More than a billion people around the world smoke, even though most know it can kill you. In fact, half of all smokers will die from their habit. Uruguay is a small country that’s taking big steps to stop the epidemic. 31 May is World No Tobacco Day. UNTV
Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar, Foreign Minister of Somalia, and Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN special envoy for Somalia, hold press conferences on the situation in the country. UNTV
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Hilde Johnson visits Myanmar one year after Cyclone Nargis, making a strong appeal to donors to finance the people of Myanmar’s recovery efforts, especially on issues of housing, livelihoods and income generation. UNICEF
At a solemn observance of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon notes that in 2008 the highest number of fatalities in the history of UN peacekeeping was recorded – a “terrible milestone”. UN missions around the world mark the Day with ceremonies and parades. UNTV / UNIFIL / [...]
James Barnett experienced the war in his native Sierra Leone and the UN’s efforts to bring peace. Now he finds himself deployed as a UN Volunteer at MONUC’s forward operating base in remote Dungu, part of an overall effort to secure and assist the populace against LRA attacks. MONUC
Jo Turner is an Australian Federal Police Officer who works as the head of the Vulnerable Persons Unit in the UN Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT). An experienced police officer in her home country, she supports the local police in reaching out to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. UNMIT
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers will be marked on 29 May with a special focus on women peacekeepers, as the United Nations tries to move towards gender equity in its ranks. UNTV / UNAMID / UNMIT / ONUCI / UNMIL / MONUC
John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, to launch a revised humanitarian response plan for Pakistan. UNTV
Maxwell Gaylard, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and UN Coordinator for humanitarian and development activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, provides a humanitarian update on the situation in Gaza. UNTV
UNICEF’s South Asian Regional Director, Dan Toole, makes an on-the-ground assessment of the situation of children in Afghanistan, meeting with government officials, donors, members of the UN family and NGO partners before heading down to the eastern province of Nangarhar. UNICEF
Turning down a request from Belgium, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accepts the assurances of Senegal that it will monitor former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre, who is under house arrest there. Habre is wanted under Belgium’s universal jurisdiction laws for torture and crimes against humanity. ICJ
The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has voiced concern about a series of major demolitions of homes and businesses by the state government in Juba that has left thousands of people homeless and without shelter. UNMIS
The Human Rights Council winds up its special session on Sri Lanka by adopting a resolution acknowledging the commitment of the Sri Lankan government to provide access to humanitarian agencies “as appropriate” to ensure assistance to people affected by the just concluded conflict, and urging the government to continue strengthening its activities to ensure there [...]
The UN revises its previous forecast and predicts a steeper economic decline of 2.6 percent for 2009. Launching the mid-year report “World Economic Situation and Prospects 2009″ Rob Vos, Director of the Development Policy and Analysis Division at Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) says that “nearly the whole world has ended up in [...]
Nestled in a small crook of land, surrounded by the Israeli-constructed barrier, sits the community of Jbara, home to nearly 300 people. For the first time since the barrier enclosed this community in 2002, UNICEF has been able to arrange a long-awaited visit from health workers. It builds upon work with the Ministry of Health [...]
Col Ranbir is in charge of securing the Kiwanja and Rutshuru areas of North Kivu, scene of some of the heaviest fighting late last year, as well as a massacre of civilians by rebel militia. Short of troops and with a large area to cover, he devised a proactive cellphone and radio network to stay [...]
Nepal is connecting remote villages to the rest of the globe with a network of all-weather roads financed with the help of the World Bank with the aim of providing greater access to schools and markets. WORLD BANK
The five candidates standing for election to become the next IAEA Director General, present themselves to an informal meeting of the IAEA’s member states in Vienna, Austria. IAEA
Lynn Pascoe, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, briefs on the Secretary-General’s recent trip to Sri Lanka. UNTV
As the UN Human Rights Council starts a special session on Sri Lanka, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay calls for an independent investigation into alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the recent conflict. UNTV
WFP is streaming critically needed food assistance to the more than two million displaced persons fleeing renewed fighting in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. WFP
The numbers of people fleeing an anti-Taliban military offensive have risen dramatically in recent days. Pakistani authorities are now reporting that more than 2.38 million people have been uprooted. This number is being re-verified and could change. UNHCR
With no formal training in journalism, Susana Abuk Justin never dreamed of becoming a famous broadcaster. But her sensational voice and topical program on Miraya FM, the radio station of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), has made her a household name throughout southern Sudan. She embodies a new style of peace advocacy journalism, talking [...]
Many victims of the Darfur conflict are women suffering rape and other abuse, but these crimes often go unreported because of traditions and religious practices. Female police advisors like Lubasi Matakala from Zambia and Rashida Sultana from Bangladesh, who serve with the United Nations Africa Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID), are playing a major role [...]
Carla Maria Clausi is a doctor whose passion for sports and love of adventure first drew her into the Brazilian army 13 years ago. As a medical officer for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), treating victims of accidents and domestic abuse, delivering babies, and rescuing children from collapsed buildings are all in a [...]
Sophie Lafillastre, a French policewoman serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), supports local police recruits and helps secure the border with the Dominican Republic against trafficking in people, fire arms and drugs. She says her stint in Haiti has taught her to, “work with little or no resources and to be humble [...]
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Martin Bell visits Bossaso on the northern coast of Somalia, where some 40,000 IDPs have fled as fighting in the South intensifies. UNICEF is supporting schools and protection services in the camp. UNICEF
UNICEF Regional Director Dan Toole visits Jalala Camp in Marden, where 11,000 displaced families are taking refuge from the violence in the northwest of the country. Two million people are now displaced and UNICEF and the government are seeking additional international aid to prevent a humanitarian crisis. UNICEF
Following the issuance of a press statement by the Security Council on Myanmar, the United Kingdom and United States comment on the situation relating to the imprisonment of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. UNTV
In northwest Pakistan, major displacement continues – with more than 1.7 million people now registered by local authorities. About 200,000 are staying in camps and the rest are staying in public buildings or with host families or with relatives. UNHCR
The Juba Central Prison opens its gates to laughter by welcoming clown performances as a means of a healing process for convicts. This rare show by three clowns who have been traveling the world, left many of the juvenile convicts amused and light hearted. UNMIS
Grace Githinji is rebuilding her life, growing spinach, cabbages and corn on a small farm, after her house was burnt down in the violence following Kenya’s disputed election in 2007. A new government report released today says the post-election violence, along with the global financial crisis and high energy costs, pushed economic growth in Kenya [...]
Sudan’s Central Bureau of Statistics releases the census results marking a milestone in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the North and the South in 2005. However, the southern partners to the 2005 peace deal have dismissed the results on the grounds that the figures for the south of do not meet the expected one [...]
More than 2,000 people in one small village near Leogane Haiti now have access to drinking water after a local NGO tapped 17 streams and piped the water to public faucets in eleven communities in the surrounding area. MINUSTAH
The World Health Organization says the death rate of children under five has dropped by 27 percent globally since 1990. This is the WHO’s first progress report on Millennium Development Goal #4, which calls for a reduction in child mortality. FILE
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy says that the UN has not only Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo but 16 other peacekeeping operations that are clearly making the difference for thousands of civilians. UNTV / FILE
Fighting between government forces and militants in northwestern Pakistan continues, forcing a massive exodus from the Swat valley. The population of displaced grows daily – more than half of the homeless are children. UNICEF
Hip-hop pioneer and renowned celebrity Russell Simmons is confirmed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Permanent Memorial at the United Nations to honor the victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. UNTV
The team named by the Human Rights Council to look into alleged human rights violations during the conflict in Gaza at the beginning of the year may hold public hearings on the question.
Russia and Georgia conclude a round of talks discussing both security and humanitarian issues. UNTV
A Security Council delegation meets with Congolese President Joseph Kabila during a two-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UN ambassadors also visited a hospital that cares for victims of sexual violence in North Kivu province, and met women and children in Kiwanja, where more than 150 people were killed in November 2008 [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the world must remain vigilant in the face of the A (H1N1) virus. Addressing the World Health Assembly, he noted there were still many unanswered questions about the new virus. “We do not yet know how far and how fast it will spread, how serious the illnesses will be and indeed [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon goes to Sri Lanka on Friday for an on-the spot assessment of the situation following the reported end to hostilities between government forces and Tamil separatists in the north of the island. He told a news conference in Geneva that he was relieved by the conclusion of the military operation, but was [...]
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says multilateralism is needed to tackle the food, energy and economic crises plaguing the world. Addressing the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, he calls for a new multilateralism “where cooperation replaces confrontation and creativity replaces stalemate”. UNTV
Speaking at the high-level consultation on pandemic influenza A(H1N1), WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan says obtaining reliable information on the different aspects of the influenza A(H1N1) infection is critical to make informed decisions on how to manage the outbreak and prepare for a possible global pandemic. WHO
Speaking at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, GA President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann says that “despite significant progress” indigenous peoples continue to suffer marginalization and human rights violations that threaten their ways of life and “their very survival.” UNTV
JEM rebel leader Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, who is suspected of having committed war crimes in Darfur appears before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Abu Garda is charged with three war crimes allegedly committed during an attack on 29 September 2007 against the Haskanita military site of the African Union Peacekeeping Mission (AMIS) in North [...]
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes says that now that the fighting seems to be over in Sri Lanka, the key questions will be resettlement of IDPs and how fast any kind of reconciliation process can start. UNTV
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says that stigma, discrimination and violence against homosexuals threaten efforts to fight the HIV epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean. The International Day Against Homophobia was observed worldwide on Sunday. PAHO
Of the 10,000 peacekeeping troops stationed in Liberia 250are female. Military officials say the women soldiers have become vital to that mission’s success. A day in the life of Ghanaian Sergeant Dora Dordoye sheds light on how women are changing the character of peacekeeping. UNMIL
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to attend a celebration marking Vesak Day (Buddha’s birthday) at UN headquarters. UNTV
The Security Council condemns the recent renewal in fighting in Somalia led by Al-Shabaab and other extremists, which constituted an attempt to remove the legitimate Transitional Federal Government there, and demanded that opposition groups immediately end their offensive, put down their arms, renounce violence and join reconciliation efforts.
UNICEF and the Chinese government have set up 40 child friendly centers around the Sichuan earthquake zone, providing safe, protective environments where children can interact and develop through play and creative expression. UNICEF
In the face of climate change, the UN is calling for urgent action if a potentially catastrophic increase in the risks and impacts of natural disasters is to be avoided. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will speak at the launch of the 2009 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction on Sunday (17 May) in Bahrain. ISDR
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon receives the final report on the Commission on Climate Change and Development. The document looks at the links between development and climate change and highlights the importance of adaptation. UNTV / FILE
In a country of drivers and motorcycle riders, the city of Marikina in the Philippines is building a bike path to get commuters’ feet off the accelerator and onto the pedals. Biking to work and school is on the rise, and it’s all because of a new and safe place to ride. WORLD BANK
Through a partnership with the European Commission, UNICEF is seeking to reduce the risks posed by natural and man-made disasters in Uzbekistan. More than 300 schools in 36 vulnerable communities are now working to assess and mitigate the risks of disasters and to develop ways they can respond. UNICEF
The World Health Organization (WHO) donates more than one million antiviral tablets to Mexico for combating the influenza A (H1N1) virus. PAHO
As the worst fighting for months rages in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, the foreign minister in Somalia’s four-month old transitional government, Muhammad Abdullahi Omar tells the UN Security Council that “we will not be dislodged”. UNTV
Addressing the GA’s thematic debate on human trafficking, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says some liken human trafficking to modern day slavery and call for a new abolitionist movement. UNTV
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon poses with a cutout of himself, which is part of the many new features recently added to the headquarters tour route. UNTV
The United States, China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Djibouti are among the newly elected countries on the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council. This is the first time the U.S. has held a seat on the Council following a decision by the Obama administration to reverse its predecessor’s policy of boycotting the body. UNTV
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes reiterates calls for more humanitarian access to northern Sri Lanka where fifty thousand people are reportedly trapped in fighting between government troops and the rebel Tamil Tigers. UNTV
Since the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) first began in Mexico at the end of April, the demand for tests and diagnosis in Mexican laboratories has increased dramatically. The private health sector and government laboratories are working 24 hours, seven days a week, in order to keep up. PAHO
One year on and the impact of last year’s Sichuan earthquake can still be felt in Xihe county, some 300 kilometers from the epicenter. The 250 students at Caoyang Primary School now study in temporary classrooms. They are one of over six thousand school buildings damaged beyond repair. UNICEF
Addressing a ministerial meeting in the Security Council on the Middle East, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that after the inconclusive results of last year’s negotiations, and the bloodshed in Gaza, the last three months witnessed almost no progress on the two key resolutions recently adopted by the Security Council- 1850 and 1860. UNTV
United Kingdom’s Secretary of State David Milliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner speak to the press on the latest developments in Sri Lanka. Intense fighting has been reported over the weekend with a heavy toll on civilians, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives and more injuries. UNTV
How countries manage spent fuel and radioactive waste is under the spotlight at a review meeting opening today (11 May) at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria. IAEA
Captain Alamu serves with the Indian battalion of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), where she says the local army and police have had some difficulty adjusting to a female of rank. The youngest daughter in her family, Captain Alamu joined the army as a way of carving an un-traditional [...]
The UN Security Council unanimously condemned ongoing military incursions in eastern Chad by armed groups “coming from outside”.
The world’s top diplomats and experts are gathering in New York for a series of meetings and events of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). UNTV / IAEA
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) opens a new office in Tarin Kowt, the provincial capital of Uruzgan in southern Afghanistan. The new office will play a key role in coordinating humanitarian efforts, supporting local government and monitoring human rights issues. UNAMA
Jakarta Indonesia may be the city most vulnerable to climate change in South East Asia. A regional mapping study found a combination of factors, including high population-density and frequent exposure to extreme weather, to weigh heavily in determining Jakarta’s ranking. UNTV
Actor and UN Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas takes part in a panel discussion on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The world’s top diplomats and experts are gathering here in New York this week to work on strengthening the NPT and global security. UNTV
UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen tells the Security Council that while the political stability of Lebanon has continued to improve, the ongoing armed posture of Hizbollah and Palestinian militia groups hampers government control of the country. UNTV / UNIFIL
At an event in observance of World Press Freedom Day, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that at a time of economic crisis and other serious threats, it is crucial to support a free and independent media so that people can better understand the events that shape their lives, and the choices they face. UNTV
Estela Gonzalez is one of dozens of mothers from Asuncion, Paraguay who showed up to have her children vaccinated as part of Vaccination Week in the Americas. Emphasis this year is on reminding people that getting vaccinated is a family affair. UNICEF
On a visit to Khartoum, United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes receives assurances from Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Hassabo Abdel Rahaman that the country “will welcome any new NGOs” to replace the 13 international aid organizations that Sudan expelled in early March. UNMIS
Model and philanthropist Christie Brinkley participates on a panel for nuclear non-proliferation. Dozens of “Mayors of Hiroshima” present a stack of boxes with nearly 500,000 signatures and a progress report to UN High Representative Sergio Duarte. The report is a proposed protocol complementary to the NPT, which envisions a nuclear-weapon-free world by 2020. UNTV
Director of WHO’s Vaccine Research Initiative Dr Marie- Paule Kieny says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan will meet with heads of major pharmaceutical companies in Geneva on 19 May to discuss equitable access to H1N1vaccine, once production gets underway. UNTV
Israeli President Shimon Peres calls the Report of the Board of Inquiries on Gaza “outrageous” and says that it will never be accepted by the Israeli government. UNTV
A massive effort is under way to vaccinate 30 million people in 44 countries and territories in the Western Hemisphere. The campaign began in Paraguay with a kickoff of events in the South American Chaco region during the seventh annual Vaccination Week in the Americas. UNICEF
A new report released this week by Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict says that the UN Security Council should move swiftly to protect the tens of thousands of children in Myanmar who are raped, abducted and recruited as soldiers by the Myanmar armed forces and non-state armed groups. UNTV
US Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller says that the United States strongly encourages the membership of India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea into the Non-proliferation Treaty regime. UNTV
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that after submitting a summary of the report of the Board of Inquiries regarding incidents involving UN personnel during the recent Gaza conflict to the Security Council, he has no intention of any further inquiries and any other incidents will be dealt in a case by case basis. UNTV
Former child soldier Emmanuel Jal – who has now dedicated his life to rebuilding his country block by block – is on a five-day Africa tour to Sudan and Kenya, where he expects to raise huge sums of money to help reach a 300,000-dollar target – for a school in Southern Sudan. UNMIS
Through a six-million dollar programme, UNICEF and the European Commission are helping Uzbekistan’s hospitals and health workers to attain modern international standards in maternal and new born care. UNICEF
UN System Coordinator for Influenza David Nabarro says that preparation for a potential bird flu pandemic back in 2005 has proven to be very helpful in dealing with a possible influenza A (H1N1) pandemic should it happen. UNTV
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin announces that Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will chair a debate on the Middle East on 11 May, aiming to give a “new impetus” for peace prospects in the region. He also comments on North Korea, and the threat of military force against Iran by Israel. UNTV
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that the U.N. has no plans to raise the global alert level on the influenza A (H1N1) virus to Phase 6 at this time, while stressing the need for vigilance and preparedness as the outbreak continues to evolve. UNTV
At a recent meeting in Bangkok, ministers from across the Asia-Pacific region discussed how to keep the economic crisis from becoming a food crisis for millions of its people. One shared concern was that political unrest could spread across the region if governments are not able to ensure the food security of their citizens. UNTV
With HIV/AIDS rampant in South Africa, and only a minority of people having access to anti-retroviral drugs, quackery has become mainstream in the country, offering miracle cures like aloe-based products and ozone rectal therapy. UNTV / E-HEALTH NEWS
Every year during the dry season thousands of Misseriya cattle headers move their herds into the Abyei area in search of water and pasture. Tensions have increased between the nomads and local Dinka people, after clashes in Abyei between Sudanese government forces and the SPLA killed almost 100 people last year. UNMIS
In Haiti, one NGO is using simple technology to increase crop yields and protect the environment. MINUSTAH
The Security Council is expected to review and renew the extension of the mission in Western Sahara. The review could exclude a human rights component in the mission’s mandate. UNTV
The World Health Organization refutes charges by Mexican health officials that WHO had been slow in responding to reports about the new virus. UNTV