Last month, I met up with a friend who had just been forwarded a video of Congolese soldiers in the region of Kasai shooting at what appeared to be unarmed men and women. I turned to him, a human rights advocate, and said, “Someone needs to investigate what is happening in this region of DR Congo.” The United Nations did just that, dispatching Michael Sharp, Coordinator of the UN Group of Experts tasked with monitoring […]

Measurement matters. Data matters. If you work in the fields of communications or development or international policy, these are two of the most common declarations of the moment.  And while a new chorus of data enthusiasts and professionals takes its rightful seat at the decisionmaking tables around the world, it is important to understand the kids of data sets and the innovative work of groups taking data from a trendy talking point to a trusted

Last week, I was in Guatemala meeting with girls and women to learn about their sexual and reproductive health and rights and the incredible people who work to protect and support those rights. Just a few days later – more than 3,000 miles away from Guatemala in Washington, D.C. – the U.S. government eliminated its funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which supports programs to advance the health, rights, and well-being of girls and women in Guatemala and 150 other

Support the UN Syria Humanitarian Fund to help people in need:  http://bit.ly/2nLDSdm This week’s images from Syria are horrific and grotesque, with unimaginable suffering inflicted on innocent people – many of them children – as a weapon of war. Perhaps most shameful, it is not the first time, and it is not unexpected. Chemical weapons have been used before in this theater of agony, as has virtually every instrument of modern savagery and destruction. Civilians

Introducing a song he was about to play with a group of musicians from around the world, Kinan Azmeh, Syrian clarinetist and member of the Silkroad ensemble, said, “I would like to dedicate this piece to all the Syrians who managed to fall in love in the last six years. I find it quite, quite inspiring that in spite of all the bullets, the barrel bombs, and even chemical attacks, people have the resilience in

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) plays an integral role in helping stabilize communities in Iraq that have been liberated from control by ISIL. By supporting infrastructure projects, economic opportunities, and the restoration of basic services, UNDP helps displaced families return to their homes and build more secure communities – an essential step in the fight against extremism. Today, UNDP is active in nearly 20 locations around Iraq, including Ramadi and Fallujah, and works in

You’ve probably seen the headlines – the U.S. administration is reconsidering its participation in the Paris Agreement, the historic United Nations climate accord that unites all nations to fight the global challenge of climate change. As pundits and advisors spar over the value of keeping the United States in this accord, here are seven reasons why participation in the Paris Agreement is important for the U.S. – and the climate agreement itself. 1. The world

Editor’s Note: Donate here to support humanitarian relief efforts in Yemen. “I wish I could go back to school and continue my studies.” “I was forced to leave my house by the warring parties.” “We say our final prayers every time we hear the warplanes hovering in the skies. We live in constant fear.” “I’ve spent three months waiting to receive my salary. I am tired and would like to rest, but I need to

Globally, soaring amounts of greenhouse gas emissions are driving climate change and resulting in rising sea levels and more frequent and severe extreme weather events. We’ve seen the cost of extreme weather and natural disasters here in the United States. California, for example, is continuously plagued by forest fires and droughts. Florida cities spend millions in desperate attempts to prevent and respond to flooding. And in 2005, more than 400,000 New Orleans residents were displaced