United Nations

What do kids near you dream of for the future? See what students...

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:17:08 -0400

What do kids near you dream of for the future? See what students in Mozambique told Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a visit in Maputo this week.

Find out more about his trip here: http://j.mp/12TJvFx

Wednesday May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity...

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:37:33 -0400

Wednesday May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity which celebrates water and biodiversity — the variety of life on Earth.

“Although seemingly abundant, only a tiny amount of the water on our planet is easily available as freshwater,” says UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. “We live in an increasingly water insecure world where demand often outstrips supply and where water quality often fails to meet minimum standards. Under current trends, future demands for water will not be met.”

Have a look at some of the many events taking place around the world, and learn what you can do in your own community. Every person can make a difference!

Read how UNICEF brings hope to Syria by distributing 50...

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:36:44 -0400

Read how UNICEF brings hope to Syria by distributing 50 incubators to help newborns.

Tiny hopes for Syria amid the violence
By Alma Hassoun

DAMASCUS, 20 May 2013 – Five-day old Yaman took a long stretch inside an incubator at a charity hospital in Damascus, while his mother and sister were admiring him happily through the glass door of the unit.

Yaman has in many ways become one of Syria’s smallest hopes amid vicious fighting that has damaged hospitals and taken thousands of lives. His mother remained nearby, ready to breastfeed her youngest child to ensure the best nutritional start to life.

Next to him was a tiny girl sleeping quietly. Both babies are expected to be fine, but were placed delicately in an incubator because of a small infection for Yaman and a respiratory problem for the girl.

But until last month, there were only four incubators in the hospital — far short of what was needed.

UNICEF has been providing NGOs throughout the country with incubators that can help save the lives of many infants like Yaman, with three machines for this hospital in Damascus, another two in Aleppo and one in Homs. A remaining 44, out of 50 purchased, will be distributed to private and public hospitals throughout Syria.

“The incubators came just on time,” said Dr. Wisam Baraki, a neonatology specialist.

Before that, infants were sometimes placed on beds and oxygen was administered manually by parents because incubators were not available, a doctor explained.

“The incubator is life-saving medical equipment for babies born with difficulties especially in breathing,” said Dr. Iman Bahnasi, UNICEF health specialist. “It is crucial especially at this time as there is a shortage in incubators resulting from damaging and looting many hospitals.”

The protracted violence has continued to devastate health facilities in Syria. Out of 88 public hospitals, less than half are fully functioning, with some 27 destroyed and 21 only partially working. In addition, 10 per cent of the health centres in Syria are damaged according to the World Health Organization in December 2012.

UNICEF and partners are providing humanitarian assistance throughout the country including medical support for children and families. This year alone, 50 UNICEF supported mobile medical teams in 12 governorates and a fixed centre in Damascus, have reached over 60,700 children with medical check-ups.

Photo credit: © UNICEF/Syria-2013/Alma Hassoun

Tuesday May 21 is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue...

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:11:01 -0400

Tuesday May 21 is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. This day sees the launch of the world campaign “Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion”, aimed at engaging people around the world to Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion — today and every day all year long.

Bridging the gap between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development. This campaign therefore focuses on raising awareness to improve understanding and cooperation among people from different cultures.

The campaign works through a dedicated Facebook page, serving as a platform for people around the world to share their experiences through posts and videos. Join it and express which One Thing is on your to-do list!

Delegates from all over the world will take part in the United...

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:18:59 -0400

Delegates from all over the world will take part in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City this week. Culture, education and health will be at the forefront of the discussions: “They are at the core of indigenous peoples’ right to life, our right to dignity and well-being,” says Paul Kanyinke Sena, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

At the same time, an online campaign invites indigenous peoples to post their photos, videos and stories online. More details are available on the Proud To Be Indigenous Facebook page.

The above photo collage features images from the campaign running through end of May where indigenous peoples from all over the world are encouraged to share why they are proud of their heritage. You can participate by tweeting your own photo and tagging #Proud2BIndigenous.

Great news from UNICEF! Tetanus - one of the deadliest diseases...

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:34:09 -0400

Great news from UNICEF!

Tetanus - one of the deadliest diseases a mother and newborn can face - has been eliminated in more than half of the 59 affected countries that UNICEF and partners targeted just 13 years ago.

Friday May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia. This day...

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:46:03 -0400

Friday May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia. This day aims to raise awareness and offers an opportunity for people to get together and reach out to one another. It’s about all people hoping for a prejudice-free world that can provide a place at the table for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation.

76 countries still criminalize consensual same-sex relationships and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people everywhere continue to suffer violent attacks and discriminatory treatment.

The United Nations’ message is clear: LGBT rights are human rights. Together we will build a world that is free and equal.

Watch and share this new video and find out more about International Day Against Homophobia.

The United Nations has called for the urgent relocation of all...

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:46:21 -0400

The United Nations has called for the urgent relocation of all communities living in the path of Cyclone Mahasen in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Humanitarian agencies currently work to get people in Bangladesh and Myanmar to safer ground, including people living in camps throughout the region. To prepare for the impact of the storm, relief workers and emergency supplies have been mobilized.

The State Government estimates that about 4.1 million people are living in at-risk areas and has ordered the evacuation of about 1 million people from 15 coastal districts.

Learn more about the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and its efforts to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies like Cyclone Mahasen.

Wednesday May 15 is International Day of Families. It aims to...

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:41:27 -0400

Wednesday May 15 is International Day of Families. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of family issues and the position and well-being of the family.

“Families hold societies together, and intergenerational relationships extend this legacy over time,” says UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, in a message. “On this International Day of Families, I call on governments, civil society, families and individuals to support initiatives that bring people together across generations toward building a healthier world for all.”

International Day of Families is a great opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

Read more about this year’s event and theme here.

One third of the world’s population will remain without...

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:55:13 -0400

One third of the world’s population will remain without access to improved sanitation in 2015, warns a joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

Global efforts to accelerate progress towards the sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) must be enhanced; and governments, civil society, the private sector and UN agencies are to pull together and help end the practice of open defecation by the year 2025, says UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, in the report.

With less than three years to go, a final push is therefore needed to meet these targets. This requires providing around 1 billion people with access to sanitation – a daunting task that can only be accomplished through the concerted efforts of many partners.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the people and...

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:59:11 -0400

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the people and government of Pakistan on successful conduct of national and provincial elections in a statement issued on Sunday. He also praised the significant turnout for the elections, especially the youth and first time voters, who came out and let their voices be heard.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan are making efforts to ensure credibility of the polling process and increase public confidence for the elections, and it further supports a voter-education campaign targeted at inclusion of youth and women.

Have a look at some of the photos from the elections taken and shared by UNDP’s Country Director in Pakistan, Marc-André Franche, on his Twitter page and read more about how Pakistani women work to strengthen democracy in their country.

There was good news to report this week on vaccines! GAVI...

Sun, 12 May 2013 10:14:23 -0400

There was good news to report this week on vaccines!

GAVI Alliance announced that a new record low price for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines will help ensure millions of girls in developing countries can be protected against cervical cancer

This infographic demonstrates how GAVI’s support for HPV vaccines will help redress the inequity, delivering vaccines to countries with the highest burden.

A United Nations expert group on human rights recently urged...

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:04:47 -0400

A United Nations expert group on human rights recently urged international clothing brands not to disengage from Bangladesh, but to collaborate with the government, international organizations, and civil society to address working conditions in the garment sector.

“We strongly urge international clothing brands sourcing from Bangladesh to address human rights risks in their supply chains with the involvement of workers, other relevant stakeholders, and human rights experts, and to share publicly what they are doing to mitigate their risks,” says one of the experts.

The group stressed that such commitment is crucial to prevent another tragedy like the Rana Plaza collapse, where hundreds of people, most of whom were young, female garment workers, have now been confirmed dead.

Photo credit: EPA/ABIR ABDULLAH

A new International Labour Organization (ILO) report depicting...

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:20:34 -0400

A new International Labour Organization (ILO) report depicting the Global Employment Trends for Youth finds that the long-term impact of the youth employment crisis could be felt for decades.

Around 73 million young people are expected to be out of work in 2013 - a number on the rise - and at the same time, informal employment among young people remains pervasive and transitions to decent work are slow and difficult.

Consequently, the report calls for creative and wide-ranging policy solutions to break the vicious circle that keeps so many young people out of education and stuck in non‐productive employment and poverty. The ILO urges policy makers to work together with social partners to address this alarming situation and suggests five measures to tackle the youth employment crisis.

ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Every day, millions of people around the world are being...

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:45:36 -0400

Every day, millions of people around the world are being threatened not only by international war and internal conflicts but also by chronic and persistent poverty, natural disasters, organised crime, human trafficking, health pandemics, and sudden economic and financial downturns.

Human security aims at ensuring the survival, livelihood and dignity of people in response to current and emerging threats - threats that are widespread and cross cutting.

World leaders have stressed “the right of all people to live in freedom and dignity, free from poverty and despair” — rights that form the foundation for human safety on all continents and acknowledge the interlinkages between security, development and human rights and consider these to be the building blocks of human and national security.

In this context, a High-Level event on Human Security is taking place today, May 8, in New York City which aims to chart a future course for human security; an approach that integrates peace, security, development, and human rights.

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner, Navi Pillay, has...

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:04:37 -0400

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner, Navi Pillay, has welcomed the entry into force of a new treaty known as the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

“The Protocol makes a strong and unequivocal statement about the equal value and importance of all human rights and the need for strengthened legal protection of economic, social and cultural rights in particular,” says Pillay.

It will allow people to file a complaint with the UN should their rights be infringed by a Member State that has signed the Protocol - thereby empowering individuals to seek out justice when their rights to food, adequate housing, education or health are violated.

Have a look in the treaty collection and see whether or not your country has ratified the Protocol.

This week — 6 to 12 May — is Global Road Safety...

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:09:53 -0400

This week — 6 to 12 May — is Global Road Safety Week. This initiative encouraged by World Health Organization (WHO) aims to mobilize action for pedestrian safety since more than 270,000 pedestrians lose their lives on roads each year. The Week will draw attention to the urgent need to better protect pedestrians worldwide and generate action on the measures needed to do so.

“We are all pedestrians, and governments should put in place measures to better protect all of us,” says Oleg Chestnov, WHO Assistant Director-General of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health. “When roads are safe, people will walk more, and this in turn will improve health and protect the environment.”

Sunday is International Day of the Midwife. Childbirth is...

Sun, 05 May 2013 11:03:05 -0400

Sunday is International Day of the Midwife.

Childbirth is perhaps the riskiest and most miraculous time in a woman’s life. And midwives are truly the unsung heroines of the challenge to reduce the risks women face in brinworld hereging forth life.

Credit: UNFPA

A year into her tenure at the helm of the world’s largest...

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:15:28 -0400

A year into her tenure at the helm of the world’s largest humanitarian organization with approximately 15,000 staff feeding some 100 million people in 78 countries across the world, see what World Food Programme Executive Director Ertharin Cousin has to say about her organization’s work to make the hungry poor self-sufficient and more resilient to crises.

Photo: Ertharin Cousin visiting Syrian refugees who receive food assistance from WFP in a border area of Turkey. Credit: WFP/Abeer Etefa

Friday is World Press Freedom Day! Celebrated each year on May...

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:59:54 -0400

Friday is World Press Freedom Day! Celebrated each year on May 3, this day promotes and defends our right to stand up for freedom of expression in all media: print, broadcast and online. It’s about the freedom to publish to an audience, and freedom to receive information as well.

World Press Freedom Day 2013 focuses on the theme “Safe to Speak: Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media”. Tell the world that we should all be free and safe to use social media — everyone must be able to think, like, share, tweet, speak, FREELY. Freedom of expression is a human right!

Help United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) raise awareness by sending a photo of yourself holding your message to social_en@unesco.org and you might become part of the UNESCO Facebook cover image.