Helen Clark

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, from the NPP minor opposition party, became in September the new president of Sri Lanka on the back of an anti-corruption and anti-political establishment platform. https://bit.ly/4fX84MS Supported by a parliamentary majority, the new administration has given priority to a sustained exit from the economic collapse and pledged to support those hardest hit. In the near term, in spite of expected government attempts to ease reforms, the #IMF programme and bailout terms are expected to move forwards, along with the finalisation of key external #debt restructuring. #SriLanka #PoliticalRisk #EconomicRisk #CreditInsurance #Export

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The National Rural Women’s Coalition through the support of the Office for Women is attending the Asia and Pacific Civil Society and Ministerial review of Beijing 30 Review. 17-18 November forum is for the 300 civil society advocates creating themes important to the Asia and Pacific that will feed through to the Commission on the Status of Women. We have been working with the sub-regional caucus of the Pacific. We have attended workshops on Rural Women and Story telling as a powerful way to advocate. We have heard from UN Women and Asia and Pacific Steering Committee on the opportunities and barriers to ache if gender equality. For more information on the Beijing Platform for Action check out UN Women. The call to action is ‘enough is enough’! as concerns about the rollback on the rights of women are seen not only across the Asia and Pacific but across the globe. The Ministerial forum runs from 19-21 November. You can read more about the forum and review here https://lnkd.in/ddqeEGbu #beijing30 #unitednations #AsiaPacific2024 #genderequality #EnoughIsEnough

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Over 15 years after Sri Lanka’s genocidal war, families are still searching for their disappeared loved ones. A recent UN report calls for the Sri Lankan government to improve truth-seeking mechanisms and ensure accountability. At the "15 Years of Official Peace" event, experts highlighted barriers to justice and the need for international intervention. Tamil Rights Group urges immediate and concrete steps to address these human rights violations and support the families in their search for answers. Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/gPM6gkPp #HumanRights #Justice #SriLanka #TamilRights #UNReport

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The third replenishment meeting of the International Development Association took place in Kathmandu, Nepal, in June 2024. The meeting focused on strategies to support low-income countries, including concessional loans, policy frameworks, outcome blueprints, and financial commitments for the next three years. These discussions are critical for shaping future aid and development efforts in low-income nations, write Vinod Rai and Partha Pratim Mitra. Read here: https://lnkd.in/gkJbMXB8

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📄CMI has contributed to a new report highlighting the urgent need for climate action in Afghanistan.   Despite being on the frontline of the climate crisis, Afghanistan contributes minimally to global emissions but is now experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change. These include both severe droughts and flooding, as well as rising temperatures and food insecurity.   The Kabul-Oslo Climate Symposium - held in April 2024 - emphasised the need for knowledge-based, locally-led climate action, highlighting grassroots perspectives. Drawing on community dialogues and a range of ongoing research, key themes included sustainable water management, climate-smart agriculture, and the role of gender equality in building climate-resilient communities. ➡️From this symposium the report was developed, outlining strategies to mitigate climate-related disasters and drive long-term sustainable development.   🌍While Afghanistan has the potential to adopt clean technologies and leverage its renewable energy resources, it needs greater international support and collaboration to overcome significant challenges, including limited financial resources and political instability.   Read the full report to learn more: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dYG7biNG #ClimateChange #Sustainability #ClimateResilience #Afghanistan #Research #ClimateAction Anwesha Dutta | Arne Strand

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Are you a social enterprise looking to grow your impact? Read about our new SEDI capability building grants in Social Change Central. Grants of up to $120,000 each help social enterprises access essential business and capability building services. Grants will be available through to June 2026. Jay Boolkin #SEDIGrants #SocialEnterprise #ImpactInvesting #Grants #FundingOpportunities

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[𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄] Australia, UNDP launch new PHP 78 million peacebuilding program for BARMM! 🇦🇺🤝🇵🇭 We are thrilled to announce the launch of the 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙤 (#PROSPERBangsamoro)! This two-year initiative, supported by a PHP 78 million investment from the Australian Government, aims to enhance governance and community resilience in the Bangsamoro region. Key Highlights of PROSPER-Bangsamoro: 📌 #InclusiveGovernance: Providing technical support to local governments. 📌 #CommunityEngagement: Promoting inclusion among women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society. 📌 #Normalization: Assisting former combatants in their transition to active roles within society. Dr. Moya Collett, Australian Deputy Ambassador to the Philippines, and Dr. Selva Ramachandran, UNDP Philippines Resident Representative, led the launching of this key partnership. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞: https://go.undp.org/JN2

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#NEW: Our first report assessing progress on the Government's National Adaptation Plan has been released: https://lnkd.in/g87bCJjb This is the Commission’s first-ever monitoring report on the government’s national adaptation plan, which was released in 2022. Our report provides an independent, evidence-based assessment of how effective the plan is and how its implementation is progressing.    The impacts of climate change are affecting the lives and livelihoods of New Zealanders around the motu. As a country, we already have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done to avoid and minimise harm and damage from climate change.     But as a series of extreme weather events since early last year have illustrated – and this report’s findings show – Aotearoa New Zealand is not adapting to climate change at the scale or pace that is needed.      The report includes nine recommendations: seven focused on helping the country shift from the current reactive approach to a more proactive one, and two on improving national adaptation planning and monitoring.     Our findings and recommendations provide valuable insights. They can be used to help the Government make informed choices about how to meet Aotearoa New Zealand’s climate goals, support communities and businesses to prepare for the future, and provide transparency about climate action.  Our full report, along with supporting technical documents, is available on our website. #ClimateAdaptation #ClimateAction

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This week, regional leaders are meeting at the NDC 3.0 Regional Forum for Asia. The forum is held at a critical time, as many countries in the region are currently working on ambitious and implementable #NDCs 3.0. One of those countries is #LaoPDR, which faces significant climate vulnerabilities due to its high dependency on natural resources. In response, the country has launched its NDC Implementation Plan, a five-year roadmap to accelerate #ClimateAction. Key measures include: ✅ Expanding forest cover to 70% of the land area ✅ Introducing a new bus rapid transit system in Vientiane and enhancing clean energy charging infrastructure ✅ Strengthening regional cooperation for renewable energy exports ✅ Increasing waste collection coverage, investing in waste-to-energy projects and promoting organic waste recycling ✅ Implementing climate-resilient farming practices and integrated land use planning ✅ Creating a national water resources inventory ✅ Advancing green infrastructure and nature-based urban development Learn more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/d6mFaTsK

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Part of InterAction and our Members' 🇦🇫#Afghanistan Blog Series: After the Taliban became Afghanistan’s de-facto authorities in August 2021, over 600,000 displaced Afghans sought refuge in Pakistan, joining 1.3 million Afghan refugees already in the country. On October 3, 2023, the government of Pakistan announced the “Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan” requiring all undocumented immigrants, including 1.4 million Afghans, to leave the country within 30 days or be subject to arrest, detention, and deportation. This announcement came despite a non-return advisory issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) calling for governments to suspend the forcible return of Afghan nationals due to unsafe conditions in Afghanistan. This deportation effort has been carried out without adequate regard for documentation status or international customary law, and in the last 10 months, over 650,000 Afghans have been compelled to leave Pakistan and repatriate to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The international community needs to take action to support Afghan refugees being deported from Pakistan. Humanitarian organizations have expanded and adapted programming to respond to the substantial needs of deported Afghans but require additional funding and operational support to continue their life-sustaining work. Read more and stay tuned for more blogposts about Afghanistan in the run up to #WorldHumanitarianDay

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GGGI and PNG Push for Accelerated Climate Action at #COP29 🌍💚 At #COP29 in Baku, GGGI’s Head of Delegation and Deputy Director-General Helena McLeod, met with Ruel Yamuna, Papua New Guinea’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, to discuss PNG’s urgent climate challenges and opportunities for progress 🌍💬. PNG, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, is already grappling with rising seas 🌊, frequent cyclones 🌪️, floods 🌧️, and coastal erosion 🏝️, all of which threaten lives, livelihoods, and development gains. Since 2019, GGGI has been working closely with PNG, implementing 9 national and 4 regional projects, with over $9 million in funding 💰. This includes initiatives focused on climate-smart agriculture 🌾, greening and de-risking the PNG banking and financial sector 🌳, renewable energy ⚡, and building resilience of coastal communities 🏖️. A major topic of the discussions was PNG's ongoing challenge in accessing climate finance, particularly through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) 🌐. While PNG has submitted 11 concept notes (CNs) to the GCF since 2017, the country still lacks an approved GCF project. To address this, GGGI proposed a Partnership for Accelerated Climate Action Investment Programme, aimed at fast-tracking GCF projects for PNG 💡. This initiative could unlock USD 150 million in funding to close the gap and ensure PNG’s projects move swiftly through the GCF approval process. The new Climate FIRST project (AUD 20M), funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will play a key role in advancing PNG’s climate action. With a goal to scaling up PNG’s access to international climate finance from multiple sources, including the GCF, sustainable finance and the private sector, Climate FIRST is poised to accelerate progress on crucial climate resilience projects 🚀🌱.  GGGI is also partnering the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in a Euro 3 million project to green and derisk an inclusive PNG banking and financial sector. GGGI is also working on high-priority projects, including: 🔋 Solar Power for Rural Health Centers: Aiming to bring solar energy to remote health centers, improving healthcare access in isolated areas. 🌱 PNG Coffee Rehabilitation Project: Collaborating with the Department of Agriculture to restore coffee production in the Eastern Highlands and Jiwaka provinces, integrating climate resilience into the coffee sector. 💧 Solar Hydropanel Atmospheric Water Supply (SHAWS) for Remote Schools: Providing clean, sustainable water solutions to 50 schools in rural areas, with a pilot phase already underway near Port Moresby. GGGI is also supporting the newly established CCDA Climate Finance Unit (CFU) to help manage and coordinate PNG’s climate finance efforts 📊💡. Through these initiatives, GGGI is dedicated to helping PNG access the finance it needs to tackle its climate challenges and build a more sustainable future 🌍🌿. #GGGI #COP29 #ClimateFIRST #PNG #GCF

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📰 The Australian Government’s pledge of $50m to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan is a welcome announcement. The Fund is a critical component of supporting countries, including Pacific Island nations who have contributed the least to the climate crisis but are bearing the worst of its impacts. The $50 million pledge, however, must be part of wider efforts by the Australian Government to support nations on the frontlines of the climate crisis. 🌏 This includes supporting an ambitious new global finance goal that enables needs-based, predictable, transparent and accessible public climate finance to the tune of $1 trillion to take effect from 2026. This should include funding for not only mitigation and adaptation, but importantly, for loss and damage. https://lnkd.in/g5_6gJfj #COP29 #LossandDamage #climatecrisis #climatefinance #LDCs Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pat Conroy

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📢 Afghanistan is grappling with severe climate shocks—floods, flash floods, and prolonged droughts. Despite being among the world's lowest greenhouse gas emitters, nearly 60% of its population is directly affected by climate shocks, compared to 19% experiencing security-related shocks. (International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)) 🚰 As our research over the last few years has shown and as our co-founder, Nassim Majidi puts it ‘the climate crisis in Afghanistan is not just an environmental issue; it's a water management crisis, a financing crisis, and a crisis impacting women and children the most'. Post-2021, climate has become a neglected topic, but the stakes for peace and stability are higher than ever. This is why our new Partnership with Resilience, Environment and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) Organization is more urgent than ever.  We are proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Resilience, Environment and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) Organization, Afghanistan. This collaboration focuses on research and implementation activities, aiming for a stronger, planned response to climate change. Key objectives include: 🔎 Joint Research: Developing joint proposals and individual projects focusing on gender, urban issues, and climate change. Special focus on migration impacts and climate adaptation. 🔊 Events & Outreach: Organizing symposia, meetings, and workshops for knowledge sharing. Hosting dialogues on data systems, webinars, and podcasts. 💡 Community Engagement: Conducting provincial dialogues on climate change and mobility, amplifying community voices, especially those of Afghan women. Supporting community-led initiatives that promote sustainable farming practices and foster inclusive dialogues. ✊Global Impact: Striving for significant global impact through research, policy, and advocacy related to climate change, mobility, gender, and urbanisation. By prioritising the narratives of those directly impacted by climate migration, we aim to drive meaningful and impactful actions. Join us in this critical endeavour to create a sustainable, resilient future for Afghanistan. Stay tuned for more updates  #ClimateChange #Afghanistan #SamuelHall #REHA #SustainableDevelopment

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𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 "𝐀𝐟𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲", 𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐀 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐬! We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Samuel Hall, a leading research and consulting organization. Through MoU, we will be collaborating on critical research and implementation activities focused on addressing the climate crisis in Afghanistan. As the world grapples with the devastating impacts of climate change, Afghanistan remains one of the most vulnerable countries, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the Afghan population is directly affected by climate shocks, such as floods, flash floods, and prolonged droughts. This is how REHA calls this situation “Afghan Climate Calamity”.  This crisis extends far beyond environmental concerns - it is a water management crisis, a financing crisis, and a crisis that disproportionately impacts women and children. Our partnership with Samuel Hall aims to drive meaningful and impactful action. Key objectives include: 🔎 Joint Research: Developing collaborative proposals and projects that examine the intersection of gender, urban issues, and climate change, with a particular focus on the impacts of climate-induced migration. 🔊 Events & Outreach: Organizing symposia, meetings, and workshops to facilitate knowledge sharing. Hosting dialogues on data systems, webinars, and podcasts to raise awareness and amplify voices. 💡 Community Engagement: Conducting provincial dialogues on climate change and mobility, ensuring that the narratives of those directly impacted, especially Afghan women, are at the forefront. Supporting community-led initiatives that promote sustainable farming practices and foster inclusive dialogues. ✊Global Impact: Striving for significant global impact through research, policy, and advocacy related to climate change, mobility, gender, and urbanisation. By prioritizing the experiences and perspectives of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, we are committed to driving tangible solutions and creating a sustainable, resilient future for Afghanistan. Join us in this critical endeavor. Follow us for updates on this important partnership. #ClimateChange #Afghanistan #SamuelHall #REHA #SustainableDevelopment https://lnkd.in/d5ZGQBa6

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"SDGs should be localized because it ensures inclusive, context-specific solutions, addressing unique local challenges, and empowering communities to take ownership of their development journey." As we race towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it's clear that local and regional governments play a critical role in driving progress. To succeed, we need to: - Enhance multilevel governance and coordination - Foster inclusive multistakeholder engagement - Mobilize adequate financing - Develop harmonized data frameworks and monitoring systems - Leverage e-government and digitalization - Invest in capacity building Let's work together to empower local governments and communities to achieve the SDGs and create a more sustainable future for all! #SDGLocalization #SustainableDevelopment #LocalGovernance Read following great United Nations policy brief :

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🔉How can we ensure that Afghanistan’s climate solutions are rooted in the experiences of its communities? Afghanistan ranks eighth among 170 nations in vulnerability to climate change—with nearly 60% of the population affected by climate shocks, compared to 19% by security-related shocks. While there have been efforts to address these issues, including bans on forest cutting and promoting reforestation, the ability of communities to cope with droughts, floods, and extreme weather has reduced. 🚨 Climate change disproportionately impacts Afghan women and girls. Often serving as "shock absorbers," they face heightened risks such as food insecurity, dropping out of school, forced marriages, and gender-based violence. Water scarcity further increases these threats, displacing more people than conflict and increasing vulnerabilities, particularly for women and people with disabilities. Afghanistan also urgently needs a systematic Early Warning System (EWS) for effective disaster risk reduction. Engagement is particularly vital when addressing climate challenges—there is no excuse not to act to protect men, women, youth, girls, and boys. Each of these groups, some more than others, need our support. 🔍 As we reflect on the past three years, it's evident that climate change is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore. It intersects with and impacts every aspect of life in Afghanistan, affecting everyone. Our partnership with Resilience, Environment and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) Organization is crucial for tackling the climate and water crisis in Afghanistan. Our added value lies in working with all stakeholders to address this crisis for the benefit of the Afghan population. Our focus is on localising knowledge by engaging directly with communities and capturing their perceptions of climate change. 📘 Our latest learning brief amplifies these local voices—men, women, and children—providing insights, good practices  and recommendations that are both culturally relevant and practically actionable. This collaboration underscores the importance of integrating community perspectives with broader research and implementation strategies to confront Afghanistan's urgent climate challenges. Find the brief here:  https://lnkd.in/djkcEkKC

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🔉How can we ensure that Afghanistan’s climate solutions are rooted in the experiences of its communities? Afghanistan ranks eighth among 170 nations in vulnerability to climate change—with nearly 60% of the population affected by climate shocks, compared to 19% by security-related shocks. While there have been efforts to address these issues, including bans on forest cutting and promoting reforestation, the ability of communities to cope with droughts, floods, and extreme weather has reduced. 🚨 Climate change disproportionately impacts Afghan women and girls. Often serving as "shock absorbers," they face heightened risks such as food insecurity, dropping out of school, forced marriages, and gender-based violence. Water scarcity further increases these threats, displacing more people than conflict and increasing vulnerabilities, particularly for women and people with disabilities. Afghanistan also urgently needs a systematic Early Warning System (EWS) for effective disaster risk reduction. Engagement is particularly vital when addressing climate challenges—there is no excuse not to act to protect men, women, youth, girls, and boys. Each of these groups, some more than others, need our support. 🔍 As we reflect on the past three years, it's evident that climate change is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore. It intersects with and impacts every aspect of life in Afghanistan, affecting everyone. Our partnership with Resilience, Environment and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) Organization is crucial for tackling the climate and water crisis in Afghanistan. Our added value lies in working with all stakeholders to address this crisis for the benefit of the Afghan population. Our focus is on localising knowledge by engaging directly with communities and capturing their perceptions of climate change. 📘 Our latest learning brief amplifies these local voices—men, women, and children—providing insights, good practices and recommendations that are both culturally relevant and practically actionable. This collaboration underscores the importance of integrating community perspectives with broader research and implementation strategies to confront Afghanistan's urgent climate challenges. Find the brief here: https://lnkd.in/djkcEkKC

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