Today, on what would have marked two years without a single reported case of wild polio virus on the continent of Africa, the government of Nigeria announced that two cases have been identified in the country, resulting in the paralysis of two children. The news is an important reminder that while cases of polio have been reduced by over 99.9% since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) began its work in 1988, the fight against […]

Beaten-up guns lining the wall greeted us as we entered the Munigi child solder demobilization camp in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Surrendering the guns was the price of admission for kids who had freed themselves from the armed groups, which continue to terrorize civilians in the region; they can’t keep their guns in a United Nations facility designed to reintegrate child soldiers back into the community. Talking to the teenage boys in the camp, you realize

Right now, millions of families around the world have been devastated by conflict and disaster and are in need of humanitarian assistance – from food to health services. A vital element of the global humanitarian response system is the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which helps get resources where they are needed most. We recently had a chance to ask CERF’s Chief Lisa Doughten about the Fund and why it matters. What should people

As the world marks World Humanitarian Day on August 19, I am thinking about the mother I met in Amman, Jordan. Forced to flee Syria, her husband has made the dangerous journey to Europe and she lives in a one-room apartment, struggling to provide for her children. I’m thinking about the girls I met in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. They’ve endured more than children should, yet their dreams for the future continue. One

The largest generation of young people the world has ever seen – 1.8 billion youth – has vast potential. Yet, as this photo blog highlights, the potential of these young people will only be realized if they are empowered with the sexual and reproductive health information, services, and rights they desire in order to allow them to stay in school, pursue careers, and become parents if and when they are ready. To hear directly from

In one month, on September 16, world leaders will come together in Montreal, Canada to replenish the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. This is an opportunity to make incredible progress against three of the world’s deadliest preventable diseases, but this progress isn’t possible without partnership and commitment from countries and the private sector around the world. Here’s what you should know about the Global Fund and why we need to make sure this

Over several days in mid-August, members of the United Nations Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council (GEC) had the extraordinary opportunity to visit Sweden and Jordan to experience firsthand how United Nations agencies, civil society groups, and private sector stakeholders are supporting refugees and entrepreneurs through skills training, mentoring, and education. As leaders in the private sector, I believe we have a unique opportunity to assist vulnerable populations – particularly women and girls, youth, and refugees – in their pursuit

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit Uganda to learn about how the country is providing reproductive health information and services for men, women, and their communities and ended up having one of the most profound trips of my professional life. Uganda has seen some progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals, but faces significant challenges when it comes to providing essential health care to its population. The Ugandan

I often think about Namda, a refugee teen I met when I traveled to Ethiopia. She was an incredible force with an inspiring story and an unquenched passion for learning. Namda fled Somalia in 2008, when she was just 9 years old, and still lives in a refugee camp in Ethiopia run by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). But Namda didn’t want her story to end there. Unlike most girls living as refugees, Namda was fortunate