Archive of Web Articles
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19 October
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) won the Nobel Peace Prize, jointly with former United States Vice-President Al Gore, on 12 October 2007.
5 October
Attended by representatives from 150 countries, including 71 Heads of State and Government, the high-level meeting at UN Headquarters discussed ways to form an accelerated global response to tackle climate change.
4 October
“Business leaders are calling for clarity and a level playing field. There is an interest in setting up cap-and-trade markets, not only in the United States, but also in Australia and Canada”.
1 October
In his opening remarks in the General Assembly Hall, Mr. Ban told world leaders that “climate change, and what we do about it, will define us, our era, and ultimately the global legacy we leave for future generations. 20 September
The 60th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, with this year's focus
on "Climate Change: How It Impacts Us All", kicked
off at UN Headquarters in New York on 5 September 2007.
The General Assembly Informal Thematic Debate
14 August
13 August
The United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)
launched its new website, "Gateway to the United Nations
System's Work on Climate Change", on 3 August 2007.
16 July
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
adopted by consensus a Ministerial Declaration on 10 July
2007 during its substantive session in Geneva. 9 July
One of the most severe threats facing least developed
countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS)
today is climate change.
3 July
A new analysis by the United Nations University (UNU),
presented at UN Headquarters on 28 June 2007, sees desertification
as "the greatest environmental challenge of our times"
and demands Governments to overhaul policy approaches to the
issue or face migration of people driven from degraded homeland
within a single generation.
27 June
We could save up to 13 million lives each year if we made
the environment healthier. This is the startling insight gained
from the first-ever country-by-country analysis on the environmental
impact on health in 192 countries released by the World Health
Organization (WHO) on 13 June 2007.
19 June
Star power, artistic expression and joy of learning were
combined to mark World Environment Day on June 5 at the United
Nations Headquarters in New York.
29 March
Around 700 million people in 43 countries suffer from
water scarcity, and by 2025 this figure could increase to
more than 3 billion, said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in
a message on 22 March 2007, World Water Day. 23 March
Black and white photos of gaunt tuberculosis victims breathing
their last breaths, while comforted by volunteers and family
members who wash their skeletal bodies or hold their hands
as they lay dying, are on display at the United Nations Headquarters
in New York to mark World TB Day, 24 March.
21 March
The world's largest economies have finally reached consensus
that climate change is happening and that the time to act
is now, said Yvo de Boer, Executive Director of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
14 March
"Violence against women is the most common and least
punished crime in the world", according to a documentary
entitled Women in an Insecure World, which opened a panel
discussion on ending impunity for violence against women and
girls.
13 March
"Ecosystems are critical to people's livelihoods
and they are also profitable, and they should be invested
in as development infrastructure, just as you would invest
in bricks, pipes and dams"said John Waugh of the World
Conservation Union.12 March
Some 800,000 to 900,000 people worldwide are trafficked
every year into forced labour and sexual exploitation, a highly
lucrative global industry controlled by powerful criminal
organizations.8 March
Arms embargoes and individual sanctions established by
the United Nations Security Council have been effective in
stemming conflict and building peace in Côte d'Ivoire
and Liberia...6 March
In Africa, 74 per cent of young people with HIV are women.
In a panel discussion held at United Nations Headquarters
on 28 February 2007, speakers presented compelling new evidence
on the link between girls' education and HIV/AIDS prevention.
6 March
Some 55 million girls have no access to formal education,
and an estimated 40 per cent of child soldiers are girls..."Girls
Speak Out" was part of the debate on how to reinforce
gender equality and eliminate discrimination and gender-based
violence globally.
5 March
At 17 per cent, the number of women parliamentarians worldwide
is at an all time high, up from 11.3 per cent in 1995. However,
at this rate gender equality will only be achieved by 2077.
2 March
Mia Farrow, an award-winning actress and United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador, briefed journalists
at UN Headquarters in New York on 27 February 2007 about her
visit to Central African Republic and Chad.
1 March
'Confronting Climate Change: Avoiding the Unmanageable,
Managing the Unavoidable' released by the Scientific Expert
Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development at a panel
discussion... at UN Headquarters
30 January
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) not only provides
data that is essential to improving responses to humanitarian
crises, but also provides training for human rights protection,
poverty reduction, the promotion of gender equality and the
prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
25 January
"Gaza is in a state of collapse. It cannot support
the needs of its population on its own territory", said
Claude Bruderlein, Director of Harvard University's Program
on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR). Speaking
at United Nations Headquarters on 24 January 2007, he outlined
the enormous challenges faced by residents of the Gaza Strip,
an Occupied Palestinian Territory.
24 January
"I will give almost anything to be sure I will live
to be forty", 26-year-old Rachel Ong, a non-governmental
organization delegate to the Joint United Nations Programme
on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Programme Coordinating Board, said tearfully
as she ended her presentation in a panel discussion held at
United Nations Headquarters in New York on 22 January 2007.
22 January
A "momentous and gigantic shift" in the global
economy over the next 25 years will make developed countries
dependent on today's emerging economies, said Antoine van
Agtmael, founder and Chief of the investment firm Emerging
Markets Management.
19 January
Worldwide attention on the The Stern Review on the
Economics of Climate Change has gone "beyond the
wildest expectations" of the Government of the United
Kingdom, which commissioned the document, said Alistair Fernie,
Counselor at the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to
the United Nations.
18 January
While dramatic progress has been made on some problems
related to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the
children of Africa, enormous challenges still remain, according
to participants in a meeting of the Executive Board of the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in New York on 17
January 2007.
17 January
The top United Nations official for climate chang urged
Ban Ki-moon to champion the global warming agenda, saying
the Secretary-General is "in an excellent position to
mobilize the kind of leadership that can help move forward".
12 January
Hollywood and United Nations agenda converge in the film
"Blood Diamonds", which depicts how the world's
most precious stone fuelled the conflict in Sierra Leone,
leading to the civil war in the 1990s, and portrays child
soldiers and other human rights abuses.
11 January
The developing countries' share of total exports reached
a historically high rate of 35 per cent in 2006, according
to a United Nations report released on 10 January 2007. The
World Economic Situation
and Prospects 2007 also noted
that a weakening United States housing market this year will
lead to a global slowdown in the overall economy despite expected
continued robust growth in the developing world.
9 January
The Security Council met today to discuss the participation
of the European Union forces in the presidential elections
held in October 2006 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Following the first elections in the country in over 40 years,
Josef Kabila was sworn in as President on 6 December 2006.
8 January
In his first address to the UN Security Council, Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon said that ensuring peace in Darfur and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo is at the top of his agenda.
5 January
Ban Ki-moon has filled four important positions in his
first week as Secretary-General of the United Nations: head
of the Office for the Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Under-Secretary General
for Management, Deputy Secretary-General and Chef de Cabinet.
4 January
Dr. Margaret Chan assumed the post of Director-General
of the World Health Organization, pledging to focus on two
specific groups. "I want my leadership to be judged by
the impact of our work on the health of two populations: women
and the people of Africa", she said to the WHO staff
in Geneva.
2 January
The Secretary-General arrived for work at 9:30 on Tuesday
morning to greet staff and begin his new job.
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The Road to Doha:
The High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development31 October
11 October
“Beyond developing equitable and tolerant values and preventing conflict”, writes Isabel Ortiz, “social cohesion is also about the other intangible aspects of citizens’ well-being, their right to live in dignity, to use freely their mother tongue, to enjoy time with their community, to laugh, to have fun, to be creative, all essential aspects of mankind and signs of healthy societies.
5 October
“Peace is one of humanity’s most precious needs. It is also the United Nations highest calling”, the Secretary-General stated in his message. “On this International Day, let us promise to make peace not just a priority, but a passion”.
3 October
The 2007 State of Future report is about bringing nations together and working in unison. “The notion of the UN itself is collective security, which is about nations working together for the benefit of all humankind”.21 August
In commemoration of the International Day of the World's
Indigenous People, an observance, focusing on the urgent need
to preserve indigenous cultures and languages, as well as
on the role of indigenous youth, was held at United Nations
Headquarters on 9 August 2007.
15 August
"You gotta have faith. Do the work. Get up and go
get it everyday!" In Gardner's world, there is no such
thing as "spare time".
9 August
Sylvester Rowe, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra
Leone, sees the portal as a symbol of international cooperation
for countries like his and others in conflict.9 August
Participants in the commemorative session outlined their
vision for the future and highlighted the Committee's achievements,
assessing its role in implementing the Convention, its impact
and main challenges.31 July
Frequent pirate attacks in Somalia have been threatening
commercial shipping and fishing and impeding the delivery
of humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of Somalis.
31 July
After years of controversy surrounding Iraq's programmes
of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the UN body investigating
and monitoring the country's disarmament was shut down on
29 June 2007.25 July
In order for these countries to successfully alleviate
poverty and close the technology gap, they must introduce
policies that harbor the advancement of science, technology
and knowledge.25 July
Dozens of new and amended food standards were adopted
during the Codex Alimentarius Commission's annual meeting,
held at the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy.
24 July
The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts
of Nuclear Terrorism is the newest of 13 United Nations conventions
and protocols to deal with terrorism, specifically the international
community's responsibilities in the fight against nuclear
terrorism.23 July
The United Nations Economic and Social Council launched
its Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) in Geneva on 5 July
200719 July
A history of high violence has lead to a crisis of security
in various Latin American countries. Violent societies contribute
directly to the rise in transnational organized crime.13 July
Men as partners for maternal health, the theme of this
year's World Population Day celebrated on 11 July, focused
attention on the fundamental role of men in supporting women's
rights, including their right to sexual and reproductive health.
13 July
The Second Global Compact Leaders Summit demonstrated
clear focus and recognition of steps to move the initiative
forward when it convened on 5 and 6 July 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland.12 July
At a conference marking the 20th anniversary of the Esquipulas
II Accord that established peace in Central America in the
mid-1980s, an expert panel noted that the slow pace of social
development was one of many issues that still lingered and
posed a serious threat to stability in the region.
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Many international human rights instruments define "discrimination"
as "distinction, exclusion or restriction that has the
effect or purpose to impair or nullify recognition, enjoyment
or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedom".
As the volatile region of Gaza experienced continued border
closures and intensified border-crossing restrictions in July
2007, United Nations relief officials warned that these security
measures were coming at a terrible cost.
For the first time in history, more than half of the world's
population will be living in towns and cities in 2008
In July 2007, UNICEF authorities in Cairo reported that
the Health and Population Minister of Egypt issued a decree
that fully criminalizes female genital mutilation, closing.
The protection and well-being of children in Sudan are
at a critical juncture. While children in the South are enjoying
increased protection and access to services, those in Darfur
and other areas continue to face shocking levels of violence
and abuse.
As the demand for United Nations peacekeepers continues
to grow in many corners of the world, the UN has begun to
reform the way it responds to these requests.
A book review by Anthony McDermott
"It reads like a personal stocktaking of the author's
decade with the United Nations, but more than that it is a
closely argued and informative account of the major issues
at and the systemic development of the Organization".
The international community faces several challenges when
working on security and development issues. Security is a
prerequisite for State-building and for the implementation
of a broader concept of human security.
In the last 35 years, the World Bank has become the largest
financial contributor towards health-related and nutrition
projects, committing more than $1 billion annually towards
the health, nutrition and population sectors.
The House is Small but the Welcome is Big is a
participant-produced, documentary photography project that
explores the intersection between HIV/AIDS and poverty, as
experienced through the eyes of women and children in South
Africa and Mozambique.
Discrimination against women has cost Asia-Pacific billions
of dollars every year. The Economic and Social Survey for
Asia and the Pacific 2007, launched on 18 April 2007 by the
United Nations regional arms, has found that barriers to employment
for women cost the region $42 billion to $47 billion annually.
Released on 3 April 2007, the report entitled "Accelerating
Africa's Development through Diversification" called
on the continent "to adopt less conservative fiscal policies,
including cheaper credit, to promote more investment by the
private sector"
Alberto Ramos, senior economist in the Emerging Markets
Economic Research Group at Goldman Sachs takes a look at economic
environment for reform in Latin America
The Multinational Stand-By High Readiness Brigade for
United Nations Operations (SHIRBRIG)...provide a rapid deployment
capability to the world Organization's peacekeeping operations.
An interview with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping
Operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno, conducted on 19 January 2007
by Kaveh L. Afrasiabi, Director of Global Interfaith Peace.
United Nations Headquarters unveiled an exhibt on January
29, as part of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory
of the Victims of the Holocaust. The exhibit displays art
work of holocaust survivors and their experience in the camps.
One year and three months after a devastating earthquake
struck Pakistan and northeastern India, the lives of those
living in the affected areas have not yet returned to normal.
Security is now considered an ugly necessity rather than
a natural and sensible part of the structural environment.
However, security options can be attractive as well as functional--for
example, they do not have to make the building into a bunker
that is unpleasant to work in or visit.
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Ban Ki-moon has taken the "most impossible job in
the world", as Trygve Lie, the first Secretary-General
of the United Nations, famously said to his successor, Dag
Hammarskjöld. Jean Gazarian takes a look at the role
of the Secretaries-General of the United Nations.
Akmaral Arystanbekova, currently Ambassador at Large of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan,
gives a retrospective on her professional life with three
previous Secretaries-General of the United Nations.
The General Assembly, acting on the Security Council's recommendation,
adopted on 13 October 2006 a resolution formally appointing
Ban Ki-moon as the eighth Secretary-General of the United
Nations, giving him a transition period of two and a half
months before taking over from Kofi Annan on 1 January 2007.
I follow in a line of remarkable leaders. They had also faced
this moment, each at a critical juncture in the Organization's
history. Like myself today, they must have pondered what the
years ahead would hold at the helm of this dynamic institution.
"Together, we have pushed some big rocks to the top of
the mountain, even if others have slipped from our grasp and
rolled back."
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The progressive development of large urban concentrations
presents a new setting for social relations in which cultural
identities are redefined.
The travails and vicissitude of the international migration
of poor people often make the headlines of the popular press.
However, there is another side to the overall migration process
that can be termed as the mobility of "high-value migrants".
Refugees are "migrants" in the broadest sense of
the term; yet, they continue to be a distinct category of
people. What makes refugees different from other categories
of migrants is their need for international protection and
their right to seek and enjoy asylum in another State.
People are on the move, building an intricate net of global
and social interdependencies across borders as a result of
globalization. Not only has the number of international migrants
more than doubled in the past 45 years, but irregular migration
flows across international borders have also rapidly increased.
A particularly delicate issue in the broad scenario of migration
is that of children in cross-border movements. Civil society
groups, the academic community and human rights organizations
claim that policymakers should be particularly sensitive and
prompt in addressing issues related to migrant children.
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Volunteerism contributes to sustainable capacities because
it taps into and builds up the indigenous stock of knowledge,
social entrepreneurship and solidarity that exists within
a country.
Lester M. Salamon speaks about the non-profit sector and volunteering.
UN Volunteers Dennis Mairena and Sy Koumbo Singa Gali talk
about their experiences in Colombia and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo.
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