Category: mieast

28 March 2023Humanitarian Aid Urgent support is needed to prevent a slide into poverty and an increase in child labour and hand-to-mouth jobs, following the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria in February, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Tuesday in new assessment reports. Hundreds of thousands of workers in both countries have lost… Continue reading ILO calls for fresh support as job losses grip post-quake Türkiye and Syria

Presenting his report to the Human Rights Council, Mr. Rehman said that the “scale and gravity” of violations committed by Iranian authorities pointed to “the possible commission of international crimes, notably the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual violence, and persecution”. The expert slammed “so-called” investigations of Ms. Amini’s… Continue reading Iran: possible crimes against humanity, absence of accountability – top rights expert

For UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, this was an opportunity to remember the countless lives lost, and recall the abuses and suffering of millions, including those who have been forcibly displaced, or who remain arbitrarily detained, disappeared and missing.  War cannot endure  “The situation in Syria is untenable and to carry on in… Continue reading UN officials call for durable solution to end the war in Syria

14 March 2023Humanitarian Aid More than half of the population in Syria is facing hunger as the country grapples with 12 years of war and recent devastating earthquakes, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Tuesday.  Some 12.1 million Syrians are food insecure, while nearly three million more are at risk of sliding into hunger,… Continue reading More than half of all Syrians going hungry: WFP

8 March 2023Human Rights The Syrian conflict will only be resolved if all parties involved in it are prepared to make the kind of compromises on humanitarian grounds that followed last month’s earthquake disaster, UN negotiator Geir Pedersen said on Wednesday. In an appeal for greater urgency to resolve the grinding war which erupted 12… Continue reading Compromise is crucial in search for peace for sake of all Syrians, urges UN negotiator

“Families forced from their homes by the earthquakes have spent the past four weeks focused on survival, their lives on hold while aftershocks continue to rumble,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Afshan Khan. She said it is now critical “to do all we can to help families begin… Continue reading More than 850,000 Syrian, Turkish children displaced by earthquakes

“I have rarely been so disturbed and heartbroken,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking later at a media briefing.  “The earthquake that struck more than three weeks ago adds unimaginable suffering to people who have already suffered so much over 12 years of war, economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic and an ongoing cholera outbreak.” … Continue reading WHO chief underscores need for ‘peace for health’ in landmark visit to northwest Syria

A $1 billion appeal was launched by the UN on 16 February to assist 5.2 million people affected by the earthquake, including the 1.9 million people who were made homeless and who are now living in tents and temporary shelters. Mr. Rodriguez gave UN News his impressions after visiting some of the most devastated communities. “February 6,… Continue reading ‘No words’ to explain people’s suffering in Türkiye: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

27 February 2023Peace and Security Following the latest wave of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland on Monday appealed for both sides to take action towards addressing core issues fuelling their conflict.  Mr. Wennesland said he was gravely concerned by the deteriorating security situation in the occupied West Bank, particularly… Continue reading Israel-Palestine: UN envoy gravely concerned over killings and retaliatory attacks

“While the world has quickly mobilized in support of people here, the impact of this quake will be felt for months and years to come,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. During a visit to the Hatay region in southern Türkiye, he described “incomprehensible” devastation and an “apocalyptic” landscape. With some 18 million people affected… Continue reading WFP chief describes ‘apocalyptic’ post-quake landscape in Syria, Türkiye

Afshan Khan, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, briefed journalists in Geneva on her recent visit to the region, where she saw first-hand some of the destruction.  “Children in Türkiye are at risk of developing anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder; they need to be able to resume their education, and they urgently… Continue reading UNICEF appeals for support for children affected by Türkiye earthquakes

23 February 2023Humanitarian Aid Aid continues to roll into northwest Syria, with 53 trucks crossing from southern Türkiye on Thursday, the UN reported in its latest update on response to the devastating earthquakes that struck the two countries on 6 February.  The trucks carried items from the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Organization for… Continue reading Syria-Türkiye earthquakes: Food, shelter and medicines among latest aid deliveries

22 February 2023Humanitarian Aid A total of 282 United Nations trucks transporting aid for earthquake victims in northwest Syria have passed through three border crossings with Turkiye over the past two weeks, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Wednesday.  Seventeen trucks arrived in the region that day via two crossings – Bab Al-Hawa and Bab… Continue reading UN humanitarian delegation visits northwest Syria as earthquake response continues

22 February 2023Human Rights The UN human rights chief on Tuesday called for taking a measured approach to a package of new laws the Government of Israel is currently considering. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk raised a range of concerns that several sets of proposed legislative changes that Israel’s parliament is considering… Continue reading Israel’s new legal proposals pose ‘serious risks’, UN rights chief warns

“This makes this clearly the largest earthquake disaster in Türkiye’s history and perhaps the largest natural disaster the country has ever faced,” said Louisa Vinton, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Türkiye Resident Representative.  Two further earthquakes measuring 6.4 and 5.8 on the Richter Scale killed six more on the Türkiye-Syria border on Monday, with “another 294… Continue reading 1.5 million now homeless in Türkiye after quake disaster, warn UN development experts

20 February 2023Humanitarian Aid Two weeks after the devastating earthquakes, the UN and partners continue to scale-up cross-border aid delivery from Türkiye into northwest Syria, including through a new entry point, the UN Spokesperson said on Monday.  Ten trucks transporting shelter and other items from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) crossed into northern Aleppo… Continue reading Syria-Türkiye: Three border crossings now operational for earthquake aid delivery

Since 9 February, 143 trucks have passed through the Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salam border crossings, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “The movements continue today, they continue over the weekend and will continue every day for as long as the needs are there,” OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told journalists in… Continue reading Quake latest: Aid convoys will keep crossing into Syria ‘for as long as needs are there’

The funding, which covers a three-month-period, will allow aid organizations to swiftly ramp up their operations to support Government-led response efforts in areas that include food security, protection, education, water and shelter.    UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to step up and fully fund the response effort.  “Türkiye is home to the… Continue reading UN launches $1 billion appeal to scale-up aid operations in Türkiye

Ahead of a briefing to journalists in New York on Wednesday, Laila Baker, UNFPA Regional Director for Arab States, spoke to UN News from Aleppo, where women are clamouring for peace amid the rubble of the disaster and the ravages of war.  “Without fault, in every group of women, individual or collective, their message was… Continue reading Syrian women hope earthquake tragedy opens up possibility for peace

14 February 2023Humanitarian Aid The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday announced a $397 million humanitarian appeal to aid the people of earthquake-ravaged Syria, to help secure “desperately needed” relief for nearly five million people. António Guterres told reporters outside the Security Council in New York that aid “must get through from all sides” and the funding would cover… Continue reading Guterres calls on countries to fully fund $397 million quake appeal for Syria

The devastating impact of 12 years of civil war has been compounded by the 6 February earthquake which has left tens of thousands of people dead and millions more in need of support on both sides of the border between Syria and Türkiye.  WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari,… Continue reading First Person: Plea to prevent ‘lost generation’ in Syria

The amount is set to increase as the magnitude of the disaster becomes clearer, he said, speaking during a press conference from the Syrian capital, Damascus. Latest reports put the death toll at more than 33,000, according to international media, with millions more left homeless. Ramping up operations Tedros also reported that the Syrian authorities… Continue reading WHO announces $43 million appeal to scale up response in Syria and Turkiye

Mr. Griffiths was speaking in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş, where recovery efforts are ongoing in frigid temperatures. He met with families left homeless by the disaster and listened to their stories of shock and devastation.  “I am here to make sure that these people also are not forgotten,” he said. Hope for survivors The… Continue reading Türkiye: UN relief chief meets families affected by devastating earthquake

In a heartfelt appeal based on his years of visiting the devastated area, as Secretary-General and previously as head of the UN refugee agency UNHCR, Antonio Guterres said that what had been a “centre of solidarity is now an epicentre of suffering.” ‘Nightmare on top of nightmare’ “People are facing nightmare on top of nightmare. The… Continue reading Earthquake disaster: ‘We must put people first’ urges Guterres in race to save lives

“Aid, life-saving aid, is desperately needed by civilians wherever they are irrespective of borders and boundaries,” he told journalists in Geneva. “We need it urgently, through the fastest, most direct, and most effective routes. They need more of absolutely everything.” According to UN aid coordinating office, OCHA, six trucks carrying “shelter items and non-food item… Continue reading First UN aid convoy reaches Syria’s quake-hit northwest since disaster

“We have already a very vulnerable situation; people (are) already vulnerable, not capable of taking care of themselves…and all of a sudden comes this,” said El-Mostafa Benlamlih, UN Resident Coordinator for Syria. Progress lost “All the achievements we had before, anybody who had a small business has lost that business, anybody who could go to school… Continue reading Earthquake disaster latest: fresh snow compounds Syrians’ misery

“My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria in this hour of tragedy” said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement. “The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response. Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance.” More than 1.500 have been reported to have died and… Continue reading UN agencies launch emergency response after devastating Türkiye and Syria quake

“Rather than doubling down on failed approaches of violence and coercion that have singularly failed in the past, I urge everyone involved to step out of the illogic of escalation that has only ended in dead bodies, shattered lives and utter despair,” he said in a statement.   Record killings in 2022  Mr. Türk reported… Continue reading UN rights chief appeals for Israelis and Palestinians to end ‘illogic of escalation’

2 February 2023Human Rights A UN body investigating discrimination complaints lodged by Qatar against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia concluded its work following the resolution of these disputes, according to an announcement on Thursday.  The ad hoc Conciliation Commission was established by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)… Continue reading Resolution of ‘racism’ complaint brought by Qatar against UAE and Saudi Arabia

30 January 2023Human Rights Top UN-appointed independent rights investigators on Monday urged the authorities to share more information on mass graves and other serious crimes linked to the country’s civil war. The UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya was established by the Human Rights Council in June 2020, to investigate alleged abuses of international human… Continue reading Libya: human rights abuses must be addressed, says UN probe

WFP Executive Director, David Beasley, said that if we don’t address this humanitarian crisis, “things are going to get worse than we can possibly imagine”. Following 12 years of brutal conflict, an economy crippled by runaway inflation, a currency that has collapsed to a record low and soaring food prices, 12 million people do not know… Continue reading Syria: WFP chief calls for action now, as hunger soars to 12 year high

“As we move into 2023, the Syrian people remain trapped in a profound humanitarian, political, military, security, economic and human rights crisis of great complexity and almost unimaginable scale,” said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. Outlining recent developments, he reiterated his previous calls for calm on the ground, good faith engagement in Syria’s stalled Constitutional Committee… Continue reading Security Council: 12 years of war, leaves 70 per cent of Syrians needing aid

17 January 2023Human Rights A group of UN Special Rapporteurs condemned Iran’s arbitrary detention of Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele on Tuesday, and demanded his immediate release, after he was sentenced to a cumulative 40-year jail term by a court in Tehran. “We believe Mr Vandecasteele has been arbitrarily deprived of his liberty and is… Continue reading Iran’s detention of Belgian aid worker a ‘flagrant violation of international law’: UN rights experts

4 January 2023Human Rights A UN Security Council Resolution that ensures millions of people in northwest Syria receive lifesaving aid through cross-border deliveries from Türkiye, must be extended, a group of independent human rights experts said on Wednesday.  They warned of the dire consequences of not renewing Resolution 2642, which is set to expire on… Continue reading Syria: Rights experts call for renewal of cross-border aid resolution

Mohsen Shekari was hanged on Thursday morning after the Islamic Revolution Court in Tehran found him guilty of moharebeh or “waging war against God”.   This was the first execution of a protester convicted for taking part in the recent anti-government unrest sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini for violating strict dress codes,… Continue reading Iran: UN rights experts condemn protestor’s execution, raise alarm over detained artists  

“Under international law, States that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only impose it for the ‘most serious crimes’, involving intentional killing”, the UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts said in a statement, continuing to urge the Saudi Government to “abolish the death penalty for drug convictions”.  Hussein Abo al-Kheir was arrested at the… Continue reading Saudi Arabia: Quash death sentence for Jordanian convicted of drug offences, urge UN experts 

The Council, meeting in special session in response to the crisis that was sparked by the death in September in police custody of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini, heard Mr. Türk criticize “the fortress mentality of those who wield power” in Iran. The “unnecessary and disproportionate use of force” must end, he insisted.  Harrowing images “It… Continue reading UN rights body launches Iran human rights investigation

22 November 2022Human Rights Saudi Arabia must adopt a moratorium on executions for drug-related offenses, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, responding to the recent resumption of capital punishment for these crimes.  Spokesperson Liz Throssell said executions have been taking place almost daily over the past two weeks, following the end of… Continue reading Saudi Arabia: Resumption of executions for drug offences ‘deeply regrettable’, UN rights office says

9 November 2022Human Rights The family and lawyers of a jailed Saudi activist, who reportedly is being held incommunicado, must be granted immediate access to him, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, said on Wednesday.  Ms. Lawlor has issued a statement expressing her increasing concern for the health… Continue reading Rights expert urges Saudi authorities to allow family to access jailed activist

4 November 2022Human Rights Warring factions in Yemen are being urged to extend a UN-mediated truce following reports of deaths and injuries of civilians from sniper attacks and shelling. The truce, which started at the beginning of April, ended more than a month ago, and human rights chief, Volker Türk, says that there is grave… Continue reading Safety and security of Yemeni civilians at risk unless truce is extended, says human rights chief

The first case was reported to WHO by the Ministry of Public Health on 6 October, and there have been 381 laboratory-confirmed cases. While the outbreak was initially confined to northern districts, it has spread rapidly said WHO’s office in Lebanon, with laboratory-confirmed cases now reported from all eight governorates and 18 out of 26… Continue reading Cholera spreading throughout Lebanon, WHO warns

Some 23.4 million people in Yemen – more than two-thirds of the entire population – need humanitarian aid, said the deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, wrapping up a nine day fact finding mission, with 17 million people being food insecure. Malnutrition rates among women and children are among the highest in the world, with 1.3 million… Continue reading Huge needs remain in Yemen as fragile peace extends beyond truce: UN deputy relief chief

7 October 2022Human Rights Authorities in Egypt must ensure civil society can safely and fully participate in the COP27 UN climate change conference taking place there next month, a group of UN independent human rights experts said on Friday, expressing alarm over restrictions ahead of the summit. This new wave of reprisals follows years of… Continue reading Egypt urged to ensure civil society’s full participation in COP27 climate summit

The current chaotic state of the world – from wars to the spread of terrorism and climate-induced disasters – is the result of hegemonic, wealth-hoarding countries and their ambitions to subjugate others, “which Syria knows only too well,” Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad said on Monday.

Iraq represents a living example of how hope prevails over seemingly impossible odds, especially conflict and political crises, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi told the UN General Assembly on Friday, and while the nascent democracy still needed international support, it is looking to its younger generations to keep the spirit of hope and courage alive.

Twenty-four UN-appointed independent human rights experts condemned on Wednesday, Israel’s escalating attacks against Palestinian civil society in the occupied West Bank, describing it as “illegal and unacceptable”.

The current chaotic state of the world – from wars to the spread of terrorism and climate-induced disasters – is the result of hegemonic, wealth-hoarding countries and their ambitions to subjugate others, “which Syria knows only too well,” Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad said on Monday. In his address to the last day of the UN… Continue reading ‘The war on Syria has failed,’ Foreign Minister says in UN speech, denouncing the West’s hegemonic ambitions

“The hope embodied by the people of Iraq, had enabled them to snatch opportunities for life, progress and peace from the clutches of crisis and conflict,” the Prime Minister told leaders gathered in New York for the Assembly’s annual high-level debate. The people of Iraq had also used that same spirit of hope to fight terrorism… Continue reading With help, Iraq’s spirit of hope, forward-looking youths can keep nascent democracy on track, Prime Minister says

“Palestine, the Observer State in this Organization for 10 years now has proved that it qualifies for full membership. You have all recognized this,” he said, citing contributions that include chairing the G-77 and China developing country coalition.  “We are the exception. We are the only ones in the world on whom double standards are… Continue reading Palestine calls for full UN membership and a plan to end the occupation

President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi said on Thursday that with the formation in early April of the Presidential Leadership Council as the legitimate representative of the Yemeni people, his country had entered a new era in based on partnership and national consensus. “The highest goals of the Presidential Council will be [securing] peace and ending human… Continue reading Leadership Council marks ‘new era’ for Yemen, but country remains wary of terrorist threat

Taking the rostrum at the annual United Nations General Assembly, Iran’s President decried as a great injustice the “double standard” exhibited by Western nations towards what he described as his country’s peaceful nuclear activities. “I explicitly declare that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons and such weapons have no… Continue reading At UN, Iran’s leader decries West’s ‘double standard’ towards country’s nuclear programme

The official declaration of a cholera outbreak in the Aleppo region of Syria at the weekend, represents “a serious threat to people in Syria”, and the whole Middle East region, said the UN humanitarian relief coordinator for the country on Tuesday. Imran Riza, who is also Resident Coordinator, said in a statement that “swift and urgent action… Continue reading Syria: Cholera outbreak is ‘serious threat’ to whole Middle East

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has condemned the execution of five prisoners by Hamas, the de facto authorities in Gaza, in a statement released on Monday. Five men were executed in the early hours of 4 September 2022, an act which, says the Office, was in stark violation of… Continue reading Execution of Gaza prisoners condemned by UN rights office

The development is occurring in a context where Israeli authorities are increasingly limiting what she called human rights “eyes and ears on the ground”. Search for solutions Although the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in Palestine has been operating for 26 years, the 15 international staff there “had no choice but to leave” in 2020,… Continue reading Visa refusal for UN human rights staff in Palestine part of wider ‘worrying trend’: Bachelet

In Jordan, where many struggle to find enough to eat, young people are finding creative ways to tackle food insecurity, and create sustainable, environmentally friendly employment, with support from a UN innovation programme. Jordanians are dealing with multiple overlapping challenges including slow economic growth, high youth unemployment, water scarcity and increased cost of living. With… Continue reading Young Jordanians innovate to tackle food insecurity

Twenty-four UN-appointed independent human rights experts condemned on Wednesday, Israel’s escalating attacks against Palestinian civil society in the occupied West Bank, describing it as “illegal and unacceptable”. During a raid last week, the Israeli army broke into and shut down the offices of seven Palestinian human rights and humanitarian groups operating in Ramallah, located in the… Continue reading Israeli suppression of Palestinian rights organizations ‘illegal and unacceptable’

The experts said they are deeply concerned at the increasing arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances of members of the Baha’i faith, as well as the destruction or confiscation of their properties, “in what bears all the signs of a policy of systematic persecution”.  These acts were not isolated, they added, but formed part of a… Continue reading Rights experts urge Iran to end ‘systematic persecution’ of religious minorities

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, expressed outrage on Friday over a 34-year prison sentence handed down to a Saudi woman charged with following and retweeting so-called dissidents and activists. The UN human rights office, OHCHR, expressed outrage on Friday over a prison sentence spanning more than three decades handed down to a Saudi woman… Continue reading Saudi Arabia: UN calls for release of woman sentenced to 34 years in prison for tweeting

Najiba*, a mother, counsellor, and former university lecturer, helps women heal from trauma in Afghanistan. Despite threats and restrictions on her freedom to move, she continues to enable women to learn and heal. “I have helped women survivors of violence regain their strength and resilience for the past 20 years. Each time I supported a… Continue reading First Person: Helping Afghan women to heal

Allow human rights and humanitarian organizations to continue their work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), UN agencies and other partners have urged Israel. On Thursday morning, Israeli Forces broke into, searched and sealed the offices of seven Palestinian human rights and humanitarian organizations³ in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Their property was confiscated… Continue reading Israel urged to allow humanitarians to continue working in Palestine

Following heavy widespread rains in Yemen, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) remains on high alert as the threat of desert locust emergence looms, the UN agency said on Wednesday. To avert losses triggered by the voracious pest, FAO recently delivered various equipment and machinery to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries (MAIF) in Aden.… Continue reading UN agriculture agency helps protect against threat of locust in Yemen

The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided emergency assistance, in an urgent response to the needs of communities affected by floods in Yemen, the UN agency said on Wednesday. In addition to health and laboratory supplies, it has supported specialized trauma teams and joined field missions along with national health authorities and other humanitarian partners.… Continue reading The World Health Organization steps up assistance to flood-ravaged Yemen

Mahbouba Sera, one of the world’s most prominent women’s rights activists, chose to stay in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, to witness what was happening to her country, and to work for a society that benefits all of its people. “The first nights and days were especially horrible. Afghanistan was turning into… Continue reading First Person: ‘We are the hope, we are the power keeping Afghanistan together’

Nasima*, 36, is a peacebuilder and a women’s rights activist in Afghanistan. After the Taliban regained effective control of the country a year ago, she continued to work in Afghanistan, in what would soon become one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies. “I was in my office on 15 August 2021. At 8 a.m.,… Continue reading First Person: ‘I realized Afghan women were still fighting. And I chose to be one of them’

Hate speech can have a devastating effect on mental wellbeing and self-confidence. The UN office in Lebanon is helping young people to rise above these attacks, and reject negativity from others. 21-year-old Dima El-Awar stands in front of the camera with confidence and ease. In addition to being a good speaker, a skill that every… Continue reading Lebanese youth learn to stand up to hate speech

The UN labour agency, ILO, says it is becoming increasingly concerned about working conditions in Iraq, where temperatures have soared to 50 degrees Celsius in recent weeks. In a call for action to protect workers, ILO Country Coordinator in Iraq Maha Kattaa has urged that measures be put in place to reduce the risks for… Continue reading ILO calls for adequate workers conditions during extreme heat in Iraq

A cohort of independent UN experts has called on the Human Rights Council to launch an international investigation into the massive explosion in Beirut two year ago, with a view to securing justice for those who died and were injured. The powerful blast, caused by a stockpile of ammonium nitrate in a port warehouse, occurred on 4 August 2020 and… Continue reading UN experts call for international investigation into 2020 Beirut explosion

Yusuf Zahab, 17, had been taken to Syria when he was 11 by older relatives who had become radicalized, according to various media reports.   He is believed to have died from injuries sustained during and after the ISIL siege on Al Hasakah camp in January, compounded by lack of adequate medical treatment.  Never should… Continue reading Syria: Australian teen’s death in prison ‘utterly preventable’, rights experts say

Afghans caught up in the devastating earthquake that hit the country on June 22, killing more than 1,000 and injured over 6,000 people, are sharing their traumatic stories. A boy walks up the hill to his former home, destroyed by the earthquake that hit Afghanistan in June 2022 ., by IOM/Léo Torréton ”I saw bodies… Continue reading From the Field: Afghan earthquake survivors look to rebuild their lives

The conviction of an Iranian official by a Swedish court for his part in the mass execution and torture of political prisoners was welcomed on Friday by a top UN-appointed independent rights expert. The development came after Hamid Nouri – a former Iranian prosecutor and prison officer – was arrested at a Stockholm airport in… Continue reading Iran: Top rights expert welcomes Swedish verdict in mass executions case

Veteran UN aid coordinator Najat Rochdi on Friday signalled grave concerns about rising humanitarian needs across Lebanon linked to the global food and fuel crisis, which are affecting “everyone, everywhere”. Since last year, the number of people in urgent need of support has risen by 46 per cent, said the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon… Continue reading As global food and fuel crisis deepens, Lebanon’s crisis is affecting ‘everyone, everywhere’

Syria’s humanitarian needs are at their highest ever and any move to block aid from reaching the war-torn country should be resisted strongly, a top UN Human Rights Council probe said on Wednesday.  According to the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, 14.6 million Syrians depend on humanitarian assistance, 12 million face acute food insecurity, and… Continue reading Syria’s needs are at their highest ever, says top rights probe 

Israeli forces were behind the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank – not indiscriminate Palestinian firing – the UN human rights office, OHCHR, alleged on Friday. Ms. Akleh – an experienced television journalist familiar with reporting in the Occupied Palestinian Territories – was killed on 11 May, as… Continue reading Abu Akleh shooting: fatal shot came from Israeli forces, says OHCHR

“It means investing in the economic and social wellbeing of Palestine refugees and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Secretary-General António Guterres told the UN General Assembly ad hoc committee for voluntary contributions to UNRWA. “It means investing in the future through education of children and youth, girls and boys, young women and men and…honouring… Continue reading Supporting UN’s Palestine refugee agency, means ‘investing in stability for the region’

“I have listened to stories of shock and of loss. Young people whose dream is simply to go to school are now chasing informal jobs to provide for their families,” Najat Rochdi told journalists at a press briefing. “Others desperately seek to leave and start a new life elsewhere, leaving the country almost void of… Continue reading Socio-economic meltdown leaves Lebanese ‘hanging on by a thread’

The finding comes in the first report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, established last May by the UN Human Rights Council.  The Commission said occupation and discrimination are the key root causes of the recurrent tensions, instability, and drawn out nature of the… Continue reading Occupation, discrimination driving Israel-Palestine conflict, recurring violence

Israel must halt plans to demolish a Bedouin village in the Naqab desert that will forcibly displace hundreds of residents in a bid to expand Jewish-only settlements, two experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Friday.  Special Rapporteurs Fernand de Varennes and Balakrishnan Rajagopal said the move could result in “irreparable damage”… Continue reading Rights experts urge Israel to cease eviction and demolition of Bedouin village

As the Syria war enters its 12th year, the impact that the war in Ukraine is having on food security, is being felt by the most vulnerable Syrians, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said on Wednesday. Food insecurity in Syria has reached an historic high, amidst a downward socio-economic spiral, while humanitarian needs soar to… Continue reading UNDP steps up efforts to keep Syrians off the daily breadline

In May 2017, the then 14-year-old was arrested on charges of robbery and murder. Despite having an alibi, and based on a confession extracted under torture and other ill-treatment, he was convicted, and recently sentenced to death for a second time after his original conviction was overturned by the Saudi Supreme Court last year. “We… Continue reading Saudi Arabia: Release Abdullah al-Howaiti, stem death penalty

Investigations must be held into the actions of the Israeli security forces, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Saturday, calling for accountability and an end to impunity. Her appeal comes in the wake of the killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot on Wednesday while covering… Continue reading Israel: UN rights chief calls for end to ‘culture of impunity’

Their statement comes in the aftermath of a deadly jailbreak in January at a facility in the Al-Hasekeh region, led by ISIL combatants in an attempt to free detained counterparts.  🇸🇾#Syria: Concern for welfare of children arbitrarily held in detention centres & those missing, after January attack on ISIL prison. 100 boys still unaccounted for.… Continue reading Syria: Rights experts call for humanitarian access to detained children

After more than seven years of war, “tens of thousands of civilians – including at least 10,000 children – have died”, Mr. Guterres said, adding that “for millions of internally displaced people, life is a daily struggle for survival”. Today, over 23 million Yemenis face hunger, disease, and other life-threatening risks as the country’s basic… Continue reading $4.3 billion needed to help over 17 million people across Yemen

The UN human rights chief has condemned the beheading of 81 people by Saudi Arabia during the course of a single day, charged with terrorism-related offences. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet urged the authorities in a statement released following Saturday’s mass execution, to “bring the country’s counterterrorism laws fully into line with international… Continue reading UN rights chief decries mass execution of 81 people in Saudi Arabia

Presenting the latest UN Human Rights Council-mandated report on the nearly 11-year-old conflict at a virtual press conference in Geneva, Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, described the “devastating” impact on communities. Half the country displaced “Hundreds of thousands have been killed, more than half of… Continue reading Fears grow for Syria amid rising violence, deepening humanitarian crisis

Conflict last year had forced more than 700,000 Afghans to leave their homes and added to the 5.5 million people already displaced over past years, the UN migration agency said on Tuesday. “The ongoing crisis in Afghanistan is intensifying humanitarian needs and increasing displacement risks both inside the country, as well as across borders to… Continue reading Displacement, humanitarian needs surging inside Afghanistan and across region

To combat malnutrition and iron deficiency in Gaza and the West Bank, the World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday, launched a campaign to provide support to hundreds of pregnant and nursing women. Through community-based and online initiatives, the campaign will accelerate and support “a knowledge-sharing process”, according to Samer AbdelJaber, WFP Representative and Country Director.… Continue reading Palestine: Nutrition campaign targets pregnant and nursing women

The UN and its partners need to reach more Syrians with immediate life-saving aid, the UN relief chief warned the Security Council on Thursday, calling for expanded access and more funds to sustain humanitarian operations, as the country struggles with an uptick in violence, deepening economic crisis, and a winter storm that has left a… Continue reading Griffiths to Security Council: ‘Your responsibility is not over’ to Syrian people 

Boys and girls caught up in intense fighting which raged for six days around a besieged prison in northeast Syria, need protection and assistance, the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, said on Thursday. ISIL fighters launched an assault on the Ghwayran/Sinai’i detention centre in the city of Al-Hasekeh last week, in an attempt to free some of… Continue reading UNICEF providing aid for children caught up in Syria prison siege

With no shifts in the frontlines in almost two years, the UN Special Envoy for Syria warnedt he Security Council about “a strategic stalemate” in the nearly 11-year-old war.  For Geir Pedersen, despite the continued violence and suffering, it is clear that “a military solution remains an illusion”and no combatant can determine the outcome of the conflict. Mr. Pederson also said that Syrians continue to suffer deeply. Just last month, they had to deal with airstrikes, more crossfire and shelling… Continue reading Military solution for Syria war remains ‘an illusion’: Pedersen

The attempted jailbreak began last Thursday with two coordinated car bomb attacks to free suspected ISIL members – sparking violence between ISIL fighters and Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) which control the prison, including in residential areas of Al-Hasekeh. “We are particularly disturbed by reports that a significant number of boys, possibly several hundred, are… Continue reading Syria: 700 child detainees held in prison under siege

Speaking by videoconference to journalists in New York, Mark Cutts said humanitarians had seen “some real horror scenes” in the last few days, especially in the northwest, where he said the camps were “bad at the best of times”. “Our humanitarian workers have been pulling people out from under collapsed tents”, he added. Mr. Cutts described a scenario where many people do not have shovels or other equipment to clear the snow, so… Continue reading Senior humanitarian describes ‘horror scenes’ in Syria camps

Taliban leaders in Afghanistan are institutionalizing large scale and systematic gender-based discrimination and violence against women and girls, independent UN human rights experts warned on Monday. The group of around three dozen Human Rights Council-appointed experts highlighted a “wave of measures” such as barring women from returning to their jobs, requiring a male relative to accompany them… Continue reading Experts decry measures to ‘steadily erase’ Afghan women and girls from public life

The man, known as Anwar R, was charged with complicity in the torture of thousands of people between 2011 and 2012 in the Al-Khatib Branch of Syrian General Intelligence in the capital, Damascus.   Renewed spotlight on atrocities  UN Human Rights High Commissioner, Michelle Bachelet said his trial cast a much-needed renewed spotlight on the torture… Continue reading Conviction of top Syrian intelligence official ‘a landmark leap forward’

Despite having been “around aircraft for so long” due to her personal and family history, Rasha admits that she still gets a “heart flutter” every she watches a plane take to the skies.  “It never gets ordinary being here”, she said.  Like mother, like daughter  Early last year, Rasha joined the World Food Programme’s (WFP) UNHAS team as an Aviation Assistant at Qamishli airport in Syria’s northeast. Prior to that, she’d worked in commercial aviation… Continue reading Each day ‘a new adventure’ for UN humanitarian air service worker  

A long-term lack of funding for the UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, now represents an “existential” threat, its top official warned on Thursday.   Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, said that chronic and drastic funding shortfalls could even precipitate its collapse.  “Today, austerity has reached its limit and is impacting the quality of our services”, he said, highlighting that despite “rampant” poverty, the agency can no longer increase… Continue reading Despite ‘rampant’ poverty, ‘existential’ lack of funding impedes UNRWA’s work

The UN food relief agency warned on Wednesday that it is running out of funds to continue providing food assistance to 13 million Yemenis. From January, eight million who are going hungry in Yemen will receive a reduced food ration, while five million others who are at immediate risk of slipping into famine, will remain… Continue reading Yemen alert: 8 million face reduced rations amid funding shortages

“This clearly also has damaging impact on prospects for peace and sustainable development for Israel, as well as the surrounding region”, she argued.   Ms. Bachelet was briefing the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in Geneva.   She argued that, “no matter how long the road has been, ‘never-ending’ cannot be an acceptable description for… Continue reading Bachelet describes ‘disastrous’ human rights situation across Occupied Palestinian Territory 

 Thanking the Governments of Jordan and Sweden for organizing the pledging conference for the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the UN chief pointed out the agency’s many accomplishments. In addition to providing more than half a million children with high quality education, investing in human development and offering… Continue reading Investing in UNRWA is ‘an investment in peace and hope’

In a statement released on Tuesday, the experts called on the Iranian authorities to repeal the ‘Youthful Population and Protection of the Family’ law, which was ratified by Iran’s Guardian Council on the first of November. The law, said the experts, severely restricts access to abortion, contraception, voluntary sterilization services and related information, in direct… Continue reading Iran death penalty threat for abortion unlawful: UN rights experts

Blaming a deadly combination fighting, climate change, COVID-19 and rising food and fuel costs, he said, “Mothers are telling me that with the upcoming winter they are caught between a rock and a hard place”. “They either feed their children, and let them freeze, or keep them warm and let them go hungry. They cannot… Continue reading Syria: Conflict, COVID and rising costs, ‘pushing people beyond their limits’

In a statement released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, UNICEF’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married… Continue reading Afghanistan: Girls at increasing risk of child marriage

Almost all international support came to a halt, and it seemed certain that for health workers in lifesaving facilities throughout the crisis-wracked nation, and the millions they serve, things would only get worse. But then, as one midwife* recalled, in testimony exclusively supplied to UN News, the support started coming, thanks to a groundbreaking new… Continue reading Salaries for Afghanistan health workers sends ‘message of hope’ to millions

UN Agencies and the Association International Development Agencies (AIDA) said on Tuesday they were standing firmly behind civil society organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, following an Israely military decision to de-authorize six NGOs.  In a statement released this Tuesday, the agencies said they regretted the decision, made on 7 November by the Military Commander in the West Bank, saying it represents “a… Continue reading Israeli military deauthorization of Palestine NGOs, ‘deepens concern’ of UN agencies

The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has condemned “in the strongest terms” the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, following a drone attack overnight on Sunday, aimed on his house in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone. According to news reports, the exploding drone caused damage to the residence and several of the Prime Minister’s security… Continue reading Iraq: UN condemns assassination attempt on Prime Minister ‘in the strongest terms’

Nearly 23 million people, or 55 per cent of the Afghan population, are estimated to be in crisis or experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity between now and March of next year.   Speaking to journalists in New York, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General pointed to reports that isolated clashes and violence affecting civilians and resulting in casualties continued countrywide this week.  In Jalalabad, in… Continue reading More than half of Afghans face food insecurity at ‘crisis’ or ‘emergency’ levels

Some women and girls being recruited in Viet Nam to serve as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, are suffering sexual abuse and torture, leading a group of UN independent human rights experts on Thursday to call on both nations to curb human trafficking.  “We are seeing traffickers targeting Vietnamese women and girls living in poverty, many of whom are already vulnerable… Continue reading UN experts call for protection of trafficked workers from Viet Nam in Saudi Arabia 

Israel’s plan to build thousands of new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has drawn strong condemnation from two independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.  Settlement expansion “tramples” on human rights law, Special Rapporteurs Michael Lynk and Balakrishnan Rajagopal said in a statement on Wednesday.  Solidifying a permanent presence  Nearly… Continue reading Israel settlement expansion ‘tramples’ on human rights law, experts contend

Human rights defenders in Afghanistan report that they are now enduring a “climate of fear”, threats, and becoming increasingly desperate over conditions in the country, an independent UN expert said on Wednesday.   Stating that “the threat is very real”, Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, called for an urgent coordinated response from the international community.  “Defenders tell me of direct threats, including gendered threats… Continue reading ‘Climate of fear’ prevails for human rights defenders in Afghanistan 

Masami Ogata is a survivor of Minamata Disease, a debilitating illness caused by industrial mercury poisoning, which originated in the Japanese town of the same name in the 1950s. As a UN conference on preventing future poisoning outbreaks gets underway, we hear Mr. Ogata’s story. As a storyteller at the Minamata Disease Municipal Museum, Mr.… Continue reading First Person: Telling the tragic story of mercury poisoning in Japan

Geir Pedersen reported on the sixth session of the Committee’s so-called “Small Body”, which he convened last week in Geneva.  [email protected] It is important that the Constitutional Committee continues its work with urgency & purpose – indeed that it works, as its ToRs say that it should, “expeditiously & continuously to produce results & continued… Continue reading Syria: Progress still possible, following ‘disappointment’ over constitutional talks

Independent UN human rights experts on Monday strongly condemned the decision by the Israeli Minister of Defence to designate six Palestinian human rights and civil society groups, as terrorist organisations.  In a joint statement, the experts called the decision “a frontal attack on the Palestinian human rights movement, and on human rights everywhere.”  “Silencing their voices is not what a democracy adhering to well-accepted human rights and… Continue reading UN experts condemn Israel’s designation of Palestine rights defenders as terrorist organisations 

The process of drafting a new constitution for Syria has been “a big disappointment” UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen concluded on Friday. Following the end of discussions in Geneva, a consensus on how to move forward was not achieved, he added. The drafting process between Government and opposition Co-Chairs of the Syrian Constitutional Committee (Small Drafting Body) and… Continue reading ‘Big disappointment’ over lack of Syria constitution agreement

Israel has been urged to either release or charge five Palestinian prisoners currently on hunger strike in Israeli prisons. Grave concerns have been expressed for the lives of the prisoners by UN independent rights experts, who on Thursday, called on the Israeli Government to completely end the “unlawful practice “ of administrative detention.  In a statement, the… Continue reading Fears grow for the lives of 5 Palestinians on hunger strike in Israeli prisons

Four children – three boys and a girl – were killed on Monday morning while travelling to school in northwest Syria, along with a teacher, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday. UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Ted Chaiban, said in a statement that they were victims of an… Continue reading Four children killed on their way to school in northwest Syria

Political stagnation is “fuelling tensions, instability and a deepening sense of hopelessness”, the top UN official working towards peace in the Middle East warned the Security Council on Tuesday.   “We should have no illusions about the current state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland said, describing a situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) that… Continue reading Build consensus or face ‘increasingly desperate reality’, warns Middle East envoy