‘We need more diplomacy, more negotiating’ Brazilian President tells UN Assembly
Sep 20, 2017, at 05:32 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): The President of Brazil, the first Head of State traditionally to address the annual United Nations General Assembly’s general debate, pledged on Tuesday that his country will sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – reiterating that the nuclear powers undertake additional disarmament.
Over 40 million people caught in modern slavery, 152 million in child labour – UN
Sep 20, 2017, at 05:29 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): More than 40 million people around the world were victims of modern slavery – forced labour and forced marriage – in 2016, a United Nations study has found, revealing the true scale of such practices that disproportionately affect women and girls.
UN launches initiative to reach equal pay for equal work by 2030
Sep 19, 2017, at 10:17 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Striving to raise up women’s pay across the world to equal men’s, a new global coalition – which includes the United Nations labour agency and Organization’s entity promotion of women’s rights – launched on Monday on the eve of the General Assembly debate.
As climate change makes bad weather worse, countries must strengthen resilience, UN officials urge
Sep 19, 2017, at 10:15 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Noting the ever-increasing impact of extreme weather events, top United Nations officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and Miroslav LajÄák, the President of the General Assembly on Monday urged efforts to boost resilience and strengthen damage mitigation measures.
Conflict keeps 27 million children out of school, with girls at high risk of abuse – UN report
Sep 19, 2017, at 10:09 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Some 27 million children are out of school due to conflict, with girls facing a heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence, the United Nations said in a report released on Monday, calling on States and international organizations to integrate all uprooted children into the education system where they live.
‘Window of opportunity’ closing on non-communicable diseases, warns UN health agency
Sep 19, 2017, at 10:08 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Millions around the globe are dying prematurely from diseases such as cancer or heart disease, the United Nations health agency warned, urging governments to step up efforts to control non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Iran implementing its nuclear commitments, UN atomic agency chief stresses
Sep 19, 2017, at 10:07 am
New York, Sept 19(Just Earth News): Iran is implementing its commitments under “the world’s most robust nuclear verification regime,†the United Nations atomic agency head said on Monday, while at the same time voicing “grave concern†at the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) nuclear programme.
More than 128 countries back pledged reforms to shape 21 st century UN'
Sep 19, 2017, at 04:41 am
New York, Sept 18(Just Earth News): Pledging to overhaul the United Nations bureaucracy to make the world body stronger and more responsive to the people it serves, Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday launched a pledge of support for reforms that has the backing of 128 countries.
Use political weight to eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse, UN official urges global leaders
Sep 18, 2017, at 04:34 am
New York, Sept 17(Just Earth News): Ahead of a high-level United Nations meeting on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, the Organization's Special Coordinator on the issue is urging global leaders to join the “Circle of Leadership,†lend the political weight of their offices, and act – both at the national and international levels – to eradicate the scourge.
UN refugee agency 'shocked' by killings in eastern DR Congo
Sep 17, 2017, at 05:39 am
New York, Sept 17 (Just Earth News): Expressing shock and sadness over the violent death of numerous Burundian nationals – among them likely refugees and asylum seekers – in Kamanyola town, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations refugee agency called for an investigation into the incident.
On International Day, UN highlights importance of collective action to protect ozone layer
Sep 17, 2017, at 05:38 am
New York, Sept 17(Just Earth News): Commemorating the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, senior United Nations officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the contributions of the Montreal Protocol – an international environment agreement on the elimination of ozone depleting substances.
Rohingya crisis one of the fastest growing in recent years, warns UN refugee agency
Sep 16, 2017, at 09:51 am
New York, Sept 16(Just Earth News): The humanitarian situation in parts of Bangladesh sheltering hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees continues to deteriorate, making the crisis one of the fastest growing refugee crises of recent years, according to the United Nations.
UN chief condemns deadly terrorist attack in southern Iraq
Sep 16, 2017, at 09:50 am
New York, Sept 16(Just Earth News): Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday condemned the terrorist attacks in southern Iraq and called for the perpetrators to be quickly brought to justice.
UN dedicates annual Peace Day to safety, respect for refugees and migrants
Sep 16, 2017, at 09:49 am
New York, Sept 16(Just Earth News): The United Nations in New York on Friday marked the International Day of Peace with the annual ringing of the peace bell and calls for combatants worldwide to lay down their arms and observe a day of ceasefire and non-violence.
INTERVIEW: UN should be flagbearer when it comes to gender parity, stresses top official
Sep 16, 2017, at 09:48 am
New York, Sept 16(Just Earth News): This week Secretary-General António Guterres launched a new strategy to achieve gender parity across the United Nations – something he described as “an urgent need, a moral duty, an operational necessity – and a personal priority.â€
Global hunger rising again, driven by conflict and climate change – UN report
Sep 16, 2017, at 04:40 am
New York, Sept 15(Just Earth News): The number of people hungry around the world is up for the first time in more than a decade, says a new United Nations report issued on Friday, pointing to violent conflicts and climate change as the major drivers.
Put people before profits, UN urges in annual trade report
Sep 15, 2017, at 09:52 am
New York, Sept 15(Just Earth News): Noting that the world economy in 2017 “is picking up but not taking off,†a new United Nations trade and development report has cautioned against fiscal austerity and harnessing finance to support job creation and infrastructure investment.
Security Council approves one-year extension of UN political mission in Libya
Sep 15, 2017, at 09:49 am
New York, Sept 15(Just Earth News): The Security Council on Thursday extended for one year the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), focused on supporting the North African country's political process and key national institutions, as well as coordination of international assistance.
World's poor bearing the brunt of global crises, stresses UN rights expert
Sep 15, 2017, at 04:36 am
New York, Sept 14(Just Earth News): Impacts of climate change and the global economic crisis are compounding the threats faced by people living in poverty around the world, a United Nations rights expert warned, calling on the international development community to put human rights at the centre of their work.
Nigeria: Famine averted but millions still at risk, stresses top UN relief official
Sep 14, 2017, at 04:27 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): Noting important progress in delivering life-saving aid to millions in north-east Nigeria, the top United Nations humanitarian official underscored that international assistance to people suffering amid the crisis must not dwindle.
Following Lankesh's murder, UN rights experts urge Indian Government to protect free speech
Sep 14, 2017, at 04:26 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): A group of independent human rights experts on Wednesday called on the Government of India to create a safer environment for independent voices, after Indian journalist and human rights defender Guari Lankesh was killed earlier this month.
South-South cooperation key to overcoming inequalities, says UN deputy chief
Sep 13, 2017, at 09:50 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): Underscoring the importance of South-South cooperation, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Tuesday urged sustained commitment to mutually beneficial approaches that will ensure shared prosperity and make sustainable development a reality.
Egypt: UN chief condemns terrorist attack in northern Sinai
Sep 13, 2017, at 09:47 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the terrorist attack that took place on Monday on a police convoy near el-Arish in northern Sinai in Egypt.
Much of the planet’s land severely degraded owing to increased consumption, UN warns
Sep 13, 2017, at 09:46 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): A new United Nations report warns that a third of the planet’s land is now severely degraded thanks to a doubling in the consumption of natural resources over the past 30 years.
Over 3.5 million refugee children missing out on education, UN report finds
Sep 13, 2017, at 09:45 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): Over 3.5 million refugee children did not have the chance to attend school in the last academic year, according to a report published on Tuesday by the United Nations refugee agency, which is calling for education to be a vital component of humanitarian response.
UN and partners aiding ‘unprecedented’ flow of refugees from Myanmar
Sep 13, 2017, at 09:44 am
New York, Sept 13(Just Earth News): The flow of desperate Rohingya fleeing across the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh is unprecedented in terms of volume and speed, United Nations humanitarian agencies said on Tuesday, amid calls for international support for the emergency response.
Ongoing tensions pose continued dangers for civilians in eastern Ukraine, notes UN report
Sep 13, 2017, at 04:41 am
New York, Sept 12(Just Earth News): Last month saw a decrease in the number of civilian casualties due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, according to a new report issued on Tuesday by the United Nations human rights office, which added that the sudden flaring and easing of tensions continues to make daily life dangerous for civilians living close to the so-called “contact line.â€
Sep 13, 2017, at 04:39 am
New York, Sept 12(Just Earth News): More than 75 per cent of migrant and refugee children trying to reach Europe via the Central Mediterranean route face appalling levels of abuse, exploitation and trafficking, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said, calling on the continent to establish safe and regular pathways for migration.
New mission in Colombia ready to boost confidence for stable peace, says UN envoy
Sep 12, 2017, at 09:46 am
New York, Sept 12(Just Earth News): As the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia prepares to begin its activities, its chief expressed the hope on Monday that, with the support of the Security Council, the new operation should be able to strengthen the country’s confidence for a stable peace.
Further development of DPRK nuclear programme cause of grave concern – UN atomic energy chief
Sep 12, 2017, at 04:58 am
New York, Sept 11(Just Earth News): Noting signs suggesting that a nuclear plant in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) could be operating, the head of the United Nations atomic agency called on the country’s leadership to comply fully with its obligations under Security Council resolutions.