Without adequate security or resources for education, young women and men in refugee camps would turn to prostitution or violence, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Chad said at a Headquarters press conference today.

While progress in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had been slow, the country was moving in the right direction and needed sustained efforts from its leadership, as well as the continuing support of the international community, said Ross Mountain, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator for the country.

The Secretary-General strongly encourages all Heads of State and Government to attend the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen, on 17 and 18 December. He believes it is essential to maintain political momentum at the highest level and from all sectors of society, and is optimistic that an ambitious, fair and effective climate deal can be reached in Copenhagen.

The Security Council today is holding a meeting to receive briefings on the work of three of its committees -- which deal respectively with resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban; resolution 1373 (2001), concerning counter-terrorism; and resolution 1540 (2004), concerning weapons of mass destruction.

The short lead time for Iraqi elections in January meant preparations would be “stretched” but still doable, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Ad Melkert, said today at a Headquarters press conference.

Our guest at the noon briefing will be Ad Melkert, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, who will come here once he is done briefing the Security Council about the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq.

“One of the things we’ve noted as we travel around the world is the importance of regional cooperation to deal with terrorism,” said Mike Smith, Executive Director, Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, because “most terrorists operate across borders”.

The Secretary-General, speaking to the press in Rome yesterday, said that he remains positive about Copenhagen. He said: “We have known for a while that we will not have a treaty in Copenhagen. This is not news.” But he added: “We can still reach a significant agreement in Copenhagen that will provide the foundation for a treaty next year.”

The last two years had been remarkable for the United Nations Mine Action Service given its destruction of more than 41 million stockpiled anti-personnel mines and the termination of their production, transfer and sale in many parts of the world, Dmitry Titov, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The United Nations Population Fund launched today at Headquarters its annual report on global population trends, which this year focuses on ways to curb the long-term harmful consequences of the planet’s changing climate by reaching out and empowering poor women, some of the world’s most vulnerable people.