WHO calls for more research into microplastics and a crackdown on plastic pollution

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls for a further assessment of microplastics in the environment and their potential impacts on human health, following the release of an analysis of current research related to microplastics in drinking-water. The Organization also calls for a reduction in plastic pollution to benefit the environment and reduce human exposure.

“We urgently need to know more about the health impact of microplastics because they are everywhere - including in our drinking-water,” says Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, at WHO. “Based on the limited information we have, microplastics in drinking water don’t appear to pose a health risk at current levels. But we need to find out more. We also need to stop the rise in plastic pollution worldwide.”

According to the analysis, which summarizes the latest knowledge on microplastics in drinking-water, microplastics larger than 150 micrometres are not likely to be absorbed in the human body and uptake of smaller particles is expected to be limited. Absorption and distribution of very small microplastic particles including in the nano size range may, however, be higher, although the data is extremely limited.



World Health Organization (WHO)
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Live from Geneva: WHO calls for more research on microplastics in drinking water. Q&A with Bruce Gordon. #AskWHO https://www.pscp.tv/w/cC5EijI2MTAyMHwxUkRHbHZBcmd6TnhMGJMyOfODSQZifvNsH2p2KvC7QCgG6cK8DWIP1kiI7Hw= …


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Live from Geneva: WHO calls for more research on microplastics in drinking water. Q&A with Bruce Gordon. #AskWHOpscp.tv

Further research is needed to obtain a more accurate assessment of exposure to microplastics and their potential impacts on human health. These include developing standard methods for measuring microplastic particles in water; more studies on the sources and occurrence of microplastics in fresh water; and the efficacy of different treatment processes.

WHO recommends drinking-water suppliers and regulators prioritize removing microbial pathogens and chemicals that are known risks to human health, such as those causing deadly diarrhoeal diseases. This has a double advantage: wastewater and drinking-water treatment systems that treat faecal content and chemicals are also effective in removing microplastics.

Wastewater treatment can remove more than 90% of microplastics from wastewater, with the highest removal coming from tertiary treatment such as filtration. Conventional drinking-water treatment can remove particles smaller than a micrometre. A significant proportion of the global population currently does not benefit from adequate water and sewage treatment. By addressing the problem of human exposure to faecally contaminated water, communities can simultaneously address the concern related to microplastics.

Nada Osseiran
Communications Officer
WHO
Mobile: +41 79 445 1624
Email: osseirann@who.int


Christian Lindmeier
Communications Officer
WHO
Telephone: +41 22 791 1948
Mobile: +41 79 500 6552
Email: lindmeierch@who.int

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Full report, press materials and information sheet with key messages and FAQs
Transcript on Microplastics in drinking-water

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders ready for talks with UN chief on improved relations

Peace and Security
Leaders of the Greek and Turkish parts of the divided island of Cyprus have agreed to meet with the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, in order to “plan the way forward”, and improve the daily lives of all Cypriots, a statement from the UN Mission in Cyprus.


The press release was published following a meeting between Greek-Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, and Elizabeth Spehar, the head of the UN Mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP), held earlier on the same day at Ms. Spehar’s official residence in the UN Protected Area.


The two leaders took the opportunity to welcome the implementation of previously announced confidence-building measures, such as making the electricity and mobile phone networks more inter-connected, which would allow greater interaction between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities. They also reaffirmed their commitment to implementing further confidence-building measures, with the support of the UN.

The Mission was established in 1964 to prevent conflict between the two communities on the Mediterranean island, and in the absence of a political settlement, it continues to maintain ceasefire lines and a buffer zone.

In an interview with UN News last May, the commander of the UN military force in Cyprus, Major-General Cheryl Pearce, explained that peacekeepers on the island are working towards a “bi-zonal, bi-communal federated state”, to ensure a “future where the whole of the island can live in a safe and secure environment” says Force Commander, Major-General Cheryl Pearce.

The meeting was described as a “sincere and constructive exchange of views”, during which the leaders decided to continue working towards a settlement between the two sides “with a sense of urgency”.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/08/1044051

Security Council must ‘come together’ to address the plight of children trapped in armed conflict, says UN envoy

It is “vitally important” that the Security Council “come together” on the current plight of children affected by armed conflict across the globe”, Virginia Gamba, the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict said on Friday.

© UNICEF/Kamal Ayyashi
An injured girl is being treated at Althawra Hospital in Hudaydah, Yeman. She was injured along with her brothers and her uncle, while the family was trying to relocate farther from the fighting that same day in Aljah area, Bait Alfaqih district. (2018).


2 August 2019
Peace and Security




Recalling that 2019 marks 20 years since the Council first passed a resolution on children and armed conflict and the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, she said the open debate, which comes on the heels of the release of the Secretary-General's annual report on the issue earlier this week, “provides a milestone” to take stock of our collective efforts to date.

Last month in Mali, Ms. Gamba said that she saw “first-hand the situation of children” and advocated for “increased protection measures for boys and girls”.

She travelled to Mopti, “a region recently affected by dramatic spikes of violence”, saying she was struck by the “common recognition of the importance of protecting children from violence” on the part of the authorities and those in Dogon and Peulh communities.


“It was clear to me that the protection of children can act as a confidence-building measure between opposing parties”, she asserted. “It can demonstrably positively impact peace processes and agreements, as we recently saw with the commitments of the two groups to cease hostilities”.

As Special Representative, Ms. Gamba has expended much energy in engaging with conflict parties where they were willing, which she said has “inspired positive results”.

Moreover, in many situations where a monitoring and reporting mechanism has been in place, Governments have instituted measures that have “galvanized action and allowed progress to develop quickly as a direct result of high-level engagement”.

“Regional and subregional work is a key element of this direct engagement”, according to the Special Representative. “High-level political engagement supports the cornerstone of our endeavors; the child protection efforts in situations of armed conflict”.

Spelling out the importance of “access and actors in the field” she said “we cannot achieve anything without the tireless work on the ground of so many colleagues and partners”.
Grave violations against children continue

“Unfortunately, for all our efforts to date, we are not yet at a point where we can be confident that the situation is improving year upon year”, lamented Ms. Gamba,

She informed the Council that 2018 saw “record levels” of verified cases of children killed and maimed, and echoed the Secretary-General s concern that “unprecedented numbers of violations were attributed to national and international forces”.

“It is vital that this Council redoubles its efforts to ensure that all parties abide by the principals of distinction, proportionality and military necessity” affirmed Ms. Gamba, urging the conflict’s parties to issue “specific command orders that address reducing child casualties”.

The Six Grave Violations Against Children During Armed Conflict
1. Recruitment and use of children

2. Killing or maiming of children

3. Sexual violence against children

4. Attacks against schools or hospitals

5. Abduction of children

6. Denial of humanitarian access


Noting that unexploded ordinates, improvised explosive devices and landmines are “a real preoccupation” for her office, the Special Represented said “quick wins” could be achieved if explosive remnants of war (ERW) were cleared up when peace agreements are made.

Saying that rape and other forms of sexual violence are “significantly under reported”, Ms. Gamba cited the fear of stigma and retaliation and a lack of survivors’ services and witnesses protection as discouraging children from coming forward.

“Unfortunately, this violation has proved difficult to address”, she lamented, advocating for “greater accountability” and “adapted responsive care services” to make significant progress.

Moreover, too many children continue to be detained as a result of conflict.


“Children exposed to alarming levels of violence should not be further ostracized once released from armed groups and armed forces”, she upheld. “We must allow these children to be considered as what they are: victims of a conflict”.

She asked the Council to work for humanitarian access in resolutions and bilateral relations, explaining that “we can strain every sinew at the highest level to prevent violations, but we also need to be able to respond quickly to violations when they occur”.

Additionally, Ms. Gamba underscored the need for more dialogue and engagement.

“We cannot afford to lose children once they are released and we cannot afford to make them wait their turn for reintegration assistance”, she said, flagging the need for real reintegration of boys and girls globally.

In closing, Ms. Gamba implored the Council’s support to engage with conflict parties to end and prevent violations and to ensure sufficient pressure to make commitments mean something.

“And, most of all, we need your support to ensure that there is the requisite child protection capacity to give children affected by conflict all the support they need”, concluded the Special Representative.
“We must face facts [and] we must do better”

In her remarks, Henrietta Fore, Executive Director the UN Children’s Fund, spotlighted the stark figures from the report, pointing to the 24,000 violations against conflict-affected children documented in 2018. Half of these cases involve the killing and maiming of children, she said, adding: “Those are just the verified incidents; we must do better.”

She also expressed deep distress over the continued rampant use of explosive weapons and their impact on children, who account for more than two thirds of all civilians killed and maimed by these weapons. “Ten years after the Council adopted resolution 1882 (2009), the facts tell us that we have miles to go to end grave violations against children in armed conflict,” she said.


“But they do not tell the whole story; there is so much we can do to come to the aid of children at risk.”

While stressing that Governments are responsible for preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, she said UNICEF is supporting related projects, including an age-verification workshop with the armed forces of Sudan.

Authorities must also exercise maximum restraint in preventing the excessive use of military force against people engaging in peaceful protest.

UNICEF remained especially concerned about the mental health, physical security and basic rights of children associated with armed groups.

“Tens of thousands of these children are languishing in camps, detention centres and orphanages in Syria, Iraq and other countries”, she maintained. “They are shunned by their communities because of perceived or actual links with groups designated as terrorists”.

When children leave these groups, after years of harrowing experiences, they should receive protection and humanitarian assistance. But instead, they are ostracized, rejected and locked up, said Ms. Fore.

Boys and girls often join armed groups under extreme duress, coercion, fear or manipulation – or simply as a matter of survival. Evidence suggests that they are rarely driven by ideology.

“Rather than being detained, they should be reintegrated into society with a holistic approach that addresses their complex needs”, stressed Ms. Fore. “UNICEF calls on all Member States to reintegrate children associated with armed groups into society and to support holistic, evidence-based reintegration programming”.

“Protecting the lives and futures of children affected by armed conflict is not just the right thing to do, it is in our collective self-interest,” Ms. Fore emphasized. “They are the adults and the leaders of tomorrow. Let us do more to protect vulnerable children. Our global future may depend on it.”

Security Council gravely concerned by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, demands immediate end to violence hampering response

WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie
On 20 June 2018, a member of the WHO Ebola ring vaccination team vaccinates a man in Bosolo village, Democratic Republic of the Congo.


2 August 2019
Peace and Security


The UN Security Council on Friday expressed grave concern about the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and stressed the urgency of broad cooperation in the response, as “the disease could spread rapidly, including to neighbouring countries, possibly having serious humanitarian consequences and impacting regional stability.”


In a statement presented by Jacek Czaputowicz, Foreign Minister of Poland, which holds the Council’s presidency for the month of August, the 15-member body emphasized the need for continued cooperation and coordination with the DRC Government to address the Ebola outbreak, as well as with the States in the region.

Noting “the challenging operating environment”, the Council reiterated its appreciation for the efforts of the Government, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN agencies, the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), the African Union, humanitarian organizations, international donors and all supporting the response to contain the disease and treat Ebola patients.

The Council also stressed the need for Government and civil society in affected and at-risk countries “to work urgently with relevant partners” to improve their preparedness for preventing, detecting and responding to possible cases, as well as to implement optimal vaccine strategies that have maximum impact on curtailing the outbreak.

Reiterating their serious concern regarding the security situation in the areas affected by the Ebola outbreak, particularly attacks on humanitarian and medical personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, “which is severely hampering the response efforts and facilitating the spread of the virus in the DRC and the wider region” Council members called for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all armed groups.

“The Security Council condemns in the strongest terms all attacks against and threats intentionally directed against medical personnel,” said the statement, which also spotlighted the Council’s “demand that safe and unhindered access be ensured for humanitarian and medical personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties.”

Finally, the Council emphasized the importance of strengthening international support and engagement, “including full and timely financial contributions to the response, technical assistance, scientific cooperation and human resources to bring the disease permanently and successfully under control.”

The Council’s statement comes as the wider UN and international aid community are marking of one year since the Government of the DRC declared an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in North Kivu province. Two weeks ago, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern, by WHO experts.

According to the UN, in the last year, there have been more than 2,600 confirmed cases of Ebola, including more than 1,800 deaths in parts of Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Almost one in three ‘cases’ is a child. The virus was also discovered in the large city of eastern City of Goma on the border of Rwanda and to nearby Uganda, and violence has killed health workers.

UN Headlines August 1-31, 2019 from UN News Center

UN/Martine Perret

UN chief and senior officials show solidarity with DR Congo during three-day visit
31 August 2019
Peace and Security



United Nations chief António Guterres and senior members of the UN, have embarked on a three-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where civilians are facing insecurity and ongoing health crises, including a year-long Ebola epidemic which has claimed more than 2,000 lives.


UN Photo/Manuel Elias

Activist Greta Thunberg gets preview of UNHQ ahead of climate summit
30 August 2019
Climate Change



Two days after disembarking from her carbon-free yacht in New York, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg paid a visit to UN Headquarters on Friday, after joining participants of her global climate strike movement, Fridays for Future, at the Organization’s gates.


UN Photo/Mark Garten

Friday's Daily Brief: Refugee children missing out on school, Ebola in Uganda, Fresh violence in Yemen, 20 years of Timor-Leste independence, Enforced disappearances
30 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



A recap of Friday's stories: Over half of refugee children missing an education; new Ebola case in Uganda; funding gap in Yemen leaves many at risk; Timor-Leste marks 20th anniversary of independence, enforced disappearances spread terror


UN Photo/Martine Perret

Alarming number of Ebola deaths in DRC a ‘rallying cry’ to scale up treatment
30 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



Since the Ebola epidemic struck in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) one year ago, almost 600 of around 850 children who have caught the virus have now died, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday.


OCHA/Giles Clark

As Yemen relief operations face funding gap, timing of surge in violence ‘couldn't be worse’
30 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



The situation in Yemen is “very fragile”, the top United Nations humanitarian official there has warned, noting that as many as 13 people have been killed and at least 70 wounded over the past three days during clashes in two governorates.


© UNHCR/Farha Bhoyroo

More than half of world’s refugee children ‘do not get an education’, warns UNHCR
30 August 2019
Culture and Education



Refugee children in their millions are missing out on an education, the UN said on Friday, in an appeal to host countries to back more inclusive policies to prevent them from “languishing” in camps for years and losing hope.
Audio - 5'57" Playlist 

© UNICEF/Santiago Arcos

Thursday’s Daily Brief: UN refugee agency on Venezuelan migrant crisis, dramatic resurgence' of measles in Europe, a UN News visit to former nuclear test site, Colombian law for disabled persons receives praise, Security Council on violence in Yemen
29 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



A recap of Thursday's stories: 'No end in sight' to massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees; 'Dramatic resurgence' of measles threatens Europe; Report from nuclear test site in Kazakhstan; UN expert welcomes new Colombian law for persons with disabilities; Security Council concerned over violent spams in Yemen.


©UNICEF/Kate Brooks

Millions in Idlib ‘counting on your support to make the violence stop’, UN relief chief tells Security Council
29 August 2019
Peace and Security



Despite an agreement signed nearly a year ago on a halt to further escalation in Syria’s war-battered Idlib, “the bombing and fighting go on in plain sight, day in and day out”, the UN humanitarian chief told the Security Council on Thursday.


©UNICEF/Arcos

Venezuela migrant crisis begs a ‘coherent, predictable and harmonized’ response: UNHCR
29 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



There is “no end in sight” to the massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees, now at around 4.3 million in number, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) shared on Thursday.


UN News/Nargiz Shekinskaya

‘Ground Zero’: Report from the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan
29 August 2019
Peace and Security



Every year on August 29, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN and its Member States mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This year, the Day coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. UN News travelled to the remote, eerily beautiful region, for this report.

UN Japan/Ichiro Mae

Decades of progress ‘can be wiped out overnight,’ UN chief laments at climate session in Yokohama
29 August 2019
Climate Change



“Little undermines development like disaster,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told attendees at a thematic session on Africa and climate change, on day two of the Tokyo international Conference on African Development (TICAD), now in its seventh year.


UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Bringing nuclear test ban treaty into force a ‘central pillar’ of global disarmament push, says UN chief
29 August 2019
Peace and Security



The legacy of nuclear testing is “nothing but destruction,” and in a world of rising tensions, “our collective security depends” on bringing a global treaty into force that bans nuclear explosions, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said.


© UNICEF/UN0201055/Krepkih

UN health experts warn ‘dramatic resurgence’ of measles continues to threaten the European region
28 August 2019
Health



Europe has lost ground in eliminating measles, as the number of countries having achieved or sustained elimination of the disease has declined, the European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) warned on Thursday.


UN Photo/Mark Garten

Teen activist Greta Thunberg arrives in New York by boat, putting ‘climate crisis’ in spotlight
28 August 2019
Climate Change



After a two-week sail across the Atlantic, youth climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in the Big Apple on Wednesday to take part in two major climate summits to be held at UN Headquarters next month.



UN News/Conor Lennon

Partnerships with civil society and youth ‘essential’ for a future that leaves no one behind: General Assembly President
28 August 2019
SDGs



Partnerships with civil society and youth are essential to achieving the goals of key UN-backed international agreements, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement on climate change, María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, told delegates at the UN Civil Society Conference on Wednesday.


UN Japan/Ichiro Mae

Wednesday's Daily Brief: Guterres talks technology for Africa’s development, ‘extinction crisis’ prompts stronger wildlife protection, Greta Thunberg reaches New York, funding shortfalls in Iraq, a positive step for Indigenous women
28 August 2019
Peace and Security



A recap of Wednesday’s stories: Secretary-General António Guterres says ‘winds of hope are blowing ever stronger’ for Africa’s development; Swedish climate youth activist Greta Thunberg reaches New York by boat; Chief of UN Mission for Iraq warns on funding shortfalls; and in Canada, a new bill recognizes the rights of indigenous women.


UNAMI PIO/Sarmad As-Safy

‘Perseverance is key’ to Iraq’s future, UN envoy tells Security Council
28 August 2019
Peace and Security



Although Iraq is “hard at work building on progress made to date”, a top United Nations official told the Security Council on Wednesday that decades of trouble continue to impact the present, but cautioned “we have not seen the end of it yet”.


Ryan Harvey

‘Extinction crisis’ pushes countries to agree stronger protection for global wildlife
28 August 2019
Economic Development



At-risk wildlife that is facing a “growing extinction crisis” received a boost on Wednesday, as countries wrapped up a marathon meeting in Geneva, by agreeing to increased protection measures and more sustainable trade in animals and plants across the globe.


UN Japan/Ichiro Mae

For Africa, ‘winds of hope are blowing ever stronger,’ Guterres declares at conference on development
28 August 2019
Economic Development



African nations have made ‘significant progress’ in developmental efforts in the last few years, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday, kicking off the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), taking place in Yokohama.


UNICEF/Pirozzi

Corruption undermines democracy and contributes to instability, warns senior UN anti-crime official
28 August 2019
SDGs

Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability, Mirella Dummar-Frahi, Civil Society Team Leader at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned at the UN Civil Society Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.


© UNICEF/Patrick Brown

‘There has never been a more urgent time,’ to safeguard children’s right to safe water and sanitation, says UNICEF
27 August 2019
Human Rights



Access to safe drinking water is a right critical to a child’s survival, yet protracted crises have left some 420 million children without basic sanitation, and 210 million lacking access to safe drinking water, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.


Courtesy of VFarm

Technology brings positive change, but ‘collateral damage’ must be minimized: senior UN official
27 August 2019
Economic Development



Digital technology has the potential to bring about a sustainable future, but the “collateral damage” of this transition must be mitigated, says the head of the UN’s technology strategy team, Salem Avan.


© UNICEF/Gilbertson V

With ISIL down but not out, continued vigilance is key, UN Security Council told
27 August 2019
Peace and Security



Despite ISIL’s territorial defeat in Syria, the terrorist group, also known as Da’esh “continues to aspire to global relevance”, the United Nations top counter-terrorism officials told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Audio - 20'36" Playlist 

UNifeed Video

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: UN envoy on Middle East peace process, child labour in Nepal, latest deadly Mediterranean shipwreck, DRC's Goma 21-days free of Ebola transmission, UN chief urges ban on nuclear testing
27 August 2019
Peace and Security



A recap of Tuesday's stories: UN envoy says tangible steps 'can, and must be taken' to reverse the 'negative trajectory' of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; child labour case in Nepal highlights 'widespread and systematic' abuse; some 40 people drowned off the coast of Libya in Mediterranean shipwreck; DR Congo's Goma passes key 21-day period free of Ebola transmission; and UN chief calls for global support in putting an end to nuclear weapons testing.




© World Bank/Natalia Cieslik

‘Complete political deadlock’ over Middle East peace risks more violence, regional escalation, warns UN envoy
27 August 2019
Peace and Security



Tangible steps “can, and must, be taken” to urgently reverse the “negative trajectory” of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and revive the peace process, a senior United Nations envoy told the Security Council on Tuesday.


IOM Peru/Karla Cervantes

Football is ‘refuge for those who have left everything’; UN initiative aims to bolster well-being of refugee, migrant children in Peru
27 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



Sport brings people together “regardless of conditions or flags”, a senior United Nations official in Perú said on Tuesday referring to a new initiative launched over this past weekend to promote the well-being of children and youth in Lima’s refugee and migrant communities through football.


World Bank/Dominic Chavez

Marginalized groups hit hardest by inequality and stigma in cities
26 August 2019
Economic Development



Millicent Auma Otieno, a Kenya-based human rights and community activist, campaigns on behalf of women and persons with disabilities who face stigmatization, as a result of cultural and religious beliefs. In an interview with UN News, Ms. Otieno reinforced the message that inequality is prevalent in Africa where, she said, political power often remains in the hands of wealthy elites, adding that many people in cities are forced to live in informal settlements, which have proven to be hotbeds of unemployment, violence, drug abuse and early pregnancies.
Audio - 6'31" Playlist 

WMO/Olga Khoroshunova

Monday’s Daily Brief: UN chief talks climate action at G7, WFP official visits camp in Central African Republic, Deadly violence at Lesvos migrant centre, Security Council meets on AU-UN Darfur mission
26 August 2019
Climate Change



A recap of Monday’s stories: UN chief urges more action from G7 leaders to tackle ‘climate emergency’; WFP official visits camp for displaced in Central African Republic, UN refugee agency calls on Greece to keep young migrants safe after deadly incident at Lesvos reception centre; and Security Council considers work of AU-UN Mission in Sudan’s Darfur region.


UNAMID/Mohamad Almahady

Sudan: New political transition, bolstered by peacebuilding, could bring long-term stability to Darfur, Security Council told
26 August 2019
Peace and Security



“Important developments” under way in Sudan since midsummer, including a pledge to end the country’s outstanding conflicts, and the establishment of a new transitional government, could serve to edge the country’s people closer to stability, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said, briefing the UN Security Council on Monday.


UNCSC

UN civil society conference to focus on sustainable solutions for challenges of urban life
26 August 2019
SDGs



“Well-planned and managed cities can steer us towards inclusive growth and serve as models of harmony among diverse people”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres declared in a video message on Monday to delegates at the 68th UN Civil Society Conference, in Salt Lake City, Utah.




UNDP Malawi

FROM THE FIELD: Malawi farmers diversify to fight climate change
26 August 2019
Climate Change



Farmers in Malawi are diversifying their crops and adopting sustainable technologies as they look at ways to adapt to a changing climate.




UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Sri Lankan authorities must work ‘vigorously’ to ease simmering ethno-religious tensions, urges UN rights expert
26 August 2019
Human Rights



A United Nations human rights expert warned on Monday that Sri Lankan authorities must take urgent action to strengthen respect for freedom of religion or belief and address simmering ethno-religious tensions.


White House/Andrea Hanks

UN chief appeals to G7 leaders for ‘strong commitment’ and political will to tackle climate emergency
26 August 2019
Climate Change



People all over the world are calling for a shift towards a greener, cleaner future, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, stressing that “we have the tools to address the climate emergency, but we need more political will.”


© UNHCR/Omotola Akindipe

With security improving in DR Congo’s Kasai, thousands of refugees head home from Angola
23 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



As security has improved in the restive Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some 8,500 refugees have left the Lóvua settlement in Angola’s north-east Lunda Norte province in the past week, hoping to cross the border and return home, according to the UN refugee agency.


© UNICEF/Marko Kokic

Friday’s Daily Brief: Education in Africa, Sudan flash-floods, WHO on Ebola, spike in South Sudan violence, Rwanda, Uganda move to normalize relations
23 August 2019
Peace and Security



A recap of Friday’s stories: Education under fire in Central and Western Africa; Sudan flash-floods wreak havoc; Ebola outbreak spreads, albeit with fewer transmissions; UN rights experts on South Sudan; and UN chief welcomes understanding between Rwanda and Uganda


UNMISS\Nektarios Markogiannis

South Sudan: UN rights experts see little headway on peace deal amid spike in local-level violence
23 August 2019
Human Rights



A United Nations expert group looking at human rights in South Sudan said on Friday that it is “deeply concerned” that, although the overall armed conflict has waned, there has been little progress in adhering to the peace agreement that guided the country thus far.


©UNICEF

School closures triple in Central and Western Africa as education comes under fire
23 August 2019
Culture and Education



A surge in “deliberate” attacks against students, teachers and schools in West and Central Africa has led to a tripling in school closures in the last year and left almost two million youngsters “robbed of an education”, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.


OCHA / Vincent Tremeau

Myanmar military committed ‘routine, systematic’ sexual violence against ethnic minorities, UN experts find
22 August 2019
Human Rights



Myanmar’s military must stop using sexual and gender-based violence to terrorize and punish ethnic minorities, according to a new report released on Thursday by the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission.


UN Sri Lanka

A recap of Thursday’s top stories: International Day honours victims of religious-based violence, UN experts on Kashmir, environmental disasters in Asia-Pacific, animal protections, and UN chief on Burkina Faso
22 August 2019
Peace and Security



Thursday’s Daily Brief: New international day honouring victims of religious-based violence; Kashmir shutdown must be reversed; Relentless sequence of disasters in Asia-Pacific; Giraffes fare well for protection, elephants not so much; UN chief condemns Burkina Faso violence


© Fucundo Luque

FROM THE FIELD: Argentina Preserving Pristine Forests
22 August 2019
Climate Change



Thousands of species of animals and plants which are indigenous to a vast forest in Argentina could be saved thanks to a partnership between the United Nations and the South American country.





File photo from IRIN/Sumaira Jajja (http://bit.ly/1E3CcSY)

Kashmir communications shutdown a ‘collective punishment’ that must be reversed, say UN experts
22 August 2019
Peace and Security



End the crackdown on freedom of expression, was the strong call to the Government by India from five United Nations independent rights expert on Thursday.


UN Photo/Mark Garten

World must stamp out persecution of religious groups, Guterres declares on new UN Day
22 August 2019
Peace and Security



UN chief António Guterres called for an end to the persecution of religious groups on Thursday, the first ever International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion and Belief.
Audio - 5'38" Playlist 


UNICEF/Thomas Nybo

Relentless sequence of disasters in Asia-Pacific ‘sign of things to come’, cautions UN regional body
22 August 2019
Economic Development



Changing patterns and worsening impacts of natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific, coupled with environmental degradation and climate change, are not only making efforts to predict such catastrophes more difficult, but are also a “sign of things to come”, the United Nations development arm in the region has warned.


UNDP Pakistan

Microplastic pollution is everywhere, but not necessarily a risk to human health
21 August 2019
Health



Tiny plastic particles known as microplastics are “everywhere – including in our drinking-water”, but they are not necessarily a risk to human health, UN experts said on Thursday.


WFP/Saleh Baholis

Wednesday’s Daily Brief: Yemen aid programmes closing, Guterres Idlib concern, Somalia insecurity, honouring terror victims
21 August 2019
Peace and Security



Today’s stories: aid money promised for Yemen fails to materialize, prospects of new Idlib conflict put millions at risk, new Sudanese transitional government welcomed by UN chief, insecurity threatens Somalia progress.


OCHA/Giles Clarke

Lack of funds forces UN to close down life-saving aid programmes in Yemen
21 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



The United Nations announced on Wednesday that it is being forced to close down several humanitarian programmes in Yemen because money pledged by Member States to pay for them has “failed to materialize”.



UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Scars of terrorism ‘run deep’, UN chief says, paying tribute to victims 
21 August 2019
Peace and Security



The scars of terrorism “run deep”, and while they may fade with time, “they never disappear”, the United Nations chief said on Wednesday, in his message for the second International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
Audio - 20'36" Playlist 


UN Photo/Manuel Elias

Somalia security remains a concern, head of UN Mission warns Security Council
21 August 2019
Peace and Security



Despite “encouraging” developments, insecurity across Somalia remains a serious concern, James Swan, head of the UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), warned the Security Council, in his first briefing to the world body since taking office.
Audio - 11'37" Playlist 


UN Photo/Manuel Elias

Urgent need for ‘restraint and genuine dialogue’ in Middle East to avoid major confrontation
20 August 2019
Peace and Security



Briefing the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General, Maria Luiza Viotti, said on Tuesday that “restraint and genuine dialogue are urgently needed”, in order to avoid a major confrontation, which would have disastrous consequences, even well beyond the region.


UN Environment Programme

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: water quality crisis, Yemen and Libya updates, Venezuelan children appeal, ocean protection
20 August 2019
Peace and Security



This Tuesday, we cover: new report on water quality worldwide; Yemen envoy briefs the Security Council on Aden; intensifying clashes in southern Libya; UNICEF appeals for increased aid for Venezuela youngsters; and UN negotiations continue over a new ocean protection agreement.





John Hogg / World Bank

‘Invisible’ crisis of water quality threatens human and environmental well-being: World Bank report
20 August 2019
Economic Development



Deteriorating water quality worldwide is slashing the economic potential of heavily polluted areas, according to a new World Bank report, released on Tuesday. It also warns that the “invisible crisis of water quality” is threatening human and environmental well-being.


UNEP/NOOR/Kadir van Lohuizen

Negotiating legally-binding agreement to provide future generations with a ‘healthy, resilient and productive ocean’
20 August 2019
SDGs



While the world’s oceans contain some 200,000 identified living species, the actual numbers could reach the millions ­­– all exposed to the dangers of climate change, pollution and over-exploitation. To stem these threats, the United Nations is meeting to negotiate a treaty that would protect three-quarters of the earth’s surface by 2030.
Audio - 5'18" Playlist 

© UNHCR/Saleh Bahulais

‘No time to lose’ UN envoy tells Security Council, ‘Yemen cannot wait’
20 August 2019
Peace and Security



One month ago, the United Nations top Yemen envoy told the Security Council the country was facing “a crucial moment” in the course of its long and bloody conflict, and on Tuesday, he again urged members to acknowledge that recent infighting around the Government stronghold of Aden were “a clear sign” that the conflict must be brought to a swift, peaceful end.


UN OCHA/Giles Clarke

Deadly airstrikes and drone hits displace thousands of civilians in Libya oasis town
20 August 2019
Peace and Security



Intensifying clashes in the southern Libyan town of Murzuq involving air and drone strikes in recent days have left at least 90 people dead and displaced thousands of “terrified” civilians, the UN said on Tuesday.


UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Terrorism survivor in Cameroon takes road to recovery: UN News special report
19 August 2019
Human Rights



“If I ever come face-to-face with a Boko Haram fighter and if I have strength and a knife in my hand, I will cut his throat and spill his blood! Because, it makes me sick whenever I remember the suffering I went through.”
Audio - 20'36" Playlist 

© UNICEF/Patrick Brown

Monday’s Daily Brief: World Humanitarian Day, Afghan massacre aftermath, Venezuelans in Brazil, Yemen war update, and reconciliation in Mali
19 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



Our main stories today: Women celebrated on World Humanitarian Day; Afghanistan bloodshed mars 100 years of independence; Brazil’s ‘exemplary’ response to Venezuelans; UN urges Yemen’s warring parties to down weapons; and UN expert calls for Mali reconciliation efforts.


UN News/Daniel Johnson

Appointment of alleged war criminal to head of Sri Lanka army ‘deeply troubling’, says UN human rights chief
19 August 2019
Peace and Security



The appointment of Sri Lankan Lieutenant-General Shavendra Silva as Commander of the country’s army is deeply troubling, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement released on Monday, adding that the military leader had been given the role despite “serious allegations of gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian law against him and his troops during the war”.


MINUSMA/Gema Cortes

Support Mali reconciliation efforts ‘in whatever way possible’, urges UN expert
19 August 2019
Peace and Security



Reconciliation initiatives in central Mali, to bring together local leaders and end ongoing violence, have been welcomed by the UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali, Alioune Tine, who said on Monday that they should be supported “in whatever way possible.”


UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Afghanistan bloodshed mars 100 years of independence
19 August 2019
Peace and Security



Afghanistan is at a “crucial moment” in its history as it marks 100 years of independence, the head of the UN Mission there said on Monday, following a series of terror attacks in recent days.


© UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jarami

UN refugee chief impressed with Brazil’s ‘exemplary’ response to plight of fleeing Venezuelans
19 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



While praising the “efficient, coordinated, humane and innovative response” by Brazil on behalf of fleeing Venezuelans, the UN refugee chief has said that the sheer number of those on the run is proving to be a major challenge, calling for greater international support.



LATEST NEWS

© UNDP/Imen Meliane

FROM THE FIELD: Green wall of opportunities grows in the Sahel
19 August 2019
Climate Change



An ambitious plan has got underway to plant a band of trees across the Sahel region of Africa, to hold back desertification and combat climate change, thanks to the support of the United Nations.



©UNICEF/Brown

Paying tribute and strengthening the role of #WomenHumanitarians on World Humanitarian Day
18 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



The work of women humanitarians makes a “huge difference” to the lives of millions of women, men and children in urgent need, the United Nations chief said in his message for World Humanitarian Day.


UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Terrorism survivors: ‘I lived in fear that I would be killed’
17 August 2019
Peace and Security



To mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism this coming Wednesday, UN News travelled to Chad and the Far North region of Cameroon in West Africa to interview people who have personal stories to tell about how terrorism has shattered their lives.



Nimisha Jaiswal/IRIN

UN Security Council discusses Kashmir, China urges India and Pakistan to ease tensions
16 August 2019
Peace and Security



The Security Council considered the volatile situation surrounding Kashmir on Friday, addressing the issue in a meeting focused solely on the dispute, within the UN body dedicated to resolving matters of international peace and security, for the first time since 1965.


© UNICEF Patrick Brown

Friday’s Daily Brief: Education key for Rohingya, DR Congo violence continues, Zimbabwe protest latest, women’s rights in Iran, environmental protection
16 August 2019
Human Rights



Our main stories today: Two years in, Myanmar’s Rohingya youth need more education; DR Congo testimonies highlight armed brutality; appeals for Zimbabwe to ‘stop cracking down’ on protesters; Iran urged to release women jailed for protesting veiling laws; and new human rights agreement on environmental protection.


UNICEF/Aslan Arfa

‘Quash’ convictions and release women jailed for protesting against wearing veils in Iran, urge UN rights experts
16 August 2019
Human Rights



Decades-long prison sentences handed down to three women protesting the strictly enforced wearing of veils in Iran, have drawn alarm and condemnation from six United Nations independent human rights experts.


UN Colombia

Environmental protection moves ‘closer to the people’ through new human rights agreement
16 August 2019
Human Rights



The UN environment agency and human rights office (OHCHR) signed a landmark new agreement on Friday aimed at better protecting vulnerable human and environmental rights defenders and their families, while increasing protection for people and the places where they live, across the world.


UNICEF/Madjiangar

Displaced by DR Congo violence, survivors’ testimonies highlight brutality of armed militia
16 August 2019
Peace and Security



Two months since hundreds of thousands of people fled violence in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians warned on Friday that armed militia continue to make their safe return impossible.



© UNICEF Patrick Brown

Two years after exodus, Myanmar’s ‘desperate’ Rohingya youth need education, skills: UNICEF
16 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



The daily struggle to survive for Myanmar’s Rohingya people in one of the world’s largest refugee settlements, has caused “overwhelming” despair and jeopardized the hopes of an entire generation, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta Fore, said on Friday.


UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Thursday’s Daily Brief: Harrowing terrorist survivors’ stories, children first in Mediterranean rescues, Yemen and Switzerland updates, new SDG Advocates speak out
15 August 2019
SDGs



Our main stories today: Boko Haram terrorist survivors tell their stories; UNICEF speaks out for children adrift on the Mediterranean; UN health agency pushes to stem dengue fever in Yemen; Switzerland declines sponsorship deal with tobacco firm; new SDG Advocates on the job.


© UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson

Children’s lives in Mediterranean Sea must take priority over politics, says UNICEF
15 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



The fate of 130 children on board two rescue ships in the Mediterranean Sea should not be put at risk by political point-scoring, the UN said on Thursday, amid ongoing uncertainty about whether the vessels will be allowed to dock in Italy.



LATEST NEWS

© UNICEF/Watad

Three more humanitarian workers killed in Syria, with civilian death toll ‘rising every day’
15 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



An attack in the south of Syria’s restive Idlib province that led to the deaths of a paramedic, an ambulance driver and a rescue worker, were added to the grim total on Thursday of more than 500 civilian fatalities documented in the country by the United Nations, over the past three and a half months alone.
Audio - 7'33" Playlist 

UN News/Daniel Dickinson

Terrorism survivors: Forced to farm, fish, fight, ‘they slaughtered three of my friends’
15 August 2019
Peace and Security



To mark next week’s International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, UN News travelled to Chad and the Far North region of Cameroon in West Africa earlier in the year, to interview people who have personal stories to tell about how terrorism has shattered their lives.
Audio - 4'27" Playlist 

©UNICEF/Velasquez

Wednesday’s Daily Brief: Help for Venezuelans, Burundi Ebola vaccine drive, Paraguay poison probe urged, talking disarmament in Geneva, Libya violence down
14 August 2019
Peace and Security



Our main stories today cover: Scaled-up assistance for Venezuelans; Ebola vaccinations for Burundi health workers; reports of civilian deaths following an Afghan-sponsored security operation; agrochemical spray probe urged in Paraguay; Libya violence abates during truce, and disarmament conference’s first woman chief urges Governments to “overcome their differences”.


UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

Winnie Byanyima ‘honoured to be joining UNAIDS’ as next Executive Director
14 August 2019
Health



The UN programme dedicated to the elimination of AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, has warmly welcomed the appointment of Winnie Byanyima as its new Executive Director.
Audio - 9’10” Playlist 

NRC/Ingebjørg Kårstad

Humanitarian assistance to be scaled-up for millions of Venezuelans in need 
14 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



The United Nations humanitarian wing launched a new Response Plan (HRP) on Wednesday, that aims to help around 2.6 million people in Venezuela through to the end of the year, almost half of whom are youth.
Audio - 4'54" Playlist 

OCHA/D.Palanivelu

‘Palpable reduction’ in violence following Eid truce says Libya Mission, as UN investigates deadly bombing which left 3 staff dead
14 August 2019
Peace and Security



A UN call for a humanitarian truce over this week’s Eid al-Adha religious holiday led to a “palpable reduction” of violence around the embattled capital of Tripoli, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement released on Wednesday.


UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Terrorism survivors: ‘The terrorists killed many people in front of us’
14 August 2019
Human Rights



To mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, on 21 August, UN News travelled to Chad and the Far North region of Cameroon in West Africa earlier this year, to interview people who have personal stories to tell, about how terrorism has shattered their lives.


UN Photo/Manuel Elias

Gender equality, education and the environment at the forefront of new SDG Advocate campaigns
14 August 2019
SDGs



Back in May, six innovative public figures joined the battle to push the world towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Each of the new official SDG Advocates committed themselves to pursue the 17 goals on behalf of “peace, prosperity, people, planet, and partnerships.”

As we inch closer to the SDG Summit in September, UN News caught up with some of them.
Audio - 3'39" Playlist 

©UNICEF/Saleh Baholis

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Hong Kong airport disruption, Geneva Conventions at 70, new Ebola drug, French fighters in Iraq, Mediterranean migrant and Aden updates
13 August 2019
Peace and Security



Our main stories today cover: Human rights chief on chaos at Hong Kong airport; Geneva Conventions have been ‘limiting brutality’ for 70 years; breakthrough drug in DR Congo Ebola fight; France pushed to repatriate nationals on death row in Iraq; ‘Race against time” for migrants in Mediterranean


UN Photo

Amidst new challenges, Geneva Conventions mark 70 years of ‘limiting brutality’ during war
13 August 2019
Peace and Security



In commemorating the 70th anniversary of the landmark Geneva Conventions, the president of the United Nations Security Council hailed the “significant body of law”, describing it as playing “a vital role in limiting brutality of armed conflicts”.



LATEST NEWS


©UNICEF/Patrick Rose

UN warns of spike in grave violations against children in Mali as ‘the new normal’
13 August 2019
Peace and Security



Voicing great concern over a sharp increase in the killing and maiming of children in Mali due to ongoing fighting and instability, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners on Tuesday, called on all warring parties to stop attacks and “keep them out of harm’s way”.
Audio - 7'25" Playlist 

UN News

‘Act with restraint’ UN human rights chief urges Hong Kong authorities and protestors, following airport disruption
13 August 2019
Peace and Security



After two consecutive days of chaos at Hong Kong International Airport, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Michelle Bachelet expressed her concern and condemned “any form” of violence or destruction of property and urged the demonstrators to “express their views in a peaceful way”.



Sarah Farhat/World Bank

‘We are facing a learning crisis’, UN chief warns on International Youth Day
11 August 2019
Culture and Education



Schools are “not equipping young people with the skills they need to navigate the technological revolution”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned, in a message released to mark the UN’s International Youth Day.


© SGP South Africa and Future Leaders of Change

FROM THE FIELD: ‘Eco-warriors’ fight climate change in South Africa
11 August 2019
Climate Change



Schools in South Africa have been designating students as “eco-warriors” as part of an initiative supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), to drive environmental and climate change awareness amongst the young and old in their communities.



Photo: UNSMIL/Iason Athanasiadis

Three UN workers killed following Benghazi car bomb attack, as Security Council meets in emergency session, honours their ‘ultimate sacrifice’
10 August 2019
Peace and Security



Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned a car bomb attack in front of a shopping mall in the Libyan city of Benghazi, which left three UN workers dead, and three others injured, with dozens of civilians also wounded.


UN Women/Ryan Brown

Friday’s Daily Brief: Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Yemen food aid, IDs for Rohingya, protect fleeing Malians, Nagasaki Peace Ceremony
9 August 2019
Human Rights



Our main stories: ‘Promote’ indigenous peoples’ languages urges Guterres; WFP resumes Yemen food aid; 500,000 Rohingya ID cards issued; Malians fleeing violence need protection; Nagasaki Peace Ceremony message


Photo: Dmitry Kharakka-Zaitsev

‘Preserve, revitalize and promote’ indigenous languages, or lose a ‘wealth of traditional knowledge’, UN chief says
9 August 2019
Culture and Education



Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the urgency to “preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages” in his message for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, celebrated on Friday.
Audio - 6'15" Playlist 

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders ready for talks with UN chief on improved relations
9 August 2019
Peace and Security



Leaders of the Greek and Turkish parts of the divided island of Cyprus have agreed to meet with the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, in order to “plan the way forward”, and improve the daily lives of all Cypriots, a statement from the UN Mission in Cyprus, declared on Friday.
Audio - 9'30" Playlist 

© UNHCR/Caroline Gluck

More than half a million Rohingya in Bangladesh get ID cards for first time: UN refugee agency
9 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



More than 500,000 Rohingya refugees who fled a brutal crackdown in Myanmar two years ago, have received identification cards that the UN insisted on Friday were critical to safeguarding their right to return home.
Audio - 5'1" Playlist 

UNDP Philippines/Orange Omengan

FROM THE FIELD: Conversations about Conservation
9 August 2019
Climate Change



Indigenous peoples in the Philippines are increasingly involved in the national conversation about protecting and conserving the South East Asian country’skey biodiversity areas, thanks to support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).



LATEST NEWS

WFP/Saleh Baholis

UN food aid to Yemen will fully resume after two-month break, as Houthis ‘guarantee’ delivery
9 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



Life-saving food aid distribution is set to resume to 850,000 people in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, following guarantees by Houthi opposition forces that the supplies will reach those who need them most, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
Audio - 26'57" Playlist 

WFP/Francisco Fion

Thursday's Daily Brief: Climate crisis and food risks, fresh violence threat for millions of Syrians, calls for calm in Kashmir
8 August 2019
Climate Change



Thursday’s top stories: food security risk from climate crisis, fresh violence threat for millions of Syrians, UN chief urges “maximum restraint” in Jammu and Kashmir, calls for investigations into “brutal abduction” of Libyan politician.
Audio - 2'34" Playlist 

© UNICEF/Santiago Arcos

UN rights chief bemoans unilateral sanctions on Venezuela, fearing ‘far-reaching implications’
8 August 2019
Human Rights



A new set of unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on Venezuela this week prompted the concern of the United Nations’ top rights official on Thursday, who said in a statement that she feared they would have a “potentially severe impact” on the human rights of the South American nation’s “long-suffering” people.
Audio - 4'54" Playlist 

UNICEF/Syed Altaf Ahmad

Guterres appeals for ‘maximum restraint’ over Jammu and Kashmir, as tensions rise
8 August 2019
Peace and Security



The UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed for ‘maximum restraint’ over the territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, which has been disputed by India and Pakistan, since the end of British rule in the late 1940s.


UNICEF/Aaref Watad

In wake of ‘collapsed’ agreement, new wave of violence threatens millions in Syria’s Idlib
8 August 2019
Peace and Security



Following the collapse of the latest truce in Idlib at the start of this week, the Senior Humanitarian Adviser to the UN’s Syria Envoy urged Member States on Thursday to increase their support for “critical humanitarian needs” in the country’s last opposition-held enclave.


©FAO/Alessandra Benedetti

Steps taken to end Saudi ‘guardianship’ system for women, ‘encouraging’ start
8 August 2019
Women



Allowing Saudi women to apply for passports and travel without their guardians’ permission is “an encouraging move” towards the “complete abolition of the ‘guardianship’ system,” independent United Nations rights experts said on Thursday, but more action is needed to fully dismantle these restrictions.



UNDP Chad/Jean Damascene Hakuzim

World food security increasingly at risk due to 'unprecedented' climate change impact, new UN report warns
8 August 2019
Climate Change



More than 500 million people today live in areas affected by erosion linked to climate change, the UN warned on Thursday, before urging all countries to commit to sustainable land use to help limit greenhouse gas emissions before it is too late.
Audio - 10'41" Playlist 

UN Photo

Bigotry makes politicians ‘complicit in the violence that follows’ : UN independent experts
7 August 2019
Peace and Security



Responding to the mass shootings in Texas and Ohio on Saturday, a group of independent UN experts has called out the “increased use of divisive language”, as well as attempts to marginalise racial, ethnic and religious minorities”, by some politicians and leaders.


© UNICEF/Antoine Raab

Wednesday’s Daily Brief: Syrian detainees, Zimbabwe hunger crisis, Kabul attack, Mexico disappearances, new tech to feed the world
7 August 2019
Peace and Security



Wednesday’s top stories: Syrian detainees “failed by Security Council”; Zimbabwe experiencing “worst-ever hunger crisis”; Guterres welcomes new Mozambique peace accord; deadly Kabul attack; Mexico “responsible for enforced disappearances”; indigenous languages at risk; and how innovation should be used to feed the world.
Audio - 2'56" Playlist 

© UNHCR/Christopher Reardon

UN Security Council ‘utterly failed’ Syrian detainees; a victim voices her plea to ‘end impunity and stop this horror’ 
7 August 2019
Peace and Security



The Security Council has “utterly failed Syrian detainees and their families”, Amina Khoulani, Co-founder of Families for Freedom, told the Security Council on Wednesday, during a meeting focussed on those who have been jailed or gone missing across Syria, during years of brutal conflict.



LATEST NEWS

UNICEF/UNI10236/Estey

Four in 10 indigenous languages at risk of disappearing, warn UN human rights experts
7 August 2019
Human Rights



Of 7,000 indigenous languages spoken today, four in 10 are in danger of disappearing, rights experts said on Wednesday, in a call for a decade of action to reverse the “historic destruction” of age-old dialects.
Audio - 19'40" Playlist 

WFP/Tatenda Macheka

UN boosts humanitarian appeal to help tackle Zimbabwe’s ‘worst-ever’ hunger crisis
7 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



With Zimbabwe now experiencing its “worst-ever hunger crisis”, the UN food relief agency has revised its humanitarian appeal to step up food assistance to people most affected by drought, flooding, and economic stagnation.


Photo UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

UN Afghan Mission ‘outraged’ by deadly Taliban attack in Kabul, as hardline group threatens election violence
7 August 2019
Peace and Security



The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed outrage at a Taliban attack in Kabul, that led to “scores” of civilians casualties on Wednesday. In a Tweet, the Mission said that such “indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks in heavily populated civilian areas must stop”.


© UNICEF/UN0247683/Arcos

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: Venezuela-Colombia baby breakthrough, Italy piles on rescue boat pressure, States must combat hate, Kashmir rights latest and a musical plea to combat CAR hunger
6 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



Tuesday’s main stories: Colombia offers nationality to born of Venezuelan parents; ‘€1 million’ fines for rescue boats; States must do more to stop hate attacks; Egypt terror attack condemned by Security Council, UN chief; Kashmir developments risk people’s rights; and striking a chord for 1.8 million hungry Central Africans.


OCHA/Eman

Intensified Al Qaeda and ISIL activity in Yemen ‘deeply worrying’, says UN Human Rights Office
6 August 2019
Human Rights



Armed groups affiliated with the Al Qaeda and ISIL terror groups, appear to have intensified their activities in Yemen, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) declared on Tuesday, describing the situation as an example of “deeply worrying developments” that have seriously impacted civilians over the past ten days.


OCHA/Yaye Nabo Sène

All States have ‘primary responsibility’ to protect against hate attacks
6 August 2019
Human Rights



The UN’s top rights official has added her voice to condemnation of the weekend mass-shootings in the cities of El Paso and Dayton, insisting on Tuesday that “not just the US, but all States” should do more to stop discrimination.


UN Photo/Yoshito Matsushige

‘Cataclysmic events’ in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, began ‘global push’ against nuclear weapons says Guterres, honouring victims
6 August 2019
Peace and Security



Paying homage to those who perished as the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, as well as the many others whose lives were devastated in the years that followed, UN chief António Guterres on Tuesday underscored their “courage and moral leadership” in reminding the world of “the human cost of nuclear war”.


UNICEF/Arcos

Colombia offers nationality rights to Venezuelan children born there: UN hails ‘very important step’
6 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



The UN migration agency, IOM, has welcomed Colombia’s decision on Monday to grant nationality status to more than 24,000 Venezuelan babies born inside the country after their parents fled across the border.
Audio - 4'54" Playlist 

World Bank/Peter Kapuscinski

Help African farmers cope with climate change threats, UN food agency urges
6 August 2019
Climate Change



African farmers need help to cope with the threats of climate change, with national policies that protect them and make them resilient, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, has declared, following a major conference on food security in the continent.


© UNHCR/Alessio Mamo

‘€1 million’ fines for rescue boats prompts UN concern for future sea operations
6 August 2019
Migrants and Refugees



A move by Italian lawmakers to impose fines of up to €1 million on vessels and organizations carrying out search and rescue operations off the country’s coastline, sparked a new warning on Tuesday from the UN that the measure risks deterring future lifesaving efforts in the Mediterranean.



LATEST NEWS

World Bank/Markus Kostner

Monday’s Daily Brief: Independent experts on Myanmar, Guterres denounces US mass shootings, Libyan airport violence, UN Spokesperson on Kashmir
5 August 2019
Peace and Security



Our main stories today: Myanmar companies bankroll ‘brutal operations’ of military; UN chief renounces shootings in the United States; ‘Repeated indiscriminate’ shelling of Libyan airport raises concern; UN voices ‘concern’ over Kashmir; and new UN agriculture chief reaffirms commitment with Italy on development



IRIN/Steve Sandford

Myanmar companies bankroll ‘brutal operations’ of military, independent UN experts claim in new report 
5 August 2019
Human Rights



Money earned by the Myanmar military from international and domestic business deals, “substantially enhances its ability to carry out gross violations of human rights with impunity” according to a report released on Monday by an independent United Nations group looking into military-business ties in the South East Asian country.


Vincent Tremeau presented by UNOCHA

FROM THE FIELD: What do you want to be when you grow up? One day I will...
4 August 2019
Humanitarian Aid



One person in every 70 is caught up in a humanitarian crisis right now, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), with women and girls among the most impacted.


UN Photo/Manuel Elias




UN chief laments ending of Cold War-era disarmament treaty

2 August 2019

Peace and Security










Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his “deep regret” on Friday that the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty betweein the United States and Russia came to an end.






© UNICEF/Kamal Ayyashi




Security Council must ‘come together’ to address the plight of children trapped in armed conflict, says UN envoy

2 August 2019

Peace and Security










It is “vitally important” that the Security Council “come together” on the current plight of children affected by armed conflict across the globe”, Virginia Gamba, the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict said on Friday.






UNICEF/Naftalin




Friday's Daily Brief: Security Council Ebola response, UNICEF chief on 'devastating week' for children in Middle East and North Africa, climate and migration links

2 August 2019

Health










Our main stories today: Security Council concern over DRC Ebola outbreak, head of UNICEF deplores ‘devastating week’ for children in MENA region, climate crisis to have ‘extensive’ effect on human settlement






WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie




Security Council gravely concerned by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, demands immediate end to violence hampering response

2 August 2019

Peace and Security










The UN Security Council on Friday expressed grave concern about the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and stressed the urgency of broad cooperation in the response, as “the disease could spread rapidly, including to neighbouring countries, possibly having serious humanitarian consequences and impacting regional stability.”






UNDP Chad/Jean Damascene Hakuzim




Thursday’s Daily Brief: Climate emergency, call to support breastfeeding, rising political heat and new investigation board for Syria

1 August 2019

Climate Change










Today, our main stories include: UN chief’s warning on climate and global politics; UNICEF’s call to bolster breastfeeding and new Board of Inquiry in Syria









UNICEF/Jiro Ose




A dangerously hot climate, simmering political tensions: ‘This is not the summer of our youth,’ UN chief warns

1 August 2019

Climate Change










Global warming and rising political tensions are dangerous and avoidable, Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters on Thursday, previewing the UN’s upcoming Climate Action Summit, and spotlighting geopolitical hotspots.






OCHA/Otto Bakano




Ten years on, crisis in Nigeria ‘far from over’; UN and humanitarian partners urge support for millions still affected

1 August 2019

Humanitarian Aid










Ten years after the start of a violent insurgency in north-east Nigeria plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis that is “still far from over”, the United Nations and its aid partners have underscored the need to “collectively redouble efforts” to help the most vulnerable.