Page 25 - United Nations

11 billion doses needed to vaccinate 70% of world to end Covid: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that 11 billion doses are needed to vaccinate 70 per cent of the world to end the Covid-19 pandemic

Unicef chief Henrietta Fore decides to resign over health concerns: UN

Henrietta Fore, executive director of UN Children's Fund (Unicef), has informed the UN secretary-general of her intention to resign, "to devote herself to a family health issue,"

Interweave partners UN Women to implement UN's WEP in corporates in India

Interweave said it has partnered with UN Women, the United Nations entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, to enable corporates implement Women's Empowerment Principles in India.

WFP partners with Rajasthan to improve Targeted Public Distribution System

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in India and the Rajasthan government have joined hands to improve the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS) in the state.

World hunger was dramatically worse in the pandemic year, UN laments

The United Nations on Monday lamented what it called a dramatic worsening" of world hunger last year, saying much of that is likely connected to the pandemic. A report issued jointly by five UN agencies said hunger outpaced population growth in 2020, with nearly 10% of all people estimated to be undernourished. It said the sharpest rise in hunger came in Africa, where 21% of the people are estimated to be undernourished. Children paid a high price, with 149 million of those younger than five estimated be have stunted growth since they are too short for their age. More than 45 million children are too thin for their height. "A full 3 billion adults and children remain locked out of healthy diets, largely due to excessive costs,'' the UN agencies said. In many parts of the world, the pandemic has triggered brutal recessions and jeopardised access to food," the United Nations said in a summary of its findings. "Yet even before the pandemic, hunger was spreading; progress on malnutri

UN chief urges efforts for protecting people's reproductive health rights

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for efforts to protect people's reproductive health rights as the world marks World Population Day, which falls on July 11 annually

No 'one size fits all' approach for localization of SDGs: India at UN

India said there is no 'one size fits all' approach for localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but can certainly share experience and learn from each other

India seeks more cooperative, integrated future for Indian Ocean region

India on Tuesday said that it is seeking a more cooperative and integrated future for the Indian Ocean region through the overall development of the ocean or blue economy

Time to call out countries harbouring terrorists, says India at UN

India on Tuesday said it is a time to call out the countries that blatantly violate global commitments by harbouring terrorists and are willfully giving support to terror entities.

Deeply saddened and disturbed over Stan Swamy's death, says UN body

The UN body on human rights on Tuesday said it was deeply saddened and disturbed by the death of 84-year-old rights activist Stan Swamy during his pre-trial detention. It said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and the United Nations' independent experts have repeatedly raised the cases of Swamy, a Jesuit priest, and 15 other human rights defenders with the Indian government over the last three years and urged for their release from detention. Swamy, who was arrested last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, died at a Mumbai hospital on Monday. "We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the death of 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy, a human rights defender and Jesuit priest, in Mumbai yesterday, following his arrest in October 2020 under India's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act," Liz Throssell, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said. "Father Stan had been

Experts question if WHO should lead Covid-19 pandemic origins probe

An increasing number of scientists say the UN agency it isn't up to the task and shouldn't be the one to investigate

Any WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccine should be allowed for travel, says UN

The World Health Organisation said Thursday that any COVID-19 vaccines it has authorised for emergency use should be recognised by countries as they open up their borders to inoculated travellers. The move could challenge Western countries to broaden their acceptance of two apparently less effective Chinese vaccines, which the UN health agency has licensed but most European and North American countries have not. In addition to vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna Inc, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, the WHO has also given the green light to the two Chinese jabs, made by Sinovac and Sinopharm. In its aim to restore travel across Europe, the European Union said in May that it would only recognise people as vaccinated if they had received shots licensed by the European Medicines Agency -- although it's up to individual countries if they wish to let in travellers who have received other vaccines, including Russia's Sputnik V. The EU drug regulator is currently considering licensing

Number of international migrant workers rises to 169 million: ILO

A new report by UN-body International Labour Organisation has highlighted that the number of international migrant workers has risen globally to 169 million, an increase of three per cent since 2017

Human rights defenders are tortured and abused in China, says UN expert

A top UN independent expert on Monday highlighted concerns that activists in China were being abused and sentenced to long prison terms or house arrest

Iran says nuclear site images won't be given to IAEA as deal has expired

The announcement could further complicate talks between Iran and six major powers on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal

India expresses concern at possible renewal of Israel, Palestine conflict

India expressed concern at the potential for renewed violence in East Jerusalem and reaffirmed its strong commitment to the establishment of an independent, viable and democratic State of Palestine

Joe Biden nominates Cindy McCain to UN food and agriculture post

President Joe Biden is nominating Cindy McCain to be the US representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, one of 17 nominations announced

Odisha govt joins hands with UN WFP to empower, support women through SHGs

The government of Odisha and the United Nations World Food Programme have joined hands to improve household food and nutritional security by strengthening livelihood initiatives

Isro, NOAA-led multinational project endorsed by UN body for innovation

A multinational project, co-led by Isro and NOAA from the US has been recently endorsed by a UN body for its use of innovative technology, and for fostering trust and collaboration among scientists

Govt responds to UN Special Rapporteurs concerns over new IT Rules

Says Meity, IB ministry undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders before finalising the rules