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Rights office welcomes Zambia’s pledge to abolish the death penalty

President Hakainde Hichilema announced the development on Tuesday in a speech on the eve of Africa Day, according to media reports. 

“We warmly welcome the Zambian President’s pledge on 24 May to abolish the death penalty in the country and work with Parliament to end this cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment,” said OHCHR Spokesperson Seif Magango. 

“Use of the death penalty is incompatible with fundamental human rights and dignity,” he added. 

A major step forward 

While Zambia has maintained a moratorium on capital punishment since 1997, when executions last took place, Mr. Magango said that formal abolition in law would be a major step forward for human rights in the country. 

Zambia would also join the growing consensus worldwide for universal abolition of the death penalty.  Some 170 countries have abolished it, or introduced a moratorium, either in law or in practice.  

OHCHR called on the Government and Parliament to bolster the President’s pledge with tangible legal reforms, including amending the Penal Code Act and the Criminal Procedure Code Act. 

Assistance and cooperation 

Additionally, the authorities should re-launch the Constitutional Reform process to expand the Bill of Rights, including with explicit prohibition of the death penalty.  

The Government was also urged to demonstrate further international leadership on the issue by ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on abolition of the death penalty.

 Mr. Magagno said OHCHR “stands ready to provide technical assistance and cooperation to the Zambian authorities to make this promise a reality.”  

‘Protracted political impasse’ further polarizing Libya

“We are concerned that the protracted political impasse is having an increasingly negative impact on security,” said Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo.

“A coordinated and constructive effort is required to prevent further polarization and end the political stalemate.”

Commendable progress

Last week, UN Special Advisor Stephanie Williams convened a second round of consultations of the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives and High State Council, in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, reviewing a reformed constitution for a democratic way forward for the country, the 2017 Constitutional Draft.

The delegations reached agreement in several areas, including basic rights and freedoms; the structure and powers of a two-tier new parliament; and the prerogatives of the President and Prime Minister.

Under UN auspices, members will reconvene on 11 June for a final round to reach consensus on finalizing constitutional arrangements to hold key national elections – delayed from last December – as soon as possible.

The Special Adviser also met Presidency Council members, who expressed their intention to continue working on a national reconciliation process with UN and African Union support.

‘Fragile’ security

While the 2020 ceasefire continues to hold, Ms. DiCarlo stated that the security situation “remains fragile”.

She drew attention to clashes in the capital on 17 May, following the recent political crisis which began in March, which saw the eastern parliament select a new government. The incumbent UN and internationally-backed Prime Minister however, refused to stand aside.

The parliamentary choice for the top job, Fathi Bashagha, entered Tripoli backed by armed groups, leading to skirmishes with supporters of incumbent Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah.

One militant died, a policeman was injured and several buildings were damaged.

Following mediation by local actors and outreach by military representatives, from the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission (JMC), Mr. Bashagha was escorted out of Tripoli.

“While fighting has ceased, the situation remains tense. Tripoli-based armed groups supporting either Mr. Dbeibah or Mr. Bashagha remain in a state of high alert,” the political chief said.

Positive note

She reported that the JMC’s eastern and western delegations met on Monday and Tuesday in Spain for the first time since the end of February.

After discussions with the 5+5 Commission, the Special Adviser said that the members expressed their readiness to resume negotiations over the Ceasefire Agreement implementation.

Meanwhile, the reluctance of the Government of National Unity (GNU) to pay the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) salaries for the first quarter of this year – the military wing of the rival eastern administration – triggered the closure of several oil fields and ports, “cutting the country’s daily oil output in half,” Ms DiCarlo told ambassadors.

However, following Special Adviser Williams’ intercession with the GNU, the outstanding salaries were paid. Mr. Dbeibah confirmed that he would authorize regular monthly payments.

A fourteen-year-old migrant from Niger rests his hand on a gate inside a detention centre, in Libya.

© UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi

“Oil production, however, has yet to return to normal,” she added.

Rights concerns

The human rights situation in Libya remains a source of great concern, Ms. DiCarlo told the Council, elaborating on a new wave of youth arrests for alleged crimes against “Libyan culture and values”.

And restrictions persist on the work of civil society organisations, including women’s rights groups accused of violating “the principles and values of Libyan society.”

Special Adviser Williams visited mass graves in Tarhouna and met with families of victims who disappeared between 2012 and 2020.

“The perpetrators of these horrific crimes have yet to be brought to justice,” said Ms. DiCarlo, shining a light on the “highly precarious” situation of internally displaced people.

Equally worrying are the continued campaigns of mass arrests and detention – in inhumane conditions – of undocumented foreign nationals and migrants in the western region.

Resolving differences

“It is imperative that the ceasefire in Libya be maintained, calm preserved and any steps that could result in renewed violence be avoided,” the political chief underscored.

It is imperative that the ceasefire in Libya be maintained – UN political chief

She stressed the need for all parties to uphold their commitment to “the peaceful resolution of political differences” and for political and security actors to “look beyond their personal interests and continue to engage constructively” in upcoming talks supporting the electoral/constitutional track.

“This is the only way to fulfil the aspirations of the Libyan people to select their representatives through the ballot box,” Ms. DiCarlo said, maintaining that the UN would “spare no effort” to support Libyans in building “a stable and peaceful country.”

Staunch allies

The Under-Secretary-General flagged the importance of the Council’s support, which she described as “invaluable in keeping a political process alive”.

Meanwhile, a coordinated and constructive effort is required to prevent further polarization and end the political stalemate.

During a time of “aggravated global turmoil,” she upheld that unity in the Council and the international unity on peace in Libya is “especially important”.

“It is what Libyans deserve. It is what the world needs,” concluded Ms. DiCarlo.

Click here to listen to the meeting in its entirety,

A boy runs in the ruins of the Bab al-Aziziyah compound in Tripoli, Libya.

© UNICEF/Giovanni Diffidenti
A boy runs in the ruins of the Bab al-Aziziyah compound in Tripoli, Libya.

Resolve the conflict, don’t just manage it, top envoy tells Israelis, Palestinians

“There are tangible, ongoing arrangements that can be regularized and expanded immediately – if there is political will,” said Tor Wennesland, adding that he is actively engaged with Israelis, Palestinians, regional States and the broader international community, to forge a return to the negotiating path that will end the occupation and establish two States.

Familiar patterns

To be sure, recent weeks have been filled with the familiar pattern of daily violence, he said: armed clashes, settlement expansion, evictions, demolitions and seizures of Palestinian structures, as well as a deadly terrorist attack in Israel.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority’s financial situation – compounded by the constraints of the occupation, the absence of serious Palestinian reforms and unclear prospects for donor support – is dire.  These dynamics, combined with the financial crisis, are “dangerously converging and intensifying”, he said.

Economic relief needed

While immediate steps to reverse the trends and support the Palestinian people are essential, a better coordinated and strategic approach by the parties and the international community is needed.

First and foremost, he called for expanded and more sustainable economic relief.  An agreed and updated regulatory framework for the Israeli-Palestinian economic relationship is not only vital to bringing about meaningful economic dividends for the Palestinians, but would add a tangible political perspective to these economic steps.

Political steps

He also called for political and security steps that address core conflict drivers and ultimately lead towards an end to the occupation and the achievement of a negotiated two-State solution.

Security Council Meets on Situation in Middle East, Including Palestinian Question

UN Photo/Mark Garten
Security Council Meets on Situation in Middle East, Including Palestinian Question

Death of a hero

He also acknowledged the killing of revered Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, as she covered events in the West Bank city of Jenin on 11 May.

“Her death brought Palestinians, and countless others around the world, together in grief and anger,” he said, while serving as another reminder of the devastating human cost of the conflict.

Against that backdrop, he reiterated the Secretary-General’s condemnation of all attacks against journalists and his call for relevant authorities to carry out an independent and transparent investigation.  “Those responsible must be held accountable,” he insisted.

African nations leading the way on ‘food systems transformation’: Guterres 

António Guterres was addressing the start of a high-level policy dialogue at UN Headquarters in New York, part of the Africa Dialogue Series 2022, convened to strengthen resilience in food supplies across the continent, at a time when “decades of progress on hunger are being reversed.” 

Deep connections 

He said for too long, nutrition, food security, conflicts, climate change, ecosystems and health have been treated as separate concerns, “but these global challenges are deeply interconnected. Conflict creates hunger. The climate crisis amplifies conflict”, and systemic problems are just getting worse. 

He noted that after more than a decade of improvements, one in five Africans were undernourished in 2020, while 61 million African children are affected by stunting. Women and girls bear the brunt, and when food is scarce, “they are often the last to eat; and the first to be taken out of school and forced into work or marriage.” 

Mr. Guterres said that UN humanitarians and partners were doing their utmost to meet Africa’s needs amidst crisis, but aid “cannot compete with the systemic drivers of hunger.” 

Other “external shocks” were exacerbating the situation, such as an uneven recovery from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, with African countries among the most heavily impacted by grain shortages and rising debt.  

A Central African Republic refugee living in Cameroon prepares food for her customers.

UN Women/Ryan Brown
A Central African Republic refugee living in Cameroon prepares food for her customers.

Climate crisis frontline 

Building resilience also requires addressing the climate crisis. 

African farmers are on the frontlines of our warming planet, from rising temperatures to droughts and floods,” he said. 

“Africa needs a massive boost in technical and financial support to adapt to the impact of the climate emergency and provide renewable electricity across the continent.” 

He added that developed countries must deliver on their $100 billion climate finance commitment to developing countries, with the help of international financial institutions, so African countries, in particular, can invest in a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, on the tide of renewable energy.  

Food systems, said the Secretary-General, “connect all these challenges”, as highlighted at last September’s UN Food Systems Summit. 

“Many African Member States led the call for fundamental change, through inclusive transformation pathways, which aim to address – simultaneously – food security, nutrition, social protection, environmental conservation and resilience to shocks.” 

He welcomed the African Union (AU) decision to designate 2022 as the Year of Nutrition – a pledge to act on the strong commitments made at the Summit. 

Collective expertise 

“Through national, regional and global cooperation, we must build on lessons learned and harness collective expertise. Together, we must deliver on these pathways”, Mr. Guterres added. 

The international community must rise to the occasion”, he declared, adding that scaling back support when demand is at an all-time high, was “not an option.” 

Official Development Assistance, or ODA, based on a percentage of available public funds, is more necessary than ever, he said. 

“I urge all countries to demonstrate solidarity, invest in resilience, and prevent the current crisis from escalating further.” 

The UN chief said that during his recent visit to Senegal, Niger, and Nigeria, he had been inspired by the resilience and determination of the people he met. 

“Women and young people in particular were committed to lasting, sustainable solutions that enable them to live in peace with their neighbours and with nature.” 

If we work together, if we put people and planet before profit, we can transform food systems, deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind.” 

The ambitious goals, he concluded, of ending hunger and malnutrition by the fast-approaching 2030 deadline, were realistic, and achievable. 

The United Nations stands by your side, every step of the way.” 

UN Syria Commission: ‘unconscionable to consider closing last border crossing’

Calling on the Security Council to ensure life-saving humanitarian aid to Syria, the UN Commission said it would be “unconscionable to consider closing last border crossing when needs are at their highest”.

Time running out

With the current “exceptional authorization” for humanitarian aid delivery through the last remaining border crossing into northwest Syria expiring on 10 July, Security Council members last week “worryingly expressed opposing views on the need to extend this authorization”, said the press release issued by the independent Commission, which was established by the Human Rights Council.

The exception has guaranteed access to desperately needed aid for millions of Syrians, since 2014.

As the country faces its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since the start of the conflict, the international community has the responsibility to “safeguard existing, life-saving cross-border assistance and increase their funding pledges to support this aid”, the statement continues.

Worsening conditions

According to UN data, 14.6 million Syrians are now dependent on humanitarian assistance, the highest ever recorded. Across Syria, 12 million people face acute food insecurity – a staggering 51 per cent increase since 2019.

In opposition-held northwest Syria, humanitarian conditions are deteriorating due to the ongoing hostilities and a deepening economic crisis.

Furthermore, some 4.1 million people there, rely on aid to meet their basic needs, and 80 percent of them are women and children.

Moral abomination

“It is a moral abomination that a Security Council resolution was in itself deemed necessary to facilitate cross-border aid in the face of consistent violations – by the Government of Syria and other parties – of their obligations under international law to allow and facilitate humanitarian relief for civilians in need,” Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the UN Syria Commission, said.

Through the cross-border operations authorized by the Security Council, aid reaches around 2.4 million of them every month, making it a vital lifeline to the population in northwest Syria.

“Aid delivery must be based only on a transparent and impartial humanitarian assessment, regardless of whether it is achieved through cross-line or cross-border modalities. All obstacles to humanitarian aid must be removed. This includes those caused by sanctions, even if unintentionally,” Commissioner Lynn Welchman said.

The work of the Commission

Throughout its 11 years of investigating the conflict, the Commission has documented how hostilities, including attacks affecting emergency relief personnel, transport, and infrastructure, as well as further violence and insecurity, have hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the country.

It has also found that both the Government and non-State armed groups have repeatedly used humanitarian aid within Syria for political bargaining, and often deliberately withheld it for specific populations, particularly those under siege.

Remember the Syrian people

Reminding that “the funds for humanitarian assistance are simply not sufficient to address the needs and protect the Syrians right now,” Commission Chair Paulo Pinheiro, asked the international community to not abandon the Syrian people, who have endured 11 years of devastating conflict.

The recent conflict in Ukraine is also contributing to an unprecedented economic hardship for Syria and its people, with skyrocketing prices coupled with shortages of wheat and other commodities.

Afghan authorities urged to address serious human rights challenges

Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett was speaking to journalists at the end of an 11-day visit to the country. 

Mr. Bennett said Afghanistan is facing a plethora of human rights challenges that are having a severe impact on the country’s people. However, the Taliban have failed to acknowledge or address the magnitude and gravity of abuses, many of which were committed in their name. 

Mitigating further suffering 

“The Taliban stands at a crossroads. Either the society will become more stable and a place where every Afghan enjoys freedom and human rights, or it will become increasingly restrictive,” he said.  

“If benchmarks are met such as the urgent opening of secondary schools for girls, the establishment of an inclusive administration that genuinely represents every segment of the Afghan society, and a platform is provided for dialogue and avenues for redressing grievances, the risks of further instability and suffering in Afghanistan may be mitigated.” 

While in Afghanistan, Mr. Bennett met with Taliban leaders and civil society representatives, including women human rights defenders, as well as journalists, minorities, victims of human rights violations, people with disabilities, and judicial members. 

The invitation by the de facto authorities allowed the UN expert access to the entire territory, and to visit sensitive locations, such as schools, hospitals, and prisons, reflecting what he called a crucial commitment to ensure that transparent monitoring could be undertaken. 

Revenge killings continue 

Mr. Bennett noted that armed hostilities in many parts of the country had ceased, with a reduction in conflict-related casualties since the Taliban takeover last August. The recent establishment of a commission for the return of leading Afghan personalities may provide an opportunity for dialogue, and potentially strengthen governance, he added. 

Although the granting of the general amnesty to officials of the former Government and members of the security forces could be a first step toward reconciliation, he was alarmed about reports of ongoing extrajudicial and revenge killings of former members of the security forces and officials, and door-to-door searches. 

Addressing the ongoing humanitarian and economic crisis, Mr. Bennett called on the international community to continue to provide support to Afghanistan, and to ensure equitable and gender-sensitive aid distribution.   

Governments also should ensure that the implementation of sanctions does not substantially hamper the provision of essential public services. 

Invisible women 

Mr. Bennett also expressed alarm that many of the de facto authorities’ policies and drive for absolute control, are having a cumulative effect on a wide range of human rights. They also are creating a society ruled by fear. 

The advancing erasure of women from public life was especially concerning, he said, citing measures such as the suspension of girls’ secondary education, severe barriers to employment, enforcing a strict form of Hijab, or body covering, and limits on freedom of movement, association, and expression. 

“I call upon the de facto authorities to immediately reverse policies and directives that negatively impact women as well as to prioritize women’s and girls’ rights to equal participation in education, employment, and all other aspects of public life,” he said.  

Women receive food rations at a food distribution site in Herat, Afghanistan.

© UNICEF/Sayed Bidel
Women receive food rations at a food distribution site in Herat, Afghanistan.

Minorities under attack 

The rights expert also called for investigations into a series of attacks on places of worship and schools in Kabul, Kunduz, and Balkh provinces, some of which have been claimed by the ISIS-K terrorist group.  

He said such attacks, which specifically target members of the Hazara, Shia, and Sufi communities are becoming increasingly systematic in nature and reflect elements of an organizational policy, thus bearing hallmarks of crimes against humanity.  

Recently, Panjshir and other northern provinces have seen clashes between the de facto security forces and fighters affiliated with the National Resistance Front, an anti-Taliban group.   

Mr. Bennett was concerned about allegations that civilians have suffered violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced displacement. 

The high number of reports of intimidation, harassment, attacks, arrests, and in some cases killing or disappearance of journalists, prosecutors, judges, and civil society members, was another serious concern, he said. 

Role of UN Rapporteurs 

Special Rapporteurs like Mr. Bennett monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. 

These independent experts receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council and serve in their individual capacity. 

They are not UN staff, and they are not paid for their work. 

Mr. Bennett was appointed in April and will deliver his first report to the Council in September. 

‘Grim reality’ of war’s deadly toll on civilians laid bare in Security Council

Updating the ambassadors on the latest UN report on protecting civilians in armed conflict, Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Coordination Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that hostilities in densely populated areas, “sharply” increased the risks of death and injury for civilians.

When explosive weapons were used in populated areas, about 90 per cent of casualties were civilians, compared to 10 per cent in other areas”.

Catalogue of destruction

War damages and erodes critical infrastructure, by disrupting vital water, sanitation, electricity and health services, and puts education at risk – depriving hundreds of thousands of children of tuition, while rendering them vulnerable to forced recruitment, and other dangers.

“In the first nine months of last year, over 900 schools in Afghanistan were destroyed, damaged or closed and their rehabilitation hindered by explosive hazards,” he stated.

Conflict also damages the natural environment not just through fighting, but due to a lack of good governance and neglect.

Forcible displacement

“We are all too familiar with the cycle of violence and displacement, and 2021 was no exception,” said Mr. Rajasingham. “By midyear, fighting and insecurity had forcibly displaced 84 million people, with close to 51 million of them internally displaced”.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported over the weekend that the Ukraine war and other conflicts have pushed the number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution, to over 100 million, for the first time on record.

When civilians flee, they often left behind people with disabilities and those who manage to leave frequently confront difficulties in accessing assistance.

Health impacts

Conflict also takes a significant toll on mental health.

“More than one in five people living in conflict-affected areas were estimated to suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD,” said the deputy humanitarian chief.

Medical workers, facilities, equipment and transport continued to come under attack, while parties to conflict interfered with medical care.

“In northern Ethiopia, healthcare facilities, equipment and transport were attacked and looted, and hospitals used for military purposes,” he elaborated.

And the pandemic has intensified human suffering and strained weakened healthcare services.

“Nearly three billion people are still waiting for their first vaccine, many of them in conflict situations where health systems are weak and public trust is low,” Mr. Rajasingham told the Council.  

Humanitarian struggles

At the same time, parties to conflicts have heightened food insecurity by destroying supply chains, as aid workers continued to face complex challenges depriving civilians of life-saving assistance.

Children play in a neighbourhood ravaged by conflict in Iraq.

© UNICEF/UN0330643/Anmar
Children play in a neighbourhood ravaged by conflict in Iraq.

And as non-State armed groups further complicate humanitarian access negotiations, private military and security contractors have increasingly thrown up roadblocks for humanitarians desperately trying to deliver aid, said the deputy relief chief.

Moreover, as sanctions and broad counterterrorism measures interfere with humanitarian work, misinformation and disinformation have eroded trust – putting humanitarians at risk of harm and further jeopardizing operations.

“When humanitarian activities were politicized, community acceptance was jeopardized,” detailed the OCHA chief. “Humanitarian staff were intimidated, arrested and detained while carrying out their functions.”

Last year, some 143 security incidents against humanitarian workers were recorded in 14 countries and territories affected by conflict, along with 93 humanitarian deaths.

Of those killed, injured or kidnapped, 98 per cent were national staff.

Ukraine: Suffering and loss

Since 24 February, OHCHR has recorded 8,089 civilian casualties in Ukraine, with 3,811 killed and 4,278 injured.

Hospitals, schools, homes, and shelters have come under attack, 12 million have been forced from their homes, and tens of thousands of civilians remained trapped and cut off from food, water and electricity.

The prospect of nuclear conflict, once unthinkable, is now back within the realm of possibility,” said the Deputy Relief Coordinator.

Turning to the war’s impact on exports, he said that food, fuel and fertilizer prices have skyrocketed globally – with increases of up to 30 per cent for staple foods affecting people across Africa and the Middle East – “hitting the poorest people the hardest…and planting the seeds for further political instability and unrest worldwide.”

A woman retrieves possessions from her bombed house in the village of Novoselivka, near Chernihiv, Ukraine.

UNDP Ukraine/Oleksandr Ratushnia
A woman retrieves possessions from her bombed house in the village of Novoselivka, near Chernihiv, Ukraine.

Compliance

Mr. Rajasingham underscored that all States and non-State actors must comply with international humanitarian law (IHL), including by avoiding explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas.

He also upheld the need to integrate legal protections into military training, doctrine, and policy and legal frameworks.

“Parties to conflict and States must apply much greater political will and commitment to respect the rules of war,” concluded the senior UN official.

Uphold humanitarian tenets

Robert Mardini, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, briefs the Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Robert Mardini, reminded ambassadors that respect for IHL requires accountability and constructive dialogue with States and the various parties to conflict.

Humanitarian principles must never be compromised, he said.

Recalling that ICRC has been briefing the Council year after year on the plight of civilians, he argued that civilian protection should be made more of a strategic priority by States, in the planning and conduct of all military operations “in populated areas, which includes avoiding the use of heavy explosive weapons.”

‘New muscle’ needed

David Miliband, President of the International Rescue Committee, and a former British Foreign Secretary, stressed that early warning mechanisms must not be allowed to “gather dust.”

“We see the constraints around this Council as well as in the conflict zones where we work.  But we also look to the wider international community to break the deadlock,” he said, advocating for the General Assembly to establish independent mechanisms to gather evidence on violations of international law. 

Mr. Miliband also maintained the need for “new muscle” to prevent “the strangulation and weaponization of aid,” and more determination to uphold existing rights.

Click here to view the meeting in its entirety. 

Disaster prevention, risk reduction, critical to sustainable future: UN deputy chief

Ms. Mohammed was speaking at the opening of the Seventh Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction – the first international forum on the issue since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – bringing together governments, the UN and key stakeholders.

During the three-day meeting, participants will take stock of implementation of a 2015 agreement known as the Sendai Framework, which aims to protect development gains from the risk of disaster.

Resilient future

The UN deputy chief told participants that the world is looking to the forum for leadership, wisdom, and expertise.

“The decisions you take can play a significant part in preventing another calamity like the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.  “We can – and we must – put our efforts firmly behind prevention and risk reduction, and build a safe, sustainable, resilient and equitable future for all.”

Disasters are already hampering global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (third left) visits the UN in Indonesia booth at the first post-pandemic global disaster summit in Bali.

© UNDRR
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (third left) visits the UN in Indonesia booth at the first post-pandemic global disaster summit in Bali.

Lessons from COVID-19

Stressing the need for urgency, Ms. Mohammed outlined four areas for action, starting with learning from the pandemic.

“We must secure better coherence and implementation of the humanitarian development nexus.  That means improving risk governance. Because despite our efforts, risk creation is outpacing risk reduction,” she said.

Ms. Mohammed noted that currently, there are no governance frameworks in place to manage risks and to mitigate their impact. She said the UN’s 2022 Global Assessment Report, published last month, outlines ways in which governance systems can evolve to better address systemic risks. 

The report “makes clear that in a world of uncertainty, understanding and reducing risk, is fundamental to achieving sustainable development”, she added.

Invest in data

For her second point, Ms. Mohammed emphasized the importance of investing in stronger data capabilities.  

She pointed to “new multilateral instruments” in this area, such as the UN’s Complex Risk Analytics Fund, which supports “data ecosystems” that can better anticipate, prevent, and respond to complex threats, before they turn into full-blown disasters

“This includes jointly developing risk analysis, and investing in coordination and data infrastructure that enables knowledge-sharing and joint anticipatory action. Such investments will us help us navigate complex risks earlier, faster, and in a more targeted and efficient manner,” she said.

Mangroves serve as a protective ecosystem for the community of Punta de Miguel near Ecuador’s border with Colombia.

© WFP/Giulio d'Adamo
Mangroves serve as a protective ecosystem for the community of Punta de Miguel near Ecuador’s border with Colombia.

Support vulnerable countries

As the world’s Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States suffer disproportionately during disasters, her third point centred on giving greater focus to them. 

Disasters in these countries can wipe out decades of development progress and economic growth, she said, with very serious long-term economic and social consequences. 

“We urgently need to step up international cooperation for prevention and disaster risk reduction in the most vulnerable countries and for the most vulnerable communities, including women and girls, people with disabilities, the poor, marginalized and isolated,” she said.

Early warning saves lives

Ms. Mohammed listed the provision of Early Warning Systems as one example of an effective measure that provides a considerable return on investment.

She said the UN Secretary-General has asked the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to present an action plan at the next UN Climate Conference (COP27), to be held in Egypt in November, aimed at ensuring that every person on earth is covered by Early Warning Systems within five years.   

For her final point, Ms. Mohammed called for the public and financial sectors to be “risk proofed”, stating that “we need to ‘think resilience’, account for the real cost of disasters and incentivize risk reduction, to stop the spiral of disaster losses.”

Governments also need to factor disaster risk reduction into financial frameworks, while “alternative measurements, beyond Gross Domestic Product, should take account of disaster risk and resilience.”

Aerial view of damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Antigua and Barbuda (2017).

UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
Aerial view of damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Antigua and Barbuda (2017).

Resilience ‘must be our mantra’: Shahid

The President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, said that one overriding lesson of COVID and the climate crisis, was that those who are furthest behind, and who suffer the most are “far to often, wiped away by whatever crisis comes their way.”

“Our recovery from the pandemic must reflect this knowledge. Resilience, must be our mantra”, he said.

“Every new building, every new social programme, every budget and every initiative must be designed and executed in a way that reduces risk. It must be embedded into everything we do, from the very beginning, and cross-checked at each step of the way.

“And the importance, no, the necessity, of this will only increase.”

Mr. Shahid said the requirement now, was for a “transformative recovery” that makes up for gaps in economic, social, and environmental policies, and over production and consumption.

“Everything about the way we live on this planet, must now be seen through a precautionary lens, ever mindful of the volatility that exists, and laser focused on covering gaps and strengthening defences.

Such a recovery, he said, “requires more than policy, it requires whole-of-society ownership.”

Seize the moment

The Seventh Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and is being hosted by the Government of Indonesia. 

President Joko Widodo said his country is highly prone to disasters.

“In 2022, as of May 23, 1,300 disasters have taken place, and in a month, on average, 500 earthquakes happened,” he said.

“Therefore, at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, today, the government of Indonesia offers to the world the concept of resilience as a solution to mitigate all forms of disasters, including pandemics.”

President Widodo also called on all nations to “commit and be serious” in implementing the Sendai Framework.

UNHCR chief urges support for Bangladesh to save Rohingya lives, ‘build hope’

The world must remember the crisis that Rohingya refugees and their hosts have been facing for the last five years,” Filippo Grandi said after visiting refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char island, in the Bay of Bengal.    

Bangladesh hosts some one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled from Myanmar in 2017.

UN priority

Mr. Grandi lauded the Bangladesh Government’s leadership in making important strides in refugee response, including the provision of COVID-19 vaccinations for more than 88 per cent of the population, aged 18 and over.

“Bangladesh, which has led in assisting nearly a million refugees, remains a priority partner for UNHCR, but continued international support is crucial to provide life-saving assistance and build hope,” he stressed.

Support, imperative

Noting that refugee lives depend on “how the international community responds in caring for them,” the High Commissioner reminded that international support was vital, “including flexible funding to protect Rohingya refugees until they can safely return home.”

In meeting with national leaders, UNHCR donors and humanitarian actors, he also emphasized the need to maintain refugees’ hopes for voluntary return to Myanmar, as the situation allows.

The world must work to address the root causes of their flight and to translate those dreams into reality,” said the High Commissioner.

Hope of return

According to Mr. Grandi, the solutions lie within Myanmar.

“The Rohingya refugees I met reiterated their desire to return home when conditions allow”, he said.

Meanwhile, under a tripartite agreement maintained with the military leadership, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and UN Development Programme (UNDP) continue to work on community projects in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

He explained however, that those initiatives must be scaled up and better supported, to create conditions for voluntary returns in a just, safe, and sustainable manner.

Safety, dignity, and education

In the meantime, Bangladesh has offered a welcoming interim home to those on the move – some 52 per cent of whom are under 18.

As such, the UNHCR chief maintained the importance of enabling Rohingya parents to send their children to school and study according to the Myanmar curriculum, which is being rolled out in the refugee camps.

Bangladesh, which has led in assisting nearly a million refugees, remains a priority partner for UNHCR – High Commissioner for Refugees

Skills development and livelihood activities in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char are extremely important in allowing refugees to build peaceful communities, contribute to a safe environment and support their sustainable return.”

Island camp

The Bangladesh Government has relocated some 28,000 Rohingya refugees to the offshore island of Bhasan Char, where it has scaled up essential humanitarian services.

He called for continued strong management of conditions on the island, enhanced education services, skills development and livelihood initiatives. 

Humanitarian agencies need more than $881 million this year to support approximately 1.4 million people, including 920,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and around 540,000 Bangladeshis “in neighbouring communities.”

As of this month, the Joint Response Plan is only 13 per cent funded.

Cultural destruction in Ukraine by Russian forces will reverberate for years, UN rights expert warns

“As in other conflicts, we currently witness the unfolding of suffering in Ukraine that does not seem to end and we cannot stop,” said Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur on cultural rights.

“The questioning and denial of the Ukrainian identity and history as a justification for war, is a violation of the Ukrainians’ right to self-determination and their cultural rights.

“Self-identification is the paramount expression of these rights and all discussions, by States and in social media, should respect this.”

She said that the considerable loss of cultural heritage already, and destruction of cultural artefacts, was worrying for the identity of both Ukrainians and minorities within the country, and would impact the return to a peaceful multicultural society after the end of the war.

Museums under fire

Ms. Xanthaki expressed her concern at damage inflicted by Russian forces on city centres, cultural sites and monuments and museums, housing important collections.

“These are all part of the identity of people in Ukraine; their loss will have a lasting effect,” the expert said. She shared UN cultural agency UNESCO’s concern that there is an existential threat to Ukraine’s entire cultural life.

The expert said the cultural rights of all individuals – Ukrainians, Russians and other members of minorities living within Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and elsewhere – must be fully respected and protected.

“As the battles rage on, we are not completely powerless,” she said. “Beyond recalling that the rules of international humanitarian and human rights law should be scrupulously applied by all parties to the conflict, we must ensure that culture helps us maintain our dignity and is not used as a means to pursue and fuel the war

“We often do not measure how devastating violations of cultural rights can be for peace”, she continued.

“Attempts against academic and artistic freedoms, linguistic rights, falsification and distortion of historical facts, denigration of identities and denial of the right to self-determination, result in further degeneration and fueling of open conflict.”

The expert paid tribute to the many cultural professionals in Ukraine devoted to protecting the country’s heritage, who are using powerful artistic expression, against the war, and in favour of peace.

‘Regret’ over retaliation

The Special Rapporteur also expressed her regret about the indiscriminate exclusion of Russian artists from cultural events.

“I am saddened by the numerous restrictions affecting Russian artists in retaliation for the actions of the Russian Government, as well as by the deprogramming of sometimes centuries-old works of art from Russian writers or composers”.

Ms. Xanthaki cited reports of Russian musicians prevented from performing or taking part in competitions, and of Russian artists being asked to publicly take sides.

“It is especially in this situation of continuous dehumanization, that culture and cultural rights must be visible and visibly push for humanity, empathy and peaceful co-existence,” she said.

UN Special Rapporteurs are independent experts, appointed by the Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff, nor are they paid by the UN, for their work.

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