UNFPA United Nations Population Fund [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.unfpa.org/press/press-release

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11 March 2016
Press Release
Unleash the Power of Adolescent Girls of the SDG Generation to Propel Progress for People, Planet, Says UNFPA
UNITED NATIONS, New York—Despite advances in recent years, girls continue to suffer from discrimination and exclusion just because they are young and female, warned Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA…

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8 March 2016
Press Release
New Multi-country Initiative will Protect Millions of Girls from Child Marriage – UNICEF/UNFPA
NEW YORK — A new multi-country initiative to accelerate action to end child marriage will help protect the rights of millions of the world’s most vulnerable girls, UNICEF and UNFPA said on International Women’s Day.

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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Mar 10, 2016
Helen Clark: Speech on “Sustainable development for all – how will the vision become reality?”
Mar 10, 2016 Polhemssalen, Ingenjörshuset, City Konferens – Stockholm, Sweden.

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Additional EUR 59 million boost fight against malaria in Chad
Mar 10, 2016
A new funding agreement, totaling EUR 59 million, has been signed between UNDP and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). With a focus on young children, pregnant women, nomads and refugees, the grant will roll out community healthcare sites in Chad and intensify efforts to prevent and treat malaria, the leading cause of illness and death in the country.

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Helen Clark: Speech on SDGs at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mar 9, 2016 Copenhagen – Denmark

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Helen Clark: Speech at the “Women – the Key to a Sustainable World” event
Mar 8, 2016 Oslo – Norway

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Helen Clark: Statement on International Women’s Day 2016
Mar 8, 2016

UN Statistical Commission :: UN Statistics Division [to 12 March 2016]
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/commission.htm
http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/
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Third meeting of the IAEG-SDGs
30 MAR – 1 APR 2016 Mexico City
The third meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), will be held from 30 March to 1 April 2016 in Mexico City, Mexico. The meeting will be hosted jointly by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.
Meeting objectives
:: Establishment of a tier system for indicators
:: Establishment of procedures for the methodological review of indicators, including approval mechanisms of needed revisions
:: Development of global reporting mechanisms, including identifying entities responsible for compiling data for global reporting on individual indicators and discussing data flow from the national to the global level
:: Discussion of the work plan and next steps

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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10/03/2016
Countries Take Final Step to Put Global Mercury Agreement Into Force
Minamata Convention to Protect Millions Worldwide from Health Threats of Mercury
Amman, 10 March 2016 – Over 550 governments representatives, stakeholders and experts gathered at the Dead Sea in Jordan today to put the final touches to one of the most important legally-binding international agreements – the Minamata Convention on Mercury – which has the potential to end a serious threat to the health of millions of people.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury – named after the Japanese city where thousands of people were poisoned by mercury-tainted industrial water- provides controls and reductions across a range of products, processes and industries that involve mercury. These range from medical equipment such as thermometers and energy-saving light bulbs to the mining, cement and coal fired power sectors.

The Convention was signed in 2013 under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). So far, 23 countries have ratified it out of the 50 required for its entry into force.

Speaking in Jordan, UNEP Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw issued a strong call for countries to accelerate the entry into force and implementation of the Convention…

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08/03/2016
Environmentally friendly stoves reduce risk of sexual assault
…In perhaps one of the most startling examples, a pilot project in Malawi, supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), reduces the number of trees cut down for firewood while also decreasing the risk of sexual assault that women suffer when they enter forests to gather wood.
Energy-efficient stoves were made available to residents in four districts of Malawi, a country with the highest rate of deforestation in Southern Africa. The stoves use high-density briquettes that last longer than wood, reducing the number of trees that are chopped down while decreasing negative impacts on the climate and improving women’s health.
The new ceramic stoves, which are made from local clay, have also dramatically cut the number of hours local women spend searching for firewood in the forest…

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08/03/2016
Hacked Afghan stoves boost women’s health and prevent flooding
Backed by UNEP and the Embassy of Finland, the Afghan NGO Conservation Organisation for Afghan Mountain Areas (COAM) has reinvented two traditional Afghan stoves that produce far less of the noxious smoke and are far more fuel efficient.

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08/03/2016
UN Secretary-General’s International Women’s Day Message, “From the Glass Ceiling to a Carpet of Shards”

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive

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11 Mar 2016
Bangkok Principles on health risk agreed
The Bangkok Principles were agreed today at the conclusion of the first international conference on the health aspects of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction which was attended by government officials from 54 countries.

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9 Mar 2016
Africa highlights sustainable urbanisation
Delegates from across Africa have met to identify the continent’s priorities for sustainable urban development, addressing a critical component of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

UNESCO [to 12 March 2016]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases/News

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11 March 2016
UNESCO and heritage professionals from France and Switzerland mobilize to safeguard Syrian heritage
With continued news of the destruction of heritage in Syria, UNESCO joined efforts with French and Swiss heritage and archeology professionals in the summer of 2015 to assess the material needs of players on the ground to help them pursue their work. A particular need emerged for packaging materials essential for the evacuation and safekeeping of collections, conservation materials to preserve fragile items and restore damaged parts, as well as study and registration tools to help professionals complete the inventories and scientific documentation of Syria’s heritage to facilitate its identification, management and the safeguarding of data.

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11 March 2016
Syrian teachers use cloud technology to create safe schools for refugee students
A project using cloud technology to teach Syrian refugee teachers how to better work with traumatised students was presented as part of UNESCO’s flagship ICT event, Mobile Learning Week (MLW) at the Organizations headquarters from 7 – 11 March, 2016.

The Connect to Learn pilot project is run by the International Rescue Committee (ICR) in ten pilot schools in Domiz Camp in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI).

The project recognizes the expertise of Syrian refugee teachers, their importance in creating safe and nurturing spaces to learn in and their challenges in dealing with vulnerable students who may have suffered varying degrees and types of trauma.

IRC launched a yearlong pilot project with information and communication company, Ericsson providing a technology platform that gives refugee teachers access to resources to help meet the complex needs of conflict-affected children, specifically social-emotional skills, literacy and numeracy….

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2016/en/

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10-03-2016
Asia and the Pacific must play a leading role in meeting the SDGs to eliminate global hunger and malnutrition
While the Asia-Pacific region has shown remarkable progress in reducing poverty and hunger during the last 25 years, it can lead the world in the complete eradication of these scourges within the next 15 years, FAO’s Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific heard today.

Global crop prospects benign, but hunger intensifies in areas suffering from conflict
Thirty-four countries, including 27 in Africa, are currently in need of external assistance for food, due to drought, flooding and civil conflicts, according to FAO’s new edition of the Crop Prospects and Food Situation, released today. The figure has grown from 33 last December, after the addition of Swaziland.
9-03-2016

International agencies in Rome together commemorate Women’s Day
Leaders of international organizations based in Rome today gathered to highlight the achievements and the real prospects for achieving gender equality. The speakers all agreed accelerating the empowerment of women everywhere is fundamental to achieving a zero hunger world and reaching the world’s new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
8-03-2016

US ratification of accord is fresh boost for global effort to combat rogue fishing
US Ambassador to the United Nations agencies in Rome, David Lane, today formally presented FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva with the US’ instrument of ratification of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.
7-03-2016

Ethiopian farmers need urgent assistance to feed country caught in major drought
Timely agricultural assistance for the upcoming rainy season is essential to help the drought-affected people of Ethiopia, as one of the strongest El Niño events on record continues to have devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of farmers and herders.
7-03-2016

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 12 March 2016]
https://www.ifad.org/newsroom/press_release/list/tags/y2016

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11 March 2016
Young people are key to rural transformation and poverty reduction in West and Central Africa
Abuja, 11 March 2016 – A regional forum organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be held 14 to 18 March in Abuja will examine lessons learned from IFAD-funded projects in West and Central Africa with a particular focus on successful investments in rural youth.

Over five days, the forum on “Investing in rural youth – How we do plant the seeds for the future?” will focus on effective investments that create opportunities for youth in rural areas. While the number of young people in Africa has never been higher, the situation is particularly acute in rural Sub-Saharan Africa, and especially in West and Central Africa, where half of the population is under 25 years of age…

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8 March 2016
International Agencies in Rome together commemorate Women’s Day with collective and individual commitments for achieving worldwide gender equity

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/pressrelease.aspx

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8/3/16
States Make Further Progress through ICAO to Help Avoid Recurrence of MH370-Type Disappearances

IMO International Maritime Organization [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/Home.aspx

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08/02/2016
States urged to ratify compensation regime for Hazardous and Noxious Cargoes
HNS 2010 treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances by ship will complement existing liability and compensation regimes

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 12 March 2016]
https://www.wmo.int/media/news

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10 March 2016
Carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere spike
The annual growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii jumped by 3.05 parts per million during 2015, the largest year-to-year increase in 56 years of research, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The development is significant because Mauna Loa Observatory is the oldest continuous atmospheric measurement station in the world and is widely regarded as a benchmark site in the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Atmosphere Watch network.

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WMO facilitates use of new Himawari-8 satellite data
10 March 2016
The World Meteorological Organization has provided satellite data receiving and processing systems to nine countries in East Asia and the Western Pacific region in cooperation with the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The aim is to spread the benefits of advanced satellite technology with developing countries to improve early warning systems and monitor and detect hazards such as tropical cyclones such as severe Tropical Cyclone Winston which recently hit Fiji.

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.unido.org/news-centre/news.html

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Thursday, 10 March 2016
Global manufacturing growth remains low amid declining trends in emerging industrial economies – UNIDO report
VIENNA, 10 March 2016 – World manufacturing production growth further slowed in the last quarter of 2015 with the growth of developing and emerging industrial economies weakening…

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Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Japan demonstrates strong support for UNIDO projects in Africa, Middle East
VIENNA, 8 March 2016 – The Government of Japan has provided a contribution of over USD 7.4 million in response to the needs of communities affected by humanitarian crises and the influx of displaced peoples…

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.iso.org/iso/home/news_index.htm

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10 March 2016
World Bank Group and ISO partnership highlights how countries benefit from international standards

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8 March 2016
Robots and humans can work together with new ISO guidance
Human and robot system interaction in industrial settings is now possible thanks to ISO/TS 15066, a new ISO technical specification for collaborative robot system safety.

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7 March 2016
Putting traditions to the test
Despite being in existence for so long, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is still clouded in mystery and myths.

UNWTO World Tourism Organization [to 12 March 2016]
http://media.unwto.org/news

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9 March 2016
Safe and seamless travel, technology and sustainability: priorities for tourism
Ensuring safe and seamless travel, enhancing the opportunities brought by technology and accelerating the shift towards a more sustainable sector are the priorities for the sector said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, opening the 50th edition of ITB Berlin. (Berlin, Germany, 8 March 2016).

ITU International Telecommunications Union [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/index.aspx?lang=en#.VF8FYcl4WF8

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9 March 2016
ITU strengthens ties between technology, business and policy
Economic and policy requirements to play a greater role in informing ITU standardization
Geneva, – The international community is looking to ITU’s unique public-private partnership of members for a neutral platform to strengthen the ties between technical innovation, business needs and economic and policy requirements.

ITU has intensified its efforts to ensure congruent technical innovation and policy development, addressing concerns that technology too often races ahead of policy, with the result that governance frameworks fall out of step with market realities. Challenges to fair market competition may arise as a result, and legislation may no longer afford adequate protection to consumers.

Growing interest among ITU members in building greater cohesion in the progression of technology and policy is very evident in the work of ITU-T Study Group 3, ITU’s standardization expert group responsible for economic and policy issues relevant to international telecommunications…

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11 March 2016
Harnessing mobile technology to achieve inclusive, equitable, better quality education
Policy Forum calls for better mobile learning policy environment
Geneva,– A joint ITU/UNESCO Policy Forum on mobile learning brought together for the first time Ministers of Education and Ministers of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) to examine the role that policies and cross-sectoral collaboration can play in fostering innovation and the use of mobile technology to improve the quality, equity and accessibility of education.

Held under the framework of ITU’s m-Powering Development Initiative, the Forum was a highlight of this year’s UNESCO Mobile Learning Week (MLW), which had the theme “Innovating for Quality”…

DFID [to 12 March 2016]
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development

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12 March 2016
Justine Greening statement on 5 years of conflict in Syria
DFID Press release

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10 March 2016
International Development Minister Nick Hurd stresses the importance of fair elections in the DRC
DFID Press release

ECHO [to 12 March 2016]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/news

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11/03/2016
European Commission releases €1 million in humanitarian aid to support victims of Cyclone Winston in Fiji
The European Commission has made available €1 million in humanitarian funding to provide emergency assistance to families impacted by Tropical Cyclone Winston in Fiji.The funds are used to provide the most vulnerable people with shelter, food…

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Refugee crisis: Commission welcomes Member States’ agreement on Emergency Assistance instrument for faster crisis response within the EU
09/03/2016
The European Commission welcomes the fast agreement Member States reached today on its proposal for an ‘Emergency Assistance Instrument’ to provide faster means of support to EU countries facing major humanitarian crises, such as dealing with large…

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Stories of courage and strength: Celebrating women and girls on International Women’s Day
08/03/2016
Disasters and conflicts exacerbate women’s vulnerabilities as women can become victims of violence or suffer the ill effects of gender inequality. Three fifths of all maternal deaths take place in humanitarian crisis situations according to the UN…

African Union [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.au.int/en/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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March 11, 2016 Press Releases
African Union convenes joint coordination meeting with Regional Economic Communities (RECs), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), African Development Bank (AfDB), The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and African Capacity

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March 10, 2016 | Press Releases
The African Union Commission and the Network for African National Human Rights Institutions Sign MOU to Strengthen Cooperation and Collaboration
…According to the signed MoU, the Commission and JWF will cooperate to explore opportunities for cooperation and non-exclusive partnership in the following areas:
:: Fostering participation of National Human Rights Institutions in policy development at the continental level;
:: Jointly promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa;
:: Support the implementation of the AU Human Rights Strategy for Africa;
:: Support the implementation of Project 2016;
:: Information generation and dissemination on issues related to human rights.

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March 08, 2016 | Press Releases
AUC Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma emphasises the importance to celebrate the determination of women around the world for equal rights and have their voices heard

European Union [to 12 March 2016]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives]

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Refugee crisis: European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides meets with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras
Date: 11/03/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 11 March 2016 European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides met with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens © European Union 2016 Today European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides met with the Greek Prime Minister…

Refugee crisis: Commission welcomes Member States’ agreement on Emergency Assistance instrument for faster crisis response within the EU
Date: 09/03/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 9 March 2016 The European Commission welcomes the fast agreement Member States reached today on its proposal for an Emergency Assistance instrument to provide faster means of support to EU countries facing major humanitarian crises, such as dealing with large numbers of refugees.

Commission launches a public consultation on the European Pillar of Social Rights
Date: 08/03/2016
European – Press release Commission Strasbourg, 8 March 2016 Today, the European Commission presents a first, preliminary outline of the European Pillar of Social Rights announced by President Juncker in September last year and launches a broad public consultation Today, the European Commission

Joint Statement on International Women’s Day
Date: 08/03/2016
European Commission – Statement Brussels, 8 March 2016 Today we celebrate women. We celebrate their role in society, at work, in our families and lives. We also remember their suffering, hardship and injustice, which for many is still a reality today.

OECD [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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10-March-2016
Tougher environmental laws do not hurt export competitiveness – OECD study
Countries that implement stringent environmental policies do not lose export competitiveness when compared against countries with more moderate regulations, according to a new OECD study that examines trade in manufactured goods between advanced and emerging economies.

10-March-2016
Active policies needed for a competitive and sustainable tourism sector
The tourism industry in OECD countries continues to grow strongly despite economic weakness in advanced economies, and outperformed tourism globally in 2014. However, active, innovative and integrated policies are needed to ensure that tourism remains a competitive and sustainable sector, says OECD.

8-March-2016
OECD countries confirm their drive to improve gender equality in public leadership
OECD countries have agreed to work towards greater gender equality in public life – including in governments, parliaments and judiciaries – with concrete measures to improve women’s access to leadership and decision-making roles and integrate more of a gender perspective into public policies.