United Nations

UN Continues Criticism of Gaza Blockade

March 11, 2015

Following the 2014 Gaza conflict, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has continued its criticism of Israel's blockade of the area, arguing that the blockade has "undermined" the future prospects of Palestinian recovery.
WHO Champions Policies Against Sugar Intake

March 11, 2015

The UN World Health Organization ("WHO") has called for countries around the world to implement policies aimed at reducing the consumption of "free sugars" in order to prevent obesity and tooth decay.
Groves: U.S. Should Oppose UN Autonomous Weapons Ban

March 11, 2015

Steven Groves of the Heritage Foundation writes that the U.S. Government should counter attempts of activists and UN officials to restrict development of "lethal autonomous weapons systems," which engage targets without human input, in order to maintain its lead in the creation of military technology.
Experts Call on U.S. to Push for UNRWA Reform

March 11, 2015

Brett Schaefer and James Phillips of the Heritage Foundation write that the U.S. should push for reform of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ("UNRWA") to focus on its original mandate to resettle Palestinian refugees and to cut any ties with the terrorist organization Hamas.
UN Agent Applauds U.S. Net Neutrality Rule

March 04, 2015

UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression David Kaye has praised a new U.S. Federal Communications Commission rule prohibiting internet service providers from discriminating based on content and called on other governments to use the regulation as a model for their own systems.
UN Calls for Early Pressure on Countries over Human Rights

March 04, 2015

At the opening of the current session of the UN Human Rights Council, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Council to act early in monitoring alleged human rights violations and pressuring governments to prevent such violations among their people.
HRC Panel Seeks Global Cooperation on Economic Rights

March 04, 2015

A panel held by the UN Human Rights Council ("HRC") featured UN officials, national representatives to the UN, and human rights activists calling for greater international cooperation on human rights, in particular nontraditional "economic, social, and cultural" human rights.
AI Seeks UN Global Governance on Conflict, Human Rights

February 25, 2015

Secretary General of Amnesty International ("AI") Salil Shetty writes that governments should cooperate to "unshackle" the UN by giving the organization the authority to more easily intervene in armed conflicts and in human rights violations around the world.
Ban Calls for Strengthened UN Mandate on "Transnational" Issues

February 25, 2015

Emphasizing that the UN Charter is a "living document," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for global cooperation on "transnational" issues including public health and climate change and has argued that UN pressure on countries' human rights issues has strengthened their sovereignty.
Mariaschin Criticizes UN's Heavy Focus on Israel

February 25, 2015

Daniel Mariaschin of B'nai B'rith International writes that the disproportionate focus of the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council on Israel "marginalizes the United Nations as a reliable venue for conflict resolution" and is evidence of a "failed system."