USW

World Science Day for Peace and Development is on the 10th of November. A day celebrated annually to contribute to promoting peace and encouraging further academic exchanges on topics of global importance. In addition, raising awareness of the relationship between science and peace among the general public. [1]

World Science Day for Peace and Development

We may be surprised when we think of the fact that science is a tool for peace and development. The quality of knowledge is that it is open, meaning that it is accessible to everyone. There is no set rule for which group should know or learn. The role of science through its academic engagements each year should not be underestimated. This contributes to increasing international understanding and opportunities for collaboration in science applications to promote peace.

Access to science and its benefits is a right of any individual in society, based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations Assembly in Paris in 1948. Article 27 states: “Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts, and to contribute to scientific progress and benefit from its results.” But what needs to be done now is to find easy, safe, and responsible ways to access science. [4]

The Objectives of the World Science Day for Peace and Development and How to Achieve Them

1. Promote public awareness of the role of science in building peaceful and sustainable societies.
2. Strengthening the national and international solidarity of inter-country sciences.
3. Renewing national and international commitments to use science for the benefit of societies.
4. Draw attention to the challenges science faces in mobilizing support for the scientific endeavor. [2]

It is necessary to integrate different partners to achieve the above-mentioned objectives. Starting from governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions, reaching to the media and science teachers in schools as a basis to achieve the previous goals, and emphasizing that science is in the service of society.

How Science Can Be a Tool for Peace

Science and technology have an undeniable impact on improving living standards and increasing productivity. And even push the wheel of progress and production toward sustainability. If this progress is achieved in the environments that need it, it eliminates the conflicts that invade it and thus brings peace.

With rapid technological advances in recent years, computers are increasingly prevalent in fields that were previously considered exclusively human. For example:

1. Artificial intelligence contributes to improving the decision-making process and increasing economic growth. 
2. Drones can be used to reach disaster and conflict areas.
3. In addition to genetic techniques that allow the control of biological systems, including the human genome. It opened the door to access customized, precise medicines. Biological technology also helps us agriculturally and leads us to produce varieties of crops that are of high quality and resistant to difficult conditions. [3]

The previous scientific examples all serve the goal of achieving peace and development. It assures us that science is a means to achieve them in the world, so the celebration of this day represents an important contribution to promoting peace.

UNESCO Periodic Report on the Role of Science in Development

The UNESCO Science Report is one of the most important tools available to countries to monitor progress toward the 2030 Agenda. The UNESCO Science Report Series regularly maps science, technology, and innovation worldwide.

UNESCO publishes a science report on science every 5  years. The latest version of it was published in 2021. It is one of the key tools available to countries to monitor progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Agenda. [2]

Our initiative seeks to spread culture, educate, and empower women to build sustainable peace realistically. Because we fully believe that science is a constructive means, not a demolition, and it is our closest savior to ending conflicts and crises and overcoming their consequences.

Also read: United Nations Day.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peacebuilding in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

References:

[1] UNESCO

[2] UN

[3] UNDOC

[4] UN- Observances

“The United Nations is our one great hope for a peaceful and free world.”
– Ralph Bunche. [1]

The United Nations

“To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” [2]

This is what the United Nations aims to achieve in accordance with its Charter signed in 1945 in Francisco. That was after the Second World War, which had devastating effects on most countries of the world, and after the failure of the League of Nations, founded in 1920, to achieve its goals of maintaining international peace and security due to the outbreak of World War II. It was necessary to have a global organization that seeks to achieve international peace and security, resolve conflicts by peaceful means, and preserve human dignity and rights in all countries of the world, so it was the United Nations.

The establishment of the United Nations came after several agreements and conferences between the major countries of the world and the Allies during World War II. Starting with the Atlantic Charter in 1941, which emphasized the establishment of an international organization whose mission is to maintain international peace and security.

Then the Moscow Conference in 1943, was attended by representatives of the Soviet Union, Britain, China, and America, and this agreement called for the establishment of an international organization which other countries were entitled to join.

Then the Washington Conference in 1944, at which the United Nations was formulated and negotiated. Finally, it was the San Francisco Conference on October 24, 1945, where representatives from 50 countries attended and drafted and signed the United Nations Charter. 

The objectives of the United Nations Charter can be summarized thus:

• Maintain international peace and security.
• Cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• Develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples
• Respect all human rights regardless of gender, religion, race, or nationality. [3]

The Structure of the United Nations

The United Nations is made up of a group of basic organs, which are:

• The UN Security Council: It is one of the most important organs of the United Nations, as it has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 members; 5 are permanent members: France, America, Russia, China, and Britain, and these countries have the right to veto the decisions of the Council. In addition to 10 non-permanent members who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years. Among the council’s tasks is also to identify the threats to international peace and security, and to resolve disputes, either peacefully or through the use of force.
• The General Assembly: It includes all the member states of the United Nations, and it meets once a year or at the request of the Security Council or the majority of the members. Decisions in the Assembly are made by a two-thirds majority of the participating members. The General Assembly undertakes the following tasks:
  – Maintaining international peace and security.
  – Strengthening international relations in economic and social affairs.
  – Supervising the administration of the United Nations.
• Economic and Social Council: This Council consists of 54 members who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of 3 years and undertake the tasks of increasing international cooperation in the fields of culture and education, respecting fundamental human freedoms and promoting and strengthening factors of social and economic progress.
• The Secretariat: a body made up of a number of members and headed by the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the United Nations once every 5 years.
• International Court of Justice: This court represents the main judicial organ of the United Nations and is entrusted with expressing legal opinions on issues brought by the Security Council or the General Assembly. It resolves disputes and issues judgments in accordance with international law, and its judgment is not subject to appeal.
• Trusteeship Council: This council supervises the territories placed under the trusteeship of the United Nations in order to achieve their independence. It works to develop these regions socially, economically, and politically.

In addition to a number of organizations affiliated with the United Nations, such as the International Labor Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. There are many such organizations working in the fields of economy, health, and education. [3]

The United Nations and Women’s Issues

Since its founding, the United Nations has sought gender equality through Articles 1 and 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The articles state that all human beings are born free and equal in rights, duties, and dignity without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, religion, language or birth, or another status. Then, in 1979, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The first international conference on women was held in 1975 in Mexico City, followed by several conferences in order to assess the status of women and formulate global plans for their advancement. In 2010, the General Assembly created “UN Women” with the aim of accelerating the process of gender equality and the empowerment of women. [4]

As for violence against women, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a declaration on the elimination of violence against women in 1993. It affirmed that violence against women represents an obstacle to achieving peace and equality, a breach of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and impedes women’s possession of those rights. In this declaration, the General Assembly defined violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in harm or suffering to women”

It stressed the need for women to possess all their rights and equality with men in all fields and the need for all countries to condemn violence against women and to enact laws that prevent this issue. In addition to the need for cooperation between all United Nations organizations with all countries in seeking to eliminate this issue. [5]

Significance of This Day to the World

In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 24 of each year to be United Nations Day. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that member states celebrate this day with the aim of reminding people around the world of the goals of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, promoting friendly relations, and emphasizing the equality of all people of all races, races, and religions. [6]

It is worth mentioning that the Uplifting Syrian Women initiative has sought, since its inception, to spread a culture of peace, accept differences and equality among all individuals, and celebrate global days. The initiative has provided and continues to provide many workshops and training that help many Syrians, regardless of their gender and religion, to develop their lives. The values ​​of the initiative call for the necessity of equality between all groups of Syrian society and the elimination of discrimination and violence against women because of its repercussions and effects on Syrian society.

Also read: World Food Day.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

References:

[1] Brainy Quote

[2] UNFPA

[3] Mawdoo3

[4] UN

[5] UNESCWA

[6] Sana

People eat and throw away their leftovers, and others are undernourished. How and Why?

Perhaps our ancestors would be surprised if they saw the crises and famines that constantly afflict different peoples. Because despite all the development and progress made by mankind, many individuals do not get enough food in their daily lives. Everyone who reads this article probably knows someone who is barely able to provide food for themselves or their family. Why? And how can we solve this problem?

World Food Day

Because food is essential to the survival and continuity of humanity, and our need for it is constantly increasing. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates World Food Day on October 16 every year. The anniversary of the organization’s founding in 1945. [1]

World Food Day is one of the most celebrated days among the global events of the United Nations, as a result of the solidarity and work of 150 countries. While more than 3 billion people – almost 40% of the world’s population – do not enjoy a healthy diet. [2]

There are also nearly 2 billion people who are overweight or obese. As noted by Mr. Qu Dongyu – WHO Director-General – Indicated that 14% of food is lost and 17% is wasted, in his speech during the celebration of World Food Day, which was hosted by FAO in 2021. [1]

So there is enough food for everyone, why is there such a big contradiction?

Objectives of World Food Day

• Raising awareness about the problem of world hunger.
• Increasing interest in agricultural food production and stimulating international and non-governmental efforts in this direction.
• Encouraging the participation of rural people, especially women and vulnerable groups, in making decisions and holding events that affect their lives.
• Encouraging economic and technical cooperation in developing countries and stimulating technology transfer to these countries.
• Strengthening international and global solidarity to confront hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. In addition to highlighting the progress in the field of food and agricultural development. [3]

Ratios and Statistics

• Globally, women are 15% more likely to suffer from – moderate or severe- food insecurity than men.
• Almost 193 million people experienced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2021. They also needed humanitarian assistance to survive. While more than 500,000 people faced catastrophic conditions, namely starvation and death.
• Indigenous peoples are responsible for about 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. However, it suffers from high rates of poverty, malnutrition and landlessness.
• Globally, food systems produce nearly a third of greenhouse gases and contribute to the deforestation of tropical forests by 80%. It is also the main cause of water scarcity, desertification, soil degradation, and biodiversity. [2]

The World Food Program

The World Food Program is affiliated with the United Nations and is the leading humanitarian organization in the field of food assistance. The program focuses on providing emergency food assistance, relief, and rehabilitation, as well as working with local communities to improve nutrition.

WFP also conducts two-thirds of its work in conflict-affected countries, where the population of these countries is vulnerable to undernourishment. This is 3 times more than the population of conflict-free countries.

And for all its fruitful efforts to change lives by fighting hunger and preventing using hunger as a weapon in wars and conflicts. Which in turn paves the way for peace-building in conflict-affected areas. In addition, it helped 115.5 million people in 84 countries in 2020, the largest number since 2012. The World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020. [4]

World Food Day Activities

A large number of events are held to celebrate World Food Day every year. Some of this year’s events:

1. World Food Day Photo Contest – Europe and Central Asia.
   It runs from August 1 to November 2. Residents of these two areas must submit a photo under the slogan “Healthy Nutrition for All”. To focus on the production, processing, and sharing of food, rather than the food itself. [5]
   World Food Day exhibit including photographs by FAO Ambassador and astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
   It will shed light on some of the global challenges the world faces from a new perspective, which is space. [6]
2. World Food Day poster competition.
   Presenting a poster showing a world where no one is left behind and where everyone can have affordable, healthy food. The applicant must be between 5 and 19 years old and the submission is available until November 4, 2022. [2]

And many more events and activities in Italy, Canada, and other countries.

World Food Day in Syria

The Syrian war has drained families and individuals in Syria, and many are suffering from poverty and food insecurity. Day after day, Syrians are struggling to get their food on a daily basis. As a result of severe economic decline, mass displacement, and conflict. According to WFP, about 12.4 million Syrians suffer from food insecurity. 1.3 million Syrians suffer from acute food insecurity.

Consequently, WFP provides food aid to 5.6 million people in Syria each month and provides healthy snacks for children at school. It also supports families to acquire new income-earning skills. [7]

As Syrians, we know that access to adequate and healthy food is a right for every human being. We must strive as hard as we can to achieve this goal and not stop until we see it implemented on the ground. In our initiative, we seek to help women – especially Syrian women – to learn and hone their skills. May this help them find job opportunities and improve their lives in general.

Also read:

• International Day of Rural Women.

• World Mental Health Day.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

References:

[1] FAO- News

[2] FAO- World Food Day

[3] GDRC

[4] WFP

[5] FAO- Events P.1

[6] FAO- Events P.3

[7] WFP- Countries

The International Day of Rural Women is marked on October 15 every year to recognize the crucial role that rural women, including Indigenous women, play in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security, and eradicating rural poverty. [1]

On average, women make up more than 40 percent of the agricultural workforce in developing countries, ranging from 20 percent in Latin America to 50 percent or more in parts of Africa and Asia. Yet, they face significant discrimination when it comes to land and livestock ownership, equal pay, participation in decision-making entities, and access to resources, credit, and the market for their farms to thrive. [2]

The importance of the role of rural women

Gender equality and the empowerment of rural women are inextricably linked to the strengthening of food systems to fight hunger and malnutrition, and to real gains for the population and rural lives and livelihoods at large.

Rural women are a significant, vital, and remarkable proportion of humankind. As farmers, farm workers, horticulturists, market sellers, businesswomen, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, they make up over a quarter of the world’s population.

There is a wide range of evidence that as much as half of the reduction in hunger recorded between 1970 and 1995 is due to improvements in women’s societal status. Progress in women’s access to education alone has improved food security by 43 percent- as significant as the gains from increased food availability (26 percent) and health advances (19 percent) combined.
It has been observed that women spend a larger share of the additional income that they may have than men on food, health, clothing, and education for their children.

Thus, Enabling and empowering rural women translates into improved overall well-being for children, families, and communities. This, in turn, contributes to the building of human capital for future generations and to long-term social and economic growth. As a result, the empowerment of rural women and girls is not only critical for agricultural development, it is crucial to social and economic progress and sustainable development in general. [3]

Problems facing Rural Women

The main problem facing women in general, and rural women in particular, is inequality with men. Women farmers may be as productive and enterprising as their male counterparts, but they have less access to land, credit, agricultural inputs, markets, and high-value agrifood chains. In addition, they obtain lower prices for their crops.

Women and girls in rural areas lack equal access to productive resources and assets, public services such as education, health care, and infrastructure (including safe water and sanitation services), while much of their labour remains invisible and unpaid, even as their workloads become increasingly heavy due to the out-migration of men.

At the global level, with few exceptions, every gender and development indicator for which data are available reveals that rural women suffer more than men in rural areas. As well as experiencing poverty, exclusion, and the impact of the effects of climate change. [2]

By many customs, women are the last to eat. At least, within the home, where they are also responsible for the largest share of caregiving and unpaid domestic work. [4] In addition to early marriage, and the objectification of women without considering them as human beings with full rights and full capacity to make decisions.

Solutions

• The key solution is to fully achieve equality between women and men.
• Providing educational opportunities.
• Providing basic health services.
• Support women’s right to access leadership positions and make decisions.
• Providing modern agricultural means to help working women.

The previous solutions ensure the progress and development of the entire society, as well as ensuring significant progress in the field of food security and climate change.

Syrian rural women

Women in Syria make up 65% of the total economically active population in agriculture, according to statistics from world organizations in 2004.

Through the“ telefood campaign”, FAO supported 13 projects in the Syrian Arab Republic, mainly focusing on poultry farming and beekeeping, home gardening, and the development of small family enterprises to grow edible mushrooms.

The database ”Dimitra” includes 10 organizations in the Syrian Arab Republic working on 16 projects beneficial for rural women. These projects vary in scope and cover a wide range of issues ranging from literacy to vocational training and microcredit programs. [5]

Women constitute a significant human force that is being unfairly used, or often neglected, which leads us in our initiative to support them and demand equality in all areas in order to make the best use of these forces, in order to achieve justice and safety for women, to get rid of the inferior view of women and to give them complete freedom, which are the rights of any human being.

Also Read: World Mental Health Day.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

References:

[1] UN

[2] UN- Observances

[3] FAO

[4] UN- News

[5] OHCHR