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	Narges Mohammadi awarded Nobel Peace Prize for 2023 by Norwegian Nobel Committee   Oslo, 6 October 2023   “Zan – Zendegi – Azadi”. “Woman – Life – Freedom”   The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2023 to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all. Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs.   Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. Ms Mohammadi is still in prison as I speak.   In September 2022 a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Jina Amini, was killed while in the custody of the Iranian morality police. Her killing triggered the largest political demonstrations against Iran’s theocratic regime since it came to power in 1979.   Under the slogan “Woman – Life – Freedom”, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took part in peaceful protests against the authorities’ brutality and oppression of women. The regime cracked down hard on the protests: more than 500 demonstrators were killed. Thousands were injured, including many who were blinded by rubber bullets fired by the police. At least 20 000 people were arrested and held in regime custody.   The motto adopted by the demonstrators – “Woman – Life – Freedom” – suitably expresses the dedication and work of Narges Mohammadi.   Woman. She fights for women against systematic discrimination and oppression.   Life. She supports women’s struggle for the right to live full and dignified lives. This struggle across Iran has been met with persecution, imprisonment, torture and even death.   Freedom. She fights for freedom of expression and the right of independence, and against rules requiring women to remain out of sight and to cover their bodies. The freedom demands expressed by demonstrators apply not only to women, but to the entire population.   In the 1990s, as a young physics student, Narges Mohammadi was already distinguishing herself as an advocate for equality and women’s rights. After concluding her studies, she worked as an engineer as well as a columnist in various reform-minded newspapers. In 2003 she became involved with the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran, an organisation founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. In 2011 Ms Mohammadi was arrested for the first time and sentenced to many years of imprisonment for her efforts to assist incarcerated activists and their families.   Two years later, after her release on bail, Ms Mohammadi immersed herself in a campaign against use of the death penalty. Iran has long been among the countries that execute the highest proportion of their inhabitants annually. Just since January 2022, more than 860 prisoners have been punished by death in Iran.   Her activism against the death penalty led to the re-arrest of Ms Mohammadi in 2015, and to a sentence of additional years behind walls. Upon her return to prison, she began opposing the regime’s systematic use of torture and sexualised violence against political prisoners, especially women, that is practised in Iranian prisons.   Last year’s wave of protests became known to the political prisoners held inside the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. Once again, Ms Mohammadi assumed leadership. From prison she expressed support for the demonstrators and organised solidarity actions among her fellow inmates. The prison authorities responded by imposing even stricter conditions. Ms Mohammadi was prohibited from receiving calls and visitors. She nevertheless managed to smuggle out an article which the New York Times published on the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Jina Amini’s killing. The message was: “The more of us they lock up, the stronger we become.” From captivity, Ms Mohammadi has helped to ensure that the protests have not ebbed out.   Narges Mohammadi is a woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter. In awarding her this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour her courageous fight for human rights, freedom, and democracy in Iran. This year’s Peace Prize also recognises the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against the theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women.   Only by embracing equal rights for all can the world achieve the fraternity between nations that Alfred Nobel sought to promote. The award to Narges Mohammadi follows a long tradition in which the Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Peace Prize to those working to advance social justice, human rights, and democracy. These are important preconditions for lasting peace.   http://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2023/press-release/ http://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2023/mohammadi/lecture/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/2023-nobel-peace-prize-recognises-struggle-women-against-systems http://www.unesco.org/en/articles/three-imprisoned-iranian-women-journalists-awarded-2023-unesco/guillermo-cano-world-press-freedom http://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/iran/iran-continued-harassment-of-narges-mohammadi-and-nasrin-sotoudeh http://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/30/iran-arrests-top-rights-lawyer-at-funeral-of-teenage-girl-who-died-after-metro-incident Visit the related web page
	Fulfilling the right to social security for all by 43 human rights and economic justice organizations   Oct. 2023   Governments and international financial institutions should make a commitment to create social security systems that enable everyone to realize their rights, 43 human rights and economic justice organizations said today. Governments and financial institutions should end policies that have been failing millions of people.   The groups sent a joint statement to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in advance of the 2023 annual meetings of both institutions in Marrakesh, Morocco, from October 9 to 15, 2023.   “Amid mounting poverty and soaring inequality, where millions grapple daily to realize their economic, social and cultural rights, we cannot afford to maintain social security approaches that have been shown to fail rights,” said Tirana Hassan, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. “Governments and international financial institutions have an opportunity to course-correct and adopt a rights-aligned approach to social security that sets the tone and leads the way toward more just societies and economies.”   Social security is one of the cornerstones of human rights, sustainable economies, and just societies. It is enshrined in numerous legally binding international treaties and is provided through a set of public policies and programs often known as social protection.   These programs ensure income security throughout an individual's life, offering support during life events such as childbirth, old age, illness, disability, unemployment, and circumstances such as climate disasters that elevate the risk of income insecurity, such as the earthquake that recently shook Morocco.   “The right to social protection for all is enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and yet, 75 years later, global social protection falls shamefully short, with more than half of the global population lacking basic coverage, violating human rights,” said Luc Triangle, Acting General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation. Triangle said:   "The international financial institutions bear immense responsibility for achieving universal social protection, but it's imperative to shift away from an outdated economic model that often endorses austerity measures. The workers’ call is clear: scaling up social protection financing, an investment for societies which dramatically reduces inequalities while boosting employment, skills, productivity, demand for goods and services, and overall GDP growth".   Many governments rely on social security programs that are means-tested, in which eligibility hinges on income, assets, or narrow poverty indicators. Research shows that these programs are often ineffective because of high error rates, corruption, and social mistrust. Focusing only on people in poverty or extreme poverty also excludes large segments of the population, including those who are not officially considered poor but are far from experiencing economic stability.   “This campaign shows that there are more and more civil society organizations who sees through the statement that ‘poverty-targeting is pro-poor’. In fact, universality is pro-poor, in line with human rights and a key strategy to promote social justice,” said Henrik Frojmark, Policy Director of Act Church of Sweden.   Stephen Kidd, CEO of Development Pathways, said:   "The push by international financial institutions to promote poverty-targeted social assistance schemes–following the poor relief model used by Europe in the 19th century– across lower-income countries has meant that the vast majority of those living on low incomes have been excluded from social security, while national social contracts have been undermined as a result of citizens losing trust in their governments. It’s time that the international financial institutions got behind a modern system of universal life cycle social security system that ensures that everyone can receive protection from childhood to old age and, importantly, helps rebuild trust in government, democracy and strong social contracts".   For decades, the World Bank and the IMF have promoted this flawed approach, the groups said. They have failed to consider social security as a right and that it contributes to building fairer and more stable societies, and not just charity. This has contributed to a global reality in which 53 percent of people lack any form of social security, and whereas instability, social defiance, and polarization are growing and the needs for resilience are greater than ever in the face of the climate crisis.   “On the African continent we have witnessed the dire impact of failing to prioritize social protection resulting in inequality, rising poverty, children dropping out of school and unnecessary deaths,” said Angella Nabwowe, Executive Director of the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights. Nabwowe said:   "Governments must seize this moment to rethink current approaches to social protection that have excluded large segments of the population through targeting and must holistically invest in social protection. The World Bank/IMF and other funders must desist from promoting austerity and poverty targeting, all of which reduce the ability of our governments to adequately finance social protection and prioritize public services, including social protection".   Recent reforms in some countries have also eroded the right to social security, leading to reduced coverage and benefits. In some countries, these changes, supported by the World Bank or IMF, involved cuts to employer contributions or reduced benefits for the majority in the public system. Additionally, privatization of social insurance in some places has worsened poverty and inequality, disproportionately affecting women and older people.   Dr. Maria Ron Balsera, Director of Program at the Center for Economic and Social Rights, said:   "The current polycrisis should trigger a shift to a rights-based economy which includes promoting the right to social security for all, supported by the framework of values and obligations of human rights. A rights-based economy demands action to redistribute resources, remedy inequalities, and rebalance power in our economies".   The groups strongly urge the IMF and the World Bank, pivotal actors in financing and shaping social security policies in low- and middle-income countries, to take four measures that could improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people:   Commit to Realizing the Right to Social Security:   Support countries’ efforts to realize the right to social security by establishing or strengthening rights-aligned universal social protection systems, beginning with social protection floors.   End Poverty-Targeted Programs:   In countries without universal coverage, stop developing new poverty-targeted programs, and phase out existing ones, replacing them with universal alternatives.   Support Equitable and Sustainable Public Systems:   The IMF and the World Bank should support equitable and sustainable public social security systems adhering to international standards. This includes adequate employer contributions and income security.   Cease Austerity Measures:   The IMF should halt austerity policies that threaten rights and refrain from promoting social spending trade-offs. Investments in health, education, and social security should, at a minimum, meet international benchmarks as a percentage of GDP and national budgets.   “It is high time that governments, the World Bank, and the IMF acted to make universal social protection a reality,” said Marta Schaaf, the climate, economic and social justice, and corporate accountability director at Amnesty International.   "The extraordinary combination of political, economic and climate crises is battering the lives and livelihoods of billions of people who have little or no access to social protection measures. Investing in universal social protection can provide security and dignity, and fulfill the right to social security for all. Protecting people against personal losses or losses due to shocks, from disasters or economic reversals, can be transformational, enabling children to stay in education, improving health care, reducing poverty and income inequality", Schaaf said.   “We demand a full restructuring and change in social protection policies,” said Shereen Talat, MenaFem Movement for Economic, Development and Ecological Justice director.   “We reject incremental reforms and call for a transformation of the global system. Genuine social protection means empowering the marginalized, eradicating poverty, and ensuring ecological justice. Anything less than this will be undermining the global crisis and perpetuation of injustice."   http://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/social-security-for-all/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/03/global-demand-universal-social-security http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/worlds-poorest-countries-slash-public-spending-more-220-billion-face-crushing-debt http://www.sdg16.plus/resources/joint-statement-on-sdg-10/ Visit the related web page
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