South Sudan: UN official condemns forced child conscription
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:36 pm
New York, Mar 11 (IBNS): Individuals responsible for the recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan must be held accountable for violating international law, the top United Nations official in the country declared today during a visit to the devastated frontline town of Malakal.
UN rights expert urges Malian parties to work together towards peace
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:34 pm
New York, Mar 11 (IBNS): Condemning the “reprehensible†attacks on civilians and United Nations peacekeepers and facilities in Mali, UN independent expert Suliman Baldo on Monday expressed deep concern that massive violations of the most basic rights continue to plague populations in areas affected by fighting.
Opportunity for reconciliation, cooperation in Sri Lanka: UN
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:33 pm
New York, Mar 11(IBNS): Following elections, a historic opportunity has now presented itself for Sri Lanka to set up a domestic process that is credible, accountable and up to par with international norms and standards for the benefit of the country's people, with the help of the wider international community, the United Nations political chief said on Monday.
Crushing impact of conflict in Syria on people: UN reports
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:29 pm
New York, Mar 11 (IBNS): Four years of armed conflict, economic disintegration and social fragmentation in Syria have hollowed out its population by 15 percent, forced some 10 million people to flee their homes and reduced life expectancy by two decades, from nearly 76 years of age to 56, according to a United Nations-backed report released on Monday on the “catastrophic†impact of the conflict.
Global health partnership saved 2.5 million women and children: Ban
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:27 pm
New York, Mar 11 (IBNS): At a high-level event on Monday morning at the United Nations, Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon said preventable deaths of women and children could be ended “within a generation,†with political commitment an increase in innovative financing and strong partnership.
UN urges private sector to help close gender gap
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:26 pm
New York, Mar 11 (IBNS): Although businesses were not part of the discussions at the historic Beijing Women’s Conference 20 years ago, it is now clear that achieving gender equality will require the concerted efforts of the private sector, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told participants at the annual Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) event at UN Headquarters.
Women in politics map reflects slow progress in gender equality
Mar 11, 2015, at 01:24 pm
New York, Mar 11 (IBNS): ‘Women in Politics’ 2015 Map launched at United Nations headquarters on Monday reveals the “snail’s pace of progress†on gender equality and women’s participation in public and political life, prompting representatives of the UN and the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) to warn that such slow advancement will severely check the new global development agenda due to be adopted later this year.
S Korea: Knife attacked US envoy leaves hospital
Mar 10, 2015, at 08:46 pm
Seoul, Mar 10 (IBNS): U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert, who was attacked with a knife recently,has been released from a hospital here on Tuesday, media reports said.
Argentina: 2 helicopters collide mid-air, 10 killed
Mar 10, 2015, at 03:42 pm
Buenos Aires, Mar 10 (IBNS) At least 10 people were killed as two helicopters collided in mid-air at Villa Castelli area in Argentina's La Rioja province, media reports said.
UN urges world to step it up to ensure gender equality by 2030
Mar 10, 2015, at 01:20 pm
New York, Mar 10 (IBNS): As women thrive, so will humanity but if girls are held back, the whole world will feel the pain, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the high-level opening of the United Nations body tasked with the promotion of gender quality and the empowerment of women, which also saw the adoption of a political declaration reaffirming commitment to the outcome of the historic 1995 Beijing women’s conference.
UN-EU strategic partnership key as world faces multiple crises: Ban
Mar 10, 2015, at 01:18 pm
New York, Mar 10 (IBNS): The development of a strong partnership between the United Nations and the European Union (EU) is increasingly critical as global crises intensify in complexity and multiply in scope, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on Monday.
UN policy-making body opens annual session in Vienna
Mar 10, 2015, at 01:17 pm
New York, Mar 10 (IBNS): The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs began meeting on Monday in Vienna, where the policy-making body will tackle challenges ranging from protecting children from the sale of new psychoactive substances online to confronting financial flows linked to drug trafficking, as well as planning for a General Assembly special session on the World Drug Problem in 2016.
Libya: Parties wrap up round of UN-supported political talks
Mar 10, 2015, at 01:15 pm
New York, Mar 10 (IBNS): Libyan stakeholders must seize the momentum generated by the on-going political dialogue and bring an end to the country’s instability and insecurity, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Monday amid continuing fighting in the North African nation.
World must never relent until gender equality becomes reality: UN
Mar 10, 2015, at 01:14 pm
New York, Mar 10 (IBNS): As the Commission on the Status of Women opened its 59th session on Monday at United Nations Headquarters in New York, delegates heard a keynote address calling for a revival of the “spirit of Beijing†to tackle problems that have persisted since the adopted in 1995 of the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Ban appoints British advocate to head up UN relief wing
Mar 10, 2015, at 01:12 pm
New York, Mar 10 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Monday the appointment of Stephen O’Brien of the United Kingdom as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Emergency Relief Coordinator, the UN Spokesperson’s office announced on Monday.
Solar-powered aircraft starts its journey around the world
Mar 09, 2015, at 04:43 pm
Abu Dhabi, Mar 9 (IBNS) Creating a new record, a solar-powered plane started its journey to travel around the world from Abu Dhabi, media reports said.
UN urges more action to achieve gender equality
Mar 09, 2015, at 01:17 pm
New York, Mar 9(IBNS): To mark International Women's Day on Sunday, senior United Nations officials highlighted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments 20 years ago that set the agenda for realizing women's rights.
Gender equality vital for world to fulfill potential: Ban
Mar 09, 2015, at 01:15 pm
New York, Mar 9(IBNS): Thousands of people gathered on Sunday in New York to march from United Nations headquarters to Times Square in commemoration of International Women's Day and to demand greater efforts by Governments to achieve gender equality worldwide.
Attack in northeastern Mali condemned by Ban: UN
Mar 09, 2015, at 01:13 pm
New York, Mar 9 (IBNS): The United Nations on Sunday condemned in the strongest terms the attack in Mali that killed two Malian children and a Chadian peacekeeper with the UN Mission in the country (MINUSMA) and injured 11 peacekeepers and three civilians, on Sunday.
Mar 08, 2015, at 05:31 am
Bamako, Mar 7 (IBNS): At least five people were killed as a masked gunman attacked a bar in Mali's capital,Bamako city on Saturday, media reports said.
Nigeria: Multiple blasts hit Maiduguri, 50 killed
Mar 08, 2015, at 03:57 am
Maiduguri, Mar 7 (IBNS): At least 50 people were killed and more than 55 others were hurt as at least five blasts rocked Nigeria's Maiduguri city on Saturday, media reports said.
UN kicks off International Women’s Day celebrations
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:47 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): Despite great strides in the advancement of gender parity, women still lag behind men across an array of critical areas, from political representation and wage equality to education, a gender gap that the United Nations is once again tackling head-on as it kicks off its annual observance of International Women’s Day.
Women’s workplace equality may take decades: UN
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:46 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): Women earn on average 77 per cent of what men earn, the United Nations labour organization said on Friday, noting that “without targeted action, pay equity between women and men will not be achieved before 2086, or at least 71 years from now.â€
UN condemns destruction of Nimrud heritage site in northern Iraq
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:44 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): The United Nations agency mandated with protecting cultural heritage around the world today strongly condemned the destruction of the archaeological site of Nimrud in Iraq, deploring such “criminal chaos†as yet another attack against the Iraqi people.
Climate change threatens self-determination of citizens in island States
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:43 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): In the United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday, senior UN officials joined high-level delegates from Pacific Island States that are on the frontline of the global battle against sea-level rise to examine the potentially devastating impact of climate change on human rights.
Palestine suspends security cooperation with Israel, Ban urges restraint
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:42 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday expressed concern regarding the 5 March decision by the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Central Council to suspend all forms of security coordination with Israel.
Lebanon: UN to boost funding to ease Syria crisis burden
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:41 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): The continuing influx of refugees fleeing from the Syrian conflict is burdening Lebanon’s infrastructure and economy and threatening the country’s stability, the United Nations humanitarian chief said on Friday.
Asia-Pacific’s least developed countries need to be transformed: UN
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:39 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): Transforming the lives of some 300 million people in the least developed countries in Asia and the Pacific “is not about ticking the boxes on a few variables,†but to ensure that economic growth and development is sustainable to lift the millions above the extreme poverty line, a senior United Nations official in the region said on Friday.
Women farmers pillar of food security: UN
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): Ahead of International Women’s Day, United Nations food relief agencies gathered to remind the world that women farmers play a central role in achieving food and nutrition security, urging countries to step up efforts to empower rural women who too often do “backbreaking work†to harvest food.
UN review finds vast majority of climate-related disasters
Mar 07, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): The United Nations office dedicated to disaster risk reduction on Friday appealed to world leaders ahead of a major gathering in northern Japan next week to provide clear, action-oriented guidance to tackle the underlying drivers of risk, such as climate change, which now accounts for 87 per cent of the disasters that have killed some 700,000 people over the past decade.