For many workers, defending human rights is not just a job, but a calling. As he noted, many “work out of a deep sense of service to others, and a desire to make a meaningful impact.” From conflict zones to post-war societies, they provide crucial support to detainees and victims...
The world remains dangerously unprepared for the next pandemic, despite the harrowing lessons of COVID-19, Mr. Guterres warned. “COVID-19 was a wake-up call to the world,” he stated, reflecting on the devastating human, economic and social toll of the pandemic. “The crisis may have passed, but a harsh lesson remains:...
Leonardo Santos Simão, highlighted upcoming presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau, and the adoption of constitutional reforms amid a strained political environment in Gambia. He also commended recent successful elections in Ghana and Senegal, noting the signing of a “Peace Pact” by all presidential candidates in Ghana and the...
The historic shift of power in Syria and the possibility of finally accessing evidence of horrific human rights violations could bring accountability closer than ever – if only proof can be preserved – a top UN investigator said on Tuesday....
Delivering his final briefing for the year, Hans Grundberg noted that 2024 was marked by immense turmoil and tragedy across the Middle East region, where far too many people – including in Yemen – have endured profound loss due to violent conflicts. “With the last months’ dramatic developments in Lebanon...
Titled “Take the rights path to end AIDS,” the report outlines how stigma, discrimination, and punitive laws hinder progress in the fight against HIV. Despite significant advancements in HIV treatment and prevention, human rights violations continue to block access to essential services. In 2023, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses,...
On the first-ever ‘Digitalisation Day’ for a UN climate conference, the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action received endorsements from more than 1,000 governments, companies, civil society organizations, international and regional organizations, and other stakeholders. Pluses and minuses According to the UN International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which organized today’s digital...
The strike, which hit the densely populated Jnah neighbourhood, also injured 60 people and reportedly damaged the Rafik Hariri University Hospital. At least three buildings located about 50 meters (54 yards) from the hospital are said to have been destroyed. The hospital, one of Beirut’s key medical facilities, has been...
The flagship forecast launched in New York on Thursday indicates that last year’s stronger-than-expected GDP growth coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic masked short-term risks and structural vulnerabilities in the world economy. The sombre short-term outlook is based on persistently high interest rates, further escalation of conflicts, sluggish international trade,...
Briefing ambassadors, Caroline Ziadeh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General cited a “serious” incident on 24 September, that saw five people – including a Kosovo police officer – killed and others injured. “[These events] exacerbated an already deteriorating security environment, characterized by an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and contradictory perceptions touching...
Its new publication emphasises the importance of establishing safe and effective AI systems and fostering dialogue about using it as a positive tool, bringing together developers, regulators, manufacturers, health workers, and patients. With the increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress in analytic techniques, WHO recognizes the potential AI...
“History is watching,” Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths told UN News in Geneva, highlighting the desperate situation facing around one million Gazans uprooted in the last week, after the Israeli military warned of an imminent offensive following the deadly 7 October attacks on Israel by militant group Hamas, which has...