February 2020 — Page 2 of 14 — Human Rights & Charity

Myanmar: ‘Multidimensional and long-standing’ root causes behind rights minority abuses, says Bachelet

The High Commissioner also presented her oral update, as well as country reports of the Secretary-General and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), followed by a general debate.

Ms. Bachelet said she welcomed the engagement and constructive input of the Government of Myanmar in the compilation of the report.

She reminded Member States that for over half a century, the policies of Myanmar had discriminated against religious and ethnic minorities.

Women and girls heavily impacted

Democratic deficits, entrenched impunity, weak rule of law and the lack of civilian oversight had all contributed to human rights abuses in Myanmar, Ms. Bachelet noted, adding that women and girls were especially impacted as a result of sexual and gender-based violence.

Government policies “have contributed to and perpetuated violence, extreme poverty, exploitation and dispossession. Notably, the 1982 Citizenship Law rendered stateless a significant proportion of the Rohingya and other Muslims, compounding their vulnerability”, she said.

She added that the “root causes of these violations are complex, multi-dimensional and long-standing. Unpacking and untangling this multi-faceted human rights challenge requires understanding the historical, political, economic and social dimensions as a prerequisite to identifying solutions.”

During discussions, speakers welcomed the recent provisional order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that called on Myanmar to take emergency measures to protect Rohingya from genocide and prevent destruction of evidence related to genocide. Some speakers said it was clear that accountability efforts at the international level had been fostered by the absence of meaningful prospects for accountability at the domestic level.

Others acknowledged Myanmar’s own efforts to investigate violations, including through the Independent Commission of Inquiry, and to look at the causes of violence, noting that Myanmar had a historic opportunity to develop a strong minority right and non-discrimination regime that recognized, protected and fulfilled the rights of all. They called on the international community to act constructively and provide technical assistance as a complement to Myanmar’s efforts to address the situation in Rakhine.

Social media access sees extremist views flourish

Ms. Bachelet said that the “recent upsurge of xenophobia and violence can also be partly attributed to the stresses and uncertainties of Myanmar’s current transition from decades of authoritarian rule”, noting that “the dramatic expansion of public access to social media has enabled extremist and ultra-nationalist movements to propagate messages inciting hatred and violence, fuelling communal tensions.

“I urge the Government to take action to address escalating prejudice and incitement against Rohingya Muslims and other minority communities”, she added.

Updates, country reports

At the beginning of the meeting, the High Commissioner presented her oral update on the work of her Office and its approach to recent human rights developments around the world.

Speaking of foreign individuals with suspected ties to extremist group ISIL, the High Commissioner noted that unless they were to be prosecuted for recognized crimes, they had to be repatriated to their countries of origin.

The rights chief also presented country reports on the human rights situations in Colombia, Cyprus, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran and Sri Lanka, as well as oral updates on Eritrea, Nicaragua, Yemen, and technical cooperation in Venezuela.

Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Cyprus, Iran, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Yemen, Sri Lanka and Eritrea spoke as concerned countries.

The meetings of the forty-third regular session of the Human Rights Council can be followed on the webcast of UN Web TV.

No country should make ‘fatal’ mistake of ignoring COVID-19: Tedros

Issuing an appeal after a new crop of countries confirmed that they had identified cases of infection for the first time, Tedros said that it was the responsibility of all governments to ensure that they acted swiftly.

Virus ‘does not respect borders’

“Whether we get it wrong or right is in our hands… every country must be ready for its first case, its first cluster, the first evidence of community transmission and for dealing with sustained community transmission…These are four scenarios, and it must be preparing for all of those scenarios at the same time. No country should assume it won’t get cases; that could be a fatal mistake, quite literally. This virus does not respect borders.”

Citing the latest COVID-19 data, updated at 6am in Geneva on Thursday, the WHO Director-General said that China had confirmed 78,630 cases, including 2,747 deaths.

Outside China, there were 3,474 cases in 44 countries and 54 deaths, Tedros continued, highlighting with concern that for the past two days, the number of new cases in the rest of the world had exceeded the number of cases in China.

Stigma must stop, Human Rights Council hears

Meanwhile, amid reports xenophobic abuse aimed at Asian people in Europe and elsewhere, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet appealed on Thursday for Member States to do their utmost “to combat this and other forms of discrimination”.

Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ms. Bachelet explained that the epidemic had set off a “disturbing wave of prejudice” against people of Chinese and East Asian ethnicity.

Likening the outbreak to “a test of our societies’ resilience”, Ms. Bachelet insisted that human rights norms provided “crucial guideposts” that could improve the effectiveness of the response.

First cases confirmed in Brazil, Norway

The seven countries to report cases for the first time in the past 24 hours are Brazil, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan and Romania, Tedros noted.

“If you act aggressively now, you can contain this virus,” he said, adding that “in 90 per cent of cases it’s a fever and in 70 per cent it’s a cough”.

He continued: “You can prevent people getting sick. You can save lives. So, my advice to these countries is to move swiftly.”

Virus ‘is not influenza’ and can be contained

While the spread of the virus in Iran, Italy, and the Republic of Korea had indicated “what this virus is capable of”, it can be contained, the WHO chief insisted.

He cited data from the Chinese province of Guangdong, where only 0.14 per cent of 320,000 samples tested positive for COVID-19. “The evidence we have is that there does not appear to be widespread community transmission. That suggested containment is possible”, he said.

Citing several countries that had not reported further cases for more than two weeks – Belgium, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam – the WHO chief then cautioned that Finland and Sweden had reported new cases on Wednesday, after a break of two weeks without infections.

“The point is not only to prevent cases arriving on your shores. The point is what you do when you have cases”, he said.

“There are things every country and every person can do. Every country needs to be ready to detect cases early, to isolate patients, trace contacts, provide quality clinical care, prevent hospital outbreaks, and prevent community transmission.”

‘Deepest respect’ for health workers

In her comments to the Human Rights Council, Ms. Bachelet highlighted the risks faced by frontline medical teams, and her “deepest respect” to them for tackling the global threat.

She also insisted that public health measures “should be carried out without discrimination of any kind, with an emphasis on transparency and information to empower people to participate in protecting health”.

Quarantine procedures should also be “proportionate to the risk, time-bound, and safe”, she insisted, and the rights of those whose movement was restricted “must be protected – including rights to food and clean water, the right to be treated humanely, access to healthcare, the right to be informed, and freedom of expression”.

Go to our special page for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Smoking and drinking link to recreational drug use by young people: UN-backed report

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) annual report cites studies which reveal that, in young people aged between 16 and 19, early use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis leads to an increased likelihood of the use of opiates and cocaine in adulthood.

The report also shows that substance abuse and associated health consequences are highest among young people, with cannabis being the most widely used substance. The highest rate of use, in young people aged 15-16, is in Europe (13.9 per cent), followed by the Americas (11.6 per cent), Oceania (11.4 per cent), Africa (6.6 per cent), and Asia (2.7 per cent).

The decriminalization of cannabis in some countries is criticized by the INCB, whose President, Cornelis P. de Joncheere, said that, of internationally controlled substances, the drug continues to play the most prominent role amongst adolescents and adults.

“We pay special attention to this development and highlight our concern over the situation in a few countries that have moved to permit the use of controlled substances, namely cannabis, for non-medical use contrary to the provisions of and their obligations under the drug control treaties”, said Mr. de Joncheere.

Prevent, treat, educate

The report sets out several recommendations for countering the problem, based on international standards drawn up by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Prevention programmes should include a focus on family and parenting skills, setting rules and limits for young people; school support for the development of personal and social skills; the availability of screening, assessment and counselling in schools; and strict enforcement of regulations related to the access to medications with psychoactive qualities, and to tobacco, alcohol and cannabis.

To improve the effectiveness of prevention programmes, governments, says the report, should monitor changing trends in the use of psychoactive drugs amongst young people, and invest in the development of national expertise.

Afghanistan: opiate economy bigger than legal exports

Drug control remains a major challenge in Afghanistan, the report notes, with the opiate economy still large than the value of the country’s legal exports of goods and services. This is despite a substantial reduction in the total area used for illegal opium poppy cultivation in 2018, due to severe drought.

The INCB reiterates the importance of addressing the illegal drug economy in Afghanistan, as part of overall efforts to bring about peace, security and sustainable development in the country.

UN disarmament chief hopes upcoming conference will address current nuclear challenges

“I hope the Review Conference can serve as a springboard for thinking on how to address the nuclear weapons challenges of our time,” Izumi Nakamitsu told the Security Council on Wednesday.

The Non-Proliferation Treaty is the only binding commitment to the goal of disarmament by States which officially stockpile nuclear weapons.

It entered into force in March 1970.

Given the current geopolitical context, Ms. Nakamitsu continues to encourage “a spirit of flexibility” during the conference, which begins in April.

“Relationships between States – especially nuclear-weapon States – are fractured. So-called ‘great power competition’ is the order of the day. Division, distrust and a dearth of dialogue are increasingly the norm,” she said.

“The specter of unconstrained nuclear competition looms over us for the first time since the 1970s. We are witnessing what has been termed a qualitative nuclear arms race – one not based on numbers but on faster, stealthier and more accurate weapons. Regional conflicts with a nuclear dimension are worsening, and proliferation challenges are not receding”.

Ms. Nakamitsu said she hopes the conference will help to move the needle forward, as part of the full implementation of the treaty.

Looking ahead, she offered suggestions for the possible outcome document, starting with reaffirmed commitment to the treaty and all its obligations, and to the norm against the use of nuclear weapons.

“The recent growth in rhetoric extolling the utility of nuclear weapons is dangerous and destabilizing,” she added. “We should return to the logic of President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev: a nuclear war cannot be won and must not be fought”.

This anniversary year is an opportunity to consider both the achievements and the future of the treaty, Ms. Nakamitsu told ambassadors.

“It remains an enduring example of the value of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation measures as supporting pillars of international peace and security, no matter the climate of the day”, she stated.

From the Field: Women push for peace

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security which recognizes the importance of women’s participation in peace and political processes.

At the community, national and international level, women have been working towards supporting initiatives which have brought peace and stability to countries affected by conflict and instability.

Read more here about how women are promoting lasting peace as an alternative to conflict.

UN study projects $32 billion loss for UK post no-deal Brexit

Brexit Beyond Tariffs: The role of non-tariff measures and the impact on developing countries maintains that without UK-EU agreements, or non-tariff measures (NTMs), in place, post-Brexit exports could fall by $32 billion.

Potential losses under a “no-deal” Brexit from tariffs are estimated at between $11.4 billion and $16 billion of current exports – and the new study says NTMs would double those losses.

The study also projects that even if a “standard” free trade agreement were to be signed by the parties, the UK’s exports could still drop by nine per cent.

This is because standard trade deals normally focus on reducing or eliminating tariffs rather than NTMs and Britain has already indicated it will diverge from the EU in terms of regulation.

As the EU market accounts for 46 per cent of the UK’s exports, a no-deal Brexit would deal a major blow to the UK’s economy, according to the study by the Geneva-based agency.

Moreover, mounting trade costs due NTMs and potentially rising tariffs would more than double the adverse economic effects of Brexit for the UK, EU and developing countries, the study notes.

NTMs include regulatory measures protecting health, the environment and traditional trade policies, such as quotas.

Regulations affect most of the products we use in our daily lives, from packaging requirements and limits on pesticide usage to restrictions on toxins in toys and emission standards for cars.

“EU membership has its advantages to deal with non-tariff measures that even the most comprehensive agreement cannot replicate. This offers important lessons to other regions trying to deal more effectively with such non-tariff measures,” said UNCTAD Director of International Trade Pamela Coke-Hamilton.

Developing countries boon

On the flipside, a no-deal Brexit could offer opportunities to developing countries, as trade barriers between the UK and the EU would benefit third countries suppliers.

Post-Brexit “no-deal” fallout

The UK risks losing up to 14 per cent of its exports to the EU
Non-tariff measures would double losses from tariffs
Ireland’s exports to the UK may drop by 10 per cent
Mounting trade costs would more than double adverse economic effects for the UK, the EU and developing countries

However, the study finds that a positive third-country effect could be diminished by increasing regulatory differences, saying that if the UK’s regulations divert over time from the EU’s, trade costs would rise for third countries, disproportionately affecting smaller and poorer countries.

In quantitatively exploring the post-Brexit role of NTMs and their consequences for developing countries, the study revealed a positive impact on agriculture, food and beverages, wood and paper sectors and a weaker one in electrical and machinery, metal products, chemicals, and textiles.

‘Hard’ and ‘soft’ exits

Britain left the European Union last month and has vowed to strike a deal on new trading relations with the bloc by the end of the year.

While a “hard” exit scenario would result in the study’s projections, the economic effects of a “soft” exit, in which the status quo is largely maintained, would depend on the details of that relationship.

Based on the study’s results, to minimize potential negative effects, the relationship should address customs unions, or trade blocs, and NTMs in a more comprehensive way than typical free trade agreements (FTAs).

Standard FTAs and customs unions generally promote trade through tariff reductions. And although tariffs are undeniably important, substantial evidence shows that the EU’s effect on trade exceeds that of zero tariffs.

A UN-backed boost for women-run businesses in the developing world

Sokkheng, who runs a village store in Cambodia with her husband, lacked confidence when it comes to choosing the best approach to reinvest in her business, potentially making her vulnerable to economic and financial risks.

Today, her prospects have markedly improved, thanks to the support of a microfinance institution with a history of promoting the well-being of rural society, backed by a loan from the world’s first financial product focused on women to be listed on a stock exchange; the product is called the Women’s Livelihood Bond Series (WLB Series) and has been launched by Impact Investment Exchange (IIX).

Microfinance, major impact

The microfinance company approved a microloan for Sokkheng’s store and, crucially, provided expert financial advice. According to a UN-backed study, around 89 per cent of Cambodian adults find it challenging to manage their personal finances.

Financial education is an important way to ensure that more people can establish savings priorities, spend in a smarter way and, crucially for women entrepreneurs such as Sokkheng, feel more fully informed when they take out loans or look for other forms of financial support.

Armed with the information she received, Sokkheng now has better cash management knowledge, helping her to improve the profitability of her business. She also signed up for microinsurance, which now provide her with additional economic security in times of emergencies.

Forging stronger bonds

The microfinance institution that helped Sokkheng has been able to scale up its operations and help more women borrowers, thanks to IIX’s WLB1, the first in a series of gender bonds, listed on the Singapore Exchange. IIX’s WLB Series is designed to create sustainable livelihoods for some two million women in Cambodia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India.

Following the success of the first bond, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), have partnered to provide support for the second bond in the series.

This support came in the form of a grant to help IIX to undertake impact monitoring and to help scale up the WLB Series.

The second WLB (WLB2), a $12 million bond, focuses on supporting 250,000 women in the region: capital is lent to several microfinance institutions and impact enterprises (companies which look to make a positive impact to society, alongside making a profit), chosen because they improve women’s access to finance, essential goods, assets that generate income, and vocational training.

Commenting on the launch of the second bond, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, said “we are proud to announce our partnership with IIX’s Women’s Livelihood Bond Series, which embodies the bold innovations that are needed to advance progress for the world’s poorest communities.”

Judith Karl, Executive Secretary of UNCDF, said, “We are excited to work with IIX, ESCAP, the Rockefeller Foundation and other key partners to demonstrate that viable investment vehicles can be created to attract finance from the international capital markets to the countries and people that need it most.”

Life for Sokkheng and her family has been transformed by IIX and microfinance: her business has expanded, and her household income has grown. She can now set aside savings every month, and look forward to a comfortable, and secure retirement.

Gender equality, finance, and the UN

Achieving gender equality is one of the goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG 5)
The UN support for the Women’s Livelihood Bonds is in line with SDG 5, which calls for reforms that give women “equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws”
ESCAP’s involvement in the bonds is part of a programme which aims to advance women entrepreneurship and market participation in the Asia-Pacific region, resulting in poverty reduction, improved livelihoods and economic growth.
UNCDF develops programmes that focus on eliminating gender equality and empowering women.

Impunity persists for alleged violations in Occupied Palestinian Territories, UN Human Rights Council hears

“Impunity continues to prevail,” the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a report on accountability for alleged violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) since 2008, including during large-scale protests beginning in March 2018 along the Gaza-Israel fence.

According to the report, which is produced annually at the Council’s request, and was presented today by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris, Israeli security forces killed 131 Palestinians throughout the OPT from November 2018 to October 2019: 103 men, five women and 23 children.

Over the same timeline, 11 Israelis were killed by Palestinians, including one girl.

Persistent lack of accountability

Suggesting a lack of accountability for the killing and injuring of civilians, the report highlights the killing of double-amputee Ibrahim Abu Thoryah on 15 December 2017.

A double amputee in a wheelchair, Abu Thoryah was shot dead with live ammunition to the head.

According to media reports, the Israeli military contacted Palestinian officials to obtain the bullet that had hit Mr. Thoryah, but their request was denied.

They then concluded that there was no evidence that the man had been killed by direct Israeli fire.

“There was no indication that Mr. Abu Thoryah had posed an imminent threat of death or serious injury at the moment he was killed,” the report states. “His physical disability must have been clearly visible to the person who shot him, in the front of the head, some 15 to 20 metres from the fence.”

Questioning the efficacy of the accountability system in place by the Israeli military despite its assertion that allegations of misconduct are investigated effectively and thoroughly, the report says that 19 months after the start of the Great March of Return, the Israeli military system had delivered only one sentence in relation to “possible unlawful acts” by Israeli security forces.

“The persisting lack of accountability for possible unlawful acts committed against Palestinians perpetuates a cycle of impunity that facilitates the occurrence of further violations,” the report states.

While noting that Israeli soldiers had used live ammunition against protesters, paramedics and journalists covering the demonstrations, Commissioners highlighted that little was done by the Great March organisers to keep children out of harm’s way.

“The Higher National Commission for the Great March of Return continued to provide buses to shuttle demonstrators, including children, from different places in the Gaza Strip to the five demarcated demonstration sites along the eastern border,” the report insists.

“Witnesses reported that only on very rare occasions were children prevented from boarding the buses, and then only when the children under the age of nine.”

COVID-19: More new virus cases outside China than in, ‘no time for complacency’, says UN health agency

“The sudden increases of cases in Italy, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Korea are deeply concerning”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva on Wednesday.

He stated that there are now cases linked to Iran in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman and to Italy in Algeria, Austria, Croatia, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.

“Yesterday, a joint team between WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control arrived in Rome to review the public health measures that have been put in place and provide technical support”, he informed, saying that over the weekend a

WHO team will travel to Iran to provide support.

One of the biggest challenges the UN health agency faces is that too many affected countries are still not sharing data with WHO.

“WHO cannot provide appropriate public health guidance without disaggregated data and detailed line lists”, said Mr. Ghebreyesus. “We’re communicating with ministers directly, there is some improvement, and we urge all countries to share this data with WHO immediately”.

Not a pandemic

The increase in cases outside China has prompted some media and politicians to push for a pandemic to be declared.

“We should not be too eager to declare a pandemic without a careful and clear-minded analysis of the facts”, he maintained, reminding that WHO has already declared it highest level of alarm: a public health emergency of international concern.

“Using the word pandemic carelessly has no tangible benefit, but it does have significant risk in terms of amplifying unnecessary and unjustified fear and stigma, and paralyzing systems”, he explained. “It may also signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true”.

The head of WHO maintained that the fight can be won “if we do the right things”.

While affirming that “we will not hesitate to use the word pandemic if it is an accurate description of the situation”, Mr. Ghebreyesus said that WHO is monitoring the epidemic around the clock and engaging internal and experts on this issue and has witnessed “no sustained and intensive community transmission” of this virus, nor “large-scale severe disease or death”.

Prepare for the worst

China has fewer than 80,000 cases in a population of 1.4 billion people. In the rest of the world, there are 2,790 cases, in a population of 6.3 billion.

“Do not mistake me”, he said, “I am not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, or the potential for this to become a pandemic…every scenario is still on the table”.

The WHO chief spelled out: “The primary objective of all countries with cases must be to contain the virus”, and “all countries, whether they have cases or not, must prepare for a potential pandemic”.

Every country needs to be ready to detect cases early, to isolate patients, trace contacts, provide quality clinical care, prevent hospital outbreaks, and prevent community transmission. And WHO is providing tools to prepare, accordingly.

“This is no time for complacency”, he underscored. “This is a time for continued vigilance”.

WHO-China joint mission

As of Wednesday morning, China had reported 78,190 cases to WHO, including 2,718 deaths and reported only 10 new cases outside of Hubei province.

The results of a WHO-China joint mission to assess the rapidly evolving epidemic revealed a range of findings about the transmissibility of the virus, the severity of disease and the impact of the measures taken.

Three priorities

All countries must prioritize protecting health workers.

Communities must safeguard their most at-risk people, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Vulnerable countries must be protected by containing epidemics in countries with the capacity to do so.

Having traveled to several different provinces, including Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, the team found that the epidemic peaked and plateaued between the 23 January and 2 February, and has been declining steadily since then.

“They have found that there has been no significant change in the genetic makeup of the virus”, said Mr. Ghebreyesus. “The team also estimate that the measures taken in China have averted a significant number of cases”.

While the report contains a wealth of other information and includes 22 recommendations, the WHO chief said, “the key message that should give all countries hope, courage and confidence is that this virus can be contained”.

Socio-economic damages

“We are not just fighting to contain a virus and save lives”, underscored Mr. Ghebreyesus. “We are also in a fight to contain the social and economic damage a global pandemic could do”.

He said that WHO is working with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to estimate the potential economic impact of the epidemic and develop a strategy and policy options for mitigation.

In closing he affirmed, “this is a time for global solidarity – political solidarity, technical solidarity and financial solidarity. That is the only way to prevent infections and save lives”.

Responsibility and coordination

Tourism’s response needs to be measured and consistent, proportionate to the public health threat — UN agencies

Meanwhile, WHO and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) issued a joint statement solidifying their commitment to work together in guiding the travel and tourism sectors’ response to COVID-19.

Stressing that “cooperation is key”, the UN agencies are working in close consultation and with other partners to assist States in ensuring that health measures be implemented in ways that minimize unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.

“Tourism’s response needs to be measured and consistent, proportionate to the public health threat and based on local risk assessment…in line with WHO’s overall guidance and recommendations”, read the statement.

Both stand ready to work with those communities and countries affected by the current health emergency.

“Travel restrictions going beyond these may cause unnecessary interference with international traffic, including negative repercussions on the tourism sector”, concluded the statement.

Go to our special page for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

One in three Venezuelans not getting enough to eat, UN study finds

The finding is based on a Food Security Assessment conducted by the agency at the request of the Government between July and September of last year.

“Hyperinflation is affecting the ability of families to secure food and other basic needs,” according to the study.

“Fifty-nine percent of households have insufficient income to buy food and 65 percent are unable to buy other essential items such as hygiene products, clothes and shoes.”

WFP collected data countrywide at the household and community level via more than 8,300 questionnaires, analyzing food consumption patterns, food and livelihood coping strategies, and economic vulnerability.

Results indicate that nearly 18 per cent of households, or roughly one in five, has an unacceptable level of food consumption. Of that number, 12.3 per cent were described as borderline, while 5.5. per cent have poor food consumption.

Additionally, lack of dietary diversity indicated inadequate nutritional intake.

Families consume cereals, roots or tubers daily, complemented with beans, lentils or other pulses three days a week and dairy products four days a week.

Meanwhile, overall consumption of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits is below three days a week for each of these food groups.

Most families surveyed, or 74 per cent, have engaged in food-related coping strategies such as reducing the variety and quality of food they eat. Sixty per cent reported reducing portion sizes.

To survive, 33 per cent of households have also accepted working for food as payment. Others have sold family assets to cover basic needs, or even spent their savings on food.

WFP said: “As families deplete the coping mechanisms they have been using to sustain basic food consumption, there are great concerns that nutritional needs will not be met in the short term. This will affect the most vulnerable, including children, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly.”

Month: February 2020