Dame Julia Cleverdon spent 17 years as the chief executive of Business in the Community as part of a long career in the voluntary sector

February 6, 2015 This week on Basic Black’s roundtable: • With the rise of television shows like Black-ish and Empire and the newly-released movie Black and White, we ask if Hollywood is on the way to realistic portrayals of families of color.
• A measles outbreak earlier this week at Disneyland in California re-ignited the debate over vaccinations - with oftentimes limited access to healthcare are children of color at particular risk?
Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, NECN - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature and publishing, Emerson College - Donna Patterson, Assistant Professor fo Africana Studies, Wellesley College

Evangelist Franklin Graham congratulated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on his Tuesday nomination by President-elect Donald Trump to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

ARRIVE Together of Middlesex County, NJ, run by University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC) at Rutgers Health, has expanded its partnerships to include the East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury police departments, making New Jersey the first state in the nation to have a statewide law enforcement and mental health alternative response program.

ARRIVE Together of Middlesex County, NJ, run by University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC) at Rutgers Health, has expanded its partnerships to include the East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury police departments, making New Jersey the first state in the nation to have a statewide law enforcement and mental health alternative response program.

[Domestic] :
The annual College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) is taking place at some 13-hundred test sites across the nation on Thursday.  The state-administered college entrance exam, known in Korean as the Suneung, begins with a Korean language test at 8:40 a.m., followed by tests on math, English, Korean history ...

[more...]

[Politics] :
The Supreme Court has upheld a suspended prison term for former Rep. Youn Mee-hyang, who was convicted of embezzling donations to an advocacy group for South Korean victims of sexual slavery during World War II. On Thursday the top court upheld the 18-month sentence, suspended for three years, after ...

[more...]

[Domestic] :
The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) is underway at some 13-hundred test sites across the nation on Thursday, with some 522-thousand taking part in the exams. The state-administered college entrance exam, known in Korean as the Suneung, began with a Korean language test at 8:40 a.m. Subjects also ...

[more...]

[Politics] :
The special counsel bill mandating an investigation for first lady Kim Keon-hee has passed in the National Assembly. The main opposition Democratic Party introduced the bill, its third attempt following presidential vetoes for previous bills, and all 191 lawmakers present voted in its favor in a plenary ...

[more...]

The National Science Foundation: Creating knowledge to transform our future

The contamination of Foster Farms chickens has provided insight into food regulation.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, had we been paying attention before this happened?

Mark Lacter: You know, Steve, we often have an out of sight, out of mind attitude when it comes to food safety, and - as we're seeing with this episode - the government has a way of enabling that attitude.  What stands out, first of all, is that people started getting sick from salmonella-contaminated chicken back in March, and yet, it wasn't until the past few weeks that news stories began appearing about the seriousness of the problems.

Julian: At last check, more than 400 people have been infected, with most of them in California...

Lacter: Right, and Foster Farms, which is based in Merced County, controls two-thirds of the poultry market along the West Coast.  No fatalities so far, but many of the people who became sick had to be hospitalized - and that leads to still more concerns that the salmonella strains were resistant to antibiotics.  Now, why it took this long for consumers to be made aware that there was a problem tells you something about the way the federal government regulates poultry plants.  It was only last Friday, after the company had seen a 25 percent drop in sales, when the president of Foster Farms decided to go public.  He said he was embarrassed by the outbreak, and promised to change the company's processing facilities so that salmonella can be better identified.

Julian: Where was the US government in this?

Lacter: Apparently, the Department of Agriculture only requires testing for levels of salmonella at the time of slaughter - not later on, after the poultry is cut into parts.  Foster Farms now says it will do retesting at that later stage.  What's also interesting is that Foster Farms was not asked to recall any of its products because the chicken is considered safe as long as it's handled properly and then cooked to the right temperature, which is at least 165 degrees.  That's why some supermarkets have kept carrying the brand.

Julian: Can the government even order a recall?

Lacter: Not in a case like this - and that's because of a court case in the 1990s involving a Texas meat producer that federal inspectors were ready to shut down due to a salmonella outbreak involving ground beef.  The company sued the government, arguing that salmonella is naturally occurring, and therefore, not an adulterant subject to government regulation.  And the courts agreed.  Foster Farms has been using much the same argument.

Julian: Why isn't there more public outrage over this?

Lacter: Well, again, we go back to out of sight, out of mind.  Slaughterhouses are not exactly fun places, and they're usually not well covered by the news media until something bad happens, like the Foster Farms situation.

Julian: Chino comes to mind - a story we covered.

Lacter: That's when an animal rights group used a hidden camera to record inhumane treatment of cattle at a meat processing plant.  That company was forced into bankruptcy.  Another reason coverage is spotty is because it's not always easy to trace someone's illness to a contaminated piece of meat or chicken.  And, that leads to lots of misinformation.  The broader issue is figuring out a way to monitor these facilities without the process becoming cost prohibitive.  The Agriculture Department has been pushing a pilot program that would allow plants to speed up processing lines, and replace government inspectors with employees from the poultry companies themselves.

Julian: The idea being?

Lacter: The idea being to establish safeguards that can prevent problems before they get out of hand.  But, this is pretty controversial stuff, and advocacy groups representing poultry workers say that processing lines need to be slowed down, not speeded up.  So, you have this ongoing back and forth involving industry, government, consumer groups, and labor organizations.  And unfortunately, most of us tend to move on after one of these outbreaks gets cleared up.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Yesterday may have been a holiday on paper, but if you were navigating LA's major freeways, there was no sign people had the day off.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, is this more evidence that Southern California traffic getting worse?

Mark Lacter: Steve, L.A. continues to be the most clogged-up city in the U.S. - according to something called the TomTom Traffic Index - with commuters caught up in delays, on average, 35 percent of the time.  Or, to put it another way, L.A. commuters are in congestion up to 40 minutes of each hour they're driving.  The worst time of the week to commute is Thursday night; that's when there's congestion more than 80 percent of the time.  Monday morning commutes are the lightest.

Julian: After L.A., where should you not live if congestion bugs you?

Lacter: The next worst cities in the U.S. are San Francisco, Honolulu, Seattle, and San Jose.  Now, the Census Bureau comes up with its own commuting surveys, and if you compare the most recent numbers with those back in 2000, you'll see that things aren't all that different.  Matter of fact, the percentage of commuters driving alone to work actually increased a little over the last decade to 72 percent, while the percentage of those carpooling has declined.

Julian: What about public transit?

Lacter: Well, the numbers are up slightly from 2000, but only to 7.3 percent of all commuters.  So, even assuming that the number inches up in the next couple of years when the Expo Line extends into Santa Monica, it's still a smallish piece of the pie.  And, since many of the other public transit projects being planned are decades away from being completed, those numbers might not change much.  One other thing, Steve: less than 1 percent of all L.A. commuters bike to work, which would throw cold water on the idea that biking in L.A. is becoming a popular way of getting to the office.

Julian: People just prefer commuting by car…

Lacter: It remains the most convenient way of getting around - despite the congestion.  New car sales are up 14 percent through the first nine months of the year in Southern California.  Add to that are generally affordable gas prices (they've been especially low in the last few weeks).  In other parts of the world, congestion is considered a good thing because it means that the economy is doing well.  Which explains that while L.A. is the most congested city in the U.S., it doesn't rank among the 10 around the world.  On that front, Moscow is tops, followed by Istanbul, and Rio de Janeiro.

Julian: What about driverless cars?

Lacter: Well, these vehicles hold the most promise for reducing accidents, lowering travel times, and improving fuel economy - and you don't have to give up your car.  Actually, a lot of the technology is already in place - that includes stuff like radar-based cruise control, and devices that keep you at a safe distance from the car in front of you.  The trick, of course, is taking these individual capabilities and integrating them into an entirely driverless car.  Several car companies say they could be ready to start selling by 2020, with Google saying that its car could be ready even sooner.

Julian: Is that realistic?

Lacter: Who knows?  But even if the dates can be met - and that's a big if, considering how complex these systems are - legislatures will have to determine, among other things, whether vehicles can be fully autonomous (meaning that you can curl up and take a nap while the computer is driving by itself).  Or, whether they will only be semi-autonomous, which would be like an airline crew using automatic pilot, but always prepared to take over the controls.

Julian: Is that a liability issue?

Lacter: Yes - if something does go wrong, who will get the blame?  The owner of the vehicle?  The carmaker?  The suppliers of the car companies?  These questions might take years to get resolved in the courts - and even then, it could be years before the percentage of these vehicles on the road is large enough to truly have an impact.  But, considering that most commuters aren't willing to give up their cars, this would seem to be the most exciting, most desirable idea.  One day.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Donations fill up the entryway to a Goodwill Southern California Donation Center in Pasadena during the first week of 2020.; Credit: Carla Javier/KPCC

Now that the holiday season is winding down, thrift shops run by Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and other organizations are tallying up the annual flood of December donations. 

"It's always been a tradition that our donors donate between Christmas and New Year's ... and the last couple days of the year, they donate even more," Goodwill Southern California director of logistics Tinna Bauer explained. "Some do it for tax purposes, and some ... when they if they receive new items for Christmas, they clean out the old."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Citi has announced its partnership with Bank of Shanghai in order to launch a payment solution for international travelers that visit the region of China.

Last year was the second straight year the poverty rate stayed flat after four years of going up in the United States.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Income in greater Los Angeles is rising – slightly - according to new American Community Survey numbers released Thursday from the Census Bureau, but greater L.A. still ranks as one of the poorest major metropolitan areas in the nation.

The L.A. area (defined as L.A., Long Beach and Anaheim) had a median household income of $58,869 last year, which is $804 more than the year before, but still $1540 under the 2010 level, during the first full year after the recession.

"These numbers paint a bleak picture for California,” said Marybeth Mattingly, a researcher at Stanford University’s Center on Poverty and Inequality.

Mattingly is particularly troubled by the child poverty rate, which was 25.3 percent in 2013, up from 22.6 percent in 2010.

“In the West, Hispanics have the highest poverty with nearly one in three Hispanic kids poor, and it's even a little higher for blacks” she said.

Nationally, last year was the second straight year the poverty rate stayed flat after four years of going up. Among big metro areas, the L.A. area had the highest poverty rate in the nation, tying Phoenix, Miami, and the Inland Empire. But that’s based upon a national poverty line of $23,550 for a family of four; When you take into account how much it really costs to live here, L.A. fares even worse.

“We find that Los Angeles stands out even more, unfortunately," said Sarah Bohn, a researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California. "Housing costs are really playing a big role in family budgets and being able to make ends meet.”

Bohn says these new numbers suggest we’re going in the right direction, but she wishes we’d move at a faster pace.

A job seeker fills out an application during a career fair at the Southeast Community Facility Commission on May 21, 2014 in San Francisco; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

California employers added 44,200 jobs in August, the largest gain of any state in the country. The state's unemployment rate stood still at 7.4 percent, compared to 6.1 percent nationwide.

"When the national numbers came out for August, and we saw a significant slowdown in job creation, we were a little bit concerned that we'd see the same thing happening here," said economist Kimberly Ritter-Martinez of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. "But in California, we stayed pretty much on track, outpacing the nation in terms of job creation." 

The construction sector was a huge contributor to California's job growth in August, with a gain of 13,600 jobs.  The other sectors with large gains were Education/Health Services (+12,200), and Professional/Business Services (+10,600). 

"We've been seeing steady increases in construction employment for some time, but it has been a slow steady increase," said Tom Holsman, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of California.

"Recent increases are attributable to many projects that have been in the early stages of startup gaining momentum," Holsman added, citing LA County Metro transit projects and the new Wilshire Grand Hotel construction project as local examples.

In Los Angeles County, the unemployment rate also stayed flat at 8.1 percent, but it remains far lower than the 9.9 percent of August of 2013. In the last twelve months, the L.A. County Metro area has gained 6,600 construction jobs, a rate of 5.6 percent.

Ritter-Martinez, of the LAEDC says other economic indicators support a boost in construction jobs at the Los Angeles and statewide levels: permits for new housing construction, remodeling, and non-residential construction are all on the rise. 

"Builders and developers are reporting that they're having trouble finding some skilled labor for construction," Ritter-Martinez said. "It's taken so long for that sector to come back, a lot of construction people have gone off and found other kinds of jobs or moved out of the region." 

In Orange County, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent, down from 5.7 percent in July. The unemployment rate in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area was 8.7 percent in 
August 2014, down from a revised 9.3 percent in July 2014.

Rapidojet from Bakery Concepts International, LLC has evolved into a system that produces complete dough and much  more.

SK Food International introduces AncientGrisps to its extensive line of Premium Quality Ingredients.

ISHN's White Paper presents in-depth research of the EHS field and profiles of industrial safety and hygiene companies.

For all the change brought on by the recession and post-recession uncertainty, it’s status quo for most EHS departments in 2012, according to ISHN’s reader survey:

It’s been a long hard slog for the U.S. economy to recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2008

ISHN’s exclusive State of the EHS Nation 2015 (conducted in the fall, 2014) reports on the program priorities, program challenges, department budgets, staffing plans

Meeting will be held in Naples, FL, March 12-13, 2013.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula, known for its awe-inspiring winter landscapes and abundant snowfall, has again been nominated for USA TODAY's 10Best "Best Snow Destination" title.

India recently imposed an anti-dumping duty (ADD) of up to $557 per tonne on epichlorohydrin imports from China, South Korea and Thailand for five years, the department of revenue said in a notification. The chemical is primarily used in the adhesive industry. The duty was imposed as the chemical was exported to India from these countries at prices below normal.

The Fu Wah International Group will establish its Australian headquarters in Melbourne, bringing 20 jobs to Victoria. A high-end real-estate development and commercial property management group based in China, the company recently took ownership of the iconic Melbourne Park Hyatt Hotel and is exploring other investment opportunities in Victoria's property and hotel sector.

Professor Sharon Lewin, the local co-chair of this year’s 20th International AIDS Conference, and internationally recognised HIV cure researcher, has been named Melburnian of the Year in an awards ceremony held on 15 November.

Melbourne has reinforced its great reputation as the world’s most liveable city with new statistics showing Victoria as the number one destination for Australians moving inter-state.

More than 150 international buyers and investors from Europe, the Middle East and Asia will travel to Victoria as part of a major inbound trade mission that showcases its diverse wine industry. Meet the Winemaker, will introduce international buyers to over 100 key winemakers from 21 diverse winemaking regions around Victoria, allowing the industry to develop new export opportunities and giving the world an insight into Victoria’s unique winemaking capabilities.

Proteomics International Appoints New Director, No Securities Held  TipRanks

Proteomics International Announces Director Departure  TipRanks

Distech Controls, a provider of energy management solutions, announced it was named the Provincial Laureate, SME Exporter category, at the 21st edition of National Bank’s SME Awards. The company noted it has the honor of being a two-time award recipient, having been named Bronze Laureate in the same category in 2014.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that Canada has topped its international rankings of the Top 10 Countries for LEED. The list highlights countries outside of the U.S. that are making significant strides in sustainable building.

Ameresco Inc. announced that it has partnered with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on a new energy savings project. The $3.9 million (CAD) comprehensive energy efficiency and facility renewal project at NRC research facilities is expected to save over $330,000 annually in utility costs.

Paul Davis Restoration pledges $1 million to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This proactive donation ensures the Red Cross is equipped to meet the needs of those affected by disasters across the U.S. Discover how this significant contribution, along with volunteer efforts, supports disaster relief and community resilience. 

https://www.cpa.com/system/files/cpa/infographics/bdcinternationalpayments_infographic.pdf

BISHKEK, 19 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the State Committee on National Security (SCNS) signed a long-term agreement with the aim of increasing co-operation to support the country's security sector.

The signing of this agreement will expand and boost co-operation between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz government in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It will also contribute to promoting joint efforts in combating internal and external threats with the aim of protecting peace and stability in the country and the region.

“In recent years, due to the increasing threat of terrorism in the world and particularly in Central Asia, close co-operation between the OSCE and the SCNS in countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism is becoming an urgent task,” said Sergey Kapinos, Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Signing of a long-term cooperation agreement is an important step towards addressing this issue. The OSCE Centre highly values co-operation with the SCNS, and expresses its great appreciation for collaboration and willingness to continue active co-operation in countering terrorist threats."

Deputy Chairperson of the SCNS and Director of Anti-terrorism Centre (ATC) of the SCNS Rustam Mamasadykov highlighted the OSCE Centre’s significant contribution to the development and strengthening of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and its efforts to enhance the capacity of state authorities in effectively preventing and responding to terrorism and extremism.

“Co-operation between SCNS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek has resulted in significant counter-terrorism capacity building and the strengthening of the national security agencies and other relevant state agencies in responding to terrorist attacks,” said Mamasadykov.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is also supporting the SCNS and the Kyrgyz government to carry out comprehensive security sector reform and in ensuring the implementation of the provisions of international treaties, UN Security Council resolutions, and OSCE decisions in the areas of defence, security and counter-terrorism.

International standards and the national legal framework on freedom of religion or belief were the focus of two consecutive training events organized jointly by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA) of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) from 25 to 28 July 2016 in Bishkek.

The training for 25 prosecutors and 31 defence lawyers from all regions of Kyrgyzstan was provided in close co-operation with the Training Centre for Prosecutors under the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Training Centre for Lawyers. The course covered a wide variety of topics directly relevant to the work of the participants, including recent developments in Kyrgyzstan.

Drawing on the guidance of national and international experts, participants discussed the nature of the right to freedom of religion or belief, its interrelatedness with other human rights and fundamental freedoms, the nature, extent and impact of violations of freedom of religion or belief, and the duties of the state to respect, protect and fulfil this universal human right. Participants also took part in mock trials on cases involving interference with freedom of religion or belief, such as through the banning of religious clothing and discrimination against religious organizations. 

“In using topical case studies, the participants were able to apply the knowledge they had acquired in a practical ‘courtroom’ environment and improve their legal skills in analysing freedom of religion or belief cases and advancing cogent and structured arguments,” said Mark Hill, one of the participating international experts and a senior barrister from the United Kingdom.

Dilnoza Satarova, Associate Officer on Freedom of Religion or Belief at ODIHR, said: “ODIHR welcomes co-operation with the Training Centre for Prosecutors of Kyrgyzstan and the Training Centre for Lawyers in organizing this course. Such capacity-building activities are key to advancing freedom of religion or belief for all, and ODIHR stands ready to support similar initiatives in Kyrgyzstan in the future.”

The two events are part of a series of training events for lawyers, prosecutors and judges on a variety of human rights-related issues conducted as part of the OHCHR project “Peace and Reconciliation through strengthening the rule of law and protection of human rights”, which is funded by the Peacebuilding Fund. 

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VIENNA, 13 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that media laws under consideration by the Parliament in Moldova run counter to international standards on media freedom.

On 7 July the Parliament adopted, in the first reading, three amendments to the Audio-visual Code of the Republic of Moldova. All three amendments aim to limit broadcasts in foreign languages or those originating from abroad.

“It is counterproductive to try to limit speech through excessively restrictive legislation,” Mijatović wrote in a letter yesterday to the Chairperson of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Andrian Candu. “In my view it seems excessive and may be ineffective.”

The reasoning given for introducing the restrictive provisions banning broadcasts or rebroadcasts of certain content is that it originates from states that are neither members of the European Union, nor are parties to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. 

“I trust that the draft laws will be carefully reviewed by the members of Parliament before being adopted in the second reading, ensuring that the regulation does not pose undue limits on free expression and free flow of information,” Mijatović said.

The Representative also pointed to the recommendations of her Office’s non-paper “Propaganda and Freedom of the Media” published in 2015 (available at www.osce.org/fom/203926).

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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TIRANA, 13 May 2016 – Challenges, good practices and needs in the fight against trafficking in human beings were the focus of a regional meeting of National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators from South-Eastern Europe hosted on Thursday by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Albanian National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator, together with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators from across South-Eastern Europe as well as the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, met in Tirana to exchange views and good practices on national efforts to fight human trafficking. They paid special attention to the problem of unaccompanied minors in this region, with a view to increasing regional co-operation on the identification, assistance and referral of child victims and potential victims of trafficking.

“We must further enhance international co-ordination in addressing human trafficking, especially child trafficking,” stated Florian Raunig, the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. “The migration flows that have affected most of the countries represented in this meeting today show the urgency of our efforts. The transnational nature of the trafficking phenomenon can only be effectively addressed in a co-ordinated manner, based on joint planning and joint action.”

Participants stressed the need for harmonizing definitions, procedures and protocols to ensure adequate identification and protection of unaccompanied minors, highlighting the importance of adapting these procedures to potential migration flows. Strengthening the role of legal guardians and improving an early warning system that allows front-line officers to identify complex forms of human trafficking and labour exploitation, were other suggestions made by the Co-ordinators.

The Presence continues to work closely with the Albanian authorities to strengthen the multi-agency approach to identify and protect victims of all forms of trafficking.

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SHKODRA, Albania, 25 May 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania, USAID and the Austrian Development Co-operation launched a new phase of the ‘Justice without delays’ initiative today in Shkodra, Albania, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of court proceedings by reducing unnecessary hold ups.

Judges and support staff, with guidance from the Presence, USAID and local partners, will analyse the root causes for delays in their court and commit to improved planning and administration of cases by strengthening co-operation with trial participants, including state institutions. This will give the courts the benefit of active case management techniques and provide citizens with better access to justice.

“The courts have made remarkable progress in reducing the number of hearings and the overall length of trial proceedings, with no changes to legislation and no additional budgetary resources,” emphasized Florian Raunig, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. “This achievement not only benefited court users in those districts, but has become an important step toward improving the quality of justice throughout Albania. It shows the clear potential for all Albanians to have efficient justice in all first instance courts throughout the country.”

Ambassador Johann Sattler of Austria stated that, “the nationwide roll-out of the ‘Justice without delays’ project ultimately aims to increase citizen’s trust in the judiciary.”

The initiative is implemented by the OSCE Presence and USAID’s Project Justice for All, with funding from the Austrian Development Co-operation. It was developed by the Presence and USAID after a study conducted by the Presence showed that almost half of the sessions in Albanian courts were non-productive – no argument was put forward, no documents circulated, no evidence taken and no requests made.

‘Justice without delays’ first started as a pilot project in Kruja court in February 2014, and was quickly embraced by courts in Korça, Puka and Tropoja. Building on the programme’s success in these four initial courts, and with the strong support of the High Council of Justice and the Ministry of Justice, over the next three years the ‘Justice without delays’ initiative will be extended successively to all 18 district courts in Albania.

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In promoting education as a tool for conflict prevention, The Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities have offered a toolkit for preservation, inspiration and dialogue, said OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors as she opened an expert meeting on 21 April 2016 at The Hague to mark two decades of these ground-breaking Recommendations.

Thors said that the Recommendations had been instrumental in preserving minority education during times of transition and education reforms, and an inspiration in calling for a proactive approach by OSCE participating States towards a progressive yet realistic realization of minority rights in education. She said the Recommendations have also encouraged the involvement of parents and minorities in formulating policies as well as providing a framework for dialogue that is useful for both the participating States and national minorities.

Discussions during the meeting focused on reforms to the education sector and accommodating diversity, language in multilingual educational contexts, and respect for diversity and pluralism in education content.

Participants agreed on the need to further share best practices, promote broader engagement and to adapt to changing environments.

Particularly emphasized was the need for teachers to receive adequate training to be equipped to manage multilingual and multicultural classrooms and for the foundations of education systems to be solid enough to handle adversity, such as budget cuts and extensive reforms.

Acknowledging the role of education in fostering a sense of opportunity and belonging, experts said that the politicization of history is not conducive to conflict prevention. Instead, different views should be allowed as an increased level of historical knowledge and understanding will lead to historical empathy, which can in turn lead to a unifying feeling when the pain of the past is shared.

The experts agreed a set of recommendations for future work in the field of minority education rights, which will be published as follow up to this event.

The expert meeting was held a day after a HCNM-organized conference gathered 180 participants from 32 participating States to assess two decades of The Hague Recommendations. Among the participants of the conference were government officials, experts, teachers, education professionals, non-governmental actors and other local and international stakeholders active in the field of education, conflict prevention and peace-making.

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OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Washington DC and New York City from 25 to 29 April 2016, where she explored opportunities to strengthen co-operation in conflict prevention, implementing early action policies and in fostering inclusion within diverse societies.

Thors met with officials from the United States and representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations Secretariat, Funds, Programmes and Agencies, as well as members of the academia, think tanks and human rights organizations.

During her visit, Thors welcomed the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of the Resolution 2282 (2016) on the Review of United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture as renewed meaningful support to conflict prevention worldwide. In discussions, it was also noted that the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the data provided during their implementation are very relevantpertinent for building just and inclusive societies.

“I am pleased with the strengthened partnerships with the wider international community achieved during my trip, in particular in thematic areas such as access to justice and education, both highly relevant to national minorities and conflict prevention,” Thors concluded.

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• High Commissioner Thors, in her OSCE Permanent Council address, discusses country engagement and highlights the increase in hate speech targeting national minorities

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Croatia from 9 to 10 May 2016. During her visit, Thors focused on promoting the effective implementation of the Constitutional Act on the Rights of National Minorities, in particular the provisions regarding languages and scripts; on education matters; and, on issues pertaining to national minorities and good neighbourly relations.

Concerned that marginalizing or stigmatizing national minorities poses a threat to the cohesion of society and to bilateral relations, Thors urged the systematic condemnation of discriminatory rhetoric or conduct.

“Divisive rhetoric has proven a dangerous path. The more diversity, the richer a society is, as different cultures are the shared wealth of all,” Thors said. “It is crucial to foster a sense of belonging for all members of society in order to effectively promote the integration process,” she added. Thors called for ensuring the protection of the rights of national minorities whilst avoiding polarization of the society along ethnic lines, consistent with The Ljubljana Guidelines on the Integration of Diverse Societies, published by HCNM in 2012.

The High Commissioner also emphasized the need for a renewed dialogue between all political and social actors to overcome difficulties, including those related to the protection of minority rights, in a consultative manner. In this context, Thors welcomed the thorough process of the curricular reform and reiterated her support to teaching of a common curriculum, regardless of the instruction language, as an effective way to integrate diverse societies and provide for common points of understanding.

Thors was encouraged by the prospect of further co-operation with Croatian institutions. She also welcomed the attention given to the existing joint bilateral inter-governmental commissions. “Co-ordination of efforts with neighbouring countries in this field and the active role played by all ministries under the auspices of the State Office of Croats Abroad could consolidate the shared European aspirations in the neighbourhood,” Thors noted.

The High Commissioner met a variety of key interlocutors in Zagreb. These included Zdravka Bušić, Deputy Foreign Minister; Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović, Minister of Public Administration; Predrag Šustar, Minister of Science, Education and Sports; Furio Radin, Milorad Pupovac, Ivan Radić, and Marko Sladojev, Chairperson and members of the Parliamentary Committee on Human and National Minority Rights, respectively; Aleksandar Tolnauer, President of the Council for National Minorities; Lora Vidović, Ombudsman; Branko Sočana, Director of the Government Office for Human Rights and Rights of the National Minorities; and Zvonko Milas, Head of the State Office for Croats Abroad.

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• High Commissioner Thors, in her OSCE Permanent Council address, discusses country engagement and highlights the increase in hate speech targeting national minorities

Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 2 June 2016, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors described country engagement and highlighted the disturbing increase in hate speech.

The statement covered the High Commissioner’s activities since her last statement to the Permanent Council in November 2015. During this period Thors visited Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova.

The High Commissioner expressed concern about the increase in hate speech targeting national minorities. Thors called for renewed efforts to tackle hate speech in order to prevent tensions and to promote integration with respect for diversity.

Thors also informed the Permanent Council about the work her institution is doing together with researchers to identify best practices that highlight the bridge building potential of national minorities in diverse societies.

The full statement can be found here.

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THE HAGUE / TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today awarded a certificate of participation to eight interns from Georgia’s national minority communities in Tbilisi. The certificate recognizes the immersive and proactive involvement of the young professionals in their mid-twenties in the day-to-day life of Georgia’s political parties during an intensive one-month internship programme in May-June 2016.

This programme is part of a two-year project, jointly implemented by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, which aims to encourage the participation of minority communities in mainstream politics and to promote multiparty dialogue.

“All diverse societies face the immense challenge of involving ethnic communities fully in the political arena. Engaging young people from national minority communities in the day-to-day work of political parties gives them a deeper insight into political life. The inclusion of minority communities in political life and their fair and equal representation in the public sector is a key ingredient for the successful integration of diverse societies,” said Steinmeier.

Now in its final phase, the Multiparty Dialogue – Strengthening the Participation of National Minorities in Political Life project has been in operation since its launch in September 2014 to encourage and support the involvement of national minorities in politics as a conflict prevention measure to make Georgia a more cohesive, integrated and resilient State. At the same time it has also helped to strengthen the Georgian political system in its efforts to reach out to, and engage with, national minorities.  

This pioneering project − the first of its kind in Georgia – provided young people from regions of Georgia with significant ethnic Armenian and ethnic Azeri populations with a unique opportunity to have first-hand experience of the work involved in running a political party. Furthermore, in addition to giving parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties the chance to work closely with young people from national minority communities, it also provided them with the necessary tools and insights to develop their own Action Plans on Minority Participation. These plans are now being finalized in time for preparations for the parliamentary elections in October 2016. Television also played an innovative role in this project, culminating in the production of five topical talk shows related to essential issues that affect national minorities such as integration and political participation. In addition, four policy papers will be published in August 2016.

Following on from her visit earlier this year to Tbilisi, High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors said: “The project activities in Georgia are an inspiring example of the effective promotion of the HCNM Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life. In this regard, I hope our project has helped to encourage these interns to actively participate in political life and also encourage others of their generation to do so.” 

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A week-long regional summer school on multilingual and multicultural education was held from 10 July to 16 July 2016 in Cholponata in Kyrgyzstan - the fifth regional summer school organized as part of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities’ (HCNM) Central Asia Education Programme.

Organized by the HCNM in co-operation with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education and Science, UNICEF and the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights in Kyrgyzstan, the summer school brought together 86 participants representing education institutions of the Central Asian States and of the wider region, including teacher trainers, methodological experts, university and pilot school managers and teachers, as well as international experts.

The summer school was aimed at providing practical expert support to further develop the capacity of education authorities and practitioners within multilingual and multicultural education.

Opening the summer school, Deputy Minister of Education of Kyrgyzstan Toktobubu Ashymbaeva highlighted the important role of the teacher in multilingual education programmes.

During the week, participants discussed pre-service and in-service teacher training, as well as facilitating the implementation of multilingual education programmes. Participants also developed training materials aimed at monitoring and evaluating multilingual and multicultural education programmes. As a result, eleven thematic materials were developed with the aim to further adapt them for practical use within the education institutions of the region.

Flera Saifulina, Head of the National Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation, found that the diverse forms of activities enabled participants to express their opinions, raise concerns and receive comprehensive answers from fellow experts. She also expressed satisfaction to see how education is used for the integration of societies in the Central Asian countries.

Tatiana Aderikhina, Co-ordinator of Education and Child Protection Issues at UNICEF Kazakhstan, said: “I am glad that the cooperation between HCNM and UNICEF Kyrgyzstan continues as it brings synergies and benefits the target country.”

Zaiyrbek Ergeshev, representative of the Department of the Ethnic and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, concluded that multilingual and multicultural education is an important factor for forming a civic identity.

Since 2012, the High Commissioner has been implementing the Central Asia Education Programme, aimed at promoting multilingual and multicultural education and developing bilateral and multilateral co‑operation in the region to improve the education of national minorities and promote the integration of society.

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The OSCE Mission to Skopje on 28 June 2016 launched a two-day workshop for 22 members of the Police Union on countering gender-based discrimination with the aim of advancing the position of women in police services and increasing gender sensitivity among police officers.

The workshop focused on areas of gender-based discrimination in employment, education, health and family, explaining what gender inequality is and how it is addressed in international and domestic legislation and in practice.

Participants will learn how to identify harassment and sexual harassment as forms of discrimination, as well as workplace bullying. The legal protection, prevention and measures against such bullying will be illustrated through real cases.

This workshop is part of the Mission’s programme to support the democratization of the Police and is in line with the Mission’s efforts to encourage gender equality in all segments of society.

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ULAANBAATAR, 30 June 2016 – Election day was orderly and followed a competitive campaign. This, however, did not offset the impact of late fundamental changes to election laws on Mongolia’s democratic development, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. While the June 29 parliamentary elections were highly contested and freedoms of assembly and association were respected, restrictive campaign provisions, coupled with the media’s subservience to political interests, limited impartial and comprehensive information available to voters, the statement says.

“We were pleased to see that voting took place in a calm and peaceful manner. This was a genuinely competitive contest, with high turnout and no certainty as to which party would win. We applaud the fact Mongolia is a functioning democracy,” said Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “There were, however, some elements which cause concern, including significant last-minute changes to the election laws, which, among other things, prevented 150,000 Mongolian citizens living outside the country, including diplomats, from voting.”

The observers said the consolidation of election legislation into a new law adopted on 25 December 2015, following an inclusive process, was a positive development toward establishing a cohesive electoral framework. However, changes in May 2016 – from a mixed electoral system to a solely majoritarian one, establishing 76 single-mandate constituencies and approving their boundaries – were introduced by parliament in a process that lacked transparency, public consultation and adherence to established criteria, the observers said. This resulted in profound population discrepancies among constituencies.

A total of 498 candidates, including 69 independents, was registered in a process that was largely inclusive and provided voters with a range of political choices. Contrary to OSCE commitments and other international obligations, however, there are disproportionate restrictions on candidacy rights the statement says. While there was general confidence in the accuracy and inclusiveness of the voting register, the May changes to the election laws also effectively disenfranchised 150,000 citizens living abroad for the parliamentary elections.

“For an election to be meaningful, voters first have to be offered a genuine choice, and voters were given that choice here. That choice also has to be between candidates competing on a level playing field and who have equal access to independent media to explain their platforms. In this, there is still work to do,” said Ambassador Audrey Glover, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term election observation mission. “Elections are about voters, and the main problem for voters was understanding the significant last-minute changes to election laws, which affected the rules of the game profoundly and raised questions about political motivation.” 

Despite undue campaign restrictions, the freedoms of assembly and association were respected and candidates were generally able to convey their messages to the electorate. At times the lines were blurred between parties and the administration at both the national and local levels, the observers said. There were multiple instances of alleged vote-buying, which resulted in a number of formal complaints and the deregistration of two candidates.

The GEC received some 50 pre-election complaints. Courts reviewed 21 cases regarding candidate registration, and the police handled more than 1,000 campaign-related complaints. Although legislation clarifies the complaints and appeals process to some extent, a general lack of formalization and transparency in the process within the election administration and the protracted handling of disputes in courts undermined the right to effective remedy.

The media offered extensive election coverage, but abandoned their journalistic role, for the most part simply granting direct access to the politicians. Paid political advertisements and free airtime overshadowed editorial content, and campaign material prepared by political parties was also included in news programming, undercutting the credibility of the media. Consequently, voters were deprived of independent and analytical reporting, the observers said.

In preparation for election day, the General Election Commission met key operational deadlines and fulfilled its mandate. At the same time, the observers said, it lacked transparency and accountability to stakeholders, diminishing trust in the credibility of the process. The testing of vote-counting machines was conducted professionally by the Commission in the presence of stakeholders and, to address concerns over the machines’ accuracy and integrity, the law was amended stipulate that up to 50 per cent of polling stations would be subject to manual recounts. The procedures stipulating the manual re-count, however, were only finalized two days prior to the elections.

All parties and coalitions complied with the 20 per cent gender quota provided for by law, and 26 per cent of contestants were women. There were, however, no women candidates in more than one-third of the constituencies. While there is only one woman member of the General Election Commission, women were better represented in lower-level election commissions. Overall, women remain underrepresented in political life.

Election day proceeded in an orderly manner in most of the country and, while the right to vote was respected, the secrecy of the vote was not consistently ensured. The observers’ assessment of the counting and tabulation of votes was a notable exception to the overall positive assessment of voting, mostly as a result of significant procedural errors or omissions. A number of civil society organizations monitored the pre-election environment, including campaign finance and the media, and issued timely statements highlighting key shortcomings.

For further information, contact:
Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, +976 95 14 1635 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Tim Boden, European Parliament, +976 99 976294 or +32 473 844431, timothy.boden@europarl.europa.eu

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