News Archives » South America
Oblate to attend 2010 International AIDS Conference July 14th, 2010
The XVIII International AIDS Conference is taking place in Vienna from July 18-23, 2010 . The Conference is a major gathering of those working in the field of HIV, government leaders, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the AIDS pandemic. It is convened by the International AIDS Society (IAS), in partnership with government, scientific and civil society partners in Austria, as well as international partners from civil society and the United Nations. It is a chance to assess the current state of affairs, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward.
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Millennium Development Goals: Report 2010 July 13th, 2010
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 is now available on the UN MDG website. The report, which presents the yearly assessment of global progress towards the MDGs, warns that while some progress has been made, it is uneven. And it pinpoints the areas where the accelerated efforts are needed to meet MDGs by 2015.
“…….The Millennium Declaration represents the most important promise ever made to the world’s most vulnerable people. The MDG framework for accountability derived from the Declaration has generated an unprecedented level of commitment and partnership in building decent, healthier lives for billions of people and in creating an environment that contributes to peace and security.”
“The Millennium Development Goals are still attainable. The critical question today is how to transform the pace of change from what we have seen over the last decade into dramatically faster progress. The experience of these last ten years offers ample evidence of what works and has provided tools that can help us achieve the MDGs by 2015. The Millennium Development Goals summit in September will be an opportunity for world leaders to translate this evidence into a concrete agenda for action….”
This report is based on a master set of data that has been compiled by an Inter-Agency and Expert Group on MDG Indicators led by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, in response to the wishes of the General Assembly for periodic assessment of progress towards the MDGs. The Group comprises representatives of the international organizations whose activities include the preparation of one or more of the series of statistical indicators that were identified as appropriate for monitoring progress towards the MDGs,
The Report is available in PDF form [80pp]. Download PDF
The report is available in PDF form in all UN languages, including: English, French, and Spanish
Death Penalty News & Updates July 8th, 2010
Texas Judge Will Hold Hearing on State’s Death Penalty Law
A State District Judge in Houston has scheduled a hearing to listen to evidence on whether there’s a substantial risk that the death penalty law allows for the possible execution of an innocent person. The hearing, expected to last two weeks, will begin on November 8 and will likely include testimony from experts on the death penalty around the country. Early in March the same Judge ruled in a capital murder case that the Texas death penalty statute is unconstitutional.
World Coalition Against the Death Penalty- 2010 Annual General Assembly
On June 12 and 13, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty convened in San Francisco, marking the first international abolition meeting in the United States. The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty Assembly was an historic occasion that brought together death penalty opponents from all over the world. The conference was an opportunity for American death penalty opponents to learn from activists elsewhere and share strategies for worldwide death penalty abolition. The conference featured panel discussions led by community activists, victim’s families, wrongfully convicted death row prisoners, and former members of law enforcement who are opposed to the death penalty.
Upcoming International Events on the Death Penalty:
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Worship Resource for International Eradication of Poverty Day – October 17 July 2nd, 2010
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. (Luke 4: 18-19)
In 1992, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 17th October the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The JPIC Commission of the USG/UISG aims to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries. A prayer service was prepared for the Commission by the NGO ‘Social Justice Ireland’. (Download PDF of the prayer service)
Companies Respond to Consumer Demands on Environment July 1st, 2010
Activist campaigns targeting corporations have been surprisingly successful in changing corporate behavior and “greening” supply chains, particularly with regard to timber and beef products. For continued success though, consumers need to signal a clear preference for sustainably produced goods.
A Yale Environment 360 article details one campaign’s success:
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