Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations announced at Headquarters today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a worldwide design competition for the permanent memorial that would be placed at the United Nations to honour the memory of the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
In progress at UNHQ
Press Conference
Answering the international community’s call to strengthen and build the rule of law in countries in transition or emerging from conflict, senior United Nations officials today at Headquarters launched a special instrument created to monitor changes in the performance and fundamental characteristics of criminal justice institutions, especially in conflict and post-conflict environments.
Despite being a cornerstone of democratic governance, the rule of law still “rules women out” in too many countries around the world, Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, said at a Headquarters press conference today as she launched the first edition of the gender entity’s flagship report, "Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice".
With the independence of South Sudan due in a matter of days, the Security Council would be paying particular attention to the world’s newest country, as well as larger regional issues and dynamics, Peter Wittig (Germany), Council President for July, said at a Headquarters press conference today.
Ahead of tonight’s Gala Dinner to honour recipients of its 2011 Awards at New York Headquarters, the Spanish non-governmental organization Women Together said today that this year’s event was intended to highlight the work of exceptional individuals in different fields, countries and situations.
With malnutrition rates in Somalia approaching emergency proportions, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the East African country today sounded the alarm about the effects of the deadly confluence of events driven by prolonged drought and skyrocketing global food and commodity prices.
While renewable energy sources could help mitigate climate change, it was up to Governments to take the necessary action to make that possibility a reality, the head of the recognized scientific and technical authority on the phenomenon said at a Headquarters press conference today.
In the wake of sweeping changes across the region, Tunisia today became the first North African State to accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, said that country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ghazi Jomaa, at a Headquarters press conference today.
Bolivia planned to “denounce” the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 before 1 July, in order to enter a reservation to the provision on coca leaf chewing, a practice that under the Convention had to be phased out in 25 years — now elapsed — and then rejoin the treaty on the same day, with that reservation, the country’s Ambassador said today at a Headquarters press conference.
Following his participation in a special event on the occasion of the inaugural celebration of International Widows’ Day at United Nations Headquarters in New York today, Raj Loomba, Founder and Chairman Trustee of the Loomba Foundation, thanked United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the international community at large for officially recognizing the day that his foundation had initiated in 2005.