The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announces new $776 million investment in nutrition to tackle child mortality and help all women and children survive and thrive
Melinda Gates makes announcement in Brussels during European Development Days

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (June 3, 2015, 12:30pm CET) – Melinda Gates today urged European leaders to make the health and nutrition of women and children a top priority, and announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will more than double its investments in nutrition to $776 million over the next six years as part of a new commitment to nutrition. The co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation made the announcement at the European Development Days (EDD), Europe’s leading forum on development and international cooperation organized by the European Commission.

“Malnutrition is the underlying cause of nearly half of all under-5 child deaths,” said Gates. “Yet for too long the world has underinvested in nutrition. Today we see an opportunity to change that. Along with the Gates Foundation, many European donors are now prioritizing nutrition, which we believe will be one of the fundamental solutions to help cut child mortality in half by 2030.”

The announcement unlocks $180 million in additional matched funding from the UK’s Department for International Development who had committed to match 1:2 any pledge additional to those made at the Nutrition for Growth summit in 2013.

Every year, millions of children die because they don’t get the optimal nutrition during the critical 1,000 day period from their mother’s pregnancy until their second birthday. Children who miss out on good nutrition during this time never fully grow physically or mentally, limiting their ability to learn in school and reducing their productivity as adults.

The Gates Foundation’s new approach to nutrition will:
:: Reach women and children with solutions proven to improve nutrition, such as breastfeeding and food fortification, and expand research into innovative new approaches.
:: Help women and adolescent girls before they become pregnant, improving the likelihood they’ll have a safe pregnancy and a healthy, well-nourished child.
:: Improve food systems (in conjunction with the agriculture sector) to help ensure people have better access to safe, nutritious and affordable food year-round.
:: Catalyze a data revolution in nutrition to strengthen the evidence-base for action, inform decisions and track progress toward goals and commitments.
:: Focus work in India, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, where there is both a high burden of malnutrition and a significant opportunity to affect positive change…

…At the event, the foundation also announced a new $500,000 grant to the European Commission to support the Commission’s National Information Platforms for Nutrition initiative, which aims to strengthen countries’ ability to track and analyze the impact of their nutrition programs…

Global Nutrition Report 2014
ACTIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE WORLD’S PROGRESS ON NUTRITION
A PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION
International Food Policy Research Institute
ISBN: 978-0-89629-564-3
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2499/9780896295643
June 2015 :: 118 pages
:: Translations (full report): Français | Español | Português
:: eBook formats: Google Play | Google Books | iTunes | Kindle

Malnutrition affects one in two people on the planet. Of these, 162 million children under the age of five are estimated to be stunted (i.e. low height for age). Two billion people are estimated to be deficient in one or more micronutrients. Nearly 1.5 billion people are estimated to be overweight and over 500 million to be obese. These conditions all have severe consequences for survival, for morbidity, and for the ability of individuals, the economy and society to thrive. In relation to the scale that these problems imply, the allocation of public resources to their prevention and amelioration is minuscule. Resources to specific nutrition programmes amount to a small fraction of one per cent of domestic or aid budgets.

The Global Nutrition Report convenes existing processes, highlights progress in combating malnutrition and identifies gaps and proposes ways to fill them. Through this, the Report helps to guide action, build accountability and spark increased commitment for further progress towards reducing malnutrition much faster.

At its core, the Report aims to empower nutrition champions at the national level to better inform policy decisions and to strengthen the case for increased resources. A repository of global and country-level nutrition data and analysis, the Report also provides civil society organisations (CSOs), donors, governments, the business sector, researchers, the media and engaged citizens with evidence of the current scale of malnutrition, the measures being taken to combat it, as well as highlighting what more needs to be done.

The 2014 Report is funded through the support of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Government of Canada, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the European Commission, Irish Aid, 1,000 Days and the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition & Health.

The Report was delivered by an Independent Expert Group and guided at a strategic level by a Stakeholder Group, whose members also reviewed the Report. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) oversaw the production and dissemination of the Report, with the support of the Secretariat based at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). The Lancet, the premier peer-reviewed medical journal, managed the blind external review process for the Report, which was launched during the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) in Rome in November 2014. There will be follow-up events for the Report in a several cities around the world.

2015 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report – Transforming Governance
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme
2015 :: 132 pages
ISBN: 978-92-95045-80-4
Abstract
The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2015 is the first global review of the power of volunteer voices to help improve the way people are governed. Drawing on evidence from countries as diverse as Brazil, Kenya, Lebanon and Bangladesh, the UN report shows how ordinary people are volunteering their time, energies and skills to improve the way they are governed and engaged at local, national and global levels. Better governance at every level is a pre-requisite for the success of the new set of targets for future international development, the Sustainable Development Goals, which are due to be agreed at the United Nations in September 2015.

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Press Release
Volunteers vital to success of new global development agenda, UN report says
05 June 2015
New York, USA: Volunteers are playing a vital role in making governments worldwide more accountable and responsive to their citizens, but their potential is seriously under-valued, a new report from the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme said today.

The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2015 is the first global survey of the contribution of volunteers to better governance, a prerequisite for the success of the new Sustainable Development Goals to be agreed at the United Nations in September.

Drawing on evidence from countries as diverse as Brazil, Kenya, Lebanon and Bangladesh, the UN report, entitled “Transforming Governance”, shows how ordinary people are volunteering their time, energies and skills to improve the way they are governed at local, national and global levels.

Volunteers are working with governments and civil society to hold those in power to account, to influence policies and laws and to represent the voices of those who are often left out of development decisions. The end result, the report says, is more inclusive – and ultimately more effective – development.

“By creating environments for people to volunteer their time, it is possible to use their skills and knowledge for the common good in the sphere of governance,” said Richard Dictus, Executive Coordinator of UNV. “Change will occur with greater civic engagement broadening the number of people who have voice, who can participate and who can hold governance actors to account.”

More than 1 billion people volunteer globally, the majority of them working in their own countries. Many are in the forefront of efforts to improve the way they and their fellow citizens are governed.

Recommended steps include:
:: Engaging more volunteers in the process of crafting policies and putting them into action;
:: Integrating volunteers formally into national development frameworks and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) strategies;
:: Engaging more volunteer women and marginalized groups in local and national decision-making.

The aim of the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2015, UNV says, is to spark a global conversation about the role of volunteers in the area of governance that is so critical to future development success.

Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health
A State of Knowledge Review
World Health Organization and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, 2015.
Languages: English :: 364 pages
ISBN: 9789241508537
Pdfs:
:: Read the publication
:: Loss of biodiversity impacts human health (web release)pdf, 34kb
:: Read the key messages pdf, 155kb
Overview
Healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems. They provide clean air, fresh water, medicines and food security. They also limit disease and stabilize the climate. But biodiversity loss is happening at unprecedented rates, impacting human health worldwide, according to a new state of knowledge review of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and WHO.

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Press Release
Loss of biodiversity impacts human health, says CBD and WHO
Montreal, 4 June 2015 – Healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems. They provide clean air, fresh water, medicines and food security. They also limit disease and stabilize the climate. But biodiversity loss is happening at unprecedented rates, impacting human health worldwide, according to a new state of knowledge review of the Convention on Biological Diversity and World Health Organization.

The report, Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health, launched today in Brussels at Green Week 2015, Europe’s biggest annual conference on environmental policy, focuses on the complex and multi-faceted connections between biodiversity and human health, and how the loss of biodiversity and corresponding ecosystem services may negatively influence health. One of the first integrative reviews of its kind, the report brings together knowledge from several scientific disciplines, including public health, conservation, agriculture, epidemiology and development.

“This state of knowledge review is a significant contribution to our understanding of the complex relationships between biodiversity and health,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “Increasing our knowledge enables us to develop effective solutions capable of strengthening ecosystem resilience and mitigating the forces that impede their ability to deliver life-supporting services.”

All aspects of human well-being depend on ecosystem goods and services, which in turn depend on biodiversity. Biodiversity loss can destabilize ecosystems, promote outbreaks of infectious disease, and undermine development progress, nutrition, security and protection from natural disasters,” said Dr Maria Neira, World Health Organization Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “Protecting public health from these risks lies outside of the traditional roles of the Health sector. We are ready to work with other sectors to bring about change.”

Access to sufficient quantity, quality and diversity of foods, clean air, freshwater, medicines and healthcare are not only central to maintaining healthy populations, they are foundational pillars of sustainable development. Meeting these needs while facing the persistent challenges of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, emerging disease pandemics and shifting disease burdens is not an insurmountable feat, but it does require concerted action, based on robust evidence and coordinated cross-sector solutions. This comprehensive report brings this knowledge to the forefront, demonstrating that biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and ill health often share common threats and pointing toward innovative, mutually-supportive and cross-sectoral solutions.

This contribution is especially timely as governments finalize agreement on the post-2015 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals and prepare to reach new global commitments to tackle climate change by the end of 2015.

Among the shared threats identified throughout the report, land-use change is identified as an important driver of biodiversity loss with concurrent implications for many of our most pressing public health challenges. For example, land use change through deforestation is a leading driver of disease emergence in humans and is believed to have contributed to the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

While the resulting development of our freshwater and terrestrial resources is also associated with some health benefits, these are unevenly distributed, often to the detriment of our most vulnerable populations and carry unintended consequences. For example, under unsustainable conditions, industrial agricultural practices in many parts of the world may also exacerbate biodiversity loss, pest and disease outbreaks, micronutrient deficiencies, antibiotic resistance and the impacts of climate change on the health. These outcomes are not inevitable. They can be averted through concerted global efforts, by connecting our vast scientific and local knowledge, and developing coherent, cross-sectoral policy priorities toward a healthier, more equitable, sustainable future.

Contributions from over 100 scientists and practitioners working in global public health and biodiversity conservation policy were included in the report, including experts from Bioversity International, COHAB Initiative, DIVERSITAS, EcoHealth Alliance, Harvard School of Public Health, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, IUCN, United Nations University, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

The Africa Competitiveness Report 2015
World Bank Group.
2015/06/01 – Report Number 96997 :: 206 pages
Bah, El-hadj M.; Conde, Carlos; Di Battista, Attilio; Hanouz, Margareta Drzeniek; Galvan, Caroline; Heinrigs, Philipp; Hoffman, Barak Daniel; Mckenna, Jonathan Miles; Moyo, Jennifer Mbabazi; O’Sullivan, Anthony; Saez, Juan Sebastian; Speakman, John F.; Verdier-Chouchane, Audrey
Complete Report: Official PDF, 206 pages
Abstract
The Africa Competitiveness Report 2015 comes out at a promising time for the continent: for 15 years growth rates have averaged over 5 percent, and rapid population growth holds the promise of a large emerging consumer market as well as an unprecedented labor force that – if leveraged – can provide significant growth opportunities. Moreover, the expansion of innovative business models, such as mobile technology services, is indicative of the continent’s growth potential. However, Africa continues to be largely agrarian, with an economy that is underpinned by resource-driven growth and a large and expanding informal sector. Indeed, more than a decade of consistently high growth rates have not yet trickled down to significant parts of the population: nearly one out of two Africans continue to live in extreme poverty, and income inequality in the region remains among the highest in the world. What is more, across sectors – from agriculture to manufacturing and services – productivity levels remain low. It will be necessary to raise productivity across all sectors of the economy to achieve higher growth and create quality employment, and turn this progress into sustainable inclusive growth.

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Press Release
Boosting Agriculture, Services and Value Chains is Key to Africa’s Competitiveness
African Competitiveness Report 2015
CAPE TOWN, June 4, 2015—
:: Despite high economic growth, competitiveness in Africa is stagnating, with few signs that productivity is rising, thus hindering the prospect of inclusive and sustained growth.
:: Poor-quality institutions, infrastructure, health and education hold competitiveness down, although efficiency in goods and labor markets is improving.
:: Supporting Africa’s structural transformation will require a comprehensive policy mix that prioritizes transport and ICT infrastructure, education, trade and further regulatory reform.

African economies’ prospects for long-term, sustainable growth are under threat from weakness in the core conditions necessary for competitive and productive economies, despite outwardly healthy-looking growth rates in many parts of the region, according to the African Competitiveness Report, which is published today.

The biennial report, themed Transforming Africa’s Economies, combines detailed data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) with studies on three key areas of economic activity; agricultural productivity, services sector growth and global and regional value chains. The data points to low and stagnating productivity across all sectors: agriculture, manufacturing and services, partly as a result of ongoing weakness in the basic drivers of competitiveness, such as institutions, infrastructure, health and education. This shortfall masks a better performance in other areas of the economy; specifically, better functioning of labour and goods markets.

In view of Africa’s young and growing population, labour-intensive sectors must play a larger role in the continent’s transformation: the growth in services – both in terms of GDP and employment – cannot propel Africa’s growth alone, and even here development remains uneven, with too many people employed in low productivity services.

“Due to the rapid growth of Africa’s working-age population, investments in highly productive labor-intensive sectors will be crucial to create more globally competitive economies. These investments will also promote the regional agenda for inclusive growth and generate much-needed employment opportunities for women and youth,” said Barak Hoffman, World Bank Group Governance Specialist and co-author of the report.

Key findings from the report’s analysis include:
:: Improving agricultural productivity:
Agriculture provides an important source of income for the majority of African citizens, but productivity remains too low and based on small-scale subsistence production. Improvements such as better leveraging of technology (both information and communications technologies, as well as development of high-yield crops and better irrigation), more clearly defined land property rights and promotion of rights and opportunities for women, who represent a significant share of the agricultural workforce on the continent, are all needed to address this. Moreover, enabling greater market access for small-scale farmers would help ensure inclusiveness, while the development of regional value chains would serve as a useful stepping stone, enabling them to improve production and marketing processes, and ultimately to meet the quality standards of world markets.

:: Leveraging services:
Services exports are typically viewed as an area of comparative advantage for more advanced economies, but a deeper examination of trade statistics suggests that they are much more significant for Africa than previously thought, especially as inputs into exports from other sectors. Further development of low-cost, high-quality services will help countries participate in local, regional and global value chains. It will also encourage policy-makers to promote services development as part of a wider growth agenda.

:: Tapping global value chains (GVCs):
Greater participation in global and regional value chains can accelerate African economic transformation through the gains associated with enhanced productivity and the development of new activities. However, gains from GVC participation are not automatic and require a broad set of policies, with a particular focus on trade facilitation, investment, transport infrastructure and access to finance. Many of these policy areas have economy-wide benefits beyond GVC integration.

EBOLA/EVD [to 6 June 2015]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC); “Threat to international peace and security” (UN Security Council) .
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WHO: Ebola Situation Report – 3 June 2015 [Excerpts] SUMMARY :: Since the week ending 10 May, when a 10-month low of 9 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) were reported from 2 prefectures of Guinea and 1 district of Sierra Leone, both the intensity and geographical area of EVD transmission have increased. In the week ending 31 May, a total of 25 confirmed cases were reported from 4 prefectures of Guinea and 3 districts of Sierra Leone. Several cases in both Guinea and Sierra Leone arose from unknown sources of infection in areas that have not reported confirmed cases for several weeks, indicating that chains of transmission continue to go undetected. Rigorous contact tracing, active case finding, and infection prevention and control must be maintained at current intensive levels in order to uncover and break every chain of transmission. However, the onset of the rainy season will make field operations more difficult from now onwards. COUNTRIES WITH WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE TRANSMISSION :: There have been a total of 27 145 reported confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of EVD in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone (figure 1, table 1), with 11 147 reported deaths (this total includes reported deaths among probable and suspected cases, although outcomes for many cases are unknown). A total of 13 new confirmed cases were reported in Guinea and 12 in Sierra Leone in the 7 days to 31 May. The outbreak in Liberia was declared over on 9 May.

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Video: Ebola Briefing – General Assembly, Informal meeting of the plenary 2 June 2015 Fifth informal meeting of the plenary to hear a briefing by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, concerning the public health crisis emanating from the Ebola virus outbreak. Mr. Peter Graaff, Acting Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), and Mr. David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Ebola, will deliver statements http://webtv.un.org/watch/ebola-briefing-general-assembly-informal-meeting-of-the-plenary/4271433354001#full-text WHO:

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An unprecedented response to an unprecedented outbreak 4 June 2015 — Since notifying the world of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa on 23 March 2014, WHO has, in partnership with the international health community, mobilized its largest ever outbreak response. WHO’s public health expertise, linkages with government and technical networks are unparalleled. This enables collaboration across multiple UN agencies, mobilization of foreign medical teams, deployment of specialized laboratories, training, delivery of millions of sets of personal protective equipment, and rapid development of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics. Read more on WHO’s achievements

United Nations – Secretary General, Security Council, General Assembly  [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/

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Selected Press Releases/Meetings Coverage
5 June 2015
SC/11921
Security Council Press Statement on Attacks against Civilians in Syria

4 June 2015
SC/11919-AFR/3152
Security Council Press Statement on Burundi

4 June 2015
GA/PAL/1334
Palestinians in ‘Catch 22’ amid Doubts about Their Authority, Constraining Aid, But ‘Collective Process’ on Statehood Envisioned, Rights Committee Told
Urging the international community to shun unmet expectations from direct Palestinian-Israeli talks over the past 20 years, the top representative of the observer State of Palestine called for the application of a “collective process”, which had shown promising results on Iran, Syria and Ukraine.

3 June 2015
SG/SM/16817-AFR/3149
Secretary-General to Set Up External Review to Examine United Nations Handling of Sexual Abuse Allegations in Central African Republic

3 June 2015
SC/11916-AFR/3150
Security Council Press Statement on South Sudan

2 June 2015
SC/11915
Security Council Press Statement on the Situation in Yemen

2 June 2015
SG/SM/16814-GA/11650
Along ‘Last Mile’ of Ebola Response, Secretary-General Warns Assembly: Investments, Sacrifices Could Be Lost Unless ‘We Complete the Job’

1 June 2015
SG/SM/16812
Secretary-General Praises Canada’s Truth, Reconciliation Commission for Setting Example by Addressing Systemic Rights Violations against Indigenous Peoples

UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true

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Zeid calls for justice for rights abuses in Nigeria
GENEVA (5 June 2015) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Friday said interviews with individuals who had fled or were rescued from towns previously held by Boko Haram painted a picture of “absolute terror and grave human rights violations” by the insurgents in northeast Nigeria, and also yielded reports of violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law by Nigerian armed forces.

The High Commissioner urged the new administration of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent measures to bring to justice perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses, whether non-State or State actors. He also called on the authorities to ensure that counter-insurgency operations do not result in furthering the human rights devastation in the northeast of the country…

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=&comid=4a0950336&cid=49aea93a7d&scid=49aea93a40

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UNHCR deeply concerned about abduction of asylum-seekers in eastern Sudan
5 June 2015

UNHCR launches its 2015 World Refugee Day Campaign
2 June 2015

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

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Selected Press Releases
More Europeans Migrate to Latin America, Caribbean than Other Way Around: IOM Study
06/05/15
Switzerland – IOM has released a study today that reveals a trend of increased migration flows from the EU to Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Renewed Violence Displaces More People in Northern Mali
06/05/15
Mali – Renewed fighting in northern Mali has displaced some 59,000 people in the regions of Timbuktu, Gao and Mopti.

IOM, Ghana, Launch EU-Funded Migration Consultation Centre
06/05/15
Ghana – IOM and Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have begun construction of a Migration Consultation Centre (MCC) in Sunyani. The construction is part of a larger information campaign to promote safe and legal migration under IOM’s Ghana Integrated Migration Management Approach (GIMMA) project, funded by the European Union (EU).

Cambodia Receives First Group of Refugees from Nauru
06/04/15
Cambodia – The first group of refugees to be settled from Nauru to Cambodia landed today (4/6) on a commercial flight in Phnom Penh.

Most G20 Nations “Want Immigration Levels Maintained or Increased”: IOM
06/02/15
Turkey – An IOM / Gallup survey of G20 governments prepared at the request of Turkish G20 presidency shows positive views of immigration.

Peak Sailing Season Sees More Mediterranean Migrant Rescues, Deaths
06/02/15
Italy – Nearly 5,000 migrants were rescued in the Channel of Sicily over the weekend, as part of the expanded EU search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean.

UN OCHA [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases

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04 Jun 2015
Iraq: UN Assistant Secretary-General Kyung-Wha Kang, remarks at the launch of the humanitarian response plan for Iraq

03 Jun 2015
Central African Republic: Appointment of a new Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African Republic

03 Jun 2015
World: The League of Arab States and the United Nations Renew Commitment to Work Together on Humanitarian Action [EN/AR]

03 Jun 2015
Nepal: More funds needed to assist 2.8 million earthquake survivors in Nepal

02 Jun 2015
Afghanistan: Statement from the Humanitarian Coordinator, Mark Bowden: Aid workers killed in Afghanistan

01 Jun 2015
United Republic of Tanzania: UN Emergency Fund releases $15 million to support thousands fleeing Burundi

01 Jun 2015
World: Stephen O’Brien takes up the role of UN Humanitarian Chief

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive

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Asia meets to implement Sendai Framework
Seventeen of the world’s most disaster-prone countries are meeting this week in Bangkok to discuss how to press forward with implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction across Asia.
4 Jun 2015

UN General Assembly endorses global disaster risk plan
The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, today welcomed the UN General Assembly’s endorsement of a new global plan to reduce deaths and injuries, the numbers of people affected and economic losses arising from disasters.
4 Jun 2015

UNICEF [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_78364.html

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Selected press release and news notes
New formulation of HIV treatment to save more children’s lives — UNICEF and UNAIDS
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 5 June 2015—Children affected by HIV and AIDS will benefit from the decision by the United States Food and Drug Administration to grant approval to a new antiretroviral formulation that can be mixed with food to make it easier for children living with HIV to take the life-saving medicines, UNAIDS and UNICEF said today.

Iraq on the brink of humanitarian disaster due to surging conflict and massive funding shortfall warns UN
BRUSSELS, 4 June, 2015 – Vital aid operations supporting millions of people affected by the conflict in Iraq risk closure unless funds are made available immediately, the official overseeing humanitarian operations in the country said today.

Child victims of violence rarely have access to justice, UNICEF says
BRUSSELS, 3 June 2015 — Most child victims of violence in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia find themselves unable to speak up and file charges in court, according to a new UNICEF regional report launched here today.

Child maltreatment in Asia-Pacific is costing countries US $209 billion each year, says UNICEF
BANGKOK, 2 June 2015 – Child abuse and violence is costing countries in East Asia and the Pacific around US $209 billion/year, equivalent to 2 percent of the region’s GDP, according to newly published research commissioned by UNICEF. This is the first ever costing of child maltreatment in the region and was conducted by a team of global experts using a proven methodology previously employed in Australia and the US. [4 pages]

UN Women [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

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Selected Press Releases
Boosting financial and business literacy in Rwanda
Date : June 2, 2015
Over 200 executive women from government, private enterprises, and international organizations took part in a two-hour financial planning and business investment seminar dubbed “Finishing Rich”, the first in a series of luncheon-events supported by the Rwanda Development Board, UN Women and the International Finance Corporation (IFC)…

Income empowers Kilimanjaro women to seek justice
Date : June 1, 2015
Through a programme supported by UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality, more than 1,000 women have joined savings and loans groups, started businesses, and sought legal advice to claim their rights…

WHO & Regionals [to 6 June 2015]
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Liberia tackles measles as Ebola comes to an end
2 June 2015
As Liberia emerges from the devastating Ebola epidemic, it has been battling the worst measles outbreak in years. The Ebola outbreak led to the collapse of most health services in Liberia, including routine vaccinations. The Liberian government moved swiftly to organize a countrywide vaccination campaign with the help of WHO and partners.
Read more about the vaccination campaign

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WHO and the Republic of Korea to carry out joint mission for the MERS-CoV outbreak
5 June 2015 — The pressing objective of this joint mission is to gain information and review the situation in the Republic of Korea including the epidemiological pattern, the characteristic of the virus and clinical features. The team will also assess the public health response efforts and provide recommendations for response measures going forward.

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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the Republic of Korea: situation assessment
June 2015 — The outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the Republic of Korea continues to evolve. WHO is in close contact with the country’s government and Ministry of Health, and is receiving information as soon as facts are confirmed.

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Global Alert and Response (GAR) – Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
6 June 2015 – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
6 June 2015 – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
5 June 2015 – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
4 June 2015 – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
4 June 2015 – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

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The Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) 5 June 2015, vol. 90, 23 (pp. 281–296) includes
…Review of the 2014–2015 influenza season in the northern hemisphere

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:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Dr Moeti applauds Zambia for reducing illnesses and deaths of mothers and children
Lusaka, 04 June 2015 – The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti has applauded the Zambian government for progress made in reducing deaths and illnesses amongst women and children under five years old.
:: WHO strengthens capacities of national blood transfusion systems in Ebola-affected countries – 02 June 2015

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WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: PAHO/WHO urges measles and rubella vaccination for travelers to the 2015 Americas Cup (06/04/2015)

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WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: Medical Camp Kits replace primary health care facilities before onset of Nepal’s monsoon  01 June 2015

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WHO European Region EURO
:: Diphtheria detected in Spain 05-06-2015
:: Dramatic increase in Caesarean sections 01-06-2015

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WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Inequality has transformed surviving childhood into a global postcode lottery (commentary)  3 June 2015
:: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the Republic of Korea  2 June 2015

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WHO Western Pacific Region
:: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Republic of Korea to carry out Joint Mission for the MERS-CoV Outbreak
MANILA, 5 June 2015 – In light of the recent outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), the World Health Organization and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare will conduct a joint mission to the Republic of Korea. The mission comes after close consultation between WHO and the Government.

:: Strategy for malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion (2015-2030)
5 June 2015
In close consultation with countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion, the WHO Regional Offices for the Western Pacific and South-East Asia have developed a malaria elimination strategy for the Subregion, where emerging antimalarial multidrug resistance, including resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies, is threatening our recent gains. The elimination strategy is fully aligned with the Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030, which has just been endorsed by the World Health Assembly. The first subregional document that effectively operationalizes the global strategy, it is a prime example of partnership and collaboration, with six countries, WHO (two regions and headquarters) and multiple development partners joining forces to fight a common threat.

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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Selected Press Releases
Senegal to host new rule of law center for Africa
Jun 5, 2015
Senegal will host a new regional training center for legal officials and experts, it was announced today at a summit of Justice Ministers from West and North Africa.

UN Division for Sustainable Development [to 6 June 2015]
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/

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Zero draft of the outcome document for the UN Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda
TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD BY 2030: A NEW AGENDA FOR GLOBAL ACTION
2 June 2015
Preamble
This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity that also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. All countries acting in collaborative partnership will implement the Agenda. We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet for present and future generations. We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps needed to shift the world on to a sustainable path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.

The new Agenda sets out, inter alia, to:
:: End poverty and hunger;
:: Secure education, health and basic services for all;
:: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls;
:: Foster inclusive economic growth, shared prosperity and sustainable lifestyles for all;
:: Promote safe and inclusive cities and human settlements;
:: Protect the planet, fight climate change, use natural resources sustainably and safeguard our oceans;
:: Strengthen governance and promote peaceful, safe, just and inclusive societies; and
:: Revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development…

UN Statistical Commission :: UN Statistics Division [to 6 June 2015]
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/commission.htm

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First Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs)
1 – 2 June 2015 – New York
The First Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) took place on 1-2 June 2015 in New York. The IAEG-SDGs was established by the Statistical Commission at its 46th session to develop an indicator framework for the monitoring of the goals and targets of the post-2015 development agenda at the global level, and to support its implementation. The main objectives of the meeting are to set up the process for the development of the indicator framework; develop a work plan and agree on the way forward; establish the methods of work of the group; and discuss technical issues, including the interlinkages across targets and data disaggregation.

UN Video of meeting:
(Part 1) http://webtv.un.org/watch/part-1-first-meeting-of-the-inter-agency-and-expert-group-on-sustainable-development-goal-indicators-iaeg-sdgs/4269287594001

(Part 2) http://webtv.un.org/watch/part-2-first-meeting-of-the-inter-agency-and-expert-group-on-sustainable-development-goal-indicators-iaeg-sdgs/4270691758001

(Part 3) http://webtv.un.org/watch/part-3-first-meeting-of-the-inter-agency-and-expert-group-on-sustainable-development-goal-indicators-iaeg-sdgs/4271438175001

(Part 4) http://webtv.un.org/watch/part-4-first-meeting-of-the-inter-agency-and-expert-group-on-sustainable-development-goal-indicators-iaeg-sdgs/4271721614001

(Part 5) http://webtv.un.org/watch/part-5-first-meeting-of-the-inter-agency-and-expert-group-on-sustainable-development-goal-indicators-iaeg-sdgs/4275496308001

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 6 June 2015]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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Selected Press Releases
World Can Avert Financial and Environmental Costs of Resource Depletion and Save Millions in Efficiency Gains – New UN World Environment Day Report Shows How
Cities and Municipalities Lead the Way in Innovation and Adaptability Says the New Handbook Launched at Expo Milano by UNEP Chief, Achim Steiner and Italian Minister of Environment Gian Luca Galletti.
05/06/2015

UNESCO [to 6 June 2015]
http://en.unesco.org/news

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UNESCO Director-General commends national efforts to curb smuggling of antiquities from Iraq and Syria
06 June 2015

Nepal’s heritage sites on shaky ground after devastating quake
06 June 2015

UNESCO received financial assistance from the Government of Flanders in support of Nepal’s earthquake response
06 June 2015

The Qingdao Declaration – International Conference on ICT and Post-2015 Education
05 June 2015

WSIS Forum 2015: Ethical dimensions of the information society linked to sustainable development
01 June 2015