Nobel Peace Prize 2020 | UPSC
HEADLINES:
World Food Programme wins Nobel Peace Prize 2020
WHY IN NEWS:
Organisation awarded not just for its previous humanitarian record but also for the role it will play in the post-COVID-19 world
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1 : Awards
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS it is important to understand why this award is given , to whom and what is the selection criteria . Also the second part of this article covers World Food Programme too .
For MAINS can you mention few point about Nobel peace prize controversy ? Let us dive in !
ISSUE:
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2020
- The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel.
- Peace prize is along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature.
RECOGNITION
Since March 1901 it has been awarded annually (with some exceptions) to those who have :
- Done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations.
- For the abolition or reduction of standing armies.
- Or for the holding and promotion of peace congresses
ALFRED NOBEL AND PEACE PRIZE
- Alfred Nobel showed a big interest in social issues and was engaged in the peace movement.
- His acquaintance with Bertha von Suttner, who was a driving force in the international peace movement in Europe.
- The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget).
NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
- By the terms of Alfred Nobel’s will the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee since 1901.
- Alfred Nobel left no explanation as to why the prize for peace was to be awarded by a Norwegian committee .
- While the other four prizes were to be handled by Swedish committees.
- The Committee’s composition reflects the relative strengths of the political parties in the Storting.
- It is assisted by specially appointed expert advisers.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
PRIZE
- Nobel laureate receives a diploma, a medal, and a document confirming the prize amount.
- As of 2019, the prize was worth 9 million SEK. (About 7 Crore INR ).
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP)
- The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives.
- The international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030.
- One in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat.
- Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.
HEADQUARTERS
WFP headquarters is located in Rome , Italy.
WHY WFP WAS AWARDED PEACE PRIZE?
- For its efforts to combat hunger.
- For its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas.
- WFP is going to play a prominent role post-novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) .
OUTREACH
In 2019, WFP assisted 97 million people – the largest number since 2012 – in 88 countries.
RESOURCES
- On any given day, WFP has 5,600 trucks, 30 ships and nearly 100 planes on the move, delivering food and other assistance to those in most need.
- Every year, WFP distribute more than 15 billion rations at an estimated average cost per ration of US$ 0.61.
- These numbers lie at the roots of WFP’s unparalleled reputation as an emergency responder.
FOCUS
- WFP’s efforts focus on emergency assistance, relief and rehabilitation, development aid and special operations.
- Two-thirds of our work is in conflict-affected countries where people are three times more likely to be undernourished.
- When the emergency subsides, WFP helps communities rebuild shattered lives and livelihoods.
- WFP also focuses on strengthening the resilience of people and communities affected by protracted crises.
DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS
- WFP development projects are focused on nutrition, especially for mothers and children, addressing malnutrition.
- Through programmes WFP targets the first 1,000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday, and later through school meals.
- In 2019, WFP provided school meals to more than 17.3 million children in 50 countries.
- In 2019, WFP provided 4,2 million metric tons of food and US$2.1 billion of cash and vouchers.
- By buying food as close as possible to where it is needed, WFP saves time and money on transport costs.
- WFP meets people’s food needs through cash-based transfers that allow the people we serve to choose and shop for their own food locally.
- WFP also provides services including passenger air transportation through the UN Humanitarian Air Service.
FUNDING
- Funded entirely by voluntary donations, WFP raised a record-breaking US$8 billion in 2019.
- Since WFP has no independent source of funds, all donations either in cash or in-kind .
- WFP has more than 17,000 staff worldwide of whom over 90 percent are based in the countries where the agency provides assistance.
GOVERNANCE
- WFP is governed by a 36-member Executive Board.
PARTNERS
- WFP partners with more than 1,000 national and international NGOs to provide food assistance and tackle the underlying causes of hunger.
BACKGROUND
IASbhai WINDUP:
- No society is immune to hunger and malnutrition.
- But conflict, climate shocks, natural disasters or inequality leave many nations perilously exposed to this burden.
- Across the world, 821 million people are going hungry – 124 million acutely so.
At risk are not just the lives and health of millions but also the economic viability of fragile states.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | Nobel Peace Prize 2020 | UPSC
Must Read Articles :
DISCOVER MORE : GS-1
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis & Answer writing video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
