UN refugee agency concerned over treatment of asylum-seekers in Ukraine 1 February 2012 – The United Nations refugee agency has voiced concern over the plight of asylum-seekers, including some minors, held in two detention centres in Ukraine, where more than 100 people are reportedly challenging their detention or have complained that they were denied the right [...]

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UN Commission for Social Development kicks off with focus on poverty and youth Ambassador Milos Koterec of the Slovak Republic. UN Photo/Evan Schneider 1 February 2012 – Poverty eradication, youth unemployment and socially inclusive policies will be the main focus of the 50th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, which kicked off today [...]

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Small Indian hill state aims to improve agricultural livelihoods with UN loan. 1 February 2012 – India is receiving a loan of nearly $90 million from the United Nations to improve agricultural livelihoods in the small north-western state of Uttarakhand, one of the poorest areas in the country. IFAD will provide a US$89.9 million loan to [...]

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South Sudan: UN relief chief stresses vast scale of humanitarian needs Displaced people in Gumuruk, 40 kilometres from Pibor town, South Sudan. Photo: IRIN/Hannah McNeish February 2012 – The United Nations relief chief today underlined the enormity of the humanitarian challenges facing South Sudan on the first day of her three-day visit to the fledgling country, [...]

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Refugee children in Tanzania learn art basics in UN-sponsored workshop Congolese refugees and local Tanzanian children learn about art techniques side by side. Photo: UNHCR/S.Starke 1 February 2012 – In a novel way to impart new skills to children while improving their social interaction, the United Nations refugee agency has sponsored an arts workshop for refugee [...]

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Kenyan court jails men who killed UN aid worker WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. Photo: WFP/Rein Skullerud 1 February 2012 – The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Josette Sheeran welcomed today the decision by the Kenyan High Court to sentence five men to 56 years in prison each for the murder of [...]

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New UN initiative aims to harness power of social media to fight global hunger 1 February 2012 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is launching a week-long campaign in which users of the popular online trivia game Freerice can recruit their friends to help bring food to the world’s most vulnerable populations. World Freerice [...]

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Thousands affected by tropical storms in Mozambique – UN humanitarian arm Thousands affected by tropical storms in Mozambique. 31 January 2012 – The United Nations humanitarian agency reported today that an estimated 117,000 people have been affected by two tropical storms in Mozambique last week, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation. According to Government [...]

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UNESCO chief condemns latest murder of journalist in Somalia. 31 January 2012 – The head of the United Nations agency tasked with promoting and defending the freedom of the press today condemned the murder of a journalist in Somalia and called for measures to improve the safety of media professionals in the Horn of Africa country. [...]

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Sri Lanka: UN agency funds irrigation improvement projects 31 January 2012 – The United Nations fund tasked with promoting rural development will provide a $22-million loan to Sri Lanka to finance the improvement of the South Asian country’s irrigation infrastructure and crop diversification, as well as projects to expand market opportunities for smallholder farmers. Farmers water [...]

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