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Humanitarian
Affairs
Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs -- OCHA
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,
established with General Assembly Resolution 46/182, was created to "mobilize
and coordinate the collective efforts of the international community,
in particular those of the UN system, to meet in a coherent and timely
manner the needs of those exposed to human suffering and material destruction
in disasters and emergencies. This involves reducing vulnerability, promoting
solutions to root causes and facilitating the smooth transition from relief
to rehabilitation and development." Its services include Humanitarian
Early Warning System (HEWS), an extensive database with vulnerability
indicators on more than 100 countries, and focused information and analysis
on 20 potential emergencies. Integrated Regional Information Network
(IRIN), founded in, IRIN (Nairobi) has analyzed and synthesized
information on developments in the Great Lakes region. It issues up to
twice-daily reports as well as thematic studies for over 1,000 primary
subscribers in 42 countries. IRIN (Abidjan) is being set up to provide
similar reports covering West Africa.
UNOCHA
- ReliefWeb
ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for he Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The purpose of this effort is to strengthen
the response capacity of the humanitarian relief community through the
timely dissemination of reliable information on prevention, preparedness
and disaster response. The web site features daily updated information
on crises areas and also provides access to DHA online. More than 12,000
users a day from 120 countries in all regions tap into the broad-based
data base (more than 170 sources) on current emergencies and natural disasters.
There have been nearly two million hits since October 1996. The Humanitarian
Assistance Training Inventory or HATI,
a web site currently containing descriptions of over 120 training courses
and materials on topics relevant to humanitarian assistance from over
20 international organizations.
UNDHA
- United Nations Demining Database
The United Nations Demining Database was established by a GeneralAssembly
resolution in 1994 and unveiled by the then Department of Humanitarian
Affairs (now OCHA) at the July 1995 International Meeting on Mine Clearance.
The database is a regularly updated repository designed to keep the global
public informed about the problem of uncleared landmines. There are an
estimated 110 million landmines affecting at least 70 countries, killing
and wounding some 20,000 people each year. The web site featurs country
reports, the latest casualty data, and updates on how United Nations demining
programmes are going in the field.
United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The web site provides 1) basic information about UNHCR and refugees; 2)
A World Map- and text-based access to country-specific information about
refugees; 3) Images Photos depicting refugee life; 4) WITNESS--an ongoing
dialogue with people forced to flee persecution in their homeland; 5)
NewsPress releases and other timely information about refugee situations
worldwide. In short it features a comprehensive look at the agency's existing
documentation for the general public, along with texts outlining refugee
issues in 90 countries, and a legal information database drawn from the
REFWORLD CD-rom
that is already produced by the agency.
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Human
Rights
United
Nations High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights
In June 1993, the World Conference on Human Rights adopted the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action, in which it recommended that the
General Assembly begin consideration of the question of the establishment
of a High Commissioner for Human Rights for the promotion and protection
of all human rights.
Pursuant to that recommendation
of the World Conference, the General Assembly, in its resolution 48/141
of 20 December 1993, decided to create the post of High Commissioner for
Human Rights.The mission of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights is to ensure the universal enjoyment of all human rights by giving
practical effect to the will and resolve of the world community as expressed
by the United Nations. The web site provides information and resources
on human rights, publications, conferences, documents, instruments and
press releases.
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Peace
& Security
United
Nations Peacekeeping Operations
The web site provides information on DPKO and their current peacekeeping
missions.
Centre
for Disarmament Affairs
The main focus of the Centre for Disarmament Affairs is to provide secretariat
services and substantive support to United Nations disarmament bodies,
in particular the First Committee of the General Assembly,the Disarmament
Commission,various review conferences and other meetings of parties to
multilateral arms regulation and disarmament agreements as well as the
Conference on Disarmament - the single multilateral disarmament negotiating
forum - and its subsidiary bodies. It assists Member States in promoting
dialogue between them, researchers, scientists and other experts and non-governmental
organizations, through the organization of meetings, conferences at both
global and the regional level. Furthermore through monitoring, analysis
and study of specific aspects of disarmament it helps to promote a more
thorough understanding of the complex factors involved in the process
of disarmament. The Centre for Disarmament Affairs is part of the Department
of Political Affairs. The web site features information and activities
of the Centre; UN documents and news.
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Research
United
Nations University
The United Nations University (UNU) is an international academic organization
which plays a unique role in world affairs and in promoting the United
Nations' aims of peace and progress. It provides and manages a framework
for bringing together the world's leading scholars to tackle the pressing
problems of today, and helps alleviate the isolation of researchers in
developing countries. The UNU works on the global problems which are the
concern of the United Nations and its agencies. Its multi-disciplinary
studies involve the social sciences and humanities as well as natural
sciences. Its principles and priorities are set by the University Council.
Under its Third Medium-Term
Perspective (MTP III) which is meant to cover the period 1996-2001, the
University work is focused within four programme areas: peace and governance;
environment; science and technology; development researchers in developing
countries. The web site provides an introduction/background, academic
information, fellowships, news and events and publications.
The
United Nations University/World Institute for Development Economics Research
The World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU/WIDER) is
the first research and training centre of United Nations University, located
in Helsinki, Finland. UNU/WIDER is dedicated to the study of major global
economic processes for the purpose of fostering widespread improvements
in human life and society. Research topics include studies on the economics
of transition; studies on market liberalization and development prospects
in Sub-saharan africa; studies on international economic issues; studies
on institutional and distributive issues; studies on global governance
(including economic and humanitarian impact of sanctions). The web site
features information on UNU/WIDER and its staff; research projects; events
and university lectures; publications; newsletter; press releases; UNU
research and training centres and programmes and more.
The
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(UNRISD) is an autonomous agency that engages in multi-disciplinary research
on the social dimensions of contemporary problems affecting development.
Its work is guided by the conviction that, for effective development policies
to be formulated, an understanding of the social and political context
is crucial. Working through an extensive network of national research
centres, UNRISD aims to promote original research and strengthen research
capacity in developing countries. Current research themes include: Integrating
Gender into Development Policy; Volunteer Action and Local Democracy:
A Partnership for a Better Urban Future; Environment, Sustainable Development
and Social Change; Crisis, Adjustment and Social Change Participation
and Changes in Property Relations in Communist and Post-Communist Societies;
Ethnic Conflict and Development; Political Violence and Social Movements;
Socio-Economic and Political Consequences of the International Trade in
Illicit Drugs.
The
War-torn Societies Project
The WSP -- of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
-- encourages main external and internal actors in war-torn countries
to collectively analyse the complex interactions between peace-keeping,
relief, rehabilitation and development activities, and between local,
national and external actors. Participatory action-research is used as
a tool to jointly define policies that could lead to a better integration
of different forms of international assistance and to a better alignment
of such assistance with local and national efforts. The project has started
field work in Eritrea and Mozambique, and preparatory work has been initiated
in Somalia and Guatemala. It has an impressive set of links to internal
and external actors that are related to their research.
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Specialized
Agencies
The
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Founded in 1945, the FAO is the largest autonomous agency within the United
Nations system with 174 Member Nations plus the EC (Member Organization)
and more than 1,500 professional staff. It has worked to alleviate poverty
and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and
the pursuit of food security. The FAO offers direct development assistance,
collects, analyses and disseminates information, provides policy and planning
advice to governments and acts as an international forum for debate on
food and agriculture issues. The web site features FAO information and
publications.
United
Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF
UNICEF is ... The web site featuers information on UNICEF's current activities;
information on the Convention on the Rights of the Child; UNICEF Publications;
statistics on children and women and much more.
United
Nations Development Programme
The mission of the UNDP is to help countries in their efforts to achieve
sustainable human development by assisting them to build their capacity
to design and carry out development programmes in poverty eradication,
employment creation and sustainable livelihoods, the empowerment of women
and the protection and regeneration of the environment, giving first priority
to poverty eradication.
World
Food Programme
WFP is the frontline United Nations organization fighting to eradicate
world hunger -- whether it is the hunger that suddenly afflicts people
fleeing ethnic conflict in Rwanda or Bosnia or the chronic hunger that
affects the hungry poor in countries such as Bangladesh or India. WFP
became operational in 1963 and is now the world's largest international
food aid organization. The web site features, information, documentation,
emergency reports, field operations, food aid statistics and more.
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