Women and gender issues

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) — by far the largest humanitarian provider in Gaza — warned that, unless fuel is allowed into Gaza immediately, it will be forced to halt its operations tonight.

Stronger Government actions and financing are necessary to ensure progress of women’s participation in peace and security amid dire and evolving global conditions, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council today, opening its annual day-long open debate on women, peace and security.

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of the Girl Child, observed on 11 October:

With women and girls continuing to suffer oppressive conditions amounting to “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan due to intensifying and comprehensive restrictions imposed on their rights and freedoms, speakers today urged the Security Council and the international community to wield all available measures to induce the Taliban de facto authorities to reverse course.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the ministerial-level side event on feminist foreign policy as an accelerator for positive change by transforming commitments into actions, in New York today:

In Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that intense clashes in Khartoum over the weekend resulted in civilian casualties. Furthermore, the UN’s humanitarian partners report that renewed clashes in South Darfur have displaced many people in the city of Nyala.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the Generation Equality Midpoint Moment event, in New York today:

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations continues to support efforts to protect civilians amid increasing attacks by the CODECO armed group in Ituri Province.

In Somalia, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the risk of famine still lingers among communities of displaced people in parts of the country. This is despite the scale-up of humanitarian assistance and better-than-forecast rains which have brought some relief from the devastating drought.