5 world-changing ideas: our top picks for World Creativity and Innovation Day

20 April 2019
Economic Development
IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth

A low-cost, tiny home that provides everything you need. A boat made of recycled plastic and flip-flops. Vaccine-delivery drones… As the planet marks World Creativity and Innovation Day on Sunday, we’ve selected our favorite ideas to light up the way to a better future for all, across several sectors.

UN condemns attack on Ebola treatment centre in DR Congo which left doctor dead, two others injured

More than 3,400 classrooms damaged or destroyed by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, says UN Children’s Fund

As fighting in Libya escalates, so does number of children ‘at imminent risk of injury or death’

Thursday’s Daily Brief: impact of bad working conditions, Syria and Libya humanitarian news, human rights in Bahrain, families reunified in South Sudan

Stress, overtime, disease, contribute to 2.8 million workers’ deaths per year, reports UN labour agency

UNICEF/Delil Soleiman

‘Foreign children’ in overwhelmed Syrian camp need urgent international help, says top UN official

Humanitarian Aid

Help is needed urgently from the international community to help some 2,500 apparently stateless “foreign children” at a camp for the displaced, in north-east Syria, a top UN official said on Thursday.

UNICEF/Aidroos Alaidroos

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Health

Amid a surge in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced on Thursday a new social media campaign, emphasizing that “vaccines are safe, and they save lives”.

UN Photo/Ilyas Ahmed

Service and Sacrifice: Ugandan 'Blue Helmets' support UN efforts to bring peace to Somalia

Peace and Security

A contingent of 530 Ugandan “Blue Helmets” (63 women, 467 men) is playing a crucial role in the United Nations’ efforts to help bring peace and stability to Somalia. They make up the United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU, that is tasked with protecting UN compounds in Mogadishu in order to assist the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) to carry out their mandate. 

UNOCHA/Giles Clarke

Libya: Heavy shelling and civilian deaths ‘blatant violation’ of international law - UN envoy 

Peace and Security

Heavy shelling overnight on Tuesday which hit a densely-populated neighbourhood of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, was condemned “in the strongest terms” by the head of the UN Mission there, after “scores” of civilians were reportedly killed and injured.

UNAMID/Albert Gonzalez Farran

Wednesday’s Daily Brief: Sudan, Libya, Yemen updates, solutions for e-waste, flood response in Iran, online security for children

Peace and Security

At the top of the news agenda on Wednesday: updates on violence in Sudan’s Darfur and in Libya, how e-waste can become an employment opportunity, help for the 2 million affected by floods in Iran, and efforts to make the internet safer for children.

Headlines at a glance

Violence on the rise in Darfur following Sudan military takeover, but UN-AU peacekeeping mission maintains ‘robust posture’

Progress against torture in Afghan detention centres, but Government needs to do more, says UN report

Turn toxic e-waste into a source of ‘decent work’, UN labour agency urges 

UNESCO experts ready to assist reconstruction of iconic Notre Dame, following devastating blaze

Nicaragua crisis: One year in, more than 60,000 have fled, seeking refuge

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: UNESCO ready to help after Notre Dame fire, and updates on Libya, Nicaragua, and the Cyclone Idai response

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