Month: November 2022
Home is a deadly place for many women and girls, UN report reveals
The study by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women was issued ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, observed annually on 25 November. Of the 81,000 women and girls intentionally killed last year, 45,000 – around 56 per cent – died at the hands of…
Read MoreAt Fez Forum, UN chief calls for global ‘alliance of peace’ recognizing inclusion and richness of diversity
Mr. Guterres was speaking at the opening of the 9th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) which is taking place in Fez, Morocco. “The forces of division and hate are finding fertile ground in a landscape marred by injustice and conflicts,” said Mr. Guterres, calling for the creation of an alliance of peace…
Read MoreYemen: Humanitarian and economic issues must be addressed, Security Council hears
In providing an overview of the situation after the 2 October truce expiration, Hans Grundberg said that in recent weeks, Houthi forces, known as Ansar Allah, attacked oil terminals and ports in Hadramawt and Shabwa governorates, depriving the Government of its main source of revenue from exporting oil. “These attacks…have significant economic repercussions”, he said.…
Read MoreHealing Haiti in the face of an increase in sexual violence
Claudine* looks across a sweeping valley high above the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. The lushness of the tropical vegetation, the cool fresh air and the low-hanging clouds are in stark contrast to the dusty, hot and suffocating backstreets of Petionville, lower down the valley, where four years ago she was the victim of sexual abuse which…
Read MoreCentral African Republic: UN chief strongly condemns airfield attack which left one peacekeeper dead
In a statement, the UN integrated stabilization mission in CAR, MINUSCA, said the attack at the Obo airfield near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, had taken place on Thursday morning, and that the mission had “immediately opened an investigation into the exact circumstances” surrounding the incident. Likely war…
Read MoreNearly 40 million children susceptible to measles due to COVID-19 disruptions
Pandemic-related disruptions caused 25 million boys and girls to miss their first dose of the measles vaccine last year, while another 14.7 million did not get the second dose. The record decline in measles vaccination coverage represents a significant setback in global progress to combat the disease. Pandemic paradox “The paradox of the pandemic is…
Read MoreUkraine: Missile strikes, summary executions highlight importance of international law
“Millions are being plunged into extreme hardship and appalling conditions of life by these strikes”, he said. “Taken as a whole, this raises serious problems under international humanitarian law, which requires a concrete and direct military advantage for each object attacked”. Racking up casualties According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU),…
Read MoreFirst Person: The Liberian police inspector working to end sexual and gender-based violence
“I am in charge of cases pertaining to women and children in Nimba county. The most prevalent cases I handle here are rape, persistent non-support (failure to pay alimony) and domestic violence. Rape is the most commonly reported of these cases. It is a very difficult issue to work on, even for those of us…
Read MoreEliminate violence against women, most widespread, pervasive human rights violation
In a statement kicking off the “UNiTE! Activism to End Violence against Women and Girls campaign”, they reminded that an estimated one in three women experience gender-based violence during her lifetime. Moreover, that last year, nearly one in five 20- to 24-year-old women had been married before turning 18 and less than 40 per cent…
Read MoreTaliban’s draconian violations against women may amount to crimes against humanity
“In recent months, violations of women and girls’ fundamental rights and freedoms in Afghanistan, already the most severe and unacceptable in the world, have sharply increased”, they said. In a statement pushing back on the Taliban’s violations, the Special Rapporteurs argued that gender persecution is a crime against humanity, which can be prosecuted under international…
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