Today, the World Health Organization announced that 17.1 million lives have been saved from 2000 through 2014 thanks to measles vaccination. To put that into perspective, during each day of 2014, more than 1,100 children who would have died of measles in 2000 could go to school, play, spend time with their families, and grow up because they were vaccinated against measles. Measles vaccination has been a leading contributor to progress on Millennium Development Goal […]

Editor’s Note: Peter Yeo, United Nations Foundation Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy, is traveling this week in South Sudan to observe the work of the United Nations in protecting civilians and their health. South Sudan remains at a critical juncture in the implementation of August’s cessation of hostilities agreement. Malaria is a devastating disease – especially for children but also for their mothers and fathers. This week, I witnessed expectant moms safely resting

Editor’s Note: Peter Yeo, United Nations Foundation Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy, was traveling last week in South Sudan to observe the work of the United Nations in protecting civilians and their health. South Sudan remains at a critical juncture in the implementation of August’s cessation of hostilities agreement. The two beautiful South Sudanese girls in this photo remind me of my own kids at this age – proudly wearing backpacks and headed

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Namala Mkopi, a child health specialist and pediatrician in Tanzania who was in Washington, D.C. to serve as a Global Immunization Fellow for the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign. Shot@Life works with the UN, partners, and individuals across the country to help protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are needed most. Dr. Mkopi was visiting the United States to raise awareness of the

By Dr. Paul Bunje, Principal and Senior Scientist at the XPRIZE Foundation What do a team of mechanical engineers from Missoula, Montana know about ocean acidification? Turns out, a whole lot. This summer, as I was standing on the deck of the R/V Kilo Moana in the North Pacific for the deep sea trials of the Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIZE, I was humbled not just by the incredible achievement of the finalists aboard the

Right now, the international community is facing the largest refugee crisis since World War II. Approximately 60 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes – from Syria to Afghanistan to South Sudan – to escape violence, conflict, persecution, and terrorism. “Refugees should not be turned into scapegoats and must not become the secondary victims of these most tragic events,” Melissa Fleming, spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said

As the seemingly intractable problem of violence against women and girls continues to hit the headlines in new and increasingly brutal ways (for example, in conflict zones in the Middle East), our attention is rightly drawn once again to the perpetrators of the violence and the motives and beliefs of those who “commit” gender based violence (GBV). These motives include a sense of entitlement, an attempt to exercise power, and delusions of moral or religious

The well-being of people everywhere is tied to the well-being of the planet. Much is at stake in the fight against climate change: Hunger, poverty, health, and many other development issues are affected. To end poverty and create a world with opportunity for all, we must take strong climate action. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, “Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth — these are one and the same fight.”

As friends and families in the United States gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, there is a lot for which to give thanks. While the world currently faces serious conflicts and challenges that rightly demand our attention, it’s important to remember that progress is happening in many areas thanks to the hard work of the United Nations and partners and supporters around the world. This progress is a reminder that when we come together and act, we