UN agencies launch $1.98 billion humanitarian appeal for Africa's Sahel region
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:11 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Warning of dire effects of climate change, abject poverty, fast population growth and a tormenting rise in violence and insecurity in Africa's Sahel region, United Nations agencies and partners on Wednesday launched the Sahel humanitarian appeal for 2016, which includes a regional plan that calls for $1.98 billion to provide vital assistance to millions of people in nine countries across the region.
Syria: UNICEF plans to reach 2.6 million children with winter supplies and cash assistance
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Warning of harsh winter conditions looming for more than eight million Syrian children living inside the war-ravaged country or as refugees around the region and beyond, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced a package of assistance for 2.6 million Syrian children, including cash assistance, in addition to ongoing humanitarian programmes.
Nepal: UN aid agencies and partners appeal for access to life-saving medical supplies
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations agencies and their aid partners today expressed their “deepest concern†over critical and growing shortages of lifesaving medicines and supplies across Nepal and appealed to all sides to ease an effective blockade of the country’s southern border due to unrest over a new constitution.
Celebrity chefs serve up free meals from discarded food: UN agency
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): For those who have never tried 'rejected' veggie curry made with 'saved' coconut milk served with 'broken rice' and washed down with corn cob tea, two United Nations agencies have joined up with an Australian food charity for an event with a menu that also included 'fish scrap cake' and 'rescued' mango relish, accompanied by 'leftover' nine-grain followed by 'rescued' bread pudding for dessert.
Retail company provides $10 million for refugees through UN agency partnership
Nov 26, 2015, at 01:57 pm
New York, Nov 26 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Tokyo-based Fast Retailing Company Limited, which owns the UNIQLO clothing chain has partnered with the United Nation refugee agency to announce a new agreement to support refugees worldwide, including provision of $10 million in funds and distribution of winter wear for new arrivals in Europe and expanding its internship programme in Japan and abroad.
UN: More than 21 million people in Yemen need basic humanitarian aid
Nov 25, 2015, at 03:52 pm
New York, Nov 25 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Some 21.2 million people in Yemen – or 82 per cent of the population – require some kind of assistance to meet their basic needs, according to a recently-published overview of the country’s humanitarian needs for the next year carried out by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Central Yemeni city of Taiz under virtual siege, 200,000 need water, food: UN chief
Nov 25, 2015, at 03:42 pm
New York, Nov 25 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The situation in the central Yemeni city of Taiz has worsened amid intensified fighting since September, with 200,000 civilians living under virtual siege, in dire need drinking water, food, medical treatment, and other life-saving aid, the top United Nations relief official said on Tuesday.
UN official urges support for people in central and eastern Africa
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): Warning of worsening violence and humanitarian crises across areas of East and Central Africa, the Head of Operations for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, on Thursday called for additional support to "people and communities who have faced years of crisis in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia."
Six months after earthquake, Nepal racing against winter: UN relief official
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:49 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): As winter approaches, the top United Nations humanitarian official for Nepal on Friday stressed that shelter and food remain top priorities six months after the devastating earthquakes that shook the country in April.
UN agencies boost aid efforts to flood-hit Tindouf refugees, call for urgent funding
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency and its partners are scaling up aid efforts after devastating floods widely damaged Sahrawi refugee camps in southwest Algeria, working to provide food and relief supplies, while urgently appealing for emergency funds to fill the 80 per cent gap in order to reach the most vulnerable.
UN agency reaches Donetsk after months of restricted humanitarian access
Oct 21, 2015, at 04:37 pm
New York, Oct 21 (IBNS): The World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday announced that after a three-month suspension, it has restarted humanitarian activities in the non-Government-controlled area of Donetsk city in eastern Ukraine.
UN relief wing races against time to reach isolated areas of Nepal
Oct 21, 2015, at 04:32 pm
New York, Oct 21 (IBNS): As the approaching winter has left a small time window for aid workers to reach earthquake-hit, high-altitude areas in Nepal, the United Nations humanitarian wing and its partners are racing against the clock to ensure timely delivery of food and shelter supplies to the isolated communities.
Floods deal devastating blow to agriculture and food security in Myanmar: UN
Oct 21, 2015, at 04:28 pm
New York, Oct 21 (IBNS): A new joint United Nations agency-Myanmar Government report paints a grim picture of the destruction caused by flooding in the country, where more than half a million hectares of rice paddy were affected and almost a quarter of a million livestock were killed, including poultry, cattle, pigs and goats, when Cyclone Komen struck in late July and early August this year.
Floods deal devastating blow to agriculture and food security in Myanmar: UN
Oct 21, 2015, at 04:23 pm
New York, Oct 21 (IBNS): A new joint United Nations agency-Myanmar Government report paints a grim picture of the destruction caused by flooding in the country, where more than half a million hectares of rice paddy were affected and almost a quarter of a million livestock were killed, including poultry, cattle, pigs and goats, when Cyclone Komen struck in late July and early August this year.
UN and partners deliver critical relief supplies to besieged areas of Syria
Oct 20, 2015, at 03:43 pm
New York, Oct 20 (IBNS): A joint United Nations, International Red Cross (ICRC) and Syrian Arab Red Crescent operation delivered on Sunday essential medical and humanitarian supplies to 30,000 people in the Fouah and Kefrayah in Idlib governorate and Zabadani and Madaya in the Rural Damascus governorate, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Central Africa: UNWFP delivers food aid to thousands displaced by violence in capital
Oct 15, 2015, at 03:06 pm
New York, Oct 15 (IBNS): The World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Wednesday that aid workers have reached more than 30,000 newly displaced people in desperate need of food in the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, where the situation remains "tense and volatile" after a new surge in violence.
UN relief official urges action to address urgent needs in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Oct 14, 2015, at 01:32 pm
New York, Oct 14 (IBNS): The head of Operations at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, called on Tuesday for renewed international commitment to address urgent humanitarian needs, and to shore up regional peace and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan, noting that the two countries were on differing humanitarian trajectories.
UN forum on food security focuses on eradicating hunger by 2030
Oct 13, 2015, at 02:34 pm
New York, Oct 13 (IBNS): Marking the first international gathering on food security and nutrition since world leaders approved the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) commenced on Monday, focusing on ending hunger by 2030.
Member States pledge $100 million to UN agency supporting Palestine refugees
Oct 13, 2015, at 02:30 pm
New York, Oct 13 (IBNS): Twenty-two Member States of the United Nations are planning to pledge $100 million dollars to support next year's budget of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) which provides educational, health, relief and social services for some five million such refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza.
Somalia: UN boosts El Niño preparedness and relief, urges more funding
Oct 13, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Oct 13 (IBNS): Efforts have been ramped up recently to mitigate the impact of floods and draughts in Somalia driven by the El Niño phenomenon between now and December, which may worsen the food security and humanitarian situations, the United Nations has said, while stressing the urgent need for more financial support to continue its relief work in the country.
Despite looting of aid agencies in Central Africa UN pledges continued support
Oct 07, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Oct 7 (IBNS): Despite worsening security conditions and the recent looting of international aid offices in the Central African Republic (CAR), prompting the temporarily relocation of 200 personnel, the United Nations on Tuesday pledged to keep bringing aid into the war-torn country, where over half the population urgently needs assistance.
South Sudan: UN agency air operation delivers agriculture aid
Oct 06, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Monday announced that its rapid response operation in conflict-torn South Sudan has delivered livelihood assistance to 60,000 food-insecure households in hard-to-reach areas of northern Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile States, where food stocks are running out and most families have been unable to produce food through farming or fishing this year.
UN, humanitarian community struggling to meet unprecedented needs of refugees
Oct 06, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): The global refugee crisis is so great that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), other UN agencies and their partners on Monday said that they are struggling to respond to and meet all the humanitarian needs they face.
UN officials propose setting up new fund for education in emergencies
Oct 03, 2015, at 02:06 pm
New York, Oct 3 (IBNS): Two senior United Nations officials on Friday proposed the establishment of a humanitarian fund for education in emergencies that would offer millions of the world's displaced children their first chance of schooling, as well as bridge the gap between relief assistance and development aid.
European leaders at UN urge concerted action amid humanitarian crises
Oct 02, 2015, at 04:12 pm
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): Several European leaders took to the podium on Thursday at the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, highlighting that the world is again living in restless times, especially in light of the unprecedented scale of humanitarian crises, including the migrant and refugee crisis.
Central Africa: UN and relief agencies condemn renewed violence against civilians
Sep 28, 2015, at 01:46 pm
New York, Spet 28 (IBNS): The interim United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Marc Vandenberghe and the entire humanitarian community in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Sunday condemned renewed violence against civilians in the capital, Bangui, and called on all parties to respect international law, to protect civilians and ensure that they can relocate from insecure areas.
Ten years on, responsibility to protect must be more than words: UN officials
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:15 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): Citing numerous crises around the world, including in Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, United Nations officials on Tuesday stressed that the principle of ‘responsibility to protect’ endorsed by leaders a decade ago must be translated into action and more done to provide real protection for people in dire need.
UNWFP chief and U2's Bono urge to address hunger needs of people fleeing conflict
Sep 08, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Sep 8 (IBNS): As the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) continues to face challenges in funding its emergency response in Syria, the agency's Executive Director Ertharin Cousin has thanked U2 lead singer and ONE co-founder Bono, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Ireland's Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney for their efforts to give voice and support to the world's hungry poor.
Palestinian children can return to UN-run schools this year due to fund-raising
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): The United Nations relief agency dealing with Palestinian refugees has declared the school year open will on time on Wednesday for the 500,000 boys and girls in the increasingly unstable Middle East, where multiple crises and a major funding shortage nearly forced the delayed of the opening of 685 schools in the region.
Libya: UN agency helps country upgrade response to boats in distress of its coast
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:18 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): Following a spate of deadly shipwrecks of the coast of Libya, the UN refugee agency has announced that it has set up a forum to improve the country’s response to boats in distress its waters by streamlining information sharing and coordination with international organizations