Briefing the Security Council today, the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the situation that now faces women human rights defenders, and prospects for women’s full participation in shaping and building peace, are vastly worse than they were before the pandemic got under way.
After a volcanic eruption and tsunami caused significant infrastructure damage in Tonga, the World Food Programme said it is exploring ways to bring in aid and the United Nations Children’s Fund is ready to send emergency water, sanitation and other supplies from warehouses in Fiji and Brisbane.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said it is deeply concerned by recent incidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia that saw individuals glorify atrocity crimes and convicted war criminals target certain communities with hate speech, warning of a potential uptick in such acts in 2022, an election year.
In the Central African Republic, the number of improvised explosive devices has increased significantly, especially in the north-west, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there said today. It believes the armed group 3R has been intentionally targeting peacekeepers and the national armed forces.
In Yemen, the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) has expressed its concern at the allegations of the militarization of the Hudaydah ports. The Mission has made a request to undertake an inspection and reminds all parties that the ports are a crucial lifeline for millions of Yemenis.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said it is stepping up its aid delivery to help a growing number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants crossing by foot across Chile’s northern border with Bolivia. Local authorities report that 400-500 people from Venezuela have crossed into Chile daily since November.
The World Food Programme warned that it is running out of funds to continue its provision of food assistance to 13 million people in Yemen. From January, 8 million people will receive a reduced food ration, while 5 million who are at immediate risk of slipping into famine conditions, will remain on a full ration.
Marking International Human Solidarity Day, the Secretary-General said that hunger is no longer about lack of food, but largely a man-made disaster, concentrated in countries affected by large-scale, protracted conflict. He urged the international community to do everything in its power to tackle both hunger and conflict.
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the children and armed conflict mandate, today:
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says at least 54 migrants died in a truck crash in Chiapas, Mexico, on 9 December, marking the country’s deadliest single incident for migrants. Some 651 people have died in 2021 attempting to cross Mexico’s northern border, the highest number since 2014.
Following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Catherine M. Russell of the United States as the Fund’s next Executive Director.
Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ video message to the Global Forum for Children and Youth, held virtually today:
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict urged Ethiopia to promptly sign an agreement with the United Nations to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence. She noted that extreme brutality is a hallmark of the ongoing conflict in the country’s Tigray region.
With reports that the Omicron variant has been detected in Botswana, the United Nations team is increasing its support for the Government’s COVID-19 response, including by providing medical and protective equipment. To date, 75 per cent of people in the country have received at least one dose, while 68 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Responding to urgent and growing humanitarian needs in northern Ethiopia, almost 40 trucks with food and other relief supplies from the United Nations and aid partners departed Monday for Tigray, the first convoy since mid-October, and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service resumed flights to Mekelle.
A new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals that Governments and detaining authorities in at least 84 countries have released more than 45,000 children since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 261,000 children in conflict with the law are still being held in detention worldwide.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Henrietta Fore voiced deep concern over reports that child marriage in Afghanistan is on the rise, with families offering daughters as young as 20 days old for future marriage in return for a dowry. Some 28 per cent of Afghan women aged 15–49 were married before 18.
UNICEF released a report today showing there are nearly 240 million children with disabilities around the world, a new global approximation higher than previous estimates which considers symptoms of anxiety and depression, among other difficulties across several domains of functioning.
Since Sunday night, at least 11,000 people fleeing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have sought refuge in Uganda, the largest single-day influx in over one year, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports. It is requesting urgent resources to address the new arrivals’ needs.
The Secretary-General — in observance of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, on 2 November — stated that 62 journalists were killed for doing their jobs in 2020. Noting that the number of media workers killed outside conflict zones has risen in recent years, he urged leaders to demonstrate the political will needed to investigate and prosecute these crimes.
