Science and Technology

While potential benefits of human genome editing include a faster and more accurate diagnosis, it must be used as a safe and ethical tool for public health.
CDC

UN reports ‘leap forward’ in regulating DNA-altering technology to benefit all 

12 July 2021
Health

Releasing two companion reports on Monday, the UN health agency has provided the first global recommendations for DNA-altering technology, known as human genome editing, to be used as a safe, effective and ethical public health tool to benefit everyone. 

A sign at a school in South Sudan that reads “No water, No life.”
UNICEF/Helene Sandbu Ryeng

News in Brief 13 May 2021

13 May 2021
News in Brief
  • South Sudan: UN humanitarian offical condemns killing of aid worker
  • UN labour agency ILO and partners tackle child labour in Iraq
  • Expert meeting to examine science and technology for COVID-19 response
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2'43"
A girl in Afghanistan shows a robot she has built at an exhibition in Kabul.
© UNICEF/Omid Fazel

UN forum examines how to make science and technology work better for all

4 May 2021
SDGs

Harnessing the full potential of science and technology for the benefit of all people, everywhere, is the focus of a two-day virtual meeting convened by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which opened on Tuesday. 

More mass-market consumer applications are expected with the development of what is known as 'assistive technologies'.
Unsplash/Possessed Photography

Inventions boom in ‘assistive tech’ offers wider benefits for all

23 March 2021
Economic Development

Rapid growth in innovations that are designed to help people overcome their disabilities could soon offer a fix to all manner of mobility, sight and other difficulties, UN patent experts WIPO said on Tuesday.

Nastarin (left) and Sevinch took part in Technovation 2018
Rimma Mukhtarova and Sabina Baki

FROM THE FIELD: The teenage Uzbek girls using science to help their community

13 February 2021
Women

Young women in Uzbekistan are using technology to help improve the lives of those around them, challenging perceptions of the roles that women and girls play in society.

Anastasia Lauterbach speaking at the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) 18th Global Symposium for Regulators on 10 July 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland.
ITU

Artificial intelligence expert: UN speaks language of humanity, coders don’t

16 July 2018
Interviews

Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays an increasingly important role in our lives — though we might not know it — but the computer coding behind it doesn’t yet reflect everyone’s needs, a leading tech expert believes. At an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) event, Anastassia Lauterbach told Jens Renner that, with an “open and inclusive” dialogue on AI led by the UN, unexpected harm might result.

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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres presents his agenda for disarmament "Securing Our Common Future" at Université de Genève - Uni Dufour.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

‘Frontier technology’ key element of new UN disarmament agenda

25 May 2018
The Lid is On

It’s time for the United Nations to play a bigger role in disarmament, according to UN chief António Guterres, calling for concrete, practical actions to promote peaceful conflict resolution. Among those actions is to maximize the benefits of “frontier technology”. Daniel Johnson discusses the various ways that the UN is looking to incorporate such technology in its disarmament agenda.

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7'37"
Vaughan C. Turekian ;
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Merging science, technology and innovation leads to development

13 January 2017
General News

Merging science, technology and innovative ideas can help tackle the global challenges to development, a panellist at a UN conference on the topic has said.

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