United Nations

NGOs Push World Bank on Human Rights Agenda

April 15, 2015

As the World Bank begins its spring meetings in Washington, D.C., a group of nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") have called on the World Bank President to integrate the global human rights agenda in the development bank's environmental and social policies.
Economist: UN's Development Goals Will Fail

April 14, 2015

An article in The Economist argues that the UN's proposed set of Sustainable Development Goals, a list of 169 targets relating to poverty, infrastructure, and the climate to be achieved by 2030, is an unrealistic wish list that "is being set up to fail."
Report Raises UN Accountability Concerns

April 14, 2015

The nonprofit Government Accountability Project has released a report that finds "fundamental shortcomings" in the UN's system of accountability for peacekeeping missions.
UN Seeks Disarmament in Light of Regional Conflicts

April 13, 2015

UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane has warned that in light of "the world's brewing conflicts," the UN Disarmament Commission needs to step up efforts toward disarmament of nuclear and conventional weapons across the globe.
UN Pushes "Environmental Rule of Law" in Inter-American Summit

April 13, 2015

As it seeks to drive up support for the UN's "sustainable development" agenda, the UN Environment Programme recently cooperated with the Organization of American States and other groups on a conference pressing for implementation of a common "environmental rule of law."
Development Banks Agree to "Climate Finance" Principles

April 13, 2015

The World Bank has announced that at a recent Climate Finance Forum in Paris, two sets of development banks agreed to a common set of standards for tracking how much financial support these institutions provide to projects that mitigate global warming.
Robinson Pushes Link Between Climate Agenda, Human Rights

April 10, 2015

An article on the website Responding to Climate Change demonstrates activists' commitment to use a human rights narrative to push the UN's climate agenda, as former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson calls for "climate justice" in international negotiations over greenhouse gases.
Mariaschin Criticizes "UN-Imposed" Israel-Palestine Settlement

April 10, 2015

Daniel Mariaschin of B’nai B’rith International writes that the UN, which he argues has been biased against Israel in negotiations over the creation of a Palestinian state, should not be the source of an "imposed" settlement mandating a two-state solution to the conflict.
U.S. Protesters Call for UN Investigation of Police Shooting

April 09, 2015

The Associated Press reports that a group of protesters in Wisconsin are calling on the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the death of a man at the hands of a Wisconsin police officer because of their lack of trust in the U.S. and state justice system.
Palestine Seeks UN Timetable on Two-State Solution

April 09, 2015

The Associated Press reports that the Ambassador of Palestine to the UN Riyad Mansour says Palestine is "ready and willing" to seek a UN Security Council resolution that would set a timetable for the creation of a Palestinian state.