UN Affairs

UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Ecuadorian politician and poet becomes fourth woman to preside over UN General Assembly

5 June 2018
Americas

The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday elected Ecuadorean Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of its upcoming 73rd session; only the fourth woman to hold that position in the history of the world body, and the first since 2006.

UN Photo/Manuel Elias

World needs generation of self-empowered ‘superheroes’, UN youth forum told

30 May 2018
Global

The United Nations needs to spend more time talking directly to young people across the world, beyond simply talking about their concerns, said the President of the General Assembly on Wednesday, opening a major Youth Dialogue event at UN Headquarters in New York.

 

UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi

UN pays tribute to the Organization’s founding mothers

22 May 2018
Global

Women have played a pivotal role in the United Nations since its inception in 1945, including in the first international agreement proclaiming gender equality as a fundamental human right: the UN Charter.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

UN leaders vow to stamp out workplace sexual harassment

4 May 2018
Global

Leaders from across the UN system on Friday pledged to increase efforts to stamp out sexual harassment within their ranks; ensuring a zero-tolerance approach where abusers are held accountable, and staff feel safe to report incidents.

UK Government

UN chief ‘optimistic’ over peace efforts to denuclearize Korean Peninsula

3 May 2018
Global

The UN chief expressed optimism on Thursday that the full denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula could become a reality, following last week’s historic joint declaration from the leaders of the north and south, which eased months of rising tension over North Korea’s nuclear programme.

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Combating ‘scourge’ of sexual abuse allegations remains ‘key’ UN priority, as 54 new allegations emerge

1 May 2018
Global

More than 50 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving personnel serving with the United Nations and its partners in the field were received in the first three months of this year, the global organization said on Tuesday.

Photo: Moa Haeggblom

Unity in Security Council was key to recent easing of tensions on Korean Peninsula – UN chief

23 April 2018
Global

The unity within the Security Council played an essential role in creating the positive momentum that led to a decision by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to suspend nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, the United Nations chief said Monday, noting however that the 15-member body has so far failed to achieve such unity to tackle the Syrian crisis.

UN Photo.

Guterres hails predecessor Dag Hammarskjöld as ‘my reference and my inspiration’

22 April 2018
Global

Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday described his predecessor Dag Hammarskjöld as his “fundamental inspiration,” who should be regarded as the “central reference” point for the whole United Nations ideal today.

UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi

INTERVIEW: Under ‘cloak of confidentiality,’ UN Ombudsman works to resolve internal conflicts

19 April 2018
Global

Sometimes sparks can fly in the crossroads between creativity and conflict. For this reason, the United Nations has an Ombudsman, who helps guide friction into productive solutions.

UN Photo/Mark Garten

In annual memorial, UN pays tribute to 140 fallen staff members

19 April 2018
Global

Were it not for the sacrifices of United Nations peacekeepers, humanitarians and other personnel, the people who needed urgent support in the most difficult and dangerous environments would have experienced greater suffering, the top UN official said Thursday in an annual memorial service for fallen colleagues.