UN agencies expand operations in southern Africa as poor harvests deepen food insecurity
Oct 20, 2015, at 04:58 pm
New York, Oct 20 (IBNS): An estimated 27.4 million people in southern Africa face food insecurity in the next six months, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday, announcing the expansion of their operations to respond to the challenge, caused by poor harvests across the region.
UN atomic energy chief encourages States to improve global emergency response
Oct 20, 2015, at 04:32 pm
New York, Oct 20 (IBNS): Opening a week-long conference in Vienna, Austria, on strengthening national systems in dealing with nuclear and radiological emergencies, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told delegates on Monday that national-level response plans in preparedness need to be in line with international safety standards and best practices.
UN atomic energy chief encourages States to improve global emergency response
Oct 20, 2015, at 04:26 pm
New York, Oct 20 (IBNS): Opening a week-long conference in Vienna, Austria, on strengthening national systems in dealing with nuclear and radiological emergencies, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told delegates on Monday that national-level response plans in preparedness need to be in line with international safety standards and best practices.
UN chief concerned by rising number of executions in Iran
Oct 20, 2015, at 03:49 pm
New York, Oct 20 (IBNS): Expressing his "deep sadness" at the recent execution by Iran of two juvenile offenders, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday noted with concern the alarming increase in executions in the country over the last decade.
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).
UN raises concerns about unaccompanied refugee and migrant children in Europe
Oct 17, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Oct 17 (IBNS): Warning of poor weather conditions and fast-approaching winter, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday raised concerns about the protection of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children on the move in Europe, where several countries are faced with overstretched national capacities and insufficient coordination.
UN rights experts appeal to stop attacks against persons with albinism
Oct 16, 2015, at 01:16 pm
New York, Oct 16 (IBNS): The first United Nations human rights expert on albinism on Thursday issued an urgent appeal for coordinated action in southern and eastern Africa to tackle the upsurge in attacks against persons with albinism.
New law threatens civil society independence in Kazakhstan: UN expert
Oct 16, 2015, at 12:55 pm
New York, Oct 16 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, on Thursday warned that a new bill amending the law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kazakhstan, may compromise the independence of associations and also challenge their existence.
UN and French Government urge inclusion of food security in climate change debate
Oct 15, 2015, at 03:10 pm
New York, Oct 15 (IBNS): Targeted policies and investments in food security and agriculture should be at the centre of debates on climate change, according to a top UN official and the French Minister for Agriculture, speaking at the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in Rome this week.
UN-backed telecom summit shines spotlight on young innovators
Oct 15, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Oct 15 (IBNS): The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on Wednesday hosted at its 2015 telecom summit in Budapest the winners of the Young Innovators Competition, who benefited from expert mentorship to help accelerate their innovations globally through a series of workshops, pitching sessions and collaborations.
UN global advocate Daniel Craig visits Cyprus
Oct 14, 2015, at 01:53 pm
New York, Oct 14 (IBNS): In his new role as the United Nations Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards, renowned actor Daniel Craig underscored the humanitarian importance of the UN's de-mining efforts in Cyprus, his first country visit for the Organization.
UN mission concerned by Taliban threats against Afghan media outlets
Oct 14, 2015, at 01:49 pm
New York, Oct 14 (IBNS): Expressing serious concerns at recent statements made from the Taliban that identified specific Afghan media outlets and its staff as targets, the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) on Tuesday urged all parties to the conflict to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression.
'Knowledge saves lives,' UN stresses on International Day for Disaster Reduction
Oct 14, 2015, at 01:47 pm
New York, Oct 14 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday stressed the "indispensable" power of traditional, indigenous and local knowledge in his message on this year’s observance of the International Day for Disaster Reduction.
UN urgently appeals for $86 million to tackle food insecurity in Zimbabwe
Oct 13, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Oct 13 (IBNS): The United Nations in Zimbabwe has appealed to humanitarian and development partners for $86 million that is critically needed to fill a shortfall to support 1.5 million people affected by food insecurity in the country.
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.
Terrorist attacks in Chad and Cameroon condemned by UN Security Council
Oct 13, 2015, at 02:07 pm
New York, Oct 13 (IBNS): The members of the UN Security Council have strongly condemned the "horrific" terrorist attacks attributed to Boko Haram, perpetrated on Saturday and Sunday in the towns of Baga Sola, Chad, and Kangaleri, Cameroon, which resulted in a large number of deaths and casualties.
UN focuses on adolescent girls as part of drive towards equality for all by 2030
Oct 12, 2015, at 01:54 pm
New York, Oct 12 (IBNS): The newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer an opportunity for a global commitment to breaking intergenerational transmission of poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination – and realizing our vision of a life of dignity for all, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon declared, marking the International Day of the Girl Child.
UN highlights survival of postal service hinges on ability to quickly change, innovate
Oct 10, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): On World Post Day, the head of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) is highlighting that the future of postal services strongly depends on their ability to innovate and to embrace new technologies.
UN commends Tunisian Dialogue Quartet on Nobel Peace Prize win
Oct 10, 2015, at 01:48 pm
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon applauded the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet on being awarded this year’s Nobel Prize for Peace.
UN launches 'Nelson Mandela Rules' on improving treatment of prisoners
Oct 08, 2015, at 01:18 pm
New York, Oct 8 (IBNS): The United Nations on Wednesday launched the Revised Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, dubbed the 'Nelson Mandela Rules,' which Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed as "a great step forward" but also drew attention to three areas that could be strengthened from a human rights perspective.
UN agencies launch new standards to improve adolescent care worldwide
Oct 07, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Oct 7 (IBNS): Two United Nations agencies – the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) – announced on Tuesday they have developed new standards for quality health-care services for adolescents, which aim to help countries improve services for people between the ages of 10 and 19.
UN urges international community to invest in recruiting, empowering teachers
Oct 06, 2015, at 02:29 pm
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): Marking the first World Teacher's Day after the adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, senior United Nations officials appealed to the international community to value, support, and empower teachers, "for it is they who will educate a new generation of children who, in turn, will carry forward all our goals to build a better world for all."
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 panel warns against 'designer babies' and eugenics in 'editing' of human DNA
Oct 06, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): Warning that rapid advances in genetics make "designer babies" an increasing possibility, a United Nations panel on Monday called for a moratorium on "editing" the human genome, pending wider public debate lest changes in DNA be transmitted to future generations or foster eugenics.
At UN, Canada urges focus on financing for climate change mitigation, adaptation
Oct 04, 2015, at 03:26 pm
New York, Oct 4 (IBNS) The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Daniel Jean, addressed the United Nations General Assembly today, noting the importance of the new sustainable development agenda and of ensuring the proper financing of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
UN human rights office voices concern after Tajikistan bans Islamic political party
Oct 03, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Oct 3 (IBNS): The United Nations on Friday voiced concern about an increasing risk of human rights violations connected with the recent banning of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), and the arrest and detention of more than a dozen of its members since early September.
UN: UAE calls for international partnerships to achieve Middle East peace
Oct 03, 2015, at 02:00 pm
New York, Oct 3 (IBNS): Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Friday and urged the international community to coordinate and build partnerships to achieve peace and security in the highly volatile Middle East region.
UN highlights urban sustainability and inclusiveness of older persons
Oct 02, 2015, at 04:51 pm
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): The United Nations is on Thursday urging countries to improve older persons' accessibility to urban infrastructure, facilities and services as two phenomena – rapid urbanization and ageing populations – are combining to dramatically change the face the world’s cities in the coming decades.
UN: Bosnia and Herzegovina calls for comprehensive strategy against terrorism
Oct 02, 2015, at 04:46 pm
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): Terrorism and violent extremism are without any doubt, the most serious of all challenges facing the world on Thursday, Dragan Covic, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina told the United Nations General Assembly, saying that strategies to tackle the twin scourges musty go beyond military responses and include actions that address the root causes.
UN: Georgian leader warns of region's security threats
Oct 02, 2015, at 04:43 pm
New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): In his address at the 70th United Nations General Assembly, Irakli Garibashvili, Georgia's Prime Minister said his country is building democracy even in the face of security threats in the region, and condemned Russia’s ongoing annexation of its territories.