20 September 2018 — The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, on Thursday welcomed the outcome of the third inter-Korean summit this year, and the “important agreements” contained in the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, issued by the leaders of the two Koreas.
19 September 2018 — Progress that destroys traditional culture, language, land and human heritage “is not development, but willful destruction”, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Wednesday, in defence of indigenous peoples everywhere.
19 September 2018 — Childhood is a time for growth, a time for school. But conflict or disaster are depriving 104 million young people between the ages of five and 17 of that foundation, according to a new study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
18 September 2018 — The agreement between Turkey and Russia to create a demilitarized buffer zone protecting civilians living in Idlib, Syria, has been welcomed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the world body’s humanitarian chief, who called on all warring parties and countries supporting them to make it effective.
18 September 2018 — Around 6.3 million children under the age of 15, died from mostly preventable causes last year, the equivalent to one child dying every five seconds, according to a new report compiled by a group of United Nations agencies. Newborn babies account for half of the deaths.
17 September 2018 — The outgoing UN General Assembly President, Miroslav Lajčák, called on the global community on Monday to remain steadfast in support of multilateralism, reiterating that it is the only way to address the complex and growing challenges facing the world.
17 September 2018 — With parliamentary elections one month away and a major ministerial conference planned for November in Geneva, the United Nation’s Special Representative for Afghanistan briefed the Security Council on Monday, noting that “preparations are on track” but that many challenges lie ahead, including increased security concerns.
17 September 2018 — The plight of South Sudan’s women and girls “should no longer be ignored”, UN investigators told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, citing the disturbing testimonies of sexual abuse victims who have been treated by soldiers and militias as the “spoils” of the more than five-year conflict.
This year’s International Day of Democracy, under the theme "Democracy under Strain: Solutions for a Changing World" is an opportunity to look for ways to invigorate democracy and seek answers to the systemic challenges it faces. This includes tackling economic and political inequalities, making democracies more inclusive by bringing the young and marginalized into the political system, and making democracies more innovative and responsive to emerging challenges such as migration and climate change.
The ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus helping preserve life on the planet. The theme for World Ozone Day 2018, "Keep Cool and Carry On: The Montreal Protocol," is a motivational rallying call urging all of us to carry on with the exemplary work of protecting the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol. The theme has two connotations – that our work of protecting the ozone layer also protects climate and that the Montreal Protocol is a “cool” treaty, as exemplified by its outstanding success.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define the world we want. They apply to all nations and mean, quite simply, to ensure that no one is left behind. Everyone, but particularly the youth of today who will dominate tomorrow, has the chance to shape what that world will look like. On 25 September, the anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals, thousands of individuals, organisations and institutions across the globe are taking actions for the SDGs. Join this movement to show world leaders how many people and organisations everywhere stand behind the SDGs. #ACT4SDGS
Eujin Byun is from Korea and works as a communications officer at UNHCR South Sudan, one of the world’s least safe countries for humanitarians. In 2017, 46 major attacks in the country targeted aid workers. "The fear has been with me since I chose to work in Maban county [...] After a series of women aid workers were raped in Juba in 2016, the fright grew even more for many female colleagues. And yet [...] I chose to stay in South Sudan for another two years. [...] It is shocking and deeply saddening to hear about my fellow humanitarians being held hostage or killed. But it won’t stop me as I continue to help refugees and internally displaced people rebuild their homes and lives. Right now, despite the danger, South Sudan is where I belong."
For the 3rd year in a row, there has been a rise in world hunger. The number of undernourished people has increased to nearly 821 million in 2017, returning to prevailing levels from almost a decade ago. The new annual UN report found that climate variability affecting rainfall patterns and agricultural seasons, and exposure to more complex, frequent and intense climate extremes such as droughts and floods, are among key drivers behind the rise in hunger. Together with conflict and economic slowdowns, climate change is threatening to erode and reverse gains in ending hunger and malnutrition. This is a clear warning that considerable work needs to be done to make sure we "leave no one behind," FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO warn.
