The World Is Longing for a Climate Change Deal

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[ePrayer – Pray for progress on global climate action]

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The United Nations Climate Change Conference opened on 11 November in Warsaw, Poland, with a call to reach a new agreement to cut climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions. According to the UN Official, there is a groundswell of climate action for environment, security, energy, economic and governance reasons and the world is ready for a climate change deal. Clarifying finance that enables the entire world to move towards low-carbon development and launching the construction of a mechanism that helps vulnerable populations to respond to the unanticipated effects of climate change are the main areas that delegates should work hard on in order to hammer out a universal UN-backed treaty on climate change by 2015 which would enter force by 2020.

The conference takes place against a backdrop of devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan. The Philippines’ lead negotiator, Yeb Sano, called the climate crisis “madness” and urged the international community to act.“We can stop this madness. Right here in Warsaw,” Mr. Sano said. “Typhoons such as Haiyan and its impacts represent a sobering reminder to the international community that we cannot afford to procrastinate on climate action.” He also added that this Typhoon is not natural when people continue to struggle to eradicate poverty and pursue development and get battered by the onslaught of a monster storm. [UN News (1), UN News (2)]

Pray for progress on global climate action:

  • Pray that all nations will work together to deal with the problem of climate change by breaking through the bondage of economic and political considerations;
  • May the voices and wishes of those people who are vulnerable to or being suffered by climate change, such as small farmers, rural poor and those people living in disaster prone areas, be heard.

UN Highlights Essential Actions to Reduce Child Deaths from Pneumonia

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[ePrayer – Pray for children vulnerable to pneumonia]

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Nowadays, every 30 seconds, a child younger than five dies of pneumonia. UN and its partners are marking World Pneumonia Day on 12 Nov by highlighting essential actions that can help end child deaths from the single biggest killer of children under the age of five around the world. They are:

  1. exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding complemented by nutritious solid foods up to age two; 
  2. vaccination against whooping cough (pertussis), measles, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcus; 
  3. safe drinking water, sanitation and hand washing facilities; 
  4. improved cooking stoves to reduce indoor air pollution; 
  5. treatment, including amoxicillin dispersible tablets and oxygen.

[UN News]

Pray for children vulnerable to pneumonia:

  • Pneumonia is preventable. Pray that all governments are willing to work together to help children preventing pneumonia in unity;
  • Pray that those vulnerable children will have access to vaccination and medical care needed for prevention and treatment, esp. those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sri Lankan School Children Lack Proper Toilets

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[ePrayer – Pray for the school children in Sri Lanka]

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Nearly one million school children – about a third of the school-age population in Sri Lanka – do not have safe sanitation, due to lack of toilets or without water supply in their schools.

’There are schools where children are advised not to drink water to avoid visits to toilets. In 13 years of schooling, children sow seeds not for education but for renal failure. … Girls are regularly discouraged from using toilets and suffer the most and are compelled to absent themselves from school during menstruation.’ said a local NGO.

A local mother said, ’My daughter is about to reach puberty. I am worried about her personal hygiene because the school, despite our complaints, has still not managed to get water supply to the toilet. …In fact, the teachers’ toilet suffers the same plight.’ [IRIN]

Pray for the school children in Sri Lanka:

  • May the local government cooperate with NGOs, to find out a better solution to solve the school children’s sanitation problem.
  • May the communities, families and children acquire enough knowledge in basic health, and have the common goal of reaching a better human health.
  • May the people extend their concern from merely a health issue to renewing human dignity values.

Human Trafficking in Nepal

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[ePrayer – Pray for victims of human trafficking in Nepal]

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Human trafficking affects over 20 million people worldwide. Women are particularly vulnerable. 80% of those trafficked domestically and internationally for labour and sexual exploitation are women and girls, and 98% of sex slaves are female.

Nepal is a high-risk country for trafficking. Female make up 86% of the total number of trafficking victims (12,000 annually) from Nepal. This is because they are especially vulnerable due to limited economic opportunities, illiteracy or low education, and low socioeconomic and cultural status. Nepali girls face dangers of being sold and transported across borders to neighboring countries like India, where there is high demand for cheap girls for sexual slavery.

On the other hand, girls also face dangers in their own communities. Within Nepal, there exists a culture of bonded (or indentured) servitude for lower-class families. Since access to currency is low, families will exchange labour for room and board, creating a bonded servitude arrangement. A family who is indebted to their landlord will often bond their daughter to him for labour. Bonded girls, some of whom are very young, often work in harsh conditions and are commonly abused physically and sexually. [UNODC, IRIN News, childreach, SIS]

Pray for victims of human trafficking in Nepal:

  • May the values of human life be reconstructed in all countries, families and communities , and the dignity of human be restored.
  • May all victims be set free and experience God’s love.
  • May more disciples, churches and organisations partner with local disciples or NGOs, to provide the appropriate needs, and save more victims or avoid being victimized.

Join in Global Efforts to End Poverty

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[ePrayer – Pray for global efforts to end poverty]

POVERTY-CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The theme of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty for 17 October 2013 is ‘working together towards a world without discrimination: Building on the experience and knowledge of people in extreme poverty’ The progress in reducing poverty world-wide has been uneven. Although some regions experience poverty reductions, in many countries poverty has been on the rise, especially among women and children. After the first UN Decade for Poverty Eradication (1997-2006), the second UN Decade (2008-2017) sets ‘Full employment and decent work for all’ as the theme for the Decade. Its particular focus is given to employment and decent work, including youth employment, the working poor, social protection in particular to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in the light of the current global crises, support for sustainable enterprises, gender equality, standards and rights at work, and social dialogue. [UN News]

CEDAR is calling churches and Christians to join EXPOSED during the week of 14 to 20 October, making appeals to the church, business and governments to operate with integrity and advocate an end to corruption which is a huge barrier to ending extreme world poverty. Please click here  for more details.

Pray for global efforts to end poverty:

  • Remember the needs and situations of the poor especially those vulnerable and disadvantaged groups including women and children ;
  • Pray for good progress made in implementing internationally agreed development goals ;
  • Pray also for churches and Christians worldwide to care for the poor together.

The Violence in Myanmar Bringing Negative Impact on Children

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[ePrayer – Pray for Myanmar’s Rakhine State]

Valerie Amos Visits Myanmar

Since June 2012, Rakhine State in Myanmar has been the site of inter-communal violence and caused tens of thousands of people displaced. The latest wave of violence broke out on 29 September in the southern town of Thandwe subsequently spread to several townships. Deaths have been reported, along with the destruction of some 110 homes. It also caused a new wave of displacement of families and added to the fears of those displaced last year. UNICEF is concerned that displacement puts children at greater risk of family separation and domestic violence, they miss out on schooling and too frequently they experience physical and emotional damage. Besides, the polarization resulting from ongoing inter-communal violence could stall or put the many important reform processes currently underway in Myanmar at risk, with negative repercussions for all of Myanmar’s children. Therefore, peace-building and reconciliation activities must be prioritized in view of children’s rights and future. [UNICEF]

Pray for Myanmar’s Rakhine State :

  • Pray for an end to the violence in the areas and reconciliation between different groups;
  • Remember those children and families which are affected and displaced due to the violence;
  • Pray also for protection of the children’s rights and future.