Asia

School in Kabul.
UNAMA/F. Waezi

Over 9 million Afghan children in rural, conflict-prone areas attend school

9 February 2015
General News

Over 9 million children in rural Afghanistan have access to education because of the introduction of community-based schools the UN says.

An estimated 3.6 million of them are girls.

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Maina Kiai.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Kazakhstan called on to improve human rights situation

7 February 2015
General News

The efforts Kazakhstan has made to turn the country around economically need to be applied to human rights and democracy issues as well.

That’s according to UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai who recently completed an official visit to the central Asian country.

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UNICEF logo

“Left-behind” children growing up alone in China

3 February 2015
General News

An increasing number of young people in China are growing up without their parents according to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

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Displaced Iraqis (UNinAction video capture)

Iraq displaced given shelter at border camp

30 January 2015
General News

A once empty Syrian border transit point has rapidly become home to more than 11,000 people from Iraq.

They’ve been forced to flee their homes following an upsurge of terrorist violence across the region.

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Rural Samoa. UNDP/ Abril Esquivel

Asia-Pacific faces challenge of reducing poverty: UNDP

26 January 2015
General News

Despite its high rate of economic growth, the Asia-Pacific region is facing challenges in reducing poverty and economic inequalities, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

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Source: UNDP

In new development report, UN spotlights ‘string of successes’ in Asia-Pacific region

26 January 2015
The United Nations main development programme spotlighted today its string of successes in 36 countries and territories in the Asia and Pacific region in the areas of poverty reduction, conservation of natural resources, democratic governance, and crisis resilience.
A scene from the crowded Za'atri refugee camp in Jordan hosting many Syrian refugees.
UNHCR/J. Kohler

Jordan calls for more help to host refugees

22 January 2015
General News

Jordan says it needs more help from the international community to accommodate refugees fleeing from the conflict in Syria.

The country is currently hosting around 800,000 refugees, the vast majority from Syria.

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Participants at civil society-led Afghan Peoples Dialogue for Peace initiative. Kabul, 15 January 2015.
UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Afghan people contribute to peace dialogue

21 January 2015
General News

More than 6,000 people from across Afghanistan have been describing how they think peace can be brought to the troubled country.

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A group of clean-up workers in Tacloban, Philippines walk through piles of debris left by the storm.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Coron Islanders in Philippines get decent work after typhoon

14 January 2015
General News

Communities in Philippine’s remote island of Coron are getting decent work after a typhoon devastated their region, the International Labour Organization (ILO) says.

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ESCAP Executive Secretary Dr. Shamshad Akhtar launches Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2014: Year-end Update.
ESCAP/Saksia Ketz

Asia-Pacific growth to pick up moderately in 2015 – new UN report

13 January 2015
Developing countries in Asia and the Pacific are forecast to grow at an average of 5.8 per cent this year, up from 5.6 per cent in 2014, spurred by decreased inflation and a steep decline in oil prices, according to a new United Nations report that indicates that structural reforms and lower oil prices can boost growth for sustainable development.