Migrants: ‘A powerful driver’ of economic growth, ‘dynamism and understanding’
Dec 18, 2018, at 09:43 am
New York, Dec 18 (IBNS): Human migration is “a powerful driver of economic growth, dynamism and understanding,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, in his message commemorating International Migrants Day, marked on 18 December.
UN affirms ‘historic’ global compact to support world’s refugees
Dec 18, 2018, at 09:39 am
New York, Dec 18 (IBNS): The United Nations General Assembly affirmed a non-legally binding Global Compact on Refugees on Monday, marking the latest move by Member States to support the rights of 258 million people on the move worldwide.
UN calls for funds to ease ‘deteriorating’ humanitarian situation in Gaza and West Bank
Dec 18, 2018, at 09:09 am
New York, Dec 18 (IBNS): The need for aid in the occupied Palestinian territory has increased, following a year that has seen a “serious deterioration in the humanitarian situation,” said Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the region, in a statement on Monday.
Global Compact on Refugees: How is this different from the migrants’ pact and how will it help?
Dec 18, 2018, at 09:04 am
New York, Dec 18 (IBNS): The terms ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ have been used interchangeably to describe the millions of people worldwide that are either fleeing conflict or seeking better living conditions. As the United Nations sets out to secure global compacts to better protect them, it’s critical to understand the differences between the two.
Dec 17, 2018, at 09:10 am
New Delhi, Dec 17 (IBNS): Following a productive two weeks of global dialogue for the United Nations and its Member States, alongside governments and advocates, Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking in the Qatar capital, Doha, underscored the importance of international cooperation in the “enormous challenges” of our time, drawing the curtain on a job finished at Sunday’s Doha Forum.
UN investigates systematic sexual violence across South Sudan
Dec 15, 2018, at 09:20 am
New York, Dec 15 (IBNS): Widespread and systematic sexual violence across South Sudan, just a few months after the country’s top two politicians signed a renewed commitment to peace, was at the top of the UN Commission on Human Rights in the country’s agenda on Friday, as members ended their first fact-finding mission.
UN agencies launch emergency plan for millions of Venezuelan refugees and migrants
Dec 15, 2018, at 09:13 am
New York, Dec 15 (IBNS): A new plan to cover the urgent needs of millions of Venezuelan refugees and migrants, coordinated by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), was launchedin Geneva on Friday.
Civilian death toll continues to mount in Syria, UN relief chief tells Security Council
Dec 14, 2018, at 09:03 am
New York, Dec 14 (IBNS): Although the overall intensity of violence in Syria has decreased, civilians continue to be killed by air and ground-based strikes, Mark Lowcock, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs told the Security Council on Thursday, during a briefing on the current situation in Syria.
Yemen talks: Truce agreed over key port city of Hudaydah
Dec 14, 2018, at 08:48 am
New York, Dec 14 (IBNS): The announcement of a ceasefire between Yemen’s warring parties in and around the key port of Hudaydah, was hailed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday as a deal which would improve the lives of millions of people.
‘Fire-fighting approach’ to humanitarian aid ‘not sustainable’: Deputy UN chief
Dec 13, 2018, at 09:19 am
New York, Dec 13 (IBNS): With around one in every 60 people across the world caught up in a crisis that requires urgent humanitarian assistance, the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told a top panel on the issue on Wednesday that maintaining a “fire-fighting approach is not sustainable” in the long term.
Prisoner executions in Belarus ‘simply unacceptable’, says UN rights body
Dec 13, 2018, at 09:09 am
New York, Dec 13 (IBNS): The continued use of the death penalty in Belarus has been condemned by an authoritative UN rights body after three men were reportedly executed there, despite its requests for clemency.
Easing US-China trade tensions could save millions of jobs: Asia-Pacific UN report
Dec 13, 2018, at 09:06 am
New York, Dec 13 (IBNS): Millions of jobs in the Asia and Pacific region have been put at risk by conflicts over trade, despite a recent agreement not to escalate tit-for-tat tariffs by the United States and China, according to a new regional UN report.
Governments urged to put first ever UN global migration pact in motion, post-Marrakech
Dec 12, 2018, at 10:01 am
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): The adoption by more than 160 governments of the first-ever global migration pact is a triumph of multilateralism and highlights the importance of dispelling “myths” and fear-mongering over the issue, said the UN’s senior migration official on Tuesday, bringing the key two-day Marrakech conference to a close.
Progress made in UN talks to end Yemen war, Envoy lauds ‘positive and serious spirit’
Dec 12, 2018, at 09:09 am
New York, Dec 12 (IBNS): United Nations-sponsored political consultations in Sweden, involving the warring parties in the Yemen war, have led to progress “on a number of issues,” said Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy for Yemen, at a press conference on Monday.
Major UN aid operation for 650,000 gets underway across Syria-Jordan border
Dec 11, 2018, at 08:30 am
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS): The United Nations began a four-week operation on Sunday, delivering lifesaving assistance to hundreds of thousands of Syrians in desperate need, from across the border in neighbouring Jordan.
Worldwide UN family celebrates enduring universal values of human rights
Dec 11, 2018, at 08:21 am
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS): Across the world, the UN family has been making sure that this year’s Human Rights Day – which falls on Monday, and marks 70 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – succeeds in raising awareness of the principles enshrined in the document, which are as important and relevant today, as they were in 1948.
Governments adopt UN global migration pact to help ‘prevent suffering and chaos’
Dec 11, 2018, at 08:13 am
New York, Dec 11 (IBNS): The Global Compact for Migration was adopted on Monday by leading representatives from 164 Governments at an international conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, in an historic move described by UN Chief António Guterres as the creation of a “roadmap to prevent suffering and chaos”.
UN calls on everyone to protect human rights in Afghanistan
Dec 10, 2018, at 04:10 pm
Kabul, Dec 10 (IBNS): Marking International Human Rights Day, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) underscores the enduring importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 70th anniversary and renews its call to protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan.
70 years on, landmark UN human rights document as important as ever
Dec 08, 2018, at 09:13 pm
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reaches its 70th anniversary on Monday, a chance to highlight the many important breakthroughs brought about by the landmark UN document, and to remind the world that the human rights of millions are still being violated on a daily basis.
Donald Trump nominates Heather Nauert as UN ambassador
Dec 08, 2018, at 07:31 am
Washington, Dec 8 (IBNS): US President Donald Trump on Friday nominated State Department spokeswoman and former Fox TV news anchor Heather Nauert as the country's ambassador to the United Nations.
UN emergency relief fund has ‘never been more critical’: Guterres
Dec 08, 2018, at 06:57 am
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): The mission of the UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), which enables humanitarian responders to deliver life-saving assistance whenever and wherever crises strike, is more critical than ever, said Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday, as a key pledging conference got underway at UN Headquarters in New York.
The fruits of sustainability and decent work
Dec 08, 2018, at 06:46 am
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): Costa Rica’s is taking the lead in promoting the socially-conscious production of pineapples whilst protecting the environment, thanks to a project supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
A safer, more dignified journey for all migrants, tops agenda at global conference in Marrakech
Dec 08, 2018, at 06:33 am
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): Top politicians and officials from across the world will gather in Marrakech, Morocco this weekend, ahead of a major conference convened by the UN, to formally adopt an all-inclusive, extensive global agreement aimed at making migration safer, and more dignified for all.
Preventing and resolving conflicts must form ‘backbone’ of collective efforts – UN chief
Dec 07, 2018, at 10:14 am
New York, Dec 7 (IBNS): More countries are experiencing violent conflict now than at any time over the past 30 years, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday, underscoring that the world has a responsibility to act “collectively”.
UN launches new framework to strengthen fight against terrorism
Dec 07, 2018, at 10:13 am
New York, Dec 7 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched a new Organization-wide framework on Thursday to coordinate efforts across the peace and security, humanitarian, human rights and sustainable development sectors.
Dec 06, 2018, at 02:20 pm
New York, Dec 6 (IBNS) :“Peace and development are indivisible,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday, encouraging a stronger push along what he dubbed “the peace continuum” as the “best guarantee against instability and insecurity.”
First Western Sahara talks at UN in six years, begin in Geneva
Dec 06, 2018, at 01:49 pm
New York, Dec 6 (IBNS): Talks have begun at the UN on the future of Western Sahara – the first in years – the Organization announced on Wednesday.
UN expert ‘shocked’ by Egyptian reprisals against human rights defenders she met
Dec 05, 2018, at 09:18 am
New York, Dec 5 (IBNS): A United Nations independent rights expert has condemned Egyptian Government reprisals, which included housing demolitions and arbitrary arrests, against human rights defenders and others she encountered while visiting the country just over a month ago.
UN recognises role of sport in achieving sustainable development
Dec 05, 2018, at 09:08 am
New York, Dec 5 (IBNS): The power of sport to help make sustainable development a reality and, in particular, the 2030 Agenda – the United Nations’ blueprint to transform the world for the benefit of all – has been explicitly recognized by a General Assembly resolution, adopted at UN Headquarters on Monday.
Global aid appeal targets more than 93 million most in need next year
Dec 05, 2018, at 09:05 am
New York, Dec 5 (IBNS): Conflict has pushed tens of millions of people into a situation where they are in urgent need of help, the UN’s relief chief said on Tuesday, in an appeal for funds that could top $25 billion to support life-saving aid projects in over 40 countries next year.