UN OCHA [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases

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15 Apr 2016
Yemen: Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Kyung-Wha Kang statement to the Security Council on the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen
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14 Apr 2016
Nigeria: 2 years on from Chibok abductions, huge numbers of women and girls still at risk in North-East Nigeria
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Nigeria
(Abuja, 14 April 2016) Two years on from their abduction, the fate of 219 of the Chibok schoolgirls is still unknown, but their plight is sadly all too common in the conflict-affected communities of the North-East. “Humanitarian agencies are concerned that two years have passed, and still the fate of the Chibok girls and the many, many other abductees is unknown,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria…
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13 Apr 2016
Malawi: Declaration of a State of National Disaster caused by prolonged dry spells during the 2015/2016 season by his Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi
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12 Apr 2016
Nigeria: Donors called on to support the United Nations as it reaches communities in rural Borno
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Nigeria
(Abuja and Dakar, 12 April 2016): UN agencies and non-governmental organisations are increasing their footprint in Nigeria’s Borno State, and the UN has now reached people struck by crisis in rural parts of the region.
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11 Apr 2016
occupied Palestinian territory: OCHA Flash Update: Gaza’s sole power plant shut down triggering up to 20 hours of outage a day
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: occupied Palestinian territory On 8 April, the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) was forced to shut down completely after exhausting its fuel reserves and being unable to replenish them due to a shortage of funds. This has triggered electricity blackouts of 18-20 hours per day, up from 12 hours previously, further undermining the delivery of basic services.
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07 Apr 2016
Haiti: Launch of the Humanitarian Response Plan 2016: The Government of Haiti and the humanitarian community seek $193.8 million to meet the critical needs of 1.3 million people

UNICEF [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_89711.html
Selected Press Releases
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Polio-Free World in Sight as Largest Vaccine Rollout in History Kicks Off
GENEVA, 14 April 2016 – Next week marks the beginning of the largest and fastest globally coordinated rollout of a vaccine into routine immunization programs in history. Between 17 April and 1 May, 155 countries and territories around the world will stop using the trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV), which protects against all three strains of wild poliovirus, and replace it with bivalent OPV (bOPV), which protects against the remaining two wild polio strains, types 1 and 3. This effort will provide better protection for children against polio, particularly those most vulnerable to infection.
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World Bank Group, UNICEF urge greater investment in early childhood development
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2016 – World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake today jointly urged global and national leaders to step up and accelerate action and investments in nutrition and early childhood development (ECD) programmes as a critical foundation for equitable development and economic growth.
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New figures on growing inequality among children in high-income countries – UNICEF
FLORENCE/NEW YORK, 14 April 2016 – A new UNICEF report presents evidence on how inequality affects children in high income countries.
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Nigeria regional conflict: 10-fold increase in number of children used in ‘suicide’ attacks
DAKAR, Senegal/NEW YORK/GENEVA, 12 April 2016 – The number of children involved in ‘suicide’ attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger has risen sharply over the past year, from 4 in 2014 to 44 in 2015, according to a UNICEF report released today. More than 75 per cent of the children involved in the attacks are girls.
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UNICEF and WFP respond to needs of drought-affected people in Somaliland and Puntland
NAIROBI, Kenya, 11 April 2016 – In northern Somalia, UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) are stepping up efforts to help communities cope with a severe drought exacerbated by El Niño conditions in Somaliland and Puntland.
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Yemen children bearing the brunt of brutal conflict – UN
NEW YORK/AMMAN, Jordan, 10 April 2016 – “The children of Yemen are bearing the brunt of a brutal conflict. The cessation of hostilities that has come into effect today is an opportunity for parties to take action to improve their protection.
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UNICEF urges full hearings for refugee and migrant children stranded in Greece
GENEVA, 6 April 2016 – With the process of returning refugees and migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey underway as part of the EU-Turkey agreement, UNICEF reminds States of their duty to care and protect all children and give them a full and fair hearing when deciding on their future.

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=&comid=4a0950336&cid=49aea93a7d&scid=49aea93a40

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Press Releases
16 April 2016
UNHCR lauds Pope’s solidarity with refugees
UNHCR welcomes the Pope’s demonstration of solidarity with the world’s refugees today on his visit to the Greek island of Lesvos and by offering a home to three Syrian families.

Pope Francis travelled back to Rome from Lesvos today with 12 Syrians, including three women, three men and six children aged from four to 14 years of age. The Vatican is sponsoring the group’s move to Rome and ensuring a home for the refugees who had arrived on Lesvos on 18 March and had been waiting for relocation to another European country. The Syrian families (two from Damascus and one from Dier ez-Zor) arrived just before the EU-Turkey agreement came into force on 20 March.

Today, the Pope visited refugees and migrants at a centre in Moria, Lesvos, and greeted children, women, and men who have fled war and human rights violations. At least two refugees broke down in tears as they approached the Pontiff to get his blessing…
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15 April 2016
UNHCR and GPE Agree on Closer Collaboration to Ensure Children’s Education During Crisis
Washington, D.C., – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) signed a milestone agreement today that will strengthen their collaboration to support education for refugee children and youth
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11 April 2016
UNHCR statement on violence on the Greece-FYROM border on 10 April
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Press Releases
7 April 2016
UNHCR reopens Nansen Refugee Award nominations for 2016
The prestigious humanitarian award honors an individual or group who has gone beyond the call of duty to assist refugees, internally displaced or stateless persons. The award consists of a commemorative medal and a $100,000 monetary prize donated by the governments of Norway and Switzerland to support a project of the winner’s choice to benefit refugees.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

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04/15/16
Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in 2016: 177, 207; Deaths: 732
Greece – IOM reports that an estimated 177,207 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea in 2016, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain, through April 13.
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“What is the Price of a Human Being?”: IOM Helsinki Campaign
04/15/16
Finland – IOM Helsinki has launched a new counter trafficking public information campaign: “What is the price of a human being?”
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IOM Highlights Humanitarian Needs of 2.4 Million Displaced in Northeast Nigeria
04/15/16
Nigeria – IOM is working with its partners to help the Nigerian government to support some 2.4 million people in the country’s northeastern states displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.
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IOM Targets Vulnerable Populations in Remote Areas of South Sudan
04/15/16
South Sudan – IOM rapid response teams are addressing the humanitarian needs of crisis-affected populations outside of displacement sites in South Sudan. Expanding the reach of lifesaving aid is crucial as the two-year conflict continues to increase vulnerability among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities across the country.
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IOM’s Swing Visits Conflict-Scarred Syria, Calls for Humanitarian Access, Increased Aid
04/12/16
Syria – IOM’s Director General William Swing today concluded a three day visit to Syria calling for humanitarian access to all areas of conflict.
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Yemen Cease Fire, Upcoming Talks Offer Hope for Internally Displaced in Taizz
04/12/16
Yemen – Despite reports of renewed fighting in Yemen yesterday, hours after a ceasefire, IOM is responding to an influx of internally displaced people in Taizz governorate.
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Germany Funds IOM Cash Aid to Vulnerable Displaced in Ukraine
04/08/16
Ukraine – IOM reported that 4,350 internally displaced Ukrainians (IDPs) will benefit from a new IOM cash assistance project funded by the German government.
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IOM Resettles Syrian Refugees from Turkey to Europe Following “Swap” Deal
04/08/16
Turkey – Over the past week IOM Turkey has facilitated the resettlement of 109 Syrians to European Union (EU) countries.
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First of 10,000 Syrian Refugees Resettled to USA in “Surge” Operation
04/08/16
United States – Ahmad’s family were this week the first Syrian refugees to leave Amman, Jordan to be resettled in the United States as part of a three-month, US “surge” operation to process 10,000 refugees.
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Ghana Launches National Migration Policy
04/08/16
Ghana formally launched a National Policy on Migration and an implementation plan in Accra on 5 April 2016 with support from IOM.

The comprehensive policy will guide the management of the country’s internal, intra-regional and international migration flows. Its aim is to promote the benefits and minimize the costs of migration.

The development of the policy was supported by an IOM Development Fund (IDF)-backed project: “Developing a Migration Policy to integrate Migration into the National Development Framework for Ghana”.

IOM worked with the Migration Unit of the Ministry of the Interior and the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee on Migration (IMSCM) throughout the development of the policy culminating in its validation and adoption.
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Japan Funds IOM Emergency Operations in Yemen
04/08/16
Yemen – IOM has received USD 2 million from the Government of Japan to continue to provide humanitarian assistance in Yemen, which now has an estimated 2.7 million people displaced by conflict in over 13 governorates.
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IOM, Ogilvy & Mather Launch Perception Change Campaign
04/05/16
Switzerland – IOM is partnering with Ogilvy & Mather, the international advertising, marketing and public relations agency, to run ‘Picture Perfect Europe,” a perception change campaign on the current migration and refugee emergency in Europe.

UN Women [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

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Date: 12 April 2016
Women police climb the ranks across Africa
Across the globe, women are still only a tiny portion of the security sector, but across Africa, some inroads are being made.
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Date: 07 April 2016
As World Health Day is commemorated globally, actions intensify in response to the Zika virus in Brazil
On World Health Day (7 April), UN Women and partners are beginning the second phase of targeted communication efforts around women’s rights in response to the Zika virus
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Date: 05 April 2016
UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women issues annual Call for Proposals
The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women invites civil society organizations and governments to apply for funding through the 20th grant cycle (2016). The deadline for submitting concept notes is 4 May 2016, 23:59 EDT (GMT–4).

WHO & Regional Offices [to 16 April 2016]

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Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
:: 14 April 2016 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
:: 13 April 2016 Yellow fever – Angola
:: 12 April 2016 Zika virus infection – Viet Nam
:: 11 April 2016 Yellow Fever – Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: 9 April 2016 Microcephaly – France – Martinique

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Highlights
WHO and partners protect more than 1 million people from cholera
April 2016 — In 2015, more than 1 million people in 7 high-risk countries received the oral cholera vaccine. This extraordinary measure was taken to contain several cholera outbreaks from spreading further.

WHO scales up malaria response in Yemen
April 2016 — The risk of a malaria epidemic is high in Yemen, with high fuel costs, shortages of health workers, violence, and internal displacement preventing an effective and timely response. WHO is working closely with the Ministry of Public Health and Population to address these challenges.

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WHO fact sheets
:: Dengue and severe dengue 15 April 2016
:: Poliomyelitis 12 April 2016
:: Mental health: strengthening our response 11 April 2016
:: Dementia 11 April 2016
:: Headache disorders 11 April 2016
:: Echinococcosis 11 April 2016

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:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: WHO regional office for Africa – Call for Nominations: Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG)
12 April 2016

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified.

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
No new digest content identified.

WHO European Region EURO
:: Health information at your fingertips 15-04-2016
:: Europe shapes new action plans on HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis 12-04-2016
:: European Health Information Initiative expands by 7 members at 4th Steering Group Meeting 12-04-2016

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Updated guidelines for chronic hepatitis C infection 14 April 2016
;; WHO scales up malaria response in Yemen 13 April 2016
:: Investing in treatment for depression and anxiety leads to fourfold return 13 April 2016

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/

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15 April 201
UNAIDS urges countries to adopt a people-, rights- and health-centred approach to reverse the HIV epidemic among people who inject drugs
A new UNAIDS report says insufficient coverage of harm reduction programmes and policies that criminalize and marginalize people who inject drugs are failing to reduce new HIV infections
GENEVA, 15 April 2016—Ahead of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem, which will take place from 19 to 21 April in New York, United States of America, UNAIDS has released a new report entitled Do no harm: health, human rights and people who use drugs.

The report shows that the failure of many countries to adopt health- and rights-based approaches resulted in no reduction in the global number of new HIV infections among people who inject drugs between 2010 and 2014. The world has missed the United Nations General Assembly’s target set in 2011 to reduce HIV transmission among people who inject drugs by 50% by 2015.
“Business as usual is clearly getting us nowhere,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “The world must learn the lessons of the past 15 years, following the example of countries that have reversed their HIV epidemics among people who inject drugs by adopting harm reduction approaches that prioritize people’s health and human rights.”

The UNAIDS report presents the evidence base for five policy recommendations and 10 operational recommendations that countries should apply to turn around their HIV epidemics among people who inject drugs. These recommendations include the implementation of harm reduction programmes to scale and the decriminalization of the consumption and possession of drugs for personal use…
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06 April 201
Investing in community-led action will be critical to ending the AIDS epidemic
NEW YORK —At the Informal Interactive Civil Society Hearing on HIV, civil society organizations have called on United Nations Member States and partners to ensure that the response to HIV is fully funded and that financing for community-led action is increased significantly over the next few years. They also called for 30 million people to have access to life-saving HIV treatment by 2020 and for ambitious HIV prevention targets to be met…

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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UNDP and Japan agree to expand support for restoring access to electricity in Syria
Apr 15, 2016
The United Nations Development Programme’s Regional Bureau for Arab States and the Government of Japan signed today a US$11.5 million agreement to expand efforts to restore reliable electricity to Syrian communities affected by the crisis in Syria.
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Helen Clark: Keynote speech on Combating Inequalities and Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Apr 13, 2016 United Nations – New York, USA
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UNDP tops global index for international aid transparency for second consecutive year
Apr 12, 2016
UNDP remains the most transparent aid organisation in the world, according to a leading global ranking released today.
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Helen Clark: Statement at the UN Inter-agency Taskforce Meeting on Chernobyl
Apr 11, 2016 New York, USA
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Apr 7, 2016
New Grant to Support Efforts to Prevent and Treat Malaria in Guinea-Bissau
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) today signed a EUR 16.4 million grant to prevent and treat malaria among the country’s most vulnerable populations, specifically pregnant women, children under five and health workers. The new grant will run until end of 2017 in partnership with the Government of Guinea Bissau.
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G20 leaders launch global partnership and website to help advance inclusive business
Apr 7, 2016
The G20 officially launched the Global Platform on Inclusive Business (GPIB) today in Nanjing, China. The Platform is a global partnership that will provide support to policymakers and accelerate the adoption of inclusive business policies and programs globally.
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New tool launched to improve HIV Prevention Programmes for Transgender People
Apr 6, 2016
A new UN publication was launched today to enable governments, public-health officials, programme managers, NGOs and health workers to create and improve HIV prevention programmes for transgender people.
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Helen Clark: Opening Remarks at Ministerial Conference on Implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in Arab Countries Social Dimensions
Apr 6, 2016
Cairo, Egypt

UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) [to 16 April 2016]
http://unsdsn.org/news/

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April 11, 2016
Jeffrey Cheah Foundation’s $10 Million Gift Launches the “Jeffrey D. Sachs Center on Sustainable Development” in Kuala Lumpur
Gift by Malaysia-Based Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Supports the Establishment of New Center and Curriculum Focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
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April 7, 2016
Global Urban Networks endorse proposal for a new IPCC special edition on cities and climate change
Mayors, city networks and urban stakeholders worldwide call for an IPCC Special Report on Cities and Climate Change during the IPCC 43rd Session on April 11-13.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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16/04/2016
Green Finance Symposium Explores Financial Mechanisms to Promote Low-Carbon Global Economic Growth
Hank Paulson underscores need for green finance, technologies to achieve global climate targets
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UN Environment Programme and Partners Launch Sustainable Diving Guide to Protect Marine Assets
UNEP Video on Sustainable Dive Tourism Featuring Renowned Cartoonist Jim Toomey also Released
15/04/2016
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Harnessing Africa’s Rich Natural Capital Tops Agenda at High-level African Conference on the Environment
Sustainable use of Africa’s natural capital could result in savings of up to $103 billion every year and drive Africa’s economic growth.
15/04/2016
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New UN Web Tool Demonstrates Climate Benefits of Protecting Apes
Protecting great apes in Africa and Asia can help countries fight climate change.
14/04/2016
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07/04/2016
African Universities See Wealth in Waste
Interview with Professor David Mungai, Deputy Director of the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies and member of the First University Consortium to tackle Solid Waste Management.

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive

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12 Apr 2016
Private sector hammers out resilience plans
GENEVA,– An international business group working to reduce the impact of natural and man-made hazards has pledged to ensure that the private sector plays its part in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The UNISDR Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, or ARISE, today held a meeting to hammer out plans to help companies get involved in achieving the goals of the Sendai Framework, a 15-year agreement that seeks to curb disaster deaths and economic losses.
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Americas step up Sendai Framework drive
WASHINGTON, 11 April 2016 – Paraguay is set to host a key meeting to step up the Americas’ drive to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a global agreement on saving lives and livelihoods from natural and man-made hazards.

The first Ministerial and High Level Authorities Meeting on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework in the Americas is scheduled to take place on 8-9 June in the Paraguayan capital Asunción, delegates heard at a session of the 35-country Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington.
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8 Apr 2016
Build better boost for Sendai Framework
GENEVA, April 8, 2016 – The World Bank Group has announced a major new building policy which should address concerns expressed in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the global plan for reducing disaster risk and disaster losses.

The initiative has been launched weeks before the anniversary of the Nepal earthquake which cost 8,857 lives and US$10 billion or 50% of the impoverished country’s GDP. The April 25 earthquake was followed by another on May 12, strong reminders of how non-compliance with building codes can exact a high price.

The World Bank’s Building for Resilience program will leverage good practice in building regulation as part of a strategy to reduce both chronic risk and disaster risk. By avoiding the creation of new risk, it will help set developing countries on the path to effective reform and long-term resilience…

UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [to 16 April 2016]
https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news.html

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15 April 2016, New York
Turning pledges into reality to finance sustainable development
“Let’s demonstrate our commitment to realizing the sustainable development goals through financing for development,” said Oh Joon, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), ahead of the inaugural ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum, which will be held in New York on 18-20 April under the theme “Financing for sustainable development: follow-up to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.”
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5 April 2016, New York
Redefining development cooperation within SDGs context
Gathering at this year’s Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) High-Level Symposium, stakeholders from both developed and developing countries will design a new path for how development cooperation should support developing countries, in particular the poorest and most vulnerable, in view of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNESCO [to 16 April 2016]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases/News

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15 April 2016
Executive Board strengthens UNESCO to lead 2030 Agenda
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14 April 2016
New director for science policy and capacity building
Prof. Romain Murenzi (Rwanda) has been appointed to the post of Director of UNESCO’s Division of Science Policy and Capacity Building by the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova…

The Division leads UNESCO’s work in assisting its member states in the formulation and upgrading of their science policies, the strengthening of the science policy interface, the building of institutional and human capacities in science, innovation and engineering, in addition to mobilizing local and indigenous knowledge with the aim of contributing to the international sustainable development agenda and frameworks, at global, regional and national levels. It also focuses on small island developing states (SIDS) and implements its programmes through, among other means, cooperation with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and TWAS. The Division is also responsible for the production of the flagship UNESCO Science Report, the UNESCO Engineering Report and the Global Science Policy Information Network (GO-SPIN)…
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12 April 2016
Cultural Heritage Preservation at the core of UN and Universities concerted efforts
On 11 April at Yale University, Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, gave a public lecture on “Culture in Crisis” on confronting significant threats to the world’s cultural heritage.

Her talk was part of the week long events being held on campus in conjunction with the Global Colloquium of University Presidents, including a series of workshops on “Culture in Crisis” by the Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and the Victoria & Albert Museum as a follow up to joint colloquium they held in London in 2015 under the patronage of UNESCO.
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12 April 2016
Protecting cultural heritage in Syria
UNESCO reiterates call for unity and coordination to protect Syrian Cultural Heritage
In the context of the ongoing destruction and rapidly evolving situation of World Heritage sites in the Syrian Arab Republic, UNESCO held several information meetings in April to assess the situation and discuss the way forward…
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8 April 2016
Senegal Moves Towards Open access
Open access is the online availability of scholarly information to everyone, free of most licensing and copyright barriers to promote access to scientific knowledge. Open access helps to promote global knowledge exchange to contribute to scientific discoveries, innovation and socio-economic development.

In the framework of open access, a conference on the open access movement and the future of Africa’s knowledge economy took place in Dakar at the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) from 30 March to April 1, 2016. During this conference Senegal played a key role.

Aware of the lack of open access policies in African countries and the challenge of access to scientific and educational information on the Continent, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Senegal, in consultation with all national stakeholders concerned and with the technical support of UNESCO, has decided to begin the process to ensure the establishment of a national open access policy. The result of this policy will encourage the creation of open platforms free and accessible for all researchers, innovators, teachers, students, media professionals and the public and will encourage collaboration, production, dissemination, and knowledge economies.

Senegal will be the first African country to establish an open access policy, which represents an important lever for accelerated development in the country and positions Senegal as a leader in this domain.
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7 April 2016
UNESCO partners with Zhi Zheng Art Museum to organize a High Level Forum on Museums
The Zhi Zeng Art Museum, located in Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China, recently announced its decision to support the organization of the first UNESCO High Level Forum on Museums, as part of a partnership agreement signed on 7 March by UNESCO and Mr. Wu Fuqing, the Museum’s Director-General.

Scheduled to be held this November in Shenzhen, a UNESCO Creative City of Design, the forum will bring together numerous ministers of culture and directors of the world’s leading museums to discuss the social, educational and economic value of museums, as well as their key role in promoting intercultural dialogue and sustainable development.

The forum will also represent a timely opportunity to discuss the implementation of UNESCO’s recently adopted 2015 Recommendation on the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their Role in Society, which provides a set of innovative policy guidelines for strengthening and broadening the role of museums in a new era of social, economic and technological change. At a time when culture is increasingly facing new challenges and threats, UNESCO believes that the city of Shenzhen’s commitment to supporting the protection and promotion of museums can serve as a model for similar initiatives around the world.

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/allpress.html?ref=fp

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11/04/2016
Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the World Drug Problem
The United Nations General Assembly will hold a Special Session on the World Drug Problem from 19 to 21 April 2016. The session will review progress and discuss challenges in countering the world drug problem and in implementing the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem, which defined actions to be taken by Member States as well as goals to be achieved by 2019. The event will consist of a plenary and multi-stakeholder roundtables…
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08/04/2016
Statement at the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Preventing Violent Extremism

UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme [to 16 April 2016]
http://unhabitat.org/media-centre/news/

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Posted April 15, 2016
Record downloads of the International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning
Nairobi 13 April 2016–The English version of the International Guidelines on Urban Territorial Planning (IG-UTP) has been downloaded over 100,000 times from the UN-Habitat website, making these Guidelines the most popular publications ever in less than a year of availability…
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Posted April 8, 2016
UN-Habitat unveils the first batch of Emerging Community Champions
Nairobi, 8 April 2016—UN-Habitat last month hosted and honored the first cohort of Emerging Community Champions.These are young people who have made remarkable achievements and continue to inspire hope, provide leadership both at the community level and…
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Campaign to improve the lives of slum dwellers launched in South Africa
Pretoria, 9 April 2016: UN-Habitat’s Participatory Slum Upgrading Progamme (PSUP) has launched the ‘Up for Slum Dwellers – Transforming a Billion Lives’ campaign.
Posted April 8, 2016
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UfM and UN-Habitat join forces to promote sustainable urban development in the Mediterranean
Barcelona, 6 April 2016. UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr Joan Clos and UfM Deputy Secretary General for Transport and Urban Development Ambassador Yigit Alpogan signed a Memorandum of Understanding to undertake joint actions for an integrated approach…
Posted April 6, 2016

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2016/en/
15-04-2016

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Google and FAO aim to usher in new era of environmental literacy for all
FAO and Google are working together to make high-resolution satellite data an everyday tool in managing the world’s natural resources in a joint effort to boost “environmental literacy”. The recently-established partnership already allows resource managers and researchers in many countries to gauge changing land uses of individual field-sized plots seen by eye-in-the-sky satellites.
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FAO and partners ramp up efforts to track and prevent spread of damaging wheat rusts
The ongoing spread of wheat rusts, a group of fungal plant diseases that stymy the production of the staple grain and other crops, is raising concern in Central Asia and the Middle East and sparking closer international collaboration to study, detect and prevent the threat from advancing further.
14-04-2016
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Desert Locust outbreak in Yemen leaves surrounding countries potentially at risk
Groups of juvenile wingless hoppers and adults as well as hopper bands and at least one swarm formed on the southern coast of Yemen in March where heavy rains associated with tropical cyclones Chapala and Megh fell in November 2015.
12-04-2016
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8-04-2016
FAO Regional Conference boosts Africa Solidarity Trust Fund
Results achieved through Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF) financed projects are adding continent.
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Robust outlook for global cereal supplies in 2016
FAO’s first forecast for the new season put world cereal production at 2 521 million tonnes in 2016, just 0.2 percent off last year’s large output. The FAO Food Price Index for March rose by 1.0 percent compared to February, as soaring sugar prices and continued increase in palm oil quotations more than offset plunging dairy product prices.
7-04-2016
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Africa makes great strides towards Zero Hunger, despite hurdles
Africa has made great strides in tackling hunger — achieving a 30 percent drop in the proportion of its people facing hunger over the 1990-2015 period — but climate change, conflict and social inequality continue to present major challenges in the continent’s quest for a future free from hunger and want, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.
7-04-2016
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Food gap widens in conflict-stricken South Sudan – UN assessment
Cereal prices have shot up nearly five-fold since early last year, making it increasingly difficult for people to get enough to eat, according to a new joint Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
5-04-2016
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Plants vital to human diets but face growing risks from pests and diseases
The annual meeting of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), brings together senior plant health specialists from 182 contracting parties as well as a number of other international organizations and the private sector.
4-04-2016
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Transforming Africa’s food systems for inclusive growth and shared prosperity
“Transforming African Agri-food systems for inclusive growth and a shared prosperity” is the theme of the 29th FAO Regional Conference for Africa, taking place this week in Côte d’Ivoire’s capital.
4-04-2016

ILO International Labour Organization [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/lang–en/index.htm

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12 April 2016
Promoting Safe Migration from Pakistan
Pakistan’s first Migrant Resource Centre inaugurated in Islamabad
The momentous occasion of the official opening of the Pakistan’s first-ever Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), was held on the 12th of April 2016 in the presence of the representatives from government departments, civil society, INGOs, NGOs and media. Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has established this centre in collaboration with the ILO, EU and ICMPD.

Islamabad (Joint ILO, EU and ICMPD News) – One of the most effective ways to combat common abuses of migrants such as underpayment of wages, confiscation of passports, substandard working conditions and confinement in the workplace, is to ensure that migrants are equipped with knowledge and strategies to safeguard their labour- and human rights throughout the migration cycle.

Recognizing this, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development established the Migrant Resource Center (MRC) in Islamabad in 2015 with the support from the ILO-EU funded “South Asia Labour Migration Governance Project (SALM) ” and the ICMPD-EU funded project “Silk Routes Partnership for Migration”.

While MRCs already exists in other labour sending countries in South Asia, the center in Islamabad was the first ever to be established in Pakistan. The MRC provides a range of support services to (potential) migrants, migrant workers, and their families including information, counseling, referral and pre-departure orientation…
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Berlin meeting
ILO welcomes call for stronger efforts to promote decent work and inclusive growth
05 April 2016
A meeting between the German Chancellor and the heads of the OECD, WTO, IMF, World Bank and the ILO has agreed on the central role of decent work in meeting policy challenges in the coming year.
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326th session of ILO Governing Body
How the ILO is improving workers’ protection through dialogue
04 April 2016
Interview with the President of the ILO’s Workers’ Group on the achievements of the governing body meeting held in March. Luc Cortebeeck explains how the protection of workers ‘rights in Qatar, Venezuela, Fiji and Guatemala was a major focus of the discussions as well as the protection of migrant workers and the application of international labour standards by multinational enterprises.
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Reducing inequalities
ILO: Domestic workers should have the right to rest
04 April 2016
ILO publication says domestic workers should enjoy the same right to sufficient rest as other workers.

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/pressrelease.aspx

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12/4/16
ICAO Secretary General Stresses Links between Business Aviation Growth and Sustainable Development Objectives at ABACE2016
MONTRÉAL,– ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu highlighted the unique qualities and important role of business aviation to global development today, as she provided her keynote address to the 2016 Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) in Shanghai, China….

Dr. Liu commented that business aviation is an important contributor to air transport’s many positive impacts, and ultimately to many of the Sustainable Development Goals being pursued today under the United Nations’ Agenda 2030, especially given its well-recognized role in promoting economic growth and international trade.

“In less developed and rural regions, including landlocked and small-island States, where a lack of stable demand, infrastructure constraints, and other challenges can often impede the viability of commercial operations, business aviation helps to establish vital links enabling improved connectivity,” she remarked…
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5/4/16
Competition Issues Top Agenda at Landmark Air Transport Event
MONTRÉAL, 5 April 2016 – States and aviation industry groups addressed a wide range of competition and regulatory issues for international air transport this week at a high-level symposium at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)…

…The Symposium provided a unique opportunity for high-level experts from governments, airlines, airports, air navigation services providers and academic institutions to further define the practical balance needed between competitive market expectations and regulatory responsibility, while fostering convergence in competition policies. This included: the need for deeper understanding and greater consensus on States’ varying competition policies and their principles of fair competition; greater transparency in addressing competition issues, including on State aids and subsidies; the expectation from every corner for liberalization to support global connectivity enabling States and regions to effectively access global markets and trade flows, and the difficulties inherent in determining aviation-specific liberalization safeguards…

IMO International Maritime Organization [to 16 April 2016]
http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/Home.aspx

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11/04/2016
Mandatory electronic data exchange for international shipping adopted
Mandatory requirements for the electronic exchange of information on cargo, crew and passengers have been adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as part of a revised and modernized annex to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), which aims to harmonize procedures for ship’s arrival, stay and departure from port.

The new standard relating to the obligation of public authorities to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information, within a period of three years after the adoption of the amendments, is among important changes in the revised Annex, which is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2018, under the tacit acceptance procedure.

There will be a transitional period of 12 months from the date of the introduction of such systems to make electronic transmission mandatory, during which period paper and electronic documents would be allowed…

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 16 April 2016]
http://public.wmo.int/en

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14 April 2016
IPCC agrees special reports, AR6 workplan
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has decided the strategy and timeline for its next series of reports, the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), and the special reports that will be prepared in the next few years.

The Panel responded positively to the invitation from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to provide a special report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 ºC above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways.
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13 April 2016
Abdalah Mokssit of Morocco appointed as IPCC Secretary
The appointment of Mr Abdalah Mokssit as Secretary of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been announced at the 43rd Session of the IPCC, which is taking place in Nairobi this week…
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5 April 2016
Climate change worsens risks to public health: US report
The United States Global Change Research Program has released a new assessment of a growing public health threat, The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment. Drawing from decades of advances in the physical science of climate change, the report strengthens our understanding of the growing risks that a changing climate poses to human health and welfare, and highlights factors that make some individuals and communities particularly vulnerable.
The assessment is based on a coordinated effort by eight Federal agencies (with leadership from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and more than 100 experts from across the United States to inform public health officials, urban and disaster response planners, decision makers, and other stakeholders about the risks climate change presents to human health…