Asia Pacific

School enrolment rates surging in Afghanistan, UNICEF reports

19 March 2004
More Afghan children than ever before are enrolling in the country's schools, with up to 5.5 million expected to return next week when classes resume after the holiday break, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced.

Prospects of women and children in Laos still lag, UNICEF reports

19 March 2004
Culture and Education

Children and women in Laos continue to suffer social and economic disadvantage, especially in rural areas, according to a mid-term review of a four-year assistance project run by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the country's Government.

UN food agency to help Afghan women boost poultry production

18 March 2004
In a bid to increase food security in Afghanistan, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today announced a new project to help 27,000 women boost poultry production.

Ministers in Asia to discuss pressing environmental concerns - UN agency

18 March 2004
Delivering safe and sufficient water to over 1 billion people and providing better sanitation services for nearly 2.5 billion take centre stage at international talks in the Republic of Korea at the end of the month, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.
Ms. Bellamy with schoolgirl at a UNICEF-assisted school

Despite improvements, children's health in DPR of Korea still threatened - UN

17 March 2004
Despite successes in efforts to save and improve the lives of children in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the country's social service is in a severe state of decline and poses serious challenges to their future, the head of the United Nations children's agency said today.

UN deploys regional human rights adviser for Central Asia

17 March 2004
The United Nations today announced the deployment of an international human rights expert in Kazakhstan as its regional adviser for Central Asia.

Eight experts named to new UN panel monitoring sanctions on Al-Qaida

16 March 2004
Drawing experts from all regions of the world, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has named six men and two women to a recently established panel helping to track the international sanctions against the Taliban, Al-Qaida and their operatives.

Marine turtle experts to review progress on conservation, UN agency reports

16 March 2004
Marine turtle experts have gathered in Bangkok this week to measure the progress made since a regional secretariat to help protect the animals and their habitat was established a year ago, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reported today.

UNICEF-backed workshops mobilize Afghan religious leaders to boost girls' education

14 March 2004
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today announced plans to fund a series of workshops in Afghanistan allowing the country's religious leaders to participate in the campaign for girls' education.
Dr. Lee Jong-wook

UN agency convenes experts to prepare for potential highly lethal flu pandemic

12 March 2004
Warning that a highly lethal human flu pandemic could occur at any time despite recent measures taken against a bird flu outbreak in Asia, the United Nations health agency announced today that it will bring together more than 100 health experts in Geneva next week to prepare a global battle plan to fight such a scenario.