Source: United States Coast Guard
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South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas features in new book that tells the stories of second-generation migrant Australians.
Titled ‘At the Heart of Identity’, the book is a series of reflections from people sharing their families’ settlement journeys and their own search for identity.
Premier Malinauskas shares his family’s post war journey to Australia and his own childhood growing up in a migrant community.
He tells in the book how his family came to Australia in 1949 escaping war-torn Europe.
“At some point in the late 1930s in regional Hungary a 20-year-old widowed mother named Eta was left little choice but to temporarily leave her daughter with extended family while she sought work at a nearby town. It was a fateful moment. As World War II mercilessly engulfed Europe, Eta quickly found herself caught in the web of the war,” Premier Malinauskas says.
“Moved from camp to camp as forced labour for the Nazis, no parent could bear to imagine the pain, frustration and sense of desperation that Eta must have felt as every avenue to get back to her daughter was closed. Despite multiple efforts to return to Hungary, by the war’s end Eta had been stuck in a German munitions factory.
“As the Nazi regime collapsed and Eta closed that chapter of her life, her ambition for reunification with her daughter was again thwarted, this time by another peril in the form of communism. Having had her sole possession, a single bike, confiscated by the Russians at a key roadblock, Eta was again turned around and sent back to Germany,” he says.
Premier Malinauskas tells how his grandparents met after separately coming to Australia as refugees from the aftermath of WWII.
“When my grandparents got married, they bought a block of land on Trimmer Parade, Seaton, where they built their home and, for many years, operated a fish and chip shop. I distinctly remember as a young boy standing at that fish and chip shop my grandfather built with his own bare hands as he told me about the importance of taking opportunities,” he says.
I distinctly remember as a young boy standing at that fish and chip shop my grandfather built with his own bare hands as he told me about the importance of taking opportunities. He was always talking about opportunity – every opportunity you’ve got to grab.
“An equally clear memory is of the time I inquired about him becoming an Australian citizen and grandpa quickly rushing off to retrieve his naturalisation certificate. I cannot picture the certificate, but I can still feel the depth of meaning it had to him as a symbol of the opportunity this nation and this state had afforded Eta and himself.
“The desire of my grandparents, including Bob and Ursula May from my mum’s side, to seek, seize and share opportunity, even in the face of real hardship, has undoubtedly influenced my politics,” he says.
Premier Malinauskas says his family’s story is emblematic of Australia’s migration story.
“…this is a story about a young state in an even younger nation whose infectious optimism about the future gave it the courage to be open to new people looking for one thing above all else: opportunity, the same sort of opportunity our first re-settlers sought 112 years earlier and the exact same sort of opportunity new arrivals to our shores seek today,” he says.
Other contributors to the book are: former Socceroo Archie Thompson, who has a New Zealand-born father and mother from Papua New Guinea; federal MP Cassandra Fernando, whose parents are from Sri Lanka; leading contemporary artist Saidin Salkic; and architect Maru Jarockyj, whose parent were born in Ukraine.
Launched at Parliament House, in Canberra this week, as part of migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia’s annual ‘Heartlands’ cultural project, the book is a reflection of Australia’s long and diverse history as a nation of migrants.
AMES CEO Cath Scarth said the book was timely at a point in history when polarisation and divisiveness are on the rise across the globe.
“Stories of settlement in Australia, no matter where you have come from, are things that unite us,” Ms Scarth said.
“These stories are reflection of how migrants have helped to build Australia and helped to create the successful brand of multiculturalism we enjoy along with the high levels of social cohesion that we have built,” she said.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
02.13.25
Cantwell Hits Trump’s Trade Policy on CNBC: “It Almost Seems Like A Tariff Tantrum”
WA depends on steel & aluminum imports; last year, the state imported $1.2B worth of steel & aluminum for aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics & more; Last round of Trump trade wars nearly decimated WA’s apple export market to India; Cantwell helped negotiate end to retaliatory tariffs in 2023 & restore the market
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Finance, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box to push back against President Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs, even against the United States’ closest allies, instead of focusing on opening up export markets and lowering costs for American consumers.
“This is the fourth week of the Trump Administration, and I would hope that we would have been hearing about how we’re lowering costs on housing, food prices, and drugs. And instead, we’re now in – it almost seems like a tariff tantrum, like we’re just going to tariff everything. And what I would like to see is an engagement by both Democrats and Republicans pushing back on this notion that a ‘tariff everything’ strategy is the way to get out of this situation,” Sen. Cantwell told Squawk Box’s Andrew Ross Sorkin.
“I’ve been critical of Obama’s tariffs. I’ve been critical of Biden’s tariffs. What I want people to understand is we live in a world, now, where alliances and dealing with these issues on a coalition basis will get us further, because 95% of consumers are outside the United States,” she continued.
“In the last Trump administration, he did the same thing [… he] cut hundreds of apple jobs in my state that never recovered. But it decimated a $120 million market, and then, basically, because of the retaliatory tariffs, we were without an apple market to India. I worked in the Biden administration to get that restored. So, what people don’t understand is, in this environment, you don’t just lose farmland — because actually, Bill Gates or somebody will buy it — you’re losing farmers. And right now, the world, we should be opening up markets. We should be opening up agriculture opportunities around the globe.”
Her full appearance on Squawk Box can be viewed HERE; a transcript of the interview is HERE.
In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. Combined, the state imported $1.21 billion worth of steel and aluminum last year – and the major industries and employers in Washington that rely on steel and aluminum include aerospace, shipbuilding, utilities, and electronics.
When President Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018, our trading partners immediately responded by imposing tariffs of their own on Washington products, especially agriculture, including cherries, apples, pears, and potatoes. Nationally, across all industries, the steel and aluminum tariffs resulted in a decrease in production worth about $3.4 billion per year, according to an ITC report.
Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023. In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
Last week, Sen. Cantwell also delivered a major speech on the Senate floor arguing that the president’s arbitrary tariffs would threaten domestic job creation and economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support innovation in the Information Age.
Sen. Cantwell also voted against advancing the nomination of Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s choice to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, citing concerns with Lutnick’s support for Trump’s proposed tariffs. More information on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China would affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.
In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to help U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes in Japan. In June 2023, Sen. Cantwell hosted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), then-chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington state for a forum with 30 local agricultural leaders in Wenatchee to discuss the Farm Bill.
In 2022, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a law to crack down on skyrocketing international ocean shipping costs and ease supply chain backlogs that raise prices for consumers and make it harder for U.S. farmers and exporters to get their goods to the global market.
In August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting aid funds be distributed to wheat growers. In December 2018, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the passage of the Farm Bill, which included $500 million of assistance for farmers, including those who grow wheat.
In 2019, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a provision in the $16 billion USDA relief package, ensuring sweet cherry growers could access emergency funding to offset the impacts of tariffs and other market disruptions.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
02.13.25
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), introduced a package of three bills focused on promoting stability and security in the Middle East: the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act, the United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025, and the Stop the ICC. These bills work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel military alliance, bolster the U.S. sanctions regime against Iran—the architect of chaos in the Middle East—and prohibit U.S. funding of or cooperation with the antisemitic International Criminal Court (ICC). Much of Sullivan’s Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act dovetails with President Trump’s recent executive orders on Iran and Israel.
“Taken together, this suite of bills sends a clear message that the United States stands firmly with Israel,” said Senator Sullivan. “The Biden administration refused to enforce the comprehensive Iran sanctions that President Trump enacted during his first term. As a result, Iran was given more than $70 billion and used this windfall to spread terror across the Middle East and in Israel. Congress needs to send a clear message that this must stop. Further, to better protect our interests at home and strengthen our alliance with Israel, we must strengthen the U.S.-Israel security partnership and stand with Israel against antisemitic institutions that threaten the existence of our closest ally in the Middle East. It’s time to return to ‘peace through strength’ in the Middle East and stand stronger than ever against the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies that are threatening Israel and American interests throughout the region.”
See below for summaries of Senator Sullivan’s legislation.
Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act
This legislation supports the return to a maximum pressure posture toward Iran by strengthening the U.S. sanctions regime against Iran by filling the gaps on existing sanctions legislation and mandating rigorous enforcement of sanctions. Specifically, the legislation expands the range of sanctions to encompass the full logistical chain of Iranian energy exports, it creates an interagency task force to constantly track Iranian illicit activities, and it sunsets the timeline to issue sanctions waivers. It also includes provisions to encourage a new multilateral contact group with like-minded nations to coordinate international sanctions enforcement efforts.
Specifically, the bill takes several important measures:
Imposes secondary sanctions on the entire logistical chain of foreign entities supporting Iran’s illicit oil sales, including Chinese banks, maritime insurance providers, and flagging registries, as well as the executive-level leadership in those corporations and their immediate family members. It also imposes sanctions on family members of individuals in Iran sanctioned for terrorism, ballistic missile production, or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) facilities.
Creates an interagency Iran sanctions working group tasked with constantly tracking illicit transfers of Iranian oil, gas, and related products, with a periodic reporting plan to outline efforts to keep abreast of the evolving sanctions-evasion efforts, and identify new sanctions designations packages.
Creates a multilateral contact group for harmonizing and enforcing international sanctions on Iran.
Directs the provision of a private sector reporting mechanism, which financially incentivizes private sector counterparts to share information about illicit Iranian transfer operations.
Initiates a periodic (180-day) review by the President to justify maintaining existing waivers on eligible nations’ purchase of Iranian oil, accompanied by a detailed, credible plan to phase out the need for waivers for each applicable country. This would include sunset waiver authority on Iran sanctions, following a periodic congressional review.
Sunsets the presidential sanctions waiver authority in February 1, 2029.
This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).
The United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025
This bill strengthens the U.S.-Israel security partnership by extending and expanding existing bilateral security initiatives. It also establishes new cooperative programs, including a broader initiative on unmanned systems, establishing a Defense Innovation Unit in Israel, and advocating for consideration of Israel’s inclusion in the National Technology Industrial Base (NTIB). Finally, it calls for greater cooperation between Israel and regional countries in advancing work on Integrated Air and Missile Defense.
Specifically, this bill takes several important measures:
Establishes a program between the United States and Israel on Countering Unmanned Systems (C-UxS). This entails a program of cooperation to develop, test, and deploy advanced C-UxS technologies to address threats posed by UAS, funded at $150 million per year.
Extension and expansion of the U.S.-Israel Counter-UAS Cooperative Program. This would increase funding for the current initiative from $55 million to $75 million annually.
Extension and expansion of the United States-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperative Program. Extends the authorization of the U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperative Program to Dec 31, 2028 and increases the authorization to $80 million per year.
Authorizes cooperation between the United States and Israel on emerging defense technologies for 5 years (United States-Israel Future of Warfare Act). Provides $47.5 million a year to encourage further defense collaboration with Israel in areas of emerging technologies, including autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum, and biotechnology.
Reauthorizes the War Reserves Stockpile Authority – Israel (WRSA-I); extends the authorization of WRSA-I, which expires at the end of 2026, through January 1, 2029.
Establishes a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) office in Israel. A DIU office in Israel will work with the Israeli Minister of Defense and private sector to counter Iran’s development of dual-use defense technologies.
Israel-National Technology Industrial Base (NTIB) Engagement. This requires the Secretary of Defense to engage with his or her Israeli counterpart to initiate a discussion on the process of Israeli ascension into NTIB.
Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD). This requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a report on strengthening IAMD in the Middle East.
This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).
Stop the ICC Act
This bill prohibits funding for and cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC), based on its antisemitic efforts to prosecute top Israeli officials and create a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas, a terrorist organization. It also prohibits U.S. economic support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) based on its cooperation with the ICC’s investigations against Israeli officials. Specifically, it instructs the President to freeze property assets and deny visas to any foreigners who materially or financially contributed to the ICC’s efforts to “investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person.” Protected persons are defined as all current and former military and government officials of the U.S. and allies that have not consented to the court’s jurisdiction, such as Israel. The legislation covers the 32-member NATO and the 19 major non-NATO countries, which include Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, and Egypt. It would also rescind any funds the U.S. has designated for the ICC and prohibit any future money for the court.
Background: In May 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he was seeking warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leadership. In November 2024, the court issued warrants for Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Gallant and Hamas leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
This legislation is cosponsored by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing this week, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) questioned expert witnesses on the strategic importance of Greenland and the need to maintain a strong American presence in the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) Gap.
During the hearing, Senator Fischer questioned Dr. Rebecca Pincus, Director of the Wilson Center Polar Institute, and Mr. Alexander Gray, a senior fellow in National Security Affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council, on the importance of Pituffik Space Base and the U.S. radar systems based in Greenland, as well as the significance of the GIUK Gap in light of increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. Senator Fischer highlighted how critical it is that the Department of Defense maintain its access to spectrum airwaves so it can detect and track incoming threats to our homeland.
Click the image above to watch a video of Sen. Fischer’s questioning
Click here to download audio
Click here to download video
Senator Fischer questions experts:
Senator Fischer: Dr. Pincus, there’s been much discussion of late on Greenland, but I think what’s underappreciated is something that you were trying to focus on, and that’s the importance of Greenland to a whole host of U.S. strategic interests that are there. And, obviously, yes, we need to develop a good working relationship, a good partnership, with Greenland. You mentioned the Space Base that’s in Greenland. It’s a critical forward operating location. It is the Department’s northernmost installation. It hosts radar systems that are essential to our missile defense.
You know, the comment was made that there could be flight paths of ICBMs over Greenland. Well, that may or may not happen. But what is key there is that no matter where in the Arctic ICBMs are flying, what we have to have is radars to be on Greenland so that not only can they track, but they can also detect any incoming threats.
I’d also like to consider the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) Gap, and Mr. Gray, maybe you’d want to add some into this discussion as well. As we look at the increased Russian submarine activity there in recent years, and you couple that with the growing Chinese and Russian presence in the Arctic, I think it’s hard to understate that Gap’s importance. So, both of you, do you assess that increased U.S. presence in the GIUK Gap would be beneficial?
Dr. Pincus: Thank you very much, Senator, for that terrific question. You know, I think it’s very helpful to talk in terms of specifics. And in Greenland, we have long had radar installations to give us early warning of incoming ICBMs coming from Eurasia. And in the current era of hypersonics, new missiles, new missile delivery systems, it’s very important that those radars remain in place and that we recapitalize and modernize them to give us as much advance notice as possible. So, there’s a big radar system at the Pituffik Base. There’s a big airfield, there’s a deep-water port on the east coast of Greenland, that is the westernmost point of the GIUK gap. So, it is a key point for monitoring Russian naval activity and, you know, I think we are looking at a set of challenges in the GIUK gap related to Russian activity, undersea activity. That is a real problem set for us.
The gap between Greenland, Iceland, the U.K., also I would add Norway, provides us some really important points from which to support monitoring and activity. It would be best to talk to the Department of Defense in a classified setting about what specific capabilities and access they may need. But I will say that the 1951 Defense Agreement gives us very wide access to Greenland. We have never had a problem asking for access and permissions and not getting it. And both Greenland and Denmark have made it clear that they stand ready to have that conversation again. I think the Danish defense investments that have been announced include domain awareness capabilities and presence that will help us.
There’s certainly more that can be done, but I think being very specific about ‘what the problem is’ is helpful in terms of thinking about our appropriate response, and also recognizing that in an event of a contingency, fixed installations—whether it’s a radar asset or an airfield—they would be taken out with long range missile strikes. So, I would say that Russia doesn’t have the capability to seize and hold Greenland, and nor would there be a strong military argument for it to do so, given that its most likely response in the event of a contingency would be to strike those assets and then keep moving on.
Senator Fischer: Which would also make it extremely important that DOD maintains that spectrum is used to be able to identify what’s coming in, not just for the homeland but also for Greenland.
Dr. Pincus: Absolutely, and I think having a conversation about air defense and missile defense options we have. We do not have interceptors in Greenland. We do not have interceptors in Canada. We have them in Alaska. So, I think there is a conversation to be had about that specific capability. Thank you.
Senator Fischer: Mr. Gray, before I get called out, please.
Mr. Gray: Thank you, Senator. So many of our concerns, strategically, about Greenland, going back to the ‘40s, have been about the GIUK gap, and it’s been a concern across multiple great power competitors. It is a concern today. To me, the question is less—Dr. Pincus has made the comment about militarily, it would probably not be taken out. I’m more concerned about a future political arrangement in Greenland that could be influenced or controlled adversely by an adversary power in a way that would prevent us from being able to exercise the type of control or the type of domain awareness over the gap that we have had in recent years.
That’s why I think these proposals that I’ve mentioned, others have put forward for what is the long-term political arrangement in connection with Greenland—it’s so important because we have to have the ability to maintain some sort of control and some sort of awareness over that gap.
Senator Fischer: Thank you.
Source: United Nations 2
More than 825,000 people who were displaced within Syria have returned to their areas of origin since December, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Thursday.
The development comes as a recent survey of Syrian refugees in the region reveals that some 75 per cent of respondents have no plans to go back anytime soon.
OCHA said movements out of displacement camps in Syria remain limited, with some 80,000 people departing from sites in the northwest since December and roughly 300 others leaving the Areesha camp in the northeast this past Tuesday.
Nearly two million people remain displaced in the northwest, and many are living in overcrowded sites and fragile tents. Among them are more than 615,000 who remain newly displaced across the country since fleeing their homes after 27 November.
The date marked the start of a major offensive by opposition fighters against the Syrian Army and forces loyal to the Assad regime, which was overthrown some 10 days later.
The UN and partners continue to provide assistance as conditions and funding allow, including winter aid to northern Syria, where the weather is particularly harsh at this time of the year.
Partners have carried out emergency repairs of roads and sewage systems that were affected by past flooding in the northwest, while nine markets are currently being rehabilitated near displacement camps.
Since December, more than 260,000 children in Idleb and northern Aleppo have been supported with heaters, winter clothes and other aid, OCHA said. Winter kits were also distributed to 500 children in Qamishli, in Al-Hasakeh governorate.
During the same period, health partners have deployed mobile medical teams, provided mental health support, and reinforced facilities with heating and insulation, reaching 800,000 people in the northwest.
They warn, however, of a significant rise in influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infections, which are causing further strain to the underfunded health sector. More than 100 health facilities in the northwest are out of funds since the start of the year.
Humanitarians also sounded the alarm over the shortfall in funding for their operations to support 6.7 million Syrians through March. Less than 10 per cent of the $1.2 billion needed has been received to date.
Meanwhile, more than 270,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since early December, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
A recent UNHCR survey of Syrian refugees across the region found that 27 per cent of respondents intend to return home within the next 12 months, compared to just 1.7 per cent prior to the fall of the Assad regime.
The results show, however, that roughly three-quarters of Syrian refugees have no plans to go home in the next year and are instead waiting to see how the situation evolves.
Currently 5.5 million Syrian refugees are living in Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
The reasons why Syrian refugees are reluctant to return range from the lack of housing or access to their properties, concern over the security situation, the disruption to basic services, and economic challenges including a lack of jobs.
UNHCR and partners are providing returnees and others in need with basic household items, repairs to damaged homes, emergency cash assistance, support to replace lost identity documents and psychological counselling, among other services.
The agency is appealing for greater support from the international community to meet the immense needs.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ConnectM Technology Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNTM) (“ConnectM” or the “Company”), a technology company focused on the electrification economy, had previously announced that on December 6, 2024, it received a notice from the Staff of the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq stating that because the Company had not filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024 (the “Third Quarter 10-Q”), it no longer complies with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) (the “Rule”) for continued listing, which requires listed companies to timely file all required periodic financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
ConnectM today announced that on January 31, 2025, the Staff notified ConnectM that, based on the Company’s December 16, 2024, filing of the Third Quarter 10-Q, Staff has determined that the Company complies with the Rule. Accordingly, the matter is now closed.
About ConnectM Technology Solutions, Inc.
ConnectM is a pioneer in the electrification economy, integrating energy assets with its AI-driven technology platform. Focused on delivering solutions that drive efficiency, affordability, and sustainability, ConnectM serves home, facility, and fleet across three major segments: Building Electrification, Distributed Energy, and Transportation and Logistics. The company’s vertically integrated approach combines technology, service/distribution networks, and strategic partnerships to accelerate the transition to an all-electric energy economy.
For more information, please visit: www.connectm.com. Stockholders looking to receive Company updates directly to their inbox should sign up here.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, regarding our future financial performance and our strategy, expansion plans, future operations, future operating results, estimated revenues, losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. We caution you that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. In addition, we caution you that the forward-looking statements regarding the Company contained in this press release are subject to the risks and uncertainties described in the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” section of the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 18, 2024. Such filing identifies and addresses other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and ConnectM is under no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Dave Gentry, CEO
RedChip Companies, Inc.
1-407-644-4256
CNTM@redchip.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Fiscal Q2 Revenue up 14% to $19.1 Million
Achieves GAAP Profitability and Positive Cash Flow from Operations
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a tech and data-driven ecommerce services provider and online retailer, today announced its financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2024.
Fiscal Q2 2025 Results vs. Year-Ago Quarter
Management Commentary
“We delivered strong results across all key financial metrics in our fiscal second quarter while further enhancing our SuperSuite platform,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “Throughout the quarter, we continued to optimize operations and strengthen our presence across both our established and emerging sales channels. We also remain focused on supply chain diversification by exploring new supplier relationships beyond our existing network, reinforcing our commitment to building a more resilient and adaptable infrastructure.”
“Our SuperSuite platform is gaining further momentum as we leverage our superior supply chain, warehousing and merchandising expertise to drive sales growth for partners with innovative product catalogs. Additionally, we are making steady progress with our recently launched SaaS platform, refining its capabilities to improve supplier collaboration, streamline operations, and better align partners with evolving market demands. With a strong pipeline of prospective partners, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for SuperSuite as we bolster our comprehensive service offerings.”
iPower CFO, Kevin Vassily, added, “Our ongoing efforts to optimize our cost structure have delivered meaningful results as we continue to drive gross margin expansion and operating leverage in our business. We have also officially shuttered our legacy commercial hydroponics business, as we are now focused on our core competency as a data-driven, consumer products and services company. We believe these initiatives, coupled with our accelerating growth in our SuperSuite business, will enable us to execute on our goals ahead.”
Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results
Total revenue in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 increased 14% to $19.1 million compared to $16.8 million for the same period in fiscal 2024. The increase was driven primarily by growth in iPower’s SuperSuite supply chain offerings, as well as greater product sales to the Company’s largest channel partner.
Gross profit in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 increased 15% to $8.4 million compared to $7.3 million in the same quarter in fiscal 2024. As a percentage of revenue, gross margin increased 40 basis points to 44.0% compared to 43.6% in the year-ago period. The increase in gross margin was primarily driven by improved pricing through key supplier negotiations.
Total operating expenses in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 improved 22% to $7.7 million compared to $9.9 million for the same period in fiscal 2024. The decrease in operating expenses was driven primarily by lower selling and fulfillment expenses related to the Company’s largest channel partner.
Net income attributable to iPower in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 improved to $0.2 million or $0.01 per share, compared to net loss attributable to iPower of $1.9 million or $(0.06) per share for the same period in fiscal 2024.
Cash and cash equivalents were $2.9 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $7.4 million at June 30, 2024. As a result of the Company’s debt paydown, total debt was reduced by 31% to $4.4 million compared to $6.3 million as of June 30, 2024.
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call today, February 13, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its results for the fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2024.
iPower’s management will host the conference call, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
The conference call details are as follows:
Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern time
Dial-in registration link: here
Live webcast registration link: here
Please dial into the conference call 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact the Company’s investor relations team at IPW@elevate-ir.com.
The conference call will also be broadcast live and available for replay in the Events & Presentations section of the Company’s website at www.meetipower.com.
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a nationwide network of warehouses, competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at www.meetipower.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that iPower believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. iPower undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although iPower believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and iPower cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results and performance in iPower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on September 20, 2024, and in its other SEC filings, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Investor Relations Contact
Sean Mansouri, CFA or Aaron D’Souza
Elevate IR
(720) 330-2829
IPW@elevate-ir.com
| iPower Inc. and Subsidiaries | |||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||||||
| As of December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 | |||||||||||
| December 31, | June 30, | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| Current assets | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalent | $ | 2,877,457 | $ | 7,377,837 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 13,926,432 | 14,740,093 | |||||||||
| Inventories, net | 9,183,631 | 10,546,273 | |||||||||
| Prepayments and other current assets, net | 2,292,744 | 2,346,534 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 28,280,264 | 35,010,737 | |||||||||
| Non-current assets | |||||||||||
| Right of use – non-current | 4,757,429 | 6,124,163 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 303,059 | 370,887 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | 3,001,517 | 2,445,605 | |||||||||
| Goodwill | 3,034,110 | 3,034,110 | |||||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 3,306,014 | 3,630,700 | |||||||||
| Other non-current assets | 1,187,179 | 679,655 | |||||||||
| Total non-current assets | 15,589,308 | 16,285,120 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 43,869,572 | $ | 51,295,857 | |||||||
| LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Accounts payable, net | 8,853,320 | 11,227,116 | |||||||||
| Other payables and accrued liabilities | 3,491,596 | 3,885,487 | |||||||||
| Lease liability – current | 1,540,624 | 2,039,301 | |||||||||
| Short-term loan payable | – | 491,214 | |||||||||
| Short-term loan payable – related party | 350,000 | 350,000 | |||||||||
| Revolving loan payable, net | – | 5,500,739 | |||||||||
| Income taxes payable | 274,947 | 276,158 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 14,510,487 | 23,770,015 | |||||||||
| Non-current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Long-term revolving loan payable, net | 4,042,400 | – | |||||||||
| Lease liability – non-current | 3,612,756 | 4,509,809 | |||||||||
| Total non-current liabilities | 7,655,156 | 4,509,809 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | 22,165,643 | 28,279,824 | |||||||||
| Commitments and contingency | – | – | |||||||||
| Stockholders’ Equity | |||||||||||
| Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and | |||||||||||
| outstanding at December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 | – | – | |||||||||
| Common stock, $0.001 par value; 180,000,000 shares authorized; 31,359,899 and | |||||||||||
| 31,359,899 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 | 31,361 | 31,361 | |||||||||
| Additional paid in capital | 33,867,156 | 33,463,883 | |||||||||
| Accumulated deficits | (12,041,063 | ) | (10,230,601 | ) | |||||||
| Non-controlling interest | (44,195 | ) | (38,204 | ) | |||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (109,330 | ) | (210,406 | ) | |||||||
| Total stockholders’ equity | 21,703,929 | 23,016,033 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 43,869,572 | $ | 51,295,857 | |||||||
| iPower Inc. and Subsidiaries | ||||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss | ||||||||||||||||||
| For the Three and Six Months Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
| REVENUES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Product sales | $ | 17,606,889 | $ | 16,800,122 | $ | 35,882,301 | $ | 43,308,496 | ||||||||||
| Service income | 1,465,682 | – | 2,198,791 | – | ||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 19,072,571 | 16,800,122 | 38,081,092 | 43,308,496 | ||||||||||||||
| COST OF REVENUES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Product costs | 9,461,119 | 9,481,882 | 19,378,567 | 24,231,411 | ||||||||||||||
| Service costs | 1,221,566 | – | 1,824,742 | – | ||||||||||||||
| Total cost of revenues | 10,682,685 | 9,481,882 | 21,203,309 | 24,231,411 | ||||||||||||||
| GROSS PROFIT | 8,389,886 | 7,318,240 | 16,877,783 | 19,077,085 | ||||||||||||||
| OPERATING EXPENSES: | ||||||||||||||||||
| Selling and fulfillment | 4,628,914 | 6,936,980 | 10,543,722 | 17,000,451 | ||||||||||||||
| General and administrative | 3,077,365 | 2,933,607 | 8,396,888 | 5,897,658 | ||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 7,706,279 | 9,870,587 | 18,940,610 | 22,898,109 | ||||||||||||||
| INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS | 683,607 | (2,552,347 | ) | (2,062,827 | ) | (3,821,024 | ) | |||||||||||
| OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expenses | (140,672 | ) | (182,612 | ) | (280,634 | ) | (410,977 | ) | ||||||||||
| Loss on equity method investment | (802 | ) | (801 | ) | (1,721 | ) | (1,826 | ) | ||||||||||
| Other non-operating income (expenses) | (205,958 | ) | 128,838 | 12,728 | 61,672 | |||||||||||||
| Total other expenses, net | (347,432 | ) | (54,575 | ) | (269,627 | ) | (351,131 | ) | ||||||||||
| INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES | 336,175 | (2,606,922 | ) | (2,332,454 | ) | (4,172,155 | ) | |||||||||||
| PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT) | 120,511 | (688,939 | ) | (516,001 | ) | (964,821 | ) | |||||||||||
| NET INCOME (LOSS) | 215,664 | (1,917,983 | ) | (1,816,453 | ) | (3,207,334 | ) | |||||||||||
| Non-controlling interest | (3,155 | ) | (3,155 | ) | (5,991 | ) | (5,991 | ) | ||||||||||
| NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO IPOWER INC. | $ | 218,819 | $ | (1,914,828 | ) | $ | (1,810,462 | ) | $ | (3,201,343 | ) | |||||||
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustments | 156,130 | (160,255 | ) | 101,076 | (160,962 | ) | ||||||||||||
| COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO IPOWER INC. | $ | 374,949 | $ | (2,075,083 | ) | $ | (1,709,386 | ) | $ | (3,362,305 | ) | |||||||
| WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON STOCK | ||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 31,437,517 | 29,790,242 | 31,427,360 | 29,777,378 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted | 31,437,517 | 29,790,242 | 31,427,360 | 29,777,378 | ||||||||||||||
| EARNINGS (LOSSES) PER SHARE | ||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.11 | ) | |||||||
| Diluted | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.11 | ) | |||||||
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
02.13.25
WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) reintroduced legislation to establish a permanent federal tuition assistance (FTA) program benefitting Air National Guard members. The Air Guard Standardizing Tuition Assistance to Unify the Services (STATUS) Act requires the Secretary of the Air Force to provide tuition assistance to drill-status members of the Air National Guard, consistent with the program available to the Army National Guard. The legislation is supported by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). The legislation follows efforts by Hoeven and Shaheen to:
Establish and fund a FTA pilot program, and ensure that North Dakota and New Hampshire Air Guardsmen had access to this important benefit.
Secure a total of $18.8 million across fiscal years (FY) 2020-2023 to support the program.
“Our Air Guard members deserve to receive the same benefits as their counterparts, both in the reserve and active duty components of the military,” said Senator Hoeven. “Our legislation makes the Air Guard FTA pilot program that we first worked to establish in 2020 permanent and available to drill-status Guard members across the country. Doing so will ensure the Air Guard, like the Happy Hooligans in Fargo, can continue to recruit the best and brightest members to support the increasingly high-tech missions they take on in defense of our nation.”
“Ensuring that the brave women and men serving in the Air National Guard have access to educational opportunities will not only help our recruitment and retention, but will also enhance our overall military preparedness and provide service members the benefits they deserve,” said Senator Shaheen. “Passing our bipartisan legislation will make tuition more affordable for the Air National Guard and bring their educational benefits in line with the other service branches. Let’s get this done.”
“The men and women in the Air National Guard work alongside their active-duty counterparts to protect our nation and serve our communities,” said Senator Moran. “Providing the same educational benefits to the Air National Guard that the Army National Guard receives will help increase recruitment rates and make certain our servicemembers have access to the benefits they deserve.”
“Colorado is home to over 1,500 Air National Guardsmen whose dedication and sacrifice helps keep our state and country safe,” said Senator Bennet. “Our bipartisan bill will help attract, develop, and retain members of the Air National Guard and ensure servicemembers nationwide have the educational benefits they deserve.”
“We must take care of the servicemembers who take care of our nation. One way to show our gratitude is to invest in their future through federal tuition assistance,” said retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, NGAUS President. “We must equally provide for our Soldiers and our Airmen. This bill corrects a long-standing gap in National Guard benefits and will empower our Airmen to reach new heights in knowledge and skill. We thank Senators Hoeven and Shaheen for their efforts and continued support of the National Guard.”
Source: Consumer NZ
Consumer NZ is warning New Zealanders to be on high alert this Valentine’s Day as romance scammers flip the typical scam protection advice on its head.
Ruairi O’Shea, Consumer NZ investigative writer, says romance scams are particularly insidious because they don’t follow the typical patterns associated with scams.
“Romance scams work because they bypass the red flags we’re trained to look out for. Instead of demanding urgent action or sending texts with links out of the blue, romance scammers build trust over months,” says O’Shea.
“And unlike an unsolicited text with a dodgy link, you may have even initiated first contact by swiping left on a dating app. It’s a slow burn, with scammers building trust before recommending investment opportunities or asking for intimate pictures that they could use to blackmail a person.
“Victims genuinely believe they’re in a relationship: they trust the other person implicitly and believe that person will act in their best interests.”
Between 2023 and 2024, a French woman was targeted by a scammer using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to successfully convince her she was speaking to the American actor Brad Pitt. She was scammed out of almost NZ$1.5 million.
“Romance scams can be utterly devastating because of the financial and emotional toll they take.
“Love is a strong incentive, and sadly, scammers know this and exploit it.”
Recognising these three ‘red flags’ can protect you from romance scams
The long game
Unlike traditional scams that rely on urgency, romance scammers play the long game. O’Shea says this slow-building trust makes victims more likely to overlook the more common or “typical” signs of a scam.
The investment
Once the scammer is confident they’ve established trust, they will begin exploiting.
“It might start with the scammer revealing a seemingly minor financial stress, and because they feel committed to this relationship, the victim may even proactively offer to help resolve the problem.
“Later, the scammer might casually recommend an investment opportunity, which, unfortunately, turns out to be fake.”
Strictly online
“It’s not new to hear of someone who is in a happy, committed relationship, with kids, a dog and a house, after having initially met their partner on a dating app.
“What is new, however, is the sophisticated way in which scammers are using AI to basically turbocharge their authenticity,” O’Shea says.
“Be suspicious if the person you meet online is reluctant to get together in the flesh. Their reasons for keeping a relationship secret or online can be incredibly convincing – health, travel, work, family – but if you can’t meet them in person, you shouldn’t trust them.”
4 don’ts to protect yourself and those you love (in real life) from romance scams
Don’t keep it on the down-low – talk to friends and family about online relationships: a fresh pair of eyes could help spot the signs of a scam.
Don’t give someone anything you wouldn’t post publicly on social media – this isn’t just intimate photographs but also your address or other potentially sensitive personal information.
Don’t send money to anyone you’ve only communicated with online – if you haven’t met someone in person, don’t give them anything of monetary value.
Don’t move to another messaging service – if you meet someone on a dating platform and they suggest moving to an encrypted messaging service like WhatsApp, be suspicious.
What to do if you’re the victim of a romance scam
If you’re the victim of a romance scam, contact the Police, Manaaki Tāngata Victim Support, your bank and Netsafe (the nation’s non-profit online safety organisation) immediately: a scam doesn’t necessarily end when a victim realises they’ve been scammed.
It’s also important to report online scams to CERT NZ, part of the National Cyber Security Centre. The National Cuber Security Centre runs Own Your Online and the service has helpful advice on how to spot a scam and what to do if you get caught out.
Source: The White House
Here are only a few examples:
Source: The White House
ADDRESSING THE RISE OF CHRONIC ILLNESSES: President Trump understands that America’s healthcare system is largely focused on treating chronic illnesses rather than preventing them, leading to a growing health crisis with serious economic and national security consequences.
TAKING ON THE HEALTH CRISIS: President Trump is fulfilling his promise to tackle the health crisis facing America.
Source: The White House
THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC POLICY
THE SENIOR COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT FOR TRADE AND MANUFACTURING
SUBJECT: Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs
Section 1. Background. The United States has one of the most open economies and has among the lowest average weighted tariff rates in the world. The United States imposes fewer barriers to imports than other major world economies, including those with similar political and economic systems. For many years, the United States has been treated unfairly by trading partners, both friend and foe. This lack of reciprocity is one source of our country’s large and persistent annual trade deficit in goods — closed markets abroad reduce United States exports and open markets at home result in significant imports.
Our workers and industries bear the brunt of unfair practices and limited access to foreign markets. As noted in the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025 (America First Trade Policy Memorandum), this situation is untenable. The trade deficit of the United States threatens our economic and national security, has hollowed out our industrial base, has reduced our overall national competitiveness, and has made our Nation dependent on other countries to meet our key security needs. By making trade more reciprocal and balanced, we can reduce the trade deficit; grow the United States economy; and improve our trade relationships with trading partners to the benefit of American workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to reduce our large and persistent annual trade deficit in goods and to address other unfair and unbalanced aspects of our trade with foreign trading partners. In pursuit of this policy, I will introduce the “Fair and Reciprocal Plan”(Plan). Under the Plan, my Administration will work strenuously to counter non-reciprocal trading arrangements with trading partners by determining the equivalent of a reciprocal tariff with respect to each foreign trading partner. This approach will be of comprehensive scope, examining non-reciprocal trade relationships with all United States trading partners, including any:
(a) tariffs imposed on United States products;
(b) unfair, discriminatory, or extraterritorial taxes imposed by our trading partners on United States businesses, workers, and consumers, including a value-added tax;
(c) costs to United States businesses, workers, and consumers arising from nontariff barriers or measures and unfair or harmful acts, policies, or practices, including subsidies, and burdensome regulatory requirements on United States businesses operating in other countries;
(d) policies and practices that cause exchange rates to deviate from their market value, to the detriment of Americans; wage suppression; and other mercantilist policies that make United States businesses and workers less competitive; and
(e) any other practice that, in the judgment of the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Senior Counselor to the President for Trade and Manufacturing, imposes any unfair limitation on market access or any structural impediment to fair competition with the market economy of the United States.
The Plan shall ensure comprehensive fairness and balance across the international trading system by factoring in losses as a result of measures that disadvantage the United States as applied, regardless of what they are called or whether they are written or unwritten.
Sec. 3. Taking Action. (a) After the submission of the specified agency reports due under the America First Trade Policy Memorandum, the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Senior Counselor to the President for Trade and Manufacturing, and the heads of such other executive departments and agencies as the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative deem relevant, shall initiate, pursuant to their respective legal authorities, all necessary actions to investigate the harm to the United States from any non-reciprocal trade arrangements adopted by any trading partners. Upon completion of such necessary actions, they shall submit to me a report detailing proposed remedies in pursuit of reciprocal trade relations with each trading partner.
(b) Within 180 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall assess all fiscal impacts on the Federal Government and the impacts of any information collection requests on the public, and shall deliver an assessment in writing to the President.
Sec. 4. Definitions. For the purposes of this memorandum:
(a) “Value-added tax” means a type of consumption tax that is levied on the incremental increase in value of a good or service at each stage of the supply chain.
(b) “Nontariff barrier” or “measure” means any government-imposed measure or policy or nonmonetary barrier that restricts, prevents, or impedes international trade in goods, including import policies, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, government procurement, export subsidies, lack of intellectual property protection, digital trade barriers, and government-tolerated anticompetitive conduct of state-owned or private firms.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The United States Trade Representative is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
Source: The White House
AMERICA WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES: The United States is one of the most open economies in the world, yet our trading partners keep their markets closed to our exports. This lack of reciprocity is unfair and contributes to our large and persistent annual trade deficit.
THE ART OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEAL: President Trump continues to deliver on his mandate given to him by the American People to put America First when it comes to trade.
Just last week, President Trump leveraged tariffs to force Canada and Mexico to make long-overdue changes at our northern and southern borders, ensuring the safety and security of American citizens.
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 13 FEB 2025 6:13PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing Central Sector Umbrella Scheme – PMKSY since 2016-17 to create post-harvest infrastructure and processing facilities to boost the overall development of the food processing sector including reduction in post-harvest losses. The component schemes under PMKSY provide credit linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing/preservation infrastructure which, inter-alia, includes cold storages and refrigerated vehicles to minimize post-harvest losses.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has been implementing schemes to boost food processing industries through infrastructure creation, grant of sales based incentives, capacity expansion, and other supporting measures. Under component schemes of PMKSY, as per the Scheme guidelines, consent to operate (CTO) issued by the concerned state Pollution board/Agency in respect of Water and Air, is mandatory for release of instalment of Grant-In-Aid/Subsidy to the approved projects. Further, Project Implementation Agency (PIA) has to comply with the requirements of Cold Chain infrastructure as per the directions of Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate change, Government of India with respect to use of Non-ODS (Non- Ozone depleting Substances) and low GWP (Low Global Warming Potential) refrigerants-based energy efficient cooling systems.
Under PMKSY component schemes, assistance can also be availed for Renewable/alternate energy technologies (solar, bio-mass, wind, etc.) for the project (Max. eligible permissible cost is Rs. 35 Lakh per project). Eligible entities from across the country may apply and avail the benefits.
National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship & Management -Thanjavur under Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has made efforts to promote and develop sustainable packaging technology through development of biodegradable plastics, safe and environmental friendly packaging solutions from biopolymers such as poly lactic acid (PLA), starch, nano fibres etc
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries through implementation of PMKSY, helps in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet across the country. The scheme not only provide a boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also helps in, interalia, reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.
MoFPI is also implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme- PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME) for providing technical, financial and business support for setting up/upgradation of 2 lakh Micro Food Processing Enterprises. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been launched by MoFPI for the period 2021-22 to 2026-27 to create global food champions and improving the visibility of Indian food brands abroad.
Besides above, the allied Ministries/Departments and their Agencies such as Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, APEDA, MPEDA, etc. also extend enabling support through their respective schemes like Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Agriculture Export Promotion Plan Scheme, National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility, etc.
Steps to help the agri-products and the processed foods export sector include inter- alia financial assistance to exporters by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Scheme of quality control, setting up of in house quality control laboratory and implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in processing units, conducting awareness programme on quality assurance and quality management system and training programme on food safety norms, developing packaging for export of various food products and setting up of agri export zones in geographically contiguous areas in different states. In addition. Ministry of Food Processing Industries, under its Plan Scheme, also provides financial assistance to food processing industries for implementation of total quality management including ISO 9000, HACCP etc. and to establish Quality Control Laboratories in the Country
This information was given by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Shri Ravneet Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
***
STK
(Release ID: 2102852) Visitor Counter : 39
Source: National Australia Bank
NAB has been selected by the NSW Government to provide whole of government banking and payment services for the next five years, the NSW Treasurer announced today.
Under the partnership arrangement, all NSW Government agencies across the state will be able to access simple, secure and cost-effective core banking solutions through NAB’s transactional banking services, merchant services, purchasing and procurement cards and payment facilities.
NAB’s market-leading digital payment and cash management solutions, including its real-time payments technology and NAB Liquidity+ platform, as well as its advanced fraud and scam prevention capabilities, will also be utilised.
NAB Group Executive Corporate & Institutional Banking, Cathryn Carver, said NAB was thrilled to partner with the NSW Government to deliver more customer-centric, efficient and modern banking and payments solutions for the citizens and businesses of NSW.
“With the largest population, business footprint and economy of all the states, the financial strength and stability of the NSW Government carries great weight in Australia. As their banking partner, NAB is committed to providing superior products and services to help maintain a safe, efficient and cost-effective financial ecosystem in the state,” Ms Carver said.
“We’re confident our best-in-market technology innovation and industry expertise, especially through our liquidity management, FX, cross-border payments, and New Payments Platform programs, will also deliver a lot of value as the Government progresses the NSW digital strategy,” Ms Carver said.
NAB’s strategy places customer centricity at the core.
“As Australia’s biggest business bank, and with wide-reaching corporate and institutional and personal banking divisions, NAB has a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver the best banking solutions and outcomes for businesses, customers and communities,” Ms Carver added.
“The value we place on customer-centricity aligns with that of the NSW Government, and this sets the stage for us to jointly develop payment solutions that are truly simpler, safer, and more secure for the citizens and businesses of NSW.”
A strong alignment on social priorities further enhances the partnership between NAB and the NSW Government, with both committed to tackling affordable housing and cost-of-living pressures, progressing a just transition, and supporting indigenous and small business growth and resilience.
“Our shared values and investment plans surrounding key societal issues was a central discussion point throughout the selection process,” Ms Carver said, adding “being in lockstep on strategic priorities creates terrific footing for a long and trusted partnership.”
“NAB’s $6 billion ambition to fund more specialist and affordable housing, our deep community partnerships with highly-regarded organisations, like the Salvos, and our support of the Australian Business Growth Fund and National Reconstruction Fund were just a few of the examples we shared to demonstrate our purpose-driven strategy.
“It was also pleasing to have received such a positive response to our deep banking expertise in critical sectors for NSW such as education, health and infrastructure, and our ongoing investment into start-ups and technology innovation via our NAB Ventures business.”
Today’s announcement progresses a partnership spanning more than a decade.
“We’re delighted to be strengthening our long-standing relationship with the NSW Government and supporting its vision to deliver purposeful, digital solutions that enable a thriving, resilient and prosperous New South Wales,” Ms Carver said.
Source: NASA
NASA’s Artemis campaign will send astronauts, payloads, and science experiments into deep space on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) super heavy-lift Moon rocket. Starting with Artemis IV, the Orion spacecraft and its astronauts will be joined by other payloads atop an upgraded version of the SLS, called Block 1B. SLS Block 1B will deliver initial elements of a lunar space station designed to enable long term exploration of the lunar surface and pave the way for future journeys to Mars. To fly these advanced payloads, engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are building a cone-shaped adapter that is key to SLS Block 1B.
The payload adapter, nestled within the universal stage adapter sitting atop the SLS Block 1B’s exploration upper stage, acts as a connecting point to secure a large payload that is co-manifested – or flying along with – the Orion spacecraft. The adapter consists of eight composite panels with an aluminum honeycomb core and two aluminum rings.
Beginning with the Artemis IV mission, SLS Block 1B will feature a new, more powerful upper stage that provides a substantial increase in payload mass, volume, and energy over the first variant of the rocket that is launching Artemis missions I through III. SLS Block 1B can send 84,000 pounds of payload – including both a crewed Orion spacecraft and a 10-metric ton (22,046 lbs.) co-manifested payload riding in a separate cargo compartment – to the Moon in a single launch.
Artemis IV’s co-manifested payload will be the Lunar I-Hab, one of the initial elements of the Gateway lunar space station. Built by ESA (European Space Agency), the Lunar I-Hab provides expanded capability for astronauts to live, work, conduct science experiments, and prepare for their missions to the lunar surface.
Before the Artemis IV mission structure was finalized, NASA engineers needed to design and test the new payload adapter.
“With SLS, there’s an intent to have as much commonality between flights as possible,” says Brent Gaddes, Lead for the Orion Stage Adapter and Payload Adapter in the SLS Spacecraft/Payload Integration & Evolution Office at NASA Marshall.
However, with those payloads changing typically every flight, the connecting payload adapter must change as well.
“We knew there needed to be a lot of flexibility to the payload adapter, and that we needed to be able to respond quickly in-house once the payloads were finalized,” says Gaddes.
The required flexibility was not going to be satisfied with a one-size-fits-all approach, according to Gaddes.
Since different size payload adapters could be needed, Marshall is using a flexible approach to assemble the payload adapter that eliminates the need for heavy and expensive tooling used to hold the parts in place during assembly. A computer model of each completed part is created using a process called structured light scanning. The computer model provides the precise locations where holes need to be drilled to hold the parts together so that the completed payload adapter will be exactly the right size.
“Structured light has helped us reduce costs and increase flexibility on the payload adapter and allows us to pivot,” says Gaddes. “If the call came down to build a cargo version of SLS to launch 40 metric tons, for example, we can use our same tooling with the structured light approach to adapt to different sizes, whether that’s for an adapter with a larger diameter that’s shorter, or one with a smaller diameter that’s longer. It’s faster and cheaper.”
NASA Marshall engineers use an automated placement robot to manufacture eight lightweight composite panels from a graphite epoxy material. The robot performs fast, accurate lamination following preprogrammed paths, its high speed and precision resulting in lower cost and significantly faster production than other manufacturing methods.
At NASA Marshall, an engineering development unit of the payload has been successfully tested which demonstrated that it can handle up to three times the expected load. Another test version currently in development, called the qualification unit, will also be tested to NASA standards for composite structures to ensure that the flight unit will perform as expected.
“The payload adapter is shaped like a cone, and historically, most of the development work on structures like this has been on cylinders, so that’s one of the many reasons why testing it is so important,” says Gaddes. “NASA will test as high a load as possible to learn what produces structural failure. Any information we learn here will feed directly into the body of information NASA has pulled together over the years on how to analyze structures like this, and of course that’s something that’s shared with industry as well. It’s a win for everybody.”
With Artemis, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before, learn how to live and work away from home, and prepare for future human exploration of the Red Planet. NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, exploration ground systems, and Orion spacecraft, along with the human landing system, next-generation spacesuits, Gateway lunar space station, and future rovers are NASA’s foundation for deep space exploration.
Jonathan DealMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034 jonathan.e.deal@nasa.gov
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BILLINGS — A former U.S. Postal Service employee admitted to a theft charge today after he was accused of stealing mail when he tried to sell $850 worth of sports cards to a Billings sports memorabilia business that had attempted to ship the cards to a different customer, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Zachary Louis Simpson, 37, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by employee. Simpson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Simpson was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between March 27, 2023 and April 3, 2024, Simpson was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and sorted packages at the mail facility in Billings. Simpson had access to and was entrusted with mail during his shifts at the sorting facility. While employed with the Postal Service, Simpson stole packages from the sorting facility and took them home. On March 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General was contacted regarding Simpson. A sports memorabilia business in Billings notified law enforcement that Simpson came into the store to sell $850 of sports cards. The company realized that it had recently attempted to ship those same cards to a different customer through the mail. An investigation determined that the packages containing these cards had transited the postal sorting facility in Billings on a date Simpson was working. Law enforcement conducted a trash pull at Simpson’s residence and found dozens of empty packages in his trash that were addressed to other people at different locations. Investigators executed a search warrant at Simpson’s residence and seized more than 100 additional empty packages that were not addressed to Simpson. Agents also recovered more than 10,000 sports trading cards and other memorabilia. The Postal Service contacted a number of the victims whose packages were found in Simpson’s possession. Many reported that their packages contained sports trading cards that never reached the intended destination.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, conducted the investigation.
XXX
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Fort Lauderdale, FL, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CentralReach, the leader in autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) care software announces the establishment of its exclusive strategic partnership with Dr. Thomas Frazier’s next generation assessment company, AI.Measures, the leader in evidence-based, norm-referenced assessments for child mental health, including behavioral intervention for autism. This collaboration will enable therapy providers to access AI.Measures’ innovative solutions, providing them the opportunity to begin to standardize the assessment process and receive treatment recommendations based on each patient’s characteristics.
Access will occur first on an exclusive, standalone basis through CentralReach and ultimately as an integrated solution within CentralReach’s Care360 platform. This groundbreaking feature ensures providers can leverage proprietary, evidence-based algorithms to deliver the appropriate level of care for each child – something no other autism assessment currently offers. This integration also paves the way for value-based care reporting and standardization, ensuring that therapy providers are in the driver’s seat when determining the appropriate treatment dosage for each patient.
“While there are many autism assessment tools in the market today, none have been designed from the ground up to provide detailed assessment results to drive both the customized care plan and the outcome expectation for the child. We acquired the ABLLS-R® and AFLS® assessments and SILAS™, our assessment driven platform for social emotional learning, executive function and vocational needs, to deliver on our vision that the assessment of an individual must be more comprehensive and holistic to create a plan that delivers the best outcome for each individual,” said Chris Sullens, CEO of CentralReach. “By combining AI.Measures’ scientifically validated multi-modal assessment platform with CentralReach’s powerful suite of clinical solutions, providers can finally have a complete picture of an individual’s needs, which will feed a comprehensive, customized care plan that will provide the best outcome for that individual in a way that current products on the market today cannot. For the past decade, this industry has been trying to solve for the eventual move towards true clinical quality metrics and ultimately value-based care delivery and reimbursement but didn’t have the data set or the tools to do it effectively. The integration of AI.Measures multi-modal autism assessment technology and CentralReach’s unparalleled data set and instructionally-designed curricula is a game changer that will allow our high-quality value-based vision to become reality.”
On top of the potential for value-based care measurement, the partnership’s integration into CentralReach’s CR Assessment platform also gives clinicians the ability to:
“The future of autism care lies in precision and standardization,” said Thomas Frazier, Ph.D., co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of AI.Measures. “With this partnership, we’re solving a fundamental challenge in the industry – ensuring providers have the right tools to assess skills and interfering behaviors and prescribe treatment based on the individual needs of each learner, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. As I was considering which autism and IDD care software vendor to work with, CentralReach was the right partner. Not only for their size, but also for the team behind the company which is continuously demonstrating its full commitment to making a positive difference on the autism and IDD community.”
Access to the AI.Measures platform will be available in Q1 2025, with deeper integration into the CentralReach platform planned for the second half of 2025. To learn more about the AI.Measures partnership with CentralReach and how it can benefit autism and IDD care providers, visit the partner page.
About CentralReach
CentralReach is the leading provider of autism and IDD care software, providing the only complete, end-to-end software and services platform that helps children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) – and those who serve them – unlock potential, achieve better outcomes, and live more independent lives. With its roots in Applied Behavior Analysis, the company is revolutionizing how the lifelong journey of autism and IDD care is enabled at home, school, and work with powerful and intuitive solutions purpose-built for each care setting.
Trusted by more than 185,000 professionals globally, CentralReach is committed to ongoing product advancement, market-leading industry expertise, world-class client satisfaction, and support of the autism and IDD community to propel autism and IDD care into a new era of excellence. For more information, please visit CentralReach.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
About AI.Measures
AI.Measures is a pioneer in multi-modal, standardized, norm-referenced assessments designed to assess symptom and skill patterns, optimize clinical planning, and support value-based care initiatives. Its solutions empower providers to make data-driven decisions that improve patient outcomes.
Source: Bundesbank
Check against delivery.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to be here with you today. What better place than Glasgow to discuss the economic impacts of climate change and the green transition! And not just because it played host to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Glasgow is also where Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, studied and taught as a professor. Have you ever wondered what he would have thought of climate change? As a famed free-market economist, he might not be the first person you would think of. But even Adam Smith acknowledged that the invisible hand can sometimes lead to suboptimal outcomes.
Climate change is a prime example of this: market prices do not reflect the negative side effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, it is now widely acknowledged that governments need to intervene and encourage individuals and companies to reduce their emissions.
Switching to a net-zero emissions economy is a major task. It requires changes in behaviour, innovation and significant investment to rebuild our capital stock. And this transition requires significant financing.
In my speech, I will explore what financing the transition to a greenhouse gas-neutral economy could look like. More specifically, I will focus on two key issues. First, how much investment is needed to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, and how much of this investment is “additional”? Second, what could the financing mix to fund this investment look like?
I know that answering these questions seems like a tough challenge – a taughy fleece tae scoor. But I will do my best to illustrate my points with clear, practical examples. Along the way, I will discuss electric cars and heating systems to help us understand the issues.
My remarks will focus on the European Union (EU), borrowing some detailed insights from Germany. Unfortunately, these data do not cover the United Kingdom (UK). But I will do my best to infer some insights for the UK as well.
Let me start with the question of how much the EU needs to invest to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality. The EU’s Fit for 55 package aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030. These reductions are benchmarked against 1990 emission levels. This is an intermediate step towards full greenhouse gas neutrality, for which the EU still needs to pass legislation.
From 2021 to 2030, the European Commission estimates that EU countries need to invest over €1.2 trillion annually.[1] This amounts to nearly 8 per cent of the EU’s GDP. The private sector must take on the bulk of these investments. The investment needs are significantly more than the actual annual investment of €760 billion in the previous decade.
The European Commission defines the difference between the investment required and the actual investment as the “additional” investment need. This additional investment need amounts to €480 billion, or around 3 per cent of GDP.
This definition of “additional” investment is very useful from an accounting perspective. It gives a clear picture of how much more the EU needs to invest to meet its climate goals. However, from a financing perspective, it helps to define additional investment differently.
There are two types of investment needed to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality. The first type is investment that would not happen without the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A prime example of this type of investment is technology to capture and store carbon dioxide. This technology will play a crucial role in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise. These investments need economic resources and financing beyond what an economy spends just to maintain its capital stock.
The second type is investment where a greenhouse gas-neutral alternative replaces a fossil fuel-based technology. To illustrate this point, imagine two households buying a new car. The Jones family spend €45,000 on a new combustion engine car. From a technical perspective, the Jones family are making a replacement investment. No additional financing is needed. Meanwhile, the Smith family decide to switch from a combustion engine car to an electric vehicle. Let us say a comparable electric car costs €50,000. Of this amount, €45,000 is a replacement investment. Only the remaining €5,000 requires additional financing.
Contrast this with how the European Commission defines additional investment: They subtract the annual average value of electric cars bought in the past from the value of electric vehicles needed to meet the EU’s intermediate greenhouse gas reduction goals. Past registrations of electric vehicles fell significantly short of what is needed. Accordingly, the additional investments, as defined by the European Commission’s accounting perspective, are presumably much higher than the additional financing needs.
How great could the additional financing needs be? While we do not yet have specific figures for the EU, there are some numbers for Germany. A recent study estimates that Germany needs to invest around €390 billion annually from 2021 to 2030 to reduce emissions by 65 per cent compared to 1990.[2] They measure this absolute sum in 2020 prices. Relative to GDP, the investment amounts to 11 per cent.
This is fairly close to the 8 per cent investment needs calculated by the European Commission for the EU.[3] However, only around 30 per cent of this investment requires additional financing. In absolute terms, this amounts to about €120 billion.
Let me pause for a moment to summarise the two key takeaways from my remarks so far. First, the transition to greenhouse gas neutrality calls for significant investment. However, in many cases, we are replacing fossil-based technologies with greenhouse gas-neutral alternatives. Accordingly, the additional financing needs are much smaller and seem manageable.
Second, we can minimise the additional financing needs by replacing already largely depreciated capital stock. By contrast, replacing relatively new capital stock that has barely depreciated would increase the economic and financial costs. Let me illustrate this point with a brief anecdote.
On 1 January 2024, the German government introduced a new law governing heating systems. In German, it is known by the beautiful name “Gebäudeenergiegesetz”. This law mandates that heating systems use around two-thirds renewable energy. In anticipation of this new law, many households replaced their old gas heating systems with new ones. These heating systems can run for around 25 years, so they depreciate over a long period.
Bad luck if you just installed a new gas heating system and live in the German city of Mannheim. Here, the local gas provider has said it intends to stop its services in 2035. This means that a long-term investment will become unviable when little more than half of it has depreciated: A waste of both financial and economic resources.
This anecdote highlights one key point: to avoid wasting money, we need a clear and reliable path to greenhouse gas neutrality. With a clear path mapped out, people can confidently invest in the transition.
Now, let us explore what the potential financing mix could look like. To achieve a greenhouse gas-neutral economy, households, firms and the public sector all need to invest. They can fund these investments using both internal and external sources.
As the name would suggest, internal financing comes from within. Like the Smith family putting aside some of their income to pay for their new car. Or think of a firm that sells its products and saves some of the profits. That is internal financing, too. External financing, on the other hand, comes from outside sources such as banks or investors.
Regarding their financing mix, households, non-financial firms and the public sector differ considerably. Households tend to save significantly and mainly use bank loans as a source of external finance. The public sector, on the other hand, raises most of its funds from external sources by issuing debt securities. Only firms have a more diversified financing mix. Equity and bank loans play prominent roles here. Note that these observations hold for the EU, the UK and Germany alike.
So, what might the financing mix for the transition to a greenhouse gas-neutral economy look like? To estimate these figures, we need two key components: First, the respective shares of households, firms and the public sector in total investment. According to rough estimates by Bundesbank staff for Germany, households might have to cover about one-third of the investment, the public sector around 20 per cent, and firms just under half.[4]
Second, estimates for the future financing structure of the sectors. We assume that future financing structures will remain unchanged from today.[5] This implies that past financing structures are suitable for future climate investment. If this were not the case, perhaps due to the need for innovative financing instruments, the financing structure may differ.
What result do we get when we combine the two components? For Germany, we estimate that about 20 per cent of the financing mix could come from internal financing, primarily household savings. In terms of external financing, bank loans might play the largest role. They account for over one-quarter of the estimated financing mix. Households in particular obtain almost all their external financing from banks.
The second-largest external financing source could be debt securities, accounting for around 20 per cent. The public sector plays a prominent role here, with funding coming almost exclusively from bonds. Finally, the third-largest external financing source could be equity financing, comprising around one-sixth. Firms are the only users of this financing source, as households and the public sector do not issue equity. Different instruments, like loans from non-bank financial intermediaries, might cover the final sixth of the overall investment needs.
So, what does this mean for the EU and the UK? Can the findings for Germany be generalised? Fortunately, the financing structures of households, firms and governments are largely comparable across these regions.[6] Therefore, one of the two components in the calculations is roughly equal.
The second component – the sectoral investment needs – is less certain. I am not aware of any studies for the EU or the UK that divide the investment needs across households, firms and the public sector.[7] Without a better alternative, the findings for Germany may provide a reasonable initial estimate for both the EU and the UK.
Let me summarise and conclude. I have three main takeaways to share.
First, “additional” investment needs to become greenhouse gas-neutral can also be defined from a financing perspective. In many cases, we are replacing fossil fuel-based technologies with greenhouse gas-neutral alternatives. And this requires additional financing only if greenhouse gas-neutral technologies are more expensive or if the capital stock being replaced is not yet fully depreciated. The additional financing needs are significantly smaller than the total investment required. Accordingly, I am confident that our financial system can mobilise the necessary financing.
Second, banks may play a larger role in financing the climate transition than is commonly anticipated. The main reason for this conclusion is that a substantial portion of climate investments falls on households. They need to make their homes more energy-efficient and replace fossil-fuelled heating systems with greenhouse gas-neutral alternatives. And households simply do not have many viable alternatives to bank loans.
Accordingly, a robust banking system is essential for achieving greenhouse gas neutrality. That is why we at the Bundesbank are committed to completing the European banking union. However, we also need to improve access to alternative financing sources. Non-financial firms, in particular, would greatly benefit from better capital market financing. That is why we at the Bundesbank are dedicated to creating a European capital markets union.
Third, legislators can minimise the additional financing needs by ensuring that the path to greenhouse gas neutrality is planned stringently and for the long term. Why? Because it provides incentives to avoid investments in fossil fuel technologies that may not be fully depreciated before they become non-viable.
Footnotes:
Source: Amnesty International –
Responding to news that Ugandan opposition politician and former presidential candidate for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party, Kizza Besigye, has gone on hunger strike and his health is deteriorating, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, said:
“Ugandan authorities must immediately respect the Supreme Court order, uphold the rule of law and stop trying civilians in military courts. The continued arbitrary detention of Kizza Besigye, FDC member Haji Obeid Lutale and their lawyer Eron Kiiza is an infringement on their rights to personal liberty under Uganda’s Constitution and international human rights law. The trio’s detention has no legal basis. This travesty of justice must stop.
Ugandan authorities must immediately respect the Supreme Court order, uphold the rule of law and stop trying civilians in military courts. The continued arbitrary detention of Kizza Besigye, FDC member Haji Obeid Lutale and their lawyer Eron Kiiza is an infringement on their rights to personal liberty under Uganda’s Constitution and international human rights law.
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for ESARO
The Supreme Court ordered that “all charges or ongoing criminal trials, or pending trials, before the courts martial involving civilians must immediately cease and be transferred to the ordinary courts of law with complete jurisdiction.”
This travesty of justice must stop.
Tigere Chagutah
“Amnesty International demands the immediate release of Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale due to the nature of their abduction and rendition, which clearly violated international human rights law and the process of extradition with its fair trial protections.
“Prison authorities must also release lawyer, Eron Kiiza, who the General Court Martial convicted of “contempt of court” and sentenced to nine months imprisonment without a fair trial. The authorities must stop targeting lawyers simply for doing their job.”
Background
On 16 November, Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale were abducted from Nairobi. They resurfaced on 20 November when they were arraigned in General Court Martial in Kampala, Uganda and charged with offences relating to security and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. They were remanded at Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Kampala, Uganda, where they are still detained even after the 31 January 2025 Supreme Court ruling that trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional. On 5 February 2025, lawyers of Kizza Besigye filed a petition in the High Court in Kampala to have him and Obeid Lutale produced before that court. On 7 February 2025, lawyers for Eron Kiiza, made a similar application for their client in the same court.
Source: Amnesty International –
Kizza Besigye, Haji Obeid Lutale and Eron Kiiza’s detention is a violation of international human rights law
Serious concerns over the deterioration of former presidential candidate’s Kizza Besigye’s health
‘The trio’s detention has no legal basis. This travesty of justice must stop’ – Tigere Chagutah
Responding to news that Ugandan opposition politician and former presidential candidate for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party, Kizza Besigye, has gone on hunger strike and his health is deteriorating, Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
“Ugandan authorities must immediately respect the Supreme Court order, uphold the rule of law and stop trying civilians in military courts.
“The continued arbitrary detention of Kizza Besigye, FDC member Haji Obeid Lutale and their lawyer Eron Kiiza is an infringement on their rights to personal liberty under Uganda’s Constitution and international human rights law. The trio’s detention has no legal basis. This travesty of justice must stop.
“The Supreme Court ordered that ‘all charges or ongoing criminal trials, or pending trials, before the courts martial involving civilians must immediately cease and be transferred to the ordinary courts of law with complete jurisdiction’.
“Amnesty demands the immediate release of Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale due to the nature of their abduction and rendition, which clearly violated international human rights law and the process of extradition with its fair trial protections.
“Prison authorities must also release lawyer, Eron Kiiza, who the General Court Martial convicted of “contempt of court” and sentenced to nine months imprisonment without a fair trial. The authorities must stop targeting lawyers simply for doing their job.”
Abductions from Nairobi
On 16 November, Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale were abducted from Nairobi. They resurfaced on 20 November when they were arraigned in General Court Martial in Kampala, Uganda and charged with offences relating to security and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. They were remanded at Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Kampala, Uganda, where they are still detained even after the 31 January 2025 Supreme Court ruling that trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional.
On 5 February 2025, lawyers of Kizza Besigye filed a petition in the High Court in Kampala to have him and Obeid Lutale produced before that court. On 7 February 2025, lawyers for Eron Kiiza, made a similar application for their client in the same court.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Barrington Coleman, Professor and Jazz camp instructor, Carleton University
The distinction given to the virtuoso — an artist recognized for exceptional skill and talent — is generated by their prominence and unique creative fortitude.
Through the ages and across genres, virtuosi have been revered for their ability to transcend technical limitations and transport audiences into new realms of musical experience.
Oscar Peterson’s artistic identity as a conveyor of compelling passion, expressive freedom and technical command of the piano through jazz improvisation became a beacon of inspiration among his contemporaries, across the spectrum of music.
Here, as a professor of vocal jazz studies at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and as a performing vocal artist, pianist, choral conductor, jazz and gospel artist, I reflect on elements that contributed to Peterson’s identity, distinctive sound and mission as a Black artist.
As a visiting instructor at Carleton University in Ottawa, I am pleased to present these thoughts in collaboration with my colleague, James Deaville, a musicologist who has researched virtuosity.
Peterson’s legacy stands as a bright beacon among the trailblazers in technical virtuosity and soulful expression.
Peterson, who was born in 1925 and passed away in 2007, was a foundational catalyst for new generational keepers of artistic excellence due to his tremendous range, from rhapsodic spontaneity to vulnerable tenderness.
This contributed to his iconic stature, globally evidenced in sold-out concert halls, filled jazz clubs and many commissioned works. His media personality and his television appearances, including performing his acclaimed composition “Canadiana Suite” in 1964, contributed to the pop culture of his generation.
I was delighted to visit Peterson’s home church in Montréal with my wife on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20.
Peterson established his musical heritage through the bonds of family and church in his childhood home of the Little Burgundy community in Montréal.
He did so as one of five siblings with his immigrant father and mother respectively from the British Virgin Islands and St. Kitts.
Founded in 1907, the Little Burgundy church home of the Petersons, Union United Church, still stands. It serves as a representation of faith-based progressive activism, social consciousness and a resource for the civility and human rights of its congregation. The church proudly displays its African and Afro-Caribbean heritage, and “continues to serve a diverse congregation with roots from over 50 countries.”
Throughout centuries, Black churches have intrinsically been linked to the core of community engagement, socialization, educational programs, political activism and such initiatives as job training and raising health-care awareness.
At Union’s observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, individuals spoke to the congregation and with me privately of their lifetime multi-generational sacrifices, accomplishments and efforts to combat racial injustice and employment inequities. These endeavours they undertook from their origin as a community of immigrants and parishioners of colour.
One meeting of great significance took place with Annie “Mildred” Rockhead, the sister-in-law of Rufus Nathaniel Rockhead (1896-1981), Jamaican-born entrepreneur and founder of the famed Rockhead’s Paradise Jazz Club in Little Burgundy.
Another was with Oliver Theophilus Jones, critically acclaimed African Canadian jazz pianist, composer and educator.
Notably, Jones, like Peterson, received musical tutelage under the accomplished Daisy Peterson Sweeney (1920-2017), Oscar’s sister.
Sweeney and Peterson’s father were his first musical teachers.
An amalgamation of concepts and cultural exposures established the platform for Peterson’s musical explorations. His training in western music theory and his immersion in Black vernacular traditions — comprising linguistic, oral and improvisational elements from Black cultural, popular and religious spaces, and music genres such as spirituals, gospel, blues and jazz — provided him with an expansive repertoire on which to build.
Pedagogic guidance with such mentors as Hungarian concert pianist Pauly de Marky and the influence of iconic jazz pianist Art Tatum also contributed to Peterson’s unique mix of virtuosic fluency.
Peterson absorbed a wide range of stylistic influences in tempos and dynamics into his prevailing spiritual core of swing and blues.
Peterson’s tutelage and cultural absorption contributed to an identifiable expressive voice of stylistic grace, impeccable command of his instrument and execution of spiritual freedom.
I refer to this freedom as the identity of Peterson’s interminable musical statement of “soulful swing.” It draws on blues from its historical roots of cries, moans, and smiles through tears, of the hope and joyful praise of gospel and the pride and grace of jazz. These may all be woven into a charismatic tapestry of rhapsodic virtuosity or solemn stillness.
In exploring Oscar Peterson’s encompassing discography, I reference two mesmerizing excerpts from the Solo recording, featuring solo piano renditions performed for live audience in 1972, released 2002.
Peterson’s performance of the classic Edward Heyman jazz ballad, “Body and Soul,” contains innovative depth, improvisatory brilliance and transportive eloquence. Through these elements, and its structural pace-setting, the performance may be aligned to some of great virtuosi of music history, including such masters of the piano as Franz Liszt, Vladimir Horowitz and another Canadian, Glenn Gould.
Each statement of the song is presented in incremental segments. We hear the mastery of harmonic inflection, dramatic flare — and elements of surprise. Peterson escorts the listener through multiple doors of rapture, humour, joy and personal tenderness.
“Hogtown Blues” presents Oscar’s rhythmically precise, memorable melody punctuated by harmonic “call and response” phrases raised out of the African American diaspora from secular work songs to sacred songs of faith, hope and praise.
Throughout each consecutive chorus, Peterson extends this lyrical simplicity into euphoric release by the application of virtuosic complexity in keyboard techniques. Yet, during this journey, the constant dance groove remains at the forefront of Oscar’s signature expressive voice — swing!
As Canada celebrates Black History Month and the centennial commemoration of Peterson, I am most inspired by Peterson’s own words about his “Hymn to Freedom,” originally featured on the Night Train album with the Oscar Peterson Trio.
Of the song, inspired by the words and life of Martin Luther King Jr., Peterson said:
“I wrote the song with hope because the lyrics personified exactly what I was thinking): ‘When every man joins hands and forever sings in harmony, that’s when we’ll be free.‘”
Today, Peterson’s stardom continues to resonate as one of the first world-renowned African Canadians. He set a path for many African Canadian artists of today like The Weeknd, Drake and hip-hop legend Maestro Fresh Wes, who paid tribute to Peterson in his 1991 track “Nothin’ at All.”
As one of our most prolific representatives of dignity, elegance and empowerment over adversity, Peterson’s artistic profile and lifetime achievement remain a legacy to cherish.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Oscar Peterson: Cherishing a legacy of technical virtuosity and soulful swing – https://theconversation.com/oscar-peterson-cherishing-a-legacy-of-technical-virtuosity-and-soulful-swing-247288
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
February 13, 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is joining Senate colleagues in introducing legislation that would prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from making arrests at sensitive locations like hospitals, schools, churches and courthouses in Oregon and nationwide.
“The Trump administration’s efforts to upend these policies not only goes against long standing precedent, but also threatens public safety,” Wyden said, noting that the Trump Administration last month unilaterally revoked those long standing protections for hospitals, schools, churches and courthouses.
“Arresting people in the security of their school, hospital, or church is cruel, inhumane, and unjust,” Wyden said. “If people are too scared to go to the doctor when they are sick, that puts our community at risk of illness. If people are too scared to report crimes to law enforcement, or go to a rape crisis center, that makes our community less safe. These raids are intended to instill fear and will do nothing to improve our broken immigration system.”
The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act would codify the Department of Homeland Security’s established policies to stop ICE from making arrests at essential service locations. In addition, the legislation would ensure immigrants can have access to education, criminal justice, and social services without fear of deportation.
The list of “sensitive locations” protected under this legislation includes, but are not limited to: medical treatment facilities and health care facilities of all types; public and private schools, early childhood learning centers, preschools, scholastic activities, and field trips; places of worship; federal and local courthouses; DMVs and social security offices; polling places; labor union halls; and several other locations that provide essential or emergency services to immigrant communities, such as rape crisis centers and homeless shelters.
In addition to Wyden, the legislation was introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and cosponsored by Senators Michel Bennet, D-Colo., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i, Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Brian Schatz, D-Hawai’i, Peter Welch, D-Vt., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Tina Smith, D-Minn.
The bill text is here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act to give low- and middle-income households enrolled in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) a 33 percent refundable tax credit to combat rising flood insurance premiums. FEMA’s risk assessment program, Risk Rating 2.0, has caused flood insurance premiums to skyrocket, leaving many Americans vulnerable, including thousands of Louisianans who have been forced to drop their policies.
“While we work to fix the broken National Flood Insurance Program, this tax credit provides relief to current policyholders struggling with skyrocketing premiums. It also provides a path for others to re-enroll in the program,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We must give Americans the ability to protect their families and homes.”
“Flood insurance is a critical safety net for families, but costs are going up and it’s harder and harder to afford,” said Senator Booker. “This bipartisan legislation will provide much needed relief by offering a tax credit to help people across the nation, particularly in New Jersey, who are struggling to keep up with rising flood insurance premiums. Protecting your family and your home shouldn’t be a luxury, and this bill is an important step toward making flood insurance more affordable for all Americans.”
The Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act will also direct the U.S. Treasury Secretary to establish a program where premiums can be paid in advance on behalf of taxpayers when premiums are due, benefitting families when they need it most.
Background
In 2024, Cassidy has delivered a series of speeches on the U.S. Senate floor calling for action on NFIP. Most recently, he highlighted the need for the Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit on the Senate floor.
In October 2024, Cassidy released a report outlining the current state of the NFIP and the issues that have led to skyrocketing premiums for millions of homeowners.
In January 2024, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on NFIP at the request of Cassidy. The hearing highlighted the urgent need for Congress to act and featured a Louisiana witness. Cassidy also participated in a roundtable hosted by GNO, Inc. and the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance before introducing the bill to hear from community leaders and advocates on the issue.
Cassidy traveled St. Bernard Parish in 2023 to talk with residents about their flood insurance premiums, recording the second episode of his series Bill on the Hill.
Source: United Nations – Geneva
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the fifth periodic report of Peru, with Committee Experts welcoming the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, while asking about the high percentage of the workforce in the informal sector and sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui region.
Michael Windfuhr, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights.
Karla Vanessa Lemus De Vásquez, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said the Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector. Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector?
Santiago Manuel Fiorio Vaesken, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said it was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse. What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and punish the perpetrators? What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence? What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools?
Concerning the informal sector, the delegation said Peru had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights. In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector.
The delegation said the State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished. The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025. Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue. There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted.
Luis Fernando Domínguez Vera, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles. To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022. At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty. The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes. Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Windfuhr thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue. The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders.
In his concluding remarks Mr. Domínguez Vera thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.
The delegation of Peru was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to conclude its consideration of the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom (E/C.12/GBR/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Peru (E/C.12/PER/5).
Presentation of Report
LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles. Approximately 99.8 per cent of inhabitants were currently covered by health insurance. Non-resident foreigners diagnosed with HIV or tuberculosis were authorised to enrol for insurance.
To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022. At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty. The Cooperation Fund for Social Development had intervened in 573 population centres, financing development projects, and there were also other programmes providing monetary incentives to vulnerable households. One programme benefited 1.5 million people in poverty in rural areas from 2019 to 2024, promoting access to health services, justice and development, financial inclusion, and education.
To ensure the prevention of forced labour, a new protocol against forced labour was approved in 2023, which committed public institutions to a comprehensive and multisectoral approach to cases of forced labour with a victim-centred approach. Since 2003, the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour had been working with public and private non-profit institutions on activities to prevent child labour. The national policy for the prevention and eradication of child labour was also being formulated. The child labour rate had been reduced by 5.8 percentage points from 2012 to 2023.
To prevent gender-based violence, the Ministry of Health had carried out training workshops and counselling sessions to promote healthy cohabitation for couples, and as of 2024, had trained 155,600 health professionals on the subject. As part of State nutritional programmes for pregnant women and children, half a million children aged up to 12 months and over 94,000 pregnant women were supported and around seven million home visits were made from February to November 2024.
To reduce gaps in educational performance, a sectoral policy to strengthen intercultural and bilingual education was being drawn up. To address school dropouts, since 2012, bicycle kits had been distributed to the poorest educational institutions in rural areas, and an intervention was created in 2018 to support river transport in the Amazon area. Both interventions benefitted more than 90,000 students.
With regard to drinking water and sanitation services, the Government had implemented various strategies to reduce issues related to access, quality and sustainability of drinking water and sanitation services in the country. The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation was developing two important drinking water, sewerage and wastewater treatment projects that would support access to these services for more than 83,000 people in Lima and Callo. In July 2024, the State approved a roadmap towards a circular economy in drinking water and sanitation, which would promote the efficient use of drinking water and the reuse of wastewater.
Peru remained firmly committed to becoming more sustainable. In 2024, environmentally friendly investment projects were launched in sectors such as mining, transportation, electricity, hydrocarbons, agriculture, sanitation and health.
The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes. Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. Further, the “alert service against racism” guided citizens on actions to be taken in the face of discrimination and the recently approved “Peru without racism 2030” strategy aimed to improve procedures to guarantee citizens timely attention to cases of ethnic or racial discrimination.
The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society. It had approved the National Multisectoral Human Rights Policy 2040, which aimed to achieve substantial progress in social inclusion and respect for human rights. The State would continue to work for the full exercise of economic, social and cultural rights for all people, with the national multisectoral human rights policy 2040 as a guide. The State’s multisectoral efforts to eradicate inequality and discrimination and the dialogue with the Committee would allow Peru to continue to implement the Covenant efficiently.
Questions by a Committee Expert
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said Peru’s Constitution covered economic, social and cultural rights in a comprehensive manner. How often was the Covenant used in court rulings? Were judges trained in Covenant rights? How did economic, social and cultural rights inform policy making? How was the national human rights institution dealing with economic, social and cultural rights and related complaints? Were rules regarding the election of the Ombudsman in line with the Paris Principles? Did the State party plan to ratify the individual complaints procedure for the Covenant and to revisit ratification of the Escazú Agreement?
The Committee was concerned by repeated declarations of states of emergency by Peru, including in connection with social protests. Also of concern was the frequent deployment of the armed forces during states of emergency and for domestic law and order tasks. There were multiple reports of violent suppression of protesters and other human rights violations occurring at protests in 2020 and 2023. What was the State party doing to prevent violence against and intimidation of protestors? The State had been criticised for describing protests as “terrorist activities”, a severe step given Peru’s strict anti-terrorism legislation. How did the State party plan to change discourse around protests? What was the intention of the new law on the control of the finances of civil society organizations?
Human rights defenders in Peru reportedly faced threats to their life and family, as well as intimidation and sanctions, particularly for activists protesting mining, oil, and agricultural projects. There had been an increase in murders of indigenous community leaders defending their territories. The Committee welcomed the State’s decision to finance an office to investigate abuse of human rights defenders. How many attacks against human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders, had the State party recorded? How would the State party prevent attacks against human rights defenders and delays in justice for victims?
How did the State party ensure free, prior and informed consent from indigenous communities for development projects and protection for indigenous territories? Mr. Windfuhr welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights. What were the sectors with the highest risks of human rights violations? How did the State party monitor human rights impacts in the extractive and agricultural sectors? What measures were in place to support small-scale indigenous farmers and indigenous peoples?
The Committee welcomed the State party’s national climate change adaptation plan and disaster preparedness activities. What progress had been made in meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets? Why had 38 new licences for the exploitation of hydrocarbons been granted? How did the State party control the impact of deforestation activities and hydrocarbon spillages? How did it assess its climate change adaptation projects? Several legislative decrees from 2013 to 2015 had weakened environmental regulation and oversight, preventing the imposition of fines on polluting companies. Were there plans to revise these?
Public spending in health, education and sport had increased up to 2018. How had spending progressed since then? Twenty-seven per cent of the population lived in poverty and five per cent in extreme poverty in 2022, compared to 20 and three per cent respectively in 2019. The tax system reportedly did little to alleviate poverty. How would the State party reform tax policies to reduce inequality and address poverty? Around one per cent of the population held one-third of the State’s income. How would the State party promote income equality and prevent corruption?
The Committee welcomed efforts to promote respect for the rights of women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons through national action plans. Several plans had terminated in 2021; had they been renewed? Was the State party planning new policies to sanction non-State actors that violated the rights of vulnerable groups?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Peru was a democratic State that respected human rights, and rejected allegations to the contrary. It did not persecute persons who expressed their opinions freely. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights had in 2024 noted the efforts that Peru had exerted to implement its recommendations related to the protection of the rights of protesters. In December 2022, a multi-sectoral commission was set up to address the needs of wounded persons and the family members of persons who had died in protests. An investigation had been carried out into incidents occurring during the 2022 and 2023 protests, and a directive had been developed to ensure appropriate human rights-based responses from the police to protests. A human rights office had also been established in the police force.
The procedure for electing the Ombudsman had not changed; it was determined by the Constitution. The Constitution stipulated that all international instruments ratified by Peru could be applied directly by the justice system. Peru was considering ratification of the Escazú Agreement.
Peru had established an intersectoral mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders and a platform through which human rights defenders could make complaints. Eight regional roundtables had been established on the protection of human rights defenders in areas in which they were active.
As part of actions under the national action plan on business and human rights, the State had trained 197 public and private sector workers on business and human rights and had developed a training programme for trade unions. Awareness raising campaigns on due diligence had also been developed.
The COVID-19 pandemic had increased poverty rates in Peru. The State party was collecting data to inform targeted policies to support vulnerable households. A multi-sectoral committee and strategy aiming to reduce urban poverty had been established. The Government was working to increase access to State services for low-income households. There were State benefits for early childhood, students, and households living in poverty. The State had also implemented a programme promoting access to school feeding programmes.
The “CONACOT” National Council on Discrimination was working to promote human rights and peaceful coexistence and assessing individual complaints related to discrimination. Awareness raising campaigns had been carried out to eliminate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. The Council had developed a platform for reporting discrimination and monitoring follow-up to cases.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on plans to address threats against human rights defenders from private actors; plans to develop a general anti-discrimination law; whether the State party had a system for monitoring recommendations from the treaty bodies; the contributions that civil society had made to the State party’s report; the standards in place to guarantee the right to free, prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples; steps taken by the Government to combat illegal mining, which had allegedly destroyed 30,000 hectares of forest and leaked large volumes of mercury into the Amazon River; measures to regularise the mining sector and ensure that legislative reforms did not promote impunity for illegal miners; progress made in implementing the national policy for persons with disabilities; reasons why the budget for supporting persons with disabilities had been reduced; barriers to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons; and plans to close down the Ministry for Women.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Peru had a law against acts of discrimination, which imposed punishments for perpetrators of such acts. All public policies and programmes promoted inclusion and the redistribution of wealth. The Ministry for Justice and Human Rights included a body that followed up on recommendations from human rights protection bodies, and a national digital platform had been set up to manage and monitor responses to these recommendations. There were national standards for free, prior and informed consent and judicial remedies were available in cases of violations of citizens’ rights.
Job centres matched job seekers’ skills to employers’ needs. Economic incentives and a range of other policies were in place to promote access to employment, including self-employment, for young persons living in poverty.
The Government had yet to decide whether to merge the Ministry of Women with other ministries. Whether or not the merger took place, the State would continue to implement this ministry’s mandate.
Questions by a Committee Expert
KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked whether the State party had updated the national action plan on forced labour and related strategies. What measures were in place to strengthen the capacity of the National Commission on Forced Labour? Current measures were reportedly not sufficient for promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities into formal employment. There were no sanctions for companies that did not respect disability quotas. What measures were in place to provide training on reasonable accommodation and ensure that workplaces were accessible?
The Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector. Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector? Temporary contracts could be renewed for up to five years for an unlimited number of times. Were there plans to reform legislation on temporary contracts to limit their use?
What criteria were used to establish and update the minimum wage? What measures had the State party taken to ensure appropriate oversight of the informal sector to prevent adolescents from engaging in dangerous work? How was the Government promoting trade union representation and informing workers about trade union rights? What sectors were restricted from engaging in strikes? How did the State party ensure effective protection from reprisals for strikers?
How did the State party ensure that social services had sufficient resources? The International Labour Organization had called for a comprehensive protection system for the unemployed. What progress had been made on its implementation?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said reports on the implementation of annual disability policies had been published by the State, including in Easy Read format. There were State programmes in place promoting persons with disabilities’ access to employment. A forum had been set up that displayed job information tailored to persons with disabilities, and job fairs for persons with disabilities were also held in various regions. The State party provided training to public officials and private sector employers on promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in workplaces and providing reasonable accommodation.
The State party had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights. In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector. Since 2021, the Directorate for the Settlement of Labour Disputes had conducted 213 interventions to settle disputes between employers and employees. There had been 17 trade unions established in the agricultural sector since 2021. Around 540,000 workers in Peru were affiliated with a union; affiliation with unions was voluntary.
The State party was drafting a new policy aimed at the eradication of forced labour and it hoped to conclude these efforts in coming weeks. Peru had developed three national action plans on combatting forced labour, the most recent of which ended in 2022. This plan had had a positive impact, with over 70 per cent of its measures having been effectively implemented. A national day for the eradication of forced labour had been established, and data collection on forced labour had been strengthened. Outreach on preventing forced labour was conducted nationally.
Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the number of people benefitting from programmes promoting employment of persons with disabilities; measures to resolve wage disputes involving persons with disabilities; disaggregated data on access to social services in the State party; plans to reform the pension system to make it more sustainable and to guarantee a minimum income for all older persons; measures to protect workers in the mining industry from acts of violence and intimidation; measures to ensure the traceability of illegally mined gold, prevent illegal mining, and provide remedies for harms caused; how the labour inspection system addressed the situation in remote areas; and protections for workers in the illegal mining sector.
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked about measures to guarantee access to protection and justice services for women victims of violence. To what extent had protective legislation been implemented? Why were acts of femicide and domestic violence still prevalent in the State party despite legislative developments? What measures were in place to tackle systemic sexual violence in schools, particularly in rural areas?
How would the State party effectively implement the prohibition of child marriage and make all such unions void? How would it tackle de-facto unions? What measures were in place to combat child labour in agricultural and mining sectors?
Was the State party planning to bolster protections against forced evictions? There was a clear disparity between social classes in terms of access to housing. How would the State party address this? How was it supporting access to water infrastructure in rural areas and preventing the contamination of water sources by extractive industries? Around 31 per cent of the population was exposed to heavy metal pollution in water sources. What measures were in place to combat overexploitation of natural resources by extractive industries?
What programmes were in place to combat malnutrition? How did the State ensure that indigenous communities could benefit from food distribution programmes? How was the Government tackling child malnutrition and anaemia? What measures were in place to bolster the national healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, and to combat the shortage of pharmaceutical products? How was the State party supporting access to quality mental health services in rural areas and preventing suicides, tackling HIV infections in indigenous communities, and combatting discrimination against persons suffering from HIV? How was it supporting access to contraception and abortions and preventing obstetric violence? What support systems were available for girls who were victims of rape and incest?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said in 2024, the Congress presented a bill to adapt the scope of Peruvian sign language and ensure public and private entities would provide for it. This was being carried out to enhance the implementation of Peruvian sign language.
Persons who were self-employed were included in the informal economy. The Ministry of Labour undertook different activities to ensure the self-employed could transit to a formal economy. Guidelines had been adopted to strengthen the production of formal and decent self-employment to guide actions to promote self-employment at all levels of Government.
The General Directorate of Employment had been looking at adolescents who worked for others to ensure decent working conditions for them and avoid the worst forms of child labour. The State had a model to identify and eradicate child labour. Peru dealt with cases identified in different authority areas. When it came to monitoring and oversight of children engaged in dangerous jobs, the National Labour Inspectorate had a special unit for child and forced labour. This meant there was detailed supervision by this unit that carried out investigations and checks to determine if any children or adolescents were involved in dangerous jobs.
Educational programmes were being implemented in rural areas, including a programme for secondary education with only part-time attendance. Another part-time educational programme was in place to promote the development of communities through different learning models. National legislation on union rights was in line with what was established with international fora, including the International Labour Organization. The Labour Inspection Unit had the ability and resources to ensure the existence of the right to strike, pursuant to Peruvian law and international standards. The Labour Inspectorate Service carried out monitoring and oversight activities to protect the rights of workers. The unit had made a significant step in putting in place the Trade Union Rights Unit. This team included inspectors who had specific training on cases relating to the right to strike.
Around 2,331 persons with disabilities were registered in the job centre of the Ministry of Labour in 2024 and 1,724 persons obtained an employment certificate. In 2024, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities investigated 105 public entities and 103 sanctions were issued due to non-compliance with the employment quotas. Around 90.7 per cent of the population had reported as having some kind of health insurance, with the figures being higher in rural areas.
It was difficult to access some of the most remote areas in the country. In these cases, a system of documentary checks was used to allow inspections to be carried out without physical visits. There was a database of indigenous communities, including qualitative and geographical information. This allowed different levels of Government to implement public policies for indigenous peoples and guarantee their rights.
Between 2017 and 2018, Peru changed its approach to combat corruption. Instead of doing this retroactively, it was now part of the comprehensive policy for integrity and combatting corruption. There were specialised prosecutors to deal with the scourge of corruption, and these cases were conducted independently, including in the cases of public officials.
A specialised justice system had been created in 2018 to punish any acts of violence against women by members of their families. Violence against women and girls had reached its most acute stage, which meant the need to adopt differentiated approaches. During the pandemic, a legislative decree was passed to guarantee protection measures to victims of gender-based violence. Several instruments had been passed to support women victims of violence. The Peruvian State would continue to try and tackle violence against women head on.
There were 60 services under the public prosecutor’s service, 25 of which were connected to legal aid under the specialised justice system. Numerous steps had been implemented to address the issue of femicides. One of the main leaps forward was the implementation of the national system of justice for protection. Furthermore, the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations had a direct link to victims of femicide and their family members through the support centres which had been created to tackle emergency situations. Steps had been taken to try and establish support campaigns for victims of femicide within these centres. A mobile application provided information on services for gender-based violence and could be used to privately contact a platform for help and share location to trusted contacts. Medical and psychological assistance was provided to child victims of femicide on an individual and monthly basis.
The Peruvian State was committed to reducing the levels of social tolerance to victims of violence in Peru. The high levels of violence against children in the Amazonas region was a priority for the State, and there were multiple challenges in this regard. Since August 2024, the State had adopted the plan to address sexual abuse against children and adolescents in the Condorcanqui in the Amazonas area; 607 teachers had reports of sexual violence levied against them. In 2022, a pact was introduced for indigenous youth, which included specific activities for implementation in the Amazonas area. In 2024, training was carried out for indigenous women to enhance their leadership and organizational skills.
The State had adopted a law to prohibit the marriage of children. Any minor had the ability to request the annulment of a marriage contracted prior to the law entering into force. There were no registered cases of child marriage.
A decree had been approved promulgating a social housing rule. The law on buildings in rural areas had been amended, and the building of social housing was promoted to make up for the housing shortages. Progress had been made in recent years, in water and sanitation, including decreasing the gap between rural and urban areas.
Questions by Committee Experts
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for more information about activities relating to illegal mining and deforestation. Corruption could have a significant impact relating to the implementation of all public policies. What challenges did the State face when combatting corruption? What measures were being taken to combat corruption?
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said corruption was a major issue when it came to land transfers. How was the State able to control corruption in these cases? How could labour rights be controlled everywhere if officials could not travel there? How did the written submissions work?
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said more than 300 persons of Peruvian nationality were being detained in the United States, awaiting deportation. A growing number of Peruvian nationals had been deported already and others were leaving the country. What measures had the Government put in place to receive these persons and re-include them in society?
An Expert asked how the system was monitored to ensure the water supply complied with national standards, considering the difficult geographic conditions mentioned?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there was a legislative framework which had been harmful to economic, cultural and social rights. Peru was a sovereign State which respected international human rights law. Standards and rules were approved via a legislative process befitting of a democratic State. If there were any rules which ran counter to any treaty or agreement, they could be called into question. There was a national oversight mechanism.
The Government was fighting corruption head on. There had been a change of approach in the State to a preventive approach, and there was now a special unit on corruption which guided national policy in this area. The geography of Peru meant that the State was dealing with certain idiosyncrasies.
Illegal mining was a crime defined in Peru’s Legal Code. Small-scale mining was being formalised and there was an associated extraordinary process and specific decrees which defined this activity as one taken in a non-prohibited area. Peru currently had a health directive and multisectoral plan to deal with people who had been exposed to heavy metals and other toxins. Steps had been taken to identify the early steps of lead poisoning within the community. Peru guaranteed the exercise of consultation and there was a technical body specialised in this area; 98 prior consultation processes applying these provisions had been held.
There had been a significant increase in cases of mental health since 2018. Steps had been taken to ensure harmonious cohabitation and avoid inter-family violence. In Peru, domestic violence was a major problem, and as such psychological support was being provided to victims of violence. Steps were also being taken to create safe environments to prevent risk, and roll out campaigns for girls and women in the field of mental health. The State rolled out a multisectoral plan to prevent teenage pregnancy, which had yielded significant results. A technical guide had been developed for therapeutic abortion before 22 weeks.
There was a group that contacted nationals who had been deported under the migration policy of the United States to ensure they were provided with basic services.
Questions by a Committee Expert
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for details on public spending in 2024 and plans for 2025 earmarked for education? There had been reports of a drop in the quality of education in Peru. What measures had the State taken to reverse the deterioration in levels of reading among primary school students? Recently, the Ministry of Education through its website revealed more than 19,000 cases of violence reported in schools. What specific measures was the State planning to take in this regard? Were there protocols or procedures in place to respond to these cases?
It was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse. What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and to punish the perpetrators? What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence? What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools?
The Committee was aware of the prohibition of using pupils in the education system to promote any political beliefs and aims. How was it guaranteed that teachers did not politically manipulate pupils? Were teacher salaries in Peru competitive? How did they compare to the minimum or average wage in Peru? There had been public criticism about the school meal programme, Qalia Warma, including that children did not receive enough nutrients. There had been cases of using horse meat instead of meat, offal, and food which was mouldy or contained vermin faeces. Would there be changes made to this service? How was the distribution of these foods monitored? Had the State identified the companies which provided the substandard foods? Did they still hold contracts with them? What steps had been taken to ensure accountability of the State authorities responsible? What would be done to ensure that this did not happen in the future?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the State of Peru rejected all forms of violence, particularly against children. The State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished. The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress, to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. Sampling of HIV and syphilis had been carried out in more than 30 indigenous communities. There were 18 local authority protection networks in place.
The feeding programme provided food to 18 residential facilities and more than 30,000 students benefitted in the Condorcanqui province. The State provided technical assistance to operators working in rural areas. Care had been provided to 100 communities that benefitted from a mobile justice system. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025. Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue. There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted.
In 2025, there was a planned budget for education for over 49 billion Solis. In 2022, steps had been taken to close the digital gap in rural and urban areas in primary and secondary schools. Mobile educational material and digital content gave teachers and students the opportunity to learn in different contexts.
Punishment had been issued for workers who had allegedly been involved in corruption in the Qali Warma school food programme. Reports had been lodged with the prosecution service to ensure legal steps were taken against workers and providers. Those who had breached agreements were to be held to account. There was a focus to prevent corruption and there were channels to report this.
Questions by a Committee Expert
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked if justice settings provided translation in the original languages of Peru? To what extent could parents have influence in the drafting of the school curriculum? What measures was the State offering to provide comprehensive sexual reproductive education?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were hubs where culturally sensitive advice was provided free of charge. There were more than 600 cultural hubs throughout the country. Programmes had been launched at schools to prevent teenage pregnancies.
Closing Remarks
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue. The Committee’s concluding observations aimed to provide constructive feedback. The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders. It was important for the State to reduce fear and complications around civil society to improve the outcome on economic, social and cultural rights.
LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Peru was a democratic State that respected the rule of law and allowed anyone to express their beliefs. Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.
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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.
CESCR25.003E
Source: United Nations – Geneva
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka, with Committee Experts praising the State’s national action plan on women, peace and security, and raising questions about the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, which permitted child marriage, and domestic violence.
One Committee Expert said the national action plan on women, peace and security was a positive step in addressing the needs of women in conflict. Were there plans to conduct a mid-term assessment of the plan?
Yamila González Ferrer, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act was amended in 2022, but there were still concerns about elements of the law. Were there plans to further amend the law, including to ban child marriage?
Another Committee Expert said at least one in five women in Sri Lanka had experienced violence from an intimate partner, and many did not report it. What was the timeline for adopting proposed amendments to the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act? What protections were provided to women victims of violence?
Introducing the report, Saroja Savitri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said the Sri Lankan Government was committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality. This review held particular significance, as it was the country’s first engagement with an international human rights treaty body since the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024.
Ms. Paulraj said Sri Lanka’s first national action plan for women, peace and security for 2023 to 2027 had been launched. The Government was committed to realising the full promise of the women, peace and security agenda. The delegation added that the action plan addressed displacement, and women’s protection, security and participation in peacebuilding. The State party was planning to conduct a review of the implementation of the action plan.
On the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, the delegation said the Government had conducted consultations regarding its amendment. It was trying to strike a balance between women’s and children’s rights and cultural rights. Ms. Paulraj added that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus had suggested setting a minimum age for marriage and establishing a multi sectoral committee to address this issue.
On domestic violence, the delegation said the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act had been amended; the amended Act would come into force this year. The Assistance to Victims Act underlined the rights of victims to be treated with respect and privacy, and to request legal, medical and psychosocial assistance. A toll-free hotline operated by female officers was available for reporting domestic violence.
In closing remarks, Ms. Paulraj said the Sri Lankan Government had undertaken significant efforts to strengthen women’s empowerment. It was fully committed to addressing the issues that women faced in the State and would continue to engage with the Committee constructively.
In her concluding remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said that the State party had shared candidly and transparently the progress made and difficulties it was facing. She commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all Sri Lankan women and girls.
The delegation of Sri Lanka consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs; Attorney General’s Department; Sri Lanka Police; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism; and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Sri Lanka at the end of its ninetieth session on 21 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to consider the sixth periodic report of Liechtenstein (CEDAW/C/LIE/6).
Report
The Committee has before it the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka (CEDAW/C/LKA/9).
Presentation of Report
SAROJA SAVITRI PAULRAJ, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said the Sri Lankan Government was committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality. This review held particular significance, as it was the country’s first engagement with an international human rights treaty body since the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024 and the formation of the new Government in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was proud to have a member from Sri Lanka in the Committee, Rangita de Silva de Alwis. Her contribution to this Committee’s work was highly appreciated.
Ms. Paulraj said she was the first Tamil Member of Parliament elected from the Southern Province, which had a predominantly Sinhala community. Women’s representation in Sri Lanka’s Parliament had risen from 4.8 to 9.7 per cent with the election of 22 female members in November 2024. These women included individuals from the working class and marginalised communities, including, for the first time in history, two women from the Malayaga community.
Sri Lanka was proud to have its third female Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. One of the Government’s key electoral pledges had been to ensure the equal representation of women in Government. Appointing a woman to the post of Deputy Chairman of Committees of Parliament for the first time was another milestone. The Sri Lankan judiciary also had a high percentage of women at senior levels. Thirty-two per cent of Ambassadors in Sri Lanka were women. Across all levels of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic service, women were in the majority. During the reporting period, Sri Lanka Police appointed four female Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the first female Director of the Criminal Investigation Department. Many women had been appointed to the Government’s decision-making councils, commissions and boards.
The Government had made a policy commitment to reduce the burden of unpaid care work for women. Women played a crucial role in driving the economy in Sri Lanka, with their contributions being essential in generating income across key sectors. Women made up most of the workforce in industries such as garments, plantations, and as migrant workers. For the first time, a woman had been appointed as the Chairperson of the Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters Association in the corporate sector.
The Government had introduced several initiatives to support economic recovery and empower citizens, particularly focusing on women and youth. One notable proposal was the establishment of a new development bank aimed at providing new entrepreneurs, including rural and disadvantaged women, with loans without the requirement for collateral. The Sri Lanka Women’s Bureau was the national mechanism implementing projects and programmes for the social and economic development of women from national to grassroots level.
The Women Empowerment Act of 2024 introduced mechanisms to give effect to the obligations undertaken by Sri Lanka in relation to the Convention, and defined women’s right to equality and non-discrimination. A key component of this Act was to establish an independent National Commission on Women, and to provide provisions for the appointment of a Woman Ombudsperson on ensuring women’s rights and setting up a National Fund for Women.
The Land Development (Amendment) Act of 2022 had brought in provisions to ensure gender equality and non-discrimination in land inheritance. The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus had suggested setting a minimum age for marriage and establishing a multi sectoral committee to address this issue.
Addressing sexual and gender-based violence was a key priority for the Government. It would establish mechanisms to prioritise and expedite the resolution of cases involving sexual offences against women and minors, ensuring that victims received timely redress. The progress review of the first national action plan to address sexual and gender-based violence for the period 2016-2020 found a 70 per cent level of implementation. Thereafter, a second plan for the period 2024-2028 was launched in 2024. This plan focused on prevention programmes in schools, places of work, and community-based initiatives, as well as programmes on engaging men to address gender-based violence.
Children and Women Desks had been newly established in police stations, and the Government would also double the allocation for 2025 for the establishment and expansion of shelter homes for women.
Sri Lanka’s first national action plan for women, peace and security for 2023 to 2027 had been launched. The action plan was developed through an inclusive process of broad consultations with survivors of conflict and vulnerable women and children. The Government was committed to realising the full promise of the women, peace and security agenda.
Technology-facilitated gender-based violence was another pressing challenge that Sri Lanka was facing. The Government was working to implement stronger laws and policies to protect individuals from privacy violations, online stalking, and hate speech. Sri Lanka was a party to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which focused on addressing online and technology-facilitated violence against women. The Online Safety Act of 2024 aimed to protect the vulnerable sections of the society in line with international standards.
Sri Lanka was committed to upholding human rights, gender equality, and social justice. Its foremost priority was to ensure that no one was left behind. Sri Lankan women had been active participants in the country’s development agenda and the Government was committed to addressing existing challenges and supporting women to carry out this role.
Questions by Committee Experts
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that Sri Lanka’s Constitution established that all persons had the right to live free from discrimination. However, this was not yet a reality. Sri Lanka was in the process of drafting a new Constitution. Were there plans to incorporate the rights of women and girls into the Constitution? Proposals had been made to reform criminal laws to remove discriminatory provisions affecting women related to marriage. What progress had been made in this regard?
The national human rights institution had “A” status under the Paris Principles. What actions had it implemented to protect women’s rights? Were its complaints mechanisms effective? Were there plans to update the national action plan on human rights? There were several obstacles limiting the capacity of the judicial system to protect women affected by sexual and gender-based violence and domestic violence. How was the State party strengthening the judiciary and reducing trial times?
The death penalty was legal in Sri Lanka. Although there was a de facto moratorium in place, courts continued to sentence women to death, often not considering mitigating circumstances such as gender-based violence. Could the State party provide data on women sentenced to death? Had the Convention been invoked before the courts?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that the Constitution guaranteed the right to non-discrimination. Violations of fundamental rights could be brought before the Supreme Court, which had drawn reference to the Convention in some of its determinations. In one case, it had held that equality could be seriously impaired when women were subjected to workplace gender-based violence. The Women’s Commission was mandated to introduce mechanisms to give effect to Convention obligations.
There were several mechanisms in place facilitating access to justice. The Legal Commission of Sri Lanka provided free legal services to citizens who had incomes of less than 40,000 rupees. This threshold did not apply for cases of a domestic nature. The Human Rights Commission and the Women’s Commission were empowered to receive complaints related to human rights violations directly from victims, investigate the matter, and make recommendations. Financial assistance and counselling were provided to women victims of violence. The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act allowed for victims to make complaints directly to the police.
Sri Lanka had maintained a moratorium on the death penalty since 1978. The Supreme Court had intervened in the past to prevent the death penalty from being carried out. A recent amendment to the Penal Code increased the minimum age from which the death penalty could be applied from 16 to 18 years.
Many efforts had been made to implement the Committee’s previous concluding observations. The Government had established a coordinating committee to follow-up on the Committee’s concluding observations, in collaboration with civil society. In 2022, legislation on marriage and divorce was amended to remove all provisions permitting the marriage of a minor with parents’ permission. Legislation on inheritance had also been revised to remove its gender components.
Questions by Committee Experts
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act was amended in 2022, but there were still concerns about elements of the law addressing abortion and rape. Were there plans to further amend the law? Was work underway to ensure that authorities could mainstream a gender perspective in measures promoting access to justice?
Another Committee Expert congratulated the Government on appointing a woman Prime Minister. Ms. de Silva’s contributions enriched the Committee. The national action plan on women, peace and security was a positive step in addressing the needs of women in conflict. However, challenges remained in this field. Were there plans to conduct a mid-term assessment of the plan? How would the Government ensure accountability for past conflict-related gender-based violence and ensure the rights of victims to protest and mourn publicly?
Non-governmental organizations faced financial and regulatory obstructions. How would the State party support women human rights defenders and remove restrictions on the activities of civil society?
One Committee Expert welcomed measures for increasing the political representation of women, but said the Committee was concerned by the low level of representation of women in public and private life. She commended the quota of 25 per cent representation for local government bodies, but said this was not in line with the Committee’s recommendation of 50 per cent representation. The Expert further commended an initiative to enhance the incomes of women in the agricultural sector. Had this initiative been successful? What affirmative actions had been implemented in other sectors?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government had conducted consultations regarding the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. It was trying to strike a balance between women’s and children’s rights and cultural rights, and was working to ensure that the law reflected the views of the people. There was constant training of police officers and the judiciary on the Convention. Persons who caused a woman to miscarry, except to save the life of the woman, were punished, but the Government was considering legal amendments in this regard.
Sri Lanka’s civil society had made important contributions to the protection of human rights. The window in which civil society could challenge bills had been extended from seven to 14 days. Freedom of expression, speech and assembly were protected in the Constitution. The Government was committed to protecting the freedom of expression of civil society. It had simplified administrative requirements for registering non-governmental organizations. Regulatory measures were needed to prevent non-governmental organizations from engaging in money laundering and financing of terrorism. Complaints could be made regarding infringements of the rights of human rights defenders to the Supreme Court, the National Police Commission, the Women’s Ombudsperson, and the Human Rights Commission, which had produced guidelines on the protection of human rights defenders.
Women were selected to leadership roles on public bodies on merit. Their representation was improving. Sri Lanka had had the world’s first woman Prime Minister. There was no quota for appointments to roles in the public sector, but over 50 per cent of prosecutors were women. The Government had conducted several awareness raising campaigns encouraging women’s participation in public life. Diploma programmes were developed to train women to participate in political roles, and a forum had been held to advocate for increased representation of women in trade unions. Leadership courses had been held for minority women. Women’s representation in local government had risen to 25 per cent in 2018, thanks to the quota enacted in 2017. The Government aimed to increase the representation of women in Parliament and provincial councils to 30 per cent.
The women, peace and security action plan addressed displacement, and women’s protection, security and participation in peacebuilding. A steering committee had been established to implement the plan and make policy recommendations. The State party was planning to conduct a review of the implementation of the action plan.
The Government was developing a truth and reconciliation process that had the people’s trust. The Office for Reparations had reviewed more than 6,000 complaints, tracing around 180 missing persons and helping over 4,000 families to access remedies. Investigation results were accessible to the public. The national reparations policy was tabled in Parliament in 2022. It included provisions for memorialisation. The Office provided livelihood support, land rights, housing, psychosocial support and measures to prevent violence. Payments had been provided for over 11,000 individuals across various categories. An independent body had also been established to conduct investigations into historic violations.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert congratulated Sri Lanka on having the first female Prime Minister in the world and on electing its third female Prime Minister. The State party needed to consider temporary special measures such as quotas to improve women’s representation in various fields. Would the State party increase its 25 per cent quota for Parliament and other bodies?
Another Committee Expert said gender stereotypes perpetuated inequalities in Sri Lanka. What actions had been taken by the State party to promote gender equality in school curricula and tackle gender stereotypes? What was the timeline for amending the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act to ban child marriage?
At least one in five women in Sri Lanka had experienced violence from an intimate partner, and many did not report it. Women who sought justice faced discriminatory treatment in the judicial system. What was the timeline for adopting proposed amendments to the Domestic Violence Act? How would the State party address barriers to women victims accessing justice? Were gender courts available in rural areas? What protections were provided to women victims of violence? Courts did not recognise marital rape and girls over age 16 were not protected from statutory rape. How would the State party ensure that all girls without exception were protected from rape?
One Committee Expert welcomed the national action plan to combat trafficking, the Witness Protection Act, and a fund to compensate victims of violence. Was the unit working to prevent trafficking a militarised unit? Most persons trafficked to the Middle East were female domestic workers. Traffickers recruited women and girls from rural areas and forced them to work in the commercial sex industry in urban areas. Law enforcement lacked proper training on identifying trafficking. What measures were in place to ensure the protection of victims who reported trafficking crimes? Were there efforts being made to reduce the evidence threshold for declaring trafficking crimes? How did the State party ensure that victims of trafficking were not criminalised? Did police officers receive training on trafficking and labour rights?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act had been amended and would come into force this year. The Assistance to Victims Act provided for the establishment of a national authority for the protection of victims and witnesses. It underlined the rights of victims to be treated with respect and privacy, and to request legal, medical and psychosocial assistance. Female victims could request investigating officers of a particular gender.
The police had implemented specialised protective units and a targeted programme that encouraged increased reporting of domestic violence and reduced death rates. A toll-free hotline operated by female officers was available for reporting domestic violence.
The National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce coordinated police actions to investigate trafficking in persons. The Taskforce included members of various Government departments; it was not a militarised entity. There was also an anti-trafficking desk within the Ministry of Defence. The Government operated a shelter for female victims of trafficking, which provided health, food and other support services. Awareness raising campaigns on the importance of reporting trafficking crimes were in place. Trafficking in persons was an offence in the Penal Code. Persons who committed or conspired to commit trafficking offences were liable for a penalty of between three to 15 years imprisonment.
Persons who committed rape were punished with imprisonment for no less than seven years, or no less than 15 years when the victim was under 16. A man who had a non-consensual sexual relationship with a woman who was formerly his wife was criminalised.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert asked whether marital rape had been criminalised, and if not, when it would be. Were there plans to provide specific services for victims of technologically-assisted gender-based violence and to provide training to stakeholders on this issue?
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, asked how awareness raising campaigns promoted the rights of women in vulnerable situations.
Another Committee Expert said that in 2023, 51 per cent of harmful speech online targeted women. Women’s rights groups and even the Prime Minister were targeted by online hate speech. How did legislation protect women and rights groups online? Some social media platforms had not removed harmful content due to high thresholds for removal. Did the State party plan to hold these platforms to account to protect women? Thirty-two per cent of Ambassadors were female, though women made up more than half of the foreign service. How would the State party support women to become Ambassadors? Many transgender women faced barriers in accessing residence certificates and the right to vote. How was the State party addressing these barriers?
Another Committee Expert said Sri Lankan women who married foreigners faced barriers in passing their nationality to their children. What measures were in place to ensure that women could transmit their nationality on par with their male counterparts? Tamil women, women in rural zones, and displaced women often lacked documentation to prove their nationality. Lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women faced discrimination from police and confronted obstacles in obtaining gender recognition papers. Children born to foreign parents did not obtain Sri Lankan nationality, raising issues of statelessness for plantation workers. How was the State addressing these issues?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said statutory rape was currently rape of persons aged up to 16 years. Marital rape was not currently criminalised. The Online Safety Act aimed to promote safety for women and girls online. The Cybercrime Investigation Unit was tasked with handling all cyber-related complaints, including those related to sexual and gender-based violence and online child exploitation. It acted swiftly to remove harmful online content, including from social media platforms. Women could submit complaints of online abuse through email and hotlines. The Act established an independent Online Safety Commission that could issue directives to internet service providers, requiring them to respond to discriminatory online acts. The Commission could also disable users, remove offending content, and seek internet intermediaries to disclose the identities of offenders.
Women played a significant role in diplomatic representation at all levels. They accounted for more than 50 per cent of diplomatic mission staff, so it was likely that women would account for more than 50 per cent of Ambassadors in future.
Freedom of expression was recognised in the Constitution, but this right was not without limitation. It could not be used to infringe on the rights of others. Hate speech against political candidates could be reported to the Elections Commission, as well as the Women’s Commission and the Human Rights Commission.
The conferment of citizenship was previously linked to fathers in legislation; however, this had been amended to allow for citizenship to be conferred by both parents. Citizenship could be provided to stateless children by the State. There was no legal impediment to persons obtaining birth certificates. Tamils of Indian origin would be recognised as Sri Lankan citizens. The Government was considering programmes to provide permanent residency to members of the Malayaga community, and the members of Parliament from this community could take up this issue in the legislature. There were measures to identify stateless children and register them. Mobile units were in place that supported birth registration for families living on plantations.
The family background report system had been criticised as being discriminatory, placing the burden of childcare on women. In 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers removed the mandatory family background report for women seeking work abroad and lowered the age limit for them. The Government was supporting access to caretakers for children aged two and above. It sought to support both women and men to seek work overseas without compromising their family’s welfare.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert asked whether the Online Services Act was effective. Had there been any prosecutions under it? What was the State party doing to implement local elections, which had not been held since 2018, and to support women’s participation in those elections?
A Committee Expert asked whether the period of free birth registration would be extended.
One Committee Expert said Sri Lanka had made achievements regarding girls’ education. Girls’ literacy rate was over 90 per cent, which was much higher than many other countries in the region. However, child marriages remained a challenge in rural communities and were a major reason for girls dropping out of schools. The COVID-19 pandemic also affected girls in rural areas, as they had limited opportunities to participate in online education. The computer literacy rate on plantations was less than half that of other regions.
Stereotypes hindered the access of Muslim women and girls to education. What measures had the State party taken to combat dropouts of girls in primary and secondary education? What measures were in place to promote gender mainstreaming in education? How did the State party ensure that girls of all religions could access education? What activities were carried out to prevent stereotypes in education?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Online Safety Act was a new law. There had yet to be prosecutions under the law. The related Commission would soon be set up and would be able to investigate complaints.
Every citizen over the age of 18 who was qualified to be an elector could become one. Sri Lanka had established an independent Election Commission that could investigate complaints of violations and issue sanctions. The Supreme Court had upheld the right to vote and held that any impediment to such was a violation. The law on local government elections was being revised; once this had concluded, local elections could be held.
The education system was committed to ensuring equal access for all students, regardless of gender. The provision of free school meals and textbooks allowed for girls from poor families to pursue their education. The State party was committed to reducing the burden that education placed on parents. Education was compulsory until age 16. An initiative to provide girls with sanitary pads was implemented in 2024, benefitting 800,000 girls. Scholarships were provided to girls from low-income families to participate in technology studies. There had been an increase in the share of girls participating in science, technology, engineering and maths courses in university in recent years; the share was currently 37 per cent.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended the State party for establishing sexual harassment committees and creating a labour complaints mechanism. Most women worked in the informal sector, where they lacked labour rights and were vulnerable to abuse. Many informal sector workers lacked access to social security, leave and childcare services. What measures were in place to protect the rights of women in the informal sector? Did the State party plan to establish mechanisms to allow domestic workers to seek redress in cases of abuse? Were there plans to extend paid maternity leave to at least 14 weeks and promote shared parental leave? Were there plans to ratify International Labour Organization Conventions 181, 189 and 190? The number of Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers had increased in recent years. These workers often faced abuse from their employers. How were these workers informed about their rights and protected from abuse?
Another Committee Expert commended Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening public health care. Persistent barriers obstructed women’s sexual and reproductive health rights. How would State policies address these barriers? Restrictive laws forced many women to resort to unsafe abortions. What steps had been taken to ensure women’s safe access to abortion? What measures were in place to prevent forced sterilisation and ensure informed consent? Girls faced challenges in accessing information on contraception, leading to high rates of early pregnancies. What measures were in place to reduce early pregnancies? Many schools in rural areas lacked proper sanitation facilities, forcing girls to miss school during menstrual periods. There was also a very high tax of 47 per cent on menstrual products. How was the State party supporting access to sanitation facilities and menstrual products for women and girls?
Female genital mutilation continued to be practiced in some Muslim communities. There was no law criminalising female genital mutilation in Sri Lanka. When would one be developed? What awareness raising campaigns on female genital mutilation were in place? Some women experienced obstetric violence during childbirth. Did the State party intend to implement measures to prevent such practices?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said women spent more time than men in unpaid domestic work in Sri Lanka. The Government had taken steps to train care workers to improve the availability of childcare and disability care services for working mothers and reduce the burden of unpaid care work. Sri Lanka was interested in ratifying International Labour Organization Convention 190. The necessary amendments had been incorporated into legislation. The State had also implemented policies to promote women’s employment. The Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment was conducting consultations with stakeholders to strengthen protections of Sri Lankan domestic workers overseas. The Women’s Empowerment Act aimed to address the gender pay gap.
Taxes on sanitary products and baby formula had been removed. Budgetary allocations had been ensured for sexual and reproductive health services across the country. All students from sixth grade received sexual and reproductive health education, which addressed preventing unwanted pregnancies. Medical practitioners who practiced or promoted female genital mutilation were sanctioned. There were no specific offences on female genital mutilation or obstetric violence, but these acts were prohibited under general legislation on violence.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert commended the State party on working to ensure the empowerment of women and girls through the rural employment programme and programmes on digital transformation. What concrete actions were being taken to ensure that vulnerable women and girls were aware of the economic empowerment policies in place? How was the State party preventing the abuse of women by financial institutions and regulating lending practices? Had the State party assessed fiscal reforms and their impacts on the rights of women and girls? How was the State party mitigating the unfair financial burden of tax on women and girls? What measures were in place to increase the representation of women and girls in decision making related to economic empowerment? What measures were there to support female athletes to overcome structural barriers in sports?
Another Committee Expert said female tea plantation workers continued to have less access to Government subsidies and microcredit due to their lack of access to land ownership. How was this being addressed? Women with disabilities continued to face stigma and discrimination, and infrastructure was not adapted to persons with disabilities. How was the State party working to make inclusive education programmes more adapted to persons with disabilities? There were also persistent hate crimes against lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women. What measures were in place to prevent such hate crimes? Same sex sexual acts were criminalised; would they be decriminalised? What reforms had been made to ensure adequate facilities for women in prisons? Were women prisoners allowed to live with their young children in prisons?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government had implemented various welfare measures for persons in poverty. Around 1.7 million households benefited from welfare support. There were various Government programmes for empowering women-led households. The banking system had also provided special loan schemes with favourable interest rates and flexible return policies for women entrepreneurs during the financial crisis. Banks had offered advisory services and capacity building programmes for women entrepreneurs. The State had been regulating lending institutions. Support had been provided to 185 rural women affected by unregulated microcredit schemes. A socioeconomic protection scheme helped to ease loss of income due to unemployment.
Sri Lanka had undertaken various initiatives to empower women to engage in technology studies and the digital economy. The national strategy for women’s development promoted women’s digital freedom and security. Many women entrepreneurs had been trained on digital skills.
Sanitary facilities in prisons had been improved to ensure a comfortable stay for women, and facilities for children in prison with their mothers had also been improved. There were plans to establish a separate women’s prison aligned with international standards.
The police had been instructed on protecting the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and investigating complaints from these persons. A bill had been lodged in Parliament on decriminalising same-sex relations. The Supreme Court had found that there was no barrier to the amendment of this legislation. The bill had yet to be considered due to the dissolution of Parliament.
Questions by Committee Experts
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, asked whether the law on terrorism could be used to prevent the operation of women’s organizations.
Another Committee Expert welcomed the State party’s efforts to ensure women’s equal rights in law and family relations. Had measures been taken to amend the Penal Code to ensure that legislation on statutory rape protected all girls under age 16, including girls over age 12 who were married? The Committee expected that the State party would address legislation on polygamy. When would the State party revise the family law to allow women to have equal rights to men concerning custody of children? What was the status of legal amendments seeking to strengthen the rights of widows?
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that, while respecting the freedom of belief, the State party needed to work to protect the rights of Muslim women and girls.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the law on terrorism had not been used to limit the activities of women’s organizations in recent years. The law was only used in instances when it was necessary.
The amended Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act set the age of marriage at 18, but children from age 16 could be married with parental consent. The previous Cabinet of Ministers had approved the amended bill, and the new Government would consider whether to take this legislation forward. The Parliamentary Caucus had proposed the establishment of a committee to address the issue of child marriages.
Concluding Remarks
SAROJA SAVITRI PAULRAJ, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said Sri Lanka participated in the review in a spirit of openness. It appreciated the Committee’s recognition of the progress it had made and the challenges it faced. The Government had undertaken significant efforts to strengthen women’s empowerment. It was fully committed to addressing the issues that women faced in the State. Ms. Paulraj thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. The Government was committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights of all Sri Lankans and would continue to engage with the Committee constructively.
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that the State party had shared candidly and transparently the progress made and the difficulties it was facing. The dialogue had helped the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in Sri Lanka. It commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the State party.
Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the 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.
CEDAW25.009E
Source: Australian Ministers for Education
The Albanese Labor Government has announced the locations of the next five new Suburban University Study Hubs (SUSHs), bringing university closer to where people live in the outer suburbs.
A recommendation of the Universities Accord, the SUSHs will help more people from the outer suburbs of our big cities get a crack at going to university.
The five new or expanded SUSHs will be located in:
This adds to the 10 SUSHs the Government announced in November, and will bring the total number of SUSHs to 15.
The first 10 SUSHs will be located in:
All 15 SUSHs are expected to be open by late 2025.
The evidence shows that where Study Hubs are, university participation goes up.
In addition to the SUSHs, there are now 56 Regional University Study Hubs located across the country.
In total, the Albanese Government is investing $66.9 million to establish more Study Hubs in the regions and in the outer suburbs of our major cities.
These Study Hubs provide student support and campus-style facilities for students who are doing a university degree closer to home.
The Albanese Government is also delivering a range of further reforms for students in higher education and vocational education, including:
For more details visit the Australian Government Department of Education website.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:
“Almost one in two young people in their 20s and their 30s have a university degree today. But not everywhere. Not in our outer suburbs and not in regional Australia.
“That’s why we are doubling the number of University Study Hubs, to bring university closer to them.
“We know they work. The evidence is they increase the number of people going to uni and finishing a uni degree.
“Now for the first time, we are putting these University Study Hubs in the outer suburbs.
“I know growing up in Western Sydney I saw a lot of golden arches and KFC and Westfield but not a lot of university crests.
“A lot of my friends felt like university was somewhere else for someone else.
“I want this to change, and that means bringing university closer to where people live.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Education, Anthony Chisholm:
“Where you live shouldn’t decide whether or not you can get a degree.
“In outer suburbs like Beenleigh, only 8.7 per cent of the population have a Bachelor degree, our Suburban Uni Study Hubs aim to change stats like these.
“These hubs will also create another pathway for the next nurse or the next teacher to get a degree and fill the gaps we have in our workforce.
“Our regional hubs have helped thousands of students, now the suburban hubs will give those living in the outer suburbs a place to study, saving them from needing to commute or move into our city centres.”
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000519/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Borja Giménez Larraz (PPE), Elena Nevado del Campo (PPE)
On 2 December 2024, the sanction framework of Spanish Royal Decree 933/2021, which requires 42 pieces of personal data to be collected for every customer seeking accommodation in Spain, entered into force. It requires the disclosure of information like home address, bank account number and card number. What is more, the tool provided by the Ministry of the Interior has not been working properly as a result of technical problems.
No EU legislation requires Member States to implement rules of this nature. The European Commission must make sure the tourism industry remains competitive, because the absence of a clear strategy for the sector could put jobs and investment in this key sector at risk.
Submitted: 5.2.2025