Currently, half the world’s population does not have access to safely managed sanitation. This has profound negative impact on health, education and economic outcomes for countries and communities. The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund was established to raise US$2 billion over the coming five years to support countries in bringing sanitation, hygiene, and menstrual health to all.
Sometimes, the crisis in West Africa and the Sahel region is so difficult and so complicated as to seem virtually unsolvable. But where many people see only a mission impossible, the United Nations sees an opportunity.
Global hunger and population displacement, which were already at record levels when COVID-19 struck, could “surge” as migrants and those reliant on a dwindling flow of remittances desperately seek work to support their families, a new UN report has warned.
For farmers in Myanmar, the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to growing unpredictability, in a sector already struggling to cope with the effects of climate change. The UN is working closely with the country’s government to help them to adapt and thrive.
The global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050, which will significantly increase the demand for food. The steady increase in hunger since 2014, after a decade of progress, indicates that there is a need to accelerate and scale-up action to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of food systems and livelihoods.
On the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres reinforced his call for global solidarity. He urged combatants to lay down their arms and join in a global ceasefire. Across the globe, UN country teams covering 162 countries and territories are rallying their efforts, along with governments and partners, to combat COVID-19.
Last week, the world celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child. Progress for adolescent girls has not kept pace with the realities they face today, and COVID-19 has reinforced many of these gaps. Data shows women and girls are especially vulnerable in the face of COVID-19. UN teams across the globe recognize the urgency to protect and support women and girls, especially right now, and are taking every measure to do so.
