Full Coverage: United Nations

30.11.2007 The UN Security Council needs to take drastic measures to stop the flow of weapons into countries facing arms embargoes, says a news study released by an independent think tank.

30.11.2007 The World Food Programme invites the online community to raise awareness on global hunger by participating in an international short video contest. The five most compelling clips, between 30-60 seconds in length, will be webcast through YouTube.

29.11.2007 A report by the United Nations World Food Programme, released ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December, highlights links between hunger, poor health and HIV/AIDS. Life-saving drugs are more effective when people are well nourished and healthy, the report says.

27.11.2007 To promote efforts towards eradication of poverty, full employment and social integration, the United Nations General Assembly will observe 20 February annually as the World Day of Social Justice, beginning in 2009.

26.11.2007 An international campaign - 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence kicked off on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The campaign will run till December 10, International Human Rights Day, to emphasize that all forms of violence against women are a violation of human rights.

23.11.2007 The United Nations has officially launched 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation to highlight the need for global investments in sanitation. About 42,000 people die every week from diseases caused by poor drinking water and the lack of toilets, while also being denied dignity, privacy, and in case of women – safety too.

22.11.2007 Paying farmers for environmental services in developing countries can go a long way in mitigating effects of climate change, while also benefiting the billion plus poor who depend on farming for livelihood, claims a recent report by the Food and Agricultural Organization.

13.11.2007 The second Internet Governance Forum that opened at Rio de Janeiro discussed ways to use the Internet for development, among other critical issues. The four-day event is being promoted by the United Nations and will be attended by over thousand participants from the governments, private sector, NGOs, academics and the technical communities.

12.11.2007 Food and Agricultural Organization’s latest prediction of high global prices of cereals in the coming year has led to debates on future prices of agricultural commodities in both rich and poor trading countries. With growing demand for food, feed and industrial use – many countries will pay more for importing cereals than they did before, even though they are expected to import less, the report says.

12.11.2007 The UN General Assembly has declared September 15 as the International Day of Democracy, while stressing the need to promote democratization and fundamental human rights. The Assembly hopes that observing the date each year will help raise public awareness and encourage governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy.

06.11.2007 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called upon Pakistan to release all human rights and opposition activists detained, including UN Special Rapporteur Asma Jahangir, and to take steps for an early return to democracy.

05.11.2007 The upcoming Internet Governance Forum will focus on child protection and child pornography, among other critical security issues. Government representatives, the private sector, civil society and the Internet community will gather to debate the future course of the Internet later this month in Rio de Janeiro.

02.11.2007 An innovative partnership between UN, Google and Cisco will help the world ‘track, learn and support’ progress towards the Millennium Development Goals through a novel online site. MDG Monitor charts development progress in almost all countries to provide vital data for policy makers and development practitioners.

01.11.2007 Experts from 40 countries will seek solutions to improve people’s access to sanitation at the 7th World Toilet Summit that opened at New Delhi. Over 40% of the world’s poor are deprived of the basic toilet – which carries a strong impact on their health and dignity.