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Honduras Resists UN Pressure on Abortion Laws
August 01, 2017
The nongovernmental organization C-Fam has reported that, in the face of pressure from UN human rights mandate holders to recognize what they said are internationally recognized "sexual and reproductive health rights," the Honduran Congress ruled out a reform of the country's penal code to decriminalize certain types of abortion.
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UN Agents Seek Loosening of Abortion Law in El Salvador
August 01, 2017
As part of the UN human rights apparatus's pressure in favor of "sexual and reproductive health rights," a group of UN human rights mandate holders recently called on the Congress of El Salvador to revise the country's penal code in line with "international human rights standards" to decriminalize abortion in certain circumstances.
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UNESCO Body Sides Against Privatized Education
August 01, 2017
In a recent panel description, UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning says Stanford researcher Dr. Frank Adamson "set the record straight" on how “market-based approaches” to education financing result in poorer outcomes and greater educational inequality than publicly funded schools.
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New ECOSOC Chief Prioritizes SDGs
August 01, 2017
Marie Chatardová, the newly elected President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has announced that she will focus ECOSOC's efforts during her term on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the international organization's comprehensive wishlist for social and environmental policy around the world.
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HRW Criticizes UNESCO for Saudi NGO Forum
July 31, 2017
Adam Coogle of the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Human Rights Watch writes that the decision by the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to host its International Forum of NGOs in Saudi Arabia is a "slap in the face" of human rights activists in the country jailed for allegedly violating its extremely restrictive NGO laws.
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Paper Considers Impacts of US Funding Cuts on UN
July 31, 2017
A paper from the Brookings Institution analyzes the potential budget impacts of US funding cuts for parts of the UN system and argues that the amount of future US funding for the organization depends on "how much responsibility does it want to take on in shaping the world’s new normal."
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Israel Withholds Funding from UNESCO
July 31, 2017
AP reports that Israel has announced that it is withholding $1 million in funding for the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) following the adoption of a UNESCO resolution that, according to the Israeli government, diminishes the ties of the Jewish people to Jerusalem.
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Academic Details "Hard" Law in Paris Climate Deal
July 28, 2017
A paper by Professor Lavanya Rajamani paints the UN's 2015 Paris agreement on combating climate change as a "carefully calibrated mix of hard, soft and non-obligations" with "blurred boundaries" among each, making clear the assertion that the deal is merely a statement of ambition does not capture the full picture of the document.
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UN Event Targets Impact of IP Rules on Medicine Access
July 27, 2017
Speakers at a recent event organized by the UN Secretary-General on increasing access to medicine called for national and international policies to limit drug patents, encourage the international proliferation of medicines, and ensure “fair prices” for patients in line with health-related targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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UN Independent Expert Praises Cuba in Report
July 27, 2017
UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity Virginia Dandan praised the Cuban government after a recent visit to the country for furthering “good practices” with other countries around the world through its “international solidarity activities.”