'Survival will be an achievement' for new Afghan Government, says UN envoy
Mar 16, 2016, at 01:21 pm
New York, Mar 16(Just Earth News/IBNS):The new Afghan Government, formed through a power-sharing agreement, must manage its difficult transition in 2016 by overcoming political, economic and security challenges, the top United Nations official in that country told the Security Council on Tuesday, as the 15-nation body extended the UN ion there for another year.
High-level panel on women's economic empowerment holds first meeting at UN
Mar 16, 2016, at 01:18 pm
New York, Mar 16(Just Earth News/IBNS):The High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where the 60th session of the Comion on the Status of Women is underway this month.
UN agency welcomes Malawi’s decision to reopen former camp for Mozambique refugees
Mar 16, 2016, at 01:16 pm
New York, Mar 16(Just Earth News/IBNS):The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday welcomed a decision by the Malawian Government to reopen a former refugee camp to help cope with the rising numbers of people fleeing internal fighting in Mozambique.
Libya: Security Council renews call for global support for national unity government
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:50 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The Security Council on Monday reiterated its support for the Libyan national unity government and renewed its call on United Nations Member States to end official contact with parallel institutions that claim legitimate authority but are outside of the 17 December political agreement
UN agencies warn of funding gaps as 450,000 Mauritanians face food insecurity
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:47 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Two United Nations agencies on Monday reiterated calls for more financial contributions to fund their work in Mauritania, where more than 450,000 people are suffering from food insecurity.
In Vienna, UN urges focus on ‘shared responsibility’ to combat illicit drugs
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:38 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Ahead of a special session on drugs at the United Nations General Assembly, senior United Nations officials on Monday focused on the people affected by drugs and the shared international responsibility in stopping the suffering caused by these illicit substances.
DPR Korea’s ‘totalitarian’ governing structure ‘absolutely denies rights,’ UN expert warns
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:32 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):An independent United Nations human rights expert on Monday warned that repression remains unabated in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the country’s authorities continue to exercise the strictest control over all aspects of its citizens’ lives.
UN Commission on Status of Women opens with calls to ‘seize the day;’ ensure gender equality
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:27 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):At the opening of the 60th session of the Comion on the Status of Women, United Nations officials on Monday highlighted the progress made in achieving gender equality, while calling on the world to do much more to fight for women and girls’ rights.
Security Council condemns deadly Côte d'Ivoire terrorist attack
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:24 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned yesterday’s terrorist attacks in Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, that killed at least 16 people and left many more injured, and for which Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility.
Iran’s execution of juvenile offenders draws concern of UN rights expert
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:12 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):An independent United Nations human rights expert on Monday raised continuing serious concerns about the extremely high rate of executions, especially for juvenile offenders, and fundamental flaws in the administration of justice in Iran.
Some 90 per cent of domestic workers excluded from social protection – UN
Mar 15, 2016, at 02:07 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Sixty million of the world’s 67 million domestic workers – 80 per cent of whom are women – lack access to any kind of social security coverage, according to a new report prepared by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO).
Syria: as conflict enters fifth year, UN-mediated peace talks resume in Geneva
Mar 15, 2016, at 01:59 pm
New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Talks resumed on Monday between representatives of the Government and those of the opposition in Syria, where the United Nations envoy overseeing the discussions said a “fragile†cessation of hostilities has been holding for 18 days.
UN refugee agency concerned about restrictions on Iraqis in displacement camps
Mar 12, 2016, at 02:05 pm
New York, Mar 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Concerned about hampering the rights of displaced Iraqis seeking shelter in camps, the United Nations refugee agency on Friday urged the Government to set up clear procedures and special facilities for screening people that are separate from camps established to provide shelter and humanitarian aid.
UN: Cooperation among judges vital to counter-terrorism efforts, human rights protection
Mar 11, 2016, at 03:34 pm
New York, Mar 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Formal cooperation among judges is essential in bringing individuals charged with terrorism-related crimes to justice and ensuring that the rule of law is upheld throughout the process, according to officials at a United Nations event that for the first time brought together Supreme Court justices to discuss how terrorism cases are handled in their respective countries.
UN and African Union condemn ambush on peacekeepers in Darfur
Mar 11, 2016, at 03:14 pm
New York, Mar 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The United Nations and the African Union have condemned Wednesday’s attack by an unknown armed group that killed one South African peacekeeper and injured another in Sudan’s Darfur region.
UN expert urges Honduran Government to protect witness to Berta Cáceres killing
Mar 11, 2016, at 03:08 pm
New York, Mar 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS):In the wake of the assassination of human rights activist Berta Cáceres in Honduras, an independent United Nations human rights expert is calling on the Government in that country to ensure the safety and protection of a second activist who witnessed the killing and was injured during the attack.
UN chief presents Security Council with special measures to curb sexual exploitation
Mar 11, 2016, at 02:56 pm
New York, Mar 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday presented to the Security Council special measures aimed at ending impunity, helping and supporting victims, and strengthening accountability as part of a more effective collective response to sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel.
Tajik restrictions on opposition, civil society, media ‘eroding’ rights, says UN expert
Mar 11, 2016, at 02:53 pm
New York, Mar 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS):An independent United Nations human rights expert on Thursday voiced concern over the increasing Government restrictions on opposition parties, civil society and the media over the past year in Tajikistan.
UN: Syria talks to begin next week, as humanitarian aid reaches more besieged areas
Mar 10, 2016, at 03:23 pm
New York, Mar 10(Just Earth News/IBNS) The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria on Wednesday announced that ‘substantive’ UN-mediated peace talks will begin next Monday, as humanitarian aid convoys continue to reach more people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas following a nationwide cessation of hostilities that began on 27 February.
UN experts suggest ways to avoid human rights violations during public protests
Mar 10, 2016, at 03:09 pm
New York, Mar 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS):A new report presented on Wednesday to the United Nations Human Rights Council offers recommendations on proper preparations and precautions to protect the rights of the demonstrators, bystanders and police during public gatherings.
UN expert urges Iraqi Government to protect marginalized ethnic, religious groups
Mar 09, 2016, at 02:36 pm
New York, Mar 9 (IBNS):A clear message must be sent to all of Iraq’s diverse communities that they have a future in the country, an independent United Nations human rights expert on Tuesday said, calling on the Government to ensure the protection of the most threatened and marginalized ethnic and religious groups.
New UN initiative aims to protect millions of girls from child marriage
Mar 09, 2016, at 02:29 pm
New York, Mar 9 (IBNS): The United Nations announced a new initiative on Tuesday to advance efforts to end child marriage by 2030 and protect the rights of millions of the most vulnerable girls around the world.
UN official explains why new global development agenda is good news for women
Mar 09, 2016, at 02:25 pm
New York, Mar 9 (IBNS): From economic exclusion to violence targeting women and girls, the head of the United Nations entity tasked with promoting gender equality believes such challenges make it all the more critical to push ahead with the new global development agenda, which contains many targets specifically recognizing women's equality and empowerment.
UN Security Council arrives in Mali, vows to support country during 'key moment' in history
Mar 06, 2016, at 03:50 pm
New York, Mar 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Security Council is in Mali, the first stop of its visit to the African continent, where it underlined that the 15-member body is united in supporting the country's peace and reconciliation efforts.
UN joins partners in pledging support for President-elect of Central African Republic
Mar 05, 2016, at 02:08 pm
New York, Mar 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations on Friday, in a joint statement with other multilateral organizations, welcomed the final results of the second round of the presidential elections in the Central African Republic (CAR) announced earlier this week, congratulating President-elect Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
Yemen: UN humanitarian chief urges civilian protection, access to all parts of country
Mar 04, 2016, at 02:36 pm
New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Protecting civilians amid the unabated conflict in Yemen is the most pressing concern today, the top United Nations relief official told the Security Council, calling on the international community to impress upon the actors their obligations to guard civilians and to facilitate unconditional and sustained access to all parts of the country.
Governments must commit to eliminating homelessness by 2030, UN rights expert urges
Mar 04, 2016, at 02:29 pm
New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Homelessness is found in every country in the world and is spreading with impunity, a United Nations human rights expert on Thursday warned, calling on governments to recognize homelessness as a human rights crisis and commit to its eradication by 2030, in line with the new UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Ukraine: growing despair among over three million civilians in conflict zone - UN report
Mar 04, 2016, at 02:09 pm
New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Despite a decrease in the number of civilian casualties in the east of Ukraine over the past few months, a new United Nations report shows that the conflict is severely impacting on the daily life of civilians, with a growing sense of despair and isolation affecting those living in the conflict zone, especially in the areas controlled by the armed groups.
Drug treaties' aim is health, not 'war on drugs,' says UN expert report
Mar 03, 2016, at 01:40 pm
New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The ultimate goal of the international drug control treaties is to ensure the health and welfare of mankind, according to a United Nations-backed report, which this year underscored that the objectives of the conventions are often misinterpreted as mandating a “war on drugs.â€
Ban appoints long-serving UN tribunal jurist to head up courts' residual mechanism
Mar 03, 2016, at 01:33 pm
New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Judge Theodor Meron of the United States as President of the international body that will carry out the residual functions of the UN war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, for a new term that began on Tuesday.