Women office-holders were making steady progress in the political arena, but not nearly enough, said Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), at the launch of a poster-sized map entitled “The World Map of Women in Politics 2010”, issued by the IPU today alongside findings from a recent survey on progress and setbacks of women in parliament.
In progress at UNHQ
Press Conference
Addressing journalists at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS discuss a plan launched today strongly focused on women and aimed at addressing gender inequalities that hamper the fight against AIDS, a disease rife with complexity ‑‑ including its links to sexual and reproductive rights issues, maternal health concerns, education and women’s economic empowerment.
The Security Council will have an open debate on the impact of illicit arms trafficking on peace and security in the Central African region on 19 March, Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet of Gabon, this month’s Council President, said today at Headquarters.
Catherine Bragg, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, today again reiterated that the United Nations system stands ready to support in every way possible the Chilean Government’s efforts to recover from the devastation of the earthquake the country suffered four days ago.
The United Nations had agreed that 2011-2020 would be the global Decade of Action for Road Safety, a panel of international partners working towards that goal said at a Headquarters press conference today.
Calling the Decade of Action for Road Safety scheduled to be proclaimed today by the General Assembly “long overdue”, a representative of the World Health Organization pledged concerted action to halt the increasing trend of road-traffic deaths seen over the last few decades and ensure that between 2011 and 2020, the trend would be reversed.
The protection of civilians and children in Afghanistan had become a matter of great concern, especially the killing and maiming of children, Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, told correspondents this afternoon at Headquarters upon her return from a visit to that country.
Strongly condemning violence against women and girls, the International Organization of la Francophonie today adopted a declaration that confirmed its support for women’s equality and its commitment to prevent harm against women and girls, as part of its contribution to reviewing the 15 years implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, Canada’s Minister for La Francophonie said today.
The 2010 world census was crucial in helping countries emerging from conflict better plan national development strategies and institute democratic reform, United Nations experts on census gathering said this afternoon at a Headquarters news conference.
The International Narcotics Control Board was concerned that the “creeping normalization” of so-called medicinal marijuana might spur addictive or hard-core use of the drug, a Board member said today while presenting its annual report at a Headquarters press conference.