UN Pushes Anti-Gang Intervention in Haiti Despite Past Failures


BRIEF

HAITI

INSIGHT CRIME

7 JUL 2023

 BY GAVIN VOSSEN

United Nations officials are once again having serious discussions about international intervention to quell extreme gang-related insecurity in Haiti, but major countries have expressed little enthusiasm for backing a proposal similar to previous disastrous efforts.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on July 6 for member nations to back an international force to assist the Haitian National Police and “defeat and dismantle the gangs.”

“The Haitian people are trapped in a living nightmare. Humanitarian conditions are beyond appalling,” he said.

SEE ALSO: Was Haiti's President Moïse Killed for Valuable State Contracts?

Guterres’ statements echo previous calls from United Nations officials for a multinational response to Haiti’s gang problem, which has generated skyrocketing rates of violent crime and major disruptions of essential economic activities like fuel distribution and food production.

Despite these calls, no agreement has been reached. The nations most likely to lead such a force -- the United States, Brazil, and Canada -- have so far avoided committing to the kind of force envisioned by UN officials. Canada announced in June that the Dominican Republic would host a Canadian security outfit to aid Haiti, but the Dominican Republic later denied that was the case.

Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, Haiti has been suffering a political crisis, public health disaster, and extreme violence from powerful gangs who have seized control of key infrastructure and terrorized communities.

With local security institutions unable to contain spiraling gang violence, vigilante groups have sprung up, killing dozens of suspected gang members in recent months.

“I have never seen the situation as bad as it is now,” William O’Neill, UN independent expert for Haiti, told reporters on July 6.

Haitians appear to be divided over whether to support an international intervention. Previous calls for a peacekeeping force were met with mass protests, but a recent study suggested that Haitians’ support for intervention is relatively high.
InSight Crime Analysis

The UN’s calls for international intervention in Haiti confront not only a lack of political will from the international community but also a legacy of grievous failures by previous peacekeeping forces.

A proposal under consideration by some member nations envisions close collaboration between international forces and Haiti’s national police, according to an internal UN document obtained by the Miami Herald.

But the police are heavily linked to the country’s gang problem and have helped fuel violence in some of the country’s most impoverished neighborhoods. Jimmy Chérizier, alias “Barbecue,” one of the country’s most prominent gang leaders, is a former police officer and has maintained connections in government after turning to crime.

SEE ALSO: Haiti’s Anti-Gang Vigilantes May Pose Future Criminal Threat

Additionally, the government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry is unpopular and lacks legitimacy, especially as elections have not been held since 2016 and no national-level politicians remain in office. This would severely impact the effectiveness of an intervention, Brian Concannon, executive director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), told InSight Crime.

“Gangs are difficult to deal with in any situation, but you add on the political dimension that most people hate you ... you really can't win the hearts and minds that you need to succeed,” he said.

Previous UN involvement in Haiti has not only failed to contain insecurity but has caused additional problems. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) intervention between 2004 and 2017 resulted in widespread human rights abuses by UN peacekeeping forces, who were accused of sexual crimes. The UN has also acknowledged its role in starting a cholera outbreak that killed thousands.

UK
Many older people who left work in 2020-21 ended up in relative poverty – report


According to research, many older people who left work in the first year of the pandemic have had to cut their food expenditure by around £60 per week (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

By John Besley, 

PA

Thu 6 Jul 2023

Almost half of people aged between 50 and 70 who left the workforce during the first year of the pandemic ended up in relative poverty, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

New IFS research, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, revealed 48% of people in this age bracket who stopped work in 2020–21 were in relative poverty, even though overall poverty rates declined that year.

The report warns that older people who stop working often never re-enter the workforce, meaning this group may be experiencing long-term poverty and greater hardship amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Relative poverty refers to people living in households with income below 60% of the median in any respective year.


The report suggests labour market disruptions and the early impacts of the pandemic may have ‘forced’ many workers into early retirement (Victoria Jones/PA)

According to the research, many older people who left work in the first year of the pandemic have had to cut their food expenditure by around £60 per week.

They also struggled more with their overall well-being and were less likely to receive a pension than those who had stopped working in previous years.

The research, which has been released ahead of the forthcoming IFS annual report on living standards, poverty and inequality, suggests labour market disruptions and the early impacts of the pandemic may have “forced” many workers into early retirement.

Xiaowei Xu, a senior research economist at IFS and an author of the research, said: “It is often assumed that older people who left the workforce during the pandemic were wealthy individuals retiring in comfort.

“Our analysis shows that those who left in the first year of the pandemic experienced a sharp rise in poverty, despite overall poverty rates falling that year, and also suffered large falls in well-being.

“Some of this group might well be amenable to coming back into the workforce with the right opportunities, and there are signs that some are returning already.

“If the Government wants to get this group back to work, the success of policies to support older workers, such as the mid-life MOT, will be critical.”

Older adults who left workforce in 2020–21 less likely to have access to pensions

 

By Sophie Smith

 7/7/23

Nearly half (48 per cent) of 50- to 70-year-olds who had recently left the workforce in 2020–21 ended up in relative poverty, research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has revealed.

According to the IFS, this was "significantly" higher than the percentage of individuals who were in poverty after leaving the workforce in pre-pandemic years, despite overall poverty rates declining in 2020–21.

The research, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, also found that, in 2020–21, 50- to 70-year-olds who had stopped working in the last year were less likely to receive pension incomes than those who had stopped working in previous years.

According to the research, nearly half (49 per cent) lacking access to either private or state pensions, compared with 43 per cent of those who were newly inactive in 2019–20.

This same group also cut food expenditure by around £60 per week on average, which was “much more” than those who had stopped working in previous years, who on average did not substantially change their spending upon leaving the workforce.

The IFS highlighted the findings as demonstration that many older workers who left the workforce in the first year of the pandemic were not retiring in comfort.

Instead, it suggested that labour market disruptions and the additional health risk faced by older workers may have ‘forced’ many workers into early retirement, even without financial support, pushing down their living standards and well-being.

In light of the findings, IFS senior research economist and author of the research, Xiaowei Xu, suggested that some of this group might be amenable to coming back into the workforce with the right opportunities, noting that there are signs that some are returning already.

"If the government wants to get this group back to work, the success of policies to support older workers, such as the “mid-life MOT”, will be critical," he said.

Adding to this, JRF chief analyst, Peter Matejic, said: “A high-participation, high-inclusion labour market is vital to reducing poverty. It would help households to boost their incomes, and make sure people are not excluded from the financial, social and health benefits of good work.

“This research shows many older workers were swept out of work by the coronavirus pandemic rather than this being a positive choice. Supporting people back into employment should be a priority for the government alongside ensuring that those who aren’t working can afford the essentials.

“The government needs to make sure universal credit payments when you are out of work never fall below the amount food, utilities and other essentials cost.’

The IFS clarified that these negative outcomes were only seen amongst older people who were newly inactive in the first year of the pandemic, revealing that while an “unusually large” number of people also left the workforce the following year, older workers who had recently stopped working in 2021–22 had similar living standards and well-being to pre-pandemic cohorts.

Women, young people take up beekeeping in Solomon Islands to diversify incomes and fight climate change

By Melissa Maykin
Posted Fri 7 Jul 2023 

abc.net.au

Women and young people in Solomon Islands are learning about new ways to make an income.

In a remote community in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands, 10,000 bees have recently taken up residence and local keepers-in-training are buzzing to get to work.

Farmer Alison is one of 74 people participating in a new program to learn about beekeeping and honey production.

"For 1 kilogram it is 200 Solomon dollars [$36], and I can produce up to 4,000 Solomon dollars [$720], so I am like, 'wow'," she said.

The program is teaching mostly women and young people to diversify their incomes through honey production and divert communities away from harmful farming practices like logging, which accounted for 60 per cent of the country's exports in 2019.

While bees are proving their worth as an effective side hustle, they are also helping communities in the fight against climate change.

That's because they pollinate mangroves, which act as natural buffers against cyclones in low-lying areas.

Alison says food insecurity after disasters is a big concern.

When an extreme weather event flattened homes and crops in Alison's neighbourhood, her main concern was for her six hungry children.

"Everything was blown away, all the walling and windows were blown away. The floor was the only part of the house that remained, we escaped with only the clothes on our back," she said.

"It rains for a week, this kills our crops because of water from heavy rain. I wonder what my kids are going to eat for their bodies and health."
It's about human rights

There is strong demand for honey products in Solomon Islands.

The Pacific is at the epicentre of climate change.

Solomon Islands has been ranked the world's second-most vulnerable country to climate change-related disasters like floods, cyclones, and sea-level rise.

With 65 per cent of the population living within 1 kilometre of the coast, salt-water inundation and erosion of low-lying areas has destroyed crops and led to widespread food shortages, which disrupts work and education.

Save the Children acting country director Paul Green said the beekeeping program, which is being run by his organisation and local environmental group Mai-Ma'asina Green Belt, was about promoting the rights of women and children.

Mr Green said while the initiative helped communities build climate-resilience, much of the responsibility was on the world's big emitters.

"Children are going to be most at risk and their futures are going to be most affected by the impact of climate change," he said.

"We appeal to the global community to meet their commitments to COP27 to stop the advance of climate change, the threats that [it] brings … and to honour their commitments in giving resources to those who are most vulnerable in the Pacific."

About two-thirds of people in Solomon Islands live within 1 kilometre of the coast.

A versatile product

Bee researcher Dr Cooper Schouten is a lecturer and project lead in the faculty of science and engineering at Southern Cross University.

Bees have long been Dr Schouten's "bread and butter", having worked as a beekeeper before helping Pacific countries create productive and profitable industries.

"[Bees] significantly increase crop yields around you, [beekeeping] doesn't take a lot of time, you don't need secure land tenure to do it, honey doesn't perish, you can sell it in times of financial hardship," he said.

"It's also about food and nutrition security through pollination and [making] products where you can value-add like candles, soaps, lip balms, ointments, surf wax and surf zinc."

Dr Cooper Schouten says Pacific beekeeping programs must embrace local knowledge.(Supplied: Southern Cross University)

In countries like Solomon Islands, Dr Schouten said the demand for, and value of, bee products was soaring because climate change had caused supply to plummet.

"[Beekeepers] used to be able to predict when the honey flows were coming in so [climate change] makes it much harder for beekeepers to make informed decisions,” he said, noting that deforestation and habitat loss, as well as new and emerging pests and diseases were also contributing factors.

"It’s really gone downhill over the last two decades, in terms of the numbers of beekeepers that are there, the amount of honey being produced and the number of colonies they're managing," he said.

Bees pollinate mangroves which act as a barrier to coastal inundation.

Respect traditional knowledge

Dr Schouten said while beekeeping initiatives were well-intentioned, he warned they needed to be centred around local expertise, offer ongoing training and lobby for government funding to be viable.

"We've got lots of groups — associations, government organisations, non-government organisations — who want to do good and try to help [so] it's about capacity building and ensuring you've got good succession planning," he said.

"Beekeepers in the Pacific have incredible technical knowledge and skills and the ability to support the industry. We need to listen, learn and work with them."

As for Alison, she is confident her training will help ensure her children won't have to go without food again, when the next disaster hits her island community.

"I know if I do it well, I am able to earn money for my family," she said.

When the next disaster strikes, Alison wants to ensure her children can eat.

(PHOTOS Supplied: Conor Ashleigh/Save the Children)

OHCHR ‘very concerned’ over militarization of public security in Honduras
07 July 2023


The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has urged authorities in Honduras to reinforce the “internal and external oversight of military operations” in the country, following the extending of a national state of emergency.

OHCHR Spokesperson Marta Hurtado told journalists in Geneva that the Government had issued a 45-day extension on Wednesday.

“The state of emergency, in force in 17 of the 18 departments in Honduras, enables the military police to support the national police in carrying out public security tasks. It also derogates the right of personal liberty, freedom of association, assembly, and movement, and allows security and armed forces to carry out arrests and searches without a warrant,” she said.

Military operations

The Spokesperson said that on 21 June, the authorities announced that the command and control of the entire Honduran prison system was being transferred to the military police.

“This decision came in the wake of a violent incident at the national women’s prison in the town of Tamara, where 46 female inmates were killed when members of one gang attacked a part of the prison housing members of a rival gang,” said Ms. Hurtado.
Rights violations

She also voiced concerns about human rights violations and adequate access to food, water, and the practice of subjecting inmates to sleep deprivation. Ms. Hurtado also reported ill treatment of inmates by the military police.

“Initial monitoring by our Office, as well as information from civil society organizations and other sources with regard to military operations in prisons, indicates that inmates, in particular those allegedly associated with gangs, have been beaten and kicked by military police,” she said.

Criminal justice challenges

She called on authorities to end the abuse, halt violence against inmates, and prevent further violations of human rights. She also called for accountability and prompt investigation of allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.

“Efforts should immediately be redoubled to address long-standing criminal justice and prison challenges. These include the extensive use of incarceration, overcrowding, unsuitable living conditions, the lack of basic services, and inmates controlling some prisons,” Ms. Hurtado said.

“All efforts to address the prison challenge should be based on international human rights law and standards, including the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as the Nelson Mandela Rules),” she said, empasizing that OHCHR in Honduras remains available to provide technical assistance.

Senior US diplomat travels to India to discuss free speech, minority rights


Muslims shout slogans during a protest demanding the arrest of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Nupur Sharma for her comments on Prophet Mohammed, in Kolkata, India, June 14, 2022.

Reuters, Washington
Published: 08 July ,2023

A senior US diplomat will travel to India in the coming days and engage with its civil society over free speech and marginalization of minorities, after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent US visit when he denied that abuse of religious minorities existed in his country.

Uzra Zeya, US under secretary of state for democracy and human rights, will also meet with Indian government officials to discuss “global challenges, democracy, regional stability, and cooperation on humanitarian relief,” the State Department said in a statement on Friday.

Zeya’s upcoming trip follows a June visit by Modi to the United States, where President Joe Biden rolled the red carpet for him even as activists decried what they saw as a deterioration of human rights in India under Modi’s watch. Biden and Modi touted deals on defense and commerce aimed at countering China’s global influence.

Biden said he discussed human rights with Modi but he did not publicly criticize Modi, his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or India’s government on the topic.

Zeya will also visit Bangladesh on her trip from July 8 to July 14.

“In both countries, Under Secretary Zeya will engage with civil society organizations on freedom of expression and association, and inclusion of women and girls, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups, including marginalized religious and ethnic minorities,” the State Department said.

During his US visit, Modi denied that abuse of religious minorities existed in India, a claim that activists called a lie and said was contradicted by documentation from human rights advocates.

The State Department has raised occasional concern over human rights in India but criticism of India by the US is not vocal due to close economic ties between the countries and New Delhi’s importance for Washington to counter China, political analysts say.

In reports released this year on human rights and religious freedom, the State Department raised concerns over treatment of Muslims, Hindu Dalits, Christians and other religious minorities in India while also noting a crackdown on journalists and dissidents.

India has slid in the World Press Freedom Index to 161st this year, its lowest point. India also leads the list for the highest number of government-imposed internet shutdowns globally.

The UN human rights office described a 2019 citizenship law as “fundamentally discriminatory” for excluding Muslim migrants. Critics have also pointed to anti-conversion legislation that challenged the constitutionally protected right to freedom of belief and the revoking of Muslim-majority Kashmir’s special status in 2019 as well.

There has also been demolition of properties owned by Muslims in the name of removing illegal construction and a ban on wearing the hijab in classrooms in Karnataka when the BJP was in power in that state.

'Pure Offence': China Slams US Special Envoy's Meet with Dalai Lama in Delhi As Ties Teeter on the Brink


Reported By: Abhishek Jha
Edited By: Shilpy Bisht
CNN-News18
Last Updated: JULY 10, 2023, 
New Delhi, India

China has consistently expressed reservations about high-ranking US officials engaging with the Dalai Lama, whom they view as a secessionist leader. (Photo: News18)

China has criticised the meeting between the US special envoy and Dalai Lama, calling it an interference in China’s internal affairs. Reacting to the meeting, Wang Xiaojian, spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in Delhi said "China firmly opposes any form of contact between foreign officials and the "Tibetan independence" forcesFollow us:
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In a significant development, US Under Secretary Uzra Zeya, who serves as the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues in the Biden administration, met with the 14th Dalai Lama in Delhi on Sunday. Accompanied by a high-level US delegation, the meeting is expected to draw a sharp reaction from the Chinese government. The gathering also involved senior officials from the Tibetan government in exile.

The meeting has drawn a sharp criticism from China calling it in interference in its domestic affairs.

Wang Xiaojian, spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in Delhi in a series of tweets said “Xizang(Tibet) affairs are purely internal affairs of China and no external forces have the right to interfere". Questioning the very concept of US Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues" Xiaojian called it “pure offense and a move of political manipulation to interfere in China’s internal affairs" and added that, “China has always been firmly opposed to this and has never recognized it."

The Chinese spokesperson also said “The so-called “Tibetan government-in-exile" is an out-and-out separatist political group and an illegal organization completely in violation of China’s Constitution and laws."

@UnderSecStateJ @USAmbIndia Xizang(Tibet) affairs are purely internal affairs of China and no external forces have the right to interfere. China firmly opposes any form of contact between foreign officials and the "Tibetan independence" forces.— Wang Xiaojian (@ChinaSpox_India) July 10, 2023

The US special envoy had also met Dalai Lama in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh during her India visit in May 2022. At that time also Chinese foreign ministry had criticised the meeting, calling it an interference in China’s internal affairs. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian had told media, “The US should earnestly abide by its commitment that Tibet is a part of China” and should not provide any support for separatist activities by “The anti-China Dalai clique”.

China has consistently expressed reservations about high-ranking US officials engaging with the Dalai Lama, whom they view as a secessionist leader. However, the Dalai Lama, a Nobel laureate widely respected across religions, has maintained that he seeks autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China.

On Saturday, while talking to reporters in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, the Dalai Lama said, “We are not seeking independence, we have decided since many years that we remain the part of People’s Republic of China”. He also indicated that Chinese side is willing to engage with him. “China is changing and has now realised that the Tibetan people are very strong and in order to deal with the Tibetan problem, they want to have contact with me and I am also ready."

The US has supported the Tibetan people’s aspirations for religious freedom, cultural preservation and autonomy. However, China considers Tibet an integral part of its territory and has criticised foreign nations’ involvement in Tibetan affairs. This meeting aligns with past engagements between senior US officials and representatives of the Tibetan government in exile.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with a representative of the Dalai Lama during his visit to Delhi in July 2021 drew similar criticism from Beijing. In 2016, the Dalai Lama had met former US President Barack Obama in Washington.

Following her meeting with the Dalai Lama in 2022; in an interview with the Tibet TV, Zeya had expressed commitment to working with the international community and to “engaging PRC officials on advancing the human rights of the Tibetan people and preserving their unique historical religious, cultural and linguistic heritage”.

The latest discussions between the US delegation and the Dalai Lama are expected to have covered a range of topics, including the current situation in Tibet, efforts to promote dialogue with China, and ways to enhance support for the Tibetan cause on the global stage.

The meeting between US officials and the Dalai Lama, despite efforts to improve US-China relations, adds to the complexity of US diplomacy.

In a short span of last 20 days, the US had sent two senior officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to China. The visits are being seen as an outreach by the US to bridge the fast depleting trust, and keep a line of communication with the Chinese government. Both the secretaries had cancelled their February trip to China in the wake of “Chinese Spy balloon” spotted over the US. This followed a panic in the US administration, with the US scrambled F-22 fighter jet shooting down the balloon leading to a sharp protest from China, which maintained that the balloon was a civilian research airship blown way off course by fierce winds.

IMPERIALI$M 

Chinese mining company to invest USD 350mn in Afghanistan: Report

ANI
08 July, 2023

Last year in July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Taliban representative in Tianjin. (ANI/photo)

Kabul [Afghanistan], July 8 (ANI): Fan China Afghan Mining Processing and Trading Company (FAMPTC) has said it would spend USD 350 million in Afghanistan in the next months in several industries, including electricity generation, the building of a cement factory, and healthcare, reported Khaama Press.

The FAMPTC representative discussed their investment intentions in a meeting with Maulwi Abdul Kabir, the political deputy and acting prime minister.

The projects and operational plans that will soon be carried out in Afghanistan are being worked on by professionals and specialists, according to a statement released by the prime minister’s office, as per Khaama Press.

Khaama Press is an Afghanistan-based news agency established in 2010.

In response to ‘Fan China Afghan’s’ investment proposal, Maulvi Abdul Kabir urged both domestic and foreign investors to recognise and take advantage of Afghanistan’s many economic potential.

The government has shown a significant desire to welcome investors from a variety of industries, as evidenced by the recent considerable interest displayed by Chinese firms, particularly in the mining sector.

The Fan China Afghan Mining Processing and Trading Company (FAMPTC), according to the report, is a joint venture between the Watan Group of Afghanistan and the Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co (CAPEIC) of China.

The Chinese company, according to officials, has shown an interest in investing in Afghanistan’s lithium reserves.

The Ministry of Mine and Petroleum said, “Several countries and investors have expressed interest in the lithium deposits in addition to the Chinese. The Chinese even said they are prepared to invest USD 10 billion.”

China has exerted economic and mining-related influence in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the nation.

According to reports, the Chinese corporation has long desired to invest in the nation’s USD 3 trillion-plus lithium mining, Khaama Press reported. (ANI)

Roadblocks still in place for Saudi women after five years of driving

Agence France-Presse
July 7, 2023,

Women driving has become a common sight in Saudi cities

© Fayez Nureldine, AFP

"I drove as soon as it was authorized," the 55-year-old from the central city of Buraidah proudly told AFP, recalling a milestone that drew global attention to sweeping social changes fast-tracked by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the conservative kingdom's de facto ruler.

Wabili has gone on to give free driving lessons to other women, sharing a skill she views as essential in a country sorely lacking in public transportation.

It is just one example, she says, of how women's rights have blossomed in recent years, allowing them to become ambassadors, bank directors, university administrators and even astronauts. Saudi scientist Rayyanah Barnawi took part in a mission to the International Space Station just this past May.

The changes can also be felt in daily life, especially now that the religious police have been sidelined and rules requiring gender segregation in public and the wearing of abaya robes have been scrapped.

But some human rights campaigners cast doubt on how deep the reforms actually run, stressing that women have been ensnared by a broader campaign of arrests targeting government critics.

Their ranks include some of the very women who led the campaign for driving licences.

Saudi women were first allowed to drive in June 2018

 © Hussain Radwan, AFP

"We have more and more women in prisons, either for not wearing abaya or, you know, for dancing in public or for tweeting their opinions, whatever the subject, even on unemployment," said Lina al-Hathloul, head of monitoring and communication for the rights group ALQST.

"We're really in a state of constant fear of people not knowing really what is happening, or whether they're allowed to do something or not."

Challenging tradition

Saudi officials, unsurprisingly, try to keep the spotlight on the progress women have made, seeking to recast their long-closed-off country, known primarily for being the world's biggest crude exporter, as open for business and tourists.

At events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, they tout the fact that the proportion of Saudi women in the workforce has more than doubled since 2016, from 17 percent to 37 percent.

"After the driving decision, we saw that all policies that followed have challenged the traditional role of women in the Saudi society, which gave her only one role to play – raising children," said Najah Alotaibi, a Saudi analyst based in London.

The new reality strikes visitors from the moment they get off the plane and, in many cases, have their passports stamped by smiling, English-speaking female customs agents.

As they move around the country, they encounter women driving for Uber, working as mechanics and even conducting a high-speed train that ferries pilgrims to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam.

'Discriminatory provisions'

What goes on in their own homes, however, can be another matter.

"All of these reforms are legal changes – they are reforms in writing, but that doesn't automatically mean they are reforms in practice," said Sussan Saikali of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.


A long-awaited personal status law that took effect last year, billed by Riyadh as "progressive", has been criticised for containing what Human Rights Watch described as "discriminatory provisions against women concerning marriage, divorce, and decisions about their children".

Saudi activist Hala al-Dosari, based in the United States, points out that in conservative families, women continue to be at the mercy of their male guardians.
The proportion of Saudi women in the workforce has doubled in recent years 

© Fayez Nureldine, AFP

Some women are "under the illusion that because of the opening of public spaces, because of the ease of restrictions on women's dress code and gender mixing, they can now navigate those spaces more freely," she said.

But many remain "victims of either state oppression or their own families".

Dangers persist for those who speak out.

Saudi prosecutors recently accused women's rights activist Manahel al-Otaibi of launching a "propaganda campaign", citing social media posts in which she challenged the guardianship laws and what she described as continued forced wearing of the abaya.


Otaibi was referred to the Specialized Criminal Court, which tries terrorism cases and last year sentenced Leeds University PhD student Salma Al-Shehab to 34 years' in jail for tweets critical of the government.

Activists believe Saudi authorities are focused primarily on improving their image, and that's why the criticism rankles them, Saikali said.


"Unfortunately, arresting people for speaking out doesn't exactly help their image either."

(AFP)

Science activism is surging – which marks a culture shift among scientists

The Conversation
July 7, 2023, 

Supporters of science and research gather for the March for Science protest in Sydney, April 22, 2017. Thousands of people rallied in Australia and New Zealand on April 22 in support of science, the first of more than 500 marches globally triggered by concern over the rise of "alternative facts". / AFP PHOTO / Peter PARKSPETER PARKS/AFP/

Hundreds of scientists protested government efforts to restrict educational access to Western science theories, including Darwin’s theory of evolution, in June 2023 in India. Similarly, scientists in Mexico participated in a research strike in May 2023 to protest a national law they claimed would threaten the conditions for basic research. And during the same month in Norway, three scientists were arrested for protesting the nation’s slow-moving climate policy.

As these among many other actions show, scientists today are speaking out on a variety of political and social issues related to their own research fields and in solidarity with other social movements.

We are social scientists who study the relationship between science and society. Through our work, we’ve noticed more scientists seem empowered to advocate for a wide range of policy issues. We’re interested in how the surge in science activism may be changing the norms of scientific research.

With colleagues, we recently reviewed and summarized a growing body of studies examining how scientists are mobilizing for social activism and political protest. We also surveyed 2,208 members of the Union of Concerned Scientists Science Network to learn more about scientists’ political engagement. Here is what we have found so far.

A new wave of science activism

Science activism has long been considered taboo, as many in the field fear that politicizing science undermines its objectivity. Even so, scientist-activists have still managed to shape the U.S. political landscape throughout history. Over the past century, for example, scientists have protested the atomic bomb, pesticides, wars in Southeast Asia, genetic engineering and the federal response to the AIDS epidemic.

More recently, the election of Donald Trump in 2016 triggered a wave of political mobilization not seen in the United States since the Vietnam War era. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change activism, Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movement, scientists have also mobilized, and science advocacy organizations are playing important roles.

Some groups, like March for Science and Scientist Rebellion, are new and claim dozens of chapters and thousands of members around the world. In addition, older organizations like the Union of Concerned Scientists are growing, while once-defunct organizations like Science for the People have reemerged.

Science organizing also happens within universities, graduate student unions and professional associations. These groups use their connections to local communities and larger networks of science professionals to mobilize others in the scientific community.

Many science advocacy groups borrow protest tactics from previous eras, like mass marches and teach-ins. Others are more innovative, including “die-ins” at medical schools to protest police racial violence and data-rescue “hackathons” to protect public access to government data.

Some efforts mirror conventional forms of politics, like 314 Action, an organization that supports political candidates with STEM backgrounds. Others are more confrontational, such as Scientist Rebellion, some members of which blocked roads and bridges to demand action on the climate emergency.

Or, science advocacy can look indistinguishable from typical academic practices, like teaching. A new course taught by an MIT physics professor titled “Scientist Activism: Gender, Race and Power” helps raise student awareness about the political nature of science.
Professional norms may be shifting

We’ll need more research to determine how the resurgence of scientist activism is influencing politics and policy. But we can already point to some effects – the growth of science advocacy organizations, increased media attention to scientist activism, climate-friendly changes in investment policies at some universities, and more STEM-trained politicians. However, we also expect that impending crises, like climate change, may be driving acceptance of activism within the scientific community.

For example, when we asked scientists how often they should be politically active, 95% of our surveyed scientists answered “sometimes,” “most of the time,” or “always.” Our surveyed population is, by definition, politically engaged. But this near-uniform level of support for political action suggests that the professional norms that have long sanctioned scientist activism may be shifting.

Other findings from the survey strengthen this interpretation. Scientist activism often entails some level of personal or professional risk. But 75% of respondents told us their science-based advocacy had the support of their employers. Most surprisingly for us, respondents were twice as likely to report that activism helped to advance their careers – 22% – rather than damage them – 11%.

Our survey did find, however, that nonwhite scientists are more vulnerable to the risks of engaging in science advocacy. Seventeen percent of nonwhite scientists report negative career repercussions from their science advocacy, compared with less than 10% among white scientists. Yet compared with white respondents, nonwhite respondents are also more likely to engage in science advocacy.

While nonwhite respondents report higher rates of negative career impacts, the percentage reporting higher rates of career advancement from advocacy – 31% – was nearly double that for white respondents – 18%. This difference suggests that science advocacy has deeper career consequences – both good and bad – among nonwhite scientists. Although they are more likely to be rewarded for this activity, they are exposed to greater risk for doing so.

Emerging lessons

Two lessons emerge from our research thus far. First, our findings indicate that science activism may be gaining legitimacy within the scientific community. In this context, social media is helping mobilize and raise visibility among younger researchers. These researchers’ political experiences are informed by the climate justice, Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements. As this newer generation of science activists moves into the profession, they will continue to shift the cultural norms of science.

Second, because race unevenly structures scientists’ experiences with activism, science activists can build on their current momentum by embracing intersectional solidarity. This means taking actions to center and engage marginalized groups within science. Intersectional solidarity can deepen activist engagement, enhance and diversify recruitment efforts, and increase its impact on social and ecological change.


Scott Frickel, Professor of Sociology and Environment and Society, Brown University 

Fernando Tormos-Aponte, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Mindfulness reduces avoidance of information that may cause worry and regret, study finds

2023/07/07


A new online experiment in the United Kingdom found that a brief mindfulness training (lasting 2 weeks, 15 minutes a day) can make individuals less likely to avoid information that may cause worry or regret. In this way, individuals can be trained to reduce one of the most important decision-making biases. The study was published in Economics Letters.

Avoiding information about potentially negative outcomes, even when such information is freely available is one of the most well-known biases in individual decision-making. It is also one of the most dangerous issues in decision making.

Historical stories of leaders who led their countries and companies into ruin, stories of people who died of curable diseases because they refused to acknowledge that they are ill, as well as the current story of a tourist submarine that imploded at depth killing everyone after company heads refused to listen to an engineer who warned them that such an outcome is likely (and fired him) are all examples of the common tendency of individuals to actively avoid receiving information that may cause worry or regret.

This tendency to avoid information about negative outcomes stands in stark contrast with the need to make good decisions. That is why researchers, particularly in the area of management have devoted a lot of attention to devising ways to reduce this information avoidance bias. One promising approach to this is mindfulness training.

Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing one’s attention to the present moment without judgment. It involves being fully engaged in the here and now, acknowledging thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise. Training in mindfulness has been gaining in popularity in recent years, with various authors proposing and testing its benefits in reducing symptoms of stress, depression, increasing productivity, improving overall health and in a variety of other areas.

Study author Elliott Ash and his colleagues wanted to explore whether mindfulness training can be utilized for reducing information avoidance i.e., the tendency of individuals to avoid receiving information that can cause worry or regret. They organized an experiment with 261 participants recruited through a platform called Prolific.

All participants had to be from the United Kingdom and have a good record of participating in previous studies on Prolific. They were also required not to meditate, and only those who answered “No” to the question “Do you meditate?” were included.

The participants were randomly divided into two groups: one received mindfulness training, while the other received a music intervention. In the mindfulness group, participants engaged in a 15-minute mindfulness training session every day for two weeks. The training was led by an instructor and consisted of three stages: (1) bringing awareness to the present moment, (2) mindful breathing while nonjudgmentally observing thoughts, and (3) a body scan to expand awareness throughout the body.

After the third stage, participants would simply sit with their accumulated awareness until the instructor ended the session. The music intervention, led by the same instructor, involved participants listening to relaxing music. All intervention sessions were pre-recorded, and participants could choose the time of day they preferred to participate online.

Before and after the interventions, participants completed assessments to measure their information avoidance, mindfulness, and stress levels. The results showed no differences between the two groups at the beginning of the study. Thirteen percent of participants in the mindfulness group and 18% in the music group did not complete their respective interventions.

Comparing the results after the interventions, the researchers found that mindfulness training increased participants’ willingness to receive potentially negative information. In other words, those who underwent mindfulness training were less likely to avoid such information compared to those who received the music intervention. Mindfulness training also increased participants’ mindfulness levels.

“The costs of information avoidance for individuals, society and the economy are potentially substantial (from individuals unwilling to learn about their health, including whether or not they carry infectious diseases, to students unwilling to check their marks, to investors holding off looking at their stocks’ performance), so understanding what might drive some individuals to avoid information more than others is important,” the study authors concluded.

“Our evidence suggests that people in the population who spend more of their time inhabiting mindful states are better able to look at potentially negative, but nonetheless useful, information about themselves and the world. Supplementary evidence suggests that it may be mindfulness’s effects on emotion regulation (specifically, non-reaction to emotions) that acts as a potential mechanism through which this greater tolerance for information operates.”

The study makes an important contribution to developing ways to reduce information avoidance. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, study authors were not able to verify whether participants really followed instructions given to them in the training and engaged in mediation as required. Additionally, since participants in the mindfulness group knew that mediation is their daily activity, they could have realized that researchers expect them to improve in the ability to meditate. This might have influenced their responses in the assessments of information avoidance and mindfulness after the study.

The paper “Mindfulness reduces information avoidance” was authored by Elliott Ash, Daniel Sgroi, Anthony Tuckwell, and Shi Zhuo.

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