Government Information News

"Ecocide" The Now Proposed Fifth Crime for the International Criminal Court

Recently, a panel of distinguished international lawyers concluded a deliberations process that has since resulted in a legal definition of “Ecocide”. This newly defined term has the potential to be the fifth international crime coexisting with other international crimes such as genocide, crimes of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Having this new legal definition, the International Criminal Court can propose amendments to the Charter which would then “hold corporate and government decision-makers accountable for environmental damages and abuses such as oil spills, mass deforestation, ocean damage or severe pollution of waters”, at which point they would then face trial for their actions. For more information on please visit the Ecocide Foundation.

GPO and Libraries Set Goal to Make Every U.S. Document Accessible

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) is undertaking a massive effort to capture and make publicly accessible every U.S. Government document through the National Collection of U.S. Government Public Information (National Collection). GPO will do this by digitizing documents and making them accessible on govinfo and the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP), as well as partnering with Federal depository libraries who serve as stewards for all tangible materials. The National Collection includes all public information products of the U.S. Government. To achieve its vision, GPO will identify, acquire, catalog, disseminate, digitize, make accessible, authenticate, and preserve all Government publications.

Through the CGP, the public can search for more than one million records in the National Collection and find direct links to the full document as well as nearby Federal Depository Libraries that offer the publication. GPO’s govinfo, the one-stop site for authentic information published by the Government, offers over two million content packages in the National Collection available for download. GPO’s govinfo is an ISO 16363 certified trustworthy digital repository—the only repository in the world with this certification. Visit govinfo to explore the collection.

GPO Celebrates 160 Years Of Keeping America Informed

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) celebrates its 160th anniversary today. The agency opened its doors on March 4, 1861, the same day President Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated, with about 350 printers and bookbinders. Those 19th century team members delivered Government information with horse and carriage. The 21st century team continues that mission today by providing the workings of our democracy on mobile devices through govinfo. Federal depository libraries have been a big part of GPO’s mission since 1895.

Watch a video highlighting GPO’s top historic moments and achievements.

Senators Amy Klobuchar and Roy Blunt, Chair and Ranking Member for GPO’s Oversight Committee, sent the GPO team a congratulations letter for 160 years of service to the Government.

20 Years of Women, Peace and Security

31 October 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security, a ground-breaking resolution that was spearheaded by women leaders and organizations. It is the first resolution that recognized women’s leadership to achieve international peace and security and their contributions to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The implementation of women, peace and security priorities is a key political commitment in the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, which reaffirms that women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes and political solutions is essential for effective peacekeeping and sustainable peace outcomes.

For more information, please visit: 20 years of women peace and security & promoting women peace and security

The Story of Resolution 1325 | Women, Peace and Security (Video presentation)

Call to action - Women transforming peace and security

Resources for conducting research on this topic:

Content for this post was provided to FSU by the United Nations and the Dag Hammarkjold Library

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

To find out more about all the Sustainable Development Goals, please visit the Sustainable Development homepage

On the occasion of the opening of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly– and on the 5th anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals – a 30-minute film titled “Nations United” will feature leading thinkers and activists, data visualizations, testimonies, and performances to highlight the solutions and actions we can take to create a world where no one is left behind. The first transmission was on 19 September, 2020, and can be found on YouTube live stream.

The United Nations has created a detailed advertisement of this monumental broadcast which includes a general overview, production details, and a list of famous activists that are being approached to host and contribute to this event.

Already available is the "Do you know all 17 SDGs?" video in eight languages:

Other online resources available:

Additional research resources from the United Nations/Dag Hammarskjöld Library website:

Content for this post was provided to FSU by the United Nations and the Dag Hammarkjold Library