5 December 2018 — Top politicians and officials from across the world will gather in Marrakech, Morocco this weekend, ahead of a major conference convened by the UN, to formally adopt an all-inclusive, extensive global agreement aimed at making migration safer, and more dignified for all.
5 December 2018 — A new study launched on Wednesday by the International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals that the number of migrant workers has jumped by millions, leaving some countries without “the most productive part of their workforce.”
5 December 2018 — Taking bold climate action now, could help save a million lives and a lot of money by the middle of the century, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, launching a special report as part of the ongoing COP24 climate conference in Katowice, Poland.
5 December 2018 — Reports that violent extremists in Syria have executed civilians in the east of the war-torn country have been condemned by the UN’s top rights official, Michelle Bachelet.
4 December 2018 — Delivering a summary of his first report to the Security Council, Special Adviser and head of the UN Investigative Team for Accountability of Da’esh – the Arabic name for the extremist group ISIL which recently held sway over large parts of Iraq and Syria - said that the team can only be effective if it gains the trust of Iraqi society.
4 December 2018 — Conflict has pushed tens of millions of people into a situation where they are in urgent need of help, the UN’s relief chief said on Tuesday, in an appeal for funds that could top $25 billion to support life-saving aid projects in over 40 countries next year.
3 December 2018 — During the UN COP24 Climate Change Conference grand opening on Monday, Secretary-General António Guterres told over 150 world leaders gathered for climate action that “we are in deep trouble” and asked decision-makers to focus on four key things: stepping up climate action, according to a solid plan, with more funding, as a smart investment in the future of the planet.
3 December 2018 — The United Nations launched its first-ever flagship report on disability and development on Monday; published by, for, and with, persons with disabilities, in the hopes of fostering more accessible, and disability-inclusive societies.
Building on the momentum of global movements and grassroots campaigns such as ‘#Metoo’, “#TimesUp”, “#BalanceTonPorc” “#NiUnaMenos”, #MetooIndia and “HollaBack!”, the UN theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 November – 10 December), under the UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, is Orange the World: #HearMeToo.
#HearMeToo brings to the forefront the voices of women and girls, who have survived violence, who are defending women’s rights every day, who are taking action — many of them very far away from the limelight or media headlines. Join them as they say #HearMeToo. Create a short story about your experience or support for survivors. Then, share your “story card” with the world.
This year's theme is "Live positively: Know your HIV status." Around the world, 37 million people are living with HIV, the highest number ever, yet a quarter do not know that they have the virus. Knowing your HIV status has many advantages. It is an essential entry point to HIV treatment, prevention, care and support services. People who test positive for HIV should be linked immediately to antiretroviral therapy to keep them alive and well and, when viral load suppression is reached, prevent transmission of the virus.
This year’s theme focuses on empowering persons with disabilities for an inclusive, equitable and sustainable development as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda pledges to “leave no one behind”. Governments, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, academic institutions and the private sector need to work as a “team” to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
While we can see many of the changes we have made to our planet, some of our impacts are virtually invisible, and soil pollution is a good example. Be the Solution to Soil Pollution campaign for World Soil Day 2018 aims to raise awareness and call people to #StopSoilPollution. One third of our global soils are already degraded. Yet we risk losing more due to this hidden danger. Soil pollution can be invisible and seems far away but everyone, everywhere is affected.
Disabilities’ advocate Vashkar Bhattacharjee (Bangladesh), and private sector enterprise, Tencent (China) are this year's laureates of the UNESCO/Emir Jaber al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. Vashkar Bhattacharjee is a leading advocate who collaborates with partners on the production of resources for learners with disabilities, and to the training of teachers in use of accessible reading materials. Tencent, an Internet-based technologies and cultural enterprise, is recognized for its outstanding contribution to the empowerment of persons with disabilities by using inclusive digital technologies.
UN Environment’s 2018 Emissions Gap Report concludes that nations must triple efforts to reach 2°C target. It calculates how far the pledges that countries have made to reduce their emissions will go to prevent dangerous levels of warming, and it shows just how much more action is needed to keep us on a safe path. What will happen to global greenhouse gas emissions if countries keep all of their climate promises? And what will happen if countries fall short? Scientists have modeled a number of scenarios, taking into account the climate pledges made in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Watch the video and download the full report.
Each month, we provide an editorial package focusing on one of the Sustainable Development Goals, containing interviews, links to campaigns, social media assets, and resources.
