The United Nations and the World Bank have announced a concerted effort by governments, international agencies, civil society and the private sector to scale up efforts to provide sustainable energy to all, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for massive new investments in the face of a rising “global thermostat.” Continue reading
U.S.-born rapper Macklemore and music producer Ryan Lewis are the latest artists to pledge their support for Free & Equal by helping to spread campaign messages and materials via social media. Continue reading
United Nations Political Missions: Report of the Secretary-General provides information on overall policy matters pertaining to special political missions, including their evolution and trends, as well as their role in the activities of the Organization relating to the maintenance of international peace and security. It also contains recommendations to increase their overall transparency and effectiveness. Continue reading
Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) hit the Philippines on November 8 effecting 14.16 million people. FAO has warned that an additional $11 million is needed to support typhoon-affected farmers to clear land, clean canals and ensure harvests for 2014.
Mainstreaming protection concerns into humanitarian action guarantees respect for human rights and increases the effectiveness of disaster preparedness, response and recovery. These issues were addressed in last week’s “Protection Mainstreaming workshop”, which was organised by the Pacific Humanitarian Protection Cluster and held from 19 to 21 November in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Continue reading
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon affirms that all people are born free and equal and promises to stand with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for their human rights. Free and Equal is an online initiative of the United Nations Human Rights Office, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that he would convene in Geneva on 22 January the long-sought international conference on Syria bringing together the Government and the opposition to a negotiating table for the first time since the conflict started in March 2011. Continue reading
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.The Secretary General’s Campaign UNITE to End Violence Against Women has proclaimed the 25th of each month Orange Day. Today marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence! From 25 November to 10 December, people around the world come together to UNiTE to End Violence against Women and girls. Continue reading
The United Nations has launched the 2014 International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) to stress the vast potential family farmers have to eradicate hunger and preserve natural resources. IYFF aims to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farming by focusing world attention on its significant role in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas. Continue reading
The 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol took place from 11 to 22 November. The United Nations-led climate talks in Warsaw, Poland, concluded with an agreement that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called an important stepping stone towards a universal legal agreement in 2015. Continue reading