New databases from UN system organizations
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is “the oldest international organization in the UN family….(providing leadership) for information and communication technology issues.” The ITU has just launched its “History of ITU Portal” which contains ITU historical documents from radio, telegraph and telephone conferences. Note, the process of digitization is currently underway and as of this date much of the proposed content has yet to be launched online. Still, it’s worth noting for now and will be a terrific resource once the project is complete. The site also provides a link to ITU statistics, which are freely available.
The FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization) has just launched a Gender and Land Rights Database which “puts the spotlight on one of the major stumbling blocks to rural development – widespread inequalities between men and women in their access to land….. (It) offers up-to-date information on how men and women in 78 countries differ in their legal rights and access to land (and) provides policymakers and other users with a better picture of the major social, economic, political and cultural factors which affect access to land and enforcement of women’s land rights.”