UN Commemorates First-Ever World Wildlife Day

The United Nations Monday commemorated the first-ever World Wildlife Day dedicated to the preservation of the world’s fauna and flora.

UNSC Warns Sanctions to Support Yemen’s Political Transition

The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) Wednesday adopted a resolution that expresses its support for Yemen’s movement toward a political transition and threatens sanctions against any actor which seeks to obstruct or undermine the process.

UN Chief Appeals for Dialogue in Thailand

“The Secretary General believes strongly that there should be no place for violence by any side in resolving political differences and disputes,” UN  Spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters Wednesday, referring to the escalating political crisis in Thailand.

Developing Nations Team Up to Protect Women, Children

A woman lies on the earthen floor of a modest hut, bracing for the next contraction. Another swaddles a newborn baby in strips of cloth torn from a sheet. A continent away, a young mother cuts her own umbilical cord.

Syrian Children Face “Relentless Horror and Suffering”

They number close to five million; some drift through the debris of their former homes, now reduced to smoldering rubble. Others limp over the border into neighbouring countries, dragging their feet and what few possessions could be salvaged from the fighting.

Long-awaited Korean Family Reunions Come Amid Humanitarian Concerns

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, a former foreign minister of South Korea, said he was particularly “encouraged” by the agreement reached between the two Koreas on family reunions.

Security Council Demands Unhindered Access to Humanitarian Aid for Syria

The 15-member Security Council Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding unhindered access to humanitarian aid for Syria.

Violence Continues to Escalate in the Central African Republic

As violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to escalate, U.N. Secretary -General Ban Ki-moon, following consultations with the U.N Security Council (UNSC), has proposed a six-point initiative to address the dominant issues facing the country.

EGYPT – Looking for a Conscience

“We are not looking for a leader to rule us, because everyone who went to Tahrir Square is a leader. We are looking for a conscience,” says Ahmed Hassan, protagonist of the Oscar-nominated Egyptian documentary ‘The Square’, which was screened at the United Nations headquarters Tuesday.

U.N. Appeals for Humanitarian Funding For Somalia

“We cannot give up on the people of Somalia, even as the world is overwhelmed by crises”, was the UN’s message for the international community.

U.N. Alliance of Civilizations Stands by its Support for Youth-Led Projects

In 2008 the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) established the Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) in a way to support young people through an international grants-making programme. Seven years later, YSF continues its work by providing seed funding to youth led organizations that focus on fostering dialogue on cross cultural issues and bridging gaps between communities both locally and globally.

Journalists Mark Another Year of Persecution

The world’s leading media watchdogs – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) – Wednesday released their annual press freedom reports, analyzing the overall global climate for information providers.

Committee to Protect Journalists Releases 2014 Report

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Wednesday released its 2014 report titled, “Attacks on the Press: Journalism on the World’s Front Lines”, an annual survey of the conditions of global press freedom.

U.N. Relief Agency Faces Immediate Crisis, Warns Outgoing Leader

During his last visit to the United Nations as head of the department providing relief to Palestinian refugees, Filippo Grandi spoke about the immediate challenges facing his organisation.

Africa Loses $50 Billion Annually on Illicit Financial Flows

Africa is losing some 50 billion dollars every year due to illicit financial flows (IFFs), an amount that is much higher than the development aid  the continent receives from international donors, said former South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Homs Deal Marred by Continued Hostilities and Sieges in Syria

On Feb 6, 2014, an agreement was reached between the two sides to the Syrian conflict to allow humanitarian supplies to enter the Old City of Homs and permit approximately 2,500 besieged civilians to leave. While the deal has successfully permitted a reported 600 civilians to exit the besieged area, aid operations have also been complicated by direct attacks from hostile combatants on February 8 and 9. The tense situation in Homs serves as a reminder that within Syria there are an estimated 9.3 million people in need of urgent humanitarian aid, roughly 250,000 of them under siege, according to the United Nations.

IKEA Lights Up Refugees Camps with “Green Energy”

Rolling out renewable “green energy” solutions to refugee camps in five countries from the Middle East, Africa and Asia will improve the well being of more than one million lives, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said during a launch of a two-month campaign to raise funds through the sale of light bulbs at IKEA stores globally.

UN Outraged by Looting of Humanitarian Supplies in South Sudan

The United Nations has responded with outrage and disappointment at the recent looting of humanitarian supplies in South Sudan. The issue has drawn serious attention after South Sudanese SPLA government forces were photographed wearing UNICEF backpacks slung over the same shoulders as their firearms, and U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) warehouses, along with many other humanitarian locations, have been raided.

To the New Order, Strategically

I have never understood the myth of Sisyphus. Why would any intelligent person push an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll down, and to repeat this action for ever? Oddly, this is what India is doing with its quest to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It is pushing a huge boulder uphill with no prospect of it ever reaching the top.

UN Launches Appeal for Sahel Region Aid Plan Funds

The United Nations Monday appealed to the international community for two billion dollars as part of a three year Regional Strategic Response Plan to provide aid and support to the African Sahel region.

UNICEF Report Uses Data to Make Every Child Count

The UN children’s agency UNICEF may have found a direct way to identify the gaps that keep the most disadvantage children from enjoying basic human rights.  UNICEF’s latest report, titled Every Child Counts, shows the importance of collecting data to reveal disparities among the world’s 2.2 million children.