new Maria's situation is not an isolated case. The Philippines is ranked as the world’s most disaster-prone country due to its high susceptibility to disaster and lack of adaptive and coping capacities. During disasters, both direct and indirect care work increase due to disruption of care-related services. Recognizing climate change’s profound impact on care work, the Philippines has been at the forefront of addressing the climate-care nexus. Oxfam Pilipinas and its partners have been campaigning to tackle social norms, advance policy reform and emphasize the importance of unpaid care work in community resilience building, leveraging evidence of exacerbated care tasks post-Haiyan. — ESCAP, 20h ago

new Access to Universal Basic Education (UBE) is not negotiable; and it should been seen as a moral and legal obligation in line with the 2003 Child Rights Act, which recognises access to basic education as part of the rights of a child. For the philosophy of education to work harmoniously for Nigeria’s goals, education should be tailored towards self-realization, human relations, individual and national efficiency, effective citizenship, national consciousness and national unity. The Nigerian education system must be value-laden and tailored for the citizens to live a better life and contribute to the advancement of society. — The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News, 22h ago

new Jenni Blomgren, the research manager at Kela, notes that the disparities in service usage reflect how different sectors of Finland's health service system cater to various population groups. The study suggests that socioeconomic factors, such as employment status and income levels, partly explain why social assistance recipients more commonly use public services and less frequently access private healthcare and occupational health services. — Helsinki Times, 1d ago

new The growth in atypical employment is indicative of the structural changes in the nation’s economy and a response to individuals’ need for more flexible work schedules and greater control over their work. However, the downside of such atypical forms of employment is that workers have less job security and fewer benefits than those who are formally employed. They might also find it more difficult to negotiate pay and working conditions compared with full-time employees... — taipeitimes.com, 1d ago

new Al Yazeedi noted early warning systems are a must to save lives and reduce economic losses in any natural disasters. “NCM will help to cover some gaps in the field of observation and early warning, especially in countries and communities that lack weather stations, radars, or access to satellites.”... — Khaleej Times, 1d ago

new Jessica Bwali, Global Campaigner at Tearfund, said: “For people in poverty around the world, how public finance is spent could mean the difference between life and death. Either money goes to dirty fossil fuels and contributes to more drought, flooding and suffering; or it ushers in a clean energy transition and a safer, brighter future. Communities on the frontline of the climate crisis can’t afford any more delays. Four out of five people in sub-Saharan Africa live without access to electricity today and this affects health services, education and livelihood opportunities. In Zambia, we use hydroelectric power, but we still suffer massive power cuts because of droughts. The Kariba dam, for example, relies on a flow of water and when there is no water, the power supply dips. Many people suffer abject poverty because of this. Securing the loss and damage fund for people living in poverty was a good start for the Climate Talks here in Dubai. The urgent challenge now is to make sure that wealthy nations genuinely stump up the cash, and that public finance benefits people on the frontlines of climate change.”... — Oil Change International, 1d ago

new Deciding between the two is an important, complex financial decision and influenced by a host of factors unique to each person. And the stakes are high; it’s common to sell the family home to pay for aged care accommodation. Making the wrong accommodation payment decision could lead to reduced income and wealth, paying more for care, and having less to leave in bequests when you pass away. — SME Business Daily Media, 1d ago

new The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian government initiative aimed at providing support and assistance to people with disabilities. Though the NDIS offers significant support to its participants, it can be difficult to manoeuvre for new participants. So an NDIS Plan Implementation Directory was soon created in response to the expressed needs and feedback from participants, families, and carers involved in the NDIS. These individuals highlighted the necessity for comprehensive resources that could support them in effectively understanding, utilising, and navigating their NDIS plans. — WriteUpCafe.com, 1d ago

new NZs previous infrastructure spend was relevant to the return on investment. It's fairly easy to get in a situation of malinvestment in infrastructure. China for instance, started on high speed rail, and it worked quite well. So they pulled out all the stops to now have a fairly large, and unviable network where some 10% of the network is revenue positive, and the rest struggle to repay the interest, or even the electricity required to run. In terms of transport infrastructure, NZ struggles to deploy anything substantion due to the relative sparsity of our population - if Auckland for instance wants a great, comprehensive non-car public transport network, it'll likely need more passengers than what it currently has. — interest.co.nz, 1d ago

new From my perspective, a highly competitive city, whether component or highly urbanized, showcases economic growth, improved infrastructure, and enhanced public services. As a result, potential benefits for city constituents, particularly the economically disadvantaged, must encompass “increased job opportunities leading to more stable sources of income; enhanced access to quality education facilitated by improved educational institutions and facilities; improved health outcomes through better access to medical services; enhanced mobility and connectivity, making it easier to reach jobs, schools, and essential services; a safety net for poor families through improved social services; improved access to basic services like water, sanitation, and electricity; more opportunities for constituents to start their own businesses; implementation of community development programs targeting poverty reduction; improved access to free cultural and recreational opportunities, and a reduced crime rate resulting in a safer environment for all constituents.”Nonetheless, the actual benefits to poor families depend on the effectiveness of local governance, social policies, and the inclusivity of development strategies. The city government must prioritize pro-poor initiatives addressing the specific needs of indigent constituents, while ensuring inclusive growth to maximize the positive impact of competitiveness on their lives. — INQUIRER.net, 2d ago

new In light of urbanization and its profound implications on public health, community gardens emerge as a compelling solution. As cities expand, green spaces diminish, contributing to sedentary lifestyles and limited access to fresh, nutritious food. Community gardens, however, offer a promising remedy to these urban health challenges. This article delves into the transformative potential of community gardens, examining both their myriad benefits and the nuanced challenges they face in urban settings. From physical and mental well-being to addressing food insecurity, these green havens present a holistic approach to nurturing healthier urban communities. — LA Progressive, 1d ago

new Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees. — thestarphoenix, 1d ago

new In the Golden State, a bill to expand the state’s approach to workforce development programs passed the Senate floor on a 31-6 vote on May 24th, and is set to be considered by the Assembly’s Labor and Employment Committee on June 14th. The bill would establish the Equitable Access to Job Opportunity Pilot Program, which aims to remove barriers to employment by providing financial aid to train individuals without post-secondary degrees from rural or low-income communities in targeted industries. The pilot program would operate during calendar year 2025, with the existing Workforce Development Board and Office of Planning and Research determining which key industries would be applicable based on goals established in California. — natlawreview.com, 1d ago

new Often these children are taken out of school to work on the farm by their parents, according to Katie Bird of the International Cocoa Initiative, a nonprofit working to end child labour and forced labour in cocoa. “Farmer poverty is a significant contributing factor,” she said. “There is a role for the cocoa industry, quite clearly, but also for governments in cocoa-producing countries, civil society organisations, producers themselves and a role for cocoa-consuming countries as well.” That means also ensuring access to good quality schooling, healthcare and helping farmers diversify. — the Guardian, 1d ago

new Let’s put this demand in the context of what we call the energy trilemma, which asserts that all countries want energy that is environmentally benign, has a secure supply, and is affordable. However, in most situations, any combination of two factors precludes the third. Take coal for example. It is “secure” in that almost every nation has commercially available access to coal or lignite either domestically or nearby. The energy produced is affordable in that the power plants can be relatively inexpensive to build and the resulting power sold cheaply. So coal-powered energy is both secure and affordable but obviously not environmentally benign. Now assume we wanted to maximize the second and third values, produce energy for the economy that is both environmentally benign and affordable. That leads us to renewable technologies like wind and solar—both widely utilized—but an exclusive reliance on these intermittent resources (in the absence of batteries) would sacrifice the security of supply. — OilPrice.com, 2d ago

new Vegetation distribution in the Alps is directly related to geomorphic processes, water availability, plant dispersal modes (eg animals, wind) and indirectly to human activity from agriculture to leisure, and tourism. Nevertheless, recent warming trends have begun to affect the limits and spatial structure of vegetation colonies in the Alps thereby threatening existing ecosystems in the upper altitudes. While these changes can be monitored locally, a region-wide characterization is needed to accurately model and forecast potential change scenarios. To address this need broad scale species distributions are required, accurately linking in-situ observations with Earth observation (EO) data. — EPFL, 2d ago

new Explore the relationship between urban activities and deforestation, highlighting the bioeconomy as a crucial tool in mitigating this problem. In this panel, experts will discuss how cities, as major consumers of resources, can adopt more sustainable practices, promoting the transition to an economy based on renewable biological resources. Innovative strategies related to the responsible use of resources, the strengthening of socio-biodiversity initiatives as well as policies and regulations that incentivise forest conservation and the economic development of cities will be discussed. The panel highlights the importance of a balanced approach that harmonizes urban development with environmental preservation, pointing to the bioeconomy as a promising solution for reducing or solving the impact of cities on deforestation. — World Resources Institute, 2d ago

new To expedite economic development and wealth creation in the tourism sector, collaboration with the government is paramount. Our vision for enhancing tourism relies on a synergistic partnership, acknowledging the government’s limitations. A collaborative relationship ensures shared responsibility and a comprehensive approach to problem-solving. Our organization actively engages in the creation of job opportunities, a vital component of economic development. In our various venues, we contribute significantly to employment, with, for instance, over 200 vendors involved on any given event day. This serves as a tangible example of how public-private partnerships can yield positive outcomes. — The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News, 2d ago

new The report highlighted how communities are at the forefront of innovation. In Windhoek, Namibia, a self-funded project by the youth Empowerment Group is using e-bikes to deliver HIV medicines, food and adherence support to young people who often cannot attend clinics due to their schooling hours. In China, community organizations developed smartphone apps that link people to self-testing which contributed to a more than four-fold increase in HIV tests across the country from 2009 to 2020. — The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News, 2d ago