UN – United Nations

Americans in the UN: From the U.S. Department of Labor to Improving Working Conditions Around the World

As part of our “Americans in the UN” project to share the stories of Americans who work for the United Nations, we connected with Deborah Greenfield, the Deputy Director-General for Policy at the International Labour Organization (ILO). Prior to joining ILO, Greenfield served as the Deputy Solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor. Originally from New York City, she earned a Bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Watch […]

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4 Early Lessons Learned Tracking SDGs Progress

Three years into tracking progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a few insights have emerged from how governments review, report on, and use progress to achieve the SDGs. While there are legitimate questions about how effective voluntary self-reporting on progress can be (a bit like letting your kid write her own report card), the way governments currently review SDGs progress has its advantages, as pointed out in this earlier blog post. The review process

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Smashing Siloes: A New Era of Alliances and Partnerships for the SDGs

Public-private partnerships or “PPPs” have been the cherished and widely used approach for collaboration in global development for more than two decades. However, more recently, partnerships have taken on new forms due to a range of factors – and arguably in response to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   The new models are intriguing and a cause for optimism because they have great potential for transformative impact. And if they stick, their silo-busting forms herald

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5 Good News Stories You May Have Missed This Summer

Amid perpetual headlines about conflict, division, and other major global challenges, uplifting stories of progress often get lost in the noise. It’s important to remember that we can transform people’s lives for the better when individuals from across sectors and across the world work with the United Nations and each other. It happens every day. These five news stories from June and July bear proof that progress can be made toward a more equitable, healthy,

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8 Highlights from the SDG Conversation at the High-Level Political Forum

Thousands of people have descended on the United Nations with one thing on their minds: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, they’ve gathered to assess where we are on the SDGs and how we can do better. What have been some of the highlights of those conversations? The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, taking place from July 9-18, is the place to be this time every year to review how we are doing

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U.S. Leadership at the UN Secures a Win for the People of South Sudan

In an important move, the United Nations Security Council recently authorized an arms embargo banning all countries from selling weapons to South Sudan until May 2019. This represents the best hope for the country to move toward peace since the civil war began. The action taken by the Security Council – at the behest of the United States and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley – is a strong sign from the international community

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What Happens After the High-Level Political Forum? Here are 4 Areas to Watch

Over the past two weeks, governments and leaders from the private sector and civil society offered a number of learnings, challenges, and recommendations at the High-level Political Forum (HLPF), the annual gathering place at the United Nations to measure and discuss progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They did so in the hopes of better understanding – and finding ways to increase – current rates of progress toward the global goals. The forum highlighted

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The Inside Story of How the World Closed the Hole in the Ozone Layer

Reaching global solutions may seem impossible as the world confronts a myriad of challenges – from conflict and disease to environmental crises. However, success stories of global cooperation are out there. And they offer valuable lessons learned for the issues we face today. In this podcast, UN Dispatch host Mark Goldberg unravels the story of one of the greatest global successes of our time: how the world came together through the UN to heal the

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8 Short Films To Inspire You Into SDG Action

What does a story about global progress look like? Now, how do you tell that story in eight minutes or less?  More than 700 filmmakers across the globe tried to answer these questions as part of this year’s Picture This Festival for the Planet, a short-film competition for emerging filmmakers hosted by Sony and the United Nations Foundation.  The ultimate aim? To illustrate and inspire action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  This week, finalists

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