How a video can change the world
The world’s oldest annual film festival just came to an end. The 77th Venice International Film Festival was held from 2 to 12 September 2020 in the wonderful Lido di Venezia in Italy, raising awareness and promoting international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry. Despite the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UN DESA did not miss the opportunity to participate in the event and to discuss the 2030 Agenda and the way forward.
Safeguarding those left farthest behind
Recognizing what can and what needs to be achieved, the Social Protection for Sustainable Development Goals (SP4SDG), a UN Joint Programme in Malawi, was set up in partnership with the UN entities and the Government to fast-track the social and economic changes needed to safeguard families like Susanne’s.
New General Assembly underscores ‘necessity of multilateralism’
The 75th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Monday with a moment of silence against the unprecedented backdrop of the COVID pandemic, as the new president told delegates that the coronavirus had driven home the value of multilateralism “to address our collective challenges”.
Countries’ SDG progress reports tell stories of hardship and resilience
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in Georgia, schools were forced to close, as they did for 90 per cent of the world’s schoolchildren at the time. While some students were able to switch to online learning, those without Internet access faced missing out on months of education. But the Georgian Government was determined not to let it happen.
Everything you need to know about the UN World Data Forum
In just over a month, members of the data community from every corner of the world will meet in virtual space for the most important data event of the year – the United Nations World Data Forum. We talked to Francesca Perucci of UN DESA’s Statistics Division to discover what we can expect from this event.
International cooperation works – even from home
For the past 75 years, royals, presidents, prime ministers and other world leaders have been coming together at the UN General Assembly every year to discuss and attempt to peacefully resolve the planet’s gravest challenges. This year, for the first time since the end of the Second World War, they will stay at home. But the conversation and cooperation carry on.
COVID-19 could reverse decades of progress toward eliminating preventable child deaths, agencies warn
With the number of under-five deaths at an all-time recorded low of 5.2 million in 2019, disruptions in child and maternal health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic are putting millions of additional lives at stake.
Shaping data-based realities
Less than one year into the pandemic, COVID-19 is radically reshaping our globe. To respond to these rapid changes in a timely fashion, the world needs reliable information that captures the full extent of the pandemic’s impact. Up to date data and statistics will allow us to make better-informed decisions on how to respond to the crisis and to build back better.
‘Wisdom’ of Guatemala’s indigenous people needed for sustainable development: A UN Resident Coordinator blog
The wisdom and knowledge of indigenous people in Guatemala is central to the realization of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs, targets agreed by countries around the world to end poverty, maintain peace and preserve the health of the planet.
Geospatial information helps us connect vital data with a geographic location
To achieve the ambitious targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, bold and urgent action is needed. As the world is facing the grim impacts from the COVID-19 crisis, it has further underscored the challenges that prevent countries from taking the extraordinary steps needed to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A collective and coordinated solution for older persons in Africa
As the saying goes according to a Congolese proverb, “a single bracelet does not jingle”. To orchestrate the conversation on older persons and COVID-19, and to arrange efforts for their rights and protection, experts convened virtually on 20 August to create an effective plan of action to support older persons communities in Africa.
Young people enrich institutions and politics at every level
“Young people are usually the first responders and have always been in the frontlines, not just during this pandemic but also in times of disasters and in building social cohesion,” said Lynrose Jane Genon, member of Young Women Leaders for Peace in the Philippines, summing up the discussion on youth engagement for global action in the latest International Youth Day podcast produced by UN DESA with and for young people
“Indigenous peoples are crucial partners in the fight against COVID-19”
When COVID-19 infected the lungs of the world, the Guajajara people in the Amazon rainforest responded to the disease as indigenous peoples have done for centuries: sealing off their territories and protecting their elders.
UN praises resilience and vision of younger generation, marking International Youth Day
Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, which has upended young peoples’ lives and aspirations and heightened their vulnerabilities, UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the younger generation’s resilience, resourcefulness and engagement.
Young people take action for global change
The UN has been engaging with young people to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges since 1999. Yet 2020 might be the year their contribution is needed most, as the world is reeling from the disruption caused by COVID-19. Under the banner “Youth Engagement for Global Action”, this year’s International Youth Day will celebrate the positive action young people offer.