Groups audience: 
UN Chronicle
English

Translating Hope into Action: 25 Years of Protecting Children from the Impact of Conflict

Young girls in a child-friendly space supported by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in El-Gezira state, the Sudan, 2018. Photo: Fabienne Vinet
Virginia Gamba, the fourth Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, with children during a visit to South Kordofan, the Sudan. Photo: Fabienne Vinet, 2018.

We have come a long way in ensuring that all children, including those affected by conflict, are better protected from the ravages of war. But we must do more.

Calling the United Nations System to Action on Disability Inclusion

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, we must challenge ourselves to push beyond our historical focus on gender and geography. We must address the inclusion of other underrepresented groups more intentionally in our workforce, including persons with disabilities.

Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion through Volunteerism

Leaving no one behind is not an empty mantra; it is a statement of our collective responsibility and accountability.

Strengthening Family Relationships Improves Children’s Well-Being

A young girl at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 March 2020. Photo: Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Given all the additional challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we should recognize and focus on the need to strengthen and mend family relationships. 

Integrating Security into Sustainable Development to Build More Peaceful Societies

Oil well fires rage outside Kuwait City in the aftermath of the 1990-91 Gulf War. 21 March 1991. David McLeod, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Figure 1, provided by author.

The development of conflict-sensitive approaches highlights how sustainable development can be made more effective through a consideration of peace and security. 

On Our Path to Global COVID-19 Recovery, We Must Focus on Literacy

Three classmates in Bangladesh read together from a children’s book provided by the non-profit organization Room to Read.
Students in Zambia raise their hands to answer questions posed by their teacher.

As we find ourselves in the greatest education crisis of our generation, literacy interventions can act as an antidote to the long-term effects of COVID-19.

A World in Crisis Needs International Cooperation

Reconstruction in Beira, Mozambique, two years after Tropical Cyclone Idai. June 2021. Photo by Chris Huby for UNDRR
Children and teachers in Bangladesh playing an educational game on risks and how to deal with disasters. November 2019. Chris Huby for UNDRR

Despite the clear evidence that investing in disaster risk reduction (DRR) brings great benefits, only a small fraction of international cooperation is being channeled to support such efforts.

The Pandemic Accelerant: How COVID-19 Advanced Our Mental Health Priorities

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.
Dr. Michele Nealon, President, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

There is no health without mental health, and we must address physical and mental wellness in equal measure.

Celebrating the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

Judges of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, 2021. ITLOS Photo
Judge Albert Hoffmann, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. ITLOS Photo

Our oceans have never played a more significant role in all spheres of human life and endeavour as they do today. It is only through sound governance of the oceans that we will continue to reap the benefits of this common good while preserving it for generations to come.

The Centrality of Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes

The UN Secretary-General's Youth Envoy launches a Peacebuilding Fund-supported project to strengthen the participation of young women in local and national peace processes, 27 January 2020. Source: Peacebuilding Fund, South Sudan.

When young people engage and interconnect within all three layers of negotiations—inside, around and outside the room—they have more positive influence in the development of agreements than if they are simply provided a seat at the table.