Global perspective Human stories

Filter by:

UN News

Climate change affecting nutritional quality of food

The impact of climate change on the nutritional quality of food is addressed in a new book unveiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Entitled, “Climate Change and Food Systems”, the book covers a number of issues ranging from the pressures of climate change on food systems to how climate change impacts trade flows and water resources.

Displacement of people “getting out of control in world at war”

The highest number of people displaced by conflict ever was recorded last year, according to a report issued by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The Global Trends report says that close to 60 million people around the world were forced to flee their homes as a result of conflict in 2014.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, says that forced displacement is “getting out of control” in what he called a “world at war.”

“Immense” number of people displaced in Africa

The number of people displaced in sub-Saharan Africa has been described as “immense” in a new report by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

According to the Global Trends report, Africa had 3.7 million refugees and 11.4 million internally displaced people in 2014.

Around 4.5 million were newly displaced during that year, an increase of 17 per cent over the previous year.

Ethiopia replaced Kenya as the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa and the fifth largest worldwide.

Forced displacement on the rise in Asia

The number of people forced by conflict and instability to flee their homes in Asia went up by 31 per cent in 2014, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The agency has released its new Global Trends report which covers displacements around the world as of the end of 2014.

UNHCR spokesperson Babar Balloch explained to Daniel Johnson why the number of people who were forced to flee has increased so dramatically.

Duration: 3’15”

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Force Commanders detail challenges of UN peacekeeping

The Force Commanders of United Nations peacekeeping operations have been briefing the UN Security Council about the challenges they face maintaining peace and security around the world.

More than 125,000 people serve at 16 UN peacekeeping operations stretching from Haiti in the Caribbean to Darfur in South Sudan and the Middle East.

The week-long meeting of Force Commanders is held every June at UN Headquarters in New York.

Dianne Penn reports.

Duration: 2'38"

OCHA File Photo/Eman al Awami

“Catastrophic situation” for children in Yemen

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

While consultations on the future of the Gulf state continue in Geneva, an increasing number of children are dying as the fighting there escalates.

Yemen has suffered turmoil and instability after rebels seized the capital Sana'a last September driving the government into exile.

“Invest in healthy soils” says UN on World Day to Combat Desertification

Approximately 12 million hectares of productive land is degraded every year, according to the United Nations.

On World Day to Combat Desertification the UN is highlighting the importance of land to sustain life on Earth.

To find out more about this issue, Joshua Mmali spoke with Louise Baker, a senior adviser at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

She first spoke about this year’s theme of the day.

Duration: 4’57”

UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi

Girls’ education brings human rights benefits

Educating girls could help change societies and improve the lives of millions, according to the UN Human Rights chief.

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein is also urging countries to ensure that girls have safe access to quality education that includes information about human rights.

His comments came during a panel discussion held in Geneva on Tuesday.

Dianne Penn reports.

Duration: 2'36"

FAO/J. Thompson

Child workers in agriculture to benefit from new guidelines

With 100 million children worldwide engaged in agricultural work, a UN agency is aiming to ensure they are working under safe conditions and that they are still going to school.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization , FAO, has released a handbook which proposes that anti-child labour measures are included in agricultural and rural development programmes.

Sandra Ferrari asked  Bernd Seiffert, FAO’s focal point for Child Labour Prevention in Agriculture, how the guide will benefit child workers.