UN News stories

7 stories found over the past 45 days
FEATURE: Despite constraints, UN agency delivers for Palestinian refugees in war-torn Syria

04 June 2013 – Should we keep a school open, or not; should the health centre shut its doors, or not. These are just some of the questions the dedicated staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) have to answer on a daily basis as they carry out their work in embattled Syria.

Independent UN panel calls for diplomatic surge to end ‘daily reality’ of war crimes in Syria

04 June 2013 – With Syria engulfed in an escalating and increasingly brutal civil war, a panel of United Nations human rights experts today issued its latest report on the crisis, detailing war crimes it says were committed by both the Syrian Government and opposition forces, and calling for a “diplomatic surge” to end the violence.

At ‘Absence’ exhibit, UN chief urges full adoption of treaty on enforced disappearances

29 May 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Member States to join an international treaty aimed at eliminating enforced disappearances and stop impunity for this scourge.

Turkmenistan has long way to go in ensuring human rights, says UN official

28 May 2013 – Despite some progress, Turkmenistan still has a long way to go in promoting human rights, says a senior United Nations official, who cited the need to address issues such as judicial independence, discrimination and the plight of vulnerable groups.

UNESCO chief calls for investigation into murder of DR Congo journalist

27 May 2013 – The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today called for an investigation into the murder of a journalist in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guylain Chanjabo.

Justice in Guatemala vital for preventing recurrence of heinous crimes, say UN experts

15 May 2013 – Establishing truth and justice in Guatemala is essential to ensuring that heinous crimes such as arbitrary executions, rape and forced displacement – committed during the country’s civil war – do not take place again and to ending impunity, a group of independent United Nations experts said today.

Members of UN-mandated probe into human rights abuses in DPR Korea announced

07 May 2013 – The President of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Remigiusz A. Henczel, today announced the appointment of the members of the commission of inquiry set up to investigate alleged abuses in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).