Beirut/Bonn, 30 March 2023 – A shift to a circular economy in West Asia would place 33 per cent less electronic and electrical equipment on the market and reduce e-waste by 14 per cent, according to the ‘2050 Electrical and Electronic Waste Outlook for West Asia’. The report is published by the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Regional Office for West Asia and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) as the world marks the inaugural International Day of Zero Waste.

30 March 2023, Dakar, Senegal – UNITAR, the Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (CIFAL) Dakar, and the Municipality of Dakar hosted forty-two nurses and midwives from Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Mali for a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop titled “Improving Breastfeeding Education in Sub-Saharan Africa” on 15 and 16 March 2023 in Dakar, Senegal. The workshop contributed to the goal of promoting breastfeeding education and optimal breastfeeding practices. Primarily aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 3, promoting breastfeeding education includes ending hunger, improving nutrition, and promoting health and well-being. This workshop aimed to develop confident, competent trainers with the skills to plan, conduct, and evaluate training in breastfeeding.

30 March 2023, Geneva, Switzerland - To give the youth the voice they deserve, The United Nations Institute for Training and Research is partnering with Barbara Harrison Media and Kids Speak Out to launch the project: Through the Lens of the Youth Documentaries by Youth Worldwide. Allowing youth to express the importance of Sustainable Development Goals through video creation.

30 March 2023, Geneva, Switzerland - The joint UNEP-UNITAR 2050 Electronic and Electrical Waste Outlook in West Asia provides two contrasting future scenarios for e-waste management in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, State of Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

30 March 2023, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR is pleased to announce the launch of its Global Breastfeeding Education Initiative (Global BFEI). The Global BFEI seeks to contribute to improving breastfeeding education through training and education to advance toward the achievement of 70% of babies breastfed exclusively by 6 months of age by 2030. To reach this goal, the Global BFEI offers a variety of educational tools that provide impartial information on the benefits of breastfeeding and practical training aimed at increasing women’s practical knowledge, skills, and confidence to breastfeed.

31 March 2023, Sihanoukville, Cambodia - On March 23 and 24 a successful Training of Trainers on the Autosobriety Training Programme to Prevent Drink-Driving was conducted in the Sihanouk province of Cambodia.

28 March 2023, Hiroshima, Japan – Ahead of the 2023 G7 Summit in May, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will host a youth panel “Hiroshima G7: Voice of the Youth – Hiroshima for Global Peace Agenda”. Seven youths living in Hiroshima, one from each G7 country, will share their experiences in the city and discuss Hiroshima’s role in promoting global peace. This event will be co-organized with UNITAR Association.

24 March 2023, New York, USA – In the framework of the UN 2023 Water Conference UNITAR hosted the side event “Promoting Water Culture through Learning & Action”. The overall objective of the side event is to mobilize support and expertise to deliver innovative training and build human capacities on pressing water-related issues at a large scale.

22 March 2023, New York, USA – Between 22-24 March 2023, The UN 2023 Water Conference reconvenes after nearly 50 years since the 1977 UN Water Conference. The Conference serves as an opportunity for Member States, UN entities, and stakeholders to share commitments that aim to contribute to the implementation of water-related SDGs and associated targets. These voluntary commitments will be collected in the Water Action Agenda to accelerate progress in the second half of the Water Action Decade 2018-2028 and the second half of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

22 March 2023, New York, USA - UNITAR, York University, the Regional Municipality of York (York Region) and York Regional Police renewed its partnership agreement to foster sustainable development in Canada. This agreement aims to deliver joint training and professional development activities, which target – mainly – government officials, leaders, civil society and other interested parties in the areas of safety mobility including road safety, mental health, gender equality, entrepreneurship and economic growth, and climate change, amongst others.