Beirut, 30 January 2019 (Communication and Information Unit)--Tomorrow at noon, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) will launch the first-of-its-kind Arab region Data Portal (EDP) that offers users a variety of statistical services and products covering a range of social and economics areas, while facilitating open access to a wealth of statistical data, analysis, and information on its member states.
 

Sitting in a beauty salon in one of the elite areas in Beirut, I heard the continuous, terrified screams of a young girl. I looked around at the other patrons and could see that they heard it as well. The terrible screaming and desperate pleading continued, and soon everyone sitting there had risen to their feet in concern, asking about the source of these screams. It sounded like the girl was being raped, or horribly abused. She was begging an unknown person to please stop what was being done to her. We all felt very alarmed.
 

“Is justice a condition for durable peace?” was the question raised today by Tarik Mitri, former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Libya, in front of the heads of more than 20 UN agencies operating in the Arab region, representatives from the League of Arab States (LAS) and various embassies who were hosted at the UN House in Beirut by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) for the 20th Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) meeting to discuss development priority agenda items.

UN Undersecretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf today said that good internet governance, as good governance in general, was an important tool to achieve sustainable development goals in all of its aspects. Utilized wisely, information and communication technologies could contribute in the fight against poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. They could also create decent job opportunities for youth, women and marginalized groups in any community. The optimal use of technology should be ensured for this end and to spread knowledge and benefits.