Tag: UN News

UN officials call for durable solution to end the war in Syria — Global Issues

For UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, this was an opportunity to remember the countless lives lost, and recall the abuses and suffering of millions, including those who have been forcibly displaced, or who remain arbitrarily detained, disappeared and missing. 

War cannot endure 

“The situation in Syria is untenable and to carry on in the same manner, defies humanity and logic,” he said.   

Furthermore, the challenges faced in responding to the deadly earthquakes last month “were a stark reminder that the status quo is unsustainable and indefensible,” he added. 

‘Depoliticise’ earthquake relief 

Northern Syria and southern Türkiye were struck by earthquakes on 6 February, which killed more than 50,000 people across both countries and caused widespread devastation. 

Close to nine million people in Syria have been affected, with the worst damage occurring in the northwest, the last opposition stronghold. 

Mr. Pedersen stressed the “collective humanitarian imperative to depoliticise relief efforts”, highlighting the need for access via all modalities, generous resources, and sustained calm. 

Political solution necessary 

“But we cannot limit our collective efforts to the humanitarian response alone. Syria is devastated, divided, and impoverished, in an active state of conflict, its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity compromised,” he said. 

“Without a comprehensive political solution to resolve these issues, one that restores Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and enables the Syrian people to live in dignity and chart their own future, Syrians’ pain will endure.” 

Possible ‘turning point’ 

 The envoy said the earthquakes “can be a turning point”, as evidenced by recent “humanitarian steps from all sides that have moved beyond previous positions, even if temporarily.” 

“We need to see the same logic applied on the political front, to help find a way forward,” he said, referring to actions such as step-for-step confidence building measures, resuming and substantively advancing constitutional talks, and working towards a nationwide ceasefire. 

Untold losses, record needs 

Meanwhile, two of the UN’s top aid officials focused on the untold suffering the Syrian people have endured since the war began, including loss of life, livelihood, home and hope. 

The joint statement was issued by the interim UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Muhannad Hadi. 

“Syria remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian and protection emergencies with 15.3 million people across the country assessed to be in need of humanitarian assistance this year – the highest number of people in need since the onset of the conflict,” they said. 

Struggling to survive 

Syria is also among the largest displacement crises in the world.  Some 6.8 million people have been uprooted inside the country, many several times over, and roughly just as many are living as refugees abroad. 

Additionally, millions of Syrians are being pushed to the brink of survival amid the collapse of basic services, an ongoing cholera outbreak, spiralling food and energy prices, and economic crisis.  

The earthquake has only added “yet another layer of tragedy and despair”, they said. 

© UNICEF/Hasan Belal

A seven-year-old displaced girl lives in a makeshift camp with her family in southern Syria. (file)

Aid is not enough 

The UN officials underlined the humanitarian community’s full commitment to continue to assist people across Syria, and its support for resilience and early recovery efforts. 

“Humanitarian assistance, however, is not sufficient or sustainable,” they said.  

“There must be a durable and comprehensive solution to end the conflict in Syria. All stakeholders must show the determination to continue pursuing lasting peace for the Syrian people to rebuild their devastated lives.” 

Child malnutrition rising 

The ongoing war and the earthquakes have left millions of young Syrians at heightened risk of malnutrition, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Wednesday. 

Close to 13,000 boys and girls have been killed since the conflict began, the agency added. 

UNICEF estimated that some 609,000 Syrian children under the age of five are stunted, a condition that results from chronic undernutrition and which causes irreversible physical and mental damage. 

Acute malnutrition is also on the rise. The number of young children suffering from severe acute malnutrition increased by nearly 50 per cent from 2021 to 2022.  

“When children suffer from acute malnutrition, their immune system weakens, and they are 11 times more likely to die than well-nourished children,” UNICEF explained. 

Children cannot wait 

Syrian families are also struggling to make ends meet due to soaring prices and the economic crisis, with nearly 90 per cent of the population living in poverty. 

“The children of Syria cannot wait any longer. After years of conflict, and two catastrophic earthquakes, the futures of millions of children hang by a thread,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.  

“It is our collective responsibility to reaffirm to children that their future is our priority too.” 

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human rights expert — Global Issues

In a report to the latest session of the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, warned of an alarming increase in the use of “intrusive and high-risk technologies”, according to a press release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

This includes drones, biometrics, artificial intelligence (AI) and spyware, which is being ramped up in the ongoing fight against terrorism, without due regard for the rule of law, governance and human rights, she said.

Exception becoming the norm

“Exceptional justifications for the use of surveillance technologies in human rights ‘lite’ counter-terrorism often turn into mundane regular use,” said Ms. Ní Aoláin, pointing to the impact on fundamental rights such as freedom of movement, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to privacy.

“There must be a pause in the use of intrusive high-risk technologies until adequate safeguards are in place,” she said.

The Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert expressed concern about the growing domestication of the use of drones in several countries, the widespread misuse of spyware technology against civil society groups, dissidents and journalists, and the increasing adoption of biometric data collection.

‘Unregulated transfers’ must end

“The unregulated transfer of high-risk technologies to States engaging in systematic human rights violations must end,” the Special Rapporteur said. She urged authorities to more effectively regulate companies involved in the transfer of surveillance technologies abroad.

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Fionnuala Ni Aolain, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism.

“In the absence of regulation, the cost to human rights can only increase with no end in sight,” Ms. Ní Aoláin said.

Global ban on ‘killer robots’

She joined the call for a global ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems and highlighted the specific obligations of the various UN counter-terrorism bodies to ensure that any guidance and advice provided on new technologies is fully consistent with the UN Charter, and international law.

Instead, she presented to the Council in her new report a new and innovative approach to regulating spyware, which would focus on ensuring that “minimum human rights standards” are applied, by both governments and companies, in the development, use and transfer of high-risk surveillance technologies.

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UN deputy chief warns of faltering progress towards SDGs — Global Issues

“Let me be frank: we are not doing well. Our progress towards the SDGs has faltered and even gone into reverse on some important targets and Goals, leaving many behind,” she said in opening remarks to the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) in Beirut, Lebanon. 

World leaders adopted the 17 SDGs in 2015, laying out a roadmap to a more just, equitable and “green” global future by 2030.  With countries now at the halfway mark, Ms. Mohammed called for an honest appraisal to decide on course corrections. 

Promise in peril 

She highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the “triple planetary crisis” – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – have affected lives and livelihoods. 

The fallouts in the Arab world include rising poverty, which is approaching 50 per cent in the region’s poorer countries, and food insecurity.  The recent devastating earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye have only added to the suffering. 

“Unless we act now, all these factors could put the promise to reach the Sustainable Development Goals far out of reach for this region and for the rest of the world,” she said. “We need an urgent review of how policy decisions and investment can put the region back on track.” 

SDG Stimulus Plan 

Ms. Mohammed said despite these challenges, the Arab region has made progress towards sustainable development in renewable energy, internet access and social protection, which should serve as inspiration for the road ahead. 

However, the collective debt burden of countries in the region has risen dramatically, she added, pointing to the “broken” global financial system.    

She recalled that the UN Secretary-General has set out urgent and necessary reforms to the global financial architecture while also calling for a $500 billion annual Stimulus Plan for the SDGs.  

Climate and gender action 

She also underscored the need for climate action, noting that the region has been hit by droughts and sandstorms which will only get worse with global warming. 

The United Arab Emirates will host the COP28 UN climate change conference this year, and she said the country “has a huge responsibility to reach consensus around accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels – in the region and around the world.” 

She also stressed that while sustainable development is essential, a crucial component – gender equality – is often overlooked. 

“The math is simple. Without the contributions of half their members, societies will only fulfil half their potential,” she said.   “We need the full contributions of all, to weather the current storms and build inclusive, sustainable economies and societies for the future.” 

Private sector important

Speaking at another AFSD event, Ms. Mohammed underscored the importance of the private sector – from micro-enterprises to multinational corporations – in realizing a sustainable global future. 

“The SDGs will fail without the private sector,” she warned.   “We urgently need powerful private sector partnerships that invest in the transitions necessary to accelerate development progress and get the SDGs back on track.” 

She said the business community can play a crucial role in bridging the financing gap to achieve the goals by 2030, which has been estimated to exceed $660 billion per year in 12 Arab countries.  

Although private capital is abundant, she said only a small share is aligned with the SDGs and the challenge is to mobilize domestic and foreign private capital to help close the gap. 

She also noted positive developments, as recent corporate finance deals have revealed a move towards sustainability in the region, especially in renewable energy, water and transportation. 

However, she said investments in social infrastructure and services, equality, peace and justice, remain too few and too little. 

Deputy Secretary-General’s activities 

The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD), which concludes on Thursday, is organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), based in Beirut. 

Prior to the opening, the Deputy Secretary-General met with the AFSD-2023 Chair, Waed Badhib, Yemen’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. 

She also held a press conference on Tuesday alongside the ESCWA Executive Secretary, Rola Dashti, and Mr. Badhib. 

Ms. Mohammed and UN Resident Coordinators from the Arab region later went on a field visit to a community kitchen in Beirut set up by the Lebanese Union for People with Physical Disabilities.   

“Access Kitchen” is supported by UN Women under a joint programme with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 

The Deputy Secretary-General listened to the challenges facing women and girls with disabilities in Lebanon, and how they are coping under the multiple crises affecting the country. She then took part in a hands-on meal preparation. 

Ms. Mohammed also discussed with Coordinators how best to accelerate momentum towards achieve sustainable development ahead of the SDG Summit at UN Headquarters in New York in September. 

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55 countries face a health worker crunch linked to COVID-19: WHO — Global Issues

According to the UN agency, African nations have been worst-hit by the phenomenon, with 37 countries on the continent facing health worker shortages that threaten their chances of achieving universal health care by 2030 – a key Sustainable Development Goals pledge.

The actions of wealthy countries that belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) come under scrutiny in the WHO alert, among other regions.

Recruitment drive

“Within Africa it’s a very vibrant economy that is creating new opportunities”, said Dr. Jim Campbell, the Director responsible for health worker policy at WHO.                           

“The Gulf States have traditionally been reliant on international personnel and then some of the OECD high-income countries have really accelerated their recruitment and employment to respond to the pandemic and respond to the loss of lives, the infections, the absences of workers during the pandemic”.

To help countries protect their vulnerable healthcare systems, WHO has issued an updated health workforce support and safeguards list, which highlights nations with low numbers of qualified health care staff.

“These countries require priority support for health workforce development and health system strengthening, along with additional safeguards that limit active international recruitment,” the WHO insisted.

© UNICEF/Anmar Anmar

A 5-month-old baby is vaccinated at a camp for displaced people n the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Tedros call

Supporting the call for universal healthcare for all countries, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on all countries “to respect the provisions in the WHO health workforce support and safeguards list”.

Health workers “are the backbone of every health system, and yet 55 countries with some of the world’s most fragile health systems do not have enough and many are losing their health workers to international migration,” Tedros added.

Commercial interest

Although many countries do respect existing WHO guidelines on recruitment of health care workers, the principle is not accepted wholesale, WHO warned.

“What we are seeing is that the majority of countries are respecting those provisions (by) not actively recruiting from these (vulnerable) countries,” said WHO’s Dr Campbell. “But there is also a private recruitment market that does exist and we’re looking to them to also reach some of the global standards that are anticipated in terms of their practice and behaviour.”

Mechanisms also exist for governments or other individuals to notify WHO if they are “worried” about the behaviour of recruiters, the WHO official added.

The WHO health workforce support and safeguard list does not prohibit international recruitment, but recommends that governments involved in such programmes are informed about the impact on the health system in countries where they source qualified health professionals.

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More than half of all Syrians going hungry: WFP — Global Issues

Some 12.1 million Syrians are food insecure, while nearly three million more are at risk of sliding into hunger, the UN agency warned, highlighting the urgent need for increased humanitarian assistance. 

Malnutrition is also on the rise, with stunting rates among children at 28 per cent, according to recent data.  Maternal malnutrition is also reaching levels never seen before. 

Resilient but weary 

“Bombardment, displacement, isolation, drought, economic meltdown, and now earthquakes of staggering proportions. Syrians are remarkably resilient but there’s only so much that people can take,” said Kenn Crossley, WFP Country Director in Syria. “At what point does the world say enough?” 

WFP said an average monthly wage in Syria currently covers approximately one-quarter of a family’s food needs. 

The deadly earthquakes last month, which rocked Syria and neighbouring Türkiye, struck as food prices were already soaring.   

Record food and fuel costs 

They also highlighted the urgent need for increased humanitarian assistance for Syria – not only to support people affected by the catastrophe, but also those already dealing with spiralling food prices, a fuel crisis, and consecutive climate shocks.  

WFP reported that food and fuel are at their highest prices in a decade after years of inflation and currency devaluation.  

Syria used to be self-sufficient in food production but now ranks among the six countries with the highest food insecurity in the world.  Wheat production has declined by75 per cent due to damaged infrastructure, the high cost of fuel, and drought-like conditions. 

Funding crunch 

Some 5.5 million people across Syria receive food assistance from WFP through a mixture of food distributions, nutrition programmes, school meals, cash assistance, and other support. 

Since the 6 February earthquake impacting the northwest, WFP has reached 1.7 million affected people, including some already benefiting from monthly food assistance. 

The agency warned that it is facing a funding crunch which threatens to curtail assistance at a time of immense needs.   

Millions at risk 

WFP urgently requires at least $450 million to support operations in Syria through the rest of the year. This includes $150 million to support 800,000 people affected by the earthquake for six months.  Without sufficient resources, millions could miss out on food assistance. 

“‘The world has now forgotten us. That’s what we hear from many Syrians, and it’s a stark reminder that we need to do more,” said Corinne Fleischer, Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. 

 WFP is also working on finding long-term solutions to help communities in Syria become less reliant on direct food assistance.  

The agency supports the rehabilitation of irrigation systems, mills, bakeries, and markets, noting that these projects carry greater return on investment compared to traditional food aid. 

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Syria rights investigators back calls for earthquake ‘failures’ probe — Global Issues

The Commission of Inquiry on Syriapointed to “failures that hindered the delivery of urgent and lifesaving aid” to the largely opposition-held northwest region, in the days after the 6 February quakes.

Humanitarian assessments point to more than 7,000 people killed in Syria by the natural disaster.

Rescue equipment lacking

At a press conference in Geneva, chairperson of the inquiry, Paulo Pinheiro, backed calls for a probe into alleged delays in getting aid and rescue equipment to those affected.

The people of Syria had “a right to the truth”, the veteran rights experts insisted, adding that it was also in the interests of “international good practice”, so that mistakes could be identified and avoided in future.

“They have the right to know what exactly happened for not receiving (help) immediately,” he said, adding that Syrian people in the affected areas remained “completely appalled by this incapacity of the international organizations to come to their support and aid” because three days after the disaster “a lot of people could survive if there was a fast, immediate reaction of the international community and the United Nations”.

No let-up in hostilities

According to the Commission of Inquiry’s latest report into the Syrian crisis, parties to the 12-year-old conflict continued to commit “widespread human rights violations and abuses” in the months leading up to the earthquake tragedy.

Hostilities even continued in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the Commissioners said, “even in the very areas devastated by the earthquakes. These include last week’s reported Israeli attack on Aleppo international airport, a conduit for humanitarian aid.”

Highlighting the delays in securing international aid access from Türkiye to the stricken northwest, the Commission of Inquiry report noted that the Syrian Government required “a full week to consent to life-saving cross-border aid access”.

Mistrust on all sides

Cross-line aid deliveries were also “impeded” by the Government and the opposition Syrian National Army (SNA), the independent investigators said, adding that the non-state armed group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) in northwest Syria also “refused cross-line aid from Damascus”.

With entire communities in Syria’s northwest destroyed by last month’s “exceptional” disaster, Commissioner Hanny Megally explained how they had pleaded for assistance.

“People were saying, ‘We need heavy equipment, we need search teams with dogs, people are still alive under the rubble. Where’s the UN, where’s the international community to help us?’ And they could see not far away the same earthquake, lots of international assistance being provided on the Turkish side of the border whereas they’re all waiting for something that did not transpire.”

It’s estimate that five million people require basic shelter and non-food assistance in the Syrian part of the earthquake zone.

Already before the 6 February earthquakes, more than 15 million Syrians – more than at any point since the start of the conflict – needed humanitarian assistance.

Heroism amid suffering

Although there were “many acts of heroism amid the suffering” after the earthquake, Commissioner Paulo Pinheiro insisted that the Syrian people “in the most dire need” had been failed by their Government, the international community and the UN.

“Syrians now need a comprehensive ceasefire that is fully respected, for civilians – including aid workers – to be safe,” he said, before adding that the Commission of Inquiry was now investigating fresh attacks “including last week’s reported Israeli attack on Aleppo international airport, a conduit for humanitarian aid”.

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UN experts call on South Africa to create torture prevention body — Global Issues

The experts offered several recommendations after observing a range of concerns, from poor detention conditions to allegations of corruption, on the heels of the first visit of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) to South Africa, from 26 February to 9 March.

“This must change,” said Abdallah Ounnir, head of the subcommittee’s delegation. “There is an urgent need for South Africa to fully establish a national preventive mechanism.”

This would ensure the country’s compliance with its commitment made in 2019 to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, he explained.

Such a national preventive mechanism should be a fully independent monitoring body empowered to visit all places of detention, which “is key to prevent torture and ill-treatment in the country”, he said.

‘Inhuman’ practices

During the visit, he said the delegation had noted the overuse of liberty deprivation across sectors, such as prisons, police stations, immigration facilities, mental health facilities, and drug treatment centres.

“This reflects a de facto punitive rather than a rehabilitative approach to crime and other social issues,” he said. “The high number of remand detainees and overcrowding in detention places reflect deficiencies in the criminal justice system and the judiciary.”

In addition, the delegation received allegations of corruption within facilities and “observed entrenched inhuman practices, ill-treatment, and poor detention conditions,” he said.

Taking a proactive approach

The subcommittee visited public and private penitentiaries, police stations, military detention barracks, youth care centres, psychiatric hospitals, drug rehabilitation institutions, and a migrant detention camp.

They conducted confidential interviews with staff members and people held in these institutions and met with Government officials, civil society, the South African Human Rights Commission, and related bodies.

Following the visit, the subcommittee will submit a confidential report to the Government of South Africa, with observations and recommendations to prevent torture and ill-treatment of people deprived of their liberty.

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture began its work in the UN human rights system in 2007, with a preventive mandate focused on taking a proactive approach to preventing torture and ill treatment.

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Digital technology new source of discrimination against women: Guterres — Global Issues

The town hall with representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was held as part of the annual session of the UN Committee on the Status of Women (CSW), which meets in New York every March.  

Its latest two-week session – known as CSW67, which runs through Friday – is focused on the theme of innovation, technology, change, and education in the digital age. 

Civil society also used the town to appeal for more action on other issues critical to women and girls, such as greater representation at the UN, ending the war in Ukraine, and eliminating all forms of gender-based violence. 

A male-dominated world 

In remarks prior to the dialogue, the Secretary-General spoke of the backslide in women’s and girls’ rights globally after years of incremental progress.  

“Many of the challenges we face today – from conflicts to climate chaos and the cost-of-living crisis – are the result of what is a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture, taking the key decisions that guide our world,” he said. 

Newfound discrimination 

Mr. Guterres noted that digital technology – the product of an industry that is predominantly male – represents a new source of discrimination and bias. 

“Rather than presenting facts and addressing bias, technology based on incomplete data and badly-designed algorithms is digitizing and amplifying sexism – with deadly consequences,” he said.  

“Medical decisions based on data essentially from men can damage women’s health.  Safety features based on men’s bodies can put women’s lives at risk, namely in the car industry,” he added, citing examples. 

The gender digital divide is fast becoming the new face of gender inequality, he continued.  Online spaces are not safe for women and girls, as they have been attacked, targeted, or denigrated on the internet. 

Furthermore, “while 12 men have walked on the moon, not a single woman has done so,” he said, pointing to stereotypes that “push girls away from studying science, engineering, and math, and strangle the careers of women scientists.” 

Keep pushing forward 

Mr. Guterres said the situation must change, and in the face of the “patriarchal pushback”, the international community must push forward for women, girls and the world.   

“Policymakers must create – and in some circumstances must reinforce to create – transformative change by promoting women and girls’ equal rights and opportunities to learn; by dismantling barriers and smashing glass ceilings,” he said. 

He also called for all leaders to urgently take up UN recommendations that promote education and training in digital skills for women and girls, as well as algorithms that align with human rights and gender equality, among other measures.  

Punish cybercrime 

At the outset of the dialogue – which was moderated by Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women – the Secretary-General insisted that participants should not only ask him questions, but also offer comments, suggestions, and ideas.   

He interacted with them in groups of three, first listening to their interventions as a whole and then responding to the individual issues they raised. 

Houry Geudelekian, Chair of NGO CSW New York, was the first to speak.  She stressed that countries must find a way to hold perpetrators accountable for online violence targeting women and girls.  

“Cybercrime should be punishable in the same way as any other crime,” she said. “Member States and the private sector have the power to reverse the regression in gender equality and uplift women and girls in all their diversity.” 

Speaking in her personal capacity, she also called for the international community to reduce military spending by five per cent and instead channel the funding towards sustainable development efforts. 

Young women demand change 

Prabhleen Tuteja, Executive Director of YP, the Youth Foundation, asked the Secretary-General about greater representation of young women at the UN, particularly to ensure “feminist, intersectional and inter-generational leadership”. 

Meanwhile, Rania Harrara from Morocco reported that young leaders were “pretty disappointed” that the town hall was taking place at the same time as a dialogue for youth representatives.   

She highlighted other concerns around access to UN facilities, adding that many young people from the Global South could not take part in the conversation due to barriers such as lack of funding and visa issues.   

“Equality and meaningful youth engagement is about digital access, digital literacy and digital safety for all adolescent girls in all of their diversity,” she said. “Adolescent girls are tired of being tokenized, and we require to be part of the policymaking.” 

UN ‘rejuvenation’ 

The Secretary-General said he was surprised to hear about these impediments as the instructions were to allow all attendees to enter the UN facilities. 

Regarding visas, he explained that they are issued by the host country, not the UN. However, he asked for examples of specific situations so that the matter could be raised with the US authorities to avoid the situation being repeated in the future. 

Addressing the wider issue of youth participation, Mr. Guterres noted that while the UN has a strategy on gender parity, it has yet to adopt one on “rejuvenation” of the Organization. 

“We need to have a younger UN,” he insisted. “Young generations are better prepared than myself to look into, for instance, the impacts of digital technologies in the way governance takes place globally.” 

The Secretary-General also agreed with Ms. Geudelekian’s call for greater accountability for cyber attacks against women and girls, which he said is a matter that UN Member States should seriously examine.  

A plea on Ukraine 

One participant who said she represented Ukrainian women, gave emotional testimony about how the war has affected families.  

She reported that the independent delegation of Ukrainian women wrote to the Secretary-General last October requesting that he “immediately change the status of the United Nations”. 

She underlined support for developing a new global mechanism to protect all countries from aggression, which drew applause from the room. 

Mr. Guterres recalled that the conflict has generated the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War, with women and children comprising the majority of those  fleeing Ukraine. 

“Women are indeed suffering in a way that is totally disproportionate in relation to this tragedy,” he said. 

The Secretary-General upheld that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a violation of international law and the UN Charter, “and it has been very clearly expressed by us.” 

He also underlined the UN’s ongoing humanitarian action and support, including efforts to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is set to expire in a matter of days. 

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Sticking to ‘cold, hard’ climate facts can end global warming: Guterres — Global Issues

Underlining the “urgent need to end global heating with cold, hard facts”, he said the panel’s forthcoming report ahead of the next UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), to be held in Dubai in November, comes at a pivotal time.

‘Tip of the tipping point’

“Our world is at a crossroads, and our planet is in the crosshairs,” he said. “We are nearing the point of no return, of overshooting the internationally agreed limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming. We are at the tip of a tipping point.”

The panel, a UN body for assessing the science related to climate change, has put forward, for decades, clear evidence of how people and planet are being affected by climate destruction. Its new assessment will be the first comprehensive report since the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in 2015.

“You have built the case, setting out the science of climate change and the urgency for climate action,” Mr. Guterres said. “The evidence has been clear, convincing and irrefutable.”

The Panel findings underscore the need to act now, he declared. Citing several recent IPCC reports, he said evidence in 2021 showed for the first time that some of the changes to Earth’s oceans, ice, and land surface were irreversible.

That report also said the changes were “unequivocally” caused by human activity, overwhelmingly from burning fossil fuels and creating unprecedented levels of greenhouse gases.

Progress is possible

Nearly half the world’s population is living in the danger zone of climate impacts, the 2022 IPCC report said. Noting that investments in adaptation must be scaled up, the report also indicated that it is possible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius with rapid and deep emissions reductions across all sectors of the global economy.

“The facts are not in question, but our actions are,” he said to the panel. “It is not too late, as you have shown.”

Approaching COP28, he encouraged IPCC to provide leaders with “solid, frank, detailed scientific guidance to make the right decisions for people and planet”.

Leaders “must understand the enormous consequences of delay and the enormous dividends from making the tough but essential choices to accelerate the phasing out of fossil fuels and close the emissions gap, to race to a carbon-free, renewables future, and to secure climate justice, helping communities adapt and build resilience to the worsening impacts,” he said.

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‘Society raises barriers’ to people with disabilities says activist in Costa Rica — Global Issues

“I am the daughter of a housewife and a car painter” is how Nicaraguan activist Ms. Mesén describes herself, while sitting behind her office desk in San José, the capital city of Costa Rica, where she is now living.

Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that causes bones to break easily and damages hearing, muscles, teeth and the spine, she uses a wheelchair.

“Being born with a disability is complex, not because of the disability itself, but because of all the barriers that society generates,” she said. “Historically and culturally, we have generated a model of people. If someone breaks that model, we tend to segregate them and erect endless barriers because we build society with that model.”

She said discrimination and a dearth of knowledge about the rights of persons with disabilities prevented her from going to nursery school. By primary school, she said her mother was ready. A law on equal opportunities was already in force, so when her mother approached the Education Ministry, she made sure her seven-year-old daughter could go to school.

A young Ms. Mesén found staff and students there ready to create an inclusive environment. Her father had crafted a crib with wheels to accommodate her, as she could not sit upright due to her medical condition and the school supported other accessibility efforts.

“It seemed to have created a pattern at the school because levels of inclusion had never been established before,” she said.

She did not attend secondary school due to health reasons, but she never stopped learning, taking up painting and studying English; she also learned how to make crafts and jewelry.

Disability in Costa Rica

 

More than 670,000 people, or 18 per cent of the country’s population, lives with a disability – 39 per cent men and 61 per cent women. Although the vast majority of persons with disabilities have access to social security, Costa Rica still faces significant challenges to ensure full rights to education and employment.

Currently, 56 per cent of adults with disabilities are unemployed.

At age 18, Ms. Mesén became an activist to promote the rights of persons with disabilities, focusing her efforts on social media rather than campaigning in person.

“My mother gave me all the tools for me to assert my rights; no one was going to do it for me,” she said.

By the time she was 22, she became the first person with a disability to be elected as councillor of Goicoechea a locaility in San José, a position she still holds.

“I saw politics as a platform to make mt activism more visible because I’ve always believed that activism and politics go hand in hand,” she said.

But, Ms. Mesén never settles. She wants to become an activist lawyer to defend human rights.

Ms. Mesén’s story is an example of struggle and achievement, part of a collection of 20 stories in the book I am a person with a disability in Costa Rica and this is my story, now available online in Spanish.

Part of a series of stories compiled in Costa Rica to raise awareness about the situations of specific people and groups and share their aspirations, struggles, experiences, and valuable life lessons, earlier editions have amplified the voices of people of African descent and of indigenous peoples. The next book in the series will contain stories of migrants.

Promoting inclusion

Allegra Baiocchi, UN Resident Coordinator in Costa Rica, said persons with disabilities, families, communities, institutions, and organizations are currently leading a transformation, by taking a people-centred approach to development.

“It’s a great challenge for the UN, countries, and societies to support groups that have experienced exclusion and have faced extremely complex struggles,” she said. “It’s about listening to them, supporting them, and reaffirming their aspirations for equality and social justice. Every day, we are learning how to ensure true inclusion and accessibility for all people.”

That includes ensuring that more persons with disabilities have access to employment and leadership positions, she said. The newest This is my story book recognizes the persons with disabilities “who inspire us and encourage us to fight for equality, rights, and well-being for all people”, she said.

“They teach us that we will not be able to achieve sustainable development if we do not close the gaps that are affecting them much more deeply than the rest of the people in Costa Rica,” she said.

When the book was launched, Costa Rica’s Vice President, Mary Munive, said the Government is committed to move towards becoming a more inclusive country with more opportunities for all.

“We must guarantee that our population with disabilities has access to quality education and jobs,” she said.

Ongoing efforts in Costa Rica include implementing the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, promoting advocacy and generating evidence and information for decision making.

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