General News

The number of women representing Colombia’s judiciary remains low and this, in turn, exacerbates gender inequality problems in the country.

That view is expressed by Belen Sanz, Country Representative of UN Women in Colombia.

She says gender stereotypes make it “extremely difficult” for women to run for office in Colombia.

Andita Listyarini has been speaking to Ms Sanz about the barriers women face.

Duration: 4’26”

Terrorist groups are exploiting all the new social media platforms and communication technologies to expand and fund their activities, according to a representative from the UN’s Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).

Delphine Schantz, one of CTED’s legal officers stated that internet sites and “crowdfunding” platforms are being misused to buy weapons online and raise funds for other terrorist purposes.

A vote to impose an arms embargo and targeted sanctions against South Sudan has failed to garner enough support among the 15 members of the UN Security Council.

The draft resolution tabled by the United States on Friday received 7 votes in favour and 8 abstentions; each member of the Council has one vote.

Tens and thousands of people have died and more than three million have been forced into exile since the conflict erupted in Africa’s youngest nation three years ago.

Jocelyne Sambira has the details.

At least 40 civilians have been killed by security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the past week, the UN said on Friday, a sign of growing instability in the country.

Highlighting the violence that’s followed President Joseph Kabila’s refusal to leave office when his term ended earlier this week, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, called for restraint from the authorities.

The UN is “part and parcel” of the modern history of the Middle East, but has also been “shaped” heavily itself by the region.

That’s one of the main themes of a new history of the world body’s involvement there, entitled: Land of the Blue Helmets, the United Nations and the Arab World.

Karim Makdisi is an academic based in the United States, and co-edited the collection of essays.

A “race against the clock" has started to help thousands of people leaving Syria’s Aleppo city, the UN said Thursday, amid a call from UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura that now is the time to push for new talks to bring an end to the conflict.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Mr de Mistura made reference to the “renewed unity” of the UN Security Council, which this week voted unanimously in support of sending international monitors to oversee evacuations in the war-torn city.

Leaders around the world need not just passion but also compassion to bring about change according to the outgoing United Nations Secretary-General.

Ban Ki-moon who is leaving the UN after 10 years leading the organization, says the new Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has those qualities.

Ari Gaitanis has been speaking to Mr Ban ahead of his departure at the end of the month.

Duration: 2’51”

Extended interview available in a UN Global Perspective special programme.

A scheme to help increase girls’ “performance at school” by giving them their own bicycle has just been launched in Tanzania, by the winner of a special UN award.

Rebecca Gyumi is a lawyer and activist in the East African country, who founded the Msichana Initiative, which advocates for girls’ rights and access to education.

She took the prize at the recent inaugural UN Children’s Fund Global Goals Awards for an individual who achieved “significant social change for girls.”

The situation in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been described as “very volatile” by a representative from the UN’s Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO).

Clashes erupted between protestors and security forces over President Joseph Kabila’s refusal to give up power.

His 15-year rule was due to end on 19 December.

The UN has documented 113 arrests in the country over the past week, which include the arrest of opposition leaders and civil society activists.

Women are the “backbone” of agriculture across the world, according to the Director-General of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Speaking at a High-Level event in Rome, José Graziano da Silva noted that achieving gender equality and empowering women was a critical element in the fight against extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

About 45 per cent of global agricultural workforce is comprised of women, which rises to 60 per cent in Africa and Asia.

Andita Listyarini reports.