The global level of undernourishment increased sharply last year, under the shadow of the COVID‑19 pandemic, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s annual Statistical Yearbook, released today. Nearly 10 per cent of the world’s population suffered from hunger in 2020, up from 8.4 per cent in 2019.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that half a million people in parts of Balochistan province in Pakistan are facing crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. Another 100,000 people need immediate life-saving assistance due to severe drought-like conditions.
In Timor-Leste, the United Nations is helping the Government amid the worst flash flooding and landslides in recent years that have damaged homes, road and bridges, affecting at least 10,000 people in eight municipalities. The Organization has delivered sanitary and dignity kits, plastic mats and blankets to those in need.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Linda Thomas-Greenfield (United States):
The United Nations team in Indonesia is supporting efforts to vaccinate 80 per cent of the population, over 216 million people, against COVID-19. Work has begun to bring the country into the COVAX facility, and the World Health Organization helped finalize a vaccine introduction road map and guidelines.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Jordan launched one of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccination drives for refugees on 14 January. An Iraqi woman in the city of Irbid was the first registered refugee to be vaccinated as part of Jordan’s national campaign.
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the open session of the Bali Democracy Forum, in Indonesia today:
On 1 October, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Valerie Julliand of France as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, with the host Government’s approval.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released new guidance on COVID-19 and the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, stressing that they must not fear retribution for seeking health care amid the pandemic.
The United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) announced the completion of the first exhumation of a Yazidi mass grave in Iraq’s Sinjar region, in the village of Kojo.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:
Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy for Yemen, will visit that country and Saudi Arabia, starting 5 January. In Sana’a, he is to meet with the Ansarallah leadership, General Patrick Cammaert and Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande. In Riyadh, he expects to meet with President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that the murder of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi must be investigated in an independent and impartial manner to ensure full examination of, and accountability for, human rights violations committed during what she called a “shockingly brazen crime”.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
Nearly one month after the deadly earthquake and tsunami that struck Sulawesi, Indonesia, UNICEF says that some 375,000 children still need life-saving supplies and services. More than 2,000 were killed, and key services for children – such as schools and health centres – have been rendered inoperable.
After reviewing the human rights background of the commander of the Sri Lankan contingent deployed to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the Secretariat has requested that his Government immediately repatriate him back to Sri Lanka at their cost, as per normal procedures.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Bali, Indonesia, from New York on Wednesday, 10 October.
Marking International Day of Rural Women, the Secretary-General said rural women and girls are crucial in building a prosperous, equitable and peaceful future. He called on countries to take action to ensure that women and girls fully enjoy their human rights, including the rights of land and security of land tenure.
The UN refugee agency today drew attention to a collapsing health situation among refugees and asylum-seekers at off-shore facilities in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, calling on the Government of Australia to urgently act to prevent a further tragedy to people forcibly transferred under its off-shore processing policy.
