Happy 5^th Anniversary!  On June 14, UNANIMA International will celebrate its 5^th Anniversary.  We invite all our members to join us in prayer and solidarity on this day. (See accompanying page for photos through our 5 years.)

Thanks to the Sisters of Providence and the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Agnes for renewing their commitment as members of UNANIMA International.

 Alternative report on the Situation of Women in Pakistan. Catherina Maria Nawab,RJM, delivered a report on stereotypes of women in Pakistan on July 23 at the 38^th session of the meeting of the Committee to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).  The report prepared by the Human Development Centre in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan highlighted that “Stereotypes against women are deeply rooted in the social, political, economic and religious life of the common person in Pakistan. Please see www.unanima-international.org for the full report and for follow-up information.  

Join in praying and fasting to end TORTURE – June 23
On 1 June 2007, UNANIMA International’s affiliate TASSC (Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International) will launch Torture Awareness Month by holding a 24-Hour Fast in support and memory of all those who have suffered torture and those who now endure torture throughout our world. As a part of this month, you are also invited to join their 10^th annual 24-hour vigil on Saturday 23 June.  Please join with torture survivors in this action. For more information  and to sign the petition to stop torture in the United States, see the website http://www.tassc.org/

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

 These are the most sensitive issues which for some governments block their voting for the Indigenous Rights Declaration. Please see the UI web site to see statements by the Holy See and Spain. In the plenary Hall Indigenous leaders and Special Rapporteurs on Indigenous Human Rights kept speaking about the extreme situations in which indigenous peoples live in.  As the top United Nations expert on Indigenous Rights said: Increasingly cut off from lands, resources and traditions vital to their well-being and survival, tribal and native peoples in all regions of the world now faced marginalization, poverty, disease, violence –- and, in some instances, extinction as a people –- at the hands of indifferent Governments and profit-hungry corporations.(Ana María Martinez de Luco)

 Commission on Sustainable Development
Development consultants at the commission highlighted the need for clean energy and claimed that private investors may have to cover that cost. To do this, incentives will have to be created to promote and foster clean energy. Current global energy treaties, the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), do not promote clean energy, but actually create obstacles for its development. The ECT encourages clean energy through voluntary commitments only. Both treaties insist on national sovereignty which some see as an obstacle for encouraging clean energy on an international level. The consultants stressed the need for creating incentives for investors while also removing any obstacles from treaties. T-hey also were in favor of promoting country specific models of alternative energy that have had success in difference places around the world. (Diana Ramos)

 Seminar on improving the participation of migrants in society. 
On May 3, a meeting at the United Nations for the Migration and Development Series discussed facilitating migrant’s participation in society. While many significant points were made, a most important issue not discussed was that of undocumented migrants and their transition into society. All the presentations focused instead on legal migrants and how integration assists social cohesion, harmony, reducing marginalization, protecting human rights and allowing migrants to reach their potential. Migrants will integrate more when they feel they can hold onto their own culture and customs. 

In addition, a speaker from the Belgium Mission communicated that the upcoming Migration and Development Forum will feature topics such as Human Capital Development and labor mobility, remittances and other Diaspora resources and enhancing institutional and policy coherence and promoting partnerships. There is an online discussion taking place between May 14 and July 3 in three languages- English, Spanish and French, on these topics. Learn more about these topic: www.gfmd-civil-society.org  (Diana Ramos)

 Financing for Development. UNANIMA International intern, Jennifer Kuhlmann, has put together an informative newsletter about the UN efforts to better fund development and end poverty. Please see UI website to view it.  Jennifer will be traveling to Ghana as a volunteer this summer but we hope she will be back with us in the fall.

 Visitor:  Brigidine leadership team member, Maree Marsh, from Australia visited UNANIMA International to participate in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and to see the CEDAW committee in action. Maree hosted Catherine on her recent visit to Sydney Australia.

 Looking ahead: The 60th Annual DPI/NGO Conference on the theme of “Climate Change: How It Impacts Us All” will be held at the United Nations in New York from 5 -7 September 2007. Please notify Catherine Ferguson, if you are interested in attending this informative event.