Human rights

A series of tropical cyclones have devastated areas in the Philippines, Viet Nam, Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic since early October, United Nations humanitarian officials report, noting that the Organization and partners are seeking $95 million to help nearly 675,000 displaced people.

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

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s video message on the occasion of the Spotlight Initiative high-level launch event for the Guyana country programme titled “Sustainable Development Goals Decade of Action — End Gender-based Violence and Family Violence for Unity, Equality and Dignity in Guyana”, held today:

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s video message to promote the Secretary-General’s report on the Implementation of the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy, on 13 October:

The General Assembly today elected 15 States to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.  It also paid tribute to the late Amir of Kuwait, with speakers remembering him as a champion of peace, diplomacy and humanitarian action.

There has been a dramatic rise in major storms, drought, wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events over the last 20 years, which have claimed 1.23 million lives, impacted 4.2 billion people and caused almost $3 trillion in global economic losses, according to a report published today by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Growing numbers of indigenous peoples are succumbing to extreme poverty, amid a spike in land evictions and loss of traditional livelihoods brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations expert charged with assessing their wellbeing told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as delegates raised questions and concerns about their plight.

The World Food Programme in South Sudan strongly condemned an attack on its boat convoy near Shambe carrying food assistance intended for people displaced after losing their homes and crops to floods.  One of the 13-person crew is missing and presumed killed, and three others are suffering from gunshot wounds.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Sustainable Development Goals Conference and Human Rights Festival, which opened in Berlin today:

The United Nations human rights office called today for urgent action to address the dire situation of migrants attempting to cross the central Mediterranean Sea in search of safety in Europe, and to tackle the shocking conditions they face in Libya, at sea, and frequently, upon their reception in Europe.