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UNRIC Library Newsletter - May 2010
New information material
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NEW WEBSITES WITHIN THE UN SYSTEM

 

UN in General

Africa Renewal Online – new website
English: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/about.html
French: http://www.un.org/french/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/
Africa Renewal has a new website, which provides up-to-date information and analysis of the major economic and development challenges facing Africa today. Among the major items it produces is the renowned magazine, Africa Renewal (formerly Africa Recovery), which first appeared in 1987. It also produces a range of public information materials, including backgrounders, press releases and feature articles.  

Opening dates of forthcoming regular sessions of the General Assembly and dates of the general debate - Note by the Secretariat (A/INF/64/1/Rev.1, 16 May 2010)
English, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/INF/64/1/Rev.1

65th session of the General Assembly
Opening date: 14 September 2010
Dates of the general debate: 23 – 25 and 27 - 30 September 2010

Petition to end hunger launched (FAO)
English, French, Spanish & Italian:http://www.1billionhungry.org/
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a major online drive to spur action to eliminate hunger and highlight the fact that one in six people worldwide go hungry everyday. Through the “1billionhungry project” people can voice their outrage about world hunger by adding their names to an online petition.

The UN Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010
http://www.unhabitat.org/categories.asp?catid=560
The Government of China has invited the United Nations to demonstrate its work at Shanghai World Expo 2010 in a 3,000 square meter pavilion. The United Nations will have its own state-of-the-art pavilion held under the theme of “One Earth, One UN”.

Peace and Security

 

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto - Commission of Inquiry report (S/2010/191)
English, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2010/191
The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the facts and circumstances of the assassination of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was issued as Security Council document S/2010/191.

UNISPAL - The United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine (UNISPAL)
Special focus: Separation barrier
http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/sfsb

Women and Peace and Security
English, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2010/173
The latest report of the Secretary-General on Women and peace and security is now available (S/2010/173). The report presents for consideration, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1889 (2009), a set of indicators for use at the global level to track implementation of its resolution 1325 (2000), which could serve as a common basis for reporting by relevant United Nations entities, other international and regional organizations, and Member States, on the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in 2010 and beyond.

Economic & Social Development

Accelerating action against Child Labour (ILO)
http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Media_and_public_information/events/hague/lang--en/docName--WCMS_126752/index.htm
Amid growing concerns over the impact of the economic downturn, the International Labour Office (ILO) warned in a new study that efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour are slowing down and called for a “re-energized” global campaign to end the practice. In its quadrennial Global Report on child labour, the ILO said that the global number of child labourers had declined from 222 million to 215 million, or 3 per cent, over the period 2004 to 2008, representing a “slowing down of the global pace of reduction.” The report also expressed concern that the global economic crisis could “further brake” progress toward the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016.

Are you a green leader? Business and biodiversity: making the case for a lasting solution (UNEP / WCMC)
http://www.unep.fr/scp/business/publications/pdf/Business_and_biodiversity_16pp_PDF.pdf
Produced with UNEPs World Conservation Monitoring Centre, this publication reviews the business case for biodiversity; provides an overview of impacts by sector and highlights existing and potential opportunities for companies. The document covers a wide range of sectors and complements existing and ongoing work on business and biodiversity. The full-length reference document will be launched at the Global Business of Biodiversity Symposium in July.

The Climate Competitiveness Index 2010: National progress in the low carbon economy - Summary for Decision-Makers (UNEP / AccountAbility)
http://www.climatecompetitiveness.org/media/pdf/cci-exec-summary.pdf
The report combines two sets of data - climate accountability and climate performance in 95 countries, which are responsible for 97% of global economic activity and 96% of global carbon emissions.

Palestinian Human Development Report 2009/10: Investing in Human Security for a Future State
http://www.undp.ps/en/hdr/index.html
Human security is a pre-requisite for development, and its widespread absence in the occupied Palestinian territory has greatly impeded progress for the people living there, according to this new report. The Palestinian Human Development Report 2009/10, written by an independent team and sponsored by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), explores different facets of human security – economy, food, health, environment, political, personal, community – from the perspective of establishing freedom from want, freedom from fear and freedom to live in dignity.

World Bank Open Data
http://data.worldbank.org/
The World Bank Group will offer free access to more than 2,000 financial, business, health, economic and human development statistics that had mostly been available only to paying subscribers. The decision ─ part of a larger effort to increase access to information at the World Bank ─ means that researchers, journalists, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), entrepreneurs and school children alike will be able to tap into the World Bank's databases via this new website. Data will also be available in other languages, with an initial 330 indicators translated into French, Spanish and Arabic.

Human Rights

Media Guidelines for the Portrayal of Disabilities (ILO)
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_127002.pdf
How people with disabilities are portrayed and the frequency with which they appear in the media has an enormous impact on how they are regarded in society. Portraying people with disabilities with dignity and respect in the media can help promote more inclusive and tolerant societies and stimulate a climate of non-discrimination and equal opportunity. These are intended to provide practical advice to the media on how to promote positive, inclusive images and the fair and accurate portrayal of women and men with disabilities at all levels of the economy and society. They are intended for people working as editors, journalists, broadcasters, producers, programme makers and presenters. They are also relevant to people working as web editors, and interactive multimedia products.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 370 languages - a new world record
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/AnewworldrecordUDHR.aspx
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, now available in 370 languages and dialects, has set a new Guinness record of being the most translated text in the world.

Humanitarian Affairs

Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Asylum-Seekers from Somalia (UNHCR)
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4be3b9142.html
The United Nations Refugee Agency issued new guidelines that “contain information on the current situation in Somalia and groups at risk of persecution or serious harm and assess their need for international protection in the context of the refugee criteria under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951 Convention) and its 1967 Protocol, the Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa (OAU Convention), UNHCR’s mandate and complementary/subsidiary forms of protection such as the relevant provisions of the EU Qualification Directive4 and other international and regional instruments."

Haiti - Financial Aid Online Portal
http://www.refondation.ht/
A new online portal will promote the efficient use of more than $9 billion in aid pledged to Haiti’s reconstruction, while holding donors to their promises and ensuring transparency and accountability of the use of their funds. The initiative is part of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) support to the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation, the Office of the Prime Minister, other government bodies and all partners including the private sector, to address the challenges linked to the management of external aid. The system, which is also supported by the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti, tracks the money from pledge to impact and will include contributions and support from NGOs and the private sector.