New UN websites & publications
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/covax–key-learnings-for-future-pandemic-preparedness-and-response
This white paper outlines three key COVAX learnings for future pandemic preparedness and response. Drawing upon COVAX’s unique experience enabling an unprecedented global rollout at scale during a pandemic, it highlights challenges encountered and subsequent impact on equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, the actions COVAX took in response and recommendations for the future.
From Double Shock to Double Recovery: Health Financing in the Time of COVID-19 (World Bank)
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/health/publication/from-double-shock-to-double-recovery-health-financing-in-the-time-of-covid-19
The “Double Shock, Double Recovery” discussion paper was initially published in March 2021 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. A technical update of the paper followed in September 2021. The latest update “Old Scars, New Wounds,” which takes into account the economic impact of the war in Ukraine, was published in September 2022.
Guide to evaluating behaviourally and culturally informed health interventions in complex settings (WHO/Europe)
https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2022-6045-45810-65956
COVID-19 has demonstrated beyond doubt the important role that our behaviours and cultural contexts can play in the face of a health challenge. More and more governments are therefore beginning to look seriously at designing and implementing public health interventions that are informed by behavioural and cultural insights (BCI). However, evaluating these interventions, to make sure that they work as intended, can be difficult, particularly when time and money are limited. WHO/Europe has now published its “Guide to evaluating behaviourally and culturally informed health interventions in complex settings”. It provides detailed information on how to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of BCI interventions, particularly when the conditions for attaining conclusive proof are difficult or impossible to meet. Instead, using contribution analysis as a starting point, this new WHO guide walks its readers through the process of creating an evidence-informed claim for the effect of the intervention.
Risk communication and community engagement: a compendium of case studies in times of COVID-19 (WHO/Europe)
https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2022-6186-45951-66353
Support for rehabilitation: self-management after COVID-19-related illness; Second edition (WHO)
English, French, Dutch, German, Italian, Portuguese, plus additional languages: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/344472
Economic Growth and Sustainable Development
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/iaea-ccnp2022-body-web.pdf
The 2022 edition of Climate Change and Nuclear Power, which is updated every two years and provides a wealth of technical information and data about the benefits of nuclear power in contributing to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This year’s publication features a chapter on nuclear power in Africa.
E-Government Survey 2022: The Future of Digital Government (UN/DESA)
https://publicadministration.un.org/en/Research/UN-e-Government-Surveys
https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/40733
https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/brochure%202212718_E_ECE_CEP_NONE_2022_3_WEB.pdf
“Introduction: The secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have prepared a limited indicator-based and thematic pan-European environmental assessment upon the request of the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy, as input to the Ninth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference (Nicosia, 5–7 October 2022). The seventh pan-European environmental assessment reports that progress has been achieved in environmental protection in certain areas, but significant shortcomings remain and pose a threat to the health of both people and the environment in the pan-European region. The summary for policymakers highlights a series of key issues and recommendations from the body of the assessment report. The assessment covers the period until the end of 2021.”
The global forest sector outlook 2050: Assessing future demand and sources of timber for a sustainable economy (FAO)
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc2265en
Overall consumption of primary processed wood products is expected to grow 37 percent by 2050 in a business-as-usual scenario, a report published on 4 October 2022 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said. Consumption of primary processed wood products – sawnwood, veneer/plywood, particle/fibreboard and wood pulp – is predicted to total 3.1 billion cubic metres of roundwood equivalents – a measure of logs used in the making of wood-based products – by 2050, according to the report. The increase in consumption will be at least 8 percent higher in a bioeconomy scenario when two modern wood products are considered – mass timber and manmade cellulose fibres – substituting non-renewable materials. In a scenario of a more accelerated transition to the bioeconomy with a stronger participation of these two products, the rise in consumption of primary wood products could reach 23 percent more than in the business-as-usual scenario.
Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research (WHO)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240056107
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc2262en/
This paper summarizes the current state of concepts and approaches for addressing deforestation in the trade, marketing, and production of agricultural commodities that have a disproportionate impact on forests at international, national, and landscape level. To date, predominant attention has been directed towards the role of the private sector and “consumer countries” that shape market regulation. This publication aims to complement the international discourse by generating a greater focus on the role of “producer country” governments at the national and local level to support efforts to decouple agricultural production from deforestation.
Health and care workforce in Europe: time to act (WHO/Europe)
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/362379
Invisible numbers: The true extent of noncommunicable diseases and what to do about them (WHO)
https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/invisible-numbers
Oslo Medicines Initiative Technical Reports
https://www.who.int/europe/initiatives/the-oslo-medicines-initiative/technical-reports
As health-care budgets continue to be strained by the current state of the global economy, with the issue of access to expensive novel medicines persisting across the WHO European Region, WHO/Europe has released a series of technical reports calling for improved access to treatments. Published as part of the Oslo Medicines Initiative (OMI) – a joint initiative of WHO/Europe and the Government of Norway launched in 2020 – the new documents analyse current evidence and put forward potential policies that can help people access some of these novel, yet high-priced, medicines.
Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2022 (ILO)
https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_856649/lang–en/index.htm
Roadmap to carbon neutrality for Europe, North America, and Central Asia (UNECE)
https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/Technology%20Interplay_final_2.pdf
Bold and sustained action must start now and maximize the use of all low- and zero-carbon technologies if we are to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, warns the new report released on 19 September 2022 by UNECE in the lead up to critical climate talks at COP27. The report, which builds on the input from international experts and data scientists from across Europe, North America, and Central Asia, identifies a range of technology and policy solutions for the region to attain carbon neutrality by 2050 despite the current energy and geopolitical crises. It finds that investment in energy as % of Gross Domestic Product would need to increase from 1.24% in 2020 to 2.05% per year from 2025 until 2050. This values the investment needed at between USD 44.8 and 47.3 trillion by 2050, with any additional delay in taking action adding to the bill. As exemplified by the exponential costs of extreme weather events registered this summer and over the past years, inaction bears a much higher cost on society.
Solving the Equation: Helping girls and boys learn mathematics (UNICEF)
https://www.unicef.org/reports/solving-equation
https://unsdg.un.org/resources/system-wide-evaluation-joint-sdg-fund-2019-2022
The overarching purpose of the system-wide evaluation of the Joint SDG Fund is to address the progress of results, assess how the Fund has positioned itself to achieve its strategic objectives, and be forward-looking in terms of its future strategic objective of catalysing and influencing larger funding for achieving SDGs as outlined in the Fund’s Terms of Reference (ToR). The evaluation makes recommendations on how to better position the Joint SDG Fund within the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) and the wider development context and better manage the Fund to accelerate UN collaborative action to support developing countries during the Decade of Action.
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb8667en/
In this publication, the FAO Food Safety Foresight programme provides an overview of the major global drivers and trends by describing their implications for food safety in particular and for agrifood systems by extrapolation. The various drivers and trends reported include climate change, changing consumer behaviour and preferences, new food sources and production systems, technological advances, microbiome, circular economy, food fraud, among others. The intended audience for this publication is broad – from the policymakers, academia, food business operators, private sector, to all of us, the consumers.
Trade and Development Report 2022: Development prospects in a fractured world: Global disorder and regional responses (UNCTAD)
https://unctad.org/tdr2022
Trade in biodiversity-based products (UNCTAD)
English: https://unctadstat.unctad.org/EN/biotrade.html
French: https://unctadstat.unctad.org/FR/Biotrade.html
United in Science 2022: A multi-organization high-level compilation of the most recent science related to climate change, impacts and responses
https://library.wmo.int/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=22128
WCO/WTO Study Report on Disruptive Technologies
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/wco-wto_e.pdf
A joint publication entitled “Study Report on Disruptive Technologies” was launched by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary-General Kunio Mikuriya at a virtual event on 3 October 2022. The publication reviews how so-called disruptive technologies, such as blockchain, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and machine learning, can help to improve the conduct of international trade and border management.
International Peace and Security
Concept note for the Security Council debate on the theme “Peace and Security in Africa: strengthening the fight against the financing of armed groups and terrorists through the illicit trafficking of natural resources”
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2022/728
The President of the Security Council for the month of October 2022, Gabon convened a Security Council debate on 6 October 2022 on the theme “Peace and security in Africa: strengthening the fight against the financing of armed groups and terrorists through the illicit trafficking of natural resources”. In order to guide the discussions on the topic, Gabon has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council debate on the theme “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations (African Union): commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the African Union, building a constructive multipolar world”
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2022/736
The President of the Security Council for the month of October 2022, Gabon will convene a Security Council debate on 11 October 2022 on the theme “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations (African Union): commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the African Union, building a constructive multipolar world”. In order to guide the discussions on the topic, Gabon has prepared this concept note.
Concept note for the Security Council debate on the theme “Threats to international peace and security: climate and security in Africa”
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/S/2022/737
The President of the Security Council for the month of October 2022, Gabon will convene a Security Council debate on 12 October 2022 on the theme “Threats to international peace and security: climate and security in Africa”. In order to guide the discussions on the topic, Gabon has prepared this concept note.
Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires (DPPA)
https://peacemaker.un.org/thematic-areas/ceasefires-security-arrangements
The United Nations and peacemakers the world over have accumulated a wealth of experience on mediating or facilitating ceasefires. Much of that valuable know-how is now available for the first time in one place, in a Guidance produced by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). Launched on 14 September 2022, the Guidance draws on the extensive knowledge of ceasefire experts and mediation practitioners, both from the United Nations and beyond. While, as the Guidance notes, “every ceasefire mediation is unique,” it presents a set of standard tools and approaches that can be deployed to strengthen such agreements in any setting, from temporary and definitive ceasefires to humanitarian pauses.
Ukraine Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, August 2022
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/37988
Human Rights
Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage (ILO)
Report in English, Executive Summary in English, French & Spanish:
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/publications/WCMS_854733/lang–en/index.htm
Monitoring SDG 16: A gender perspective (UNODC, Data Matters #4)
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/DataMatters_4_2022.pdf
Certain types of violence, trafficking, and access to justice issues affect women more than men. Read about the latest Research Brief from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to discover trends and monitor gender-specific progress on SDG 16.
Rapport sur la torture et autres peines ou traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants en République démocratique du Congo du 1er avril 2019 au 30 avril 2022
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/torture/2022-10-04/041022_Joint-report-on-torture-in-the-DRC-01042019-to-30042022.pdf
The vast majority of cases of torture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) occur in conflict-affected areas where impunity is widespread, according to a UN report released on 5 October 2022. The report, issued by the UN Joint Human Rights Office in DRC (UNJHRO) and the UN Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO), covers the period between 1 April 2019 and 30 April 2022. The report presents UNJHRO’s findings that 93% of the 3,618 registered cases of torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment affecting 4,946 victims were documented in areas affected by armed conflict. Of this total, 492 were cases of sexual violence, affecting 761 victims. According to the report, members of the defence and security forces were responsible for 1,293 cases. A further 1,833 cases were attributed to members of armed groups, who sometimes acted on their own but in certain contexts subjected victims to torture in collusion with members of the security forces. The report shows that people were subjected to torture and ill-treatment while exercising their fundamental rights, such freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, or during detention.
The right to privacy in the digital age: Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/51, 4 August 2022)
English, French & Spanish: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/51/17
People’s right to privacy is coming under ever greater pressure from the use of modern networked digital technologies whose features make them formidable tools for surveillance, control and oppression, a new UN report has warned. This makes it all the more essential that these technologies are reined in by effective regulation based on international human rights law and standards. The report – the latest on privacy in the digital age by the UN Human Rights Office – looks at three key areas: the abuse of intrusive hacking tools (“spyware”) by State authorities; the key role of robust encryption methods in protecting human rights online; and the impacts of widespread digital monitoring of public spaces, both offline and online. The report details how surveillance tools such as the “Pegasus” software can turn most smartphones into “24-hour surveillance devices”, allowing the “intruder” access not only to everything on our mobiles but also weaponizing them to spy on our lives.
Humanitarian Affairs
Afghanistan crisis update: Women and Girls in Displacement, Factsheet II – September 2022
https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/95688
Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity; October 2022 to January 2023 Outlook
https://www.wfp.org/publications/hunger-hotspots-fao-wfp-early-warnings-acute-food-insecurity-october-2022-january-2023
https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/95767
Following the first intentions survey done in 6 countries neighbouring Ukraine between May and June 2022, this report presents updated findings regarding intentions of refugees from Ukraine, in-depth analysis of the factors influencing their decisions, and key insights into their current socio-economic situation and profiles, based on the second round of UNHCR’s intentions survey covering 43 countries across Europe and beyond between August and September 2022, with over 4,800 surveys completed.
https://www.undp.org/afghanistan/publications/one-year-review-afghanistan-august-2021
The political change after 15 August 2021 plunged the country into a humanitarian and economic crisis that devastated peoples’ lives and livelihoods. As the De Facto Authorities (DFA) mark one year in power, the situation in Afghanistan remains precarious and uncertain. Drawing upon available data from various sources, “One Year in Review” provides a snapshot of changes in peoples’ socio-economic situation since August 2021.
Justice and International Law
Pay transparency legislation: Implications for employers’ and workers’ organizations (ILO)
https://www.ilo.org/travail/info/publications/WCMS_849209/lang–en/index.htm
On average, women, are paid about 20 per cent less than men, globally. While individual characteristics such as education, working time, occupational segregation, skills and experience, explain part of the gender pay gap, a large part is due to discrimination based on gender. In addition, women have been among the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including in terms of their income security, disproportionate representation in some hardest-hit sectors, and the unequal and gendered division of family responsibilities. These factors negatively affected women’s employment, threatening to reverse decades of progress made towards gender equality. The new ILO study finds that pay transparency measures can help to address the gender pay gap and reduce broader gender inequalities in the labour market. Pay transparency may provide workers with the information and evidence they require to negotiate pay rates and provide them with the means to challenge potential pay discrimination. For employers pay transparency can help to identify and address pay discrimination that might otherwise negatively affect the functioning of the enterprise and their reputation.
Drug Control, Crime Prevention and Counter-terrorism
5 Thematic guides on Protecting Vulnerable Targets Against Terrorist Attacks (UNOCT)
Module 1: Introduction – Protection vulnerable targets from terrorist attacks [EN] [FR]
Module 2: Protecting urban centres from terrorism attacks [EN] [FR]
Module 3: Protecting tourist sites from terrorism attacks [EN] [FR]
Module 4: Protecting religious sites from terrorism attacks [EN] [FR]
Module 5: Protecting vulnerable targets from terrorist attacks involving unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) [EN] [FR]
Also available in Arabic and Russian: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/publications
Addressing the linkages between illicit arms, organized crime and armed conflict (UNIDIR / UNODC)
https://unidir.org/publication/addressing-linkages-between-illicit-arms-organized-crime-and-armed-conflict
Documenting international crimes and human rights violations for accountability purposes: Guidelines for civil society organisations (ICC / EUROJUST)
https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/2022-09/2_Eurojust_ICC_CSOs_Guidelines_2-EN.pdf
Eurojust and the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) published on 21 September 2022 practical guidelines for civil society organisations on documenting core international crimes, such as war crimes and crimes against humanity. This will empower as well as support civil society organisations that seek to collect and preserve information to contribute to investigations and prosecutions at the national level or before the ICC. The guidelines aim to assist in fighting impunity and have been drawn up building on the expertise of the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICC, Eurojust, the Genocide Network, civil society organisations, national prosecutors and international partners.
Newsletter Archive: https://unric.org/en/unric-info-point-library-newsletter-archive