The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has begun. The UN has appealed to leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean — a region containing seven of the most biodiverse countries in the world — to scale up commitments made to restore our much-needed ecosystems. This plea comes as Caribbean countries brace for an active hurricane season.
The UN country teams continue their efforts to provide local and national authorities worldwide support in the fight against COVID-19. Today, we highlight some of those efforts.
Lerato — not her real name — is a 20-year-old first-year student at the local university. She hunkers down on her chair a few metres from where I’m sitting with her head fixed to the floor. She looks sad, tired and dejected, avoiding any eye contact, as if ashamed of what we were about to talk about.
Communications is key in our line of work at the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). In addition to uniting 34 agencies, funds and programmes that play a role in development, the UNSDG also supports 131 UN country teams serving 162 countries and territories to work together to enhance the impact of the UN system, bringing together diverse perspectives and capabilities from around the world, while communicating with one unified voice.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on Jordan's infrastructure and resources, which, in turn, has substantially impacted Jordanian society and has brought additional hurdles to the refugee communities, especially for the women and girls in these communities. Today, we highlight three inspiring stories of resilience.
The UN country teams continue their efforts to provide local and national authorities worldwide support in the fight against COVID-19. Today, we highlight some of those efforts.
"Water is everything to me. Nowadays, I really need it, water balances me; I need to observe it and always be in contact with cities near the water. At the same time water mobilizes me, I suffer when I see the pollution. My motivation is to find solutions to this problem that affects everyone," explains Yago.
UN country teams worldwide are continuing the fight against COVID-19 by stepping up efforts to support governments in their response and recovery efforts, including the vaccination efforts via the COVAX Facility.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are perhaps the most ambitious undertaking for global peace and prosperity since the formation of the United Nations. Achieving the goals requires that the UN system work together within and across countries like never before.
Twenty young Beninese women, ages 16 to 24, who have dropped out of school, will learn to sew masks and make liquid soap, and will then take trainings on COVID-19 preventive measures, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and the basics of leadership and women's entrepreneurship.