 The UNA-USA Southern New York State Division held a consultation to contribute to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Human Rights in the U.S. in relation to race, criminal justice, human rights, and child immigrants on July 8th at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York City. The UPR allows civil society to review the country's policies and actions and to make recommendations. Participants representing diverse organizations, ages, ethnicities and experiences discussed these matters to contribute to the Division's report. The second aim focused on next steps – what we can do in UNA, cooperating organizations, and in our communities to improve U.S. actions in these areas. Panelists included: Luis R. Sepúlveda - NY State Senator; Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee Chair, 32nd Senate District Jose A. Saldana - Director, Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP Campaign) Ames Grawert - Senior Counsel, William G. Brennan Center for Criminal Justice Child Immigration Policies and Experience Smita Rao Dazzo, JD, MA - Director, Legal Services, HIAS William Silverman, JD – Partner, Proskauer, responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts. See links below for resources used during the consulation:
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 Priyanka Jaisinghani is our first Young Professional of the Month. She shared on what inspires her to take action and on her mentorship program delivering on Sustainable Development Goal 5: achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
Tell us about yourself and your interests: I have spent the majority of my life living amongst different cultures -- From the United States, India, Mexico to the United Arab Emirates. I witnessed poverty in India and the rise of drugs in Mexico which contrasted deeply with the riches of the UAE. These cultural experiences have caused me to build a career focused on creating impact. Now that I call New York City my home, I’ve been heavily invested in finding ways of creating impact, and some of these include: 1. Co-founding my mentorship program (GirlzFTW): a platform connecting high school and college girls with ‘badass’ women in the industry to help them through the highs and lows of life. Within our first year we were able to partner with the United Nation’s Youth Observer to amplify our impact with our first international cohort of 18 girls and a following of over 100,000. 2. Actively working to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through narratives, interviews and social campaigns through solutions journalism. My writing has been published both online and in print in over 25 countries, sold in Barnes & Noble stores nationwide, and provided stories of hope, possibility and challenge to individuals across the world. 3. Working with the refugee populations through many mediums: From working with documentary filmmaker Christ Temple to host his first movie screening in NYC, to working directly with refugees organizations and teaching them English to help establish their roots (both in Dubai and New York). Which of the Sustainable Development Goals are you most passionate about and why? To dream of a more equal world where women are greater players is not so distant of a reality, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5 is helping spearhead this push. To provide context, Global Goal #5 is focused on “achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.” -- and this is a goal that I’m most passionate about advancing. To take a quick look at the landscape today, women remain underrepresented in leadership and management positions both held publicly and privately. Only 23% of women are represented in a political sphere and less than ⅓ of management positions are held by women. If we’re going to be moving the needle to help achieve this Global Goal by 2030, then we’re going to have to do more than just write down the goal. What are you doing to advance this Goal? As we start to instill greater skills for our future generation of women to become the next leaders, I co-foudned GirlzFTW (with Nicol Perez and Amanda Arevalo) to champion the change through education and mentorship to progress on SDG#5. As a global mentorship program, GirlzFTW is channeling the magic of women everyday by connecting young girls in high school and college to inspirational and badass women from varying fields, industries and backgrounds. Education and mentorship provides immeasurable access to resources that most cannot find in everyday institutions, it provides them with motivation, confidence, and a community of women to have the conversations for girls to be able to gain the skills needed for them to pull up that chair to join the same table as men. Till date, we have launched two cohort (and currently launching out third) and supported over 100 girls representing over 30 countries. We’ve build a global community of over 130,000 and are continuing to grow. We know it takes a village and as we look at news headlines from around the world, we know there’s a lot more work ahead of us. So, with our heads up and a deep sense of urgency, we’re marching towards the future we want to this wild ride ahead of us. by Suzanne Markland, UNA-SNY Young Professionals Member  The United Nations Association USA Leadership Summit was truly a new and fresh experience for me. The Summit left me satisfied in more than one way. All participants were engaged for two days in intellectual conversations with experienced experts. My knowledge of the United Nations and the issues in the global sphere has grown because of these conversations. On the third and final day which was Lobby Day, we hit the well-paved streets of Washington D.C. bright and early. We caught many inquisitive eyes in our blue UNA shirts. Multiple generations and races came together to take action. Noticing this made me proud to be one of the hundreds daring to step into the buildings created for senators and Congressmen but it surely was still intimidating to me for a couple of reasons. First, I was not born or raised in this country. Second, where I come from social action of this magnitude is very uncommon. Therefore, I was not used to challenging a person in power to stand for something that is right and to represent myself and constituents like me through the decisions they make. This day meant a lot to me because the United Nations has meant so much to me. I have always wanted to work with the United Nations for as long as I could remember. So as I walked into Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office with all these thoughts and feelings I watched everyone else speak and told myself that I would do the same when I felt comfortable and quelled my anxiety. It took me a while, but when I finally spoke, it was at my Congressman Serrano’s office. I don't remember every point I made, but I knew for sure that it was clear that the community residents in my district care about the United Nations and so should he and his vote. All of the facts I gathered over the past two days of the Summit and from my experience in Model UN I put to use and was pleased to know that my voice was heard. Meeting of the minds One more thing I loved about this summit is that I got the opportunity to meet so many like-minded individuals who I have stayed in contact with. I get to pick their brain on issues that not only matter to me but also to them. I relish this because it is usually difficult to find millennials who have not already grown weary of the 24-hour news cycle and disinterested in discussing what we can do in our own communities to help. I want to wholeheartedly thank everyone who had a hand in making this summit possible. I loved every day of it! And the endless supply of coffee 😁 by Simon Chu, Director of Community Service, UNA-SNY Young Professionals 
On March 20th, I attended an event celebrating the International Day of Happiness at the United Nations. The event brought together people from all over the world to celebrate the progress humanity has made thus far and also discuss what more can be done to tackle the issues that are preventing people from living more joyful lives. The event started off with an introduction by United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Alison Smale. Following her introduction, the Global Happiness Coalition Members highlighted their work in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals that will lead to more happiness. The coalition is comprised of six countries: Slovenia, Mexico, Portugal, Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates. It is always amazing to see people from different parts of the world come together in the interest of the global population. The audience in the room represented that shared effort, and I am proud to be a part of the United Nations Association, a group that also represents the collective desire to make a difference. Then, H.E. Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati, former Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations, reflected on his difficult childhood, the importance of giving, and emphasized why a country’s priority should be the happiness of its people. Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of Sustainable Development Solutions Network then gave a brief overview of the World Happiness Report, of which he is an author. I remember sitting there listening to the speeches and explanations of the speakers and thinking, for an event that is supposed to be about happiness, this is pretty intense. After the introductory panel, there were several break-out sessions. The session I attended focused on education. It was led by Ambassador Darja Bavdaz Kuret, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations and Ambassador Doma Tshering, Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations. The goal of education is to produce better well-being, as well as improve traditional outcomes in schools. It sounds trivial, but I know at least in the United States, the current education system doesn’t take into account students’ mental health and motivations nearly as much as it should. The participants in my break-out session were inspiring. Each had their perspective on education and wanted to see it improve. I asked the group how I can advocate for quality education, and I was advised to reach out to local elected officials, speak with teachers and most importantly, stay active! In closing, I’d like to remind everyone to stay active in whatever they are fighting for as well. Serving as the United Nations Association Southern New York Division Young Professional Community Service Director has shown me there are some difficult global challenges. We are trying to end poverty. End Hunger. Combat climate change and more. Resolving these issues take time and effort, but are worth fighting for. I believe that through this continued multi-stakeholder effort we will make the world a happier place. So keep at it and I look forward to happier days for everyone! by Habibatu Jalloh, UNA-SNY Young Professionals Editorial Director  Photo by Diane Bondareff for UNA-USA At the Global Engagement Summit on February 23, over 1,800 United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) members and other social justice advocates from across the country and beyond came to the United Nations to discuss pressing social justices issues facing member nations, particularly the U.S, in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. The summit touched on all the main issues driving inequalities; extreme poverty, social injustice, and climate change. This year, the summit speakers highlighted the United States’ regression on all its social fairness progress: ending extreme poverty, tackling inequalities and injustices and climate change. Ultimately, the Summit speakers urged attendees on the necessity to advocate on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally.
Keynote speaker, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, lamented on the ever widening gap between the poor and the rich in the United States. He reminded us that even the Global Goals, which we may think are no long relevant to us, actually are; like ending extreme poverty (SDG 1) zero hunger (SDG 2) and reduce inequality (SDG 10). A claim substantiated by Professor Deaton’s article in the New York Times, in which he highlighted that there are currently 3.2 million Americans living on under $1.90 a day. The article went on to point out, that $1.90 is used to measure extreme poverty in the developing countries, for the US that would be equivalent to $4. He went to note that the number of Americans living under $4 a day is 5.3 million. It is concerning and disheartening to learn that millions of our fellow citizens are living in extreme poverty, in one of the richest countries on earth. Professor Sachs went on and said that economic progress must be socially inclusive and environmentally friendly, a fact Eleanor Roosevelt recognized long ago. In order for meaningful progress on social justice to be made, we must first tackle extreme poverty. Eleanor Roosevelt famously said “You cannot speak civil rights to hungry people”. In the session on climate change, Hollywood actress Megan Boone reminded us all that regardless of where we live, the effect of global warming will reach us all, if we do not change course now. Within the same session, Lia Cairone, Senior Policy Advisor at New York City Mayor’s Office on Sustainability, discussed the city’s commitment to implementing the Paris agreement, highlighting current policy proposals to ensure drastic reduction on the reliance of fossil fuels. She also highlighted New York City’s aim to shift to fully renewable energy by 2050. Jamil Ahmad, UN Deputy Director and Head of Intergovernmental Affairs, UN Environment, emphasized the dire need for serious action on global warming. He stated that even if all current agreements were implemented by member states, it would not be a enough to meet the challenges of global warming. Ayesha Barenblat of Remake, discussed the role of the fashion industry in economic inequalities and environmental pollution, and her organization’s effort leading the way in creating environmentally friendly fashion. Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director for Alliance of Families for Justice, focused on an often neglected group, the human rights of incarcerated populations and their families. She discussed the abuses they face; overcrowding, rampant assaults and other forms of abuses that are widespread in our current jails and prisons. She also discussed her organization’s advocacy efforts in ensuring that these people’s rights are protected. During his keynote speech, Professor Sachs pointed out the United States’ embarrassing high incarceration rate compared to our counterparts around the world. He added that we are the only developed country lagging on peace and justice strong institutions (SDG 16), explaining the current epidemic of mass shootings, a result of our government’s inability to pass sensible gun laws; is evidence of lack of peace and strong justice institutions. In the closing session, the great-granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt; Perrin Ireland, reminded us of her great grandmother who chaired and helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; believed and fought for refugees’ right to choose their country of destination. However; Amir Ashour of Iraqueer, an Iraqi LBGTQ advocate and refugee rightly pointed out to us in an earlier session, how far we have moved away from Eleanor Roosevelt’s vision, by drastically reducing the number of refugees we allow to enter our country. He said, “Lebanon, a country about the size of Brooklyn took in 2 million Syrian refugees, while the United States, only accepted 1,600 refugees.” Restaurateur and Chef Lidia Bastianich, a Champion of Adopt-a-Future, highlighted how she herself was once a refugee and understands what it is like to have nothing but hope, and urged summit participants to hold-on to that America that welcomes refugees and gives generously. She encouraged UNA-USA members to host dinners in support of UNA-USA’s Adopt-A-Future Champion initiative; to help fund refugee children’s education in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, in Kenya. Clayton Ferrera, the Executive Director of Ideas for Us, emphasized the power of technology and how it has revolutionized advocacy for the better. He explained that we can educate ourselves on what our government is doing just by browsing websites like https://www.opensecrets.org/ and taking action on websites like https://hearmyvoice.com/. He emphasized the importance of using technology to harness advocacy and by educating ourselves on the issues we care about, we can become more effective advocates. Bearing in mind, the focus of the United Nations Association is to advocate for United States support for the work of the UN, the main summit takeaway is, that now we need to have a dual advocacy focus; to support the UN work abroad, while also advocating for implementation of these essential global goals locally. We must advocate for the three pillars of the United Nations: the promotion of peace and security, human rights and sustainable development locally, in order for us to be effective and credible champions of the UN’s three pillars globally.  The United Nations Association Southern New York Division voted to establish the Queens Committee with Margaret Shannon as interim Chair. The Charter of the Queens Committee is:
The Queens Committee of the UNA Southern New York Division educates, inspires, and mobilizes Americans to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations, strengthening the United Nations system, promoting constructive United States leadership in that system, and achieving the goals of the United Nations Charter for the Borough of Queens, New York City. The Division looks forward to an active and fruitful collaboration with the people of Queens! Learn more about the Queens Committee in their Facebook group. - George Garland, President, UNA Southern New York Division  At the end of the Second World War, the international community led by Eleanor Roosevelt, embarked on a journey to prevent the atrocities of WWII from ever happening again. That effort gave yield to the draft document that on December 10, 1948, was adopted as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); which proclaimed the inalienable rights everyone is entitled to as a human being- That is the right to live in freedom, safety and wellbeing regardless of race, gender, nationality, social or political opinion or other status. As time passed, it was clear that these fundamental human rights are still elusive to millions of people, mainly migrants and refugees. In past five decades, the West (US, Canada, and Western Europe) has seen a steady increase in the number of people seeking refuge in their countries. Increasingly, these vulnerable peoples’ quest to seek a better life for themselves and their families, is made much harder with the advancement of technology which has made countries adopt stricter and more sophisticated border control mechanisms. These vulnerable people exposed themselves to more dangers in their attempt to get to the West such as having to take riskier journeys and rely more and more on people smugglers who take advantage of them. The horror stories told by those who survived these dangerous journeys -mostly youth; from trafficking, assault and exploitation, are all too common stories. It was no surprise then, after decades of the campaign, in order shine the light on the plight of refugees and migrants around the world- on December 04, 2000 the United Nations declared December 18, International Migrants’ Day. While the plight of migrants is nothing new, due to the war in Syria and other conflicts, the scale of migration has grown exponentially. Sadly, in the last three years, we have seen how these vulnerable migrants, fleeing conflict and poverty have had their human rights curtailed, or altogether denied. As Syrian refugees fleeing the war, with no other alternative to reach Europe embarked on the deadly journey by sea on tiny boats. While we watched in shock and horror on our TV screens, boatloads of migrants capsizing and drowning of dozens and sometimes hundreds in the sea. We were shocked again, to watch the CNN International undercover footage, that shows African migrants trying to get to Europe being sold into slavery in Libya for as little as $400. As we ponder on why people will put themselves at such grave risk, to make it to the West, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres provided a fitting response. He stated migration is not a new phenomenon, it has only been exacerbated due to instabilities, inequalities and labor demand, our responsibilities are through collaboration to solve the factors that increase mass migration while safeguarding the rights and safety of these migrants. The Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo shared, during a joint press conference with French President Macron in Accra on December 4, 2017, that African youth are not taking the hazardous journey to Europe because they want to, they are doing it due to the lack of economic prospects at home. He continued, should socio-economic climate in their country change, many of these youngsters would not embark on this odious journey. People have always moved to escape wars, persecution, and poverty. This is true for African youths, as it is for Syrian refugees and other migrants from all around the world. President John F Kennedy once said, “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened” Bearing in mind the millions of people around the globe, whose human rights are continuously threatened daily, advocating for the human rights of all is still as pertinent today as it was 70 years ago. It is evident that tighter border securities do not deter people fleeing wars, persecution, and poverty, but it does diminish our collective human rights. What can deter mass migration and reduce the rampant abuse of their fundamental human rights, are as highlighted by the UN Secretary-General and President Akufo-Addo above; working collaboratively to foster peace, create opportunities and ensuring safe movement of people who choose to migrate. As we reflect on the challenges and successes of the last 69 years of UDHR, and we gear up for a year long celebration of the 70th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, let us all do our part to champion this year’s theme: stand up for human rights- let stand up for the freedom, justice and dignity for all peoples. by Jeanne Betsock Stillman UNA-SNY Vice President, Chapter Developtment The Southern NYS Division, SUNY Global Engagement Program and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., sponsored a program to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the United Nations. Held on October 27 at the SUNY Global Center, the program celebrated Global Goals / Local Leaders, and focused on Goals 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and 17: Strong Institutions for the Goals. About 65 attended from the SUNY GEP, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Adelphi University and SUNY Farmingdale, in addition to representatives of NGOs, Alpha Kappa Alpha Chapters Eta Omega Omega, Zu Theta Omega, and Tau Omega, and UNA-USA members from throughout the Southern NYS Division.
The program was moderated by S. Ilgu Ozler, who directs the SUNY GEP. Prof. Ozler explained how Goal 16 was directly relevant to the United States and the tie-in to the Division's ongoing work on Race, Criminal Justice and Human Rights. Troy Wolfe, UNA-USA Senior Director for Education and Learning spoke about his work and his recent trip to Charlottesville, Va. Ms. Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director, Alliance of Families for Justice, spoke on Goal 16 and the work of the Alliance on advocating for prisoners and their families, including in the recent march from Harlem to Albany. Dr. Ruth Hassell-Thompson had been taken ill, and Ms. Elijah expanded her presentation (they otherwise would have had a "conversation" about issues). Dr. George Garland presented Local Leader awards to Ms. Elijah and to Dr. Hassell-Thompson, with Donna Drayton accepting on behalf of Hassell-Thompson. Dr. Schwank, Economic Affairs Officer, Financing for Development Office, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and Dr. Aniket Shah, Program Leader - Financing for Sustainable Development Initiative, New York, spoke on the global issues related to financing development worldwide. Dr. Schwank talked about SDG #17 and financing for it in relation to public and private resources. Dr. Shah spoke about private capital and the SDGs, and how the flow mainly goes from rich countries to rich and moderate countries. There is plenty of money worldwide to eliminate poverty, but the decision to do so is not there. by Joanna Blaz, UNA-SNY Young Professionals Editorial Director  Brooklyn Borough Hall By Steven Severinghaus/Flickr The United Nations Association Southern New York Division Young Professionals are co-sponsoring UNA Brooklyn's third annual celebration of United Nations Day.
UN Day celebrates the founding document of the United Nations: The UN Charter. October 24, 2017 marks the 72nd year since the charter’s ratification. The day is observed as a public holiday for all member states. The celebration will include discussions on the future of the UN from UNA leaders, a reception with food and drink, and networking with Brooklyn activists and policy professionals. The event will take place at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, on Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. Please RSVP on Eventbrite. Speakers: Nick Birnback- Chief of Public Affairs for the United Nations Department for Peacekeeping Operations & Field Support Nick Birnback has more than 20 years of experience with the United Nations. Munira Khalif- 2017-2018 U.S. Youth Observer to the United Nations Munira Khalif is a passionate advocate for women’s education worldwide. As this year’s U.S. Youth Observer, she gives young professionals a voice at the United Nations. Schedule: 5 p.m.- Doors open 6 p.m.- Introductory remarks, Speakers, Q & A 7:30 p.m.- Reception with food and drinks Co-sponsors include: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Rho Omega Chapter & Tau Omega Chapter; National Parks Conservation Association; New York Life-Mark Lewis; Southern New York State Division of the United Nations Association and Young Professionals; and 10x Management by Joanna Blaz, Editorial Director, Young Professionals Program, UNA-SNY  At the United Nations Association of New York Book Talk for “Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World,” first-time author Suzy Hansen answered questions from the audience about her ten years as an American journalist living in Istanbul, feminism in the Middle East and the meaning of “Post-American.” The talk took place at the Institute of International Education and was attended by about 40 people.
Hansen writes in the same direct, intelligent and unapologetic style as she speaks, as she sets out to answer one main question: how does the rest of the world see Americans? From the lyrics “where at least I know I’m free” to the way we dress as tourists, Hansen holds a mirror to the everyday cultural subtleties Americans never stop to examine, and attempts to understand when they started to seep into our subconscious. “For all their patriotism, Americans rarely think about how their national identities relate to their personal ones,” Hansen writes. She often describes the country as an “empire” and presents the idea of two Americas: one viewed from the inside and one viewed from the outside. After the Book Talk, Hansen answered a few questions for UNA-SNY YP. JB: What was your impression of how the idea of the American free press and journalism is viewed abroad? SH: “American foreign correspondents in particular do tend to have this attitude that we have the best journalism. That only American journalism is truly objective in a way, that it aspires to different standards than other countries… I think that Americans just forget to be self-critical.” “[They] still have a way of looking at things that comes from being the most powerful country in the world… Even if you’re a liberal, even if you are self-critical, you have these kind of tendencies that come from power.” JB: How do you think this book will speak to American immigrants? SH: “A lot of these problems are enshrined in the immigrant experience actually. We tend to think that America’s so special because of the immigrant experience but one of the problems is when an immigrant comes to this country and they are starting anew, and they are told to forget the past… but it’s not just forgetting the past from that (country)… it’s that they don’t then realize that in order to become American, you also have to adopt the history of America, which is a bloody and violent history.” JB: You were very self-aware about your own American bias. How did you keep your objectivity in mind while still exposing yourself to the culture when you chose the sources and locations in the book? SH: “That’s why I kept the book so closely attached to my experience. I did not set out to report this book, it is all reflective.” “I decided that in order to figure out how I had gone from being that person in 2007 to this person in --- by the time I started writing the book --- 2013… I just felt like I had to trace it. It wasn’t necessarily that I was going to set out and ask people ‘What do you think of America?’ Because then it wouldn’t be authentic but then also all the problems and issues that you’re raising would come up, like ‘Who did you select?’” “But I knew that I had this transformation… there was this arc. And I just wanted to write a book that accounted for how that arc happened.” |
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