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How would you respond to impossible choices?

Every day we all have choices to make. Occasionally these choices may be difficult, but they do not compare to the impossible choices faced by the 125 millio...

How would you respond to impossible choices? Watch the video here. Via World Humanitarian Summit

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Globalization, Global Governance and Sustainable Development

Worldwide interaction has become an important element in almost every aspect of people’s lives. “We have entered a new era. Global society is interconnected as never before. Business, ideas, technologies, people and even epidemic diseases cross borders with unprecedented speed and intensity. We share the exhilaration of the new information age and also the fears of global-scale environmental disruption. Business practices, technologies, and the size and age structure of populations are changing rapidly” (Sachs, 2015 p. 13). This network of intensified global relations and the growing transcendence of borders is affecting individuals, societies, institutions and states at all levels. As a result, the shift from government to global governance is often resumed in terms of internationalization, liberalization, universalization and modernization of the world.

Indeed, the topic of globalization is a very wide, although not a recent one. “Interdependence among societies is not new. What is new is the virtual erasing of costs of communicating over distance as a result of the information revolution” (Nye, Keohane, 1998 p. 83). Therefore, the revolution of communication is a leading force of the globalizing world. On one hand, the wider access to information may has been healthy for democracy, which gains from a better informed citizenry. But on the other hand, digitalization brings a danger with it, as for example the rise of cyber criminality shows. Thus, the international community faces challenges, which cannot be solved by one nation anymore, as the states become socially, economically and environmentally interdependent. Therefore, it is understandable that critical decision makers in global governance are called upon to ensure ownership in the political process that goes beyond borders and capacities of single states in order to previously identify and prevent dangers and to solve transnational problems. As there are no global institutions with binding decision-making power in global governance, it is the world leaders’ duty to lay down the global political framework for a socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic growth.

As a consequence, if globalization does not succeed in achieving sustainability in all three dimensions, it will increasingly come under pressure. In addition to the already existing global challenges, such as poverty, hunger and inequality, with the rise of global interactions appear new forms of globally organized crime, tax evasion and pandemics. Therefore, the main actors, such as national governments, multilateral organizations, NGOs and companies are not only extremely interdependent but also urged to take inclusive, universal and effective actions towards a sustainable future. In this process, the use of common instruments, such as international conferences, agreements or global goals plays a crucial role in dealing with challenges and guiding sustainable governance. The United Nations, as an organization with 193 Member States, offers a unique space, where such instruments can be agreed on. The most recent universally applicable outcomes are the adoption of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Agenda 2030, including 17 SDGs and 169 targets, is meant to be universally applicable and thus politically, but not legally, binding the Member States of the United Nations. Its Goals call for socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic growth and shall ensure that no one is left behind by 2030. In order to make the Agenda 2030 a successful one, the key actors of implementation have to be in the center and leading this process. This is where the crucial role of SDG 17 on global partnership and cooperation enters into the focus. The Agenda 2030, in SDG 17.6, confirms the importance of North-South, South-South, triangular, regional and inter-national co-operation (UN, 2015). This point illustrates a guiding principle, which is not only applicable to the implementation of each of the 17 SDGs, but also on the fundamental issue of financing for development. For example, boomerang aid, state dependency and corruption can only be avoided through international action-taking, where the political willingness of the global leaders constitutes the decisive force for positive reforms in this interdependent and interconnected world.

Therefore, the 21st century offers a huge potential to achieve a change, as the timing of the Agenda 2030 initiating “the Age of Sustainable Development” is surprisingly suitable (Sachs, 2015). The revolution of communication has brought television to households, where not even proper sanitation exists. We are witnessing the rise of tools that connect all edges of the world like in any time in history. The use of the technical resources to our good, enables the access of quality information and education to a larger part of the world. Education, known as the strongest weapon for human development, can lead to an emerging knowledge space and cultivates new ways of thinking, such as on gender equality and sustainable economic growth. Accordingly, the international community is facing an incredible opportunity to transform this globe into a more just and sustainable one. But at the same time, the changing world brings with it an enormous challenge for the global leaders concerning the supervision of the world’s complex connections. Therefore, it is only through inclusive, universal and efficient cooperation, that the world leaders are able to successfully face the mounting challenges of global governance.

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Why accepting migrants and refugees can be a win for everyone.

Now imagine you have a different kind of decision to take. Whether to risk the safety of your family on a dangerous journey because the alternative is persecution at home. Whether to put your child on a boat on rough seas because you see reaching the other side as the only hope of survival. Whether to pack up and leave everything you have ever known because you can no longer feed yourself or your family.

These are the decisions faced by millions of women, men and children across the world today – decisions that no person should ever have to make – because we are in the midst of the biggest refugee and migration challenge of our time.

The numbers are astronomical. More than 60 million people have been forcibly displaced either within countries or internationally. There are 19.6 million refugees – a 24 per cent increase since 2000. Half of them are children. Last year, the number of migrants who have left their countries in search of a better life reached 225 million.

When it comes to refugees and migrants, misperceptions and misinformation abound, not least about where people are moving. Almost 90 per cent of the world’s refugees are hosted in developing countries – and just eight countries host more than half the world’s refugees. This is a huge challenge, one that countries on the front lines of the crisis are struggling to shoulder.

It is time for the international community to develop a more effective global response. That is why I am working to bring countries together behind a humane and coordinated approach, one that will serve the common interest of all nations, uphold human rights and international law, and achieve a global sharing of responsibility.

When I write about the situation of refugees and migrants, I do so from personal experience. I myself was once an internally displaced person. As a child in war-torn Korea, I saw my village destroyed. My family and others were forced to flee our homes. We survived on food and medicine from UNICEF. We studied with textbooks provided by UNESCO. And of course, the troops of many nations secured our freedom while fighting under the United Nations flag.

When managed properly, the movement of migrants and acceptance of refugees can be a win for everyone. Migration is and always has been a major contributor to economic growth – through remittances, entrepreneurship, strengthened trade relations and more. Refugees are famously devoted to education and self-reliance. These are brave, resilient and forward-looking people who bring needed skills and energy to their new societies.

I have met with migrants and refugees around the world and seen first-hand that they are survivors and strivers, eager to contribute to their host communities. With the right policies, we can optimize the benefits and work towards migration that is safe, orderly and regular.

I am deeply concerned about the rise of xenophobic and nationalistic rhetoric that demonizes refugees and migrants.  We must avoid statements, policies and practices that promote intolerance and fear, which only serve to divide communities and sow instability.

Refugee and migrant crises are far from insurmountable but they cannot be addressed by countries acting alone.  As we increase global cooperation, we must also do more to resolve the cycles of conflict, violence, and poverty that force people to flee in the first place.

This month, I am convening the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul to seek commitments from governments to address human suffering. Then, in September, a special meeting of the UN General Assembly is a historic opportunity for countries to come together behind a more humane and coordinated approach to migration and refugee movements.

We all have a role to play in strengthening our common humanity. No matter where you live, you can help by speaking out against hateful rhetoric and harmful stereotypes of refugees and migrants – in your community, at work or at school.

As a child, the United Nations was a lifeline for me and my family; a beacon of hope. Today, I will spare no effort to ensure that the United Nations does everything in its power to help refugees and migrants everywhere.

Take a look at the new UN website on refugees and migrants.

Find out about the work of the UN Refugee Agency.

Get details on the World Humanitarian Summit.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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Statement by Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner @unitednationshumanrights, to the HRC's 31st session - "In the first two months of this year, more than 400 people have died trying to reach Europe – due partly to the lack of viable avenues of entry. The majority of people attempting this voyage are women and children, some in situations of extreme vulnerability." "I urge the EU to adopt a much more rights-compliant and humane set of measures on migration at next week's summit. International guarantees protecting human rights may not be side-stepped or diluted. Any returns of people must be in conformity with international human rights standards. Arbitrary and prolonged detention must be avoided. And I emphasise that under no conditions should there be a return to pushbacks at sea." #HRC #humanrights #Geneva (presso United Nations Human Rights)

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Happy International Women's Day! #IWD16 #Planet5050 #2030 #sdg5 (presso Switzerland)

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Read about TECHO’s participation at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2016 at the United Nations in New York:

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#Repost @techo_org - aún hay otros grandes partidos por ganar #SuperBowl #SuperBowl50 #Justicia #Desigualdad #CARvsDen #DesigualdadvsJusticia #SuperBowlSunday

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@techo_org is assisting the #CSocD54 at the United Nations in New York, where plenaries and round tables will focus on "Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world." #Volunteers all over #Latam & #Caribbean continue their input to the implementation of the #Post2015 Development Agenda, or the #SDGs to #endpoverty #Goal1 #Goal11 through the work with families in the #communities. (presso Headquarters of the United Nations)

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#TECHO participating at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where Member States, it's ministers, multilateral stakeholders, youth-led organizations and civil society gathered to have an interactive dialogue about youth taking action to implement the #agenda2030. #TECHO is strongly committed to combat poverty #Goal1 and to provide sustainable communities and cities #Goal11 #habitat3. (Picture: Vice-Minister of #youth of Costa Rica H.E. Mr. Jose Ricardo Sanchez Mena's remark about #education and #employment.) (presso Headquarters of the United Nations)

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The world's 62 richest people accumulate as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest persons. The inequality keeps growing, this cannot be the reality of our generation. The #agenda2030 calls for #equality and #endpoverty. It's implementation is not only of governements concern, #youth and #civilsociety participation is crucial to achieve the change we wish to see in the world - to make sure that no one is left behind. #SDGs