United Nations Publications brings together over 5,300 titles produced by the Organization and its key agencies, in a range of formats including print, eBooks and apps.
Check out the Spring Summer Catalog 2013.
Visit the United Nations Publications website http://unp.un.org
Featured Publications
Building a Better Future for All: Selected Speeches of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon 2007-2012
Posted on 1 March 2013
The United Nations works across the world for peace, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law. This collection of speeches by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon shows the breadth of those efforts – advances and struggles alike – at a time of profound transition for the human family. Since taking office in 2007, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sought to mobilize the international community behind global solutions to urgent challenges ranging from climate change and poverty to armed conflict and the spread of deadly weapons. The goal: dignity, freedom and opportunity for all.
More information:
Paperback: 360 pages Format: 6 in. x 9 in. - ISBN 13: 9789211012712
Publisher: United Nations, Office of the Secretary-General
World Economic Situation and Prospects 2013
Posted on 1 March 2013
The World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) is the definitive report of the United Nations on the state of the world economy. WESP 2013 will highlight the continuing Euro debt crisis, the protracted jobs crisis and the possibility for the world economy to plunge back into another recession. One of the most highly anticipated economic reports from the United Nations, it is jointly produced by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the five United Nations Regional Commissions.
More information:
Release date: January, 2013
Paperback Format: 8.5 in. x 11 in. - ISBN 13: 9789211091663
Publisher: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Global Environment Outlook 5 (GEO-5): Environment for the Future We Want
Posted on 30 December 2012
The Global Environment Outlook is a major publication for all those who are interested in environmental issues. It has brought together thousands of scientists and hundreds of collaborating centres.
This GEO report builds on the assessment findings of its predecessor and draws from lessons learnt. The currently observed changes to the Earth System are unprecedented in human history. Efforts to slow the rate or extent of change – including enhanced resource efficiency and mitigation measures – have resulted in moderate successes but have not succeeded in reversing adverse environmental changes. Neither the scope of these nor their speed has abated in the past five years. As human pressures on the Earth System accelerate, several critical global, regional and local thresholds are close or have been exceeded. Once these have been passed, abrupt and possibly irreversible changes to the life-support functions of the planet are likely to occur, with significant adverse implications for human well-being.
More information:
Release date: January 2013
Paperback: 450 pages - Format: 8.25 in. x11.5 in. - ISBN: 9789280731774
Publisher: United Nations Environment Programme
Technology and Innovation Report 2012
Posted on 20 November 2012
The increasing capacity of a growing number of countries in the South is a promising dynamic that signals the beginning of a new era in global development. As more and more developing countries embark on the process of industrial catchup, South–South cooperation can help to address the technological divide.
UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2012 focuses on how South-South collaboration can help address key capacity questions faced by developing countries. The information and analysis contained in this report mark a welcome contribution to the efforts now getting under way to establish a set of Sustainable Development Goals and to outline a post-2015 development agenda.
More information:
Release date: November 2012
Paperback: 224 pages - Format: 6 in. x 9 in. - ISBN: 978-92-1-112856-7
United Nations at a Glance
Posted on 9 October 2012
This simple, authoritative guide provides a starting point for readers who are new to the United Nations. In clear language, this book explains what the UN does, how the UN does it, who the actors are, and when historical milestones occurred.
Illustrated with photos and stories from the field, the guide examines the work of the UN in international peace and security, economic and social development, human rights, and humanitarian action. As a resource to students and teachers alike, additional features include definitions of frequently used terms, rich statistics, questions and answers, and the building blocks of international law.
For anyone who wants to learn more about the world's foremost intergovernmental organization, the United Nations at a Glance is the perfect place to start.
More information:
Release date: November 2012
Paperback: 164 pages - Format: 8.5 in. x 11 in. - ISBN 13: 9789211012521
Yearbook of the United Nations 2008
Posted on 5 September 2012
With its comprehensive coverage of political and security matters, human rights issues, economic and social questions, legal issues, and institutional, administrative and budgetary matters, the Yearbook of the United Nations is the most authoritative reference work available on the activities and concerns of the Organization. Fully indexed, the Yearbook includes the texts of all major General Assembly, Security Council and Economic and Social Council resolutions and decisions. This latest volume, the sixty-second, highlights the attention given by the United Nations in 2008 to conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Georgian province of Abkhazia, and the Sudan, along with the challenges posed by the global food security crisis, severe economic recession, climate change, natural disasters, piracy and terrorism.
More information:
Release date: September 2012
Hard cover: 1,760 pages - Format: 7 in. x 10 in. - ISBN 13: 9789211012279
Defying Victimhood: Women and Post-conflict Peacebuilding
Posted on 12 September 2012
Women are among the most competent, yet marginalized, unnoticed and underutilized actors in efforts to rebuild war-torn societies. Opportunities for sustainable peacebuilding are lost — and sustainable peace is at risk — when significant stakeholders in a society's future peace and conflict architecture are excluded from efforts to heal the wounds of war and build a new society and a new state. The contributors to this book draw on comparative case and country studies from post-conflict contexts in different parts of world to offer their insights into frameworks for understanding women as both victims and peacebuilders, to trace the road that women take from victimhood to empowerment and to highlight the essential partnerships between women and children and how they contribute to peace. The authors examine the roles of women in political and security institutions.
More information:
Release date: September 2012
Paperback: 380 pages - Format: 6 in. x 9 in. - ISBN 13: 9789280812015
Is Good Governance Good for Development?
Posted on 13 August 2012
Whilst good governance is a worthy goal by itself, this book argues that it is not a prerequisite for economic growth or development. Challenging the conventional good governance paradigm favoured by the donor community, this book exposes the methodological shortcomings of the commonly-used governance indicators developed within the World Bank. It argues that aggregate good governance indicators are less helpful for identifying governance failure in specific areas needing policy interventions. Bringing together contributions from leading political scientists, political economists and development practitioners, this is the first book that focuses on such good governance issues.
More information:
Release date: August 2012
Paperback: 208 pages - Format: 6 in. x 9 in. - ISBN 13: 9781780932224
The UN Global Compact International Yearbook 2012
Posted on 12 September 2012
The main focus of this latest edition is the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). The event marked a crossroad for sustainable development. It set the sustainability agenda for the next decade. Therefore, the world expects a strong call for responsible and sustainable business practices — as covered by the United Nations Global Compact — would emerge as a result. The aim of this publication is to provide a global overview of the achievements of the Global Compact. It offers proactive and in-depth information on key sustainability issues to stakeholders all around the world and promotes unique and comprehensive knowledge exchange and learning in the spirit of the Global Compact principles.
More information:
Release date: September 2012
Paperback: 192 pages - Format: 8.5 in. x 11 in. - ISBN 13: 9783981354034
Other Recent Publications
Global Employment Trends 2013
Posted on 16 May 2013
Five years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, the Global Employment Trends 2013 offers the latest global and regional information and projections on several indicators of the labour market, including employment, unemployment, working poverty and vulnerable employment. It also presents policy considerations in light of the new challenges facing policy makers in the coming year.
World Health Statistics 2013
Posted on 16 May 2013
World Health Statistics 2013 contains WHO’s annual compilation of health-related data for its 194 Member States, and includes a summary of the progress made towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and associated targets. This year, it also includes highlight summaries on the topics of reducing the gaps between the world’s most-advantaged and least-advantaged countries, and on current trends in official development assistance (ODA) for health.
Harmonizing Cyberlaws and Regulations: The Experience of the East African Community
Posted on 23 October 2012
The development of an enabling framework for e-commerce has the potential to generate significant economic development gains for countries by promoting investor confidence, tapping into business opportunities and responding to the increasing reliance on electronic applications in all sectors (government, commerce, health, education, banking, insurance, etc.). The East African Community became the first region in Africa to adopt a modern and effective regional harmonized framework for cyberlaws in order to support the regional integration process with regard to e-government and e-commerce.
Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises
Posted on 23 October 2012
This report assesses regulations affecting domestic firms in 185 economies and ranks the economies in 10 areas of business regulation, such as starting a business, resolving insolvency and trading across borders. This year’s report data cover regulations measured from June 2011 through May 2012. Poland was the global top improver in the past year. Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Burundi, Costa Rica, Mongolia, Greece, Serbia, and Kazakhstan are also recognized as having the most improved ease of doing business across several areas of regulation as measured by the report.
The Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes
Posted on 23 October 2012
Terrorist groups and their supporters use the internet to gather and disseminate information for terrorist purposes, finance their activities, recruit and train followers to commit acts of terrorism. The use of the Internet for terrorist purposes disregards national borders, amplifying the potential impact on victims. This publication provides practical guidance to Member States for more effective investigation and prosecution of terrorist cases involving the use of the Internet. It emphasizes the need for enhanced cooperation between criminal justice systems and the private sector, and for international cooperation to preserve internet-related data from several jurisdictions.
Geospatial Science and Technology for Development: With a focus on urban development, land administration and disaster risk management
Posted on 23 October 2012
Governments at all levels — national, provincial and local — need data in order to govern. They use geospatial data in a wide variety of areas, including legislative and policy development, the allocation and management of natural resources, defence and public safety purposes, spatial planning and many others. This study explores the ways in which geospatial science and technology can support sustainable urban-regional development, help with land administration and assist with disaster risk management.
Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development
Posted on 23 October 2012
The policy environment for cross-border investment is subject to constant change. This report takes a fresh look at investment policymaking — focusing on direct private investment in productive assets (i.e. excluding other capital flows which should be addressed by the financial system and policies) — by taking a systemic approach that examines the universe of national and international policies through the lens of today’s key investment policy challenges. It also aims explicitly to strengthen the development dimension of investment policies, and presents a comprehensive Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development.
Global Tuberculosis Report 2012
Posted on 17 October 2012
Despite the progress, tuberculosis (TB) remains a major infectious killer, according to the report. Among its findings, the report notes there is continued decline in the number of people falling ill from TB, but still an enormous global burden, with 8.7 million new cases in 2011. It also notes an estimated 1.4 million deaths from TB, including half a million women, underlining the disease as one of the world’s top killers of women. The growing gap in funding for research and development into new ways to combat TB could have severe consequences for TB control.
Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2012 - Youth and skills: Putting education to work
Posted on 16 October 2012
Many young people around the world, especially the disadvantaged, are leaving school without the skills they need to thrive in society and find decent jobs. As well as thwarting young people’s hopes, these education failures are jeopardizing equitable economic growth and social cohesion, and preventing many countries from reaping the potential benefits of their growing youth populations. This report examines how skills development programmes can be improved to boost young people’s opportunities for decent jobs and better lives.
Marrying too Young - End Child Marriage
Posted on 15 October 2012
This statistical exploration of child marriage finds that girls who are poor, have little or no education and live in rural areas are most likely to enter child marriages. Girls living in rural areas of the developing world are twice as likely to web before age 18 as their urban counterparts, and girls with no education are over three times more likely to do so than those with secondary or higher education. Girls' vulnerability to child marriage substantially increases during humanitarian crises. The report calls on governments and leaders to end child marriage.
Measuring the Information Society 2012
Posted on 15 October 2012
This report presents two authoritative benchmarking tools to monitor information society developments worldwide, the ICT Development Index (IDI) and the ICT Price Basket (IPB). Both the tools combined are powerful measures for benchmarking and explaining differences among countries and within regions when it comes to ICT developments. This year’s edition of the report also features brand new data and analyses on revenue and investment in the ICT sector and proposes a new methodology to measure the world’s telecommunication capacity.
State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012
Posted on 9 October 2012
Nearly 870 million people, or one in eight, are suffering from chronic undernourishment. The vast majority of the hungry, 852 million, live in developing countries (around 15 percent of their population) while 16 million people are undernourished in developed countries. Childhood malnutrition is still a cause of death for more than 2.5 million children every year. Yet the global number of hungry people declined by 132 million between 1990-92 and 2010-12, putting the MDG target within reach if adequate, appropriate actions are taken.
2013 World Development Report: Jobs
Posted on 9 October 2012
This year's report stresses the role of strong private sector led growth in creating jobs and outlines how jobs that do the most for development can spur a virtuous cycle. Poverty falls as people work their way out of hardship and as jobs empower women to invest more in their children. Efficiency increases as workers get better at what they do, as more productive jobs appear, and as less productive ones disappear. Societies flourish as jobs foster diversity and provide alternatives to conflict.
Labour in the Global South: Challenges and alternatives for workers
Posted on 9 October 2012
While global economic forces are crucial in determining working conditions for labour, these forces are still mediated through local and national processes, offering labour important avenues for organizing. Meanwhile, changes in the global economy, while posing potential threats, also present new opportunities for labour, like green jobs. With rising unemployment and increasing numbers of workers pushed into precarious forms of work, new forms of power and leverage are being found, often by the most marginalized and sectors traditionally ignored by labour movements.
The MDG Gap Task Force Report 2012: The Global Partnership for Development – Time to Deliver
Posted on 20 September 2012
The 2012 report finds that the protracted global economic crisis has begun to take its toll on international development cooperation. With a $167 billion gap between actual aid disbursements and the amounts committed, the volume of official development assistance (ODA) should more than double in order to meet the UN target. A delayed impact of the economic crisis on donor country budgets threatens to further widen this gap. To address the current situation, the report calls upon the international community to honour its promises and close the gaps between commitments and delivery. [See also the fact sheet 2012 and table of recommendations]
Trade and Development Report, 2012: Policies for Inclusive and Balanced Growth
Posted on 17 September 2012
The report reviews recent trends in the global economy and explores the links between income distribution, growth and development. Global output growth is slowing down. In developed economies, high unemployment, ongoing deleveraging and downward pressures on real wages are causing lack of demand. An exit from recession in crisis-hit countries cannot be left to market forces alone; policies should aim to restore demand, instead of further depressing it with fiscal retrenchment.
2012 Progress Report on Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed
Posted on 14 September 2012
The report shows that all regions of the world have seen a marked decline in under-5 mortality since 1990. The number of children under the age of 5 dying globally has dropped from nearly 12 million in 1990 to an estimated 6.9 million in 2011. Yet almost 19,000 children under 5 still die every day from diseases that are preventable. Huge strides were made in tackling polio, measles and malaria, but pneumonia and diarrhoea continue to kill, contributing respectively to 18 and 11 per cent of deaths of children under 5.
Protecting the Poor: A microinsurance compendium. Vol. II
Posted on 13 August 2012
This book is unique collection of recent practices and emerging ideas in microinsurance. It covers the numerous innovations that have emerged in recent years to meet the challenges of providing insurance to low-income people, from new products and delivery channels to consumer education tools, while examining institutional changes in regulations, providers and schemes. As the microinsurance community dramatically evolves and millions more low-income households have access to better insurance cover, this timely second volume will be an invaluable resource for policy-makers, insurers, academics and NGOs.
Confronting Finance: Mobilizing the 99% for economic and social progress
Posted on 13 August 2012
The unfolding economic crisis has proved that neoliberal policies were no better for growth than for social progress. As poverty and inequality are rising to alarming levels in Europe, the old continent seems at a loss to respond. Political leaders liquidate the social gains made by workers’ struggles. Only a very small minority stands to benefit from a deepening of neoliberalism. This publication explores Europe’s turmoil and challenges the deep-rooted consequences of neoliberalism. It sheds light on emerging movements and ideas to defend and mobilize workers, and points to encouraging new policies which would put decent work and life at its core. A number of these come from the South, from which the North may have much to learn.
Working towards sustainable development
Posted on 13 August 2012
A green economy is necessary if sustainable development is to be realized. This joint ILO-UNEP study shows that, if accompanied by the right policy mix, a green economy can also create more and better jobs, lift people out of poverty and promote social inclusion. It also demonstrates that employment and social inclusion must be an integral part of any sustainable development strategy. A new development model — one which puts people, fairness and the planet at the core of policy-making — is urgently needed, and is eminently achievable.
OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2012-2021
Posted on 8 August 2012
Agricultural production needs to increase by 60% over the next 40 years to meet rising demand for food, and even more to provide feedstock for expanding biofuel production. At the same time, there is a growing need to improve the sustainable use of available land, water, marine ecosystems, fish stocks, forests, and biodiversity. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and climatic patterns are changing in many parts of the world. Encouraging better agronomic practices, creating the right commercial, technical and regulatory environment, and strengthening agricultural innovation systems are essential policy challenges identified here.
Child Maltreatment: Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences in East Asia and Pacific
Posted on 8 August 2012
The findings of this publications are distressing: research hows a consistently high prevalence of child maltreatment throughout the East Asia-Pacific region, home to 580 million children or over one quarter of the world’s children. Estimates of the frequency of physical abuse of children vary from country to country and from study to study, but 10 - 30.3 per cent of children suffer from abuse, and 14 - 30 per cent of the region's boys and girls experience forced sex. Child maltreatment has harmful long-term consequences, for the children suffering the abuse, and for their families and communities.
Weathering Uncertainty: Traditional knowledge for climate change assessment and adaptation
Posted on 7 August 2012
In recent years there has been a growing awareness that scientific knowledge alone is inadequate for solving the climate crisis. The knowledge of local and indigenous peoples is increasingly recognized as an important source of climate knowledge and adaptation strategies. This unique publication draws attention to a rapidly growing scientific literature on the contribution of indigenous and traditional knowledge to understanding climate change vulnerability, resilience and adaptation. It broadens the awareness and understanding of these knowledge systems by climate change scientists and decision-makers.
Climate change education for sustainable development in Small Island Developing States
Posted on 7 August 2012
This report reflects on the challenges that climate change poses to education systems in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and on the role that education must play in adaptation to climate change. Acknowledging that SIDS are already confronted with the effects of climate change, it assesses the need to reduce their vulnerability by strengthening their adaptive capacity through risk assessment, informed decision on how to adapt their livelihoods, homes and communities, education of girls and women, educational programmes preparing communities for natural disasters and education systems and infrastructure equipped to prepare for climate change.
Realizing the Future We Want for All
Posted on 7 August 2012
The present report outlines a bold vision for transformative change towards inclusive, people-centered, and sustainable development and considers some parameters for consideration when shaping the global development agenda. It arrives at these recommendations by thoroughly discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the Millennium Development Goals and by assessing a number of pressing development challenges that need to be addressed in a global agenda for sustainable development. Finally, the report offers a number of suggestions on the way forward for the consultations of the post-2015 agenda.
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012
Posted on 7 August 2012
Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture play a crucial role in food and nutrition security and in providing for the livelihoods of millions of people. The sector produced a record 128 million tonnes of fish for human food — an average of 18.4 kg per person — providing more than 4.3 billion people with about 15 percent of their animal protein intake. Fisheries and aquaculture are also a source of income for 55 million people. However, the sector faces an array of problems, including poor governance, weak fisheries management regimes, conflicts over the use of natural resources, the persistent use of poor fishery and aquaculture practices.
Education for conflict prevention and peacebuilding: Meeting the global challenges of the 21st century
Posted on 7 August 2012
Conflicts can have devastating effects on education systems and impair the ability of governments to provide quality education for their citizens. Yet, when governments and ministries of education analyse and anticipate the risk of such events through careful planning, education can play an important role in preventing violent conflict, and in supporting peacebuilding efforts. This publication describes a range of conflict prevention initiatives and examines the role of policy-makers, youth, women, and the media in maintaining and restoring peace as part of a holistic vision of education.
World Statistics Pocketbook 2011
Posted on 1 August 2012
The 31st edition of this annual publication compiles over 50 indicators collected from more than 20 international statistical sources and presented in one-page profiles for 216 countries or areas of the world. This issue covers various years from 2000 to 2011. For the economic indicators, in general, three years — 2000, 2005 and 2010 — are shown; for the indicators in the social and environmental categories, data for one year are presented.
The topics covered include: agriculture, balance of payments, education, energy, environment, food, gender, health, industrial production, information and communication, international finance, international tourism, international trade, labour, migration, national accounts, population and prices.
Green Economy and Good Governance for Sustainable Development: Opportunities, Promises and Concerns
Posted on 6 July 2012
Much of the debate on green growth and environmental governance tends to be general in nature, and is often conceptual or limited to single disciplines. This book examines such terms within the context of wide-interest topics including education, oceans and cities, and mixes conceptual discussion with empirical research. It takes stock of the achievements and obstacles towards sustainability over the last 20 years, and proposes new ideas and changes to create a more sustainable future.
World Economic and Social Survey 2012: In Search of New Development Finance
Posted on 6 July 2012
This survey highlights mechanisms that can increase the scale of development financing available and provide stable and predictable financing to enhance sustainable development. It also confirms the potential of innovative development financing to mobilize substantial resources for international priorities, but concludes that realizing this potential requires strong political will to follow through on available proposals as well as transparency in the allocation and management of those resources.
Global Economic Prospects, Volume 5: Managing growth in a volatile world
Posted on 6 July 2012
According to this Word Bank's report, developing countries should prepare for a long period of volatility in the global economy by re-emphasizing medium-term development strategies, while preparing for tougher times. A resurgence of tensions in high-income Europe has eroded the gains made during the first four months of this year, which saw a rebound in economic activity in both developing and advanced countries and an easing of risk aversion among investors.
World Investment Report 2012: Towards a New Generation of Investment Policies
Posted on 5 July 2012
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows rose 16 per cent in 2011, surpassing the 2005-2007 pre-crisis level for the first time, despite the continuing effects of the global financial and economic crisis and the current debt crisis in Europe. According to UNCTAD, a resurgence of economic uncertainty and the possibility of lower growth rates in major emerging markets risk undercutting FDI in 2012, though prospects for 2013 and 2014 are cautiously optimistic.
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012
Posted on 2 July 2012
This year’s report highlights several milestones: the targets of reducing extreme poverty by half and of halving the proportion of people who lack dependable access to improved sources of drinking water have been reached five years ahead of the 2015 deadline; and conditions for more than 200 million people living in slums have been ameliorated — double the 2020 target. Primary school enrolment of girls equalled that of boys, and progress has been made in reducing child and maternal mortality. Meeting the remaining targets, while challenging, is possible. See also the 2012 Millennium Development Goals Progress Chart.
World Drug Report 2012
Posted on 2 July 2012
Illicit drug markets have global dimensions and require coordinated responses on a comparable scale. This year's edition of UNODC's World Drug Report begins with an overview of recent trends and the current situation in terms of production, trafficking and consumption and the consequences of illicit drug use in terms of treatment, drug-related diseases and drug-related deaths. Its also presents a long-term perspective, looking at the main characteristics of the contemporary drug problem, the ways it has changed over the last few decades, the driving factors that shaped this evolution, and the directions it is likely to take in the future.
Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Basis of Security through Sustainable Food Systems
Posted on 20 June 2012
This UNEP report finds that food security must embrace the environmental services nature provides if the world is to feed its seven billion inhabitants. Inefficiencies along the food delivery chain further complicate the challenge: about one-third of food is lost or wasted. The debate on food security so far has largely revolved around availability, access, utilization and stability as the four pillars of food security, barely touching on the resource base and ecosystem services that prop up the whole food system. The report focuses on these crucial environmental aspects, which are being undermined by overfishing, unsustainable water use and other human activities.
Inclusive Wealth Report 2012: Measuring Progress Toward Sustainability
Posted on 19 June 2012
The report presents a framework that offers a long-term perspective on human well-being and sustainability. It features an index that measures the wealth of nations by looking into a country’s capital assets, including manufactured, human and natural capital, and its corresponding values: the Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI). Results show changes in inclusive wealth from 1990 to 2008, and include a long-term comparison to GDP for an initial group of 20 countries worldwide, which represent 72% of the world GDP and 56% of the global population.
Status Report on the Application of Integrated Approaches to Water Resource Management
Posted on 18 June 2012
Over 80 per cent of countries have reformed their water laws in the past twenty years as a response to growing pressures on water resources from expanding populations, urbanization and climate change. In many cases, such water reforms have had positive impacts on development, including improvements to drinking water access, human health and water efficiency in agriculture. The sustainable management and use of water — due to its vital role in food security, energy or supporting valuable ecosystem services — underpins the transition to a low-carbon, resource efficient green economy.
UNHCR Global Trends 2011: A Year of Crises
Posted on 18 June 2012
This new publication is UNHCR's main annual report on the state ofs forced displacement. According to the latest edition, 2011 was a record year for forced displacement across borders, with more people becoming refugees than at any time since 2000. Viewed on a 10-year basis, several trends highlighted by the report are worrisome: one is that forced displacement is affecting larger numbers of people globally, with the annual level exceeding 42 million people for each of the last five years; and another is that a person who becomes a refugee is likely to remain as one for many years.
Arab Human Development Report 2012: From Paralysis to Empowerment - The Will of the People
Posted on 15 June 2012
This ten-year anniversary edition aims to reassess the development paths of the Arab countries, to identify key trends and areas of progress and challenge, and to identify key lessons learned and positive examples that can be used by stakeholders in the Arab countries, particularly governments, as they seek to bolster human development in an increasingly complex development context. It explores a wide range of topics such as peace and stability; education and values; opportunities and challenges for the youth; sustainability; rule of law, integrity and transparency; poverty and social development; and development and the public sphere. The theme connecting all the chapters is empowerment for human development.
2011 Annual Report of the Department of Political Affairs
Posted on 14 June 2012
DPA's report highlights activities supported with voluntary contributions during 2011 — from the early planning of the UN’s mission in Libya to electoral assistance for countries in transition in the Arab world. Extra-budgetary funding also supported the UN’s mediation of a key transition accord in Yemen, the activities of a high-level panel that encouraged a peaceful referendum in Sudan, and UN-supported dialogue on defusing tensions in Malawi. DPA's intensive focus on the Middle East positioned it to support the joint mediation effort of the UN and the League of Arab States on the Syrian conflict in 2012.
Economic Development in Africa Report 2012: Structural Transformation and Sustainable Development in Africa
Posted on 13 June 2012
UNCTAD suggests, in this report, that African governments face a major dilemma. On the one hand, structural transformation is necessary for achieving substantial and broad-based improvements in human well-being. On the other hand, structural transformation, together with rising affluence and a growing population, will necessarily intensify environmental pressures because of the increasing demand for natural resources, including both material and energy inputs used in production, the expanding magnitude of waste and pollution, and the growing reliance on non-renewable resources.
Tackling child labour: From commitment to action
Posted on 13 June 2012
The ILO estimates that some 215 million children across the world are still trapped in child labour. Tackling child labour is both an issue of human rights and social justice. While the global community is making progress, there are also weaknesses in the response and it is clear that progress needs to be accelerated. This Policy Note suggests specific, urgent actions needed to end child labour such as the creation and enforcement of national policies protecting the safety and health for all workers and sligning the minimum age for employment with the age for completion of compulsory schooling, and best practices to tackle the root causes of child labour.
Crop Prospects and Food Situation
Posted on 13 June 2012
FAO's quarterly forecast of agricultural production and food security gives an overall positive outlook for cereal production worldwide. The world cereal production is expected to reach a record increase of 3.2 per cent in 2012. The report however warns that several regions of the world are continue to face serious challenges to food security due to locally high food prices, armed conflict poor rainfall, severe weather and displacement. The report also lists 35 countries in need of external food assistance, 28 of which are in Africa.
Economic Report on Africa 2012: Unleashing Africa's Potential as a Pole of Global Growth
Posted on 11 June 2012
This year's report identifies the key binding constraints for unleashing Africa’s productive capacity and proposes a series of bold measures that governments must implement to position the continent as the next pole of global growth and re-balancing. It argues that sustaining the growth momentum and taking Africa’s development potential much further depends on strong political leadership with the capacity to mobilize the population around a common national development vision.
Pneumonia and diarrhoea: Tackling the deadliest diseases for the world's poorest children
Posted on 8 June 2012
Pneumonia and diarrhoea account for nearly one-third of the deaths among children under five globally — or more than 2 million lives each year. Nearly 90 per cent of deaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. According to this UNICEF report says that more than 2 million children’s lives could be saved in the 75 countries with the highest mortality burden if each country’s entire population of children under five years of age received the coverage already achieved by the wealthiest 20 per cent in those countries.
Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5): Environment for the future we want
Posted on 7 June 2012
The fifth edition of the Global Environmental Outlook cautions that if humanity does not urgently change its ways, several critical thresholds may be exceeded, beyond which abrupt and generally irreversible changes to the life-support functions of the planet could occur. It also says that meeting an ambitious set of sustainability targets by the middle of the century is possible if current policies and strategies are changed and strengthened, and gives many examples of successful policy initiatives, including public investment, green accounting, sustainable trade, the establishment of new markets, technological innovation and capacity building.
World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012
Posted on 7 June 2012
The world economy is on the brink of another major downturn. Global economic growth started to decelerate on a broad front in mid-2011 and is estimated to have averaged 2.8 per cent over the last year. This economic slowdown is expected to continue into 2012 and 2013. Against this background, the report discusses several policy directions which could avoid a double-dip recession, including: optimal design of fiscal policies to stimulate more direct job creation and investment in infrastructure, energy efficiency and sustainability, and food security; stronger financial safety nets and better coordination between fiscal and monetary policies; etc.
UNICEF Annual Report 2011
Posted on 7 June 2012
The 2011 edition of UNICEF’s annual reports highlights its continued commitment to achieving greater results for children through its programmes in more than 150 countriesand territories. During 2011, the UNICEF helped the most disadvantagedchildren to reach their full potential with interventions to save and enhance their lives, underscoring the importance of expanding efforts to reach the poorest and most remote communities. UNICEF also helped communities affected by crisis to rebuild and strengthen their resilience for the future.
The State of the World's Refugees 2012
Posted on 31 May 2012
The sixth edition of this flagship report produced by UNHCR states that protracted conflicts mean that fewer refugees are able to return home, yet restrictive state policies limit possibilities for local integration and resettlement, and threaten the institution of asylum. Rising numbers are displaced within their own countries, driven from their homes by climate change, natural disasters, conflict and human rights abuses. Refugees and displaced people increasingly live in cities rather than in camps, and are harder to reach and statelessness leaves millions in limbo on all continents.
Born too soon: the global action report on preterm birth
Posted on 31 May 2012
This WHO report shows the extent to which preterm birth is on the rise in most countries, and is now the second leading cause of death globally for children under five, after pneumonia. Addressing preterm birth is now an urgent priority for reaching Millennium Development Goal 4, calling for the reduction of child deaths by two-thirds by 2015. The publication also suggests that rapid change is possible and identifies priority actions for everyone.
Dementia: a public health priority
Posted on 31 May 2012
Dementia is a syndrome that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and ability to perform everyday activities. The number of people living with dementia worldwide is currently estimated at 35.6 million. This number will double by 2030 and more than triple by 2050. Dementia is overwhelming not only for the people who have it, but also for their caregivers and families. This WHO report raises awareness about dementia as a public health priority, articulates a public health approach and advocates for action at international and national levels.
Climate Protection and Development
Posted on 30 May 2012
This book spells out, in more detail than usual, what can and should be done to avert the real risks of disaster. It summons us to an endeavour worthy of the resources and ingenuity of the twenty-first century — towards bold initiatives with big costs, and much bigger benefits. It explores the interconnected issues of climate and development, laying the groundwork for such a new deal. It presents a challenging agenda, and highlights the needs and perspectives of developing countries which may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable to readers in high-income countries. The unfortunate truth is that any large country, or group of mid-sized countries, can veto any global climate solution by refusing to participate, so a solution will only work if it works for everyone.
National Accounts Statistics: Main Aggregates and Detailed Tables 2010 (Five-volume Set)
Posted on 30 May 2012
This publication contains detailed official national accounts data for 200 countries or areas of the World for the years 1999 to 2010. It is a valuable source of information on the state and structure of economies worldwide. The data for each country or area are presented in separate chapters with uniform table headings and classifications as recommended in the System of National Accounts 1993 (1993 SNA). Each country chapter also contains a write-up on the methodology and data sources which are used to compile the national accounts. A summary of the SNA conceptual framework, classifications, definitions, is also included in the publication.
Global Employment Trends for Youth 2012
Posted on 30 May 2012
This year’s report shows that the impacts of the crisis have been disproportionately severe for young people around the world, and that those in developed economies have been especially hard hit. With nearly 75 million youth unemployed worldwide, the youth unemployment rate has remained close to the crisis peak in 2009, and medium-term projections suggest little improvement. Particularly worrisome is the increase in those youth who have withdrawn from the workforce, and in those who are neither in education nor in employment.
Africa Human Development Report 2012: Towards a Food Secure Future
Posted on 21 May 2012
UNDP's first Africa Human Development Report shows that food security and human development reinforce each other.
If African countries are to realize their long-term potential, the report says, they must boost agricultural productivity to both improve the availability of food and reduce poverty. Policies to enhance nutrition are central to ensuring that access to food translates into human development. The report argues further that local populations must have the resources and decision-making power to produce and consume nutritious food throughout the year, overcoming the risks represented by continuing conflict, climate change and variations in food prices.
World Health Statistics 2012
Posted on 16 May 2012
WHO's report, which includes data from 194 countries, states that one in three adults worldwide has raised blood pressure and one in 10 suffers from diabetes (and up to one in three in some Pacific Island countries), and the numbers are drastically increasing in both developed and developing countries. The report also highlights the major health risks caused by obesity for the half a billion people – 12 per cent of the world’s population – considered obese. In all parts of the world, women are more likely to be obese than men, making them more vulnerable to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
Greening the Blue Helmets: Environment, Natural Resources and UN Peacekeeping Operations
Posted on 1 May 2012
UNEP's report presents the findings of a two-year analysis of how peacekeeping missions around the world affect, and are affected by, natural resources and the broader environment. In addition to highlighting the utmost importance of reducing the environmental impact of UN Peacekeeping operations, the report states that the implementation of good practices in this area also has additional benefits, including increased financial savings for missions, and improved safety and security for local communities as well as UN Peacekeeping staff.
World of Work Report 2012: Better Jobs for a Better Economy
Posted on 1 May 2012
This report by the Interbnational Labour Organization examines how different countries have performed since the start of the global crisis through the prism of the quantity and quality of jobs. It examines the effects of fiscal austerity and labour market reforms carried out in some countries, particularly in the EU and discusses why employment goals have all too often been neglected in policy practice. In addition, it explores the social implications of the crisis, including a "social unrest index" covering over 100 countries, as well as intergenerational poverty and the role of social policies in the crisis-recovery in both developed and developing countries.
World Urbanization Prospects, the 2011 Revision
Posted on 25 April 2012
By 2050, some 9.3 billion people would inhabit the planet, more than two thirds of them in urban areas. Africa and Asia would lead urban population growth, accounting for 86 per cent of urban population expansion around the world. Both continents will require very significant economic growth, expand urban infrastructure (transportation, water, energy, etc), improve housing, schools and public health services to accommodate the urban explosion due both to the burgeoning number of people born in their cities as well as to the influx of migrants from rural areas.
World Youth Report 2012
Posted on 25 April 2012
The 2012 report, entitled "Youth Employment: Youth Perspectives on the Pursuit of Decent Work in Changing Times", outlines the situation of young people in the labour market and youth employment trends. In the aftermath of the economic crisis, the global youth unemployment rate saw its largest annual increase on record in 2009, resulting in around 75.8 million unemployed youth. The report reveals that today's youth is worried about education quality and relevance, job vulnerability, labour migration, delayed marriage, and the rural divide, as well as age, gender and racial discrimination.
Trade and Development Report, 1981-2011: Three Decades of Thinking Development
Posted on 24 April 2012
This special edition traces the history of UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report over the last 30 years. Often ahead of the curve in predicting economic trends, TDRs, also known as the “encyclopaedia of development thinking”, warned countries such as Mexico and Thailand about the potential dangers of rapidly opening up their capital accounts, and brought attention to the threat to economic and social stability from growing levels of inequality. In emphasizing the importance of external environment to development, TDRs anticipated globalization, abandoned the dichotomy between short- and long-term economic issues, and opted for a holistic view of development looking at policies related to employment, trade, investment, debt and finance.
Year in Review 2011: United Nations Peace Operations
Posted on 24 April 2012
This Review is an annual publication providing an overview of the current United Nations peace operations worldwide, newest trends and developments in the area of peace keeping, peacemaking and peace building. It contains basic statistical facts and figures relating to UN peace presence in the field. The publication is produced by the Department of Public Information's Peace and Security Section, with contributions from the Departments of Peace keeping Operations, of Field Support and of Political Affairs, as well as from UN peace missions.
Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing
Posted on 24 April 2012
The United Nations Secretary-General launched the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP) of eminent world figures to formulate a new blueprint for a sustainable future on a planet under increasing stress resulting from human activities This report feeds into inter-governmental processes, including preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio 2012), and the annual meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Progress for Children: A report card on adolescents (No. 10)
Posted on 24 April 2012
Adolescence is a formative period during which children grow into their rightful place as full citizens and agents of change in their own lives and the lives of their societies. With this 10th report card, UNICEF provides an overview of the situation of adolescents, including of their vulnerabilities in critical areas. It makes a compelling case for increased efforts in advocacy, programming and policy, and for investment, to ensure the rights of adolescents and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Global Monitoring Report 2012: Food Prices, Nutrition, and the Millennium Development Goals
Posted on 24 April 2012
The report examines the impact of yet another food price spike on developing countries' ability to make progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It evaluates how many poor people were prevented from lifting themselves out of poverty and how many, including how many children, saw their personal growth and development permanently harmed because their families could not afford to buy food. It also asseses the reaction in terms of policies of several countries to the last two food price spikes of 2007/08 and 2011 and their response to higher and more volatile food prices. Finally the report outlines future prospects.
Global Parliamentary Report
Posted on 2 April 2012
This first report, entitled "The Changing Nature of Parliamentary Representation", is a joint work of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations Development Programme, and draws on input from 73 parliaments. It analyzes changes in relations between parliaments and citizens, and suggests improvements to parliamentary strategies for meeting public expectations. It argues that to address the current low-level of trust in them, parliaments must engage with citizens, stay closely attuned to their needs and make every effort to meet them.
21 Issues for the 21st Century
Posted on 13 March 2012
While the scientific community is on the frontline of assessing emerging threats and finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges, the report reveals that they need more support from international political and delivery structures if real progress toward sustainability is to be made. UNEP's report ranked list of 21 emerging issues described in a way that reflects their linkages to the various dimensions of sustainable development. The issues relate to the major themes of the global environment, as well as important cross-cutting issues.
Inequities in Early Childhood Development: What the data say
Posted on 28 February 2012
Parents and caregivers play critical roles in determining children’s chances for survival and development, and they can also empower children to become architects of their own lives. This short publication by UNICEF provides an overview of childcare practices and aspects of children’s home environments based on data gathered through Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in select countries. It makes a compelling case for effective action and investment in early childhood development.
The State of the World's Children 2012: Children in an Urban World
Posted on 28 February 2012
More than half the world’s 7 billion people now live in urban areas. What does this mean for children? This UNICEF flagship report examines the situation of children growing up in urban settings and finds that denials of children’s rights to survival, health, nutrition, education and protection are widespread. It sheds light on the scale of these urban inequities and suggests ways to ensure that urban childhoods are safe, healthy, participatory and fulfilling.
Global Economic Prospects 2012a: Uncertainties and Vulnerabilities
Posted on 31 January 2012
The world economy in 2012 is set to grow by just 2.5 percent, weighed down by ripple effects from the 2008 financial crisis. This World Bank report urges developing countries to preparing for further downside risks, while there is still time, by assessing their vulnerabilities and preparing for contingencies by pre-financing budgetary deficits, prioritizing spending on social safety nets and infrastructure spending to assure longer-term growth, and stress-testing banks to avoid an eruption of domestic banking crises.
Global Employment Trends 2012: Preventing a deeper jobs crisis
Posted on 31 January 2012
This report offers the latest global and regional estimates of employment and unemployment, employment by sector, vulnerable employment, labour productivity and working poverty, while also analysing country-level issues and trends in the labour market. It sheds light on current labour market developments and emerging challenges as the world continues to struggle to forge a sustainable recovery from the global economic and jobs crisis.
Disarmament: A Basic Guide
Posted on 17 January 2012
This guide is published by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs in collaboration with the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security pursuant to the purposes of the United Nations Disarmament Information Programme (UNDIP). The book is aimed to inform, educate and generate public understanding of and support for multilateral action in the field of arms limitation and disarmament. It is intended for the general reader, but may also be useful for the disarmament educator or trainer.
Humanitarian Action for Children 2012
Posted on 27 January 2012
Throughout the world, millions of children are living amidst crises that persist for years. While some of these emergencies attract significant media and political attention, others become ‘silent emergencies’ in which deep humanitarian need, far from the public eye, is too easily and too quickly overlooked. Multiple and drawn-out crises have a cumulative effect on people who are already vulnerable, and over time, repeated and continuing shocks undermine children’s capacity to cope. In 2011, UNICEF continued to coordinate extensive humanitarian operations relating to water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and gender-based violence.
Agribusiness for Africa's Prosperity
Posted on 17 January 2012
In recent years, a renewed focus on agriculture has been evident in policy and development agendas for the African continent, yet little knowledge has been generated on the interlinkages of production, agroindustry and markets, as well as the potentials and challenges for developing these. This publication analyzes the challenges, the potential and opportunities of African agribusiness in the current period of dramatic changes in global agro-industrial markets, and builds a case for agribusiness development as a path to Africa's prosperity. Written by international experts, this volume fills what the United Nations Industrial Development Organization perceived as a significant gap in knowledge concerning these issues.
Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication
Posted on 17 January 2012
This report, compiled by UNEP's Green Economy Initiative in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide, demonstrates that the greening of economies is not generally a drag on growth but rather a new engine of growth; that it is a net generator of decent jobs, and that it is also a vital strategy for the elimination of persistent poverty. The report also seeks to motivate policy makers to create the enabling conditions for increased investments in a transition to a green economy.