LATEST NEWS
Gwenn Dubourthoumieu/UNMAS
Civilians continue bear brunt of cluster munitions’ indiscriminate devastation, UN-backed report reveals
31 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Though 2017 saw a sharp decline in casualties as a result of the use of cluster munitions compared to the previous year, two conflicts – in Syria and Yemen – accounted for the vast majority of the victims, a new United Nations-backed civil society report has found.
Audio - 5'10" Playlist
UNODC
Development gains unsustainable without cyber-diplomacy, UN official says
31 August 2018
Economic Development
Hacking, child sexual exploitation and other cybercrimes could keep countries from reaching their development goals, warns a United Nations official who is urging Governments and private sectors to rethink how they work together.
UN OCHA
Food, security and peace desperately needed in Mali – UN deputy relief chief
31 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
A senior United Nations relief official has called for greater international attention to the plight of millions in Africa’s Mali, where worsening intercommunal violence and armed group attacks are complicating an already complex humanitarian emergency.
UNICEF/UN0219088/Modola
Act now to save children from rise in climate-driven extreme weather – UNICEF
31 August 2018
Climate Change
Governments are being pressed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to act now to safeguard younger generations from the immediate and long-term impacts of so-called “extreme weather events.”
© UNHCR/Bassam Diab
FROM THE FIELD: Living a life in the ruins of Syria
31 August 2018
Peace and Security
Many people in Syria are trying to lead “a normal life amidst the ruins” of their country devastated by years of conflict; that’s according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who visited the Syrian city of Douma this week.
UNHCR/Markel Redondo
Refugees overcrowded to ‘boiling point’ on Greek island, warns UN agency
31 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
The Government of Greece has been urged by the United Nations to do more to help thousands of asylum-seekers and migrants who have been “crammed” into island reception centres, amid reports that children have tried to take their own lives there.
UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz
Security Council extends mandate of UN Interim Force in Lebanon for a year
30 August 2018
Peace and Security
In a unanimous action, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the Organization’s peacekeeping mission in Lebanon until 31 August next year.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Guinea-Bissau: Upcoming elections vital to prevent ‘relapse’ into instability, says UN envoy
30 August 2018
Peace and Security
Highlighting the importance of the upcoming legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau, the top United Nations official in the country reiterated the importance of “far-reaching” reforms to prevent a relapse into political and institutional instability.
WHO CE.Onuekwe
Impressive African health gains at risk from changing trends: WHO report
30 August 2018
Health
Life expectancy across Africa has improved significantly, says a new United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) report released on Thursday, but national health systems must be improved to ensure that services get to the people who need them most.
WFP/Olivier Nkakudulu
UN food relief agency airlifts aid to DR Congo province hit by Ebola outbreak
30 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Emergency food aid is being delivered to people affected by the Ebola virus in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Thursday.
WFP/Hussam Al Saleh
UN envoy says he ‘is ready to go to Idlib’ to help ensure civilian safety amid rising fears of government offensive
30 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
A massive military escalation by the Government of Syria to retake Idlib risks a “worst case scenario”, United Nations negotiator Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
As conflicts become more complex, ‘mediation is no longer an option; it is a necessity’, UN chief tells Security Council
29 August 2018
Peace and Security
As war and the mediation of peace have become increasingly complex, innovative thinking is needed to save and improve the lives of millions, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday.
UNICEF
Syria: UN chief warns Idlib offensive may set off ‘humanitarian catastrophe’
29 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the growing risk of a humanitarian catastrophe should a full-scale military operation take place in Syria’s war-battered Idlib province.
Artículo 66
UN rights office calls for action to end ‘repression and retaliation’ in crisis-torn Nicaragua
29 August 2018
Human Rights
The United Nations on Wednesday called for urgent action to address the human rights crisis in Nicaragua, where “repression and retaliation against demonstrators continue … as the world looks away.”
CTBTO
Nuclear test ban treaty critical to global collective security – UN chief
29 August 2018
Peace and Security
Every effort should be made to bring a global treaty into force that prevents more countries from developing nuclear weapons, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said.
Audio - 15'57" Playlist
UNHCR/Catherine Wachiaya
Half the world’s refugee children not in school, UN agency finds
29 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
With more and more children forced to leave their homes, over half of the world’s school-aged refugees are now out of education, the United Nations refugee agency said in a new report released on Wednesday.
UNHCR/Andrew Mconnell
UN chief calls for Security Council to work with Myanmar to end ‘horrendous suffering’ of Rohingya refugees
28 August 2018
Peace and Security
Despite the efforts made by the United Nations over the past year to help create safeguards for all communities in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, it is clear that conditions are still not suitable for the safe, voluntary, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to their home, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday.
UNICEF/Mark Naftalin
As children in Ebola-affected areas of DR Congo head back to school, UNICEF ramps up support
28 August 2018
Health
As the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) gears up for the upcoming academic year – with some 250 schools in Ebola-affected health zones – the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is scaling up education; health and water; sanitation; and hygiene programmes to assist children and their teachers.
FAO/Sue Price
Deadly swine fever threatens Asia, UN agriculture agency warns, urging regional collaboration
28 August 2018
Health
The rapid onset of the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF) in China has been detected in areas a thousand kilometres apart – posing an imminent threat to other Asian countries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Tuesday.
UNICEF/Giovanni Diffidenti
UN Security Council urged to act against ‘worst-case scenario’ in Syria’s war-battered Idlib
28 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
A further escalation of violence in Syria’s Idlib governorate could create a humanitarian emergency “at a scale not yet seen through this crisis,” a senior United Nations aid official warned the Security Council on Tuesday.
UN OCHA/Giles Clarke
All sides in Yemen conflict could be guilty of war crimes, UN experts find
28 August 2018
Human Rights
Parties on both sides of the conflict in Yemen have perpetrated – and continue to perpetrate – possible war crimes and other violations with a “total disregard” for the suffering of millions of civilians, United Nations-appointed human rights investigators said on Tuesday.
Audio - 3'57" Playlist
World Bank/Simone D. McCourtie
International tourism arrivals hit record high in 2017, UN agency reports
27 August 2018
Economic Development
The number of people travelling abroad has hit its highest level since 2010, according to data from the Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a specialized agency of the United Nations.
UN/Loey Felipe
Respect for fundamental rights and freedoms key for peaceful polls in DRC – UN mission chief
27 August 2018
Peace and Security
Confidence and consensus around key issues are still required ahead of this year’s presidential and legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Security Council heard on Monday.
UNICEF/Aleksey Filippov
Lack of access to clean water, toilets puts children’s education at risk, says UN
27 August 2018
Culture and Education
Millions of children are going to school without basic hygiene facilities, and the goal of universal access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene remains “a huge challenge,” the United Nations warned on Monday
UNHCR/Roger Arnold
Myanmar military leaders must face genocide charges – UN report
27 August 2018
Human Rights
Top military commanders in Myanmar should be investigated and prosecuted for the “gravest” crimes against civilians under international law, including genocide, United Nations-appointed investigatorssaid on Monday.
UN Photo/Catianne Tijerina
UN condemns attack that leaves one ‘blue helmet’ dead in Central African Republic
25 August 2018
Peace and Security
Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the attack on 23 August by presumed anti-Balaka elements on the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) in which one peacekeeper from Burundi was killed.
MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko
UN Security Council welcomes results of Mali's presidential elections
24 August 2018
Peace and Security
The members of the Security Council on Friday welcomed the publication of the final results of the presidential polls in Mali, which saw the re-election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and insisted on the urgent need to accelerate the implementation of the peace agreement.
WHO-Eugene Kabambi
DR Congo: Ebola outbreak spreads to eastern ‘no-go’ zone surrounded by rebels
24 August 2018
Health
Rebel violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is escalating inside the vast country’s Ebola-hit North Kivu province, putting millions at risk, the United Nations refugee agency warned on Friday.
Audio - 4'27" Playlist
Giles Clarke/UN OCHA
UN agency chiefs condemn Saudi-coalition led air strike that killed dozens in western Yemen
24 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The UN humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, and the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta Fore, have condemned the deadly air strike in Hudaydah governorate, in western Yemen, that killed at least 26 children and four women on Thursday.
© UNFPA Bangladesh/Carly Learson
Rohingya emergency one year on: UN says thousands of lives saved, but challenges remain
24 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Significant progress has been made in protecting hundreds of thousands Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in the 12 months since they fled violence in Myanmar, but lives “will once again be at risk” if funding is not urgently secured, UN officials said on Friday.
WFP/Francisco Fion
Central America: drought, resulting crop losses threaten food security of two million people, UN warns
24 August 2018
Economic Development
Recent drought has led to the loss of some 280,000 hectares of beans and maize in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, potentially affecting the food and nutrition situation of more than two million people, two United Nations agencies warned on Friday.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Embrace ‘people-centered multilateralism,’ UN-civil society forum urges
23 August 2018
SDGs
Thursday afternoon, the 67th United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)/Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Conference concluded, pledging to “uplift those whose human rights are most under threat and to protect our planet by living in harmony with nature.”
© UNICEF/Gilbertson V
ISIL continues to pose a ‘serious challenge’ worldwide – UN counter-terror chief
23 August 2018
Peace and Security
Despite serious military setbacks, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) may still have around 20,000 fighters and is continuing its dangerous transformation into a covert global network, while focusing on the activities of its regional offshoots, the United Nations Security Council was told.
UNIC Mexico
Economy on a steady rise in Latin America and Caribbean region ‘despite international turbulence’ – UN report
23 August 2018
Economic Development
Amid external uncertainty and volatility, the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean will grow by an average of 1.5 per cent this year, thanks to a rebound in private consumption and a slight increase in investment, according to a United Nations flagship report issued on Thursday.
UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz
Remembering slave trade offers chance to raise awareness, ‘oppose all forms of modern slavery’ – UNESCO
23 August 2018
Culture and Education
On this 20th anniversary of the International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the United Nations is inviting the world to reflect on the legacy of slavery and remember to guard against racial prejudices, which continue to fuel everyday discrimination against people of African descent.
UNHCR/Sebastian Castañeda
Greater support needed for refugees and migrants from Venezuela – UN
23 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
As hundreds of Venezuelans continue to pour into neighbouring countries due to social and political upheaval at home, the heads of the United Nations refugee and migration agencies called for greater international support to meet the most basic needs of the displaced.
Audio - 4'6" Playlist
Audio Playlist
UNICEF/Patrick Brown
UNICEF warns of ‘lost generation’ of Rohingya youth, one year after Myanmar exodus
22 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The refugee crisis in Bangladesh sparked by the mass exodus of people from Myanmar almost a year ago risks creating a “lost generation” of Rohingya children who lack the life skills they will need in future, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.
UN News/Yasmina Guerda
Combat against devastating effects of tobacco can only be won ‘if the UN stands united’ – UN health official
22 August 2018
Health
United Nations agencies must join forces at the policy level and refuse interference from tobacco companies in their programmes so the destructive impact of tobacco can be effectively addressed and lives can be saved, the head of the UN tobacco control treaty watchdog (WHO FCTC Secretariat) told UN News on Wednesday.
Audio - 5'2" Playlist
Audio Playlist
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
‘Finding global solutions for global problems’ focus of UN-civil society forum
22 August 2018
SDGs
The 67th United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization (DPI/NGO) Conferencekicked off today at UN Headquarters in New York, with speeches affirming the importance of multilateralism, closer partnerships between the UN and civil society, and the role that young people have to play.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Humanitarian aid in Middle East should not be held hostage to politics – UN political chief
22 August 2018
Peace and Security
Recurring cycles of violence in the Middle East highlight the need for international efforts to prevent hostilities, provide humanitarian aid and support Palestinian reconciliation, the UN’s political chief told the Security Council on Wednesday.
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
UN remembers Kofi Annan: A leader who put people at the centre of the Organization’s work
22 August 2018
UN Affairs
Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was remembered on Wednesday as the embodiment of the global Organization that works to improve the lives of men and women worldwide.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
‘Stop and listen’ to victims of terrorism, UN chief urges in message marking international day
21 August 2018
Peace and Security
Recognizing the impact of terrorism on the lives of ordinary people worldwide is the focus of the first observance of an international day that honours victims and survivors.
OHCHR
UN chief welcomes event reuniting families on the Korean Peninsula
21 August 2018
Peace and Security
The decision to allow scores of people from the Republic of Korea (ROK) to reunite with their relatives north of the border has been welcomed by the UN Secretary-General.
OCHA/Ivo Brandau
Secretary-General repeats call for support to Lake Chad countries after latest Boko Haram attack
21 August 2018
Peace and Security
The recent killing of villagers in Nigeria’s Borno State has been condemned by the UN Secretary-General.
UNICEF
Syria: WHO appeals for funding to sustain critical health care for millions trapped by conflict
20 August 2018
Health
With conflict raging in northwest Syria, the United Nations health agency has appealed for $11 million to provide life-saving care to parts of Aleppo, Hama, Idleb and Lattakia governorates.
UN Women/Patterson Siema
Somalia has ‘once in a generation’ gender equality opportunity – UN Women chief
20 August 2018
Women
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of the United Nations entity dealing with issues related to gender, UN Women, has encouraged Somalia to continue making progress in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
FAO/Tamiru Legesse
‘Think beyond farm jobs’ to reach sustainable development, UN agriculture chief advises African youth
20 August 2018
SDGs
For the African continent to achieve sustainable development, more jobs must be created for its young people, including in the digitalized agriculture sectors, the United Nations agriculture chief told an international conference on Monday.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
UN mission welcomes Afghan government’s announcement of Eid holiday ceasefire
20 August 2018
Peace and Security
After a surge in hostilities in Afghanistan over the past weeks, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomed on Monday the Government’s announcement of a conditional ceasefire for the Eid al-Adha holiday and called on warring parties to use this “momentum” to put an end to the conflict.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
A ‘charismatic leader’ dedicated to making the world a better place for all: officials bid farewell to former UN chief Kofi Annan
18 August 2018
UN Affairs
The flag at United Nations Headquarters in New York is flying at half-mast this Saturday as the Organization marks the death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Audio - 6'4" Playlist
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
UN mourns death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, ‘a guiding force for good’
18 August 2018
UN Affairs
The United Nations is mourning the death of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away peacefully after a short illness, according to a statement published on his official Twitter account on Saturday. The renowned Ghanaian diplomat was 80 years old.
© UNICEF/Kamal Ayyashi
Senior UN children’s advocate says they ‘should never be targeted by violence’
17 August 2018
Peace and Security
Reacting to a recent upsurge in violent attacks affecting children, Virginia Gamba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, called on Friday for those responsible to be held fully accountable.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
UN chief encourages victims of terrorism to ‘raise up their voices’
17 August 2018
Peace and Security
Victims of terror attacks have an important and powerful role to play in combatting the “global menace” the United Nations chief said on Friday, launching an exhibition at UN Headquarters in New York to commemorate the first International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
Terrorists potentially target millions in makeshift biological weapons ‘laboratories’, UN forum hears
17 August 2018
Peace and Security
Rapid advances in gene editing and so-called “DIY biological laboratories”which could be used by extremists, threaten to derail efforts to prevent biological weapons from being used against civilians, the world’s only international forum on the issue has heard.
WHO/Twitter
Child victims of DRC Ebola outbreak need ‘special attention and care’: UNICEF
17 August 2018
Health
An ongoing deadly Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has particularly affected children, the UN’s children agency, UNICEF, said on Friday.
UNRWA/Tamer Hamam
Aid funding for Occupied Palestinian Territories at ‘all-time low’
17 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Funding for humanitarian operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is at an “all-time low”, threatening the delivery of life-saving aid to people in the West Bank and Gaza, the United Nations warned on Friday.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Continue ‘their mission’ urges UN chief, as the victims of the Baghdad bombing are remembered, 15 years on
17 August 2018
Peace and Security
Remembering 22 colleagues killed by the “horrific terrorist attack” on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad 15 years ago, Secretary-General António Guterreshas called on all staff to pay tribute to the fallen by “continuing their mission,” and keep going to “dangerous places with the aim of making them safer”.
UNICEF/Celeste Hibbert
‘No safe way’ into battle-scarred Afghan city of Ghazni to deliver aid as traumatized children search for parents
17 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
The city of Ghazni in Afghanistan is still too dangerous for aid workers to reach, after a week of “intense” fighting and reports that traumatized children are turning up at hospitals looking for their parents, UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, said on Friday.
UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi
‘Unconscionable’ to kill aid workers, civilians: UN Emergency Coordinator
17 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Remembering all the humanitarians killed in the line of duty just ahead of World Humanitarian Day, the United Nations relief chief on Friday, renewed the call for civilians and aid workers everywhere to be better protected.
UNICEF/Roger Lemoyne
‘Step backwards’ for Bosnia’s autonomous Serb region as assembly reneges on Srebrenica genocide report
16 August 2018
Human Rights
The Republika Srpska National Assembly in Bosnia and Herzegovina drew concern from the top United Nations expert on the Prevention of Genocide on Thursday, over its decision this week to revoke its endorsement of the 2004 Srebrenica Commission Report acknowledging genocide during the Bosnian war of the 1990s.
UNHCR Tanzania/Abdul Khalif
In Tanzania visit, UNHCR official stresses freedom of choice is crucial for refugee returns
16 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
Refugees should never be pressured to decide if they should return to their home countries, a senior UN official has said.
UN Geneva/Violaine Martin
Terror attacks strike people ‘from all walks of life, the UN included’
16 August 2018
Peace and Security
The terrorist attack on UN headquarters in Iraq in 2003 that claimed the lives of 22 people should serve as a reminder that the organization’s locally recruited staff often face the greatest dangers in the world’s most hostile places, amid increasing attacks on humanitarians, the head of the United Nations in Geneva said on Thursday.
IAEA/Gill Tudor
UN experts cite ‘possible exploitation’ of workers hired to clean up toxic Japanese nuclear plant
16 August 2018
Human Rights
A group of United Nations rights experts are urging the Japanese government to urgently protect tens of thousands or workers hired to help decontaminate the Fukushima nuclear plant, who are reportedly being exploited and exposed to toxic nuclear radiation.
UNRWA
‘Passport to dignity’ that schools represent may expire fast, without emergency funding warns UN Palestine refugee agency
16 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
A lack of funds means that the new school term for over half a million Palestinian students could be cut short after just one month, says UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refuge
Audio - 4'4" Playlist
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
UN condemns ‘heinous’ suicide attack on education centre in Afghanistan
16 August 2018
Peace and Security
The perpetrators of Wednesday’s “heinous” suicide bombing that killed students at an education centre in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, must be brought to justice, the UN Secretary-General has said.
PAHO/WHO
Using ‘leprosy’ metaphors in political rhetoric ‘fuels public stigma’ and discrimination: UN rights expert
16 August 2018
Human Rights
Recent incidents where high-level politicians have used the word ‘leprosy’ in discriminatory remarks against rivals only contributes to harmful stereotypes surrounding the disease.
UNICEF/Tanya Bindra
US and Mexico child deportations drive extreme violence and trauma: UNICEF
16 August 2018
Human Rights
The many life-threatening dangers faced by children from Central America who are being deported from the United States of America and Mexico, are highlighted in a new report from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, which also draws attention to the traumatic consequences of family separation by migration authorities.
UNICEF/UNI152469/Dragaj
Afghanistan: UN chief calls for 'urgent' ceasefire and opening of peace talks
16 August 2018
Peace and Security
After days of intense fighting for the Afghan city of Ghazni, south-west of Kabul, the United Nations Secretary-General and the Head of the UN mission in the country (UNAMA) have denounced the toll that the almost 20-year conflict has taken on civilians, and called on warring parties to lay down their arms and seek a political solution to the conflict.
UN Photo
UN chief welcomes re-opening of key Gaza border crossing
15 August 2018
Peace and Security
The decision by Israel to reopen the only functional commercial crossing point into Gaza which has been closed to most deliveries for weeks, has been welcomedby the United Nations Secretary-General.
Audio - 4'56" Playlist
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
UN rights experts call on Russia to release Ukrainian film-maker whose life is in ‘imminent danger’
15 August 2018
Human Rights
A Ukrainian film-maker whose outspoken criticism of Russia’s continued annexation of Crimea has landed him in jail, prompted United Nations human rights experts to call on Russian authorities for his immediate and unconditional release on Wednesday.
UN News
Monsanto lawsuit ruling a ‘significant recognition’ of victims’ human rights, say UN rights experts
15 August 2018
Health
The court decision to award nearly $290 million to a terminally-ill man from the United States who claimed his cancer was caused by a herbicide in a commercial weed killer, has been welcomed by two United Nations human rights experts as a “significant recognition” of the responsibilities that chemical companies have to consumers.
Audio - 6'3" Playlist
OHCHR
INTERVIEW: ‘Defend the people, not the States’, says outgoing UN human rights chief
15 August 2018
Human Rights
For four years, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has been taking governments across the world to task, exposing human rights violations and robustly advocating for the rights of victims.
Audio - 15'9" Playlist
UNICEF/UNI152469/Dragaj
Afghanistan: top UN official denounces ‘extreme’ suffering of civilians in Ghazni
15 August 2018
Peace and Security
With the death toll rising after days of intense fighting for the Afghan city of Ghazni, south-west of Kabul, the Head of the United Nations mission in the country (UNAMA) said on Wednesday that the situation was “unacceptable” and called on warring parties to lay down their arms and seek a political solution to the conflict.
OHCHR
INTERVIEW: ‘Defend the people, not the States’, says outgoing UN human rights chief
15 August 2018
Human Rights
For four years, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has been taking governments across the world to task, exposing human rights violations and robustly advocating for the rights of victims.
Audio - 15'9" Playlist
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Caspian Sea deal an invaluable step towards easing regional tensions, says UN Chief
14 August 2018
Peace and Security
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, has welcomed the historic signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, which took place on Sunday, marked by a ceremony which brought together the leaders of the five countries bordering its coastline.
UNFPA Bangladesh/Allison Joyce
Multilateralism: The only path to address the world’s troubles, signals Guterres
14 August 2018
UN Affairs
As the world’s problems grow, multilateralism represents to best path to meet the challenges that lie ahead, said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday, launching his annual report.
WHO-Eugene Kabambi
Ebola in DR Congo: conflict zones could constitute ‘hiding places’ for the deadly virus – WHO chief
14 August 2018
Health
Following a two-day mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday repeated his call for warring parties in conflict-riven North Kivu to stop fighting, and allow health teams access to areas affected by the recent Ebola outbreak in the region.
LATEST NEWS
FAO/Tamiru Legesse
Fears for food security and the future of farming families, as Fall Armyworm spreads to Asia
14 August 2018
Economic Development
An “invasive pest” that devours more than 80 different plant species, including many staple crops, could threaten the food security and livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers in Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Tuesday.
Audio - 7'26" Playlist
UNHCR/Tarik Argaz
Militias force nearly 2,000 to leave Libyan capital’s largest shelter for internally-displaced: UNHCR
14 August 2018
Peace and Security
Libyan militias have forced nearly 2,000 people from an ethnic minority likely targeted for their alleged links to the former Gadaffi Government, to flee long-established shelters in the capital Tripoli, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.
MINUSMA/Marco Dormino
UN chief appeals for calm as Mali presidential election draws to a close
14 August 2018
Peace and Security
Following the conclusion of the second round of presidential elections in Mali, political leaders in the West African country are being encouraged by the UN Secretary-General to promote a peaceful atmosphere and avoid incendiary rhetoric.
UNICEF/Al-Faqir
UNICEF appeals for end to ‘war on children’ in Syria and Yemen
13 August 2018
Peace and Security
Attacks against children caught in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen must stop, the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, appealed on Monday.
UN Photo / Sabir Olad
Somalia: UN urges steps to ensure future elections not ‘marred’ by rights abuses seen in recent polls
13 August 2018
Human Rights
In a report released on Monday, the United Nations urged Somalia to take steps to ensure future elections are not marred by the human rights violations and abuses committed during the 2016-2017 electoral process.
FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri
To beat hunger and combat climate change, world must ‘scale-up’ soil health – UN
13 August 2018
Climate Change
Healthy soils are essential to achieve ‘Zero Hunger’ – and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – peace and prosperity, the United Nations agriculture agency chief underscored in Brazil at the World Congress of Soil Science.
MONUSCO-AVIATION
Free and secure access needed in DR Congo conflict zone to tackle Ebola – WHO
12 August 2018
Health
After seeing first-hand the complexities of the Ebola response in the conflict-affected region of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) called for “free and secure” access to the disease-affected people.
Audio - 4'26" Playlist
Uto ni Yalo Trust
FROM THE FIELD: Sailing a traditional and sustainable path in Fiji’s tropical waters
10 August 2018
Culture and Education
Young people in Fiji are helping to revive indigenous cultural practices of the Pacific Ocean island while learning about sustainable transport thanks to an initiative supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
World Bank/Roxana Bravo
Safe spaces offer security and dignity for youth, and help make the world ‘better for all’: Guterres
10 August 2018
Human Rights
The world’s young people need safe spaces – both physical and digital - where they can “freely express their views” and “pursue their dreams” was the core message of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to mark this year’s International Youth Day.
UN Photo/ Hervé Serefio
Central Africa: Security Council concerned by 'grave security situation', calls for better agency cooperation
10 August 2018
Peace and Security
With Central African countries beset by ongoing terrorist activity, instability and the effects of climate change, the Security Council has asked the United Nations Secretary-General to review the work of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and recommend areas for improvement.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre
‘Pioneering’ former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet officially appointed new UN human rights chief
10 August 2018
Human Rights
After a vote on Friday by the United Nations General Assembly in New York, former two-time President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, hailed a “pioneer” by the UN Secretary-General, has officially been appointed as High Commissioner for Human Rights, effective from 1 September.
MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti
UN chief welcomes DR Congo President’s promise to stand down
10 August 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations Secretary-General has commended the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila’s decision on Thursday, not to stand in elections scheduled to take place on 23 December.
UNHCR/Paul Smith
Venezuelan exodus to Ecuador reaches record levels: UN refugee agency steps up aid
10 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
One of the largest population movements in Latin American history is under way from Venezuela, according to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, which on Friday confirmed that it is increasing assistance to neighbouring Ecuador, where more and more Venezuelans are arriving each week.
UN Photo/Timothy Sopp
UN should never be a target, Baghdad bombing survivors stress, 15 years after deadly attack
10 August 2018
Peace and Security
On 19 August 2003, a suicide bomber drove a truck full of explosives to the United Nations headquarters in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Iraq, and blew it up, killing 22 people – among them Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the head of the UN mission in Iraq.
Giles Clarke/OCHA
Yemen bus attack just the latest outrage against civilians: UN agencies
10 August 2018
Peace and Security
An air strike on a busy market area in Yemen that reportedly killed scores of people including more than 20 children on a bus, is likely the worst attack on youngsters in the conflict so far, and the latest in a recent spate of violence targeting civilians, UN agencies said on Friday.
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi
UN underscores the need to celebrate indigenous peoples, not confine them
10 August 2018
Human Rights
Celebrating some 370 million indigenous people across 90 countries; marches, ceremonies and a host of other initiatives took place across the world, as the United Nations marked on Thursday the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
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UN Photo/Martine Perret
UN Envoy urges Burundi leaders to ‘seize opportunities for national unity and peace’
9 August 2018
Peace and Security
The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Burundi, Michel Kafando, has called on the country’s leaders to “seize the opportunity” offered by the recent adoption of a new constitution, to create a new political environment that is “conducive to the consolidation of national unity and peace”.
UNICEF/Clarke for UNOCHA
UN chief condemns air strike that hit school bus in northern Yemen, killing scores of children
9 August 2018
Human Rights
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday condemned an air strike by pro-Yemini Government coalition forces, which killed scores of children who were on board a bus travelling through a busy market area in the northern province of Saada.
Audio - 8'39" Playlist
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi
Thai citizenship means ‘dream of a brighter future’ for cave rescue boys, says UN Refugee Agency
9 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
The decision of the Thai Government to grant citizenship to three of the boys recently rescued after being trapped in a flooded cave, along with their football coach, has been welcomed by UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR.
UN Dan Powell
Nagasaki is ‘a global inspiration’ for peace, UN chief says marking 73rd anniversary of atomic bombing
9 August 2018
Peace and Security
The survivors of the atomic bombings, known in Japanese as the hibakusha, have become global “leaders for peace and disarmament”, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at Thursday’s Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony in Japan, commemorating the 73rd anniversary of that devastating day.
UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
Millions at risk if Syria’s war moves to last redoubt of Idlib, warns senior aid official
9 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Aid access to embattled Syrians may soon improve following recent military gains by the Government, but the war “cannot be allowed to go to Idlib”, the head of the UN’s Humanitarian Task Force said on Thursday.
Artículo 66
Nicaragua must end 'witch-hunt' against dissenting voices – UN human rights experts
9 August 2018
Human Rights
Following weeks of civil unrest in Nicaragua, a group of 11 UN independent human rights experts urged the Government on Thursday to stop the violent repression of protestors, which has left at least 317 people dead and 1,830 injured, stressing that "no one should be detained for the exercise of their human rights”.
SGP-GEF-UNDP Peru/Enrique Castro-Mendívil
FROM THE FIELD: A mountain of indigenous knowledge in Peru
9 August 2018
Economic Development
Indigenous people in a remote mountain town in the Andes in Peru are being helped to boost their incomes by preserving a valuable but threatened breed of alpaca.
SGP-GEF-UNDP Peru/Enrique Castro-Mendívil
UN urges protection of indigenous peoples’ rights during migration
8 August 2018
Human Rights
Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, UN Secretary-General António Guterres put a spotlight on the factors pushing indigenous people to migrate “within their countries and across international borders” despite their “profound spiritual connection to their lands and resources”.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre
Former Chilean President Bachelet put forward by UN chief as next High Commissioner for Human Rights
8 August 2018
Human Rights
She has twice been President of Chile, and on Wednesday, ground-breaking politician and women’s rights champion, Michelle Bachelet was nominated by the United Nations chief António Guterres for the key post of High Commissioner for Human Rights.
UNHCR/Ivor Prickett
Amid ‘volatile’ environment, UN mission chief urges Iraqi leaders to ‘listen to the voice of the people’
8 August 2018
Peace and Security
Despite a myriad of “long-neglected social, economic and development needs”, the Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on Wednesday said progress had been made towards recovery and stability in the battle-scarred country, and called for Iraqi political leaders to continue to “work for national reconciliation” through “inclusive” solutions.
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UN/Dan Powell
In Tokyo, UN chief expresses full support for US-Japan dialogue with North Korea
8 August 2018
Peace and Security
At a joint press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres welcomed the ongoing talks between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), as well as Japan’s renewed initiative of dialogue with the country.
UNSCO
‘Well-being of two million’ in Gaza at stake as emergency fuel runs dry: UN humanitarian coordinator
8 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
To avert hospital closures and raw sewage overflowing onto the streets of Gaza, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator on Wednesday called on Israeli authorities to allow UN-purchased emergency fuel back across the border of the Palestinian enclave.
UN Photo/Yosuke Yamahata
Let Nagasaki remain ‘the last city’ to suffer nuclear devastation, says museum director as UN chief arrives
8 August 2018
Peace and Security
It’s essential that Nagasaki’s devastation should “not be forgotten” now or in the future, if the threat of nuclear war is to be lifted, said the Director of the Japanese city’s Atomic Bomb Museum, ahead of a visit there on Thursday by the UN Secretary-General.
Audio - 2'41" Playlist
UN Photo/Mark Garten
UN chief calls for ‘increased commitment’ to resolution on 10th anniversary of Georgia conflict
7 August 2018
Peace and Security
Ten years after conflict involving Georgia, Russia and the South Ossetia region broke out, United Nations chief, António Guterres said on Tuesday that “increased commitment” is needed by “relevant actors” to advance the on-going reconciliation and peace process.
UNICEF/Brian Sokol
Bangladesh: Head of UN refugee agency calls on Asia-Pacific leaders to show ‘solidarity’ with Rohingya refugees
7 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
The Head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, on Tuesday urged government representatives and business leaders from the Asia-Pacific region to offer more support and protection for over 700,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled violence and discrimination in Myanmar’s Rakhine State over the past year.
UNHCR/Mohammed Hamoud
‘Immense’ needs of migrants making perilous journey between Yemen and Horn of Africa prompts $45 million UN migration agency appeal
7 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
As conflicts and natural disasters have sharply deteriorated living conditions in the Horn of Africa and Yemen, more and more people have been crossing the Gulf of Aden in both directions, leading the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to appeal for $45 million to provide critical aid to 81,000 people over three years.
Indonesian Red Cross
Indonesia: Psychological impact on earthquake survivors turns villages into ‘ghost towns’
7 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Following the magnitude 7 earthquake which rocked the Indonesian island of Lombok at the weekend, more than 130 aftershocks have been felt with some villages being turned into “ghost towns”, journalists at the UN in Geneva heard on Tuesday.
SGP-GEF-UNDP Peru/Enrique Castro-Mendívil
Rights experts call for greater protection of indigenous people during migration
7 August 2018
Human Rights
Governments are being urged to ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples are recognized, whether they are living on their traditional lands or forced to move elsewhere.
UNHCR/Reynesson Damasceno
Key Brazilian border crossing for Venezuela refugees reopens as asylum numbers pass last year's total
7 August 2018
Migrants and Refugees
Some 117,000 Venezuelans have claimed asylum already this year — more than for the whole of 2017 — the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday, after welcoming a decision by the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court to reverse the closure of the country’s border with its northern neighbour.
UNICEF/Sadeq Al-Wesabi
UN targets half a million Yemenis in battle-scarred Hudaydah with cholera vaccine - UNICEF
6 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Over a year after cholera broke out in Yemen, killing more than 2,000 people, the disease is back and spreading fast in the Houthi-held port city of Hudaydah; a target of continued air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition to regain control of the city.
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UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
South Sudan peace deal a ‘big step forward’: UN mission chief
6 August 2018
Peace and Security
There was jubilation in the streets of South Sudan’s capital overnight on Sunday, as residents celebrated a new agreement that the top UN official in the country has described as “a big step forward” towards ending nearly five years of brutal conflict.
Audio - 9'21" Playlist
UN Photo/Yoshito Matsushige
As Hiroshima observes 73rd anniversary of atomic bombing, UN notes ‘stalled’ progress on nuclear disarmament
6 August 2018
Peace and Security
The world needs the continued moral leadership of the people of Hiroshima, the top United Nations disarmament official said on Monday, commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the atomic bombing that devastated the city while lamenting that after decades of momentum towards a nuclear-free world, “progress has stalled.”
UNDP
UN development agency provides lifeline to Gaza lifeguards, in bid to keep workers from debtors’ prison
6 August 2018
Economic Development
If Bilal Bashir, a Palestinian fisherman and lifeguard living on the coast of the Gaza Strip, does not get work over the summer months, he risks being sent to debtors’ prison.
World Bank/Arne Hoel
‘Lots of good news’ but much more needs to be done for the planet, says UN environment chief
6 August 2018
SDGs
Calling 2017 “the first year in human history” that more new clean energy was added to the grid than new oil, gas and coal combined, Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has told UN News that “we are on track” but “we really need to speed up”.
Audio - 6'12" Playlist
Indonesian Red Cross
UN chief ‘saddened’ by latest devastating earthquake to hit Indonesian island of Lombok
6 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
Following the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit Indonesia's East Lombok on Sunday, the United Nations Secretary-General said he was “saddened by the devastating loss of life, injuries and damage caused”, in a statement issued on Monday.
UNAMA/Fraidoon Poya
Suicide attack killing dozens at prayer in Afghan mosque ‘may amount to war crimes,’ says top UN official
3 August 2018
Peace and Security
A suicide attack that took place inside a Shia mosque in Afghanistan during Friday prayers, killing 48 and injuring more than 70, has been condemned by the head of the UN Mission in the country who said it “may amount to war crimes.”
UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti
India and the UN: Celebrating 70 years of invaluable service to the cause of peace
3 August 2018
Peace and Security
From protecting civilians, disarming ex-combatants and helping countries transition from conflict to peace, Indian men and women in uniform have served the cause of peace from the earliest years of United Nations peacekeeping and continue to do so in some of the most challenging missions.
OCHA/ Tinago Chikoto
Ethiopia: humanitarians scale up life-saving aid to over 1 million forcibly displaced by violence in the south-west
3 August 2018
Humanitarian Aid
To address the urgent needs of more than a million displaced by inter-communal violence in southwestern Ethiopia over the past four months, UN humanitarian agencies and their partners are ramping up their efforts, providing among other things shelter, household items, water and sanitation, and food to the most vulnerable.
UNICEF/Raoni Libório
‘Economy is society’s servant, not its master,’ say UN rights experts, urging Brazil to put human rights before austerity
3 August 2018
Human Rights
Marginalized groups suffer unduly harsh consequences due to Brazil’s economic policies of austerity, prompting United Nations rights experts to urge the Government to instead prioritize human rights.
OCHA/Giles Clarke
Fresh Yemen hospital attack raises risk of new cholera epidemic
3 August 2018
Health
A deadly attack on one of the last functioning hospitals in Yemen in the key port city of Hudaydah has put hundreds of thousands of people at risk and damaged efforts to prevent a third cholera epidemic in the war-torn country, top UN officials warned on Friday.
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WHO
Conflict in new Ebola zone of DR Congo exacerbates complexity of response: WHO emergency response chief
3 August 2018
Health
Protecting vulnerable people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the latest Ebola Virus outbreak is going to be “very, very complex”, given the huge logistical challenges and ongoing conflict there, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
UN OCHA/Giles Clarke
UN to convene Yemen talks early next month in Geneva, envoy tells Security Council
2 August 2018
Peace and Security
The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen announced on Thursday that after two years of stalled talks on resolving the crisis in the country, he plans to invite the warring parties to Geneva on 6 September for a round of peace consultations.
Audio - 8'39" Playlist
UN Photo/Violaine Martin
Human rights experts denounce Trump’s attacks against media
2 August 2018
Human Rights
The United Nations expert on free expression has condemned President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the press, warning that the US leader’s rhetoric is eroding public trust in the media and could spark violence against journalists.
UN Photo/Harandane Dicko
UN-backed meeting of African States targets terrorism, violent extremism
2 August 2018
Peace and Security
Regional security topped the agenda of a United Nations-backed joint summit on Central and West Africa searching, among other things, for a practical approach to fighting terrorism.
UN/MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi
Haiti: UN agricultural development fund supports hurricane-affected farmers with $11 million
2 August 2018
Economic Development
With many rural areas in Haiti still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) announced on Thursday that it is investing $10.8 million help restore agricultural productivity in some the worst affected areas of the island nation.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
UN launches guide for countries to improve location-based data management to better inform decision-making
1 August 2018
Economic Development
The UN Statistics Division and the World Bank launched a new guide on Wednesday to help nations worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries, better manage data that contains geographical information – known officially as geospatial data.
Audio Playlist
WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie
New cluster of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - World Health Organization
1 August 2018
Health
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Wednesday that preliminary laboratory results indicate a new cluster of cases of the deadly Ebola virus in North Kivu province.
UNDP Zimbabwe/Sirak Gebrehiwot
‘Exercise restraint,’ UN chief urges Zimbabwe after post-election violence
1 August 2018
Peace and Security
After troops reportedly fired on demonstrators protesting election results in Zimbabwe, leaving three dead, the United Nations Secretary-General on Thursday called on the country’s political leaders, and the population at large, to "exercise restraint and reject any form of violence".
IOM
Death of local UN staffer in latest Afghan suicide attack highlights tragic toll of violence against civilians
1 August 2018
Peace and Security
The death of a local United Nations staff member in a suicide attack on Wednesday in the city of Jalalabad, has highlighted the tragic and relentless effects of terrorist attacks targeting civilians across Afghanistan.
UNDP Comoros/James Stapley
FROM THE FIELD: Indian Ocean perfume islands threatened by climate change
1 August 2018
Climate Change
Farmers living on the Indian Ocean Comoros archipelago are being supported through a UN Development Programme (UNDP) initiative, to adapt to climate change in an effort to ensure they can continue to prosper in one of Africa’s poorest nations.
LATEST NEWS
UNICEF/Ahed Izhiman
UN officials call for children’s rights to be respected in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel
1 August 2018
Human Rights
Children’s rights continue to be violated in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Israel, according to three leading UN officials in the region who on Wednesday called on all parties responsible to take concrete and immediate steps to “allow children to live free of fear and to realize all their rights”.
Audio - 15'16" Playlist
© UNICEF
Yemen: Attacks on water facilities, civilian infrastructure, breach ‘basic laws of war’ says UNICEF
1 August 2018
Peace and Security
Ongoing violence and attacks on civilian infrastructure in Hudaydah directly threaten hundreds of thousands of children and their families in Yemen, according to the head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in a statement released on Wednesday
UNICEF/Ilvy Njiokiktjien VII Photo
When it comes to breastfeeding, ‘timing is everything’ in saving newborn lives – UNICEF chief
1 August 2018
Health
Three-in-five babies, mostly born in low- and middle-income countries, are not breastfed within the first hour of life, placing them at higher risk of death and disease, according to a new United Nations report launched on Tuesday.
