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At a 21 March side event of the 66th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66), UN leaders, policy makers, and civil society activists highlighted the impacts of climate shocks and environmental hazards on women and girls in humanitarian settings.

The event, Climate shocks exacerbating humanitarian crisis, insecurity and gender inequality - Voices from the Sahel and Afghanistan, took place against the backdrop of ongoing violent extremism and displacement, heightening political instability, humanitarian crises, and roll backs of hard-won gains for gender equality in many regions of the world, with particular focus on the Sahel and Afghanistan.

Moderated by Grace Mbaiorga, a youth expert on disaster risk reduction from Nigeria, the discussion focused on the ways in which the climate crisis, conflict and gender inequality are connected to the detriment of the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the gender equality agenda.

The situation is especially acute in settings already experiencing conflict and humanitarian needs, Afghanistan and the Sahel being two of the most prominent examples, said Selwin Hart, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary General for the Climate Action Team, in his opening remarks, noting that disaster-related displacement has quadrupled since the 1970s and more than 800 million persons were undernourished in 2020, a number that has been aggravated due to the combined shocks of COVID-19 and the climate crisis.

Conflict affects women, girls, boys and men differently, and the same is true for the impacts of climate change, yet women and girls and their needs continue to be excluded from policy decisions and the analysis that underpins them, said Mr. Hart.

In the Sahel region, recurrent floods and droughts are aggravating food insecurity, increasing tensions, and fueling humanitarian crises. The situation has further deteriorated due to the COVID-19 pandemic; over 24 million people in the Sahel are currently in need of life-saving assistance and protection including 4.5 million displaced individuals. While the crisis is critical for all concerned communities, women and girls are disproportionately affected and have different and uneven levels of resilience and capacity to cope and recover.

Speaking to the ongoing situation in Northeast Nigeria, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said, Female-headed households who depend on farming to provide for their families often suffer the most. With limited permissible areas for farming, women who go to open fields for farming activities expose themselves to the risk of being raped, abducted or killed.

Ms. Bahous added that, coupled with the shrinking of Lake Chad which has directly impacted fish production and degraded pasturelands, pastoralists have been forced to move southwards, deepening the deadly competition for land and water resources among farmers and herders, and increasing insecurity for women.

In Afghanistan, conflict, economic fallout, and gender inequality are further intensified by climate crisis, drought, and famine. Approximately half the countrys population (23 million people) are identified as acutely food insecure, with 8.7 million at risk of starvation, and the situation is expected to worsen as Afghanistans drought enters its second year. Since the fall of Kabul, Afghan women are already disproportionately bearing the brunt of the unfolding economic and human rights crisis.

Negina Yari, a Civil Society Activist and Executive Director of Afghans 4 Tomorrow (A4T) who joined directly from Kabul, highlighted a variety of gender inequality concerns within the countrys current context. In most of the provinces, we are facing a lack of female aid workers, and women beneficiaries do not have equal access to humanitarian assistance, said Ms. Yari, who advocated for the implementation of gender quotas within various aspects of the humanitarian system and womens leadership in government and civil society.

Echoing Ms. Yaris calls for increased participation of Afghan women in the humanitarian, government, and private sectors, Zuhal Atmar, an Afghan entrepreneur and environmentalist who founded the Mursal Charity Foundation and Women Leading Co, stated that, We are respectfully asking the international community that, if there are discussions, if there is humanitarian aid, there should be conditions for compulsory contribution from women.

In response to the vicious cycles of crisis discussed in the context of the Sahel and Afghanistan at this event, the resilience of women and girls affected by conflicts and climate crises must be strengthened and their full participation in addressing these issues ensured.

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Civil society activists and international leaders highlight the triple threat of climate crises, conflict, and gender inequality and call for...

Last month, hundreds of rescue animals arrived in Vancouver, B.C. from Afghanistan. Some of these adorable cats and dogs are still available for adoption and are looking for forever homes.

The SPCA International said in a release that last August "when NATO forces withdrew from Afghanistan a passionate plea from Kabul Small Animal Rescue founder, Charlotte Maxwell-Jones went viral and triggered a response from multiple organizations, SPCA International included."

Thankfully some of the pups and cats made it safely and are now waiting for people in B.C. to adopt them.

The entire rescue mission was named "Mission Possible" by the rescue programs after "a challenging yet incredible journey," the SPCA International added.

Many animal shelters and foster families are taking care of these animals until they are swooped away by the perfect loving match.

These rescued dogs, named Miss Daisy and Ms. Frosty, are up for adoption through the Thank Dog I Am Out rescue and they seem to be really warming up to life in Canada.

Happy-go-lucky Buster from Afghanistan is currently up for adoption through Pawsitive Animal Rescue in B.C.

So many cute pups are adoptable right now including so many different ages, sizes and breeds there's truly the perfect companion out there for anyone looking.

Some of the animals have been through a lot, but they are finally ready to be taken care of and find a peaceful loving home.

This blind and deaf good boy is available for adoption through RainCoast Dog Rescue in B.C.

The cats rescued from Afghanistan are just downright adorable. Look at this cute old girl, Peer, who is available for adoption through the Cat's Cradle Animal Rescue.

If you've been looking for the perfect furry BFF these rescues will be great to check out for some amazing rescue options.

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Hundreds Of Adorable Cats & Dogs Rescued From Afghanistan Are Up For Adoption In BC - Narcity Canada

It marks an end to months of bureaucratic wrangling between Islamabad and New Delhi

It marks an end to months of bureaucratic wrangling between Islamabad and New Delhi

Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla flagged off a convoy of 50 trucks carrying 2500 tonnes of wheat as humanitarian aid for Afghanistan at the India-Pakistan integrated checkpost (ICP) on Tuesday, the first of about 1,000 truckloads which will head for Jalalabad over the next few weeks.

The wheat is expected to be sent across Afghanistan to help people deal with the crisis caused by food shortage and an economic collapse after the Taliban takeover of Kabul. The assistance was made in response to appeals made by the United Nations for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Traders and truckers in Amritsar also welcomed the trans-shipment, which is taking place after being suspended for nearly three years, and expressed the hope that the opening for Afghan aid would also lead to a reopening of India and Pakistan trade, whose closure has caused massive economic losses in the border town.

The wheat assistance will be delivered in multiple consignments and will be handed over to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, an MEA statement said

World Food Program Country Director Bishaw Parajuli, who had helped complete the negotiations with India, and Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay were also present at the ceremony. According to officials, the wheat, procured by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), has been specially double bagged to protect it from contamination along the 500-km journey from Attari to Jalalabad, and then to other centres for distribution.

The wheat shipment, which was packed in special bags stamped Gift from the people of India to the people of Afghanistan, marks an end to months of bureaucratic wrangles between New Delhi and Islamabad. The consignment had been originally offered to the Taliban leadership in October 2021, but was held up due to objections from Pakistan.

Once Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced he would allow the trans-shipment as an exception, and other permissions were secured from Islamabad, it was further delayed by Punjab election, and trucks from Afghanistan finally came to Attari on Monday to be loaded, a day after Punjab polling. Afghan trucks will ply the route, not Indian trucks, as per the Pakistani stipulations, and the drivers are given permits instead of visas by India.

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http://www.thehindu.com

Tony Gamal-Gabriel (AFP)

Baghdad, Iraq Tue, March 1, 2022 2022-03-01 20:05 19 6ecd2a3b02ae141944722af30e91255d 2 Middle East and Africa Afghanistan,Russia,CBS,Western-powers,Ukraine,war,media,Racism Free

The world has been stunned by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but shock quickly gave way to indignation in other strife-torn parts of the world over media commentary many saw as racist against them.

"This isn't a place -- with all due respect, you know -- like Iraq or Afghanistan that has seen conflict raging for decades," said Charlie D'Agata of US network CBS News.

"This is a relatively civilised, relatively European -- I have to choose those words carefully too -- city where you wouldn't expect that or hope it is going to happen."

A day later, after much online furore, D'Agata apologised for his "poor choice of words".

This was just one of many remarks on reputable media outlets drawing a line between the conflict unfolding in Ukraine and those in other parts of the world.

Many Arabs were quick to point out the double standard, noting that while the toll of war may be similar in the respective conflicts, the media treatment is not.

Some also drew a comparison between Europe's welcoming of Ukrainian refugees and the influx of Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans, which was declared a "migrant crisis".

Political scientist Ziad Majed said that, while there was "magnificent solidarity" from the world over the Ukraine conflict, it also revealed a "shocking distinction".

The discrepancies in media treatment revealed the "dehumanisation of refugees from the Middle East", said Majed, a professor at the American University of Paris.

"We can understand that the Ukrainians are Europeans, and that the memory of war in Europe can revive a lot of emotions," he said.

But he stressed that "when we hear some commentators speaking about 'people like us', this suggests that those coming from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan or Africa are not (like them)".

'Racist coverage'

The Qatari channel Al Jazeera English was also not immune to the controversy.

"These are not, obviously, refugees trying to get away from areas in the Middle East that are still in a big state of war," said one of its anchors. "They look like any European family that you would live next door to."

The network later issued an apology, describing the remarks as "insensitive and irresponsible".

Salem Barahmeh, director of the pro-Palestinian platform Rabet, was quick to point out seeming discrepancies in the commentary.

"Refugees are welcome depending where they come from," he wrote on Twitter, adding that "resistance to occupation is not only legitimate but a right".

The Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists' Association condemned "examples of racist news coverage that ascribes more importance to some victims of war than others".

"This type of commentary reflects the pervasive mentality in Western journalism of normalising tragedy in parts of the world such as the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Latin America."

'Civilised'

For Syrians, the disparity in media treatment is particularly striking as Russia launched a bloody intervention to prop up Bashar al-Assad's regime more than six years ago.

Before the war in Ukraine, Majed said, Syrian territory served as a "laboratory" for the Russian army, on which it "tested its arsenal and tactics".

Journalist Philippe Corbe referenced that conflict when he spoke about the Ukraine refugee flow on French broadcaster BFM TV.

"We are not talking about Syrians fleeing the bombardment of the Syrian regime, supported by Vladimir Putin," he said.

"We are talking about Europeans who are leaving in their cars, that look like our cars... and who are just trying to save their lives."

Contacted by AFP, the broadcaster said Corbe's remarks were "clumsy but taken out of context... (and) led to the mistaken belief that he was defending a position opposite to the one he wanted to emphasise, and he regrets this".

AdeelaOfficial, an Instagram account dedicated to humorous commentary on celebrity news, took a break from the jokes to decry media "racism".

"The Western media claims to protect human rights and defend democracy, when in reality it is ignorant, racist and cannot see beyond its own nose," it charged.

Afghans have also expressed exasperation over Ukraine coverage, just six months after the Taliban seized control in a lightning offensive that sent the country spiralling into chaos and hundreds of thousands of people into exile.

Many have highlighted what they saw as an emphasis media has put on Christian Europeans with "blond hair and blue eyes" becoming refugees, marking them out as different from other victims of war.

"It is the same point being made again and again: people in all other conflicts were half humans, of lesser worthy origin and race, but Europeans are full humans. So this war matters," said Muska Dastageer, a university lecturer.

The normalisation of war in the Middle East and so-called third world countries and "the assumption that they deserve war is just one of the reasons why those wars lasted so long," added Aisha Khurram, a former youth representative to the United Nations.

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Afghanistan ranked last in the World Happiness Report among 149 countries surveyed, with Lebanon following.

Afghanistan is the unhappiest country in the world even before the Taliban swept to power last August. That is according to a so-called World Happiness Report released before the United Nations-designated International Day of Happiness on Sunday.

The annual report ranked Afghanistan as last among 149 countries surveyed, with a happiness rate of just 2.5. Lebanon was the worlds second saddest country, with Botswana, Rwanda and Zimbabwe rounding out the bottom five.

Finland ranked first for the fourth year running with a 7.8 score, followed by Denmark and Switzerland, with Iceland and the Netherlands also in the top five.

Researchers ranked the countries after analysing data over three years. They looked at several categories, including gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social safety nets, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity of the population, and perceptions of internal and external corruption levels.

Afghanistan stacked up poorly in all six categories, as it did before the Talibans return to power. The country was under the United States occupation for 20 years during which Washington alone spent $145bn on development, according to reports by the US special inspector general for Afghanistan.

Still, there were signs of increasing hopelessness.

Gallup conducted a poll in 2018 and found that few Afghans they surveyed had much hope for the future. In fact, the majority said they had no hope for the future.

Afghans have faced years of war, corruption, grinding poverty and lack of jobs.

When Masoud Ahmadi, a carpenter, returned to Afghanistan from neighbouring Pakistan after the 2001 collapse of the Taliban, his hopes for the future were bright.

He dreamed of opening a small furniture workshop, maybe employing as many as 10 people. Instead, sitting in his dusty six-foot by 10-foot workshop on Saturday, he said he opens just twice a week for lack of work.

When the money came to this country, the leadership of the government took the money and counted it as their personal money, and the people were not helped to change their life for the better, said Ahmadi.

Since the Taliban returned to power last August, the countrys economy has been in free fall, worsened by the US sanctions and its diplomatic and financial isolation. The Taliban has urged the international community to recognise its new government as it struggles to revive the economy battered by decades of war and foreign interventions.

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Afghanistan worlds unhappiest country, even before Taliban - Al Jazeera English