Global Issues

The State of the World’s Children 2007

Child Labour in Agriculture

In June 2007 the International Labour Organization (ILO) joined forces with five key international agricultural organizations to launch a new landmark global partnership to tackle child labour in agriculture by 2016.

Members of the new partnership are: the ILO, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) and International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF).

Worldwide, agriculture is the sector where by far the largest number of working children can be found – an estimated 70 per cent, of whom 132 million are girls and boys aged 5-14. These children are helping to produce the food and beverages we consume. Their labour is used for crops such as cereals, cocoa, coffee, fruit, sugar, palm oil, rice, tea, tobacco and vegetables. They also work in livestock raising and herding, and in the production of other agricultural materials such as cotton and cottonseed.

Exposed to the same hazards as adults in agriculture, the risks to children are even greater because their bodies and minds are still developing and they lack work experience. In some cases, work begins for children as young as five, and children under 10 years account for 20 per cent of child labour in some rural areas, according to estimates by the ILO-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC).

Lack of, or poor education, reduces the children's hopes for a better future. The problem is exacerbated as many agricultural child labourers are from rural families who constitute two-thirds of the world’s poorest people. Girls working in agriculture carry a special burden.Undertaking household chores prior to going to work in the fields as well as upon returning from them, the long hours of work can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, negatively impacting the health and well being of girl child labourers.

Key areas of cooperation for the new partnership are policies and activities to promote the application of laws on child labour in agriculture, especially to ensure that children do not carry out hazardous work in agriculture; improve rural livelihoods, and mainstream child labour issues into national agricultural policies and programme; reduce the urban, rural and gender gap in education; and promote youth employment opportunities in agriculture and rural areas.

The worst forms of child labour, which include hazardous work, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking of children and all forms of slavery, among others, should be abolished as a priority.

A gender gap in opinions of Hillary Clinton is not new. It has been apparent since she rose to national prominence as one of the most politically involved first ladies in history. The pattern has been so consistent for such a long time, it raises the question of whether this is strictly a Clinton phenomenon, or whether it is characteristic of how American voters generally respond to female candidates.

Around the world, women are no strangers to contests for the top leadership position - France's Ségolène Royal being only the most recent, though unsuccessful, contestant. And women have been victorious in such elections in countries as varied as India (Indira Gandhi), Israel (Golda Meier), and Great Britain (Margaret Thatcher). But elections in other countries offer little or no guidance as to likely U.S. voter reactions to a female candidate among either men or women.

A better guide may be voting patterns in statewide elections. While these are not necessarily indicative of voters' willingness to support a woman in a nationwide presidential contest, they are probably the most relevant indication of the mindset of the current American electorate in this regard.

A new Pew analysis of voting patterns for female Democratic candidates for U.S. senator and state governor in recent years suggests that the gender differences in support for Clinton at this early stage in the campaign are, on average, typical for Democratic women who run for statewide office. Pew examined exit polls from 40 senatorial and gubernatorial elections since 1998 in which a female Democratic candidate faced a male Republican. On average, the female Democratic candidates captured the votes of 55% of women compared with 47% of men; the average eight-point gender gap in these contests is identical to that in the match-up between Clinton and Giuliani in the Newsweek survey.

When the 40 races involving female Democrats are compared with a control sample of elections from the same regions involving male Democratic candidates, the Democratic women performed at least as well as the men. On average, Democratic female candidates for senator and governor won 51% of the vote in their elections; Democratic male candidates in the control group won 47% of the vote.

There are no signs that female Republican candidates receive a similar advantage. In the 15 races observed where a female Republican faced a male Democrat, the Republican women did no better than a comparable sample of male Republican candidates. More specifically, women voted for female Republican candidates about as often as they did for male Republicans.

Patterns of gender support in Senate and gubernatorial races suggest that the strong backing that Mrs. Clinton is getting from women is typical for female Democratic candidates for high office. Whether this will extend to the presidency remains an open question. When voters are asked to resolve the question, 13% said they would be more likely to support a female presidential candidate while 11% said they would be less likely to vote for her. And there was the familiar gender gap in response even to this hypothetical question. By a margin of 19% to 7%, women said they would be more likely, rather than less likely to vote for a woman. Men split evenly on the question.

Methodology

The analysis of statewide election results for male and female candidates combines election outcomes and exit poll results for all races in which one candidate was female in the election years 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2006 (2002 was omitted because of problems with the exit poll data that year). This resulted in 55 Senate or gubernatorial races, 15 with a female Republican vs. a male Democrat, 40 with a female Democrat vs. a male Republican. Races with two female candidates were separated from this analysis. Another 55 races with two male candidates were selected to serve as a control group for the analysis. To ensure comparability, states were stratified regionally, and male vs. male statewide races were randomly within each region in proportions that mirror the share of female vs. male statewide races from each region of the country.

National Issues

Climate Institute of Australia
In what is believed to be world first, 16 Australian faith communities representing the world's great religious traditions have united to speak out on climate change.

The climate change debate has tended to be dominated by the language of science. The 2006 Stern Report from the UK began to extend the discussion to the economic effects of global warming.

But for most of us, the fate of the planet as a result of global warming is really a moral issue. Climate change is ultimately about what it means for people - especially children - and the whole creation. In what is believed to be a world first, 16 Australian faith communities representing the world's great religious traditions have united to speak out on climate change.

Read the full text of Common belief: Australia's faith communities on climate change (PDF file)

Australia off the track with Greenhouse Pollution

Australian governments are losing the fight against greenhouse pollution. Since 2004 energy emissions have increased by the equivalent of nearly 50% of all the cars on Australian roads according to new analysis by one of Australia’s leading energy experts released by The Climate Institute today.

Based on data released 27 April 2007, the Climate Institute of Australia states that:

• Australia’s energy consumption emissions have increased by 22.5 million tonnes. This is the equivalent of adding more than five million cars to Australia’s roads, or nearly 50% of the national car fleet.

• Greenhouse pollution increases in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 are above Australian Government projections over the same period indicating current government policies are not having the desired impact.

• Even with Government projected trends, total emissions in 2010 will be more than 110% of 1990 emissions and it is looking increasing unlikely that Australia will meet its goal of meeting its Kyoto target of 108% of 1990 emissions.

Read the full text of Australia off track - fact sheet (PDF file)

Australia's Uranium
With the release of the draft Switkowski report 'Uranium mining, processing and nuclear energy—opportunities for Australia?' and the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry and Resources report 'Australia's uranium - greenhouse friendly fuel for an energy hungry world' the use of nuclear power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has taken greater prominence in debate.

In this context, Australia’s large resources of uranium - the feedstock of nuclear power - will become more important. In addition, the growing gap between supply of and demand for uranium is driving world prices higher, ultimately to the advantage of Australia’s uranium miners.
This note examines the issues of Australia’s uranium in the context of world supply and demand, shows why world prices are rising, and looks to the future of the uranium industry in the environmental debate over greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full text of Australia's uranium (PDF file)

Women Entrepreneurs provides some brilliant information for all businesses: pricing and cash–management advice, recruitment and retention tips, business planning and leadership strategies, staff management guidance and suggestions about tapping into government support services.

Better conditions, better business:

A report on carer and family friendly provisions in Australian small and medium enterprises
 looks at carer and family friendly provisions offered by small and medium enterprises, with positive results found for both employees and employers. It draws upon survey data from the Sensis® Business Index, which surveys 1,800 small and medium enterprise (SME) operators.

Read the full text of Better conditions, better business: A report on carer and family friendly provisions in Australian small and medium enterprises (PDF file)
 

Give us more services, not just money bribes says national women's organisation

The 2007 winner of the Australian RIRDC Rural Women’s Award is Victoria’s Deborah Bain, a woolgrower from the state’s Western District; and South Australia’s Abi Spehr, a rural facilitator and mediator from the Limestone Coast, has been named the 2007 Australian Rural Women’s Award Runner-Up.

The announcement was made last night at the Australian RIRDC Rural Women’s Award 2007 Dinner at Parliament House in Canberra, proudly presented by the Australian Women’s Weekly.

The RIRDC Rural Women’s Award recognises the vital contribution women make to agriculture and rural Australia and encourages their greater capacity by providing them with the support and resources to further develop their skills and abilities.

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) Managing Director Dr Peter O’Brien said that the winner and runner-up for the national award are innovative and tenacious, just like Australia’s rural sector.

“Deb and Abi were selected from the state winners on merit, for their inspiring visions for rural industries and for their capacity to make a real and lasting contribution to rural Australia and its people,” he said.

National winner Deborah Bain and her husband David run a wool-growing property in western Victoria, but her passion is for promoting the importance of agriculture to urban Australians.

She pioneered the highly successful concept of Farm Day, giving city families the chance to be hosted by a farm family for the day, as a simple but effective way to promote agriculture.

Deborah will use the Award to help develop her business and governance skills, which will be critical to supporting the project after Farm Day’s national debut next weekend.

Runner-up Abi Spehr is partner in a fourth-generation mixed grazing and cropping property on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, and a successful rural facilitator and Regional Farmbis Coordinator.

She believes that social factors are important in sustainable and prosperous agriculture, with family relationships critical to the long term stability of family farm businesses. Her particular interest is the relationship between the mother and the daughter-in-law in family farm situations, and she plans to research and publish a book, and develop an education program, dealing with these issues.

“Deb and Abi are both positive about the long term future of rural Australia and are committed and determined to ensure its long term sustainability and its human resource base,” he said.

“Deborah and Abi have a busy and exciting year ahead of them, in raising the profile of the contribution women make to agriculture and to rural Australia in the national arena. The Award will also raise their profile and open up exciting new opportunities for personal development and exposure to new ideas and people.”
The Award provides a Bursary of $10,000 for each of the seven State and Territory winners, to help them achieve their vision for their industry and enhance their skills and capacity to contribute to agriculture, natural resource management and rural Australia.

The Award also offers all State and Territory Winners and Runner-up a chance to attend the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ course.
The Award is an initiative of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation in partnership with the state government agencies for agriculture and primary industries.

The Chair of the Group of Eight, Professor Glyn Davis, in June 2007 outlined a new vision for higher education and university research in Australia. In a National Press Club address entitled 'Seizing the opportunities', Professor Davis called for bipartisan political support to modernise Australia's higher education system. The speech coincided with the release of a Go8 policy discussion paper which proposes measures to reform current policy, widen student choice, promote diversity and underpin Australia's international competitiveness.

• the establishment of a new independent regulator for the tertiary education sector

• portable student scholarships

• mission-based block funding of universities

• enhanced national investment in university research

• performance-based block funding for research

• a dual system of assistance for research students

• improved student income support.

Professor Davis’s speech and Go8 policy paper and summary document are available at www.go8.edu.au

The Australian Bar Association
presents Honorary Membership for Major Dan Mori

The Australian Bar Association will present Major Michael D Mori USMC with Honorary Membership at its Conference dinner on 29 June 2007.

The award of honorary membership made for exceptional service to justice and the rule of law is due recognition of Major Mori’s passionate and fearless advocacy for Guantanamo Bay detainee David
Hicks, an Australian convicted of providing material support for terrorism.

Stephen Estcourt QC, President of the Australian Bar Association, said: “This award of honorary membership recognises the work done by Dan Mori in consistently seeking to have his client dealtwith fairly and in accordance with the rule of law. It is the time-honoured role for an advocate to stand between the state and an individual. Major Mori did that and did it in the best tradition of an advocate.”

Michael Dante Mori (born October 4, 1965) is a major in the United States Marine Corps. He spent four years in the enlisted ranks, reporting for training at the USMC Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. After attending Norwich University, a military
college, he became an officer in the Marine Corps. In 1994 he graduated from the Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts, before being admitted to the Bar in Massachusetts. He is married and has twin boys. A sister lives in Australia.

Mori was appointed by the United States Department of Defence to represent Hicks in November 2003, and continued to handle Hicks’s case until May 2007. Mori has been featured on numerous occasions in the
Australian media in relation to developments in Hicks’s case, and he frequently expressed concern over Hicks’s extended interrogations and the delays in bringing his client to trial. Major Mori has defended his client in the public and political sphere both in Australia and
the USA. He was one of the 2005 recipients of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award, which was presented “to the five military defence lawyers who represented the
first round of defendants at the Guantánamo Bay tribunals and challenged the entire military commission system.”

On November 10, 2006 Mori attended the signing of the Fremantle Declaration by the Attorneys-General of the States and Territories of Australia. The declaration urges judicial fairness to protect the legal rights of Australians at home and abroad. Mori said “It’s disheartening that federal ministers won’t fight for an Australian
citizen to have the same rights as an American.”

On February 15, 2004, during an interview for one of Australia’s leading current affairs television programs, Mori summarized his passionate belief in justice and the rule of law: “America’s always had a proud tradition of ensuring fairness and due process. Now’s not
the time to sacrifice those values.” Following Hicks’s departure from Guantanamo Bay to complete his sentence in Yatala Prison, South Australia in mid May 2007 - Mori was re-assigned as a staff judge
advocate, or legal adviser, to the commanders of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.