To combat the proliferation of illicitly produced and traded small arms and light weapons that is fuelling conflict within and between countries, delegates in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) explored the tools needed to counter this threat, as its general debate continued.
In progress at UNHQ
General Assembly
Western Sahara is represented by a “shadow republic”, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it continued its hearing of petitioners in the context of its general debate on decolonization questions.
Self-governance and multilateral support are critical to fulfilling the aims of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, delegates told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today in a half‑day discussion on the matter.
Destructive impacts of climate change like droughts, floods and increasingly severe storms are the primary culprits behind decreased farming output and rising hunger worldwide, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial), as it took up agriculture, food security and nutrition today.
The General Assembly today elected 18 States to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.
Taking up the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on Strengthening the Role of the United Nations, the Sixth Committee (Legal) today debated ways to better ensure the peaceful resolution of disputes, highlighting the important knowledge held by regional organizations that might aid the abatement of conflicts.
Delegates at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today asked the Secretariat for a comprehensive analysis of its proposal to fortify the independence of the United Nations Ethics Office.
Mounting a staunch defence of multilateralism, delegates in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) praised the détente on the Korean Peninsula, urging States to continue the difficult, pragmatic work needed to build durable peace around the world.
Calling for access to education and eliminating child labour, as well as bolstering equal treatment for women in the labour market, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its debates on children’s rights and women’s advancement today.
Stagnation, corruption and terrible conditions threaten the well-being of young people in Western Sahara’s refugee camps, petitioners from Non‑Self‑Governing Territories told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, as it continued its general debate on decolonization.