HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
WEDNESDAY, 8 MARCH 2023
WOMEN’S DAY
Today is International Women’s Day and in his message for the Day, the Secretary-General said that today we celebrate the achievements of women and girls across all walks of life, in all corners of the world, but we also recognize the enormous obstacles they face — from structural injustices, marginalization, and violence, to cascading crises that affect them first and worst, to the denial of their personal autonomy and rights over their bodies and lives.
This year’s theme focuses on innovation and technology for gender equality and the Secretary-General said that technology can expand pathways to education and opportunities for women and girls but can also be used to amplify abuse and hatred.
“We must close the digital divide and increase the representation of women and girls in science and technology,” he said.
This morning, there was an event at the General Assembly Hall to mark the Day and in the Secretary-General’s absence, the Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray delivered the remarks on his behalf. And there are also various messages to mark the Day from the heads of our agencies and programmes.
UN News has also launched the AmplifyHER, which is a 10-part podcast spotlighting 10 inspiring women musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds talking about their challenges as women. The featured artists range from teenage Thai rapper Milli to Malaysian UNESCO youth advisor, Alena Murang, and Emel, the 'voice of the Tunisian revolution'.
AFGHANISTAN
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Afghanistan. Briefing Council members, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, said that she had few comforting messages on International Women’s Day to the women and girls in Afghanistan.
Ms. Otunbayeva pointed out that at a moment when Afghanistan needs all of its human capital to recover from decades of war, half of the country’s potential doctors, scientists, journalists, and politicians are shut in their homes, their dreams crushed, and their talents confiscated. She warned that funding for Afghanistan is likely to drop if women are not allowed to work.
Ms. Otunbayeva said that our humanitarian action is challenged by an increasingly complex access and security environment, adding that we are also concerned that national women staff working for the UN will also be banned.
Ms. Otunbayeva said that our ability to deliver is also affected by growing concerns about the looming threat of ISIL-K to our own security and that of our NGO implementing partners. Apart from the constriction of the rights of women and girls, we are also witnessing an erosion of other human rights.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/UKRAINE
The Secretary-General is on his way back to New York, where he will arrive tomorrow. Earlier today, he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, and afterwards, he told the press that his third visit to Ukraine in less than a year was to show the UN’s full commitment and to seek solutions.
The Secretary-General expressed his deep solidarity with all the victims of the war, adding that they are all owed effective accountability.
He reiterated his position that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the UN Charter and international law. And he added that our ultimate objective is equally clear: a just peace based on the UN Charter, international law and the recent General Assembly resolution marking one year since the start of the war.
Mr. Guterres underscored the critical importance of the rollover of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on 18 March and of working to create the conditions to enable the greatest possible use of export infrastructures through the Black Sea, in line with the objectives of the initiative. He noted that the Black Sea Grain Initiative, agreed last July in Istanbul, has provided for the export of 23 million tonnes of grain from Ukrainian ports. It contributed to lowering the global cost of food and has offered critical relief to people, who are also paying a high price for this war, particularly in the developing world.
The Secretary-General added that safety and security around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is also vital. The Secretary-General said that a possible mediation to seek the full demilitarization of the area, while ensuring that the plant can return to normal operations, would also be important.
At the meeting, the Secretary-General was accompanied by Rebeca Grynspan, the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Martin Griffiths, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Denise Brown, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine.
MIDDLE EAST
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said today that he is deeply disturbed by the continuing violence and appalled by the attacks of Israeli settlers against Palestinians two days ago in Huwwara, near Nablus. Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure that the civilian population is protected, and perpetrators are held to account, he said. He condemned both settler violence against Palestinians and Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
Mr. Wennesland said that he is also alarmed by the events that unfolded yesterday during an Israeli operation in Jenin, resulting in armed exchanges between Israeli security forces and armed Palestinians. Six Palestinians were killed, including the perpetrator of the 26 February terrorist attack in Huwwara. We are in the midst of a cycle of violence that must be stopped immediately, he said. The parties must refrain from further steps that would lead us to more violence.
SYRIA
The United Nations, and other humanitarian partners, continue to scale up the response to earthquake-affected areas across Syria, where at least 8.8 million people have been affected. Most of these people are expected to need at least one form of humanitarian assistance.
More than 4,500 deaths and 8,700 injuries have been reported in north-west Syria, as of 6 March, since an earthquake of 7.7 magnitude struck Türkiye on 6 February. Thousands of people became homeless as more than 10,600 buildings have been completely or partially destroyed in north-west Syria.
As of today, 648 trucks loaded with aid provided by seven UN agencies have so far crossed to north-west Syria since the earthquakes using the three available border crossings.
The Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih, expressed deep concern today about the implications of the closure of Aleppo International airport.
You will recall that the airport was hit by airstrikes yesterday. It has been forced to shut down until further notice. According to the Syria Ministry of Transport, all flights carrying earthquake aid had to be diverted to either Damascus or Latakia.
The closure could have severe humanitarian implications for people in Aleppo - one of worst earthquake impacted governorate in the country - and could also affect the wider vulnerable population who need humanitarian assistance.
All UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights from Aleppo have been suspended. These flights transport humanitarian partners and humanitarian cargo across Syria, including life-saving health supplies, such as tetanus vaccines, testing equipment for blood transfusions and diabetes medication.
The UN calls on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by taking all feasible precautions to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities. In addition, humanitarian air services must resume without delay so that emergency assistance can reach those in need.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that more than 20,000 people have been displaced in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amid recent clashes between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group. Residents in the Kibirizi area – which is about 120 kilometers from Goma – were forced to flee due to fighting in surrounding villages.
Over the past year, more than 800,000 people have been affected by renewed fighting between Congolese forces and the M23, according to authorities and our humanitarian colleagues.
The UN calls on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, protect the civilian population, and secure access to populations in need of humanitarian assistance.
MYANMAR
The Secretary-General condemns the brutal attacks and killings reported in Sagaing Region and other parts of the country. The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the continued escalation of indiscriminate attacks by Myanmar’s Armed Forces and calls for those responsible to be held accountable. He calls on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and international human rights standards.
The United Nations continues to verify information on the recent attacks, which is difficult due to the lack of access and widespread internet and mobile network shutdowns.
