#Eradicating violence and corruption with Goal 16

[greenthestral]

Achieving Global Peace and Justice: The Crucial Role of Goal 16 and Strong Institutions

In an ever-changing and interconnected world, achieving peace and justice is of paramount importance for the well-being and progress of societies. Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), aptly named "Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions," recognizes the significance of establishing robust governance structures, promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, and ensuring access to justice for all. This article delves into the essence of Goal 16 and highlights its vital role in fostering peace, justice, and strong institutions worldwide.

Understanding SDG 16 and Its Significance

SDG 16, part of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, holds significant importance in addressing some of the most pressing global challenges. It acknowledges the inseparable connection between peace, justice, and strong institutions as crucial foundations for sustainable development and the well-being of societies worldwide. By setting this goal, the United Nations aims to provide a comprehensive framework that guides countries in their efforts to create peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

At its core, SDG 16 recognizes that without peace and stability, sustainable development becomes unattainable. Armed conflicts, political instability, and social unrest not only lead to immense human suffering but also impede progress in various areas such as education, health, and economic growth. By prioritizing peace, the goal acknowledges the urgent need to address the root causes of violence, prevent conflicts, and build societies that can thrive in an atmosphere of tranquility.

In addition to peace, justice is an essential pillar of SDG 16. It emphasizes the importance of establishing fair and effective legal systems that ensure equal access to justice for all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic background. Access to justice is not limited to formal legal processes but extends to broader aspects, such as addressing grievances, resolving disputes, and promoting human rights. By ensuring access to justice, societies can guarantee the protection of fundamental rights, reduce inequalities, and foster social cohesion.

Strong institutions form another critical aspect of SDG 16. These institutions encompass a wide range of entities, including governments, public administrations, judicial systems, and law enforcement agencies. They play a pivotal role in upholding the rule of law, promoting good governance, and ensuring accountability at all levels. Strong institutions provide a stable framework that enables countries to effectively respond to the needs of their citizens, protect human rights, combat corruption, and provide essential services. By strengthening institutions, countries can establish an environment conducive to sustainable development and the realization of the other Sustainable Development Goals.

SDG 16 outlines specific targets and indicators to guide countries in their efforts to achieve peace, justice, and strong institutions. These targets include reducing all forms of violence and related death rates, ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children, promoting the rule of law at the national and international levels, and significantly reducing corruption and bribery. Additionally, the goal aims to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making processes, strengthen the capacity of institutions at all levels, and ensure public access to information and fundamental freedoms.

To achieve these targets, countries need to develop comprehensive strategies, policies, and action plans tailored to their specific contexts. This requires multi-sectoral collaboration involving government entities, civil society organizations, the private sector, and citizens themselves. It is crucial to address the underlying factors that contribute to violence, inequality, and weak institutions, such as poverty, lack of education, discrimination, and social exclusion. By adopting a holistic approach and integrating the principles of SDG 16 into their national agendas, countries can make significant strides towards building peaceful and just societies.

Moreover, achieving SDG 16 requires international cooperation and partnerships. Many of the challenges related to peace, justice, and strong institutions transcend national boundaries, necessitating collective action. Countries can collaborate on sharing best practices, exchanging knowledge and expertise, and providing financial and technical assistance to support capacity building efforts in developing nations. By working together, the international community can promote peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and the strengthening of legal systems globally.

SDG 16 plays a pivotal role in the global pursuit of sustainable development. By recognizing the interconnectedness of peace, justice, and strong institutions, this goal provides a comprehensive framework for countries to eradicate violence, reduce corruption, promote good governance, and ensure equal access to justice. The successful achievement of SDG 16 not only contributes to the well-being of individuals and societies but also creates an environment conducive to the realization of all the other Sustainable Development Goals. Through collective action and commitment, countries can build a world where peace, justice, and strong institutions prevail.

The Link between Peace, Justice, and Sustainable Development

Peace and justice are intricately interconnected with sustainable development. Without peace, societies face constant conflicts, hindered progress, and widespread poverty. Similarly, without justice, marginalized communities struggle to access essential services, experience discrimination, and live in perpetual insecurity. Achieving sustainable development requires addressing the root causes of violence, establishing just systems, and providing equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background.

Building Strong Institutions for Effective Governance

Strong institutions are the backbone of a functioning society. They uphold the rule of law, protect human rights, and ensure accountability. Such institutions foster trust between citizens and governments, creating an environment conducive to economic growth and social stability. Through effective governance structures, governments can address societal grievances, reduce corruption, and promote transparency, ultimately leading to stronger and more inclusive societies.

Advancing Peaceful and Inclusive Societies

Peaceful and inclusive societies are vital for achieving SDG 16. By promoting social cohesion, dialogue, and inclusivity, countries can reduce violence, prevent conflicts, and create a harmonious environment where all individuals can thrive. Investing in education, empowering marginalized communities, and fostering intercultural understanding are key components in building societies that value diversity and promote peaceful coexistence.

Reducing Violence and Crime Rates

SDG 16 emphasizes the need to reduce all forms of violence and crime. Violence, whether it is domestic, interpersonal, or related to armed conflicts, hampers development efforts and negatively impacts individuals, families, and communities. Through the implementation of effective policies, investments in crime prevention, and promoting conflict resolution mechanisms, countries can create safer environments that enable their citizens to lead fulfilling lives.

Tackling Corruption and Promoting Transparency

Corruption undermines trust in institutions, distorts the allocation of resources, and exacerbates inequality. SDG 16 highlights the importance of combating corruption at all levels and promoting transparency in governance. By establishing robust anti-corruption measures, implementing accountable practices, and encouraging citizen participation, countries can foster an environment of integrity, thus bolstering public trust and promoting sustainable development.

Ensuring Access to Justice for All

Equal access to justice is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of SDG 16. Many individuals, particularly vulnerable populations, face barriers when seeking justice, including financial constraints, discrimination, and inadequate legal systems. By strengthening legal institutions, providing legal aid, and promoting fair and efficient judicial processes, countries can ensure that justice is accessible to all, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Promoting International Cooperation and Partnerships

Achieving SDG 16 requires global collaboration and partnerships. Addressing transnational crime, promoting the rule of law, and strengthening institutions at the international level are essential components of Goal 16. By fostering cooperation among countries, sharing best practices, and providing financial and technical assistance to developing nations, the international community can work collectively towards peace, justice, and strong institutions worldwide.

Conclusion

Goal 16, "Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions," recognizes the indispensable role of peace, justice, and effective governance in achieving sustainable development. By promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, reducing violence and crime, tackling corruption, ensuring access to justice, and fostering international cooperation, countries can create a world where all individuals can live in dignity, security, and prosperity. To create a better future for all, it is crucial that governments, organizations, and individuals join forces to support and implement the targets of SDG 16, working towards a more peaceful and just world.

[sageglobalresponse]

Full text of Buhari’s 2021 New Year message

NEW YEAR SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

1ST JANUARY 2021

My fellow countrymen and women,

First, I would like to thank and praise the Almighty who saw us through the year 2020 and has given us the opportunity to witness the start of another new year. We especially thank God because the year 2020 was one of the most trying years since our existence as a Nation.

2. This can also be said about all other nations around the world, due to the challenges posed on our collective humanity by the novel COVID-19 pandemic.

3. While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.

4. As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year. May their souls rest in perfect peace.

5. We must remember that we also celebrated the historic occasion of our sixty years as an independent and sovereign country on October 1st 2020. In the spirit of hope and gratitude, I would like to remind us again that as a country on the difficult journey to nationhood and greatness, we have confounded the many pundits at home and around the world who never gave the newly-born country that emerged unto the world stage on 1st October 1960 a chance of surviving much longer than a few years.

6. Yet, here we are, 61 years by the next anniversary in October, and not only are we here, we are standing tall in the comity of nations as one country united under the will of God and also actively growing that indivisible Nigerian spirit that has enabled us, year after year, decade after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where others have fallen and disintegrated. This nation, this Nigeria will survive and thrive.

7. In this journey to nationhood, we have experienced the highs and lows. 2020 indeed came with a lot of challenges ranging from security and economic issues across the regions to understandable protests that were mainly led by our youths and served notice to the demand for police reforms and accountability. This government heard, this government listened and this government is committed to fulfilling the five demands of our youths, fully understanding that we all wish well for Nigeria.

8. In the midst of all these challenges, I had initially pledged that as your elected President and Commander-in-Chief, I would ensure that these ongoing challenges will be faced head-on with renewed determination and with all the appropriateness and urgency required. Your voices have been heard and we would continue to listen to you, and all the key stakeholders who are committed to the unity of Nigeria to ensure that every region of this nation is safe for us all, while guaranteeing that the future is also secure for the coming generation.

9. I wish to also use this occasion of New Year to reaffirm my commitment to the people of Nigeria, especially the youth who need our collective encouragement and support. In securing this nation we need to secure the future of our youth.

10. Our young people are our most valuable natural resource, at home and abroad. Their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit is evident to all. Many of our young people are excelling in various spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication technology, commerce and are globally recognized as achievers.

11. As a Government we are committed to actively engaging with the creative energies of our young people. In this regard, we will partner with the legislature to develop an enabling environment to turn their passions into ideas that can be supported, groomed and scaled across regions. This will create vast opportunities in fintech, agriculture, business process startups and in the entertainment industry.

12. The year 2021 will indeed be a year where we will work to reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria. This administration would continue focusing on delivering key strategic priorities under our “SEA” – (Security, Economy and Anti-Corruption) Agenda. Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include:

ON THE SECURITY:

13. Re-energizing and reorganizing the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country.

14. In line with the current security challenges, we are facing as a Nation, I would like to reiterate the promise I made recently when over 300 of our boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara were successfully rescued by our security operatives.

15. The professionalism shown by our Security Forces and the collaboration from all stakeholders across both State and Federal Governments that led to the successful rescue of the boys is proof that Nigeria has the internal capacity to decisively deal with terror attacks on our citizens.

16. However, we recognize that we rapidly have to move to a more proactive and preemptive posture to ensure that these sorts of traumatic incidents do not become a norm. Our administration is fully aware of the responsibility we have to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and we will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to our national security and civic wellbeing.

ON THE ECONOMY:

17. Our focus is on revamping the economy through the national economic diversification agenda that supports the primary goal of national food self-sufficiency. This has helped reduce the growing food related inflationary figures and have in considerable measure positively impacted our food security status during the long months of the pandemic lock down.

18. We are also currently rebuilding our national infrastructure base and, in the process, introducing transformation through the rehabilitation, modernization, and expansion of the railway system, national roads and bridges both in rural and urban centres, alongside the airports and seaports.

19. The reforms we have put in place in the power sector would guarantee increased efficiency in our drive to significantly expand the generation and distribution of electricity for use in homes and factories.

20. As an administration we are currently undertaking a series of special interventions designed to boost job creation and support the entrepreneurial drive of our youths.

21. With the recent opening of our borders, we expect that the pent-up demand of legitimate cross-border and international trade will boost the fortunes of the many small businesses and agricultural enterprises that depend on Nigeria’s trade and commerce.

22. The message to our West African neighbours is that Nigeria is once again fully open for those willing to conduct business in a fair and equitable way.

ANTI-CORRUPTION:

23. On the anti-corruption drive of our administration, we have recorded substantial gains so far and this year, we are committed to continuing along the path of eradicating corruption, through collaboration with all the arms of Government to effectively prosecute this fight.

24. While we would be working with the Legislature to enact laws that would strengthen this fight, we would also be looking at reviewing some of our laws which would ensure that this fight is more effective. On the part of the executive, we would ensure the diligent and timely prosecution of corruption cases, while appealing to the judiciary to ensure that corruption cases are dispensed with expeditiously.

25. The persistence of various forms of violence has meant that in the most affected parts of the country, the fabric of inter-communal harmony woven through years of investment of effort at building trust, mutual respect, and harmony has been threatened.

26. Insecurity as a challenge has direct repercussions on our national economic stability, growth, and development, setting us back at critical points through the destruction of public and private investments.

27. In parts of the country where chronic poverty, social exclusion, and disillusionment among sections of the youth were already a problem, the cycles of violence that have been unleashed by mindless groups like Boko Haram and others have thwarted the efforts of government to undertake the social policy and associated investments that could make a huge difference in the quality of life of our citizens.

28. I am aware that for some of our compatriots, the progress we have registered since the inception of this administration is not nearly as fast or as sufficient as they would wish. I do not begrudge them their views in so far as they signify a wish, in which we all share, for only the very best for our country.

29. Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this administration.

30. As a people, we have shown admirable resilience in the face of every adversity, an unmatched capacity to recover speedily from every setback, an unparalleled generosity of spirit when we resolve our differences, and a constant readiness to invest faith and hope in the destiny we share as a united country built on the diversity of its peoples.

31. It is these attributes that underpin the Nigerian spirit of “can do, will do” that gives me hope that we shall yet get to destination and fulfill our calling together, especially with the solid resolutions we are setting in this new year.

32. Keeping our country on a forward march is a duty which we all have and share. In this regard, keeping our country safe from a resurgent cycle of COVID-19 as this administration finalizes its plans to procure and efficiently and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccines, I urge you all fellow citizens to observe strict COVID-19 prevention protocols.

33. As your elected President, my pledge to you is the same as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour. I invite all of us to do the same. It is what we owe to the founding generation of our beloved country and also to the coming generation. It is what we desire for national prosperity for all demands.

34. Long Live the Nigerian spirit of oneness, togetherness, and unity. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

[thisdaynews]

Sowore/Revolution: Buhari Forgets Why And How He Became President---SKC Ogbonnia

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/sowore-revolution-buhari-forgets-why-and-how-he-became-president-skc-ogbonnia/

Sowore/Revolution: Buhari Forgets Why And How He Became President---SKC Ogbonnia

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Most of us who held our noses to support President Muhammadu Buhari again in the last election had hoped for true change if he was re-elected. Two months into the second tenure, while it may appear as if though Buhari is indeed incorrigible, it is definitively clear that he has forgotten why and how he became democratic president in the first place.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

If that were not the case, there is no way Buhari’s regime would be colluding with the courts to detain Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in the last election without bail.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Flashback to how we got here. The 16-year reign of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was an embarrassing failure. Yet, the then ruling party was boasting that it would rule Nigeria for 60 uninterrupted years whether we “like it or not.” Elections had become mere charade. Though the country was in dire need of change, the change appeared impossible.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Many prominent politicians aspired to wrestle power from the center during that era, but none was more consistent that General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) who had always garnered massive votes from the northern part of the country by tapping into a wave of visceral anger provoked by gross misrule by the PDP under southern leaders.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Yet, Buhari needed broader opposition to win the presidency. One of the patriots that answered that call is the publisher of the New York-based Sahara Reporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, a globally celebrated anti-corruption advocate, well-known for speaking truth to power.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Armed with an activist pedigree, Ivy League education, and a cult-like army of social media warriors, Sowore became a thorn in the flesh of various PDP regimes. Together with his popular tabloid, Sowore keyed into the vanguard of the political revolution that made it possible for Buhari to make history by unseating an incumbent president in Nigeria. Even though they had ideological differences, Sowore saw Buhari’s anticorruption record as a common ground. More essentially, removing PDP from power was an ultimate compromise.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Throughout Buhari’s quest for the presidency, from 2002 to 2015, he adopted a revolutionary approach replete with inflammatory rhetorics. For instance, he is on record to have urged Nigerians to emulate the example of Arab Spring Revolution to oust the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. He followed in May 14, 2012 to charge that “If what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.”

Even his victorious 2015 presidential campaign was prosecuted with revolutionary credo. In fact, a simple scan of the internet still shows many sites and incidents relating the president to revolution, including a Facebook page boldly christened “The Buhari Revolution”.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Of course, there were some calls for Buhari’s arrest, but President Jonathan recognized that the Constitution guarantees the former military dictator freedom of speech.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

The problem, however, is that upon gaining the power, Buhari did not, and still does not, seem to remember why he was elected. For example, while the history will cast Goodluck Jonathan as the president who condoned corruption, Buhari might eventually be remembered as the man who assumed power with a singular purpose to eradicate corruption but ended up as the most shameless promoter of corruption in the annals of national existence.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Today, acute corruption and crass impunity are the other of the day. Today, the ruling party has as its chairman a virally corrupt and morally bankrupt figure who goes around brandishing the party as a sanctuary for treasury looters.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Today, notorious corrupt kingpins standing trials at various courts are being recycled as ministers in nation of abundant qualified manpower. Moreover, the degree of political, tribal, ethnic, social, and religious divisions in the country is unrivalled in the national history, thanks to the prevailing naked injustice under Buhari.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

In short, things are truly falling apart. Not only is the president leading a visionless regime, he can no longer claim to have the capacity to guarantee the safety of lives and properties of the Nigerian people, let alone being able to cater for the welfare of a deserving nation.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

The truth is that the nation is a deep crisis, with helpless citizens being kidnapped, maimed, and killed with reckless abandon. The situation has provoked some prominent organizations and figures, including royal fathers and former military leaders, to challenge the citizenry to defend themselves instead of depending on the failing state for protection.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Rather than toe the path of violence or emulate Buhari’s incendiary style, Omoyele Sowore called for a peaceful revolution with the goal to awaken an unresponsive government towards change.

Unfortunately, similar to the pattern under military dictatorship, the president ordered the arrest of Sowore, naively claiming that the word revolution suddenly translates to only a call for an overthrow of the government.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

But if Buhari’s new vision of revolution is not stark hypocrisy, one can then come to terms on why he toppled Shagari’s government which had Green Revolution as a cardinal policy. He might as well occasion the arrest of the Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, and many well-documented Nigerian presidential aspirants or candidates, including Buhari himself, who pitched revolution as a rallying call for action in their quest for power.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

From his prison cell, Mr. Buhari can be at the liberty to dial US President, Donald Trump, to quickly arrest a current Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders, whose campaign theme is “Our Revolution”.

The Sowore saga is simply a case of hyper-hypocrisy, but the crisis conundrum is that Muhammadu Buhari does not listen.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

In a widely celebrated essay, “Buhari And Nnamdi Kanu Fighting The Wrong Enemies”, I had cautioned the president during his first tenure that “fighting the right causes through the wrong courses usually creates more problems than solutions.”

Today, Kanu and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have only grown worldwide by leaps and bounds, and the toll on the national economy continues to mount. As he begins his second term, President Buhari needs to equally understand that Nigeria’s problem is neither Omeyele Sowore.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

The true problem is the failure wage a true fight against corruption; failure to lead a just, transparent, and responsive government; the failure to protect the lives and property of ordinary Nigerians; and the failure to be president for all.

The solution is true change. The president can begin with atonement and immediate and unconditional release of Sowore. Anything less only goes to worsen the growing crisis.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

SKC Ogbonnia, 2019 APC presidential aspirant, is the author of the Effective Leadership Formula.

[catholicwatertown]

Vatican at UN: Don't let fear prevail in tackling migrant crisis

(Vatican Radio) When dealing with today’s large movements of refugees and migrants, it’s essential to use “adequate tools of analysis, rather than letting fear and self-interest prevail”.

That was the message at the heart of a speech by Jesuit Father Michael Czerny, Undersecretary of the Vatican’s new department for Integral Human Development, to an event organised by the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York on Monday.

The event, jointly promoted by the International Catholic Migration Commission, Caritas Internationalis and the Center for Migration Studies of New York, came during a second informal thematic session of the  Global Compact on “Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants"

In the address, Fr Czerny – whose section of the new dicastery answers directly to Pope Francis – spoke about the reasons driving the current, complex movements of migrants and refugees, which few would deny “have reached crisis proportions”, he said.

The most “honest, comprehensive and effective way of addressing the drivers of forced migration”, he continued, is “to ensure the right of all to remain in dignity, peace and security in their countries of origin”.

Speaking of the many reasons why people are forced to flee from their homelands, Fr Czerny pointed to the immediate need to stop arms sales to countries in conflict, end the unscrupulous exploitation of territories and resources, and open “new and accessible channels for asylum and legal migration”.

Please find below the full address by Fr Michael Czerny at the Holy See side event on: “Ensuring the right of all to remain in dignity, peace and security in their countries of origin.”

United Nations, New York, 22 May 2017

The Right to Remain

It is an honour to speak at this side Event of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, together with the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), Caritas Internationalis and the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) during the second informal thematic session, addressing the drivers of migration. Thank you for the opportunity to share understandings and develop common commitments.

It is also a privilege to speak in the name of the Vatican’s new Dicastery for Integral Human Development. This department is dedicated to the fullest development of the whole person and of every person,  “and pays special attention to the issues pertinent to the needs of those who are forced to flee their homeland or have none.” 

Finally, I am very happy to speak in the name of the Migrants & Refugees Section, whose mission is to assist the Church, its leaders and members and many other parties as well, to accompany people forced to flee in each phase of their trajectory: in their country of origin, during their transit, at their destination, and finally their possible return. To accompany, Pope Francis teaches, means to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate.  Activating these four verbs would go far in fulfilling the promise of the New York Declaration and the purpose of the Global Compacts.

Few would deny that today’s large movements of refugees and migrants are very complex, often disorderly, unpredictable and dangerous; have reached crisis proportions; seem likely to continue if not increase; and currently constitute a most alarming issue or topic. They seem to clutter many minds with alarming statistics and fill many imaginations with distressing images.

To deal with today’s large dislocations responsibly, a first step is to employ adequate tools of analysis, rather than letting fear and self-interest prevail. On closer examination, there is much to appreciate rather than to fear, and much to do together rather than reject outright. For very plausible reasons, people opt to risk their lives in a dangerous journey hoping for better living conditions in country of destination. The total world scenario is made up of many millions of individual situations. Each one represents a particular reality to which fundamental rights apply, and the protection of those rights must always be a priority. This challenge calls us to steadiness of purpose and fidelity to our deeper values. Let these be the marks of the current thematic session and indeed of the whole Compacts process.

Everyone wants migration flows be “safe, orderly and regular”; the Sutherland report calls for their “management” or, better, for their “governance”. But these values can easily, if unconsciously, get reduced to control, national control. Control, as just one legitimate dimension, cannot be exercised in neglect of other essential factors, many of which are embodied in the right to remain. Human security takes precedence over national security.

The current  informal thematic session, the second, wisely seeks to address “the drivers that create or exacerbate large movements”. It takes its orientation from Paragraph 43 of the New York Declaration which states:

We will analyse and respond to the factors, including in countries of origin, which lead or contribute to large movements. We will cooperate to create conditions that allow communities and individuals to live in peace and prosperity in their homelands. Migration should be a choice, not a necessity. We will take measures, inter alia, to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, whose objectives include eradicating extreme poverty and inequality, revitalizing the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, promoting peaceful and inclusive societies based on international human rights and the rule of law, creating conditions for balanced, sustainable and inclusive economic growth and employment, combating environmental degradation and ensuring effective responses to natural disasters and the adverse impacts of climate change.

Migration will be “orderly, safe, regular and responsible” (paragraph 16) only when people are really free to stay. To make today’s migration a choice, not a necessity, is an enormous challenge. It would seem to depend, inter alia, on nothing less than the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. To motivate and orient such an enormous worldwide coordinated effort, will surely take a reliable compass, a shared sense of direction. This is what the Holy See Delegation and the other sponsoring organizations wish to offer under the deceptively simple title “Ensuring the right of all to remain in dignity, peace and security in their countries of origin.”

To elaborate and promote the right to remain is deeply rooted in the Church’s faith and in her social teaching. Instead of putting the accent on control, promoting the right to remain is a deeper and more practical way of addressing the root causes. This then is our conviction: in order to prevent forced, involuntary and disorderly migration, which translates inevitably into unmanageable or ungovernable migration, there is a need to reaffirm the right to remain in one’s homeland and to live there in dignity, peace, and security.  The right to remain includes access to the common good, protection of human dignity, and access to sustainable human development. These are rights which should be effectively guaranteed in one’s own country and by one’s own State. With these assured, then, migration can flow from a free choice. 

And therefore the theme of this side-event: the right to remain is the indispensable basis or condition for the free choice to migrate. The right to remain is prior to, deeper and broader than, the right to migrate. The right to remain really addresses those drivers of migration which compel people to abandon their homes and countries and contribute to disorderly, unpredictable and dangerous migration flows.

Drivers of migration

So what forces coerce emigration? What convinces people that it is necessary and urgent to flee? The drivers of forced migration are evils which oblige people to flee because their lives and/or the future of their children are at serious risk. The conditions have long been worsening and now become impossible, leaving absolutely no grounds for projecting a better future.

Accordingly, to assure forced migrants a safe, orderly journey and integration on arrival is good. But it is even better and more basic to help them to remain at home where, indeed, the vast majority wants to stay. What, then, drives involuntary migration?

 Experiential drivers Let us first look at the drivers as people actually experience them. Deciding to leave one’s place is a very hard decision. It can be triggered by something unpredictable like a natural disaster (earthquake, tornado etc.); the destruction, continuing danger and ensuing suffering drive people to abandon the area.

In other cases, living conditions gradually become more difficult and dangerous, due to lack of work, criminal organization, corruption,  etc. Such causes are frequently multidimensional. For example, countries which are too poor to offer steady work, are also vulnerable to the disturbances of climate change. War and conflict, persecution and dictatorships are inter-related drivers likely to exacerbate already precarious living conditions.

In fact, the majority of forced migrants avoid going too far away. They choose a relatively familiar place of refuge (climate, language, culture, etc.), and they definitely expect to return as soon as conditions permit. 

Extreme poverty and inhumane living, without access to water, food and sanitation, healthcare and other necessary infrastructure, are the experiences which drive people out. Such situations, we spontaneously recognize, are not fit for human life. Moreover, personal and family development seem totally out of reach. Unaccompanied child migrants are often fleeing violence or insecurity, and their flight dramatically expresses the total lack of protection, education and so also of any future.

So the experiences which drive people to flee include conflicts and wars, persecutions, dictatorships, famines, destructive weather events and natural disasters…. Submitting these experiential drivers to analysis, then, the social sciences uncover the systemic causes or drivers underlying people’s sufferings and insecurity.

Systemic or underlying causes Among the systemic causes and probably heading the list are the world’s worsening inequalities or economic asymmetries. Developed countries benefit from huge multinational businesses and financial corporations which exercise decisive influence in their own interest. Since wealth and decision-making are concentrated elsewhere, the so-called developing countries suffer from such unfavourable conditions of production and trade, far from benefiting their workers and their families.

With his customary critical clarity, Pope Francis explains: “‘We need, then, to find ways by which all may benefit from the fruits of the earth, not only to avoid the widening gap between those who have more and those who must be content with the crumbs, but above all because it is a question of justice, equality and respect for every human being.’ One group of individuals cannot control half of the world’s resources. We cannot allow for persons and entire peoples to have a right only to gather the remaining crumbs.” 

“Ensuring justice means also reconciling history with our present globalized situation, without perpetuating mind-sets which exploit people and places, a consequence of the most cynical use of the market in order to increase the wellbeing of the few. As Pope Benedict affirmed, the process of decolonization was delayed ‘both because of new forms of colonialism and continued dependence on old and new foreign powers, and because of grave irresponsibility within the very countries that have achieved independence.’ For all this there must be redress.”

So the underlying causes or systemic drivers include world economic asymmetries, failed processes of decolonization, economic and therefore political dependence, corruption and poor governance, dominance of multinationals, deprivation or maldevelopment of resources, climate change….  

Keeping these two levels in mind -- the direct experiences and the underlying causes, let us consider how to address the drivers which, if not addressed, will inevitably force people from their homes.

In the long run:

a) Sustainable and inclusive development: Grinding poverty causes the absence, not only of the essentials but also of all prospects for improvement. Such poverty can be addressed only by promoting sustainable and inclusive development in the countries of origin, according to the principle of subsidiarity. To support, in the words of Pope Francis, “processes of development and paths of peace in the countries from which these brothers and sisters are fleeing or have left behind to seek a better future.” 

b) Development assistance must reach and include the poor. “There are millions of sons and daughters of the Church who today live in the diaspora or who are in transit, journeying to the north in search of new opportunities. Many of them have left behind their roots in order to brave the future, even in clandestine conditions which involve so many risks; they do this to seek the “green light�� which they regard as hope. So many families are separated; and integration into a supposed “promised land” is not always as easy as some believe.”

c) Reduce self-interest in the allocation and delivery of international assistance: A huge second driver is the (ab)use of overseas assistance to further the interests and advantages of donor countries. Programmes of international cooperation must be freed from the donor’s self-interests. An effective way of doing this is to involve the poor local communities as active protagonists and really promote their interests -- to involve people, in other words, before they are forced to consider becoming migrants!

In the medium run:

a) Fostering regional processes like the free circulation of workers and establishing regional charters of rights for migrants and refugees: “Collaborate to create sources of worthy, stable and abundant work, both in the places of origin and in those of arrival, and in the latter, for both the local population and for immigrants. Immigration must continue to be an important factor in development.” 

b) Strengthening the process of democratization: “The State does not need to have identical characteristics everywhere: the support aimed at strengthening weak constitutional systems can easily be accompanied by the development of other political players, of a cultural, social, territorial or religious nature, alongside the State. The articulation of political authority at the local, national and international levels is one of the best ways of giving direction to the process of economic globalization. It is also the way to ensure that it does not actually undermine the foundations of democracy.” 

c) Promoting bilateral and multilateral agreements on migration and asylum: “A more decisive and constructive action is required, one which relies on a universal network of cooperation, based on safeguarding the dignity and centrality of every human person. This will lead to greater effectiveness in the fight against the shameful and criminal trafficking of human beings, the violation of fundamental rights, and all forms of violence, oppression and enslavement.”

In the short run:

a) Stopping the sale of arms to countries with on-going (or potential) internal or international conflicts “Today, too, the victims are many.... How is this possible? It is so because in today’s world, behind the scenes, there are interests, geopolitical strategies, lust for money and power, and there is the manufacture and sale of arms, which seem to be so important!” 

b) Reducing the unscrupulous exploitation of territories and resources: “The first task is to put the economy at the service of peoples. Human beings and nature must not be at the service of money. Let us say NO to an economy of exclusion and inequality, where money rules, rather than service. That economy kills. That economy excludes. That economy destroys Mother Earth.” 

c) Opening new and accessible channels for asylum and legal migration: “With regard to migrants, I would ask that legislation on migration be reviewed, so, while respecting reciprocal rights and responsibilities, it can reflect a readiness to welcome migrants and to facilitate their integration. Special concern should be paid to the conditions for legal residency, since having to live clandestinely can lead to criminal behaviour.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, we ask: How can migration flows be rendered controllable, manageable and governable, if they are driven by inequity and injustice? Having considered the experiential and systemic drivers, we see that disorderly, unpredictable and dangerous migration flows are a reliable barometer of injustice. Indeed they are linked, in inverse proportion: as justice and equality decrease, forced or “driven” migration increases.

In response, we have considered the right to remain. The most honest, comprehensive and effective way of addressing the drivers of forced migration it to ensure the right of all to remain in dignity, peace and security in their countries of origin.

Pope Francis sums up our topic deciseively: “The human promotion of migrants and their families begins with their communities of origin. That is where such promotion should be guaranteed, joined to the right of being able to emigrate, as well as the right to not be constrained to emigrate, namely the right to find in one’s own homeland the conditions necessary for living a dignified life. To this end, efforts must be encouraged that lead to the implementation of programmes of international cooperation, free from partisan interests, and programmes of transnational development which involve migrants as active protagonists.”  

(from Vatican Radio)

from News.va http://ift.tt/2q5GuI8 via IFTTT from Blogger http://ift.tt/2rNJuW8