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The 99 Best Things That Happened in 2017

Photo Credit: Reuters/Kevin Coombs

If you’re feeling despair about the fate of humanity in the 21st century, you might want to reconsider.

In 2017, it felt like the global media picked up all of the problems, and none of the solutions. To fix that, here are 99 of the best stories from this year that you probably missed.

An incredible year for global health

1. This year, the World Health Organisation unveiled a new vaccine that’s cheap and effective enough to end cholera, one of humanity’s greatest ever killers. New York Times

2. Cancer deaths have dropped by 25% in the United States since 1991, saving more than 2 million lives. Breast cancer deaths have fallen by 39%, saving the lives of 322,600 women. Time

3. Zika all but disappeared in 2017. Cases plummeted in Latin America and the Caribbean, and most people in those places are now immune. Science Mag

4. A new report showed that the world’s assault on tropical diseases is working. A massive, five year international effort has saved millions of lives, and countries are now signing up for more. STAT

5. Soft drink sales in the United States dropped for the 12th year in a row, thanks to consumer education and new sugar taxes aimed at stemming obesity and diabetes. Reuters

6. Trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, was eliminated as a public health problem in Oman and Morocco, and Mexico became the first country in the Americas to eliminate it. NBC

7. Meet Sanduk Ruit and Geoff Tabin, two eye doctors responsible for helping restore sight to 4 million people in two dozen countries, including North Korea and Ethiopia. CBS

8. Premature deaths for the world’s four biggest noncommunicable diseases­ — cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory — have declined by 16% since 2000. World Bank

9. Global abortion rates have fallen from around 40 procedures per 1,000 women in the early 1990s, to 35 procedures per 1,000 women today. In the United States, abortion rates have reached their lowest level since 1973. Vox

10. In July, UNAIDS, revealed that for the first time in history, half of all people on the planet with HIV are now getting treatment, and that AIDS deaths have dropped by half since 2005. Science Mag

From Quartz.com

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How to Make Fun of Nazis

Counter-protesters at a K.K.K. Rally in Charlotte, N.C., in 2012. Credit: Yash Mori

For decades, Wunsiedel, a German town near the Czech border, has struggled with a parade of unwanted visitors. It was the original burial place of one of Adolf Hitler’s deputies, a man named Rudolf Hess. And every year, to residents’ chagrin, neo-Nazis marched to his grave site. The town had staged counter demonstrations to dissuade these pilgrims. In 2011 it had exhumed Hess’s body and even removed his grave stone. But undeterred, the neo-Nazis returned. So in 2014, the town tried a different tactic: humorous subversion

The campaign, called Rechts Gegen Rechts — the Right Against the Right — turned the march into Germany’s “most involuntary walkathon.” For every meter the neo-Nazis marched, local residents and businesses pledged to donate 10 euros (then equivalent to about $12.50) to a program that helps people leave right-wing extremist groups, called EXIT Deutschland.

READ MORE HERE

From The New York TImes, By Moises Velasquez-Manoff 

World Future Council Calls for Better Protection of Refugee Women and Children

Credit: World Future Council

On Monday, 19 September, for the first time in the history of the United Nations, Heads of States and Governments will address the large movements of refugees and migrants at a high-level summit during the General Assembly. The milestone event aims to strengthen governance of international migration and create a more humane and coordinated system.

More than 21 million people were forced to leave their countries in 2015, over half of whom are under the age of 18. In just five years, the number of child refugees has risen by 77 per cent, while the proportion of women refugees reached 47% in 2015.

María Fernanda Espinosa, Ambassador of Ecuador to the United Nations in Geneva and Co-Chair of the Ending Violence against Women and Girls Commission, World Future Council, says: “Refugee women and children face various security risks at every stage of their journey. They are still not sufficiently protected and often do not even find adequate support, such as psychosocial assistance, in their destination countries. We therefore call on world leaders to tackle this serious challenge and take effective and binding measures to ensure the safety of refugee women and children.”

In an appeal to the governments and institutions of the world published in March 2016, the World Future Council called for rigorous measures to protect refugee women and children from violence. The WFC is currently putting together a report on best practices to protect refugee women and children against violence to promote existing and proven practices. The report is expected to be published at the end of the year.

Thanks to the World Future Council for this post. For more information, visit the WFC website. Contact your president or prime minister today and ask him or her to do everything possible to protect the lives of refugees, especially the lives of women and children.

Stop the Illegal Logging in the Prey Lang Forest of Cambodia

Over 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of the Prey Lang rainforest in Cambodia were thought to have been saved after the Royal Cambodian Government cancelled four major economic land concessions in 2012 and designated Prey Lang as a conservation area, protected from all logging.

This was hailed as a major victory for environmentalists and local villagers and the Prime Minister was re-elected to another term.

But now, the Prime Minister and his government are not enforcing the law!

Illegal logging within the forest is expanding while the government remains silent and inactive.

Despite the dangers, the local villages are reduced to patrolling the forests on their motor scooters to confront and stop the illegal loggers.

The Cambodian Prey Lang Network needs the support of organizations and people worldwide and they are asking for your help.

Please help the people of Prey Lang to protect their home and life-giving forest.

ACTION: Send a Message to Cambodia’s Prime Minister:

Writing directly to Prime Minister Hun Sen is an effective way to let him know that the whole world is watching. Ask him to enforce Cambodia’s environmental laws and stop the illegal logging in the Prey Lang forest. Also ask him to work with and include input from the citizens in the Prey Lang region to develop and implement a long-term sustainability plan for the Prey Lang area.

Address your letter or email to:
The Honorable Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia

EMAIL: cambodia@un.int
FAX: +1 (212) 755-4576
POSTAL MAIL:
Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen
UN Cambodian Mission
327 East 58th Street
New York, NY 10022, USA

Click here to sign a petition to Prime Minister Hun Sen sponsored by the Prey Lang Network.

THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE LOCAL VILLAGERS:

• Over 200,000 people rely on the forest for survival, with another 500,000 living in the area
• Deforestation and erosion are polluting the water—essential for their survival
• Many villagers rely on tree resin as their main source of income 

THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR CAMBODIA:

• Prey Lang, as a primary watershed for the Tonle Sap Basin, is vital for Cambodia's food and water security
• In 1970, 70% of Cambodia was covered by primary rainforest—now that number is 3%
• Armed soldiers are breaking up villagers' protests and meetings. In 2012, Chut Wutney, the director of the Natural Resources Protection Group, was shot dead at a military checkpoint.

THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU:

• Prey Lang is a powerhouse for fighting global warming with the highest carbon sequestration values in the region
• There at least 50 endangered species that live within Prey Lang, including sun bears, tigers, and leopards

 Connect with EarthAction:

To keep better informed of current events about Prey Lang, as well as many other issues, follow EarthAction on Facebook or Twitter, or favorite our website:

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Connect with our Partner Organizations:

You are not alone in this fight. Numerous organizations and individuals are actively involved in working to stop the illegal logging of Prey Lang. Here is how to connect with them:

Prey Lang Network

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Photo courtesy of Prey Lang: It's Our Forest Too

FINAL DAY TO DOUBLE YOUR GIFT TO THE ELDERS PROJECT

EarthAction is honored to announce that the Sacred Fire Foundation has chosen to support The Elders Project—a project of EarthAction since 2009—in their special year-end fundraising campaign. Their goal is to raise $20,000 by midnight Dec. 3rd. Your donation will count 2x thanks to a generous donor. We hope you will find The Elders Project compelling, inspiring, and worthy of your support. 

  "Sometimes a project comes along that touches us so profoundly... on so

   many levels...it is hard to find the words. This is that project." 

                                                                           - The Sacred Fire Foundation

 

Please read the information below and click on the ‘DONATE’ button which will take you to the Sacred Fire Foundation’s website where you can make a secure donation. Or, send them a check in the mail. We are grateful to The Elders Project, the Sacred Fire Foundation and to you.

 

 

With your support, they can retrace their ancestors' footsteps  in the HEART OF THE WORLD and help bring balance to Mother Earth PLEASE HELP US RAISE $20,000 BY MIDNIGHT DECEMBER 3RD!     YOUR DOLLARS COUNT 2X UP TO $10,000 THANKS TO A VERY GENEROUS DONOR.     THE GUARDIANS OF THE WORLD   Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM), Colombia, The Heart of the World...    The Koguis, Arhuacos, Wiwas and Kankuamos consider themselves the Guardians of the World. They have also been declared at risk for cultural extinction by Colombian Court decree.   Imagine Indigenous Peoples so exquisitely connected to divine that they care and pray for our entire planet, for the Mother in all her fullness. They petition for balance and health of the oceans and rivers, all plants and animals, human relationships, even the sap flowing in the trees.   To do this, they must make a pilgrimage in the highest coastal mountains on earth known as the Heart of the World (SNSM). This pilgrimage pays homage to 54 sites along the border of SNSM known as the Línea Negra or Black Line. The Black Line forms a triangle, 100 miles on each side. This pilgrimage for which they are seeking help is called the Black Line Journey.   In a few short weeks, with your help, their spiritual leaders, or Mamos, will embark on the Línea Negra. This pilgrimage will help to bring balance to Mother Earth, revitalize their traditions and protect their sacred lands from the ravages of development, energy extraction, drug trafficking and civil wars.  94-year-old Arhuaco Grand Mamo Seukukwi will lead this epic journey        Why time is of the essence...    These four Indigenous Peoples acknowledge Arhuaco Grand Mamo Seukukwi to be the Spiritual Geographer of the Sierra. At 94, time is running out for him to impart his knowledge to the younger Mamos and apprentices.    The 54 sacred sites along the Línea Negra are all interconnected. The Grand Mamo knows the medicines of all these sites and how they interrelate and converge at Gonawindúa, known as Mt. Bolivar, who reigns at 18,700 feet. Reclaiming their  birthright...   Undoing colonialism   The Koguis, Arhuacos, Wiwas and Kankuamos made their pilgrimages for millennia. With aggressive encroachment their traditions began to erode. Their homeland was divided into three states to weaken their Indigenous rights. Access to some sites is now being denied. Other sites have been paved over.    In the last 4 years, through the help of The Elders Project, the people have had the opportunity to resume the sacred rite of pilgrimage, making 3 journeys. By making the pilgrimage at this time, it serves to create an energetic fence protecting the land and the people and strengthening and revitalizing their teachings, traditions, language and sacred ways of life. Who are Indigenous Peoples? Why does protecting them now matter more than ever?   Rick Harlow, The Elders Project Coordinator, with the Arhuacos "Indigenous Peoples hold the moral reserve of the World," Onondaga Chief Oren Lyons to the UN Forum on Indigenous Issues, 2013.    "It's pretty ironic that the so-called 'least advanced' people are the ones taking the lead in trying to protect all of us, while the richest and most powerful among us are the ones who are trying to drive the society to destruction." Noam Chomsky  read more   Indigenous peoples are peoples defined in international or national legislation as having a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory, and their cultural or historical distinctiveness from other populations that are often politically dominant. The concept of indigenous peoples defines these groups as particularly vulnerable to exploitation, marginalization and oppression by nation states that may still be formed from the colonising populations, or by politically dominant ethnic groups. (as defined by Wikipedia)   What truly sets Indigenous Peoples apart is their intrinsic connection to the Sacred World and how that informs their lives and is the guidepost for bringing Western Culture back into balance and right relationship with Mother Earth.  Sometimes a project comes along that touches us so profoundly...on so many levels...it is hard to find the words. This is that project. Please open your heart to these people and discover how you will be touched.   We are deeply honored to be asked to be the sole funder for this enormously important project. It is rare that these people ever ask for help. It is humbling to know how much is at stake.    We are asking you to help reopen the doorway for the Koguis, Arhuacos, Wiwas and Kankuamos. Please contribute generously today knowing the blessings of your gift extend not only to these 4 Indigenous Peoples but helps bring healing to our Mother Earth.   Click here for more. Photos © TEP Rick Harlow

 

 

"Info Ladies" in Bangladesh Bring Info to Ladies

Photo of bicycling "info ladies" courtesy of The Guardian 

For many in Bangladeshi villages, a computer is something they may not have seen until recent years.  Now they have access Internet thanks to women known as “info ladies” who bring Internet to these villages by bicycles.

These info ladies bike into Bangladeshi villages and provide thousands of people with laptops and Internet connection. This service has been especially beneficial to women, who are the top receivers, giving them access to government services and allowing them to have contact with their distant loved ones.

In Bangladesh, only 5 million of the population of 152 million had access to the Internet. This service was created in 2008 by a local development group called D.Net that recruits and trains women for three months to use the computer, the internet, printer, and camera and then provides these women with bank loans to buy the equipment.

This is amazing because not only does this service provide millions of people with access to Internet and services, but it also creates jobs for women who are unemployed.  Both the “info ladies” and those being served in these villages are empowered by this project. 

These “info ladies” also provide communities with education.  They will meet with teenage girls to discuss health care and subjects that are not generally discussed, like reproductive health.  They also give villagers a voice by providing them with the tools to initiate changes in government services.

These services are both free, or come at a small cost but the especially positive aspect of the work of these women is that they are empowering other women with the tools to succeed, with information, with access to technology, with education, and giving women a voice.  This is a huge step forward in terms of development and in terms of women’s empowerment, especially in a country with a high level of gender inequality.   

Indigenous Peoples Fight for Inclusion in Development

Today, August 9 is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a day first proclaimed in 1994 and dedicated to ensuring the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making.

As indigenous peoples celebrate today, they are calling on their governments to honor this commitment and are asking the international community for greater access to sources of aid funding.

In the northern Philippines, in Cordillera, indigenous peoples are feeling very betrayed by their government and foreign aid that did not support them in “their cause for self-determined and sustainable development” (Devex News). 

“U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki Moon said: ‘we highlight the importance of honoring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between states, their citizens and indigenous peoples’” (Devex News).  

Local indigenous groups have advocated for change to their government for years and in that time their demands in terms of development have not been met.  Violations of indigenous rights have grown in this time and external groups continually dictate development and funding – indigenous peoples who cannot present basic requirements such as birth certificates or marriage contracts are excluded from these development projects. 

Instead, donors should aid indigenous organizations in their building capacity and funding should go straight to these groups rather than to external forces so that indigenous populations can decided how to move forward with their own development.

On a day we are supposed to celebrate and include indigenous populations in decision-making, and on the 9^th anniversary of this day, it is shocking that there is not more inclusion and there is a lot left to do to move forward. 

 

Story courtesy of: https://www.devex.com/en/news/what-indigenous-peoples-need-from-foreign-aid/81603

Proud To Be Indigenous

Photo courtesy of Red Alliances Media (http://redalliances.com/2013/05/06/proud-to-be-indigenous-with-first-peoples-worldwide/)

The month of May was a fun and exciting time for indigenous peoples from all over the world as they were invited by the First Peoples Worldwide organization to take to social media and express what they love about being indigenous during Proud To Be Indigenous Week.  

First Peoples Worldwide was founded in 1997 as a program that offers funding for local development projects in indiegnous communities worldwide.  The work of this organization is particularly incredible because it is an indigenous-led organization that gives a voice to indigenous communities in solving today's challenges around climate change, food insecurity, among others.  The organization is made up of head staff, a global network of board members, grantees, and practitioners that all represent diversity and solidarity in indigenous lifestyles.  

The organization used the month of May as a way to include indigenous peoples from around the world in expressing that theye were proud to be indigenous.  First Peoples received over 300 photos from 69 different indigenous communities across 33 countries with a campaign on Twitter that used the trending tags #Proud2BIndigenous and #P2BI.  The photos are available on the organization's Facebook page. 

In addition to the online campaign, First Peoples hosted several events in New York City, including a workshop led by the founder, Rebecca Adamson, on how corporations need to engage and work with indigenous communities because their voices need to be heard when the issues at hand concern these people.  

Though the Proud To Be Indigenous week is over, submissions are welcome throughout the year!

For more information, visit First Peoples Worldwide.  

Story thanks to Neva Morrison, First Peoples Worldwide managing director.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CEO OF HERAKLES FARMS

(Photo credits to © WWF-Canon / Carlos Drews)

 

Dear Mr. Wrobel,

It is so disheartening and insulting to any right-thinking Cameroonian, in particular, and African, more generally to learn that your company, Herakles Farms, is using rice and fish in the 21^st century to bribe and seduce the indigenous people of Mundemba, Toko and Nguti sub-divisions in the Southwest Region of Cameroon in order to grab their ancestral lands for 99 years. Your so-called sustainable project will destroy the ecosystem of over 73,000 hectares of ancientrainforest and replace it with monoculture oil palm plantations. For this you’ll pay some 50 cents per hectare annual leasing fees.

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Man

 - An animation by Steve Cutts examining man's relationship with the natural world. Find more of Steve Cutts' work at his website.