News headlines in 2022, page 15

The adoption by most nations of the world of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 40 years ago, was a “vital step to bring governance and order” to the vast collective treasure that is the ocean, said the UN chief António Guterres on Thursday.

Despite the continued impact of COVID-19, malaria cases and deaths remained stable throughout last year, according to new data released on Thursday by the World Health Organization (WHO).  

ROME, Dec 07 (IPS) - This year’s Human Rights Day marks the 74th year since the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rightsan international document that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all people. The right to food became a legal obligation for countries to promote and protect as part of the economic, social and cultural rights in 1966.

MADRID, Dec 07 (IPS) - "Western Europe and the European Union remains the highest scoring region in the world’s corruption index, progress has halted and worrying signs of backsliding have emerged.”

RZESZOW, Poland, Dec 07 (IPS) - Education is fundamental for children’s development and a powerful catalyst for improving their entire lives. International human rights law guarantees everyone a right to education. But it surprises many to learn that the international human rights framework only explicitly guarantees an immediate right to free primary education—even though we know that a child equipped with just a primary education is inadequately prepared to thrive in today’s world.

Montreal, Dec 07 (IPS) - Policymakers were encouraged to look at the economic and social aspects with the environmental elements of biodiversity losses to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets.

BONN / GLAND, Dec 07 (IPS) - While climate change dominates the environmental headlines, quieter, startling changes are taking place in nature across the planet – whether in forests, oceans, deserts, rural landscapes, cities and other places where nature is found.

KAMPALA, Uganda, Dec 07 (IPS) - Dating back to the 16th Century, the face of biodiversity conservation has taken several tolls and twists- evolving from an era of preservation to conservation- down to conservation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources.

What is believed to be the first public execution in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power last year, drew criticism from the UN human rights office, OHCHR on Wednesday. Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence described it as a “deeply disturbing” development. 

Governments and the private sector must move to effectively protect the natural environment, Secretary-General António Guterres told journalists covering the UN biodiversity conference, COP15in Montréal, Canada, on Wednesday.