetan community members also taught gorshey (circle dance) to the members of other community to perform together.
Ms Tara Cheyne MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs of Australian Capital Territory and Ms Elizabeth Lee MLA, Opposition Leader of Australian Capital Territory took part in the event and wished the multicultural community in Canberra a Happy International Mother Language Day and spoke about the importance of the promotion and preservation of their mother language.
Mr. Karma Singey, Representative and Mr. Lhawang Gyalpo, Secretary of Tibet Information Office (TIO) also participated in the event.
-Report filed by Office of Tibet (OOT) Canberra
Canberra Tibetan Community Members participating in International Mother Language Day walk in Canberra.
Canberra Tibetans representing their language at the International Mother Language Day.
Tibetan Community members performing Tibetan Circle dance (gorshey) on International Mother Language Day in Canberra
Israeli archaeologists have found mosaic floors among the ruins of a building that could have been the legendary Church of the Apostles. It is believed that it was built under the former home of the apostles Jesus, Peter and Andrew, located in the village of Bethsaida, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Researchers have been excavating the region since 2016, and in 2019 they came across a basilica surrounded by a wall about a meter high. This time, scientists have unearthed a mosaic with two inscriptions, according to GlobeNewswire. “The smaller inscription mentions the name of the deacon and the building plan, and the largest inscription, which occupies half of the mosaic, speaks of the bishop and the reconstruction of the building,” said Professor Mordechai Aviam.
Archaeologists consider the inscriptions to be typical of Byzantine churches. The new discovery may be proof of the existence of a legendary religious site, mentioned in the travels of a Bavarian bishop named Willibald, who visited the area in 725.
At the moment, archaeologists have no convincing explanation as to why the building was hidden behind a wall with no doors. According to one hypothesis, the wall was built to preserve the remains of the church after it was destroyed by a strong earthquake.
According to another version, in the Middle Ages, a sugar factory was built on the site of the church, and the building could serve as its basement. Scientists plan to continue archaeological work next year and completely excavate the remains of the basilica, which will help answer questions and confirm that this is the very Church of the Apostles that has been searched for centuries.
Health teams worldwide need much safer working conditions to combat the “dangerous neglect” they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN health and labour agencies said on Monday.
Approximately 115,500 health workers died from COVID-19 in the first 18 months of the pandemic, linked to a “systemic lack of safeguards”, they noted.
In a joint call for action from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN bodies insisted that the coronavirus crisis had contributed to “an additional heavy toll” on health workers.
Health workers are at the forefront of the fight against #COVID19.
As the pandemic continues to exert great pressure on them, @ilo and @WHO launched a guide on developing & implementing stronger occupational health & safety programmes for health workers.https://t.co/FQqXFL7Kxu
— International Labour Organization (@ilo) February 21, 2022
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector was among the most hazardous sectors to work in,” said WHO’s Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
“Only a few healthcare facilities had programmes in place for managing health and safety at work,” Dr. Neira continued. “Health workers suffered from infections, musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, workplace violence and harassment, burnout, and allergies from the poor working environment.”
To address this, WHO and ILO have released new country guidelines for health centres at national and local levels.
“Such programmes should cover all occupational hazards – infectious, ergonomic, physical, chemical, and psycho-social,” the agencies noted, adding that States that have either developed or are actively implementing occupational health and safety programmes in health settings had seen reductions in work-related injuries and absences due to sickness and improvements in the work environment, productivity and retention of health workers.
Workers’ rights
“Like all other workers, should enjoy their right to decent work, safe and healthy working environments and social protection for health care, sickness absence and occupational diseases and injuries,” insisted ILO’s Alette van Leur, Director, ILO Sectoral Policies Department.
The development comes as the agencies indicated that more than one-in-three health facilities lack hygiene stations at the point of care, while fewer than one-in-six countries had a national policy in place for healthy and safe working environments within the health sector.
“Sickness absence and exhaustion exacerbated pre-existing shortages of health workers and undermined the capacities of health systems to respond to the increased demand for care and prevention during the crisis,” said James Campbell, Director, WHO Health Workforce Department.
“This guide provides recommendations on how to learn from this experience and better protect our health workers.”
The Council today decided to add five members of the Makhlouf family to the list of persons and entities subject to targeted EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria.
This decision follows the death of Mohammed Makhlouf in September 2020. Mr Makhlouf – sanctioned by the EU in August 2011 – was a businessman closely associated with the Assad family and with significant ties to the Syrian regime. His death poses the risk that the assets inherited by his family members will be used to support the activities of the Syrian regime, and will flow directly into the regime’s possession, potentially contributing to the regime’s violent repression of the civilian population.
With today’s decision, the list of people and entities subject to sanctions in view of the situation in Syria now includes 292 persons, targeted by both an assets freeze and a travel ban, and 70 entities subject to an assets freeze. In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to both listed individuals and entities.
Sanctions on Syria were first introduced in 2011 in response to the violent repression of the civilian population by the Assad regime. They also target companies and prominent businessmen benefiting from their ties with the regime and the war economy. Restrictive measures also include a ban on the import of oil, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Central Bank of Syria held in the EU, and export restrictions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression, as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications.
EU sanctions in Syria are designed to avoid any impact on humanitarian assistance, and therefore aim not to affect the delivery of food, medicines and medical equipment.
The EU keeps developments in the Syrian conflict under constant review and can decide to renew sanctions and amend the list of targeted entities or persons based on developments on the ground.
The EU remains committed to finding a lasting and credible political solution to the conflict in Syria on the basis of the UN Security Council resolution 2254 and of the 2012 Geneva Communiqué.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged on Monday for greater protection for refugees and asylum-seekers in Europe.
He said in a statement that violence, ill-treatment, and pushbacks continue to be regularly reported at multiple entry points at land and sea borders.
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, expressed deep concern over an increasing number of incidents of violence and serious human rights violations against refugees and migrants at various European borders, several of which have resulted in tragic deaths.
Despite repeated calls by UNHCR, other UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs, the violence continues within and beyond the European Union, the statement continued.
“We are alarmed by recurrent and consistent reports coming from Greece’s land and sea borders with Turkey, where UNHCR has recorded almost 540 reported incidents of informal returns by Greece since the beginning of 2020,” said Mr. Grandi.
Turkey currently hosts some 3.7 million Syrians and around 330,000 others, the majority of whom are Afghans.
Disturbing incidents were also reported in Central and South-eastern Europe at the borders with EU Member States.
According to UNHCR, people being pushed back, and suffering a “disturbing pattern of threats, intimidation, violence and humiliation.”
“At sea, people report being left adrift in life rafts or sometimes even forced directly into the water, showing a callous lack of regard for human life,” Mr. Grandi added.
Since September, at least three people have reportedly died in such incidents in the Aegean Sea, including one in January.
“Equally horrific practices are frequently reported at land borders, with consistent testimonies of people being stripped and brutally pushed back in harsh weather conditions”, UNHCR’s chief highlighted.
According to the UN refugee agency, despite credible evidence, European States have mostly failed to investigate such reports.
Walls and fences being erected
Mr. Grandi reiterated that the right to seek asylum does not depend upon how people arrive in a country, and that those who wish to apply for asylum should be allowed to do so.
According to recent data, at least 82.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes, including nearly 26.4 million refugees, around half of whom are under 18.
“People fleeing war and persecution have few available options,” said the High Commissioner.
Adding that “walls and fences are unlikely to serve as a meaningful deterrent”, he attested that they would instead, they would contribute to greater, particularly for women and children.
At sea, people report being left adrift in life rafts or sometimes even forced directly into the water – High Commissioner for Refugees
‘Fortress Europe’ narrative
Calling for an end to what is happening at European borders, Mr. Grandi reiterated the Agency’s commitment to protect human life, human rights, and dignity, and called for more independent investigations into such incidents.
“We fear these deplorable practices now risk becoming normalized, and policy based,” he continued.
Maintaining that they “reinforce a harmful and unnecessary ‘fortress Europe’ narrative,” he reminded that the majority of the world’s refugees are hosted by low- and middle-income countries with far fewer resources, often bordering countries of origin in crisis.
Call for protection
Underlining that European countries have long been strong supporters of UNHCR’s work and are providing important contributions that help to protect refugees and support host countries, Mr. Grandi reminded that financial and capacity support abroad cannot replace States’ responsibilities and obligations to receive and protect refugees in their own territory.
He also called on States to uphold their commitments and respect fundamental human rights, including the right to life and right to asylum.
“How Europe chooses to protect asylum-seekers and refugees matters and is precedent-setting not only in the region but also globally,” Mr. Grandi concluded.
