Amnesty International: Czech school system discriminating against Roma
Authorities in the Czech Republic must act to end systematic discrimination against Roma gypsy children that ensures they receive an inferior education, Amnesty International says. Roma-only schools use a less competitive curriculum than mainstream schools, perpetuating social exclusion and reducing Roma children’s ability to find future employment.
UNHCR launches appeal for growing Congo crisis
The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) urgently needs about $25 million to manage a growing refugee crisis in the Republic of Congo, a UNHCR official said on Tuesday. Some 107,000 refugees have flooded the country, fleeing violence in the north west of neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Study: Breastfeeding over 6 months might aid mental health
Children who are breastfed for longer than six months could be at lower risk of mental health problems later in life, according to Australian research. A study by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Perth looked at 2,366 children born to women enrolled in a pregnancy study in the state of Western Australia. Each of the children underwent a mental health assessment when they were aged two, five, eight, 10, and 14. The researchers found that breastfeeding could help babies cope better with stress and may signal a stronger mother-child attachment which could provide lasting benefits.
Freedoms suffered worldwide in 2009
Human-rights defenders and civic activists around the world faced increased repression in 2009, watchdog group Freedom House says in its annual report. Myanmar, Somalia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were among the most repressive countries, the survey found.
European governments look to promote healthier diets
Several European governments are examining legislative ways to trim the fat out of their national diets. Proposals include increased taxes on fast food in Romania and chocolate in Denmark, restricting the use of trans fats in Spain, and a ban on advertising sweets to children younger than 12 years old in Germany.
Report: Elderly will outnumber the young by 2045
The world’s number of elderly people is increasing three times faster than the total population, and the elderly are expected to outnumber children by 2045, according a report from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The shift will put increasing pressure on service providers and working-age people to support retirees, the report warns.
WEST AFRICA: Learning how to stop children dying
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) “accelerated child survival programme” in 11 West African countries did not save significantly more lives than in areas that were not targeted, says an evaluation published in The Lancet this week – but analysts say this does not mean UNICEF was doing the wrong things.
Plumpy’nut patent under pressure
Two US-based companies have teamed up to challenge the patents for Plumpy’nut, a widely distributed ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) registered in the US.
