UN Insider

Development Banks Must Prioritize Childcare to Improve Women’s Economic Standing During and After COVID-19

Viewpoint by Megan O’Donnell

Megan O’Donnell leads the Center for Global Development’s COVID-19 Gender and Development Initiative, which aims to promote gender equality and long-term prosperity in low- and middle-income countries by informing global and national decision-makers’ policy responses to the current pandemic and future crises.

WASHINGTON DC (IDN) — Lack of access to quality childcare has been a longstanding issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries, with consequences for children’s and caregivers’ well-being and countries’ overall development.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 20 August 2021

Photo: Vienna Global meeting of the Foreign Ministries Science & Technology Advice Network (FMSTAN) & Global meeting of the Science Policy in Diplomacy and External Relations Network (Spider) in November 2019. Credit: Mahmoud CCBY 2.0

Jeffrey Sachs Should Lead a Knowledge Coalition to Enhance Power to Reduce if not Stop the Exploitation of Africa

Viewpoint by Babafemi A. Badejo, Ph.D

The writer is Professor of Political Science/International Relations, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Nigeria, and former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +2348055331448

ABEOKUTA, Nigeria (IDN) — The United Nations held a pre-Summit on Food Systems on July 26-28, 2021, as a primer for its first Global Food Summit coming up in September 2021. At this meeting, Jeffrey Sachs, American and popular Economist as well as UN Special Envoy on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), made an important intervention.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 20 August 2021

Photo: The UN has been supporting displaced families in Afghanistan, providing emergency shelter and protection. Credit: IOM/Mohammed Muse

UN Relocates its Besieged Staff from a Strife-Torn Kabul in Virtual Chaos

By Thalif Deen

NEW YORK (IDN) — As the US airlifts its diplomats and embassy staffers, along with thousands of local Afghan employees, from the chaotic capital of Kabul, the United Nations has followed in its footsteps by relocating some of its more than 300 international and 3,400 national staffers who were tasked with peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Afghanistan.

UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said August 18 that some of these staffers were traveling from Kabul to Almaty, Kazakhstan, where they will continue their work remotely.

: Thalif Deen; UN INSIDER; 19 August 2021

Photo: Protesters. Source: Atomic Reporters.

The Role of Citizen and Science Diplomacy Interactions in Nuclear Disarmament

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) — The year 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Semey test site, the 76th anniversary of the United Nations, Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, of the first atomic testing Trinity, 51 years of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), 25 years of the The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) which is not entered into force, collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and extension of New START Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) until February 2026.

: J Nastranis; ARMAMENTS; Nuclear Weapons; 18 August 2021

Photo: Health workers. Source: WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

The People of Afghanistan Need Support & Solidarity, Says WHO

By Bernhard Schell

CAIRO, Egypt (IDN) — The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services, says Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and is calling on all parties to respect and protect civilians, health workers, patients and health facilities. "During this difficult time, the well-being of all civilians—as well as the safety and security of our staff—in Afghanistan is paramount," he adds.

: Bernhard Schell; THE WORLD; South Asia; 18 August 2021

Photo: South Sudanese refugee, Yiech Pur Biel, runs the 800-metres for the Refugee Olympic Team in Rio. (August 2016) © UNHCR/Benjamin Loyseau

Leading Athletes Stress the Role of Sport in Building a Better World for All

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) — The United Nations is convinced that sport promotes values such as diversity, tolerance and respect and contributes to the empowerment of women and young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives. With this in view, the UN Department of Global Communication's office at the country level has initiated SDG Zone at Tokyo, titled "Teaming Up through Sport to Advance the SDGs".

: J Nastranis; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 15 August 2021

Photo: Haiti was struck on August 14 by a deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake that left hundreds dead and countless others injured. (file) MINUJUSTH/Logan Abassi

UN Working with Aid Partners in the Wake of Massive Earthquake Hitting Haiti

By UN News

NEW YORK (IDN) — The United Nations is working to support rescue and relief efforts in Haiti following a powerful earthquake that reportedly left hundreds dead, with perhaps even more injured and missing, and caused massive damage in the south-western part of the country.

UN chief António Guterres said that he is closely following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti, while UNICEF reported that its teams already on the ground are making assessments to prioritize urgent needs and provide assistance to affected populations in the wake of the 7.2 magnitude quake that has reportedly killed more than 500 people.

: UN Bureau; SUSTAINABILITY; Sustainable Cities & Communities; 15 August 2021

Photo: The Pul-e-Kheshti Mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. Credit: UNAMA/Freshta Dunia

Armed with Captured US Weapons & Suicide Bombers, Taliban Battles to Retake Afghanistan

By Thalif Deen

NEW YORK (IDN) — As the US pulls out of Afghanistan after a 20-year occupation, the Afghans have once again ousted one of their ruling powers, first the Brits, then the Soviets, both in a bygone era, and now the Americans.

The triple debacle may well be reflected in an old adage attributed to Afghans: "You have the watches, we have the time."

But the ultimate victims are Afghan civilians who have been caught in cross-fires for decades under military forces unleashed by three permanent members of the UN Security Council.

: Thalif Deen; UN INSIDER; 13 August 2021

Image: Three of the major groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean: Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Australia and New Zealand React To IPCC Report Warning With Rhetoric Rather Than Action

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — The most comprehensive report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a dire warning to countries in the Pacific region where rising sea levels and increasing temperatures could wipe out island nations and make dry habitats uninhabitable. But the two major powers in the region—Australia and New Zealand—have reacted to the report with defensive rhetoric rather than moving to implement immediate action to save the region.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 12 August 2021

Photo: UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw. Credit: United Nations

Action on Land Degradation Crucial to Averting the Worst Ravages of Climate Change

By Ibrahim Thiaw

UN Under Secretary General and Executive Secretary to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, responds to the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land.

BONN (IDN) — We have known for over 25 years that poor land use and management are major drivers of climate change, but have never mustered the political will to act. With the release of the IPCC special report on climate change and land, which makes the consequences of inaction crystal clear, we have no excuse for further delay.