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Month: July 2019

Conflict, climate change among factors that increase ‘desperation that enables human trafficking to flourish’, says UN chief

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), some 72 per cent of detected victims are women and girls, and the percentage of child victims has more than doubled from 2004 to 2016.

“Most detected victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation; victims are also trafficked for forced labour, recruitment as child soldiers and other forms of exploitation and abuse”, Mr. Guterres said in his message on the Day, marked annually on 30 July.

Many of those falling prey to traffickers are migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers who have left their country of origin for various reasons.

Pointing to armed conflict, displacement, climate change, natural disasters and poverty as factors that “exacerbate the vulnerabilities and desperation that enable trafficking to flourish”, the UN chief emphasized that “migrants are being targeted”.

“Thousands of people have died at sea, in deserts and in detention centres, at the hands of traffickers and migrant smugglers plying their monstrous, merciless trades”, he continued.

Mr. Guterres also spotlighted the “everyday indifference to abuse and exploitation around us”, mentioning that “from construction to food production to consumer goods, countless businesses and enterprises benefit from the misery”.

Speaking on the need to step up protection for the most vulnerable, Mr. Guterres added that most countries have the necessary laws in place, but “more needs to be done to bring transnational trafficking networks to justice and, most of all, to ensure that victims are identified and can access the protection and services they need”.

“On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, let us reaffirm our commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people for profit and to help victims rebuild their lives”, concluded the Secretary-General.

Profound change needed for social inclusion of survivors of trafficking

Echoing the Secretary-General’s call to allow victims to access to protection and justice, the UN human rights expert on the issue urged States to step-up efforts towards and investment in long-term solutions to ensure compensation for people who are trafficked.

“Profound changes are needed in States’ approaches to migration and trafficking”, said Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, in a statement marking the Day, stressing that “restrictive and xenophobic migration polices and the criminalisation of migrants, as well as of NGOs and individuals providing humanitarian aid, are incompatible with effective action against human trafficking”.

Presenting social inclusion as the “only and right answer” to exploitation and trafficking, Ms. Giammarinaro argued that “politicians fuelling hatred, building walls, condoning the detention of children and preventing vulnerable migrants from entering their territories are working against the interests of their own countries”.

Highlighting that what is needed is “safe, orderly and regular migration”, Ms. Giammarinaro asserted that making provision for the social integration of migrants is “crucial also for victims of trafficking, including women suffering discrimination, gender-based violence and exploitation, and children subjected to abuse during their journey, especially when travelling alone”.

Solidarity and friendly social environment needed during recovery process

The Special Rapporteur added that survivors of trafficking need “solidarity and a friendly social environment to regain control of their lives”, flagging the need for financial resources during that process. 

“Access to remedies is not limited to compensation”, she continued, “but it also encompasses restitution, which implies the reuniting of families and the restoration of employment for victims, as well as guarantees of non-repetition”.

Ms. Giammarinaro urged all States to “remove obstacles hampering access to justice for victims by giving residency status to people who have been trafficked, and by ensuring they are not detained or prosecuted for illegal activities they may have been involved in as a result of being trafficked”.

The UN expert added that the empowerment process for survivors of trafficking should include education and training, “opening new paths to help them acquire new skills and equipping them for job opportunities”.

“I believe that effectively including survivors in society and valuing their potential, skills and expertise can give them an opportunity to rebuild and change their lives, prevent re-trafficking and actively contribute to the dismantling of criminal networks”, she concluded.

UN Special Rapporteurs serve in their individual capacity, independent from any government of organization.

Focus on protecting migrants

Also marking the day, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) issued a statement from the United Nations Network on Migration calling on the international community to accelarate its efforts to stop human trafficking and to protect those who fall victim to traffickers.

Reiterating that migrats are particulary vulnerable, the statement stressed that “countries need to urgently adopt holistic, human rights-based approaches to counter-trafficking which place migrants and their protection at the centre”.

Globally, countries are identifying and reporting more victims and convicting more traffickers, according to the latest UN Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. Despite some progress, however, “victims continue to face significant obstacles in accessing assistance, protection, redress and justice”, the statement added.

UNICEF must triple budget to combat Ebola outbreak in DR Congo; complex crisis impacting unprecedented number of children

“This Ebola response is far more complex because it is in an active conflict zone,” Jerome Pfaffmann, a UNICEF health specialist, told reporters in Geneva, just back from his third visit to the country. 

He underscored that “people in the (eastern Congolese) provinces of North Kivu and Ituri are facing humanitarian and public health crises,” and in addition, half the health facilities in Ituri had been damaged or destroyed over the last two years. 

The UNICEF expert said there were 2,671 confirmed cases of Ebola as of 28 July, including more than 700 children, more than half of whom – some 57 per cent – were under five years of age.  

“When I left, there were 12 new confirmed cases, five were alive and will have the chance to access treatment, but seven had died in the community. This is bad. Having this number of community deaths means we are not ahead of the epidemic,” he said.  

“It is unprecedented to have such a [high] proportion of affected children,” Mr. Pfaffmann continued, adding that both provinces were also facing a measles outbreak. 

So far, UNICEF has vaccinated more than 40,000 children against measles, but a massive scale-up was needed to protect them from various health risks. 

With all this in mind, UNICEF planned to carry out a new strategic response plan to address acute humanitarian and social needs. 

“UNICEF will need to triple its budget to respond to this crisis,” said Mr. Pfaffmann, stressing that “we need desperately the international community to back us up.” 

This budget would include about $70 million for epidemic control activities, $30 million to build community capacities in at-risk areas, and another $70 million to deliver essential services. 

Meanwhile, the UN agency was continuing operations with “colleagues and communities on the ground who are fighting the outbreak tirelessly.” 

Just two days away from the one-year milestone of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the DRC, the UNICEF expert said it was critical to make the investment to keep the epidemic under control. 

“This is a wake-up call. There must not be a second-year milestone,” Mr. Pfaffmann declared, stressing that community mobilization was critical to curbing the spread of the disease because “they are capable of best doing the things that matter.” 

Monday’s Daily Brief: Nigeria massacre, Libya shelling condemned; recycled plastic used to build classrooms in Côte d’Ivoire

‘Terrible massacre’ in north-east Nigeria condemned by UN chief and head of UN refugee agency

The killing of some 65 people by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in north-east Nigeria, has been condemned by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. 

In a statement, Mr. Guterres called for an end to attacks against civilians and reaffirmed that such acts of violence are “grave threats to the security of human beings and constitute violations of international humanitarian law”.

In a Tweet published on Sunday, Mr. Grandi described the attack as a “terrible massacre”, and wrote that “grave insecurity continues to devastate civilian lives in the region including more than two million displaced people and refugees”.

According to media reports, gunmen opened fire on a funeral at a village near Maidaguri, the capital of Borno state, killing several immediately, while others died trying to chase away the attackers.

Militants from groups such as Boko Haram have contributed to a decade-long humanitarian crisis in Borno. Civilians have borne the brunt of an insurgency that has led to widespread forced displacement and human rights violations.

‘Disgraceful’ shelling of hospital in Libya condemned by senior UN official

The UN’s acting humanitarian coordinator in Libya, Bérangère Böell-Yousfi, has condemned the “disgraceful” shelling of the Az Zawiyah Field Hospital, south of the capital Tripoli, in a statement released on Monday.

Ms. Böell-Yousfi said that four doctors and one paramedic were killed in the attack, and eight medical staff were injured.

The attack, said the senior UN official, has deprived thousands of innocent civilians, many of them in desperate need, from accessing basic services: she added that the warring parties must “allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian relief, including medical missions”.

The statement was released on the same day that the head of the UN Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) reported to the Security Council that violence in the country shows no sign of abating. 

Speaking from Tripoli via video-link, Ghassan Salamé painted a picture of death, destruction and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Since the beginning of the conflict in April, a total of 37 attacks have been registered on health personnel and facilities, resulting in a total of 11 deaths, 33 injuries and 19 ambulances directly or indirectly impacted.

UN chief extends condolences to families of China landslide casualties

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has extended his condolences to the families of those killed in Sunday’s landslides in the southern Chinese province of Guizhou, following heavy rains.

In a statement released on Sunday, Mr. Guterres said that he was “saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property caused by the landslides”.

According to media reports, at least 36 are believed to have died in the landslides, which occurred on Tuesday, in a village in Shuicheng County.

Read the full story here.

Recycled plastic waste used to build schools in Côte d’Ivoire

The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is hoping to ease the education challenges faced by children in Côte d’Ivoire, and improve the environment, by building new classrooms with low-cost bricks created from plastic waste.

The bricks will be used to build some fifteen thousand new classrooms, in areas with the most urgent need.

The plastic used for the bricks is collected from polluted areas in and around Abidjan, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire.

While more than 280 tons of plastic waste are produced every day in Abidjan alone, only about five per cent is recycled. The rest ends up landfill sites, situated mostly in low-income communities.

Read the full story here.

Scouts encouraged to be human rights defenders at international jamboree

More than forty thousand members of the scouting movement are being encouraged to stand up for human rights, at the twenty-fourth World Scout Jamboree, currently underway at an adventure camp in West Virginia, in the United States.

The jamboree brings together scouts from around the world to promote peace and mutual understanding and develop leadership and life skills.

This year, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has told scouts that young people are at the forefront of human rights defence, and encouraged them continue that commitment.

Ms. Bachelet’s Office is one of the global partners for the Jamboree and is supporting discussions for scouts on how promoting human rights and achieve the sustainable development goals.

Listen to or download our audio News in Brief for 29 July on SoundCloud: 

 

Easing ‘classroom crisis’ in Côte d’Ivoire, brick by (plastic) brick

“This factory will be at the cutting edge of smart, scalable solutions for some of the major education challenges that Africa’s children and communities face,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Its potential is threefold: more classrooms for children in Côte d’Ivoire, reduced plastic waste in the environment, and additional income avenues for the most vulnerable families.”

Côte d’Ivoire needs 15,000 classrooms to provide children with a place to learn.

Partnering with plastic and rubber waste recylcing  company Conceptos Plasticos, UNICEF is using recycled plastic collected from polluted areas in and around Abidjan to build 500 classrooms for more than 25,000 children over the next two years, with the potential to increase production beyond.  

“One of the major challenges facing Ivorian school children is a lack of classrooms,” said UNICEF Representative Aboubacar Kampo, who has championed the project from its inception. 

Classrooms either don’t exist or are overcrowded, making learning a challenging and unpleasant experience.

“In certain areas, for the first-time, kindergartners from poor neighborhoods would be able to attend classrooms with less than 100 other students”, he elaborated. “Children who never thought there would be a place for them at school will be able to learn and thrive in a new and clean classroom.”

While more than 280 tons of plastic waste are produced every day in Abidjan alone, only about five per cent is recycled. The rest ends up mostly in low-income communities’ landfill sites in.

Plastic waste pollution exacerbates existing hygiene and sanitation challenges

And improper waste management is responsible for 60 per cent of malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia cases in children – diseases that are among the leading causes of death for Ivorian children.

The bricks will be made from 100 per cent plastic and are fire resistant. They are 40 per cent cheaper, 20 per cent lighter and will last hundreds of years longer than conventional building materials. They are also waterproof, well insulated and designed to resist heavy wind.

When fully operational, the factory will:

  • Become a formalized recycling market.
  • Recycle 9,600 tons of plastic waste a year.
  • Provide a source of income to women living in poverty in. 

“Sometimes, embedded deep within our most pressing challenges are promising opportunities,” said Ms. Fore.

To date, nine classrooms have been built in Gonzagueville, Divo and Toumodi using plastic bricks made in Colombia, demonstrating the viability of the construction methods and materials.

“By turning plastic pollution into an opportunity, we want to help lift women out of poverty and leave a better world for children”, said Isabel Cristina Gamez, Co-Founder and CEO of Conceptos Plasticos.

Alongside investment to build in Côte d’Ivoire, plans are also under way to scale this project to other countries in the region, and potentially beyond. West and central Africa accounts for one-third of the world’s primary school age children and one-fifth of lower secondary age children who are out of school.

“This project is more than just a waste management and education infrastructure project; it is a functioning metaphor—the growing challenge of plastic waste turned into literal building blocks for a future generation of children”, concluded the UNICEF chief.

© UNICEF/UN0309347/Frank Dejo
Children and teachers in preschool are very happy with their new classes in Gonzagueville, a suburban of Abidjan, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire.

UN chief extends condolences to families of China landslide casualties

In a statement released on Sunday, Mr. Guterres said that he was “saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property caused by the landslides”.

According to media reports, at least 36 are believed to have died in the landslides, which occurred on Tuesday, in the village of Pingdi, Shuicheng County.

Since then, rescue teams have reportedly been trying to find survivors by digging through a large mound of earth, using excavators.

The reports say that some 40 people have been rescued, but another 15 people are still missing since the mud buried more than 20 houses. 

Mr. Guterres went on to commend the search and rescue operations being conducted by the Government of China, as the rains continue to fall, and offered the assistance of the United Nations, if needed, to assist in these efforts.

Landslides are not uncommon in rural and mountainous parts of China, particularly after heavy rains: the country has experienced severe flooding this year.

Murder of Brazilian indigenous leader a ‘worrying symptom’ of land invasion

Emrya Wajãpi was killed on July 23 in Amapá, a region in the far north of Brazil, bordering French Guyana. 

According to media reports, witnesses saw a number of gold miners enter the protected reserve of the Wajãpi community, then stab their leader to death.

“The murder of Emrya Wajãpi, leader of the indigenous Wajãpi people, is tragic and reprehensible in its own right”, said Ms. Bachelet on Monday. 

“It is also a disturbing symptom of the growing problem of encroachment on indigenous land – especially forests – by miners, loggers and farmers in Brazil.”

According to the UN human rights chief, the proposed policy of the Brazilian Government to open the Amazon up to mining could lead to “incidents of violence, intimidation and killings.”

The UN human rights chief underlined that the protection of indigenous peoples and lands is not only an issue in Brazil, but the whole world.

While some progress has been made in recent years, enforcement of existing laws and policies has been weak, and in some cases existing environmental and indigenous institutional frameworks have been dismantled: the statement declared that this “appears now to be the case” in Brazil.

Ms. Bachelet called on the Government of Brazil to reconsider its policies towards indigenous peoples and their lands, so that Emrya Wajãpi’s murder does not herald a new wave of violence aimed at scaring people off their ancestral lands.

This could, she continued, enable “further destruction of the rainforest, with all the scientifically-established ramifications that has, for the exacerbation of climate change.”
 

With Libyans now ‘fighting the wars of others’ inside their own country, UN envoy urges Security Council action to end violence

Briefing the Council via video teleconference from the Libyan capital, Ghassan Salamé, who is also the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, said: “The war around Tripoli has already left nearly 1,100 dead, including 106 civilians.” 

“Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in the capital and neighbouring districts as a result of the fighting; tens of thousands crossing the border to Tunisia seeking safety for their families.” 

The conflict exploded on 4 April when the head of the eastern-based militia known as the Libyan National Army (LNA), General Khalifa Haftar, launched an offensive against the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli.  

“The war has worsened humanitarian conditions and hindered access to food, health and other life-saving services,” Mr. Salamé stressed. “The parties, ignoring calls for de-escalation, have intensified air campaigns, with precision airstrikes by aircraft and armed drones”. 

The geographical scope of the violence has also spread.  

According to the UNSMIL chief, on 26 July, for the first time, the GNA forces launched an air attack on the main rear base of the LNA in the Jufra region. And on 27 July, General Haftar s forces launched airstrikes at a GNA airbase in Misrata. 

In addition to heavy weapons and ground attacks, there is an increase in foreign mercenaries.  

“Forces on both sides have failed to observe their obligations under international humanitarian law,” lamented Mr. Salamé, calling “the most tragic example of indiscriminate attacks” a migrant detention centre hit on 2 July, which killed 53 and injured at least 87, including children.  

Tragedy at Sea

To add to the downward spiraling situation, on 25 July, up to 150 migrants lost their lives after a boat they were travelling in capsized off the coast of Libya, further underlining “the urgent need to address the root causes of the migrant issue and their immediate suffering”, the Special Representative stated. 

As UN humanitarian agencies work diligently to mitigate the “terrible conditions” in detention centers that are holding over 5,000 refugees and migrants – 3,800 of whom are exposed to fighting – Mr. Salamé urged the Council to call upon the authorities in Tripoli to shutter them and free those detained.  

“UNSMIL has devised a plan for an organized and gradual closure of all detention centers and seeks your support for its implementation”, he continued, noting that so far this year, nearly 4,500 refugees and migrants disembarked in Libya, “with serious risks of detention, arbitrary arrest and being trapped by the fighting”.  

The Special Representative urged European countries “to respond to the Secretary-General’s repeated pleas, revisit policies and move migrants and refugees to safety”. 

He also noted “with alarm” the increasing frequency of attacks on Mitiga airport, which serves as the only functioning airport in the greater Tripoli area, several of which “have come perilously close to hitting civilian aircraft with passengers on board”.  

“I am afraid that with the almost daily bombardment, luck will run out”, he said. “I call upon the authorities in Tripoli to cease using the airport for military purposes and for the attacking forces to halt immediately their targeting of it”. 

Uptick in violence

Briefing the council on the latest assaults, he explained that on 26 June, pro-GNA force retook the city of Gheryan, some 80 kilometers south of Tripoli. 

“There are unconfirmed allegations that human rights abuses may have taken place in the town, which we are investigating”, warned Mr. Salamé, expressing fears that the recent “uptick in violence” may be “a new phase in the military campaign”. 

The LNA maintains that they will not stop their attack until Tripoli is conquered while the GNA forces insist they can push General Haftar s forces back to eastern Libya. 

And yet, “the parties still believe they can achieve their objectives through military means”, he highlighted, saying that both leaders have “publicly reaffirmed their commitment to a future political and electoral process but have yet to take practical steps to stop the fighting”.  

“Libya’s present and future need not be taken hostage by the warring parties,” argued the Special Representative.  

Turning to information dissemination, he underscored “the hatred and invective on social media and satellite television stations is fueling the violence on the ground”.  

“I urge those who dwell in their self-contained silos of enmity to cease spewing hatred and start talking face-to-face with their compatriots,” he exhorted. 

Pointing to the armed drones, recoilless rifles, mortar and rocket launchers that have been transferred to Libya, the UNSMIL said the nation “has become a terrain of experimentation of new military technologies and recycling of old weapons”. 

IOM/Moad Laswed
The aftermath of the devastating airstrike on the Tajoura Detention Centre, in the suburbs of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on 2 July.

“There is no doubt that external support has been instrumental in the intensification of airstrikes,” he observed adding that imported weaponry is being accompanied by foreign personnel working as pilots, trainers and technicians.  

“More than ever, Libyans are now fighting the wars of other countries who appear content to fight to the last Libyan and to see the country entirely destroyed in order to settle their own scores,” Mr. Salamé declared.  

Indications show that the weapons delivered by foreign supporters are “falling into the hands of terrorist groups or being sold to them”, he bemoaned. “This is nothing short of a recipe for disaster”. 

UN Mission’s reduced footprint 

Due to the security situation, UNSMIL had to reduce its presence in Libya, but has not pulled out, allowing the UN to respond to humanitarian needs, human rights concerns, de-escalating the fighting and resuming the political process. 

He was “particularly worried” that health workers and facilities are “repeatedly targeted”, noting that many medical doctors and health workers have been wounded and killed, “including 5 yesterday”.  

“Impunity should not prevail especially for those who attack hospitals and ambulances” Mr. Salamé spelled out. “Protecting civilians and humanitarian workers requires sanctions against those committing crimes”. 

“Almost seventy years ago, the United Nations decided to create an independent Libya”, he concluded. “Only with your imprimatur we can together help the Libyans move past this dark and violent episode and towards a more hopeful and promising future”. 

Voices of Afghan women ‘must be heard at the table in the peace process and beyond’ UN deputy chief tells Security Council

As she opened her briefing, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed offered her “deepest condolences to the Government and people of Afghanistan”, saying that “indiscriminate attacks that kill women and children are an affront to our humanity and a crime under international humanitarian law”.

Before updating Council members on her recent visit to the country, she affirmed that the UN “stands with Afghans as they work for lasting peace and security”. 

Afghan women on the rise  

Under the Taliban government, “women and girls were denied access to education, health services and protection from extreme violence, and could not participate in political or public life”, said Ms. Mohammed.

Her briefing comes just days after returning from her third visit to the country to explore UN support for the ‘women, peace and security’ agenda. She was joined by UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Natalia Kanem, and the head of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

While there, Ms. Mohammed held talks with President Ashraf Ghani, the Chief Executive, the First Lady, as well as senior leaders and religious scholars; and made a field visit to Bamiyan Province and spoke to women leaders, decision-makers and health care workers.

“In the past 18 years, there has been significant progress”, the UN deputy chief reported, pointing out that women encumber senior roles in the Defence, Foreign Affairs and Interior Ministries; 27 per cent of the civil service is female; and women are serving as mayors and provincial governors.

Moreover, elections are scheduled for 28 September and both the Independent Electoral Commission and Electoral Complaints Commission heads are women.

Since the fall of the Taliban, nine out of 11 million Afghan children are now enrolled in school; investments in reducing maternal mortality are saving thousands of lives; and improved infrastructure and power supplies are connecting remote areas to national economic opportunities.

Afghanistan has “done more to invest in women’s leadership” than many countries with greater means and women are “rising to reclaim their rightful place in all areas of society”, Ms. Mohammed spotlighted.

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development holds great promise for the lives of Afghans across the country,” she said highlighting that 24 UN agencies are partnering with the government on issues ranging from food security to clean water and the rule of law, “often risking their lives”.

Global Goals

On the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she conveyed that SDG 5, on gender equality, is “essential to ensure that women have access to education, health care and decent work, and that women are represented in all areas of society and in all political and economic decision-making processes, including in government and in peace negotiations”.

“SDG16 on peace, justice and strong institutions will also be essential to hold free, fair and credible elections, to build trust in state institutions, and to facilitate reconciliation and the reintegration of former combatants after the signing of any peace agreement”, added the UN deputy chief.

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed briefs the Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan and her recent visit to the country. (26 July 2019), by UN Photo/Loey Felipe

She brought to light that in the short-term, 6.3 million Afghans need humanitarian aid across the country, adding that “the Humanitarian Response Plan is just 27 per cent funded”.

“We must increase that level urgently, to provide immediate support and protection to displaced people and those in greatest need”, explained Ms. Mohammed. 

Peace needed ‘urgently’

“As we witnessed again yesterday, conflict continues in Afghanistan”, Ms. Mohammed said, noting that in the first five months of this year, conflict displaced more than 100,000 people, which “increases the risk of gender-based violence”.

And in areas where the Taliban has reclaimed control, “there are reports of honor killings, stoning and other attacks on women’s rights”, she lamented, adding that “peace, security and economic stability are urgently needed”.

All the women she spoke to “wanted an inclusive peace centred on women, as well as victims and survivors”, she told the Council.

“Afghan women, like women everywhere, must play a part in decisions that will affect their future”, she spelled out. “Inclusivity is not only the right thing to do for women and girls, it is the only way to make durable peace”.

Sustainable peace will take time and must address violations and divisions of the past for the country to achieve closure.

“Inclusion and consensus are also essential to creating the greatest possible peace dividend, benefitting all parts of the economy and all sections of society…to address stigma and discrimination based on gender, ethnicity or regional differences”, she elaborated.

With women playing “a central role” in creating peaceful, inclusive communities with opportunities for all, she said, “Afghanistan is at an important crossroads” and needs the support of the entire UN system and international community “to invest in building on the gains, while sustaining peace”.

“I urge this Council to do all in its power to support all Afghans in realizing their hopes and aspirations for lasting peace, stability and prosperity”, concluded the Deputy Secretary-General.

Gearing up to vote

Taking the podium after Ms. Mohammed, UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo recalled that Afghanistan is marking the centennial of its independence, saying that it is at “a pivotal juncture with an unprecedented opportunity for peace”.

Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, addresses the Security Council on Afghanistan. (26 July 2019), by UN Photo/Loey Felipe

She underscored the need that the upcoming presidential elections are “credible and held on time”, adding that the UN is providing technical assistance and that the Independent Electoral Commission has “made steady progress” in its preparations – with two non-voting UN members embedded in each Commission.

A $149 million election budget has been finalized, with the Government covering $90 million and the international community the rest.

“Over half a million more Afghans have registered, of which some 36 per cent are women”, she updated the Council. “This is the first time that citizens were given an opportunity to review and make corrections to the 2018 voters list”.

Despite this progress, challenges remain, including the recruitment and training of thousands of polling staff.

“With only nine weeks remaining to the polling and the Commissions working against the clock”, she underscored that there is no room for technical or political delays, adding also that “a level playing field amongst all candidates is key for credible elections”.

Credible elections are “vital” to give the newly-elected president “the authority needed to bring the country together in the peace process”, she maintained.

Finding a political solution

Meanwhile, direct talks between the United States and the Taliban continue.

And while this is “an important step forward” towards formal negotiations between the Government and the Taliban to reach a sustainable peace agreement, Ms. DiCarlo affirmed that additional intra-Afghan conferences are planned.

“A political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan remains more relevant than ever, as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict” she stressed, calling on all conflict parties “to respect international humanitarian law, to ensure access for humanitarian agencies to provide life-saving assistance and to distinguish between combatants and civilian targets to protect civilians from hostilities”.

Jamila Afghani, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom-Afghanistan (WILPF) updates the Security Council via video link. (26 July 2019),, by UN Photo/Loey Felipe

In closing, Ms. DiCarlo underscored that “Afghans deserve peace and the right to choose their representatives”.

“We urge this Council to do the same”, she concluded.

A view from the ground

Addressing the Council via videoconference from Kabul, Jamila Afghani of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom-Afghanistan, underscored the impact of the conflict on ordinary Afghans, who live in constant insecurity yet find themselves on the side lines of peace talks. 

Since September 2018, the US and other countries had facilitated efforts towards a negotiated peace, but she stressed that there has been a clear absence of meaningful participation by women and other actors, notably the direct victims of war. 

“Afghan women must be able to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect them,” she said, and urged the Council to ensure clear procedures for engaging Afghan women from diverse backgrounds in peace negotiations and conflict resolution efforts, especially as negotiators and religious leaders who can bridge political gaps on the path to peace. 

She added that the Council should ensure that this year’s elections include enhanced security for women voters and candidates, and for networks involving the Government, civil society and other stakeholders to promote women’s participation. 

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed visits Afghanistan

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Friday’s Daily Brief: Libya mass drownings response: Syria ‘carnage’ denounced, food aid doubled for Ebola-affected in DR Congo

Senior UN officials call for return to sea rescues, after ‘the worst Mediterranean tragedy of this year’

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, along with the heads of a number of UN agencies, expressed horror at Thursday’s reports that as many as 150 people may be dead after a boat they were traveling in capsized off the coast of Libya, making it the worst such tragedy in the Mediterranean this year.

Several of the senior officials have called for a return to sea rescues in the Mediterranean.

The Libya office of the International Organization for Migrants (IOM), published social media reports on Thursday that some 145 survivors of the shipwreck, mainly Eritreans and Sudanese, were returned to the Libyan shore. The survivors reported that some 250 were on the boat before it capsized, after engine failure.

In a Tweet, Mr. Guterres wrote that he was “horrified” by the news, and called for “safe, legal routes for migrants and refugees”. His comments were echoed by the head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, and the UN children’s fund (UNICEF) chief, Henrietta Fore, both of whom also called for end to the arbitrary detention of refugees and migrants in Libya.

Full story here.

UN Human Rights chief says ‘increasing airstrike casualties are being ignored’ in Syria

The relentless campaign of airstrikes in Syria has been met with a “collective shrug,” the top United Nations human rights official said on Friday, denouncing the world’s apparent indifference to the mounting civilian casualties as a “failure of leadership” by the world’s most powerful countries.

“Despite repeated calls by the United Nations to respect the principle of precaution and distinction in their conduct of hostilities, this latest relentless campaign of airstrikes by the Government and its allies has continued to hit medical facilities, schools and other civilian infrastructure such as markets and bakeries,” said Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Drawing attention to the death toll caused by a succession of airstrikes in Idlib and other parts of north-western Syria, she pointed out that “these are civilian objects,” and given the persistent pattern of such attacks “it seems highly unlikely” that they were all hit by accident.

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Military chief of UN’s ‘most dangerous mission’, in Mali, confident progress can be made

The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, is one of the toughest UN peacekeeping operations. 

Peacekeepers stationed there have sustained severe and regular casualties from the activities of armed groups in the north of the country, and many civilians have borne the brunt of the instability, which includes deadly inter-ethnic clashes.

The Force Commander of MINUSMA is the Swedish General Dennis Gyllensporre, He has had an extensive background in international peace operations, notably as liaison officer in Bosnia Herzegovina during the NATO-led Stabilization Force operation in 1997-1998, and also in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, and in Afghanistan. 

In an interview with Ben Malor from UN News, General Gyllensporre explained why the UN presence in Mali is essential.

UN food relief agency doubles assistance in DR Congo Ebola hotspots

As the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday that it plans to double food assistance to people affected by the disease.

One year after the start of the complex outbreak in the volatile eastern part of the DRC – and 10 days since the first reported case in Goma, the region’s biggest city – a WFP spokesperson  said that the UN agency is “stepping up preparations for a potential further escalation of the epidemic”.

Over the next six months, WFP will significantly ramp up food assistance and nutritional support to 440,000 Ebola-affected people in DR Congo, the spokesperson announced, adding that this would include “primarily contacts of victims and their families, as well as confirmed and suspected cases”.

Read more here.

Eliminating hepatitis calls for ‘bold political leadership, with investments to match,’ UN health chief says

Calling for “bold political leadership” ahead of World Hepatitis Day, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged countries to take advantage of recent reductions in the costs of diagnosing and treating viral hepatitis, and scale up investments to eradicate the disease.

A new study by WHO, published on Friday in the Lancet Global Health magazine, found that investing $6 billion per year to eliminate hepatitis in 67 low- and middle-income countries would avert 4.5 million premature deaths by 2030, and more than 26 million deaths beyond that target date.

 A total of $58.7 billion is needed to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in these 67 countries by 2030. This means reducing new hepatitis infections by 90 per cent and deaths by 65 per cent.

Read more here.

Listen to or download our audio News in Brief for 26 July on SoundCloud: 

 

UN human rights chief fears world has grown numb to Syrian carnage

“Despite repeated calls by the United Nations to respect the principle of precaution and distinction in their conduct of hostilities, this latest relentless campaign of airstrikes by the Government and its allies has continued to hit medical facilities, schools and other civilian infrastructure such as markets and bakeries,” said Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Drawing attention to the death toll caused by a succession of airstrikes in Idlib and other parts of north-western Syria, she pointed out that “these are civilian objects,” and given the persistent pattern of such attacks “it seems highly unlikely” that they were all hit by accident.

“Intentional attacks against civilians are war crimes, and those who have ordered them or carried them out are criminally responsible for their actions,” underscored the High Commissioner.

As a result of airstrikes over the past 10 days alone, eight locations in Idlib and two in rural Aleppo have witnessed civilian casualties, resulting in at least 103 civilian deaths, including some 26 children. 

Ms. Bachelet expressed concern that the continued carnage in Syria “is no longer on the international radar.”

“Several hundreds of thousands of children, women and men have been killed in Syria since 2011,” she flagged. “So many that it is no longer even possible to give a credible estimate.”

During the early years of this “murderous conflict”, when the casualties were in the tens, then hundreds, then thousands, the human rights chief said that “the world showed considerable concern about what was happening.” 

“Now, airstrikes kill and maim significant numbers of civilians several times a week, and the response seems to be a collective shrug, with the Security Council paralyzed by the persistent failure of its five Permanent Members to agree to use their power and influence to stop the fighting and killing once and for all,” Ms. Bachelet bemoaned, saying this “failure of leadership by the world’s most powerful nations” has resulted “in tragedy on such a vast scale that we no longer seem to be able to relate to it at all.”

Recent attacks

  • 16 July, Maar Shurin, Idlib 
  • 21 July, Urum al-Jawz and Kafrouma, Idlib
  • 22 July, Ma’arat al-Nu’man, Idlib 
  • 22 July, Saraqib, Idlib 
  • 24 July, Ariha, Muhambal and Tabish, Idlib

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has documented the killing of at least 450 civilians, including the 91 by airstrikes over the past ten days, since the latest campaign by the Government and its allies in north-west Syria began more than three months ago.

Ms. Bachelet said her staff is also continuing to gather information on three recent attacks, resulting in at least 11 civilian casualties, carried out by non-State armed groups on Government-controlled areas, in the town of Masyaf, in Hama on 21 July, and in the al-Hamadaniya and al-Jamiliya neighbourhoods of Aleppo city on 22 and 24 July.

Despite being the subject of the 2017 de-escalation agreement, and the 2018 de-militarized zone agreement, “Idlib and surrounding areas are witnessing a grave military escalation with dire human rights and humanitarian consequences for the millions of civilians trying to survive there,” according to Ms. Bachelet.

She urged “influential parties”, including those that agreed to reduce hostilities as part of the de-escalation agreement, to “urgently use their influence” to halt the current military campaign and “bring the warring parties back to the negotiating table”.

“It is essential that there is a cessation of hostilities in order to give the on-going political negotiations room to breathe”, the High Commissioner concluded. “The alternative is just more mindless death and destruction in a war without end.”

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