Weekly Roundup October 8 to 14
On October 11th we celebrated the International Day of the Girl!
“The Obama Foundation launched the Global Girls Alliance—a program which seeks to empower adolescent girls around the world through education, allowing them to achieve their full potential and to transform their families, communities, and countries. Join the alliance—because the future of our world is only as bright as our girls.”
Take action to help adolescent girls and the grassroots leaders working to educate them.
In her footsteps: The Day of the Girl
The 1.1 billion girls of today’s world are challenging the status quo. They’re redefining girlhood, and they’re doing so against the odds.
Recruited but not ‘child soldiers’: Returning girls in South Sudan risk being left without support
“Girls associated with armed groups in South Sudan risk missing out on vital reintegration assistance as they are either unaware of available support or are overlooked as they don’t fit the profile of a ‘child soldier’. More than 19,000 child soldiers have been recruited since 2013 and while the total number of girls is unclear, of 934 children officially released in 2018, almost 30% were girls.”
“However, in collaboration with UNICEF, Child Soldiers International has learnt that girls in some areas, especially those leaving groups independently, risk not benefiting from reintegration support, simply because they are not known or considered as potential beneficiaries.”
In Pakistan, Women Combat Gender Violence through Art
“In Pakistan, a series of vibrant murals has gone viral, inciting discussion, online and in city streets, about gender-based violence and discrimination. Young women artists changed the landscape of the country’s largest cities as they worked with communities to turn local people’s stories into art that claims public spaces for messages of tolerance and peace.”
DNA Detectives Bust Ivory Cartels — With Dung
"[A]n emerging partnership working to expose these bad actors has coalesced around an extensive elephant-DNA database, which is turning huge stockpiles of seized ivory into mountains of evidence. And that, in turn, is helping identify the ivory cartels, which could help prosecute their kingpins.”
“The primary players in this white-hat-wearing coalition are an International team of biologists and researchers; a division of US Homeland Security officials; and law-enforcement officers throughout Africa. And a key component in their effort to unmask the villains is dung.”
PRESS STATEMENT ON IWT LONDON CONFERENCE
October 11-12, 2018
“Save the Elephants hopes that 2018’s London Conference will inspire governments to:
- recognize the significance of illegal wildlife trade;
- strengthen laws around wildlife trafficking; and
- establish vetted, multi-agency task forces that have the mandate and capacity to tackle high level traffickers.
We also hope that the UK government will provide significant financial and technical support to these initiatives.”
Elephant Holograms Charge On London
“Our friends at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) commissioned the gargantuan hologram that has been wandering the streets of London and pleasantly surprising tourists and locals alike. But the hologram isn't just about fun and games (and optimum selfie opportunities), it's a strategic installation meant to raise awareness about the plight of the African Elephant leading up to a crucial conference taking place in London later this month.”
WWF is encouraging everyone to sign its petition to end the illegal trade in wildlife.
The Illegal Wildlife Trade conference highlights the economic benefits of conservation
“Our findings argue that by promoting wildlife economies and pursuing conservation-driven development models, southern African governments can protect their citizens, derive revenue from wildlife products, and establish world class tourism products.”
IWT conference 2018: new funding for counter-poaching training in Africa
“A new programme to train African park rangers in safer counter-poaching techniques has been announced today.”
Declaration: London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade 2018
Check out the actions and commitments from the 2018 London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade HERE
“We welcome positive action taken by Governments, the United Nations, conferences of parties to international agreements, the private sector and non-governmental actors to combat the illegal wildlife trade. These actions have been taken within countries and across national borders to implement their various obligations and commitments. We confirm our intention to build upon the successes already achieved and to this end we commit ourselves to enhance our individual and collective efforts to meet our existing commitments.”
