The Sixth Committee (Legal) completed its debate this morning on the status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, with speakers underscoring the key role of these instruments in protecting victims of armed conflicts, while some pointed to an ‘international silence’ amidst the ongoing international humanitarian law violations and others urging greater compliance to the Protocol’s tenets. (For background, see Press Release GA/L/3735.)
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began its consideration of the Secretary-General’s report on the status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 today (document A/79/174), speakers underscored those instruments’ continued relevance — and the need to respect their provisions — despite the reality that modern war looks different than it did 75 years ago.
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on questions relating to information today, with speakers stressing the urgent need for a collective effort to combat the pervasive threat of disinformation, which undermines democracy and international peace, while emphasizing the crucial role of the United Nations in promoting accurate and reliable information across diverse media platforms.
The General Assembly would reaffirm that the prevention of an outer space arms race would avert a grave danger for international peace and security and thus welcome deliberations by the open-ended working group on reducing space threats, which constitute an important contribution to outer space security and the prevention of such an arms race, according to one of 15 drafts approved today by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).
The United Nations’ anti-racism commitment must extend to the Palestinian people, an independent expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) today, underscoring the need to combat deep-rooted racism against them within international policies, media narratives and institutional frameworks.
The General Assembly today took up the Economic and Social Council’s report, with Member States emphasizing the need to boost efforts toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and concluded the Assembly’s debates on the Human Rights Council and revitalization of the work of the 193 member organ.
Backing the Organization’s efforts to retain and build a highly skilled workforce, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today reviewed the complex compensation package meant to fairly reward thousands of United Nations employees — including those working in dangerous locales around the world.
Politicians mobilizing hostile rhetoric against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) persons subject them to violence and hamper their rightful political participation, a human rights expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today.
The General Assembly would condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances as unacceptable and an international law violation, and express its strong conviction that those responsible for their use must and should be held accountable, according to one of six drafts on mass destruction weapons approved today by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).
It is about time for the United Nations – the world’s largest multilateral body - to be headed by a woman for the first time since its founding nearly 80 years ago. This was the overwhelming position of delegates today at the General Assembly as the 193-member organ observed its annual consideration of the revitalization of the body’s work. They also addressed concerning aspects of the Assembly’s functioning and relationship with other organs.
