HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC,
SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2018
 
U.N. REPORTS ON LATEST FIGURES ON SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN THE ORGANIZATION

• The Spokesman gave an update on cases of sexual exploitation and abuse in the UN system, in line with the Secretary-General’s initiative on increasing transparency on these allegations. From 1 October to 31 December 2017, the Organization received 40 allegations for all UN entities and implementing partners. Not all allegations have been fully verified, and many are in the preliminary assessment phase. 
• Out of the 40 allegations, 15 are reported from peacekeeping operations. These 15 are not new allegations – they have all been uploaded on the Conduct and Discipline database as they came in. The remaining 25 allegations are reported from agencies, funds and programmes, and include 8 allegations relating to implementing partners.
• Of the 40 allegations, 13 are categorized as sexual abuse, 24 as sexual exploitation, and 3 are of an unknown nature.
• The 40 allegations involve 54 victims -- 30 are women and 16 are girls (under the age of 18), the ages of 8 others are unknown. 12 of the 40 allegations occurred in 2017, 7 in 2016, 3 in 2015 or prior, and the dates are unknown for 18 of them.
• With regard to the status of the 40 allegations, 2 have been substantiated by an investigation; 3 were not substantiated; 15 are at various stages of investigation; 18 are under preliminary assessment; 2 are under review with limited information provided to the investigating entity.
• With over 95,000 civilians and 90,000 uniformed personnel working for the UN, sexual exploitation and abuse are not reflective of the conduct of the majority of the dedicated women and men who serve the Organization. But every allegation involving our personnel undermines our values and principles and the sacrifice of those who serve with pride and professionalism in some of the most dangerous places in the world. For this reason, combating this scourge, and helping and empowering those who have been scarred by these egregious acts, continue to be key priorities for the Secretary-General in 2018.

 

• Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock briefed the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria, and he warned about the ongoing violence in Eastern Ghouta.
• He told the Council that Eastern Ghouta is a predictable and preventable humanitarian disaster unfolding before our eyes, with 400,000 people having been besieged there for four years.
• He said that at least 346 people have been killed and more than 900 wounded since the beginning of this month.  At the same time, humanitarian workers have faced greater difficulties in gaining access to people in need than in any period since 2015.

 

• Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, said ahead of today’s Security Council proceedings that we urgently need a ceasefire in the country.
• He reiterated that the humanitarian situation of the civilians in Eastern Ghouta is appalling and therefore, we need a ceasefire that stops both the horrific heavy bombardment of Eastern Ghouta and the indiscriminate mortar shelling on Damascus.
• He added that the ceasefire needs to be followed by immediate unhindered humanitarian access and a facilitated evacuation of medical cases out of Eastern Ghouta.
• The Special Envoy called upon the Astana guarantors to hold an urgent meeting to reinstall the de-escalation.  UN humanitarian convoys are on standby and ready to deliver humanitarian aid and allow medical evacuations.

 

• Today, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the entry into force of the country’s new penal code, calling it a milestone in its criminal justice reform.
• The mission said that with this development, Afghanistan has for the first time a criminal code that complies with international treaty obligations in criminal justice and incorporates modern best practices in criminology.

 

• The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ursula Mueller, today wrapped up her visit to the Central African Republic. She called on the international community to urgently support the life-saving humanitarian response in the country where the number of internally displaced persons has nearly doubled over the last year to reach 694,000. Ms. Mueller said that the protection of people displaced by violence and insecurity will be central to the humanitarian response in 2018.
• She also stressed the need to protect humanitarian workers. The Central African Republic is among the most dangerous countries for aid workers to operate in. In 2017, 14 humanitarian workers lost their lives, compared to six in 2016.

 

• A new report from our colleagues in South Sudan says that genuine reconciliation and lasting peace will only be achieved in the country if people are free and safe to express their opinions regardless of their ethnic or political affiliations. The report warns that undue restrictions on freedom of expression are having a “chilling effect” and “further shrinking the space for debate and dissent” in South Sudan, while hate speech also continues to cause mistrust, fear and violence.
• Co-authored by the UN Mission in the country and the UN Human Rights Office, the report identifies 60 verified incidents which violate the legitimate right to freedom of expression of 102 victims, including 17 women, in the period from July 2016 to December 2017. Incidents include the killing of two people, the arbitrary arrest and detention of 58 others, 16 people dismissed from their jobs, the closure or suspension of three media houses, censorship of newspaper articles and the blocking of websites.

 

• The UN Refugee Agency is calling for calm and restraint after worrying reports of a refugee protest turning violent in Rwanda’s Kiziba refugee camp.
• The camp hosts over 17,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, around 77 per cent of which are women and children.
• Protesting refugees were reportedly angry about reduction in food assistance.
• Humanitarian operations in Rwanda remain severely underfunded, forcing the World Food Programme (WFP) to cut food rations by 10 per cent in November 2017 and by 25 per cent in January 2018.
• To date, UNHCR’s 2018 appeal for US$98.8 million to support refugees in Rwanda is only is 2 per cent funded.

 

• Our colleagues from the World Food Programme said today they have provided vital food assistance to nearly 3,000 displaced people stranded in the harsh Libyan desert as they struggle to return to their hometown of Tawargha, in Western Libya.
• Many displaced Tawarghan families have been trying to go home but in early February armed groups blocked returnees from entering Tawargha, despite an agreement promising safe return. Large numbers are now stranded in makeshift shelters in the desert, while others have found temporary refuge with host families in nearby areas. 

 

• UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore today accepted Justin Forsyth’s resignation from his position as Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF.
• She said, “We are grateful to Mr. Forsyth for his work over the past two years to advocate for the most vulnerable children and help advance UNICEF’s mission to save children’s lives. This mission is now more important than ever.”

 

• Equatorial Guinea and Serbia have paid in full their regular budget dues for this year. The Honour Roll has climbed to 59 Member States.