New UN report reveals chronic bias against women over last decade
“Half of people worldwide still believe men make better political leaders than women, and more than 40 per cent believe men make better business executives than women,” according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in its latest Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) report. “Social norms that impair women’s rights are detrimental to society more broadly,…
Read MoreWHO strongly condemns deadly attack in Somalia
The attack occurred on Friday and left more than 10 people injured at the beachside hotel in Somalia’s capital, the UN health agency reported. Media reports indicated that the incident took place over several hours and involved armed perpetrators. “We condemn all attacks on innocent civilians and humanitarian aid workers and express our deepest condolences…
Read MoreFrom the Field: UN human rights officers on the frontline in Somalia
Every day, UN human rights officers are on the frontlines to support them. They are part of the UN’s field work, talking to those most affected by conflict and monitoring how human rights principles and international humanitarian law obligations are being respected in situations of conflict and insecurity; like in Garowe, Somalia, where nearly 75,000…
Read MoreCentral African Republic: Tanzanian peacekeepers to be repatriated following abuse allegations
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents that the decision to send the unit home had been made by the Secretariat in New York, following consultations with the peacekeeping mission in CAR, MINUSCA. ‘Credible evidence’ “The decision comes after a preliminary investigation which found credible evidence that 11 members of the unit had allegedly engaged in…
Read MoreUN strongly condemns attack on peacekeepers in Mali, which leaves one dead
In a statement, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSMA), El-Ghassim WANE, described the attack on the security patrol in Ber town, in the Timbuktu region, as a “cowardly act”. “This tragic loss is a stark reminder of the risks that our peacekeepers face while working tirelessly to bring stability and…
Read MoreArrests and hate speech target Baha’i minority in Yemen
OHCHR said that on 25 May, security forces stormed a peaceful meeting of Baha’is in Sana’a. Seventeen people, including five women, were taken to an unknown location, and all but one, are still being held incommunicado. The UN rights office urged the de facto Houthi authorities in Sana’a, to immediately release the detainees. Call for…
Read MoreUN suspends food assistance as Ethiopia wrestles with aid diversions
“Food diversion is absolutely unacceptable,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, following a joint statement made by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and USAID announcing their commitment to addressing deeply concerning revelations of aid diversion. “While we will temporarily halt food aid assistance in Ethiopia, nutrition assistance to children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, school meals…
Read MoreTrafficking in the Sahel: Muzzling the illicit arms trade
In this feature, part of a series exploring the fight against trafficking in the Sahel, UN News focuses on the illegal arms trade that is fuelling conflict and terrorism. In the Sahel, home to 300 million people, it’s a buyer’s market for guns. Insurgency and banditry plague the region, rooted in, among other things, endemic…
Read More‘We stand by you’ declares UN relief chief, outlining emergency plan for Ukraine dam disaster
“We need to focus on an emergency response right now”, he said, highlighting a three-step plan to provide humanitarian assistance to all Ukrainians impacted, who have faced more than one year of war following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. “We need to save people and get them to places where they are safe and…
Read MoreCentury-old call for equality resonates today
Both share an emphasis on the rights and freedoms of all people. The exhibit Kahlil Gibran Returns to New York After 100 Years was on display at UN Headquarters in April 2023 to celebrate the Lebanese poet and artist. “The Universal Declaration stated that we are all born equal, and this is exactly what Gibran…
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