UNRIC Library Newsletter - July 2008

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NEW WEBSITES WITHIN THE UN SYSTEM

UN in General

61st Annual DPI/NGO Conference “Reaffirming Human Rights: The Universal Declaration at 60” (UNESCO, Paris, 3 – 5 September 2008)
English: http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/conference
French: http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/conference/homefr.asp
The Outreach Division’s NGO Relations of the Department of Public Information (DPI) of the United Nations launched on 3 July its own website designed to provide useful information -- in English and French -- to the community of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and other actors of the civil society worldwide interested in participating in and/or contributing to the work of the sixty-first annual DPI/NGO Conference.  The website will constantly be updated and completed as more information becomes available.

“Towards a Culture of Security and Accountability”: The Report of the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises Worldwide, 9 June 2008
http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/terrorism/PanelOnSafetyReport.pdf   

UN budget documents
http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/specrb.html
A new chapter on the UN regular budget has been added to the UN Documentation Research Guide. The chapter introduces the major documents produced and describes the key UN bodies involved in the budgeting process. In addition, search tips for finding budget documents in the major UN databases are included.

UNPAN portal
http://www.unpan.org/
The UN Public Administration Network (UNPAN) has redesigned its portal. The site includes a searchable library with major publications and other documents. The Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) has made available the reports of Secretary-General on topics related to public administration, a searchable bibliography, and other information resources. 

Economic & Social Development

enable - United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
          This website is now available in French and Spanish.
French:  enable - Droits et dignité des personnes handicapées
http://www.un.org/french/disabilities/
          La Convention pour les droits des personnes handicapées est entrée en vigueur
          le 3 mai 2008. Découvrez ce que fait l'ONU pour promouvoir les droits et la
          diginité des personnes handicapées sur le nouveau site de Enable.
Spanish: enable - Los derechos y la dignidad de las personas con discapacidad
http://www.un.org/spanish/disabilities/

Global trends in Sustainable Energy
Full text: http://sefi.unep.org/english/globaltrends.html
Executive summary: http://sefi.unep.org/fileadmin/media/sefi/docs/publications/Exec_summary.pdf
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative (SEFI) has issued a new report on Global Trends in investment in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. The report finds that 2007 was a record-setting year for clean energy investment and that growth should continue in 2008.

MDG Africa Steering Group Recommendations
English & French: http://www.mdgafrica.org/index.html
The MDG Africa Steering Group has launched its report of its 2008 Recommendations at the African Union summit meeting. The steering group, composed of leaders of multilateral development organizations, aims to identify the practical steps needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals in Africa.

Questions thématiques: Enfants
http://www.un.org/french/issues/children/
Le nouveau portail des questions thématiques propose des informations sur l'action de l'ONU en faveur des enfants : assurer la survie et le développement de tous les enfants, leur offrir une éducation de base de qualité et les protéger contre la violence et les mauvais traitements.

Safer Water, Better Health (WHO report)
http://www.who.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/saferwater/en/index.html
This is the first-ever report providing country-by-country estimates of the burden of disease due to poor water, sanitation and hygiene. The report highlights how much disease could be prevented through increased access to safe water and better hygiene.

WTO accession process
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/cbt_course_e/signin_e.htm
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has a new publication and interactive website on the WTO accession process. The book, A Handbook on Accession to the WTO, describes how the process of accession has evolved and offers details on the process as it is now applied. The website was developed by WTO specialists on the accession process and includes interactive tests to measure progress in learning the content.

World Drug Report 2008 (UNODC report)
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/unodc-launches-2008-world-drug-report.html
This flagship report of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that the recent stabilization in the world drugs market is under threat because a surge in opium and coca cultivation and the risk of higher drug use in developing countries threaten to undermine recent progress in drug control.  

World Economic and Social Survey 2008: Overcoming Economic Insecurity
Full report in English: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/wess/index.html
Overview available in English, French & Spanish.
The annual report says there can be no doubt that we are living in a time of increased threats and vulnerabilities.  Bank runs, mortgage defaults, rising commodity prices, climate change and problems of conflict are all factors. Overall economic performance has been fairly strong in recent years, but globalization, market deregulation and rising inequality have created growing anxiety about the direction of the world economy.

World Trade Indicators 2008
http://go.worldbank.org/SLZHGS3EN0
The World Bank has made available a new interactive tool, “World Trade Indicators (WTI)”, designed to benchmark a country’s trade policy and institutions and help policy makers, advisors, and analysts’ identify the main border and behind-the border constraints to trade integration. The database is organized in five thematic categories, namely Trade Policy, External Environment, Institutional Environment, Trade Facilitation and Trade Outcome. An overview report summarizes global patterns in trade policy and trade outcomes revealed by the database focusing mainly on regional and income level variations. The User Guide provides descriptions for the 299 indicators in the database, including data sources.

Human Rights

Human Rights, Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism (OHCHR)
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Factsheet32EN.pdf
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued “Human Rights, Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: Fact Sheet No.32”  as part of “The Human Rights Fact Sheet” series. It defines the impact of terrorism and counter-terrorism on enjoyment of human rights; provides guidance on ensuring compliance with human rights and looks at specific human rights challenges in the context of terrorism and counter-terrorism. 

Humanitarian Affairs

Food and Fuel Prices - Recent Developments, Macroeconomic Impact, and Policy Responses (IMF report)
http://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2008/063008.pdf
This report – published by the International Monetary Fund's - claims that the sharp rise in food and fuel prices "have had adverse effects on the poor and could pose risks to macroeconomic stability in a number of low and middle-income countries." The report also assesses countries' policy responses and the role of IMF in responding to the challenges.

Humanitarian Appeal 2008 – Mid-year review
http://ochaonline.un.org/humanitarianappeal/index.htm

UNICEF Humanitarian Action Report 2008
English: http://www.unicef.org/har08/index.html
French: http://www.unicef.org/french/har08/
Spanish: http://www.unicef.org/spanish/har08/index.html
The Humanitarian Action Report is UNICEF’s annual appeal for children and women affected by emergencies around the globe. The report includes: regional and country chapters and human interest stories; an overview of funding requirements for 2008 and a look back at emergency funding in 2007; a review of lessons learned from the tsunami disaster – one of the largest emergency situations ever faced. 

International Law 

ICC Prosecutor presents case against Sudanese President, Hassan Ahmad AL BASHIR, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur
English: http://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/406.html
French: http://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/406.html&l=fr

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia -
The Prosecutor of the Tribunal against Radovan Karadžić
http://www.un.org/icty/indictment/english/kar-ai000428e.htm
Press Release (21 July 2008): Statement of the Office of the prosecutor on the Arrest of Radovan Karadžić
http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2008/pr1274e.htm
Press Release (21 July 2008): Tribunal Welcomes the Arrest of Radovan Karadžić
http://www.un.org/icty/pressreal/2008/pr1275e.htm