A strongly worded statement by the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General reiterates that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions. Antonio Guterres, it says, urged the Government of Israel to halt and reverse the expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, to immediately and completely cease all settlements activities there…
“We’ve already seen over 560,000 people crossing into neighbouring countries…[and] nearly two million people displaced internally,” said Raouf Mazou, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, following a visit to Sudan. Since conflict erupted there on 15 April when rival militaries clashed, more than half a million people have reached neighbouring countries in a bid to escape…
This summer will be “the first in more than three years that many of us will enjoy without the looming threat of COVID-19”, but the life-threatening virus has not gone away completely, said WHO’s regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, told reporters at a virtual press conference from Copenhagen. Each week, the coronavirus causes at least…
Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba unveiled the Secretary-General’s latest annual report, for 2022, which showed there were 27,180 grave violations overall, an increase from the previous year. The recorded violations only refer to verified information, with the likely toll much higher, and cover four categories: recruitment and use of children into…
“The choice is clear,” said Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO). “Either continue along the downward spiral of violence and provocations leading to a political vacuum or turn towards constructive dialogue linked to concrete actions that can create hope and a political horizon.” ‘Alarming spike’ Urging Israeli and Palestinian…
“The effects of climate change are becoming more severe, and the number of people displaced across international borders is rapidly increasing,” said Ian Fry, independent human rights expert on climate change, who took up the new post last year. “In 2020 alone, 30.7 million people were displaced from their homes due to weather-related events. Droughts…
“About five million children under the age of five are estimated to be facing acute malnutrition in 2023 in the Horn region, in the Greater Horn. That is about 10.4 million, that is just a staggering figure,” said Liesbeth Aelbrecht, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) incident manager for the greater Horn of Africa emergency. Three…
According to the Projected Global Resettlement Needs Assessment for 2024, over 2.4 million refugees will be in need of resettlement, marking a 20 per cent increase compared to 2023. A woman leaves a refugee camp in Rwanda on her way to resettlement in Norway. Escalating challenges With a deepening refugee crisis, security breakdowns and conflicts, urgent…
“The lives of millions depend on that responsibility being given meaning,” Special Adviser on responsibility to protect (R2P) issues George Okoth-Obbo said, introducing the Secretary-General’s latest report and speaking on his behalf. “This annual debate is a reminder to us not to drift from our commitment, our duty, our responsibility to protect.” Preventing ‘contagion of mass…
Today, more than 100 armed conflicts are raging worldwide, devastating communities, winding back development, and leading to grave violations of human rights. Ranging from severe beatings to sexual humiliation and rape, torture is widely used as a means of war. And often, torture involves the use of tools or instruments, mock executions, and forcing victims…
