Category Archives: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE: Forty years into the HIV epidemic, AIDS remains the leading cause of death of women of reproductive age—UNAIDS calls for bold action

Gender discrimination and violence, gaps in education and lack of economic empowerment and protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights are blocking progress.

GENEVA/JOHANNESBURG, 5 March 2020—Ahead of International Women’s Day, UNAIDS has launched a new report showing that the stark inequalities and inequities between men and women are continuing to make women and girls more vulnerable to HIV. We’ve got the power urges governments to do more to empower women and girls and fulfil their human rights.

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Edward K. Ndopu, a global human rights activist, is awarded the inaugural United Nations in South Africa Partnership Award

Pretoria, 10 December 2019 – The United Nations in South Africa today presented the UN in SA Partnership Award to a South African activist, Edward K. Ndopu “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to human rights advocacy”. The award ceremony, which took place at a seminar held in Pretoria on the importance of multilaterism, was jointly organized by the UN and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

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PRESS RELEASE: UNHCR urges peaceful resolution of protest in its Pretoria compound

Some 150 foreign nationals, involved in a protest since 8 October outside UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s office in Pretoria, South Africa, have forced their way into the compound this morning. The group may include refugees and asylum-seekers. The majority of our staff were safely evacuated out of the building.

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#FightRacism this Human Rights Day

UNIC/PR/2019/03/19

Pretoria, South Africa – The United Nations in South Africa will join South Africans in commemorating Human Rights Day on Thursday, 21 March 2019 in Sharpeville and participate in the Human Rights Festival at the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. The day is of special importance to the UN and the global community as it also marks the International Day for the Elimination for Racial Discrimination, which was adopted in honour of the victims who lost their lives in the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. Continue reading →

Statement: Take action to eliminate female genital mutilation by 2030

Mary Oloiparuni was 13 when she was mutilated. Restrained in a doorway early one morning in her home, she was cut, bled profusely and experienced agonizing pain. The scarring she endured then continues to cause her pain today, 19 years later. It has made giving birth to each of her five children an excruciating and harrowing experience.

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Zimbabwe wins the United Nations All Africa Games with South Africa as the runner-up

Pretoria, South Africa – The Zimbabwean team won this year’s United Nations All Africa Games which ended over the weekend at Ingwenyama Conference and Sports Resort in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Zimbabwe, which was led by the UN Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe, Bishow Parajuli, was the overall winner of the tournament, having won several in competitions including athletics and soccer. This is the country’s third consecutive year as winners. The host country, South Africa—which was led by the UN Resident Coordinator in South Africa, Nardos Bekele-Thomas—was the runner-up in the contest and Kenya finished third.

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United Nations All Africa Games kick off in South Africa on 31 August

Pretoria, South Africa – The 11th United Nations All Africa Games kick off on Friday, 31 August 2018 at Ingwenyama Conference and Sports Resort in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The tournament is being hosted by the United Nations in South Africa.

The purpose of the UN Games is to promote a culture of peace and tolerance, mutual respect among staff and to emphasize the importance of UN’s ‘Delivering as One approach’.  The UN recognizes the value of sports towards public health and as a tool for raising awareness on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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