United Nations

The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 223 points in January, up 2.3% (5 points) from December. International prices of all major cereals with the exception of rice rose, with maize gaining most, 6%. The FAO Food Price Index rose by nearly two% or four points from December to January – its first increase since July 2011. Prices of all the commodity groups in the index registered gains last month with oils increasing the most, followed closely by cereals, sugar, dairy products and meat. At...Read Full Story

With new blueprint in hand, Ban calls for action to chart more sustainable future Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the launch of report by his High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability. UN Photo/ Eskinder Debebe 30 January 2012 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for action on a new blueprint for creating a sustainable planet, a just society and a growing economy, stressing that the current path will not lead to a fair and resilient future for...Read Full Story

UN welcomes Iraqi ratification of pact on rights of persons with disabilities Celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities. UN Photo/Fardin Waezi 30 January 2012 The United Nations welcomed today the ratification by Iraq of a convention that protects, promotes, and ensures the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified last week by the Iraqi Government, covers a number...Read Full Story

Ban urges private sector to play greater role in fight against modern slavery A human trafficking awareness billboard 2 December 2011 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the private sector to play a more active role in combating modern forms of slavery, saying that humanity still lives in a world blighted by serfdom and other practices despite efforts by governments and civil society to end the scourge.“To eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, we need new strategies and...Read Full Story

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery - 2 December “To eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, we need new strategies and measures that can unite all actors. While Governments bear the primary responsibility, the private sector has an integral role to play. Earlier this year, the Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, outlining how states and businesses should implement the UN “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework. I welcome the...Read Full Story