An overview of land cover and land use across the world has been gathered for the first time in a database released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The Global Land Cover SHARE database provides a comprehensive overview of how much land is covered, for example, by crops, trees or land which is uncultivated.
It collects previously scattered and unharmonized land cover information from around the globe into one centralized list.
People with albinism are facing a “unique” and “complicated” situation that needs special policies and laws.
That’s the view of a person with albinism and International Advocate Officer for a non-governmental organization called Under the Same Sun which protects the rights of people with albinism.
Ikponwosa Ero who is originally from Nigeria and now lives in Canada says that many governments are now recognizing and promoting the rights of people with albinism.
A Pakistani graduate student says that peace in his country can be promoted through education.
Ibrahim Khan, who comes from North-Western Pakistan, was at United Nations Headquarters recently to participate in an event on “Promoting peace through education”.
Twelve students who participated in the event organized by the Committee of Teaching about the United Nations presented posters on various themes of their choice.
UN Radio’s May Yacoub asked Ibrahim Khan why he chose the theme “Crafting Peace Through Education as an Alternative to Drones” for his poster.
Tourists are being encouraged to join the global fight against the illicit trafficking of goods and services that they may be tempted to buy when they are travelling.
A campaign by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is educating tourists about the links between illegal products and organised crime.
The “Your actions count- be a responsible traveller” campaign says that if consumers make the wrong choices there can be “devastating effects.”.
A new metric by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to measure hunger and food insecurity faster and more effectively is being tested on the ground in several countries worldwide.
The five-year global project, named Voices of the Hungry, gathers information on the extent and severity of hunger from food-insecure people through an annual survey.
Women are being encouraged to enter journalism in South Sudan bucking a trend which has typically seen only men employed as journalists.
Media workers in South Sudan have often reported harassment and physical hardship as part of the job, a situation which has deterred many women from entering the profession.
But now, the Union of Journalists in South Sudan is actively encouraging women to get involved.
Regina Gorle has been speaking to Edward Ladu, the General Secretary of the union and began by asking him about the role of female reporters in South Sudan.
Radio broadcasting is being promoted as a key way to furthergender equality and women’s empowerment around the world.
On World Radio Day on Thursday, the UN’s cultural organization, UNESCO , is raising awareness of the power of radio to promote access to information and the freedom of expression as a means to boost equality.
The medium continues to be the most accessible source of news and information across the developing world.
Daniel Dickinson has more details
It’s perhaps not often that young people celebrate being able to sit examinations, but that’s exactly what 400 school students in South Sudan have been doing.
Primary school exams were due to have begun in the capital Juba in December but they were disrupted just as fighting spread across the city.
Thousands of students fled and were unable to take the exam.
However, now nearly 5,000 candidates including many displaced youth living in United Nations camps, have had the opportunity to sit the exam.
A multi-cultural fashion show filmed at the United Nations in New York is reaching its finale on Thursday.
The “Project Runway: All Stars” show is a US-based reality TV programme where contestants compete to design and create new clothes.
Three finalists feature in the season finale showing their cultural heritage-inspired lines in the UN’s Economic and Social Council.
American actress Alyssa Milano, who’s also a National Ambassador for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is playing host and judge.
The worlds of foreign affairs and fashion come together at the United Nations on Thursday in the season finale of the popular US television show ‘Project Runway: All Stars’.
The show pits fashion designers against each other in weekly challenges to determine the overall winner of a prize package that includes a position at a top fashion magazine and $150,000 in cash.
