Russia: UN rights chief denounces outlawing of ‘the international LGBT movement’

Russia: UN rights chief denounces outlawing of ‘the international LGBT movement’

Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a claim by the Ministry of Justice that the so-called “international LGBT movement” was committing acts of “an extremist nature” and “inciting social and religious discord”, in violation of the country’s law on countering extremism.  Any organisation designated as extremist faces immediate dissolution, and its leaders could receive up…

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World must not look away from humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, UN chief tells Security Council

World must not look away from humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, UN chief tells Security Council

Briefing top diplomats, the UN chief said the world must not look away from the suffering of civilians in Gaza, calling for “a true humanitarian ceasefire” that leads to a lasting two-State solution. The meeting has now ended in New York, but the frantic diplomacy continues to try and end the devastation in Gaza caused…

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Step up investment to end violence against women and girls: UN deputy chief

Step up investment to end violence against women and girls: UN deputy chief

Such investment is not just practical but transformative, she said in a video message to the official UN commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, held in New York on Wednesday. “Investment in prevention is to invest in our collective well-being,” she said. “It means creating conditions where women and…

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Child deaths from wasting are predictable and preventable: WHO chief

Child deaths from wasting are predictable and preventable: WHO chief

Convened by the Government of the United Kingdom, the day-long conference brought together representatives from more than 20 countries to shore up efforts to achieve zero hunger and end malnutrition, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Far off track  Speaking during a session on creating new approaches to ending preventable child deaths, WHO…

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Secure peace with inclusive, sustainable development, UN chief says

Secure peace with inclusive, sustainable development, UN chief says

Addressing an open debate of the Security Council on the link, António Guterres said that while development alone cannot guarantee peace, it is an essential component. “No peace is secure without inclusive and sustainable development that leaves no one behind,” he said, drawing parallels to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable…

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‘This must stop,’ UN chief says as deaths, displacement ripple across Gaza

‘This must stop,’ UN chief says as deaths, displacement ripple across Gaza

“This war is having a staggering and unacceptable number of civilian casualties, including women and children, every day,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement on Sunday. “This must stop. I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.” Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said in a statement on Sunday…

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Humanitarian crisis in Gaza could get far worse, warns UN relief chief

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza could get far worse, warns UN relief chief

More than 1.5 million Gazans are displaced, 18 hospitals have shut down, and hundreds of thousands are living in fear and under continuing Israeli bombardment. “Casualties continue to mount, with the dead reportedly exceeding 11,000 people – the majority of them children and women,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator and Humanitarian Affairs chief, Martin Griffiths. “The…

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Israel-Palestine crisis: UN emergency relief chief unveils 10-point plan ‘to rein in the carnage’

Israel-Palestine crisis: UN emergency relief chief unveils 10-point plan ‘to rein in the carnage’

The initiative from veteran aid chief Martin Griffiths, head of the UN aid coordination office OCHA, comes more than five weeks since Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took around 240 hostages. The full-scale Israeli siege and assault that followed has levelled thousands of buildings in Gaza and reportedly claimed more than 11,000…

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First Person: UNICEF chief in Gaza bears witness to grave violations against children

First Person: UNICEF chief in Gaza bears witness to grave violations against children

Catherine Russell visited Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis in the south of the besieged enclave on Wednesday. “Today I visited the Gaza Strip to meet with children, their families and UNICEF staff. What I saw and heard was devastating. They have endured repeated bombardment, loss and displacement. Inside the Strip, there is nowhere safe for Gaza’s one million children to turn.  The parties to…

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