South Sudan refugees in Uganda exceed one million; UN renews appeal for help
As the number of refugees from South Sudan in Uganda passes one million – the vast majority of whom are women and children – the United Nations refugee agency today reiterated its call for urgent additional support. “Over the past 12 months, an average of 1,800 South Sudanese have been arriving in Uganda every day,” […]
More than 350,000 children vaccinated against polio in hard to reach areas of Syria – UN
A United Nations polio vaccination campaign in Syria has provided protection to more than 355,000 children under age five in two governorates, where violence has made access especially difficult. In response to a recent outbreak of vaccine-derived polio in the country, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners have completed […]
‘Racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or Islamophobia are poisoning our societies’ – UN chief
Urging people everywhere to speak out against hate speech and hate crimes, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today reiterated his call for tolerance, respect for the other and the importance of recognizing diversity. “Racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or Islamophobia are, as I mentioned yesterday, poisoning our societies,” the Secretary-General told journalists today at a briefing at the UN […]
Security Council told African-led force on terrorism in the Sahel operational but challenged
The joint task force by the so-called Group of Five (G5) – Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger – to tackle the threat of terrorism in Africa’s Sahel region is now operational, but a number of challenges remain, including funding, the United Nations Security Council has been told. “The creation of the G5 Sahel […]
Yemen’s cholera epidemic surpasses half-million suspected cases, UN agency says
More than 500,000 people in Yemen are suspected of having cholera, the United Nations health agency today said, warning that the disease is spreading quickly due to a lack of clean water or health access. “Yemen’s cholera epidemic, currently the largest in the world, has spread rapidly due to deteriorating hygiene and sanitation conditions and disruptions […]
In Iraq, UN Youth Envoy says young people are ‘most valuable force we have to shape a better future’
As International Youth Day events kicked off worldwide today, at a special event in Iraq, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, pledged to do everything in her power to ensure the voices of youths, including those working to build peace, are heard. “Today, thousands of young women and men work tirelessly, often under very […]