Many Somalis commonly called "crazy" are actually suffering from mental illness, often brought on by years of conflict and loss. That's one of the lessons learned at a recent UN workshop for mental health professionals in Baidoa, the capital of Somalia's South West state, organized by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, UNSOM. The [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the United Nations, with Matt Wells and Dianne Penn. In today's programme: Denying terrorists access to weapons "goes to the heart" of the UN's core mission on preventing conflict, says a senior counter-terrorism official; and, engaging countries close to South Sudan is a "good thing" for [...]

The engagement of countries in eastern Africa in a process aimed at revitalizing the peace process and bringing an end to conflict in South Sudan is a "good thing" the head of global UN peacekeeping operations has said. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, was speaking on Wednesday in the South [...]

Denying terrorists access to weapons "goes to the heart" of the UN chief's efforts "to make prevention the core mission" of the world body. That's according to the officer in charge of the new UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, briefing the Security Council on Wednesday. Matt Wells reports. Duration: 3’06″

Breastfeeding protects both babies and their mothers from an array of diseases and helps boost their health long-term. That's according to Laurence Grummer-Strawn, a breastfeeding expert with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Department of Nutrition for Health and Development. WHO and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) published the Global Breastfeeding Scorecard on Tuesday, in collaboration [...]

Understanding the link between fighting poverty and preserving natural resources is key to achieving development that benefits both people and the planet. That's the view of the Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Ibrahim Thiaw. Countries are pushing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with the promise to "leave [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the United Nations, with Matt Wells and Dianne Penn. In today's programme: old and young need to pool their wisdom, experience, energy and ideals to reach the ambitious 2030 Sustainable Development Goals says the UN chief; and we join personnel from the UN Mission in South [...]

UN Peacekeeping chief in South Sudan Peace initiatives in South Sudan cannot advance unless fighting comes to an end and the humanitarian situation of the people improves, the head of UN peacekeeping operations has said. Jean-Pierre Lacroix was speaking to reporters in the country's capital, Juba, on Tuesday, following a meeting with the Foreign Minister. [...]

The "wisdom, experience, energy and ideals" of the old and the young are vital to realizing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That was the key message from UN chief Antรณnio Guterres, marking the start of a day of Intergenerational Dialogues, aimed at raising awareness of the valuable role youth and the elderly can play [...]

UN rights chief concerned over arrest of Venezuela opposition figures Authorities in Venezuela are being urged by the UN Human Rights High Commissioner to release all those who are being held in custody for exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein made the appeal on Tuesday in [...]