DGI Brief - July 27, 2016
Happy Wednesday, all. Today's top 5 global issues news are about #Colombia #India #Turkey #USA and #SouthSudan
- COLOMBIA’s government & rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) agreed the amnesty provision of last month’s peace agreement will not apply to perpetrators of sexual violence. Of the 7.8 million officially registered war victims, nearly half are women. Indigenous & Afro-Colombian groups were particularly targeted. The paramount decision was made possible because a commission on gender issues was set up as part of the 4-yr peace talks & both sides had women representatives at the negotiating table. Not only will victims of rape & sexual violence receive justice, a special ‘land fund’ will be set up giving priority to women in redistributing farmland & titles. Historic!
- INDIA: While the new law is progressive in outlawing child labor in all 14 labor sectors & increases penalties & fines for employers, two particular amendments cause children’s rights advocates alarm. The first allows children to work for family businesses & 2nd reduces the number of banned professions for adolescents. Rights groups worry these provisions leave too much room for abuse. PM Modi’s administration says the labor law has to be practical. According to Int’l Labor Organization (ILO), at least 5.7 million children ages 5-17 work in India.
- TURKEY: Under the thin veil of cracking down on anyone related to the Gulen movement, faulted for the attempted coup, the government ordered 16 TV channels, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines & 29 publishers shut down. The trouble is not all, if most, are Gulenist. They are simply politically opposed to President Erdogan. That’s zero democracy.
- USA: A new study by Union of Concerned Scientists shows that 18 military installations are at serious risk of flooding – 10x more floods by 2050 than now, & over half will experience daily floods. Bases in Florida & South Carolina could lose up to 95% of their land due to rising sea levels. Would you think that threats to our national security sites would convince even the most die-hard climate change denier? Like me, you’d be wrong. Last month, the US House appropriations committee blocked funding for Pantagon’s climate adaptation strategy.
- SOUTH SUDAN: Since July 17, there has been reported spike in rapes of civilians, namely ethnic Nuer women & girls, right outside of the UN camp in Juba where at least 30,000 civilians seek protection. 120 cases of rape & sexual violence have been reported & at least 2 victims have died from their rape injuries. What exactly is the civilian protection mandate?
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