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 EXPERTS IN WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE RAISE QUESTIONS CONC…
 archived 9 Dec 2012 12:32:44 UTC
{{cite web | title = EXPERTS IN WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE RAISE QUESTIONS CONC… | url = http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/WOM1373.doc.htm | date = 2012-12-09 | archiveurl = http://archive.today/KeDC | archivedate = 2012-12-09 }}
WOM/1373
Committee on Elimination of
Discrimination against Women
590th and 591st Meetings (AM and PM)
EXPERTS IN WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE RAISE QUESTIONS CONCERNING
REPORTS OF SWITZERLAND ON COMPLIANCE WITH CONVENTION
Noting that Switzerland was in the forefront of many human rights issues, the expert members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) expressed concern over the unclear locus of responsibility for further progress in gender equality in the country, given the unique structure of the Swiss Confederation.
The Committee was considering the combined initial and second periodic report of Switzerland on compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as it continued its twenty-eighth session.
Introducing the report, Patricia Schultz, Director of Switzerland's Federal Office for Equality between Women and Men, explained the three-level structure of Switzerland's Government, consisting of the Federation, the cantons and the communes. The 26 cantons had their own political and judicial organizations and applied their own law as well as federal law, maintaining substantial powers.
That structure, and Switzerland's form of direct democracy, sometimes resulted in slow change, she said. However, a form of monism ensured the primacy of international conventions, including human rights instruments, in domestic law. The new Constitution, which became law in 2000, also contained a rich catalogue of human rights assurances, she said, in particular Article 8, which enshrined equality of men and women.
In the aftermath of the Beijing Conference in 1995, she said, Switzerland created a national action plan for women's equality, which included actions in areas ranging from health to trafficking in persons, education and economic equality. Gender mainstreaming at the federal level was not yet complete, however; form had not yet systematically been translated into fact.
But formal change, she emphasized, had been extensive. She described recent changes in laws, particularly matrimonial laws and the creation of new institutions. Certain kinds of juridical equality had yet to be achieved, such as in the area of family names. In economic matters, she described the de facto problem of reconciling unpaid family work and the career concerns of women, along with family leave issues. Other members of the delegation outlined recent measures to counter violence against women, trafficking in persons, poverty in women-headed families and other problems.
Many experts, however, were concerned over the pace of change, noting that Switzerland had ratified the Convention relatively late and had only given the vote to women in 1971. It had yet to ratify the optional protocol. The federal system, it seemed to some, was the major obstacle. Given the responsibility of the State Government for implementing international conventions, some wondered what mechanisms existed, both to ensure compliance of the Cantons and to speed up the process of ratification of the optional protocol at that level.
Other experts wondered about the implications of Swiss monism and how often provisions of the Convention were actually applied in judicial procedures. They also expressed concern about paragraphs in the report that seemed to allow for differences in treatment of men and women, as well as a variety of seeming incompatibilities in institutions and legislation.
Some were also concerned about the situation of women who had been victims of sex trafficking. One expert noted the preferred visa status given to cabaret dancers, which seemed to go against, at least, the spirit of the convention. In all areas, including employment issues, more statistics on current trends were requested. It was noted by one expert that in the case of a country that was advancing in many areas, it was crucial to be able to determine if women were keeping up with the progress of the country as a whole.
Responses of the Swiss delegation to questions and comments posed by experts will be given on Friday, 17 January.
The Committee will meet again tomorrow morning, 15 January, to take up the combined third and fourth periodic report of Kenya.
This morning, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) met to consider the combined initial and second periodic reports of Switzerland (document CEDAW/C/CHE/1-2), which describes Switzerland's implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women since ratifying it in 1997. An addendum to the report (document CEDAW/C/CHE/1-2/Add.1) provides an update on changes in Switzerland's federal law affecting women since 1 January 2002, including changes in the penal law, the Federal Assistance to Women's Act and financial encouragement for the opening of childcare facilities.
Switzerland's new Federal Constitution, which entered into force in January 2000, updates its 1874 Constitution, the report begins. Article 8 of the new Constitution expressly prohibits discrimination on grounds of race, sex and social position among others things. Prior to the entry into force of the new Constitution, that prohibition was inferred. The Constitution also mandates lawmakers to ensure equality both in law and in fact in areas such as family, education and work. In Switzerland, all human beings are equal before the law. Gender equality is a constitutional right that is directly applicable and addresses itself to all law enforcement authorities of the Confederation, cantons and communes.
The report says that in 1996, the "Act on Gender Equality" entered into force with the purpose of promoting de facto equality between women and men in private labour relations as well as those governed by Federal, cantonal or communal public law. In present Swiss law, the status of spouses is still unequal as regards cantonal and communal domicile rights and the family name. Attempts to abolish that inequality were defeated in Parliament in June 2001, because of rules relating to a difference between spouses concerning the choice of the family name of children.
The report lists several recent legislative changes, including a new marriage law, which entered into force in 1988. That law abolished the preponderant role of the husband in the family and the assigning of fixed roles to the husband and wife. Also, the Federal Act on the acquisition and loss of Swiss nationality has been amended to ensure gender equality. Since 1992, the acquisition of Swiss nationality is subject to identical conditions for both sexes.
On the issue of violence against women, according to a 1997 survey, a total of nine per cent of the persons questioned said they had suffered at least one form of violence, including verbal, corporal and property offences. According to a 1997 study on violence against women within the couple, one fifth of respondents between the ages of 20 and 50 said they had suffered physical or sexual violence from their partner at least once in their lives. In addition, 40 per cent of the women questioned said they had suffered psychological violence and 6 per cent said they had suffered physical or sexual violence in the preceding 12 months.
Foreign women are particularly vulnerable to violence from a partner because their right to reside in Switzerland is linked to the duration of their marriage, the report explains. Rape within marriage is now punishable, but only upon complaint. In 1997, however, the National Council approved two parliamentary initiatives by which sexual offences and bodily harm inflicted within the marriage relationship is punishable automatically instead of only upon complaint. A parliamentary committee is currently drafting proposals to amend the Penal Code to that effect.
The report adds that in 1984, a new article was added to the Constitution making it obligatory for the Confederation and the cantons to grant assistance to victims of attacks. The 1993 Assistance to Victims of Offences Act, known as LAVI, provides for assistance including advice, victim protection and payment of compensation and moral damages. The new provisions prohibit any confrontation between a female minor who is the victim of an offence and the accused. They also provide for closed proceedings where the child's interest requires it.
While prostitution is not punishable in Switzerland, the Swiss Penal Code does punish the exploitation of prostitution and traffic in women, the report says. Cantonal laws, however, restrict prostitution. Traffic in women is a concern in Switzerland. Many women from the poorest regions of Europe, Africa, South America and Asia come to Switzerland with bogus offers of work or promises of marriage supplied by criminal organizations. Women from Eastern Europe and third world countries can, however, work legally in Switzerland as cabaret dancers. At the end of 2000, there were some 1,694 cabaret dancers in Switzerland with the largest percentage, 66.2 per cent, coming from European countries.
On the women's role in political and public life, the report says that women won the right to vote and to be eligible for election at the national level only in 1971. While some cantons had granted that right earlier, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden was the last canton to grant women the right to vote in 1991. While women account for 54 per cent of the electorate, they currently hold less than 25 per cent of seats in one-half of the cantonal Parliaments and in the Federal Parliament.
The report also notes that women's service in the Swiss army is optional, whereas for men it is compulsory. Women can be members either of the army or of the Red Cross Service. Women can also chose between armed and unarmed service. Women cannot, however, perform duties that necessitate the use of arms. Infantry, motorized regiments, artillery regiments and anti-aircraft defence remains closed to women.
Introduction of report
PATRICIA SCHULZ, Director of Switzerland's Federal Office for Equality between Women and Men, introduced her country's combined initial and second periodic report. Switzerland had signed the Convention in 1987 and ratified it in 1997. In Switzerland, civil society was closely associated with political life. A draft of the report had been sent to a number of non-governmental organizations.
She said Switzerland's population totalled some 7.3 million, with women accounting for some 51.1 per cent of the population. Life expectancy was about 82.6 years for women and 76.9 for men. The country had an ageing population with 15.3 per cent of the population over the age of 65 years. Single parent families represented some 14 per cent of households.
Switzerland had a tripod governmental structure, consisting of the Federation, the cantons and the communes, she said. The 26 cantons had their own political and judicial organizations and applied their own law as well as federal law, maintaining substantial powers. Switzerland was a direct democracy and people had the right to hold referendums regarding federal laws. Human rights were guaranteed by the Constitution, cantonal constitutions and various international treaties. Female and male citizens could invoke the provisions of treaties before the courts, as the Federal tribunal had confirmed the primacy of international law. A domestic provision which violated CEDAW could, therefore, be challenged in the courts, but Switzerland had not yet ratified the optional protocol to the Convention. Her country had a "monist" tradition: all international treaties were imposed on the whole authority mechanism upon their entry into force. People could go before tribunals with international treaties except those with a programmatic nature.
Regarding Switzerland's federal Constitution, she said a new Constitution had entered into force in the year 2000. It contained a rich catalogue of human rights, including Article 8, which enshrined the principle of equality between the sexes. Men and women were entitled to equal salaries for work of equal value. The violation of rights could be brought before cantonal courts as well as the Federal court, and Article 8 also authorized legislators to take steps to ensure equality in line with article 4 of the CEDAW Convention. Catalogues of equal rights also existed at the cantonal level.
Regarding major achievements in the advancement of women, she cited several examples, including the establishment of specific institutions with the mandate to address the progress of women. In 1976, the Federal Council created the Federal Commission on Women's Issues. In 1988, a federal office on the equality between women and men was established to promote equality between the sexes in every part of life. Switzerland had published its national action plan for equality between men and women, which contained some 287 specific measures. Implementation of that plan included the creation of a gender health service and a centre to fight violence against women. Relations between men and women were taken into account when programmes were being devised. Efforts to disseminate information and provide training were also underway.
While equality between the sexes was a reality in form, it still presented a challenge as far as the facts were concerned, she said. The new marriage law of 1988 was based on a spirit of partnership between husbands and wives. A new divorce law entered into force in 2000. It introduced the sharing of retirement benefits and savings accumulated during marriage. The tenth revision of the federal law on old age and life insurance had also introduced a number of innovations. The system of couples' pensions had been replaced by a system of individual pensions. In a "splitting system", income accumulated by spouses over marriage was divided by two and credited to each of the spouses. The retirement age for women had been raised to 64 years, with men at 65. An equality law of 1996 was designed to promote equality within professional life. Sexual harassment was seen as a form of discrimination that was particularly degrading. There was, however, no authority to carry out inquiries or launch complaints. Women had the responsibility of ensuring that rights were enforced. Trade unions did have the authority to denounce sexual discrimination before the courts.
Juridical equality had not been fully achieved, she said, including on provisions for the family name. In reconciling professional and family life, men and women were not equal in fact, as the difference in income between men and women was some 21.3 per cent. Women more often worked part time at a limited level. Women with young children worked part time with a 30 per cent employment rate. Women devoted twice as much time to family work, and reconciling family with career presented a challenge. To tackle the roots of that problem, the Confederation had taken a number of steps, including subsidies and programmes to reintroduce women to the work place. The "top sharing" project familiarized cadres with human resources and the advantages to sharing executive level positions. The "Fair play at home", a campaign which encouraged young parents to equitably share work, was another initiative. The campaign had had major resonance and would be completed in the Spring.
On the issue of paid maternity leave, a new solution would be debated this spring, envisioning a 14 week leave with 80 percent salary financed by a particular insurance programme, she said. Further measures to reconcile paid work with unpaid work were also being planned.
ELISABETH FREIVOGEL, Vice-President of the Federal Commission on Women's Issues of Switzerland, said that women had won the right to vote in 1971. The lag in winning that right was due to the complications of Cantonal politics. Women were gaining representation in Federal, Cantonal and Municipal politics. Women now made up 20 percent of Cantonal positions, but some Cantons still had exclusively male representatives.
The tool of quotas for women representatives had thus far not been received favourably by either the people or the courts, she said. It was therefore up to the political parties to improve the situation. The media also played a growing role, and studies had shown that women had fewer broadcast opportunities, which was making the media re-examine that role. There was also a mentoring project to increase the number of women in political affairs.
MONICA DUSONG, head of the Department of Justice, Health and Security of the canton of Neuchatel, spoke of measures taken to combat violence against women. In 1997, studies showed that one out of five women were victims of some violence at least once in their life. Current statistics were needed in that area, as well as those on trafficking in women. Since the 1990s, Cantons had organized round tables on combatting both problems. Those round tables included both law enforcement and social services in the interest of improving intervention and stopping violence. Cantons have been introducing measures for those purposes, and sensitization programmes had been instituted along with specific training in the issue for police and social workers.
Foreign women had the same access as citizens to most services. However, there were limitations in fighting spousal abuse, and measures were now being developed. The Federal Council had also been developing a service to combat trafficking in women. Regarding victim's protection, measures were being considered to allow women who were victims of trafficking to stay in the country and receive other assistance.
Ms. SHULTZ said that women's health services were extensive. Health insurance was obligatory for the entire population, including those coming from abroad. Men and women enjoyed equal coverage. Voluntary termination of pregnancy had been decriminalized in many cases, and measures for women's health and AIDS prevention were being instituted at both the Federal and Canton level.
Regarding poverty, she said there was broad social protection. Elderly persons of both sexes were now protected, but current concerns centred on single parent families with young children, usually headed by women. Complementary allocations for such families to guarantee a minimum income could be a solution. Training for women heads of family needed further development as well.
In institutions of education, girls were now more numerous than boys, though they often opted for short-term occupational education and were underrepresented in the advanced studies and specialized schools. To redress that situation, programmes were introduced to sensitize and otherwise assist girls and young migrant women to broaden their educational horizons.
Experts Questions
FRANCOIS GESPARD, expert from France, congratulated Switzerland on the quality of its report. A great deal of publicity was given to CEDAW in Switzerland. The neutral country had played a crucial role during the Second World War for persecuted persons in Europe. It was an advanced democracy in that it was a direct democracy with citizens able to put legislative and constitutional changes to referenda. It was also, however, one of the latest countries to recognize the rights of women. Did the late entrance of women as citizens have an impact on women's rights? Also, to an outsider, it was difficult to understand how a federation worked. What means did the Federation have to call to order a canton that did not conform? Did that have an impact on gender equality?
GORAN MELANDER, the expert from Sweden, addressing relations between international and domestic law, noted that Switzerland was a monistic state in that international law was directly applicable to domestic law with one provision, however. In the Constitution, the principle of equality was expressly provided. Article 1 of the CEDAW contained a definition of the term of discrimination against women in light of the Convention. That article must be incorporated into Swiss law. That definition was not mentioned in the Swiss Constitution. If the system was perfect, why was the Federal Council hesitant to ratify the Optional Protocol? It would be good to include the definition of discrimination against women in the Constitution.
NAELA GABR, expert from Egypt, also congratulated the Swiss delegation for its effort in preparing the report. The composition of the delegation reflected the multiple aspects of concern in the subjects the Committee addressed. The delegation also represented the famous Swiss precision in being so punctual. The Swiss trend of approaching perfection and obtaining precision was the underlying force for the country having taken its time to ratify the Convention. Developments in Switzerland would bring about greater interest in joining other international instruments. The Committee would have liked to receive the reports gradually. The initial report had been delayed for four years. It stressed the importance of the cantons. How did Switzerland implement the Convention? Certain aspects of the Convention had not been introduced into Swiss law, she noted.
Despite the primary significance attached to women in Switzerland, ensuring their human rights did not appear to be one of the Government's utmost concerns, she said. While the Swiss society had achieved a great deal of progress, the status of women was not in line with progress in society in general. On the new package of legislation, although it was positive, the results of implementation of the various laws could not yet be seen.
HEISOO SHIN, expert from the Republic of Korea, said the report was both frank and informative. She acknowledged the contributions of non-governmental organizations in its drafting. The statistics attached to the report were difficult to read. Was the Federal Government considering ratifying the Optional Protocol? The Convention had been ratified only in 1997. Was Switzerland considering the withdrawal of reservations to several articles of the Convention?
CORNELIUS FLINTERMAN, expert from the Netherlands, said that Switzerland's constitutional history seemed to be impeding the implementation of the Convention. However, it was the Federal Government which was responsible for implementing international conventions. In that light, what work had been done with the Cantons to ensure that they complied with the obligations of CEDAW?
He also asked what had been the result of the consultation process with the Cantons regarding ratification of the optional protocol, and whether the Federal Government had other options if the Cantons did not want to ratify. He also asked how the primacy of international conventions over domestic law worked in practice and how often CEDAW had been invoked in judicial proceedings.
DUBRAVKA SIMONOVIC, expert from Croatia, asked if it was possible to have the legislative proceedings, regarding the adoption of the Swiss report, transmitted to the Committee.
FUMIKO SAIGA, expert from Japan, noted that it had taken Switzerland a long time to ratify the Convention. She asked what the relationships of the Cantons were with the federal offices and commissions for gender equality.
Questions regarding Article 2 of the Convention
YOLAND FERRER GOMEZ, expert from Cuba, said she was worried that the Swiss report could allow for different treatment of men and women when male and female characteristics could be considered in various situations. She also asked about a federal tax in paragraph 43.
Mr. MELANDER, expert from Sweden, said that generally, trafficked women were returned to their country of origin, where they faced persecution and possible repeat victimization. Had Switzerland ever considered treating these women as refugees?
HUGUETTE BOKPE GNACADJA, expert from Benin, said that two principles in Switzerland were contradictory and could slow down the implementation of CEDAW -- the so-called Monist principle and a kind of ping-pong between different branches. How were those issues resolved and who was responsible for the effective implementation of CEDAW?
Ms. SIMONIVIC, expert from Croatia, asked about juridical rights and mechanisms to insure compatibility with the constitution.
PRAMILA PATTEN, expert from Mauritius, expressed concern about paragraphs in the report that related to applicability of the Convention, implying that it was largely programmatic. She also asked about State processes addressing juridical incompatibilities.
HANNA BEATE SCHOPP-SCHILLING, expert from Germany, said she was disturbed by some paragraphs in the report which provided a description of action that ought to be done, but did not say the Government was planning to do those things. Where was the political will? The report recognized several problems, but failed to include commitments. Was that a result of consultation process? She also asked for more detail on Switzerland's reservations to the Convention. On the issue of federalism, she did not get a clear picture of what was happening in the
26 cantons. She wanted to see in future reports a clear, numerical and name description of what each canton was doing or not doing.
On the "programmatic" character of CEDAW, she asked if there had there been a review of the Convention. Which articles were deemed programmatic and which were considered directly applicable? To what extent had international law been incorporated as a mandatory feature at the universities? To what extent was the legal community obliged to do further training since the ratification of the Convention? She also asked for information on the status of the creation of a human rights commission, including a timetable or description of the arguments obstructing its creation.
Ms. SHINN, addressing the issue of gender equality, said she was concerned by Federation's three layer structure. She asked for explanation of the system of monitoring the discriminatory laws of the three different layers. What kind of structure did Switzerland have to ensure that CEDAW was being implemented at all three levels, especially when cantons and communes had not implemented gender equality principles? While democracy was good at the grass roots level, the principle of gender equality should be upheld.
The Equality Act seemed to address mostly employment issues, she continued. On the human rights commission, the report failed to include whether that commission would be established and to what extent gender equality would be included.
FUMIKO SAIGA, expert from Japan, said that regarding the new Constitution, Article 8 not only described de jure equality but also de facto equality. What was really happening? What kind of action were lawmakers expected to take to ensure de facto equality?
AIDA GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, Mexico's expert, endorsed the observations raised by experts in asking about the scope of applicability of the Convention in line with the provisions of the Constitution. She also asked for clarification on paragraphs 2 and 3 of the report on the concept of "differentiated treatment" based on objective criteria. What deciding factors would justify such a "differentiation"? What were similar situations where people were dealt with in a similar ways? What were the differentiated situations in which differentiated treatment between men and women could be applied?
Questions on Article 3 of the Convention
Ms. FERRER GOMEZ, expert from Cuba, asked about the machinery, at the Federal level, regarding equality between the sexes, and what relationship that machinery had with non-governmental organizations. Regarding the action plan of 1999, she asked to what extent it was in force and what its prospects were.
KRISZTINA MORVAI, expert from Hungary, asked if there were statistics on the trends of the relative poverty of women and men in Switzerland, including women in various situations of vulnerability. Those included in the report were alarming. She said she raised it under article 3 because it related to the advancement of women. Women, she said, must have their share in the advancement of their countries' economies under that article.
FRANCOISE GASPARD, expert from France, asked about the place of the Office for gender equality in the Swiss Government and if it was able to push forward with gender mainstreaming in all policies at the Confederation level. What was the lack of wherewithall that had been referred to?
VICTORIA POPESCU, expert from Romania, asked for further clarification on the institutional structure of institutions for gender equality at the federal and cantonal level, particularly their individual competencies and their coordination in achieving equality between men and women.
Ms. SHIN, expert from the Republic of Korea, also asked for the responsibilities of the various institutions to be delineated, and for explanation of the implementation of the national action plan, including time frames. She also asked about the specific obstacles in gender mainstreaming.
Ms. SCHOPP-SCHILLING applauded the Swiss people for the fact that the Constitution contained the phrase of providing for both de facto and de jure equality. How many and which of the 26 cantons had similar provisions? What did the Federal Supreme Court mean by pointing to the system of proportionality vis-a-vis affirmative action for women? She also asked for more information on the reasoning concerning the quota system. She applauded the fact that the federal departments and offices had plans for the advancement of women staff in their structures. Were there sanctions for personnel managers who did not implement plans? She also asked for a target figure for the number of women holding executive positions in 2003.
REGINA TAVARES DA SILVA, expert from Portugal, also asked for more information on the quota system. There had been a strong rejection of quotas of women in politics, the report noted. On the one hand, there was a theoretical defense of positive measures as a way to equality. On the other hand, however, there had been a practical rejection of quotas. The organization of various aspects of Swiss life, including regions, languages and minorities, was based on quotas, which made it all the more difficult to understand why quotas for women were not accepted. She also asked for more information on parliamentary initiatives regarding violence against women.
On the problem of incompatibility of the federal constitutional provisions and cantonal law, she also asked if cantons could be made to apply federal principles. The report contained one example, specifically on the right of women to vote. The Federal Supreme Court had decided on the basis of the constitutional provision of gender equality that legislation regulating that matter did not authorize the cantons to contravene the equality principle. The Supreme Court had obliged the last canton to adopt the law. Had that attitude been taken in other instances?
Ms. PATTEN asked for information on when provisions of the equality act had been invoked. Have any of the vulnerable groups of women addressed in the report, including elderly and foreign women, benefited from positive measures in the cantons? While the principles of nondiscrimination were entrenched in the Constitution and the Federal Supreme Court's case law, Switzerland did not have a constitutional court. She asked whether Switzerland was considering establishing such a court.
The report was missing measures to redress the problem of violence, she added. There was no indication of the political will to address violence against women, except the signing of the Convention. Did female victims of violence in the various cantons benefit from the same services?
Ms. GABR, expert from Egypt, asked the Swiss delegation about the principle of quotas. She also expressed concern about the situation of migrant women in Switzerland.
Ms. FERRAR GOMEZ, expert from Cuba, stressed the need to change deeply rooted cultural patterns in Swiss society. She requested more information on what the Government was doing to address the issue of stereotyping. In the field of education, women seemed to pursue careers that would allow for poorer prospects later on. What role was the mass media playing in the field of stereotypes to educate the public at large? A 1997 study of some 1,500 women showed that police and health workers were not sufficiently prepared to deal with women victims of violence. What measures have been taken to create awareness of the issue of violence?
Ms. SALMA KHAN, expert from Bangladesh, said the Swiss Government had taken a number of measures to eliminate stereotypes, such as the change in the marriage law. The report noted, however, that society continued to allocate separate roles to men and women. Elimination of cultural stereotypes was one of the most difficult things to achieve. Some of the country's legal measures reflected the prevalence of stereotypes, for example, the unequal treatment of women regarding social security provisions and the favouring of single income couples.
While congratulating the Government for paying attention to the role of the media in promoting alternate gender relationships, she noted that the Swiss media still emphasized the sexual aspect of some important issues. Was pornography and violence against women on television prohibited? Were minority women represented in the media? Were immigrant women persecuted because of their cultural and religious backgrounds?
Ms. SJAMSIAH ACHMAD, expert of Indonesia, expressed concern about Switzerland's federal structure, which seemed to prevent countrywide monitoring of the Convention. Was CEDAW being taught in law schools to ensure its implementation? Had stereotypes been eliminated in the advertising? Stressing the role of the media in countering negative stereotypes, she asked to what extent Government initiatives were being used to eliminate negative stereotypes.
Ms. MORVAI, expert from Hungary, addressed the issue of migrant women working as cabaret dancers. What was so special about cabaret dancing? Of all professions, why did the Government give preferred visa status to women applying as cabaret dancers? Cabaret dancing had obvious links to prostitution and trafficking. Governments had several options, including the enforcement of measures to suppress the exploitation of prostitution and trafficking. Even if it was discrimination in effect, was there will in the Swiss Government to eliminate the visa preference being given to cabaret dancers?
Domestic violence was a life-threatening phenomenon, she added. It was the duty of governments to do something for the effective protection of the life and liberty of the victims of violence. She also expressed concern that the cantons did not comply with the norms and suggested that checklists be used to monitor compliance in the forthcoming report.
AKUA KUENYEHIA, expert from Ghana, addressing the issue of violence against women and trafficking, asked what happened to the victim of trafficking. What kind of measures were being put in place to address violence? She also expressed concern at the discrepancy in application of measures at the cantonal level. In dealing with violence against women, was the emphasis on the victim or on maintaining the status quo?
CHRISTINE KAPALATA, expert from the United Republic of Tanzania, said there seemed to be lethargy on the part of the Government regarding punishment for persons involved in trafficking and the exploitation of prostitution. Given the fact that Switzerland had a long standing commitment in the area of protection of women from trafficking and prostitution, what Conventions had been ratified and how had ratification impacted Government action to eliminate trafficking?
Ms. FERRER GOMEZ, expert from Cuba, asked what was being done concerning drug rehabilitation and the prevention of drug consumption. She also asked for updated information on the situation of trafficking in women and child pornography.
Ms. GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, expert from Mexico, wondered about the frequency of domestic violence and whether there was data on sentences that had been given for such offenses. She also asked for data on trafficking and other sexual abuse against women and girls. She felt that cabaret dancing normally involved victims of trafficking and consideration to such matters was important in visa issues.
Ms. GABR, expert from Egypt, said that high prostitution statistics were of concern; the problem needed to be combated by the Government.
Questions concerning article 7 of the Convention
Ms. TAVARES DA SILVA, expert from Portugal, wondered why participation in administration was so much lower for women than it was in other areas.
Ms. GASPARD, expert from France, was also concerned about such low figures in administration. Regarding participation in political life, she noted that Switzerland did have quotas for participation of various groups. She disputed a judge's mention of the Convention as "not binding" in such issues. She wondered why there was such low voter turnout and what the Government could do about it.
MERIEM BELMIHOUB-ZERDANI, expert from Algeria, expressed approval of Swiss efforts in human rights in many areas and the number of women in the Swiss delegation, but urged further progress, especially in women's participation in political life. Women must put pressure from within political parties for such progress and must exercise all their rights in all areas. Women must be trained for top positions in order to exert influence. Many such women of influence often come out of non-governmental organizations.
Ms. POPESCU SANDRU, expert from Romania, asked about women's low participation in international delegations even though greater participation had been mandated. Were there guidelines for women's participation in international conferences? She spoke of the importance of women's participation in upcoming conferences on information technology.
Ms. Shin, expert from the Republic of Korea, asked for the data on men and women who marry Swiss nationals and the resulting implications for nationality, especially in cases of divorce before the three-year time limit, and more particularly where violence precipitated such a divorce. She also asked about related inequalities at the Commune and Canton levels.
Questions concerning article 10 of the Convention
Ms. TAVARAS DA SILVA, expert from Portugal, asked for an explanation of the low levels of women in education and vocational training. The educational pattern in Switzerland did not follow the pattern for that part of the world. What kept girls away and what made them drop out? What measures were being used to address the low level of women pursuing university education and vocational training?
On the issue of equal pay, Ms. SCHOPP-SCHILLING, the expert from Germany, asked what was being done by the Government regarding an evaluation of the remuneration system mentioned in the report. Given the country's governmental structure, where was the locus of responsibility on that issue? What had been happening at the cantonal level? Had any courts been confronted with pay cases? Were steps being taken in the private sector? Were employers associations picking up on the issue? The Federal Supreme Court seemed to refer to family obligations and market mechanisms as the reasons for pay differentials. The court seemed to be affirming pay differentials rather than destroying them.
Ms. FERRAR, expert from Cuba, asked what protection was given to domestic workers?
Ms. TAVARAS DA SILVA, expert from Portugal, also raised the issue of discrimination in women's wages.
Ms. PATTEN, expert from Mauritius, asked to what extent women were protected from dismissal during pregnancy. Did Article 3 of the Equality Act apply to maternity?
Ms. KHAN, expert from Bangladesh, said that even in a highly developed country like Switzerland, women were faced with disadvantage in the achievement of equal remuneration for work of equal value. Legislation protecting individuals in the private sector did not exist in all parts of the Confederation. The unemployment rate for women was higher compared to men with some 50 per cent of women working part time, compared to 12 per cent of men. Was it that women were still not seen as capable of certain jobs? What was the wage gap between men and women? Was there a wage difference between men and women in government jobs as well? What efforts had been made by the Swiss Government to provide maternity benefits and protection?
Ms. PATTEN, expert from Mauritania, asked what the Government intended to do to equalize women's access to credit. Ignoring such issues would only perpetrate inequalities, she said. Were measures being taken to promote women's entrepreneurship and enhance women's income generating potential in related areas?
Ms. SIMONOVIC, expert from Croatia, sought more information on new marriage laws in relation to the new constitution.
Ms. KUENYEHIA, expert from Ghana, asked for further details of factors that were considered in determining alimony under the new divorce laws.
Ms. SIMONOVIC, expert from Croatia, sought further clarification on gender-neutral application of family names, in light of existing legalities, both national and international.
Response of delegation
Ms. SCHULTZ said that, in contrast to the implications of many of the comments of the experts, she wished to emphasize that the relevant provisions of the new Constitution had been in place since 1981.
FERIDE ACAR, Chairperson of the Committee, then informed the Committee that the substantial response of the Swiss delegation to questions and comments posed by experts would be given on Friday morning.
* *** *


Building one's own house is a dream entertained by every person, whatever be its size or level of amenities.
This book aims to serve as a guide to all those who wish to undertake house construction, in relation to architectural and structural design, selection of the right set of materials for construction, methods of construction and carrying out maintenance as a routine periodic activity. In short, the book tells the reader how much of engineering goes into every aspect of house construction which they ought to know, rather than choosing to remain blissfully ignorant of it.
The topics covered include, among others, municipal requirements, engineering design and drawing, types of soils and foundations, cement, steel, timber, ceramic products, production of sound concrete, damp-proofing and water-proofing, painting, plumbing, electrical connections, earthquake resistance and retrofitting, concrete repair chemicals, corrosion inhibition in steel, repair of leakages, anti-termite treatment, rain water harvesting, Vasthu, bar chart, cost estimating, etc.
The book also meets the needs of diploma and degree students in civil engineering. It also serves as a source providing the necessary background material for postgraduate students of construction management (as part of the management stream) who may not have the necessary background in civil engineering.
Dr. Nainan P. Kurian, Ph.D., D.Sc., is a retired professor of civil engineering of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Author of some award winning technical books, with wide reach in the country and abroad, he had a long stint as an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow in Germany, and as Principal Consultant to a leading engineering firm in Malaysia. His field of specialisation is geotechnical and foundation engineering, with several research publications to his credit in this area.


text:
Q: Estimating Standard Errors for Markov Transition Probability with Multiple Observations (in R) I was trying to estimate a Markov transition table from paired transition data, which look something like this:
 t t+1
 A B
 A C
 B C
 C D
 B C
 C D
 E A
 E E
 A D
 C B
 B A
 A C
 C D
 C B

It is quite easy to estimate the transition probabilities, just making using table()command in R. However, I'm not exactly sure how to estimate the standard error associated with each probability. My current approach is to use a bootstrap method that proceeds as follows:

*

*Take a random sample of the pairs, $S^{i}$.

*Estimate a Markov table based on the sample $S^{i}$, calculating all transition probabilities as usual.

*Repeat 1 and 2 for $N$ times. Combine the results from $N$ iterations to calculate the variance (for each cell, calculate the variances based on the $N$ estimated transition probabilities)
I would like to know two things:
A. Does this approach make sense statistically?
B. For some rare states (e.g. state E in the example), bootstrap may miss them in some random samples, hence the constructed Markov table for those iterations would be incomplete. In that case, how should I calculate the standard error for those rare states?
Thanks!

A: Before you start thinking about the standard errors of your estimates, it would be good to know, or to check, if your Markov chain has a stationary distribution.
There is no way to say anything from the small sample you provided as it seems to be just randomly shuffled pairs of states, rather than the actual history of the process (the pair on the next line doesn't start in the state where the previous line ended). Going forward I will presume that the chain has a stationary distribution.
Regarding the bootstrap for the state pairs, it seems you are trying to obtain a confidence interval for your maximum likelihood estimates of the transition probabilities. The bootstrap can be used for this, but I would consider bootstrapping each row of the transition matrix at a time - basically simulating a multinomial random variable. (see also this paper)
A row-wise approach also guarantees that you will not obtain invalid matrices from your bootstrap.
I think you could also be able to calculate the 95% confidence intervals for your estimates directly (for example using the MultinomialCI package):
> library(MultinomialCI)
> t1 <- c("A","A","B","C","B","C","E","E","A","C","B","A","C","C")
> t2 <- c("B","C","C","D","C","D","A","E","D","B","A","C","D","B")
>
> transition_probs <- data.frame(t1,t2)
>
> # illustration for departure state A
> est_trans_prob_A <- table(transition_probs$t2[transition_probs$t1=="A"])/
+                     length(transition_probs$t2[transition_probs$t1=="A"])
> ci <- multinomialCI(table(transition_probs$t2[transition_probs$t1=="A"]),
+                     alpha=0.05)
>
> result <- data.frame(est_p = est_trans_prob_A, lo_ci=ci[,1], up_ci=ci[,2])
> result
  est_p.Var1 est_p.Freq lo_ci     up_ci
1          A       0.00  0.00 0.6083073
2          B       0.25  0.00 0.8583073
3          C       0.50  0.25 1.0000000
4          D       0.25  0.00 0.8583073
5          E       0.00  0.00 0.6083073

On the other hand, in case you have some previous knowledge about the transition probabilities, you might prefer the CoinMinD package which allows to specify a Dirichlet prior and run a Bayesian analysis using MCMC.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Unsolved Mysteries In The World "Giant Human Skulls"
zlacee (33)in #history • 5 years ago (edited)
The Mysteries of the Giant Human Skulls founded till now which have unsolved are geeting to the important part in the Scientific Research throught all the World. It is used to tell, 10000's of years before Humans are the "Giant" in their lives, and it is also founded that people of the world are getting smaller from generations to the generations throught out the years.
The below video documentary has shown some of the REAL GIANT HUMAN's found on 19th century, which has not been solved till now by date.
Historical record had certainly seems to support this reality about the GIANT HUMANS. Over a two hundred year period, more than 1000 accounts of sevenfoot and taller skeletons[GIANT HUMANS] have been reported unearthed from ancient burial sites in North America. Newspaper foundations , town and county histories, letters, scientific journals, diaries, photos and Smithsonian ethnology reports have carefully documented this. These skeletons have been reported from coast to coast in burial chambers, stone crypts, caves, ancient battlefields and massive mounds. Strange anatomic anomalies such as double rows of teeth, jawbones so large as to be fit over the face of the finder, and elongated skulls, were documented in virtually every state. Smithsonian scientists identified at least 17 skeletons that stood at over seven feet in their annual reports, including one example that was 8 feet tall, and a skull with a 36-inch circumference (an average human skull has a circumference of about 20 inches). The Smithsonian Institution is mentioned dozens more times as the recipient of enormous skeletons from across the United States.
In late 2014 news article from a satirical website claimed that a Supreme Court ruling forced the Smithsonian Institution to admit to the historic destruction of giant skeletons. It was published not long after our Search for the Lost Giants TV show that aired on History Channel. The headline read: "Smithsonian Admits to Destruction of Thousands of Giant Human Skeletons in Early 1900s. The article was convincing, and this apparent exposing of the National Museum hit a chord with people. Right away, we were inundated with emails from people believing the story was real. In reality, if such a story were true, it would surely be front-page worldwide news. However, when an Internet post is mentioning a startling find and not verifying any of the professionals involved, or real organizations or institutions they belong to, one can quickly conclude that it is a misrepresentation of facts or an outright lie. Maybe someday, however, the Smithsonian will admit to the irony of this story.
Over-willingness to believe seems to be the culprit for such stories gaining life. This is the reality we have had to deal with when researching the strange case of the North American giants, as hoaxes and exaggerations were often reported as truth. This is further complicated by the lack of physical evidence, and the moral and ethical implications of investigating human remains. When the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was passed in 1990, any remaining giant skeletons and bones were removed from public display and buried according to the traditions of individual tribes to the giant humans and their research.
For articles and more detail please click the link below:-
https://grahamhancock.com/vieiranewman1/
Do Upvote and comment if you like.
#news #story #psychology
5 years ago in #history by zlacee (33)
+ ayahme
+ rajish
+ zlacee

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


As representatives of UN staff to the pension fund, elected by you in April, we would like to update you on preparations for the forthcoming annual board meeting, which takes place 24 to 28 July in Vienna.
Issues to which we are devoting particular attention are: the large backlog of payment delays to retirees; proposals to increase the top-heavy nature of the pension fund administrative budget; the need for proposals to speed up the first payment upon retirement; investment underperformance; and in the context of the above, the proposals to renew the current leadership.
However, our work has been severely hampered by the fact that important documents, some running to over 200 pages, have been shared very late and well past the six-week deadline. And some have yet to be shared.
We are also concerned by a statement made by the fund CEO, Sergio Arvizu, to a meeting of New York-based retirees, in which he heavily emphasized the trend of pension funds ceasing to provide a pension linked to length of service and final salary, without closing the possibility of this happening at the UN. We are worried about this development and believe the closing of our unique defined benefit scheme would signal a major abrogation of responsibility by the employer and a significant cut to the UN's social security provision. We will be seeking further clarification on this matter very shortly.
Finally we are contesting the decision of the CEO to block the presence of two UN participant representatives among us at the board's meeting. We continue to believe that excluding elected members from the board violates due process, results in the disenfranchisement of over 86,000 participants and removes the ability of staff to scrutinize and have a say in their own pension fund as was the intention of the General Assembly when it established the tripartite board.
We will continue to keep you updated as we approach the board. In the meantime we encourage you to read this informative open letter below (English only) written to the Chair of the board.
En notre qualité de Représentants des participants de l'ONU au Fonds de Pension, élus par vous en Avril dernier, nous souhaitons vous informer sur les préparatifs de la prochaine réunion annuelle du conseil d'administration qui aura lieu du 24 au 28 juillet à Vienne.
Les problèmes auxquels nous accordons une attention particulière sont les suivants: l'arriéré important des retards de paiement aux retraités; Propositions visant à accroître le budget administratif du Fonds de Pension; La nécessité de mise en place de propositions visant à accélérer le premier versement de pension à la retraite; Sous-performance de l'investissement; et des propositions pour renouveler le leadership actuel.
Cependant, notre travail a été gravement entravé par le fait que des documents importants, dont certains comptent plus de 200 pages, ont été partagés très tardivement et bien après le délai de six semaines requis. Et certains document n'ont meme pas encore été partagés jusqu'à ce jour.
Nous sommes également préoccupés par une déclaration faite par le chef de la direction du fonds, Sergio Arvizu, à une réunion des retraités à New York, dans laquelle il a fortement souligné que le fonds de pension cesserait de fournir une pension liée à votre durée de service et au salaire final, tout en n'excluant pas la possibilité que cela se produise également à l'ONU. Nous sommes préoccupés par ce développement et nous croyons que la fermeture de notre régime unique de prestations définies signifierait une abrogation majeure de la responsabilité de l'employeur et une réduction importante de la provision pour la sécurité sociale de l'ONU. Nous essayerons d'obtenir d'autres précisions sur cette question très prochainement.
Enfin, nous contestons la décision du chef de la direction d'interdire la présence de deux de nos représentants des Participants des Nations Unies lors de la réunion du conseil d'administration. Nous continuons de croire que l'exclusion des membres élus du conseil constitue une violation grave de la procédure régulière qui entraîne la privation de droits de plus de 86 000 participants et supprime la capacité du personnel à examiner et à avoir son mot à dire dans sa propre caisse de retraite, comme l'avait prévu l'Assemblée Générale lors de la création du conseil d'administration tripartite.
Nous continuerons de vous tenir au courant de l'approche du conseil d'administration. En attendant, nous vous encourageons à lire cette lettre ouverte informative ci-dessous (en anglais seulement) écrite au président du conseil d'administration.
With regard to the annual Pension Board meeting, which will take place in Vienna from 24 to 28 July 2017, while we are not privy to the Board's agenda, we understand that several important topics will be before the Board for discussion.
Specifically, the issues of investment underperformance and the unprecedented backlog in benefit payments, as variously detailed in General Assembly resolution 71/265, Board of Auditors report A/71/5 Add 16, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) report A/71/621, Pension Board report A/71/9, and Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) audit 2017/2, are among the issues requiring the Board's attention.
Strangely, investment performance was one of the primary topics of Mr. Arvizu's presentation, although it does not fall under his area of responsibility. The fund is increasingly dependent on investments to remain solvent, he noted. In this connection, he said, many large organizations, including the World Bank, have moved away from the defined benefit model (the UN pension fund model), where the employer takes all the risks, to the defined contribution model, where the employer transfers all the risks to the employee. Mr. Arvizu's reference to this issue is curious, indeed.
Any such move in that direction would fundamentally change the purpose of the UN Pension Fund: the social security of United Nations employees worldwide. These provocative and troubling speculations by Mr. Arvizu undermine staff confidence and invoke longstanding concerns of the UN staff federations and others, about his past moves to consolidate and privatize the fund.
Regarding the backlog in pension payments, once again Mr. Arvizu's focus was exclusively on "actionable" cases. He noted in this regard: "We're addressing all of the straightforward cases within the same month, and the remaining balance is less than one week, or one week, and we follow the industry practice of 80-20".
Absent from his presentation was any mention of the thousands of pending cases of other types, as detailed in the audit of the Office of Internal Oversight Services mentioned above. How can Mr. Arvizu be expected to address a problem he is unwilling to even acknowledge?
While Ms. Boykin acknowledged in her statement that the Fund underperformed in investments in 2016, it is documented in the reports of these major UN bodies that the Fund also underperformed in the 2014-2015 biennium.
Further, and contrary to Ms. Boykin's statement that "in Q1 2017 we were right on top of our benchmark. . . So we're right in line with the benchmark this year", according to the Fund's publicly available investment report for May 2017, the Fund returned 8.24 per cent while the policy benchmark returned 8.51 per cent, i.e, the Fund underperformed by 0.27 per cent. (See May 31, 2017 monthly report here):http://imd.unjspf.org/monthlyreports/May-2017.pdf. How can Ms. Boykin be expected to address a problem she's unwilling to even acknowledge?
Ms. Ribeiro Viotti also provided a welcome reality check on investments, noting that the Secretary-General, who "has a fiduciary responsibility, is looking forward to the board's consideration" of "a review of the fund's investment practices, risk management and investment performance conducted by an independent third party.
We are not misled on the topic of the Fund's investment underperformance. We also do not believe that this underperformance is owed to the "market favoring indexation over active management" as Mr. Boykin contends.
Neither are we misled on the issue of the backlog in pension payments. While we note Mr. Arvizu's claim, and Mr. Sach's resolve to support his request for more resources, we do not believe that the backlog in pension benefits or issues with client services can be solved by additional resources alone. The OIOS audit points squarely to managerial deficiencies in the Fund Secretariat and there is no clear indication that these have been resolved.
Finally, we wish to state our concern about your active support of Mr. Arvizu in blocking two duly elected participant representatives to the UN Staff Pension Committee from participating in the Board, despite assurances that arrangements could be made to avoid potential conflicts of interest. This, unfortunately, echoes the Board's reported muzzling of the UN staff federations at last year's board meeting, and continues to cause us serious concern about the fairness and objectivity of the Board's proceedings.
There are grave matters before the Board that will affect the future of our Fund, including decisions about changes to its leadership moving forward. We urge you to eschew partisanship for leadership on decisions that will ensure that our Fund continues on a healthy track for the benefit of both current and future beneficiaries.


Delia Matilde has served as chief advisor for several representatives and senators at the Argentine National Congress and has advised the Constitutional Committee of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the National Accounting Office. Currently she works as an independent consultant, and has consulted on anti-corruption related issues with international organisations and NGOs, mainly in Latin America. Delia has a PhD in law from Madrid's Complutense University and is the author of numerous publications on democratic culture and political institutions, comparative politics, and public and parliamentary ethics. She was elected to TI's board in 2008 and 2011 and then again as chair in 2017.


On Tuesday, Jan. 30, Southern California Edison (SCE) spokesperson Maureen Brown sent an email to the San Clemente Times reporting that the first spent nuclear fuel rods, currently housed in cooling tanks at the offline San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), have been transferred to dry-cask storage. The operators of the nuclear power plant will store a total of 73 casks with the radioactive fuel rods, in addition to the 51 already onsite.
The storage containers, constructed by Holtec International, are stainless steel, five-eighths of an inch thick and were approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and permitted by the California Coastal Commission in 2015.
Opponents of the storage on-site at SONGS, which is located next to the Pacific Ocean, have voiced concerns for years over the move.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is the lead agency on where the fuel can be stored. The spent fuel rods can only be stored where the DOE sees fit. Temporary storage of the spent fuel rods has been debated at the federal level, with several bills failing to be passed, to amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to allow for such confinement. As of now, temporary storage is not permissible by law.
Customers of SCE and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. will no longer pay for $775 million in San Onofre-related investments that had not yet been recovered by the utilities under a 2014 settlement. SCE customers' portion of that total reduction is worth roughly $68 per residential customer over the next four years.
Because the agreement awaits approval by the commission, any amounts collected by the utilities in excess of the $775 million while the proposed settlement is pending will be refunded to customers.
In addition, the plaintiffs in a federal court lawsuit challenging the commission's approval of the 2014 settlement have agreed to dismiss that case in its entirety following commission approval of the revised settlement announced today.
SCE will reimburse SDG&E for SDG&E's $151 million share of the $775 million. This provision will not reduce the revised settlement benefits SCE customers receive.
"SCE and plant co-owner, SDG&E, have already returned more than $2 billion to customers under the 2014 settlement, which ensured that customers did not pay for the faulty steam generators, which prompted the closure of San Onofre, from the time this equipment failed," a press release stated.
The California Public Utilities Commission will make the final determination as to whether to accept the proposed settlement.
Mike Aguirre let all of southern California down. While he walks with 5 and a half million, ratepayers are still stuck for the most of the bill for Edison's own screw-up and incompetence. Not to mention the radiological leak that hit San Clemente in 2012. This is just wrong.
Because of the inferior storage technology SCE selected, they have no way to inspect for cracks or prevent cracks or to prevent major radioactive releases into our environment. Only promises of future solutions. Yet the are allowed to continue to use and procure these inferior canisters that hold a Chernobyl disaster in each can.
These Chernobyl cans started loading in 2003. The Koeberg nuclear plant had a comparable container leak in only 17 years. The NRC provided this information and also that once a crack starts it can grow through the canister wall in about 16 years. A 2-year old Diablo Canyon canister was determined to have all the conditions for cracking, but cannot be inspected.
The NRC, SCE, PG&E are all ignoring their own information, because it will cost the utilities money to use safer thick-wall casks (10″ to 19.75″ thick) used in most of the rest of the world. And what's even worse is they have no plan to stop the leaks or explosions from these cans, only unsubstantiated propaganda promises. I only found out about this from participating in NRC technical meetings, where employees are allowed to speak the truth.
NRC management is covering for the nuclear industry and does not even share these facts with their own Commissioners. They give them and others misleading assurances rather than facts. Go to SanOnofreSafety.org for details and source documents. Then share this information.


text:
Thurston Hopkins obituary
Photographer who made his reputation on the news magazine Picture Post in the 1950s
Amanda Hopkinson and David Mitchell
Thu 30 Oct 2014 14.16 EDT Last modified on Thu 27 Jun 2019 07.33 EDT
Thurston Hopkins on a cattle ranch in Australia, about 1953. Photograph: Getty Images
Reportage for Picture Post in the 1950s was at the heart of the career of Thurston Hopkins, who has died aged 101. His long professional life also included book illustration, commercial photography and teaching – before painting finally took over.
The hallmarks of Hopkins's style as a photographer mirrored those of the news magazine: a strong story, told in "as many shades of black and white as possible". His signature features began with The Cats of London (1951) and closed with Life in Liverpool (1956), which was spiked by Picture Post's owner, Edward Hulton, in deference to Liverpool's leaders who protested at the depiction of poverty, misery and deprivation in their city's slums. (This tendency to kill challenging stories was to cost one editor – my father, Tom Hopkinson – his job when, in 1950, he refused to pull a feature on the Korean war by the photographer Bert Hardy and the writer James Cameron.)
Hopkins's work on cats and Liverpool reflected the popular and political aspects of Picture Post's mission: two million readers were as likely to be interested in the pets and strays on the bomb sites of the capital as in destitute Merseyside families.
Hopkins's own background was very different. He was born in south London and, although his parents, Sybil (nee Bateley) and Robert Thurston Hopkins, christened him Godfrey, all but close friends and relatives called him Thurston. His father was a bank cashier and writer of ghost stories, topographical studies of Sussex, Cornwall and London, true crime tales and biographies of his near contemporaries Oscar Wilde, HG Wells and Rudyard Kipling.
Hopkins's photographs of Liverpool slums were spiked by the owner of Picture Post in deference to the city's leaders, who protested at the depiction of deprivation. Photograph: Thurston Hopkins/Getty Images
From St Joseph's Salesian school at Burwash, near Kipling's home in East Sussex, he went to Montpelier college, Brighton, and Brighton College of Art, where he studied graphic illustration and was instructed by Morgan Rendle to "watch those shadows: they give black-and-white illustration weight and balance where it is most needed". Hopkins deliberately applied this "leitmotif in my visual thinking, not only when I was making pen-and-ink drawings for provincial newspapers, but also when I began using a camera".
The abdication of Edward VIII in 1936 put an end to an early job in graphics, adding decorative frames to portraits of the king. It was a time when newspapers were moving from illustrations to photographs, and Thurston discovered "the camera paid better than the brush". But he found his first Goerz-Anschütz heavy and awkward, and disliked the dog-eat-dog practices of Fleet Street that he encountered on joining the Photo Press agency that year.
The launch of Picture Post in 1938 opened new doors. Conceived by the Hungarian émigré Stefan Lorant, the former editor of illustrated weeklies in Berlin and Munich, the magazine featured images by the many photographers soon exiled in Paris and London, among them Tim Gidal, Brassaï, Felix Man, Kurt Hutton and Gerti Deutsch. They introduced a fresh international outlook, firsthand experience of the rise and spread of nazism, and a new photographic genre; first called a unified photo report, it soon evolved into the picture story, photo essay or editorial feature.
Writer and photographer went out on a story together, working as colleagues, not competitors. Hopkins had found a creative base inhabited by kindred spirits. Many new photographers arrived with their Leicas – "the first camera I can recall handling without a certain feeling of distaste," the technology-averse Hopkins later recalled, adding that "I loved the absence of the requirement for technical perfection." Regarding it as fundamental to the astounding success of Picture Post, he affirmed: "I take the rather unpopular view that words and pictures need one another."
In 1940 Hopkins joined the RAF Photographic Unit and acquired his own Leica, serving in Italy and the Middle East until 1945. His desire to join Picture Post was fired by finding copies "in every tent and service club overseas".
After the war, Hopkins hitchhiked around Europe, honing his skills in the perceived tradition of Picture Post and producing a dummy issue composed entirely of his own features. He got work at the magazine as a freelancer and from 1950 as a staffer, working exclusively for the magazine alongside Humphrey Spender, Leonard McCombe, Bert Hardy and John Chillingworth. He frequently posed his most apparently spontaneous images. In a typical example from 1954, a child emerges from a coal-hole in a Native American headdress, and takes aim with his gun at the camera.
Thurston Hopkins frequently posed his most apparently spontaneous images. Photograph: Thurston Hopkins/Getty Images
In 1955 Hopkins met Grace Robertson, a photographer 17 years his junior, nearly a foot taller, and daughter of the broadcaster Fyfe Robertson. Grace would later observe that "it keeps Thurston on his toes being married to a younger woman", and explained the vision they shared with the magazine: "I can't recall anyone at Picture Post mentioning the ethics of photojournalism. It was just understood: a code of behaviour which reflected the seriousness of the magazine and the respect in which it was held." The couple had a daughter and a son.
After Picture Post folded in 1957, Hopkins ran an advertising studio in Chiswick, west London, for 10 years. Its success was clinched as much by the Spanish launch of the Ford Escort as by Hopkins's ability to keep adapting proven skills. A portrait of a limousine owner-driver with a regal poodle sitting bolt upright in the passenger seat was ripe for commercial exploitation. Titled La Dolce Vita, Knightsbridge (1953), it became Hopkins's most popular postcard, poster and calendar image.
As another decade arrived and nostalgia took over, Hopkins could assign Getty Archive to market his backlist while concentrating on teaching on Ifor Thomas's respected editorial photography course at Guildford School of Art. He liked to cite Ruskin's belief that Turner could have created great art by dipping a blunt stick in mud. His dislike of new technologies and renewed love of painting surfaced during early retirement to Seaford, East Sussex, where he and Grace settled in the 1980s. Painting alternated with signings of his 50s pictures (with grumbles over "losing another day's painting"), to supply the collections of the V&A, the Arts Council and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
To celebrate his 80th birthday, the gallerist Zelda Cheatle showed Hopkins's nocturnal images in a show called After Dark. For his 90th, Getty Images mounted a major retrospective, and the National Theatre showcased the Golden Age of Reportage in what Hopkins called "the last round-up" – erroneously, as it turned out: his work continues to have lasting impact, its popularity secured by his talent for humanitarian photography that captured the spirit of the times.
He is survived by Grace, his daughter, Joanna, his son, Robert, and a granddaughter, Cressida.
David Mitchell writes: Stefan Lorant, first editor of Picture Post and pioneer of photojournalism, had an unusual interviewing technique: "A photographer would come to me and I would say, 'Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart'. If he did not know of him, I would realise he had no intellectual background. If he was ignorant of Shakespeare or Mahler – out! Never mind what his pictures were like." Thurston Hopkins would have passed such a cultural inquisition with flying colours. He arrived at Picture Post with the departure of Tom Hopkinson, when the magazine slid into decline with editors coming and, rapidly, going, but Hopkins's slim, neat figure and his scholarly air enhanced by thick-lensed spectacles seemed the epitome of conscientious professionalism.
When Edward VIII abdicated and Thurston was out of a job, the agency's owner lent him an unwieldy press camera on a three-month trial basis. Averse to any mechanical devices, he nevertheless persevered grimly, even learning to take pictures by flash-powder (his ration of bulbs being limited) with an attendant shower of magnesium fall-out – a gruelling, even farcical, introduction to photography.
The designer and restaurateur Terence Conran, founder of Habitat, and his wife, Shirley, the journalist and author, relaxing at home in hammock chairs (1955). Photograph: Thurston Hopkins/Getty Images
He liked straightforward reportage printed on low-grade paper that gave the photos a feel of early film noir, a lasting passion. I accompanied him as a writer on a number of British and foreign assignments, and in 1952 humoured his penchant for shadowy nocturnal scenes by smoking a midnight Gauloise with the towers of Notre Dame in the background for a feature on the river Seine. When we were stationed near Kairouan, Tunisia, for nine months, we used to enter the town in the dark, everywhere lit by flares, no electricity – a magical sight.
Thurston had not hesitated to ignore Henri Cartier-Bresson's dogma of the snatched "decisive moment", by stage-managing pictures when this seemed appropriate. Such blasphemy, now almost an orthodoxy, was perhaps a result of his training as a graphic artist. But he did not regard photography as a fine art and had not expected his pictures to have permanence.
Though meticulously protective of his Leica ("I took it to bed in cold weather so that its sensitive shutter would function freely the following morning") he claimed always to have felt a certain contempt for "the little monster" and to have sensed that there was "something unnatural, even faintly ridiculous, about what I was doing so energetically".
• Godfrey Thurston Hopkins, graphic artist, photographer and painter, born 16 April 1913; died 26 October 2014
Journalism, publishing and public relations


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H7N9 bird flu: is Canada ready for a bird flu outbreak?
Chinese health workers collect bags of dead chickens at the Huhuai wholesale agricultural market in Shanghai on April 5. (AFP/Getty Images)
As the world nervously watches the bird flu outbreak unfolding in China, two questions are likely at the top of everyone's minds:
1) Will H7N9 start spreading between humans?
2) Will it come here?
The WHO has confirmed 16 cases so far, including six deaths. They also announced today that any new H7N9 updates will be announced on their Twitter account first. It is important to note, however, that there is still no evidence of human-to-human transmission and the prevailing theory is that people are getting infected by poultry.
But now there are also a few suspected imported cases of H7N9 in Hong Kong and, according to Chinese reports, in Taiwan -- both involving people who have recently visited China. This is not altogether surprising, considering the close ties and proximity between those countries and China.
But could there be imported cases in Canada? It's hard to know but the possibility certainly cannot be ruled out. There is a huge Chinese population in Canada and during the SARS outbreak in 2003, we were among the countries hardest hit -- we were also completely caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a brand new virus (for a refresher, you can read my colleague Amy Dempsey's recent SARS anniversary stories here and here).
So if an H7N9-infected person were to arrive on our shores, is Canada ready to test for it? The Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Lab says yes. Here's what they told me by email:
How is the Agency able to detect the H7N9 virus?
The Agency's National Microbiology Laboratory has access to the H7N9 whole genome sequence through the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data. With this information, the NML has the capability to rapidly detect the H7N9 virus.
Can the provincial laboratories detect the virus?
The NML is working closely with provincial laboratories to ensure they will soon be able to test for the H7N9 virus.
How is the Agency monitoring the situation in China?
An Agency medical expert is based in Beijing, and is liaising with the Chinese infectious disease prevention authorities on this outbreak. The Agency is also continually monitoring information on avian influenza H7N9 in poultry, as well as human cases in China and is working closely with its national and international partners, including the World Health Organization, to track all types of flu activity in Canada and around the world.
It will be really important for provincial labs to acquire the capacity to test for the new bird flu strain, however -- as of now, any samples from a suspected case in Canada would have to be shipped to Winnipeg for testing and confirmation (although even after the provincial labs acquire the capacity to test, any positive cases would be doubly-confirmed by the Winnipeg lab, at least in the early stages).
A spokesperson with Ontario's public health lab tells me they currently have tests that can pick up Influenza A, which would flag the sample as a suspected H7N9 case. As of yet, however, they do not have specific tests to pick up H7N9 -- they're working on that right now.
Jennifer Yang is the Star's global health reporter. She previously worked as a general assignment reporter and won a NNA in 2011 for her explanatory piece on the Chilean mining disaster. Follow her on Twitter: @jyangstar
Bird flu: More cases, more rumours in China's spreading outbreak
New rules rolled out for high-risk research on deadly viruses
Posted by Jennifer Yang at 10:10:06 AM in Animals, Canada, China, Global Health
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The Star's foreign desk covers the best stories from the around the globe, updated throughout the day.
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Brendon Ross on Zombie "rape insurance" law comes back to life in Michigan
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professor moonbeam on Grand River has highest levels of artificial sweeteners on record
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Arab awakening
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South Korean air force to acquire small hydrogen-powered UAVs
by Alessandra Giovanzanti
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has signed a KRW831 million (USD730,000) contract with local company Doosan Mobility Innovation to acquire an undisclosed number of small hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enhance the military's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The agency said in a 17 May statement that the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) will start receiving the UAVs in November as part of a pilot project that will see the military using advanced hydrogen fuel cell 'powerpack technology' for the first time.
South Korea's DAPA signed a KRW831 million contract with Doosan Mobility Innovation on 17 May to acquire an undisclosed number of hydrogen-powered small UAVs for use in a pilot project aimed at enhancing the military's surveillance capabilities. (DAPA)
The pilot programme for the UAVs, which are being acquired via the fast track procurement route, is set to be completed within a year.
According to DAPA, hydrogen fuel cell-powered UAVs are small and have greater endurance than existing battery-propelled ones. They also feature low-noise and low-vibration technologies, which would allow the military to perform covert surveillance and reconnaissance missions while reducing the risk of detection.
A DAPA official said that the agency expects this project to be the starting point for the establishment of hydrogen-related infrastructure in South Korea, as well as for hydrogen to be used as a power source for various other military systems, including large-sized UAVs and armoured vehicles.
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Weddings are like Bat Mitzvahs: by the end of the evening, the gift table is overflowing! When the overjoyed bride and groom go to open these gifts they will be overwhelmed by the amount of new items—hopefully most of which they asked for ahead of time or actually wanted. In order to make sure that your wedding gift stands out from the crowd, make sure that it plays to the interests of both the bride and groom, and also make sure it's unique! They are going to get a lot of glass bowls, so try something more practical and exciting—start with these wedding gift ideas and you're well on your way to gifting the perfect wedding gift!
Nothing spruces up a kitchen better than the infamous Kitchen Aid Mixer. Whip together cookies, cakes, mashed potatoes, and anything else without breaking into a sweat or getting a mess all over the counters and floor! Not only are these mixers on every cooks' wish list, they come in a variety of fun colors that make quite a fashion statement in the kitchen.
If the newlyweds you have in mind have pets or children to clean up after, this automatic iRobot vacuum will become their new best friend. Using a 3-stage cleaning system, this little device is able to pick up a huge amount of dirt, pet hair, crumbs, and other unsightly messes. It can reach areas that humans can not and it works around the clock, with or without assistance—no busy person will know how they ever lived without this vacuum; now that's a good wedding gift!
This cork trivet kit is perfect for the new bride and groom with a love for fine wine, this gift will stick in their minds long after they open up all of their new presents and it's only $20!
Pair this Trivet Cork Set with this set of 4 Wine Cork Coasters for only $20 more!
In the instance that you don't know the bride and groom that well, or if you are on a tight budget, it is perfectly acceptable to spend a little bit less on the wedding present. Picking out an assortment of cute knick-knacks, such as the ones displayed below, will be just as exciting for the couple as a big ticket item. These romantic knick-knacks also make perfect side gifts for those that plan to spend a little bit more.
Perfect for the couple that loves to enjoy a good beer together after a long day at work!


A Pop Up Wedding Festival Show @ Stock Farm - To pre-register for a FREE Brides Up North VIP Bride-To-Be Goody Bag (stuffed with treats and glossy mags) and FREE ENTRY, fill in your details on the website. You can collect your VIP Bride-To-Be Goody Bag upon entry to the Wedding Show. Only the bride need register for larger groups.
VIP Bride-To-Be Goody Bags available while stocks last only.


From staffing a select department to staffing and managing the entire warehouse function, CPC has you covered. We can provide resources to relieve you from the up and down staffing requirements and handle all required positions and processes in the small to medium warehouse setting.
From small warehouses to sizes of 250,000 square feet or more, CPC has experience in handling shipping and receiving tasks for some of the largest companies in North America.
We strive to custom fit our labor and management services to each individual warehouse operation.


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IVON Trial
Intravenous versus oral iron for iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant Nigerian women (IVON): a randomised controlled trial.
Women Randomized
FCM Group (Ferrous Carboxymaltose)
FS Group (Ferrous Sulphate)
as at Thursday, 15th December, 2022.
About IVON
Anaemia in pregnancy (AIP) remains a critical global health problem especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), affecting 46% of pregnant women in Africa and 49% in Asia. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the commonest cause of AIP, accounting for 50-75% of AIP.
Our aim is to compare the effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (intervention) versus oral ferrous sulphate (control) for treating anaemia and IDA in pregnancy and to measure the acceptability, feasibility, fidelity (implementation outcomes) and the cost-effectiveness of intravenous iron among pregnant Nigerian women with moderate and severe anaemia, and IDA at 20–32 weeks' gestation.
Learn More About This Trial
IVON Trial Overview
About Ivon Trial
Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the commonest cause of AIP, accounting for 50-75% of AIP. We aim to compare the effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (intervention) versus oral ferrous sulphate (control) for treating anaemia and IDA in pregnancy and to measure acceptability, feasibility, fidelity (implementation outcomes) and the cost-effectiveness of intravenous iron among pregnant Nigerian women with moderate and severe anaemia at 20–32 weeks' gestation.
Prof. Bosede B. Afolabi MBChB (OAU), DM(Notts), FRCOG (UK), FWACS, FMCOG
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
College of Medicine, University of Lagos/Idi-Araba, Lagos.
Please note: This publication is based on research funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
(c) Copyright 2021 | IVON Trial


It's a break-out style game where you have to knock out all the bricks to advance to the next (Bible chapter themed) level. There are three difficulty levels to choose from.
TimWin's Brick Buster: Are you faster than the bricks? Using lasers, a paddle and your wits can you beat the bricks? Each level becomes progressively more difficult and challenging.
Welcome to the Strike Ball 3 ordering page! What you should know about ordering Alawar games: After ordering the game, you will gain access to all of the game levels and advanced game features.
A zombie outbreak has taken out the artificial settlement Ziltron. Their origin is unknown. A group of specially trained marines are sent in to investigate.
You're on a relaxing vacation at a desert resort when your peaceful afternoon is upturned by an armada of pests! With every bug you squash, you gain new skills and obtain new weapons to help defeat these bothersome foes.


To the surprise of absolutely no one, Kentucky improved to 35-0 Thursday night with a 79-56 thrashing of Hampton. Next up for the Wildcats: Cincinnati, which advanced to the Round of 64 by winning a 66-65 thriller over Purdue.
Sports books monitored by OddsShark have Kentucky as a 16.5-point favorite.
The round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament kicked off March 19 and saw Kentucky continue its pursuit of perfection. Get to know their next victim, No. 8 Cincinnati.


Graphene, a material used in cell phones and sporting goods, will find its way into Ford vehicle parts beginning in late 2018. Ford announced on National Nanotechnology Day that the nanomaterial, which is 200 times stronger than steel, will be used in the manufacturing of 10 under-hood components for the Ford F-150 and Mustang.
Ford will team with Eagle Industries and XG Sciences to implement graphene into parts like fuel rail covers, pump covers and front engine covers. The material is one of the must conductive in the world and provides a strong barrier against sound. Tests show that the use of graphene with foam constituents will reduce noise by 17 percent while improving heat endurance by 30 percent, when compared to regular foam parts.
Graphene was initially isolated in 2004, and the experiment that led to its discovery resulted in a Nobel Prize in 2010. Ford has been working with suppliers to learn about the material's effects since 2014.
Ford expects to put the graphene-infused parts into production by the end of the year. While the F-150 and Mustang will be the first recipients, more Ford vehicles are expected to follow.
This article is presented by our dealerships.


Energizing day cream, hydrates, nourishes and protects the skin. Based on Indian ayurveda principles.
The ginger energizes and enlivens the skin and almond hydrates and provides essential nutrients to the skin.
Th herbal sunscreen contained in the cream protects against UV radiation and prevents premature aging of the skin.
Gently massage the face and neck with the cream 2 times a day, morning and evening.