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Press Release
18 April 2024
Secretary-General: We have a shared responsibility to work for peace
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Press Release
18 April 2024
New UN report calls for trillions more in development investment to rescue Sustainable Development Goals
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Story
18 April 2024
New report flags terror, Internet links to drug trade in South Asia
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The Sustainable Development Goals in India
India is critical in determining the success of the SDGs, globally. At the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted, “Sustainable development of one-sixth of humanity will be of great consequence to the world and our beautiful planet. It will be a world of fewer challenges and greater hope; and, more confident of its success”. NITI Aayog, the Government of India’s premier think tank, has been entrusted with the task of coordinating the SDGs, mapping schemes related to the SDGs and their targets, and identifying lead and supporting ministries for each target. In addition, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been leading discussions for developing national indicators for the SDGs. State governments are key to India’s progress on the SDGs as they are best placed to ‘put people first’ and to ensuring that ‘no one is left behind’. The UN Country Team in India supports NITI Aayog, Union ministries and state governments in their efforts to address the interconnectedness of the goals, to ensure that no one is left behind and to advocate for adequate financing to achieve the SDGs.
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05 January 2024
Celebrating a milestone year in the UN-India Partnership!
Dear Friends, This past year has been a truly momentous one for India – and for the UN in India. From taking the mantle as the world’s most populous country, to the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, to hosting the Cricket World Cup, and perhaps most significantly, the G20 Presidency, all eyes were on India this year. Yet the year began under no small amount of global headwinds. Multilateralism itself has been fraying at the seams, pulled apart by a number of challenges, including the war in Ukraine, and more recently renewed conflict in the Middle East. And at the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit held in New York in September confirmed what many development practitioners had long sounded a warning on – the SDGs are dramatically off course, with only fifteen percent on track, with nearly a third ground to a halt or even in reverse gear. Against this backdrop, India demonstrated much-needed leadership at home and on the international stage, delivering development solutions at scale and helping build an inclusive consensus across divides. The UN in India was privileged to be a partner at many levels. At this critical juncture, India’s G20 Presidency refocused the G20 on taking greater responsibility for putting the 2030 Agenda’s time-bound targets back on track and the voice of the Global South on centre stage. This included bringing greater alignment between climate action and the development agenda, and raising ambitions on reform of the multilateral system, including the international financial architecture, and accelerating digital transformations. In addition, the Presidency stressed the need for a more women-led development across multiple workstreams. India’s G20 featured stronger coordination and alignment between the UN and the Presidency than perhaps any G20 to date. In response to government invitation, the UN in India was proud to play an important role in that partnership, complimenting the leadership of the DESA Under Secretary-General as overall Sherpa for the UN system and the UNDP Administrator as lead on the Finance Track. A number of UN agencies and the RCO were privileged to support different Working Groups through partnerships with leading line ministries and the G20 Secretariat. This collaboration included contributing technical inputs to issue notes and other processes, as well as helping deliver side sessions and providing specialist human resources and other support at government request. Despite extensive geopolitical challenges, India’s G20 Presidency managed to successfully advance a number of key priorities, including those highly valued by the UN system, through the consensus New Delhi Leader’s Declaration and other prior deliverables. This included the new G20 Action Plan to Accelerate Progress on the SDGs, commitments to triple global capacity in renewable energy, raising ambitions on MDB reform, very much in line with the UN Secretary General’s call for an SDG Stimulus, as well as the strongest-ever gender equality language of any G20 Leaders’ Declaration, including setting the stage for a new ministerial level G20 Working Group on Gender Equality to be taken forward by Brazil. Together with its solidarity with the Global South, exemplified by the inclusion of the African Union in the G20, the Indian G20 Presidency took critical steps towards a fairer and more effective multilateralism. Read More The year also saw the launch of the first new-generation Government of India - UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-27 (SDCF), strategic articulation of the overall India-UN country partnership, and the guiding instrument for UN system support to India’s SDG achievement delivered jointly through individual UN Agency country programmes. The SDCF was the product of an extensive and inclusive multi-agency and multi-ministry year-long collaborative effort. I would particularly like to thank and acknowledge NITI Aayog for their substantive leadership and coordination as overall nodal counterpart, as well as the Ministry of External Affairs, different nodal ministries, UN agencies, civil society, and other partners, for their support and collaboration. This was truly a whole-of government, whole-of-society, and whole-of-UN effort.Read More And reflecting the increasingly two-way nature of our partnership, for the first time the SDCF has included South-South Cooperation as a key engagement priority. Our UN Country Team agencies will use their extensive knowledge of the Indian development landscape to help codify Indian best practices in key areas of South-South cooperation to partner in bringing those solutions to the global stage for the benefit of other countries. As a vehicle for this support, we are launching our first-ever country-level SDG pooled fund, with South-South Cooperation as the first window. A Letter of Intent with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for initial funding was signed in New York in the presence of the External Affairs Minister on the margins on the UN General Assembly. India’s Mission LiFE, which was launched by the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Gujarat last year, also received coordinated support from the UN India team. Not only was LiFE incorporated into our new SDCF, but UNEP, through the One Planet Network, supported efforts to develop the High-Level Principles of LiFE, which in turn anchored the initiative to all G20 working groups across climate and energy transition themes. UN agencies, including UNEP and UNDP, helped mobilise partner networks for LiFE, and supported the shortlisting of candidates for the global call for LiFE ideas announced by PM Modi. UNDP also supported the Presidency on the priority area around Blue Economy, which led to the formulation and adoption of the Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy. Read More Throughout the year, UN support to Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 routine immunizations has helped ensure that life-saving vaccinations were delivered to the most vulnerable communities in hard-to-reach areas. Agencies including UNDP, WHO and UNICEF continued to provide comprehensive technical support for immunization supply chain strengthening. New WHO and UNICEF data shows that India has made remarkable progress in reviving routine immunization coverage in the last year, after a pandemic-induced regression.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We continued to support the strengthening of Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCHA) services. Constant advocacy, implementation support, and regular mentoring from UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO has contributed to the improvement of India’s institutional delivery rate, which is now at over 90 percent. UN agencies, led by UNICEF, also provided technical assistance, wide-ranging capacity building, and promotion of safe practices to improve Water and Sanitation (WASH) services, including support to the flagship Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat missions and improving facilities in refugee settlements. UN advocacy, policy support and evidence generation continued to support the Government’s leadership push for better nutrition outcomes in 2023, including through support to Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) for children with Severe Acute Malnutrition, Iron folic acid (IFA) supplementation, and the mainstreaming of fortified rice. Read more Through the year, we supported government efforts to ensure that all children gain strong foundations in basic skills like reading and maths, as well as strong support to the Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme by UNESCO, UNFPA, and UNICEF. Recognizing the critical link between education and fighting climate change, UNESCO’s flagship State of the Education Report 2023 focused on the role Indian teachers can play in fostering environmental education.Read more This year we also celebrated the inscribing of two new Indian sites to the UNESCO World Heritage List, with the historic West Bengal town of Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, a series of 12th- and 13th-century temples in Karnataka. This now brings the number of World Heritage Sites in India to 42, among the highest in the world. The Garba of Gujarat, a ritualistic and devotional dance performed on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Navaratri and dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or ‘Shakti’, was also inscribed in 2023.Read more UN agencies also continued to advocate for economic growth and decent work for all women and men. Led by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN’s specialized agency promoting decent work, together with UN Women, UNDP, UNIDO and UNHCR, the agencies worked with MSMEs to develop innovation and technology ecosystems, safe, orderly, and regular migration, social protection systems, and linkages to green jobs. Our agencies also took steps towards improving institutional responses for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), including continued support to One Stop Centres which provide support to women affected by violence. India’s hosting of the first Regional Asia-Pacific Conference on Access to Legal Aid in November, part of the global push to implement the UN Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid, was an important step in guaranteeing legal aid for the most vulnerable. And we continued supporting India’s just green transition and resilience to climate change, working to ensure the collection and processing of plastic waste, adoption of renewable energy solutions, green economic growth, the conservation and management of biodiversity and much more. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), has brought together five agencies and eight line ministries is supporting India’s green economic transformations across diverse sectors from sustainable public procurement to green manufacturing and eco-labelling. This year also saw many high-level visits with India at the centre. To start the year, the then President of the General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi made India his first bilateral visit since assuming office, with a focus on G20 priorities and sustainable water use. The UNDP Administrator visited India twice as part of the G20. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell also met with senior government officials and frontline health workers, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen joined the G20 Environment and Climate Ministers’ Meeting, while Mr Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, visited India to advocate for road safety and the UN Road Safety Convention. The UN Secretary-General took part in the G20 Leaders’ Summit, reaffirming his belief in the centrality of India to achieving the SDGs globally. From the UN House in New Delhi, the Secretary-General delivered an urgent message to G20 leaders to come together to keep the 1.5 degree goal alive and ensure the SDGs are achieved on schedule. He also called on G20 leaders to ensure solidarity with the Global South, from financial support for the green transition to reforming the dysfunctional global financial architecture. The Secretary-General welcomed the consensus, SDG-focused New Delhi Declaration. Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) Amina Mohammed also paid an official visit to India for the first time in her second term. During her visit, the DSG met with the External Affairs Minister, Finance Minister, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, and many other leading officials. The DSG also visited Bengaluru where she interacted with experts in premiere technology research institutions to learn how digital technology can drive development in the Global South. Among a number of celebrity advocates and Goodwill Ambassadors, football legend and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham thrilled fans with a trip to India, joining hands with cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to celebrate UNICEF’s partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to empower girls and women through cricket.Read more In the last year, we have also continued to implement the UN’s new systems-wide strategy to combat sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). We have adopted new measures and strengthened existing ones, including the appointment of PSEA focal points in all agencies, to better prevent, detect, report and take action against personnel who commit abuse. We have also continued to walk the walk by making our own operations more sustainable – earlier in the year, the UN compound was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum Certification, marking it as exemplary in energy efficiency, health, and sustainability. I would like to thank the longstanding commitment of our operations team to making the UN House greener and more accessible. With this in mind, it was a great honour for the UN House to host the fifth Circular Design Challenge by R|Elan™ at Lakmé Fashion Week. The sustainable fashion show, a celebration of creativity and colour, as well as circular solutions, was an unforgettable night for all involved, and remains one of the highlights of our year. I also had the opportunity to help strengthen the partnership with the Indian Army Peacekeeping leadership and the Centre for UN Peacekeeping on several important occasions. One of the highlights was accepting nearly 150 Made-in-India armoured vehicles, an excellent example of‘ Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, on behalf of the UN for the UN peacekeeping operation in South Sudan. I was also privileged to participate in the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping celebration, recognizing India’s role having contributed more personnel to UN Peacekeeping since the beginning than any other country, and joining the Indian Army in paying homage to fallen heroes at the National War Memorial. The UN in India was also honoured to partner with the International Indian Film Academy Awards held in Abu Dhabi. We are always looking for new platforms to get our message across, and the award show was an opportunity for the UN to amplify the message on climate action and sustainability to an entirely new audience, leveraging the power of India’s cultural ‘soft power’ for good. Our own UN family was also strengthened by the opening of the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Centre in Delhi in March 2023, with the goal of promoting advanced technologies within the region and beyond. We look forward to India’s hosting of the ITU World Assembly in 2024.
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Story
24 January 2024
'A gift to India and to the world’
The President of the General Assembly has witnessed first-hand the transformative power of technology during a visit to a prosthetic limb centre in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on the second day of his official visit to India.
Dennis Francis met some of the staff at the Jaipur Foot NGO as well as young recipients of prosthetic limbs from the centre, which for decades has been providing high-quality prosthetic limbs at low cost.
"It’s a gift to India and to the world," he later posted on social media, describing the limb technology as a testament to Indian ingenuity and an innovative pinnacle that restores hope and dignity to recipients.
Touring the city of Jaipur, a World Heritage Site, he also explored multiple historic landmarks, including Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort, and City Palace.
The President also met Princess Diya Kumari, the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan state. He explored a traditional crafts store of the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, which helps local women artisans gain financial independence by providing a platform to market and sell their work.
The day-long visit to Jaipur is part of a five-day trip he is undertaking in India. Today, he is in Delhi, where he will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, before traveling to Mumbai for the final leg of his trip.
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Publication
29 September 2023
United Nations in India Annual Report 2022
The UN India Annual Report 2022 covers the final year of the UN - Government of India Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF) 2018-2022, which continued to guide our support to India’s development priorities, even as we repurposed a significant part of our planned activities and budget towards the COVID-19 response.
The UN pulled together as a system with remarkable response support efforts during the darkest days of COVID-19, and we
continued to support the Government of India’s response to the health and socioeconomic impact of the fast-spreading
Omicron variant in the early months of the year.
Yet, just as a fragile recovery took root, new shocks emerged from a senseless conflict in Ukraine, driving increasing scarcity of life’s basic necessities such as food and fuel, and wiping out years of progress in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read the full report.
continued to support the Government of India’s response to the health and socioeconomic impact of the fast-spreading
Omicron variant in the early months of the year.
Yet, just as a fragile recovery took root, new shocks emerged from a senseless conflict in Ukraine, driving increasing scarcity of life’s basic necessities such as food and fuel, and wiping out years of progress in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read the full report.
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Story
03 August 2022
UN News Hindi
Visit the UN News Hindi site for news, stories, opinions, interviews, videos and audio stories from across the UN system in Hindi: https://news.un.org/hi/
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Story
18 April 2024
New report flags terror, Internet links to drug trade in South Asia
The illegal drug trade is rising in India and across South Asia, according to a new report that also warns that the trade is being used to fund terrorism. The annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) 2023 shows that 39% of the world’s opiate users reside in South Asia. The report also highlights India's prominence as the primary market for opiates, noting an increased number of incidences of trafficking and the illicit opium cultivation in the country’s northeastern region. It also cautions about the influx of heroin from South-West Asia, particularly Afghanistan. Presenting key findings from the report at a special event this week at UN House in New Delhi, Jagjit Pavadia, INCB member and Chair of the Committee on Finance and Administration, stressed the importance of evidence-based treatments for drug users, especially those from vulnerable demographics. Ms. Pavadia also highlighted the environmental hazards linked to the drug trade, such as the detrimental impact of spraying illicit substances on crops and the carbon footprint associated with drug production. The report outlines a worrying trend: more drugs are being sold online, making them easier to get. Cyber-enabled drug trafficking is on the rise, which means illegal drugs are being sold on the dark web and crypto-markets. There are also more illegal online pharmacies selling drugs without needing a prescription. Senior Indian Government officials from the Department of Revenue, the Narcotics Control Bureau, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) participated in the report launch. The discussions disclosed how profits from drug trafficking are increasingly being funneled into funding terrorism and supporting armed groups. On rising incidents of narco-terrorism, the Deputy Director General of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau, Ms. Monika Ashish Batra, said: “Investigations indicate that proceeds of drug trafficking are increasingly being used to fund terrorism, and to support armed groups.”The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Regional Representative for South Asia, Marco Teixeira, noted that the UN has been providing local officers with hands-on training sessions on interdictions, investigations, seizures and prosecutions. “The collaboration between the Government of India, INCB and UNODC South Asia has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve by enriching officers' expertise with capacity building and training,” said Mr. Sunil Kumar Sinha, Principal Additional Director General, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. Professor Yatan Pal Singh Balhara of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS New Delhi emphasized a balanced approach, identifying effective prevention, treatment, and harm reduction as key to addressing the drug problem. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator for India, underlined how the efforts to combat drugs are inter-connected to broader initiatives aimed at enhancing public health, reinforcing the rule of law, and fostering peace and security. UNODC works to educate people throughout the world about the dangers of drug abuse and to strengthen international action against illicit drug production and trafficking and drug-related crime. ***
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Story
12 April 2024
Never Again: Reflecting on 30 Years Since Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
“What happened in my country should never happen in any country in the world,” with these words Jacqueline Mukangira, High Commissioner of Rwanda in India, led the commemorations for the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The day-long event, co-organized by United Nations Information Centre and Rwanda High Commission at India International Centre, paid tribute to the tragic period in history that saw systematic killings of more than one million Tutsi people in Rwanda. The evening saw an official commemoration attended by Mr. Sevala Naik Mude, Additional Secretary from Ministry of External Affairs, UN officials, and foreign diplomats, who participated in a candlelight vigil. The psychological scars from witnessing the genocide in 1994 are still fresh in the minds of the survivors, the High Commissioner told the gathering, as she shared the painful memories of losing her father, four siblings, and other members of her family in the mass killings. “No one came from outside to carry out the genocide. Our people were killed by their neighbours. Husbands killed their wives, parents killed their children”. The Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly said that the "world stood idly by" as the genocide unfolded, calling hate speech "the seedbed of genocide." UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp after reading UN Secretary-General’s message urged all to pledge to stand together in solidarity, not just in remembrance of the past, but in our joint determination to create a future free from hatred and violence. Earlier in the day, more than 200 students from 26 schools across the city gathered to interact with Ms. Mukangira to reflect upon the genocide. Easels were lined up to showcase artwork created by school students aimed at honouring the memory of the victims. Ms. Mukangira appreciated the students' creativity, moving from painting to painting to admire their artwork and discuss the ideas behind their pieces. DAV Public School, Gurugram students staged a play showcasing Rwanda's present and its genocide horrors. Ms. Mukangira praised their portrayal of Tutsis massacred in churches, highlighting the desecration of sacred spaces during the genocide. A student choir from Bal Bharti Public School, Noida performed a rendition of Mwakire Indabo, a Kinyarwanda song by Musinga Joe, to pay tribute to the lives lost. Delhi University's Associate Professor Subarno Chatterjee while speaking to students stressed on the importance of remembering the tragic events of 1994. He said, "We need precise memories to understand our past and present. Only by remembering can we hope to create better futures." "In the end, we're all the same. Once we die, you can't differentiate between any of us, no matter who we are. So why do we discriminate against each other when we're alive?" asked Dishita Gupta from Ridge Valley School. Calling the commemoration an “opportune moment to call friends of Rwanda to fight negative ideology,” the High Commissioner said, “Let us say no to hate speech, no to discrimination. Let us find the courage together to spread peace”. ***
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Story
10 April 2024
Student projects show how to use AI for good
A robot that combats littering. A programme that analyses the posture of office workers. A device that allows people with speech disabilities to communicate by moving their eyes. An app that offers personalized virtual training plans to budding sports stars. These were just some of the extraordinary projects on display at the AI Future Leaders Summit in Bengaluru last week, where hundreds of school students and educators from across India gathered for the first edition of the India AI Youth Awards. The Summit, held at DPS Bangalore North on 5 April, was organized by the non-governmental organization 1M1B (1 Million for 1 Billion), in collaboration with IBM. Participants at the Summit discussed how artificial intelligence can be deployed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and awards were given out to the best projects conceived by students. Darrin Farrant, Director of the United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan, congratulated the students at the Summit for their innovative projects. He stressed how important it was for AI to have safeguards and for humanity to use it for good. The Summit also served as a special briefing in support of the UN’s Summit of the Future, which will be held at UN Headquarters in New York this September. The Summit of the Future will help chart a road map for the international community to deal with its biggest challenges, including the use of artificial intelligence, in the decades ahead. ***
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Story
19 March 2024
How a chip packet turned into a fashion trend
These sunglasses, made from recycled plastic extracted from chip packets, are creative and environmentally conscious.The winner of last year’s United Nations-backed Circular Design Challenge, Anish Malpani, showcased his eco-friendly sunglasses as part of his collection “Metamorphique” at the Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) 2024 in Mumbai. The event aimed to highlight the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry.Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India, who attended the event said, "Together, we can prove that fashion can be both an amazing industry and a life passion and a force for sustainability”.Sharp noted that the SU.RE. (Sustainable Resolution) project, launched in 2019 by the UN, Ministry of Textiles, and Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), is working towards making India's apparel industry more eco-friendly. A documentary which took viewers behind the scenes of the Circular Design Challenge 2023 was also screened in Mumbai.The fifth annual Circular Design Challenge is an initiative of R|Elan (a textile brand under Reliance Industries Limited), in partnership with the United Nations in India, Lakmé Fashion Week, and the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). ***
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Story
18 March 2024
Crafting Futures: Women Leading Heritage Preservation
Dipali sews the grass with its stems to make baskets – a traditional craft she learned from her grandparents. Sabai is a kind of grass that grows in abundance on fallow land in West Bengal. She has seen her grandparents and parents weave sabai into ropes and sell them in the local haat. Gouri, a madur artist, is known for weaving portraits and landscapes on mats. She now heads a mat weaving unit in West Bengal employing 40 women. Swarna inherited the patachitra scroll painting tradition from her father. Now, she not only creates beautifully painted scrolls, but also composes songs to narrate stories which go along with these scrolls. From stories and tales of mythology to modern issues, patachitra scroll painting incorporates visuals and sound to depict a wide array of themes. The crafts of Dipali, Gouri, and Swarna were among the demonstrations showcased at UNESCO House in New Delhi for the International Women’s Day celebration. The one-day event included craft demonstrations, panel discussions with women artisans, and cultural performances, serving as a platform for women to share their inspiring stories and insights on their journey towards economic empowerment, digital inclusion, and gender equality. Dipali, from Purulia, said: “Since we used to stay at home all day in the village, we used to make small items from Sabai ropes for our homes. Through the project, I got training to diversify and market the products and now I have travelled within India and internationally to showcase my craft. It is not just a livelihood for me, it has also given me my identity.” UNESCO's initiatives such as the Rural Craft and Cultural Hubs programme in West Bengal state and the project for Strengthening Intangible Cultural Heritage Based Tourism in western Rajasthan have empowered women while preserving cultural heritage. A musical performance by Rina Das Baul (West Bengal) and a kalbelia dance performance by Suwa Devi (Rajasthan) highlighted the vibrant living heritage of the two states. Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO Office for South Asia, said: “Women play a pivotal role in the practice, transmission, and safeguarding of living heritage. Women are usually at the frontline of transmitting the know-how and content of their living heritage to the next generations and as such they are in a real sense the true custodians of the identity of communities. Moreover, the active participation of women in cultural activities helps bridge gender gaps and build inclusive, sustainable societies.” ***
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Press Release
18 April 2024
Secretary-General: We have a shared responsibility to work for peace
The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint. This emergency session has been convened upon an urgent request by the Permanent Representative of Israel, who noted in his letter dated 13 April to the President of the Security Council, that Iran had launched – and I quote -- “a direct attack from within its territory of more than 200 UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles towards Israel in clear violation of the UN Charter and international law.” [unquote] Yesterday, the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran also addressed a letter to the President of the Security Council, stating that – and I quote -- “in the late hours of 13 April 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out a series of military strikes on Israeli military objectives.” [unquote] He stated that the action was taken – and I quote -- “in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defence as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, and in response to the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on 1 April 2024 against Iranian diplomatic premises” – unquote. According to the latest reports, Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles from its territory toward Israel, with most intercepted.Several missiles reportedly struck within Israeli territory, one of which damaged an Israeli military facility in the south of the country. And overall, a few civilians were injured. When the nature of the attack became clear, I stated the following last night and I quote: “I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening. And I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities.” [unquote] I remind all Member States that the Charter of the United Nations prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations. Furthermore, the principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law, as I stated when condemning the 1 April attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. It’s time to step back from the brink. It is vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East. Civilians are already bearing the brunt and paying the highest price. And we have a shared responsibility to actively engage all parties concerned to prevent further escalation. As the Friendly Relations Declaration of 1970 states, acts of reprisal involving the use of force are barred under international law. We have a shared responsibility to secure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. We have a shared responsibility to stop violence in the occupied West Bank, de-escalate the situation along the Blue Line, and re-establish safe navigation in the Red Sea. We have a shared responsibility to work for peace. Regional – and indeed global -- peace and security are being undermined by the hour. Neither the region nor the world can afford more war. Thank you.***[END]
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Press Release
18 April 2024
New UN report calls for trillions more in development investment to rescue Sustainable Development Goals
UNITED NATIONS, 9 April 2024 – A new UN report says financing challenges are at the heart of the world’s sustainable development crisis – as staggering debt burdens and sky-high borrowing costs prevent developing countries from responding to the confluence of crises they face. Only a massive surge of financing, and a reform of the international financial architecture can rescue the Sustainable Development Goals.The 2024 Financing for Sustainable Development Report: Financing for Development at a Crossroads (FSDR 2024) says urgent steps are needed to mobilise financing at scale to close the development financing gap, now estimated at USD 4.2 trillion annually, up from USD 2.5 trillion before the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, rising geopolitical tensions, climate disasters and a global cost-of-living crisis have hit billions of people, battering progress on healthcare, education, and other development targets.“This report is yet another proof of how far we still need to go and how fast we need to act to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed. “We are truly at a crossroads and time is running out. Leaders must go beyond mere rhetoric and deliver on their promises. Without adequate financing, the 2030 targets cannot be met.”With only six years remaining to achieve the SDGs, hard-won development gains are being reversed, particularly in the poorest countries. If current trends continue, the UN estimates that almost 600 million people will continue to live in extreme poverty in 2030 and beyond, more than half of them women.“We’re experiencing a sustainable development crisis, to which inequalities, inflation, debt, conflicts and climate disasters have all contributed,” said UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua. “Resources are needed to address this, and the money is there. Billions of dollars are lost annually from tax avoidance and evasion, and fossil fuel subsidies are in the trillions. Globally, there is no shortage of money; rather, a shortage of will and commitment.”According to the report debt burdens and rising borrowing costs are large contributors to the crisis. Estimates are that in the least developed countries debt service will be USD 40 billion annually between 2023 and 2025, up more than 50 per cent from USD 26 billion in 2022. Stronger and more frequent climate related disasters account for more than half of the debt upsurge in vulnerable countries. The poorest countries now spend 12 per cent of their revenues on interest payments — four times more than they spent a decade ago. Roughly 40 per cent of the global population live in countries where governments spend more on interest payments than on education or health.While investment in SDG sectors had grown steadily in the early 2000s, major sources of development funding are now slowing down. For example, domestic revenue growth has stalled since 2010, especially in LDCs and other low-income countries, in part due to tax evasion and avoidance. Corporate income tax rates are falling, with global average tax rates down from 28.2 per cent in 2000 to 21.1 per cent in 2023, due to globalization and tax competition.Meanwhile, Official Development Assistance from OECD countries and climate finance commitments are not being met. While ODA increased to an all-time high in 2022, reaching USD 211 billion, from USD 185.9 billion in 2021, much of the growth came from aid to refugees living in donor countries, and the total amount is inadequate for development. Only four countries met the UN aid target of 0.7 per cent of GNI in 2022.The report concludes that the international financial system, which was set up at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, is no longer fit for purpose. It proposes a new coherent system that is better equipped to respond to crises, scales up investment in the SDGs especially through stronger multilateral development banks, and improves the global safety net for all countries.The report points to the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024 as a crucial opportunity to change course. It highlights the June 2025 Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) as the critical moment for countries to commit to closing the development financing gap and invest in achieving the SDGs.FfD4 is an opportunity for countries to:Close credibility gaps and rebuild trust in multilateralism.Close financing and investment gaps, at scale and with urgency.Reform and modernize the outdated international financial architecture and adjust international rules for trade, investment and finance.Formulate and finance new development pathways to deliver on the SDGs and ensure no one is left behind.“Without global cooperation, targeted financing, and, crucially, the political will, the world will not achieve the SDGs,” said Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed. “The clock is ticking. Between now and next year’s FfD4 Conference, we have a once-in-80-year opportunity to comprehensively reform the financial architecture, and a last chance to correct course before 2030. History will not be kind to those with the power to act who fail to do so, while the clock winds down on the planet and its people.”[END]
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Press Release
19 April 2024
Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action
Climate disasters are economic disasters.As finance ministers, you know that all too well. Storms, floods, fires and droughts are decimating economies around the world. Funds that should be building roads, educating children, and curing the sick, are being swallowed up by the climate crisis. Yet you know that without action, today’s costs will seem like small change. We can still avert the very worst of climate chaos by limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. But only if we act now. It is vital that all countries come forward with new and ambitious national climate action plans – or Nationally Determined Contributions – by next year. These plans should align with the 1.5 degree limit, covering all emissions and the whole economy, and reflect national circumstances. And they should map a just pathway to phase out fossil fuels, and embrace the benefits of renewable energy. Finance ministers are vital in designing national climate plans that support national development plans, and double as national investment plans – spurring sustainable development. And you are key to mobilizing finance for NDCs, and to developing policies and regulations to support their implementation – policies that provide investors with clarity and certainty: from an effective carbon price to ending fossil fuel subsidies. I warmly welcome the Coalition’s Call to Action on involving finance ministers in NDCs. And I urge you to help fix our financial system – to enable maximum ambition and maximum justice. We need developed countries to keep their promises on finance – including on adaptation. We need significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund, and a strong finance outcome from COP29 this year. And we need innovative financial instruments, adequate capitalisation and reform of the business model of multilateral development banks – to increase their lending potential and to mobilise far more private finance. he end of the fossil fuel age is coming. It is unstoppable. But finance is essential to supercharge the shift, and seize the benefits of resilient economies powered by renewables. The world is counting on you to lead the charge. Together, let’s keep working for the ambitious climate action that people and planet deserve.Thank you. [END]
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Press Release
19 April 2024
International Renewable Energy Agency 14th Assembly
I am pleased to send my warmest greetings to this 14th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency.And I thank Mr La Camera for his leadership. Our collective future depends on collective action. That makes the work of IRENA critical. The renewables revolution is unstoppable. And the phaseout of fossil fuels is inevitable. Our task is to ensure the transition is fast enough, and fair enough – to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and bring the benefits of affordable clean power to everyone by 2030. Countries must act on their COP28 commitments – with the G20 in the lead: Accelerating fossil fuel phase-out this decade;Doubling energy efficiency and tripling renewables capacity;And presenting new national climate action plans by 2025, that align with 1.5 degrees and cover the whole economy; Without finance and support, this is simply impossible for developing countries. So, we need action: From the G20 – to mobilise the financial and technical resources they need. From developed countries – to deliver on their finance commitments. And from IRENA – to intensify your support to countries preparing their new national climate plans. We also need a strong outcome at COP29, and reform of the business model of multilateral development banks to increase their lending potential and bolster their efforts to mobilize private finance. Together, let’s supercharge the renewables revolution. Thank you. [END]
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Press Release
19 April 2024
Secretary-General: Every generation serves as caretaker of this world
Welcome to the ECOSOC Youth Forum – and thank you for your presence and you engagement. The energy and conviction of young people are infectious, and more vital than ever. Our world is bristling with challenges, tragedies and injustices – many of them linked: The Sustainable Development Goals are way off track. This means children hungry, families trapped in poverty, and young people out of school. The climate crisis is spiralling downward – as emissions continue to rise and the fossil fuel industry, in its immense greed, tries to block change at every turn. Great rifts within and between countries are fuelling mistrust and eroding solidarity: Inequality and poverty are rife. Polarisation and hate are spreading – stoked by digital disinformation and division. Human rights are under attack. And conflicts are raging around the world. Israel’s military operations in Gaza, following the devastating terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October, are having an appalling impact on civilians – including young people. Thousands of children have been killed. Thousands more have lost one or both parents. And one hundred per cent of young people in Gaza – every single child – is out of school. It is high time for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. In the face of all these crises, public trust is plummeting. Alienation is growing. And the international system is creaking. The future of multilateralism is at stake. And so we need action and we need justice. I salute young people around the world for standing up, speaking out and working for real change. We need you. And I am fully committed to bringing young people into political decision-making; not just listening to your views, but acting on them. We established a new Youth Office in the United Nations to advance advocacy, coordination, participation, and accountability for and with young people. We will renew the United Nations Youth Strategy – to take this work to the next level. And I am committed to making sure young people have a strong role as we gear up for the Summit of the Future in September. That includes this Forum’s discussions, virtual consultations on the Pact for the Future – which will include a chapter on youth and future generations – and your work mobilising in your communities. We are also holding a youth-led action day as the Summit begins, so that your voices are heard from the start. The Summit of the Future is a pivotal moment to turbocharge the SDGs, and reinvigorate multilateralism. We have already put forward a number of concrete ideas on strengthening youth engagement for Member States to consider. This includes: establishing national youth consultative bodies, a global standard for meaningful youth engagement in decision-making, and creating a UN Youth Townhall. We are also working to advance a Global Digital Compact to help build a world where digital technologies support sustainable development – including education and jobs for young people: A world where children and young people are protected online, benefit from digital technologies, and have a say in the decisions shaping digital life. We have created a High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence to make recommendations on international governance of AI. This group of experts is gender-balanced. It includes young leaders and people from the Global South. And it is feeding into the Global Digital Compact. We have also proposed a New Agenda for Peace, to renew and strengthen multilateral security frameworks, and to embed young people’s participation in peace and security institutions that are funded in full. As we are pushing for reform of the United Nations Security Council and a fundamental overhaul of the international financial architecture, we count on youth engagement and leadership. Many of today’s developing countries had no voice when those institutions were established eight decades ago. These systems were designed by the rich and remain controlled by the rich. And are failing in some of their most basic functions. We must shake off the relics of the past, and create institutions that reflect the world today. And serve its needs. This is a matter of justice. I urge all Member States to get behind our proposals. And I ask young people to join forces with allies and partners across civil society – to demand that governments make the Summit count. You can start by supporting the Summit of the Future digital campaigns we are launching today: Take on the ActNow challenge – and share it with your networks – to show leaders how many of us demand a sustainable future for all; And sign the open letter to world leaders on reviving multilateralism, launched today by the United Nations Youth Office. Beyond the Summit of the Future, I salute young people for being on the frontlines for bold climate action. Our climate is in meltdown. And the poorest are paying the price. This is breathtaking injustice. And a terrible betrayal of your generation. Governments need to adopt strong policies to accelerate the global phase-out of fossil fuels and a just transition to clean energy. They need to create new national climate plans by 2025 that align with the 1.5 degree Celsius limit; And they need to bring young people into this work – meaningfully. The transition to renewables must be just, and it must be sustainable. We will soon launch our Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals – to help to ensure developing countries benefit fully from this transition. My Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change will have a seat on this panel – and will help to engage young people in its work. Developed countries must also keep their promises on climate finance. And governments must make generous contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund as a step towards climate justice. And we must all push to get finance flowing to sustainable development more broadly – to turbocharge the Sustainable Development Goals. That includes countries backing and implementing our plans for an SDG Stimulus and supporting deep reforms to the Multilateral Development Banks. Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: mine has been careless with that responsibility. But yours gives me hope. The United Nations stands with you. Together, let’s deliver justice. Let’s deliver solutions. And let’s create a world of peace and prosperity for all. And I thank you.***[END]
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