XUNICEF News and Views

 

 

Update #7   Greetings from Harare and hope that I find you well. We are excited that we now have 66 participants who have registered and/or paid their deposit, and we are looking forward to a Victoria Falls blast in a few months!! Another piece of good news, the post-Victoria Reunion packages are finally here!! Those interested should contact  * (i) Diane Bismark-Petit, Tours Manager at Premier Travel and Tours, (+263 778 857 559/ diane@premier.co.zw );  *copying (ii) Susan Muza, XUNICEF Team Zimbabwe Coordinator ( xunicef.zim@yahoo.com/+263 712 420 363). A few issues to take note of: 1. The packages include local flights from Victoria falls to the tour destination country. 2. Packages do not include international flights; therefore, you should plan your exit flight from the respective tour destination or nearest international airport. 3. Some packages include dinner, bed and breakfast - please check the package carefully for budget purposes. 3. So far, all pac...

Is the U.S.-Israel Gaza Peace Plan a Deal or a Distraction? Zaha Hassan, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Click here for the article    Summary Zaha Hassan critiques the newly proposed 20-point U.S.-Israel peace plan for Gaza, arguing that it sidelines international law, evades accountability for war crimes, and conditions Palestinian political participation on abandoning key legal rights. Rather than advancing an enforceable two-state solution, she contends the plan undermines Palestinian sovereignty and distracts from multilateral efforts rooted in international legitimacy, including the ICJ advisory opinion and outcomes from the recent UN High-Level Conference. By emphasizing demilitarization, technocratic governance, and foreclosing access to international courts, the plan risks entrenching the occupation rather than ending it. Author - Zaha Hassan is a human rights lawyer and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her research focus ...

In  August/September my wife and I travelled to Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. In New Zealand, we spent a few days in Auckland, and then travelled to Wellington. After spending four days there, visiting some key attractions in and around the capital, on the last day we realized we didn’t visit the famous NZ film city.  As time was short, we enquired around and got on a public bus heading to Miramar which is an eastern seaside suburb.  This place is famous because it is home to a hub of world class production and special effects facilities as well as a number of talented filmmakers and crew who have worked on global movie releases such as James Cameron’s Avatar. Our main objective was to visit Weta Workshop and Weta FX in Miramar. These are the companies that helped create some of the world’s most creative cutting edge films and TV series.  Weta has worked on Hollywood blockbusters including The Lord of the Rings triology, King Kong, The Avengers, and Ghost in ...

  The Evidence Effect: Ideas for the Future of Development Iqbal Dhaliwal J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab), October 2, 2025 Click here for the article Summary Iqbal Dhaliwal reflects on 15 years of work at J-PAL to improve the effectiveness of social programs and policies using evidence. While global poverty has declined, nearly 700 million people still live on less than $2.15 a day, raising urgent questions about the impacts and efficiency of development spending. The “Evidence Effect” series seeks to place evidence at the center of policy debates, demonstrating how rigorously tested programs can save lives, improve health, and lift families out of poverty. Examples include preventive health distribution, vaccination campaigns, girls’ scholarships, unconditional cash transfers, and the Graduation approach. J-PAL’s research has influenced programs reaching at least 850 million people. Future installments will argue for evidence-driven funding decisions, stronger r...

  Want Fewer Morning Aches? You Might Need to Change the Way You Sleep By Andee Tagle — NPR Click here for the article: https://www.npr.org/2025/10/02/nx-s1-5435668/sleep-body-pain-minimize-morning-aches-soreness Summary Morning aches and stiffness are often caused by hours of poor sleep posture, say medical experts. Nurse practitioner Ellen Wermter advises sleeping in alignment with the body’s natural curvature—“sleep like you stand”—to prevent muscle tension, inflammation and pain. Back sleepers find this easiest, but side and stomach sleepers may need to adjust pillows or retrain their sleep habits. Choosing the right pillow height (“loft”) and supporting gaps with smaller pillows or rolled blankets can help maintain neutral spine alignment. Replacing pillows and mattresses regularly, and using gentle pain relief or heat/ice for residual soreness, can also reduce morning discomfort. Quotes “Your soft tissue is going to want to sag into those gaps, and the muscles tense to ...

Just joking with my team about my first "job" with UNICEF — way back in 1973. I was 10 years old, riding in the car with my mom in my small town in middle America in 1973. Our church had divided the town into grids for Halloween fundraising campaign, and I was assigned a neighbourhood on the southeast grid of town. Dressed in costume, I went door to door — not just for candy, but to collect donations  (trick or treat ) for UNICEF through the US National Committee.  UNICEF is etched in the memory of most Americans my age due to these trick or treat campaigns. The house where I raised the first 20 dollars   One moment stands out: I knocked on the door of a retired judge who lived in what was once a grand old home (I walked past it last time I was back home — it hasn’t aged as well as I have!). He saw the UNICEF box in my hand, smiled, and instead of dropping in the usual coins, he folded a $20 bill and slipped it inside. That generous gesture helped me win the church’s fund...

Messenger of Peace Dr. Jane Goodall (1934–2025) United Nations — Oct 1, 2025 Click here for the article Summary The UN family announced the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall, United Nations Messenger of Peace, on October 1, 2025. A pioneering primatologist, environmentalist, and humanitarian, she transformed global understanding of chimpanzees beginning with her fieldwork in 1960. Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute, widely recognized for its conservation and community-based programs across Africa, and launched the Roots & Shoots initiative, which mobilized young people in nearly 100 countries to act for a more just and sustainable world. Appointed as a Messenger of Peace in 2002 by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, she spent over two decades advocating for environmental protection, peace, and sustainability. Quotes “Primatologist, environmentalist and humanitarian, Dr. Goodall was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 20...

Mehdi Hasan, Zeteo interview with James Elder James Elder speaks to Mehdi about Israel’s northern Gaza siege, the Global Sumud Flotilla, and ‘man-made’ famine. Read on Substack ‘Children Shot By Quadcopters’: UNICEF Spokesperson in Gaza James Elder — Team Zeteo — Oct 01, 2025 Click here for the article: https://zeteo.com/p/unicef-gaza-sumud-flotilla-israel-siege Summary In an interview with Mehdi, UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder described Israel’s tightened siege of northern Gaza, the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, and the worsening humanitarian collapse. Elder said so-called safe zones in Gaza had been repeatedly bombed, while aid supplies such as incubators, oxygen, and hygiene kits were deliberately blocked. He called the famine “entirely man-made,” stressing that basic supplies were just miles away yet deliberately withheld. Elder recounted seeing children dying in hospitals, including several who had been shot by drone quadcopters. He described the crisis as showin...

  This year's theme is built around the role older persons themselves can take in driving action for improvements in well-being and rights. On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the UN is holding a high-level event in New York and a September event in Vienna.

While killing life on Earth Mars, also known as the Red Planet, is a desert like rocky planet located 54.6 million kilometers from Planet Earth. For centuries Astrologers, Astrophysicists and Planetary scientists have been interested on Mars from the perspectives of their own specialised fields. The assumed similarity between the Earth and Mars including presence of water in all three forms - liquid, ice and moisture - particularly became of great interest to scientists raising the possibility of life on Mars. The first robot, named Pathfinder was launched in December 1996 and landed on Mars in July 1997. The name Pathfinder seems eerily appropriate given the fact that humanity seems to have lost its way on Earth. As we learn in our daily global events, we are unable to protect life on Earth - all forms of life - what are we going to do if there is life on Mars? Known knowns Our environment consisting of soil, water, air and sunshine collectively sustain all forms of life on planet Ear...

  The 'Accra Reset': Time’s up for the legacy aid system Sara Jerving // Devex // 01 October 2025 Click here for the article Summary Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, supported by African leaders and global partners, has launched the “Accra Reset,” a bold initiative to move beyond the legacy aid model toward health sovereignty and equitable global cooperation. First endorsed in August at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit, the Reset has now expanded to include climate resilience, food security, and economic growth. Backed by over $1 billion in pledges from African development finance institutions and private banks, it aims to create new governance, financing, and business models rooted in national ownership. The Reset proposes moving beyond global goal-setting (like the SDGs) toward practical business models and financing systems, including pooled pledges, strategic “deal rooms,” and the SUSTAIN initiative to strengthen health systems with domestic resources and pri...

Editor's Note:   This article is the fourth in our series 'At Our Age' which focuses on issues relevant to the age profile of many XUNICEF members. ...... Many of us know friends or relatives living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), often with debilitating shaking of hands and limbs. Symptoms usually appear after age 60.   While the exact cause is not known; PD likely results from a mix of environmental exposures and genetics. What’s clear is that certain pesticides and herbicides (herbicides are one type of pesticide) and industrial solvents have been repeatedly linked to higher PD risk. A recent column by Nicholas Kristof notes that Parkinson's (PD) is the world's fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder with some 90,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the US alone. Kristof points to the risks of one major culprit - the common herbicide paraquat, often marketed under the name Gramoxone (see below for other brand names). Kristof says the risks have been known at l...

UNICEF Gaza post by Tess Ingram on Instagram View this post on Instagram A post shared by UNICEF (@unicef)

Trump's Gaza Peace Plan Below is a summary of 21 points. 

Adapting to lost U.S. contributions Devex Click here for the article Summary The Trump administration’s liquidation of U.S. foreign aid has forced NGOs to rethink survival strategies.

The PPP, previously known as the UNICEF manual for Programme Policy and Procedure, has got its latest update: Pirates, Penguins, Patagonia. Dream destination As a child, I read about pirates and explorers circumnavigating the world. As a climber and outdoor enthusiast, I dreamed about Patagonia. With age, I wanted to photograph Penguins. So we bought a telephoto lens and booked a cruise.

   

 

Revealed: US 21-point plan for ending Gaza war, creating pathway to Palestinian state Jacob Magid Times of Israel Click here for the article Summary A leaked U.S. proposal lays out a 21-point framework to end the Gaza war, secure hostage releases, oversee reconstruction, and set a path toward Palestinian statehood.

 

Trump’s “America First” global health plan sidelines NGOs — even blocking the Global Health Council Helen Murphy, Devex Trump’s team bars health NGO from UNGA side event Summary A newly revealed U.S. global health strategy devalues NGOs by favoring bilateral agreements and private sector partnerships.

So far we have not yet seen the actual text of this 21 point plan.  As soon as it becomes available, we will post it. Tom  Is Trump’s new Palestine plan a breakthrough or diplomatic mirage? Patrick Wintour The Guardian Click here for the article Summary Patrick Wintour examines Donald Trump’s new 21-point plan for Palestine, announced through U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and its apparent convergence with the UN-backed New York declaration.

 UN at 80: Strain, Fragmentation, and the Push for Reform Financial Times Click here for the article Summary As the United Nations approaches its 80th anniversary, the institution faces deep questions about its relevance and survival. The article argues that without sweeping reforms, the UN risks sliding into irrelevance, with its founding ideals undermined by great power rivalry, financial stress, and bureaucratic inefficiency.

NPR / Goats & Soda, September 26, 2025 Click here for the article See also " Kennedy says US reject s..." shared by Kul Gautam Click here for the 'zero draft' of the resolution  dated 13 May 2025 Summary The article reports that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the United States will reject a new U.N. political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. He objected to what he called “destructive gender ideology” embedded in the language, and claims the declaration goes beyond the U.N.’s proper mandate.  Despite U.S. dissent, the declaration has strong global support. Because of the U.S. objection, the measure will not be adopted by consensus but will instead go to a vote in the General Assembly in October 2025. Quotes “We cannot accept language that pushes destructive gender ideology … [or] claims of a constitutional or international right to abortion.” ( The Guardian ) “The unity we saw today proves that most...