Asia Pacific

Afghanistan: UNICEF official calls for special focus on girls’ education

23 March 2006
With a women’s literacy rate of just 14 per cent in Afghanistan, a senior United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) official has called on all Afghan families to give priority to education for the sake of long-term progress, with a special focus on girls who have either been prevented or discouraged from attending school.

UN envoy deeply concerned over Afghan charged for converting to Christianity

22 March 2006
The top United Nations envoy in Afghanistan today voiced “great concern” for an Afghan apparently charged in court for converting from Islam to Christianity in a case that could strain the war-torn country’s relations with the international community.

Fighting HIV/AIDS in Asia-Pacific region must focus on children – UNICEF

22 March 2006
With HIV and AIDS spreading at a faster rate in East Asia than almost anywhere else in the world, children must be at the centre of a dramatically scaled up response, a United Nations official told the opening session of the first high level regional meeting focusing on children and AIDS today.

Director of UN agency urges freedom for prize-winning Myanmar journalist

21 March 2006
The chief of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has renewed his call to the Government of Myanmar for the liberation of a prize-winning journalist who has been imprisoned since 1989.

Indian daily awarded UN prize for water conservation campaign

21 March 2006
In recognition of an imaginative campaign for water conservation, an Indian daily newspaper today received the $20,000 biennial prize for rural communications awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Former US President Bill Clinton

Former President Clinton, UN tsunami envoy, to promote early warning systems

21 March 2006
In an effort to boost the development of preventative systems for natural disasters, Former United States President Bill Clinton, in his role as United Nations Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, will address the International Early Warning Congress in Bonn, Germany next week.

UNICEF official warns of continuing threats to Afghan women and children

21 March 2006
With Afghanistan’s new school year officially beginning tomorrow, a senior United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) official has warned of a continued threat facing Afghan women and children from high rates of child and maternal mortality, low levels of school enrolment and neglect of children’s fundamental rights.

Senior UNICEF official visits Afghanistan to help meet needs of women, children

20 March 2006
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Deputy Executive Director Rima Salah has begun a week-long visit to Afghanistan in a bid to draw global attention to the progress being made for the country’s women and children while highlighting unmet needs in areas of health, education and protection.
Andijan, Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan gives UN refugee agency 1 month to end its operations

20 March 2006
The Government of Uzbekistan has given the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), which last year helped to relocate more than 400 Uzbeks fleeing violence in their homeland, one month to close down its more than decade-long presence in the Central Asian country, the organization announced today.
Syed Mohammad Amin Fatimi

Bird flu confirmed by UN in Afghan birds

16 March 2006
The bird flu strain that experts fear could trigger a potentially lethal human pandemic was confirmed in birds in yet another country today, Afghanistan, and the United Nations mission there and the Government have taken immediate steps to prevent further infection, including culling and market closures.