UN rights chief 'deeply troubled' by conviction of land reform activists in Paraguay
Jul 21, 2016, at 12:35 pm
New York, July 21 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday expressed concern over the recent ruling by the Court in Paraguay that convicted 11 land reform protestors, calling on the country's authorities to take urgent measures to ensure fair, independent investigations and guarantee access to justice.
Iraq: UN seeks $284M to start aid response ahead of Mosul military operation
Jul 21, 2016, at 04:01 am
New York, July 21 (Just Earth News): One of the top United Nations officials in Iraq is warning that an expected military operation in Mosul will lead to the largest and most dramatic humanitarian crisis in the world, which could impact as many as 1.5 million civilians.
‘World has ignored hepatitis at its peril,’ warns UN health agency ahead of World Day
Jul 21, 2016, at 03:59 am
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News):With some 400 million people around the world infected with hepatitis B and C, the United Nations health agency on Wednesday encouraged countries to boost testing and access to services and medicines for people in need.
UN staff in South Sudan facing harassment, obstructions – UN Mission reports
Jul 20, 2016, at 01:25 pm
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News): The situation around South Sudan remains tense, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country on Tuesday said, calling on all parties to uphold their responsibilities to protect civilians – including UN staff.
Countries need to be reminded they are built on diversity, says UN Deputy Secretary-General
Jul 20, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News): United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson on Tuesday called for an alternative narrative on migration, where human mobility is seen as a positive development and a driver for economic prosperity and social progress.
Ban urges burden-sharing, solidarity to combat effects of El Niño and mitigate climate change
Jul 20, 2016, at 01:22 pm
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News): The lives and livelihoods of more than 60 million people around the world have been turned upside down by the extreme weather events linked to the El Niño phenomenon, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said, calling for a scaled-up, unprecedented response that goes beyond humanitarian action.
Syria: Food convoy reaches Serghaya, as UN agencies urge protection of aid workers and sites
Jul 20, 2016, at 01:20 pm
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News): As humanitarian convoys gain access to hard-to-reach areas in Syria, some United Nations agencies are speaking out about fresh dangers to aid workers.
Thousands flee to Uganda to escape renewed violence in South Sudan – UN refugee agency
Jul 20, 2016, at 01:18 pm
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News): More than 5,000 people – primarily women and children under the age of 18 years – have fled from South Sudan to neighbouring Uganda since the latest violence in the country erupted on 7 July, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
UN rights office raises concern about Israel's 'NGO Transparency Law'
Jul 20, 2016, at 01:16 pm
New York, July 20 (Just Earth News):The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Tuesday expressed concern about the so-called “NGO Transparency law†in Israel, saying it would disproportionately affect non-governmental organizations working on human rights and contribute to their de-legitimization.
Drylands susceptible to more drought and land degradation, shows first of its type UN study
Jul 20, 2016, at 04:47 am
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News):More than two billion people live in deserts and other drylands, and as water availability declines due to climate change and land use – combined with violence and social upheavals – could lead to forced migration in African and western Asia, a new United Nations study on Tuesday showed.
UN human rights chief urges Turkey to uphold rule of law in response to attempted coup
Jul 20, 2016, at 04:44 am
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News):The United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday called on Turkish authorities to respond to the attempted military coup on Friday by reinforcing the protection of human rights and strengthening democratic institutions and checks and balances.
UN: High donor support for Lebanon positively impacts food, children and infrastructure
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:27 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): High donor commitments continued to help Lebanon in mitigating the impact of the Syrian crisis by bolstering food assistance, education, water and sanitation, according to a United Nations mid-year update on donor support to the country.
Senior UN relief official welcomes US and EU funding for emergency response in Lake Chad Bas
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:25 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations humanitarian official for Africa’s Sahel region has expressed gratitude to the United States and the European Union for their financial support for people affected by violence in countries surrounding the Lake Chad Basin region – and called for greater international support.
New UN report links farming, forestry and improved food security
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:23 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): Agriculture and forestry can improve food security, according to a new United Nations report released on Monday, at the start of World Forest Week.
UN officials spotlight need to move from commitments to results on Global Goals
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:21 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): Every country must accelerate the implementation pace of the 'ambitious and transformative' development agenda adopted by United Nations Member States nearly one year ago, by boosting efforts to overcome persistent challenges, new obstacles and unforeseen setbacks in on Monday's turbulent world, the UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson on Monday declared.
Addressing AIDS conference in South Africa, Ban calls for scaling up global response
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:20 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): More than 18,000 global leaders, scientists, advocates, and frontline health workers gathered on Monday in Durban, South Africa, for a United Nations-cosponsored international conference on AIDS, to advance knowledge about HIV and build innovative partnerships to strengthen global response to the endemic.
Bahrain: UN chief condemns dissolution of Al-Wefaq political party
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:16 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday deplores the dissolution of the main opposition political party in Bahrain, Al-Wefaq, and called for the resumption of an all-inclusive national dialogue aimed at peace and stability in the country and the region.
Adolescents are dying of AIDS at an alarming rate, UN agency warns
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:15 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): An average of 29 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 are infected with HIV every hour, according to the United Nations Children's Fund, which is calling for a redoubling of prevention and treatment efforts.
Increasing number of labour provisions in trade agreements don't hamper business: UN study
Jul 19, 2016, at 12:14 pm
New York, July 19 (Just Earth News): Trade-related labour provisions, such as ones that address labour relations or minimum working conditions for employees, do not harm business or make trade provisions less popular, according to a study released on Monday by the United Nations labour agency.
UN, international experts urge countries to apply 'Nelson Mandela Rules' in prisons
Jul 19, 2016, at 02:38 am
New York, July 18 (Just Earth News): A group of United Nations and other international human rights experts are calling for Governments to implement the Revised Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, dubbed the “Nelson Mandela Rules.â€
In Kenya, Ban calls for broader partnerships, sustainable investments to drive global development
Jul 18, 2016, at 12:59 pm
New York, July 18 (Just Earth News): At a United Nations intergovernmental forum opening in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged participants to focus on strong collaboration, equality and inclusion in trade, finance and investment in order to better align action with agreed-upon sustainable development targets and help restore trust in the global economy.
Haiti: UN and partners express regret over failed deliberations on provisional governance
Jul 17, 2016, at 02:05 pm
New York, July 17 (Just Earth News): The United Nations and its partners in Haiti have expressed “deep regret†that for the fourth time in as many weeks, the country's National Assembly was unable to deliberate on the provisional governance arrangements.
UN officials condemn attempt to overthrow Turkish Government
Jul 17, 2016, at 02:00 pm
New York, July 17 (Just Earth News): The President of the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday condemned the attempt on Friday to overthrow the Government of Turkey.
Jul 16, 2016, at 12:54 pm
New York, July 16 (Just Earth News): The responsibility for finding solutions to the problems affecting young people – such as unemployment, low representation in political processes, and social exclusion – lies largely with Governments, according to a United Nations report on youth engagement released on Friday.
On Youth Skills Day, Ban urges more investment to assist the 'working poor' and jobless
Jul 16, 2016, at 04:14 am
New York, July 15 (Just Earth News): With so many youth either jobless or “working poor,†more investment is needed to empower them through skills development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on World Youth Skills Day on Friday.
New UN study estimates 263 million childrenand youth now out of school
Jul 16, 2016, at 04:12 am
New York, July 15 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported on Friday that some 263 million children and youth, equivalent to about a quarter of the population of Europe, are out of school from primary to upper secondary levels with sub-Saharan Africa having the highest rates of exclusion.
Selecting the next UN Secretary-General: Informal briefings reopen
Jul 15, 2016, at 12:10 pm
New York, July 15 (Just Earth News): The latest candidate for the position of the next United Nations Secretary-General was heard on Thursday, answering questions on how she would promote sustainable development, improve efforts to create peace, protect human rights, and deal with huge humanitarian catastrophes should they be selected to lead the 193-member Organization.
New UN-backed survey reveals ‘alarming’ damage to world’s high seas and marine ecosystems
Jul 15, 2016, at 04:00 am
New York, July 14 (Just Earth News): More than half of the world’s fragile coral reefs are under threat and most of our major fish stocks are now overexploited, according to the latest global assessments on the state of world’s high seas and large marine ecosystems launched on Thursday by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
UN report finds impunity for killings ‘remains rampant’ in Ukraine conflict
Jul 15, 2016, at 03:57 am
New York, July 14 (Just Earth News): A new report by the United Nations human rights office released on Thursday describes widespread killings that have taken place in Ukraine since January 2014, concluding that very limited accountability has taken place.
Syria: deploring hostilities spreading across Aleppo, UN urges end to indiscriminate attacks
Jul 14, 2016, at 04:27 am
New York, July 13 (Just Earth News): Deploring the spread of hostilities throughout the Syrian city of Aleppo, senior United Nations officials on Wednesday called on all parties to the conflict to end indiscriminate attacks on civilians and fully respect international humanitarian law.