New UN websites & publications
UN in General
High-Level Week, September 2019
English: https://www.un.org/en/summits2019/
French: https://www.un.org/fr/summits2019/
Spanish: https://www.un.org/es/summits2019/
Every September, the Member States of the United Nations meet at the General Assembly in New York to discuss the critical issues of global concern. This year, in addition to the general debate, world leaders will participate in a series of summits and high-level meetings to boost action on climate change and accelerate progress on sustainable development, aimed at securing healthy, peaceful and prosperous lives for all. Underpinning the action week are the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all world leaders in 2015. The 17 interconnected Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty and hunger, expand access to health, education, justice and jobs, while protecting our planet from environmental degradation.
Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/74/1)
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/A/74/1
German: https://www.un.org/Depts/german/gs/a74-1.pdf
“Introduction: As we approach the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, the world’s leading instrument of shared progress, our common purposes and principles remain as important as ever. The Organization, and its ethos of international cooperation, have yielded great and wide-ranging benefits to humankind, lifting millions out of poverty, upholding human rights and helping to forge peace in troubled lands. In today’s rapidly changing world, our enduring and Charter-driven duty is to build on those achievements and ensure that all people can enjoy safety, prosperity and dignity. In that spirit, I offer my third report on the work of the Organization concerned about the state of our world –but also encouraged by what I know we can deliver for the people we serve.”
General Assembly – President-elect of the 74th session
English: https://www.un.org/pga/74-elect/
French: https://www.un.org/pga/74-elect/fr/
Spanish: https://www.un.org/pga/74-elect/es/
This new website (the former press kit) includes a biography, the acceptance speech, the vision statement, and a list of past Presidents.
UN System Chart
English: https://bit.ly/31pLoyc
French: https://bit.ly/2yIzdjx
Spanish: https://bit.ly/2Tdqcbu
The Chart of the UN System has undergone another round of updates. The new version of the chart reflects the changes that recently took place in the structure of the Organization. The chart is a useful resource for staff to reference and comprehend the intricate relationship among all UN entities.
Dag Hammarskjöld Library – new Research Guide:
UN Documentation: UN Budget, 2020-
http://research.un.org/en/docs/budget2020/
General Assembly resolution 72/266 A, Shifting the management paradigm in the United Nations, approves changes to the budget cycle and to the programme budget documentation, on a trial basis, beginning with the programme budget for 2020. This guide will be updated as the new pattern of documentation emerges with the change in the budget cycle as of 2020.
UN Digital Library
http://digitallibrary.un.org
Video tutorial: https://youtu.be/vyrLA88zojM
Register for a UN Digital Library account: https://library.un.org/content/contact-us-0
A much-improved version of the Digital Library has now gone live, powered by the latest search technology and offering new user-friendly features, including:
- Searching through the full text of documents in 6 official languages is now possible.
- Search results can be filtered by document types, UN bodies, year or subject.
- Related documents are linked, making it easier to trace actions taken in UN bodies – from the draft to the adopted resolution and on to the meeting record and the voting results.
- Registered users now can set up email alerts to keep up to date with new content on specific topics or by individual UN bodies
- Users can also save and share queries or custom lists of documents.
The Total Digital Access to the League of Nations Archives Project (LONTAD)
https://lontad-project.unog.ch/
This project will ensure state-of-the-art free online access and the digital and physical preservation of approximately 15 million pages, or almost three linear kilometers, the entirety of the archives of the League of Nations (1920-1946), the first global intergovernmental organization aiming to establish international peace and cooperation, and the predecessor of the United Nations. The LONTAD project is made possible through a generous donation of a private Swiss foundation. While digitization of these materials is only one part of the project, the figures above indicate our overall progress towards achieving this important step by the three main steps: preparing the documents for digitization, scanning, and indexing the materials to make them searchable. This website serves as a temporary platform to follow LONTAD’s progress, provide selections and highlights of materials from the collections, give access to related resources, and to provide technical information that may be useful to other archives professionals.
Economic Growth and Sustainable Development
2019 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
http://hdr.undp.org/en/2019-MPI
There are vast inequalities across countries, and among the poorer segments of societies, says a new UN report published on 11 July 2019. The 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), shows that, in the 101 countries studied – 31 low income, 68 middle income and 2 high income – 1.3 billion people are “multidimensionally poor”(which means that poverty is defined not simply by income, but by a number of indicators, including poor health, poor quality of work and the threat of violence).
Climate Action and Support Trends 2019: Based on national reports submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat under the current reporting framework
https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Climate_Action_Support_Trends_2019.pdf
Ahead of a key September 23 UN Climate Summit in New York, a report published by UN Climate Change provides insights into action taken by governments to address climate change, presenting a wealth of knowledge and experience that can be deployed by governments to ramp up crucial climate ambition. The report was prepared as UN Climate Change input to the UN Climate Summit and it puts a spotlight on the progress made over the past 25 years since the inception of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This can help in scaling up further action, as governments prepare to submit the next round of national climate action plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), by 2020.
Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/srccl/
Summary for Policymakers: https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl-report-download-page/
Land is already under growing human pressure and climate change is adding to these pressures. At the same time, keeping global warming to well below 2ºC can be achieved only by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors including land and food, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in its latest report on 8 August 2019. The IPCC, the world body for assessing the state of scientific knowledge related to climate change, its impacts and potential future risks, and possible response options, saw the Summary for Policymakers of the Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL) approved by the world’s governments on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland. It will be a key scientific input into forthcoming climate and environment negotiations, such as the Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14) in New Delhi, India in September and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Santiago, Chile, in December.
Commercial foods for infants and young children in the WHO European Region https://bit.ly/2ZlkXsQ
Ending inappropriate promotion of commercially available complementary foods for infants and young children between 6 and 36 months in Europe
https://bit.ly/2ysh4pU
Two new studies from WHO/Europe show that a high proportion of baby foods are incorrectly marketed as suitable for infants under the age of 6 months, and that many of those foods contain inappropriately high levels of sugar. WHO’s long-standing recommendation states that children should be breastfed, exclusively, for the first 6 months. Its 2016 global Guidance on Ending the Inappropriate Promotion of Foods for Infants and Young Children explicitly states that commercial complementary foods should not be advertised for infants under 6 months of age.
Global Innovation Index (GII) 2019
https://www.wipo.int/publications/en/details.jsp?id=4434
The World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, named Switzerland as the world’s most innovative country on Wednesday, during the launch of its latest Global Innovation Index, (GII) in the Indian capital New Delhi on 24 July 2019. Following Switzerland in the rankings are Sweden, the United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. India has risen most in the rankings since 2018, jumping five places to fifty-second most innovative country. The annual Index, which has been published for the last 12 years by WIPO, and a number of partners, is designed to help policy makers better understand innovation activity, which WIPO describes as a “main driver of economic and social development”.
The Global Labour Income Share and Distribution (ILO)
https://www.ilo.org/global/statistics-and-databases/publications/WCMS_712232/lang–en/index.htm
Ten per cent of workers receive 48.9 per cent of total global pay, while the lowest-paid 50 per cent of workers receive just 6.4 per cent, a new ILO dataset reveals. What’s more, the lowest 20 per cent of income earners – around 650 million workers – earn less than 1 per cent of global labour income, a figure that has hardly changed in 13 years. The new dataset shows that overall global labour income inequality has fallen since 2004. However, this is not due to reductions in inequality within countries – at the national level, pay inequality is actually increasing. Rather, it is because of increasing prosperity in large emerging economies, namely China and India. Overall, the findings say, income inequality remains pervasive in the world of work.
Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development: Report of the Secretary-General (A/74/204, 22 July 2019)
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/A/74/204
“Summary: The present report, prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 73/227, provides an update on the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The report is based on recent studies, reports and analysis by the United Nations system, the outcomes of intergovernmental deliberations, including the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, the discussions of the multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals and other relevant forums and discussions. The present report should be read in conjunction with other reports on sustainable development submitted to the General Assembly, in particular the report of the Secretary-General on the mainstreaming of the three dimensions of sustainable development throughout the United Nations system (A/74/72-E/2019/13).”
The Importance of Infrastructure for Landlocked Developing Countries (UNOPS)
https://content.unops.org/publications/The-importance-of-infrastructure-for-landlocked-developing-countries_EN.pdf
A new UNOPS report – released on 26 June 2019 – highlights the critical role of infrastructure in helping landlocked developing countries combat development challenges and offers solutions and tools that can be used to support LLDCs in the planning, delivery and management of infrastructure systems, in support of efforts to close their development gap. The report focuses on three key infrastructure sectors – transport, digital communications and energy – which are particularly important for LLDCs.
Quality Unknown: The Invisible Water Crisis (World Bank) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/32245
The world faces an invisible crisis of water quality that is eliminating one-third of potential economic growth in heavily polluted areas and threatening human and environmental well-being, according to a World Bank report released on 20 August 2019, with new data and methods, how a combination of bacteria, sewage, chemicals, and plastics can suck oxygen from water supplies and transform water into poison for people and ecosystems. To shed light on the issue, the World Bank assembled the world’s largest database on water quality gathered from monitoring stations, remote sensing technology, and machine learning. The report finds that a lack of clean water limits economic growth by one-third. It calls for immediate global, national, and local-level attention to these dangers which face both developed and developing countries.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019 (FAO)
http://www.fao.org/3/ca5162en/ca5162en.pdf
Digital report: http://www.fao.org/state-of-food-security-nutrition/en/
An estimated 820 million people did not have enough to eat in 2018, up from 811 million in the previous year, which is the third year of increase in a row. This underscores the immense challenge of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030, says a new edition of the annual The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report released on 15 July 2019. The pace of progress in halving the number of children who are stunted and in reducing the number of babies born with low birth weight is too slow, which also puts the SDG 2 nutrition targets further out of reach, according to the report. At the same time, adding to these challenges, overweight and obesity continue to increase in all regions, particularly among school-age children and adults. The chances of being food insecure are higher for women than men in every continent, with the largest gap in Latin America.
UNAIDS – Laws and Policies Analytics
http://lawsandpolicies.unaids.org/
A new website that enables people to identify national laws and policies related to the AIDS response has been launched by UNAIDS on 31 July 2019. Covering areas as diverse as a country’s ability to diagnose HIV among young babies, the existence of laws that discriminate against transgender people and whether people are prosecuted for carrying condoms, the Laws and Policies Analytics website aims to give a full overview of a country’s laws and policies related to the HIV response. It also allows to view policy data jointly with other data on the HIV epidemic and response.
Visualising Global Climate Action (UN Climate Change new online report)
http://www.mfc2018.net/
The UN Climate Change secretariat’s Momentum for Change initiative has released an interactive, online report on 31 July 2019 showcasing shining examples of diverse climate solutions from around the world. The report tells the stories of 15 winners of the 2018 Global Climate Action Award, using infographics, animations, photos and videos. The projects include: “Yalla Let’s Bike” — a Syrian project, helping women defy traditional roles by promoting bicycling as a healthy and eco-friendly mode of transportation; “Sri Lanka Mangrove Conservation Project” — a conservation project, helping Sri Lanka become the first nation in history to preserve and replant all of its mangrove forests; “Forest Green Rovers” — a British project, where a local football team is working to create the “world’s greenest football club”. The interactive elements of the report demonstrate the vast number of climate projects vying for the Global Climate Action Award, while shining a light on the remarkable results that these projects have already achieved across the world.
WFP Guide to Climate & Food Security Analyses
https://bit.ly/2yvkuZk
Why undertake a climate & food security analysis? Climate and food security analyses are an important first step to identify the most appropriate policies and programmes that WFP, governments and partners can consider when designing a climate change adaptation intervention. These analyses aid in understanding the impacts that climate change can have on vulnerable people’s food security and nutrition, the possible adaptation actions they can take, and aim to help decision-makers identify the most appropriate policies and programmes to implement, in order to prepare for climate risks, respond to climate-related disasters and adapt to longer-term climate change.
Working on a Warmer Planet: The impact of heat stress on labour productivity and decent work (ILO)
https://bit.ly/2SWReUr
An increase in heat stress resulting from global warming is projected to lead to global productivity losses equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs in the year 2030, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) released on 1 July 2019. Projections based on a global temperature rise of 1.5°C by the end of this century suggest that in 2030, 2.2 per cent of total working hours worldwide will be lost because of higher temperatures, a loss equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs. This is equivalent to global economic losses of US$2,400 billion. Moreover, the report cautions this is a conservative estimate because it assumes that the global mean temperature rise will not exceed 1.5°C. It also assumes that work in agriculture and construction – two of the sectors worst affected by heat stress – are carried out in the shade. The new ILO report draws on climate, physiological and employment data and presents estimates of the current and projected productivity losses at national, regional and global levels.
World Public Sector Report 2019: Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Focus on public institutions (DESA)
Report & Executive Summary: http://workspace.unpan.org/sites/Internet/Documents/UNPAN99332.pdf
The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) prominently feature institutions, both as a cross-cutting issue in many of the goals and as a standalone goal (SDG 16). The World Public Sector Report 2019 looks at national-level developments in relation to several concepts highlighted in the targets of Goal 16, which are viewed as institutional principles: access to information, transparency, accountability, anti-corruption, inclusiveness of decision-making processes, and non-discrimination. The report surveys global trends in these areas, documenting both the availability of information on those trends and the status of knowledge about the effectiveness of related policies and institutional arrangements in different national contexts. It also demonstrates how the institutional principles of SDG 16 have been informing the development of institutions in various areas, including gender equality and women’s empowerment (SDG 5). The report further examines two critical instruments that can support effective public institutions and public administration for the SDGs, namely national budget processes and risk management. The World Public Sector Report 2019 aims to inform the first review of SDG 16 at the United Nations high-level political forum on sustainable development in July 2019, and to contribute to future efforts to monitor progress on SDG 16. By reviewing key challenges and opportunities for public institutions in the context of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at the national level, the report also aims to inform efforts by all countries to create effective institutions to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.
World Survey on the Role of Women in Development: Report of the Secretary-General; Why addressing women’s income and time poverty matters for sustainable development (A/74/111, 17 June 2019)
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/A/74/111
Summary: “The World Survey on the Role of Women in Development is focused on selected emerging development themes that have an impact on the role of women in the economy at the national, regional and international levels and is presented to the Second Committee of the General Assembly at five-year intervals. In its resolution 69/236, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to update the World Survey for consideration by the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. The present (eighth) World Survey is focused on the reasons for the high levels of income poverty and time poverty among women and contains an analysis of the rationale for taking an integrated policy approach to addressing the double bind experienced by women in that regard, as a timely and relevant means of achieving sustainable development, in particular in low-income contexts.”
Youth Advocacy Guide (UNICEF)
English: https://bit.ly/2YpHKm0
French: https://bit.ly/2MogQIU
Portuguese: https://bit.ly/2Op9M1a
Seeking to help youth tackle the problems they see in their communities, UNICEF launched the Youth Advocacy Guide on 24 July 2019. Co-created with young African citizens, the Guide aims to empower young people with skills to bring about positive change in their lives and communities. The Guide was created through workshops with young people in Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique and Côte d’Ivoire, along with hundreds more, from dozens of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, submitting input via the internet. The Youth Advocacy Guide seeks to support their efforts to address concerns ranging from unemployment to child safety, the quality of education to climate emergencies.
International Peace and Security
Children and armed conflict: Report of the Secretary-General (A/73/907–S/2019/509, 20 June 2019)
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2019/509
A new UN report has found that 2018 was the worst year on record for children caught up in armed conflict; the year saw the highest numbers killed or maimed since the United Nations began monitoring the violation. In the 20 conflict situations monitored in the 2018 edition of the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, released on 30 July 2019, more than 12,000 children were killed or maimed that year. Children continue to be used in combat, particularly in Somalia, Nigeria and Syria: some 7,000 have been drawn into frontline fighting roles around the world, during 2018. They also continue to be abducted, to be used in hostilities or for sexual violence: more than half of the 2,500 reported cases were in Somalia. Some 933 cases of sexual violence against boys and girls were reported, but this is believed to be an under-estimate, due to lack of access, stigma and fear of reprisals. Attacks on schools and hospitals have decreased overall, but have intensified in some conflict situations, such as Afghanistan and Syria, which has seen the highest number of such attacks since the beginning of the conflict in the country. Mali provides the most serious example of children being deprived of access to education, and the military use of schools: 827 schools in Mali closed at the end of December 2018, denying some 244,00 children access to education.
Concept note for the Security Council open debate on the theme “Linkages between international terrorism and organized crime”
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/S/2019/537
The Security Council held an open debate on 9 July 2019 on the theme “Linkages between international terrorism and organized crime” under the agenda item “Threats to international peace and security”. In order to provide guidance on the open debate, Peru, the Security Council President for July, has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council debate on strengthening triangular cooperation
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/S/2019/538
The Security Council held an open debate on 10 July 2019 on the issue of strengthening triangular cooperation, under the item “United Nations peacekeeping operations”. In order to provide guidance on the open debate, Peru, the Security Council President for July, has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council briefing on the theme “Implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda”
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/S/2019/539
The Security Council held a briefing on 17 July 2019 on the theme “Implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda” under the item entitled “Maintenance of international peace and security”. In order to provide guidance for the briefing, Peru, the Security Council President for July, has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council briefing on the theme “Strengthening partnerships for successful nationally-owned transitions”
English, French & Spanish: http://undocs.org/S/2019/540
The Security Council held a briefing on 18 July 2019 on the theme “Strengthening partnerships for successful nationally-owned transitions” under the item entitled “Peacebuilding and sustaining peace”. In order to provide guidance for the briefing, Peru, the Security Council President for July, has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the open debate on children and armed conflict
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2019/605
The Security Council held a ministerial open debate on 2 August 2019 on the subject “Children and armed conflict”. To help guide the discussion, Poland, the Security Council President for August, has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council briefing on the theme “International humanitarian law: Seventieth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions: upholding humanity in modern conflict”
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2019/629
The Security Council held a ministerial briefing on 13 August 2019 on the subject “International humanitarian law”. To help guide the discussion, Poland, the Security Council President for August, has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council debate on the subject “Maintenance of international peace and security: challenges to peace and security in the Middle East”
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2019/643
The Security Council held a ministerial debate on 20 August on the subject “Maintenance of international peace and security: challenges to peace and security in the Middle East”. To help guide the discussion, Poland, the Security Council President for August, has prepared this concept note.
Ninth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat (S/2019/612, 31 July 2019)
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2019/612
Introduction: “This is my ninth report on the threat posed by ISIL to international peace and security. The report was prepared by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, in close collaboration with the Office of Counter-Terrorism, other United Nations entities and international organizations. It is noted in the report that, in the aftermath of the territorial defeat of ISIL, ISIL continues to aspire to global relevance, in particular through its affiliates and inspired attacks. The continuing concerns posed by returning fighters and their family members are also noted. Moreover, the report highlights ongoing threats and challenges, including the fact that the current lull in directed attacks by ISIL may be temporary, and the urgent need to address the processing and repatriation of detainees and internally displaced persons, including having to confront humanitarian, logistical, jurisdictional and human rights challenges while addressing security concerns.
Recent articles from DPPA Politically Speaking, the Online magazine of the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
- “A Blueprint for Peace and Prosperity for People and the Planet”: The UN’s Peace and Security Pillar and the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (14 August 2019): https://dppa-ps.atavist.com/-a-blueprint-for-peace-and-prosperity-for-people-and-the-planet
- Future of Mediation: Multi-Level, Young and Digital (5 August 2019): https://dppa-ps.atavist.com/future-of-mediation-multi-level-young-and-digital
- Women, Land and Conflict (1 August 2019): https://dppa-ps.atavist.com/women-land-and-conflict
- Mediating in a Complex World: Orchestration and Inclusion (July 30, 2019): https://dppa-ps.atavist.com/mediating-in-a-complex-world-orchestration-and-inclusion
We Are Here: An integrated approach to youth-inclusive peace processes
https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Global-Policy-Paper-Youth-Participation-in-Peace-Processes.pdf
United Nations Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth released the first Global Policy Paper on Youth Participation in Peace Processes on 17 July 2019. The independent policy paper highlights the diverse and positive ways that young people have contributed to, and participated in, past and current peace processes around the world and calls for greater investment in youth-inclusive peace processes. The policy paper – the first of its kind – was prepared in advance of the First International Symposium on Youth Participation in Peace Processes, which took place in Helsinki, Finland from 5-6 March 2019. The independent paper, co-written by authors and researchers Ali Altiok and Irena Grizelj, builds upon the existing knowledge and collaborative approach generated by the Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security, which was mandated by United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250. This paper #WeAreHere builds evidence to support UNSCR 2419 calls for “inclusive representation of youth for the prevention and resolution of conflict, including when negotiating and implementing peace agreements.”
Development of Africa
Economic Development in Africa Report 2019 (UNCTAD)
English & French: https://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=2463
Rules of origin – the criteria needed to determine the nationality of a product – could make or break the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that entered into force in May, says a new UNCTAD report. The Economic Development in Africa Report 2019 notes that rules of origin could be a game changer for the continent as long as they are simple, transparent, business friendly and predictable. Currently intra-African trade is a mere 15%, compared to around 47% in America, 61% in Asia and 67% in Europe, according to UNCTAD data for 2015 to 2017, but the AfCFTA could radically change that. If the agreement is fully implemented, the gross domestic product of most African countries could increase by 1% to 3% once all tariffs are eliminated, according to UNCTAD estimates.
Human Rights
The economic interests of the Myanmar military: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (A/HRC/42/CRP.3, 5 August 2019)
Report, annexes, supporting materials: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/MyanmarFFM/Pages/EconomicInterestsMyanmarMilitary.aspx
The U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar urged the international community on Monday to sever ties with Myanmar’s military and the vast web of companies it controls and relies on. The Mission said the revenues the military earns from domestic and foreign business deals substantially enhances its ability to carry out gross violations of human rights with impunity. The report, for the first time, establishes in detail the degree to which Myanmar’s military has used its own businesses, foreign companies and arms deals to support brutal operations against ethnic groups that constitute serious crimes under international law, bypassing civilian oversight and evading accountability.
Child immigration detention in the EU
English: https://europe.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Paper-ChildImmigrationDetentionintheEU-EN.pdf
French: https://europe.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Paper-ChildImmigrationDetentionintheEU-FR.pdf
Spanish: https://europe.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Paper-ChildImmigrationDetentionintheEU-ES.pdf
In September 2016, all EU governments committed to ending migrant children detention by signing the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. Since then, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Migrant Workers Committee have said that immigration detention can never be in the best interest of a child. The European Court of Human Rights has found that child immigration detention amounts to torture and degrading treatment. Yet, the immigration detention of children remains widespread in member States of the European Union, with devastating consequences effects on children’s health and well-being. As part of its commitment to work towards ending the immigration detention of children, the UN Human Rights Regional Office for Europe, in partnership with 15 other organizations, issued this advocacy paper to raise awareness about the problem and call for alternative solutions. Governments often present child detention as a measure to increase returns, to deter future migrants or to protect children from going missing. But there is no evidence that prolonged detention leads to increased returns or deters people from coming to Europe. Alternatives to detention are more effective and cheaper, while upholding human rights and protecting children, yet they are under-resourced, underused and applied only for a small number of children and families.
Human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of Human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (A/HRC/41/18, 5 July 2019, Advance Unedited Version)
Report in English: https://bit.ly/2K99A0M
Report in Spanish: https://bit.ly/2GC4GIq
Comments from the State in English: https://bit.ly/2SLP8qB
Oral update presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2019:
English: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24374
Spanish: https://www.ohchr.org/SP/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24374&LangID=S
A UN human rights report published on 4 July 2019, urges the Government of Venezuela to take immediate, concrete measures to halt and remedy the grave violations of economic, social, civil, political and cultural rights documented in the country. The report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warns that if the situation does not improve, the unprecedented outflow of Venezuelan migrants and refugees will continue, and the living conditions of those who remain will worsen. The report, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, states that over the last decade – and especially since 2016 – the Government and its institutions have implemented a strategy “aimed at neutralizing, repressing and criminalizing political opponents and people critical of the Government.” A series of laws, policies and practices has restricted the democratic space, dismantled institutional checks and balances, and allowed patterns of grave violations. The report also highlights the impact of the deepening economic crisis that has left people without the means to fulfil their fundamental rights to food and health, among others. Based on 558 interviews with victims and witnesses of human rights violations and the deteriorating economic situation, in Venezuela and eight other countries, as well as other sources, the report covers the period from January 2018 to May 2019.
Keeping the Promise: Ending Violence Against Children by 2030
https://violenceagainstchildren.un.org/sites/violenceagainstchildren.un.org/files/keeping_the_promise.pdf
From the foreword by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations: “The publication of this report could not be timelier as we mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified international human rights treaty. The Convention transformed the way we view children: as citizens of today and agents of change, rather than passive recipients of services. The Convention made a promise to every child of a life free from violence. This report aims to help us keep that promise to children. It documents what has been achieved to date through collective action, reminds us of the prevalence and nature of violence, sets out the evidence on solutions, and charts a course for accelerated progress. Violence against children is widespread and pervasive but is not inevitable! By placing children at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, and at the centre of all we do, we can realize its noble vision of a world free from fear and violence for all.
Humanitarian Affairs
2018 Return and Reintegration Key Highlights (IOM)
https://bit.ly/32UHA9L
On 19 July 2019, the International Organization for Migration is releasing the 2018 Return and Reintegration Key Highlights, which provides trends and figures – as well as key initiatives – on the number of migrants assisted to return, voluntarily, to their countries of origin, as well as efforts IOM has made to assist and reintegrate these returnees into their communities during the past year. In 2018, IOM assisted a total of 63,316 migrants in returning home through its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programmes, representing a 12 per cent decrease as compared to 2017. As in the previous year, this trend continues to indicate a return to a normal situation after an exceptionally high number of beneficiaries were assisted from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland in 2016. 2018 confirmed other key trends, such as an increase in assisted voluntary returns from regions outside the EEA and Switzerland, particularly in West and Central Africa, as well as an increase in the caseload of migrants in vulnerable situations assisted worldwide.
Fatal Journeys Volume 4: Missing Migrant Children (IOM)
https://publications.iom.int/books/fatal-journeys-volume-4-missing-migrant-children
Fatal Journeys Volume 4 focuses on a special theme – missing migrant children – given the growing number of children embarking on journeys that are dangerous and often fatal. Since 2014, IOM has documented more than 32,000 deaths and disappearances during the migration journey worldwide, although the true number of migrant fatalities is unknown, as many deaths go unrecorded. Data on deaths and disappearances of missing migrant children tend to be even more limited. According to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, nearly 1,600 children have been reported dead or missing since 2014. This report discusses why it is often difficult to find data on missing migrants disaggregated by age. It explores what measures could be taken to improve data on missing migrant children, to help improve policy options and to prevent these tragedies from occurring. The report is a contribution to the joint efforts of UNICEF, UNHCR, IOM, Eurostat and OECD to improve data on migrant and refugee children. Without better data on missing migrants, any policy understanding of children’s migration journeys and the risks and vulnerabilities they face will remain incomplete.
Projected Global Resettlement Needs 2020 (UNHCR)
https://www.unhcr.org/5d1384047.pdf
According to latest estimates released at an annual resettlement forum, hosted by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, more than 1.44 million refugees currently residing in over 60 refugee hosting countries will be in need of resettlement in 2020. “Given the record numbers of people needing safety from war, conflict and persecution and the lack of political solutions to these situations, we urgently need countries to come forward and resettle more refugees,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who opened the two-day Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) in Geneva on 1 July 2019. This year’s conference is co-hosted with the UK government and the British Refugee Council. According to the Projected Global Resettlement Needs 2020 report, which was launched at the ATCR, refugees most at risk and in need of resettlement include Syrian refugees (40 per cent), followed by South Sudanese refugees (14 per cent) and refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (11 per cent).
Teaching About Refugees – Guidance on working with refugee children struggling with stress and trauma (UNHCR)
https://www.unhcr.org/publications/education/59d346de4/teaching-refugees-guidance-working-refugee-children-struggling-stress-trauma.html
Whilst some refugee children can present challenging and worrying behaviour at school and in the classroom, not all children who have experienced armed conflict and flight will suffer from trauma and stress. This document deals with stress and trauma related behaviours in refugee children. It aims to help teachers understand how stress and trauma can affect refugee children and students, and also to give some tips and advice to teachers on how to successfully include children and students who suffer from stress and trauma in their classrooms.
Justice and International Law
International Humanitarian Law Digital App (non-UN source)
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/ihl-digital-app
70 years ago, on 12 August 1949, the Geneva Conventions were adopted in Geneva. Since then these Conventions have formed the cornerstone of international humanitarian law (IHL) and have been pivotal for the protection of people affected by armed conflicts worldwide. Celebrating this milestone, the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) has launched a new digital app enabling users to browse key IHL treaties and texts, anywhere and anytime on a mobile or tablet device. The app provides professionals and other users with access to more than 75 treaties and other documents – most notably, the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, the ICRC’s original and updated Commentaries on the Conventions and Additional Protocols, and the rules of customary IHL identified by the ICRC’s 2005 Study. By providing easy access to IHL treaties and the customary IHL rules in various languages, the app aims to support the promotion and implementation of IHL worldwide.
Nuclear, Chemical and Conventional Weapons Disarmament
Geneva Disarmament Research Guide on Science & Emerging Technology
https://libraryresources.unog.ch/st
Today’s technological development is characterized by rapid advances and a distributed nature. This poses several challenges on arms control and international security. However, new technologies also offer chances for disarmament, trust creation and treaty implementation. This disarmament research guide aims at giving a broad range of resources about current technological developments under both a technological and arms control perspective. It was developed in cooperation between the Geneva branch of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the United Nations Library Geneva.
Drug Control, Crime Prevention and Counter-terrorism
Global Study on Homicide 2019
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/global-study-on-homicide.html
Some 464,000 people across the world were killed in homicides in 2017, surpassing by far the 89,000 killed in armed conflicts in the same period, according to the Global Study on Homicide 2019 published on 8 July 2019 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The study shows that the overall number of people who suffered a violent death as a result of homicide increased in the past quarter of a century, from 395,542 in 1992 to 464,000 in 2017. However, because the global population has risen faster than the increase in recorded homicide victims, the overall risk of being killed in homicides has declined steadily. The global homicide rate, measured as the victims of homicide per 100,000 people, declined from 7.2 in 1992, to 6.1 in 2017.
World Drug Report 2019 (UNODC)
https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2019/
Improved research and more precise data have revealed that the adverse health consequences of drug use are more severe and widespread than previously thought. Globally, some 35 million people are estimated to suffer from drug use disorders and who require treatment services, according to the latest World Drug Report, released on 26 June 2019 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).