Books

This report documents the importance of the rural sector and agriculture in least developed countries (LDCs), through their contribution to employment generation and economic activity, as well as the fact that the bulk of LDC poverty is concentrated in rural areas. The discussion is placed in the perspective of the post-2015 development agenda, in which rural economic transformation will be a sine qua non for sustainable rural poverty eradication. It presents evidence on agricultural productivity dynamics in LDCs, discussing the importance of agricultural productivity for human development in rural areas, and analysing the key elements driving agricultural productivity growth in these countries. It examines the synergies and complementarities between agricultural productivity growth and rural economic diversification. It concludes by discussing the policies which need to be put in place to accelerate agricultural productivity and diversify rural economies, thereby providing the essential contribution to reaching LDCs’ development goals.

This is the official report of the International Court of Justice to the General Assembly.

This eighth global report provides new insights into the evolution of certified agriculture and forestry. The International Trade Centre has teamed up once again with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and the International Institute for Sustainable Development to provide data on 13 major sustainability standards for bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, oil palm, soybeans, sugarcane, tea and forestry products. This year’s report adds data from 2022 and finds that growth continued after an unusual dip in 2020. The publication helps shape decisions of policymakers, producers and businesses, working to address systemic labour and environmental challenges through certified sustainable production.

This publication presents statistics and analysis on the status of women and men in the world, highlighting the current situation and changes over time. The report is the sixth in the series which has been published every five years, as called for in the Beijing Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. This edition emphasizes that progress towards the goal of gender equality has been made in the last two decades in most areas of concern, although uneven and at low pace. Through a life cycle approach, the publication reveals the challenges and opportunities faced by women during their different stages of life and based on where they reside. The different trajectories of women and men are highlighted in the statistical findings of the analysis undertaken in eight chapters of the report, each representing a broad area of concern: population and families, health, education, work, power and decision-making, violence against women, environment and poverty.

Femmes dans le monde 2010 examine et analyse de manière unique la disponibilité actuelle des données et évalue les progrès réalisés dans la publication de statistiques nationales, par opposition aux estimations internationales, relatives aux questions de genre. Publié tous les cinq ans, Femmes dans le monde propose un plan pour améliorer la disponibilité des données dans les domaines de la démographie, de la santé, de l'éducation, du travail, des violences faites aux femmes, de la pauvreté, de la prise de décision et des droits humains.

Milestones of the same decade, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Internet together changed childhood forever, giving a new generation of children specific rights and an unprecedented opportunity to exercise them. At the same time, governments and organizations the world over have embraced the necessary inclusion of child participation in shaping programmes and policies and in helping to prevent or report violence. The question is: are these institutions keeping up with the pace of change? Are today’s models adapting to the constant evolution of child participation? This analysis of 10 approaches supports child rights practitioners in their efforts to promote effective child participation. Its ultimate goal is to unleash the positive power of millions of children who want to safeguard their right to a world free from violence.

The Economic Report on Africa 2025 (ERA 2025) examines AfCFTA’s implementation, highlighting achievements, challenges, and its potential to reshape Africa’s economic landscape. The report underscores AfCFTA’s role in addressing key challenges such as energy access, food security, industrialization, and digital trade. By fostering intra-African trade, the agreement can reduce commodity dependence, boost manufacturing, and strengthen Africa’s position in global value chains. Additionally, AfCFTA enhances Africa’s resilience amid global economic fragmentation by deepening regional integration and strengthening trade ties with emerging markets. To fully realize AfCFTA’s potential, Africa must undertake strategic investments, implement well-coordinated policies, and pursue structural reforms. If effectively executed, AfCFTA could significantly enhance trade, drive economic diversification, and position Africa as a global growth hub, contributing to the vision of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

The water resources we receive from mountains are literally melting away before our eyes. Mountains and alpine glaciers – often referred to as the world’s ‘water towers’ – are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change and unsustainable human activities, threatening the water resources upon which billions of people and countless ecosystems depend. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 – Mountains and glaciers: Water towers, calls attention to the essential services and benefits mountain waters and alpine glaciers provide to societies, economies and the environment. With a focus on the technical and policy responses required to improve water management in mountains, the report covers critical issues such as water supply and sanitation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, food and energy security, industry, disaster risk reduction and ecosystem protection. Addressing the global water crisis begins at the top.

Climate change is intensifying, yet fossil fuel use and emissions are still reaching new heights. Species are going extinct at unprecedented rates, yet we continue to destroy ecosystems. More than two billion tonnes of household waste are produced each year and cause harm globally, yet the amount is projected to double by 2050. Despite decades of warnings by scientists, new negative extremes make the news nearly every day. Scientists have also told us what needs to change: Stop using fossil fuels. Protect and restore ecosystems. Live sustainably. Nevertheless, we are making fairly little progress towards such goals. This begs the question, if we know what we need to do, why aren’t we doing it? Previous editions of the Interconnected Disaster Risks report have analysed how the disasters we see are interconnected, and what risk tipping points we are going to reach if humanity continues to weaken the systems we all depend on. This year’s edition seeks to pick up where the previous editions left off by asking the central question on many people’s minds: how do we change course?

This publication presents statistics and analysis on the status of women and men in the world, highlighting the current situation and changes over time. It is the sixth in a series published since the World Conference on Women in 1995. It emphasizes that progress towards the goal of gender equality has been made in most areas of concern, although uneven and at low pace. Through a life cycle approach, it reveals the challenges and opportunities faced by women at different stages of life and based on where they reside. Trajectories of women and men are highlighted in the statistical findings of the analysis undertaken on population and families, health, education, work, power and decision-making, violence against women, environment and poverty.