United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is determined that the Organization learns from its failure to meet its responsibilities during the 2009 war in Sri Lanka. Mr. Ban made the comments through his spokesperson on Wednesday following a briefing by Charles Petrie who led the Internal Review Panel on United Nations Action in Sri [...]
They were civilians, police and peacekeepers of the United Nations, all with one goal in mind – to work for the sake of peace. But 29 individuals lost their lives in that pursuit this year and the United Nations on Wednesday honoured their ultimate sacrifice. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 2’48″
Asia-Pacific countries must ensure transparency and accountability in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), crucial for bridging major infrastructure gaps which are keeping the region from realizing its full growth potential and making it more balanced and sustainable. That's what the United Nations told a high-level forum in Teheran, Iran on Wednesday. Donn Bobb reports. Executive Secretary of [...]
More than 70 per cent of workers worldwide have no statutory access to unemployment insurance or any type of unemployment assistance, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO says that unemployment insurance schemes exist in 72 countries out of 198 monitored by the agency, most of them being middle- and high-income countries. Donn [...]
The United Nations on Wednesday held its annual service in tribute to its personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty from 1 November 2011 to 31 August this year. The Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council joined the Secretary-General in lighting candles representing the eternal flame for the fallen [...]
Conflict, recurrent drought and volatile food prices have countries in Africa and the Near East in a hunger trap, but there is a way out. That's what the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva told an International Conference on Food Security in Drylands Wednesday, in Doha, Qatar. He said “We are [...]
At least 264 people were arbitrarily executed by armed groups in attacks on villages in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo between April and September of this year. That's the finding of a UN human rights investigation report which says 83 children were among the victims, many of whom were hacked to death or [...]
The international community must show that it cares about the Sahel region of Africa, says Romano Prodi, the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy. The former Italian Prime Minister spoke to reporters late on Tuesday about his mission to help the Sahel region which faces a number of problems, including drought, hunger and conflict in Mali. [...]
At least 264 civilians, including 83 children, were executed by armed groups in Eastern Democratic republic of Congo between April and September this year, according to investigations conducted by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR). Investigators found that the Raia Mutomboki armed group, was responsible for most of the killings, which were often perpetrated with [...]
More than 220 million women around the world would like to use family planning but cannot, says Richard Kollodge, editor of the State of the World Population Report 2012. The theme of this year's report, By Choice, Not by Chance: Family Planning, Human Rights and Development, emphasizes a woman's right to decide on the number [...]
The need for family planning in developing countries is the focus of this year's World Population Report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). According to Richard Kollodge, the Editor of the report launched on Wednesday, there are many barriers to accessing family planning, not only in developing countries, but throughout the world. Mr. Kollodge [...]
Diabetes rates are escalating across the globe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) which observes World Diabetes Day on 14 November each year. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, resulting in increased glucose in the blood. The illness is also [...]
Nearly 350 million people worldwide have diabetes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The United Nations health agency estimates that 3.4 million people die of diabetes every year, and almost 80 per of the deaths occur in developing countries. Tarik Jasarevic is WHO spokesperson in Geneva. "WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by [...]
