UN – United Nations

As part of our “Americans in the UN” project to share the stories of Americans who work for the United Nations, we connected with Sarah Poole, the Deputy Director of UN Development Programme’s Regional Bureau for Arab States. Poole began her career with the U.S Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State on issues related to overseas humanitarian response, crisis recovery, and refugees. She has served the UN Development Programme (UNDP) since 1999 […]

An important milestone was reached this week, with agreement by the 193 Member States of the United Nations on how to make it better able to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What are the changes, what will they mean, and how do they fit into a broader plan for reform? Secretary-General António Guterres came to office last year with an ambitious agenda for transforming the UN. In his very first speech to the

More than 1 billion people around the world live without access to electricity, and in many communities, health clinics don’t have reliable power. To achieve sustainable development, we need sustainable energy. In recent weeks, energy has been talked about in several global conferences – including the World Health Assembly and the Sustainable Energy for All Forum – as a key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The discussions have been about more than just

  There was a new vibe in Geneva last week – and it wasn’t just the musicians serenading the delegates as they entered the Assembly Hall in the Palais des Nations. This was the first World Health Assembly under the leadership of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the former Ethiopian health minister and foreign minister who was elected at last year’s Assembly and took office on July 1. He placed his imprint on the week by

The recent launch in Nairobi of the Africa Regional Data Cube (ARDC) coincided with Kenya’s rainy season. Heavy rains caused flooding, landslides, and a burst dam, among other impacts, killing hundreds of people and displacing hundreds of thousands. Cholera, a waterborne illness, is now reportedly spreading in areas such as the Dadaab refugee camp in the north of the country. Climate change, environment, infrastructure, sustainable cities – these are just a few of the many,

Editor’s note: this post was updated June 6, 2019. A recent study found that people may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year. This startling finding is just the tip of the iceberg: The challenge of plastic pollution does not stop at borders, and it won’t disappear with time. World Oceans Day (June 8) is a crucial moment to elevate awareness on our global plastic problem, learn about sustainable action, and renew

This post is co-authored by Kate Dodson, Vice President for Global Health Strategy at the United Nations Foundation and Loyce Pace, President and Executive Director of the Global Health Council The side event on civil society engagement with the World Health Organization (WHO) at the 71st World Health Assembly was standing room only, illustrating non-governmental partners’ long-standing eagerness to advance global health alongside WHO. And Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sent a clear signal right

As part of our “Americans in the UN” project to share the stories of Americans who work for the United Nations, we connected with Laila Baker, who is the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Jordan. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, Baker holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Cardiff University. Watch the full interview: Below please find excerpts from the interview, which have been edited for context and clarity. What is your message to

After fleeing oppression and violence in Myanmar, nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar district now face another life-threatening challenge: monsoon season. United Nations’ agencies are responding to help refugees, but they need more resources and support to deliver what is required. Here is what you need to know about the threat and how your support can help to the UN protect Rohingya refugees. Donate to the UN Humanitarian Fund for Rohingya Refugees