HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC, SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

MONDAY, 15 JUNE 2015

AT START OF CONSULTATIONS, SECRETARY-GENERAL WARNS YEMEN’S EXISTENCE HANGS IN A BALANCE

• The Secretary-General is on his way back to New York from Geneva, where he met with representatives of the Government of Yemen today. He had intended to have a joint meeting with the Yemeni parties today, but logistical issues made this impossible.  He said that the other parties to the consultations on Yemen were on their way to Geneva.
• In remarks to the press before leaving Geneva, the Secretary-General warned that since March, the fighting in Yemen has killed more than 2,600 people – half of them civilians.  Today, he said, Yemen’s very existence hangs in the balance. While parties bicker, Yemen burns, he added.
• In Yemen’s case, the Secretary-General said, the ticking clock is not a timepiece, it is a time bomb. He asserted that the region cannot sustain another open wound like Syria and Libya. “We must find a way to end the suffering and begin the long road to peace,” he added.
• Among other steps, he called for a renewed humanitarian pause to allow critical assistance to reach all Yemenis in need and provide a respite for Yemenis as the holy month of Ramadan begins. 
• The Secretary-General was also asked about the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant for the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes.  He said that this is a matter that he takes extremely seriously. The Secretary-General added that the authority of the ICC must be respected, and its decisions implemented.

SECRETARY-GENERAL NOTES PROGRESS IN CENTRAL ASIA BUT REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT SHRINKING OF DEMOCRATIC SPACE

• The Secretary-General finished his visit to Central Asia with a stop in Turkmenistan over the weekend. He spoke on Saturday at the International University for Humanities and Development in Ashgabat, saying that he was greatly impressed by the progress that he has seen on the streets of Central Asia since his last visit five years ago, with new buildings, growth and opportunities rising.
• At the same time, he said, he has also heard concerns about the deterioration of some aspects of human rights and the shrinking of democratic space.
• The Secretary-General said that curbing freedoms may create an illusion of stability in the short-run. Things may seem calm on the surface. There may not be protests on the streets but the denial of free expression leads to a brewing underneath and ultimately a breeding ground for extremist ideologies.
• Later, after meeting the President of Turkmenistan, the Secretary-General said he was encouraged by the Government’s initiative to establish an Office of the Ombudsman to protect and promote human rights in the country. He added that the UN is ready to provide any possible assistance.

U.N. ENVOY FOR SYRIA VISITS DAMASCUS

• The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura started a visit to Damascus following an invitation by the Syrian Government for him to visit the capital. Mr. de Mistura looks forward to meeting with senior Syrian officials with the aim of giving them the opportunity to express their own views around the Geneva Consultations, which started in early May 2015 and will continue into July.
• In this regard, Mr. de Mistura reiterates his intention of submitting a report to the Secretary-General regarding the operationalisation of the Geneva Communiqué in all its aspects. 
• During his visit, Mr. de Mistura intends to raise with the Syrian Government the issue of protection of civilians, underlining once again the unacceptable use of barrel bombs and the incontestable duty of any government, in all circumstances, to protect its civilians, under international humanitarian law.
• Mr de Mistura also plans to discuss the current humanitarian situation in Syria and ways to increase access to besieged and conflict-affected communities. 
• In his discussions, the Special Envoy plans to convey, once again, to Syrian officials his deep conviction that no solution to the Syrian conflict can be imposed by force and that an inclusive and Syrian-led and owned political settlement is urgently needed.

TOO MANY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE DENIED HUMAN RIGHTS, WARNS RIGHTS CHIEF

• Addressing the opening of the 29th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva today, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, stressed that despite considerable achievements in the protection and promotion of human rights in the last 70 years, too many people continue to be denied economic and social rights, and face severe and pervasive discrimination and repression. 
• Mr. Zeid urged the international community to lead with principle, law and humility. Talking about the criticism facing the United Nations in recent weeks on how the allegation of appalling child abuse in the Central African Republic was handled, he welcomed the Secretary-General’s decision to establish an independent external review and assured that his office will accept the result, and abide by its findings. He added that we must all be held to account, with no exceptions.
• The High Commissioner called situation in Syria the most mind-numbing humanitarian crisis of our era. He noted that any agreement to end the crisis must be focused on the human rights of all Syrian people, and the need to repair the fissures between ethnic and religious communities.
• Turning to Yemen, he said that reports of indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on densely populated areas must be thoroughly investigated, and greater protection of civilians must be ensured by all sides. 
• Mr. Zeid also addressed an Interactive Dialogue on the Human Rights of Migrants, during which he expressed his growing alarm at the international community's failure to protect the rights of migrants.

HEAD OF FIELD SUPPORT WELCOMES EVALUATION REPORT ON SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

• The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, welcomed today the evaluation report published by the Office of the Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel in peacekeeping operations.
• He said that this report provides an additional insight on how the implementation of the SG's zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse is handled, where progress has been made and where challenges still exist.
• Mr. Khare added that the Department of Field Support is committed to the zero-tolerance policy and implementing the recommendations made in the Secretary-General's annual report. He said, “Any allegation of sexual violence is shocking. Sexual exploitation and abuse when allegedly committed by those who should be protectors is truly abhorrent.”
• He noted that, while challenges remain, we should not lose sight of the achievements made so far as a result of the numerous efforts undertaken by the Organisation and Member States during a period where we have seen increased deployments and enhanced efforts at reporting on allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.

VIOLENCE FORCES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SOUTH SUDANESE TO FLEE TO SUDAN

• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that some 14,000 South Sudanese, mainly women and children, fled into Sudan over the weekend, describing the situation as an emergency within an emergency.
• UNHCR has registered close to 160,000 refugees in Sudan since fighting broke out in South Sudan in December 2013. A key priority for the humanitarian community is to prepare for the upcoming rainy season, which is due to start in the coming weeks and will further complicate operations.
• Rapid scaling up of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions is critical as rains will also heighten the risk of water-borne diseases such as dysentery and cholera. So far only 10 per cent of the US$152 million requested to assist South Sudanese refugees in Sudan has been contributed.
• Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in South Sudan has deteriorated significantly over the past two months with the intensification of military operations in Upper Nile and Unity States. It is estimated that by July some 4.6 million people could be severely food insecure - the highest number since the beginning of the crisis.

MILLIONS OF CHILDREN INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURAL WORK, WARNS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AGENCY

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today issued a new guide issued on the prevention of child labour in agriculture.
• Worldwide, large numbers of children are involved in agricultural work. According to the FAO, about 100 million children do work that is not considered acceptable - interfering with schooling or involving them in work that is hazardous or damaging to their health.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT

• The Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, today completed his visit to Johannesburg to participate in the 25th African Union (AU) Summit. Mr. Eliasson discussed security and development issues and UN-AU cooperation with the Chairperson of the AU Commission and other AU officials and African heads of state and government and ministers.
• His discussions focused on the situations in South Sudan and Burundi, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as on Financing for Development and the relation between the AU agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals. On South Sudan, Mr. Eliasson called for support for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediation through African and international unity of purpose.