"Enormous challenges" lie ahead for the Colombian people and their international partners in turning the historic deal with FARC rebels into a lasting peace. That's the view of Jean Arnault who is tasked with leading the UN Mission there to monitor and verify the laying down of arms by rebel fighters. He was speaking at [...]

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan reached record levels last year, according to the UN Mission there, UNAMA, on Monday. The figure of 11,418 conflict-related casualties for 2016 includes a two-thirds increase in those killed or maimed by so-called "unexploded remnants of war" such as landmines, the vast majority of which were children. The UN called on [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the United Nations, with Matthew Wells and Dianne Penn. In today's programme: More than 11.400 civilians were killed or maimed in Afghanistan last year – a record number, says the UN mission there. And in the fight to end Female Genital Mutilation, the World Health Organization [...]

  Syria: Millions in Aleppo without water The United Nations is expressing grave concern over a water crisis in Aleppo, Syria, where nearly two million people have been cut off from their main source, which is under the control of the extremist group ISIL, also known as Daesh. The situation has existed for more than [...]

At least 125 million people with disabilities are living in "extreme poverty" worldwide, according to a United Nations disability rights expert. Ms Catalina Devandas Aguilar is the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. Speaking during a panel discussion on the links between poverty and disability at UN Headquarters in New York, [...]

More than 200 million girls and women around the world are victims of female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice that the UN says is spreading, along with global migration. For the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM on Monday, 6 February, new guidelines have been published by the World Health Organization (WHO) to help [...]

Encouraging the African diaspora to advocate for the rights of women and girls on the continent is among the goals of this year's commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), observed on 6 February. FGM is practiced in nearly 30 African countries but can also be found in places [...]

Ukraine humanitarian situation is dire, fighting must stop, says UN An immediate pause in fighting is needed in Ukraine to prevent more people dying and to repair essential services. That's the appeal from the UN Human Rights Office, OHCHR, issued on Friday, following another night of shelling in the east of the country. In the [...]

Tunisia's efforts to fight terrorism should be grounded in human rights Tunisia's efforts to prevent violent extremism, although commendable, should be grounded in human rights, a UN expert said on Friday as he wrapped up a five-day visit to the country. Ben Emmerson, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the United Nations, with Dianne Penn and Matthew Wells In today's programme: A human rights report depicts grave violations against Myanmar's Rohingya people And: Early diagnosis can help more people survive cancer, says UN health agency WHO