November 2021 — Page 3 of 16 — Human Rights & Charity

Feature: Mobile health teams save lives in Afghanistan’s most remote areas

Shahpirai, 30, is the sole provider for her husband and three children.

“With my salary as a teacher, I could just afford to pay rent and buy food for my family, but not to seek treatment for my child”, she said.

An upturn

Her situation took a turn for the better last July, when while walking through her village she noticed people gathered in front of an elder’s house.

“I asked what was going on and learned that some doctors were treating sick women and children”.

The doctors were part of a mobile health team supported by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) that provides medical services to those who would otherwise have no or limited access. In the most remote parts of Afghanistan, the nearest health facility can be over two hours’ walk away, with communities in these areas accounting for most of the country’s maternal and childhood illnesses and deaths.

Even before the current crisis, malnutrition was a critical concern in Afghanistan: according to the latest data from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), an estimated 3.2 million children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished by the end of the year.

From emergency to recovery

Shahpirai quickly brought her then 15-month-old son to the mobile team where she learned that he was acutely malnourished and needed urgent care.

“The doctor prescribed some medicine and referred my son to the Najmul Jihad Health Centre, with a note requesting immediate treatment”, recalled the young woman.

At the health centre the toddler was thoroughly examined, given medical and nutritional supplies, and registered in a programme for children with acute malnutrition so he could receive continuous care and be monitored closely.

“I returned to the centre regularly, and after three months the doctor said my son was doing better and no longer needed therapeutic feeding. I was also instructed on how to provide him with proper nutrition at home”.

An unfolding crisis

While the full ramifications of recent events in Afghanistan will only become clear over time, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that humanitarian needs in the country have already risen sharply and that the health care system has been brought to its knees.

Since last August, UNFPA has increased the number of mobile health teams it supports across Afghanistan to respond to the humanitarian health emergency.

The teams have defied formidable odds to deliver essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and psychosocial support services to mothers and children in hard-to-reach areas that are otherwise precariously underserved.

Amid a deteriorating security situation, the teams and UNFPA-supported static emergency clinics reached nearly 50,000 people with urgent medical services just last month alone.

Shahpirai says she is grateful for this life-saving support.

“It had been impossible for me to find professional treatment for my son, so I’m thankful that the mobile health team regularly comes to our village to provide medical services, especially for women and children”.

Arrested development and poverty take a $57 billion economic toll in Palestine

With an economic toll of an estimated at $57.7 billion, the study estimated the cost to be equivalent to three and a half times the 2019 GDP of the occupied Palestinian territory’.

Moreover, it indicated that the minimum cost of eliminating poverty in the West Bank had increased six times between 1998 and 2007 – from $73 million to $428 million.

“We’re talking about the reproduction of despair in the in the West Bank and Gaza”, said Richard Kozul-Wright, UNCTAD Director of Division on Globalization and Development Strategies, calling for Palestinian territories to be reconnected into a “fully fledged State” to reverse this.

Second Palestinian Intifada aftermath

The report covers the period following the outbreak of the second Palestinian Intifada in September 2000.

According to UNCTAD Economist Rami Alazzeh, the Israeli closure policy was “multilayered”.

Roads between the West Bank, Gaza, Israel, and the border with Jordan were closed and “in 2020 there is still the separation wall which Israel started building in 2003”.

Moreover 600 obstacles in the West Bank, including checkpoints and gates remain in place.

Poverty projections

The immediate effect of tighter Israeli restrictions imposed on the West Bank witnessed a drastic fall in living standards, which most affected the population’s poorer segments.

The report projected that without the Israeli closures, restrictions and military operations, the 2004 poverty rate in the West Bank would have been 12 per cent, or one-third of the current 35 per cent.

In 2019, the West Bank GDP per capita would have been 44 per cent higher than its actual value, the report found.

“It’s a substantial amount of money for a small economy like this”, said Mahmoud Elkhafif, UNCTAD’s Coordinator of the Assistance to the Palestinian People.

‘Jobless growth and arrested development’

In the West Bank between 2000 and 2002, tighter Israeli restrictions and military operations triggered a one-third contraction, according to the report.

Although there was an annual 6.2 per cent growth in its economy since 2007, the report pointed out that the expansion was volatile – ranging from 13.1 per cent in 2008 to 1.6 per cent in 2019 – which led to high unemployment, hovering around 18 per cent during that time.

Unable to secure jobs, many Palestinians sought employment in Israel and its settlements, creating a harmful dependence of the West Bank regional economy on Israel.

However, without it the West Bank would have almost reached unemployment rates as high as the besieged Gaza Strip, which averaged 39.8 per cent between 2007 and 2019.

But the report pointed out that even with employment in Israel, the West Bank regional economy has not been able to reduce or stabilize its joblessness rate since 1999.

Lifting restrictions

The report called for all mobility restrictions to be lifted in the occupied Palestinian territory and for reconnecting it with East Jerusalem and all cities and villages in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

It also called for the enabling of the Palestinian public and private sectors to establish and run agricultural, industrial, commercial and mining businesses in Area C – which comprises more than 60 per cent of the West Bank area – where Palestinians are not currently allowed to operate businesses.

The document reiterates that until the occupation ends, Palestinian economic development will continue to be arrested and its cost on the people, continue to grow.

To create “decent jobs” it is “critical to overcome the kind of poverty levels that we see in the West Bank”, stressed Mr. Kozul-Wright.

COVID-19: European infection spike confirmed, vaccine advice for kids

In its weekly epidemiological update, the UN health agency noted that infections in Europe had increased by almost twice the global average.

Vaccine review for kids

In a related development, WHO said that is it continuing to review emerging evidence on the need for and timing of vaccinating children with COVID-19 vaccines that have received Emergency Use Listing (EUL).

To date, the agency has issued EULs for eight COVID-19 vaccines.

The statement by the UN agency applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, such as those manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, which are being authorized for use in children in some countries.

Last month, a WHO panel said that the benefits of the vaccines outweighed the risks for “all age groups”.

Long COVID

The UN agency left it up to individual countries to decide whether to vaccinate youngsters, while also pointing out that serious COVID-19 vaccine shortages persist in developing countries.

“The greatest burden of disease in terms of severe disease and deaths remains among older persons and those with comorbidities… Overall, there are proportionally fewer symptomatic infections, and cases with severe disease and deaths from COVID-19 in children and adolescents, compared with older age groups, WHO said.

It noted also that although children can experience symptoms from “long COVID-19” following a coronavirus infection, the “frequency and characteristics of these conditions are still under investigation”.

A rare inflammatory syndrome which affects the body’s organs has also been identified in children, which can complicate recovery from COVID-19, the WHO added.

Unreached targets

The UN agency’s global vaccination strategy targets call for 40 per cent coverage in every country by the end of 2021 and 70 per cent by the middle of next year.

“These coverage targets were set to ensure an equitable pace of global vaccine rollout and prioritization of those at highest risk. To date, these targets have not yet been achieved”, WHO said.

Coverage targets…have not yet been achieved – WHO

Children largely spared

Latest age-disaggregated data reported to WHO show that children under 15 represent only 0.1 per cent of coronavirus-related deaths globally; this rises to 0.4 per cent for 15 to 24-year-olds.

In its weekly epidemiological review, the UN health agency noted that infections in Europe had increased by almost twice the global average.

The announcement followed a warning on Tuesday from the WHO that Europe could see more than two million coronavirus fatalities by next March.

In the European region’s 53 countries, reported COVID-19 deaths have now passed the 1.5 million mark.

The Western Pacific Region and the Americas also reported a steep rise in deaths from the coronavirus, by 29 and 19 per cent respectively. In contrast, Africa and South-East Asia saw that number fall over the past week.

The United States continued to see the highest numbers of new cases but Germany witnessed a 31 per cent increase in infections and the UK, an 11 per cent spike – with 281,063 new cases.

Latest data from WHO indicates that there have been more than 256 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least 5.1 million deaths worldwide.

On International Day, UN chief says ‘violence against women is not inevitable’

“In all of our own neighbourhoods, there are women and girls living in danger. Around the world, conflict, climate-related natural disasters, food insecurity and human rights violations are exacerbating violence against women”, she said.

And according to UN Women, more than 70 per cent have experienced GBV in some crisis settings.

Hidden violence

In both rich and poor countries alike, gender prejudice has fuelled acts of violence towards women and girls.

The top UN Women official explained that this type of violence “often goes unreported, silenced by stigma, shame, fear of the perpetrators and fear of a justice system that does not work for women”.

Moreover, COVID-19 has triggered a shadow pandemic, which enables unseen violence. She cited an increase in reports on helplines for violence against women and girls (VAWG) in all corners of the world.

Hope on the horizon

Despite this, Ms. Bahous said that there is hope and new opportunities are opening.

Last summer, as part of a $40 billion commitment to the women and girls of the world, the Generation Equality Forum launched the Action Coalition on Gender-based Violence to spark collective action, drive investment and deliver concrete results.

“There will be concrete financial and policy commitments, and scaled-up initiatives in critical areas: survivor support services, legal frameworks and more resources for grass-roots organizations”, the UN Women chief assured.

‘Change is possible’

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said that “violence against women is not inevitable”.

“The right policies and programmes bring results”, including long-term strategies that tackle the root causes of violence, protecting the rights of women and girls, and promoting strong and autonomous women’s rights movements.

The UN has built this model through its partnership with the European Union in the Spotlight Initiative.

Partner countries last year witnessed a 22 per cent increase in prosecution of perpetrators; 84 laws and policies were passed or strengthened; and more than 650,000 women and girls were able to access GBV services – despite pandemic-related restrictions.

“Change is possible, and now is the time to redouble our efforts so that together, we can eliminate violence against women and girls by 2030”, he said.

GBV knows no boundaries

General Assembly President, Abdulla Shahid, said that one characteristic of gender-based violence is that it knows no social or economic boundaries and affects women and girls of all socio-economic backgrounds.

“This issue needs to be addressed in both developing and developed countries”, he argued.

Violence abounds

According to the latest global estimates, nearly one-in-three women aged 15 and older have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate or non-sexual partner or both at least once in their lifetime.

These numbers have remained largely unchanged over the last decade, and do not reflect the impact of COVID-19.

Since the pandemic outbreak however, emerging data has revealed that all types of VAWG, particularly domestic violence, have intensified – with the world unprepared to respond to its rapid escalation.

And this does not include the full continuum of violence, including sexual harassment, violence in digital contexts, harmful practices and sexual exploitation across different contexts and geographic locations.

Pandemic

Since the beginning of the pandemic, feelings of safety have also been eroding among women, significantly impacting their mental and emotional well-being, according to a new report released by UN Women.

Published a day prior to the International Day and kicking off the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, it revealed that across 13 countries, almost half of all women reported that they or a woman they know experienced gender-based violence during the pandemic.

And almost a quarter reported more frequent household conflicts with a similar proportion saying they felt less safe at home.

This year, the UNiTE campaign set “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” as the official theme.

Libya at ‘delicate and critical juncture’ ahead of landmark elections: UN envoy

He reported that the political climate remains “heavily polarized” ahead of the presidential and parliamentary polls, which are being held in line with a roadmap adopted last year following a historic ceasefire and the establishment of an interim government.

Even though Libyans are eager to cast their votes, “vocal opposition” persists surrounding the legal framework for the elections, said Mr. Kubiš, who has recently resigned.

A delicate juncture

Tensions are also rising over the eligibility of some high-profile presidential candidates, as are fears of armed confrontation.

The envoy urged objectors to channel their concerns through existing judicial mechanisms and to respect the verdicts.

“Libya continues to be at a delicate and fragile juncture on its path to unity and stability through the ballot boxes”, said Mr. Kubiš, who also heads the UN mission in the country, UNSMIL.

“While risks associated with the ongoing political polarization around the elections are evident and present, not holding the elections could gravely deteriorate the situation in the country and could lead to further division and conflict”.

Libya’s High National Election Commission (HNEC) has confirmed that the first round of presidential elections will be held on 24 December.

Candidates step forward

The second round, as well as the parliamentary elections, are set to take place 50 days later. All final results will be announced simultaneously.

Registration for presidential candidates ended this week. Mr. Kubis said that a preliminary list was expected on Thursday afternoon, with some 98 people, including two women, putting their names forward.

Candidates include the interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and Saif-al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former President Muammar Gaddafi, who was deposed in 2011, following which the country descended into crisis, with two rival administrations battling for power until recently.

The ongoing registration for parliamentary elections will conclude on 7 December. So far, more than 2,000 people, including 276 women, have stepped forward as candidates.

‘Yearning’ to vote

Meanwhile, nearly two million voter cards have been distributed to date. Additionally, more than 3,200 domestic observers, 320 national media representatives, 20 international media, and nine international observation organizations have applied for HNEC accreditation.

Mr. Kubiš said the high number of registered voters and candidates shows Libyans “are yearning for an opportunity to elect their representatives and give them a mandate to govern Libya through democratic legitimacy”.

This aspiration must be fulfilled, he added, underlining the need for international support to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

He stressed that while the judiciary will have final word on any objections raised, whether concerning the process or the presidential candidates, the final decision will ultimately be made by the Libyan people.

“It is the Libyans that have their future and the future of Libya in their hands”, said the Special Envoy.

“They should participate in the elections, vote for those that are committed to stable, prosperous, united, sovereign and democratic Libya, governed by the rule of law and committed to fight corruption, pursue national reconciliation, justice and accountability”.

Special Envoy resigns

Mr. Kubiš also addressed his decision to step down, having submitted his resignation letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres last week.

Given the ongoing political and security transitions in Libya, as well as the “delicate and complex electoral processes”, the need for a UN-mediated process and good offices role has intensified, he said.

Therefore, he has suggested that the Head of UNSMIL should be urgently relocated to the capital, Tripoli, which he has long supported, along with splitting the positions of Special Envoy and UN mission chief.

“In order to create conditions for this, on 17 November 2021, I tendered my resignation”, said Mr. Kubiš, who has expressed readiness to continue for a transitional period covering the electoral process.

Speaking on Tuesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Mr. Guterres has accepted the envoy’s resignation “with regret” and is working on an appropriate replacement.

“We are all fully aware of the electoral calendar and are working as quickly as possible to ensure continuity of leadership”, he said.

Ethiopia: Humanitarian aid needed as situation deteriorates in Tigray

Yesterday, almost 40 trucks with humanitarian supplies, including food, left the Afar capital of Semera for Tigray – the first convoy to do so since 18 October.

Meanwhile, trucks containing fuel and medical supplies are still waiting for clearance in Semera.

Around 500 trucks of humanitarian supplies are required per week, Stéphane Dujarric informed journalists at a regular press briefing.

Seven million food insecure

In November 2020, heavy fighting between central Government troops and those loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have left Ethiopia’s northern regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

And after months of killings, looting and destruction of health centres and farming infrastructure, including irrigation systems that are vital to the production effort, those needs have only surged.

Currently, some seven million people throughout the country are suffering acute food insecurity.

Growing needs

Meanwhile following their suspension on 22 October, UN Humanitarian Air Service flights to Mekelle have resumed, allowing the UN and humanitarian partners to rotate staff in and out of Tigray and transfer a limited amount of operational cash.

However, said the Spokesperson, “humanitarian partners on the ground continue to report significant challenges due to cash shortages for operations”.

Despite a $40 total injection of new resources to Ethiopia – $25 million from CERF and $15 million from the country-based Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF) –  the country still faces a funding gap of $1.3 billion, including $350 million for the response in Tigray.

Despite an extremely challenging operating environment, humanitarian partners continue to respond to urgent and growing needs across northern Ethiopia, including in Amhara and Afar.

In Amhara, a major food assistance operation kicked off in Kombolcha and Dessie towns, targeting more than 450,000 people over the next two weeks.

Relocate families

Yesterday, the UN announced that given the security situation in the country, and out of an abundance of caution, it is reducing its footprint in Ethiopia by temporarily relocating all eligible dependents.

“It is important to note that staff will remain in Ethiopia to deliver on our mandates”, Dujarric said.

The UN will monitor the situation as it evolves, keeping in mind the safety of the staff and the need to continue its operations and support all those who need assistance.

Earlier this month, the Organization confirmed that at least 16 UN staff and dependents had been detained in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and that it was working with the Government of Ethiopia to secure their immediate release.

Antimicrobial effectiveness leaning towards ‘tipping point’ resistance – FAO

The wide use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials has led to growing resistance to their effectiveness.

It is estimated that each year, 700,000 people die from AMR-related causes and FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Keith Sumption said that if no actions are taken, the annual tally could soar to some 10 million by 2050. 

HIV drug resistance

The warning comes as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest HIV Drug Resistance Report revealed that in 2020, 64 per cent of countries with a high burden of HIV infection had national action plans to prevent, monitor and respond to HIV drug resistance.

The report noted however, that an increasing number of countries are approaching the 10 per cent resistance threshold to pretreatment HIV drugs, which, when reached, must urgently change first-line HIV treatment.

The report also found that people who have had previous exposure to antiretroviral drugs are three times more likely to resist them.

Based on recent surveys conducted in 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of newly diagnosed infants with HIV carry drug-resistant HIV before initiating treatment. 

Moreover, the report indicated that the number of countries achieving high levels of viral suppression increased from 33 per cent in 2017 to 80 per cent in 2020.

However, it also emphasized the need for routine viral load monitoring to respond to HIV drug resistance. 

Preserving AMR

Minimizing the spread of HIV drug resistance is a critical aspect of the broader global response to antimicrobial resistance, WHO said.

Based on his doctoral research in southern Africa, Dr. Sumpton concluded that to mitigate and contain the risks of these drugs, clear alternatives were need for livestock and crop producers, including “good animal hygiene and management”.

Other options, such as enhanced animal nutrition, was also advised.

“It’s similar with crops”, he said. “Much can be achieved with good soils, good genetic selection and good seeds…[and] reducing the use of antimicrobials in crop protection, notably with rice, tomatoes and citrus”.

Higher-income countries could help less developed ones take a more “progressive approach” to crop protection while providing resources to encourage farm-level biosafety and biosecurity.

The use of alternatives to antibiotics such as vaccination, probiotics and prebiotics in feed, may reduce the likelihood of AMR.

“The goal is not to eliminate antimicrobials – but to preserve their utility”, said Dr. Sumption.

Colombia’s peace process is taking ‘deep roots’, but all sides must work together to overcome lingering challenges

“As we take stock today, we can confidently affirm that the implementation of the peace process is taking deep roots,” Mr. Guterres said in Bogotá during an event commemorating the 2016 peace deal between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC-EP, that ended the Western hemisphere’s longest-running war.

Speaking from the headquarters of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, one of the main justice mechanisms created as part of the peace deal between the Government and the guerrilla movement, the Secretary-General said the fifth anniversary is a testimony to the commitment of the parties, but also of the State institutions and the vibrant Colombian civil society, working together despite many difficulties, including tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

An investment in peace

Among the “undeniable achievements” the accord has yielded, Mr. Guterres noted the fact that a guerrilla movement that had waged armed combat for half a century is today a political party and that the majority of ex-combatants, some 13,000, are striving “admirably” to build new lives.

Moreover, he recalled his visit on Tuesday to Antioquia’s mountainside village of Llano Grande, where he had witnessed “determination in the face of adversity and uncertainty” as the local community, ex-combatants and police are now living and working side-by-side.

“I also witnessed how, with Government action and support, the expansion of locally designed development and social protection programs are bringing peace dividends to conflict-affected communities,” the Secretary-General said, adding that: “Ensuring the sustainability of these efforts will be critical in the future.”

“In a world marked by conflicts, many of them without an end in sight, a peace agreement negotiated to end a conflict that many believed to be unsolvable is something extremely unique and valuable,” stated the UN chief, adding: “Colombia has sent a clear message: The time has come to invest in peace.”

Hard won peace comes with risks

Yet, despite the solid progress, the Secretary-General cautioned that all sides “must be clear about the risks” that may threaten the long-term sustainability of the agreement.

“Ethnic communities and women and girls are always particularly affected,” said the UN chief, also spotlighting other factors that could contravene the deal, including violence by armed groups in connection with drug trafficking; threats and murders of ex-combatants, social leaders and human rights defenders, often women and indigenous populations; displacement and confinement; violence against women and sexual violence; and the recruitment of children.

Since the signing of the Peace Agreement, more than 300 ex-combatants and 477 human rights defenders and civic leaders have been killed, according to data from the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.

“Each death is itself a tragedy,” Mr. Guterres continued. “Each death sends a devastating message to these communities that still await the promises of the Accord.”

“I am confident of the President’s determination to ensure that the security provisions of the Agreement will be fully implemented, as well as all the [articles] on rural reform, solving the problem of illicit drug trafficking and all the complexity that comes from the implementation of the Peace Agreement,” the Secretary-General stated.

Challenges are part of the process

Despite these challenges to peace, Mr. Guterres said “it is not too late to reverse this trend”, and stressed that it would be necessary for the full implementation of the peace accord’s security provisions, as well as those dealing with rural reforms and tackling drug trafficking.

He recalled that the Peace Agreement itself reflected the reality that transformations of this magnitude will take time. “There are still ten years left [for] what was initially planned” and “the challenges are part of the peace processes.”

“There are many issues on which you can disagree in a democracy, but peace can no longer be one of them,” he argued, before calling on Colombia “to remain on this path of peace-building and persist in overcoming challenges”.

To this end, he encouraged all Colombians to follow the roadmap set out in the Peace Agreement, which not only sought to silence the weapons, but “aimed at transforming the root causes of the conflict and beginning to heal the wounds, so that the atrocities [here] committed do not happen again.”

With those goals in mind, the UN chief noted progress on “the creation of a transitional justice system that aims at justice for victims and survivors, as well as ensuring lasting peace.”

Indeed, he said: “We have seen historical indictments for war crimes and recognition of unprecedented responsibility. We have seen emotional encounters that unite victims and those responsible. And we have seen how families finally come out of the uncertainty about the fate of their missing loved ones.”

Concluding his remarks, the Secretary-General said that “after more than five decades of conflict, and a deep awareness of the suffering it caused, we have a moral obligation to guarantee that this peace process is successful.”

Testimony of victims: infinite hope

Ahead of his remarks, the Secretary-General heard testimonies from victims, including of Ana Sofía Martínez, whose father disappeared 20 years ago after he was detained by the FARC-EP.

After calling on all parties, the Government and FARC-EP, to put aside their disagreements and fulfill their obligations, Ms. Martínez said she felt tired, sad and happy.

“Tired of bureaucracy and protocol; sad because disappearances continue to occur and the guarantees that the State gives about post-conflict activities are increasingly vague; and happy because in the face of so much adversity, we continue dreaming, sustained by infinite hope and more than one hundred thousand reasons. For the people still missing, we must hope. And we insist on action,” she affirmed.

Another participant was Father Francisco de Roux, President of the Commission for the Clarification of the Truth, who listed the positive actions by one side or another, but also stressed that unfortunately, no steps had been taken to achieve what he called “the great peace”: a peace that is above all party interests.

Also participating in the event were former President Juan Manuel Santos and former FARC commander Rodrigo Londoño, signatories of the Peace Agreement, and current President Iván Duque, as well as the current President of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, Eduardo Cifuentes Muños, and other actors who promoted the negotiations that led to the signing of the Agreement. All recognized that there are still many challenges, but stressed that the peace process continues to move forward.

Iran: Execution of juvenile offender ‘deeply alarming and shocking’

Arman Abdolali, 25, is the second juvenile offender to be executed in the country this year.

OHCHR expressed serious concern that his case follows the pattern of child offenders being convicted after a flawed trial and on the basis of forced confessions.

“It is deeply alarming and shocking that his hanging went ahead, despite interventions by numerous parties on the case, including direct engagement by the UN Human Rights Office with the Government of Iran,” Spokesperson Liz Throssell said in a statement.

Mr. Abdolali, who was 17 when he was accused of murder, was arrested in 2014 and found guilty the following year.

He was retried last year and then sentenced to death again this September. He had also recanted his confession, saying it had been extracted under torture.

Commute death sentences

The UN rights office also deplored that Mr. Abdolali had been transferred to solitary confinement six times ahead of his scheduled execution, which was postponed each time before going ahead on Thursday.

More than 85 people remain on death row in Iran for crimes they allegedly committed as children, according to OHCHR.

“We call on the Iranian authorities to halt all executions of child offenders and immediately commute the death sentences against them, in line with the country’s international obligations,” said Ms. Throssell.

Feature: Violence against women must stop; five stories of strength and survival

Globally, nearly one-in-three women have experienced violence, with crises driving the numbers even higher.

Gender-based violence (GBV), the most pervasive violation of human rights, is neither natural, nor inevitable, and must be prevented.

Marking the 16 Days of Activism to combat violence against women and girls, UN Women is showcasing the voices of five survivors, each of whose names has been changed to protect their identity. Be forewarned that each character sketch includes descriptions of gender-based violence.

‘Convinced’ she would be killed

From the Argentine province of Chaco, 48-year-old mother of seven, Diana suffered for 28 years before finally deciding to separate from her abusive partner.

“I wasn’t afraid that he would beat me, I was convinced that he would kill me,” she said.

At first, she hesitated to file a police complaint for fear of how he might react, but as she learned more about the services provided by a local shelter, she realized that she could escape her tormentor. She also decided to press charges.

Living with an abusive father, her children also suffered psychological stress and economic hardship.

Leaving was not easy, but with the support of a social workers, a local shelter and a safe space to recover, Diana got a job as an administrative assistant in a municipal office.

Accelerate gender equality

Violence against women and girls is preventable.
Comprehensive strategies are needed to tackle root causes, transform harmful social norms, provide services for survivors and end impunity.
Evidence shows that strong, autonomous women’s rights movements are critical to thwarting and eliminating VAWG.
The Generation Equality Forum needs support to stem the VAWG violence.

“I admit that it was difficult, but with the [mental health] support, legal aid and skills training, I healed a lot,” she explained.

Essential services for survivors of domestic violence are a lifeline.

“I no longer feel like a prisoner, cornered, or betrayed. There are so many things one goes through as a victim, including the psychological [persecution] but now I know that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to”.

Diana is among 199 women survivors housed at a shelter affiliated with the Inter-American Shelter Network, supported by UN Women through the Spotlight Initiative in Latin America. The shelter has also provided psychosocial support and legal assistance to more than 1,057 women since 2017.

Diana’s full story is here.

Survivor now ‘excited about what lies ahead’

Meanwhile, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept through Bangladesh, triggering a VAWG surge, many shelters and essential services shut down

Romela had been married to a cruel, torturous man.

“When I was pregnant, he punched me so hard I ended up losing my baby…I wanted to end my life”, she said.

She finally escaped when her brother took her to the Tarango women’s shelter, which in partnership with UN Women, was able to expand its integrated programme to provide safe temporary accommodations, legal and medical services, and vocational training to abused women who were looking for a fresh start.

Living in an abusive relationship often erodes women’s choices, self-esteem and potential. Romela had found a place where she could live safely with her 4-year-old daughter.

Opening a new chapter in her life, she reflected, “other people always told me how to dress, where to go, and how to live my life. Now, I know these choices rest in my hands”.

“I feel confident, my life is more enjoyable,” said the emancipated woman.

Tarango houses 30–35 survivors at any given time and delivers 24/7 services that help them recover from trauma, regain their dignity, learn new skills, and get job placement and a two-month cash grant to build their economic resilience.

“Our job is to make women feel safe and empowered, and to treat them with the utmost respect and empathy,” said Programme Coordinator Nazlee Nipa.

Click here for more on her story.

Uphill battle with in-laws

Goretti returned to western Kenya in 2001 to bury her husband and, as dictated by local culture, remained in the family’s homestead.

“But they wouldn’t give me food. Everything I came with from Nairobi – clothes, household items – was taken from me and divided between the family,” she recounted.

For nearly 20 years after her husband’s death, Goretti was trapped in a life of abuse until her in-laws they beat her so badly that she was hospitalized and unable to work.

Afraid to go to law enforcement, Goretti instead reached out to a local human rights defender, who helped her get medical attention and report the case to the local authorities.

However, she quickly discovered that her in-laws had already forged with the police an agreement in her name to withdraw the case.

“But I cannot even write”, Goretti said.

Human rights defenders in Kenya are often the first responders to violations, including GBV. Since 2019, UN Women and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have been supporting grass-roots organizations that provide legal training and capacity-building to better assist survivors.

In addition to reporting the issue to local police and the courts, human rights defender Caren Omanga, who was trained by one of these organizations, also contacted the local elders.

“I was almost arrested when confronting the officer-in-charge”, Ms. Omanga explained. But knowing that the community would be against Goretti, she started “the alternative dispute-resolution process, while pushing the case to court”.

Finally, with her case settled out of court, Goretti received an agreement granting her the property and land title that she had lost in her marriage dowry, and the perpetrators were forced to pay fines to avoid prison.

“It is like beginning a new life after 20 years, and my son is feeling more secure… I’m thinking of planting some trees to safeguard the plot and building a poultry house”, she said.

Read Goretti’s story in its entirety here.

Raising consciousness

In Moldova, sexual harassment and violence are taboo topics and, fearing blame or stigmatization, victims rarely report incidents.

At age 14, Milena was raped by her boyfriend in Chisinau. She was unaware that her violation was a sexual assault and continued to see her abuser for another six months before breaking up. Then she tried to forget it.

“This memory was blocked, as if nothing happened”, until two years later, upon seeing an Instagram video that triggered flashbacks of her own assault, she said.

Almost one-in-five men in Moldova have sexually abused a girl or a woman, including in romantic relationships, according to 2019 research co-published by UN Women.

Determined to understand what had happened to her, Milena learned more about sexual harassment and abuse, and later began raising awareness in her community.

Last year, she joined a UN Women youth mentorship programme, where she was trained on gender equality and human rights and learned to identify abuse and challenge sexist comments and harassment.

Milena went on to develop a self-help guide for sexual violence survivors, which, informed by survivors aged 12 – 21, offers practical guidance to seek help, report abuse, and access trauma recovery resources.

Against the backdrop of cultural victim-blaming, which prevents those who need it from getting help, the mentoring programme focuses on feminist values and diversity, and addresses the root causes of the gender inequalities and stereotypes that perpetuate GBV and discrimination.

“The programme has shown that youth activism and engagement is key to eliminating gender inequalities in our societies”, explained Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Country Representative in Moldova.

Support survivors, break the cycle of violence

A 2019 national survey revealed that only three-out-of-100 sexual violence survivors in Morocco report incidents to the police as they fear being shamed or blamed and lack trust in the justice system.

Layla began a relationship with the head of a company she worked for. He told her he loved her, and she trusted him.

“But he hit me whenever I disagreed with him. I endured everything, from sexual violence to emotional abuse…he made me believe that I stood no chance against him”, she said.

Pregnant, unmarried and lonely, Layla finally went to the police.

To her great relief, a female police officer met her, and said that there was a solution.

“I will never forget that. It has become my motto in life. Her words encouraged me to tell her the whole story. She listened to me with great care and attention”, continued Layla.

She was referred to a local shelter for single mothers where she got a second chance.

Two years ago, she gave birth to a daughter, and more recently completed her Bachelor’s Degree in mathematics.

“I was studying while taking care of my baby at the single mother’s shelter”, she said, holding her daughter’s hand.

UN Women maintains that building trust and confidence in the police is an integral part of crime prevention and community safety.

When professionally trained police handle GBV cases, survivors are more likely to report abuse and seek justice, health and psychosocial services that help break the cycle of violence while sending a clear message that it is a punishable crime.

Over the past few years, the General Directorate of National Security, supported by UN Women, has restructured the national police force to better support women survivors and prevent VAWG.

Today, all 440 district police stations have dedicated personnel who refer women survivors to the nearest specialized unit.

“It takes a lot of determination and courage for women to ask the police for support”, said Saliha Najeh, Police Chief at Casablanca Police Unit for Women Victims of Violence, who, after specialized training through the UN Women programme, now trains her police officers to use a survivor-centred approach in GBV cases.

As of 2021, 30 senior police officers and heads of units have been trained through the programme.

“Our role is to give survivors all the time they need to feel safe and comfortable, and for them to trust us enough to tell their story”, she said.

Prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Morocco has also expanded channels for survivors to report and access justice remotely through a 24-hour toll-free helpline, an electronic complaints mechanism, and online court sessions.

Click here for the full story.

These stories were originally published by UN Women.