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United Nations human rights expert Maina Kiai today urged Cambodia to reject a draft law that would allow authorities to shut down and criminalize any group advocating for human rights, basic freedoms and good governance, saying “it is not too late to reverse the course of action.”

As millions face “terrifying” violence, extreme hunger and little medical aid in Yemen, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator today expressed deep concern over the “catastrophic” situation, and renewed his appeal for an “immediate and unconditional humanitarian pause.”

The latest agreement between the Government of Iran and negotiations from six nations on limiting the scope of the Gulf country’s nuclear programme has opened the door to further discussion of the Iranian human rights situation, according to an independent United Nations expert.

Islamic finance offers a promising alternative to traditional sources of funding and should be utilized to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that countries will adopt in September, participants at the Third International Conference on Financing Development were told.

A peaceful transition in Libya will only succeed through a significant and coordinated effort in support of a future Government of National Accord and by ensuring that sufficient security is achieved throughout the country so that public administration can resume its key functions, the top UN official in Libya told the Security Council today.

On the first-ever commemoration of World Youth Skills Day, United Nations officials today declared that investing in developing the skills of young people can help build a more just and sustainable future for all and is one of the most important decisions any country can make.

A lack of industrialization puts Africa's long-term growth at risk, a senior United Nations official said today, as participants at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development discussed the economic transformation of the continent.

The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, today denounced the killing of three journalists in Honduras, reiterating that crimes against media workers cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed that a successful outcome at the United Nations financing conference in Ethiopia is vital for the future sustainable development agenda and could shape international cooperation for years to come, as negotiations on the draft text entered its final stages.

The implementation of new austerity measures in Greece amid the country’s deteriorating economic crisis must not come at a cost to human rights, a United Nations expert warned today as he urged international institutions and the Greek Government to make “fully informed decisions” before adopting additional reforms.