Pacific 

Inclusive peace in Afghanistan means ‘women at the centre’ urges UN deputy chief in Kabul

Amina Mohammed was speaking to reporters in the capital Kabul, after leading an all-women delegation of top UN officials for an intensive two-day “solidarity mission”, focussed on women, peace and security. She was joined by UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Natalie Kanem, and the head of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.  The Deputy Secretary-General… Read More
Pacific 

UN stands in solidarity with Japan following deadly arson attack at leading animation studio in Kyoto

Japanese police have now identified the man suspected of carrying out the attack on Thursday morning, who reportedly entered the Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) building, carrying cans of flammable liquid, which he poured across different areas of the film and graphic novel media business, before setting it alight.  According to news reports, witnesses to his arrest said he had alleged at the scene, that… Read More
Pacific 

Monsoon rains turn millions of children’s lives ‘upside down’ across South Asia

“Millions of children have seen their lives turned upside down by the torrential rainfall, flooding and landslides,” Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, said on Thursday. ⛈️ Extreme weather.?️ Rising sea levels.?Severe drought.? Floods.?️ Hurricanes.? Wildfires.⚠️ Natural disasters.? Cyclones. This is the link between climate change and displacement. pic.twitter.com/WOBHFwAaxG — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) July 18,… Read More
Pacific 

Asia and Pacific on course to miss all Sustainable Development Goals, says UN region chief

Under-Secretary-General Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana was in New York to take part in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the main UN platform for monitoring the progress that countries are making towards the Agenda, which is the UN’s blueprint for ending poverty and preserving the planet. ESCAP’s latest Sustainable Development Goals Progress Report shows that, when it comes to some of the… Read More
Europe 

Politicization of migrant ‘crisis’ in Hungary making them scapegoats, independent UN human rights expert warns 

“Migrants are portrayed as dangerous enemies in both official and public discourses in this country,” said Felipe González Morales, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, in a statement released following the end of his official visit to Hungary.   He stressed that he had seen groups of “desperate, traumatised and helpless men, women, boys and girls confined… Read More
Pacific 

International Court of Justice orders Pakistan to review death penalty for Indian accused of spying

Kulbhushan Jadhav, said the Court, had not been informed of his rights by the Pakistani authorities, and that the Indian Government has been deprived of “consular access”: the right to communicate with him. During the hearings, the ICJ had directed Pakistan not to carry out the death sentence until the Court’s final ruling. On Wednesday, the Court ordered a “continued… Read More
Europe 

Human cost of Ukraine conflict is growing, Security Council told

DiCarlo’s briefing to the Council was delivered just days before Ukrainians vote in parliamentary elections on July 21. The Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs expressed her hope that the poll will be “peaceful and democratic”, and inclusive, reflecting the “broadest participation of women”. However, the current political transition takes place against the backdrop of ongoing conflict in the eastern… Read More
Pacific 

As monsoon rains pound Rohingya refugee camps, UN food relief agency steps up aid

“Those in the most vulnerable living situations have been relocated to safer, newly developed land in the camps”, WFP Spokesperson Herve Verhoosel told the regular news briefing in Geneva, noting that 5,600 people had been displaced. Telling reporters that additional rainfall is forecasted for the weekend, he underscored that “the destruction is caused by the most significant weather event in… Read More
Pacific 

A quarter of Pacific islanders live below ‘basic needs poverty lines’, top UN development forum hears

“Of the four countries globally that are without women parliamentarians, three are in the Pacific,” she asserted. Turning to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), she pointed out that regarding diabetes, seven Pacific countries are in the top 10 globally. And in 10 SIDS, five out of 10 Pacific islanders are overweight.  “Moving forward, Pacific leaders are committed to more targeted support to… Read More
Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial