Asia

A family finds temporary shelter at a school in Aden Governorate, Yemen.
OCHA File Photo/Eman al Awami

“Catastrophic situation” for children in Yemen

17 June 2015
General News

Children in Yemen are facing what’s been described by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as a “catastrophic situation.”

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© UNESCO/Webistan Schoolgirls in a reading class, Ferdeusi school, Kabul, Afghanistan

Obstacles remain for Afghan girls to access education

16 June 2015
General News

The number of girls in Afghanistan who are going to school has increased significantly since the former Taliban government was deposed in 2001, but obstacles remain, according to the United Nations.

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Yôhei Sasakawa. WHO/Pierre Albouy

Leprosy still affecting many people in India and Brazil

13 June 2015
General News

Eliminating leprosy and the stigma associated with the disease has been the mission of a Japanese philanthropist for many decades.

In 2001, Yôhei Sasakawa became the World Health Organization (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.

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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Professor Esen Aydogdiyev, Rector of the International University for Humanities and Development, during the presentation of the UN Academic Impact certificate in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

In Turkmenistan, UN chief says future peace, development hinge on human rights

13 June 2015
All efforts for sustainable development and a stable future must involve a deep respect for human rights and the strengthening of rule of law, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon affirmed today as he concluded his five-day tour of Central Asia with a visit to Turkmenistan.
A view of rusted, abandoned ships in Muynak, Uzebkistan, a former port city whose population has declined precipitously with the rapid recession of the Aral Sea.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Welcoming progress towards MDGs, Ban encourages Uzbekistan to promote human rights

12 June 2015
Continuing his visit to Central Asia, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today hailed Uzbekistan for the solid progress it achieved towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, in reducing poverty and maternal mortality, ensuring universal access to primary education, while recalling that there can be no peace and development without human rights.
Helen Clark.
UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz

Balanced approach needed to deal with public debt

10 June 2015
General News

A balanced approach is needed to deal with public debt according to a senior UN official and former Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Debt is a normal part of a country’s finances.

Governments borrow to pay for a wide range of services and other needs.

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Learning to adapt to climate change in Odisha, India where women are hit hardest by the extreme weather conditions.
Prashanth Vishwanathan/ UNDP India

Communities respond to flooding in India

4 June 2015
General News

Women in north-east India have learnt how to protect their community and boost their livelihoods in the face of extreme weather events.

Flooding in Odisha state is a constant problem and can lead to health problems and disrupt cultivation.

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Georgette Gagnon, Director of Human Rights, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
UN Photo/Mark Garten (file)

Human rights gains in Afghanistan “will be sustained”

2 June 2015
General News

Gains made in the protection of human rights in Afghanistan “will be sustained” according to the outgoing director of rights issues at the UN mission in the country, UNAMA.

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Child abuse is costing East Asia and the Pacific around US$209 billion a year.
UNICEF

Child abuse costing East Asia and Pacific US$209bn

2 June 2015
General News

Child abuse and violence is costing countries in East Asia and the Pacific around US$209 billion a year, according to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

It’s the first ever costing of child maltreatment in the region.

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Laos: nutritious meals are bringing more children to school.
World Bank/Bart Verweij

Asia-Pacific records highest reduction in undernourished people

1 June 2015
General News

The Asia and the Pacific region has achieved the largest reduction in the number of undernourished people in the world, according to research released by the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO.

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