Terrorism Index Shows Nine-Fold Increase Since 2000

In 2014, the number of lives lost to terrorism around the world increased by 80 percent, the highest level ever. The majority of such terrorist activity occurred in the largest refugee-producing nations, a Global Terrorism Index (GTI) showed.

Children Extremely Vulnerable to Climate Change, Warns UNICEF

Climate change will disproportionately impact children, particularly in high poverty areas, the UN children’s agency UNICEF warned, in a new report released here. The report, “Unless We Act Now,” illustrates the dangers of climate change on livelihoods and urges for action ahead of the upcoming Paris Climate Change Conference, also known as COP21. “Today’s children are the least responsible for climate change, but they, and their children, are the ones who will live with its consequences,“ said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “And, as is so often the case, disadvantaged communities face the gravest threat,” he continued. UNICEF found that more than half a billion children live in extremely high flood occurrence zones, a majority of whom are in countries where half or more of the population lives in poverty. Another 160 million also live in areas of high or extremely high drought severity. Climate change will only increase the frequency of droughts, floods, and severe weather events, the report noted. Such extreme weather conditions exacerbate undernutrition and increase the spread of water-related diseases such as malaria and dengue which have lifelong effects on young children. Meanwhile, access to health services is also reduced during such natural disasters. During the 2010 floods in Pakistan, over 2.8 million children under 5 were affected but 15 percent of clinics and hospitals were damaged and all medicines destroyed, hindering access to health care. The risks to children go beyond physical health. Climate change threatens the complete loss of livelihoods. During the 2011 drought in Eastern Africa, the subsequent food crisis forced children to leave school and take dangerous jobs to support families. Families also often split up to search food, leaving children alone and exposed to violence and exploitation. Climate change will also worsen existing inequities, the report highlighted. Children and families already living in poverty and lacking access to resources such as water and sanitation are less likely to recover from a severe weather event, pushing them further into poverty and making them more vulnerable in ensuing crises. Of the 530 million children in flood-prone areas, nearly 100 million already lack access to safe water and over 270 million do not have access to sanitation. Similarly, approximately 130 million children in high drought zones do not have access to sanitation and/or safe water. In the report, UNICEF called for a cut in greenhouse gas emissions to limit global temperature increases. Without action, by 2050, the number of children living in higher-temperature and higher-risk zones is projected to triple to almost 1.5 billion. During the G20 meeting in Turkey, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged for action, warning of the consequences of global warming. “Even a 2 degree rise will have serious consequences for food security, economic stability and international security,” Ban told world leaders. “I urge you to look beyond national horizons and work in the common interest,” he continued. UNICEF also underscored the need to consider and include children in climate change adaptation. “If shocks are going to become more frequent in the future, it is imperative to build resilience and improve equitable outcomes for children today,” UNICEF stated in the report. At COP21, which begins on Nov 30, heads of State will meet to negotiate and set an international agreement keeping the average global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius. (End)

End Media Sexism by 2020, Urges New Study

“We have to end media sexism by 2020,” said General Secretary of World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) Karin Achtelstetter at the launch of the new Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) report.

16-Day Campaign to End Gender Violence

Civil society members from around the world are calling for action to end gender-based violence during its annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign.

UN Marks Achievement in Global Malaria Reduction

“Today, we celebrate major advances in our fight against malaria," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, in a message marking the achievement of malaria reduction, as set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Environment: a Silent Victim of the Syrian Conflict

The devastating five-year-old civil war in Syria has contributed to the largest refugee crisis since World War II. But there is also another silent victim of the Syrian conflict: the degradation of the environment.

Rights Group Urges EU Action on Refugee Crisis

“Drowning at sea or freezing in a Balkan field can never be acceptable forms of border control,” said Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) Associate Europe and Central Asia Director Judith Sunderland, while urging Europe to take appropriate and urgent action on the refugee crisis.

Feed Syrian Refugees With One Click

A new app to help feed Syrian refugee children with one simple click has been launched by the World Food Programme (WFP).

Burundi at Dangerous Tipping Point, Warns UN

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the increased human rights violations in Burundi and threatening sanctions against those responsible.

African Markets Growing, But Still Face Obstacles

Africa’s private sector is rapidly growing and is contributing to economic growth and development, according to global business leaders who attended the recent Frontier 100 Forum of the Initiative for Global Development (IGD).

Global Drug Policy Needs Re-Thinking

Global drug policy must be renewed with human rights in mind, UN University (UNU) said in a new report, leading up to the 2016 General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) next April.

End Growing Child Statelessness, Says UNHCR

A stateless child is born somewhere in the world every 10 minutes, and the issue of statelessness is only growing, according to a new report by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Ending Corruption is Crucial for SDGs

“To achieve the sustainable development agenda, we must end corruption and bribery”, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at one of the world’s largest anti-corruption conferences in St. Petersburg, Russia.

WHO Calls for Action to Prevent Youth Violence

Approximately 200,000 youth are murdered every year, making homicide the fourth leading cause of death among young people around the world, according to a new study by the Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO).

Rotary to Honour Six “Global Women of Action”

Rotary will honour six women members of Rotary clubs from around the world during the 2015 Rotary Day at the United Nations.

Asia-Pacific Most Disaster-Prone Region, Says New Study

Asia-Pacific is the world’s most disaster prone region and its disaster risk is likely to increase without necessary action, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) said in a new report released here.

Southeast Asia Faces its Own Refugee Crisis

As monsoons end, sailing season begins in Southeast Asia as thousands of refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh undertake treacherous boat journeys to escape persecution and marginalization, Amnesty International (AI) reported.

Pollutants Must Be Reduced to Deter Climate Change & Bad Health

There is an urgent need to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) which contribute to climate change and ill-health, says the World Health Organization (WHO) in its new report.

MDGs on Maternal and Child Survival Left “Unfulfilled,” says Countdown to 2015

Though maternal and child survival have improved significantly during the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era, its corresponding goals remain mostly unfulfilled, according to a new study by ‘Countdown to 2015’.

Slow Progress in Gender Equality, Report Reveals

Although the status of women has improved in many areas over the last 20 years, progress continues to be slow, according to the UN’s Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) which launched the World’s Women Report.

Urbanisation May Be “Biggest Challenge” for Asia-Pacific, New Report Says

By 2018, more than half of Asia-Pacific’s population is expected to live in urban areas, making it the biggest challenge facing the region’s governments and cities, says a new study.