‘Crimes of historic proportions’ being committed in Aleppo, UN rights chief warns
Oct 22, 2016, at 05:19 am
New York, Oct 21 (Just Earth News): Describing the bombardment and crippling siege of Syria’s war-ravaged eastern Aleppo as “crimes of historic proportions†the top United Nations rights official on Friday urged the members of the UN Human Rights Council to “speak with one voice†in an effort to end the bloodshed.
UN agencies provide shelter, clean water to families displaced amid Iraq’s Mosul offensive
Oct 22, 2016, at 05:18 am
New York, Oct 21 (Just Earth News): With the military offensive still unfolding in Mosul, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) are rushing to provide shelter, drinking water, and sanitation services for displaced families and children.
Oct 21, 2016, at 01:55 pm
New York, Oct 21 (Just Earth News): A major conference on the future of the world’s cities and towns, known as Habitat III, has wrapped up in Quito, Ecuador, with delegations adopting a new framework that will set the world on a course towards sustainable urban development by rethinking how cities are planned, managed and inhabited.
UN human rights expert calls upon Afghan Government to urgently address displacement crisis
Oct 21, 2016, at 01:51 pm
New York, Oct 21 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on Thursday urged the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to strengthen efforts and collaboration in order to support the increasing number of people who are leaving their homes due to a deteriorating security situation within the country.
UN chief calls on General Assembly to 'fulfil moral duty' to assist storm-ravaged Haiti
Oct 21, 2016, at 01:50 pm
New York, Oct 21 (Just Earth News): Briefing the United Nations General Assembly on the humanitarian situation in Haiti following the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underlined the urgency of additional resources to help respond to the dire needs on the island.
UN experts concerned about situation of jailed anti-slavery activists in Mauritania
Oct 20, 2016, at 01:39 pm
New York, Oct 20 (Just Earth News): Voicing serious concern over recent intensified crackdown by the Mauritanian Government on the imprisoned anti-slavery activists, a group of United Nations human rights experts on Wednesday urged the authorities to ensure a fair hearing and provide needed medical treatment for the detainees.
DR Congo: Ban notes conclusion of national dialogue, urges active engagement with all stakeholders
Oct 20, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Oct 20 (Just Earth News): Taking note of the wrap-up of the African-Union mediated national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday urged the Government to remain actively engage with all political stakeholders, and called on political actors not involved in the talks to resolve their difference peacefully.
UN calls for protecting civilians as fighting, though reduced, continues in north-west Myanmar
Oct 20, 2016, at 01:37 pm
New York, Oct 20 (Just Earth News): Even though fighting between security forces and a group, identified by the Government as the Aqa mul moujahideen, in some villages on the outskirts of Maungdaw township in Myanmar’s Northern Rakhine province appear to have reduced in severity, an atmosphere of fear and tension continues to grip the local population, a spokesperson for the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Oct 20, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Oct 20 (Just Earth News): With violent extremism on the rise and waves of intolerance and hate targeting minorities, migrants and the most vulnerable, the international community must renew efforts to uphold its human rights treaties, the United Nations General Assembly heard this morning.
UN, African Union partnership to foster job opportunities for African rural youth
Oct 20, 2016, at 01:32 pm
New York, Oct 20 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has partnered with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to generate job and business opportunities for young people in rural Benin, Cameroon, Malawi, and Niger, thanks to a $4 million grant from the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund.
UN relief wing and partners ready to rush in aid once pause in Yemen fighting begins
Oct 20, 2016, at 05:14 am
New York, Oct 19 (Just Earth News): Following a month that saw civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the conflict in Yemen, a 72-hour halt to fighting set to take effect later on Wednesday is welcome, but not nearly enough time, according to a senior United Nations relief official, who appealed for more predictable access to be able deliver aid to hard-to-reach communities caught up in the crisis.
UN mission in Afghanistan reports 'worrying' rise in child casualties
Oct 20, 2016, at 05:10 am
New York, Oct 19 (Just Earth News): Even though overall conflict-related civilian casualty numbers in Afghanistan fell by one per cent in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, child casualties saw a marked increase of 15 per cent, the United Nations mission in the country said on Wednesday.
UN launches new fund to support system-wide coordinated response to cholera in Haiti
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:32 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): The United Nations has launched a new trust fund to support a coordinated system-wide response from the UN and its partners to help Haiti overcome the cholera epidemic and support the establishment of strong water, sanitation and health systems in the country.
UN calls for protection of civilians as Iraq begins military operations to retake Mosul
Oct 18, 2016, at 04:25 am
New York, Oct 17 (Just Earth News): As a large-scale military offensive gets under way to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) fighters, senior United Nations officials on Monday are stressing the need to ensure that civilians in the city are protected and able to access to humanitarian assistance.
UN refugee agency welcomes France’s decision to close Calais ‘jungle’ camp
Oct 15, 2016, at 03:43 am
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency on Friday welcomed the announcement by President François Hollande earlier this month that France will close the informal camp for refugees and migrants in the northern port town of Calais, stressing the vital importance of finding proper alternative accommodation for the thousands of people there.
UN human rights chief expresses concern about Viet Nam's crackdown on blogger
Oct 15, 2016, at 03:42 am
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief on Friday expressed concern about a growing crackdown by the Government of Viet Nam on human rights defenders, including the arrest this week of popular blogger and Government critic Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, known online as Mother Mushroom.
UN receives ‘partial’ approval from Syrian government on October aid deliveries, envoy reports
Oct 14, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): Unless the deadly violence in Aleppo subsides, the United Nations will be unable to carry out its humanitarian responsibilities to victims of bombardments, shelling and attacks against civilians, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy stressed on Thursday.
UN warns of humanitarian crisis as 7,400 cross Afghan border each day
Oct 14, 2016, at 04:18 am
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): Every day, some 7,400 Afghan returnees cross the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan, prompting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to warn of an escalating humanitarian crisis.
UN health teams in Haiti to respond to cholera outbreaks, prevent possible epidemic
Oct 14, 2016, at 04:16 am
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): With scattered outbreaks of cholera reported in the wake of the devastation wrecked by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, the United Nations health agency has deployed field teams in the island to respond to the health situation and to prevent it from taking epidemic proportions.
UN refugee agency condemns rising violence against civilians in Central African Republic
Oct 14, 2016, at 04:15 am
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency on Thursday condemned attacks on civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR), where clashes between rival groups have forced thousands of people to flee their homes and disrupted vital humanitarian aid operations.
UN Member States set to appoint next Secretary-General
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:59 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): The General Assembly on Thursdayis expected to act on the recommendation of the Security Council regarding the appointment of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations; last week, the Council forwarded to the 193-member body its nomination, António Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal, to be the next UN chief.
UN mission 'extremely concerned' over increased incidents of violence across South Sudan
Oct 13, 2016, at 03:52 am
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Tuesday that it is “extremely concerned†over increased reports of violence and armed conflict in various parts of the country in the last few weeks, including heavy artillery and gunfire exchanges between Government and opposition forces in Leer town.
UN rights expert warns about growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt
Oct 12, 2016, at 03:06 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, warned on Tuesday about growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, with human rights defenders and organizations in particular being targeted.
Oct 12, 2016, at 02:56 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): Girls are the sometimes-hidden change-makers of the present and future, and to make sure their voices are heard, the United Nations is marking the International Day of the Girl Child by calling on governments, civil society groups, and communities to provide more and better gender data to so that in the sustainable development era, no girls are left behind.
UN experts call on Ethiopia to allow international panel to help probe violence against protesters
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Urging Ethiopian authorities to end their violent crackdown on peaceful protests, which has reportedly led to the death of over 600 people since November 2015, two United Nations human rights experts on Monday further called on the Government to allow an international commission of inquiry to investigate the protests and the violence used against peaceful demonstrators.
UN appeals for $120 million to launch ‘massive response’ in storm-ravaged Haiti
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday announced the launch of a near $120 million appeal to fund United Nations aid activities in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, where the rising death toll coupled with the start of the rainy season has prompted the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to sound the alarm on the threat of waterborne diseases to children living in the worst-affected areas.
Colombian Government and FARC-EP request UN to authorize Mission to continue supporting ceasefire
Oct 08, 2016, at 06:46 pm
New York, Oct 8(Just Earth News): The Colombian Government and the country’s largest rebel group announced On Friday that they are willing to press ahead on the goals of the historic peace accord that was rejected by voters this past weekend, while the two sides also requested that the United Nations Mission in the country continue its work, particularly relating to monitoring the ceasefire.
UN chief welcomes decision by global aviation body to cut global greenhouse gases
Oct 08, 2016, at 06:34 pm
New York, Oct 8(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon On Friday welcomed the yesterday’s decision of the member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to adopt a new emissions standard to control global greenhouse gas emissions from international airline flights.
UN rights office calls for independent inquiry following numerous deaths at an Ethiopian festival
Oct 08, 2016, at 10:43 am
New York, Oct 8(Just Earth News): Expressing concern at increasing unrest in several Ethiopian towns following deaths of a number of people in unclear circumstances in the country’s Bishoftu town, the United Nations human rights arm has called on protesters to exercise restraint and on security forces to conduct themselves in line with international human rights laws and standards.
UN agencies ramp up response in Caribbean as relief teams assess damage by Hurricane Matthew
Oct 07, 2016, at 02:33 pm
New York, Oct 7(Just Earth News): After deploying field teams to Caribbean countries affected by Hurricane Matthew, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) are on Thursday heading to Haiti, where they are preparing for a major upsurge in cholera.