In Geneva, UN rights chief calls for 'urgent measures' in promoting girls' education
Jun 17, 2015, at 08:34 pm
New York, Jun 17 (IBNS): Although the empowerment of women has been among the most significant achievements of the past century, the international community must "push further" in its struggle to ensure the right to education for all girls, the top UN human rights official declared today.
Yemen: UN reports uptick in civilian deaths as fighting in country continues
Jun 17, 2015, at 08:28 pm
New York, Jun 17 (IBNS) The civilian cost of the Yemen crisis continues to grow amid the country’s ongoing hostilities, according to the latest figures released today by the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR).
New UN guidebook seeks to prevent child labour practices in agriculture
Jun 16, 2015, at 02:00 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): A new handbook issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will seek to establish guidelines intended to prevent the use of child labour across the world's agricultural communities in an effort to tackle a problem that affects some one hundred million children globally, the United Nations agency announced on Monday.
UN chief shines spotlight on once-taboo topic of elder abuse
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:59 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNs): The distressing crime of elder abuse often occurs in quiet, private settings, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, as he reminded people around the world of the importance of making “a vocal, public response†to support the rights of older persons to a life free of violence and abuse.
Geneva: Ban says international community has ‘obligation to act’ for Yemen peace
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:57 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): The international community has not a moment to lose if it is to help end the fighting in Yemen and broker a lasting peace for the country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today as he urged stakeholders to “make the most of the momentum of opportunity.â€
UN official urges action to bolster protections and end abuses
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:56 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): While 70 years of work by the United Nations has helped build a formidable system of rights protections, the nagging persistence of “everything else†– wars and ongoing deprivation – is deeply worrying, the top UN human rights official declared on Monday, urging renewed action to promote economic and social rights for all and tackle pervasive discrimination and repression.
South Sudanese refugee influx in Sudan an emergency within an emergency: UN
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:55 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency reported on Monday that some 14,000 South Sudanese – mainly women and children – have fled into Sudan over the weekend, describing the situation as “an emergency within an emergency.â€
UN encourages cradle-to-grave plans for using spent fuel and radioactive waste
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:53 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): Projecting that the use of nuclear power will continue to grow in the coming decades, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday urged countries with nuclear energy programmes to share their spent fuel and radioactive waste management know-how with less-experienced countries.
UN chief condemns deadly Boko Haram attack in Chad
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:52 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned a series of deadly bombings in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena which reportedly killed more than 25 people and injured dozens of others, according to a spokesperson for the United Nations.
Remittances from Europe provide 'lifeline' to millions worldwide: UN agency
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:51 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): According to a report released on Monday by the Rome-based United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), migrant workers living in Europe last year provided a lifeline to more than 150 million people around the world by sending home $109.4 billion in remittances.
General Assembly elects former Danish Minister as President of 70th session
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): The United Nations General Assembly has elected by acclamation Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark as President of its upcoming 70th session.
Syria: UN special envoy arrives in Damascus for talks with Government officials
Jun 16, 2015, at 01:48 pm
New York, Jun 16 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura has begun a visit to the capital, Damascus, following an invitation by the Government to visit the country, according to a spokesman for the Organization.
Libya: UN official calls for release of abducted Tunisian diplomatic staff
Jun 15, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Jun 15 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Libya has strongly condemned an attack on the Tunisian consulate in the Libyan capital of Tripoli which resulted in the capture of ten consulate staff members.New York, Jun 15 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Libya has strongly condemned an attack on the Tunisian consulate in the Libyan capital of Tripoli which resulted in the capture of ten consulate staff members.
Increase in voluntary blood donors can save millions of lives: WHO
Jun 15, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Jun 15 (IBNS): On World Blood Donor Day, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for increased regular blood donations from voluntary, unpaid donors in order to save millions of lives globally each year.
Georgia: Flood hits Tbilisi, animals escape from zoo
Jun 15, 2015, at 01:53 am
Tbilisi, June 14(IBNS) At least eight people have died as heavy flood hit Georgian capital Tbilisi, media reports said on Sunday.
North Korea fires 3 short-range missiles?
Jun 15, 2015, at 12:08 am
Seoul, June 14 (IBNS): South Korea on Sunday claimed that North Korea has fired three short-range missiles into the East Sea,media reports said.
World Day: UN launches education appeal in fight against child labour
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:42 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): The United Nations has announced it is marking the 2015 edition of the World Day Against Child Labour with a call for the international community to invest in quality education as a key step in the fight against child employment – a scourge that consumes over one hundred million children worldwide.
Western Balkans experiencing surge in migrant, refugee crossings: UN agency
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:40 pm
New York, Jun 13: Southern Europe’s migrant and refugee crisis has reached the Western Balkans where an increasing number of asylum-seekers are using the region’s migration routes to flee their home countries, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has confirmed.
Yemen: UNESCO deplores destruction of Sana'a heritage site
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) condemned the early morning bombing raid on Friday on the Old City of the Yemeni capital Sana'a, saying "this heritage bears the soul of the Yemeni people, it is a symbol of a millennia history of knowledge and it belongs to all humankind."
Kenya: Funding shortage forces UN to temporarily cut food aid to 500,000 refugees
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that starting next Monday, half a million refugees in two sprawling refugee camps in Kenya will receive 30 per cent less food due to shortage of funds for relief operations.
UNICEF urges more funding in Ukraine for children affected by conflict
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): Ukraine’s children once again find themselves under threat amid renewed fighting across the country’s eastern regions, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday as it warned about the growing challenges to accessibility facing the agency’s relief efforts.
Ban receives report probing new information on Dag Hammarskjold's death
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:32 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been handed the report of experts he appointed a few months ago to examine and assess new information relating to the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjold, and his party.
Alarming levels of insecurity in Nigeria driving civilian displacement: UN agency
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:30 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): The World Food Programme (WFP) expressed on Friday its particular concern about the consequences of insecurity in Nigeria, which has displaced so far 200,000 people, a number of them seeking refuge in Niger, Cameroon and Chad, while others are waiting at the borders.
UNICEF urges more funding to boost humanitarian aid to children in Sudan
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): Citing efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to children in Sudan who are affected by the war in South Sudan, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) stressed the huge demand and urgency of receiving more financial support to continue its relief work in the Country.
UN labour agency unveils historic employment standards against informal work
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:25 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): A new global standard aimed at lifting hundreds of millions of workers out of the informal economy and into regularized employment was adopted on Friday in a move the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) has labelled as “historic.â€
Syria: UN rights experts deplore government aerial attacks
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:24 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): Condemning the rising number of Government aerial attacks in Syria and the use of indiscriminate weapons, such as barrel bombs, including in civilian populated areas, a group of United Nations official on Friday warned of retaliatory action by non-State armed groups, which could increase the vulnerability of religious and ethnic minorities perceived to support the Government.
Sustainable transport essential to global goals and low carbon economy: UN panel
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:23 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): A high-level United Nations advisory group established by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, agreed on Friday to take measures that could accelerate a shift toward safer, healthier, more efficient and sustainable transport systems.
Hundreds of thousands in need of critical aid in Myanmar: UN humanitarian arm
Jun 13, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, Jun 13 (IBNS): Nearly half a million people continue to require humanitarian assistance three years after inter-communal violence raked Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, the United Nations relief arm reported on Friday.
Coherent policy critical to tackling child labour: UN labour agency
Jun 12, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Jun 12 (IBNS): Around 20 to 30 per cent of children in low income countries complete their schooling and enter the labour market by the age of 15, according to a new International Labour Organization (ILO) report prepared for World Day against Child Labour which is marked worldwide on Friday.
An age-old model of healthy living, Mediterranean diet is now under threat: UN
Jun 12, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Jun 12 (IBNS): The Mediterranean region is undergoing a "nutrition transition" away from its traditional diet, long revered as a model for healthy living and sustainable food systems and known for preserving the environment and empowering local producers, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.