General News

The first comprehensive global report by the World Health Organization (WHO) associated with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident in Japan in March 2011, was released today.

WHO says the report, called the “Health Risk Assessment from the Nuclear Accident after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, was done to estimate the potential public health impact, looking at health risks and not the health effects.

Beng Poblete-Enriquez reports:

Duration: 2'29"

In the face of persistent violence against women and girls, the UN Human Rights Council, convening in Geneva, is taking up the issue of women’s access to justice.

The Council says justice for women is more complicated than just adopting laws.

Gerry Adams reports.

Duration: 3'03"

Ten female mountain climbers are preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to encourage girls and women around the world that they can achieve anything with effort and education.

The climbers, seven from Nepal, two from Tanzania and one from South Africa, include two women who benefited from World Food Programme school meals when they were children.

Gerry Adams discussed the historic climb with World Food Programme Spokesperson Jane Howard on the line from Rome.

Duration: 2'50"

The Fifth Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, a forum for inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, opened on Wednesday in Vienna, Austria.

Established in 2005 on the initiative of Spain and Turkey, the Alliance of Civilizations seeks to build trust and understanding across cultures and communities around the world.

Beng Poblete-Enriquez reports:

Duration:  2'34"

As Kenyans get ready to participate in general elections on Monday, a human rights expert is urging the Kenyan Government and the international community to scale up efforts to prevent displacement related to the polls.

Special Rapporteur on the rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani says there have been instances of localized violence in the run up to the elections.

He says his main concern is that displacement in Kenya has followed each election cycle.

“Working together to forge solutions to so many of humanity’s most inhuman acts, is itself a testament to the power and progress that comes from the cooperation at the root of the United Nations and of the Human Rights Council”, the representative from the United States said as the council wrapped up a second day of its high-level segment in Geneva.

Most delegates spoke about their concerns regarding the deteriorating situation in Syria and also outlined some of the efforts their countries have taken and are still undertaking in the promotion and protection of human rights.

At a posh dinner in Nairobi in February, hundreds of ministers and high-level officials dined at the headquarters of the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

They feasted on perfectly good food grown by Kenyan farmers but rejected by supermarkets in the United Kingdom.

Why the rejection? Cosmetic imperfections.

The dinner was held to make a point – that more effort should be made to cut massive levels of global food loss and waste.

Gerry Adams has the story.

Duration: 3'07"

The bloodbath of Syria should be our foremost priority, says the President of the General Assembly at the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, the 25th of February.

The situation in Syria is at the top of the Human Rights Council’s agenda in this session which runs until the 22nd of March.

Beng Poblete-Enriquez reports.

Duration: 3’04”

In 2001, there was a feeling among the development community that there are certain countries in the world that are particularly vulnerable because of the severe development challenges they face – among them, a low level of per-capital income, economic difficulties and environmental threats.

A special office at the United Nations was created to give special attention to the constraints of these countries.

The People of Mali continue to suffer in the crisis that intensified last year when fighting broke out between Tuareg rebels and government forces.

The crisis took another turn when Islamist extremists occupied the northern section of the country.

French and government troops are pressing ahead with their operations to reclaim territory from the radical Islamists.

Derrick Mbatha reports

Duration: 3'25"