United Nations

UN Rights Office Criticizes Arkansas Execution Process

July 27, 2017

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed "deep concern" regarding the recent executions of four men in Arkansas, claiming that the state was denying the prisoners' due process rights by "rushing executions" before the expiration of a lethal injection drug.
UNESCO Launches "Ocean Literacy" Initiative

July 27, 2017

As part of its campaign to implement ocean-related targets under the UN's comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched an "Ocean Literacy for All" initiative seeking to advance education on ocean "sustainability" around the world.
UNESCO Pushes "Sustainability" Education in Argentina

July 27, 2017

The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities recently convened a meeting in Argentina of delegates from 40 Latin American and Caribbean municipalities to discuss best practices in implementing the UN agency's Education for Sustainable Development agenda, based on the UN's comprehensive social and environmental goals for the year 2030, in local institutions.
UN Body Pushes Accelerated Action Toward SDGs

July 26, 2017

The UN Economic and Social Council recently adopted a declaration, issued after 44 countries presented their "voluntary national reviews" on the status of their efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), calling for accelerated action to achieve the comprehensive social, economic, and environmental agenda by 2030.
WHO Urges Trillions of Dollars in Spending on Health SDGs

July 26, 2017

The UN's World Health Organization (WHO) has published a report detailing the costs associated with reaching the health targets of the UN's comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and arguing that it "is the responsibility of every country and national government to pursue" universal health coverage to achieve health-related SDGs.
UNESCO, Brazil Target Children with SDG Education

July 26, 2017

As part of the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Education for Sustainable Development campaign, UNESCO's office in Brazil recounts its initiatives with the Brazilian government to promote the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among school children.
UNESCO, WHO Partner on SDG Initiative

July 26, 2017

Showing the single-minded prioritization within the UN system of the body's wide-ranging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in April, the heads of the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed an agreement to push cooperation between the global health and education sectors to achieve the SDGs.
UNESCO Resolution Denies Israeli Ties to Jerusalem

July 26, 2017

The Times of Israel reports that the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted a resolution on Israel's Independence Day denying any legal or historical ties of Israel to Jerusalem, calling the democratic country an "occupying power" in the city, and pushing for an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza.
US Senators Criticize Anti-Israel Bias at UN

July 26, 2017

In an April letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres signed by all 100 US Senators, the lawmakers called for reform of the UN system to halt "continued targeting of Israel by the U.N. Human Rights Council and other U.N. entities," including by changing the rules of the human rights body to broaden access to membership.
UN Mandate Holder Calls for Environmental Action in Uruguay

July 25, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment John Knox recently called on the government of Uruguay to fulfill its international human rights obligations by establishing an Ombudsperson to advance environmental complaints in the country and by working with other South American countries to form a regional environmental treaty by the end of this year.