A former UN official, Anthony Banbury, recently wrote an op-ed on the United Nations that has sparked a conversation on the UN’s value and challenges. Banbury’s critique of the UN system highlights a lot of the UN’s important strengths and weaknesses. He is right that the UN personnel system – as with any major institution or government – is in need of dramatic improvement. The UN and its leader Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are working to […]

In the plethora of UN declared international days of this and that, perhaps the most all-embracing, aspirational, and eventually the most ultimate is March 20 – the International Day of Happiness! In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which recognized happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable, and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples;” and in 2012, it decreed that

Last month, the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign brought together more than 150 Champions from across the United States to discuss how to make progress in the global fight against malaria. During the summit, we heard from Thon Moses Chol, one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” who had to flee his home as a child because of violence and grew up as a refugee until he moved to the U.S. in 2000.

Photo credit: The ONE Campaign By Emily Huie, Policy Officer for Inclusive Growth at The ONE Campaign Editor’s Note: This post is part of the blog series, “Her Goals: Our Future,” which highlights the connections between girls and women and the Sustainable Development Goals. Did you know that poverty is sexist? It’s true. Women and girls around the world are hit worst and hardest by poverty, and women and girls living in poverty have a

Every Tuesday, we share a set of stories on UN issues we care about and that matter to the future, from stopping TB to expanding access to safe drinking water. This week’s stories are below, but today we’re also watching with concern the news out of Brussels and following updates from sources such as Quartz and the BBC.  Moments this week include World Water Day (today), World TB Day (Thursday), and the conclusion of the

Throughout March and the Commission on the Status of Women, the United Nations has gathered governments, civil society groups, and private sector leaders to discuss how to make progress on gender equality and advance the rights of girls and women.  Under the leadership of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other committed UN officials, these issues are part of the UN’s work year-round.  Since Secretary-General Ban took office in 2007, he has made the empowerment and

A year ago this month, conflict in Yemen escalated, and today more than 80% of the population – some 20 million people – are in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 2.4 million people have fled their homes, and more than 14 million are unable to meet their food needs.  The United Nations and humanitarian organizations are working to get aid to families in crisis in the country. Yesterday, a UN official spoke to the

Photo: The Global Fund / Ryan Quinn Mattingly When we met 10 years ago, I didn’t think much of it when my husband told me that he had been treated for tuberculosis (TB) as a child. Since then, I’ve seen firsthand the effects TB has on families, and I realize how fortunate my husband was to have access to diagnosis and effective treatment. Visiting TB hospital wards has shown me the isolation, stigma, and physical