With more and more people stuck indoors for most of the day, it can be a struggle to remain physically and mentally healthy. However, the UN health agency (WHO) insists that it is more important than ever, and is achievable, even in small spaces, and without any equipment. There is also a wide range of free and accessible online tools,… Read More

In a reference to his repeated appeals for a ceasefire in conflicts around the world, to focus on the shared struggle to overcome the virus, the Secretary-General pointed out that violence is not confined to the battlefield, and that “for many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest: in their own homes”. Peace is not… Read More

“The latest bottleneck to contain and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Iraq has been the shortage of supplies and equipment needed to collect and transport samples,” Adham Ismail, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Iraq said on Sunday. In cooperation with WHO, the COVID-19 Crisis Cell of Basrah University in southern Iraq has produced 3,200 nasal swabs and… Read More

“The global coronavirus pandemic, which has already caused unimaginable devastation and hardship, has brought our way of life to an almost complete halt. The outbreak will have profound and lasting economic and social consequences in every corner of the globe. In the face of such turmoil, as the Secretary-General has indicated, COVID-19 will require a response like none before –… Read More

“Mines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices threaten some of the most vulnerable people in society”, Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message on the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, adding that “now, the world is facing a daunting pandemic”.  From Cambodia to Mozambique, in Angola and in Afghanistan, thousands of lives were… Read More

“Peacekeeping operations must be able to continue their critical work and to maintain operational capability, so we can deliver on our life-saving mandates –promoting conflict resolution and helping to protect the populations we serve, as well as our UN personnel”, said the UN chief of peacekeeping operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. In line with the Secretary-General’s call for an immediate global ceasefire,… Read More

In a joint statement released today, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN human rights office (OHCHR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that refugees, migrants and displaced persons are at heightened risk of contracting the new coronavirus disease.  “Three quarters of the world’s refugees and many migrants are hosted in developing regions where health… Read More

Ten days ago, António Guterres called for an immediate global ceasefire to help people in war-torn regions receive life-saving aid to fight the coronavirus pandemic.  “We know the pandemic is having profound social, economic and political consequences, including relating to international peace and security”, the UN chief said, in a virtual press conference outlining the impact so far of the… Read More

The Ritsona site – a one-hour drive from Athens – about 75 kilometres away – is one of 30 facilities on the Greek mainland that accommodate a total of more than 25,000 people. The authorities have put it under quarantine for the next 14 days after the first confirmed COVID-19 case emerged on Tuesday.  Its residents, including 252 unaccompanied children, have been… Read More

Across the Central Sahel in Africa – encompassing Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – more than five million people face severe food insecurity ahead of the coming lean season, according to data released by WFP and other humanitarian partners. The number of food-insecure people in #BurkinaFaso is expected to triple in the next lean season. And with #COVID19 reaching Central… Read More