A recently filmed video has emerged from Syria showing images of children being tortured and ill-treated while in detention. Popular uprisings taking place in the Middle Eastern country have been met with harsh reprisals by security forces according to the United Nations. Daniel Dickinson reports. The death toll in Syria is increasing according to UN [...]
The plight of children living in the Gaza strip in the occupied Palestinian territory, has been highlighted by the campaigner and rock star, Bob Geldof. Geldof visited the Jabalya refugee camp and a school run by the UN's Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Northern Gaza. He was on his way to attend an Israeli [...]
The government of Muammar Qadhafi and opposition forces remain far apart on finding a negotiated solution to the conflict in Libya. That's what the Security Council heard during a briefing by the head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe on Tuesday. The crisis in Libya, which started in February as people [...]
Four billion dollars of food is wasted each year in sub-Saharan Africa because of a lack of infrastructure according to a new report by the Food and Agricultural Organization. The FAO says that most of the loss happens in the post-harvesting stage, when the food is waiting to be transported to market. Radmilla Suleymanova asked [...]
New evidence shows that cell phones could increase the risk of developing certain brain cancers. On Tuesday the World Health Organization's cancer research institute officially classified as carcinogenic the type of electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones. One study shows a 40% increase risk for glioma, a type of brain cancer, for people using their [...]
A major humanitarian operation, involving agencies from across the United Nations, is underway in Abyei in Sudan, after 60,000 people have now fled their homes. Fighting in the disputed region has left Abyei town empty of residents, and full of armed groups carrying out organised looting. Julia Paul reports: Duration: 2'12"
There are reports that more than fifty anti-government protestors in Yemen have been killed, and hundreds injured, after security forces used live ammunition against them in the city of Taiz. Navi Pillay, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights, has condemned the increased use of force against protestors and says her office is investigating [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Eight generals from the Libyan army have defected and are appealing to other army officers to join them. The Libyan generals are also calling for the atrocities against civilians to stop. So far, over a hundred officers are said to have left the country. Government forces loyal to Muammar Qadafhi have been pitted against opposition [...]
Four billion dollars worth of food is wasted in Sub-Saharan Africa every year according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The wastage, mainly of grain, is largely due to poor storage facilities. Jocelyne Sambira reports. The wasted grain equates to 20% of Africa's total grain production. The food is lost [...]
The number of children wounded in the war in Somalia has increased dramatically over the past month. The World Health Organization (WHO) says out of 1,590 wounded in the capital Mogadishu, over 700 are children. Almost half of the children wounded were under five. Tarik Jasarevic from WHO says the increase could be due to [...]
One hundred and sixty-two people are said to be in detention after taking part in anti-government protests in Tbilisi, Georgia, according to the Georgian Public Defender's Office or Ombudsman. Many of them have reportedly sustained injuries after police tried to disperse protestors using disproportionate force. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, [...]
Anti-government protestors in Yemen have reportedly been killed and hundreds injured after security forces used live ammunition against them. UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay says her office has received reports that 50 people were killed on Sunday in Taiz by the national army and other government affiliated forces. The security forces are said to [...]
Public prosecutors in Central America are increasingly falling victim to drug-related violence according to the UN Human Rights Office. Over the past week, a number of public prosecutors have been murdered by organized crime groups in both Guatemala and Honduras . Rupert Colville is a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. "The increasing vulnerability of [...]
Up to 60,000 people have been displaced from the disputed region of Abyei in Sudan, according to the United Nations. A humanitarian relief operation is underway to reach those displaced but is being hampered by insecurity, heavy rains and a chronic shortage of fuel in South Sudan. Adrian Edwards is from the UN refugee agency UNHCR. “Currently, [...]
Six million people could die from the tobacco epidemic this year, including 600,000 non smokers from exposure to tobacco smoke. That's the message from the World Health Organization ahead of World No Tobacco Day celebrated on May 31. WHO hails the important strides made to curb the use of tobacco in over 172 countries [...]
The brutal crackdown on anti government protests and opposition groups in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Syria is an outright disregard for basic human rights, according to the UN Human rights Chief Navi Pillay. Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ms Pillay said the use of lethal or excessive force against peaceful demonstrators also [...]
A UN Human Rights expert says he believes serious international crimes were committed during the final stages of the Sri Lankan war. Christof Hynes, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions says he was in possession of additional video footage showing the killing of civilians by armed men allegedly filmed during the final stages of the [...]
The Syrian government is being urged to allow a fact finding mission to enter the country. The call was made at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday. Authorities in Syria are said be using excessive use of force against anti government protestors and opposition groups. US Ambassador Eileen Donahue insists [...]
Mexico’s southern border state of Chiapas is becoming a major hub for migrants trying to get into the United States, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The migrants endure horrible conditions travelling on top of freight trains or hidden in tractor trailers during the 3,000 kilometre journey to the US border. They also [...]
An international conference to support public broadcasters in Egypt and Tunisia is being organized by UNESCO. The aim of the meeting is to assess the media's needs and help the two countries develop a public broadcast service. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Decision-makers and representatives of public broadcasting services from ten European countries are attending the conference [...]
Smokers around the world are being asked to put down their cigarettes and put away their chewing tobacco for World No Tobacco Day. The World Health Organization is behind the event and says smoking and other forms of tobacco use causes serious health effects including cancer, heart disease, bronchitis and emphysema. UN Radio's Radmilla [...]
Women continue to be under-represented in the sciences. That's what United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said at the International Women Leaders' Conference taking place in the Israeli city of Haifa. The conference organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is looking at the role of women in science and technology. Ms. [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Authorities in Peru still face many challenges in addressing contemporary forms of slavery, according to a United Nations independent expert. Gulnara Shahinian, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery has just concluded her first fact-finding mission to Peru. She told Derrick Mbatha that during her mission she met with people from various [...]
African leaders are calling for an investigation into the alleged abandonment of migrants in North Africa, according to Nigeria's Ambassador Ositadinma Anaedu. Ambassador Ositadinma Anaedu was addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva on behalf of the African group. The Council of Europe, a European watchdog, was the first to call for an inquiry into [...]
As people in developed countries become more aware of the dangers of smoking, the tobacco industry is now focusing on developing countries to market its dangerous product. Africa is one such region where young people are being lured into the habit of smoking which can cause health problems such as lung cancer and stroke. To [...]
Tobacco is a public health threat around the world, but in South Asia it kills over a million people a year. South Asia is also a major producer and exporter of tobacco, making it an important source of income. But advances are being made to deter future generations from picking up this deadly habit. World [...]
More than 120,000 police, military and civilian personnel serve in 15 peacekeeping operations in hot spots around the world. Many of them have died to bring law, peace and order to these countries either hit by natural disasters or suffering from war. The UN on May 29 is celebrating these men and women who are [...]
A bomb explosion on Friday injured several peacekeepers in Lebanon, 40 km south of the capital Beirut. The attack has cast a shadow on this year's observance of International Day for Peacekeepers. 178 peacekeepers died over the past year. 120,000 military, police and civilian personnel are currently serving in various hot spots around the world. Alain Le [...]
The indigenous people of Manipur in North east India are being pushed out of their land to make place for the construction of a dam. This dam is the largest ever built in India, and it could drown the indigenous' land, and wipe out their entire culture and heritage. Jiten Yumnam is a Meiteis- [...]
The human rights of indigenous women have been spotlighted recently at the United Nations. Tarsila Rivera of the Global Indigenous Women's Caucus is an indigenous Qechua from the Andes region of Peru, South America. She participated in the recent United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues. She told Gerry Adams that the Permanent Forum was important [...]
Undernutrition in children under five is being tackled by international health experts. The World Health Organization, WHO, says over 100 million children under the age of five were under weight, more than 170 million were stunted and some 43 million were overweight and obese in 2010. Measures to improve maternal, infant and child nutrition were [...]
Tobacco is a public health threat around the world, but in South Asia it kills over a million people a year. South Asia is also a major producer and exporter of tobacco, making it an important source of income. But advances are being made to deter future generations from picking up this deadly habit. World [...]
A bomb attack on peacekeepers in southern Lebanon has been condemned by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. An explosion injured United Nations military personnel in a logistics convoy about 40 kilometres south of Beirut. Charles Appel reports. The Secretary-General said the attack was "all the more deplorable" because it happened during the commemoration of the [...]
A genocide suspect from Rwanda who's been on the run for 17 years has been arrested in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Bernard Munyagishari is accused of orchestrating the murder of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Gisenyi. He faces charges of genocide, murder and rape. Mr Munyagishari is expected to be handed over to [...]
Governments around the Mediterranean Sea have been urged to discourage their citizens from sending flotillas to Gaza, an occupied Palestinian territory which is facing a blockade by Israel. United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has sent a letter to those governments expressing concern about media reports of potential flotillas. He says that assistance and goods destined [...]
Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia and France were the four nations UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited during the month of May to highlight the importance of maternal health. The trips to Nigeria and Ethiopia were part of the "Every Woman, Every Child" global health effort, which Mr. Ban launched in September last year during the [...]
NAR: Increasing the number of tourists visiting the Caribbean region while maintaining the right balance for a sustainable tourism product and the continued preservation of the environment continues to be the focus of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Secretary-general Hugh Riley told me about the focus of the campaign. TAPE: It's Keeping the Right Balance, [...]
The city of Misrata in Libya is facing a critical and desperate health situation with shortages of medical supplies and personnel, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency says although fighting has decreased over the last week it is still not possible to get a clearer picture of the casualties because of a [...]
NAR: Tourism is one of the top three sources of export earnings for nearly half of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and is a priority sector for their further integration in the global economy. The contribution of tourism in advancing development was addressed during a Special Event on Tourism for Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction organized [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
[feature starts off with audio from Alain Le Roy, the head of UN peacekeeping operations] In New York on Friday, Alain Le Roy, the head of United Nations peacekeeping operations paid tribute to the men and women who have served as UN peacekeepers across the world. It was supposed to be a solemn celebration and provide [...]
NAR: The Amerindians of Guyana are an integral part of Guyanese society. So says Yvonne Pearson, Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council of Guyana. She told the Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples that as such, the Government of Guyana has redoubled efforts to address issues affecting Amerindians in order to overcome centuries of marginalization. TAPE: [...]
A country on the brink of war. That's what Yemen has been described as, as fighting escalates between government forces and tribal groups. The conflict in Yemen is part of what some have called an "Arab Spring" – a wave of protests and demonstrations against corruption, unemployment and ill treatment in the Middle East and [...]
NARRATION: The World Health Organization -WHO says there has been an increase in new cholera cases in the Western department of Haiti. Health officials fear the new outbreak may reach the capital Port au Prince. More from Spokeswoman Fadela Chaib in Geneva. TAPE: But given the early detection of alert, a prompt response is [...]
NARRATION: Efforts to eradicate colonialism take centre stage in St. Vincent and the Grenadines next week as the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, also known as the Special Committee of 24, holds its annual regional seminar in [...]
A bomb explosion has injured United Nations peacekeepers in a logistics convoy in southern Lebanon. According to the United Nations mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the explosion occurred about 40 kilometres south of Beirut. Andrea Tenenti Deputy Spokesperson of UNIFIL says teams have been sent to the scene of the explosion to investigate. "There was an [...]
Four Eritreans have died in a fire at a camp hosting about 4,500 migrants and refugees people on the Tunisia-Libya border. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the residents of the Eritrean block of the Choucha camp were asleep when the fire started on Sunday. The camp is accommodating people who have fled [...]
The international community should act with unity and consistency on North Africa and the Middle East according to the Secretary-General of the UN. Ban Ki-moon has been attending the Group of Eight (G8) summit of industrialized nations in Deauville, France. Charles Appel reports. “Arab unrest has been the key theme of the G8 summit. Ban [...]
More than 430 Liberian refugees who had been stranded in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Côte d'Ivoire, have returned home. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the refugees had first sought refuge at its office in Abdijan in December when they were targeted for allegedly fighting for former President Laurent Gbagbo. Most of the [...]
Premises of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations in the Sudanese town of Abyei have been ransacked and stocks of emergency relief items looted. The items include medical supplies, surgical equipment and 800 metric tons of food, enough to feed 50,000 people for three months. Humanitarian organizations are scaling up their operations to help tens [...]
Cholera remains a major threat to public health in Haiti, seven months since the outbreak of the disease, according to the World Health Organization. To date nearly 5,000 people have died of cholera in Haiti, with over 290,000 cases reported. WHO says although much effort has gone into containing the cholera outbreak, new pockets of [...]
An escalation of violence in Yemen over the past few days could push the country to the brink of civil war according to the UN Human Rights office. The number of civilian casualties remains difficult to verify although human rights activist in the country put the figure at over 860 dead, including women and children. The [...]
The recent unrest in North Africa in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya has increased the number of children and youth fleeing from conflict, moving in search of work and freedom. Out of the 35 million young migrants worldwide, one in four is African. This week delegates and child safety experts met at the United Nations for [...]
A ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York is being held to remember all the peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. May 29th is Peacekeepers' Day, and this year the focus is on strengthening the rule of law. Julie Langlier is one of thousands of UN peacekeepers. She's [...]
Somalia's politicians have been given an ultimatum to get their act together or lose international support. The Horn of Africa country remains without a functioning government after two decades of civil strife. The UN Security Council has travelled to Nairobi, Kenya to encourage Somali politicians to talk and sort out their problems. Jocelyne Sambira has [...]
Somalia's politicians have been given an ultimatum to get their act together or lose international support. The country has been without a functioning government for over two decades of civil strife. The UN Security Council has travelled to Nairobi, Kenya to encourage Somali politicians to talk and sort out their problems. [...]
The President of Somalia and the speaker of the parliament have been brought together in what's been described as "an unprecedented move" to discuss the political paralysis in the Horn of Africa country. They met a United Nations Security Council mission in an attempt to break the political deadlock over the date for elections in [...]
The former Serbian army commander Ratko Mladic has been arrested in Serbia after spending sixteen years in hiding. Mr. Mladic is wanted by the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to face war crimes related to the Bosnian war in 1995. Frederick Swinnen, Special Adviser to the Prosecutor at the tribunal in The Hague [...]
The arrest of the former Serbian army commander Ratko Mladic, who's been wanted for 16 years for war crimes, marks an 'historic day for international justice', according to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Ratko Mladic was indicted by the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 1995. He's charged with genocide and crimes [...]
The group of 8 industrialized countries known as the G8 is meeting in Deauville, France to discuss a range of issues including security in the Middle East and North Africa. They will be discussing the fall out from the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt as well as the next steps in the Libya conflict. After [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Educating women and girls benefits both individuals and society, according to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Mr Ban was speaking at the launch in Paris of Better Life, better Future, a global initiative to promote education for women and girls, launched by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Across the world, some [...]
Countries in the Caucasus and Russia have been urged to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of African swine flu. The call has come from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is warning that an upsurge of the disease is likely in the region. African swine flu kill pigs but [...]
The President of Somalia and the speaker of the parliament, have spoken with each other, at a meeting organised by the UN Security Council in Nairobi. The council brought together all of the factions involved in the political deadlock over the date for elections, at a day-long meeting. Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, the UN Special Envoy [...]
The situation in and around the Sudanese town of Abyei which was looted and burned by gunmen early this week remains volatile. The oil-rich Abyei district remains a potential flash-point between the north and south of Sudan. A referendum planned for January to decide which part of Sudan it will belong to was postponed. The [...]
The number of Afghan refugees leaving Iran has doubled over the past year says the UN Refugee Agency, UNCHR. They are leaving because they can no longer afford to live in the country where previously they were receiving support from the Iranian government. Afghans are the second largest group of long staying refugees in Iran. [...]
Some of the 40,000 civilians, who have fled the fighting in Abyei town in Sudan, could be hiding in the bush, according to the United Nations humanitarian affairs office. Staff from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, have been monitoring the area around Abyei town, by air and road. Elisabeth Byrs, from OCHA, [...]
An 'atlas', giving detailed information about the water resources across the African continent, has been launched by the United Nations Environment Programme on Africa day, May 25th. The Africa Water Atlas has 100 satellite pictures, 222 maps and 500 graphics. Patrick Hayford, a Director in the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, says while [...]
Large economies in developing countries are leading the global recovery, while the economies in comparatively wealthy nations are still weak, according to a new United Nations report. The mid-year issue of the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) was released today at UN headquarters in New York. It predicts only moderate growth in even the [...]
To mark Africa Day observed on 25 May, the Office of the United Nations Special Adviser on Africa and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) organized a special presentation of the Africa Water Atlas. The publication by UNEP has been produced at the request of the African Minister's Council on Water. The Africa Water Atlas provides [...]
Ethiopia has made progress on improving health care, but more needs to be done to stop the 'needless deaths' of women, according the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. Mr Ban has been meeting health workers at hospitals and clinics in the country. He congratulated the Ethiopian government on creating a new Ministry for [...]
Jessica Watson, the round-the-world-sailor and Young Australian of the Year, has been appointed as a Youth Representative for the United Nations World Food Programme. In May last year, 18-year-old Jessica Watson became the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe alone. As WFP Youth Representative, she'll be focusing on child hunger and raising awareness and funds [...]
P R O G R A M M E S U M M A R Y PART I Buddhism celebrates 2600 years of worship with United Nations. 4'02'' PART II UN “clinic on wheels'’ offers free medical care in Liberia. 3'24'' PART III Organic pineapples help farmers in Uganda. 2'43'' [...]
P R O G R A M M E S U M M A R Y PART I ICC prosecutor says war crimes are committed in Libya. 4'27'' PART II 10 year plan agreed to help Least Developed Countries. 4'17'' PART III Attacks on schools during conflict are on increase. 3'27'' [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Tunisia's interim Government should seize the opportunity of the current transition to make changes that will prevent torture, says Juan Mendez, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. He told Gerry Adams that as people wait to see the outcome of the upcoming Constituent Assembly election in July, they may be loosing precious time to [...]
Tunisia's interim government should use the current transition to establish safeguards to prevent torture, according to a United Nations human rights chief. Juan Mendez, the UN Special Rapporteur for Torture, says if people wait for the outcome of the Assembly election in July, they may lose precious time to restore justice. But he says he [...]
Climate change could cause irreversible damage across the world according to a senior World Bank expert on Climate Change issues. Walter Vergara has worked on the issue for the Bank over the past 14 years. He says during that time more money has been made available to study the effects of climate change. George [...]
There have been calls from the United Nations Secretary-General, for a real ceasefire in Libya. Ban Ki-moon spoke by telephone to the Libyan Prime Minister, Al Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi, and urged him to start negotiations to bring about a democratic government. Libya has been engulfed by fighting since February, when a pro-democracy movement opposed to [...]
The Australian policy of detaining all asylum seekers has 'cast a shadow' over the country's human rights record, according the United Nations human rights chief. Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was speaking after a six-day visit to the country. During that time she met with Aboriginal communities and visited immigration [...]
The Sudanese town of Abyei is virtually empty following a rampage of looting and burning two days ago. According to reports, more than 40,000 people have been displaced by the violence and many of them have sought refugee in Agok to the south of the town. The Sudan Armed Forces are responsible for maintaining law [...]
Young people are the African continent's greatest untapped resource, according to the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. To mark Africa Day, celebrated by the African Union on 25 May, Mr Ban is visiting the continent. This week he has been in Nigeria and is now in Ethiopia. He says Africa is the youngest continent, with [...]
The Sudan Armed Forces have taken control of Abyei town, according the United Nations Mission in Sudan. Residents fled as the violence flared. The town in southern Sudan has been damaged by fire and looted. There have also been skirmishes between the Sudan Armed forces and the southern Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) in the [...]
Civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel are bearing the brunt of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That's the conclusion of the head of United Nations humanitarian operations, Valerie Amos who has just returned from a four-day visit to the region. Derrick Mbatha reports.
Efforts to immunize children against a form of polio that has reappeared in Côte d'Ivoire after more than a decade, are being hampered by the volatile security situation. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the general security situation continues to improve in most of the country. However OCHA adds, [...]
It's estimated that three quarters of a million people, many of them migrant workers, have fled Libya since the conflict in the country began earlier this year. The Libyan Government has been fighting with dissenting anti-government protesters who are calling for Libyan President Muammar Qhadafi to step down. The UN Security Council imposed a no-fly zone [...]
Civilians on both sides of the Israeli Palestinian conflict are bearing the brunt of the violence in the region, according to the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos. Ms Amos has just spent four days in the region, visiting areas of the occupied Palestinian territory, and Israel. She was not able to visit [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
An ongoing conflict in the disputed oil-rich region of Abyei has been condemned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. Derrick Mbatha reports: The most recent violence occurred on Monday as armed elements embarked on a rampage of looting and burning in Abyei town. A referendum that was supposed to allow [...]
Focussing on vaccinations for the next decade will help achieve the millennium development goal to reduce child mortality, says the United Nations' top health expert says. The 64th WHA, which is the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO), ends today. Among the issues discussed by world health experts was the important of [...]
Thousands of children killed in accidents every year could be saved, if countries improved their safety measures, according to the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO). Around 830,000 children die from accidental injuries every year. The World Health Assembly, which has been meeting in Geneva, has passed a resolution calling on countries to boost safety [...]
Around 830,000 children are killed in accidents every year, according to the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO). The World Health Assembly today discussed the issue, and approved a resolution to boost safety measures in countries around the world, in an attempt to reduce the numbers of deaths. Dr David Meddings, from the WHO Department [...]
Thousands of migrants fleeing the violence in Libya are arriving in the small border village of Zouarke near Niger, to find extremely limited resources, says the International Organization for Migration. An IOM team monitoring the situation in Zouarke reported 1,200 migrants arriving in one 24-hour period. Jemini Pandya, from IOM, says the village has around 20 [...]
Nearly 20,000 people have fled the south Sudan town of Abyei after troops from the Sudanese Armed forces seized the disputed region, according to the United Nations. Those fleeing are headed south to the town of Agok. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)says the numbers displaced could be higher as aid [...]
Weather experts from the United Nations, who are monitoring the ash cloud produced by the Icelandic volcano, say it is a "significant eruption". The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says the movement of the ash plume will depend on weather patterns and how long the volcano continues to erupt. Last year, disruption was caused to air [...]
Thirty six thousand Nigerian women die each year while trying to have babies, the second highest number of maternal deaths in the world. The UN Secretary-General is currently visiting the country, and has commended the Nigerian Government for investing in women’s and children’s health. Mr. Ban was visiting the Maitama Hospital in the Nigerian capital, [...]
In Burundi, steps towards establishing human rights have been welcomed by the United Nations expert on the issue. Fatsah Ouguergouz, who's the Independent Expert on Human Rights for the country, has just finished his second mission to Burundi. He said the government had begun establishing transitional justice mechanisms, there was a start on investigating extrajudicial [...]
Efforts are under way to break the political impasse in Somalia with a UN Security Council delegation travelling to Kenya to meet with Somali officials. Somalia’s transitional government and interim Parliament are currently at loggerheads, paralysing the country’s administration. With both mandates expiring in August, there has been no progress in writing up a new [...]
Nuclear scientists from 21 member states of the United Nations are to carry out a 2 year study into the effects of the radiation released at Fukushima. The Japanese nuclear power plant was damaged in March when it was hit by an earthquake and tsunami. The UN Scientific Committee on the effects of Atomic Radiation [...]
Nuclear scientists from the United Nations are to launch a two year-long investigation into the effects of the radiation released at Fukushima. The Japanese nuclear power plant was damaged in March when it was hit by an earthquake and tsunami. The UN Scientific Committee on the effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), which is made up [...]
Politicians in Nepal have been urged to compromise, to preserve the peace process and complete the drafting of a new constitution. The call has come from United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who recently discussed the situation in the country with Prime Minister Jhala Nath Kanal. In addition, the head of the UN Department of Political [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar says the authorities are not addressing abuses in the border areas. Tomás Ojea Quintana has just finished an eight-day visit to neighbouring Thailand, to gather information about Myanmar, where he has not been able to visit. Mr Quintana says human rights abuses are [...]
Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia and France are the four nations UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is visiting to highlight the importance of maternal health. The trips to Nigeria and Ethiopia are part of the "Every Woman, Every Child" global health effort, which Mr. Ban launched in September last year during the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit [...]
Thousands of people in Sudan have fled the disputed oil-rich town of Abyei where armed elements have reportedly embarked on a rampage of burning and looting. The Abyei region is contested by North and South Sudan. A delegation of the Security Council, which is visiting Sudan, has expressed concern about the escalating of violence in [...]
A boat chartered by the International Organisation for Migration has delivered aid to Misrata in Libya and evacuated nearly 600 migrants and wounded civilians. This is the seventh such mission carried out by IOM since the conflict in Libya began in February. Julia Paul reports: IOM staff arrived by boat in Misrata on Saturday. Aboard [...]
Government air strikes in two villages in North Darfur have killed at least ten people, according to the joint United Nations and African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID). UNAMID has confirmed that the Sudanese government forces carried out air strikes in the two villages last week. Charles Appel reports. A patrol from the joint United [...]
The high cost of treating non-communicable diseases is pushing more and more people in developing countries into poverty, according to the World Health Organization. More than 36 million people a year are dying as a result of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart and chronic lung conditions. WHO is appealing to governments to [...]
The Government of Sudan has been told to halt all military operations and withdraw its troops from the disputed oil-rich region of Abiyei. The United Nations Security Council said the taking over of Abyei by Sudanese government troops constituted a serious violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The CPA signed in 2005 ended two [...]
Law and order should remain a priority in Côte d'Ivoire in order to avoid what the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon has called a "security vacuum". The West African country inaugurated its new president, Alassane Ouatarra, on Saturday following six months of conflict, caused by the refusal of the previous president to step [...]
Law and order needs to be reestablished in Côte d'Ivoire as soon as possible to avoid a security vacuum according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.
The US actor and UN Ambassador for Biodiversity Edward Norton, says the world is living in a way which will not allow the planet to continue to sustain life. Mr Norton, who was speaking ahead of the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, said the UN is providing a forum for large and small countries [...]
NARRATOR: The management of waste, including chemical waste and its disposal remains a major challenge for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). So says Barbados' Minister of the Environment Dennis Kellman. He told a high-level segment of the Commission on Sustainable Development that developing countries, including the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), are encouraged to pursue an integrated [...]
Cultural diversity is taken for granted in many places across the world, but more can and should be done to embrace the differences between people and cultures, according to the United Nations. To mark World Day for Cultural Diversity, the UN has launched a social media campaign which calls on individuals to do something different [...]
A global rethink on nuclear energy is needed following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, according to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Mr. Ban launched a UN study on the implications of the accident at the plant which was damaged by an earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. The report, [...]
Investing in women, pays off ten times more than investing in men; perhaps a controversial viewpoint, but one that women across the world would probably agree with. These are the thoughts of Patricia Francis, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre. The UN backed agency that helps small businesses in poor nations, has initiated interesting and ground breaking [...]
The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is calling on the authorities of South and North Sudan to investigate, after an attack on peacekeepers in Abyei. UNMIS has condemned the incident, which happened on Thursday evening. Derrick Mbatha reports. The attack on United Nations peacekeepers in the disputed oil-rich Abyei region of Sudan, took place in [...]
Thousands of people have fled Syria to neighbouring Lebanon to escape escalating violence in their country. According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, over 4,000 have already crossed the border. They are fleeing violence that began in January as Syrian police reacted to people who had taken to the streets to call for political reforms. [...]
NARRATOR: The members of the UN Security Council have congratulated the Haitian people on the peaceful conduct of the electoral process and welcome the inauguration of a new Haitian government. In a statement this week, Council President Gérard Araud of France encouraged all political actors in Haiti to resolve any remaining electoral disputes through transparent [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
NARRATOR: In Geneva, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reported to the Human Rights Council on its record on human rights as the Council conducted its Universal Periodic Review of United Nations Member States. In concluding remarks to the Council, the Permanent Representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves noted that the Universal [...]
Cases of cancer around the world are expected to reach 27 million by 2030 with more people suffering in poor and developing countries. There's been growing concern that exposure to radiofrequency radiation from devices such as radio and television may be one contributing factor Dr. Nicolas Gaudin, from the International Agency for Research on [...]
Nearly 1 out of 3 youth migrants in Africa are children- between 10 and 14 years old. According to UNICEF, African children and youth are most likely than any other to migrate. Conflict and poverty play a role in young adults and children moving to urban areas in search of a better life and [...]
Thirty-six percent of all births in the world are not registered, leaving more than 48 million children under the age of five with no legal identity and no formal claim on any state. That's the claim in a new book, Children without a State: A Global Human Rights Challenge. Editor and co-author Professor Jacqueline [...]
Princess Beatrice, the Queen of Britain's granddaughter, is auctioning the controversial hat she wore for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, to raise money for UNICEF and Children In Crisis. The hat, which was designed by Philip Treacey, was criticised in the media and on social networking sites as being "ridiculous". But Princess [...]
Over 4,000 Syrians have crossed the border into northern Lebanon fleeing escalating violence in the country, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. The majority of those who have crossed the border are said to be women and children. UNHCR says the number of Syrians who have crossed the border into Lebanon could be higher [...]
Women are ten times more productive than men, perhaps a controversial viewpoint but one that women across the world would probably agree with. These are the thoughts of Patricia Francis, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre or ITC. The UN backed agency that helps small businesses in poor nations, has initiated interesting and [...]
Princess Beatrice, the British Queen's granddaughter, is auctioning the controversial hat she wore for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, to raise money for UNICEF and Children In Crisis. The hat, which was designed by Philip Treacey, was criticised in the media and on social networking sites as being "ridiculous". But Princess Beatrice, [...]
Lack of funding is making it difficult to deliver affordable and quality health care to an estimated 5 million Palestinian refugees, according to a report of the United Nations agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). UNRWA says that progress has been made in improving the health of Palestinians over the past decade. But the agency is [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that its directors will begin the process of selecting a new Managing Director immediately. The previous director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has resigned. He is facing charges of sexually assaulting a hotel employee in New York. He has said he wanted to protect the institution, and devote all his strength, [...]
Israeli and Palestinian leaders have been urged to renew their determination to achieve a two states solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The call has come from United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in response to the speech of United States President Barack Obama on Thursday. Daniel Dickinson reports In his statement, President Obama said the borders [...]
Thirty-six percent of all births in the world are not registered. That leaves more than 48 million children under the age of five with no legal identity and no formal claim on any state — so says a new book, Children without a State: A Global Human Rights Challenge. Focusing on two Asian countries, [...]
In many parts of Africa homosexuality remains illegal. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people often face discrimination and even violent attacks. Doc Mashabane, the Deputy Representative of South Africa to the UN explains how South Africa stands out as having one of the most progressive policies in the world towards homosexuality and transsexuality. African [...]
500,000 Ivorians, the majority women and children, have fled their homes due to post-election violence triggered by last November's disputed Presidential elections. One million people were displaced during the months of political deadlock that paralyzed the whole country. Many remain traumatized, even as the crisis recedes. Jocelyne Sambira has the story. SFX Children are lining [...]
The popular protests and political change that continue to sweep across the Arab world are likely to have an impact on the Arab-Israeli conflict. That's according to Robert Serry, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process. Gerry Adams has the story: Popular protests and political change continue to sweep the Arab world [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
More than $2 billion have been donated by the United Nations Emergency Response Fund (CERF), to help in emergencies caused by natural disasters or conflicts. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says this is a milestone in efforts to speed up the international response to humanitarian crises. The fund gets contributions from governments, [...]
Terrorist bomb attacks on Iraqi security forces in the northern city of Kirkuk have been strongly condemned by the top United Nations envoy for Iraq, Ad Melkert. Dozens of people were killed and many more injured when three bombs exploded near a police station. Julia Paul reports. According to reports, after one bomb exploded [...]
Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world, and now a major player in global health, has called on governments to increase investments in vaccination programmes. Mr. Gates, who is the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was speaking at an annual meeting of health ministers and global health leaders in [...]
Popular uprisings sweeping the Arab world have demonstrated how difficult it is to protect migrants when a crisis hits, according to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Speaking at a meeting on international migration and development, Mr. Ban said that from the beginning of the crisis he urged governments to keep their borders open and not [...]
Member states have been urged to continue to provide funds for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) which is facing a deficit of $65 million. The appeal has come from the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, during his briefing of the Security Council. "At this difficult [...]
Preparations are under way to help ten countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus to save 25 million of hectares of cultivated farmland from a locust crisis. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is working on a five-year programme to combat the pest. Charles Appel reports. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says locusts in [...]
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn has resigned. Mr. Stauss-Kahn, who is facing charges of sexually assaulting a hotel employee in New York, informed the IMF Executive Board of his intention to step down with immediate effect. He says he wants to protect this institution which he has "served with [...]
Dr. Harvey Fineberg The World Health Organization has been cleared of any official misconduct in the way it handled the 2009 swine flu pandemic. A report from scientific experts, tabled at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, says WHO performed well during the pandemic. However, it also reported that WHO faced several difficulties, including inconsistent [...]
African economies will continue to grow in 2011, according to a new report. The latest report of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, says the continent was achieving economic growth averaging 6 to 7 per cent, before the global economic and financial crisis of 2008. But Amr Nour, who deals [...]
Hundreds of Buddhist monks congregated in New York, as part of the annual Vesak – or 'Buddha's birthday' festival. This year marks the two thousand and six hundredth anniversary of Buddhism, and a number of celebratory events were held at the United Nations headquarters. Julia Paul reports: duration: 3'35"
Cape Verde has emerged as a winning nation in West Africa because of its democratic system and political stability, according to Petra Lantz, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country. Ms. Lantz is participating in a regional conference in the capital, Praia, to discuss the impact of electoral processes on the stability of West [...]
Nearly 2.1 million people have been affected by the crisis in Libya and are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance according to the United Nations. This includes 1.6 million people inside Libya and 500,000 who have fled across the borders into Egypt and Tunisia. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, Panos Moumtzis, says the conflict in [...]
Preparations are in full swing in the Democratic Republic of Congo for nationwide elections scheduled for November 27 this year. It will be only the second democratic elections to be held in the central African country. The United Nations has offered to help with the logistics. Meanwhile, the Congolese government has made an appeal [...]
Monique Coleman, the first ever United Nations Youth Champion, is on an extended tour of countries around the world to raise awareness of International Youth Year, which began in August 2010. In South Africa, Ms Coleman met with various youth groups, including young refugees. She explained to Gerry Adams how she is promoting dialogue and [...]
Negotiations are continuing between the United Nations, NATO and the Libyan authorities to bring a temporary end to fighting in the North African country so that humanitarian aid can be provided. The humanitarian situation has deteriorated in the last three months as rebels continue their attempt to remove the Libyan leader, Muammar Qadhafi from power. [...]
The first ever United Nations Youth Champion, Monique Coleman, is calling on the UN and its agencies to support young people with the best resources they have. The United States actress, best known for her role in the "High School Musical" movies, was speaking in Pretoria, South Africa as she continued her world tour. Ms. [...]
The government in Tanzania is forcing livestock farmers to leave their land in order to use it for agriculture and other investments, according to a spokesman for indigenous people. Edward Tunyon, the Coordinator for the Tanzanian Network for Indigenous Peoples, told reporters that livestock farmers, or pastoralists, have been told to move and find land [...]
Training for non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, in Iraq is helping staff follow the correct registration procedures so that they can do their work. A registration awareness project for NGOs has been developed, by the United Nations Office for Project Services and the International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law. Julia Paul reports. Workshops began in Erbil this [...]
Efforts must be made to ensure that violence does not break out during national and local elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo later this year. That's what United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council, as it discussed the situation in the country, where the UN has one of its largest and [...]
Almost 30 per cent of people who die before the age of 60 in developing countries, die from non-communicable diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Ala Alwan, an Assistant Director-General of WHO, spoke at a technical briefing of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. He said that in low and middle income [...]
Nearly 2.1 million people have been affected by the crisis in Libya and are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance according to the United Nations.
One in ten migrants fleeing the unrest in Libya dies. They often make the journey in old and overloaded boats. So far, UNHCR says over 12,300 migrants have arrived in Italy and Malta from Libya over the past two months. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Duration: 2’38” SFX water “There was nothing in the boat, not even [...]
There are increasing reports of sexual and gender-based violence in camps for people displaced by last year's earthquake in Haiti, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The former Chief of Staff of the Rwandan army, Augustin Bizimungu, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, for his role in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
The sentence was handed down by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The case also involved three other former military officers.
Derrick Mbatha reports.
In many parts of Africa homosexuality remains illegal. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people often face discrimination and even violent attacks. South Africa stands out as having one of the most progressive policies in the world towards homosexuality and transsexuality. On International Day against Homophobia, UN Radio’s Radmilla Suleymanova asked Doc Mashabane of the South [...]
The scaling down of the United Nations presence in Burundi is going well, according to Karin Landgren, the head of the United Nations Office in the country.
Hate crimes against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people are rising around the world. The United Nations human rights chief is urging governments to do more to eliminate discrimination and prejudice based of sexual orientation or gender identity. Radmilla Suleymanova reports. Homosexuality remains a criminal offence in more than 70 countries. Every day, people [...]
Indigenous people are calling on governments and private corporations to respect their rights and not bypass them when decisions are made about development projects on the lands they occupy.
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Forced displacements and violence in the West Bank and Gaza must end according to a senior United Nations humanitarian official. Witnessing a day of violence at first hand in the occupied Palestinian territory, Valerie Amos, the United Nations Humanitarian Chief, said she was horrified by the way an Israeli built wall divides communities. The wall [...]
Information and communication technologies, or ICTs, are crucial in improving the lives of the world's rural communities.
Seventy per cent of the population in Gaza, more than a million people, are now dependent on food aid, because of the economic impact of the blockade.
Governments have been urged by Bill Gates, the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to increase their investments in vaccines to save lives.
The business world is being told that it needs to invest more in places like Africa as part of the international effort to help the poorest countries on the continent to break out of poverty. Few would dispute that it’s a good idea…but the reality for Western businesses setting up operations in Africa and African [...]
Governments have been urged to create social and legal environments that will ensure respect for the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.
Access to mobile phones and internet has mushroomed in Asia and Africa in the past ten years. 250 million people in world’s poorest countries are now using cell phones. In the developed world, owning a cell phone is often a luxury and not a necessity. But it is becoming a priority in countries that have [...]
Hundreds of migrants and refugees who fled Libya for Tunisia and Egypt, have crossed back into Libya with the intention of making the perilous sea journey to Europe, according to the UN refugee Agency, UNHCR.
Hundreds of thousands of kids are slowly returning to school in Cote d’Ivoire in the aftermath of a crisis triggered by last November’s disputed presidential election. But challenges remain. Many of the schools were badly damaged during the fighting, and it’s estimated that 200,000 children are still out of school. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Duration: 2’25” [...]
Teams from the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) are being sent to investigate air strikes carried out by the Sudanese Air Force in South Darfur.
The head of UNAMID, Ibrahim Gambari, says he is deeply concerned about the air strikes.
Derrick Mbatha reports.
A Chilean diplomat is taking over as the head of the United Nations mission in Haiti starting next month.
1.10-year plan to help 48 of the world’s least developed countries 2.Vijay Nambiar urges Myanmar officials to release political prisoners 3.UN Secretary-General condemns attack on military training center in Pakistan 4.WFP calls for ceasefire in Libya to allow deliveries of food Narrated and Produced by Zafar Qureshi duration: 15’00″
The international community needs to take urgent action to stop Israel from confiscating and occupying Palestinian lands.
Groups associated with the Al Qaeda terrorist network remain active around the world and pose a threat to international peace and security despite the death of their leader Osama bin Laden.
Clean your plate, there are people starving in the world, is phrase every child has heard at one point in their life. But of late, says the UN’s Food Agency, a little over a billion ton of food ends up in the trash every year. That’s 30% of the food produced worldwide. Rich nations alone [...]
The ancient traditions of indigenous peoples around the world can help overcome modern problems of 'green' living, the Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon has said.
There are calls from the United Nations envoy for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, for the parliament and government in Somalia to work together, to end the “political paralysis”. The country has not had a central government since 1990, and the transitional federal institutions, or TFI, are mandated to end in August this year, when the government [...]
To mark the 2,600th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Buddha, people around the world have been urged to have tolerance and respect for all religions.
Libyan leader Muammar Qhadafi and two of his close aides have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for what has been described as "widespread and systematic attacks on civilians."
The deaths of 12 Palestinian refugees during demonstrations on Israel's borders, have been condemned by the head of the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).
Filippo Grandi made the statement, after Sunday's demonstrations, which were to commemorate the Palestinians who were killed during the founding of Israel in 1948.
Charles Appel reports.
The World Health Organization is calling on governments to ensure the protection of health workers and health facilities in conflict situations to enable them provide care for the sick and the injured.
The rights of indigenous peoples around the world are still not being fully recognised, according to a top UN expert. This week the tenth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is being held in New York. Chandra Roy-Henriksen, Chief of the Secretariat of the forum, told UN Radio’s Julia Paul there is still [...]
Charities working with people in extreme poverty say often families are split up because of hardship. Christina Diez is the main representative to the UN from the organization ATD Fourth World, which works to eradicate poverty. She says the majority of children taken into care come from families in poverty, and she hopes to highlight [...]
Myrna Mack was assassinated outside her offices in Guatemala City by armed forces in 1990. She was an anthropologist doing research on displaced people. The Myrna Mack case was the first human rights litigation tried in the Guatemalan courts. In 1993, Myrna’s sister, Helen, established the Myrna Mack Foundation, which tried to pursue justice for [...]
Governments around the world are committing to take new steps to save lives on their roads. The United Nations kicked off its Decade of Action for Road Safety this week and countries from Australia to Uzbekistan agreed to adopt new measures to make their streets and highways safer. Road traffic injuries have become the leading [...]
There are now an estimated 4.6 billion subscriptions to cellphones globally, and concerns have been raised about their impact on health. So far the risks identified relate mainly to traffic accidents, which can be caused by drivers using mobile phones. But there are ongoing studies to assess the potential long-term health effects of cellphones use. [...]
The rights of indigenous peoples around the world are still not being fully recognised, according to a top UN expert.
A ceremony kicking off New Zealand hosting the seventh Rugby World Cup was held at UN headquarters recently. Those in attendance were also treated to ways in which rugby is used to promote education, health, development and peace. The topic of the interview is about high food price in Indonesia. What causing it and how [...]
The bombing of a military training centre in the north-west of Pakistan, that has killed more than 80 people, has been condemned by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Almost every minute of every day in different parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a woman is raped. So says a new study published by the American Journal of Public Health, the AJPH. The study says the incidence of sexual assault is 26 times higher than United Nations figures. Jocelyne Sambira reports. Duration: [...]
Three survivors from a boat carrying 72 people that drifted for more than two weeks in the seas off Libya, have met with the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).
News and features from United Nations Radio.
An operation called Spring Basket is underway to facilitate access for humanitarian agencies in Darfur. The operation launched by the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur, UNAMID, at the beginning of the month, is aimed at opening access to the Jebel Marra region and other parts of North and West Darfur. United Nations agencies [...]
The authorities in Myanmar must release of all political prisoners, if they are to move the country towards a durable peace, democracy and prosperity.
The natural environment is under unprecedented stress with the world’s excessive use and consumption patterns no longer sustainable.
Human rights teams in Côte d’Ivoire have raised concerns about the conditions in detention centres holding officials from the government of the former president, Laurent Gbabgbo.
Donn: Belize this week became the 148th signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Belize joined the global commitment to further promote, protect and ensure the equal enjoyment of all human rights by one of the most vulnerable groups in our society – persons with disabilities. Mrs. Kim Simplis [...]
NARR: The capacity of small-island developing States (SIDS), to effectively move towards the achievement of their development objectives in the areas of transport, waste management, chemicals, mining and sustainable consumption and production patterns must be viewed against the backdrop of the ongoing effects of the recent economic and financial crisis. That’s what Grenada’s Representative Ambassador [...]
Discrimination and unequal access to social services is preventing millions of families from providing for their children, according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
There has been an escalation in human rights violations in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, with repression and use of lethal force against demonstrators being the order of the day, according to the United Nations.
The international community has agreed a 10 year programme of action to help the world’s poorest countries break out of poverty. Forty-eight states, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa, were designated by the United Nations as the Least Developed Countries or LDCs which need special assistance to develop. Daniel Dickinson reports from Istanbul where a conference on [...]
The international community has agreed a 10 year plan to help the world's poorest countries break out of poverty.
A trial conducted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network, enrolling more than 1,700 sero-discordant couples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the United States has produced groundbreaking results. The trial shows that the risk of transmitting the disease to a non-infected partner can be reduced by 96%. UN officials are calling it a “game changer” [...]
A 10 year plan to help the world’s 48 poorest countries break out of poverty is due to be announced on Friday at an international conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
It is estimated that about 9 million Filipinos, nearly 10% of the population, are working overseas. Due to the serious lack of jobs, many Filipinos prefer to go work in places like the US or the Middle East. But with the recent upheaval in the Middle East, many of the migrant workers have had to flee [...]
UN and Africa – a weekly 10-minute radio programme on political, social, economic and other developments related to Africa.
A new study highlighting the extreme levels of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been welcomed by the top UN official on sexual violence in armed conflict.
The results of a groundbreaking trial show that if a person with HIV takes anti-retroviral drugs, the risk of transmitting the disease to a sexual partner can be reduced by 96 per cent.
Haiti’s president-elect, Michel Martelly, has received congratulations from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, ahead of his inauguration on Saturday.
Governments are being urged to make progress in agreeing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before the climate change conference scheduled to take place in Durban, South Africa in December.
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Southern Sudan, which decided in a referendum in January to become an independent country, should be provided with the know how in order to shape its own future.
The world’s towns and cities need to think about reducing pollution when planning future development, according to a new report launched on Thursday by the UN’s Human Settlement Programme or UN-HABITAT.
There is concern that the fighting in Libya is blocking access to the Western mountains area, where the World Food Programme (WFP) believes there are severe food shortages.
Habitats for migratory birds are being lost and degraded as a result of human activities, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
An increasing number of schools and hospitals are being attacked in countries where there is conflict, according to a new UN report. The annual report on Children and Armed Conflict, is recommending that the Security Council agree to add the groups that target schools to its “list of shame”. It already includes groups that recruit [...]
The business world is being told that it needs to invest more in places like Africa as part of the global effort to help the poorest countries on the continent to break out of poverty. Daniel Dickinson reports from Istanbul, where an international conference is looking at what needs to be done for the world’s [...]
The international community has been urged by the head of the United Nations lead gender organization to make sure that a plan of action to pull the poorest countries out of poverty is implemented on the ground.
Grass roots organizations from across the globe are calling on the international community to find new ways to the help the world’s poorest people. The organizations are meeting at the first major development conference of the decade which is taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, this week. The United Nations conference which is being attended by heads of [...]
The world’s towns and cities are the biggest polluters of our time, according to a new report by the UN’s Human Settlement Programme or UN-HABITAT. They account for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and yet they only occupy 2% of the Earth’s surface. Still, cities have an important role to play in curbing emissions, a [...]
An increasing number of schools and hospitals are being attacked in countries where there is conflict, according to a new UN report.
Five individuals have received this year’s “Champions of the Earth” award given by the United Nations Environment Programme to save the environment. From using green technology to cut air pollution in China, to tackling the impact of toxic chemicals in Eastern Europe, the five winners of the award demonstrate innovative ways to put green technologies [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Myrna Mack was assassinated outside her offices in Guatemala City by armed forces in 1990. She was an anthropologist doing research on displaced people. The Myrna Mack case was the first human rights litigation tried in the Guatemalan courts. In 1993, Myrna’s sister, Helen, established the Myrna Mack Foundation, which tried to pursue justice for Myrna Mack [...]
After nearly five months of a political impasse in the Côte d’Ivoire , leading to the death of 500 people and the displacement of 1 million, life in the West African country is slowly returning to normal. Schools are re-opening as well as banks, but there are still pockets of violence inside the country. Just [...]
The creation of an independent committee to monitor and evaluate corruption in Afghanistan has been welcomed by the United Nations.
More governments around the world should integrate sport into their programmes for development, according to the UN Secretary-General.
There is a “political paralysis” in Mogadishu where Somalia’s president and speaker are not communicating with each other.
A decade of action on road safety could save millions of lives, according to the UN Secretary-General, Ban-ki Moon.
Nearly 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted around the world each year according to a report published by the Food and Agricultural Organization FAO. The waste is equivalent to about 30 per cent of food produced worldwide for human consumption. Patrick Maigua reports from Geneva.
The United Nations decade of action on road safety has been launched this week to save lives around the world. The aim of the decade is to prevent road accidents that claim 1.3 million lives every year and leave millions of others injured or permanently disabled. In South Africa Moira Winslow runs an organization called [...]
The role of business in helping the world’s poorest countries to break out of poverty has been underlined by the international community. The first major development conference of the decade, the meeting of the so-called Least Developed Countries or LDCs is currently taking place in Istanbul, Turkey; the private sector is for the first time [...]
United Nations Secretary General Ban ki Moon has called on the Libyan government to put in place an immediate and verifiable ceasefire.
As part of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, a campaign to reduce the numbers of road deaths in the Philippines by 50 per cent is being launched today. In the country, made up of more than 7,000 islands, 1.3 million people a year are killed on the roads. May Altarejos-Cueva, from Project [...]
Thirty three of the 48 least developed countries, or LDCs, are in Africa. Population in these countries is expected to double by 2050. At the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, told Dan Dickinson that population growth and poverty are directly related. Empowering [...]
The private sector has an increasingly important role to play in boosting development in the poorest countries across the world according to the United Nations Global Compact office.
14 years of civil war in Liberia nearly destroyed its entire health system. Many doctors and nurses fled the country at the time, leaving 30 physicians to serve a population of 3 million, according to the World Health Organization. Now, eight years later, the population outside of the capital Monrovia still has little or no [...]
Four United Nations peacekeepers from Zambia have been shot at and wounded by unidentified gunmen, in the disputed Abyei region of Sudan.
The UN head of relief says she’s concerned about the lack of humanitarian access to cities in Syria, where many protesters have reportedly been killed.
An international forum, looking at the relationship between sport and peace and development, has kicked off in Geneva.
Investment in young people and empowerment of women are critical to boosting the economies of poor countries, according to a new report by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
UN human rights experts facts on Osama Bin Laden Killing. 2’56″ Improve relationship with Mother Earth now as time is running short. 4’18″ Danger journalists face is recognizes on Press Freedom Day. 3’17″ Help wanted: 350,000 midwives. 2’37″ Duration: 14’30″
Secretary General calls for elimination of chemical weapons. 57″ UN human rights chief calls for probe in conflict in Sri Lanka. 4’41″ Libya at risk of a full blown food security crisis: WFP. 2’43″ Reducing road accidents, which kill more people than malaria. 2’48″ Duration: 14’31″
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Human beings continue to face the challenge of dealing with disasters, whether man-made or natural. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes cannot be stopped. These disasters kill thousands of people and cause economic damage worth billions of dollars. But people can prepare for disasters or reduce their impacts. This issue is being discussed [...]
1.UN Special Rapporteurs call for full disclosure in bin Laden death 2.UN Human Rights experts to investigate “mass graves” in Ivory Coast 3.UN panel to look into Haiti cholera outbreak 4.Evidence of crimes against humanity committed in Libya Duration: 15’00″
1.Human Rights Council debates situation in Syrian Arab Republic in Special Session 2.Fighting at Libya-Tunisia border stops refugees 3.Food crisis looms in Libya Duration: 15’00″
Children in countries likely to be affected by natural disasters say maintaining their education after an emergency is their main priority, according to UN research.
The tragedy at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was damaged by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11, has raised disturbing questions and fuelled public fears.
It all seems to run smoothly and efficiently…but setting up an international conference for 8000 people including heads of state and senior United Nations officials is a huge logistical challenge. Istanbul in Turkey is hosting the fourth conference of so-called least developed countries or LDCs…a ten-yearly get-together looking at how to pull these countries out [...]
Over 1,400 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea over the past two months as they attempt to flee Libya in un-seaworthy and overloaded boats, according to the UN Refugee agency UNHCR.
The world’s poorest countries need support to create more jobs in order to increase investment and help them out of poverty. That’s one of many solutions to boosting development being discussed at the Least Developed Countries or LDC conference taking place in Istanbul Turkey. There are 48 LDCs, countries which suffer from a combination of [...]
The international community needs to be more ambitious in its efforts towards pulling the world’s poorest countries out of poverty, according to the President of the United Nations General Assembly.
The current crises in the Middle East and North Africa have been discussed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
More than 700,000 people have left Libya, and food and water in the country is running out, according to UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, which used to be part of Yugoslavia, is facing its worst crisis since fighting stopped in 1995, according to the High Representative Valentin Inzko who briefed the Security Council on Monday.
The cancellation of all debt for the world’s 48 least developed countries or LDCs is being urged by a lobby of civil society groups. The groups are meeting at a United Nations conference in Istanbul, Turkey, which has set the ambitious target of reducing the number of LDCs from the current 48 to 24 over [...]
Whether measured by greenhouse gas concentrations, deforestation rates or declining fish stocks, current unsustainable consumption and production patterns threatened to exceed the capacity of global ecosystems, a top United Nations official told the Commission on Sustainable Development this week, as it opened its nineteenth session. Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang said [...]
People living in the world’s poorest countries have benefited little from decades of development programmes. That’s the view of Azeb Girmai who is representing an Ethiopian NGO at a United Nations conference in Turkey aimed at pulling the 48 least developed countries or LDCs out of poverty They suffer extreme underdevelopment, poor governance and inadequate [...]
The best tribute to the victims of the Chernobyl tragedy is to ensure that lessons learned from the accident will bring about lasting improvements in nuclear and radiation safety. That’s what the representative of Barbados told a recent special commemorative meeting in observance of the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl Catastrophe. Speaking on behalf of [...]
Authorities in Peru have been urged by the head of UNESCO, Irina Bokova to investigate the murder of radio journalist Julio Castillo Narváez.
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Progress being made on legal reforms in Bulgaria is being assessed by Gabriela Knaul, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, on her mission to the country, which began on Monday.
UN peacekeepers in Sudan have welcomed the commitment from the northern and southern sides, to withdraw all unauthorised troops from the Abyei region.
Officials have praised the work of the staff from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), who died in a plane crash in Bolivia.
Investigations are ongoing into the discovery of 10 graves near Abidjan, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire. Some 70 bodies, predominantly male, were found in the graves a field where children once played football in Yopougon district, a suburb of Abidjan. It appears, says Rupert Colville of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, that [...]
The largest development conference so far this decade has got underway in the Turkish city, Istanbul with a pledge from the international community to help the world’s poorest countries break out of poverty. The group of 48 so-called Least Developed Countries or LDCs is characterized by deep-rooted poverty, poor governance and inadequate infrastructure. The conference [...]
Human rights investigators in Côte d'Ivoire have unearthed about 70 bodies buried in mass graves near Cote d’Ivoire's commercial city of Abidjan.
The international community has come together to call for support for the world's poorest countries at what's being billed as the largest development conference of the decade.
A “workable plan of action” is urgently needed to help the world’s poorest countries break out of poverty according to the United Nations Secretary-General. The international community is meeting in Istanbul, Turkey from Monday, to discuss what needs to be done to ensure economic and social development in the world’s 48 least developed countries or [...]
The developed world has a moral responsibility to support the poorest countries, according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has become the first male recipient of an award which recognizes efforts to advance the position of women and girls in the world.
People living in the world’s poorest countries have benefited little from decades of development programmes. That’s the view of Azeb Girmai who is representing an Ethiopian NGO at a United Nations conference in Turkey aimed at pulling the 48 least developed countries or LDCs out of poverty They suffer extreme underdevelopment, poor governance and inadequate [...]
The cancellation of all debt for the world’s 48 least developed countries or LDCs is being urged by a lobby of civil society groups. The groups are meeting at a United Nations conference in Istanbul, Turkey, which has set the ambitious target of reducing the number of LDCs from the current 48 to 24 over [...]
The world's 48 least developed countries are reaching a “crisis” point in their attempts to break out of poverty.
In states where ethnic, political or other conflicts have taken place, prisons fill up quickly. In Burundi, for example, more than 10,300 prisoners are locked up in facilities that only can only hold 5,000. While in Darfur, over a hundred prisoners share one cell and a bathroom. These prisons that operate in a brutal and [...]
Tension in the oil-rich Abyei region, which is contested by north and south Sudan, is causing concern at the United Nations.
A new report published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has revealed that the multi-million-dollar fishing industry in Thailand is involved in widespread human trafficking.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the process of improving its military justice system. The United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and its partners are helping the Congolese in these efforts. Harriet Solloway, the Chief of Judicial Affairs at MONUSCO told Derrick Mbatha why it is important to strengthen military justice [...]
Global food prices are on the rise again. The UN estimates that 44 million people have been pushed into poverty since last June because of the volatility of food prices. To avoid a repeat of the 2007-2008 riots, the UN’s Food Agency or FAO is calling for urgent action. Jocelyne Sambira has the story. FAO [...]
Thousands of African migrants are enduring the desert heat in the remote northern towns of Faya and Kalait in Chad to flee violence in Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt represent one of the greatest opportunities to advance democracy and human rights, according to Secretary-General of the UN.
Efforts to achieve "education for all" in Nigeria have received a major boost from UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
UNESCO and the Nigerian Government signed a $6 million dollar agreement to revitalize adult and youth literacy in the country.
Charles Appel has the story.
A UN human rights team is investigating the reported killing of at least 40 people in Côte d'Ivoire's commercial capital, Abidjan. A spokesman said the team was to visit an alleged mass grave in Yopougon district.
UN Calling Asia – a weekly magazine programme, in English, that keeps you in touch with UN developments covering Asia and the Pacific.
Human rights investigators at the UN say they need to know all the details surrounding the killing of Osama Bin Laden. They want to assess whether the use of deadly force against Bin Laden was in keeping with the standards of international human rights law. Christof Heyns, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial executions, said [...]
Action is urgently needed to tackle the problem of global food shortages and rising food prices, which caused turmoil during 2007 and 2008.
United Nations Human rights investigators are calling for full disclosure of facts surrounding the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
Women: a weekly news magazine that looks at issues affecting women around the world.
The world’s poorest countries are being challenged to pull themselves out of poverty and graduate from a United Nations list of the so-called Least Developed Countries or LDCs. There are 48 LDCs, mostly in Africa, which suffer from extreme poverty as well as a lack of strong governance and poor infrastructure. Next week in Istanbul, [...]
An ambitious ten-year programme to reduce by half the number of so-called Least Developed Countries or LDCs across the world is being launched in Turkey.
