Facing a fragile economic, political and security situation, Afghanistan must overcome several hurdles to ensure the survival of its National Unity Government and a peaceful future, the Security Council heard today as it unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations mission in that country by one year.
Describing national policies aimed at boosting the status of women and protecting their human rights, speakers today condemned gender-based violence — including the use of rape as a weapon of war or tactic of terrorism — as the Commission on the Status of Women entered the second day of its sixtieth annual session.
The Security Council today decided to extend until 15 June 2016 the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and in full accordance with the principles of national ownership.
As the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) discussed the use of more flexible and open workplace at the United Nations, delegates raised concerns about upwardly revised cost estimates for the now $65.7 million project, and that an assessment of its impact on productivity and staff well-being had not been finalized.
The Economic and Social Council adopted, without a vote, five draft decisions on dates and themes of upcoming high-level meetings.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called upon Governments, businesses and others around the world to step up efforts for gender equality, as he opened the sixtieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women which, over two weeks, will underscore the crucial role of women in implementing and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Concluding its 2016 session, the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations adopted without a vote today the draft report of the session, laying out the proposals, recommendations and conclusions submitted by its Working Group of the Whole on a wide range of peacekeeping issues.
The Security Council, expressing its deep concern over allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers, today asked the Secretary-General to replace all military or police units from any contributing country that had failed to hold perpetrators accountable.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today approved a draft resolution supporting the Board of Auditors’ recommendations concerning the renovation of the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva and the Organization’s handling of information and communications technology affairs.
Briefing the Security Council today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon laid out a number of steps to address “the shameful issue” of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, amid disagreement over a draft resolution aimed at addressing the matter.
