United Nations Radio

UN Calling Asia - a weekly magazine programme, in English, that keeps you in touch with UN developments covering Asia and the Pacific.

Li Baodong, China's ambassador to the UN

China was one of several nations this week presenting progress reports to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. It's a process that all 192 Member States of the UN will undergo every four years as part of the Council's Universal Periodic Review. China's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Li Baodong headed the country's 15-member delegation. He says that since China's reform and opening up in 1978, nearly 250 laws relating to the protection of human rights have been enacted.

IMF launches economic outlook for Asia and the Globe

World Economic Outlook

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) presented its forecast for Asia in early February. According to the IMF, average growth at the global level is close to zero, and it is predicting "strong negative growth" for industrialized nations at minus two percent. However emerging economies-including those in Asia-could see growth of around 3.3 per cent in 2009. The IMF also calls for rebuilding confidence in the international finance sector.

Indian women's group stresses the need for decent work on World Social Justice Day

World Day of Social Justice

The UN has declared February 20th as the first-ever World Day of Social Justice. The UN believes tackling poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion are three core areas for social development, and the annual event will draw attention to this issue. Renana Jhabvala, national coordinator of the Self Employed Women's Association in India, spoke at the official launch of the World Day of Social Justice held at UN Headquarters in New York. She says the majority of the world's people remain marginalized because they lack decent work

Producer: Dianne Penn
Production Assistant: Beng Poblete-Enriquez
duration: 14'00"