Category: Rights
On The New White House Atrocity Prevention Board
President Obama gave a speech at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum today announcing the creation of a new Atrocities Prevention Board, a standing inter-agency group tasked with formulating a response to mass atrocities or to prevent potential mass atrocities from being carried out.
The French Election: What You Need to Know
President Nicolas Sarkozy comes in second after the first round of the presidential election in France.
How 62 Refugees Escaping Libya Died at Sea While Everyone Looked the Other Way
During the height of the Libya conflict, scores of migrants boarded a rickety vessel en route to Europe. They perished at sea while NATO and others ignored their pleas for help.
Help Find a Sango or Kaba Speaker
This morning I came across a heartwarming, humanity affirming story about a California high school that is rallying around a teenage boy named Samedi Djeimguero. He speaks no English. Only a language native of Central African Republic. Help him find a translator.
Meet Joyce Banda: A Women’s Rights Advocate Who Just Became President of Malawi
Joyce Banda, former vice-president of Malawi, is sworn in following Bingu wa Mutharika sudden passing. How will the strong-willed and principled new president fare as she tackles Malawi’s complex economic, political and social challenges?
The Real Legacy of Richard Descoings
Richard Descoings, who has been at the helm of one France’s most prestigious schools, died in New York on Tuesday. A true and a passionate reformer, he loved his school, and his school loved him.
Mines Kill. The UN Tries to Stop That
Today is Mine Awareness Day. So, here’s something to help raise your awareness about mines: A Jeremy Renner narrated 8 minute documentary about UN Mine Action Service.
Hope for Myanmar. Hope for the World
Given the events of the past week, it is not unreasonable to think that someday soon — once Burma’s democratic transition is complete– Aung San Suu Kyi may become President of her country.
A Dangerous Turn Toward Ethnic Cleansing in Syria
New York Times reporter Anne Barnard spends some time with recent Syrian refugees in Lebanon. They tell her that the fighting is increasingly taking on a sectarian bent with neighbor fighting neighbor.
Israel Loves Iran and Iran Loves Israel…It’s True
A burgeoning social media movement by plugged-in Israelis and Iranians is saying “no” to war mongering between the two governments.
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Iran; Syria; Internet Governance; Libya; and more
UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano and top aides will travelto Tehran on Sunday for talks with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, a few days before Iran and world powers meet in Baghdad to discuss the broader nuclear dispute. News of the rare visit came as Western diplomats said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran were making headway towards a framework deal on how to tackle concerns about Iran’s atomic activity.
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Sudan/South Sudan; State of the World Economy debate; International Day against Homophobia; and more
The U.N. Security Council has called on Sudan and South Sudan to reach an agreement on the status of the disputed, oil-rich Abyei border region and extended the U.N. security force’s mission there by six months. The council passed a resolution Thursday calling the situation a serious security threat and demanding the creation of a jointly administered Abyei police force.
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The top United Nations refugee official today voiced his alarm at new inflows of refugees into Rwanda and Uganda, fleeing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). More than 8,200 refugees have crossed from DRC into Rwanda since 27 April, according to staff of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These are in addition to the 55,000 Congolese refugees that Rwanda is already hosting.
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Syria: U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan is urging Syria’s government to accept U.N. conditions for expanding the distribution of humanitarian aid to roughly 1 million Syrians in need of assistance, the United Nations said today. Meanwhile, three vehicles belonging to … Read more
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Sustainable Future Symposium; ICT for Development; IAEA/Iran; Global Financial Transaction Tax; and more
Partnerships and development cooperation among countries will play a key role in accelerating sustainable development, the Secretary-General of the UN Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20), Sha Zukang said today, stressing that assistance will need to focus on helping developing countries find longer-term solutions to eradicate poverty and transition into a green economy.The two-day Australia High-Level Symposium, “Shaping a Sustainable Future – Partners in Development Cooperation,” which began today, seeks to facilitate an informal dialogue on development cooperation among high-level policymakers, multilateral and civil society organizations, philanthropic foundations and the private sector.
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DR Congo; South Sudan; UNHCR and OIC; and more
Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonovic, today voiced concern over the human rights situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has experienced a recent upsurge in violence. Mr. Šimonovic said he was “appalled” by the heightened levels of recent violence triggered by defections in the Congolese armed forces, including former members of certain militia groups, and welcomed joint efforts between the peacekeepers of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), humanitarian actors and the authorities to protect civilians and respond to human rights violations.
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Asia-Pacific Human Development Report; Syria; Horn of Africa; UNRWA
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region must find ways to continue to grow economically and lift millions out of poverty while also responding to climate change and environmental concerns, according to UN report released today, which stresses that new methods of production are needed to meet this goal.UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Human Development Report 2012 argues that policies and actions in the region will have a global impact as it is home to more than half of the world’s population and half of the planet’s megacities.
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SG on Rio/Post-2015 Development; Syria; Middle East; Global Fund; and more
Appealing for flexibility in reaching agreement on a final outcome document, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today, emphasized the need for Member States to agree on launching a process to establish Sustainable Development Goals ahead of the Rio+20 conference while also announcing the appointment of three co-chairs to his High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Development Planning. We should agree on launching a process to establish Sustainable Development Goals that build on the Millennium Development Goals … find better ways to measure progress that goes beyond Gross Domestic Product …and advance action to improve people’s lives through decent work, social protection and the empowerment of women and young people,” the UN chief said in his address to the UN General Assembly.
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Syria; Guinea-Bissau; UNAIDS; Afghanistan; and more
Amid concerns from the international community over the prospects of a “full civil war” in Syria, the Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan, said today that the ongoing levels of violence and human rights abuses in the Middle Eastern country are unacceptable and the UN observer mission is possibly the only remaining chance to stabilize it.
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Peacebuilding; South Sudan; Indigenous Issues; Rwanda
The United Nations is determined to do everything possible to assist societies torn by war from sliding back into conflict, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an audience in the United States capital today, adding that while there have been setbacks, peacebuilding remains a crucial element of the world body’s efforts.In a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D. C., Mr. Ban highlighted the work of the UN’s 16 peacekeeping operations and 15 political missions in the area of peacebuilding – a core mandate of the Organization.
