In A Dream Come True Sam Koo reminds us that retirement is something to look forward to and plan for. Sam describes how he and his wife enjoy enjoy pursuing their interests and hobbies with fervour.
Our Columnists
In By Bus to Camelford Ken Gibbs shares one of the simple pleasures of old age: a leisurely bus ride across the Cornish countryside, featuring lost tourists, a colorful driver, and a standoff on a narrow lane with a motorist "who perhaps had gained her driving skills in London." As always, Ken weaves personal anecdotes with keen observations, offering readers a slice of life, a touch of mirth, and plenty of chuckles.Articles
Pope Francis - The passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday took the world by surprise. He advocated for inclusiveness and reforms in the Catholic Church, influencing political leaders and common people alike with his compassion for the poor and marginalized, and his fervent calls for peace. "He Felt Our Pain" recounts how, for the past 18 months, Pope Francis called a church in Gaza every evening to check on the situation of the people sheltering there. We also include "A Shepherd’s Farewell", a tribute by an anonymous author, as our poem of the week.
Future Focus - Regional Staff Association committees in MENA, EAP, and WCA have sent the Executive Director an 11-page response to UNICEF’s ongoing Future Focus Initiative (FFI). The committees urge a broader discussion and greater field staff input into the FFI process, offering concrete recommendations to conserve funds and minimize risks to country programmes.
Mukesh Kapila argues that the 1948 Genocide Convention has become outdated and ineffective in addressing modern atrocities. He contends that the term "genocide" has lost its impact due to overuse and political manipulation.
Rima Salah, Chair of the Early Childhood Peace Consortium, addressed the Human Rights Council. Rima emphasised that investing in ECD is not only crucial for children’s development but also a pathway to lasting peace, urging governments to sustain ECD services even in humanitarian crises.Kul Gautam expresses deep concern over the Trump administration's drastic overhaul of U.S. foreign policy. He highlights major reductions in funding for global health, democracy promotion, and refugee support. On the same theme an article shared by Richard Bridle further details plans to slash funding for more than 20 international organizations deemed misaligned with "core U.S. interests."
'Trump washing'? - Several major humanitarian organizations have removed or altered references to climate change on their websites—a trend some critics are calling "Trump washing." This appears to be a preemptive response to the Trump administration's crackdown on progressive language and policies, particularly on issues of climate, gender, and diversity. Critics argue that this self-censorship undermines public understanding of the climate crisis.
Credit Unions - Lou Mendez asks whether accounts in credit unions, including UNFCU, and in U.S. banks might become riskier if plans President Trump has privately discussed were to become law. These potential changes could affect insurance coverage for depositors.
COLA - UNJSPF has issued revised cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) letters to beneficiaries whose pension benefits were adjusted in April. Note that these letters are only available through MSS on the Fund's website and are no longer mailed to beneficiaries.
Mini-Reunion - Horst Cerni shares photos of his reunion with Gil and Marjorie Newman Williams at St. Croix—a meeting after more than 30 years. Gil and Marjorie were the first XUNICEF visitors to St. Croix since the reunions held there in 1999 and 2010. Horst wonders, "Who's next?"
Photo of the Week - thousands of children's shoes set out in a city square in the Netherlands to mark the deaths of over 17,000 children killed in Gaza.
VERY SOON: SYPMPOSIUM ON A DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS PIONEER
ReplyDeleteMonday 5 May we will discuss the legacy of Hans Singer, who had great influence in uncovering unequalising trade patterns between income-rich and poor countries; was the first economist to argue for integrating the interests of children into development planning - there is an UNICEF brochure of his proposal; and together with the then Kenyan Minister of Planning, Philip Ndgewa, Professor Richard Jolly of UNICEF and Institute of Development Studies connections, and others, pinpointed the role of the informal economy and of women's workloads. This was in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s! Symposium in presence only and in German, but happy to send my bilingual presentation to those interested. More here: https://wupperinst.org/a/wi/a/s/ad/8838 and here: https://jrf.nrw/fileadmin/uploads/2025/05/Flyer_Hans-Singer-Symposium_2025_01.pdf