UN official pleads for access to Yemeni city of Taiz to avert humanitarian tragedy
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:34 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): The World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday pleaded for the "safe and immediate access" to Taiz, where food aid last reached the besieged city in southern Yemen five weeks ago, warning that "if this situation continues the damage from hunger will be irreversible."
Health and safety of women and children in disaster-prone areas must be a priority: UN
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): Disaster response specialists, including from the United Nations and other organizations, gathered in Suva, Fiji this week for the annual Pacific Humanitarian Partnership meeting, where the focus has been on high rates of preventable mortality and morbidity among women and children in the disaster-prone region.
Worsening weather off coast of Lesvos leads to tragedy for refugees and migrants
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:30 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): At least 15 people have died and some 38 others are missing in five incidents involving smuggler boats carrying hundreds of refugees and migrants by sea between Turkey and the Greek islands, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
Human rights must be at the heart of historic election period in Myanmar: UN expert
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): A United Nations independent expert on Thursday called on all those in positions of authority in Myanmar to ensure that respect for the human rights of all must be at the core of the historic elections due to take place in 10 days' time.
UN official urges support for people in central and eastern Africa
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): Warning of worsening violence and humanitarian crises across areas of East and Central Africa, the Head of Operations for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, on Thursday called for additional support to "people and communities who have faced years of crisis in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia."
UNESCO kicks off conference against doping in sport
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:14 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) hosted the fifth session of the International Convention against Doping in Sport at its headquarters in Paris on Thursday, with the theme of educating young sportspersons about the danger of using prohibited substances.
Very significant number of Eritreans joining exodus to Europe: UN Assembly
Oct 30, 2015, at 02:11 pm
New York, Oct 30 (IBNS): "A very significant number" of Eritreans are fleeing a country "that is not in a situation of conflict or unrest" to seek a life free from fear, the head of a UN-appointed commission of inquiry on human rights in the east African nation told the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
ISIS orders the closure of women's clinic in Syria's Raqqa
Oct 30, 2015, at 12:00 am
Damascus, Oct 29 (IBNS) The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on Thursday ordered the closure of all women clinic in the Raqqa to stop male gynecologist from treating female patients.
UN agencies warn of deteriorating food security in Southern Madagascar
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:57 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): Leading food agencies of the United Nations warned that 46 per cent of the population from eight regions of Madagascar, comprising of 1.9 million people are food insecure, including 450,000 people who face chronic food insecurity.
General Assembly elects 18 members to UN Human Rights Council
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:56 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): The General Assembly on Wednesday elected 18 States to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2016.
UN rights chief urges to end violence between Israelis and Palestinians
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:54 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): At a special meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed that Israeli-Palestinian violence will draw "closer to a catastrophe" if not stopped immediately, while President Mahmoud Abbas called for creation of a "special protection" regime for the Palestinian people, amid roiling tensions in the region.
Eleven firms agree to promote inclusion of disabled people: UN labour agency
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:52 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): Eleven major international companies on Wednesday agreed to promote and include persons with disabilities throughout their operations worldwide in a move the International Labour Organization (ILO) hailed as "not only just a good moral cause" but also "good for business."
Amid situation in Darfur, UN peacekeeping official urges political settlement
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:41 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): Warning of an "unpredictable" political and security situation in Darfur, a senior United Nations peacekeeping official told the Security Council on Wednesday that a comprehensive resolution of the Darfur conflict, which would allow for the return of over 2.6 million displaced persons, required first and foremost a political settlement between the Government and the armed movements.
Tuberculosis deaths nearly halved since 1990, but 4,400 dying daily: WHO
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday that the fight against tuberculosis (TB) is paying off, with this year’s death rate nearly half of what it was in 1990, but 1.5 million still people died from the disease last year, with more than half occurring in China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Minorities face discrimination at every turn in criminal justice systems: UN expert
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:23 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): In criminal justice processes worldwide, minorities face discrimination ranging from excessive and sometimes lethal use of force, torture by police, to longer periods of stay in pre-trial detention, discrimination during judicial procedures and biases influencing sentencing, according to the UN human rights expert on minority issues.
'Terrorism is on the march' Ban tells global dialogue in Madrid
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): Despite the world's best efforts, "terrorism is on the march" and the violent ideas that fuel it are spreading, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Wednesday, telling delegations gathered for a global dialogue in Madrid that a unified, multi-dimensional and rights-based response is required to wipe out the scourge.
Two-thirds of world's population is infected with herpes: WHO
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): More than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1, which in most cases causes "cold sores" around the mouth, according to the first global estimates of the infection by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Security Council urges Burundian parties to pursue dialogue
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:16 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): Renewing its call for all stakeholder Burundian stakeholders to engage in dialogue “and to spare their country and its people further suffering,†the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday voiced its deep concerns about the growing insecurity, the continued rise in violence, and the persisting political impasse there.
Social protection systems should be inclusive of persons with disabilities: UN expert
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:13 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): States should make their social protection systems more inclusive for persons with disabilities, rather than pursuing models that often lock them into a cycle of dependence and poverty, a UN expert on the rights of persons with disabilities has said.
DPR Korea: UN rights expert regrets unchanged human rights situation
Oct 29, 2015, at 03:06 pm
New York, Oct 29 (IBNS): The international community was strongly urged on Wednesday by a UN rights expert to maintain effective and meaningful efforts to address the continued dire human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Nepal welcomes its first female President
Oct 29, 2015, at 01:40 am
Kathmandu, Oct 28 (IBNS) Nepal on Wednesday achieved a historic feat by electing its first ever female President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
Ethiopia experiencing worst drought in 30 years due to El Niño conditions: UN report
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:56 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in 30 years according to the United Nations, with levels of acute need across all humanitarian sectors having already exceeded levels seen in the Horn of Africa drought of 2011, and which are projected to become far more severe in 2016.
UNESCO appeals for safeguarding world's endangered archives
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Against the backdrop of a large share of the world’s audiovisual heritage already lost forever, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Tuesday warned that only 10 to 15 years are left to transfer remaining audiovisual recordings to digital media before they too vanish.
Syrians living tragedy and despair barely imaginable five years ago: UN relief official
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The most senior United Nations humanitarian official on Tuesday stressed that the failure of parties to the conflict in Syria to uphold the basic tenets of international law has propelled the Syrian people to levels of tragedy and despair which could barely have been imagined five years ago.
UN report reveals urgent need for systematic approach to youth violence prevention
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): While youth violence is not a simple problem with easy solutions, a new report launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores that prevention programmes can improve a broad range of health, education and social outcomes – and lead to potentially substantial economic savings.
Despite raging conflict, scores of refugees continue to arrive in Yemen by sea: UN
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:50 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The ongoing conflict and the widening humanitarian crisis in Yemen has not deterred nearly 70,000 refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants to reach the country by sea causing the Yemini population to 'bear the brunt,' said the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday.
UN ramps up to assist those in Afghanistan and Pakistan affected by earthquake
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:48 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands of homes in Afghanistan and Pakistan were destroyed by the massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck the Badakshan Province in Afghanistan on Monday, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Cholera spreading in Iraq, suspected case reported in Syria: WHO
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that it would start vaccine treatments for cholera beginning this weekend to prevent further outbreaks in Iraq, where the disease has now been confirmed in 15 out of 18 governorates, while the agency also reported a suspected case was also found in northern Syria.
Yemen: Ban calls to halt operations after Saudi-led airstrikes destroy hospital
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS):United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday condemned airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition that hit the Hayadeen Medical Hospital in the Sa'dah governorate, which is run by Médecins Sans Frontières with support from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nauru: OHCHR raises concerns about sexual assault allegations by asylum-seekers
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Underscoring the "fragile mental and physical condition" of 'Abyan' (the pseudonym for a Somalian refugee), who was allegedly raped in Nauru in July and was returned by Australia, the United Nations human rights office on Tuesday called upon both countries to urgently provide decent mental and physical care for her, including provisions to terminate her pregnancy, if she desires.