Libya: UN rights arm sounds alarm for safety of prisoners at imminent risk of torture
Jul 19, 2017, at 10:05 am
New York, July 19(Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights arm on Tuesday voiced deep concern for the safety of individuals taken prisoner by members of the Libyan army after recent fighting in Benghazi, noting that they may be at imminent risk of torture and even summary execution.
UN and partners call for nearly $24 million in emergency aid for the Congo's Pool region
Jul 19, 2017, at 10:02 am
New York, July 19(Just Earth News): United Nations, the Republic of Congo's Government and humanitarian partners on Tuesday appealed for $23.7 million to aid Congolese in the area of southern Brazzaville known as “the Poolâ€, where fighting and insecurity has displaced one out of every three people.
Japanese YouTube star Piko Taro makes first UN appearance, promotes Global Goals
Jul 19, 2017, at 04:15 am
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): Japanese entertainer Piko Taro, famous for his “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen†(PPAP) viral music video, has joined the ranks of celebrities who promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on behalf of Governments, the United Nations, civil society and other actors in the global development community.
Despite some improvements, food security remains dire in Syria – UN agencies
Jul 19, 2017, at 04:15 am
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): In spite of improvements in wheat production in war-torn Syria – about 12 per cent more than last year's record low – the overall food security situation remains far worse than before the conflict, the United Nations food security and emergency food relief agencies have said.
As ‘drivers’ of innovation, youth need skills and capacity – UN General Assembly President
Jul 18, 2017, at 01:43 pm
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): Underscoring the importance of well trained and capable youth to realize the opportunities offered by advances in technology and innovation, the President of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday called for building their capacities to ensure that they can fulfil their potential as well as support sustainable development.
Global problems need global solutions, UN officials tell ministers at development forum
Jul 18, 2017, at 01:42 pm
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): Opening the high-level segment of the annual forum designed to discuss implementation of the anti-poverty agenda, top United Nations officials on Monday stressed the importance of multilateralism to address global problems.
FEATURE: Sustainable Development Goals through the lens of students
Jul 18, 2017, at 01:37 pm
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): Prize-winning photographs taken by students from around the world – currently exhibited at United Nations Headquarters in New York – encapsulate their own ideas and feelings about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
After Mosul victory, senior UN officials detail Iraq’s political and humanitarian needs
Jul 18, 2017, at 01:34 pm
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): Senior United Nations officials on Monday called for regional and international support to stabilize newly liberated Mosul and to create conditions for peace and development throughout Iraq.
Health services, especially vaccines, must ‘reach the unreached,’ stress UN agencies
Jul 18, 2017, at 01:33 pm
New York, July 18(Just Earth News): Globally, nearly 13 million infants – almost one in ten – did not receive any vaccinations last year, putting them at serious risk of potentially fatal diseases, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, urging greater efforts to extend the reach of health services.
Civilians continue to bear the brunt of Afghanistan's 'ugly war' – UN report
Jul 18, 2017, at 04:02 am
New York, July 17(Just Earth News): Civilians lives – including those of women and children – continue to be lost at record high levels amid a worsening toll of suicide attacks, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan said today, calling on anti-government forces to stop indiscriminate attacks against civilians as well as on the Government to stop using mortars and rockets in populated areas.
Syria talks end with 'incremental progress' but 'no breakthrough' – UN envoy
Jul 16, 2017, at 05:14 am
New York, July 15(Just Earth News): Speaking to reporters in the early hours of Saturday in Geneva, United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura said that the latest round of the intra-Syrian talks ended with “incremental progress.â€
Two years on, UN chief stresses 'sustained commitment essential' for Iran nuclear deal
Jul 16, 2017, at 05:08 am
New York, July 15(Just Earth News): Marking the second anniversary of the historic agreement aimed at ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has commended the Gulf country for implementing its nuclear-related commitments.
Ahead of Sunday's consultation in Venezuela, UN voices concern for demonstrators
Jul 15, 2017, at 05:53 am
New York, July 15(Just Earth News): The United Nations on Friday expressed concern about the situation in Venezuela, where nearly 100 people have died since April and more than 1,500 were injured in connection with ongoing protests.
DR Congo: UN refugee agency sounds alarm as displacement sees no end in Kasai region
Jul 15, 2017, at 05:52 am
New York, July 15(Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency has alerted the humanitarian community about the violence and continued displacement of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the Kasai region where the estimated number of displaced people now exceeds 1.3 million.
UN warns of worsening hunger in East Africa amid third consecutive failed rainy season
Jul 15, 2017, at 05:51 am
New York, July 15 (Just Earth News): The third consecutive failed rainy season in East Africa has seriously eroded families' resilience, and urgent and effective livelihood support is required, the United Nations agricultural agency has warned.
'Smart' money moving to 'green' financing, reveals new UN report
Jul 15, 2017, at 05:50 am
New York, July 15(Just Earth News): Even though investments towards sustainable development in developing countries have fallen short by nearly $2.5 trillion each year, emerging financial products and encouraging policies illustrate that both public and private sectors are serious about correcting that trend, the United Nations environment arm has said.
Jul 14, 2017, at 01:42 pm
New York, July 14(Just Earth News): The humanitarian situation in Eritrea – which is quite isolated and off the media radars – is “on a positive trajectory†but international donors need to give malnourishment and food insecurity continued attention, a senior United Nations relief official on Thursday said.
As Haiti struggles to stamp out cholera, UN urges further international support to combat disease
Jul 14, 2017, at 01:41 pm
New York, July 14(Just Earth News): Noting the challenges that continue to hamper sustained progress in combating cholera in Haiti, the United Nations General Assembly underscored the need to strengthen national health, sanitation and water systems on the island to promote the well-being of the population as well as contributing to Haiti’s sustainable development efforts.
Leveraging ICTs critical to achieve Global Goals, UN highlights in new report
Jul 14, 2017, at 04:34 am
New York, July 13(Just Earth News): Underscoring the importance of information and communication technologies (ICT) in on Thursday's world, the heads of over 20 United Nations agencies and offices have called for leveraging those technologies to “fast forward†implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Tourism key to foster trade for least developed countries – UN-backed report
Jul 14, 2017, at 04:32 am
New York, July 13(Just Earth News): A United Nations-backed report released on Thursday stressed the need for greater recognition of tourism as a key service export in order to attract technical assistance to the sector in least developed countries (LDCs).
Billions around the world lack safe water, proper sanitation facilities, reveals UN report
Jul 13, 2017, at 05:00 am
New York, July 12(Just Earth News): Some three in ten people around the world lack access to safe and readily available water at home, and almost six in ten to safely managed sanitation, a new United Nations report has warned, calling on countries to do more to fulfil these basic human needs.
Aid agenices in Yemen forced to shift resources from fighting hunger to cholera – UN
Jul 12, 2017, at 01:40 pm
New York, July 12(Just Earth News): Unless the international community contributes $200 million to address the cholera outbreak in Yemen, the United Nations humanitarian arm will be forced to “reprogram†more resources tagged for malnutrition in the country already facing famine, a senior official on Tuesday said.
Eleven global banks partner with UN to make financial markets more climate transparent
Jul 12, 2017, at 01:38 pm
New York, July 12(Just Earth News): Representing over $7 trillion, eleven major financial institutions around the globe have joined forces with the United Nations to promote climate transparency in financial markets, the Organization’s environment wing said on Tuesday.
Asia-Pacific moving in ‘wrong direction’ on some development targets, notes UN regional report
Jul 12, 2017, at 01:37 pm
New York, July 12(Just Earth News): Despite an impressive track record, the Asia-Pacific region will need to scale up development efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the target envisioned, the United Nations development arm for the region has said.
Living conditions in Gaza 'more and more wretched' over past decade, UN finds
Jul 12, 2017, at 01:35 pm
New York, July 12(Just Earth News): A decade after Hamas seized the Gaza Strip, the living conditions for two million people in the Palestinian enclave are deteriorating “further and faster†than the prediction made in 2012 that the enclave would become “unlivable†by 2020, a new United Nations report has found.
Safe, effective family planning is key to 'empowering people, developing nations' – UN
Jul 12, 2017, at 04:35 am
New York, July 11(Just Earth News): If the demand of women in developing countries who wanted access to safe and effective family planning was met, it would reduce an estimated 100,000 maternal death and avert 67 million unintended pregnancies, the United Nations population agency on Tuesday said.
With Mosul reclaimed, accountability key to heal Iraq's 'ISIL wounds' – UN rights chief
Jul 12, 2017, at 04:34 am
New York, July 11(Just Earth News): Although the retaking of Mosul city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters by Iraqi Government forces marks a significant turning point in the conflict, Iraq must ensure that those who committed crimes be held accountable, the United Nations human rights chief has said.
Jul 12, 2017, at 04:33 am
New York, July 11(Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday that the opening of the road to Syria's north-eastern Hassakeh governorate is already making a difference for humanitarian aid delivery on the ground.
Recognize tragedy of Srebrenica and ensure such atrocities are never repeated, urges UN chief
Jul 11, 2017, at 01:15 pm
New York, July 11(Just Earth News): Ahead of the twenty-second anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre – the largest atrocity on European soil since World War II – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged all to “look honestly†at the past, acknowledge the crimes and the inaction that allowed them to occur and ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
UN political forum opens with focus on eradicating poverty and forming partnerships
Jul 11, 2017, at 01:14 pm
New York, July 11(Just Earth News): Senior government representatives are at the United Nations on Monday for the start of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to track progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), two years after they were adopted.