The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the world’s premier health policy meeting, which guides the global health priorities around the world. This year, the United Nations Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO) once again partnered to produce World Health +SocialGood, a daily webcast that brought together health experts from the Assembly to discuss the top issues on the agenda. This hour-long live stream gave a global digital audience the opportunity to engage on major topics affecting health and well-being around […]

As emergency humanitarian aid efforts in Nepal enter their second month following two powerful earthquakes, an estimated 2.8 million people are living in the open and are in need of assistance and protection. The Government of Nepal estimates that over 200,000 houses have been destroyed and another 200,000 badly damaged. Shelter is an overwhelming and urgent need. Sleeping outside can have a devastating effect on health – particularly for the very young, the very old,

Just in time for Pride month, the United Nations Human Rights Office yesterday released a much-anticipated report on discrimination and violence against individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Mandated by UN Human Rights Council, the UN’s top human rights organ, the report notes significant global advancement in protecting the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons since the UN’s first groundbreaking report on LGBTI violence and discrimination in 2011.

Every day, 3 billion people in the world cook their food on open fires or traditional cookstoves. They burn solid fuels such as wood, crop residues, dung, coal, and charcoal, producing smoke that kills more than 4 million people annually and sickens millions more. In addition to the enormous health toll, this cooking method carries an enormous ecological burden; the emissions from the combustion of unsustainably harvested wood fuel alone accounts for roughly 2% of

For World Environment Day on June 5, we delved into the United Nations photo archives to find 15 breathtaking reasons to protect our planet. Every year, the UN marks this day to encourage awareness and action for the environment. Now is the time to take bold action on climate change and to consume our resources with care, so the beauty captured in these photos can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. This planet

Happy World Oceans Day! Before joining the UN Foundation, I worked with the ocean nonprofit Oceana, so June 8 holds a special place in my heart (and on my calendar!) Every year the United Nations marks this day to raise awareness of the importance of the planet’s oceans to our lives – a message that is incredibly important as we face the threat of climate change. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “The oceans are

MAMA (the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action) uses mobile phones to deliver relevant health information directly to new and expectant mothers, so they have the knowledge they need to take charge of their health and the health of their children. In 2014, MAMA and local implementing partner ARMMAN launched the mMitra program in India, a country which has the highest burden of maternal, child, and newborn deaths in the world. In many areas across India,

On June 26, 1945, delegates from 50 nations came together to sign the United Nations Charter – a historic moment for global peace and progress. To mark the UN’s 70th anniversary this year, over the coming week, we will be sharing 70 facts about the UN and the work it does around the world. Here are 10 facts to get us started! 1. The UN has six official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and