As part of our “Americans in the UN” project to share the stories of Americans who work for the United Nations, we talked to Sean Kane, who works in the Department of Political Affairs on the Syria crisis. Kane, who is from Worcester, Massachusetts, has previously worked for the UN in Iraq, Afghanistan, and New York. What motivates you to work for the UN? Sean Kane: For me – and this is particularly my experiences […]

We’re feeling the effects of climate change around the world. It’s clear that this global challenge needs a global response. At the upcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bonn, Germany, the Republic of Fiji will assume of the COP23 Presidency and bring together the global community under its powerful – and urgent – perspective on climate action. Together, with leaders from 197 nations, they will forge actions to bring the goals of the

As part of our “Americans in the UN” project to share the stories of Americans who work for the United Nations, we talked to Brenden Varma, who was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and has worked for the United Nations since 2002. He currently works as the Spokesperson for the President of the UN General Assembly. Varma’s previous service in the UN includes working as the Spokesperson and Head of Public Information at the UN Interim

Meet Nadege: Nadege lives in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti with her three children and partner. “My dream was to finish school. I wanted to be a nurse, but I didn’t reach that level,” Nadege told me. She was forced to drop out of school when she unexpectedly became pregnant at 17. Today, she works at an apparel factory that produces clothes for Levi Strauss & Co. and other U.S. brands to earn an income and provide for

  As the world marks Antibiotic Awareness Week during the week of November 13, more and more governments, corporations, nonprofits, and academic institutions are acknowledging the urgent need for swift, collaborative action to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Misuse and abuse of precious antibiotics has accelerated the rise of drug-resistant infections – so-called superbugs – jeopardizing global health by making formerly harmless ailments potentially deadly. But the effort to stop AMR, which already kills 700,000 people

As part of our “Americans in the UN” project to share the stories of Americans who work for the United Nations, we talked to Mary Catherine “Kati” Maternowska who has worked for UNICEF and leads data, evidence, and solutions for the Global Partnership to End Violence. She grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she spent her Halloweens trick-or-treating for UNICEF. What motivates you to work for the UN? Mary Catherine Maternowska: I believe in

“UN peacekeeping operations are on the frontlines of our efforts to prevent the emergence of lawless regions where insecurity, transnational crime, and extremism can flourish. They are an investment in global peace, security, and prosperity.”– United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres That powerful statement was in full effect last week as the largest gathering of defense ministers working on peacekeeping met in Vancouver, Canada to discuss the dangerous and complex challenges faced by peacekeepers in 15

*This blog post is co-authored by Kaysie Brown, UN Foundation Special Adviser and Head of Policy Planning, and Pratik Desai, UN Foundation Private Sector Engagement and Policy Officer We live in a world that is increasingly defined by competition – for resources, profits, shareholder value, and relevance. And while competition is often viewed negatively, it also has the potential to drive innovation, performance, and accountability. Consider the impact we could then have by harnessing our

While many might not realize November 19 is World Toilet Day, the international day serves as a powerful reminder that 2.3 billion people around the world lack access to a basic toilet. Safe sanitation for all is critical to good health everywhere and must remain a global development priority. It’s shocking to contemplate that in our modern world, nearly one-third of humanity does not have a clean place to use the bathroom. Toilets might seem