Month: June 2022
‘Surprise’ early heatwave in Europe, harbinger of things to come |
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the intense heatwave made its way from North Africa. The UN agency explained that an Atlantic low-pressure system between the Azores and Madeira is fuelling the warm front, pushing it towards western Europe. 10 degrees above normal And although it’s only mid-June, temperatures in some parts of Spain and…
Read MoreSexual violence in conflict ‘terrorizes populations, destroys lives and fractures communities’ |
In his message for the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, commemorated on Sunday, Secretary-General António Guterres also observed that perpetrators rarely face the consequences of their actions. “It is the survivors who carry the burden of stigma and trauma throughout their lives, often doubly brutalized by harmful social norms and victim-blaming”.…
Read MoreBuilding peace: Plotting a route towards democracy in The Gambia |
For Isatou Ceesay and Tombong Njie, the term “witch hunt” is not metaphorical. Under the regime of former dictator Yahya Jammeh, they were both literally condemned as witches. “He held people in custody, tortured them, and that was the end of them,” says Ms. Ceesay. “We were so embarrassed to go out. We are not…
Read MoreHate speech ‘dehumanizes individuals and communities’: Guterres |
“It promotes racism, xenophobia and misogyny; it dehumanizes individuals and communities; and it has a serious impact on our efforts to promote peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development,” underscored Secretary-General António Guterres. Dangerous words He explained that words can be weaponized and cause physical harm. The escalation from hate speech to violence, has…
Read MoreUN expert urges UK to halt transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda |
“There are serious risks that the international law principle of non-refoulement will be breached by forcibly transferring asylum seekers to Rwanda,” said Siobhán Mullally, the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children. “People seeking international protection, fleeing conflict and persecution, have the right to seek and enjoy asylum – a fundamental tenet of…
Read MoreA record 37 million children displaced worldwide: UNICEF |
This figure includes 13.7 million child refugees and asylum-seekers, and nearly 22.8 million, who are internally displaced due to conflict and violence. However, not included are children displaced by climate and environmental shocks or disasters, as well as those newly displaced in 2022, including by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The record number of children displaced…
Read MoreHaiti must remain at ‘forefront’ of international agenda, Security Council hears |
She called for greater support for the Caribbean nation as protracted insecurity and prolonged political uncertainty, together with the dire economic situation and growing humanitarian needs, are severely hampering development and undermining peacebuilding efforts. Briefing the Security Council, Special Representative Helen La Lime called on Member States to provide greater support to #Haiti and…
Read MoreAmid ‘inhumane’ conditions, Bachelet urges Nicaragua to release all detainees |
Delivering her latest update on the country to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ms. Bachelet said scores of people remain locked up in the wake of political, human rights and electoral crises over the past four years. Widespread protests broke out in Nicaragua in April 2018 after President Daniel Ortega announced planned social…
Read MoreMore than 100 million now forcibly displaced: UNHCR report |
“Every year of the last decade, the numbers have climbed,” said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi. “Either the international community comes together to take action to address this human tragedy, resolve conflicts and find lasting solutions, or this terrible trend will continue.” Today, one in every 78 people on earth is displaced; it’s a “dramatic milestone”…
Read MoreSanctions on Russia already hitting remittance-dependent countries in Central Asia: IOM |
The countries of Central Asia retain their Soviet-era socio-economic and political ties with the Russian Federation. Migration, and in particular remittances, is at the center of this intricate, historical relationship, say Hyo Jeong Jung, IOM Labour Migration Specialist based in Kyrgyzstan, and Michael Newson, Senior Regional Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion Specialist, based at IOM in…
Read More