Describing a nuclear-weapon-free world as a “critical global public good”, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to work towards ensuring that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) retained its central role in collective security, as the month-long ninth Review Conference of that accord began at Headquarters today.
During a “once-in-a-generation” year which would see the adoption of the new post-2015 development agenda, the United Nations Department of Public Information had a critical role to play in supporting the ever-expanding activities of the Organization, the Committee on Information was told as it opened its thirty‑seventh session today.
Indigenous peoples lived in situations of extreme social and economic disadvantage, speakers in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said today, pressing Governments to improve their access to basic services, respect their traditional livelihoods, and both return — and protect — the sacred lands on which their survival depended.
Standard measurements of well-being did not capture the distinct economic, social, and cultural aspects of indigenous peoples’ lives, speakers in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said today, as they explored the type of information needed to accurately quantify their unique development experiences and how to collect it.
Expressing alarm that the Syrian crisis had become the largest humanitarian emergency in the world, threatening regional stability, the Security Council this morning called for stepped-up, coordinated international support to neighbouring countries hosting refugees from the conflict.
Although the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime had faced a “plethora of obstacles” over a number of years, there was no reason to lose faith, the Chair of the Disarmament Commission told members today, stressing that progress was possible if each State demonstrated the requisite political will.
While terrorist groups were increasingly recruiting young, disenfranchised people into their ranks, there was broad agreement among the more than 60 speakers in the Security Council today that youth must instead be at the heart of efforts to counter violent extremism and promote peace.
Indigenous peoples represented 15 per cent of the world’s poor and faced huge disparities in terms of hunger, malnutrition and access to health care, even in developed countries, speakers in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said today, stressing that their distinct identities and rights should be recognized in the post-2015 development agenda.
Côte d’Ivoire had made progress in security-related areas though concerns remained over ex-combatants, impunity and other challenges, the Chair of the sanctions committee regarding the country told the Security Council this afternoon, adding that he looked forward to continued dialogue with authorities on the issues.
Now 15 years old, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was in “real need” of reform to better respond to the socioeconomic, cultural and human rights concerns of its constituents — both within their respective territories and throughout the United Nations system, speakers stressed today as the 16-member body moved into day three of its fourteenth session.
