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Category: United Nations

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Closes Ninetieth Session in Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today closed its ninetieth session after adopting concluding observations on the reports of Belarus, Belize, Congo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and on the exceptional report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on conflict-related sexual violence in its eastern provinces.

    The concluding observations adopted by the Committee on the countries under review will soon be available on the session’s webpage.

    In concluding remarks, Committee Chairperson Nahla Haidar said that during the challenging ninetieth session, in addition to holding dialogues with States parties, the Committee had held informal meetings with non-governmental organizations from most of the State parties reviewed and with four national human rights institutions. It was grateful to these organizations and to United Nations entities for providing it with detailed information.

    Ms. Haidar said the highlight of the session was the half-day of general discussion on gender stereotypes on 17 February, which was attended by 46 States parties and 17 non-governmental organizations. The discussions highlighted the fact that gender stereotypes were underlying causes of gender-based violence against women and posed significant barriers to women’s access to political life, education, employment and leadership positions. They marked a crucial step in developing a general recommendation to guide States parties on eliminating stereotypes.

    During the session, Ms. Haidar said, the Committee made important progress in rationalising and harmonising its working methods with those of other treaty bodies, including through changes to rationalise working groups, increase the number of lists of issues prior to reporting to be adopted over the coming two years, and to systematically raise male succession to the throne in dialogues and concluding observations, where relevant.

    Ms. Haidar welcomed the progress achieved by the Working Group on gender-based violence against women on its draft working paper on online and tech-facilitated gender-based violence against women. She also commended the convening of an illustrious group of experts and private sector representatives to discuss best practices in digital innovation and mitigation of gender gaps during the Committee’s public meeting with the Working Group on business and human rights, and further welcomed the endorsement of the Committee’s contribution to the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

    Ms. Haidar said the Committee had adopted five follow-up assessments and prepared four final decisions on individual communications. It also adopted the report of Inquiry 2014/2 concerning large-scale abductions of women and girls by insurgents and other armed groups, which would be published after the expiry of the six-month period for the State party concerned to submit observations.

    During the session, Ms. Haidar said, the Committee also held informal meetings with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on climate change, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the World Health Organization.

    In closing, Ms. Haidar thanked all those who contributed to the session, including new Committee Experts Hamida Al-Shukairi (Oman), Violet Eudine Barriteau (Barbados), Nada Moustafa Fathi Draz (Egypt), Mu Hong (China), Madina Jarbussynova (Kazakhstan), Jelena Pia-Comella (Andorra), Erika Schläppi (Switzerland), and Patsilí Toledo Vasquez (Chile), as well as other Committee members, the Committee secretariat and United Nations staff. Though not an easy task, she said, the Committee had successfully delivered on its mandate to protect and promote women’s rights and gender equality.

    At the beginning of the meeting, Committee Rapporteur Brenda Akia presented the draft report of the session, which contained the draft report of the Working Group of the Whole and the provisional agenda for the Committee’s ninety-first session. The Committee then adopted the report ad referendum.

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is provisionally scheduled to hold its ninety-first session from 16 June to 4 July 2025, in which it will review the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Mexico, Monaco, San Marino and Thailand.

    In addition, from 7 to 11 April in Suva, Fiji, the Committee will hold a technical cooperation session to review the reports of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and engage with Pacific States that are not yet parties to the Convention.

    ___________

    CEDAW.25.053E

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information 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.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: DR Congo crisis: Occupation blocks UN mission from protecting civilians

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The continued occupation of North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the M23 armed group has “severely constrained” the UN stabilisation force’s ability to protect civilians and carry out lifesaving operations, the mission chief Bintou Keita told reporters on Friday.

    These operational challenges have been exacerbated by ongoing mis- and disinformation campaigns that are misinforming the public of the UN peacekeepers’ role, said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the DRC and head of the peacekeeping mission in the country, MONUSCO, briefing the press at UN Headquarters via video-link from the DRC.

    However, the mission remains driven to discharge its mandate and is currently protecting hundreds of thousands of displaced people in eastern DRC, with the recent arrival of the Force Commander in Beni demonstrating that determination, she said.

    Ongoing peacekeeping efforts

    Despite challenges, the UN mission continues to support the DRC and its armed forces, Ms. Keita said. That includes, in recent weeks, MONUSCO’s response to attacks by the CODECO armed group and its establishment of two bases to protect civilians.

    MONUSCO has a core mandate, under international law, to protect unarmed individuals seeking refuge in its posts, Ms. Keita explained. That includes 1,400 people facing high risks – many being women and children – following the fall of Goma in January.

    “However, the current situation is unsustainable,” she warned, citing challenges of continuing to provide shelter and basic supplies to those under its protection.

    Remaining steadfast in maintaining the civilians’ security, MONUSCO urgently called for a safe, dignified and internationally supported solution for the transfer of these individuals to an alternative, secure location in full respect of their rights and choices, she said.

    Call for ceasefire

    Reiterating a call for an immediate ceasefire, she called on Rwanda to end its support for the M23 and to respect the territorial integrity of the DRC.

    She also urged all armed groups in Ituri to immediately stop their atrocities against civilians and condemned the brutal attacks by the ADF armed group in the eastern region.

    In addition, the MONUSCO chief called on all armed groups to lay down their arms and stop seizing communities.

    “There is no military solution that will end this suffering,” she said.

    Only a political solution and dialogue can resolve this conflict, Ms. Keita said, pledging MONUSCO and the UN’s support towards those ends. Women must be included in forging peace, she said, adding that “their voices must be heard.”

    Security Council to vote on draft

    The Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution related to the DRC this afternoon, she said, noting that it was anticipated that the 15-member organ would adopt it unanimously.

    She said the Luanda and Nairobi processes and other African-led efforts must guide the way to peace.

    Above all, peace and security in the DRC requires an end to the conflict, she said.

    Appeal for support

    UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, launched an appeal on Friday for $40.4 million to deliver protection and assistance to 275,000 internally displaced people in South Kivu, North Kivu, Maniema and Tanganyika provinces of the DRC as well as to support a potential influx of 258,000 refugees, asylum-seekers, and returnees in neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

    “UNHCR said there is an urgent need for shelter, food and latrines as well as relocation of the new arrivals to other sites to address overcrowding,” Mr. Dujarric said. “UNHCR and its partners are stepping up assistance, distributing warm meals and water to new arrivals. They need all sorts of relief supplies.”

    Clashes hinder humanitarian access

    In South Kivu, humanitarian partners have also raised concerns that ongoing clashes in Uvira are hindering access, including the movement of ambulances, while hospitals are reporting daily casualties among civilians, the UN Spokesperson said.

    At the same time, in the Kalehe territory, fighting has forced more than 50,000 people to flee over the past week, many to Burundi, he said.

    Since February, more than 40,000 Congolese nationals – the majority of whom are women and children – have arrived in Burundi seeking protection there, he added.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNFPA statement on sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    New York, 19 February 2025 – Women and girls are experiencing staggering rates of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, in the latest outbreak of fighting that has engulfed the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    Nearly 500 reported cases of sexual violence were reported within a single week in the Goma area, including more than 150 involving children. This number likely represents only a fraction of the actual survivors, those who managed to reach care,  with many more unable to due to services being cut off, fear of retaliation from perpetrators, or stigma in their communities.

    Since the beginning of the year, over 400,000 people–predominantly women and children–have been displaced in North and South Kivu, exacerbating their vulnerability to exploitation and violence. In the absence of protection services, women and girls face an increased risk of attacks, including rape, forced recruitment and sexual slavery by armed gangs who are operating with impunity. 

    Conflict-related sexual violence is being employed as a deliberate tactic of war, intended to terrorize, displace, and control populations, and to violate the dignity and rights of women and girls. Even in times of relative peace, North Kivu province had staggering rates of sexual violence reported every year, with over 50,000 cases of gender-based violence reported in 2023 and over 56,000 cases in 2024.

    But while the rates of sexual violence soar, basic services are being cut off or shut down. The eight UNFPA-supported mobile clinics, safe spaces, and listening centers are only partially functional, while the rest of the facilities that provide medical treatment and counseling to survivors in displacement camps have been looted. Medical supplies and equipment worth millions of dollars have also been looted from storage facilities in Goma, leaving thousands of women and girls without access to quality medical care. In Goma, with more than 2 million inhabitants, there are only three functioning hospitals able to provide clinical care to survivors of sexual assault and a handful of community-level health clinics that can provide basic emergency care. 

    Aid agencies are struggling to deliver food, medical care or essential supplies, with critical supply routes cut off by fighting and movement restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities in control of Goma and its surroundings.

    Under these almost impossible circumstances, UNFPA is doing all it can to provide life-saving reproductive health and protection services for survivors of sexual violence and pregnant women in the affected regions. UNFPA-supported mobile clinics and safe spaces continue to operate, and dignity kits—filled with hygiene essentials—will be distributed to women who have lost everything. 

    UNFPA is urgently appealing for $18 million to scale up its integrated reproductive health and gender-based violence services to address the escalating crisis. Women in the DRC need access to medical services, psychosocial support,  information, and safe passage to secure locations to escape the violence. UNFPA joins the call of other humanitarian actors urging parties to reopen Goma airport, a critical access point for humanitarian supplies and aid workers.

    UNFPA emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive care and access to justice for survivors of sexual violence, including the documentation and investigation of the violence they faced and the prosecution of perpetrators. 

    Finally, UNFPA joins the call for an immediate ceasefire to end the violence and enable peace to be restored. 

    Media: For interview requests please contact Eddie Wright (based in NYC): ewright@unfpa.org; +1 917 831 2074

    About UNFPA

    UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Urgent appeal launched as DR Congo crisis fuels mass displacement to Burundi

    Source: United Nations 2

    Migrants and Refugees

    The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has launched a $40.4 million appeal to address the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its impact on neighbouring countries, particularly Burundi, where thousands are arriving daily in desperate conditions. 

    As fighting escalates in eastern DRC, more than 40,000 Congolese refugees – primarily women and children – have crossed into Burundi since February, with over 9,000 arrivals recorded in a single day this week.

    Many are using makeshift boats to traverse the Rusizi River, a perilous crossing at the border shared by Burundi, DRC and Rwanda.

    “The escalating security situation in the DR Congo has been having a serious impact on the Burundi side. Over the past few weeks, we have observed a large number of Congolese who have been crossing into Burundi,” said Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, UNHCR’s Representative in Burundi, at a press briefing in Geneva. 

    The situation is set to worsen as hostilities move closer to Uvira, a key town near Burundi’s main official border crossing.

    A surge in displacement 

    UNHCR has welcomed the Burundian government’s decision to grant prima facie refugee status to those fleeing the conflict, ensuring immediate protection. However, the unprecedented influx is straining local resources. 

    “This is the very first time that Burundi is receiving this large number of people in a matter of a few days”, Ms. Mukanga-Eno noted. “The last one was in the early 2000s, so everyone is overwhelmed: the government, but also the humanitarian actors in the country.”

    While around 6,000 refugees have entered through Bujumbura’s official border post, the vast majority – more than 36,000 – have arrived via the Rusizi River, often in critical condition after long journeys on foot.  

    Some have walked for days. “The other day, we had a case of a woman who was transporting her children and not knowing that they were already dead”, Ms. Mukanga-Eno shared.  

    Dire conditions at reception sites 

    The government has permitted refugees to shelter temporarily at the Rugombo Stadium in open-air conditions, as well as in schools and churches. However, these sites are overcrowded and dangerously close to the border.

    “Unfortunately, the conditions for receptions are very limited,” Ms. Mukanga-Eno said. The government has allocated land to create a more sustainable settlement, but for now, people are still in schools and stadiums without adequate shelter, she explained.

    UNHCR teams on the ground report severe shortages of food, water and sanitation facilities. Cases of measles have already been detected, prompting an emergency vaccination campaign targeting children under 15. 

    She said the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has put water tanks in place, while the World Food Programme (WFP) “has also been able to deploy some food for us to make sure that we can provide hot meals to the people who are coming.”  

    Medical services are also stretched, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) running a mobile clinic to treat refugees suffering from malnutrition, disease and trauma.

    Many people have endured extreme violence before reaching Burundi, with psychosocial support urgently needed.

    Regional displacement  

    Beyond Burundi, smaller but significant numbers of displaced people have reached other neighbouring countries.

    Since January, Uganda has registered over 13,000 arrivals, mostly through the Nyakabande transit centre. 

    In Tanzania, 53 Congolese refugees sought asylum in Kigoma on 19 February, marking the highest daily arrival figure this year. 

    UNHCR’s $40.4 million appeal aims to provide life-saving assistance to 275,000 internally displaced people in the DR Congo, as well as support a projected influx of 258,000 refugees and returnees across Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

    “We were targeting about 58,000 people. We have already received more than 40,000,” Ms. Mukanga-Eno said, calling for urgent support from donors to prevent further suffering. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has sown ‘psychological terror’, warns top aid coordinator

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Peace and Security

    In the nearly three years since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the country’s people have endured continuous attacks, “psychological terror…displacement and hardship”, top UN aid coordinator Matthias Schmale said on Friday.

    Briefing from Ukrainian capital Kyiv after another night of “air sirens and more loud explosions”, Mr. Schmale noted that the crisis began in 2014, with Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. “So, all children that were born since – all children up to the age of 11 – have never experienced their country at peace,” he said.

    According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, 2024 saw a 30 per cent increase in civilian casualties compared to 2023. “The humanitarian situation is worsening, especially in frontline areas,” it said in an update, highlighting that a full 36 per cent of Ukraine’s population – 12.7 million people – needs humanitarian aid this year.

    “There are very strong pushes by the armed forces of the Russian Federation along the front line and evacuations are ongoing,” Mr. Schmale explained. “We are supporting people with essential goods, including cash assistance, as they are on the move to transit centres, collective sites and wherever they end up being.”

    Speaking from Zaporizhzhia in southeast Ukraine, Toby Fricker from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that more than 2,520 children have been killed or injured since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

    “The real number is likely far higher and it’s getting worse”, said Mr. Fricker, chief of communication in Ukraine. “There was a more than 50 per cent increase in child casualties in 2024 compared to 2023 and what we see is no place is safe: schools, maternity wards, children’s hospitals, all have been affected by attacks.”

    Behind battle lines

    Underscoring the essential role played by women in Ukraine “beyond the battlefield”, UN Women Geneva Director Sofia Calltorp explained that “there is another story unfolding, and that is the story of all those women and girls who are bearing the brunt of this war.”

    In 2024, the number of people killed and injured in Ukraine increased by 30 per cent, Ms. Calltorp noted. “Of them, 800 women lost their lives and more than 3,700 women were injured last year in Ukraine. We also know that the vast majority of Ukrainian refugees and displaced persons are women, and 6.7 million women are in need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.”

    Funding crisis

    Responding to questions about the impact of the US funding freeze on humanitarian work, Ukraine Humanitarian Coordinator Mr. Schmale expressed “hope that US funding will become part of the equation. Last year, it made up 30 per cent of what we spent on the humanitarian side, 10 per cent on the development side.”

    The UN’s top aid official in Ukraine added: “We are of course worried about the funding freezes; as we all know, it’s not the end of the day yet, there are a lot of discussions going on. We have some of our partners, including within the UN, that have received some exemptions from the general freeze of funding, but so far, no money has been flowing as a result of those exemptions.”

    In addition to repeated attacks on energy infrastructure across Ukraine, other public facilities have also been targeted, with 780 health centres and more than 1,600 schools damaged or destroyed, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

    “In Odessa this week we saw a health clinic providing care for 40,000 children and a kindergarten serving 250 of the youngest children were severely damaged in an attack,” said Dr Jarno Harbicht, WHO Country Representative for Ukraine. “When a children’s hospital is hit, a school shelled or electric grid destroyed, children suffer even when they survive.”

    Haunted by drones

    The mental stress faced by millions of Ukrainians because of the war is real and debilitating, the WHO official continued: “Imagine a young mother in Kharkiv region in Ukraine, her days interrupted by air raid sirens and her nights haunted by drones. Each day is a struggle balancing her children’s safety with their anxiety that has become her constant companion.”

    The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU) has confirmed the killing of more than 12,654 civilian men, women, girls, and boys since the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, with nearly 30,000 injured. Eighty-four per cent of the casualties happened in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government and 16 per cent in territory occupied by Russia.

    “Three years of full-scale conflict in Ukraine have wrought persistent and escalating human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law,” said Danielle Bell, Chief of HRMMU. “As the civilian toll grows heavier, the human rights of all those affected must remain at the forefront of  any negotiations for sustainable peace.”

    Rising toll

    The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU) has confirmed the killing of more than 12,654 civilian men, women, girls, and boys since the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, with nearly 30,000 injured. Eighty-four per cent of the casualties happened in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government and 16 per cent in territory occupied by Russia.

    “Three years of full-scale conflict in Ukraine have wrought persistent and escalating human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law,” said Danielle Bell, Chief of HRMMU. “As the civilian toll grows heavier, the human rights of all those affected must remain at the forefront of  any negotiations for sustainable peace.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 21 February 2025 Departmental update World Health Day 2025 to spotlight women and babies’ survival, urging solidarity at a critical moment for global health

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially announced the theme of World Health Day 2025, Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, which will focus on improving maternal and newborn health and survival.

    World Health Day is marked around the world on 7th April, the anniversary of WHO’s founding in 1948. Each year, it draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world.

    “The focus of this campaign comes at a crucial moment, aiming to help countries regain lost progress while showcasing new research and evidence that will enhance the health of women and babies globally,” said Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO. “As rollbacks to humanitarian assistance jeopardize a critical lifeline for millions, it will also be an opportunity to step up support and collaboration for global health – and deliver hope to those in urgent need of lifesaving care.”

    Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive

    According to the most recent estimates, close to 300 000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year; over 2 million babies die in their first month of life, and around 2 million more are stillborn. This is roughly 1 preventable death every 7 seconds – losses which bring tremendous sadness and heartache to millions of families around the world.

    While maternal and newborn deaths occur in all regions, the vast majority are in the poorest countries and those facing conflict and other crises. When health care facilities close, facilities are attacked, access routes denied or supplies disrupted, pregnant women and babies – who need regular access to health services – face severe, often life-threatening risks.

    Based on current trends, a staggering 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet the United Nations’ global targets for improving maternal survival by 2030; 1 in 3 will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths. Current funding constraints could further jeopardize progress, as many programmes providing critical health services have stalled alongside important medical research focused on pregnant and breastfeeding women and children.

    This year’s campaign, which will run until 2026, will urge governments, donors and the health community to invest in proven, high-impact interventions, as part of efforts to improve overall quality of care. These include pregnancy related services to detect complications and lifesaving emergency obstetrics – noting that the vast majority of maternal and newborn deaths happen during or shortly after birth – as well as special care for small and preterm babies. Complications relating to prematurity are now the leading cause of death of children under-5 worldwide.

    WHO will also highlight the evolving need for health systems to address the many underlying health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These include not only direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, malnutrition (including under and overnutrition as well as nutritional deficiencies), and an increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases.

    Listening to women and supporting families

    Moving beyond actions to save lives, the campaign will urge increased global attention to women’s longer-term health and well-being. This includes advocating for laws and policies that safeguard their health and rights, such as paid maternity leave and other critical employment protections, and access to vital family planning services.

    “It is not sufficient that women survive childbirth, they must also be able to enjoy their lives in good health,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO. “Women and girls everywhere need access to health providers who listen to their concerns and meet their needs, while ensuring they can plan their fertility, take charge of their futures, and protect their health.”

    Efforts are also needed to address the particular risks of climate change for pregnant women and newborns,  as evidence shows an association between higher temperatures and preterm births, stillbirth, hypertension and gestational diabetes, as well as infant mortality.

    An investment, not a cost

    In low- and middle-income countries, every US$1 invested in maternal and newborn health is estimated to yield around US$9 to 20 in return. Evidence shows that spending on maternal and newborn health leads to economic development and happier, healthier societies.

    Around the world, WHO is supporting essential maternal and newborn health programmes including through:

    • Intensive support to 55 countries through the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere initiative, which is working to expand access to lifesaving emergency obstetric and newborn care units, family planning and other critical services;
    • Guidance relating to diverse aspects of maternal and newborn health through pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.  New recommendations will be published later this year to help clinicians manage postpartum haemorrhage, one of the world’s leading causes of maternal deaths, and noncommunicable diseases in pregnancy;
    • Research to improve clinical care options for pregnant women and newborns, including during epidemics when it is critical to ensure high-risk populations are not left behind;
    • Ensuring maternity and newborn care during humanitarian emergencies, like mobile clinics and health posts in Syria and Sudan, where millions of women and babies would otherwise miss out on lifesaving medical screenings, vaccinations and treatments.
    • Support for health workers providing essential care to pregnant women and babies, such as efforts to strengthen the vital role of midwives within health systems through training, accreditation and related guidance.

    Get involved

    Here’s what you can do to support the campaign

    • Spread awareness: share information about the campaign using #HopefulFutures and #HealthForAll;
    • Participate: attend our global events to learn more about what it will take to end maternal and newborn mortality; organize your own local activities;
    • Donate: contribute to the WHO Foundation, which supports WHO’s work to protect mothers and babies in countries around the world;
    • Share personal experiences: Across its platforms, WHO will be launching new content to help women share birth stories and lived experiences from around the world, and to thank those who provide quality care.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Prepared International (PPI)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Prepared International (PPI) is a leading expert consultancy organization in disaster risk management, emergency preparedness & response, and climate change adaptation for both the public and private sectors. Its highly skilled and diverse pool of experts, combined with extensive experience and always up-to-date tools and methodologies give it the leading edge in addressing current and future challenges.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: npj Digital Medicine (Nature)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    npj Digital Medicine considers research that explores all aspects of digital medicine including the clinical application and implementation of digital and mobile technologies, virtual healthcare, and innovative applications of artificial intelligence and informatics.

    The journal aims to guide the transformation of health and healthcare through the incorporation of novel digital and mobile technologies.

    The journal covers a broad range of topics including but not limited to:

    • Clinical application and efficacy of novel mobile applications, monitors, sensors, software, and wearables
    • Clinical application of novel and validated artificial intelligence and machine learning models
    • Clinical informatics and digital transformation of clinical practice
    • Clinical trials testing the efficacy and interoperability of digital tools and devices
    • Digital medicine ethics, governance, policy, regulation, and security
    • Digital twins
    • Validated digital biomarkers
    • Virtual models of care

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Passive House Accelerator

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Passive House Accelerator LLC is a catalyst for zero carbon building. It cultivates a collaborative platform for sharing innovation and thought leadership in Passive House design and construction. It convenes practitioners, institutions, manufacturers, and anyone concerned about buildings and climate change to dive into the details of creating better buildings. Passive House Accelerator works to accelerate both solution-making and solution-makers in the zero carbon building movement.

    Passive House Accelerator was founded in 2019 by New York-based architect Michael Ingui. In fall 2019, Michael brought on Zack Semke as Passive House Accelerator’s Director. Shortly thereafter, Passive House Buildings Magazine merged with Passive House Accelerator, and Mary James became Passive House Accelerator’s Director of Publications.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: CrisisLab, Sciences Po

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The Sciences Po Crisis-Lab is a research, experimental and training hub in the human and social sciences working on adaptation to critical situations. Inspired by the principles of the Lab Schools founded in the 1960s by John Dewey, it seeks to identify innovative ideas, to experiment them on the ground, and then draw lessons for action and learning.

    Crisis-Lab is an autonomous space driven by researchers in the human and social sciences with a long experience in studying crisises, working in close collaboration with crisis professionals, primarily in public organizations in charge of crisis management, but also in private companies and NGOs.

    Crisis-Lab has three main objectives

    • Produce a state of the art in human and social sciences relative to crises. From this, conduct innovative research on cooperation and coordination in critical situations, the organization of expertise and decision-making, the behavior of populations, mobility and immobility issues, the role of technologies, big data and social networks, finally ethical and democratic issues.
    • Develop training programs that put self acquisition of knowledge on crises by students at the core of the pedagogical project, by continuously confronting them with the resolution of concrete situations or problems. In parallel, offer training courses leading to a qualification which emphasise the organisational and human dimension of crisis management and apprehend crisis situations from the point of view of social actors.
    • To experiment, in the form of simulation exercises of a profoundly renewed format and returns on past crises, different modalities of adaptation to critical situations, taking advantage of the results and reflections engaged in the research component of the Crisis-Lab.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: African Development Bank and World Food Programme support Nigerian Government in tackling acute hunger in Northeastern Nigeria

    Source: World Food Programme

    BORNO – In the wake of the devastating floods that hit Borno State in September 2024, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has contributed US$ 1 million from its Special Relief Fund to support emergency food response for flood-affected communities in Northeastern Nigeria.

    The support comes at a critical time, when humanitarian funding is in short supply and the country faces alarmingly high rates of food insecurity exacerbated by conflict, floods and rising poverty. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will use this contribution, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, to provide emergency food assistance to 120,000 women, men, and children. Each household will receive 35kg worth of staple food supply. 

    ““AfDB’s support is timely and comes as a lifeline for those struggling to feed themselves amidst rising food prices and economic turmoil,” said David Stevenson, WFP’s Country Director in Nigeria. Communities which, after years of conflict and violence, started rebuilding their lives were struck by the floods and once again displaced, meaning more and more people cannot support themselves and their families.” 

    The recent floods of September 2024 exacerbated years of prior displacement, food insecurity and economic hardship, resulting in disastrous consequences, that have pushed hunger levels even higher. According to the November 2024 Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis, conducted across 26 states and the federal capital, it is projected that 33 million people in Nigeria will face food insecurity by August 2025.

    “I hope that this additional funding will mitigate the suffering of vulnerable people on the brink of acute hunger, at a time when more Nigerians than ever before are in need of humanitarian assistance”, said Abdul Kamara, African Development Bank Director General in Nigeria. “I commend the Federal Government of Nigeria and WFP for the continuous efforts to operate in such a challenging environment to improve the lives of Nigerian families.”

    This new contribution complements AfDB’s ongoing effort to restructure activities of the Programme for Integrated Agricultural Development, Adaptation to Climate Change (PIDACC) and the Inclusive Basic Service Delivery and Livelihood Empowerment Program to avail critically needed services in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    As part of the government’s Borno State Development Plan, WFP and partners deliver food and specialised nutrition assistance to 1 million people in Borno state each month. WFP also trains and mentors health facility staff to conduct screenings and manage acute malnutrition among women and children whilst promoting appropriate maternal, infant, and young child nutrition practices. The Government of Nigeria is a firm supporter of WFP’s humanitarian food systems solutions in Borno state. 

     

     

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    About AfDB

    The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. 

    For more information: www.afdb.org

    About WFP

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. 

    Follow us on X, via @wfp_media, @AfDB_Group, @AfDB_RDNG 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: How UNECE tools help shift to more sustainable critical raw materials governance

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The global landscape of critical raw materials (CRMs) governance is undergoing a profound transformation. The United Nations Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals (CETMs) aims to catalyse a shift from extractive, short-term policies to a model prioritising equity, sustainability, and industrial transformation. The UN Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and the UN Resource Management System (UNRMS), developed at UNECE, provide practical tools to make this a reality on the ground. 

    Discussions at the International Round Table on Materials Criticality (IRTC) 2025 Conference (19-21 February, Ljubljana) themed “From Raw Material Policies to Practice,” together with the workshop on North-South Collaboration in CRMs, highlighted trends in the transition from resource extraction to more responsible resource stewardship. 

    The CETM Panel’s guiding principles, emphasizing resource sovereignty, sustainable supply chains, and fair market access, prompt policymakers, industries, and investors to rethink outdated CRM strategies. Regional trade frameworks like the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement are beginning to reflect this new reality, embedding strong environmental, social, and economic governance standards into CRM agreements. 

    A new model for North-South collaboration 

    This policy shift is shaping a new model of North-South collaboration, moving beyond the historical raw material export model toward domestic value addition, industrialization, and technology partnerships. Discussions highlighted the shift from extraction to processing in the Lithium Triangle (Bolivia, Argentina, Chile) and the potential to integrate sustainability and social responsibility in CRM development. Over the past seven years, lithium operations in the region have significantly reduced water use while increasing investment in local communities. Indonesia’s nickel beneficiation strategy, which triggered a 20-fold increase in local investment, was highlighted as a blueprint for future CRM development. 

    The workshop on “Equity, value, and Innovation: North-South Collaboration for Sustainable CRM Development”, organized by UNECE and ESM Foundation, reinforced that North-South collaboration must be redefined not as a dependency but as a partnership. Nations in the Global South are no longer just suppliers of raw materials—they are increasingly asserting control over processing and production. The African Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS) is a step in this direction, integrating fiscal incentives, infrastructure, and investment policies to build entire mineral-based industrial value chains. 

    UNFC & UNRMS: Tools to write the future, not repeat the past 

    No longer just theoretical frameworks, UNFC and UNRMS are being actively implemented across Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, offering a transparent, standardized, and future-proofed approach to CRMs governance. These tools empower resource-rich nations to make informed decisions that balance economic benefits with environmental and social responsibilities.  

    The road ahead 

    As industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers align around these principles, the future of CRMs governance will be dictated not by short-term market fluctuations but by long-term strategic planning. Karen Hanghøj, Director of the British Geological Survey and Chair of the Expert Group on Resource Management at UNECE said, “We are not only witnessing a shift in resource governance—we are shaping a new paradigm. The challenge is ensuring these principles translate into concrete policies that empower resource-rich nations while securing stable and sustainable supply chains. UNFC and UNRMS are more than technical frameworks—they are tools for writing the future of resource management, ensuring that we do not repeat past mistakes”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: What have we learned from the global indicator framework for the 2030 Agenda? Side event of the 56th session of the UN Statistical Commission

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The SDG process has been a unique endeavor for statistical systems, demanding coordination, collaboration, and innovation from all stakeholders involved in providing SDG statistics. As we approach 2030, it is essential to reflect on key lessons from this experience—identifying opportunities for improvement and leveraging insights to strengthen the post-2030 monitoring framework.

    The UNECE Steering Group on Statistics for SDGs has undertaken a comprehensive review of the lessons learned in producing SDG statistics. Now, the group aims to share these findings with 2030 Agenda stakeholders.

    This side event will provide a holistic view of the strategies and approaches used to generate SDG statistics, offering key insights through a national lens while also considering regional and global perspectives. It will highlight critical takeaways from the SDG process and foster discussions on shaping the next monitoring framework by building on the strengths and addressing the challenges of the current system.

    Find more information on the side event calendar of the 56th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission.

    Organizers: Statistics Poland, Statistics Sweden & UNECE

    Key resources:

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Italy partners with WFP and UNHCR to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

    Source: World Food Programme

    DHAKA – The Government of Italy has renewed its commitment to the one million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh with a contribution of €3 million towards the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency to sustain critical humanitarian assistance in refugee camps.

    Out of the contribution, €1 million will support UNHCR’s protection interventions, ensuring safe living conditions and access to essential services. The other €2 million will go towards WFP’s lifesaving food assistance for the refugees and malnutrition prevention and treatment services for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women. 

     

    “These contributions reaffirm Italy’s commitment to the Rohingya population taking refuge in Bangladesh, also outlined by Italy’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Tripodi, during her latest mission to Dhaka. We commend UNHCR and WFP’s work in the field, both of which provide support to this protracted and multi-faceted humanitarian crisis. These initiatives reflect Italy’s solidarity with the Rohingya people facing severe hardships, and our commitment in defending their dignity,” said H.E. Antonio Alessandro, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh. 

     

    “This contribution is a testament to the solidarity of the Italian people with the Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi host community. Knowing all too well that international support cannot be taken for granted, such generosity and advocacy are critical to keep the spotlight on a crisis that we can ill afford becoming forgotten,” said Sumbul Rizvi, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh. 

      

    “We are deeply grateful to Italy and the Italian people for their unwavering support,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. “Eight years into this crisis, the humanitarian needs of nearly one million refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char remain as urgent as ever. It is imperative that we work together to ensure the Rohingya crisis remains a priority on the global agenda. We sincerely thank Italy for their steadfast commitment to the survival and well-being of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.” 

      

    With limited livelihood opportunities, nearly all Rohingya refugees are dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival. Every person in the camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char now receive the equivalent of US$12 per month from WFP to purchase food. Living in crowded conditions in the camps, they face crisis after crisis, as they are confronted with ongoing threats from extreme weather, fire hazards and insecurity. Italy’s contribution will be instrumental in maintaining food security and reducing impact by disasters. 

     

    “Italy’s contributions to UNCHR and WFP in support of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar camps demonstrate our strong commitment to addressing the needs of one of the world’s most vulnerable populations. This collaboration reflects Italy’s broader dedication to humanitarian principles and underscores the importance of international cooperation in responding to complex crises, ensuring that no one is left behind,” declared Margherita Lulli, Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Hanoi, covering Southeast Asia. 

     

    UNHCR, WFP, and their partners – alongside the Government of Bangladesh – are preparing to launch the 2025 Joint Response Plan outlining the humanitarian needs of both Rohingya refugees and host communities. However, funding has remained a critical challenge in recent years. 

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    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X @wfp_bangladesh, Facebook @WFPinBangladesh, Instagram @wfp_bangladesh 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP welcomes Japan’s commitment to action against global hunger

    Source: World Food Programme

    YOKOHAMA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a timely contribution of US$58 million from the Government of Japan. This contribution will enable WFP to support vulnerable populations affected by conflict, climate change, and economic crisis in 28 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

    Over US$10 million will be allocated to provide emergency food assistance in Palestine, supporting severely food-insecure Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip hard-hit by conflict and consecutive shocks. This assistance will help them access lifesaving foods to meet their essential needs and open a window of hope for families.  

    In Afghanistan, a US$7 million contribution will be used to provide lifesaving food and nutrition assistance, including for an emergency school feeding programme. With US$4 million to Myanmar, WFP continues to deliver emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable populations in crisis-affected states and regions. Additionally, in Thailand, Japan’s contribution will be allocated to deliver urgent food and nutrition assistance in border areas affected by the unpredictable and rapid evolution of the conflict in Myanmar.

    This contribution also highlights Japan’s consistent commitment to addressing food insecurity in Africa seizing the momentum of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), which will be held in August in Japan.

    Among the Horn of Africa countries, US$3 million will be allocated to deliver emergency food and nutrition assistance to populations affected by conflict and climatic shocks in Somalia. With another US$3 million, WFP will support vulnerable populations including refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Djibouti by sustaining emergency food and nutrition assistance amid successive and complex crises. 

    In Angola, Ethiopia, Malawi and Zambia, with a US$5.5 million contribution, WFP aims to enhance collaboration with Japanese corporations to jointly achieve Zero Hunger with their technology and expertise. 

    “We highly appreciate the contribution from the Government of Japan, which enables us to address critical food needs at scale across the world at this challenging moment, when our joint multilateral solidarity is needed more than ever,” said Yasuhiro Tsumura, Director of the WFP Japan Relations Office. “No one should be left behind. With generous funding from Japan, WFP will support the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable households, ensuring the global food security is our joint mandate. We earnestly seek the continued support of the Japanese people to help us in our mission at a time when we face severe funding shortfalls worldwide.” 

    Japan has consistently been one of WFP’s top donors. The countries and regions benefitting from US$58 million Japan’s Supplementary Budget are: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Myanmar, Palestine, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Thailand, the Gambia, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 

     

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    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media @WFP_JP

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Aims to Aid Two Million People in Ukraine in 2025 as War and Displacement Continue 

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Kyiv/Geneva, 21 February 2025 – As the full-scale war in Ukraine approaches its fourth year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is appealing for USD 255 million to support two million war-affected people in the country in 2025.  

    Nearly a third of Ukraine’s population needs humanitarian support, and internally displaced persons and returnees are among the most vulnerable. According to the latest IOM report, nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s 3.7 million internally displaced persons have been away from their homes for more than two years, and tens of thousands of people continue to leave their homes behind every month as they escape from frontline areas, primarily in the east and northeast of Ukraine.   

    Many of those displaced have depleted their savings and they lack income opportunities, making it difficult, if not impossible, for them to afford food, medicine and other essentials.   

    About 4.2 million people have returned from displacement, a quarter of them reported having returned from abroad. Compared to non-displaced people, returnees are more likely to spend their savings, accept low-paid jobs, and sell their belongings to meet basic needs.  

    IOM has been working in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to provide critical aid and other support that can enable communities impacted by the war to recover.   

    In Ukraine, IOM is helping to improve living conditions and ensure continued access to services by rehabilitating homes and social institutions, including health clinics and collective centres that are being used as temporary shelter sites. IOM is also donating medical equipment to hospitals, and providing mental health and psychosocial support to people in distress, among other initiatives. Over the past three years, more than six million people in Ukraine have benefitted, directly and indirectly, from IOM’s humanitarian interventions and recovery initiatives.  

    In countries that are hosting refugees from Ukraine, IOM supports governments, local authorities and civil society organizations with refugees’ inclusion into local communities, fostering their economic independence through language courses, skills development, and employment support. IOM also continues to address the basic needs – housing, food, clothes, medication, psychosocial support – of newly arriving Ukrainians or those who experience challenges in accessing government assistance. Since February 2022, over 980,000 refugees in neighbouring countries have received direct support and two million people indirectly benefitted from IOM aid.  

    IOM and its local partners in Ukraine have also helped over 37,000 survivors of human trafficking, exploitation, and war-related human rights violations such as torture, arbitrary detention, and war-related violence. The aid provided includes medical and psychological support, shelter and food, and connecting survivors with dignified work.   

    IOM calls on donors and partners to continue contributing to longer-term solutions to reduce communities’ reliance on humanitarian aid in Ukraine and to prepare the ground for the next steps. Among the most pressing needs are repairing, restoring, and upgrading critical public infrastructure such as energy, water, sanitation, heating, shelter, and affordable housing, as well as creation and retainment of jobs.  

    Together with the international community IOM stands ready to continue providing support, for as long as is necessary, to all Ukrainians in need.  

    Note to Editor:  

    Click here for IOM’s 2025 Crisis Response Plan for Ukraine   

     

    For more information, please contact:   

     

    In Kyiv: Varvara Zhluktenko, vzhluktenko@iom.int    

    In Vienna: Keith Begg, kbegg@iom.int   

    In Brussels: Ryan Schroeder, rschroeder@iom.int   

    In Geneva: Amber Christino, achristino@iom.int   

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New children’s book promotes the value of all languages

    Source: United Nations 2

    What Makes Us Human is the work of Brazilian linguist and writer Victor Santos, with illustrations by Italian artist Anna Forlati.  

    The book uses the form of a riddle to introduce young readers to the concept of language while underscoring the need to preserve all languages globally.

    “I have existed for a long time, longer than toys, dogs, or anyone you know,” the book begins.

    “My roots date back several centuries. Some are even much older. I am everywhere, in every country, in every city, in every school, and in every home…”

    Linguistic diversity in danger

    UNESCO estimates that there some 8,324 spoken or signed languages, with around 7,000 still in use today. However, linguistic diversity is under threat as many languages are disappearing at an accelerating rate due to globalization and societal changes.

    To help safeguard this heritage, UNESCO is joining forces with publishing houses across the world to translate What Makes Us Human into as many languages as possible, with a special focus on indigenous languages.

    For example, it is now available in Mapuzugún, the native language of the Mapuche people in Chile.

    Courtesy of Nevenca Cayullán

    Nevenca Cayullán, a Mapuche educator, wearing traditional clothing and jewellery.

    Love for the mother tongue

    Nevenca Cayullán, a traditional Mapuche educator, translated the book into her mother tongue. She expressed her love for Mapuzugún in a recent interview with UN News.

    “My mother taught it to me, and that is why I carry it in my skin, in my heart, and in my head,” she said, speaking from Araucanía, the Mapuche heartland.

    “I make it present in all territories, wherever I am. Language is the engine that preserves culture, spirituality, the worldview of our indigenous people, respect, and the value of life.”

    For 25 years, the UN has celebrated International Mother Language Day on 21 February to highlight the importance of preserving linguistic diversity and promoting all mother languages, which in the simplest definition are those naturally acquired without being officially taught.

    ‘A living treasure’

    Ms. Cayullán believes everyone’s “mother tongue” is much more than that.

    “It is a living human treasure, which is why it must be carried, taught, and educated in the establishments where children are confined to monolingualism but have the capacity to learn the culture of indigenous peoples, the land – in this case, the Chilean territory and all territories,” she said.

    With this conviction, she enthusiastically joined the What Makes Us Human project when Planeta Sostenible, the publishing house co-editing the bilingual Mapuzugún-Spanish version of the book with UNESCO, proposed that she translate it.

    “Ultimately, it’s not just about the translation, but also the interpretation of the book. Being a translator and interpreter of the Mapuche language allows me to have the knowledge and capacity to understand such an important text as What Makes Us Human,” she said.

    “It was very relevant because the voice of my people, the voice of my ancestors, will reach others, other countries, other territories, that will learn about my culture. For me, it was incredibly important.”

    Editorial Planeta Sostenible and UNESCO

    Cover of the book What Makes Us Human in its bilingual Mapuzugún-Spanish edition

    Recovering ‘what was already there’

    Ms. Cayullán lives in Chile’s bustling capital, Santiago.  She said the book shows how to recognize the simple things in life.

    “It talks about the games or toys that children use and how we recover them, as well as the value of these games or toys, which are often forgotten. Before all this globalization, many things existed, and this also includes the knowledge of language, which was already there. 

    “However, over time, everything has been left behind. The book talks about how to recover what was already there, how to understand the knowledge provided by what existed before globalization.”

    She said this was especially true for indigenous languages, “especially the language of the Mapuche people.”

    Language makes us human

    When asked what makes us human, Ms. Cayullán highlighted the values of respect and appreciation of linguistic and territorial identity.

    “For us, this is a living treasure that must be passed down, generation after generation. Language is the means we have to communicate with each other and share our culture, which is why what this book says is so important, and it says it in Mapuzugún as well,” she responded.

    What Makes Us Human has been very well received in Chile, where it has initially been distributed in cities where children only speak Spanish.

    “I was at an event where many books were given out, and I obviously went with my Mapuche clothing,” Ms. Cayullán recalled.

    “The children thought that Mapuches no longer existed; they thought I came from, I don’t know, another planet. They received the books very happily, excited to see me and to have a book translated into Mapuzugún. It was a very emotional event.” 

    History of repression

    When the Spanish conquistadores arrived in what is now Chile in the 16th century, Mapuzugún was spoken from the Choapa River, which begins in the Andes mountains, to the island of Chiloé in the south.

    At that time, several groups shared this language. In the face of the Spanish presence, they came together and strengthened their bonds, eventually forming the Mapuche identity.

    The Mapuche are the largest indigenous community in Chile, numbering more than 1.4 million. They mostly live in the central part of the country, but there is also a small group in Neuquén province in Argentina. Most live in urban areas.

    Unfortunately, because of a history of repression, only 10 per cent of Mapuche speak Mapuzugún today, and only another 10 per cent understand it.  

    Carolina Jerez/UNESCO Santiago

    Mapuche children from the Tirúa Youth Orchestra at the launch of the “Mucho Chile” campaign in the capital, Santiago, in 2019.

    Defend and encourage

    When asked whether What Makes Us Human could help children reclaim pride in Mapuzugún, Ms. Cayullán’s response was clear.

    “Yes, of course,” she said.  “Yes, because it is a very easy-to-understand book. I believe that texts should be made with monolingual children in mind. I have faith that it will have an impact on society and the new generation.”

    She is adamant that defending her mother tongue, and encouraging its use, is a duty.

    “I have the responsibility to transmit knowledge. That is why I have this team of traditional educators where I promote speaking Mapuzugún in a city because we all live in Santiago.

    “But from here, we are working with the traditional educators who are currently in schools, teaching these monolingual students from different communes in the metropolitan region.”

    ‘My grandmother talks like you’

    Ms. Cayullán explained that efforts to revitalize her language are slowly beginning to bear fruit through support from the Chilean Ministry of Education which is helping to disseminate What Makes Us Human in schools.

    She noted that since 1992, schools located in Mapuche territories have been teaching Mapuzugún as part of their curriculum.

    “The child recovers their identity by seeing someone, perhaps in traditional clothing, perhaps wearing Mapuche jewelry. They will recover their identity. ‘Oh, my grandmother talks like you, or my grandmother dresses like you, or my aunt’… it’s so significant.” 

    Fear and discrimination

    The Mapuche educator acknowledges that, despite these advances, there is still a “red zone” in southern Chile where speaking Mapuzugún is forbidden.

    “It is forbidden to be indigenous; cultural gatherings are prohibited. And this happens like an everyday war in the red zone,” she said.

    “If one passes by the highway, one sees the Chilean state guard, where they violate the rights of the children but also of the indigenous communities. And those children won’t speak Mapuzugún but they won’t speak out of fear, not because they dislike it.”

    Sadly, Ms. Cayullán also noted some of the discriminatory incidents that indigenous people face because they are different.

    “I walk around Santiago in my traditional attire, and I have often been asked, ‘Do you come from the area where they burn trucks?’ This is a violation of people’s rights. If it’s done to a child who is just starting their life, obviously they won’t speak Mapuzugún and won’t recognize it either.” 

    Respect for diversity

    But What Makes Us Human promotes respect for diversity, which fills her with hope.

    “We should learn to respect all diversity because we live in a diverse world, and today we do not respect that diverse world,” she said.

    “And this diverse world is made up not only of human beings but also everything around us, everything that has life. In that diversity, languages are included.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Eighteenth International Capacity-Building Seminar on Trade and Transport Facilitation

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    This event is organized in collaboration between the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Government of Turkmenistan, and other partners. It is part of the work plan of the SPECA Chairmanship of Turkmenistan in 2025 and part of the implementation of the SPECA “Roadmap for the digitalization of multimodal data and document exchange along the Trans-Caspian transport corridor, using United Nations legal instruments and standards”. It focuses on the port-to-port data exchange across the Caspian Sea.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: States Parties to Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to Hold Third Meeting at Headquarters, 3-7 March

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    NEW YORK, 20 February (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will be held at the United Nations Headquarters from 3 to 7 March.  Ambassador Akan Rakhmetullin (Kazakhstan) was elected as President.

    The Treaty was adopted on 7 July 2017 at the United Nations and entered into force on 22 January 2021.  It was the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to be negotiated in more than two decades.  United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called the Treaty “an important step towards the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons and a strong demonstration of support for multilateral approaches to nuclear disarmament”.

    The third Meeting of States Parties will hold a thematic debate on the risks for humanity of nuclear conflict and its devastating humanitarian consequences.  States parties will also consider the status and operation of the Treaty, addressing issues related to universality; the total elimination of nuclear weapons; victim assistance, environmental remediation and international cooperation and assistance; and security concerns.  Other topics to be considered include scientific and technical advice for the effective implementation of the Treaty, the complementarity of the Treaty with the existing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime and implementing the gender provisions of the Treaty.

    The Meeting is expected to adopt a political declaration.

    The period since the conclusion of the first Meeting of States Parties in April 2022 saw the appointment of a Scientific Advisory Group, which presented its report (document TPNW/MSP/2023/8) at the second Meeting of States Parties.  Since the second Meeting of States Parties in December 2023, five additional States have become parties to the Treaty.

    The Treaty contains, inter alia, a comprehensive set of prohibitions on participating in any nuclear weapon-related activities.  This includes undertakings not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.  The Treaty also prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons on national territory, as well as the provision of assistance to any State in the conduct of prohibited activities.

    The Treaty requires States parties to assist individuals affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, as well as to take environmental remediation measures in areas under their jurisdiction or control that have been contaminated due to the testing or use of nuclear weapons.  States parties are required to cooperate with one another to facilitate the Treaty’s implementation.

    To date, 73 States have ratified or acceded to the Treaty and 94 have signed it.

    Media Contacts for the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

    United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, UN Secretariat, S-30FW, email:  tpnw@un.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Post-war order facing ‘greatest test since its creation’: UN relief chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    The international system set up among the ashes of the Second World War which established the United Nations and other multilateral institutions is now facing the “greatest test since its creation,” the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Thursday.

    Tom Fletcher was addressing the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) which was set up by the UN General Assembly in the early 1990s as a coordination forum for humanitarian aid worldwide.

    “The humanitarian community confronts a massive funding, morale, and legitimacy crisis,” he said, framing his remarks as personal reflections based on earlier discussions within the IASC.

    “We took time to recognize the devastating impact that funding cuts will have on those we serve, our partners, and our teams,” he continued.

    Without referencing any specific loss in funding – but against the backdrop of a suspension of most humanitarian spending by the new administration in Washington – Mr. Fletcher appealled for the aid community to be “calm, brave, principled, and united.”

    He said they need to make the case strongly for greater international solidarity.

    “We can draw confidence from extraordinary progress made by humanitarians over decades. The mission is right. Our allies are still out there. But the delivery system is struggling. We need to be lighter, faster, and less bureaucratic.”

    Four-point plan

    The UN relief chief said there needed to be four priorities: first, be clear that saving lives is paramount.

    “We agreed to remain independent, neutral, and impartial. This does not mean we do not pick a side: we are on the side of those in greatest need.”

    Secondly, he said duplication and bureaucracy must be pared down under a new “bold plan” of action.

    “Donors must simplify too. We must innovate or become obsolete. We will prioritize robustly and make the toughest choices. I have commissioned urgent work to identify how we could reach the 100 million people in greatest need.”

    ‘Genuine partnership’ with private sector

    He said aid chiefs must find new partners, not just rely on traditional sources and governments. This must include “genuine partnership” with the private sector and the World Bank.

    “I believe there is a movement of billions of people who care, and who want to act in solidarity with those in most need. We should launch a public campaign to fill in the gaps left by governments, targeting the equivalent of 0.7 per cent for each country.”

    Mr. Fletcher said turf wars between agencies need to end with each organization focusing on what it does “uniquely well”.

    Leadership needs to be empowered, he added, with great authority vested in UN Humanitarian Coordinators throughout the system.

    Third, there needs to be more devolution, giving more power and accountability to local partners who are suffering the most from cuts.

    Fourth, aid workers need to defend their work more robustly.

    End impunity

    “We need to call time on the era of impunity: end attacks on civilians and aid workers; and hold perpetrators to account. We must communicate more clearly the impact we have and the cost of inaction, with humanity not institutions at the heart of the story.”

    Humanitarians worldwide are “underfunded, overstretched and under attack,” he declared, but the argument for lifesaving aid has not been lost: “Our cause is mighty, and our movement is strong.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNDP calls for long-term investment to support recovery in Syria

    Source: United Nations 2

    Economic Development

    Accelerating economic recovery is critical to reverse Syria’s decline and restore stability, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a report published on Thursday. 

    Fourteen years of conflict have unravelled nearly four decades of economic, social and development progress. Today, nine out of 10 Syrians are living in poverty, and one in four is jobless.

    The report warns that at current growth rates, the economy will not regain its pre-conflict GDP level before 2080, or 55 years from now.

    Invest in development

    “Beyond immediate humanitarian aid, Syria’s recovery requires long-term investment in development to build economic and social stability for its people,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said in a press release.

    “Restoring productivity for jobs and poverty relief, revitalizing agriculture for food security, and rebuilding infrastructure for essential services such as healthcare, education and energy are key to a self-sustaining future, prosperity, and peace,” he added.

    Deaths and disasppearances

    The Syrian civil war erupted in March 2011 following pro-democracy protests against President Bashar Al-Assad, whose regime was toppled in December 2024.

    Nearly 618,000 lives were reportedly lost, UNDP said, making it among the deadliest conflicts in recent history. Some 113,000 people were forcibly disappeared whose fate remains unknown.

    More than 7.2 million people are displaced within Syria and another six million are living abroad as refugees. Together, they represent more than half the population.

    Economic growth declines

    In 2010, Syria’s GDP was $62 billion but has shrunk by more than half, with an estimated $800 billion loss over the conflict. 

    Average growth over the past five years stood at 1.3 per cent annually. If this continues, it will take 55 years to restore pre-conflict GDP levels. For recovery to take 10 years, annual economic growth would have to rise six-fold.

    Other impacts include rising poverty, which has nearly tripled from 33 per cent before the conflict to 90 per cent today. Extreme poverty has also jumped from 11 per cent to 66 per cent, a six-fold increase.

    Furthermore, between 40 to 50 per cent of children aged six to 15  are not attending school, and 5.4 million people have lost their jobs.

    Millions need homes

    Meanwhile, 80 per cent of energy capacity has been lost. Syria generated around 9,000 megawatts in 2010 which has dropped to less than 1,500 megawatts today. Seventy per cent of power plants have been damaged and 75 per cent of national grid capacity has been lost.

    “Out of 5.5 million homes in 2010, 328,000 homes fully destroyed, and one out of three houses destroyed or damaged, which means we have 5.7 million people who need shelter support,” said Abdallah Al Dardari, UNDP’s Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States. 

    ‘Stark’ development losses

    Speaking to journalists in New York, he said the “most stark number” has been the decline in the Human Development Index (HDI), a summary measure of development combining health, education and income indicators.

    Syria’s HDI today is less than it was in 1990, indicating 40 years of loss in human development. The report cautions that the road ahead is challenging and lays out several scenarios.

    “We can work hard to achieve a recovery in 10 years’ time, with 7.6 per cent annual growth rate,” said Mr. Al Dardari.  Achieving recovery in 15 years would require five percent annual growth, while returning to a no-conflict scenario calls for nearly 14 per cent annual growth.

    Strategy and engagement

    UNDP said the way forward demands a comprehensive strategy addressing governance reform, economic stabilisation, sector revitalisation, infrastructure rebuilding, and strengthened social services. 

    Mr. Al Dardari said most of the figures in the report have been presented to senior officials from Syria’s caretaker authorities in both group and bilateral meetings. It will officially be presented to them on Friday.  

    “In addition to this report, we will be also starting a serious engagement on the recovery and reconstruction offer,” he said. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Signs of ‘Historic Progress’ towards Peace Emerge, Central African Republic’s Delegate Tells Security Council, Requesting Donor Support for 2025 Elections

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    UN Official Notes Fragility in Border Areas despite Overall Security Improvement

    The Central African Republic has made significant progress towards the 2025 elections, the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country told the Security Council today, while also noting overall security improvements and persistent fragility in border areas.

    Valentine Rugwabiza, Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), emphasized that the upcoming electoral cycle represents a historic opportunity to lay the foundation for decentralized governance.  Recently, national authorities along with MINUSCA’s support were able to register 570,000 new voters and had opened the first-ever multiservice post at the country’s border with Chad.

    However, despite this important progress, serious pockets of insecurity persist, particularly in areas where armed groups try to control mining sites and transhumance corridors, she continued.  Implementation of the national border-management policy requires additional support as the conflict in Sudan also threatens to spill over.  While welcoming the dissolution of 9 out of 14 armed groups who signed the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation six years ago, she also said that more needs to be done — in collaboration with regional partners — to facilitate the return of armed group leaders and ensure their disarmament.

    On the human rights front, she urged the Government to launch the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, through the appointment of its new commissioners.  “If left unaddressed, [human rights] crimes could undermine the hard-earned security gains and further erode social cohesion,” she warned. Paying tribute to a 29-year-old Tunisian peacekeeper recently killed in an ambush in Bamingui-Bangoran, she urged the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

    “We need your support to build a stronger and more inclusive economy in the Central African Republic,” said Portia Deya Abazene, President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs of the Central African Republic, via video link.  Despite the adoption of international conventions and a constitution guaranteeing equal rights, “harmful practices continue to hinder the progress of women in [Central African Republic]”, she said, highlighting the low representation of women in leadership positions.  Women represent only 15.52 per cent of business owners in certain sectors and face constraints in accessing land, means of production, education, financing, markets and decent employment.

    Women Key to Economic Development

    Ms. Abazene’s organization provides a space for experience-sharing among women entrepreneurs at the local level, as well as training programmes in leadership, management, financial education and digital marketing.  “The achievements of Central African women in entrepreneurship are the result of their determination and political will,” she underscored, calling for policies promoting female entrepreneurship and easier access to financing.  “The Central African Republic will not reach its potential as long as more than 51 per cent of its population” —  women —  continue to be marginalized, she said. 

    Council members emphasized the need to address human rights violations in the country, urged its authorities to seize the opportunity to hold credible elections, and highlighted MINUSCA’s vital role in helping to expand State authority.  Several speakers, however, offered differing views on the root causes of Bangui’s instability.

    United States, United Kingdom, Russian Federation Trade Barbs 

    “It is clear that Kremlin-backed actors, purporting to be security partners, are undercutting Central African Republic’s authorities and undermining peace with the primary goal of stealing [Central African Republic] resources without contributing to its development,” said the representative of the United States. . “It is unacceptable that a member of this Council continues to disseminate disinformation that diminishes the credibility and effectiveness of MINUSCA,” he added, expressing serious concern over the violation of the Status of Forces Agreement, namely the blocking of MINUSCA fuel trucks.

    The United Kingdom’s delegate said his country has information “that proxies directed by the Russian State have plans to interfere with [Central African Republic] elections, including through suppressing political voices and conducting disinformation campaigns to interfere in political debate”.  They are acting without regard for the country’s sovereignty and jeopardizing the dedicated UN role, he said.  Also highlighting reports of Wagner Ti Azande and other armed groups committing atrocities against civilians, he called on all actors to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international law.

    The representative of the Russian Federation said that, given the considerable security improvements in the Central African Republic, it is “surprising” that the United States and United Kingdom continue “whipping the dead horse of their campaign to smear” her country.  This campaign has run out of steam.  Moscow remains committed to cooperating with Bangui to achieve lasting peace and security.  As far as the security situation, she expressed concerns for the area bordering Sudan, which has become an “additional burden” of human rights concerns.  Successful municipal elections in July will be a “milestone on the road to peaceful life” in the Central African Republic.

    The representative of China, Council President for February, speaking in his national capacity, said the situation in the country “is good, in general”, with progress in enhancing governance capacity and consolidating political gains.  MINUSCA must prioritize support for election preparations, he said, adding that the international community should avoid undue external interference.

    Democratic, Inclusive, Fair Elections

    The representative of Somalia, also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone, welcomed the inauguration of “the first-ever multiservice border post in the Central African Republic” built with MINUSCA’s support. Despite security, logistical and financial challenges — preparations towards local, legislative and presidential elections are progressing.  Emphasizing the need for open and constructive dialogue between the Government and opposition parties, he also called for “concerted” efforts to ensure that all eligible citizens are registered to vote.  “We wish to underline that the success of the local election process is essential for the strengthening of direct democracy, legitimacy, local development and the extension of State authority throughout the national territory,” he added.

    Other speakers also said that the upcoming elections were a unique opportunity for the Central African Republic, with Panama’s delegate emphasizing that 2025 is a “pivotal year” for Bangui.  “These will be the first local elections in more than three decades,” he said, urging the Government to guarantee that “these elections will be carried out in a peaceful environment”.  Slovenia’s delegate said that, while local elections can signify a major step in the further decentralization of the country, they “will only be considered credible and democratic, if all eligible voters are able to register and cast their vote, including women, youth, minorities, internally displaced persons, returnees and refugees”.

    Fear of Sudan Conflict Spillover

    Joining others in expressing concern over the spillover of the conflict in Sudan, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that the presence of the Rapid Support Forces — a paramilitary group in Sudan — in the Central African Republic “only brings more risk to the already-fragile landscape”.  Similarly, Greece’s representative said that recent gains in border-management policy “are undermined by the transiting of armed groups across the porous north-eastern region”.

    Pakistan’s delegate noted that his country had contributed 1,300 troops to MINUSCA and expressed concern over the shortfall in funding.  “As of 4 February, unpaid assessed contributions to the Special Account for MINUSCA amounted to $570.7 million,” he said.  Other Council members also stressed the need to provide financial and material support for the Central African Republic, with France’s delegate noting that Paris has allocated €2 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Bangui’s upcoming elections, and €200,000 to enable the country’s Special Criminal Court to function.  Peacebuilding “depends on progress achieved in combating impunity”, he stressed.

    The representative of the Central African Republic, detailing his country’s “considerable progress in pursuing peace” since the signing of the 2019 peace agreement, reported that 9 of 14 armed groups have dissolved, 7,000 combatants have disarmed and demobilized, and 20,000 weapons of various calibres have been collected.  “This is a sign of historic progress,” he stressed, while noting the “one major challenge” remaining — “the complete eradication of isolated armed groups, which continue to carry out atrocities against civilians”.  To the armed groups that remain, he underscored:  “The door for dialogue remains wide open.”

    He went on to stress:  “Insecurity directly threatens the democratic process that we intend to consolidate.” Noting that the crisis is Sudan is seriously impacting his own, he called on the international community to support Bangui’s forces; provide training, logistical and intelligence support; and strengthen MINUSCA’s mandate so the Mission can be more proactive in addressing security threats.  And for the ongoing electoral process — “a fundamental pillar for stability and lasting peace” — he appealed for financial support amounting to $7 million. “By supporting this process, the international community will be directly contributing to peace and development in our country,” he said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief condemns ‘abhorrent and appalling’ treatment of hostages’ remains by Hamas

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    The UN Secretary-General on Thursday condemned the “parading” of coffins earlier in the day containing the bodies of dead Israeli hostages by their Hamas captors, describing the manner of the handover in Gaza as abhorrent.

    Hamas militants said the bodies of the four people who were returned to Tel Aviv on Thursday morning were those of a mother and two children from the Bibas family, along with 84-year-old peace activist Oded Lifshitz.

    It is the first time that Hamas – which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2006 – has returned the bodies of hostages seized during the terror attacks it launched on 7 October 2023, since the ceasefire with Israel came into effect last month.

    Addressing correspondents at the daily briefing in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that under international law, any handover of a dead person’s remains “must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased – and their families.”

    “I can tell you that the Secretary-General condemns the parading of bodies and displaying of the coffins of the deceased hostages in the manner seen this morning, which is abhorrent and appalling,” said Mr. Dujarric.

    Ceasefire must continue

    The Secretary-General also reiterated his appeal to all combatants who are party to the fragile ceasefire process to stand by their commitments and continue the full implementation of the deal.

    Six hostages are due to be freed on Saturday.

    Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Shiri Bibas and her two sons had been killed during an Israeli airstrike but provided no evidence. Israelis gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Thursday observed a minute’s silence following news of the handover.

    “The hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters,” said Israel’s President Isaac Herzog.

    Respect for the dead

    The UN chief urged the parties to the conflict “to respect the remains of the dead and to return them to their relatives, consistent with applicable obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law.”

    The UN has long called for the release of all hostages, a permanent ceasefire and irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, Mr. Dujarric reminded.

    Aid for civilians in Gaza continues to scale-up

    The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, together with the head of UN migration agency IOM, Amy Pope, heard pleas for urgent shelter and support during a visit to southern areas of Gaza on Thursday.

    Mr. Hadi and Ms. Pope also met with humanitarian partners, staff and heads of UN agencies to discuss the ongoing response.

    Humanitarian assistance in Gaza continues to scale up, said Mr. Dujarric, with nearly all those in need now reached with food parcels, including rations for one month for most families.

    Polio vaccinations

    Meanwhile, preparations continue for the third round of polio vaccinations across Gaza, due to resume on Saturday.  

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and children’s agency UNICEF have warned the current environment in Gaza “creates ideal conditions for further spread of the poliovirus, as transmission can happen in overcrowded shelters and when water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure is damaged.”

    The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, reports that nearly 2,400 postpartum kits have been distributed to all hospitals that provide maternity services over the past two weeks, Mr. Dujarric added. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: From suits to social justice: World’s top human rights forum turns stage over

    Source: United Nations 2

    Trading suits, ties and debates for DJ turntables, bright traditional Indigenous garb and ancient instruments, three performers – an anthropologist, an R&B singer and a genre-defying artist – showcased their music and messages at the Stand Up for Social Justice event to celebrate the World Day of Social Justice, marked annually on 20 February.

    It took place in front of hundreds of people in the emblematic Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, where high-stakes diplomacy happens throughout the year.

    The world needs more diverse platforms like the UN “so that transculturality can exist”, said Brisa Flow, a Chilean-born Mapuche artist who got her first break in rap battles in Brazil, following her intense musical performance.

    “We need more empathy and to listen more to Indigenous Peoples in order to better understand how to take care of our territories that need care, not just in terms of water, food and land, but also our children and our elders,” said the São Paulo-based singer, rocking a green marble-printed manicure.

    “We need to be in spaces where everything we speak about is not just a utopia, where hope, which exists, can be heard and considered.”

    Calls for change around the world

    Ms. Flow joined French-speaking Geneva-born R&B revelation Ocevne (pronounced Océane) and anthropologist-cum-poet Idjahure Terena in delivering powerful music and personal messages inspired by social justice while helping to link local realities to issues of a global scale.

    Echoing the Day’s 2025 theme Strengthening a Just Transition for a Sustainable Future, the event was co-organised by UNRISD, an independent UN research institute focusing on development issues, and Antigel, a Geneva-based music festival designed to make culture more accessible.

    The messages from the young people on stage did just that, with electrifying performances and calls for change around the world.

    For Ocevne, 28, the message was about equality.

    “The simplest way I could define it is simply the right to equal opportunities,” she said. “No matter your background, where you come from, who you are, your gender, everything, we all have the right to that opportunity.”

    © City of Geneva/ANTIGEL/Giona

    Ocevne warming up the room at the Stand Up for Social Justice event.

    ‘No climate justice without social justice’

    Climate justice was another recurring theme throughout the event, an issue highlighted by Mr. Terena, a doctoral student in social anthropology at the University of São Paulo and poet who spends much of his time defending the rights of his community and others.

    “There is no climate justice without social justice,” he told the audience. “We know that standing forests are the simplest and most efficient solution for fighting global warming.”

    The young researcher slammed the impact of mining companies and agribusinesses on his ancestral land that belongs to the Terena people of Brazil in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul.

    “This is not just a territorial issue, but a matter of physical and cultural survival for our peoples and for humanity as indigenous lands represent the most important areas of biodiversity,” he said, inviting the audience to fight for a “common, diverse living world”.

    © Courtesy of Idjahure Terena

    Idjahure Terena playing the japurutu flute with his father-in-law Francisco Baniwa in Brazil.

    ‘The future is going to be very hot’

    Indeed, “the future is going to be very hot,” said Ms. Flow, adding that “it is already very hot in Brazil, and this is urgent for us because without water, we cannot live, and without food, [we cannot] either.”

    Advocating for issues affecting indigenous communities, including the burning impacts of climate change on the natural resources of her home country, she said collectively not enough is getting done.

    “We need more communication and more exchanges. By exchanges, I mean listening, speaking, listening, speaking and thinking about new ways of living well so that we can keep heading into the future.”

    © Giselle Dietze

    Brazilian federal deputy Célia Xakriabá (right) performs with artist Brisa Flow at the Stand Up for Social Justice concert.

    Amplifying marginalised voices

    The event is the brainchild of the UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) Head of communications chief Karima Cherif, who wanted to bridge art and research through the initiative.

    She says her institute works with scholars from the global South to ensure that the voices and expertise of minorities are heard.

    “We’re giving voices to the marginalised and the youth,” explained Ms. Cherif, who sees art as a way to “translate what we do in a language that can touch hearts”.

    ‘Never give up’

    Thuy-San Dinh, who heads Antigel, echoed her vision and encouraged the young audience to pursue their goals, recalling when she co-created the annual event 15 years ago.

    “You have to believe in your ideas and never give up,” Ms. Dinh said.

    Melanie Rouquier, who created SHAP SHAP, a non-profit that fights global inequality and discrimination through cultural projects, told several activists in the room that each of their actions showed citizen engagement was not a lost cause.

    “To resist, we have to get together,” she said.

    © City of Geneva/ANTIGEL/Giona

    Brisa Flow playing a traditional instrument at the Stand Up for Social Justice concert in Geneva in February 2025.

    Connecting generations

    For Aryan Yasin, a designer from Geneva who founded a cultural non-profit supporting disadvantaged youth, the show was an opportunity for cross-pollination and broadening his network by connecting with UN staff.

    The exceptional venue “is not a place where you would necessarily see young people”, he said. “But, that actually allows us to create an intergenerational connection, with people who are more experienced, more established,” he added.

    After the show, management student Ludivine said she was mesmerised by the experience. Putting on a concert with one of her favourite artists there to denounce inequalities “makes sense… because at the UN, people get together to talk about inequalities around the world.”

    © Courtesy of Brisa Flow

    Ms. Flow (right) at a protest by the Guarani people of Brazil.

    What is social justice?

    After the event ended, doctoral students Beatrice and Thomas shared what the concept of social justice, which can seem quite abstract, meant to them.

    “It’s about recognising and taking differences into account while ensuring that everyone has the same access” to the same opportunities, said Beatrice, from Italy, who studies at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

    “That may mean that some people will need more support, while others may not need as much, but have different needs.”

    Thomas offered a more societal vision of the idea.

    “For me, it’s something that is both individual and collective – something that must be built as a society. It is entirely dependent on the structures we have put in place, but it also relies on everything that is local.”

    Read our social justice explainer here.

    ‘We need to be united’

    Ahead of the concert, Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva set the tone in her opening remarks in the Human Rights and Civilisation Room.

    “This room sees a lot of very important and challenging negotiations,” she told the audience. “But, today we open this room to everyone.”

    Geneva Mayor Christina Kitsos, whose term is guided by the motto “what connects us”, reminded the youthful audience of the UN’s fundamental role despite the worrying rise of “desire to undermine all the work [that has been done] around humanitarian aid and human rights”.

    “We need to be united, strong and truly hopeful and courageous to ensure that we stay the course, that we remain a beacon in this world in turmoil,” she said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General, at Regional Heads of Government Meeting, Urges ‘Unified Caribbean’ to Push World to Deliver on Promises That Are Key to Tackle Violence, Climate Crisis

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) forty-eighth regular meeting of Heads of Government, in Bridgetown today:

    It is a joy to be with you in Barbados, and an honour to be back in the Caribbean.  I am delighted to meet Prime Minister Mottley again so soon after the African Union Summit in Ethiopia, where you delivered such a powerful message on the legacies of slavery and colonialism, and reparatory justice.

    The exquisite beauty of the Caribbean is famed the world over.  But there is trouble in paradise.  Wave after wave of crisis is pounding your people and your islands — with no time to catch your breath before the next disaster strikes:  geopolitical tensions fuelling uncertainty; the scarring effects of COVID-19 leaving a trail of socioeconomic crisis; soaring debt and interest rates, on top of a surge in the cost of living.  All amidst a deadly swell of climate disasters — ripping development gains to shreds and blowing holes through your national budgets.  And all as you remain locked-out of many international institutions — one of the many legacies of colonialism today.

    The cure for these ills is global.  International solutions are essential to create a better today and a brighter tomorrow for this wonderful region, and for the world.  We have progress on which to build — hard-won global commitments to address the immense challenges we face.  But we need the world to deliver.

    The irrepressible strength of a unified Caribbean, and commitment to multilateralism — which have done so much to advance global progress — is vital to achieving that aim.  And your theme for this year — Strength in Unity — is truly a theme for our times.  I see three key areas where, together, we must drive progress.

    First, unity for peace and security, particularly to address the appalling situation in Haiti — where gangs are inflicting intolerable suffering on a desperate and frightened people.  CARICOM, and the Eminent Persons Group, have provided invaluable support. We must keep working for a political process — owned and led by the Haitians — that restores democratic institutions through elections.

    And I will soon report to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Haiti, including proposals on the role the UN can play to support stability and security and address the root causes of the crisis.

    It is my intention to present to the Security Council a proposal that is very similar to the one that we have presented for Somalia, in which the UN assumes the responsibility of the structural and logistical expenditures that are necessary to put the force in place, and the salaries of the force are paid through the trust fund that already exists.

    And if the Security Council will accept this proposal, we will have the conditions to finally have an effective force to defeat the gangs in Haiti and create the conditions for democracy to thrive.  And I urge you to continue your work and advocacy to tackle the weapons and drug trafficking that is fuelling violence across the region, including through prevention.

    But let’s be clear:  to fight drug trafficking or to fight weapons trafficking, we also need to address the countries of origin and the countries of destination.  Without their cooperation, we will never be able to win this battle, and the people of the Caribbean are paying a heavy price for the lack of cooperation that unfortunately, we still face.

    Second, unity on the climate crisis.  You face a deplorable injustice:  A crisis you have done next to nothing to create is wrecking economies, ruining lives, and threatening your very existence.  Together, you have fought tooth and nail for the global commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.

    This year, countries must deliver new national climate action plans, ahead of COP30, that align with that goal, with the Group of 20 (G20) — the big polluters — leading the way.

    This is a chance for the world to get a grip on emissions. And it is also a chance for the Caribbean to seize the benefits of clean power, to tap your vast renewables potential and to turn your back on costly fossil fuel imports.

    But this requires finance.  We need confidence that the $1.3 trillion agreed at COP29 will be mobilized.  And we need the world to get serious in responding to the disasters that we know will keep coming.  Adaptation is critical for this region to save lives and to make economies resilient.  And we need developed countries to honour their promises on adaptation finance — and more.

    And we need meaningful contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund.  When the fund was created, the pledges made are equivalent to the new contract for just one baseball player in New York City.  Let’s be clear:  the Loss and Damage Fund must be a serious thing.  And we must be able to find new, innovative sources of financing and namely to finally put seriously a price on carbon — and there are different ways to achieve this goal.

    This must be part of broader efforts because, third, we need unity for sustainable development.  Globally, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are starved of adequate finance, as debt servicing soaks up funds, and international financial institutions remain underpowered.  Caribbean countries have been at the forefront of the fight for change — pioneering bold and creative solutions.

    And the Pact for the Future agreed last year, together with the Bridgetown Initiative, now 3.0, marks significant progress — and I thank you all for your support.  The Pact commits to advancing an SDG Stimulus of $500 billion a year.  And it asks multilateral development banks to consider structural vulnerabilities in access to concessional funds, including through using the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.

    With this, or any other instrument, it is absolutely essential that middle-income countries that have dramatic vulnerabilities, especially because of climate change, have access to concessional funding.  Without it, it is impossible to recover and to build the resilience that is so much highlighted in this congress.

    It also calls for representation in international financial institutions to correct for the world’s vast inequalities and injustices and for effective action on debt.  Without debt relief, and without new debt strategies, it will be impossible to fully recover your economies.

    At the same time, we need bigger and bolder multilateral development banks, with more capital, more lending capacity and more capacity to also leverage private funding for the kind of investments that are essential to build resilience and to promote sustainable development in countries like the countries of the Caribbean.

    We must push the world to deliver on those commitments.  And we must ensure all countries can reap the benefits of technologies for sustainable development — by delivering on the Global Digital Compact.

    A unified Caribbean is an unstoppable force.  I urge you to keep using that power to push the world to deliver on its promise.  And I can guarantee that the United Nations and myself are with you, and will remain with you, every step of the way.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Central African Republic faces ongoing challenges ahead of elections

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    The recent attack on a UN patrol in the Central African Republic (CAR) which resulted in the death of a Tunisian peacekeeper, underlines the constant dangers facing peacekeepers from armed groups there, the head of the UN mission (MINUSCA) told the Security Council on Thursday.

    Valentine Rugwabiza condemned the incident early last week, calling on Central African authorities to thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    Bordering South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the region – larger than Switzerland – has been a hotspot of conflict due to its strategic importance, intercommunal tensions and civil strife.

    Troubled past

    CAR has been grappling with conflict since 2012, as fighting between the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia and the mainly Muslim Séléka rebel coalition left thousands dead and many more dependent on aid.

    In 2013, armed groups seized the capital and then President François Bozizé was forced to flee. After a brief period of reduced violence in 2015, and elections held in 2016, fighting intensified again.

    Peace talks got underway in early 2019 under the auspices of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR, led by the African Union (AU) with UN support. The deal was agreed in Khartoum, but formally signed in CAR’s capital, Bangui.

    Elections: Opportunities or risks?

    With local, legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2025, Ms. Rugwabiza noted that the upcoming electoral cycle represents a key opportunity where “safe, transparent and inclusive elections” could “contribute towards addressing roots causes of recurring conflict in the CAR”.

    Progress has been recorded in electoral preparations, with voter list revisions successfully conducted in 11 out of 20 prefectures.

    MINUSCA supported the process, ensuring that 98 percent of registration centres were operational, allowing over 570,000 new voters to register.

    However, security challenges persist, and 58 voter registration centres remain closed.

    Security: Still precarious

    Despite some improvements, instability persists in CAR, particularly in border areas where armed groups exploit mining sites and transhumance corridors.

    Ms. Rugwabiza noted that the ongoing conflict in Sudan has further complicated security dynamics, necessitating strengthened cross-border cooperation.

    She highlighted the recent inauguration of CAR’s first multiservice border post in Bembéré, constructed with MINUSCA support, a milestone in border security efforts.

    Challenges in the peace process

    Six years after the signing of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, nine of the 14 signatory armed groups have disbanded. However, some factions remain active, undermining peace efforts.

    “There is an urgent need for increased political mobilisation, particularly from guarantors, namely the African Union and the Economic Community of Central African States to facilitate the return of those armed groups leaders and subsequent long-term disarmament,” Ms. Rugwabiza stressed.

    Additionally, she called on CAR authorities to accelerate the operationalisation of the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission (TJRRC), emphasising the importance of transitional justice and accountability for victims.

    Security sector reform

    Security sector reform also remains central to CAR’s stabilisation. Ms. Rugwabiza acknowledged recent progress, including the establishment of a military tribunal in Bouar.

    However, “the recruitment of former self-defence group members outside regulatory frameworks risks reversing security gains,” she cautioned, urging proper oversight.

    Human rights violations remain a pressing concern and while the recent passage of a national law to protect human rights defenders marks a positive step, Ms. Rugwabiza called on the Government to take decisive action against impunity.

    Women entrepreneurs driving recovery

    Addressing ambassadors via videolink, Portia Deya Abazene, President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs of CAR, highlighted the role of women in driving the country’s economic recovery.

    She noted that despite legal frameworks guaranteeing equality, women in CAR represent only 15.5 percent of business owners in some sectors.

    In the past two years, her organization has facilitated training for more than 2,700 women who received education in leadership, digital marketing and finance.

    “The CAR cannot reach its full potential as long as more than 51 per cent of its population – I’m referring to women – remain marginalised,” she said.

    International support needed

    Looking ahead, Ms. Rugwabiza emphasised that “the allocation of timely and adequate resources remains critical to consolidate security gains and translate them into concrete improvements in the lives of the Central African people.”

    With elections on the horizon and security threats persisting, MINUSCA’s role remains vital in supporting CAR’s path to stability.

    However, without continued political and financial backing, the country’s hard-fought progress risks being reversed.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Keep Working to Ensure Peace, Dignity, Horizon of Hope Grounded in Action for People of Middle East, Secretary-General Urges Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the nineteenth plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, in Rome today:

    I am pleased to convey my warm greetings as you gather for this nineteenth plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.

    Your region is an extraordinary bridge between continents, cultures and traditions.  And your collective voice resonates far beyond Mediterranean shores.  As a former Parliamentarian myself, I greatly value that voice in addressing shared challenges.  I know you are focusing on a number of those challenges at your plenary session.

    As I look around the world, four tests stand out because they represent, at best, threats that could disrupt every aspect of our agenda, and at worst, upend our very existence:  Rampant inequalities; the raging climate crisis; out-of-control technology, including artificial intelligence without guardrails; and of course, runaway conflicts.

    As you know so well, the Middle East is in a period of profound transformation — rife with uncertainty, but also possibility.  It is clear the region is being re-shaped.  But, it is not clear what will emerge.  We have a responsibility to help make sure the people of the Middle East come out with peace, dignity and a horizon of hope grounded in action.

    In Gaza, that means — as we have long been calling for — the release of all hostages, a permanent ceasefire and irreversible progress towards a two-State solution.  In Lebanon, we are working to consolidate the cessation of hostilities, support a government where all Lebanese will feel represented, and a State that will be able to guarantee security to all its citizens.  And in Syria, we stand behind an inclusive process in which the rights of all are fully respected, and that paves the way towards a united and sovereign Syria with its territorial integrity fully reestablished.

    Finally, I want to thank you for your support for implementing the UN Pact for the Future.  You understand that this ties directly to advancing trust — which you have rightly defined as a strategic issue — and to shaping global governance institutions fit for the twenty-first century.

    Once again, thank you for your vital voice and leadership. Let’s keep working for peace, sustainable development and human rights for the people of the Mediterranean region and our world.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Chief and UN Humanitarian Coordinator Visit Gaza

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Amman, 20 February 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) Muhannad Hadi have just visited southern Gaza and saw how the humanitarian community is scaling up operations to meet the immense needs of people who have endured more than 500 days of unimaginable hardship. 

    As people return to their home areas across Gaza, entire communities are coming back during the ceasefire to find their residences reduced to rubble. With nearly 90% of homes destroyed, hundreds of thousands are left with nowhere to go. Families have been sleeping in makeshift shelters, bombed-out buildings, or out in the open—exposed to winter rain, wind, and cold. Adding to the misery, basic necessities and essential services have been scarce or non-existent.   

    “The scale of the destruction here is staggering. Families who have lost everything are facing the cold with no protection, no infrastructure or services, and no certainty about what tomorrow will bring,” said DG Pope. “I spoke with parents struggling to keep their children alive, using anything they can find to build makeshift shelters because there is simply nowhere else to go. That’s why we must scale up operations to help the people here, so they can recover with dignity and live inside Gaza safely, as they have the right to do.” 

    IOM, alongside its UN and humanitarian partners, is working hard to increase the flow of emergency shelter assistance. Since 19 January, IOM has dispatched more than 325,000 shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene and non-food items to support people in Gaza. IOM has been using its global expertise in emergency response to deliver life-saving aid to people in Gaza through partners since October 2023. 

     

    For more information, please contact: 
     

    Amman: Megan Giovannetti, mgiovannetti@iom.int   
    Cairo: Joe Lowry, jlowry@iom.int   
    Geneva: Daniela Rovina, drovina@iom.int 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: DR Congo violence has pushed 35,000 to Burundi, says UN refugee agency

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    Escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to uproot thousands more people to neighbouring countries where they face dire conditions without many basic necessities, UN humanitarians said on Thursday.

    UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, reported on Thursday that 35,000 Congolese nationals have now reached Burundi since the beginning of February, as Rwanda-backed M23 fighters continue to advance across both South and North Kivu.

    The UN human rights office (OHCHR) in DRC also expressed concern over growing lawlessness as warlords responsible for grave crimes including rape, were reportedly sprung from prison in Goma, Kabare and Bukavu in recent days.

    These former detainees are now at large and pose a threat to their former victims and judges who sentenced them, along with the lawyers who represented victims of sexual violence, said Patrice Vahard, Director of the UN Joint Human Rights Office in DR Congo (UNJHRO).

    “The consequences will be huge, first for the state of law, but in particular for these women who believed in justice because they received help, but who unfortunately now risk being confronted by some of their tormentors.”

    Burundi arrivals

    UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado told UN News that those fleeing DR Congo are entering Burundi via its northwestern border.

    “The vast majority are women and children, they are arriving exhausted, tired,” she said. “Many of them tell our teams on the ground that they have lost family members, sometimes children, while they were fleeing.”

    Ms. Sarrado described dire conditions at the border and said that the majority of those arriving from DRC do so by unofficial means, with many taking risks to cross the Ruzizi River.

    “Some of them are sheltering in the open, just in makeshift shelters, others are being sheltered in schools and also in a stadium at the border,” the UN refugee agency official added.

    Needs are increasing and there is a significant shortage of basic services in the displacement shelters including toilets, food and water.

    Goma aid lifeline resumes

    The UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Thursday that it had partially resumed food assistance to parts of Goma, which fell to M23 rebels three weeks ago.

    But as fighting between M23 and national troops continues, the UN aid agency expressed alarm at “soaring hunger” caused by people fleeing displacement camps.

    In North Kivu, WFP has reached 9,000 people with emergency food assistance out of a target of 83,000. “Security must improve for WFP to reach tens of thousands more of the most vulnerable populations at risk,” it stressed.

    Where possible, the UN agency is delivering vital nutrition supplies to treat moderate acute malnutrition in children aged six to 59 months, amid surging staple food prices that have made it increasingly difficult for families to eat.

    Prices rise along with insecurity

    The price of maize flour has risen by nearly 67 per cent, salt is 43 per cent more expensive than before the crisis erupted and the cost of cooking oil has increased by up to 45 per cent, WFP said.

    “Escalating violence is forcing more families to flee – and now they have no food, no security and nowhere safe to go,” said WFP spokesperson Shaza Mograby. “The desperation of affected communities continues to grow by the day.”

    Humanitarians continue to struggle to reach the most vulnerable while major access routes remain blocked and Goma International airport remains closed.

    “WFP’s priority is to resume operations fully as soon as it is safe to do so,” the UN agency insisted.

    “The longer we are unable to give food and emergency assistance to families affected by the conflict, the greater and more dire their needs are,” said Peter Musoko, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in DRC.

    “I do not want to see children and mothers sink deeper into hunger and severe malnutrition. We need the violence to stop so we can resume our humanitarian activities. The most vulnerable people in DRC cannot afford to be overlooked during this crisis.’

    WFP plans to reach seven million of the most vulnerable women, men, and children in DR Congo with lifesaving food and nutrition assistance this year. It is working with other UN agencies, NGOs and Government partners to address immediate needs and prepare for a potential large-scale response once conditions allow.

    A key part of this operation is the WFP-run UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) operation. It provides aid teams with critical access and logistical support for their work across the country but it urgently requires $33.1 million to avoid the suspension of operations by the end of March.

    In recent weeks, the UNHAS fleet relocated to Kalemie in Tanganyika, establishing a new operational hub for eastern DRC.

    So far this year, the air service has transported 2,464 passengers, including humanitarian workers relocated from Goma and Bukavu; it has also delivered 23 metric tons of essential light cargo across DR Congo. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica

    Source: United Nations secretary general

     The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, during the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
     
    The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for Jamaica’s active role as Co-Chair of the UN SDG Stimulus Leaders Group.
     
    The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister exchanged views on international developments. In particular, they discussed the need to scale up support for the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti, as well as climate issues and financing for development.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –