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Category: United Nations

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s video message paying tribute to Mr. Federico Mayor Zaragoza [scroll down for English version]

    Source: United Nations

    Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+31+Jan+25/MSG+SG+FEDERICO+MAYOR+ZARAGOZA+31+JAN+25+GREETING+EN.mp4

    Con el corazón conmovido me uno a ustedes para honrar a Federico Mayor Zaragoza, un visionario que dedicó su vida a fomentar la educación, promover la paz y defender los derechos humanos.

    Federico Mayor nos enseñó que la verdadera grandeza reside en la solidaridad y el respeto mutuo.

    Su liderazgo en la UNESCO marcó una época de transformación y renovación, impulsando una cultura de paz y diálogo entre civilizaciones.

    Su ejemplo permanecerá vivo, inspirando a futuras generaciones en su incansable búsqueda de un mundo más pacífico, justo e inclusivo.

    Honremos su memoria continuando su noble misión.

    ***

    I am deeply moved to join you in honouring Federico Mayor Zaragoza, a visionary who dedicated his life to fostering education, promoting peace and defending human rights.

    Federico Mayor taught us that true greatness lies in solidarity and mutual respect.

    His leadership at UNESCO marked an era of transformation and renewal, promoting a culture of peace and dialogue among civilizations.

    His example will live on, inspiring future generations in their tireless quest for a more peaceful, just and inclusive world.

    Let us honour his memory by pursuing his noble mission.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the General Assembly on the 31st Commemoration of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations

    Excellencies, Dear Friends,

    We come together in sorrow to mourn the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda…

    To stand with their families, and with survivors…

    To reflect on how these appalling crimes became possible…

    And to recommit to do everything in our power to prevent this from ever happening again.

    The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi is a chilling chapter in human history.

    And it occurred at terrifying speed.

    In just one hundred days some one million children, women and men were killed –the overwhelming majority Tutsi, but also Hutu and others who opposed the genocide.

    This was not a spontaneous frenzy of horrendous violence.

    It was intentional. It was premeditated. It was planned…

    Including through the hate speech that inflamed division, and spread lies and dehumanization.

    And it was the product of a collective failure to act.

    In the years since, Rwanda has made an extraordinary journey towards reconciliation, healing, and justice. 

    This terrible period of Rwanda’s history reminds us that no society is immune from hate and horror.

    And as we reflect on how these crimes came about, we must also reflect on resonance with our own times. 

    These are days of division.

    The narrative of “them” versus “us” is increasingly polarizing societies in the Great Lakes region and around the world.

    Digital technologies are being weaponized to inflame hate, stoke division, and spread lies.

    Across the internet we see an alarming array of racism, misogyny, and genocide denial.

    We see conspiracies, untruths, and deep fakes spread at an alarming pace.

    We must stem the tide of hate speech and stop division and discontent mutating into violence.

    The Global Digital Compact, agreed by countries last year, made important commitments to tackle falsehoods and hate. I urge countries to implement it in full.

    And, above all, we all must act, to prevent human rights violations. And to hold those who commit them to account.

    We must invest in prevention – in sustainable development, and the promotion, protection and respect for all human rights. To help build prosperous, peaceful, equitable, and just societies.

    And all States must comply with their duties and obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    I call on all countries to become parties to the Genocide Convention without delay.

    And to honour the responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

    Every State, and every part of society, must deliver on the promise enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to promote the human rights and dignity of all.

    The United Nations – founded in the aftermath of genocide – stands with all countries in these efforts.

    In this, our eightieth year, we recommit to the purposes and principles on which we were founded: the equality, dignity and worth of every member of our human family.

    And on this day of remembrance, let’s all of us commit to be vigilant, to act, and to work together to build a world of justice and dignity for all – in honour of all the victims, and survivors of the genocide in Rwanda.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNFPA and Partners Launch Midwifery Accelerator to Confront Maternal Health Crisis

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    New initiative unveiled at CPD58 on World Health Day aims to reverse preventable deaths and invest in frontline care

    New York, 7 April 2025 – On World Health Day, and at the opening of the 58th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD58), UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, and global partners launched the Midwifery Accelerator — a coordinated effort to reduce preventable maternal deaths by expanding access to quality care provided by midwives.

    The launch comes as new UN data confirms that 260,000 women died from pregnancy or childbirth in 2023 — one every two minutes. While this represents a 40% drop since 2000, progress has slowed and remains highly unequal, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

    “We can and must end preventable maternal deaths,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA. “We have the knowledge and tools to ensure safe births. We now need to step up what works: skilled midwives, quality care, and strong political commitment. This new initiative is about delivering on all three with the urgency they deserve.”

    Co-led by UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and Jhpiego, and developed with governments, civil society and technical partners, the Midwifery Accelerator provides a clear roadmap for action. It aims to train more midwives, deploy them where they’re most needed, and ensure they are well-equipped, supported and integrated into national health systems. In short, it puts midwives at the center of building stronger, more equitable and resilient health systems to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for women and their newborns.

    UNFPA has long been a global leader in this space, championing midwife-led care as a cornerstone of maternal health. Since 2008, UNFPA has supported over 120 countries to strengthen their midwifery workforce, from education and midwifery schools to workforce development and deployment. Over 600,000 midwives have been trained with UNFPA’s support, helping bring life-saving care closer to women and communities.

    Progress is being seen across the world. Tanzania has reduced maternal deaths by 52%, and Sierra Leone by 79% — clear proof that investments and political will can save lives. In both these countries, midwives play a key role in improving maternal and newborn health outcomes. But these gains are fragile. With massive global funding cuts threatening essential services, countries risk losing hard-won progress.

    Despite the growing need, midwives remain underfunded, under-paid, undervalued and not adequately deployed. Yet universal access to midwives could prevent over 60% of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths — and every dollar invested in midwifery has the potential of yielding up to a 16-fold return in health and economic benefits, as a study from Morocco shows.

    “This plan puts midwives at the heart of the solution,” said Julia Bunting, Director of Programmes at UNFPA. “Now is the time for governments and donors to step up. Without investing in midwives, we cannot end preventable maternal deaths.”

    For more information: 

    Zina Alam | zialam@unfpa.org; media@unfpa.org 

    About the Midwifery Accelerator
    Launched by UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, ICM, and Jhpiego, the global Midwifery Accelerator is a shared framework to support countries in integrating midwifery models of care into national health systems. The initiative was informed by country consultations in six high-burden countries (Bangladesh, Cote D’Ivoire, Nepal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Zambia) and reflects key priority areas that need to be addressed through accelerated actions to improve global availability of and access to quality midwifery care.

    Learn more: www.unfpa.org/midwifery

    About UNFPA
    UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, works in over 150 countries and territories to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee against Torture Opens Eighty-Second Session in Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee against Torture this morning opened its eighty-second session, which is being held in Geneva from 7 April to 2 May, during which it will review efforts by Armenia, France, Mauritius, Monaco, Turkmenistan and Ukraine to implement the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

    Mahamane Cisse-Gouro, Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, opening the session, said that the international system was undergoing a tectonic change, and the edifice of human rights that had been built so painstakingly over the decades had never been under such pressure.  At the root of this upheaval were the intensification of armed conflicts and crises; the growing influence of authoritarian regimes and the increasing control of autocrats over large swathes of the global economy; social tensions and resentments fuelled by growing inequalities and often directed against refugees, migrants and other vulnerable groups; the impact of climate change on the realisation of fundamental rights; and the misuse of digital technologies to repress, restrict and violate human rights.

    In these difficult times, Mr. Cisse-Gouro said, independent voices from treaty bodies were more essential than ever to ensure respect for and implementation of international human rights law.  The Committee against Torture played a fundamental role in monitoring and providing guidance to States parties through its concluding observations, general comments and jurisprudence.  Mr. Cisse-Gouro encouraged the Committee to continue its invaluable work to strengthen and clarify the applicability of the Convention in a broad range of situations and promote human dignity and justice in all circumstances.

    However, Mr. Cisse-Gouro said, in addition to ongoing chronic resource constraints, the current liquidity situation of the United Nations Secretariat had hampered, and continued to hamper, the planning and implementation of the Committee’s work. The Office of the High Commissioner was doing its utmost to ensure that the treaty bodies could carry out their mandates, including highlighting the direct impact of resource limitations on human rights protection on the ground.  Nevertheless, all indications suggested that the challenging liquidity situation would persist for the foreseeable future.

    The treaty body strengthening process had reached a crucial juncture, Mr. Cisse-Gouro noted.  In December last year, the General Assembly adopted the biennial resolution on the treaty body system, which invited the treaty bodies and the Office of the High Commissioner to continue to work to achieve a clear and regularised schedule for reporting by States parties, and to increase their efforts to further use digital technologies in their work.  However, the resolution did not endorse the proposal for an eight-year predictable schedule of country reviews.

    On Human Rights Day last year, Mr. Cisse-Gouro said, the Geneva Human Rights Platform organised an informal meeting of the Chairs and focal points on working methods, which explored the latest developments in the treaty body system and sought to improve the harmonisation of procedures.  The Chairs and focal points also had the opportunity to interact with the coordination committee of special procedures mandate holders, discussing independence and an “all mechanisms” approach to the many challenges the human rights mechanisms were facing.  The High Commissioner’s Office would continue to work alongside the treaty bodies to harmonise working methods, particularly in preparation for the annual meeting of the treaty body Chairs in June.

    Mr. Cisse-Gouro noted that, at the fifty-eighth session of the Human Rights Council, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk launched his Office’s report on good practices and lessons learned related to transitional justice processes in the context of sustaining peace and sustainable development, which illustrated powerful practices that were victim-centred, inclusive, gender-responsive and innovative. Additionally, the report presented by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief explored the intersections between the right to freedom of religion or belief and the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, with input from the Committee.  It showed that States, courts and even those working directly with victims had not consistently taken these rights into consideration in cases raising overlapping concerns, potentially exposing victims to further abuse.

    In closing, Mr. Cisse-Gouro expressed the Office of the High Commissioner’s strong support for the Committee’s critical mandate and wished it a successful session.

    Claude Heller, Committee Chairperson, said that the Committee agreed that the increasingly deteriorating international situation was fracturing the multilateral system and questioning the values on which United Nations was built.  This was a human rights crisis.  It was deeply concerning to see States fall short of their obligations under human rights treaties or even withdraw from international human rights bodies.  In this context, the Committee needed to continue to fight for these values and principles, the implementation of the Convention, and the prevention of torture.

    The United Nations’ liquidity crisis had been felt more deeply recently, Mr. Heller said.  States needed to shoulder their obligations to the treaty body system and do everything they could to maintain its operation.  The Committee was concerned by the impact of the crisis on its activities but would cooperate with the Office of the High Commissioner to ensure that the efforts to address the situation were aligned.

    During the session, Mr. Heller said, the Committee would conduct dialogues to review the reports of Armenia, France, Mauritius, Monaco, Turkmenistan and Ukraine, and would also prepare and adopt lists of issues for Pakistan and Tajikistan and lists of issues prior to reporting for Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, Iceland, Iraq, Kenya, Montenegro, State of Palestine and Uruguay.  Further, the Committee would examine 27 communications, considering 15 communications on the merits and on admissibility and 12 for discontinuance.

    Mr. Heller reported that on Tuesday, 29 April, follow-up reports would be presented by the Committee’s Rapporteur for follow-up to concluding observations, the Rapporteur for follow-up on decisions adopted under article twenty-two, and the Rapporteur on reprisals. The Committee would hear a presentation from the Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment on the Subcommittee’s sixteenth annual report in a public meeting on Monday, 14 April, and was also scheduled to adopt its own annual report in a public meeting on Friday, 2 May.

    Mr. Heller concluded by thanking States, national human rights organizations, civil society organizations, particularly the World Organization against Torture, and the Committee’s Secretariat for their support of the Committee’s work.

    During the meeting, the Committee adopted its provisional agenda for the session.

    Documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage.  Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public on Tuesday, 8 April at 10 a.m. to consider the seventh periodic report of Monaco

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CAT25.001E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Bar-Ilan University

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Bar-Ilan University is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel’s second-largest academic university institution.

    Bar-Ilan University has ten faculties: Engineering, Humanities, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Exact Sciences, Law, Education, Jewish Studies (the largest of its kind in the world), Medicine (the only faculty located on its own campus in Safed), and the Interdisciplinary Studies Unit (Mechina Program). In addition, the university is home to over seventy research institutes covering a vast array of fields.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNDRR partnership with Standard Chartered prompts resilient infrastructure deal to tackle $2 trillion climate impacts

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    • Standard Chartered announces completion of first adaptation finance deal for a corporate client following launch of the breakthrough Guide for Adaptation and Resilience Finance.
    • Deal facilitates the trade of solar modules resistant to tornadoes and tropical storms, extreme wind, storms and sandstorms.
    • In 2024, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) reported that over the last decade, climate-related extreme weather events resulted in cumulative losses to the global economy of around $2 trillion.
    • Deal demonstrates potential of adaptation as an investable asset class in response to growing demand for resilient infrastructure to mitigate economic losses caused by extreme weather events, such as those caused by the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year.

    London, 13 March 2025 – Standard Chartered today announces the successful completion of an adaptation transaction for Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. (JinkoSolar), facilitating the delivery of storm and extreme weather-resilient solar modules to solar photovoltaic (PV) farms located in the US (Florida), UAE and Saudi Arabia. Standard Chartered provided Bank Guarantees (BGs) to facilitate the trade of these solar modules, known as Tiger Neo N-type products.

    The deal is Standard Chartered’s first labelled adaptation finance deal for a corporate client following the launch of the breakthrough Guide for Adaptation and Resilience Finance, which set out for the first-time, guidance on what constitutes adaptation and resilience investment, mapping over 100 investable activities in this field. This also represents the Bank’s first labelled adaptation finance transaction in China.

    The deal demonstrates the potential of adaptation and resilience as an investable asset class in response to growing demand for resilient infrastructure, particularly in the US (Florida), UAE and Saudi Arabia, where extreme wind, storms and sandstorms degrade and disrupt solar technology, leading to economic losses on investments made. The project specification (see Appendix) protects against:

    • Tornadoes and tropical storms in the US (Florida), like the more than 46 tornadoes that occurred throughout Florida in 2024 as a result of Hurricane Milton. Across the US, hurricanes including Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene (North Carolina) caused over $500 billion in economic losses.
    • Extreme wind, storms and sandstorms in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the severe storm that swamped Dubai in 2024 leading to damages thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to homes and businesses.

    Ben Hung, President, International at Standard Chartered, said: “As a bank that sits at the centre of trade flows, and helps to facilitate them, we’re delighted to support JinkoSolar on this transaction. This deal demonstrates Standard Chartered’s ability to leverage the full breadth of our cross-border capabilities alongside our unique adaptation finance expertise, to connect demand for advanced solar technology with supply, building long-term resilience into critical energy infrastructure across our markets.”

    Haiyun Cao, Chief Financial Officer at JinkoSolar, said: “Adaptation and resilience financing are crucial in the journey to address climate change and as a leading enterprise in the photovoltaic industry, JinkoSolar feels a great sense of responsibility to support this. We are committed to promoting the development of clean energy and improving the efficiency and adaptability of photovoltaic products through technological innovation. This not only contributes to our own sustainable development, but also provides stable clean energy supply for societies and enhances our ability to cope with climate challenges. JinkoSolar looks forward to strengthening our work with Standard Chartered to contribute to building a more resilient energy system together.”

    Research from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) found that over the last decade, nearly 4,000 climate-related extreme weather events resulted in cumulative losses to the global economy of around $2 trillion, including the direct cost of physical asset destruction. In the last two full years alone, global economic damages reached $451 billion – representing a 19% increase compared to the previous eight years of the decade, underscoring the urgent need for resilient infrastructure.

    Tracy Wong Harris, Head, Sustainable Finance GCNA at Standard Chartered said: “Standard Chartered offers practical solutions to mitigate the worst impacts of extreme weather, helping our clients build resilience against the major productivity losses being felt here and now in the real economy as a result of increasingly frequent weather-related events. We’re proud to support JinkoSolar on this transaction, empowering them in delivering clean energy security alongside long-term business growth.”

    In 2024, Standard Chartered, KPMG and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction launched the Guide for Adaptation and Resilience Finance, with support from more than twenty leading financial institutions and NGOs a guide for investment in adaptation and resilience. The guide set out a common reference for adaptation and resilience alongside a list of financeable adaptation and resilience themes and activities, forming a classification framework for the market.

    Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Standard Chartered, said: “When we launched the Guide for Adaptation and Resilience Finance, we set out to provide the clarity needed across the market to accelerate investment into adaptation and resilience. Today, we’re putting the Guide into action ourselves through our first labelled deal with a corporate client, demonstrating the commercial opportunity alongside the economic benefits of financing resilient infrastructure in markets that are acutely vulnerable to the negative effects of extreme weather.”

    This is Standard Chartered’s second labelled adaptation finance deal, having completed a deal with an insurance client in 2023, which provided financial protection against extreme weather such as changes in river levels and wind levels for businesses in the renewable energy sector.

    View the report

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 7 April 2025 Departmental update A call to safeguard maternal and newborn health for migrants

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On World Health Day 2025, the United Nations Network on Migration (UNNM), with the World Health Organization (WHO) as a member of its Executive Committee, reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that every pregnant migrant woman, mother and newborn has access to essential health care, regardless of migration status. This priority aligns with the WHO global action plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants and is upheld in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

    In its newly released statement, UNNM, together with WHO and its partner organizations, issues a call to action to urgently remove barriers that prevent migrant women and newborns from accessing essential prenatal and postnatal care.

    United Nations Network on Migration statement on World Health Day 2025

    The first years of life, from birth to a child’s second birthday, are critical for long-term health and development. Access to quality prenatal and postnatal care is essential to ensure safe pregnancies, healthy births and strong early growth. Yet, for too many pregnant migrant women, mothers and newborns, this crucial period is marked by barriers to care, lack of legal identity and heightened health risks, often putting their lives in danger. In some contexts, migration disrupts the continuity of care, leaving women without access to maternal and newborn health services.

    On this World Health Day, the United Nations Network on Migration reaffirms the commitment upheld in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) to ensuring every pregnant migrant woman, mother and newborn receives adequate health care, regardless of migratory status.

    Migrant women, particularly those in transit or with irregular status, face heightened risks of pregnancy-related complications or unwanted pregnancies, sometimes due to sexual violence. Some may give birth in immigration centres without adequate prenatal and postnatal care, or in settings where health care is fragmented or unavailable. Fear of detention or deportation can also prevent undocumented women from seeking medical attention, including in cases of sexual violence requiring emergency services, further endangering their lives and those of their newborns.

    No woman should be forced to choose between her safety and her right to health care. A mother and child’s survival, health and legal identity should not depend on migration status. While migrant women and children are not inherently less healthy than host populations, they face systemic barriers – legal, financial, linguistic and social – that restrict access to essential health care. Xenophobic narratives and exclusionary policies further marginalize them, limiting access to timely, quality maternal and newborn health care. Without inclusive policies and responsive health systems, these disparities will continue to endanger lives and fuel cycles of inequality for generations.

    The United Nations Network on Migration calls on Member States to build inclusive health systems that guarantee uninterrupted maternal and newborn care along migration routes by:

    • ensuring birth registration for all children, enabling access to essential services;
    • guaranteeing universal access to adequate emergency sexual and reproductive health services, as well as maternal and newborn health care, regardless of migratory status;
    • integrating maternal and newborn health care into migration policies, ensuring that services are available at all stages of the migration journey;
    • ensuring equal rights for women to confer their nationality to their children;
    • strengthening culturally and linguistically inclusive maternal and newborn care;
    • investing in gender-responsive and age-sensitive data and research to generate evidence-based, migrant-sensitive health policies;
    • enhancing regional cooperation and cross-border health agreements and leveraging digital health tools, to ensure continuity of care; and
    • leveraging global forums such as the Commission on Population and Development to align migration policies with health commitments under SDG 3.

    The first WHO World Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants has provided critical evidence on the systemic barriers faced by migrant populations. Advancing maternal and newborn health is not just a human right and humanitarian imperative – it is also a fundamental commitment to public health and sustainable development and a shared responsibility. The GCM, alongside the WHO Global Action Plan on Promoting the Health of Refugees and Migrants, calls for inclusive health systems that promote the rights of all, including women and children, regardless of migratory status.

    Every pregnant woman, mother and newborn deserves a healthy life, without exception. Migrants are not merely recipients of health care; they are frontline workers, caregivers and key contributors to resilient health systems and community well-being. Ensuring their access to maternal and newborn care strengthens societies, reduces public health costs and fosters more inclusive, sustainable communities.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s message on the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda [scroll down for French version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Today we mourn the one million children, women and men slaughtered in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

    This appalling chapter in human history was not a spontaneous frenzy of horrendous violence. It was intentional, premeditated and planned — including through hate speech that inflamed division, and spread lies and dehumanization. The overwhelming majority of victims were Tutsi, but also Hutu and others who opposed the genocide.

    As we recall how these crimes came about, we must also reflect on resonance with our own times. 

    These are days of division. The narrative of “us” versus “them” is ascendant, polarizing societies. Digital technologies are being weaponized to further inflame hate, stoke division, and spread lies.

    We must learn from the terrible history of the genocide in Rwanda, and act to stem the tide of hate speech, stop disunity and discontent mutating into violence, uphold human rights, and ensure accountability.

    I urge all States to deliver on commitments made in the Global Digital Compact to tackle online falsehoods and hate, to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, and to become parties to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
    without delay.

    On this day of remembrance, let’s commit to be vigilant and to work together to build a world of justice and dignity for all – in honour of all the victims, and survivors of the genocide in Rwanda.   

    ***
    Aujourd’hui, nous pleurons le million d’enfants, de femmes et d’hommes massacrés lors du génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda en 1994.

    Dans ce chapitre effroyable de l’histoire de l’humanité, le déchaînement de violence épouvantable n’était pas spontané. Il était intentionnel, prémédité et planifié, alimenté notamment par un discours de haine qui a servi à attiser la discorde et à propager des mensonges et a contribué à la déshumanisation. Les victimes étaient en grande majorité des Tutsis, mais aussi des Hutus et d’autres personnes qui s’opposaient au génocide.

    Tout en nous nous souvenant de la manière dont ces crimes ont pris naissance, nous devons réfléchir à la façon dont ils résonnent à l’heure actuelle. 

    Nous vivons une époque de division. Le discours du « nous contre eux » se fait de plus en plus entendre et polarise les sociétés. Les technologies numériques sont instrumentalisées pour aviver la haine, attiser les dissensions et répandre des mensonges.

    Nous devons tirer les leçons du sombre chapitre du génocide au Rwanda et agir pour endiguer la vague de discours haineux, empêcher la désunion et le mécontentement de se transformer en violence, faire respecter les droits humains et garantir l’application du principe de responsabilité.

    Je demande instamment à tous les États de tenir les engagements qu’ils ont pris dans le cadre du Pacte numérique mondial afin de lutter contre les mensonges et la haine en ligne, d’honorer les obligations que leur font le droit international humanitaire et le droit des droits humains, et de devenir parties à la Convention pour la prévention et la répression du crime de génocide sans plus tarder.

    En cette journée du souvenir, engageons-nous à être vigilants et à œuvrer de concert à bâtir un monde de justice et de dignité pour tous et toutes – en mémoire de toutes les victimes et de toutes les personnes rescapées du génocide au Rwanda.

    ***

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Aid cuts threaten fragile progress in ending maternal deaths, UN agencies warn

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Countries must recommit to ending deaths in childbirth amid major headwinds

    GENEVA/ NEW YORK, 7th April 2025 — Women today are more likely than ever to survive pregnancy and childbirth according to a major new report released today, but United Nations (UN) agencies highlight the threat of major backsliding as unprecedented aid cuts take effect around the world.  

    Released on World Health Day, the UN report, Trends in maternal mortality, shows a 40% global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023 – largely due to improved access to essential health services. Still, the report reveals that the pace of improvement has slowed significantly since 2016, and that an estimated 260 000 women died in 2023 as a result of complications from pregnancy or childbirth – roughly equivalent to one maternal death every two minutes.  

    The report comes as humanitarian funding cuts are having severe impacts on essential health care in many parts of the world, forcing countries to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health. These cuts have led to facility closures and loss of health workers, while also disrupting supply chains for lifesaving supplies and medicines such as treatments for haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and malaria – all leading causes of maternal deaths.  

    Without urgent action, the agencies warn that pregnant women in multiple countries will face severe repercussions – particularly those in humanitarian settings where maternal deaths are already alarmingly high. 

    “While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today – despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “In addition to ensuring access to quality maternity care, it will be critical to strengthen the underlying health and reproductive rights of women and girls- factors that underpin their prospects of healthy outcomes during pregnancy and beyond.”

    The report also provides the first global account of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maternal survival. In 2021, an estimated 40 000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth – increasing to 322 000 from 282 000 the previous year. This upsurge was linked not only to direct complications caused by COVID-19, but also widespread interruptions to maternity services. This highlights the importance of ensuring such care during pandemics and other emergencies, noting that pregnant women need reliable access to routine services and checks as well as round-the-clock urgent care. 

    “When a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk. Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Global funding cuts to health services are putting more pregnant women at risk, especially in the most fragile settings, by limiting their access to essential care during pregnancy and the support they need when giving birth. The world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive.”

    The report highlights persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress. With maternal mortality declining by around 40% between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains – and was one of just three UN regions alongside Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia, to see significant drops after 2015. However, confronting high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts, the sub-Saharan Africa region still counted for approximately 70% of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023.

    Indicating slowing progress, maternal mortality stagnated in five regions after 2015: Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

    “Access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege, and we all share the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and newborn,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director. “By boosting supply chains, the midwifery workforce, and the disaggregated data needed to pinpoint those most at risk, we can and must end the tragedy of preventable maternal deaths and their enormous toll on families and societies.”

    Pregnant women living in humanitarian emergencies face some of the highest risks globally, according to the report.  Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by fragility or conflict. For women in these settings, the risks are staggering: a 15-year-old girl faces a 1 in 51 risk of dying from a maternal cause at some point over her lifetime compared to 1 in 593 in more stable countries. The highest risks are in Chad and the Central African Republic (1 in 24), followed by Nigeria (1 in 25), Somalia (1 in 30), and Afghanistan (1 in 40).  

    Beyond ensuring critical services during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, the report notes the importance of efforts to enhance women’s overall health by improving access to family planning services, as well as preventing underlying health conditions like anaemias, malaria and noncommunicable diseases that increase risks. It will also be critical to ensure girls stay in school and that women and girls have the knowledge and resources to protect their health.

    Urgent investment is needed to prevent maternal deaths. The world is currently off-track to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal target for maternal survival. Globally, the maternal mortality ratio would need to fall by around 15% each year to meet the 2030 target – significantly increasing from current annual rates of decline of around 1.5%.

    Notes to Editors

    The report will be available here.

    For more information, please contact:

    About the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group

    The report was produced by WHO on behalf of the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group comprising WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It uses national data to estimate levels and trends of maternal mortality from 2000-2023. The data in this new publication covers 195 countries and territories. It supersedes all previous estimates published by WHO and the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group. 

    About the data 

    The SDG target for maternal deaths is for a global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of less than 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030. The global MMR in 2023 was estimated at 197 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, down from 211 in 2020 and from 328 in 2000.  

    The report includes data disaggregated by the following regions, used for SDG reporting: Central Asia and Southern Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; Northern America and Europe; Latin America & the Caribbean; Western Asia and Northern Africa; Australia and New Zealand; Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia, and Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand. 

    A maternal death is a death due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth, occurring when a woman is pregnant, or within six weeks of the end of the pregnancy. 

    About World Health Day 

    World Health Day is marked around the world on 7th April. Each year, it draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The World Health Day 2025 campaign focuses on improving maternal and newborn health and survival with the theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”. The campaign urges governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: We can and must end preventable maternal deaths

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on World Health Day (7 April)

    Globally, women’s health during pregnancy and childbirth is better than ever before. This is owing to medical advances, and because more women have control over their reproductive choices and can access respectful, high-quality maternal care.

    Since 2000, the world has seen a remarkable 40 per cent drop in global maternal mortality. For the first time, no country is estimated to have an ‘extremely high’ maternal mortality rate of over 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births.

    Yet these gains mask significant disparities and they remain fragile – and in some of the most vulnerable places, non-existent. Where health systems are weak or protracted crises take root, maternal mortality rates stagnate or even increase. In conflict-affected countries, women are twice as likely – or more – to die from pregnancy and childbirth complications than the global average.

    One encouraging sign is that more births today take place in healthcare facilities. Still, the quality of care varies widely, which can have life-threatening consequences: Research finds that poor-quality care causes half of maternal deaths. Shortages in essential medicines, equipment and skilled personnel plague many health systems.

    In many cases, discrimination and inequities tied to location, income, and race or ethnicity deprive women of both sexual and reproductive choices and adequate maternal care. Even in the wealthiest countries, which have high healthcare standards on average, rates of maternal mortality are disproportionately higher among marginalized groups.

    We can and must end preventable maternal deaths. We know what works and why.

    We know that midwives save lives. Expanded midwifery care can detect risks and manage complications while reducing costs. Despite evidence that universal access to these professionals could avert two thirds of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths, there is a global shortfall of nearly 1 million midwives.

    We know that strong political commitments, adequate financial resources and supportive laws make a lasting difference.

    On this World Health Day, let us prioritize investments so that we reach zero preventable maternal deaths. Let us commit to building healthier, more just societies and to ensuring that all women bringing life into this world can survive childbirth and thrive afterwards.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Aid cuts threaten to roll back progress in ending maternal deaths

    Source: United Nations 4

    Health

    Unprecedented aid cuts are putting hard-won global progress in ending maternal deaths at risk, three UN agencies warned in a new report that calls for greater investment in midwives and other health workers.

    The Trends in maternal mortality report was published by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA, in observance of World Health Day on 7 April.

    It shows that maternal deaths declined by 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023, largely due to improved access to essential health services.

    However, the pace of improvement has slowed significantly since 2016, and an estimated 260,000 women died in 2023 due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth, or roughly one death every two minutes.

    Urgent action needed

    As aid funding cuts force countries to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health, the UN agencies call for urgent action to prevent maternal deaths, particularly in humanitarian settings where numbers are already alarmingly high.

    “While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today – despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    “In addition to ensuring access to quality maternity care, it will be critical to strengthen the underlying health and reproductive rights of women and girls – factors that underpin their prospects of healthy outcomes during pregnancy and beyond.”

    Pregnancy and the pandemic

    The report also provides the first global account of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maternal survival.

    An estimated 40,000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth in 2021, rising to 282,000 in 2022, and to 322,000 the following year.

    This increase was linked not only to direct complications caused by COVID-19 but also widespread interruptions to maternity services, highlighting the importance of ensuring that this care is available during pandemics and other emergencies.

    Invest in midwives

    “When a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk. Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

    With global funding cuts putting more mums-to-be at risk, especially in the most fragile settings, “the world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive,” she added.

    Inequalities and slow progress

    The report also highlights persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress.

    With maternal mortality declining by around 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains. It was also among just three UN regions to see significant drops after 2015, with the others being Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia.

    Yet, sub-Saharan Africa still accounted for approximately 70 per cent of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023 due to high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts.

    Meanwhile, five regions saw progress stagnate after 2015: Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

    A global responsibility

    Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director, upheld that access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege.

    She stressed the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the lives of pregnant women and newborns.

    “By boosting supply chains, the midwifery workforce, and the disaggregated data needed to pinpoint those most at risk, we can and must end the tragedy of preventable maternal deaths and their enormous toll on families and societies,” she said.

    Childbirth in crisis settings

    The report also highlighted the plight of pregnant women living in humanitarian emergencies, who face some of the highest risks globally.  Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by fragility or conflict.

    In these settings, a 15-year-old girl faces a 1 in 51 risk of dying from a maternal cause at some point over her lifetime compared to 1 in 593 in more stable countries. The highest risks are in Chad and the Central African Republic (1 in 24), Nigeria (1 in 25), Somalia (1 in 30), and Afghanistan (1 in 40).

    Beyond ensuring critical services during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, the report emphasized the importance of efforts to enhance women’s overall health by improving access to family planning services, as well as preventing underlying health conditions that increase risks, such as anaemia, malaria and noncommunicable diseases.

    Furthermore, it is also vital to ensure that girls stay in school, and that they and women have the knowledge and resources to protect their health.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 7 April 2025 Joint News Release Aid cuts threaten fragile progress in ending maternal deaths, UN agencies warn

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Women today are more likely than ever to survive pregnancy and childbirth according to a major new report released today, but United Nations (UN) agencies highlight the threat of major backsliding as unprecedented aid cuts take effect around the world.

    Released on World Health Day, the UN report, Trends in maternal mortality, shows a 40% global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023 – largely due to improved access to essential health services. Still, the report reveals that the pace of improvement has slowed significantly since 2016, and that an estimated 260 000 women died in 2023 as a result of complications from pregnancy or childbirth – roughly equivalent to one maternal death every two minutes.

    The report comes as humanitarian funding cuts are having severe impacts on essential health care in many parts of the world, forcing countries to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health. These cuts have led to facility closures and loss of health workers, while also disrupting supply chains for lifesaving supplies and medicines such as treatments for haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and malaria – all leading causes of maternal deaths.

    Without urgent action, the agencies warn that pregnant women in multiple countries will face severe repercussions – particularly those in humanitarian settings where maternal deaths are already alarmingly high.

    “While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “In addition to ensuring access to quality maternity care, it will be critical to strengthen the underlying health and reproductive rights of women and girls – factors that underpin their prospects of healthy outcomes during pregnancy and beyond.”

    The report also provides the first global account of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maternal survival. In 2021, an estimated 40 000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth – increasing to 322 000 from 282 000 the previous year. This upsurge was linked not only to direct complications caused by COVID-19, but also widespread interruptions to maternity services. This highlights the importance of ensuring such care during pandemics and other emergencies, noting that pregnant women need reliable access to routine services and checks as well as round-the-clock urgent care.

    “When a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk. Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Global funding cuts to health services are putting more pregnant women at risk, especially in the most fragile settings, by limiting their access to essential care during pregnancy and the support they need when giving birth. The world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive.”

    The report highlights persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress. With maternal mortality declining by around 40% between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains – and was one of just three UN regions alongside Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia, to see significant drops after 2015. However, confronting high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts, the sub-Saharan Africa region still counted for approximately 70% of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023.

    Indicating slowing progress, maternal mortality stagnated in five regions after 2015: Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

    “Access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege, and we all share the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and newborn,” said Dr Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director. “By boosting supply chains, the midwifery workforce, and the disaggregated data needed to pinpoint those most at risk, we can and must end the tragedy of preventable maternal deaths and their enormous toll on families and societies.”

    Pregnant women living in humanitarian emergencies face some of the highest risks globally, according to the report.Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by fragility or conflict. For women in these settings, the risks are staggering: a 15-year-old girl faces a 1 in 51 risk of dying from a maternal cause at some point over her lifetime compared to 1 in 593 in more stable countries. The highest risks are in Chad and the Central African Republic (1 in 24), followed by Nigeria (1 in 25), Somalia (1 in 30), and Afghanistan (1 in 40).

    Beyond ensuring critical services during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, the report notes the importance of efforts to enhance women’s overall health by improving access to family planning services, as well as preventing underlying health conditions like anaemias, malaria and noncommunicable diseases that increase risks. It will also be critical to ensure girls stay in school and that women and girls have the knowledge and resources to protect their health.

    Urgent investment is needed to prevent maternal deaths. The world is currently off-track to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal target for maternal survival. Globally, the maternal mortality ratio would need to fall by around 15% each year to meet the 2030 target – significantly increasing from current annual rates of decline of around 1.5%.

    Note to editors

    About the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group
    The report was produced by WHO on behalf of the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group comprising WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It uses national data to estimate levels and trends of maternal mortality from 2000–2023. The data in this new publication covers 195 countries and territories. It supersedes all previous estimates published by WHO and the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group.

    About the data
    The SDG target for maternal deaths is for a global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of less than 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030. The global MMR in 2023 was estimated at 197 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, down from 211 in 2020 and from 328 in 2000.

    The report includes data disaggregated by the following regions, used for SDG reporting: Central Asia and Southern Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; Northern America and Europe; Latin America & the Caribbean; Western Asia and Northern Africa; Australia and New Zealand; Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia, and Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand.

    A maternal death is a death due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth, occurring when a woman is pregnant, or within six weeks of the end of the pregnancy.

    About World Health Day
    World Health Day is marked around the world on 7 April. Each year, it draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The World Health Day 2025 campaign focuses on improving maternal and newborn health and survival with the theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”. The campaign urges governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ukraine: Rights chief urges probe into attack that killed nine children

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Human Rights

    The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Sunday for an investigation into the Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih which reportedly killed 18 people, including nine children.

    Volker Türk issued a statement expressing shock at the attack, which occurred on Friday evening as families gathered near a playground, a restaurant and residential buildings.

    A team from the UN Human Rights Office in Ukraine visited the impact site the following day, documented the damage, and established the names and identity of the children who were killed.

    ‘An unimaginable horror’

    The incident is the deadliest single strike harming children which the Office has verified since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    “It’s an unimaginable horror — nine children killed, most while playing in a park, as a military weapon exploded into shrapnel above them,” said Mr. Türk.

    He added that “the use of an explosive weapon with wide area effects by the Russian Federation in a densely populated area —and without any apparent military presence — demonstrates a reckless disregard for civilian life.” 

    Documenting the aftermath 

    The attack took place just before 7 PM on Friday, local time. The missile detonated over a residential area with a playground, restaurant and multi-storey buildings.

    Eighteen people were killed, including nine children, and 75 were wounded, including 12 children, according to local authorities. Many of the casualties occurred in the playground.

    The UN Human Rights Office verified many of the casualties, including each of the children killed, and continues to collect information to verify the remaining cases. 

    The team also documented damage from hundreds of pieces of shrapnel to buildings, playground swings and slides, trees, and on the ground.

    The statement noted that while Russian authorities claimed a military group was targeted, local residents, a business association representative and staff of the restaurant told UN Human Rights that dozens of professional women and men in the beauty sector had been attending an industry forum hosted by the local business association in the restaurant, shortly before the attack.

    The event was publicized online well in advance, and all witnesses conveyed that there had been no military presence at the restaurant or in the area at the time of the strike.

    Uphold humanitarian law

    “International humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to use means or methods of combat that in the prevailing circumstances are not likely to strike military and civilians without distinction,” said Mr. Türk.

    “It also requires the parties to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians, including by verifying that the objects targeted are not civilian but military objectives, and choosing tactics and weapons that would avoid or at the very least minimize incidental loss of civilian life.” 

    The statement noted that even if the Russian authorities had information that military personnel could be present, the mode and circumstances of attack may constitute an indiscriminate attack.

    Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and if they amount to attacks directed against civilians may constitute war crimes, Mr. Türk added.

    The UN rights chief called for a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the attack. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World Health Day: Focusing on women’s physical and mental health around the world

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Close to 300,000 women continue to die during pregnancy or childbirth each year. More than two million babies die in their first month of life and around two million more are stillborn, says the World Health Organization (WHO) which is kicking off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health.

    The data adds up to one preventable death every seven seconds, according to the UN health agency.

    The Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures campaign is asking governments and health policy makers to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

    Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive

    Through a series of strategic actions, WHO aims to not only save lives but ensure both mothers and infants thrive. In collaboration with partners, it will focus on empowering healthcare professionals and sharing crucial information about healthy pregnancies, safe childbirth, and postnatal care.

    Listening to women

    Access to high-quality, compassionate care is essential for women and families everywhere, WHO emphasises. Health systems must evolve to address a wide range of health concerns, including obstetric complications, mental health issues, non-communicable diseases, and family planning – ensuring that women’s needs are met both before, during, and after childbirth.

    © UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

    Girls affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza receive a care and protection package distributed by UNICEF.

    Women in war zones

    At the same time, the proportion of women and girls caught in conflict zones has skyrocketed in the past year, with women now making up 40 per cent of all civilian deaths in armed conflicts.

    Today, over 600 million women and girls live in areas affected by violence – an  alarming 50 per cent increase since 2017.

    As conflict intensifies across the globe, women and girls are bearing a heavy mental health toll. From Afghanistan and Gaza to Georgia and Ukraine, millions are grappling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and trauma, with limited access to support and care.

    Around one in five people affected by a humanitarian crisis will develop long-term mental health conditions. Despite this, only two per cent of those in need receive the care they require. Mental health funding globally represents between one and two percent of health spending.

    Stark divide on mental health

    The gap between high and low-income countries in mental health services is stark. In wealthy nations, there are more than 70 mental health workers for every 100,000 people. In contrast, in low-income countries, that number drops to fewer than one.

    As conflicts drag on, the number of affected women continues to rise, making this crisis even more urgent. UN gender equality agency, UN Women, spoke to women in Afghanistan, Gaza, Georgia, and Ukraine to understand how these conflicts are stoking a mental health crisis.

    © UNFPA Ukraine

    UNFPA’s mobile psychosocial support teams travel across Ukraine, including to the front lines, offering immediate emergency interventions as well as access to longer-term assistance.

    Women in Gaza trapped in trauma

    In Gaza, relentless bombing, displacement, and deprivation have created a humanitarian catastrophe. Living under siege and the constant threat of violence, women and girls face extreme levels of fear, trauma, and exhaustion. 

    Data from UN Women shows that 75 per cent feel regular depression, 62 per cent cannot sleep, and 65 per cent suffer from nightmares and anxiety – most are left to cope alone.

    “My mental and psychological health is suffering,” said one 27-year-old pregnant mother of three from Khan Younis. “Sometimes I go to the toilet just to cry and cry until I feel better.”

    Women are not only dealing with their own trauma – they are also trying to care for their children.

    “I have not prioritized my health because I am the primary caregiver for my children, assuming the roles of both father and mother,” the 27-year-old mother added. 

    Afghanistan: Women Erased from Public Life

    In Afghanistan, the return of the Taliban has dealt a crushing blow to women’s rights and mental health. Alison Davidian, UN Women’s Country Representative, warns that nearly four years of Taliban decrees have “eviscerated” women’s autonomy.

    With no women in leadership roles and 98 per cent reporting no influence over local decisions, many feel trapped in a life of isolation and despair.

    “Three years ago, an Afghan woman could run for president. Now, she may not even be able to decide when to buy groceries,” Davidian says. The result is overwhelming psychological distress, with 68 per cent of women in Afghanistan reporting their mental health as “bad” or “very bad.”

    © IOM/Léo Torréton

    An IOM mental health and psychosocial support counsellor leads a session with women in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

    Georgia: Antidepressant use on the rise

    In Georgia, ongoing displacement and conflict have left many women with no access to adequate mental healthcare. Approximately 200,000 people remain internally displaced, with nearly 40 per cent living in shelters under dire conditions.

    Mental health issues are widespread, with 23 per cent suffering from PTSD, 10 per cent reporting depression, and 9 per cent dealing with anxiety. Yet only about a third of those affected have sought care.

    “We saw a sharp increase in antidepressant use, particularly in areas with high numbers of displaced people,” said Elene Rusetskaia of the Women’s Information Centre. “The mental health problem is very serious, especially among children.”

    Ukraine: Domestic Violence and Depression Soar Amid War

    In Ukraine, the war stemming from Russia’s invasion has pushed women’s mental health into crisis. Gender-based violence has surged 36 per cent since 2022, and women are shouldering more unpaid care work – up to 56 hours per week. Forty-two percent are now at risk of depression, while 23 per cent report needing counseling.

    Displaced women, many of them refugees, are facing some of the worst mental health challenges, with limited access to support services.

    A recent survey by the International Migration Organization (IOM) found that 53 per cent of internally displaced people in Ukraine suffer from depression, yet assistance remains scarce.

    In response, UN Women has provided protection, legal aid, and psychosocial support to more than 180,000 women and girls in Ukraine through the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

    Healthcare funding

    The current humanitarian funding crisis, exacerbated by declining health spending in host countries, is affecting the scope and quality of public health and nutrition programmes for refugees and host communities, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has said.

    In Jordan, 335,000 women of reproductive age are at risk of losing essential maternal health. Without enough funding, prenatal care, safe delivery and newborn health services will disappear.

    In Bangladesh, around a million Rohingya refugees face a severe health crisis due to the funding freeze, threatening access to essential medical services. In UNHCR-supported programmes, over 40,000 pregnant women may lose access to critical antenatal care, with 5,000 at risk of delivering in unsafe conditions.

    In Burundi, the suspension of nutrition programmes in several camps means that thousands of refugee children under five may not receive adequate treatment for malnutrition.

    Necessity, not luxury

    For women and girls in conflict zones, mental health care is a critical need, not a luxury. Recovery, dignity, and survival depend on access to trauma care, counseling, and community-based services.

    As conflicts continue to devastate communities, the need for mental health support becomes more urgent than ever. Countries must invest in mental health as a core part of humanitarian response, especially in conflict settings, UN Women, emphasized, calling on governments to listen – and act.

    Listen to an interview with the Representative ad interim of the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, in Sudan: 

    Soundcloud

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza aid blockade affecting more than one million children: UNICEF

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    The blockade of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip is having dire consequences for more than one million children, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Saturday.

    No aid has been allowed into Gaza since 2 March, representing the longest period of aid blockage since the start of the war, resulting in shortages of food, safe water, shelter, and medical supplies.

    UNICEF said that without these essentials, malnutrition, diseases and other preventable conditions will likely surge, leading to an increase in preventable child deaths.

    The agency has thousands of pallets of aid waiting to enter the enclave, said Edouard Beigbeder, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

    “Most of this aid is lifesaving – yet instead of saving lives, it is sitting in storage,” he said.

    “It must be allowed in immediately. This is not a choice or charity; it is an obligation under international law.”

    Young lives at risk

    UNICEF warned that children receiving malnutrition treatment are at serious risk as 21 treatment centres, representing 15 per cent of total outpatient facilities, have closed due to displacement orders or bombardments.

    Furthermore, only enough ready-to-use infant formula (RUIF) is currently available for 400 children for a month. Estimates indicate that nearly 10,000 infants under six months old require supplementary feeding, which could force families to use alternatives mixed with unsafe water.

    Meanwhile, UNICEF has also had to scale back mental health and psychosocial support, mine education, and child protection case management due to the ongoing hostilities and displacement.

    Water access plummets

    During the ceasefire, UNICEF began repairing critical wells and waterpoints, but the collapse of the truce means that many remain unrepaired or at risk of further damage.

    The agency further noted that drinking water access for one million people, including 400,000 children, has dropped from 16 litres per person per day to just six.

    If fuel runs out, it could plunge to below four litres, forcing families to use unsafe water and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, especially among children.

    Ensure basic needs

    “For the sake of more than one million children in the Gaza Strip, we urge the Israeli authorities to ensure, at a minimum, people’s basic needs are met, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” said Mr. Beigbeder.

    “This includes their legal responsibility to ensure that families are supplied with the food, medical and other essential supplies they need to survive.”

    Meanwhile, UNICEF and partners are maintaining a critical presence in Gaza.

    The agency continues to call on the parties to cease hostilities and reinstate the ceasefire, stressing that humanitarian aid and commercial goods mut be allowed to enter and move freely across the Gaza Strip.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN deplores deadly attack on city in central Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Peace and Security

    The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine has strongly condemned a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih on Friday which killed more than a dozen people, including at least nine children, and left several others injured.

    Matthias Schmale said he was outraged by reports of yet another Russian attack on the city, which is located in the Dnipro region.

    “This attack follows a deeply disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on populated areas across Ukraine that continue to kill and maim civilians,” he said, noting that the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was “still reeling” from a massive attack the night before.

    “The cost to families is unbearable. Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law. They are not a target,” he said.

    Young lives lost

    In response to the incident, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian areas in Ukraine.

    “We are devastated by the horrific attack in Kryvyi Rih that reportedly killed at least nine children and injured many more, including one as young as three months old,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis.

    The missile reportedly struck a residential neighbourhood in the Saksahanskyi district in the early evening, when many families gathering ahead of the weekend, she said, adding that it landed near a playground, tearing through homes, schools and a restaurant.

    “Among the scenes of devastation, parents were seen weeping, cradling the body of their dead son. No child should ever suffer such terror. No parent should ever endure such pain,” she said.

    Stolen futures

    UNICEF and partners are on the ground supporting affected families and coordinating with local authorities to deliver emergency assistance.

    Ms. De Dominicis noted that more than 2,500 children have been killed or injured, and millions of young lives have been upended, since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    “Every child killed is a future stolen,” she remarked.  “The brutal use of explosive weapons in populated areas and attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure, which disproportionally harm children, must end.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: AI’s ‘Oppenheimer moment’: Why new thinking is needed on disarmament

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    By By Juliette Maigné

    Peace and Security

    The Artificial Intelligence (AI) race needs to slow down and IT firms should instead be focusing on the bigger picture to ensure that the technology is not misused on the battlefield, UN disarmament experts and leaders of ‘big tech’ companies have insisted. 

    Engaging with the tech community is not “a nice to have” sideline for defence policymakers – it is “absolutely indispensable to have this community engaged from the outset in the design, development and use of the frameworks that will guide the safety and security of AI systems and capabilities”, said Gosia Loy, co-deputy head of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

    Speaking at the recent Global Conference on AI Security and Ethics hosted by UNIDIR in Geneva, she stressed the importance of erecting effective guardrails as the world navigates what is frequently called AI’s “Oppenheimer moment” – in reference to Robert Oppenheimer, the US nuclear physicist best known for his pivotal role in creating the atomic bomb.

    Oversight is needed so that AI developments respect human rights, international law and ethics – particularly in the field of AI-guided weapons – to guarantee that these powerful technologies develop in a controlled, responsible manner, the UNIDIR official insisted.

    Flawed tech

    AI has already created a security dilemma for governments and militaries around the world.

    The dual-use nature of AI technologies – where they can be used in civilian and military settings alike – means that developers could lose touch with the realities of battlefield conditions, where their programming could cost lives, warned Arnaud Valli, Head of Public Affairs at Comand AI.

    The tools are still in their infancy but have long fuelled fears that they could be used to make life-or-death decisions in a war setting, removing the need for human decision-making and responsibility. Hence the growing calls for regulation, to ensure that mistakes are avoided that could lead to disastrous consequences.

    “We see these systems fail all the time,” said David Sully, CEO of the London-based company Advai, adding that the technologies remain “very unrobust”.

    “So, making them go wrong is not as difficult as people sometimes think,” he noted.

    A shared responsibility

    At Microsoft, teams are focusing on the core principles of safety, security, inclusiveness, fairness and accountability, said Michael Karimian, Director of Digital Diplomacy.

    The US tech giant founded by Bill Gates places limitations on real-time facial recognition technology used by law enforcement that could cause mental or physical harm, Mr. Karimian explained.

    Clear safeguards must be put in place and firms must collaborate to break down silos, he told the event at UN Geneva.

    “Innovation isn’t something that just happens within one organization. There is a responsibility to share,” said Mr. Karimian, whose company partners with UNIDIR to ensure AI compliance with international human rights.

    Oversight paradox

    Part of the equation is that technologies are evolving at a pace so fast, countries are struggling to keep up.

    “AI development is outpacing our ability to manage its many risks,” said Sulyna Nur Abdullah, who is strategic planning chief and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

    “We need to address the AI governance paradox, recognizing that regulations sometimes lag behind technology makes it a must for ongoing dialogue between policy and technical experts to develop tools for effective governance,” Ms. Abdullah said, adding that developing countries must also get a seat at the table.

    Accountability gaps

    More than a decade ago in 2013, renowned human rights expert Christof Heyns in a report on Lethal Autonomous Robotics (LARs) warned that “taking humans out of the loop also risks taking humanity out of the loop”.  

    Today it is no less difficult to translate context-dependent legal judgments into a software programme and it is still crucial that “life and death” decisions are taken by humans and not robots, insisted Peggy Hicks, Director of the Right to Development Division of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR).

    Mirroring society

    While big tech and governance leaders largely see eye to eye on the guiding principles of AI defence systems, the ideals may be at odds with the companies’ bottom line.

    “We are a private company – we look for profitability as well,” said Comand AI’s Mr. Valli.

    “Reliability of the system is sometimes very hard to find,” he added. “But when you work in this sector, the responsibility could be enormous, absolutely enormous.”

    Unanswered challenges

    While many developers are committed to designing algorithms that are “fair, secure, robust” according to Mr. Sully – there is no road map for implementing these standards – and companies may not even know what exactly they are trying to achieve.  

    These principles “all dictate how adoption should take place, but they don’t really explain how that should happen,” said Mr. Sully, reminding policymakers that “AI is still in the early stages”.

    Big tech and policymakers need to zoom out and mull over the bigger picture.

    “What is robustness for a system is an incredibly technical, really challenging objective to determine and it’s currently unanswered,” he continued.

    No AI ‘fingerprint’

    Mr. Sully, who described himself as a “big supporter of regulation” of AI systems, used to work for the UN-mandated Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization in Vienna, which monitors whether nuclear testing takes place.  

    But identifying AI-guided weapons, he says, poses a whole new challenge which nuclear arms – bearing forensic signatures – do not.

    “There is a practical problem in terms of how you police any sort of regulation at an international level,” the CEO said. “It’s the bit nobody wants to address. But until that’s addressed… I think that’s going to be a huge, huge obstacle.”

    Future safeguarding

    The UNIDIR conference delegates insisted on the need for strategic foresight, to understand the risks posed by the cutting-edge technologies now being born.

    For Mozilla, which trains the new generation of technologists, future developers “should be aware of what they are doing with this powerful technology and what they are building”, the firm’s Mr. Elias insisted.

    Academics like Moses B. Khanyile of Stellenbosch University in South Africa believe universities also bear a “supreme responsibility” to safeguard core ethical values.

    The interests of the military – the intended users of these technologies – and governments as regulators must be “harmonised”, said Dr. Khanyile, Director of the Defence Artificial Intelligence Research Unit at Stellenbosch University.

    “They must see AI tech as a tool for good, and therefore they must become a force for good.”

    Countries engaged

    Asked what single action they would take to build trust between countries, diplomats from China, the Netherlands, Pakistan, France, Italy and South Korea also weighed in.

    “We need to define a line of national security in terms of export control of hi-tech technologies”, said Shen Jian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Disarmament) and Deputy Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China.

    Pathways for future AI research and development must also include other emergent fields such as physics and neuroscience.

    “AI is complicated, but the real world is even more complicated,” said Robert in den Bosch, Disarmament Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Conference on Disarmament. “For that reason, I would say that it is also important to look at AI in convergence with other technologies and in particular cyber, quantum and space.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s message to the Inter-Parliamentary Union 150th Assembly

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    I am honoured to convey my warm greetings and congratulations to this historic 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. 

    As a former Parliamentarian and member of the IPU, I know that all of you are vital in transforming people’s hopes into policy.  Parliamentarians are on the frontlines of the fight for justice, inclusion, and opportunity. When parliaments are strong, representative, and accountable, societies are more resilient – and democracy delivers.

    The Pact for the Future – approved at the United Nations last year – recognizes the essential role that Parliaments can play in rebuilding trust and revitalizing multilateralism. The Pact calls for a renewed social contract – anchored in solidarity, inclusion, and dignity – and for deeper parliamentary engagement across UN processes.

    The IPU has long been a bridge between national action and international cooperation – working to help shape and inform multilateral efforts around people’s realities and aspirations.

    Your leadership is crucial – from building peace to advancing sustainable development to championing equal rights for all.  As you also mark the 40th anniversary of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, let us renew our push for true gender parity – at every level.

    Social development and justice demand courage – and action.

    Thank you and best wishes for every success in your pivotal work.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Paramedic still missing after aid worker killings, Palestinian Red Crescent Society calls for answers

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Friday called for urgent answers over the whereabouts of a missing paramedic, coupled with a full independent investigation into the killing of 15 humanitarian workers in Gaza on 23 March. 

    Last Sunday, a joint PRCS and UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) mission uncovered a shallow grave in Rafah. The bodies of eight PRCS paramedics, six civil defence workers, and one UN staff member were found.

    They had been killed by the Israeli military while attempting to reach victims of shelling on 23 March.

    “They were humanitarians. They wore emblems. They should have been protected,” the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)’s Permanent Observer, Dylan Winder, told journalists during a briefing at UN Headquarters on Friday.

    Dr. Younes al-Khatib, PRCS President, confirmed that one of the team members – now identified as Assad – is still unaccounted for.

    He explained that the incident was the “single most deadly attack” against Red Cross Red Crescent workers anywhere in the world since 2017.

    Investigation in progress

    PRCS officials said it remains unclear whether their colleague, Assad, had been killed at the scene or taken into detention.

    A video recorded from one of the PRCS ambulances appears to show Israeli tanks firing on clearly marked emergency vehicles, refuting claims that the ambulances were unidentifiable or operating without sirens.

    “It’s a trap,” one responder can be heard shouting in the footage, according to PRCS Vice President Marwan Jilani.

    The final words of one PRCS paramedic, captured in an audio recording found on his phone, were also shared during the briefing.

    “Forgive me, mom. I just wanted to help people. I wanted to save lives,” he said, moments before he was killed. His phone was discovered with his body.

    Dr. al-Khatib noted that a forensic report is being prepared and will be released in due course.

    PRCS officials reiterated calls for an international, independent investigation, challenging the “narrative” put forward by the Israeli Government and demanding justice for the victims and their families.

    Humanitarian operations under siege

    The grim discovery comes as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens, with all crossings still closed.

    Speaking to reporters on Thursday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric warned that thousands more families have been forced to flee westward in the Gaza Strip, following new displacement orders issued by Israeli forces in parts of Gaza City.

    “These displacement orders have left civilians exposed to hostilities and deprive them of access to essential services for their basic survival,” he said, citing information from OCHA.

    According to the World Food Programme (WFP), food parcel distributions are expected to end soon. Hot meal distributions continue but supplies are running low.

    Meanwhile, sanitation conditions are worsening. OCHA reports infestations of fleas and mites in three makeshift displacement sites in Al-Mawasi, causing rashes and other health issues.

    Treatment is impossible without the chemicals and medical supplies that remain blocked at closed border crossings.

    UN humanitarian partners also report a spike in criminal looting and insecurity – a food distribution centre from the Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) and surrounding buildings were looted on Wednesday.

    West Bank operations

    In the West Bank, OCHA reports that tens of thousands of people remain displaced due to ongoing Israeli operations, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarm.

    Mr. Dujarric noted that humanitarian partners are providing urgent assistance and psychosocial support to affected communities, but conditions continue to deteriorate.

    ‘Gaza cannot be left alone’

    More than 220 PRCS staff have been killed over the last 50 years, noted Dr. al-Khatib, stressing: “We are looking for action.”

    The PRCS leadership made five formal appeals to the international community, including an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and an end to impunity for attacks on aid workers.

    “Gaza cannot be left alone,” Dr. al-Khatib concluded. “This is a cry to our international community.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Cholera surges worldwide, DR Congo update, WHO leads global health emergency exercise

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    A global surge in cholera is threatening vulnerable people from Angola to Myanmar, fuelled by conflict, natural disasters and climate change, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

    The UN health agency registered almost 810,000 cases and 5,900 deaths from the preventable disease in 2024; that’s about 50 per cent higher than the previous year, according to Dr Philippe Barboza, who leads WHO’s cholera team.

    He said the latest reported cases are almost certainly underestimates and that the disease continues to affect countries that were previously cholera-free.

    Funding cuts

    Recent cuts to international aid funding are also hindering the response, Dr Barboza said, giving the example of how in the previous two years, a donation of $6 million would have allowed WHO to fully control any outbreak occurring in either Malawi or Zambia.

    “But this amount of money is not available. So, this is a very major concern…outbreaks are getting worse and worse, deadlier and deadlier, but the funds are getting smaller and smaller.”

    WHO data indicates that for the first time in 10 years, Namibia reported infections this year, while Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also experiencing a resurgence.

    Angola has also reported nearly 10,000 cholera infections so far during 2025 and 380 people have died from the disease up to the end of March.

    Its capital city Luanda has been badly affected. In the past 28 days, the country reported almost 3,500 cases – making up 56 per cent of all the cases across Africa.

    Conflict, mass displacement, natural disasters and climate change have intensified outbreaks, particularly in rural and flood-affected areas, with poor infrastructure and limited access to healthcare.  

    But it’s not all doom and gloom. In September, production of cholera vaccines reached record levels, with the highest number of doses since 2013.

    “We also need to increase funding to support the response effort,” Dr. Barboza said. 

    Situation remains critical in Eastern DR Congo, say peacekeepers

    The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, continues to implement its mandates amidst a still critical security situation in the restive east, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric on Friday.

    While reciprocal attacks between the CODECO and Zaire militias are continuing to target civilians in Ituri, MONUSCO continues to “push for an effective process of local political dialogue and to negotiate the safe release of abducted civilians,” including children.

    Regarding the situation in the regional capital Goma which was overrun by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in January, Mr. Dujarric said that “non-essential international staff for the UN are returning to Goma,” although “the protection situation under the M23 occupation remains challenging”.

    Mass displacements

    On the humanitarian end, renewed hostilities in North Kivu between armed groups in Rutshuru have “triggered the displacement of some 7,500 people,” said Mr. Dujarric.

    Local partners have also reported a raid on Mukongola General Referral Hospital by armed elements in the South Kivu province. “They vandalized the maternity ward, the pharmaceutical supplies and injured at least one individual,” he added.

    While Mr. Dujarric said that “humanitarian partners [were] working tirelessly to scale up assistance despite the insecurity and the constraints,” UN colleagues on the ground have reported that “ongoing military operations continue to impede humanitarian access.”

    “We reiterate our call for immediate, safe and sustained access to all areas,” the UN Spokesperson concluded.

    Pandemic control exercise puts WHO emergency system to the test

    The World Health Organization (WHO has successfully concluded a two-day exercise simulating the outbreak of a fictional virus spreading across the world – and what it will take to contain it.

    Convened by more than 15 countries, 20 regional health agencies, health emergency networks and other partners, “Exercise Polaris” was designed to test a new global coordination mechanism for health emergencies, under the umbrella of the WHO’s Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC).

    “This exercise proves that when countries lead and partners connect, the world is better prepared,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    Coordination and collaboration

    GHEC’s structure, which emphasises the importance of coordinating the deployment of surge teams and experts – and of enhancing collaboration between countries – “shows that global cooperation is not only possible, it is essential,” said Tedros. “No country can face the next pandemic alone.”

    Throughout the simulation, while countries were leading their own response efforts, WHO provided technical guidance and emergency support.

    “The Global Health Emergency Corps has evolved into a powerful platform, building on practice, trust and connection,” said Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. “Exercise Polaris showed what is possible when countries operate with urgency and unity supported by well-connected partners.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN rolls out key initiative to combat antisemitism

    Source: United Nations 2

    Human Rights

    Amid rising concerns over antisemitism worldwide, the UN on Friday announced the roll out of a major action plan to combat the scourge – aimed at enhancing monitoring and response across the whole UN system.

    The action plan, spearheaded by the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, was launched in January this year amid deepening political and social tensions and a resurgence of “insidious centuries-old myths”, said a joint statement from the top UN officials leading the effort.

    The systematic approach builds upon past initiatives to address antisemitism and other forms of identity-based hatred, reinforcing the Organization’s commitment to promoting equality, justice and human dignity.

    As one of the first concrete steps in implementation, the UN is developing an online learning module in partnership with the UN System Staff College. It’s designed to equip users with the knowledge and tools to recognise and respond to antisemitism.

    Unwavering commitment

    “The United Nations was created in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Our efforts to respond and combat antisemitism, as well as all other manifestations of extremism and incitement to any religious hatred and violence, remain unwavering and are needed more than ever before,” said Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC.

    “Our joint efforts in spearheading the implementation of the Action Plan will contribute to and build on the broader framework of the United Nations’ work in addressing identity-based hatred.”

    A crucial aspect of responding to antisemitism lies in actively countering and debunking the harmful stereotypes that perpetuate it. These stereotypes, often rooted in centuries-old conspiracy theories and disinformation, create a climate of fear and distrust.

    They foster collective blame towards Jewish communities, based on false narratives or perceived collective responsibility for various societal issues or actions. Alarmingly, they can also lead to denial or distortion of the Holocaust.

    Reject stereotypes

    Virginia Gamba, acting Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, emphasised the importance of strengthening global awareness.

    “Being able to better recognise manifestations of antisemitism and these harmful stereotypes, and to have more knowledge to counter it, will further strengthen the work of UN colleagues globally,” she said.

    “We must also never forget that intolerance, discrimination and attacks against one religious community, lead to intolerance, discrimination and attacks on others as well.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Economic and Social Council Fills Vacancies in 15 Subsidiary Bodies

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Economic and Social Council convened today to conduct elections, nominations, confirmations, and appointments to fill vacancies in 15 of its subsidiary bodies. 

    The Council, which plays a vital role in advancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, oversees a complex ecosystem of subsidiary entities, comprising regional and functional commissions, standing committees, and expert and ad hoc bodies. 

    For instance, its Statistical Commission, established in 1946, is responsible for the development of international statistics concepts and methods, including their implementation at the national and international level.  The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, formed in 2000, advises the Council on Indigenous peoples’ rights and provides recommendations to Member States on issues affecting indigenous communities. And the Commission on Narcotic Drugs formulates international drug policies and oversees the implementation of global drug control treaties. 

    Statistical Commission

    The Council by secret ballot today elected Romania to the Statistical Commission for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2029.  In a second round of balloting, the Russian Federation was elected for the same four-year term. 

    Since the number of candidates from the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States was equal to the number of vacancies, the Council also elected Austria, Benin, Brazil, Burundi, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Finland, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru and Uzbekistan by acclamation for the same four-year term. 

    Commission on Population and Development

    To the Commission on Population and Development, the Council elected Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Ireland, Ghana, Malaysia, Mongolia, Norway, Russian Federation, Senegal, United Kingdom and the United Republic of Tanzania by acclamation for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s sixtieth session in 2026 and expiring at the close of its sixty-third session in 2030. 

    The Council also elected Albania, by acclamation, to the Commission for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring at the close of the Commission’s fifty-ninth session in 2026.  Japan and the Philippines were elected, by acclamation, for a four-year term beginning at the first meeting of the fifty-ninth session and expiring at the close of the sixty-second session in 2029.

    Commission on the Status of Women

    To the Commission on the Status of Women, the Council elected Cabo Verde, China, Gabon, Japan, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe, by acclamation, for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s seventy-first session in 2026 and expiring at the close of its seventy-fourth session in 2030.

    Commission on Narcotic Drugs

    To the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Council elected from the Asia-Pacific States — by secret ballot — Pakistan, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates and Kyrgyzstan for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2029.  From the Eastern European States, it elected Slovenia, Lithuania and Ukraine, and from the Western European and Other States, it elected Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and, in a second round of balloting, France, for the same four-year term beginning on 1 January 2026. 

    Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

    From the African States and the Latin American and Caribbean States, the Council elected Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Mauritania and Trinidad and Tobago, by acclamation, to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

    To the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Council elected by secret ballot from the Eastern European States Valts Ernštreits of Latvia and Suleiman Mamutov of Ukraine for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    Since the number of candidates from the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States was equal to or less than the number of vacancies, the Council elected Brenda Gunn of Canada, Nan Li of China, Rodrigo Paillalef Monnard of Chile, Diego A. Tituaña Matango of Ecuador and Anne-Chantal Nama of Cameroon, by acclamation, for the same three-year term of office. 

    Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund

    Since the number of candidates from the Asia-Pacific States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States was equal to or less than the number of vacancies, the Council elected Antigua and Barbuda, China, Georgia, Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, by acclamation, to the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    The Council also elected by acclamation Canada, Türkiye and Liechtenstein to complete the unexpired term of office of Australia, France and Portugal, respectively, beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2027.  Australia, France and Portugal resigned from their seats on the Executive Board effective 31 December 2025.  

    Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Office for Project Services

    Next, the Council elected Armenia, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Nepal, Norway, Rwanda and the United States, by acclamation, to the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Office for Project Services for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    The Council also elected by acclamation Monaco, New Zealand and Türkiye to complete the unexpired term of office of Austria, Luxembourg and Ireland, respectively, beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2026.  Switzerland was elected to complete the unexpired term of office of Belgium, beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2027.  Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland resigned from their seats on 31 December 2025.

    Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

    The Council next elected Burkina Faso, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda and Senegal by acclamation to the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026. 

    Executive Board of the World Food Programme

    The Council also elected Cuba, Gabon and Kenya by acclamation to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

    The Council by secret ballot elected Ukraine to the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.  Further, it elected Kenya, by acclamation, to the Programme Coordinating Board for the same term.

    The Council then elected by acclamation the Philippines to complete the unexpired term of office of Japan, beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.

    Committee for Programme and Coordination

    The Council next nominated China, Cuba, Egypt, Nigeria, Republic of Korea and Senegal, for election by the General Assembly to the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2026. 

    Commission for Social Development 

    To the Commission for Social Development, the Council elected Switzerland, by acclamation, for a term beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring at the close of the Commission’s sixty-seventh session in 2029. 

    Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting

    Next, the Council elected Belarus, Colombia, India and Kyrgyzstan, by acclamation, to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting, each for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.  Greece was elected, by acclamation, to the same body for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2026.

    Committee for the United Nations Population Award

    Finally, the Council elected Cyprus, by acclamation, to the Committee for the United Nations Population Award for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN rights office calls for end to Israel’s ‘illegal presence’ in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    Amid reports of escalating settler violence in the West Bank, the UN rights office, OHCHR, briefed the Palestinian rights committee at UN Headquarters in New York, which also featured a screening of the Oscar winning documentary No Other Land.

    The Palestinian co-director of the documentary, Basel Adra, delivered remarks to the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. Ambassador Riyad Mansour of the Observer State of Palestine and Israeli Human Rights lawyer Netta Amar Schiff – who joined via videolink – also took part.

    No Other Land, directed by Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, sheds light on the lived reality of Palestinians under occupation in Masafer Yatta, a collection of 19 hamlets, in the occupied West Bank.

    ‘The same reality’

    “I wanted the world to know that we exist in this land…But even after winning the Oscar we went back to the same reality,” said Mr. Adra at the beginning of his remarks.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    James Turpin, Chief of Prevention and Sustaining Peace Section, UN Human Rights, speaks during the meeting of the Committee on Exercise of Inalienable Rights of Palestinian People.

    Addressing the overall human rights situation, James Turpin, who heads the Prevention and Sustaining Peace Section at OHCHR, said that for 15 years his office “has monitored, recorded and warned about the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the widespread violations resulting from Israel’s 57-year military occupation.”

    “The documentary film, No Other Land, brings to life, in a compelling and accessible way, what the UN has documented in countless reports,” added Mr. Turpin.

    As of 2022, approximately 20 per cent of the West Bank had been designated as “firing zones” by Israeli authorities – or military areas closed to civilians – affecting over 5,000 Palestinians from 38 communities.

    Settlement expansion continues

    “There are now over 737,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank” and “steps are regularly taken to accelerate construction of additional housing units in new or existing Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem”, Mr. Turpin said.

    Israel’s policies and practices in the OPT “undermines the territorial integrity essential to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and violates the prohibition against acquiring territory by force,” he added.

    In October 2023, in Masafer Yatta, Basel Adra’s cousin was shot in the chest by an Israeli settler. The scene unfolded in front of an Israeli soldier, Mr. Adra told the committee.

    “Israel systematically fails to prevent or punish settler attacks, with a reported policy of police non-enforcement in relation to settler violence, leaving Palestinians bereft of any hope of obtaining justice and accountability,” said Mr. Turpin.

    Livelihoods lost

    The OHCHR official added that settler violence “combined with arbitrary movement restrictions devastates Palestinian livelihoods,” highlighting also the use of unnecessary and disproportionate force against Palestinians, movement restrictions, and mass displacement.

    “Israel’s illegal presence in the OPT must end, as confirmed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ)” said Mr. Turpin, referring to the July 2024 Advisory opinion from the ICJ.

    “Almost every day there are settler attacks against Masafer Yatta,” added Basel Adra, co-director of No Other Land. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on Enforced Disappearances Closes Twenty-Eighth Session

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Enforced Disappearances this afternoon closed its twenty-eighth session after adopting concluding observations on the reports of the Gambia and Malta under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, reports on additional information from Belgium and Serbia, reports on stand-alone requests for additional information from Peru and Argentina, and on the implementation of the Convention by the Central African Republic, considered in absence of a report.

    Juan Pablo Albán Alencastro, Committee Rapporteur, said the Committee had adopted concluding observations on the Gambia, Malta, Belgium, Serbia, Peru, Argentina and the Central African Republic after public dialogues with all these States, apart from Argentina, for which a desk review of the State’s written response was conducted. The concluding observations, which would be made public next Tuesday, identified positive aspects, pointed out areas of concern, and presented the Committee’s recommendations to support the authorities of the States concerned in implementing the Convention, in order to prevent and eradicate enforced disappearances.

    Olivier de Frouville, Committee Chairperson, said the Rapporteur’s report showed that the Committee had made the best use of its three-week session, achieving impressive results.  He said that five Experts’ mandates were concluding at the end of the session: those of Juan Pablo Albán Alencastro (Ecuador), Mohammed Ayat (Morocco), Suela Janina (Albania), Milica Kolakovic-Bojovic (Serbia) and Horacio Ravenna (Argentina).  Mr. de Frouville thanked these Experts for their dedication to the work of the Committee. The treaty body system rested on the efforts of people like them.  They had worked hard to make the world a better place for the next generation and were an inspiration to future Experts.

    All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

    Information on the Committee’s twenty-ninth session will be announced on the Committee web page at a later date.

    Statements

    JUAN PABLO ALBÁN ALENCASTRO, Committee Rapporteur, reported that, during the opening of the Committee’s session, the Committee paid tribute to the victims of enforced disappearance, and in that context heard the testimony of Obeida Dabbagh, who recounted the arrest and subsequent disappearance of his brother Mazen Dabbagh and his nephew Patrick in November 2013 at the hands of Syrian Air Force intelligence agents, and the efforts made since then by the family to seek truth, justice and reparation.

    Mr. Albán Alencastro said the Committee had adopted concluding observations on the Gambia, Malta, Belgium, Serbia, Peru, Argentina and the Central African Republic after public dialogues with all these States, apart from Argentina, for which a desk review of the State’s written response was conducted. The concluding observations, which would be made public next Tuesday, identified positive aspects, pointed out areas of concern, and presented the Committee’s recommendations to support the authorities of the States concerned in implementing the Convention, in order to prevent and eradicate enforced disappearances.

    Mr. Albán Alencastro reported that the Committee also adopted lists of issues in relation to reports under article 29, section one of the Convention by Croatia, Luxembourg and Togo; as well as lists of priority issues in relation to the reports submitted under article 29, section four of the Convention by Armenia, Gabon and Montenegro, in preparation for their future reviews; and the follow-up report on the implementation of concluding observations by Panama.

    On 17 March, Mr. Albán Alencastro said, the Committee held a private hearing in relation to individual communication 5/2021 concerning Mexico, to receive additional information from the parties and to ask questions relating to the admissibility and merits of the case.  It subsequently adopted its decision on this communication.  Also, during the session, the Committee adopted its report on its visit to Colombia from 21 November to 5 December 2024, which set out the Committee’s main findings and made a series of recommendations to support the Colombian authorities in the development and implementation of an effective and efficient national policy for the prevention and eradication of enforced disappearances.

    Further, Mr. Albán Alencastro reported, the Committee held discussions on its working methods, in particular examining requests for the application of article 34 of the Convention; adopted its report on the urgent action mechanism, in which it highlighted trends in requests registered since the last session and identified lessons learned in the implementation of this procedure; adopted its annual report to the General Assembly and the provisional agenda of its twenty-ninth session; discussed possible strategies for follow-up to the outcome of the First World Congress on Enforced Disappearances held in January this year; and held productive meetings with States parties to the Convention, civil society organizations, and victims.

    During the session, Mr. Albán Alencastro concluded, the Committee continued the process for the future adoption of a general comment on women and enforced disappearance, to which end it adopted a concept note.  Mr. Albán Alencastro said that this was his last address as Rapporteur of the Committee, as his mandate was coming to an end.  He thanked all Committee Experts for their dedication and support throughout his mandate.

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chairperson, said the Rapporteur’s report showed that the Committee had made the best use of its three-week session, achieving impressive results.  He expressed thanks to the Committee’s secretariat and members of the Committee, who had demonstrated exemplary professionalism and their unwavering commitment at a time when it was sorely needed. 

    Five Experts’ mandates were concluding at the end of the session: those of Juan Pablo Albán Alencastro (Ecuador), Mohammed Ayat (Morocco), Suela Janina (Albania), Milica Kolakovic-Bojovic (Serbia), and Horacio Ravenna (Argentina).  Mr. de Frouville thanked these Experts for their dedication to the work of the Committee.  The treaty body system rested on the efforts of people like them.  They had worked hard to make the world a better place for the next generation and were an inspiration to future Experts.

    Mr. de Frouville said that, during the session, under the procedures of article 29 of the Convention, the Committee had reviewed no less than 14 States parties, a record number, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Committee’s new working methods.  The Committee hoped that the concluding observations that emerged from these reviews would help the States concerned to make the necessary changes to prevent and eradicate enforced disappearances.

    All the situations the Committee examined were different, the Chair said, yet all demonstrated the tragic relevance of enforced disappearance.  The crime of enforced disappearance continued to be committed in countries like the Central African Republic.  The wounds inflicted by past crimes of enforced disappearance in some countries, such as the Gambia and Serbia, had still not healed, and families were still seeking the truth and justice.  In countries like Malta, the risk of disappearance was heightened by the closure of borders and increasingly strict asylum policies.  Countries such as Belgium were also lifting the veil on the reality of illegal intercountry adoptions, some of which had their origins in enforced disappearance.  Several special procedures mandate holders raised the alarm about this phenomenon in a joint statement in 2022.

    Mr. de Frouville said that the Committee’s report on its visit to Colombia was an unprecedented feat; it conducted precise analysis of the phenomenon of enforced disappearance over a 60-year period, and made targeted recommendations for ensuring truth, justice and reparation.  The Committee would continue to cooperate with Colombia and support the implementation of its recommendations.

    During the session, Mr. de Frouville said, the Committee had also examined the troubling situation in Mexico, including through its urgent action and individual communication procedures, as well as the procedure under article 34 of the Convention.  Under the latter provision, the Committee had received concerning reports that enforced disappearance was practiced in a widespread or systematic manner in Mexico, and had decided to request additional information from the State on the phenomenon in the coming weeks.  The Committee’s aim was constructive dialogue with the State party to achieve the common goal of the full implementation of the Convention.

    The Committee had also adopted the report on its urgent actions procedure, which was a sad reflection of the current practice of enforced disappearances.  To date, the Committee had recorded 2,010 urgent action requests in 31 countries.  The equivalent procedure of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, in place since 1980, had registered more than 61,000 cases in 115 States.  The Committee’s report on urgent actions highlighted a recent increase in the practice of “short-term enforced disappearances”.  In their joint statement on the phenomenon, the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances and the Committee stressed that, under international human rights law, the definition of enforced disappearance did not address the length of the crime.  Thus, the obligations imposed on States were the same regardless of the length of the crime.

    Mr. de Frouville said that during the session, the Committee had held consultations with the head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic.  The Committee called on Syria to ratify the Convention and recognise the competence of the Committee under articles 31 and 32, to demonstrate the commitment of the new authorities to combat the practices of the past while responding to the legitimate demands of families in search of truth, justice and reparation. It also called on all States parties to assist Syrian families in search efforts and help fight against impunity for the perpetrators of enforced disappearances in Syria through judicial cooperation.

    The United Nations’ liquidity crisis continued to hamper the Committee’s work; there was still uncertainty about whether the Committee’s next session would be held, Mr. de Frouville said.  In fact, no treaty body sessions scheduled from May onwards had been confirmed yet, including that of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, due to start on 5 May. This was an unprecedented situation. It was Member States’ responsibility to ensure the smooth operation of the treaty bodies.  This unique system, which was built on the ruins of the Second World War to build global peace, was now in peril.  At a time when peace was under threat around the world, when the independence of the judiciary was under attack, when the media, human rights defenders and universities were the victims of an unprecedented offensive, everyone needed more international guarantees, not less.  States needed to shoulder their responsibilities now; tomorrow would be too late.

    Mr. de Frouville closed by thanking the Committee for its work and expressing hope that the Committee’s next session would be held in September as planned.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CED25.008E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Council Concludes Fifty-Eighth Regular Session after Adopting 32 Resolutions

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Extends 16 Country Specific and Thematic Mandates and Establishes an Intergovernmental Working Group to Draft a Legally Binding Instrument on the Human Rights of Older Persons

     

    Invites General Assembly to Consider Establishing a Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes Committed by All Parties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel since 2014

     

    The Human Rights Council today concluded its fifty-eighth regular session after adopting 32 resolutions.  In these texts, among other things, the Council voted to extend 16 country specific and thematic mandates, and to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group to draft an international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons.

    In a resolution on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice, the Council invited the General Assembly to consider establishing an ongoing international, impartial and independent mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed by all parties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel since 2014.  The Council also adopted resolutions on human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. 

    The Council extended 13 country mandates during the session.  It decided to extend, for a period of one year, the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan under agenda item two.  It also extended, for a period of one year, the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus and the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran; the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine; and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic under agenda item four.

    Under agenda item 10, the Council extended for a period of one year the mandates of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali; and the independent human rights expert appointed by the High Commissioner and tasked with undertaking the monitoring of the human rights situation in Haiti.  It also extended, for a period of two years, the mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua; and the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner, including its field-based structure in Seoul, to allow the implementation of relevant recommendations made by the group of independent experts on accountability for human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in its report, under agenda item four.

    The Council decided to extend, for a period of three years, the mandates of the

    Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

    The Council requested its Advisory Committee to prepare, in close cooperation with the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures, an in-depth study review on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measure on the right to health of individuals in vulnerable situations.  It also requested its Advisory Committee to draft a set of recommended guidelines for applying the existing human rights framework to the conception, design, development, testing, use and deployment of neurotechnologies.

    Further resolutions adopted concerned cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage; the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights; human rights, democracy and the rule of law; the question of the realisation in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights; the promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity; the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights; women, diplomacy and human rights; the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment: ocean and human rights; the impact of anti-personnel mines on the full enjoyment of all human rights; human rights defenders and new and emerging technologies; combatting intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief; and technical assistance and capacity-building for South Sudan.

    The Council appointed three members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Member from Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia, Antonina Gorbunova (Russian Federation); Member from Central and South America, and the Caribbean, Anexa Brendalee Alfred Cunningham (Nicaragua); and member from the Pacific, Valmaine Toki (New Zealand).

    The Council also adopted ad referendum the draft report of the fifth-eighth session.

    Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council, said the Council had reviewed and adopted the results of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 countries; adopted 32 resolutions; and appointed three mandate holders of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  He expressed sincere gratitude to the Bureau of the Council, the Secretariat, and the Member States, for their support and cooperation during the session.

    The fifty-ninth regular session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to be held from 16 June to 11 July 2025.

    Action on Resolutions

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Two on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.6) on Advancing human rights in South Sudan, adopted by a vote of 24 in favour, 6 against and 17 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, composed of three members, for a further period of one year; requests the Commission to present a comprehensive report on the situation of human rights in South Sudan to the Council at its sixty-first session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue, and that the report and an easy-to-read version of it be made available on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner in an accessible format and also requests the Commission to present its latest report, in combination with an oral update on its work, to the General Assembly at its eightieth session, followed by an interactive dialogue. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.30/Rev.1) on the Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice, adopted by a vote of 27 in favour, 4 against and 16 abstentions (as orally revised), the Council reiterates its request to the Commission of Inquiry to report on both the direct and the indirect transfer or sale of arms, munitions, parts, components and dual-use items to Israel, the occupying Power, and requests, instead, that the report be submitted to the Council at its sixty-first session; invites the General Assembly to consider establishing an ongoing international, impartial and independent mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed by all parties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel since 2014, to closely cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of violations of international law and violations and abuses of human rights, and to prepare case files in order to facilitate and expedite fair and independent criminal proceedings, in accordance with international legal standards, in national, regional and international courts or tribunals that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over these crimes, in accordance with international law; and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-first session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Three on the Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the Right to Development.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.1) on the Negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, adopted by a vote of 28 in favour, 16 against and 3 abstentions, the Council requests the Advisory Committee of the Council to prepare, in close cooperation with the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures, an in-depth study review on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measure on the right to health of individuals in vulnerable situations, and to present its comprehensive report and findings to the Council at its sixty-fourth session; requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to organise a biennial panel discussion, to be held at the sixtieth session of the Council, on the impact of unilateral coercive measures and overcompliance on the right to food and food security, and requests the Special Rapporteur to act as rapporteur of the panel discussion and to prepare a report thereon, and to submit and present the report to the Council at its sixty-first session. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.4/Rev.1) on Cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the High Commissioner to convene, before the sixty-fourth session of the Council, a one-day workshop to review and promote the tools for the dissemination of good practices and possible methods of, as well as challenges encountered in, implementing an approach to digital heritage that promotes universal respect for cultural rights by all, and to make the workshop accessible to persons with disabilities; also requests the High Commissioner to submit a report thereon to the Council at its sixty-sixth session; and decides to remain seized of the matter.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.5) on Freedom of religion or belief, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief for a further period of three years; requests the Special Rapporteur to report annually to the Council and to the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programmes of work; and decides to remain seized of this question under the same agenda item and to continue its consideration of measures to implement the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.9) on Neurotechnology and human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council requests its Advisory Committee to draft a set of recommended guidelines for applying the existing human rights framework to the conception, design, development, testing, use and deployment of neurotechnologies and to present it to the Council at its sixty-fourth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.16) on the Negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, and the importance of improving international cooperation, adopted by a vote of 29 in favour, 15 against and 3 abstentions, the Council requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to organise, prior to the sixty-second session of the Council, a one-day intersessional expert meeting, fully accessible to persons with disabilities, on strengthening international cooperation and shared responsibilities in facilitating the repatriation of illicit funds to advance human rights; requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to organise, before the sixty-third session of the Council, a regional expert meeting in Africa on ways to support governments’ efforts in repatriating funds of illicit origin; and also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a substantive report on enhancing international cooperation and national efforts to facilitate the repatriation of illicit funds and ensure the effective use of repatriated funds for sustainable development and realisation of economic, social and cultural rights, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-fourth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.17/Rev.1) on Human rights, democracy and the rule of law, adopted without a vote, the Council decides that the theme of the sixth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, to be held in 2026, will be “Education for civic participation: empowering future generations, fostering knowledge and critical thinking”; and decides that participation in the sixth session of the Forum will be in accordance with the modalities set out by the Council in its resolutions 28/14, 34/41, 40/9, 46/4 and 52/22.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.7) on the Question of the realisation in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to convene, at its sixty-first session, a panel discussion, accessible to persons with disabilities and open to the participation of States and other relevant stakeholders, on promising practices and measures to mobilise public resources to finance sustainable development in a manner consistent with States’ economic, social and cultural rights obligations; and requests the Secretary-General to prepare and submit to the Council, at its sixty-fourth session, a report, in formats accessible to persons with disabilities, on the question of the realisation in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights under agenda item 3.

    Before the resolution was adopted, the Council rejected amendment L.33 by a vote of 9 in favour, 24 against and 13 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.12) on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food for a period of three years; requests the Special Rapporteur to provide advice and guidance to States and all relevant stakeholders on shaping food systems governance in line with international human rights law; and requests the Special Rapporteur to report annually on the implementation of the mandate to the Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their programmes of work. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.13) on the Promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to work with relevant stakeholders towards the comprehensive promotion and protection of cultural rights, and to report regularly to the Council and the General Assembly, in accordance with their respective programmes of work. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.14) on the Effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, adopted by a vote of 29 in favour, 12 against and 6 abstentions, the Council requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide global analytical and policy strategies in the context of reforms of the international financial architecture; and requests the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, to continue to report regularly to the Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their programmes of work.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.24/Rev.1) on the Open-ended intergovernmental working group for the elaboration of a legally binding instrument on the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group with the mandate of elaborating and submitting to the Council a draft international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons with the objective of promoting, protecting and ensuring the full enjoyment of human rights by older persons; also decides that the open-ended intergovernmental working group will meet for two five-day sessions each year in Geneva in a hybrid format, should the General Assembly agree to reintroduce such a format, and that it will be webcast, and that the organisational session should be held before the end of 2025 and no later than the start of the sixty-first session of the Human Rights Council, for three working days; and requests the open-ended intergovernmental working group to submit a report on progress made to the Council for its consideration at its sixty-third session and to make the report available in an easy-to-read accessible format.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.29) on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism for a period of three years, with the same terms as provided for by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 49/10.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.15) on Women, diplomacy and human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to commemorate the International Day of Women in Diplomacy during one panel at the annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women, to be held during the fifty-ninth, the sixty-second and the sixty-fifth sessions of the Council, including with discussions on the elimination of discrimination and structural barriers that hinder women’s participation and representation in decision-making; and invites all States, organizations of the United Nations system and civil society to participate in this celebration.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.26/Rev.1) on the Human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment: ocean and human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council calls upon States to adopt and implement strong laws ensuring, among other things, the rights to participation, to access to information and to justice, including to an effective remedy, in environmental matters; and calls upon all States to conserve, protect and restore healthy ecosystems and biodiversity and to ensure their sustainable management and use by applying a human rights-based approach that emphasizes participation, inclusion, transparency and accountability in the management of natural resources.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.21) on the Impact of anti-personnel mines on the full enjoyment of all human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council calls upon all States and other relevant stakeholders to cooperate effectively to address the impact of anti-personnel mines on the protection and promotion of all human rights; and requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report, in consultation with States and other relevant stakeholders, on the impact of antipersonnel mines on the enjoyment of all human rights, with particular emphasis on economic, social and cultural rights, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-second session, followed by an interactive dialogue.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.27/Rev.1) on Human rights defenders and new and emerging technologies: protecting human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, in the digital age, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene three regional workshops, including through hybrid modalities, to assess risks created by digital technologies to human rights defenders and best practices to respond to these concerns in different geographical areas, bearing in mind current and emerging business models and gender, geographic and other digital divides and sensitivities, with participation from civil society, human rights defenders and the private sector; and also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report containing a summary of those consultations, which could include recommendations for due diligence and improved responses to risks created by digital technologies to human rights defenders, including those exposed to discrimination and those working in situations of armed conflict, and to present it to the Council at its sixty-third session.

    Before the resolution was adopted, the Council rejected amendment L.35 by a vote of 4 in favour, 26 against and 15 abstentions; L.36 by a vote of 10 in favour, 23 against and 14 abstentions; and L.37 by a vote of 7 in favour, 24 against and 15 abstentions.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Four on Human Rights Situations that Require the Council’s Attention 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.2) on the Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to renew, for a period of two years, the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner, including its field-based structure in Seoul, to allow the implementation of relevant recommendations made by the group of independent experts on accountability for human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in its report; requests the High Commissioner to provide an oral update on the progress made in this regard to the Council at its sixty-first session and to submit a full report on the implementation of the recommendations to the Council at its sixty-fourth session; decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in accordance with Council resolution 37/28, for a period of one year; and requests the Office of the High Commissioner to continue to organise a series of consultations and outreach activities with victims, affected communities and other relevant stakeholders. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.3) on the Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua, adopted by a vote of 29 in favour, 4 against and 14 abstentions, the Council decides to renew, for a period of two years, the mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua as established in its resolution 49/3; requests the Group to submit a comprehensive report to the Council at its sixty-first and sixty-fourth sessions, during an interactive dialogue, and to present an oral update to the Council at its sixtieth and sixty-third sessions; also requests the Group to present its most recent report, in combination with an oral update on its work, to the General Assembly at its eightieth and eighty-first sessions, followed by an interactive dialogue; and requests the High Commissioner to strengthen monitoring and engagement, including by preparing reports that are comprehensive, gender-responsive and take into account race and ethnic origin on the situation of human rights in Nicaragua, and to present them to the Council at its sixtieth and sixty-third sessions, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and to present an oral update to the Council at its fifty-ninth and sixty-second sessions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.10) on the Situation of human rights in Belarus, adopted by a vote of 25 in favour, 5 against and 17 abstentions, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus for a further period of one year, effective from the end of its fifty-ninth session, and requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to monitor developments and to make recommendations on ways to strengthen respect for and protection and fulfilment of human rights in Belarus, and to submit a report on the situation of human rights in Belarus to the Council at its sixty-second session and to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session, including in an easy-to-read version and in an accessible format; also decides to extend the mandate of the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus for a further period of one year; and requests the Group of Independent Experts to give an oral update to the Council at its sixtieth session and to present a comprehensive report at its sixty-first session, including in an easy-to-read version and in an accessible format, both to be followed by an interactive dialogue. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.11/Rev.1) on the Situation of human rights in Myanmar, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council calls for the timely designation of a resident coordinator of United Nations local agencies in Myanmar on a permanent basis; decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar for a further period of one year; requests the Special Rapporteur to present, during an enhanced interactive dialogue, an oral update to the Council at its fifty-ninth session and to submit a report to the Third Committee of the General Assembly at its eightieth session and to the Council at its sixty-first session, and also requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to monitor the situation of human rights in Myanmar; requests the High Commissioner to submit to the Council, at its sixty-second session, a comprehensive report on the overall situation of human rights in Myanmar; and reiterates the need to establish a country office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Myanmar and to issue a standing invitation to all special procedures of the Council. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.20/Rev.1) on the Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, adopted by a vote of 24 in favour, 8 against and 15 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for a further period of one year in order to continue to monitor the ongoing situation of human rights, and requests the Special Rapporteur to submit a report to the Council at its sixty-first session and to the General Assembly at its eightieth session; also decides that the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran should continue for one year to thoroughly and independently monitor and investigate allegations of recent and ongoing serious human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran; and requests the Fact-Finding Mission to present a report to the Council at its sixty-first session during a joint interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, and to present an oral update, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, on the implementation of the mandate to the General Assembly at its eightieth session. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.22) on the Situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression, adopted by a vote of 25 in favour, 4 against and 18 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, defined by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 49/1, for a further period of one year, complementing, consolidating and building upon the work of the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, in close coordination with the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and requests the Commission of Inquiry to give an oral update to the Human Rights Council at its sixtieth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, to submit a comprehensive report to the Council at its sixty-first session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its eightieth session, also to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.25) on the Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic for a period of one year; requests the Office of the High Commissioner to strengthen the resources of the Commission of Inquiry in order for it to completely fulfil its mandate within the Syrian Arab Republic, in particular with regard to security and logistical support and victim protection expertise, welcomes the broad access granted by the interim authorities to the Commission, and encourages the interim authorities to grant the Commission necessary access throughout the Syrian Arab Republic and to cooperate closely with the Commission; requests the Commission of Inquiry to present an oral update to the Human Rights Council at both its fifty-ninth and sixtieth sessions, to be followed by an updated report during an interactive dialogue at the sixty-first session of the Council; and reaffirms its decision to transmit the report and oral updates of the Commission of Inquiry to relevant bodies of the United Nations. 

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Seven on the Human Rights Situation in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab Territories

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.19) on Human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan, adopted by a vote of 27 in favour, 6 against and 14 abstentions, the Council demands that Israel stop its repressive measures against the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan and release immediately the Syrian detainees in Israeli prisons; requests the Secretary-General to disseminate the present resolution as widely as possible and to report on this matter to the Council at its sixty-first session; and decides to continue its consideration of the human rights violations in the occupied Syrian Golan at its sixty-first session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.31) on the Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, adopted by a vote of 43 in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions, the Council calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to end immediately its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, which constitutes a wrongful act of continuing character entailing its international responsibility, and to reverse and redress any impediments to the political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Palestine, in accordance with the legal findings and determinations of the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, and reaffirms its support for the solution of two States, Palestine and Israel; and urges all States to adopt measures to promote the realisation of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and to render assistance to the United Nations regarding the implementation of this right. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.32/Rev.1) on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, adopted by a vote of 34 in favour, 3 against and 10 abstentions (as orally revised), the Council reiterates its request to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, as mandated by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 55/32 of 5 April 2024, to prepare a report on the identities of settlers, as well as settler groups and their members, that have engaged in or continue to engage in acts of violence, intimidation, harassment or terror against Palestinian civilians and the actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, and by third States to ensure accountability for violations or abuses of international law in this regard, and requests, instead, that the report be submitted to the Council at its sixty-first session; and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to report on the implementation of the provisions of the present resolution to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-first session. 

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Nine on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Forms of Intolerance: Follow-up to and Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.18) on Combatting intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the High Commissioner to prepare and submit to the Council at its sixty-first session a comprehensive follow-up report with elaborated conclusions based upon information provided by States on the efforts and measures taken for the implementation of the present resolution.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item 10 on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

    n a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.8) on Technical assistance and capacity-building for Mali in the field of human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali for a period of one year in order to permit the mandate holder to continue to evaluate the situation of human rights in Mali; and requests the Independent Expert to submit a report to the Council at its sixty-first session; decides to hold a dialogue at its sixty-first session, in the presence of the Independent Expert and representatives of the Government of Mali, to assess the changes in the situation of human rights in the country.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.23) on Technical assistance and capacity-building for South Sudan, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in cooperation and collaboration with the Government of South Sudan and relevant mechanisms of the African Union, to enhance the technical assistance provided to the Government of South Sudan to continue to assist it in addressing human rights challenges in the post-conflict transition; also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to present a comprehensive report to the Council at its sixty-second session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, with the participation of representatives of the African Union; and further requests the Office of the High Commissioner to submit the above-mentioned report and recommendations to the Human Rights Council, then to share them with the African Union and all relevant organs of the United Nations, including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/58/L.28) on Technical assistance and capacity-building to improve the situation of human rights in Haiti, in connection with a request from the authorities of Haiti for coordinated and targeted international action, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend, for a renewable period of one year, the mandate of the independent human rights expert appointed by the High Commissioner and tasked with undertaking, with the assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner and in collaboration with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, the monitoring of the human rights situation in Haiti, ensuring, in particular, the inclusion of a gender perspective in all of his work; requests the independent expert to devote greater attention to the situation of children, women and girls and to trafficking in persons, to monitor the impact of illicit arms trafficking on the human rights situation in Haiti and to formulate recommendations to consolidate national, regional and international responses on this issue; also requests the independent expert to provide advice and technical assistance to the Government of Haiti, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, including women’s rights organizations, to assist in their efforts to ensure respect for and the promotion and protection of human rights; and requests the High Commissioner to provide to the Council, within the framework of an interactive dialogue with the participation of the independent human rights expert, an oral update on the situation of human rights in Haiti at its sixtieth session and a report on the subject at its sixty-first session.

    Other Matters

    The Council appointed three members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Member from Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia, Antonina Gorbunova (Russian Federation); Member from Central and South America, and the Caribbean, Anexa Brendalee Alfred Cunningham (Nicaragua); and member from the Pacific, Valmaine Toki (New Zealand).

    The Council also adopted its draft report ad referendum for the fifty-eighth session.

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    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    HRC25.005E

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Safe futures start here’: UN calls for global action to eliminate mine threat

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    More than 100 million people worldwide are at risk from landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday, in his message for the International Day for Mine Awareness.

    “Even when the guns fall silent, these remnants of war remain, lurking in fields and on pathways and roadways, threatening the lives of innocent civilians and the livelihoods of communities,” he described.

    From Afghanistan to Myanmar; from Sudan to Ukraine, Syria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and beyond; these deadly devices litter rural and urban areas, indiscriminately killing civilians and blocking vital humanitarian and development efforts.

    On average, one person is killed or injured by explosive devices every hour – many of them children.

    This year’s observance, under the theme Safe Futures Start Here, highlights the critical role of mine action in rebuilding shattered communities, supporting survivors and forging peace.

    Centre people, not weapons

    Stressing the importance of innovation and inclusivity, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is now urging investment in micro and quick-impact projects that address the urgent needs of people with physical disabilities affected by conflict.

    These efforts build on the Pact for the Future, adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future, especially its commitments to civilian protection (Action 14) and scaling up technology and innovation capacities in developing countries (Action 29).

    UNMAS has for over two decades tailored its response to the threat of explosive hazards faced by civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarians, in some of the areas most impacted by war and its aftermath.

    Spotlight on Somalia

    In Somalia, IEDs remain a major threat to peace and security. In 2024 alone, 597 devices caused over 1,400 casualties.

    “Landmines and improvised explosive devices have disproportionately affected civilian populations,” said James Swan, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia.

    “Today, we honour those who have lost their lives to these deadly devices and reaffirm our commitment to working alongside the Somali Government and our partners to reduce this lethal threat,” he said.

    Significant progress has been made in building national capacity, through specialised training and the provision of life-saving equipment.

    UNMAS recently handed over a new set of counter-IED equipment to Somali security forces, reflecting a growing emphasis on national ownership and sustainability.

    Charting the next steps

    From 9 to 11 April, the 28th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisers (NDM-UN28) will be held in Geneva.

    Co-hosted by UNMAS and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, the meeting will bring together global experts to address key challenges facing the sector.

    Mr. Guterres called on States to uphold international humanitarian norms and join relevant treaties, including the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

    “Mine action works. Together, let’s commit to build safe futures – starting here and now,” he concluded.

    Soundcloud

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan: Suffering continues amid massive destruction across Khartoum

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    The people of Sudan are trapped in siege-like conditions “with no escape, no hope, and often forced to face unspeakable abuse,” a senior official with the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday in Geneva. 

    Mohamed Refaat, IOM Chief of Mission in Sudan, was speaking to reporters after returning from previously inaccessible Khartoum state, which is now back under the control of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

    War erupted between the SAF and former ally the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, and civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence. 

    Recent weeks have seen intense fighting around the capital city, Khartoum, which had mostly been under RSF control.

    ‘Unimaginable’ destruction

    Mr. Refaat said that even he was shocked by the level of destruction in the city.

    “Electricity stations have been looted; the water pipes have been destroyed. And I’m not talking about some areas. I’m talking about everywhere I went,” he said.

    The veteran aid worker has served in other conflict situations, including Libya and Yemen, “and the level of destruction I have seen in Bahri, Khartoum, is unimaginable,” he remarked.

    “There has been targeting of not only people’s houses, but administrative areas, not military areas, but all the basic infrastructure that can maintain lives for people.”

    Massive re-investment is needed to help all those returning to the Sudanese capital after nearly two years of war, he said.

    Horrors all around

    Mr. Refaat described meeting Sarah, an elderly maths teacher, unable to flee the violence. Her days had been “filled with horror”, witnessing the loss of loved ones, seeing homes destroyed and being surrounded by the permanent threat of violence and sexual abuse.

    “Sarah’s decision to stay was driven by necessity,” he explained. “As an elderly woman, it would be dangerous and challenging to go by foot, and she has no transportation.”

    In the absence of funding, many non-government organizations (NGOs) have stopped working or reduced operations. Mr. Refaat insisted that there are many more people like Sarah who have received no assistance.

    Funding crisis widespread

    “Funding has dried (up) but not only from Member States, but also from diaspora and charity organizations,” he said.

    He stressed that more humanitarian funding is urgently needed for medicine, shelter, drinking water, education, and healthcare.

    IOM is seeking $250 million to assist some 1.7 million people in Sudan this year but less than 10 per cent of funding has been received. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Press Statement on Myanmar

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Jérôme Bonnafont (France):

    The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to those affected by the earthquake that struck central Myanmar on 28 March, and also impacted neighbouring countries especially Thailand, resulting in significant loss of life, injuries and widespread destruction.  They stressed their solidarity with the peoples of Myanmar, Thailand and other affected families and communities.

    The members of the Security Council recognized the need to strengthen rescue, relief and recovery efforts and to scale up immediate and rapid humanitarian assistance in response to the requests to help the people of Myanmar, supported by the international community.  The members of the Security Council took note of the statements by ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Foreign Ministers of 29 and 30 March.  They reaffirmed the importance of a safe and conducive environment to ensure the timely and effective delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to all those in need, without disruption or discrimination.  To that end, the members of the Security Council welcomed the ceasefire announcements to create a safe and conducive environment.

    The members of the Security Council expressed their gratitude and support for the work of ASEAN, the region, the United Nations and the wider international community, including the swift provision of urgent life-saving assistance, rescue and disaster relief.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Left Unchecked, Climate Crisis Will Escalate,’ Warns Secretary-General in Message to Central Asia Conference

    Source: United Nations 4

    Following is the text of UN Secretary General António Guterres’ video message to the International Conference on Central Asia in the Face of Global Challenges; Consolidation for Common Prosperity, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan today:

    Thank you for your invitation.  I commend President [of Uzbekistan Shavkat] Mirziyoyev for hosting this conference — and for declaring 2025 the year of environmental protection and the green economy.

    I also applaud the environment of dialogue and cooperation that characterizes the region today.  This approach is reflected in the recent summit between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and their trilateral agreement on the Junction Point of State borders.  And it is reflected in this International Conference today.

    The climate crisis is taking hold around the world.  The evidence is all around us — with the hottest days, the hottest months, the hottest years and the hottest decade on record.

    We see it clearly in Central Asia with soaring temperatures, glacier retreat, droughts and worsening dust storms.  Left unchecked, this crisis will only escalate — pummelling economies, taking lives, devastating livelihoods and imperilling food and water supplies.

    The tragedy of the Aral Sea also shows how environmental destruction hurts people and communities.  Cooperation throughout Central Asia is essential.  And regional action must be complemented by global action.

    New national climate plans — or NDCs [nationally determined contributions] — due this year must align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C, as promised.  And cover all emissions and the whole economy.  The G20 [Group of 20] must lead.

    This is an opportunity to bring together energy transition strategies and sustainable development priorities with climate action — to attract investment and build prosperity and security.

    I urge all countries to take it.  And to act to ensure the world makes good on climate finance commitments.  We need confidence the new $1.3 trillion climate finance goal will be delivered.

    We need developed countries to honour the promise of at least $40 billion a year for adaptation, by this year.  And we must strengthen support for loss and damage to help the most vulnerable countries and people.

    Once again, thank you for coming together to forge a path forward — and deliver.  I wish you a successful conference.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNFPA calls for peace and humanitarian support in South Sudan

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    UNFPA expresses deep concern over the rising political tensions in South Sudan and calls upon all political leaders to prioritize peace, stability, and the well-being of the people in need. 

    With more than 9.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance — including 2.4 million women of reproductive age — the lives, health, and dignity of women and girls hang in the balance. UNFPA is gravely concerned about the heightened risks of gender-based violence, including sexual violence and forced early marriage; conflict-related sexual violence; and the disruption of essential sexual and reproductive health services.

    Over two-thirds of the population now depends on humanitarian aid, while funding for essential services is drying up.

    The escalating tensions further exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, where communities are grappling with limited or no access to essential health services including maternal, sexual and reproductive healthcare; as well as widespread food insecurity and mass displacement. The ongoing instability threatens to derail humanitarian response, making it even more difficult to deliver critical services to those in need.

    UNFPA stands ready to support efforts to ensure that women and girls have access to lifesaving gender based violence prevention and response and sexual and reproductive health services. On the front lines, UNFPA is in the violence stricken-town of Nasir and remote and hard-to-reach areas, ready to deploy essential sanitation items and health supplies. Meanwhile, UNFPA-supported health facilities in Akobo, Malakal, Wau, Mingkaman, and Juba are delivering a bundle of critical supplies that includes equipment and medicines for safe deliveries, contraception and support for survivors of rape.  

    We call on all actors to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, allowing partners to provide much-needed assistance. The international community must also step up its support to South Sudan, reinforcing humanitarian efforts and ensuring that resources reach the most vulnerable populations.

    At this critical moment, it is imperative that all stakeholders work together to de-escalate tensions and commit to dialogue and peaceful resolution. The protection and empowerment of women and girls must be at the heart of any peace and recovery agenda. In the face of this crisis, every dollar matters, every intervention counts, and every life saved is a step toward peace.

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