United Nations

NGO Calls for External Review of UN Sex Abuse Claims

February 03, 2016

George Russell reports that the nongovernmental organization AIDS-Free World is calling on the UN to establish an independent body composed of judges, academics, authorities, and others to review claims of sex abuse against peacekeepers working with the UN and bring cases directly to UN member governments.
WHO Calls for Measures on Smoking in Films

February 03, 2016

The UN's World Health Organization ("WHO") has warned that films portraying characters who smoke are coaxing children to develop tobacco habits and has called for countries to adopt countermeasures such as adult ratings for such films, a ban on the display of tobacco brands, and a bar to public subsidies for films displaying tobacco use.
UN Urges National Policy Alignment with SDGs

February 03, 2016

In recent remarks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on countries around the world to pursue the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs"), a comprehensive set of aspirations on social and environmental issues the UN is seeking to achieve by the year 2030, in national law and administrative rules.
UN Launches "Women's Empowerment" Panel

February 02, 2016

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced the international organization's establishment of a High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, which will push for an end to "structural barriers to women's economic empowerment" in countries around the world.
UN Trains Tunisian Security on Press Freedom

February 02, 2016

Raising questions regarding the compatibility of the comprehensive UN human-rights agenda and effective security policy, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ("UNESCO") has developed a project with the Tunisian government and journalists in which it seeks to train Tunisian security forces on respecting free expression and media rights.
UNEP Central Asian Office Pushes Environment Issues

February 01, 2016

The UN Environment Programme ("UNEP") has opened a new office in Central Asia that will seek to "tighten cooperation" among countries in the region on environmental issues, including the UN's agendas on sustainable development and climate change.
UNEP Signs Environmental Agreement with Islamic Bank

February 01, 2016

The UN Environment Programme ("UNEP") has announced that it signed an agreement with the Islamic Development Bank on climate change and other environmental issues as it seeks to push development banks around the world to implement the UN sustainability agenda and its deal on climate change recently agreed in Paris.
Foundation CEO Pleads Guilty on Bribery of UN Official

January 29, 2016

The Chief Executive of the Global Sustainability Foundation Sheri Yan has pleaded guilty in US federal court to giving bribes to then-President of the UN General Assembly John Ashe as part of a scheme to profit from his support of Chinese business interests.
UN Considers Levies for Aid Funding

January 27, 2016

AFP reports that a UN humanitarian-financing study considers the potential use of "micro-taxes" on goods and services, such as airfare or tickets to sporting events, or from mandatory alms given by Muslims to fund the international organization's humanitarian-assistance agenda.
UN Commission Considers Detroit Water Issues

January 27, 2016

The Detroit News reports that the UN Commission for Social Development is scheduled to hear the testimony of an activist from the nongovernmental organization Detroit Water Brigade on issues relating to the shutting off of water and contamination of water in different communities in Michigan.