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Category: Middle East

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Türk speaks out on sexual violence, Brazil floods update, Nicaraguan human rights violations

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    “We are not meeting the minimum requirement to prevent women from being silenced, and support their participation and leadership in…building peace,” Mr. Türk said.

    25 years ago, the UN Security Council passed a resolution which affirmed the vital role that women play in preventing and resolving conflict and emphasized the importance of ending impunity for sexual violence in and around conflict.

    Since then, other resolutions have reinforced these principles and UN agencies and their partners have worked to implement them. While this work has led to trials which held perpetrators accountable, gender-based violence is becoming more, not less, prevalent.

    Justice is not the norm

    Mr. Türk’s office has documented thousands of horrific cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Haiti, Sudan, Ukraine and many other conflict-affected areas.

    “Fighters are being encouraged or instructed to victimize women, often as a deliberate weapon of warfare – to terrorize communities and force them to flee; and to silence the voices of women who speak out against war-mongering, and seek to build peace,” he said.

    Funding and aid cuts are also impeding the efforts of humanitarians and human rights agencies, impeding the provision of essential medical and psychosocial support for affected women and girls.

    Mr. Türk noted that the failure to provide these essential services has long-term impacts on survivors and “leaves young girls and women alone, outcast and traumatised.”

    Floods in Brazil displacing communities two years in a row

    The UN migration organization (IOM) raised the alarm on Tuesday over heavy rains pounding Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

    Since mid-June, over 5,000 people have been displaced, four have died, one person remains missing, and 132 municipalities have reported damage.

    This latest disaster comes just a year after record flooding forced many communities from their homes, some now displaced for the second time.

    IOM response

    IOM’s presence and partnerships in the region were expanded and strengthened during the 2024 crisis, allowing for a swift response in 2025.

    This year, the organization is focused on supporting recovery efforts by providing technical expertise and helping authorities assess needs and develop long-term solutions.

    The goal is to ensure aid reaches those most in need and that systems are in place to help communities rebuild safely and sustainably.

    While committed to supporting the people of Rio Grande do Sul, IOM has called for critical support: “As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, humanitarian action must go hand in hand with investments in preparedness and resilience,” said Paolo Caputo, IOM Chief of Mission in Brazil.

    Nicaraguan dissident killed in Costa Rica is part of a pattern, experts say

    The Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, condemned the murder of Nicaraguan exile Roberto Samcam on Tuesday, saying that reports indicate the crime may be part of a larger pattern to silence dissidents abroad.

    Mr. Samcam was killed in Costa Rica on 19 June by someone posing to be a delivery man who shot him five times before fleeing.

    The victim was a retired army major who, in 2018, publicly denounced the current Nicaraguan government led by President Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo.

    “We condemn the murder of Roberto Samcam in the strongest terms, and welcome the swift action of Costa Rica, which we trust will expose the motivations behind this terrible act and bring justice to his family,” said Jan-Michael Simon, chair of the group.

    A pattern of silencing dissidents

    Since 2018 when security forces in Nicaragua violently suppressed anti-government protests, independent experts have documented many alleged human rights violations and abuses.

    Most recently, in February, the UN group released a report warning that the repressive actions of the Nicaraguan State have extended beyond their territorial borders, affecting dissidents – real or perceived – living abroad.

    “Nowhere in the world seems to be safe for Nicaraguans opposed to the Government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo,” said expert Reed Broady.

    The experts noted that there is information to indicate there may be links to the murder of another Nicaraguan dissident Rodolfo Rojas Cordero in 2022 in Honduras and the twice attempted murder of Jaoa Maldonado in 2021 and 2024.

    “States must be held accountable for committing transborder human rights violations,” Mr. Simon said.

    Independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and and independent of any government or organization.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: UN warns of ‘weaponised hunger’ and growing death toll amid food chaos

    Source: United Nations 2

    Speaking to journalists in Deir al Balah on Saturday, Jonathan Whittall, who heads the UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) in Gaza and the West Bank, said: “The attempt to survive is being met with a death sentence.”

    Since Israel eased its total blockade last month, more than 400 people are reported to have died trying to reach food distribution points.

    “We see a chilling pattern of Israeli forces opening fire on crowds gathering to get food,” Mr. Whittall said, noting many of these sites are in militarised zones. Others have been killed along access routes or while protecting aid convoys.

    “It shouldn’t be this way,” he said. “There shouldn’t be a death toll associated with accessing the essentials for life.”

    Empty warehouses, overwhelmed hospitals

    Conditions across Gaza continue to deteriorate. Water wells have run dry or are located in dangerous areas, sanitation systems have collapsed, and disease is spreading rapidly.

    “Our warehouses stand empty,” Mr. Whittall said. “Displaced families flee with nothing – and we have nothing to give them.”

    Partially functioning hospitals are overwhelmed by near-daily mass casualty events. Some have been directly hit, while others are choked by fuel shortages and forced evacuation orders.

    UNICEF reports more than 110 children are being treated for malnutrition every day. Mr. Whittall said humanitarian agencies are capable of reaching every family in the shattered enclave but are being systematically blocked. “We have a plan…but we are prevented from doing so at every turn.”

    Death sentence

    He described the situation as “weaponised hunger”, “forced displacement”, and “a death sentence for people just trying to survive”.

    “This is carnage,” Mr. Whittall said. “It appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life from Gaza.”

    He urged the international community to act: “We need a lasting ceasefire, accountability, and real pressure to stop this. This is the bare minimum.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Iran-Israel crisis: IAEA chief calls for access to damaged nuclear sites

    Source: United Nations 2

    Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was addressing the agency’s Board of Governors, amid fresh reports of new Israeli missile strikes on Iranian military sites in Tehran and elsewhere earlier on Monday. Iranian weapons fire has also been reported across Israel. 

    Mr. Grossi – who also addressed an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday – insisted that the agency’s weapons inspectors should return to Iran’s nuclear sites and account for their stockpiles.

    There is particular concern about 400 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 per cent by Iran.

    Under the terms of a 2015 nuclear deal with the international community, Iran is permitted to enrich the naturally occurring radioactive material to less than four per cent.

    “Craters are now visible at the Fordow site, Iran’s main location for enriching uranium at 60 per cent, indicating the use of ground-penetrating munitions; this is consistent with statements from the United States,” he told the IAEA Board of Governors. “At this time, no one including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordow.”

    Mr. Grossi said that taking into account the highly explosive payload used in the US attacks, “very significant damage is expected to have occurred” to the highly sensitive centrifuge machinery used to enrich uranium at Fordow.

    Several sites hit

    Fordow is one of several nuclear-related sites across Iran that are known to have been damaged in the strikes by the United States, including those in Esfahan, Arak and Tehran.

    In comments to the UN Security Council in New York on Sunday, the IAEA chief said that although radiation levels remained normal outside these nuclear facilities, deep concerns remained about Iran’s operational nuclear plant at Bushehr.

    Any strike on Bushehr could trigger a massive radiation release across the region –  “the risk is real”, Mr. Grossi said.

    Eleven days after Israel launched air and missile strikes at Iranian military and nuclear sites, some 430 people are believed to have been killed in Iran, most of them civilians.

    According to Israeli reports, 25 people have been killed and more than 1,300 injured by Iranian missile strikes.

    Terror and hoarding

    Inside Iran, many people are sleep-deprived after 10 days of Israeli strikes and afraid that they have nowhere to go.

    Testimonies shared with UN News of events indicate that internet access is extremely limited and that people are queueing for hours to stock up on food and fuel. “Even bread has been scarce at times,” said one Iranian national, who noted that many of those with dual nationality have been leaving the country.

    The crisis has also increased problems for the elderly and infirm – “not for lack of money, but because their caregivers have disappeared”, she added.

    Meanwhile in Israel, civilians impacted by Iranian missile attacks have spoken of their shock at the destruction of their homes, echoing calls for peace in Iran.

    “We came to try to evacuate some equipment left at our flats, which were totally collapsed by the direct heat of the missile yesterday morning,” one Israeli resident said in an online testimony published on Monday. “So, that’s it, the entire house is gone.”

    Another resident explained that he was returning to his apartment which had been “totally destroyed by a missile landed under my window – and luckily I wasn’t here.”

    Explained: Why striking nuclear facilities risks catastrophe

    IAEA safety experts have warned repeatedly that armed attacks on nuclear infrastructure – enrichment facilities or reactors – risk damaging containment systems and could lead to the release of dangerous levels of radioactive or toxic materials.

    “Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked,” IAEA chief Mr. Grossi told the agency’s Board of Governors on Monday.

    Even well-fortified facilities are not immune from structural or systemic failure when subjected to extreme external force, such as missile strikes, the UN nuclear watchdog has said.

    A range of threats

    The potential consequences include localised chemical exposure and far-reaching radioactive contamination, depending on the nature of the site and the strength of its defensive barriers.

    At enrichment or conversion facilities, the primary hazard often comes from uranium hexafluoride (UF₆). If struck and exposed to moisture, this radioactive compound of uranium and fluorine can break down into hydrogen fluoride – a highly toxic gas that can cause burns and respiratory damage.

    Radiation risks at these enrichment sites are typically lower than at reactors, although chemical hazards can have severe local impacts, IAEA said.

    In contrast, reactor cores and spent-fuel pools hold large inventories of fission products which result from nuclear reactions, such as iodine-131 and cesium-137. A breach here could result in large-scale radioactive dispersal, especially if cooling systems fail. 

    Different sites and risks

    Iran’s nuclear programme includes a range of facilities with varying risk profiles, reports indicate. The Bushehr nuclear power plant, Iran’s only operational commercial reactor, remains undamaged but contains significant radioactive material under IAEA safeguards.

    Research reactors including the Tehran facility are smaller, while the Arak heavy-water reactor, struck recently, held no nuclear material at the time.

    Enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow are fortified and underground, limiting the spread of radiation despite recent damage. However, conversion sites such as Isfahan involve uranium hexafluoride (UF₆), raising the risk of toxic chemical exposure if containment is breached.

    International legal frameworks and UN resolutions strongly prohibit military action against peaceful nuclear facilities. The IAEA stresses that any such strike endangers not just national safety, but regional and global stability.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Yemen: Nearly half the population facing acute food insecurity in some southern areas

    Source: United Nations 2

    Yemen remains trapped in a prolonged political, humanitarian and development crisis, after enduring years of conflict between government forces and Houthi rebels, with populations in the south of the country now facing a growing food insecurity crisis.

    A partial update released Monday by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system – which ranks food insecurity from Phase 1 to famine conditions, or Phase 5 – paints a grim picture.

    Starting in May 2025, around 4.95 million people have been facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (Phase 3+), including 1.5 million facing emergency-level food insecurity (Phase 4).

    These numbers mark an increase of 370,000 people suffering from severe food insecurity compared to the period from November 2024 to February 2025.

    Further deterioration

    The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that “looking ahead, the situation [was] expected to deteriorate further,” with 420,000 people potentially falling into crisis-level food insecurity or worse.

    This would bring the total number of severely food-insecure people in southern governorate areas to 5.38 million – more than half the population.

    Multiple compounded crises – such as sustained economic decline, currency depreciation in southern governorates, conflict, and increasingly severe weather – are driving food insecurity in Yemen.

    High-risk areas

    Amid Yemen’s growing food crisis, humanitarian agencies including WFP, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are reorienting their efforts towards high-risk areas, delivering integrated support across food security, nutrition, sanitation, health, and protection to maximise life-saving impact.

    “The fact that more and more people in Yemen don’t know where their next meal will come from is extremely concerning at a time when we are experiencing unprecedented funding challenges,” said Siemon Hollema, Deputy Country Director of WFP in Yemen.

    Immediate support needed

    WFP, UNICEF and FAO are urgently calling for sustained and large-scale humanitarian and livelihood assistance to prevent communities from falling deeper into food insecurity, and to ensure that the UN “can continue to serve the most vulnerable families that have nowhere else to turn,” he said.

    Internally displaced persons, low-income rural households, and vulnerable children are particularly affected, and are now facing increased vulnerability, as approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women are currently suffering from acute malnutrition.

    The situation is dire, but with urgent support, “we can revitalise local food production, safeguard livelihoods, and move from crisis to resilience building, ensuring efficiency and impact,” said FAO Representative in Yemen, Dr. Hussain Gadain.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN condemns ‘heinous’ terrorist attack at Damascus church that killed dozens

    Source: United Nations 2

    More than 60 churchgoers were also wounded in the attack, which is reported to be the first in the Syrian capital since rebel groups ousted former president Bashar al-Assad in December, ending more than a decade of civil war.

    A gunman opened fire inside the Greek Orthodox St. Elias Church in the Dweila neighbourhood before detonating an explosive vest, according to media reports.  

    Photos and video from inside the church showed a heavily damaged altar and pews covered in broken glass.

    UN chief demands accountability

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the attack, expressing his deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

    “All perpetrators of terrorism must be held accountable,” Stéphane Dujarric, his spokesperson, said on Monday.

    Mr. Guterres noted that the Syrian interim authorities had attributed the attack to the terrorist group, ISIL – also known as Da’esh – based on preliminary investigations, and he called for a thorough and impartial probe.

    “The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to supporting the Syrian people in their pursuit of peace, dignity, and justice,” Mr. Dujarric added.

    Call for justice

    UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen echoed the condemnation, denouncing the bombing “in the strongest possible terms.”

    He urged authorities to investigate the attack and ensure accountability.

    He also called for unity in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement, and the targeting of any community in Syria, which has been a patchwork of different faiths throughout its history.

    No place for extremism

    Adam Abdelmoula, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, described the incident as a “deliberate attack on a place of worship” and stressed that it had targeted civilians, including women and children, gathered in prayer.

    “There is no room for violence and extremism,” he said, urging solidarity as Syria moves toward recovery and reconciliation.

    Mr. Abdelmoula reiterated the UN’s continued support for the Syrian people and called for all possible steps to be taken to protect civilians, prevent future attacks, and bring those responsible to justice.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Guterres condemns Iran attack on US airbase in Qatar

    Source: United Nations 2

    It comes in the wake of reports that Iran launched missiles at an American military base in Qatar in retaliation for the US bombing three of its nuclear facilities this past weekend.

    Iran reportedly fired seven missiles at Al Udeid Air Base, where some 10,000 troops reportedly are stationed.  All but one were intercepted by Qatar and no casualties were reported, according to international media.

    End the fighting

    The development marks the latest step in more than a week of missile strikes between Iran and Israel, and the situation has escalated with US involvement.

    “From the outset of the crisis, the Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned any military escalation in this conflict, including today’s attack by Iran on the territory of Qatar. He further reiterates his call on all parties to stop fighting,” the statement said.  

    The Secretary-General urged all Member States to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: At least eight drown in Red Sea as smugglers force migrants overboard

    Source: United Nations 2

    At least eight people are feared dead and 22 others are missing after smugglers stopped a boat carrying around 150 passengers likely bound for Yemen on 5 June.

    “These young people were forced into impossible choices by smugglers who show no regard for human life,” said Celestine Frantz, the UN migration agency’s Regional Director for the East, Horn and Southern Africa. “We are doing everything we can to support the survivors and prevent further loss along this deadly route.”

    Rescue mission

    Search and rescue operations supported by the International Organization for Migration, IOM, have recovered five bodies from the sea near Moulhoulé in northern Djibouti. The confirmed death toll stands at eight but this is expected to rise as search efforts continue.

    IOM said that in the days following the incident, many of those rescued were found in the desert by the UN agency’s mobile patrols. They are now receiving urgent medical care at a local hospital and psychosocial support at the IOM-run Migrant Response Center in Obock, Djibouti.

    Thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa risk their lives every year to reach the Gulf States via Yemen where they hope to find work.

    So far this year, 272 people have been confirmed dead on the Eastern Mediterranean migrant route which includes the Djibouti to Yemen leg. This includes both land and sea routes, according to IOM data.

    “This latest tragedy is part of a series of fatal maritime incidents off the coast of Djibouti, underscoring the urgent need for stronger protection mechanisms for migrants along the migration route between the Horn of Africa and Yemen,” IOM said.
    Warning that this latest deadly incident is part of a growing crisis, the UN agency has called for increased international support to strengthen search and rescue operations and expand access to safe migration pathways.

    Libya focus

    In a related development, IOM reported on Tuesday that the bodies of 10 migrants had washed ashore near Marsa Matrouh in Egypt.

    The dead are believed to have set sail from the Libyan coast which is often used by people smugglers to traffic migrants across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

    More than 32,000 people are known to have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea since 2014 “with an unknown number still missing”, IOM’s Missing Migrants Project said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘A moral failure’: Security Council hears about grave violations against children caught in war

    Source: United Nations 4

    “From that day on, our home became a travel bag and our path became that of displacement … My childhood was filled with fear and anxiety and people I was deprived of,” she said, speaking via videoconference from Syria.  

    Sila, now 17, described her experiences during the Syrian Civil War to a meeting of the UN Security Council held on Wednesday to discuss the findings of the Secretary-General’s latest report on Children and Armed Conflict.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Sila (on screen), Civil Society Representative, briefs the Security Council meeting on children and armed conflict.

    The report documented a 25 per cent increase in grave violations against children in 2024, the largest number ever recorded in its 20-year history. 

    “This year’s report from the Secretary-General once again confirms what too many children already know — that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war,” said Sheema Sen Gupta, director of child protection at the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

    Seema Sen Gupta, director of child protection and migration at UNICEF, briefs the Security Council. 

    “Each violation against children in every country around the globe represents a moral failure.”

    The real scale of the harm

    The report presented to the Security Council is published annually to document grave violations against children affected by war. It relies entirely on data compiled and verified by the UN, meaning that the real numbers are likely much higher than reported.  

    In 2024, the report documented a record 41,370 grave violations — including killing and maiming, rape, abduction and the targeting of infrastructure such as schools which supports children.  

    “Each child struck by these attacks carries a story, a stolen life, a dream interrupted, a future obscured by senseless violence and protracted conflict,” said Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, whose office produced the report.  

    Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, briefs the Security Council. 

    While many of these violations occurred during times of conflict — especially as urban warfare is on the rise — grave violations can persist even after a conflict ends. 

    They persist in the unexploded ordinances which still pepper the ground.  

    “Every unexploded shell left in a field, schoolyard, or alley is a death sentence waiting to be triggered,” said Ms. Sen Gupta.  

    They persist in the spaces which remain destroyed, impeding children from accessing healthcare and education.  

    And they persist in the trauma and injuries which never fully leave a child.  

    Scars that never heal

    Children who survive the grave violations do not escape unscathed — if they suffered violence, the injuries will stay with them for a lifetime. And even if they were not injured, the trauma remains.

    “The physical and psychological scars borne by survivors last a lifetime, affecting families, communities and the very fabric of societies,” said Ms. Gamba.  

    This is why UNICEF and its partners have worked to provide reintegration programmes and psychosocial support for children who are victims of grave violations.

    Sila said that the trauma of her childhood is still with her, and has pushed her to become an advocate for children in conflicts.  

    “From that moment on, nothing has felt normal in my life. I’ve developed a phobia of any sound that resembles a plane, of the dark, and even of silence,” she said.  

    ‘This cannot be the new normal’

    Ms. Gamba called for “unwavering condemnation and urgent action” from the international community in order to reverse the worrying trends which the report details.  

    “We cannot afford to return to the dark ages where children were invisible and voiceless victims of armed conflict… Please do not allow them to slip back into the shadows of despair,” she said. 

    Current funding cuts to humanitarian aid are impeding the work of UN agencies and partners to document and respond to grave violations against children.

    In light of this, Ms. Sen Gupta’s call for the Security Council was simple: “Fund this agenda.”

    She said that the international community cannot allow this to become “a new normal,” and reminded the members of the Security Council that children are not and should never be “collateral damage.”

    Despite the devastation which the report detailed, there were “glimmers of hope” according to Ms. Sen Gupta. For example, the Syrian National Army signed an action plan which will prevent the recruitment, killing and maiming of children.  

    Sila also spoke of hope — she hopes that hers is the last generation to suffer these grave violations.  

    “I am from a generation that survived. Physically,” she said. “Our bodies survived but our hearts are still living in fear. Please help us replace the word displacement with return, the word rubble with home, the word war with life.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: From summits to street art to schools: Here’s how we’re marking World Environment Day

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Around the world, civil society groups and UN teams are hosting webinars, forums, summits and other diverse celebrations. It’s a collective effort that’s drawing together different wings of the UN from Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to UN Peacekeeping.

    Worldwide events

    On Tuesday, Qatar launched a national biodiversity database, concluding a three-year UNEP-led project.

    In the Indian capital New Delhi, UNEP hosted the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge National Youth Summit on Tuesday to empower young people to take action to end plastic pollution.

    As host, Jeju held a commemoration ceremony and the Future Generation Forum on Thursday.

    Mexico launched its 2025–2030 National Beach and Coastal Clean-Up and Conservation Campaign in Puerto Progreso, Yucatán, with volunteer brigades and a formal ceremony.

    In Geneva, UNEP and the Orchestre des Nations are presenting a one-hour concert, Our Home, blending music, images and spoken word to highlight ecological emergencies.

    Brussels is screening the documentary Ocean with legendary environmental campaigner and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, in honour of World Environment Day, World Oceans Day and the UN Ocean Conference.

    In the United States, Street Art for Mankind unveiled a 245-foot mural for World Environment Day as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, calling for better protection for vulnerable communities.

    UNESCO initiative

    In a statement released Thursday, UNESCO reported that over 80,000 schools across 87 countries are following the recommendations in the Green school quality standard released in May 2024.

    The initiative promotes green learning environments through governance, facilities and operations, teaching, and community engagement. This includes setting up “green governance committees” and training teachers in sustainable management practices.

    Peacekeeping and the environment

    In a video released Wednesday, UN Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare and Environment Section Chief Joanna Harvey outlined how UN Peacekeeping is reducing its environmental footprint.

    Efforts over the past decade include bringing renewable energy to missions, requiring newer, more efficient generators, supporting local energy providers, and investing in sustainable infrastructure.

    “We want to leave behind a legacy… [of] projects that are created by us which are finally beneficial to the local communities,” said Mr. Khare. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 5, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 5, 2025.

    Palestine protesters target NZ businesses ‘complicit’ with Israel’s Gaza genocide
    Asia Pacific Report Protesters against the Israeli genocide in Gaza and occupied West Bank targeted three business sites accused of being “complicit” in Aotearoa New Zealand today. The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa’s “End Rocket Lab Genocide Complicity” themed protest picketed Rocket Lab’s New Zealand head office in Mt Wellington. Simultaneously, protesters also picketed a site

    Lyssavirus is rare, but deadly. What should you do if a bat bites you?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vinod Balasubramaniam, Associate Professor (Molecular Virology), Monash University Ken Griffiths/Getty Images A man in his 50s has died from lyssavirus in New South Wales after being bitten by a bat several months ago. This is Australia’s fourth human case of bat lyssavirus and the first confirmed case

    Guam nuclear radiation survivors ‘heartbroken’ over exclusion from compensation bill
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist People on Guam are “disappointed” and “heartbroken” that radiation exposure compensation is not being extended to them, says the president of the Pacific Association for Radiation Survivors (PARS), Robert Celestial. He said they were disappointed for many reasons. “Congress seems to not understand that we are no different than

    Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer in Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney Thomas Yau/Shutterstock The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials. The league is the third major opposition party to disband

    Eyewitness account of Rainbow Warrior voyage – new Eyes of Fire edition
    By Giff Johnson, editor of the Marshall Islands Journal Author David Robie and Little Island Press are about to publish next week a 40th anniversary edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, a first-hand account of the relocation of the Rongelap people by Greenpeace’s flagship Rainbow Warrior in

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 4, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 4, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Afghanistan: Surging returns from Iran overwhelm fragile support systems, UN agencies warn

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Ninety-nine per cent of the returnees were undocumented, and 70 per cent were forcibly returned, with a steep rise in families being deported – a shift from earlier months, when most returnees were single young men, according to the UN agency.

    The rise follows a March decision by the Iranian Government requiring all undocumented Afghans to leave the country.

    Conditions deteriorated further after the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, which caused the daily refugees crossings to skyrocket from about 5,000 to nearly 30,000, according to Arafat Jamal, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) representative in Afghanistan.

    “They are coming in buses and sometimes five buses arrive at one time with families and others and the people are let out of the bus and they are simply bewildered, disoriented, and tired and hungry as well,” he told UN News, describing the scene at a border crossing.

    “This has been exacerbated by the war, but I must say it has been part of an underlying trend that we have seen of returns from Iran, some of which are voluntary, but a large portion were also deportations.” 

    Strain on aid efforts

    Afghanistan, already grappling with economic collapse and chronic humanitarian crisis, is unprepared to absorb such large-scale returns.

    The 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan calls for $2.42 billion in funding, but only 22.2 per cent has been secured to date.

    “The scale of returns is deeply alarming and demands a stronger and more immediate international response,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope, “Afghanistan cannot manage this alone.”

    Meanwhile, UNHCR alongside partners is working to address the urgent needs of those arriving – food, water, shelter, protection. However its programmes are also under severe strain due to limited funding. 

    The agency had to drastically reduce its cash assistance to returnee families at the border from $2,000 per family to just $156.

    “We are not able to help enough women, and we are also hurting local communities,” added Mr. Jamal.

    Some relief, but not enough

    In response to growing crisis, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $1.7 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) to support drought-affected families in Faryab Province.

    The funds will provide cash assistance to some 8,000 families in the region, where over a third of the rural population is already facing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

    “Acting ahead of predicted hazards to prevent or reduce humanitarian impacts on communities is more important than ever,” said Isabelle Moussard Carlsen, Head of OCHA Afghanistan, adding “when humanitarian action globally and in Afghanistan is underfunded…we must make the most of every dollar.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Shelter and safety elude Afghan women returnees from Iran and Pakistan

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Since September 2023, more than 2.43 million undocumented Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan.

    Women and girls account for about half of the returnees from Pakistan, while their share among those returning from Iran has been steadily rising, reaching around 30 per cent in June.

    The escalating pace of returns is straining Afghanistan’s overstretched humanitarian system, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the impact, reported the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group, a consortium of humanitarian actors led by UN Women and the UN reproductive health agency (UNFPA).

    Vulnerabilities at the border

    Women and girls are arriving with little protection or support.

    “A tent would be my only protection. I have no appropriate clothes or hijab to wear, no food to eat, no contact number and no relatives to stay with,” one woman told UN Women at the border.

    Those traveling without a mahram – a male guardian – face particular risks. Interviews and discussions conducted by Working Group revealed reports of extortion, harassment and threats of violence at border crossings.

    “They took 6,000 rupees (about $21) and gave me only 2,000 back. Now, I do not know where to go with this money,” said a woman at Torkham. In Islam Qala, others reported “mistreatment and harassment…causing fear and distress.”

    Heightened protection risks

    Returnees face rising exposure to gender-based violence, early and forced marriage, trafficking and transactional sex – exacerbated by a lack of basic resources.

    A humanitarian worker in Kandahar recounted: “A widow with four daughters was looking to see if she could sell one or two daughters to someone here to have money for survival.”

    Humanitarian agencies report a critical shortage of safe spaces and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS), especially at border crossings, where many women arrive distressed and disoriented.

    Shelter, livelihoods and education

    Across provinces, women cite shelter, livelihoods and girls’ education as top needs.

    “We need a place to stay, a chance to learn and a way to earn,” said a returnee woman in Nangarhar province.

    Only 10 per cent of women-headed households live in permanent shelters, and nearly four in ten fear eviction. In Herat, 71 per cent of women reported rent disputes, and 45 per cent of women-headed households were living in inadequate housing.

    “Many families lack sufficient financial resources to afford food and basic necessities,” said a woman in Herat.

    Women who previously worked in trades such as tailoring or handicrafts now struggle to restart due to a lack of tools, restrictions on movement, and limited networks or documentation.

    Looking ahead

    With forced returns expected to continue, humanitarian agencies urge the scale-up of gender-responsive services, including safe spaces, mental health care, livelihood support and education access.

    UN Women and its partners are calling for increased funding and sustained international support to meet the urgent and long-term needs of Afghan returnee women and girls.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Bold new initiative aims to strengthen and improve the UN, senior officials tell Member States

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The informal meeting on the UN80 Initiative also provided a chance for ambassadors to share their views on the reform agenda, launched by Secretary-General António Guterres in March.

    UN80 is centred around three workstreams focused on efficiencies and improvements, a mandate implementation review, and structural changes and programme realignments across the entire UN system.

    Improving the UN

    It also aims to reinforce the UN’s capacity to respond to global challenges such as conflict, displacement, and the climate crisis, while also managing external pressures effectively, such as shrinking budgets and growing political divisions. 

    “I think the UN80 Initiative is often characterised, but I think mischaracterised, simply as an exercise in downsizing in economy,” said Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy and chair of the Task Force overseeing the plan.

    “But the Secretary-General has been rather clear in saying that whilst we have to respond to the resource situation, the overall intention of the Initiative is to strengthen and improve the workings of the UN system.”  

    Learn why UN80 matters to the world in our explainer here.

    Widespread impact

    Mr. Ryder alongside UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan (who prepares and oversees the budget and manages the Organization’s funds) presented updates on two workstreams during the morning session of the day-long meeting.

    He set the scene with a slideshow outlining the background for UN80 and the circumstances confronting the UN today.

    Over the years, the UN has adopted some 40,000 mandates delivered by “a fairly numerous and complex constellation of entities,” more than 140.

    In 2023, the global body delivered some $69 billion in support and services worldwide, with “the lion’s share”, $31 billion or around 45 per cent, going to humanitarian action.  

    This was followed by development, $21 billion (30 per cent), peace and security, $9 billion (13 per cent), and human rights, $1 billion, or less than one per cent.

    “We believe that the global population, in one manner or another…is connected to the global agenda of the United Nations,” he said.  Additionally, some 440 million lives are directly impacted by its development work, and 140 million people in crisis situations receive support. 

    Reduction in resources

    Mr. Ryder said the $69 billion mark two years ago represented “a peak” and it is estimated that the UN has some $50 billion in resources available today amid “a situation of significant uncertainty.”

    This 30 per cent reduction means “we’re down to 380 million people who we’re able to reach directly in development work, and we’re down to 110 million as a reduction in emergency situations of our humanitarian spending.”

    In light of this context, “maybe we can streamline the manner in which we implement the mandates that you hand down; maybe we can optimize the structures which form this archipelago of entities,” he suggested.

    “The success of the UN80 Initiative depends on us being able to increase the impact that our work in the UN system has on the people who we are here to serve.”

    Proposals to enhance efficiency

    Mr. Ramanathan briefed delegates on workstream one.  He said a working group was established to develop concrete proposals to enhance efficiency, reduce duplication, standardize services, and relocate functions to existing lower-cost duty stations where appropriate. 

    The “exhaustive list” of proposals could include measures such as consolidating existing human resources, finance and procurement services into unified support hubs. The process would start in New York and Geneva as they host the largest number of Secretariat entities and staff.

    Another proposal involves having payroll operations centralized in three global processing centres, compared to 10 locations today.

    The working group is finalising the proposals to be submitted to the Secretary-General and “if approved, they will be incorporated into the revised estimates for the 2026 proposed programme budget for the consideration of the General Assembly by 1 September,” said Mr. Ramanathan.

    “Separately from the UN80 Initiative, we are reviewing the programme budget proposals for 2026 with a view to achieving between 15 and 20 per cent reductions for 2026, including a 20 per cent reduction in work force, post reduction, but with a focus on preserving capacity at entry levels and reducing senior posts where feasible,” he added.

    A ‘universe of mandates’

    Mr. Ryder returned to present workstream two, where the first step involved mapping out “the universe of mandates” that the UN implements, with initial focus on Secretariat departments and offices, peacekeeping operations, political missions, regional commissions and other bodies.

    The Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development were among the most frequently cited mandates.  

    The overall “landscape” of mandates means that the Secretariat services some 400 intergovernmental organs and roughly 27,000 meetings each year and processes some 2,300 pages of documentation on average every day, amounting to around $360 million annually. 

    A mandate resource registry has been produced, and a report should be available by the end of July which will inform the way forward.

    Concern over proposed budget cuts

    During the session, several representatives expressed their views on UN80, such as Iraqi Ambassador Dr. Abbas Kadhom Obaid, who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

    He voiced concern over the proposed 15 to 20 per cent budget reductions, and the 20 per cent staff reduction, requesting more insight into how these figures were determined.

    “This is important since we know that the departments, divisions, in the Organization’s funds, programmes and agencies vary greatly,” he said.

    “We must also protect the geographical and gender balance in the context of any downsizing.  As the Group has reiterated several times, the matters of transparency, accountability and inclusivity are paramount during this process.”

    Fit for the future

    The meeting took place just days before the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945, as General Assembly President Philémon Yang noted in his opening remarks.

    He said it was a time to “reflect on the last 80 years and all that this Organization has achieved, and also a time to look to the future,” so the UN can remain fit for purpose – and ready for the next 80 years.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Eighty years on, UN Charter marked by reflection, resolve – and a run

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Under cooler skies after days of intense heat, the run ended where it all began, at the original UN Charter – the document that launched the Organization and reshaped the modern international order – now on display at UN Headquarters.

    Inside the General Assembly Hall, delegates gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its signing.

    They reflected on the past eight decades in which the UN helped rebuild countries after the Second World War, supported former colonies’ independence, fostered peace, delivered aid, advanced human rights and development, and tackling emerging threats like climate change.

    To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war

    General Assembly President Philémon Yang described the moment as “symbolic” but somber, noting ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and the growing challenges to multilateralism.

    He urged nations to choose diplomacy over force and uphold the Charter’s vision of peace and human dignity: “We must seize the moment and choose dialogue and diplomacy instead of destructive wars.”

    Secretary-General António Guterres echoed this call, warning that the Charter’s principles are increasingly under threat and must be defended as the bedrock of international relations.

    “The Charter of the United Nations is not optional. It is not an à la carte menu. It is the bedrock of international relations,” he said, stressing the need to recommit to its promises “for peace, for justice, for progress, for we the peoples.”

    Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Security Council President for June, emphasized the urgency of renewed collective action to address emerging global threats.

    “Let this 80th anniversary of the Charter be not just an occasion for reflection, but also a call to action,” she urged.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    General Assembly commemorates 80th anniversary of the signing of UN Charter.

    To unite our strength to maintain international peace and security

    Eighty years ago, on 26 June 1945, delegates from 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to sign a document that would change the course of history.

    Forged in the aftermath of the Second World War, by a generation scarred by the Great Depression and the Holocaust and having learnt the painful lessons of the League of Nations’ collapse, the Charter of the United Nations represented a new global pact.

    Its preamble – “We the peoples of the United Nations” – echoed the determination to prevent future conflict, reaffirm faith in human rights, and promote peace and social progress.

    That very document, preserved by the United States National Archives and Records Administration, has returned – for the first time in decades – to the heart of the institution it founded.

    Now on public display at UN Headquarters through September, the original Charter stands as a powerful symbol: not just of a past promise, but of an enduring commitment to multilateralism, peace and shared purpose.

    Video: UN Charter returns to UN Headquarters

    To promote social progress and better standards of life

    More voices – from the presidents of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – also took the floor, reaffirming the enduring relevance of the Charter and the need to defend it.

    Bob Rae, ECOSOC President, drew an arc through human history to underscore the UN’s relative youth – just eight decades old in a global context of millennia.

    “We currently have the advantage of being able to lucidly look at what we have accomplished, while also recognizing our successes and failures,” he said, holding up a copy of the Charter once used by his father.

    “The United Nations is not a government and the Charter is not perfect,” he said, “but it was founded with great aspirations and hope.”

    ICJ President Judge Yuji Iwasawa reflected on the progress since 1945 and the challenges still facing the global community.

    “In the 80 years since the drafters of the Charter set down their pens, the international community has achieved remarkable progress. However, it also faces many challenges,” he said. “The vision of the Charter’s drafters to uphold the rule of law for the maintenance of international peace and security, remains not only relevant but indispensable today.”

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    Jordan Sanchez, a young poet, speaks at the General Assembly during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.

    To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights

    In a powerful reminder that the Charter speaks not only to the past but to future generations, Jordan Sanchez, a young poet took the stage.

    Her spoken word piece, Let the Light Fall, evoked not declarations, but feelings of hope and vision for a better world.

    “Let the light fall,” she began, “on fallen faces hidden in the shadow of scorn…where may the children run towards the light of your face, towards the warmth of your presence and the stillness of your peace.”

    “There is no fear, only abundance, of safety, of security, of knowing there will always be enough light for me” she said, describing a dreamscape of Eden restored – not a paradise lost, but glimpsed in justice, fairness and shared humanity.

    “Let us be bold enough to look down and take it, humble enough to kneel down and bathe in it, loving enough to collect and share it, and childish enough to truly, truly believe in it.”

    The equal rights of men and women

    As the world marks 80 years of the UN Charter, it’s worth remembering that its promise of equal rights for men and women was hard-won from the very start.

    In 1945, just four women were among the 850 delegates who gathered in San Francisco to sign the document, and only 30 of the represented countries granted women the right to vote.

    In a 2018 UN News podcast, researchers spotlighted these overlooked trailblazers – and asked why the women who helped shape the UN’s founding vision are so often left out of its story.

    Listen to the podcast here.

    Note: The subheads in this article are taken directly from the Preamble of the United Nations Charter, whose enduring language continues to guide the Organization’s mission.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Without urgent funding, global hunger hotspots are set to grow, UN warns

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    But hunger has followed them. Over 57 per cent of the population in the world’s youngest country to the south is already facing high levels of acute food insecurity.

    Sudan and South Sudan are among five global hunger hotspots of “highest concern”, trapped in a worsening cycle of conflict, climate shocks and economic decline.

    Continued fighting in Sudan, anticipated flooding impacting its southern neighbour and deteriorating economic conditions in both countries are set to intensify hunger in the coming months.

    A new report released on Monday by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also identified Palestine, Mali and Haiti as the other top-priority hunger hotspots, with a further seven countries likely to see worsening food security over the next five months.

    The report, which analyses existing data to project the nature of food insecurity, emphasised that without immediate humanitarian assistance, people living in these hotspots will face severe food conditions and high risks of starvation and death.  

    “This report makes it very clear: hunger today is not a distant threat  – it is a daily emergency for millions. We must act now and act together to save lives and safeguard livelihoods,” said FAO Director General QU Dongyu.  

    Conflict-driven hunger

    The report identified that the main driver of hunger is conflict which is often compounded by climate and economic shocks.  

    “There’s an on-going famine in Sudan and also a risk of famine in the case of Gaza. And all of those are driven by conflict and lack of access for humanitarians,” said Jean-Martin Baucer, FAO food security analysis director.

    In Gaza, the entire population of 2.1 million people is projected to experience crisis levels of food insecurity in the next months as a result of protracted military operations, with almost 500,000 projected to face catastrophic levels of food insecurity.  

    Sawsan was an artist in Gaza before the conflict began. Since then, she and her four children have been displaced, losing everything that they owned. They do not have enough to eat: Sawsan described to WFP that she now reduced to crushing macaroni to make bread for her children.  

    The report also noted that climate shocks and conflict often cause protracted economic declines, diminishing the purchasing power and self-sustaining capacity of households and communities.

    Window closing fast 

    In recent months, humanitarian food operations have faced significant food shortages and have been geographically impeded by security crises which make the delivery of aid simply dangerous.  

    WFP and FAO are calling for the international community to drastically step up funding for food and nutrition related humanitarian aid in the coming months and advocate for an end to the fighting.  

    “Urgent, sustained investment in food assistance and recovery support is crucial as the window to avert yet more devastating hunger is closing fast,” said WFP executive director Cindy McCain.

    ‘Red alert’

    In May, the food aid sector estimated that it would need $12.2 billion, but only nine per cent of this was funded.  

    The report also underlined the importance of moving towards longer-term humanitarian strategies which equip communities with self-sustaining capabilities and are less expensive.

    “This report is a red alert. We know where hunger is rising and we know who is at risk. We have the tools and experience to respond but without funding and access, we cannot save lives,” said Ms. McCain.   

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly approves $5.4 billion UN peacekeeping budget for 2025-2026

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Acting on the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), the Assembly endorsed the budgets for 12 missions, the logistics centres in Entebbe (Uganda) and Brindisi (Italy), and the support account for peacekeeping.

    The budgets were adopted without a vote, except for the resolution on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was adopted by 147 votes in favour to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, and United States), with 1 abstention (Paraguay).

    The adoption of UNIFIL’s budget followed an Israeli-proposed oral amendment, which was rejected by 5 votes in favour (Argentina, Canada, Israel, Paraguay, and US) to 83 against, with 57 abstentions.

    Last year, the peacekeeping budget stood at $5.59 billion for 14 operations, meaning the 2025-2026 figure reflects a modest decrease, following final settlements of former missions in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.

    Pressing liquidity challenges

    Despite the agreement on the budgets, UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan outlined a sobering picture about the fragility of the UN’s broader liquidity situation.

    “You manage somehow to find common ground three times a year. But I only wish you had gone a little bit further to solve one of the underlying problems of the UN, which has been plaguing us for 80 years,” he told delegates last week as they concluded negotiations in the Fifth Committee.

    He described how approved budgets are often undermined by cash shortages, forcing immediate instructions to slash spending by 10, 15, or even 20 per cent.

    “No money, no implementation. There is not enough cash. I cannot emphasize enough a massive effort needed on your side to somehow take us over that line and deal with a problem that’s plagued the UN for the last so many years,” he said.

    UN peacekeeping operations

    UN peacekeeping remains one of the most iconic UN activities, with nearly 70,000 military, police and civilian personnel deployed across Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

    Missions include long-standing deployments such as MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNFICYP in Cyprus, and MINUSCA in the Central African Republic. Mandated by the Security Council, these operations work to stabilize conflict zones, support political processes, protect civilians, and assist in disarmament and rule-of-law efforts.

    UN’s peacekeeping budget is separate from its regular budget, which supports the Organization’s core programs, including human rights, development, political affairs, communications and regional cooperation.

    The peacekeeping budget cycle runs from July-June, while the regular budget is aligned with the calendar year.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Make midwives universally accessible and save millions of lives, WHO urges

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this sort of large-scale life-saving is possible, if midwifery care is universally accessible and consistent with international standards.

    “Expanding and investing in midwifery models of care is one of the most effective strategies to improve maternal and newborn health globally,” said Dr. Anshu Banerjee, director for maternal, child and adolescent health and ageing at WHO.

    In a recently released report, WHO outlined how individual countries, with the support of the international community, can mobilise relevant stakeholders and institute policies which support midwives.

    Midwifery models of care

    Midwives worldwide work diligently to provide a continuum of care to women, including care surrounding sexual and reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care.

    Emphasizing personalized and culturally conscious approaches, midwifery is especially helpful in reducing access barriers for women in rural or conflict-affected regions where hospitals may not be accessible.

    “Skilled midwives help women trust in their bodies, their abilities and their care…ensuring women are consistently part of decision making and have access to the information they need,” said Ulrika Rehnstrom Loi, a midwifery expert at WHO.

    The WHO report emphasised that midwifery models of care are especially important as concerns of over-medicalisation in childbirth become more pronounced.

    “In a world where childbirth is increasingly medicalised, [midwives] offer a person-centered evidence-based approach that respects the physiological process of birth, restores dignity and autonomy to maternity care,” said Anna Ugglas, Chief Executive of the International Confederation of Midwives.

    Implementing a global imperative 

    Currently, the world faces a global shortage of around one million midwives. Concentrated and cross-sectoral action is needed to reverse this shortage.

    “Midwifery models of care are not just smart solutions — they are a necessity,” Ms. Ugglas said.

    The WHO report outlined that increasing the number of midwives worldwide requires policy action across many sectors, including health and education, in addition to advocacy campaigns.

    In Morocco, the Association of Midwives conducted an awareness campaign which distributed flyers and cultivated partnerships with women and civil society organizations.

    This campaign ultimately led to legislation in 2016 which defined what midwifery was, the first of its kind in Morocco.

    Like the Moroccan example indicates, the report said that policymaking, advocacy and implementation must all happen simultaneously and that each country must adopt an approach which is specific to their context.

    “[Midwifery] approaches improve outcomes, maximize resources and can be adapted to all countries,” said Dr. Banerjee.

    Case study in rural midwifery

    A campaign in the West Bank led by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, the Palestine Committee of Norway and the Palestinian Ministry of Health worked to address the challenges that women in rural areas face when accessing care.

    Through coordinating with hospitals and community members, the campaign expanded midwifery services to six regional hospitals and 37 villages between 2013 and 2016. This led to a 20 per cent decrease in unplanned caesarean sections and a 21 per cent decline in preterm birth rates.

    And these were just the short-term effects, but Mr. Banerjee said that expanded midwifery access can have longer-term effects too.

    “[Midwifery models of care] also enhance women’s and families’ experiences of care – building trusted partnerships for health at this critical stage of life.” 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New judge elected to the International Court of Justice

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud was appointed following a parallel and independent voting process in the General Assembly and Security Council, conducted by secret ballot.

    He will fill the vacancy left by former ICJ President Nawaf Salam of Lebanon, who resigned in January to become the country’s Prime Minister.

    He will hold office for the remainder of Judge Salam’s term, which was set to end on 5 February 2027.

    Absolute majority

    Mr. Hmoud was the sole person vying for the slot and he was nominated by Egypt, Jordan, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden.

    Candidates must secure an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and the Security Council, or 97 and eight votes respectively.

    All 15 Council members voted in his favour while in the General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member States, he received the support of 178 out of 181 countries who took part in the vote.  Three countries abstained.

    Mr. Hmoud has been Jordan’s Ambassador to the UN in New York since September 2021 and his other postings include Legal Adviser and Director of the Legal Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    He is also a former chairman and member of the International Law Commission, a UN expert body that promotes the development and codification of international law.

    The towers and gables of the Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

    The ‘world court’

    The ICJ, informally known as the “world court”, settles legal disputes between UN Member States and gives advisory opinions on legal questions that have been referred to it by UN organs and agencies.

    It has been in the spotlight following an advisory opinion, issued last July, which said that Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “is unlawful.”

    Last month, hearings began on Israel’s continuing restrictions on the work of UN and other international agencies operating in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT).

    The Court is composed of 15 judges who serve nine-year terms. Five seats come up for election every three years and there is no bar on consecutive terms.

    Judges are chosen on the basis of their qualifications, not their nationality; however, no two judges can be from the same country.

    The ICJ was established in June 1945 and is based at the Peace Palace in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands.

    It is one of the six main organs of the UN – alongside the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, and the Secretariat – and is the only one not based in New York.

    Find out more about the ICJ and its role in global peace and security here. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: US decision to sanction ICC judges ‘deeply corrosive’ to justice: UN rights chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Mr. Türk was responding to an announcement by Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, on Thursday, of measures targeting the judges, who are overseeing a 2020 case of alleged war crime committed in Afghanistan by US and Afghan military forces, and the 2024 ICC arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former Defence Minister.

    “I am profoundly disturbed by the decision of the Government of the United States of America to sanction judges of the International Criminal Court – specifically four women judges, from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda – who had been part of rulings in the situations in Afghanistan or in the State of Palestine,” said Türk, who called for the prompt reconsideration and withdrawal of the measures.

    UN Photo/Evan Schneider

    Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, briefs a General Assembly informal meeting on missing persons.

    The sanctions, the statement continues, attack the judges for performing their judicial functions, an act which, he said, runs “directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law – values for which the U.S. has long stood.”

    The statement by Mr. Türk follows the ICC’s strongly worded press release on Thursday, describing the sanctions as “a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe.”

    The ICC reinforced its position on Friday with a release from the Assembly of State Parties –the management oversight and legislative body of the court – rejecting the US sanctions which, it declared, “risk undermining global efforts to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes of concern to the international community and erode the shared commitment to the rule of law, the fight against impunity, and the preservation of a rules-based international order.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: ‘Indifference and impunity’ in Sudan, ICC judges speak out against sanctions, respiratory diseases overlooked in Europe

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Tom Fletcher noted that over 30 million people require humanitarian assistance. Moreover, with famine declared in multiple places and over 14.6 million people displaced, Sudan represents the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

    “Again and again, the international community has said that we will protect the people of Sudan. The people of Sudan should ask us if, when and how we will start to deliver on that promise,” the relief chief said.

    When will the international community fully fund aid efforts in Sudan?

    When will accountability for the violence in Sudan happen?

    He called on the international community to stop acting with ‘indifference and impunity’ towards Sudan,

    Health system ‘smashed to pieces’

    Since the conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2022, civilian infrastructure across the country has been damaged or destroyed, including health facilities and water and sanitation systems. 

    The health system in particular has been “smashed to pieces,” according to Mr. Fletcher, leading to increasingly dire measles and cholera outbreaks.

    The cholera outbreak, which began in July 2024 and is now confirmed in 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, has infected more than 74,000 people in total and killed 1,826.

    “I have seen first-hand the devastation caused by the cholera outbreak in Khartoum, where the health system has been devastated by conflict and is struggling to cope with the tremendous demand on health facilities,” said Dr. Shible Sahbni, WHO representative in Sudan.

    The World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Sudanese Ministry of Health, is launching a 10-day cholera vaccination campaign in Khartoum State.

    The campaign will aim to reach 2.6 million people in an effort to contain the cholera outbreak in the state.

    “The vaccines will help stop cholera in its tracks as we strengthen other response interventions,” said Dr. Sahbni.

    ICC judges express support for colleagues sanctioned by US

    Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) expressed solidarity with their colleagues who have recently been sanctioned by the United States Government, describing the move as “coercive measures aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary.”

    “The Judges stand united and will continue to exercise their functions independently, impartially and conscientiously, fulfilling the demands of the rule of law,” they said in a statement on Thursday.

    The US announced sanctions on 6 June against four judges from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda. The justices are currently overseeing a 2020 case which alleges war crimes in Afghanistan committed by the US and Afghan armies and the 2024 ICC arrest warrants issued for sitting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

    The International Court of Justice

    The UN Human Rights Chief Volter Türk previously said that he was “deeply disturbed” by these sanctions, arguing that they corroded international governance and justice.

    No improper influence

    The ICC is an independent judicial body established under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998. Although not part of the United Nations, the ICC works closely with it under a cooperative framework.

    In the statement, the Judges said that they decide, and will continue to decide, cases based on facts and without regard to threats, restrictions or improper influence issued “from any quarter or for any reason.”

    “The Judges reaffirm that they are equal in the performance of their functions and that they will always uphold the principle of equality before the law.”

    Over 80 Million Europeans suffering from overlooked chronic respiratory diseases

    Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma are vastly underestimated, underdiagnosed and poorly managed in Europe – affecting 80 million people and costing $21 billion a year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

    A new report by WHO Europe and the European Respiratory Society highlights how smoking and air pollution are driving the growing crisis.

    “We take 22,000 breaths a day, yet respiratory health remains one of the most neglected areas in global health,” said Professor Silke Ryan, President of the European Respiratory Society.

    6th leading cause of death

    Data analysis shows that chronic respiratory illnesses are the sixth leading cause of death in Europe. They are often misdiagnosed owing to weak diagnostic systems, limited training and inadequate health data.

    Although effective treatments are available, asthma-related deaths remain high among young people, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is responsible for eight in 10 respiratory disease deaths.

    As preparations begin for the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases, WHO Europe urged governments to prioritize chronic respiratory disease, set measurable targets and tackle root causes like tobacco and air pollution.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Despite the fall of Assad, the illicit drug trade in Syria is far from over

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Despite the current government’s hostility to the trade, the country remains a hub for the production and distribution of the drug.

    During the country’s long-running civil war, the Assad regime was hit by sanctions and diplomatic isolation, and the trade in Captagon is believed to have brought in billions of dollars for the dictator and his allies.

    The country’s attitude towards the trade changed markedly after the fall of Assad in December 2024, and the rise to power of a transitional government led by members of the Islamist group HTS and comprising members of many of Syria’s ethnic groups. The current administration has pledged to disrupt the supply chain and has demonstrated this by publicly destroying large quantities of seized Captagon.

    Mazen Alboni

    Thousands of people gathered in Damascus on Friday to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime.

    However, the most recent edition of the World Drugs Report, released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on 26 June, warns that Syria remains a major hub for the drug, despite the crackdown.

    Ahead of the launch, Angela Me, Chief of Research and Analysis at UNODC, talked to UN News about the continued use of Captagon in the region,

    Angela Me: Captagon is a stimulant, similar to methamphetamine, which is taken as a pill, and for many years it has been the main drug of concern in the Gulf state and parts of North Africa.

    It was called the “Jihadi pill” after it was found that the perpetrators of some terrorist attacks had used it. On the battlefield it helps to maintain energy, which is one reason it is so widespread. But users quickly become dependent, and it causes physical and mental health problems.

    UN News: The transitional government of Syria has indicated that they do not tolerate this trade, but your report shows that Syria is still a big hub for Captagon. Who is producing and selling?

    Angela Me: There is a lot of uncertainty around that. We see a lot of large shipments going from Syria through, for example, Jordan. There are probably still stocks of the substance being shipped out, but we’re looking at where the production may be shifting to. We’re also seeing that the trafficking is expanding regionally, and laboratory equipment for the production of synthetic drugs has been discovered in Libya.

    UN News: Given the large amounts of money generated by drugs, are there still groups in Syria that would like to carry on the trade in the parts of the country they control?

    Angela Me: Definitely, and not only in Syria, but also in the wider region. These groups have been managing Captagon for a long time, and production is not going to stop in a matter of days or weeks.

    We are helping countries to tackle the problem from an organised crime perspective, to understand the criminal groups involved, so that they can design responses and solutions: our research shows that there is not one single response to dismantle the groups.

    We also help law enforcement to connect with their peers in the region, because this is not a national problem. It’s clearly a transnational problem which goes beyond the Middle East; we have been seeing Captagon traffic through Europe, for example.

    Another way we can support is by addressing the health-related issues, sharing evidence-based treatment that can really help people to recover from their dependence on the drug.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: United States, Ukraine among new members elected to UN Economic and Social Council

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Croatia, Russia and Ukraine secured seats from the Eastern European regional group, which had three available seats. Russia was elected in a run-off against Belarus, as both nations failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the first round of voting. North Macedonia, the fifth candidate from the group, did not meet the two-thirds threshold and did not advance.

    Germany and the United States were also elected in a by-election to replace Liechtenstein and Italy, which relinquished their seats. Their terms will run through 2026 and 2027, respectively.

    Other countries elected to ECOSOC – for three year terms – include Australia, Burundi, Chad, China, Ecuador, Finland, India, Lebanon, Mozambique, Norway, Peru, Sierra Leone, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Türkiye, and Turkmenistan.

    The terms of all new members will begin on 1 January 2026.

    Vote tally

    ECOSOC membership is allocated based on equitable geographical representation across five regional groups: African States, Asia-Pacific States, Eastern European States, Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and other States.

    A total of 189 Member States participated in the first round of balloting, and 187 in the runoff. A two-thirds majority of valid votes cast was required for election; abstentions and invalid ballots were not counted in the total.

    A – African States (four seats) required majority 126
    Mozambique: 186
    Sierra Leone: 186
    Burundi: 184
    Chad: 183

    B – Asia-Pacific States (four seats) required majority 125
    Lebanon: 183
    Turkmenistan: 183
    India: 181
    China: 180

    C – Eastern European States (three seats)
    First round – required majority 123
    Croatia: 146 
    Ukraine: 130
    Russia: 108 
    Belarus: 96
    North Macedonia: 59

    Second round runoff – required majority 108
    Russia: 115
    Belarus: 46

    D – Latin American and Caribbean States (three seats) required majority 125
    Ecuador: 182
    Peru: 182
    Saint Kitts and Nevis: 180

    E – Western European and other States (four seats) required majority 120
    Türkiye: 174
    Finland: 173
    Australia: 172
    Norway: 169
    Andorra: 1

    By-elections (two seats, independent elections) required majority 114
    Germany: 171
    United States: 170
    Andorra: 1

    The Economic and Social Council

    ECOSOC is one of the six main organs of the United Nations and consists of 54 Member States elected for overlapping three-year terms. It plays a central role in advancing the international development agenda and fostering international cooperation across economic, social, and environmental spheres.

    The General Assembly, comprising all 193 UN Member States, elects ECOSOC members annually by secret ballot.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Syria: UN commission hails recent action to address past violations

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro highlighted the establishment of the National Transitional Authority and the National Authority for Missing Persons which are expected to help reveal the fate of the more than 100,000 Syrians estimated to have been forcibly disappeared or gone missing.

    They are also expected to expose the truth about systematic violations like arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, and about widespread attacks which killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and maimed millions during hostilities.

    Syria continues along the path to transition following the overthrow of the Assad regime last December.

    Wave of retaliatory attacks

    Mr. Pinheiro said the security vacuum left after the dismissal of the armed forces and security services, together with a lack of clarity on the new framework for justice, contributed to an atmosphere where victims of past crimes and violations attempted to take the law into their own hands and settle scores.

    Retaliatory attacks that took place in coastal areas in March, and on a smaller scale in other parts of the country, were “in part a response to five decades of systematic crimes perpetrated by security forces with impunity which affected all Syrians,” he said.

    “More recently, sectarian fault lines have also been fuelled by widespread hate speech and incitement against Alawis, off and online, including posts with false information reportedly often originating from abroad.”

    Eyewitness accounts

    The Commission conducted its latest visit to Syria last week and travelled to several locations on the coast where killings and looting had occurred.  The team met with several civil and security authorities, as well as eyewitnesses and victims’ families.

    “First-hand accounts by survivors of these events…revealed in detail how residential areas were raided by large groups of armed men, many of them members of factions now affiliated with the State. They told us how the assailants detained, ill-treated and executed Alawis,” he said.

    He acknowledged the interim authorities’ establishment of a National Inquiry to investigate the violations as well as an additional High-Level Committee to Maintain Civil Peace.  Furthermore, dozens of alleged perpetrators have been arrested.

    “Protection of civilians is essential to prevent further violations and crimes,” he said. 

    “We welcome the commitment of President (Ahmed) al-Sharaa to hold those responsible accountable to restore confidence for State institutions amongst the affected communities.”

    He also pointed to a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus last Sunday, saying the authorities must ensure the protection of places of worship and threatened communities, and perpetrators and enablers must be held accountable.

    Foreign intervention

    Mr. Pinheiro told the Council that “the Syrian conflict has had no shortage of internal challenges and grievances, many of which were made worse by foreign interventions.”

    In recent weeks, Israel has carried out a wave of airstrikes in and around Damascus, including near the presidential palace. Military bases and weapons depots in Daraa, Hama, Tartous and Latakia have also been targeted as part of its sustained military campaign in Syria. Several civilians were killed.

    Civilian casualties were also reported in the context of Israeli operations in the buffer zone in Quneitra and southwestern Daraa monitored by the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)

    “These actions raise serious concerns of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law as UN Secretary-General (António) Guterres further stated recently,” he said.

    Millions in need 

    Mr. Pinheiro reported that more than two million Syrians have returned home since December, including nearly 600,000 from neighbouring countries and just under 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

    “For many of the over seven million Syrians who remain displaced, massive property-related challenges will need to be tackled in the wake of industrial-scale destruction, pillage and confiscation of homes and lands,” he said.

    Moreover, he noted that “despite the recent encouraging steps towards lifting of sectoral sanctions and opening the country to new investments, nearly 16.5 million Syrians remain in need of humanitarian assistance.” Among them are nearly three million people facing severe food insecurity.

    Mr. Pinheiro concluded his remarks, saying “the interim authorities’ repeated commitments to protect the rights of everyone and all communities in Syria without discrimination of any kind are encouraging” and “should be met with the necessary support from the international community.”

    About the Commission

    The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic was by the Human Rights Council in August 2011 with a mandate to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011.

    The members are Mr. Pinheiro and Commissioners Hanny Megally and Lynn Welchman.

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

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Human Rights Council hears grim updates on Ukraine, Gaza and global racism

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Escalating conflict in Ukraine

    In an oral update, Ilze Brands Kehris, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, reported a sharp escalation in hostilities in Ukraine.

    Civilian casualties have surged, with April to June seeing nearly 50 per cent more deaths and injuries compared to the same period in 2024.

    “More than 90 per cent of these casualties occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine,” she said, attributing the spike in part to intensified Russian drone and missile attacks.

    Attacks using airburst warheads and repeated strikes on hospitals have instilled “terror and anxiety” among urban populations, she added. A June 16-17 nighttime attack in Kyiv killed more civilians than any other assault in the past year.

    While ceasefire negotiations have produced some humanitarian gains – such as the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of deceased soldiers – Ms. Kehris underscored harrowing conditions in detention.

    Over 117 former Ukrainian POWs interviewed by the UN rights office, OHCHR, reported torture, including sexual violence, in Russian captivity. Though less widespread, similar abuses have also been documented in unofficial Ukrainian detention facilities, prompting calls for transparent investigations.

    The report also noted ongoing human rights violations in territories occupied by Russia, including restrictions on civic space and the exercise of freedom of expression.

    “Peace is more imperative than ever,” Ms. Kehris said, reiterating calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in line with international law.

    Structural racism and intersectionality

    Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, delivered a thematic report focused on intersectionality as a tool for racial justice.

    Drawing from experiences of Black feminists and expanded by studies focusing on Dalit, Indigenous, Muslim and Roma community members, the concept of intersectionality was presented as essential to dismantling systemic discrimination.

    “Women of African descent, caste-oppressed communities, Roma, Arab and Muslim women, and other marginalized groups are disproportionately impacted due to overlapping forms of discrimination,” Ms. Ashwini said.

    Her report detailed how states can integrate an intersectional approach, emphasising data disaggregation, participatory policymaking, legal recognition of multiple discrimination and historical accountability.

    Ms. Ashwini highlighted the importance of reparatory justice for communities affected by colonialism and slavery and called on states – particularly those historically complicit – to implement bold reforms.

    People search through the rubble of a destroyed building in the central Gaza Strip.

    Deepening crisis in Gaza

    Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, also reported to the Council, with grim update on Gaza.

    She described conditions as “apocalyptic” and reported over 200,000 people killed or injured since 7 October 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups attacked Israeli communities – killing at least 1,200 people and taking more than 250 as hostages.

    “In Gaza, Palestinians continue to endure suffering beyond imagination,” Ms. Albanese said, describing the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a “death trap – engineered to kill or force the flight of a starved, bombarded, emaciated population marked for elimination.”

    She also accused Israel of using the conflict as an opportunity to test new weapons and technology against the population of the enclave “without restraint”.

    “The forever-occupation has provided an optimal testing ground for arms manufacturers and big tech with little oversight and zero accountability – while investors, and private and public institutions have profited handsomely,” she said.

    “We must reverse the tide,” Ms. Albanese urged, calling on Member States to impose a full arms embargo on Israel, suspend all trade agreements and investment relation and enforce accountability, “ensuring that corporate entities face legal consequences for their involvement in serious violations of international law.”

    Independent rights experts

    Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed and mandated by the Human Rights Council – the UN’s highest intergovernmental forum on human rights.

    Forming a part of its Special Procedures, Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are mandated to monitor and assess the rights situation in certain thematic or country situations.

    They work in their individual capacity, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: UN urges Israel to allow fuel into Strip

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    “Amid ongoing Israeli military operations, scores of people have reportedly been killed and injured, including while waiting for food,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

    “Over the weekend, there were numerous reports of attacks hitting homes, as well as schools hosting displaced people,” it added.

    Catastrophic hunger

    OCHA noted that amid the “heavy constraints” on bringing in supplies and carrying out humanitarian operations across Gaza, people are going hungry.

    “The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that one in five people faces catastrophic hunger, and more than 90,000 women and children urgently require treatment for malnutrition,” it said.

    WFP has about 130,000 metric tons of food positioned in the region, ready to serve people in Gaza if improved access is granted.

    Call for access

    OCHA reiterated calls on Israel to facilitate the access and entry of essential supplies into Gaza, through the available crossing points and corridors, to address people’s desperate needs. Fuel, in particular, is urgently needed.

    “The UN and its partners call on the Israeli authorities, with utmost urgency, to allow the entry of fuel into Gaza. This is critically needed for life-saving operations – including hospitals, water and sanitation equipment, telecommunications, moving cargo from crossings, and operating community kitchens,” it said.

    Displacement continues

    Mass displacement continues in the war-torn enclave.

    On Sunday, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for parts of Jabalya and Gaza City, impacting around 150,000 people. Those forced to flee join thousands already crowded into shelters lacking water, sanitation, and medical care. Shelter materials such as tents and timber have not entered Gaza in 17 weeks.

    Most of the territory remains under displacement orders, OCHA said, and Israel, as the occupying power, has a legal obligation to protect civilians.

    Search for the missing

    Meanwhile, in war-torn Gaza, thousands of families remain trapped in a spiral of anxiety and despair as they search for their missing loved ones.

    Among them is Anwar Hawas, a young woman in her twenties, searching desperately for Hadi, her 17-year-old autistic brother who has been missing for weeks.

    “Every day I go out in the morning and return in the evening, hoping to find him,” she told UN News.

    The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that more than 11,000 individuals are missing in Gaza since the war started on 7 October 2023, the majority among them women and children.

    Anwar Hawas shows her missing brother’s photograph to people in the streets of Gaza, asking if they have any information about his whereabouts.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Iran crisis: UN stays and delivers

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    “In the early morning hours of 13 June, a number of attacks took place in Tehran, and other parts of Iran,” said Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator in Iran.

    “Then over the next 12 days there were multiple attacks by either side…we know that there have been at least 627 people killed and almost 5,000 injured in Iran.

    Underlining that the UN remained in Iran through the duration of the conflict, Mr. Priesner noted that discussions are ongoing with the Government on “how to adapt existing UN programmes to meet the country’s post-conflict needs”, he told journalists in Geneva via Zoom.

    Tehran insight

    Speaking from the Iranian capital, the UN official confirmed reports that Tehran had seen a population movement as several million residents left the city seeking safety from the missile strikes. He mentioned the solidarity that Iranians had shown towards each other, with families in the north and the countryside hosting those coming from Tehran.

    Looking ahead, Mr. Priesner said: “we know that the health sector has very specific needs given the damage.” 

    Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator in Iran.

    The UN’s development and humanitarian presence in Iran spans 18 agencies with approximately 50 international staff and 500 national staff.

    Last year’s budget amounted to around $75 million with two-thirds dedicated to the country’s roughly 3.5 million refugees or people in refugee-like situations.

    Iran has been hosting one of the largest – and most protracted – refugee situations in the world for over four decades, with inclusive policies in access to health and education. The UN has supported these efforts over the years.

    The remainder of this budget is allocated for development projects including climate adaptation and mitigation work. Mr. Priesner said there was need for significant additional funding to support the most vulnerable groups in Iran including children, the elderly, female-headed households and persons with disabilities.

    The UN official confirmed reports that increasing numbers of Afghan refugees have been heading back to their country across the Iranian border either voluntarily or through deportation.

    According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, 36,100 Afghans returned on 26 June alone. The number of daily returns has continued to increase since 13 June, it said.

    “Every day, and sometimes every few hours, buses arrive and stop at the Afghanistan-Iran border, carrying exhausted and desperate Afghan refugee families with all their belongings,” said Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan.

    Afghanistan returnees’ plight

    “Many are returning to a country they barely know, forced out of Iran after decades of living there. The recent Israel-Iran war accelerated their return, pushing numbers to a record high, while deep funding cuts have made humanitarian aid operations increasingly challenging.”

    Having just returned from the Islam Qala border area, UNHCR Representative Arafat Jamal told UN News that the flow of people into Afghanistan has surged since the conflict, rising from around 5,000 daily crossings to a recent peak of nearly 30,000.

    The UNHCR official warned that Afghan returnees are arriving in an impoverished country that is unprepared to support them. Women and girls who had access to education and jobs in Iran now return to a country where “extreme gender injustice” makes such opportunities impossible, he said.

    Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, on returns from Iran.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Families deprived of the means for survival, humanitarians warn

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    “As humanitarian assistance and basic services dwindle, people in Gaza have been increasingly deprived of the means for their survival,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York.

    It has been 17 weeks since any fuel has entered Gaza, according to Mr. Dujarric – a critical shortage that forced the Al-Shifa Medical Complex to suspend its kidney dialysis services and restrict its intensive care unit services to just a few hours per day.

    Other hospitals, including Al-Aqsa in Deir al-Balah, have also come under attack, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting a strike on a tent sheltering displaced civilians in its courtyard.

    Over the past 48 hours, five school buildings sheltering displaced families  were also hit, reportedly causing deaths and injuries, while a new evacuation order issued on Sudan displaced 1,500 families from northern Gaza.  

    Living in terror

    Olga Cherevko, an official at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), described conditions for families in Gaza as “living in terror.”

    “The only thing that is on their minds right now is a ceasefire and peace at last,” she said.  

    Ms. Cherevko called for Israel to open all border crossings and allow a steady and sufficient flow humanitarian aid.

    “The thing that needs to happen for us…to address the emergency on the ground, is to reopen additional crossings, to allow supplies to enter through multiple corridors and remove the constraints that are in place for us to deliver supplies to people in need,” she said.  

    She warned that unless conditions change quickly, essential services will continue to shut down — and the broader humanitarian response could stall entirely.

    “If the situation doesn’t change very, very urgently, more such services will continue shutting down,” Ms. Cherevko said.

    “And if the situation doesn’t change going forward, the entire humanitarian operation could grind to a halt.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Access to key water facility in Khan Younis disrupted, UN reports

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israeli authorities issued displacement orders overnight for two neighbourhoods in Khan Younis, where up to 80,000 people had been living.

    The Al Satar reservoir – a critical hub for distributing piped water from Israel – has become inaccessible as a result.

    Grave warnings

    “Any damage to the reservoir could lead to a collapse of the city’s main distribution of the water system, with grave humanitarian consequences,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at a daily news briefing in New York.

    Al Satar’s disruption comes as Gaza’s infrastructure buckles under relentless displacement, strained services and critical shortages of fuel and supplies.

    Approximately 85 per cent of Gaza’s territory is currently either under displacement orders or located within military zones – severely hampering people’s access to essential aid and the ability of humanitarians to reach those in need, OCHA reported.

    Displacement continues

    Since the collapse of a temporary ceasefire in March, nearly 714,000 Palestinians have been displaced again, including 29,000 in the 24 hours between Sunday and Monday. Existing shelters are overwhelmed, and aid partners report deteriorating health conditions driven by insufficient water, sanitation and hygiene services.

    Health teams report that rates of acute watery diarrhoea have reached 39 per cent among patients receiving health consultations. Khan Younis and Gaza governorates are hardest hit, with densely overcrowded shelters and little access to clean water exacerbating the spread of disease.

    Adding to the crisis, no shelter materials have entered Gaza in over four months, despite the hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people. UN partners reported that in 97 per cent of surveyed sites, displaced families are sleeping in the open, exposed to heat, disease and trauma.

    Fuel shortages

    Meanwhile, fuel shortages are jeopardising the humanitarian response. A shipment of diesel intended for northern Gaza was denied on Wednesday by Israeli authorities, just a day after a successful but limited delivery to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

    If the fuel crisis is not urgently addressed, Mr. Dujarric warned that relief efforts could grind to a halt.

    “If the fuel crisis isn’t addressed soon, humanitarian responders could be left without the systems and the tools that are necessary to operate safely, manage logistics and distribute humanitarian assistance,” he said.

    “This would obviously endanger aid workers and escalate an already dire humanitarian crisis.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief ‘appalled’ by worsening Gaza crisis as civilians face displacement, aid blockades

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Multiple attacks in recent days have killed and injured scores of Palestinians at sites hosting displaced people and others attempting to access essential supplies, according to a statement from UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric on Thursday.

    “The Secretary-General strongly condemns the loss of civilian life,” Mr. Dujarric said.

    On just one day this week, nearly 30,000 people were forced to flee under new Israeli relocation orders, with no safe place to go and clearly inadequate supplies of shelter, food, medicine or water, he added.

    Critical systems shutting down

    With no fuel having entered Gaza in over 17 weeks, the UN chief is also “gravely concerned that the last lifelines for survival are being cut off.”

    “Without an urgent influx of fuel, incubators will shut down, ambulances will be unable to reach the injured and sick, and water cannot be purified,” Mr. Dujarric said.

    “The delivery by the United Nations and partners of what little of our lifesaving humanitarian aid is left in Gaza will also grind to a halt.”

    The Secretary-General reiterated his call for safe and sustained humanitarian access so aid can reach people in desperate need.

    “The UN has a clear and proven plan, rooted in the humanitarian principles, to get vital assistance to civilians – safely and at scale, wherever they are,” Mr. Dujarric said.

    The Secretary-General reiterated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups. He reminded all parties that international humanitarian law must be upheld.

    Displacement continues

    Displacement remains relentless. On Wednesday, Israeli authorities issued a new evacuation order in parts of Gaza City, affecting some 40,000 people and including a displacement site, a medical point and one of the few neighbourhoods that had remained untouched by such orders since before the March ceasefire.

    Since that ceasefire collapsed, over 50 such orders have been issued, now covering 78 per cent of Gaza’s territory.

    “Add the Israeli-militarized zones and that percentage jumps to 85 – leaving just 15 per cent where civilians can actually stay,” Mr. Dujarric said, briefing reporters at the UN Headquarters, in New York.

    Those areas are overcrowded and severely lacking in services or proper infrastructure.

    “Imagine having just over two million people in Manhattan – which is actually slightly bigger – but instead of buildings, the area is strewn with the rubble of demolished and bombed-out structures, without infrastructure or basic support,” the UN Spokesperson said.

    “And in Gaza, these remaining areas are also fragmented and unsafe.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Libya’s fragile peace tested again as new clashes roil Tripoli

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Clashes broke out earlier in the week across several districts of the Libyan capital, reportedly triggered by the killing of a prominent militia leader.

    The fighting, which involved heavy weaponry in densely populated areas, forced hundreds of families to flee and placed severe strain on local hospitals.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties to take urgent steps to consolidate the ceasefire announced on Wednesday.

    “The rapid nature of the escalation, which drew armed groups from outside the city and subjected heavily populated neighbourhoods to heavy artillery fire, was alarming,” his spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

    “The Secretary-General reminds all parties of their obligation to protect civilians and calls on them to engage in serious dialogue in good faith to address the root causes of the conflict.”

    Alarms raised

    The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued successive warnings throughout the week, calling the situation “deeply alarming” and urging an “immediate, unconditional ceasefire.”

    “Attacking and damaging civilian infrastructure, physically harming civilians, and jeopardizing the lives and safety of the population may constitute crimes under international law,” the mission said on Wednesday, praising mediation efforts by elders and civil society leaders.

    Years of fragmentation

    Nearly 15 years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi and the emergence of rival administrations in 2014, the country remains divided, with the internationally recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli in the northwest and the Government of National Stability (GNS) in Benghazi in the east.

    Competition over Libya’s vast oil wealth further complicates the situation. Though the country produces more than a million barrels a day, the living conditions of ordinary Libyans have seen little improvement.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Karim Khan (on screen), Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), briefs the Security Council on the situation in Libya.

    Accountability for atrocities

    In New York on Thursday the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that its investigation into alleged war crimes in Libya has entered a new phase, following increased cooperation by authorities there.

    Briefing the UN Security Council from The Hague, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan described “an unprecedented six months of dynamism,” citing the January arrest of Osama Elmasry Najim, a commander in the now-dissolved Special Deterrence Force (RADA), and his controversial return to Libya.

    Mr. Khan briefed Ambassadors via videolink after the United States imposed punitive sanctions on the court including senior personnel, which threaten the prosecutor and others with arrest if they travel to the US. The US made the order in response to the ICC issuing arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister and former defence minister, last November.

    Mr. Najim was arrested by Italian authorities based on an ICC warrant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to abuses at Metiga Prison.

    However, his return was a matter of deep concern, said Mr. Khan.

    New ‘rule of law’ promises accountability

    “There was real dismay and disappointment among victims that Mr. Njeem was returned to the scene of the alleged crimes,” Mr. Khan said.

    Despite that setback, he said that the arrest warrant had sent “shockwaves” through Libyan militias and alleged perpetrators in Libya, signalling a growing awareness that “the rule of law has entered the territory of Libya.”

    He confirmed that more arrest warrants are being pursued, and that the ICC has responded to a request for assistance from the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom as part of its own investigation into Mr. Njeem.

    “There is a black box of suffering in Libya,” he told ambassadors. “We will manage to break it open.”

    The Security Council meeting on the situation in Libya.

    Libya grants ICC jurisdiction

    In another major development, Libya formally submitted a declaration to the ICC under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, granting the court jurisdiction over crimes committed on Libyan soil from 2011 to 2027.

    Mr. Khan described this as a “new chapter” in accountability efforts and confirmed that the investigation phase is expected to conclude by early 2026.

    About the ICC

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent judicial body established under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998 and in force since 2002.

    Although not part of the United Nations, the ICC works closely with it under a cooperative framework. The situation in Libya was first referred to the ICC by the UN Security Council in 2011 through resolution 1970.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –