Fight against FGM in Africa succeeding The fight to end female genital mutilation or FGM in Africa is succeeding, despite deep-rooted cultural and social pressures, according to a new study by the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF. Woman holds scarf as symbol for campaign against FGM The report says the practice of FGM remains high in Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan. Marixie Mercado from UNICEF says that reversing the practice, which has endured for centuries, is a … [Read more...]
The ‘Whistleblower’ – real life story of post-war Bosnia
October 18, 2011 by
The film “The Whistleblower” was screened yesterday at the UN The film "The Whistleblower" was screened yesterday at the UN followed by a panel discussion addressing the issue of sex trafficking in post-war Bosnia. Directed by first time filmmaker Larysa Kondracki and inspired by actual events the film tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, an American police officer who uncovers a scheme by contractors and peacekeepers paying for prostitutes and participating in sex-trafficking. … [Read more...]
Rural Women and Development ~ Cope with High Food Prices
October 16, 2011 by
Supporting Rural Women to Cope with High Food Prices International Day of Rural Women Worldwide, 15 October 2011UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Message on the International Day of Rural Women 2011UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet’s Message on the International Day of Rural Women 2011 Fifty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women: Priority theme: The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current … [Read more...]
OCTOBER ~ UN Month of Events !!!
October 16, 2011 by
October is UN Month! For the first time in the history of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, we are proud to say we have extended our usual UN Week to UN Month 2011.This year marks the 66th anniversary of the United Nations. We have over 15 planned events spread over the 31 days of October. From happy hours to career dinners to discussions on women, international voting, Libya and the right to protect - this year's UN Month has it all! We have … [Read more...]
ICT training Opens Windows of Opportunity for Rural Women
October 15, 2011 by
It’s the century of the tablets and androids. But nearly 50 percent of the world population live in rural areas, and they have very limited access to what the other half considers a basic necessity to work, learn or manage social relations: the computer. The digital divide faced by developing countries is closely linked to poverty, illiteracy and language barriers. The gap widens even further when we measure women’s access to these technologies of information and communication … [Read more...]
Irina Bokova ~ 6,000,000 Teachers needed to achieve MDGs
October 11, 2011 by
6,000,000 Teachers needed to Achieve World Primary Education Goals Seeking a Career, Take Action NOW !!! 5 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. Two million of these are additional posts, with sub-Saharan Africa alone accounting for more than half. But the … [Read more...]
Liechtenstein: United Nations – more women to serve as mediators in conflicts
September 28, 2011 by
Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick of Liechtenstein September 2011 – The United Nations should select more women to serve as mediators in conflicts and during political transitions, Liechtenstein told the General Assembly today, calling on the entire international community to do more to promote the participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution.The European country’s Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick toldthe Assembly’s general debate – whose theme is the role of … [Read more...]
Why Empowering Women Farmers Will Help Fight Hunger
September 27, 2011 by
Why Empowering Women Farmers Will Help Fight Hunger Giving poor women warmers more tools can bring down the number of hungry in the world by 150 million, said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran on Thursday, highlighting a central theme at Empowering Rural Women, an event organized by WFP and UN Women on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Other speakers at the event also highlighted the role that women farmers can play in defeating … [Read more...]
Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health
September 27, 2011 by
A Week of Progress for Women and Children NEW YORK — When a woman dies in pregnancy or childbirth, a family is devastated and a community suffers an irreplaceable loss. And when her options are narrowed for lack of health, education or equity, her family, community and country suffer as well. This week, which marked the first anniversary of the UN Secretary-General's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health, world leaders took notice and Took Action. What made this … [Read more...]
SWEDEN highlights benefits of gender equality to General Assembly
September 27, 2011 by
"Gender equality is not just a basic human right but smart economics ..." September 2011 – Gender equality is not just a basic human right but smart economics, Sweden’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said at the United Nations today, stressing that closing the gap between men and women in employment will have huge beneficial implications for the global economy.“It would boost American GDP [gross domestic product] by as much as 9 per cent, [the] Euro-zone by 13 per cent … [Read more...]
Querétaro: the world’s first ‘Blue Heart City’
September 9, 2011 by
Querétaro: the world's first 'Blue Heart City' September 2011 - In a move aimed at bolstering national efforts to combat and prevent human trafficking, Mexico became the first country in the world to adopt the UNODC-led Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking in April 2010. As an international symbol to promote the rights of human trafficking victims, the Blue Heart encourages officials, civil society and members of the public across the globe to take a stand against what is … [Read more...]
