Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Watchdog Calls on Congress to Clarify Lobbying Disclosure Rules as Companies Dodge Reporting on Trump-Linked Donations
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Campaign for Accountability issued the following news release on March 17, 2026:
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Watchdog Calls on Congress to Clarify Lobbying Disclosure Rules as Companies Dodge Reporting on Trump-Linked Donations
Today, Campaign for Accountability (CfA) filed a request for guidance with the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House asking for clarification on when lobbyists must disclose donations to organizations financed or designated by the President of the United States -- a question that has taken on urgent significance as corporations including Apple, Lockheed Martin,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Campaign for Accountability issued the following news release on March 17, 2026:
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Watchdog Calls on Congress to Clarify Lobbying Disclosure Rules as Companies Dodge Reporting on Trump-Linked Donations
Today, Campaign for Accountability (CfA) filed a request for guidance with the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House asking for clarification on when lobbyists must disclose donations to organizations financed or designated by the President of the United States -- a question that has taken on urgent significance as corporations including Apple, Lockheed Martin,and Meta have made large donations to organizations closely tied to President Trump without disclosing those contributions on required federal lobbying reports.
See CfA's guidance request (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27888140-cfa-sec-senate-and-house-clerk-ld-203-guidance/).
The Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) requires registered lobbyists to disclose contributions to organizations "established, financed, maintained, or controlled by" or "designated by" a covered official, including the president. But inconsistent filings by registered lobbyists suggest widespread confusion -- or willful noncompliance -- about when donations to two Trump-linked organizations, the Trust for the National Mall (TNM) and Freedom 250, must be disclosed on semiannual LD-203 reports.
TNM is the primary funding vehicle for President Trump's proposed White House ballroom, a project the president has branded "The Donald J. Trump Ballroom at the White House" and claimed he would personally fund. Freedom 250 is a limited liability company capitalized by the National Park Foundation that is planning the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations, with President Trump playing a central role in both fundraising and event planning for both organizations.
President Trump's involvement with both entities goes well beyond typical honorary roles that public officials play with charitable organizations. He personally selected the design and construction firms for the ballroom project, directed his fundraisers to circulate pledge forms describing the project as his own, promised donors special White House access and personal meetings with the president in exchange for their contributions, and provided donors the option of remaining anonymous -- despite having no formal control over either organization. Freedom 250 has been so publicly linked to the president that it is widely described as "a Trump-controlled group."
Some LD-203 filers have concluded that these facts require disclosure and have included their donations to TNM on their reports. Others -- including some of the largest corporations in America with substantial federal business -- have not. That inconsistency signals that clearer guidance is needed.
CfA's request asks the Secretary and Clerk to clarify two specific questions: when a covered official's financial support for an organization is sufficient to render it "financed" by that official for reporting purposes, and what role beyond mere solicitation a covered official must play for an organization to be considered "designated" by that official under the Act.
CfA executive director Michelle Kuppersmith said, "Corporations don't donate hundreds of millions of dollars to a president's pet projects out of the goodness of their hearts -- they do it because they want something in return. The American public has a right to know which companies are buying access. The Secretary and Clerk should clarify the rules so that lobbyists can comply and the public can follow the money."
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Campaign for Accountability is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog organization that uses research, litigation, and aggressive communications to expose misconduct and malfeasance in public life and hold those who act at the expense of the public good accountable for their actions.
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Original text here: https://campaignforaccountability.org/watchdog-calls-on-congress-to-clarify-lobbying-disclosure-rules-as-companies-dodge-reporting-on-trump-linked-donations/
[Category: Political]
Save the Children: Middle East Regional Conflict Blocking Lifesaving Aid for Over 400,000 Children
WESTPORT, Connecticut, March 19 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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Middle East regional conflict blocking lifesaving aid for over 400,000 children
LONDON/GENEVA - The conflict in the Middle East and wider region is obstructing key delivery routes for humanitarian supplies, delaying lifesaving medical shipments for at least 410,000 children in three countries, said Save the Children, warning the global impact will only grow.1
The escalating conflict
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, March 19 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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Middle East regional conflict blocking lifesaving aid for over 400,000 children
LONDON/GENEVA - The conflict in the Middle East and wider region is obstructing key delivery routes for humanitarian supplies, delaying lifesaving medical shipments for at least 410,000 children in three countries, said Save the Children, warning the global impact will only grow.1
The escalating conflictis having dire ripple effects on global aid supplies due to disruptions to key air, sea and land routes, with shipping costs estimated by Save the Children to skyrocket about 10 to 50% to reroute aid in some cases.
As a result, Save the Children's lifesaving aid intended for children and their families in Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan is stuck in the Middle East.
One shipment of medical supplies bound for Sudan is stuck in Dubai due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global waterway for shipping. The delay puts more than 90 primary health care facilities across Sudan at risk of running out of essential medicines.
The medical supplies, intended to support over 400,000 children in Sudan, include antibiotics, antimalarials, deworming treatments, pain and fever medicines, as well as vitamins and key injectable and pediatric formulations used in routine and emergency treatment.
Further, rising fuel prices will push up the already-staggering inflation rates across Sudan. As transport and import costs increase, so too will the price of food, commodities and cost of doing business. This will not only add burden to delivering humanitarian assistance but also deepen the hardship faced by millions in Sudan struggling to meet their basic needs.
Save the Children is exploring alternative routes to deliver the supplies to Sudan, including transporting the supplies by road across Jeddah where we will then use sea freight to get it to Port Sudan, which could add $1,000-$2,000 per container in costs.
Conflict-related disruptions have also driven up the cost of delivering critical nutrition supplies to Afghanistan. The nutrition supplies, intended to support 5,000 children and 1,400 pregnant and breastfeeding women, would have been shipped from India via Iran but now must arrive by air at a cost of over $240,000 - more than the value of the supplies. Without the supplies, nutrition programs risk running out of stock and closing, leaving children facing acute hunger and malnutrition without treatment.
Additionally, a Save the Children shipment of medicine including antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin headed for Yemen is also stuck in Dubai and, for the first time ever, Save the Children will transport these supplies via road, doubling the transport cost.
The medicines are expected to benefit about 5,000 children across 10 health facilities. Without these supplies, families and children may stop seeking health care in the health facilities due to medicine shortages, particularly impacting children suffering from malnutrition, whose conditions could worsen without timely treatment, the aid agency said.
Further disruptions to supply chains could have major implications for the entry of essential goods into a country heavily dependent on imports of food, fuel and medicines, pushing prices even higher and exacerbating humanitarian needs.
Willem Zuidema, Save the Children's Global Supply Chain Director, said:
"The escalating conflict is having grave ripple effects for children far beyond the region. Lifesaving aid is being delayed around the world, costs are soaring as a result of the fuel price increases at a time when governments are cutting vital foreign aid budgets, and families in some of the world's most fragile places risk losing the support they depend on.
"Medical aid is highly dependent on international transport. The blockage in the Strait of Hormuz combined with spiking cost for insurance and fuel are directly impacting patients in our health facilities, in the worst time possible.
"All parties to the conflict must facilitate the safe passage of humanitarian assistance to children. There should be no barriers to life-saving supplies: exemptions should be put in place to allow humanitarian supplies, fertilizer, and food to be able to move through the Strait of Hormuz. With global humanitarian needs already at record levels, further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and wider region will have grave ramifications for crises across the world."
Save the Children is urgently calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. All parties to the conflict must adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by facilitating the unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to civilians in need.
Save the Children is the world's largest independent child rights organization, reaching tens of millions of children annually in about 110 countries through its work to save and improve children's lives.
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Notes:
[1] Save the Children's medical supplies stuck in the Middle East include medicine intended to support over 400,000 children in Sudan, 5000 children in Yemen and 5000 children in Afghanistan, totaling 410,000 children.
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/middle-east-conflict-blocking-lifesaving-aid
[Category: Sociological]
Progress Michigan: Ruth Johnson is Lying About the SAVE Act
LANSING, Michigan, March 19 -- Progress Michigan, an organization that says it holds public officials and government accountable and assist in the promotion of progressive ideas, issued the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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Ruth Johnson is Lying About the SAVE Act
State senator's warmup speech at VP Vance's rally in Auburn Hills falls flat with falsehoods about anti-voter proposals
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In response to the speech that State Senator Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) gave today during Vice President JD Vance's visit to an Auburn Hills manufacturing facility, Justin Mendoza, executive director
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, March 19 -- Progress Michigan, an organization that says it holds public officials and government accountable and assist in the promotion of progressive ideas, issued the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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Ruth Johnson is Lying About the SAVE Act
State senator's warmup speech at VP Vance's rally in Auburn Hills falls flat with falsehoods about anti-voter proposals
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In response to the speech that State Senator Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) gave today during Vice President JD Vance's visit to an Auburn Hills manufacturing facility, Justin Mendoza, executive directorof Progress Michigan, issued the following statement:
"If it wasn't embarrassing enough for JD Vance to get booed in Auburn Hills for mentioning he's an Ohio State fan, his rally featured multiple false or misleading claims about the state of the economy and the Trump administration's track record. What's most concerning is the fact that just before, State Senator Ruth Johnson laughed off concerns about the impact on married women if the SAVE Act is implemented.
"Here's the truth: proponents of the SAVE Act are trying to deceive the public by claiming this bill is about voter ID when it's actually about voter suppression. Michigan already has secure photo ID laws. Calling this a voter ID law is complete bullshit. The only thing the SAVE Act would do is wrap voters up in red tape.
"Many folks do not have readily available access to their birth certificates, including millions of women who do not have birth certificates with their current legal name. Even for passport verification, about six in ten Michiganders don't have a passport. You need a birth certificate to be able to get a passport, creating additional costs and barriers for voters that will only prevent people from getting to the polls.
"It would be a big surprise if the SAVE Act can get 60 votes in the U.S. Senate. Yet still, Michiganders have to be vigilant about this attack on our voting freedoms with the Americans for Citizen Voting ballot initiative. Cut from the same cloth as the SAVE Act, it's nothing more than a power grab meant to prevent people from participating in our democracy. Republicans are even saying the quiet part out loud, as Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted on social media that this legislation is about influencing the outcome of the 2026 midterms.
"Michigan has made strides in the past decade to make our elections safer, more secure and accessible, and Senator Ruth Johnson actually played a big part in that. When she was Secretary of State, Johnson purchased the elections systems that we still use successfully. It's a shame that instead of building on the progress our state has made with voting, she's using her power to deprive millions of Michiganders from their voting rights.
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Original text here: https://progressmichigan.org/2026/03/ruth-johnson-is-lying-about-the-save-act/
[Category: Political]
No Labels Issues Commentary: To Fix the Debt, Congress Might Have to Outsource
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- No Labels, a political organization that advocates for centrism and bipartisanship, issued the following commentary on March 17, 2026, by senior policy analyst Peyton Lofton:
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To Fix the Debt, Congress Might Have to Outsource
Two bipartisan bills would create a fiscal commission and force Congress to vote on the results. Here's why that matters.
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The U.S. is headed toward a debt crisis that will cause a Nightmare on Main Street, unless Congress can quickly get a handle on the debt and deficit.
History shows that's unlikely.
There are only three ways Congress
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- No Labels, a political organization that advocates for centrism and bipartisanship, issued the following commentary on March 17, 2026, by senior policy analyst Peyton Lofton:
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To Fix the Debt, Congress Might Have to Outsource
Two bipartisan bills would create a fiscal commission and force Congress to vote on the results. Here's why that matters.
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The U.S. is headed toward a debt crisis that will cause a Nightmare on Main Street, unless Congress can quickly get a handle on the debt and deficit.
History shows that's unlikely.
There are only three ways Congresscan dig the U.S. out of its fiscal hole: tax hikes, spending cuts, or economic growth at a pace we haven't seen in decades. In all likelihood, it would take a combination of all three.
Americans wouldn't like it, and Congress knows it. Cutting spending means cutting programs people and powerful interest groups like. Raising revenue means taking more money from taxpayers. In the current environment, most members of Congress would rather kick the can down the road than take a politically risky vote on a real fix.
That's where a fiscal commission comes in - an independent, bipartisan body empowered to propose the hard stuff that individual members of Congress won't touch on their own. No Labels' allies in the House and Senate are proposing legislation to do just that.
The Warning Signs
The national debt held by the public is $31.3 trillion dollars, roughly equal to America's entire gross domestic product (GDP), a broad measure of the size of the economy. That means the federal government owes more in debt than the whole American economy produces in a year. We haven't been in this position since World War II.
The annual deficit - the gap between what the government spends and what it takes in - is $1.9 trillion this year alone, higher than it ever was before Covid. The Congressional Budget Office projects it will reach $3.1 trillion by 2036.
And just like a credit card, the federal government has to pay interest to borrow money. Interest payments this year are set to reach $1 trillion, making it the second-biggest item in the federal budget, behind only Social Security. America now spends more on interest payments than it does on defense.
Meanwhile, Social Security - the program that tens of millions of Americans depend on for retirement - is in trouble. The program's primary trust fund is projected to be depleted in 2033. Unless Congress acts, beneficiaries will see their benefits cut by 23% across the board, plunging 3.8 million seniors into poverty overnight.
The Logic Behind a Commission
Washington has known about these problems for years but has never been forced to confront them head on. A well-designed fiscal commission could change that.
The idea is simple: take the most politically explosive decisions out of the normal legislative process, hand them to a bipartisan group of lawmakers and experts tasked with putting everything on the table, and then require Congress to vote up-or-down on the result.
It works for the same reason base closures work. When the Pentagon wants to close military bases - another decision that's politically painful but fiscally necessary - Congress long ago set up a process where an independent commission recommends closures, and Congress votes on the whole package. No member can protect their home-state base through amendments or carveouts; the entire package passes or fails as a whole.
A fiscal commission would apply the same logic to the debt. America simply will not solve its debt problem unless Washington is forced to do so - with a process that requires Democrats and Republicans to develop a plan that puts everything on the table, from what and how we spend to what and how we tax.
Simpson-Bowles: A Cautionary Tale
This isn't a new idea. In 2010, President Obama created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform - better known as Simpson-Bowles, after its co-chairs, former Republican Senator Alan Simpson and former Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles.
The commission produced a serious, comprehensive plan. It called for a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases, proposed changes to Social Security and Medicare, and offered a genuine path to fiscal sustainability. 14 of its 18 members voted for it, with support from both Republicans and Democrats.
And then nothing happened.
Why? Because Simpson-Bowles had no legislative teeth. It was created by an executive order, but the President can't force Congress to hold a vote. The recommendations just quietly died. Simpson-Bowles became synonymous with a good idea that Washington managed to ignore.
That's why No Labels' 2023 policy booklet Common Sense called specifically for Congress to create a bipartisan deficit reduction commission to make recommendations that they must take an up-or-down vote on. Now, bipartisan leaders are doing just that.
Two Bills, One Idea
Right now, there are two bipartisan bills in Congress that would fix the Simpson-Bowles problem.
In the Senate, the Fiscal Commission Act is being led by Senators John Curtis, Bill Cassidy, and Todd Young - close allies of No Labels who have been among the most serious voices in Congress on fiscal responsibility. In the House, the Sustainable Budget Act of 2025 was introduced by Rep. Ed Case - vice chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group No Labels helped found - alongside a bipartisan group of co-sponsors.
Both bills would create a bipartisan commission to develop a comprehensive fiscal plan. Both require support from both parties to approve any recommendations - so neither party can steamroll the other. And both include expedited congressional procedures that would force an up-or-down floor vote on the result, with no filibuster and no amendments.
But the two bills have some differences.
[View table in the link at bottom.]
The Senate bill keeps the entire process within Congress: the commission's voting members are all members of Congress (there are 4 outside experts who can provide feedback but can't vote), the commission drafts legislation itself, and then Congress votes directly on the legislation.
The House bill gives the President more of a role. The President appoints a third of the commission and is then responsible for translating its recommendations into legislation. But the President can pick and choose which recommendations to include in the end, which risks a partisan bill with no chance of becoming law.
The bills also differ in their goals and guardrails.
The Senate bill sets a specific debt target - getting the debt-to-GDP ratio below 100 percent by 2039 - and explicitly requires the commission to address the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare for at least 75 years. The House bill sets a goal of balancing the primary budget (all government spending excluding interest payments) within 10 years, but is less prescriptive about entitlements like Social Security and Medicare.
On transparency, the House bill requires the commission to maintain a public website posting all recommendations and attendance records within 72 hours of each meeting. The Senate bill focuses more on public engagement, mandating at least six hearings - including field hearings around the country - and requiring a national public awareness campaign on the country's fiscal condition within 30 days of the commission submitting its report.
Both are serious, commonsense proposals. Both deserve a vote.
The clock is ticking. No Labels recently laid out in vivid detail what a debt crisis could look like for everyday Americans in our new booklet, Nightmare on Main Street, and the picture isn't pretty. For now, the booklet is fictional; these two bills are a chance to make sure it stays that way.
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Peyton Lofton is Senior Policy Analyst at No Labels and has spent his career writing for the common sense majority. His work has appeared in the Washington Examiner, RealClearPolicy, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Peyton holds a degree in political science from Tulane University.
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Original text here: https://nolabels.org/the-latest/to-fix-the-debt-congress-might-have-to-outsource/
[Category: Political]
Environmental Working Group: California Paraquat Spill Underscores Urgent Need for Nationwide Ban
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Environmental Working Group issued the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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California paraquat spill underscores urgent need for nationwide ban
As more than a dozen states weigh action, EWG says the dangerous herbicide has no place in U.S. communities
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The Environmental Working Group today renewed its call for a total ban on paraquat following a dangerous spill of the herbicide in Siskiyou County, Calif.
The incident triggered shelter-in-place orders and exposed hundreds of residents to one of the most toxic crop chemicals still used in the U.S.
According
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Environmental Working Group issued the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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California paraquat spill underscores urgent need for nationwide ban
As more than a dozen states weigh action, EWG says the dangerous herbicide has no place in U.S. communities
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The Environmental Working Group today renewed its call for a total ban on paraquat following a dangerous spill of the herbicide in Siskiyou County, Calif.
The incident triggered shelter-in-place orders and exposed hundreds of residents to one of the most toxic crop chemicals still used in the U.S.
Accordingto news reports, a large container of paraquat fell from a truck in the northern California town Dorris, spilling roughly 60 gallons of the chemical onto a major roadway and into the surrounding community.
Citing the risk of exposure to airborne paraquat releases, officials ordered a lockdown affecting about 600 residents, including those at a local elementary school.
"This incident is a stark reminder that paraquat is simply too dangerous to be used anywhere near where people live, work or go to school," said Geoff Horsfield, legislative director at EWG.
"When a single spill can shut down a town, close highways and put hundreds of people at risk, it's clear this chemical has no place in U.S. agriculture," he added.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a review of paraquat after a study submitted by the primary manufacturer found the chemical can drift in the air nearly 3 miles, significantly farther than previously thought.
Underscoring the severity of the threat, local officials warned residents to stay indoors, shut off ventilation systems and avoid contact with the chemical. Highway closures and a multi-agency emergency response further illustrated how hazardous paraquat releases can quickly escalate into a full-blown community crisis.
Serious health consequences
Paraquat is a highly toxic weedkiller that can be fatal if ingested. Even small amounts can cause severe organ damage.
Mounting scientific evidence also links chronic, low-dose exposure to serious health risks, including Parkinson's disease. Farmers and farmworkers who apply paraquat face especially high risks, with studies showing they are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease as those who do not use the chemical.
Paraquat has also been associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, childhood leukemia and other illnesses.
Paraquat is primarily used to clear fields before farmers plant corn, soybeans, cotton, almonds, peanuts, wine grapes and other crops. While much of the applied paraquat lingers in the soil for years, it can also drift through the air or settle in dust.
A growing movement to ban paraquat
At least 70 countries, including China and the European Union, have banned paraquat because of its known health risks.
In the U.S., momentum is building for similar action, with 13 states - including Iowa, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia - currently considering legislation to ban the chemical.
In California, EWG and other public interest organizations have repeatedly called on state officials to ban it. A 2024 investigation by EWG found that more than 5 million pounds of paraquat were applied to California farm fields between 2017 and 2021.
"Communities should not have to worry about a deadly pesticide spilling into their neighborhoods. The only real solution is to ban paraquat for once and for all," said Horsfield.
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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
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Original text here: https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2026/03/california-paraquat-spill-underscores-urgent-need-nationwide-ban
[Category: Environment]
Children Across Southeast Asia Speak Up on Migration Through 'Voices Without Borders' Initiative
MONROVIA, California, March 19 -- World Vision International posted the following news release:
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Children across Southeast Asia speak up on migration through "Voices Without Borders" Initiative
Children across ASEAN are sharing their experiences and ideas on migration through Voices without Borders, a regional initiative of UNICEF and World Vision International to amplify the voices of children affected by migration. The initiative contributes to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Midterm Review of the Regional Plan of Action on Children in the Context of Migration (RPA-CCM),
... Show Full Article
MONROVIA, California, March 19 -- World Vision International posted the following news release:
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Children across Southeast Asia speak up on migration through "Voices Without Borders" Initiative
Children across ASEAN are sharing their experiences and ideas on migration through Voices without Borders, a regional initiative of UNICEF and World Vision International to amplify the voices of children affected by migration. The initiative contributes to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Midterm Review of the Regional Plan of Action on Children in the Context of Migration (RPA-CCM),ensuring that children's lived experiences help shape regional policies that protect their rights and wellbeing.
Migration affects millions of children across ASEAN. Families may move in search of work or due to conflict or climate-related disasters, often disrupting children's education, access to basic services, and family life. Despite being directly affected, children's voices are rarely included in migration discussions.
Voices Without Borders creates a safe and inclusive platform for children and young people to connect across borders and share their perspectives with policymakers and partners. Their insights will contribute to ASEAN's midterm review of the RPA-CCM and broader regional discussions on migration and child protection.
"The European Union believes that children must be part of the conversations that shape policies affecting their lives. Through the PROTECT programme, the EU is proud to support initiatives like Voices Without Borders that empower children affected by migration to share their experiences and ideas. Listening to children helps us build migration policies that better protect their rights, dignity, and wellbeing" shared Tom Corrie, Head of Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to Thailand.
During the event, UNICEF and World Vision also officially launched the Child-Friendly Version of the ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Children in the Context of Migration, an important milestone that translates regional commitments into language that children can understand and engage with. The child-friendly declaration aims to empower children with knowledge about their rights and encourage their meaningful participation in shaping policies and solutions that affect them. The declaration can be accessed here (https://rightsforallchildreninmigration.com/new-page):
"Every child has the right to be heard and to participate in decisions that affect their lives, including those related to migration," said Tasha Gill, UNICEF Global Lead for Migration. "Children affected by migration face many challenges, but they also offer powerful insights into how systems can better protect them. Meaningful child participation is central to UNICEF's work to promote and protect the rights of all children."
"Young people are not just participants in these conversations; they are co-creators of solutions," said Terry Ferrari, Regional Leader, World Vision East Asia. "Children affected by migration carry insights and lived experiences that adults often overlook. When we listen to their voices and support their leadership, we can build policies and systems that truly protect children on the move and those left behind."
A young participant in the consultation also highlighted the importance of the initiative. "Migration affects our families and our futures," the child said. "Sometimes children feel invisible when decisions are made. Through this platform, we can share our stories and help leaders understand what children really need."
Voices Without Borders is part of the Ensuring Decent Work and Reducing Vulnerabilities for Women and Children in the Context of Labour Migration in Southeast Asia (PROTECT) programme, supported by the European Union and implemented by UNICEF, International Labour Organisation, UN Women, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Through regional collaboration, the PROTECT programme aims to strengthen legislation, policies, and protection mechanisms for migrant women and children while expanding access to social services, legal support, and information to prevent exploitation, trafficking, and abuse.
By amplifying children's voices, Voices Without Borders aims to ensure migration policies across ASEAN reflect children's realities and uphold their rights, dignity, and wellbeing.
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Original text here: https://www.wvi.org/newsroom/world-vision-east-asia/children-across-southeast-asia-speak-migration-through-voices
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR-AZ Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Vandalism Targeting Crescent Moon Display Put Up by Muslim Students for Ramadan
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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CAIR-AZ Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Vandalism Targeting Crescent Moon Display Put Up by Muslim Students for Ramadan
The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ), a chapter of the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for a hate crime investigation of reported vandalism targeting a crescent moon Ramadan display put up by Muslim students in Tempe.
SEE: Outrage as giant Islamic crescent moon erected atop
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 18, 2026:
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CAIR-AZ Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Vandalism Targeting Crescent Moon Display Put Up by Muslim Students for Ramadan
The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ), a chapter of the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for a hate crime investigation of reported vandalism targeting a crescent moon Ramadan display put up by Muslim students in Tempe.
SEE: Outrage as giant Islamic crescent moon erected atopArizona mountain to commemorate Ramadan is DESTROYED (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15657195/outrage-islamic-moon-mountain-ramadan-destroyed.html)
In a statement, CAIR-AZ Executive Director Azza Abuseif said:
"We strongly condemn the vandalism of a Ramadan display created by Muslim students and call for a full, transparent investigation into whether this was a hate-driven act. This is not a coincidence. It comes on the heels of HCM2002 advancing and a troubling wave of Islamophobic rhetoric from some of our state leaders, rhetoric that fuels hostility and puts real people at risk.
"All Americans, regardless of faith or background, have the right to live and express their beliefs without fear. Acts like this are not isolated. They are a direct threat to the safety, dignity, and belonging of our communities, and we will not stay silent."
Earlier this month, CAIR-AZ welcomed an arrest for a reported attack targeting children at a mosque in north Phoenix.
Earlier today, CAIR's Northern Ohio chapter welcomed the arrest of a man who allegedly plotted a mass shooting at an Ohio mosque.
Yesterday, CAIR's Pittsburgh chapter welcomed the arrest of an individual accused of making threats against the Islamic Center of Western Pennsylvania (ICWP) and is calling for continued vigilance to protect Muslim communities.
According to CAIR's most recent civil rights report, complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination have continued to rise nationwide, reflecting an ongoing pattern of Islamophobia impacting communities across the country.
SEE: 2026 Civil Rights Report: The Right to be Different (https://action.cair.com/a/the-right-to-be-different)
Last month, CAIR-AZ called on Arizona residents of all faiths and backgrounds to urge their state legislators and Governor Hobbs to oppose an unconstitutional, bigoted bill, SB1018, that purports to ban "sharia law" from being enforced in the state.
The resurgence of "anti-Sharia" bills nationwide reflects a coordinated political effort to weaponize fear of Islam to for political reasons.
Last year, CAIR released a congressional briefing memo, "Weaponized Islamophobia: The Return of the Anti-Sharia Hoax," to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, along with a companion educational document titled "Sharia in American Life."
In January, CAIR-AZ welcomed a letter sent to Arizona legislators signed by dozens of local civil rights, advocacy and faith-based organizations who strongly oppose a defamatory resolution attacking CAIR-Arizona by anti-Muslim lawmaker Rep. John Gillette, who has previously referred to Muslims as "savages."
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-az-calls-for-hate-crime-probe-of-vandalism-targeting-crescent-moon-display-put-up-by-muslim-students-for-ramadan/
[Category: Sociological]
