The indigenous people's language and culture are being threatened, says Meenakshi Munda, an indigenous youth from the Munda community of Jharkhand, India. As President of the Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network (APIYN), Meenakshi is attending an expert group meeting on indigenous youth here in New York. Beng Poblete-Enriquez caught up with her and discussed [...]
• Young people from around the world attended the first international expert group meeting on indigenous youth in New York this week. During the three-day meeting, they analyzed how they can benefit from human rights standards and policies. A participant from Uganda says the Batwa people in his country are living under difficult conditions. Art [...]
UNESCO will spare no effort to help rebuild the mausoleums of Timbuktu and the tomb of Askia in Gao, says UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. The head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization said UNESCO will do everything possible to safeguard and rebuild Mali's extraordinary cultural heritage, which she described as "a vital [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has noted with grave concern reports of Israeli air strikes in Syria. A note to correspondents says "At this time, the United Nations does not have details of the reported incident, nor is it in a position to independently verify what has occurred". The note says the Secretary-General calls on all [...]
As the French and Malian forces continue to retake towns from rebels in northern Mali, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is preparing for a possible return of displaced people to their homes. Thousands of people have fled northern Mali where ethnic Tuaregs have been fighting with the Malian government forces for autonomy. Other armed [...]
Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are a symbol of the lack of justice experienced by Palestinians, a human rights body contends. The three lawyers who comprise the fact-finding mission appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, say the settlements are maintained through a system of total segregation that infringes on the rights [...]
UN Women – the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women has noted with great concern the escalation of violence and alarming reports of rising violence against women in public spaces in the days following the second anniversary of the Egyptian revolution.. Michelle Bachelet, the Executive Director of UN Women [...]
World Cancer Day will be observed by the International Atomic Energy Agency –IAEA on Monday, 4 February, with an event to raise awareness about the nature of cancer in low- and middle-income countries. The IAEA says this year’s “Did You Know?” theme for World Cancer Day is an opportunity to improve general knowledge about cancer [...]
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has appealed for more than $130 million for the promotion of human rights in 2013. In her annual appeal to donors in Geneva on Thursday, Ms. Pillay says the UN Human Rights Office can respond to more of the many requests for assistance if additional resources [...]
UN human rights experts say continued Israeli settlements in the occupied territories violate a multitude of Palestinian’s human rights violate international law and constitute war crimes. But the members of a fact-finding mission say only the International Criminal Court can decide whether to take judicial action on the matter. The mission was set up by [...]
The Mozambican government and aid organizations are struggling to respond to the needs of 150,000 people displaced by recent flooding in the country's southern Gaza Province, says the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. Residents of Chókwè, one of the worst-affected districts, were forced to flee to higher ground when water levels in the Limpopo River [...]
Andrea Landry, a proud representative of the Anishinaabe, one of the First Nations or indigenous people of North America, is at the UN for the first international expert group meeting for indigenous youth which wraps up on Thursday. Although she's pursuing a Masters in Communications and Social Justice at the University of Windsor in Canada, [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) released Thursday a resource package of practical tools specifically aimed at improving patient safety in hospitals in developing countries. The resource package was co-developed by frontline health professionals through a pioneering WHO programme, African Partnerships for Patient Safety (APPS), that pairs 14 African hospitals each with a hospital in England, [...]
A top UN official has expressed the UN's strong commitment to support Somali efforts to build peace. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, during a visit to Mogadishu expressed the United Nations' firm commitment to support the Somali government in its efforts to extend state authority and peace dividends to the population at large, and [...]
It's almost two years that the crisis in Syria continues, in what started as protests and evolved into an armed confrontation between the government and opposition fighters. The United Nations estimates that more than 60,000 people have been killed in the ongoing violence. Veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, the Joint Special Representative of the United Nations [...]
The Joint UN-League of Arab States Special Representative for Syria wants the members of the UN Security Council to speak with one voice. Lakhdar Brahimi tells UN Radio he believes that the Geneva Agreement worked out by his predecessor Kofi Annan can work if the Council speaks with one voice. He says that agreement was and [...]
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies all over Europe are trying to respond to the increased number of people in need, says the organization. Georg Habsburg, who was President of the Hungarian Red Cross for eight years, says the economic crisis has strongly impacted Central Europe, in particular, Hungary. He says 31 percent of the [...]
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the IFRC, warned on Wednesday that millions of people in Europe are living lives of "quiet desperation." It says millions have been affected by unemployment, rising poverty, homelessness and general uncertainty about their futures in the 27 European Union countries and many more in the [...]
More than $1.5 billion have been pledged to support the global humanitarian effort in Syria. Countries, international organizations and UN agencies met in Kuwait on Wednesday to shore up assistance to the more than four million Syrians displaced within the country and in neighbouring states. Dianne Penn reports. Duration: 2’31″
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has held bilateral meetings with two regional leaders during the Syrian donor conference in Kuwait. The Secretary-General expressed appreciation to King Abdullah Bin Al Hussein of Jordan for Jordan's generous support to Syrian refugees. He also spoke to Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain and [...]
The indigenous people's language and culture are being threatened, says Meenakshi Munda, an indigenous youth from the Munda community of Jharkhand, India. As President of the Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network (APIYN), Meenakshi is attending an expert group meeting on indigenous youth here in New York. Beng Poblete-Enriquez caught up with her and discussed some issues [...]
More than $1.5 billion has been pledged to help civilians affected by the conflict in Syria at a conference of international donors in Kuwait. The UN says Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah opened the meeting with a donation of $300 million, which was matched by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. In his opening remarks, [...]
The first international expert group meeting on indigenous youth has brought young people from around the world to UN headquarters in New York. During the three-day meeting, indigenous young people are analyzing how they can benefit from human rights standards and policies. One of the participants is Niwamanya Rodgers Matuna from the Batwa hunters and [...]
The Philippines ranks third among the top three major disaster-prone countries after the Pacific Island States of Vanuatu and Tonga says IOM, the International Office for Migration. Typhoon Bopha, which ravaged the Philippines late last year, killed over a thousand people and displaced at least 800,000. IOM says it was the most deadly storm globally [...]
We are here today to support the women, men and children of Syria, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in opening remarks Wednesday to a Pledging Conference on Syria taking place in Kuwait. The Secretary-General lamented that they are suffering terribly, with little end in sight. He warned that the situation in Syria is catastrophic and getting [...]
The situation in Syria "needs action" to advance a solution to the on-going conflict, Lakhdar Brahimi told the UN Security Council on Tuesday evening. The Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and Arab League for Syria said the country was being destroyed "bit by bit" pushing the region into a situation that is "extremely [...]
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, is concerned about a riot in Uribana prison in Venezuela which left 58 inmates dead. The riot, which took place on the 25th of January, also left 100 people injured. Spokesperson for the human rights agency, Rupert Colville, explains the circumstances that led to the [...]
Indigenous young people from around the world are at the UN this week for the first international expert group meeting to analyze how human rights standards and policies can benefit them. Among the participants is Tuomas Aslak Juuso, 27, who has been promoting the rights of the Sámi in Finland over the past decade. Tuomas [...]
The Human Rights Council has rescheduled examination of Israel’s human rights record to October or November this year. This follows Israel’s failure to submit a report and show up today for a discussion scheduled in the Universal Periodic Review, known as the UPR. Israel is the first state that has not taken part in the [...]
While Libyan authorities move forward with determination for institution building, many difficult decisions have yet to be taken in the areas of constitution-making, transitional justice, reconciliation and security sector reform. That's what the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya Tarek Mitri told the Security Council on Tuesday. He says broad based support for [...]
The protection of civilians remains a major concern in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA. The agency says that over the past few days, 2,000 children while on their way to school have been forced to pay money to armed men in the Busumba [...]
The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun providing food assistance in the southern Somali city of Kismayo for the first time in more than four years. The port city had been under the Al Shabaab Islamist extremists until they were expelled last year by Somali forces, supported by troops from the African Union Mission in [...]
The UN World Tourism Organization, UNWTO, reports that international tourism is continuing its robust growth in 2013. International tourist arrivals grew by four percent in 2012, with emerging economies, particularly those in Asia and the Pacific, leading advanced economies. According to Marcelo Risi of the UNWTO, tourism is one of the pillars that should be [...]
With the situation in Mali evolving quickly, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says it's preparing for the possible return of thousands of people to the north of the country. It's estimated that nearly 400,000 people have fled northern Mali since Islamist extremists took control a year ago. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed recent [...]
Four United Nations agencies and two non-governmental organizations have called for promoting breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding. UNICEF, the UN refugee agency, the World Health Organization, World Food Programme, International Medical Corps, and International Organization of Christian Charities/Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch strongly urged those involved in the response to the Syria crisis and [...]
Thousands of people displaced by conflict in the north of Mali are expected to head home soon, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, which says it's gearing up to assist them as they make their journey. UNHCR says it hopes to have proper access to Gao and other cities in the north as [...]
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has called on all sides in the current unrest in Egypt "to refrain from resorting to violence and to resolve their differences peacefully." More than 50 people are believed to have been killed in Egypt since January 24th, when thousands of Egyptians took to [...]
Global exports of information and communication technology (ICT) goods climbed by four per cent to $1.8 trillion in 2011, according to new data from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Figures show that the growth was driven by trade in developing Asia, where such exports reached a record $1.2 trillion for the [...]
The world risks a repeat of the disastrous 2006 bird flu outbreaks unless surveillance and control of this and other dangerous animal diseases is strengthened globally, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns. Continued strict vigilance is required, however, given that large reservoirs of the H5N1 virus still exist in some countries in Asia [...]
Two people in Cambodia have died from H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, since the beginning of 2013. And two more have become infected. Health authorities in Cambodia say they will step up public awareness campaigns as a result. "Ongoing public awareness campaigns need to be reinforced through television and radio," said Sok [...]
Ongoing insecurity, widespread displacement, poor access, remote communities and high exposure to natural disasters: these are just some of the obstacles to providing humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. The Afghan government and its humanitarian partners this week launched a $471 million appeal to assist the country, which consistently ranks low on various development indices. They hope [...]
The situation continues to deteriorate in Syria, according to John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA, the UN humanitarian agency. Following a four-day mission to Syria, along with seven other United Nations humanitarian agencies, Mr. Ging briefed the UN press corps, saying the agencies want to find more ways to reach more people [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed the human rights situation in South Sudan with President Salva Kiir Mayardit as he continues his meetings with African heads of state at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. According to a readout of the meeting, the two leaders discussed the implementation of the 27 September 2012 [...]
As we chart a course towards sustainable development, the transition that lies ahead of us is not optional, but is inevitable, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo said Monday at a handover ceremony of the ECOSOC presidency. He said the transition of the presidency is occurring at a time of another [...]
When large parts of Somalia were under the Al-Shabaab Islamist extremists, art, sports and other forms of entertainment were forbidden. Now, the Somali government forces, supported by troops of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which is mandated by the Security Council, have driven the extremists away. This has given Somali artists space and [...]
Haiti now has updated data on the situation of children and women, enabling analysis of the earthquake response and helping establish where and who the most vulnerable children are. The preliminary results of this survey mean good news for the situation of children in Haiti particularly in the areas of education and nutrition. Beng Poblete-Enriquez [...]
A former Director-General of WHO, the World Health Organization has died in Poitiers, France after a short illness. Dr. Hiroshi Nakajima passed away on Saturday the 26th of January. He was 84 years old. According to WHO, many of its most successful programmes owe a debt to Dr. Nakajima's work, including DOTS, the strategy for [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has expressed sadness over the large number of lives lost on Sunday in a nightclub fire in Brazil. An estimated 233 young people, including university students, reportedly perished as a result of the fire in the southern city of Santa Maria. The Secretary-General expressed his condolences to the families and friends of [...]
Nearly one in five of the pre-crisis population in Syria is in need of humanitarian assistance. The UN estimates that's about four million people. The UN humanitarian agency says the particularly harsh winter has compounded the suffering of people in need, especially internally-displaced persons living in shelters lacking adequate insulation with no winter clothes and no [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the bilateral support provided to the Government of Mali in its efforts to counter attacks by Jihadist groups. In talks with the Interim President of Mali Dioncounda Traore, the Secretary-General stressed the need to pursue a political process that would lead to a consensual roadmap for the transition to full [...]
The humanitarian community has appealed for $470 million in assistance for Afghanistan. The priorities for humanitarian response in 2013 are to provide more assistance to the displaced, minimize the human impact of natural disasters and secure better access to people in need. Geographically, the five provinces with the highest needs are: Kandahar, Hilmand, Nangarhar, [...]
Africa has the experience to forge solutions to its own challenges and contribute to the global goals of inclusive growth, social justice and protecting the environment, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday in an address to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He said some of the world's fastest-growing economies are in Africa; many [...]
Intimate partner and sexual violence against women is widespread in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a report published by PAHO, the Pan American Health Organization, a regional branch of the World Health Organization. Alessandra Guedes, Regional Advisor on Intra-Family Violence at PAHO, spoke tome, Gerry Adams, about the report, which involved [...]
Over 200 Haitian migrant workers have received Temporary Worker Permit Identification Cards fro the Dominican Republic's General Directorate of Migration. As Cy Winter, Chief of the International Organization for Migration's Dominican Republic office explained to me, Gerry Adams, the id cards are part of ongoing efforts to increase the Government's capacity to process labour migrants. [...]
African countries, which collectively represent the largest coherent voting bloc in the General Assembly, can play a critical role in defining the Sustainable Development Goals – a central pillar of the post-2015 agenda. That's what the President of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremić said in a statement to the African Union Executive Council Summit in [...]
Partners in a campaign launched in 2010 to address the major health challenges facing women and children around the world are increasing. That's what United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who launched the campaign, said in Davos, Switzerland, where world leaders have gathered for the World Economic Forum. The global effort, known as Every Woman Every [...]
Education is a priority for Ban Ki-moon during his second term as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. That's what Mr. Ban told world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland during a session on the global education imperative on Friday. He said that education empowers people and transforms lives, fosters growth [...]
The United Nations on Friday held a ceremony to mark the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust. In a video message, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute to the people who risked their lives to rescue Jews and other victims of the slaughter by Nazis. Mr. Ban said the commemoration [...]
The UN Security Council has been urged to facilitate the deployment of the African-led Support Mission in Mali, AFISMA. The request was conveyed by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit, during a briefing to the Council on Friday. He said that the military intervention by France at the request of the [...]
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is renewing its appeal for urgent scaling up of aid for hundreds of thousands of people now displaced by the war in Mali. The agency hopes the aid will prevent the worsening of an already acute, fragile humanitarian situation across the Sahel. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 2’34″
A dedicated trust fund has been set up by the United Nations to boost youth volunteerism and harness the energy of young people around the world to contribute to achieving development goals while enhancing their own lives. The new youth trust fund is an important milestone in developing the inspirational UN Youth Volunteers Programme. The [...]
A record number of Syrian refugees have crossed the border into Jordan, with 30,000 people having arrived at the Za'atri camp since the beginning of the year. That's almost twice the number that arrived in December and three times the figure for October. Just yesterday, 4,400 refugees turned up at the camp. And in the [...]
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the rising number of abductions and kidnappings of refugees in eastern Sudan is probably one of the worst forms of human trafficking in the region. UNHCR says that refugees, mainly from Eritrea, are allegedly being abducted or kidnapped by border tribes. The kidnapped refugees are held for ransom [...]
As the number of people fleeing the Syrian crisis continues to rise, neighbouring countries are doing their best to cope with the influx. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is preparing to open a new camp in Jordan which will house up to 30,000 people. UNHCR says a record number of Syrians have already crossed into [...]
There's a warning that while the intensity of the financial crisis may appear to be receding, jobs' markets are giving completely different signals. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said that the dire jobs situation shows the crisis is far from over. Speaking during a panel discussion at the World Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland, Ryder [...]
The UN children's agency (UNICEF) has appealed for more than $1 billion to help children in humanitarian crises around the world. The agency says the money is needed to meet the immediate, life-saving needs of children in 45 countries and regions gripped by conflict, natural disasters and other complex emergencies this year. Ted Chaiban, UNICEF's [...]
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is renewing its appeal for an urgent scaling up of international aid for the hundreds of thousands of people now displaced by the war in Mali. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says this is to prevent a worsening of the now acutely fragile humanitarian situation across the Sahel. [...]
The UN humanitarian agency (OCHA) is appealing for $76 million to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by a typhoon that caused massive destruction in the Philippines last year. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says Typhoon Bopha, known locally as Pablo, which swept through the island of Mindanao between 4 and [...]
The UN Security Council has sharpened sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in response to the launch of a missile in December which defied Council bans on the country's use of nuclear technology. The measures include a travel ban and asset freeze on officials from North Korea's space programme, as well [...]
The United Nations aims to achieve an increase of at least 20 per cent more women police officers in peacekeeping by 2014. That's according to Anne-Marie Orler, the UN Police Adviser. In this interview conducted by UN Radio's Donn Bobb, she says women police officers play a critical role in combating the scourge of [...]
The United Nations aims to achieve an increase of at least 20 per cent more women police officers in peacekeeping by 2014. That's according to Anne-Marie Orler, the UN Police Adviser. She says women police officers play a critical role in combating the scourge of sexual and gender based violence. She tells UN Radio's Donn [...]
• As fighting continues, people are fleeing their homes in northern Mali, according to the UN refugee agency. UNHCR says the people are going to Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso while others are being displaced within the country. Some people are leaving the north to escape the strict application of Sharia law by Islamist extremists. [...]
The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution which extends the mandate of the UN mission in the Central African Republic known by its French acronym, BINUCA. The resolution also calls for the full implementation of a ceasefire between the Government and the Seleka Coalition of armed groups. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 1’58″
The United Nations Secretary-General on Thursday appealed to world leaders to help end the crises in Syria and Mali. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ban Ki-moon said the military confrontation in Syria is exerting a tremendous toll on the civilian population with over 60,000 people killed. He stressed that the crisis must [...]
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is to receive a contribution of EUR 1 billion from Germany which will enable health workers to continue efforts to prevent and treat the three highly infectious diseases. The announcement was made by Dirk Niebel, Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development at a news conference [...]
Women police officers in United Nations peacekeeping operations play a critical role in combating the scourge of sexual violence, according to the UN Police Adviser, Anne-Marie Orler. Ms. Orler told UN Radio on Thursday that the goal of the United Nations is to have at least 20 per cent of women police officers in peacekeeping [...]
A government of national unity is being formed in the Central African Republic (CAR) as part of the agreements to end the conflict in the country. That's what Ambassador Charles Armel Doubane told the Security Council on Thursday after it unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the [...]
Haiti is facing two main challenges: creating economic progress and conducting legislative and local elections. That assessment comes from Mariano Fernández, the head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), who is in New York this week. MINUSTAH has been on the ground since 2004, following on from previous peacekeeping operations and other [...]
The holding of elections and economic reconstruction are two key challenges facing Haiti as it recovers from the earthquake that devastated the country three years ago. That according to the head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Mariano Fernández. He told UN Radio on Thursday that with the assistance of MINUSTAH, Haiti [...]
In a bid to improve access to health care, nutrition and education for the world's most underserved children, UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is joining forces with the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the private sector to launch a three-year partnership, "Nourishing Bodies, Nourishing Minds," at the World Economic Forum in Davos, [...]
Global growth will strengthen gradually in 2013, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in an update to its World Economic Outlook (WEO), as the constraints on economic activity start to ease this year. But the IMF says the recovery is slow and the report stresses that policies must address downside risks to bolster growth. The [...]
Efforts to combat HIV and AIDS in South Africa got a boost recently with the visit by German soccer star Michael Ballack. The country is believed to have the highest number of people affected by HIV and AIDS. UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador and football star, Michael Ballack spent a weekend in South Africa learning how [...]
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows declined by 18 per cent in 2012, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In its latest Global Investment Trends and Prospects report, UNCTAD says these flows are close to the lowest level reported in 2009. James Zhan, Director of the Division on Investment and [...]
There is good news and bad news about the global economy, according to the World Investment and Political Risk survey released by UNCTAD, the UN Conference on Trade and Development. The survey says foreign investors remain relatively optimistic about the economy and while mindful of risks, they are attracted by stronger economic growth in [...]
Israeli and Palestinian leaders have been warned that inaction in negotiations to resolve their dispute could be dire for everyone. The warning came from Robert Serry, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process during his briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. He said that continued confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians during the [...]
The humanitarian situation in Syria is already catastrophic and is clearly getting worse, UN humanitarian coordinator Valerie Amos said in a press statement on Wednesday. She says what we are seeing now are the consequences of the failure of the international community to unite and to resolve the political crisis after nearly two years. According [...]
Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly implementing social safety nets to protect their most vulnerable citizens, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, the IMF says these programmes are still works-in-progress. For example, the organization has been working with the government of Burkina Faso to design a cash transfer system to target those [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established an emergency support team in Jordan to provide technical and operational support to its offices in Syria and the neighbouring countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey. According to the United Nations health agency, six out of 13 public hospitals or 46 per cent in the Syrian [...]
Boiled rice, steamed rice, fried rice – rice is a staple food for over half of the world's population, but nowhere is it more central to diet and culture than in South East Asia. In the Lao People's Democratic Republic, rice provides 80% of the calories and even the word “eat” actually means “eat rice.” [...]
The conviction and harsh sentencing of an editor in Thailand on Wednesday undermines freedom of expression in the country, says the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, a prominent activist and editor of Voice of Takshin magazine, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for publishing two articles considered critical [...]
The number of middle-class workers in the developing world has risen sharply over the past decade, potentially creating a much-needed boost to future growth and consumption in these economies. New figures in the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Global Employment Trends 2013 show that 42 per cent of workers in developing countries –nearly 1.1 billion workers–are [...]
Twenty-two months of conflict have left Syria’s agricultural sector in tatters with cereal, fruit and vegetable production dropping for some by half and massive destruction of irrigation and other infrastructure, a UN mission has found. Among other things, the mission found that wheat and barley production dropped to less than 2 million tonnes last year from 4 [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the Security Council's unanimous decision to adopt resolution condemning s the launch conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) last December. In a statement through his Spokespersons' Office, the Secretary-General says that "speaking with one voice, the Security Council reiterated its firm stance that the DPRK's pursuit [...]
The UN Security Council has condemned the launch of a rocket by People's Democratic Republic of Korea, the DPRK, in December last year. In a unanimous resolution adopted on Tuesday afternoon, the Council demanded that North Korea stop using ballistic missiles. It also demanded that the DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear [...]
As fighting continues in Mali where rebels control the northern part of the country, people continue to flee their homes, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). The agency says that some people are fleeing into Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso while others are moving to the southern part of the country under [...]
Consumers and food retailers have a big part to play in dramatically reducing the 1.3 billion tonnes of food that goes to waste each year. Worldwide, that's about one-third of all food that's produced. Speaking at the launch of the 'Think, Eat, Save. Reduce your Foodprint' campaign in Geneva today, Achim Steiner, Executive Director of [...]
The calamity in Syria is without doubt the United Nations' main immediate test, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters on Tuesday. He said the humanitarian situation is dire and getting worse. Millions of people are struggling to survive; more than 650,000 people have fled the country; lack of food and denial of access to medical treatment, [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has told Member States that his fervent hope is that "we stop moving from crisis to crisis, from symptom to symptom and instead address the underlying causes" of the world's problems. His comments came in his first address to the Assembly for the year. Gerry Adams has more. Duration: 3’05″
A call to reverse food waste was made by UN agencies. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have joined forces to launch a new global campaign called The Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint campaign – a campaign on the whole issue of food waste and food loss. Beng Poblete-Enriquez reports. [...]
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says it urgently needs funds to keep pace with the registration of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries. The agency says it is aiming to register close to 3,000 Syrian refugees a day in Lebanon and Jordan alone, as the conflict continues. UNHCR recently launched an ambitious plan to help the [...]
Comedian, actor and singer Danny Kaye travels through Southeast Asia as Ambassador- at-Large for UNICEF in a fast-paced report on the challenges facing the region. Language: English Genre: Report 1955 Duration:
Lasting solutions to global problems no longer lie in the hands of governments alone, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the General Assembly on Tuesday. He said the United Nations of the 21st century must think in terms of networks and coalitions. The Secretary-General said the Organization will press ahead in 2013 on the paramount challenge [...]
The United Nations human rights office has urged the government of Iran to stop the execution of juvenile offenders once and for all. The human rights office says it's deeply dismayed to hear about the reported execution of a juvenile offender in Iran on Wednesday. According to reports, Ali Naderi, a 21 year old man, [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has outlined the United Nations priorities for 2013. He told the General Assembly's 193 member States that this year, they were meeting amid tremendous turmoil and uncertainty. He explained that from armed conflict in Africa and the Middle East, to economic and environmental distress across the globe, the United Nations [...]
The Conference on Disarmament known as CD, which meets in Geneva, has been urged to end its stalemate and agree on a work plan. The appeal comes from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the CD as it began its session on Tuesday. The Conference on Disarmament is the forum where delegates from around the world negotiate [...]
With air bombing and fighting continuing in Mali, the exodus of Malians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries continues, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Spokesperson Adrian Edwards says new arrivals in Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso are telling humanitarian agencies that they left their homes because of air strikes and fighting, as well [...]
The Security Council has endorsed an approach to United Nations peacekeeping that focuses on laying the groundwork for lasting stability in conflict-torn countries. In a resolution unanimously adopted on Monday, the Council stressed that UN peacekeeping activities should be conducted in a manner that facilitates post-conflict peace building. It says that such activities should prevent [...]
More people are likely to be without jobs this year, the International Labour Organization (ILO) warns in a report released late on Monday. In its "Global Employment Trends 2013" report, the ILO says that global unemployment rose last year after falling for two straight years. According to the ILO, the number of unemployed worldwide in [...]
A team of United Nations humanitarian agencies says that it was shocked by what it has seen in two Syrian cities affected by the more than 20 months of conflict in the country. The team of seven agencies, led by John Ging, Operations Director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), [...]
The UN Security Council is meeting on Monday to adopt a proposal on how to improve multi-dimensional peacekeeping operations. Two thousand thirteen marks the 65th anniversary of UN peacekeeping, the first mission being the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, UNMOGIP. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 2’40″
The ceasefire in the northern state of Kachin in Myanmar announced by the government on Friday has been welcomed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In a statement issued by his spokesperson on Sunday, the Secretary-General says that he is following the implementation of the ceasefire. Tens of thousands of people were reportedly forced to flee [...]
Torture of conflict-related detainees persists and remains a serious concern in a number of detention facilities across Afghanistan, according to the UN mission in the country (UNAMA). In a report released on Sunday, UNAMA says this is happening despite significant efforts by the government and international partners to address ill-treatment of the detainees. The report [...]
Countries have been urged to provide key military assets and more women staff to serve at United Nations peacekeeping operations. The call came from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the Security Council held an open debate on peacekeeping operations. Mr. Ban said the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support are [...]
The Security Council has strongly condemned what it has described as "heinous" terrorist attacks in Algeria which have killed and injured a number of people. The Council statement comes at the end of the four-day siege of a gas facility near the desert town of Amenas where terrorists had been holding hostages from eight countries. [...]
Rosemary Marimo is a woman with purpose. She began prospecting for gold in Musowe, Zimbabwe with her husband 20 years ago. Now 60 years old and a widow, she has been running the business alone. Mary Ferreira of UN Television first met Rosemary when she visited Zimbabwe to produce a feature on gender equality and [...]
Public health challenges are big but not insurmountable, says Dr. Margaret Chan, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO). In her report to the agency's Executive Board in Geneva on Monday, she identified some of the challenges as rising public expectations for health, shrinking budgets and soaring costs at a time of financial belt [...]
Stevie Wonder, a world renowned musician and a UN Messenger of Peace, was at the UN recently to meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stress his commitment to the human rights of people living with disabilities. Alex King caught up with him and asked him first about what the biggest challenges are for people [...]
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has renewed her call on the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Ms. Pillay briefed the Council on Friday on the situation in Syria between August 2011 and January this year. [...]
The top United Nations envoy in Somalia, Dr. Augustine Mahiga, has condemned the murder of a journalist in the Horn of Africa country. Shabelle radio journalist, Abdihared Osman Adan, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Mogadishu on Friday. Dr. Mahiga described the incident as "the latest in the series of heinous killings targeting the [...]
The government of Haiti is being urged to hold as soon as possible legislative, municipal and local elections that have been delayed for over a year. The call has come from Mariano Fernandez, the head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH. UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky says MINUSTAH and the international community are ready [...]
The Working Group on Discrimination against Women has called on Tunisia to adopt stronger measures in its draft constitution to combat gender inequality and discrimination. The Group has just completed a five day visit to the country where two years ago, civil resistance led to the fall of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben [...]
In the Lao People's Democratic Republic, rice is a staple food and even the word 'eat' actually means 'eat rice'. But rice alone is not sufficient to meet the dietary needs of children. The UN Children's Fund, (UNICEF) in partnership with the European Union and the Government of Laos, started a project called the Maternal and [...]
The UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is calling on the warring parties in Syria to pull back from civilian areas, including refugee camps. This follows the recent death of up to 12 Palestinian refugees in fighting which also injured some 20 people. In a statement on Friday, UNRWA reported that women and children [...]
The International Criminal Court formally opened an investigation on Thursday into alleged crimes committed in Mali since January of 2012. The investigation has been prompted by a report compiled by the UN human rights office. Over 412,000 people have been forced to flee the northern part of Mali, while an estimated five million have been [...]
The impeachment and removal of the Chief Justice in Sri Lanka has further eroded the rule of law in the country and could set back efforts for accountability and reconciliation. That opinion comes from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, in a statement on Friday. Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was served notice of [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established a team to provide technical and operational support to its offices in Syria and five other countries in the region. The Emergency Support Team will comprise international experts in public health, epidemiology, information management and logistic support. WHO says it will strengthen the critical areas of coordination, information [...]
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is ramping up assistance to people fleeing the ongoing fighting in Mali. Following recent military operations in the north, which is controlled by Islamist extremists, UNHCR has increased assistance to its refugee camps in Burkina Faso and deployed staff to monitor the border with Mali. UNHCR says nearly 230,000 [...]
Thousands of people have been displaced by inter-ethnic fighting between the Abbala and Beni Hussein communities at the Jabel Amir gold mines in North Darfur state. On 13 January, the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) deployed a team to the three villages of Saraf Omra, Kabkabya and El Sereif affected by the violence. [...]
The UN Human Rights Office has welcomed the announcement that the International Criminal Court will open an investigation into the situation in Mali. It says the crisis in the West African country has resulted in numerous human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, rape and torture. These findings have been documented in a report published this [...]
The scourge of terrorism was once again under the spotlight in the Security Council. Under the presidency of Pakistan, the Council held a meeting on “a comprehensive approach to counter- terrorism”. Pakistani Foreign Minister, Hina Rabani Khar presided over the meeting which was attended by other foreign ministers and senior government officials of States [...]
With West Africa facing numerous challenges, Côte d'Ivoire will require sustained support from the Security Council, UN envoy Bert Koenders told the chamber on Thursday. Mr. Koenders, head of the UN mission in the country (UNOCI), said the Ivorian government will continue to need engagement from partners as it addresses ongoing concerns including land tenure [...]
• A record number of African refugees and migrants risked their lives crossing the sea to Yemen in 2012, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). It reports that 107,500 Africans made the dangerous trip. UNHCR says 80 per cent of the people who arrived in Yemen were Ethiopians and the rest were Somalis. UN [...]
The Global Maternal Health Conference concluded in Arusha, Tanzania, on Thursday with calls for more to be done to reduce maternal mortality. In an exclusive interview with UN Radio, Tanzania's Deputy Minister for Health Dr. Seif Rashid said participants reported challenges in areas such as the availability of services, accessibility and customer care. However, he [...]
Humanitarian agencies are appealing for $30.5 million to deliver life-saving assistance in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo over the next six months. The funds will help nearly 600,000 people in North Kivu province meet their basic needs while restoring their livelihoods in the aftermath of fighting which has displaced thousands. Launched on Thursday [...]
The number of people dying from measles has dropped over the past decade but challenges still remain in the efforts to eradicate the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO reports a 71 per cent drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2011, while cases fell by nearly 60 per cent during the [...]
Nominations for an award that recognizes people who strive to stop and reverse the effects of environmental emergencies are open until 15 March. The Green Start Award is a joint initiative between the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Green Cross International (GCI) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). To find out [...]
Although the number of people dying from measles has declined over the past decade, progress to eliminate the disease remains stalled in some regions, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports. WHO statistics show measles deaths dropped 71 per cent between 2000 and 2011, while new cases fell by nearly 60 per cent during that same [...]
European legislators are expected to vote on the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, otherwise known as CAP which, was developed in the 1960s to support farmers in order to ensure food security for the European countries. Now, according to Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, CAP is [...]
European Union legislators are being urged to change the course of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform before development concerns are excluded. The call comes the UN expert on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, ahead of a key European Parliament vote next week. He says "Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy means [...]
Seven Syrian refugees, six of them children, died when their temporary housing in Jordan caught fire on Wednesday night, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reports. UNHCR says the victims, all members of the same family, had been sleeping in prefabricated housing at a transit centre in the border town of Ramtha which is home to [...]
The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the decision by Madagascar's transition President not to run in the forthcoming presidential elections. Andry Rajoelina this week announced that he will not stand in the vote which is scheduled for May this year. This follows an earlier pledge by former President Marc Ravalomanana who also will not participate in [...]
The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is supporting mediation efforts between two ethnic groups in North Darfur state following deadly clashes which have displaced thousands of people. UNAMID is transporting medical supplies and other critical items to those affected by the violence between the Abbala and Beni Hussein communities earlier this month. Citing [...]
There's been a call for comprehensive action to harness the full power of renewable energy. UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, told the Sixth World Future Energy Summit and the International Renewable Energy Ministerial Panel on "Building National Frameworks for Renewable Energy" in Abu Dhabi that "harnessing the full power of renewable energy requires comprehensive, across-the-board [...]
The UN agency assisting Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), has called on all sides in the conflict in Syria to refrain from taking up positions in or conducting the conflict in civilian areas. A statement released from the Agency's headquarters in Jerusalem appealed to the parties "to ensure the protection of Palestine refugees, other civilians and their [...]
The Syrian government has given the World Food Programme (WFP) permission to use dozens of additional local aid agencies to try to reach the 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian aid. Word of this comes from WFP's Executive Director Ertharin Cousin who has just wrapped up a visit to Turkey a meeting with Syrian [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) says there has been unprecedented progress against 17 neglected tropical diseases. In its report on the diseases, the agency says the world is closer to the elimination of these conditions that take the greatest toll amongst the poor. According to WHO, this progress is a result of a new [...]
The World Food Programme (WFP) has received permission from the Syrian Government to expand the number of local agencies it uses to deliver food to Syrians in need because of the on-going conflict. At a press briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WFP Executive Director Eartharin Cousin said Syria will now allow dozens of non-governmental organizations [...]
A ceremony to hand over the helm and the torch of the chairmanship of the Group of 77 developing countries and China took place at the United Nations recently. Last year, the Government of Algeria led the group. Ambassador Mourad Benmehidi said his country had committed to honouring that difficult task as part of the [...]
Thanks to a new global strategy, a regular supply of quality assured, cost-effective medicines and support from global partners, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports unprecedented progress against 17 neglected tropical diseases. The report Sustaining the drive to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases reveals new momentum has shifted the world closer to [...]
Only a sustained and comprehensive approach can defeat terrorism, including addressing conditions such as conflict and human rights abuses that feed its spread, the Security Council said in a Presidential statement after a day long debate in which nearly 50 Member States took part. The Council noted with deep concern that terrorism continues to [...]
Four years after the onset of the global financial crisis, the worst appears to be over, according to a new report by the World Bank. However, the global economy remains fragile, as high-income countries continue to suffer from volatility and slow growth. The World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects, says despite slow growth in high-income [...]
More than 1.3 million children in Yemen are involved in child labour, including 469,000 in the 5-11 age group, according to a new study. This means 17 per cent of Yemen's 7.7 million children in the 5-17 age group and 11 per cent of those aged 5-11 are involved in child labour, according to [...]
Last year saw a record number of African refugees and migrants risking their lives crossing the Gulf of Aden into Yemen, according to the UN refugee agency. The agency reported on Tuesday that 107,500 Africans made the dangerous trip breaking the 2011 record of more than 103,000 people who attempted the journey. It said 80 [...]
As the humanitarian situation in Mali deteriorates, United Nations agencies continue to step up efforts to respond to the needs of refugees and displaced persons. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 3’21″
After some 40 years on the international scene, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is sharing his extensive experience in shaping the international landscape in the book Interventions: A Life in War and Peace. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 5’00″
A new programme in the Republic of South Sudan is helping vulnerable farmers to improve their livelihoods by boosting the quality of the seeds used to produce key crops. The project, valued at more than $600 000 (EUR 500 000), will help to train farmers in the production, storage and marketing of quality seeds and [...]
The scourge of terrorism was once again under the spotlight in the Security Council on Tuesday. Under the presidency of Pakistan, the Council held a meeting on “a comprehensive approach to counter- terrorism”. Pakistani Foreign Minister, Hina Rabani Khar presided over the meeting which was attended by other foreign ministers and senior government officials of [...]
No counter-terrorism policy can be effective without addressing conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council Tuesday during an open debate on "Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts". The Secretary-General said that is the first pillar of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. [...]
The head of the UN mission in Iraq has strongly condemned the killing of a parliamentarian on Tuesday. 'Ifan Al-Issawi died in a terrorist attack which happened during a demonstration in the city of Fallujah. Several other people were killed or injured in the suicide bombing, according to news reports. In a statement, UN [...]
With terrorism mutating daily into newer and different forms, the Security Council must continue to focus on it, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told the chamber on Tuesday. She said terrorism threatens all countries and can only be defeated through collective action by the international community. "Terrorists' misleading, distorted and malicious narrative and their [...]
Clashes over the weekend between the Malian Army, supported by France, and Al-Qaida linked Islamist groups in the Konna, Lere, and Gao areas of northern central Mali, have resulted in new population displacement – both within Mali, and into neighbouring countries. And the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), says it has updated its contingency planning and [...]
A record 107,500 African refugees and migrants last year risked their lives crossing the Gulf of Aden into Yemen, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Tuesday. UNHCR said this number represents the largest influx into Yemen since it began compiling statistics in 2006. The previous record high was in 2011 when more than [...]
Half a million people were displaced due to conflict in the northern areas of Mali, where the vulnerable population is still recovering from the recent drought in the Sahel region. The World Food Programme (WFP) says despite insecurity, it has managed to provide emergency food to over 270,000 people in the north, including 70,000 [...]
The humanitarian situation in Mali is deteriorating as a result of recent fighting. And UN humanitarian agencies say it is affecting their access to civilians in need. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – OCHA says further displacement is adding to the first wave of displacement that started last April and the [...]
African forces will be deployed to Mali within the coming weeks, French ambassador Gérard Araud told journalists in New York on Monday. Speaking following Security Council consultations on the West African country, he said the Nigerian General heading the force is already in the capital, Bamako. Over the past few days France has launched air [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received the 2012 Sina Award of Special Merit. In a video message to the ceremony, the Secretary-General said he accepted the award on behalf of all United Nations staff members, especially the team in the Department of Public Information. He says thanks to their hard work, the United Nations Weibo [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is closely following the situation in Mali, according to a statement from the Office of his Spokesperson. The statement says the Secretary-General welcomes that bilateral partners are responding, at the request and with the consent of the government of Mali, to its call for assistance to counter the troubling push southward by [...]
UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, does not have the help that he needs, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told a packed room at the UN on Monday. He said Mr. Brahimi is encountering problems he faced as the envoy attempting to mediate an end to the crisis in the country. Mr. [...]
The Working Group on Discrimination against Women has called on Tunisia to adopt stronger measures in its draft constitution to combat gender inequality and discrimination. The Group has just completed a five day visit to the country where two years ago, civil resistance led to the fall of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has noted that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. A statement from the Office of the Spokesperson says the Secretary-General is following with concern developments regarding the announced plans for Israeli settlement construction in the so-called E1 area, on which he expressed his grave disappointment in his [...]
The head of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has welcomed the return of a renowned gynaecologist to the clinic he founded for rape victims in the eastern part of the country. Dr. Denis Mukwege was back at work on Monday at the Panzi Clinic in Bukavu nearly three months [...]
The United Kingdom is helping Haiti to better withstand and recover from future catastrophes as the country continues to rebuild three years after the deadly earthquake. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) says the UK will contribute 10 million pounds to assist the country's government in acting immediately when disaster strikes. UK International Development Secretary Justine [...]
A shortage of space in camps is the main challenge for local authorities in Turkey, where thousands of Syrians have found refuge, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). UNHCR reports that a new camp known as Nizip-2, which will house about 5,000 people, is set to open by the end of next week. UNHCR [...]
There's been a call for the Government of Tunisia to adopt stronger constitutional provisions on gender equality and non-discrimination, and to implement temporary special measures to accelerate increased participation of women in all spheres of life. The head of the United Nations Working Group on discrimination against women in law and in practice Kamala Chandrakirana, [...]
The top official of UNAIDS has emphasized the unique role of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to draw on their positive experience with HIV to serve as an engine for innovation, research and development of health solutions for other developing countries. Michel Sidibe said "the BRICS countries are demonstrating how [...]
The signing of a landmark social contract in Tunisia has been hailed by ILO chief Guy Ryder as "a major and historic initiative on governance" whose effects will reach beyond the country's borders. He said "It will serve as an example to other countries in transition in the region, and even beyond," adding that [...]
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is calling for international inquiry into what she labels the "deplorable" human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Ms. Pillay recently met with two survivors of the country's political prison camps where it's believed 200,000 people have been locked up for legitimate, peaceful [...]
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for an international inquiry into the human rights abuses in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Navi Pillay recently met two survivors of the country's complex network of political prison camps which are believed to house 200,000 or more people. She says, "Their personal stories were [...]
Poor rains and a drop in agricultural production in Zimbabwe have left 1.6 million people in urgent need of food assistance, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). The United Nations food agency says that most of the vulnerable people are in rural areas of the Southern African country. It is particularly concerned as [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for vigilance against what he says is the corrosive and contagious language of hatred. Mr. Ban made the remarks on Saturday in the New York's East Park Synagogue Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. He said in the Second World War, Jews, Roma and Sinti, [...]
The Security Council has called for an expeditious implementation of the agreements signed in Libreville, Gabon on Friday to resolve the conflict in the Central African Republic, or CAR. Representatives of the government of CAR, the coalition of armed rebels known as the Séléka, the opposition and civil society held talks in the Gabonese capital [...]
There are hopes that the crisis in the Central African Republic may end with the signing of agreements in Libreville, Gabon, on Friday. Representatives of the government, the Séléka coalition of rebel groups, the opposition and civil society from the Central African Republic met in the Gabonese capital this week for talks to end the [...]
The earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 dealt a devastating blow to the country and to the United Nations. More than 200,000 people were killed in the disaster, including 102 staff members from across the UN system: from senior officials to security officers to secretaries. On the eve of the third anniversary of [...]
Agreements have been reached to end the conflict in the Central African Republic where a coalition of armed rebel groups known as Séléka took control of a number of cities and towns. Representatives of the government, the Séléka, the opposition and civil society have been meeting in the Libreville, Gabon for the talks. The top [...]
The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean Edward Greene was in New York early January as part of a team of envoys dealing with HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific and Africa, among other regions. They discussed with the Secretary-General their portfolios and the way forward in collaboration with the Office [...]
The Convention on the Law of the Sea is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. That according to Jamaica's representative Ambassador Raymond Wolfe. Speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), he told the General Assembly that the Convention, whose provisions defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use [...]
More than 1.5 million people in Zimbabwe urgently need food assistance as a result of poor rains and a drop in agricultural production, according to the United Nations food agency. The World Food Programme (WFP) says that most of the vulnerable people are in rural areas of the Southern African country. The East and Southern [...]
Prasad Rao, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, clearly remembers the day he met an HIV-positive orphan in Thailand who was only expected to live for five years. Fifteen years later, the picture is brighter for people living with HIV, thanks to greater access to life-saving anti retroviral [...]
The international community has been urged to provide more diplomatic and financial support to efforts to end the crisis in the Central African Republic. The call came from the top United Nations envoy in the country Margaret Vogt, during her briefing to the Security Council via a video link on Friday. The current crisis in [...]
The Syrian refugee situation has seen a dramatic turn as severe weather conditions hit the refugee camps around the area. The UN refugee agency says despite the winter preparations done in recent months, many refugees are facing particularly cold and damp conditions. The agency also says people fleeing Syria are still arriving in neighbouring States [...]
This weekend marks three years since the devastating earthquake in Haiti which killed more than 200,000 people and left more than a million homeless. The international humanitarian response continues in the country as numerous obstacles remain, particularly in finding housing solutions for the 350,000 people who still live in camps. Dianne Penn spoke on the [...]
The Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi says he's not too sure there's a solution to the Syrian crisis around the corner. He was at the time responding to reporters' questions after meeting in Geneva Friday with representatives of the United States and Russian Federation. ” If you are asking me if there's [...]
There's been yet another call for an end to the bloodshed, the destruction and all forms of violence in Syria. Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi told reporters in Geneva shortly after meeting with representatives of the United States and the Russian Federation that they're "all very, very deeply aware of the immense suffering [...]
Hundreds of thousands of displaced people and refugees are in need of urgent assistance in the Central African Republic, according to the United Nations refuge agency (UNHCR). The agency is concerned about the plight of these people to whom it has no access. UNHCR says it welcomes the one-week ceasefire announced on Thursday in Gabon [...]
The United Nations says it's dismayed at the beheading of a young Sri Lankan woman in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says Rizana Nafeek, who arrived in Saudi Arabia from Sri Lanka in 2005 to work as a housemaid was charged with the murder of [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned about ongoing terrorist violence in Pakistan. A statement from the Spokesperson's Office says the Secretary-General strongly condemns the multiple attacks in Quetta (Balochistan) and the Swat Valley that have reportedly killed at least 100 people and injured at least 200 more. He also strongly condemns Wednesday's targeted [...]
The UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has expressed alarm over the deadly fighting between Beni Hussein and Abbala ethnic groups in the Jebel Amer area in North Darfur. And it has urged the Sudanese Government, North Darfur authorities and leaders from both ethnic groups to end fighting and give dialogue a chance. At the same [...]
The Security Council has warned that the capture of the city of Konna by terrorist groups in Mali is a direct threat to international peace and security. The warning follows reports that the militant Islamist Ansar Dine on Thursday entered the key central town about 500 miles north-east of the capital, Bamako. In a statement [...]
More than 50 million people worldwide, mostly women, are employed as domestic workers, according to the latest figures from the International Labour Organization (ILO). But ILO says despite their numbers, domestic workers are among the least protected of employees. Long hours, poor working conditions and insufficient legal protection are some of the realities they face. [...]
It's customary for children in Niger to help out with the chores, whether at home or in the field. As a result, countless youngsters are kept out of school and are at risk of exploitation and abuse. A pilot programme supported by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is giving children in Niger a chance to [...]
• Representatives of the government of the Central African Republic, the Séléka rebel group, civil society and opposition parties are in Libreville, Gabon, for talks to end the conflict in the country. At the same time, the rebels are reported to have taken over more cities. UNICEF says over 300,000 children have been affected by [...]
Ethnic violence which has claimed over 400 lives and displaced thousands of people in Kenya has been condemned by the United Nations. The latest attack is reported to have occurred at dawn on Thursday on a village in the Tana River Delta in which at least 10 people, including five children, were killed. Many people [...]
Za'atari camp in northern Jordan, home to some 55,000 Syrian refugees half of whom are children, is battered by unusually heavy rains, flooding, snow and sub-zero temperatures. The United Nations children's fund (UNICEF) is responding to the rising needs of the children in the camp. Juliette Touma, the Agency's Communications and Media Specialist in Jordan [...]
Food prices dropped for the third consecutive month in December last year, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index which declined by just over one per cent was led by drops in the international prices of cereals, oils and fats. According to FAO, the sharpest falls in 2012 were [...]
A new international treaty aimed at combating the illegal trade in tobacco products opened for signature on Thursday at the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products seeks to protect people from the health risks of tobacco while also reducing the loss of government [...]
Exposure to mercury is increasingly becoming a health hazard in developing countries, according to new studies by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Global Mercury Assessment 2013 reports that emissions of the toxic metal from artisanal gold mining have doubled since 2005 as a result of new and better information and rising gold prices. [...]
The UN children's agency (UNICEF) and its partners are working around the clock to help Syrian refugees affected by severe weather conditions in the Za'atari camp in Jordan. UNICEF says that heavy rain, snow and sub-zero temperatures in northern Jordan have greatly worsened the situation of children among the 55,000 refugees at the camp. The [...]
A treaty to combat illegal trade in tobacco products was opened for signature in Geneva on Thursday. The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products was adopted by 140 countries in Seoul, South Korea two months ago. The new international treaty is aimed at strengthening cooperation among countries to stop illegal trade in tobacco [...]
Three years after the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010, Haiti continues to draw on its resources to recover. The international humanitarian response has been unprecedented, and many initiatives have emerged to assist the Haitians in dealing with the devastating events. Donn Bobb reports. Duration: 4’26″
The world looks to the United Nations for solutions to complex problems everywhere; from ending conflict and alleviating poverty, to combating climate change and defending human rights. The issues on our agenda are manifold and diverse as are the careers we offer. Among our ranks you will find staff members who monitor elections, disarm child [...]
The UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is inviting nominations for its prize to honour institutions or individuals who work to preserve and conserve documentary heritage. The invitation is extended to all Member States and non-governmental organizations which have official relations with UNESCO and are involved in preserving documents. Joie Springer of UNESCO says [...]
Fighting between armed rebels and the Sudanese army together with its militias in Central Darfur is endangering the safety of civilians in the area. This concern has been expressed by Aichatou Mindaoudou, the acting head of the joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). This follows reports of heavy fighting between the Sudanese Revolutionary [...]
Thousands of Chadian migrants who worked in Libya for many years lost their livelihoods when they were forced to return home as the country went through political turmoil. Now, thanks to a donation of $2.9 million by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is helping the Chadians resettle [...]
More than 50 million people worldwide, mostly women, are employed as domestic workers, according to the latest figures from the International Labour Organization (ILO). But ILO says despite their numbers, domestic workers are among the least protected of employees. Long hours, poor working conditions and insufficient legal protection are some of the realities they face. [...]
Efforts to help Haiti recover from the earthquake that struck the Caribbean country on 12 January 2010 are have positive results although there is still a lot of work to do. That's according to Kathy Calvin, the Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation who spoke to reporters on Wednesday on the eve of [...]
Governments are central for the successful operations of postal services around the world, says the new head of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Bishar Hussein, a national of Kenya, took over the leadership of the UPU in Berne, Switzerland on Wednesday. Mr. Hussein says he is committed to strengthening the global postal network by ensuring [...]
More than $30 million is needed to help Syrian refugees and migrant workers who can't return to their countries. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is assisting the refugees in all the neighbouring countries as the Syrian conflict continues. IOM Spokesperson Jumbe Omari Jumbe says some of the refugees arrive at the border after walking [...]
Job opportunities, rising inequalities, the environment, gender equality and peace and security in North-East Asia are key priorities the region's youth want to see addressed in the world's future development agenda. 51 youth representatives from China, Japan, Korea and Mongolia have today adopted a bold declaration on the future of global development entitled 'The World [...]
At least 52 million people around the world – mainly women -are employed as domestic workers, according to the first research of its kind conducted by the International Labour Organization. Research shows that domestic workers account for 7.5 per cent of women's wage employment worldwide and a far greater share in some regions, particularly Asia [...]
Protesters in Iraq are being urged to refrain from violence. At the same time, the security forces are being urged to show restraint in maintaining law and order. The call has come from the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Martin Kobler, as hundreds of people held a rally in Basra [...]
Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by fighting between government forces and armed rebels in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile States of Sudan are subsisting in appalling conditions. That's what John Ging, the Director of Operations for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the Security Council on Tuesday. He [...]
The last four months of 2012 were abnormally hot in Australia with an average maximum temperature reaching the highest record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Australia has been grappling with bush fires which have devastated the country's island state of Tasmania. WMO says that many records have been broken across southern and central [...]
Although the Caribbean is second to Sub-Saharan Africa in the proportion of people with HIV and AIDS, it has made progress in the past 10 years in fighting the disease. That's according to Dr. Edward Green, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean. Dr. Green is part of a group of [...]
Two and a half million people in Syria are in need of food as prices continue to rise in the conflict-torn country, says the United Nations food agency. The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that insecurity continues to have a negative impact on its efforts to provide food to the people displaced by the ongoing [...]
Prasad Rao, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, clearly remembers the day he met an HIV-positive orphan in Thailand who was only expected to live for five years. Fifteen years later, the picture is brighter for people with HIV, thanks to greater access to life-saving anti retroviral medicines. [...]
Chadian migrants who have returned home from Libya are getting assistance to resettle in their country, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The agency says that the migrants are currently living in three northern regions bordering Libya, Niger and Sudan. On Monday, IOM and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation signed [...]
More than a thousand people died in the Philippines when Typhoon Bopha (locally known as Typhoon Pablo) ravaged southern Mindanao in early December 2012. It was the strongest typhoon to hit the area in decades, triggering flash floods and landslides displacing at least 10,000 people. The storm also destroyed over 200,000 homes and decimated almost [...]
The Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products will be open for signature Thursday10 January 2013, at WHO Headquarters in Geneva. All Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) have been invited to participate, along with the representatives of relevant intergovernmental organizations. The Protocol was adopted by the Conference [...]
The UN human rights office has expressed regret that Bahrain's highest court on Monday upheld the convictions of 13 activists for their role in pro-democracy demonstrations. Spokesperson for the Office Cecile Pouilly says the convictions come after two years of trials and despite the conclusions of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the [...]
Careers in science and technology are increasing, but the International Labour Organization (ILO) says women and girls are in danger of being shut out of these opportunities. The ILO finds women tend to be overrepresented in areas such as the humanities and the social sciences, and the agency has launched a new manual to address [...]
The speech by Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Sunday in which he, Assad rejected the idea of the formation of a transitional government, has disappointed United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In a statement issued on Monday, Mr. Ban says that he and the joint envoy of the UN and the Arab League, Lakhdar Brahimi, [...]
This year marks a decade since the international intervention in Iraq, and French director Bertrand Tavernier is working on a film about that time. Tavernier was recently at the UN to shoot scenes for 'Quai d'Orsay' which is based on a graphic novel of the same name that became a bestseller in France a few [...]
The passing of Madanjeet Singh, an Indian diplomat dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and peace in South Asia, is a loss to all people across the world. That's what the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, says in a statement issued on Monday. The 88-year-old veteran diplomat who passed [...]
The return of Somali refugees to their country is a positive indicator that there is security in the Horn of Africa country, says the top the United Nations envoy in Somalia Augustine Mahiga. There are reports that every day five planes carrying over 100 passengers each are landing in Mogadishu from Kenya. The return comes [...]
Science and technology are advancing at a rapid pace, offering new opportunities in the workplace. However, women are in danger of being left behind. That's according to a new report by the International Labor Organization (ILO). Claude Akpokavie of the ILO's Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV), has written a manual evaluating progress made in achieving [...]
Members of the UN Security Council have expressed their concern regarding the "Seleka" coalition's advance toward Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. And, they've reiterated their urgent call for an end to "Seleka's military offensive, stressing that the current situation in CAR cannot be resolved militarily. The members of the Council called again on [...]
More than 80,000 people in The Gambia are benefiting from a government project that reclaims and develops degraded land to use for agriculture. The project, which is funded by the UN Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), uses very simple technologies. A number of dykes and spillways that have been built in the area where the [...]
Nobel Peace laureate and former President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta has been appointed head of the UN office in the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made the announcement earlier this week, pointing out that as President, Mr. Ramos-Horta had contributed to healing wounds and stabilizing the situation in his homeland. The [...]
Newly-appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste is due in New York next week for briefings from the Secretary-General, the UN Security Council and top UN officials. Asked about his priorities, the former President, Foreign Minister and Prime Minister of [...]
More than 150 thousand Liberians who were forced into exile because of a 14- year civil war have returned home under a voluntary repatriation operation spearheaded by the UN refugee agency –UNHCR. The war forced 750,000 civilians to become either internally displaced or refugees . UNHCR Spokeswoman Melissa Fleming says the Liberians were returned home [...]
The New Year means a new start for thousands of Liberians who have returned to their homeland after fleeing to neighbouring countries following the outbreak of civil war more than two decades ago. The last of 155,000 Liberian refugees repatriated by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), arrived home during the final weekend of 2012. Sulaiman [...]
Labour exploitation is the main cause of human trafficking, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration, (IOM). The report which looked into human trafficking trends showed that half of the human trafficking cases brought before the IOM for assistance in 2011 involved victims of labour exploitation. Spokesperson for the IOM Jumbe [...]
Concerns are mounting over the safety of the thousands of civilians, particularly the children, as fighting continues in the Central African Republic. The United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) says over 300,000 children have already been affected by the conflict in the Central African Republic through recruitment, family separation, sexual violence and forced displacement, among other [...]
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is to launch its new report on domestic workers around the world. The new report attempts to capture the size of the domestic work sector, working conditions and the extent of legal protection enjoyed by domestic workers worldwide. It includes global and regional statistics, and is intended to support the [...]
The UN humanitarian agency – OCHA is expressing serious concern about the protection of civilians in the fighting going on in the Central African Republic (CAR). Spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Jens Laerke says the security situation is having a major impact on its humanitarian activities. “ There's an estimated [...]
Violence against women must never be accepted, excused or tolerated, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said following the death of a young woman from India who had been gang raped while on a bus. Michelle Bachelet, the head of UN Women, said the young woman's death should serve as a call to action, while UN [...]
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is calling for the immediate cessation of child recruitment by all armed groups in the Central African Republic. UNICEF's Spokesperson in Geneva Marixie Mercado says the agency is urging all parties to protect children against the harmful impact of, and their involvement in, armed conflict in the country. She says [...]
Two peacekeepers serving with the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were freed on Wednesday after four and a half months in captivity. The police personnel, Hasan Al-Mazawdeh and Qasim Al-Sarhan of Jordan were abducted on 20 August last year while on patrol in the town of Kabkabiya in North Darfur. UNAMID has [...]
The HIV/AIDS epidemic shows signs of reversal globally, with encouraging results in South-East Asia, according to the World Health Organization, WHO. In 2011, 2.2 million people across the world were infected with HIV and 1.7 million died, half a million fewer new infections than 10 years ago, and 600 000 fewer deaths than in 2005. [...]
• Two peacekeepers of the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were freed on Wednesday after 136 days in captivity. The police officers from Jordan were abducted on 20 August 2012 while on patrol in the town of Kabkabiya in North Darfur. UNAMID has thanked the governments of Sudan and Jordan for their [...]
Counter-terrorism efforts and peacekeeping are among the focus areas for the Security Council in January, incoming president Ambassador Masood Khan of Pakistan told journalists in New York on Thursday. Ambassador Khan previewed a ministerial-level debate on counter-terrorism set for 15 January which his country's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will [...]
Conflict-related sexual violence persists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where thousands of people were displaced around the city of Goma as a result of the latest attacks by the rebel group M23. Survival of the displaced people presents its many challenges, particularly for the women. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) received reports [...]
Ongoing violence in the Central African Republic has seriously disrupted the delivery of aid to displaced people, according to the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office (OCHA). The agency reports that humanitarian workers have temporarily been evacuated following attacks by the "Séléka" rebel group alliance on several towns while moving towards the capital, Bangui. Abdoulaye Sawadogo, [...]
Strict measures implemented in the Spanish region of Catalonia between 2000 and 2010 helped to reduce the number of people killed in road accidents by over 50 per cent. That's according to a study published this month in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. The study says the measures not only save people's lives [...]
Road safety policies implemented in Catalonia, Spain, have helped save both lives and money, according to a study published this month in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO). The study looked at measures aimed at reducing road traffic deaths by half during the period from 2000 to 2010, including increased police surveillance, fines [...]
British actors Michael Redgrave and James Mason, as well as director Orson Welles, narrate this drama about the history of diplomacy. Part 2 – Duration: 28’20″
British actors Michael Redgrave and James Mason, as well as director Orson Welles, narrate this drama about the history of diplomacy. Part 1 – Duration: 29’19″
Reinforcing civilian protection will be the main objective of the humanitarian community in Afghanistan this year. That assessment comes from the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office (OCHA) in its 2013 Common Humanitarian Action Plan for the country. OCHA says despite significant international development assistance over the past decade, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worsening. [...]
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has welcomed the adoption of what it calls, a landmark resolution recognizing ecotourism as key in the fight against poverty, the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai said "The remarkable support that the resolution has received, from all regions and across [...]
Sixty thousand people have been killed in Syria between 15 March 2011 and 30 November 2012. That's according to data specialists who carried out an in-depth analysis on behalf of the UN Human Rights Office. Rupert Colville, the spokesperson for the UN Human rights office says the list included four elements – the first and [...]
Data analysis conducted on behalf of the UN Human Rights Office shows more than 60,000 people have been killed in Syria in nearly two years of conflict. The analysis was carried out by using a combined list of more than 145,000 reported killings which took place between 15 March 2011 and 30 November 2012. The [...]
The United Nations Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) has offered to provide technical and logistical assistance to the country's authorities following a deadly stampede on New Year's Day. According to reports, at least 61 people died and scores others were injured when hundreds of people left a fireworks display at a stadium in the city [...]
Two Jordanian peacekeepers at the joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were released on Wednesday after being held hostage for more than 100 days. The two policemen, who are being flown home from Sudan's capital, Khartoum, appeared to be unharmed and in good health. UNAMID spokesperson Aicha Elbasri said while the mission's staff have [...]
The Turkish government has established a programme which will allow Syrian refugees in the country to attend national universities, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). The government has waived all university fees for qualified Syrian refugees who will begin classes at seven universities in March. UNHCR reports that so far, 70 Bachelor's degree candidates [...]
