“I have 20 students in my class, and 13 of them are from herder families,” said Byamba, the fifth-grade teacher in a remote county of Mongolia, located more than 1000 km from the capital. This is a vast country, where nomadic herders are scattered through steppes and mountains, grazing their animals. Many herder children attend remote boarding schools.
One piece of technology almost any economic planner would have wished for in 2020 is a crystal ball. That’s because traditional tools like previous years’ projections, trends and models have been left in the gutter in the wake of a brutal pandemic that has paralyzed the global economy.
UN teams continue to work with national and local authorities worldwide to ensure the safety and dignity of refugees and migrants, indigenous communities and children. Their efforts support the betterment of countries' health and socio-economic conditions, including better living conditions for those most at risk, lifesaving training, supplies and equipment, human rights protection and aid in ensuring no adult or child is left behind.
When the disaster struck the heart of Beirut, Lebanon was already reeling from civil unrest, economic and financial hardship, increasing poverty and unemployment compounded by political tensions and a soaring number of COVID-19 cases. This has been further exacerbated by the heavy burden of Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
As the world wraps up 2020, we recognize the continued coordinated efforts of the UN teams worldwide. Today, we highlight some of the work taking place across the globe.
A poet and composer named Jotamont wrote that the islands of Cabo Verde are “ten little grains of land” in the middle of the Atlantic—a small archipelago nation 500 kilometers off the west coast of Africa. The United Nations has stood with Cabo Verde country through its 45 years of independence.
Gay and bisexual men and male sex workers face a lot of discrimination and harassment in Viet Nam. People in these communities may have a hard time, but they also have each other. Here, two men tell the stories of how they created a café and a clinic, respectively, to support the communities that have supported them. And the UN helps out.
In recognition of the 16 Days, we applaud the efforts of UN country teams across the globe as they aid in the fight against all forms of gender-based violence. This collection of stories showcases some of the team’s work to protect the health, safety and security of women and girls worldwide.
