‘Equal rights cannot wait’ on International Day of Women in Multilateralism

‘Equal rights cannot wait’ on International Day of Women in Multilateralism

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay made the appeal in her message to mark the International Day of Women in Multilateralism, which highlights their role in building peace and ensuring sustainable development.  It also provides an opportunity to advocate for increased representation of women in key decision-making positions in global collaboration.  ‘Incomprehensible inequality gap’   “Celebrating their…

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Human rights must be defended in the fight against terrorism: UN chief

Human rights must be defended in the fight against terrorism: UN chief

Speaking at the ninth meeting of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact in New York, he urged for all counter-terrorism policies and initiatives to be “firmly grounded” within their defence.  “Combatting terror must never be used as an excuse for trampling on people’s human rights,” he said.    “When we protect human rights, we are in fact…

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Security Council: 12 years of war, leaves 70 per cent of Syrians needing aid

Security Council: 12 years of war, leaves 70 per cent of Syrians needing aid

“As we move into 2023, the Syrian people remain trapped in a profound humanitarian, political, military, security, economic and human rights crisis of great complexity and almost unimaginable scale,” said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. Outlining recent developments, he reiterated his previous calls for calm on the ground, good faith engagement in Syria’s stalled Constitutional Committee…

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Two-thirds of Yemenis need humanitarian support and protection

Two-thirds of Yemenis need humanitarian support and protection

The UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA is calling for $4.3 billion to reach the 17.3 million most vulnerable people in need, whose lives have been turned upside down because of protracted war, displacement and economic collapse, compounded by recurrent natural disasters. Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when Houthi rebels took the capital, Sana’a, forcing…

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Sudan: Progress in Darfur militia leader trial, but Government cooperation wanes

Sudan: Progress in Darfur militia leader trial, but Government cooperation wanes

Presenting his latest report, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan updated ambassadors on proceedings against Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as “Ali Kushayb”, charged with 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.  These atrocities were allegedly committed during the Darfur conflict which began in 2003, pitting Sudanese Government forces, backed by militia groups known…

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Crises hindering victim identification: UNODC human trafficking report

Crises hindering victim identification: UNODC human trafficking report

Globally, the number of victims detected fell by 11 per cent in 2020 from the previous year, driven by fewer detections in low and medium-income countries. The number of convictions for trafficking offences also fell by 27 per cent over the same period, accelerating a longer-term trend registered by UNODC since 2017. Sharper decreases were registered…

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Palestinian refugees face hitting ‘rock bottom’, warns UNRWA in $1.6 billion appeal

Palestinian refugees face hitting ‘rock bottom’, warns UNRWA in $1.6 billion appeal

Head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, told journalists in Geneva that competing global crises, and skyrocketing levels of poverty and unemployment among Palestine refugees, have put immense strain on them – and the agency – which started the year some $70 million in arrears. “On the one hand we are asked to deliver public-like services to…

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