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Finland announces additional EUR 1.5 million to UNRWA

During his visit to Gaza today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Finland Dr. Erkki Tuomioja announced an additional EUR 1.5 million to the General Fund of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This funding will support UNRWA’s regular programme to Palestine refugees living in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

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World + 4 others
The Nordics: Keeping focused, getting results

Report
UNAIDS

The long-standing commitment of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden to international development has rooted them firmly as leaders in international development assistance. They are strong advocates on human rights issues––addressing inequalities between and within countries––and have forward thinking policies for social development and health.

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World + 2 others
Disasters preparedness saves lives and saves money

Report
IFRC

By Giovanni Zambello, IFRC

“We estimate that for each dollar spent on disaster preparedness, an average of four dollars is saved on disaster response and recovery” says Alberto Monguzzi, Disaster Management Coordinator in the IFRC Europe Zone Office. “Disaster preparedness and risk reduction can equip communities with the tools to reduce the number of lives lost and to protect livelihoods”.

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Mali + 11 others
Finland grants EUR 39.8 million in humanitarian assistance for the world’s crises

By decision taken by Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala on 15 March, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted its humanitarian assistance funds for the first part of the year, totalling EUR 39.8 million, to people suffering from the world’s crises. This time, Finland targets humanitarian assistance to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Earlier this year, EUR 3.5 million was already granted for the acute needs of the Syrian crisis.

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Afghanistan + 1 other
Finnish government doubles funding for Marie Stopes International Afghanistan

With one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world, Afghanistan remains among the most unsafe places to be a pregnant woman. The stakes are high. Here the average woman has six to seven children and a one in 11 chance of dying in childbirth.

The Afghan government is firmly committed to turning this situation around and we are working hard to help them. They need our support to bring sexual and reproductive healthcare to women. And we in turn need donors' support to build capacity and to deliver services.

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Finland contributes 2.3 million Euros to UNESCO for Freedom of Expression in the Arab States

On 30 January, UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, and His Excellency Mr. Antti Kuosmanen, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Finland to UNESCO, signed an agreement by which Finland will contribute 2.3 million Euros to support UNESCO’s activities in the field of freedom of expression in Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.

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Finland pledges EUR 3.5 million of additional emergency assistance at the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria

By decision of Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala Finland will grant EUR 3.5 million of additional emergency assistance to those suffering from the crisis in Syria. Finland will announce its pledge in the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, chaired by UN in Kuwait.

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Cape Verde + 17 others
Successful first test of Tsunami Warning System for the North Atlantic and Mediterranean

The exercise organized on 27 and 28 November to evaluate the functioning of the Tsunami Warning System for the North East Atlantic, Mediterranean and Adjacent Seas has taken place as scheduled. This real-time simulation, based on four scenarios in which earthquakes provoked tsunamis in different regions, demonstrated that the communication system for sending and receiving alert messages to concerned national authorities, worked smoothly.

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World + 1 other
Finland contributes some 2.5 million Euros to UNESCO’s work in education and freedom of expression in developing countries and the Arab world

On 23 November, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Excellency Mr. Antti Kuosmanen, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Finland to UNESCO signed an agreement by which Finland will contribute some 2.5 million Euros to support UNESCO’s activities in the field of capacity-building of developing countries for Education for All and in the field of freedom of expression and media pluralism in the Arab World.

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Cape Verde + 17 others
North Atlantic and Mediterrenean tsunami warning system put to the test

A simulated tsunami will strike the western and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the North East Atlantic shoreline on 27 and 28 November, to test the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System for the North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas. The exercise, named NEAMWave12, is organized under the umbrella of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

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World + 14 others
Finland grants 9.5 million euros in humanitarian assistance for the world’s crises

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Press release 239/2012

By decision of Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted its humanitarian assistance funds for the last part of the year, totalling 9.46 million euros, to people suffering from the world’s crises. The humanitarian assistance granted by Finland in 2012 thus rises in total to more than 83 million euros. In the distribution of funds this autumn, the humanitarian assistance targets Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

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Pakistan + 2 others
IOM Starts Camp Management Training in Flood-Hit Pakistan

Press Briefing Notes
Friday 19th October 2012
Spokesperson: Jean-Philippe Chauzy

IOM Pakistan has started camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) training in flood-affected districts of Pakistan's Sindh province, at the request of the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

To date, 80 camp mangers, social mobilizers, community members and displaced people have taken part in four on-site trainings at future camp locations in Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kashmore.

International Organization for Migration:

Copyright © IOM. All rights reserved.

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World + 7 others
Landmine Ban: Holdouts Should Join Treaty

International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Nobel Peace Laureate, Turns 20

(New York, October 18, 2012) – The United States and other countries that have not yet banned antipersonnel landmines should join the treaty to eradicate these weapons, Human Rights Watch said today on the 20th anniversary of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which it co-founded.

Human Rights Watch:



© Copyright, Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA

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Director of External Relations for the UN’s Palestinian relief agency to visit Finland

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Press release 231/2012

Salvatore Lombardo, Director of External Relations for UNRWA, will visit Finland on Thursday, 11 October 2012. During his visit he will meet with cooperation partners of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as well as parties interested in Palestine.

Originally from Italy, Lombardo has worked in the humanitarian aid sector for over 25 years. He has a long background in the UN refugee agency UNHCR, and in UNRWA he served as Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon before taking up his current position.

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World + 1 other
Finnish product improves women’s and girls’ access to birth control in developing countries

An international initiative was announced on Wednesday 26 September in New York to expand access to long-lasting and reliable birth control to 27 million women in developing countries.

”The initiative improves access to contraceptives and therefore provides options for women and girls. Safe contraceptive methods reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, and empower women to decide on their own body,” Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala says.

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Finland grants additional humanitarian aid for the Syrian crisis

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Press release 179/2012

By decision of Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala, Finland grants 1.5 million euros of humanitarian assistance to those suffering from the crisis in Syria. The support will be targeted for persons in need of assistance, both those within Syria as well those who have fled to neighbouring countries. It will be channelled through the Finnish Red Cross, the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

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Namibia + 1 other
Empowering marginalized and vulnerable communities in Namibia

Report
UNAIDS

The Khaibasen Community Project in Namibia has been engaged in raising awareness, providing education and giving a voice to vulnerable communities, especially girls who are engaging in transactional sex to make ends meet.

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Viet Nam + 1 other
Finland funds climate change mitigation project in Quang Tri

More than EUR153,000 will be spent on the second phase of a project to mitigate the impact of climate change on agricultural production in sandy areas of Quang Tri province.

This figure was announced at a ceremony on July 31 to launch the second phase to be implemented in Hai Que, Trieu Van and Trieu Giang communes from July 2012 to June 2014. The first phase of the project was implemented from 2009 to 2011.

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Province Orientale : le Fnuap réhabilite la maternité de Rwampara

Report
Radio Okapi

Le Fonds des Nations unies pour la population (Fnuap) a réhabilité la maternité de Rwampara, à 12 Km de Bunia, en Ituri (Province Orientale), avec un financement de la Finlande. Le représentant résident du Fnuap en RDC a officiellement présenté le nouveau bâtiment au gouvernement congolais jeudi 12 juillet, à l’occasion de la journée mondiale de la population.Le représentant du Fnuap en RDC, Richard Dackam, dit espérer que cette maternité va soulager la souffrance des femmes enceintes, souvent obligées de parcourir des kilomètres à pied pour trouver un centre de santé.

Radio Okapi:

Copyright Radio Okapi

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UNHCR Syria Fact Sheet - June 2012 (EN/AR)

  • An overwhelming majority of Iraqi refugees 91.6% of refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Syria are from Iraq. The Government of Syria, which has continuously implemented a generous policy towards the stay of Iraqi refugees, estimates that the country hosts about one million Iraqis. 64.6% come from the region of Baghdad alone and 62.4% sought refuge in Syria five or more years ago. 35% of the 27,681 families registered are female-headed households.