MALI

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Père Michael Training Center in Bamako, the capital and largest city of Mali, is bringing joy, providing education, and cultivating peace among children and older youth. The center keeps its doors open all day and provides support to hundreds of youth from the Niarela district and the outskirts of the city.

Youth come to the center to play sports, learn music or study at its library. The center provides a safe haven where youth have an opportunity to live, dream of a future, study, and learn the importance of being committed and collaborating in groups. They are able to express themselves freely and access the support of adults.

The goal is to keep young people, ages 12-25, away from the street and harmful habits such as alcohol or drugs. Instead, youth are offered an educational space during their free time which promotes cultural activities and allows the development of values.

In November 2020, Bosco Global and the Municipality of Pozoblanco in Spain, launched a project to support the center. Over the last year, Salesian missionaries have been able to access sports equipment for the girls basketball team, set up a music training center, and organize health and hygiene awareness days to prevent diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle. Youth at the music training center are currently organizing an event in celebration of the year-long Bosco Global support project.

Bosco Global has appreciation and gratitude for all the people and organizations who made this project possible, especially those who are committed to young people and their right to have access to safe recreational activities.

Since 2012, Mali has faced a political and security crisis that has been concentrated mainly in the north of the country. The crisis has now reached the center of the country and is affecting hundreds of people, especially children. Since 2018, the country has faced an increase in violence, insecurity and serious violations of international humanitarian law. The country faced two coup d’états in August 2020 and May 2021.

According to the European Commission, some 750,000 people have been internally displaced since early 2018. In the first quarter of 2021, the number of civilians affected by serious human rights violations and abuses, including sexual or gender-based violence, increased by 25 percent. As a result of this crisis, the population is living in alarming conditions. It has affected access to food, water, health, safety and a means of livelihood.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Mali – The value of a courtyard in a context of fragility

Bosco Global

European Commission – Mali

Salesian Missions

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MALI

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries operate the “Promotion of healthy educational entertainment for disadvantaged young people in the Niaréla neighborhood,” in Bamako, Mali. The project, supported by the Municipality of Pozoblanco in Spain, aims to strengthen support for disadvantaged youth through educational activities that promote cultural values ​​and the talent of each person. Youth take part in organized sports, music, and free-time activities that are healthy and safe.

Salesian Father Romeo Salami, who is working in Mali, said, “Seeing the boys and girls so happy in this project is something that gives me joy. Soccer and sport in general, as well as music and theater, are a way to bring joy even in times of confinement and social distance. Young people always need to feel together and united.”

In addition to this project, Salesians have been focused on COVID-19-related projects that are helping youth to stay safe during this challenging time. Fr. Salami added, “As in the whole world, here too COVID-19 has caused not only a health problem, but also a problem of reduced income or loss of jobs due to the confinement measures. And for the most vulnerable people, those who earn their living day to day, it’s a very tough situation. Our goal is to stand by the side of the most vulnerable young people and their families in Mali.”

Fr. Salami stressed the importance of solidarity during this time. With the support of Bosco Global, Salesians in Mali were able to provide essential food during the most difficult phases of the pandemic, carry out campaigns for raising awareness on COVID-19, promote proper hygiene and distribute materials to stem infections. Last year, Bosco Global also provided hand-washing stations in Salesian vocational training centers so youth could return to school.

Fr. Salami explained, “Thanks to the collaboration of Bosco Global we have managed to comply with the safety measures required in most of our projects. We distributed masks to every student and distributed disinfectants to the whole educational community.”

Since 2012, Mali has faced a political and security crisis that has been concentrated mainly in the north of the country. The crisis has now reached the center of the country and is affecting hundreds of people, especially children. In 2017, armed groups in the northern region and the Malian government signed a reconciliation agreement, but in 2018 the conflict reemerged. According to World Vision, currently more than 483,400 people need humanitarian assistance.

As a result of this crisis, the situation in the country has worsened and the population is living in alarming conditions. It has affected access to food, water, health, safety and a means of livelihood.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Mali – Salesians in a climate of pandemic: “We must stand by the side of the most vulnerable young people and their families”

Bosco Global

World Bank – Mali

The post MALI: Vulnerable youth take part in safe free-time activities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MALI

(MissionNewswire) Hand-washing stations have been installed in Salesian educational centers in Bamako, Sikasso and Touba, Mali, where educational activities have resumed. Salesian missionaries are well aware of the risks Mali faces during the pandemic, and they are working to protect and support youth and the most vulnerable families in their programs and communities.

Creating a culture of personal hygiene and careful hand-washing is one of the most important prevention measures. Father Romeo Salami, from the Salesian Planning and Development Office of the West Africa Province, is working to ensure local programs have what they need to provide a safe environment for youth. He also wishes to thank all of the people who collaborated in the “Faced with the pandemic, Global Solidarity” project, which raised funds to help these efforts.

“The installation of hand-washing devices in our vocational training centers in Bamako, Sikasso and Touba guarantees the continued education of the most vulnerable,” explained Fr. Salami.

Salesian educational centers had closed for months, but recently the government allowed activities to resume. Fr. Salami added, “Thanks to the collaboration of Bosco Global we have managed to comply with the safety measures required in most of our projects. We distributed masks to every student and distributed disinfectants to the whole educational community.”

Fr. Salami is confident that awareness campaigns to ensure compliance with security measures are essential to contain the pandemic. He concluded, “We are working very hard to sensitize the population about the risks of contagion and the necessary protective measures. It is not easy, in the context of poverty in which we work. But there is no choice, we must all be aware of our personal responsibility to stop the pandemic.”

Since 2012, Mali has faced a political and security crisis that has been concentrated mainly in the north of the country. The crisis has now reached the center of the country and is affecting hundreds of people, especially children. In 2017, armed groups in the northern region and the Malian government signed a reconciliation agreement, but in 2018 the conflict reemerged. According to World Vision, currently more than 483,400 people need humanitarian assistance.

As a result of this crisis, the situation in the country has worsened and the population is living in alarming conditions. It has affected access to food, water, health, safety and a means of livelihood.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Mali – Handwashing devices installed in most vulnerable schools against spread of pandemic

World Bank – Mali

The post MALI: Hand-washing stations now available for youth in Salesian educational centers in Bamako, Sikasso and Touba first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Babies born in sub-Saharan Africa are more than seven times as likely to die on the day they are born as babies in industrialized countries. An estimated 397,000 babies die each year in sub-Saharan Africa on the day they are born, and while the region accounts for 12 percent of the world’s population, 38 percent of the world’s first-day deaths occur here.

Save the Children’s first-ever Birth Day Risk Index compared first-day death rates for 186 countries and found that babies in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Sierra Leone have the highest rates of first day deaths. Mothers in these countries are also at higher risk on this day. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked 176 of 186 countries and scored in the bottom ten on all indicators. One in 30 women is likely to die from problems related to maternity in the country.

Salesians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are working to find ways to reduce newborn deaths and lower the risk to mothers. One of the primary preventive measures the report focuses on is for countries to invest in health care workers, especially those working on the front lines, to reach the most vulnerable mothers and babies.

Last year, in collaboration with the National Program of Reproductive Health and the Provincial Medical Inspector of North Kivu, the Don Bosco Center in Goma-Ngangi launched new training sessions for medical staff that focus on newborn and maternal health. This new program is also supported by Salesian Volunteers for International Development.

“Newborn and maternal deaths are preventable during childbirth and in the days that follow,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This program is providing important training to new health care workers and those who are already practicing that need opportunities to update and improve their skills. Medical staff are on the front lines for reducing the incidence of newborn and maternal death, and they must have access to specialized training that will provide them information on the latest medical practices and technologies.”

The program’s training course has provided six sessions for over 100 doctors and nurses in Goma who are maternity specialists. Participants have explored issues related to prenatal consultation, support for pregnant women, childbirth and neonatal care. A focus of the training is working with medical staff to put the patient at the center of the medical system and to focus on the mother’s needs throughout the pregnancy and birth.

For more than 10 years the Don Bosco Center has also run an orphanage for infants and children up to the age of three. If a mother dies in childbirth and the family does not have the means to feed and care for the baby, the father can bring the infant to the Don Bosco Center. Social workers there decide what is best for the child, providing milk if the family is able to care for the child at home or accepting the child at the orphanage where they can stay up to three years before being returned to the family.

“Salesians are working directly with families in Goma. The more we can do to prevent these deaths, the better. But if the mother dies during childbirth, the Salesians work with the family and provide them the support to get through the most challenging and difficult time,” adds Fr. Hyde.

Sources

ANS – Democratic Republic of the Congo – A woman must not lose her life while giving birth

Save the Children – 14th annual State of the World’s Mothers report

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post DR CONGO: New Training Program Helps Reduce Newborn and Maternal Mortality at Birth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“We aim to open new presences in Gao and other cities in the north as soon as security conditions allow,” said UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards, while noting that the presence of Islamist rebel troops and the resulting insecurity has hampered humanitarian access to the north.

From interviews with internally displaced people (IDP) over the past few days in the Mali capital, Bamako, it appears that many civilians are hoping to return to their home in areas formerly or still under rebel control, including Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal soon.

The process of spontaneous returns has already started in some places. In the central Mali town of Konna, for example, a UN security evaluation mission has confirmed that people are coming back. Up to half the town’s population of 10,000 was earlier reported as having fled into the surrounding countryside when Konna was overrun on January 10, prompting the French military to intervene.

While the mood among IDPs may be shifting towards returns, conditions in the north of the country are difficult. People recently displaced from the north have reported serious shortages of food, clean water and fuel. Electricity, transport, communications, access to health and education is said to have been severely disrupted.

In Kidal and Tessalit, close to Algeria, the supply of food and other essential items has been seriously affected by the conflict and the closure of the border, across which many goods used to be imported.

Hundreds of people are reported to have fled Kidal in recent days to villages further north, even closer to the Algerian border. Others have crossed the border into Algeria, despite it being officially closed.

“Hundreds of people have reportedly settled in villages, such as Inhalid, located less than 20 kilometres from Algeria,” said Zeinab, a representative in Bamako of displaced people from the Kidal and Tessalit regions. “Others have crossed into Algeria . . . Most are women and children and go to places such as Timayawen or Tinzawaten, where they rent homes,” she added.

Zeinab is from Tessalit, fleeing the town in April 2012 when the Islamist rebels arrived. She has since returned a few times and explained that “when I return to Tessalit, I have to wear the veil.” She said she kept in touch with friends and family there by cell phone. “People tell me that they are afraid of aerial bombing as well as possible reprisals from the Malian army and from the Islamists.”

The conflict has affected the flow of goods from Algeria to Kidal and Tessalit, resulting in much higher prices for meat, milk and other goods. Zeinab also said she had heard that the rebels were recruiting child soldiers. “I saw children as young as 12 with them and even one eight-year-old,” she claimed, adding that these children were usually stationed at checkpoints.

Zeinab also said education had been affected in Tessalit, where most teachers had fled. In Kidal, she said, some schools were reportedly functioning and providing Koran classes. “My friends who stayed in Tessalit report that many more early marriages have been taking place since the rebels took over,” she said, adding: “My cousin’s daughter got married to a 27-year-old Islamist rebel – she is nine.”

Meanwhile, rising tension between ethnic communities has been reported in various parts of the country. In particular, members of the Tuareg and Arab communities are reportedly being blamed by other groups for supporting the separatist rebellion which led to the present conflict.

“UNHCR appeals to community leaders and to the Malian authorities to give urgent priority to initiatives to promote peace and reconciliation between various ethnic groups,” said the refugee agency spokesman, Edwards.

UNHCR is urgently bringing into Mali relief items for 9,000 families (some 54,000 people), including sleeping mats, blankets, plastic tarpaulins, jerrycans, mosquito nets and cooking utensils. On Tuesday, a distribution of relief items is scheduled to start in the town of Mopti, which is home to an estimated 40,000 IDPs.

In total, an estimated 380,000 people have fled northern Mali since the start of the conflict a year ago, including 230,000 IDPs and more than 150,000 refugees in Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Algeria.

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By Hélène Caux and William Spindler in Bamako, Mali / UNHCR

Photo:
© UNHCR/H.Caux

See this news release at its original location >

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“I see Africa on the rise. I welcome great progress on development, good governance and human rights,” Mr. Ban told correspondents on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Ethiopia, during a day devoted to security in the Great Lakes, malaria, poverty and a gamut of other issues.

“We have 1,000 days to reach our Millennium Development Goals,” Mr. Ban said of the time remaining until the 2015 deadline for the program to slash extreme poverty and a raft of other global ills. “Now is the time to finish the job by accelerating progress,” he urged.

Affirming the UN’s continued commitment to support those efforts, he added: “The United Nations has been Africa’s strongest partner throughout this half century. We are firmly committed to standing with Africa now in the future.”

Mr. Ban said that he had “very successful” meetings today on malaria and yesterday on maternal and child health, recalling that this week also saw the launch of an initiative to help Africa train and deploy a million community health workers by 2015.

“We are working for a future where virtually all African mothers survive childbirth and raise their HIV-free babies into healthy adults,” he said.

He also called on African leaders to join in ending the silence and denial surrounding sexual violence in conflict. “I call on African leaders to join me in raising our voices on behalf of victims. They need our unrelenting advocacy,” he said.

He added that women must play a significant role in peace-building in conflict societies. “The African Union took an historic step when it appointed its first female Chairperson,” he said, congratulating Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa on her appointment.

Commenting on a range of African conflict situations, Mr. Ban welcomed what he called the “decisive action” of the French Government in Mali and pledged the UN’s readiness to undertake a “major, system-wide effort” for peace-building, governance, security sector reform, physical reconstruction and regional cooperation for the Sahelian country.

While in Addis, Mr. Ban met with some 20 national leaders. In a meeting today with Boni Yayi, President of Benin, he commended Mr. Yayi on his accomplishments as outgoing President of the AU and discussed regional initiatives to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, according to information provided by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that in his meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Secretary-General welcomed progress in the country and discussed the future of the UN presence there, encouraging the Government to strengthen its political authority throughout its territory.

With the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, he commended efforts to find a durable solution to the crisis in the east of the country, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to address remaining challenges. He also discussed the situation in the Great Lakes region with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in separate meetings.

The Secretary-General noted that leaders had planned to sign a political framework on the DRC earlier today. There were no fundamental differences over the content of the framework, but some procedural issues did arise, and the Secretary-General said that the parties have agreed to postpone the signing.

Also, Mr. Ban and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete discussed issues in Madagascar and Zimbabwe, in light of the security leadership role the country is currently playing in the South African Development Community (SADC), the spokesperson said.

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UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The post UNITED NATIONS: Welcoming ‘Africa on the rise,’ Ban Urges Achievement of Development Goals first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Uranium-producing Niger, perched on the Sahara’s southern rim, is one of the world’s poorest nations. With a northern nomadic Tuareg population similar to the one that rebelled in Mali this year, it is seen as vulnerable to uprisings.

The money is due to be spent on strengthening law and enforcement and border controls in an area where government authority is weak and traffickers and gunmen, some with links to al Qaeda, operate.

Funds will also target improving basic social services and infrastructure in the six most northern regions, where underdevelopment has led to previous rebellions.

Both Mali and Niger were threatened by the return home of thousands of gunmen who had fought for Muammar Gaddafi during Libya’s conflict last year.

While Mali’s north has since been over-run by rebels, Niger has so far contained any threat. It has disarmed its returnees and ensured better representation in government for the Tuareg community, which has rebelled before over the lack of development and demands for a greater share of resource wealth.

The new plan, known as SDS/Sahel-Niger, will cost 1.266 trillion CFA francs ($2.49 billion), according to Prime Minister Brigi Raffini, himself a Tuareg, who launched the initiative late on Monday.

At least half of the program will be funded by the government in Niamey while the European Union has pledged a further 91.6 million euros ($118 million), according to documents seen by Reuters. It was not immediately clear where the rest of the money would come from.

Niger hosts mining projects run by French nuclear power giant Areva and, with investments from China National Nuclear Corporation, the country has also recently become an oil producer.

Yet it also faces recurrent drought-related food shortages and struggles to feed its rapidly growing population, currently at around 16 million.

Niger has become of increasing strategic importance after Mali’s Tuareg rebellion was taken over by a mix of local and foreign Islamists. A coup in Mali’s capital, Bamako, has hamstrung any foreign efforts to tackle Mali’s crisis.

The EU already has a team of security experts in Niger trying to help the authorities tackle organized crime and terrorism.

Niger’s last Tuareg rebellion ended in 2009 but the former fighters who laid down their weapons are still waiting for the projects that are meant to help them find jobs.

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Drought and political instability have led to a major food crisis affecting 18 million people across West Africa. Serious flooding, a deadly cholera outbreak and the conflict in neighboring Mali have exacerbated the situation. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently made a plea for international aid to alleviate the crisis.

“Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world and they have been the hardest hit,” said AmeriCares Emergency Response Manager Karl Erdmann, who recently returned from the region. “More than one-third of the population has been affected, including 400,000 children suffering from severe malnutrition. They are not equipped to care for the tens of thousands of refugees crossing the border from Mali, and they are quickly running out of food and medical supplies.”

The medicines and relief supplies from AmeriCares will be distributed by a partner organization providing medical care in refugee camps. The recent shipments are AmeriCares second delivery for the Sahel crisis. In August, AmeriCares sent medical aid and 2.5 million sachets of P&G water purification packets to Mali on a humanitarian aid flight coordinated by the global logistics company UPS.

AmeriCares has been responding to natural disasters, disease outbreaks and crushing poverty for 30 years, delivering medicines and relief supplies that restore health and save lives. In 2005, during one of the one worst food shortages in Niger’s history with 2.5 million people facing starvation, AmeriCares airlifted more than 30,000 pounds of medical aid to clinics and feeding centers treating malnourished children and adults.

About AmeriCares
AmeriCares is a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization that delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in need around the world and across the United States. Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $10 billion in humanitarian aid to 164 countries. For more information, visit americares.org.

Salesian Missions is a proud partner of AmeriCares.

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PHOTO: UNHCR/H. Caux (representative photo, taken near Mali/Niger border earlier this year)

See related MissionNewswire article on Salesian Missions’ work related to this emergency:
(July 19, 2012) MALI: Salesians Assist Displaced Children & Families as Political Instability Continues

The post AmeriCares: Emergency Aid Headed to Niger for Sahel Crisis first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The meeting between the Secretary-General and the President of Tunisia, Moncef Marzouki, saw the two men discuss the North African nation’s constitution-making process and women’s empowerment, as well as the President’s efforts to promote economic recovery and regional integration within the Arab Maghreb Union. They also discussed the impact of recent attacks in Tunisia by extremists.

Libya’s democratic transformation process, as well as the security situation in the country following the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, was a topic for discussion in the Secretary-General’s meeting with President of the General National Congress of Libya, Mohamed Yousef El-Magariaf.

They also discussed continued cooperation with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and they agreed on the importance of the Alliance of Civilizations, especially in light of the recent intolerance and violence. Mr. Ban also underlined the need for a comprehensive review of the status of conflict-related detainees, and both men agreed on the need for human rights and due process to be respected.

Senegal’s long-running conflict in its southern Casamance region, as well as the latest developments regarding the prosecution of former Chadian Head of State Hissennè Habré, were covered in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the African country’s President Macky Sall.

They also exchanged views on the situation in Guinea-Bissau, Mali and the Sahel region, and on ways for the international community to support the region in addressing these crises. In addition, they discussed the importance of international partnerships to try to alleviate the problems resulting from global climate change, as well as drought in the Sahel.

The situation in Mali was also discussed in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Burkina Faso, Djibrill Yipènè Bassolé. In addition, they discussed the upcoming electoral process in Burkina Faso and exchanged views on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire.

In his meeting with the President of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the Secretary-General welcomed the African leader’s efforts to engage in national dialogue with opposition parties and encouraged him to work towards the creation of a more conducive environment for the conduct of legislative elections.

Mr. Ban and the President also discussed Togo’s efforts towards the achievement of the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the areas of education and agriculture. The UN chief underscored the importance of Africa’s constant efforts towards enhanced regional unity, coordination and cooperation for peace and sustainable development – and he urged Togo to continue to play a leading role in this regard.

Meeting with the Vice-President of South Sudan, Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, the Secretary-General commended the Government, and its President Salva Kiir in particular, for reaching agreements with the Government of Sudan on post-secession issues at a meeting in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa earlier this week. The two men also discussed the current situation in South Sudan, particularly in the state of Jonglei.

Meeting with Burundi’s First Vice-President, Therence Sinunguruza, the Secretary-General thanked the African country for its contribution to peace in Somalia and welcomed its readiness to participate in peacekeeping efforts.

They also discussed the human rights situation and peace consolidation efforts in Burundi, including the establishment of the truth and reconciliation commission and preparations for the next elections.

In their meeting, the Secretary-General and the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria, Michael Spindelegger, discussed a range of issues of mutual interest, including the Western Balkans, the Alliance of Civilizations and its upcoming Annual Forum to be held in Vienna in February 2013, and efforts to reform the UN Secretariat.

The two men also agreed that it is essential for the international community to pursue mutual understanding, tolerance and cooperation through cross-cultural dialogue.

The situations in Syria and Afghanistan were among the topics discussed in the meeting between the Secretary-General and Sweden’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Bildt.

They agreed on the gravity of the situation in Syria, and the urgent need to find a solution and to address the humanitarian crisis there. Concerning Afghanistan, they discussed the upcoming elections and the importance of ensuring continued and long-term international commitment to support the Afghan people towards national reconciliation and stability.

The Secretary-General exchanged views on developments in the Western Balkans in his meeting with Slovenia’s Prime Minister, Janez Janša. They also discussed issues relating to the principle known as the responsibility to protect, and the involvement and participation of civil society in this context, in addition to discussing the situation in Syria.

Malta’s role as a strong advocate for tackling climate change, as well as its contributions to international efforts to combat piracy, was discussed in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Mediterranean nation’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Tonio Borg,

They also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and Malta’s strategic role as “a bridge between North and South,” in addition to discussing the immigration and refugee issue in the Mediterranean region. The Secretary-General commended Malta’s efforts in this regard and recalled the importance of upholding the human rights of those affected.

The President of Albania, Bujar Nishani, emphasized his country’s commitment to UN principles and actions – especially regarding human rights, women’s empowerment and peacekeeping – in his meeting with the Secretary-General.

They discussed developments in Albania and UN-Albanian cooperation, and Mr. Ban thanked Albania for its support in piloting the UN’s Delivering as One initiative. They also exchanged views on progress in the areas of peace and stability in the region.

In the meeting between the Secretary-General and San Marino’s Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs, Antonella Mularoni, the two discussed the political and economic situation in the small landlocked nation and in Europe, with Mr. Ban thanking San Marino for its continuing support to the UN.

The Secretary-General discussed regional cooperation – particularly the need to find a mutually acceptable solution to the region’s water and energy challenges – in a meeting with Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov.

The two men also recognized the useful role of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and its head.

Uruguay’s presidency of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council and its participation in UN peacekeeping operations were discussed in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Latin American country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Luis Almagro. Other topics discussed included the implementation of the Delivering as One programme in Uruguay, the issue of drug control and regional developments.

In the meeting between the Secretary-General and the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam, Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the two men discussed issues related to UN-Brunei cooperation and the UN-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Comprehensive Partnership.

Also on Friday, the Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, met with Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha. They exchanged views on Nepal’s peace and constitution-making process and the economic and social situation in the country, including the MDGs.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the role of the United Nations in Nepal’s peace process, and briefed Mr. Eliasson on current efforts to end the political deadlock and to move forward, including possibly through new elections. The Deputy Secretary-General was encouraged by the new efforts and urged the Nepalese parties to complete the constitution-making process without delay while protecting the gains achieved so far.

The pair also exchanged views on the importance of transitional justice and international standards in the context of Nepal’s peace process, and Mr. Eliasson expressed his appreciation for Nepal’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping.

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PHOTO: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

See this article at its original location at UN.org: http://www.un.org/News/

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Families are suffering greatly and many, mostly women and children, are at risk. Of the more than 330,000 people that have fled their homes in Mali, a fifth of them are children. A July 2012 press release by UNICEF noted that while the vast majority of malnourished children live in the southern parts of Mali the recent conditions in the north have reduced access to food, water and basic health care. Due to the prolonged drought, about 560,000 young children in Mali are at risk of acute malnutrition this year and between 175,000 and 220,000 of those will require life-saving treatment.

In addition to facing severe malnutrition, this same UNICEF release noted that violence against children in Bamako, Mali is rising. There is evidence that children are being killed and injured by explosive devices as well as recruited into armed groups and trained as guerrilla fighters. UNICEF noted that at least 175 boys ages 12-18 have so far been recruited into these armed groups. UNICEF also noted that eight girls have been raped or sexually abused in the region.

Access to education has also been affected, the press release said. The vast majority of schools have been closed in the region and close to 300,000 are without basic education. Children out of school are at a higher risk of recruitment, violence and exploitation.

“These numbers are reason for alarm especially because they represent only a partial picture of the child protection context in the north – an area where access for humanitarian workers is limited,” said Theophane Nikyema, UNICEF’s Representative in Mali, in the release. “Children in the North are witnessing or becoming victims of violence and they must be protected.”

Salesian Missions is among several organizations responding to the crisis in Mali. The Salesians have opened up one of their centers in order to take in refugee families. In addition, Salesian missionaries in Mali are organizing food distribution to remote areas where many victims are on the brink of starvation.

The Salesians have a long history of helping refugee and displaced populations. Salesian-run programs offer assistance in refugee camps throughout the world, often in the form of technical vocational training and job placement services, which empower refugees and internally displaced persons with marketable skills. Such training and assistance is provided in safe and supportive environments, enabling youth and their families to slowly rebuild their lives.

“As the crisis in Mali continues to unfold, youth remain at risk in Mali and in many other unstable regions around the world,” said Fr. Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions – the U.S. fundraising arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We need your support to help ensure that the Salesians are able and prepared to accept and care for refugees victimized by war and violence and to assist us in caring for children and families in need.”

Donations are urgently needed to help feed and shelter displaced youth and their families. To make a donation please visit SalesianMissions.org.

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Photo: Reuters/Adama Diarra

Sources:

UNICEF: Violence against children is mounting in Mali

Salesian Missions: Crisis in Mali: Salesian Center Takes in Refugees

The post MALI: Salesians Assist Displaced Children & Families as Political Instability Continues first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The new operation, which will be carried out by the World Food Program (WFP) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), aims to assist 300,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and 255,000 refugees this year.

“We are working side by side with UNHCR to help families who have been forced from their homes in Mali and now need urgent food and shelter,” said WFP’s Executive Director, Ertharin Cousin, in a news release. “The refugees from Mali have fled conflict in their own country, and now find themselves across the border in neighboring states that are already suffering from the severe effects of a regional drought.”

Mali is among several countries in the West African part of the Sahel region, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, that are suffering from a food crisis resulting from prolonged drought. The northern part of the country has also witnessed resumed clashes between Government forces and Tuareg rebels since January, leading to the mass displacement of civilians who have sought refuge in neighboring countries.

WFP and UNHCR said the $77 million operation will give WFP the flexibility to respond to the evolving refugee situation, and appealed to the international community to help fund the response.

“The Sahel represents a deadly combination of drought and displacement by conflict. This is not only a dramatic humanitarian problem but it has become a threat to global peace and security,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres. “Donor support is crucial if any humanitarian effort is to make headway.”

So far, WFP has reached IDPs and refugees with food assistance in Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger, as part of its overall Sahel emergency operation which aims to support around 9.6 million people affected by the hunger crisis caused by a combination of insecurity, drought, crop deficit and high food prices. To do this, the agency must secure funding to help bridge a shortfall of around $ 360 million.

For its part, UNHCR has been establishing refugee sites and working in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania to help tens of thousands of refugees who continue to cross over from Mali. Inside Mali, UNHCR is working with its partners to reach IDPs.

“Time is not on our side,” said Ms. Cousin. “If no new food or cash contributions are received immediately, the resulting inability to pre-position and distribute enough food at the peak of the lean season, from June to September, would be catastrophic for the most vulnerable, food insecure people – especially women and children.”

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Photo: UNHCR/H.Caux

The post UNITED NATIONS Launches Emergency Operation to Feed Thousands who Fled Malian Conflict first appeared on MissionNewswire.