United Nations

UN Rights Chief Opposes El Salvador Abortion Ban

January 02, 2018

As part of his review at the conclusion of his visit to El Salvador, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called on the country's government to adopt a "moratorium" on the enforcement of its abortion ban, characterizing the prosecution of women for receiving abortions as a violation of the global human rights agenda.
UN Summit Produces Range of New Climate Pledges

December 29, 2017

A UN press release surveys a broad range of commitments to combating global warming - including through a new "global coal alliance" and a deal on biofuel targets - agreed by national governments around the world, along with US state and local governments, at the recent UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany.
UN Advances Climate-based Global Ocean Governance

December 29, 2017

As part of efforts by various UN agencies to ramp up global governance of the world's oceans, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission is celebrating the launch of an Ocean Pathway Partnership at the recent UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany, with the aim of "identifying and implementing effective ocean-based solutions to climate change."
UN Climate Talks Yield "Gender Action Plan"

December 29, 2017

Highlighting the comprehensive scope of UN-organized negotiations over combating climate change, UN Women has touted the adoption by various governments at the recent UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany, of a "Gender Action Plan" that serves as a "roadmap to incorporate gender equality and women’s empowerment in climate change discourse and actions."
UN Agency Launches Global Forest Mechanism

December 28, 2017

At the recent UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany, the UN Development Programme announced that launch of a Global Platform for the New York Declaration on Forests to provide a "central coordination mechanism" and work with nongovernmental organizations to speed up government action to halt all deforestation by the year 2030.
Report Indicates UNHCR Consults Assad Regime on Aleppo Aid

December 28, 2017

Emma Beals cites evidence indicating that the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is accepting direction from the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad in rebuilding the ravaged city of Aleppo, where international organizations have pointed to a long train of humanitarian law violations by the Assad regime during the long-running Syrian civil war.
President of UN Talks Pushes Climate Rights Agenda

December 28, 2017

An article from Human Rights Watch lauds the announcement by Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama during the recent UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany, that his government would be pushing for the integration of the global human rights agenda in climate action plans as it presided over UN climate negotiations through 2018.
UNGA Condemns US Policy on Jerusalem

December 27, 2017

The New York Times reports that a lopsided majority of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has voted to demand that the Trump Administration rescind its decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, with major American allies France and the UK joining the vote against the US policy.
UN Office Opposes Brazilian Abortion Proposal

December 21, 2017

AFP reports that the UN Population Fund's Brazil office opposed a November legislative proposal in Brazil that would recognize the right to life as "inviolate from the moment of conception," warning of the "increased risk to women's health" posed by the proposal's denial of access to abortion.
Bonn Talks Highlight Struggle for Ambition on Climate

December 21, 2017

An article in The New York Times examines the proceedings of the UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany, in November, at which world leaders struggled to develop a system under which governments ramp up, and are held accountable for, their commitments to phase out greenhouse gas emissions under the UN's Paris climate deal agreed in 2015.