1.Indian officials attend virtual EAG plenary meet
News: Indian officials have attended the virtual 32nd plenary meeting of Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG).
Facts:
- EAG: It is a regional body established in 2004.Currently,it is an associate member of the Financial Action Task Force(FATF).
- Members: It comprises nine countries namely India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus.
- Purpose: To ensure cooperation and integration of EAG member-states into the international system of anti-money laundering and combating financing of terrorism in accordance with the recommendations of FATF.
Additional Facts:
- FATF: It is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris.
- Secretariat: It is located at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris.
- Objectives:
- set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures
- for combating money laundering and terrorist financing and
- other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
- Members: It comprises 37 member jurisdictions and 2 regional organisations representing most major financial centres in all parts of the globe.
2.SATYABHAMA portal launched to promote R&D in mining and mineral sector
News: Union Minister for Mines has launched SATYABHAMA (Science and Technology Yojana for Atma Nirbhar Bharat in Mining Advancement) Portal.
Facts:
- The portal has been designed, developed and will be implemented by the National Informatics Centre(NIC),Mines Informatics Division.
- Purpose: To promote research and development in the mining and minerals sector by providing online submission of project proposals along with monitoring of the same and utilisation of funds.
- The portal has also been integrated with the NITI Aayog portal- NGO Darpan.
Additional Facts:
- NGO Darpan: It is a platform that provides space for interface between VOs/NGOs and key Government Ministries / Departments / Government Bodies.is managed at present by NITI Aayog.
3.One billion children experience violence every year:UN report
News: The Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020 has been released.
Facts:
- About the report: It was published by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNESCO, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children and the End Violence Partnership.
- Purpose: It is a first of its kind report charting progress in 155 countries against the “INSPIRE” framework.
Additional Facts:
- INSPIRE Framework: It is a set of seven strategies for preventing and responding to violence against children.
- The seven strategies are: implementation and enforcement of laws; norms and values; safe environments; parent and caregiver support; income and economic strengthening; response and support services; and education and life skills.
- End Violence Partnership: It is a public-private partnership that unites governments, United Nations agencies, civil society, faith groups, the private sector, philanthropic foundations, academics and children around a single goal ending all forms of violence against children by 2030.
News: United Nations World Refugee Day is observed every year on June 20.
Facts:
- World Refugee Day: It is observed since 2000 to celebrate the stories and contributions of refugees.
- Nodal agency: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- Theme: “Every Action Counts”.
Additional Facts:
- Refugee: According to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, people who fled their homes and countries due to a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion is a refugee.
- The cornerstone of the 1951 Refugee Convention is the principle of non-refoulement.
- According to this principle, a refugee should not be returned to a country where he or she faces serious threats to his or her life or freedom.
- India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 or the 1967 Protocol which protects refugee rights.
5.COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Programme
News: Government of India and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB) has signed a $750 million “COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Programme”.
Facts:
- Aim: To assist India to strengthen its response to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on poor and vulnerable households.
- Programme Beneficiaries: Families below poverty line, farmers, healthcare workers, women, widows, people with disabilities, senior citizens, construction workers and vulnerable groups.
- Funding: It is financed under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility of the AIIB and co-financed by the Asian Development Bank(ADB).
- Implementation: It will be executed by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
Additional Facts:
- Crisis Recover Facility: It has been set up by AIIB to provide financing to both public and private sector entities within its members facing serious adverse impacts as a result of Coronavirus pandemic.
