After nearly seven years of protracted and violent conflict, the devastating humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in Syria. In the besieged Syrian enclave of eastern Ghouta, which the United Nations Secretary-General has described as “hell on Earth,” reports estimate over 300 civilians have been killed since the beginning of the month alone, prompting the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to issue a poignant statement on the conflict – a statement with blank spaces, because there are […]

Updated: May 8, 2019 Every day, more than 100,000 United Nations peacekeepers work to stabilize some of the world’s most volatile conflict zones – protecting civilians from violence; monitoring the implementation of peace agreements; disarming, demobilizing, and reintegrating former combatants into society; facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance; training national police forces; and supporting free and fair elections, and the creation of stable governing institutions. Here are seven key facts to know about UN Peacekeeping: 14

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in the midst of a transformation. Led by Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO is embarking on an ambitious effort to make 1 billion people healthier, protect 1 billion more people from health emergencies, and extend universal health coverage to 1 billion more people. Dr. Tedros is pushing to modernize WHO, making the guardian of the world’s health nimbler and more connected. To support this work, the United Nations Foundation last

International Women’s Day arrives this year at an important and evolving moment in time, as girls’ and women’s rights and gender equality are resurging in the public consciousness and dialogue in new, powerful, and long overdue ways. While this attention and conversation is welcome, at the same time, girls and women everywhere continue to endure significant and stubborn challenges. A range of legal, social, health, and safety challenges – and their consequences – while often

By Jordie Hannum, Executive Director, Better World Campaign Tragically, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were about 64,000 drug overdose deaths in 2016; two-thirds (66.4%) a result of opioids or synthetic opioids. That’s an average of 115 opioid overdose deaths each day While the headlines often understandably focus on the actions of local, state, and the federal governments, this problem is transnational in nature, which is why the United Nations plays

How can we drive meaningful change in the private sector to encourage sustainability and support communities while growing economies? Promote women’s leadership. Last week, in celebration of International Women’s Day, the Business & Sustainable Development Commission released a report, Better Leadership, Better World: Women Leading for the Goals, which finds that business teams that are gender-balanced with women in leadership roles have competencies in areas that are important to business growth and sustainable development: long-term

Editor’s Note: This post was last updated December 9, 2019. On March 13, 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) celebrated its 30th anniversary. Established by the World Meteorological Society and the United Nations Environment Programme in 1988, the IPCC’s mandate is “to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.” The unique power of this UN climate

This post is co-authored by Kaysie Brown, Special Adviser and Head of Policy Planning, UN Foundation and Chandrima Das, Peacekeeping Program Director, Better World Campaign There is a global threat to sustainable peace and development that is getting much-needed attention: fragility. Last week, the World Bank held its Fragility Forum in Washington D.C., Managing Risks for Peace and Stability. With over 1,000 participants in attendance over multiple days, the popularity of the event is testament

This post is co-authored by Geeta Rao Gupta, Executive Director of the 3D Program for Girls and Women, UN Foundation and Michelle Milford Morse, Vice President for Girls and Women Strategy, UN Foundation. As the international community gathers at the United Nations for the annual Commission on the Status of Women, it’s a fitting time to ask, “What is the status of women in the world?” The short answer: Despite the incredible progress women have