United Nations

UN Agent Decries Government "Demonization" of Media

July 25, 2017

In May, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye called on governments to "end the public demonization of critical media," calling such "harassment" of journalists "a global crisis."
UN Agent Criticizes Unequal Housing in Chile

July 25, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing Leilani Farha has asserted that the divergence in quality of housing in Chile and "segregation" of where people live in the country "based on socio-economic status" violate the international human right to housing.
UN Observer Calls for Lifting of Sanctions on Russia

July 25, 2017

At a recent press conference in Moscow, UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral sanctions Idriss Jazairy warned that sanctions imposed by over 30 countries against Russian businesses and officials are violating the human rights of "vulnerable groups" in Russia and called for governments to lift sanctions on elected officials.
UN Group Elects Saudi Arabia to Women's Rights Body

July 24, 2017

In comments to Deutsche Welle, Hillel Neuer of the nongovernmental organization UN Watch blasted the decision of the UN Economic and Social Council to elect Saudi Arabia, known for its broad array of laws and policies that discriminate against women, to a UN commission responsible for monitoring women's rights.
UN Uses "War" on Plastic to Push for Global Ocean Pledge

July 24, 2017

In a feature on the UN's ongoing "war on ocean plastic," UN officials describe how their pressure on national governments to reduce the production of plastics and plastic pollution will culminate in what they hope will become "a global declaration that will set the course toward a more sustainable future for the world’s oceans and seas."
UN, AU Commit to SDG Collaboration

July 21, 2017

A recently agreed framework established by the UN and the African Union (AU) commits both organizations to the fulfillment on the African continent of the UN's comprehensive social and environmental objectives contained in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Pushes for "Climate Literacy" Among World's Students

July 21, 2017

On the occasion of International "Mother Earth Day" in April, UN officials called for national education systems to push students to attain "environmental and climate literacy" in order to create "green voters" and support laws and technology in line with the UN's environmental and "sustainable development" agendas.
UN Agent Launches Litigation Tool on Association Rights

July 21, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of assembly and association Maina Kiai has launched an online "legal research tool" containing information on international law and guidance regarding the rights to assembly and association in order to support litigation related to these rights.
UN Agencies Promote “Radical” Market Transformation

July 21, 2017

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a partnership of UN agencies, hosted an event to develop ideas on how to help national governments adopt policies that would “radically alter the way market forces work” in pursuit of the UN’s goals on sustainability and economic equality.
UNESCO, World Bank Coordinate Common Urban Policy

July 21, 2017

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Bank have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to coordinate their urban and culture agendas as they seek to provide “common policy guidance” toward the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Agenda.