Global Integration Updates
Common Ground for the Common Good
Special News--November 2018
New Humanitarian-Development Resources
Leaving No One Behind
Image courtesy and ©2018 ENOD
We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet. We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind. United Nations, Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015, Preamble)
I n this Special News Update we feature three new resources from the overlapping Humanitarian-Development sectors.
These new materials are presented in light of the world community's growing efforts to realize sustainable development and wellbeing for all--leaving no one behind. More details and links below (including the More Resources section at the end). For more ideas on staying in touch with global efforts/reports, see the sample "global grid" in theGI Update October 2016).
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Warm greetings from Geneva,
Kelly and Michèle
 
Global Integration is a framework for actively integrating our lives with global realities by connecting relationally and contributing relevantly on behalf of human wellbeing and the issues facing humanity, in light of our integrity and core values (e.g., ethical, humanitarian, human rights, faith-based).
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Featured Resources
Humanitarian and Development Sectors
Things we need to know
World Disasters Report 2018: Leaving Millions No One Behind. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (launched 1 November in Geneva). Here is the opening from the Executive Summary:
“In 2015, the world pledged to ‘leave no one behind’ as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. But millions of people are left behind in humanitarian crises. Precise figures remain elusive (given measuring need is an inexact art), but the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ Global Humanitarian Overview (OCHA, 2018a) estimates that some 134 million people will require humanitarian assistance worldwide in 2018...In a number of the major operations of 2017, fewer than half of the people estimated to be in need were actually known to be reached by internationally supported humanitarian assistance....
The 2018 World Disasters Report asks challenging questions of, admittedly overburdened affected states donors, and local and international humanitarian organizations. It includes a strong call for more, better and more equitable funding and action to meet the rising needs. It also calls for a more conscious and transparent approach to ensuring the people in greatest need are placed first in line for assistance.
The report identifies five fatal flaws that are allowing so many people to fall through the cracks: too many affected people are 1) out of sight, 2) out of reach, 3) left out of the loop, or find themselves in crises that are 4) out of money, or deemed to be 5) out of scope because they are suffering in ways that are not seen as the responsibility of the humanitarian sector.”
Global Geneva (latest print/online version, November 2018).
“Global Geneva published its first issue in December 2016 and is reaching a growing global readership for both the print/e-editions of the magazine (60,000+) and hits of 500–20,000+ per individual article. The magazine emphasizes quality journalism with insight calling upon a world-wide network of over 2,000 reporters, photographers, cartoonists, writers, film-makers and social media specialists. The primary focus is on what might be called ‘international Geneva’ themes, such as humanitarian response, culture, peace and security, world trade, access to health, new technologies, human rights, conservation and environment, business and development, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” (Edward Girardet, Editor)
Note: "As part of its Breaking In series, Global Geneva is placing a special emphasis on young people involved with international internships or volunteer work. By sharing their experiences, contributing youth writers can help inspire others of their generation to become more engaged." The latest article from this series and opening excerpts are below.
Letter from Rwanda: A Privileged Engagement, Ashling O’Donnell (American Peace Corps volunteer)
“Good morning, teacher,” faintly echoes. I squint my eyes against the piercing sunlight, searching for the source of the greeting. Clambering up the slope of another hill is the barely discernible figure of a young boy. A khaki uniform marks him as a primary student. His eagerness to practice his English, despite the distance between us, is endearing. I wave and continue the hour and a half trek from my village to the market town.
It’s the height of the dry season and the dust claims everything it encounters. To my left, skeletal fingers demark the boundary of the Murambi Genocide Memorial. Here, on April 21st, 1994, between 40,000-50,000 Tutsis and Hutu sympathizers were murdered. The perpetrators carried out the slaughter in over eight hours. The site is a haunting reminder of what this country has endured and what it is still overcoming.”...
Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response (latest edition launched 6 November in Geneva).
"The Sphere Handbook...has been field-tested over twenty years and regularly updated to ensure it remains fit for purpose in a changing world. What does not change is its rights-based foundations: people have the right to assistance, the right to life with dignity, the right to protection and security, and the right to fully participate in decisions related to their own recovery.
The Sphere Handbook...comprises the Humanitarian Charter, the Protection Principles, the Core Humanitarian Standard, and minimum humanitarian standards in four vital areas of response: Water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH); Food security and nutrition; Shelter and settlement; Health.
The Handbook is one of the most widely known and internationally recognized tools for the delivery of the quality humanitarian response. National and international NGOs, United Nations agencies, and governmental authorities across the globe make use of its guidance when planning, delivering and evaluating humanitarian operations.
T he 2018 Sphere Handbook builds on the latest developments and learning in the humanitarian sector. Among the improvements of the new edition, readers will find a stronger focus on the role of local authorities and communities as actors of their own recovery. Guidance on context analysis to apply the standards has also been strengthened. New standards have also been developed, informed by recent practice and learning, such as WASH and healthcare settings in disease outbreaks, security of tenure in shelter and settlement, and palliative care in health. Different ways to deliver or enable assistance, including cash-based assistance, are also integrated into the Handbook." (quotes from the Sphere website)
More Resources
Mental health, environmental health, and primary health care for all
-- Globlal Mental Health and Sustainable Development, The Lancet Commission (9 October 2018). “A decade on from the 2007 Lancet Series on global mental health, which sought to transform the way policy makers thought about global health, a Lancet Commission aims to seize the opportunity offered by the Sustainable Development Goals to consider future directions for global mental health. The Commission proposes that the global mental agenda should be expanded from a focus on reducing the treatment gap to improving the mental health of whole populations and reducing the global burden of mental disorders by addressing gaps in prevention and quality of care. The Commission outlines a blueprint for action to promote mental wellbeing, prevent mental health problems, and enable recovery from mental disorders.” (excerpt from the Executive Summary)
A Breath of Fresh Air: Acting on the UN Mandate to Tackle Air Pollution--Air pollution: a major cause of disease, silent killer of millions. NCD Alliance (29 October 2018, four page summary). “To coincide with the First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, the NCD Alliance has produced a short brief summarising the UN mandate for governments to address air pollution as a core component of the [Non-Communicable Diseases, NCD] response. Air pollution is the world’s largest single environmental health risk, and a leading risk factor for NCDs. According to the WHO, air pollution causes 7 million deaths every year worldwide. Of these deaths, about 80% are from NCDs, making the number of NCD deaths due to air pollution comparable to mortality due to tobacco use. Air pollution has now been recognised as one of the five main risk factors for NCDs. The others are: unhealthy diets, tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol and physical inactivity. New data released by the WHO... reveals that every day around 93% of the world’s children under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. WHO estimates that in 2016, 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air....Air pollution is the fourth highest risk factor for premature deaths – one in 10 deaths worldwide is attributable to air pollution exposure. In 2016, over 90% of the world’s population lived in places where the air is unsafe to breathe, according to the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines."
--Astana Declaration. Global Conference on Primary Health Care. Astana, Kazakhstan (24-26 October 2018). “In 1978, a pivotal conference was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, bringing together health experts and world leaders to commit to health for all. The Declaration of Alma-Ata, endorsed at that conference, formed the foundation for the last 40 years of global primary health care efforts. This October, the world will reunite to reinvigorate and recommit to primary health care. The Global Conference will endorse a new declaration which emphasizes the critical role of primary health care around the world, refocusing efforts to ensure that everyone everywhere is able to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health.” (quote from Conference website)
Member Care Associates Inc. (MCA) is a non-profit, Christian organisation working internationally from Geneva and the USA. MCA's involvement in Global Integration focuses on the wellbeing and effectiveness of personnel and their organizations in the mission, humanitarian, and development sectors as well as global mental health, all with a view towards supporting sustainable development for all people and the planet. Our services include consultation, training, research, developing resources, and publications.
Global Integration is a framework for actively integrating our lives with global realities by connecting relationally and contributing relevantly on behalf of human wellbeing and the issues facing humanity, in light of our integrity and core values (e.g., ethical, humanitarian, human rights, faith-based).
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