Ahead of International Day, UN and Smurfs team up to promote happiness and sustainable development

Mar 19, 2017, at 05:31 am

New York, Mar 19 (Just Earth News): Every person – no matter how big, small or blue – can make the world more peaceful, equitable and healthy, the United Nations on Saturday told young people at a special ceremony for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that included the Smurfs and a handover of the key to Smurfdom.

UN forum in Paris to spotlight mobile learning for refugees and displaced persons

Mar 18, 2017, at 02:02 pm

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): Education experts and government officials will gather at the Paris headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from 20 to 24 March, to discuss ways of expanding the use of mobile technologies to “reach people where they are” and improve education opportunities for refugees and displaced persons and others in emergency situations.

Toll on refugee and migrant children continues to mount one year after EU-Turkey deal – UNICEF

Mar 18, 2017, at 01:59 pm

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday that one year after the Balkan border closures and the European Union-Turkey Statement, which were aimed at stopping mass migration flows, refugee and migrant children face greater risks of deportation, detention, exploitation and deprivation.

‘Constant surveillance’ needed to tackle resurgent outbreak of avian influenza – UN agency

Mar 18, 2017, at 01:58 pm

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): The United Nations food security agency called on Friday for rapid detection and response systems to address a new and potentially lethal outbreak of avian influenza in China.

In Europe, UN envoy urges political and financial support for Yemenis

Mar 18, 2017, at 01:57 pm

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen on Friday called on the international community to do everything in its power to stop the fighting in the country, provide humanitarian aid, and promote a negotiated political settlement to the two-year long conflict.

More than 14,000 asylum-seekers relocated from Greece and Italy, says UN migration agency

Mar 18, 2017, at 01:56 pm

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): European Union countries have welcomed more than 14,000 asylum-seekers from Greece and Italy since October 2015, the United Nations migration agency on Friday announced, encouraging EU member states to follow through on their commitments.

Smarter use of natural resources can inject $2 trillion into global economy by 2015 – UN

Mar 18, 2017, at 05:43 am

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): The United Nations has found that smarter and more efficient use of the world’s natural resources on Friday can yield an “environmental win-win’ by injecting $2 trillion into the global economy by 2050 while also offsetting the costs of ambitious climate change action.

South Sudan now world's fastest growing refugee crisis – UN refugee agency

Mar 18, 2017, at 05:42 am

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): The number of South Sudanese fleeing their homes is “alarming,” the United Nations refugee agency on Friday said, announcing that 1.6 million people have either been displaced or fled to neighbouring countries in the past eight months ago.

UN Broadband Commission urges public-private partnerships to reach 'the unconnected'

Mar 18, 2017, at 05:41 am

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): New public-private partnerships are essential if broadband is to reach everyone and help accelerate the achievement of global sustainable development goals, members of the United Nations broadband commission said on Friday.

EU-UN cash transfer plan for education aims to reach 230,000 refugee children in Turkey

Mar 18, 2017, at 05:40 am

New York, Mar 18 (Just Earth News): The European Union and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have launched a large-scale cash transfer project to increase the number of refugee children attending school in Turkey.

UN announces interagency group to coordinate global fight against antimicrobial resistance

Mar 17, 2017, at 01:56 pm

New York, Mar 17 (Just Earth News): The United Nations on Thursday announced the establishment of an Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, which will be co-chaired by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan.

Guterres grateful for US support as largest UN contributor; will work with Member States on reform

Mar 17, 2017, at 01:56 pm

New York, Mar 17 (Just Earth News): Secretary-General António Guterres is committed to reforming the United Nations and stands ready to discuss with the United States and any other Member State how best to create a more cost-effective Organization that can tackle the enormous challenges facing the international community, his spokesman said on Thursday.

Employers must address all aspects of gender-based violence in workplace – UN Women chief

Mar 17, 2017, at 01:55 pm

New York, Mar 17 (Just Earth News): Tolerating violence against women in the workplace will have a huge cost to employers, including lost productivity, legal expenses, high turnover, sick leaves and harm to corporate reputation, panellists on Thursday told a United Nations-hosted discussion, urging Governments and institutions alike to take responsibility for putting in place adequate standards and measures to prevent such practices.

Relief operations in western Mosul reaching ‘breaking point’ as civilians flee hunger, fighting – UN

Mar 17, 2017, at 01:53 pm

New York, Mar 17 (Just Earth News): The United Nations and its humanitarian partners in Iraq are scrambling to get emergency sites ready amidst a mass exodus from West Mosul, with nearly 700,000 civilians still living in the city where Iraqi forces are fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), according to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country.

Half of Central African Republic’s people need aid; UN Security Council to meet on peace operations

Mar 17, 2017, at 04:17 am

New York, Mar 16 (Just Earth News): The Security Council is on Thursday discussing the peace efforts in the Central African Republic (CAR), where half of the population urgently needs aid despite a huge funding gap, according to the United Nations humanitarian arm.

UN appeals for nearly $170 million to aid pastoralists in northern Kenya

Mar 17, 2017, at 04:14 am

New York, Mar 16 (Just Earth News): The United Nations and its humanitarian partners on Thursday appealed for $166 million to aid Kenyan pastoralists and farmers whose livestock and crops are suffering amid what the Government declared a “national drought disaster.”

Somalia: UN-backed cholera vaccination campaign targets 450,000 people

Mar 17, 2017, at 04:13 am

New York, Mar 16 (Just Earth News): The Government of Somalia has launched an oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaign on Thursday with the support of the United Nations health agency, targeting over 450,000 people in seven high-risk areas around the country.

France: Government issues terror attack alert

Mar 17, 2017, at 01:33 am

Grasse, Mar 16 (IBNS): The French Government has issued an alert on terror attack after a shooting took place in a school of Grasse in the French Riviera on Thursday, according to a media report.

UN reports slow women’s political parity; launches latest ‘Women in Politics’ map

Mar 16, 2017, at 01:50 pm

New York, Mar 16 (Just Earth News): Women’s voices are still missing from the executive branches of governments and parliaments worldwide, slowing achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations agency tasked with supporting gender equality on Wednesday said at the launch of a visual representation of women’s political empowerment.

Peace in Syria an imperative ‘that cannot wait,’ UN chief Guterres says as war enters seventh year

Mar 16, 2017, at 01:49 pm

New York, Mar 16 (Just Earth News): As the brutal war in Syria enters its seventh year, peace “is a moral and political imperative both for the Syrian people and for the world,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday, urging the conflict parties to fully back a fragile ceasefire and ensure aid access, as well as to support UN-facilitated talks set to pick up again late this month.

At Security Council, UN officials urge governments to implement rules on prosecuting traffickers

Mar 16, 2017, at 04:13 am

New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News): Human trafficking thrives in countries where the rule of law is weak or non-existent, top United Nations officials on Wednesday told the Security Council, calling on Governments to make better use of the tools created under the UN flag to stop the victimization of men, women and children.

Yemen ‘one of worst hunger crises in the world,’ UN-supported study finds

Mar 16, 2017, at 04:12 am

New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News): An estimated 17 million people in Yemen are hungry, according to analysis released on Wednesday by the United Nations and humanitarian partners, up more than 20 per cent in the past nine months.

UN launches 'Platform of Champions' calling to end global gender pay gap

Mar 15, 2017, at 01:08 pm

New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News): With women being paid an average of 23 per cent less than men, the United Nations has launched a high-profile network to call for equal pay for work of equal value.

UN rights wing urges calm, protection of civilians amid hostilities in eastern Libya

Mar 15, 2017, at 01:07 pm

New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News): Raising alarm over reports of serious human rights and humanitarian law violations and abuses stemming from recent fighting in eastern Libya's oil crescent area, the United Nations human rights arm has called on all parties to ensure that civilians are protected and that the situation is de-escalated.

South Sudan: UN expert urges action to end rights abuses in a country where 'impunity is the norm'

Mar 15, 2017, at 01:06 pm

New York, Mar 15 (Just Earth News): Amid a “massive” increase in gross human rights violations, as well as an escalation in fighting in South Sudan, the head of a United Nations rights probe said on Monday that to prevent further escalation and abuses in a country where “impunity is the norm,” the international community must be bold enough to push for establishment of a court and bring prosecutions.

Europe, Central Asia 'transitioning' to new nutrition challenges, cautions UN agency

Mar 15, 2017, at 04:16 am

New York, Mar 14 (Just Earth News): Warning that new consumption patterns in Europe and Central Asian countries are leading to complex health challenges, the United Nations food security agency today called for policies tailored to the income and nutrition profile of these developed countries to prevent them from “transitioning” to new forms of food and nutrition insecurity.

Syria 'worst man-made disaster since World War II' – UN rights chief

Mar 15, 2017, at 04:15 am

New York, Mar 14 (Just Earth News): The conflict in Syria is the “worst man-made disaster the world has seen since World War II,” the United Nations human rights chief today said, calling for an end to all tortures, executions and unfair trials, and at the very least, for the names and localities of people held in detention or information about where they are buried.

Let us work harder to ensure ‘no one is left behind,’ urges President of main UN economic and social body

Mar 14, 2017, at 01:00 pm

New York, Mar 14 (Just Earth News): Highlighting that persisting extreme poverty and inequality prevent the realization of the benefits of globalisation and have been major causes of disaffection across rich and poor societies, a senior United Nations official has called on everyone to work harder to ensure inclusion at all stages of development, so that no one is left behind.

UN Human Rights Council discusses situations in DPRK, Iran, Myanmar and Burundi

Mar 14, 2017, at 12:59 pm

New York, Mar 14 (Just Earth News): At respective interactive dialogues on Monday on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Burundi, Iran and Eretria, senior United Nations independent human rights experts called on the governments to take immediate steps to ensure human rights protection in their respective countries.

UN envoy for Somalia condemns bomb blasts in Mogadishu

Mar 14, 2017, at 12:58 pm

New York, Mar 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for Somalia has strongly condemned this morning’s bomb blasts at two locations in Mogadishu that reportedly killed a number of civilians.