WHAT WE ARE DOING

Strategic Communication Initiatives and Planned Activities

Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development are among the three priority themes of the United Nations System Development Assistance Framework for Nigeria. The United Nations Information Centre, Nigeria is working in collaboration with other UN agencies in the country to:

-promote the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for poverty reduction in Nigeria;
- build on its outreach and network with the business community and major development

communication partners, to promote issues related to the Global Compact initiative of the United Nations;

- organize joint activities with some of the leading business and economy publications, to develop business interest, understanding and participation in the work of the UN, especially in the organization's business partnership projects guided by the principles of Global Compact.

HIV/AIDS

The Centre coordinated the production of the first ever media handbook on the coverage of HIV/AIDS and related issues in Nigeria, which is now in circulation. The handbook is a collaborative effort among three organizations, namely, Development Communications (Devcoms) Network, Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, and the United Nations Information Centre, Nigeria. The Foreword to the book bears the imprimatur of late Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti, a former Nigerian Minister of Health, and a respected voice on health matters.

Human Rights

UNIC Nigeria, in full understanding of the expanding role and scope of the United Nations actions in promoting and protecting human rights, is engaged in a number of activities to create awareness and support rights-based initiatives that seek to ensure that human dignity is fully respected. In this regard, the Centre has recently organized an "Arts Against Torture" exhibition as part of activities to mark International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (26 June) in Nigeria. The Centre, working in close collaboration with with the Sales and Marketing unit of the United Nations Publications, Geneva, also participated in a recent major international Book Fair in Nigeria, which theme was “Women in Publishing”. We disseminated information and displayed UN material on gender rights and related issues.

Millennium Development Goals

At the initiative of the Centre to promote the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the UN in Nigeria, UNIC Lagos has produced a 2003 calendar, which highlights and illustrates all of the eight MDGs within the areas of work of the UN System agencies in the country. We have distributed over 2000 of the MDG calendars to strategic targets within the country for sensitization and awareness creation on the goals. UNIC is arranging to translate the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals into the major Nigerian local languages and pidgin English.

Needs of Africa

With the importance the UN attaches to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), UNIC Lagos is creating paths to work closely with the UN System in Nigeria and especially with the new UN Office on NEPAD to promote UN System activities in support of (NEPAD)

Promotion of UN Conferences and Observances

The Centre will strive to mark and devote significant time to the promotion of issues on the following conferences and observances.