“New york declaration” adopted

adminonNovember 5, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

UN refugee summit in New York © Justin Lane

Development Minister Gerd Muller © Thomas Trutschel

The United Nations wants to improve the lot of millions of refugees. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon calls for consistent implementation of promises. Church representatives called for peaceful resolution of armed conflicts.

The 193 member countries of the United Nations have agreed on better protection and more aid for refugees. At the first major UN refugee summit, delegates in New York on Monday adopted by acclamation the so-called New York Declaration. This is the world community's response to the biggest global refugee crisis since World War II, with more than 65 million people currently on the run.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi hailed the declaration as a "political commitment of unprecedented force". Now, states would have to deliver on the pledges. The world expects "action and results". UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon also called on UN states to take seriously and implement the Declaration's commitments. No refugee or migrant should be left behind, he said.

Protection and education for refugees

In the "New York Declaration," member countries reaffirm their political will to protect the lives of refugees, uphold their human rights and share responsibility for the refugee crisis. The statement also stresses that refugee and migrant children should be enrolled in school within months of arrival. Refugees should also be better protected from sexual violence.

In addition, the UN states want to support the refugee agency UNHCR in resettling refugees. However, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's demand to resettle at least ten percent of refugees each year was dropped following prere from many countries. Ban wanted to accommodate countries such as Jordan and Turkey, which host a large proportion of refugees.

Treaty rules

Secretary-general to report on implementation of declaration. The individual points of the "New York Declaration" are to form the basis for two global agreements: One treaty would address burden-sharing and refugee protection; the second agreement would establish principles of safe, orderly and legal migration. According to the UN plan, countries should adopt both agreements in 2018.

On the occasion of the refugee summit, the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches called for peaceful resolution of armed conflicts. German Development Minister Gerd Muller (CSU) demanded that the international community pay the promised aid money for Syria.

"Aid only on paper"

"It is a scandal that some countries promise their aid only on paper and the people in and around Syria have to starve and have no roof over their heads," the minister said in New York. Not even half of the ten billion U.S. dollars in aid pledged at the Syria conference in London in February has flowed, he said.

The UN Children's Fund Unicef drew particular attention to the situation of suffering children. Nearly 50 million girls and boys have left their homes worldwide, the organization said in Cologne. The international community must pay special attention to the protection of children, he said.

For Tuesday, US President Barack Obama has invited to another refugee summit at the UN. There states are to make concrete financial pledges and commit to resettlements.

The Alternative Nobel Prize goes this year to four different laureates. Among others, the organization "White Helmets", Syria Civil Defence, is awarded for its commitment in saving civilians in the Syrian civil war.

This was announced by the Right Livelihood Award Foundation on Thursday. The 3.000 volunteers from the "White Helmets" have risked their lives since 2013 to rescue people from the rubble of destroyed buildings in the war zone, the Stockholm-based foundation said in its statement. "The White Helmets were bakers, tailors, salesmen or teachers in peacetime and now – as trained firefighters, search and rescue workers, and medics – have over 60.000 lives saved."

Award for Turkish newspaper "Cumhuriyet

In addition, three other awards were given. An award goes to the Turkish newspaper "Cumhuriyet" in recognition of its "fearless investigative journalism and unconditional commitment to freedom of expression despite repression, censorship, imprisonment and death threats". The employees of "Cumhuriyet" had accepted "immense personal risks such as assassination and imprisonment"."The daily newspaper, which was founded in 1924, is one of the oldest in Turkey. In mid-August, editor-in-chief Can Dundar had resigned from his post. In justification, he said he feared unjustified persecution by the Turkish judiciary after the attempted coup in mid-July. Dundar is currently staying in other European countries.

Egyptian feminist honored

Egyptian feminist Mozn Hassan and her organization Nazra for Feminist Studies were honored "for their commitment to equality and women's rights in circumstances of ongoing violence, abuse and discrimination". After the sexual assaults on women at rallies during and after the Egyptian revolution in 2011, the organization "Nazra" had not only denounced the sexual violence, but also provided medical, psychological and legal assistance to the victims.

Prize for Russian human rights activist

In addition, Russian human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina was awarded "for her decades-long commitment to human rights and justice for refugees and migrants, and for promoting tolerance between different ethnic groups". Through their work, they have helped to draw public attention to human rights violations in crisis regions, particularly in the Caucasus.

"This year's laureates are addressing our most pressing global challenges – be it war, freedom of speech and press, women's rights, or the plight of refugees and migrants," said Right Livelihood Award Foundation Director Ole von Uexkull.

The Alternative Nobel Prize has been awarded annually since 1980. This year's laureates share the prize money equivalent to 315.000 euros. Established in 1980, the Right Livelihood Award has honored 166 laureates from 68 countries to date.

During the Youth Synod, the Catholic Church is currently discussing how to deal with its young people. Theologian and journalist Jacqueline Straub hopes for positive signals – and calls for reforms: A different language and new women's policy.

Interviewer: "There are a lot of old hats in the church that don't fit young minds" – you say in your book published in August titled: "Kick the church out of its coma". Between the church and the youth, so it seems, there is often speechlessness. The Church does not understand the young – and vice versa. The Youth Synod, which has been meeting in Rome since last week, should help. A good thing in your eyes?

Jacqueline Straub (theologian and journalist): I believe that the Youth Synod is definitely a good thing. I think it is bitterly necessary that today the youth is really taken more and more into consideration. Mainly due to the fact that fewer and fewer people – especially fewer young people – go to church and are also interested in the faith. I believe that positive signals can be sent out from Rome.

Interviewer: Now the situation is that 350 bishops and 40 young people are sitting together in Rome at the moment. Is that in itself a wrong signal? The Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ), for example, had wanted a fifty-fifty lineup.

Straub: I would also like to see more youth, young people or lay people having a voice there. What I also find questionable, of course, is that only the bishops are allowed to vote. In the end, celibate old men again determine how young people have to live and believe. There I would really wish more that the young voice is heard even more and not only acted according to the motto: Pseudo-moderately we invite a few people. Much more needs to be done.

Interviewer: Let's come back to the problem of language. Why is this actually so crucial and what could help to make more and better communication possible??

Straub: Language is very important. And the language of the youth is a different language than that of the Catholic Church. I notice that again and again when I talk to young people. Who say: I have a spirituality. I believe in God. I also read the Bible from time to time. But when I go to church, I don't understand anything. The whole texts, the whole songs are all old-fashioned. Even the sermon does not reach me.

That means, the language must be adapted to the youth, so that young people develop again joy for the faith and for it to engage themselves again in the church and to go perhaps times again into the service.

Interviewer: But how should that work? Should the church now learn the language of the young people or should young people perhaps also occupy decisive positions and then speak from there themselves??

Straub: Definitely both. We need young people in important positions who are of course also in the living world of young people and also understand them. But on the other hand, the Church also needs to listen much more to the youth and look: What languages do we need to speak as a church – we as bishops – so that our message is also received.

Maybe we also need more youth projects. In many cities there are the youth churches, where people really speak in the language of the youth. But I think we need many, many more projects like this, so that young people also feel comfortable in the church and so that they don't always have to have the feeling: This is just a club for old people. So that when they go to church on Sundays, for example, they realize: I, too, am addressed by what the man or perhaps the woman in front says.

Interviewer: You yourself are also known for having repeatedly said out loud in public: I feel called to be a priestess and I am quite disappointed about my church, which denies me this ordination. In her eyes, does the Catholic Church scare girls and young women with its "women's policy" in the long term??

Straub: I hear again and again from young women and girls who write me letters or e-mails that they would like to become priests, that they would like to find themselves better in the Church as women, but that they have great problems with this image that the Church has. That means that many women turn away because they say: I live in an emancipated society and would like to find myself in the same way in church. But they can't, because they say: I feel discriminated against.

And they then turn away from the church, although they are actually Catholic and also want to remain Catholic. I am currently in contact with a young woman who is thinking about converting to the Protestant Church. Because she says: I feel called to be a priestess, but I don't see any hope. Why should I study Catholic theology now?? I'd rather study Protestant theology right away. The way is easier.

Interviewer: You have made a different decision: despite your disappointment, you have remained in the Catholic Church. If you were to tell the Pope three things that he should change most urgently – perhaps he would have to change – in his Church in order to make it a Church again, also and especially for the youth and young people, what would you advise him to do??

Straub: Definitely there must be equality – real equality – between men and women. That means not only talking about women, what they are good at, but also admitting women to the ordination offices. This is a very important point that concerns young people – and not only women, but also men. The second is the treatment of marginalized groups – the ies of homosexuality, remarried divorcees or even sexuality in general. Something also has to be done to make young people feel at home again in these ies.

What's also important, of course, is the radical coming to terms with the abuse cases. In this way the Church has lost a lot of credibility. People want radical education to be provided. Personally, I wish that Pope Francis or even the bishops would manage to make the joy of faith more visible again and really inspire young people again to get involved in the church and really engage with their own faith again.

The interview was conducted by Hilde Regeniter.

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