UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Top UN official calls for fully funding fight against AIDS, TB and malaria

31 March - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria must be fully funded if countries are
to achieve the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, the head of the
United Nations agency tasked with coordinating the AIDS response has stressed.

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), told donors and
partners gathered in the Spanish city of Cáceres for the Mid-Term Review meeting of the Global Fund’s
Second Voluntary Replenishment process that many countries rely on Fund to finance their national
AIDS programmes.

“Countries need predictable financing so that they can focus their efforts on achieving their universal
access goals. That is why the Global Fund must be fully funded,” he told the meeting, which concludes
on Wednesday (01/04).

The Fund says that donor funding for the period 2008-2010 stands at $9.5 billion – $4 billion short of the
expected demand of at least $13.5 billion.

Despite the current global economic downturn, Mr. Sidibé stressed the necessity of investing in
delivering HIV services to the millions of people worldwide who are in need.

“We cannot let the economic crisis paralyze us. Stimulus packages and economic adjustments should be
made with a human face in mind. A mother should not have to choose between continuing AIDS
treatment and feeding her children. We cannot let down the 4 million people on treatment and millions
more in need today,” he stated.

In a video message to the meeting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for continued support to the
Global Fund, which was established in 2002 by the international community to ensure sufficient funding
to combat three deadly diseases.

“The Global Fund is helping countries to set ambitious targets. It is helping them to achieve concrete
results. And it is giving affected populations a real voice in programmes and policies that affect them. I
urge you to ensure it is fully funded,” he said.

The Fund’s voluntary replenishment process was established in 2004 to ensure predictable and
sustainable funding, and offers an important forum for donors to exchange views and expectations and
to enable them to better plan their financial commitments.
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UN joins global task force to create new ‘green’ economy

31 March - United Nations officials will begin work with a task force, launched on Tuesday (31/03) in
London, charged with developing a set of practical projects and policy proposals to stimulate a new low-
carbon global economy.

The initiative comes in response to an invitation made by United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown
at the annual World Economic Forum Summit in Davos, Switzerland, in January to create an
unprecedented low-carbon prosperity task force.

Some 52 businesses and 34 experts and organizations have joined the task force, which will work with
governments and organizations such as the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Foundation
to identify how to create millions of urgently needed “green jobs” and to steer global economic growth
onto a more sustainable, low-carbon direction.

“We believe 2009 is a crucial year for two reasons,” Richard Samans, Managing Director of the World
Economic Forum, said in an open letter to Mr. Brown ahead of this week’s so-called Group of 20 (G-20)
Summit in London, which will discuss solutions to the current global economic crisis.

Mr. Samans suggested that by placing low-carbon growth strategies at the heart of economic stimulus
measures being injected into many ailing economies, tackling the global recession and achieving a new
international treaty on reducing greenhouse gas emissions – to be concluded at the UN-led climate
change conference in Copenhagen in December – can be mutually reinforcing.

“The G-20 governments can, politically and practically, signal their determination to transform the
current economic crisis into an opportunity by committing a serious part of the multi-trillion dollar
stimulus packages to low-carbon investments,” said Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director.

“In doing so, they will be setting the stage for sealing the deal in Copenhagen, and setting the stage for a
resource efficient, innovation-led 21st century green economy. That is what business needs to know and
that is what the low-carbon prosperity initiative is calling for,” he added.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

General Assembly confirms Helen Clark as new UN development chief

31 March - The General Assembly today confirmed the appointment of former Prime Minister Helen
Clark of New Zealand as the new head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

UNDP is the largest of the independently funded UN agencies and, under its special General Assembly
mandate, leads the world body’s work on eradicating extreme poverty and promoting good governance
in the developing world.

Miss Clark’s nomination for UNDP Administrator was forwarded by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to
the Assembly after an extensive selection process, which included the establishment of a senior
appointments panel chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General and consisting of senior UN officials as
well as two outside experts in financial and developmental economics.

She replaces Kemal Dervis of Turkey, who had been in the post since 2005 and stepped down on 1
March for family and personal reasons.

Miss Clark had been a member of the New Zealand Parliament since 1981, and was Prime Minister from
1999 to 2008, while concurrently holding a number of other portfolios including Minister of Arts, Culture
and Heritage.
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Ban calls on world’s citizens to join UN in sending a message on climate change

27 March - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged people everywhere to join the United Nations and
millions of citizens around the world in sending a message to government leaders to protect the planet
by switching off their lights for an hour on Saturday night (28/03).

The UN will flip off the light switch at 8:30pm at its landmark Headquarters in New York to observe
“Earth Hour” on 28 March to raise awareness of climate change and mobilize nations to reach
agreement on a for a new agreement later this year in Copenhagen on a successor pact to the Kyoto
Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012.

“It promises to be the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted,”
Mr. Ban said in a message marking the event.

By marking Earth Hour, people will send a message to their representatives to “seal a deal in
Copenhagen” and reach a deal that will protect people and the planet,” he noted. “We need an
ambitious agreement. An agreement that is fair and effective. An agreement based on sound science.”

The symbolic gesture will be observed by more than 1,000 cities and close to an estimated one billion
people, who will turn off their non-essential lights for one hour starting at 8:30pm local time on
Saturday.

This year, Earth Hour, which was launched two years ago in Australia by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF),
falls the day before 2009’s first round of UN negotiations on new climate change agreement in Bonn,
Germany. The talks, which are slated to wrap up on 8 April, will be the first of three sessions leading up
to the Copenhagen talks in December.

“Let us use this unique opportunity to protect people and the planet. The United Nations is committed
to this vision, but we need your support,” stressed Mr. Ban. “Together, we can make a difference.”
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Cooperation among Asia-Pacific nations critical to reduce disaster risk – UN

25 March - Collaboration between Governments in Asia and the Pacific is key to saving lives from natural
disasters in the world’s most prone region, a senior United Nations official stressed on Wednesday
(25/03) at the first session of a new committee on disaster risk reduction.

The vulnerable Asia-Pacific region accounts for 42 per cent of the world’s natural disasters, and a
disproportionate 65 per cent of its victims.

In 2008 alone, almost a quarter of a million people died as a result of natural disasters in the region,
representing 97 per cent of fatalities worldwide.

“Natural disasters pose a significant challenge to development in our region,” said UN Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer, in her opening
address to the three-day meeting.

“A person living in our region is four times more likely to be affected by natural disasters than someone
living in Africa and 25 times more likely then someone living in Europe or North America,” Ms. Heyzer
told participants of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR), which was formed by ESCAP.

At a high-level round table, delegates exchanged knowledge and experience with disaster risk reduction,
and discussed the implications of integrating it into economic and social development planning and
policy.

The group concluded that as complex information regarding danger, vulnerability and resources is
spread throughout the region and often out of reach of decision-makers, cooperation is critical to
effectively reduce the loss of lives and the social, economic and environmental impact of disasters.

Ms. Heyzer said that ESCAP would establish a mechanism for sharing information among disaster risk
management authorities in the region, as well as produce the Asia-Pacific Disaster Report, which brings
together information from Member States, provides socio-economic analysis of disaster risk reduction
trends, identifies good practices, evaluates the state of reduction efforts in the region and highlights
future priorities and trends.

Participants at the round table included ministers and senior officials responsible for disaster
management from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Pakistan,
Republic of Korea and Thailand.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Haiti: 100 tonnes of UN-facilitated election equipment arrives

24 March - The arrival of a massive shipment of election equipment in Haiti has brought the process of
legislative polls to a new phase, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
announced on Tuesday (24/03).

Voting booths and associated material for nearly 11,000 voting locations, divided into 12,000 kits, will be
distributed throughout the country by the mission, for the election of a third of the Senate, slated to be
held on 19 April.

MINUSTAH, which is assisting with security and logistics for the elections has called for the widest
possible participation, including people of all political currents, stressed that this is the best way to
ensure the credibility and universal acceptance of the results in the impoverished Caribbean country.

The UN mission, set up in 2004 to help re-establish peace after an insurgency forced President Jean-
Bertrand Aristide to go into exile, has welcomed the progress made so far in preparing for the vote,
including the Provisional Electoral Council’s approval of 33 political parties.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Top UN official meets with US leaders on Afghanistan

24 March - The United Nations envoy for Afghanistan is in Washington D.C. this week ahead of a key
international meeting later this month which will assess the current political, security and development
issues in the South Asian nation.

Kai Eide met on Tuesday (23/03) with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National
Security Adviser James Jones, both of whom expressed their “full support” for Secretary-General Ban Ki-
moon’s Special Representative and for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

They discussed the US strategy review and preparations for the International Conference on
Afghanistan, to be held on 31 March in The Hague, according to a news release issued by UNAMA.

Mr. Eide also met on Monday (23/03) with Richard Lugar of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and
Senator Carl Levin of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

He is expected to meet today with, among others, Vice-President Joseph Biden and Secretary of Defence
Robert Gates.

Pada hari Senin (23/03) the UN Security Council extended UNAMA’s mandate until March 2010, while
emphasizing the role of the Mission and Special Representative Eide in leading international civilian
efforts in the country.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson following the Council’s decision, Mr. Ban warmly welcomed
the 15-member body’s recognition of Mr. Eide’s leadership, “who working closely with Afghan political
leaders, has led the efforts of the international community to set priorities and rationalize their
assistance to Afghanistan.”
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Timor-Leste and UN launch radio soap opera on reproductive health

20 March - A new radio soap opera featuring the forbidden love story of a young Timorese couple is the
latest initiative by the Government and the United Nations to raise awareness about reproductive health
issues.

Launched last week by the Ministry of Health and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the series – Domin
Familia – spotlights a typical Timorese family, the Amarals, as they deal with various subjects such as
family planning and safe motherhood.

“This initiative is one of the activities where the Ministry of Health emphasizes the importance of
creating culturally-sensitive and rights-based materials addressed to the people of Timor-Leste,” said the
Minister of Health Dr. Nelson Martins.

The soap, which airs on Saturday evenings on Radio Timor-Leste (RTL), features a forbidden love story
between Lena Amaral, the youngest of her family, and Julio, the son of a cock-fighter. Adding to the
drama is the fact that Lena’s older brother, Octavio, is against the young couple.

The 24-episode series is written and performed by local theatre group Bibi Bulak.

“It aims to address reproductive health issues in an entertaining way, ensuring that the audience has
access to relevant information intended to increase awareness,” according to a news release issued by
the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT).
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Ban to depart on six-nation tour next week

19 March - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will embark next week on a trip that will take him to Russia,
Qatar, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France and Turkey to tackle issues such as consolidating
stability in Afghanistan, the Middle East peace process and the current economic turmoil.

Mr. Ban’s first stop on his nearly two-week trip will be the Russian capital, Moscow, where he will take
part in a conference on Afghanistan organized by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), on 27
March.

The gathering will focus on the impact that the situation in the war-torn nation is having on
neighbouring countries, and will also identify ways to jointly confront threats in Afghanistan, such as
terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Secretary-General will then travel to Doha, Qatar, to attend the League of Arab States summit,
where he will discuss the Middle East peace process, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia.

From Qatar, he will move on to The Hague to open the International Conference on Afghanistan on 31
March. The meeting, which follows similar events held previously in Bonn, London and Paris, will assess
the current political, security and development issues in the South Asian nation.

Next up for Mr. Ban will be the so-called Group of 20 (G20) “Summit for Stability, Growth and Jobs” in
London on 2 April. Participants are expected to discuss how to respond to the global recession which has
resulted in falling trade and surging unemployment.

Mr. Ban is expected to call on G20 leaders to resist protectionism and commit themselves to supporting
developing countries.

The Secretary-General will then depart for the French capital for a retreat with the UN System Chief
Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), which brings together the heads of the various UN specialized
agencies and the chiefs of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), otherwise known
as the Bretton Woods institutions.

The group, which meets twice a year, will discuss the global financial crisis and how the world body is
responding to it, as well as reviewing the work of the UN system in key areas, including security and
climate change.

Mr. Ban’s last stop will be in Istanbul, Turkey, for the second Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations,
which brings together religious leaders, governments, philanthropists, corporations, the media,
academia and activists to help overcome prejudices among nations, cultures and religions.
The Forum will examine some of the challenges of good governance and culture in the face of rapidly a
governance globalization. To forge partnerships and increase interaction between diverse communities,
it will also assemble a network of global leaders and heads of international organizations, corporations,
media, civil society and youth groups
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Condoms essential element in fighting AIDS epidemic – UN

18 March - With over 7,400 new HIV infections daily, comprehensive approaches – including condom
use – are essential to stop the spread of the AIDS epidemic, the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said today, warning that there is no “single magic bullet” for prevention.

“Condoms are an essential part of combination prevention,” which also includes access to HIV
information and treatment, waiting longer to become sexually active, reducing multiple partners and
concurrent relationships, ensuring human rights and reducing stigma, the agency said in a press
statement.

“An HIV prevention approach based solely on one element does not work and can hinder the AIDS
response,” UNAIDS stressed. “There is no single magic bullet for HIV prevention.”

It appealed to nations to use a mix of behavioural, biomedical and structural HIV prevention actions to
meet anti-disease needs.

Countries must understand the epidemic and tailor their response accordingly, the agency said, calling
on nations to use all human rights-grounded approaches that are informed by evidence.

The most recent UNAIDS report on the global scourge shows how significant increases in HIV prevention
and treatment efforts are producing results in several countries.

Condom use among young people with multiple partners is gaining momentum in some nations hardest
hit by HIV, including Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.

Sub-Saharan Africa is still the most heavily HIV-affected region in the world, with some 22 million people
living with the disease, and the region accounting for two-thirds of all people living with HIV and for
three-quarters of deaths from AIDS.

Last week, UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibé said that even in the face of the current global economic turmoil,
investing in AIDS responses is crucial to prevent 1.3 million deaths in the next two years, highlighting
how the agency’s top priority is to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and
support.

“Universal access means saving lives and restoring dignity to people,” Mr. Sidibé told reporters in
Geneva.

It encompasses stopping mothers from dying and babies from being infected with the virus; stopping
people living with HIV from dying of tuberculosis; and stopping drug users from becoming infected with
HIV, he said.
During the financial crisis, “economic adjustments should be made with a human face in mind,” he
stated, underscoring that a mother should not have to choose between receiving treatment and feeding
her children.

Resources for responses to AIDS should be viewed as investments, and not expenditures, to avert 2.6
million new HIV infections and to put nearly 7 million people on a course of treatment, he told
journalists at his first press conference since taking office as UNAIDS Executive Director.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

UN scheme provides $18 million to five countries to slash emissions, create jobs

18 March - Five pilot countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are set to receive $18 million in funding
from a United Nations programme aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from forests while
boosting local livelihoods.

The UN Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD) was launched last
September by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a way of combating climate change through creating
incentives to reverse the trend of deforestation.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that the cutting down of forests is now
contributing close to 20 per cent of the overall greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.

The programme’s Policy Board, at its recent inaugural meeting in Panama, approved $18 million in
funding – roughly a third of the sum currently available – for the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Viet Nam.

“This is a very significant first step for the UN-REDD Programme,” said Angela Cropper, Deputy Executive
Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), who chaired the meeting.

“I am heartened to see such a dedicated group of countries, indigenous peoples, civil society, donors
and the United Nations come together to reach consensus on this important programme. I am confident
that the programme will have a substantial input to the continuing REDD debate.”

Along with the countries currently engaged in the programme implementation, the Policy Board
includes members of indigenous peoples groups and civil society, as well as donors and many other
interested parties such as the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility secretariat.

In addition to the five countries that are set to receive the new funds, Bolivia, Panama, Paraguay and
Zambia have also already expressed interest in receiving assistance through UN-REDD – a collaboration
between UNEP, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the UN Development Programme
(UNDP).
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

UN and Battlestar Galactica host discussion of human rights and armed conflict

17 March - The United Nations is co-hosting a discussion with the stars and creators of the television
show Battlestar Galactica on Wednesday (17/03), exploring themes which are important to both –
human rights, terrorism, children and armed conflict, and reconciliation between civilians and faiths.

“This event will show how skilful storytelling can elevate the profile of critical humanitarian issues,” said
Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under-Secretary-General for Public Information. “Not only does it present an
opportunity for creative discussion, but, more importantly, it offers a chance to deliver a message about
the many harsh realities that still exist worldwide.”

The panel will be moderated by Academy Award-winning actress and producer Whoopi Goldberg, and
will include Oscar-nominated actress Mary McDonnel, Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated actor
Edward James Olmos, and Battlestar Galactica creators and executive producers Ronald D. Moore and
David Eick.

On the UN side, panelists will include Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; Craig Mokhiber of the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights; Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Planning; and
Famatta Rose Osode, from the Permanent Mission of Liberia to the UN.

The discussion is a launch project for the UN Department of Public Information’s Creative Community
Outreach Initiative, which is aimed at partnering with the international film and television industries to
raise awareness of global issues.

Building on collaborations such as The Interpreter, Che and an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims
Unit, the Initiative provides film, new media, television and documentary producers worldwide with
access to information about the work of the UN and its priority issues, offers logistical advice and
assistance, and participates in dynamic special events with creative community partners.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon to benefit from new UN pact with UAE

16 March - The United Nations agency tasked with assisting Palestinian refugees will be able to improve
living conditions for thousands living in Lebanese camps thanks to a new partnership with the United
Arab Emirates.

The United Arab Emirates Red Crescent (UAERC) is donating $6 million to the UN Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) under two new agreements signed on Monday
in Abu Dhabi.

As part of the agreements, $5 million will go to rehabilitating 343 of the most structurally unsound,
hazardous and unhygienic shelters in Bourj El Shemali camp in South Lebanon.

The project is part of the Camp Improvement Initiative launched by the Lebanese Government and
UNRWA in 2006 to improve the living conditions of Palestine refugees in Lebanon’s 12 refugee camps.

Another $1 million will enable UNRWA to construct 149 temporary housing units for Palestinian families
who were displaced from the Nahr El Bared camp nearly two years ago.

The camp was basically a complete town of over 30,000 inhabitants before it was destroyed by intense
fighting between the Lebanese national army and Fatah el-Islam gunmen between May and September
2007.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd welcomed both agreements, noting that much of the
world’s attention recently has been on the situation of Palestine refugees in Gaza.

“However, we must not forget refugees elsewhere in the region who may be living in deplorable
conditions,” she stated. “I am delighted that the donation of $6 million by our generous partners, the
UAERC, will allow us to improve refugee housing in the Tyre area, and to provide more temporary
housing for the displaced refugees of Nahr El Bared.”

A longstanding supporter of UNRWA, the UAERC has funded major construction projects including Khan
Younis in Gaza, Jenin in the West Bank, and more recently Neirab in Aleppo, Syria.

UNRWA – which assists some 4.6 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – is financed almost entirely by voluntary contributions
from donors and provides education, health and relief and social services.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Afghan President kicks off UN-backed polio immunization drive

16 March - President Hamid Karzai has kicked off a United Nations-backed polio vaccination drive
targeting some 7.7 million children in Afghanistan, one of four countries, along with India, Nigeria and
Pakistan, where the disease is still endemic.

By administering the vaccine to children at the presidential palace on Monday (16/03), Mr. Karzai
launched the campaign, which is led by the Afghan Ministry of Health and supported by the UN
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Afghanistan has had four confirmed polio cases so far this year: three from Shahwalikot, Panjwai and
Daman districts of Kandahar province, and the fourth from Nadeali district in Helmand.

More than 50,000 staff are engaged in the three-day campaign, covering all 34 provinces and aiming to
protect the country’s children from the highly infectious, often paralyzing and sometimes fatal disease.

Contracted through contaminated food, water and faeces, polio mainly affects children under five,
attacking the nervous system. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, usually in the legs,
and among those paralyzed, five to 10 per cent die when their respiratory muscles become immobilized.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Universal access for HIV prevention, care top priority, says UN official

13 March - Even in the face of the current global economic turmoil, investing in AIDS responses is crucial
to prevent 1.3 million deaths in the next two years, the head of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS) said on Friday (13/03), highlighting how the agency’s top priority is to achieve universal access
to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

“Universal access means saving lives and restoring dignity to people,” Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive
Director, told reporters in Geneva.

It encompasses stopping mothers from dying and babies from being infected with the virus; stopping
people living with HIV from dying of tuberculosis; and stopping drug users from becoming infected with
HIV, he said.

Universal access also entails curbing legislation that blocks an effective response to AIDS, the official
stressed.

Further, it underscores the need to end sexual violence against women and girls and “stopping failing
our young people,” he said.

During the financial crisis, “economic adjustments should be made with a human face in mind,” Mr.
Sidibé said, underscoring that a mother should not have to choose between receiving treatment and
feeding her children.

Resources for responses to AIDS should be viewed as investments, and not expenditures, to avert 2.6
million new HIV infections and to put nearly 7 million people on a course of treatment, he told
journalists at his first press conference since taking office as UNAIDS Executive Director.

Mr. Sidibé, a Malian national with more than 20 years of experience with the UN under his belt, was
appointed to his position last December by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Satellite launch by DPR Korea will threaten regional stability, Ban warns

12 March - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Thursday (12/03) voiced concern about plans by the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to launch a satellite, warning that it could jeopardize
stability in the region.

The DPRK authorities have reportedly announced that they plan to launch a satellite sometime between
4 and 8 April.

“I’m concerned about DPRK’s recent moves to launch a satellite or long-range missiles,” Mr. Ban told a
news conference in New York. “This will threaten the peace and stability in the region.”

He encouraged Pyongyang to comply with Security Council resolution 1718, which demanded that the
country “not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile,” following its claims to have
conducted a nuclear test in October 2006.

“I hope they will abide by the relevant Security Council resolution and return to the Six-Party Talks,” he
said, referring to the discussions involving DPRK, Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United
States.

Mr. Ban also said he hoped for improved bilateral relations between DPRK and the Republic of Korea.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Leaders of UN, US declare 2009 the year of climate change

12 March - With nations set to conclude negotiations on an ambitious new greenhouse gas emissions
agreement this December, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States President Barack Obama
have stressed the need for 2009 to be the year of climate change.

Mr. Ban, who met with the “visionary” American leader earlier this week at the White House in
Washington, told journalists in his monthly press conference at UN Headquarters Thursday (12/03) that
they both agree that climate change poses an “existential threat.”

The two men share a commitment that “2009 must be the year of climate change,” he said, stressing the
importance a comprehensive successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol – the legally binding emissions
reduction regime whose first commitment period ends in 2012 – at December’s UN climate change
conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“With US leadership, in partnership of the United Nations, we can and will reach a climate change deal
that all nations can embrace,” the Secretary-General noted.

Reports of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize co-
laureate – have shown unequivocally that the world is warming, almost certainly due to human activity,
with potentially disastrous effects including worsening drought in some regions and heavier rainfall in
others.

Mr. Ban said on Thursday (12/03) that he and Mr. Obama were of the same opinion that ‘green’
investments are an essential part of any stimulus package targeting the current global economic turmoil.

“If we are going to spend such tremendous sums of money, let us be smart about it,” he said.

He said that during his two-day visit to Washington, climate change also dominated his discussions with
key American officials, including Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, and Congressman Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Last week, the top UN climate change official said that he sees “enthusiasm” in the current US
Government to pass laws to reduce gas emissions and a willingness to work towards a new global
climate change pact.

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said
he was “very much encouraged” following his recent meetings with officials in Mr. Obama’s
administration and members of Congress.

“There is, I believe, a huge enthusiasm and energy in both the House and the Senate to put cap and
trade climate change legislation in place in this country,” he added.
Mr. de Boer also underscored the willingness in the current US administration “to work towards an
agreement in Copenhagen, to come with an ambitious domestic policy [and] to engage with
international partners” to come to an accord.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

US approves almost $1 billion for UN-backed fund against killer diseases

11 March - The United Nations-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on
Wednesday (11/03) welcomed an announcement by the United States Congress that it will donate $900
million to its cause for this year.

This latest pledge from the US is its highest ever to the Fund and is $60 million more than its donation
for 2008, taking the country’s total contribution to more than $4.4 billion.

“The United States is a leader in the fight against infectious diseases,” said Michel Kazatchkine,
Executive Director of the Global Fund.

“It sends a strong signal of the importance of this fight that the US Congress continues to increase
funding for global health at a time of economic crisis. It underscores the need to maintain the progress
and continue to invest in people’s health globally,” he added.

The Global Fund works closely with US initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria throughout the world,
including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative
(PMI).

The US is the Fund’s largest single donor, although European Union member States together contribute
more than half of the Global Fund’s resources. The Global Fund has received contributions from a total
of 50 donor countries to date, in addition to a number of private foundations, corporations and
individuals.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

UN unites with European soccer stars to ‘red card’ global hunger

11 March - The biggest stars in professional football and millions of their fans will aim to score a goal
against global hunger in the first-ever Europe-wide soccer weekend to draw attention to the plight of
the nearly 1 billion hungry people worldwide, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) announced on Wednesday (11/03).

Over 200 European football clubs in top flight leagues – including the English Premier League, Spanish La
Liga, Italian Lega Calcio and German Bundesliga – will play their matches over the weekend of 20-22
March as part of the “Professional Football against Hunger” campaign.

This initiative was launched last October with the Association of European Professional Football Leagues
– made up of 29 Member Leagues and Associated Members comprising over 900 professional football
clubs – on the occasion of World Food Day at FAO headquarters in Rome.

The money raised from the campaign will finance FAO TeleFood micro-projects designed to provide
solutions to poor families and communities by giving them the know-how and means to produce their
own food.

The funding, a maximum of €7,000 each (almost $9,000 at Wednesday’s (11/03) exchange rate) per
micro-project, is used to purchase physical resources, such as fishing equipment, seeds and agricultural
implements.

A variety of projects have already been financed through the scheme, from helping families raise pigs in
Venezuela, through creating school gardens in Cape Verde and Mauritania or providing school lunches in
Uganda and teaching children to grow food, to raising fish in a leper community in India.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Health hazards demand stronger climate change measures, argues UN agency

11 March - Policymakers should consider the threat climate change poses to public health in setting
their priorities for action and investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations
health agency told a conference in Copenhagen.

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the health dimension of the issue at the
three-day Climate Change Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions conference, which ends on Thursday
(12/03).

Based on research, WHO estimates that around 150,000 deaths now occur in low-income countries each
year, with young children making up almost 85 per cent of these excess deaths, due to the effect climate
change has on crop failure and malnutrition, diarrhoeal disease, malaria and flooding.

Health hazards from climate change are diverse, global and difficult to reverse, according to WHO. They
range from increased risk to safety from extreme weather events, to the effects of global warming on
infectious disease and sea level rises leading to salinization of land and water sources.

The agency contends that feasible improvements to the environment could reduce the burden on global
disease, a large part of which is caused by energy consumption and transport systems, by more than 25
per cent.

Outdoor air pollution accounts for 800,000 deaths annually around the world, traffic accidents for 1.2
million, physical inactivity for 1.9 million and indoor air pollution for 1.5 million, noted a press release
issued by WHO.

“Whether it’s the 70,000 excess deaths from the heat wave in Europe in 2003, or new malarial deaths in
the central African highlands, the people at greatest risk for climate-related health disorders and
premature deaths are the poor, the geographically vulnerable, the very young, women and the elderly,”
WHO said.

The populations WHO considered to be at greatest risk are those living in small island developing States,
mountainous regions, areas with poor access to water, huge cities and coastal areas in developing
countries, as well as poor people and those lacking access to health services.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Sustainable forest management could net 10 million new jobs, UN agency says

10 March - Ten million new “green jobs” can be created by national investments in sustainable forest
management, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said Tuesday (10/03).

“As more jobs are lost due to the current economic downturn, sustainable forest management could
become a means of creating millions of green jobs, thus helping to reduce poverty and improve the
environment,” said Jan Heino, Assistant Director-General of FAO’s Forestry Department.

Since forests and trees are vital storehouses of carbon, such an investment would also make a major
contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, he said.

Jobs in forest management include agro-forestry and farm forestry, improved fire management,
development and management of trails and recreation sites, expansion of urban green spaces, restoring
degraded forests and planting new ones.

A number of countries, including the United States and the Republic of Korea, have included forestry in
their economic stimulus plans, and it is an important component of India’s rural employment guarantee
programme, FAO said.

Employment in sustainable forest management will be a major topic of World Forest Week, to be held in
conjunction with FAO’s Committee on Forestry, 16 to 20 March in Rome.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Ban, President Obama discuss boosting US-UN cooperation

10 March - During a meeting on Wednesday (10/03) between United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-
moon and United States President Barack Obama, the two leaders agreed on the potential for stepped
up US-UN cooperation on a host of issues.

“The United Nations and the United States share common visions and objectives for peace, stability,
development and human rights,” Mr. Ban told reporters after the meeting at the White House in
Washington.

Calling 2009 a “make-or-break” year, he said that collaboration is essential to address the crises on
many fronts to turn this year into a “make-it-work” one, “full of optimism and resolution.”

The talks at the White House in Washington Wednesday (10/03) afternoon covered numerous issues
confronting the international community, including the global economic crisis and the need to assist the
world’s poorest and most vulnerable.

Mr. Ban and Mr. Obama jointly called for strengthening efforts to achieve the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), eight ambitious anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline, noting that strides can be
made even in a difficult economic climate.

With the next meeting of the so-called Group of 20 (G20) nations scheduled to be held this weekend in
London, the Secretary-General said that “the leaders of industrialized countries should keep their
commitments on the Millennium Development Goals and official development assistance [ODA], and
help developing countries overcome food security and also help them to adapt and mitigate climate
change.”

During their talks, the leaders underscored the importance of reaching an international agreement on
climate change – with nations expected to agree on an ambitious successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol
on greenhouse gases at a UN conference in Copenhagen in December – to both save the earth and
promote sustainable economic recovery.

Mr. Ban, who arrived in Washington from a visit to Haiti with former US President Bill Clinton, told
journalists that “the whole world is looking” to the US President for leadership on climate change, which
he characterized as “an issue of our era.”

The leaders also discussed at length the situation in the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur at length.
Immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-
Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur last week, the
Government of Sudan decided to order the departure of 13 non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Mr. Ban and Mr. Obama conferred on the impact of the aid groups’ ejections on the already-dire
humanitarian situation in Darfur, stressing the need for a peaceful resolution.

Other issued discussed today included boosting civilian support for Afghanistan, facilitating cooperation
between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Middle East peace process and assisting Iraq in its transition
phase.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Cholera death toll in Zimbabwe passes 4,000 as fatality rates drop – UN report

9 March - Zimbabwe’s widespread cholera epidemic has now claimed over 4,000 lives since August, and
almost 90,000 people have contracted the deadly disease, according to the latest United Nations report
on the outbreak.

Some 2,151 new cases of cholera were identified last week, down from 8,000 per week at the at the
start of the year, noted the joint UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and
World Health Organization (WHO) report.

The latest report has calculated the total number of people who have contracted the disease at 89,018
and 4,011 dead. However, the fatality rate in treatment centres has fallen to 1.8 per cent, a significant
reduction from previous figures which exceeded 4 per cent. The drop in the death rate is a result of
improved monitoring and response mechanisms instituted by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with
international partners.

Over 90 per cent of Zimbabwe’s 62 districts are infected with the water-borne disease and more than 60
per cent of deaths occur in rural areas where limited or no treatment is reaching the local population.

Humanitarian agencies are focusing on improving outreach to these rural areas in support of
Government efforts.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

‘Law and Order’ becomes first TV series filmed at UN HQ

9 March - The historic United Nations Headquarters building in New York played a starring role in the hit
television series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit this weekend.

The cast and crew of the crime drama were at the landmark east side location on Saturday (7/03), to
film scenes for an episode that involves children in armed conflict as well as refugees.

Emmy-nominated actor Christopher Meloni, who plays tough cop Detective Elliot Stabler in the show,
and Stephanie March, Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot, were part of the 200 person
production, which marked the first time network television has been given access to film in the historic
UN building.

The episode is slated to air on Tuesday, 24 March at 10 pm Eastern Standard Time and will showcase
shots of the traffic circle outside the Secretariat, the Visitor’s Entrance Plaza, and the Public Lobby.

The collaboration with NBC Universal represents the first official project under the Secretary General’s
newly established Creative Community Outreach Initiative (CCOI), which aims to raise the profile of
critical global issues in partnership with the international film and television industries.

Sydney Pollack’s 2005 film, The Interpreter – a political thriller featuring Nicole Kidman, a Goodwill
Ambassador for the UN Fund for Women (UNIFEM) – was the first feature film to be shot in the building.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

US approves almost $1 billion for UN-backed fund against killer diseases

11 March - The United Nations-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on
Wednesday (11/03) welcomed an announcement by the United States Congress that it will donate $900
million to its cause for this year.

This latest pledge from the US is its highest ever to the Fund and is $60 million more than its donation
for 2008, taking the country’s total contribution to more than $4.4 billion.

“The United States is a leader in the fight against infectious diseases,” said Michel Kazatchkine,
Executive Director of the Global Fund.

“It sends a strong signal of the importance of this fight that the US Congress continues to increase
funding for global health at a time of economic crisis. It underscores the need to maintain the progress
and continue to invest in people’s health globally,” he added.

The Global Fund works closely with US initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria throughout the world,
including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative
(PMI).

The US is the Fund’s largest single donor, although European Union member States together contribute
more than half of the Global Fund’s resources. The Global Fund has received contributions from a total
of 50 donor countries to date, in addition to a number of private foundations, corporations and
individuals.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Condemning Guinea-Bissau assassinations, UN Council calls for calm

3 March - Condemning “in the strongest terms” the assassination of the president of Guinea-Bissau and
his chief of staff, the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday (3/03) called on the people, political
leaders, and the armed forces of the country to remain calm, exercise restraint and maintain stability.

Through a statement read out by Ibrahim Dabbashi of Libya, which holds the rotating presidency of the
Council for the month of March, it also urged all parties in the country to resolve any disputes within the
framework of democratic institutions and opposed “any attempt to change the government through
unconstitutional means.

The killings of President Joao Bernardo Vieira and Chief of Staff Tagme Na Waie, which took place 1 and
2 March, respectively were condemned on Monday (2/03) by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the
African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

In its statement today, the 15-member body called on all concerned to “assist in saving constitutional
order in Guinea-Bissau and to continue to support peace building efforts in the country.”

Guinea-Bissau is one of a handful of States on the agenda of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which
aims to help poor countries avoid sliding back into war or chaos.

The West African country has struggled to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to
sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d’état and uprisings
in recent decades.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

UN human rights chief urges all States to take part in anti-racism conference

2 March - The United Nations human rights chief Monday (2/03) once again urged all Member States to
put aside their differences and work towards ensuring a successful outcome to next month’s conference
on intolerance, racial hatred and discrimination, noting these are problems that affect all countries.

The conference, to be held from 20 to 24 April in Geneva, will assess progress since the landmark 2001
World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in
Durban, South Africa.

“A persuasive outcome of the review conference and beyond hinges upon the genuine commitment of
all States to seek consensus,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the UN Human
Rights Council as it began its 10th session in Geneva.

“Narrow, parochial interests and reflexive partisanship must be cast aside in the interest of a greater
common good,” she added.

Ms. Pillay underscored that a failure to seek consensus and ensure a successful outcome may
reverberate negatively on the full spectrum of human rights work and mechanisms for years to come.

“We need to prevent the acrimony of the past from encumbering the fight against intolerance which is –
and I am sure we all agree – both of urgent concern and in the best interest of everyone.”

The United States, along with Israel, had withdrawn from the 2001 conference citing concerns the forum
was being used by some to push an anti-Israel agenda. Recently, the US decided to participate in the
preparatory talks for next month’s conference, while Israel indicated last November that it does not plan
to take part in the April review.

The High Commissioner said she is aware that the legacy of the 2001 Durban summit has been “tainted
by the anti-Semitic behaviour of some NGOs” at the sidelines of that conference.

“And now the review conference has also been the target of a disparaging media and lobbying campaign
on the part of those who fear a repetition of anti-Semitic outbursts. This is unwarranted,” she
emphasized.

Ms. Pillay, who is Secretary-General of the upcoming conference, said she has countered such
distortions in order to set the record straight, and will continue to highlight the fact that the declaration
and programme of action resulting from Durban transcended divisive and intolerant approaches.

They also offer the most comprehensive framework and platform to combat intolerance and racism in
their many forms anywhere and everywhere, she added.
A working group made up of UN Member States has begun negotiations in Geneva on a draft outcome
document for next month’s meeting.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Ban condemns assassination of Guinea-Bissau’s president

2 March - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday (2/03) strongly condemned the
killing of the president of Guinea-Bissau and his chief of staff, calling on the national authorities to
maintain the rule of law and bring those responsible to justice.

“The Secretary-General is deeply saddened and dismayed by the assassinations of President João
Bernardo Vieira and his Chief of General Staff, General Batista Tagme Na Waie,” Mr. Ban said in a
statement released by his spokesperson.

“He remains in close contact with his Representative for Guinea Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, who along
with others in the international community is working to promote peace, political stability and
development in the country,” the statement added.

The Secretary-General’s statement noted that the assassinations occurred soon after successful
legislative elections which “paved the way for enhanced UN support to the country’s peacebuilding
efforts.”

Guinea-Bissau is one of a handful of States on the agenda of the United Nations Peacebuilding
Commission, which aims to help poor countries avoid sliding back into war or chaos.

The West African country has struggled to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to
sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d’état and uprisings
in recent decades.

This past November, renegade military elements attacked the residence of President Vieira but he
survived the attack, which occurred just one week after legislative elections were staged in a peaceful
and orderly manner.

At that time, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council both condemned the failed
assassination attempt and urged all political groups to resolve their differences peacefully.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Relations between Rwanda and DR Congo focus of Ban's talks in Kigali

1 March 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Paul Kagame discussed the situation in
the border region between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday (1/03)
during their meeting in Kigali, the current stop on the United Nations chief's five-nation Africa trip.

“I expressed to President Kagame my satisfaction at the steps he has taken to open a new chapter in
Rwanda-DRC relations,” Mr. Ban told reporters after his meeting, adding that he is “heartened” by the
President's intention to establish full diplomatic relations with DRC.

In a move supported by the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUC), DRC and Rwanda launched a
joint military offensive in January against the ethnic Hutu militia known as the Democratic Liberation
Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), which has caused havoc in the eastern part of DRC for years.

Mr. Ban noted that the joint operation appears to have made progress. At the same time, he urged
President Kagame “to ensure that these operations do not affect negatively the civilian population and
humanitarian access to those in need.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, MONUC reported that the FDLR is conducting a campaign of terror,
systematically raping, murdering, looting and abducting civilians in an attempt to undermine the joint
operation.

Since then the mission has boosted its efforts to protect and reassure threatened populations, mostly in
North Kivu province where some 250,000 civilians have been uprooted by fighting between Hutu
groups, a mainly Tutsi militia known as the CNDP, the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and others since
August.

Mr. Ban had a chance to hear some of the concerns of the civilians uprooted by the fighting, when he
met earlier in the day with a group of people living in the Kibati camp for internally displaced persons
(IDPs) near Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.

“Their first concern is security,” Mr. Ban noted during his visit to the camp. “Even though they want to
return, they fear that when they do, they may be attacked by the FDLR. This must stop, and the United
Nations, led by MONUC and the FARDC will provide the necessary security and safety to those returning
to their homes.”

Another concern is humanitarian assistance, and in this regard, the Secretary-General appealed for
support from all quarters to enable the UN and others to provide the vital relief that the IDPs need.

He also expressed his gratitude to the many aid agencies and their partners who are assisting those at
the camp, which at the peak of the crisis sheltered more than 80,000 IDPs. It currently has some 20,000
residents.
Mr. Ban noted that his visit to the camp, as well as Saturday's (28/2) meeting in Goma with victims of
sexual violence, has “strengthened my resolve to work even harder for all those many people who need
our support.”

The Secretary-General raised the issue of sexual crimes in particular with Congolese President Joseph
Kabila when the two met on Saturday (28/02) in Kisangani.

“I called on him to take all necessary measures within his power to end such impunity and prevent
sexual violence. Examples must be set. Codes of conduct must be enforced. I wish to repeat, violence
against women is a crime. Organized rape is a crime against humanity. Those guilty of such crime must
be brought to justice and punished,” Mr. Ban told reporters after visiting the Healing Africa clinic in
Goma.

In addition to DRC and Rwanda, the Secretary-General also visited South Africa and Tanzania on his
current trip, which will take him next to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for an international conference on
Gaza's reconstruction.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Ban decries violence against women as ‘abomination’

5 March - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday (5/03) reiterated his urgent call to bring an end
to violence against women, a scourge whose impact is devastating and immeasurable, as the United
Nations began a series of events to mark International Women’s Day.

“It is sometimes said that women are weavers and men are too often warriors,” Mr. Ban said in an
address to the commemoration of the Day, observed annually on 8 March, in New York.

In the address, which also appears as opinion piece on the International Herald Tribune’s website on
Thursday (5/03), as well as its print edition on Friday (6/03), he stressed that: “Women bear and care for
our children. In much of the world they plant the crops that feed us. They weave the fabric of our
societies.”

“Violence against women is thus an attack on all of us, on the foundation of our civilization.” He added
that violence against women is an “abomination” and stands against everything in the UN Charter.

The Secretary-General, who last year launched a global campaign called “Unite to End Violence Against
Women,” cited statistics of one in five women worldwide suffering from rape or attempted rape, while
in some nations, up to one in three women are beaten or abused.

He recently visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where at a hospital in Goma in the vast
country’s far east, he met an 18-year-old woman who had been brutally and violently abused by four
soldiers at gunpoint.

Not only is she bearing physical injuries, “she also bears the curse of stigma,” having been shunned by
her family and village “from a false sense of shame,” Mr. Ban said, expressing his outrage and sadness.

“The consequences of violence go beyond the visible and immediate,” he stressed, adding that death,
injury, medical costs and lost employment are only a small facet of the larger problem.

The Secretary-General also underscored the importance of men speaking out against the scourge,
teaching each other that “real men don’t hit women,’ let alone rape them.”

He appealed for greater cooperation to end violence against women, emphasizing that “the time to
change is now.”

A new database on the extent and consequences of all forms of violence against women and means to
combat it was launched on Thursday (5/03) by Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro.

“This is the first global ‘one-stop-shop’ for information on measures undertaken by Member States to
address violence against women in terms of legal, policy and institutional frameworks,” she said.
Recalling her own experience as Tanzania’s Minister for Gender Equality, she said that this tool will
come in handy for decision-makers seeking out examples of action plans and strategies undertaken by
other countries.

Panel discussions on the topic of violence against women were held on Thursday (5/03) to mark the
International Day, with the Secretary-General’s top adviser on children and armed conflict speaking on
the situation of the girl child in conflicts.

Special Representative Radhika Coomaraswamy said that not only are girl children victims of direct
violence, but are also often the heads of households and must provide care to their siblings.

“The international community, at least with respect to the issue of impunity, has begun to do
something,” she said, pointing to the International Criminal Court as well as UN tribunals in Rwanda and
the former Yugoslavia which have started dealing with sexual violence and the recruitment of children
by armed groups.

The commemoration of the Day in New York will wrap up with a theatre performance inspired by the
“Unite” campaign. It will also be celebrated worldwide, from Botswana to Kazakhstan and Peru, among
other countries.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

UN rallies public support to end human trafficking with Blue Heart campaign

5 March - The United Nations has launched a new campaign, represented by a blue heart, aimed at
raising awareness about the millions of victims of human trafficking and rallying support to combat this
modern form of slavery.

“There is a lot of ignorance about modern slavery. There is also a lot of good will to fight it,” Antonio
Maria Costa, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said Thursday (5/3) as he
launched the campaign in Vienna.

“The blue heart will raise awareness about a crime that shames us all. It shows solidarity with the
victims,” he told those gathered in the Austrian capital for the Women’s World Awards.

According to a news release issued by UNODC, the blue heart represents “the sadness of trafficking
victims, the cold heartedness of the perpetrators and the commitment of the United Nations to fight
this crime.”

As part of the campaign, UNODC is encouraging members of the public to change their Facebook profile
picture to a blue heart, upload the blue heart to their web page, spread the word through Twitter and
watch video about human trafficking on YouTube.

The campaign’s launch comes ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day (8 March), whose theme
is “Women and Men United to End Violence against Women and Girls.”

Speaking to the Women’s World Congress, which took place Wednesday (4/3) in Vienna, Mr. Costa
described human trafficking as “the worst kind of violence against women, made even more repulsive by
the fact that people make money from it.”

While poverty makes people vulnerable to human trafficking, gender discrimination and sexism are also
to blame. “Whether it’s burkas or bikinis, the humiliation of women as property or sex objects is an
affront to human dignity. It creates a market for women and girls who are traded like commodities,” he
said.

The UNODC chief called on everyone to join the campaign “in order to end enslavement, and achieve
women’s equality.”
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Ban and Obama to meet next week in Washington

6 March - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States President Barack Obama will meet next
week in Washington to discuss a host of issues, including the global economic crisis, Sudan, Afghanistan
and the Middle East, it was announced on Friday (6/03).

The two leaders are also expected to confer on climate change, non-proliferation, human rights, United
Nations reform and US-UN relations, according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

While visiting the US capital from 10 to 11 March, the Secretary-General will also hold talks with
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Ban will arrive in Washington from Haiti, which he and former US President Bill Clinton will visit on
Monday (9/03) to raise awareness of efforts to help the Caribbean nation’s people and government
bolster their economic security.
 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Number of people affected by cholera reaches 88,000 in Zimbabwe, says United Nations

6 March - Some 88,000 people have now been affected by cholera in Zimbabwe, the United Nations
World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday (6/03), noting that the number of new cases
reported weekly is dropping.

At the start of the year, as many as 8,000 new cases were being reported per week at the national level,
but over the past few weeks, that number has been slashed by half.

According to a joint update by the WHO and the Government of Zimbabwe, 395 new cases and 18
deaths were reported on Thursday (5/03).

Nearly 4,000 people have died from the disease, which is caused by contaminated food or water, the
agency said.

But WHO cautioned that the need to remain alert continues since cholera continues to claim lives in the
Southern African nation on a daily basis. It also warned that the start of the rainy season could also
trigger increased cases of the disease.