The United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) kicked off its 52nd session yesterday; this year's theme is financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women and the emerging issue is gender perspectives on climate change.

In the session's opening address, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke out against violence against women, noting that "at least one out of every three women is likely to be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime." Ban also announced the launch of a new campaign to battle global violence against women, which will run until 2015.

I've been lucky enough to go to past CSWs when I was working in the international women's rights arena, but (sadly) I won't be there this year. What's great, however, is that you can follow along on the CSW website and see what's happening - whether it be panels, statements or NGO events.

Another great place to find out info on CSW and its happenings is the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) (my old stomping ground), who are heavily involved in the process and give great updates.

Too often, American feminists forget about the all-important work being done on the international level by groups like WEDO and others. So please, check out all of the info on CSW and get involved!

If you want to know more about CSW and its history, click here.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told participants at the World Economic Forum that the United Nations will take action to address the shortage of water resources in the context of reaching global anti-poverty targets.

"Our experiences tell us that environmental stress, due to lack of water, may lead to conflict, and would be greater in poor nations...Population growth will make the problem worse. So will climate change. As the global economy grows, so will its thirst. Many more conflicts lie just over the horizon."

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The United Nations Foundation has announced that it will donate $1 dollar for each of the first 100,000 signatures to an online petition aimed at battling violence against women.

18,000 worldwide have already added their names to the campaign - "Say NO to violence against women" - since its launch last November. The campaign is run by the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

To find out more about the campaign, and to sign on, click here.

The head of United Nations peacekeeping is en route to the Sudan for talks with senior government officials about the joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur.

Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guehenno is expected to reach the capital, Khartoum, today to begin a four-day visit, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters.

Assistant Secretary-General Jane Holl Lute is already in the African country, having visited all three states in Darfur since arriving on Friday. She returned to Khartoum today for a meeting with Mutrif Siddiq, the Undersecretary at the Sudanese Foreign Affairs Ministry.

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Due to an increase in prices, more than 1 million people in rural Afghanistan are at risk of food shortages, says the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

"There are as many as 1.3 million Afghans who before were considered at borderline risk of food insecurity, but now, because of large price increases may have been pushed into a situation of high-risk of food insecurity," WFP Country Director Rick Corsino said at a press briefing in Kabul today.

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The United Nations is providing continuing assistance to the victims of post-election violence in Kenya.

The Kenya Red Cross Society announced that it has revised the death toll up from the official number of 486 to 575, and said that this figure is expected to rise further as more bodies are discovered.

Violence erupted in the Eastern African nation late last month after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the election, and opposition leader Raila Odinga has disputed the results.

...An assessment team from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has just wrapped up a visit to IDP sites in the towns and regions of Eldoret, Nakuru, Molo and Rongai.

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The 22-member Arab League will work with the United Nations refugee agency to launch a large-scale campaign tomorrow to help Iraqi refugees.

"The Iraqi people have suffered extreme hardship. Women, children, entire families have witnessed terrible violence and despair," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres. "I appeal to you to support your Iraqi brothers and sisters...Your voice and helping hand can make a profound difference."

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A new study conducted by the Iraqi Government and the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) shows that approximately 151,000 Iraqis have died from violence between March 2003 and June 2006.

The findings, published today on the web site of the New England Journal of Medicine, are based on information collected in a wider survey of family health in Iraq, designed to help the Government develop health polices and services. They are based on interviews with 9,345 households in nearly 1,000 neighbourhoods and villages across the country.

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Nearly 3 million children in Niger will be vaccinated against measles as part of a UN-backed immunization campaign.

"The overriding goal is to prevent measles deaths and disability, and to give each child in Niger the best start in life," UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) country representative Akhil Iyer said. "This campaign is testimony to the commitment of the Government and a remarkable example of successful partnership between different players."

The drive is led by the West African country's Ministry of Health, with financial and technical support from UNICEF, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and a coalition of other partners.

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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has outlined the UN's 2008 agenda, with an emphasis on peacekeeping, pre-emptive diplomacy, and climate change.

"If the challenges ahead appear daunting, let us remember that great expectations are placed on us...The world recognizes the indispensable nature of the United Nations. Let us take heart from the fact that multilateralism is alive and well and in greater demand than ever - that people look to us for global solutions to global problems."

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched $126-million year-long emergency operation to feed more than 1 million displaced Iraqis.

"We hope that the food assistance we provide can help avert a much bigger crisis," WFP Iraq Country Director Stefano Porretti said. "We are facing a growing humanitarian crisis as a result of the continuing violence in Iraq. An increasing number of displaced people cannot meet their food needs and therefore require more help."

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The United Nations Mission in Liberia's latest report on sexual exploitation and abuse shows a marked descrease in the number of allegations against its staff.

Only two allegations involving UNMIL personnel were reported from July to December 2007, the period covered by the latest report - which is part of UNMIL's efforts to implement the Organization's policy of keeping the public informed about measures taken to eradicate any incidents of such abuse by UN personnel. There were nine incidents reported during the same period in 2006.

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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a statement on the violence in Kenya following the election results: "The Secretary General calls on the political parties and leaders to resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue and by making full use of the existing legal mechanisms and procedures..."

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In a nonbinding resolution, the UN General Assembly has called for a moratorium on the death penalty.

Among the countries joining the United States in opposition to the European-led measure were Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan and Zimbabwe. Opponents argued that the resolution undermined their national sovereignty. Two similar moves in the 1990s failed, and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the new vote was "evidence of a trend toward ultimately abolishing the death penalty."

Ban also said, "Today's vote represents a bold step by the international community...I am particularly encouraged by the support expressed for this initiative from many diverse regions of the world."

UPDATE: Louise Arbour, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, explains her opposition to the death penalty in today's Los Angeles Times.

United Nations staff around the world observed a minute of silence yesterday to honor the victims of the recent attacks in Algiers. 17 UN staff died in the attack.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "The Algiers attack will never deter us in our vital work around the world, regardless of threats to our staff...Our communal efforts to help those who suffer [and] to help peace must be redoubled."

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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has extended his visit to Bali in order to continue forging ahead with efforts to bring about a successful conclusion to the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

UN spokesperson Marie Okabe said, "The Secretary-General has decided to remain in Bali longer than originally scheduled because of the very critical phase of the negotiating process at the Climate Change Conference...The successful launch of the negotiation process is a top priority for the Secretary-General, as well as the defining issue of our time, and he will devote as much effort as needed."

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Responding to the bombing in Algiers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the attack would not prevent the U.N. from doing its work.

"This attack on the U.N. is an attack on us all and our highest ideals...I call on this General Assembly to stand united. We must all condemn this deed, just as we must work, together, to bring its vile perpetrators to justice."

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A United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) online fundraising campaign plans to connect farmers in rural Africa to food bloggers around the world.

WFP Director of Public Policy Strategy, Nancy Roman said, "It is difficult to imagine two worlds that are further apart -- the high-end culinary world and rural African farmers...But by coming together, the global community of foodies can make a real difference to poor people who struggle daily with hunger and survival."

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After an eight-day visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Titinga Frederic Pacere, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights for the DRC, said that the situation was "alarming" and needed immediate international support.

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A senior United Nations official told the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali that a delay in addressing the issue of adaptation would be “an attack on the poor.”

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
said, "Our hope is that the meeting here will agree that more developing countries should be provided with the resources to really be able to assess properly how they are likely to be affected by the impacts of climate change."

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We're well into the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, but the stories of violence against women just keep coming.

A Filipino woman has brought her rape case to the UN's Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) after failing to see justice in her own country.

Karen Verdito, who went through nine years of litigation trying to prove her rape, was finally told by the justice system that she, basically, was not the kind of person someone would want to rape.

Verdito said, "The court, in effect, showed that there are two kinds of women: the 'rapable' and the 'unrapable' kind. I , according to the judge, fit the 'unrapable' mold." That's why she decided to take the case to the UN:

Karen's communication under the Optional Protocol to the CEDAW seeks for the UN to compel the Philippine government to undertake measures to ensure the full recognition, enjoyment, and exercise of the rights guaranteed to women under the Women's Convention and other human rights conventions and to comply with its obligations under the Women's Convention, where the country is a signatory.

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RH Reality Check has launched a great blog series on obstetric fistula, which effects two million women in the developing world. Through photo essays, information spreading and ways to get involved, the blog series shines a light on this tragic--but preventable and treatable--injury. Make sure to check it out.

Director-General Koichiro Matsuura of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has spoken out against the murder of Pakistani journalist Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, who was shot in the southern province of Sindh.

Matsuura called the journalist someone "who gave a voice to the poor showing how important the media can be in promoting transparency and rule of law."

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In keeping with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, check out Salon's Broadsheet on how to help women affected by rape in the Congo.

[A]sk your reps to support the International Violence Against Women Act (S.2279), introduced by Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) in an effort to increase U.S. commitment to ending gender-based violence in Congo and worldwide. The IVAWA would implement -- among other things (PDF) -- training, reporting mechanisms, and other emergency measures for those working with refugees and other vulnerable populations.

This weekend not only marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, but it also kicked off a fantastic campaign: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

Founded at Rutgers Univeristy's Center for Women's Global Leadership, the campaign begins on the International Day Against Violence Against Women and ends on December 10, International Human Rights Day, "in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights."

Since its inception in 1991, over 2,000 organizations in 154 countries have participated in the campaign.

Get Involved: Check out campaign's action kit and if you have a blog, get involved in the Carnival Against Violence Against Women, which Black Looks is hosting.

Yesterday marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in which governments, UN agencies and NGOs raise public awareness on the issue. To mark the day, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pledged increased efforts by the United Nations to end all forms of violence against women.

"Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world...[The UN is] stepping up its activities at all levels -- from new initiatives by the regional commissions to better coordination and programming at the country level."

Ban also announced that he will "spearhead a system-wide campaign through 2015 for the elimination of violence against women" which will focus on global advocacy; United Nations leadership by example; and strengthened partnerships at the national and regional levels.

For more information on how the UN is combating violence against women worldwide, click here.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is sending relief in the wake of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh—the organization is sending food to feed 400,000 people in the affected areas.

“We have to move as quickly as possible to get food to the most vulnerable,” said WFP Bangladesh Representative Douglas Broderick, pointing out that the biscuits are critical “when there is a scarcity of clean water for drinking and cooking.”

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A new report released by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that the number of people living with HIV worldwide is about 33.2 million.

The data in the report, 2007 AIDS Epidemic Update, shows that HIV prevalence has leveled off and the number of new infections has fallen, but that in 2007, 2.5 million people were newly infected and 2.1 million people died of AIDS.

"These improved data present us with a clearer picture of the AIDS epidemic, one that reveals both challenges and opportunities," said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot.

"Unquestionably, we are beginning to see a return on investment - new HIV infections and mortality are declining and the prevalence of HIV levelling. But with more than 6,800 new infections and over 5,700 deaths each day due to AIDS we must expand our efforts in order to significantly reduce the impact of AIDS worldwide."

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The United Nations refugee agency has pledged $11 million to help care for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees living in Jordan.

Under a funding agreement signed in Amman today, the money will help the Ministry of Health enhance public medical services and primary health centres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a news release.

"For a long time there was not enough attention given to the burden on Jordan and we continue to try to help in alleviating this burden," UNHCR Representative in Jordan Imran Riza said after signing the agreement.

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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced his concern at the devastation and increasing death toll left by Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh.

Media reports say that more than 2,000 people have been reported killed as a result of Cyclone Sidr, which struck the southwest coast of Bangladesh late on Thursday local time, bringing winds of more than 240 kilometres per hour and a water surge that created waves up to five metres high. The death toll is expected to climb further.

Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, large tracts of cropland have been wiped and hundreds of thousands of people have had to evacuate their home villages and towns and now depend on aid for basic necessities.

Ban expressed "his profound condolences to the people and Government of Bangladesh for the many deaths and the destruction involved, and the full solidarity of the UN system at this time of crisis."

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Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has nominated Belgian criminologist Serge Brammertz as the new chief prosecutor at the war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

From The New York Times:

Mr. Brammertz’s candidacy became known informally this summer, but he had to complete his mandate as the head of the United Nations inquiry into the killing in 2005 of Rafik Hariri, the former prime minister of Lebanon. Mr. Ban also nominated Daniel Bellemare, a Canadian prosecutor, to take over the Lebanon investigation. Both appointments require the approval of the Security Council, which is likely.

The second meeting of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro tackled internet resources, access, how to use the internet to assist in development.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "The United Nations does not have a role in managing the Internet...But we do embrace the opportunity to provide, through this Forum, a platform that helps to ensure the Internet’s global reach."

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During Ban Ki-moon's visit to Antarctica, the UN Secretary General said warming temperatures on the continent mark dangers of climate change.

"It is here where our work, together, comes into focus...We see Antarctica's beauty – and the danger global warming represents, and the urgency that we do something about it."

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is sending aid to 70,000 people affected by floods in the Mexican state of Tabasco.

"We are moving as swiftly as possible to bring critical help to the people of Tabasco, who are suffering the worst crisis in their recent history," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

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An English version of a United Nations online game aimed at raising awareness about refugees, "Against All Odds," was recently released.

[The game] is a reworked version of a Swedish-language game, Motallaodds, which was designed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Stockholm and launched nearly two years ago.

In September 2006, the German version of the game – known as LastExitFlucht (LastExitFlight) – was awarded the Austrian Multimedia and E-Business State Prize in the category for “Knowledge and Learning,” after beating off stiff competition from a CD-Rom about the life of Mozart.

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Actress Angelina Jolie, Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, will be honored by the International Rescue Committee tomorrow.

Jolie will receive the organization's annual Freedom Award, along with UNHCR.

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, has voiced alarm at the imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan.

In a statement, Louise Arbour expressed concern about reports that leading judges, lawyers and political and human rights activists have been detained or placed under house arrest, including UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief, Asma Jahangir.

She called on the Pakistani authorities to clarify the status of those detained and ensure that no one is detained for the peaceful exercise of their political beliefs.

Arbour said, "A state of emergency should only be used to deal with a dire security threat to the nation, not to undermine the integrity and independence of the judiciary."

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Experts, advocates and activists came together at a United Nations-backed meeting in Asia to call for a commitment to reproductive health for women.

"Too many governments remain shackled by external pressures, outmoded laws and regulatory structures undermining reproductive health," said participants in an Open Letter to Governments adopted at the end of the conference in India.

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A two-day summit aimed at stopping the flow of drugs out of Afghanistan kicked off yesterday in Kabul.

The meeting, bringing together international counter-narcotics officials, is being held under the framework of the Paris Pact – an initiative launched in 2003 to promote coordinated measures to counter drug trafficking in and from Afghanistan.

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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend a high-level diplomatic meeting on Iraq in Turkey this week.

The Istanbul Expanded Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighbouring Countries of Iraq will focus on ways to promote greater regional dialogue.

"The Secretary-General hopes the Istanbul meeting will be an important opportunity for the participants to find mutually acceptable solutions on issues of common concern," spokesperson Marie Okabe said.

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UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, reports that violence in Iraq has displaced more than 4.4 million people.

The agency estimates that 60,000 people are forced to leave their homes every month.

Of these, some 2.2 million Iraqis are displaced internally, while more than 2.2 million have fled to neighbouring states, particularly Syria and Jordan. Many were displaced prior to 2003, but an increasing number are fleeing now. In 2006, Iraqis had become the leading nationality seeking asylum in Europe.

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United Nations agencies are working together to address the problem of sexual violence in Somalia.

"After years of war, rape has become a threat to women in Somalia when they move along roads, due to the presence of militia at illegal roadblocks. They are also at risk in IDP settlements located on the outskirts of towns such as Galkayo, which are too isolated to be secure," United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a news release.

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B. Lynn Pascoe, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, raised concerns recently about the humanitarian conditions facing Palestinians.

"Economic activity and humanitarian operations will be seriously affected by the decision of Israel to further restrict access for West Bank residents - including UN staff - to East Jerusalem and the ‘seam zone’ between the Barrier and the green line," he said.

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Today marks United Nations Day, the anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter on today's date in 1945.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, "More people and governments understand that multilateralism is the only path in our interdependent and globalizing world,...Global problems demand global solutions – and going it alone is not a viable option."

So Happy Birthday, UN. Party on.

David Beckham joins forces with Nothing But Nets; find out how you can get involved here.