Freedom Day, Marshalltown Fire Justice Campaign march

Monday April 22is International Mother Earth Day.

International Mother Earth Day reminds us that we need a shift towards a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.

“Mother Earth is clearly pushing for a call to action. Nature suffers. Oceans are filling with plastic and becoming more acidic. Extreme heat, forest fires and floods have affected millions of people,” according to the United Nations information page about the event.

“Climate change, human-induced changes in nature and crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land use change, intensified agriculture and livestock farming or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can accelerate the rate of planetary destruction.”

On Tuesday April 23, at 3 p.m., Corruption Watch will participate in the webinar launch of Transparency International’s new report entitled “This Beautiful Land: Corruption, Discrimination and Land Rights in Sub Saharan Africa”.

“Around the world, corruption denies people access to the land and resources they need to survive. Disadvantaged people and marginalized communities are particularly vulnerable to such practices. At the same time, there is ample evidence that discrimination – direct and indirect – denies land rights to the most marginalized communities, on grounds ranging from disability to ethnicity and gender to religion,” the Corruption Watch press statement said.

The report details how corruption and discrimination intersect to undermine land rights in seven African countries, with stories from across the continent, including South Africa.

Read the report here.

Wednesday April 24, is the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.

“(Multilateralism) is not simply a practice or a matter of the number of actors involved. It implies adherence to a common political project, based on respect for a shared system of norms and values. In particular, multilateralism is based on fundamental principles such as consultation, inclusivity and solidarity,” according to the United Nations information page about the event.

“Multilateralism has achieved tangible results that have led to great progress, such as the eradication of smallpox in healthcare. Important international agreements have also been concluded to limit arms control and promote and strengthen human rights. International cooperation within the multilateral framework of the United Nations saves lives every day.”

Also on Wednesday bee 9:30 am, journalist Nickolaus Bauer and Youth Capital will ask political parties about their youth unemployment plans and accountability measures. This discussion will address spatial inequality, its impact on South Africans, and immediate interventions.

Representatives from the ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, PAC and independent candidate Zackie Achmat will participate in the discussion.

Also on Wednesday at 3:30 PM, Cured will host a webinar titled “My Health, My Right: The Importance of Regulating the Food Environment to Eliminate Over- and Undernutrition.”

The webinar aims to highlight the grim reality of South Africa’s food environment.

“Experts warn that consumption of ultra-processed foods may be linked to a higher risk of obesity, overweight and stunting in low- and middle-income countries. New research shows that low-income South African adults consume an average of 40% of their calories from ultra-processed products,” says the poster for the event.

On Thursday April 25, bee 12.00, the TB Accountability Consortium will host a webinar in which scientists will explain how they can gain ground in the fight against tuberculosis.

“The TB burden in South Africa is alarmingly high and deserves attention. Join us as we feature leading TB scientists from South Africa and the US sharing how the country can gain ground in the fight against tuberculosis and reduce this burden,” read the event description.

Speakers include Sizulu Moyo from the Human Sciences Research Council, Joseph Daniels from Arizona State University, Neil Martinson from the Perinatal HIV Research Unit and Ronelle Burger from Stellenbosch University.

Sam Maughan from the TB Accountability Consortium will deliver the keynote on the State of TB in South Africa 2024 report.

Also on Thursday at 6 p.m, GroundUp and black sash will organize a debate on the feasibility of the Basic Income Grant.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Universal Basic Income is the answer to providing a robust social security system for unemployment

“The basic income subsidy has been a controversial topic for a long time. What are the challenges in implementing this subsidy? What are the potential benefits? Would it be worth it?” read the poster for the event.

Wits public economics researcher Thokozile Madonko and Business Unity SA CEO Cas Coovadia will be the speakers.

The debate will take place at DoubleTree by Hilton, 31 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, and will be streamed live here.

On Friday April 26 bee 08:30, there will be a protest march by the Marshalltown Fire Justice Campaign.

The march will start at the Usindiso Building and proceed to the offices of the Prime Minister and the Mayor.

For more information, please contact General on 071 828 7554 or Zungu on 067 398 4672.

April 27 is Freedom Day

This day marks the thirtieth anniversary of the first democratic elections in South Africa.

“This day, now known as Freedom Day, is commemorated every year to honor those unsung heroes and heroines who fought for our freedom and paved the way for an equal, representative, non-racial nation. During this month, we also reflect on the progress we have made so far on our democratic path and consider how we can further strengthen our democracy,” the presidency said.

Also on Saturday bee 12.00 Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine South Africa and the University of Cape Town School of Public Health are organizing a Freedom for Children symposium at the UCT Medical School.

This is the last week for which you can register Defend that of our democracy election observation campaign to observe the 2024 elections. Every citizen has the right to answer the call and become an election observer. According to the United Nations, election observation is one of the essential tools to improve the quality of elections.

You can register as an observer here: e-observer.azurewebsites.net

More information about the election observation campaign can be found here: defenseourdemocracy.co.za. DM

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