Racism, bigotry, xenophobia, nationalist populism, white supremacy and hate speech are on the rise, and often made more casual by public figures, experts told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, sounding an alarm bell against a “general indifference” to the perilous uptick in such behaviour.
Drawing attention to the daunting challenges and long-term consequences posed by explosive remnants of war, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its debate on conventional weapons as delegates pointed to progress made through multilateral instruments in clearance operations.
The General Assembly today adopted a resolution encouraging stronger international cooperation in peacefully using outer space to address long-term sustainable development concerns, taking into account the particular needs of developing countries.
Globally, more than 40 million people are subject to modern forms of slavery — 71 per cent of them women and girls — a grave human rights situation exacerbated by gender inequality, poverty, cultural norms and discriminatory laws that demand change, the Special Rapporteur on the topic told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) today.
Acting without a vote, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved a draft resolution on the University for Peace today, by which the General Assembly requests that Member States support that institution’s mission and contribute financially to it.
Officials in Damascus have rejected the United Nations formulation of a list of participants to make up a constitutional committee intended to move the political process in Syria forward, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria told the Security Council today.
Because the International Court of Justice is adjudicating more cases related to scientific and technological advances, the Court is able to guarantee its competency addressing such expanded and diverse disputes through the engagement of outside experts as established by its founding Statute, the President of that body told the Sixth Committee (Legal) today during his annual visit.
Speakers in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today supported the Secretary-General’s request for a $9.7 million funding infusion to keep the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia running smoothly in 2019.
Underscoring the need to bolster regional commissions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, speakers focused on areas ranging from trade and transport to the environment and natural hazards, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met with those bodies today.
Weighing potential risks to international security posed by such new technologies as militarized drones, delegates exchanged views today on ways to control these lethal autonomous weapons, as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its work.
