Category: Pacific

According to Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, since its power grab and overthrow of the democratically-elected Government, the junta and its forces have murdered more than 1,100 people, arbitrarily detained more than 8,000, and forcibly displaced more than 230,000 civilians, bringing the total number of internally placed persons in Myanmar to well over half a million. Mr. Andrews described how junta-controlled… Read More

The unfolding situation has caused significant disruption and threatens Afghanistan’s critical winter wheat season, which is about to begin, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned, ahead of a major fundraising conference which is slated to take place in Geneva on 13 September.  Farmers cultivate potatoes in Bamyan, Afghanistan. Without urgent support, farmers and pastoralists could lose their livelihoods and be forced to… Read More

Michelle Bachelet informed a high-level event on safeguarding 20 years of international engagement in Afghanistan, that women have been “progressively excluded from the public sphere”, prohibited from appearing without a male guardian and face increasing restrictions on their right to work. “The Ministry that once promoted women’s rights has been disbanded, and its premises taken over by a Ministry for… Read More

“From what I have seen that future will likely be one of inequality, where the poor plays catch-up with the rich, with no hope nor chance of ever succeeding in closing the gap. We cannot, in all conscience, allow this to happen. An unjust order is inherently volatile,” he said.  The Head of State was speaking at UN Headquarters at the opening of the high-level week… Read More

“We are deeply worried”, UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said in a statement, “that many girls may not be allowed back at this time”. UNICEF welcomes news that secondary schools in Afghanistan will be open tomorrow after closing down for months due to COVID-19. We are deeply worried, however, that many girls may not be allowed back at this time. Girls… Read More

More than 90 per cent of families are struggling to find enough to eat, and with winter fast approaching, aid agencies have been “scrambling to meet massive needs before it is too late”, said WFP spokesperson, Tomson Phiri, who was speaking in Geneva.  The WFP-led Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has completed three cargo flights since the reopening of the air link to Kabul on… Read More

“Today, we have already heard clearly more than $1 billion in pledges…It represents a quantum leap in relation to the financial commitment of the international community towards the Afghan people,” said Mr. Guterres. UN relief chief Martin Griffiths confirmed in his closing remarks to the meeting that more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian and development aid in total had been… Read More

Leading the appeal in Geneva for $606 million to support emergency aid for 11 million people across the country, António Guterres said that even before the uncertainty caused by the Taliban takeover last month, people were in the grip of one of the worst crises in the world. The people of Afghanistan are facing a humanitarian calamity. This is the… Read More

OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva that on Wednesday, the Taliban issued an instruction prohibiting unauthorized assemblies. A day later, they ordered telecommunications companies to switch off access to the internet on mobile phones, in specific areas of the capital, Kabul.  Ms. Shamdasani said that, as Afghan women and men take to the streets during this time of great uncertainty, “it is crucial that those in power listen… Read More

“Enabling a resumption of a peaceful, inclusive, orderly and Yemeni-led political transition process that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people, as mandated by this Council, will not be easy. There are no quick wins”, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg said in his inaugural briefing. ‘Dizzying’ situation He painted a grim picture of six years of unabated armed conflict during… Read More