UN News stories

12 stories found over the past 45 days
UN report confirms nearly 200 women and girls raped by Congolese troops, rebels

08 May 2013 – Congolese armed forces, known by the French acronym FARDC, raped more than 102 women and 33 girls, some as young as six years old, as they fled the advance M23 rebels in country’s restive eastern region in November 2012, according to a joint UN report released today.

Senior UN official urges ‘one voice, one common vision’ in support of ‘new’ Somalia

07 May 2013 – At today’s United Nations-backed Somalia Conference in London, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson urged representatives from more than 50 countries and organizations to support the Government’s state-building agenda and “help take the country to a new beginning.”

‘Opportunity lost’ as new anti-rape laws in India fail to address root causes – UN expert

03 May 2013 – Laws recently passed in India to prevent and prosecute rape and other sex crimes “do not go far enough,” a United Nations independent expert said today, lamenting that the legislation failed to address systemic gender inequalities in Indian society.

Myanmar: UN expert calls on Government to address impunity for crimes in Rakhine

01 May 2013 – While welcoming the most recent efforts of Myanmar’s Government to look into the sectarian violence that erupted last year in Rakhine state, a United Nations expert today stressed that much more needs to be done to end discrimination and hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

DR Congo: Visiting UN special envoy stresses need for peace, security, development

30 April 2013 – A senior United Nations envoy today stressed the need for peace, security and development in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as she visited the provincial capital of Goma, the site of upheaval and a humanitarian crisis late last year.

UN official voices concern at reported child rights abuses in Central African Republic

25 April 2013 – A senior United Nations official today voiced deep concern about reports of widespread violations committed by the Séléka rebel coalition against children in the Central African Republic (CAR), including killing, sexual violence and recruitment into armed groups.

UN official, visiting Central African Republic, calls for end to abuses, disorder

22 April 2013 – During a visit to the Central African Republic today, the United Nations’ top political official appealed for urgent efforts to establish security and end abuses against civilians, while reiterating international calls for a full return to constitutional rule.

Syria: with aid efforts dramatically hobbled, UN officials call on Council to act

18 April 2013 – Humanitarian organizations are facing enormous and dramatically growing constraints in aiding millions of Syrians overwhelmed by the “human catastrophe” that the war-torn country has become, top United Nations officials warned today, calling on the Security Council to at last do something to end the horror.

Security Council, in day-long debate, urged to strengthen measures to end rape in war zones

17 April 2013 – Conflict-related sexual violence, horrific in itself, is also an impediment to national reconciliation and development, top United Nations officials told the Security Council at the start of a day-long debate, urging increased political and financial pressure on those who commit, command or condone sexual violence in war zones.

UN senior officials urge action to halt rights violations in Central African Republic

16 April 2013 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay today urged action to stop the lawlessness and grave violations to civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR) including torture, recruitment of children by armed forces, rape and kidnappings.