Humanitarian issues

SECRETARY-GENERAL DESCRIBES APPROVAL OF CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND

AS CRITICAL PART OF BROAD HUMANITARIAN REFORM

He Says Process of Providing Aid to Disaster Victims

Has for Too Long Remained Unacceptably Reactive, Unequal

UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S ADOPTION

OF NEW CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND

FOCUS ON SHELTER SHIFTS TO EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS BELOW SNOWLINE IN PAKISTAN

NEW YORK, 13 December (OCHA) -- Operation “Winter Race” is now shifting its focus to reinforcing shelter assistance for people living below the snowline at 5,000 feet.

WOMEN THREATENED IN ALL STAGES OF LIFE, UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL

SAYS WHILE LAUNCHING TWO PUBLICATIONS ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

NEW PROTOCOL EXPANDS PROTECTION OF HUMANITARIAN WORKERS

IN AREAS OTHER THAN PEACEKEEPING

SECRETARY-GENERAL DELIGHTED BY ADOPTION OF RED CRYSTAL EMBLEM

The following statement is attributable to the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

UNITED NATIONS ASSISTS COMOROS AFTER VOLCANIC ERUPTION

END OF 2005 HURRICANE SEASON DOES NOT MEAN END OF RELIEF EFFORTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL SEEKS $4.7 BILLION FOR DESPERATELY NEEDED ASSISTANCE

IN 26 COUNTRIES, AT HEADQUARTERS LAUNCH OF 2006 HUMANITARIAN APPEAL

SECRETARY-GENERAL REQUESTS GENEROUS SUPPORT FOR 2006 APPEAL AIMED AT THOSE

MOST DESPERATE, SAYING ‘THEY NEED OUR ASSISTANCE AND THEY NEED IT NOW’

Following are UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks at the launch of Humanitarian Appeal 2006 at Headquarters, 30 November: