Countries should not be afraid to strengthen the rights of indigenous peoples as guaranteed by a UN Declaration adopted a decade ago, a UN Special Rapporteur has urged. The Declaration, adopted in 2007, is a compilation of "tears and complaints" brought by the indigenous peoples to the attention of world leaders, Victoria Tauli Corpuz said. [...]

UN project highlights cost of violence against women in Arab Region A new UN project is highlighting how estimating the cost of violence against women in Arab countries, can be an effective way of addressing this fundamental human rights violation. According to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), 37 per cent [...]

Somalia terror attack "desperate attempt" to disrupt electoral process The attack on the Dayax hotel in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday has been described by the UN there as a "desperate attempt" by Al Shabaab extremists to disrupt the electoral process. Joseph Contreras, the Spokesperson for the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, UNSOM, [...]

  Appeal for calm in CAR town A senior UN humanitarian official in the Central African Republic (CAR) has appealed for calm in the wake of renewed tensions in the town of Bambari, located in the middle of the country. Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in the CAR Dr Michel Yao said the situation has raised fears [...]

A new UN project is highlighting how estimating the cost of violence against women in the Arab region can be an effective way of addressing this fundamental human rights violation. According to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), 37 per cent of women in the Arab region report at least one [...]

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has protested the arrest of a journalist working for the UN's radio station in Juba. The Radio Miraya journalist and UN staff member was detained for five hours, by government soldiers while covering a story at the John Garang Mausoleum on Tuesday. UNMISS spokesperson Daniel Dickinson says the [...]

The levels of devastation and suffering witnessed in Syria in 2016, defy comprehension, according to the head of the UN's humanitarian aid coordination agency, OCHA. Sharing details of what he called a "senseless and brutal" conflict, Stephen O'Brien urged the Security Council to ensure the current ceasefire holds and to support efforts to find a [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the United Nations, with Jocelyne Sambira and Dianne Penn. In today's programme “Devastation and suffering" in Syria "defies comprehension" says the UN humanitarian chief; and the UN mission in South Sudan protests the arrest of a radio journalist.  

HIV prevention in the Philippines is "difficult" and challenging because of church teaching against the use of condoms, the UN's Children Fund, UNICEF, has said. The Philippines' Department of Health plans to distribute condoms in schools in a bid to educate young people about the spread of HIV. However, some government officials have decided to [...]

More private investment alongside public funding will provide a "better future" for rural people. That's one of the key ideas behind a two-day conference beginning in Rome on Wednesday dedicated to rural economic development, hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The international meeting entitled, Investing in Inclusive Rural Transformation: Innovative Approaches to [...]