April 2020 — Page 5 of 17 — Human Rights & Charity

Intensifying shelling and COVID-19 pandemic creates ‘perfect storm’ in Libya

The development follows a renewed military push by the UN-recognised Government of National Accord last week to take six key coastal towns and push back the forces of the opposition Libyan National Army (LNA) that have been shelling the capital, Tripoli, home to the country’s main institutions, including the State oil company and central bank.

Stephanie Turco Williams, who heads the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), warned that the virus risked overwhelming an already “decimated” health system.

And she told journalists on Thursday that the situation for people who are impacted by the fighting while under lockdown, is getting worse; some of the heaviest shelling is in the southern suburbs of Tripoli, but it is also being felt downtown, she said:

‘Horrible, intense shelling’

“You have a situation now where the population is under a 24-hour curfew because of the pandemic. You have families who have been displaced from their homes in southern Tripoli multiple times, moving further and further into densely populated areas…and now being affected by this horrible, intense shelling and the appearance on the battlefield, of new weapons being brought in from outside.”

Although the new coronavirus has interrupted UN-led talks between the warring sides, Ms. Williams insisted that there was “ongoing contact” with all those engaged in all discussions.

She herself had also been “in direct contact” with both LNA leader General Haftar – at the helm of the LNA’s attempt to begin the assault on Tripoli just over a year ago – and Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, to “urge them to substantively respond” to the draft ceasefire proposal tabled by UNSMIL at the close of the second round of recent military talks in Geneva, the UN negotiator said.

“What we have now is a perfect storm of an ongoing, in fact escalating conflict, that is directly being fuelled by external parties”, said the UNSMIL chief. “It’s really now much more of a burgeoning proxy war; we have divided institutions, disfunction, corruption, a struggling economy, no oil revenues, – very few oil revenues coming in since the blockade was imposed in mid-January – the country has lost $4 billion in oil revenues.

“Last but not least, we have a pandemic which is stretching an already decimated health system.”

‘Leave no one behind’ mantra matters more than ever, as coronavirus threatens all humanity: Guterres

Convened by webcast under the theme “Financing Sustainable Development in the Context of COVID-19”, the event brought together the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), among other high-level officials.

‘Massive and urgent support’

The epic nature of the threat demands a globally coordinated health response, led by the World Health Organization (WHO). “Developing countries need massive and urgent support,” Mr. Guterres said. “Now is the time to stand by our commitment to leave no one behind.”

He called for the pooling of efforts to assist countries at risk, strengthen and expand their health systems and stop transmission through a combination of testing, contact-tracing and quarantine, associated with appropriate restrictions on movement and contact.

Global debt package

Second, a large-scale response is needed to tackle the devastating socioeconomic consequences. “We must use all the fiscal and monetary measures at our disposal”, he said, recommending the creation of a global stimulus package to safeguard people’s livelihoods.

“I have strongly advocated for a response package that is a double-digit percentage of global GDP,” he said, with resources provided directly to workers and households, targeting both formal and informal sectors. Provisions should include a scaling-up of social protections and help for businesses to avoid bankruptcies.

He said the time-bound G20 initiative to suspend debt service payments for the poorest countries is a critical first step, which should be extended to all developing countries that request forbearance – including middle-income nations that lose access to financial markets.

Targeted debt relief will also be needed, followed by efforts to bolster debt sustainability and address structural issues in the international debt architecture.

He described the third step as “recovering better”. COVID-19 has laid bare the way in which economies are sustained through the invisible, unpaid domestic labour of women.

Indeed, existing multilateral frameworks address precisely the failures being exposed and exploited by the pandemic: stark inequalities in income and access to finance, high indebtedness, a highly leveraged financial system and a dysfunctional multilateral trading system.

“Returning to our previous path is simply not an option.”

COVID-19 leaving women more vulnerable: ECOSOC President

ECOSOC President, Mona Juul, agreed that financing for sustainable development must be at the centre of preparedness and resilience. The critical issues of resource mobilization, illicit finance, debt and women’s empowerment are more important than ever in a vastly different landscape, she said.

She drew particular attention to the different ways in which COVID-19 is affecting women and men. Women disproportionally carry the burden of unpaid care work, and are overrepresented as frontline health workers, making the integration of a gender perspective into social and economic responses all the more essential, she said.

Deepest recession in generations: DESA chief

Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Liu Zhenmin, said the world is set to face the deepest recession in generations, as growth will fall significantly below the decade-low 2.3 per cent growth attained through 2019. “The shocks to demand and supply – amplified through linkages in trade and finance – are hitting the global economy hard,” he wrote ahead of the meeting.

In a DESA article, he stressed that 44 per cent of least developed and other low-income countries already face – or are at risk of – debt distress; a number that is set to rise in response to the adverse effects of the pandemic.

He said the 2020 Financing for Sustainable Development Report of the Inter-agency Taskforce on Financing for Development, released this month, highlights both immediate and long-term actions to respond to the COVID19 crisis.

It calls for a globally coordinated stimulus package that includes increased concessional finance, actions to prevent a debt crisis, immediate actions to stabilize financial markets,

partnering with the private sector, “building back better” and making good use of digital technologies for sustainable development.

“We need to advance bold financial measures at the national, and especially regional and global levels”, he said, actions that must be well aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

Greatest test of multilateralism in a generation: Muhammad-Bande

COVID-19 presents the greatest test of this generation’s commitment to multilateralism, global citizenship and solidarity, President of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande said.

“We will be defined by our action.”

While no country will be spared from the economic impact, developing countries will be hit the hardest – even if they do not experience a COVID-19 outbreak – as they grapple with a slump in commodity prices and reversal of financing flows.

Efforts must be directed towards all seven action areas of the Addis Agenda to realize sustainable development. “We must move swiftly on debt and concessional finance to support the most vulnerable people we serve,” he emphasized.

Human rights ‘uplift everyone’; must guide COVID-19 recovery response, says UN chief

Noting his February Call to Action to put human dignity and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the core of the UN’s work, Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out that today the world is facing “the biggest international crisis in generations”, stressing that human rights “cannot be an afterthought”.

He emphasized that “people and their rights must be front and centre”, and that human rights “can and must guide COVID-19 response and recovery”.

Human rights responses can not only help beat the pandemic by putting a focus on the imperative of healthcare for everyone, but also serve as an essential warning system — highlighting who is suffering most, why, and what can be done about it.

“We are all in this together”, the UN chief declared, adding that while the virus “threatens everyone, human rights uplift everyone”.

Disproportionate impacts

One of the report’s key messages is that as a global threat, the COVID-19 response needs to be inclusive, equitable and universal to effectively beat the virus.

“We have seen how the virus does not discriminate, but its impacts do — exposing deep weaknesses in the delivery of public services and structural inequalities that impede access to them”, Mr. Guterres stated.  “We must make sure they are properly addressed in the response”. 

All hands on deck

The report also underscores that everyone, across the entire globe, should be involved in the response.

Advocating for “transparent, responsive and accountable” government during the pandemic, the UN chief upheld that civil society organizations and the private sector, also have “essential roles to play” and that civic space and press freedom are “critical”.

Threat: Virus, not people

Against the background of rising ethno-nationalism, populism, authoritarianism, and a pushback against human rights in some countries, Mr. Guterres feared that the crisis may “provide a pretext to adopt repressive measures for purposes unrelated to the pandemic”.

The report underscores that the virus is the threat, not the people, and emphasized that any emergency and security measures be temporary, proportional and aimed at protecting individuals.

“We see the disproportionate effects on certain communities, the rise of hate speech, the targeting of vulnerable groups, and the risks of heavy-handed security responses undermining the health response”, detailed the UN chief.

Heavy-handed security responses will undermine everyone’s ability to stay healthy and can exacerbate existing threats to peace and security, or even create new ones, which is simply “unacceptable”.

No country alone

To beat the virus, the report recognized that the world cannot afford to leave any nation behind. And as some countries are better equipped to respond than others, international solidarity is essential.

“A human rights lens puts everyone in the picture and ensures that no one is left behind”, asserted the Secretary-General. “Human rights responses can help beat the pandemic, putting a focus on the imperative of healthcare for everyone”.

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Readers can find information and guidance on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the UN, World Health Organization and UN agencies here. For daily news updates from UN News, click here.

Rebuilding stronger

Although the crisis has uncovered weaknesses in public service deliveries and inequalities that impede access to them, today’s response can help to shape that future – for better or worse, according to the report.

“The best response is one that responds proportionately to immediate threats while protecting human rights and the rule of law”, Mr. Guterres stated.

While examining the immediate crisis, the report holds that it is also critical to consider the long-term – with a human rights focus for both the priorities at hand and in developing future prevention strategies.

“Looking ahead, we need to build back better”, argued the UN chief, pointing out that, underpinned by human rights, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “provide the framework for more inclusive and sustainable economies and societies”.

And strengthening economic and social rights bolsters resilience for the long haul –for future generations, climate action and biodiversity protection.

“By respecting human rights in this time of crisis, we will build more effective and inclusive solutions for the emergency of today and the recovery for tomorrow”, concluded the Secretary-General.

FROM THE FIELD: Migrants use digital ‘fab labs’ to address Djibouti health protection shortages

The shields are being produced in a training space called a ‘fab lab’ (digital fabrication space) funded by IOM, the UN’s migration agency (IOM), which normally teaches digital fabrication skills and computer literacy to vulnerable youth.

‘Fab labs’, which use openly shared software and data, are gaining attention as a way to provide desperately needed equipment, as well as provide marketable skills to young people who do not have access to formal education.

Economic impact of coronavirus threatens hard-won progress across Africa’s Great Lakes region

Briefing the Security Council during open videoconference proceedings, Huang Xia urged the international community not to let up on its support for the continent-spanning region that includes Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda, among several other nations.

Citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Special Envoy said that the novel coronavirus has so far claimed 131 lives in the Great Lakes region among more than 4766 confirmed cases – but is spreading at a “moderate rate” compared to other parts of the world.

Virus contained, for now

So far, strict travel restrictions and quarantine measures seem to be keeping the spread of the deadly virus at bay, he said. But the economic impact is already significant, with many key sectors – including agriculture, mining and transportation – at a near-standstill.

“In the long term, these preventative measures – combined with the reallocation of resources to address the health crisis – are likely to weaken the already fragile economies, with possible implications for peace, security and development in the region”, Mr. Huang told Council members via video-teleconference.

“The countries of the region, some of which are emerging from decades of conflict, will need steadfast support from members of the international community in order to deal with – and, in a sustainable manner, recover from – the pandemic and its consequences.” The Special Envoy was briefing the Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the

Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, concluded in 2013 and signed by 13 African nations.

Positive developments

While COVID-19 is, like elsewhere, forcing countries in the region to redirect their priorities, Mr. Huang pointed to several positive developments, including a peaceful political transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, progress towards normalizing relations between Rwanda and Uganda and the formation of a unity Government in South Sudan.

Progress has also been made in the fight against armed groups operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, he added, with increased coordination and exchange of information between the armed forces of that country, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.

Nevertheless, the activities of armed groups – including the illicit exploitation of natural resources – undoubtedly remains the biggest challenge, the Special Envoy said, diminishing trust among countries in the region and fuelling a humanitarian crisis that leaves civilians paying the highest price.

He went on to urge the Council to keep a close watch on electoral processes in the region. Elections can be a source of unrest at times, but hopefully, upcoming polls – particularly in Burundi and the Central African Republic – will be an opportunity to consolidate democratic gains and reinforce stability, he said.

In press elements issued after today’s meeting, the representative of the Dominican Republic, Council President for April, said that Council members welcomed positive developments and commended the steps taken by regional leaders to deescalate tensions, build confidence and advance cooperation.

Council members also called for stronger coordination among Governments in the region in the fight against COVID-19, vigilance against a potential resurgence of the Ebola virus and an immediate cessation of hostilities by all armed groups.

Fall in COVID-linked carbon emissions won’t halt climate change – UN weather agency chief

“This drop of emissions of six per cent, that’s unfortunately (only) short-term good news”, said Professor Petteri Taalas, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General, in reference to a 5.5 to 5.7 per cent fall in levels of carbon dioxide due to the pandemic, that have been flagged by leading climate experts, including the Center for International Climate Research.

Once the global economy begins to recover from the new coronavirus, WMO expects emissions to return to normal.

“There might even be a boost in emissions because some of the industries have been stopped”, the WMO head cautioned.

CO2 at record levels once again

Latest data from WMO published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, on 22 April, indicates that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose to new records last year.

Levels of carbon dioxide were 18 per cent higher from 2015 to 2019 than the previous five years, according to WMO’s Global Climate 2015-2019 report.

The gas “remains in the atmosphere and oceans for centuries. This means that the world is committed to continued climate change regardless of any temporary fall in emissions due to the Coronavirus epidemic”, the report states, with data indicating that CO2 concentrations are on track “to reach or even exceed 410 ppm by the end of 2019”.

The forecasted fall in carbon emissions is mirrored by decreases in levels of common air pollutants from car exhausts and fossil fuel energy, such as nitrous oxide (N2O) particles.

“Their lifetime is typically from days to weeks, so the impact is seen more rapidly”, Professor Taalas said. “But these changes in the carbon emissions, they haven’t had any impact on climate so far.”

Cleaner air even in most polluted cities

Highlighting the dramatic improvement in air quality in major cities and industrialised regions “in several parts of the world”, the WMO chief noted that this has been the case “in China, in India and also here close to us in the Po Valley in northern Italy, which is one of the most polluted areas in Europe. And we have seen that also in individual cities like Paris.”

Climate change was “of a different magnitude” to the problems posed by the new coronavirus, Professor Taalas insisted, underscoring its serious health risk, along with a devastating economic impact.

Mitigating climate change is a question of survival

Given the fact that the last 50 years have seen the physical signs of climate change – and their impacts – gathering speed at a dangerous rate, the WMO Secretary-General insisted that unless the world can mitigate climate change, it will lead to “persistent health problems, especially hunger and inability to feed the growing population of the world and there would be also more massive impact on economics”.

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, carbon dioxide levels have gone up 26 per cent, and the world’s average temperature has increased by 0.86 degrees Celsius (33.5 Fahrenheit).

The planet is also 1.1C (nearly 34F) warmer than the pre-industrial era and this trend is expected to continue.

In its latest report warning of the impacts of climate change, the UN agency confirmed that the last five years were the hottest on record.

This warming has been uneven, with Europe seeing the highest change in the last decade (of around +0.5C, or 32.9F) and South America experiencing the least change.

Others key indicators showed an acceleration of climate change in the past five years.

These include ocean heat and acidification, rising sea level (up 112 millimetres since 1970), glacier melt and Arctic and Antarctic sea ice shedding (with ice loss five times higher in last five years, compared to the 1970s).

COVID-19 pandemic, an ‘unprecedented wake-up call’ for all inhabitants of Mother Earth

Recognizing the “immediate and dreadful” impact of the coronavirus, the UN chief urged everyone to “work together to save lives, ease suffering and lessen the shattering economic and social consequence”.

At the same time, he observed that climate disruption is approaching “a point of no return”, and a “deep emergency” that long predates the pandemic.

“Greenhouse gases, just like viruses, do not respect national boundaries”, stated the top UN official. “We must act decisively to protect our planet from both the coronavirus and the existential threat of climate disruption”.

6 ways to act now, to help the climate

Emphasizing the need to turn the recovery into “a real opportunity to do things right for the future”, he proposed climate-related actions to shape the recovery.

While spending huge amounts of money to bring economies back, Mr. Guterres asserted, “we must deliver new jobs and businesses through a clean, green transition”.

And where taxpayers’ money is used to rescue businesses, he maintained that it needs to be tied to achieving green jobs and sustainable growth.

He also underscored that to make societies more resilient, “fiscal firepower must drive a shift from the grey to green economy”.

The UN chief maintained that Fossil fuel subsidies must end, polluters must pay for their contamination and public funds should be invested in sustainable sectors along with pro-environment and climate projects.

Moreover, climate risks and opportunities must be incorporated into financial systems, public policy making and infrastructure.

Finally, he stressed the “we need to work together as an international community”.

“On this Earth Day, please join me in demanding a healthy and resilient future for people and planet alike”, he concluded.

Harmony with nature

Meanwhile, General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to promote harmony with nature for a “just, sustainable and prosperous society”.

In his message, he conceded that the loss, suffering, and unprecedented challenges created by COVID-19 has affected “everyone’s daily lives” and awoken us to the fact that “solidarity is our best and first line of defence”.  

“Our experience with COVID-19 demonstrates that we, humanity, are not separate from the world around us”, said the Assembly President. “In this Decade of Action and Delivery to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)…we must work together to protect our planet and ecosystems, which affect every aspect of human life”.

He underscored the importance of prioritizing the sustainable use of planetary resources when pursuing industrial growth, notably in food production and agriculture; and to protect biodiversity in climate action efforts, industrial practices and urban expansion.

“We will only preserve Mother Earth through a paradigm shift from a human-centric society to an Earth-centred global ecosystem”, he spelled out.

Calling education “critical” to safeguarding our planet, Mr. Muhammad-Bande maintained that everyone has something to teach and something to learn, and by working together the world could implement the SDGs in harmony with nature.  

“I call on all Member States to reaffirm our commitments to protect Mother Earth, in particular the 2030 Agenda”, he concluded.

Earth Day ‘more important than ever’: UN environment chief

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Earth Day, and also five years since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, providing a “stark reminder of the vulnerability of humans and the planet in the face of global scale threats”, according to the UN environment agency, UNEP.

The more we are putting pressure on nature, the more it is impacting us Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP

In a video released to commemorate the Day, UNEP chief, Inger Andersen, said that ‘the more we are putting pressure on nature, the more that is then impacting us”.

We have altered and impacted about 75 per cent of the surface of planet Earth”, she added, a process which has “led us to where we are today. Healthy people and a healthy planet is part and parcel of the same continuum. Climate change could cause an even greater danger. A three to four degree warmer world is something we can’t even begin to imagine”.

UNEP’s message is that, as the international community works through potential solutions to the current health crisis, the post-pandemic recovery plan should be seen as an opportunity to “build back better”, with a focus on “green jobs” in a more sustainable economy.

UN rights chief rejects killings acknowledged by Cameroon, and Iran’s execution of child offenders

In a statement released on Wednesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, welcomed the acknowledgement by the Government of Cameroon – following a national investigation – that members of its military were involved in the deaths of at least 13 people in a village in the country’s northwest region, as well as the announcement of new legal proceedings against them.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, she condemned the execution of two prisoners under the age of 18 by Iranian authorities.

Violence and panic in Cameroon

Allegations began to circulate in February that three Cameroonian soldiers were involved in the killing of members of an armed separatist group, along with others, in the village of Ngarbuh, in the country’s northwest. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced there in recent years by clashes between national forces and separatists.

OHCHR was among a range of voices calling on the Government to ensure that its security forces conduct themselves in strict accordance with international law during all operations.

A commission established to investigate the killings found that two soldiers and a gendarme, aided by 10 members of a vigilante committee, stormed Ngarbuh and shot dead five members of the separatist group.

When the servicemen discovered that women and children had been killed as a result of the operation, they panicked and burned down houses to try to cover up their actions.

“I welcome the Government’s decision to set up a national commission of inquiry…to look into these killings,” said the OHCHR chief. “It is now essential that all those responsible for the deaths of the people in the village of Ngarbuh are held fully to account in a fair and transparent judicial process.”

Cameroonian authorities have said that legal proceedings are being initiated against the three servicemen and that they are continuing to search for the vigilante members.

Iran youth executions, ‘strictly prohibited’

Thousands of kilometers away in Iran, authorities in recent days carried out executions of two young prisoners in their respective detainment facilities in Kurdistan and Ardabil provinces, drawing sharp condemnation from Ms. Bachelet. Her comments follow the killing of Shayan Saeedpour in a prison in Kurdistan province on Tuesday, and of Majid Esmailzadeh, at a facility in Ardabil province last Saturday. Both prisoners were convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18-years-old, Ms. Bachelet said in a statement on Wednesday.

Given that they were child offenders at the time of their crimes, their executions are “absolutely prohibited under international human rights law”, she insisted, pointing out that “numerous” UN bodies have made it clear “time and time again”, that the imposition of the death penalty for crimes committed by people below the age of 18, at the time of the offence, is strictly prohibited.

Highlighting the recent death of a third person in custody in Iran, named as Danial Zeinolabedini, the High Commissioner noted that he too had been sentenced to death despite being under 18 at the time of his offence.

According to Ms. Bachelet’s statement, Mr. Zeinolabedini had been transferred from another facility where detainees were rioting against prison conditions and the failure of authorities to temporarily release them to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Still ‘a long way to go’ in coronavirus battle, WHO chief warns

Speaking on Wednesday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that most countries are still in the very early stages of their epidemics, while some that had been affected earlier are now starting to see a resurgence in cases.

“Make no mistake: we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time”, he stated.

The global COVID-19 caseload has reached nearly 2.5 million, and more than 160,000 deaths.

While most of the epidemics in Western Europe appear to be stable or declining, “worrying upward trends” are visible in Africa, Central America, South America and Eastern Europe, despite low case numbers.

Tedros told journalists that although lockdowns and physical distancing have helped suppress transmission in many countries, the virus remains “extremely dangerous”.

Most of the global population continues to be highly susceptible, which means epidemics can easily re-ignite.

Tired of being home

“One of the greatest dangers we face now is complacency. People in countries with stay-at-home orders are understandably frustrated with being confined to their homes for weeks on end”, he said.

“People understandably want to get on with their lives, because their lives and livelihoods are at stake. That’s what WHO wants too. And that’s what we are working for, all day, every day.”

However, Tedros said moving forward will have to mean accepting “a new normal”, and forging a world that is healthier, safer and better prepared.

He underlined the six public health measures WHO has been advocating since the pandemic started, which centre around detection, isolation, testing, treatment and quarantine

The last step involves educating and empowering the public.

“Countries that don’t do these six central things, and do them consistently, will see more cases, and more lives will be lost”, said Tedros.

Mobile message initiative

Telecommunications companies across the world are being encouraged to support a WHO initiative to provide COVID-19 information via mobile text messages, announced earlier this week in conjunction with sister UN agency, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The goal is to help reach the half of the global population that lacks internet access, starting in the Asia-Pacific region before a global rollout.

“We also issued a call with the World Trade Organization, calling on countries to ensure the normal cross-border flow of vital medical supplies and other goods and services, and to resolve unnecessary disruptions to global supply chains”, Tedros further reported.

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

“We need to ensure these products reach those in need quickly, and we emphasize the importance of regulatory cooperation and international standards.”

Solidarity, not stigma

In addition to fighting the new coronavirus disease, WHO is also working to stamp out related stigma and discrimination.

There have been “disturbing reports” about COVID-19 discrimination in many countries, and in all regions, according to Tedros.

“Stigma and discrimination are never acceptable anywhere at anytime, and must be fought in all countries”, he said, adding, “as I have said many times, this is a time for solidarity, not stigma”.

Strain on the brain

The UN agency has also been addressing the pandemic’s impact on mental health.

WHO has produced technical guidance for individuals and health workers, who are under enormous strain at this time.

Meanwhile, a free children’s book about COVID-19, which the agency recently launched, is being used among Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh, and children in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Greece and Nigeria.

WHO has also received requests to translate the book into more than 100 languages.

The book, My Hero is You: How kids can fight COVID-19, uses a fantasy creature called Ario who explains how children can not only protect themselves from the disease but also how to manage difficult emotions that may arise as a result of the pandemic.

COVID-19: 5G broadband conspiracy ‘a hoax with no technical basis’, UN telecoms agency

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 5G phone masts have reportedly been damaged or destroyed in several European countries, including Ireland, Cyprus and Belgium. The problem has been particularly acute in the UK, where dozens of towers were targeted, and engineers abused on the job, according to media reports.

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

5G can carry a huge amount of data much faster than previous technology, and reliably connect an extremely large number of devices, says the ITU, allowing future users to access a wide variety of services, including industrial and professional applications.

During the current pandemic, communications technology is playing an essential role in ensuring that health services, many of which are facing unprecedented demand due to the pandemic, are able to respond function efficiently: this was underlined when a phone mast supplying voice and data traffic to a hospital built in response to the pandemic, in the major British city of Birmingham, was reportedly set alight in April.

A spokesperson for ITU, Monika Gehner, told UN News on Wednesday that the theory of a link between 5G and COVID-19 is “a hoax that has no technical basis.”

Fighting false rumours a waste of resources

“The coronavirus is not being spread by radio waves”, she added. “It’s a real shame, during this time when there are real concerns about the health and well-being of the general public, and the economic toll that the fight against this pandemic is taking, that any time or energy has to be put into fighting this and other false rumours.”

The scale of the problem prompted the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN agency which is leading the response to the pandemic, to add the 5G conspiracy to its COVID-19 myth busters article, which notes that “viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile networks. COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not have 5G mobile networks.”

In a statement published in February, the WHO noted that, “to date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies”, and, “provided that the overall exposure remains below international guidelines, no consequences for public health are anticipated”.

The ITU COVID-19 response

ITU, WHO and UNICEF are working with telecommunication companies to text people directly on their mobile phones with vital health messaging to help protect them from COVID-19, reaching billions of people without internet access,
The Global Education Coalition, an ITU/ UNESCO initiative, is ensuring that #LearningNeverStops for the more than 1.5 billion students and youth across the planet affected by school and university closures.
The Global Network Resiliency Platform helps policy-makers, regulators and industry players ensure that networks are kept resilient and telecom services are available to as many people as possible,
A full description of ways the ITU is addressing the COVID-19 outbreak can be found on the ITU website here.

‘Horrible, intense shelling’

‘Massive and urgent support’

Global debt package

COVID-19 leaving women more vulnerable: ECOSOC President

Deepest recession in generations: DESA chief

Greatest test of multilateralism in a generation: Muhammad-Bande

Disproportionate impacts

All hands on deck

Threat: Virus, not people

No country alone

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Rebuilding stronger

Virus contained, for now

Positive developments

CO2 at record levels once again

Cleaner air even in most polluted cities

Mitigating climate change is a question of survival

6 ways to act now, to help the climate

Harmony with nature

Earth Day ‘more important than ever’: UN environment chief

Violence and panic in Cameroon

Iran youth executions, ‘strictly prohibited’

Tired of being home

Mobile message initiative

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Solidarity, not stigma

Strain on the brain

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Fighting false rumours a waste of resources

The ITU COVID-19 response

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