On the occasion of International Volunteers Day, on December 5 th 2013, the Indian and Uruguayan peacekeepers of MINUSTAH, and members of the Réseau national des jeunes volontaires d’Haïti [National Youth Volunteers of Haiti], have joined forces to help cleanse the town of Hinche which, in three days time, celebrates its founding 507-years-ago. The clean-up operation concerns all the main thoroughfares of the town - including the public square…
Hundreds of volunteers came together from December 5th-7th to celebrate International Volunteers Day. Three days of activities focused on the themes of employment, the environment and sport – seeking good ideas for Haitian youth. The event was organized by the United Nations Volunteers in Haiti and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civic Action, in partnership with the Haitian Coalition of Volunteers (COHAIV), the non- governmental organization…
Marco Federico Alvares is one of the architects of the campaign for recycling solid waste initiated last October by MINUSTAH. Since then, this 32-year-old United Nations Volunteer visits the offices of MINUSTAH to train sanitation agents, educate colleagues and inspect the sites in order to recycle 25% of all waste generated by the UN Mission. A. GOULGUE-UN/MINUSTAH 1.70 meters tall with curly hair, Marco Alvares looks more like an angel in a…
Statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay for Human Rights Day, 10 December 2013 Twenty years ago, a historic document was adopted in Vienna. It crystallized the principle that human rights are universal, and committed States to the promotion and protection of all human rights for all people, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems. Among many other significant and ground-breaking achievements, the…
Au cours de sa première visite dans le Sud-est, la représentante spéciale du Secrétaire Général des Nations-Unies en Haïti a inauguré un laboratoire informatique au profit de l’Université Publique du Sud-est à Jacmel (UPSEJ). Photo : Patrick Mackintosh Jean UN/MINUSTAH Lors de la cérémonie officielle le 3 décembre dernier, Sandra Honoré a estimé que ce centre « aura un impact positif pour les bénéficiaires et du coup participera efficacement dans…
10 December 2013 Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption by the General Assembly of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year’s observance also marks 20 years since a bold step forward in the struggle to make rights a reality for all: the adoption by the World Conference on Human Rights of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Drawing on the participation of more than 800 non-governmental organizations…
5 December 2013 On International Volunteer Day (IVD) we recognize the contribution of volunteers to peace and development worldwide. Today, we are highlighting the millions of young volunteers around the world who are acting globally for social change. There are more than 1.2 billion youth in the world today, with incredible potential to tackle challenges and act as agents of change. When young people volunteer, the opportunity provides them with…
5 December 2013 Nelson Mandela was a singular figure on the global stage -- a man of quiet dignity and towering achievement, a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration. I am profoundly saddened by his passing. On behalf of the United Nations, I extend my deepest condolences to the people of South Africa and especially to Nelson Mandela’s family and loved ones. Many around the world were greatly influenced by his selfless struggle…
Imagine a life without sunsets; without ever seeing your child's smiling face. Imagine a life without music or the sound of laughter. Imagine a life where the mundane becomes monumental; where the acts of washing your face or going to school depends on the charity of others. To the able bodied it is a nightmare scenario. To the thousands of disabled people in Haiti, it is normal life. Come, step out of your comfort zone and experience what it…
Une vingtaine d’inspecteurs de de la police haïtienne sont en formation continue, depuis ce matin 03 décembre 2013, au Cap Haïtien. Ce stage de recyclage porte sur les techniques d’enquête pénale et policière, les renseignements généraux, la communication en temps de crise, le leadership et le commandement, la police communautaire, ainsi que la gestion de la Police Nationale d’Haïti. Cette formation de deux jours est assurée par des membres de la…
More than 1 billion of us live with disabilities. We must remove all barriers that affect the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society, including through changing attitudes that fuel stigma and institutionalize discrimination. In September, during the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on Disability and Development, United Nations Member States discussed the many ways that exclusion not only impacts the lives of…
Photo : Thibaut Monnier UN/PNUD Le parlement haïtien a procédé le lundi 2 décembre à l’inauguration du bureau d’équité de genre. L’objectif de ce bureau est de veiller à ce que toutes les lois qui auront à être votées au parlement mettent en valeur la question d’équité de genres. Il servira également de plateforme d’échange entre le parlement et les associations féminines et la société civile, et surveillera à ce que le quota de 30% de femmes…