UN Affairs

Gender equality ‘champion’ Sima Sami Bahous to lead UN Women 

Secretary-General António Guterres described Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan, as “a champion for women and girls”, announcing on Monday her appointment to lead the UN’s gender equality and empowerment entity, UN Women. 

General Assembly creates new Permanent Forum of People of African Descent

Capping years of deliberations, the UN General Assembly on Monday established a new platform to improve the lives of Afro-descendants, who have for centuries suffered the ills of racism, racial discrimination and the legacy of enslavement around the globe.

UN development system responds with ‘solid score’ in face of COVID-19 test 

As the world continues to tackle the multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, from pushing some 131 million people into extreme poverty to reversing years of development progress, the UN chief said on Tuesday that a more coordinated approach is key to moving forward. 

Guterres to seek second five-year term as UN Secretary-General

António Guterres confirmed on Monday that he will be seeking a second five-year term as UN Secretary-General, which would begin in January 2022.

Put peace in Libya first, UN chief urges summit on war-shattered nation 

A “rare opportunity” for peace in Libya should be seized by all those involved directly or indirectly in the conflict, António Guterres said on Monday, at a High-Level virtual meeting convened to end the fighting. 

Annual report: Pandemic recovery must be measured in ‘human rather than economic terms’

We must “commit” to building a more inclusive and sustainable world, the UN chief underscored in his annual report on the Work of the Organization, launched on Thursday.

UN committed to a ‘brighter future’ for Haiti, as independent rights experts call for more action on behalf of cholera victims

A group of 13 independent UN human rights experts on Thursday called on the UN chief, António Guterres, to “urgently step up efforts” to fulfill a UN pledge to help victims of a nine-year-long cholera epidemic in Haiti that killed over 10,000 citizens.

Cash help crucial for informal workers, says UN labour chief, stressing primacy of multilateralism

Informal workers who live day to day urgently need cash support from their governments to survive the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the UN labour agency said on Friday.

Tuesday’s Daily Brief: UNICEF child health report, Peacekeeping operations end in Haiti, Syria-Turkey latest, Haitian migrants deported from Bahamas

A recap of Tuesday’s stories: Millions of children undernourished and overweight says landmark report; Security Council marks transition after 15 years of ‘blue helmets’ in Haiti; violence continues ‘on both sides’ of Syria-Turkey border; UN human rights office raises concerns over deportation of Haitian migrants from the Bahamas; UN migration agency helps migrants in Algeria return to Niger; rural women celebrated on International Day.

Rural women a ‘powerful force’ for global climate action: UN Secretary-General

Rural women and girls across the world are a “powerful force” in global action to respond to climate change, according to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.