UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true

.
WTO: UN experts urge negotiators to deliver on Doha commitments at the Nairobi conference
GENEVA (11 December 2015) – Ahead of the World Trade Organization’s 10th Ministerial Conference, a group of United Nations human rights experts called on Governments across the world to deliver on the Doha Round Development Agenda and not weasel out of prior commitments to address the needs of developing economies.

“If trade is to work for human rights and development it should contribute to the realization of the rights to adequate food, to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and to live in a clean environment,” the UN experts said in a public statement* addressed to negotiators due to gather in the Kenyan capital from 15 to 18 December.

“There is no justification for defaulting on the Doha Round commitments, as such action would have a detrimental impact on human rights in many countries,” the experts observed. They deplored indications that certain developed countries will move for the premature ending of the Doha Round at the upcoming WTO Conference.

The independent experts emphasized that human rights obligations must be reaffirmed in the context of global trade rules to ensure that “WTO negotiations and rules support development efforts to eliminate the root causes of hunger, ill-health, and poverty, strengthen human rights protection and promotion and ultimately ensure that the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals are achieved.”…

UN OCHA [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases
[We generally do not include OCHA Flash Updates on humanitarian crises in this digest]

.
11 Dec 2015
Syrian Arab Republic: Press release on the evacuation of combatants, their families and the critically injured and the delivery of humanitarian supplies in Al Waer (Homs)
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN Country Team in Syria Country: Syrian Arab Republic (Damascus, 11 December 2015) The United Nations (UN) in Syria and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) evacuated over 300 combatants along with their families and the critically injured from Al Waer (Homs) and transferred them into Idleb governorate as stipulated in a local Agreement between the Government of Syria and the Local Committee of Al Waer.

11 Dec 2015
Ukraine: Statement to the Security Council on Ukraine – John Ging, Director of Operations on behalf of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, Kyiv/New York, 11 December 2015

07 Dec 2015
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien Remarks at the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2016

07 Dec 2015
UN and partners launch 2016 humanitarian appeal asking for $20.1 billion, aiming to reach over 87 million people in need

UNICEF [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_78364.html
Selected press releases

.
Saying “children will, and should, judge us,” UNICEF calls for ambitious action on climate change
PARIS, France, 10 December 2015 – Children are already paying a heavy price for the world’s inaction on climate change, UNICEF said.

.
UNICEF plans to reach 2.6 million Syrian children with winter supplies and cash assistance
AMMAN, Jordan, 7 December 2015 – Another harsh winter is looming for more than eight million Syrian children living inside the war-ravaged country or as refugees around the region and beyond.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
Selected Press Releases

.
Canada Welcomes First Syrian Refugee Resettlement Flight
12/11/15
Canada – IOM, in coordination with UNHCR and the governments of Canada and Lebanon, last night successfully moved 163 Syrian refugees from Beirut, Lebanon to Toronto, Canada.

IOM Welcomes Inclusion of ‘Climate Migrants’, ‘Climate Migration’ in Draft Paris COP Agreement
12/11/15
Switzerland – IOM welcomes the inclusion of ‘climate migrants’ and ‘climate migration’ in the text expected to be agreed as part of the Paris climate change agreement.

Migrant Workers Suffer Exploitation, Abuse in Middle East, North Africa: Report
12/11/15
Lebanon – IOM and the Walk Free Foundation (WFF) have called on governments to take more concrete action to protect migrant workers amid worsening conditions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Honduras Commits to Protect Migrant Children’s Rights
12/11/15
Honduras – IOM and Honduras’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation have signed a letter of understanding in which the government pledges to provide sustainability for IOM assistance projects targeting returned migrant children and adolescents.

IOM Appeals for US$ 254 Million for 2016 Syria Operations
12/08/15
Switzerland – The Syria inter-agency appeal was launched this week in Geneva as part of the overall 2016 Humanitarian Appeal.

IOM Monitors Mediterranean Arrivals, Fatalities
12/08/15
Greece – IOM estimates that over 909,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea so far in 2015 – four times the 219,000 recorded in all of 2014.

Management of Cross-Border Movements of Frontier Communities in Mauritania: IOM Study
12/08/15
Mauritania – As part of its European Union (EU)-funded project “Strengthening border management in Mauritania – the involvement of the Gendarmerie,” IOM this week organized a workshop in Nouakchott presenting a feasibility study on how to manage the cross-border movement of border communities.

Papua New Guinea Camp Management Training Targets Drought Response
12/08/15
Papua New Guinea – As weather extremes continue to place severe strains on Pacific nations, the challenges to disaster management authorities become ever steeper.

UN Women [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories
Selected Press Releases

.
Global pledges ramp up campaign to end violence against women
Date: 11 December 2015
International meeting co-organised by UN Women closes with 35 stakeholder commitments for bold steps to end violence against women.

“Every victim of violence must have prompt access to the full range of essential services” — Executive Director
Date: 11 December 2015
Speech by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the High-Level launch of the Essential Services Package at the Ending Violence against Women: Building on Progress to Accelerate Change meeting in Istanbul on 10 December.

Press release: High-level global UN meeting to focus on ending violence against women
Date: 07 December 2015
On 9-10 December, over 150 high-level representatives from over 40 UN Member States and the Council of Europe (CoE), UN agencies, academia and NGOs plan to attend Ending Violence against Women: Building on Progress to Accelerate Change, a high-level global UN meeting in Istanbul to assess progress, identify challenges and renew global political commitments to end the pandemic of violence against women and girls.

WHO & Regionals [to 12 December 2015]

New global framework to eliminate rabies
News release
10 DECEMBER 2015 | GENEVA – A new framework to eliminate human rabies and save tens of thousands of lives each year has been launched today by WHO, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Alliance for the Control of Rabies (GARC).

The framework calls for 3 key actions – making human vaccines and antibodies affordable, ensuring people who get bitten receive prompt treatment, and mass dog vaccinations to tackle the disease at its source.

“Rabies is 100% preventable through vaccination and timely immunization after exposure, but access to post-bite treatment is expensive and is not affordable in many Asian and African countries. If we follow this more comprehensive approach, we can consign rabies to the history books,” says WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan…

Global elimination of human rabies – The time is now!
On 10 and 11 December 2015, experts, donors, and veterinary and public health officials will adopt a plan of action that is expected to deliver prompt post-exposure prophylaxis for all in rabies endemic areas as well as a framework for scaling up sustained, large-scale dog vaccination. This milestone international conference will also discuss a push for coordinated activities targeting dog and human populations by adapting proven control strategies.

Another important component is harnessing support for community awareness and engagement to facilitate and strengthen data collection, bite incidence reporting and demand for post-exposure prophylaxis. Educating children on how to avoid being bitten is also vital.

The conference “Global elimination of dog-mediated human rabies – The time is now” is jointly organized by WHO and the OIE, in collaboration with FAO with the support of GARC.

.

:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: The road to universal health coverage: a case study on Gabon
11 December 2015 — Mobile phones are becoming one of the world’s most important health tools, used in many countries to track exercise, ensure medicines are genuine, and even to read blood glucose levels. In Gabon, they’re being used to raise revenue for the national health system. A 10% levy on the revenues of mobile phone companies and on mobile phone usage, introduced by Gabon’s government in 2008, has helped to more than double the funds for a health insurance programme that now covers 99% of the equatorial nation’s poor, giving them access to critical health services such as care…

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: Experts seek ways to boost public spending on health in Latin America and the Caribbean to achieve and sustain universal health (12/07/2015)

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

WHO European Region EURO
:: A strong agreement from COP21 matters to health – and to the European Region 11-12-2015

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO condemns attack on Al Houban clinic in Taiz, Yemen run by MSF, wounding 9 people
7 December 2015

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: Malaysia and WHO tackle the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children
KUALA LUMPUR, 7 December 2015 – Recognizing the need to protect children from unhealthy diet, the Malaysian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) regional offices for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific convened a bi-regional workshop to guide Member States in restricting the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children.

UNAIDS [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/

.
UNAIDS and IPPF join efforts to Fast-Track the response to HIV
Geneva, 11 December 2015—UNAIDS and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) have signed a memorandum of understanding to Fast-Track access to HIV services by 2020. Under the partnership, UNAIDS and IPPF will support the delivery of high-impact HIV advocacy, prevention and treatment services, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

.
Message from the Executive Director of UNAIDS on Human Rights Day 2015
09 December 2015 |

UN Division for Sustainable Development [to 12 December 2015]
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/
SDGs: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics

.
Establishment of the SIDS Partnership Framework
10 Dec 2015 – On 4 December 2015, the General Assembly’s Second Committee adopted a draft resolution that decides to establish the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Partnership Framework in line with the priorities of Small Island developing States.

The establishment of the SIDS Partnership Framework was requested by the outcome of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, the SAMOA Pathway, in order to monitor and ensure the full implementation of pledges and commitments through partnerships for Small Island developing States, and encourage new, genuine and durable partnerships for the sustainable development of SIDS.

.
SG’s High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport to advance transport solutions to climate change
8 Dec 2015 – The UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport, meeting on the margins of the Paris Climate Conference, pledged to highlight the critical role that sustainable transport will play in addressing climate change.

“Transport is currently responsible for nearly a quarter of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. “The Advisory Group can help make sustainable transport a part of the solution to the climate crisis.”

The 16 members of the Group asserted that through innovation—in operations and policy as well as in technology—the transport sector can lower emissions while ensuring access to markets, services and social interaction for people in all parts of the world…

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1
Selected Press Releases

.
New UN Report Details Link between Climate Change and Human Rights
Released on Human Rights Day, ahead of the finalization of a new climate agreement, Climate Change and Human Rights provides a comprehensive study of the links between human rights law and climate change.
10/12/2015

Africa-Led Renewable Energy Project Receives Billions in Backing from International Community
08/12/2015

Urgent Call for Zero-emission Vehicles as Part of Global Climate Change Mitigation Strategy
Zero emissions vehicles need to be seen as part of a wider move towards a cleaner transport sector that includes better city planning, public transport and non-motorized transport.
08/12/2015

UNEP Signs MOU with ICLEI
The future of what happens in our societies will be largely determined by what happens in the cities of our world.
08/12/2015 00

Actions on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Developing Countries Could Reduce Emissions by 1.7 Gt/year by 2020
First Report of 1 Gigaton Coalition Finds Potential for Further Reductions
07/12/2015

UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news.html
Selected Press Releases

.
Global economy faces major headwinds – modest improvement projected for next two years
10 December 2015, New York
The world economy stumbled in 2015 and only a modest improvement is projected for 2016/17 as a number of cyclical and structural headwinds persist, says the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2016 report, launched today.

UNESCO [to 12 December 2015]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases

.
Director-General welcomes COP21 agreement and underlines the momentum in changing minds not the climate
12 December 2015

.
Guidelines for Accessible Information in Learning available in 23 languages
11 December 2015

.
UNESCO presents its first report on impact of 2005 Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions
11 December 2015
Have the countries that ratified the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted at UNESCO ten years ago, stepped up their support for cultural creation, encouraged diversity for the media, opened their markets to cultural goods from developing countries? These are some of the questions addressed in the report Re | Shaping Cultural Policies: A Decade Promoting the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for Development, which will be launched on 16 December (10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Room II) at UNESCO Headquarters [*Webcast: mms://stream.unesco.org/live/room_2_en.wmv ]

.
UNESCO Director-General welcomes historic UN Security Council Resolution on Youth, Peace and Security
10 December 2015
On 10 December, the UNESCO Director-General welcomed the United Nations Security Council Resolution on Youth, Peace and Security. Sponsored by Jordan, Resolution 2250 underlines the vital role of young women and men in building peace and countering the rise of violent extremism

.
Qatar Development Fund boosts UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund
8 December 2015
The Qatar Development Fund (QDF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) signed today their first Memorandum of Understanding to support the implementation of UNESCO’s programme for the protection of cultural and natural heritage in emergency situations.

The MOU provides a $2 million grant as part of a 2014 pledge by H.E. the Prime Minister of the State of Qatar, Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Thani, to donate $10 million to support UNESCO in conserving world heritage sites in areas hit by natural and man-made disasters.

UNESCO’s Programme for Heritage Emergency Preparedness and Response aims to enhance UNESCO’s ability to assist Member States in reducing the risks to their cultural and natural heritage and ensure a timely and effective response in emergency situations to ensure their safeguarding…

…The Heritage Emergency Fund will support capacity building and training activities for professionals in conflict situations and emergency response activities.

Signed at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the agreement comes as the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO has adopted a comprehensive strategy for the protection and promotion of culture and pluralism in times of war.

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/allpress.html?ref=fp

.
08/12/2015 –
Experts gather in Vienna to discuss latest findings in drug prevention and drug dependance treatments

UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme [to 12 December 2015]
http://unhabitat.org/media-centre/news/
[Selected Announcements]

.
Cities in spotlight at Climate Change Summit COP21
Paris, 8th December 2015. City leaders can become critical actors in addressing the global challenges of climate change. The effects of urbanisation and climate change are converging in very threatening ways: Cities consume 78 per cent of…
Posted December 11, 2015

Experts meet on role of metropolitan development in New Urban Agenda
Guadalajara, 10 December 2015— About 30 international experts last week participated in a Global Experts Group Meeting (EGM) “The Role of Metropolitan Development in Supporting the New Urban Agenda”, in Guadalajara (Mexico).

Deputy Executive Director decries inequality in African cities
Johannesburg 4 December 2015, The Deputy Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Dr. Aisa Kacyira Kirabo has warned that the wide inequality witnessed in African cities was the greatest threat to sustainable urbanization on the continent. “It is good…
Posted December 7, 2015

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2015/en/
[Selected Announcements]

.
Breakthrough climate agreement recognizes food security as a priority
FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva welcomed the successful conclusion of the Paris Climate Summit saying that “for the first time ever, food security features in a global climate change accord.” The Paris Agreement recognizes “the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the impacts of climate change”.
12-12-2015

Study reveals disturbing hunger trends in world’s highland areas
While global hunger figures are decreasing, the number of food insecure people in mountain areas rose 30 percent between 2000 and 2012, according to a new study, released today by FAO and the Mountain Partnership on International Mountain Day.
11-12-2015

Align trade and agricultural development policies better to achieve food security
Policy makers must assure that international food trade rules “work for, and not against, the elimination of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition,” according to The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets.
9-12-2015

UNDP, FAO to scale up assistance to countries on addressing climate change risks in agriculture
A UN Programme working to help countries include climate-related risks in national planning and budgeting processes – especially those that affect the agriculture sector – is getting an additional €5 million in support from the government of Germany.
8-12-2015

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/index.htm

.
Smallholder farmers need seat at climate table
Paris, 7 December 2015: Short-term, reactive solutions are not enough to help smallholder farmers cope with climate change, according to a new report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

“If we are going to sustainably improve the livelihoods of the developing world’s smallholder farmers in the context of a changing climate, we need to ensure that their priorities are understood and reflected in policies,” says IFAD’s Vice President Michel Mordasini.

The report, prepared by IFAD, suggests that practical technical interventions, such as enhanced seeds and accurate weather forecasts, are not enough and that ultimately national policies, a legal framework, strategies and budgets will shape the opportunities for large numbers of rural women and men to adapt to a changing environment…

ILO International Labour Organization [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.ilo.org/global/lang–en/index.htm

.
2015 Labour Overview
ILO: 1.7 million people joined the ranks of the unemployed in 2015 in Latin America and the Caribbean
10 December 2015
The ILO’s 2015 Labour Overview indicates that the economic slowdown has caused a rise in unemployment, particularly among women and young people, and there are signs of increased informality. The situation is worrying and poses policy challenges to the countries of the region. Unemployment could rise again in 2016.

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/pressrelease.aspx

.
Safety, Security and Development Concerns Top Agenda as ICAO President Addresses 25th AFCAC Plenary in Cairo
9/12/15

International Civil Aviation Day 2015
7/12/15

IMO International Maritime Organization [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/Home.aspx

.
Illegal wildlife trade faces zero-tolerance policy
10/12/2015
A zero-tolerance policy towards the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) was among several concrete measures agreed this week (9th December 2015) by members of the United for Wildlife International Taskforce on the Transportation of Illegal Wildlife Products.

Members of the taskforce, including IMO, agreed the text of a declaration, to be signed next March, containing firm commitments to tackle IWT. Many within the transport sector, including companies represented on the task force, have agreed to enforce a zero-tolerance policy by never knowingly facilitating or tolerating the carriage of illegal wildlife or illegal wildlife products. The policy will be included in documents such as conditions of carriage, employment and client contracts as well as in marketing material.

The declaration also includes commitments to establish a harmonised mechanism for sharing information about IWT and to develop the use of due diligence and risk assessment systems to identify potential IWT shipments. Companies will also be encouraged to establish mechanisms for reporting suspicious activity to enforcement authorities and develop appropriate staff-training programmes.

A cross-disciplinary team will be established to work with local customs and law enforcement authorities to develop a system of best practice for combatting illegal wildlife trade in key ports, and the World Customs Organisation and national customs authorities will be supported in developing mechanisms to aid detecting and preventing IWT.

The commitments included in the declaration will, if adopted by the wider transport sector, help break the chain between suppliers and consumers and lead to a tangible and significant reduction in the volume of IWT…

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 12 December 2015]
https://www.wmo.int/media/?q=news

.
Global Carbon Budget released
8 December 2015
The 2015 Global Carbon Budget, released during the UN Climate Change negotiations, said that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels and industry increased by 0.6% in 2014, with a total of about 9.8 Gigatonnes of carbon (GtC (billion tonnes of carbon) emitted to the atmosphere. This is 60% above emissions in 1990, the Kyoto Protocol reference year.
The report from the Global Carbon Project, which is co-sponsored by the World Climate Research Programme, said emissions in 2015 are projected to decline by -0.6% (range -1.6% to +0.5%)…

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization [to 12 December 2015]
http://www.unido.org/en/news-centre/news.html

.
Global manufacturing output grows modestly with downward trend in developing and emerging industrial economies
VIENNA, 10 December 2015 – World manufacturing output grew modestly by 2.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2015. For the first time in recent years, the growth trend in industrialized economies was upward compared to declining trend in developing and emerging industrial economies, according to a report by the United Nations Industrial development Organization (UNIDO)….

Manufacturing output grew by 1.5 per cent in industrialized economies, up from 0.9 per cent in previous quarter. In developing and emerging industrial economies, the growth rate dropped to 5.0 per cent, down from 5.3 per cent in previous quarter.

.
Climate change mitigation in CIS countries on agenda of Vienna workshop
VIENNA, 7 December 2015 – Some 40 participants attended a workshop that opened in Vienna today which focused on developing programmes for climate change mitigation, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of clean technologies uptake in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.