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UN praises young peoples’ resilience and vision on International Youth Day
Commemorating the International Youth Day, top UN officials have called on leaders around the world to “do everything possible” to enable young people contribute to the fullest of their great potential.
Real Life Heroes: heading into disaster, in the service of others
Growing up in Indonesia in the shadow of an active volcano, Agus Haryono has witnessed the deadly risks of living in a disaster-prone region.
Pandemic ‘inflicting multiple shocks’ on the young, threatens entire generation
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, more than 70 per cent of students have been shut out of schools, universities and training centres, according to a new report issued on Tuesday by the UN’s labour agency.
Refugees also affected by Beirut blast as UN relief efforts continue
Dozens of refugees were among the victims of the deadly explosions at Beirut’s port a week ago that destroyed large areas of the Lebanese capital, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR reported on Tuesday.
Polio vaccination campaigns restart in Afghanistan and Pakistan after COVID-19 hiatus
Polio vaccinations campaigns have resumed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, months after having been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
Violence in Sudan’s Western Darfur forces 2,500 into Chad: UN refugee agency
Recent clashes in Sudan’s Western Darfur region has driven more than 2,500 people across the border into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported.
‘You are not alone, we are in this together’, declare UN staffers in Lebanon
Last Saturday was another scorching August day in Lebanon’s shattered capital of Beirut, but UN staff members who had gathered outside UN House – itself damaged during the deadly port explosion - were determined to get straight to work, and stand
Guterres pledges continued UN support for Lebanon ‘in every possible way’
The United Nations and humanitarian partners are working around the clock to support and mobilize emergency assistance in the aftermath of a deadly explosion in Beirut Port last Tuesday.
UN deputy chief says ‘large-scale activity, considerable funding’ will be needed to help Lebanon recover after Beirut blast
To help Lebanon overcome the tragedy and recover better, “we will need all hands on deck”, deputy UN chief Amina Mohammed told virtual donors conference on Sunday, convened to rally international assistance and support in the wake of last week’s m
Building a green economy, brick by brick
In Uruguay, thousands of families earn a precarious livelihood making bricks, using traditional methods that are often inefficient and harmful to the environment.
Beirut blast: Here’s how you can help the UN aid Lebanon's recovery
After a devasting blast ripped through Beirut Port in Lebanon on Tuesday, wounding thousands and rendering hundreds of thousands homeless, the UN moved rapidly to step up its relief effort.
As Beirut rescuers search for survivors, UN warns of ‘huge’ needs
Across Lebanon, “the needs are immediate, and they are huge” in the aftermath of the explosion that destroyed Beirut city port, UN agencies said on Friday.
‘Immediate humanitarian assistance’ mobilized in force, to support Beirut after deadly blast
The response to Tuesday’s explosion in Beirut requires global support in order to “surmount the devastating impact” of the crisis facing the Lebanese people, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the country said on Thursday.
New humanitarian air service boosts COVID-19 response in the Pacific
A flight carrying protective masks, ventilators and other essential medical supplies for COVID-19 response, landed in Papua New Guinea on Thursday, marking the start of a humanitarian air service for the Pacific region, Governments and the UN Worl
Thailand’s COVID-19 response an example of resilience and solidarity: a UN Resident Coordinator’s Blog
In January, Thailand became the second country to confirm a COVID-19 case but, since then, the country has shown remarkable resilience and, as of late July, there had not been any recorded cases of domestic transmission for nearly two months.
Philippines: UN and partners launch major COVID-19 response plan to aid 5.4 million
Prioritizing the safety and well-being of women and girls, the UN and partners launched on Tuesday a COVID-19 humanitarian response plan to assist some 5.4 million of the poorest and most marginalized people in the Philippines.
Across Sudan, heavy rains and flash floods destroy houses, wash away crops – UN relief wing
Hundreds of houses have been destroyed and vital infrastructure damaged due to riverine and flashfloods after heavy rains across large parts of Sudan, the United Nations relief wing has reported.
Storms, coronavirus pose ‘double threat’ for children in Central America and Caribbean – UNICEF
Across Central America and the Caribbean, the more than 70 million children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic could soon face another threat – catastrophic hurricane storms, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday.
First Person: Turning ‘apathetic people into climate activists’; a young person’s view
An 18-year-old environmental campaigner from the United States has told UN News how she wants to “turn apathetic people into climate activists”.
Health must come before the economy, insists top UN official for Latin America and the Caribbean
In Latin America, where much of the region has dealt with years of sluggish growth, the economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing millions more into poverty, says Alicia Bárcena, the head of the UN regional body for Latin A
Ravages of acute hunger will likely hit six in 10 in Zimbabwe: WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently seeking more international support to prevent millions of Zimbabweans plunging deeper into hunger.
COVID-19: UN chief outlines path to sustainable, inclusive recovery in Southeast Asia
Tackling inequality, bridging the digital divide, greening the economy, and upholding human rights and good governance will be critical for Southeast Asia to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.
Five things you should know about disposable masks and plastic pollution
The fight against plastic pollution is being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the use of disposable masks, gloves and other protective equipment soars, but UN agencies and partners insist that, if effective measures are put into place, the amount
Security Council: Poverty deepens, along with need, across Syria
Humanitarian operations across war-shattered Syria are reaching 6.8 million people a month, but a worsening economic crisis is deepening poverty and pushing more and more Syrians into humanitarian need, the Security Council heard Wednesday.
Thousands suffer extreme rights abuses journeying to Africa’s Mediterranean coast, say humanitarians
Thousands of refugees and migrants in eastern and western Africa, are dying while others face harrowing abuse in their attempts to reach the continent’s Mediterranean coast in search of a better life, a joint UN/Danish Refugee Council report said
Asia-Pacific: ‘Call to action’ highlights role of family farmers amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Although hundreds of millions of smallholder family farmers in Asia-Pacific produce a majority of the world’s food, the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on their livelihoods, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization
COVID-19 is not just seasonal, cautions WHO, as ‘first wave’ continues
The COVID-19 virus is likely not impacted by the changing seasons like other respiratory diseases, the UN health agency said on Tuesday, before urging much greater respect for physical distancing measures to stop it spreading.
Trade pact could boost Africa’s income by as much as $450 billion: World Bank
The African Continental Free Trade Area represents a major opportunity for countries to boost growth, reduce poverty, broaden economic inclusion and help “expand opportunities for all Africans”, hailed a World Bank official on Monday, which if ful
Spread of hepatitis B in children under five, lowest in decades: WHO
The global prevalence of potentially-deadly hepatitis B in children under age five, dropped to under one per cent in 2019 – down from 5 per cent in the pre-vaccine decades between the 1980s and early 2000s, the World Health Organization (WHO) repo
COVID-19 means development setbacks for Mongolia: a UN Resident Coordinator’s blog
Mongolia has recorded very few cases of COVID-19, less than 300 as on date, despite its more than 4,000 kilometre porous border with China.