United Nations

UN Agents Seek Loosening of Abortion Law in El Salvador

August 01, 2017

As part of the UN human rights apparatus's pressure in favor of "sexual and reproductive health rights," a group of UN human rights mandate holders recently called on the Congress of El Salvador to revise the country's penal code in line with "international human rights standards" to decriminalize abortion in certain circumstances.
UNESCO Body Sides Against Privatized Education

August 01, 2017

In a recent panel description, UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning says Stanford researcher Dr. Frank Adamson "set the record straight" on how “market-based approaches” to education financing result in poorer outcomes and greater educational inequality than publicly funded schools.
New ECOSOC Chief Prioritizes SDGs

August 01, 2017

Marie Chatardová, the newly elected President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has announced that she will focus ECOSOC's efforts during her term on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the international organization's comprehensive wishlist for social and environmental policy around the world.
HRW Criticizes UNESCO for Saudi NGO Forum

July 31, 2017

Adam Coogle of the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Human Rights Watch writes that the decision by the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to host its International Forum of NGOs in Saudi Arabia is a "slap in the face" of human rights activists in the country jailed for allegedly violating its extremely restrictive NGO laws.
Paper Considers Impacts of US Funding Cuts on UN

July 31, 2017

A paper from the Brookings Institution analyzes the potential budget impacts of US funding cuts for parts of the UN system and argues that the amount of future US funding for the organization depends on "how much responsibility does it want to take on in shaping the world’s new normal."
Israel Withholds Funding from UNESCO

July 31, 2017

AP reports that Israel has announced that it is withholding $1 million in funding for the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) following the adoption of a UNESCO resolution that, according to the Israeli government, diminishes the ties of the Jewish people to Jerusalem.
Academic Details "Hard" Law in Paris Climate Deal

July 28, 2017

A paper by Professor Lavanya Rajamani paints the UN's 2015 Paris agreement on combating climate change as a "carefully calibrated mix of hard, soft and non-obligations" with "blurred boundaries" among each, making clear the assertion that the deal is merely a statement of ambition does not capture the full picture of the document.
UN Independent Expert Praises Cuba in Report

July 27, 2017

UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity Virginia Dandan praised the Cuban government after a recent visit to the country for furthering “good practices” with other countries around the world through its “international solidarity activities.”
UN Event Lauds University Collaboration on SDGs

July 27, 2017

A UN side event held during the High-Level Political Forum 2017 discussed how universities are “integrating” the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into university policy and practice, making them “key drivers” in achieving the 2030 Agenda.
UN Forum Seeks to Implement Global Forest Goals

July 27, 2017

At the UN Forum on Forests in New York in May, delegates gathered to discuss the implementation of a set of Global Forest Goals adopted a week earlier by the UN General Assembly that seek to provide a global framework for action to sustainably manage forests and trees around the world in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.