The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) was launched in September 2011 to raise awareness among decision makers on the vital role of soil resources for achieving food security, adapting to and mitigating climate change and guaranteeing the provision of other environmental services. The Terms of Reference of the GSP were approved in December 2012. The Partnership aims to improve governance of the planet's limited soil resources in order to guarantee healthy and productive soils for a food secure world, as well as support other essential ecosystem services. The five pillars of action of the GSP include the promotion of sustainable management of soil resources; the encouragement of investment, technical cooperation, policy, education awareness and extension in soils; the promotion of targeted soil research and development focused on identified gaps and priorities; the enhancement of the quantity and quality of soil data and information; and lastly, the harmonization of methods, measurements and indicators for sustainable soil management, with national validation accounting for the differences of production systems and ecosystems. At the core of the GSP is the establishment of Regional Soil Partnerships to contextualize the needs and priorities of soil actions to be implemented in each region. This workshop will launch the West and Central African consultation among national soil institutions and regional partners.
dates: 4-6 February 2013 location: Accra, Ghana
Established during the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Sustainable Ocean Initiative provides a global platform to build partnerships and enhance capacity to achieve the Aichi biodiversity targets related to marine and coastal biodiversity in a holistic manner. This workshop will showcase regional experiences focusing on West Africa, covering ecologically or biologically significant marine areas, and integrated marine and coastal area management towards achieving Targets 6 and 11 in a holistic manner.
dates: 4-8 February 2013 location: Senegal
The African Union Women Gender and Development Directorate is hosting the 6th course on Gender Responsive Economic Policy Making in Africa. The course aims to improve and increase Member States' conceptual understanding as well as provide practical skills to mainstream gender concepts and tools into economic and social development policy and practices on the continent.
dates: 4-15 February 2013 location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
This workshop will be convened under the theme "Convening Adaptation Knowledge Networks and Platforms in Africa". The Africa Adaptation Knowledge Network is facilitated by UNEP under the umbrella of the Global Adaptation Network (GAN). It is based on the recognition that: Africa is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; adaptation is a knowledge-intensive undertaking; and access to relevant and usable knowledge is an important prerequisite for successful adaptation efforts. The Network functions as a knowledge hub on adaptation, promoting cooperation and collaboration in seeking robust solutions to climate change impacts using experiences and lessons learnt from the implementation of independent actions in different locations. It also seeks to convene existing adaptation knowledge networks and platforms in Africa to open a window of opportunity for taking stock of the state of adaptation knowledge mobilization on the continent.
dates: 5-6 February 2013 venue: UNEP headquarters location: Nairobi, Kenya
The 51st session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) is scheduled to meet from 6-15 February 2013. The session will consider as its priority theme, "Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all." The agenda also includes: follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly; review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups, including the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, World Programme of Action for Youth, Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, and Family issues, policies and programmes; and the social dimension in the global development agenda beyond 2015.
dates: 6-15 February 2013 venue: UN Headquarters location: New York, United States of America