Asia Pacific

Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman.
UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

UN rights expert urges DPR Korea authorities to spend less on military, more on people

2 November 2012
An independent United Nations expert today voiced continued concern about the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and urged the Government to re-think its focus on military expenditure and to allocate resources to improve the living standards of its people.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon address at the National Assembly.
UN Photo/E. Debebe

On visit to Republic of Korea, Ban highlights role of businesses in sustainable development

1 November 2012
Private businesses, which play a crucial role in achieving sustainable development, must boost their efforts to integrate sustainability principles into their operations, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed during his trip to the Republic of Korea (ROK) this week.
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Tomás Ojea Quintana.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Myanmar: UN expert calls for underlying causes of tensions in Rakhine state to be addressed

26 October 2012
Expressing concern about renewed deadly violence, a United Nations independent expert has called for the underlying causes of the tension and conflict between the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Myanmar's Rakhine state to be addressed as a priority.
Special Representative Ján Kubiš.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

UN envoy condemns deadly suicide bomb attack during Eid prayers in northern Afghanistan

26 October 2012
The United Nations top political envoy for Afghanistan today condemned a suicide bomb attack which killed at least 40 people in the country's north, during prayers linked to one of the holiest holidays of the Muslim faith
UNHCR has distributed relief supplies to tens of thousands of people in communities affected by the unrest in Rakhine state.
UNHCR Myanmar

Secretary-General calls for end to lawlessness in Myanmar’s Rakhine state following latest violence

25 October 2012
In the wake of renewed violence, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the authorities in Myanmar to take action to bring an end to the lawlessness currently affecting the north of the Asian country’s Rakhine state.
Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Leila Zerrougui.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin

Philippines: UN official welcomes impact of Government-rebel peace accord on children in armed conflict

24 October 2012
A senior United Nations official has welcomed the recent peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), establishing a framework for settling the decade-long conflict on the southern island of Mindanao.
People wade through the flood waters in the district Jaffarabad and Nasirabad, Balochistan.
OCHA

UN Central Emergency Relief Fund to provide $10 million to help flood victims in Pakistan

23 October 2012
The United Nations will allocate close to $10 million to provide aid for more than one million people living in the areas of Pakistan that were most affected by the monsoonal flooding this year, according to the world body’s humanitarian arm.
Special Representative Ján Kubiš.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Afghanistan: following deadly blast, UN mission calls on Taliban to halt use of improvised explosive devices

20 October 2012
Following the deaths of at least 18 women, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today called on the Taliban leadership to publicly reiterate a ban on landmine-like improvised explosive device (IEDs) and to stop their use.
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.
UNESCO/Ania Freindorf

UNESCO chief urges investigation into murder of Pakistani reporters

19 October 2012
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today called on Pakistani authorities to investigate the killing of two journalists and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Special Envoy for Women and Girls in the field of technology, Geena Davis.
ITU Pictures

At UN-backed gathering, Asia-Pacific leaders urged to give region’s women more access to technology jobs

16 October 2012
Asia-Pacific leaders attending a high-level United Nations-backed technology gathering heard a call for an increased presence of women in the region’s media, information and communication technology (ICT), and communications industries.