Category: Europe

“Whatever one believes about the prospect of such a confrontation, the reality is that the current situation is extremely dangerous,” said Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, acknowledging reports of fresh ceasefire violations across the contact line just hours earlier, which if verified, “must not be allowed to escalate.” Call for intense diplomacy She called on all sides to exercise… Read More

Over the past two weeks, cases of the virus have more than doubled in six countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belaurus, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, said WHO Regional Director, Dr. Hans Kluge. “As anticipated, the Omicron wave is moving east – 10 eastern Member States have now detected this variant”, he added. ‘This remains a deadly… Read More

“I am deeply worried by the heightened tensions and increased speculation about a potential military conflict in Europe”, António Guterres told journalists, in a statement at UN Headquarters in New York. With Western powers and the Ukrainian Government voicing increasing concern over the likelihood of a Russian invasion, which Moscow has repeatedly denied it is planning, the UN chief said that… Read More

Valentina and Tetiana Denysenko were forced to flee Donetsk in eastern Ukraine after armed conflict broke out there seven years ago. They moved to the Kharkiv region and founded a mini-farm, Green for You, where they now grow lettuce, herbs, and microgreens – young shoots that are harvested as soon as they begin to grow. Every month, restaurants order 300… Read More

Two children – Illia, 15, and Afina, 9 – have shared how although they do not bear any physical scars from the war, now in its eighth year, mortar shells and shrapnel have left them with invisible wounds that are nonetheless painful.  “My life has changed a lot,” said Illia. “If it hadn’t been for the war, I wouldn’t have… Read More

When the conflict broke out between Government forces and mostly pro-Russian separatists, Yuri Zykov and his family were forced to leave their home in Horlivka, a town in the eastern Donbas region which came under heavy fire, and was badly damaged.They headed to Vinnytsia, in central Ukraine, where Mr. Zykov found that local citizens were welcoming and happy to help.… Read More

Addressing ambassadors, the UN political affairs chief reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s appeal that “there can be no alternative to diplomacy and dialogue”.  Highlighting the “complex and long-standing security concerns and threat perceptions that have been raised”, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, repeated that any military intervention involving Russia, or NATO alliance forces which are also now on high alert,… Read More

Eight companies, including Vietnamese labour recruitment agencies and Chinese construction firms registered in Serbia, have reportedly been implicated in serious human rights abuses, they said, citing information received.   The experts have written to the businesses and are also in contact with authorities in the three countries.   Appalling conditions  “We are deeply concerned that these migrant workers may have… Read More

If adopted, the Nationality and Borders Bill would “seriously undermine the protection of the human rights of trafficked persons, including children; increase risks of exploitation faced by all migrants and asylum seekers; and lead to serious human rights violations”, Siobhán Mullally, the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, said in a statement. “The bill fails to acknowledge the Government’s… Read More

UNHCR made the appeal in recommendations to France, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), and the Czech Republic, which assumes the presidency in July.   Although many EU countries remain committed to international human rights and refugee laws and principles, 2021 saw the continuation of violent pushbacks of asylum seekers at EU borders,… Read More