Global Refugee Forum opens amid ‘crisis of humanity’

Global Refugee Forum opens amid ‘crisis of humanity’

The world’s largest gathering dedicated to refugee issues, the Forum is co-hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland and convened by Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda. It brings together Member States, civil society, financial institutions, private companies and more than 300 refugee advocates. Shattered dreams, disrupted lives Setting the tone for the discussion, Mr. Grandi said…

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Gaza humanitarian crisis deepens as fighting rages on across the Strip

Gaza humanitarian crisis deepens as fighting rages on across the Strip

Speaking in Doha at the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview, Mr. Griffiths said that the situation was “getting worse”, while efforts to secure “moments of peace” remained of the “greatest importance”.   According to the latest update on the emergency from UN relief coordination office (OCHA), tens of thousands of people “in desperate need of food, water, shelter,…

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UK Bill ‘significantly erodes’ human rights and refugee protections, UN agencies warn

World News in Brief: Haiti’s humanitarian crisis, disease outbreaks in Sudan, UK sentencing reform

Ulrika Richardson, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Haiti, who is also the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, told journalists in Geneva that 5.2 million Haitians need humanitarian assistance and over 4.3 million face acute food insecurity – that’s a staggering two out of five people in a country which used to be…

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World News in Brief: Russia’s LGBT ban condemned, unprecedented Africa malnutrition crisis, health after childbirth

World News in Brief: Russia’s LGBT ban condemned, unprecedented Africa malnutrition crisis, health after childbirth

This, in effect, bans all public LGBT activities and organisations within the country. The nine UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts said the ruling “significantly distances” Russia from its obligations under international law to promote and protect human rights for all. The experts sent an official letter to the Russian Government on Monday, outlining their urgent…

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Guterres urges Security Council to act over Israel-Palestine crisis as threat to international peace and security

Guterres urges Security Council to act over Israel-Palestine crisis as threat to international peace and security

In a letter to the Council, Mr. Guterres invoked Article 99, contained in Chapter XV of the Charter. This says that the UN chief “may bring to attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.” In a statement to journalists along with the…

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UN agencies urge action to safeguard maternal, child health amidst climate crisis

UN agencies urge action to safeguard maternal, child health amidst climate crisis

In Protecting maternal, newborn and child health from the impacts of climate change, the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly underscore the neglect, underreporting, and underestimation of climate events’ effects on maternal and child health.  It also draws attention to the importance of integrating maternal or child…

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Gaza crisis: aid agencies warn of ‘tragic, avoidable surge’ in child deaths

Gaza crisis: aid agencies warn of ‘tragic, avoidable surge’ in child deaths

“About 160 children are killed every day; that’s one every 10 minutes,” said UN World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier, echoing concerns from the UN Children’s Fund about the serious additional threat of a mass disease outbreak in the enclave. “If youngsters continue to have restricted access to water and sanitation in Gaza, we…

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