Category: Pacific

According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), almost all refugees remain entirely dependent on food assistance to survive.   “The availability of foods in camps, outside of WFP assistance, has been shrinking and prices rising,” Elisabeth Byrs, a spokesperson for the UN agency, told a media briefing on Tuesday.  Disrupted supply chains due to COVID-19 lockdown measures are also affecting… Read More

Eli Hobbs is the Chief Pilot for Jack Harter Helicopters based on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. He spoke to UN News as part of the International Labour Organization’s photography project “Dignity at Work: The American Experience”. “When Hawaii went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the middle of March, our activities were totally shut down. Obviously, tourists… Read More

Dennis Chimenya In an interview with UN News, Mr. Chimenya, who leads UNICEF’s communications activities, outlines the problems that he and his colleagues face in raising awareness of the crucial health benefits of polio vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As a young boy growing up in Malawi, I remember being impressed by the positive impact and influence that radio had… Read More

“The COVID-19 pandemic has added additional complexities,” UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic told journalists the regular news briefing in Geneva. 3️⃣ years of exile 3️⃣ years of resilience 3️⃣ years of generosity from their hosts The world must not forget the Rohingya people. We must protect their dignity and their hope. pic.twitter.com/hxEmld2atH — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) August 21,… Read More

“We are saddened and appalled by the ongoing violence and threats against human rights defenders in the Philippines, including the killing of two human rights defenders over the past two weeks,” Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said at a regular media briefing.  Randall “Randy” Echanis, an agrarian reform advocate… Read More

Advances such as in coronavirus genome mapping, scaled-up testing, contact tracing to identify and isolate infections – and geographic information systems and satellite imagery – have provided new insights on how the disease spreads.  Divide now ‘very real’  However, with nearly 52 per cent of the region’s 4.3 billion people offline and denied access to such innovations, there are fears… Read More

Rizvi Hassan, architect, by © Rizvi Hassan The centre, designed and built by Rohingyas, provides counselling and training to the women and girls, as part of a project by Bangladeshi NGO BRAC and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Mr. Hassan shares his story as part of the #RealLifeHeroes campaign, by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),… Read More

From across the region, the UN in the Pacific brought together artists UN leaders, heads of State and international celebrities in the world’s first regional COVID-19 concert. “I’m very proud to be part of this historic event”, said Tofiga Fepulea’i, who hosted the concert in character as the popular television persona ‘Aunty Tala’. “Now is the time for us to… Read More

“Already by August, Afghanistan has far exceeded last year’s figures”, said Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.  She issued a joint statement with three other UN Human Rights Council-mandated Special Rapporteurs, saying that “impunity allows the perpetuation of such crimes and implies a lack of recognition for human rights defenders’ role in society”. Noting that… Read More

Mr. Haryono was born in Klaten, a small town in Central Java, near Mount Merapi. Many people live on the flanks of the mountain, even though it is the most active volcano in the country, and has claimed many lives during its frequent eruptions. © BASARNAS Agus Haryono, International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) member from Basarnas, Indonesia. Mr.… Read More