On July 2 of the current year, UN Women (www.unwomen.org) will mark its seventh anniversary. Although there have been previous UN groups that focused on so-called “women’s issues” dating back 40 years, it is worth noting that it took until a decade into the 21 st century for gender equality and empowerment to rise to the level of a comprehensive worldwide program of action. But...better late than never. Best known as UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women first became operational in January of 2011, following its formation in July of the year before. Previously, there were a number of departments throughout the UN bureaucracy that were charged with catering to women’s survival, development and empowerment needs, but only within the context of unrelated programs. In a 2006 report on the state of women worldwide, the office of the UN Secretary-General resolved that, in effect, less wasn’t more, and that the multiple UN systems alre...
Versión en español:
Author Roberto Vivo comments on wars past and present, on the world’s great peacemakers and on the pathway to global peace. His basic philosophy: In a world where 9 out of every 10 victims of armed conflict are civilians, war is no longer a viable political alternative. Indeed, it is the ultimate crime against humanity. If rising generations are to have a future, the key will lie in world peace. War is the pathway to oblivion.