‘Bunker-buster’ bombs in eastern Aleppo mean children not even safe underground, UN experts warn
Oct 04, 2016, at 01:45 pm
New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): The killing and maiming of children in eastern Aleppo by the Syrian Government and its allies is not only a brutal abdication of international human rights obligations, it will have a long-lasting impact on the young victims for generations to come, United Nations child rights experts warned on Monday.
Selecting the next UN Secretary-General: Informal briefings reopen
Oct 04, 2016, at 01:44 pm
New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): The latest candidate for the position of the next United Nations Secretary-General was heard by UN Member States on Monday, 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.
As Colombian voters reject peace deal, Ban pledges UN support as country seeks way forward
Oct 04, 2016, at 01:43 pm
New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): In the wake of a referendum that defeated the peace accord signed by the President of Colombia and the country’s largest rebel group just days ago, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended the parties for their determination, saying he believed peace could still be achieved and that all Colombians who had committed to ending the 50-year conflict should not be discouraged.
Ban appoints Hubert Price of US as head of the UN support office in Somalia
Oct 04, 2016, at 01:42 pm
New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday announced the appointment of Hubert Price of the United States as Head of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).
UN torture prevention body urges Kazakhstan to enhance prisoner rehabilitation
Oct 04, 2016, at 05:17 am
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): The United Nations’ torture prevention body has urged Kazakhstan to focus more on the rehabilitation of prisoners rather than punishment, as part of efforts to ensure that people deprived of their liberty are protected against torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
UN agriculture agency stresses role of trade in food security and climate change adaptation
Oct 04, 2016, at 05:16 am
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): Declining prices could thwart international efforts to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty unless steps are taken to guarantee decent incomes and livelihoods for small-scale producers, the United Nations agriculture agency said on Monday.
On World Habitat Day, UN calls for putting adequate housing at centre of urban policy
Oct 04, 2016, at 05:05 am
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): Adequate housing is a universal human right and should be at the centre of the urban policy and in the physical centre of the city, senior United Nations officials said on Monday, marking the 2016 edition of World Habitat Day.
Oct 03, 2016, at 02:44 pm
Addis Ababa, Oct 3 (IBNS): At least 50 people were killed during a protest at a religious festival in Ethiopia's Oromia region, media reports said.
Syria: Time running out to protect those trapped in eastern Aleppo, UN aid chief warns
Oct 03, 2016, at 01:31 pm
New York, Oct 3 (Just Earth News): Warning of an urgent humanitarian situation in Syria's eastern Aleppo city, the United Nations humanitarian chief today reiterated a call for a cessation of violence, medical evacuation of hundreds of patients in critical conditions, as well as safe, full, regular and unimpeded humanitarian access.
On Non-Violence Day, Ban highlights link between peace and nature
Oct 03, 2016, at 04:10 am
New York, Oct 2(Just Earth News): United Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday stressed the link between non-violence, peace and nature as he observed the International Day of Non-Violence.
'Take a stand against ageism,' says UN on International Day of Older Persons
Oct 02, 2016, at 03:56 am
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations is marking the International Day of Older Persons by encouraging countries to draw attention to and challenge negative stereotypes and misconceptions about older persons and ageing, and to enable older persons to realize their potential to build a life of dignity and human rights.
UN adviser on preventing genocide alarmed over ‘disrespectful’ comments by Philippines President
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:47 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed alarm on Friday at public comments by President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, in which he reinforced a campaign to kill millions of drug addicts in the Philippines and compared it to the massacre of millions of Jews by Hitler during the Holocaust in Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
Iraq: UNICEF launches back-to-school campaign to help millions missing out on education
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:46 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): Iraq: UNICEF launches back-to-school campaign to help millions missing out on education Several weeks before of the start of the new school year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), together with the Iraqi Ministry of Education, launched a nationwide ‘Back to School’ campaign in 10 governorates.
UN refugee agency, African host countries agree on final steps on Rwandan refugees
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:45 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The UN refugee agency and delegations from African countries as well as the African Union (AU) agreed on Friday on final steps to end the protracted Rwandan refugee situation after seven years of negotiations.
Fewer than 30 doctors left in war-torn Aleppo, UN health agency warns
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:44 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): There are now less than 30 doctors working in Aleppo city, down from 35 several days ago, a senior official of the United Nations health agency said on Friday, highlighting the deteriorating healthcare capacity in the war-battered area.
Colombia: UN mission begins working to verify compliance with historic peace deal
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:43 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): Nine representatives of the Government of Colombia, as well as nine members from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia–People's Army (FARC-EP) and 18 international observers from the UN mission in the country have started working together at the joint Monitoring and Verification Mechanism headquarters in Bogota.
UN health agency calls for stronger measures against Zika as Thailand confirms disease-related cases
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:41 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations health agency on Friday urged countries across the South-East Asia region to continue to take decisive action to prevent, detect and respond to Zika virus, following news that Thailand has confirmed two cases of Zika-related microcephaly.
Ban to set up probe into deadly attack on UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent aid convoy in Western Aleppo
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:40 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will establish an internal United Nations Board of Inquiry to investigate the deadly 19 September incident involving a UN–Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) relief operation to Urum al-Kubra, a town in western Aleppo Governorate.
UNICEF completes mobile health campaign aimed at children and women in Yemen
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:37 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that, along with its partners, the agency has completed a drive reaching more than 600,000 children under five years old and some 180,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in conflict-torn Yemen with critical health and nutrition services.
UN refugee agency urges better measures for people crossing contact line in eastern Ukraine
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:35 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency on Friday called on authorities in Ukraine to help ease the plight of some 26,000 people who cross the dividing line between Government-controlled and non-Government-controlled areas of the crisis-gripped country daily.
As carbon dioxide levels hit 15 million year high, UN urges action to curb greenhouse gas emissions
Oct 01, 2016, at 01:33 pm
New York, Oct 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) urged world leaders to take note of the profound implications of record-high carbon dioxide readings this month and appealed for their increased commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
South Sudan: 100,000 people trapped in Yei, UN refugee agency warns
Oct 01, 2016, at 04:27 am
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed for some 100,000 people trapped in the South Sudanese town of Yei, where the security situation deteriorated rapidly after renewed conflict broke out in Juba, the capital, in early July, the United Nations refugee agency warned today.
Rural Latin American and Caribbean areas need targeted agricultural policies, investments – UN
Oct 01, 2016, at 04:26 am
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): Economic growth is not enough to eliminate poverty in rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean, and governments need targeted policies and investments for agricultural development and correct historic inequality experienced by millions of people across the region, says a United Nations report released today.
World leaders gather in Israel to attend Shimon Peres' funeral
Sep 30, 2016, at 04:43 pm
Jerusalem, Sept 30 (IBNS): As many as 20 world leaders have arrived in Israel to attend the last rites of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, who passed way on Wednesday following an illness.
UN-backed committee launches guides to assist aid workers in curbing sexual exploitation
Sep 30, 2016, at 01:30 pm
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): A United Nations-backed inter-agency committee on Thursday launched two guides to assist aid workers worldwide in setting up sexual exploitation and abuse prevention and response systems in humanitarian settings.
Colombia: UN human rights chief reaffirms ongoing collaboration in wake of peace accord
Sep 30, 2016, at 01:29 pm
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): Speaking to the media just days after the signing of the historic peace agreement in Colombia and ahead of the 2 October national poll in which Colombians will have their say on the accord, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reiterated that his Office (OHCHR) will continue to follow the progress of the human rights aspects of the agreement.
UN officials optimistic of Paris climate accord’s entry into force by year’s end
Sep 30, 2016, at 01:27 pm
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): Senior United Nations officials on Thursday announced that the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change signed by world leaders this past April is closer to entering into force, as India – a country that produces more than four per cent of global emissions – plans to submit its ratification at the end of the week.
Sep 30, 2016, at 01:26 pm
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): With current armed conflicts and humanitarian crises driving massive population movements – and not just in Europe, though the continent has been heavily challenged – an upcoming United Nations report will confirm the troubling fact that human trafficking generally follows the overall migratory flows, a senior UN anti-crime official said on Thursday, urging States to back the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and other international tools to address the evolving and complex situation.
Sep 30, 2016, at 01:25 pm
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): In an impassioned appeal to the Security Council, the top United Nations relief official on Thursday called on the global body’s primary organ for maintenance of peace and security to act immediately to end the bloodshed in Syria so that humanitarian assistance is able to reach those who desperately need it.
Modernizing sub-Saharan Africa’s farming systems can boost livelihoods, help feed the world – UN
Sep 30, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Sept 30 (Just Earth News): With Africa set to play an ever-growing role in feeding the world’s bourgeoning population, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on Thursday stressed that the sub-Saharan region needs modern, efficient – and above all mechanized and environmentally sound – farming system to meet global demand and transform the lives and economies of millions of rural families.