UN-GLOBE
World Pride underscores that all people are born ‘free and equal’ in dignity and human rights
30 June 2019
Human Rights
The empowering message straight from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and human rights" resonated on Sunday from UN-GLOBE members who participated in the World Pride parade in New York City.
Audio - 3'55" Playlist
World Bank/John Hogg
'Act now with ambition and urgency' to tackle the world’s ‘grave climate emergency’, UN chief urges UAE meeting
30 June 2019
Climate Change
The world is facing “a grave climate emergency”, Secretary-General António Guterres told a climate meeting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital of Abu Dhabi on Sunday, urging all participants to “seize this opportunity to take bold climate action”.
© UNICEF/Chris Herwig
Keeping cool in the face of climate change
30 June 2019
Climate Change
As global temperatures reach record highs, providing cooling systems which are effective, sustainable and which do not harm the environment is increasingly essential for everyday life. That’s according to Rachel Kyte, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All, and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).
UN Japan/Ichiro Mae
Create conditions for ‘harmony between humankind and nature’, UN chief says on sidelines of G20 in Japan
29 June 2019
Climate Change
The world needs to create conditions for “harmony between humankind and nature”, Secretary-General António Guterres said in Osaka, Japan, during a meeting on Saturday with the Foreign Ministers of China and France, on the margins of the G20 summit.
UNICEF/UN0284455/Fadhel
Misinformation and growing distrust on vaccines, ‘dangerous as a disease’ says UNICEF chief
28 June 2019
Health
Vaccines save millions of lives, and yet misinformation, limited availability and inadequate access to services have left large numbers of children in jeopardy, prompting the United Nations Children’s Fund to convene a high-level UN event on Friday to “tackle the issue”.
Audio - 11'22" Playlist
UNICEF/Pirozzi
Friday’s Daily Brief: More climate action says Guterres, migrant children dangers, Ebola fight, record-setting weather
28 June 2019
Climate Change
This Friday, we cover: UN chief appeals for stronger climate action commitment; report on migrant children deaths and disappearances; Ebola fight in DR Congo as violence goes on; and global over-heating.
Audio - 3'56" Playlist
UNICEF/Madjiangar
Ebola fight ongoing amid evidence of ‘several massacres’ in DR Congo’s Ituri province
28 June 2019
Health
The vital work of tracing people infected with deadly Ebola virus disease in north-east Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is progressing, despite evidence of “several” massacres in the affected area earlier this month, the UN said on Friday.
Audio - 3'47" Playlist
IOM/Francesco Malavolta
One migrant child reported dead or missing every day, UN calls for more protection
28 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
Around 1,600 children were reported dead or missing between 2014 and 2018 – an average of almost one every day – but many more go unrecorded, a new UN report revealed on Friday.
LATEST NEWS
G20 Osaka Summit 2019
Amidst ‘high political tension’, UN chief appeals to G20 leaders for stronger commitment to climate action, economic cooperation
28 June 2019
Climate Change
The annual G20 summit of leaders from the largest and fastest-growing economies, got underway on Friday in Osaka, Japan, against a backdrop of what UN Secretary-General António Guterres described as “a moment of high political tension”.
© UNICEF/UN0248372/Watad
Thursday’s Daily Brief: dire living conditions in Idlib, migrants at US southern border, end in sight for trachoma, Human Rights Council
27 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
This Thursday, we cover: the dire humanitarian situation in Syria’s Idlib; living conditions at the US-Mexico border denounced by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); trachoma-related blindness on the verge of being eliminated; and updates from the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Audio - 2'40" Playlist
©WSSCC/Hiroyuki Saito
Madagascar villagers learn dangers of outdoor defecation
27 June 2019
Health
The discussion with villagers starts early in the morning. Volunteers are invited to draw a map of their village on the ground with chalk. One woman’s sketch shows 17 families – a total of 65 people – living in 11 red clay houses. She explains they share the three latrines that have been there for some time.
© UNICEF/Khalil Ashawi
Syria’s Idlib ‘on the brink’ of a nightmare, humanitarian chiefs warn, launching global solidarity campaign
27 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
The heads of 11 global humanitarian organizations warned on Thursday that the embattled rebel-held province of Idlib in Syria, stands on the brink of disaster, with three million civilian lives at risk, including one million children.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi
‘Words must never be met with violence’ urges UN, following Taliban threat to journalists
27 June 2019
Human Rights
Following last week’s public threats by Taliban militants to deliberately target media outlets in Afghanistan, the United Nations mission chief in the country reiterated his call on Thursday for journalists’ rights to be protected, underlining the power of press freedom to advance peace, justice and human rights.
Audio - 9'42" Playlist
© UNICEF/Balam-ha Carrillo
After Rio Grande tragedy, UNICEF chief highlights ‘dire’ detention centres on US-Mexico border
27 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
The shocking image of a drowned Central American migrant and his infant daughter on the banks of the river dividing Mexico and the United States, continues to evoke strong reactions, the latest from the head of the UN Children’s Fund.
UNMISS/JC McIlwaine
Wednesday's Daily Brief: migration tragedy in the Rio Grande, drugs report, Torture Victims Day
26 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
Top news, this Thursday are: the migration debate spurred by the tragic image of a drowned man and his daughter in the Rio Grande; the Khashoggi killing discussed at the Human Rights Council; key findings from the latest UN report on drugs; updates from South Sudan and Mali; International Day in Support of Victims of Torture; and an event on tolerance in at UN headquarters in New York.
Audio - 4'8" Playlist
UN Photo/Amanda Voisard
‘Summon the spirit of San Francisco’, says General Assembly President on UN Charter anniversary
26 June 2019
UN Affairs
Reaffirming faith in human rights, promoting social justice and saving the world from the “scourge of war”: just some of the founding principles of the United Nations, which appear in the Organization’s bedrock Charter, signed exactly 74 years ago in San Francisco.
Audio - 23'45" Playlist
UN Photo/Tobin Jones
Vile act of torture prohibited ‘under all circumstances’, UN chief affirms on International Day to support victims
26 June 2019
Human Rights
While the prohibition of torture is “absolute, under all circumstances”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres bemoaned the fact that “this core principle is undermined every day” - in detention centres, prisons, police stations, psychiatric institutions and other places where captor can prey on captive.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Peace in the Gulf ‘at a critical juncture’ says DiCarlo, urging continuation of Iran nuclear deal
26 June 2019
Peace and Security
The Iran nuclear deal must “continue to work for all”, despite moves by both the United States and Iran which have destabilized the “hard-won” 2015 agreement, the UN Political Affairs chief told Security Council members on Wednesday.
LATEST NEWS
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Tackle ‘tsunami of hatred’ across the world urges Guterres, to counter anti-Semitism, racism and intolerance
26 June 2019
Human Rights
The “multi-headed monster” of intolerance, has created a visible and violent “tsunami of hatred” that is gathering speed across the world, said Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday.
Audio - 6'6" Playlist
UNAMA/Eric Kanalstein
Two-thirds of global drug deaths now from opioids: UN drugs report
26 June 2019
Health
Opioids, which include both heroin and legal pain relievers, were responsible for around two-thirds of drug-related deaths in 2017, the latest World Drug Reportfrom the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed on Wednesday.
Audio - 22'2" Playlist
UNMISS/Isaac Billy
Peace dividend palpable in South Sudan, but ‘grassroots’ are moving faster than elites, says Shearer
25 June 2019
Peace and Security
The peace dividend from last year’s ceasefire in South Sudan is palpable, but political elites need to follow the example set by local communities on the ground if lasting progress is to be achieved, said the top UN official in the country on Tuesday.
OCHA/Fadwa Baroud
Syria: Ease suffering, save lives, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator tells Security Council
25 June 2019
Peace and Security
“Week after week, month after month, year after year”, the Security Council has been briefed on Syria’s humanitarian suffering, and on Tuesday, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator once again described “the latest horror facing civilians”, pleading for greater humanitarian access.
Leonora Baumann / UN MINUJUSTH
Security Council approves ‘historic’ political Haiti mission, ending UN peacekeeping role in the country
25 June 2019
Peace and Security
The Security Council on Monday approved a resolution to create a UN “Integrated Office” in Haiti, designed to support the country’s government in strengthening political stability and good governance. The Office, named BINUH, will replace the peacekeeping mission in Haiti on October 16, putting an end to 15 years of peacekeeping presence in the country.
World Bank/Natalia Cieslik
Tuesday’s Daily Brief: funding for Palestine refugees, families today, tech surveillance
25 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
This Tuesday, we cover: a key fundraising conference for the UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA); a new UN report on families in 2019-2020; a call by an independent human rights expert to ban surveillance technology; 20,000 migrants rescued in the Sahara; and malnutrition in India.
Audio - 3'25" Playlist
UNICEF/Wikus De Wet
World faces ‘climate apartheid’ risk, 120 more million in poverty: UN expert
25 June 2019
Climate Change
Climate change “threatens to undo the last 50 years” of development, global health and poverty reduction, a United Nations expert said on Tuesday, citing the risk of a new era of “climate apartheid” where the rich buy their way out of rising heat and hunger.
UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan
UN chief praises impact of Palestine refugee agency as ‘our common success’, at key pledging conference
25 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
The work of the UN body responsible for assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, which has allowed millions of children to receive an education that promotes UN values of human rights and tolerance, as well as democracy and conflict resolution, should be viewed “not only as our common responsibility, but as our common success”, said Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday.
Audio - 22'9" Playlist
UN Women/Ruth McDowall
FROM THE FIELD: Changing world, changing families
25 June 2019
Women
The world is changing rapidly and so are families according to the United Nations gender-focused agency, UN Women.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
Moratorium call on surveillance technology to end ‘free-for-all’ abuses: UN expert
25 June 2019
Human Rights
Surveillance technology should be banned immediately until “effective” national or international controls are put in place to lessen its harmful impact, a UN-appointed independent rights expert said on Tuesday.
LATEST NEWS
UN Women/Mariken Harbitz
New UN report on families in a changing world puts ‘women’s rights at their core’
25 June 2019
Women
While women’s rights have advanced over the decades, gender inequalities and other fundamental human rights violations within families persist, according to a flagship study released on Tuesday, from the UN’s gender empowerment agency.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Security Council urges ‘maximum restraint’ around Gulf region as Iran and United States trade diplomatic blows in New York
24 June 2019
Peace and Security
There is a need for “genuine regional dialogue” to address rising tensions in the Gulf, Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday, calling on Secretary-General António Guterres “to play a role” in bringing countries to the table.
UNRWA/Marwan Baghdadi
Monday’s Daily Brief: human rights in the Near East and a Forum for Refugees
24 June 2019
Human Rights
Monday’s top stories include: human rights issues in Syria, Iraq and the Occupied Palestinian Territory; a global forum to find coordinated solutions to the plight of refugees worldwide; the election of the new head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Audio - 3'18" Playlist
UNAMID/Albert Gonzalez Farran
‘Wanton destruction’ in Sudan’s Darfur region, ‘blatant violation’ of international law
24 June 2019
Peace and Security
The looting and destruction of UN food relief agency premises and property in Sudan, has prompted the UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and UN Country Team, to condemn the assault as a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law”.
© UNICEF_Joe English
Don’t take African generosity towards refugees for granted, says UN refugee chief
24 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
The international community must not take the generosity of Africans for granted, UN refugee chief, Filippo Grandi, told an informal meeting of Security Councilmembers at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.
© UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jaramillo
Government internet ban leaves parts of Myanmar ‘in a blackout’, UN expert calls for immediate lifting
24 June 2019
Human Rights
With “no media access” in parts of the country and “serious restrictions” on humanitarian organizations, the United Nations expert on the situation of human rights in Myanmar urged the Government on Monday to “reverse its decision” and lift the mobile internet ban.
© UNICEF/Marko Kokic
FROM THE FIELD: Children in warzones denied right to education
24 June 2019
Peace and Security
Millions of children around the world are being denied a “safe place to learn”, due to ongoing conflicts according to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
Audio Playlist
UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferre
Statelessness for terrorists’ families, never an acceptable option, urges UN rights chief
24 June 2019
Human Rights
Thousands of suspected foreign ISIL terrorist fighters and their families who are being held in detention in Syria and Iraq, must be treated fairly by their captors and taken back by their home countries, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Monday.
OCHA/ Tinago Chikoto
Assassinations in Ethiopia amidst regional ‘coup’ attempt, condemned by UN chief
23 June 2019
Peace and Security
The assassination of the chief of staff of the Ethiopian army and killing of a regional governor in what the Government has described as a regional coup attempt, has been condemned by the UN Secretary-General.
Lisboa +21
It’s time we took a seat ‘at your table’: Guterres calls on world youth to keep leading climate emergency response
23 June 2019
Climate Change
Older generations have “failed to respond properly” to the climate emergency said the UN chief on Sunday, while the young are “stepping up to the challenge” and taking the lead to slow the destructive pace of global warming.
LATEST NEWS
UN Women/Ryan Brown
Ensure that widows are ‘not left out or left behind’, UN chief urges on International Day
22 June 2019
Human Rights
On International Widow’s Day, marked on Sunday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres is asking everyone to reflect on the “economic hardship and increased vulnerability” of these bereaved women and ensure “they are not left out or left behind”.
@UNHCR/Vincent Tremeau
In Venezuela, Bachelet calls on Government to release prisoners, appeals for ‘bold steps towards compromise’
22 June 2019
Human Rights
Speaking at the end of the first-ever official mission to Venezuela by a UN human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet called on the Government to release all those detained for peacefully protesting and announced that a team from her office would remain in Caracas to monitor the human rights situation.
WFP/Annabel Symington
Friday’s Daily Brief: ending harassment at work, Khashoggi interview, Yemen food aid, updates on Eritrea, North Korea
21 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
This Friday: Worldwide violence and harassment ban at work; WFP partially pulls Yemen aid to stem food theft; crackdown on Catholics in Eritrea; Central African Republic food crisis deepens, and much more.
UNHCR/Gaelle Massack
Over 80 per cent of schools in anglophone Cameroon shut down, as conflict worsens
21 June 2019
Peace and Security
More than 80 per cent of schools in the English-speaking North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon are closed, as the security situation and living conditions continue to deteriorate due to the three-year conflict between the Government and armed groups, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, reported on Friday.
MONUSCO/Michael Ali
Righting a wrong: UN Fund helps thousands of sex abuse survivors rebuild their lives
21 June 2019
UN Affairs
About 3,340 women, children and men, many of whom are victims, have been given support to recover from or help put an end to the scourge of sexual exploitation or abuse (SEA) by United Nations personnel, thanks to a Trust Fund established in 2016. On Friday, a meeting was held at UN Headquarters in New York, to report on the progress and impact made, and collect new pledges from Member States.
Audio - 4'22" Playlist
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi
Crackdown on Christians in Eritrea spurs UN expert to press Government 'to live up to its international commitments'
21 June 2019
Human Rights
Cracking down on Catholic Church activities, arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of Orthodox and other Christian congregation members in Eritrea, prompted a call from a UN independent rights expert on Friday for the Government to respect citizens' freedom of religion and to “release those who have been imprisoned for their religious beliefs”.
WFP/Mohammed Awadh
UN food agency begins ‘last resort’ partial withdrawal of aid to opposition-held Yemeni capital
21 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
The World Food Programme (WFP), the UN’s emergency food relief agency, confirmed on Friday in a statement that it has started a "partial suspension" of aid to areas of Yemen controlled by Houthi opposition forces, including the capital, Sana’a.
UNICEF/Aaref Watad
Syria: ‘Deplorable’ violence in Idlib against civilians, humanitarian workers must ‘stop immediately’: UN Coordinator
21 June 2019
Peace and Security
Acts of violence against civilians, humanitarian workers and civilian infrastructure in Idlib are “deplorable”, the United Nations Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis said on Friday, condemning them “in the strongest terms”.
UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferre
Guterres hails historic Convention banning violence and harassment at work
21 June 2019
Human Rights
A landmark international agreement banning violence and harassment in the workplace has been applauded by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, after it was adopted on Friday at the International Labour Organization’s Centenary Conference in Geneva.
Audio - 14'8" Playlist
OCHA/Maria Rosaria Bruno
Despite peace deal, Central African Republic’s population faces daily acts of violence, UN envoy warns
20 June 2019
Peace and Security
Although the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR), armed groups and civil society representatives are all taking part in the process that followed the signing of a deal signed in February, civilians continue to suffer daily acts of violence, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council on Thursday.
LATEST NEWS
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Khashoggi murder ‘an international crime’, says UN-appointed rights investigator: Special in-depth UN News interview
20 June 2019
Human Rights
In an interview with UN News, Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard recounted her nearly week-long mission to Turkey searching for the truth surrounding the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October.
Audio - 8'37" Playlist
© UNHCR/Kamrul Hasan
Thursday's Daily Brief: World Refugee Day, Middle East peace marred, Epilepsy report, Cities #WithRefugees initiative and Ebola-response funding gap in DR Congo
20 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
This Thursday, we cover: World Refugee Day, Peace in the Middle East marred by obstacles, UN health agency’s report on epilepsy, UN refugee agency update on Cities #WithRefugees initiative and World Health Organization’s flags Ebola-response funding gap in DR Congo.
UNICEF/Khudr Al-Issa
UN Security Council calls for protection of persons with disabilities in conflict zones
20 June 2019
Peace and Security
The Security Council on Thursday adopted its first-ever resolution calling on UN Member States and warring parties to protect persons with disabilities in conflict situations and to ensure they have access to justice, basic services and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
UNICEF/UN0248439/Watad
Teachers need more training to support traumatized refugee and migrant students, says UN on World Refugee Day
20 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
On World Refugee Day, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is calling for more support to fill the gaps in training for teachers on trauma and psychosocial assistance for migrant and refugee students.
UNICEF/Amminadab Jean
First-ever WHO global report on epilepsy highlights care gap in poorer countries
20 June 2019
Health
More than seven in 10 people with epilepsy in developing countries are not getting the low-cost care they need, and UN health experts said on Thursday this could lead to a “significantly higher” risk of death among sufferers than in industrialized nations.
Audio - 3'31" Playlist
World Bank/Natalia Cieslik
Persistent threat of war erodes prospects for Middle East peace, Security Council told
20 June 2019
Peace and Security
Developments in the Middle East cannot be divorced from Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian territory and settlement-building, or Hamas’ hold over Gaza and its militant activity, a senior United Nations envoy told the Security Council on Thursday, warning that these actions “collectively erode the prospects of a two-State solution”.
World Bank/Ishaq Anis
Presidential election: ‘Key moment’ to reaffirm Afghanistan’s democratic political structure, UN mission chief tells Security Council
19 June 2019
Peace and Security
The presidential election scheduled for 28 September will be a “key moment to reaffirm the legitimacy of Afghanistan’s democratic political structure”, the United Nations mission chief in the country told the Security Council on Wednesday.
MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko
Wednesday’s Daily Brief: ending rape in war, Khashoggi, forced displacement, North Korea and Mali
19 June 2019
Women
On Wednesday, these are the main stories: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict; the UN independent investigator for the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi presents findings which show State responsibility; in 2018, world hit record number of war-displaced people; South Korea sends food aid to North; new attack in northern Mali.
Audio - 2'42" Playlist
UN Photo/Olivier Chassot
‘Now is the time to act’ for victims of violence in Sudan, ICC Prosecutor urges Security Council
19 June 2019
Peace and Security
The UN Security Council must “seize this moment” presented by the current turmoil in Sudan, to provide justice at long last for the victims of violence in Darfur, and those who have suffered at the hands of the brutal military crackdown earlier this month.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Saudi Arabia in spotlight as UN-appointed independent investigator publishes full Khashoggi findings
19 June 2019
Human Rights
Responsibility for the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi lies with “high-level officials” of the monarchy, a UN-appointed independent investigator said on Wednesday, in a renewed call for full State accountability for the crime.
LATEST NEWS
UNMISS/Isaac Billy
Ripple effect of sexual violence in conflict threatens ‘collective security’, stains ‘our common humanity’, says UN chief
19 June 2019
Human Rights
Sexual violence in conflict is a “threat to our collective security” and a “stain on our common humanity”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, on Wednesday.
© UNHCR/Hélène Caux
Record displacement shows ‘we're almost unable to make peace’, warns UN refugee agency chief
19 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
A record 70.8 million people fled war, persecution and conflict in 2018, UN refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi said on Wednesday, appealing for greater international solidarity to counter the fact that “we have become almost unable to make peace”.
Audio - 28'7" Playlist
UNICEF/Aaref Watad
Syria: Humanitarian disaster in Idlib ‘unfolding before our eyes’ says top UN relief official
18 June 2019
Peace and Security
Unabating violence, destruction and a downward sprial in overall conditions for the desperate people trapped in north-western Syria’s Idlib were in the spotlight as the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Tuesday that “we are faced with a humanitarian disaster unfolding before our eyes”.
UNFICYP
Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Combating hate speech, DR Congo, antimicrobial resistance, peacekeeping, #ActNow for our planet
18 June 2019
Human Rights
This Tuesday, top stories include: the UN’s war on hate speech; a surge in ethnic violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the ‘invisible pandemic’ of antimicrobial resistance; UN peacekeeping Commanders’ meeting at the Security Council; and a new campaign to encourage healthy and sustainable food choices.
Audio - 3'30" Playlist
PAHO/Joshua Cogan
UN health agency steps up fight against ‘invisible pandemic’ of antimicrobial resistance
18 June 2019
Health
As resistance to antibiotics grows, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the latest stage of its campaign to fight this deadly health risk – likened by the agency to an “invisible pandemic”– with the launch of a new online tool for health professionals on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
Hate speech ‘on notice’ as UN chief launches new plan to ‘identify, prevent and confront’ growing scourge
18 June 2019
Human Rights
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has declared war on hate speech, telling Member States on Tuesday, that we all need to “do better at looking out for each other”.
© UNHCR/Denis Oulai
300,000 flee flare-up of ethnic violence in north-eastern DR Congo
18 June 2019
Peace and Security
More than 300,000 people have been forced to flee resurgent inter-ethnic violence in north-east Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) just this month, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.
Audio - 6'25" Playlist
UNICEF/Sri Kolari
Billions globally lack ‘water, sanitation and hygiene’, new UN report spells out
17 June 2019
Health
Some 2.2 billion people around the world do not have safely-managed drinking water, while 4.2 billion go without safe sanitation services and three billion lack basic handwashing facilities, according to a new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Audio Playlist
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Monday’s Daily Brief: World population, Desertification Day, ocean protection, Nigeria, Yemen and Gaza
17 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
To start this week, we cover: food aid diversions in Yemen; 9.7 billion of people on earth by 2050; Law of the Sea Convention; World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought; triple suicide bombing in Nigeria; and a solar power plant for health care in Gaza.
Audio - 3'26" Playlist
© UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jaramillo
UN chief accepts independent report on Myanmar, highlighting ‘systemic’ failure surrounding Rohingya crisis
17 June 2019
UN Affairs
An independent review into how the UN System operated in Myanmar in the years leading up to the mass exodus of the Rohingya following serious human rights abuses, has concluded there were “systemic and structural failures” that prevented a unified strategy from being implemented.
LATEST NEWS
© UNHCR/NMO
Yemeni children ‘dying right now’ due to food aid diversions Beasley warns Security Council
17 June 2019
Peace and Security
Food continues to be taken “from the mouths of hungry little boys and little girls” in many areas of Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels, warned the head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday, who said the agency would be forced to suspend some food assistance within days, unless agreements are finally honoured.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
UN oceans treaty ‘essential’ to combat ‘unprecedented pressure’ on the world’s seas – UN chief
17 June 2019
SDGs
The oceans are not only under “unprecedented pressure” due to climate change, but “half of all living coral has been lost in the past 150 years”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, addressing the latest gathering of nations which are party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
UNICEF/Sri Kolari
9.7 billion on Earth by 2050, but growth rate slowing, says new UN population report
17 June 2019
Economic Development
By the year 2050, there will be some 9.7 billion people living on Earth, says a UN population report released on Monday. However, the overall growth rate will continue to fall, and more countries will have to adapt to the consequences of an ageing population.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
24 billion tons of fertile land lost every year, warns UN chief on World Day to Combat Desertification
16 June 2019
Climate Change
In a video message released in advance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, marked on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterreswarned that the world loses 24 billion tons of fertile land every year, and that the degradation in land quality is responsible for a reduction in the national domestic product of up to eight per cent every year.
Photo: TASS/UN DPI
UN chief condemns terrorist attacks in Kenya and Somalia
16 June 2019
Peace and Security
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Sunday condemned an attack that took place on Saturday in Wajir County, Kenya, in which at least eight police officers were killed when their car struck an improvised explosive device (IED), as well as a car bomb attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in which at least eight people were killed.
UNICEF/Arcos
Record number of Venezuelans arrive in Peru: UN steps up response
16 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has sent extra teams this week to the border between Peru and Ecuador to support the authorities, as an unprecedent number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants – over 15,000 – have entered Peru this week.
IFAD/Christine Nesbitt
Remittances matter: 8 facts you don’t know about the money migrants send back home
15 June 2019
Economic Development
This Sunday marks the second International Day of Family Remittances, observed every year on 16 June, in recognition of the fundamental contribution of migrant workers to their families and communities back home.
IOM/Jorge Gallindo.
Shining a light on sustainable power: how clean energy is helping to improve camps for displaced people
14 June 2019
Climate Change
Hauwa, from Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria, fled her home village of Adamari with her husband and four children in March, when violence struck. Now, she is in the relative safety of a UN-run camp but, with little electricity available at night, lighting is scarce, and darkness can mean danger. However, thanks to a solar-energy initiative from the UN migration agency IOM, that is beginning to change.
Photo: OCHA/ Julie Languille
Ahead of 2020 elections, situation in Burundi shows encouraging signs but remains fragile
14 June 2019
Economic Development
A UN Security Council meeting on the security and political situation in Burundi was held on Friday, as the country continues to grapple with a four-year-long crisis and is gearing up for new elections in 2020.
UNICEF/Jimmy Adriko
Friday’s Daily Brief : Sudan and South Sudan, Ebola, ECOSOC elections, risks of 5G tech
14 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
This Friday, we cover: Ebola in central Africa still not declared an international emergency, by the World Health Organization; looming famine in South Sudan; humanitarian concerns in Sudan; new elections at the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); and how 5G technology can jeopardize early warnings of natural disasters.
Audio - 4'9" Playlist
UNICEF/Fuad
Yemen: maternal and newborn health ‘on the brink of total collapse’, UNICEF alerts
14 June 2019
Health
After more than four years of grinding conflict in Yemen, healthcare for mothers and their babies is “on the brink of collapse”, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday, in a report that highlights the difficulties of childbirth and parenting in a war zone.
UN Photo/Albert Gonzlez Farran
UN suspending handover of camps in Darfur, peacekeeping chief tells Security Council
14 June 2019
Peace and Security
The joint African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), is suspending the handover of any more camps for displaced civilians to the Sudanese military, against a backdrop of worsening violence and insecurity across the country.
WFP/Gabriela Vivacqua
South Sudanese facing famine in all but name, warns UN food agency
14 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Record numbers in South Sudan – some seven million people – face acute food shortages, while more than 20,000 are close to famine, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.
Audio - 6'5" Playlist
Ahmed Bahhar/Masarib
Sudan: top UN official demands cessation of violence and rape against civilians by security forces
13 June 2019
Human Rights
Following recent reports of attacks and rape by security forces and paramilitaries against the pro-democracy protesters in Sudan who have been holding a sit-in outside army headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, the United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, expressed “grave concern” on Thursday and called for an “immediate and complete” end to the violence.
Audio - 12'52" Playlist
UNICEF/Siegfried Modola
UN cooperation with League of Arab States ‘pivotal’, UN chief tells Security Council
13 June 2019
Peace and Security
Global problems require global solutions that rely on “essential” partnerships, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday, stating that “our cooperation with the League of Arab States is pivotal”.
WHO/Yoshi Shimizu
Sexual abuse of elderly likely to ‘grow dramatically’, UN expert says
13 June 2019
Human Rights
As the world prepares to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day this Saturday, the UN independent human rights expert mandated with defending the rights of older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, has stressed that they are often victims of sexual abuse and rape, although it remains rarely detected, reported or exposed.
© UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jarami
Thursday’s Daily Brief: Albinism, displacement in Central America, family-friendly nations, updates on the Gulf and Darfur
13 June 2019
Human Rights
This Thursday, top stories includes: International Albinism Awareness Day; the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, appealing for regional talks on Central America forced displacement; updates on the latest attack on oil tankers in the Gulf and on recent clashes in Darfur; and a new report by UNICEF on the best and worst "family-friendly" nations.
Audio - 2'58" Playlist
Finnish Red Cross/Maria Santto
Second Ebola death confirmed in Uganda as UN health agency mulls global emergency call
13 June 2019
Health
Together with Uganda, UN humanitarian agencies are racing to contain deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) there, after the announcement that it has claimed a second victim.
Audio - 1'57" Playlist
Corbis Images/Patricia Willocq
Recognize, celebrate and ‘stand in solidarity’ with persons with albinism
13 June 2019
Human Rights
International Albinism Awareness Day is a time to “recognize, celebrate and stand in solidarity with persons with albinism around the world”, the United Nations urged on Thursday, taking place this year under the banner, “Still Standing Strong”.
MINUSMA/Gema Cortes
Mali peace process in a ‘critical phase’, says head of UN Mission
12 June 2019
Peace and Security
Addressing the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, the head of the UN Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, said that amid ongoing violence, including scores of civilian deaths and deadly attacks on UN peacekeepers, a critical phase of the peace process had now been reached.
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi
Understanding of LGBT realities ‘non-existent’ in most countries, says UN expert
12 June 2019
Human Rights
Policymakers in most parts of the world are taking decisions in the dark when it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity, an independent UN human rights expert said on Wednesday.
UN News/Paulina Greer
Young New Yorkers bring robots, and a glimpse of the future, to UN Headquarters
12 June 2019
SDGs
Tiny balls moved along a series of automated Lego robots, as young students from New York explained to United Nations staff the inner-workings of simple motors and engineering.
ILO/Asrian Mirza
Wednesday’s Daily Brief: mental health, conflict prevention, Ebola in Uganda, Sudan protests, child labour
12 June 2019
Health
This Wednesday’s top stories are: one-in-five conflict-affected people suffer from a mental illness; the Security Council holds a special session on conflict prevention; 5-year-old Congolese boy is first to die from Ebola in Uganda; Sudanese protestors' rights baffled; the decline of foreign investment; and tackling child labour.
Audio - 4'6" Playlist
© UNICEF/Khoy Bona
More funding needed to tackle child labour in agriculture says UN, marking World Day
12 June 2019
Human Rights
The number of children working in agriculture has increased by 10 million since 2012, which is why on Wednesday’s World Day Against Child Labour, the UN agency for the sector is urging countries to allocate more funding to address a global surge in subsistence farming at every level.
MINUSMA/Gema Cortes
Conflict prevention, mediation: among ‘most important tools’ to reduce human suffering, Guterres tells Security Council
12 June 2019
Peace and Security
Conflict prevention and mediation are two of “the most important tools at our disposal to reduce human suffering” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday.
© UNICEF/UN0312582/Filippov
One-in-five suffers mental health condition in conflict zones, new UN figures reveal
12 June 2019
Health
More than one-in-five people living in conflict-affected areas suffers from a mental illness, according to a new report based on UN figures, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to call for increased, sustained investment in mental health services in those zones.
World Bank/Vincent Tremeau
UN health agency identifies 5-year-old Congolese boy as first confirmed case of Ebola in Uganda
11 June 2019
Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health, confirmed on Tuesday the first case of the deadly Ebola virus in Uganda, stemming from the nearly year-long current outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Masarib/Ahmed Bahhar
Sudan: ‘Violence must stop’, says UNICEF chief, ‘gravely concerned’ over 19 child deaths since military backlash
11 June 2019
Peace and Security
At least 19 children have reportedly been killed in Sudan and another 49 injured since a military backlash against protesters began earlier this month, prompting the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to express her grave concern “at the impact of the continuing violence and unrest in the country on children and young people”.
IOM/Amanda Nero
Tragedy of Mediterranean deaths continues, as seven drown, 57 rescued: UN migration agency
11 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
A rescue operation on the Mediterranean concluded on Tuesday with confirmation that seven people drowned and 57 were rescued, following a shipwreck off the Greek island of Lesvos, the UN migration agency, IOM, said.
UNDP Eurasia
Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Disability inclusion, minimum wage, and LGBTI rights in Botswana
11 June 2019
Human Rights
This Tuesday, we cover: a new strategy for disability inclusion; continued talks on social justice at the international labour conference; an update on Yemen; a historic Security Council resolution on missing persons in conflict; and same-sex rights in Botswana.
Audio - 3'6" Playlist
Photo: IRIN/Amantha Perera
Families deserve answers when loved ones go missing in conflict: Security Council adopts historic resolution
11 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
The 15 members of the United Nations Security Council adopted on Tuesday the very first ever resolution focused on the issue of missing persons in armed conflict. The aim is to encourage countries to fulfil their obligations, take action to step up prevention, and tackle the issue earlier, so that ultimately families separated by conflict can be reunited, or at least given answers as to the fate of their loved ones.
Audio - 16'17" Playlist
World Bank/Arne Hoel
Macron leads EU-wide minimum wage call as Merkel, Medvedev warn of global injustice
11 June 2019
Economic Development
“Fundamental change” to the world of work – including an EU-wide minimum wage – is needed to address the growing gap between society’s haves and have-nots, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.
UNMISS/Isaac Billy
New Disability Inclusion Strategy is ‘transformative change we need’, says Guterres
11 June 2019
Human Rights
Disability inclusion is not only a fundamental human right, it is “central to the promise” of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the annual conference on the Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which began on Tuesday.
UN Photo/Manuel Elia
UN Security Council offers Yemen Special Envoy ‘their full support’
11 June 2019
Peace and Security
Security Council members issued a statement on Monday offering “their full support” to the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, after he had reportedly come in for criticism by the Government.
MINUSMA/Sophie Ravier
Scores killed in ‘barbaric’ attack on Mali village, UN chief urges restraint, calls for ‘dialogue’ to resolve tensions
10 June 2019
Peace and Security
Nearly 100 people were reportedly killed during an attack on a traditional Dogon hunters’ village in Mali on Sunday, prompting a call from UN chief António Guterres for authorities to act fast and “bring the perpetrators to justice”.
©Veejay Villafranca/NOOR for FAO
Monday’s Daily Brief: the future of food and digital tech, labour justice in focus, denuclearization, and Kosovo
10 June 2019
Economic Development
This Monday, top stories includes: a new report on risks and opportunities of digital technology; social justice for all at the centenary UN labour conference; updates on Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear programmes; tackling today’s problems with food; and updates on the relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Audio - 3'43" Playlist
ILO/Marcel Crozet
The future of work ‘with social justice for all’ tops agenda of centenary UN Labour conference
10 June 2019
Economic Development
The Centenary International Labour Conference got underway on Monday at the UN in Geneva, with ILO chief Guy Ryder, calling on hundreds of delegates from around the world to help “construct a future of work, with social justice for all”.
Audio - 4'47" Playlist
UN Photo/Mark Garten
UN makes ‘declaration of digital interdependence’, with release of tech report
10 June 2019
Economic Development
The digital future must be safer and more inclusive, says a new tech report, “the Age of Digital Interdependence”, released on Monday by the UN High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, almost a year after the Panel was launched by Secretary-General António Guterres.
Audio - 11'58" Playlist
UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
Amid Venezuela exodus, UN refugee envoy Angelina Jolie visits camps on Colombian border, appeals for humanity, more support
10 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
As the United Nations announced four million Venezuelans have fled their country, Angelina Jolie, a special envoy for the world body’s refugee agency, visited camps along the Colombian-Venezuelan border, where on Saturday she appealed for more leadership, more humanity and more support to countries bearing the brunt of the crisis.
UNAMA / Mujeeb Rahman
Civilians ‘must never be a target,’ says UN in Afghanistan, amid troubling number of casualties during Ramadan
10 June 2019
Peace and Security
The United Nations has urged all parties to the “ongoing intense conflict” across Afghanistan to meet their obligations to protect civilians from harm, denouncing a spate of attacks by militants which killed more than 100 civilians in Kabul alone during Ramadan.
UN Women/Ryan Brown
FROM THE FIELD: Murals help heal wounds of bloody conflict in Guatemala
8 June 2019
Peace and Security
“The villagers knew that the military kidnapped [indigenous] people and brought them here and tortured them. While alive, they were forced to dig their own graves. Some would be buried in the ground, here, still half alive.” The chilling words of Rosalina Tuyuc Velásquez, a member of an indigenous group in Guatemala.
Arne Hoel/World Bank
Promoting gender equality a ‘crucial contribution’ in effort to restore, protect our planet’s oceans
8 June 2019
SDGs
Women are engaged in all aspects of interaction with our ocean, yet their voices are often missing at the decision-making level, the head of the United Nations cultural agency said on World Oceans Day, emphasizing that “we must ensure diversity and gender inclusiveness at all levels” to set a balanced course for humanity and foster innovative solutions for the ocean.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
St. Vincent and the Grenadines breaks a record, as smallest ever Security Council seat holder
7 June 2019
UN Affairs
Following a secret ballot held on Friday, the UN General Assembly elected five countries to the Security Council, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the smallest nation ever to secure a seat. Also elected were Estonia, Niger, Tunisia, Viet Nam.
UNICEF/Grove Hermansen
Friday’s Daily Brief: electronic hopes and fears, Security Council elections, updates from Libya, Syria, Australia and the Philippines
7 June 2019
Peace and Security
Wrapping up this week, our top stories are: how new technologies are a "vector for hope" and "source of fear", according to UN chief Guterres; new members at the Security Council; the plight of migrants in Libya; war rules violations in Syria; human rights in Australia and the Philippines.
LATEST NEWS
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Russian Federation
Key economic forum in Russia: New technology a ‘vector of hope’ but also ‘a source of fear’ says Guterres
7 June 2019
SDGs
Technological innovation is continuing to transform the world, with the potential to propel us all towards reaching the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday, at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia.
UN Sudan/Ayman Suliman
Accountability in Sudan ‘crucial’ to avoid ‘further bloodshed’, says UN rights office
7 June 2019
Peace and Security
Now in its fifth day, a crackdown by the military authorities in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, with dozens reported killed, has prompted a “gravely concerned” UN human rights office (OHCHR) to propose the “rapid deployment” of a monitoring team to look into allegations of serious rights violations.
© UNICEF/UN052682/Romenzi
Libya’s migrants and refugees with tuberculosis ‘left to die’ in detention centres
7 June 2019
Human Rights
Migrants and refugees suffering from tuberculosis are being left “effectively to die” in a Libyan detention centre south of Tripoli, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday, citing reports that those returned to shore by the coastguard have been disappeared or sold to traffickers.
Audio - 5'22" Playlist
© UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jarami
Four million have now fled Venezuela, UN ramps up aid to children who remain
7 June 2019
Migrants and Refugees
The number of people who have left Venezuela to escape the country’s ongoing political and economic crisis, has reached some four million, the UN announced on Friday.
UNICEF/Kiran Panday
Around 23 million boys have married before reaching 15; ‘we can end this violation’ says UNICEF chief
7 June 2019
Human Rights
An estimated 115 million boys and men around the world were married as children, 23 million of them before the age of 15, according to the first-ever analysis on child grooms, launched on Friday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
© UNHCR/Antwan Chnkdji
Syria: Urgent, concrete actions needed, to protect children too young to ‘make sense of this senseless war’
6 June 2019
Peace and Security
New firsthand reporting by UN staff in Syria reveals “increasingly horrific brutality” by all parties in the de-escalation area of the country’s northwest, causing “significant civilian causalities” and hundreds of thousands displaced, a senior humanitarian official said on Thursday.
UN Russia/Yury Kochkin
World must avoid a new Cold War, UN chief tells economic forum in Russia
6 June 2019
Peace and Security
In a world where international relations have become "more chaotic," world leaders must avoid a new Cold War, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told delegates attending the International Economic Forum, in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg on Thursday.
IOM/Muse Mohammed
Thursday’s Daily Brief: STIs worldwide, food safety and food prices, updates on Iraq and East Africa
6 June 2019
Health
This Thursday, we cover: the latest global report by the UN health agency (WHO) on sexually transmitted infections (STIs); the first ever World Food Safety Day, celebrated this Friday; an update on global food prices; updates on the education and farmland situation in Iraq; and a new UN allocation of US$45 million to help people in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya facing food shortages.
Audio - 2'25" Playlist
World Bank/Arne Hoel
‘From farm to plate’, first-ever World Food Safety Day demonstrates the need to take unsafe food off the menu
6 June 2019
Health
Unsafe food kills an estimated 420,000 people every year, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday, just ahead of the first-ever UN World Food Safety Day. Children under-five are the most at risk, carrying 40 per cent of the foodborne disease burden, amounting to 125,000 deaths every year.
© UNICEF/Jan Mun
More than one million sexually transmitted infections occur every day: WHO
6 June 2019
Health
The global scale of sexually transmitted infections (STI) should be a “wake-up call” to governments, UN health experts said on Thursday, citing data showing that one in 25 people today have “at least one” curable STI, which occur at a rate of more than one million a day worldwide.
LATEST NEWS
World Bank/Rob Beechey
World Bank downgrades global growth forecasts, poorest countries hardest hit
5 June 2019
Economic Development
The World Bank has lowered its expectations of global economic growth for this year in a new report. It says that, although the picture for poorer countries is expected to stabilize in 2020, economic momentum remains weak.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
UN ‘financial crisis,’ years in the making, Guterres tells budget body, proposes solutions
5 June 2019
UN Affairs
The UN’s financial crisis has been years in the making and is undermining the organization’s mandates and reform efforts, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Fifth Committee, the body responsible for the United Nations budget, on Tuesday.
UNDP Morocco
FROM THE FIELD: Balancing Morocco’s indigenous culture and conservation
5 June 2019
Climate Change
The delicate balance between indigenous farming practices and conservation in Morocco is under threat, but according to the UN, local communities in the Western High Atlas Mountains are finding ways to preserve traditions and still make a living from the land.
WMO/Alfred Lee
Take action on air pollution to save lives, and the planet, urges UN chief
5 June 2019
Climate Change
In a message to mark World Environment Day, celebrated on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized the link between worsening levels of air pollution and the climate crisis.
UNAMID/Albert González Farran
‘Regional security and integration’ in Central Africa under threat, Security Council warned
4 June 2019
Peace and Security
Recurrent and often deadly clashes between pastoralists and farmers in several countries in Central Africa continue to cause “serious concern”, threatening “regional security and integration”, a senior UN official warned the Security Council on Tuesday.
© UNICEF/Ahmad Al Ahmad
Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Bicycles for the environment, new leader for the UN General Assembly, UN values, Ebola, Syria and Libya
4 June 2019
Climate Change
This Tuesday, we cover: Bicycles in China; a new President elected for the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, to start in September; vital food crops destroyed in Syria; migrants and refugees in Libya’s detention centres; Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo surpasses 2,000 cases; and the UN deputy chief in London pushes for UN values.
Audio - 7'33" Playlist
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Newly-elected Nigerian UN General Assembly President pledges focus on ‘peace and prosperity’ for most vulnerable
4 June 2019
UN Affairs
The global reach of the United Nations makes it “the world's best hope for peace and security, sustainable development and the promotion and protection of human rights and social progress”, said the top Nigerian diplomat who will be the next President of the General Assembly.
UN Mission in Colombia
Colombia: Rights experts condemn killing of reintegrated former rebel fighter, call for respect of peace process
4 June 2019
Human Rights
Against a backdrop of challenges in implementing the peace process in Colombia, six independent UN human rights experts condemned on Tuesday the killing of a former member of the FARC-EP guerilla movement, which they said constitutes a “violation” of the guarantees made by the Government in the 2016 peace agreement.
UNICEF/Watad
Vital food crops destroyed in Syria amid upsurge in fighting across Idlib, Hama
4 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed in Syria’s Idlib and north Hama provinces amid ongoing deadly violence, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday, in a call to the warring parties to stop using food security to hold people “hostage”.
Audio - 7'33" Playlist
Yimin Feng
‘Bicycle Kingdom’ makes a comeback, as China seeks solutions to tackle air pollution crisis
3 June 2019
Climate Change
Cars have replaced bicycles as the primary means of transport in many Chinese cities but, with air pollution a major problem for the country, the bike is making a comeback, thanks to digital technology, and some 21st Century thinking.
LATEST NEWS
Photo: Msichana Initiative
Pedal power makes ‘positive impact on climate’, urges UN on World Bicycle Day
3 June 2019
Climate Change
The simple, affordable, and environmentally friendly bicycle is not just a means of transportation, but also “a tool for development”, the United Nations said in a message on Monday commemorating World Bicycle Day.
UNDP São Tomé and Príncipe
FROM THE FIELD: Watering the parched farmland of São Tomé and Príncipe
3 June 2019
Climate Change
Farmers on the island of São Tomé and Príncipe, off the western coast Africa, are being supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to become more resilient in the face of climate fluctuations which have left the land parched and farmers without an income.
UNICEF/Zahara Abdul
Monday’s Daily Brief: the cost of maternal healthcare, Sudan and Chad updates, sustainability in focus
3 June 2019
Women
This Monday, top stories includes: the “catastrophic” cost of maternal healthcare; UN condemnation following violence against protesters in Sudan and the killing of a journalist in Chad; and the urgent need for sustainability highlighted through an exhibit in Geneva and a special event in London.
Audio - 3'17" Playlist
Ahmed Bahhar/Masarib
Sudan: UN chief deplores excessive force used against pro-democracy protesters, calls on military and civilian leaders to ‘stay the course’ in negotiations
3 June 2019
Peace and Security
Security forces in Sudan fired on pro-democracy protesters in the capital Khartoum on Monday, leaving a number of dead and many more injured, prompting the United Nations chief’s condemnation and an appeal for “peaceful dialogue” to resume.
UNICEF/Jan Zammit
‘Catastrophic’ healthcare costs put mothers and newborns at risk
3 June 2019
Health
Pregnant women are putting their lives and their babies at risk because of “catastrophic” and prohibitive healthcare costs before, during and after childbirth, UNICEF said on Monday.
© UNICEF/Mungunkhishig Batbaatar
With a premature death every five seconds, air pollution is violation of human rights, says UN expert
3 June 2019
Climate Change
An independent UN expert said on Monday that the failure of governments across the world to ensure clear air, constitutes a “violation of the rights to life, health and well-being, as well as the right to live in a healthy environment.”
Audio - 7'33" Playlist
UNICEF/Karel Prinsloo
International partners pledge $1.2 billion to help cyclone-hit Mozambique recover, ‘build back better’
2 June 2019
Humanitarian Aid
Donors have pledged an initial $1.2 billion to help restore livelihoods and rebuild infrastructure destroyed by cyclones Kenneth and Idai in Mozambique, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced on Sunday.
UNICEF/Brian Sokol
On the Global Day of Parents, UNICEF is urging support for parents to give children ‘the best start in life’
1 June 2019
Women
Kicking off on Saturday the first-ever global Parenting Month, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is calling on world leaders to invest in family-friendly policies that support parents to give their children “the best start in life”.
