United Nations Regional Research Articles

Thirty Years of United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group's Global, Regional, and National Maternal Mortality Estimates Revisited.

Over the last three decades, the United Nations interagency working group series of model-based maternal mortality estimation showed a significant reduction in maternal mortality ratio (MMR) at global, regional, and national levels. However, the contribution of sub-Saharan Africa for the global maternal deaths in 2020 was nearly two-fold higher than before, and the top five countries with high burden of maternal deaths remained unchanged after four decades. In this commentary, we argue that not all countries with high maternal deaths had high MMR; the lower MMR was noted as shadowing the large number of maternal deaths in countries with high rates of total births. We critically appraised the changes and challenges in maternal mortality measurements. We recommend the use of multiple indicators and categorizing the absolute number of maternal deaths to assess individual countries' maternal health status. As the majority of maternal deaths are preventable and all maternal deaths are catastrophic to the family, estimating the absolute number of maternal deaths should be given equal weight in future research undertakings.

Overview of the use of big data for official statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean

In 2020 and 2021, the challenges related to the decline in the financing of statistical production and the cooperation of respondents was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This scenario led national statistical offices (NSOs) to accelerate consideration of alternative data sources to complement or even replace traditional survey data. In this context, the use of big data to produce statistics has become promising. The use of big data for statistics is already in practice in many parts of the Global North and has also been spreading rapidly in the South. Part of the success of this trend is due to the support of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UNCEBD), in particular its four Regional Hubs for Big Data. To learn the extent of the use of big data for official statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations Regional Hub for Big Data in Brazil conducted a study of the practices of NSOs in the region. A very promising scenario was found regarding the use of big data from satellite imagery, web scraping and other big data sources, for applications such as the production of price statistics, land use and cover patterns and migration.

Regional cooperation and statistical capacity development: Successes, challenges and next steps

Regional Cooperation and Capacity Development was the sixth discussion platform topic of the Statistical Journal of the International Association of Official Statistics. Contributors shared many reflections on cooperation and capacity development including the third ‘c’ of coordination. Coordination, as one contributor remarked, “has been a holy grail but is a long way from being achieved”. United Nations (UN) Member States (countries) regularly call for improved coordination amongst the international capacity development community at annual meetings of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) and international organisations and professional associations are committed to coordination and cooperation ideals. This paper highlights potential routes to improved global cooperation by reviewing contributions to the discussion platform, sharing an example of effective coordination from a UN Regional Commission, and the key features of current coordination efforts by the International Statistical Institute (ISI) and the UN. The launch of the ISI’s Capability Building Committee’s 2022–2025 strategic plan provides an opportunity to review overall coordination efforts and promote inclusive capacity development efforts to ensure no one or no National Statistical System is left behind.

Enhancing higher education student well-being through social prescribing: a realist evaluation protocol

IntroductionUK higher education (HE) student numbers are increasing and students report higher levels of mental health and well-being issues. Social prescribing links individuals to community-based, non-medical support. It is widely...

‘Triangular’ Relationships between the United Nations and African Regional and Sub-regional Organizations in Maintaining Peace

Over the past few years, the relationships between the United Nations (‘un’), regional and sub-regional organizations in maintaining peace and security in Africa have evolved. The African Union (‘au’) began coordinating enforcement actions conducted by African sub-regional organizations with the authorisation of the un Security Council (‘unsc’), which maintained its political control over them. The un Charter and relevant legal regimes of those organizations seem to allow this kind of relationship. Such a trend may explain, in part, the unsc’s most recent practice of authorising regional and sub-regional enforcement actions under Chapter vii of the un Charter, instead of Chapter viii. In carrying out those authorised military operations, African regional and/or sub-regional organizations perform their own statutory powers and pursue their own statutory objectives at the continental level. They do not act as ‘decentralised organs’ of the un.

Elections still a weak spot in Central Africa - Interview: François Loucény Fall, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and his team briefing the Security Council

The special representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), Francois Lounceny Fall, appeared before the UN Security Council in June to brief it on the situation in the Central African region. He talked about political tension caused by February’s controversial elections, in addition to security threats by rebels and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram. Africa Renewal’s Franck Kuwonu sat down with Mr. Fall after the briefing to discuss the situation in the region.

United Nations Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Africa: Achievements, Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future

Capacity building in Space Science and Technology as well as enhancement and retention of existing capacity, are critical for developing competencies to efficiently respond to societal challenges and addressing sustainable development. Following the UN General Assembly resolutions 37/90 of 10th December 1982 (UNISPACE), and 45/72 of 11 December, 1990 (UN-COPUOS), the UN-OOSA established the Regional Centers for Space Science and Technology Education in 1995. To date six (6) Regional Centers have been established with the main aim to build a high quality capacity and critical mass of indigenous Space Scientists/Educators in developing countries for the development and application of Space Science & Technology for Sustainable National & Regional Development. African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education has been established in Africa since 1998. This paper describes the achievements of the Centre since inception through their Postgraduate and Outreach programs. It is, however, observed that Member States have not optimally worked together to maximally utilize the opportunities that this Regional Centre present. By highlighting the capabilities of the Centre, the future plans for harnessing the human potential available for the next generation in Africa are discussed. Argument was made for the need for integrated space technology and applications to be domesticated at the UN regional Centers for ease of access to best practice and fast-track sustainable developments and regional collaborations. In conclusion, the challenges of the Centre, which in turn impact on the local space workforce, are mentioned and recommendations are made to this effect.

The participation of experts and knowledges in the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

This paper examines the participation opportunities and role of nominated experts from the Eastern European region in the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The governance of international knowledge-making spaces and events occurs through standardised institutional rules and expectations that affect experts as well as define accepted forms of knowledge. Within IPBES, experts may participate through United Nations Regional Groupings, which are regions that have complex geopolitical legacies and features. Between regions, experts have variable financial, networking and institutional capacities that in turn affect the operations and outputs of their contributions to science-policy interfaces. For IPBES, regional and localised environmental assessments and ecosystem services valuations require existing place-specific knowledge that may not be ‘available’, as well as understandings that are frequently in conflict with the standardised, homogenising practices of international environmental knowledge-making.

Proliferación de armas y violencia armada en el sector de la seguridad privada en América Latina y el Caribe: Desafíos y oportunidades para la acción

El Centro Regional de las Naciones Unidas para la Paz, el Desarme y el Desarrollo en América Latina y el Caribe (UNLIREC) ha hecho un seguimiento de diferentes medios de comunicación en 19 países y ha documentado más de 100 artículos periodísticos que reportaron casos de violencia armada y proliferación de armas de fuego en el sector de la seguridad privada. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar los casos reportados y sistematizar una tipología de los mismos, para evidenciar la problemática de la seguridad privada como fuente y víctima de la inseguridad. Este estudio refleja la frecuencia con la que suceden estos casos, así como el hecho de que éstos ocurren en diferentes países de la región, lo cual contribuye a que el material de estudio no constituya casos aislados sino que, por el contrario, aliente a Estados y empresas del sector a hacer frente a esta preocupante realidad.Por último, este artículo presenta una serie de iniciativas que pueden ser implementadas por las autoridades nacionales competentes en el tema, así como por las mismas empresas del sector para afrontar los desafíos que presentan el manejo, la tenencia y el uso de las armas de fuego en laprivatización de la seguridad en la región.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/rpsp.v4i2.1754

Control y Regulación de las Empresas de Seguridad Privada en América Latina y el Caribe: un análisis comparativo

elaborado marcos legales para regular adecuadamente el fenómeno de la privatización de la seguridad. Entre estas iniciativas se puede mencionar el Proyecto de una posible Convención sobre las Empresas Militares y de Seguridad Privadas elaborado bajo los auspicios del Consejo de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas. Este proyecto de convención tiene por objeto proporcionar un marco universal en el que se regulen estas empresas.El Centro Regional de las Naciones Unidas para la Paz, el Desarme y el Desarrollo en América Latina y el Caribe (UNLIREC) ha estudiado este Proyecto de Convención y ha realizado un contraste con las diferentes normativas nacionales existentes. El objetivo de este estudio es identificar sí los Estados cumplen ya con algunas provisiones de este proyecto y de qué manera.Con base en el estudio de las leyes nacionales sobre seguridad privada, UNLIREC contrastó el Proyecto de Convención e identificó las diferentes provisiones de este documento sobre las que las diferentes normativas nacionales de varios países de América Latina y el Caribe hacen referencia.Como resultado de este contraste jurídico se puede observar que algunos Estados de la región recogen en su orden legal aspectos importantes que el Proyecto de Convención propone, como licencias, registro y capacitación. Otros Estados van más allá y estipulan disposiciones muy específicas en la materia que pueden ser resaltados. Otros, por el contrario, carecen de previsiones en lo que respecta al control y a la regulación de empresas de seguridad privada.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/rpsp.v1i1.1392

Managing regional centres' of expertise collaborations with stakeholders including higher education institutions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assist the United Nations Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) in continuing their fundamental work within the region and to address some of the prominent challenges within the RCE community. Specific RCE case studies from the global network were employed, emphasizing experiences in collaboration with multiple stakeholders including higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Conducting a literature review and employing a qualitative research methodology with the use of a guided questionnaire, the paper aims to gain a deeper understanding of the operations of RCEs in general and more specifically the case studies. Findings – The paper shows some of the strategies implemented by the cohort of case studies to overcome their common challenges. Key recommendations based on the findings are made in its quest for continual development and final conclusions assessing the contentious challenges are drawn. Research limitations/implications – This paper focuses on RCEs within Europe, with cases from the USA and Canada for comparison. Although the paper highlights common themes and challenges, it is highly probable that RCEs outside of the studied regions may contend with similar challenges; further research would have to be conducted to assess the wider scope of the situation. Originality/value – The paper gives an external perspective of the challenges faced and identifies some areas in which improvements could be made. It is also generated from information gathered from multi-case study RCEs.

Keynote Address III: The reconstruction of the face of a 2500 year-old girl: Myrtis

In 1944–1945, during works for the construction of the new Athens Metro in the historical area of the ancient cemetery of Athens, Keramikos, the archaeological excavation brought to light a common grave, which dates back to the time of the notorious Plague of Athens (430–426 B.C.) that killed Pericles and decimated the Athenians. The grave contained skeletal remains of ca. 150 people, both children and adults, and among them the skull of an eleven year-old girl, which retained both deciduous and permanent teeth, a characteristic typical for her age. The child – who was given the ancient name Myrtis – died of typhoid fever during the plague of Athens. Typhoid fever is even today – after 2500 years – the cause of death for 500,000–700,000 people every year. Moreover, each year nearly nine million children under five are losing their lives from typhoid fever and other diseases that can be prevented and treated. For this reason, the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) “asked” Myrtis to become a friend of the UN Millennium Development Goals and join, in her own unique way, the United Nations world campaign “We can End Poverty”. After detecting the causative factor of her death, there occurred the idea of remolding the head and face of the ancient child. Although modern standards of ideal proportions and facial esthetics are based mostly on observations of human faces as depicted in Classical Greek masterpieces of art, the real faces of ordinary ancient Greeks have, until now, remained elusive and subject to the imagination. Objective forensic techniques of facial reconstruction have never been applied before, because human skeletal material from Classical Greece has been extremely scarce, since most decent burials of that time required cremation. The original skull was replicated via three-dimensional modeling and rapid prototyping techniques. The reconstruction followed the Manchester method, laying the facial tissues from the surface of the skull outward by using depth marker pegs as thickness guides. The shape, size, and position of the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth were determined according to features of the underlying skeletal tissues, whereas the hairstyle followed the fashion of the time. This is the first case of facial reconstruction of a layperson residing in Athens of the Golden Age of Pericles. It is ironic, however, that this unfortunate girl who lived such a short life in ancient Athens, will now, 2500 years later, have the chance to travel and be universally recognizable in a world much bigger than anybody in ancient Athens could have ever imagined.

The Concept of Preventive Diplomacy and Its Application by the United Nations in Central Asia

The century-old concept of preventive diplomacy has grown in prominence since the end of the Cold War, and was strengthened by the failures of the international community to prevent the violence in places such as Rwanda and Yugoslavia. The United Nations has undertaken a range of preventive activities in Central Asia, including in partnership with relevant regional actors. This paper considers the role of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) in terms of transboundary threats, domestic developments in Kyrgyzstan, and the management of common resources.

Introduction: Addressing the vulnerability of young women and girls to stop the HIV epidemic in southern Africa

Introduction: Addressing the vulnerability of young women and girls to stop the HIV epidemic in southern Africa

Report on The 16 th United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific

Report on The 16 th United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific

A Commemorative Map for the Sixteenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacinhic (Entrlish Version)

A Commemorative Map for the Sixteenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacinhic (Entrlish Version)

Comparative criminology: an annotated bibliography

Preface Meaning and Measurement in Comparative Criminology General Issues in Comparative Criminology Cross-National Data Perceptions of Crime Cross-National Crime Rates Violent Crime Crimes Against Property Economic and Political Crime Transnational Corporate Crime Correlates of Crime: Age, Class, Gender and Race Underdevelopment and Modernization Social Control and Criminal Justice Social Control and Dispute Resolution Criminal Justice and Penal Policies Appendix A: Lists of Countries in Cross-National Data Sets Appendix B: Lists of United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute Publications and Staff Papers Appendix C: Addresses of United Nations Regional Institutes for Crime Prevention Appendix D: Miscellaneous Research Aids Author Index Subject Index

Consumer protection in the Asia-Pacific Region

This report outlines recent developments at an international level affecting consumer policy in the Asia-Pacific Region. Outcomes of a South Pacific Workshop, a United Nations Regional Seminar, and of a training seminar in Vietnam are considered and a range of consumer and systemic problems are outlined. The need for continued expert assistance to developing countries in the region is emphasised.

Attending the Tenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific

Attending the Tenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific

Governmental Control: A Prerequisite for Effective Relations Between the United Nations and Non-United Nations Regional Organizations. By Sir Peter Smithers. (New York: United Nations Institute for Training and Research, 1973. pp. v, 72. Appendices. $3.00.)

Governmental Control: A Prerequisite for Effective Relations Between the United Nations and Non-United Nations Regional Organizations. By Sir Peter Smithers. (New York: United Nations Institute for Training and Research, 1973. pp. v, 72. Appendices. $3.00.)