Posted 7:03 PM by Mary
DOES THE UN HAVE THE POWER TO DO ITS JOB?

Does the UN effectively promote international security, peace and wellbeing worldwide? The UN is a repository of our hopes. It reflects and embodies the highest ideals. Yet-- it also embodies and reflects the realities of international politics.

In a 2007 poll, two out of three Americans were disappointed at UN failures. Yet the same proportion wants the UN to play a strong role in settling global problems. The UN was designed with a Secretariat given the power to implement policies and actions designed by the member states. The UN was never intended as a world government and was never given the power and the funding to achieve goals not fully agreed upon. The strongest political body, the Security Council, has 15 members with five major countries holding veto power. Even the threat of a veto determines what comes up before the Council.The Secretary General is far more secretary than general. If the major powers cannot agree on an action, it will not happen.

Much of the UN's work is not controversial. Over 80% of the UN's work is humanitarian and highly effective within a small budget. The UN is the first recourse for aid in both natural and man-made disasters. Essentials for survival come quickly--bags of food, crates of medicine, blankets and tents. Rescue workers under the blue flag appear in hours.Through its many agencies, the UN promotes clean water, safe schools, vaccination and education campaigns. The UN is a leader in promoting security, education, and empowerment of women. The greatly feared worldwide pandemic, triggered by avian flu, has so far been avoided, thanks to international cooperation carried out through the UN.

Disappointment with the UN springs primarily from the UN's limited ability to control human rights abuses, and particularly the genocides in Rwanda and Darfur. The Rwanda genocide happened because the US, under President Clinton, actively lobbied against sending more peacekeepers. The ongoing genocide in Darfur continues in part because China protects Sudan from excessive attention in the Security Council. The Sudanese government uses the currency it earns from selling oil to China, to buy weapons from China.

Yet even in the mine-strewn and politically explosive area of peacekeeping the UN has negotiated 172 peaceful settlements of regional conflicts. The UN peacekeepers can keep a peace process going, but only when there is a process to keep.The major powers must agree to effectively intervene for the UN to carry out its function.

When governments agree the UN can intervene with speed and effectiveness. In some cases, as in Haiti, the UN has a strong mandate to use force to protect civilians. In the war in Lebanon between Hezbullah and Israel, when tensions threatened to ignite the entire Middle East, the participants and the governments wanted a ceasefire. The UN was there, ready and able to call a halt using peacekeepers. They stopped what could have been a spreading conflagration.

There are currently 16 peacekeeping operations. The need for peacekeepers has grown sharply from 10,000 personnel in 1999, to 85,000 in 2007. Amazingly, the UN spends less on peacekeeping worldwide, than New York City spends on the annual budget of the Police Department.The UN is developing a Peacebuilding Commission to prevent countries at risk from falling into or returning to internal conflict.

The UN is desperately needed. Problems are now global, crossing borders without passports Climate change, resistance to international terrorism, weapons proliferation, epidemics spread by world travel, all demand cooperation. The participation of the world's largest economy, the US is essential. It is tragic that the US has pursued a mostly unilateral approach, rejecting the Kyoto Climate Change Treaty, the International Criminal Court, and payment of its arrears in dues to the UN.

During this election year it is a melancholy fact that the candidates have.
not mentioned the UN or the urgent need for active global cooperation. We must demand a wiser policy from the next administration. At its best, the UN is the world's conscience. The Secretary-General has a bully pulpit to be used both for consciousness raising and to keep alive a vision of the world as it should be.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld, President of the National Service Conference of the AEU and NSC Representative to the UN. Dr Sylvain Ehrenfeld is IHEU Representative to the UN.

Posted 3:36 PM by Mary
HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER FIRE
The 60 year old Declaration of Human Rights has inspired and emboldened many human rights defenders, The many human rights watchdog organizations, an ever growing global consciousness of human rights, and the international criminal court are a testimony to its successes.

Yet the current status of human rights is under challenge from many sources-- civil wars, failed states, the over reaction of governments to terrorism threats, and particularly now, a renewed attack on the very concept of the universality of human rights. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, human rights are being grossly violated. In Darfur, murder and violence continue unchecked. In Zimbabwe, human rights defenders and political dissidents are being attacked, tortured and thrown in jail without a fair trial. In Myanmar (Burma) and Pakistan, public protests are brutally crushed by the military junta.

In 2007 Amnesty International reported that 102 countries had cases of torture and ill treatment by security forces, police and other state authorities. Violence against women is widespread and shockingly causes more casualties than armed conflict.

At the UN the newly reorganized Human Rights Council has so far been disappointing. It has mostly ignored major large scale human rights violations in Sudan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and other places while concentrating primarily on Israel.

A global policy of counter-terrorism has undermined the fundamental principle of human rights. Witness the bizarre discussion in the United States about legitimizing torture. Article 3 of the Declaration states that everyone has a right to security of person. Governments have the responsibility to protect the community without grossly overreacting as they so often do. This balance between security and human rights is a major challenge today.

The most recent attack on the universality of human rights comes from resurgent Islam. In December 2007, the Organization of Islamic Conference representing the 56 Islamic states renewed the opposition to the universality of human rights, focusing on the status of women,including article 16, relating to free marriage choice and article 18, relating to freedom of religion.They have also tried to introduce a resolution on a vague prohibition about defamation of religion.

This is not a new challenge from Islam. When the Declaration was drafted in 1947 the Saudi Arabian delegation challenged it through their interpretation of Islamic faith and patriarchal authority. On the basis of these objections the Saudi delegation refused to ratify the declaration.They claim that human rights come from Western ideas of the enlightenment and world wide imposition is a form of cultural imperialism. This claim gains halfhearted support from the Western concept of cultural relativism. "This is their culture, what right do we have to impose our values on their culture?'

But whose culture are we talking about? Many of these supremacy ideas are most often the product of a dominant group, uninterested in others' rights. Is it the culture of the women who are being oppressed? Culture is composed by a variety of groups, and the tune is usually written by those who dominate. But cultures do change in response to the demands of the dissatisfied.

In 1948 UNESCO organized a panel of leading thinkers who solicited responses from representatives of Confucianism, Hindu, Moslem, and European thinkers. The result was an amazing agreement on basic values in practice, in spite of the differences in underlying theory. Some practices were so terrible, no one would approve them; some so desirable, no one would oppose them.

These issues were revisited once again in heated debate at a major conference in Vienna in 1993.The wisdom of the carefully crafted Universal Declaration of Human Rights was reaffirmed. These rights apply to everyone and stem from our dignity and common humanity which transcends all boundaries.

Martin Niemoller, the German theologian who lived through Nazi persecution has summed it up quite simply.

"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I did not speak because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics and I did not speak because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak."

The struggle continues.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld President, National Service Conference of the AEU &NSC Representative to the UN
Dr Sylvain Ehrenfeld, IHEU Representative to the UN

Posted 10:51 AM by Mary
WORLD HEALTH AND THE UN
In our increasingly interconnected world, global health is facing a further challenge--new diseases are emerging at the rate of one per year. Since 1967 at least 39 new pathogens have been identified, including HIV, Ebola fever, Marburg fever. and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). Other century old threats such as pandemic influenza, malaria, TB, continue to pose a threat through a combination of factors such as mutation, rising resistance to antimicrobial medicines, and weak health care systems.

Airlines now carry more than 2 billion passengers annually, greatly increasing opportunities for the rapid international spread of infections.The industrialization of food production and processing, the globalization of marketing and dependence on chemicals have also furthered the threat. No nation. no matter how wealthy or technologically advanced, can alone prevent, detect and respond to all public health threats.

More than ever, global public health security depends on international cooperation. It is both a humanitarian imperative, and in their national self interest, for the richer countries to help the poorer ones. Poverty deepens disease and disease leads to poverty. Diseases are much more prevalent where malnutrition, unclean water, and inadequate sanitation exist. Disease is also a stark barrier to economic growth, social progress and civil peace.

Microbes have no respect for borders--or neighborhoods. During the Industrial Revolution, the major cities of London and New York experienced typhoid and cholera traveling from the slums to the residential areas of the wealthy.Only then were sewer systems built and clean water supplied for the whole population. Inequality in health care resources world wide continues. About 90% of the world's health care resources are used by less than 20% of the world's population, mostly in the richer countries.Africa and southeast Asia have the largest share of disease and about 40% of the world's population. Yet they spend only 2% of the world's health resources.

WHO's 2007 World Health Report focuses on the international spread of disease.They are particularly concerned with a potential influenza pandemic, paying special attention to influenza viruses coming from the animal world, which could affect 1.5 million people. A precedent exists. The last great flu epidemic after World War 1 devastated populations in the wealthy countries. To prepare for this possibility, a WHO conference created a gathering of health representatives from many countries, and vaccine manufacturers to ensure a stockpile of available flu vaccine. They expect to have about 4.5 million by 2010.

Partnership by many countries with WHO has resulted in a dramatic drop of 90% of measles deaths in Africa, requiring follow-up of vaccinations every two to four years. Progress has also been made in halting the resurgence of yellow fever in Africa.

The 2007 Report outlines a successful revision on International Health Regulations, binding regulations adopted by most countries to contrain threats from emerging infections, chemical spills, leaks, dumping or nuclear melt-downs, The previous regulations addressed only four diseases, cholera, plague, yellow fever, and smallpox. Happily, smallpox has since been eradicated.

The 2005 revision adopted by the World Health Assembly has led to an unprecedented agreement of the utmost importance because it subjects the sensitive principle of national sovereignty to international health security. In the past, regulations were focused at borders and involved only passive measures of notification and control. Now the agreement permits action to travel to the source. This agreement came into force on June 15, 2007. It includes coverage of all disease and health events that may constitute a public emergency of international concern.

Only the United Nations could have created such a legal framework-- from global necessity to local action. Since people are traveling more, both for pleasure and need, and diseases are traveling as well, these obscure laws may save lives many times over.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld, President National Service Conference of the AEU and NSC Representative to the UN Dr Sylvain Ehrenfeld IHEU Representative to the UN.

Posted 9:48 PM by Mary
FROM THE UN
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE UN
Sixty years ago, in 1948, the General Assembly of the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. . On Dec 10, that declaration was reaffirmed as Human Rights Day.This extraordinary document was a response to the horrors of World War 2. It became the first global statement that all human beings have equality and dignity. This document has been translated in more than 360 languages, has inspired the constitutions of many newly formed independent states, has seeded many human rights treaties and instruments, and has inspired the founding of many human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. The Declaration is both a moral guidepost and a practical yardstick to deal with complex actions of governments.

The declaration remains as relevant today as the day it was adopted. But the freedom and rights enshrined in it are not a reality for everyone, and are increasingly under attack.The 60th anniversary of the declaration is being commemorated by the UN for a whole year, by many activities designed to educate, defend and promote the rights in the declaration.

There have been major human rights achievements. The International Criminal Court is an independent permanent court that investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of the most heinous crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. What is crucial is that it is now more than halfway to its goal of universal acceptance--105 countries have become "states parties", with however, the US, Russia and China not yet members.

The Court currently has proceedings in 4 situations, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, northern Uganda, and the Sudanese region of Darfur.Many individuals from the former Yugoslavia have been already prosecuted. The International Criminal Tribunal, based in Arusha, Tanzania, has investigated the brutalities in Rwanda.27 people have been convicted, 5 acquitted.

The ICC faces complex problems in apprehending indicted subjects, particularly in Uganda, the Sudan, and the former Yugoslavia. There is also a moral dilemma. Legal action complicates the efforts to reach negotiated peace settlements in Uganda and in the Sudan. Compromises for peace should not allow those guilty of the worst atrocities to go free. Where to draw the balance?

A bitter Sarajevo joke: When someone kills a man, he is put in prison; if he kills 20, he is declared insane;if he kills 200,000 he is invited to a peace conference.

A major challenge for human rights are the deprivations of vunerable groups and global injustice stemming from climate change. The rich countries are responsible for 70% of cumulative green house emissions. It is the people least responsible who are suffering and will continue to suffer the most.Scientists warn that floods will increase as glaciers melt and sea levels rise. Monsoons in India will intensify, as will droughts in Africa. Communities that rely heavily on agriculture will suffer from food scarcity and health issues.

In early December the UN held a major environmental conference in Bali to extend the Kyoto Treaty due to expire in 2012. Lack of action will affect everyone and most quickly and painfully for the 2.6 billion people living on less than $2 a day. Rich countries must cut their own carbon emissions and help the poor to adapt. The solution will demand changes in the types and uses of energy, and the political will to make these changes. Part of the solution will be technological innovations that only the developed countries can afford.

One good outcome: at the Bali Conference the developed nations agreed to speed the transfer of technology to cope with climate change to the developing countries. The agreement must be followed by action. What we do now will affect both our own and our children's future. A Chinese proverb says, "One generation plants a tree: the next gets the shade." The shade we need is for all the generations to come.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld , President of National Service Conference of the American Ethical Union, and Representative to the UN. Dr Sylvain Ehrenfeld , IHEU Representative to the UN

Posted 4:41 PM by Mary
FROM THE UN
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF DISASTERS

The last decade has seen a large increase in the occurrence of both natural and man-made disasters,The numbers are staggering.In 2003, in natural disasters alone,200 million people were exposed to loss of life, damage to property and the trauma of survival . The United Nations works to meet these needs through its numerous agencies concerned with the welfare of children, prevention and treatment of disease, food relief, and care for refugees.

Because of the changing nature of conflict in man-made disasters, civilians are being directly targeted. In 2003, 45 million were in need of life saving assistance . In the past, the UN has been primarily concerned with physical survival. But it has become clear that although victims may recover from financial and material loss and physical disabilities, the psychological impact may also have serious and sometimes long-lasting effects. Because they are less obvious, these needs are often neglected.

In recent years the UN has begun to respond to the psychological effects of disasters. A relatively new concept, the idea of PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID, is now being used in humanitarian relief work. Everyone knows that if someone is bleeding, the first effort is to stop the bleeding, and then, if needed, take them to a specialist. Similarly, if a person is in immediate need of psychological assistance it is not necessary to take them to a psychotherapist. Rescue workers are being trained to provide preliminary psychological first aid. The UN's Inter-Agency Standing Committee has developed guidelines for the important initial responses to traumatic situations. These guidelines have been shared with and agreed upon by international humanitarian organizations.

Many of these detailed guidelines may seem obvious, but they are sometimes overlooked. To note only a few: it is important in the aftermath of high stress situations to promote calm and treat people with dignity; to give practical suggestions; to help people to help themselves; to offer accurate information about the disaster or trauma ; and perhaps most importantly, never to make promises that may not be kept.

Psychological first aid can be very valuable because individuals often view their own traumatic stress response as a personal weakness rather than a natural and appropriate response. It is very important for the person who is helping to give the victim a realistic view to promote the empowerment which can be invaluable in recovery.

The UN's humanitarian tasks have grown enormously. Its many agencies work closely with international humanitarian organizations. To strengthen the response to emergencies and disasters, in 1991, the General Assembly created an office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,(OCHA) In addition to fundraising, coordinating the work of many UN agencies and international humanitarian groups, OCHA's role is to provide leadership through effective and systematic crisis management, while placing humanitarian issues in the forefront.

Another new and innovative program just getting off the ground uses space technology (SPIDER) for information services on disaster management with universal access offered to all countries and interested organizations.
. A US program of psychological first aid has been developed by the American Psychological Association--the Disaster Response Network. This is an innovative program creating a national network of psychologists with training in disaster response, who volunteer assistance to relief workers, victims and victims' families after disasters of all kinds, both natural and man-made. More than 2500 members nationwide volunteer through their relationship with the American Red Cross. Members who receive some training have volunteered more than 24,000 days in the past 14 years helping the Red Cross. Want to volunteer? Public Relations and Communications Practice Directorate 202-336-5898.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld President National Service Conference of the American Ethical Union and Representative to the UN Dr. Sylvain Ehrenfeld IHEU Representative to the UN

Posted 11:36 AM by Mary
FROM THE UN
THE CHALLENGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Thanks to almost-president Gore, Katrina, and the UN's accumulation of warnings from scientists all over the world, climate change can no longer be ignored. The new UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has placed the potential impact of climate change first on his agenda. The UN's annual major General Assembly in September adopted climate change as its central theme. 150 nations participated in a session to prepare the groundwork for serious negotiations to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The next effort for an international accord to limit the emission of greenhouse gases will take place in December, in Bali, Indonesia.

Unfortunately the US has lagged behind many other countries both by not signing the Kyoto treaty, and by proposing a voluntary approach to a problem that threatens the world as we know it. This response is as absurd as a voluntary speed limit for drivers. Since climate change does not concern itself with national borders, cooperation between nations is obviously necessary.In response to President Bush's objection that such agreements will inhibit economic growth, Secretary-General Ban observed that the costs of inaction will far outweigh the costs of early action.

The problems are difficult . How comprehensive and far -reaching is the science? What will be the impact of climate change? Above all, what can we do?

The UN has sponsored a major global assessment of global change by the IPCC (Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change) in reports from three working groups. The first report, the scientific assessment report, was a monumental undertaking of findings from more than 2,500 scientists from all over 130 countries, summing up the last 6 years of research. The report confirms that since the year 1750 the marked increase in atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide is the result of human activity. The second report concerns the effects on ecological systems and especially the effect on human beings. In the short run, there will be winners and losers. In the long run, everyone will lose.

Temperature increase will impact agricultural productivity and the availability of food, as will hurricanes, flooding, losses of coastal wetlands. Water supplies, stored in glaciers and snow cover, are projected to decline,aggravating the already serious competition for water. Approximately 20 to 30 per cent of planet and animal species may become extinct. Areas already affected by drought will increase. WHO, the World Health Organization, warns that health conditions worldwide will worsen. A rise in infectious disease is expected, particularly in tropical regions, including asthma, respiratory diseases and more cases of malaria. Since poor people already live in areas more vulnerable to climate extemes, they will be more affected.

The third report offers proposals to mitigate some of these consequences. The first proposal is to move from our fossil and carbon based economy to cleaner technology, renewable energy and energy efficiency. A recent report by the UN Environment Program shows that the combination of high oil prices and increasing government support is fuelling soaring rates of investment in renewable energy and efficiency. This produces potentially great business opportunities, an investment rising from already $80 billion in 2005 to $100 billion in 2006. New technology can be an enormous boon, but poorer countries will need help to make the necessary transition.

Global action is vital. Local communities can contribute. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, and the Mayor of Delhi, Ari Mehra, reported on their innovative efforts. California, the world's seventh largest economy, is planning groundbreaking emissions standards and the world's first-ever low carbon fuel standard. California and 13 other states are proposing new rules to reduce greenhouse gases from cars and light trucks. Delhi has the world's largest bus fleet running on clean fuel.

The world is moving towards massive changes in the way we live, the way we use energy, and the way we relate to the earth. The transition will be less or more painful. We do have some degree of choice. A commentator at one UN meeting summed up what humanity needs to respond to the challenge--"pessimism of intellect, and optimism of will." The acknowledgement of the danger is a necessary beginning.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld, AEU's National Service Conference Representative to the UN, Dr Sylvain Ehrenfeld. IHEU Representative to the UN.

Posted 10:47 AM by Mary
WHAT'S NEW WITH NATIONAL SERVICE ( NSC)
NSC is the AEU's long time voice at the UN, functioning as networker and advocate on issues reflecting the ethical and humanist values of the Ethical Movement. The new season is beginning with Phyllis Ehrenfeld as President, Paul Raynault as Vice-President, Lucille Kleiman as 2nd Vice-President, Kurt Johnson as Treasurer, Martha Gallahue as Corresponding Secretary, Jacqueline Pope as Recording Secretary and Abe Markman as active member for social action. Sylvain Ehrenfeld, representative of the International Humanist Ethical Union (IHEU) contributes regularly, together with Phyllis Ehrenfeld, on UN briefings to newsletters and websites. Rose Walker, our President Emeritus, continues to attend UN briefings.

NSC includes the Students World Assembly, founded by Paul Raynault, promoting global democracy through initiating students from all over the world into a personal involvement in the democratic process. Paul reports that SWA now has 13,000 students from 152 countries.Students are applying for membership faster than interns and volunteers can respond to their e-mails in the SWA office in the New York Society building. If you can help or refer a student, log onto www.studentworldassembly.org.

Kurt Johnson, founder of Coalition For One Voice brings the recognition that the world is moving towards a new consciousness into meetings with representatives of many religious groups interested in social action. A shared awareness of common ethical goals is infusing new energy into a fast growing coalition of over 1000 members and 150 organizations in the New York area. www.coalitionforonevoice.org.

At the AEU's National Assembly in Austin, Texas,on April 18, NSC's luncheon speaker will be one of the most notable scientists in the country. Professor Gerald North, Distinguished Professor of Texas A&M University was selected as Chair of the National Research Council of the American Academy of Sciences report on the topic of global warming. Professor North has testified before Congress to the Subcommittee on Energy and Commerce. We are honored to have the benefit of his expertise and concern on the topic of climate change at our National Assembly.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld President National Service Conference of the AEU