The Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of Department of Economic and Social Affairs has launched a new web portal:
It will provide a global platform for sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices in social development from around the globe.
Resources on Social Development
Today the Security Council meets to discuss the Secretary General’s report on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The present report (S/2012/548) is submitted pursuant to paragraph 13 of Security Council resolution 2003 (2011).
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Photo: UN Photo Library, Photo # 480283 by El Fasher, Sudan. UNAMID Observes Nelson Mandela International Day.
The following meetings will be held in the Security Council today:
1. 10 a.m: The situation in Côte d’Ivoire
Thirtieth progress report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (S/2012/506)
2. 3pm: The situation in Guinea-Bissau
Report of the Secretary-General on developments in Guinea-Bissau and on the activities of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in that country (S/2012/554).
The Security Council held a meeting this morning, 25 July 2012, on the situation concerning Iraq. The third report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2001 (2011) (S/2012/535) was discussed.
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Photo: Security Council meets on Iraq. UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz.
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
The Security Council is meeting this afternoon to discuss the Report of the Secretary-General on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (S/2012/548)
The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 13 of Security Council resolution 2003 (2011), by which the Council requested me to report every 90 days on progress made towards implementing the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). It includes an update on the situation in Darfur since my last report dated 17 April 2012 (S/2012/231), an assessment of progress against benchmarks set out in annex II to my report to the Council of 16 November 2009 (S/2009/592) and, pursuant to paragraph 8 of resolution 2003 (2011), an assessment of the enabling environment for a Darfur based political process.
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Photo: UN Peacekeepers on Patrol in Abyei. 30 May 2011. UN Photo/Stuart Price.
Thursday, 19 July 2012
The Security Council will meet this afternoon on the situation concerning Iraq to discuss third report of the Secretary-General,(S/2012/535) pursuant to resolution resolution 2001 (2011).
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18 July is observed as Nelson Mandela International Day! In November 2009, the UN General Assembly declared 18 July “Nelson Mandela International Day” in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/13 recognizes Nelson Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity, in the fields of conflict resolution, race relations, the promotion and protection of human rights, reconciliation, gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, as well as the upliftment of poor and underdeveloped communities. It acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.
The Security Council met yesterday to discuss peace consolidation in West Africa. The report of the Secretary-General on on the activities of the United Nations Office in West Africa (S/2012/510) was also discussed.
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In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended, in its decision 89/46, that 11 July should be observed by the international community as World Population Day. Today, attention is focused on the importance of population issues in the context of overall development plans and programmes. With reproductive health problems as the leading cause of ill health and death of women of childbearing age worldwide, this year, World Population Day is devoted to the theme of “Universal Access to Reproductive Services”.
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Photo: World Population Reaches 7 Billion. 1 November 2011. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.
The most recent Secretary General’s report on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly has been released (A/66/861).
It contains the draft programme of work of the plenary for the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly. The draft programmes of work of five of the six Main Committees of the Assembly, which were adopted by the Assembly during the main part of its sixty-sixth session, can be found in the respective decisions of the Assembly. The status of documentation will be issued as an addendum to the present report.
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Center for UN Reform Education: General Assembly Revitalization
*Photo - Wide view of the General Assembly Hall, as Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, addresses delegates following his election as the President of the Assembly’s 66th session (June 2011) - UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
The Security Council met today to discuss the latest reports of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (S/2012/486).
This report expresses concerns about the deteriorating relationship with the Sudan, an outbreak of hostilities on the South Sudan-Sudan border, and the economic impact of the shutdown of oil production dominated political developments and hampered progress in the Government’s state-building and reform agenda. It also highlighted positives including the convening of the National Liberation Council of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), as well as the launching of a civilian disarmament process and a parallel peace process in Jonglei State, and a peace conference between the Acholi and Madi in Eastern Equatoria State.
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*Photo - Council Discusses Sudan and South Sudan Referendum (January 2011) UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
The Security Council met today to discuss the Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/2012/507).
The present report on the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
(UNFICYP) covers developments from 21 November 2011 to 20 June 2012.
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The 2012 Status Report on the Application of Integrated Approaches to Water Resources Management, “based on substantial contributions of information from UN member states”, have been released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
It was reported that one of the challenges of Rio+20 is to define ways of scaling-up and accelerating the myriads of positive sustainable development actions and initiatives that are flourishing across the globe, including in the area of water resources. It is hoped that the findings and lessons captured in this report will help the Rio+20 negotiators set targets and reach agreement on actions to advance more effective management, development and use of this essential resource for peoples (or households), economies and the natural world. It is hoped also that this report can assist in defining how new transformational goals can be forged over the coming years and decades.
Essentially, this report looks at the issues that pertain to the management, development and use of fresh water resources. The English version of the report in pdf is available here.
Periodic Reports
A new volume of the UN Legislative Series has been issued: Materials on the responsibility of states for internationally wrongful acts (ST/LEG/SER.B/25). This volume gathers together previously published material in one convenient place.
The International Law Commission (ILC) began work on this topic in 1954 and completed its work in 2001, with the adoption of the Draft articles on responsibility of states for internationally wrongful acts.
In addition to reproducing the text of the articles with commentaries, the publication includes a compilation of decisions of international courts and tribunals (1973-2010) that refer to the articles and commentaries. The relevant part of the decision is published, with a brief description of the context.
For each extract, citation is given to the previous reports of the Secretary-General that compiled the decisions:
According to this report, Economic developments of the past year have been volatile, punctuated by natural disasters, large swings in investor sentiment, and periods of relative calm and improving prospects.
The report is available fulltext PDF format
Reviews of MDG progress in various countries have revealed many successes, but also the need for urgent, focused action. In the absence of enhanced efforts, many countries risk missing one or more of the targets by the deadline. In others, even if the target will be reached by the country as a whole, subnational areas may lag behind.The MDG Acceleration Framework (MAF) provides a systematic way for countries to develop their own action plan to pursue MDG priorities. This report shares the lessons from 10 pilot countries on efforts taken toward meeting the 2015 MDG deadline. It also addresses disparities and inequalities, one of the major causes of uneven MDG progress across and within countries, by responding to the needs of the most vulnerable —the poorest of the poor, women, and ethnic minorities.
The report is available fulltext for Downlaod in English, French and Spanish.
Due to the combination of high food prices, climate change and the impact of the international financial and economic crises, disparities in MDG achievement can be seen within and between countries. This report identifies a concrete action agenda which informed the outcome of the World leaders’ MDG Summit in New York that took place in September 2010. Based on a study of what has worked in 50 countries, it provides an eight-point MDG action agenda to accelerate and sustain development progress over the next five years.
See: Fulltext Summary and Fulltext Full report
Three important targets on poverty, slums and water have been met three years ahead of 2015, says this year’s Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Meeting the remaining targets, while challenging, is possible ─ but only if Governments do not waiver from their commitments made over a decade ago.
The report is available fulltext PDF in English and fulltext PDF in french
The Arms Trade Treaty Conference begun at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 2nd, and will take place until 27 July 2012. Negotiations will be carried out by the 193 Member States of the UN. In addition, hundreds of representatives from non-governmental organizations, public interest groups, the arms industry, media and inter-governmental organizations will attend.
Concerned by the misuse of weaponry around the world, civil society organizations have successfully mobilized governments and parliamentarians to call for the global regulation of the conventional arms trade. Countries have discussed the matter within the UN since 2006, and are set to negotiate an Arms Trade Treaty during this year’s Conference.
Arms Trade Treaty Conference Documents (available in the six official UN languages)
Provisional Rules of Procedure
Compilation of views on the elements of an arms trade treaty
Report of the Preparatory Committee
More Conference documents can be found here
