Latest stories
Someone to talk to: in Kenya, a hotline for women—and men—in crisis
Under COVID-19, when schools are closed and many people are staying at home, a gender-based violence hotline in Kenya provides vital support to men and women. Its call volume is four times the previous year-to-date number. Counselors take calls 24-hours a day.
Corruption is the ultimate betrayal of public trust
Corruption is criminal, immoral and the ultimate betrayal of public trust. It is even more damaging in times of crisis – as the world is experiencing now with the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we must create more robust systems for accountability, transparency and integrity without delay.
In focus: The New York translation services during COVID-19
When the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly curtailed on-site activities at Headquarters and other UN premises, the translation services transitioned to remote working almost seamlessly, continuing without interruption their important role as guarantors of multilingualism.
"Scale up investment in Universal Health Coverage and in stronger health systems"
Nine months since we first heard of COVID-19, the pandemic has claimed more than one million lives and infected more than 30 million people in 190 countries. Infections are rising and there are troubling signs of new waves. Much about the virus remains unknown. But one basic fact is clear: the world was not prepared.
Brazilian Teacher Creates 'Hug Kit' to Visit Students
Tired of seeing her students only through the screen of a computer, a Brazilian elementary school teacher Maura Silva, 47, decided to act. She bought dozens of plastic raincoats, gloves and face masks to safely visit 55 children in Rio de Janeiro.
Musicians strike a chord against COVID-19
In Zimbabwe, the coronavirus—while still fairly contained—threatens to overwhelm an already strained health system and reverse gains made over the years in the areas of maternal health, child care, immunization, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
"Pandebingo" connects seniors in Brazil during pandemic
With in-person gatherings risky for seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic, Guilherme Gagantini, 80, created an online bingo game called Pandebingo for them to socialize safely online.
"We must never lose sight of each and every individual life"
Our world has reached an agonizing milestone: the loss of one million lives from the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a mind-numbing figure. Yet we must never lose sight of each and every individual life. They were fathers and mothers, wives and husbands, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues.
Survival of wildlife reserves under threat in Namibia
After six months of lockdown, the Namibian government ended travel restrictions and curfews on Friday, in light of a drop in new COVID-19 cases. But Namibia’s economy, which depends heavily on wildlife tourism, has taken a major hit during the period, and the future of the country’s wildlife reserves, otherwise known as conservancies, is far from certain.
Peacekeepers take special precautions to protect against COVID-19
For more than 40 years, Argentina has supplied peacekeeping forces to different United Nations missions. These forces deploy as part of the Argentine Center for Joint Training for Peace Operations (CAECOPAZ) where over 200 personnel recently assumed duties in Cyprus. Operating during COVID-19 has presented new challenges: adopting new safety measures to limit infections plus new responsibilities to protect people at home before deploying overseas.
Iran: Young, blind woman helps others – including those with disabilities – fight COVID-19
Samaneh Shabani, born blind, did not let her disability stop her from completing a PhD at the University of Tehran and volunteering at the human rights NGO Tavana. She balanced an internship at UN Information Centre Tehran with daily life during COVID-19 where she helped the UNIC organize events and share trustworthy public health information. She continues to advocate for the rights of people living with disabilities.
UN Plan to save lives, protect societies and recover better
This updated UN Comprehensive Response to COVID-19 report provides an overview of the data, analysis, policy recommendations and concrete support that the UN has made available to states and communities to cope with the health, socio-economic, humanitarian and human rights impacts of COVID-19.
UN helps at-risk adolescents during pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has created great risks not just to public health but also to the social-economic well being of citizens. Fernando and Jéssica, whose names have been changed to protect their privacy, are benefiting from a UNICEF programme designed to protect some of the most vulnerable during this time. They were both convicted of crimes as teenagers but were receiving vocational development instead of incarceration before the pandemic.
Scout initiative donates 10,000 face shields to hospitals
Carlos Manuel Gonzalez, 14, mobilized his Scouts group to make face shields when he found that a member of the group, a nurse, had concerns about protective equipment supplies at their local hospital. His project led to a donation of 10,000 face shields.
Art installation focuses on sustainability during COVID
What do a baby elephant made of recycled car parts, pictures of students in front of their computers and a fence full of gift-bags have in common? Although very different things, they have all become important symbols of the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria. The Vienna Technical Musuem is currently exhibiting these objects and many more to show their diverse impact on society.