PRESS RELEASE: United Nations in South Africa calls for support for the President’s plan as it marks 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence

Pretoria, 25 November 2019 – The United Nations in South Africa will join government, civil society and the private sector in marking 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence starting on 25 November on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This year, the UN’s commemoration of 16 Days will focus on galvanising support for the President’s Emergency Plan of Action on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide with an aim to see a drastic reduction in such cases within the next six months.

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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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Nairobi summit: Women’s empowerment a ‘game changer’ for sustainable development

The Kenyan capital is hosting a three-day summit to mark 25 years since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The conference, held in Cairo, produced a Programme of Action which recognized that reproductive health, women’s empowerment and gender equality are critical to sustainable development.

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Investors’ Alliance

OP-ED by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres: This piece originally appeared in the Financial Times under the headline ‘Progress toward sustainable development is seriously off-track’.

People around the world are taking to the streets to protest against rising living costs and real or perceived injustice. They feel the economy is not working for them — and in some cases, they are right. A narrow focus on growth, regardless of its true cost and consequences, is leading to climate catastrophe, a loss of trust in institutions and a lack of faith in the future.

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Press Release: UNHCR urges resolution to refugee protests

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is closely following developments in front of its office in Cape Town, South Africa, where police – pursuant to a court order – is acting to address the protest by refugees and asylum-seekers. The police action is being undertaken after refugees and asylum seekers staged a sit-in protest since 8 October at UNHCR’s office in Cape Town.
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Commitment walk, song and colourful dance at UN Day celebrations

Pretoria – The employees of the United Nations in South Africa marked UN Day with a walk, song and dance in colourful outfits in Pretoria on Friday. About 100 workers from the organisation took to the streets to commemorate the day and raise awareness about Agenda 2030, which includes the 17 sustainable development goals for the world.

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Why the United Nations is still relevant to South Africa?

Nardos Bekele-Thomas is the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in South Africa.

The United Nations (UN) role in ending apartheid is well documented; what is less known is its relevance to a democratic South Africa (SA). As the world, this week, marks the UN’s 74th birthday amidst concerns over its ability to finance an ambitious development agenda, it is time for a sober reflection on why the global body is relevant to SA.

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