DESA News for March 2014
Feature Articles
Securing reliable data for development

“Statistics is shaping our understanding of the world,” UN DESA’s Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo said as he addressed last year’s Statistical Commission, underscoring the fundamental role that data plays for development. On 4-7 March, the Commission is gathering for its 45th session, bringing together official statisticians from all corners of the world. The event kicks off already on Friday 28 February with a day-long seminar on Managing the Data revolution, followed on 3 March with a high-level forum to mark the 20th Anniversary of the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. “The Statistical Commission has been instrumental in the establishment of …
Read moreCelebrating forests for sustainable development
Forests are essential for the survival of people everywhere. They are also at the heart of sustainable development. In 2012, the UN General Assembly declared 21 March as the International Day of Forests to “celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests”. A wide range of special events will celebrate the International Day of Forests 2014. Nearly 1.6 billion people worldwide depend on forests for their livelihood, food, fuel, shelter and medicine. The International Day of Forests is an opportunity for people around the world to celebrate their unique personal relationship to …
Read moreMoving development agenda forward through people’s empowerment
“There is consensus on the need to adopt an approach to development that integrates economic, social and environmental dimensions of development in a balanced manner. People’s empowerment is increasingly recognized as fundamental to achieving sustainable development, and new technologies, as well as policy approaches have emerged to make this a reality,” said Sewa-Lamsal Adhikari, Chair of 52nd Session of the Commission for Social Development. After ten days of work, the Commission completed its 52nd session on 21 February and approved six draft resolutions, which will now be sent to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for adoption. As this session …
Read moreGlobal Dialog on Development
Trends and Analysis
Capacity Development
Publications and Websites
Calendar
- 45th session of the Statistical Commission, 4-7 March, New York
- High-Level Symposium on “Accountable and effective development cooperation in a post-2015 era”, 20-21 March, Berlin, Germany
- Committee for Development Policy, 24-28 March, New York