Category: Development

In its first summary of the latest research into the impact of the tiny plastic pollutants on humans, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that they have been found in marine settings, waste and fresh water, food, the air and drinking-water, both bottled and from a tap. Frequently, microplastics are defined as less than five millimetres long, according to WHO.… Read More

‘Invisible’ crisis of water quality threatens human and environmental well-being: World Bank report  Deteriorating water quality worldwide is slashing the economic potential of heavily polluted areas, according to a new World Bank report, released on Tuesday. It also warns that the “invisible” crisis of water quality is threatening human and environmental well-being.  In some regions, rivers and lakes are so polluted that… Read More

First-hand accounts of Boko Haram terrorism survivors To mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, on 21 August, UN News travelled to Chad and the Far North region of Cameroon in West Africa earlier this year, to interview people who have personal stories to tell, about how terrorism has shattered their lives. Hawa Abdu shared her experience in… Read More

Humanitarian assistance to be scaled-up for millions of Venezuelans in need The United Nations humanitarian wing launched a new Response Plan (HRP) on Wednesday, that aims to help around 2.6 million people in Venezuela through to the end of the year, almost half of whom are youth.   Noting that the plan “only represents a limited number of all people in… Read More

“I am honoured to be joining UNAIDS as the Executive Director at such a critical time in the response to HIV,” said Ms Byanyima. “The end of AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is a goal that is within the world’s reach, but I do not underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead. Working with all its partners,… Read More

Security Council gravely concerned over Ebola outbreak in DR Congo The Security Council reiterated Friday its “grave concern” about the most recent outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and emphasized the need for continued cooperation with the DRC authorities to address the outbreak, as well as with other countries in the region. The statement also… Read More

World Breastfeeding Week 2019 to spotlight importance of family-friendly policies   World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.   It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations to protect, promote and support… Read More

On Wednesday, David Gressley, the UN Ebola Emergency Response Coordinator, and Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, Assistant Director-General for Emergency Response at the World Health Organization (WHO), released a joint statement announcing that they are “working intensively” to halt any further spread. Surveillance is being stepped up at all entry and exit points in the area, but more needs to be… Read More

“This Ebola response is far more complex because it is in an active conflict zone,” Jerome Pfaffmann, a UNICEF health specialist, told reporters in Geneva, just back from his third visit to the country.  He underscored that “people in the (eastern Congolese) provinces of North Kivu and Ituri are facing humanitarian and public health crises,” and in addition, half the health facilities in Ituri had been damaged or destroyed over the last… Read More

With five billion people today – four times more people than a decade ago – living in countries that have introduced smoking bans, graphic warnings on packaging and other effective tobacco control measures, many governments are making progress in the fight against tobacco.   But a new WHO report out on Friday shows many countries are still not adequately implementing policies, including helping… Read More