Why in news?

• Every year Universal Health Coverage is observed on December 12 to raise awareness about having strong and resilient world-class health systems across the globe with multi-stakeholder partners.

About Universal Health Coverage Day

• The reason behind the day is to have access to quality, affordable health care for international development. The inequalities among the various sections are promoted on this day in the health care system that threatens social and economic development worldwide. The Covid-19 pandemic has more emphasized the health inequalities everywhere. Therefore, health equity should be high on the agenda in working for universal health coverage.

Significance

• The day plays a significant role in reviewing the progress and identifying loopholes of the health care system. So that it is ensured to help the needy with an accessible health care system without failing the financial hardship. The idea is to achieve continuous, concrete progress towards a fairer and healthier world.

History

• On December 12, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly established a resolution to urge nations to fasten the progress of universal health coverage (UHC). Finally, in the year 2017, the United Nations proclaimed Universal Health Coverage Day.

Theme

• This year’s theme for Universal Health Coverage Day 2021 is ‘Leave No One Behind When It Comes to Health: Invest in Health Systems for All.’

Why in news?

• UNICEF Day is observed on December 11 every year, to spread awareness on saving children’s lives, defending their rights and helping them fulfil their potential from childhood to adolescence.

About UNICEF DAY

• The United Nations General Assembly announced this day on December 11 in year 1946. This was done to ensure the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.

UNICEF day 2021 theme

• UNICEF Day 2021 theme is to help children to recover from interruptions and learning losses experienced through the Pandemic in the last two years.
• UNICEF is providing a lot of opportunities across the globe and working towards a better future.

Why in news?

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Catherine Russell, an adviser to US President Joe Biden, as Executive Director of UNICEF.

About Catherine Russell being appointed as the Executive Director of UNICEF

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Catherine Russell, an adviser to US President Joe Biden, as Executive Director of UNICEF.
• She replaces Henrietta Fore, to whom Guterres expressed his gratitude for her commitment and dedicated service to the UN agency.
• Russell brings to the role decades of experience in developing innovative policy that empowers underserved communities around the world.
• Russell currently serves as Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. From 2013 to 2017, she served as ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues in the Department of State.
• UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.
• UNICEF activities include providing immunizations and disease prevention, administering treatment for children and mothers with HIV, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, improving sanitation, promoting education, and providing emergency relief in response to disasters.
• The UN’s International Children’s Emergency Fund was established in the aftermath of World War II. Their mandate was clear, which was to help people whose lives and futures were at risk, no matter what role they played during the war.

Why in news?

• West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick recently broke the good news of Royal Bengal Tiger sighting at the Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar after 23 years.

About Buxa Tiger Reserve

• Buxa Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve in northern West Bengal, India, covering an area of 760 km2 (290 sq mi).
• In altitude, it ranges from 60 m (200 ft) in the Gangetic Plains to 1,750 m (5,740 ft) bordering the Himalayas in the north.
• At least 284 bird species inhabit the reserve.
• Mammals present include Asian elephant, gaur, Sambar deer, clouded leopard, Indian leopard.

Why in news?

• India’s Harnaaz Sandhu is the new Miss Universe, 21 years after Lara Dutta won the title in 2000.

About Harnaaz Sandhu

• Ms Sandhu represented India at the 70th Miss Universe 2021, held in Eilat, Israel.
• The 21-year-old from Punjab claimed the crown edging out Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira and South Africa’s Lalela Mswane.
• Ms Sandhu was presented the crown by Andrea Meza, former Miss Universe 2020 from Mexico.
• Before the Chandigarh-based model, only two Indians have won the title of Miss Universe – actors Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.

Why in news?

• The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced Indian architect, Balkrishna Doshi, as the recipient of the Royal Gold Medal 2022.

About BV Doshi and the RIBA Royal Gold Medal 2022

• Among one of the world’s highest honours for architecture, the medal is approved by Her Majesty The Queen.
• Having been conceived in 1848, the award is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture.
• Doshi will be presented with the medal at a special ceremony in 2022.

Why in news?

• Participating in ‘Summit for Democracy’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the democratic spirit, including respect for rule of law and pluralistic ethos, is “ingrained in Indians”.

About ‘Summit for Democracy’

• The Summit for Democracy was a virtual summit hosted by the United States “to renew democracy at home and confront autocracies abroad” on December 9–10, 2021.
• The three themes are defending against authoritarianism, addressing and fighting corruption, and advancing respect for human rights.
• The United States calls invited attendees’ “participants”, in recognition that some attendees, such as the Republic of China (Taiwan), are not states recognized by the United Nations or by the U.S., or Kosovo, which is not fully recognized by the United Nations member states.

Why in news?

• December 11 is observed every year as the International Mountain Day to raise awareness about the importance of mountains to life and to climate.

About International Mountain Day

• December 11 is observed every year as the International Mountain Day to raise awareness about the importance of mountains to life and to climate.
• International Mountain Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to acknowledge the fact that mountains are home to 15% of the total population of the world and they also host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.

Theme

• The International Mountain Day 2021 theme is ‘Sustainable Mountain Tourism’. The theme signifies that sustainable tourism in mountains is a way to preserve the cultural, natural, and spiritual heritage of the mountains around the world.

Significance of International Mountain Day 2021

• The International Mountain Day aims at creating awareness about the significance of mountains and the role that they play in maintaining biodiversity. Mountain Day also sheds light on the opportunities and constraints in mountain development.
• However, the International Mountain Day 2021 is of extreme relevance because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect it had on mountain tourism. Mountain Day acknowledges that the covid pandemic has further compounded the vulnerabilities of the mountain communities.

Why in news?

• Uttar Pradesh’s Haiderpur wetland has been added to the list of Indian wetlands of international importance.

About Haiderpur Wetland

• The human-made Haiderpur wetland spreads over an area of 6,908 hectares in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. Formed in 1984 on a floodplain of the River Ganga on the Madhya Ganga Barrage, the wetland is located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
• In terms of supporting life, the wetland is a habitat for numerous animals and plant species. It homes more than 30 species of plants, over 300 species of birds including 102 waterbirds, more than 40 fish, and more than ten mammal species. Further, it is home to more than 15 globally threatened species such as the critically endangered gharial, endangered hog deer, black-bellied tern, steppe eagle, Indian skimmer, and gold mahseer.
• According to the Ramsar Convention, wetlands are land areas saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally. Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, rivers, floodplains, and swamps. The coastal wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, and coral reefs. And, human-made wetlands include fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans. For instance, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest wetland in Haryana is a human-made freshwater wetland.

Why in news?

• Bharti Airtel recently launched ‘Airtel India Startup Innovation Challenge’ in partnership with Invest India that will let early-stage technology companies demonstrate differentiated solutions.

About ‘Startup Innovation Challenge’

• As part of the ‘Startup Innovation Challenge’ early-stage technology companies are invited to demonstrate differentiated solutions in the following areas –
• 5G – Innovative B2C or B2B use cases and applications that can leverage high speed and low latency 5G technology.
• IoT – Creating innovative IoT solutions that can power the digital transformation journey of enterprises.
• Cloud Communication – Leveraging AI and ML technologies to create B2C or B2B products that can improve customer engagement and experience.
• Digital Advertising – Creating innovative and unique ad formats – both digital and otherwise that would make ads or brand promotions an enriching experience for the end customer.
• Digital Entertainment – Creating a platform or offering disruptive solutions in music, video or gaming that can support the growth of India’s content creator economy.
• Applications will close on 24th January 2022 and the results will be announced on 14th February 2022.
• The top 10 winners will win cash prizes, get access to Airtel’s Innovation Lab and will be able to leverage Airtel’s advanced technology infrastructure to scale up their use cases and even co-innovate with Airtel’s engineering teams. A select few of the 10 startups shall be offered to be on-boarded onto the Airtel Startup Accelerator Program and hyper-scale their company with Airtel.
• Under this Program, startups gain access to Airtel’s core platform strengths of data, distribution, network and payments. Further, startups get access to Airtel’s global partner ecosystem and advisory from Airtel’s executive team.