While much has been done to improve the situation of women when it comes to peace and security in the context of UN missions and resolutions of conflicts, much more needs to still needs to be done.
That was part of the message delivered to the UN Security Council Tuesday during a briefing by two Under Secretaries General, UN Women’s Michelle Bachelet and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations’ Hervé Ladsous.
UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan will brief the Security Council on Tuesday as a fragile cessation of violence in Syria enters its second week.
The closed-door meeting comes days after the Council unanimously agreed to deploy a 300-strong UN Supervision Mission in Syria.
The observers will join an advance team already on the ground. Syria has accepted Mr. Annan’s six-point plan which also calls for withdrawal of heavy armoury from civilian areas.
Yvette Morris asked his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi, if this has occurred.
Duration: 4'13"
The 21st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice opened Monday 23 April in Vienna with speakers acknowledging that transnational organized crime is one of the 21st century’s key challenges and a threat to sustainable development and the rule of law.
Measles is on the rise due in part to a decrease in both political commitment and funding, according to the World Health Organization.
In an effort to combat the highly contagious infection, which is often deadly if left untreated, the WHO is pushing a vaccination program.
This week, they are launching the “Protect your world–Get vaccinated” campaign in more than 180 countries. It aims to reinforce the importance of immunization and encourage people everywhere to vaccinate themselves and their children against serious diseases.
This generation of youth is the largest in history and it is also the focus of the 45th session of the Commission on Population and Development.
The Secretary-General says the world’s young people have their eyes wide open. They are informed as never before. They are connected to one another. And they care.
That is why Ban Ki-moon says more needs to be done to give them education, health and job opportunities for the future.
Julie Walker reports.
Duration 3’14”
World Book Day is celebrated annually on 23 April.
The day was chosen as some of the world’s greatest writers either were born or died on that day, including William Shakespeare, Cervantes and Vladimir Nabokov.
These authors and many others are read by people the world over thanks to the work of translators.
International Mother Earth Day is being observed on April 22.
In 2009, the General Assembly proclaimed the day to promote awareness of the interdependence between human beings, other living species, and the planet.
Earlier in the week at the UN a debate was held on the importance of harmony with nature and the role of science in sustaining life while protecting the environment.
Julie Walker spoke with Rafael Archondo, Bolivia's Deputy Ambassador to the UN, who took part in the event.
Duration 4’35”
A week after sending an advance monitoring team to Syria, the Security Council has authorized deployment of a full UN observer mission to the country.
Following the vote, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) will help end the killing and suffering.
A UN-monitored cessation of violence is part of UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point plan for Syria.
Dianne Penn reports.
Duration: 3'47"
Finnish rap artist Signmark, who was born deaf, brought his sign-language rap music to New York to promote the human rights of people with disabilities.
He gave two “Silent Shout” performances, one inside UN headquarters and another outside that drew a large crowd.
While Signmark performed in American Sign Language, rapper Brandon Bauer provided the voice for the lyrics.
Derrick Mbatha reports.
Duration: 3'30"
As the world celebrates Earth Day on April 22, some experts say more effort needs to be made to stem the loss of biodiversity.
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) says targets have not yet been met by some countries that have signed onto the pact.
The loss of biodiversity means that many species including plants and fish are disappearing at record rates.
