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On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, the United Nations in Iraq today highlighted the plight of 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country, stressing the need to address the causes for displacement as well as to implement policies for long-term, durable solutions to this issue.

The United Nations today honoured aid workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, marking the tenth anniversary of the attack on UN headquarters in Baghdad, and the World Humanitarian Day inspired by that tragic event.

The international community must step up efforts to protect civilians in armed conflict, and ensure that those responsible for war crimes are prosecuted, United Nations senior officials told the Security Council in a meeting that coincides with World Humanitarian Day.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters today that has dispatched the top United Nations political official to hold wide-ranging talks in Cairo on how the Organization can best support peace and reconciliation efforts in Egypt.

The head of the United Nations cultural agency today expressed grave concern for Egypt’s cultural heritage following reports that a national museum in the city of Minya had been looted and that several monuments of religious importance in Fayoum and the capital, Cairo had been destroyed.

Pumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, of South Africa, took the oath of office today as the new head of the United Nations body tasked with promoting women’s rights and their full participation in global affairs.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the latest ambush in the Sinai of Egyptian police officers, following earlier reports of dozens of prisoners killed while in police custody.

The United Nations in Haiti today called on key political, religious and community leaders to inspire respect for rights and encourage restraint from expressions of hatred and contempt amid increase in homophobic violence in the country.

The top United Nations envoy in Somalia today expressed grave concern over allegations of rape at a facility of the African Union Mission in the country (AMISOM), and welcomed the Government's investigation into the incident.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the attacks on churches, hospitals and public facilities in Egypt, stressing this is unacceptable, and appealed to authorities to contain violence and revive the political process immediately.