Ensuring fundamental freedoms vital to peaceful elections in Venezuela: UN experts
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Voicing concerns over deteriorating restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and assembly in Venezuela, United Nations human rights experts on Friday called on the Government to guarantee the safety of all individuals and their peaceful participation in the parliamentary elections, set for this Sunday.
As Ethiopia battles devastating drought, UN sends in emergency health team
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With Ethiopia battling its worst drought in 30 years due to the El Niño weather pattern, with 8.2 million people already in urgent need of food aid, the United Nations has sent an emergency health team to help support the Government's response to a crisis that is expected to become even worse over the next eight months.
UN-backed platforms show greenhouse gas emission reductions
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A new report by Yale University finds that the combined greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments recorded in two United Nations-backed platforms by cities, regions and companies alone surpasses the global emissions of the iron and steel sector.
COP21: UN emphasizes impact of young and future generations to tackle climate change
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The halls of the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) grew livelier on Thursday as hundreds of participants gathered to mark "young and future generations day," an opportunity for youth to remind world leaders and negotiators of the need to reach an ambitious climate agreement to secure their future, according to the UN Envoy on Youth.
Fundamental change needed to address women's health in conflicts: UN
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Of the more than 100 million people in need of humanitarian aid this year due to conflict and natural disasters, 26 million are women and adolescent girls of reproductive age, yet efforts to meet their desperate needs are seriously underfunded, a United Nations report warned on Thursday, calling for fundamental change in the situation.
COP21: UN joins France and private sector partners for action on electro-mobility
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Recognizing that transportation has the highest growth in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of any industrial sector, transport representatives at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) presented 10 initiatives on Thursday that aim to reduce these emissions and build more sustainable transport systems.
Resilience Day: UN and partners launch initiatives to protect millions of people
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the third day of the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), dubbed 'Resilience Day,' the UN and the Governments of Peru and France have announced major international partnerships that are mobilizing large-scale financing to protect people who are most vulnerable to climate impacts.
El Niño: UN emergency fund supports millions in affected countries
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:28 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Following the devastating impact of El Niño, the United Nations relief wing has announced that the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided some $76 million for life-saving activities in response to drought, drought-like conditions, floods and related insecurity, and other disasters in East Africa, Southern Africa, the Pacific Islands, South East Asia and Central America throughout 2015.
South Sudan at critical juncture, UN peacekeeping chief warns
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:22 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With both sides repeatedly violating the ceasefire, endangering progress so far made towards a political transition, the South Sudan peace process is at a critical juncture and in need of increased international support, the top United Nations peacekeeping official warned on Wednesday.
Yemen faces dire health crisis with funding gap and 15.2 million lacking care: UN
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:20 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 15.2 million Yemenis now lack access to health care services, well over half the war-torn country's total population, yet there is a 55 per cent gap in requested international funding to address the crisis, according to the United Nations health agency.
COP21: Ban tells African leaders they have stake in success of climate conference
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:10 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): At a gathering of African leaders at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that their continent has an enormous stake in the success of the global event which aims to reach a new universal climate agreement to limit the rise of global temperature.
COP21: UN spotlights need to protect forests and agriculture to improve livelihoods
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:02 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The impacts of climate change on forests and agriculture were in the spotlight on Tuesday at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), as new alliances among organizations and stakeholders were announced aiming to eliminate natural deforestation and forest degradation, and to prevent threats to sustainable farming and people’s livelihoods.
'Hidden epidemic' of HIV hitting adolescents in Asia-Pacific region: UN agencies
Dec 01, 2015, at 03:27 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The Asia-Pacific region is facing a ‘hidden epidemic’ of HIV among adolescents, with an estimated 50,000 new infections in 2014 among those aged 15 to 19, United Nations agencies reported on Monday, calling on Governments to develop specifically targeted prevention strategies.
UNAIDS urges expanding antiretroviral therapy to all people living with HIV
Dec 01, 2015, at 03:19 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expanding antiretroviral therapy to all people living with HIV is the key to ending the AIDS epidemic within a generation, the World Health Organization announced on the eve of World AIDS Day, presenting new "treat all" recommendations to enable countries to expand treatment rapidly and efficiently.
Pope Francis calls for peace among Christians and Muslims in Central Africa: UN
Dec 01, 2015, at 03:17 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations brought in 250 additional peacekeepers from Côte d’Ivoire over and above those already stationed in the Central African Republic (CAR) to help the authorities provide security for Pope Francis’s two-day visit to Bangui, the war-ravaged country’s capital.
COP21: Ban launches initiative to build climate resilience of vulnerable countries
Dec 01, 2015, at 03:14 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the opening day of the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), dozens of announcements were made in Paris by Governments and leaders of the public and private sectors, all aiming to generate climate solutions and build a sustainable future.
COP21: On eve of UN climate conference, Ban says 'time for action is now'
Nov 30, 2015, at 12:42 pm
New York, Nov 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the eve of the opening in Paris of the United Nations climate change conference, widely known as COP21, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging all countries and all sectors of society to act now to reach a new universal climate agreement.
Ban appoints experienced Australian national as UN disaster risk reduction chief
Nov 28, 2015, at 02:16 pm
New York, Nov 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday announced the appointment of Australia's Robert Glasser as Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).
Venezuela: UN official calls for more safety after political opponent killing
Nov 28, 2015, at 02:11 pm
New York, Nov 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, on Friday called on Venezuelan authorities to ensure that political opponents, human rights defenders and others facing threats in relation to their work are adequately protected.
Greece: UN agency outlines roadmap for tackling unemployment and weak economy
Nov 28, 2015, at 02:07 pm
New York, Nov 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The head of the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO), after meeting with Greek Government officials and labour representatives, has reaffirmed the agency’s support to the country’s economic revival and efforts to curb unemployment.
Ban appoints UN officials as Chef de Cabinet and Deputy Chef de Cabinet ad interim
Nov 28, 2015, at 02:03 pm
New York, Nov 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday announced the appointment of Edmond Mulet of Guatemala as his Chef de Cabinet, and Patrick Carey of Ireland as his Deputy Chef de Cabinet ad interim.
Surge in climate change-related disasters poses growing threat to food security: UN
Nov 27, 2015, at 01:12 pm
New York, Nov 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Droughts, floods, storms and other disasters triggered by climate change have risen in frequency and severity over the last three decades, increasing the damage caused to the agricultural sectors of many developing countries and putting them at risk of growing food insecurity, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned onThursday in a new report.
Ban tells world why he cares 'so deeply' about climate change
Nov 26, 2015, at 01:45 pm
New York, Nov 26 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Reminding the world that the sooner action is taken to tackle climate change, the greater the benefits for all, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said that for the nearly nine years, he has been at the head of the Organization, he has travelled the world to the front-lines of climate change, and spoken repeatedly with world leaders, business people and citizens about the need for an urgent global response.
Ukraine: UN humanitarian agencies step up aid deliveries as bitter winter takes hold
Nov 26, 2015, at 01:38 pm
New York, Nov 26 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations agencies are stepping up aid deliveries to non-Government-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine where more than 100,000 people, cut off from assistance for months, are now facing added hardship with the approach of the bitter east European winter.
Tunisia: UN condemns deadly attack on bus carrying presidential gaurd
Nov 25, 2015, at 03:55 pm
New York, Nov 25 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council this evening condemned the attack on Tuesday in Tunis against a bus carrying Presidential Guards, which resulted in many deaths and injuries.
'Orange the World' campaign kicks off efforts to end violence against women: UN
Nov 25, 2015, at 03:44 pm
New York, Nov 25 (Just Earth News/IBNS): From parades to soccer matches, school debates, and the lighting up of hundreds of iconic monuments, starting on Wednesday a United Nations call to "Orange the World" will galvanize global action calling for an end to violence against women and girls, which according to the UN’s agency for gender equality (UN Women) affects one in three worldwide.
Mali: UN civilian staffer killed in attack, Ban reaffirms commitment to peace efforts
Nov 25, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Nov 25 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A civilian staff member of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali was killed on Tuesday in an explosive device attack on a convoy, but the world Organization will not be deterred from its efforts to bring peace to the West African, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.
Malaysia: Ban calls for stronger cooperation from Southeast Asian countries
Nov 23, 2015, at 02:06 pm
New York, Nov 23 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Amid 'grave global threats' looming large, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for stronger partnerships between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN to achieve sustainable development, tackle climate change and eradicate violation of human rights.
Ban commends Bosnia and Herzegovina on peace and stability on twentieth Dayton Accords anniversary
Nov 22, 2015, at 03:23 pm
New York, Nov 22 (IBNS) On the twentieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the most devastating conflict in Europe since the Second World War, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday congratulated the people and Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the consolidation of peace and political stability, as well as on the socio-economic progress achieved during the past twenty years.
Mali: UN condemns 'horrific' terrorist attack on hotel in Bamako
Nov 21, 2015, at 02:48 pm
New York, Nov 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Condemning the "horrific" terrorist attack at the Radisson hotel in Bamako which killed an unknown number of civilians and injured many more, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has noted that the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has been assisting the authorities in the handling of this crisis.