XUNICEF News and Views

  “ Punctuation is the act or practice of inserting standardized marks or signs in written matter to clarify the meaning and separate structural units.” –  Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary   Another English prof wrote: Today Prof Smith cannot teach his classes. A student making a joke deleted the C, thus Today Prof Smith cannot teach his lasses, The Prof came by and deleted the L, so, Today Prof Smith cannot teach his asses. ************** Man says woman is impossible to understand Man, says woman, is impossible to understand Let's eat kids! Let's eat, kids. A prisoner, said the judge, is guilty. A prisoner said the judge is guilty.

So good to see the rule of law reaffirmed in Brazil. And Nepal today got its first female Prime Minister - a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court with a reputation for impeccable integrity, chosen by Nepal's Gen Z and supported by many of us.  Kul

On September 12, 2025, the four members of 'the Quad' - United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt—each holding varying degrees of influence over both Sudan’s regular armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—issued a joint roadmap aimed at ending the brutal war that has raged since April 2023.  The statement came out of meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly between the foreign ministers of the four countries.   The joint statement backed the unity of Sudan, but it was unclear whether the warring parties were willing to engage.  The army currently controls Sudan's east, north and center, while the RSF holds most of the Darfur region, where it has declared a parallel government fueling fears of a de-facto partition. The Quad plan calls for: a three-month humanitarian truce , during which aid access must be opened, civilians protected, and indiscriminate attacks halt; follow-up with a permanent ceasefire ;...

  UN at 80: Reform or Ritual? Daryl Swanepoel – Inclusive Society Institute Click here for the article Summary On its 80th anniversary, the UN faces a crisis of legitimacy, with over $5 billion in arrears, a paralyzed Security Council, and growing reliance on ad hoc coalitions.

More on the demise of multilateralism and what will or can replace it. It is not too optimistic but at least analyzes the causes and actors that are important players. It does not say much about the UN, except for the Bretton Woods agencies. Fouad On a Dying Multilateralism Walden Bello July 1, 2025 Click here for the article: On a Dying Multilateralism Summary Walden Bello, a Filipino academic and activist who is a professor at the University of the Philippines in Manila, argues that the postwar U.S.-led multilateral system is collapsing, with institutions like the WTO, IMF, and World Bank sidelined or paralyzed. He cites the U.S. boycott of the Finance and Development Summit in Seville and the Bonn Climate Summit as emblematic of this retreat. The WTO never recovered from the 2003 Cancun collapse, and IMF/World Bank reforms remain blocked by U.S. veto power. Meanwhile, climate finance efforts are woefully inadequate compared to the scale of loss and damage facing the Global Sou...

  A group I am singing with in Chiang Mai is looking for some Palestinian songs to add to our repertoire. I would be very grateful if any one could suggest the names of songs (and You Tube sites?) of songs such as: 1.  Love Songs; 2.  Children's songs; 3.  Lullabies 4.  "game" songs? 5.  Animal songs Or any songs you feel might be appropriate for us to sing.   The group is called "Global Harmonies" and we sing in many languages.  Right now, we are working on Burmese (Myanmar) songs, an Icelandic one, and lots of Georgian, Bulgarian ones.  Plus Tamil and Hindi AND Khi-Swahili, Khosa, one in Tri - from Ghana, etc. Of course, we don't understand every word. Sadly missing are Arabic or - specifically - Palestinian songs. All suggestions are most welcome.?   Thank you so very much. Guy Scandlen

So, where are the Cuts?   Ian Richards on Linkedin Click here for the post You will recall that back in June heads of entities were given only three weeks to identify positions to be cut. The rule was that cuts should be across the board (regardless of future need) be around 20 percent of posts and generate savings of at least of 15 percent ( https://lnkd.in/dh8jJhbu ). There was also a provision that cuts be aimed at reducing top-heaviness, in line with earlier GA resolutions, although in many cases it is turning out to be the opposite as this story exemplifies: https://lnkd.in/dHnrC2vM . By now we should have had a list of which posts are to be cut, but managers still don’t know for certain. Discussions with heads of entities reveal that negotiations are ongoing still with the UN 80 team. But one thing we know for sure: the posts that will eventually cut are in many cases different to those proposed. Managers have complained that back in June they tried their best to be stra...

 

  With many of us across the globe who are experiencing high heat temperatures, take a break and cool off.......in the snowy Alps! Near Chamonix, France where Mont Blanc stands tall and majestic at 15,700+ feet (4800+ m.), it’s the highest mountain in the Alps.

 

 

 

The Netanyahu Government is Implementing a Plan to Ethnically Cleanse Gaza of Palestinians. America is Complicit. The World Must Stop It. Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley Self-published report, September 11, 2025 Click here for the full report: Van Hollen, Merkley Report Following 2025 CODEL to Gaza Border, Israel, West Bank, Jordan, and Egypt (PDF)   On September 11, 2025, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley released a damning 19-page report following their late August congressional delegation to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt, and Gaza’s borders. The senators accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of carrying out a deliberate plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians, charging that America is complicit unless it acts to stop it. The report documents two central strategies: the systematic destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure and the use of food and humanitarian aid as a weapon of war . Citing official statements from Netanyahu,...

Some positive movement, needs more such voices to start any changes in national politics... Fouad   Senators say US is complicit in Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Gaza

I am an organisational design and management theory enthusiast.  I have tried, like you, to be thoughtful about management approaches and practices in the various places I've worked (whether in Government, civil society or intergovernmental organisations). I've listened to the reflections and insights colleagues have kindly shared with me. In that vein, I saw a thought-provoking Deutsche Welle video somewhat misleadingly entitled “When Your Job Makes You Sick”.  It’s actually a broader piece about how the world of work works (including how it might make you sick).  You can watch here . I had number of takeaways, but this was my main one (which maybe you'd heard of already): How to sabotage your organisation:  In early 1944 the United States Office of Strategic Services developed the “Simple Sabotage Field Manual”.  It was written to help those resisting occupying forces in Europe with practical advice on how to undermine enemy war efforts.  A lot of it is a...

The World Needs a Post-Aid System Built on Justice, Not Charity Fadhel Kaboub – The Independent Click here for the article Summary As governments gather in New York for the UN’s 80th anniversary, Fadhel Kaboub argues that the world must move beyond aid and toward transformative economic justice. 

We saw the documentary Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk last night at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Director, the Iranian/French-based, Sepideh Farsi, was present to respond to some questions.

This attachment may interest the involved members of the network. Ciao Lou

UNICEF Celebrates 40 Years in Argentina Rafael Ramírez Mesec – UNICEF Argentina Versión en inglés; para la versión en español ver más abajo Click here for the article Click here for more about las Abuelas Summary 28 May 2025 – Buenos Aires    At a ceremony in the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires , UNICEF marked 40 years of continuous work in Argentina, reaffirming its commitment to children’s rights. 

Maryam Naiby / ZanTV   Click here for the article The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that Taliban forces have prevented Afghan female UN staff from entering the organization’s offices in Kabul and the provinces.

Israel's Strategic Decision Foreign Policy, September 9, 2025 Israel’s Strategic Declaration Daniel Byman, Foreign Policy Daniel Byman  is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.  Click here for the article Summary Israel’s Sept. 9 strike on Hamas leaders in Doha marks a turning point . Prime Minister Netanyahu has abandoned negotiations in favor of military escalation, even at the cost of undermining diplomacy, hostage recovery, and regional alliances. By striking in Qatar—a key mediator and close U.S. ally—Israel signaled its intent to widen the battlefield, jeopardizing cease-fire prospects and complicating U.S. policy.

Colleagues — see this Open Letter from a group called EU Former Ambassadors, titled As the United Nations meet, actions, not words are needed on Palestine. The letter is signed by 295 former senior officials from the EU. These include several former senior UN officials, like Cristina Gallach and Alain Le Roy, respectively former USGs for Global Communications and Peacekeeping Operations.

I'm racing through the universe; stars and galaxies fly by, like in those screensavers. Now the stars turn into purple, dystopian cityscapes beneath ominous dark clouds. The skyline dissolves into urban canyons. I approach the streets; they are littered with dark cubes. I close in and the cubes  transform into Lego men lying on the streets, getting on their feet. With increasing clarity, I can make out the parts of the Lego men; they give me a friendly wave. Their limbs transform into tentacles,  they stroke my skin — a soothing sensation.   

Editor’s Note: The details below have not been independently verified, but are drawn from several early news reports in the Jordanian press. Lana Shukri Kataw Freed In the early hours of Thursday morning, a Royal Jordanian Air Force C-130H landed quietly at Sana’a International Airport. On board was former Houthi foreign minister Hisham Sharaf, returning from Aden. In exchange, Lana Shukri Kataw — Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Yemen — walked free after days in Houthi captivity.

The other night, I had a dream that felt so vivid, it stayed with me long after I woke up. It went something like this: I was visiting another UNICEF country office. They were excited to show us a new way of monitoring programmes. A large bus arrived, and we were all ushered in—no briefing, no context, just movement.

On behalf of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations and the Early Childhood Peace Consortium (ECPC), please find attached an invitation to join a high-level side event "Stop War on Children NOW! Why science says protecting children's rights today prevents tomorrow's conflicts."

Colors carry meaning. In each culture, every color has a unique connotation, associations, acceptance and avoidance. In general, the color white symbolizes hope, cleansing, the divine, spirituality . . . in some cultures, white attires are often worn during religious ceremonies, in times of grief (in south and east Asia, some African countries). In Japan and India, white, is associated with spiritual rituals and sacredness.

From Kul Gautam This statement is utterly despicable! The US is completely isolated at the UNGA (with the possible opportunistic exception of Israel) when it comes to its hostile stance on SDGs and Agenda 2030, which was negotiated and agreed with full US participation. To imply that the SDGs are China-centric or inspired by China is a total fabrication. The SDGs were NOT on the agenda of the 2024 US election, and I bet few voters knowingly opposed them. Kul

Being in my mid-80s brings varying advantages and disadvantages.   Having been born in Africa, I was accustomed to the reverence accorded to older members of the community; and having been quite frugal with my salary, and deferring taking my government pension for ten years, I am relatively comfortable – the best bit of it being that I get free bus travel almost anywhere in the United Kingdom.

Comfortably numb The lyrics 'comfortably numb' was written by the musician Roger Waters articulating his mental state under the influence of tranquiliser injected to calm him following a stomach cramp, two hours prior to performing in Philadelphia on 29 June 1977. As he described later, he felt like being in a state of delirium, emotionally and physically detached from reality.

Joseph Stepansky Al Jazeera Click here for the article: Al Jazeera Summary The 80th UN General Assembly opens in New York amid financial crisis, political divisions, and pressure for reform.  The war in Gaza looms large, with several European countries now recognising Palestine, including France – the first EU member with a permanent Security Council seat to do so. 

Feeding Profit UNICEF – September 10, 2025 Click here for the article Click here for the full report Summary UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Report 2025 warns that obesity has now overtaken underweight as the most common form of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents worldwide.

Hello, A good overview in case you have not spotted it. All the best, Dina Ten Challenges for the UN in 2025–2026 Crisis Group – September 9, 2025 Click here for the article Summary The UN enters its 80th anniversary facing severe financial and political stress, worsened by U.S. funding cuts and geopolitical divisions. Despite its flaws, the UN remains irreplaceable in delivering humanitarian aid, peacekeeping, and diplomacy. Crisis Group highlights ten urgent challenges where the UN must either step up or risk irrelevance.

Dear colleagues, Many friends and colleagues have sent me messages of concern and goodwill on the recent huge demonstrations and violence that have engulfed Nepal. Thank you.

by Allison Aubrey, Maria Godoy, Carmel Wroth · NPR Click here for the article · Click here for the full report of the MAHA Commission The Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has released a 128-recommendation strategy to address rising childhood chronic diseases. 

Greetings from Uganda. I am pleased to share with you the attached article about the UN Charter Reform. This article was published today in the Ugandan newspaper: New Vision NV), under the title: Why the UN Charter Should be Reformed.

Dear Friends, Pls find attached the second project newsletter of the year. As we march into the autumn, we're heartened by all that we have accomplished together over the last few years including undertaking the largest global comics and activist research in history. In this newsletter we celebrate the launch of exciting new initiatives and partnerships, as well as reflect on the progress made during Phase 1 of our global research efforts (Fall 2021- Fall 2025).

I am Proud of UNICEF and Proud of My Friend, James Elder by Sarah Crowe When outside media are barred from entering Gaza and more than 200 local journalists are killed for documenting the daily horrors, medics, humanitarian workers, communications officers, and spokespeople take on the weighty task of filling that gap – of bearing witness, speaking out, interviewing ordinary children and parents, and recording and writing that essential first draft of history so that one day, we desperately hope, the perpetrators will face judgment.

As international agencies lose government funding in the face of rising needs and costs, will more agencies face issues of corporate influence?  Could UNICEF?   Tom T Perkins · The Guardian Click here for the article Summary A new report reveals that the World Health Organization Foundation has increasingly relied on corporate “dark money” donations since its launch in 2020, raising concerns about transparency and undue influence.

  UN Staff for Gaza Click here for the article: Press Release, 5 September 2025 Summary UN Staff for Gaza announced that former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has agreed to serve as Honorary Chair.

 A Sense of Panic…? Ian Richards Click here for the article: LinkedIn Summary Ian Richards describes an unprecedented sense of panic spreading through the UN as staff and delegates question the direction of Secretary-General António Guterres and Deputy Guy Ryder’s UN80 reform.

The US was the sole delegation voting against adoption of UNICEF's Strategic Plan 2026-2029 at last week's Second Session of the Executive Board.  The delegate's statement is below The Board then went on to approve the Plan by a vote of 35 to 1.  

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  (RFK) , the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, has come under recent political fire over his efforts to discourage use and limit availability of vaccines.   The situation worsened when Florida announced that it was ending all requirements for school children to be vaccinated against childhood diseases - raising the likelihood that 'herd immunity' would weaken quickly in schools and lead to rapid spread of diseases in schools. In a surprising turn-around, President Trump has voiced his support for vaccines and in particular for the COVID-19 vaccine which was developed under his first administration.  Tom

Dear All, in recent weeks, Save the Children (Redd Barna) and Amnesty International in Norway, have been busy collaborating with a cross-section of civil society and other actors to develop "Let the Children Live" campaign.   It gets underway, with a Day of Action, on Saturday 13th September.

This article raises the question of why fall-related deaths have been rising so dramatically among elders. One likely cause may be the number and mix of drugs prescribed, with new drugs added with each visit to the doctor, but little attention to removing older prescriptions. Special attention is needed to fall-risk increasing drugs (FRIDs).  This might be a good time to review your list of 'meds' with your doctor.  Tom

Report forwarded by Habib Hammam -   Our colleague Dr. Munir Safieldin has retired to Uganda. He shared with me his paper on UN reform which I hope you would consider for our blog. Personal regards, Habib A Reformed UN Charter for Our Time Dr. M. Munir A. Safieldin August 2025 Click here for the article: A Reformed UN Charter for Our Time – Policy Paper PDF Summary Dr. Safieldin argues that the UN Charter, written in 1945, has become an obstacle to effective global governance in the 21st century.  He identifies seven entrenched problems: the Security Council’s veto power, lack of Global South representation, marginalization of the General Assembly, rigidity of amendment procedures, obsolete “enemy state” provisions, lack of protections for international justice institutions, and absence of fair appeal mechanisms for sanctions.  To address these, he proposes reforms to elevate the General Assembly as the UN’s highest authority, democratize the Security Council by ...

Dear All UPGI Members, The Executive Committee has decided to hold the 33rd AGM of UPGI on 20 September 2025 at UNICEF House, 73 Lodi Estate New Delhi 110003, from 1030 hrs to 1400 hrs followed by lunch. The following documents are enclosed herewith: 1. Notice For The AGM 2. Tentative Agenda For The AGM - Please send your comments and the same will be included in the AGM Meeting. 3. Revised Draft Minutes of AGM held on 15 June 2024. Spouses are encouraged to attend AGM. Thanks S.Ramadass, Secretary UPGI email ids: ramadass55@gmail.com secretary@unicefpgi.org -

AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions UNESCO Summary This 2025 UNESCO anthology , launched during Digital Learning Week, gathers 21 think pieces on how AI is disrupting education. It highlights both promise and peril: AI can personalize learning and reshape assessment, but risks deepening inequality with one-third of humanity still offline. The book emphasizes keeping teachers central, embedding ethics and human rights in design, and fostering global dialogue to ensure AI serves equity and inclusion. The publication is available through UNESCO’s portal . Quotes “AI is entering education not quietly, but as a disruptive force, stirring hope, unease and tension.” “Access to the most cutting-edge AI models is reserved for those with subscriptions, infrastructure and linguistic advantage.” “Building a new social contract for education … places the transformative agency of human learners and teachers at the centre.”

  John walking back to Poggio after a hike in the hills Spring bursts onto the Umbrian hills in a profusion of color and perfume. Vivid yellow Spanish broom covers the hills carpeted by purple, blue and pink wildflowers, with splashes of red poppies everywhere— a painter’s dream. And then there are the flowering olive trees, with their shiny green leaves, rustling like tiny mirrors in the breeze. The only competition for attention is the blooming white jasmine which cascades over every wall and perfumes the countryside.

 

 

Canada Can't Afford to Retreat From the World  Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO UNICEF Canada — The Globe and Mail / Linkedin Click here for the article Summary Sevaun Palvetzian argues that Canada must strengthen its global role at a time when traditional alliances and international norms are shifting. With the U.S. retreating from multilateralism and dismantling USAID earlier this year, Canada faces both a challenge and an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to development assistance as a strategic foreign-policy tool. Palvetzian stresses that aid is not charity but a cost-effective investment in stability, security, and influence, noting that every dollar spent can save up to seven in crisis response. The piece outlines three main reasons why Canada should protect and expand its Official Development Assistance (ODA). First, foreign aid delivers outsized returns, from preventing conflicts to reducing forced migration and boosting education’s stabilizing effects. Second, ODA strengthens...

I saved the issue for its historical importance.U nfortunately the bannerheadline was only partly correct. The current situation has gone from bad to worse to calamitous and catastrophic for the Palestinians. It could be in our "Humour" section  Fouad

I came across several fascinating expressions in recent weeks. They just caught my attention––I photographed some stuff––seemed extraordinary to me - amusing, crying out for attention . . . some were captured by others which I am adding here as well. I photographed this one recently while driving by in Austin, Texas, with friends. Not sure whether the words were chosen to create humor . . .   I found this on Facebook. Two besties!   In December 2023, my childhood best friend, Ava and I went to Puerto Rico to celebrate our 60th best-friendship-forever anniversary. Actually, it was our 59th year but we weren't taking any chances . . . Our fathers were best friends in college, medical school and served side by side as military doctors. Ava and I became best friends from our ponytail days . . . She migrated to the US with her young family over 3 decades ago . . . I kept roaming around the world with my work . . . we kept in touch . . . and finally I came back to the US and ...

HEARTBREAKING TESTIMONY...... Fouad Editor's Note : Dr. Ziad Medoukh, is a Palestinian professor and Director of the French Department at Al-Aqsa University in Gaza, Palestine. He is a poet and author (see books here ). He is known for his advocacy of non-violent resistance.   Click here for the article (in French) French summary -  Ziad Medoukh décrit la situation de fin août 2025 comme la plus horrible qu'il ait jamais vue, marquée par des bombardements intenses, l'insécurité et, surtout, une famine dramatique. Il affirme que lui et sa famille ont été contraints de manger de l'herbe et que des centaines de Palestiniens, dont de nombreux enfants, sont morts de faim et de malnutrition. Ziad critique les largages d'aide humanitaire, les jugeant insuffisants et dangereux, soulignant que l'ouverture des points de passage terrestres est la seule solution viable. Malgré son désespoir accablant, il garde espoir, qu'il trouve dans deux choses : le sourire des e...