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Human Rights Day

12/10/2009 12:00:00 AM

Respect for human rights and human dignity "is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world", the General Assembly declared three years later in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 1950, all States and interested organizations were invited by the General Assembly to observe 10th December as Human Rights Day.

For More Information, see www.un.org

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

For more information, see www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Poverty is a cause and a product of human rights violations. It is this double edge that makes poverty probably the gravest human rights challenge in the world. The links between human rights and poverty should be obvious: People whose rights are denied -- victims of discrimination or persecution, for example -- are more likely to be poor. Generally they find it harder or impossible to participate in the labour market and have little or no access to basic services and resources. Meanwhile, the poor in many societies cannot enjoy their rights to education, health and housing simply because they cannot afford them. And poverty affects all human rights: for example, low income can prevent people from accessing education -- an “economic and social” right -- which in turn inhibits their participation in public life -- a “civil and political” right -- and their ability to influence policies affecting them.

Yet, poverty is still rarely seen thought the lens of human rights. Rather it is often perceived as tragic but inevitable, and even as the responsibility of those who suffer it. At best those living in poverty -- countries and individuals -- are portrayed as unfortunate, at worst as lazy and undeserving.
For more information, see www.un.org/events/humanrights/2006/

For a List of Human Rights issues, see
www.ohchr.org/english/issues/

Pakistan Country Brief
Pakistan’s economy is growing, albeit slowly, and the government is increasingly spending more on education and healthcare. However wealthy rural landowners retain their hold on political power, and the gap between rich and poor is widening.

•   Almost one third of the country’s nearly 154 million people live in poverty, and in the poorest rural areas, half the population survives on less than $1 a day.
•   One in every two people in Pakistan cannot read or write, and among women, this figure is even lower.
•   Children aged under 18 make up nearly half of Pakistan’s population.1 One in every three is malnourished, and deep poverty forces many into work to support their family.
•   Children are often exposed to dangerous working conditions, violence and abuse. Work and poverty also has an impact on their education: in rural areas as few as one in every five girls gets the chance to complete primary school, and less than half of all boys get an education.
•   Pakistan has one of the highest childhood mortality rates in the world. Pneumonia, tuberculosis and malaria are the biggest killers. Millions of children are not immunized against common diseases and less than a quarter of all mothers have access to professional healthcare during labor.
•   Pakistan is prone to natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, landslides and droughts.

These have the greatest impact on the poorest, most marginalized communities and leave children particularly vulnerable to harm.

For More Information, see www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/docs/pakistan-country-brief.pdf

For Fact Findings of Deprivation of Human Rights in Pakistan, see
www.hrcp-web.org/fact_list.cfm

For Contemporary Forms of Slavery in Pakistan, see
www.hrw.org/reports/1995/Pakistan.htm

World AIDS Day

12/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

World AIDS Day was established by the World Health Organization in 1988. World AIDS Day is dedicated to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.

What Does "AIDS" Mean?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:

· Acquired means you can get infected with it.

· Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases.

· Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease.

AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make "antibodies" -- special molecules to fight HIV. A blood test for HIV looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." Being HIV-positive, or having the HIV disease, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections."

How Do You Get AIDS?
You don't actually "get" AIDS. You might get infected with HIV, and later you might develop AIDS. You can get infected with HIV from anyone who's infected, even if they don't look sick and even if they haven't tested HIV-positive yet. The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people. Most people get the HIV virus by:

· having sex with an infected person;

· sharing a needle with someone who's infected;

· being born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an infected woman.

Getting a transfusion of infected blood used to be a way people got AIDS, but now the blood supply is screened very carefully and the risk is extremely low.

There are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted by tears or saliva, but it is possible to be infected with HIV through oral sex or in rare cases through deep kissing, especially if you have open sores in your mouth or bleeding gums.

For more information, see www.thebody.com

HIV situation in Pakistan
Currently classified by WHO/UNAIDS as a high-risk country for the spread of HIV infection, Pakistan has recently witnessed changes in the epidemiological trends of the disease owing particularly to rapid rise in infection among injecting drug users. According to UNAIDS estimates, some 70,000 to 80,000 persons, or 0.1 percent of the adult population in Pakistan, are infected with HIV although cases reported to the National AIDS Control Programme are less. As in many countries, the numbers may be underreported -- mainly due to the social stigma attached to the infection, limited surveillance and voluntary counseling and testing systems, as well as the lack of knowledge among the general population and health practitioners.

Data analysis indicates that most infections occur between ages of 20-44 years, with men outnumbering females by a ratio 5:1. The trends are closely similar to other countries affected by HIV/AIDS.

By September 2003, sexual transmission accounted for the majority of reported cases (67.48%). Other modes of transmission included: infection through contaminated blood and blood products (6.99%); injecting drug abuse (0.82%); and mother to child transmission (3%). The mode of transmission remains unknown in 20% of reported cases most probably due to stigma and lack of awareness.

Estimates
Figures & Value

Estimated Number of HIV cases (Adults and children) 85,000

Adults (15-49 years) 84,000

Women (15-49) 14,000

Children:
Estimated number of deaths due to AIDS 3000

Estimated Number of AIDS orphans ----

Source UNAIDS Global AIDS Report 2006 Year 2005

For more Information, see www.youandaids.org

The Eleven Elements of Successful HIV and AIDS Prevention Programs:
Although every prevention program is unique, research reveals that successful programs have specific strategies and practices in common. This section of reviews the 11 elements of successful HIV prevention programs, explains the ideal continuum of prevention and treatment successful prevention programs can strive toward, and provides links to more information about HIV and AIDS prevention.

Effective HIV prevention programs are comprehensive and science-based. Following are the specific elements required for HIV prevention to work:

An effective community planning process
Epidemiological and behavioral surveillance; compilation of other health and demographic data relevant to HIV risks, incidence, or prevalence (Read more about HIV Surveillance and Data Management)
HIV counseling, testing, and referral, and partner counseling and referral, with strong linkages to medical care, treatment, and prevention services (Read more about HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral)
Health education and risk reduction activities, including individual-, group-, and community-level interventions (Read more about HIV Education and Outreach)
Accessible diagnosis and treatment of other STDs (Read more about HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral)
Public information and education programs
Comprehensive school health programs (Read more about HIV Education and Outreach)
Training and quality assurance
HIV prevention capacity-building activities
An HIV prevention technical assistance assessment and plan
Evaluation of major program activities, interventions, and services
Government Policy Measures - An effective response requires strategic planning based on good quality science and surveillance, as well as consideration of local society and culture. All sectors of the population should be actively involved in the response, including employers, religious groups, non-governmental organizations and HIV-positive people. Many of the world's most successful HIV prevention efforts have been led by the affected communities themselves.

For more information, see www.aidspnac.org and www.avert.org

Child Abuse Day 2009

11/19/2009 12:00:00 AM

The Beginning
The Women’s World Summit Foundation, an NGO coalition of women and children organizations, launched in 2001 an international coalition to call attention and mark the World Day with events and activities to mobilize and educate governments and societies to take action to prevent child abuse. APA, through the International Office, has joined the coalition and has also marked the day, November 19th, as the International Day for Prevention of Child Abuse.

What is child maltreatment?
It is an adult’s action or failure to take action that results in the physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and medical neglect of a child or presents a risk to seriously harm a child.

Emotional abuse is one of the most common and harmful forms of child maltreatment and can have a lifelong impact -- affecting children’s ability to feel safe and loved, the way they relate to others, and their self-esteem. It includes:

· Making fun of a child

· Name calling

· Always finding fault

· Using harsh words to criticize behaviors

· Using fear to control behavior

Why Child Maltreatment Happens
There are many reasons and factors that make adults maltreat children. Can be parents being totally unaware of the magnitude of force they use while striking a child. Or is the lack of knowledge about alternative positive discipline methods resulting in frequent use of inappropriate and harsh discipline such as physical punishment. Contributing factors of child abuse include:

· The parent was abused as a child and is continuing the cycle

· Lack of parenting skills

· Unrealistic expectations about children's behavior and capabilities

· Difficulty to control and manage anger feelings and stress

· Frequent family crises

· Drug or alcohol abuse

We know that parents want the best for their children and don’t want to hurt them. But some end up maltreating their children out of frustration due to a lack of knowledge about what children are capable of doing and understanding at different ages; also some lack skills and strategies to discipline and respond to the children’s difficult behaviors in age appropriate ways.

To stop the abuse and prevent its consequences on children’s lives, families need to become aware of how they’re treating their children. They also need to know how damaging their behavior is and the consequences for their children. Children who are exposed to violence early in life are more likely to become abusers later, have health problems, be depressed, have low self esteem, and fail in the school. Parents who maltreat their children may need help from an outside source, such as a parenting education program, a psychologist or some other type of mental health counselor or a member of the clergy.

Prevention of Child maltreatment
Decades of research have shown that effective parenting is the most powerful way to prevent behavior problems in the adolescence years. We also know that the early years are a critical period in a child's life when children learn basic interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and self-control. It is a good time for families to learn how to teach children positive behavior and the skills needed to get along with others. Teach children to control and express anger and to resolve conflicts in non violent ways. Children learn by imitation and observation and one of the primary ways of teaching young children is for adults to teach by example. Thus, adults need to learn how to control and express their own anger in nonviolent ways so their actions show young children how to behave.

For more information log on to: www.actagainstviolence.org

Communication Strategies
The World Day serves as a focal point for many governmental and nongovernmental bodies, institutions, organisations and networks, educators, experts, professionals and parents to rally a collective stand for zero tolerance of abuse and violence against children. Together, these collaborators focus on preventing child abuse, as enshrined in the third recommendation of the "World Report on Violence against Children", which is to "Prioritize Prevention". This effort revolves around non-governmental organisation (NGO) networking - joining together the efforts of those working for the dignity and rights of children. Each year, they organise regional and national activities to create a platform for information sharing and awareness raising about effective prevention and rehabilitation programmes and activities in communities. The goal is to empower organisations and the media to take responsibility for the problem of child abuse by teaching protective skills and by exposing them to local experts and those providing alternative opportunities for children in vulnerable situations. A further focus is on protective filters and guidelines for use of the internet.

Each year, the events are many and varied; further information about them is available on the WWSF website. In 2001, for instance, a public demonstration took place in front of the United Nations building; a reunion at the Temple de la Fusterie in centre city Geneva was held. Each year, there are also a number of local events designed to unite those committed to working to eliminate the problem of child abuse. WWSF's strategy in overseeing the events includes:

involving local interventions that catalyse change (i.e. drama, dance, music, puppets, drums, storytelling, dialogue circles, etc.)
declaring community ownership and responsibility for local events in all aspects (including financing, administration, training, etc.)
strengthening local moral values and allowing children to be involved in programmes where appropriate
assimilating new information and prevention programmes without jeopardising local values and language
identifying other organisations and religious groups that will take on prevention of child abuse and rehabilitation programs.

Get more ideas at: http://www.comminit.com

Situation in Pakistan
The overall personal interests of adults dominate their children’s interests and welfare. Population of Pakistan is 160 million, of which children aged 5-14 years form about 40 million of the child population. 80% of people live in rural areas and a large majority of them in such remote lands where there is no transport system, no hospitals, no schools, especially for girls. There is no proper sanitation system. So the overwhelming problem of neglect is obvious and understandable. Most of the times a child cannot be treated properly and is shown anywhere to ease the conscience (though temporarily) maybe even to the lucky and rich nearest quack. So haste goes waste. The same child is brought later with mismanaged disease and expected sequelae for the poor doctor to handle. Is this not neglect, maybe not by the poor ignorant parents, but by the authorities and the conditions that the majority of people live in?

Long-term problems, e.g. rheumatic fever, first of all why should they still exist and be so common? No adequate measures are taken on prevention of disease. Patient compliance is lost for reasons well understood. Child with diabetes: I have seen in my hospital a child patient begging for insulin in the
hospital corridors, parents nowhere to be seen; deliberate and undeniable lack of taking responsibility by the parents and authorities. So many precious lives are lost because the problems cannot be coped with.
Mental and emotional abuse is not even recognized or even if it is, it is not voiced by a society more bothered about other mundane problems of life. Sexual abuse is not projected because of the stigma, especially in a female who will be permanently rejected by the society and even by her own kith and kin.

Moreover it has been projected as on the rise, from the few research reports published in Pakistan in this connection. Child beggars, among other so-called ‘Street Children’ … children are made to beg by organized groups. Even in a society where females are supposed to be conservative, grown up females are seen on the streets begging. Obviously and evil consequences of sexual abuse are well understood by their elders.

These groups dislike counseling of job offers or advice about education. Child labor is very common, with the estimated number of working children (ages 5 – 14 years) being 3.3 million. 3 Small children are employed in factories, shops and fieldwork. Females often work in fields and as domestic helps. They are
at risk of sexual abuse more often than young boys. Child trafficking is a well known fact. Girls are often married / sold off, while young, for money in some of the tribal areas. Child trafficking is a frequent phenomenon in the countries of Southeast Asia, with Pakistan contributing over 300,000 children to both internal trafficking and cross border trafficking to and from Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. Over 19,000 boy jockeys aged 2 – 11 years have been trafficked to the Middle East from Pakistan as estimated in November 2004. In western countries, predominant contributory factors to child abuse seem to be overwork, single parent child, parental discord or a child perhaps different from others. In our society, it
is large family size, lack of education, poverty, improper health system, and dangerous factors like
quackery and an overall disorganized system. There are very few shelter homes, orphanages which take care of small minority of homeless children but they cannot give them individual care and guidance.
As the problem is a vast one in a society where so many other factors are a priority, no real statistics are available as yet.

We have to open our eyes to the fact that child abuse in all its forms is unfortunately overwhelmingly greater than the mind can accept! Compulsory school education of all children is a crucial step to check this problem. Law enforcement is a must to stop child labor. Beggar organizations have to be eradicated.

Children in Pakistan are increasingly exposed to abuse, kidnapping and violence, according to a new report by a human rights organisation. The number of reported cases involving children has more than doubled from 617 in 2006 to 1,595 last year, it says.

Poor law enforcement and old social attitudes towards children's rights are some of the reasons to blame, it adds.

Pakistan remains a major conduit for the trafficking of children from South Asia to the Middle East and Europe.

Not enforced
"Children, like women, continue to be vulnerable because they are considered personal property in our feudal-minded society," says Zia Awan, chief of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA).

The organisation monitors and compiles cases of child abuse and kidnapping with funding from the UK-based NGO, Save the Children.

Mr Awan says a major reason for the increase in the incidents of child abuse is the fact that the issue does not figure on the agenda of the law enforcers.

"There are laws to deal with this problem, but they are not enforced. This encourages the perpetrators of these crimes."

The actual number of incidents of violence against children may run into several thousand each year, he says.

The figures in the LHRLA report are based on newspaper reports which, in turn, originate from police reports, he says.

"These are only the tip of the iceberg. More than 80% of the cases go unreported," he says.

Because of official apathy, parents of kidnapped children prefer to bargain with the kidnappers instead of going to the police.

Also, reporting child sexual abuse to the police remains a taboo in large parts of the country.

Read it in detail at: http://news.bbc.co.uk

Sexual abuse includes any kind of inappropriate exposure to sexual content, physical, visual or verbal abuse. Abuse is not just physical and can be emotional as well.

Stay tuned to Aware89, Friday 2:00pm to 3:00pm for Child Abuse Day

Coutesy Aahung

What is Aahung?
Aahung is a Karachi based non-profit organization working on improving the sexual and reproductive health of men, women and young people since 1995. To achieve this aim, Aahung engages in awareness raising, capacity building, resource development, research and advocacy.Work around child sexual abuse includes sensitization sessions with teachers and parents at schools, developing resource materials and tools such as flashcards toolkit and instructional video, developing a network of sensitized mental health professionals for referral purposes and developing a strategy for a mass awareness campaign.

Aims and Objectives
Support people without prejudice, as individuals with their own needs, constructs and experiences;
Enable individuals to develop skills to become self-reliant and overcome the challenges required to exercise their sexual rights; Maintain the highest standards of professional integrity, quality and effectiveness of programmes, through continuous self improvement; Build purposeful partnerships through sharing knowledge and experience and respecting one and others needs; Respect confidentiality and privacy of all individuals; Believe that every individual has the right to exercise control and enjoy their own sexuality in accordance with their own personal ethics; Committed to ensuring adherence to the legal framework

Aahung
Sasi Homes, G-18/6, Block 8, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
Telephone:(021) 587-0244 & (021) 586-7373
Fax: (021) 582-1645

Email: info@aahung.org
URL: www.aahung.org

Aahung’s toll free number which is especially for victims of CSA is 0800-80- CSA (272)

Konpal
KONPAL Child Abuse Prevention Society is an NGO working against all form of child abuse. It comprises child rights activists who share the common vision of a society free of child abuse, with zero tolerance against child sexual abuse and commercial sexual exploitation, involvement of children in hazardous occupation, armed conflicts and violence. The members are professionals from different fields who are concerned with therising incidence of abuse against children. The group is fighting for the rights of children and against all forms of abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation of children.

Go to their website at:http://www.konpal.org/

You can also get more detailed informationf rom the following links:
http://www.nichd.nih.gov
http://www.nation.com.pk
http://www.apa.org

World Diabetes Day 2009

11/7/2009 12:00:00 AM

Key messages 2009
Understand Diabetes and Take Control
Diabetes currently affects more than 250 million people worldwide. A further 300 million are at high risk of developing diabetes. The International Diabetes Federation predicts that by 2025, over 380 million people will live with diabetes worldwide. Over the past 30 years the global figures for the number of people living with diabetes have skyrocketed, with severe consequences for healthcare budgets worldwide. Diabetes is one of several non-communicable diseases that threaten to overwhelm healthcare systems and are emerging as a serious barrier to economic development.

The World Diabetes Day campaign's key messages are:
•Know the diabetes risks and know the warning signs
•Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to
•Know how to manage diabetes and take control

Did you know?
•Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes.
•Every 10 seconds two people develop diabetes.
•Each year a further 7 million people develop diabetes
•Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of global death by disease.
•Each year 3.8 million deaths are attributable to diabetes
•All diabetes is on the rise
•Diabetes affects people of all ages
•Care for people with diabetes is best when a multidisciplinary approach is adopted involving health professionals from all areas
•Access to appropriate medication and care should be a right not a privilege
•Diabetes costs more than money
•Over 50% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented
•Diabetes brings different challenges at different ages
•Diabetes hits the poorest hardest.

The World Diabetes Day campaign 2009-2013 aims to:
•Encourage governments to implement and strengthen policies for the prevention and control of diabetes and its complications.
•Disseminate tools to support national and local initiatives for the prevention and management of diabetes and its complications.
•Illustrate the importance of evidence-based education in the prevention and management of diabetes and its complications.
•Raise awareness of the warning signs of diabetes and promote action to encourage early diagnosis.
•Raise awareness of and promote action to reduce the main modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
•Raise awareness and promote action to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes.

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic, potentially debilitating and often fatal disease. The disease occurs as a result of problems with the production and supply of insulin in the body. Either the body produces no or insufficient insulin (type 1 diabetes), or the body cannot use the insulin it produces effectively (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps ‘sugar’ (glucose) to leave the blood and enter the cells of the body to be used as ‘fuel’.

Two types of diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called insulin-dependent, immune-mediated or juvenile-onset diabetes. It is caused by an auto-immune reaction where the body’s defence system attacks the insulin-producing cells. The reason why this occurs is not fully understood. People with type 1 diabetes produce very little or no insulin. The disease can affect people of any age, but usually occurs in children or young adults. People with this form of diabetes need injections of insulin every day in order to control the levels of glucose in their blood. If people with type 1 diabetes do not have access to insulin, they die.

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes called non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes do not usually require injections of insulin. Usually, they can control the glucose in their blood by watching their diet, taking regular exercise, oral medication, and possibly insulin. Type 2 diabetes is most common in people older than 45 who are overweight. However, as a consequence of increased obesity among the young, it is becoming more common in children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes.

If people with type 2 diabetes are not diagnosed and treated, they can develop serious complications, which can result in an early death. Worldwide, many millions of people have type 2 diabetes without even knowing it. Others do not have access to adequate medical care. The onset of type 2 diabetes is also linked to genetic factors but obesity, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet increase the risks. Some women develop a third, usually temporary, type of diabetes called ‘gestational diabetes’ when they are pregnant. Gestational diabetes develops in 2-5% of all pregnancies, but usually disappears when the pregnancy is over. Women who have had gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT)
People with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) have glucose levels that are above normal but below the level at which diabetes is diagnosed. People with IGT have a significant risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They are thus an important target group for primary prevention. Changes in lifestyle, including diet and physical activity can greatly reduce the onset of diabetes.

Recognizing diabetes
The onset of type 1 diabetes is often sudden and dramatic and can include symptoms such as:

Abnormal thirst and a dry mouth
Frequent urination
Extreme tiredness/lack of energy
Constant hunger
Sudden weight loss
Slow-healing wounds
Recurrent infections
Blurred vision

The same symptoms that are listed above can also affect people with type 2 diabetes, but usually the symptoms are less obvious. The onset of type 2 diabetes is gradual and therefore hard to detect. Indeed, some people with type 2 diabetes show no obvious symptoms early on. These people are often diagnosed several years later, when various complications are already present.

Life-threatening complications
Without proper insulin production and action, glucose remains in the blood, leading to chronic hyperglycaemia (raised blood sugar). This can result in short and long-term complications, many of which, if not prevented and left untreated, can be fatal. All have the potential to reduce the quality of life of people with diabetes and their families. The most common long-term complications are: Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), which may result in total kidney failure and in the need for dialysis or kidney transplant.

Diabetic eye disease (retinopathy and macular oedema), damage to the retina of the eye which can lead to vision loss. Diabetic neuropathy (nerve disease), which can ultimately lead to ulceration and amputation of the feet and lower limbs. Cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and blood vessels and may cause fatal complications such as coronary heart disease (leading to a heart attack) and stroke. Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death by disease globally. Every year, 3.8 million people die from diabetes-related causes.

10 Misconceptions about Diabetes
1. Diabetes is not a killer disease – False!
In fact, diabetes is a global killer, rivalling HIV/AIDS in its deadly reach. The disease kills some 3.8 million people a year. Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes.

2. Diabetes only affects rich countries – False!
Diabetes hits all populations, regardless of income. It is becoming increasingly common. More than 240 million people worldwide now have diabetes. This will grow to more than 380 million by 2025. In many countries in Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and the Caribbean, diabetes affects 12-20% of the population. In 2025, 80% of all cases of diabetes will be in low and middle-income countries.

3. Diabetes is heavily funded globally – False!
Offi cial Overseas Development Aid to the health sector in 2002 reached USD 2.9 billion, of which a mere 0.1% went to fund ALL non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs). Most of the USD 2.9 billion went to support HIV/AIDS. Despite diabetes having a deadly global impact comparable to HIV/AIDS, it had to share the tiny 0.1% of the total NCD funding. In addition, the World Bank gave USD 4.2 billion in loans for health, population and nutrition between 1997 and 2002. Only 2.5% of the USD 4.2 billion went to chronic diseases.

4. Diabetes care is not costly – False!
Diabetes care is costly and has the potential to cripple any healthcare system. The economic opportunities that the United Nations wants to create for developing countries through the Millennium Development Goals will be greatly undermined by the economic impact of diabetes in low- and middle-income countries.

5. Diabetes only affects old people – False!
In reality, diabetes affects all age groups. Currently, an estimated 246 million people between the ages of 20 and 79 will have diabetes. In developing countries diabetes affects at least 80 million people between ages 40-59.

6. Diabetes predominantly affects men – False!
In fact, diabetes is rising in both men and women, and affects slightly more women than men. It is also increasing dramatically among youth and threatening to decimate indigenous populations.

7. Diabetes is the result of unhealthy “lifestyles” – False!
The reality is that the poor and children have limited choices when it comes to living conditions, diet and education.

8. Diabetes cannot be prevented – False!
While it is true that type 1 diabetes is not preventable, up to 80% of type 2 diabetes is preventable by a healthy diet, increasing physical activity and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

9. Diabetes prevention is too expensive – False!
Many inexpensive and cost-effective interventions exist. Proven strategies for improving the living environment, changing diet and increasing physical activity can reverse the pandemic.

10. We all have to die of something – True but. . .
Death is of course inevitable but it does not need to be slow, painful or premature. Diabetes causes 3.8 million deaths globally. With awareness, prevention and appropriate care, many of these deaths can be prevented.

References
The idea for ‘10 misconceptions about diabetes’ is based on the World Health Organization’s
global report: ‘Preventing chronic diseases: a vital investment’, which presents 10 common
misunderstandings about chronic diseases. The data comes from various sources, including:
Roglic G et al: The Burden of Mortality Attributable to Diabetes: Realistic estimates for the
year 2000. Diabetes Care 28: 2130-2135. The Diabetes Atlas 3rd Edition, International Diabetes
Federation, 2006. Yach D et al: The global burden of chronic diseases. JAMA 2004).

The Economics of Diabetes: Human and Social Effects
The global diabetes epidemic has devastating personal and social effects, far greater than most people imagine. Surprisingly, the highest costs of diabetes are not the hundreds of billions spent on complications that could have been prevented, although these expenditures are large, but the suffering imposed on families (death, disability and economic stress) and the resulting large annual losses in economic growth that harm everyone. Diabetes harms all people in society, not just those who live with diabetes.

From an economic point of view, these effects are tragic because proven, low-cost treatments are available to prevent most of them. Even in the poorest countries, many of these treatments would actually save medical care expenditures.

Death and disability
Diabetes is expected to cause 3.8 million deaths worldwide in 2007, roughly 6% of total world mortality, about the same as HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. Using World Health Organization (WHO) fi gures on years of life lost per person dying of diabetes, this translates into more than 25 million years of lost life each year.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that the equivalent of an additional 23 million years of life are lost each year to the disability and reduced quality of life caused by diabetes complications.

Losses to mortality and disability are particularly high in poor and middle-income countries, where people with diabetes are unlikely to get the treatments that are proven to prevent the disease’s killing and disabling complications. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa mortality from diabetes is four times higher than the world average. In these locations, children with type 1 diabetes often die because governments do not ensure that insulin is available and affordable. Instead, many governments tax insulin at their borders, and prevent low-cost generic insulin from being sold. A recent comparison of three otherwise similar African countries showed the consequences. In Zambia, which has a program for insulin management, a person requiring insulin for survival can expect to live an average of 11 years. In Mali, the same person can expect to live for only 30 months, while in Mozambique that person will be dead within a year.

Needless deaths in children are tragic and affecting. Statistically, however, diabetes causes nearly all its death and disability in adults. As a result, many children’s lives are adversely affected by a diabetes-related death or disability in the family. This can mean that children must abandon education to supplement the household income or help care for an ailing relative. The economic impact of diabetes on the family can leave no money to pay for children’s medicine and schooling.

Better treatment can save money everywhere
The costly and fatal effects of diabetes arise largely from its complications, especially heart disease, stroke, amputation and kidney failure. These can be prevented or long-delayed by inexpensive, off-patent pills to control blood sugar, blood pressure, and bad cholesterol (which together reduce risks by more than half); by low-dose aspirin to reduce heart disease risk by 20 25 percent; by stopping smoking (the most important ‘treatment’ of all), and by adopting a healthy diet and exercise. The most effective way to prevent diabetes is by losing weight and getting exercise, but some pills also delay diabetes.

In 2006, the World Bank systematically assessed the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of diabetes interventions in developing countries. They identifi ed 14 life-saving treatments that would be cost-effective in every developing region of the world, including four that would actually save money for everyone. The four cost-saving treatments are simple, minimal control of high blood sugar and high blood pressure, foot care in people at high risk of ulcers, and preconception care for women with diabetes. Subsequent research would add a daily aspirin and possibly a daily statin drug to this list. These diabetes treatments are not only inexpensive and cost-saving, they are straightforward to distribute and easy for patients to take. Side-effects are rare at proposed dosages. Regular monitoring is not essential. The pills are almost too inexpensive to be worth the risk of counterfeiting. And treatments like these fl ow easily through a country’s existing, locally governed healthcare infrastructure, strengthening the core institutions on which every nation’s health ultimately depends.

Tragically, most of the cost-saving treatments recommended by the World Bank are rarely used outside the industrialized world, despite saving medical care costs. A major reason is that most of the health budgets of the poorest countries come from outside donors. These donors focus almost all their resources on infectious disease and diseases affecting children. However, because illness is the most important cause of destitution in the developing world, the death, disability and poverty of parents and grandparents resulting from diabetes and cardiovascular disease can have a devastating impact upon dependent children and grandchildren.

For any more information you can log on to www.worlddiabetesday.org or www.who.int

World Teachers Day

10/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

What is World Teachers Day?
On October 5 each year, teachers’ organizations worldwide mobilize to ensure that the needs of future generations are taken into consideration.

UNESCO inaugurated October 5 as World Teachers’ Day in 1993. This day represents the appreciation displayed for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development. Since 2000, the international community has made solid progress towards Education for all. Enrolment rates have increased dramatically. However, UNESCO estimates that 18 million more teachers are needed worldwide if universal primary education is to be achieved by 2015.

October 5 is World Teachers’ Day, a day set aside by the world community to celebrate teachers and the central role they play in nurturing and guiding infants, children, youth and adults through the life-long learning process.

Read more about world teachers day at: http://www.ei-ie.org

Importance of teachers
The shortage of qualified teachers is considered one of the biggest obstacles. Accordingly, this year’s activities are focused on professional training for quality education. Teachers’ unions around the world are calling on public authorities to develop and provide adequate training programs - because teachers matter!

Every day, in millions of classrooms around the world, the universal endeavor of teaching and learning takes place. The gift of literacy is passed from one generation to the next, along with love of learning and thirst for knowledge. When knowledge is shared, skills are gained and lives can be changed. If in these early stages of development of a child, the teacher is not fully equipped to tackle the challenges, the student’s upbringing or training suffers drastically.

Therefore it has been recognized globally that ‘Teachers Matter’ and this motto has become the slogan for World Teachers Day 2008. Because it is the teachers in the students life throughout the various stages that help in developing them into able human beings who become thinkers or visionaries.

Click here to read more: http://www.trb.tas.gov.au/wtd.htm

Some ways to celebrate World Teachers Day
For those of you looking for a little creative inspiration on teacher appreciation and how to celebrate World Teachers' Day, school-wide or in the classroom, listed here are a few ways that people in the past have celebrated:
• An essay competition can be organized in all the local schools with the topic focusing on the teachers or the work teachers do.
• Send appreciation cards to your teachers.
• In some countries students organize concerts for their teachers. These can not be regular concerts though. They are classical concerts or students can invite those artists which the teachers really like.
• Students can create a work of art for their teachers as a token of appreciation.

Get a whole list of ideas from: http://www.teacher-appreciation.info

Lack of motivation in Teachers in Pakistan
There are many complaints about Pakistan's primary schools and the lack of quality education found in them. One of the main concerns is the lack of proper teaching and teacher motivation. This problem has and continues to lead to the erosion of standards in the nation's schools.

There are five reasons primary school teachers in Pakistan lack motivation.

• The first is an inadequate salary. In Pakistan, primary school teachers are not paid up to international standards. It is very difficult for most teachers to stay motivated if they are continuously under pressure from financial problems. Good pay is one incentive to encourage employees in any profession to work harder and in a more dedicated and enthusiastic manner. Financial security helps them concentrate on their jobs without worrying about how to make ends meet every month. Because many primary school teachers in Pakistan are forced to take on extra jobs to supplement their incomes, they are often absent from the classroom.

• Second, unlike medicine and engineering, teaching as a profession does not garner the status and respect the former two vocations do. In fact, the status of teachers, particularly male teachers, has suffered so severely that men who are part of Pakistan's "educated unemployed" (individuals with high qualifications but who remain unemployed) become teachers only as a last resort. Even in this case though, teaching is seen as a temporary job that will be left once a better opportunity comes along.

• Third, the horrible working conditions many teachers must endure further lessen their motivation. They discourage possible candidates from becoming teachers and often lead to incumbent teachers leaving the profession.

• Fourth, there is little opportunity for career advancement in the teaching profession in Pakistan, especially for primary school teachers. The only one available to most teachers is to move into secondary school teaching. This however, has negative effects on the primary school system, since it is often the most motivated teachers who leave teaching primary school for secondary school.

• Finally, there is virtually no system of accountability for teachers. Teachers are often accountable to Pakistan's education department which is far from their teaching milieu. This means they can get away with absenteeism. There is no local authority to ensure that teachers attend classes and teach their students. Head teachers have little authority to censure teachers who do not turn up for work. Even parents have no way to endure proper teaching.

In practical terms, a teacher's poor motivation translates into absenteeism, indifferent classroom practices and teachers leaving the profession. This high turnover in the profession is especially damaging for the whole system because the government's investment in teacher training is lost and replacing and training teachers who have left is another expense incurred.

These issues will only come to light when students will start helping the teachers and giving them the respect that they deserve. When the government starts to give proper rights to the teachers, more people can enroll into the program and the current existing teaching force will feel motivated and challenged.

Read the detailed article at: http://www.yespakistan.com

World Animal Week

10/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

What is World Animal Week?
World Animal Week has become a globally recognized calendar event that unites the world in its celebration of animals and helps raise the standard of animal welfare and happiness worldwide.

The Week, from October 4-10 every year, is your chance to help make the world a safer, more compassionate place for all animals. There is no limit to what you can do for World Animal Week, the important thing is to take part – and make a noise! World Animal Week 2009 promises to be the biggest and best yet, so start thinking about how you can have your voice heard for animals worldwide.

Read more at: http://www.worldanimalweek.net/

World Society for the Protection of Animals: WSPA
WSPA has been promoting animal welfare for more than 25 years. Their work is concentrated in regions of the world where few, if any, measures exist to protect animals.
WSPA’s work is focused on four priority animal welfare areas:

• Companion animals – responsible pet ownership, humane stray management and cruelty prevention.
• Commercial exploitation of wildlife – intensive farming and the cruel management and killing of wild animals for food or by-products.
• Farm animals – intensive farming, long distance transport and slaughter of animals for food.
• Disaster management – providing care to animals suffering as a result of man-made or natural disasters, and thereby protecting people’s livelihoods.

With consultative status at the United Nations and the Council of Europe, WSPA is the world's largest alliance of animal welfare societies. WSPA brings together people and organizations throughout the world to challenge global animal welfare issues. Although the headquarters are located in UK, WSPA has 13 offices world wide in almost all the continents and major countries including one in Asia in Thailand which covers the Asia region. But with more funding and a growing concern from the people of a country, they are willing to direct their actions to that area as well.

Politically, they have campaigned to convince governments and key decision makers to change practices and introduce new laws to protect or improve the welfare of animals.

With generous donations across the globe, WSPA has helped people set up new animal welfare groups, enabling local communities globally to help drive improvements in animal welfare. Understanding that human ignorance is a major factor in the continuation of animal cruelty, WSPA’s education programs facilitate a positive change in people’s attitudes towards animals.

Get more info on WSPA from their official site: http://www.wspa.org.uk

Extinct and Endangered Species in Pakistan
Though little data is available, there is little reason to believe that Pakistan's biota is exempt from this rapid decline. Within the last 400 years, at least four mammals are known to have disappeared from Pakistan:
• The tiger (Panthera tigris),
• Swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli),
• Lion (Panthera leo)
• Indian one-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).

A further four species are also extinct:
• The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus),
• The Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur)
• The Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu)
• The fourth species, the blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra) was listed as an extinct species but has been bred in captivity.

The following list includes all mammals which occur in Pakistan and are rated as Critically Endangered or Vulnerable

Endangered:
Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Hotson's Mouse-like Hamster (Calomyscus hotsoni)
Indus River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor)
Markhor (Capra falconeri)
Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia)
Woolly Flying Squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus)

Vulnerable:
Argali (Ovis ammon)
Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus)
Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra)
Dugong (Dugong dugon)
Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra)
Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
Geoffroy's Bat (Myotis emarginatus)
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)
Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus euryale)
Mouflon (or Urial) (Ovis orientalis)
Sind Bat (Eptesicus nasutus)
Smooth-coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata)
Wild Goat (Capra aegagrus)

Pakistan Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is an NGO which works towards animal rights and brings to light issues such as animal cruelty or animal control to the general public as well as the government. Sadly, like any other NGO in this country, they rely heavily on public support, which is almost scarce, and funding to keep up with their operations.

WSPA has extended it’s help to the animals of Pakistan by stepping up efforts to eliminate Bear Baiting which is a cruel sport practiced in rural areas of Pakistan. Bear Baiting is a deadly sport where a bear that has been kept in captivity under pathetic conditions is forced to fight 2 or 3 wild dogs specially trained for these fights. More than 80% of such fights have been stopped with only a handful of them remaining in some of the rural areas of Pakistan.

WWF Pakistan is another such organization which has been actively involved in the past and is the only leading NGO that focuses on Wildlife in Pakistan.

Also please go to http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/Organizations/organizations.htm
to get a detailed list of all the NGOs involved in making life better for the animals of Pakistan and support their programs in any way you can.

World Smile Day

10/3/2009 12:00:00 AM

What is World Smile Day?
As is well known by now throughout the world that Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts created the smiley face in 1963. That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the planet.

As the years passed Harvey Ball became concerned about the over-commercialization of his symbol, and how its original meaning and intent had become lost in the constant repetition of the marketplace. Out of that concern came his idea for World Smile Day. He thought that we, all of us, should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout that world. The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion. Harvey’s idea was that for at least one day each year, neither should we. He declared that the first Friday in October each year would henceforth be World Smile Day.

Read more about the artists and world smile day at: http://www.worldsmileday.com/

Theme for World Smile Day 2009: Do an act of Kindness, Help one person smile
The basic theme of World Smile Day is to put a smile on someone’s face. And what better way to do it than to do something for your friends, your family or your neighborhood. People across the globe will be thinking about the various things they can do for others and thus put a smile on their faces. Through this they can spread the message of caring and responsibility. Kids and adults alike can take part in this sort of activity and do their respective parts in their place of work or school/college. The smallest act of kindness directed towards someone you know can put a smile on their face and although it might not be something very significant, but it will definitely go a long way in promoting kindness in the society we live in.

Learn more from: http://www.holidayinsights.com

What to do?
Although many countries worldwide have different activities taking place around the world we can arrange small activities in our neighborhood or community.

• Schools can have a poster making or drawing competition.
• Look for people in you neighborhood who might need help or assistance and help them out.
• TV channels can hold special outdoor programs or invite guests who can tell their stories about how they can help people
• Organize small competitions and donate the collected money to charity
• Organize a mela in your locality and have fun activities for the whole family
• Send your loved ones or friends who are far away a ‘Smiley Greeting’ letting them know that you remember them and also making them aware of world smile day and it’s importance.
• Distribute smiley badges to people in your neighborhood to spread awareness about world smile day.

These are just some of the most basic types of activities that one can do. You can also create any new activity of your choice that may involve people interacting with one another and having fun.

Log on to http://www.design21sdn.com for more details.

Some Facts
Although we know that World Smile Day focuses on people spreading kindness and doing good for others, but smiling is also good for health. Here are a few facts:

• A smile is a universal expression of happiness and recognized as such by all cultures
• A smile is the most frequently used facial expression It takes as few as five pairs of facial muscles and as many as all 53 to smile
• Regardless of the precise number of muscles used, smiling causes far fewer muscles to contract and expand than frowning
• Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better
• Even ‘faking’ a smile can lead to feeling happier
• People are born with the ability to smile (They don’t copy the expression, even babies who are born blind, smile)
• A newborn shows a preference for a smiling face over a non-smiling face
• Women smile more than men
• There are 18 different kinds of smile used in a variety of social situations
• A smiling person is judged to be more pleasant, attractive, sincere, sociable, and competent than a non-smiling person

Get more facts from: http://www.scribd.com

International Day of Peace

9/21/2009 12:00:00 AM

What is Peace Day?
The United Nations' International Day of Peace - marked every year on September 21 - is a global holiday when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace. Established by U.N. resolution in 1982, "Peace Day" has grown to include millions of people around the world who participate in all kinds of events, large and small.

In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace. By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal.

Read full description at: http://www.un.org

Importance of Peace Day
Since its inception, Peace Day has marked our personal and planetary progress toward peace. It has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.

Anyone anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact of millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

More info at: http://www.worldpeace.org

Make your Peace Day
Each year, events take place all around the world for the International Day of Peace. Every Peace Day event provides an opportunity to inspire individuals and empower communities to celebrate victories for peace that have been won throughout the year, and to rededicate our commitment to work for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world all year long.

A Peace Day event can be as simple as lighting a candle or meditate on Peace on September 21. It can be as complex as organizing a Peace Concert for thousands of people. In between, there is a whole scale of events on different levels that might fit your family, group, class, or community.

• Write a poem for peace – publish in a newspaper, magazine, website or other media
• Organize an art exhibition on the theme of peace
• Book Club for peace – discuss books on the subject of peace
• Drawing/Writing competition for peace
• Organize a multi-cultural event, with performers from different countries
• Photography competition on peace theme – winners are published in newspaper or magazine
• Donate part of the proceeds from your production to a peace organization or project
• Create a short film about peace and submit it to any of your local TV channels that might air it.
• Write an article for your local newspaper about Peace Day or peace building in general
• Encourage your local media to cover stories about Peace Day and to report from different events
• Post a peace video on YouTube
• Blog about Peace Day
• Report on Peace Day events and peace building activities worldwide
• Do a "Peace Day Special" on your radio show/TV show
• Comedy for peace: organize a Stand-up for International Peace show
• Organize a concert for peace
• Write letters to your local officials, asking them to support International Day of Peace
• Visit councils, embassies and other agencies, and deliver petitions (and gifts), urging them to support International Day of Peace
• If you are a local official, endorse International Day of Peace in your community
• Encourage a minute of silence at noon at home or at your place of work.
• In schools small children can draw pictures of themselves, saying what makes them feel peaceful or talk about how to act peacefully towards each other
• Organize a puppet show about peace for the children
• Do a role play on peace
• Write peace statements on pieces of paper and turn them into objects of art
• Create peace posters
• Make origami peace doves, write notes about peace on them and display
• Build a peace wall with statements/art about peace
• Organize a Peace Day event on campus
• Organize a “Campus Clean-Up” on Peace Day
• Organize seminars and lectures about peace building in your community/organization, include discussions and work groups
• Organize a "Game for Peace", it can be any sport
• Organize a game where everybody, regardless of talent, are invited to participate

Get several different ideas from these sites: http://internationaldayofpeace.org
http://www.countmeincalendar.info

Why is Peace important?
Peace is a common desire for people throughout the world. The establishment of the United Nations in 1945, at the end of the most devastating war in human history, was an embodiment of this universal desire. Keeping peace and developing friendly relations among nations are among the main objectives of the United Nations. Although peace is commemorated by various organizations and groups on other dates, the International Day of Peace is the only official commemoration declared by the UN. In our country, violence and terrorism has marred the living standards of the people who continuously are affected by such violent acts which result in constant security concerns and mental stress. Similarly across the globe people living in countries that are on the brink of war or suffer from political disputes also desire peace. People actively celebrate this day in schools or in community centers as an effort to realize what basically every community wants; happiness, brotherhood and development. We as a team, as classmates, as family, as community and as a nation can also bring to light the importance of a peaceful lifestyle for a country’s progress. Let’s envision a world of peace and be the change.

Immunization Month

9/19/2009 12:00:00 AM

• Government of Pakistan has declared October as Immunization month. If your child is under 2 years of age get him or her immunized against measles and other diseases from your nearest health facility or vaccinator in your area. Remember! Your timely action can save your child from dangerous diseases.

• Immunization month is being celebrated to draw attention to the importance of immunization to protect women and children from 8 completely preventable diseases. It is critical to highlight the importance of immunization to ensure more and more women and children are protected from diseases that can be prevented and know where to go.

• Why draw attention to immunization? Because still too many women and children in Pakistan are suffering and dying from diseases that can be completely preventable from immunization. Immunization is safe, it’s effective, and it’s free!

• Pakistan’s immunization programme provides safe and effective vaccines against polio, measles, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), hepatitis B, tuberculosis, diphtheria and meningitis. All these diseases cause tremendous suffering and are life threatening but are preventable by vaccination.

• The goal of immunization month is to ensure that all parents understand the importance of immunization and highlight the need to ensure their children do not miss this free health service.

• It is critical that every child visits a health facility 6 times before their first birthday to ensure full protection against these killer childhood diseases. All women of child bearing age should also ensure that they are fully protected against tetanus – 5 injections of vaccine offers full protection.

• Ask for an immunization card. This is an important record to keep track of your child’s immunization. This is an important document for national identity registration and school enrollment. Keep it safe!

• It is absolutely safe to vaccinate the child soon after birth. This is the most important time for ensuring they remain healthy and strong.

• Children can usually get vaccinated even if they have a mild illness like a cold, earache, mild fever, or diarrhea.

• The child remains unsafe even if only one dose of vaccination is left. The child will not get fully immunized even if one dose is left for any vaccine.

• All vaccines are beneficial to children as they provide protection against deadly and disabling diseases.

• October is immunization month – inform others around you. All children under 2 years and pregnant women must be immunized from nearest health facility or vaccinator in the area.

• Is it necessary to vaccinate the child for routine immunization if they have been vaccinated in every polio campaign? Polio campaigns provide supplementary doses for children and not a substitute for routine immunization. All children should receive all the doses outlined in the routine immunization schedule which protects against 7 diseases, including polio.

• Is your child less than 2 years Old? Has he been vaccinated 6 times? Please visit the nearest Basic Health Unit, Rural Health Centre or Government Hospital for free vaccination – Remember your timely action can save your child from dangerous diseases.

• It is safe for the child to receive several vaccines at once. Studies show that kid's bodies - even infants - can handle many shots at once. Having several vaccines at once is safe, even for a newborn. Combination vaccines protect your child against more than one disease with a single shot.

• It is normal for children to have fever and pain after vaccination. Every year, millions of kids are safely vaccinated and almost all of them experience no significant side effects. However, the most commonly associated reactions to vaccines are mild to moderate that include:

o redness and swelling where the shot was given
o fever preceding to vaccination for 24 to 36 hours
o soreness at the site where the shot was given

World Humanitarian Day

8/19/2009 12:00:00 AM

What is World Humanitarian Day?
On 11th December 2008, the General Assembly of the United Nations designated 19th August as World Humanitarian Day to honor all humanitarian and the United Nations and associated personnel who have lost their lives in the cause of duty and those who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause. The Resolution invites all Member States, the United Nation system, within existing resources, as well as other international organizations and non-governmental organizations to observe the day annually in an appropriate manner. This is a major historic landmark for the Humanitarian Sphere and a great gain for all victims of armed conflict.

Importance of World Humanitarian Day
Humanitarian needs are growing faster than our ability to deal with them. Long-running and intractable conflicts are still exacting an unconscionable toll on civilians. Natural hazards are becoming increasingly severe and frequent. The international humanitarian community is facing new threats generated by the combined effects of global mega-trends: climate change, chronic poverty, the food and financial crises, water and energy scarcity, migration, population growth, urbanization, pandemics.

Apart from these, internal conflicts in developing countries and the effect of terrorism has also taken a drastic turn for the worst as the most effected countries are the developing nations.

For more information log on to: http://www.un.org

Humanitarian Assistance: Under Attack
The first World Humanitarian Day is to be marked Wednesday with the United Nations seeking to put the spotlight on thousands of aid workers who are increasingly under attack in global trouble spots.

August 19 is the anniversary of the 2003 bombing against the UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 22 people including UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello. The attack has become one of a growing list of symbols of the threats faced by humanitarian workers helping civilians in the world's most dangerous regions, from Darfur to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Sadly, the aid workers themselves are increasingly under fire," said John Holmes, the UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency coordinator.

"This has grave implications for our work and the survival of those who rely on us," he said. "Unfortunately, the need for humanitarian relief continues to grow."

The humanitarian aid system was strained "to the limit" in the first half of the year as civilians fled conflicts in Sri Lanka, where the army crushed separatist rebels, and Pakistan, where the military battled Taliban fighters, Holmes said.

Last year, a record 260 humanitarian aid workers were victims of kidnappings and attacks, including 122 who were killed, according to UN figures. In the last three years, attacks have risen by 61 per cent.

"This toll is the highest of the (last) 12 years," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Elisabeth Byrs observed that in 10 years 700 humanitarian workers had lost their lives, in attacks, in kidnappings, during robberies, during rapes and other situations.

Ms. Byrs underscored the fact that humanitarian workers were increasingly the targets of attacks, and it was the vulnerable that suffered. There were certain countries that had been of particular concern in 2009. In Pakistan, humanitarian workers were continuing to deliver assistance at the risk of their own lives: four United Nations personnel had been killed there this year. Other countries and regions of serious concern were Sierra Leone, the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq.

Log on to http://www.bt.com.bn for more information

What is planned?
For 2009 the Day will have three areas of focus:
• To draw attention to humanitarian needs worldwide;
• To acknowledge the ongoing work of humanitarian staff around the globe;
• To honor those who have lost their lives in humanitarian service.

The Day is an occasion to honor all those involved in humanitarian work. In this regard the Pakistani people should very much be a key part of World Humanitarian Day 2009 having been at the forefront of assistance needs but at the same time showing an extraordinary humanitarian spirit as assistance providers.

The humanitarian community is preparing publicity and information materials which will be distributed to NGOs and networks worldwide. They are also available online.

The materials will include the following:
• Key messages on World Humanitarian Day
• A one minute Public Service Announcement high definition video film which can be broadcast in the lead up to the day.
• A longer version of the video film which will include a statement by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, which will be released for broadcast only on 19 August 2009.
• A summary of information on the safety and security of humanitarian relief workers.
• A summary of global humanitarian assistance trends in 2009.

These materials will be disseminated widely through the UN Secretariat’s networks, such as the Department of Public Information and UN Information Centres around the world, through UN agency distribution mechanisms and via international and non-governmental organizations networks.

Read about them online at: http://ochaonline.un.org

What can we do?
Partners receiving this leaflet are encouraged to publicize the Day through their own networks and by doing the following:

• Ensuring that colleagues and members of the general public are made aware of the Day, through dissemination of leaflets and the one-minute film.
• Using the key messages as points for senior political figures and officials to use in any press interviews or encounters organized specifically for the day.
• Disseminating the information provided as widely as possible through formal and informal networks.
• Lobbying major international and national broadcast networks to show the version of the film incorporating the statement of the Secretary-General.
• Where possible encouraging humanitarian workers to speak to the press about their work.
• Organizing public events featuring humanitarian work.

Get more ideas from: http://www.unfpa.org