| Next generation leaders from the global North and South come together to work on pragmatic approaches to the environmental crisis in a bespoke Climate Challenge Leadership Programme launched by the Africa Finance Corporation in partnership with Common Purpose |
| LONDON, United Kingdom, July 26, 2023/ — Pressure to reduce carbon emissions and regenerate biodiversity is increasing as the global climate crisis intensifies. However, a clear distinction must be drawn between the starting point for the global South and that of the global North.Africa, for example, produces less than 3.8% of carbon emissions, yet the continent has been disproportionately impacted by climate change, with frequent droughts, heavy rains and severe heatwaves.[1] Conversely, many of the highest emitting nations are feeling relatively little impact, undermining the sense of urgency. These differing positions need to be bridged if we are to reduce emissions and drive the regeneration of biodiversity.In response, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (https://www.AfricaFC.org/), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, is collaborating with Common Purpose (https://CommonPurpose.org/), an international leadership development organisation, to launch the Climate Challenge Leadership Programme which will offer a different approach. The programme will aim to strengthen the capacity of a cohort of 50 dynamic emerging leaders from Africa and the rest of the world, who – as they progress in their careers – will build bridges between the global North and South and find new ways to address the environmental crisis. The programme will be funded by AFC and run by Common Purpose and will take place later this year.”In order to address the climate crisis, we need leaders who can cross boundaries and collaborate to transform the systems that support our way of life,” said Adirupa Sengupta, Chief Executive of the Common Purpose Charitable Trust (UK). “The next generation of leaders will be at the heart of tackling these issues and we want to equip them to lead a different conversation between the global North and South. AFC is a natural partner for us because of their knowledge of, and ambition for, Africa and the global South.”The programme is the latest iteration of the Common Purpose Innoventure Leadership Development Programme, which for the past 13 years has assembled young changemakers from across the globe to tackle everything from the reduction of the cost of surgery to the optimization of societal benefits derived from new technologies. This latest edition will focus squarely on the practical challenge of bridging the gap in positions and perspectives on climate between leaders from the global North and South.”The programme will be fertile ground for innovative solutions to be crafted by the next generation of leaders from Africa and beyond,” said AFC´s President and CEO, Samaila Zubairu.”For far too long, Africa has been viewed by the rest of the world as a place of ‘problems’ – and yet Africa holds the solutions to many of the fundamental problems facing the world today, particularly in relation to climate change,” said Mr. Zubairu. “This is why we are supporting Common Purpose in the development of a rising generation of leaders from Africa and beyond who are enabled and empowered to offer global solutions to the climate challenge.”AFC, through its investments and project advisory function, has a three-pronged approach to supporting Africa’s contribution to combating climate change: localising production to minimise emissions from shipping and other forms of transport; rebuilding infrastructure in a way that will be resilient to changing climate conditions and that anticipates, prepares for, and adapts to climate risk; and using financial innovation to crowd-in investment to support everything from reforestation to renewable power plants. AFC’s white paper, ‘A Pragmatic Path to Net Zero’ (https://apo-opa.info/3N68VNN), calls for African leaders to engage in a unified narrative with the rest of the world to assert the continent’s role in combating global warming and its impacts.[2]Successful applicants to the Climate Challenge Leadership Programme will be emerging leaders with at least five years of professional experience and will come from different sectors, countries, and communities across Africa, the wider global South and the global North. By the programme’s end, the participants will have increased their ability to ‘Lead Beyond Authority’ (https://apo-opa.info/3OhdPZg), a pre-requisite to solving any complex problem, and will have made new connections with leaders across the global North and South. They will have developed their analytical and creative skills and enhanced their influence by tackling a complex challenge within a diverse group. Applications are now open via the Common Purpose website. Apply at CommonPurpose.org. [1] Africa accounts for the smallest share of global greenhouse gas emissions, at just 3.8 per cent, https://apo-opa.info/3Q8wN6M [2] Roadmap to Africa’s COP: A pragmatic path to net zero, https://apo-opa.info/3N68VNNDistributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). Find out more: Alison Coburn Chief Executive Common Purpose International Mobile: +44 (0)7852 914 670 Email: alison.coburn@commonpurpose.orgMedia Enquiries: Yewande Thorpe Communications Africa Finance Corporation Mobile : +234 1 279 9654 Email : yewande.thorpe@africafc.orgGavin Serkin New Markets Media & Intelligence Telephone: +44 20 3478 9710 Email: gserkin@newmarkets.media About Common Purpose: Common Purpose is a leadership development organization that specializes in cross-boundary leadership. The not-for-profit organization runs programmes in over 100 cities worldwide. Founded in 1989, Common Purpose has over 115,000 alumni globally. The organization’s leadership development programmes inspire and equip people to work across boundaries. This enables them to solve complex problems in organizations and in society. https://CommonPurpose.org/About AFC: AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for private sector-led infrastructure investment across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.Sixteen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 40 member countries and has invested US$11.5 billion across Africa since inception. www.AfricaFC.orgSOURCE Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) |
Day: July 26, 2023
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Advancing Global Solidarity on Climate Challenge
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United Nations Human Rights Committee publishes findings on Brazil, Burundi, Colombia, Cyprus, Lesotho, State of Palestine and Uganda
The findings contain the Committee’s main concerns and recommendations on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights GENEVA, Switzerland, July 26, 2023/ — The UN Human Rights Committee (https://apo-opa.info/3O6ja5r) today issued its findings on Brazil, Burundi, Colombia, Cyprus, Lesotho, the State of Palestine and Uganda, after examining the seven States parties in its latest session.
The findings contain the Committee’s main concerns and recommendations on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (https://apo-opa.info/3Y74ZBy) , as well as positive aspects. Highlights include: Brazil The Committee was concerned about racial profiling and the lack of accountability for excessive use of force and extrajudicial killings by law enforcement officers. It called upon Brazil to redouble its efforts to investigate all such allegations, prosecute perpetrators and compensate victims, including cases relating to the Complexo da Maré neighbourhood raid and the police operations in Jacarezinho and Vila Cruzeiro.
The Committee expressed concern over the lack of an effective land demarcation process, which has led to growing land conflicts, illegal encroachment and resource exploitation, as well as attacks and killings of indigenous peoples. The Committee also raised concern about the Temporal Landmark that limits indigenous peoples’ recognition of ancestral land only to territories they occupied on the Constitution promulgation date in 1988. It regretted the slow pace of land titling for Quilombola communities and urged Brazil to expedite the demarcation and titling of indigenous and Quilombola lands, particularly by upholding indigenous peoples’ entitlement to the lands they have traditionally owned or occupied.BurundiThe Committee regretted the Burundi delegation’s withdrawal from the meeting (https://apo-opa.info/4537ebg) in the presence of certain human rights activists. The Committee proceeded to review Burundi in the absence of the delegation. It was alarmed by reports of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, torture and sexual violence committed by members of the National Intelligence Service, police, security forces and members of Imbonerakure, the ruling party’s youth league, against political opponents. The Committee noted that the situation was intensified during the 2015 demonstrations, the 2018 constitutional referendum and the 2020 elections. It urged Burundi to take all measures to combat impunity and ensure that all these violations are promptly and thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are prosecuted and sentenced to penalties commensurate with the seriousness of the offence.
The Committee was also alarmed by political violence and incitement to political and ethnic hatred by State agents and members of the Imbonerakure, targeting opposition candidates, human rights defenders and journalists, during and after the 2015 and 2020 elections and the 2018 constitutional referendum.
It recommended that Burundi take all necessary steps to prevent such violence and intimidation before the elections of 2025 and 2027, guarantee electoral rights to all, including opposition candidates and supporters, and ensure that all political parties can conduct a free and equal electoral campaign.ColombiaConcerning the rise in violence during internal armed conflict due to the expansion of non-State armed groups and criminal organisations, the Committee underlined the need to strengthen actions against impunity for such crimes, particularly those occurring in rural areas. It asked the State party to intensify efforts to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement, investigate all rights violations before the Attorney General’s Office and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and continue the dialogue with non-state armed groups on immediate action to reduce violence and mitigate its impacts.The Committee remained concerned about the frequent attacks on human rights defenders and social leaders and the high level of impunity in these cases. It called upon Colombia to enact a national policy to protect human rights defenders, including those advocating environmental rights and the rights of indigenous and Afro-descendant people, social and community leaders, and journalists who face threats, violence and intimidation, and to guarantee that they can carry out their activities in safe conditions.Cyprus
The Committee voiced concern over continued overcrowding, poor material conditions in detention facilities and the fact that migrants awaiting deportation orders are held alongside detainees charged with criminal offences. It asked Cyprus to improve detention conditions and alleviate overcrowding. The Committee also recommended that Cyprus enforce statutory limits to pretrial detention duration and guarantee that people awaiting deportation are detained for the shortest possible period, and that pretrial detainees are kept apart from convicted prisoners.Regarding the rights of minorities, the Committee mentioned the small number of Turkish Cypriots in the State party’s civil service, including the police force and the courts, and that no specific policies aimed at changing this situation were planned. It recommended that Cyprus continue its efforts to eradicate the economic, social, linguistic and cultural barriers faced by Turkish Cypriots and other minorities, including taking specific measures to integrate Turkish Cypriots into the civil service and the judiciary.LesothoThe Committee noted with grave concern the high degree of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence and child marriage.
The Committee was also concerned that victims are mostly reluctant to report these incidents for fear of stigmatisation or losing financial support. The Committee called upon Lesotho to investigate all such abuses and encourage women and girls to report domestic and sexual violence. It also asked Lesotho to expand shelters nationwide and provide adequate free legal aid to those in need.Following the killing of a student by the Police at the National University of Lesotho during a student demonstration in June 2022 and the shooting of a factory worker during strike protests in 2021, the Committee raised the alarm about the use of live ammunition and excessive force by law enforcement officers in dispersing demonstrations. It was also concerned about the lack of effective investigations and prosecutions into these cases.
The Committee urged Lesotho to ensure that allegations of excessive use of force during peaceful assemblies are thoroughly investigated, that responsible officers are prosecuted and that victims are compensated.State of PalestineThe Committee was concerned that domestic violence, including marital rape, is still not explicitly criminalised in national legislation. The Committee was further alarmed by reports that women are pressured by their families, often through violence, torture or threats, to commit suicide to protect the so-called family’s “honour”. It urged the State party to adopt and enforce a comprehensive law criminalising all violence against girls and women, explicitly addressing domestic violence, marital rape and crimes committed in the name of so-called “honour”.The Committee expressed concern over the Presidential Decree issued in April 2021 that postponed parliamentary and presidential elections. It was also concerned about cases of attacks, arbitrary arrests and detention, and killings of opposition candidates and politicians in the West Bank earlier that year before the postponement of the elections. It called on the State party to review the legal and institutional framework governing the holding of elections to ensure that the delay of elections is in line with the Covenant.
The Committee also requested that the State of Palestine take all necessary measures to prevent intimidation, assault, arbitrary arrests and killings of opposition candidates, and ensure that such cases are promptly investigated.UgandaThe Committee expressed deep concern about discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in May 2023, which criminalises consenting sexual relations between adults of the same sex and provides severe sanctions, including the death penalty, for related ‘offences.’ The Committee urged Uganda to repeal the Act urgently, address the stigmatisation based on sexual orientation or gender identity and ensure remedies for victims.
The Committee also raised concern about persistent reports of arbitrary arrest and detention of political opponents, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders, violating fundamental procedural safeguards. It was also concerned by the high proportion of the prison population in pretrial detention. The Committee called on Uganda to ensure that fundamental procedural safeguards are respected and that statutory limits to the duration of pretrial detention are strictly enforced.A review of Somalia was also scheduled for this session but was postponed at the last minute.
The above findings, officially known as Concluding Observations, are available on the session page (https://apo-opa.info/3ObfvTL) .
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
SOURCE
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)