United Nations

In a damning report Tuesday, United Nations special rapporteur Michel Forst said several human rights defenders had refused to meet him because of the fear of persecution.

"Many activists spoke of an atmosphere of fear, censorship and retaliation," Forst said.

Forst has just finished a two-week tour of Australia on behalf of the UN's Human Rights Council to assess how well human rights defenders were being treated in the country.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said he had received assurances from all Yemeni parties for such a move.

Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi's forces have been fighting Houthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa.

Mr Ahmed's announcement follows international alarm over the deaths of 140 people in a Saudi airstrike which hit a funeral gathering in Sanaa.

Saudi officials say the airstrike in the capital earlier this month should have hit Houthi rebel leaders, but erroneous intelligence meant that the wrong site was targeted.

Unicef said the difference in time spent working amounted to 160m extra hours a day worldwide.

Two out of three girls cook and clean in the home, and almost half collect water or firewood.

They also perform more "less visible" domestic work like childcare or looking after the elderly, the report says.

It also found that the extra workload increased with time: between ages five and nine, girls spend 30% more time on chores - by 14, it rises to 50%.

Ri's comments came as the US and Asian nations gathered in New York Friday with a fresh reminder of what they consider the gravest threat facing the region: North Korea's announcement this week that it had successfully tested its most powerful rocket engine yet.

The test Tuesday was followed by a US show of force, as the Pentagon on Wednesday flew two B-1B bombers alongside the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea, setting the the stage for US-South Korea joint military exercises in October that will include a simulated nuclear facility strike.

The symbolism of a day without fighting is a crucial reminder that conflict can and must come to an end, the UN says in a statement.

“But the UN thinks that peace is about much more than putting weapons aside. It is about building a society in which people live free from poverty and share the benefits of prosperity.”

The theme of this year’s Peace Day highlights the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which 193 Member States of the UN unanimously adopted last year as building blocks for peace. 

The United Nations have adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the world’s future, through to 2030. These goals are reinforced through 169 detailed targets agreed to by nearly all the world’s nations, on September 25, 2015 in New York.

Secretary-General for the Papua New Guinea National Commission for UNESCO Andrew Angobe says the SDGs have presented an opportunity for most countries in the Asia Pacific region to mobilize its resources to embark on a new path to improve the lives of its people.

Senator Malcolm Roberts was elected by Queensland as a member of the anti-immigration One Nation party.

He believes climate change is a global conspiracy created by bankers seeking to establish a worldwide government.

Mr Roberts told the Senate "We need an OzExit" to escape the "unelected swill" of the UN.

"Australia's values and way of life are also at risk from insidious institutions such as the unelected swill that is the United Nations," he said.

One very important area which the UN continues to support  are its parliamentarians and its governance system.

Recently the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative, Roy Trivedy was on the island as part of a delegation to mark the 15th Anniversary of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

The Bougainville Peace Agreement was signed on August 30, 2001, to usher in a new beginning. 

The following is a statement delivered by Roy Trivedy during the 15th anniversary celebration on Buka.

They are Badihagwa, Gerehu, Jubilee, Marianville, Port Moresby International School and newcomers Koiari Park High School.

Previously known as the IBS School Debate, the Emstret Tokaut Debate Challenge is scheduled from August 29 to September 1.  

The challenge also includes schools from other provinces and comprises three competition categories, Provincial, National and Melanesian.

The schools will battle it out for the three days and the overall winner, the provincial champions, will represent their regions in the National Championships.

The Security Council issued a unanimous statement, agreeing to take "significant measures" in response to the latest series of launches.

North Korea has test-fired several ballistic missiles in July and August, includingone from a submarine towards Japan on Wednesday.

China is Pyongyang's main ally.

The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the submarine-launched missile test was the "greatest success", putting the US mainland and the Pacific "within the striking range".