May 2023 — Page 2 of 13 — Human Rights & Charity

Sudan: UN and partners scramble to supply aid as fragile ceasefire holds

Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents at the regular noon briefing that the opportunity to provide services and support to the millions of Sudanese who are suffering due to the six weeks of fighting between national army forces and their powerful rival militia, the RSF, was only feasible in areas where the ceasefire holds.

Relative calm has prevailed since the truce was reached between the feuding generals, in Jeddah, a week ago, but news reports suggest that flare ups in recent days are threating the continuation of the United States and Saudi-monitored ceasefire.

UNICEFSudan

Aid trucks en route

“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that some 20 trucks carrying supplies from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are now on their way to different parts of Sudan today”, he said.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has reached more than 500,000 people in nine states with food and nutrition support since restarting distributions about three weeks ago.

“WFP is also planning distributions in Central Darfur and Northern State. Yesterday, trucks loaded with food aid arrived in Wadi Halfa, and today in Port Sudan, WFP started providing food to some 4,000 new arrivals”, Mr. Dujarric continued.

According to UN agencies, six newborn babies died at a hospital in the city of Eld’aeen in East Darfur in just one week, due to problems including lack of oxygen amid electricity blackouts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 30 newborns have died at the hospital since the start of the fighting, Mr. Dujarric continued. WHO is in touch with healthcare providers to see what it can do to support, he said.

Half the population needs aid

An estimated 24.7 million people, or half the population, require urgent humanitarian assistance and protection, according to the UN’s top humanitarian official in the country, Abdou Dieng.

Mr. Dieng noted in a statement published late on Wednesday that this number had risen by 57 per cent since the beginning of the year.

He said that aid partners have provided food for over 500,000 people in the country since the beginning of May, in addition to supplying water, healthcare and hygiene support to hundreds of thousands of displaced people, whenever access was possible.

Mr. Dieng reiterated humanitarians are ready to deliver assistance to over four million in need and called on the relevant authorities to allow aid workers to move supplies “swiftly and safely”.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than two-thirds of hospitals are out of service because of fighting in Sudan, while in areas that did not see fighting, medical facilities are running low on supplies and staff, fuel, oxygen and blood bank services.

Rape, sexual violence

The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, also highlighted her grave concern on Wednesday over multiple reports of sexual violence against women and girls, including allegations of rape, by combatants on both sides.

“I am very alarmed by emerging reports of sexual violence in different parts of Sudan and urge all parties to the conflict to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law, and in particular, to guarantee immediate and complete cessation of all violence against civilians, including sexual violence, as per their respective commitments” made in ceasefire terms.

She said it was “imperative that unfettered access to services is guaranteed by all parties”, calling on them to instantly “issue strict command orders that prohibit sexual violence, directed at their own forces as well as groups and individuals fighting on their side or under their command, and put in place mechanisms to adequately monitor the conduct of all armed elements they control”, she added.

Arrest of Rwanda genocide fugitive marks end of year-long ‘intense investigation’

UNESCO names 18 new Global Geoparks

The UNESCO Global Geopark designation was created in 2015, and recognizes “geological heritage of international significance”. Geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation with public outreach and a sustainable approach to development.

The 18 new designations brings the total up to 195 Geoparks, covering a total surface area of 486,709 km², equivalent to twice the size of the United Kingdom. Two UNESCO Member States are joining the network for the first time: New Zealand and the Philippines.

Here’s a full list of the newcomers:

Brazil: Caçapava Geopark

Caçapava Geopark

Caçapava UNESCO Global Geopark in Brazil.

For the Guarani, an indigenous people in Brazil, this geopark is “the place where the jungle ends”, located in Rio Grande do Sul State in southernmost Brazil. Its geological heritage, which consists of mining sulfide metals and marble, has been vital for the region’s economic development. Besides its geodiversity, the geopark is home to endangered cacti, bromeliads, endemic flowers, and bee species.

Brazil: Quarta Colônia Geopark

This geopark is located in the south of Brazil between the Pampa and Atlantic Forest biomes. Its name is a reference to the period when Italians colonised the central part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. There are colonial villas, traces of indigenous and settlements of the quilombolas (formerly enslaved people of African descent). The geopark is also rich in fossils of animal and plant life, dating back 230 million years.

Greece: Lavreotiki Geopark

Famous for the abundance and variety of its mineralogical specimens, many of which were first discovered in the area, this geopark is known around the world for the silver that is extracted from mixed sulfide deposits. The region has been inhabited since antiquity due to its underground geological wealth and is currently home to over 25,000 inhabitants. Lavreotiki also houses the Byzantine Holy Monastery of St Paul the Apostle.

Indonesia: Ijen Geopark

This gem is located in the Banyuwangi and Bondowoso Regencies in East Java Province. Its location between the strait and the sea has made it a crossroads for human migration and commerce. Ijen is one of the most active volcanoes in the Ijen caldera system. Thanks to a rare phenomenon, high concentrations of sulfur rise from the active crater before igniting as they encounter the oxygen-rich atmosphere; as the gas burns, it forms an electric blue flame which is unique, and only visible at night.

Indonesia: Maros Pangkep Geopark

Maros Pangkep UNESCO Global Geopark in Indonesia.

Maros Pangkep Geopark

This geopark is located along the southern arm of the island of Sulawesi in the Maros and Pangkep Regencies. The local population is primarily composed of the indigenous peoples of Bugis and Makassarese. This archipelago lies in the Coral Triangle and serves as a centre for the conservation of coral reef ecosystems. The area is more than 100 million years old.

Indonesia: Merangin Jambi Geopark

This geopark is home to the unique fossils of “Jambi flora”, which are the only exposed fossilized plants of their kind in the world today. These are located in the central part of Sumatra Island in Indonesia. The name ‘Jambi flora’ refers to fossilized plants found as part of a rock formation dating from the Early Permian era (296 million years old). The fossils include mosses, primitive conifers and seed ferns, which reproduce via seed dispersal instead of through spores.

Indonesia: Raja Ampat Geopark

This geopark’s territory includes four main islands and is special for having the oldest exposed rock in the country, which is almost one-tenth as old as Earth itself. Scuba-divers flock to the area, drawn by the beauty of the underwater caves and the extraordinary marine mega-biodiversity. Here, they can observe rock art produced by prehistoric humans who lived in the area several thousand years ago.

Iran: Aras Geopark

Aras Geopark / Ehsan Zamanian

Aras UNESCO Global Geopark in Iran.

The Aras River marks the northern limit of this geopark located in northwestern Iran at the southern end of the Lesser Caucasus Mountain range. This mountain range acts as a natural barrier. It has created a range of climates, as well as rich geodiversity and biodiversity; it also links different cultures on the northern and southern sides of the mountain chain.

Iran: Tabas Geopark

Many thinkers have referred to the 22,771 km² of desert in northwest South Khorasan Province where this geopark is located as “the geological paradise of Iran”. This is because one can follow the evolution of the planet from the earliest part of the Earth’s history 4.6 billion years ago (the Precambrian) to the Early Cretaceous about 145 million years ago without the slightest interruption. The geopark is home to the Naybandan Wildlife Refuge, the largest in Iran, which covers an area of 1.5 million hectares and is the most important habitat of the Asian cheetah.

Japan: Hakusan Tedorigawa Geopark

Watagataki waterfall in the Tedori Gorge, Japan.

Located in central Japan, where it follows the Tedori River from Mount Hakusan down to the sea, the Hakusan Tedorigawa Geopark records approximately 300 million years of history. It contains rocks that were formed by the collision of continents. It also has strata containing fossils of dinosaurs which accumulated in rivers and lakes on land at a time when Japan was attached to the Eurasian continent.

Malaysia: Kinabalu Geopark

Mount Kinabalu dominates this geopark in the State of Sabah at the northern end of the island of Borneo. The highest mountain lying between the Himalayas and New Guinea, Mount Kinabalu has been attracting explorers for over a century. Covering an area of 4,750 km², the geopark is home to many endemic plants and animals, including 90 orchid species that exist only on Mount Kinabalu, and the crimson-headed partridge bird not found anywhere else on Earth.

UNESCO

New Zealand: Waitaki Whitestone Geopark

New Zealand’s first UNESCO Global Geopark lies on the east coast of the South Island. The landscapes, rivers and tides of this geopark have enormous cultural significance for the local indigenous people, the Ngāi Tahu whānui. The geopark offers exceptional insights into the history of the Earth’s eighth continent, Zealandia, or Te Riu-a-Māui in Maori. The geopark provides evidence of the formation of Zealandia, which broke away from the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana around 80 million years ago.

Norway: Sunnhordland Geopark

The landscapes in this geopark range from glacier-covered alpine mountains to archipelagos with thousands of islands situated on the strand-flat along the coast. The geological landscape displays textbook examples of glacial erosion that occurred during 40 ice ages. The Hardangerfjord Fault separates a billion years of geological evolution.

Philippines: Bohol Island Geopark

The Philippines’ first UNESCO Global Geopark, Bohol Island, sits in the Visayas island group. The island’s geological identity has been pieced together over 150 million years, as periods of tectonic turbulence have raised the island from the ocean depths. The geopark abounds in karstic geosites such as caves, sinkholes and cone karst, including the famous cone-shaped Chocolate Hills in the centre of the geopark.

Republic of Korea: Jeonbuk West Coast Geopark

This geopark tells 2.5 billion years of well-exposed geological history in the western part of the country. The vast tidal flats dotted with volcanoes and islands allow us to travel through time to piece together elements of the Earth’s history. Jeonbuk West Coast UNESCO Global Geopark has already been recognized by UNESCO as a natural and cultural World Heritage property and as a biosphere reserve.

Spain: Cabo Ortegal Geopark

Cabo Ortegal, Spain.

Take a journey into the interior of our planet by discovering rocks that emerged from the depths of the Earth almost 400 million years ago in what is now Cabo Ortegal UNESCO Global Geopark. This geopark provides some of the most complete evidence in Europe of the collision that caused Pangea, a process known as the Variscan Orogeny. Most of the rocks in this geopark were brought to the surface by the collision of two continents, Laurussia and Gondwana, which would eventually join the supercontinent Pangaea about 350 million years ago.

Thailand: Khorat Geopark

Khorat UNESCO Global Geopark, Thailand.

This geopark is mostly located in the LamTakhong river basin on the southwestern margin of the Khorat Plateau in Nakhon Ratchasima Province in northeast Thailand. The unique geological feature of the region is the diversity and abundance of fossils ranging in age from 16 million to 10,000 years. A large range of dinosaurs and other animal fossils like ancient elephants have been found in Mueang District.

United Kingdom: Mourne Gullion, Strangford

Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland..

This geopark tells the tale of how two oceans evolved over 400 million years of geological history. It charts the closure of the Iapetus Ocean and the birth of the North Atlantic Ocean, which generated large amounts of molten rock (or magma) both within the Earth’s crust and on the surface. The geopark is located in the southeast of Northern Ireland, adjacent to the border with the Republic of Ireland.

African free trade area could spur sustainable growth: UN chief

Mr. Guterres was speaking on the final day of the annual Africa Dialogue Series in New York, where the focus this year was on accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – set to be the largest in the world.

Harness the potential

He said the pandemic brought high food and energy prices, made worse by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, exacerbating poverty, inequalities, and food insecurity.

Governments have also faced rising interest rates, increasing the potential for debt, while climate change has created deadly floods and drought, contributing to the risk of hunger.

“Guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, we must ramp up our efforts and harness the full potential of trade and industrialization to advance sustainable, inclusive growth,” the UN chief told participants.

Millions could escape poverty

He said the AfCFTA is set to be an engine of that growth.

“Its full implementation could generate income gains of up to nine per cent by 2035, according to latest estimates. This would lift up to 50 million people out of extreme poverty and reduce income inequalities,” he added.

The Secretary-General stressed that realizing the AfCFTA promise calls for action across four critical areas, starting with boosting access to financial resources and investment.

“We need a fundamental reform of the global financial system so that Africa is represented at the highest level,” he said.  

Barriers that hold back intra-African trade and production capacities must also be broken down, including through eliminating tariffs, building “made in Africa” supply chains, and harmonizing regulations that would enable investment.

Leverage technology

His third point focused on energy and digital infrastructure, which are vital for African countries to build their manufacturing capacities and harness the full potential of innovation and entrepreneurship.

“We need to power Africa’s industrialization and leverage technology to leapfrog outdated infrastructure and head straight towards the fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Mr. Guterres.

The continent is also blessed with resources that could make it a leader in clean energy, he added, and the sector could generate more than six million jobs by mid-century. Yet Africa has received just two percent of global investment in renewables over the past decade.

Invest in people

His final point underscored investing in “human capital”, with Africa’s vibrant, young and innovative population representing both a dynamic workforce and massive market.

“Creating decent jobs, particularly for women, and promoting education, training and lifelong learning is the best way to ensure Africa’s people fully contribute to the continent’s digital revolution and sustainable growth,” he said.

Annual dialogue

The African Dialogue Series brings together policy and decision-makers, experts, academics, civil society representatives, young people and other stakeholders to examine challenges and opportunities impacting the continent.

It is organized by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and partners.

Protecting civilians in times of crisis

In 2022, the UN recorded a 53 per cent increase in the number of civilians killed across 12 armed conflicts, from Sudan to Ukraine.

Here are five reasons why strengthening the protection of civilians is imperative.

1. Minimize civilian harm

Armed conflicts result in civilian deaths, injuries, and psychological wounds. In 2022, nearly 94 per cent of the victims of explosive weapons used in populated areas were civilians in 17 conflict-affected countries and territories.

Conflicts lead to the destruction of homes, schools, healthcare facilities, water installations, and other essential infrastructure. When critical infrastructure is destroyed or damaged, this disrupts essential services such as water, electricity, and healthcare, causing even more suffering. Populations flee, unable return home for years.

2. Prevent and address hunger and famine

Conflict and insecurity were the most significant drivers of high levels of acute food insecurity for around 117 million people in 19 countries and territories in 2022.

Crops were destroyed, livestock stolen, land spoiled, roads blocked, and farmers driven from their fields. Livelihoods were lost while food prices increased sharply.

One-year-old Ahmed Mohammed undergoes a malnutrition check at an outpatient therapeutic feeding programme site supported by humanitarian partners in Jubaland state, Somalia, a country where an estimated 1.8 million children under age five will be acutely malnourished through December 2023.

3. Protect vulnerable groups

Women, children, and people with disabilities are affected by conflict in different ways, and ensuring their protection is critical.

In 2022, women and girls accounted for at least 95 per cent of victims of documented sexual violence. Children were abducted, recruited, and used in hostilities, and deprived of an education. Persons with disabilities were trapped in hostilities and unable to access food, water, healthcare, or humanitarian assistance.

A girl helps her sister on their way home from school in Idlib, Syria.

4. Ensure safe access for humanitarians

Humanitarians faced many overlapping challenges in their efforts to reach populations most in need.

Hostilities, explosive ordnance, bureaucratic impediments, States’ sanctions, and counter-terrorism measures slowed or stalled humanitarian activities, leaving people without the essentials they need.

In addition, they face attacks against them. Reports show that humanitarian workers have been killed or injured, and have faced other threats, including looting and kidnapping. Misinformation and disinformation have also undermined trust and have created security risks for humanitarians.

USG Griffiths visits Sudan – 3 May 2023

5. Prevent forced displacement and find durable solutions

Last year, the number of people forcibly displaced due to conflict, violence, human rights violations, and persecution exceeded an alarming 100 million.

Even after fleeing violence, people were still not safe. They faced more violence, explosive hazards, and limited access to essential services. Displaced persons faced greater difficulties accessing food, a difficulty that increased with the number of times they were displaced.

What must be done?

OCHA says protection measures must be improved and has underlined, the need for all States and parties to a conflict to incorporate international humanitarian law into their legislation, military manuals, and training.

They must also adopt specific protections for vulnerable persons, such as children and persons with disabilities, and should join the new Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas.

Calling on States to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access and the protection of all aid workers and supplies, OCHA said they should also ensure that their sanctions and counter-terrorism measures do not negatively impact the delivery of assistance.

The Protection of Civilians Week is a platform for bringing the voices of victims of armed conflict to New York and actively listening to what they have to say and need, providing an opportunity to forge connections and share knowledge and solutions.

Learn more about the Protection of Civilians Week 2023 here.

UN ‘determined’ to end backsliding on development goals, Guterres tells ECOSOC

António Guterres was addressing the first high stakes meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) Operational Activities for Development Segment at UN Headquarters in New York, which he described as “an important first step” towards providing accelerated action for reaching the 17 ambitious SDGs, by the 2030 deadline.

UNECOSOC

‘Weak and insufficient’

He said among the “fundamental goals” heading in the wrong direction, was that of reducing poverty and hunger. “Progress on another 50 per cent is weak and insufficient”, he added.

He outlined a raft of UN initiatives – from the emergency SDG Stimulus measure to scale-up financing for countries in need, to the Black Sea Initiative to aid countries suffering the effects of the Ukraine war – which he said were all serving the wider aim of getting the SDGs back on track.

Mr. Guterres praised the effectiveness of UN Country Teams worldwide, which were leading the Organization’s efforts for sustainable, inclusive development.

“Nobody could have foreseen, when the development reforms were put in place, that Country Teams would face such a challenging global environment.

“Despite that, four years on, the reforms have succeeded…Resident Coordinators are bringing United Nations entities together in support of countries’ priorities for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda”, he said.

‘Financing abyss’ for poorer nations

But when it comes to funding the Agenda, he said investment has fallen short.

“Many developing countries simply cannot afford to invest in the SDGs because they face a financing abyss”, he said.

The funding gap stood at $2.5 trillion before the COVID pandemic, but now stands at $4.2 trillion, according to the OECD.

Impressing on Member States the need for an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion a year, the UN chief also noted that the UN’s own Resident Coordinator system was “still chronically underfunded.”

Arms vs development

Given that the relatively “tiny investment” of $85 billion would underpin the stability of the UN development system, he contrasted this, with the more than $2 trillion per year spent on military budgets.

“It is simply not credible to pledge support for peace, if they are not prepared to invest a tiny fraction of this amount in sustainable development – the greatest prevention tool we have”, said the UN chief.

In conclusion, he said September’s SDG Summit “must be a moment of unity to provide a renewed impetus and accelerated action for achieving the SDGs”, that delivers concrete progress, and “a clear commitment to overhaul the current international financial architecture.”

That call was echoed by the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, who said this was “no ordinary year” for the battle to meet the SDGs.

“And this is no ordinary ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment. It is a milestone in our reform efforts and a critical bus-stop on our way to September“, she added.

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Rescuing SDGs, ‘more important than ever’

The Vice President of ECOSOC with responsibility for development issues, Albert Chimbindi, told the meeting that the key Development Segment was taking place “during one of the most challenging times in history”, with COVID-19 “still being felt worldwide”, amid new conflicts such as the Ukraine war, which continues to disrupt energy markets, stoking food insecurity and malnutrition.

“At the same time, the climate crisis, and natural disasters continue to impose massive economic damages, generating humanitarian crises in many countries”, he added.

Only collective action that addresses the interconnected crises, will be effective, he warned, in the form of integrated and well-designed policies “with multiplier effects within and across countries.”

“In a world in crisis, rescuing the Sustainable Development Goals is more important than ever”, he continued, adding that for now, most of the 17 goals were moving backwards.

Rescuing and turbocharging them, “must be our highest common priority”, and the driver for the whole UN Development System’s progress during the ECOSOC meetings in the weeks ahead.

Uphold promise to protect civilians caught in conflict: Guterres

The UN chief was speaking during a debate on ensuring the security and dignity of people caught in the crossfire and addressing the related issue of access to food and essential services.

Suffering and ‘outrage’

“Civilians have suffered the deadly effects of armed conflict for too long. It is time we live up to our promise to protect them,” said Mr. Guterres, who also called for action “to break the deadly cycle of armed conflict and hunger.”

antonioguterres

Last year, civilians accounted for 94 per cent of victims of explosive weapons deployed in populated areas, he said.

More than 117 million people worldwide also faced acute hunger in 2022, primarily because of war and insecurity, which he described as “an outrage”.

Easing the impact

He pointed to recent action towards alleviating the impact of conflict on civilians. For example, some warring parties have taken steps to protect children and allow humanitarians to access people in need.

Addressing food security, he mentioned measures such as the Black Sea Initiative to export grain from Ukraine amid the ongoing war, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding on bringing Russian food and fertilizer to global markets.

Last November, States adopted a political declaration on restricting or refraining from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, which he urged all countries to join.

The Council also adopted a resolution the following month which aims to prevent UN sanctions from harming civilians and obstructing humanitarian action.

Call for action

“These modest steps are welcome. But the terrible truth is that the world is failing to live up to its commitments to protect civilians; commitments enshrined in international humanitarian law,” said Mr. Guterres, referring to the Geneva Conventions.

“We need action and accountability to ensure it is respected. That depends on political will,” he added.

The Secretary-General urged the international community to intensify efforts to prevent conflict, protect civilians, preserve peace and find political solutions to war. 

Security Council’s ‘particular responsibility’

“Where war continues, all countries must comply with international humanitarian law and members of this Council have a particular responsibility,” he said.

He urged Governments to incorporate international humanitarian law into their own laws, and military rules and training, adding that humanitarians also must be assured safe access and attacks against them must cease.

The Council has a special role to play in urging States to respect the rules of war, he said. Governments with influence over warring parties should engage in political dialogue, and train forces on better protecting civilians. 

Additionally, countries that export weapons should refuse to do business with any party that fails to comply with international humanitarian law.

Furthermore, those who commit war crimes must be held to account. “States must investigate alleged war crimes, prosecute perpetrators and enhance other States’ capacity to do so,” he said.

Rise in conflict

In his remarks, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the “guardians” of the Geneva Conventions.

ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric, who also briefed the Council, reported that non-international armed conflicts have more than tripled over the past two decades – from less than 30 to over 90.

She issued an urgent call to protect civilians and critical infrastructure in urban areas.

“As fighting envelops towns and cities, such as in Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen, the ICRC is seeing large-scale and compounding patterns of harm. We need to break the pattern of violations, and this can be done through strong political will and sustained action” she said.

Ms. Spoljaric also spoke of the threat posed by misinformation and disinformation during conflict, which can fuel dangerous community divisions and undermine humanitarian action.

She also underscored that civilian protection covers everyone, regardless of gender.

In this regard, ICRC recommendations include ensuring that the clear prohibition of sexual violence under international humanitarian law is integrated into national laws, military doctrine and training.

No women, no peace

Civil society representative Aichatou Mounkaila from Niger delivered a message to the Council on behalf of women in the Lake Chad Basin region in Africa, where attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and other armed groups have displaced millions.

Speaking in French, she said women are the first victims of any crisis but they also are the first to provide solutions.

Ms. Mounkaila outlined five points that could inform the Council’s approach to ending conflict and hunger. Action includes encouraging donors to allocate more funding to gender-sensitive livelihood reconstruction in areas such as sustainable agriculture, where women play a central role, so that they can rebuild their lives and communities.

She also urged the Council to insist on the full, equal, and meaningful participation and leadership of women and girls at all levels of humanitarian response, community dialogues, peacebuilding and peace negotiations.

“Without women, no sustainable peace is possible,” she insisted.

WFP plan aims to prevent further food aid diversion in Ethiopia

WFP had paused distributions in the restive Tigray region in the north after finding evidence of significant supplies on sale in local markets, and immediately launched an investigation.

WFP_Ethiopia

Over 20 million people are in dire need of food assistance in Ethiopia, where communities continue to be affected by the impact of prolonged conflict and a historic drought across the Horn of Africa.

Zero tolerance policy

“WFP has zero tolerance for theft or diversion that prevents critical food from reaching the hungry families who need it to survive. Those found responsible must be held accountable,” Executive Director Cindy McCain said in a statement.

“We are committed to doing everything it takes to guarantee that food assistance benefits the people who need it most,” she added.

Targeting and tracking

The WFP plan will be enacted across all its operations in Ethiopia. Actions include implementing real-time food security and needs assessments, strengthening targeting and management of beneficiary lists and identity checks, and reinforcing tracking to follow food movements from warehouses to beneficiaries.

The Nobel Prize-winning agency will also work closely with Ethiopian regional and national authorities, and with partners, to implement needed reforms so that urgent food assistance can resume in Tigray and supports intended beneficiaries nationwide.

‘Actively assessing’

“Taking food away from the starving is unacceptable, whether in Ethiopia or anywhere else in the world,” said Ms. McCain.

“WFP is actively assessing all high-risk country operations to ensure stringent processes are in place so that our assistance makes it to the millions and millions of hungry people who depend on us.”

Horn of Africa: Over 7 million children under the age of 5 remain malnourished

More than seven million children under the age of five remain malnourished and in need of urgent nutrition aid, and over 1.9 million boys and girls* are at risk of dying from severe malnutrition.

As the region comes out of one of the worst droughts in 40 years, vulnerable communities have lost cattle, crops, and entire livelihoods over the past three years of failed rains.

“The crisis in the Horn has been devastating for children,” said Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Over the past three years, communities have been forced to take extreme measures to survive, with millions of children and families leaving their homes out of pure desperation in search of food and water. This crisis has deprived children of the essentials of childhood – having enough to eat, a home, safe water, and going to school.”

UNICEF

Deadly consequences

While the rains postponed the worst, they have also led to floods, as the extremely thirsty ground is unable to absorb large quantities of water, leading to further displacement, increased risk of disease, livestock loss and crop damage.

In Somalia, the rains have caused floods that have damaged homes, farmland, and roads, as well as washed away livestock and led to closures of schools and health facilities.

Initial estimates indicate that the flash and riverine floods across the country have affected at least 460,470 people, of whom nearly 219,000 have been displaced from their homes mainly in flood-prone areas, and 22 killed.

Floods have also caused widespread destruction and displacement in several regions of Ethiopia.

The flooding has deepened the vulnerability of populations already highly affected by the drought as the areas hit hardest by flooding and drought overlap.

The floods have also worsened health risks, including cholera, with the current outbreak among the longest ever recorded in Ethiopia.

“The rains have brought some relief and hope, but also new threats, and recovery doesn’t happen overnight,” said Mr. Fall. “It takes time for crops and herds to grow again, for families to recover from years of hardship. That’s why continued support is still critical.”

Domino effect

Across the region, 23 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The number of severely malnourished children seeking treatment in the first quarter of this year remains much higher than last year and will likely remain high for quite a while.

On top of nutrition needs, extreme weather, insecurity, and scarcity have also had devastating consequences for women and children, worsening the risk of gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation and abuse.

A path to recovery

Major outbreaks including cholera, measles, malaria, and other diseases are ongoing across the region, worsened by extreme weather conditions and fragile health systems. Food prices remain high in local markets, burdening children, and families. The climate crisis is compounding the severity of the situation, worsening mass displacement, malnutrition, and disease.

Mr. Fall underlined the need for greater funding. Thanks to donor support, UNICEF was able to provide services for the prevention of malnutrition to over 30 million children and mothers in 2022.

“This year, further flexible funding will not just help children recover from a crisis of this magnitude, but also go towards developing more resilient, sustainable systems for children in the region, that can withstand future climate impacts and other shocks,” he said.

“With the extreme weather cycles that we see today in the Horn of Africa, the next crisis may hit before children and families have had a chance to recover,” he added.

El Salvador: Renewed state of emergency undermines right to fair trial

the UN Human Rights Council said on Monday.

The state of emergency was first approved in March 2022, and initially for a month, but has been renewed ever since, generating a wave of mass incarceration.

UN_SPExperts

The experts called for the measure to be lifted immediately and for the Government to review the sweeping new powers introduced to tackle the country’s gang problem.

Trampling on rights

“The state of emergency was declared following a series of gang-related killings. Despite its obligation to protect citizens from such atrocious acts, the Government cannot trample on fair trial rights in the name of public safety,” they said in a statement.

The UN experts urged the authorities to ensure that people are not arrested on mere suspicion of gang membership or association without sufficient legal authorization.

Detainees should also be afforded all fundamental safeguards required under international human rights law and guaranteed due process.

Many arbitrary detentions

They noted that in September 2022, official figures indicated some 58,000 people had been detained. An Executive Decree issued six months later put the number at “more than 67,000”.

Information received indicates that many of these detentions are arbitrary, and some constitute short-term enforced disappearances, according to the experts.

“The prolonged state of emergency, together with legislation allowing for greater surveillance, broader prosecution, and faster determination of guilt and sentencing carries the risk of mass violations of the right to a fair trial,” they added. “Those caught up in the Government’s dragnet in El Salvador must be given their rights.”

They expressed concern about the Government’s reliance on the concept of “permanent flagrant crime” to influence warrantless arrests of people suspected of being gang members.

Mass hearings, ‘faceless judges’

Initial court hearings were reportedly held in groups of up to 500 people. Furthermore, public defenders have been given some three to four minutes to present the cases of 400 to 500 detainees at a time, and mass trials have also been reported.

“Mass hearings and trials – often conducted virtually – undermine the exercise of the right to defence and the presumption of innocence of detainees,” the experts said.

“The excessive use of pre-trial detention, the prohibition of alternative measures, trials in absentia, and the possibility of using practices such as ‘faceless judges’ and reference witnesses all undermine due process guarantees.”

Families also affected

Thousands of families have also been severely affected economically, the experts added, as they have had to incur additional costs to defend their relatives and provide for their wellbeing, health, and safety.

They said the measures threaten to criminalize people who happen to live in the most impoverished areas and who have themselves been targeted by gangs in the past.

The experts warned that the level of disruption and interference in the justice system risks limiting access to justice for all Salvadorans.

“It leads to undue delays in both civil and criminal cases, has a negative impact on guarantees of due process, protection against torture and of the right to life, and may lead to increased overcrowding in places of detention,” they said.

About UN experts

The three experts who issued the statement are Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, and Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

They receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva.

Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are not UN staff, and they are not paid for their work.