All parties in the Gaza conflict have agreed to an unconditional humanitarian ceasefire starting Friday morning. That's according to a joint statement by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States Secretary of State John Kerry. The ceasefire will last for a period of 72 hours unless extended, the statement reads. During this time, the forces on [...]
Safe and unhindered humanitarian access is urgently needed in Iraq to deliver aid to and restore basic services for communities affected by the conflict. The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Jacqueline Badcock, made the call on Thursday. Expressing concern over the rising levels of violence and instability across the country, she urged [...]
Finding a safe area in war-torn Gaza is becoming harder now that 44 per cent of the territory has been declared a no-go area by the Israeli army. The Gaza Strip is just 45 kilometres long and 6 kilometres wide. Ms Valerie Amos, the UN humanitarian chief confirmed during a briefing to the Security Council [...]
The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa may be higher than reported, the World Health Organization (WHO) Spokesperson says. Gregory Hartl told Patrick Maigua that one of the big challenges in this outbreak was tracking all the cases. A lot of cases may have not been reported or come through the health [...]
The relief effort in Gaza is stretched and ongoing fighting and insecurity is hampering the ability of the UN and its partners to sustain the delivery of aid. Speaking via video conference, Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator briefed members of the Security Council on the gravity of the situation on [...]
The shelling of a UN school that doubles as a shelter for thousands of displaced persons represents a serious violation of international law. That's according to the Commissioner General of the UN relief and development agency for Palestinians, UNRWA. On Wednesday night, the Jabalia Elementary Girls' School was hit by artillery fire, causing multiple deaths [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the risk of the Ebola virus being transmitted by airline passengers travelling from the affected countries remains low, but cannot be ruled out. WHO is not recommending any travel restrictions or border closures due to the Ebola outbreak but is urging health authorities and airlines flying from the affected [...]
The exploitation of children in the worldwide tourism industry cannot be tolerated according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In South East Asia where the tourism sector is continuing to grow, the organization is working to protect children from exploitation, trafficking and abuse. The UN agency is encouraging all countries and businesses to promote [...]
Over the past three years, Syria’s civil war has left more then 130,000 dead and forced millions to flee to neighbouring countries like Jordan. Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan has become home to thousands of Syrian women and adolescent girls who fled the violence in their homeland. In the midst of this catastrophe, one extraordinary [...]
Ongoing instability in the Darfur region of Sudan could be an opportunity for the warring factions to finally come to a peace agreement. Lieutenant General Paul Mella, the Force Commander of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) says fatigue caused by fighting may draw the factions to the negotiation table. Assumpta Massoi [...]
A senior level task force made up of experts in the aviation industry and government officials has been established to reduce the risks of civilian planes flying over conflict areas. Organized by the UN agency that governs civil aviation, ICAO, the meeting was triggered by the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over the troubled [...]
Syrian refugees at a camp in northern Iraq are enjoying what have been described as "dignified shelters." The white, solid, rectangular shelters are replacing the fabric tents that are typically found in refugee camps across the world. They've been developed by the Swedish retail giant, IKEA, in collaboration with the UN refugee Agency. As Warda [...]
Costa Rica has played an important global role in promoting disarmament and in the adoption of a landmark Arms Trade Treaty. The Secretary-General made the remarks to the press in San José on Wednesday after addressing the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The Central American country has agreed to host the meeting of the States [...]
Kenyans have a right to safe water and sanitation and existing water laws need to become reality, an independent UN human rights expert said after a trip to the country. Thirteen percent of people in Kenya still defecate in the open. Catarina de Albuquerque said that although Kenyans had rights to safe water and sanitation [...]
A UN treaty to protect the rights of older people is being championed by a group that builds awareness on global ageing issues. HelpAge International hopes that a UN panel on ageing, which is meeting in New York this week, will lead to the adoption of the treaty. Kenneth Hemley, an activist with the group, [...]
The bombing of a UN shelter in Gaza has been met with "shock and dismay", the Deputy-Secretary General told reporters on Wednesday. Sixteen civilians were killed in Tuesday night's attack, including several children. More than a 100 people were injured. The Jabalia elementary girls' school is run by UNRWA, the UN relief and development agency [...]
The exploitation of children in the worldwide tourism industry cannot be tolerated according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In South East Asia where the tourism sector is continuing to grow, the organization is working to protect children from exploitation, trafficking and abuse. The UN agency is encouraging all countries and businesses to promote [...]
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating at a "rapid and terrifying" pace, according to Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN's Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He told Patrick Maigua that a school sheltering civilians had come under fire killing many civilians, including children. This is a "flagrant violation" of humanitarian law, Laerke [...]
Appalled by the attacks on UN offices and schools in Gaza, the UN humanitarian chief has called on the fighters to show some "humanity and morality." Ms Valerie Amos, who is also the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), expressed alarm that more children and civilians were being killed [...]
Nicaragua is being hailed by the Secretary-General for its "forward-looking" energy policy during an official visit to the Central American country. Mr Ban Ki-moon said the country has a vast potential to generate power from sun, wind and water. Wind power itself contributes almost 30 per cent of all energy in Nicaragua. The UN chief [...]
Women are the most affected by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, according to Laurent Duvillier, Regional Communication Specialist for UNICEF's West and Central Africa office. He told that Anzhelika Devis that this is because many of the healthcare workers dealing with the epidemic on the ground are women. Also, women are also most likely [...]
People around the word are being urged by the UN Secretary-General to "open their eyes to the crime of human trafficking and their hearts to the victims." Marking the first World Day against Trafficking in Persons, Mr Ban Ki-moon asked people to donate to the UN campaign, "Have a Heart for Victims of Human Trafficking". [...]
The Secretary-General has warned that, if true, the forced expulsion of tens of thousands of residents from the northern Gaza Strip could have a further devastating humanitarian impact on civilians in those areas. The Israeli Defence Forces are reportedly dropping leaflets in the area warning people to leave their homes and evacuate the city. The [...]
Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles could become a common sight in humanitarian crises across Africa, if a United States-based scientist has her way. Pia Zaragoza received funding from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to build a prototype model which could be built cheaply with a 3D printer. The drone would enable emergency workers to operate [...]
Sexual exploitation, especially involving women from Nigeria and Eastern Europe, is the most prevalent and documented form of trafficking in Italy. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, conducted a 10-day official mission to the country last September. At a detention centre in the city of Turin [...]
Over the past three years, Syria’s civil war has left more then 130,000 dead and forced millions to flee to neighbouring countries like Jordan. Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan has become home to thousands of Syrian women and adolescent girls who fled the violence in their homeland. In the midst of this catastrophe, one extraordinary [...]
As the UN prepares to take over from an African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic, the Security Council has called on the Secretary-General to review what was done in the past and how it can be done better. A resolution calling for an enhanced relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations [...]
Access is still restricted in many affected areas in the Gaza strip for relief workers trying to deliver living-saving support such as the evacuation of injured people and the distribution of food and water. A humanitarian pause in the Gaza strip, largely observed on 26 July, has also allowed for utility workers to carry out [...]
The situation is deplorable in several camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Rakhine State, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar stated after a ten-day visit to the country. Ms Yanghee Lee noted that the living conditions were even worse in the Muslim camp of Baw Du Par. The recurring [...]
UNICEF says that it is concerned by a growing number of refugee children with severe acute malnutrition from the Central African Republic (CAR) in neighbouring countries, such as Cameroun. The two-year conflict in the CAR, between the mainly Christian anti-Balaka and Muslim Séléka movements, has led to high numbers of displaced people seeking refuge in [...]
The Secretary-General has called for an "immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza, urging for an end to the violence "in the name of humanity". Mr Ban Ki-moon was speaking at a press briefing in New York on Monday, shortly after his return from the region. The world is celebrating Eid al-Fitr which marks the [...]
The shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine may constitute a war crime, according to the UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay. She said the 17 July incident was a violation of international law, and called for prompt, through, independent and impartial investigations. In a report detailing human rights violations is eastern [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) is using World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, as wake-up call to end viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Many people may not know they are infected or at risk of infection. The condition affects millions of people [...]
Discrepancies in the levels of well-being for people across the world persist 20 years after a landmark conference on population issues, according to a senior United Nations population expert. Those measures of well-being include issues that affect women like fertility and child mortality. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo [...]
Farmers in Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta say they may not be able to grow rice in the future because of rising sea levels caused by climate change. The South-East Asian country is the world's second largest exporter of rice with 80 per cent of the production coming from the Mekong. Many farmers fear losing their [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly urged the parties fighting in the Gaza strip to extend a 12-hour humanitarian pause that was broadly observed on Saturday. His Special Envoy for the Middle East, Robert Serry, is involved in brokering an extension of the humanitarian pause for an additional extendable period of 24 hours. The [...]
Water is a central concern year round in Somaliland, a self-declared autonomous state in northern Somalia. Over a third of households in Somaliland's urban areas do not have access to clean drinking water and the proportion is far higher in rural areas, the UN says. Beerato is a major watering hole for surrounding villages, when [...]
Villagers in northern Tanzania have found the answer to a lack of water literally under their feet. The Maasai villagers used to have to walk for hours each day in search of water, but after drilling a borehole, they found a clean, fresh supply right below their homes. As Joanne Levitan reports, the water has [...]
Men and women serving with the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, have to abide by the same rules, according to the commander of a battalion from the Philippines. Commander Luzviminda Camacho, a navy captain, is leading a contingent of 156 men and women in Haiti. She has over 25 years of service in her country [...]
The food security situation in South Sudan has been described as "catastrophic and the worst in the world". The current President of the UN Security Council, Ambassador Eugène-Richard Gasana of Rwanda shared these remarks with the press late on Friday. The crisis in South Sudan may soon reach the threshold of famine as a result [...]
The UN Secretary-General has called for a seven day humanitarian pause in the fighting in Gaza and Israel extending over the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Eid al-Fitr otherwise known as Ramadan, a month of peace, prayer and fasting, is a Muslim celebration. Mr Ban Ki-moon made the call in Cairo, Egypt where he once again joined [...]
A portrait of Sean MacBride, United Nations High Commissioner for Namibia, cofounder of Amnesty International, and recipient of 1974 Nobel Peace Prize. Language: English Genre: Report 1974 Duration: 14″
Celeste Holm interviews Ralph Bunche, Nobel laureate and Under Secretary for Special Political Affairs. He speaks with humour and humility about earlier career and educational experiences, race and how he “fell into” teaching, marriage and the United Nations. Language: English Genre: Interview 1962 Duration: 22″
A visit to the scene of an attack at a UN-run school in Beit Hanoun was cut short when gunfire erupted around the area. The UNRWA assessment team or UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, included an international weapons expert. Media reports say at least 15 people died in the attack against the [...]
The conflict in Syria has reached a tipping point, threatening the entire region, according to the latest report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria (COI). With warring parties in unrelenting pursuit of a military victory, the report says, violence has escalated to an unprecedented level. The Commissioners are urging the international community, [...]
Barrel bombs continue to shower civilians in Syria, towns remain under siege while torture and other gross human rights violations are carried out in total impunity. The Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria (COI) made the remarks on Friday, ahead of his briefing to the Security Council. It's the Commission's fourth [...]
African migrants and asylum seekers face inhuman and degrading treatment in the hands of human traffickers in their perilous journey across the Mediterranean sea into Europe, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). African migrants rescued by the Italian Navy last Saturday have spoken of being subjected to racial discrimination, beaten with knives, crammed [...]
The World Health Organisation(WHO) is calling for the opening up of a humanitarian corridor in Gaza, for the evacuation of the injured civilians well as for the supply of life saving medical supplies. WHO says hospitals and ambulances have been damaged, destroyed or rendered unable to function, further constraining the ability of Gaza's health system [...]
The criminalisation of at-risk populations can slow down efforts to eradicate the epidemic of HIV and AIDS. Madeep Dahliwal, Director of the UN Development Programme's HIV, Health and Development Practice, made the observation from Melbourne Australia. The 20th International AIDS Conference wrapped up on Friday. Billions of dollars may be spent on HIV and prevention [...]
The Security Council has been described as an "international sisterhood" by one of the five women ambassadors currently serving on the United Nations body. For the first time in the history of the Council, women occupy five of the 15 seats. Ambassador Joy Ugwu of Nigeria is one of them. She hopes that one day [...]
All parties to a conflict must respect and protect the right to education, according to the Director-General of the UN cultural agency, UNESCO. Ms Irina Bokova made the appeal following reports that schools and educational facilities in Gaza and Israel are being damaged as a result of shelling and rocket attacks. UNRWA, the UN agency [...]
The UN Secretary-General has urged authorities in Iraq to form an inclusive government in order to overcome the "existential threat" the country is facing. Iraq is plagued by ethnic and sectarian divisions. Mr Ban Ki-moon was speaking in Baghdad where he met with the country's Prime Minister and the local press. The country has a [...]
Europe has been called to action to stop the rise of people dying at sea seeking refuge from countries torn by conflict like Syria, Mali, Libya or insecurity like Somalia. The UN refugee agency issued a statement in Geneva after more than 260 people died crossing or went missing in the Mediterranean in the last [...]
Many people have died while others have been injured by incoming Israeli fire at a UN school in the northern city of Beit Hanoun in Gaza. Adnan Abu Hasna, Spokesperson for the UN Relief Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) confirmed the news on Thursday. The location of the school and the fact that it [...]
Up to four million women in parts of northern Iraq controlled by the militant group ISIS face the risk of undergoing female genital mutilation, according to United Nations officials in Iraq. The militant group is reported to have issued an order requiring women in Mosul undergo FGM. United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq Jacqueline Badcock, [...]
More than 800 migrants and asylum seekers have died this year as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean sea towards Europe, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. In the past ten days alone 260 migrants and asylum seekers have died or been reported missing at sea. UNHCR says survivors have been reporting disturbing incidents [...]
Most people in countries have been doing steadily better in human development but the progress has been uneven, a new UN report has found. Human development tracks progress on people's ability to get an education, to be healthy, to have a reasonable standard of life and to be safe, the report says. But it's also [...]
Extreme poverty or vulnerability threatens human development and unless it's addressed, progress will not be equal or sustainable. That's according to the UN Development Programme's flagship Human Development Report, which has been tracking progress in developing and developed countries for more than 20 years. The report shows that progress on a global scale is continuing, [...]
The Security Council has been described as an "international sisterhood" by one of the five women ambassadors currently serving on the United Nations body. For the first time in the history of the Council, women occupy five of the 15 seats. Ambassador Joy Ogwu of Nigeria is one of them. She hopes that one day [...]
The Maasai people in the Ngorongoro District of Tanzania are using radio to air their concerns and reach out to fellow Tanzanians and authorities so that they can better understand their situation. The Maasai pastoralists are concerned about being pushed out of grazing areas to make way for tourism. Thanks to the UN cultural agency [...]
Serving as a United Nations peacekeeper does not only benefit the people who are being assisted but also the peacekeeper. That’s the view of a Zimbabwean female peacekeeper serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Routendo Mondenyanya is part of the UNMISS team that is helping the new African nation as it builds [...]
Syrian refugees at a camp in northern Iraq are enjoying what have been described as "dignified shelters." The white, solid, rectangular shelters are replacing the fabric tents that are typically found in refugee camps across the world. They've been developed by the Swedish retail giant, IKEA, in collaboration with the UN refugee Agency. As Warda [...]
Two of the world's most neglected regions with high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity are expected to receive $75 million in humanitarian relief aid from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) The allocation will go to 11 countries in the West African Sahel and the Horn of Africa where critical aid operations are [...]
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), a splinter group of Al-Qaida, has grown to be a complex threat to peace and security in Iraq, the entire region and beyond. The head of the United Nations Mission (UNAMI) in Iraq Nikolay Mladenov issued the warning on Wednesday as he briefed the Security Council via [...]
The international community does not have much time to wait and lose, the UN Secretary-General urged during Wednesday's visit to Jerusalem. Mr Ban Ki-moon was in the Israeli city as part of his Middle East tour aiming to secure a cease-fire in Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After his meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, he made remarks [...]
The UN Human Rights Council has decided to urgently dispatch an international commission of inquiry to investigate all human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territory in the context of military operations conducted since 13 June. That includes East Jerusalem and particularly the occupied Gaza strip. Twenty-nine Member States voted in favour of the resolution, [...]
The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $75 million to scale up aid in the neglected regions of the West African Sahel and the Horn of Africa. That's according to Lisa Doughten, Chief of CERF. The Fund just selected 11 countries in the Horn of Africa and West Africa's Sahel region for its [...]
Israel says it will not renege on its determination to defend itself against rocket attacks fired by Hamas militants from Gaza. Israel's Ambassador in Geneva Eviatar Manor told the UN Human Rights Council that his government would not be doing its duty to protect its citizens had it not launched its latest military offensive into [...]
A call for international support for safe schools across Nigeria has been made to mark the 100 days of captivity for the Chibok girls. Some 200 school girls from Chibok, Nigeria are still being forcefully held by the Boko Haram terrorist group since 15 April. The UN Envoy for education, Gordon Brown, made the appeal [...]
A new initiative has been launched by the UN and its global and regional partners to improve testing for the HIV virus in laboratories. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, made the announcement on Wednesday on the margins of the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia. The Diagnostics Access Initiative focuses on [...]
Condemning Israel for not taking "all necessary precautions to protect civilian lives” in Gaza, the UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay says there is a "strong possibility that international humanitarian law had been violated, in a manner that could amount to war crimes." Addressing the UN Human Rights Council at the start of a special session to discuss [...]
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has joined forces with the UN Children's Fund UNICEF to raise money that will help change the lives of millions of children. UNICEF says all the funds collected through the Opening Ceremony of the Games will help protect children from poverty, disease, exploitation and provide life-saving food and vaccines. The [...]
The time for talking is over, action must now be taken to combat the increasing levels of youth unemployment around the globe. That is the resounding message from some young people who recently attended a major conference at the United Nations on youth issues. Wambui Kahara is the Youth Representative from Kenya attending the conference. [...]
An initiative put forward by Egypt, based on a November 2012 ceasefire, is the most promising framework to end the fighting in Gaza. That was the Secretary-General's message to members of the Security Council via video conference from Ramallah, the fifth stop on his journey to raise support for an end to the conflict. Addressing [...]
The world's drug problem can be solved by reducing the demand for drugs, or focusing on drug abuse prevention, according to Dr. Lochan Naidoo, of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). One dollar invested in prevention can save ten dollars in later costs, he noted. The INCB is an independent, quasi-judicial monitoring body for the [...]
While demanding the end of all rocket attacks by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the UN Secretary-General also warned Israel that military action will not increase Israel's stability and security in the long term. Mr Ban Ki-moon made the remarks in Israel on Tuesday, the third leg of his Middle East tour which aims to secure [...]
Over 25 million children have been vaccinated against Polio in the Middle East in one of the biggest immunization campaigns to be jointly undertaken by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund UNICEF. In Syria close to two million children were immunized but according to UNICEF, many displaced children are at risk [...]
The humanitarian situation of refugees fleeing Central African Republic into neighbouring countries continues to worsen as aid agencies struggle to raise adequate funding to meet their growing needs. United Nations refugee agency UNHCR says the number of refugees who have fled the CAR into Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congo now stands [...]
At least 18 health care facilities have been damaged and 20 health workers injured, as the Israeli military offensive against Hamas militants continues in Gaza. The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is gravely concerned about the increasing attacks on health facilities and is appealing to all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations [...]
An international summit to rally a growing movement to end female genital mutilation and child marriage is taking place in London, United Kingdom. Tuesday's event, co-hosted by the UN's Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UK Government, will bring together child protection experts as well as field experts from many African and Asian countries. According to [...]
Young people in Uzbekistan have been challenged by the United Nations to come up with ways of promoting volunteerism through social media. Part of the challenge is to create a one minute long video clip which will attract young people to volunteer for their communities. Nigina Mirbabaeva has been speaking to the UN Development Programme’s [...]
The number of people in Gaza seeking refuge in its sites has jumped to over 100 000, according to the UN relief and works agency for palestine refugees (UNRWA). An expanded ground offensive by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has resulted in an 'exponential increase' in internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Gaza over the past [...]
A UN resolution, backed by all 15 Members of the Council, is calling for the safe, secure, full and unrestricted access to the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The commercial aircraft was shot down on 17 July over the rebel-held region of Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine, killing 298 people. Australia, which tabled the [...]
Too many civilians, including too many children are paying the price for the latest escalation of violence in Gaza, deplored the UN Secretary-General as he urged all sides to end the fighting. Mr Ban Ki-moon made the remarks to the press in Cairo on Monday, on the second leg of his Middle East tour. The [...]
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must not be a step backwards for indigenous peoples, a group of UN experts warned on Friday. Their call came after a meeting was held in New York last week to draft a new set of goals which will be presented to the UN General Assembly in September. [...]
Ten community-based organizations have won the 2014 Red Ribbon Award for their work in reducing the impact of the AIDS epidemic, according to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). These organizations were presented the prize at the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) in Melbourne, Australia, which is taking place from 20 to 25 [...]
A special airlift in support of displaced families in Gaza began on Sunday from Dubai, where a cargo took off carrying humanitarian aid, according to the United Nations agency assisting Palestinians (UNRWA). The number of displaced coming to UNRWA in Gaza may soon be as high as 100,000 due to ongoing fighting between Israel and [...]
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is warning that increased efforts are needed to improve awareness in West Africa about the risks of contracting the Ebola virus from eating certain wildlife species, including fruit bats. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are struggling to contain the world's deadliest recorded outbreak of the [...]
The Geneva based UN Human Rights Council is to convene a special session on Wednesday 23 July to discuss the situation in Gaza. The session has been requested by Egypt and Pakistan with the support of 15 members of the council among them China, Cuba, The Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. On Sunday, [...]
Rural communities in West Africa are at risk of contracting the deadly Ebola virus from eating certain wildlife species, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAO has singled out the fruit bats, which are thought to be the likely reservoir of the virus which they can carry without developing clinical signs of [...]
Women are the ones who pay the highest price in times of conflict, Nahla Haidar, a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), said. However, they should not only be seen as victims but as "agents for peace", she added. She was speaking to Patrick Maigua after the just concluded [...]
An international conference on AIDS is gathering under the theme of "Stepping up the Pace" to ensure that the pace increases to reverse the trajectory of the epidemic. Organized by UNESCO and taking place in Melbourne, Australia, the 20th International AIDS Conference is scheduled from 20 to 25 July. It will gather those working in [...]
A group of 20 young Fijian farmers dream of earning enough money to support their siblings. Their plan? To farm papaya organically and to access the premium price that the organic market pays. But they can only do this if their product is certified organic. With the prohibitively high cost of third party organic certification, [...]
Having female ambassadors serve as President of the Security Council sends a powerful message of empowerment, according to Lithuania's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. This year, for the first time in the history of the Council, a total of five female ambassadors are serving throughout the year. In February, Ambassador Raimonda [...]
Young girls in India are staying away from school due to the lack of understanding about their monthly menstruation. This lack of understanding combined with a social stigma that has been handed down over generations, means many girls feel too ashamed to go to school at all. Up to a quarter of schoolgirls in India [...]
Animals belonging to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan are receiving aid from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Due to military operations in North Waziristan, a mountainous region in northern Pakistan, about one million individuals have been displaced. According to FAO, 70 per cent of IDPs left with their livestock. Representatives of [...]
Children and young people have things to say on environmental issues but are rarely heard. That's the opinion of 14 year old Kehkashan Basu, the Global Coordinator for Children and Youth at the UN's Environmental Programme's Major Groups Facilitating Committee. She wants to see more youth get involved in environmental policy as she explained more [...]
The "indiscriminate" firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel and Israeli retaliatory action must immediately end, according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. On Thursday Ban Ki-moon said the "appalling suffering" of civilian populations will inevitably increase due to the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine. He added he is disappointed that all [...]
The Secretary-General has strongly condemned the apparently deliberate downing of a civilian aircraft flying over eastern Ukraine. Jeffrey Feltman, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, shared the remarks during an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Friday. Nearly 300 innocent people from many countries that are represented by Members of the Council were killed, including [...]
A World Health Organisation (WHO) staff member is among the 298 passengers killed in the Malaysia plane crash in Ukraine. Glenn Thomas, a communications officer at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, was flying to Australia to attend the International AIDS conference which opens in Melbourne on Sunday. Glenn was a regular speaker at the bi-weekly press [...]
The Syrian government has blocked the distribution of medicine and other hygiene supplies to nearly 10,000 children living in the besieged town of Mouadamiya al-Sham in Rural Damascus, according to the UN Children's Fund UNICEF. The town which is only 8 kilometres from Damascus has been under siege since August last year, and according to [...]
The United Nations has accused armed groups in Iraq of committing serous human rights violations some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. A report prepared by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and the UN Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) says at least 1,531 civilians were killed and 1,763 wounded during [...]
Nelson Mandela Day is a call to action and people across the globe can celebrate by helping address real problems in their community. That was the Secretary-General's message on the Day, observed every year on 18 July. Last year, the world lost one of its greatest leaders when Mr Mandela passed away, Mr Ban Ki-moon [...]
Nelson Mandela was a man who changed peoples' lives by saying no to Apartheid, no to racism, discrimination and segregation, according to a young female artist who goes by the stage name "Moonspice". Deeply moved by the news of his death last December, Christine Aurore Costarramone- her real name- wrote a song in memory of [...]
As the world said farewell to Nelson Mandela, attention turned to how his legacy will live on in the pursuit of achieving justice and equality for all. The world's most famous prisoner of conscience who resisted the former system of racial discrimination in South Africa known as apartheid, died in his native village on 5 [...]
The UN Secretary-General has promised to spare no effort, together with his newly-appointed senior advisors, to help stop the violence and achieve a Syrian-led inclusive political solution. Mr Ban Ki-moon made the remarks during a photo opportunity with his Special Envoy and Deputy Special Envoy for Syria on Thursday. Mr. Staffan de Mistura replaces Lakhdar [...]
The Secretary-General has called for a "full and transparent" international investigation into Thursday's crash of a Malaysia Airlines plane. Mr Ban Ki-moon issued a statement to the press during a photo-op with his two newly-appointed senior advisors to Syria. According to media reports, the Boeing 777 was en route from Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital, [...]
The International Criminal Court or ICC is not primarily focused on Africa, the Court's Spokesperson has refuted. The 120 States that adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), named 17 July as the International Day of Criminal Justice, the day on which the Statute was adopted. This day commemorates the efforts of [...]
To end extreme poverty and provide inclusive prosperity, Africa needs an enabling environment to promote investment, the right kind of investment and the wise management of the proceeds. That's what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a High-Level General Assembly debate on investment in Africa. Much of the foreign direct investment that has gone into the [...]
Libya is in the middle of an "all out confrontation" between two rival groups, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the country has warned. Mr Tarek Mitri told the Security Council via video teleconference on Thursday that the confrontation, born out of deep political polarization, is playing out at Tripoli's international airport. The fighting has pitted [...]
The volume of water used every year in the United States to drill or extract natural gas is the equivalent of a city of five million people, a senior advisor for the UN Chief on the Sustainable Energy Initiative for All has warned. The method known as fracking or hydraulic fracturing involves pumping gallons of [...]
The World Food Programme took advantage of a five-hour humanitarian truce to provide emergency food assistance to thousands of people affected by the escalation in violence and to move food stocks into position around the Gaza Strip. WFP's Country Director in the occupied Palestinian territories, Pablo Recalde, took part in an inter-agency mission to Gaza [...]
About 20 rockets have been found hidden in a vacant school run by the United Nations agency assisting Palestinians UNRWA. The weapons were discovered on Wednesday by UNRWA officials during a regular inspection of their premises. It is still not clear who placed the weapons in the school. UNRWA has condemned the placement of the [...]
Thousands of people affected by the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip have been able to receive emergency food aid during a five-hour humanitarian truce, according to the World Food Programme. The temporary cease-fire was brokered by the Secretary-General's Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry. WFP took advantage of the [...]
The United Nations’ food standards body has adopted new standards to protect consumer health worldwide. The Codex Alimentarius Commission resolved to lower further the maximum acceptable levels of lead in infant formula. The Commission says infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead and they can suffer profound and permanent [...]
People around the world are sharing pictures of themselves holding signs that say "Justice Matters" on their social media accounts on Thursday, International Criminal Justice Day. Observed annually on 17 July, the Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The World Court, [...]
The time for talking is over, action must now be taken to combat the increasing levels of youth unemployment around the globe. That is the resounding message from some young people who recently attended a major conference at the United Nations on youth issues. Wambui Kahara is the Youth Representative from Kenya attending the conference. [...]
An estimated 94,000 newborn deaths from malaria were averted in the three years leading up to 2012 following more intensive preventative treatment, according to a new report. The Roll Back Malaria Partnership, which was created by four UN agencies, says that interventions during pregnancy and the use of insecticide treated nets have improved the survival [...]
Failure to provide adequate HIV services for high risk populations is holding back progress on the elimination of the virus, according to the World Health Organization. Men who have sex with men, people in prison, people who inject drugs, sex workers and transgender people are some of the groups identified by the agency. This key [...]
Men and women serving with the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, have to abide by the same rules, according to the commander of a battalion from the Philippines. Commander Luzviminda Camacho, a navy captain, is leading a contingent of 156 men and women in Haiti. She has over 25 years of service in her country [...]
Hundreds of thousands of innocent people living in two disputed areas, on the border between Sudan and South Sudan, continue to be affected by war and have no access to even the most basic humanitarian aid. That's what the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator told members of the Security Council on Wednesday. [...]
The Secretary-General has commended authorities in the Dominican Republic for adopting a law that addresses the problem of stateless migrants in the country. Mr Ban Ki-moon made the remarks to Congress during a session held in the capital Santo Domingo on Thursday. Until 2010, the Dominican Republic had followed the principle of automatically bestowing citizenship [...]
The United Nations Special Envoy on the situation of human rights in Cambodia has once again called for an end to the official ban on demonstrations. Mr Surya Subedi issued the statement in the wake of alarming reports of violence following opposition protests in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. Forty people were injured in violent clashes [...]
Over half of the female homicide victims worldwide are killed by intimate partners or family members. Men, on the other hand, are much more likely to be killed by someone they have never met. That's the conclusion of a report on global homicide statistics recently released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [...]
Women refugees experience considerable hardships in their host countries, which are compounded when they are the sole providers of households, a new report by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has found. More than 145,000 Syrian refugee families in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan – or one in four of all households – are headed by [...]
The members of the Security Council have condemned in the "strongest terms" two attacks in Afghanistan that have caused many deaths and injuries of civilians, including children. The Kabul attack killed two people and injured five others riding in a shuttle bus carrying civilian government workers. The Taliban claimed responsibility for detonating a remote-controlled improvised [...]
The spread of the HIV AIDS could be brought under control by 2030, but will require a significant scale up of prevention and treatment measures, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS says new HIV infections have declined by 13 per cent in the last three years, while AIDS related deaths have [...]
Digital mass surveillance by governments on individuals and corporate organisations without their consent is an affront to the enjoyment of human rights including the right to privacy, according to a new report published by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR). The report entitled, "The right to privacy in the digital age" says there is a [...]
Local communities and indigenous populations are the custodians of the world's biodiversity or life on Earth and they deserve to share in the benefits. That's according to Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary for the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Now those communities will benefit thanks to the entering into force of the [...]
The global sale of medicinal plants like South Africa's devil's claw used to treat rheumatism and the vastly popular appetite suppressant, hoodia goordoni, is part of a billion dollar industry. These traditional herbal remedies have been grown and cultivated for generations by local communities and the indigenous peoples. A UN treaty that will allow for [...]
A greater focus on development activities and alternative crops has been urged by the UN in countries where drug trafficking has disrupted security and development. In 2012, up to 324 million people, or 7 per cent of the world population aged 15-64, had used an illicit drug. Addressing an event at the UN on "Sustainable [...]
This ceremony honors Nelson and Winnie Mandela and the fight against the Apartheid regime in South Africa. Language: English Genre: Speech 1984 Duration: 8’00″
Women ambassadors who serve on the United Nations Security Council have the responsibility to open the door for other women to follow in their steps. That's according to Maria Cristina Perceval, the Permanent Representative of Argentina, who is one of five female ambassadors serving on the Council. It's the first time there have been five [...]
Millions of Yemenis do not know where their next meal will come from, according to a joint survey by two UN agencies. The World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) carried out the assessment in 22 governorates or provinces of the country. It shows that acute malnutrition rates in Yemen are serious [...]
A besieged locality in Rural Damascus in Syria has been reached with aid supplies for the first time in nearly two years. UN agencies and partners from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent reached Madamiyet Elsham on Monday and delivered food, household items, and hygiene supplies for about 5,000 people. It's hoped that this will be [...]
An estimated 964 cases of Ebola have been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported. So far, more than 600 people have died from the virus. In Guinea alone, six new cases and three deaths have been reported in the last few days. The disease causes severe haemorrhaging [...]
Cholera rates in Haiti are declining but weak water and sanitation problems are slowing down progress and allowing the epidemic and other waterborne diseases to persist, according to the UN Secretary-General. Mr Ban Ki-moon arrived in Caribbean island on Monday to raise support for initiative which aims to eliminate cholera in both Haiti and the [...]
Small businesses, especially those in developing and transition economies, are losing out on the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT), according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, (UNCTAD). New data published by UNCTAD suggests that the smallest companies, in particular are less likely to be connected to the Internet. The agency said [...]
A suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan which killed at least 43 people including eight children has been condemned by the United Nations. The attack took place in a market in Urgun, in Paktika province in the south-east of the country and caused the single largest loss of life in 2014. At least 67 civilians were [...]
ANC leader Nelson Mandela addresses the General Assembly about his fight against the Apartheid regime in South Africa, four years before being elected President. Language: English Genre: Speech 1990 Duration: 25’00″
Childhood obesity is rapidly becoming a public health crisis in many developing countries, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO says the number of obese and overweight children worldwide has grown from 31 million in 1990 to about 44 million presently, with developing countries registering a growth rate that is 30 per cent higher [...]
There could be more deaths and destruction in Gaza, if efforts to broker a ceasefire between the Israel and Palestine fail, according to the UN agency providing assistance to Palestinians, UNRWA. Already over 174 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,100 injured, since the start of Israel's latest military offensive in Gaza. Briefing journalists [...]
Ten million people in Yemen are still struggling to find enough food to eat, according to two UN agencies. A survey by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) shows that 40 per cent of Yemenis don't know where their next meal will come from. Around five million people are severely [...]
Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali gives a special toast to Nelson Mandela, newly elected president of South Africa. Mandela follows with his own toast to the UN. Language: English Genre: Speech 1994 Duration: 13’00″
The UN Secretary-General has travelled to the Dominican Republic on Tuesday where he visited an anti-poverty programme for the most vulnerable. Mr Ban also met with President Danilo Medina and other senior government officials. It's the UN Chief's second stop on his Caribbean tour following Monday's visit to Haiti. While in Haiti, he launched, the [...]
After a political impasse lasting weeks, the two candidates in Afghanistan's presidential election have reached an agreement. The deal, facilitated by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the US Secretary of State, John Kerry breaks the deadlock and allows the country's electoral process to continue. The two rivals have agreed to a complete audit [...]
The electoral impasse in Afghanistan has been broken after the two candidates vying for the presidency reached an agreement, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced. Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani agreed to participate and abide by the results of a comprehensive audit of Afghanistan's Presidential election run-off results. The agreement also includes [...]
Millions of Syrians in besieged and hard to reach areas may soon have access to urgent food aid and basic healthcare following the adoption of a UN resolution on Monday. Members of the Security Council voted unanimously to authorize the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Syria through the most direct routes, including [...]
Following the closure of Tripoli's International airport after Sunday's fighting, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has temporarily withdrawn its staff from the country. According to media reports, a battle by rival militia for control of Libya's main airport is said to have left seven people dead and dozens wounded. The Mission said [...]
Israeli security forces are being urged once again to put an end to the airstrikes in Gaza that are endangering civilians and civilian infrastructure such as schools, clinics and water supplies. The Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) Pierre Krähenbühl made the remarks during a briefing to the press in Gaza [...]
Children are bearing the brunt of the worsening violence in Gaza and Israel and it's taking a toll on their young bodies and minds. That's according to a statement issued by UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake on Sunday, a day after the Security Council's call on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to protect civilians, exercise maximum [...]
The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is growing faster than the international community can raise funds to cater for their growing needs, according to the United Nations Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator in Lebanon Ross Mountain. He says about 12,000 new Syrian refugees are entering Lebanon each week and the number is expected to reach 1.5 [...]
The eating habits of people across the world over the next decade are being predicted in a new study by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The latest Agricultural Outlook report by the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the FAO looks at how changing eating habits are transforming what farmers are [...]
Participants at a high-level UN event are sharing their experiences and best practices in their fight against trafficking in persons. One of the speakers is Rani Hong, co-founder of Tronie Foundation, survivor and strong advocate for freedom from slavery and trafficking. Entitled Dignity for Victims of Human Trafficking, the event is taking place ahead of [...]
Scientists from around the world are collaborating on a five-year long project to improve the diet, nutritional status and ultimately health of vulnerable populations. The project launched by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will assess the impact on children and women's health when more nutritious food is produced and eaten. It could provide [...]
The world's indigenous youth are being penalised for being indigenous. So says Tuhi Marktukaw, a member of the Pinuyumayan people of Taiwan. She believes that indigenous populations around the world have been too trusting of governments assuming that they will uphold their rights. Often this has not been the case. Sophie Outhwaite spoke to Tuhi [...]
Women in rural Nepal are learning new skills which are not only allowing them to provide for their families, but are also changing attitudes. The skills are helping the women in western Nepal to start their own micro enterprises, as part of a programme supported by the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). As [...]
The UN Mission in Afghanistan has suggested for additional audits to be conducted in order to break the deadlock over the presidential election run-off. The proposal was presented at a meeting convened by the incumbent President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai. For weeks, the two presidential candidates have requested a full investigation of serious and credible [...]
Three rockets were fired into Israel by unknown assailants in south Lebanon early on Friday according to UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The Israeli Defence Forces returned artillery fire towards the general area from where the rocket fire originated. No casualties have been reported from either side, says UN Spokesperson, Farhan Haq. "The UNIFIL [...]
Food stocks are running low for the thousands of Nigerians who have fled across the border into a remote region far north in Cameroon, the World Food Programme has warned. Leaving behind burned homes and often running for their lives, close to 8,000 Nigerians have fled since May. They come from the northern Nigerian states [...]
The diets of people living in developing countries are becoming more unhealthy leading to an increase in non-communicable diseases or NCDs. That's according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Sedentary lifestyles, inactivity and the availability of junk food are all contributing to a growth of NCDs, like obesity, heart disease and [...]
European countries are being urged to grant access to Syrian refugees and to provide a fair asylum procedure. The call has come from the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR as it launched a new report on the situation of Syrian refugees in Europe. States are also being asked to grant adequate reception conditions and to protect [...]
Humanitarian agencies responding to South Sudan's growing regional refugee crisis are urgently appealing for $658 million to help as many as 715,000 refugees expected by end 2014. The UN refugee agency UNHCR says the ongoing conflict and worsening humanitarian situation inside south Sudan is fueling a refugee exodus into Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda at [...]
The UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay has expressed alarm at the Israeli military operations resulting in the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. So far, 88 Palestinians including at least 21 children and 11 women have been killed since the start of Israel's latest military operation "Protective Edge" on Tuesday night. While noting that [...]
Aid workers are calling for an end to indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks targeting civilians in the Gaza Strip in the occupied Palestinian territory. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA has expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza following the launch of military operations by Israel on 7 July. Israel says the intervention is needed to [...]
A genocide can be avoided in the Central African Republic with the intervention of the United Nations, according to an international body investigating human rights abuses in the country. Fighting between mainly Muslim and Christian communities in CAR has fuelled a conflict which began at the end of 2012. Thousands of people have died and [...]
World leaders are being asked to safeguard the rights of young people and invest in their future on World Population Day. Observed annually on 11 July, the Day seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. A young person's potential can be fulfilled, says the UN Population Fund or UNFPA, if he or she can [...]
The authorities in Cambodia are becoming increasingly concerned about the possible effects of climate change on the agriculture sector. Different weather patterns, especially when it comes to rain, could have a significant impact on the South-East Asian country's main crop, rice. Cambodia has recently unveiled its Climate Change Strategic Plan which outlines how the country [...]
There is a lack of awareness among the people of South Sudan regarding the dangers of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, an assistant professor of Pathology at the University of Juba warned. The World Health Organization recently published a global status report on alcohol and health 2014 to assist countries in their efforts to reduce [...]
A new Syria envoy has been tapped to facilitate a peaceful, Syria-led and inclusive political solution to the crisis, the Secretary-General announced on Thursday. Staffan de Mistura, a former UN Envoy for Afghanistan, has been appointed the new United Nations Special Representative for Syria. He replaces Lakhdar Brahimi who stood down in May this year [...]
Malaria prevention efforts have been highly effective in averting an estimated 94,000 newborn deaths between 2009 and 2012, a new UN report has found. Launched by the UN's Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the report helps assess progress towards targets set out in the Global Malaria Action Plan and the UN global development goals or MDGs. [...]
Thirty-eight million people die annually from Non-Communicable Diseases like heart and lung disease, cancer and diabetes before they reach the age of 70, according to new data from the World Health Organizatio (WHO). 28 million deaths occur in developing countries alone, the agency notes. According to WHO, Non-Communicable Diseases or NCDs share four risk factors [...]
Progress on controlling non-communicable diseases or NCDs has been described as "insufficient and uneven" in a report launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday NCDs include illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease. The Non-Communicable Diseases Country Profiles 2014 report provides an overview of the current situation in 194 [...]
The UN is warning of an "all out" escalation of hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian authorities in the Gaza Strip. The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told members of the Security Council on Thursday that the threat of a ground offensive was "still palpable" He said it could be prevented if Hamas, which governs the Gaza [...]
Landmines and other explosive remnants of war that were left behind by the Khmer Rouge regime 30 years ago remain a grave danger to the civilian population in Cambodia. Since the end of the regime over 60,000 Cambodians have been killed or maimed by landmines. The government with the support of international donors has embarked [...]
The cost of providing maternity benefits to women in Asia is less than the overall cost to society if those payments are not made, according to the International Labour Organization. The ILO says currently only 12 per cent of Asian countries are complying with internationally agreed standards on maternity protection. Daniel Dickinson caught up with [...]
Women ambassadors who serve on the United Nations Security Council have the responsibility to open the door for other women to follow in their steps. That's according to Maria Cristina Perceval, the Permanent Representative of Argentina, who is one of five female ambassadors currently serving on the Council. It's the first time there have been [...]
Africa has made progress on maternity protection rights over the last two decades but more needs to be done to ensure women receive the benefits they deserve, according to the International Labour Organization. The ILO is calling is calling for a greater role for the government in providing cash pay-outs when women take time off [...]
Around one million people are expected to benefit from emergency health and nutrition projects following the award of over $19 million to a newly-established Common Humanitarian Fund for Afghanistan. The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA said the Fund will enable relief workers to respond quickly to emergencies and improve services for those with the most urgent [...]
An estimated 94,000 newborn deaths from malaria were averted in the three years leading up to 2012 following more intensive preventative treatment, according to a new report. The Roll Back Malaria Partnership, which was created by four UN agencies, says that interventions during pregnancy and the use of insecticide treated nets have improved the survival [...]
Saudi Arabia has come under sharp criticism from the UN Human Rights office over the arrest, trial and detention of human rights defenders. This comes in the wake of the trial and conviction of Waleed Abu Al-Khair who was sentenced to 15 years in jail for allegedly inciting public opinion against the state and undermining [...]
Refugees who have fled fighting in Syria and the communities that are hosting them in Lebanon urgently need "additional assistance", according to the top UN envoy to the country. The number of refugees fleeing from Syria into neighbouring Lebanon surpassed one million in April stretching local resources to what that UN has described as a [...]
New and critical information on trends in urbanization and city growth has been released in a report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The 2014 World Urbanization Prospects report launched one day before World Population Day covers 233 countries and territories. The paper, issued every two years, provides new and updated [...]
Gaza is on "knife-edge" and the deteriorating situation is leading to a downward spiral which could quickly get beyond anyone's control. That's what the UN Secretary-General told the press regarding what he called the "volatile" situation in the Middle East. A new wave of violence has engulfed the Gaza, southern Israel and the West Bank [...]
Israel's construction of a wall to separate the country from the occupied Palestinian territory severely restricts Palestinian movement, cuts off land and access to resources for development. That's what Oscar Fernández-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs said during a special meeting to mark the tenth anniversary of the UN World Court's ruling on the illegality [...]
The food security situation in Somalia is expected to deteriorate over next 6 months, according to the UN humanitarian office, OCHA. The agency says the availability of food will decline due to a combination of late and erratic seasonal rains, rising food prices and ongoing insecurity. Currently, 2.9 million people are food insecure and 50,000 [...]
More than 200 civilians have been reportedly killed in northern Yemen, including women and children, according to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country. Mr Johannes Van Der Klaauw has expressed "extreme alarm" over the recent escalation of the conflict in the city of Amran. Over the past few days, violence has displaced thousands of [...]
The number of civilians killed or wounded in Afghanistan has risen by 25 per cent in the first six months of 2014, according to a report by the UN mission in the country UNAMA. The report reveals that the increase was caused by intensified fighting near populated areas. The rise in violence comes ahead of [...]
A simple rack for drying fish is changing the lives of women in Burundi for the better. Before the introduction of the racks by the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2004, a large proportion of the fish caught in Lake Tanganyika along the shores of Burundi was wasted. That impacted both the livelihoods of local [...]
An attack by Islamic militants on the Presidential compound in Mogadishu, known as Villa Somalia, has been condemned by the UN Special Envoy to the country. It is the latest in a series of assaults by Al Shabaab against Somalia's political institutions. And it comes after a failed raid against Parliament on 5 July. Mr [...]
Every year more than one million people in China die as a result of tobacco-related illness, according to the World Health Organization's Director-General. Margaret Chan made the remarks as she concluded an official visit to the country on Wednesday. She urged China to take urgent action to strengthen its tobacco control policies to reduce deaths [...]
Kuwait has donated $9.5 million to the United Nations humanitarian response plan in Iraq. The UN Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos has welcomed the contribution saying it will help the humanitarian community in Iraq scale up relief efforts to provide aid to displaced families and host communities. The latest upsurge in violence [...]
The number of Afghan civilians killed or wounded in the country's armed conflict has risen by a quarter in the first half of 2014, according to a report by the UN Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA. Between January and June this year, 4,853 civilians casualties were documented, up from about 3,900 casualties over the same period [...]
Refugee children in Africa are facing what has been described as a "catastrophic nutrition situation" following a cut in food rations. The UN has warned that funding difficulties, compounded by security and logistical problems in some countries, have forced cuts in food rations for nearly 800,000 refugees in nine African countries. It could worsen already [...]
The people of South Sudan are plagued by "hunger, disease and insecurity" three years after gaining independence from Sudan. That's according to the UN Secretary-General. Ban Ki-moon has urged the leaders of Africa's newest nation to live up to the expectations of their people and end what he called "a man-made crisis." Conflict broke out [...]
The recent multiple rocket attacks by militants on Israel from the Gaza Strip have been condemned by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Israeli-Palestinian violence has flared in the wake of the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank in late June. The subsequent killing of a Palestinian teenager from East Jerusalem [...]
A decision made by the African Union to consider deploying a regional security force to address the threat of Boko Haram has been welcomed by the UN Special Envoy for West Africa. Said Djinnit made the remarks on Tuesday as he briefed the Security Council on the activities of the United Nations Office for West [...]
A UN Radio journalist imagines the year 2000 in a report from 1975. Explore his predictions on such topics as economics, population and food. Language: English Genre: Report 1975 Duration: 14’40″
This programme describes the challenges arising from the population growth in the 20th century for alimentation and nutrition. Language: English Genre: Report 1957 Duration: 14’30″
The investigation of ballots from more than 7,000 polling stations in Afghanistan has been urged by the UN mission in the country, UNAMA. It follows the publication of initial results of elections which are being challenged by presidential contender, Abdullah Abdullah. Mr Abdullah, who has repeated claims that the election process was fraudulent, faced Ashraf [...]
Concern has been raised by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) over the increasing number of asylum seekers who are being deported from countries where they are hoping for refuge. In the past week, there have been reports of asylum seekers being deported from Sudan, Australia and Thailand. UNHCR says the trend is worrying as some [...]
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have joined forces to tackle the increasing risks to human health posed by weather and climate hazards such as extreme temperatures, floods, droughts and tropical cyclones. The organizations have established a Climate and Health office to promote the development and use of climate services [...]
The number of migrants who have died in the Mediterranean sea trying to reach Europe this year, has reached 500 according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. On Monday, the Libyan coast guard informed UNHCR that it had recovered 12 bodies from a boat accident believed to have occurred on Sunday. Among the victims of [...]
More than 145,000 Syrian refugee families in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan are headed by women, according to a report released by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR. The report "Woman Alone" says they face what it calls "a lone fight for survival." The women are, according to the report, forced to take sole responsibility for [...]
As the football World Cup reaches its climax in Brazil, the value of sport in bringing people together is being recognised by the United Nations. In Kosovo, the UN Mission, UNMIK, is highlighting the link between sport and peace with a number of activities. The goal is to promote reconciliation, build confidence, and foster peace [...]
Many Pakistani families displaced in Afghanistan's Khost and Paktika provinces are urgently in need of food according to the UN Refugee Agency or UNHCR. Military operations in Pakistan's North Waziristan region had forced an estimated 95,000 people to flee Afghanistan. Many of them had arrived across the border with few possessions and host communities in [...]
The United Nations has released what it has described as "the most up-to-date global scorecard" on poverty eradication. The 2014 Report on Millennium Development Goals (or MDGs) charts progress on the eight poverty reduction targets which were agreed by world leaders ahead of the year 2000. The deadline for the attainment of the MDGs is [...]
A suicide attack on the Somali parliament building in Mogadishu has been condemned by the top UN envoy to the country. The suicide-bombing on Saturday which reportedly killed four people has been blamed on the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, said the group had bombed, assassinated [...]
Social exclusion and discrimination are among the "greatest obstacles to progress" in reducing poverty according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Ban Ki-moon made the comments as he launched the 2014 Millennium Development Goals or MDG Report. The MDGs are a set of internationally agreed poverty reduction targets, the deadline for which is next [...]
The UN refugee agency UNHCR has expressed concern over the deportation of 41 Sri Lankan asylum seekers from Australia. A further 153 asylum seekers also from Sri Lanka have had their deportation blocked by the Australian High Court. UNHCR says it had been informed by authorities in Australia that enhanced screening procedures had been applied [...]
A pledging conference to support global education has recently raised a record $ 28.5 billion from both donor and developing countries. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) held its second Replenishment Pledging Conference in Brussels, the capital of Belgium on 25 and 26 June. The additional funds will help increase education resources for tens of [...]
Despite international consensus on the need for the elimination of discrimination against women in the field of education, an estimated 35 million girls are still unable to attain the education they require, according to the UN Human Rights chief. Ms Navi Pillay says entrenched patriarchal systems and harmful gender stereotypes coupled with the lack of [...]
The vulnerability of countries to the threat of nuclear terrorism is under the spotlight this week at the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Experts from around the world are discussing how nuclear forensic techniques can be used in the fight against illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive material. There are fears that this [...]
The global illegal trade in ivory, rhino horns and other endangered animal parts continues to accelerate but the trade is increasingly being driven by desire for wealth and luxury as opposed to their use in traditional medicine, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The organisation says the shift in demand [...]
Nepal has been urged by a group of UN human rights experts to amend new legislation which allows amnesties for people suspected of serious human rights violations. The legislation forms part of the legal basis of the new Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation. The Commission is tasked to inquire into the [...]
Ninety-two per cent of people who were living in camps following an earthquake which struck Haiti in January 2010 have found alternative accommodation, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). One and a half million Haitians were originally sheltering in temporary camps immediately following the earthquake which devastated the Caribbean nation. IOM says there [...]
At least 74 Eritrean asylum seekers have been forcibly removed from Sudan and sent back home according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. The group was deported back to Eritrea on Monday June 30. UNHCR says the asylum seekers had been convicted on charges of illegal entry into Sudan, but were not given access to [...]
The UN Human rights office says it has received numerous reports of civilian deaths as well as deliberate targeting of schools, water and electricity plants in parts of eastern Ukraine following the end of a ceasefire on June 30. The worst affected areas are Donetsk and Luhansk. A UN human rights monitoring team in the [...]
Ships operating in the North and South Poles will have to follow a mandatory international code of safety being developed by a UN agency. The Polar Code is being drafted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It covers all aspects of polar navigation for international shipping including design, construction, equipment, seafarer training, search and rescue [...]
People accommodated in UN camps after being displaced by the ongoing civil war in South Sudan are living in "very poor" sanitary conditions according to the United Nations mission in the country, UNMISS. Almost 100,000 displaced people or IDPs are currently sheltering in 10 UNMISS bases across South Sudan. In one camp in Bentiu town [...]
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, says it's "absolutely crucial" that funds are provided to support programmes for Syrian refugees. As the conflict in Syria continues, it's expected that the number of refugees in the region will reach 3.6 million by the end of the year. UNHCR fears the consequences of not funding programmes would be [...]
The setting of new UN goals for sustainable development has been described as a "wonderful challenge" and a unique opportunity to benefit the whole of humanity. The goals are set to replace existing poverty targets, the Millennium Development Goals or MGDs, the deadline for which is 2015. Member States of the UN are meeting in [...]
The murder of a Member of the Somali Federal Parliament in Mogadishu has been condemned by the UN's top envoy in the country. Mohamed Mohamud 'Hayd' and a security officer were shot and killed as they travelled in a vehicle in the Somali capital on Thursday morning. A parliamentary official accompanying them was also injured. [...]
Having a woman in charge of one of the larger United Nations peacekeeping operations with a significant military component is important, according to South Sudan's UN envoy. Completing her three year term in office, Ms Hilde Johnson says it helps to show that a woman can take on difficult challenges on an equal footing as [...]
Iraq is facing serious food security concerns following the recent escalation of conflict in the country, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has warned. Over one million people have fled their homes in the last six months disrupting the harvesting of wheat and barley crops. In total, two million Iraqis are now displaced within the [...]
Lower prices on the international market for wheat and maize have helped to drive down the Food and Agriculture Organization's monthly Food Price Index. The FAO Index is based on the prices of a basket of internationally-traded food commodities. In June, it averaged 206 points, down 1.8 per cent on prices for May and 2.8 [...]
The humanitarian situation of Syrian refugees is likely to worsen in the coming months as aid agencies struggle to raise enough funds to meet growing needs according to the UN Refugee agency UNHCR. The agency says the number of refugees from Syria in the region is projected to reach 3.6 million by the end of [...]
A global strategy aimed at helping countries move away from the detention of asylum seekers, refugees and stateless people has been launched by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR. The agency says that the detention of asylum-seekers and refugees has become routine in a number of countries and has serious lasting effects on individuals and families. [...]
Efforts made by the United Nations and many others to prevent a political crisis in South Sudan from taking "a violent turn" have failed. That's what Hilde Johnson, the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said as her three-year term in office approached its end. Government forces have been battling rebels loyal [...]
A new framework to eliminate tuberculosis or TB in countries with low levels of the disease has been launched by the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization says that there are 33 countries and territories around the world where there are fewer than 100 TB cases per million people. They include the United States, Canada, [...]
The sustainable revolution is here and forests will play a key role in supplying sustainable material. That is the view of Alicja Kacprzak, the Forestry Officer at the joint UNECE and FAO Forestry and Timber Section. Not only can wood be used as a sustainable fuel, plastics, clothes and even chemicals can be created from [...]
People in Haiti are being trained to build earthquake-resistant houses following the disaster that hit the country in 2010 leaving over a million homeless. A joint project by the government and the International Labour Organization (ILO) has set out to rebuild 16 neighborhoods and re-house displaced people living in six camps, This project in the [...]
Teachers, students, and education and human rights experts from around the world are gathering in Geneva to discuss how to ensure that girls and women have access to education. The discussion will feed into the work of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the recommendations it will make to States [...]
One point three billion tonnes of food are wasted worldwide each year according to a report being launched at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The Food Losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems, report reveals that globally around one-third of food produced is lost or wasted along the food chain, [...]
The abduction and killing of a Palestinian child in East Jerusalem has been condemned by the United Nations Secretary-General. The murder comes just days after the bodies of three abducted Israeli teenagers, were found. Media reports quoted Palestinian sources as saying it was a revenge attack for the murder of the three Israelis. Ban Ki-moon [...]
Record number of women serve on the UN Security Council. A total of five female ambassadors are serving throughout the year, four as rotating members of the Council and one, the US ambassador, as a permanent member. Sylvie Lucas is the Ambassador of Luxembourg. Elizabeth Philip asked her about her first one-month stint as President [...]
The families of victims of the Ebola virus in West Africa are being urged by the World Health Organization (WHO) to avoid traditional mourning practices. More than 450 people have died from the disease since March this year in three West African countries, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Ebola which kills 90 per cent of [...]
Sri Lanka has been urged by three United Nations human rights experts to stop the promotion of racial and faith-based hatred and violence against Muslim and Christian communities. More than 350 violent attacks against Muslims and over 150 attacks against Christians have been reported in Sri Lanka in the last two years. The UN Human [...]
United Nations humanitarian operations in Iraq have received a boost following a donation of US $500 million from the government of Saudi Arabia. Valerie Amos, United Nations Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said the funds will enable a rapid scale up of efforts to prevent the spread of diseases and support displaced families with [...]
Food distribution programmes for over 570,000 refugees in Ethiopia may grind to a halt in the next three months due to lack of sufficient donor support, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). The organisation says it urgently needs to raise US $50 million to fund its food aid programme in Ethiopia to the [...]
Health experts are meeting in Ghana to devise what is being described as a "strong response" to a continuing outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa. New cases and deaths attributable to the disease have been reported in three West African countries, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In the last week of June, [...]
Indigenous people in Thailand are fighting for access to ancestral lands in an attempt to preserve their culture and ensure a future for their children. There are over one million indigenous people who live in the hills of northern and western Thailand. Much of the land in those regions is now off-limits following a decision [...]
The UN Secretary-General has said he is following with "grave concern" reports of renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has been in turmoil since February when its president was forcibly removed from power after months of political unrest. A unilateral cease-fire was declared on 20 June by Ukraine’s new President, Petro Poroshenko, in order to [...]
A Ghanaian general has been appointed by the UN Secretary-General as the Chief Military Observer and Head of Mission for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). Major General Delali Johnson Sakyi succeeds Major General Young-Bum Choi of the Republic of Korea, who completed his two-year assignment on 16 June. With [...]
Five countries have been highlighted in a United Nations report as the setting for "grave violations" against children. The Secretary-General's annual report on children and armed conflict emphasize incidents in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Syria, as well as Nigeria and Iraq. The report lists armed groups and armed forces that kill or [...]
Two United Nations aid agencies have appealed for US $225 million to provide adequate food aid to refugees in Africa. Up to a million refugees supported by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and the UN World food programme are living on less than half of their daily food needs. Lack of adequate funding, growing insecurity [...]
Efforts made by the United Nations and many others to prevent a political crisis within South Sudan's leadership from taking "a violent turn" have failed. That's what Hilde Johnson, the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said as her three-year term in office comes to an end. Government forces have been battling [...]
A list of "top ten" food-borne parasites has been released by the United Nations on Tuesday in order to reduce the risk of global infections. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) are focusing on the parasites with the greatest global impact. Pork tapeworm made the top of [...]
Nearly a million refugees in Africa face alarming food shortages as United Nations aid agencies struggle to raise funds to meet growing food aid needs. The UN refugee agency UNHCR and the UN World Food Programme(WFP) have already began cutting daily food rations a situation they say is critical especially for refugee children many of [...]
A list of the most dangerous food-borne parasites drawn up by two UN agencies, could help prevent what have been called "debilitating" diseases. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), have published a “Top Ten” list of parasites and are preparing guidelines on how to control their transmission. The [...]
Politicians in Iraq have been urged by the top United Nations envoy in the country to elect a Speaker for the Council of Representatives, the Iraqi Parliament. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov, expressed his regret that the newly elected Council was not able to reach an agreement on naming [...]
The murder of three Israeli teenagers abducted in mid-June in the West Bank, has been strongly condemned by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. According to media sources, the Israeli military found three bodies northwest of Hebron on Monday. Israel reportedly launched more than 30 air strikes on the Occupied Palestinian Territory overnight into Tuesday. Mr [...]
Over 2,400 Iraqi's were killed during the month of June in acts of terrorism and violence, according to the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). The death toll includes 1,531 civilians and over 800 members of the Iraqi security forces. Baghdad was the worst affected governorate with over 1,000 civilian casualties. The UN Human rights [...]
A report detailing grave violations committed against children in 23 countries is being released at the United Nations on Tuesday. The Secretary-General's annual report on children and armed conflict contains incidents reported in countries including Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, Nigeria and the Central African Republic. It lists armed groups and armed forces that kill or [...]
A new training institute is opening up in Mauritius by the International Monetary Fund or IMF to help African governments to face new policy challenges as they develop. Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa now have a sustained growth of about 5-6 per cent growth because of sound economic policies, debt relief, stronger institutions and high [...]
