May 24, 2017, at 02:08 pm
New York, May 24(Just Earth News): As world leaders and civil society representatives gather on Tuesday in Cancun, Mexico, for a biennial United Nations forum on preventing and mitigating disaster impacts, the UN on Tuesday launched an updated plan to increase the number of cities and towns with the capacity to reduce their disaster losses by 2020.
UN chief strongly condemns terrorist attack on Manchester concert
May 24, 2017, at 04:57 am
New York, May 23(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned yesterday’s horrific terrorist attack targeting crowd gathering for a concert in Manchester, the United Kingdom.
May 23, 2017, at 04:04 pm
New York, May 23(Just Earth News): The outgoing chief of the United Nations health agency on Monday highlighted the relevance of the World Health Organization (WHO), and offered its decision-making body parting advice that included protecting scientific evidence, pushing for innovation and thinking of people in every decision that is taken.
UN forum aims to ensure 'promises made are promises kept' on financing for development
May 23, 2017, at 04:01 pm
New York, May 23(Just Earth News): Promises made for financing the implementation of sustainable development goals must be promises kept, speakers said on Monday at the opening of a United Nations forum.
UN refugee agency ramps up response as Libya’s humanitarian crisis deepens
May 23, 2017, at 03:59 pm
New York, May 23(Just Earth News): Conflict, insecurity, political instability and a collapsing economy have contributed to the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Libya, prompting the United Nations refugee agency to announce plans to step-up its presence and programmes there.
Syria: Amid ‘promising’ diplomatic steps, UN envoy says hostilities continue on the ground
May 23, 2017, at 03:57 pm
New York, May 23(Just Earth News): Despite the “promising†steps in Syria that followed diplomatic talks in the Kazak capital, Astana – a nationwide ceasefire announced last December, and the de-escalation zones created inside Syria to deepen that effort – a United Nations envoy on Monday warned of ongoing hostilities between the Government and armed opposition groups in several areas, such as Hama, Homs, and Damascus.
UN agency works to fill humanitarian vacuum in north DR Congo after aid groups' departure
May 23, 2017, at 04:43 am
New York, May 22(Just Earth News): The United Nations migration agency is responding to the urgent humanitarian needs of more than 27,000 displaced people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) eastern province of North Kivu, after many relief aid organizations left camps.
UN chief congratulates Algeria on peaceful parliamentary elections
May 20, 2017, at 04:48 am
New York, May 19(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has congratulated the people and Government of Algeria for the peaceful conduct of the 4 May parliamentary elections, for which he dispatched a group of electoral observers, his spokesperson said on Friday.
UN envoy urges defusing tensions over Palestinian hunger strike in Israeli jails
May 19, 2017, at 04:01 am
New York, May 18(Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy on the Middle East peace process on Thursday called for an immediate resolution to the growing tensions over a hunger strike by Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.
Industry leaders agree to implement UN agency's standards on clinical trial reporting
May 19, 2017, at 03:57 am
New York, May 18(Just Earth News): With about half of all clinical trial results unreported, some of the world's largest founders of medical research and international non-governmental organizations on Thursday agreed to adopt standards – based on United Nations health agency's recommendations – to register and publicly disclose results of all clinical trials they fund or support.
UN expert urges Dominican Republic to place child protection at core of tourism strategy
May 19, 2017, at 03:56 am
New York, May 18(Just Earth News): Those who come to the Dominican Republic to sexually exploit children must know that they will be punished, a United Nations independent expert said, urging the Government to put child protection at the centre of its tourism strategy.
UN agency, IKEA partnership leads to first solar farm in refugee camp
May 18, 2017, at 05:52 am
New York, May 17(Just Earth News): The world's first solar farm in a refugee camp switched on on Wednesday in northern Jordan, providing renewable energy sources to about 20,000 Syrians living in the Azraq camp, the United Nations refugee agency on Wednesday said.
UN chief 'outraged' by latest attacks in CAR, warns they could be war crimes
May 15, 2017, at 05:01 am
New York, May 14(Just Earth News): Strongly condemning the latest attacks against civilians and the United Nations in Central African Republic (CAR), Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday urged authorities to investigate and bring those responsible to justice.
UN rights office urges protection for Salvadoran trans activist and transgender people
May 13, 2017, at 05:51 am
New York, May 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights office on Friday urged the Government of El Salvador to take urgent measures to protect a prominent transgender human rights defender, Karla Avelar, and other activists and individuals working on similar issues.
UN-backed network brings together thousands to help tackle mosquito-borne diseases
May 11, 2017, at 01:07 pm
New York, May 11(Just Earth News): In an effort to escalate the global fight against mosquito-borne diseases, the United Nations environment agency together with partners has launched a new collaborative platform that seeks to track and control the vector responsible for close to 2.7 million deaths annually.
Peace, human security at forefront of UN intercultural dialogue forum
May 05, 2017, at 09:40 pm
New York, May 5 (Just Earth News): The integration of migrants in cities, countering the rise of violent extremism, as well as youth radicalization on the Internet are just some of the issues being discussed at a United Nations conference opening on Friday in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In Ethiopia, UN rights chief urges authorities for greater freedoms; space for critical voices
May 05, 2017, at 09:35 pm
New York, May 5 (Just Earth News): Speaking to the press during his mission to Ethiopia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Thursday highlighted the need for greater and freer civic space, with “broader latitude for the contributions of critical or dissenting views†to decision-making in the country.
Displaced civilians in South Sudan’s Upper Nile at risk of further violence, UN rights chief warns
May 05, 2017, at 09:31 pm
New York, May 5 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief on Thursday urged the Government of South Sudan to halt any further military offensives towards Aburoc in the Upper Nile region.
Myanmar: Displaced Rohingya at risk of ‘re-victimization’ warns UN refugee agency
May 05, 2017, at 09:30 pm
New York, May 5 (Just Earth News): The tens of thousands of members of Myanmar’s Rohingya community who fled inter-communal violence in north of the country and sought refuge in Bangladesh remain highly vulnerable and risk being “re-victimized even in exile†unless urgent action is taken, a senior United Nations refugee protection official has warned.
Perpetrators, not victims, should be shamed for conflict-related sexual violence – UN report
May 04, 2017, at 02:14 pm
New York, May 4 (Just Earth News)Survivors of sexual violence in war zones need to be recognized as legitimate victims of conflict and terrorism, and not blamed, stigmatized or shamed, the United Nations has said in an annual report to be presented to the Security Council.
UN envoy urges Syrian parties to ‘press ahead’ after Astana talks suspended
May 04, 2017, at 02:13 pm
New York, May 4 (Just Earth News): A senior United Nations mediator on Wednesday urged the continuation of talks on a Syrian ceasefire being held in the Kazak capital of Astana.
In Lebanon and Syria, UN emergency food chief appeals for humanitarian access
May 04, 2017, at 02:10 pm
New York, May 4 (Just Earth News):I The head of the United Nations emergency food relief agency on Wednesday appealed for “regular, unimpeded and sustained†humanitarian access during meetings with senior government officials and partners in Lebanon and Syria – his first official visit since assuming office.
In 'post truth' era, leaders must defend objective, independent media, UN says on Press Freedom Day
May 04, 2017, at 02:09 pm
New York, May 4 (Just Earth News):In a “post-truth†world with “fake news†on the rise, and media accountability and credibility falling under question, free, independent and professional journalism has never been more important, the United Nations on Wednesday said.
Philippines: UN reports significant progress in child protection, despite ongoing violations
May 03, 2017, at 04:30 pm
Washington, May 3 (Just Earth News): The Government of the Philippines and a rebel group with which it signed a peace accord have made progress in ending and preventing the recruitment of children on the southern island of Mindanao, according to a new United Nations report.
UN chief urges States to disclose information concerning death of Dag Hammarskjöld
May 03, 2017, at 04:25 pm
Washington, May 3 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged Member States to disclose, declassify or allow access to information that they may have regarding the tragic 1961 plane crash that killed former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and the members of the party accompanying him, a UN spokesman said today.
May 03, 2017, at 04:21 pm
Washington, May 3 (Just Earth News): The head of the United Nations atomic agency today expressed serious concern about the nuclear program of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying all indications suggest that the country is moving ahead with its nuclear efforts.
Afghanistan: UN assesses border management to cope with spike in returns from Pakistan
May 03, 2017, at 04:05 pm
Washington, May 3 (Just Earth News): With an unprecedented 600,000 Afghans returned from Pakistan last year, the United Nations migration agency has completed an assessment of border management capacity at Afghanistan’s two main border crossings with Pakistan.
UN calls for protection of civilians sheltering in South Sudan’s Upper Nile area
May 02, 2017, at 02:51 pm
Washington, May 2 (Just Earth News): A senior United Nations humanitarian official in South Sudan on Monday demanded that parties to the conflict uphold their responsibilities to protect thousands of Shilluk civilians sheltering in and around Aburoc, following the resumption of the government offensive and clashes along the West Bank of the Nile River last week.
Abuses by non-State actors no justification for rights violations by Governments – UN rights chief
May 02, 2017, at 02:47 pm
Washington, May 2 (Just Earth News): Raising alarm over use of rhetoric by States that they can “solve problems†and find ways around lawful safeguards, the United Nations rights chief on Monday urged vigilance to protect and promote human rights of everyone.
Rights of indigenous peoples ‘not in a very good state,’ UN expert says
May 02, 2017, at 02:43 pm
Washington, May 2 (Just Earth News): The rights of indigenous peoples are being abused by authorities and corporations that want access to their land and the resources – such as petrol – that l beneath it, the United Nations expert on the issue on Monday said on the sidelines of the 2017 session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, currently under way in New York.