United Nations

UN Officials Dismiss as "Xenophobic" Warnings of Migration Risks

March 20, 2018

Reiterating the narrative that "the benefits of migration vastly outweigh the challenges," senior UN officials at a UN meeting preparing for the negotiation of a Global Compact on Migration called for the quelling of "xenophobic political narratives" on migrants and reliance instead on an "evidence-based approach" to the phenomenon.
UNESCO Publishes Sustainability Science Guidelines

March 20, 2018

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched a set of "sustainability science guidelines" containing principles aiming to encourage scientific developments that will "allow societies to better address global and local sustainability challenges" in line with the comprehensive UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Chief Calls Charter a "Living Template"

March 20, 2018

At a recent briefing of the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General António Guterres labeled the UN Charter a "living template" and identified a need to continue to "update its tools" to best contribute to peace and security efforts in today's society.
UN Chief Calls for Global Treaty on Cyberwarfare

March 19, 2018

Reuters reports that, in a recent address at the University of Lisbon, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on governments to agree to a global treaty on cyberwarfare to apply the rules of international humanitarian and human-rights law to state-sponsored cyber attacks.
UNESCO Champions "Citizenship Education" Agenda

March 14, 2018

On the sidelines of a recent meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) hosted an event highlighting its commitment to "global citizenship education," which seeks to insert into education programs around the world lesson plans on the global human rights and environmental agenda.
UN Recalls Peacekeepers After New Sex-Abuse Allegations

March 09, 2018

AP reports that the UN mission in South Sudan has recalled a 46-member Ghanaian peacekeeping force from the country after learning of allegations that some members of the unit paid women living in a protection camp for sex.
EU, UN Spotlight Cooperation on SDG Agenda

March 08, 2018

The European Commission and the UN Development Programme recently hosted a High-Level Policy Dialogue on Development that served to highlight the robust collaboration between these bodies on achieving the comprehensive social and environmental agenda contained in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
World Bank Pursues "Green," Inclusive Development in China

March 08, 2018

In its most recent Systematic Country Diagnostic for China, the World Bank Group called on Chinese authorities to promote "more inclusive and sustainable development," supplementing advice on economic growth and productivity with calls for a reduction in income disparities as well as the enhancement of "green innovation" in the transitioning country.
World Bank Hosts Event Promoting Welfare Programs

March 08, 2018

Showing the development institution's increasing interest in promoting welfare programs and climate action rather than focusing on fueling employment and economic growth, the World Bank recently co-hosted a High-Level Forum in Frankfurt to explore how "social safety nets" can help countries respond to shocks caused by "natural and man-made crises."
UN Agent Criticizes Deterrence of Illegal Migration

March 07, 2018

UN Special Rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer has issued a report blaming government policies of "deterrence" and "criminalisation" as "the primary cause" of human rights abuses of illegal migrants and expressing concern that countries are attempting to "physically prevent irregular migrant arrivals" through walls and fences.