The Security Council on Friday held out the possibility of endorsing an international military force to restore the unity of Mali. In a resolution adopted unanimously, the Council says that the control of northern Mali by terrorists and Islamic militants is a threat to regional peace. It urges UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to work on [...]
In many parts of the world women are responsible for securing food and water. With disasters on the rise, the UN Office for Disaster Reduction believes they can play a key role in another important area: helping communities plan for these events. For this reason, women and girls are the focus this year on the [...]
As the crisis continues in Syria, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Syrian refugees has started a tour of the Gulf region. Panos Mumtzis and other humanitarian coordinators are meeting with government officials and other partners to find ways to ensure that Syrian refugees get help. Mr. Mumtzis says funding for relief aid to the [...]
Women and girls are being asked to take a leadership role in disaster management. The call comes from the head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, in her message marking the International Day for Disaster Reduction, observed on 13 October. She says women, who comprise more than half of the 200 [...]
One Day After Peace is a film by Robi Damelin, an Israeli mother whose son was shot and killed some 10 years ago by a Palestinian sniper at a military checkpoint in the West Bank. Instead of seeking revenge, Robi wrote to her son's killer requesting to meet with him to begin a dialogue. [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the European Union on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012. In a statement read by his spokesman, Martin Nesirky, the Secretary-General called the EU "an indispensable partner to the UN," which has been given "a richly-deserved recognition of its accomplishments and its importance in Europe and around the [...]
The Europe countries have been urged to increase their use of the environmental friendly water ways. The call came at a meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) which ended in Geneva on Friday. UNECE says that Europe has more than 29,000 kilometres of navigable waterways that can be used for commerce. Gerry [...]
A major initiative to help communities in Asia to prepare for and reduce the risk of natural disasters has been launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The announcement was made in Geneva on Friday on the eve of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction which is being observed on Saturday, 13 October. [...]
The floods that started in Pakistan nearly a month ago continue to create a humanitarian crisis in the provinces of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan. The United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) says the floods have affected about five million people and left 1.1 million acres of farmland under water. Dianne Penn reports. Duration: 2’49″
One Day After Peace is a film by Robi Damelin, an Israeli mother whose son was shot and killed some 10 years ago by a Palestinian sniper at a military checkpoint in the West Bank. Instead of seeking revenge, Robi wrote to her son's killer requesting to meet with him to begin a dialogue. [...]
Nearly five million people have been affected by flooding in Pakistan's Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan provinces, according to the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The flooding which started nearly a month ago has also left over 1.1 million acres of farmland under water and killed nearly 10,000 heads of cattle. OCHA says [...]
United Nations agencies are stockpiling relief supplies to assist the over 340,000 Syrian refugees live through the coming harsh winter months. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says the refugees, who are spread across Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, will need specially adapted tents, warm clothing, high thermal blankets, hot water bottles and fuel for heating [...]
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is writing to the family of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenage activist who was shot this week. Malala, an advocate for girls' education and winner of the Pakistani government's highest civilian award, was seriously wounded by Taliban gunmen who shot her and two classmates on Tuesday. The Secretary-General paid [...]
