Unemployment

Reparations for Victims of Sexual Violence

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Today a panel discussion was held to discuss the Secretary General’s guidance note on reparations for conflict-related sexual violence. Beginning the discussion, Mr. Tolbert from the International Center for Transitional Justice stated that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s guidance report is a truly important policy document that can help design and implement these reparations. Victims of sexual violence have the right to prompt, adequate reparations, and reparations are one of several transitional justice measures states can use in post conflict scenarios to provide some repair to the victims. However, lack of political will and resources often hamper the implementation of reparations.

Following, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson stated that the drafting of the guidance note was led by UN Women and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the document outlines principals and guidelines for an international response to conflict related sexual violence in the form of reparations. Sexual violence leaves profound lasting wounds, and the international community has a duty to help restore the dignity of survivors. Furthermore, rule of law and access to justice are necessary to combat impunity and help victims.

Next, Ms. Bangura, the Special Representative of the SG on Sexual Violence, said that failure to provide reparations perpetuates the cycle of violence. Furthermore, shame and stigmatization still surround rape, and reparations provide an opportunity to combat this. Reparations can include skills training and microcredit, and have the potential to help eliminate the unemployment, homelessness, and rejection faced by victims. She concluded her statement by saying that reparations need to translate from policy to practice.

Next, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, gave a statement on UN Women’s work with women’s organizations and civil society to ensure that the voice of women are heard in building justice mechanisms. She stated that transformative reparations are needed, meaning not just one cash payment, but access to land rights, skills, and fistula surgeries for victims. Reparations are not only about justice; they are also about empowerment.

The Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Mr. Simonovic, stated that the Secretary General’s guidance note includes a comprehensive overview of principles to be applied in reparations programs including that the programs must be accessible and inclusive, designed with the participation of victims in mind, and reparations should have the potential to transform the conditions within society that allowed the violence to occur in the first place. However, despite these efforts, many victims’ rights to reparations have not been fulfilled. For example, no victim of sexual violence in the DRC has received any reparations. In Conclusion, H.E. Ms. Mejia Velez and Ms. Betancur shared the experiences of Colombia in combating sexual violence, and providing reparations.

 

Meeting Title: Dialogue with Member States on the rule of law at the international level “Presentation of the Secretary-General’s Guidance Note on Reparations for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence” (organized by the Rule of Law Unit, Executive Office of the Secretary-General)
Speakers: Mr. David Tolbert, President of the International Center for Transitional Justice; H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General; Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Under-Secretary General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict; Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women; Mr. Ivan Simonovic, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights; H.E. Ms. Maria Emma Mejia Velez, Permanent Representative of Colombia; Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur; Head of the Unit for Attention and Reparation Victims of Colombia
Date: 1 August 2014
Location: NLB 6, United Nations HQ, New York
Written By WIT Representative: Marli Kasdan

Promoting Youth Employment

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Creating decent jobs for a more sustainable future

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The speakers today are confident that the youth population should be at the epicenter for vision and transformation. Ms. Agbarakwe discussed the awareness of youth power and international influence to pressure governments and ensure their voices are heard. However the world is lacking an action plan, locally, nationally and globally, to prevent the exclusion of youth from the workforce and to connect them with important training particularly in entrepreneurship and agriculture. 

Mr. Nik Hartley, Chief Executive Officer of Restless Development, drew statistics on Tanzania where 50% of the population is under 15, fertility rates are 5 children per mother, 800,000 young will need to entre the job market every year, and as 8% of young people turn to criminal offenses, there is a clear need for high youth employment and inclusion.  

Ms. Goldin expressed concerns that youth make up 40% of the world’s unemployed, as they can be vulnerable to long term unemployment, with little opportunity for advancement and skill enhancement. Governments operate inefficiently as they face monetary losses from missed taxation opportunities, and high benefits payments. Ms. Ollivierre and Ms. Trettebergstuen emphasized the importance of training young people in entrepreneurship, as current education systems don’t always facilitate students with skills necessary for employment and sustainable business.

Mr. Landi explained that 9/10 jobs are created in the private sector and agreed with Mr. Dino Corell that not just quantity but the quality of employment must be monitored to ensure that young people are respected and given equal and fair employment standards. The discussion expressed a need for the youth civil society and governments to work alongside employers in a collaborative training experience acting as a stepping-stone into the work environment.

Ms. Taylor declared there is no single solution but there must be an unwavering commitment to the inclusion and engagement of the youth population in the current agenda setting, which paves the way for development into their future.

 

Meeting Title: Promoting Youth Employment – Creating Decent Jobs for a more Sustainable Future
Speakers: Ms. Nicole Goldin – Director of Youth Prosperity and Security Initiative at Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ms. Alian Ollivierre – Barbados Youth Development Council (iVolunteer Barbados) and SIDS Caribbean Focal Point, Mr. Dino Corell – Programme Analyst, International Labour Organization, Mr. Matteo Landi – Industrial Development Officer and Youth Employment Expert, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Ms. Esther Agbarakwe – Co-founder, Youth Climate Coalition of Nigeria, Ms. Anette Trettebergstuen – Member of the Labour and Social Affairs Committee of Norway,  Ms. Andrea Taylor – Director of North America, Citizenship and Public Affairs, Microsoft Corporation
Location: United Nations HQ, New York
Date: 2 June 2014
Written by WIT representative: Sophia Griffiths-Mark 

 

Global Unemployment Trends

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United Nations, New York Headquarters, 24 January 2014

Mr. Stephen Pursey, Director of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation at the International Labour Oranization (ILO) chaired a briefing on the organization’s recently released report “Global Employment Trends 2014: Risk of a jobless recovery.”  Mr. Pursey stated there are currently 62 million fewer jobs globally than before the Financial Crisis of 2008.  Women and young people are the most likely to be unemployed. He explained that under employment prevents poor people from, “working themselves out of poverty.”  He also noted concern about increased long-term unemployment and skills-mismatch, in which college educated people are failing to find jobs at their skill levels.

Mr. Olav Kjørven, Special Adviser to the UNDP Administrator on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, then spoke about the rising inequalities that the report reflected. He challenged the business elites to focus on the growing class stratifications.  He stated, “Extreme levels of inequalities have always led to social fractions and politicalupheavals.” Further, Mr. Kjørven expressed apprehension about how youth unemployment might affect an entire generation.

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Next, Ms. Ronnie Goldberg, Senior Counsel to the United States Council for International Business, established that strengthened property rights and business friendly regulations were necessary to create jobs.  She called for more internships to alleviate youth unemployment and a restructuring business environments to accommodate womenwho are raising families. Mr. Peter Bakvis, Director of the Washington Office of the International Trade Union Confederation, added that improved minimum wages and access to collective bargaining would be helpful in decreasing underemployment.

Meeting Title: Briefing on “Global Employment Trends 2014: Risk of a jobless recovery” (organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO)) 

Key Speakers: Chair, Stephen Pursey, Director, Multilateral Cooperation, International Labour Organization; Olav Kjørven, Special Adviser to the UNDP Administrator on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP New York; Ronnie Goldberg, Senior Council, United States Council for International Business (USCIB); Peter Bakvis, Director, Washington Office, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)/Global Union Federation

Written by WIT Representative: Katherine King