UN experts urge end to harassment of human rights defenders in Occupied Palestinian Territory
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Gravely concerning at continued reports that human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in Hebron, are being subjected to physical attacks and death threats, United Nations independent experts on Friday denounced such harassment as "unacceptable" and called for it to end immediately.
Some 90 per cent of voters in Central African Republic favour new constitution - UN mission reports
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Ninety per cent of voters in the Central African Republic (CAR) are in favour of the new Constitution, according to partial election results, while campaigning is now under way for the presidential elections and the final list of parliamentary candidates has been published, the United Nations mission in the country reported today.
Global forced displacement for 2015 on track to break all records, topping 60 million - UN
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:34 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Forced displacement this year is likely exceed all previous records, for the first time topping 60 million, meaning that one out of every 122 persons on Earth has been forced to flee their home, the United Nations refugee agency warned today.
Syria: UN chief meets with international partners on resolving crisis
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday joined diplomats from the International Syria Support Group meeting in New York to discuss a solution to the country’s five-year war, and he is expected to brief the Security Council later on Friday on the latest developments.
UN agency issues guidance to help countries deal with refugee protection and security concerns
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Concerned over growing polarization of political debate concerning refugees in some countries, the United Nations on Friday released guidance aimed at helping States deal with security concerns while maintaining refugee protection, saying the two were not "mutually exclusive."
On Migrants Day, UN remembers thousands who lost their lives this year trying to reach safe harbour
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Global candlelight vigils marked the International Day of Migrants on Friday to remember that the more than 5,000 women, men and children who lost their lives in arduous journeys in search of protection and a better life as, United NationsSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon said 2015 will be remembered as a year of human suffering and migrant tragedies.
Help 'can't come soon enough' for thousands of children out of school in northern Mali - UNICEF
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:28 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Despite the immense needs in conflict-affected areas of northern Mali, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is hampered by constrained access and limited funding, and is thus calling for "action now" to help the more than 380,000 children who remain out of school in the region.
Liberia: UN report calls for ending sometimes deadly cultural practices that violate human rights
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:26 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Senior United Nations officials on Friday called on Liberia to root out sometimes deadly human rights violations masquerading as cultural practices, citing female genital mutilation, forced initiation into secret societies, witchcraft accusations, trials by ordeal and ritualistic killings.
Security Council hears briefing on Turkish troop deployment in northern Iraq
Dec 19, 2015, at 03:24 pm
New York, Dec 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed the hope that the governments of Iraq and Turkey will exercise restraint, including in their public statements, and intensify their bilateral discussions to diffuse tensions after Turkish troop deployment in northern Iraq earlier this month to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Security Council was told in a briefing this evening.
Prince George to attend nursery from next year
Dec 18, 2015, at 11:59 pm
London, Dec 18 (IBNS): Prince George is all set to join nursey school next year, media reports said.
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) After two days of meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah with Israeli and Palestinian officials, the United Nations and its partners in the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East peace process strongly condemned on Thursday all acts of terror and stressed the importance of opposing unequivocally incitement and violence and de-escalate the situation.
Ban hails commitment by Costa Rica, Nicaragua to abide by UN court's ruling on border dispute
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:35 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed the commitment by Costa Rica and Nicaragua to abide by the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on their border dispute.
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Stressing the need for States to work with the private sector to devise ways to prevent terrorists from exploiting the Internet while respecting human rights, the top United Nations political official on Thursday said curtailing the influence of terrorists and violent extremist groups must not come at the expense of curbing legitimate political discourse on the Internet or social media.
Security Council moves to cut off all funding sources for ISIL and other terrorist groups
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:32 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) At its first ever meeting at Finance Ministers’ level, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday stepped up its efforts to cut off all sources of funding for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIL) and other terrorist groups, including ransom payments, no matter by whom.
UN officials hail Colombian accord on conflict victims for acknowledging violence suffered by women
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:27 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The “breakthrough†agreement signed this week by the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) on victims of the decades-long conflict also acknowledges the various forms of violence that women have suffered and removes amnesties for the most serious crimes such as sexual violence, two senior United Nations officials said today.
Yemen: Parties at UN-facilitated talks agree on delivery of humanitarian aid in Taiz
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:26 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) On the third day of the United Nations-sponsored negotiations on ending the crisis in Yemen, the participants, meeting in Switzerland, have reached an agreement which allows for a full and immediate resumption of humanitarian assistance to the central city of Taiz.
'Robust, decisive' action needed now to avert civil war in Burundi, UN rights chief warns
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The top United Nations human rights official on Thursday urged the international community to take "robust, decisive" action instead of "fiddling around the edges" to avert a civil war in Burundi that could have serious ethnic overtones and alarming regional consequences.
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:20 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday pledged to urgently review the recommendations made by an independent panel that found that the United Nations did not act with the “speed, care or sensitivity required,†when it uncovered information about crimes committed against children by soldiers – not under UN command – sent to the Central African Republic (CAR) to protect civilians.
Every two seconds, a baby is born in a conflict zone - UNICEF
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:17 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) More than 16 million babies in 2015 were born in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen or on perilous journeys to escape fighting, which translates to 1 in 8 of all births worldwide, or one newborn every two seconds, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday.
New bill in Finland threatens Sami peoples' right to traditional lands, livelihoods, UN expert warns
Dec 18, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, Dec 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) A United Nations human rights expert expressed deep concern on Thursday at the lack of consultation and the reduced protections to the Sami indigenous people in the current draft law on the Finnish Forest and Parks Service (Metsähallitus) to regulate the management of State-owned lands.
Dec 17, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Dec 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The Security Council on Wednesday called on all United Nations Member States to do everything in their power to combat human trafficking, especially for sexual purposes, citing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Boko Haram as prime perpetrators.
Some 150 million migrants now participating in global workforce - new UN labour agency report
Dec 17, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, Dec 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS) A new statistical study conducted by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) has revealed that migrant workers account for 150.3 million of the world’s approximately 232 million international migrants, which amounts to a total of 72.7 per cent of working age migrant population.
Opium production in Myanmar and Laos are stable at high levels, new UN report shows
Dec 17, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, Dec 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Opium poppy cultivation has stabilized at high levels in Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic, but "the region’s demand for heroin remains at unacceptably high levels and transnational organized crime groups are making huge profits," according to a new survey released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
'Show unprecedented vision to make peace,' senior UN official tells Israeli, Palestinian leaders
Dec 17, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Dec 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Citing Palestinian attacks against Israelis, perceived impunity for settler violence against Palestinians and the impression of an endless occupation, a senior United Nations political official on Wednesday called for “unprecedented vision†by both sides to take the bold steps necessary for peace.
Dec 17, 2015, at 02:27 pm
New York, Dec 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS) As 2015 draws to a close, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon summed up the "pivotal year" in which the Organization marked its 70th anniversary by highlighting landmark steps taken to advance sustainable development, climate action, conflict resolution and provision of humanitarian assistance.
Dec 16, 2015, at 05:31 pm
New York, Dec 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The 193 Member States of the United Nations will for the first time be included "totally" in the selection of the next UN Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly said on Tuesday, pledging to make the process as transparent and inclusive as possible.
Security Council renews UN peacekeeping force in Abyei for another five months
Dec 16, 2015, at 04:54 pm
New York, Dec 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday extended for another five months its interim peacekeeping force in Abyei, a resource-rich area contested by Sudan and South Sudan, calling on both sides to swiftly resume regular meetings to resolve the oil-rich territory’s final status.
Amid escalating hate speech against Muslims, UN rights officials denounce intolerance, incitement
Dec 16, 2015, at 04:52 pm
New York, Dec 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Expressing “grave concern†at the outpouring of intolerance and hate speech in public discourse and in the media in recent weeks, which focused particularly on Muslims, senior United Nations human rights officials have urgently called on those in positions of authority and political leadership to act responsibly and with respect for both international and national laws.
Despite progressive laws, gender-based violence ‘pervasive’ in South Africa, UN expert warns
Dec 16, 2015, at 04:00 pm
New York, Dec 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Warning that deeply entrenched patriarchal attitudes make violence against women “an almost acceptable phenomenon†in South Africa, a United Nations human rights expert on Tuesday urged the Government to strengthen its fight against gender-based violence through awareness and education at all levels of society.
Two-year conflict has led to ‘unrelenting crisis’ for South Sudan’s children, UN agencies warn
Dec 16, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Dec 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The children of South Sudan are among the most vulnerable on the planet, two leading United Nations humanitarian agencies said on Tuesday, with a senior UN refugee official warning that the world’s newest nation cannot afford to lose a generation of children, “as in them lies the future and hope of the young nation.â€