That ‘earthquake’ in Europe? It’s far-right gains in Parliament elections – France’s far-right National Front has won a nationwide election for the first time, as far-right parties across Europe caused a political “earthquake,” with a string of victories in voting for the European Parliament.The National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, notched up 24.95% of the vote in France, according to official estimates, well ahead of mainstream parties UMP and the Socialist Party. Le Pen said the win showed that people want to see change in Europe.France’s Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the result was “more than a warning. It is a shock, an earthquake.”Right-wing parties also gained ground in the UK, Denmark and Austria, according to projections posted on the European Parliament’s official elections website.Voters across Europe have been casting ballots for days in the parliamentary vote. There are 751 seats from 28 countries up for grabs.

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Wole Soyinka is no stranger to speaking out against unresponsive or corrupt governments, and is well known for his writing on political themes and his imperative of activism.

Boko Haram is not just a Nigerian problem – it is a crime against humanity

 

Women’s participation rate in parliaments slows, even as more gain top seats – IPU – Despite an increase in the number of women Speakers of Parliament, the number of female parliamentarians across the world rose by only 0.5 percentage points in 2015, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) today reported, dashing hopes that gender parity in parliament could be achieved within a generation.

Women’s participation rate in parliaments slows

The MA in Sustainable development and Environmental Management in Paris Graduate School is an 18-months program that advances your knowledge of Sustainable Development and environmental management

MASTER’S PROGRAM IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

11 things we learned about social enterprise in international development 

Senior UN officials urge elimination of ‘violent practice’ of female genital mutilation by 2030

Elimination of ‘violent practice’ of female genital mutilation by 2030

This post is announcing an invitation to members of the public, to participate in the Workshop and Conference on Youth and Development in Africa: Investing in New Technologies of Information and Communication holding at UNESCO.

Analytics Workshop and Conference on Youth and Development in Africa: Investing in New Technologies of Information and Communication

Wole Soyinka is no stranger to speaking out against unresponsive or corrupt governments, and is well known for his writing on political themes and his imperative of activism. His defiance of such governments was epitomised in an anecdote given at this event about the Nigerian Independence celebrations in 1960. His play, A Dance of the Forests, was banned from the celebrations due to its “subversive tones” (some of the play’s characters are critical of a post-independent generation), despite it winning a national competition. Soyinka accepted the prize money, and used it to stage the play anyway.Among jokes about his ‘fro, musings upon his influences and a discussion of his childhood memoirs Aké, Soyinka wanted to make clear that with the current situation in Nigeria: “We should never have arrived at this point”.Referring to the abduction of the girls in Nigeria, Soyinka led us through the history of Boko Haram. He was keen to emphasise that this is not a new phenomenon – Boko Haram began many years ago and is rooted in the harnessing of religion for power by politicians. Indoctrination in extreme religion and a complete reliance upon the benevolence of religious teachers has led to a separation in Nigerian society which has grown wider, leaving a gulf of hostility between Muslims and non-Muslims. Soyinka remembered a childhood in which many religions could co-exist and co-habit in harmony, and he recounted how in his village Christians celebrated Muslim festivals and vice versa. Today a mimicry of power has seen Boko Haram seeking to dominate all other religions, and non-Muslims have become spiritual enemies. A culture of impunity has become widespread, and violent crimes are committed on religious grounds with no discipline or prosecution for the perpetrators. The Nigerian government has refused to take action.When asked what can be done, Soyinka highlighted the importance of international help. Boko Haram is not just a Nigerian problem – it is a crime against humanity and must be addressed with global solidarity. Without a strong political response, nothing in Nigeria will change. A major issue remains -the lack of a proactive response to the crisis. As an alternative, Soyinka suggested that “freedom squads” could be created to embark on their own line of defence and assist societies in these conditions. Radical, but at this stage Soyinka said the priority is for Nigeria’s daughters to be returned.

<div><img src="" alt=""> </div>Women’s participation rate in parliaments slows, even as more gain top seats – IPU – Despite an increase in the number of women Speakers of Parliament, the number of female parliamentarians across the world rose by only 0.5 percentage points in 2015, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) today reported, dashing hopes that gender parity in parliament could be achieved within a generation.In its annual report, Women in Parliament 2015: the Year in Review, the IPU stated that women now account for 22.6 per cent of the world’s Members of the Parliament.“Although this figure is an all-time high and represents the continued upward trend for women in parliament, the rate of progress in 2015 was another setback from the 1.5 percentage points witnessed in 2013,” the IPU said.The overall growth in the past decade has been 6.4 points, and with the “snail-pace” growth rate in 2015, the IPU said the trend does little to inspire confidence the situation will change any time soon.This is particularly disappointing given the push to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030, as part of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).‘Urgent need for creative solutions and changing mindsets’“IPU’s 2015 statistics on women in parliament underline the urgent need for creative solutions and changing mindsets if there is any chance of meeting goals on political participation and empowerment,” said IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong.In areas of success, the IPU highlighted that quotas and proportional representation systems are more effective in getting women into parliament.The IPU report also highlights the need to tackle impediments to women running for office, such as the lack of adequate finance for their campaigns, and reiterates the critical role of political parties in changing the status quo.Regional successesWhile the overall number of women is not rising as quickly as had been hoped, the IPU noted that women are in increasingly higher positions.Out of 273 Speakers of Parliament worldwide, 49 are now women, an increase of six positions since 2014.“As parliamentary leaders are among the most powerful political figures in their countries, women Speakers are not only critical role models and mentors for other women MPs, they are also vital to changing mindsets on delivering change,” the IPU reported.There were 58 parliamentary elections in 2015, with the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and the Arab world seeing increases in women’s representation.Both the Asia and Pacific regions remained virtually static, regions which IPU said have shown the least progress on women’s parliamentary participation over the past decade.The report has been released today ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March.IPU works closely with the United Nations and other multilateral bodies to ensure there is a parliamentary dimension to international cooperation, global governance as well as in the resolution of major international issues.<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2016/03/523642-womens-participation-rate-parliaments-slows-even-more-gain-top-seats-ipu#.Vt73o_nhBD9" target="_blank">Credit: United Nations News Centre</a>&nbsp;

3PSMARS INTERNATIONAL AND PARIS GRADUATE SCHOOL PRESENT:THE MASTER’S PROGRAM INSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT2020/2021 Academic SessionDownload Programme <a href="https://www.3psmars.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/1-a2396e58f415ec95b0a17c4fc0c8f342/2020/10/Masters-in-Sustainable-Development-Brochure2-1-1-1.pdf" target="_blank">BROCHURE here</a>&nbsp;Download Paris Graduate School Programme <a href="https://www.3psmars.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/1-a2396e58f415ec95b0a17c4fc0c8f342/2020/10/Application-form-Paris-Graduate-School-2018.pdf" target="_blank">APPLICATION FORM</a>&nbsp;Complete <a href="https://ikinstitute.org/application-online/" target="_blank">ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION</a>&nbsp;PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe MA in Sustainable development and Environmental Management in Paris Graduate School is an 18-months program that advances your knowledge of Sustainable Development and environmental management, the policy process, nature and practice of the subjects as a concept and field of practice in international development, public policy and business management.The programme is a 120-credits Master’s degree organized around 6 compulsory course units of 20 credits each. Students are required to pass all 6 courses, write and defend a compulsory final dissertation to earn the degree. In most cases students are asked to complete a minimum of 3 months internship or industrial training as additional requirement.Classes could either be taken onsite or online. Onsite students complete the course work in 1 academic year and would write the required dissertation leading to the award of the degree. Students studying online have the advantage to take the coursework at their rhythm, apart from the compulsory online sessions, but must complete the course work with the required assignments and final dissertation in a maximum of 18 months.This program is taught in English, no knowledge of French is required.Timeframe- 15-18 monthsAdmission requirementFirst degree in any discipline with at least two years’ experience in any field. Applicants may be asked to supply proof that the programme will contribute to their academic and professional development. Consideration will be based on individual evaluation and merit.COURSE OVERVIEWAs a concept in international development, Sustainable Development has grown to become an important political-economy instrument, not only for its multidisciplinary nature but also due to its ever-increasing relevance to policy coordination and contribution to effective local, national, regional development management and administration systems. At the introduction of the Millennium Development Goals in the year 2000, which was replaced by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2015, the subject has passed from being a global development goal to an international policy instrument.The focus of sustainable development ranges from economic development, poverty reduction, environmental management, health, education, water and sanitation, affordable energy, economic growth, climate change, peace and justice, to reducing inequalities……etc.The program therefore emphasizes the policy dimension of Sustainable Development as it reflects on different subjects with its main focus on environmental management. It is tailored to provide leaders and prospective leaders in the public, private and non-profit sector the knowledge required to build capacity, coordinate and manage the implementation of SDGs.LEARNING OUTCOMESAt the end of this program, students should:<ul><li>Understand the concepts of Sustainable Development and Environmental Management.</li><li>Understand how policy-makers and other stakeholders can apply policies to the governance of scarce resources and the preservation of the environment.</li><li>Be able to make informed decisions in their different professional and leadership roles at present and in future</li><li>Be able to apply the principles and concepts leant in the course of their study to their respective professions and future career responsibilities be it in the private, public and non-governmental sector.</li></ul>&nbsp;COURSE CONTENTThe Masters Programme covers diverse range of topics, organized around the following broad modules:Course Unit 1- What is Sustainable Development? (20 credits)Modules:<ul><li>What is Sustainable Development? Definitions and Concepts</li><li>Trends in Sustainable Development Policy from 1972 to date</li><li>Economic Growth and Limitations</li><li>Ending Extreme Poverty</li><li>Multidisciplinarity and the SDGs Dispensation (Planning for Sustainable Development)</li><li>Human Rights and Gender Inequality</li><li>Pathways and challenges</li></ul>Course Unit 2- Environmental Management: Saving the Planet (20 Credits)Modules:<ul><li>The planetary Boundaries (Energy, Food and Population)</li><li>Climate Change (Adaptation, Mitigation and Global Cooperation)</li><li>Saving Biodiversity</li><li>Sustainable Global Food Supply</li><li>Sustainable Consumption and Production</li></ul>Course Unit 3– Ethics: Professional, Personal and General Ethics towards a Sustainable World (20 Credits)Modules:<ul><li>Introduction to Ethics</li><li>Ethics and Sustainability</li><li>Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)</li><li>Environment and Social Management Systems (ESMS)</li><li>Sustainability Reporting</li></ul>Course Unit 4– Social Responsibility and Innovation (20 Credits)Modules:<ul><li>Corporate Social Responsibility</li><li>Innovation and Design Thinking</li><li>Inclusive and Green Business Models</li><li>Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains</li><li>Sustainability Reporting</li></ul>Course Unit 5- Education and Sustainable Development (ESD) (20 Credits)Modules:<ul><li>Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)</li><li>Environmental Education (EE)</li><li>Development Education (DE)</li><li>Principles of Education for Sustainable Development</li><li>UN/UNESCO’s Framework of Action</li><li>Global Citizenship and the future of ESD</li></ul>Course Unit 6- The Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development as an International Policy and Results Framework for the Environment and Sustainable Development (20 Credits)Modules:<ul><li>Sustainable Development, Policy Coherence, Inclusive Policy and managing Complexities in International Development</li><li>Sustainability and the Concept of Development Management</li><li>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a Results Framework: Imports of the SDGs in Managing for Development Results (MfDR) and Results Based Management (RBM) in International development</li><li>Sustainable Development and the Ebbs and Flows of International Development</li><li>Financing for Sustainable Development and Development Effectiveness</li></ul>PARTNERING ORGANIZATION – 3PSMARSThis Masters Programme is conceived, provided and organized in partnership with 3psmars International (an Alliance for Development Effectiveness). 3PSMARS is a global Think Tank based in Paris, with focus on capacity building for development effectiveness and Sustainable Development. With this mandate, 3PSMARS International employs this program as an avenue to reach out for impact in this regard.ORGANIZATION OF CLASSESThis program provides for both onsite and online learning. This is dependent on the student’s preference and availability. International students willing to do physical study must consider the cost of their living and maintenance in Paris.Considering that the programme is a second degree and in order to meet the schedule of working students, online classes will be organized mostly in the evening on weekdays and during weekends. Prospective students must be ready to make time out to attend the classes as final assessment would require 75 percent attendance of the online classes. Students who complete their online programme will be invited for a physical graduation in Paris if interested.FEESThe fee for the online programme is fixed at €1800, while for onsite study in Paris is €9500. However, in view of the current global health crisis, the school will take only online students for the 2020/2021 session. The unique online intake continues until further notice.APPLICATION DEADLINEFor online students, the deadline for application closes November 15, 2020 for the first cohort for 2020/2021 academic year. Nevertheless, due to the nature of the online classes, admission process remains open and flexible for students to be able manage the engagements at their own pace over the 18 months programme span. Kindly send an email to <a href="mailto:executive.pg@parisgraduateschool.org" target="_blank">executive.pg@parisgraduateschool.org</a> after completing the application on line.Download Programme <a href="https://www.3psmars.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/1-a2396e58f415ec95b0a17c4fc0c8f342/2020/10/Masters-in-Sustainable-Development-Brochure2-1-1-1.pdf" target="_blank">BROCHURE here</a>&nbsp;Download Paris Graduate School Programme <a href="https://www.3psmars.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/1-a2396e58f415ec95b0a17c4fc0c8f342/2020/10/Application-form-Paris-Graduate-School-2018.pdf" target="_blank">APPLICATION FORM</a>&nbsp;Complete <a href="https://ikinstitute.org/application-online/" target="_blank">ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION</a>&nbsp;CONTACT DETAILSEmail (preferably): <a href="mailto:executive.pg@parisgraduateschool.org" target="_blank">executive.pg@parisgraduateschool.org</a>&nbsp;Tel.: +33 7 58 68 37 71; +234 816 9Website: <a href="http://www.parisgraduateschool.org" target="_blank">www.parisgraduateschool.org</a>&nbsp;

11 things we learned about social enterprise in international development – Social enterprises in their uniqueness have stepped beyond the limitations affecting traditional development and especially their NGO counterparts. Challenges relating to budget cuts, compassion fatigue and criticisms centered around lack of real impact are in some ways being creatively tackled by social enterprises around the world.Guardian Sustainable Business further dug into the possibilities of a synergy between social enterprises and traditional development while also hinting that – States have cut financial commitments to countries with growing economies – the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) decided to stop bilateral aid to India and South Africa by this year – in favour of investing in social enterprise schemes. In June 2013, USAid and DfID announced the Global Development Innovation Ventures (GDIV) fund, which would invest in “innovative solutions to world poverty”.But the needs of over a billion people currently living in extreme poverty cannot be met by either traditional development or social enterprise alone. The ideal scenario may be where the two can work together, but how can this be done?Read more: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jul/02/11-things-we-learned-about-social-enterprise-in-international-development" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jul/02/11-things-we-learned-about-social-enterprise-in-international-development</a>&nbsp;

Senior UN officials urge elimination of ‘violent practice’ of female genital mutilation by 2030The most senior United Nations officials are urging the world to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030, calling it a “violent practice” that scars girls for life, endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.“Never before has it been more urgent – or more possible – to end the practice of female genital mutilation, preventing immeasurable human suffering and boosting the power of women and girls to have a positive impact on our world,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation marked annually on 6 February.The UN chief stressed that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted unanimously by UN Member States last year, contain a specific target calling for an end to FGM.“Today I raise my voice and call on others to join me in empowering communities which themselves are eager for change,” he declared. “I count on governments to honour their pledges with support from civil society, health providers, the media and young people.”At least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation in 30 countries, according to a new statistical report published by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Global Concern notes that half of the girls and women who have been cut live in three countries – Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia – and refers to smaller studies and anecdotal accounts that provide evidence FGM is a global human rights issue affecting girls and women in every region of the world.“Female genital mutilation differs across regions and cultures, with some forms involving life-threatening health risks. In every case FGM violates the rights of girls and women,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Geeta Rao Gupta in a press release.According to the data, girls 14 and younger represent 44 million of those who have been cut, with the highest prevalence of FGM among this age in Gambia at 56 per cent, Mauritania 54 per cent and Indonesia where around half of girls aged 11 and younger have undergone the practice. Countries with the highest prevalence among girls and women aged 15 to 49 are Somalia 98 per cent, Guinea 97 per cent and Djibouti 93 per cent.In most of the countries the majority of girls were cut before reaching their fifth birthdays.The global figure in the FGM statistical report includes nearly 70 million more girls and women than estimated in 2014.This is due to population growth in some countries and nationally representative data collected by the Government of Indonesia. As more data on the extent of FGM become available the estimate of the total number of girls and women who have undergone the practice increases. As of 2016, 30 countries have nationally representative data on the practice.“Determining the magnitude of female genital mutilation is essential to eliminating the practice. When governments collect and publish national statistics on FGM they are better placed to understand the extent of the issue and accelerate efforts to protect the rights of millions of girls and women,” Ms. Rao Gupta explained.UNICEF says momentum to address female genital mutilation is growing. FGM prevalence rates among girls aged 15 to 19 have declined, including by 41 percentage points in Liberia, 31 in Burkina Faso, 30 in Kenya and 27 in Egypt over the last 30 years.Since 2008, more than 15,000 communities and sub-districts in 20 countries have publicly declared that they are abandoning FGM, including more than 2,000 communities last year. Five countries have passed national legislation criminalizing the practice. Data also indicate widespread disapproval of the practice as the majority of people in countries where FGM data exists think it should end. This includes nearly two-thirds of boys and men.But the overall rate of progress is not enough to keep up with population growth. The UN says if current trends continue the number of girls and women subjected to FMG will increase significantly over the next 15 years.“All of us must join in this call. There simply is no place for FGM in the future we are striving to create – a future where every girl will grow up able to experience her inherent dignity, human rights and equality by 2030,” said UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in a statement.Courtesy: United Nations News Centre

This post is announcing an invitation to members of the public, to participate in the Workshop and Conference on Youth and Development in Africa: Investing in New Technologies of Information and Communication holding at UNESCO.The Workshop and Conference on Youth and Development in Africa: Investing in New Technologies of Information and Communication (“Journées Jeunesse et Dèveloppement en Afrique: le numérique et les NTIC”), will be held 10-11 February 2015 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. In addition to UNESCO senior managers, experts who have confirmed participation include eminent African scientists, Adviser to the President of Congo, Jacques Atali, Managing Directors of companies and Former African Ministers.The events are joint operations of the International Union of Technical Associations and Organisations (UATI) created by UNESCO in 1951, the International Union of Engineers and Scientists using the French language (UISF) and the International Council of Education, Science and Technology (ICEST).Within the framework of its programme “Education, Science and Technology for Development in Africa (ESTDA)”, UATI/UISF/ICEST Consortium will be addressing priority issues on youth and development and the first issue concerns the role of New Technologies of Information and Communication (NTICs) in improving the learning and employment opportunities for the rapidly growing youth population in Africa. The discussion and presentations at the Workshop (afternoon of 10 February) and Conference (11 February) will contribute to the elaboration of project activities which will be implemented in cooperation with the UNESCO Africa Department and Programme Sectors, in accordance with the framework agreement signed with UNESCO.Participants are enjoined to send their registration forms directly to: <a href="mailto:gilles.m.robert@free.fr" target="_blank">gilles.m.robert@free.fr</a> with a copy to <a href="mailto:f.osotimehin@gmail.com" target="_blank">f.osoti</a> <a href="mailto:f.osotimehin@gmail.com" target="_blank">mehin@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.3psmars.org/documents/registration-form-journees-jeunesse-et-developpement-en-afrique-2/" target="_blank">Click here to view and download the Background Document and Concept note in French and English</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.3psmars.org/documents/journees-jeunesse-et-developpement-en-afrique-mardi-10-et-mecredi-11-fevrier-2015/" target="_blank">Click here to view and download Registration Form</a>&nbsp;