Stories written by Aarthi Gunnupuri

Food Recognized as Basic Human Right

By Aarthi Gunnupuri
Food, as a basic human right, helps citizens and courts hold governments accountable for violations or victimisation that results in hunger, said Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.

U.N. Predicts Rise in Urbanisation

By Aarthi Gunnupuri
In a few decades, 65 to 70 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas, said Joan Clos, executive director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). “It is a huge transformation of life experience,” he added, highlighting the importance of increasing access to a range of services, including health, education and mobility.

MDG Fund, Boosted by Spain, Benefits Nine Million People Worldwide, Says UNDP

By Aarthi Gunnupuri
At a U.N. ceremony  Wednesday, the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) presented the results of its work, which it claims has directly benefitted nine million people around the world. Created from a US$ 900 million donation from Spain in 2007, the MDG-F administers development programmes in over 50 countries through the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) and its worldwide network of agencies.

Bolivian President on Fighting Poverty and Intimidation by U.S.

By Aarthi Gunnupuri
At a press conference Tuesday with Bolivian President Evo Morales, the denial of airspace to his presidential jet by several European countries in July this year (covered by IPS here) was foremost among the minds of many journalists .

Disability Linked to U.N.’s Development Agenda

By Aarthi Gunnupuri
Despite its well-intentioned fight against global poverty, the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)  marginalizes  persons with disabilities.