Meetings Coverage

Persistent discrimination and violence against women and girls around the world called for gender equality and empowerment to be a stand-alone target in the post-2015 development agenda, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, as it began its discussions on the advancement of women.

Concrete criteria were crucial to ensure fair and equitable geographic representation which would cement the credibility of the Security Council and the United Nations as a whole, said delegates in the Sixth Committee (Legal) as they began their general debate on the United Nations Charter and the role of the Organization.

Desertification and drought continued to aggravate crop failure, water shortages and livestock loss, several African countries told the Second Committee today as it concluded its general debate.

Overwhelming support for the Arms Trade Treaty and its recent adoption meant the “will of the very few” had not been allowed to trump the interests of the vast majority, New Zealand’s representative told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today during the continuation of its general debate.

The Organization’s top auditing watchdog told the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today that the Secretariat had to persist in transforming its business operations so as to update its operations and deliver on its ambitious development goals.

Deeply concerned over the total breakdown in law and order in the Central African Republic and the consequences of such instability for the region, the Security Council today decided to reinforce the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in that country, expressing its readiness to consider “appropriate measures” against those fuelling violence.

Welcoming the progress made towards the complete transfer of lead security responsibility in Afghanistan to the country’s Government, the Security Council today extended its authorization of the International Security Assistance Force until 31 December 2014.

Recognizing the steps that Haiti had taken towards stabilization, and noting with concern the delays in preparations for elections scheduled for later this year, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti until 15 October 2014, encouraging it to enhance further the Government’s ability to extend State authority throughout the country and promote good governance and the rule of law at all levels.

Colonialism had no place in the modern world, speaker after speaker declared today in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), echoing the words of the Secretary-General and the foundational resolution of the General Assembly on the subject from more than five decades ago.

The need for coordinated international cooperation in combating all forms of organized transnational crime and for more robust financial support to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were two recurring topics on which delegates in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) focused today, as they concluded their discussion on crime prevention and criminal justice, and international drug control.