UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today jointly sounded the alarm on the new asylum law and plans to transfer asylum-seekers from the United Kingdom to Rwanda, calling for practical measures instead to address irregular flows of migrants and refugees.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
A report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) states that explosive weapons were responsible for nearly half of the more than 47,500 children killed or maimed in more than 24 different conflict zones between 2018 and 2022. The vast majority of these instances occurred in populated areas.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that ongoing hostilities in Gaza, the destruction of roads and the prevalence of unexploded ordnance continue to pose significant risks for humanitarian workers. These challenges are also impeding the movement of aid supplies across the Gaza Strip.
In Haiti, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people with critical assistance. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that more than 18,000 people were reached with cash transfers and, again yesterday, 210,000 children received a meal in their schools across the country.
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine today condemned the latest wave of deadly strikes across the country, including in the northern city of Chernihiv. According to Ukrainian authorities, the attacks killed and injured civilians, including children, and damaged homes and a hospital.
In Cameroon, the United Nations and its partners today launched the Humanitarian Response Plan jointly with the Government, seeking $371 million to assist 2.3 million people. Last year, the appeal was less than one third funded.
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that nearly 55 million people in West and Central Africa will struggle to feed themselves during the next lean season — which is from June to August. This is an increase of 4 million in the number of food-insecure people as compared to the previous forecast published in late 2023.
In Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN peacekeepers there responded to an alert this morning about shots fired by CODECO combatants near the area of Tata Hill, in Ituri province. The peacekeepers established a presence in the area, including between a hospital, the local church and market, to deter further threats.
The World Health Organization (WHO) today sounded the alarm on viral hepatitis infections that claim over 3,000 lives each day — with 1.3 million deaths per year — while the health agency fears that the number of lives lost due to hepatitis is increasing.
In Zimbabwe, humanitarian officials say they are concerned over the impact of the drought brought about by El Niño, which last week prompted the country to declare a state of emergency. Authorities in Zimbabwe say that more than 2.7 million people there are facing food insecurity as a result.