By UN Journal Kayla Lee Too many indigenous peoples are still being excluded from decisions that directly affect their lands, territories, cultures, and the future of their communities, a top UN forum heard on April 21, the UN News reported. Indigenous Peoples are still excluded from decisions regarding “the very foundation of our identity, survival, and self-determination,” said Aluki Kotierk, Chair of the 24th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). According to the UN News, this year’s theme is focused on implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peop
By UN Journal Kayla Lee “Mother Earth is running a fever. Last year was the hottest ever recorded: The final blow in a decade of record heat,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a message for International Mother Earth Day on April 22, 2025. According to the UN News, he said in the message, “We know what’s causing this sickness: the greenhouse gas emissions humanity is pumping into the atmosphere – overwhelmingly from burning fossil fuels.” We know the symptoms: devastating wildfires, floods and heat. Lives lost and livelihoods shattered. And we know the cure: rapidly reducing green
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Young people from across the globe are meeting at UN Headquarters on April 15 to share their recommendations to transform the world into a fairer, greener and more sustainable place, the UN News reported. Putting sustainable change and social inclusion at the forefront of its effort, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum is the UN’s yearly largest gathering of young people. “The urgency of shaping a more sustainable, inclusive and just future for all has never been clearer,” said the President of ECOSOC, Bob Rae, during the opening plenary session. Conven
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Fast fashion is accelerating an environmental catastrophe, with the equivalent of one garbage truck’s worth of clothing either incinerated or sent to landfill every second, the UN chief warned on March 27. Speaking at an event commemorating Sunday’s International Day of Zero Waste, Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent action to curb the textile industry’s devastating impact on the planet., the UN News reported. “Dressing to kill could kill the planet,” he stressed. The fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting sectors, responsible for up to
By UN Journal Kayla Lee UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concern on April 2 over the human toll resulting from the intensified hostilities in Gaza, the UN news reported. He condemned the reported killing of more than a thousand people, including women and children, since the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on 18 March. In his daily press briefing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that large-scale Israeli shelling and ground operations have resulted in widespread destruction and the displacement of more than 100,000 Palestinians from Rafah in the pa
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The United Nations on March 26 welcomed recent diplomatic talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia, calling an agreement on freedom of navigation and security in the Black Sea a crucial step for global food security, the UN News reported. In a statement, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres, said the UN chief’s good offices remain available to support all efforts towards a lasting peace in Ukraine. “Reaching an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels a
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Glaciers in many regions will not survive the 21st century if they keep melting at the current rate, potentially jeopardising hundreds of millions of people living downstream, UN climate experts said on the first World Day for Glaciers. According to the UN News, together with ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, glaciers lock up about 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater reserves. They are striking indicators of climate change as they typically remain about the same size in a stable climate. But, with rising temperatures and global warming triggered by human-induc
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo On a visit to Bangladesh, UN Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the pivotal moment the country is facing as it navigates a period of significant transition and reform, the UN News reported. Speaking to the media on March 15, the Secretary-General praised Bangladesh’s progress and highlighted the role of the international community in supporting the country’s future. “I am particularly pleased to be in Bangladesh at this important moment in your national journey,” Mr. Guterres said, acknowledging the leadership of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and the hopes
By UN Journal Kayla Lee "Ten years ago, the first International Day of Women and Girls in Science recognized a fundamental truth: women’s participation is essential for building a better world through science and technology. I saw that enormous potential firsthand when I was teaching engineering, and I saw the remarkable talent, creativity, and determination of countless women scientists," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Feb. 11. In the statement released by the United Nations, he said, "Yet today, women still represent just one-third of the global scientific community. Deprived
By UN Journal Kayla Lee UN agencies responded on Jan. 21 to President Trump's executive orders ending US membership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its adherence to the Paris Climate Agreement, highlighting the massive potential negative impact on public health and efforts to curb global warming, the UN News reported. “The WHO regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization…We hope the United States will reconsider,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, hours after the new President signed an executive order at the White House,
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the Jan. 15 announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza following 15 months of war, the UN News reported. Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, António Guterres commended mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering the agreement. “Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough,” he said. He called on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments to ensure that the deal is fully implemented. M
By UN Journal Kayla Lee UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for making 2025 “a new beginning” in his message for the New Year, issued on Dec. 30, 2024. Reflecting on 2024, Guterres stated that “hope has been hard to find”, with wars causing enormous pain, suffering and displacement, and inequalities and divisions fuelling tensions and mistrust., the UN News reported. “And today I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat,” he said. The Secretary-General noted that the top 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the past decade. “This is climate breakd
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo In a message commemorating the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness on Dec. 27, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all nations to invest in resilience and equity to make a healthier and safer world for all, the UN News reported. The world remains dangerously unprepared for the next pandemic, despite the harrowing lessons of COVID-19, Mr. Guterres warned. “COVID-19 was a wake-up call to the world,” he stated, reflecting on the devastating human, economic and social toll of the pandemic. “The crisis may have passed, but a harsh lesson remains: the world i
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The General Assembly on Dec. 24 adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats, the UN News reported. The agreement on the legally binding treaty marked the culmination of a five-year effort by UN Member States, with inputs from civil society, information security experts, academia and the private sector. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the adoption of the Convention – the first international criminal just
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo “After 14 years of brutal war and the fall of the dictatorial regime, today the people of Syria can seize an historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Dec. 8. As reports continued to emerge from the Syrian capital, Damascus, where opposition forces declared victory overnight on State television, the UN chief said in a statement: The future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine. There is much work to be done to ensure an orderly political transition to renewed institutions, Mr. Guterres, and n