United Nations Development Programme—UNDP

www.migrantscontribute.com In early September, IOM Director General William Lacy Swing and Deputy Director General Laura Thompson brought together all Chiefs of Missions around the world for the Global Chief of Mission Meeting. During three days of presentations, meetings and exchange including a reception with keynote speaker Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations the Director General laid out the achievements already made and declared his intention to pursue three additional strategic objectives for the future: continuity, coherence and change. These guideposts are reflected in many of our new policy and management initiatives. Among others, a migration governance framework will be developed, which sets out clear objectives for migration governance; a migration data analysis unit will be established with the aim to foster better analysis, use and presentation of IOM data; and the role of IOM with regards to the rights of migrants and protecting these should be further looked at in the near future. In this context, it is important to mention that a widespread external perception exists that IOM is not mandated or able to contribute to protection through its work. To review the IOM policy on protection and update the last institutional document from 2007 towards meeting international standards and circumstances, we have established a Protection Policy Working Group. We think that protecting and assisting migrants is the most fundamental responsibility entrusted to IOM, especially with regards to the humanitarian work IOM implements worldwide. To highlight and strengthen IOM ́s humanitarian role, including through policy developments and implementing procedures, is therefore a high priority. In the Austrian context, we are looking forward to putting into practice as many of the new initiatives as possible and to properly updating you on new developments on our new website to be released in October.

The International Organization for Migration

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8719137/file/8719138.pdf

The impact of COVID-19 on diet quality, food security and nutrition in low and middle income countries: A systematic review of the evidence.

The impact of COVID-19 on diet quality, food security and nutrition in low and middle income countries: A systematic review of the evidence

The globally fast-spreading novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is now testing the abilities of all countries to manage its widespread implications on public health. To effectively contain its impacts, a nation-wide temporary lockdown was enforced in India. The resultant panic buying and stockpiling incidents together with spread of misinformation created a sense of food insecurity at local level. This paper discusses a specific case of Nagpur from the worst affected Maharashtra state of India, wherein the urban-rural food supply chains were reportedly disrupted. Based on formal interviews with local government officials, a month-long timeline of COVID-19 outbreak in Nagpur was studied along with the consequent government initiatives for maintaining public health and food supply. While the city residents were confined to their homes, this study then assessed their perceived food security at household level, along with their "Immediate Concerns" and "Key Information Sources". Through online surveys at two different time intervals, the concerns of "Food and Grocery" were found to be rising, and "Government Apps and Websites" were identified as the most reliable source of information. Based on the research findings, the authors further suggest specific policy recommendations for addressing the immediate and long-term concerns related to food systems in Nagpur.

COVID-19 Lockdown, Food Systems and Urban-Rural Partnership: Case of Nagpur, India.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the key challenges, approaches and lessons of the higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the context of COVID-19.,A survey was conducted to understand the key challenges being faced by the HEIs around the world during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 150 responses were collected from 65 universities, located in 29 countries.,The results show that 47% of respondents with defined universities believe their institutions lacked a permanent or dedicated emergency management office, and 41% said their HEIs lacked a general business continuity plan for an emergency. In universities with BCPs, 33% of the plans do not cover biological hazards and pandemic risk management, and 60% of the plans did not include conducting any advanced simulation exercises. More than 70% the responded said their instruction, information sharing and decision-making process were timely and open. The major challenges identified were a lack of adequate preparedness for pandemic and of pandemic-specific advanced simulation exercises. The next major challenges were the change in the mode of teaching to online lectures and working from home. Based on these challenges, a set of short- and long-term recommendations were proposed.,This was the first survey in academic institutions in post COVID-19 context. The findings will be useful for preparing for biological and other related hazards.

Managing and responding to pandemics in higher educational institutions: initial learning from COVID-19

Losses and damages associated with slow-onset events: urban drought and water insecurity in Asia

With developing concerns of climate change, population growth and rapid urbanization, there is growing need to optimize Food-Energy-Water (FEW) sectors. Subsequently, FEW nexus thinking has become a prerequisite for development planning today, as the three sectors are intricately linked to each other. This study identifies the key barriers to operationalizing FEW nexus at ground level and underlines the need for urban-rural shared perspectives in resource management. Since, urban and rural systems depend on shared stock of natural resources, the study theorizes that building integrated decision making platforms at regional level will significantly enhance their collective resilience to emerging socio-environmental challenges.

Optimizing Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus to foster collective resilience in urban-rural systems

The evolving concept of ‘Smart Cities’ (SC) is today gaining global momentum in scientific and policy arenas. With the rising potential for jobs and improved lifestyle, these fast-growing cities are witnessing an ever-increasing concentration of populations and economic activities. However, the core aspect of sustainability is often overshadowed in SC by the components of economic growth. In view of the rising water, energy, and food (collectively referred to as WEF) demands in cities and the interlinkages between WEF systems, this study aims to highlight the role of SC in enhancing WEF resource efficiency from a nexus perspective. To study the current trends of SC developments first, a specific case of proposed Nagpur smart city (India) is reviewed based on document analysis and preliminary discussions with local government officials. Thereafter, bibliometric analysis (based on Scopus data) is conducted to establish a comprehensive understanding of existing SC research in varying domains of interlinked WEF systems. While the proposed Nagpur smart city is observably focused on city-centric goals with a high emphasis on infrastructure development, this study underlines the need for environmental resource conservation at a transboundary level. The key opportunities for optimizing the WEF nexus in Nagpur are then highlighted in reference to the bibliometric analysis.

Vibhas Sukhwani

Papers

Managing and responding to pandemics in higher educational institutions: initial learning from COVID-19

COVID-19 Lockdown, Food Systems and Urban-Rural Partnership: Case of Nagpur, India.

Losses and damages associated with slow-onset events: urban drought and water insecurity in Asia

Optimizing Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus to foster collective resilience in urban-rural systems

Role of Smart Cities in Optimizing Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Opportunities in Nagpur, India