Vaccine equity the ‘challenge of our time’, WHO chief declares, as governments call for solidarity, sharing
With the number of new COVID-19 cases nearly doubling over the past two months, approaching…
Author: UnitedNations
COVID-19 infections approaching highest rates ever, WHO warns
COVID-19 infections are approaching their highest rates since the pandemic began just over a year…
INTERVIEW: Myanmar military increasing efforts to keep truth from getting out, UN expert says
The crackdown on journalists, cutting off the Internet and disrupting the flow of information across…
Podcast – UN Catch-Up Dateline Geneva – Tackling ‘kissing disease’, Mosul’s Al-Nouri mosque rebirth
In this week’s UN Catch-Up, a chilling warning from the UN rights chief who’s likened…
News in Brief 15 April 2021
Alert over shortage of new drugs for ‘world’s most dangerous bacteria’ COVID-19 cases rise for…
Iraq: UNESCO architectural design winners to rebuild iconic Al-Nouri Mosque complex
Eight Egyptian architects have been awarded the job of restoring the historic Al-Nouri Mosque complex…
Japan: UN experts ‘deeply disappointed’ by decision to discharge Fukushima water
Three independent UN human rights experts expressed deep regret on Thursday over Japan’s decision to…
Alert over shortage of new drugs for ‘world’s most dangerous bacteria’
A lack of new treatments for common infections has left people dangerously exposed to the “world’s most dangerous bacteria”, the UN health agency said on Thursday. Read…
Hopes grow for an end to ‘kissing’ bug’s unhealthy impact on Latin America and beyond
An intimate encounter with the “kissing bug” might sound cute, but Chagas disease – to give it its official name – is a nightmare for the millions…
News in Brief 14 April 2021
‘Hundreds of millions of girls do not own their own bodies’ – UNFPA Global drive…
UN experts urge US to align anti-terrorism programme with international law
A so-called “Rewards for Justice” programme in the United States is violating the human rights…
Prevention is ‘only cure’ to end sexual violence in conflict, Security Council hears
“Prevention is the best and only cure” to stem the multiple, devastating and enduring consequences…
Settler violence is rising in Occupied Palestinian Territory, warn experts
Violence attributed to Israeli settlers against Palestinians living in the West Bank has worsened in…
New global compact aims to drive down diabetes deaths, boost insulin access
Increasing access to affordable insulin is among the objectives of the new Global Diabetes Compact,…
News in Brief 13 April 2021
Myanmar bloodshed could lead to new Syria: UN human rights chief The IAEA offers support…
Museums must not be overlooked in pandemic recovery, UNESCO chief warns
Faced with alarming and extended closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s museums are…
Burundi refugees in Tanzania living in fear: UN rights experts
The rights of refugees and asylum seekers who have fled Burundi for Tanzania must be…
WHO and partners urge countries to halt sales of wild mammals at food markets
The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners have called for countries to suspend sales of…
Rights experts sound alarm over Uganda ‘brutal’ election crackdown
UN-appointed independent rights experts on Tuesday condemned the killing of more than 50 people by “brutal policing methods”,…
Review ‘disproportionate and unwarranted’ measures, rights experts urge Cambodia
United Nations independent human rights experts on Monday called for the review of new legal…
News in Brief 12 April 2021
UK armed forces legislation sparks warning from rights chief Chagas Disease initiative to protect millions in…
COVID ‘long way from over’ as cases and deaths surge – WHO
The COVID-19 pandemic is “a long way from over” but there are many reasons to…
UK armed forces bill would limit war crimes accountability: UN rights chief
Legislation under consideration in the UK regarding armed forces personnel could limit accountability for war…
FROM THE FIELD: providing hope for those living with HIV in Yemen
Living with HIV in Yemen, a country mired in a seemingly interminable conflict, is particularly…
The more you learn, the more you earn: education and poverty alleviation in Thailand
A good education is often seen as a route out of poverty, but many disadvantaged…
News in Brief 9 April 2021
Deep concerns from WHO over Brazil COVID deaths Proof of life requests from the UN human…
Without access to vaccines, COVID will continue widening inequality everywhere
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented public health, economic and social crises, threatening the lives and…
Low-income countries have received just 0.2 per cent of all COVID-19 shots given
The vast majority of COVID-19 vaccines administered have so far gone to wealthy nations, the…
UN rights office urges protection, investigation, after latest clashes in West Darfur
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has urged authorities in Sudan to protect citizens “without…
Podcast – UN Catch-Up Dateline Geneva – COVID & AZ, vaccine passports, Iran, gadgets and robots
In this week’s UN Catch-Up, we’re checking in with the World Health Organization for the…
News in Brief 8 April 2021
Thumbs up for COVAX as vaccine scheme delivers to over 100 countries and economies COVID19…
COVID-19 equitable vaccine scheme reaches more than 100 countries and economies
More than 100 countries and economies have now received COVID-19 vaccines through the UN-partnered equitable…
Migrants left stranded and without assistance by COVID-19 lockdowns
Travel restrictions during the COVID pandemic have been particularly hard on refugees and migrants who move out of…
News in Brief 7 April 2021
COVID-19 cases rise globally for sixth consecutive week Greater action needed on refugee vaccination, urges UNHCR’s Grandi Hate…
‘Plausible’ link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots, WHO committee says
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine could possibly cause rare blood clots in some people but further…
Libya violated rights of ‘targeted’ woman activist, says anti-discrimination committee
The failure of Libya to investigate the unlawful arrest and torture of a women’s rights…
Hate speech and violence still rising against Roma despite recognition gains, says rights expert
More must be done to tackle online hate speech against minorities including the Roma and…
COVID-19: WHO chief outlines five ‘vital changes’ to address inequities
Investing in equitable production and access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, is among five…
Dispelling misinformation, countering vaccine hesitancy vital to beat COVID-19, countries affirm
Addressing misinformation and countering vaccine hesitancy features prominently in a political declaration launched at the…
Counter hate-driven movements, Guterres urges, reflecting on Rwandan genocide
As the world marks the grim anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in…
Getting by with a little help from our (virtual) friends
By 2030, two billion people are expected to rely on so-called “assistive” technology aids in…
News in Brief 6 April 2021
Clarity still needed on effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine passports: WHO Scale of acute hunger in…
COVID-19: AstraZeneca vaccine benefits still ‘largely positive’
The benefits of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are still “largely positive” and outweigh risk of…
Clarity still needed on effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine passports, says UN health agency
Being vaccinated against COVID-19 may not prevent transmission and vaccination passports may not be an…
News in Brief 5 April 2021
Timor Leste: UN agencies support response to fatal floods Abducted women and children reunited with…
COVID-19 lays bare social inequality says UN chief, as COVAX doses top 36 million
The COVID crisis “has revealed how unequal our societies are” said the UN chief in…
Women abducted in South Sudan released, hundreds remain missing
Fifty-eight women and children of more than 600 who were abducted last year during vicious intercommunal…
How can we vaccinate the world? Five challenges facing the UN-backed COVAX programme
The aim of the UN-backed COVAX scheme is to get two billion vaccine doses into…
Secretary-General welcomes US decision to lift sanctions against ICC officials
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the decision by the United States to lift sanctions…
First Person: A diabetes fighter in Eswatini pours all her efforts into beating COVID-19
Dumsile Mavuso, the founder and head of Eswatini’s first national association for people with diabetes,…