‘All-out assault’ on rights, safety and dignity, says UN chief — Global Issues

“Tragically, it is also a problem that is growing worse – especially for women and girls, who represent the majority of detected trafficked persons globally”. 

Separated and vulnerable

Conflicts, forced displacement, climate change, inequality and poverty, have left tens of millions of people around the world destitute, isolated and vulnerable.

And the COVID-19 pandemic has separated children and young people in general from their friends and peers, pushing them into spending more time alone and online.

“Human traffickers are taking advantage of these vulnerabilities, using sophisticated technology to identify, track, control and exploit victims,” explained the UN chief.

IOM Port of Spain

Venezuelan migrant Manuela Molina (not her real name) was promised a decent job in Trinidad, but minutes after her arrival she was forced into a van and taken to a secret location.

Cyber space trafficking

Often using the so-called “dark web”, online platforms allow criminals to recruit people with false promises.

And technology anonymously allows dangerous and degrading content that fuels human trafficking, including the sexual exploitation of children.

This year’s theme – Use and Abuse of Technology – reminds everyone that while it can enable human trafficking, technology can also be a critical tool in fighting it.

Join forces

The Secretary-General underscored the need for governments, businesses and civil society to invest in policies, laws and technology-based solutions that can identify and support victims, locate and punish perpetrators, and ensure a safe, open and secure internet.

“As part of 2023’s Summit of the Future, I have proposed a Global Digital Compact to rally the world around the need to bring good governance to the digital space,” he said, calling on the everyone to “give this issue the attention and action it deserves and work to end the scourge of human trafficking once and for all”.   

Tech dangers

In her message for the day, the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Waly, spoke more about the theme.

Acknowledging that digital technology has been “a vital lifeline” during pandemic restrictions, she warned that they are “being increasingly exploited by criminals”.

The borderless nature of information and communications technologies (ICT) enable traffickers to expand their reach and profits with even greater impunity.

More than 60 per cent of known human trafficking victims over the last 15 years have been women and girls, most of them trafficked for sexual exploitation.

And as conflicts and crises increase misery, countless others are in danger of being targeted with false promises of opportunities, jobs, and a better life.

Safeguard online spaces

To protect people, digital spaces must be shielded from criminal abuse by harnessing technologies for good.

“Partnerships with tech companies and the private sector can keep traffickers from preying on the vulnerable and stop the circulation of online content that amplifies the suffering of trafficking victims,” said Ms. Waly.

With the right support, law enforcement can use artificial intelligence, data mining and other tools to detect and investigate trafficking networks.

“On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, let us commit to preventing online exploitation and promoting the power of tech to better protect children, women and men, and support victims”, she concluded.

Trafficking in conflict

A group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts underscored that the international community must “strengthen prevention and accountability for trafficking in persons in conflict situations”.

Women and girls, particularly those who are displaced, are disproportionately affected by trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced and child marriage, forced labour and domestic servitude.

“These risks of exploitation, occurring in times of crisis, are not new. They are linked to and stem from existing, structural inequalities, often based on intersectional identities, gender-based discrimination and violence, racism, poverty and weaknesses in child protection systems,” the experts said.

Structural inequalities

Refugees, migrants, internally displaced and Stateless persons are particularly at risk of attacks and abductions that lead to trafficking.

And the dangers are increased by continued restrictions on protection and assistance, limited resettlement and family reunification, inadequate labour safeguards and restrictive migration policies.

“Such structural inequalities are exacerbated in the periods before, during and after conflicts, and disproportionately affect children”, they added.

Targeting schools

Despite links between armed group activities and human trafficking – particularly targeting children – accountability “remains low and prevention is weak,” according to the UN experts.

Child trafficking – with schools often targeted – is “linked to the grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict, including recruitment and use, abductions and sexual violence,” they said.

“Sexual violence against children persists, and often leads to trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy and forced marriage, as well as forced labour and domestic servitude”.

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Myanmar junta’s execution of four democracy activists condemned by UN — Global Issues

Thomas Andrews said he was “outraged and devastated” following what’s believed to be the first use of capital punishment in the Southeast Asian nation in decades.

The four – including activist Ko Jimmy and lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw – were convicted of helping to carry out alleged “terror acts”.

This cruel and regressive step is an extension of the military’s ongoing repressive campaign against its own people”, said High Commissioner Bachelet.

“These executions – the first in Myanmar in decades – are cruel violations of the rights to life, liberty and security of a person, and fair trial guarantees. For the military to widen its killing will only deepen its entanglement in the crisis it has itself created.”

Ms. Bachelet called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and others arbitrarily detained, and urged the country to reinstate its de-facto moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

Sentenced to death in closed-door trials in January and April, the four men had been accused of helping insurgents to fight the army that seized power in a coup on February 1 last year, and unleashed a bloody crackdown which has resulted in multiple rights abuses.

Violations of international law

The executions were carried out despite worldwide pleas for clemency for the four men, including from UN experts and Cambodia, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Mr Andrews condemned the decision to go ahead with the executions when they were announced in June. In a statement he said the men were “tried, convicted and sentenced…without the right of appeal and reportedly without legal counsel, in violation of international human rights law.”

He called for “strong action” from UN Member States against the “widespread and systematic murders of protesters, indiscriminate attacks against entire villages and now the execution of opposition leaders.”

The status quo of international inaction must be firmly rejected,” he added.

In June, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for charges to be dropped “against those arrested on charges related to the exercise of their fundamental freedoms and rights, and for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Myanmar”.

UN Special Rapporteurs such are tasked with specific thematic or country mandates by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, where they report back on their fact-finding or monitoring missions, usually at one of the forum’s three regular sessions a year. The expert positions within the Council’s Special Procedures section are honorary and incumbents are not paid for their work.

Prominent activists

Among those executed was Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former lawmaker from ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party. Also known as Maung Kyaw, he was convicted in January by a closed military court of offences involving possession of explosives, bombings and financing terrorism.

Phyo Zeya Thaw was arrested last November based on information from people detained for shooting security personnel, state media said at the time. He was also accused of being a key figure in a network that carried out what the military described as terrorist attacks in Yangon, the country’s biggest city.

Also executed was democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu, better known as Ko Jimmy, for violating the counterterrorism law. He was one of the leaders of the 88 Generation Students Group, veterans of a failed 1988 popular uprising against military rule.

He already had spent more than a dozen years behind bars for political activism before his arrest in Yangon last October. He had been put on a wanted list for social media postings that allegedly incited unrest, and state media said he was accused of terrorist acts including mine attacks and of heading a group called Moon Light Operation to carry out urban guerrilla attacks.

The other two, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, were convicted of torturing and killing a woman in March 2021 who they allegedly believed was a military informer.

First execution since 1976

The last judicial execution to be carried out in Myanmar is generally believed to have been of another pro-democracy activist, student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo, in 1976 under a previous military government led by dictator Ne Win.

In 2014, during the period of democratic reform, the sentences of prisoners on death row were commuted to life imprisonment, but several dozen convicts received death sentences between then and last year’s takeover.



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Cost of living crisis hits poorest the hardest, warns UNCTAD — Global Issues

UNCTAD’s analysis shows that a 10 per cent increase in food prices will trigger a five per cent decrease in the incomes of the poorest families, roughly equivalent to the amount those families would normally spend on healthcare.

As consumers try to reduce their spending, they will pay a high price if they buy cheaper, but unsafe products. The United States reports 43,000 deaths and 40 million injuries per year associated with consumer products, with yearly costs of over $3,000 per capita.

“Governments must strive to continue and succeed in their long-term mission of protecting their consumers, a mission of renewed relevance today,” said UNCTAD Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan at the organization’s intergovernmental meeting on consumer protection held on 18 and 19 July.

Cross-border threat

Keeping consumers safe is generally a top priority for governments around the world. UNCTAD research shows , with a developed network of laws and standards promoting product safety.

While more developed countries have put in place product safety frameworks, including laws, enforcement institutions, recall mechanisms and communication campaigns, developing countries with weaker systems, UNCTAD said, are less able to regulate the scourge of unsafe products.

More international cooperation is therefore needed to improve product safety for all.

In 2020 UNCTAD adopted its first recommendation on product safety. It aims to curb the flow of unsafe products being traded internationally, by strengthening ties among consumer product safety authorities and sensitizing businesses and consumers.

‘Huge potential’

UNCTAD’s recommendation offers a huge potential for protecting consumers in my country and in yours, if implemented on a broad scale,” said Alexander Hoehn-Saric, chair of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. “By working together, we can improve product safety for all our consumers.”

UNCTAD says consumers’ vulnerability is heightened since they may be unaware that health or safety requirements vary from country to country and may assume that all products on sale online are safe.

As consumers often underestimate risk and may decide to purchase the cheapest products out of financial necessity.

“Product safety is one of the key pillars or drivers of consumer trust,” said Helena Leurent, director general of Consumers International, “the lack of consumer understanding is a substantive challenge,” she added.

Regional is safer

According to UNCTAD’s World Consumer Protection Map, 60 per cent of countries lack experience in cross-border enforcement when it comes to consumer protection.

“Most countries in Africa do not have the capacity or experience to deal with the distribution of unsafe products,” said Willard Mwemba, CEO of the COMESA Competition Commission, “but regional efforts can build those capacities and benefit all participating countries.”

High-level officials participating in the UNCTAD meeting agreed that preventing cross-border distribution of known unsafe consumer products is a priority for countries, as it can improve consumer confidence and boost sustainable economic development.



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UN expert hails historic reparations ruling in favour of indigenous peoples — Global Issues

The historic ruling follows a landmark judgment delivered by the Court on 26 May 2017, finding that the Government of Kenya had violated the right to life, property, natural resources, development, religion and culture of the Ogiek, under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

‘Important step’

This judgment and award of reparations marks another important step in the struggle of the Ogiek for recognition and protection of their rights to ancestral land in the Mau Forest, and implementation of the 2017 judgment of the African Court,” said Francisco Calí Tzay, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.

The Court ordered the Government of Kenya to pay compensation of 57,850,000 Kenya Shillings (approximately $488,000), for material prejudice for loss of property and natural resources, and a further 100,000,000 Shillings for moral prejudice suffered by Ogiek people, “due to violations of the right to non-discrimination, religion, culture and development”, according to a statement issued by the UN human rights office, OHCHR.

In addition, the Court ordered non-monetary reparations, including the restitution of Ogiek ancestral lands and full recognition of the Ogiek as indigenous peoples.

The Court also requires the Kenyan Government to undertake delimitation, demarcation, and titling, to protect Ogiek rights to property revolving around occupation, use and enjoyment of the Mau Forest and its resources.

Furthermore, the court ordered Kenya to take necessary legislative, administrative or other measures to recognise, respect and protect the right of the Ogiek to be consulted with regard to development, conservation or investment projects in their ancestral lands.

They must be granted the right to give or withhold their free and informed consent to these projects to ensure minimal damage to their survival, the ruling said.

Expert testimony

The independent UN rights expert Mr. Calí Tzay, provided expert testimony to the Court in the landmark case, based on the mandate’s long-standing engagement in the promotion and protection of the rights of the Ogiek.

I welcome this unprecedented ruling for reparations and acknowledge that the decision sends a strong signal for the protection of the land and cultural rights of the Ogiek in Kenya, and for indigenous peoples’ rights in Africa and around the world,” he said.

The UN expert urged the Government of Kenya to respect the Court’s decision and proceed to implement this judgement and the 2017 ruling by the court without delay.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not paid for their work.

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Bachelet calls for impartial, ‘transparent investigation’ into Uzbekistan protest deaths — Global Issues

“The reports we have received about serious violence, including killings, during the protests are very concerning,” said High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, while calling on authorities to “exercise utmost restraint”. 

Death toll

According to the Prosecutor General’s office, 18 people were killed and 243 injured, including 94 seriously, during the clashes between protesters and security forces in the regional capital, Nukus.

But the actual number of casualties may be far higher, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

While the identities of those who died was not immediately clear, they reportedly suffered bullet wounds to the head and body.

I urge the authorities to immediately open a transparent and independent investigation – UN rights chief

“To ensure accountability, I urge the authorities to immediately open a transparent and independent investigation into any allegations of criminal acts committed in that context, including violations by agents of the State,” said Ms. Bachelet.

Protesting to secede

Around the autonomous region, thousands protested against planned constitutional changes that would have stripped the Republic of Karakalpakstan of its constitutional right to secede, which is based on a nationwide referendum.

The President said on Saturday those plans would be dropped.

Crushing dissent

After the violence, media reported a heavy military presence in the city, as the Government imposed emergency regulations, including a curfew and internet shutdown.

The city was reportedly quiet over the weekend and yesterday.

However, during and after the protests, more than 500 people were detained.

The UN human rights chief expressed concern that one person had already been charged and faces up to 20 years imprisonment “for conspiracy to seize power or overthrow the constitutional order”.

“People should not be criminalized for exercising their rights,” she said.

Freedom to assemble peacefully

All detainees should have prompt access to a lawyer, their due process and fair trial guarantees, according to Ms. Bachelet.

“Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Uzbekistan is a State Party, everyone has the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and the right to participate in public affairs”.

She urged the Government to immediately restore internet access, stressing that such a ban has an indiscriminate reach and broadly impacts the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, and access to information.

The High Commissioner also reminded authorities that restrictions under emergency law must abide by international law; be necessary, proportionate and non-discriminatory; of a limited in duration; and include key safeguards against excesses.

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Haitian children at mercy of armed gangs as schools close — Global Issues

Steve (not his real name) dreamed of becoming a schoolteacher when his life was turned upside down last year. Due to the upsurge in gang-related violence in his neighborhood, his school was closed, and the 15-year-old found himself roaming around on the streets, at the mercy of armed groups. “I joined the gang in February 2021. They saw me walking and called me and asked me to work for them. There were other children like me.”

According to a report published by two local youth-focused organizations 13 per cent of the children surveyed in one troubled neighbourhood in the capital, Port-au-Prince, say they have been in direct or indirect contact with members of armed gangs as they tried to recruit them. 

I’ll be killed if I leave the gang

They offer to pay the children a lot of money, while threatening to kill them if they don’t comply. “Every day, as soon as they send me to watch the police, they will pay me 1,500 or 2,500 Haitian gourdes ($15-25). They told me they’ll kill me if I don’t want to stay with them,” says Steve.

In 2021, clashes between rival armed gangs erupted in some urban areas of the capital Port-au-Prince. More than 19,000 people including 15,000 women and children have been forced to flee their homes due to acts of violence such as killings, kidnappings; hundreds of houses have been burned or damaged. 

This year, the gang war has intensified. Since 24 April, half a million children have lost access to education in Port-au-Prince where some 1,700 schools are closed, according to government figures.

© UNICEF/Joseph

Steve talks to a UNICEF case worker.

Broken childhood

Steve led a peaceful life as a suburban child. He played with his younger brother and two younger sisters, and thoroughly enjoyed his childhood with his grandmother. “I used to ride my bike, play video games and watch movies until dark. Sometimes, I went to fetch water for my grandmother and I also cleaned the house,” he recalls. 

Violence is impacting an increasing number of schools and has shattered the dream of many children. An education ministry assessment between April and May 2022 of 859 schools in Port-au-Prince revealed that 31 per cent of had been attacked, and over 50 had closed their doors to students. A large number of schools have been occupied by gangs or are serving as temporary accommodation for families displaced by violence. 

The number of students in classes has fallen from 238,000 at the start of the gang crisis in April to 184,000 now.

UNDP Haiti/Borja Lopetegui Gonzalez

Gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is terrorizing adults and children alike.

Child rights violations

Violence, school closures and idleness lead inexorably to the enrollment of children into armed groups. “There are always shootings where I live and often people cannot get out. The schools are closed, and we are all abandoned in the streets. When you live on the street, you become a street child, and that’s what gets us into gangs,” says Steve.

“Giving children weapons to fight and using them as soldiers or spies is a violation to their child rights and condemned by both national and international laws,” says Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. “It saddens me that children who are willing to learn and teachers willing to educate cannot do so because they feel unsafe. Children must be able to attend school safely, play freely and enjoy being a child and given a chance to develop to their fullest potential.”

Steve has now been caught and is awaiting trial on charges related to his gang activity. While in detention, he is being helped by the UNICEF-supported Brigade for the Protection of Minors (BPM).
 

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Five things you should know about the International Criminal Court — Global Issues

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Court on 1 July 2022, here are five ways that the ICC is helping build a more just world.

1) Trying the gravest crimes

The ICC was created with the “millions of children, women and men” in mind who “have been victims of unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of humanity”. It is the world’s first permanent, treaty-based, international criminal court to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, and the crime of aggression. 

During the first twenty years of its operations, the ICC has tried and resolved cases of significance for international justice, shedding light on the crimes of using child soldiers, the destruction of cultural heritage, sexual violence, or attacks of innocent civilians. Through its judgments in exemplary cases, it is gradually building authoritative case law. 31 cases were opened. Its judges have pronounced 10 convictions and 4 acquittals. 

The Court has 17 ongoing investigations into some of the world’s most violent conflicts, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Georgia, and Ukraine. 

2) Involving victims

The Court does not only try and punish those responsible for the most serious crimes, but also ensures that the voices of the victims are heard. Victims are those who have suffered harm as a result of the commission of any crime within the Court’s jurisdiction.

Victims participate in all stages of ICC judicial proceedings. More than 10,000 victims of atrocities have participated in proceedings, and the Court maintains direct contact with communities affected by crimes within its jurisdiction through outreach programs.

The Court also seeks to protect the safety and physical and psychological integrity of victims and witnesses. Although victims cannot bring cases, they can bring information to the Prosecutor, including to decide whether to open an investigation. 

The ICC Trust Fund for Victims is currently making the Court’s first orders on reparations a reality. Through its assistance programs, the Fund has also provided physical, psychological and socio-economic support to more than 450,000 victims.

3) Ensuring fair trials

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt before the ICC. Each defendant is entitled to public and impartial proceedings.

At the ICC, suspects and accused persons have critical rights, including: to be informed of the charges; to have adequate time and facilities to prepare their defence; to be tried without undue delay; to freely choose a lawyer; to receive exculpatory evidence from the Prosecutor.

Among these rights is the right to follow the proceedings in a language the accused fully understands; amongst others. This has led to the Court hiring specialised interpreters and translators in more than 40 languages, and sometimes using, simultaneously, four languages during the same hearing.

In its first 20 years, participants were faced with a diversity of new substantive and procedural challenges, miles away from the crime scenes. In addition, the crimes prosecuted by the ICC are of a specific nature and often mass crimes requiring important amount of evidence and a lot of efforts to ensure the safety of the witnesses. The proceedings are complex and there are many matters that need to be resolved behind the scenes over the course of a case.  

4) Complementing national courts

The Court does not replace national courts. It is a court of last resort. States have the primary responsibility to investigate, try and punish the perpetrators of the most serious crimes. The Court will only step in if the State in which serious crimes under the Court’s jurisdiction have been committed is unwilling or unable to genuinely address those. 

Serious violence is escalating rapidly around the world. The Court‘s resources remain limited and it can only deal with a small number of cases at the same time. The Court works hand in hand with national and international tribunals.

5)    Building more support for justice

With the support of 123 States Parties, from all continents, the ICC has established itself as a permanent and independent judicial institution. But unlike national judicial systems, the Court does not have its own police. It depends on the cooperation of states, including to implement its arrest warrants or summonses. Nor does it have territory to relocate witnesses who are at risk. The ICC thus depends, to a large extent, on the support and cooperation of States. 

As the Court marks its 20th birthday, it is calling on States worldwide to renew their support by providing political and financial support, arresting suspects and freezing their assets, adopting implementing legislation that enacts key Rome Statute provisions in national legislation, and by signing voluntary cooperation agreements including relocation agreements for ICC witnesses.  

Only with the joint and renewed commitment of the international community can the ICC realize its promises of more justice and reconciliation for all.
 

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UN’s Bachelet concerned over Ukraine orphans ‘deported’ to Russia for adoption — Global Issues

Michelle Bachelet told the Human Rights Council that her Office, OHCHR, has been looking into the allegations that youngsters have been taken from orphanages in Donbas, where Russia has steadily gained ground amidst intense fighting in recent weeks.

“OHCHR cannot yet confirm these allegations or the number of children who could be in such a situation,” Ms. Bachelet said. “We are concerned about the alleged plans of the Russian authorities to allow the movement of children from Ukraine to families in the Russian Federation, which do not appear to include steps for family reunification or respect the best interests of the child.”

Institutional care

Before the Russian invasion on 24 February, there were more than 91,000 children in Ukraine’s orphanages, boarding schools and other institutions for youngsters, according to UN Children’s Fund UNICEF.

In a statement, the UN agency said that it was aware of reports that Russia “may be modifying existing legislation to facilitate the fast-tracking of adoption” of orphans from the Donbas.

“UNICEF is of the view that adoption should never occur during or immediately after emergencies. Children separated from their parents during a humanitarian emergency cannot be assumed to be orphans. Every opportunity should be provided for family reunification.”

Probe latest

At a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday, the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine – created at the request of Member States in March by the Human Rights Council – said that testimonies it had received indicated that “there is a significant number of children disappeared in temporarily occupied territories, particularly children from institutions”.

For the moment, however, there is “not clear evidence” on the number of missing youngsters from State-run centres, and it is very difficult to confirm reports that they have been taken to Russia and given citizenship, said Jasminka Dzumhur, one of three investigators making up the panel.

At a scheduled press conference in the Ukrainian capital to mark the investigators’ first visit to the country, Commission of Inquiry chairman Erik Mose said that the panel had travelled to Bucha, Irpin, Kharkiv and Sumy, sites of suspected war crimes.

Painful testimony

“In Bucha and Irpin, the Commission received information about arbitrary killing of civilians, destruction and looting of property, as well as attacks on civilian infrastructure, including schools,” Mr. Mose said.

“In Kharkiv and Sumy region, the Commission observed the destruction of large urban areas, allegedly as a consequence of aerial bombings, shelling, or missile strikes against civilian targets.”

In accordance with its mandate, the Commission also heard accounts from internally displaced persons including those from eastern Ukraine which it intends to examine further.

These testimonies included “stories of destruction of civilian property, looting, the confinement, mistreatment and disappearance of civilians, as well as reports about rapes and other forms of sexual abuse,” said Commission member Ms. Dzumhur.

Describing the panel’s 10 days of work as “productive”, Mr. Mose noted that individuals had shared their “painful stories” which if confirmed, “may support claims that serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, perhaps reaching war crimes and crimes against humanity, have been committed in the areas”.

In coming weeks and months, the Commission will visit other areas of Ukraine before updating the Human Rights Council in September.

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Terrorist groups ‘exploiting power vacuums’, UN chief warns — Global Issues

Mr. Guterres was addressing the latest meeting of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact, which brings together UN agencies, Member States and other partners.   

The terrorism threat to Africa is increasing, he told participants.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 48 per cent of deaths attributed to terrorist groups globally last year.  

Exploiting fragilities 

“Groups like Al-Qaida, Da’esh and their affiliates are continuing to grow in the Sahel and make inroads into Central and Southern Africa.  They are exploiting power vacuums, longstanding inter-ethnic strife, internal weaknesses and state fragilities,” he said

In conflict-affected countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya and Somalia, terrorism has intensified cycles of violence, fuelling further instability, undermining peace efforts, and setting back development goals.  

Meanwhile, in largely peaceful countries, such as Mozambique and Tanzania, terrorists are now seeking to exploit and manipulate societal grievances and mistrust in governments.   

Reconciliation and reintegration 

Despite these challenges, Mr. Guterres was convinced that progress is possible, based on his visit last month to Borno State in northern Nigeria.   

Formerly a stronghold of the extremist group Boko Haram, the region is now on the road to reconciliation and reintegration.  

“I was so impressed by the meetings I had with former fighters in one of the centres, with the meetings I had with victims and with this sense that Boko Haram, that was born in Borno State, is now clearly losing ground because the people have assumed largely, themselves, the capacity to undermine the work and the terrorist actions of Boko Haram,” he said.   

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

UN Secretary-General António Guterres meets children at Bulumkutu Interim Care Centre in Maiduguri in Borno State.

Put human rights first 

The Secretary-General stressed that the international community cannot effectively address terrorism without tackling the conditions conducive to its spread, such as weak institutions, inequalities, poverty, hunger, and injustice. 

 The UN’s Counter Terrorism Strategy takes an integrated and holistic approach to the issue, which calls for investing in health, education, protection, gender equality and justice systems accessible to all.   

“It means creating truly democratic systems and processes, so every person can have a voice in the future of their communities and countries – and trust that their voices will be heard and reflected,” he said.  “It means placing human rights and rule of law as the foundation of our work.”  

Mr. Guterres said the UN Counter-Terrorism Compact will continue to support countries in their counter-terror efforts, including through technical assistance, capacity-building, and in helping to build institutions that focus on people and are grounded in human rights and the rule of law.   

The Compact is the largest coordination framework across the UN’s three pillars of work: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights and humanitarian affairs. 

It was developed following the establishment of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in June 2017, considered the Secretary-General’s first major institutional reform after taking office that January. 

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‘Courage and conviction’ of youth needed for successful crime fighting solutions — Global Issues

“Young people are also amongst the most vulnerable to victimization, particularly around gang-related crime, violent extremism, and sexual exploitation – all the while lacking sufficient coverage or protection,” said Abdulla Shahid, speaking at the first completely in-person debate of the General Assembly in New York, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key change agents  

By virtue of their age, energies and learning abilities, the senior UN official described young people as “key agents of change in effectively addressing many world challenges”. 

“Their importance in crime prevention is no different, and they deserve a greater say and contribution in how this is undertaken,” he said, reminding that this means providing them with safe and supportive environments to prevent involvement in criminal activities.

This includes initiatives such as school counselling, substance abuse treatment and problem-oriented policing.  

“It means also addressing risk factors that lead young people to engage in violence and crime, including on the developing and human rights fronts and involving young people in decision making…as it pertains to crime prevention, justice, and the rule of law,” he added.

Empowering youth 

Empowering youth has been “a keystone” of Mr. Shahid’s presidency.

He has engaged with them in visits around the world, all the while urging States to adopt multi-sectoral crime prevention policies and programmes, specifically geared to youth. 

“By empowering young people – by bringing them into the process and giving them ownership, as well as hearing their concerns and suggestions, we can strengthen the system and make our communities safer for everyone.” 

Youth involvement

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed stressed that given how impacted they are by crime, young people had a vested interest in finding effective solutions to prevent it, adding that “we need young people” in the debate.

Ms. Mohammed emphasized that because education is critical in shaping more crime-resilient societies, it is imperative to invest in further education that is “grounded in integrity.”

She closed by arguing that “every step of the way,” we must listen to and respect youth in formulating crime policies.

A vulnerable world

Meanwhile, Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN drugs and crime prevention office, UNODC, flagged that an increasingly fragile world, meant one that is one more vulnerable to crime.

“Hardship and instability create the conditions for crime, violence, violent extremism, and corruption to flourish, and they hold back young people in every way,” she said.

“The rule of law is under threat around the world, and the values, conditions, and opportunities that young people need to thrive are undermined”.

Invest in youth

Calling the Assembly debate “timely,” the UNODC chief noted that young people continue to be confronted by crises and anxieties that threaten their hopes and futures.

“From conflicts to the climate emergency and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world we are leaving future generations feels more fragile and less secure than ever,” she said, adding, “we need the courage and conviction of youth, now, more than ever”.

While a long-term vision is “our best hope”, Ms. Waly underscored that it can only succeed if we “invest in young people, and they in turn are invested in changing their world for the better and making it safer for all”.

Branding youth

Youth Representative Junbert Pabon, from the Philippines, highlighted the experiences of youngsters written off as “criminals” at an early stage, warning that incarcerating them in adult facilities, just created a breeding ground for more hardened criminality.

Moreover, he noted that some branded as criminals, prove the sceptics wrong and given a second chance, or a chance to clear their name, emerge later as important “peacemakers”, who can steer others away from the wrong path.



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