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UN Guyana Newsletter 2014 - UN Month Special Edition

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As part of the activities for UN month, the United Nations recorded and aired three panel discussions on the work of the United Nations in Guyana, the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Guyana.

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Page 1: UN Guyana Newsletter 2014 - UN Month Special Edition
Page 2: UN Guyana Newsletter 2014 - UN Month Special Edition

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The awardees were recognized

for their exemplary efforts as

contributors towards achieving

the MDGs and advocating for the

engagement of a wide range of

stakeholders. Winners were awarded in four areas:

Three MDG categories and one Special Award for youth

empowerment. Additionally, a Special Recognition Award

and an Honorable Mention MDG Award were presented.

Winners were selected by a multi - stakeholder panel.

The awards, winners, and projects were as follows:

FOR MDG 2 (ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL PRIMARY

EDUCATION)

– the Guyana Society for the Blind. This organisation

implemented a project which enabled persons who are blind

and visually impaired to firstly attain primary education level

qualifications prior to obtaining Caribbean Secondary

Education Certificate (CSEC) qualifications using computers

provided by the One Laptop Per Family Project. Through this

programme persons with disabilities were able to pursue

studies at tertiary institutions.

FOR MDG 3 (PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY

AND EMPOWERING WOMEN)

- the Mibicuri Community Developers. Through its project

CARE (Community and Advocacy for Residents

Empowerment), the organization provided training in various

areas inclusive of gender based violence and the rights and

responsibilities of women.

FOR MDG 5 (IMPROVING MATERNAL HEALTH)

– the Linden Hospital Complex. As part of its

Regional Prenatal Care Strategy, which was designed to

guarantee the sustainability of zero maternal mortality rate

MDG awardees with UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Khadija Musa (third from right); The Honourable

Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Hinds (second from left); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Carolyn Rodrigues

-Birkett (first on left); and Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran (first on right).

HONORING MDG CHAMPIONS

The United Nations Country Team in Guyana honoured MDG Champions at an Awards presentation held during the United Nations Day reception on Tuesday, October 21, 2014.

Recognized for their

exemplary efforts as

contributors towards

achieving the MDGs

and advocating for the

engagement of a wide

range of stakeholders.

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from 2010 to 2014, the programme facilitated the improvement

of the efficiency of the Linden Hospital Complex via a primary

healthcare approach.

SPECIAL AWARD (YOUTH EMPOWERMENT)

– IMPACT, a non-governmental organisation which provides a

variety of services to eradicate crime and poverty in poor and

depressed areas, especially in the Albouystown community.

Through its project ‘Operation Albouystown,’ IMPACT worked to

curb violence and reduce poverty through community and family

engagement, sporting activities, and the provision of life skills

training for youths in the community.

A Special Recognition Award was presented to both Justice

Donald Trotman, President of the United Nations Association of

Guyana (UNAG), and the organisation itself, for promoting the

work and values of the United Nations in Guyana and building

awareness of the principles and presence of the United Nations

among the Guyanese people.

An Honorable Mention Award for MDG 1 (Eradicating extreme

poverty and hunger), was presented to the St. Francis

Community Developers, which implements multi-sector

initiatives geared towards poverty reduction. The organization

has developed and implemented several community projects,

from which over 10,000 residents have benefitted.

The reception and awards ceremony was graced with the

presence of the Honourable Prime Minister of Guyana, Mr.

Samuel Hinds; the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms.

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkette; other government officials;

members of the diplomatic corps; private sector; and civil

society.

Presentation to the Guyana Society for the Blind

Presentation to the Mibicuri Community Developers

Presentation to the Mibicuri Community Developers

HONORING MDG CHAMPIONS

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An Honorable

Mention Award for

MDG 1 was

presented to the St.

Francis Community

Developers. This

organisation

implements multi-

sector initiatives

geared towards

poverty reduction.

A special award for Youth

Empowerment was

presented to the

organisation IMPACT.

This organisation provides

a variety of services to

eradicate crime and

poverty in poor and

depressed areas,

especially in the

Albouystown community.

Through its project

‘Operation Albouystown,’

IMPACT worked to curb

violence and reduce

poverty through

community and family

engagement, sporting

activities, and the

provision of life skills

training for youths in the

community.

A Special Recognition

Award was presented to the

United Nations Association

of Guyana (UNAG) for

promoting the work and

values of the United Nations

in Guyana and building

awareness of the principles

and presence of the United

Nations among the

Guyanese people.

Justice Donald Trotman

also received a special

award - a gold UN pin - for

his leadership as President

of UNAG.

HONORING MDG

CHAMPIONS

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Just over 300 students from 14 schools in three of

Guyana’s ten regions benefitted from outreaches, which

were held in celebration of United Nations (UN) month.

During the outreaches the UN4U video, which provides

an overview of the work of the UN was shown.

Additionally, presentations on the United Nations’ work

globally and nationally, and UNAG’s support to United

Nations activities in Guyana were made.

Representations from UN agencies in Guyana were

present during the outreaches to provide responses

during the question and answer sessions held at the end

of each outreach.

Mini quizzes interspersed each day’s programmes.

Pamphlets, posters, pens, bookmarks, and other UN

informational material were also distributed to the

students.

Schools which participated in the outreaches were:

Region 4: Bishops’ High School, Christ Church

Secondary School, St. Joseph’s High School, and St.

Rose’s High School;

Region 6: Berbice Education Institute, Berbice High

School, New Amsterdam Multilateral ,and

Vryman’s Erven Secondary School; and

Region 10: Harmony Secondary School, Linden

Foundation, McKenzie High School, New Silver City

Secondary School, Wisburg Secondary School, and

Wismar Christianburg Secondary School.

SCHOOL OUTREACHES ATTRACT OVER 300 STUDENTS

The United Nations Country Team partnered with the United Nations Association of Guyana (UNAG) in hosting the outreaches, which were held at three secondary schools in Georgetown, Berbice, and Linden.

Region 4 Outreach

Region 6 Outreach

Region 6 Outreach

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he UNJPS was developed to strengthen the dialogue

between the United Nations agencies and the national

HIV stakeholders, and responds to agreed priority areas,

which address the issues and challenges of the HIV epidemic

in Guyana.

The UNJPS guides the United Nations support to the National

HIV Response and provides an opportunity for the UN

agencies in Guyana to “deliver as one” in the field of HIV. It

also contributes to the achievement of the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) and Universal Access to HIV

prevention, treatment, care and support.

Aligned with the National HIV Strategic Plan (HIVision2020)

and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework

(UNDAF) 2012-2016, the UNJPS has its origin in the UNAIDS

Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework

(UBRAF) 2012-2015.

The UNJPS will contribute to the achievement of five of the

eight targets set at the 2011 UN High Level Meeting on HIV/

AIDS, viz:

Reducing HIV sexual transmission,

Eliminating HIV new infection among children,

Avoiding TB deaths,

Accessing treatment, and

Eliminating stigma and discrimination.

To achieve these targets all UN agencies in Guyana - in

addition to providing technical assistance to the National HIV

Response - will mobilize resources through the UNJPS that will

be devoted to reduction of new HIV infection among children,

reduction of HIV sexual transmission, reduction of TB deaths,

treatment, and stigma and discrimination.

JOINT PROGRAMME OF SUPPORT ON AIDS

UN Resident Coordinator,

Ms. Khadija Musa presents

the Permanent Secretary

of the Ministry of

Health, Mr. Leslie Cadogan

with a copy of the UNJPS.

The United Nations and the Government of Guyana launched the Joint Programme of Support on AIDS (UNJPS) 2013 – 2016 on October 24 - UN Day.

T Heads of UN agencies, funds, and programmes and Government officials.

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Against this background, interventions are needed to sustain

past successes made regarding under-nutrition and infectious

diseases, and to address the rapidly increasing non-

communicable diseases that are now a major public health

concern.

With this in mind, the Food and Agriculture Organization of

the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of

Education challenged secondary school Home Economics

students in Guyana to prepare and display innovative and

nutritious dishes using local fruits and vegetables that would

either prevent or help combat NCDs. The challenge took the

form of a competition which was held on October 14, 2013 at

the Saint Stanislaus College.

The competition was one of the many activities planned by

FAO in observance of World Food Day (observed on October

16), and attracted students from 24 schools, from as far apart

as North West Secondary in Region 1 to Corentyne

Comprehensive in Region 6. Students prepared and displayed

a range of attractive and interesting dishes, which were

judged on criteria such as creativity and originality,

presentation and appearance, taste, use of local fruits,

vegetables and root crops and nutritional content.

Agricola Practical Instruction Centre with its Baked Fish

Calaloo Roll, won the first prize; North West Secondary with

Snapper Kebabs with Orange Sauce placed second; and

Tutorial Secondary School won third prize with its Breadfruit

Bolax. Apart from winning trophies, each school was

presented with a food processor.

With over 60 recipes on display at the event, it is hoped that a

cookbook of the various dishes prepared by the students will

be published to disseminate locally some of the innovated

ways in which local fruits and vegetables could be utilized to

either prevent or help combat NCDs.

Students displaying their dishes.

FOOD COMPETITION HELD TO PROMOTE THE USE OF LOCAL FOODS IN AN EFFORT TO COMBAT NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Students displaying their dishes at the competition.

Students of the first-placed Agricola Practical Instruction Centre and their headmistress receiving their trophy from Acting FAO Representative, Ms. Khadija Musa (second right)

Guyana, like many countries in Caribbean region, is witnessing an increasing prevalence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, some cancers ,and gallbladder diseases.

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As part of the activities for UN month, the United Nations

recorded and aired three panel discussions on the work of the

United Nations in Guyana, the United Nations Development

Assistance

Framework, and

the Millennium

Development

Goals (MDGs)

and Guyana.

The panel

discussions

were aired and

rebroadcast

during United

Nations month

on the National

Communications Network (NCN). The first programme

featured the UN Resident Coordinator and the President of

the United Nations Association of Guyana, and successive

programmes featured representatives from PAHO/WHO,

UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF.

PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS HOSTED

MOVIE DAY HOSTED TO CELEBRATE UN DAY

United Nations Staff and partners enjoyed the movie World

War Z, starring Brad Pitt, as part of the United Nations month

of activities. The film, which highlighted collaboration in

combating global challenges, was shown at the Theatre Guild

in Georgetown on United Nations Day.

United Nations Staff and friends enjoyed the movie World War

Z, starring Brad Pitt, as part of the United Nations month of

activities. The film, which highlighted collaboration in combating

global challenges, was shown at the Theatre Guild in

Georgetown on United Nations Day. After the viewing of the

film, everyone enjoyed light refreshments and chatted about

the movie.

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FAMILY FARMING PROMOTED AS GUYANA OBSERVED WORLD FOOD DAY

To observe the day in Guyana, the Food and Agricultural

Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration

with the Ministry of Agriculture hosted an official ceremony,

which was attended by officials of the FAO, Ministry of

Agriculture, the Inter America Institute for Cooperation in

Agriculture (IICA), and members of the diplomatic corps.

Ms. Khadija Musa, Acting FAO Representative, in delivering

the FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva ‘s message

for the day, noted that nearly 80 per cent of the food supply

in developing and developed countries is produced by an

estimated 500 million family farms. In addition to being a

major supplier of traditional food which contributes to

healthy balanced diets, family farming provides

employment opportunities, preserves and enhances the

culture, skills and traditions of local communities, and

contributes to the conservation of plants and animal

species. She reminded those present at the ceremony that

family farmers are an important part of the solution for the

challenges that we face: sustainably increase food

production and eradication of hunger.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Minister of Agriculture in his remarks

said that family farming has sustained agriculture over the

years and emphasized the need for continued investment in

the agriculture sector.

World Food Day 2014 also marked by the launch of the “Eat

What You Produce Campaign,” which aims at promoting

behavioural change in Guyanese to eat only what is

produced locally. During the

ceremony there was an

exhibition, which saw scores

of students from schools

from as young as nursery

school children, visiting the booths. FAO distributed over

1500 paraphernalia and publications during the day’s

events.

World Food Day (WFD) commemorates the foundation of

the FAO and offers a moment each year for people all

around the world who are involved in agriculture and food

production to come together to reflect on the vital role that

food plays in our lives and to consider how things can be

done better. This year’s celebrations were observed under

the theme, “Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for

the earth.”

As Guyana joined the rest of the world in observing World Food Day 2014 on October 16, the focus for the day’s celebration was on family farming.

FAO and Government

officials viewing one of

the exhibits

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Did you know?

The UN Guyana Country Team is comprised of seven (7) resident and

four (5) non-resident offices:

Resident Offices

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)

International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO)

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

Non-Resident Offices

International Labour Organisation (ILO) - Trinidad

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime - Panama

UN Women - Barbados

United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) - Jamaica

United Nations Information Center for the Caribbean Area—Trinidad and Tabago

United Nations Guyana

42 Brickdam and UN Place,

Stabroek,

Georgetown.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (+592) 226-4040

http://fb.com/UnitedNationsGuyana

https://twitter.com/UNGuyana

https://www.youtube.com/user/unitednationsguyana