UN Insider

Photo credit: Minorities Rights Group International.

COVID-19 Strikes South Asia's Minorities Whose Rights Are Already Threatened

By Jaya Ramachandran

LONDON (IDN) – A new report warns that the minorities and other marginalised communities are even more exposed to the worst impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is hitting South Asia. It has come at a time when governments are inflicting sustained assaults on their rights. Minorities face severe obstacles in accessing their right to nationality amidst rising majoritarian nationalism across many parts of the South Asia, says the South Asia Collective (SAC) in its annual flagship report, South Asia State of Minorities Report.

: Jaya Ramachandran; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 30 April 2020

Photo credit: German Environment Ministry | Christoph Wehrer

UN Chief and German Chancellor Call for Rebuilding 'Our World for the Better'

By Ramesh Jaura

BERLIN (IDN) – German chancellor Angela Merkel and UN Secretary-General António Guterres have accentuated that any coronavirus recovery programme should have a clear focus on climate targets and rebuilding "our world for the better". They were addressing a two-day video conference in Berlin co-organised by Germany and Britain, the latter as the presidency of UN Climate Conference (COP 26).

Scheduled for November, COP26 will take place in 2021 because of COVID-19. In response to the coronavirus crisis, Germany and Britain put the focus of the conference – officially known as the 'Petersberg Climate Dialogue' – on "sustainable recovery".

: Ramesh Jaura; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 29 April 2020

Women Leaders Rise in Solidarity to Save Lives and Protect Livelihoods

By UN Women

"Rise for All" calls on all leaders to meet the human crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and fully fund the UN Response and Recovery Trust Fund

NEW YORK (IDN) – Supporting the UN Secretary-General's call for solidarity and urgent action in response to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, an initial group of prominent women have joined a global advocacy effort to save lives and protect livelihoods, urging leaders in all countries, across all sectors, to address the human crisis of the pandemic.

: Ramesh Jaura; SUSTAINABILITY; Gender Equality; 27 April 2020

Photo: Chinese Emergency Medical Teams at Wuhan. Credit: World Health Organization.

COVID-19: The Trump Administration's Attack on China and the WHO Is Unfounded

Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad*

This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute where it first appeared. This is the first part of a two-part series. The second is available here.

‎KOLKATA‎, India (IDN) – On April 14, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a news conference at the White House, where he said that his administration would “halt [all] funding” for the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO, founded in 1948, is the principal United Nations agency tasked with the improvement of the health of the world; it is also widely acknowledged as an agency that is best suited to deal with health emergencies.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 27 April 2020

Photo: WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) and Australian PM Scott Morrison (right) who is spearheading an international enquiry into China's lack of transparency and the WHO's mistakes in regard to COVID-19. A collage of pictures from Wikimedia Commons and Spotlght Nepal.

COVID-19: This Is No Time to Start A Coronavirus Blame Game

Viewpoint by John McCarthy *

MELBOURNE (IDN) – Australia's decision to spearhead an international enquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic — read China's lack of transparency and the WHO's mistakes — is a nice hoary bellow from the domestic political ramparts, but it is a policy mistake.

The Australian opposition's support for the decision does not bathe the policy in divine light. It merely doubles the weight of the mistake.

Whichever country had decided to initiate such a policy, it would have been a bad idea.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 26 April 2020

Image credit: UN Economic Cooperation for Africa

COVID-19: Should You Believe What ECA Is Saying About Africa?

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene *

ABUJA, Nigeria (IDN) – In one of his bestsellers, The Zahir, Paulo Coelho said there are two major problems in life: knowing when to begin and knowing when to stop.

If, for example, Nigeria had closed its borders early on and enforced quarantine for all returning Nigerians, whoever they are, things might have been different today. I’m sure many others would say the same for their own countries as well.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Africa; 24 April 2020

Photo: Flags of member states flying at United Nations Headquarters. As the most representative international organization and the utmost expression of multilateralism, the United Nations is the main instrument to address multifaceted and complex global challenges through collective action. © UN Photo/Mark Garten

UN Chief Highlights the Virtues of Multilateralism & Diplomacy

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – "The COVID-19 pandemic is a tragic reminder of how deeply connected we are. The virus knows no borders and is a quintessential global challenge. Combatting it requires us to work together as one human family," says UN Secretary-General António Guterres on International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on April 24.

The Day was established on December 12, 2018 through resolution A/RES/73/127 and was first observed on April 24, 2019.

: Santo D. Banerjee; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 23 April 2020

Image credit: Independent Online (IOL), South Afruca.

New Initiative to Fight COVID-19 with Information Technology

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – With support from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations specialized agency for information ((ITU) are set to work with telecommunication companies to text people directly on their mobile phones with vital health messaging to help protect them from COVID-19.

These text messages, as part of the joint 'WHO-ITU Be initiative', will reach billions of people who are not in a position to connect to the internet for information, said a joint statement on April 20.

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 21 April 2020

Photo: Onset of COVID-19 pandemic boosts support for international cooperation Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th session of the General Assembly, closes the annual General Debate on 30 September 2019. Credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak

Redefining Cooperation, Development and Prosperity

Reflections on the International Day of Multilateralism

Viewpoint by Dumiso Gatsha

The writer is a human rights defender, feminist and part-time PhD (Law) candidate.

GABARONE, Botswana (IDN) – 75 years of cooperation, mutual engagement and improving lives. Heralding the decade of action, 2020 has brought many challenges and opportunities for relooking how the systems we live in can be improved for the better. April 24 marks a day for us to deeply reflect, within our homes or essential service work; on what truly matters in humanity.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 21 April 2020

Photo: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) and WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo (right). Credit: WHO/WTO

Good Health and Unimpeded Global Trade Go Hand in Hand

Viewpoint by Roberto Azevêdo and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Following is the text of a joint statement by WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on April 20.

GENEVA (IDN) – COVID-19 has rapidly progressed to become a global pandemic, causing unprecedented, far-reaching impact on the health, social and economic well-being of communities around the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) are committed to responding effectively to the situation, working together with other international organizations and our respective memberships.