UN News Wire

July 30, 2013 FOLLOW THE UN FOUNDATION     News covering the UN and the world SIGN UP | FORWARD | ADVERTISE | DONATE Top Story UN Women's Mlambo-Ngcuka: Women must be at the center of fight against poverty UN Women head Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says women must be at the forefront of efforts against poverty if countries wish to meet development goals. Education is key to achieving the goals, she argues. "Education for me is a cross-cutting priority. It is the equalizer, not only for girl-children but for all the women who need second chances," Mlambo-Ngcuka says. The Guardian (London) (7/30) Share:      Above the Fold UN must act "decisively" to halt Syrian civil war, Pinheiro says Don't crowd out smaller investments, says UNCTAD official Afghan process could undermine women's rights, UN committee says EU envoy visits Morsi; dialogue sought to end Egypt's unrest UN Radio   Quote of the Day @UNFoundation: In India over a million people die annually due to heath effects of using solid cooking fuels: bit.ly/1541j5H @cookstoves Share:      UN Dispatch "Will the hasty, poorly organized election [in Mali] yield a winner with no real democratic mandate who will 'lack the necessary legitimacy' (according to Tiebile Drame, former foreign minister) and merely be a face for accountability for the international community? Or will the vote of 'unquestionable legitimacy' (according to the head of the EU Observer Mission in Mali) produce a leader who is capable of not only rebuilding the country, but also finding a path towards peace with the Tuareg rebellion?" UN Dispatch (7/29) Share:      United Nations Sponsored By UN must act "decisively" to halt Syrian civil war, Pinheiro says Paulo Pinheiro, head of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, urged the United Nations General Assembly on Monday to take decisive steps to stop the civil war in Syria. "There is an international obligation to do what you must to bring this war to a close," Pinheiro argued. Voice of America (7/29), Yahoo/The Associated Press (7/29) Share:      Malawi's food insecurity is exacerbated by policies, UN's De Schutter says Thomson Reuters Foundation (7/29) Share:      UN maintains emission-reduction fees Thomson Reuters Foundation (7/29) Share:      Public Service Means Possibilities Norwich University's Master of Public Administration online program helps working professionals from a wide range of public service organizations gain the knowledge and skills needed to not only help advance their careers, but also make a greater difference in the communities they serve. Take Action   Health & Development Don't crowd out smaller investments, says UNCTAD official Small and medium-size investments should be encouraged because they can help countries create a sustainable economy, writes James X. Zhan of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Overhauling regulatory environments geared toward the largest projects would help the modest ones succeed, he argues. The Guardian (London) (7/30) Share:      USAID food-security projects focus on 3 African countries The U.S. Agency for International Development is creating two Feed the Future Innovation Labs to help relieve food insecurity in Ethiopia, Niger and Senegal through better technologies and techniques for small farmers as well as improved policies and investments. Those countries "have large populations of food insecure and hungry people. Focusing on those countries makes a lot of sense," says Oxfam International's Eric Munoz. Inter Press Service (7/27) Share:      StovePlus seeks to distribute 2M clean cookstoves in Asia, Africa Ecosystem Marketplace (7/29) Share:      Pakistan is up to 22 polio cases in 2013 Business Standard (India) (7/29) Share:      Polio outbreaks underscore need for continuing eradication efforts The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (7/29) Share:      Women & Girls Afghan process could undermine women's rights, UN committee says The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women says that entrenched patriarchal attitudes are putting women's rights at risk in Afghanistan. The Afghan government says women will be included in the upcoming peace process, but the UN group is concerned that women's rights will be reduced after foreign troops depart in 2014. Thomson Reuters Foundation (7/29) Share:      Three-quarters of Niger girls marry before 18 Inter Press Service (7/30) Share:      Peacekeeping and Security EU envoy visits Morsi; dialogue sought to end Egypt's unrest EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met with deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, who is in good health, she said. Interim Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei said the government hopes to peacefully "disband the demonstrations in different parts of the country and go into a serious dialogue" with the opposition. BBC (7/30), Al Jazeera (7/30), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (7/29) Share:      Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are underway BBC (7/30) Share:      248 prisoners escape as Taliban attacks a jail in Pakistan BBC (7/30) Share:      Rival tribes battle in Darfur, killing 134 people Thomson Reuters Foundation/Reuters (7/30) Share:      12 dead from bomb attacks in Nigerian city of Kano BBC (7/30) Share:      Position Title Company Name Location Click here to view more job listings.   UN Radio Food and water main concerns at Za'atari camp in Jordan. UN Radio (7/29) Share:      Learn more about the UN Foundation -> United Nations | Secretary-General | UN News Centre | Key UN Bodies, Agencies, Funds and Programs UN Foundation | UN Dispatch | The Interdependent About UN Wire UN Wire is a free service sponsored by the United Nations Foundation which is dedicated to supporting the United Nations' efforts to address the most pressing humanitarian, socioeconomic and environmental challenges facing the world today.   Contact the UN Foundation Caleb Tiller Executive Director, Communications and Public Affairs United Nations Foundation 1800 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 887-9040 www.unfoundation.org