Due to a backsliding in human rights exacerbated by global crises and conflicts, gender equality has fallen farther out of reach, while States play catch-up with initiatives supporting access to services and promoting women’s economic and political development, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, continuing its debate today on the advancement of women.
Despite some progress in lowering poverty in least developed countries, it remains worrisomely high, hindering progress at all levels, a senior United Nations official told delegates today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up groups of countries in special situations.
Petitioners speaking today on the question of Western Sahara called for the adoption of the autonomy plan put forward by Morocco in 2006, while others voiced alarm over human rights reportedly committed in the Tindouf camps, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its hearing of petitioners on decolonization matters.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today considered the Secretary-General’s appeal for $775.3 million to fund more than three dozen special political missions in 2024 as several delegates again pushed for the creation of a special financing mechanism to sustain them. While supportive of the missions’ crucial part in the Organization’s global peace and security pillar, delegates voiced their concern that the 39 missions consume a quarter of the Organization’s regular budget.
Pressing challenges like climate change and armed conflict cannot be overcome if half of the world’s population does not enjoy equal rights and opportunities, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, as it commenced its debate on the advancement of women.
The threats and ravages of climate change are inextricably linked to national and global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, requiring urgent action in the environmental, financial and energy sectors, speakers stressed today as the Second Committee (Economic Financial) continued its annual general debate.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its debate on measures to eliminate international terrorism today, delegates detailed national, regional and worldwide efforts to combat the constantly evolving scourge in the absence of both an internationally agreed-upon definition and a comprehensive convention.
Representatives and petitioners from French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Guam and the British Virgin Islands took the floor today as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began considering in closer detail the situations in the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories.
As they gauged ongoing efforts to run an ethical and accountable Organization, delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today stressed the need for an independent Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the oversight body that carries out internal audits, investigations and evaluations of the Organization’s resources and staff.
The risk of nuclear weapons use is real and it is crystal clear that as long as they exist, the world will never be a safer place, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, as it continued its wide-ranging general debate.
