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Women continue to reap less benefits from employment in agriculture than men in rural areas, and the recent global financial and food crises have slowed down progress towards gender equality in farming-related labour, three United Nations agencies said in a joint report unveiled today.

With climate change presaging natural mega-disasters, aid workers facing mounting attacks in conflict areas and the economic crisis crimping resources, the United Nations office coordinating the global humanitarian response announced its agenda for 2011 today: more lives saved, more rapidly, with fewer gaps and less duplication.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today voiced “deep concern and surprise” at the recent call to delay the inauguration of the National Assembly that was elected in September.

Pakistan remains in need of humanitarian and early recovery assistance as a result of the devastation wrought by last year’s massive floods, the United Nations special envoy for the country said today after visiting one of the provinces hit hardest by the deluge that affected a total of 20 million people.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he is very concerned at the lack of progress towards peace between Israel and the Palestinians, voicing his hope that this year will see greater efforts to bring an end to the conflict.

An independent United Nations human rights expert today called on Indian authorities to do much more to ensure a safe and conducive environment for human rights defenders working in the country.

The Security Council, which deploys peacekeeping missions to strife-torn countries, devoted a day-long session today to the equally important task of post-conflict peacebuilding – helping nations on the long road to forging institutions that prevent them from relapsing back into bloodshed.

Ireland’s economic and financial crisis poses a disproportionate threat to vulnerable groups in the European country who did not benefit much even when the economy was booming, the United Nations independent expert on human rights and extreme poverty said today.

The United Nations today rebuffed efforts by forces loyal to Côte d’Ivoire’s former president, who refuses to step down despite his electoral defeat, to stop and search UN vehicles.

The authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have arrested the commander of national army soldiers who allegedly went on a rape and looting spree on New Year’s Day in the eastern part of the country, the United Nations peacekeeping mission said today.