Urgent action is needed to bring education to the 28.5 million primary school age children out of school in the world’s conflict zones. UNESCO’s Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report 2011 brought to focus the hidden crisis of education in conflict-affected countries. Two years later a new paper (Policy Paper 10, July 2013) titled Children still battling to go to school by UNESCO’s EFA Global Monitoring Report shows that half of the 57 million children out of school live … [Read more...]
Counting 9.6 billion humans on earth by 2050
The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by 1 billion over the next 12 years and reach 9.6 billion by 2050, according to a report launched by DESA’s Population division in June. The report points out that growth will be mainly in developing countries, with more than half in Africa. Watch our interview with John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division, who gives us some insights about the last figures available. In our video interview, John Wilmoth is … [Read more...]
Trafficking of children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo
Special Rapporteur Joy Ngozi Ezeilo. UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré July 2013 – Trafficking of children and the issue of defining trafficking topped the agenda today at a first of its kind meeting between an independent United Nations human rights expert and a group of European practitioners working to end this form of modern-day slavery. Speaking at a special meeting organized in Strasbourg, France, by the Council of Europe's Groups of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings … [Read more...]
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Recounts 5-year-Old Girl’s Ordeal
SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS TEXT URGING TARGETED SANCTIONS AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE DURING ARMED CONFLICT Rape Largely ‘Cost-free’, Says Special Representative As UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Recounts 5-year-Old Girl’s Ordeal The Security Council today urged the United Nations sanctions committees to apply targeted sanctions against parties committing sexual violence during armed conflict. Ahead of a debate on the subject that attracted more than 60 speakers, the … [Read more...]
Global and regional estimates of ‘violence against women’
WHO report highlights violence against women as a ‘global health problem of epidemic proportions’ JUNE 2013 | GENEVA - Physical or sexual violence is a public health problem that affects more than one third of all women globally, according to a new report released by WHO in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the South African Medical Research Council. The report, Global and regional estimates of 'violence against women': Prevalence and health … [Read more...]
#AskUNWomen and chat Live – 20 June 2013, 10:30am EDT
What is UN Women’s vision to ensure that empowering women becomes a priority in the post-2015 development agenda? Why is it important to include a separate gender goal in any future framework? #AskUNWomen and chat with our Acting Head! WHEN: Live on Thursday, 20 June 2013, 10:30am EDT WHERE: Hashtag #AskUNWomen & @UN_Women on Twitter WHO: Lakshmi Puri, Acting Head of UN Women + YOU! WHAT: Twitter chat on our vision to bring gender equality and women’s empowerment to the centre … [Read more...]
Women Empowerment Workshop – Nadi, Fiji, from 13 to 15 June 2013
'Give Greater Recognition to Women’s Role in Promoting a Culture of Peace in the Pacific: UN' [Nadi, Fiji – June 13] Women in the Pacific have shown over and over again that it is they who foster peace in a myriad of recognized and unrecognized ways. Women’s roles in bringing lasting peace and recognition in strife-torn societies need to be given a greater recognition. These comments were made by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident … [Read more...]
Resolute leadership to end malnutrition of mothers and children
June 2013 – With 165 million children around the world who are stunted as a result of undernutrition, the United Nations children’s agency has reiterated its calls to invest in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. “The battle against undernutrition is being won, but progress is too slow for too many,” said Werner Schultink, the head of nutrition at the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “Our message is clear – that the time is now for all of us to demonstrate resolute leadership and … [Read more...]
“The Action Agenda for Sustainable Development”
“The Action Agenda for Sustainable Development” Under the leadership of Jeffrey Sachs (Director of the SDSN and head of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, which hosts the secretariat of the network), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has issued the report, entitled “The Action Agenda for Sustainable Development”. This report is the result of collaboration between top scientists, technologists, businesses, and development specialist and is a critical input … [Read more...]
Australia occupies top rank yet again in OECD’ s better life index!
The OECD's Better Life Index ranks the world's developed economies on quality-of-life criteria. 1. Australia 2. Sweden 3. Canada 4. Norway 5. Switzerland 6. United States 7. Denmark 8. The Netherlands 9. Iceland 10. United Kingdom For over fifty years, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has helped governments design better policies for better lives for their citizens. It provides a forum in which leaders and policy makers can work together to … [Read more...]