Tag: United Nations news

WHO launches new pandemic prevention plan, as COVID deaths fall 95 per cent

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The guidance provides a joined-up approach for responding to the threat or arrival of any respiratory pathogen such as flu or the range of coronaviruses, that have the ability to rapidly mutate into different variants.

The new Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats Initiative, or PRET, incorporates the latest tools and approaches for shared learning and collective action established during the COVID-19 pandemic, and other recent public health emergencies, said WHO.

In his regular weekly briefing in Geneva, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that next week, the agency would launch its fourth Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) issued by the UN health agency, since the first at the start of the COVID-19 emergency, in February 2020.

This update outlines how countries can “transition from an emergency response, to long-term, sustained management of COVID-19”, he said, over a two year period.

Hundreds of millions will need care

“We’re very encouraged by the sustained decline in reported deaths from COVID-19, which have dropped 95 per cent since the beginning of this year.”

However, some countries are seeing increases, Tedros cautioned, and over the past four weeks, 14,000 people lost their lives to COVID.

He said an estimated one in 10 infections now results in what’s commonly known as “long COVID”, “suggesting that hundreds of millions of people will need longer-term care” moving forward.

As the emergence of the new XBB.1.16 variant shows, the virus is still changing, and is still capable of causing new waves of disease and death, Tedros said.

Virus ‘is here to stay’

“We remain hopeful that sometime this year, we will be able to declare an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. But this virus is here to stay, and all countries will need to learn to manage it alongside other infectious diseases.”

The UN health chief joked that the acronym for the new PRET initiative, was deliberate: “prêt” means “ready” in French.

“Rather than focusing on specific pathogens or diseases, PRET takes an integrated approach to pandemic planning, by focussing on groups of pathogens and the systems they affect.

“To begin with, PRET will focus on respiratory pathogens, including influenza, coronaviruses, RSV, and as-yet-unknown pathogens”, but he added that pandemics by definition, were global events, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration.

Schools, prayer halls, town halls

“But it’s also designed to promote collaboration between sectors. As COVID-19 demonstrated, a pandemic is not just a health crisis. It affects economies, education, trade, travel, food supply systems and more.”

PRET therefore, will engage as many sectors of human activity as possible, including civil society, religious groups and young people.

He said PRET answers the call for technical guidance, and support for promoting and strengthening integrated preparedness and response, as outlined in World Health Assembly resolutions.

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April 26, 2023
First Person: Why indigenous peoples can help save the planet
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“For indigenous peoples, the land, the forest, water, is life. We depend on the natural environment, and we care for our surroundings. Managing natural resources is a strong part of our way of life. For example, the way we use rotational farming, avoiding monocultures by planting several different many different types of crops on our farmland.

In indigenous cultures, we look at a woman’s kitchen. If she has a wide variety of native seeds, it means that she is hardworking, and a valuable member of the community! To us, this is a greater indicator of wealth than money.

UN News/Conor Lennon

Naw Ei Ei Min, Executive Council Member of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact.

A strong international voice

I started out at the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, an organization representing 14 Asian countries, which advocates for indigenous peoples at the General Assembly. I decided to focus on the role that indigenous peoples play in protecting biodiversity.

When it comes to the environment, and issues related to biodiversity, our voices are stronger than ever before at the international level. At the UNFCCC (the UN body responsible for the UN Climate Conferences), there is now a local community and indigenous people platform.

This is a major achievement for indigenous peoples, providing a space for indigenous knowledge and means that we can take part in the decision-making process.

But those changes also need to extend to national, regional and community levels. Real change needs to happen on the ground. The complex way of negotiating international agreements sometimes does not fit with the way we communicate; there still needs to be more equity, in terms of our participation, and giving a voice to those of us who are concerned with climate change.

Climate action and climate justice

If the natural environment is destroyed, then so is our traditional way of life. Indigenous peoples are dealing with the effects of climate change on a daily basis, on the ground, on their lands and in their communities.

We are facing threats from climate change, and also from the continuous exploitation of natural resources. That’s why climate justice is so important. We need take the views of indigenous peoples into account, if we are to find lasting solutions to the crisis.”

Naw Ei Ei Min represents Asia at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. She spoke to UN News during the 22^nd session of the Forum, held at UN Headquarters between 17 and 28 April.
The General Assembly designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day through a resolution adopted in 2009.

The United Nations celebrates this observance through the Harmony with Nature initiative, a platform for global sustainable development that celebrates annually an interactive dialogue on International Mother Earth Day.

Topics include methods for promoting a holistic approach to harmony with nature, and an exchange of national experiences regarding criteria and indicators to measure sustainable development in harmony with nature.
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April 22, 2023
First Person: Saving the Earth from space

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Dr. Calvin advises NASA leadership on its science programmes and related strategic planning and investments. Also serving as its senior climate advisor, she provides insights and recommendations for related science, technology, and infrastructure projects for climate action, from developing a new instrument to track pollution hourly to launching a water-tracking satellite.

“Space exploration is inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers that can help tackle challenges on Earth or in space.

With respect to climate, we’ve learned a lot about what happens on Earth by studying what happens on other planets. We learn about the ozone effect and greenhouse gas effect by studying Venus, and we can apply that to our understanding here on Earth.

Galactic science for use on Earth

There’s a ton we can learn both about other planetary bodies which can treach us a lot about what is going on here on Earth.

Space also provides the opportunity for technology and innovation. As we are living and working in space, we develop technologies that can help us here on Earth with sustainability issues.

Cosmic crops

There’s a lot of research on the International Space Station (ISS) that has applications here on Earth. There’s water processing – we reprocess the water we use on the ISS – and that technology has been used on Earth in places where we don’t have access to clean water.

We grow crops on the ISS, and the research we’ve done into LED lighting and fertilizer also has applications on Earth. We’ve worked on a fertilizer that directs nutrients at plant roots at the rate that they need it, which in space means less input; on Earth, less runoff into rivers and lakes.

© NASA/Isaac Watson

Nutritious microgreens are grown at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.

Unique celestial perspective

There are so many great examples of how space has been important or could be in the future. Space offers us the opportunity to see the entire Earth, and so we can provide information that helps people understand how the climate is changing and [generate] ideas and inclusion and diversity of ideas to approach the different aspects of challenges.

We can observe trees, people, and land cover from space. People have used that information to understand how much carbon there is and where carbon is stored on land and how that changes over time.

I try to relate to what is going on where people are and talk about what science we know and what is on the horizon to help those decisions; like how the Earth is changing, how climate is changing, and this helps people adapt to changes where they live.

Space-based capabilities

We have space-based capabilities that can track wildfires as well as measure rising sea levels. Where fires are burning, we can look at emissions associated with fire, and that’s really important to people who live in affected communities.

Also, we’ve combined models, both produced by NASA and other organizations, to think about how sea levels might rise in the future.

The NASA SERVIR initiative works with local organizations on how they can use satellite information to face the challenges in their communities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

© NASA/JPL-Caltech

A NASA visualization shows water features on New York’s Long Island.

Interstellar inspiration

We also use space to inspire people. We have taken pictures of Earth from Apollo or from the recent Artemis mission, and you can see the little blue ball from far away.

On this Earth Day, let us cherish our planet and raise awareness about the role of space exploration and utilization in preserving its beauty.”

Learn more about the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) here.

Improving seeds with cosmic radiation

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April 22, 2023
First Person: Aboriginal Australians suffer from ‘violent history’ and ongoing ‘institutional racism’
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Hannah McGlade represents the Kurin Minang Noongar people, at the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Ms. McGlade spoke to UN News at UN Headquarters, during the 2023 session of the Forum, which takes place between 17 and 28 April.

“I’ve been an activist in my community sine I was young. I decided to study law because I thought that I could help to improve our human rights situation. I was fortunate enough to be able to undertake a master’s degree in international human rights, so I’ve been using it as best I can at international forums, and also advocating for reforms in Australia, because our human rights situation is very dire.

My people, the Noongar, were violently dispossessed from their lands by the British, and were basically enslaved: my great grandmother was an indentured child labourer. People who resisted the very cruel laws of the time were incarcerated and taken from their countries by chains to an island prison, where many died. Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families, en masse, as part of a policy called assimilation.

This is our violent history. As I was growing up, we faced many issues, including racism and the targeting of Aboriginal people, including aboriginal youth, by police; violence against women; refusal of our land rights; and poverty.

Coded racism, rights denied

Today, there is still a lot of racism in the media and in society. We face serious human rights issues, including the removal of children from their mothers, the high incarceration rates of Aboriginal people, particularly children and young people, in conditions that are very inhumane.

Australia is not the country I grew up in, when openly racist, derogatory language was used. But there’s more coded racism now. For example, the terribly sad issue of Aboriginal child sexual abuse is used as an excuse for removing children from their families.

There’s a lot of resistance to our rights being recognized, even the right to have our own national indigenous body, which should not be argued about in this day and age.

In some ways our rights situation is getting worse, according to the government’s own data. We’re seeing more incarceration of Aboriginal people; more Aboriginal children being removed from their mothers and families, increasingly to non-Indigenous families where they lose their cultural identity; and we’re seeing more Aboriginal suicides as well.

These are the shocking, ongoing impacts of colonization and we know that systemic and institutional racism and discrimination is a key driver of these issues.

The fight for a voice in parliament

There have been some improvements. We are now looking at a national referendum to change the Australian Constitution, to enshrine a democratically elected Aboriginal voice in parliament, that will be consulted and heard on matters affecting Aboriginal people. This would represent a historic, very substantive reform to the Constitution.

I’m really hoping that we are going to make this change. But of course, we are a minority, just four per cent of the population, and a majority of Australians will need to vote in favour of the reform.

We’re also calling on Australia to adopt a national action plan based on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That was a recommendation of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014, and it still hasn’t happened. Australia cannot claim leadership internationally, without respecting its international commitments in respect to indigenous peoples.

The power of international law

This Forum is a real chance for us to raise indigenous human rights issues with the governments of the world and indigenous peoples of the world listening. Decisions made here may not be binding at a national level, but UN Member States do have an obligation to genuinely engage, and to uphold our rights as indigenous peoples.

Sometimes we have a better chance of influencing domestic reforms in our country by arguing our case before the UN and in UN forums: the UN is still a prestigious international forum that we know that our governments have to respect.

I’ve used UN mechanisms to advance the issue of violence against indigenous women in Australia; for over five years, I went to various UN treaty bodies and highlighted this issue and the failure of the government allocate resources and develop relevant policies. This eventually led to a commitment from the Australian Government to act.

We are a part of the UN and the World Affairs now. With the threat of climate change and our future in the balance, it should be very clear that indigenous peoples have their place in this dialogue.”
The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is a high- level advisory body to the Economic and Social Council. The Forum was established to deal with indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.

In addition to the six mandated areas (economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights), each session is thematically focused on a specific issue.

The Permanent Forum is one of three UN bodies mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples’ issues. The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.

The 2023 session of the Forum takes place from 17-28 April at UN Headquarters.
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April 21, 2023
Human, economic, environmental toll of climate change on the rise: WMO

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WMO latest State of the Global Climate report shows that the last eight years were the eight warmest on record, and that sea level rise and ocean warming hit new highs. Record levels of greenhouse gases caused “planetary scale changes on land, in the ocean and in the atmosphere”.

The organization says its report, released ahead of this year’s Mother Earth Day, echoes UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for “deeper, faster emissions cuts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius”, as well as “massively scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis”.

WMO Secretary-General, Prof. Petteri Taalas, said that amid rising greenhouse gas emissions and a changing climate, “populations worldwide continue to be gravely impacted by extreme weather and climate events”. He stressed that last year, “continuous drought in East Africa, record breaking rainfall in Pakistan and record-breaking heatwaves in China and Europe affected tens of millions, drove food insecurity, boosted mass migration, and cost billions of dollars in loss and damage.”

WMO highlights the importance of investing in climate monitoring and early warning systems to help mitigate the humanitarian impacts of extreme weather. The report also points out that today, improved technology makes the transition to renewable energy “cheaper and more accessible than ever”.

Warmest years on record

The State of the Global Climate report complements the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment report released a month ago, which includes data up to 2020.

WMO’s new figures show that global temperatures have continued to rise, making the years 2015 to 2022 the eight warmest ever since regular tracking started in 1850. WMO notes that this was despite three consecutive years of a cooling La Niña climate pattern.

WMO says concentrations of the three main greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – reached record highs in 2021, which is the latest year for which consolidated data is available, and that there are indications of a continued increase in 2022.

Indicators ‘off the charts’

According to the report, “melting of glaciers and sea level rise – which again reached record levels in 2022 – will continue to up to thousands of years”. WMO further highlights that “Antarctic sea ice fell to its lowest extent on record and the melting of some European glaciers was, literally, off the charts”.

Sea level rise, which threatens the existence of coastal communities and sometimes entire countries, has been fuelled not only by melting glaciers and ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica, but also by the expansion of the volume of oceans due to heat. WMO notes that ocean warming has been “particularly high in the past two decades”.

WMO/Muhammad Amdad Hossain

Seasonal floods are a part of life in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Deadly consequences

The report examines the many socio-economic impacts of extreme weather, which have wreaked havoc in the lives of the most vulnerable around the world. Five consecutive years of drought in East Africa, in conjunction with other factors such as armed conflict, have brought devastating food insecurity to 20 million people across the region.

Extensive flooding in Pakistan caused by severe rainfall in July and August last year killed over 1,700 people, while some 33 million were affected. WMO highlights that total damage and economic losses were assessed at $30 billion, and that by October 2022, around 8 million people had been internally displaced by the floods.

The report also notes that in addition to putting scores of people on the move, throughout the year, hazardous climate and weather-related events “worsened conditions” for many of the 95 million people already living in displacement.

Threat to ecosystems

Environmental impacts of climate change are another focus of the report, which highlights a shift in recurring events in nature, “such as when trees blossom, or birds migrate”. The flowering of cherry trees in Japan has been tracked since the ninth century, and in 2021 the date of the event was the earliest recorded in 1,200 years.

As a result of such shifts, entire ecosystems can be upended. WMO notes that spring arrival times of over a hundred European migratory bird species over five decades “show increasing levels of mismatch to other spring events”, such as the moment when trees produce leaves and insects take flight, which are important for bird survival.

The report says these mismatches “are likely to have contributed to population decline in some migrant species, particularly those wintering in sub-Saharan Africa”, and to the ongoing destruction of biodiversity.

The WMO State of the Global Climate report 2022 – English

Ending the ‘war on nature’

In his message on Earth Day, UN chief Mr. Guterres warned that “biodiversity is collapsing as one million species teeter on the brink of extinction”, and called on the world to end its “relentless and senseless wars on nature”, insisting that “we have the tools, the knowledge, and the solutions” to address climate change.

Last month, Mr. Guterres convened an Advisory Panel of top UN agency officials, private sector and civil society leaders, to help fast track a global initiative aiming to protect all countries through life-saving early warning systems by 2027. Stepped up coordinated action was announced, initially in 30 countries particularly vulnerable to extreme weather, including Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.

Early Warnings for All

WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas said on Friday that some one hundred countries currently do not have adequate weather services in place, and that the UN Early Warnings for All Initiative “aims to fill the existing capacity gap to ensure that every person on earth is covered by early warning services”.

Mr. Taalas explained that “achieving this ambitious task requires improvement of observation networks, investments in early warning, hydrological and climate service capacities.” He also stressed the effectiveness of collaboration among UN agencies in addressing humanitarian impacts of climate events, especially in reducing mortality and economic losses.

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April 21, 2023
UN coordinator calls for urgent ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Sudan, as death toll mounts

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“I am horrified by the toll the clashes are having on civilians”, said Abdou Dieng. “At least 331 people have been killed nationwide, including five aid workers, and nearly 3,200 have been injured.”

The fighting between troops from the national army and a powerful rival militia known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted six days ago, and has had a devastating impact on civilian life and the major on-going humanitarian aid operation across Sudan.

Latest news reports indicate that bombing, shelling and gunfire have continued unabated, especially in the capital Khartoum, and the UN migration agency, IOM, reported on Friday that one of its staff members had become a victim of the violence.

UN migration agency staffer killed

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of a dedicated IOM Sudan staff member this morning after the vehicle he was traveling in with his family south of El Obeid was caught in a crossfire between two warring parties”, said Director General, António Vitorino.

He said the male staffer leaves behind a wife and newborn child, “and our team in Sudan in mourning.”

“The safety and security of all IOM staff is my number one priority. We continue to work with our UN partners to update our security response”, he assured.

Three workers from the World Food Programme (WFP) lost their lives in North Darfur as the military showdown first began on Saturday.

Mr. Vitorino said the latest outbreak of violence has forced IOM to suspend its humanitarian operations in Sudan.

IOM has operated in Sudan since 2000, responding to the complex humanitarian needs in the country where an estimated 3.7 million people are internally displaced”, the IOM chief continued.

Some 15.8 million people in Sudan, one-third of the population, were in need of humanitarian assistance before this week’s fighting began.

Sudan: Humanitarian situation – Press Conference (20 April 2023)

Food, water, healthcare crisis

Mr. Dieng said that even short agreed pauses in the intense fighting between the rival factions, which have so far ignored all calls for a ceasefire, would allow civilians access to essential food and water.

“Access to health facilities is also paramount. Many hospitals have had to close. And in those that are functioning, widespread blackouts and lack of electricity place patients at high risk.”

Several hospitals have simply run out of blood and other lifesaving supplies.

“Assaults on hospitals, humanitarian staff and facilities must stop”, said the Humanitarian Coordinator.

“As we are ending the holy month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a time of peace and reconciliation, I call on all parties to the conflict to immediately end the fighting and work towards a peaceful resolution.”

On Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres made an urgent call for a three-day ceasefire over Eid, as the “first step” towards a permanent cessation of hostilities, noting that humanitarian operations had become “virtually impossible”.

The UN alone has a 4,000-strong team of humanitarian workers, 3,200 of whom are Sudanese nationals.

According to the latest statement from UN aid coordination office OCHA, there have been reports of military strikes against health facilities, hijacking of ambulances with patients and paramedics still on board, looting of health facilities, and military forces occupying health facilities.

Severe shortages grow

In hospitals, there are severe shortages of specialized medical staff, oxygen supplies and blood bags, according to the World Health Organization, WHO, while lack of electricity and blackouts place hospital patients at high risk.

“There are also rapidly rising mental health and psychosocial support needs, especially among children, as the conflict continues”, noted OCHA.

As of Friday morning, heavy gunfire, air strikes and shelling have been reported in different parts of the country, OCHA added, especially in North, Central and South Darfur states, North Kordofan and in the capital, Khartoum.

On 20 April, there were unverified reports of intensified clashes in El Obeid, North Kordofan State, as well as unrest and rising tensions in Gedaref, in eastern Sudan.

Solidarity with Sudan: UN Women

The head of the UN Women, Sima Bahous, also issued a statement expressing grave concern over the effect of the relentless fighting on Sudanese women and girls.

“As in all crises, this will surely have dire and disproportionate impacts on the lives of Sudanese women and girls. We stand in solidarity with the people of Sudan and remain committed to supporting them.

“The resilience of Sudanese women is a source of hope, their role in the pursuit of peace essential, their strength as humanitarian workers, carers and protectors an inspiration”, added Ms. Bahous.

“We must heed their calls for a ceasefire and peace and commit to supporting them in everything they do.”

She noted that reports of sexual and gender-based violence were already surfacing, and feared “they will only grow more frequent.”

She called on Government troops and militia to “ensure that no woman or girl is affected by these crimes”.

She insisted that “every instance” of sexual and gender-based violence must be investigated and prosecuted without exception.

“The UN Secretary-General has called for an immediate halt to the fighting to coincide with Eid-Al-Fitr. This will allow the continued delivery of essential humanitarian assistance and a return to dialogue. He has demanded respect for international law. I join his call and urge all parties to commit to a peaceful resolution.”

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April 21, 2023
Yemen health system ‘edging closer to collapse’ warns WHO
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Hopes are running high of an end to the intense fighting between a Saudi-backed coalition standing alongside Government forces, and Houthi rebels and their allies, which since 2015 has led the near total collapse of the economy, with tens of thousands killed, and 21.6 million in need of humanitarian assistance and protection this year, according to the UN.

“Nevertheless, the country’s fragile health system is severely overburdened and edging closer to collapse”, said Dr. Annette Heinzelmann of the WHO in Yemen, “while international donor funding is insufficient to avert further deterioration of the country’s failing health services.”

Acute child malnutrition

She said that around 12.9 million Yemenis have urgent humanitarian healthcare needs, with 540,000 children under five, currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition “with a direct risk of death.”

Some 46 percent of health facilities across the country are only partially functioning or completely out of service, due to shortages of staff, funds, electricity, or medicines.

She told journalists at the regular Friday briefing at the UN in Geneva, that the Yemen humanitarian “Health Cluster”, made up of 46 UN and non-governmental organizations, has received only 62 million – or 16 percent – of the $392 million needed to reach those 12.9 million most-vulnerable people.

“Disease outbreaks – notably of measles, diphtheria, dengue, cholera and polio – are accelerating Yemen’s deepening health crisis. Mass-displacements, overburdened health facilities, disruptions of water and sanitation networks, and low immunization coverage are triggering and spreading these disease outbreaks.”

In the first quarter of this year, more than 13,000 new cases of measles, 8,777 cases of dengue fever, and 2,080 suspected cholera cases were reported. “But the actual numbers are likely much higher”, she warned.

© UNICEF/Saleh Bin Hayan YPN

A mother-of-nine, who is suffering from malnutrition, cooks a meal for her children in a displaced camp in Aden, Yemen.

System only just afloat

She said that WHO has managed to sustain an integrated response to Yemen’s health crisis in ten priority areas:
- Coordinating the national Health Cluster.
- Keeping therapeutic feeding centres (TFCs) operational.
- Strengthening disease surveillance.
- Responding to all infectious disease outbreaks.
- Supporting health care facilities and services..
- Controlling vector-borne, water-borne, and neglected tropical diseases.
- Fighting chronic diseases including diabetes, renal diseases, and cancer.
- Maintaining water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
- Supporting and improving maternal and newborn healthcare
- Meeting neglected mental health needs.
Supported by international donors, WHO was able to provide essential medical equipment, supplies, and training in 2022 to around 7.8 million people – that’s around 62 percent of the 12.6 million people targeted under the Humanitarian Response Plan for the year.

She said that WHO also ensured life-saving care for just over 60,000 Yemeni children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, with medical complications.

Dr. Heinzelmann said that WHO and health partners in Yemen “are beginning to see the dire consequences of our severely underfunded efforts to mitigate Yemen’s health crisis.”

She pointed to the expected suspension of support by the Yemen Health Cluster to 23 out of 43 health facilities in the Marib district, which is host to Yemen’s largest population of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In effect, this will effectively stop healthcare services for about 2.8 million most vulnerable people in the area.

Out of money

She said WHO has “almost no funds available to prepare for Yemen’s annual flood season that is starting now and will bring a predictably major upsurge in vector-borne and water-borne disease outbreaks”.

“In closing, I must emphasize the consequences of Yemen becoming a forgotten humanitarian crisis. The Yemeni people are resilient but suffering greatly. More than two of every three Yemenis are dependent on food, medical, and other humanitarian assistance.

“The international community must scale up support to Yemen “to avert untold human suffering and deaths in coming months”, she concluded.
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April 21, 2023
Millions of children deprived of life-saving vaccinations amid COVID pandemic, misinformation surge

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In its State of the World’s Children 2023 report, UNICEF says that vaccination coverage levels decreased in 112 countries during the pandemic, “the largest sustained backslide in childhood immunization in 30 years”. According to the agency, a rise in misleading information on vaccines is one of the factors at play.

UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russell said that while at the height of the pandemic, scientists rapidly developed life-saving vaccines, “despite this historic achievement, fear and disinformation about all types of vaccines circulated as widely as the virus itself”.

Warning signal

UNICEF says the pandemic interrupted childhood vaccination “almost everywhere”, due to stretched health systems and stay-at-home measures. But new data also shows a trend of declining confidence in childhood vaccines of up to 44 percentage points in a number of countries.

“This data is a worrying warning signal,” Ms. Russell insisted. “We cannot allow confidence in routine immunizations to become another victim of the pandemic. Otherwise, the next wave of deaths could be of more children with measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases.”

Vaccine hesitancy on the rise

In its report, UNICEF warns that the public perception of the importance of vaccines for children declined during the COVID-19 pandemic in 52 out of 55 countries studied.

China, India and Mexico were the only countries examined where the perception of the importance of vaccines remained stable or even improved. In most countries, people under 35 and women were more likely to report less confidence about vaccines for children after the start of the pandemic.

A longer-term trend?

The report says that “vaccine confidence is volatile and time-specific”, and that more sustained data gathering and analysis, will be necessary to determine if declining vaccine confidence is indeed here to stay.

UNICEF also emphasizes that overall support for vaccines remains strong, and that in almost half of the 55 countries studied, a vast majority of respondents – over 80 per cent – continue to perceive vaccines as “important” for children.

Misinformation at fault

However, the report warns that “the confluence of several factors suggests the threat of vaccine hesitancy may be growing”.

Among these factors, the report’s authors cite growing access to misleading information, declining trust in expertise, and political polarization.

‘Child survival crisis’

UNICEF says that children born just before or during the pandemic are now moving past the age when they would normally be vaccinated. This lag puts children at the risk of deadly outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, in what UNICEF calls a “child survival crisis”.

The report recalls that in 2022, measles cases worldwide doubled compared to 2021, and the number of children paralyzed by polio was up 16 per cent year-on-year. In the three-year period between 2019 and 2021, polio paralyzed eight times more children than during the previous three years.

Deepening inequalities

The UN Children’s Fund stresses that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities related to vaccination. The report says that “for far too many children, especially in the most marginalized communities, vaccination is still not available, accessible or affordable”.

Almost half of the 67 million children who missed out on routine vaccination between 2019 and 2021 live on the African continent. As of the end of 2021, India and Nigeria, which are described in the report as “countries with very large birth cohorts”, had the highest numbers of children who hadn’t received a single routine vaccination.

Overall, in low and middle-income countries, one in 10 children in urban areas and one in six in rural areas had not received a single routine vaccination.

Poverty, lack of empowerment

UNICEF says the children who are missing out live in the “poorest and most remote” communities, located in rural areas or urban slums, and at times impacted by conflict.

The report underscores the role of women’s empowerment in a family’s decision to vaccinate their children, pointing out that the children deprived of routine vaccinations “often have mothers who have not been able to go to school and who are given little say in family decisions”.

Underpaid health workers

UNICEF says its findings highlight the need to ensure vaccination efforts are sustained, by strengthening primary healthcare and investing in the health workers at the front line of immunization.

These workers tend to be predominantly women, and according to the report, they face significant challenges including low pay, informal employment, lack of formal training and career opportunities, as well as threats to their security.

Call to action for governments

UNICEF is calling on countries to urgently unlock resources so that they can accelerate catch-up vaccination efforts, rebuild lost confidence in vaccines, and strengthen the resilience of health systems by supporting female health workers and local vaccine manufacturing.

“Routine immunizations and strong health systems are our best shot at preventing future pandemics, unnecessary deaths and suffering. With resources still available from the COVID-19 vaccination drive, now is the time to redirect those funds to strengthen immunization services and invest in sustainable systems for every child”, UNICEF’s Catherine Russell said.

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April 20, 2023
UN predicts restrictions on women’s rights will worsen economic catastrophe

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The Afghanistan Socio-Economic Outlook 2023, released by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), provides an overview of the fallout resulting from the takeover of Afghanistan by its present-day de facto rulers, the Taliban, in August 2021.

Immediately after the Taliban assumed power, the Afghan economy collapsed, accelerating Afghanistan’s decade-long slide into poverty; with a population estimated by the UN at about 40 million and GDP of $14.3 billion in 2021, Afghanistan is among the countries with the lowest per capita income in the world, with around 85 per cent of the population estimated to be living below the poverty line.

© UNICEF/Arezo Haidary

Displaced children livingi in Khoshi District in Afghanistan receive hygeine kits.

Overwhelming dependence on international aid

Whilst the report points to some encouraging signs (a rise in exports, an expected eight percent increase in domestic fiscal revenue, stabilization of the exchange rate, and a reduction in inflation), it explains that this is largely down to the large-scale international aid funding ($3.7 billion in 2022, $3.2 billion of which was provided by the UN) sent to Afghanistan in 2022.

This does not point to a lasting recovery: income per person is expected to decline this year and in 2024: UNDP modelling suggests that, if aid drops by 30 per cent, inflation could reach 10 percent in 2024, and average incomes could fall by 40 per cent.

Any reduction in international aid will worsen the economic prospects of Afghanistan, and extreme poverty will perpetuate for decades: the UN aid appeal of $4.6 billion for international assistance in 2023 is therefore the minimum required to help Afghans in need.

No escape from poverty without women in the workplace

Surayo Buzurukova, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Afghanistan, at the UNDP office in Kabul.

Surayo Buzurukova, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Afghanistan, told UN News that the Taliban’s decision to highly restrict women’s ability to study and work is an important reason for the economic woes of the country.

“We have run simulations to see how the removal of women from the workforce will affect the economy going forward,” said Ms. Buzurukova. “We calculated that it will not be possible to achieve growth and reduce poverty without women. That’s the message we try to deliver when we speak to the de facto authorities.”

Ms. Buzurukova remains hopeful that the situation will, eventually become less oppressive for women, particularly in the provinces, where the support of women aid workers is in high demand.

“After August 2021, it was difficult to work here, and it took time to be able to engage with the Taliban and ensure that they listened to me. But now I have created a network of trust with senior members of the de facto authorities, at the provincial as well as the national level; it’s very important that they understand the importance of women to the economy.

We continue to deliver services across the country, through our NGO partners, and we have exemptions for the health and education sector, where women can continue to work but, of course the ban is a challenge and staff morale is affected.”

© UNICEF/Frank Dejongh

A child is vaccinated against polio during a polio mobillisation campaign in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

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April 18, 2023
From the Field: Haiti’s ‘hostage population’ struggle to survive

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Artwork from Francisco Silva, featured in a UN humanitarian report on Haiti.

The 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) for Haiti describes life in the country as a daily, terrifying struggle for survival, the result of three consecutive years of economic recession, a political impasse, and unprecedented levels of gang violence.

Every day, more and more people fall into extreme poverty; 31 per cent of the population lives on less than US$2.15 a day, and some 4.8 million are food-insecure, which means that they struggle to meet their daily nutritional needs.

Find out more about the report to which three Haitian artists agreed to contribute their artwork, and read the stories of some of those caught up in the violence, here.

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April 16, 2023
WFP chief puts hold on Sudan aid operations, following death of 3 staff in unrest

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According to a statement attributable to the Executive Director of the UN agency, Cindy McCain, the workers were carrying out life-saving duties in Kabkabiya, North Darfur.

In a separate incident on Saturday, a WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft was significantly damaged at Khartoum International airport during an exchange of gunfire, seriously impacting WFP’s ability to move humanitarian workers and aid within the country.

In the statement, Ms. McCain explained that all operations in Sudan have been suspended, pending a review of the evolving security situation.

“WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity,” said Ms. McCain, “but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed. All parties must come to an agreement that ensures the safety of humanitarian workers on the ground and enables the continued delivery of life saving humanitarian assistance to the people of Sudan. They remain our top priority.”

Any loss of life in humanitarian service is unacceptable and I demand immediate steps to guarantee the safety of those who remain.

Ms. McCain emphasized that threats to WFP teams make it impossible for them to operate safely and effectively in the country and carry out the UN agency’s critical work.

Security Council members call for calm

The members of the Security Council added their voices to the calls for an end to hostilities on Sunday, in a statement expressing their regret for the loss of lives and injuries.

In the statement, they urged the parties to restore calm, and return to dialogue to resolve the current crisis in Sudan.

They went on to stress the importance that humanitarian access is maintained and the safety of UN personnel is ensured, and reaffirmed their “strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of the Sudan.”

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April 16, 2023
First Person: Keeping memories of Rwandan genocide victims alive

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A toddler’s dress, and a five-year-old’s dress and sweater. Washed, cleaned, but still stained with blood.

These are the personal items that Immaculée Songa donated to “Stories of Survival and Remembrance - A call to action for genocide prevention,” currently on show at UN Headquarters, along with a photo album, showing her daughters, Raissa and Clarisse, laughing and smiling.

“The items in this exhibition are very important to me, because they remind us of the lives, the experiences of our people who are gone, who are no longer here. It’s up to us to talk about them and tell their stories, and how their lives were taken away.

Six years ago, I returned to Rwanda to search for my family’s remains. In a mass grave, I recognized the dresses my daughters wore at the last moment of their lives. The clothes were stuck to their bodies. They were all I had left of my children. So, I took them.

I first displayed my daughters’ clothes at the Illinois Holocaust Museum in the United States, in order to tell their story. Even though they were washed, you can see the blood stains, and you can imagine how they died.

Don’t let my daughters be forgotten

We talk about millions of Rwandans, Tutsis killed during the genocide, and we seem to forget the individuals. This exhibition is here so that we remember the history of each individual.

If I could speak to my daughters, I would tell them that I have not forgotten them, I love them very much and I have spoken about them a lot, because they had an atrocious death that they did not deserve.

I am a mother who did not perish, a woman who cries a lot. I tell myself that God saved me for a reason, to give me the strength to talk about my daughters, and to make sure they are not forgotten.

UN News/Florence Westergard

Garments worn by Immaculée Songa’s daughters, Clarisse and Raissa, are on display at the UN exhibition “Stories of Survival and Remembrance – A Call to Action for Genocide Prevention”

The facts don’t lie

We have a responsibility to tell the world that injustice exists, that people are dying because of injustice, and that the genocide in Rwanda was planned and executed by very clever people who recruited militants and convinced them to kill. The responsibility to prevent genocides lies with governments, those in positions of influence, and the United Nations.

On our side, we also play our part. For example, we organize commemorations and education days to explain to the public what can happen if people are not careful. Because genocide can be prevented.

There are several phases of genocide, and the last phase is denial. Today, all over the world, people are denying genocides. They have been given platforms, they write books, and say that genocide did not happen.

The facts don’t lie. So, if people see the facts, when they see my children’s clothes, there is no mistake. People said children were killed, and now they see that it’s true.

To ensure that the genocide is not repeated, we must engage everyone. We must go to the schools, and teach peace. When I talk to students, I can see them change. It makes a difference.

Before the genocide, 95 per cent of the population were not educated, and it was very easy to convince them to kill. I think that, if people have access to the education they need, they will advocate for peace.”

UN Photo/Loey Felipe

The exhibition “Stories of Survival and Remembrance – A Call to Action for Genocide Prevention” opens at UN Headquarters in New York.

“Stories of Survival and Remembrance – A Call to Action for Genocide Prevention”, is on display at UN Headquarters until 15 June.

The objects in the exhibition – clothes, toys, photographs, letters, recipes and other seemingly ordinary objects – survived the Holocaust, genocide and other atrocious crimes in Cambodia, Srebrenica (Bosnia Herzegovina) and Rwanda.

The exhibition is being held during the year of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

It was inaugurated a few days before the celebration of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda, in the UN General Assembly Hall on Friday, April 14.

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April 15, 2023
Gender inequalities in food and agriculture are costing world $1 trillion: FAO

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Over one third of the world’s working women are employed in agrifood systems, which include the production of food and non-food agricultural products, as well as related activities from food storage, transportation and processing to distribution.

But in a new report, FAO says that gender inequalities such as less access for women to knowledge and resources, and a higher unpaid care burden, account for a 24 per cent gap in productivity between women and men farmers on farms of equal size.

Women employees in the agricultural sector are also paid nearly 20 per cent less than their male counterparts.

“If we tackle the gender inequalities endemic in agrifood systems and empower women, the world will take a leap forward in addressing the goals of ending poverty and creating a world free from hunger”, said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu.

According to FAO, closing the gender gap in farm productivity and the wage gap in agricultural employment would “increase global gross domestic product by nearly $1 trillion and reduce the number of food-insecure people by 45 million”, at a time of growing global hunger.

© FAO/Sebastian Liste

A farmer from a women-run vegetable cooperative grows cabbages in Sierra Leone.

Structural inequalities

The report shows that women’s access to land, services, credit and digital technology lags behind men’s, while a higher burden of unpaid care limits their opportunities for education, training and employment. FAO points out that discriminatory social norms reinforce gender barriers to knowledge, resources and social networks – holding women back from making an equal contribution in the agrifood sector.

“In many countries there still is much to do to ensure that women own land in equal proportion to men and that legal frameworks protect their rights”, says the report. Its authors describe as “alarming” the slow pace of change in terms of women farmers’ access to ownership of livestock and essentials such as irrigation and fertilizers.

The report also notes that in agrifood systems, “women’s roles tend to be marginalized and their working conditions are likely to be worse than men’s –irregular, informal, part-time, low-skilled, or labour-intensive”.

Boosting growth, curbing hunger

The UN food agency argues that “challenges to women’s full and equal

employment in agrifood systems hold back their productivity and sustain wage gaps”.

According to the report, creating a level playing field in terms of farm productivity and agricultural wages would add one per cent to global gross domestic product, or almost $1 trillion, and bring down food insecurity by two percentage points, benefitting 45 million people.

This is a striking projection at a moment when global hunger is on the rise. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that more than 345 million people worldwide face crisis levels of food insecurity this year, an increase of almost 200 million since early 2020. Of these, 43 million are one step away from famine.

Untapped potential

The report’s authors also show that agricultural projects which specifically empower women have broad economic and social benefits.

According to FAO, “if half of small-scale producers benefited from development interventions that focused on empowering women, it would significantly raise the incomes of an additional 58 million people and increase the resilience of an additional 235 million”.

The scale of women’s employment in agrifood systems in some developing countries points to the potential impact that equality-boosting interventions could have. For instance, in southern Asia, 71 per cent of all working women are employed in the sector (versus 47 per cent of men).

‘Make agrifood systems work for women’

FAO points out that monitoring and accelerating progress on gender equality in agrifood systems hinges on “the collection and use of high-quality data, disaggregated by sex, age and other forms of social and economic differentiation”, which is currently lacking, as well as rigorous gender research.

On a policy level, the report’s authors recommend urgent action to “close gaps related to access to assets, technology and resources”. They say that improving women’s productivity in the agrifood sector requires interventions which “address care and unpaid domestic work burdens, provide education and training, and strengthen land-tenure security”.

FAO also advocates for social protection programmes which “have shown to increase women’s employment and resilience”. Indeed, the UN agency’s study underscores that “when economies shrink, women’s jobs go first”, as has been the case during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Women have always worked in agrifood systems. It is time that we made agrifood systems work for women”, said Mr. Qu in his foreword to the report.

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April 13, 2023
From The Field: Brazil provides model welcome for Venezuelan migrants

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A Venezuelan girl waits at a reception centre in Pacaraima, a city in northern Brazil that lies across the Venezuelan border.

More than 800,000 Venezuelans have come to Brazil in recent years, seeking medical attention, food, and new opportunities.

When they cross the northern border, they are offered overnight accommodation, food, protection, and hygiene services at the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Reception and Support Post (PRA) in Pacaraima as part of the Operação Acolhida, or Operation Welcome programme.

Find out more about Operação Acolhida, and the people it is supporting, here.

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April 10, 2023
Rights expert welcomes Vatican’s rejection of ‘Doctrine of Discovery’

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José Francisco Calí Tzay, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, expressed hope that governments will follow the Holy See’s lead, noting that its impact is still being felt today.

‘Open wound’

“The doctrine of discovery is still an open wound for many Indigenous Peoples around the world,” he said. “It must be addressed as part of a reconciliation process between Indigenous Peoples and colonial States.”

The papal doctrine was used to claim indigenous territories in the Americas, Africa and elsewhere in the world.

Mr. Calí Tzay commended the Vatican’s recognition of the harmful effects of colonisation, including the pain suffered by Indigenous Peoples. He welcomed Pope Francis’s call to abandon the colonising mentality and promote mutual respect and dialogue.

‘Important step’

“The Holy See has taken an important step towards reconciliation and healing with Indigenous Peoples by rejecting all concepts that fail to recognise their inherent human rights,” he said.

“The doctrine was recognised as vesting a unilateral right of European colonial powers to claim superior sovereignty and rights over Indigenous Peoples’ lands and resources, based on their supposed lack of civilisation and religion.”

He added that it continues to have a negative impact on indigenous rights in some countries.

Tool of deprivation

He said the Doctrine of Discovery provides a legal basis to unilaterally deprive Indigenous Peoples of their rights to title and ownership of their traditional lands and territories by States that continue to use this legal theory as part of their national law, legislation, and jurisprudence, particularly in relation to land disputes.

The UN expert noted that this was among the root causes of intergenerational trauma suffered by Indigenous Peoples, as currently manifested in high rates of suicide among youth, over-representation in the criminal justice system, disproportionate violence against women and girls, and racial discrimination.

Review and repudiate

He urged all States that still uphold the ‘Doctrine of Discovery’ to follow the Vatican’s lead in formally repudiating the decree and reviewing all jurisprudence and legislation that relies on it.

Special Rapporteurs like Mr. Cali Tzay, and other UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts, are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations, as part of the Council’s Special Procedures.

They are not UN staff and do not receive any compensation for their work.

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April 6, 2023
Reflecting on genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Guterres urges all nations to stand firm against rising hate, intolerance

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“We mourn the more than one million children, women, and men who perished in one hundred days of horror 29 years ago,” António Guterres said in his annual commemorative message on the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

He went on to say that: “We honour the memory of the victims – the overwhelming majority Tutsi, but also Hutu and others who opposed the genocide. We pay tribute to the resilience of the survivors. We recognize the journey of the Rwandan people towards healing, restoration, and reconciliation. And we remember – with shame – the failure of the international community.”

From hate speech, to hate crime

“A generation since the genocide, we must never forget what happened – and ensure future generations always remember,” said the UN chief, how easily hate speech – a key indicator of the risk of genocide – turns to hate crime and how “complacency in the face of atrocity is complicity.”

No place, and no time is immune to danger – including our own.

Stand firm against intolerance

Mr. Guterres stressed that preventing genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other serious violations of international law, is a shared responsibility and a “core duty” of every member of the United Nations.

Calling for everyone, in all nations, to stand firm against rising intolerance, be ever vigilant – and always ready to act – he concluded: “And let us truly honour the memory of all Rwandans who perished by building a future of dignity, security, justice, and human rights for all.”

The Memorial Ceremony to mark the 29th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda will be held at UN Headquarters in NY on Friday, 14 April, featuring addresses by the Secretary-General, the President of the UN General Assembly, and other officials, as well as remarks from a survivor of the genocide.

A wreath laying and lighting of candles, as well as a ceremony featuring statements from senior UN officials and testimonies from survivors, will be held at the UN Office in Geneva on Thursday, 13 April.

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April 6, 2023
Türkiye quake aftermath: Funding needed to stave off risks to millions of children

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UNICEF Representative in Türkiye, Regina De Dominicis, said that while the humanitarian response to the disaster was swift, “immediate futures of millions of children remain uncertain”.

Urgent health and protection needs

To cover the most pressing needs, UNICEF has reached more than 390,000 people with hygiene kits, winter clothes, electrical heaters and blankets.

The UN agency has also delivered water to thousands while damaged supply networks are repaired.

On the health front, UNICEF has been supporting Türkiye’s authorities with the provision of vaccines including for polio, diphtheria and tetanus, as well as medical equipment and supplies.

As part of the emergency response, the agency has also been working with partners to assist with family reunification and has reached more than 149,000 children and caregivers with psychosocial support.

UNICEF stressed that “these efforts must continue and child protection services must be maintained without interruption”.

Education in jeopardy

According to UNICEF, the earthquakes impacted nearly four million schoolchildren in Türkiye. While nearly 1.5 million have resumed their education in affected areas, and another 250,000 have been able to continue their education after relocating elsewhere in the country, many others risk being left behind.

To ensure that learning can continue, UNICEF is financing the repair of more than 1,170 schools, which will benefit over 300,000 children, and supporting the Ministry of Education with temporary classrooms in prefabricated structures and tents.

The agency is also providing catch-up classes and help with homework in 37 hubs dedicated to child, adolescent and family support across 10 provinces.

Getting lives back on track

UNICEF in Türkiye is appealing for an additional $138 million to continue assisting children affected by the earthquakes and calling on the international community to ensure their needs are prioritized.

Over and above the emergency response, UNICEF reiterated that longer-term assistance to children and their families is urgently required, so that people can “recover and begin to rebuild their lives”.

“More support is vital to ensure children are protected and their needs are met as a central part of the recovery,” Ms. De Dominicis said, so that the disaster does not continue impacting their lives for decades to come.

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April 6, 2023
The deadly legacy of landmines

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Born into peace but maimed by a weapon of war

UN Photo/Martine Perret

Two deminers work to decontaminate the land in Bunia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Minga had never owned a toy. In her village, in Angola, children often made do with sticks or broken wheels – but this was something different. It was green, metal and shaped like a small tin. She wanted to show her brothers and sisters, so she picked it up to take home.”

Documentary photographer, landmine survivor and UN Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations, Giles Duley, has many heartbreaking stories to tell, mostly about children maimed by landmines on their way to school, home or at play.

Six-year-old Minga lost her sight and her left arm in 2009, seven years after the end of the war in Angola. She was one of the many children who was born into peace but harmed by a war that she never knew.

Daily danger of death

The latest estimates show that in 2021, more than 5,500 people were killed or maimed by landmines, most of them were civilians, half of whom were children. More than two decades after the adoption of the Mine Ban Treaty, about sixty million people in nearly 70 countries and territories still live with the risk of landmines on a daily basis.

The UN Mine Action Service, launched the campaign “Mine Action Cannot Wait ” to mark the International Day, as countries like Angola, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam, continue to suffer from decades of landmine contamination.

Landmines can lie dormant for years or even decades until they are triggered.

“Even after the fighting stops, conflicts often leave behind a terrifying legacy: landmines and explosive ordnance that litter communities,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the International Day.

“Peace brings no assurance of safety when roads and fields are mined, when unexploded ordnance threatens the return of displaced populations, and when children find and play with shiny objects that explode.”

Landmines, which can be produced for as little as $1, do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Their use violates international human rights and humanitarian laws.

They not only cost lives and limbs, but also prevent communities from accessing land that could be used for farming or building hospitals and schools as well as essential services such as food, water, health care and humanitarian aid.

Landmines in Ukraine

UNDP Ukraine/Oleksandr Simonenko

A deminer for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine sweeps the ground for unexploded ordnance and landmines.

Despite international efforts to prevent the use of landmines they continue to be laid in conflict situations including in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. UNICEF and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine recently warned that around 30 per cent of the country may potentially be mined as a result of the hostilities.

In Myanmar, the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, a UN-supported civil society group which reports on landmine use has observed“new and greatly expanded” use of mines by government forces. Militia groups in countries like the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo also use landmines to attack and frighten people, keeping them off their lands and away from their homes.

Butterfly wings which attract curious children

There are more than 600 different types of landmines grouped into two broad categories – anti-personnel (AP) and anti-tank landmines. AP mines come in different shapes and can be found buried or above ground. A common type, known as the “butterfly” mine – comes in bright colours, making it attractive to curious children.

Landmines are also a major problem in many countries that rely on agriculture. In Viet Nam’s Binh Dinh province, where many people live off rice farming, 40 per cent of the land remained contaminated by landmines more than four decades after the war ended.

In Afghanistan, where landmines have maimed or killed more people than anywhere else, more than 18 million landmines have been cleared since 1989, freeing over 3,011 km² of land that has benefited more than 3,000 mostly rural communities across the country.

Promise of a mine-free world

UNMAS and its partners have made progress on various aspects of achieving a mine-free world, including clearance, educating people, especially children, about the risks of mines, victim assistance advocacy and the destruction of stockpiles.

Since the late 90s, more than 55 million landmines have been destroyed, over 30 countries have become mine-free, casualties have been dramatically reduced and mechanisms, including the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, have been established to support victims and communities in need.

Today, 164 countries are parties to the Mine Ban Treaty which is considered one of the most ratified disarmament conventions to date. However, despite the progress, broader global efforts are needed to safeguard people from landmines, according to the UN Secretary-General.

“Let’s take action to end the threat of these devices of death, support communities as they heal, and help people return and rebuild their lives in safety and security.”

Learn more about the work of UNMAS here.

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April 2, 2023
Celebrate diverse contributions of persons with autism, UN chief says

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“Today and every day, let us fully recognize the active and diverse contributions of persons with autism to our societies,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. “Let us work together with persons with autism to build an inclusive and accessible world for all.”

‘We must do better’

Despite important progress, he said, persons with autism continue to face social and environmental barriers to the full exercise of their rights and fundamental freedoms, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“We must do better, by promoting inclusive education, equal employment opportunities, self-determination, and an environment where every person is respected,” he said.

“As we do so, we also recognize the role of families, caregivers, and support networks in the lives of persons with autism.”

Global event

A UN-hosted global virtual event, Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All, will feature autistic people from around the world discussing how the transformation in the narrative around neurodiversity can continue to be furthered in order to overcome barriers and improve the lives of autistic people.

The event will also address the contributions that autistic people make – and can make – to society, and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The event, to be held on Sunday, can be streamed here.

Aniket Kadam was one of the panelists at the pre-recorded UN event for World Autism Awareness Day, held on 2 April, on the subject of work within the global theme “Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All”.

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April 2, 2023
Republic of Korea: Breaking barriers, one brushstroke at a time

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“There is no such thing as disability in the world of art,” said Soomi Jeon, Director of the Vichae Art Museum.

“We often think the persons with disabilities are the receivers of charity, and we are the givers,” she explained. “This belief actually divides us. It is not sharing. I planned this exhibition to break that common misconception.”

Breaking misconceptions

One of the featured artists is Hansol Kwon, who uses bold lines and dots in vivid colours to express himself.

His mother, Kyunghee Kim, recalled that Hansol, who lives with autism, started painting with colours, then he would cover them over in black.

“The black disappeared, and pretty colours reappeared,” she said. “I witnessed how he blossomed in his paintings. When I look at my son’s paintings since his younger years, I am able to see his growth and psychological development.”

The prestigious venue, one of the Republic of Korea’s leading arts institutions, first exhibited the works of artists with developmental disabilities in 2020. Hansol was among the 43 artists who collectively contributed more than 100 different paintings in 2022.

Beyond the art world

The significance reverberates far beyond the art world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 15 per cent of the global population, or about one billion people, have a disability.

Reena Lee, the former Secretary-General of the Korean Disability Forum, noted that despite the strong representation, such persons are often hidden. This means one in seven people around me must have a disability, she said.

“In my school classroom, in my neighbourhood and in the workplace, is there one person with disabilities out of seven people I know? No, there isn’t,” she said. “Just for the comfort of the majority and economic benefit, society decided to separate persons with disabilities from those without them.”

Promoting dignity

The exhibition offers an invaluable opportunity to raise visibility and promote dignity in tangible ways, Ms. Jeon said.

“People think that the exhibitions of the artists with disabilities are just free events, but these proud artists gave their imagination to us with so much sweat and passion, so in fact, it is only right to pay to see their work and establish it as a commercial exhibition,” she said. “That way, they can become financially independent someday.”

In her view, persons with disabilities should never be viewed as an economic drain.

“Breaking those misunderstandings is one of the important goals of this exhibition,” she added.

Artworks in their own right

Visitors to the exhibition shared that observation. Yunhee Park said she had visited to admire the artworks in their own right.

“If our society is open and ready to accept them, then we would be able to provide many opportunities for persons without disabilities to contribute with their amazing talents,” she said. “It will also be beneficial to persons without disabilities, and I hope more opportunities like this one can be made available.”

Equality promotes stability

Equality promotes stability, said Yejin Ha, who works as a programme officer at UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

“Throughout history, social exclusion and social injustices and inequality – they all lead to conflict and social discord,” she said. “In order to prevent conflict, it is absolutely critical to make sure that everybody is included in these efforts to build an harmonious and just society.”

‘Receive their uniqueness’

Humanity is more than transactional; it can generate mutually beneficially synergies among those with disabilities and others in society, said Myunghee Kim, who is the mother of featured artist Hyeshin Park.

“All we have to do is foster a natural exchange,” she said. “We could share the health we have and receive the uniqueness they have. It will make such a wonderful world.”

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April 2, 2023