2018 Theme: Nature for Water This year’s theme explores how we can use nature to overcome the water challenges of the 21st century. Environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Floods, drought and water pollution are all made worse by degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes....

The ever-growing global population faces a wide range of hazards such as tropical cyclone storm surges, heavy rains, heatwaves, droughts and many more. Long-term climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather and climate events and causing sea level rise and ocean acidification. Urbanization and the spread of megacities means that more...

The right to the truth is often invoked in the context of gross violations of human rights and grave breaches of humanitarian law. The relatives of victims of summary executions, enforced disappearance, missing persons, abducted children, torture, require to know what happened to them. The right to the truth implies knowing the full and complete...

Earth Hour is a global movement, which brings millions together across the world to call for greater action on climate change. Each year, hundreds of millions of people around the world switch off their lights and organise events – at home, in their community or in their towns or cities – to show they care...

Every year in March, the United Nations holds a number of activities to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This year’s theme is “Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality”, which celebrates the gains of people of African descent from slavery to the present. It...

"Empowering Women and Girls with Autism" Thursday, 5 April 2018 Economic and Social Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters In November 2017, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution drawing attention to the particular challenges that women and girls with disabilities face in the context of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of...

2017 Theme: Needs driven. People Centred On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and...