Clintons Celebrate 'Female Empowerment' as Hillary Ponders White House Run Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is welcomed to the stage by her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, at the Clinton Global Initiative on Monday in New York. | Mark Lennihan/ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — Bill and Hillary Clinton marked the 10th anniversary of the former president's annual Clinton Global Initiative, pointing to 'female empowerment' around the globe as the former secretary of state … [Read more...]
World peace?
These are the only 11 countries in the world that are actually free from conflict As new wars and civil unrests seem to be flaring up every week, we look for the only countries in the world that could be considered ‘conflict-free’. With the crisis in Gaza, the rise of Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria and the international stand-off ongoing in Ukraine, it can sometimes feel like the whole world is at war. But experts believe this is actually almost universally the case, according to … [Read more...]
Jane Goodhall speaks out loud, World Peace Day 2014
As a UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Goodall makes it a priority each and every year to observe and celebrate the annual International Day of Peace on September 21. Dr. Goodall always helps us see how important it is that we strive to create a more peaceful world for all people, as well as the natural world which we share. With this year's theme, "Right of People's to Peace," Dr. Goodall wrote the following message. A Celebration of Women™, in Toronto, Canada is celebrating live on … [Read more...]
UN Foundation, Elizabeth Gore
Can becoming an entrepreneur help a refugee live a better life? I recently had the opportunity to join the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for a visit to the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, where I met seven incredible women entrepreneurs who have formed the Twitezimbere tailoring group. And through them, I learned the answer is yes. Despite the challenges they’ve faced, these women have been able to create and grow a business serving their neighbors in the eighth largest … [Read more...]
Realizing population/development commitments beyond 2014
Civil society, the UN system and other partners will join Governments at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, 22 September, for the Special Session of the General Assembly on Population and Development. The Governments will gather at the highest political level to follow up on the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, to assess the status of implementation of the Programme of Action and to renew political support for actions required for the full … [Read more...]
What is ‘Human Trafficking’ ?
Human Trafficking Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad. Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. UNODC, as guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocols thereto, assists States in their … [Read more...]
Culture of Peace, consistent with Women’s Movement …
WOMEN AND A CULTURE OF PEACE Since the 1970s the United Nations and other international women’s conferences have adopted 'Equality, Development and Peace' as an organizing theme and framework for women's activities in development. Women would not only benefit from peaceful structures, as opposed to violent structures which oppress them, but they also have a role to play in building peaceful relationships and structures, and cultivating values, attitudes, relationships and structures which … [Read more...]
July 4, 2014 celebrations dampened by Hurricane Arthur
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (now officially known as the United Kingdom). Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public … [Read more...]
World Urbanization Prospects Worldwide
Revealing urbanization trends worldwide The world’s urban population has grown rapidly since 1950 and the coming decades will bring further profound changes to its size and distribution. On 10 July, UN DESA’s Population Division will release the latest urbanization trends, providing data that are critical for assessing current and future needs with respect to urban growth. Scheduled for launch on 10 July, just one day before World Population Day, the latest version of the World … [Read more...]