United Nations
INTERVIEW: Myanmar military increasing efforts to keep truth from getting out, UN expert says
Over 700 people are reported to have been killed in the brutal response by the security forces since the military overthrew the democratically elected Government on 1 February. Thousands more have been injured – many of them seriously, and over 3,000 people are in detention. That includes at least ...
UN's Peace and Security
Deciphering the Black Box of Air Pollution Data In Thailand
Air pollution has become a serious environmental and health issue in Thailand. The pollution levels in the country follow predictable patterns, which highlight the presence of a peak pollution season. For Bangkok, the highest levels of pollution are seen between November and February each year. The ...
Stefanos Fotiou
UN chief calls for ‘peaceful, orderly and credible’ elections in Myanmar
Ahead of elections in Myanmar on 8 November, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stated his hope that the vote would help advance “inclusive sustainable development” across the country. Calling for a “peaceful orderly and credible” election process in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Guterres also expressed his hope that ...
First Person: supporting migrants on the COVID-19 frontline in Myanmar
Myanmar has been preparing for the return of hundreds of thousands of workers – some 650,000 are in Thailand alone – and one of the key tasks was to set up quarantine facilities for those returning migrants. Sandi Swe, who has been working in a ...
UN
Learning lessons from COVID-19 in Myanmar
Thaw Lay, a high school student from Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, knew that this school year would be unlike any other. “I was excited, but I also knew that things would be a little different, when school reopened later this year”, he recalls. Thaw Lay ...
COVID-19 opens a can of worms for fisherwomen in Cambodia
“I’m used to hearing the sound of laughter every morning as my customers come to buy fish,” says 37-year-old Huon Tim. “But it’s very quiet these days in the village.” For Huon, who runs a small fish and produce stall at the local market in Kampong Por, ...
New UN initiative to reduce plastic pollution from ASEAN cities
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in partnership with the Government of Japan, today launched a new project which aims to reduce the environmental impact of cities in South East Asia by addressing plastic waste pollution in rivers ...
Lao dam disaster: UN rights experts call for justice two years on
A group of UN experts* called on governments and relevant businesses to take immediate action to address ongoing human rights violations experienced by survivors of a tragic dam collapse in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic nearly two years ago. “Thousands of survivors lost everything and continue ...
First Person: COVID-19 is not a silver lining for the climate, says UN Environment chief
“The global coronavirus pandemic, which has already caused unimaginable devastation and hardship, has brought our way of life to an almost complete halt. The outbreak will have profound and lasting economic and social consequences in every corner of the globe. In the face of such turmoil, as ...
Major new project to use nature-based solutions to help Laos adapt to climate change
The Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a major funder of climate projects, has approved a US$10 million project that’s expected to benefit 10 per cent of Laos’ population. The project is using nature-based solutions in four cities to build resilience towards ever-increasing floods ...
