Malawi

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned about the plight of hundreds of thousands of people in Ethiopia’s strife-torn Tigray region who have yet to receive life-saving assistance.  The situation is particularly critical for newly displaced people and refugees.

The Nobel Committee has awarded this year’s Peace Prize to the United Nation World Food Programme (WFP).  The Secretary-General congratulates David Beasley, WFP’s Executive Director, as well as the agency’s entire staff.  The Programme is on the frontlines of food insecurity, serving the most vulnerable of the world.

The World Meteorological Organization launched today FOCUS-Africa, an $8.2 million initiative funded by the European Commission to increase resilience and adaptation in Southern Africa over the next four years.  It will deliver tailored services in agriculture and food security, water, energy and infrastructure.

The United Nations is mobilizing to help fight COVID-19 in the Dominican Republic, where about 37,000 cases and 800 deaths are confirmed.  The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is supplying ventilators while Rome-based food agencies led a virtual farm training to help people generate additional income.

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

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

In Nigeria, where the number of COVID-19-related deaths has doubled in the past month, with total virus cases reaching 20,000, the United Nations is providing vital medical kits and equipment to further support Government efforts in addressing the pandemic.

Today on International Nurses Day, the World Health Organization remind us that as the world struggles to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic there is an urgent shortage of nurses worldwide. Almost 6 million more are needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

In the Americas, chronic overcrowding, unhygienic conditions and lack of health‑care access have led to COVID-19 infections among thousands of inmates and prison officials.  The Human Rights High Commissioner urged States to ensure widespread access to testing and care for detainees, and both testing and protective gear for staff.

A new United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report based on data from 57 countries finds that a quarter of women are not able to make their own decisions about accessing health care, and nearly one in ten is unable to make her own choices about using contraception.