UN Radio: War Crimes Chamber is Being Established

UN Radio: War Crimes Chamber is Being Established in Bosnia

A War Crimes Chamber is Being Established in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia told the Security Council today that a special War Crimes Chamber is being established in Sarajevo. Judge Theodor Meron said the creation of the Chamber would contribute to the completion of the work of UN war crimes court and the establishment of a firm foundation for the rule of law in Bosnian and Herzegovina. Judge Meron added that the creation of the War Crimes Chamber would also ensure that the prosecution of war criminals takes place in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an efficient and fair manner.

"Transferring to the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina themselves the responsibility for prosecuting war crimes committed on their territory can play an absolutely essential role in advancing that country's reconstruction and its integration into the international community."

The Security Council was also briefed by the European Union's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lord Paddy Ashdown on the situation in that country.

UNFPA Launches"The State of The World Population 2003"

The UN Population Fund, UNFPA today launched the "State of the World Population" report. This year's report focuses on the needs and the human rights of young people. According to the report, half of the more six billion people are adolescents between the ages of ten and nineteen. Speaking at the launching of the report in New York the spokeswoman for UNFPA, Ann-Marie Erb Leoncavallo said young people face increasing risks to their health and well-being which must be urgently addressed.

"These risks include widespread poverty, social transformation and breakdown, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, early pregnancy and marriage and pervasive gender discrimination and violence, which take many forms."

UNFPA says meeting adolescents' reproductive health needs is an urgent priority in the global fight against poverty and HIV/AIDS.

UN Palestinian Relief Agency and Johann Koss Launch 'Right to Play' Initiative

Norwegian Olympic and world speed-skating champion, Johann Koss and the head of the UN Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, Peter Hansen, today launched an initiative to promote sport and play among children in Palestinian refugee camps. Known as the Right to Play, the organization will provide sport and play opportunities for children, train local coaches, improve or create sports fields and supply equipment to the refugee camps in Ramallah and Jericho. Sami Mushaasha is UNRWA's Director of Information and Communication in Jerusalem.

"We feel that this mission of this organization dovetails nicely with the mission of UNRWA as far as the right to education and in schools and other installations in the refugee camps and outside."

The UN relief agency will provide logistical support, including transportation and offices with computers in the two areas where the project will run.

Caribbean States Draft Common Position on Barbados Programme of Action

In Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean states have begun drafting a common position for presentation to next year's international conference in Mauritius that will review how far small island developing states have gone in implementing the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action. UN Radio's Donn Bobb reports.

"The Director of the University of the West Indies Centre for Environment and Development Professor Al Binger says there was never a comprehensive plan at the national level to implement the plan of action.

BINGER: 'What we are seeing is action from various sectors being reported on and that is a lot different than having a comprehensive plan that addresses the issues in an integrated manner to make sure that we use resources optimally and utilize the human capital that you have.

Secondly, Professor Binger says, the level of support provided by donors is very low. This is Donn Bobb reporting from Port of Spain, Trinidad for UN Radio."

Expansion of Supermarkets Threatens Small Farmers in Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organization warned today that an expansion of supermarkets is threatening the livelihoods of small farmers in Africa. FAO notes that supermarkets have proliferated across East and Southern Africa transforming the food systems that form the economic backbone of many developing countries.

© Scoop Media