United Nations – Secretary General, Security Council, General Assembly [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/
Selected Press Releases/Meetings Coverage

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18 December 2015
SC/12171
Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2254 (2015), Endorsing Road Map for Peace Process in Syria, Setting Timetable for Talks
The Security Council today endorsed a road map for a peace process in Syria, setting out an early-January timetable for United Nations-facilitated talks between the Government and opposition members, as well as the outlines of a nationwide ceasefire to begin as soon as the parties concerned had taken initial steps towards a political transition.

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18 December 2015
SG/SM/17429-SC/12172
Secretary-General Hails Security Council Resolution as First to Focus on Political Settlement of Syria Crisis

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18 December 2015
DSG/SM/927-DEV/3213-OBV/1573
On World Migrants Day, Deputy Secretary-General Warns against Falling into Trap of Fear Set by Terrorists, amid Largest Exodus since Second World War

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17 December 2015
SG/SM/17425-AFR/3291-HR/5285
Secretary-General Vows Fast Action after Report Finds Misuse of Authority in United Nations Response to Central African Republic Abuse Claims

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17 December 2015
GA/11745
General Assembly Adopts 64 Third Committee Texts Covering Issues Including Migrants, Children’s Rights, Human Rights Defenders
Acting on the recommendation of its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), the General Assembly adopted 57 draft resolutions and seven draft decisions today, tackling a wide range of issues from the global refugee crisis to the rights of the child, as well as human rights defenders and country-specific human rights situations.

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17 December 2015
SC/12168
Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2253 (2015), Security Council Expands Sanctions Framework to Include Islamic State in Iraq and Levant
In a sweeping move to suppress the financing of terrorism, the Security Council today expanded and strengthened its Al-Qaida sanctions framework to include a focus on Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) in an unprecedented meeting that heard finance ministers from around the world outline efforts to dismantle funding channels to a terrorist group now in control of large swaths of Iraq and Syria.

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16 December 2015
SG/SM/17421-DEV/3212-OBV/1571
On International Migrants Day, Secretary-General Calls for Commitment to Human-Rights-Based Responses Guided by International Law

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16 December 2015
DSG/SM/926-SC/12166-HR/5284
Human Trafficking ‘Slavery in the Modern Age’, Says Deputy Secretary-General in Briefing to Security Council

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16 December 2015
SC/12165
Security Council Presidential Statement Says Human Trafficking Might Constitute War Crimes, as Members Consider Issue for First Time
The Security Council today deplored all acts of trafficking in human beings by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, underscoring that certain acts associated with that practice in the context of armed conflict might constitute war crimes.

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16 December 2015
GA/11744
General Assembly, Concluding Review of World Summit on Information Society, Commits to Bridging Digital Divides, Building Connected Communities
The General Assembly today reaffirmed its common desire and commitment to the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society, as the 193-member body concluded its two-day high-level meeting reviewing the summit outcomes.

UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true

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Burundi crisis: Zeid calls for robust action by international community to avert another civil war
17 December 2015

Comment by High Commissioner Zeid on the CAR review report
17 December 2015

Right to sanitation, a distinct human right – Over 2.5 billion people lack access to sanitation –
GENEVA (18 December 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to water and sanitation, Léo Heller, and the Chair of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Waleed Sadi, today welcomed the explicit recognition of the ‘human right to sanitation’ as a distinct right, together with the ‘human right to safe drinking water’ by the UN General Assembly…

UN OCHA [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases
[We generally do not include OCHA Flash Updates on humanitarian crises in this digest]
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18 Dec 2015
World: Strong and renewed commitment for Central Emergency Response Fund in 2016
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: World (New York, 17 December 2015): Ten years ago, Member States of the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution, A/RES/60/124 and created the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Established in 2005, CERF marked an innovative breakthrough in humanitarian funding as a “fund for all, by all.” It raises and pools funds before the need arises, and provides fast, predictable funding to partners…

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18 Dec 2015
Yemen: The Task Force on Population Movement Report: 2.5 million IDPs as a result of conflict in Yemen
Source: International Organization for Migration, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Country: Yemen Yemen, 18 December 2015 – The situation in Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, has substantially worsened since the start of the conflict in March 2015.

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16 Dec 2015
Yemen: Statement of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, during cessation of hostilities
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Yemen The agreement by all parties to the conflict in Yemen to cease all hostilities is a long awaited opportunity for humanitarian actors to reach areas of the country that have been inaccessible for the past months, as well as to continue ongoing aid and protection services.

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15 Dec 2015
 Burundi: Urgent action needed to prevent a humanitarian crisis
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN Children’s Fund Country: Burundi (New York, 15 December 2015): Two United Nations Emergency Directors warned today that urgent action is needed to prevent a descent into catastrophic violence in Burundi.

UNICEF [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_78364.html
Selected press releases

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More than 380,000 children out of school in northern Mali, three months into school year
BAMAKO, Mali/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 18 December 2015 – More than 380,000 children aged 7 to 15 remain out of school in insecure regions in northern Mali, three months into the new school year and almost four years since the security situation worsened in that part of the country, UNICEF said today.

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On the Day of International Migration, UNICEF says children need urgent solutions, solidarity
GENEVA, 18 December 2015 – “The year, 2015, will be remembered for the heart-breaking image of a lifeless little boy on a beach – one of many who came before him; one of many who came after him. It was a year that saw hundreds of thousands of children and their families on the move leaving behind horrors, on an odyssey of hope through Europe. It was the year of mass displacement. And there is no end in sight.

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Unicef statement on the report of the independent review on sexual exploitation and abuse of children in the Central African Republic
NEW YORK, 17 December 2015 – “We are reviewing the Independent Panel’s Report, especially references to those instances where UNICEF failed to implement its policy on responding to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, in order to draw practical lessons for the future.

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More than 16 million babies born into conflict this year: UNICEF
NEW YORK, 17 December 2015 – More than 16 million babies were born in conflict zones in 2015 – 1 in 8 of all births worldwide this year – UNICEF said today, a figure that underscores the vulnerability faced by increasing numbers of children.

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UNHCR and UNICEF highlight unrelenting children’s crisis
NAIROBI, Kenya, 15 December 2015 – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned today that the children of South Sudan remain some of the most vulnerable in the world. Noting the second anniversary since violence erupted in South Sudan, the two UN agencies called for all parties to uphold their commitments to the Peace Agreement, so as to allow the almost 1.5 million South Sudanese children to return home and receive an education, and child soldiers to be released and reintegrated.

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UNICEF fears hunger in Malawi, embarks on mass screening for malnutrition across country
LILONGWE, Malawi 15 December 2015 – As Malawi struggles to cope with drought and the first maize deficit in a decade, UNICEF is carrying out a mass screening for malnutrition in children under five across 25 districts – 90 per cent of the country. The response comes as reports from communities and villages indicate an increasing food shortage and hunger problem in the country.

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UNICEF: 500 children die every day from lack of safe water, sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa
DAKAR, Senegal, 15 December 2015 – Around 180,000 children under 5 years old die every year – roughly 500 a day – in sub-Saharan Africa due to diarrhoeal diseases linked to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), UNICEF said ahead of a conference in Dakar on financing for the sector.

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=&comid=4a0950336&cid=49aea93a7d&scid=49aea93a40

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UNHCR report confirms worldwide rise in forced displacement in first half 2015
9 December 2015
With almost a million people having crossed the Mediterranean as refugees and migrants so far this year, and conflicts in Syria and elsewhere continuing to generate staggering levels of human suffering, 2015 is likely to exceed all previous records for global forced displacement, UNHCR warned in a new report today.

UNHCR’s Mid-Year Trends 2015 report, covering the period from January to end June, and looking at worldwide displacement resulting from conflict and persecution, shows markers firmly in the red in each of the three major categories of displacement – Refugees, asylum-seekers, and people forced to flee inside their own countries.

The global refugee total, which a year ago was 19.5 million, had as of mid-2015 passed the 20 million threshold (20.2 million) for the first time since 1992. Asylum applications were meanwhile up 78 percent (993,600) over the same period in 2014. And the numbers of internally displaced people jumped by around 2 million to an estimated 34 million. Taking into account that the report covers only internally displaced people protected by UNHCR (the global total including people both in and outside UNHCR’s care is only available in mid-2016), 2015 is on track to see worldwide forced displacement exceeding 60 million for the first time – 1 in every 122 humans is today someone who has been forced to flee their home.
High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said: “Forced displacement is now profoundly affecting our times. It touches the lives of millions of our fellow human beings – both those forced to flee and those who provide them with shelter and protection. Never has there been a greater need for tolerance, compassion and solidarity with people who have lost everything.”…

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UNHCR and UNICEF highlight unrelenting Children’s Crisis
NAIROBI, 15 December 2015 – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned today that the children of South Sudan remain some of the most vulnerable in the world. Noting the second anniversary since violence erupted in South Sudan, the two UN agencies called for all parties to uphold their commitments to the Peace Agreement, so as to allow the almost 1.5 million South Sudanese children to return home and receive an education, and child soldiers to be released and reintegrated.
Over the past two years, 1.65 million people have become internally displaced, and more than 650,000 South Sudanese have sought international protection as refugees in neighbouring Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. Without more global attention and support, an entire generation of children from the world’s newest nation could be lost.

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Donors promise initial US$ 687.2 million for UNHCR operations in 2016, the highest amount ever
9 December 2015

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
Selected Press Releases

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International Migrants Day 2015 – Statement & Video
12/18/15
Switzerland – IOM released the following statement from Director General William Lacy Swing to mark International Migrants Day.

EU Migrant, Refugee Arrivals by Land and Sea Approach One Million in 2015
12/18/15
Greece – IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix reports that a total of 990,671 migrants and refugees have entered Europe in 2015.

Displacement and Returns Continue in Iraq: IOM
12/18/15
Iraq – The IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) identifies 3,195,390 internally displaced Iraqis (532,565 families), from 1 Jan 2014 through 3 Dec 2015.

IOM Monitors Migrant, Refugee Arrivals in Europe
12/15/15
Greece – IOM estimates 45,255 migrants and refugees have reached the Greek islands from Turkey since the beginning of December.

UN Women [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories
Selected Press Releases

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UN Women statement on the municipal elections in Saudi Arabia
Date: 18 December 2015

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UN Women Statement for International Migrants Day
Date: 18 December 2015

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Statement by UN Women Executive Director on the adoption of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Date: 17 December 2015

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Joint Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Zainab Hawa Bangura on the signing on 15 December 2015 of the agreement on conflict victims between the Government of Colombia and FARC-EP
Date: 17 December 2015
This statement is attributable to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, and Zainab Hawa Bangura, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

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UN Women introduces new policy brief series to pave the way for gender equality and women’s rights
Date: 16 December 2015
The UN Women policy brief series synthesizes research findings, analysis and policy recommendations on gender equality and women’s rights in an accessible format. The series aims to bridge the research and policy divide by identifying areas that require urgent policy attention and propose a set of suitable measures to address them

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Press release: UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality awards USD 7.3 million for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
Fund for Gender Equality’s global grant-making portfolio hits 80 Countries in six years
(New York, 16 December, 2015) — UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality (FGE) today announced USD 7.26 million in grants to 24 innovative programmes across the globe to boost women’s economic empowerment and political leadership and participation. The high-impact programmes designed by women-led civil society organizations have been selected to jumpstart the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 28 countries. UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality will provide technical and financial assistance to maximize impact and sustainability of these interventions…

WHO & Regionals [to 19 December 2015]

Health and human rights
Fact sheet N°323
December 2015
Key facts
:: The WHO Constitution enshrines “…the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right of every human being.”
:: The right to health includes access to timely, acceptable, and affordable health care of appropriate quality.
:: Yet, about 100 million people globally are pushed below the poverty line as a result of health care expenditure ever year.
:: Vulnerable and marginalized groups in societies tend to bear an undue proportion of health problems.
:: Universal health coverage is a means to promote the right to health.

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Launch of WHO mobile phone application for nutrition
December 2015 — Access the latest WHO nutrition guidelines, recommendations and related information for nutrition interventions, wherever you are, with the eLENA (e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions) mobile phone application.

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Global Alert and Response (GAR) – Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
:: 17 December 2015 Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China
:: 15 December 2015 Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus – Lao People’s Democratic Republic
:: 15 December 2015 Microcephaly – Brazil
:: 15 December 2015 Cholera – Democratic Republic of the Congo

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:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) closes and a new body set up to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases
KAMPALA, 17 December 2015:- The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) founded in 1995 has been formally closed and a new entity – the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), with an expanded mandate, proposed to replace it. ESPEN was formally introduced to delegates at the 21st session of the Joint Action Forum (JAF) of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) that has concluded in Kampala, Uganda.

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

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: Make focused, accelerated efforts to prevent, reduce newborn deaths: WHO
SEAR/PR/1617
New Delhi, 14 December 2015: Nearly 7400 new-borns die every day in the WHO South-East Asia Region causing untold misery to mothers and families. Two-thirds of these deaths can be prevented by adopting proven and cost-effective measures, World Health Organization today said seeking focused efforts by governments and partners to prevent newborn deaths with a sense of urgency.
“Scaling up interventions with good quality care around the time of childbirth and during the first days after birth can substantially prevent complications and infections in new-borns, which are the main causes of newborn deaths,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia Region, said here as health partners signed a pledge to reduce newborn deaths.
Led by WHO; UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, UNAIDS and UNWOMEN pledged to jointly support the countries in the Region to prioritize accelerated reduction in newborn deaths by ensuring equitable access to essential life-saving interventions for mothers and babies across the Region…

WHO European Region EURO
:: Will there be sufficient health professionals to meet future needs? 18-12-2015
:: European health report available in French, German and Russian 16-12-2015

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO: Urgent support needed to provide health services for 15 million people in Yemen
Geneva, 15 December 2015 – WHO and health partners are appealing for US$ 31 million to ensure the continuity of health services for nearly 15 million people in Yemen affected by the ongoing conflict. Funding is urgently needed as the Yemeni health system has collapsed, leaving millions of vulnerable people without the care and medications they urgently need. Conflict is making the delivery of health services and supplies extremely challenging, health facilities and ambulances have been damaged, and there is a shortage of health workers, limiting access to health care.

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: Universal Health Coverage – a Foundation for the Sustainable Development Goals
MANILA, 12 December 2015 – Held every year since 2012 on 12 December, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) day gathers partners globally to reaffirm the urgency for greater action and progress towards UHC. WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific calls for countries to ensure good quality health services are accessible to all as it celebrates UHC Day. Dr. Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific said, “Every country – no matter how rich or poor – can do something now to improve access to good quality services, to improve financial protection and to improve efficiency.”

UNAIDS [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/

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UNAIDS strongly backs the Global Fund’s call for increased resources to help end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria
18 December 2015

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html
Selected Press Releases

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Helen Clark: Speech at briefing session ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the United Nations development system in the context of 2030 Agenda (phase 2)
Dec 17, 2015 United Nations, New York

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Helen Clark: Speech at the launch of the 2015 Human Development Report
Dec 14, 2015UNECA Conference Center – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

UN Statistical Commission :: UN Statistics Division [to 19 December 2015]
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/commission.htm
http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/

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Results from open consultation on ‘grey’ indicators are now available
A document containing the inputs provided by the Observers of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) and other stakeholders during the open consultation on proposed global SDG Indicators coded as “grey” has been posted online.

Results from the open consultation on ‘green’ indicators are now available
A document containing the inputs provided by the Observers of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) and other stakeholders during the open consultation on proposed global SDG Indicators coded as “green” has been posted online.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1
Selected Press Releases

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New GRASP Partners Increase Asian, African Impact
Two organizations join the Great Apes Survival Partnership
16/12/2015

“Address Challenges and Seize Opportunities of the New World of Work”, UNDP Urges
2 billion people lifted out of low human development, in last 25 years, now focus on work is needed to galvanize progress, alerts the 2015 Human Development Report.
15/12/2015

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive
Selected Press Releases

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Uganda moves on Sendai Framework
Without addressing the growing levels of disaster and climate risk, the Government of Uganda fears that 43% of the population could regress into poverty
16 Dec 2015

Typhoon early action shows worth
More than 700,000 people in the central Philippines have been evacuated to safety ahead of a powerful typhoon in the latest example of the country’s ‘early warning early action’ approach to protect lives, livelihoods and assets.
15 Dec 2015

UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news.html
Selected Press Releases

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A new revamped website on social policy and development issues
16 December 2015, New York
The UNDESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) has launched its new and improved website at: http://social.un.org or http://undesadspd.org

UNESCO [to 19 December 2015]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases

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The role of universities in supporting UNESCO designated sites, beacons of sustainability
18 December 2015

1954 Convention: New members elected to protect cultural property
18 December 2015

United Nations General Assembly WSIS+10 High-Level Meeting adopts a milestone outcome document
18 December 2015

UNESCO calls for change in the way we look at migrants
17 December 2015

UN General Assembly adopts a new resolution on culture and sustainable development
17 December 2015

First Global Report – Evaluating the Impact of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
16 December 2015

UNESCO Director-General and President Vladimir Putin discuss protection of cultural heritage in conflict zones in Iraq and Syria
15 December 2015

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/allpress.html?ref=fp

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18/12/2015 – Statement on International Migrants Day

17/12/2015 – Remarks of UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov, at the United Nations Security Council thematic debate on “Trafficking in Persons in Situations of Conflict: ISIL and Beyond”

15/12/2015 – Opium production in Myanmar and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic stabilizes at high levels, says UNODC report

UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme [to 19 December 2015]
http://unhabitat.org/media-centre/news/
[Selected Announcements]

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Launch of the Cities Alliance Joint Work Program on Resilient Cities
15 Dec 2015, Paris – William Cobbett, Director of Cities Alliance launched the initiative during the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP21, explaining that the New Cities Alliance Joint Work Program on Resilient Cities brings together expertise…

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2015/en/
[Selected Announcements]

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Resurgence in global wood production
In 2014, growth in wood products, including industrial roundwood, sawnwood, wood-based panels and pulp and paper, ranged from 1 to 5 percent, surpassing the pre-recession levels of 2007, according to new data published by FAO today. The fastest growth was registered in Asia-Pacific and Latin America and Caribbean.
18-12-2015

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Sustainable farming systems in Bangladesh and Japan receive global recognition
Four new sites have been designated today by FAO as “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems” for innovation, sustainability and adaptability.
15-12-2015

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/index.htm

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18 December 2015
UN agency to promote profitable rural smallholder enterprises in Paraguay

18 December 2015
UN agency to help Bolivian government raise economic prosperity in rural areas

18 December 2015
UN agency invests in linking smallholder farmers to commercial markets in Bhutan

ILO International Labour Organization [to 19 December 2015]
http://www.ilo.org/global/lang–en/index.htm

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International Migrants Day
New ILO figures show 150 million migrants in the global workforce
A new ILO statistical study provides estimates on labour migration, including regions and industries where international migrant workers are established and a special focus on migrants in domestic work.
News | 16 December 2015
GENEVA (ILO News) – Migrant workers account for 150.3 million of the world’s approximately 232 million international migrants, according to a new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The report, ILO Global Estimates on Migrant Workers , shows migrant workers account for 72.7 per cent of the 206.6 million working age migrant population (15 years and over). The majority – 83.7 million – are men, with 66.6 million women migrant workers.