Category Archives: Post Human

UN human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet has praised the solidarity shown to refugees from Ukraine. But she also criticized that other migrants and refugees often face pushbacks and criminalization at the EU's borders and beyond.

United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday (March 8) called the solidarity shown with those fleeing Ukraine "a bright light in a desperately sad situation."

She said that she felt encouraged by the reception shown by many governments and communities to those fleeing from Ukraine, including a decision by EU member states to activate temporary protection status for them as well as stay permits.

Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council, Bachelet pointed out that migrants and refugees from other countries on Europe's borders and from other parts of the world had been experienced wholly different kinds of treatment.

She said that a "humane approach" should be the rule instead of the exception, stressing that it is "essential" that all states respect the human rights of migrants and refugees regardless of the color of their skin, their ethnicity, their nationality, or their religion.

She also spoke out against pushbacks and policies limiting the access to asylum and other forms of protection, calling for more efforts to protect the lives of migrants and refugees. She added that "more than 2,000 migrants died or went missing in the Mediterranean last year -- bringing the total since 2017 to over 10,000."

Bachelet argued that "[t]his tragic loss is not inevitable. It could be addressed by coordinated action to search and rescue migrants at sea; ensuring disembarkation in places of safety; and expanding pathways for safe and regular migration so that migrants are not compelled make more precarious journeys."

In this context, she also called on countries worldwide "to cease actions which criminalize or obstruct the work of humanitarian organisations providing assistance to migrants."

More than two million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in late February. Most have fled westward to neighboring countries like Poland and Hungary.

The two countries, however, had repeatedly made headlines in recent years with their staunchly anti-migrant and -refugee policies and for their de facto barring of people from non-neighboring countries from seeking asylum.

However, Poland and Hungary two countries have also welcomed hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians in recent weeks in stark contrast to their previous actions.

In several migrant hotspots throughout Europe, NGOs have decried what they perceived to be a double standard in the treatment of Ukrainian refugees compared to refugees and migrants from other regions of the globe.

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Solidarity with Ukrainians contrasts with treatment of other refugees and migrants, UN's Bachelet - InfoMigrants

DAKAR, Senegal, 8 March, 2021-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Another generation of women will have to wait for gender parity, according to the World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Report 2021. As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt, closing the global gender gap has increased by a generation from 99.5 years to 135.6 years.

It makes a mockery of International Womens Day, which in 1977 the United Nations General Assembly declared an annual event. Human rights are the basic minimum protections which every human being should be able to experience daily. Yet even today throughout Africa and indeed the rest of the world not all people are able to enjoy and exercise their rights in the same way.

Treating womens rights as human rights and recognizing that women are equal humans with equal ability, has always been fundamental to African womens movements. As part of our initiatives for International Womens Day, we are looking at how women have fought to be put on an equal footing.

Womens rights are human rights and almost nobody today will say they do not believe in human rights. The challenge I lay down to all of us is to change our bias that womens rights are everyones rights. With human rights there is no us and them we are all human beings. If you believe in human rights, if you believe in human equality, if you believe that no one should be the property of another, that no one should be subject to violence just because, that everyone should freely make choices about their own bodies and life, then womens rights should be your fight. If anyone does not believe womens rights are their fight, then they actually do not believe in human rights.

Niyel is involved in a broad range of advocacy initiatives across the continent. Although not all of them directly address womens rights, womens rights are indirectly at the core of everything we do. For instance, access to water and sanitation is one such initiative. Poor sanitation, no separate public toilet facilities for women and girls, and lack of on-tap water are factors which disproportionately affect women who in rural areas still bear the brunt of collecting water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Niyel for the past five years has been closely involved in influencing sanitation policy at government level particularly across West Africa, and that initiative is inclusive of womens needs and rights, as well as mens.

This year Niyel is launching an educational book series called Sit with Me authored by women of all ages with experience in the struggle for womens rights and which speak to younger women and girls. It depicts their experiences and gives encouragement to continue the struggle.

As proud as we are of these initiatives, we are conscious that the issue goes deeper than the observation of a day or a month. As we all seek to break the bias in various sectors of our society, our focus must remain on understanding how and why these biases are being enforced as well as who is allowing them to dominate the mainstream media, social and otherwise.

We tend to underestimate the active and intentional anti-women agenda that is very active on the continent. We may think that it is just cultural norms and context but although some of that is true, there is an organized institutional and growing opposition to womens rights, bodily autonomy, and sexual and reproductive rights of women in Africa.

For a few years, we have been studying these oppositions that increase barriers towomens rights and being intentional about how we tackle them in our work.

As part of this study, and since, some alarming examples of gross bias against womens rights have emerged in the media and entertainment industries. The same industries that are supposed to be breaking the bias, are some of the greatest perpetrators of bias. One example, amongst many, is a television show host in Cote dIvoire in August 2021 that interviewed a rapist who proceeded to visually dramatise in unnecessarily explicit detail with a manikin doll how he raped women, to the merriment of a live audience and television crew. What was meant to be a denunciation of rape became a defence of it, with no consequences for the television channel other than an enforced apology by the presenter. Following a public outcry, and sustained pressure from womens organizations in Cote dIvoire, the rapist was finally convicted but sentenced only to one year with parole and as such, served no jail time.

The impact of such shows is to entirely undermine what were trying to achieve, which is the change of bias and viewpoints towards women. The show was meant to forward womens advocacy but actually trivialised rape and womens rights and endorsed the normalising of abuse through degrading humour. There is an entire process which leads to the production of a television show, and this demonstrates how ingrained the culture of abuse of women is. Not one person in the chain of command saw fit to stop it before it was allowed to air.

Although there is progress in womens rights, it sometimes feels like each step forward is met by ten steps back. And the voices that have millions of ears and eyes, have to check their ingrained biases with even greater scrutiny.

I am not free from biases, and I choose to acknowledge that I have blind spots and check myself. I invite you to do the same and pay attention to how your own biases might be rampant in the media you and your community consume. When you do, check them too.

That is how we do our part in breaking the bias.

Distributed byAfrican Media Agencyon behalf ofNiyel.

The post The Distance Still To Go In Recognising That Womens Rights Are Human Rights appeared first on African Media Agency.

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The Distance Still To Go In Recognising That Women's Rights Are Human Rights - Africa.com

GENEVA The U.N. human rights office said on Friday it has received credible reports of several cases of Russian forces using cluster munitions in populated areas in Ukraine, adding that indiscriminate use of such weapons might amount to war crimes.

Due to their wide area effects, the use of cluster munitions in populated areas is incompatible with the international humanitarian law principles governing the conduct of hostilities, spokesperson Liz Throssell told Geneva-based journalists.

We remind the Russian authorities that directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as so-called area bombardment in towns and villages and other forms of indiscriminate attacks, are prohibited under international law and may amount to war crimes.

Asked about a potential change in Facebook policy that would allow some users to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers, Throssell called it concerning and said her office would raise it with the company. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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UN rights office has credible reports of Russian cluster bomb use in Ukraine - Financial Post

9 March 2022Afternoon

Concludes Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights and Starts Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children

The Human Rights Council this afternoon held the second part of its annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child with a panel discussion on family reunification in the context of armed conflict and counter terrorism. The Council also concluded an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights and started an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

A video on family reunification in the context of armed conflict was played at the beginning of the panel discussion.

Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said conflict was one of the major drivers of family separation. The risk for children to be recruited and used by conflict parties was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the deteriorating security situation in some contexts. The international community must ensure that a child rights-based approach was taken when dealing with children associated or allegedly associated with armed groups. No matter what the context, every person under 18 years of age was considered a child under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Cornelius Williams, Director of Child Protection for the United Nations Childrens Fund, said that unaccompanied and separated children were among the most vulnerable children in the world. Governments should provide social support, case work, and inclusive educational and livelihood opportunities, and develop legal and policy frameworks that supported family resilience and prevented separation. States should prioritise the safe and swift handover of any child they encountered during counter terrorism or military operations to child protection actors instead of placing them in detention.

Fionnuala N Aolin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, said her mandate increasingly addressed issues related to the rights of the child as it intersected with countering terrorism, violent extremism and broader security policies and measures. According to international law, States must treat children, including children related to or associated with designated terrorist groups, primarily as victims when devising responses, including counter-terrorism responses.

Helen Durham, Director of International Law and Policy, International Committee of the Red Cross, said that being separated from your loved ones as war unfurled around you was a terrifying reality for thousands of children. International humanitarian law contained obligations that sought to ensure that when a child was separated from their family in armed conflict, their needs were met. These obligations also sought to maintain or restore contact and ultimately achieve the reunification of family members when possible. Better respect for these rules would help stem harm to the children.

In the discussion, speakers agreed that the family was the optimal environment to raise children, therefore a united or reunited family was indispensable. Children had the right to live in healthy families and family reunification was a sine qua non condition for the proper growth of a child. Speakers condemned the recruitment of children in armed groups and during conflicts. Armed conflicts and terrorism prevented the enjoyment of human rights of citizens, and children were particularly at risk. The protection of women and children in those contexts was paramount as girls were impacted differently and disproportionately by armed conflict.

Speaking in the discussion were the European Union, Portugal on behalf of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, Qatar, Ghana, Azerbaijan, Cuba, UN Women, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Also speaking were Save the Children International, Plan International, Amnesty International, Beijing Childrens Legal Aid and Research Centre, and China Soong Ching Ling Foundation.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its interactive dialogue with Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights. The interactive dialogue started on Tuesday, 8 March and a summary can be found here and here.

In the discussion with the Special Rapporteur on cultural rights, speakers said that the situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip impeded Palestinians from enjoying their cultural rights. Member States should recognise the unlawful destruction of Palestinian heritage. Others said the importance of women in upholding culture should be recognised. The pandemic had seriously affected the enjoyment of cultural rights by indigenous peoples and communities.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Xanthaki said that she was paying particular attention to linguistic and cultural minorities. She would also focus on the link between cultural rights and sustainable development. Cultural rights were important because they acted as resources of the past but they should not be stuck in the past as they evolved as societies and communities evolved. They were not static, they evolved according to the wishes of the individuals and the communities.

Speaking were the following non-governmental organizations: Al-Haq, Law at the Service of Man, Rencontre Africaine pour la Dfense des Droits de lHomme, and Association for the Defence of Human Rights and the Cultural Rights of the Azerbaijani People.

The Council then started an interactive discussion with Mama Fatima Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

Ms. Singhateh said that one of the key challenges to addressing the sale and sexual exploitation of children at the national level was the inadequate implementation of existing laws and policies. From the contributions received, in terms of preventing the sale and sexual exploitation of children, besides having an adequate legal and policy framework in place, education and awareness-raising were the most frequent measures mentioned. What was often lacking was a systemic and comprehensive approach to such prevention measures and the lack of nationwide coverage. Preventing the sale and sexual exploitation of children therefore required a strong and sustained national commitment, coupled with meaningful community involvement and programmes to establish viable alternatives for children and families at risk. She spoke about her country visit to Montenegro.

Montenegro spoke as a country concerned.

In the ensuing discussion, speakers shared concerns regarding States without robust legal frameworks to incorporate new trends in child protection. The international community had to work harder to support national efforts to eliminate child sale, prostitution, trafficking and pornography. Addressing the sale and abuse of children required a strong national effort, combined with efforts aimed at supporting the family structure, in order to eliminate risks at the earliest possible level. Adequate implementation and safeguard measures should be put in place to ensure that children did not fall through the gaps in infrastructure that could exist.

Speaking on the sale and sexual exploitation of children were: European Union, Uruguay (on behalf of a group of countries), Latvia (on behalf of a group of countries), China (on behalf of a group of countries), Paraguay, Egypt, Philippines, Israel, UN Women, Libya, Fiji, United Nations Childrens Fund, Venezuela, France, Malaysia, Iraq, Cuba, India and Luxembourg.

Speaking in right of reply were: Armenia, Cuba and Azerbaijan

The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Councils forty-ninth regular session can be found here.

The Council will next meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday, 10 March to hold a panel discussion on access to COVID-19 vaccines. It will then conclude its interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, and hold an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt.

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights

The interactive dialogue with Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, started on Tuesday, 8 March and a summary can be found here and here.

Discussion

In the discussion with the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, some speakers said that the situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip impeded Palestinians from enjoying their cultural rights. Member States should recognise the unlawful destruction of Palestinian heritage. Others said the importance of women in upholding culture should be recognised. The pandemic had seriously affected the enjoyment of cultural rights by indigenous peoples and communities. States should increase the budgets for culture - there should be sustainable solutions for development programmes for cultural rights for minorities in the case of future pandemics, and for how countries suffering from climate change could better defend their heritage.

Concluding Remarks

ALEXANDRA XANTHAKI, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, said she was paying particular attention to linguistic and cultural minorities. She would also focus on the link between cultural rights and sustainable development. She had taken note of the discussion on the danger of nuclear testing and danger in general. Cultural rights were important because they acted as resources of the past but they should not be stuck in the past as they evolved as societies and communities evolved. It was important to use them in order to build the present. They were not static, they evolved according to the wishes of the individuals and the communities.

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, including Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and other Child Sexual Abuse Material

Documentation

The Council has before it (A/HRC/49/51) report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children on a practical approach to addressing the sale and sexual exploitation of children as well as (A/HRC/49/51 Add.1) on her mission to Montenegro.

Presentation of Reports

MAMA FATIMA SINGHATEH, Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material, said her annual thematic report entitled a practical approach to addressing the sale and sexual exploitation of children was a study that provided a set of concrete measures and good practices collected from across the world, to tackle the sale of children for the purpose of child marriage and the sexual exploitation of children in prostitution, in the context of travel and tourism, and online. She would also be presenting the report on her country visit to Montenegro in September 2021.

Her annual report was addressed in the context of prevention, protection and rehabilitation services. There was no gainsaying that there existed a wealth of international and regional instruments as well as literature aimed at promoting the rights of children and protecting them from all forms of violence, including sale and sexual exploitation. However, the incidences of the sale, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children continued to increase and many child victims did not receive adequate support. One of the key challenges to addressing the sale and sexual exploitation of children at the national level was the inadequate implementation of the existing laws and policies. This report therefore offered a more practical approach to addressing this problem to ensure the effective implementation of prevention, protection and rehabilitation measures for children.

From the contributions received, in terms of preventing the sale and sexual exploitation of children, besides having an adequate legal and policy framework in place, education and awareness-raising were the most frequent measures mentioned by States and other stakeholders as good practices. However, what was often lacking was a systemic and comprehensive approach to such prevention measures and the lack of nationwide coverage. Preventing the sale and sexual exploitation of children therefore required a strong and sustained national commitment, coupled with meaningful community involvement and programmes to establish viable alternatives for children and families at risk.

With regard to the protection of children from sale and sexual exploitation, the numerous examples of good practices related to the training of professionals, the importance of closing the gap between the number of offences, of prosecutions undertaken and of convictions handed down for sexual offences against children, as well as treating children as victims, never as culprits. Other protection measures reported consisted of international cooperation.

The Special Rapporteur encouraged States to promote and support the adoption of a child protection policy in all public and private sectors and entities working with, for, or in contact with children. States were also encouraged to take a more sustainable perspective in regard to justice and rehabilitation services by providing yearly budgetary allocations for child victims in order to ensure that no child was left behind and that concrete and practical measures and services were available and accessible to all children as well as guaranteeing a child friendly, trauma informed approach to justice, support and rehabilitation of child victims of sale and sexual exploitation.

With regard to her mission to Montenegro, the Special Rapporteur commended the Government of Montenegro for significant efforts, despite a lack of reliable, centralised, and disaggregated data on the phenomena of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation which made it difficult to determine the nature and prevalence of the problem. However, she had learned that child sexual exploitation and abuse was most prevalent among children belonging to marginalised communities. There was therefore the need for the Government of Montenegro to continue investing in social, economic and other measures, particularly for marginalised communities.

Statement of Country Concerned

Montenegro, speaking as the country concerned, thanked the Special Rapporteur for her visit to Montenegro, and commended her for her open and professional commitment. The report was constructive, and its recommendations helpful. Montenegro was consistently working to improve the human rights in its country, and cooperated with all Special Procedures, strengthening cooperation with civil society and other partners. Montenegro had adopted a number of strategies and protocols, including on forced early marriages. The authorities were committed to continuing to develop the legislative and institutional frameworks and ensure that policies were in place to implement them. Much of the national legislative framework was in line with international human rights instruments. Nevertheless, further measures needed to be taken to streamline implementation.

Montenegro was mindful that the complex nature of sexual abuse required a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to rehabilitate the victims of this scourge, and the Government was taking steps in that regard. The Special Rapporteurs general finding was that Montenegro had made significant efforts to improve its protection for children against violence and sexual exploitation, nevertheless, there was still work to be done, and Montenegro would continue to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in order to ensure effective implementation of the measures.

Discussion

In the ensuing discussion, Speakers highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach on all levels and shared concerns regarding States without robust legal frameworks to incorporate new trends in child protection. It was of great importance to have tools that allowed for the active involvement of children as well as proper training for anyone who came in contact with children. Children must be protected and allowed to enjoy their fundamental rights. Adequate implementation and safeguard measures should be put in place to ensure that children did not fall through the gaps in infrastructure that could exist. The pandemic had had negative effects on childrens safety online, as they had spent more time in front of computers. The sustained effect of the pandemic on sexual exploitation online was of particular concern.

Speakers strongly condemned the sale of children and committed at all levels to eradicate it. The sale of children, aided by new technologies, continued to rise. Children should be educated about acceptable and non-acceptable acts, both online and offline. Child sexual exploitation had also become more prevalent during the pandemic. Child victims and survivors should be given access to justice, whilst avoiding secondary victimisation. Many children were trafficked into sweatshops, domestic work, or enforced prostitution, and the effects of this stayed with them for life. Hate crimes and racism had exacerbated trafficking. All States should combat trafficking, and bring the perpetrators to justice. There should be zero tolerance for trafficking in children.

The report contained a broad range of tools to protect and prevent children from being the victims of trafficking and sale, as well as measures for protecting the most vulnerable. States should have a robust political and legislative framework, but also include new trends, which were necessary in the accelerating digital world, as well as a national systemic approach to all aspects of the issue. Proper training should be provided for anyone in contact with children. The international community had to work harder to support national efforts to eliminate child sale, prostitution, trafficking and pornography. The dialogue with the Special Rapporteur should be spread through all levels of society, including civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, and educational institutions, in order to ensure that all parts of society were brought in to combat the scourge. Addressing the sale and abuse of children required a strong national effort, combined with efforts aimed at supporting the family structure, in order to eliminate risks at the earliest possible level.

Annual Full-Day Meeting on the Rights of the Child Panel Discussion on the Rights of the Child and Family Reunification, with a Focus on Family Reunification in the Context of Armed Conflict and Counter Terrorism Statements by Panellists

VIRGINIA GAMBA, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said conflict was one of the major drivers of family separation. Children were the most vulnerable victims of conflict and at risk of suffering multiple violations and abuses of their rights, including for instance separation from their parents or caregivers because of child abduction and/or recruitment and use by parties to conflict. Conflict-affected children were also frequently victims of transnational crimes and were recruited, abducted, and trafficked across borders, making family tracing and reunification even more challenging. The latest report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict published in May 2021 reported a 90 per cent increase in the number of abducted children. Abductions were often carried out in conjunction with child recruitment and use by armed forces and groups or rape and other forms of sexual violence perpetrated against them. The risk for children to be recruited and used by conflict parties was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the deteriorating security situation in some contexts.

The international community must ensure that a child rights-based approach was taken when dealing with children associated or allegedly associated with armed groups, including those designated as terrorist groups by the United Nations. No matter what the context, every person under 18 years of age was considered a child under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This status as a child provided boys and girls with specific rights and protection under international law. Amongst the rights they held, children should not be detained merely because of their alleged association with armed groups, including those designated as terrorist groups by the United Nations, as alternatives to detention should always be prioritised. Those principles must be the basis of any policy and action related to children. In the case of judicial or administrative proceedings affecting children, their opinion must be heard in accordance with their age and maturity. To effectively uphold the best interests of children released or otherwise separated from armed forces or groups, including those designated as terrorist groups by the United Nations, they should be handed over swiftly to civilian child protection actors.

CORNELIUS WILLIAMS, Director of Child Protection for the United Nations Childrens Fund, said that during armed conflicts, mass population displacements, mixed-migration contexts, and other humanitarian crises, children were at risk of separation from their families. Unaccompanied and separated children were among the most vulnerable children in the world, often deprived of basic care and access to essential services. Having lost the protection of their families, they were at risk of physical and psychological harm, abduction, trafficking, and recruitment or use by armed forces or armed groups, sexual abuse and exploitation, and permanent loss of their identity and nationality, among other rights. In 2020, the United Nations Childrens Fund and its partners registered over 180,000 unaccompanied and separated children for support across the world. From a gender perspective, there were more adolescent boys than girls living without parental care. This was true because, due to social and cultural norms, girls were often kept closer to the family, while boys were sent to migrate internally or across borders, to work or to study. It was also true because boys, more often than girls, were recruited and used by armed forces or armed groups, including designated terrorist groups. In this context, the United Nations Childrens Fund was deeply concerned that childrens right to family life was not adequately fulfilled, either before, during or after situations of armed conflict, and counter terrorism operations.

Governments should provide social support, case work, and inclusive educational and livelihood opportunities, and develop legal and policy frameworks that supported family resilience and prevented separation, strengthened family-based care, and ended institutionalisation of children, said Mr. Williams. Humanitarian child protection actors must establish systems to identify unaccompanied and separated children and swiftly trace and restore links between them and their families, while also supporting safe alternative care, reunification and reintegration. Policymakers, security and justice actors must work together to end the detention of children. In this regard, States should prioritise the safe and swift handover of any child they encountered during counter terrorism or military operations to child protection actors instead of placing them in detention. In conclusion, Mr. Williams called on duty bearers to do everything they could to realise childrens rights to family life by preventing family-child separation and reunifying any separated child with their family in the context of armed conflict and counter-terrorism operations.

FIONNUALA N AOLIN, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, said her mandate increasingly addressed issues related to the rights of the child as it intersected with countering terrorism, violent extremism and broader security policies and measures. An intersectional approach to reflecting the experiences of children in these contexts demonstrated how discrimination and human rights abuses intersected and were compounded as determined by other social identities, including race, ethnicity, religion, ability, age and so on. Children, both girls and boys, bore heavy and unseen burdens resulting from the direct and indirect impacts of security practices, not least because any prevention effort in the pre-criminal or the pre-terrorist space could have a specific focus on children and render children as suspect on the basis of religious or ethnic belonging, geographic location and gender. According to international law, States must treat children, including children related to or associated with designated terrorist groups, primarily as victims when devising responses, including counter-terrorism responses. Children were always considered vulnerable and in need of special protection.

Turning specifically to the issue of children of individuals with alleged links to ISIL, particularly in the context of northeast Syria, the mandate had underscored the multiple human rights and humanitarian law violations that children suffered from as a result of their detention, both in the camps as well as in the prisons and other detention centres, including so-called rehabilitation centres. Extending the arm of counter-terrorism to children allegedly associated with non-state armed groups designated as terrorist shifted the discourse from protection to punishment, from protected victim to security threat. In turn, this also changed the protection to which they were entitled, notably regarding detention, applicability of criminal law and treatment under criminal justice, as well as their rights, away from a child right perspective and the question of responsibility for violations of the rights of the child, including recruitment and use. Children could only be detained as a measure of last resort and for the shortest amount of time possible.

Contrary to international law, multiple States had engaged in citizenship stripping on a basis that appeared primarily to involve the prevention of return of the individual (and possibly their children) to their country of citizenship. In such circumstances, the withdrawal of citizenship appeared distinctly punitive. Citizenship stripping could control and define on security grounds who may legally benefit from family membership, which revealed the profound connection being forged between family regulation and contemporary security policy. The protection of the rights of the family in all its diverse forms constituted a distinct and complex agenda within the international legal framework for the protection and promotion of human rights.

HELEN DURHAM, Director of International Law and Policy, International Committee of the Red Cross, said that being separated from your loved ones as war unfurled around you was a terrifying reality for thousands of children. From Rakhine state, to northwest Iraq, to Niger, to Afghanistan, to Ethiopia thousands of children were in situations of prolonged displacement. Especially when unaccompanied, they may be left without access to education, nutrition or healthcare. In many conflicts, children were recruited by armed forces or armed groups, separated from caregivers and communities, and exposed to a multitude of violations. For several years now in northeast Syria, children had lived in camps or had been separated from their families and detained without due process, including as part of counter-terrorism measures. Family separation also occurred when States opted to repatriate children nationals present in a conflict zone while leaving their mothers behind. Separated from their parents or other family members, children were more likely to be at risk of exploitation and violence. They faced barriers in accessing essential services. This was a brief, but sobering highlight of some of the causes of separation that children in war faced today. In this grim reality, the international community must work for more effective application of the powerful protections of international law.

International humanitarian law contained obligations that sought to ensure that when a child was separated from their family in armed conflict, their needs were met. These obligations also sought to maintain or restore contact and ultimately achieve the reunification of family members when possible. Better respect for these rules would help stem harm to the children.

In conclusion, she made four recommendations to Members States. First, prevent separation in the first place. This required the maintenance of family unity to the degree possible, contact between family members, and the provision of information on their whereabouts. Second, quickly identify unaccompanied children. Identification helped to ensure their cases were followed up and their needs were met. Knowledge of their whereabouts helped prevent recruitment and avoided children resorting to harmful coping strategies to meet essential needs. Third, children detained in northeast Syria should be released and reunited with their families in camps or elsewhere. Foreign children should be repatriated together with their family members to countries of origin, subject to the principle of non-refoulement. Fourth, she called on States that had not done so to accede to the Convention on the Rights of the Childs Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict, and to endorse the Paris Principles on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups.

Discussion

Speakers welcomed the convening of this panel discussion as they agreed that the family was the optimal environment to raise children, therefore a united or reunited family was indispensable. Children had the right to live in healthy families and family reunification was a sine qua non condition for the proper growth of a child. A comprehensive return process was vital, and for children who could not be reunited, countries had to provide inclusive care, education, health care and recreational activities.

Speakers condemned the recruitment of children in armed groups and during conflicts. Armed conflicts and terrorism prevented the enjoyment of human rights of citizens, and children were particularly at risk. It was essential to pay attention to children in vulnerable situations such as armed conflict; the disappearances and deaths of children during conflict needed to be investigated. The protection of women and children in those contexts was paramount as girls were impacted differently and disproportionately by armed conflict, therefore their specific needs needed to be taken into account. Children had a right to be with their families. Family life provided support for the lifelong development of children, therefore governments should adopt guidelines on preventing radicalisation.

All children were equal in dignity and rights and could not be overlooked. Concerns were expressed about children in Qatar, Afghanistan and Armenia, among others. Concerns were also expressed about the increase of sexual exploitation of children. Children were the future. All children should be released from detention. One speaker was concerned about the rights of migrant children in Europe as children on the move were subject to criminal processing and cruel and degrading treatments. Migrant children were particularly vulnerable, they were at risk of falling in the hand of criminal networks, an issue that needed to be tackled urgently.

Concluding Remarks

FIONNUALA N AOLIN, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, said equal measures were needed to protect children equally, no matter which group was in question, and children should be seen as victims of terrorism, no matter which group targeted them, or the context they were in. One of her mandates particular concerns was ensuring that all children in all conflict zones were treated equally. Insufficient attention was paid to the long-term effects of family protection in post 9/11 measures as rolled out in many countries. It was important to stress accountability for crimes committed against children in areas of conflict. Protection should be sought for children at the national level through accountability at the national level, in particular in Syria. Every child was deserving of protection, and this motif defined the contributions of each panellist. Family-based care was valuable and had long-term success, and the attention should be paid to ensure that families were brought home together. When mothers were separated from their children and impossible choices were imposed on children, such as repatriation or separation, that choice was neither free nor fair, nor did it ensure long-term success. When children were enforcedly separated, the long-term damage done to children was often irreparable. States must ensure family integrity. Reintegration was a long-term process, and States must commit to the long-term with urgency.

CORNELIUS WILLIAMS, Director of Child Protection for the United Nations Childrens Fund, said that concerning the impact of the COVD-19 pandemic on reunification, movement restrictions, quarantines and isolation measures had delayed the reunification processes for children. There were some good practices within communities to provide support activities, including guidelines developed by civil society organizations on family reunification, which could support interventions in future pandemics. He echoed the calls to States to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Childs Optional Protocol on children and armed conflict and the Paris Principles. He saluted community-based solutions as well as the calls of all the panellists for the safe repatriation of all children in conflict zones, consistent with international law, including the principle of non-refoulement. He also highlighted the need to be mindful of policies that had gender implications on policies around citizenship that rendered women and children stateless. Any policy needed to be designed from the child right perspective but also from the gender perspective.

HELEN DURHAM, Director of International Law and Policy, International Committee of the Red Cross, said the emphasis was on the urgency of the issue. It was heartening to hear from many who took the floor emphasising the need to treat children exclusively through a prism of security, and the good practices that had been heard from States on initiatives, including on voluntary repatriation. On a red thread that tied all interventions together, existing human rights law set out critical child rights, and there were international humanitarian laws setting out repatriation: these all highlighted the need for them to be applied without discrimination or selectivity. Often, as soon as a child was associated with a group designated as terrorist, selectivity and discrimination were applied. Laws had a sober rationale on how to deal with these, and established common ground on how to deal with future generations. All children were legally entitled to protections afforded under the Optional Protocol and other laws and standards. Policies should be applied in the best interests of children, including the protection of the family unit and the issue of swift repatriation. These should be implemented without discrimination. The fundamental issue was that a child was a child.

___________

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media;not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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Human Rights Council holds panel discussion on family reunification in the context of armed conflict and counter terrorism - World - ReliefWeb

Uber employees helped the cops find the right footage, which would go on to play a key role in the investigation: video of Vasquez in the drivers seat as the car navigated the route; then of Vasquez gazing down toward her right knee, toward the lower console. Her glances downward averaged 2.56 seconds, but on one early loop, on the same stretch of road where the crash would take place, she looked down for more than 26 seconds. At times, the investigators thought she seemed to smirk. In the seconds before the car hit Herzberg, Vasquez looked down for about five seconds. Just before impact, she looked up, and gasped.

The media descended on the story the next day. Right away, experts were quoted lambasting Arizonas lax regulatory environment, calling for a national moratorium on testing, and saying that fatalities are inevitable when developing such a technology.

Initially, Vasquez says, she was reassured by the polices public stance. Tempes then police chief, Sylvia Moir, told the San Francisco Chronicle, Its very clear it would have been difficult to avoid this collision in any kind of mode (autonomous or driven) based on how she came from the shadows right into the roadway. Uber, she said, would likely not be at fault, though she wouldnt rule out charges for the human pilot.

After that interview, Moir told me, emails that pulsed with excruciating rage deluged her inbox, accusing Moir of complicity in Tempes self-driving experiments and of blaming Herzberg for her own death. People were angry and wanted accountability. As the hours ticked by, reporters started digging up as many details as they could about Vasquezincluding information about an 18-year-old felony for which she had served just under four years in prison.

By the end of the day, a search warrant had been issued for any cell phone Vasquez had with her in the Volvo to determine if Rafaela was distracted. Maybe that would show what she was so interested in down by her knee. The warrant also listed the crime now under investigation: vehicular manslaughter.

Two nights after the crash, a trio of police gathered outside room 227 at a Motel 6 in Tucson. Vasquez had checked in because, she says, reporters were thronging her apartment. The first days had set her reeling. I knew everything happened; I just couldnt believe it was happening. I was in shock. Now as she greeted the cops, she seemed calm but slightly on edge; her attorney didnt want her answering any questions, she told them. They were there to bag her phones into evidence. She initially told the officers that shed only had her work phone with her in the car during the crash, but eventually handed over two LG phonesthe one she used for work, with a black case, she explained to them, and her personal one, in a metallic case.

The next morning, the data that police extracted showed no calls made or texts sent in the minutes before the accident. Then, according to police reports, the cops homed in on the apps. Were videos playing at the time of the crash? Search warrants went to Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.

Maybe cell phone data would show what Vasquez was gazing at down by her knee.

The Tempe police were also weighing whether to make public the Volvos dashcam footage of the moments leading up to the crash. The Maricopa County attorney, Bill Montgomery, told them that releasing the video, which was in police custody at that point, could jeopardize their suspects right to fair legal proceedings. But Moir says the police were under considerable pressure from the public to do so, and they wanted to show there was nothing to hide; so the police tweeted the footage. Suddenly the world could see both Vasquez and Herzberg in the seconds before impact. Joe Guy, one operator in Tempe, gathered with others whod come into Ghost Town, and they watched the video of Vasquez. Most of us, he says, we went, What the fuck was she looking at?

As the investigation ramped up, half a dozen Advanced Technologies Group personnel from other offices arrived in Tempe. At the police garage, cops stood by while the company downloaded the impounded cars data so it could analyze what the system had done that night.

The rest is here:
Im the Operator: The Aftermath of a Self-Driving Tragedy - WIRED

12 Jan 2022 --- The renewed momentum of sustainable food production hinges on efficient platforms that enable full supply chain visibility. While previous months have seen the wider implementation of consumer-facing schemes, such as eco-labeling, these new faculties are not without their limitations.

FoodIngredientsFirstspeaks to key suppliers Corbion, Agrana Fruit and Kerry to discuss what core strategies are helping keep food businesses up-to-speed with their environmental reporting while remaining bias-free.

We dont believe in doom and gloom communication, but more in the positive, it can be done way. You can eat food that is healthy, affordable and good for the planet. You dont have to choose, remarks Diana Visser, senior director of sustainability at Corbion.

The idea of sustainability has now evolved to the concept of sustainable nutrition, illustrates Juan Aguiriano, group head of sustainability at Kerry. We are seeing this phrase being used more and more instead of just sustainability.

Typically, when people think about sustainability, their first thought is about the environment, such as water use or waste. Still, there are other essential parts of sustainability like nutrition and health, economics and culture.

Brands will need to communicate sustainability in a more holistic way to engage consumers in the future, he stresses.

Last year, Lidl supermarket trialed the UKs new Eco-Score traffic light labeling system in Scotland.Eco-labeling in the spotlightEco-labeling is anticipated to rise in popularity, as these front-of-pack indicators are designed to help consumers assess the overall environmental impacts of the products they buy while accelerating industrys journey toward net-zero emissions.

Last year, Lidl supermarket trialed the UKs new Eco-Score traffic light labeling system in Scotland, helping shoppers understand the sustainability credentials of food and beverage products and their packaging.

During the same month, Foodsteps formally launched in the UK as the countrys first tech firm to provide carbon tracking and impact labeling to restaurants, caterers and food businesses.

Foodsteps and Lidls labeling schemes closely follow that of Amcor, which recently introduced printed Reducing CO2 Packaging labels for the packaging sector that are accredited by the UK-based Carbon Trust.

We support the introduction of new eco-labeling schemes developed using internationally recognized, standardized, and transparent assessment methodologies that can help consumers understand more about the origins and the impact of products and help them make more informed purchasing decisions, says Cornelia Konlechner, global director quality and sustainability Agrana Fruit.

However, she concedes that the disadvantage of having eco-labeling schemes based on unclear definitions and methodologies is that companies may use them to their own benefit.

We are not in favor of adding more eco-labels there are already so many, argues Visser at Corbion.

Alignment and making it easier for consumers to make conscious choices should be the way forward. In this respect, the development of new regulations in the EU, such as the EU Taxonomy and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, may drive the consolidation.

Visibility challenges in focusWith fixing broken food systems recently underscored as a core ambition for all stakeholders at the COP26 climate summit, heightened visibility across every area of the supply chain comes into focus.

Technological advances have created major innovation opportunities for the entire food and beverage industry, prompting Innova Market Insights to peg Tech to Table as its second Top Trend for 2022.

Advances in AI, blockchain, machine learning, robotics and the Internet of Things are anticipated to raise the bar for digital traceability solutions such as smart labeling and digital tracing at speed.

Generally, the geography and the category decide the risk profile of global food supply chains.

Even still, some of the biggest challenges arise when suppliers experience high fluctuations among farmers providing highly diverse raw materials, as Konlechner at Agrana Fruit emphasizes.

We know that there is a lot more to be done to achieve full transparency in our supply chain and Agrana Fruit, through its global procurement organization, is exploring innovative options to ensure transparency among our key suppliers.

Geography is keyGenerally, the geography and the category decide the risk profile of global food supply chains, adds Aguiriano at Kerry. For example, soybeans originating from Brazil would be classified as high risk while soybeans from Europe would be low or medium risk. Within our supply chains, we engage with third-party risk assessors to uphold the highest standards.

We have a global risk process in place where we classify all the raw materials and packaging that we are purchasing for both social as well as environmental risk, he continues. We prioritize our actions toward those vendors which we see as high risk based on a combination of raw material category and geography.

In 2020, Kerry established a dedicated cross-functional team on human rights. Reporting to the companys chief human resources officer, its objective is to further integrate the groups commitments across its operations and supply chain.

We also published a detailed Human Rights Statement outlining our approach and identified a number of salient human rights issues including forced labor, child labor, discrimination and freedom of association, adds Aguiriano.

We have dedicated policies and due diligence processes in each of these areas across all our operations and protections mandated within our Supplier Code of Conduct for workers within our supply chain.

Obtaining third-party reviews of environmental and social assessments of products remains integral to removing bias from reporting.Ensuring non-biasThe suppliers note that one way to achieve non-bias in sustainability reporting is to follow international reporting standards that provide consistent, comprehensive and industry-specific indicators that allow organizations to benchmark themselves and track performance over time.

Independent third-party assurance of sustainability reporting provides an added level of transparency and trust that the information shared and published is correct, stresses Konlechner at Agrana Fruit.

In addition, having an automated process for capturing and reporting data according to international reporting standards reduces human error and enables early identification of issues and trends that can help a business better define its roadmap toward increased transparency.

Prominent third-party certification standards include the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and sustainability rating schemes like EcoVadis.

Since 2020, 100% of Corbions palm oil usage has been RSPO certified, notes Visser.

Corbion achieved the platinum EcoVadis rating for the second year in 2021. This independent assessment of our policies, actions and results places Corbion among the top 1% of companies assessed.

Obtaining third-party reviews of environmental and social assessments of products is also integral. Corbion obtains a third-party review of all of its Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Product Social Impact Assessments (PSIA), details Visser.

We aim for 100% coverage of products with an environmental and/or social benefit by such an assessment by 2025 for LCA and by 2030 for PSIA.

By Benjamin Ferrer

To contact our editorial team please email us at editorial@cnsmedia.com

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Keeping food transparent: F&B suppliers talk eliminating bias and the pitfalls of eco-labeling - FoodIngredientsFirst

When Marlin Eisenach visited an elementary school in Morgan County in 2003 to present an educational program on Colorado Agriculture, he was surprised at the number of students who did not know where their food came from.

A lot of the kids believed grocery stores grew all the food, said Eisenach, a CSU Extension Livestock Agent in Morgan County.

Morgan County is a rural community and much of the local economy is based in agriculture and related industries, but many of the students have limited experience with or understanding of agriculture.

Eisenach took this observation as a call to action. First, he went to the National Western Stock Show (NWSS or Stock Show), where he also worked as a Livestock Superintendent, and proposed bringing school tours from Morgan County to visit the stock show and learn about Colorado agriculture. The National Western Stock Show, established in 1906 and held in Denver annually in January, is the premier livestock, rodeo and horse show in the nation, serving agricultural producers and consumers worldwide.

After securing a partnership with the NWSS, Eisenach turned to the local Colorado Cattlemens Association Chapter in Morgan County. To him, the opportunity was clear: educate the youth of Morgan County about Colorado agriculture, teach them where their food comes from and wrap up the entire experience with a visit to the National Western Stock Show to provide a hands-on, interactive learning experience that students would remember.

The Cattlemens Association was on board and the following year they launched the program, focusing on third graders in Morgan County. CSU Extension agents led presentations about Colorado agriculture in every third-grade class in the county. Afterward, Extension agents organized school trips, sponsored by the Cattlemans Association, to the stock show in Denver to see the crops, livestock and other agricultural programs in person.

Hands-on education is such a great way to teach youth, said Eisenach.

Almost twenty years later, the Morgan County stock show school visits are still going strong, now sponsored by the Fort Morgan Young Farmers Youth Foundation.

Our kids learn a lot, said Eisenach. The majority of youth have never been to the Stock Show before and over half of the kids have never even been to Denver. It is a great experience for them.

Excerpt from:
A world different than their own: CSU Extension connects youth statewide through experiential learning at the National Western Stock Show - Office of...

CEOS notes revised scholarship requirements

NEW CUMBERLAND The Newview chapter of the WVU Community Educational Outreach Service has removed the financial need requirement for the scholarship they are offering.

The application now requires only a grade-point average of 2.5 or higher and a written essay. The essay may be of any length, provided it is at least 500 five words and must be on the topic of volunteerism and its impact on your community or yourself, a spokesperson explained.

It is open to seniors in any of the Hancock Countys three high schools and seniors who have been home-schooled and who are planning to continue their education.

The scholarship will be in the form of a cash award to be used at the recipients discretion to defray the costs of continuing their education, whether at a traditional two or four year college or a trade school.

Applications can be obtained by calling the WVU Hancock County Extension Office in New Cumberland at (304) 564-3805. Applications must be completed and returned to the office no later than April 15.

The Community Educational Outreach Service is one of several volunteer organizations of the West Virginia University Extension Service. Its mission is to strengthen individuals and families through continuing education, community service and leadership development. To learn about CEOS and its mission, to join an existing chapter or to start one, contact Sue Isner, families and community development program assistant, at the WVU Hancock County Extension Office.

Local CEOS promoting state undergraduate scholarships

NEW CUMBERLAND The Hancock County Community Educational Outreach Service has announced that the availability of five undergraduate student scholarships provided at the state level by the WVU Extension CEOS. They include:

The Human Service/Education Scholarship: Three will be awarded at $500 per year for West Virginia students who have successfully completed 24 credit hours and are enrolled in West Virginia colleges or universities.

Some fields of study might include nutrition, early childhood development, education, interior design, textiles, apparel design, psychology, social work, counseling and perhaps other related fields. The application is due April 1.

Nursing Scholarship: One will be awarded at $500 per year for West Virginia students who have successfully completed 24 credit hours and are enrolled in West Virginia colleges or universities offering the bachelors degree in nursing. The application is due April 1.

International Undergraduate Student Scholarship: One will be awarded with a cash award of $3,500 and tuition waiver for a one-year, two-semester service learning opportunity to an international undergraduate student enrolled or able to enroll at WVU. The application is due Feb. 28.

For requirements, responsibilities and application for any of these scholarships, visit extension.wvu.edu/community-educational-outreach-service or contact the WVU Extension Service Family and Community Development at (304) 293-2796.

Steubenville High School Class of 1959 planning luncheon

STEUBENVILLE Alumni of the Steubenville High School Class of 1959 held a December luncheon luncheon with 18 in attendance.

Donna Tepovich and Tom Maxwell won gift certificates. Norina Eroshevich provided the holiday blessing. After lunch, Donna Collins was surprised with a birthday cake and many well wishes. Pete Barren updated the group with progress of the new baseball/softball field for Steubenville High School and commitments received for support from classmates to make a donation from the Class of 1959.

Tom Maxwell entertained with a slightly altered version of The Night Before Christmas.

The next luncheon will be Jan. 19 at Froehlichs Classic Corner, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Reservations should be made by today by calling Eroshevich at (740) 219-2234. All are welcome.

Annual blessing of the Ohio River is scheduled for Sunday

WEIRTON The fifth-annual Pan-Orthodox Great Blessing of the Ohio River will be held at the Steubenville Marina on Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m.

The parishes involved include St. Nicholas Orthodox Church of Weirton, All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Weirton, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Steubenville and the Orthodox Church of the Life-Giving Fountain in Martins Ferry along with other clergy and faithful from surrounding areas. The blessing is done in conjunction with the Feast of Holy Theophany where Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan River thereby sanctifying the waters.

This fifth-year blessing and service has become an annual January event, bringing together the Orthodox churches and their faithful for a joint service.

In case of inclement weather, would-be attendees are advised to check with their parish priest or visit the St Nicholas Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/StNicholasOC26062 to check the status of the event. For information, contact the Rev. Andrew Nelko at (304) 723-3383.

Weir High Schools Class of 1967 schedules lunch meeting

WEIRTON Members of Weir High Schools Class of 1967 will be meeting on Jan. 19 at noon for lunch at Chico Fiesta, located at 3110 Pennsylvania Ave., Weirton.

All classmates and spouses are welcome.

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Community news from around the area | News, Sports, Jobs - The Steubenville Herald-Star

Posted in Bucket List December 13, 2021by Sarah McCosham

Were an unabashed bunch of waterfall chasers here at OnlyInYourState, as these epic wonders truly fuel and fan the flames of our insatiable wanderlust. And while most of us reserve our waterfall adventures for the spring and summer seasons, theres something truly marvelous about visiting a cascade in the height of winter. Because in these frosty, most frigid months,some our countrys most resplendent, roaring, rushing cascades freeze solid. Its as if Old Man Winter took a deep breath and blew the countrys most dynamic, flowing falls into something still and stationary, frozen and fantastic. Theres nothing quite like a frozen waterfall, and this fleeting phenomenon is something you can only experience in the throes of winter. So bundle up and get ready to explore; these frozen waterfalls across America are nothing short of magical.

During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.

Snoqualmie Falls, Snoqualmie, WA 98024, USA

Multnomah Falls, Oregon 97014, USA

Roughlock Falls, South Lawrence, SD 57754, USA

Bridal Veil Falls, Utah 84604, USA

The Fang, 3088 Booth Creek Dr, Vail, CO 81657, USA

Glory Hole Falls Trail, Arkansas 72854, USA

Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA

Apostle Islands, Wisconsin, USA

LaSalle Canyon, Lasalle Canyon, Deer Park Township, IL 61348, USA

Tahquamenon Falls, McMillan Township, MI 49768, USA

Brandywine Falls, Sagamore Hills Township, OH 44067, USA

Cumberland Falls, Kentucky 42634, USA

9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102, USA

Winding Stair Gap, North Carolina 28734, USA

Ausable Chasm, NY 12911, USA

Thunderbird Falls Trail, Anchorage, AK 99567, USA

Winter goes by in a blink of an eye, and while its all too easy to hibernate until spring, if you do, youll be missing out on some of the most extraordinary and fleeting natural phenomena in the country. So whether you opt to go chasing some of the countrys most marvelous frozen waterfalls, visit a commanding ice cave, or revel in one of the countrys real-life winter wonderlands, bundle up and set forth on a wondrous winter adventure this season.

Address: Bridal Veil Falls, Utah 84604, USA

Address: Winding Stair Gap, North Carolina 28734, USA

Address: Multnomah Falls, Oregon 97014, USA

Address: Niagara Falls, NY, USA

Address: The Fang, 3088 Booth Creek Dr, Vail, CO 81657, USA

Address: Thunderbird Falls Trail, Anchorage, AK 99567, USA

Address: Snoqualmie Falls, Snoqualmie, WA 98024, USA

Address: Ausable Chasm, NY 12911, USA

Address: LaSalle Canyon, Lasalle Canyon, Deer Park Township, IL 61348, USA

Address: Tahquamenon Falls, McMillan Township, MI 49768, USA

Address: Cumberland Falls, Kentucky 42634, USA

Address: Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA

Address: Glory Hole Falls Trail, Arkansas 72854, USA

Address: Apostle Islands, Wisconsin, USA

Address: 9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102, USA

Address: Roughlock Falls, South Lawrence, SD 57754, USA

Address: Brandywine Falls, Sagamore Hills Township, OH 44067, USA

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These 17 Frozen Waterfalls Across America Make Us Want To Bundle Up And Explore - Only In Your State

Its been a hot minute but travel is finally back. The hypothetical sabbatical has turned into a reality and we are so ready to book those flights and plan our next wild adventure.

These days, travel goes hand in hand with capturing and sharing great photos and memories, so we asked photographer and avid adventurerTyson Mayr for his top tips.

Mayrs travel photography career has been a wild one. After quitting his corporate job, buying a one-way ticket and travelling to 28 countries across six continents on a budget of $25 a day, he then won The Best Job In The World competitiona $100,000 prize to travel the world for 12 months creating content for a travel company. Most recently, hes been travelling across Australia hosting National Geographic TV series, Only In Aus where he uncovers some of the most unique and bizarre natural phenomenons that occur, only in Aus.

From his most outrageous adventures like knocking on the door of a random Kyrgyzstan yurt to the tech he cant live withoutlike the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G available at Optusstrap in for all his inspiring travel tales and all the photography tips.

[Laughs] This is an answer that will change depending on when Im asked and perhaps what Im craving at the time. Brazil was the first country I fell in love with and one that I hope to still live in one day, even if just for sixmonths.

I also love the hidden underground subcultures you can find in Tokyo and South Korea.

The most life-changing moments for me have been on my trips through Ugandainstalling water filters with an NGO called RainCatcherbut also getting off the grid to trek with Gorillas and Chimpanzees.

Anywhere I havent been is generally what excites me the most though. I recently did a motorbike trip through The Stans, which finished with a 14-day trek through Afghanistan. There is something quite thrilling about being somewhere that so few tourists have visited. Theres something very pure about the locals you meet.

I have to say, Broome.Most know Broome for its white, sandy beaches that you can watch the sunset from the back of a cameltheir stretched shadows make for an interesting drone shotbut if you venture out of town a little you will find bright-red sand beaches that contrast beautifully with a turquoise ocean that surrounds it. Located at the mouth of the Kimberly, Broome is a landscape photographer's dream about and somewhere that really is unique to Australia.

Image taken onSamsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G available atOptus

While riding my motorbike through Kyrgyzstan towards one of the highest altitude lakes in the world, I realised as the sun was setting that I was a long way from where I needed to sleep and the night time sky was quickly blanketing me with sub-zero temperatures. To make matters worse, I took a wrong turnyou have to remember the roads here are just a little more prominent than a cow trackand ended up several hours away from anywhere safe to sleep with a fuel tank that was flirting with empty. Suddenly I saw a yurt pitched a few hundred metres away from the road and even though it was 11pm, I pulled my bike in to see if the nomadic locals living there might be able to sell me a little fuel.I was greeted by a family of seven who quickly invited me in and shared a meal with me. They rolled a blanket out on the ground just next to themeveryone sleeps on the floor next to each otherand for the next day or so I lived with them and helped them with their livestock, sharing as much as we all could with each other without speaking the same language.

Its moments like thisthat make me love travel. Often I share images of well-known destinations or stunning locations, but the truth is it really is the journey and local experience you encounter that makes a region special. This is something I have to constantly remind myself of when shooting a destinationthe image is just a small part of my trip, dont forget to travel! This is why I also love to travel less prepared. The more prepared you are, the less chance you will encounter something completely unexpected.

Summiting Kilimanjaro is still one of the most surreal moments Ive ever had. I was robbed at gunpoint in a violent attack just days before this in a different part of the world so Im sure that adversity added to the entire experience. Being on the top of Africas highest peak was one of the only times Ive been emotional from a sight or experience.

Winning The Best Job In the World competition was also a very defining moment. I had been slaving away at photography and videography for two years before that, making many sacrifices to work on my craft and that competition truly fell right at the moment that I was most preparedI was announced as the winner on the TODAY show live in New York and it certainly was a moment that changed things for me mentally. You never know when a life-changing opportunity will present itself, but you better be prepared for when it does.

Make an effort to put yourself in new situations every single daystepping outside of your comfort zone is one of the most beneficial things you will get from travel and where you will truly discover who you are and what it is that excites you in life.

Couchsurfing.com is a game-changer. Staying with locals in a new part of the world is the best way to authentically experience it. Some of my best travel moments and friends have been made this way. It was also how I was able to travel to 50 countries on $25 a day.

Noise-cancelling headphones. This is important for video editing and working out, but a must-have when it comes to flights and working in busy cafes.

A camera in my pocket. They say the best camera you have is the one closest to you and I have found this to be true many times. Having a top-quality camera that travels with you everywhere like theFold3 means you never miss out on an unexpected moment. And trust me, when you are abroad, there are a lot! Before this phone, I have missed out on a lot of amazing moments, like a wolf running to the side of my car, simply because my big camera was packed in my car.

My laptop. From emails and research to editing photography and video for clients, this is a device that is crucial to everything I do. The only downside is its size and weight in my bagsomething you really do notice on seven-day treks, so using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G as a replacement for this on longer trips will be a lifesaverit already is on smaller ones!

Always shoot in RAW. The Fold3 is a photography beast and I love that it has a Pro Mode, which allows you to adjust all of your camera settings and shoot in RAW. I havent had a phone that allows me to do this before and shooting in RAW means you really have the data in your images to edit it the way it needs to be.

I was at Lamington National Park recently and with Pro Mode, I was able to slow the shutter speed right down and really smooth out the waterfall behind me. Not just that, I didnt need to set a timer to self-shoot myself, I could simply yell out Cheese and the camera would take my image for me.

Image taken onSamsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G available atOptus

My first trip will be to LA for meetings, followed immediately by Rwanda to trek with the gorillas and possibly Antarctica after that.Both of these are for a project I am launching in 2022, where others will be able to join me on these tripssome of them as specialised photography adventures.

Right now, Im in conversations with a major streaming service for my own travel show in 2022 and Im also working on a new travel company that will launch in 2022 alsosomething which others will be able to join me on the adventures I partake in.

Capture epic travel memories with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G available at Optus. With its exceptional camera quality and ability to shoot epic angles, there are so many reasons why its the must-have travel tech accessory.

And the best part is, you can buy it now and pay over a 12, 24 or 36 month period on a device payment plan with OptusPay completely interest-free.

Image credit: Tyson Mayr

Editors note: This article is sponsored by Optus and proudly endorsed by Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.

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Go Behind The Lens With Travel Photographer Tyson Mayr | Urban List - The Urban List