Cities on the frontline of global fight against climate change, UN officials warn
03 October 2011
United Nations officials today urged the international community to take action against mounting threats posed by climate change on the world’s urban areas, warning that climate-related events could force up to 200 million people worldwide to flee their homes by 2050.
UN-backed Millennium Villages project in Africa launches second phase
03 October 2011
A United Nations-backed initiative designed to accelerate efforts to attain social development and eradicate extreme poverty in rural Africa today launched its second phase, aiming to improve the living standards of an estimated half a million people across the continent.
Female leaders in West Africa receive UN-backed training on mediation
03 October 2011
Thirty-two women leaders from 16 West African countries are meeting in Senegal today to attend a series of United Nations-backed training sessions aiming to boost the participation of female mediators in peace processes across the region.
Guidelines to prevent ‘land grabbing’ crucial for food security, UN expert warns
03 October 2011
The practice of “land grabbing,” exemplified by biofuel production, large-scale infrastructure projects, carbon-credit mechanisms and speculation, is threatening food security for hundreds of millions of people by imperilling small-scale producers, a United Nations independent expert warned today.
UN deplores deadly bombing in Somali capital
04 October 2011
Top United Nations officials have strongly condemned today’s suicide bombing at a government ministry building in the capital, Mogadishu, that killed scores of people and injured many more.
Clean water, sanitation and food remain relief priorities in Haiti – UN official
04 October 2011
Access to safe drinking water, sanitation and food are the priority humanitarian needs in Haiti over the next year, the United Nations relief chief said today, stressing that the estimated 600,000 people still in camps after last year’s earthquake continue to depend on aid for survival.
Six million new teachers needed to ensure UN goal of universal primary education
05 October 2011
The United Nations marked World Teachers’ Day today with a warning that 6.1 million more teachers are needed to meet the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of attaining universal primary education by 2015.
UNICEF chief calls for urgent protection of children in Yemen
05 October 2011
The head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today called for the urgent protection of children in Yemen who are being caught in the crossfire of the civil unrest that began earlier this year.
Energy and green issues the focus for Ban’s visit to Norway, Denmark and Sweden
05 October 2011
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will visit Scandinavia next week, attending meetings on energy, sustainable development, climate change and green economic initiatives, as well as conferring with heads of State and Government in Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
DR Congo: UN deplores murder of five humanitarian workers
06 October 2011
The United Nations today called on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to capture and try those responsible for the murder of five non-governmental organization (NGO) staff in the deadliest ever single assault on humanitarian workers in the vast country.
Africa’s pace towards development slow and uneven, despite gains – UN report
06 October 2011
Africa’s overall progress towards achieving the internationally agreed targets to eradicate extreme poverty and accelerate social development has been slow and generally insufficient to meet the 2015 deadline, the United Nations says in a new report unveiled today, noting, however, that there have been small gains.
UN warns of more tension as Sudan and South Sudan maintain troops in disputed area
06 October 2011
Neither Sudan nor South Sudan have fulfilled their pledges to withdraw their forces from the disputed Abyei area, threatening a “serious deterioration” in tensions between migrating herders and displaced farmers returning to plant their crops, the United Nations warned today.
UNAA Media Peace Awards Winners Announced
United Nations Association of Australia (Victorian Division) – 22 October 2011
Winners of the 2011 Media Peace Awards were announced at the Awards Presentation Dinner Melbourne on Friday 21 October.
Download Winners Announced Media Release with full list of winners here (PDF).
On World Maritime Day, UN warns of high costs of piracy
29 October 2011
The United Nations marked World Maritime Day today with a warning of the high costs that piracy is imposing on the shipping industry, and a call for collective action from UN agencies, governments and military forces to combat the problem.
Ban welcomes Saudi move giving women right to vote in municipal elections
29 October 2011
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the recently announced measures by Saudi Arabian King Abdullah granting women the right to vote and stand in municipal elections as well as to become members of the Shura Council.
Guinea: Ban calls on authorities to avoid excessive force after deadly protests
29 October 2011
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on authorities in Guinea to ensure that security forces avoid an excessive use of force and stressed the importance of allowing peaceful protests after demonstrations this week in Conakry, the capital, resulted in loss of life.
West Bank: Bedouin Girl Answers 10 Questions About Her Life
WFP – 30 October 2011
Sharifa Deif Allah, 12 , is among the 35,000 people that receive food rations through an assistance programme for herder and Bedouin communities run jointly by WFP and UNRWA in the West Bank. She agreed to answer 10 questions about her life and hopes for the future.