A high-level panel has been set up by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to coordinate efforts to improve people's lives beyond the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly on Tuesday afternoon on the recent World Conference on Sustainable Development known as Rio+20 held in Brazil and [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are working with Ugandan authorities to contain the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever that has claimed 14 lives in Uganda. The agency says there are 36 suspected cases of the fever in the Kibaale region in western Uganda. WHO spokesperson in Geneva, Tarik Jasarevic, says the agency is [...]
China is facing a double threat from severe weather systems. A typhoon called Saola and a severe storm named Damrey are threatening to batter parts of China. This warning comes from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and its regional specialized meteorological centre in Tokyo, Japan. The storm has already reportedly killed ten people and displaced [...]
Delivering a baby is strenuous enough, but imagine spending two hours on a motorbike, a ferry and a rickshaw just to get to the nearest health centre to give birth. That's what happened to 26-year old So phorn when she delivered her first baby three years ago in Cambodia. But such journeys are now [...]
Recent cutbacks by European Union governments in jobs, wages and benefits have particularly affected women, according to a new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Commission. It finds women civil servants are at greater risk of losing their jobs as a result of austerity measures. Experts fear that these cuts could [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The production of iron-ore reached its record high in 2011 according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In its yearly Iron Ore Market report, UNCTAD says that 1.9 billion tons of iron-ore, which is vital for steel production, were produced. In 2011, the report adds, international iron ore trade reached a [...]
The Security Council on Tuesday renewed the mandate for the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). UNAMID's role includes protecting civilians and creating a safe environment for aid delivery in the Sudanese province, where roughly two million people were displaced by a 2003 civil war. Prior to the meeting, Madiha Sultan spoke to UNAMID [...]
The Security Council on Tuesday extended the mandate of the African Union/United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for one year. UNAMID was established in 2007 to protect civilians displaced by the 2003 civil war in the Darfur region of Sudan and to help find a political solution to that conflict. Fourteen members of the [...]
Women civil servants in countries of the European Union (EU) have been particularly hard-hit by recent cutbacks in jobs, wages and benefits. That's the conclusion of a report entitled "Public Sector Adjustment in Europe" jointly compiled by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Commission. It warns that these cuts will damage progress made [...]
Thousands of Syrians frightened by the ongoing armed violence in Aleppo city are seeking shelter in schools, mosques and public buildings, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). The agency says it's concerned about the situation of the displaced people as government and armed opposition forces continue to fight in Syria's most populous city. [...]
1. Secretary-General repeats call for end to Syrian crisis 2. Peacekeeping chief details new reduced format of UN mission in Syria 3. New chief of UN Supervision Mission in Syria takes over 4. UNHCR urges Syrian neighbors to keep their borders open for refugees 5. Iraqi refugees fleeing Syria also fear returning home 6. UNRWA [...]
Syrian authorities have been urged to renounce the possibility of using weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons. The call has come from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who spoke to reporters on Monday about his recent visits to China, South-Eastern Europe and London. Mr. Ban said that throughout his trip, he was focused on what [...]
Fourteen people have died following an outbreak of Ebola in Uganda, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The deaths occurred in Kibaale district in the western part of the country, nine of them in a single household. WHO reports that since the beginning of July, there have been a total of 20 cases of [...]
Academics around the world have been challenged to get involved in efforts to fight poverty in rural areas. The call has come from the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), José Graziano da Silva, in a speech to the World Congress of Rural Sociology in Lisbon, Portugal, on Monday. Derrick Mbatha reports. [...]
One year after the revolution in Libya, the country remains littered with numerous unexploded ordnance (UXO), unattended heavy weaponry and ammunition, and newly laid minefields. The UN Mine Action programme, known as UNMAS, is clearing the country of UXO and securing ammunition stores, in addition to coordinating the work of international NGOs operating there. UNMAS [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The head of United Nations military observers in Syria has called for a shift from what he calls "a mindset of confrontation and militarization to a mindset of dialogue." Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye spoke to reporters in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Monday after his first field visit to Homs and ar-Rastan as the [...]
An outbreak of the deadly and highly contagious Ebola haemorrhagic fever has claimed the lives of 14 people in Uganda, says the World Health Organization (WHO). The Ugandan Ministry of Health has reported 20 cases of Ebola since the beginning of July in Kibaale district northwest of the capital, Kampala. According to WHO, Ebola is [...]
Intense fighting has caused an estimated 200,000 people to flee the Syrian city of Aleppo over the past two days, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Many of these people are now displaced within Syria, although some have managed to cross the border into Turkey. Meanwhile, UNHCR has opened its first tent camp for [...]
Fighting in Syria's second largest city of Aleppo has forced about 200,000 people to flee their homes over the past two days, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). Fighting is reported to have intensified over the weekend as government forces launched a ground assault on opposition fighters in the city. Melissa Fleming is [...]
Nearly four months ago, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau took power in a coup d'état just prior to a scheduled presidential run-off election. Joseph Mutaboba, head of the UN office in the West African nation, this week told the Security Council it was important that all sides work together to restore constitutional order and assist the country. [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Despite affecting millions of people worldwide and exerting a staggering toll on health, hepatitis remains largely unknown, undiagnosed and untreated, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On World Hepatitis Day, observed on 28 July, WHO urges governments to strengthen efforts in fighting viral hepatitis which affects the liver and kills one million people annually. [...]
With the Summer Olympics now underway in London, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is reminding the world that peace should prevail during the games. Crowds applauded Mr. Ban as he carried the Olympic torch through the streets of London on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Ban arrived directly from Bosnia and Herzegovina where he had visited Srebrenica, the town where [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
News and features from United Nations Radio.
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Nearly nine million lives have been saved over the past decade through programmes supported by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund on Monday reported that as a result, more than three million people worldwide now receive anti-retroviral treatment (ARVs) compared with 600,000 two years ago. The XIX International AIDS [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is in Serbia on Monday, the latest stop on his visit to China and South-eastern Europe. Prior to this, Mr. Ban made his first official visit to Montenegro where he said the future is "full of promise." "The decision by the European Union Council to open accession negotiations illustrates Montenegro's [...]
The UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is concerned about the increasingly grave situation in Syria, where half a million Palestinians have been living. UNRWA is also worried about the safety of its staff and the security of its facilities, particularly in parts of the capital, Damascus. Agency spokesman Chris Gunness said insecurity has [...]
Rwandans have been working tirelessly to rebuild their country since the 1994 genocide. Since then, the country has become one of the fastest growing economies on the African continent. Furthermore, women have now come to the forefront of national politics, making Rwanda the world's leader in the number of women parliamentarians. The advancement of women [...]
After decades of struggling with unsustainable debt, Côte d'Ivoire is getting some relief. The country has been granted a reduction in its $7 billion external debt. The International Money Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have approved the decision to effectively wipe out more than 60 per cent of this amount. Hyun-Sung Khang spoke to [...]
The top United Nations human rights official said Wednesday she is "seriously alarmed" by the current climate of intimidation against journalists and human rights defenders in Ethiopia. Charles Appel reports. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says the overly broad interpretation of laws concerning terrorism and civil society in Ethiopia are resulting in [...]
More than one million children could experience severe acute malnutrition this year as a result of the food crisis in the Sahel region, the UN humanitarian office (OCHA) is warning. The children are among 18 million people in nine countries where food insecurity and high prices, combined with armed conflict, are having a dire effect [...]
If we continue on our present path for the next 20 years, we risk global catastrophe, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday at an event with "Future We Want Champions" in Beijing, China. Mr. Ban said people simply do not recognize that the planet has limits and some of those limits have been exceeded such as [...]
There were 34.2 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS at the end of last year, a slight increase from 33.5 million the year before, according the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The new 2012 UNAIDS report "Together we will end AIDS" was launched Wednesday in Washington DC ahead of the XIX International AIDS [...]
The contributions of one the world's greatest advocates for freedom, justice and democracy—former South African President Nelson Mandela—were celebrated in the General Assembly on Wednesday. Since 2010, the world has commemorated 18 July as Nelson Mandela International Day, in honour of Mr. Mandela's birthday and his nearly seven decades of service to humanity. Dianne Penn [...]
A series of new legislative amendments in Russia could have a "seriously negative" impact on human rights in the country, according to a top United Nations official. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is urging the Government to ensure that the new laws are in line with international standards. In June, restrictive amendments [...]
"Turning the tide together" is the theme of the upcoming International Conference on AIDS. The World Health Organization's HIV programme is planning to participate in the conference with a specific focus on the theme "The strategic use of ARVs”. At a press conference on Geneva on Tuesday, Dr. Gottfried Hirnschall and others explained how the [...]
Students from various African nations as well as other countries throughout the world gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa recently to participate in a dialogue and discussion about Nelson Mandela. That was part of their way of honouring his life and legacy for this year's Mandela International Day, observed on 18 July. They also pledged to [...]
ANC leader Nelson Mandela addresses the General Assembly about his fight against the Apartheid regime in South Africa, four years before being elected President. Language: English Genre: Speech 1990 Duration: 24’00″
This ceremony honors Nelson and Winnie Mandela and the fight against the Apartheid regime in South Africa. Language: English Genre: Speech 1984 Duration: 8’00″
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that the UN Security Council will speak with one voice when it comes to a resolution regarding Syria. There are a number of proposals in front of the Council that members have been debating. The Secretary-General said he hopes they come together in a united manner to help [...]
The UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, is expressing hope that the Security Council will be able to come together in a united manner and press ahead in search of peace. There are a number of Syrian proposals in front of the Council that members are debating and Mr. Annan says [...]
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon chatted live with Sina Weibo followers while on a visit to China Tuesday. Weibo is a China-based microblogging service similar to a cross between Twitter and Facebook. During his 45 minute conversation, Mr. Ban answered about 20 questions from Weibo users. According to preliminary statistics the event has attracted the [...]
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says the number of Syrian refugees who have sought its help since April has almost tripled to 112,000. The agency says those numbers may necessitate that a new refugee camp be built in Jordan. The government of Turkey has already announced that two to three new sites may be [...]
There is an ambitious plan to eliminate new AIDS infections among children by 2015. There is also talk that we are seeing the beginning of the end of AIDS and that an AIDS-free generation is within our grasp. The 19th International Conference on AIDS takes place from 22-27 July. I asked Craig McClure, UNICEF Chief [...]
UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan on Tuesday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria. Meanwhile, the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) says army defectors and activists reportedly had been targeted in the recent deadly attack on the village of Treimseh. That assessment is based on witness accounts and [...]
One staff member of the World Health Organization (WHO) and one international consultant were injured, when their vehicle was shot at by armed men in Karachi, Pakistan. WHO said in a statement that the two men were in stable condition. The men were supporting the currently-ongoing polio National Immunization Days campaign. The agency says at [...]
Pay inequality is a heated issue with many people believing CEOs and other "fat cats" earn too much while those at the bottom of the salary scale are barely scraping by. But Raghuram Rajan, a former Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is more concerned about those caught between these two extremes. [...]
The Desert Locust threat to pastures and croplands in Niger and Mali is growing after swarms of the insects arrived in the north of the two countries last month. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says during the last three weeks, heavy rains fell in the north of both countries allowing the maturation of the [...]
Whenever global food prices rise, developing countries are hit the hardest. Senegal is one such country. Rising food prices made even the most basic foodstuffs unaffordable. Senegal needed to become more food self-sufficient, but a major obstacle was a lack of access to good quality seeds. Two years ago, the European Union decided to allocate [...]
Navi Pillay Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have launched a crackdown on human rights defenders, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The activists are being subjected to harassment, denial of travel, termination of work contracts, arrests, denaturalization and expulsion from the country. On Monday, prominent human rights activist Ahmed Abdul Khaleq [...]
The number of Somalis who have fled their country has now surpassed one million, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Over two decades of internal conflict, coupled with persistent drought and food shortages continue to drive Somalis from their homeland and into neighbouring countries including Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen. UNHCR considers Somalia one of [...]
Every year since 2010, on 18 July individuals around the world are encouraged to devote 67 minutes to helping others by volunteering in honour of Nelson Mandela Day. For 67 years Nelson Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the [...]
The already sluggish global economy is showing signs of further weakness, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which blames the Eurozone crisis and slower than expected growth in emerging economies. The IMF's World Economic Outlook Update projects the global economy will grow 3.5 percent this year, which is down 0.1 percentage points from the [...]
United Nations observers who examined the Syrian village of Treimseh on Sunday said that, based on what they saw and on witness accounts, the attack there on July 12 was targeted at army defectors and activists. Staff from the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) observed over 50 houses that were burned and/ or destroyed [...]
The humanitarian response for Syria is facing a critical shortage of funds, as the conflict in Syria escalates, says John Ging. Mr. Ging, Director of the Coordination and Response Division at the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, told correspondents in Geneva following the fourth Syrian humanitarian forum that the conflict is having a devastating impact on [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday begins the first leg of a 10-day trip that will take him to China and South-eastern Europe. While in the capital, Beijing, Mr. Ban will meet with the country's leadership and take part in the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, according to his spokesman Martin Nesirky. [...]
With the summer games opening in London this month, Olympic fever is building around the world. Athletes and fans are gearing up for two weeks of sport, fellowship and record-breaking achievements. The 2012 Olympics are also historic as three countries—Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei—are sending women athletes to the games for the first time. Dianne [...]
Sub-Saharan Africa must provide universal access to decent jobs and social services if it is to achieve decisive development progress, according to a newly released report. Assessing Progress in Africa Towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), is published annually by the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and [...]
Africa needs global solidarity to create jobs, generate growth and stop preventable deaths, according to the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General. Jan Eliasson told the 19th Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa Sunday that the UN is committed to helping and stressed the importance of close and active cooperation. He also said that critical [...]
A new global awareness campaign on the impact of organized crime has been launched by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). With a turnover estimated to be around US$ 870 billion a year, organized criminal networks profit from the sale of illegal goods wherever there is a demand. Charles Appel reports. The aim [...]
The humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis is likely to grind to a halt due to a critical shortage of funding, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA. The appeal for funds to assist Syrians displaced inside the country and those who have fled into neighbouring nations is only 20 [...]
Author Daniel Yergin won the Pulitzer for his book called The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power, but he waited over 20 years to tackle the topic of oil again. His newest book is called The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World. The International Monetary Fund's Jocelyne Frank [...]
Karla Trujillo, a working mother in El Salvador, felt the many hours she spent at her office job was eating away at the time she had with her children and also distancing her from her roots in farming. So Trujillo decided to chuck in the corporate life to return to the family farm, located in [...]
The United Nations condemns in the strongest terms, the killing of Hanifa Safi, Head of the Department of Women's Affairs in Afghanistan's Laghman Province. Ms Hanifa was killed by a car bomb on 13th of July. According to UNAMA, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, a remote controlled IED detonated inside Ms. Hanifa's vehicle, [...]
Asha-Rose Migiro has been appointed as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. Ms Migiro served as the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General from 2007 to 2012. Charles Appel has more. As Deputy-Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro was integrally involved in promoting the AIDS response globally and within Africa, with special emphasis on reducing the [...]
The World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to bring food relief to more than one million people in Malawi where crop failure and high prices have made life difficult for vulnerable families. The agency says prolonged dry spells and drought, as long as three years in some areas, have affected maize production. Field visits to [...]
Fighting between government troops and rebel forces has forced the World Food Programme (WFP) to temporarily suspend aid delivery to displaced people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 200,000 people have been newly displaced in the DRC this week, while scores of others have crossed the border into Uganda. Patrick Maigua [...]
The use of helicopters in an attack on M23 forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not unique, says Roger Meece, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the DRC. "Indeed this is not the first use of them in the current situation; all of the actions, including the use of the attack helicopters, is [...]
Joint Special Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan has strongly condemned the attacks on a village in Syria on Thursday which took the lives of over 200 people. According to media reports, the village was bombarded by helicopter gunships and tanks and then stormed by militiamen who carried out execution-style killings. The victims were mostly civilians [...]
The United Nations continues to be concerned about on-going violence in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On Thursday, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA expressed concerns over reaching people fleeing the violence. Now, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme Elisabeth Byers says WFP has had to suspend its delivery of [...]
Nominations will close on 20 July for the first ever Wangari Maathai Award. Launched by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), it commemorates the late Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel Prize winner who was a champion for the world's forests. Wangari Maathai died in 2011. The $20,000 prize recognizes outstanding contributions made by an individual to preserve, restore [...]
An estimated 600 thousand people in Timor-Leste turned out on the 7th of July to make their voices heard in the 2012 Parliamentary vote. The polling started in the wee hours of the morning throughout the country. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 2’29″
An estimated 600 thousand people in Timor-Leste turned out on the 7th of July to make their voices heard in the 2012 Parliamentary vote. The polling started in the wee hours of the morning throughout the country. Timor-Leste, located in East Asia between Australia and Indonesia, gained its independence from Indonesia in 2002 after many [...]
A groundbreaking meeting held in London this week resulted in nearly three billion dollars in pledges to support women's and girls' right to choose whether, when and how many children they will have. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), one of the organizers, says reproductive problems are the leading cause of poor health and death among [...]
More than 1.6 million people in Malawi will need food assistance in the coming months due to crop failure and high food prices according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). As many as 15 out of the country's 28 districts are affected by the deteriorating food security. WFP says prolonged dry spells have [...]
The former president of Botswana says maybe he could have done more to decriminalize laws that hamper AIDS progress. Festus Mogae, who is now part of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, says while millions of dollars have been invested over the past 30 years to expand lifesaving HIV prevention and treatment, many [...]
If you're feeling short of a little cash, here are a few ideas to earn a bit extra – you can rent out your forehead as advertising space, worth over $700.00; you can serve as a human guinea pig in a drug safety trial — over $7,000.00 for that one; or what about fighting in Somalia or [...]
A group of United Nations independent experts on Thursday warned that a draft law being considered by Russia could adversely impact civil society. Gerry Adams has the story. “ The Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret [...]
The transition from conflict to sustainable peace and development can be a challenging one, says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. That's why the UN Peacebuilding Commission, the PBC, and its financial arm, the Peacebuilding Fund, were set up in 2005, to help struggling states avoid slipping back into war and chaos. At a Security Council debate on [...]
Sexual and physical attacks, emotional abuse, humiliation, rejection, neglect. These and other forms of violence are more likely to be suffered by disabled children, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The report looked at 17 studies in high-income countries covering 18,000 children. It finds that on average, disabled children [...]
The end of conflict does not always mean peace has arrived. That is one of the reasons the United Nations created its Peacebuilding Commission. The Commission plays a unique role in bringing together all of the relevant actors, marshalling resources and advising on and proposing integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery and where [...]
Female athletes from Saudi Arabia are going to the Olympics! Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, welcomed the decision of Saudi Arabia on Thursday to send female athletes to London to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The decision follows a similar one made by Brunei Darussalam and Qatar. [...]
There are many "human rights concerns and critical gaps" in Kazakhstan's laws and rule-of-law institutions, the UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay told a press conference in the capital, Astana. Ms. Pillay is visiting the country as part of her first visit to Central Asia. Charles Appel reports. Ms. Pillay told reporters that freedom of [...]
Some 220,000 people have been newly displaced by increased fighting and insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA). OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke says the affected area, North Kivu, has been marred by conflict and displacement for close to 20 years, says. Over two million people are either internally [...]
Approximately 220,000 people have been newly displaced in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as a result of insecurity stemming from movements by the M23 rebel group. The UN humanitarian office (OCHA), says while the majority of these people have been internally displaced, a significant number has crossed the border into Uganda where authorities [...]
• The former president of Botswana says maybe he could have done more to decriminalize laws that hamper AIDS progress. Festus Mogae, who is now part of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, says while millions of dollars have been invested over the past 30 years to expand lifesaving HIV prevention and treatment, [...]
Children with disabilities are four times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children, according to a study published by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report says children with disability associated with mental illness or intellectual impairments were at a higher risk of sexual violence compared with their non-disabled peers. The study covered 18,374 [...]
It took more than a decade, but a group of families are finally returning to Tanzania, after living in exile in Somalia. The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR successfully completed the voluntary repatriation of 38 Tanzanian refugees comprising 12 families last weekend. The remainder of the Tanzanian refugee community in Mogadishu, totalling some 20 families or [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed grave concern, on Wednesday, over reports that an armed group of former soldiers in the eastern DRC is receiving external support. The group is known as M23 and is composed of renegade soldiers who mutinied in April. The group's leader, according to the United Nations, is Bosco Ntaganda, an army [...]
![Security Council chamber [UN file photo].](http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sc.jpg "Security Council Chamber")
Security Council Chamber The Security Council has welcomed the holding of Libya's first national elections in nearly five decades. The elections for a National General Congress took place in the North African country on 7 July. The Congress will replace the National Transitional Council, choose a prime minister, approve the new government, adopt a new [...]
A groundbreaking meeting underway in London on Wednesday aims to support women’s and girls' right to choose whether, when and how many children they will have. The London Summit falls on World Population Day, observed annually on 11 July. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), one of the organizers, says reproductive problems are the leading cause [...]
July 11th is World Population Day. This year's theme, "Universal access to reproductive health services," is also one of the targets of Millennium Development Goals, a blueprint to meet the needs of the world's poorest. In a message marking the occasion, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said more than 200 million women and adolescent girls have [...]
Unemployment in the Eurozone could reach almost 22 million in the next four years, according to a report from the International Labour Organization, the ILO. The report, Eurozone job crisis: trends and policy responses, warns that without a shift in policy direction, all countries in the Eurozone will suffer. Steven Tobin, a Senior Economist at [...]
Unemployment in the Eurozone could reach almost 22 million over the next four years, says a new report from the International Labour Organization. The ILO says that unless targeted measures are taken, the economic crisis will deepen and the employment recovery will never take off. Steven Tobin, an economist with the ILO, spoke to Gerry [...]
Increased productivity this year and a more sustainable food system will improve global food security. That is the message of the latest Agricultural Outlook published by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD. Increased production is happening primarily in developing countries, says FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva, [...]
The World Health Organization pledged on Wednesday to improve family planning and health services for women in the world's poorest countries by 2020. At a Family Planning Summit in London, the UN health agency called for a renewed focus on family planning. Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, said access to modern contraception is a [...]
1. Global commission finds bad laws and human rights abuses impede progress in HIV/AIDS. 2. Mysterious disease killing children in Cambodia is identified. 3. Annual report on global development proposes innovative financing, 4. Preserving wild lives and saving elephants in India. 5. Bangladesh promotes alternative source of energy with help from ILO. Narrated and Produced [...]
1. UN envoy calls Libya election a critical first step to move to democracy. 2. South Sudan celebrates first anniversary of independence. 3. Significant progress in Afghanistan towards self-reliance, says head of peacekeeping mission. 4. Farmers in Bangladesh get help from IFAD. Narrated and Produced by Ambalika Misra Duration: 15’00″
The 10th Anniversary of the United Nations Public Service Day and Awards was celebrated recently in the General Assembly Hall. Public Service Day was established by a General Assembly resolution to "celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community." 44 organizations from 29 countries were awarded in recognition for excellence in public service. [...]
What's for lunch? For Tyler Cowen, an American economist, blogger and author of the new book 'An Economist Gets Lunch,' the combination special at the local fast food restaurant is probably not on the menu. Cowen, an adventurous and conscientious eater; encourages people to explore different cuisines and to shop at ethnic supermarkets. Rebecca Kaufman [...]
Many years ago, donor countries came to the conclusion that aid dollars were not generating the kind of results that the donors and recipients were looking for, says Talaat Abdel-Malek, Chairman of the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness. Donors, for example, blamed recipients for inefficiency, while recipient countries felt donors did not understand their true [...]
UN Radio has been broadcasting since 1946. Our archive of audio material reflects the rich history of the UN and the work it has contributed to across the world. This programme describes the challenges arising from the population growth in the 20th century for alimentation and nutrition. Language: English Genre: Report 1957 Duration: 14’30″ (Like [...]
Iran needs to be part of the solution when it comes to ending the conflict in Syria, according to Joint United Nations-Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan. He made the remarks after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Tehran. The Iranian government has strong ties with Syria and Mr. Annan said Mr. [...]
One person has survived and 54 have perished attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Italy. Charles Appel reports. According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the sole survivor reported that 55 people boarded the boat in Libya in late June. All the others died of dehydration. According to the survivor, over half [...]
As the world's population grows, so will the need for skills, says the International Labour Organization, the ILO. Some countries face ageing societies, says the Organization. Others have burgeoning youth populations. But as the pace of technological change and innovation grows, all countries will need to make education and training more responsive to a changing [...]
Institutional deficiencies continue to hamper the delivery of justice and undermine the rule of law in Kyrgyszstan, UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay told reporters in the capital, Bishkek. She said authorities have a duty to ensure accountability for crimes and abuses, including by the authorities themselves. She said authorities should also guarantee justice for [...]
The guilty verdict against Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga for recruiting child soldiers to fight in his rebel group a decade ago has been hailed as a very important decision by the UN expert leading the fight against such practice. Radhika Coomeraswamy, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said the [...]
The mystery illness that has killed at least 52 children in Cambodia since April has been diagnosed as hand, foot and mouth disease ,according to the World Health Organization. The virus, known as EV-71, is spread by sneezing, coughing and coming into contact with fluid from blisters or faeces from someone who is infected. Hand, [...]
Iran should be part of the solution to the Syrian crisis, according to the Joint Special Envoy for Syria to Kofi Annan. So said Ahmad Fawzi, the Special Envoy's Spokesman, in an interview with UN Radio. He said Mr. Annan feels Iran should be more involved in finding a solution to the Syrian crisis because [...]
A mysterious illness that has killed 52 children in Cambodia has been identified as a deadly viral strain of hand, foot and mouth disease, a common childhood illness. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the disease is often a mild self limiting disease with few complications. However, depending on the virus involved, the disease has [...]
An outbreak of cholera in parts of the Sahel region is likely to worsen an already dire humanitarian situation for thousands of people affected by drought, according to United Nations aid agencies. Worst affected are Niger and Northern Mali where the onset of the rains has worsened the already poor sanitary conditions especially in camps [...]
Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for recruiting and using child soldiers in his rebel group between 2002 and 2003. Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) said although it was not possible to establish the number of children recruited as soldiers, the practice was nonetheless widespread. The [...]
Celebrations were held on 9 July at the John Garang Mausoleum to mark the first year anniversary of South Sudan's Independence. President Salva Kiir and Chief Guest Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have arrived at the grounds. Vice President Riek Machar, Speaker of the National Assembly, James Wani Iga, and other government officials are also in [...]
Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture play a crucial role in food and nutrition security and in providing for the livelihoods of millions of people. That's the finding of the latest flagship publication on the state of fisheries and aquaculture from the Food and Agriculture Organization, launched at the opening of the 30th session of the FAO [...]
The Food and Agriculture Agency is calling on governments to ensure fisheries are sustainable. In a report launched on Monday, FAO finds many fish stocks that it monitors are under pressure, with about 30 per cent being overexploited. Richard Grainger of the Fisheries Department at FAO says the news about aquaculture, or fish farming, is [...]
An epidemic of bad laws and human rights abuses is hampering the global response to HIV/AIDS. That finding comes from The Global Commission on HIV and the Law, an independent group consisting of former heads of state and legal, human rights and HIV experts. It says while millions of dollars have been invested over the [...]
The top UN envoy in Libya has hailed the country's first free elections in more than four decades as "an extraordinary achievement" and a "critical first step" in the transition towards democracy. Ian Martin, head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), said Libyans took enormous pride in both voting in and organizing Saturday's [...]
Fighting corruption must be a priority for governments. That was the message at a high level forum held Monday by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The theme was "Accountability, transparency and sustainable development: Turning challenges into opportunities." Several of the speakers said the world must continue to wage a serious fight against corruption, [...]
South Sudan is marking its first anniversary on 9 July as the newest nation in the world and it has not been an easy year, according to the Secretary-General's Special Representative for the country. Hilde Johnson, who is also the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says the country is facing both [...]
The Philippines is being urged to adopt measures to protect human rights defenders following an increase in killings and death threats over the past months. The appeal comes from two UN independent experts—one on human rights defenders, the other on the issue of extrajudicial killings—in a statement released on Monday. They say many of the [...]
Rural areas in Bangladesh are "going green" with help from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the government of Australia. The government is encouraging villages to use low-cost solar power as an alternative energy source. And people are also being trained in how to install the panels, thus creating jobs that support the green economy. [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The UN Human Rights Council is to investigate the implications of Israeli settlements on the rights of the Palestinian people. The council has appointed a three member fact finding mission which will undertake the investigations in the occupied Palestinian territory including East Jerusalem. A report presented to the council by the UN expert on the [...]
Elephants are revered in Indian culture. But a group of elephants in the town of Assam in north India are causing trouble by destroying crops and even houses. Can elephants and humans co-exist? And what can be done to help these creatures stay in their natural habitat? Mahbub Ahmad narrates this feature prepared by Mary [...]
The world cheered when it was announced that global child mortality rates had fallen by nearly half over the past two decades: from more than 12 million a year in 1990 to 7.6 million in 2010. Still, thousands of children die every day before even making it to their fifth birthday. To ensure that infants [...]
According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) female genital mutilation has been around since the time of the pharaohs. FGM, as it is called, is a procedure that intentionally alters or causes injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons, reports the World Health Organization (WHO). The procedure can cause severe bleeding and problems [...]
American physician Jim Yong Kim, a long-time advocate for decent health care for poor people, has been appointed president of the World Bank Group effective this month. Kim was born in Seoul, Korea, and previously served as President of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, USA. Jim Yong Kim said he is both honoured and humbled [...]
Armed rebel groups controlling large parts of northern Mali are recruiting child soldiers into their ranks according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). At least 175 boys aged between 12 to 18 years have been recruited since March this year. UNICEF has expressed concern over the vulnerability of children in northern Mali saying there were [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The United Nations food standards body has agreed on new food safety standards aimed at protecting the health of consumers around the world. The new standards include the maximum level of melamine in liquid milk formula for babies, standards for the storage of pre-cut melons and nutrition labeling for all food stuffs. Patrick Maigua reports [...]
1. Ban hopes Action Group for Syria meeting will be a turning point 2. Action Group for Syria meets in Geneva 3. Both parties in Syria Committing gross human rights violations, says Paulo Pinheiro 4. Humanitarian situation in South Sudan deteriorating 5. End of refugee status for Angolan & Liberian exiles 6. UN adopts International [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
Racism in sports is a major problem and is likely to mar the up coming Olympic Games unless it is tackled urgently, according to the UN expert on racism Mutuma Rutere. In a report to the UN Human Rights Council Mr Rutere cited the recent incidents of violence and racism that occurred during the just [...]
The joint UN and Arab League special envoy on Syria, Kofi Annan, is appealing to the government and the opposition to take an objective look at the peace road map drawn by the Syrian Action group which met in Geneva last Saturday. Mr Annan says the proposals put forward by the meeting provide a clear [...]
News and features from United Nations Radio.
The number of Palestinians held by Israel under administrative detention has risen to 309, according to a United Nations Human rights expert. Richard Falk, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, said the majority of those in detention were prisoners of conscience who are not linked to any violent [...]
Since the beginning of the year, more than 240,000 people – over half of them children – have been registered as displaced from Khyber Agency, a tribal area in volatile north-west Pakistan. Children in particular are at an increased risk for psychological distress, disrupted education, disease and malnutrition. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 2’22″
