This week marks two years since the escalation of the conflict in Yemen, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien said last night. Yemen is now on the brink of famine, with nearly 19 million people — more than two thirds of the population — in need humanitarian aid.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
Today is World Tuberculosis Day, and UNAIDS is urging countries to do much more to reduce the number of tuberculosis (TB) deaths among people living with HIV. The most common cause of death among people living with HIV, TB caused the deaths of 400,000 of the 1.1 million people who died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2015.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and the Government of Uganda jointly appealed urgently today for massive support for the thousands of refugees from South Sudan who continue to arrive in Uganda daily. Uganda already hosts more than 800,000 South Sudanese refugees, including 572,000 new arrivals.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya said today he is concerned at continued reports of serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law across the country. He said that credible, effective and accountable security institutions are urgently required to end the deteriorating security situation.
The Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly’s meeting this morning commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He expressed concern that migrants have become convenient scapegoats and that, far too often, hate speech, stereotyping and stigmatization are becoming normalized.
The Government of Iraq reports that 180,000 civilians have fled western Mosul since mid-February, when military operations to retake the city’s western districts began. Humanitarian agencies are bracing for the possibility of an additional 300,000 to 320,000 civilians fleeing in the coming weeks.
UNICEF says that a year after the Balkan border closures and the European Union-Turkey Statement meant to stop mass migration flows, refugee and migrant children face greater risks of deportation, detention, exploitation and deprivation. More of them are embarking on even more dangerous and irregular routes with smugglers.
Escalating fighting pitting Government of Yemen and Coalition forces against Houthi and General People Congress combatants has reached Hudaydah Governorate, leading to the killing and displacement of civilians. Survey results indicate the number of food-insecure people has reached 17 million, up 20 per cent since June.
The Security Council is holding an open debate today on trafficking in persons in conflict situations. Addressing the body, the Secretary-General noted that human trafficking is not a thing of the past, with trafficking networks having gone global and victims being found in more than 100 countries.
The Secretary-General spoke at the opening of the sixty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women. In his remarks, delivered earlier this morning in the General Assembly, he said that in a male dominated world, the empowerment of women must be a key priority.