From the Editors for the period 12 to 18 January 2025

 

Feature - In her thought-provoking essay, "Mental Health in the Wake of the CA Fires", Paula Claycomb reflects on her experiences in a number of emergency/humanitarian situations during her UNICEF career. She considers how UNICEF staff feel and work in such difficult circumstances. She asks whether UNICEF international staff really know what they are in for when they are transferred to emergency countries, and is there enough orientation and training given to them ?

Articles You May Have Missed - our weekly update on newsworthy items that we have received but which do not have comments from our readers.This brings up, again, our request that members provide some comments when they send in articles that are considered of interest to the rest of our readers.

In Part 2 of Village Events, Ken Gibbs, in his inimitable style, takes us on more events of his post-UNICEF life in a small village of Cornwall. A domestic scene with which many of us can relate, including how to buy a fish by the inch instead of by the pound. Ken also shares "Our house is destined to be dirty forever" Much humour along the way in both articles.

In Leadership for the Future Ramesh Shrestha, our societal issues guru, provides another deep analysis of the problems of leadership in our current world and how it is impacting countries and individuals. I am sure many will agree with his views but we still would like your opinions on the matter.

Kul Gautam shares Nick Kristof's note of optimism In "The World is a Mess, and It's Still the Best Time to be Alive"

John Gilmartin shares his experiences of negotiating with Serbia's Health Ministry following their rejection of vaccines produced in Budapest - the cause of the crisis, Budapest used a different type of mouse for their tests. Propaganda at the time included denouncing Audrey Hepburn as a 'flying vaccine witch". John goes on to share "Nicotine Nazis" which reports on a study of the pushback and brickbats often faced by public health researchers face from the industries producing toxic products.

In a second post, John Gilmartin, shares "Gilded Age of Medicine" which describes how private equity is coming to rule healthcare in the US, often leading to worsening patient care in the name of rising corporate profits.

Child Rights in Schools - Anis Salem informs of his granddaughter's school in London introducing respect for child rights to their students. This is an interesting and novel initiative by UNICEF UK to inculcate into children's education the concepts of child rights and to getting them involved in such activities. XUNICEF members may probably draw a parallel between this and the Baby-Friendly Hospital initiative started in the 1980's.

Reforming the SC - Niloufar Pourzand and Kul Gautam share an interesting article about yet another proposal for reforming the UN Security Council. Definitely one of the most contentious issues facing the UN has been the unhappiness of many with the structure of the UNSC and what can be done about it. Read this proposal and some comments at the end, and let us have your views.

We have two articles this week dealing with XUNICEF subjects:

In New Delhi the UNICEF Representative is joining with UPGI for the launch of a book of memoirs and reflections by former staff on UNICEF's 75 years of cooperation with India. Many have worked hard on this comprehensive edition and it promises to be a great read, and a most valuable addition to UNICEF History covering what has long been the largest UNICEF country programme in the world.

From Manila the organizers of the 2025 XUNICEF Reunion in the Philippines have shared "Thoughts and Wishes form Colleagues Around the World", a very innovative video about the forthcoming get-together. As far as I can remember this is the first time we have such a video and it is appropriately timed for what will be the 35th year of XUNICEF Reunions since their start in 1990.

Niloufar and Kul also shared another interesting video in which Malala, the Nobel Prize laureat, speaks about Islam and girls' education to a meeting of Muslim world leaders.

Robert Cohen shares a thoughtful article on global development's new era by Raj Kumar and how there is a major shift in the traditional aid model.

UNICEF ED Russell issues a statement on the announced cease-fire in Gaza.

In "In Gaza, Winter is not Just a Season" is a powerful article by Rita Baroud in the New Humanitarian in which she shares her pain and grief about living in the sub-human conditions of her Gaza City surroundings. Another is a CBS 60 Minutes video about US Complicity in the conflict.

Missing You

Our condolences to the family of Keert Wadhawan who worked in UNICEF Bhopal and Jaipur and retired from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. May He Rest in Peace.

Kul Gautam shares a video on the eulogy for Jimmy Carter by a former adviser Stuart Eizenstat.

Fingers crossed that the Gaza ceasefire goes ahead on Sunday -- and holds!!

My take on Gaza: HOPE !

Fouad Kronfol
Editor of the Week