United Nations

World Bank Wealth Report Tracks "Sustainability"

February 13, 2018

Using a new measure of wealth that promotes the UN "sustainable development" agenda by tracking countries' "economic progress and sustainability," including figures on "natural" and "human" capital, a report from the World Bank warns of "substantial" wealth inequality that is leaving behind poor countries.
Governments Resist Reforms of UN Development System

February 13, 2018

Stefano Gennarini of the Center for Family & Human Rights reports on the resistance by some countries to UN Secretary-General António Guterres's plan providing for a "reinvigorated" system of UN "resident coordinators" in each country empowered to influence national policy priorities within the UN's framework on "sustainable development."
UN Agent Calls on US to Reverse National Monument Order

February 12, 2018

UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz has warned that US President Donald Trump's "outrageous" proclamation opening most of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah to natural-resources projects undermines international legal obligations to obtain the consent of indigenous peoples when implementing measures affecting them.
HRW Criticizes Praise for China from UN, Governments

February 08, 2018

Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch criticizes international organizations like the UN Human Rights Council, Western governments, and businesses for engaging with, and even praising, the authoritarian, single-party regime of China without taking a principled stand on the country's broad lack of recognition of democratic values and individual rights.
Commentary Points to Flaws in UN Firearms Regulation

February 08, 2018

Ted Bromund of the Heritage Foundation writes that UN efforts to regulate the arms trade is only serving to hamper legitimate trade of weapons and ammunition to countries like the US - including the US government - with little impact on less-than-scrupulous companies and countries that pay no attention to provisions limiting trade in firearms and ammunition.
UNHCR Publishes Draft Global Refugee Compact

February 07, 2018

A "zero draft" of a global compact on refugees, developed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for discussion by UN member states beginning in Geneva next week, sets out a broad set of policies for the integration of refugees in host countries and provides for a system of international financial support for these countries.
UNICEF Office Promotes Role of Children's Rights Bodies

February 06, 2018

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Office of Research has released a report examining the varying roles of independent human rights institutions for children in countries around the world and considering ways in which government and other actors can strengthen these institutions in promoting the global children's rights agenda.
UN Chief Seeks Enhanced Cooperation with AU

February 05, 2018

At a recent African Union (AU) summit in Ethiopia, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for more cooperation between the AU and UN on a host of issues ranging from the "sustainable development" agenda to global warming to transnational migration.
UNESCO Supports Flashcards for SDG Promotion

February 02, 2018

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has partnered with the nongovernmental organization Gaia Education to create a set of flashcards as a tool to promote "mass global participation" in the achievement of the comprehensive UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN, WTO Launch Initiative on Climate-Friendly Trade

February 02, 2018

The UN Environment Programme and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have agreed to launch a "joint dialogue" on how to make trade and environmental policies "mutually supportive" in line with the UN's agenda on combating climate change and on promoting "sustainable development."