CID Weekly: 'The Jabs & the Jabs-not', new NZDF report, Pacific regionalism at risk.

+ Half of all vaccines reserved for just 15% of people

Hoarding of vaccines by wealthier countries risks creating a world of the 'jabs and the jabs-not', writes the Economist.

Half of the world’s supply has been reserved for just 15% of its population. But the good news is that there's plenty to go around.

'In the two months since mass vaccination began, at least 148m doses have been administered—more than the number of people who have ever tested positive for the disease. A further 39m are now getting a jab every week.'

'The 54 richest countries account for 18% of adults on Earth, but 40% of vaccine orders—enough to give each of their adults 2.5 two-dose regimens.

Canada has ordered a whopping 11 doses per adult.

'Many other countries are relying on COVAX, the global coalition to distribute covid-19 vaccines.

It is expected to provide at least 1.8bn doses to 92 poor and middle-income countries this year, in proportion to their populations (though subsequent allocations will depend on where the pandemic is most severe).

'Weighting by total population favours countries with lots of children, who count when determining vaccine quantities but are unlikely to get the shots. For example, Niger, where 50% of people are aged under 15, will receive 2.1 doses for every adult from COVAX.

In contrast, North Korea, whose adults make up 80% of the population, will get just 0.7 doses for each one.'

+ NZDF's new rules on civilian harm 

NZDF has finalised a Defence Force Order (DFO) to promote procedures that make information about direct impact of military activities on civilians more transparent and accessible.

This was made on the recommendation from the Government Inquiry into Operation Burnham.

As Director of the NZDF Defence Legal Services, Lisa Ferris, explains: "The purpose of the DFO35 is to implement NZDF-wide procedures for responding to reports of civilian harm arising from military activity in situations of armed conflict".

A number of CID member organisations had the opportunity to provide comment to NZDF during the formation of this document. The NZDF Order 35 on the Response to Civilian Harm is available here. 
 

+ Is COVID the wake-up call the sector needed?

The pandemic has made many humanitarian crises worse.

'This year one in every 33 people across the world will need humanitarian assistance. A rise of 40% from last year, according to the UN,' reports Karen McVeigh in the UK Guardian.

Most countries were already in protracted crises, coping with conflict or natural disasters.

This has accelerated a 'global reset of an aid industry many say is outdated and already facing pressure to reform.

The call has gone out from partners in country and development experts across the world for 'international charities and NGOs to root themselves in communities, to decentralise their western-centred power, and to trust and invest in the people they are supposed to help.' 

It's about moving away from aid as a 'generous donor' gives to 'needy beneficiary' model towards a model that is based on partnership and aspiration.

South-to-South support is also increasing, changing the dynamics in aid.

"There’s the whole south-south cooperation. Countries like Colombia are contributing and receiving global finance for development. Even Sierra Leone should give 0.7% of its GDP to global development." says Jonathan Glennie, author of The Future of Aid: Global Public Investment. “With Black Lives Matter and decolonising aid

Here is a list of countries contributing to the Global Fund, including Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe. Nigeria contributes to global peacekeepers. China and India give vast amounts.

+ Addressing Sexual Violence against Men, Boys and LGBTIQ+

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that, in addition to women and girls, perpetrators target some men and boys, as well as LGBTIQ+ individuals with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics for sexual violence in conflict, flight, and displacement.

Despite increasing awareness of sexual violence against these populations, many humanitarian workers are unclear on how to meet the needs of these diverse survivors. From 2018 to 2019, the Women’s Refugee Commission’s sexual violence project undertook exploratory research in three refugee settings.

The Women's Refugee Commission report is available here.

+ New Minister 'hits ground running'

Australia's Lowy Institute congratulated new Foreign Affairs minister, Nanaia Mahuta for 'transforming' New Zealand international and aid profile.

For too long, an indigenous perspective in international affairs has been ignored, says James Blackwell.

"This way of thinking not only ignores the immense value Indigenous approaches can bring to international affairs, but also ignores the long history of Indigenous diplomacies and complex relationships between communities around the world, in many areas including trade, warfare and treaty-making. Indigenous people have been practicing foreign policy for thousands of years, longer than any Western state."

Minister Mahuta has articulated her approach to her new portfolio:

"Manaaki – kindness or the reciprocity of goodwill; whanaunga – our connectedness or shared sense of humanity; mahi tahi and kotahitanga – collective benefits and shared aspiration; and kaitiaki – protectors and stewards of our intergenerational wellbeing."
 

+ CID members keep working in Myanmar

Aid groups and observers say New Zealand's decision to cut political ties while maintaining humanitarian aid to Myanmar is the right thing to do, even as their impact is a question mark, reports Qiuyi Tan in the NZ Herald.

Realistically we can keep doing our humanitarian and development work, says Josie Pagani, CID's Executive Director.

"A lot of these charity-to-community programmes can continue, while putting on hold government-to-government stuff like training government officials on renewable energy, for example."

CID members working in Myanmar include:

• Union Aid (young leaders programme)
• World Vision (working with children, eg in rural areas like Chauk)
• ADRA (sustainable rural economic development)

+ UNANZ elects new President 

The United Nations Association of New Zealand (UNA NZ) has elected a new President: Gaya Paranisamy. Gaya was appointed as the National President on 1st January 2021, replacing Peter Nichols who stood down as a President after 2 and a half years in the role. Gaya has been National Vice-President for the last 2 years striving to achieve the Association’s goal of ‘Promoting engagement and understanding of the United Nations’.

CID extends its congratulations to Gaya, and big thanks to Peter for his service and his valuable and much appreciated work with CID throughout his time as President of UNANZ.

+ 10 years since the war in Syria - join the press release marking the anniversary

Tearfund is inviting CID members to put together a special edition, 10 year Syria anniversary press release.

Following on from the success of the last joint press release in July 2020, and the #NZisWatching video, this release would show the unity CID organisations have in wanting to remember and acknowledge the millions of people still haunted and affected by this ongoing crisis.

The release will also have a clear to action.

As a secondary part to the release, Tearfund would also like to submit ten powerful images (collected amongst our INGO community) that helps capture the last ten years of the crisis. Do you have a great image/caption from your organisation that you could submit? 

If your organisation is interested in taking part, please email Helen Manson  - helen@tearfund.org.nz by the end of the week. 

Next week the press release will be drafted and provided to you for feedback.

Estimated release date would be 2^nd week of March (before Christchurch terrorist attack anniversary and before intense racing for the America’s Cup).

+ CID support for World Vision and Trade Aid modern-day slavery campaign

A CID op-ed  published in Stuff and The Press, about the need for supply chain due diligence for New Zealand adds to the campaign by World Vision and Trade Aid for new modern-day slavery legislation in New Zealand.

In the wake of the Air New Zealand scandal, questions are being asked about what can be done to prevent similar situations from happening in future.

In 2021, World Vision and Trade aid will be continuing their campaign for legislation to require greater transparency in supply chains to prevent New Zealand companies from contributing to human rights abuses here and overseas.

Legislation would require companies to identify which sectors, types of products and services, countries and entities may involve high risk. It would require them to identify parts of business operations that don’t have good visibility and ask whether risk lies there too, and then put mechanisms in place to mitigate this risk. Often this means asking for information from your direct suppliers about sub-suppliers and sub-contractors.

You can get in touch with Rebekah.Armstrong@worldvision.org.nz or michelia.miles@tradeaid.org.nz for more information on the campaign.
 

+ 'A bad week for Pacific Regionalism'

It has been a disastrous week for Pacific regionalism, writes Johnathan Pryke of the Lowy Institute.

"The controversial appointment of Henry Puna as Secretary General in a 9-8 vote in last week’s special Leaders Meeting has splintered the Pacific Islands Forum, with five Micronesian states following through on their threat to leave the Forum if their candidate wasn’t appointed. Further complicating matters, Fiji appears to have used the distraction of the meeting to swoop in and deport University of South Pacific Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia."

+ New Zealand Govt to discuss vaccine rollout in Pacific

The New Zealand government is looking to hold talks with Pacific counterparts about how to distribution Covid vaccinations within the region.

"We'll be really looking to have conversations with our counterparts in the Pacific around what might be possible with some of those trickier vaccines so that we can see similar levels of protection provided in the Pacific at the same time as we might be seeing that in New Zealand," said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

+ Australian aid to the Pacific increased

Australia's aid to the Pacific got a boost, with the region set to receive US$979 million over the next two years, reports RNZ. 

'Although the commitment to the Pacific has risen, the size of Australia's entire overseas aid budget remains frozen at $3.1 billion dollars after deep cuts in recent years.

+ Register now for CID Talk: 'What is Pacific Development, as defined by Pacific people?'

Register here

"What is Pacific development, as defined by Pacific people? Is Pacific development happening in Aotearoa New Zealand? What can traditional Pacific voyaging on waka hourua, double-hulled ocean-going sailing canoes, teach us about addressing modern humanitarian issues in a relevant and sustainable way?"

Natia Tucker will give a lunchtime virtual CID Talk on Wednesday 24 February (12pm-1pm).

Natia has 20 years experience in development across both her home countries, Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand. She recently completed her MPhil at AUT where she explored Pacific development. She has taken a year's leave from community development work at Auckland Council to put her learnings into practice.

This lunchtime talk will be a collection of stories and songs.

It will present six key elements of Pacific development and then demonstrate how learning traditional voyaging delivers on all six elements, while also delivering on international development objectives.

+ International SOS Webinar: COVID-19 Vaccines, Variants, Travel and Security Update

International SOS are hosting a COVID-19 Situation Update Webinar, where their medical intelligence director, Dr Doug Quarry and James Robertson & John Allison from the Security team will provide an in-depth look at the outbreak.

When: Thursday, 18th February at 4pm NZT

Register here