Tag: Sensitive

  • Joint Leader’s statement – Violence against children: A hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic

    Joint Leader’s statement – Violence against children: A hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic

     

    The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact across the world. Efforts to contain the coronavirus are vital to the
    health of the world’s population, but they are also exposing children to increased risk of violence – including maltreatment,
    gender-based violence and sexual exploitation.

    As leaders of organisations committed to ending violence against children, we come together in solidarity to share our deep
    concern, call for action and pledge our support to protect children from violence and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on
    children in every country and community.

    A third of the global population is on COVID-19 lockdown, and school closures have impacted more than 1.5 billion children.
    Movement restrictions, loss of income, isolation, overcrowding and high levels of stress and anxiety are increasing the
    likelihood that children experience and observe physical, psychological and sexual abuse at home – particularly those
    children already living in violent or dysfunctional family situations. And while online communities have become central to
    maintain many children’s learning, support and play, it is also increasing their exposure to cyberbullying, risky online behavior
    and sexual exploitation.

    The situation is aggravated by children’s lack of access to schoolfriends, teachers, social workers and the safe space and
    services that schools provide. The most vulnerable children – including refugees, migrants, and children who are internally
    displaced, deprived of liberty, living without parental care, living on the street and in urban slums, with disabilities, and living
    in conflict-affected areas – are a particular concern. For many, growing economic vulnerability will increase the threat of child
    labour, child marriage and child trafficking.

    We must act now. Together, we call on governments, the international community and leaders in every sector to urgently
    respond with a united effort to protect children from the heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse as part of the
    broader response to COVID-19.

    Governments have a central role to play. They must ensure that COVID-19 prevention and response plans integrate age
    appropriate and gender sensitive measures to protect all children from violence, neglect and abuse. Child protection services
    and workers must be designated as essential and resourced accordingly.

    Working with and supporting governments, our collective response must include: maintaining essential health and social
    welfare services, including mental health and psychosocial support; providing child protection case management and
    emergency alternative care arrangements; ensuring social protection for the most vulnerable children and households;
    continuing care and protection for children in institutions; and communicating with and engaging parents, caregivers and
    children themselves with evidence-based information and advice. National helplines, school counsellors and other child-friendly
    reporting mechanisms enable children in distress to reach out for help, and must be adapted to the challenges of COVID-19.

    Given the heightened risks of online harms, technology companies and telecoms providers must do everything they can
    to keep children safe online. This includes providing access to cost-free child helplines, age-appropriate services and safe
    e-education platforms – and using their platforms to share child online safety advice. They must also do more to detect and
    stop harmful activity against children online, including grooming and the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse
    images and videos.

    As global organisations working to end violence against children, we will continue to advocate for and invest in effective child
    protection solutions. We will collectively develop and share technical resources and guidance for policymakers, practitioners,
    parents, caregivers and children themselves. And we will support the courageous health, child protection and humanitarian
    professionals working around the clock to keep children safe during these unprecedented times.

    In recent years, the global community has made significant gains in protecting children from violence. We must not allow those
    gains to be lost during the current turmoil. We must do all we can to keep children safe now. And we must plan ahead together,
    so that once the immediate health crisis is over, we can get back on track towards the goal of ending all forms of violence,
    abuse and neglect of children

     

    Joint Leader's statement - Violence against children: A hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic 1

     

    Joint Leader's statement - Violence against children: A hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic
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    https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/08-04-2020-joint-leader-s-statement—violence-against-children-a-hidden-crisis-of-the-covid-19-pandemic

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  • Anyone concealing family members exposed to Covid-19 will face action: Home Ministry

    Anyone concealing family members exposed to Covid-19 will face action: Home Ministry

    Anyone concealing family members exposed to Covid-19 will face action: Home Ministry 2

    KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry warned today that those who conceal family members who have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus clusters from the authorities will face stern action.

    Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said this latest action is to send out a clear and stern message to those who continue harbouring high-risk individuals who have been exposed.

    “We are into the second week of the movement control order (MCO) and this is our first warning,” he said at a press conference after a meeting with Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador and other police top brass at Bukit Aman this evening.

    “Those who know of family members who were exposed to the clusters, such as the Tabligh event, and have not disclosed this to us will face severe action. They should come forward and get themselves tested for the virus. We are not going to arrest them, we just want them to get tested.”

    When asked on action to be taken, Hamzah declined to elaborate but said: “When we do, the media can come and see for itself what action we take.”

    He said although the police have identified about 10,000 people who attended the tabligh even at a mosque in Sri Petaling, there are still an undetermined number of those who are yet to come forward.

    Hamzah said the authorities are focusing on the tabligh event cluster as those infected there make up more than 50% of the current recorded cases of the disease.

    The minister also warned those who stoke disarray among the races by associating the disease with any particular race.

    “The Covid-19 does not target a particular race, religion, position or social status. It can infect anyone. We also wish to warn those who post hurtful or sensitive comments that can cause chaos and disunity among the multi-races that we will take action on them as well. We as Malaysian must stand by each other regardless of race. We want to build and develop this nation together,“ he said.

    Hamzah said he also discussed with police ways to enhance enforcement of the MCO as there are still many who are defying the order.

    He said among the plans was to increase the number of roadblocks nationwide, adding that 3,125 people have been arrested for defying the MCO, of which 246 have been charged in court.

    Anyone concealing family members exposed to Covid-19 will face action: Home Ministry
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    https://www.thesundaily.my/local/anyone-concealing-family-members-exposed-to-covid-19-will-face-action-home-ministry-EA2200237

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  • Wearable strain sensor using light transmittance helps measure physical signals better

    Wearable strain sensor using light transmittance helps measure physical signals better

    KAIST researchers have developed a novel wearable strain sensor based on the modulation of optical transmittance of a carbon nanotube (CNT)-embedded elastomer. The sensor is capable of sensitive, stable, and continuous measurement of physical signals. This technology, featured in the March 4th issue of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces as a front cover article, shows great potential for the detection of subtle human motions and the real-time monitoring of body postures for healthcare applications.

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    https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-wearable-strain-sensor-transmittance-physical.html

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  • PTPTN defers loan repayments until June 30

    PTPTN defers loan repayments until June 30

    PTPTN defers loan repayments until June 30 3

    KUALA LUMPUR: The government has agreed to defer National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan repayments with immediate effect until June 30.

    PTPTN in a statement today said the postponement was made in light of the Covid-19 outbreak, and is expected to benefit 1.5 million borrowers with total collection of RM375 million over the three-month deferment period.

    “PTPTN is always concerned and sensitive of the welfare of borrowers,” the statement added.

    For further information, PTPTN borrowers can contact corporation’s Careline at 03-21933000 which operates from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

    More information can be obtained on its official website at www.ptptn.gov.my.

    Earlier, after chairing the Special Ministerial Committee on the Movement Control Order (MCO), Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also the Defence Minister said PTPTN had agreed to suspend loan repayments for the time being. – Bernama

    PTPTN defers loan repayments until June 30
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    https://www.thesundaily.my/local/ptptn-defers-loan-repayments-until-june-30-JE2152083

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  • Novel inexpensive tactile sensor allows robots to feel

    Novel inexpensive tactile sensor allows robots to feel

    With the help of machine learning, ETH researchers have developed a novel yet low-cost tactile sensor. The sensor measures force distribution at high resolution and with great accuracy, enabling robot arms to grasp sensitive or fragile objects.

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    https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-inexpensive-tactile-sensor-robots.html

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  • Protecting sensitive metadata so it can’t be used for surveillance

    Protecting sensitive metadata so it can’t be used for surveillance

    MIT researchers have designed a scalable system that secures the metadata—such as who’s corresponding and when—of millions of users in communications networks, to help protect the information against possible state-level surveillance.

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  • Emotion recognition has a privacy problem—here’s how to fix it

    Emotion recognition has a privacy problem—here’s how to fix it

    With devices listening everywhere you go, privacy concerns are endemic to advancing technology. Especially sensitive are different techniques powered by audio from your smartphones and speakers, putting consumers in a constant cost-benefit analysis between privacy and utility.

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  • Can Foam And Latex Pillows Be Dangerous To Your Health?

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    Memory foam pillows and latex pillows are the latest craze in pillow town. You couldn’t blame people who rush out to buy a set for themselves and the whole family. They’re extremely comfortable and without doubt provide excellent support that traditional pillows lack of. Other than they are a dream to sleep on, they are very economical as they last for years. Opposed to most pillows in the market, they don’t go flat over time. And you are guaranteed of pillows that are good as new every day for the years to come. That’s because of the technology applied in these pillows. The materials have the characteristic of being able to return to their normal shape and smooth out themselves from indentations left by your head. It’s as if they were never slept on!

    However, there are a lot of speculations about the danger these pillows pose to human health. Although they are labeled to be hypoallergenic, a number of people have been claiming to have gotten sick since they have acquired of these pillows.

    Latex pillows are made of rubber foam produced by sap from rubber trees. They are resistant to dust mites and mildew by nature. However, synthetic latex can outgas chemicals that may affect the human health. These pillows are of materials formulated from petroleum products.

    Because of the strong smell it emits, there were some users who complained of dizziness, nausea, headache, migraine and difficulty breathing. The smell however was reported to have subsided after a month or so. There weren’t much complaint filed as monitored by FDA.

    There are pillows out in the market that are made of natural latex and claim to be so 100%. They are processed naturally, washed off of proteins that might attract dust mites and free of chemicals. However, the glue used for layering could provoke allergies among sensitive users. It is safe to warn individuals allergic to latex to avoid using latex pillows.

    Memory foam pillows are made of NASA invented polyurethane from petroleum products. This synthetic material generates toxic waste by-products. The fact that it isn’t biodegradable should ring alarms. These pillows outgas volatile organic compounds that are toxic to human health. Although the smell dissipates, the toxic chemicals may penetrate your immune system. That is why hypersensitive people easily get sick from breathing organophosphate chemicals that are not easily detectable. Aside from reported dizziness, migraine, headache and asthma attack, there were also incidence of heart attack and other autoimmune disorders.

    Despite a few negative feedbacks, there are a number of people who are very happy with their latex and memory pillows. A lot has found their perfect match with them and has claimed to have provided the perfect solution for their sleep disorders.

    Although there were no clinical studies published nor publicized complaints, it is always better to be safe than sorry. There’s no harm in trying. Purchase these pillows with warranty or with money back guarantee so you would be able to judge for yourself.

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    Source by Greg J Dawson

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