Daily Current Affairs 14 June 2023 – IAS Current Affairs
Current Affairs 14 June 2023 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :
Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI), 2023
Source : Down To Earth
GS I : Society
Overview
- What is the purpose of Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI), 2023?
- About The Copernicus System
Why in News ?
June 8, 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of Copernicus, the earth observation component of the European Union’s space programme.
About Copernicus System
- A recently released UNDP report says Prejudices against women didn’t reduce in last decade, 90% people still hold gender bias.
- It is released by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- It quantifies biases against women, capturing people’s attitudes on women’s roles along four key dimensions— political, educational, economic and physical integrity.
- The index, covering 85% of the global population, reveals that close to 9 out of 10 men and women hold fundamental biases against women.
- Gender social norms have persisted for centuries and are pronounced in countries with lower and higher Human Development Index (HDI).
- The latest GSNI report showed little progress, despite global and local campaigns for women’s rights in recent years such as Me Too, Ni Una Menos, Time’s Up and Un Violador en Tu Camino.
- Biased gender social norms can contribute to lack of equality in political participation.
- Countries with greater bias in gender social norms also show a lower presence of women in parliament.
- On average, the share of heads of state or government who are women has remained around 10 % worldwide since 1995, and women hold just over a quarter of parliament seats globally.
- Women are underrepresented in leadership in conflict-affected countries, mainly at the negotiation tables in the recent conflicts in Ukraine (0%), Yemen (4%) and Afghanistan (10%).
- Globally, about seven of 10 peace processes did not include any women mediators or women signatories.
- Even in the 59 countries where adult women are more educated than men, the average income gap is 39%.
- Countries with no bias – Germany, Uruguay, New Zealand, Singapore and Japan.
- 25 % of people believe it is justified for a man to beat his wife.
US to rejoin UNESCO
Source : Indian Express
GS II : International Relation
Overview
- US to rejoin UNESCO
- Why did the US Exit UNESCO and rejoin again?
Why in News ?
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) announced that the United States will rejoin it in July.
About UNESCO
US to rejoin UNESCO
- It is a UN agency tasked with furthering international cooperation and peace through the promotion of educational, scientific and cultural causes.
- The United States was a founding member of UNESCO in 1945.
- It designates locations globally as World Heritage Sites, which means international recognition and possible funding.
- UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
- It has 195 member states and ten associate members. India is among the founding members of the Organisation.
Why did the US Exit UNESCO?
- In 2011, UNESCO inducted Palestine as a member. This led to the US halting the agency’s funding, worth millions of dollars, under then President Barack Obama.
- Palestine is not recognised as a sovereign state by the United Nations. It was included as a non-member observer State over Israel’s objections in 2012, meaning it could participate in General Assembly proceedings but lacked voting rights.
- The Palestinians claim the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war — for an independent state. Israel says the Palestinians’ efforts to win recognition at the UN are aimed at circumventing a negotiated settlement and meant to pressure Israel into concessions.
- US laws, owing to the country’s historical ties with Israel, prohibit funding to any UN agency that implies recognition of the Palestinians’ demands for their own state.
- But this was negotiated recently through an agreement in 2022 that allowed for giving UNESCO funds again.
Why has the USA rejoined it?
- The US absence from UNESCO had strengthened China’s position.
- The decision to return was also due to China filling the gap left by the US in UNESCO policy making, such as in setting standards for artificial intelligence and technology education around the world.
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