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British actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw named latest UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
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Press Releases
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Risks of homelessness and evictions rising among Venezuelan refugees and migrants
During the pandemic, about 40% of refugees and migrants from Venezuela were evicted and an additional 38% were at risk…
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Launch of "Making Peace with Nature" report: 18
New UNEP synthesis provides blueprint to urgently solve planetary emergencies and secure humanity’s future. Please here to see Press Release
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Secretary-General appoints Ms. Usha Rao-Monari of India as Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Usha Rao-Monari of India as Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of…
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World Radio Day UNESCO Caribbean jingles for airing
The theme for World Radio Day (13 February) this year is “New World, New Radio: Evolution, Innovation, Connection”, which celebrates the…
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Opinion Editorials
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Making peace with nature is possible, if we start now
By Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme Even amid a pandemic, 2021 can go down as the…
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Carbon Neutrality by 2050: The World's Most Urgent Mission
By António Guterres As the world marks the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the landmark Paris Agreement on climate…
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Feature Stories
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FROM THE FIELD: Celebrating the power of centuries-old farming techniques
Sustainability is not new: communities have been living in harmony with their surroundings for hundreds, if not thousands of years. As the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins, the UN is celebrating some of the most remarkable agricultural systems found around the… Read More -
Climate litigation spikes, giving courts an ‘essential role’ in addressing climate crisis
A rise in climate litigation cases has made courtrooms increasingly important as a venue for addressing climate change around the world, according to a report released on Tuesday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The UNEP Global Climate Litigation Report: 2020… Read More
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GOAL OF THE MONTH
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Reducing inequalities and ensuring no one is left behind are integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Inequality within and among countries is a persistent cause for concern. Despite some positive signs toward reducing inequality in some dimensions, such as reducing relative income inequality in some countries and preferential trade status benefiting lower-income countries, inequality still persists.
COVID-19 has deepened existing inequalities, hitting the poorest and most vulnerable communities the hardest. It has put a spotlight on economic inequalities and fragile social safety nets that leave vulnerable communities to bear the brunt of the crisis. At the same time, social, political and economic inequalities have amplified the impacts of the pandemic.
On the economic front, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased global unemployment and dramatically slashed workers’ incomes.
COVID-19 also puts at risk the limited progress that has been made on gender equality and women’s rights over the past decades. Across every sphere, from health to the economy, security to social protection, the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women and girls simply by virtue of their sex.
Inequalities are also deepening for vulnerable populations in countries with weaker health systems and those facing existing humanitarian crises. Refugees and migrants, as well as indigenous peoples, older persons, people with disabilities and children are particularly at risk of being left behind. And hate speech targeting vulnerable groups is rising.