UN Briefings

“THE HIGHEST ASPIRATION A CALL TO ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.” Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres wrote on the occasion of the 75th General Assembly of the UN, September 2020 As I write this reflection, it is the eve of the bombing of Pearl Harbor 79 years ago.  It’s hard to believe that […]

“Living in poverty means experiencing intense physical, mental and emotional suffering accompanied by a sense of powerlessness to do anything about it.” Resolution 47/196 voted on December 22, 1992, the General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This Day gives an opportunity for those living poverty to make their […]

Every year at the UN, the International Day of the Girl is celebrated on October 12th.  It is preceded with 11 days of action from October 2 to October 11th.  It is a campaign of transformative action, to shine a light on ideas, solutions and unity in support of girl’s rights. This year’s focus is […]

Unlike the last 75 years, the General Assembly this year is totally virtual.  This is a huge change for everyone and one that is disappointing.  Each head of member states created a prerecording of their country’s 75th Anniversary Statement.   In the UN Assembly hall itself is the chair for the day, who calls on the […]

Over the last twenty some years, Dominicans have enlarged their presence at the UN. The Dominicans are at the UN in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi and New York. UN GENEVA was the first Dominican office at the UN of the friars was in Geneva, Switzerland.  It is where Human Rights issues are addressed. Philippe LeBlanc, OP, […]

It’s been nine months since I arrived in New York City to take on the position of UN Representative for the Dominican Leadership Conference. Just as I was beginning to understand some of the workings at the UN everything shut down due to the Coronavirus. I have learned a lot in these first months, my […]

By Viviana Garcia-Blanco, Dominican Volunteer This year the 51st Commission on Population and Development takes place from April 9th to the 13th at the United Nations Headquarters. The Commission functions as a way to advise the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on matters related to population issues and trends, integrating population and development strategies, […]

By Jareen Aquino, MM (Maryknoll Sister of St. Dominic) For the past six years, the Dominican Sisters International has been sending sisters to participate in the United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Women. This commission invites the Thinkers-Shakers-and-Doers to work together and strengthen their relationship to make our society a better place for all, especially […]

By Viviana Garcia-Blanco, Dominican Volunteer The first round of intergovernmental negotiations on the zero draft for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, otherwise known as the Global Compact for Migration, took place on the 20th, 22nd, and 23rd of February. The negotiations focused on contributions from individual parliaments and other multi-stakeholders towards […]